Huck - Main Calendar

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Nisha Duggal

03 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, September 3, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Our fall seminar series is nearly full, with an impressive lineup of expert presenters ready to share their knowledge and insights. Don't miss these outstanding opportunities to learn, connect, and engage.

Featured speaker: Nisha Duggal of Virginia Tech

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Annie Delfina, Mira Eze, and Shannon Jordan

03 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 3, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Talk Title to be Announced

Neuroscience Seminar Series

September 3, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Annie Delfina, Mira Eze, and Shannon Jordan, Penn State University

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Sonia Cavigelli

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

COEIB Virtual Fermentation Workshop

03 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 3, 2026, 1 – 5 p.m.

COEIB Virtual Fermentation Workshop

Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology
Zoom
Price: $699/person (covers all four sessions)

Dates:
- 8/13/26 | Thursday: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
- 8/20/26 | Thursday: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
- 8/27/26 | Thursday: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
- 9/03/26 | Thursday: 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Featuring:

Ali Demirci, Penn State

Mekala Venkatachalam, Penn State

Hosted by the Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology (COEIB), the Virtual Fermentation workshop is a 4-day workshop, held over four Thursdays, focusing on a range of microbial fermentation processes.

In this course, we will cover topics such as bioprocessing, recombinant technologies, kinetics, microbial nutrition, and BioPat trace technology. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in case study experiments and data analysis, guided by our expert instructors.

The workshop will be led by one of Penn State’s esteemed Agricultural and Biological Engineering professors, Ali Demirci; featuring presentations from the director of Penn State's CSL Behring Fermentation facility, Mekala Venkatachalam, and a collaborating biotech company.

Contact

COEIB Admin
coeib@psu.edu

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

03 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, September 3, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Fall 2026 Night at the Museum

03 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 3, 2026, 4 – 8 p.m.

Fall 2026 Night at the Museum

The Penn State University Museums Consortium is hosting a night at the museums on September 3rd. Several museums (listed below) will be open late, and there will be trolley service to ferry people around. Trolley Stop Signs, map attached, underwritten by Penn State Outreach, will loop around campus from 4 pm to 8 pm, in addition to Campus Shuttle and CATAbus Blue Loop and White Loop.

Penn State Athletics

o Penn State All-Sports Museum
The All-Sports Museum exhibits the achievements of the men and women who built the proud traditions of 35 different varsity athletics programs across 150 years of Penn State history. Our current special exhibit, The Way I Saw It, presents 100 unique and powerful photos of Penn State athletes, coaches, venues, and fans shot between 1977 and 2005 by alumnus Pat Little, who spent over three decades as a professional photojournalist.

College of Agricultural Sciences

o Armsby Respiratory Calorimeter
Open to the public especially for Night at the Museums, this historic site engages visitors in the history of scientific research at the early Pennsylvania Agricultural College.
Image attached, caption: Faculty Burt Staniar brings his students in animal nutrition to the historic site annually. Programs across campus explore the intersection of science and history at the calorimeter -- from engineering and thermodynamics to biochemistry, architecture to statistics

o Frost Entomological Museum
Bring your questions about insects and related arthropods, while learning about research in Penn State's Department of Entomology. You can also compose a poem about insects in our newest exhibit.

Student Affairs

o HUB-Robeson Galleries
Contemporary art exhibitions at the HUB-Robeson Galleries are designed to spark your imagination, inspire new ideas, and bring people together. Exhibitions on view include ‘Feral Botanica,’ an immersive installation by Brooklyn-based artist Hidenori Ishii in HUB Gallery; ‘Recipes,’ featuring encaustic paintings by Christine Sajecki in Art Alley; and ‘In Dreams,’ a unique collection of 100 sculptural rabbits by Darla Jackson in the Exhibition Cases.

College of Arts and Architecture

o Center for the Performing Arts

o Palmer Museum of Art
Head to the Palmer Museum to experience ongoing special exhibitions Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250 and Telling Stories: Rethinking American Art at the Palmer. You can also catch the last week of noted special exhibition Constellations: Celebrating the Legacies of Betye Saar before it closes.

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

o Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery
Discover something new at the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery! Explore our current exhibition, Through Different Eyes: Industrial Worlds by Women Artists, and our newest exhibition, Casting an Icon: Making the Liberty Bell, both curated by Penn State student interns. Say hello to Snowball the mule, who, along with Old Coaly, lived and worked on campus at the turn of the twentieth century. Then try your luck finding tiny sapphires in our "gravel pit" or unwind in our new lounge area.

Eberly College of Science

o PAC Herbarium

Penn State Outreach

o The Arboretum at Penn State

University Libraries and Scholarly Communications

o Eberly Family Special Collections Library
Stop by the Eberly Family Special Collections Library to enjoy our current exhibition, “Paper Paradise: Three Centuries of Pennsylvania German Fraktur and Scherenschnitte.” You’ll see highly decorated calligraphic Fraktur and intricate Scherenschnitte, literally “scissor-cuts,” ranging from the 18th century to the present day. Exhibition tours will be offered at 4PM and 6:30PM; the gallery will be open until 8PM for you to immerse yourself in Pennsylvania paper arts.

About PSUMC

The Penn State University Museum Consortium (PSUMC) is a network of museum and archival professionals and education specialists associated with the unique facilities and irreplaceable collections housed at Penn State’s University Park Campus. These collections and spaces are used by members of the Penn State community for teaching, research, and public service across many academic disciplines. Collections are integral to the teaching, research, and engagement mission of our institutional land-grant mission. Collections are not only the result of research and fieldwork, but they are also opportunities for new findings and discoveries without the cost of going out into the field. These locations are opportunities for student engagement, providing experiences in research, collection care, science communication, and outreach.

Visit museums.psu.edu for details and links to public-facing member locations.

PSUMC Executive Team, 2025-2027: James Doyle Chair and Director of the Matson Museum of Anthropology (jdoyle@psu.edu), Chris Widga, Chair Elect and Director of the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum (cxw5766@psu.edu), Andrew R. Deans, Secretary and Director of the Frost Museum of Entomology (ard19@psu.edu), Rita Graef, Past Chair and Director of the Pasto Agricultural Museum and Armsby Respiration Calorimeter Historic Site (rsg7@psu.edu)

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Justin Silverman

04 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, September 4, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Beyond Compositionality: Scale-Reliant Inference and ALDEx3 for Microbiome Data

Featuring:

Justin Silverman
Penn State University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

25Live Training for Huck Events

09 Sep 2026 19:30:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

25Live Calendar Training
MSC W201

Huck Institutes has transitioned to using 25Live, Penn State's event system, to streamline calendaring across units.

Join this interactive session to learn how to enter events, request which calendars it goes on, and and how the new system is set up.

Join in person or via Zoom.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Speaker: Jeff Riffel, University of Washington

10 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 10, 2026, 9 – 10 a.m.

When the signal changes: Lepidopteran olfaction and plant-pollinator interactions in a changing world

Speaker: Jeff Riffel, University of Washington

September 10, 2026
9:00 am - 10:00 am
106 Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building

About the Speaker:

Jeff Riffell is an Endowed Professor in the Biology Department and Graduate Program of Neuroscience at the University of Washington, Seattle (UW). He received his Ph.D. at UCLA and was a Research Associate in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Arizona in John Hildebrand's laboratory. While at UW, he has received several professional honors, including an Endowment for Excellence in Biology, a National Geographic Explorer award, an Innovation Award from the University of Washington, a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, an International Society for Neuroethology Investigator Award, and a CoMotion Innovation Fund Award. Over the last 15 years, he has published more than 85 research articles on quantitative behavior, chemical ecology and atmospheric chemistry, and neuroscience.

Contact:

Susan Bass
sgb13@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Ana Bento

10 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, September 10, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Ana Bento of Cornell University

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Dorthea Tse, Allison Xiao, and Liangzhu (Zack) Zhang

10 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 10, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Talk Title to be Announced

Neuroscience Seminar Series

September 10, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Dorthea Tse, Allison Xiao, and Liangzhu (Zack) Zhang, Penn State University

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Sonia Cavigelli

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Genomics Core Facility Open House

10 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 10, 2026, 2 – 4 p.m.

Genomics Core Facility Open House: Discover the future of Genomics Research at Penn State.

The open house includes:

Lab Tours: See our high-tech sequencing equipment in person.
Expert Guidance: Chat with our facility staff to get answers to all your genomics and sequencing questions.
SharePoint Launch: Learn how our new website makes working with the core easier.
Upcoming Programs: Hear about our new services and future events.

Open to the entire PSU research community (faculty, staff, & students).

Contact

Cheryl Keller
cak142@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 4th Floor, Chandlee Lab
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

From Households to Habitats: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Human-Environment Interaction

11 Sep 2026 12:45:00 GMT

Friday, September 11, 2026, 8:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

A symposium for people interested in interdisciplinary conversation and scholarship that highlights four projects-in-process funded by the CSSI and features four scholars working at the intersection of communication, science, and society.

Friday, September 11, 2026 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., breakfast at 8:45 a.m. The Boardroom at the Nittany Lion Inn, University Park, PA

Featured Scholars:

Rajiv Rimal, Johns Hopkins University; Jeff Niederdeppe, Cornell University; Jenell Johnson, University of Wisconsin; and Andrew High, Penn State

Topics:

Community awareness of health risks associated with the Aedes japonicus mosquito in Pennsylvania through laboratory diagnostics and educational field ecology approaches with James Mutunga, Biology, Penn State-Harrisburg; Joshua Trey Barnett, Communication Arts and Sciences; Coren Jagnow, Center for Survey Research; Drew Lysaker, Penn State Extension

Family communication, youth digital media engagement, and physical health with Weimiao Zhou, Communication Arts and Sciences; Orfeu Buxton, Biobehavioral Health; Priya Kumar, Information Sciences and Technology; and Shawn Whiteman, Health and Human Development, Utah State University

Obstacles to countering the spread of Aedes aegypti in rural Peru with Kara Fikrig, Entomology; Leann Andrews, Landscape Architecture; Emily Pakhtigian, Public Policy; Alfredo Reyes, Entomology; Margarita López-Uribe, Entomology; and Chris Skurka, Media Studies

Mapping against the binary in the Mexico-US borderlands with Melissa W. Wright, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Geography; Anthony Robinson, Geography; Lily Houtman, Geography

Click here to register by August 14, 2026.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Nittany Lion Inn, Board Room
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Daniel Sprockett

11 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, September 11, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Partners Through Time: Gut Microbiome Co-diversification as a Framework for One Health Research

Featuring:

Daniel Sprockett
Wake Forest University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

The Great Insect Fair

12 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Saturday, September 12, 2026, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Great Insect Fair is our annual extravaganza celebrating insects with lots of activities, games, crafts, tasty treats, and fun for everyone!

