Mark Hedglin

Mark Hedglin is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), effective July 2025. He holds affiliations with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, the Center for Structural Biology, and the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences program. Hedglin earned his B.A. in Biochemistry from Ithaca College (2005) and a Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from the University of Michigan (2010). His NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (2012–2015) further shaped his expertise in DNA replication biology.

His research focuses on understanding how human DNA replication is executed within complex cellular environments, particularly addressing challenges such as dynamic protein modifications and DNA lesions. Using biophysical, biochemical, and cellular approaches, his lab investigates factors involved in replication and reconstitutes replication processes in controlled scenarios. Key areas include DNA lesion tolerance, replication fork dynamics, and enzymatic regulation.

Hedglin has received prestigious recognition, including the 2025 Samuel H. Wilson Award for Studies on DNA Repair. His lab has graduated at least three Ph.D. students, including Rachel L. Dannenberg, whose work on DNA polymerase delta holoenzymes advanced the field. The lab actively collaborates on grants and engages in outreach, such as volunteering for cancer awareness initiatives.

Research contributions span structural biology (e.g., cryo-EM studies of DNA polymerases) and mechanistic insights into replication stress responses. The Hedglin Lab’s interdisciplinary approach bridges basic science and potential therapeutic applications, particularly in cancer biology.