Styrene is a versatile monomer that is widely used to produce polystyrene and other polymers. Styrene is typically produced by the chemo-catalytic dehydrogenation of petroleum-derived ethylbenzene. This process is both highly energy-intensive and uses non-sustainable feedstocks. For these reasons, a means to produce styrene that is more efficient,...

The accurate measurement of potassium ion levels in biological samples is essential given the impact such ion levels have on many aspects of homeo-stasis. Normal potassium levels are important for the maintenance of heart and nervous system function. Traditionally, potassium ions have been measured in plasma or serum using ion-selective electrodes,...

Infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. However, these infectious diseases are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to the growing abundance of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and insufficient development of new antibacterial agents. The development of novel and inexpensive treatment options...

Rapid and sensitive detection of nucleic acids and proteins is vital for the identification of pathogenic agents. Biomolecules, such as F1-ATPase, have been previously shown to provide a single molecule detection system for DNA using a detection signal that is visible by fluorescence microscopy (US 6,989,235). Prof. Wayne Frasch at Arizona State...

Using engineered gene "circuits" to control cellular function in the presence of background noise has many potential applications in the emerging field of synthetic biology. Such a technology would also be relevant to the creation and design of cells controlled by chemically-synthesized genomes. The "holy grail" would be the ability to apply this...

The monitoring and control of gas flows are important in industrial applications, including fluid transport and delivery and in medical applications such as oxygen delivery and breath measurements. Flow sensors have been built on many principles including mass transport, mechanical measurements of flow and/or pressure, optical techniques, and many...

A single biomarker is often insufficient to identify a given disease with both sensitivity and specificity. In such cases, one or more additional tests for other biomarkers are used in order to accurately diagnose the disease. The disadvantage of this process is that multiple sensors, wells, platforms, and/or labels are frequently required to measure...

Non-classical translation initiation sites are believed to play an important role in the human genome. Studies of these, however, have been limited by the absence of effective tools for identifying their sequences at the DNA level. There is a pressing need then for new functional tools that can be used to identify and map these sequences in known...

Ionizing radiation sensing has many applications in a variety of industries. Low dose sensing is important for nuclear materials detection and security. Some space applications require measurement of the flux and direction of high energy radiation. Furthermore, it is essential to determine the exact location and amount of radiation directed toward...

Non-invasive imaging systems, such as MRI and CT, have become an essential part of modern medicine for obtaining the information necessary to diagnose various diseases. MRI contrast agents have been tested in imaging cancers of the liver, the spleen, and the gastrointestinal tract as well as in imaging cardiovascular diseases. Researchers at the...