Two Biochemistry Alumni Honored as 2024 Outstanding CALS Alumni

Two Biochemistry Alumni, Jose Trinidad Ascencio-Ibáñez (“Trino”) and Annette Bodenheimer, received Outstanding Alumni Awards for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). They, along with other outstanding alumni, were honored Friday, September 13, 2024, during a ceremony at the Talley Student Union.

All alumni award recipients represent the fulfillment of the promise of NC State’s land-grant mission in academics, research and Extension. Their professional achievements and service to NC State and their communities exemplify the extraordinary possibility of achievement for current students who will become future industry leaders.

Outstanding Alumni

The Outstanding Alumni Awards Recognize CALS graduates who have excelled in their chosen fields and demonstrated a record of service.

Jose Trinidad Ascencio-Ibáñez (“Trino”) hails from Zamora, Michoacán, Mexico, and serves as an associate teaching professor and director of the undergraduate programs in the Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry at NC State University. A distinguished researcher in biochemistry, he earned his Ph.D. from NC State in 2007 and has since garnered significant recognition, including the Outstanding Global Engagement Award, Outstanding Faculty Advisor and Rotary Service Award. He is the co-owner of Tropigen SA de CV and Ascefran LLC and holds a patent on Begomovirus Resistance. With more than 1,000 citations and two editions of Experimental Biochemistry, he has trained more than 400 students in inquiry-based research.

Ascencio-Ibáñez’s lab is dedicated to understanding plant responses to viral infections, particularly focusing on geminiviruses using Arabidopsis, cassava and tomato as models. His research also extends to peppers and N. benthamiana, studying potyviruses like cassava brown streak disease and utilizing viruses such as TRV for gene silencing. His innovative work includes using multispectral systems to detect early virus presence, aiming to prevent viral spread before symptoms emerge.

Ascencio-Ibáñez’s research, supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, explores virus evolution and diversity and resistance mechanisms. He also collaborates with industry partners, like MicroPEP and Atomwise, to develop technologies for virus control in crops. The Biochemistry Undergraduate Research and Training Program (BURT-P), which he leads, engages students in groundbreaking research on viral interactions, plant defenses and beyond.

Ascencio-Ibáñez is a member of several professional organizations and serves on the Scientific Committee for the International Symposium for ssDNA Viruses 2025 and on journals as an invited editor for special issues.

Beyond academia, Ascencio-Ibáñez is an active Rotarian, participating in community service projects such as cleaning lakes, supporting community gardens and helping refugees in their transition into the United States.

He advises students “to fully embrace the growth opportunities offered by NC State, emphasizing the importance of exploring beyond coursework.”

Outstanding Young Alumni

The Outstanding Young Alumni Awards recognize former CALS students who have excelled early in their careers and show potential for continued success.

Annette Bodenheimer is a principal scientist at Pfizer, where she applies her expertise in biochemistry to optimize vaccine production. Originally from Fairfax Station, Virginia, Bodenheimer holds bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry and chemistry (both earned in 2009) and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from NC State University (2016). During her graduate studies, she gained extensive experience in protein expression and purification, small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering experiments, and high-resolution X-ray crystallography.

At Pfizer, Bodenheimer has led vaccine optimization projects that significantly enhanced yields and streamlined manufacturing processes by reducing the time required. Her published work on the structural characterization of multi-domain cellulose-degrading enzymes has contributed to the broader understanding of these complex systems. Beyond her professional achievements, Bodenheimer is actively involved in Pfizer’s community outreach initiatives, demonstrating her commitment to making a positive impact both inside and outside the lab. In her free time, she enjoys Olympic weightlifting and baking.

Bodenheimer is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Her advice to students is that “knowing your ‘why’ enables you to proceed forward during difficult moments and answer the tough questions.”

You can read the full article about all the 2024 CALS Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni here.