science wire

Researchers awarded funds to develop promising technologies
Five Princeton faculty teams are the new recipients of support from a University fund designed to help propel promising discoveries out of the laboratory into products and technologies that can benefit society. The funding will support the following projects: a cheaper and more efficient solar cell for converting sunlight to electricity; a novel water-treatment technology; a microscope that uses sound waves to focus the lens; a graphene-based boost for battery-like devices; and a new class of antiviral drugs.

Self-Assembling Nanorods
A relatively fast, easy and inexpensive technique for inducing nanorods – rod-shaped semiconductor nanocrystals – to self-assemble into one-, two- and even three-dimensional macroscopic s

Portable device will quickly detect pathogens in developing countries
Two Cornell professors will combine their inventions to develop a handheld pathogen detector that will give health care workers in the developing world speedy results to identify in the field such pathogens as tuberculosis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV. Using synthetic DNA, Dan Luo, professor of biological and environmental engineering, has devised a method of "amplifying" very small samples of pathogen DNA, RNA or proteins.

New center developing computational bioresearch tool
The HIV virion is the virus particle that spreads the deadly AIDS infection from cell to cell. “On the molecular scale it's a huge object that probably involves a billion total atoms.

From Cancer Research to Energy Storage, Berkeley Lab Scientist Takes on Big Challenges
On a typical day, Rizia Bardhan walks through the doors of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Molecular Foundry and immerses herself in the tricky business of tweaking optical spectroscopy equipment to study phase transitions in metal hydrides. It's fair to say that what she does is difficult to grasp.

’Father of green chemistry’ plans return to Yale
Paul Anastas, the Yale chemist who has been on leave while serving as head of research for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), plans to return to the University full time later this winter.

UCLA Law report urges California to take action to protect public from toxic consumer products
More than 2,000 chemicals are used in consumer or commercial products such as toys, clothing and electronics; many are now also in the bodies of men, women and children.

Berkeley Lab to Develop Novel Materials for Hydrogen Storage
The biggest challenge with hydrogen-powered fuel cells lies in the storage of hydrogen: how to store enough of it, in a safe and cost-effective manner, to power a vehicle for 300 miles?  Lawrence Ber

Envelope for an Artificial Cell
Neal Davaraj watches as undergraduate student Weilong Li works on a next step in their quest to create an entirely artificial cell.

Supporting innovation: from green chemistry to pain research
The CFI awards more than $1 million to seven McGill researchers The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has announced it has awarded $1,072,471 to McGill University under its Leaders of Opportunity Fund (LOF).

Jim Arnold, Founding Chemist at UC San Diego Dies at 88
James R. Arnold, founding chairman of UC San Diego's chemistry department and first director of the California Space Institute whose contributions to science spanned the study of cosmic rays to the future of manned space flight, died Friday, January 6. He was 88. "Jim Arnold truly was a visionary scientist who found creative ways of looking at a broad range of problems, terrestrial and extraterrestrial," said Mark Thiemens, Dean of the Division of Physical Sciences.

Caltech Chemists Devise Chemical Reaction that Holds Promise for New Drug Development
A team of researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has devised a new method for making complex molecules.

Particle-free silver ink prints small, high-performance electronics
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois materials scientists have developed a new reactive silver ink for printing high-performance electronics on ubiquitous, low-cost materials such as flexible plastic, paper or fabric substrates.

Milky Way stars that wander but are not lost
Panel discussion 'Responding to Child Sexual Abuse' set for Jan. 24 Penn State President Erickson signs employment contract New York Alumni Town Hall meeting to be streamed Website consolidates sexual assault resource information Affirmative Action vice provost presents sexual harassment workshop New evidence that will help to answer long-standing questions about the history of stars in the disk of our galaxy is being released this week at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society by a team that includes a Penn State astronomer.

New Information on the Waste-Disposal Units of Living Cells
Important new information on one of the most critical protein machines in living cells has been reported by a team of researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley. The researchers have provided the most detailed look ever at the "regulatory particle" used by the protein machines known as proteasomes to identify and degrade proteins that have been marked for destruction.

