Eberly College of Science

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Latest News

Penn State News RSS Feed

Vial with orange top in a vial rack

Synthetic microbiome therapy suppresses bacterial infection without antibiotics

March 03, 2025

Developmental stages of Plasmodium falciparum, 3D structure of PfSnf2L protein with NH125 inhibitor, and graph showing DNA packaging.

Disrupting parasite gene regulation reveals new malaria intervention strategy

February 19, 2025

Person sitting in office chair with images of colorful brain scans in the background

$17.9M NIH grant to research neurodevelopment disorders

January 23, 2025

Schematic of cortical microcircuit showing connections among neurons and how activation of SST neurons leads to stress resilience

Brain regions that relieve effects of chronic stress in mice differ based on sex

December 16, 2024

Lu Bai named Verne M. Willaman Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

November 06, 2024

2-dimensional models of twister ribozymes with structural imperfections.

Testing thousands of RNA enzymes helps find first ‘twister ribozyme’ in mammals

November 05, 2024

Amie Boal named Nicholas and Gelsa Pelick Family Chair in Science

October 02, 2024

A man standing in front of an image of a presentation on a projected screen

Penn State, Indian Institute of Science award joint research seed grants

September 12, 2024

An image of a brain, with formulas, graphed mathematical functions, molecular structures, and other scientific diagrams on one side, and artistic blue, red, and green brush strokes on the other

Three projects receive Huck Innovative and Transformational Seed Fund grants

September 11, 2024

Illustration showing expanded view of chromosome extending from cell binding being bound by transcription factors.

Genomic pioneers collaborate to access the inaccessible

September 10, 2024

Illustration of gut microbiome

Early life exposure to common chemical permanently disrupts gut microbiome

August 14, 2024

Research scientist sitting at a desk and looking at data sets on a computer

Genes or environment? A new model for understanding disease risk factors

July 30, 2024

Group photo of graduate students in the Eukaryotic Gene Regulation (EGR) Predoctoral Training Program

$1.7M grant continues support for graduate students studying gene regulation

July 23, 2024

Santhosh Girirajan, head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Girirajan named head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

July 19, 2024

Inaugural Kirchner Family Award for Sustainability Innovation honorees Fiona McConnell, Kylie Nitz, and Kellyn Roth

Three undergraduates receive Kirchner Family Award for sustainability innovation

July 03, 2024

two images of fruit fly brains, top glowing with a marker and bottom much darker

Potential new target for early treatment of Alzheimer's disease

July 02, 2024

Penn State's graduate education training program in physiology awarded $2.75M

June 21, 2024

Scott Showalter

Showalter named assistant dean for graduate and postdoctoral affairs

June 20, 2024

Bisanz named Huck Early Career Chair in Host-Microbiome Interactions

June 13, 2024

Portrait of a person standing in front of greenery

Denise Okafor named Huck Early Career Chair in Biophysics

May 29, 2024

Head of Nittany Lion Shrine

Forty-three undergraduates receive Erickson Discovery Grants

May 14, 2024

Penn State molecular biologist, Ross Hardison, named an AAAS Fellow

April 23, 2024

Illustration showing SpyCage nasal vaccine platform (right) next to SARS-CoV-2 virus

New nasal vaccine platform helps clear COVID-19 infections in an animal model

March 12, 2024

Non-cancerous and cancer cells stained for protein aggregates from cigarette smoke

Lung cancer cells protected from cigarette smoke damage, researchers find

March 06, 2024

Anton Nekrutenko named Huck Chair in Genomics

February 29, 2024

Andrew Patterson

New role for bacterial enzyme in gut metabolism revealed

February 28, 2024

Eberly College of Science professor receives 2024 Cottrell Scholar Award

February 22, 2024

Penn State biochemist Carsten Krebs named distinguished professor

February 14, 2024

Joseph Reese wearing gray sweater

Penn State molecular biologist Joseph Reese named distinguished professor

February 14, 2024

Lab Bench to Commercialization 2024 grant recipients announced

February 14, 2024

Illustration showing assortative mating for neurodevelopmental disorders

Predicting neurodevelopmental disease in children from parent’s traits

February 07, 2024

Bisanz and Betancurt-Anzola work in the lab

$1.9M NIH grant to support research on impacts of the microbiome on human health

February 05, 2024

Human cells connected by tunneling nanotubes

How does Zika virus replicate and transmit from mother to fetus?

