Karen L. Houseknecht PhD '94, is the newly appointed vice president of biology, at ASDI, Inc. (headquarters in Wilmington, Del.). ASDI is a multinational corporation made up of a group of companies located within the U.S., Eastern Europe, and Asia dedicated to enabling drug discovery via a portfolio of products and services. Historically ASDI has focused on enabling high-throughput chemistry and compound screening. Houseknecht is responsible for expanding the scope of the business into the biological sciences. She reports directly to the CEO and her responsibilities include growing the business to include ADME and toxicology divisions as well as to provide leadership on scientific strategy. Houseknecht also currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Holistic Counseling at Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I.; and as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue University.

After receiving her PhD in 1994 in Animal Science, Houseknecht became a research fellow at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Her research focused on elucidating the mechanisms of insulin action using transgenic mouse technology to better understand the pathology of diabetes and obesity. Houseknecht was also involved in some of the first research on the newly discovered obesity hormone, leptin. While at Harvard, she received a research grant from the USDA to support her diabetes research.

In 1996, Houseknecht accepted a position of assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Purdue University and adjunct assistant professor of medicine at Indiana University Medical School. Houseknecht’s research focused on the molecular biology of leptin—a major regulator of appetite, as well as nutritional regulation of gene expression involved in the pathology of diabetes. While at Purdue, Houseknecht received research grants from the USDA, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and American Diabetes Association. She was given a Future Leaders Award from the International Life Sciences Association. In 1998, Houseknecht served as honorary visiting professor of clinical medicine at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden.

In 1998, Houseknecht was recruited to Pfizer Global Research and Development in Groton, Conn., where she served until recently as associate research fellow, specializing in diabetes discovery, in the Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. Her work focused on the discovery of novel therapies to treat diabetes in adults and children. In recognition of her contributions, in 2005 Houseknecht received the Pfizer Global Research and Development Achievement Award.

Throughout her career, Houseknecht has been an advocate for women in science and has served as a mentor both in academia and the pharmaceutical industry. These efforts began while she was a graduate student at Cornell, where she co-founded the Cornell Women in Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1992. She also played a key role in the Expanding Your Horizons Conference as chair of the School Outreach and Recruiting in 1991 and 1992. Houseknecht continues to promote young girls’ interest in careers in science, math, and technology. In 2005, she was the recipient of the Power of Women Award for her work supporting educational and leadership opportunities for women and girls. In addition, she was awarded in 2006 the Women of Innovation Award for Large Business Innovation and Leadership by the Connecticut Technology Council.

When the nominations committee of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) began searching for new members, they recognized Houseknecht’s career achievements to date would make her an outstanding board member, building upon her educational background and career success. Houseknecht continues to be a superb role model and mentor to young scientists. She travels nationally and internationally, giving lectures on leadership, mentoring, and career opportunities for women, as well as diabetes research. As a new AWIS board member, her perspectives were welcomed and her contributions to the organization’s mission readily recognized by other board members.

Houseknecht is passionate about improving the lives of women and children in Guatemala, the home country of her adopted daughter. She pursues this passion by supporting organizations devoted to women’s advocacy, community building, and poverty reduction and has traveled to Guatemala on three occasions since 2004 to deliver much-needed supplies to indigenous families and orphans thru Project Hope and other humanitarian aid organizations.

While pursuing her PhD studies at Cornell, she was awarded the Department of Animal Science’s Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Award in 1992 for contributions to several classes. Houseknecht became a natural leader of the Animal Science Graduate Student Association, helping to reinvigorate fundraising and organize the annual Graduate Student Symposium.

Houseknecht lives in Old Saybrook, Conn., with her husband, Charles Funkhouser, and their son, Aidan, and daughter, Aislinn.