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Wearable technology continuously monitors heart-rate recovery to predict risk
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The time it takes the heart to return to its baseline rhythm after exercise can predict a host of cardiovascular or metabolic disorders. In a new study, scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign used a “smart shirt” equipped with an electrocardiogram to track participants’ heart-rate recovery after exercise and developed a […]
Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch
Drug-carrying DNA aptamers can deliver a one-two punch to leukemia by precisely targeting the elusive cancer stem cells that seed cancer relapses.
Study: Microalgae and bacteria team up to convert CO2 into useful products
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists have spent decades genetically modifying the bacterium Escherichia coli and other microbes to convert carbon dioxide into useful biological products. Most methods require additional carbon sources, however, adding to the cost. A new study overcomes this limitation by combining the photosynthetic finesse of a single-celled algae with the production capabilities of […]
Researchers develop a five-minute quality test for sustainable cement industry materials
A new test developed at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can predict the performance of a new type of cementitious construction material in five minutes — a significant improvement over the current industry standard method, which takes seven or more days to complete. This development is poised to advance the use of next-generation resources called supplementary cementitious materials — or SCMs — by speeding up the quality-check process before leaving the production floor.
New research helps eliminate dead zones in desalination technology and beyond
Engineers have found a way to eliminate the fluid flow “dead zones” that plague the types of electrodes used for battery-based seawater desalination. The new technique uses a physics-based tapered flow channel design within electrodes that moves fluids quickly and efficiently, potentially requiring less energy than reverse osmosis techniques currently require.
Team makes sustainable aviation fuel additive from recycled polystyrene
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study overcomes a key challenge to switching commercial aircraft in the U.S. from their near-total reliance on fossil fuels to more sustainable aviation fuels. The study details a cost-effective method for producing ethylbenzene — an additive that improves the functional characteristics of sustainable aviation fuels — from polystyrene, a hard […]
Gene editing tool reduces Alzheimer’s plaque precursor in mice
A new gene editing tool that helps cellular machinery skip parts of genes responsible for diseases has been applied to reduce formation of amyloid-beta plaque precursors in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report.
Illinois researchers to kick off new phase of program to explore space-based manufacturing
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — What is being billed as the most exciting phase of a space manufacturing project called Mission Illinois is set to kick off this month. The project is currently gearing up to send a specialized construction apparatus to the International Space Station to demonstrate space-based or on-orbit manufacturing during the summer of 2026. […]
Nanorobot hand made of DNA grabs viruses for diagnostics and blocks cell entry
A tiny, four-fingered “hand” folded from a single piece of DNA can pick up the virus that causes COVID-19 for highly sensitive rapid detection and can even block viral particles from entering cells to infect them, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report.
New PFAS removal process aims to stamp out pollution ahead of semiconductor industry growth
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study is the first to describe an electrochemical strategy to capture, concentrate and destroy mixtures of diverse chemicals known as PFAS — including the increasingly prevalent ultra-short-chain PFAS — from water in a single process. This new development is poised to address the growing industrial problem of […]
New study: Earthquake prediction techniques lend quick insight into strength, reliability of materials
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Materials scientists can now use insight from a very common mineral and well-established earthquake and avalanche statistics to quantify how hostile environmental interactions may impact the degradation and failure of materials used for advanced solar panels, geological carbon sequestration and infrastructure such as buildings, roads and bridges.
Visible light energy yields two-for-one deal when added to CO2 recycling process
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — By combining visible light and electrochemistry, researchers have enhanced the conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable products and stumbled upon a surprising discovery. The team found that visible light significantly improved an important chemical attribute called selectivity, opening new avenues not only for CO2 conversion but also for many other chemical reactions used in catalysis research and chemical manufacturing.