News
Jul 21, 2013
Even zombies need an agent
While unraveling a dramatic case of mind control, biologist David Hughes brought the real science behind zombies to the big-screen Hollywood blockbuster "World War Z."
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Jul 21, 2013
Avocado farmers face unique foe in fungal-farming beetle
Beetles with unusual "green thumbs" for growing fungi are threatening avocado crops and could transform into a more destructive pest, according to an international team of researchers that includes Huck Institutes affiliate David Geiser.
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Jul 21, 2013
Mathematical models target disease with drugs chosen by your DNA
Medicines that are personally tailored to your DNA are becoming a reality, thanks to the work of U.S. and Chinese scientists including Huck Institutes affiliate Rongling Wu who have developed statistical models to predict which drug is best for a specific individual with a specific disease.
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Jul 15, 2013
Drought response identified in potential biofuel plant
Drought resistance is key to large-scale production of Jatropha, a potential biofuel plant, and an international group of scientists that includes Huck Institutes affiliate John Carlson has identified the first step toward engineering a hardier variety.
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Jul 10, 2013
Understanding bulls' gene-rich Y chromosomes may improve herd fertility
Researchers including Huck Institutes affiliate Wansheng Liu have found that, surprisingly, the Y chromosomes of cattle have more genes and are more active than the Y chromosomes of a variety of primates and other mammals.
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Jul 10, 2013
How does oil affect corals?
By the time a coral exposed to oil shows signs of sickness, it may already be close to death. That's why Huck Institutes affiliate Iliana Baums is investigating the use of molecular tools to detect signs of stress in corals before they become ill and to determine just how much oil is lethal to corals.
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Jul 10, 2013
Biologist investigates lasting ecological impacts of Deepwater Horizon oil spill
At the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, in the vicinity of the Macondo well, Huck Institutes affiliate Charles Fisher discovered previously unseen impacts on coral communities.
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Jul 08, 2013
When people go viral over plant viruses
While we tend to think of viruses as nasty germs that we try desperately to get rid of, only a small percentage of viruses are pathogens, said Huck Institutes affiliate Marilyn Roossinck in a recent presentation at the Millennium Cafe.
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Jul 08, 2013
Video data-sharing library for developmental science established
In the largest project of its kind, Databrary an open-source, web-based video-data-sharing library sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health is being created by an interdisciplinary team of scientists that includes Huck Institutes affiliate Rick Gilmore.
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Jun 30, 2013
Infectious disease research gets a boost from websites, blogs, and social media
While public health officials around the world are on alert about the pandemic potential of new disease threats, a team that includes Penn State University biologist Marcel Salathe is developing innovative new systems and techniques to track the spread of infectious diseases, with the help of news websites, blogs, and social media.
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