Berkeley Lab Seeks to Help U.S. Assert Scientific Leadership in Critical Materials
A few short decades ago, few could have imagined that the world would be seriously concerned over something called dysprosium. Also known as number 66 on the periodic table, dysprosium was once just another element for chemistry students to memorize but is now one of the most sought-after and critically needed materials on the planet.

Yale’s new microscope brings atoms’ identities into focus
Yale's acquisition of a powerful new transmission electron microscope (TEM) is expected to transform researchers' ability to examine and manipulate atom-scale materials and devices on campus.

The Next Big Step Toward Atom-Specific Dynamical Chemistry
For Ali Belkacem of Berkeley Lab's Chemical Sciences Division, "What is chemistry?" is not a rhetorical question. "Chemistry is inherently dynamical," he answers.

CAD for RNA
The computer assisted design (CAD) tools that made it possible to fabricate integrated circuits with millions of transistors may soon be coming to the biological sciences. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have developed CAD-type models and simulations for RNA molecules that make it possible to engineer biological components or "RNA devices" for controlling genetic expression  in microbes.

Engineers boost electrical efficiency in organic semiconductors
By packing molecules closer together, chemical engineers at Stanford have dramatically improved the electrical conductivity of organic semiconductors. The advance could herald flexible electronics, more efficient solar panels, and perhaps even better television screens. Organic semiconductors could usher in an era of foldable smartphones, better high-definition television screens and solar clothing that turns sunlight into electricity for recharging your iPad.

Worm compost can suppress plant disease, regulate nutrients, research finds
Organic growers could soon have another weapon in their arsenal, courtesy of the humble worm. Cornell researchers have found that vermicompost - the product if composting using various species of worms - is not only an excellent fertilizer, but could also help prevent a pathogen that has been a scourge to greenhouse growers.

How the Brain Cell Works: A Dive Into Its Inner Network
— University of Miami (UM) biology professor Akira Chiba is leading a multidisciplinary team to develop the first systematic survey of protein interactions within brain cells.

A Single Cell Endoscope
An endoscope that can provide high-resolution optical images of the interior of a single living cell, or precisely deliver genes, proteins, therapeutic drugs or other cargo without injuring or damaging the cell, has been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).

Self-healing electronics could work longer and reduce waste
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - When one tiny circuit within an integrated chip cracks or fails, the whole chip - or even the whole device - is a loss.

Researcher Develops New Way to Assess Risk for Chemicals
— Coral Gables — Approximately 80,000 industrial chemicals are in use and about 700 new chemicals are introduced to commerce each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Powerful potential
SEAS holiday lecture engages young learners with the wonders of energy By Mureji Fatunde '12 Research assistant Daniel Rosenberg, a key member of Harvard's science lecture demonstration te

Let’s do the twist: Spiral proteins are efficient gene delivery agents
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Clinical gene therapy may be one step closer, thanks to a new twist on an old class of molecules. A group of University of Illinois researchers, led by professors Jianjun Cheng and Fei Wang, have demonstrated that short spiral-shaped proteins can efficiently deliver DNA segments to cells.

Caltech Chemists Propose Explanation for Superconductivity at High Temperatures
It has been 25 years since scientists discovered the first high-temperature superconductors—copper oxides, or cuprates, that conduct electricity without a shred of resistance at temperatures much higher than other superconducting metals. Yet no one has managed to explain why these cuprates are able to superconduct at all.

A glow of recognition
New detectors developed at MIT could provide easy visual identification of toxins or pathogens. — Researchers at MIT have developed a new way of revealing the presence of specific chemicals — whether toxins, disease markers, pathogens or explosives. The system visually signals the presence of a target chemical by emitting a fluorescent glow.

Sharpening the lines
New advance could lead to even smaller features in the constant quest for more compact, faster microchips. The microchip revolution has seen a steady shrinking of features on silicon chips, packing in more transistors and wires to boost chips' speed and data capacity. But in recent years, the technologies behind these chips have begun to bump up against fundamental limits, such as the wavelengths of light used for critical steps in chip manufacturing.

