Biosciences
KUNC—An innovative cancer therapy inspired by the gripping power of geckos might be on the horizon. Scientists at ̽»¨ÊÓƵ studied the microscopic structures on gecko toes that allow the tiny reptiles to climb walls and cling to slippery surfaces like windows.
̽»¨ÊÓƵ Today—̽»¨ÊÓƵ scientists have taken a cue from geckos to develop a material able to stick to tumors inside the body, pumping out chemotherapy drugs for days. The technology, developed with doctors at CU Anschutz, is described in the journal Advanced Materials.
Venture Partners at ̽»¨ÊÓƵ has announced the first recipients of a new translational funding program designed to advance promising, early-stage therapeutics with strong commercial potential. The program provides up to $50,000 per project to help ̽»¨ÊÓƵ researchers generate critical validation data or develop new intellectual property, bringing new treatments a step closer to patients in need.
The Conversation—Over the past several months, universities have lost more than $11 billion in funding. Research into cancer, farming solutions and climate resiliency are just a few of the many projects nationally that have seen cuts. The Conversation asked Massimo Ruzzene, senior vice chancellor for research and innovation at ̽»¨ÊÓƵ, to explain how these cuts and freezes are impacting the university and Colorado’s local economy.
̽»¨ÊÓƵ College of Engineering and Applied Science—Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have created a new way to build and control tiny particles that can move and work like microscopic robots, offering a powerful tool with applications in biomedical and environmental research.
̽»¨ÊÓƵ College of Arts and Sciences—Edward Chuong, a University of Colorado Boulder assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology and a BioFrontiers Institute scientist, has been awarded $1.25 million by the New York City-based Cancer Research Institute (CRI) to pursue his cancer immunotherapy research.
Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)—According to a new report, American research universities like the University of Colorado in recent decades have become engines of innovation for state and regional economies, thanks in large part to the federal Bayh-Dole Act, which incentivizes technology commercialization.
CU Connections—The University of Colorado has secured the No. 18 position on the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) 2024 Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents list, reinforcing CU’s standing as a national leader in research, innovation and real-world impact. At ̽»¨ÊÓƵ, 53% of the campus’s patents have been licensed commercially.- ̽»¨ÊÓƵ College of Arts & Sciences—Ivan Smalyukh, professor of physics, and Thomas Blumenthal, professor emeritus of molecular, cellular and developmental biology (MCDB), are among the 471 scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for scientifically and socially distinguished achievements by the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
FY 2023-24 was another tremendous year for innovation and entrepreneurship at the CU. University researchers, inventors and creators began working with Venture Partners at ̽»¨ÊÓƵ to advance 144 breakthrough innovations, and 36 CU startups were launched through Venture Partners based on campus discoveries.