Purdue University
More energy-efficient transistors through quantum tunneling
March 26, 2012 11:31 am | News | CommentsResearchers at the University of Notre Dame and Pennsylvania State University have announced breakthroughs in the development of tunneling field effect transistors (TFETs), a semiconductor technology that takes advantage of the quirky behavior of electrons at the quantum level.
Research points to possible new route to fight dengue virus
March 23, 2012 4:32 am | News | CommentsPurdue University researchers have identified enzymes and biochemical compounds called lipids that are targeted and modified by the dengue virus during infection, suggesting a potential new approach to control the aggressive mosquito-borne pathogen.
Super-Earth unlikely able to transfer life to other planets
March 20, 2012 9:29 am | News | CommentsWhile scientists believe conditions suitable for life might exist on the so-called "super-Earth" in the Gliese 581 system, Purdue University researchers say it's unlikely to be transferred to other planets within that solar system.
New system could predict solar flares, give advance warning
March 20, 2012 8:01 am | News | CommentsResearchers may have discovered a new method to predict solar flares more than a day before they occur, providing advance warning to help protect satellites, power grids, and astronauts from potentially dangerous radiation. The system works by measuring difference in gamma radiation emitted when atoms in radioactive elements "decay," or lose energy.
Spectroscopic imaging reveals early changes leading to breast tumors
March 7, 2012 4:15 am | News | CommentsPurdue University researchers have created a new imaging technology that reveals subtle changes in breast tissue, representing a potential tool to determine a woman's risk of developing breast cancer and to study ways of preventing the disease. The researchers, using a 3D culture that mimics living mammary glad tissue, also showed that a fatty acid found in some food influences this early precancerous stage.
Innovation promises expanded roles for microsensors
February 7, 2012 6:32 am | News | CommentsResearchers have learned how to improve the performance of sensors that use tiny vibrating microcantilevers to detect chemical and biological agents for applications from national security to food processing. This improvement can be seen by measuring amplitude instead of frequency.
Rap music powers rhythmic action of medical sensor
January 26, 2012 7:16 am | News | CommentsThe driving bass rhythm of rap music can be harnessed to power a new type of miniature medical sensor designed to be implanted in the body. Acoustic waves from music, particularly rap, were found to effectively recharge the pressure sensor. Such a device might ultimately help to treat people stricken with aneurisms or incontinence due to paralysis.
Purdue launches commercialization center to accelerate discovery
January 24, 2012 9:22 am | News | CommentsPurdue University President France A Córdova announced the launch of a new research commercialization center that will move Purdue discoveries to the marketplace more quickly, increase revenue for the university, and spur economic development in Indiana and the nation.
Researchers produce ultra-short light pulses using on-chip microresonator
January 19, 2012 3:26 am | News | CommentsResearchers from the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology and Purdue University have designed and fabricated an on-chip microresonator that converts continuous laser light into ultra-short pulses consisting of a mix of well-defined frequencies, a technology with applications in advanced sensors, communications systems, and metrology.
New microtweezers may build tiny MEMS structures
January 17, 2012 7:24 am | News | CommentsResearchers have created new microtweezers capable of manipulating objects to build tiny structures, print coatings to make advanced sensors, and grab and position live stem cell spheres for research.
Physicists put new perspective on biochemical problem
January 13, 2012 3:31 am | News | CommentsPurdue University physicists created computational tools that can predict the fleeting structures of iron-containing enzymes as they transform during chemical reactions. Many of these temporary but critical structures have eluded capture through traditional experimental methods such as X-ray crystallography.
Pill may prevent Listeria infection
January 12, 2012 8:42 am | News | CommentsModified probiotics, the beneficial bacteria touted for their role in digestive health, could one day decrease the risk of Listeria infection in people with susceptible immune systems, according to Purdue University research.
