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Rachel Chang

Rachel Chang named spring 2013 Eberly College of Science student marshal

4/16/13

Rachel W. Chang of Haverford, Pa., will be honored as the student marshal for the Eberly College of Science during Penn State's spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 4. Chang's faculty escort for the commencement exercises will be Aimin Liu, an associate professor of biology.

David Wineland

Heard on Campus: David Wineland, winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics

4/12/13

David Wineland, winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, gave the 2013 Eberly Family Distinguished Lecture in Science on April 11 in the HUB-Robeson Auditorium on the University Park campus. Wineland is known for his research on the world's most accurate atomic clocks. These clocks use ions -- electrically charged atoms -- as a super-accurate way of keeping time. More information is online at science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2013-news/Eberly3-2013.

Charles Lawrence

Charles Lawrence to present Marker Lectures in Astronomy and Astrophysics

4/11/13

Charles Lawrence, senior research scientist and principal scientist at the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will present the Russell Marker Lectures in Astronomy and Astrophysics on April 22, 24 and 25, at the Penn State University Park campus. The lecture series includes a presentation intended for a general audience, "Measuring the Universe," which will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, in 101 Thomas Building.

Science Seminars: April 15 to 21

4/10/13

MONDAY, APRIL 15

"Invisibility and Retro-Reflection in Billiards," Alexandre Plakhov, University of Aveiro (Portugal) and Institute for Information Transmission Problems (Russia), 3:35 p.m., 114 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (814-865-7527).
"Mining Soil Metagenomes for Meeting," Jim Tiedje, Michigan State University, 3:35 p.m., 112 Buckhout Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology (814-865-3761).

Markus Ribbe

Stone Memorial Lecture set for April 15

4/10/13

Markus W. Ribbe, a professor of molecular biology, biochemistry and chemistry at the University of California at Irvine, will present the 2012-13 Stone Memorial Lecture at 4 p.m. Monday, April 15, in 101 Althouse Laboratory at Penn State. This free public lecture, titled "Nitrogenase Mechanism and Applications," is sponsored by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Three men posing near molecular-beam epitaxy machinery

Penn State researching ways to improve computer speed, efficiency

4/9/13

Nitin Samarth, Penn State professor of physics, is trying to speed up tomorrow's computers while keeping them from overheating. The solution he is working on is to develop new materials for radically new and super-fast kinds of transistors that rely on magnetism, instead of on the flow of electrons. This new way of computing is called "spintronics."

hand holding a square of flexible-circuit film

Flexible electronics could transform the way we make and use electronic devices

4/8/13

It may sound like an interesting laboratory curiosity, but researchers hope to print flexible electronics on plastic film the same way we print ink on newspapers. In October 2011, Penn State began a multi-year research project in flexible electronics with Dow Chemical Corporation. Scientists at the University's Materials Research Institute who are investigating this field's potential -- and its challenges -- explain their work.

Composite of a supernova's remnants

White-dwarf star, blown apart in 1604, now reveals new secrets

4/8/13

New detections of X-rays from a white-dwarf star that exploded as a supernova in 1604 will help astronomers to better understand the important class of stars known as "Ia supernovae," which are used to probe the distant universe. David Burrows, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State, is a member of the research team that made the discovery.

Dan Vergano

Heard on Campus: Dan Vergano, senior USA Today science reporter

4/8/13

"There are only 12 environmental reporters at the top five newspapers in the country. The professionalism of the science-writing profession is being compromised because science reporters are being forced out of staff positions and into freelancing. How are we going to deliver science news if we don't have science reporters? Is it good enough if we just give people pictures of giant squid?"

-- Dan Vergano, senior science writer for USA Today and 1990 Penn State aerospace engineering alumnus, who gave the 2013 A. Dixon and Betty F. Johnson Lecture in Scientific Communication on April 6 in Thomas Building on Penn State's University Park Campus.