February 05, 2024

Top, front and side views of the structure of far-red light acclimated light harvesting complex in a cyanobacterium

Altered light-harvesting complex in a cyanobacterium allows low-energy light use

January 22, 2024

Stylized "30" with text reading Ashtekar Frontiers of Science

30th anniversary Ashtekar Frontiers of Science Lectures to begin Jan. 27

January 10, 2024

Two people stand in front of a machine.

Genomics Research Incubator expands assay and training options for scientists

October 30, 2023

Katsuhiko Murakami

Biochemist selected as Innovation Fund investigator by Pew Charitable Trusts

October 24, 2023

Manuel Llinás named as the Ernest C. Pollard Professor in Biotechnology

October 17, 2023

Promotion & Tenure 2023

Tenured, promoted faculty honored through books at Oct. 2 recognition program

October 11, 2023

Santhosh Girirajan

Girirajan named T. Ming Chu Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

October 03, 2023

Squire Booker recieving the Percy L. Julian award

Squire Booker honored with 2023 Percy L. Julian Award

October 02, 2023

Structures of tRNA overlaid on and image of the membraneless compartments

Could RNA folding play a role in the origin of life?

September 26, 2023

two racks of vials with white caps

Penn State team to triple size of forensic database of mitochondrial DNA

September 15, 2023

Illustration of human chromosome pairs with a call out circle highlighting green Y chromosome

DNA sequence of the human Y chromosome fully determined for first time

August 23, 2023

“Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate),” Vincent van Gogh

GABA receptors offer potential as next-generation targets to treat depression

August 03, 2023

Flourescent staining of mouse dorsal hippocampus showing location of CRISPR expression

Circadian clock gene helps mice form memories better during the day

July 20, 2023

An image of a brain, with formulas, graphed mathematical functions, molecular structures, and other scientific diagrams on one side, and artistic blue, red, and green brush strokes on the other

Five projects to receive Huck Innovative and Transformational Seed Fund grants

July 20, 2023

Andrew Patterson

Penn State researchers examine how environmental chemicals affect gut microbiome

July 19, 2023

headshots of Wendy Hanna-Rose and Runze Li

Two honored with Eberly Distinguished Faculty Mentoring Award

July 18, 2023

Kenneth Keiler, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology

Eberly professor Kenneth Keiler honored with 2023 Distinguished Service Award

July 18, 2023

Hawaiian bobtail squid

Bioluminescent bacteria coordinate signaling to colonize squid’s light organ

July 14, 2023

young plants aligned with a ruler

Newly identified protein regulates the creation of cellulose in plant cells

July 11, 2023

Santhosh Girirajan

Girirajan named interim head of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

June 02, 2023

Three black and white panels above and a colorful illustration below

Essential process for SARS-CoV-2 viral replication visualized

May 30, 2023

Nittany Lion shrine with dappled shadows from leaves

Two Penn State undergraduates earn national Goldwater Scholarship

May 01, 2023

structure of Cbf1 interacting with DNA and histones

How 'master regulators' of cells make DNA accessible for gene expression

April 20, 2023

Bonnell stands outside holding plaque

Eberly graduate student receives Excellence in Mentoring Award

April 18, 2023

Structured Nucleic Acids Day, Robert Simpson and Sons Lecture set for April 18

April 17, 2023

cryo-EM image of the SIRT6 enzyme in complex with the nucleosome

How does an aging-associated enzyme access our genetic material?

April 14, 2023

Podcast explores the roots of narcissism and its effects on U.S. politics

April 14, 2023

Kenneth Keiler, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology

Keiler honored with 2023 Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award

April 11, 2023

Bowl of broccoli

Broccoli consumption protects gut lining, reduces disease, in mice

April 06, 2023

Illustration of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

A tighter core stabilizes SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in new emergent variants

March 31, 2023

Okafor amongst trees

Penn State biochemist Denise Okafor receives 2023 Marion Milligan Mason Award

February 16, 2023

Models showing the nucleotide addition cycle of bacterial RNA polymerase and how it is pausded by NusG interaction with non-template DNA

DNA stuck in the gears of the RNA production machine

February 09, 2023

winners of the 2022 climate and diversity awards with dean and donors

Eberly College of Science announces 2022 Climate and Diversity Awards

February 07, 2023

Get the news by email