News

Engineers model mutations causing drug resistance

Whether it is a drug-resistant strain of bacteria, or cancer cells that no longer react to the drugs intended to kill them, diverse mutations make cells resistant to chemicals, and "second generation" approaches are needed. Now, a team of Penn State engineers may have a way to predict which mutations will occur in people, creating an easier path to create effective pharmaceuticals.

Faculty experts will respond to COVID-19 questions from the public with scientifically valid, up-to-date information via a new video series twice per week.

Penn State infectious disease experts answer COVID-19 questions via video

Brief “Ask CIDD” videos will inform the public with accurate answers to the most pressing Coronavirus questions.

The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences has issued a request for proposals for projects that will utilize Penn State’s unique research strengths to contribute to the global coronavirus response.

Penn State funds first round of COVID-19 research proposals

One week after launching a rapid-fire call for proposals, awards are granted to six projects that address the global pandemic, with more to follow

Social distancing tips from a Penn State expert

As guidance from leading health organizations and the federal government continues to evolve, epidemiologist Matt Ferrari, associate professor of biology at Penn State, shares his expertise on some of our most frequently asked questions.

Developing a novel oral antibiotic to treat multidrug-resistant gonorrhea

Up to $2.86M has been awarded to a research team including Penn State scientists to develop a new oral antibiotic to treat multidrug-resistant gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria that have developed resistance to all but one existing antibiotic.

Improving success of giraffe translocations

Researchers advise that Giraffes being translocated for conservation purposes should be moved in groups that contain at least 30 females and three males to ensure long-term population success.

Pesticide seed coatings are widespread but underreported

​Pesticide-coated seeds — such as neonicotinoids, many of which are highly toxic to both pest and beneficial insects — are increasingly used in the major field crops, but are underreported, in part, because farmers often do not know what pesticides are on their seeds, according to an international team of researchers.​

Knowing why bacteria are great upstream swimmers may prevent serious infections

New findings on how bacteria can maintain persistent and fast upstream swimming motion over distances comparable with many human organs, may help prevent life-threatening infections, according to a team of international researchers.

In the Metabolomics Core Facility, vials filled with extracts of bodily fluid wait in an auto-sampler. Each sample will be passed through a chromatography system that sorts the complex sample into its constituents. Droplets of the separated sample are then misted into the mass spectrometer for analysis.IMAGE: PATRICK MANSELL

Listening to your gut: A powerful new tool on the microbiome and cell metabolism

Many aspects of our lives — not only the presence or absence of certain diseases, but conditions like obesity, sleep patterns, even mood — may be determined, to a surprising extent, by the microbes living inside of us.

Gene regulatory factors enable bacteria to kill rivals and establish symbiosis

Two factors that control the expression of a key gene required by luminescent bacteria to kill competing bacterial cells have been identified. The finding, by researchers at Penn State, sheds light on the molecular mechanisms that enable different strains of bacteria to compete and establish symbiosis in the Hawaiian bobtail squid.