True colors
05/01/14 — Berkeley bioengineers found inspiration in turkey skin for a new type of biosensor that changes color when exposed to chemical vapors.
Research
Reprogrammed
05/01/14 — A team of Berkeley scientists, led by bioengineering professor Song Li has shown that physical cues can replace certain chemicals when nudging mature cells back into a pluripotent stage.
About a bone
05/01/14 — Researchers led by Robert Ritchie, professor of materials science and engineering, have learned that the natural bone aging process can be hastened by a deficiency in vitamin D.
Out for a spin
05/01/14 — New work by Berkeley researchers could transform modern electronics by making nanomagnetic switches a viable replacement for the conventional transistors found in all computers.
By Jupiter
05/01/14 — Recent work from Philip Marcus, professor of mechanical engineering, in collaboration with Pedram Hassanzadeh (Ph.D'13 ME), may explain the longevity of Jupiter's Great Red Spot.
Q+A on L.A. seismic study
05/01/14 — Jack Moehle, professor of civil engineering, talked to Berkeley Engineer about his recently completed seismic study of unreinforced concrete buildings in Los Angeles, and its impact.
Research on the literal edge of 2D semiconductors
05/01/14 Berkeley Lab — Researchers at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley, led by Professor Xiang Zhang of mechanical engineering, have recorded the first observations of a strong nonlinear optical resonance along the edges of single layers of molybdenum disulfide. The existence of these edge states is key to the use of molybdenum disulfide in nanoelectronics, as well as a catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction in fuel cells, desulfurization and other chemical reactions.
Neuroengineers bring science cred, Berkeley feel to ‘Transcendence’ film
04/18/14 — When Hollywood knocked on the doors of UC Berkeley engineering professors Michel Maharbiz and Jose Carmena, the researchers answered. Director Wally Pfister tapped the researchers' expertise in neural engineering and brain-machine interfaces during the filming of his movie, “Transcendence.”
Measuring your DNA health
04/04/14 — Sometime soon, Sylvain Costes (Ph.D'99 NE) hopes that annual medical checkups will include a simple blood test to determine levels of DNA damage. The list of things assaultive to the body's basic building blocks is long - radiation, ultraviolet light and toxins, to name a few - and errors occur even during normal cell division. The body continually repairs this damaged DNA, but sometimes, the routine repair process can fail. DNA damage and genetic mutations can lead to serious health problems like cancer, immunological disorders, neurological disorders and premature aging.
Dermatologically derived
04/01/14 The Scientist — Inspired by turkey skin, bioengineering professor Seung-Wuk Lee's team has devised a bacteriophage-based sensor whose color changes upon binding specific molecules.
Berkeley scientists advance on-chip inductor technology
03/21/14 EE Times — Berkeley scientists led by mechanical engineering professor Liwei Lin report they have found a way to advance on-chip inductor technology, a breakthrough that could lead to a new generation of miniature electronics and wireless communications systems.
New ideas and technology spreading from campus faster than ever
03/19/14 — Backed by a vibrant startup culture that serves as the engine of economic growth for much of the Bay Area, UC Berkeley has established several new programs that support the translation of university research into real-world solutions. One key element is the SkyDeck startup incubator, a collaboration of Berkeley Engineering, the Haas School of Business and the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research.
Corporate-funded academic inventions spur increased innovation, analysis says
03/19/14 — Academic research sponsored by industry has a strong track record of leading to innovative patents and licenses, challenging assumptions that corporate support skews science toward inventions that are less accessible and less useful to others than those funded by the government or non-profit organizations, according to a new analysis.
Making sense of big data
03/12/14 Berkeley Research — Ben Recht is looking for problems. Recht, an assistant professor with dual appointments in EECS and statistics, develops mathematical strategies that help researchers cut through blizzards of data to find what they're after, be they urban planners or online retailers.
Scientists ‘herd’ cells in new approach to tissue engineering
03/11/14 — Berkeley engineers have found that an electrical current can be used to orchestrate the flow of a group of cells. This achievement sets the stage for more controlled forms of tissue engineering and for potential applications such as “smart bandages” that use electrical stimulation to help heal wounds.
Indian company licenses invention for arsenic-free water
03/10/14 Berkeley Lab — Berkeley researchers, led by Ashok Gadgil and Susan Amrose of civil and environmental engineering, have developed technology that uses electricity to remove arsenic from groundwater, where it can be a silent killer. More importantly, they have created a business model and partnered with a company in India to improve the technology's chances for longevity.
Scientists show which surfaces attract clingy Staph bacteria
03/04/14 Berkeley Lab — Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley researchers are investigating how shapes and surface texture influence the adhesion of infectious Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria. Their work, led by Mohammad Mofrad, a Berkeley Lab faculty scientist and a professor of bioengineering and mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley, could guide the development of bacteria-resistant materials.
Berkeley team takes its energy innovation to Capitol Hill
02/28/14 — A research team from Berkeley Engineering and the Berkeley Lab appeared on Capitol Hill Thursday to show off their innovation in energy efficiency: a backpack-mounted system for quickly mapping energy use throughout a building and identifying ways to reduce it
The underground: Studying the Arctic tundra
02/12/14 — Normally, scientists don't have to worry about a polar bear charging them at 30 miles per hour. But this can be a big safety concern for researchers in Barrow, Alaska, where geophysicist Susan Hubbard (Ph.D'98 CEE) studies the Arctic ecosystem to improve climate modeling.
A ‘game-changer’ for HIV/AIDS
02/12/14 — Second-year bioengineering doctoral student Sylvia Natividad-Diaz may have found a way around a persistent obstacle in the treatment of HIV/AIDS-identifying when an HIV-positive patient's condition is worsening before irreversible symptoms are evident. Having that information allows health care providers to deliver the right medications at the right time, leading to better outcomes.