News
Jun 19, 2019
South African forests show pathways to a sustainable future
Native forests make up one percent of the landscape in South Africa but could play a key role in reducing atmospheric carbon and identifying sustainable development practices that can be used globally to counter climate change, according to a Penn State researcher.
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Jun 17, 2019
Researchers find genes that could help create more resilient chickens
An international team of scientists, led by Penn State researchers, have identified genes that may help farmers, especially ones in low- and middle-income countries, breed chickens that can resist one of the biggest disease threats facing poultry today.
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Jun 14, 2019
Xin Zhang honored as Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences
Xin Zhang, holder of the Paul Berg Early Career Professorship and assistant professor of chemistry and of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State, has been selected as a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences by The Pew Charitable Trusts, a national philanthropy organization based in Philadelphia.
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Jun 13, 2019
Sensing food textures is a matter of pressure
Food's texture affects whether it is eaten, liked or rejected, according to Penn State researchers, who say some people are better at detecting even minor differences in consistency because their tongues can perceive particle sizes.
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Jun 12, 2019
Ants maintain essential interactions despite environmental flux
Ants adjust their social interactions to accommodate changes in population density, according to researchers at Penn State and Georgetown University. The findings suggest that ant colonies are capable of maintaining their sophisticated social organization despite potentially drastic changes in their environments.
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Jun 10, 2019
Combating mosquito-borne diseases with bacteria
Viruses, spread through mosquito bites, cause human illnesses such as dengue fever, Zika and yellow fever. A new control technique harnesses a naturally occurring bacterium called Wolbachia that blocks replication of viruses and breaks the cycle of mosquito-borne disease, according to an international team of researchers.
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Jun 07, 2019
Bruce Chen Recognized for Outstanding Student Leadership
The PhD candidate in genetics was lauded for his time as HGSAC chair, in which he worked to help his fellow graduate students identify a number of possible future career paths.
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Jun 06, 2019
Northeastern deer more susceptible to wasting disease than those to the west
Some deer are more susceptible to chronic wasting disease that is spreading through herds of white-tailed deer across much of the United States, according to Penn State researchers.
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May 31, 2019
NIFA awards grant for microbial stress tolerance research
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently awarded Kevin Hockett $453,000 to assist in research focusing on how microbes tolerate distinct stresses.
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May 30, 2019
New records show spread of parasitic deer flies across the US
With flattened bodies, grabbing forelegs and deciduous wings, deer keds do not look like your typical fly. These parasites of deer — which occasionally bite humans — are more widely distributed across the U.S. than previously thought.
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