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CDB faculty and research

Faculty associated with the Cell and Developmental Biology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program at Penn State, together with a summary of their research interests. Faculty are listed in alphabetical order of last name. To see more information about a faculty member, click on his/her name.
Name Email/phone Interests include
Ades, Sarah
  • Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
ades@psu.edu
814-863-1088
   (University Park)

Signal transduction and antibiotic-induced stress responses in bacteria.

Assmann, Sarah (Sally)
  • Waller Professor of Biology
sma3@psu.edu
814-863-9579
   (University Park)

Molecular biology of plant G-proteins and kinases. Phytohormone regulation of signal transduction and RNA processing. Second messenger regulation of ion channels in plant cells.

August, Avery
  • Professor of Immunology
axa45@psu.edu
814-863-3539
   (University Park)

Regulation of T cell activation, differentiation and allergic asthma induction by ltk (Tec family kinases).

Axtell, Michael (Mike)
  • Assistant Professor of Biology
mja18@psu.edu
814-867-0241
   (University Park)

Functional genomics of plant microRNAs and siRNAs.

Baumrucker, Craig
  • Professor of Animal Nutrition / Physiology
crb@psu.edu
814-863-0712
   (University Park)

Cell biology and endocrinology related to growth and differentiation of mammary and intestinal tissues. Hormones and growth factors in milk.

Cantorna, Margherita
  • Associate Professor in Molecular Immunology
  • Co-chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases
mxc69@psu.edu
814-863-2819
   (University Park)

Identification and characterization of the cellular and molecular targets of vitamin D in the immune system.

Cavener, Douglas (Doug)
  • Professor and Head of Biology
drc9@psu.edu
814-865-4562
   (University Park)

Regulation of protein synthesis and control of translation initiation of mRNAs in higher eukaryotes and the evolution of tissue specific transcriptional regulation.

Chen, Gong
  • Associate Professor of Biology
gongchen@psu.edu
814-865-2488
   (University Park)

Molecular mechanism of synaptogenesis and plasticity.

Connor, James
  • Distinguished Professor and Vice-Chair Department of Neurosurgery
jrc3@psu.edu
717-531-6408
   (Hershey)

Regulation of expression of iron-binding proteins in the nervous system.

Cosgrove, Daniel (Dan)
  • Eberly Chair and Professor of Biology
dcosgrove@psu.edu
814-863-3892
   (University Park)

Mechanism of plant growth. Function and evolution of expansins. Biochemistry and rheology of plant cell walls. Growth responses to light, hormones, and water stress and other stimuli.

Cox-Foster, Diana
  • Professor of Entomology
dxc12@psu.edu
814-865-1022
   (University Park)

Insect biochemistry and physiology; evolutionary development; molecular biology; host/pathogen interactions.

Cui, Liwang
  • Professor of Entomology
luc2@psu.edu
814-863-7663
   (University Park)

Insect biochemistry and molecular biology; molecular parasitology; medical entomology; host-parasite/pathogen interactions.

Cyr, Richard
  • Professor of Biology
rjc8@psu.edu
814-865-6416
   (University Park)

Plant cell and developmental biology. Biochemical, genetic, molecular genetic and cell biology of the cytoskeleton. Mitosis, with emphasis on spindle assembly.

Diaz, Francisco
  • Assistant Professor of Reproductive Biology
fjd10@psu.edu
814-865-1499
   (University Park)

Ovarian physiology. Role of SMAD-mediated signaling in follicular and female germ cell (oocyte) development.

Han, Okhee
  • Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences
ouh1@psu.edu
814-863-5214
   (University Park)

Molecular and biochemical studies on iron metabolism. Regulatory pathways of intestinal iron absorption that control iron homeostasis. Cellular and molecular studies on functions of iron transport factor genes using cultured mammalian cells.

Hancock, William (Will)
  • Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
wohbio@engr.psu.edu
814-863-0492
   (University Park)

The detailed workings of motor proteins and their role in intracellular transport and cell motility.

Hankey, Pamela (Pam)
  • Professor of Immunology
phc7@psu.edu
814-863-0128
   (University Park)

Regulation of cell-mediated immunity, hematopoiesis, receptor tyrosine kinases, cellular transformation.

