News
Dec 02, 2021
Should I be worried about the new omicron coronavirus variant?
The omicron variant (B.1.1.529) of SARS-CoV-2, which has now been detected in the U.S., has been listed as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization, which has stated that the overall global risk related to the variant is "very high."
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Nov 30, 2021
Distortion: Researchers discover new strategy for antibodies to disable viruses
It is widely understood that antibodies neutralize viruses by latching onto their surfaces and blocking them from infecting host cells. But new research reveals that this barrier method isn’t the only way that antibodies disable viruses. An international team of researchers led by Penn State has discovered that antibodies also distort viruses, thereby preventing them from properly attaching to and entering cells.
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Nov 29, 2021
Upcoming workshop series on using data science for ecological applications
Contact Drs. Sarah Goslee and Bogdan Caradima if you have questions, or would like to sign up!
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Nov 22, 2021
New technique better assesses exposure of a population to a virus
Accurately assessing the exposure of a population to a particular virus is difficult because the tools for doing so do not account for the fact that many viruses comprise multiple circulating strains, or the fact that people can be vaccinated or naturally immune, among other factors. Using influenza as a model, a team of researchers led by Penn State has developed a new technique that overcomes many of these roadblocks.
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Nov 18, 2021
Penn State Breazeale Reactor expands in size and in opportunities
Penn State’s Radiation Science & Engineering Center and the Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering broke ground on a 10,000-square-foot, $9.5 million expansion of the Breazeale Reactor on Oct. 21. The nation’s first licensed and longest continuously operating nuclear research reactor, Breazeale’s expansion will accommodate an equipment donation valued at $9.8 million and facilitate more advanced neutron beam research as well as the growth of nuclear engineering at Penn State.
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Nov 16, 2021
New tool weighs costs and benefits of managing evolution of pathogens and pests
Spend money now on antibiotic stewardship practices or save the money but run the risk of potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria emerging later? A new economic tool can help physicians, farmers and other people whose activities may influence the evolution of biological organisms, such as pathogens and insects, decide when they should invest in evolution management strategies.
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Nov 16, 2021
Nanoscale ‘computer’ controls function of protein, influences cell behavior
The creation of nanoscale computers for use in precision health care has long been a dream of many scientists and health care providers. Now, for the first time, researchers at Penn State have produced a nanocomputing agent that can control the function of a particular protein that is involved in cell movement and cancer metastasis.
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Nov 16, 2021
Hopper-Dean family helps combat global hunger with PlantVillage matching fund
PlantVillage, a platform developed by Penn State researchers that is helping tens of millions of farmers across Africa cope with the immediate challenges of climate change, will be enhanced and expanded thanks to the generosity of Jeff Dean and Heidi Hopper, whose gift includes a commitment to match other donations up to a total of $2.5 million.
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Nov 09, 2021
Veterinary researcher named Huck Chair in Emerging Infectious Diseases
Suresh Kuchipudi, clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.
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Nov 09, 2021
Penn State launches Center for Neurotechnology in Mental Health Research
Penn State is launching a University-wide center to bridge fundamental research to understand the brain and mind with potential clinical applications for diagnosing and treating mental health disorders.
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