Eberly College of Science

Department of Biology

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Small brown frog on a branch next to a mushroom

Ecological cold case: Solving decades-old mystery of disappearing frogs

October 20, 2026

Illusration of a sturgeon and a reconstruction of the fossil fish, Tiktaalik.

Why did animals evolve necks? Study reveals it wasn’t for turning their heads

October 20, 2026

Lance Lian, smiling warmly at the camera, stands outdoors in front of a tree.

Engineers at Penn State contribute to national $20M liver bioprinting project

October 15, 2026

Chad Brunswick points to computer screen while Janine Kwapis looks on

NIH grant to fund research on how aging affects long-term memory

October 05, 2026

two frogs on a white background

Frog's coat of bacterial armor helps protect it from fungal disease

September 23, 2026

illustration of portion of mouse skull, brain, vertebral column and abdominal muscles, inset shows how contracting abdominals increases pressure in blood vessels

Engaging the core could be regulating blood flow in the brain

September 23, 2026

Two chemistry students work in a lab alongside each other

Thirteen graduate students awarded U.S. National Science Foundation fellowships

September 18, 2026

One Health Microbiome Center Leadership Presenting Awards

One Health Microbiome Center announces 2026 award recipients

September 17, 2026

Penn State Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos speaking at the Huck Institutes' 30th anniversary event.

Huck Institutes mark 30 years of interdisciplinary life sciences research

September 04, 2026

small brown bat sitting on a rocky surface

The secret to bats’ longevity linked to immune response to viruses and cancer

August 26, 2026

A researcher figure showing six microscopic images of cell clusters, or islets. The top three images show islets with a relatively smooth texture, while the bottom three images show cells with a rough texture as a result of the team's new research development

Cell ‘invisibility cloaks’ could offer side-effect-free diabetes treatment

August 14, 2026

White, brown, and black chickens walking through folliage.

How does a deadly chicken virus escape vaccines designed to slow it?

August 03, 2026

Life Sciences Building

Huck Institutes announces recipients of nine interdisciplinary seed grants

July 28, 2026

Postdoctoral Researcher Gwendolyn Burgess

Postdoctoral fellow earns NIH award to study neurological effects of alcohol

July 06, 2026

Evelyn Mastaglio stands in a hallway

Q&A with Penn State neurobiology student Evelyn Mastaglio

June 24, 2026

Person stands in a greenhouse, holding a plant.

Q&A: Can plants help reverse climate change?

June 16, 2026

man wearing a dark shirt with a blurry background

$2M NIH grant to support study of how the brain and body acclimate to stress

June 09, 2026

Photo of a heath aster taken at a field research station at Harner Farm in Centre County, PA

Q&A: New text to serve as reference for advances in plant development

June 01, 2026

Sally Assmann speaks at RNA symposium

Third Center for RNA Molecular Biology Symposium brings together researchers

May 29, 2026

Q&A: Ebola outbreak and public health emergency

May 22, 2026

A diseased, withered bunch of purple grapes hangs on what appears to be a healthy grape vine

Q&A: What can plant evolution teach people about breeding better crops?

May 22, 2026

Janine Kwapis and Dean Tracy Langkilde posing with an award.

Biology professor awarded the 2026 Karin E. Foley Women’s Leadership Award

May 19, 2026

Chad Brunswick points to computer screen while Janine Kwapis looks on

$3M NIH grant to support research on memory and exaggerated fear responses

May 18, 2026

Person with laptop explaining and gesturing to colleague

Q&A: Is AI democratizing global health or reinforcing old inequities?

May 11, 2026

The 2025-26 Roe Award winners at the recognition ceremony stand on a stage with their awards against a projected slideshow background.

Penn State Sustainability celebrates 2026 sustainability award winners

May 08, 2026

Tracy Langkilde, Michael Verderame to speak at Fox Graduate School commencement

May 01, 2026

Cross-sectional image of spinal cord and veins

Hydraulic brain: Body motion linked to fluid movement in the brain

April 27, 2026

Chris Uhl in his office, leaning on his desk surrounded by papers, books and photos tacked to the wall.

Sustain Penn State releases guidebook to help faculty integrate sustainability

April 22, 2026

Green tree frog on rocks at the edge of a stream

Connected habitats help wildlife fight disease, strengthen protective microbes

April 20, 2026

WATCH: Science graduate students recap international industry internship

April 14, 2026

Old Main viewed through Armillary Sphere

Four Penn State faculty members elected AAAS Fellows

April 06, 2026

students fill out worksheets in Tanzanian classroom

Undergraduates develop lecture materials for use in Tanzania classrooms

March 24, 2026

Image of a brain scan with purple swirls on a black background

'Brain awareness week' informs public and spotlights neuroscience expertise

March 13, 2026

Four folded Michelin maps of Africa fanned out on a desk.

