Pulse #49

Craig Praul named director of Huck Core Facilities

Craig Praul, director of the Huck Institutes’ Genomics Core facility, has been appointed director of Core Facilities for the Huck Institutes. He leads a newly formed team that will replace outgoing director Nigel Deighton, who retired in July.

Penn State professor named to advisory board of National Smell and Taste Center

John Hayes, professor of food science and director of the Sensory Evaluation Center in the College of Agricultural Sciences, has been appointed to the external scientific advisory board of the newly established Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Troy Sutton named Huck Early Career Chair in Virology

Troy Sutton, assistant professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State, has been awarded a Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Career Chair in Virology.

Arboretum at Penn State's Pollinator and Bird Garden wins international award

The garden was awarded the A+ International Jury Award for Sustainability for Landscapes by Architizer, an online platform for architects and designers.

HGSAC Co-Chairs Awarded for Service

Jessica Walnut and Avery Sicher, outgoing co-chairs of the Huck Graduate Student Advisory Committee (HGSAC), ended the academic year on a high note, receiving awards for their service to the student advocacy organization.

Jeff and Ann Marie Fox name Graduate School with $20 million commitment

Penn State’s Graduate School, which enrolls more than 13,000 students across 300 degree programs, will now bear the names of leading philanthropists who have committed $20 million to its future success and strength.

$1.7M grant continues support for graduate students studying gene regulation

Renewed support for a training program established at Penn State in 2018 ensures five additional years of funding for graduate students conducting cross-disciplinary studies of the mechanisms controlling where and when genes are used in cells.

Research teams receive $1.1 million to study microbiomes in agriculture

Two Penn State-led research teams have received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture for projects investigating the ways microbiomes can affect disease dynamics in agriculture.

Re-engineering cancerous tumors to self-destruct and kill drug-resistant cells

Novel genetic circuit turns cancer cells into a ‘Trojan horse,’ programmed to reduce drug resistance and make them easier to treat. Tested in human cell lines and in mice as proof of concept, the circuit outsmarted a wide range of resistance.

Microbiome Kickstart Workshop will assist newcomers to the field

The One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State has opened registration for its 5th annual Microbiome Kickstart Workshop on Aug. 9 & 12—15 in the Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building on the University Park campus. This free, comprehensive, workshop is a cornerstone training event for emerging researchers to launch their microbiome studies and network at Penn State.