In the news

Device could automatically deliver drug to reverse opioid overdose

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Opioid users tend to be alone and incapacitated during an overdose. Purdue University researchers are developing a device that would automatically detect an overdose and deliver naloxone, a drug known to reverse deadly effects. “The antidote is always going to be with you,” said Hyowon “Hugh” Lee, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Purdue. “The device wouldn’t require you to recognize that you’re having an overdose or to inject yourself with naloxone, keeping you stable long enough for emergency services to arrive.”

Infrared chemical imaging technology promises new precision cancer diagnosis

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — More than 174,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society, putting it behind only skin cancer as the most common cancer among American men. Ji-Xin Cheng, adjunct professor of Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry, says a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 1,410 men need to be screened and 48 additional cases of prostate cancer need to be treated to prevent only one death.

Light may increase magnetic memory speeds 1,000 times, decrease electricity consumption

Internet searches, decade-old emails and on-demand video offerings help contribute to electricity consumption by America’s server farms and data centers amounting to more than 2 percent of the country’s annual total.

Purdue nanoelectronics researcher Gerhard Klimeck to receive Humbolt Research Award

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University electrical and computer engineering professor Gerhard Klimeck, whose work is opening research avenues for scientists the world over, will be presented Thursday (June 27) with the prestigious Humboldt Research Award at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Germany. Attending the ceremonies will be Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Autonomous diaper sensor better detects urinary tract infection

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Urinary tract infections are the second most common type of infection in children, with ear infections taking first place. Responsible for nearly 10 million doctor visits each year in the U.S., urinary tract infections can also be a major source of additional disease, particularly for elderly people.

Because there are no pharmacies in space

Research continues on an eventual 140-million-mile mission to Mars, developing the latest transportation as well as habitats necessary for the red planet. Alina Alexeenko, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics, is founding co-director of the Advanced Lyophilization Technology Hub and is researching the process, also called freeze drying, and its possible uses in space and pharmaceuticals. (Purdue University photo/Rebecca Wilcox) Download image “We know how to get to space, but that’s not the same as knowing how to survive there,” said Alexeenko, a Purdue professor in aeronautics and astronautics. “If we are to do a colony on Mars, we’re not going to send pills or a pharmaceutical factory. There won’t be a CVS on Mars.”

Millions with neurological diseases could find new option in neurostimulation devices

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The United States is seeing an increase in the number of neurological diseases. Stroke is ranked as the fifth leading cause of death, with Alzheimer’s being ranked sixth. Another neurological disease – Parkinson’s – affects nearly 1 million people in the U.S. each year.

Congratulation to Professor Joerg Appenzeller on his winning proposal for the Discovery park Big Idea Challenge 2.0

Following oral presentations on May 7, a panel of judges and Discovery Park administration have reviewed the proposals and determined the winners of the Big Idea Challenge 2.0, a program that will provide resources to interdisciplinary teams of Purdue faculty and students pursuing bold proposals that address global challenges. “A variety of excellent proposals were submitted,” says Sasha Boltasseva, inaugural Discovery Park fellow. “Each P.I. presented a thoughtful, comprehensive plan that addressed a pressing global issue that falls within a key focus area. Each proposal had merit and it was a very difficult task to select the winners.”

Laser technique could unlock use of tough material for next-generation electronics

In 2004, researchers discovered a super thin material that is at least a 100 times stronger than steel and the best known conductor of heat and electricity. This means that the material, graphene, could bring faster electronics than is possible today with silicon

Keeping it Fresh: Food packaging technology receives top honor

A large-scale manufacturing process to improve food packaging and keep groceries fresher longer has received top honors at one of the world’s largest technical conferences for the packaging industry.