International Research Chemistry Awards

  Hepatic fibrosis is an abnormal wound-healing response triggered by chronic liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, viral or alcoholic hepatitis , and Wilson’s disease. The response is characterized by excessive synthesis and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which can further trigger the development of liver cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cance r. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) account for 13% of total liver cells. These cells are activated and transformed into myofibroblasts in response to liver injury. Activation of these cells is a major hallmark of hepatic fibrosis. Many therapeutic approaches are emerging to inhibit the development of hepatic fibrosis . These approaches include anti-inflammatory and hepato-protective strategies, inhibition of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and proliferation, inhibition of ECM synthesis and induction of ECM degradation, and gene therapy. Despite promising outcomes in preclinical trials, m...

  The Advent of Nanomedicine The advent of nanomedicine represents a significant step forward in healthcare. It offers novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases. Nanomedicines are already transforming healthcare, and new nanomedicines that emerge in the coming years will continue to transform future possibilities in the sector. The concept of leveraging nanoparticles in medicine originated in the 1960s, although it was not until the 1990s that significant progress in this field began, thanks to the advent of nanotechnology. Nanomedicine has already helped develop improved drug delivery systems that enhance therapeutic impact while minimizing side effects. Nanotechnology has also been leveraged in designing and developing novel diagnostic platforms that are more sensitive than traditional approaches and allow for more accurate disease monitoring. The emergence of nanomedicines has helped advance targeted therapies, theranostics, personalized me...

  With nucleic acids being the primary material for the storage and transmission of genetic material , they can aid in detecting genetic changes associated with health conditions. Why is Early Nucleic Acid Detection Necessary? Nucleic acids hold significant value in biological functions as they are one of the most fundamental building blocks of human life. The exploitation of nucleic acids can allow for advancements in disease diagnoses that may have previously been obscured until a late stage – resulting in a poor prognosis. Existing research has shown that breast cancer susceptibility gene mutations are the main cause of breast cancer family clustering. Additionally, studies have also illustrated that the FLT3 gene mutation is a key gene mutation in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The use of gene sequencing has shown that lung cancer-related genes such as epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutation and others can play a significant role in diagnosing and treati...

  Background Sensors can be used to examine bodily motions or find residues of hazardous gases, pesticides, biomolecules, antibiotics, and microorganisms in meals , beverages, and the air. Downscaling miniaturized devices are now conceivable due to the exceptional charge transport properties of 2D materials that are preserved in sub-nanometer-thick sheets. Due to their accessibility and distinctive qualities, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) as well as graphene have been thoroughly researched for their utility in sensing . Graphene exhibits various benefits for creating sensors , including high carrier mobility, a high surface-to-volume ratio, and remarkable electrical and thermal properties. TMDs, like graphene, have a sizable specific area, which makes them excellent platforms for enhancing sensor performance. Due to its abundance in nature, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a thoroughly studied compound. Given the range of 2D material qualities and their availability, comb...

  A research team led by the University of Copenhagen has recently discovered an entirely new class of highly reactive chemical compounds – hydrotrioxides (ROOH) – in Earth’s atmosphere. The chemicals are extremely oxidizing and likely to affect both human health and the global climate. Scientists have long known that common chemical compounds called hydrogen peroxides , which contain two oxygen atoms attached to each other and are thus highly reactive and often flammable and explosive, are abundantly found in the atmosphere . Recent years have witnessed debates as to whether trioxides – chemical compounds with three oxygen atoms attached to one another and thereby even more reaction than the peroxides – are released in the atmosphere too. Until recently though, their existence has not been unequivocally proven. “This is what we have now accomplished,” said study senior author Henrik Grum Kjærgaard, a professor of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. “The type of compou...

  A NEW photovoltaic leaf (PV-leaf) technology by chemical engineers at Imperial College London could pave the way for future renewable energy technologies by lowering costs and generating 14% more electricity compared to conventional  solar panels . The problem with conventional solar panels is that typically, only 10–25% of the incident solar energy captured by a PV panel is converted into electricity . The rest of the electrically unusable solar energy dissipates as waste heat in PV cells. As a result, this causes an increase in their operating temperature which, if PV cells exceed 65°C, leads to a significant decrease in electrical efficiency . Cooling the panels without the need for complicated heat exchangers, membranes, pumps, and control systems, would be one way to help counteract the loss in efficiency. Taking a leaf out of nature’s book, a team at Imperial College London have found a way to do that by mimicking the movement of water through veins in a plant leaf. In...

  Green nanotechnology developed at the University of Missouri is being studied with the goal of making a traditional form of holistic medicine more effective in fighting cancer. India-based company Dhanvantari Nano Ayushadi (DNA) is using an MU-developed green nanotechnology to explore new treatment options for breast cancer. Ayurvedic medicine is a form of holistic medicine that uses a combination of chemicals derived from natural herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables, coupled with various metals such as gold, silver and copper. Gold or other alloys predominantly used in holistic medicine have been crushed and burned, and caregivers then grind the ash with herbs to produce an ingestible treatment. However, the ways in which those metals are obtained often involve potentially deadly toxins. A research team led by Kattesh Katti, PhD, Curators Distinguished Professor of Radiology and Physics in the MU School of Medicine and the MU College of Arts and Science and senior resear...

  A geochemistry study led by Rice advances our understanding of ancient rock formations. A team of researchers has advanced our understanding of massif-type anorthosites , mysterious rocks that formed exclusively during Earth’s middle history. These igneous formations, rich in plagioclase and spanning up to 42,000 square kilometers, have long intrigued scientists, especially because they host titanium ore deposits. For decades, their origins have been debated due to conflicting theories, but this new research sheds light on the processes behind their formation. A new study published in Science Advances on August 14 highlights the intricate connections between Earth’s evolving mantle and crust and the tectonic forces that have shaped the planet throughout its history. It also provides new ways to explore when plate tectonics began, how subduction dynamics operated billions of years ago, and the evolution of Earth’s crust. Research Methodology and Findings The research team, led...

  Researchers at Heidelberg University are investigating how this distinctively blue-colored crystal forms in volcanic melts. Sapphires, highly valued as precious gems, are essentially aluminum oxide , or corundum, with chemical impurities . These typically blue crystals are predominantly found in silicon-poor volcanic rocks worldwide. It is widely believed that sapphires form in deep crustal rocks and are transported to the Earth’s surface by ascending magma. Geoscientists at Heidelberg University, through geochemical analyses, have demonstrated that the millimeter-sized sapphire grains discovered in the Eifel region of Germany formed in conjunction with volcanic activity. The Eifel is a volcanic region in the center of Europe where magma from the Earth’s mantle has been penetrating the overlying crust for nearly 700,000 years. The melts are poor in silicon dioxide but rich in sodium and potassium. Magmas similar in composition worldwide are known for their abundance of sapphire...

  Physicists from Bath have developed a new type of sensor platform using a gold nanoparticle array, that's 100 times more sensitive than current similar sensors. The sensor is made up of a series of gold disk-shaped nanoparticles on a glass slide. The team at Bath discovered that when they shone an infra-red laser at a precise arrangement of the particles, they started to emit unusual amounts of ultra violet (UV) light. This mechanism for generating UV light is affected by molecules binding to the surface of the nanoparticles, providing a means of sensing a very small amount of material. The researchers, from the University of Bath’s Department of Physics, hope that in the future they can use the technology to develop new ultra-sensitive sensors for air pollution or for medical diagnostics . Dr Ventsislav Valev, Royal Society Research Fellow and Reader in Physics at the University of Bath, led the work with Research Associate David Hooper. He explained: “This new mechanism...