Researchers at Rice University developed a custom Python-based software tool to rapidly analyze data from high-resolution X-ray diffraction, identifying dislocations and irregularities in the atomic lattice. The approach can accelerate the development of more reliable electronic and quantum devices.
Researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have discovered that bilingual brains preserve a shared overall geometric organization despite tuning themselves differently for each language. This 'shared semantic geometry' allows individuals to effortlessly translate thoughts between languages without confusion.
A new commission, launched at the Texas Brain Economy Summit, aims to define, measure, and operationalize brain capital, a concept encompassing both brain health and critical cognitive skills. The initiative seeks to address the gap in economic planning and promote brain health as a driver of economic resilience.
Researchers seek to understand the biological mechanisms behind Ewing sarcoma's rapid growth and spread, developing new tools to visualize DNA structures and regulate gene expression. This could lead to personalized cancer treatments targeting specific molecules for improved patient outcomes.
A new study published in Health Psychology reveals that individual personality traits play a significant role in how caregiving stress affects physical health. Caregivers with high neuroticism and low agreeableness experienced greater inflammation and poorer physical functioning, while others remained relatively resilient. The research...
Researchers at Rice University collaborated with TU Wien to study quantum entanglement in a quantum critical metal, revealing high entanglement state characterized by spin quantum Fisher information. This work enables the development of a framework using entanglement to advance new capacities for quantum information.
A team of Rice University researchers has developed an RNA-based barcoding system to track gene transfer between bacteria and bacteriophages. The approach reveals previously unknown bacterial hosts for the bacteriophage P1 and shows how subtle changes in viral structure influence host range, offering a powerful tool for next-generation...
Christina Tringides, an assistant professor at Rice University, has won the Pew Biomedical Scholar award to explore how glioblastoma grows and spreads into healthy tissue. Her research aims to develop personalized therapies for brain cancer by mimicking the brain's extracellular matrix.
A study by Rice University researchers found that hitting with a slower swing speed can lead to more contact, but also sacrifices power. The study analyzed MLB swing-tracking data and found that batters who adjust their approach with two strikes do not necessarily get better results.
Rice University has received a $2 million CPRIT award to advance cancer research, including new studies in immunotherapy and ovarian cancer. The funding will support the expansion of the Genetic Design and Engineering Center, which provides a centralized hub for DNA tools used in cancer research.
Phosphorus and nitrogen, two elements necessary for life, were found in distinct ratios in asteroidal bodies related to iron meteorites compared to younger asteroids. Researchers recreated the crystallization of iron meteorites in the lab and analyzed their chemical composition, which suggested that these life-essential elements origin...
Researchers have discovered a method to induce quantum entanglement in macroscopic systems by coupling quantum materials to quantum light. This breakthrough could enable the extraction of quantum entanglement using quantum light and lay the groundwork for developing next-generation technologies like quantum sensing.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a noninvasive method to track the expression of specific genes in living brain tissue, enabling real-time monitoring of gene activity. The tool, called In-vivo Tracking of Active Transcription (INTACT), uses engineered reporter molecules and sensors to detect target mRNA in the bloodstream.
A new model shows that the processivity of motors helps break symmetry in chromosomes, driving deformation from a ball to a cylinder shape. The model explains structural patterns like chromosomal jets and provides insights into eukaryotic chromosome replication.
A clinical trial is underway at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine to develop advanced neuroprosthetics for individuals with paralysis. The team is working on decoding cortical neural signals to control robotic assistive devices, enabling people with tetraplegia to eat and drink independently.
Researchers have developed a cell-based delivery platform that uses encapsulated engineered cells to secrete cytokines directly within the wound environment, supporting accelerated wound healing in rodent and porcine excisional wound models. The approach is designed to maintain therapeutic levels of signaling molecules at the wound site.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a method to pattern chips with nanoscale structures at room temperature, opening up new possibilities for integrating light-based technologies into future devices. The technique uses anisotropic crystals to create patterns in hard materials like silica.
Scientists confirm decades-long prediction by measuring the color-changing effect of light in chiral carbon nanotubes. The material converts light at a rate two to three orders of magnitude greater than conventional materials.
A team of Rice University bioengineers has developed a new way to create highly realistic mock patient samples that could help accelerate the development of faster and more accessible cervical cancer screening tests. The approach combines multiple factors, including viral DNA levels and cell counts, to mimic real clinical specimens.
The PrecisionView device enables clinicians to visualize both subcellular structures and underlying blood vessels across large tissue areas without invasive biopsies. It generates detailed maps of tissue areas spanning several square centimeters and displays results in real-time.
A first-in-human trial demonstrates the potential of implantable cytokine factories for treating ovarian cancer, showing a favorable safety profile and encouraging disease stabilization in patients. The therapy successfully activated key immune cells without expanding regulatory T cells, revealing a promising mechanism of action.
A new Rice University study links climate variability to civil conflict and war risk, revealing nuanced relationships between climate patterns and local conflict risk. The research identifies regions susceptible to climate-driven political instability and provides evidence for a 'threat multiplier' effect.
The study introduces an architectural approach to improve carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites' strength and resistance to catastrophic failure. The design features custom-designed thermoplastic lattice interlayers that preserve load-bearing pathways while allowing damage to spread gradually.
A new study from Rice University finds that using GLP-1 medications can lead to social judgment, even among those who have lost significant weight. Participants rated individuals who used GLP-1 more negatively than those who lost weight through diet and exercise or did not lose weight at all.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a method to make perovskite-based photovoltaics more durable by adding two key ingredients, skipping the yellow phase and degrading slower. The films retain 98% of their initial efficiency even after 1,200 hours of exposure.
