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October 31, 2025

Massive cross-ancestry study explains why obesity risks differ around the world
Sahil Pawar, a doctoral candidate in entomology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, studies how soil salinity, drought and climate change influence the interactions between crops and the pests that feed on them. Credit: Contributed photo. All Rights Reserved.

October 30, 2025

Salty soil, scrappy bugs and shared ideas drive graduate student’s research
With a $450,000, three-year U.S. National Science Foundation grant and equivalent funding from the Binational Science Foundation in Israel, an international team of researchers co-led by Thomas Wood, biotechnology endowed chair and professor of chemical engineering at Penn State, will investigate the role E. coli plays in the gut and how it may affect intestinal inflammation. Credit: Poornima Tomy/Penn State . All Rights Reserved.

October 30, 2025

Q&A: Bacteria research could be a gut-punch to inflammatory bowel disease
A new study involving about 850,000 adults across six continental ancestries, has identified 13 genes associated with obesity across ancestries. While eight of these genes had been found in previous studies, five were identified for the first time, having no previous links to obesity. The colors of the DNA helix in the image represent ancestral difference in genetic background around the world. The black figures represent people who do not carry gene mutations found to be associated with obesity while the red figures carry them. The fraction of red and black figures highlights the differences in genetic mutations across the world. Credit: Deepro Banerjee, Girirajan Laboratory / Penn State. Creative Commons

October 30, 2025

Genes associated with obesity shared across ancestries, researchers find
A team of researchers at Penn State College of Medicine and the Allen Institute for Brain Science has produced new detailed brain growth atlas in mice offers insights into brain development. Credit: Courtesy of the Kim Lab / Penn State. Creative Commons

October 29, 2025

New detailed brain growth atlas in mice offers insights into brain development
three people wearing lab coats in the Metabolomics Core Facility

October 28, 2025

Modern methods in biological research course to be offered in spring 2026
Feral hogs, like this one pictured in a Louisiana swamp, were an animal mentioned in a new study that analyzed over half a million tweets to understand how the public talks about invasive species. Other frequently mentioned animals included cats, dogs, squirrels, goats, rats and horses. Credit: Pedro Mendes/Creative Commons. All Rights Reserved.

October 27, 2025

Small group of users drive invasive species awareness on social media
Entomologists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences examined the potential for birds to feed on spotted lanternflies. Credit: Anne Johnson / Penn State. Creative Commons

October 27, 2025

Spotted lanternfly may use ‘toxic shield’ to fend off bird predators
Erica Smithwick is a distinguished professor of geography in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Credit: Provided. All Rights Reserved.

October 27, 2025

Erica Smithwick to participate in panel on communicating climate research
Thomas Wood is investigating a previously overlooked bacterial defense system that can stop viruses in their tracks. Credit: Poornima Tomy/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

October 24, 2025

Old dog, new tricks: Prehistoric viruses can be used to defend bacterial cells

October 23, 2025

Can Mars’ ice confirm past life?
Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

October 22, 2025

Oct. 24 kicks off 'Plants for the People and the Planet' innovation series
In a new Q&A with the Penn Stater magazine, Andrew Read, Penn State senior vice president for research, underscores the link between publicly funded basic research and long-term innovation, economic growth and societal benefit — and the very real risks if the pipeline falters. “The Envy of the World” appears in the Penn Stater's November/December 2025 issue and is available online now at pennstatermag.com/read. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

October 21, 2025

Cuts threaten 'The Envy of the World': Penn Stater magazine interview
A team of researchers from Penn State and the University of Illinois Chicago has been awarded a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation to employ biomedical research, clinical data, advanced artificial intelligence and mathematical modeling methods to ultimately support personalized medicine for people with Alzheimer’s disease. The team at Penn State includes Wenrui Hao, professor of mathematics and director of the Center for Mathematical Biology; Rui Zhang, assistant professor of computer science and engineering; and Wenpeng Yin, assistant professor of computer science and engineering. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

October 20, 2025

Can digital replicas of patients help personalize Alzheimer’s treatment?

October 20, 2025

AI Counts Kids' Bites In Fight Against Obesity
Training doctoral candidates in AI-powered precision tools for agriculture

October 20, 2025

Training doctoral candidates in AI-powered precision tools for agriculture

October 16, 2025

Microbes Or Their DNA Could Survive In Martian Ice And A Future Rover Could Dig For It

October 16, 2025

New AI tool detects bite rate to help prevent childhood obesity
From left: Joy Bergelson, Arturo Casadevall, and Martin Wiedmann will present as keynote speakers at the 2026 One Health Microbiome Symposium. Credit: Joy Bergelson, Arturo Casadevall, Martin Wiedmann. All Rights Reserved.

October 15, 2025

One Health Microbiome Center announces 2026 symposium, keynote speaker lineup
Clive Randall, Evan Pugh University Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been elected as a fellow of the European Academy of Sciences. Credit: Seana Wood / Penn State. Creative Commons

October 15, 2025

Clive Randall elected as fellow of the European Academy of Sciences
Researchers typically have to watch recordings of children in eating studies, like the one this child and research assistant are participating in, to count and time each bite. Credit: Provided by Kathleen Keller. All Rights Reserved.

October 15, 2025

Counting bites with AI might one day help prevent childhood obesity

October 14, 2025

Cutting-Edge Monitor Capable of Detecting Vitamin B6 and Glucose Levels in Sweat

October 09, 2025

Researchers discover surprising solution to major issue in beekeeping: 'You take an active role'
Wild lupine, a plant of conservation concern across most of its natural range in eastern North America, grows along a Pennsylvania roadside. Credit: Isabella Petitta. All Rights Reserved.

October 09, 2025

Wild lupine genetics could be key to conservation of species