News
May 11, 2026
Q&A: Tips to protect against ticks
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and Pennsylvania consistently ranks as one of the top states in the nation for reported cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. However, there are ways to protect people, pets and livestock against ticks and the pathogens they carry, according to Erika Machtinger, associate professor of entomology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
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May 06, 2026
Elevated blood sugar levels during pregnancy may result in poorer birth outcomes
Pregnant women in the United States are routinely tested for gestational diabetes, a condition where the body has high blood sugar during pregnancy that can lead to health problems for both mothers and babies. In a recent study led by Penn State researchers, scientists examined records from thousands of births and found that failing the glucose challenge test was associated with babies with higher birth weights — a risk factor for future obesity and diabetes — even when women passed their second glucose test.
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May 05, 2026
Dipanjan Pan named Huck director for innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems
Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences has named Dipanjan Pan, Dorothy Foehr Huck & J. Lloyd Huck Chair Professor in Nanomedicine and professor of materials science and engineering and of nuclear engineering, to serve as the Huck’s first director for innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
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May 05, 2026
How can the same genetic mutation lead to different clinical outcomes?
Individuals that share the same deletion of a portion of chromosome 16 are at risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders, but some experience severe intellectual disability or developmental delay, while others may only exhibit milder psychiatric features like depression or anxiety. How can this be? To answer this, a team led by Penn State scientists has developed methods to evaluate how genetic variants elsewhere in an individual’s genome work with the deletion to help determine the features that the individual will manifest.
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May 04, 2026
Plant genes influence bacterial evolution in legume-bacteria partnership
In a recently published study, Penn State researchers described the complex relationship between plant host genes and rhizobial genes, and how plant genes strongly influence which rhizobial strains plants chose from a diverse mixture.
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Apr 28, 2026
Q&A: What should women do to keep their bones healthy?
One in 10 Americans experience osteoporosis, which significantly weakens bones and makes them more prone to fracture. Women comprise 80% of people with osteoporosis, and women approaching or in menopause are at the highest risk, according to Mary Jane De Souza, distinguished professor of kinesiology and physiology. De Souza explained that May serves as both Osteoporosis Awareness Month and Women’s Health Month, making it the ideal time for both women and men to learn how to maintain healthy bones for as long as possible.
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Apr 28, 2026
Two Eberly Faculty Honored with 2026 C.I. Noll Award
The Penn State Eberly College of Science has honored Carly Sjogren, associate teaching professor of biology, and Teh-hui Kao, distinguished professor of biology and molecular biology, with the 2026 C.I. Noll Award for Excellence in Teaching. First awarded in 1972 and named for Clarence I. Noll, dean of the Eberly College of Science from 1965 to 1971, this award is the highest honor for undergraduate teaching in the college. Students, faculty members, and alumni nominate outstanding faculty members who best exemplify the key characteristics of a Penn State educator.
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Apr 27, 2026
One Health Microbiome Center names next doctoral interns for industry program
Penn State graduate students Natalie Ford and Mackenna Yount will spend this summer engaging in hands-on research with industry experts at the Hilden, Germany, headquarters of QIAGEN, a global leader in biotechnology for life sciences diagnostics, equipment and research.
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Apr 27, 2026
Hydraulic brain: Body motion linked to fluid movement in the brain
The brain is more mechanically connected to the body than previously appreciated, scientists reported in Nature Neuroscience. Through a study using mice and simulations, the team found a potential biological mechanism underlying why exercise is thought to benefit brain health: abdominal contractions compress blood vessels connected to the spinal cord and the brain, enabling the organ to gently move within the skull. This swaying facilitates the surrounding cerebrospinal fluid to flow over the brain, potentially washing away neural waste that could cause problems for brain function.
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Apr 24, 2026
The robot Cambrian explosion: Penn State researchers advance biorobotics
Whether they’re dancing on two legs or scrambling over rough terrain on four, robots are gaining traction on social media and in everyday life. They’re already rapidly evolving in terms of capabilities and size, but according to Penn State Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Baxi Chong, they may be on the brink of something even better. Chong is one of several Penn State researchers capitalizing on unique biological features found in the living ecosystem to develop and expand the field of biorobotics.
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