NEWS
NEW POSTDOC JOINS HOCKETT LAB
July 11, 2022
Namhyeon Park started working in Hockett lab as a postdoctoral scholar. Welcome!
PENN STATE TODAY STORY ON HANAREIA'S RECENT PUBLICATION
July 11, 2022
Here is a link to Penn State Today story on Hanareia's recent publication: https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/above-ground-microbial-communities-quell-plant-diseases-can-be-developed/
HANAREIA SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED HER THESIS.
June 7, 2022
Congratulations to Hanareia, who successfully defended their doctoral thesis on June 7, 2022.
CHAD PASSED HIS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
April 22, 2022
Sending warm congratulations to Chad Fautt who passed his comprehensive exam.
MARY RECEIVES FIRST PRIZE IN THE 37th ANNUAL GRADUATE EXHIBITION IN VIDEO CATEGORY
April 6, 2022
Congratulations to Mary Smith who received first prize in the Annual Graduate Exhibition in Video Category. Take a look at the video here: https://youtu.be/HUW0f6hZQ9M
NEW PUBLISHED ARTICLE
January 21, 2022
We are happy to announce that a new article Genome Mining Shows Ubiquitous Presence and Extensive Diversity of Toxin-Antitoxin Systems in Pseudomonas syringae has been published in the Frontiers in Microbiology. Authors: Prem P. Kandel, Marina Naumova, Chad Fautt, Ravikumar R. Patel, Lindsay R. Triplett, Kevin L. Hockett. Congratulations!
MARY RECEIVES A USDA NIFA PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP
January 17, 2022
Congratulations to Mary Smith who received a USDA NIFA Predoctoral Fellowship funded by the ARFI Initiative.
Smith’s ARFI-USDA-NIFA project focuses on one particular bacteriocin group called s-type bacteriocins of the tomato pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. P. syringae pv. tomato is the causal agent of bacterial speck of tomato, an economically impactful disease that causes disfiguring spotting on the leaves and fruits of tomatoes. Her research investigates the direct role competitive interactions involving s-type bacteriocins play in facilitating differences in disease severity, pathogen populations, and micobial community composition. This project proposes to take the first step in investigating when s-type bactericoins provide competitive advantages on the surface of a leaf to help build the knowledge needed to implement successful alternative disease management strategies in the future.
THE HOCKETT LAB WAS AWARDED A USDA NIFA GRANT
January 4, 2022
The Hockett lab was awarded a USDA NIFA grant to study persister cells that are able to survive distinct membrane-targeting antimicrobial agents. Although membrane-targeting agents are promising candidates to control bacterial plant diseases, there is a gap in understanding how populations respond to and survive exposure to such antimicrobials. This project seeks to close that gap by determining whether persistence to different antimicrobials (tailocin, colistin, and MtDef4 [plant-derived antimicrobial peptide]) rely on overlapping regulatory and genetic strategies. We, along with collaborators Connie Chang at Montana State University and Lindsay Triplett at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
There will be a postdoctoral opening to work on this project coming soon! Contact Kevin (klh450@psu.edu) for more information.
MAX PASSED HIS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
December 9, 2021
Sending warm congratulations to Max Aleman who passed his comprehensive exam.
HANAREIA RECEIVED NGARIMU VC AND THE 28th (MAORI) BATTALION DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP
April 7, 2021
Hanareia was one of six Māori scholars awarded Ngārimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial scholarships for 2021, Associate Education Minister and Ngārimu Board Chair, Hon Kelvin Davis announced. “These awards are a tribute to the heroes of the 28th (Māori) Battalion. They were established to assist outstanding Māori scholars to go on to influence future generations as those of the Battalion have done,” said Hon Kelvin Davis, Associate Education Minister and Ngārimu Board Chair.
She received the Ngārimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion Doctoral Scholarship, which is very prestigious within Māori iwi (tibes) and New Zealand as a whole. The local newspaper put together an article as many of the recipients were all from her local area: 2021 Ngarimu scholars – The Gisborne Herald.
Congratulation to Hanareia!
MAX ALEMAN HELPED TO BRING THE LAB HOME TO STUDENTS FOR THE FALL SEMESTER
December 16, 2020
Our lab member and teaching assistant Max Aleman helped to bring the lab home to students together with other teaching assistant Elisa Lauritzen. They worked to ensure that all of the 41 undergraduates in the two sections of their course in the College of Agricultural Sciences had samples and materials for lab work at home. Read more from here: Instructors, students tackle challenges of fall mixed-mode learning environment
HANAREIA PASSED HER COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
November 12, 2020
Sending warm congratulations to Hanareia Ehau-Taumaunu who passed her comprehensive exam.
HANAREIA RECEIVES FIRST PRIZE IN THE MICROBIOME CENTER VIDEO COMPETITION
November 4, 2020
Congratulations to Hanareia Ehau-Taumaunu who received first prize in the Microbiome Center Video Competition. Take a look at the video here: https://psu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/t/1_y34x7i9l
MARY AND CHAD RECEIVED GRADUATE STUDENT GRANT
July 20, 2020
Congratulations to Mary Smith and Chad Fautt who received NE SARE Graduate Student Grant.
MARY RECEIVES AN HONORABLE MENTION
April 24, 2020
Congratulations to Mary Smith who received an honorable mention from the National Science Foundation for Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
NEW PUBLISHED ARTICLE
April 24, 2020
We are happy to announce that a new article Pseudomonas Can Survive Tailocin Killing via Persistence-like and Heterogenous Resistance Mechanismsis has been published in the Journal of Bacteriology. Authors: Prem P. Kandel, David A. Baltrus, Kevin L. Hockett. Congratulations!
KEVIN HOCKETT, LLOYD HUCK EARLY CAREER PROFESSOR
April 17, 2020
Kevin Hockett is grateful to be awarded the Lloyd Huck Early Career Professor title through the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences for another three years.
HANAREIA RECEIVES DEPARTMENTAL AWARD
March 18, 2020
Congratulations to Hanareia Ehau-Taumaunu who was awarded the Lester P. Nichols Memorial Award.
HOCKETT LAB HOSTS BLOOMS AND SHROOMS CLUB FOR LAB TOUR
January 15, 2019
Hockett Lab had the pleasure of hosting students from the Blooms and Shrooms Club for a tour on the afternoon of January 14th. The visitors were treated to a a discussion of the lab’s research focus as well as short presentations from lab members about their current projects. This visit was the first in a series of lab visits the Blooms and Shrooms club is to take around the department this semester to show members the diversity of research taking place and how they can become involved.
RESEARCH TECHNOLOGIST JOINS HOCKETT LAB
March 18, 2020
Liina Eek started working in Hockett lab as a research technologist. Welcome!
MAX AND MARY PASSED THEIR QUALIFYING EXAM
March 18, 2020
Congratulations to Max and Mary for passing their qualifying exam on January 21.
HANAREIA SUCCESSFULLY PASSED HER ORAL QUALIFYING EXAM
October 30, 2018
It is our pleasure to share the great news that Hanareia Ehau-Taumaunu successfully passed her Oral Qualifying Exam last week. Congratulations Hanareia!
https://plantpath.psu.edu/news/2018/ehau-taumaunu-passes-oral-qualifying-exam
