News

Ayusman Sen, Verne M. Willaman Professor of Chemistry, published the first paper on autonomous nanobots 20 years ago. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Penn State chemist’s pioneering paper reaches 20-year milestone

The paper that launched the field of self-propelled autonomous nanomotors celebrated at two conferences and featured in award-winning documentary

Credit: vegefox.com/Adobe Stock. All Rights Reserved.

One Health Microbiome Center launches new video series

The Penn State One Health Microbiome Center (OHMC) announced the launch of a new video series highlighting the center's state-of-the-art resources, research capabilities and collaborative efforts in microbiome sciences.

Francisco Dini-Andreote, assistant professor of plant science, was named the Huck Early Career Chair in Microbial Community Ecology. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Plant scientist named Huck Early Career Chair in Microbial Community Ecology

Francisco Dini-Andreote, assistant professor of plant science in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State, has been awarded the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Career Chair in Microbial Community Ecology.

A research plot after dairy manure slurry was injected into a growing cover crop in early spring when temperatures were cooler, A new study demonstrated that the practice achieved multiple conservation goals while maintaining corn yield. Credit: Sailesh Sigdel/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops

A team of Penn State agricultural scientists conducted a new study on dairy manure management strategies for ecosystem services in no-till crop systems.

Penn State researchers have developed a new nanoparticle, depicted here, that can prevent mineral buildup in oil extraction equipment and stabilize a commonly used emulsion, or liquid mixture. Credit: Provided by Amir Sheikhi. All Rights Reserved.

New material prevents mineral buildup in equipment handling water-oil mixtures

Penn State researchers have developed a new nanoparticle that can prevent scaling and stabilize a commonly used emulsion, or liquid mixture, potentially making the oil extraction processes more efficient and less harmful to the environment.

In anaerobic soil disinfestation, after organic amendments are mixed in, the soil is irrigated to saturation and covered with impermeable plastic, as shown here, creating no-oxygen conditions that suppress weeds.

$1M USDA grant to perfect weed killing method in organic crop production

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a four-year, $1 million grant to a team led by plant scientists and an economist from Penn State to investigate anaerobic soil disinfestation to support transitioning from conventional to organic production systems.

The researchers tested raw sewage samples collected twice a week from two treatment plants in central Pennsylvania for non-typhoidal Salmonella and characterized isolates using whole genome sequencing. They recovered 43 Salmonella isolates from wastewater samples. Credit: Provided by Ed Dudley. All Rights Reserved.

Wastewater monitoring can detect foodborne illness, researchers find

Results of a new study suggest sewage monitoring could provide early warning of foodborne disease outbreaks to public health authorities

Jasna Kovac, associate professor in food science, has been selected to receive the 2025 Award for Early Career Environmental Research by the American Society for Microbiology.   Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Food science researcher receives early career award

Jasna Kovac, associate professor and Lester Earl and Veronica Casida Career Development Professor of Food Safety in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been selected to receive the 2025 Award for Early Career Environmental Research by the American Society for Microbiology.

Laura Cabrera, associate professor of engineering science and mechanics, will develop a patient-centered decision aid to help patients, caregivers and providers make decisions about neurotechnology treatments. Credit: Kate Myers/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Q&A: Ethical decision-making around neurotechnology treatments

Laura Cabrera, associate professor of engineering science and mechanics, has received a four-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to research and develop a patient-centered decision aid to help guide patients, providers, and caregivers navigating their options.

Sport-related stress may contribute to some NCAA Division One swimmers and runners failing to consume enough calories to fuel their bodies, according to a new study from researchers in the Penn State Department of Kinesiology.  Credit: Photos by pixdeluxe/Getty Images and PeopleImages; collage by Dennis Maney . All Rights Reserved.

Sport-related stress may affect whether college athletes eat enough calories

High stress resulting from participating in high-level collegiate sports is related to unhealthy attitudes about eating and under consumption of nutrients, but only during the most stressful portions of the athletes’ seasons, according to a new study led by researchers in the Penn State Department of Kinesiology.