FREE ADMISSION

Saturday, September 12, 2026
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Snider Agricultural Arena, E. Park Ave., State College, PA

Sponsored by the Department of Entomology, the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Insect Biodiversity Center.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Snider Agricultural Arena
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - College - Agricultural Sciences

Following the process of domestication through space and time with ancient DNA

14 Sep 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, September 14, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Featuring:

Benjamin Blackman
University of California, Berkeley

Abstract:
Where and how many times crop plants were domesticated, how quickly and severely genetic diversity is lost during domestication, and how domestication syndromes are assembled through polygenic evolutionary change are questions of active research and frequent debate. My talk will address these questions by applying both modern and archaeological DNA genomics approaches in the common sunflower, Helianthus annuus. To study how Native American farmers transformed the common sunflower from a highly branched wild plant with small disks and seeds into a staple crop that sports a single large head with large seeds on an unbranched stalk, we have assembled a time series of archaeological and ethnographic samples spanning close to 4000 years of history. In my talk, I will discuss how our findings speak to timing and strength of genetic bottlenecks under cultivation, uncover dynamic impacts of crop-wild gene flow over time, and resolve a longstanding controversy about where and how many times sunflower was domesticated. Then I will describe how our archaeological time series, in revealing the timing and order of selective sweeps over the domestication period, provides insight into how the sunflower domestication syndrome was assembled by Native American farmers through time. Together, our results yield a synthetic picture of how changing agricultural practices and cultural connectivity shaped the evolution of this major oil and confectionary seed crop.

About the Speaker:
Benjamin Blackman is an associate professor in the Departments of Plant & Microbial Biology and Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. Dr. Blackman completed his undergraduate and doctoral degrees at Stanford and Indiana University. He then completed a postdoc at Duke and spent several years on faculty at the University of Virginia before joining the UC Berkeley faculty. Working in two primary systems, sunflowers and monkeyflowers, Dr. Blackman and his group at UC Berkeley seek to learn how plant developmental processes like solar tracking and flower maturation are coordinated, understand how developmental mechanisms evolve as plants adapt to stressful habitats and climate conditions, and reveal the genetic changes that have been important as wild plants were domesticated to become staple crops.

Contact

Jesse Lasky
jrl35@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Institute - Plant

Plant Biology Seminar - Benjamin Blackman

14 Sep 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, September 14, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Following the process of domestication through space and time with ancient DNA

Plant Biology Seminar Series

September 14, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Benjamin Blackman, University of California, Berkeley

Contact

Jesse Lasky
jrl35@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Ecology Seminar Series, featuring Kevin Potter

14 Sep 2026 17:25:00 GMT

Monday, September 14, 2026, 1:25 – 2:15 p.m.

Harmful non-native plants in U.S. forests: Drivers, trends, and invasion debt

Ecology Seminar Series

September 14, 2026 | 1:25 - 2:15 pm

208 Business Building, University Park

Featuring: Kevin Potter, US Department of Agriculture

Abstract:
Non-native invasive plants cause significant ecological impacts to forests while requiring costly management interventions. A decade of research using Nationwide Forest Inventory data from across the United States has demonstrated that the nation’s forests are highly invaded by problematic non-native plants and that they are becoming increasingly invaded over time. We have shown that about 38 percent of forests in the conterminous 48 states (about 250 million acres) are invaded, with invasion associated with forest fragmentation, developed and agricultural land use, and the Wildland Urban Interface. Forests under conservation management are less invaded than those that are not. We have also found strong evidence of invasion debt, the temporal lag of invasion impacts yet to be realized. Forests in the eastern United States are more highly invaded than forests in the West (except in Hawai‘i). Ongoing work is assessing the invasion vulnerability of forests in the Southern Appalachians following widespread disturbance by Hurricane Helene. These results are important for the long-term monitoring and management of forest impacts associated with invasive plant species and offer a glimpse into ongoing national, regional, and local trends in the invasion of United States forests.

About the Speaker:
Kevin M. Potter is a landscape ecologist and population geneticist who applies the disciplines of landscape ecology, conservation biology and population genetics to assess and mitigate threats to tree species and forest communities, particularly across broad scales. Since 2023, he has been a research ecologist with the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (EFETAC), part of the Research and Development branch of the United States Forest Service. From 2007 to 2022, he was a research professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University (NCSU). Previously, he was a postdoctoral fellow with the Camcore International Tree Conservation and Domestication program at NCSU. He earned a Ph.D in forestry and M.S. in natural resources from NCSU and received his B.A. degree in journalism from Drake University in Iowa. He is a native of Denver, Colorado.

Seminar Contact: Mary McCafferty

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Faculty Workshop - American Galleries Reinstallation Project

15 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

UP: Palmer Museum of Art 115 Event Space
Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Help shape the Palmer's reinstallation plans for the American Galleries to better support your teaching! Join museum curators and educators to review draft gallery themes, proposed object checklists, and interpretive strategies for the museum's reinstallation of the American Galleries, slated to open Fall 2027. Faculty may choose to attend one of the three sessions listed below (agenda is the same for all sessions). Light refreshments will be provided.

Space is limited, and registration is required. Participants will receive a confirmation email after registration closes Friday, September 4. For additional information or questions about the workshop, contact Keri Mongelluzzo, educator for academic engagement and access, at klm556@psu.edu.

Organization: UP - Museum - PALMER
Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Palmer Museum of Art
AA - Admission Type: Free, registration required
AA - Admission Ticket or Registration Link: forms.cloud.microsoft…

Huck Distinguished Lecture - Lars Chittka

15 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 4 – 5 p.m.

The Mind of a Bee

Distinguished Lectures in Life Science

September 15, 2026 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Refreshments at 3:30 pm
102 Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building, University Park
Pre-lecture refreshments from 3:30 - 4:00 pm

Featuring:

Lars Chittka, Queen Mary University of London

Abstract:
Most of us are aware of the hive mind—the power of bees as an amazing collective. But do we know how uniquely intelligent bees are as individuals? I argue that they have remarkable navigational abilities, can recognize not just flowers but also human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others. They may even possess consciousness. I illustrate how bee brains are unparalleled in the animal kingdom in terms of how much computing power is packed into their tiny nervous systems. I examine the psychological differences between bees and the ethical dilemmas that arise in conservation and laboratory settings because bees might feel and think.

About the Speaker:
Lars Chittka FRS, Hon.FRES, FLS, MAE is the author of the book The Mind of a Bee and Professor of Sensory and Behavioural Ecology at Queen Mary College of the University of London. He is also the founder of the Research Centre for Psychology at Queen Mary. He is known for his work on the evolution of sensory systems and cognition using insect-flower interactions as a model system. Chittka has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of animal cognition and its impact on evolutionary fitness studying bumblebees and honeybees. His main discoveries, published in over 250 articles, concern the evolution of colour vision in bees, and their surprising cognitive abilities, for example numerosity, attention, speed-accuracy trade-offs in decision making, false memories, emotion-like states, the social learning of object manipulation skills in bees and the exploration of consciousness from a variety of perspectives. Chittka is a recipient of the Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award and an Advanced Fellowship from the European Research Council (ERC). He is also member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, an elected Fellow of the Linnean Society (FLS), the Royal Entomological Society (FRES) as well as the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB). He has been an editor of biology’s foremost open access journal PLoS Biology since 2004 and a Chairman of a panel of Europe's most prestigious funding agency, the European Research Council’s (ERC, in 2011 and 2013). Chittka has been involved in a number of collaborative works linking the science of bees with music and art. With his band Killer Bee Queens, he released a concept album entitled Strange Flowers, in which all song lyrics are inspired by the world of bees.

Contact

Heather Hines
hmh19@psu.edu

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Plant Institute: QIAGEN: Unlocking Plant Biology

16 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 12 – 1:30 p.m.

Unlocking Plant Biology: An overview of QIAGEN Solutions for Extraction, Analysis, and Discovery

You're invited to join us for an upcoming QIAGEN Lunch & Learn Technical Talk, hosted by the Plant Institute. Whether you're interested in DNA/RNA extraction, genomics, transcriptomics, or other molecular biology workflows, this is a great opportunity to learn about QIAGEN's latest technologies and connect with representatives from their team.

September 16, 2026
12:00 pm
3rd Floor MSC Commons

RSVP for lunch

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Stanca Ciupe

17 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Stanca Ciupe of Virginia Tech

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Erika Holzbaur

17 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Supplying the synapse

Neuroscience Seminar Series

September 17, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Erika Holzbaur, University of Pennsylvania

Abstract:
The human nervous system is composed of billions of neurons connected through trillions of synapses. Despite the importance of this synaptic network, cellular mechanisms dictating synapse formation and maintenance remain unclear. Long-distance axonal trafficking by the microtubule motor KIF1A is crucial for synaptogenesis and downstream synapse maintenance. This motor responds to spatially localized cytoskeletal cues to deliver essential components to build and maintain presynaptic sites along the axon. Specifically, we have found that sites of locally enriched microtubule dynamics guide KIF1A-mediated presynaptic delivery. Highly processive KIF1A motors exhibit enhanced detachment frequencies when encountering dynamic microtubule plus ends; this enhanced detachment influences presynaptic cargo accumulation. To better understand how mutations in KIF1A cause a spectrum of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders termed KIF1A-Associated Neurological Disorder (KAND), we employed isogenic gene-edited human iPSC-derived neurons to assess the effects of pathogenic KIF1A variants on synaptic trafficking and function. Comparisons of null, hypoactive, and hyperactive mutations indicate the variants induce distinct effects on neurite outgrowth, synaptic trafficking, and synapse density. However, all mutations tested converged on functional deficits in synaptic activity. We are also examining effects of loss-of-function KIF1A mutations on other essential homeostatic pathways, and find pronounced deficits in lysosomal trafficking and neuronal autophagy. Together, these findings provide insights into how KIF1A mutations with distinct molecular-level impacts lead to significant downstream deficits in synaptic function and neuronal homeostasis in human neurons.

