Battling disease with ultraviolet light

May 26, 2020

Bill Bahnfleth, co-principal investigator (PI) and professor of architectural engineering, is joining co-PI Suresh Kuchipudi, clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, to study the ability of optical radiation to disinfect surfaces and reduce transmission of viruses.

New institute to help address complex food-energy-water-land challenges

May 20, 2020

The seed for Penn State’s Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science was planted well before the COVID-19 outbreak. The concept had been growing in the College of Agricultural Sciences for about two years when the pandemic emerged.

StoryMap project shines light on Pennsylvania's vulnerable communities

May 18, 2020

Researchers in the Center for Economic and Community Development in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences have developed an online StoryMap, titled "Vulnerable Pennsylvanians in the Context of a Pandemic," that they hope will facilitate engagement and help communities become stronger in the wake of COVID-19.

Surviving Social Distancing

May 13, 2020

For many of us, especially older adults, one of the biggest challenges of COVID-19 is coping with the isolation that can result from social distancing. Matt Kaplan, an expert on intergenerational engagement, talks about how to connect—and why we should—even when we can't get together in person.

Plasma medicine research highlights antibacterial effects and potential uses

May 6, 2020

Researchers in Penn State’s College of Engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences and College of Medicine say direct LTP treatment and plasma-activated media are effective treatments against bacteria found in liquid cultures and have devised a way to create plasma directly in liquids.

Institute awards 32 computational and data sciences seed grants

May 6, 2020

The Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, in conjunction with several Penn State colleges, awarded more than $725,000 in seed grants to fund 32 new computational and data sciences projects. The 57 researchers involved in the awards represent 12 Penn State colleges and 31 academic departments.

Plants pass on 'memory' of stress to some progeny, making them more resilient

May 5, 2020

By manipulating the expression of one gene, geneticists can induce a form of “stress memory” in plants that is inherited by some progeny, giving them the potential for more vigorous, hardy and productive growth, according to Penn State researchers, who suggest the discovery has significant implications for plant breeding.

Malaria risk is highest in early evening, study finds

May 4, 2020

Wide-scale use of insecticide-treated bed nets has led to substantial declines in global incidences of malaria in recent years. As a result, mosquitos have been shifting their biting times to earlier in the evening and later in the morning. In a new study, an international team of researchers has found that mosquitoes are most likely to transmit malaria in the early evening, when people are exposed, then at midnight, when people are protected by bed nets, or in the morning. The findings may have implications for malaria prevention initiatives.

Warming Midwest conditions may result in corn, soybean production moving north

May 4, 2020

If warming continues unabated in the Midwest, in 50 years we can expect the best conditions for corn and soybean production to have shifted from Iowa and Illinois to Minnesota and the Dakotas, according to Penn State researchers.

'Feed the Future' grant to support women's empowerment research project in Ghana

May 1, 2020

A $450,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Peanut Research will aid researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences as they explore the potential to empower women farmers in northern Ghana through peanut production.

Study reveals important flowering plants for city-dwelling honey bees

April 28, 2020

Trees, shrubs and woody vines are among the top food sources for honey bees in urban environments, according to an international team of researchers. By using honey bees housed in rooftop apiaries in Philadelphia, the researchers identified the plant species from which the honey bees collected most of their food, and tracked how these food resources changed from spring to fall. The findings may be useful to homeowners, beekeepers and urban land managers who wish to sustain honey bees and other bee and pollinator species.

How do epidemics spread and persist before and after introduction of a vaccine?

April 27, 2020

In the most detailed study to date of epidemic spread, an international team of researchers has modeled measles dynamics based on over 40 years of data collected in England and Wales.

Gene-editing protocol for whitefly pest opens door to control

April 23, 2020

Whiteflies are among the most important agricultural pests in the world, yet they have been difficult to genetically manipulate and control, in part, because of their small size. An international team of researchers has overcome this roadblock by developing a CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing protocol that could lead to novel control methods for this devastating pest.

Research information outlines Pennsylvania specifics related to COVID-19

April 22, 2020

Many Pennsylvania residents are facing an increased risk for severe symptoms of the novel coronavirus while having limited access to medical services, and policy briefs from Penn State’s Pennsylvania Population Network (PPN) demonstrate why.

Common soil fungus could be ally in organic corn growers' fight against pests

April 22, 2020

A common soil fungus might be enlisted as a powerful partner by corn producers to suppress pests and promote plant growth, according to Penn State researchers, who suggest promoting the fungus could be an especially valuable strategy for organic growers who struggle with insect control.

