News
Feb 22, 2026
College of Ag Sciences awards bridge funding for global research collaborations
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has awarded bridge funding to four faculty members to support research collaborations addressing soil fertility, public health, climate resilience and agricultural trade include two from the Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology.
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 30, 2026
Bayer University Mentoring Program now includes pharmaceutical track
Following the first successful cohort of graduate and postdoctoral scholars in the Bayer Crop Science 2025 University Mentoring Program (B4U), Bayer has expanded the initiative at Penn State to include the Bayer Pharmaceuticals 2026 B4U Program. The expansion, which targets those interested in careers in the pharmaceutical industry, reflects Penn State and Bayer's shared commitment to preparing graduate students and postdoctoral researchers for impactful careers at the intersection of academia, industry and innovation.
Full Article
Jan 30, 2026
Liver metabolism of an essential amino acid may play a key role in gut health
Many biological processes exhibit daytime differences governed by rhythmic exposure to sunlight, termed circadian rhythms. Researchers at Penn State recently found, in mice, that a protein critical to intestinal barrier function — helping the gut absorb nutrients while blocking harmful pathogens — is rhythmically controlled by nighttime liver metabolism of the molecule tryptophan.
Full Article
Jan 28, 2026
Ask a scientist: What happens to animals during a volcanic eruption?
Penn State researchers Julian Avery, associate research professor of wildlife ecology and conservation, and Christelle Wauthier, associate professor of geosciences, answer questions about volcanoes submitted by elementary school students.
Full Article
Jan 23, 2026
Nominate the next Microbiome Medal Laureate
The Microbiome Medal honors scholars or a group of scholars who demonstrate excellence, acumen and ingenuity in research, mentorship and service to the global field of microbiome science. Members of the global microbiome research community at any stage of their career are encouraged to nominate a scientist or group of scientists who exemplify this mission of the Microbiome Medal.
Full Article
Jan 22, 2026
Domestication has changed the chemicals squash flowers use to attract bees
In a new study published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology, a team led by researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences found that domesticated flowers have different scent chemical profiles than wild plants in several species of squash. Additionally, the specialized pollinators of these plants—squash bees—detect different compounds, called floral volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in wild plants that they co-evolved with than in domesticated plants.
Full Article
Jan 21, 2026
Penn State students take top honors in video challenge on the value of research
A team of students working in Andrew Patterson's lab used their experience in research and storytelling to advocate for federally funded research and take top prizes in the Science Coalition’s 2025 Alyse Gray Parker Memorial Student Video Challenge
Full Article
Jan 16, 2026
New genomics, metabolomics instruments added to Huck facilities
Recently acquired scientific instruments have enhanced the research capabilities of two Huck facilities.
Full Article
Jan 16, 2026
Disease ecologist awarded grant to study ’infectome’ effects on fungal disease
Molly Bletz, assistant professor of disease ecology at Penn State, has been awarded a 2025 New Investigator Grant by the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation, which is administered by The Pittsburgh Foundation and awards grants to support scientists at Pennsylvania colleges and universities conducting innovative and interdisciplinary research
Full Article