Our research is at the interface of biological chemistry, physical chemistry, and genomics. We also develop new bioanalytical methods for RNA chemistry and biology.

Phil is a member of the Chemistry Department, BMB Department, as well as the Plant Biology; Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences (MCIBs); and Bioinformatics and Genomics (BG) Graduate Programs and accepts graduate students through these. The latter two require lab rotations and Chemistry also suggests lab rotations prior to joining. We participate in Penn State’s Astrobiology Research Center (ARC) in Chemical Origins of Life, and students can attain a dual degree in Chemistry and Astrobiology.  Chemistry students have the option of arriving the summer before the first semester and working in the lab. Details on each graduate program can be found at the respective websites using the links above. Several of our graduate students have had dual PhD mentors, and this remains possible depending on your interests and our collaborations. Graduate students have received NSF GRFP and NIH pre-doctoral awards, and new students will be encouraged to apply for fellowships. We are also member of an NIH training grant in Bioinformatics.  Prior graduate students and their positions can be found on the Lab Alumni page.

We currently have openings for several graduate students. Please contact Phil with your interests.

Over the years, graduate students have received a number of awards:

Research Honors for Graduate Students

2022 Paul Berg Prize, Lauren McKinley
2021 McCarl Scholarship, Allison Williams
2020 NASA PA Space Grant Graduate Fellow, Andrew Veenis
2019 NASA PA Space Grant Graduate Fellow, McCauley Meyer
2019 Best Talk, Rustbelt RNA Meeting, Allison Williams
2019 USDA-NIFA Fellowship, Megan Sylvia
2019 Gordon Hammes Scholar Award, Kathleen Leamy
2018 NIH T32 Eukaryotic Training Grant, Catherine Douds
2018 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Honorable Mention, Jacob Sieg
2017 RNA Society/Scaringe Award Best Graduate Student, Madeline Sherlock