Engineers Develop More Effective MRI Contrast Agent for Cancer Detection
Many imaging technologies and their contrast agents - chemicals used during scans to help detect tumors and other problems - involve exposure to radiation or heavy metals, which present potential health risks to patients and limit the ways they can be applied.

Diamonds and Dust for Better Cement
It's no surprise that humans the world over use more water, by volume, than any other material. But in second place, at over 17 billion tons consumed each year, comes concrete made with Portland cement. Portland cement provides the essential binder for strong, versatile concrete; its basic materials are found in many places around the globe; and, at about $100 a ton, it's relatively cheap.

Chemically scrubbing CO2 from the air too expensive, says Stanford researcher who offers an alternative plan
Scrub carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere? Too expensive, says a Stanford researcher.

Drug company invests in West Campus technology core
Yale has signed a collaboration agreement with the Johnson & Johnson Corporate Office of Science & Technology (COSAT) to jointly fund activities at the Small Molecule Discovery Center (YSMDC) on Yale's West Campus.

Nine UC San Diego Professors Named 2011 AAAS Fellows
Nine professors at the University of California, San Diego have been named 2011 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the nation's largest scientific organization.

Researchers enhance graphene to enable multicolor photodetection
Graphene, a one-atom–thick layer of carbon lattice with a honeycomb structure, is seen as an attractive semiconductor material for use in future electronics and optoelectronics because of its speed, transparency, flexibility and strength.

Engineers making solar power more efficient
Innovations by a team of Yale University researchers could lead to improvements in basic solar power technology that result in lower-cost, higher-efficiency photovoltaic systems.

Yale chemistry chair named AAAS fellow
Scott J. Miller, chair of the Department of Chemistry, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the organization that publishes the journal Science.

Carbon capture? Go for the source
New analysis shows pulling CO2 from the air would not be cost-effective in the foreseeable future. Since most of the world's governments have not yet enacted regulations to curb emissions of greenhouse gases, some experts have advocated the development of technologies to remove carbon dioxide directly from the air.

Pioneering molecular biologist, formerly at UW-Madison, passes away
Masayasu Nomura, a molecular biologist who studied the structure that forms proteins inside cells at University of Wisconsin-Madison between 1963 and 1984, passed away on Nov.

Opal offers fast, lasting remedy for uranium contamination at nuclear sites, say Stanford researchers
Stanford researchers are proposing to use opal to sequester uranium at contaminated sites. The idea springs from natural deposits of opal, containing uranium, that have been stable for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years.

Researchers pioneer molecular imaging agents to individualize cancer therapy
UW Medicine researchers Kenneth Krohn and Janet Eary have received a $7 million five-year renewal grant award from the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute to continue research in molecular imaging of cancer and its response to therapy. This new award is funded through 2016.

Undergrad synthetic biology team takes a top prize at world championship
With today's most pressing problems ranging from the environment to health care, it's clear that life scientists and engineers need to work together.

U of M to receive nearly $17 million over the next five years from Dow Chemical Company
New partnership will strengthen research and enable a building expansion MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (12/01/2011) —The University of Minnesota has finalized an agreement with Dow Chemical Company that will result in the University receiving nearly $17 million over the next five years.

Rise of Atmospheric Oxygen More Complicated Than Previously Thought
Penn State, PA Coalition Against Rape join to fight child sexual abuse Penn State Town Hall Forum provides open discussion Football head coach search committee formed University launches hot

Aiden wins 2011 GE & Science grand prize

Nano meets pharma at Harvard-BASF symposium
Experts gather this week to discuss the efficient creation and delivery of nanoscale particles of drugs : Caroline Perry , (617) 496-1351 From targeted cancer chemotherapy to the guarantee of successful organ transplants, the 21st century may prove to be the age of big ideas in medicine.

Professor Imagines the Limitless Potential of Sewage
Most people would rather not think twice about their waste, but Kartik Chandran spends hours a day considering the limitless potential of sewage.

