Use of regulated/biohazardous materials in research and instruction
The primary responsibility of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is to review research and teaching activities involving the use of materials that have the potential to pose a danger to the health and safety of researchers and the community. This includes oversight of the recombinant DNA…
$2.3 million grant will fund research on oxytocin neurons and social behavior
A team of Penn State researchers is planning to create a new map of the brain that will establish a neural circuit diagram of oxytocin, a compound often associated with affection and emotional behavior. Researchers hope the map will give them insight into how oxytocin in the brain drives social…
Research supports restrictions on opioid-containing cold medicines for children
Prescription cough and cold medicines containing the opioid hydrocodone are more likely to cause serious side effects in children than those containing codeine, according to a new study from Penn State College of Medicine. The research supports recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…
Fredman's work featured in U.S. News & World Report
Not only do veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder often suffer from feelings of anxiety, anger, sadness and guilt, but they are also at risk for increased academic difficulties, a new study found.
Published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, the study…
Posttraumatic stress affects academics
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by traumatic military experiences is associated with feelings of anxiety, anger, sadness and/or guilt. New Penn State research is evaluating how PTSD symptoms increase risks for academic difficulties as well.
Steffany Fredman, assistant professor of human…
Early career faculty award established in honor of Crouter
An early career faculty award has been established in honor of Ann C. “Nan” Crouter, who has served as the Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean of the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State since 2007 and is retiring June 30.
The Nan Crouter Early Career Faculty Award will be used…
Technology development training program to accept applications in June
Innovations, a technology development training program of Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Center for Medical Innovation, will accept applications for the 2018 program from June 1 through June 30. An informational session about the program will be held from…
Proposals sought for strategic initiative seed grant funding
Penn State community members, including faculty and staff, are invited to submit ideas for pilot projects that are aimed at fulfilling the mission of the strategic plan to advance innovation, research, learning and engagement at the University and beyond. Proposals for the third cycle for RFP…
Ties between oral vocabulary and STEM difficulties to be investigated
Young children with early vocabulary difficulties in turn often have difficulty with reading during the primary grades. Penn State researchers will investigate if these oral vocabulary difficulties also lead to math and sciences difficulties throughout elementary school in a three-year, $1.5…
NIH's notice of fiscal policies in effect for FY 2018
This Notice provides guidance about the NIH Fiscal Operations for FY 2018 and implements the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141), signed into law on March 23, 2018. With the passage of the Act, NIH received a 9 percent increase over FY 2017, for a total…
Human Health and the Environment seed grant recipients announced
Human Health and the Environment seed grants for 2018 have been awarded to eight interdisciplinary teams of Penn State researchers. The seed grants were funded through a collaboration of Penn State Institutes and the College of Medicine, which collectively contributed more than $400,000.
The…
College of the Liberal Arts elevates four faculty to named professorships
Four faculty members in the College of the Liberal Arts have been awarded named professorships in the college, effective July 1, 2018. They include:
Amy Greenberg, George Winfree Professor of History and Women’s Studies. Greenberg is a noted historian of antebellum America, with a…
New research to identify what makes conversations supportive
People going through hard times often find assistance by talking about their problems with others, and the support people receive has documented health benefits. However, the quality of support can vary and what happens during conversations can determine whether or not the support is actually…
New tool helps researchers with data discovery and study feasibility
TriNetX Live, a tool to help clinical researchers with data discovery and study feasibility, is now available through Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Training sessions are available on Thursday, June 14, at University Park, and Friday, June 15, at Hershey. …
Opioid crisis requires social and behavioral research solutions
Each day, more Americans die from drug overdoses (175) than from motor vehicle accidents (110). Many of these overdoses are accidental, and some are intentional, but nearly all are the result of social and behavioral factors. In response to the opioid crisis, the NIH convened a meeting on March 5-6…
Holding on to stress-related emotions negatively effects health a decade later
by PRI Affiliate David Almeida
Stress and an individual’s reaction to it are known to impact health, yet less is known about whether lingering emotions after a stressor effects long-term health.This was the focus of a recent study by NIA-funded investigators.
Analyses were conducted using data from…
Kai Schafft among Center for Global Studies Awards
The Center for Global Studies (CGS) recently presented $73,800 in awards to faculty members and students whose work advances research and projects in global studies. The principal mission of the center is to “cross boundaries and build bridges” by linking themes of sustainability, social justice…
Penn State delegation advocates for social sciences in Washington, DC
A group of Penn State researchers recently attended the Consortium of Social Science Association’s (COSSA) 2018 Science Policy Conference and Social Science Advocacy Day in Washington, DC.
The conference and advocacy day brought together COSSA members and other stakeholders for a day of discussion…
Love hurts: Spats with spouse may worsen chronic pain, other symptoms
A fight with a spouse may end in hurt feelings, but for those with chronic conditions like arthritis or diabetes, those arguments may have physical repercussions as well, according to researchers.
They found that in two groups of older individuals — one group with arthritis and one with diabetes —…
Felmlee and Kreager bring together social science subfields in new publication
PRI research associates Diane Felmlee, professor of sociology, and Derek Kreager, director of the Justice Center for Research and professor of sociology and criminology, along with their colleague Duane Alwin, director of the Center for Life Course and Longitudinal Studies and McCourtney Professor…
Frankenberg's research featured in The Washington Post
Back to the future: A new school district secession movement is gaining steam
by Valerie Strauss
After the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling, declaring as unconstitutional state laws permitting separate public schools for black and white…
Frasier recognized with Helfer Society Award
Dr. Lori Frasier, director of the Center for the Protection of Children at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, has been honored for her contributions to the field of child abuse pediatrics with the Helfer Society Award.
Frasier received the award at the society’s annual meeting and…
Schafft elected Rural Sociology Society president
SSRI co-fund Kai Schafft has been elected president-elect of the Rural Sociology Society (RSS) for the upcoming year. The RSS is a professional social science association that promotes the generation, application and dissemination of sociological knowledge. It seeks to enhance the quality of rural…
Co-fund Miyamoto, Smeal students team up to address business challenges for SAFE-T Center
When the Penn State College of Nursing launched the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth (SAFE-T) Center in 2016, it envisioned a solution to enhance access to compassionate sexual assault care in underserved communities. What they still needed: a plan to sustain the center’s operations…
Facing adversity early in life linked with more physical pain in adulthood
Experiencing trauma as a child may influence how much pain an individual feels in adulthood, according to Penn State researchers. Gaining insight about who feels more pain and why is important as issues like the opioid crisis continue to escalate.
The researchers found that experiencing trauma or…