About the Speaker:
Erika L. F. Holzbaur is the William Maul Measey Professor of Physiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She received her B.S. with High Honors in Chemistry and History from the College of William and Mary and her PhD in Biochemistry from Penn State. Holzbaur joined the faculty at Penn in 1992, where she is now holds an endowed professorship in the Department of Physiology. The Holzbaur lab studies the dynamics of organelle trafficking in neurons. Organelles including mitochondria, autophagosomes, and lysosomes are actively transported over distances of a meter or more along the axons and dendrites of neurons; defects in this trafficking are causative for both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease. The lab also investigates cellular mechanisms required to maintain neuronal homeostasis, focusing on the dynamics of autophagy and mitophagy. Defects in these pathways lead to the accumulation of dysfunctional organelles and aggregated proteins, and are implicated in both Parkinson’s disease and ALS. Dr. Holzbaur has received a Porter Fellowship, the NINDS Javits Award, the Stanley N. Cohen Biomedical Research Award, the Sandra K. Masur Senior Leadership Award, was elected as Associate Member of EMBO, and is a Lifetime Fellow and past President of the American Society for Cell Biology. More than 50 postdocs and graduate students have trained in her lab, many now running research labs at top universities in the US and internationally.

Seminar Contact: Michael Hanna

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

ThermoFisher qPCR Lunch and Learn

17 Sep 2026 16:30:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W203
Thursday, September 17, 2026, 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - GSI

Genesis BioTech Open Office Hours

17 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

BioTech Faculty and Staff Zoom Office Hours:

September 2; 9:00 am -10:00 am
September 17; 2:00 pm -3:00 pm
September 29; 11:00 am -12:00 pm

By Appointment: E-mail Camelia or Brittany

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Zoom
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Faculty Workshop - American Galleries Reinstallation Project

18 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

UP: Palmer Museum of Art 115 Event Space
Friday, September 18, 2026, 10 – 11:30 a.m.

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Daniela Betancurt and Sangshan Tian

18 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, September 18, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellows Talk

Featuring:

Daniela Betancurt
Penn State University

Sangshan Tian
Penn State University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Faculty Workshop - American Galleries Reinstallation Project

18 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

UP: Palmer Museum of Art 115 Event Space
Friday, September 18, 2026, 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Plant Biology Seminar, featuring Avalon Miller

21 Sep 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, September 21, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Investigating differential responses of American elm genotypes to Dutch elm disease infection

Plant Biology Seminar Series

September 21, 2026 | 108 Wartik Laboratory

Featuring: Avalon Miller, Penn State University

Abstract:
Restoring the American elm (Ulmus americana) requires overcoming the high cost and slow timeline of traditional Dutch elm disease (DED) screening, which relies on destructive sampling and late-stage symptom observation. The work presented in this talk will discuss how early, pre-symptomatic physiological, metabolic, and molecular responses across tolerant and susceptible genotypes could potentially be used as a DED-tolerance phenotyping tool. Triggered by stem inoculation with Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, different signals propagate systemically to distal leaves, leaving a detectable chemical signature. Using short-wave infrared (SWIR) reflectance spectroscopy combined with untargeted UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics, we tracked these systemic leaf responses across tolerant and susceptible genotypes early post-infection. These systemic biochemical changes, particularly within phenolic compounds, altered bulk leaf chemistry in a way that is captured by SWIR reflectance spectra. Machine learning models trained on this spectral data successfully classify pre-symptomatic trees by tolerance status and link these shifts directly to infection. To explore whether this biochemical divergence reflects shared or independently derived defenses, we paired these findings with comparative transcriptomics across Ulmus species, offering insight into the diverse strategies American elms use to manage pathogen pressure. Together, these findings establish a foundation for developing more high-throughput phenotyping tools that can accelerate DED resistance screening and forest restoration efforts.

About the Speaker:
Avalon Miller is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, advised by Dr. Cristina Rosa. Her research investigates the molecular and physiological mechanisms of Dutch elm disease (DED) tolerance in the American elm (Ulmus americana). Avalon’s work aims to develop tools that can detect disease-tolerant trees more rapidly, aiding in the generation of genetically diverse and resilient elm populations for breeding programs focused on urban and forest restoration.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Hydra Bio Workshop

22 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Join the Huck Cryo-EM Facility and Thermo Fisher Scientific for a three-day workshop introducing cutting-edge workflows in cryogenic plasma FIB-SEM imaging and 3D image analysis.

Workshop Highlights
?? Introduction to Hydra Bio pFIB-SEM technology
?? Cryo Slice & View workflows for volume electron microscopy
?? Cryo-FIB lamella preparation for cryoET applications
?? Best practices for biological sample preparation
?? Amira software tutorials for 3D visualization and AI-assisted segmentation
?? Live instrument demonstrations and interactive discussion sessions

Schedule: TBA

Featured Instructors:
Vivek Subramanian, PhD
Applications Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Cryo and room-temperature plasma FIB workflows
Daniel Buss
Product Applications Specialist, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Amira 3D Visualization & Image Analysis

Click here to register to attend.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Introductory Methods in Mammalian Cell Culture Workshop

22 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Introductory Mammalian Cell Culture workshop is a 3-day, hands-on workshop that provides training in introductory methods in mammalian cell culture. Throughout the course of the workshop, you will learn all the basics needed to grow a cell, such as: proper aseptic techniques and PPE protocols, general cell cycle related to cell culture and cell growth, growth curve and cell division, splitting cells, feeding cells, essential cell culture techniques for suspension and adherent cells, and cryopreservation and recovery.

This Fall 2026 Semester, the workshop will be offered twice; you can choose to attend either session 1 or session 2.

The event is open to all Penn State students, faculty, and staff – no prior experience is needed, so all levels of expertise are welcome.

You will be required to complete all assigned CITI/LRN training courses to participate in the workshop.

Visit our website for all the details and to register!

Price: $50/person

Dates: Session 1
9/22/26: Tuesday | 9:00am - 4:30pm
9/23/26: Wednesday | 9:00am - 4:30pm
9/24/26: Thursday | 9:00am - 1:00pm

Dates: Session 2
9/29/26: Tuesday | 9:00am - 4:30pm
9/30/26: Wednesday | 9:00am - 4:30pm
10/1/26: Thursday | 9:00am - 1:00pm

Location: Sartorius Cell Culture Facility (008 Chemical Biomedical Engineering Building)

Registration Deadlines:
- 9/08/26: Session 1
- 9/15/26: Session 2

Contact

COEIB Admin
coeib@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Sartorius Cell Culture Facility
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - COEIB

DAWG Workshop

22 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

UP: Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences 106
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 3 – 5 p.m.

Data Analysis Working Group (DAWG) is a One Health Microbiome Center affiliated group that comes together to analyze high-throughput sequencing data.

While the main goal is to provide training to the One Health Microbiome Center members on how to process and analyze sequencing datasets, we aim to:

Utilize the skills of our Center members to help researchers process and analyze sequencing data, culminating in results for a grant application or publication
Provide an opportunity for students/post-docs to further develop skills as group leaders of DAWG by creating and delivering their own workshop
Help build collaborations between members of the One Health Microbiome Center and other Penn State researchers who are interested in microbiome research

Organization: UP - Center - OHMC

Hydra Bio Workshop

23 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Click here to register to attend.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Introductory Methods in Mammalian Cell Culture Workshop

23 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Contact

COEIB Admin
coeib@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Sartorius Cell Culture Facility
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - COEIB

Hydra Bio Workshop

24 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Thursday, September 24, 2026, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Click here to register to attend.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Vicki Jeffers

24 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, September 24, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Vicki Jeffers of the University of New Hampshire

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Jacques Ravel

25 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, September 25, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

The Vaginal Microbiome: A Journey from Discovery to Therapeutics

Featuring:

Jacques Ravel, Microbiome Medal Recipient
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar - Yuxin Luo

28 Sep 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, September 28, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Genetic Adaptation of Natural Arabidopsis Populations in Response to Local Environments
Plant Biology Seminar Series

Plant Biology Seminar Series

September 28, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Yuxin Luo, Penn State University

Abstract:
Determining the genetic basis of local adaptation and whether adaptive signals are consistent across spatial scales remains a central problem in evolutionary genomics. Genotype-environment association (GEA) studies are widely used to identify candidate loci under local adaptation but are rarely followed by experimental validation. We tested candidate loci from three GEA studies on drought adaptation in natural Arabidopsis populations using t-DNA knockout lines in laboratory common garden experiments, and found that knockouts of top candidates, wrky38 and lsd1, showed fitness advantages under drought and natural allelic variation consistent with local adaptation along moisture gradients, supporting the effectiveness of GEA for identifying locally adapted loci. Building on this framework, we ask a complementary question: what shapes allelic variation patterns within a single natural population? Using both broad sampling across Italy and intensive sampling within one focal population, we evaluate the relative roles of local adaptation versus neutral processes such as migration in shaping within-population genomic variation, and we test whether candidate loci and allele frequency clines identified at broad geographic scales are also detectable at fine spatial scales.