Abstract blotch comprising thousands of lines connected by dots, in green and red

Anti-vaccination tweets spread more easily than positive tweets, study suggests

4/4/13

On Twitter, a popular microblogging and social-networking service, statements about vaccines may have unexpected effects -- positive messages may backfire, according to a team of Penn State researchers led by Marcel Salathé, an assistant professor of biology. The team tracked the pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine messages to which Twitter users were exposed and then observed how those users expressed their own sentiments about a new vaccine for combating influenza H1N1 -- a virus strain responsible for swine flu. The results, which may help health officials improve strategies for vaccination-awareness efforts, are published in the journal EPJ Data Science.

Science Seminars: April 8 to 14

4/4/13

MONDAY, APRIL 8

"Turning Over Tracks: Stochastic Dynamics of Actin Filaments in Living Plant Cells," Christopher Staiger, Purdue University, 12:10 p.m., 108 Wartik Laboratory, host: Ying Gu, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Plant Biology (814-867-3827).
“Proton Radius Puzzle,” Michael Eides, University of Kentucky, 3:30 p.m., 339 Davey Lab, Host: Kurt Gibble, Department of Physics (814-863-5343).

Composite showing four sets of chromosomes, each with different areas highlighted in glowing green or pink

Autism linked to increased genetic change in regions of genome instability

4/3/13

Children with autism have increased levels of genetic change in regions of the genome prone to DNA rearrangements, so-called "hotspots," according to a research discovery to be published in the print edition of the journal Human Molecular Genetics. The research indicates that these genetic changes come in the form of an excess of duplicated DNA segments in hotspot regions and may affect the chances that a child will develop autism -- a behavioral disorder that affects about 1 of every 88 children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The research collaboration was led by a team from Penn State's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Studevent, Hadlock, Winiarski, Chang, Carrier named 2013 Oswald Award winners

4/2/13

Five Penn State students in their respective areas of leadership have been honored with the 2013 John W. Oswald Award. Gizelle Studevent is the recipient in the field of athletics; John Hadlock, creative/performing arts; Kristin Winiarski, journalism; Rachel Chang, representing scholarship; and Bridgette Carrier, social services. The John W. Oswald Award, established in 1983, annually recognizes graduating seniors who have provided outstanding leadership in at least one of several areas of activity at the University. The award consists of a medallion honoring John W. Oswald, president of the University from 1970 to 1983.

A clamp loader represented, for illustrative purposes, by a hand, which is loading the sliding clamp ring onto DNA.

Crucial step in human DNA replication observed using fluorescent tags

4/2/13

For the first time, an elusive step in the process of human DNA replication has been demystified by scientists at Penn State. According to senior author Stephen J. Benkovic, an Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry at Penn State, the scientists "discovered how a key step in human DNA replication is performed." The results of the research was published today (April 2) in the journal eLife.

Howard, Jacobs honored with Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship awards

4/1/13

Penn State undergraduate students Michael Howard and Nathan Jacobs each have been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship for the current academic year. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, honoring the late U.S. Senator, is a highly prestigious and competitive honor awarded annually to no more than 300 undergraduate students nationwide who excel in science, mathematics and engineering. Students must be nominated by faculty at their colleges and universities to be considered for the award.

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female student crossing police line at mock crime scene

Probing Question: Do women dominate the field of forensic science?

5/7/13

Exhuming corpses, analyzing bloodstained clothing, collecting "crime scene insects" (yes, maggots)...these are some of the grittier realities of life as a forensic scientist. Yet defying the stereotype that females tend to be squeamish about such things, an entire generation of young women have become entranced by the profession. In fact, they've pursued this career in such numbers that—unlike almost every other scientific discipline—one could argue that the booming field of forensic science is a female domain.

Biting the Plant that Feeds You

9/1/98

She's part pilgrim and part vampire, purplish black and pear-shaped. Moments after her April birth, the aphid creeps along the smooth witch hazel leaf until she finds a suitable intersection of veins. She thrusts her needle mouth into the junction and begins to feed, sucking the sweet sap from the plant.