Hydrogen peroxide provides clues to immunity, wound healing, tumor biology
Media Inquiries news [a] uwhealth (p) org Related Information Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology Stay Connected Follow UWSMPH on Twitter Follow UWSMPH on Facebook Madison, Wisconsin - Hydrogen peroxide isn't just that bottled colorless liquid in the back of the medicine cabinet that's used occasionally for cleaning scraped knees and cut fingers.

Team develops highly efficient method for creating flexible, transparent electrodes
As the market for liquid crystal displays and other electronics continues to drive up the price of indium — the material used to make the indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes in these devices — scientists have been searching for a less costly and more dynamic alternative, particularly for use in future flexible electronics.

New Stanford software takes Folding@home’s biological research to supercomputers
Stanford researchers, who made impossible protein-folding simulations routine with Folding@home, bring the technology to supercomputing.

A Corny Turn for Biofuels from Switchgrass:
Many experts believe that advanced biofuels made from cellulosic biomass are the most promising alternative to petroleum-based liquid fuels for a renewable, clean, green, domestic source of transportation energy. however, does not make it easy. Unlike the starch sugars in grains, the complex polysaccharides in the cellulose of plant cell walls are locked within a tough woody material called lignin.

Long-term study shows acid pollution in rain decreases with emissions
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Emissions regulations do have an environmental impact, according to a long-term study of acidic rainfall by researchers at the University of Illinois. The National Atmospheric Deposition Program collects rainfall samples weekly from more than 250 stations across the United States and analyzes them for pollutants.

Mars Science Lab: Michigan scientists bring special expertise to new rover mission
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Two University of Michigan planetary scientists are vital members of the science team of the Mars Science Laboratory, which will study whether the Red Planet was ever capable of harboring microbial life.

Researchers sort out the nanotubes, for better electronics
A new technique developed by Stanford researchers advances commercial potential of semiconducting carbon nanotubes for printable circuits, bendable display screens, stretchable electronics and solar technology.

In new quantum-dot LED design, researchers turn troublesome molecules to their advantage
A robust new architecture enables optimization for quantum-dot displays : Caroline Perry , (617) 496-1351 By nestling quantum dots in an insulating egg-crate structure, researchers at the Ha

E. coli could convert sugar to biodiesel at ’an extraordinary rate,’ say Stanford researchers
Researchers studying how biodiesel can be generated using E. coli as a catalyst have determined the bacteria have what it takes to produce high volumes of the fuel.

Graphene to propel mechanical device technology forward
Graphene is sort of a scientific rock star, with countless groups studying its amazing electrical properties and tensile strength and dreaming up applications ranging from flat-panel screens to elevators in space.

Novel surface triples stem-cell growth in culture
By irradiating typical polystyrene lab plates with ultraviolet (UV) waves, Whitehead Institute and MIT scientists have created a surface capable of tripling the number of human embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that can be grown in culture by current methods.

Team to showcase its science research in an international competition
Over the past six months, a team of undergraduate scientists has learned firsthand that fierce competition and friendly collaboration sometimes combine in winning ways.

Supercomputers Accelerate Development of Advanced Materials
NERSC : Linda Vu, (510) 495-2402, LVu [a] lbl (p) gov New materials are crucial to building a clean energy economy - for everything from batteries to photovoltaics to lighter weight vehicles - but today the development cycle is too slow: around18 years from conception to commercialization.

Engineering researchers awarded $4.5M to develop stronger carbon nanotube materials
Researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have been awarded $4.5 million over four years by the U.S. Department of Defense to strengthen carbon nanotube yarns and sheets, materials that hold great promise for advancing satellite technology.

NSF funds graphene project, supports women in nanoscience
Research into new applications for graphene, as well as supporting women who work in the field of nanoelectronics, will result from a new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to Cornell.

Chemically assembled metamaterials could lead to superlenses and cloaking
Nanomanufacturing technology has enabled scientists to create metamaterials - stuff that never existed in nature - with unusual optical properties.

