News on the grants and awards that fuel scientific work. Covers federal grants, foundation awards, gene-editing and disease programs, and shifts in funding policy.
Scientists have developed a machine learning algorithm that can accurately predict the lifetimes of different battery chemistries using as little as a single cycle of experimental data. The technique could reduce costs and accelerate the development of new battery materials, enabling researchers to quickly evaluate and test multiple ma...
The Chemical Insights Research Institute has received a prestigious award from the National Institutes of Health to study the link between electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) usage and periodontal disease. The researchers will analyze consumer vaping behavior data and biosamples to identify biomarkers of exposure and injury, aim...
Researchers have discovered layered 2D materials that can host unique magnetic features, including skyrmions, which remain stable at room temperature. The discovery could lead to novel low-energy data storage and information processing systems.
A Boston University–led team has won a major new grant from NASA to continue advancing its breakthrough work in heliophysics. The funding will also support the team’s efforts to diversify the field of space physics, with a focus on outreach and mentorship for underrepresented groups.
Physicists are using a deposit of nearly pure argon, extracted from southwest Colorado, to search for answers about the universe's dark matter. The argon is separated from carbon dioxide and shipped to Italy for use in the DarkSide-20k detector.
Researchers Francesca Ferlaino, Kathrin Thedieck and Hans Briegel will investigate new systems for quantum matter simulation, control of mTOR-dependent metabolic processes, and AI-driven quantum experiments. Their work has the potential to revolutionize fields such as physics, computer science and medicine.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are searching for the ideal exosuit design to reduce muscle load and prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The study found that commercially available exosuits have limitations, with the Auxivo LiftSuit being stiff and uncomfortable during prolonged wear.
Friedhelm von Blanckenburg's project DEVENDRA explores the weathering of basalt and carbonate rocks, measuring their transformation into soil and subsequent erosion. The goal is to establish a novel method for calibrating the laws governing weathering and CO2 drawdown.
A European Research Council-funded project aims to understand brain activity during program comprehension using a multimodal and interdisciplinary approach. The researchers, led by Sven Apel, will investigate mental processes involved in reading and understanding program code.
Researchers have identified a new strain of the myxoma virus that has enabled it to leap from European rabbits to Iberian hares, causing lethal disease in both species. The study suggests that this viral adaptation may also improve the virus's ability to replicate in human cancer cells.
The Taylor Geospatial Institute brings together eight leading research institutions to collaborate on geospatial technology research and development. The Institute aims to accelerate St. Louis' position as the global center of geospatial innovation, with a focus on key areas such as food security, geospatial health, and national security.
A new study by Ohio State University researchers found that federal research funding has a positive 'ripple effect', stimulating investigations in new areas and providing unexpected benefits. The study showed that funding mostly goes to hiring people who work on the projects, leading to an increase in productivity and quality of research.
A new evidence-based matching program aims to improve treatment outcomes by pairing patients with therapists based on their previously established effectiveness strengths. The program, funded by PCORI, has shown promising results in reducing symptoms and improving patient care.
The UK is investing £290 million in upgrading aircraft facilities to facilitate easy transportation to Antarctic research stations. This investment is part of the £670 million total investment in modernizing polar science research facilities, ensuring the UK remains a world leader in the field until at least 2045.
Dr. Kenichi Miharada and his team received the grant to develop an in vitro red blood cell production method due to global blood shortage for transfusions. They have already established a semi-infinitely proliferating red blood cell source called immortalized human erythroblast cell line (ELLU cells), but face technical challenges.
A project aims to develop software toolkits to assess neural network robustness and potential security vulnerabilities. The goal is to create a framework for building secure AI systems, emphasizing human expertise in data collection and testing.
The University of Missouri has received a grant to help nurses discuss COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy with their communities. The project will equip nursing students with knowledge and confidence to promote public health through effective communication strategies.
Kaiyuan Yang's five-year grant will focus on enhancing the reliability and security of bioelectronic implants by making them aware of and adaptive to their physical and logical contexts. The goal is to develop WBMI bioelectronics that can be deeply implanted in humans through minimally invasive injection, ingestion or through vessels.
Researchers have discovered an elegant equation to approximate the coherence time of materials hosting spin qubits. The team can now estimate coherence times in seconds using just five material properties, facilitating a rapid exploration of new candidate materials.
Claire Célérier, a leading expert in household finance, has been recognized by the Bank of Canada with its Governor's Award for her groundbreaking research on financial inclusion. The award provides a $30,000 annual research grant to support her work on innovative financial products and behavioral biases.
