Penn State researchers hope website humanizes, helps others affected by opioids
Stories can speak as loudly as statistics.
That is the purpose behind “Share Your Opioid Story,” an initiative designed to raise public awareness of the impact of the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania and empower Pennsylvanians affected by the epidemic to talk openly about the effects of opioid…
Contributions of social and behavioral research in addressing the opioid crisis
OBSSR in collaboration with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), and the NIH…
Nutritional sciences faculty member recognized for outstanding mentorship
Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State, is the recipient of the 2018 Dannon Institute Mentorship Award from the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and its foundation.
This award is given for outstanding mentorship in the development of successful nutritional…
Opioid crisis funding opportunities
Funding opportunities to address the opioid crisis are available from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation…
Registration open for 7th annual Child Maltreatment Conference
Child maltreatment is a public health problem that impacts over 3.5 million youth each year who are involved in child protective service investigations or other responses. Society is also negatively impacted by the increased use of resources within the health care, education, and the criminal…
Smyth among faculty that hold key roles at national, international level
Outside of the classroom and research lab, many Penn State faculty members, including those in the College of Health and Human Development, act as thought leaders in their respective fields by serving on national and international councils and boards.
Amit Sharma, professor of hospitality…
SSRI assistant director participates in empowering women in Cambodia project
In a perfect world, everyone would have access to nutritious, affordable food.
However, as Rick Bates knows, there is no such thing as utopia when it comes to food security, as millions of people around the world have limited food resources. One of those places is Cambodia in Southeast Asia, one of…
Researcher collaborates with scientists in Ireland as part of Fulbright program
Linda Collins, distinguished professor of human development and family studies and director of the Methodology Center, spent two weeks at the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway this spring to present and collaborate on research on the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST), a…
Preschool program preps kids for academic success through elementary school
A program that helps low-income parents prepare their children for school has benefits that extend beyond kindergarten and into third grade, according to Penn State researchers.
The researchers found that the preschoolers of parents who participated in the program performed better academically,…
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…