News

Aug 25, 2020

Advanced biofuels show promise for replacing some fossil fuels

Plant-based biofuels can play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and growing these crops in certain landscapes offers net climate benefits compared to other land use options, according to a team of international scientists.

Full Article

Aug 21, 2020

Cover crop roots are key to understanding ecosystem services

To judge the overall effectiveness of cover crops and choose those offering the most ecosystem services, agricultural scientists must consider the plants’ roots as well as above-ground biomass, according to Penn State researchers who tested the characteristics of cover crop roots in three monocultures and one mixture.

Full Article

Aug 21, 2020

Flavonoids' presence in sorghum roots may lead to frost-resistant crop

​Flavonoid compounds — produced by the roots of some sorghum plants — positively affect soil microorganisms, according to Penn State researchers, who suggest the discovery is an early step in developing a frost-resistant line of the valuable crop for North American farmers.​

Full Article

Jul 21, 2020

Researchers offer solution for one of synthetic biology's biggest problems

A team of Penn State and University of Washington researchers recently developed a new algorithm to help prevent the failure of engineered genetic systems, or organisms engineered to have new capabilities.

Full Article

Jun 09, 2020

Research team to study food resilience in the face of catastrophic global events

An interdisciplinary team of Penn State professors has received $3 million from Open Philanthropy to study food resilience in the face of potentially catastrophic global events.

Full Article

Jan 20, 2020

Center Seeks Proposals for 2020 IMPACT Seed Grants in Industrial Biotechnology

Students from all majors are welcome to apply although they must partner with a faculty or staff member as Principal Investigator.

Full Article

May 24, 2019

First Annual Seed Grant Recipients Announced by the Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology

Seed Grant funding allows faculty at Penn State to initiate research in novel areas of biotechnology.

Full Article

Apr 12, 2019

New SCATTIRSTORM microscope could improve bioenergy production

The construction of a new multimodal optical microscope, SCATTIRSTORM, that could enable more efficient bioenergy production, is the focus of a three-year, $1.5 million, U.S. Department of Energy grant awarded to three Penn State researchers.

Full Article