News

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.

What are potential animal reservoirs for monkeypox?

While monkeypox has been circulating in Africa for many years, the recent outbreak across the globe has exposed considerable uncertainties about the virus’ transmission.

COVID-19 drugs persist in wastewater, may pose risk to aquatic organisms

Certain drugs used to treat COVID-19 patients — including remdesivir, dexamethasone and antibiotics for associated bacterial infections — persist through wastewater treatment and may occur in waterways at levels high enough to negatively affect aquatic organisms, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State.

Penn State team awarded $2.3M to assess disease vulnerability, improve response

An interdisciplinary team from Penn State has been awarded $2.3M from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation’s joint Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease (EEID) program to evaluate the vulnerability of certain populations to disease outbreaks, with the goal of improving outbreak response and preventing future outbreaks.

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.

What do I need to know about monkeypox now?

More than 10,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States since May, triggering the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to declare the outbreak a public-health emergency.

Penn State research team will study Lassa virus spread in Nigeria

A team of researchers led by Penn State has been awarded $4 million from the National Science Foundation to investigate the elements that lead to the spread of Lassa virus from rodents to humans in Nigeria.

New SciArt installation reflects on viruses in our everyday lives

"The BioMachine," a new art installation designed and fabricated by the SciArt team at the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State, offers an interactive exploration of the viruses — like those which cause COVID-19 — that permeate our world.

Study predicts cancer cases, deaths in Africa could double by 2040

Cancer cases and deaths are expected to double in Africa during the next two decades, according to findings from a new study by Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The study also reveals that the region lacks sufficient health care resources and infrastructure to handle the growing cancer burden.

Does herpes simplex virus change during transmission?

A new study helps explain how the virus that causes herpes might change during transmission between partners and over time during a long-term infection within a human host, which could have implications for future treatment strategies. The study, by a team of researchers from Penn State and the University of Washington, is the first to track genetic differences of the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) as it moves between adult sexual transmission partners.