About the Speaker:
Yuxin Luo is a PhD candidate in the Plant Biology program at Pennsylvania State University, working in the lab of Dr. Jesse Lasky. Her research focuses on population genomics and phenotypic plasticity of Arabidopsis thaliana, integrating genotype- and phenotype-environment associations, spatial population genetics, and demographic inference to understand the genetic and phenotypic basis of adaptation.

Contact

Jesse Lasky
jrl35@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Genesis BioTech Open Office Hours

29 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

BioTech Faculty and Staff Zoom Office Hours:

September 2; 9:00 am -10:00 am
September 17; 2:00 pm -3:00 pm
September 29; 11:00 am -12:00 pm

By Appointment: E-mail Camelia or Brittany

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Zoom
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Bioinformatics Method Developers Community Day

30 Sep 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bioinformatics Method Developers Community Day

September 30, 2026
9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
501 Wartik Laboratory

The Bioinformatics Method Developers Community Day brings together Penn State students, faculty, and staff who are involved in or interested in bioinformatics methods development. The event provides a dedicated forum to share new computational, statistical, and algorithmic advances while fostering collaboration across departments and research areas.

This community-focused gathering highlights ongoing work in methodological research and encourages open discussion between developers and users of bioinformatics tools.

Learn more and register by visiting the Bioinformatics Method Developers Community Day website.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. David Lampe

01 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, October 1, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: David Lampe of Duquesne University

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Neeraji Gandhi

01 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Thursday, October 1, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Behavioral features and neural correlates of target motion and interceptive saccades

Neuroscience Seminar Series

October 1, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Neeraji Gandhi, University of Pittsburgh

Abstract:
Interception of a moving object presents a significant challenge for the nervous system. Its continuous motion produces a lagged representation of its spatial location in the brain because retinal signals relayed to motor neurons traverse through diverse pathways with varying integration times, conduction speeds, and synaptic delays. The brain therefore must rely on its ability to estimate the object’s instantaneous location. Saccades are an effective motor system to study interception. I will present the results of two studies. (1) In humans producing interceptive saccades to a target moving along the perimeter of a circle, saccade endpoint distribution, saccade error, latency, and pursuit gain vary systematically with target speed, direction of motion, and range of positions prior to saccade onset. (2) In addition to being a canonical example of sensorimotor structure organized around target location, the superior colliculus in the dorsal midbrain also exhibits robust sensitivity to target velocity. Its population activity contains a robust low-dimensional representation of target velocity, and the neural geometry that velocity information occupies is distinct from the geometry representing target location. Thus, neural activity initiated by stimulus onset is altered by and perpetuated throughout target motion and impacts interceptive saccade kinematics.

About the Speaker:
Neeraj (Raj) Gandhi, PhD, is a Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, with appointments in Neuroscience and Ophthalmology and an affiliation with the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition. He directs the Cognition and Sensorimotor Integration Laboratory, where his research examines how the brain transforms sensory information into coordinated actions. Using eye and head movements as models of behavior, his laboratory investigates the neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor integration, motor preparation, attention, and population coding, with a particular focus on the superior colliculus. Dr. Gandhi earned his BS in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and his PhD through the joint Bioengineering Program at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of California, Berkeley. He completed his postdoctoral training in neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He has been on the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh since 2002 and served as the Graduate Program Director for Bioengineering for 2019-2024.

Seminar Contact: Tarkesh Singh

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

01 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, October 1, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Jeremiah Faith

02 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, October 2, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Live Microbial Therapeutics for Infectious and Inflammatory Disease

Featuring:

Jeremiah Faith
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar - John Lovell

05 Oct 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, October 5, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Detecting and deploying adaptive variation in complex plant pan-genomes

Plant Biology Seminar Series

Co-sponsored by the Schatz Center for Tree Molecular Genetics

October 5, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

John Lovell, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Abstract:
Multiple reference genomes aggregated into single queryable resources (i.e. 'pangenomes') are rapidly becoming powerful foundations for population, evolutionary and quantitative genetics. Looking forward, it is clear that there are tremendous opportunities, but also methodological challenges, to leverage the diversity represented in pangenome resources, especially with complex variants that are typically invisible to most bioinformatic tools. Here, I discuss our efforts to build pengenome-anchored methods to test evolutionary and trait discovery hypotheses, then describe results at several challenging loci across the diversity of flowering plants, including centromere structure in pennycress, deletions and duplications in sorghum, and highly diverged sequences in pecan.

About the Speaker:

2007 B.A. Biology, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
2014 Ph.D. Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (John McKay, advisor)
2011-14 Graduate and Postdoctoral Research Associate, Institute for Plant Genetics (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany (Tim Sharbel, advisor)
2014-2017: NSF PGRP Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX (Tom Juenger advisor)
2017-Present: Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
2025-Present: Poplar Team Lead, Center for Bioenergy Innovation

Contact

Jill Hamilton
jvh6349@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Illumina: Lunch and Learn

06 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W203
Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 12 – 2 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - GSI

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

07 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Lyric Bartholomay

08 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, October 8, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Lyric Bartholomay of the University of Wisconsin-Madison

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring William Nobis

08 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Thursday, October 8, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Title to be Announced

Neuroscience Seminar Series

October 8, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: William Nobis, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Nikki Crowley

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Josh Kellogg

09 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, October 9, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Cool Greens: Botanical Natural Products to Improve Human Health

Featuring:

Josh Kellogg
Penn State University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar - Rishi Ravichandran

12 Oct 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, October 12, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Dual Biofortification of Iron and Zinc in Microgreens using Agronomic Strategies

Plant Biology Seminar Series

October 12, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Rishi Ravichandran, Penn State University

Abstract:
Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are essential micronutrients required for sustaining healthy growth and development in plants and humans alike. However, Fe and Zn deficiencies are among the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies worldwide and pose a significant threat to human health. Food-based interventions can greatly help in improving the dietary intake of these minerals. Agronomic biofortification is a rapid, straightforward, and effective strategy that can be used to produce plant-based foods enriched with both Fe and Zn, using approaches like fertigation or foliar fertilization. Microgreens are nutrient-dense leafy vegetables that are well-suited for Fe and Zn biofortification as they inherently contain low levels of antinutrients like phytic acid, which can limit Fe and Zn bioavailability. However, achieving simultaneous enrichment of Fe and Zn is often challenging as both minerals share several transport pathways and often compete during uptake.

We utilized agronomic strategies to investigate ways to optimize dual Fe and Zn enrichment in microgreens grown in soilless systems, without compromising their yield and quality. We found that fertigation of ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) with zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) at specific rate combinations resulted in substantial increases in Fe and Zn concentration in radish, sunflower, and pea microgreens. These gains, however, were accompanied by yield reductions and mineral antagonism. Building on these findings, we evaluated alternative Fe fertilizers and identified Fe-EDTA, provided via fertigation, as an effective source in improving Fe accumulation, with minimal negative impacts observed on yield and phytochemical profile of radish and pea microgreens. We conducted additional studies integrating foliar application and fertigation to supply Fe and Zn through distinct entry points (foliar vs. root) to achieve simultaneous enrichment of both minerals while minimizing competition. Using Fe-EDTA and ZnSO4 at varying rates, we determined that coordinating root-applied Fe with foliar Zn significantly improved Fe and Zn accumulation without reducing yield and quality in pea microgreens. These findings demonstrate how agronomic methods can be fine-tuned to optimize nutrient delivery and enhance the nutritional benefits of microgreens. Fe- and Zn-enriched microgreens can serve as functional foods that can help in mitigating both micronutrient deficiencies concurrently while sustainably improving nutrition security, at household and community scales.

About the Speaker:
Rishi Ravichandran is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Plant Biology Intercollege Graduate Program, advised by Dr. Francesco Di Gioia. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and master’s degree in biotechnology from Hunter College in New York City. His early research experience entailed molecular, cellular, and developmental biology using Drosophila as a model system. He later pivoted to plant science, where he researched the molecular dynamics of zinc and cadmium uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum). This work reinforced his interest in crop improvement, specifically in advancing plant nutrition. Currently, his dissertation research focuses on achieving the simultaneous biofortification of iron and zinc in microgreens using agronomic strategies and investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying iron and zinc homeostasis during enrichment.

Contact

Francesco Di Gioia
fxd92@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

10x Genomics Lunch and Learn

13 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W203
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 12 – 2 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - GSI

Institute for Computational and Data Sciences Symposium

14 Oct 2026 12:45:00 GMT

Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 8:45 a.m. – 5:20 p.m.

The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) invites you to register for this year’s ICDS Symposium on Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 8:45 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. in Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University Park.

Registration is required. Register here: ICDS Symposium Registration – Fill out form. Registration deadline is Sunday, Oct. 4, by 11:59 p.m. EST.

This year’s theme is “Advancing Interdisciplinary Research Collaborations with AI,” and is designed to bring together early-career and experienced researchers interested in catalyzing their work with the power of AI and collaboration.

The ICDS Symposium is an annual event that serves as a platform for building new connections, showcasing cutting-edge research, and fostering a welcoming environment for discussion on the ethical, societal, and scientific innovations and implications of data-driven technologies.

The Symposium will feature:

Remarks from Penn State leadership
Keynote Address
Panels
Networking and Collaborative Opportunities
Student Poster Session

Got questions? Email us at icds@psu.edu or check out our website for more Symposium information.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University Park
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

ICDS/Huck AI Symposium

15 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Thursday, October 15, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

ICDS/Huck AI Symposium

Thursday, October 15
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center

Please join the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences for this exciting symposium on artificial intelligence.

