Benjamin Parker, an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology, is a member of the 2020 Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Parker was selected from among 191 nominations submitted by leading US academic and research institutions to receive four years of funding to invest in exploratory research.

The 2020 Pew Scholars are undertaking groundbreaking research projects aimed at advancing human health, from development and aging to better detection, prevention, and defense against cancer.

Parker’s research uses an insect (the pea aphid) and the beneficial and harmful microbes that inhabit it as a model system to study host-microbe interactions, and his lab uses genomic, molecular, and experimental techniques.

Marisa Moazen, assistant vice chancellor of research engagement in the Office of Research and Engagement, received a One UT Collaboration and Innovation grant in May. The program— which is headed by the University of Tennessee System—is open to faculty and staff at all campuses, institutes and extension/field offices. The goal of One UT is to foster collaboration and innovation in three key areas—student success, research, and outreach and engagement—across units, campuses, and institutes. The System will invest up to $500,000 in each of the three categories, up to $1.5 million total.

Last month, four researchers were selected to have samples analyzed by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Genomics Core and Illumina, a company that helps analyze genetic variation and biological function using the NovaSeq 6000 Next-Gen sequencing platform. Data from these experiments are expected to provide a foundation for current and upcoming research projects and funding opportunities.

Two University of Tennessee, Knoxville, graduate students have received Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) awards. Since its inception in 2014, UT ranks number one in the country for SCGSR awards with 19 recipients.

“I am proud to celebrate our graduate students’ accomplishments,” said Interim Vice Chancellor for Research Matthew Mench. “This recognition by the Office of Science is an indication of the high caliber students UT is able to attract, the dedication of our faculty mentors, and our vibrant research community.”

Professor Qiang He and Assistant Professor Shuai Li have received one of the new One UT Collaboration and Innovation Grants for their proposal entitled “Pathogen Transmission Pathway Identification by Fomite and Behavior Monitoring​​.”

The objective of this research is to create and test new sensing, computational, and mechanistic tools to characterize the complex interrelationships between human behaviors and fomites, which are inanimate objects that become colonized with microbes.

Fomites serve as important intermediaries for transmission of pathogens to/from humans, so for settings such as schools, daycare centers, and long-term care facilities, understanding fomite transmission could play a crucial role in slowing infectious pathogens and helping to prevent economic calamity.