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Imaging agents light up two cancer biomarkers at once to give more complete picture of tumor
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Cancer surgeons may soon have a more complete view of tumors during surgery thanks to new imaging agents that can illuminate multiple biomarkers at once, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report. The fluorescent nanoparticles, wrapped in the membranes of red blood cells, target tumors better than current clinically approved dyes and can […]
Webb Space Telescope detects universe’s most distant complex organic molecules
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Researchers have detected complex organic molecules in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years away from Earth – the most distant galaxy in which these molecules are now known to exist. Thanks to the capabilities of the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope and careful analyses from the research team, a new […]
Smart surgical implant coatings provide early failure warning while preventing infection
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Newly developed “smart” coatings for surgical orthopedic implants can monitor strain on the devices to provide early warning of implant failures while killing infection-causing bacteria, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report. The coatings integrate flexible sensors with a nanostructured antibacterial surface inspired by the wings of dragonflies and cicadas. In a new […]
New metric allows researchers to better understand soft material behavior
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The mechanics behind the collapse of soft materials structure have befuddled researchers for decades. In a new study, researchers uncover a metric that finally correlates microscopic-level processes with what is seen at the macroscopic level. The new metric is poised to help bring advances to various materials engineering challenges – ranging from […]
First-year chemistry students learn data analytics in new lab curriculum
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A team of scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Rice University and Danville Area Community College has created an affordable laboratory curriculum for teaching advanced data analysis techniques and instrument building to first-year general chemistry students. Students in the course at DACC get a first-hand look at the inside of a […]
Three Illinois scientists elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Three scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – electrical and computer engineering professor emeritus Tamer Başar, materials science and engineering professor David Cahill and physics professor Vidya Madhavan – have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. They are among nearly 270 inductees to the academy this year, one of the oldest honorary societies in […]
New stellar danger to planets identified by NASA’S Chandra program
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — An exploded star can pose more risks to nearby planets than previously thought, according to a new study from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other X-ray telescopes. This newly identified threat involves a phase of intense X-rays that can damage the atmospheres of planets up to 160 light-years away. The results of […]
Hubble unexpectedly finds double quasar in distant universe
The early universe was a rambunctious place where galaxies often bumped into each other and even merged. Using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and other space and ground-based observatories, astronomers made an unexpected and rare discovery: a pair of gravitationally bound quasars, both blazing away inside two merging galaxies. They existed when the universe was just […]
AI predicts enzyme function better than leading tools
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new artificial intelligence tool can predict the functions of enzymes based on their amino acid sequences, even when the enzymes are unstudied or poorly understood. The researchers said the AI tool, dubbed CLEAN, outperforms the leading state-of-the-art tools in accuracy, reliability and sensitivity. Better understanding of enzymes and their functions would […]
Researchers reveal real-time glimpse into growth habits of nanoparticles
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — For the first time, researchers have observed the process of nanoparticles self-assembling and crystalizing into solid materials. In new videos produced by the team, particles can be seen raining down, tumbling along stairsteps and sliding around before finally snapping into place to form a crystal’s signature stacked layers. Led by Qian Chen […]
Mimicking biological enzymes may be key to hydrogen fuel production
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — An ancient biological enzyme known as nickel-iron hydrogenase may play a key role in producing hydrogen for a renewables-based energy economy, researchers said. Careful study of the enzyme has led chemists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to design a synthetic molecule that mimics the hydrogen gas-producing chemical reaction performed by the enzyme. The […]
Advanced electrode to help remediation of stubborn new ‘forever chemicals’
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — As new environmental regulations are rolling out to mitigate the industry-retired long-chain chemicals known as PFAS in drinking water, there are concerns regarding a new breed of “forever chemicals” called short-chain PFAS. Research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is helping shift the focus to include mitigation of the chemicals – which researchers say […]