Faculty research spotlight | | |
Shijiao Huang, assistant professor, biochemistry and molecular biophysics
College of Arts and Sciences
Research overview:
My current research is focused on understanding how neurons regulate aging and age-related diseases, especially neurodegenerative diseases. My lab focuses on a multi-organism and multi-pathway approach to understand how conserved neuron circuits and neural signaling integrate environmental stressors and regulate metabolic changes to modulate stress resistance, lifespan and heath span.
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What motivated you to pursue research in this specific field, and how has your focus evolved over time?
I always wanted to stop aging since my childhood. After I graduated with my Ph.D., I searched and found that aging is a new and growing research field since the discovery of the first longevity gene in 1988. I decided to study aging, aiming to increase the health span and shorten the disease-period in humans.
What is your approach to this research?
We use the round worm Caenorhabditis elegans due to their small size of 1 mm and short lifespan of 20 days. We measure C. elegans lifespans after gene mutation and neuron manipulation. We also use cultured human cells to confirm the conservation of our research findings.
Have there been any significant challenges or breakthroughs in your recent research, and how have you addressed or leveraged them?
One year into my faculty position at K-State, I have already recruited a talented team in my lab and have initiated collaborations with research teams across multiple disciplines both within and outside K-State. We have gained new insights of how neural signaling modulates stress and lifespan.
What is the potential impact of your research on your field and on broader societal issues?
We have now entered an era of battling natural aging and age-related chronic conditions for a healthier lifespan. Our research will provide molecular targets for potential therapeutics to delay aging and chronic age-related diseases in humans, especially neurodegenerative diseases.
Each week The Office of the Vice President for Research will feature one faculty member and their scholarly work in Research Weekly. If you would like to nominate yourself or a colleague, please fill out the online form.
*Please note that not all nominations will be accepted as there are limited publications each semester.
| | | K-State events and announcements | | Register to attend Posters, Pinot and Partnerships event | | Starting in Spring 2025, the Office of the Vice President for Research and K-State Libraries are excited to host a monthly networking poster session for K-State researchers. Faculty can enjoy light refreshments and wine while discussing ongoing research and endeavors. | | |
This month’s session will highlight the second of four items on K-State’s Next Gen Opportunity Agenda: sustainability.
This focus area includes considerations of water and resource management practices, the natural and environmental factors that impact resource usage, our health, environment and society; the conservation and restoration of biodiversity; and economic policies and cultural practices and their impacts on human ecology.
Through this, K-State is working toward a more sustainable future in water, air, energy, soil, climate change, biodiversity and community resilience.
We welcome a wide array of presentations, including traditional scientific posters, as well as creative expressions such as paintings, photographs, poetry, prose, or other artistic works that explore and reflect on sustainability. This event celebrates the full spectrum of creativity and scholarship at K-State, offering a space for dialogue and discovery.
Please join us from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2025, on the 5th floor of Hale Library.
Register here if you would like to attend the event or present your research poster.
| | Core Research Facility Support from the OVPR | | |
The Office of the Vice President for Research announces several opportunities to enhance the use and operations of core facilities in alignment with the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan. Core facility directors may request support to upgrade the physical infrastructure and large equipment related to their operations. Additionally, faculty members can apply for grants to facilitate their use of core facilities and offset vivarium costs. This funding comes from the Strategic Investment Fund and is supplemented by the recovery of OVPR funds, offset by the BRI Debt Relief support received from the state.
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Funding for renovations and large equipment purchases: Annual call for core facilities to request funding for renovations and large equipment purchases. This will require a 1:1 match and requests can range up to $200K for total project costs of up to 400K. Total funds available: $500K. Deadline for requests is April 1, 2025.
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Mini grants to fund pilot projects: Ongoing call for researchers to request mini grants to fund pilot projects requiring core facility use up to $5,000 in total costs. If start-up funds are available, there is a 1:1 match requirement. Total funds available: $75K. Funding requests accepted on a rolling basis.
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Mini grants for vivarium costs: Ongoing call for researchers to request mini grants to help pay vivarium costs that exceed that budgeted in existing grant funding. Limit of $50K per investigator; total funds available: $125K. If start-up funds are available, there is a 1:1 match requirement. Funding requests accepted on a rolling basis.
Please visit the OVPR website to learn more and submit a proposal.
| | NSF CAREER Nuts and Bolts Session | | |
The National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is NSF’s most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars. To help early career faculty who are interested in this program, the Office of Research Development will host an “NSF CAREER Nuts and Bolts” information session on March 27th at 3:30 pm via zoom. The session will start with presentations on the requirements for submission, review criteria, submission protocols and evaluation resources. These will be followed by a panel of recent Kansas State University CAREER awardees who will provide tips on submitting to and receiving an award under this program. Session attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a CAREER Writing Clinic that will start shortly after the session and end in July when the proposals are due.
