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Northwestern University


Shelf-stable vaccines avoid waste, expand access

Researchers developed a new manufacturing platform using freeze-dried components that can quickly make vaccines on demand. The platform eliminates the need for complex supply chains and refrigeration, making it ideal for low-resource settings. This innovation has the potential to expand access to life-saving medications.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalJournal of Mathematical Sciences Advances and Applications·DateFeb 3, 2021

Researchers design next-generation photodetector

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new approach to quantum device design, producing the first gain-based long-wavelength infrared photodetector using band structure engineering. The advanced photodetector offers enhanced sensitivity for next-generation LWIR photodetectors and focal plane array imagers.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalLight Science & Applications·DateFeb 2, 2021

Your toothbrush reflects you, not your toilet

A Northwestern University study found that bacteria on used toothbrushes reflect microbial communities in the mouth and skin, not the toilet. The research, published in Microbiome journal, suggests that microbes from the human body are transferred to toothbrushes through saliva and other bodily fluids.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalMicrobiome·DateFeb 1, 2021

Cholesterol starvation kills lymphoma cells

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a novel therapy that uses synthetic nanoparticles to trigger the destruction of lymphoma cells by depriving them of cholesterol. This approach has potential for targeting other cancers with an appetite for cholesterol, such as kidney and ovarian cancer.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateJan 25, 2021

Deep sleep takes out the trash

A Northwestern University study finds that deep sleep has an ancient power to clear waste from the brain, including toxic proteins that may lead to neurodegenerative disease. This waste clearance process is substantially enhanced during deep sleep.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalScience Advances·DateJan 20, 2021

The upside of volatile space weather

A Northwestern University study discovered that stellar flares could play an important role in a planet's atmospheric evolution and habitability. Flares may drive a new chemical equilibrium in a planet's atmosphere, potentially making it easier to detect signs of life.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Astronomy·DateDec 21, 2020

Bacteria in iron-deficient environments process carbon sources selectively

Researchers at Northwestern University found that bacteria in low-iron environments reroute their metabolic pathways to favor producing iron-scavenging compounds. This study provides insights into the impact of iron on carbon cycling in bacterial cells, with implications for ecosystem health and environmental biotechnology.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 30, 2020

Optimizing the design of new materials

Researchers developed a new method to optimize materials exhibiting metal-insulator transitions (MIT) using Bayesian optimization and latent-variable Gaussian processes. The approach identified 12 previously unidentified MIT materials with optimal functionality and synthesizability.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalApplied Physics Reviews·DateNov 6, 2020

Site of male sexual desire uncovered in brain

A Northwestern University study has identified the specific regions of brain tissue where a key gene named aromatase regulates male sexual behavior in mice. Aromatase converts testosterone to estrogen, driving male sexual activity. The discovery could lead to new treatments for disorders of low and compulsive sexual desire.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalEndocrinology·DateSep 11, 2020