The CEGR is composed of ten laboratories with over 70 students and staff. We aim to provide a conducive learning environment for making cutting edge discoveries on fundamental mechanisms of eukaryotic gene regulation. Most labs share common space to promote a community of interactions.
Academic Environment
The research interests of all CEGR members are focused on understanding the mechanisms of gene regulation, although each member brings unique perspectives and expertise. The members of the Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation include:
Jean-Paul Armache Ph.D. — Cryo-EM structural studies of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers and other macromolecular machines
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Lu Bai Ph.D. — Single cell and single molecule studies of chromatin and gene regulation
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Professor of Physics
Marina Feric Ph.D. — Biophysical mechanisms underlying biomolecular condensates in health and disease
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Ross Hardison Ph.D. — Genomics and gene regulation
Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Scott Lindner Ph.D. — Post-Transcriptional Regulation in Malaria Parasites
Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuel Llinás Ph.D. — Gene regulation in Plasmodium
Ernest C. Pollard Professor of Biotechnology
Shaun Mahony Ph.D. — Computational biology and regulatory genomics
Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joseph Reese Ph.D. — Stress regulated gene expression mechanisms, post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Scott Showalter Ph.D. — Structural biology of transcription regulatory proteins in β-cells
Professor of Chemistry
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Song Tan Ph.D. — Structural biology of eukaryotic chromatin and gene regulatory proteins
Verne M. Willaman Professor of Molecular Biology
Many CEGR members are located in adjoining laboratories on the 4th floor of the North and South Frear buildings. All attend a weekly CEGR research forum (held continuously at Penn State since 1989) where the latest scientific work of our graduate students and postdocs are shared and discussed. The CEGR also hosts international summer symposia on chromatin every four years since 1995 each attracting approximately 300 participants. Our most recent symposium was held in August 2023 on “Chromatin and Epigenetic Regulation of Chromatin”. Our closely collaborative research center is a unique and productive environment for the study of the mechanisms of gene regulation.
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Penn State is well known as a center of excellence in genomics research and the development of high-throughput experimental assays and associated computational analysis systems. Other relevant faculty in the department include Prof. Anton Nekrutenko (developer of the Galaxy system for processing experimental data online), and Dr. Paul Medvedev (genome assembly).
Director
Song Tan
468A North Frear Laboratory
Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802
814-863-8594