“Center for Medical Innovations: Developing Commercial Pathways for Translational Research”

Erika Swift | Center for Medical Innovation at Penn State College of Medicine

While each medical technology follows its own development path, there are common challenges that must be addressed to minimize risk and secure funding/investment. Learn what programs and resources are available to Penn State Faculty & Staff to advance medical technologies toward commercialization.

“Nanoscale Patterning on Complex Interfaces with Directed Plasma and Irradiation Synthesis”

Jean Paul Allain | Nuclear Engineering

Patterns in nature driven by far-from-equilibrium processes can result in self-organized structures that can dictate function and behavior. This talk will give a brief summary of our group’s passion for self-organized patterns and our ability to synthesize them on any class of material. A wide variety of complex materials from porous refractory alloys that are self-healing to natural biopolymers for tissue engineering applications will be highlighted as I cover some general aspects of nanopatterning, irradiation synthesis, and their potential applications. In-situ surface characterization and computational tools that enable nanopatterning design will also be briefly presented.

“Development of Antiviral Drugs Inspired by Viral Capsid Structures”

Ibrahim Moustafa | Hafenstein Lab

Understanding the structural basis of viruses is a key to learn how they work & how to eliminate them. This is true for Covid-19 as well as other viruses. In this talk, I will show how we apply a structural approach integrated with computational methods to identify compounds that could potentially develop into antiviral therapeutics. The virus example used in the presented study is Coxsackivirus B3 (CVB3), an enterovirus and a leading cause of viral myocarditis in humans.

“Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology: A Biotech Center with GIANT Potential”

Andrew Zydney + Wendy Oakes | Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology (CoEIB)

The CoEIB leverages interdisciplinary expertise across Penn State to serve as a focal point in the area of industrial biotechnology. Join us to learn how to add your expertise to help this center realize its GIANT potential. 

Songs of Solidarity & Inspiration

Join us for the first live musical performance @ the Zoom Cafe! Cole Hons, Huck Institutes’ Director of Communications & Marketing, will open and close the Café with uplifting songs of community resilience, understanding, and cooperation.

“Our Current Reality: Tips for Staying Engaged and Mentally Healthy”

The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted the rhythms of much that we know and do. We are dealing with unprecedented times and a new reality which includes the onslaught of information about what is happening locally, nationally and around the world; the dynamics of working from home; potential and real financial pressures; and family and friend dynamics. This talk is about how we cope and help others cope to stay mentally aware and hopefully healthy in these trying times.