Penn State receives $2.3 million organic-agriculture research grant
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences have been awarded a $2.3 million grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate how certain cover crops and rotations can improve production of organic commodities.

University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler to visit St. Cloud Tuesday, Nov. 1
University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler will make his first visit to St. Cloud Tuesday, Nov.

Scientists Develop New Tool for the Study of Spatial Patterns in Living Cells
Football has often been called “a game of inches,” but biology is a game of nanometers, where spatial differences of only a few nanometers can determine the fate of a cell – whether it lives or dies, remains normal or turns cancerous. Scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a new and better way to study the impact of spatial patterns on living cells.

NSF Grant will help deepen our understanding of Arctic climate change
Daniel Jacob and Loretta J. Mickley are part of an NSF effort to improve predictions of climate change Daniel Jacob, Vasco McCoy Family Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Engineering in the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), is the lead primary investigator of a grant for $477,787 to develop an improved understanding of the distributions and decadal trends of aerosols and ozone in the Arctic and study the implications for Arctic climate change during 1980-2010.

Linking Fragile X Syndrome Proteins and RNA Editing Mistakes at Nerve-Muscle Junction
PHILADELPHIA - The most common form of heritable cognitive impairment is Fragile X Syndrome, caused by mutation or malfunction of the FMR1 gene. Loss of FMR1 function is also the most common genetic cause of autism. Understanding how this gene works is vital to finding new treatments to help Fragile X patients and others.

USDA funds $2.3M study of organically growing spelt, emmer, einkorn
To enhance the market value of such organically grown grains such as heritage wheat, emmer, spelt and einkorn, Cornell has received $2.3 million over four years from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

U of M President Kaler to visit Duluth and Cloquet Oct. 27-28

Researchers get grants to sweeten New York apple crop
An abundance of crisp, sugary fruit has made the 2011 apple harvest an especially sweet one for New York growers, but Cornell researchers hope to make future crops even more valuable by reducing tree and fruit losses and enhancing production efficiency.

Researchers create transistors from natural cotton fibers
Smarter, more functional clothing incorporating electronics may be possible in the near future, according to a study co-authored by Cornell fiber scientist Juan Hinestroza. Hinestroza, associate professor of fiber science, was part of an international team that developed transistors using natural cotton fibers.

Caltech Professors Mark E. Davis and David A. Tirrell Elected to the Institute of Medicine
Mark E. Davis and David A. Tirrell of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an honor that is considered among the highest in the fields of health and medicine.

Illinois professor named Packard Fellow
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Charles Schroeder has been named a Packard Fellow in science and engineering.

Researchers build transparent, super-stretchy skin-like sensor
Using carbon nanotubes bent to act as springs, Stanford researchers have developed a stretchable, transparent skin-like sensor.

Mars Rover Carries Device for Underground Scouting
October 20, 2011 An instrument on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity can check for any water that might be bound into shallow underground minerals along the rover's path. "If we conclude that there is something unusual in the subsurface at a particular spot, we could suggest more analysis of the spot using the capabilities of other instruments," said this instrument's principal investigator, Igor Mitrofanov of the Space Research Institute, Russia.

NASA’s Spitzer Detects Comet Storm in Nearby Solar System
October 19, 2011 PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected signs of icy bodies raining down in an alien solar system.

Tiny stamps for tiny sensors
New glass stamp may make cheaper, more precise biosensors. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Advances in microchip technology may someday enable clinicians to perform tests for hundreds of diseases - sifting out specific molecules, such as early stage cancer cells - from just one drop of blood.

Shaken, not Stirred: Berkeley Lab Scientists Spy Molecular Maneuvers
Stir this clear liquid in a glass vial and nothing happens. Shake this liquid, and free-floating sheets of protein-like structures emerge, ready to detect molecules or catalyze a reaction.