Featured Speakers:

Ed O'Brien, Penn State, AI for Molecular and Cellular Biology
Joao Dorea, University of Wisconson Madison, AI for Food and Environment
Jun Deng, Yale University, AI for Health

Registration is required by October 1, 2026

Planning Committee:

Wenrui Hao
Sarah Ivory
Sharon Huang
Enrico Casella
Vishal Singh
Dajiang Liu
David Koslicki

Schedule and Speakers:

8:30 am - Welcome, Christina Grozinger and Andrew Read

8:45 am - 10:00 am - AI for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Moderated by Shaun Mahony

Speaker/Presenter
Title

Ed O'Brien
How data reuse and AI/ML are accelerating scientific discovery in molecular and cellular biology

Shaun Mahony
Neural networks and AI approaches for understanding gene regulation

Ipsita Mohanty
Mining Public Metabolomics Repositories to Discover Hidden Microbial Chemistry

Qunhua Li
TBD

Anton Nekrutenko
Responsible and reproducible analytics with agentic AI

Hyuntae Na
TBD

10:00 am - 10:30 am - Coffee Break

10:30 am - 11:50 am - AI for Food and Environment, Moderated by Enrico Casella

Speaker/Presenter
Title

Joao Dorea

Enrico Casella
AI & IoT in Precision Livestock Farming

Armen Kemanian
Recompiling Life: Generative Blueprints for Living Systems

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Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES
Registration Link: forms.cloud.microsoft…

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Nathan Grubaugh

15 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, October 15, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Nathan Grubaugh of Yale University

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Martin Ralph

15 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Thursday, October 15, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Title to be Announced

Neuroscience Seminar Series

October 15, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Martin Ralph, University of Toronto

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Paul Bartell

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Tristan Caro

16 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, October 16, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

A Microbial Observer Effect? Confronting Microbiome Rate and Phenotype Measurements “In The Wild”

Featuring:

Tristan Caro
Caltech

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar, featuring Thomas Juenger

19 Oct 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, October 19, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Genetic and genomic studies of ecotypes and local adaptation in Panicum virgatum.

Plant Biology Seminar Series

October 19, 2026 | 12:15 - 1:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring: Thomas Juenger, University of Texas at Austin

Abstract:
Plants live in an ever-changing and unpredictable environment. As sessile organisms, they must acclimate or adapt to complex environmental changes occurring across both space and time. Which environmental variables matter the most? What physiological or metabolic mechanisms buffer responses to the environment? How are these responses encoded in genomes and how do they evolve? Genome-enabled research is helping to address these longstanding questions by characterized a myriad of genetic, genomic, and physiological responses to common abiotic and biotic stress. The challenge now is to disentangle evolved and adaptive responses of plants to stress from the deleterious results of stress. A promising avenue is the use of locally adapted natural variation and common garden studies to winnow the beneficial responses from the maladaptive consequences of stress. Here, I report on progress in the development of genetic and genomic resources for switchgrass, as well as present results from common garden field experiments aimed at understanding the genetics of upland/lowland ecotype divergence, plasticity, and local adaptation.

About the Speaker:
Biology at the University of Texas at Austin.

Tom received a B.S. in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Before heading to graduate school, he worked as a botanist for the Illinois Natural History Survey, and for The Nature Conservancy Colorado Field Office. In 1994, Tom started graduate school at the University of Chicago in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. His dissertation focused on the ecology and evolution of species interactions in natural scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) populations. In 1999, Tom obtained his Ph.D from UC and received a Miller Institute Postdoctoral fellowship. As a Miller Fellow at UC-Berkeley, Tom worked with Ellen Simms on a variety of questions including studies of the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity, the quantitative genetics of physiological traits and stress responses, and ecological studies of interactions between plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Tom began an appointment at the University of Texas at Austin in 2002, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Evolutionary Biology. Tom’s current research focuses on plant genetics, genomics, and physiology with a special focus on abiotic stress responses and adaptation to climate change. Recent work has centered on studies of C4 perennials grasses, including switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and its potential as a biofuel feedstock. These projects include involvement in the assembly and study of the switchgrass genome, genetic mapping of physiological and abiotic stress related traits, and the development of tools and resources for studying perennial grasses and the development of perennial feedstocks. He has also been involved in studies exploring methods for crop improvement, including breeding for adaptation under future climates and the importance of plant-microbe interactions.

Seminar Contact:

Jesse Lasky
jrl35@psu.edu

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Ecology Seminar Series, featuring Kelsey Brock

19 Oct 2026 17:25:00 GMT

Monday, October 19, 2026, 1:25 – 2:15 p.m.

Talk Title to be Announced

Ecology Seminar Series

October 19, 2026 | 1:25 - 2:15 pm

208 Business Building, University Park

Featuring: Kelsey Brock, University of Wyoming

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Emma van der Heide

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

DAWG Workshop

20 Oct 2026 19:00:00 GMT

UP: Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences 106
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 3 – 5 p.m.

Data Analysis Working Group (DAWG) is a One Health Microbiome Center affiliated group that comes together to analyze high-throughput sequencing data.

While the main goal is to provide training to the One Health Microbiome Center members on how to process and analyze sequencing datasets, we aim to:

Utilize the skills of our Center members to help researchers process and analyze sequencing data, culminating in results for a grant application or publication
Provide an opportunity for students/post-docs to further develop skills as group leaders of DAWG by creating and delivering their own workshop
Help build collaborations between members of the One Health Microbiome Center and other Penn State researchers who are interested in microbiome research

Organization: UP - Center - OHMC

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Samuel Brown

22 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, October 22, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Samuel Brown of Georgia Tech

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Stephen Taerum

23 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, October 23, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Protists: external “guts” of the plant rhizosphere

Featuring:

Stephen Taerum
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar - Ryan Folk

26 Oct 2026 16:15:00 GMT

Monday, October 26, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Shifts in evolutionary lability underlie independent gains and losses of root nodule symbiosis in a single clade of plants

Plant Biology Seminar Series

Invited and Hosted by Plant Biology Graduate Students

October 26, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm
108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Ryan Folk
Purdue University

Abstract
Root nodule symbiosis (RNS) allows plants to access atmospheric nitrogen through a mutualistic relationship with soil bacteria in the root nodule organ and succeed in confronting ecological challenge. Pinpointing the evolutionary origins of nodules is critical to understanding the genetic basis of RNS, a complex trait requiring coordination from both the plant host and the bacterial symbiont. This endeavor is complicated by data limitations and the intermittent presence of RNS in a single clade of ca. 30,000 species of flowering plants, i.e., the nitrogen-fixing clade (NFC). The purpose of this talk is to explain the main methods and outcomes of the NitFix initiative (Kates et al. 2024), where we developed the most extensive de novo phylogenomic hypothesis to date for all major lineages of the NFC, reported an enhanced root nodule trait database to reconstruct the evolution of RNS, and built a series of evolutionary models of RNS gain/loss. Through identification of the evolutionary pathway to RNS gain, we show that shifts among heterogeneous evolutionary rates can map how a complex trait such as RNS can arise many times across a large phylogeny. Our analysis identifies rate heterogeneity potentially associated with a two-step process in which an ancestral precursor state gave rise to a more labile state from which RNS was quickly gained at specific points in the NFC. Our rigorous reconstruction of ancestral states illustrates how a two-step pathway could have led to multiple independent gains and losses of RNS, contrary to recent hypotheses invoking just a single gain and numerous losses. RNS may be an example of multi-level convergent evolution, thus requiring a broader phylogenetic and genetic scope for genome-phenome mapping to elucidate mechanisms enabling fully functional RNS.

About the Speaker
Ryan Folk received his bachelor's degree from the University of Akron, and his PhD from The Ohio State University in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology. After a postdoctoral experience at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida, Dr. Folk served on the faculty of Mississippi State University for seven years and has recently moved to Purdue University. His research focuses on the evolution and ecology of flowering plant diversity, focusing particularly on the role of symbiosis and hybridization in the unique history of plants.

Contact

Ellie Hulit
enh5256@psu.edu

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Ecology Seminar Series, featuring Shana Sundstrom

26 Oct 2026 17:25:00 GMT

Monday, October 26, 2026, 1:25 – 2:15 p.m.

Talk Title to be Announced

Ecology Seminar Series

October 26, 2026 | 1:25 - 2:15 pm

208 Business Building, University Park

Featuring: Shana Sundstrom, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Sarah Goslee

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Huck Distinguished Lecture - Andres Garcia

27 Oct 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 4 – 5 p.m.

Bioengineered Hydrogels for Regenerative Medicine

Distinguished Lectures in Life Science

October 27, 2026 @ 04:00 pm to 05:00 pm
Refreshments at 3:30 pm
102 Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building, University Park
Pre-lecture refreshments from 3:30 - 4:00 pm

Featuring:

Andres J. Garcia, Georgia Tech

Abstract:
Hydrogels, highly hydrated cross-linked polymer networks, have emerged as powerful synthetic analogs of extracellular matrices for basic cell studies as well as promising biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications. A critical advantage of these synthetic matrices over natural networks is that bioactive functionalities, such as cell adhesive sequences and growth factors, can be incorporated in precise densities while the substrate mechanical properties are independently controlled. We have engineered poly(ethylene glycol) [PEG]-maleimide hydrogels for local delivery of therapeutic proteins and cells in several regenerative medicine applications. For example, synthetic hydrogels with optimal biochemical and biophysical properties have been engineered to direct human stem cell-derived intestinal organoid growth and differentiation, and these biomaterials serve as injectable delivery vehicles that promote organoid engraftment and repair of intestinal wounds. In another application, hydrogels presenting immunomodulatory proteins induce immune acceptance of allogeneic pancreatic islets and reverse hyperglycemia in models of type 1 diabetes. Finally, photopatterned hydrogel-based microfluidic platforms have been developed using human organoids to model lymphoid-gut interactions. These studies establish these biofunctional hydrogels as promising platforms for basic science studies and biomaterial carriers for cell delivery, engraftment and enhanced tissue repair.

