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A team led by researchers at Penn State including David Koslicki, associate professor of computer science and engineering and of biology, was recently awarded a five-year project by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Science to work on a project aiming to accelerate drug discovery, with the potential to treat rare diseases. The team seeks to improve NIH's Biomedical Data Translator, which is a network of computer interfaces that take biomedical research questions and provide fact-based responses. The above graph shows a high-level view of the Biomedical Data Translator functionality. Researchers input a question and the system, which includes knowledge bases of scientific research and literature from discoveries, works together to provide a response to the question. Credit: National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Science's Biomedical Data Translator Consortium. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 25, 2025

Translator for biomedical research aims to speed up patient care

$12.8M, five-year project brings together multiple institutions to improve and expand NIH Biomedical Data Translator

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The findings could be helpful to growers as they create management plans for their fields, according to the researchers. Credit: Waldemar/Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 21, 2025

Insecticides may contribute to bigger problems with certain weeds

Insecticides may help growers hoping to protect their crops from harmful insects, but they also may contribute to a larger amount of some weeds, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State.

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Three maps showing the spatial variation of the prevalence of undernutrition among children under the age of five in Uganda. Credit: Provided by Paddy Ssentongo. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 19, 2025

Rainfall and drought linked to childhood growth outcomes in Uganda

Rainfall and long-term water availability in a region before a woman becomes pregnant and during pregnancy predicted future growth outcomes of children in Uganda, according to new research led by a team from the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the Penn State College of Medicine.

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Penn State faculty speaking March 24 during the event “Research Scholarship and the Land Grant Mission: Why It Matters in Turbulent Times” include, clockwise from top left: Ray Block Jr., Brown-McCourtney Career Development Professor in the McCourtney Institute and associate professor of political science and of African American studies; Jennie Knies, University Libraries associate dean for Commonwealth Campus libraries; Erica Smithwick, distinguished professor of geography, director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute and associate director of the Institute of the Energy and the Environment; and Rebecca Waltz, University Libraries associate dean for learning and engagement. Credit: Provided by the speakers. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 19, 2025

Three deans co-host research scholarship and land grant impacts event March 24

Three Penn State deans are co-hosting an event focusing on role of the University as Pennsylvania’s land-grant institution, the similar role of U.S. land-grant universities and the impacts of scholarly research they produce.

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Researchers found that orally administered sevelamer — a dialysis drug — can bind off-target antibiotics, shown being injected into the arm here, in the gut. Off-target antibiotics, or antibiotics that end up in the body away from the point of infection, can contribute to bacteria evolving to develop antibiotic resistance. Credit: Provided by Amir Sheikhi. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 18, 2025

FDA-approved dialysis drug may help fight against antimicrobial resistance

The study, conducted in mice, revealed that sevelamer can successfully remove off-target antibiotics from the gut.

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People who ate pecans in lieu of their usual snacks demonstrated reductions in cholesterol linked to poorer heart health, according to a new study from researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences. Credit: SherShor/Getty Images. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 17, 2025

Replacing other snacks with pecans may improve cholesterol, diet quality

Switching daily snack foods to pecans improved cholesterol levels and enhanced overall diet quality, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences.

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A study conducted by Penn State entomologists evaluated the effectiveness of various insects in potentially controlling spotted lanternfly populations. Credit: Contributed photo. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 17, 2025

Natural insect predators may serve as allies in spotted lanternfly battle

Insect predators found in the United States could help keep spotted lanternfly populations in check while potentially reducing reliance on chemical control methods, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Penn State.

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‘Microbial Me’ brings the invisible world of microbes through visual art, showcasing the ecosystems on our skin through a series of agar sculptures displaying bacteria. By casting her own face and swabbing the bacteria, Monsoon encourages viewers to reflect on the microorganisms present on their own skin. Credit: Mellissa Monsoon. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 17, 2025

BioArtist Mellissa Monsoon to present 'Collaborating with Microbes'

The One Health Microbiome Center and College of Arts and Architecture are co-hosting three events as part of a multi-year SciArt collaboration.

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Aditya Sapre, a doctoral student studying chemical engineering, participates in the 2024 Three Minute Thesis competition. Sapre would go on to take home first place at the Penn State competition last spring. Credit: Jillian Wesner / Fox Graduate School at Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Mar 17, 2025

Stage set for final round of Three Minute Thesis competition on March 29

Graduate students at Penn State will put their communication skills to the test in the final round of the University’s second annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. The event, hosted by the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School, is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, and will be livestreamed from the Nittany Lion Inn. The competition is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance.

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Mar 15, 2025

Ag Sciences research institute SAFES funds projects addressing critical issues

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, through its Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, known as SAFES, announced funding awards to accelerate the advancement of its Critical Issues Initiatives. These initiatives serve as the college’s impact hubs, addressing urgent and high-impact challenges through targeted efforts and innovative projects.

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