Press Releases: Research Funded by Agencies Participating in the National Nanotechnology Initiative

The following press releases describe the results of research activities that are funded by Federal agencies that participate in the National Nanotechnology Initiative.
  • Optofluidic chip with nanopore ‘smart gate’ developed for single molecule analysis
    August 16, 2019
    (Funded by the National Institutes of Health)

    Researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz have reported using a new chip-based platform that integrates nanopores and optofluidic technology with a feedback-control circuit to enable an unprecedented level of control over individual molecules and particles on a chip for high-throughput analysis.

  • A novel cellular process to engulf nano-sized materials
    August 16, 2019
    (Funded by the National Institutes of Health)

    Researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered a cellular process that allows nanomaterial entry into cells. These findings reveal another mechanism for nanoparticle entry into cells and open up an avenue of studying the interplay among endocytosis, amino acids, and nanomaterial delivery.

  • Stronger Graphene Oxide ‘Paper’ Made with Weaker Units
    August 15, 2019
    (Funded by the Office of Naval Research)

    Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered that the mechanical properties of layered graphene oxide films can be significantly enhanced by mixing strong, solid graphene oxide flakes with weak, porous graphene oxide flakes. The enhancement of mechanical properties is attributed to the more compliant nature of the soft porous sheets, which act as a binder to improve interlayer packing and load transfer in the multilayer films.

  • Nanoscale “Glass” Bottles Could Enable Targeted Drug Delivery
    August 15, 2019
    (Funded by the National Science Foundation)

    Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have synthesized biocompatible porous nanoparticles that can be loaded with therapeutics and provide targeted and controlled release at precise locations through temperature control.

  • New nanotechnology could aid stem cell transplantation research
    August 14, 2019
    (Funded by the National Institutes of Health)

    Researchers at the University of Rutgers-New Brunswick have developed a nanotechnology platform that allows researchers to confirm the identity of human stem cell fates and their biomarkers, without destroying these cells in the process. Their discovery could boost research on stem cell transplantation, which may help people with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, other neurodegenerative diseases, and central nervous system injuries.

  • Solving the Big Problem of Measuring Tiny Nanoparticles
    August 14, 2019
    (Funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology)

    Researchers at NIST have begun to address the issue of variability and accuracy in measuring particle number concentration across several widely used techniques.

  • Nanocapsule reaches cancer that has spread to central nervous system in mice
    August 14, 2019
    (Funded by the National Institutes of Health)

    UCLA researchers loaded nanocapsules with the cancer-fighting drug rituximab to create a drug delivery system that breaks through the blood-brain barrier. The approach could be useful not only for cancers that metastasize to the central nervous system but also for primary brain tumors or other brain diseases.

  • Thinnest optical waveguide channels light within just three layers of atoms
    August 14, 2019
    (Funded by the National Science Foundation)

    Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a waveguide that is three layers of atoms thin, showing promise to miniaturize optoelectronic devices and to test fundamental physical concepts.

  • Probing Origin of Alzheimer’s… with Transistors
    August 13, 2019
    (Funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Institutes of Health)

    A team of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Institutes of Health, and the University of Maryland have devised a novel, highly sensitive system to track the activity of Cdk5, an enzyme implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The high sensitivity, increased resolution, and fast turnaround time of the measurements can enable a new class of tests that could allow early detection of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease years before the first symptoms appear.

  • Probiotic hydrogels heal gut wounds other bandages can’t reach
    August 13, 2019
    (Funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health)

    Researchers at Harvard University have demonstrated genetically programmable self‐regenerating bacterial hydrogels that facilitate wound healing of internal surfaces like those of the gut.

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