Q&A: What factors influence likelihood and severity of Ebola outbreaks?

March 10, 2026

Suvrath Mahadevan presenting a lecture

Heard on Campus: Public talks focus on ‘origins’

February 05, 2026

Haley Capeci, an undergraduate student from the University of Pittsburgh, speaks at the Big10 Neuroscience Annual Meeting in July 2025

Penn State Neuroscience Institute announces spring 2026 speakers

January 16, 2026

Portrait of Victoria Nudell

Medical, doctoral student earns NIH fellowship

January 07, 2026

Image of E. coli bacterial cell with boxes zooming in on differently colored proteins.

For certain life-essential proteins in E. coli, repair is more likely

December 16, 2025

screenshot of VR experience showing person holding bird

Bird researchers use virtual reality to bring fieldwork experience to classroom

December 16, 2025

Evaluating the evaluators: How do plant virus genome analysis tools stack up?

December 15, 2025

magnolia warbler sits on branch

Warblers borrow color-related genes from evolutionary neighbors, study finds

December 11, 2025

Thomas Bosch stands in front of a hallway.

Host-microbiome interaction biologist to receive inaugural Microbiome Medal

November 11, 2025

Four people stand in front of a fountain

Five faculty members join the Institute of Energy and the Environment

October 07, 2025

close up of yellow cylindrical bacteria

New microorganism survival commission aims to fill critical conservation gap

October 01, 2025

Headshots of the 11 BIOMS fellows selected for the 2025-26 year.

One Health Microbiome Center awards 11 inaugural doctoral training fellows

September 23, 2025

Image of single human egg cell

In brief: Certain age-related DNA mutations are less common in human eggs

September 23, 2025

computer screen of mysterious code blocking access

Student cybersecurity organization hosts first alternate reality game

September 22, 2025

The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences names 2025-26 seed grant recipients

September 15, 2025

Wireframe model of guanine bound to uracil in "wobble" and "shifted wobble" conformations

Unusual molecular conformation could help explain RNA’s versatility

September 09, 2025

Painting with mushrooms and other fungi growing out of stylized DNA double helix

Connection among gut fungi, genetics and disease risk in humans identified

September 03, 2025

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellowship awards six trainee-led projects

September 02, 2025

Two people standing in a laboratory

What traits matter when predicting disease emergence in new populations?

August 21, 2025

Bronze statue of health worker giving vaccine to one person as two others look on.

Predicting vaccination levels without accurate or timely vaccination data

July 25, 2025

Wesley Hymer in front of chalkboard

Remembering biochemist Wesley Hymer, pioneer of health research in space

July 22, 2025

Chad Smies and Jiyeon Baek use pipettes in the lab

The breadth of the brain

July 14, 2025

Person sits in front of a computer and smiles at the camera.

Q&A: Does adolescent alcohol use impact future risk of addiction?

July 08, 2025

Lab Bench to Commercialization program broadens its scope

June 30, 2025

Charlie Anderson to lead plant biology intercollege graduate program

June 25, 2025

The CSUA annual conference poster winners pose for a photo.

Annual substance use conference examines psychiatric and opioid use disorders

June 12, 2025

Images representing siloed health systems, disease-centric One Health system and One-Health Microbiome sciences

Q&A: Unifying the microbiome sciences for global health and sustainability

June 10, 2025

From left, Nikki Crowley and Nanyin Zhang pose for a photo in front of a red brick wall.

$2.9M grant funds study on long-term effects of adolescent binge drinking

June 04, 2025

Reka Albert standing outside near trees

Biological physicist Réka Albert elected to National Academy of Sciences

May 07, 2025

Portrait of Christopher Uhl

Penn State mourns loss of beloved teacher and ecologist Christopher Uhl

May 07, 2025

Family tree with illustrations of great apes and representative chromosomes showing non-B DNA

Beyond the double helix: Alternative DNA conformations in ape genomes

April 24, 2025

Two rows of different apples

How do you like them apples? Apple genus evolution revealed

April 22, 2025

boats on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, DRC

Focus on sanitation and clean water may improve control of endemic cholera

April 18, 2025

Latest News

Penn State News RSS Feed

Small brown frog on a branch next to a mushroom

Ecological cold case: Solving decades-old mystery of disappearing frogs

October 20, 2026

Illusration of a sturgeon and a reconstruction of the fossil fish, Tiktaalik.

