News

Mar 17, 2026

Four Penn State researchers receive iDEA-TECH awards from Sanofi

Four Penn State researchers and their colleagues have been awarded Innovations in Data Exploration, Analytics & Technology (iDEA-TECH) Awards from Sanofi, a global R&D-driven, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered biopharma company. The awards provide $150,000 in research funding to advance cutting-edge discoveries through novel AI and digital tools and new technologies.

Full Article

Mar 16, 2026

'Brain awareness week' informs public and spotlights neuroscience expertise

From March 16 to 22, the neuroscience research community at Penn State is joining "Brain Awareness Week," a global public health movement started by the Dana Foundation in 1996 to bring attention to science and public health issues concerning the human brain.

Full Article

Feb 12, 2026

Skeleton ‘gatekeeper’ lining brain cells could guard against Alzheimer’s

Brain cells are constantly swallowing material from the fluid that surrounds them — signaling molecules, nutrients, even pieces of their own surfaces — in a process known as endocytosis that is essential for learning, memory and basic neural upkeep. New research by Penn State scientists has revealed this vital process may be governed by a previously unknown molecular gatekeeper: a lattice‑like structure just beneath the surface of neurons called the membrane‑associated periodic skeleton.

Full Article

Feb 02, 2026

Targeting the 'good' arm after stroke leads to better motor skills

Traditional stroke rehabilitation therapy focuses on restoring strength and movement to the more impaired side of the body, but a new randomized clinical trial has revealed that targeted therapy for the less-impaired arm significantly improved movement and control for stroke survivors. The trial, led by researchers from Penn State and the University of Southern California (USC), compared the new approach to the standard best-practice therapy currently in use.

Full Article

Jan 20, 2026

Penn State Neuroscience Institute announces spring 2026 speakers

Hosted in conjunction with the Neuroscience Intercollege Graduate Degree Program, the spring 2026 seminar series brings together an international slate of leading experts in neuroscience, biodevices and brain research.

Full Article

Jan 07, 2026

Medical, doctoral student earns NIH fellowship

Victoria Nudell, a doctoral and medical student in the Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program and the Medical Scientist Training Program at the College of Medicine, has received a highly competitive fellowship from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Full Article

Jan 12, 2026

Moving neural implant research closer to commercialization

A startup based on research conducted at Penn State is developing a soft, minimally invasive neural implant intended to reduce inflammation and improve communication with the brain for individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy or living with paralysis.

Full Article

Jan 05, 2026

Dipanjan Pan named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

Professor Dipanjan Pan, the Dorothy Foehr Huck & J. Lloyd Chair Professor in Nanomedicine at Penn State has been named a 2025 fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Being named an NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction currently awarded to inventors in the nation.

Full Article

Nov 19, 2025

Postdoctoral Fellow Laurel Seemiller named a Rising Star in Neuroscience

Laurel Seemiller, a postdoctoral fellow in biology, has been named one of The Transmitter’s 25 Rising Stars in Neuroscience. Seemiller is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Nikki Crowley, director of the Penn State Neuroscience Institute at University Park, Huck Chair in Neural Engineering and associate professor of biology and of biomedical engineering.

Full Article

Nov 20, 2025

Shrinking materials hold big potential for smart devices, researchers say

Wearable electronics could be more wearable, according to a research team at Penn State. The researchers developed a scalable, versatile approach to designing and fabricating wireless, internet-enabled electronic systems that can better adapt to 3D surfaces, like the human body or common household items, paving the path for more precise health monitoring or household automation, such as a smart recliner that can monitor and co

Full Article