Distinguished RNA Researcher Named to Head Molecular Genetics Department
Anita K. Hopper, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Penn State University's College of Medicine, became the chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics, September 13, 2006.
Hopper says the decision to accept the position after spending 26 years at Penn State was an easy one because of the exciting possibilities Ohio State has to offer.
"I'm a dedicated geneticist and genetics is really strong here (at Ohio State). I do lots of work on RNA and there is a large RNA group here that exists nowhere else," she says. Also, Hopper was eager to return to a campus where all colleges are centrally located, providing more opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations.
An additional bonus, she says, was the chance to work with undergraduate students again. "I have a real passion for teaching and this department is very dedicated to teaching and building the next group of scientists."
Hopper received her Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of Illinois and did postdoctoral research in the genetics department at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is the author of 70 publications, holds two patents and has had steady funding from the NIH throughout her career. She currently serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors, Genetics Society of America and was past President of the RNA Society. Dr. Hopper is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.
Her major research interests are RNA processing and the mechanisms of subcellular distribution of RNA and proteins. One of those interests involves studying how proteins in RNA find the right place in the cell. Her unexpected finding that molecules move in novel directions necessitates that textbooks be rewritten.
But finding the unexpected or ending up in a different place than intended is one of the things Hopper likes best about science. A big believer in trying to get kids hooked on science early on, she says, "I have the best job in the world; I have independence. When you're doing research, you find you're almost always wrong, so you start over, but you end up going to a place and finding something amazing you would never have thought of when you were first starting out. It's great to have the freedom to be able to do that. So, be prepared; be ready for unanticipated results; it's much more fun than marching in step!"
Originally published Summer 2006
