Nina Jenkins

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Bedbugs beware: New research may beat back bedbug epidemic

3/22/17

A new biopesticide developed by Penn State scientists has the potential to turn the bedbug control market on its ear, thanks to a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem taking root at Penn State that’s helping to push crucial discoveries out of the laboratory and into the marketplace.

Close up Bedbugs jar

Biopesticide could defeat insecticide resistance in bedbugs

3/22/17

A fungal biopesticide that shows promise for the control of bedbugs is highly effective even against bedbug populations that are insecticide resistant, according to research conducted by scientists at Penn State and North Carolina State universities. The study suggests that Aprehend, a mycoinsecticide developed at Penn State, likely will provide an important new tool for managing bedbug infestations, which have surged in recent years.

ascent Bio-Nano

Ben Franklin's TechCelerator turns promising research into startups with promise

8/20/14

Two years ago, the entrepreneurial landscape at University Park looked markedly different than it does today. There were 28 fewer startup companies in existence, 70 jobs had yet to be created, $1.3 million in revenue had not been generated, five spots in the business incubator in Innovation Park were still vacant, and 18 research projects at Penn State were not commercialized. Ben Franklin Technology Partners helped to change that.

Dead bed bug

Natural fungus may provide effective bedbug control

11/20/12

"And don't let the bedbugs bite" is no longer a harmless adage. In reality today, these bloodthirsty bugs infest thousands of homes. Increased travel, widespread insecticide resistance and changes in management practices have caused a resurgence in those insects throughout North America and Europe. Compounding the problem are concerns about the safety of using traditional chemicals in the domestic environment. According to a team of Penn State entomologists, biopesticides -- naturally occurring microorganisms -- might provide an answer to this pest problem.