Nanoengineers boost signals from fluorescent sensors

Fluorescent sensors, which can be used to label and image a wide variety of molecules, offer a unique glimpse inside living cells. However, they typically can only be used in cells grown in a lab dish or in tissues close ...

The role of surface tension in biological symmetry

EPFL researchers have discovered that symmetry in the human body is influenced by surface tension, the same mechanical phenomenon that allows lightweight insects to walk on water. A paper discussing this surprising finding, ...

Viewing a microcosm through a physics lens

"What can physics offer biology?" This was how Alison Patteson, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences' physics department and also a faculty member in the BioInspired Institute, began the explanation of ...

Cilia-free stem cells offer new path to study rare diseases

A group of rare diseases called "ciliopathies"—polycystic kidney disease notable among them—emerge from defects in cilia, the tiny hair-like structures on the surface of almost every cell type. But the specific molecular-level ...

How the body's delivery system could lead to targeted therapeutics

In a post-pandemic world, we are used to sending and receiving parcels, getting groceries and items delivered to our door, sending messages and items to loved ones we cannot see. We've become accustomed to sending and receiving ...

Enhancing the electromechanical behavior of a flexible polymer

Piezoelectric materials convert mechanical stress into electricity, or vice versa, and can be useful in sensors, actuators and many other applications. But implementing piezoelectrics in polymers—materials composed of molecular ...

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