News

NIH Trainees Juan Cerda and Catherine Douds Receive NSF-GRFP Honorable Mentions

Juan Cerda and Catherine Douds, both members of NIH-sponsored training programs overseen by the Huck Institutes, were recognized for their promising research ideas.

Bootcamp for Science Entrepreneurs To Run May 13-17

"The Business of Science" is a week-long opportunity for grad students and postdocs considering nontraditional careers. Applicants must register by April 29, 2019.

Feiyue Lu Wins Simpson Award for Innovative Research

MCIBS student Feiyue Lu's research into RNA in Drosophila flies was recognized for its complexity, scope, and difficulty.

Alex Weiner receiving his award

Five Huck Researchers Among Winners at Grad Student Awards

A quintet of Huck doctoral candidates were recognized for excellence in their studies and collaborations within and outside of Penn State.

New SCATTIRSTORM microscope could improve bioenergy production

The construction of a new multimodal optical microscope, SCATTIRSTORM, that could enable more efficient bioenergy production, is the focus of a three-year, $1.5 million, U.S. Department of Energy grant awarded to three Penn State researchers.

“The Ccr4-Not complex is involved in nearly every step of this process from start to finish," said Reese. "Our new research shows that this complex has an additional function that helps maintain normal cellular function when something goes wrong during transcription.”  During the transcription of RNA from DNA, RNAPII — itself a large complex made up of multiple protein subunits — travels along the strand of DNA reading the ATCG sequence and producing a complementary strand of RNA. If the RNAPII encounters DNA damage, which can be caused by UV radiation and other sources, it can become stuck and prevent

Unjamming the genome after DNA damage

A protein complex that is involved in nearly every step in the regulatory control of gene expression in cells has now been shown also to play a key role in clearing potential traffic jams in the production of RNA.

Insect-deterring sorghum compounds may be eco-friendly pesticide

Compounds produced by sorghum plants to defend against insect feeding could be isolated, synthesized and used as a targeted, nontoxic insect deterrent, according to researchers who studied plant-insect interactions that included field, greenhouse and laboratory components.

A young female Little Red Flying Fox at Baldwin Swamp Environment Park in Queensland, Australia. A new grant will allow an international team of researchers to study bat-borne viruses that have recently made the jump to humans. IMAGE: MEL CHRISTI

Project to prevent bat-borne diseases receives $10 million funding

In an effort to prevent the spread of some of the world's most lethal diseases, an international research team spanning five continents and including scientists from Penn State will study bats in Australia, Bangladesh, Madagascar and Ghana.

Katriona Shea, alumni professor of biology in the Eberly College of Science at Penn State.  IMAGE: PENN STATE

Shea recognized with 2019 Palmer Faculty Mentoring Award

Katriona Shea, alumni professor of biology in the Eberly College of Science, is the recipient of Penn State's 2019 Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentoring Award. The award honors and recognizes outstanding achievement by a faculty member with at least five years of service who effectively guides junior faculty.

Michael Axtell Among Five Receiving Faculty Scholar Medals

Five Penn State faculty members have received 2019 Faculty Scholar Medals for Outstanding Achievement for excellence in scholarship, research and the arts.