A $150,000 grant from the NV Energy Foundation will support DRI's development of a Weather and Research Forecast model to simulate weather, fire, and smoke for firefighting operations. The tool will provide critical air quality forecasts and risk assessment for specific locations.
Researchers investigate how mushrooms improve gut health and provide a preventive buffer against disease in Western-style diets. The study aims to understand the role of Turicibacter in dietary obesity and gut health, as well as the potential benefits of incorporating oyster mushrooms into diet.
Researchers use DNA to program metal nanoparticles to assemble into new configurations, resulting in the discovery of three new crystalline phases. The approach enables symmetry breaking and creation of complex colloidal crystal structures with unique optical and catalytic properties.
The NCCR MARVEL has been ranked in the top tier by the SNSF Research Council, receiving a bonus of 1.53 MCHF in addition to its regular budget. The review panel praises MARVEL's scientific excellence and added value, highlighting its expected high impact during phase III.
A new study found that women's health research is disproportionately focused on reproductive years, particularly pregnancy, leaving few articles on major causes of illness and death. Non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, are poorly covered in women's health publications.
Three University of Central Florida researchers have been awarded multi-million-dollar projects by the US Department of Defense to advance hypersonic propulsion and improve semiconductor performance. The projects will focus on developing new technologies for ultra-fast intercontinental travel and making space travel more economical.
Assistant Professor Henry Yuen at Columbia University will receive a $675,000 grant to develop verification protocols for entanglement theory and explore broader mathematical applications. His work aims to solve fundamental problems in computer science, mathematics, and physics using quantum entanglement.
A team led by Professor Charles Gauthier is developing a glycoconjugate vaccine using sugars expressed on the surface of Burkholderia pseudomallei. The vaccine aims to stimulate an immune response and increase its efficacy.
Twelve new research projects aim to level up health and wellbeing across the UK through cultural and natural interventions. The programme, funded by AHRC and partners, will generate evidence for place-based approaches to creative health, generating insights into local cultural activities and natural spaces.
Physicist Stefan Kaiser's ERC Consolidator Grant project uses terahertz lasers to measure superconductor properties, shedding light on Cooper pairs and Higgs oscillations. The new spectroscopy method aims to characterize superconductors and discover new ones.
A new research group aims to bridge historiographical gaps in the understanding of the Black Power movement's influence on America's democracy and values. The project will examine lesser-known groups and topics to illustrate the struggle between competing ideals of US democracy.
The UK report highlights the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to future climate adaptation research and equitable partnerships. Embedding local knowledge and co-designing solutions with local stakeholders are crucial for effective adaptation.
A new research project on Science, Society and Environmental Change in the First Millennium CE has been selected for a €2m European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant. The team will investigate how humans responded to environmental and climatic change between 1 and 1000 CE using textual, archaeological and environmental evidence.
The Durham Energy Institute is launching a new £1.23m fellowship scheme to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion among energy researchers. The scheme aims to address key challenges and equip a cohort of researchers with the skills to make lasting changes towards a diverse and inclusive research community.
The project aims to find efficient ways to use graphene particles from domestic coal wastes in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing, increasing the carbon content of filaments and developing new materials. This technology could lead to a more sustainable future by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
A recent commentary by Dartmouth College's Bala Chaudhary highlights the challenges faced by women researchers who choose to get married and change their last names. The lack of a consistent way to update publication records can lead to biases in grant and tenure applications, potentially affecting career advancement.
Researchers identify two genes, GLI1 and Notch1, responsible for aggressive growth and spread of triple negative breast cancers in African American women. A combination approach using inhibitors and chemotherapy agents significantly inhibits tumor growth and metastasis.
Researchers identified key differences in metabolic processes between brain and spinal cord oligodendrocytes, which could lead to new therapeutic treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. The study also found that targeting a specific cell protein may enhance cholesterol and myelin production.
Researchers at West Virginia University are using machine learning and geographic information systems to identify areas with low COVID-vaccine uptake. They aim to pinpoint counties with increased risk of outbreaks, predict where testing is most crucial, and develop targeted interventions to increase testing rates. By acknowledging comm...
A Tel Aviv University study found that investors who switched to a social fund reduced their donations to charities, mainly in similar causes. However, most investors in the social fund had not previously donated, suggesting that social funds entice more people to fund social causes.