'Nanoantennas' show promise in optical innovations
January 3, 2012 4:53 am | News | CommentsResearchers have shown how arrays of tiny "plasmonic nanoantennas" are able to precisely manipulate light in new ways that could make possible a range of optical innovations such as more powerful microscopes, telecommunications, and computers.
New device could bring optical information processing
January 3, 2012 3:20 am | News | CommentsResearchers have created a new type of optical device, the passive optical diode, small enough to fit millions on a computer chip that could lead to faster, more powerful information processing and supercomputers.
Research could improve laser-manufacturing technique
December 19, 2011 12:11 pm | News | CommentsEngineers have discovered details about the behavior of ultrafast laser pulses that may lead to new applications in manufacturing, diagnostics, and other research.
Research helps shed light on medicinal benefits of plants
December 15, 2011 10:36 am | News | CommentsScientists at Purdue University and eight other institutions have developed new resources poised to unlock another door in the hidden garden of medicinally important compounds found in plants.
New 3D transistors promising future chips, lighter laptops
December 6, 2011 8:32 am | News | CommentsResearchers from Purdue and Harvard universities have created a new type of transistor made from a material that could replace silicon and have a 3D structure instead of conventional flat computer chips.
'Label-free' imaging tool tracks nanotubes in cells
December 6, 2011 3:05 am | News | CommentsPurdue University researchers have demonstrated a new imaging technique for tracking carbon nanotubes in living cells and the bloodstream, which could aid efforts to perfect their use in biomedical research and clinical medicine.
Drop in carbon dioxide levels led to polar ice sheet
December 2, 2011 4:00 am | News | CommentsA drop in carbon dioxide appears to be the driving force that led to the Antarctic ice sheet's formation, according to a recent study led by scientists at Yale and Purdue universities of molecules from ancient algae found in deep-sea core samples.
NIH grant to help MRI scientist seek answers about manganese toxicity
December 1, 2011 8:57 am | News | CommentsPeople exposed to manganese in occupational settings such as welding may not see signs for years that the element is toxic to their nervous systems, but new medical imaging techniques being developed and tested by a Purdue University professor could help reveal toxicity before symptoms appear that indicate irreversible brain damage.
New medical, research tool possible by probing cell mechanics
November 22, 2011 6:02 am | News | CommentsResearchers are making progress in developing a system that measures the mechanical properties of living cells, a technology that could be used to diagnose human disease and better understand biological processes.
Thanksgiving in space may one day come with all the trimmings
November 22, 2011 3:11 am | News | CommentsFuture astronauts spending Thanksgiving in space may not have to forgo one of the most traditional parts of the day's feast: fresh sweet potatoes. A Purdue University team developed methods for growing sweet potatoes that reduce the required growing space while not decreasing the amount of food that each plant produces.
Large asteroid to pass by Earth, but what if it didn't?
November 1, 2011 4:12 am | News | CommentsAn asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier will fly near Earth on Nov. 8, 2011. While there is no danger of it hitting the planet, a Purdue University asteroid impact expert says a similar-sized object hitting Earth would result in a 4,000-megaton blast, magnitude 7.0 earthquake and, should it strike in the deep ocean, 70-foot-high tsunami waves 60 miles from the splashdown site.
New hybrid technology could bring quantum information systems
October 28, 2011 5:22 am | News | CommentsThe merging of two technologies under development—plasmonics and nanophotonics—is promising the emergence of new quantum information systems far more powerful than today's computers. The technology hinges on using single photons for switching and routing in future computers that might harness the exotic principles of quantum mechanics.
Dividing corn stover makes ethanol conversion more efficient
October 25, 2011 6:50 am | News | CommentsNot all parts of a corn stalk are equal, and they shouldn't be treated that way when creating cellulosic ethanol, say Purdue University researchers. When corn stover is processed to make cellulosic ethanol, everything is ground down and blended together. But a research team found that three distinct parts of the stover—the rind, pith, and leaves—break down in different ways.
