Lauren Charles, a chief data scientist at PNNL, showcased the vital research coming out of her program at The National Academies Forum workshop in Washington, D.C., January 15–16, 2025.

PNNL biodefense experts seek to identify, understand and mitigate the risks of biological pathogens—whether naturally occurring or intentionally created—so steps can be taken to prepare and respond.

Researchers will explore climate, pathogens and energy-efficient microelectronics using 3 million node hours on the nation’s supercomputers.

Research at PNNL and the University of Texas at El Paso are addressing computational challenges of thinking beyond the list and developing bioagent-agnostic signatures to assess threats.

Beyond melting ice and higher temperatures: On Earth Day, scientists consider how climate change will affect national security.

Algae can collect and concentrate rare earth metals from seawater—an alternative to imported sources mined from the ground.

Microbes that were previously frozen in soils are becoming more active. This study demonstrates the diverse RNA viral communities found in thawed permafrost.

Scientists can detect the virus that causes COVID-19 by using a bubble that spills its contents like a piñata when encountering the virus.

TransMED analyzes patient data from similar diseases across multiple sources to understand COVID-19 patient outcome risk factors.

The virus that causes COVID-19 takes over the body’s fat-processing system and boosts cellular triglycerides as it causes disease.

PNNL researchers develop software that uses geographical data to build a free, open-source grid reference system to provide a precise system to locate structures.

PNNL scientists publish paper and host workshops to share threat-agnostic vision for biodefense.

A study of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome has identified a compound that shows potential in easing the symptoms of coronavirus infections.

Mary Lancaster, epidemiologist and data scientist, co-authored a chapter on cyberbiosecurity for the NATO Science for Peace and Security book series.

A comprehensive literature review linking algae and antivirals determines compounds in algae may demonstrate an exceptional—and as yet untapped—potential to combat viral diseases at every point along the viral infection pathway.

A Q&A with Lauren Charles, veterinarian and PNNL data scientist, on zoonotic diseases and the role biosurveillance plays in mitigating the growing threat to global health.

PNNL’s Intelligent Load Control technology manages and adjusts electricity use in buildings when there’s peak demand on the power grid.

Following the energy crisis of 2000-2001, the State of Washington received financial settlements from six energy companies, a fraction of which was used for energy-efficiency research.

Thanksgiving is a time for us to reflect on our many blessings, and being a part of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is one for which I am especially grateful.