News
Dec 17, 2019
Agricultural parasite avoids evolutionary arms race, shuts down genes of host
A parasitic plant has found a way to circumvent an evolutionary arms race with the host plants from which it steals nutrients, allowing the parasite to thrive on a variety of agriculturally important plants. The parasite dodder, an agricultural pest found on every continent, sends genetic material into its host to shut down host defense genes.
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Dec 17, 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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Dec 16, 2019
Center for Security Research and Education announces spring 2020 grant program
The Penn State Center for Security Research and Education (CSRE) has announced its spring 2020 grant program to support security-related scholarship and educational programs at Penn State. University faculty and researchers are eligible to apply by Feb. 14, 2020. For the first time, CSRE will offer a $50,000 Impact Grant, a $50,000 Homeland Security Grant, and open-topic grants with maximum awards of $15,000.
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Dec 06, 2019
Novel way to ID disease-resistance genes in chocolate-producing trees found
Chocolate-producing cacao trees that are resistant to a major pathogen were identified by an international team of plant geneticists. The findings point the way for plant breeders to develop trees that are tolerant of the disease.
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Dec 04, 2019
Respiration key to increase oxygen in the brain
Contrary to accepted knowledge, blood can bring more oxygen to mice brains when they exercise because the increased respiration packs more oxygen into the hemoglobin, according to an international team of researchers who believe that this holds true for all mammals.
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Dec 02, 2019
Bushmeat may breed deadly bacteria
People who eat wildebeests, warthogs and other wild African animals may be at risk for contracting potentially life-threatening diseases, according to an international team of researchers. The team analyzed samples of bushmeat — meat derived from wildlife — in the Western Serengeti in Tanzania and identified several groups of bacteria.
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Nov 26, 2019
Fourteen Penn State faculty recognized with lifetime honor
Fourteen Penn State faculty members in areas ranging from physics and engineering to entomology and plant science have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. A lifetime honor bestowed upon members by their peers, a total of 443 individuals are being recognized for their extraordinary achievements in advancing science.
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Nov 25, 2019
Grant will support expanded use of artificial intelligence for crop health
A research team developing artificial-intelligence-based solutions for diagnosing and managing threats to crop health has received a grant to expand the technology to assist more smallholder farmers around the world.
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Nov 25, 2019
Forest farms could create market for ginseng, other herbs
A transition from wild collection of herbs to forest farming needs to occur in Appalachia to make the opaque, unstable and unjust supply chain for forest medicinal plants such as ginseng sustainable, according to a team of researchers who have studied the market for more than a decade.
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Nov 25, 2019
Industrial Biotechnology Scholarships Announced
The Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology is excited to announce two new CSL Behring Scholarships for Penn State undergraduate students interested in the broad area of industrial biotechnology, ranging from biopharmaceutical manufacturing and food biotechnology, to the production of bio-based chemicals.
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