UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Andrew Patterson has been named the H. Thomas and Dorothy Willits Hallowell Chair in Agricultural Sciences at Penn State.
The professorship, which is named for H. Thomas Hollowell and his wife Dorothy Willits Hallowell, is granted to distinguished University faculty members to help enhance Penn State's commitment to the commonwealth by supporting the faculty member’s contributions to education, research and public service.
“Andrew's continued body of research on metabolomics is critical to human and animal health alike — work that underscores his and the college's commitment to Penn State's land-grant mission to serve communities across the state,” said Troy Ott, Peter and Ann Tombros Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. “I congratulate Andrew on his new professorship and look forward to seeing how his research continues to advance the understanding of factors affecting animal and human health.”
Patterson said being named the H. Thomas and Dorothy Willits Hallowell Chair in Agricultural Sciences is especially meaningful because the Hallowells' support of Penn State continues to create opportunities for people and toward new ideas.
“This recognition reflects the work of an outstanding group of students, trainees and collaborators, as well as the support I have received from across Penn State, including the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Eberly College of Science, the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, the Institute of Energy and the Environment, and the Cancer Institute,” he said. “The chair will give us the freedom to take risks, pursue ambitious questions, and increase the impact of our work on environmental exposures, metabolism and the microbiome.”
Patterson studies small-molecule metabolites — the byproducts of metabolism — in biological systems, collectively known as the metabolome. The rapidly emerging field holds promise for understanding disease processes and improving human health, according to Patterson.
His current research focuses on understanding the host-metabolite-microbiota axis — specifically, how the manipulation of gut bacteria affects host metabolites and how these metabolites interact with the host to modulate health and disease.
In addition to his professorship within the College of Agricultural Sciences, Patterson also has an appointment as a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Eberly College of Science and is the associate director for shared and core facilities in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.