About the Speaker:
Andrés J. García is the Executive Director of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience and Regents’ Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. García’s research program integrates innovative engineering, materials science, and cell biology concepts and technologies to create cell-instructive biomaterials for regenerative medicine and generate new knowledge in mechanobiology. This cross-disciplinary effort has resulted in innovative biomaterial platforms that elicit targeted cellular responses and tissue repair, human stem cell technologies, and mechanistic insights into the interplay of mechanics and cell biology. In addition, his research has generated intellectual property and licensing agreements with start-up and multi-national companies. He is a co-founder of several start-up companies. He has received several distinctions, including the Young Investigator Award, the Clemson Award for Basic Science, and the Founders Award from the Society for Biomaterials; the International Award from the European Society for Biomaterials; the Biomaterials Global Impact Award; and Georgia Tech’s Outstanding Interdisciplinary Activities Award and the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award. He is an elected Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He served as President for the Society for Biomaterials in 2018-2019. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Inventors, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Contact

Yuguo Lei
yxl6034@psu.edu

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Biotech Day 2026

29 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Thursday, October 29, 2026, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

The Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology (COEIB) is hosting its first-ever engagement and networking event: “Biotech Day.” Registration is required but free!

Biotech Day will be a micro-conference, focusing on the advancement of biotechnology and preparing students for entry into the biotechnology industry.

Come out and join us, and enjoy all the exciting things we have in store:
- Guest Speaker Presentations
- Poster Session
- Networking
- And more!

Date: Thursday, October 29th, 2026
Time: 10:00 am - 1:30 pm
Location: 603 Barron Innovation HUB
Featuring:

Dr. Andrew Zydney; Penn State University
Jace Fogle; Abbvie

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 603 Barron Innovation Hub 123 South Burrowes Street State College, PA
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - COEIB

CIDD Seminar Series (Speaker TBD)

29 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Thursday, October 29, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Gregory Knipp

29 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Thursday, October 29, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Development of an In Vitro Model of the Human Neurovascular Unit (NVU) for Drug and Phenotypic Screening

Neuroscience Seminar Series

October 29, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Gregory Knipp, Purdue University

Abstract:
Neuroinflammatory responses are associated with many disorders, and in particular with neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s Disease). Clinical trial success in treating CNS disorders (5.6%) lag far behind the rates for other disorders (13.2%), in part due to the fact that only 2% of all approved therapies traverse the BBB. A significant unmet medical need exists for advanced approaches to discover and develop new treatments for diseases that involve the brain's interface with the BBB. The high attrition rates associated with development of neurotherapeutics are theorized to be due to issues including the restrictiveness of the BBB, off target toxicity, or a lack of efficacy during late-stage clinical trials. We posit that a reduction in attrition may be realized through enhancing the physiological relevancy of BBB and NVU models used for permeability and neuroactivity screening in early lead candidate selection and development stages. In vivo the BBB extends beyond the brain microvessel endothelial cell (BMEC) layer and includes the pericytes and astrocytes in direct contact that form the BBB. The NVU also includes cells of the brain parenchyma consisting of neurons, microglia and oligodendrocytes. Taken together, the six major cell types of the NVU barrier synergistically function to: increase the restrictive barrier phenotype; regulate the expression of influx and efflux transporters and metabolizing enzymes; control neuronal extracellular fluid composition; and possess the supporting cells in direct contact comparative to current indirect contact in vitro BBB screening models. I will detail our research into the development and optimization of a physiologically relevant direct contact NVU in vitro model where human astrocytes, pericytes, and brain endothelial cells (HBEC-5i) are layered and cultured on the apical Transwell® surface in direct contact to form the BBB. In addition, neurons, human microglia and oligodendrocytes have been cultured in the basal chamber to provide a complete in vitro model of the human NVU. This optimized direct contact NVU in vitro model has been developed for assessing the permeation and associated exposure effects of new and established chemical entities to improve compound screening for the mitigation of neurological diseases.

About the Speaker:
Gregory Knipp received his doctorate in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in the laboratory of Dr. Ronald T. Borchardt at The University of Kansas, investigating the role of peptide conformation on the passive permeation of peptides across the Caco-2 and Bovine Microvessel Endothelial BBB cell model. Currently, he serves as a Professor of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics in the College of Pharmacy at Purdue University. He is also the co-founder and the Faculty Director of the Purdue Translational Pharmacology CTSI Core Facility. During his 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field, he has maintained a strong interest in preclinical pharmaceutics, drug discovery and development areas. In particular, he has expertise in the ADME/T area and has received funding from the NIH, FDA, DTRA, EPA, DOD, and private industry. He has published over 100 research papers, commentaries, and book chapters related to his research interests since 1991.

Seminar Contact: Carly Schissel

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Pak Kin Wong

30 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Friday, October 30, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Rapid Microbial Biosensing for Precision Medicine

Featuring:

Pak Kin Wong
Penn State University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar, featuring Daniela Carrijo

02 Nov 2026 17:15:00 GMT

Monday, November 2, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Managing winter cover crops for soybean and corn production

Plant Biology Seminar Series

November 2, 2026 | 12:15 - 1:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring: Daniela Carrijo, Penn State University

Abstract:
In many traditional corn-soybean rotation systems, the land is left fallow during the winter months. In contrast, growing a winter cover crop can provide numerous soil health benefits, including increasing soil organic carbon, improving soil structure and fertility, and promoting microbial activity. However, questions remain about how winter cover crops influence water and nitrogen availability for subsequent summer crops. For example, cover crops can deplete soil water during the spring when they are rapidly growing and potentially reduce water availability to the following crop; meanwhile, cover crop residue left on the soil after cover crop termination can conserve soil moisture during the summer months. Further, cover crops can either increase or reduce nitrogen availability to subsequent crops depending on cover crop species and management. In this session, we will share findings from our field research in Pennsylvania examining how cover crop management influences water and nitrogen dynamics for subsequent soybean and corn production. Results from this research can help inform best management practices for farmers in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region.

About the Speaker:
Daniela Carrijo is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Grain Crop Production in the Department of Plant Science. The goal of her program is to develop best management practices for grain crop production, including corn, soybean, and wheat. Her research focuses primarily on improving water and nutrient use efficiency at the field scale. Daniela also serves as the convener of the Regenerative and Climate-Smart Landscapes Critical Issue Initiative in the Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES).

Seminar Contact:

Charlie Anderson
cta3@psu.edu

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Huck Distinguished Lecture - Matthew Campen

03 Nov 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 4 – 5 p.m.

Minding the nanoplastics: bringing the worlds of environmental science and toxicology together to better understand an emerging global exposure

Distinguished Lectures in Life Science

November 3, 2026 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Refreshments at 3:30 pm
102 Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building, University Park
Pre-lecture refreshments from 3:30 - 4:00 pm

Featuring:

Matthew Campen, University of New Mexico

Abstract:
Plastic materials degrade into particles that have been named microplastics (describing particles <5mm in diameter) or nanoplastics, wherein one dimension is <100nm. Most environmental research has focused on larger microplastics that are typically >5µm, largely due to limitations of technology. However, it has been known for decades that particulates that get into the human body are universally less than 500 nm in diameter. This talk will cover the recent journey to better assess nanoplastics concentrations in the human body and visually and spectroscopically confirm the types of plastic materials that survive at the nanoscale and are specific risks to human health. Of interest, the highly crystalline plastics such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene appear to create nano crystalline particles that are consistent with what is found in human tissues.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Matthew Campen is a Distinguished Professor and toxicologst at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. He earned a BS in Biochemistry from Virginia Tech, a PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and completed postdoctoral training in pulmonary physiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Campen’s research examines how complex mixtures of inhaled particles enter the body and trigger biological changes that influence respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological health. By combining laboratory studies with insights from clinical and community research, his work helps explain how everyday environmental exposures can contribute to chronic diseases. His recent studies have shed light on molecular pathways linking air pollution and microplastics exposures to brain and vascular health, providing a foundation for understanding the potential health risks of these emerging pollutants.

Contact

Andrew Patterson
adp117@psu.edu

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Materials Day 2026

04 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

We’re thrilled to announce that Materials Day 2026 is set for Wednesday, November 4, at the Millennium Science Complex (MSC).

Last year’s new one-day format drew a record crowd of more than 500 attendees from Penn State and industry. Materials Day 2026 builds on that success, with more opportunities to explore research, see Penn State facilities in action, and make connections across the materials community. Join fellow industry leaders, researchers, students, and faculty for a dynamic day of discovery, collaboration, and innovation.

What's in store:

Interactive poster sessions happening throughout the day: meet graduate students and faculty members representing many research groups from across Penn State and dive into emerging materials science breakthroughs.
Guided and self-guided tours of the MSC: see our cutting-edge facilities up close with live demonstrations!
Flash talks: Hear brief presentations highlighting the latest research techniques, tools, discoveries, and capabilities across the Materials Research Institute.
Plenty of networking opportunities: reconnect with colleagues and meet new potential collaborators from across disciplines, like in past Materials Day events, with a few new twists.
Industry Meet-n-Greet: Connect industry representatives directly with Penn State graduate students and faculty to discuss technology interests, career opportunities and potential research collaborations.

Click here to register to attend!

360° VIEWS OF MATERIALS DAY

Visit more than 20 different online tours, including an exploration of the Materials Day experience through an immersive 360° view of demos, poster sessions, flash talks, and more!

Whether you're deep in the world of materials science or simply curious about what’s next, Materials Day 2026 promises an inspiring atmosphere you won’t want to miss.

