EurekAlert! National Science Foundation - NSF Funded Research News

NSF Funded Research News

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 6-May-2026 14:16 ET (6-May-2026 18:16 GMT/UTC)

Plants balance adaptability in skin cells with stability in sex cells

University of California - Davis
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Mutations drive evolution, but they can also be risky. New research led by plant biologists at UC Davis published Nov. 10 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals how plants control mutation rates in different stem cells to balance adaptability with safety and stability. The findings have implications for breeding some of the world’s most important fruit and vegetable crops, such as potatoes and bananas.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Texas A&M researchers use AI to identify genetic ‘time capsule’ that distinguishes species

Texas A&M University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have utilized cutting-edge artificial intelligence methods to identify a region of the X chromosome that has maintained the distinctiveness of mammal species for millions of years.

Journal: Nature

Imaging reveals bacterial symbionts in the ovaries of tiny, aquatic crustaceans

Marine Biological Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) have imaged bacterial endosymbiosis inside the reproductive system of tiny crustaceans known as ostracods.The bacteria (Cardinium) are transmitted from mothers to offspring, suggesting that the bacteria manipulate host asexual reproduction. The study is published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
Funder: Marine Biological Laboratory

Snail genome duplication offers look at evolution in transition

University of Iowa
Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Iowa biologists discovered that a New Zealand freshwater snail duplicated its entire genome, capturing a rare evolutionary transitory state. The finding shows how large-scale genetic events can generate the raw material needed to fuel significant new adaptations and innovations in animals. Results appear in the journal Genome Biology and Evolution.

Journal: Genome Biology and Evolution
Funder: Carver Biomedical Trust at Iowa, Iowa Office for Undergraduate Research Funding, Iowa Science Foundation

New computational process could help condense decades of disease biology research into days

University of Notre Dame
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a new study out today in Science Signaling, researchers at the University of Notre Dame present a computational process that can scan hundreds of proteins in a few days, screening for pH-sensitive protein structures.

Journal: Science Signaling

Tiny diatoms, big climate impact: How microscopic skeletons rapidly shape ocean chemistry

Georgia Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A Georgia Tech-led team reveals how diatoms' rapid transformations are reshaping our understanding of how ocean sediments regulate carbon and climate.

Journal: Science Advances

Nonsurgical treatment shows promise for targeted seizure control

Rice University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Rice bioengineers have demonstrated a nonsurgical way to quiet a seizure-relevant brain circuit using a method that merges ultrasound, gene therapy and chemogenetics.

Journal: ACS Chemical Neuroscience
Funder: G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, National Institutes of Health

Worcester Polytechnic Institute receives $1 million grant to expand workforce training for hydrogen jobs

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Grant and Award Announcement

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop hands-on training, internships, and mentoring aimed at expanding the hydrogen energy workforce. The unique program will focus on experiential learning to build a blueprint that can be adapted to prepare workers for other jobs in any emerging technology industry, not just hydrogen energy.

Talking with our hands: Duke study reveals how culture shapes our gestures

Duke University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new Duke study reveals how cultural identity shapes nonverbal communication and how understanding these differences can help us connect better across groups.

Journal: Journal of Experimental Psychology

Texas Tech professors awarded $12 million for data center and AI research

Texas Tech University
Grant and Award Announcement

Texas Tech University has secured a five-year grant totaling $12.25 million in NSF funding for the REPACSS project, which will design and develop advanced computing systems that integrate multiple energy sources while addressing automation, remote data control and scientific workflow management. This five-year effort positions Texas Tech as a national leader in large-scale computing, distinct from commercial data centers by focusing on diverse academic and scientific applications.

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