News

Feb 08, 2021

Unusual DNA folding increases the rates of mutations

DNA sequences that can fold into shapes other than the classic double helix tend to have higher mutation rates than other regions in the human genome. New research by a team of Penn State scientists shows that the elevated mutation rate in these sequences plays a major role in determining regional variation in mutation rates across the genome.

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Oct 02, 2020

Scientists take a step toward understanding 'jumping genes' effect on the genome

Using state-of-the-art statistical methods, a team of researchers said they may have taken a leap closer to understanding a class of jumping genes, sequences that move to different locations in the human genome, which is the body’s complete set of DNA.

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Apr 10, 2020

Bioinformatics Community Mourns Huck Alum James Taylor

Highly esteemed data scientist and advocate worked with a number of Huck Institutes researchers at the Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics.

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Dec 18, 2019

New tool reveals DNA structures that influence disease

Disruption of certain DNA structures — called topologically associating domains, or TADs — is linked with the development of disease, including some cancers. With its newly created algorithm that quickly locates and helps elucidate the complex functions of TADs, an international team of researchers is making it easier to study these important structures and help prevent disease.

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Sep 17, 2019

Francesca Chiaromonte named Huck Chair in Statistics for the Life Sciences

Francesca Chiaromonte, professor of statistics at Penn State, was recently named Lloyd and Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair in Statistics by the University’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.

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Feb 15, 2017

Grant to help pave a big data highway to explore genome, enhance health

A $6.1 million, five-year grant from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health may help researchers leverage massive amounts of genomic data to develop medical treatments and pharmaceuticals, according to an international team of researchers.

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Apr 08, 2015

Five Penn State professors honored with Faculty Scholar Medals

Huck-cofunded faculty researcher Song Tan is among the awardees.

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Feb 19, 2015

Paul Medvedev receives National Science Foundation CAREER award

NSF award will provide funding for Medvedev to develop algorithms for big genomic data

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Jan 19, 2015

Penn State and Geisinger announce new collaborative gene research project

Marylyn Ritchie, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and director of the Center for Systems Genomics in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State University, will lead a collaborative effort between Penn State and Geisinger Research to connect the genome data of 100,000 anonymous patients with their medical histories, in order to identify the genetic and environmental basis of human disease.

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Dec 09, 2014

New video profile: Marta Byrska-Bishop

Marta Byrska-Bishop -- a Ph.D. candidate in the Huck Institutes' Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences program -- studies genomics and gene regulation in relation to inherited diseases.

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