Latest News

June 6, 2024

Eleven interdisciplinary research teams have been awarded funding through Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment’s Seed Grant Program for 2024.

June 4, 2024

Feed costs for producing broiler chickens accounts for 60% to 70% of total production costs, and stump waste from the production of button mushrooms comprises nearly 30% of total mushroom weight. Marrying the two has the potential to reduce both cost and waste, especially in Pennsylvania, which is a national leader in the production of broiler chickens and button mushrooms. To learn whether the two are compatible, a team of Penn State researchers conducted a new study to determine how supplementing the feed of broilers with mushroom stump waste affected the growth and health of the chickens.

June 3, 2024

A new study by Penn State researchers has found that using not one but multiple pest treatments may help honey bees survive the winter and make it to spring.

June 3, 2024

With the support of a seed grant from the Living Multifunctional Materials Collaborative Seed Grant Program through the Convergence Center for Living Multifunctional Material Systems at Penn State, an interdisciplinary Penn State team is working with researchers at the University of Freiburg in Germany to explore the durability and strength of sustainable 3D-printed building components made with mycelium, the root of fungus. 

June 3, 2024

With the support of a seed grant from the Materials Research Institute, an interdisciplinary Penn State team is working with researchers at the University of Freiburg in Germany to explore the durability and strength of sustainable 3D-printed building components made with mycelium, the root of fungus. 

May 24, 2024

Teachers and other child educators can benefit from regular professional development, but in-person training can be expensive. In a new study, researchers at Penn State and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that virtual training can be a budget-friendly alternative — and especially effective for certain groups of educators.

May 23, 2024

A faculty member in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences has been named recipient of Research.com’s Plant Science and Agronomy Leader Award for 2024 and is included in the academic platform’s 2024 Ranking of Best Scientists in the Field of Plant Science and Agronomy.

May 22, 2024

Research led by scientists at Penn State's One Health Microbiome Center have found that metformin, a drug commonly used to treat Type 2 diabetes, has impacts on fungal elements of the human gut microbiome.

May 21, 2024

Attendees from within and beyond the University recently convened at Penn State for the Technologies for Agriculture and Living Systems Symposium, where they had the opportunity to learn about current research, share ideas for collaboration, and grow networks.

May 21, 2024

The Sustainable Labs Program provides educational support and networking opportunities to labs across Penn State, helping them implement changes to become more energy and resource efficient. Actions taken by participating labs are estimated to result in over $155,000 in savings for the University and reduce about 490 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

May 21, 2024

Four projects were recently awarded Penn State Commercialization GAP funding. The GAP Fund, formerly known as the Fund for Innovation, aims to accelerate the development of promising research across the University by closing the funding gaps between proof-of-concept research and readiness for commercialization.  

May 16, 2024

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle for the first time in the United States in March, with nine states reporting outbreaks by May. While the method of transmission among cattle is currently unknown, new research published in Nature Communications demonstrates that a related strain of H5N1, subtype clade 2.3.4.4b, which caused an outbreak in farmed mink in 2022, could transmit through the air to a limited number of ferrets. This is the first time that a member of the group of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses has been shown to exhibit this ability. According to the Penn State researchers who led the study, the findings suggest these viruses are evolving to infect mammals and with potentially increased risk to humans.

May 14, 2024

"Research Art Collection," is on display in the Office of Senior Vice President for Research on the third floor in Old Main at University Park. The exhibit showcases the art of research and the research of art and is open to the public. 

May 9, 2024

A team led by Penn State researchers reviewed studies from the past 30 years to examine whether climate change is causing people to migrate out of the Arctic — or if, and why, they’re deciding to stay. They found that while individuals are not yet relocating due to climate change, at least one whole community has.

May 9, 2024

Two pollinator experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences discuss No Mow May and whether there's a better alternative to help support pollinators and biodiversity.

May 6, 2024

A research team in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has received a grant of nearly $1 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to fund a novel project investigating the molecular and physiological processes that support corn kernel development.

May 3, 2024

The invasive insect emerald ash borer is killing ash trees at an unprecedented rate in the United States, and now five North American species of ash are considered critically endangered, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. But a small percentage are surviving, and research by Forest Service scientists suggests that those trees may hold the key for saving the species. In an effort to unlock the answer, researchers in the Louis W. Schatz Center for Tree Molecular Genetics at Penn State are working with The Nature Conservancy and the USDA Forest Service to conduct genomic analysis of range-wide collections of green ash, white ash and black ash.

May 3, 2024

How well bees tolerate temperature extremes could determine their ability to persist in a changing climate. But heat tolerance varies between and within populations, so a research team led by Penn State entomologists examined bee physical traits — such as sex differences in body mass — to understand how these traits interact with environmental conditions, pathogens and other factors.

April 29, 2024

For most people, biting into a lemon would leave them puckered up and desperate to lose that sour flavor, but a new study by Penn State researchers revealed that roughly one in eight adults like intensely sour sensations. The cross-cultural study, recently published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, demonstrated there is a subset of “sour likers” who enjoy exceptionally sour foods.

April 29, 2024

Catching fireflies is an iconic summer experience for many people living in North America, but the flickering beetles are on the decline. A new study by a team that includes Penn State researchers has identified factors that may be contributing to declining populations.

April 22, 2024

New research from an international team, including a Penn State researcher, demonstrates — for the first time — the use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in kissing bugs and opens the door to research on applied strategies for Chagas disease control.

April 22, 2024

States that are associated with signature varietals of wine can realize an economic benefit — some examples are regions in California linked with zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, Oregon with pinot noir and the Finger Lakes region of New York with riesling. Now, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that a wine grape called grüner veltliner could potentially do the same for  Pennsylvania.

April 22, 2024

Stormwater runoff has become one of the leading causes of water pollution in urban environments, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, due to years of cities implementing “gray” infrastructure. Stuart Echols, associate professor of landscape architecture in the Stuckeman School, is working to rectify this with the support of the recently awarded 2024 Stuckeman Fund for Collaborative Design Research Grant for $50,000 over the course of two years.

April 18, 2024

Six Penn State faculty members in areas ranging from neuropharmacology to computer architecture have been elected to the 2023 cohort of fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. This year, AAAS recognized a total of 502 scientists, engineers and innovators with this lifetime honor, bestowed by their peers, for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements.

April 18, 2024

Penn State Climate Consortium announced 11 workshops designed to create and implement climate change solutions through its Climate Solutions Accelerator program.

April 17, 2024

A new study highlights the effects climate change may have on children and social support systems in Africa, a question that has received relatively little attention from researchers and the policy community.

April 16, 2024

An agricultural engineer in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences is embarking on research to explore using plant-based materials for 3D printing, thanks to support from the U.S. National Science Foundation.

April 16, 2024

High-tunnel growing systems, sometimes called hoophouses, have gained popularity for their ability to enhance growth conditions and extend the growing season of horticultural crops. Now, a team led by Penn State researchers has demonstrated that growers can select various plastic film coverings on the structures — depending on their desired light-filtering properties — to protect plants and enhance their health.

April 12, 2024

Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly serious threat for public health, and the use of antimicrobials in livestock feed has been a major contributing factor in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance to many drugs, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Led by Erika Ganda, assistant professor of food animal microbiomes, a Penn State research team conducted a study of natural feed additives that are promising alternatives to substitute for antimicrobial growth promoters.