June 9, 2021
By Joanna Steward, College of Arts and Sciences
Washington State University evolutionary biologist Joanna Kelley studies genetic adaptation to extreme environments: tropical fish that thrive in waters thick with hydrogen sulfide; an Antarctic midge which can survive brutally cold temperatures of -50 degrees Celsius; and now, the charismatic grizzly bear, a species that is insulin-resistant a metabolic state similar to diabetes in humans during hibernation but insulin-sensitive during its active season.
“They make this natural metabolic transition every spring and every fall without any negative health consequences, and we are trying to figure out how are they able to do that,” said Kelley. “The really big goal is finding a solution to diabetes in humans.”
December 18, 2020
By Joanna Steward, College of Arts and Sciences
Why and when students-athletes use social media, rather than how much, has a greater influence on their mental health, according to one of the first wide-scale surveys of social media engagement and well-being in college athletes.
“A user’s perception of their social media use and the importance it has in their daily life is particularly telling,” said Chris Barry, psychology professor and principal investigator for the project.
The study found student-athletes’ perception that social media might be interfering with their relationships, sleep, or academic success related to negative indicators of well-being, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.