Department of Biology

A sophomore in the Department of Biology at Indiana University Bloomington was awarded the coveted Goldwater scholarship, given to students who plan to pursue research careers in science, math or engineering. 

Owen Black ’28, a biology major and chemistry minor from South Bend, Indiana, plans to pursue a research degree or attend medical school. “I know that either will lead me to a career where I can make a positive impact on others while constantly learning, which is my goal,” he said. 

Black was among 454 college students selected by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, a federally endowed agency that awards the scholarships.  

“A Goldwater scholarship is an extraordinary accomplishment for an early career scientist,” said Armin Moczek, IU Department of Biology professor and chair. “At the same time, it recognizes the outstanding support and mentoring environment created by the members of Roger Innes’ lab to empower an undergraduate scientist to flourish and to contribute to the forming edge of science.” 

Black’s work in the Innes lab focuses on reducing pesticide use in crops. He explains that this is done by using extracellular RNA, which is secreted by the leaf on its surface and in the space between cells. The RNA is uptaken or internalized by a pathogen after it makes contact with the leaf, a mechanism they’re still studying. The RNA then silences a virulence gene, depending on the coded sequence, making the altered pathogen harmless.  

Last semester, Black worked on using this mechanism to optimize the plant microbiome, identifying commensal bacterial strains, and observing how a biotically stressed plant impacts their growth. 

Currently, Black and Meenu Singla-Rastogi, a postdoctoral research fellow, are trying to optimize this secretion process and elucidate how the mechanism works. “We’re doing this by creating several lines of Arabidopsis thaliana with genes under different, site-specific promoters. With these, we are able to see which cell types directly contribute to extracellular RNA secretion.” 

Black said, “Not only will this experiment provide this information, but it will also provide a more cost-effective extracellular RNA secretion method, without the need to express the gene ubiquitously.”  

Black was thrilled when he received the news of the Goldwater Scholarship and credits his mentor Meenu and his PI Roger Innes, distinguished professor of biology, for helping him with the application process. “I couldn't have done it without their support and help,” Black said. 

“The biology department has provided me with great professors thus far, teaching me valuable information for my research the past two years. It's also through the biology department that I am able to do my research, which I'm thankful for every day, and doubly so after this award.”