UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Renewed support for a training program established at Penn State in 2018 ensures five additional years of funding for graduate students conducting cross-disciplinary studies of the mechanisms controlling where and when genes are used in cells. The Eukaryotic Gene Regulation (EGR) Predoctoral Training Program will continue to train future scientists in experimental, molecular and computational sciences to understand the mechanisms of gene regulation in eukaryotes, the group of organisms — including animals, plants and fungi — whose genome is contained within a nucleus in their cells.
The $1.7 million program, led by Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Joseph Reese, will support up to 28 students over five years and is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with Penn State matching support.
“These training grants are extremely competitive and it is very difficult to have them renewed,” said Santhosh Girirajan, department head and professor of genomics in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. “The renewal demonstrates just how successful the program has been thanks to fantastic students and our dedicated faculty experts. Joe’s leadership on this endeavor is highly commendable.”
The regulation of gene expression is the foundation of nearly all aspects of biology and human disease. Every cell of an organism contains its complete genome, but only a subset of the information in the genome is used by each cell. The set of genes that are expressed in a cell determines that cell’s identity and function and is controlled by a complex set of cellular mechanisms. Precise control of the timing, amount and location of gene expression underlies important cellular processes such as development, stem cell regeneration, differentiation and disease prevention.
Expanding knowledge of these mechanisms is therefore crucial to understanding how organisms develop, evolve and respond to environmental change, as well as understanding disease biology, according to researchers. The EGR training program aims to prepare a diverse group of young scientists to excel in cross-disciplinary research to address these fundamental questions related to gene regulation processes and their impact on human health.
“I'm thrilled that the NIH has renewed its support of the EGR training grant,” Reese said. “The outstanding students in the program and their prior achievements played a significant role in its success.”
Trainees will have the opportunity to obtain a thorough understanding of the scientific process, learn to conduct research responsibly and rigorously, gain fluency in innovative research methodologies, learn to use bioinformatics and statistical tools in advancing genome-wide experimental approaches to study gene regulation.
“I'm excited to join the EGR training program because of its unique focus on eukaryotic gene regulation, which fosters a community of passionate students and training faculty in this specialized area,” said Hanh Tran, a graduate student in the molecular, cellular and integrative biosciences program. “Being a part of the program will enable me to receive the formal training needed to contribute to the broader understanding of gene regulation mechanisms in host-microbe interactions.”
The training program includes more than 20 training faculty from across the University. These faculty members represent the departments of biochemistry and molecular biology; biology; veterinary and biomedical sciences; and statistics; as well as three intercollege graduate programs: molecular, cellular and integrative biosciences; plant biology; and bioinformatics and genomics.
“Participating in this training grant has shown me the benefits of discussing my research with scientists outside my field,” said Liam Speilmann, a graduate student in plant biology. “I have learned a great deal from other members, including how to share my work with non-experts and accept their unique feedback.”
In addition to Tran and Speilmann, the graduate students in the 2024 EGR training program’s cohort are Hannah Boyd, Priscilla Villalona, Sohini Mukherjee, Mariam Lawal, Ryan Faddis, Niral Shah, Courtney Smith and Aniko Verbrugge.