News

Penn State faculty member recognized by dairy and animal science groups

Terry Etherton, head of the Department of Animal Science in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, received the 2019 Distinguished Service Award at the recent annual meeting of the Northeast Section of the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) and the Northeast Branch of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) in Hershey.

Choosing most cost-effective practices for sites could save in bay cleanup

Using site-specific watershed data to determine the most cost-effective agricultural best management practices — rather than requiring all the recommended practices be implemented across the entire watershed — could make staying below the Chesapeake Bay’s acceptable pollution load considerably less expensive.

Urban development reduces flash flooding chances in arid West

Urban development in the eastern United States results in an increase in flash flooding in nearby streams, but in the arid West, urbanization has just the opposite effect, according to a Penn State researcher, who suggests there may be lessons to be learned from the sharp contrast.

Personalized gene networks may enhance study of disease

Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine have developed a new method to model how genes interact with each other — and it may someday contribute to the development of personalized treatments for patients.

Global Faculty Fellow will create connections between Penn State and Colombia

Siela Maximova, research professor of plant biotechnology, has been named a Global Faculty Fellow in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and a Land Grant University U.S.-Colombia Fulbright Scholar.

Malaria parasite lives on the edge

The parasite that causes malaria expresses genes that code for the proteins it will need in later life stages, using two separate schemes to prevent these proteins from actually being made until they are needed, according to new research.

Empowering drug discovery by evaluating antivirals in thousands of single cells

A new enhancement to a lab-on-a-chip device allows researchers to simultaneously observe thousands of individual cells that are infected with a virus, providing important information about infection dynamics not available using traditional methods.

Tiny swimming donuts deliver the goods

Bacteria and other swimming microorganisms evolved to thrive in challenging environments, and researchers struggle to mimic their unique abilities for biomedical technologies, but fabrication challenges created a manufacturing bottleneck. Microscopic, 3D-printed, tori — donuts ­­— coated with nickel and platinum may bridge the gap between biological and synthetic swimmers, according to an international team of researchers.

Pollinator project will complement Penn State solar power initiative

A unique undertaking in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences will shine a light on how solar farms can contribute to healthy ecosystems and boost pollinator populations.

One avocado a day helps lower 'bad' cholesterol for heart healthy benefits

Move over, apples — new research from Penn State suggests that eating one avocado a day may help keep “bad cholesterol” at bay. According to the researchers, bad cholesterol can refer to both oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and small, dense LDL particles.