Center For Infectious Disease Dynamics News | Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics

On March 25, Erika Ganda, an assistant professor in Penn State’s Department of Animal Science, will discuss via Zoom how microbes in animals, people and the environment are interconnected through a concept known as “One Health.” The lecture is part of the Penn State Alumni Association's Virtual Speaker Series. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Mar 17, 2025

Virtual lecture to explore the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems

On March 25, Erika Ganda, an assistant professor in Penn State’s Department of Animal Science, will discuss via Zoom how microbes in animals, people and the environment are interconnected through a concept known as “One Health.” The lecture is part of the Penn State Alumni Association's Virtual Speaker Series.

Full Article

Movement of Zika virus through a tunneling nanotube formed between two cells. An imaging technique called immunofluorescence assay shows the co-localization of viral structural proteins, the capsid protein in red and envelope protein in green, indicative of virus particles in the tunneling nanotube. Credit: Provided by the Jose Lab / Penn State. Creative Commons

Mar 17, 2025

Tunnel-building virus: How Zika transmits from mother to fetus

A team of researchers from Penn State and Baylor College of Medicine found that the Zika virus builds tiny tunnels, called tunneling nanotubes, to stealthily transport material needed to infect nearby cells, including in placental cells.

Full Article

Nazifa Tabassum, left, and Katie Yan will speak at ENVISION: STEM Career Day Supporting Young Women on March 29. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Mar 17, 2025

Graduate students to present their journeys in science

Graduate students Nazifa Tabassum and Katie Yan are this year's I AM STEM contest winners. They will serve at this year's keynote speakers for ENVISION on Saturday, March 29, where they will share their experiences in STEM and provide advice to middle school and high school students eager to get involved as scientists.

Full Article

The new method may eventually help give insight into why bee populations are declining overall, according to the researchers. Credit: Adonyi Gábor/Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 12, 2025

Analyzing genetic ‘signatures’ may give insight into what stresses wild bees

A new method of examining gene expression patterns called landscape transcriptomics may help pinpoint what causes bumble bees stress and could eventually give insight into why bee populations are declining overall.

Full Article

Bywater’s research centers on food safety within controlled environment agriculture systems, particularly in soilless farming methods such as hydroponics. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Feb 28, 2025

Penn State Ag student Auja Bywater wins global research award

Auja Bywater, a doctoral student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been awarded second prize in the Global Challenges University Alliance (GCUA) 2030 research competition for her work titled “Improving Food Safety in Controlled Environment Agriculture Systems.”

Full Article

Feb 24, 2025

Penn State to establish Animal Diagnostic Lab-West

With $6 million in state funding, the new facility, to be located at Penn State Beaver, will enhance animal health and support for animal agriculture in western Pennsylvania.

Full Article

Physiological changes in late pregnancy such as higher systemic inflammation can lead to adverse effects, among them poorer health and low milk production, the researchers said. Credit: Photo by Carolien van Oijen on Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Feb 21, 2025

Simple treatment may reduce inflammation and its side effects in expecting cows

The one-time anti-inflammatory treatment was effective when given before birth.

Full Article

New research lends insight into the regulatory control of gene expression in the deadliest of the malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum, and provides opportunities for the development of new therapeutic approaches against the disease. PfSnf2L, in red, is an essential malaria parasite protein for developing from the asexual ring to the sexual transmission stage — shown at top with the arrow illustrating the trajectory of various stages of sexual development. When the PfSnf2L enzyme is inhibited by the small molecule, NH125, in green, this leads to disordered DNA packaging. Changes in DNA packaging with active — the white line — and inactive PfSnf2L enzyme — the blue line — are depicted. When the DNA packaging is disrupted, the necessary information for parasite development can no longer be read out and the malaria parasites die thereby blocking transmission. Credit: Längst and Kannan Venugopal/Marti laboratory. All Rights Reserved.

Feb 20, 2025

Disrupting parasite gene regulation reveals new malaria intervention strategy

Malaria's deadliest parasite relies on precise gene regulation to survive. A new multinational study, including Penn State scientists, reveals key insights into these control mechanisms.

Full Article

2024 My Green Lab Consultants Zaman Ataie and Ananya Gollakota check the expiration date on a chemical bottle. Credit: Lydia Vandenbergh. All Rights Reserved.

Feb 11, 2025

Sustainable Labs Program increases participant engagement, welcomes new labs

Two upcoming virtual sessions will cover how labs can learn more and join next year’s cohort.

Full Article

A native bee sits on a purple flower on the left, while a honey bee sits on a yellow flower on the right. Credit: Provided by Margarita López-Uribe. All Rights Reserved.

Feb 07, 2025

Native bee populations can bounce back after honey bees move out

Managed honey bees have the potential to affect native bee populations when they are introduced to a new area, but a study led by researchers at Penn State suggests that, under certain conditions, the native bees can bounce back if the apiaries are moved away.

Full Article