Why did animals evolve necks? Study reveals it wasn’t for turning their heads

October 20, 2026

Lance Lian, smiling warmly at the camera, stands outdoors in front of a tree.

Engineers at Penn State contribute to national $20M liver bioprinting project

October 15, 2026

Chad Brunswick points to computer screen while Janine Kwapis looks on

NIH grant to fund research on how aging affects long-term memory

October 05, 2026

two frogs on a white background

Frog's coat of bacterial armor helps protect it from fungal disease

September 23, 2026

illustration of portion of mouse skull, brain, vertebral column and abdominal muscles, inset shows how contracting abdominals increases pressure in blood vessels

Engaging the core could be regulating blood flow in the brain

September 23, 2026

Two chemistry students work in a lab alongside each other

Thirteen graduate students awarded U.S. National Science Foundation fellowships

September 18, 2026

One Health Microbiome Center Leadership Presenting Awards

One Health Microbiome Center announces 2026 award recipients

September 17, 2026

Penn State Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos speaking at the Huck Institutes' 30th anniversary event.

Huck Institutes mark 30 years of interdisciplinary life sciences research

September 04, 2026

small brown bat sitting on a rocky surface

The secret to bats’ longevity linked to immune response to viruses and cancer

August 26, 2026

A researcher figure showing six microscopic images of cell clusters, or islets. The top three images show islets with a relatively smooth texture, while the bottom three images show cells with a rough texture as a result of the team's new research development

Cell ‘invisibility cloaks’ could offer side-effect-free diabetes treatment

August 14, 2026

White, brown, and black chickens walking through folliage.

How does a deadly chicken virus escape vaccines designed to slow it?

August 03, 2026

Life Sciences Building

Huck Institutes announces recipients of nine interdisciplinary seed grants

July 28, 2026

Postdoctoral Researcher Gwendolyn Burgess

Postdoctoral fellow earns NIH award to study neurological effects of alcohol

July 06, 2026

Evelyn Mastaglio stands in a hallway

Q&A with Penn State neurobiology student Evelyn Mastaglio

June 24, 2026

Person stands in a greenhouse, holding a plant.

Q&A: Can plants help reverse climate change?

June 16, 2026

man wearing a dark shirt with a blurry background

$2M NIH grant to support study of how the brain and body acclimate to stress

June 09, 2026

Photo of a heath aster taken at a field research station at Harner Farm in Centre County, PA

Q&A: New text to serve as reference for advances in plant development

June 01, 2026

Sally Assmann speaks at RNA symposium

Third Center for RNA Molecular Biology Symposium brings together researchers

May 29, 2026

Q&A: Ebola outbreak and public health emergency

May 22, 2026

A diseased, withered bunch of purple grapes hangs on what appears to be a healthy grape vine

Q&A: What can plant evolution teach people about breeding better crops?

May 22, 2026

Janine Kwapis and Dean Tracy Langkilde posing with an award.

Biology professor awarded the 2026 Karin E. Foley Women’s Leadership Award

May 19, 2026

Chad Brunswick points to computer screen while Janine Kwapis looks on

$3M NIH grant to support research on memory and exaggerated fear responses

May 18, 2026

Person with laptop explaining and gesturing to colleague

Q&A: Is AI democratizing global health or reinforcing old inequities?

May 11, 2026

The 2025-26 Roe Award winners at the recognition ceremony stand on a stage with their awards against a projected slideshow background.

Penn State Sustainability celebrates 2026 sustainability award winners

May 08, 2026

Tracy Langkilde, Michael Verderame to speak at Fox Graduate School commencement

May 01, 2026

Cross-sectional image of spinal cord and veins

Hydraulic brain: Body motion linked to fluid movement in the brain

April 27, 2026

Chris Uhl in his office, leaning on his desk surrounded by papers, books and photos tacked to the wall.

Sustain Penn State releases guidebook to help faculty integrate sustainability

April 22, 2026

Green tree frog on rocks at the edge of a stream

Connected habitats help wildlife fight disease, strengthen protective microbes

April 20, 2026

WATCH: Science graduate students recap international industry internship

April 14, 2026

Old Main viewed through Armillary Sphere

Four Penn State faculty members elected AAAS Fellows

April 06, 2026

students fill out worksheets in Tanzanian classroom

Undergraduates develop lecture materials for use in Tanzania classrooms

March 24, 2026

Image of a brain scan with purple swirls on a black background

'Brain awareness week' informs public and spotlights neuroscience expertise

March 13, 2026

Four folded Michelin maps of Africa fanned out on a desk.