Hanna-Rose, Wendy
  • Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
wxh21@psu.edu
814-865-7904
   (University Park)

Developmental genetics of organogenesis and morphogenesis in C. elegans.

Hardison, Ross
  • T. Ming Chu Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
rch8@psu.edu
814-863-0113
   (University Park)

Regulation of gene expression during development.

Harvill, Eric
  • Associate Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Disease
harvill@psu.edu
814-863-8522
   (University Park)

Interactions between bacterial pathogens (primarily Bordetella spp) and the host immune system, including virulence factors, host immune functions and genomics.

He, Biao
  • Assistant Professor of Veterinary Science
bxh40@psu.edu
814-863-8533
   (University Park)

Understanding how paramyxoviruses (SV5) induce and inhibit apoptosis. Using SV5 as a vector for expressing foreign genes and for live vaccine development.

Heikal, Ahmed
  • Associate Professor of Bioengineering
aah12@psu.edu
814-865-8093
   (University Park)

Energy metabolism and mitochondria anomalies. Model and natural biomembranes. Protein dynamics and protein-protein interaction. Theoretical modeling and technique development (biophotonics and biophysics approaches).

Keiler, Kenneth
  • Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
kkeiler@psu.edu
814-863-0787
   (University Park)

Small RNAs and protein localization in bacterial development and antimicrobial drug discovery.

Konan, Kouacou
  • Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
kvk10@psu.edu
814-863-8254
   (University Park)

Hepatitis C and related viruses: how their replication interferes with host protein and membrane trafficking.

Lai, Zhi-Chun
  • Professor of Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Cell and Developmental Biology
zcl1@psu.edu
814-863-0479
   (University Park)

Signal Transduction, Growth Control, and Cancer Genetics

LaJeunesse, Todd
  • Assistant Professor of Biology
tcl3@psu.edu
814-863-2038
   (University Park)

Microbial Ecology and Evolution

Lee, Tae-hee
  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry
txl18@psu.edu
814-867-2232
   (University Park)

Structural and functional studies of the ribosome and the nucleosome.

Liu, Aimin
  • Assistant Professor of Biology
axl25@psu.edu
814-865-7043
   (University Park)

Biogenesis and function of cilia in mammalian embryonic development.

Liu, David
  • Associate Professor of Neural and Behavioral Sciences
dxl39@psu.edu
717-531-4168
   (Hershey)

Regulation of neuronal cell death and neural differentiation.

Luscher, Bernhard
  • Professor of Biology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Psychiatry
bxl25@psu.edu
814-865-5549
   (University Park)

Structure, function and regulation of GABA-A receptors and their role in anxiety disorders.

Ma, Hong
  • Distinguished Professor of Biology
hxm16@psu.edu
814-863-6414
   (University Park)

Molecular genetics of plant reproductive development: from early flower regulatory genes to meiosis and pollen development.

Maranas, Costas
  • Donald B. Broughton Professor of Chemical Engineering
costas@psu.edu
814-863-9958
   (University Park)

Computational studies of metabolism and gene regulation.

McLaughlin, Patricia
  • Professor of Neural and Behavioral Sciences
  • Director, Graduate Program in Anatomy
pxm9@psu.edu
717-531-6414
   (Hershey)

Growth factors and receptors in brain and heart development and cancer.

McSteen, Paula
  • Associate Professor of Biology
pcm11@psu.edu
814-863-1112
   (University Park)

Plant developmental biology; Auxin biosynthesis, transport and signaling; Inflorescence development in maize

Mitchell, Pamela (Pam)
  • Associate Director, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
  • Associate Professor of Biology
pjm23@psu.edu
814-865-5802
   (University Park)

Regulation of gene expression during mouse and Drosophila embryogenesis.

Nixon, B. Tracy
  • Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
btn1@psu.edu
814-865-3679
   (University Park)

Signal transduction in prokaryotes; functional domains of Rhizobium dct genes.

Oatley, Jon
  • Assistant Professor of Reproductive Physiology, Department of Dairy and Animal Science
jmo15@psu.edu
814-865-5987
   (University Park)

Regulation and application of spermatagonial stem cells.