If you are interested in attending this session, please register here. To find out more about the NSF CAREER Writing Clinic, please contact Mary Lou Marino at mlmarino@ksu.edu.
| | NSF CAREER Writing Clinic | | |
The Office of Research Development (ORD) will again offer a writing clinic that will use an iterative process to help interested faculty members develop and refine their submissions for the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER). The clinic will begin in early April and continue until the proposals are due in mid-July. Faculty will work with mentors through a step-by-step process to develop their proposals. The mentors will provide suggestions and support through the process. The early portions of the clinic will focus on goal and objective development followed by approach development. The program is designed so that the bulk of the writing will occur after classes end. You will spend April and early May refining your CAREER project ideas.
If you are interested in the NSF CAREER Writing Clinic, please contact Mary Lou Marino at mlmarino@ksu.edu.
It is also highly recommended that you attend the CAREER Nuts and Bolts session offered by ORD on March 27th at 3:30 pm.
| | NSF CAREER Evaluation Workshop | | |
The National Science Foundation’s CAREER awards require the recipients to show evidence of research and education excellence. This 3:30 p.m. April 2, 2025, zoom session, presented by the Office of Educational Innovation and Evaluation (OEIE,) will help you demonstrate this in your NSF CAREER proposal/project. During this workshop, OEIE will provide resources to assist CAREER award applicants and recipients in developing evaluation plans and collecting evaluation data. Logic models will serve as the foundation for the discussion about how to:
- determine evaluation activities based on professional goals
- consider data collection methods that fit the award timeline
- tailor reporting to demonstrate the overall impact of the work.
If you are interested in attending, please register here.
For questions about the workshop, please contact Besangie Sellers at besangie@ksu.edu.
| | Register Today for CNAP'S Grant Writers' Collaborative | | |
Structure:
- One-hour daily writing blocks
- Once a week, join your team for an in person writing session
- Together, establish internal due dates to promote a sustainable proposal preparation pace
- CNAP staff and peers to offer regular direction, guidance, and feedback on materials.
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The collaborative will begin April 7th with ongoing rolling registration.
Register or learn more using the provided link or QR Code.
Please contact cnap@ksu.edu to learn more!
| | Attend K-State's inaugural President's Distinguished Lecture Series | | |
The CRISPR toolbox and its many applications in microbiology
Technical Lecture: April 9, 11:30 a.m.
1014 Throckmorton
Refreshments at 11:00 a.m.
Repurposed from obscure adaptive immune systems in bacteria, CRISPR molecular machines have been broadly deployed in the past 10 years, to manipulate the genomes of microorganisms relevant to medicine, biotechnology and agriculture. We now have access to a portable CRISPR toolbox enabling flexible engineering of bacteria from a single nucleotide base edit to large scale manipulation of genomic islands in excess of 100kb in diverse microorganisms relevant for infectious disease, industrial biomanufacturing and the food supply chain.
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Rodolphe Barrangou, T.R. Klaenhammer distinguished professor at North Carolina State University
If you or your lab group would like to meet indi-vidually with Dr. Barrangou, please email: cwrice@ksu.edu or dray@ksu.edu for schedule
| | Vernon Larson Lecture and Fulbright Reception | | |
As part of the Office of International Program’s Vernon Laron Lecture Series, Fulbright Visiting Scholar Dr. Kudzai Mukumbi will be presenting “Agricultural Extension in the Digital Age: Insights from Land Grant Institutions” on April 23, 2025, at 3 pm in the Staley School of Leadership’s Town Hall. Her presentation will be followed by a Fulbright Panel whose members will discuss their experiences with Fulbright’s overseas programs and what they have meant to them. At 4:30 pm, a reception will be held in the Staley Atrium for Dr. Mukumbi, Fulbright Alums and Visitors as well as for anyone interested in Fulbright’s programs and networking with faculty and students who have experience with these programs. Please click here to register for any of these activities.
Dr. Kudzai Mukumbi is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Iowa State University, where she is conducting research on best practices in designing, managing and evaluation of agricultural extension and outreach programs. She holds a Doctorate degree in Retailing (International Retailing & Marketing majors) and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (Agribusiness) from Michigan State University. She has led the Agribusiness & Community Development Unit at Africa University in Zimbabwe and taught undergraduate and graduate agribusiness courses. She trains leaders for Africa and beyond, equipping them with skills and knowledge in Agribusiness. Her research interests include food systems, agribusiness strategy, international business and policy.
These events are sponsored by K-State’s: Office of International Programs, College of Agriculture’s International Agriculture Programs, Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research, and Office of Research Development.
| | Research Information Technology Services Updates | | |
To streamline processes and enhance university security, Information Technology Services is implementing new policies for employees who leave the institution, which may affect research data retention.
