DEKALB, IL – To be sure, NIU scientists aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, but a group of faculty and student researchers are taking the old saw to new extremes to safeguard our food supply.

The work starts with scientists collecting and combing through what might be delicately described as bison manure. With the commercial and wild populations of bison growing in Illinois, the aim is to analyze the waste and identify any harmful pathogens that could be transmitted to humans.

Learn more about the research in the accompanying video from the second annual “Huskie Trek Talks: Ideas in Motion.”

Media Contact: Tom Parisi

About NIU

Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. The Wall Street Journal and CollegeNET recognize NIU as a leading institution for social mobility, or helping its students climb the socioeconomic ladder. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Naperville and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 areas of study while serving a diverse and international student body.