Nobel laureate explains putting the squeeze on hydrogen
Hydrogen, normally a gas, may act like a metal when squeezed under extreme pressure. In that state, competing chemical and physical effects determine its properties, said Nobel laureate Roald Hoffman

$10 Million Gift Creates Partnership to Fuel Fundamental Research
Dow establishes long-term vision for innovation as founding member of Caltech's Corporate Partners Program In a strategic move to strengthen fundamental science and technology and foster transfo

Body talk ... taking the guesswork out of tissue engineering
McGill researcher works on developing effective biodegradable scaffolds for body implants Among the 24 Canada Research Chairs awarded to McGill University that were announced this morning at Concordia University, the work of one particular researcher offers hope for Canada's ageing population.

Kicking hybrids out of carpool lanes backfires, slowing traffic for all
The end of a California program granting free access to carpool lanes by solo drivers of hybrid cars has unintentionally slowed traffic in all lanes, according to transportation engineers at the University of California, Berkeley.

Research explores virus movement in Madison groundwater
According to the conventional wisdom, drinking water taken from a deep aquifer protected by a semi-permeable layer of rock should be protected from many contaminants, including viruses. But the discovery of virus particles in many deep Madison water wells since 2003 has raised one key question: How do viruses, which should not survive more than two years underground, reach more than 700 feet deep, and penetrate this semi-permeable "aquitard?" In presentations to the Geological Society of America (Oct.

Turning slash piles into soil benefit
Your next bite of an organically grown apple may hold within it a tiny bit of a tribal forest from the Yakama Reservation in Eastern Washington.

Space Observatory Provides Clues to Creation of Earth’s Oceans
October 05, 2011 PASADENA, Calif. - Astronomers have found a new cosmic source for the same kind of water that appeared on Earth billions of years ago and created the oceans. The findings may help explain how Earth's surface ended up covered in water. New measurements from the Herschel Space Observatory show that comet Hartley 2, which comes from the distant Kuiper Belt, contains water with the same chemical signature as Earth's oceans.

Cell-penetrating peptides for drug delivery act like a Swiss Army Knife
Cell-penetrating peptides, such as the HIV TAT peptide, are able to enter cells using a number of mechanisms, from direct entry to endocytosis, a process by which cells internalize molecules by engulfing them. Further, these cell-penetrating peptides, or CPPs, can facilitate the cellular transfer of various molecular cargoes, from small chemical molecules to nano-sized particles and large fragments of DNA.

’Artificial leaf’ makes fuel from sunlight
Solar cell bonded to recently developed catalyst can harness the sun, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

U of M President Kaler to visit Austin and Rochester Oct. 4-5
Who: U of M President Eric Kaler What: Community and campus visits in southern Minnesota When: Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct.

New era of plasma nuclear science opens on the Omega Laser Facility
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The University of Rochester's Omega Laser Facility has given rise to many innovative ways to probe matter under conditions of extreme energy density. These conditions include pressures of 100 billion atmospheres, temperatures of 200,000,000 kelvins and densities 20 times that of gold; they occur in nature only at the center of the Giant Planets Jupiter and Saturn and inside stars.

Fatty Acid Test: Why Some Harm Health, But Others Help
Fatty Acid Test: Why Some Harm Health, But Others Help September 29, 2011 Scott LaFee A major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and other health- and life-threatening conditions, obesity is epidemic in the United States and other developed nations where it's fueled in large part by excessive consumption of a fat-rich “Western diet.” But not all fats are equal.

Precourt Institute and TomKat Center award new energy research grants
The Precourt Institute for Energy and the TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy are awarding a new round of faculty seed grants for promising research in clean technology and large-scale solar power.

Caltech Chemist Jacqueline Barton Honored With National Medal of Science
Jacqueline K. Barton, the Arthur and Marian Hanisch Memorial Professor of Chemistry and chair of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Caltech—a leader in studies of the ch

Joint BioEnergy Institute Scientists Identify New Microbe-Produced Advanced Biofuel as an Alternative to Diesel Fuel
Researchers with the U.S Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have identified a potential new advanced biofuel that could replace today's standard fuel for diesel engines but would be clean, green, renewable and produced in the United States. Using the tools of synthetic biology, a JBEI research team engineered strains of two microbes, a bacteria and a yeast, to produce a precursor to bisabolane, a member of the terpene class of chemical compounds that are found in plants and used in fragrances and flavorings.

