News

Autism linked to increased genetic change in regions of genome instability

Children with autism have increased levels of genetic change in regions of the genome prone to DNA rearrangements, so called "hotspots," according to a research discovery by a team of scientists that includes Huck Institutes affiliates Scott Selleck, Marylyn Ritchie, and Santhosh Girirajan.

Crucial step in human DNA replication observed using fluorescent tags

For the first time, an elusive step in the process of human DNA replication has been demystified by Penn State scientists including Huck Institutes affiliate Stephen J. Benkovic, an Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry at Penn State.

Bioinformatics and Genomics graduate student awarded NSF research fellowship

Ruowang Li has been awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his proposal to combine genomics, statistics, and machine learning in a multidisciplinary approach to studying genetic factors that influence cellular response to chemotherapy drugs.

Monosaturated fats reduce metabolic syndrome risk

Canola oil and high-oleic canola oils can lower abdominal fat when used in place of other selected oil blends, according to a team of American and Canadian researchers that includes Huck Institutes affiliate Penny Kris-Etherton.

Neuroscience graduate students awarded at annual Graduate Exhibition

Yurong Gao and Jonathan Harris placed third in the Health and Life Sciences category and the Social and Behavioral Sciences category, respectively, at the Exhibition held March 24, 2013.

Declaring a truce with our microbiological frienemies

Research by Huck Institutes affiliate Eric Harvill suggests that managing bacteria and other microorganisms in the body, rather than just fighting them, may be lead to better health and a stronger immune system.

Fighting fire with fire

Research by Huck Institutes affiliate Alan Taylor focuses on whether suppressing naturally occurring wildfires increases the possibility of their eventually becoming severe.

Endangered lemurs' complete genomes are sequenced and analyzed for conservation efforts

Scientists including Huck Institutes affiliates George Perry and Webb Miller lead a research team that for the first time has sequenced and analyzed the complete genomes of three separate populations of aye-ayes in an effort to help guide conservation.

Physiology graduate students awarded at annual Graduate Exhibition

Jin-Kwang (Dani) Kim and Darshan Trivedi placed second and third, respectively, in the Health & Life Sciences category at the Exhibition held March 24, 2013.

WHO grant will fund infectious disease research in Tanzania

With the help of a three-year grant from the World Health Organization's Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, scientists from the Huck Institutes will collaborate with the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology to investigate the impact of climate and land-use changes on infectious disease dynamics in Tanzania's Maasai Steppe.