Please use the provided link to learn more about alterations to:
- Relocating work/research documents
- Updating external service email addresses
- Returning K-State property
- Returning keys and access controls
- Setting an away message
- Retaining personal documents
Should you require support or have any additional questions, please reach out to your unit IT director or the Office of the Vice President for Research technology team at vprit@k-state.edu.
| | External events and announcements | | National Science Foundation office hours and webinars | | |
The National Science Foundation is hosting a variety of office hours and webinars throughout 2025 covering a wide range of programs and topics. Links to register and more information for each series can be found below:
| | Office of Science Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2025 Undergraduate Internships | | |
Applications are currently being accepted for the Fall 2025 term of two undergraduate internship programs offered by the Department of Energy Office of Science: The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program and the Community College Internships (CCI) program. The application deadline is May 21, 2025.
Through SULI and CCI, undergraduate students and recent graduates discover science and technology careers at the DOE national laboratories and gain new knowledge, skills, and experience to further their educational and career goals. Interns work directly with national laboratory scientists, engineers, and technical professionals, assisting them on research or technical projects that support the DOE mission. SULI is open to full-time students attending either 2-or 4-year colleges and universities or recent graduates within two years of receiving their bachelor’s degree or associate degree, while CCI is exclusively for community college students. Both programs are stipend-based and offered three times annually in fall, spring, and summer terms.
Two workshops are planned to introduce each program and share the application process and strategies for submitting a compliant application.
In addition to the workshops, the program office invites applicants and letter of recommendation writers to attend SULI and CCI Office Hours to answer administrative questions such as those pertaining to uploading transcripts, submitting letters of recommendation, and general inquiries. Office hours are scheduled on April 30, May 7, and May 14. Registration (register here) is required for attendance.
| | Message from the NSF Assistant Director for Engineering | | |
With the start of 2025, the U.S. National Science Foundation continues to support exciting engineering research and education projects that will power our economy and strengthen our nation's health and security.
In the past month, the NSF Directorate for Engineering has invested in new projects to advance semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, manufacturing and more. This fiscal year we have already invested in groundbreaking ideas in 38 states and the District of Columbia.
Most of our awards are supported through engineering core programs — the discovery mainstay of NSF ENG. Core programs supports engineering creativity and discovery across disciplines and topics, and they accept proposals at any time. They fund multiyear research projects, conferences, short-term exploratory research (EAGER), and industry collaboration (GOALI). See more proposal mechanisms available for consideration.
When you have a great research idea, I encourage you to look into ENG core programs for support. Our program directors welcome you to reach out to them to discuss your brief project concept.
Keep up to date:
Learn about NSF's implementation of recent executive orders. Questions and answers are updated regularly on our website.
| | The 2025 PI Launchpad: From Science Idea to NASA Mission In Person Workshop | | |
Are you thinking about developing your first flight mission proposal in the next few years but have no idea where to start? Are you working or studying in any NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) discipline? If you are a scientist who would like to submit a NASA space mission proposal in the next few years but don’t know where to start, this August workshop is for you! We are interested in expanding the pool of potential NASA space mission Principal Investigators.
Workshop Description:
Ames Research Center, in collaboration with the University of Arizona, the University of Michigan, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC and the Heising-Simons Foundation, will host the PI Launchpad to guide participants through ways to turn their science and technology questions into a mission concept. Participants will go step-by-step through the process of developing a science case, defining requirements, building a team, securing partnerships, and obtaining support from the home institution. Participants also will have time for networking and personal reflection as they mature their mission concepts.
We are interested in expanding the pool of potential NASA space mission PIs. We will select between 35-40 participants from eligible applicants depending on funding availability and on the merit of the applications. Please visit the NASA NSPIRES website for the Pre-application Virtual Session Connection Information, application details, etc.
Please email questions to the 2025 NASA PI Launch Pad Organizers at this shared address hq-smd-piworkshop@mail.nasa.gov.
| | HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge | | |
APHIS is making up to $100,000,000 available in FY 2025 to support high-value and high-impact projects that explore vaccines, therapeutics, research, and other strategies to combat avian influenza, lower egg prices, and protect the U.S. poultry industry. Eligible applicants are invited to submit proposals that align with and support the priority topics listed below by the deadline on May 19, 2025. Priority topics include:
1. Develop novel vaccines to protect poultry from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that are safe, potent, and efficacious across multiple avian species and against current circulating clades.
2. Develop novel therapeutics to address HPAI in poultry, including preventing, controlling, or eliminating HPAI virus, characterizing genomic targets for disease resistance, and supporting poultry health.
3. Conduct research to further understand avian influenza in poultry and to improve response strategies.
For questions about the HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge program and about this funding opportunity, required documents, or the ezFedGrants application process, please refer to the detailed information provided on the HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge website or contact SM.AP.HPAI.Challenge@usda.gov.
| | Agency news and trending topics | | |
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