Researchers develop computer model to predict whether a pesticide will harm bees
Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Engineering have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to help protect bees from pesticides. Cory Simon, assistant professor of chemical engineering, and Xiaoli Fern, associate professor of computer science, led the project, which involved training a machine learning model to predict whether any proposed new herbicide, fungicide […]
Researchers develop powerful strategy for creating new-to-nature enzymes
Engineering enzymes to perform reactions not found in nature can address longstanding challenges in the world of synthetic chemistry, such as upgrading plant-based oils into useful biochemicals. A team of researchers has developed a simple yet powerful strategy for creating new enzymes with novel reactivity that can produce valuable chemical compounds, building on their previous […]
Genetic diversity of C. difficile, a particularly problematic pathogen
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Jacobs School of Engineering, with colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine, have used a systems biology approach to parse the genetic diversity of Clostridioides difficile, a particularly problematic pathogen in health care settings. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that the bacterium causes approximately […]
A new brain-computer interface with a flexible backing: The flexible backing allows arrays of micro-scale needles to conform to the contours of the brain, which improves high-resolution brain recording
Engineering researchers have invented an advanced brain-computer interface with a flexible and moldable backing and penetrating microneedles. Adding a flexible backing to this kind of brain-computer interface allows the device to more evenly conform to the brain’s complex curved surface and to more uniformly distribute the microneedles that pierce the cortex. The microneedles, which are […]
Systematically examining the way spatial structure influences the evolution of cancer
Dr Robert Noble, a Lecturer in Mathematics in the School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering (SMCSE) believes that characterising the way, manner or pattern of evolution in tumours is important for clinical forecasting and optimising cancer treatment. Dr Noble and his colleagues in Professor Niko Beerenwinkel’s research group at ETH Zurich, have published a […]
Synthetic tissue can repair hearts, muscles, and vocal cords
Combining knowledge of chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering, scientists from McGill University develop a biomaterial tough enough to repair the heart, muscles, and vocal cords, representing a major advance in regenerative medicine. “People recovering from heart damage often face a long and tricky journey. Healing is challenging because of the constant movement tissues must withstand […]
3D nano-inks push industry boundaries
Mechanical engineering researchers at Michigan Technological University have created a way to make a 3D-printable nanocomposite polymeric ink that uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs) — known for their high tensile strength and lightness. This revolutionary ink could replace epoxies — and understanding why its properties are so fantastic is a first step toward its mass use. […]
New technology designed to genetically control disease-spreading mosquitoes: CRISPR-based system developed to safely restrain mosquito vectors via sterilization
Leveraging advancements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a new system that restrains populations of mosquitoes that infect millions each year with debilitating diseases. The new precision-guided sterile insect technique, or pgSIT, alters genes linked to male fertility — creating sterile offspring — and female flight in […]
Actuator discovery outperforms existing technology: Researchers use organic semiconductor nanotubes to create new electrochemical actuator
University of Houston researchers are reporting a breakthrough in the field of materials science and engineering with the development of an electrochemical actuator that uses specialized organic semiconductor nanotubes (OSNTs). Currently in the early stages of development, the actuator will become a key part of research contributing to the future of robotic, bioelectronic and biomedical […]
Metasurfaces control polarized light at will: New research unlocks the hidden potential of metasurfaces
For years, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have engineered metasurfaces to manipulate light based on its polarization state. That research has contributed to advances in polarization technology — but metasurface technology has proven more powerful than even the researchers themselves realized. Now, researchers have uncovered hidden […]