News

LW Parks Microbiology Research Awards

We are pleased to announce the inaugural, 2024 student recipients of LW Parks Research Awards in Microbiology. The following project proposals are recognized for their scientific merit, with financial awards of up to $1,000 provided to help achieve the described goals. The awardees are:

Graduate Student Awards

Samantha Kisthardt: Elucidating the role of cholate in preventing C. difficile infection in mice monocolonized with C. scindens Major: Microbiology, Mentor: Dr. Casey Theriot

Sivaranjani Palani: Role of rare and abundant microbiomes in the anaerobic degradation of long chain fatty acids Major: Microbiology, Mentor: Dr. Francis de los Reyes

Aurora Toennisson: Evaluating the effects of Azospirillum and PPX transgenic plants on phosphorus bioavailability Major: Plant Biology, Mentor: Dr. Imara Perera

Undergraduate Student Awards

Rachel Edwards: Upstream Stimulatory Factor Impact on B-cell DNA Damage and cellular stress Major: Microbiology, Mentor: Dr. Michael Sikes

Daniel Richard: Investigating Roles of UDP-Glucose in Hyaluronic Acid Production in Fructose Treated Immortalized Kupffer Cells Major: Biochemistry, Mentor: Dr. Arion Kennedy

Emily Sontag: Molecular and Cultivation Assays of Human-Associated Methanogens Major: Genetics, Mentor: Dr. Zhe Lyu

Congratulations to all of the award recipients!

Chancellor’s Innovation Fund Backs Six Budding Inventions

At NC State University, we believe the research of today enables the solutions of tomorrow. Nearly all new products and processes, from medical devices and drug development to semiconductor chips and self-driving cars, require many years of early-stage research before they’re ready to reach the market.

Protein Sources Change the Gut Microbiome – Some Drastically

A new study by researchers from North Carolina State University shows that protein sources in an animal’s diet can have major effects on both the population and function of the microscopic life within their gut.

Students Build Industry Connections

Stop by Witherspoon Student Center, and you’ll find it bustling with students. Last Friday, a group of graduate students hosted their own Industry Fair, with representatives in attendance from eight local biotechnology companies.

The Libraries’ Research Facilitation Service helps a CALS researcher open up “a bottleneck of scientific progress”

Sometimes small problems lead to big solutions. When Plant and Microbial Biology researcher Orlando Arguello-Miranda needed a central place to store large image files for a 50-person workshop, he asked the Libraries’ Research Facilitation Service (RFS) for help. Simple enough, right?

Optimizing Corn Production for Greater Efficiency

From juicy corn on the cob and crunchy tortilla chips to livestock feed and ethanol for gasoline, corn is an essential crop for many of the products of daily life.

CALS 2024 Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Awardee: Lisa Metzger

Lisa Metzger, Microbiology doctoral student, is a recipient of the CALS Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award.