News: Faculty

Simulations reveal workings of droplets that underlie life’s functions
March 11, 2024

Jerelle Joseph seeks to uncover the rules behind the formation and evolution of cellular droplets known as biomolecular condensates, in which molecules come together to break down nutrients, send signals to neighboring cells, or turn on stress responses.

Nanotech luminary Robert Prud’homme elected to National Academy of Engineering
Feb. 7, 2024

Membership in the National Academy of Engineering is widely seen as one of the highest honors in the engineering profession. The 2024 class includes 114 members and 21 international members — researchers from across industry, academia and government.…

Upcycling plastics, sustainable catalysis expert Michele Sarazen wins NSF CAREER Award
Feb. 7, 2024

The award comes as part of NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development Program that supports junior faculty who exemplify leadership in education and research. It comes with nearly $600,000 in research funding over five years.

We have much to learn from the lungs of other species
Jan. 9, 2024

As part of her research into how lungs develop before birth, she and an undergraduate mentee found they could measure the effect of a particular chemical on the patterns of lung growth in chicken embryos. They excitedly submitted their work for peer review but were met with a lukewarm response.

“One of the reviewers said that this is…

Researchers built a physical model to probe the creative destruction inside cells
Dec. 19, 2023

A new window into the nitty-gritty mechanical interactions between liquids and fibrous networks in cells should advance understanding on many biomedical fronts. In addition, the findings offer avenues for exploration in materials science toward “soft matter” substances with novel characteristics.