Home > News and Events > Research News

Research Press Release Archive

Main Content

A multi-page list of all research press releases since 1997

Unprecedented screen of 500,000 compounds reveals new candidates for malaria prevention drug: 06 December 2018 — More than 600 promising new antimalarial drug candidates that inhibit the malaria parasite at an earlier stage in its lifecycle than most current drugs have been identified from a screen of over 500,000 chemical compounds.
Corals and their microbiomes evolved together: 29 November 2018 — Corals and the microorganisms they host have evolved together for hundreds of millions of years. Understanding this long-term relationship could add fresh insight to the fight to save the Earth’s embattled coral reefs.
Lizards quickly adapt to threat from invasive fire ants, reversing geographical patterns of lizard traits : 29 November 2018 — Some lizards in the eastern U.S. have adapted to invasive fire ants—which can bite, sting, and kill lizards—reversing geographical trends in behavioral and physical traits used to avoid predators.
Traffic noise stresses out frogs, but some have adapted: 21 November 2018 — Frogs from noisy ponds near highways have altered stress and immune profiles compared to frogs from more quiet ponds—changes that reduce the negative effects of traffic noise on the amphibians.
DNA structure impacts rate and accuracy of DNA synthesis: 13 November 2018 — DNA sequences with the potential to form unusual conformations, which are frequently associated with cancer and neurological diseases, can in fact slow down or speed up the DNA synthesis process and cause more or fewer sequencing errors.
New gene therapy reprograms brain glial cells into neurons: 13 November 2018 — A new gene therapy can turn certain brain glial cells into functioning neurons, which in turn could help repair the brain after a stroke or during neurological disorders like Alzheimer's or Parkinson’s diseases.
Penn State set to lead on new exoplanet science priorities: 07 November 2018 — A report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine sets the stage for Penn State's Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds to expand its role in NASA's exoplanetary science initiatives
Hot temperatures can trigger an RNA response in plants: 05 November 2018 — The stress of hotter temperatures may trigger a response in a plant's RNA -- part of a cell's genetic messaging system -- to help manage this change in its environment, according to a team of Penn State researchers.
Pathogens may evade immune response with metal-free enzyme required for DNA replication: 18 October 2018 — New study shows that some bacterial pathogens, including those that cause strep throat and pneumonia, are able to create the components necessary to replicate their DNA using a ribonucleotide reductase enzyme that does not require a metal ion cofactor.
New NSF-funded ultrafast microscopy laboratory to support research of 2D materials: 15 October 2018 — The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $1.4 million to a team of Penn State scientists led by John Asbury, associated professor of chemistry, to develop a new laboratory at Penn State with ultra-fast microscopes that will provide a high-resolution look at two-dimensional materials.
Giraffe babies inherit spot patterns from their mothers: 02 October 2018 — Some features of a giraffe’s spot pattern are passed on from mother to baby, according to a new study led by researchers from Penn State.
Shake, Rattle, and Roll to High Efficiency Photovoltaics: 27 September 2018 — New insight into how a certain class of photovoltaic materials allows efficient conversion of sunlight into electricity could set up these materials to replace traditional silicon solar cells.
Lab Bench to Commercialization 2018–19 grant recipients announced: 25 September 2018 — Three faculty members will receive $75,000 each toward commercializing intellectual property
A naturally occurring antibiotic active against drug-resistant tuberculosis: 20 September 2018 — A naturally occurring antibiotic called kanglemycin A is effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, even in drug-resistant strains
Young children’s oral bacteria may predict obesity: 19 September 2018 — Weight gain in early childhood is related to the composition of oral bacteria of two-year-old children, suggesting that this understudied aspect of a child’s microbiota -- the collection of microorganisms residing in the mouth -- could serve as an early indicator for childhood obesity.
The surprising environment of an enigmatic neutron star: 17 September 2018 — An unusual infrared emission detected by the Hubble Space Telescope from a nearby neutron star could indicate that the pulsar has features never before seen. The observation could help astronomers better understand the evolution of neutron stars.
Coral bleaching increases disease risk in threatened species: 11 September 2018 — Researchers highlight the need to increase genetic diversity among staghorn corals to prevent further loss in the Florida Reef Tract
Family genetic background vital for understanding progression of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders: 07 September 2018 — Whether an individual develops a neurodevelopmental disorder like autism or ADHD, and the severity of that disorder, depends on genetic changes beyond a single supposedly disease-causing mutation. A new study led by researchers at Penn State reveals that the total amount of rare mutations—deletions, duplications, or other changes to the DNA sequence—in a person’s genome can explain why individuals with a disease-associated mutation can have vastly different symptoms.
Could a demon help to create a quantum computer? Physicists implement a version of Maxwell's famous thought experiment for reducing entropy: 05 September 2018 — Reduced entropy in a three-dimensional lattice of super-cooled, laser-trapped atoms could help speed progress toward creating quantum computers.
Water worlds could have stable climate, perhaps support life, study says: 31 August 2018 — “Water world” planets, those covered with a deep global ocean, could maintain surface conditions similar to that of the Earth for over a billion years.