News | The Huck Institutes (en-US)

Increases in insomnia were followed by increased risk of movement and self-care disabilities, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development. Credit: Filmstax/Getty Images. All Rights Reserved.

Apr 17, 2025

Insomnia and sleep medication use connected to disability in older adults

Increases in insomnia were followed by increased risk of movement and self-care disabilities, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State.

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Apr 16, 2025

Bridge funding available to address unexpected short-term gaps

The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences is currently offering limited, short-term “Bridge Funding” to address immediate and unexpected funding gaps impacting ongoing research projects.

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A new study used modern methods to reassess a foundational study in biology that explained how ecologically similar species of wood warblers coexist. The research team examined foraging behavior, physical characteristics, diet and evolutionary history of 13 warbler species, including the black-throated green warbler (Setophaga virens) pictured here, and found that how these songbirds coexist is more nuanced than originally proposed. Credit: Ronnie d'Entremont. All Rights Reserved.

Apr 16, 2025

Foraging on the wing: How can ecologically similar birds live together?

New study uses modern molecular and evolutionary techniques to reassess a foundational, 67-year-old study in warblers.

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The study found that increased salt content in tomato plants reduces fruitworm caterpillar feeding and limits the number of eggs that moths lay on these plants. Credit: Sahil Pawar. All Rights Reserved.

Apr 15, 2025

Feeling salty? Increased salt stress reduces tomato pest activity

Increased soil salinity can reduce damage from prominent tomato pests such as the tomato fruitworm, according to researchers at Penn State. They published their findings in the Journal of Plant, Cell and Environment.

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The four Penn State Goldwater Scholars are, clockwise from top left, Luc Schrauf, Elisabeth Groff, Zach Badinger and Megan von Abo. Credit: Provided. All Rights Reserved.

Apr 15, 2025

Four Penn State undergraduates earn Goldwater Scholarships

Four Penn State undergraduates were named Goldwater Scholars for 2025-26, based on their outstanding academic merit and research experience. Goldwater Scholars are selected for their potential as leaders in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.

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Apr 15, 2025

Immune system proteins involved in severe parasitic disease identified

New insights into the mechanisms that cause more severe cases of schistosomiasis — a disease caused by parasitic worms and second only to malaria in terms of potential harm — have been revealed by researchers at Penn State.

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Apr 14, 2025

Grozinger appointed to National Academies committee to study insect declines in North America

Huck Institutes director Christina Grozinger has been appointed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on the Status of Insects in North America.

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Apr 10, 2025

Graduating senior reflects on undergraduate research experiences at Penn State

Maria Lovallo is a Penn State undergrad from Spring Mills, PA, majoring in Microbiology with a minor in Plant Pathology & Environmental Microbiology. She is also a teaching assistant in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a member of the Huck Institutes’ One Health Microbiome Center.

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Apr 09, 2025

Complete genome sequences of six ape species unveiled

Differences among the DNA of seven ape species — including humans — are greater than originally thought, according to an international team led by researchers at Penn State, the National Human Genome Research Institute, and the University of Washington.

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Apr 09, 2025

Postdoctoral training series assists scholars seeking fellowships

Three free sessions cover funding mechanisms, strategies for crafting effective proposals, and feedback to strengthen current fellowship applications.

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