UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Andrew Patterson and Jonathan Lynch at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences were recently recognized as Highly Cited Researchers by the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science Group.
The group’s annual list includes authors who have published articles in leading peer-reviewed journals. Researchers receiving this honor are in the top 1% of citations for their field of study and year of publication.
The 2022 list included nearly 7,000 highly cited researchers who ranked across 21 broad fields of science, including the social sciences. Both Patterson and Lynch have appeared on the list before.
“The College of Agricultural Sciences has an outstanding faculty that is recognized worldwide for its impact,” said Blair Siegfried, associate dean for graduate education and research at the college. “Being recognized among highly cited researchers especially demonstrates the global implications and importance of the research conducted by Professors Patterson and Lynch. We want to make sure they are recognized for their contributions.”
Patterson is the John T. and Paige S. Smith Chair and has appointments as Professor of Molecular Toxicology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Eberly College of Science. He is also affiliated with the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences and the Penn State Cancer Institute.
Patterson studies small molecule metabolites in biological systems, collectively known as the metabolome. The rapidly emerging field holds promise for understanding disease processes and improving human health.
Patterson’s current research is focused on understanding the host-metabolite-microbiota axis, specifically how manipulation of gut bacteria affects host metabolites and how these metabolites interact with the host to modulate health and disease.
Lynch is a distinguished professor of plant nutrition at the university and director of the Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology at the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences. He investigates crop productivity and plant adaptation to stress to improve yield and food security.
Seminal work from his research lab on plant nutrition and phosphorus and nitrogen acquisition established a clear connection between root architecture and nutrient acquisition. Lynch also studies drought tolerance in crops and the response of plants to salinity and toxins. Through the invention of laser ablation tomography, Lynch found new ways to map root anatomy in 3D.
Lynch’s efforts to pioneer phenotyping platforms for use in field-grown plants, combined with his efforts to develop computer simulations to facilitate testing of concept models, promise to revolutionize our understanding of how plants respond to stress and nutrient availability in a real world setting. .
He and his collaborators have identified new root traits that are now common in breeding programs for crops such as beans, corn, and soybeans.