News

Oct 06, 2025

Penn State Center for Human Evolution and Diversity requests proposals for 2025-26 seed grants

The Penn State Center for Human Evolution and Diversity (CHED) is accepting seed grant proposals for the 2025–26 academic year to be submitted by Oct. 22.

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Charlene Shupp Espenshade, executive director of the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation, prepares to sample microgreens cultivated at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences during the college’s recent Legislative Research Tour. She is joined by graduate students Auja Bywater and Rishi Ravichandran. Credit: Sean Duke / Penn State. Creative Commons

Oct 02, 2025

College of Ag Sciences research tour explores connection between food, health

Government and industry stakeholders got a literal taste of the future of agriculture by sampling hydroponically grown greens at one of several presentations during the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences’ annual Legislative Research Tour, held Sept. 25 at the University Park campus.

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Oct 01, 2025

Penn State and Ghanaian researchers to host symposium, launch seed grant

The Penn State & Ghana Symposium: The Power of Partnership will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Millennium Science Complex, University Park. The symposium will feature short faculty talks highlighting existing Penn State-Ghana partnerships and opportunities for new collaborations. The event is free and open to the Penn State community.

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The International Union for Conservation of Nature is formally including all microbial life in its framework by establishing a Microbial Conservation Specialist Group (MCSG), that includes Penn State biologist Seth Bordenstein. Credit: CDC/Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Oct 01, 2025

New microorganism survival commission aims to fill critical conservation gap

Global group to examine potential extinction of microbes essential to planetary and human health.

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Researchers analyzed the genetic composition of 46 mammals, including lions, lemurs and porcupines, illustrated here. Credit: Provided by Yana Safanova . All Rights Reserved.

Sep 29, 2025

Population bottlenecks cause decline of mammals’ immunity, researchers find

Population bottlenecks caused by stark population loss due to illness or habitat destruction caused mammals’ disease immunity to decline, according to a new study led by computational biologists in the Penn State School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

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The team found that a number of populations of Xanthomonas and Pseudomonas bacteria were present on the plants that had developed a resistance against bacterial speck, suggesting they play a role in suppressing the disease. Credit: Dan Gol/Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Sep 29, 2025

New clues in how plant microbiomes protect against bacterial speck disease

Bacterial speck is a common disease affecting tomatoes that can result in lower yields for growers. A new study led by researchers at Penn State gives new clues on how a plant’s microbiome can be used to combat the pathogen.

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A new research network co-led by researchers at Penn State seeks to detect the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias years before symptoms emerge, in order to to reduce the personal and financial impacts of the disease. Credit: Getty Images - Milan2099. All Rights Reserved.

Sep 25, 2025

Penn State to co-lead national brain health and dementia prevention initiative

New network aims to advance early Alzheimer's detection through open-source digital tools and was made possible by a $39M grant from the National Institute on Aging.

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Mark Latash and Sayan Deep De Credit: Provided by Sayan Deep De. All Rights Reserved.

Sep 25, 2025

Q&A: How do humans control their bodies?

Research into the neurological and physical mechanisms that humans use to perform everyday tasks can reveal much — including who may be at a higher risk for Parkinson’s disease.

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Penn State doctoral students selected to participate in the Biotechnological and Integrative Opportunities in Microbiome Science doctoral training fellowship, from top left: Erika Biernbaum, Talon Jost, Paula Blanco Ortiz, Jie Feng, Natalie Ford, Jessica Gaydos, Ashley Ohstrom, Shane Connolly, Mackenna Yount, Yara Cavalcante Viera and Kathleen Culhane. Credit: Provided by fellows. All Rights Reserved.

Sep 23, 2025

One Health Microbiome Center awards 11 inaugural doctoral training fellows

Fellows represent the first cohort of the National Institutes of Health-supported doctoral training program in microbiome sciences and biotechnology.

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Mycelium of phytophthora palmivora, which can give rise to cacao black pod disease, grows from an agar plug, infecting a cacao leaf 48 hours after inoculation. Credit: Mark Guiltinan/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Sep 23, 2025

Gene editing, traditional crossbreeding produce disease-resistant cacao plants

Novel approach could revolutionize sustainable chocolate production while addressing global food security, researchers report.

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