News | The Huck Institutes (en-US)

Scott Selleck, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State, studies neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in hopes of finding a way to stop their progression. Credit: Michelle Bixby/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 25, 2025

Q&A: The quest to halt neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and in this Q&A, Selleck talked about how he’s working to stop the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

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Members of the Shao Group, including, from left to right, Zhezheng Song, Tasfia Zahin, Mingfu Shao and Xiang Li, recently presented three papers at RECOMB, one of the top conferences in computational biology. Credit: Kate Myers/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 24, 2025

Q&A: How does computer science advance biology?

In this Q&A, Shao and Koslicki, who are affiliated with the Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics and the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Bioinformatics and Genomics in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, spoke about how computational tools are advancing molecular biology.

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Jun 24, 2025

Nutritional sciences faculty receive national recognition for research

Three Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences faculty members were recently recognized for their research contributions to the field with prestigious awards by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN).

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The study's findings could be used to help inform precision agriculture approaches to help conservation efforts, the researchers said. Credit: Freestocks/Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 24, 2025

Warmer spots within fields have more blooms and more bees

Climate can vary across large areas of land, but it also can vary within much smaller areas such as farms. A new study by researchers at Penn State examined whether these microclimates — the climate of a very small or restricted area — affect pollination by both wild and managed bees and resulting wild blueberry yields.

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More than 30 researchers from seven Penn State colleges received seed funding from the Institute of Energy and the Environment to advance innovative, early-stage work addressing critical energy and environmental challenges. Credit: Brenna Buck. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 24, 2025

Ten interdisciplinary research teams awarded IEE seed grants

Ten interdisciplinary research teams have received funding through the Institute of Energy and the Environment’s (IEE) 2025 Seed Grant Program.

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Teh-hui Kao, distinguished professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and chair of the plant biology intercollege graduate degree program, speaks with prospective students at a recruiting event on Jan. 19, 2024. Credit: Keith Hickey / Penn State. Creative Commons

Jun 23, 2025

Kao steps down as plant biology graduate program chair

Teh-hui Kao, distinguished professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, has stepped down as chair of the Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP) in Plant Biology after 26 years in the role.

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This herbicide-resistant pigweed was found growing in a Pennsylvania soybean field. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jun 23, 2025

Multistate herbicide-resistant weeds study aims to protect soybean crops

New grant will fund development of rapid testing to detect herbicide-resistant weeds in soybean fields; to gain a better understanding of plant mechanisms that contribute to resistance.

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Queen bees emit a pheromone that attracts worker bees — the queen's daughters — to her side. Credit: Sean Bresnahan. All Rights Reserved.

Jun 20, 2025

How a genetic tug-of-war decides the fate of a honey bee

Despite having identical genetic instructions, female honey bee larvae can develop into either long-lived reproductive queens or short-lived sterile workers who help rear their sisters rather than laying their own eggs. Now, an interdisciplinary team led by researchers at Penn State has uncovered the molecular mechanisms that control how the conflict between genes inherited from the father and the mother determine the larva’s fate.

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Study first author Kelly Kosiarski, graduate student in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, packs boxes with water testing kits to send to study participants. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jun 16, 2025

‘Forever chemicals’ detected in 65% of sampled private wells in Pennsylvania

Researchers find 18% of sampled wells have PFAS levels beyond drinking water standards; compounds detected most often, and in the highest concentrations, in wells in the southeastern part of the state.

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GAP funding provides principal investigators with essential support on technology commercialization, including intellectual property protection, go-to-market strategies, marketing assistance and connections to industry experts, along with feedback from industry professionals, investors and entrepreneurs. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Jun 13, 2025

Eight Penn State research commercialization projects awarded GAP funding

Eight research projects have been selected for support from the Penn State Commercialization GAP Fund. The GAP Fund is a competitive internal program designed to help promising technologies bridge the gap between academic research and industry adoption.

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