2017 Keynote Speaker

 Dr. Karl H. Hasenstein

Endowed Professor and
Slemco/LEQSF Regents Professor of Science

Department of Biology

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Karl Hasenstein grew up in a little town in Germany and attended the University of the Saarland in Saarbrcken. He studied Biology, Physics, and Chemistry and received his diploma (equivalent to M.S.) in 1977. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1982, he worked as post-doc in the laboratories of David Rayle (San Diego State University) and Michael Evans (Ohio State University) before accepting a faculty position at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1988.

Dr. Hasenstein's interest in hormone biology, general physiology, metabolism, and physical effects on biological systems resulted in the development of experiments designed to investigate the interface between biology and physics the process of gravisensing in plants. The use of high-gradient magnetic fields as surrogate for gravity resulted in a space experiment onboard of the ill-fated STS-107 before finally succeeding in a Space-X3 flight. Parallel studies investigated mechanical properties of cells, the effect of the cytoskeleton, and genetic analyses of physiological events at high spatial resolution using newly developed Solid-Phase Gene Extraction technology. His research is supported through NSF, DOE, NASA, and other funding agencies in excess of 7 million dollars. He graduated ten PhD and six MS students, published so far 108 peer reviewed papers presented his research in more than 180 conference presentation, and 65 invited talks. He serves as reviewer, editor and interim administrator and frequent panel member of various funding agencies.