Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Advanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY


Innovative metasurfaces offer a new way to block radiant heat

Researchers at CUNY ASRC and Honeywell Aerospace developed pairs of ultrathin, nonmetallic coatings that work together to reduce heat transfer. The novel metasurface reduced thermal radiation emission by over 80% compared to nonstructured surfaces, maintaining performance across a wide range of operating temperatures.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 20, 2026

Researchers discover a new link between brain sugar levels and myelin development

Researchers at CUNY ASRC have uncovered a metabolic switch that influences the formation of myelinating cells, helping shape brain development. The study reveals that glucose levels act as a signal directing behavior during development and can be harnessed to protect myelin in the developing brain and promote repair in disease states.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 30, 2026

Solid but fluid: New materials reconfigure their entire crystal structure in response to humidity

Researchers at CUNY ASRC have created peptide-based crystalline solids that can switch between soft layered and stiff honeycomb architectures in response to humidity. These dynamic solids exhibit large, controllable changes in mechanical and optical properties, enabling unprecedented adaptability.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalMatter·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2026

Twisting sound: Scientists discover a new way to control mechanical vibrations in metamaterial

Researchers at CUNY ASRC introduce twistelastics, a technique using tiny rotations to manipulate mechanical waves, allowing unprecedented adaptability in sound and vibration control. The breakthrough enables flexible wave behavior for applications in medical imaging, consumer electronics, and microfluidics.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 13, 2025

Good vibrations: Scientists discover a groundbreaking method for exciting phonon-polaritons

Researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center have developed a groundbreaking method to excite phonon-polaritons using an electrical current, enabling the creation of novel nanoscale lasers and efficient electronic device cooling. The discovery could lead to transformative advancements in energy-efficient, compact technologies.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 19, 2025

New research identifies key cellular mechanism driving Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers have unveiled a critical mechanism linking cellular stress in the brain to Alzheimer's disease progression, highlighting microglia as central players in both protective and harmful responses. The study reveals that blocking a specific stress pathway reverses symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in preclinical models.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNeuron·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2024

New research identifies ways to protect neurons from the negative effect of high-fat diet on multiple sclerosis progression

Researchers found that specific enzymes in neurons mediate the toxicity of diets rich in palm oil, leading to mitochondrial damage and neurodegeneration. Inactivating these enzymes provides neuroprotection, suggesting a potential pathway for slowing diet-induced symptom severity in MS patients.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalGlia·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 4, 2024

Addressing global water security challenges: New study reveals investment opportunities and readiness levels

A recent study published in Global Environmental Change highlights the pressing need for innovative economic strategies to address global water scarcity and pollution. The research found that 71% of the world's population has high existing water security needs, with significant disparities in readiness across regions.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalGlobal Environmental Change·TypeMeta-analysis·DateSep 27, 2024

New study uncovers key mechanisms responsible for the transformation of adult progenitors into brain tumors

A new study from the CUNY Graduate Center uncovers key mechanisms responsible for the transformation of adult progenitor cells into brain tumors. Researchers found that a specific combination of genetic mutations and growth factor overproduction drives this transformation, highlighting the importance of epigenetic changes in glioma dev...

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNeoplasia·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 3, 2024

Researchers demonstrate metasurfaces that control thermal radiation in unprecedented ways

The research team has successfully demonstrated the control of thermal radiation by metasurfaces, achieving circularly polarized light with full control over emission direction. This breakthrough enables the creation of custom light sources with desired spectral, polarization, and spatial features for various applications.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 23, 2024

Study reveals urban trees suffer more from heat waves and drought than their rural counterparts

A recent study reveals that urban trees are more negatively impacted by heat waves and drought than their rural counterparts. The research highlights the challenges urban trees face in the context of climate change, underscoring the importance of tailored urban forestry management to protect tree species and reduce urban heat islands.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalEcological Applications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 13, 2024

New study reveals unique histone tag in adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, opening doors for advanced myelin repair therapies

Researchers at CUNY ASRC identify distinct histone tag in adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells that regulates their proliferation and may lead to innovative therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery holds promise for advancing myelin repair and improving patient outcomes.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 12, 2024

Grey cuckoo, red cuckoo: unveiling the genomic secrets of color polymorphism in female cuckoo birds

A recent study sheds light on the genetic underpinnings behind color polymorphism in adult females of cuckoo birds, revealing a single mutation for female-only polychromatism over 1 million years ago. The study found that variations in gray or rufous coloration are associated with the full length of the female-limited W chromosome.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalScience Advances·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 24, 2024

Spying on a shape-shifting protein

Scientists at the Advanced Science Research Center used X-ray crystallography with elevated temperature and pressure to observe distinct shapes in a protein molecule. The study reveals how proteins change shape to bind metabolites or other proteins, offering insight into disease treatment and development of novel drugs.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalCommunications Biology·TypeImaging analysis·DateJan 12, 2024

Photonics team develops high-performance ultrafast lasers that fit on a fingertip

Researchers have developed high-performance ultrafast lasers on nanophotonic chips, enabling compact devices for GPS-free precision navigation, medical imaging, food safety inspection and other applications. The new technology has the potential to enable futuristic chip-scale atomic clocks, biological imaging and more.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 9, 2023

Bartering light for light: Scientists discover new system to control the chaotic behavior of light

Researchers at CUNY Graduate Center design stadium-shaped cavity to study and control light's complex behavior. By adjusting light intensity and delay, they demonstrate coherent control using reflectionless scattering modes, paving the way for better energy storage, computing, and signal processing.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 2, 2023

A novel method for squeezing molecules together could significantly reduce chemical manufacturing waste and its negative environmental impacts

Scientists have developed a novel mechanochemistry method that can manufacture chemicals without toxic solvent waste, reducing energy consumption and pollution. The technique uses organic chemistry and nanotechnology to push molecules together and create chemicals.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 8, 2023

Scientists demonstrate time reflection of electromagnetic waves in a groundbreaking experiment

Researchers at CUNY ASRC detail a breakthrough experiment in which they observed time reflections of electromagnetic signals in a tailored metamaterial. The effect causes a significant portion of the broadband signals to be instantaneously time reversed and frequency converted, forming a strange echo.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 13, 2023

A multi-institutional research team finds declining nitrogen availability in a nitrogen-rich world

A multi-institutional team finds that nitrogen insufficiency is a growing concern worldwide due to increased demand for nitrogen by plants and microbes. Declining nitrogen availability can slow plant growth and affect the food chain, while also constraining carbon storage and contributing to global warming.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalScience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 14, 2022

Research team makes breakthrough discovery in light interactions with nanoparticles, paving the way for advances in optical computing

A research team at CUNY ASRC made a breakthrough discovery in nanomaterials and light-wave interactions that enables small, low-energy optical computers capable of advanced computing. The discovery demonstrates unprecedented speeds and nearly zero energy demands for solving complex mathematical problems.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 25, 2022

A sun reflector for earth?

A team of experts, including Phoebe Zarnetske and Jessica Gurevitch, investigate the ecological impacts of reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. Their research highlights the complexity of cascading relationships between ecosystem function and climate under different scenarios.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 5, 2021