Q&A: What factors influence likelihood and severity of Ebola outbreaks?

March 10, 2026

Suvrath Mahadevan presenting a lecture

Heard on Campus: Public talks focus on ‘origins’

February 05, 2026

Haley Capeci, an undergraduate student from the University of Pittsburgh, speaks at the Big10 Neuroscience Annual Meeting in July 2025

Penn State Neuroscience Institute announces spring 2026 speakers

January 16, 2026

Portrait of Victoria Nudell

Medical, doctoral student earns NIH fellowship

January 07, 2026

Image of E. coli bacterial cell with boxes zooming in on differently colored proteins.

For certain life-essential proteins in E. coli, repair is more likely

December 16, 2025

screenshot of VR experience showing person holding bird

Bird researchers use virtual reality to bring fieldwork experience to classroom

December 16, 2025

Evaluating the evaluators: How do plant virus genome analysis tools stack up?

December 15, 2025

magnolia warbler sits on branch

Warblers borrow color-related genes from evolutionary neighbors, study finds

December 11, 2025

Thomas Bosch stands in front of a hallway.

Host-microbiome interaction biologist to receive inaugural Microbiome Medal

November 11, 2025

Four people stand in front of a fountain

Five faculty members join the Institute of Energy and the Environment

October 07, 2025

close up of yellow cylindrical bacteria

New microorganism survival commission aims to fill critical conservation gap

October 01, 2025

Headshots of the 11 BIOMS fellows selected for the 2025-26 year.

One Health Microbiome Center awards 11 inaugural doctoral training fellows

September 23, 2025

Image of single human egg cell

In brief: Certain age-related DNA mutations are less common in human eggs

September 23, 2025

computer screen of mysterious code blocking access

Student cybersecurity organization hosts first alternate reality game

September 22, 2025

The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences names 2025-26 seed grant recipients

September 15, 2025

Wireframe model of guanine bound to uracil in "wobble" and "shifted wobble" conformations

Unusual molecular conformation could help explain RNA’s versatility

September 09, 2025

Painting with mushrooms and other fungi growing out of stylized DNA double helix

Connection among gut fungi, genetics and disease risk in humans identified

September 03, 2025

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellowship awards six trainee-led projects

September 02, 2025

Two people standing in a laboratory

What traits matter when predicting disease emergence in new populations?

August 21, 2025

Bronze statue of health worker giving vaccine to one person as two others look on.

Predicting vaccination levels without accurate or timely vaccination data

July 25, 2025

Wesley Hymer in front of chalkboard

Remembering biochemist Wesley Hymer, pioneer of health research in space

July 22, 2025

Chad Smies and Jiyeon Baek use pipettes in the lab

The breadth of the brain

July 14, 2025

Person sits in front of a computer and smiles at the camera.

Q&A: Does adolescent alcohol use impact future risk of addiction?

July 08, 2025

Lab Bench to Commercialization program broadens its scope

June 30, 2025

Charlie Anderson to lead plant biology intercollege graduate program

June 25, 2025

The CSUA annual conference poster winners pose for a photo.

Annual substance use conference examines psychiatric and opioid use disorders

June 12, 2025

Images representing siloed health systems, disease-centric One Health system and One-Health Microbiome sciences

Q&A: Unifying the microbiome sciences for global health and sustainability

June 10, 2025

From left, Nikki Crowley and Nanyin Zhang pose for a photo in front of a red brick wall.

$2.9M grant funds study on long-term effects of adolescent binge drinking

June 04, 2025

Reka Albert standing outside near trees

Biological physicist Réka Albert elected to National Academy of Sciences

May 07, 2025

Portrait of Christopher Uhl

Penn State mourns loss of beloved teacher and ecologist Christopher Uhl

May 07, 2025

Family tree with illustrations of great apes and representative chromosomes showing non-B DNA

Beyond the double helix: Alternative DNA conformations in ape genomes

April 24, 2025

Two rows of different apples

How do you like them apples? Apple genus evolution revealed

April 22, 2025

boats on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, DRC

Focus on sanitation and clean water may improve control of endemic cholera

April 18, 2025

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