Volume 1 | Issue 2
DISCOVER UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL, CONSUMER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
WHAT WE DO + WHY IT MATTERS
Simply put, research from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is changing lives. With expertise in food and agriculture, environment and water, family and communities, health and wellness, and computing and data, our reach is both broad and deep. But uniting us is a commitment to solving real-world problems that affect people and places in Central Illinois, the United States, and the globe. Here, we showcase a fraction of our world-class research in the area of health and wellness, demonstrating actual and potential improvements to human nutrition, gut health, neurological functioning, and child development.
WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY [ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR]? A newly identified fox gene may one day help people struggling with autism, bipolar, and other social-behavioral disorders. The discovery of the gene is part of a decades-long investigation to uncover the genetic basis of behavior in mammals. As part of an international collaboration, Illinois researchers sequenced the fox genome as well as the genomes of tame and aggressive foxes bred in captivity in a long-term Russian experiment. They confirmed that these behaviors do have a genetic basis, and found that a single gene, SorCS1, seemed to be associated with tameness and low social anxiety. Although social behavior is genetically complex, the finding represents a first step towards greater understanding and potential medical intervention.
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Tameness and low social anxiety appear to have a genetic basis in foxes
WHY PURPLE CORN MAY BE BETTER Purple, red, and blue corn are more than brightly colored specialty crops. ACES scientists are investigating compounds from colored corn to fight diabetes and add value in food production. In studies with mice, the researchers found colored compounds—anthocyanins—can lead to reductions in fat cell content, insulin resistance, and glucose uptake, all of which are implicated in diabetes. While preliminary, the research shows promise for future studies with humans. The researchers are also looking for purple corn varieties with the highest, most potent anthocyanin concentrations. These varieties were tested as part of the diabetes trials, but additional lines are also being used to develop natural and inexpensive alternatives to artificial food dyes. The team hopes to one day insert these high-power, high-value anthocyanins into elite corn hybrids to be grown across the Midwest.
64%
29%
Compounds in colored corn decreased insulin resistance by 29%-64%