/ en-us Â鶹ÒùÔº internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Â鶹ÒùÔºics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. A palm-sized device developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo could help save lives and reduce illness by rapidly and inexpensively detecting toxic bacteria in water supplies. /news/2025-08-pocket-sized-device-coli-minutes.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:15:04 EDT news674824501 Babesiosis is an infectious disease that manifests like malaria and spreads like Lyme disease. Once rare in the United States, it is now becoming more prevalent, particularly in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Upper Midwest. /news/2025-08-microfluidic-platform-mimics-blood-microenvironment.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 18 Aug 2025 11:47:08 EDT news674736413 For months, Sabrina Staples stared at a silicone chip no bigger than a postage stamp, trying to coax cells into doing something remarkable. But every time she loaded her delicate microfluidic device with cells, a single rogue bubble would sneak in, destroying the cells and the experiment. /news/2025-08-microfluidic-device-captures-blood-vessel.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:29:04 EDT news674213342 Newly developed DNA nanostructures can form flexible, fluid, and stimuli-responsive condensates without relying on chemical cross-linking, report researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo and Chuo University, in the journal JACS Au. /news/2025-08-dna-nanostructures-mimic-molecular-chemical.html Bio & Medicine Nanomaterials Wed, 06 Aug 2025 09:10:06 EDT news673690201 Microrobots formed in droplets could enable precision-targeted drug delivery, improving on I.V. drug delivery that sends only 0.7% of the drug to the target tissue, according to a recent study in Science Advances, conducted through simulations at the University of Michigan and experiments at the University of Oxford. /news/2025-07-microrobots-drugs-drug-delivery.html Bio & Medicine Nanomaterials Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:57:13 EDT news673196227 What if a complex material could reshape itself in response to a simple chemical signal? A team of physicists from the University of Vienna and the University of Edinburgh has shown that even small changes in pH value and thus in electric charge can shift the spatial arrangement of closed ring-shaped polymers (molecular chains)—by altering the balance between twist and writhe, two distinct modes of spatial deformation. /news/2025-07-polymer-generation-materials.html Soft Matter Thu, 31 Jul 2025 09:45:36 EDT news673173931 Researchers have demonstrated that microscopic drug delivery containers can be magnetically steered to their targets, advancing the development of precision medicine for treating diseases such as cancer. /news/2025-07-precision-drug-delivery-magnetic-triggered.html Bio & Medicine Nanomaterials Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:20:01 EDT news672589067 Researchers from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have leveraged their expertise in microfluidics to develop a novel method for deforming cells mechanically to facilitate intracellular delivery, revolutionizing personalized treatments at the cellular level. /news/2025-07-stainless-steel-filters-temporary-nanopores.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:32:40 EDT news671704354 A new gene therapy delivery device could let hospital pharmacies make personalized nanomedicines to order. This democratized approach to precision medicine, as published in Frontiers in Science, could revolutionize how hospitals treat rare diseases, even in low-resource settings. /news/2025-06-gene-therapy-delivery-device-personalized.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 26 Jun 2025 05:00:04 EDT news670068476 Scientists at National Taiwan University have developed a new microfluidic system that can detect subtle chemical fingerprints from bacteria—helping to identify even antibiotic-resistant strains. This technology could help physicians quickly and accurately diagnose infections in hospitals. The study is published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics. /news/2025-06-microfluidic-quickly-accurately-bacteria-antibiotic.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:56:03 EDT news670074961 A research group has developed a technology for mass-producing uniform artificial cells (lipid bilayer vesicles) with artificial model nuclei using microfluidic devices with high reproducibility. They also demonstrated that protein synthesis from these model nuclei was possible. The team was led by Professor Suzuki Hiroaki from Faculty of Science and Engineering at Chuo University. The paper is published in the journal JACS Au. /news/2025-06-artificial-cells-nuclei-mass-microfluidic.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:15:49 EDT news669525333 Resonantly tunable quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are high-performance laser light sources for a wide range of spectroscopy applications in the mid-infrared (MIR) range. Their high brilliance enables minimal measurement times for more precise and efficient characterization processes and can be used, for example, in chemical and pharmaceutical industries, medicine or security technology. Until now, however, the production of QCL modules has been relatively complex and expensive. /news/2025-06-semi-automated-efficient-quantum-cascade.html Condensed Matter Optics & Photonics Tue, 03 Jun 2025 17:00:03 EDT news668188801 Blood vessels are like big-city highways; full of curves, branches, merges, and congestion. Yet for years, lab models replicated vessels like straight, simple roads. /news/2025-05-customizable-chips-mimic-real-life.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 27 May 2025 16:20:03 EDT news667581601 Chronic stress can lead to increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, decreased immune function, depression, and anxiety. Unfortunately, the tools we use to monitor stress are often imprecise or expensive, relying on self-reporting questionnaires and psychiatric evaluations. /news/2025-05-dental-floss-stress.html Biochemistry Polymers Mon, 26 May 2025 08:49:50 EDT news667468185 Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have developed an interface that creates "virtual sorting nanomachines" without the need to manufacture actual devices. /news/2025-05-scientists-virtual-nanomachines-electron-graphene.html Nanophysics Nanomaterials Thu, 22 May 2025 11:55:03 EDT news667133701 Researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology in Japan, in collaboration with the Institute of Translational Medicine and Biomedical Engineering (IMTIB) in Argentina and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, have advanced the "PDMS SlipChip," a versatile microfluidic device. By using a low-viscosity silicone oil and fine-tuning the fabrication process, they've made the SlipChip more reliable for cell-based experiments and simpler for creating concentration gradients. /news/2025-05-viscosity-oil-boosts-microfluidic-device.