For more details, visit mri.psu.edu/MaterialsDay

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Institute - VPR - MRI

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

04 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Gui Becker

05 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Thursday, November 5, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Gui Becker of Penn State University

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Aida Ebrahimi

06 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Friday, November 6, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Engineering Bioelectronic Technologies for One Health: From Pathogens to Plants and Human Health

Featuring:

Seyedehaida (Aida) Ebrahimi
Penn State University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar - Wen-Yuan Song

09 Nov 2026 17:15:00 GMT

Monday, November 9, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

The Immune Receptor XA21 Induces Fertility Defects in Rice

Plant Biology Seminar Series

November 9, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartk Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Wen-Yuan Song, University of Florida

Abstract:
Resistance (R) genes increase host fitness under disease pressure but can hinder plant growth and reproduction in the absence of pathogens. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the molecular bases of R gene-associated detrimental effects, the environmental conditions under which R gene-related developmental penalties are manifested, and the mechanisms by which host plants mitigate such costs. The rice R gene Xa21, which encodes a cell-surface immune receptor (XA21), was identified exclusively in Oryza longistaminata from Mali (O. l. Mali). XA21 provides broad-spectrum resistance against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), the causal agent of bacterial leaf blight, a devastating disease that threatens rice production across Asia and Africa. We demonstrate that – at a lower ambient temperature and in a dose-dependent manner – XA21 increases reactive oxygen species accumulation in anthers, suppresses jasmonic acid (JA) levels and JA response signaling in spikelets, and impairs anther dehiscence, ultimately leading to yield losses of up to 97%. We also found that proteolytic cleavage of XA21 by a spikelet-expressed rhomboid protease, OsRBL3b, represents a spatiotemporal, post-translational regulatory mechanism through which rice prevents over-accumulation and detrimental impacts of XA21 on reproduction. In addition, O. l. Mali differs from many rice varieties in that it is perennial and it can propagate asexually through its rhizomes. Our findings not only reveal the mechanisms underlying R gene-instigated detrimental effects on reproduction, but also the ways that rice uses to mitigate R gene costs.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Song studied Molecular Genetics and Plant Pathology at the Institute of Genetics, Academia Sinica, Beijing, China (Prof. Lihuang Zhu lab) and at the University of California-Davis, USA (Prof. Pamela Ronald lab) in early 1990s and received his Ph.D. degree in 1994 at the Institute of Genetics, Academia Sinica. After four years postdoctoral fellowship supervised by Dr. Pamela Ronald at the University of California-Davis, Dr. Song joined the faculty of the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida in 1999. He has published 39 research articles in various scientific journals. According to Google Scholar, his publications have been cited over 7,000 times by researchers all over the world.

Contact

Yinong Yang
yuy3@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

DAWG Workshop

10 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

UP: Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences 106
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 3 – 5 p.m.

Data Analysis Working Group (DAWG) is a One Health Microbiome Center affiliated group that comes together to analyze high-throughput sequencing data.

While the main goal is to provide training to the One Health Microbiome Center members on how to process and analyze sequencing datasets, we aim to:

Utilize the skills of our Center members to help researchers process and analyze sequencing data, culminating in results for a grant application or publication
Provide an opportunity for students/post-docs to further develop skills as group leaders of DAWG by creating and delivering their own workshop
Help build collaborations between members of the One Health Microbiome Center and other Penn State researchers who are interested in microbiome research

Organization: UP - Center - OHMC

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Luis Schang

12 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Thursday, November 12, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Luis Schang of Cornell University

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Subhojit Roy

12 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Thursday, November 12, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Neuronal Trafficking in Physiology and Disease

Neuroscience Seminar Series

November 12, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Subhojit Roy, University of California, San Diego

Abstract:
A static cell is a dead cell, and life depends on precise spatiotemporal trafficking of molecules. This is especially true for neurons, where the vast majority of proteins are synthesized in small cell-bodies and transported into elaborate axons and synapses. Movement within micron-sized synapses is also vital, and trafficking of molecules within synapses is a critical determinant of synaptic function. Thus, understanding trafficking pathways often gives insight into disease mechanisms and offers clues into early events that can be therapeutically manipulated. The Roy lab is interested in understanding the cell biology of neuronal trafficking in physiology and disease using a variety of methods including live/superresolution imaging and electron microscopy.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Roy is a Professor in the departments of Pathology and Neuroscience at UC San Diego, USA. He is a physician-scientist, trained in neuronal cell/molecular biology and human neuropathology. The broad interest of his laboratory is to explore movement in neurons – trafficking mechanisms that convey, deposit, and retain cargoes in axons, dendrites, and synapses. A related interest is to manipulate trafficking-pathways for therapeutics in neurodegenerative diseases (particularly gene-editing-based therapies).

Seminar Contact: Ruobo Zhou

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellows Talk: Pablo Ochoa-Anderson

13 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Friday, November 13, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellow Talk

Featuring:

Pablo Ochoa-Anderson
Penn State University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar - Sara Serra

16 Nov 2026 17:15:00 GMT

Monday, November 16, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Consumer Liking And “Real-Time” Quality of Emerging Apple Varieties
Plant Biology Seminar Series

Plant Biology Seminar Series

November 16, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Sara Serra, Penn State University

Abstract:
Among consumers in Southern Pennsylvania, Honeycrisp is still very popular, but due to the diversity of apple varieties grown in the area, some novel varieties are catching consumer attention. An apple variety known for its outstanding eating quality is MAIA-1 (Evercrisp), but its downside is a very poor appearance due to sensitivity to russeting, and a stubborn green background that struggles to turn into a lighter hue close to harvest. For this trial, we sought to test consumer liking across popular apples such as Gala, Royal Red Honeycrisp, and Aztec Fuji against two new promising varieties, MAIA-1 and NJ150Cv. (Ruby Rush). The orchards selected for this investigation were located at the Pennsylvania State FREC research farm, in Biglerville, PA. Orchard A) MAIA-1 trees were grafted on BUD9, planted in 2019, and trained to single leader (12 ft x 3 ft) and orchard B) NJ150Cv. trees grafted on BUD10, planted in 2023, and trained to single leader (12 ft x 2.5 ft). These two varieties were picked for three consecutive weeks to capture the optimal harvest date (OHD) for each and the maturity differences that can translate after storage into different perceptions from the consumers. At harvest 2025, Buckeye Gala, Royal Red Honeycrisp, and Aztec Fuji apples were picked from the same farm at the commercial picking time to serve as internal controls for the consumer evaluation performed at the end of November after a few months of regular air cold storage. In parallel with the panel test, the instrumental fruit quality analysis was run on the tasted apples to have a “real-time” quantification of quality traits. The latest harvest (early October) of MAIA-1 resulted in the most liked apple for overall liking. Buckeye Gala and Royal Red Honeycrisp scored the lowest liking score in the panel. On the other hand, NJ150Cv. stood out for its outstanding appearance, scoring 8.1 out of 9.0 for two consecutive harvest dates. Results confirmed the inferior appearance of MAIA-1 despite it receiving the best overall judgement. From the “real-time” quality analysis, MAIA-1 (in all three harvest dates) reported the highest soluble solid content (SSC, 17.3-17.7% avg), while Royal Red Honeycrisp and Gala were the lowest ones (13.5% and 13.9%). The consumers differently perceived samples in the panel test for the SSC and fruit firmness, and their liking score was positively correlated with higher SCC and higher firmness. From a correlation analysis, sweetness and juiciness liking scores reported the highest correlation with overall liking (r=0.774 and 0.698), while appearance and bitterness had the lowest (r=0.159 and 0.153). This preliminary data validates the growers’ concern about MAIA-1 being an unattractive apple with a remarkable taste. Future research will focus on adopting pruning approaches to manipulate proportion of apples cropped by each bearing wood to avoid apple clustering, russeting, and poor coloration in MAIA-1 trees.

About the Speaker:
Sara Serra is currently an Assistant Professor of Tree Fruit Production and Physiology at Penn State University in Biglerville, Pennsylvania; she started in August 2025 with 75% research and 25% extension appointment. Prior to that, she spent the last 12 years at Washington State University in Wenatchee focusing on Tree Fruit Physiology and Management. Her research experience is mainly on tree fruit physiology, orchard management (training system, rootstock, crop load, pruning and netting), flower biology and fruit quality at harvest and post-harvest. The main crops of interest for her are apple, peach, and pear. She served as Chair of the Pomology working group for the American Society of Horticulture Science in 2021, she co-organized the “Innovative perennial crops management” symposium at the International Horticultural Conference in France in 2022. She published 46 peer-reviewed articles in horticultural journals.

Contact

Charlie Anderson
cta3@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series (Speaker TBD)

19 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Thursday, November 19, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellows Talk: Shannon Ryan and Auja Bywater

20 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Friday, November 20, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellows Talk

Featuring:

Shannon Ryan
Penn State University

Auja Bywater
Penn State University

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

26 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, November 26, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Plant Biology Seminar - Maria de Lima Brossi

30 Nov 2026 17:15:00 GMT

Monday, November 30, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Advancing Bioinoculants: A Systems Approach to Microbial-Mediated Plant Nutrition

Plant Biology Seminar Series

November 30, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Maria de Lima Brossi, Penn State University

Abstract:
This lecture examines how advancing bioinoculants requires a shift from reductionist, product-based approaches toward a systems-level understanding of plant-microbe-soil interactions. Drawing on principles from microbial ecology, rhizosphere biology, and plant nutrition, it explores how microbial communities regulate nutrient acquisition under variable and often limiting environmental conditions, with particular emphasis on context dependency and predictability. The lecture will also introduce the "Bioinoculant Research Network", highlighting its role in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and bridging fundamental research with translational outcomes. By integrating ecological theory with applied frameworks, the talk will outline how microbiome insights can be transformed into actionable strategies for agriculture. It will conclude by presenting emerging research directions and project ideas aimed at advancing the design, evaluation, and deployment of next-generation bioinoculants.

About the Speaker:
Maria Julia de Lima Brossi is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Plant Science. Her research focuses on microbial-mediated plant nutrition and the processes governing plant-microbe interactions, integrating microbiology, microbial ecology, and rhizosphere biology to elucidate how microbial communities regulate nutrient acquisition under nutrient-limited and stress-prone conditions. A central theme of her work is advancing the field beyond descriptive microbiome studies toward predictive and actionable frameworks that can inform agricultural management. She leads the interdisciplinary "Bioinoculant Research Network", which aims to advance the field by integrating fundamental science with applied approaches to support the effective use of bioinoculants in agricultural systems.

Contact

Charlie Anderson
cta3@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Ecology Seminar Series, featuring Aimee Classen

30 Nov 2026 18:25:00 GMT

Monday, November 30, 2026, 1:25 – 2:15 p.m.

