News

Dec 06, 2022
Why synonymous mutations are not always silent
New modeling shows how synonymous mutations — those that change the DNA sequence of a gene but not the sequence of the encoded protein — can still impact protein production and function.
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Nov 30, 2022
Huck Grad Students Work Towards Inclusion
A discussion and advocacy group started by student leadership is pushing for dialogue and solutions to make the Huck a more welcoming and empowering space for scientists from all backgrounds.
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Nov 15, 2022
New research on effects of binge drinking earns biologist early career award
Nikki Crowley, assistant professor of biology and biomedical engineering at Penn State, is the 2022 recipient of the Neuropsychopharmacology Editor’s Early Career Award.
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Nov 01, 2022
Tiny magnetic particles fight lung cancer cells on command in lab test
Traditional treatments for lung cancers can have serious side effects throughout the body, but newly developed, highly targeted treatments could reduce damage, according to Penn State researchers. A team led by Dan Hayes developed a method that could lead to one such treatment with magnetic nanoparticles.
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Oct 03, 2022
Disease outcomes differ by new host species in virus spillover experiments
Why has the SARS-CoV-2 virus ravaged the global human population, but many other animal viruses haven't? Using nematode worms as a model, researchers at Penn State conducted a set of experiments to investigate the factors influencing the disease outcomes of virus spillover events.
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Oct 03, 2022
Makova awarded Masatoshi Nei Innovation Prize in Biology
Kateryna Makova, Verne M. Willaman Chair in the Life Sciences and professor of biology at Penn State, has been awarded the Masatoshi Nei Innovation Prize in Biology. The award was established through a generous gift from Masatoshi Nei, emeritus professor of biology at Penn State and Laura Carnell Professor of Biology at Temple University, and his wife Nobuko Nei.
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Aug 29, 2022
Partner-drug resistance accelerates resistance of first-line malaria drug
A new research collaboration between Penn State, Oxford, and Imperial College London demonstrates that resistance to partner drugs facilitates resistance evolution to artemisinin, the world’s most important first-line drug for the treatment of malaria.
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Aug 19, 2022
Compost to computer: Bio-based materials used to salvage rare earth elements
Penn State researchers used micro- and nanoparticles created from the organic materials to capture rare earth elements from aqueous solutions.
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Jun 23, 2022
Alumnus and professor named new head of biomedical engineering
When Dan Hayes graduated from the Penn State Eberly College of Science with a bachelor’s degree in science in 1997, the Department of Biomedical Engineering was still three years away from forming. Now, Hayes will lead the Department of Biomedical Engineering. His tenure as department head begins July 1.
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Jun 24, 2022
Climate-associated genetic switches found in plants
Genetic variants that can act as switches directing structural changes in the RNA molecules that code for proteins in plants have been experimentally validated in plants for the first time. The changes to RNA structure can affect the molecule’s stability, how it interacts with other molecules, and how efficiently it can be translated into protein — all of which can impact its function and the traits of the plant.
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