Dr. Michael Arthur Russell's lab focuses on understanding alcohol misuse among young adults, particularly how to improve the accuracy of self-reports regarding drinking behaviors. They use innovative wearable sensors that measure alcohol levels in real-time to study how drinking patterns relate to alcohol-related consequences and disorders. The lab's work aims to provide insights that could help in reducing alcohol-related harm in both college students and non-college adults.

Dr. Amy Christine Arnold's lab at Penn State Hershey focuses on understanding the relationship between obesity and hypertension, particularly how a protective hormone called angiotensin-(1-7) can improve cardiovascular health in obese individuals. They explore both cellular mechanisms and clinical outcomes related to blood pressure and metabolic function to develop better therapies. This research is vital as obesity-related hypertension is a growing global health issue.

Dr. Lu Bai's lab at Penn State University focuses on understanding how chromatin structure influences gene regulation. The lab investigates the mechanisms that lead to chromatin accessibility and the organization of chromosomes within the nucleus. This research is significant for unraveling the complexities of gene expression, particularly in relation to human diseases.

Dr. Patricia Grigson's lab focuses on understanding addiction, particularly to cocaine, and explores early interventions to prevent substance use disorders. Using animal models, the research aims to identify behavioral responses to drug cues and investigate how certain chemicals can alter these responses. The lab's goal is to reveal the underlying brain mechanisms associated with drug addiction and seek new ways to reduce cravings and the need for drugs early in the addiction process.

Professor Joseph M Bollinger's lab at Penn State University studies metalloenzymes, which are specialized proteins that use metal ions to catalyze important chemical reactions, particularly in drug synthesis. The lab focuses on understanding how these enzymes activate strong chemical bonds and explore their structures to inspire new synthetic methods. Through biochemical and computational approaches, researchers aim to manipulate these enzymes for various applications in medicine and industry.

Dr. Seth R. Bordenstein's lab studies the interactions between bacteria and their insect hosts, focusing on a specific bacterium called Wolbachia. They investigate how Wolbachia manipulates insect reproduction, particularly in mosquitoes, to control the spread of diseases like Zika and dengue. By examining the molecular mechanisms behind these interactions, the lab aims to enhance strategies for using Wolbachia as a tool in public health to reduce mosquito populations and disease transmission.

Dr. Katie L. Burkhouse's lab at Penn State University focuses on understanding how trauma and maternal depression affect children's mental health. They study the brain's response to negative and positive emotional situations to find early indicators of depression in children. This research aims to develop new prevention strategies for youth at risk of developing mood disorders.

Dr. Kent E. Vrana's lab is focused on understanding how cannabis extracts may help relieve chronic pain. By using advanced AI techniques, the lab aims to map out the interactions of various cannabis compounds with biological targets to uncover their therapeutic potential. The research combines computer modeling with laboratory experiments, seeking to validate the effectiveness of these natural products in pain management.

Dr. Junxuan Lu’s lab at Penn State Hershey focuses on developing a natural herbal supplement from Angelica gigas Nakai (Korean Angelica) as a potential safer and more effective way to prevent prostate cancer progression in patients. The lab conducts clinical trials to study how this herbal extract may work better than traditional treatments and to understand how it impacts immune response and inflammation in the body.

Dr. Koraly E. Perez-Edgar's lab at Penn State focuses on understanding how anxiety can be transmitted from parents to children, especially during early childhood. The research examines the moment-by-moment interactions between parents and their children, exploring how these dynamics influence a child's emotional development and risk for anxiety. The lab also contributes to a national study that investigates how various environmental factors affect children's brain development from before birth through early childhood.

Dr. Benjamin H. Levi's lab focuses on improving the detection and reporting of child abuse among early childhood professionals. His research aims to enhance knowledge retention and behavior change using innovative micro-learning techniques, particularly gamified activities delivered through digital platforms. By conducting studies on these educational interventions, the lab seeks to make a significant impact on child welfare and protection services.

Dr. Andrew Patterson's lab investigates how environmental chemicals influence the gut microbiota and affect overall health. By studying the interactions between toxic exposures and gut microbes, the lab aims to uncover mechanisms that link environmental factors to diseases like metabolic disorders and inflammatory bowel diseases. The research has broader implications for public health, particularly in developing new probiotic treatments and improving risk assessments for chemical exposures.

Dr. Le Bao's research lab focuses on addressing the challenges of the HIV epidemic through advanced statistical modeling. By analyzing spatial and sub-population data, the lab aims to provide crucial insights into where HIV prevention and treatment efforts are most needed in sub-Saharan Africa. The goal is to improve health policies and programs by creating open-source tools that help organizations respond more effectively to HIV-related issues.

Dr. Jonathan G. Hakun's lab focuses on understanding how to encourage long-term physical activity in adults to help prevent Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias. By leveraging technology like smartphones and fitness trackers, the lab aims to develop strategies that promote adherence to healthy behaviors over prolonged periods, ultimately improving cognitive health. Their research emphasizes the importance of setting achievable goals and self-monitoring in maintaining physical activity levels, especially for adults at risk of dementia due to conditions like obesity.

Dr. William Hancock's lab focuses on understanding how tiny motor proteins, called kinesin and dynein, transport materials within cells, especially in neurons. They study the molecular mechanics of this transport system which is crucial for neuron function and is affected in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s. The lab also investigates how microtubules, the structures that support this transport, grow and shrink, which is essential for cell division and neuron development.

Dr. Song Tan's lab at Penn State is focused on understanding how proteins that modify histones—the proteins that package DNA—regulate gene expression in cells. By studying the structures of these proteins and their interactions with nucleosomes, the lab aims to reveal mechanisms behind gene regulation, particularly in the context of diseases like cancer. This research not only deepens our understanding of fundamental biological processes but also holds potential for developing new therapies targeting gene regulation.

Dr. Jessica Yu Ho's research lab at Pennsylvania State University focuses on understanding how migration affects mortality rates and geographic variation in health outcomes. By analyzing both domestic and international migration patterns, the lab aims to uncover the complex relationships between where people live and their health. The findings will not only enhance our knowledge of public health but also inform policies related to migration and health.

Dr. Edward Harhaj's lab at Penn State University focuses on understanding how proteins regulate the immune system and mitochondrial health. Specifically, the lab investigates how the zinc finger protein ZFAND6 influences the removal of damaged mitochondria, and how the protein TAX1BP1 modulates inflammatory signaling pathways. This research aims to uncover mechanisms that could lead to new treatments for diseases associated with chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction.

Dr. Dipanjan Pan's lab focuses on developing innovative diagnostic tools and blood substitute technologies. One major project aims to create a rapid test for syphilis that can quickly diagnose active infections by detecting both treponemal and non-treponemal antibodies, addressing a critical gap in current testing methods. Another project involves designing a programmable artificial oxygen carrier that mimics red blood cells to be used when conventional blood supplies are unavailable, utilizing advanced nanotechnology and machine learning.

Dr. Joyce Jose's lab at Penn State University focuses on understanding how the Zika virus spreads from mother to fetus, particularly during pregnancy. The lab is exploring a cellular structure known as tunneling nanotubes, which may help the virus transmit between cells in the placenta. By studying these mechanisms, the lab aims to find new ways to prevent serious birth defects linked to Zika virus infections.