News

Sun awarded Robert T. Simpson Graduate Student Award for Innovative Research.

The Graduate Program Core Committee announced that Jiawan Sun has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Robert T. Simpson Graduate Student Award for Innovative Research.

3D-printed brain sensors may unlock personalized neural monitoring

Soft electrodes designed to perfectly match a person’s brain surface may help advance neural interfaces for neurodegenerative disease monitoring and treatment, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. Neural interfaces are powered by tiny sensors capable of tracking biophysical signals, known as bioelectrodes.

Penn State biochemist Melanie McReynolds awarded Hypothesis Fund seed grant

Melanie McReynolds, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Career Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has been selected to receive a seed grant from the Hypothesis Fund. The Hypothesis Fund aims to advance scientific knowledge by supporting early stage, innovative research — led by scientists at broad swath of universities — that increases adaptability against systemic risks to the health of people and the planet.

Medina, Paris receive 2026 Excellence in Advising Award

Scott Medina, the William and Wendy Korb Early Career Professor and Dorothy and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Nano Bioengineering; and Heather Paris, associate director of the advising center and career services at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, have been selected to receive the 2026 Penn State Excellence in Advising Award.

WATCH: Cell ‘snowball’ may be answer to large-scale tissue engineering

Cell cultures — single layers of cells grown in a small dish — have enabled researchers to study biological growth, develop or test drugs and even discover what causes some diseases. Cell spheroids, 3D versions of cell cultures built using a process known as cell aggregation, are the next step in advancing this work, capable of more closely modeling real tissue.

Molecular entomologist Jason Rasgon named AAAS Fellow

Jason L. Rasgon, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair in Disease Epidemiology and Biotechnology at Penn State, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Seth Bordenstein named a Fellow of the AAAS

Seth Bordenstein, professor of biology and entomology, the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair of Microbiome Sciences, and director of the Penn State One Health Microbiome Center, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science,

Awardees will be honored at the Penn State Global Awards ceremony on Thursday, March 26.

Penn State Global announces 2025-26 awards recipients

Peter Hudson, Willaman Professor of Biology in the Eberly College of Science and former director of the Huck Institues of the Life Sciences selected for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Hudson and annual recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony in Robb Hall in the Hintz Alumni Center on March 26.

Targeting two flu proteins sharply reduces airborne spread

A long-running debate in vaccine design revolves around whether a vaccine should be optimized to prevent the virus from replicating inside an infected host or prevent the virus from transmitting to others. New research led by Penn State scientists suggests there may not have to be a tradeoff.

Q&A: Gassing up bioengineered materials for wound healing

Biomaterials are specifically engineered to support tissue, nerve and muscle regeneration across the body, yet physicians and researchers have limited control over the size and connectivity of the internal pores that transfer oxygen and vital nutrients to where they are most needed. To solve this problem and better support tissue regeneration, a team at Penn State has designed a new class of tunable biomaterials.