Glowing blue string-like shapes on a black background

New kind of antibiotic may be more effective against tuberculosis, anthrax

6/3/13

Diseases such as tuberculosis, anthrax, and shigellosis -- a severe food-borne illness -- eventually could be treated with an entirely new and more-effective kind of antibiotic, thanks to a team of scientists led by Kenneth Keiler, an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State. The team describes 46 previously untested molecules that target and disrupt an important step in the process of protein synthesis in bacteria, thereby making the bacteria incapable of replicating. This important step, known as "trans-translation," is a quality-control mechanism that is found in all species of bacteria. More information is online at science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2013-news/Keiler5-2013.

Science Seminars: June 24 to 30

6/19/13

MONDAY, JUNE 24
None

TUESDAY, JUNE 25
"Transcriptional Regulation of the Human Microsomal Epoxide Hydrolase Gene (EPHX1) Driven by a Far Upstream Alternative Promoter," Zhengzhong Su, Penn State, 9 a.m., 301D Life Sciences Building, adviser: Curtis Omiecinski, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences (814-863-6140).

dozens of black and gray smudgy circles on a white background

Nanoparticle opens the door to clean-energy alternatives

6/13/13

Cheaper clean-energy technologies could be made possible thanks to a new discovery. Research team members led by Raymond Schaak, a professor of chemistry at Penn State, have found that an important chemical reaction that generates hydrogen from water is effectively triggered -- or catalyzed -- by a nanoparticle made of nickel and phosphorus, two inexpensive elements that are abundant on Earth. The results of the research will be published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. More details and two photos are online at http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2013-news/Schaak6-2013 .

Microscope view: stem cells reprogrammed from adult skin cells (red blobs), morphing into human brain cells (green blobs)

Reprogrammed cells a new tool in researching Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, autism

6/6/13

Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, autism and other difficult-to-study diseases now can be probed more safely and effectively thanks to an innovative new method for obtaining mature brain cells from reprogrammed skin cells. The method was developed by a research team led by Gong Chen at Penn State. "The most exciting part of this research is that it offers the promise of direct disease modeling by the creation, in a Petri dish, of mature human neurons that behave a lot like the neurons that grow naturally in the human brain," said Chen, a professor of biology and the Verne M. Willaman Chair in Life Sciences at Penn State.

Science Seminars: June 10 to 17

6/5/13

Science Seminars for the week of June 10 are:
Monday, June 10
"Functional and Evolutionary Genomics of Plant Small RNAs," Zhaorong Ma, Penn State, 9 a.m., 519 Wartik Laboratory, adviser: Michael Axtell, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences (814-867-0241).

Thursday, June 13
"Roles of HDGF2 and OKL38 in Cell Growth, Apoptosis and DNA Damage Response," Jing Hu, Penn State, 9:30 a.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Yanming Wang, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (814-865-3775).

Debashis Ghosh

American Public Health Association honors Debashis Ghosh

5/31/13

Debashis Ghosh, a professor of statistics at Penn State University, has been honored with the Mortimer Spiegelman Award of the American Public Health Association. The award will be presented at a meeting of the American Public Health Association later this year.

One of the densest objects in the universe, a neutron star about 10,000 light years from Earth, has been discovered suddenly putting the brakes on its spinning speed.

Super-dense star is first ever found suddenly slowing its spin

5/29/13

One of the densest objects in the universe, a neutron star about 10,000 light years from Earth, has been discovered suddenly putting the brakes on its spinning speed. The event is a mystery that holds important clues for understanding how matter reacts when it is squeezed more tightly than the density of an atomic nucleus -- a state that no laboratory on Earth has achieved.

Professor C.R. Rao

State University of New York recognizes Rao with honorary degree

5/23/13

Penn State's C.R. Rao, Emeritus Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Statistics, long recognized as one of the world's top statisticians, has been awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the State University of New York. He received the degree at the 167th commencement of the University at Buffalo earlier this year.