News
Jun 23, 2021
Behavior limits COVID-19 spread between University and community
When universities across the U.S. opted to return students to campus for in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic in the fall of 2020, surrounding communities were understandably concerned that COVID-19 infections rates would significantly increase. In response, several Penn State researchers formed the Centre County COVID-19 Data 4 Action Project (D4A) to conduct anonymous surveys and biological testing for nonstudent residents and Penn State students to document the social and economic impacts of the pandemic in one community.
Full Article
Jun 22, 2021
Newly sequenced genome of extinct giant lemur sheds light on animal's biology
Using an unusually well-preserved subfossil jawbone, a team of researchers — led by Penn State and with a multi-national team of collaborators including scientists from the Université d’Antananarivo in Madagascar — has sequenced for the first time the nuclear genome of the koala lemur (Megaladapis edwardsi), one of the largest of the 17 or so giant lemur species that went extinct on the island of Madagascar between about 500 and 2,000 years ago.
Full Article
Jun 16, 2021
Improving heart health for older women
Heart attacks are the leading cause of death among postmenopausal women. New funding from the National Institute on Aging will enable Penn State researchers to explore the links between tiny receptors in our immune systems called inflammasomes and how/when cells die. These links may enable researchers to develop new therapies to treat and prevent heart disease in older women.
Full Article
Jun 11, 2021
New tissue-closure model may aid in promotion of faster wound healing
The observation of a previously undetected biological mechanism for closing gaps in living tissue improves basic understanding of the wound-healing process and may one day inform strategies to speed healing after surgery.
Full Article
Jun 10, 2021
Snapshot USA: First-ever nationwide mammal survey now published
The results of the first national mammal survey, now publicly available online, provide the framework to answer a variety of questions about wild animal populations and conservation strategies for threatened species. The survey, which involved researchers from across the country including a biologist at Penn State, is made up of data from 1,509 motion-activated camera traps from 110 sites located across all 50 states.
Full Article
Jun 05, 2021
PlantVillage team lauded for projects to protect food supply amid COVID, locusts
Penn State researchers responsible for PlantVillage, a mobile app that helps farmers diagnose crop diseases and monitor pests, have been lauded for their work to help African farmers overcome challenges related to desert locusts and COVID-19.
Full Article
Jun 03, 2021
A potential new antiviral drug for COVID-19
The experimental drug TEMPOL may be a promising oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19, according to a new study of cell cultures by a team of researchers that includes Penn State scientists. TEMPOL can limit SARS-CoV-2 infection by impairing the activity of a viral enzyme called “RNA replicase.”
Full Article
Jun 03, 2021
Penn State biologist and colleagues receive $4M to identify heat-tolerant corals
An international team that includes Penn State biologist Iliana Baums has been awarded a $4 million grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to identify corals that are naturally resilient to climate change. This is one of four newly funded projects supported by the foundation that are focused on the conservation and restoration of coral reefs in the context of the climate crisis.
Full Article
Jun 02, 2021
Huck Grad Students Hold Virtual Life Sciences Symposium
Huck Graduate Students organized a virtual Life Sciences Symposium, welcoming keynote speakers from Penn State and internationally, and giving awards for outstanding student presentations.
Full Article
Jun 01, 2021
Coupled brain activity, cerebrospinal fluid flow could indicate Alzheimer's risk
Penn State researchers may have discovered a potential marker to clinically evaluate patients’ risk for Alzheimer’s disease through non-invasive imaging tests, according to a study published in PLOS Biology. The finding may have implications for diagnosis and treatment of the disease that results in significant cognitive decline, the researchers said.
Full Article