GCEP awards $3.5 million for energy storage research
Stanford's Global Climate and Energy Project has awarded $3.5 million to five universities to develop new technologies that improve energy storage on the grid.

Lessons to be Learned from Nature in Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is one of nature's finest miracles. Through the photosynthetic process, green plants absorb sunlight in their leaves and convert the photonic energy into chemical energy that is stored as sugars in the plants' biomass.

Better Lithium-Ion Batteries Are On The Way From Berkeley Lab
Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere, in smart phones, laptops, an array of other consumer electronics, and the newest electric cars. Good as they are, they could be much better, especially when it comes to lowering the cost and extending the range of electric cars. To do that, batteries need to store a lot more energy.

Researchers develop system that finds prostate cancer metastases earlier
Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a way to image the spread of a dangerous form of prostate cancer earlier than today's conventional imaging techniques. The new method may allow oncologists to find and treat metastases more quickly and give patients a better chance at survival.

Bioengineers reprogram muscles to combat degeneration
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have turned back the clock on mature muscle tissue, coaxing it back to an earlier stem cell stage to form new muscle.

Saturn’s Moon Enceladus Spreads Its Influence
Chalk up one more feat for Saturn's intriguing moon Enceladus. The small, dynamic moon spews out dramatic plumes of water vapor and ice - first seen by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in 2005. It possesses simple organic particles and may house liquid water beneath its surface. Its geyser-like jets create a gigantic halo of ice, dust and gas around Enceladus that helps feed Saturn's E ring.

Slippery slope: researchers take advice from carnivorous plant
Bio-inspired coating resists liquids and could lead to a broad range of advances in fuel transport, anti-bacterial surfaces, and more After a rain, the cupped leaf of a pitcher plant becomes a virtually frictionless surface.

Exploring the Properties of World’s Strongest Known Material
In a soundproof room in Pupin Hall, a futuristic-looking metallic apparatus is creating three-dimensional images of a material that may one day power a new generation of smaller and faster electronic devices.

Four Caltech Researchers Given NIH Director’s Awards
Four members of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) faculty have been named among the researchers being given National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Awards.

Three U-M researchers named 2011 MacArthur Fellows
Sept.

Vacuum-like device makes cellular exploration easier
New floating microscopic device will allow researchers to study a wide range of cellular processes It's a bit of a challenge.

’Plant inventor’ engineers black-and-white cucumbers, pear-flavored melons
By age 4, Michael Mazourek was already fascinated by bell peppers, squash and sugar peas, the vegetables that featured prominently in his first garden.

U-M chemist and biophysicist wins ’Brilliant 10’ award from Popular Science magazine
Sept. 15, 2011 U-M chemist and biophysicist wins 'Brilliant 10' award from Popular Science magazine U-M chemist and biophysicist Hashim Al-Hashimi, whose studies have redefined the iconic DNA double helix, is on Popular Science's 'Brilliant 10' list of top young scientists.

UM Collaborates on Study of Safer Diabetes Drugs
— Coral Gables — Researchers from the Miller School's Center for Computational Science (CCS) and investigators from Harvard University safer drugs to combat type 2 diabetes. The study, "Anti-diabetic actions of non-agonist PPARy ligand blocking Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation," appears in the international science weekly's September 4 online edition.

Chemical in spice turmeric kickstarts cancer-killing mechanisms in human saliva
Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The inhibition of the pathway also correlated with reduced expression of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling molecules, in the saliva that promote cancer growth, said senior study author Marilene Wang, a professor of head and neck surgery and a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher.

Printing off the paper
MIT research continues to push the boundaries of the burgeoning technology of 3-D printing. Steven Keating and Neri Oxman demonstrate how 3-D printing works Video: Melanie Gonick CAMBRIDGE, Mass.

Optofluidics could change energy field, say engineers
The ability to manipulate light and fluids on a single chip, broadly called "optofluidics," has led to such technologies as liquid-crystal displays and liquid-filled optical fibers for fast data transfer.

