Celebrating Diversity
Diversity
Global backgrounds create vibrant culture at The Hormel Institute By Savannah Howe/Photos provided Over 6,500 languages, roughly 650 ethnic groups, and infinite combinations of cultures, histories and backgrounds. The world is abounding with diversity: people with different knowledge, stories, recipes, dances, skills, struggles. Austin is no exception, in particular the Hormel Institute, where scientists from all over the world put their heads together to research industry-leading medical innovations—and to create some of the best potlucks out there. Three scientists came together to talk about the diversity at the Institute, and what benefits it brings academically, medically and culturally. Leading the Institute’s Cancer Stem Cells and Necroptosis lab is Assistant Professor Dr. Ilana Cefetz. Chefetz was born in Belarus and lived in Israel, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in food engineering and biotechnology, and her PhD in molecular dermatology and genetics. She discovered the Hormel Institute during her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan, and came to Austin four years ago to study fatal and recurring ovarian cancer and ovarian cancer cures, specifically cancer stem cells. Dr. Rendong Yang is an Assistant Professor and leader of the Computational Cancer Genomics lab. Originally from the northern Chinese city of Tangshan, Yang obtained his undergraduate degree in computer science and bioinformatics graduate degree at Chinese Agriculture University. He obtained his PhD and then studied cancer genomics at Emory University in Atlanta before joining the Hormel Institute in 2017. Yang chose the Institute for its generous support network, friendly collaborative environment and high-performance computer systems. His research focuses on developing an efficient and precise treatment of prostate cancer, through next-generation sequencing technology and molecular biology. Hailing from Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia, Associate Professor Dr. George Aslanidi also came to Austin in 2017 after graduating from Tbilisi State University and working for the University of Florida from 2001 to 2016. Aslanidi chose the Institute for its outstanding support facilities, equipment and staff, and small campus setting. He heads the Molecular Bioengineering and Cancer Vaccine lab at the Institute, and his work is focused in the development of therapies for treating genetic diseases and cancer.
Associate Professor Dr. George Aslanidi
64 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2022
‘The Hormel Institute hosts scientists from all over the world. How do you feel this global perspective positively impacts the work that goes on at the Institute?’ “Scientists from all over the world bring us multiple different angles and diverse expertise to view and solve the events and problems happening all around the world,” Yang said. “As global citizens, we need to