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 14 May 2025 16:58:04 EDT news666460682 A research team has developed a compact peritoneal dialysis device that can be utilized as a portable artificial kidney. This research was published on March 29 in the journal Journal of Nanobiotechnology. /news/2025-04-dialysis-device-nanoelectrokinetic-technology-portable.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:20:05 EDT news662916002 Polymer-coated nanoparticles loaded with therapeutic drugs show significant promise for cancer treatment, including ovarian cancer. These particles can be targeted directly to tumors, where they release their payload while avoiding many of the side effects of traditional chemotherapy. /news/2025-04-mass-nanoparticles-cancer-drugs-tumors.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:41:04 EDT news662902861 Some notoriously difficult-to-treat infections may not be as resistant to antibiotics as has been thought, according to new research using a microfluidic device that more closely duplicates the fluid flow found in the body than standard cultures. /news/2025-03-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-vulnerable-body.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Tue, 18 Mar 2025 11:53:04 EDT news661517582 A team of researchers at the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing at Rice University has developed an innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled, low-cost device that will make flow cytometry—a technique used to analyze cells or particles in a fluid using a laser beam—affordable and accessible. /news/2025-02-harnessing-gravity-microfluidic-device-rapid.html Bio & Medicine Nanomaterials Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:12:04 EST news659970721 Researchers have developed a freely available droplet microfluidic component library, which promises to transform the way microfluidic devices are created. This innovation, based on low-cost rapid prototyping and electrode integration, makes it possible to fabricate microfluidic devices for under $12 each, with a full design-build-test cycle completed within a single day. The components are biocompatible, high-throughput, and capable of performing multistep workflows, such as droplet generation, sensing, sorting, and anchoring, all critical for automating microfluidic design and testing. /news/2025-02-microfluidic-component-library-enables-rapid.html Nanophysics Nanomaterials Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:49:03 EST news659119741 Call it the science of small, but a trio of University of Florida chemical engineers have developed a lab-on-a-chip process that could make a big difference for DNA research and, ultimately, patients. /news/2025-01-microfluidic-protocol-purify-dna.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 24 Jan 2025 07:22:04 EST news656925722 An international team of scientists have discovered that soap could be important to helping our understanding of complex systems in the human body, such as lungs, and improving therapies for conditions such as respiratory distress syndrome. /news/2025-01-soap-maze-skills-secrets-human.html Soft Matter Fri, 24 Jan 2025 07:00:03 EST news656924401 Uncovering the relationship between structure (connectivity) and function (neuronal activity) is a fundamental question across many areas of biology. However, investigating this directly in animal brains is challenging because of the immense complexity of their neural connections and the invasive surgeries that are typically needed. Lab-grown neurons with artificially controlled connections may become a useful alternative to animal testing, particularly as we learn how to accurately characterize their behavior. /news/2025-01-complex-dynamics-neuronal-networks.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 06 Jan 2025 10:58:04 EST news655383481 The human body is a stressful place for bacteria to live. They must defend against many chemical and physical stressors, in addition to the immune system. One major physical stressor is fluid flow, which constantly circulates in the bloodstream, urinary tract, and lungs. Research has traditionally ignored the impact of flow on bacteria because it is challenging to model in laboratory settings. /news/2024-12-bacteria-stress-reveals-combined-stressors.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:22:04 EST news653311322 Understanding cellular heterogeneity is essential for deciphering the complexities of cellular subpopulations, differentiation processes, and microenvironmental influences. Single-cell proteomics plays a crucial role in explaining this complexity, but traditional techniques face significant challenges, particularly regarding sample loss and the sensitivity of analyzing small cell populations. /news/2024-11-droplet-based-microfluidics-mass-spectrometry.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:51:03 EST news651941461 A team of researchers led by Anna-Karin Gustavsson at Rice University has developed an innovative imaging platform that promises to improve our understanding of cellular structures at the nanoscale. /news/2024-11-imaging-platform-advances-3d-visualization.html Bio & Medicine Nanophysics Wed, 27 Nov 2024 11:40:05 EST news651930001 When you think of electric fields, you likely think of electricity—the stuff that makes modern life possible by powering everything from household appliances to cellphones. Researchers have been studying the principles of electricity since the 1600s. Benjamin Franklin, famous for his kite experiment, demonstrated that lightning was indeed electrical. /news/2024-11-tiny-laboratories-rapidly-pathogens-electricity.html Biotechnology Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:50:02 EST news651847233 As the brewing industry expands and new beer styles, such as hazy pale ales, emerge, brewers are constantly looking for new ways to analyze the composition of their beers to preserve the carefully crafted sensory quality of their products. /news/2024-10-chemistry-beer-brewing-shrouded-mystery.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Oct 2024 12:00:02 EDT news647520928 A new way of diagnosing lung cancer with a blood draw is 10 times faster and 14 times more sensitive than earlier methods, according to University of Michigan researchers. /news/2024-10-microchip-captures-exosomes-faster-sensitive.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 03 Oct 2024 16:00:34 EDT news647190029