Talk Title to be Announced

Ecology Seminar Series

November 30, 2026 | 1:25 - 2:15 pm

208 Business Building, University Park

Featuring: Aimee Classen, University of Michigan

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Jared Ali

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

02 Dec 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Becky Smith

03 Dec 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Thursday, December 3, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Becky Smith of the University of Illinois

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

03 Dec 2026 19:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, December 3, 2026, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Chris Gaulke

04 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Friday, December 4, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Defining the role of the microbiome in mediating health impacts of environmental exposures

Featuring:

Chris Gaulke
University of Illinois

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Plant Biology Seminar - Anuleka Dutta

07 Dec 2026 17:15:00 GMT

Monday, December 7, 2026, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

More Than Just Glue: Unravelling the Mechanisms of Mucilage-Mediated Seed Attachment

Plant Biology Seminar Series

December 7, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Featuring:

Anuleka Dutta, Penn State University

Abstract:

Seedling establishment is critical for the growth and survival of a plant. However, seeds are often displaced from favorable microsites by wind, rainfall, or flooding. Mucilage produced by myxospermous species promotes water retention and post-dispersal attachment, helping seedlings establish in challenging environments. As a functional material, mucilage uses its polymer composition and architecture to optimize swelling, adhesion, and anchorage. However, how mucilage's biophysical properties translate into functional attachment across species and substrates remains poorly understood.

We ask what biological factors govern attachment mechanics and compare this across four myxospermous species, Ocimum basilicum (basil), Salvia hispanica (chia), Plantago ovata (psyllium), and Linum usitatissimum (flax), which occupy diverse ecological environments. Using our custom-designed attachment assay, we found that flax mucilage withstood applied hydrostatic pressure is longest on flat substrates, whereas psyllium mucilage performed best on sandy substrates. By combining microscopy with biophysical and biochemical approaches, we show that this substrate-specific performance is driven by the pectin matrix and fibrillar architecture in each mucilage subtype. Our findings link molecular structure of mucilage to seed resilience and reveal an adaptive mechanism enabling seeds to persist in heterogeneous environments.

Building on this mechanistic understanding, we are now developing mucilage as a sustainable and biocompatible material to meet the urgent need for efficient seed delivery vectors in reforestation and agricultural expansion. Current delivery vectors are often poorly suited to uneven terrain, fail to prevent seed displacement under challenging conditions, and lack the moisture or nutrients needed to support long-term seed establishment. By fabricating mucilage-based seed coatings, we aim to improve dispersal accuracy and germination success, offering a new tool for ecosystem restoration and monitoring.

About the Speaker:

Anuleka Dutta is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Plant Biology Intercollege Graduate Degree Program, advised by Dr. Charles T. Anderson. She is from India where she earned her bachelor's degree in Botany and master's degree in biophysics and molecular biology from Calcutta University, West Bengal. India. She designed and optimized in-vitro callus culture of Plantago ovata as a way for mucilage synthesis and biochemically characterized mucilage sugars obtained from callus culture in her master's thesis research. Currently Anuleka's dissertation research focuses on how mucilage allows seeds to strongly attach to different surfaces and efforts to design a mucilage-based biomaterial to aid in engineering resilient ecosystems.

Contact

Charlie Anderson
cta3@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 108 Wartik Laboratory
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Ecology Seminar Series, featuring Cori Richards Zawcki

07 Dec 2026 18:25:00 GMT

Monday, December 7, 2026, 1:25 – 2:15 p.m.

Talk Title to be Announced

Ecology Seminar Series

December 7, 2026 | 1:25 - 2:15 pm

208 Business Building, University Park

Featuring: Cori Richards Zawcki, University of Pittsburgh

Abstract:

About the Speaker:

Seminar Contact: Jack Boyette

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Josh Benoit

10 Dec 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Thursday, December 10, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Featured speaker: Josh Benoit of the University of Cincinnati

CIDD Coffee begins at 10:30 am in MSC W-202; CIDD Seminars begin at 11:00 am in MSC W-203.

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): Millennium Science Complex
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - CIDD

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Christopher Chen

10 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Thursday, December 10, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

The cerebellum exploits a thalamic carrier frequency to refine motor behaviors

Neuroscience Seminar Series

December 10, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

008 Mueller Building, University Park

Featuring: Christopher Chen, Penn State College of Medicine

Abstract:
Despite enabling nearly all cerebellar-cortical communication, it is unclear how the cerebellum interacts with the thalamus. We found a pronounced 1-5 Hz (delta) rhythm in the thalamic membrane potential and cerebellothalamocortical local field potentials during nonmoving periods. We hypothesized that the resonance of thalamic neurons, as determined by CaV3.1, might facilitate transmission of delta-rhythm cerebellar activity to the cortex. Experiments using photometry, multielectrode recordings, closed-loop stimulation, and dynamic clamp support this. Knockout of CaV3.1 in cerebellar-thalamic neurons diminishes the thalamocortical delta oscillation and specifically impairs motor learning while minimally affecting motor performance. These results ground population oscillations to features of ion channels, highlight the cerebellum and delta’s utility in offline motor learning, and support a carrier frequency-like encoding mechanism that underlies cerebellothalamocortical communication.

About the Speaker:
Chris "CC" is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics at Penn State College of Medicine. He did his graduate training with Kamran Khodakhah at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and postdoctoral training with Wade Regehr at Harvard Medical School. His work is very much curiosity-driven, but most of his projects have a common thread: cerebellar outputs. His work has examined how the cerebellum rapidly influences activity in the basal ganglia, coupling the two subcortical motor structures at a time when many thought they were functionally separate. He has also determined how cerebellar modulation of the ventral tegmental area underlies cerebellar involvement in social function. Most recently, he uncovered a new output pathway that enables the cerebellum to have broad influence over the forebrain, enabling it to have direct control over many limbic structures. These lines of research have provided mechanistic insights into how the cerebellum can play important roles in motor and nonmotor behaviors.

Seminar Contact: Nikki Crowley

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Dominique Holtappels

11 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Friday, December 11, 2026, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Unraveling the role of bacteriophages in plant-associated microbiomes

Featuring:

Dominique Holtappels
Cornell AgriTech

Contact:

Mallorie Smith
mqs5394@psu.edu

Location Details (Venue Name/Virtual Platform): 106 Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building
Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES, UP - Center - OHMC

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

06 Jan 2027 19:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, January 6, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

21 Jan 2027 19:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, January 21, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

03 Feb 2027 19:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, February 3, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

18 Feb 2027 19:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, February 18, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

03 Mar 2027 19:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, March 3, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

18 Mar 2027 18:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, March 18, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

07 Apr 2027 18:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, April 7, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

15 Apr 2027 18:00:00 GMT

UP: Millennium Science Complex W201
Thursday, April 15, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

05 May 2027 18:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, May 5, 2027, 2 – 3 p.m.

Monthly Cryo-EM User Group Meeting

W203, Millennium Science Complex

Organization: UP - Institute - HUCK LIFE SCIENCES

Huck - Main Calendar

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Nisha Duggal

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Annie Delfina, Mira Eze, and Shannon Jordan

Talk Title to be Announced

COEIB Virtual Fermentation Workshop

COEIB Virtual Fermentation Workshop

Contact

CRRB Monthly Networking Meeting

Fall 2026 Night at the Museum

Fall 2026 Night at the Museum

Penn State Athletics

College of Agricultural Sciences

Student Affairs

College of Arts and Architecture

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

Eberly College of Science

Penn State Outreach

University Libraries and Scholarly Communications

About PSUMC

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Justin Silverman

25Live Training for Huck Events

Speaker: Jeff Riffel, University of Washington

When the signal changes: Lepidopteran olfaction and plant-pollinator interactions in a changing world

Speaker: Jeff Riffel, University of Washington

About the Speaker:

Contact:

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Ana Bento

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Dorthea Tse, Allison Xiao, and Liangzhu (Zack) Zhang

Talk Title to be Announced

Genomics Core Facility Open House

Contact

From Households to Habitats: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Human-Environment Interaction

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Daniel Sprockett

The Great Insect Fair

FREE ADMISSION

Following the process of domestication through space and time with ancient DNA

Benjamin BlackmanUniversity of California, Berkeley

Contact

Plant Biology Seminar - Benjamin Blackman

Following the process of domestication through space and time with ancient DNA

September 14, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Contact

Ecology Seminar Series, featuring Kevin Potter

Harmful non-native plants in U.S. forests: Drivers, trends, and invasion debt

Faculty Workshop - American Galleries Reinstallation Project

Huck Distinguished Lecture - Lars Chittka

The Mind of a Bee

Contact

Plant Institute: QIAGEN: Unlocking Plant Biology

Unlocking Plant Biology: An overview of QIAGEN Solutions for Extraction, Analysis, and Discovery

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Stanca Ciupe

Neuroscience Seminar Series, featuring Erika Holzbaur

Supplying the synapse

ThermoFisher qPCR Lunch and Learn

Genesis BioTech Open Office Hours

BioTech Faculty and Staff Zoom Office Hours:

Faculty Workshop - American Galleries Reinstallation Project

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Daniela Betancurt and Sangshan Tian

Faculty Workshop - American Galleries Reinstallation Project

Plant Biology Seminar, featuring Avalon Miller

Investigating differential responses of American elm genotypes to Dutch elm disease infection

Hydra Bio Workshop

Introductory Methods in Mammalian Cell Culture Workshop

Contact

DAWG Workshop

Hydra Bio Workshop

Introductory Methods in Mammalian Cell Culture Workshop

Contact

Hydra Bio Workshop

CIDD Seminar Series, ft. Vicki Jeffers

OHMC Seminar Series ft. Jacques Ravel

Plant Biology Seminar - Yuxin Luo

Genetic Adaptation of Natural Arabidopsis Populations in Response to Local EnvironmentsPlant Biology Seminar Series

September 28, 2026 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

108 Wartik Laboratory, University Park

Contact

Genesis BioTech Open Office Hours

BioTech Faculty and Staff Zoom Office Hours:

Bioinformatics Method Developers Community Day

Benjamin Blackman
University of California, Berkeley

Genetic Adaptation of Natural Arabidopsis Populations in Response to Local Environments
Plant Biology Seminar Series