During a recent visit to the Palouse, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee took a tour of the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center as well as the new Family Medicine Residency program at Pullman Regional Hospital.
Inslee, along with his granddaughter Zoe, met with scientists and other staff at the WSU Bear Center to discuss ongoing research, in particular the impacts of climate change on the bears and their ability to reliably find food.
Bear Center Director of Research Charles Robbins also shared with Inslee recent research on the ability of hibernating bears to reverse insulin resistance brought on by long periods of inactivity during hibernation, which has potential implications for our understanding of diabetes in humans.
“There is so much incredible research happening here at Washington State,” said Inslee.