UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jason Rasgon, professor of entomology and disease epidemiology, has been named Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Disease Epidemiology and Biotechnology.
Rasgon's primary research interest lies at the intersection of population biology, ecology, molecular tools, and theory. Through this multifaceted approach, he addresses fundamental and applied questions related to vector arthropods (such as mosquitos or ticks) and the disease-causing pathogens they transmit. Broadly, Rasgon’s investigates the relationship between the genetics of vector populations and the epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens.
"Having the support from this chair will allow my lab to investigate some ideas that are really outside of the box. With the Huck’s support, we will be able to get the data to show that these ideas are feasible, which will lead to other funding sources," said Rasgon. "My lab is grateful for the opportunity to open interesting new areas of research. We are always very appreciative of everything the Huck has provided over the years."
"Jason has been at the forefront of the development of gene-editing technology," said Gary Felton, professor and head of the department of entomology. "His brilliant approaches are effective not only for his experimental system of mosquitoes, but also for vertebrate systems."
Rasgon's current Huck affiliations include the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences, the Center for Malaria Research, the Center for Virology, and the Center for Mathematical Biology. Additionally, at Penn State, Rasgon is affiliated with the Institutes of Energy and the Environment, and the College of Agricultural Sciences.
"The course of your research is usually defined by who your research partners are. Sometimes that can be very narrow, but at Penn State, anything we want to do in my lab, someone at Penn State usually does it, and usually, they are affiliated with the Huck Institutes," said Rasgon.
"Jason has been part of the Huck since he came to Penn State. We are delighted to expand our support for his groundbreaking work and innovation through his appointment as the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Disease Epidemiology and Biotechnology," said Andrew Read, director of the Huck Institutes. " We love to fund exceptional researchers with ideas that are out of the ordinary, and Jason certainly fits that bill. We can't wait to see what comes out of his lab next."
Rasgon received his bachelor of science degree in zoology from San Jose State University in 1998, his doctorate in entomology from the University of California, Davis in 2003, and completed a post-doc at North Carolina State University in 2004. Before joining the Penn State faculty in 2011, Rasgon was an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.