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Karen I Plaut

College of Agriculture Administration 

  • Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture
765.494.8391
765.494.7420

Animal Sciences 

  • Professor of Animal Sciences

Karen Plaut joined Purdue University as Associate Dean and Director of Ag Research in the College of Agriculture on June 1, 2010. 

She is responsible for leadership of research programs in agriculture, food and natural resources including fiscal management, and a number of regulatory functions assigned by the Indiana State Legislature. Her responsibilities include: research program development and overall direction, budget, planning, allocation of resources, support of faculty in the aggressive pursuit of extramural funds, accountability to supporting clientele, and general advocacy for agriculture, food and natural resources research. She oversees the research budget, grants and contracts, eight regional Purdue Agricultural Centers, research farms, campus-based research facilities, and a number of research centers. She also coordinates agricultural research with the College of Health and Human Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and assures effective linkage with other campus research communities and Cooperative Extension.

Biography

Karen Plaut serves   as the Senior Associate Dean and Director of Ag Research in the College of Agriculture at Purdue University.  She is responsible for leadership of research programs in agriculture, food and natural resources including program development and planning, allocation of resources, faculty support, and general advocacy for agriculture, food and natural resources research. She coordinates agricultural research with the College of Health and Human Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and assures effective linkage with other campus research communities and Cooperative Extension.  In addition to her role as administrator, Dr. Plaut also has an active research program in mammary gland biology.

Dr. Plaut received her B.S. in animal science from the University of Vermont, an M.S. in animal nutrition from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in animal science from Cornell University.  Her postdoctoral studies were completed at the National Cancer Institute at NIH.  Before coming to Purdue she was on faculty at the University of Vermont and Michigan State University serving as Chair of Department of Animal Sciences at both institutions.  She also spent a few years working with NASA as Lead Scientist for the International Space Station.

Selected Publications

Patel, O. V., & Plaut, K. I. (2010). Homeorhetic Adaptation During the Pregnancy to Lactation Transition: A Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Key Metabolic Tissues Using a Rat Model. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, (S), 137.

De Vries, L. D., Dover, H., Casey, T. M., VandeHaar, M. J., & Plaut, K. I. (2010). Characterization of mammary stromal remodeling during the dry period. Journal of Dairy Science, 93(6), 2433-2443. doi:10.3168/jds.2009-2764

Casey, T. M., Patel, O., Dykema, K., Dover, H., Furge, K., & Plaut, K. I. (2009). Molecular Signatures Reveal Circadian Clocks May Orchestrate the Homeorhetic Response to Lactation. PLOS ONE, 4(10). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0007395

Patel, O. V., Zakrzewska, E., Maple, R. L., Baer, L. A., Ronca, A. E., Wade, C. E., & Plaut, K. I. (2008). Lipogenesis impaired in periparturient rats exposed to altered gravity is independent of prolactin and glucocorticoid secretion. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY, 104(5), 847-858. doi:10.1007/s00421-008-0840-5

Casey, T. M., & Plaut, K. I. (2007). The role of glucocorticoids in secretory activation and milk secretion, a historical perspective. JOURNAL OF MAMMARY GLAND BIOLOGY AND NEOPLASIA, 12(4), 293-304. doi:10.1007/s10911-007-9055-3

VanKlompenberg, M., Patel, O. V., & Plaut, K. I. (2007). Hypergravity exposure affects lipid synthesis in rat mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation. Journal of Animal Science, 85(2), 144.

Casey, T. M., Mulvey, T. M., Patnode, T. A., Dean, A., Zakrzewska, E., & Plaut, K. I. (2007). Mammary epithelial cells treated concurrently with TGF-alpha and TGF-beta exhibit enhanced proliferation and death. EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, 232(8), 1027-1040. doi:10.3181/0609-RM-218

Lintault, L. M., Zakrzewska, E. I., Maple, R. L., Baer, L. A., Casey, T. M., Ronca, A. E., . . . Plaut, K. I. (2007). In a hypergravity environment neonatal survival is adversely affected by alterations in dam tissue metabolism rather than reduced food intake. JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY, 102(6), 2186-2193. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01015.2006

Patel, O. V., Ronca, A., Wade, C. E., & Plaut, K. I. (2007). Prolactin does not play a role in the down-regulation of key lipogenic transcripts in major adipogenic tissues of periparturient rats exposed to hypergravity. FASEB JOURNAL, 21(6), A950.

Patel, O. V., Lintault, L., Zakrzewska, E., Maple, R., Baer, L., Ronca, A., . . . Plaut, K. I. (2006). Hypergravity induced suppression of lactation in periparturient rats: Differential dynamics of prolactin receptor isoform expression following prolactin and bromocryptine supplementation in rats. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, (SI), 117.

Agricultural Research and Graduate Education, 615 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA, (765) 494-8370

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