Researchers at Rice University have engineered a new multiferroic material that exhibits orders of magnitude higher performance at room temperature than its parent material. The new material shows a 10-fold increase in magnetization and a 100-fold increase in magnetoelectric coupling, making it promising for low-energy computing.
Motif Neurotech has received FDA approval to begin the first clinical trial of its therapeutic BCI device, DOT, for treatment-resistant depression. The study will test the device's effectiveness in delivering electrical stimulation to brain circuits linked to depression.
Researchers at Rice Biotech Launch Pad are developing an encapsulation platform to protect transplanted pancreatic islet cells from immune attack. The approach aims to reduce scarring and inflammation, making it possible for people with Type 1 diabetes to manage their condition without long-term immunosuppression.
A team of Rice University researchers has developed a faster and more energy-efficient way to recover critical minerals from spent lithium-ion batteries. The new method uses aqueous solutions of amino chlorides, which can extract valuable metals in minutes rather than hours.
Plant cells rely on fatty acids during seed to seedling stage; PEX11 protein helps regulate peroxisome size changes. Researchers create mutants with altered PEX11 genes, observing massive peroxisomes that don't shrink back down, revealing the protein's critical role in plant growth.
A new study from Rice University transforms lunar regolith simulant into a valuable building resource, strengthening advanced composite materials by up to 30-40%. The innovative approach reduces dependence on Earth-supplied materials, increasing the feasibility of longer missions and infrastructure development.
A new model predicts that the selection of a single follicle for maturation during human pregnancy is entirely random, contrary to prior theories. The model suggests that once one follicle is selected, estradiol levels start rising, causing FSH levels to fall below the threshold, and unselected follicles die off.
A study from Rice University reveals that caregivers' relationships play a crucial role in their mental and physical health. Caregivers who are more self-reliant or emotionally distant experience worse health outcomes, but those with higher relationship satisfaction have stronger buffering effects.
Duracyte's technology uses an implantable device to produce therapeutic proteins continuously inside the human body, replacing injections and infusions with a single device. The device can sense biological signals, monitor tumor environments and adjust therapeutic output in real time.
Researchers at Rice University create a new 3D-printing process using focused microwaves that enables spatially programming functional properties of printed electronic inks. This technology allows for the creation of multifunctional circuitry with diverse material classes, expanding device possibilities.
A custom-built AI system helped uncover how bacterial communities organize themselves, showing that early moments of a biological transition carry more information than previously considered. The findings bring new insight into the relationship between genotype and phenotype in Myxococcus xanthus.
Researchers at Rice University have solved a long-standing puzzle in organic semiconductors by finding that tiny structural imperfections can improve light conversion efficiency. The study reveals how defects act as energy localization sites that behave differently from the rest of the material, enhancing processes like triplet-triplet...
Researchers at Rice University have created a new approach called Sequence Display that generates large-scale sequence-activity datasets for rapid protein evolution. This method enables the creation of accurate machine learning models to predict protein function optimization, overcoming the bottleneck of insufficient experimental data.
Researchers use a meteorite resembling Mercury's chemical makeup to recreate the planet's conditions, finding that sulfur lowers the temperature at which magma begins to crystallize. This process reveals how Mercury's low iron content and high sulfur levels shape its interior evolution and crust formation.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered a new way to enable pi interactions between dioxygen and f-block metals like neodymium, creating lanthanide-oxos. This breakthrough could lead to the development of highly reactive molecules as synthetic replacements for iron-oxo.
A study published in Ecology Letters found that similarity in environmental conditions predicts local food web similarity across a continent. The researchers used satellite images and network analysis to identify habitat fragmentation and vegetation amount as major factors in shaping food webs.
Rice University scientists have created a new type of two-dimensional semiconductor that exhibits no distortions, allowing for efficient energy transfer. The material's performance is an order of magnitude better than previously reported perovskites, making it suitable for applications such as solar cells and tandem devices.
A Rice University study explores the diversity of Black perspectives on race relations, identifying racial realism as one of several distinct outlooks documented in survey data. Roughly a third of surveyed Black adults maintained negative views of race relations before and after Obama's election, linking it to awareness of stereotypes ...
The Hybrid Oxygenation Bioelectronics system, or HOBIT, shields cells from the immune system while providing access to oxygen and nutrients. The compact device supports higher cell densities in a smaller space, enabling the production of multiple biologic molecules simultaneously.
Five Rice University professors, Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede, Volker Rudolf, Edward Knightly, Marcia O’Malley, and Ed Billups, have been elected AAAS fellows for their groundbreaking research in various fields. Their work has led to significant breakthroughs in human health, technology, and environmental understanding.
A new platform called ATLAS enables researchers to generate large quantities of cancer cell clusters that accurately model metastasis. Using ATLAS, the Rice team gained insights into the mechanisms that enable cancer clusters to survive in the bloodstream during the metastatic process.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a synthetic origin of replication for plasmids, allowing for precise control over copy numbers and eliminating incompatibility issues. This innovation enables scientists to modify plasmids instead of workarounds, simplifying experimental workflows and expanding possibilities.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new method to recover nearly all critical minerals from spent lithium-ion batteries, including metals like lithium and graphite. The process uses microwave-induced plasma treatment with room-temperature solvents, resulting in high recovery rates and minimal environmental impact.
Researchers Jing Chen and Simon Fischer-Baum at Rice University have made significant contributions to psychological science, focusing on human-AI interaction and literacy. Their work explores trust in automation, human performance limitations, and how people interpret risk, aiming to improve safety and efficiency across industries.
Rice scientists develop simple method to study pyroglutamate, unlocking new insights into how proteins function and form. The technique uses blueish light to initiate chemistry that allows researchers to find out the roles of this ubiquitous modification.