Omiecinski, Curtis (Curt)
  • Professor of Veterinary Science
  • H. Thomas and Dorothy Willits Hallowell Chair
cjo10@psu.edu
814-863-1625
   (University Park)

Human variability in xenobiotic metabolism.

Ordway, Richard
  • Associate Professor of Biology
  • Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Genetics
rwo4@psu.edu
814-863-5693
   (University Park)

Cellular neurobiology using Drosophila.

Patterson, Randen
  • Assistant Professor of Biology
rlp25@psu.edu
814-865-1668
   (University Park)

Receptor-operated calcium signaling pathways.

Paulson, Robert (Bob)
  • Assistant Professor of Veterinary Science
rfp5@psu.edu
814-863-6306
   (University Park)

Genetic and biochemical analysis of cell signaling and differentiation during hematopoiesis.

Pugh, B. Franklin (Frank)
  • Willaman Professor in Molecular Biology
bfp2@psu.edu
814-863-8252
   (University Park)

Biochemistry and genomics of eukaryotic transcription regulation.

Reese, Joseph (Joe)
  • Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
jcr8@psu.edu
814-865-1976
   (University Park)

Gene regulation in cell cycle and DNA damage control; regulation of DNA damage-induced transcription.

Rolls, Melissa
  • Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Director, Center for Cellular Dyamics
mur22@psu.edu
814-867-1395
   (University Park)

Subcellular compartmentalization of neurons.

Santy, Lorraine
  • Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
lcsanty@psu.edu
814-863-6813
   (University Park)

Epithelial cell junction formation and turnover. Intracellular trafficking of adhesion molecules. Small GTPase cascades in the control of cell motility. Cell migration and metastasis.

Schlegel, Robert
  • Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
ur3@psu.edu
814-865-6974
   (University Park)

Regulation and function of membrane transbilayer phospholipid dynamics in blood cells.

Schmitt, Anthony (Tony)
  • Assistant Professor of Molecular Immunology and Infectious Diseases
aps13@psu.edu
814-863-6781
   (University Park)

Assembly and budding of paramyxovirus particles.

Sheets, Erin
  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry
eds11@psu.edu
814-863-0044
   (University Park)

Development of nanofabricated tools for cell biology; spatiotemporal dynamics of cell surface phenomena; signal transduction; membrane structure and dynamics; quantitative fluorescence microscopy.

Tan, Song
  • Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
sxt30@psu.edu
814-865-3355
   (University Park)

Structural biology of eukaryotic gene regulatory complexes.

Thomas, Graham
  • Associate Professor of Biology and of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
gxt5@psu.edu
814-863-0716
   (University Park)

Roles of the cytoskeleton at the cell membrane in epithelial cells, including issues of cell polarity and adhesion, cell signaling, and morphogenesis.

Wang, Yanming
  • Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
yuw12@psu.edu
814-865-3775
   (University Park)

Epigenetic histone modifications in cell differentiation and cancer.

Weiss, Kenneth (Ken)
  • Evan Pugh Professor of Biological Anthropology and Genetics
  • Adjunct Professor of Biology
kmw4@psu.edu
814-865-0989
   (University Park)

The evolution of complex traits.

Whim, Matthew
  • Assistant Professor of Biology
mdw13@psu.edu
814-863-3891
   (University Park)

Regulation of neuropeptide secretion.

Xiong, Na
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
nux1@psu.edu
814-863-2933
   (University Park)

Development and function of gamma/delta T cells.

Yang, Yinong
  • Associate Professor of Plant Pathology
yuy3@psu.edu
814-867-0324
   (University Park)

Signal transduction and functional genomics of biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. Protein-protein interactions at the host-pathogen interface: targeting and recognition of fungal effectors in rice cells.

Zagon, Ian
  • Distinguished Professor of Neural and Behavioral Science
  • Director, Program on Education in Human Structure
isz1@psu.edu
717-531-8650
   (Hershey)

Peptides and receptors in development, cancer, cell renewal, wound healing, angiogenesis, cornea, neurodegeneration, diabetes and Crohn's Disease.