University Research | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC)

How Protein Misfolding May Kickstart Chemical Evolution

Researchers at Emory University and Georgia Tech are looking into the abnormal folding of proteins related to neurodegenerative conditions, providing insights into how life may emerge from a chemical system.

Could Concrete Help Solve the Problem of Air Pollution?

Study done by Stony Brook University researcher Alex Orlov, PhD, and colleagues indicates concrete construction waste can help rid the air of sulfur dioxide, a major pollutant.

No Small Matter: Team Makes its Mark in Theoretical Nuclear Physics Research

Penn State Berks is making its mark in the field of theoretical nuclear physics research by becoming the only undergraduate institution of higher education in the nation to receive a highly competitive grant from the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) to partially fund a new professor position through JLab’s prestigious Bridge Program.

New Technology to Manipulate Cells Could One Day Help Treat Parkinson's, Arthritis, and Other Diseases

A groundbreaking advancement in materials from Northwestern University could potentially help patients requiring stem cell therapies for spinal cord injuries, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritic joints or any other condition requiring tissue regeneration, according to a new study.

Grad Students Earn Department of Energy Computational Fellowships

Four first-year graduate students have been awarded U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Computational Science Graduate Fellowships to support their research. Fellows receive full tuition and fees plus an annual stipend and academic allowance, renewable for up to four years. Less than 5 percent of applicants are chosen for the fellowship each year.

Studying Entropy in Metallic Glasses

A team led by Caltech recently solved a decades-old materials science mystery by tracking down the origin of entropy in metallic glasses.

Rice U. Lab Surprised by Ultraflat Magnets

A new paper in Advanced Materials outlines how researchers at Rice, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Southern California (USC) and Kumamoto University in Japan used chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to make atom-thick sheets and, in the same step, tailor their properties by adding other elements through a process known as doping.

Research Collaboration Brings New Concepts for Potassium-Ion Batteries

Researchers at Purdue University are making progress in developing rechargeable batteries based on potassium, a potential alternative to lithium that’s less expensive and far more plentiful, and also have shown how to derive carbon for battery electrodes from old tires.

Two Princeton Astrophysicists Receive Funding to Study Merging Neutron Stars

Adam Burrows, a professor of astrophysical sciences, and David Radice, an associate research scholar, have won funding for a multifaceted five-year project to investigate “some of the most explosive phenomena, some of the most violent, that occur on a regular basis in the universe,” said Burrows.

How to Build Artificial Nanofactories to Power Our Futures: Logistics

Scientists at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory are trying to build artificial nanofactories to sustainably produce industrial materials or medical tools.

A Stanford Battery Based on Sodium May Offer More Cost-Effective Storage than Lithium

Industrial forecasts predict an insatiable need for battery farms to store renewable energy like solar and wind. Lithium ion batteries may remain tops for sheer performance, but when cost-per-storage is factored in, a Stanford design based on sodium ions offers promise.

Deer Prefer Native Plants Leaving Lasting Damage on Forests

When rampant white-tailed deer graze in forests, they prefer to eat native plants over certain unpalatable invasive plants, such as garlic mustard and Japanese stiltgrass. These eating habits lower native plant diversity and abundance, while increasing the proportion of plant communities made up of non-native species, according to a new study.