Researchers at UTSA are using a three-year DoD grant to improve the reliability of additive manufacturing for critical machinery. They aim to predict mechanical properties and dimensional stability of components fabricated with AM.
A longitudinal study confirmed that adults' religious styles change over a person's lifetime, with most participants moving to a higher style. Factors such as openness to experience and low agreement with their own religion supported this progression, while regression was also observed in a significant number of cases.
A new study will measure the effectiveness of oral hygiene in preventing non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NVHAP) among hospitalized patients. NVHAP is the most deadly and costly type of hospital-acquired infection, affecting approximately one in 100 hospitalized patients.
Dr Henrik Melin, a researcher at the University of Leicester, has been awarded the third-ever Webb Fellowship to study the atmospheres of giant planets using the James Webb Space Telescope. He aims to understand the mechanisms driving powerful aurorae on these planets and address the 'energy crisis' in their upper atmospheres.
A new collection of scientific articles reviews the past decade of research on women's cardiovascular health, identifying key differences between men and women. The studies highlight critical gaps in current knowledge and emphasize the need for a more tailored approach to diagnosing and treating heart disease and stroke risk in women.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory discovered how microparticles can change direction when an electric stimulus is interrupted and reapplied with the same orientation. This emergent behavior has potential applications in microfluidic pumps for biomedical, chemical, and electronics applications.
A new study found that over two-thirds of UK social scientists believe their academic freedom is at risk, with internationalisation and the rise of authoritarian states like China being major concerns. The survey also showed that academics are reluctant to self-censor when teaching students from autocratic states in the UK.
The University of Huddersfield and Vietnam's ULIS are conducting a research collaboration to ensure fairness and inclusivity in English language assessments. The project aims to develop an online toolkit and community of practice for teachers, improving student outcomes across Vietnam.
Cambridge University researchers are tackling major environmental challenges in the UK's 'vegetable garden', the Fens, through a £10 million project. The team is working with farmers, landowners, and conservation groups to develop whole system solutions for climate change, extinction, and pollution threats.
Yang Wang's research focuses on usability of privacy technologies and artificial intelligence. Researchers will conduct semi-structured interviews, surveys, and co-design sessions with users from India and Bangladesh about their experiences with targeted ads.
A new project led by Assistant Professor Yun Huang is developing technologies to improve the accessibility of online STEM learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and non-native English speakers. The project will create effective Q&A mechanisms and interaction designs, including chatbots, to enable collaborative caption generation.
The American Roentgen Ray Society recognizes Drs. Nguyen, Beheshtian, Harfouch, and Hashiba for their outstanding research and education contributions to the field of radiology. The awards honor the candidates' scientific merit and potential impact on imaging and allied sciences research.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have made a groundbreaking discovery about the origin of lightning using radio telescopes. They found that the sources of lightning are indeed the streamers, or tiny spark-like discharges, supporting one of two competing theories on how lightning begins.
Researchers at CSU are developing a system to recapture and burn crankcase ventilation gas, reducing methane emissions by over 75%. The project partners with Caterpillar to test their engine and design the system, which aims to solve a significant industry problem.
Three University of Exeter researchers Dr Jasmine Ono, Dr Luis Yanez Guerra and Dr Jane Usher have been awarded BBSRC Discovery Fellowships for innovative research in biotechnology and biological sciences. They will focus on improving scientific knowledge to develop better treatments for human fungal pathogens and understanding the ori...
Researchers developed a computational model that simulates COVID-19 transmission and forecasts case numbers & hospitalizations. The model incorporates various factors such as vaccination rates, mask use, lockdowns, and breakthrough infections to predict the spread of variants.
A West Virginia University researcher is studying the American implementation of turbo roundabouts, designed to limit weaving and lane changing movements. The study aims to reduce conflict points and severity of crashes, with a focus on gauging motorists' responses via computerized driving simulations.
More than one in ten ERC grantees aim for academic entrepreneurship, with half engaging in knowledge-transfer activities. ERC Proof of Concept Grants show a higher tendency towards company creation or research transfer to existing companies. The survey provides valuable data on start-up companies and their impact beyond science.
The £1 million HAROLD 2.0 test rig will enhance the facility's functionality with real-time train braking performance models and a fully functional AC power bogie, enabling analysis of on-train systems and novel hybrid drivetrains.
A PSU-led research team will investigate microplastic sources and movement across the Columbia River Basin, aiming to secure a larger grant. The project involves diverse stakeholders and will develop an educational course for K-12 educators.