UFGI Announces 2025 Kenneth and Laura Berns Award Recipient

The University of Florida Genetics Institute (UFGI) is pleased to announce that Conner M. Traugot, a doctoral student in the laboratory of Dr. Mingyi Xie, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Kenneth and Laura Berns Award for Excellence in Genetics. Established to recognize outstanding graduate students whose research exemplifies excellence, innovation, and impact in genetics, the Berns Award honors the scientific legacy of Drs. Kenneth and Laura Berns while celebrating the next generation of leaders in genetic research. Traugot was selected following a competitive review of outstanding nominations from across the University of Florida. His research has made important contributions to understanding how Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) hijacks host cellular machinery to regulate viral gene expression and replication.

As a co-first author on a recent Journal of Virology publication, Traugot led the bioinformatic analysis of large-scale RNA sequencing and ChIP-sequencing datasets that revealed an essential role for the host Integrator complex during viral replication, providing new insights into host-virus interactions and identifying potential therapeutic targets. In addition to this work, Traugot contributed to two publications in Nature Communications and Cell Reports that advanced understanding of target-directed microRNA degradation, further demonstrating the breadth and impact of his research accomplishments.

“Conner’s accomplishments exemplify the scientific excellence, creativity, and rigor that the Kenneth and Laura Berns Award was established to recognize. His ability to integrate computational biology with fundamental molecular genetics has led to discoveries with important implications for understanding viral pathogenesis,” said Thomas P. Burris, Ph.D., Director of the University of Florida Genetics Institute. “We congratulate Conner on this well-deserved recognition and also recognize Dr. Mingyi Xie for his outstanding mentorship.”

The University of Florida Genetics Institute congratulates Conner, Dr. Xie, and all of this year’s nominees for their exceptional contributions to genetics research.