Penn State engineer aims to tackle COVID-19 from two angles

April 20, 2020

To combat COVID-19 in both the treatment and testing arenas, Yong Wang, Penn State professor of biomedical engineering, has received two grants from the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences COVID-19 multi-institute seed grant fund.

For small and minority farmers, networks influence the bottom line

April 20, 2020

In a study looking at the social networks of small-scale and minority specialty-crop farmers in Tennessee, Maryland, and Delaware, farmers who played a more prominent role in their network reported greater sales. The findings can help farming groups and agricultural support organizations leverage networks to enhance the farmers’ success.

Penn State researchers find significant economic losses due to soybean diseases

April 16, 2020

Economic losses due to soybean diseases in the United States from 1996 to 2016 amounted to more than $95 billion, according to a team of researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences who examined the long-term impact of soybean diseases on production in the U.S.

Penn State researchers evaluating Twitter data during pandemic

April 16, 2020

By collecting global Twitter data from the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Penn State researchers developed a dashboard that tracks geotagged tweets to allow the opportunity for researchers and policymakers to assess public reactions to the pandemic.

Seed grants jump-start 47 interdisciplinary teams to conduct COVID-19 research

April 14, 2020

With speed and ingenuity, more than 100 researchers across Penn State are shifting their research programs to address the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to funding from a seed grant initiative led by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. In total, the initiative awarded $2.25 million to 47 teams of researchers from three campuses, eight colleges and more than 25 departments.

Animals should not pose coronavirus threat to pet owners, farmers

April 13, 2020

Farmers and pet owners who may be concerned that they can contract COVID-19 from domestic animals — such as livestock, dogs and cats — have little to worry about, according to a virologist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Fruit may mask taste of dark green vegetables in commercial baby foods

April 9, 2020

Commercially prepared baby foods that purport to be loaded with dark green vegetables are sweetened with fruit puree and often don’t contain a high percentage of dark green vegetable content, according to a team of researchers. The resulting lack of dark green vegetable taste matters, said team leader John Hayes, associate professor of food science at Penn State.

Potential link between COVID-19 and loss of smell, taste to be explored

April 1, 2020

When Caela Camazine realized that she had suddenly lost her ability to taste and smell on March 17, she thought it was “really weird” because she was not congested.

Organic soybean producers can be competitive using little or no tillage

March 30, 2020

Organic soybean producers using no-till and reduced-tillage production methods that incorporate cover crops — strategies that protect soil health and water quality — can achieve similar yields at competitive costs compared to tillage-based production.

Researchers mobilize to study COVID-19 from multiple angles

March 26, 2020

As COVID-19 spreads throughout the world, researchers across Penn State are searching for solutions that may save lives, thanks to a multi-institute seed-grant fund. On March 3, these institutes, led by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, launched a lightning-quick  call for research proposals  aimed at funding research with the potential to significantly and rapidly improve human health outcomes. So far, researchers in 21 departments and across seven colleges have been awarded $1.2 million. New proposals will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27.

Health services and programs being used by post-9/11 veterans

March 25, 2020

A new Penn State-led study found that veterans from the most junior enlisted ranks who screened positive for a mental health problem were significantly less likely to use a healthcare program of any kind.

New study identifies which veterans are using programs to gain employment

March 23, 2020

Compared to veterans of other wars, those who have served since 9/11 have the highest unemployment rate, particularly among young male veterans, according to researchers at Penn State.

Pesticide seed coatings are widespread but underreported

March 17, 2020

Pesticide-coated seeds — such as neonicotinoids, many of which are highly toxic to both pest and beneficial insects — are increasingly used in the major field crops, but are underreported, in part, because farmers often do not know what pesticides are on their seeds, according to an international team of researchers. The lack of data may complicate efforts to evaluate the value of different pest management strategies, while also protecting human health and the environment.

High oleic acid soybeans offer benefits to dairy cows, farmers, research shows

March 17, 2020

Roasted soybeans are a common ingredient in the diets of Pennsylvania dairy cows because they are a great source of fat and protein — including protein that escapes the rumen. Farm-grown and locally available soybeans and on-farm or local roasting make soybeans an economical ingredient in many situations.

'Sustainable intensification' of cropping systems good for farmers, environment

March 12, 2020

By diversifying their crop rotations to create conditions that promote beneficial, predatory insects to combat pests, farmers can reduce their reliance on insecticides to control early-season crop pests, such as caterpillars, and still produce competitive yields of corn and soybeans.

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802-2600

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802-2600