NSF renews, expands mission of UW-Madison materials research center
With $18 million over six years, the National Science Foundation is expanding the mission of one of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's most prolific and prestigious interdisciplinary research centers.

Last but not least: ’Building 4’ to complete the SEQ2
The Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering Building, the fourth and last component of the Science and Engineering Quad, will echo the design and energy-saving features of the Jerry Yang and Akiko Yam

Get the Light, Beat the Heat
Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have unveiled a semiconductor nanocrystal coating material capable of controlling heat from the sun while remaining transparent.

Down to the Wire: Berkeley Lab Researchers Develop Inexpensive Technique for Making High Quality Nanowire Solar Cells
Solar or photovoltaic cells represent one of the best  possible technologies for providing an absolutely clean and virtually inexhaustible source of energy to power our civilization.

Extracting natural gas from shale can be done safely, says Stanford researcher
More and more natural gas is being extracted from underground shale deposits, but environmental concerns have been raised.

In cell culture, like real estate, the neighborhood matters
Ever since scientists first began growing human cells in lab dishes in 1952, they have focused on improving the chemical soup that feeds the cells and helps regulate their growth.

Professor Examines Red Wine’s Healthy Chemistry
Scott Snyder has always loved red wine, and recently his interest has extended well beyond the dinner table.

New sensors streamline detection of estrogenic compounds
CHAMPAIGN, lll. - Researchers have engineered new sensors that fluoresce in the presence of compounds that interact with estrogen receptors in human cells. The sensors detect natural or human-made substances that alter estrogenic signaling in the body. The study appears in the journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering.

Scented laundry products emit hazardous chemicals through dryer vents
The same University of Washington researcher who used chemical sleuthing to deduce what's in fragranced consumer products now has turned her attention to the scented air wafting from household laundry vents. Findings, published online this week in the journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health , show that air vented from machines using the top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet contains hazardous chemicals, including two that are classified as carcinogens.

Nanoscale balancing act that mirrors forces at work in living systems
Aug. 23, 2011 Engineers discover nanoscale balancing act that mirrors forces at work in living systems ANN ARBOR, Mich.—A delicate balance of atomic forces can be exploited to make nanoparticle superclusters that are uniform in size—an attribute that's important for many nanotech applications but hard to accomplish, University of Michigan researchers say.

A new set of building blocks for simple synthesis of complex molecules
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Assembling chemicals can be like putting together a puzzle. University of Illinois chemists have developed a way of fitting the pieces together to more efficiently build complex molecules, beginning with a powerful and promising antioxidant. Led by chemistry professor Martin Burke, the team published its research on the cover of the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.

Beams to Order from Table-Top Accelerators
Laser plasma accelerators offer the potential to create powerful electron beams within a fraction of the space required by conventional accelerators - and at a fraction of the cost.

Chemistry professor Omar Yaghi, in his own words
Omar Yaghi is one of the world's great chemists. He was recently ranked No. 2 among the world's top 100 chemists of the past decade, based on the impact of his published research.

Hotline and wine lab -- with state-of-the-art equipment -- relaunch after 25 years
Marauding bacteria and wayward chemical reactions can drive fermentation awry, but for New York state wineries, help is just a phone call away.

University of Minnesota to save $3.1 million yearly with revamped custodial program
(08/17/2011) —The University of Minnesota will save $3.1 million annually after a comprehensive overhaul of its Facilities Management custodial program.

Mimicking biological complexity, in a tiny particle
New MIT technology could lead to better drug delivery and artificial tissues that imitate natural tissue.

Disorder Is Key to Nanotube Mystery
Scientists often find strange and unexpected things when they look at materials at the nanoscale—the level of single atoms and molecules. This holds true even for the most common materials, such as water. Case in point: In the last couple of years, researchers have observed that water spontaneously flows into extremely small tubes of graphite or graphene, called carbon nanotubes.

A Cosmic Inkblot Test
If this were an inkblot test, you might see a bow tie or a butterfly depending on your personality.