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Composite Nanofibers Developed for Orthopedic Biomaterials
Biomedical engineers at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia developed a technology for creating composite nanoscale fibers for replacement tissue to treat orthopedic injuries. The team led by Penn medical school professor Robert Mauck published its findings online this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (paid subscription required). Recent advances in…
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Simple Process Devised to Make Thin-Film Display Material
Researchers at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and Advanced Technology Materials Inc. in Danbury, Connecticut developed a simpler and less expensive process for producing thin films of indium tin oxide used in touch-screen displays and solar panels. The team led by Brown chemistry professor Shouheng Sun (pictured right) published its findings online in a…
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MIT Start-Up Building Solar Thermal Systems for Clinics
A not-for-profit company established by students and alumni at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is testing a solar energy system that generates electric power and hot water for isolated health clinics in Africa. The team led by Matthew Orosz, a recent Ph.D. recipient in mechanical engineering, will describe its work in an upcoming issue of the…
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Students, Postdocs, Policies Drive University Spinoffs
A new report from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation says participation of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in forming businesses, coupled with campus policies and support structures, help propel the creation of spinoff companies from universities. The Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City conducts research and advocacy on entrepreneurship, and provided one of the report’s authors…
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Foundation Medicine, Clovis Oncology Partner on Diagnostics
Genomic diagnostics provider Foundation Medicine in Cambridge, Massachusetts and biotechnology company Clovis Oncology in Boulder, Colorado, will collaborate on diagnostics to identify cancer patients most likely to respond to rucaparib, a drug candidate in development by Clovis Oncology. Rucaparib is a small-molecule drug developed to treat tumors with defective BRCA gene function in breast and…
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120-Car Fleet Testing Intelligent Vehicle Network
A fleet of 120 cars began today a field test in Germany of intelligent vehicle technology. Researchers at Munich Technical University (Technische Universität München, TUM) designed the testing scenarios and will process the data, as part of a larger project involving auto manufacturers, technology providers, universities, and research institutes. The Safe Intelligent Mobility – Test…
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Technology Created to Remove Toxins from Edible Crop Plants
Researchers in Denmark, Spain, and Germany developed a method for keeping natural plant toxins out of edible parts of food and animal feed crops. The team led by University of Copenhagen plant biologist Barbara Ann Halkier reports its findings in this week’s issue of the journal Nature (paid subscription required). Halkier and colleagues studied glucosinolates,…
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Novartis, Penn to Partner on Cancer Immunotherapies
The global pharmaceutical company Novartis and University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia will collaborate on a new type of immunotherapy to treat leukemia and other cancers. Novartis and Penn will also form the Center for Advanced Cellular Therapies on the Penn campus to conduct research on related immunotherapies. The partnership will conduct research, develop and take…
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NASA Awards Contracts for Commercial Human Space Flights
NASA signed new agreements today with three American companies to design and develop the next round of U.S. human space flights, succeeding the Space Shuttle and leading to a launch of astronauts from U.S. soil in the next five years. The agreements, which call for a base development period of 21 months, were made through…
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Virtual Reality Patients Devised to Train Psychologists
A University of Southern California researcher developed conversational virtual patients with symptoms of clinical psychological disorders that can interact with therapists. Albert “Skip” Rizzo of USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies (pictured right) discussed his research today in a session of American Psychological Association’s annual meeting in Orlando. Because of advances in technology, virtual humans can…