
Nanoparticles provide novel way to apply drugs to dental plaque
Therapeutic anti-bacterial agents intended to reduce dental plaque and prevent tooth decay are often removed by saliva and the act of swallowing before they can take effect. But a team of researchers has developed a way to keep the drugs from being washed away.

Wearable technology can help with public speaking
Speaking in public is the top fear for many people. Now, students and faculty from the Human-Computer Interaction Group have developed an intelligent user interface for “smart glasses” that gives real-time feedback to the speaker on volume modulation and speaking rate, and have made the tool freely available for downloading.

Blocking cellular quality control mechanism gives cancer chemotherapy a boost
A University team found a way to make chemotherapy more effective by exposing cancer cells to a molecule that inhibits NMD (nonsense-mediated mRNA decay) prior to treatment with doxorubicin, a drug used to treat leukemia, breast, bone, lung and other cancers.

Three Rochester scientists receive prestigious NSF CAREER awards
The National Science Foundation has granted its most prestigious award in support of junior faculty, the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, to three University researchers: Antonio Badolato, Danielle Benoit, and Michael Neidig.

Rochester researchers on team behind new gamma ray observatory
Some of the most energetic phenomena in the universe produce high-energy gamma rays, and a new observatory in Mexico aims to expand the catalog of known gamma ray sources.

New approach uses “twisted light” to increase the efficiency of quantum cryptography systems
Rochester researchers and their collaborators have developed a way to transfer 2.05 bits per photon by using “twisted light.” The new approach doubles the 1 bit per photon that is possible with current systems that rely on light polarization and could help increase the efficiency of quantum cryptography systems.

Renowned expert to describe breakthroughs in data science
Eric Horvitz, director of Microsoft Research, will show how breakthroughs in the new field of data science are solving previously intractable problems in clinical medicine, public health, transportation, disaster recovery, and many other areas.

A close call of 0.8 light years
A recently discovered dim star likely passed some 70,000 years ago through our solar system’s distant cloud of comets known as the Oort Cloud. No other star is known to have ever approached our solar system this closely.

New self-stretching material developed at University of Rochester
Although most materials slightly expand when heated, there is a new class of rubber-like material that not only self-stretches upon cooling; it reverts back to its original shape when heated, all without physical manipulation.

Curious monkeys share our thirst for knowledge
Monkeys are notoriously curious, and new research has quantified just how eager they are to gain new information, even if there are not immediate benefits.