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Molecular ‘Catcher’s Mitts’ Clear Water of Carcinogens

Comment by Robert Kriss, C2ST, Editor

Research chemists at Northwestern University’s Institute for Sustainability and Energy have engineered cup-shaped molecules from corn that can grab and neutralize carcinogens in our water supply. Very low concentrations of the carcinogens can significantly increase the risk of cancer. For example, just a few drops of the carcinogens, containing millions of potentially cancer-causing molecules, in a volume of water found in an Olympic-sized swimming pool can cause trouble. The molecular catcher’s mitts are equally small: Millions of them can fit into a space the size of a sugar-cube. Filters equipped with the breakthrough material remove the carcinogens from water more effectively than commonly used activated carbon filters, and the filters can be reused after a simple washing step that takes place at room temperature. The researchers have started a company, CycloPure, to commercialize this material for home and institutional use. Now that’s a use of corn that nobody saw coming. This innovation is another example of the extraordinary ingenuity of Chicago-area scientists who are developing technologies that matter. Click here to learn more about this exciting research and startup.

Northwestern Chemists Develop New Methods to Remove Toxins from Drinking Water

By Mike M. McMahon

Originally Posted at Northwestern

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STEM Ask & Learn 2 November 2019

 

 

As a part of our ongoing initiative to introduce students to STEM professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds, Horizon Therapeutics and The Chicago Council on Science and Technology visited Perspectives Math and Science Academy to talk to students about college and entering STEM fields. Watch the interview here and check for a new video each month. Learn more about our partners Horizon Therapeutics: https://www.horizonpharma.com Perspectives Math and Science Academy: https://pcsedu.org/pcs-our-campuses/perspectives-iit-math-science-academy/

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Stoned Drivers Targeted By New Breathalyzer Technology

By Brady Jones, Medill Reports

Slowed reaction time. Reduced ability to make decisions. Impaired coordination. Memory loss. Difficulty in problem-solving. These are some of the symptoms listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describing people who drive under the influence of marijuana. And right now, it is very difficult for law enforcement officials to determine when these drivers are sharing the road with you—and may be responsible for causing an accident.

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Argonne’s Demo Day Provides Opportunity For Entrepreneurs To Showcase New Innovations

By Jared Sagoff

Every invention and every new piece of technology begins as a bright idea. But to go from mere inspiration to an actual device or real-world solution requires more than just a stroke of insight. Budding entrepreneurs need access to tools, capital, mentors, and expertise as they attempt to bring a product to the marketplace. Continue reading “Argonne’s Demo Day Provides Opportunity For Entrepreneurs To Showcase New Innovations”

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InnovationXLab Summit brings industry, national laboratories together around artificial intelligence

By Jared Sagoff

Originally published at: https://www.anl.gov/article/innovationxlab-summit-brings-industry-national-laboratories-together-around-artificial-intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world around us, from making our cities smarter to paving the way for faster drug discovery. As part of the burgeoning effort to connect different key players in AI, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory recently hosted the InnovationXLab℠ Summit on AI to raise the profile of the labs’ work in AIand forge new partnerships between industry and the national laboratories.

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A Doctor Who Wants To See Fewer Patients — Community-based Diabetes Prevention Programs

Comment by Robert Kriss, C2ST, Editor

Dr. Ronald Ackerman, director of Northwestern’s Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) and the Center for Community Health, is into making house calls, but not the traditional home visits you might have in mind. Dr. Ackerman subscribes to the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. He and his colleagues at IPHAM have devised community-based research programs to identify people at risk for diabetes and have developed programs to encourage those people to change their lifestyles to prevent the disease. IPHAM has been a powerhouse for public health and scholarship. Between 2012 and 2017, its members have published more than 15,000 articles, which have been cited more than 227,000 times, and in 2017, its centers received nearly 600 research awards totaling $130 million. Read more about Dr. Ackerman and IPHAM here.

Ending an Epidemic

By Roger Anderson

Originally published at: https://www.research.northwestern.edu/ending-an-epidemic/