The Rice lab of bioengineer Gang Bao and collaborators at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a new gene-editing strategy that dramatically boosts the effectiveness of gene therapies in the liver, a breakthrough that could lead to new treatments for about 700 genetic disorders in this vital organ as well as in other organs and tissues.
Rice’s Lydia Kavraki elected to National Academy of Engineering
Rice computer scientist Lydia Kavraki has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional honors accorded to an engineer, for her work on “developing randomized motion-planning algorithms for robotics and robotics-inspired methods in biomedicine.”
Rice students build interactive platform to track carbon capture risks in Texas
The website functions like a digital museum exhibit, offering story maps, GIS map visualizations and advocacy tools to help communities understand and respond to potential environmental risks.
‘Smaller and better’: Rice research uncovers performance sweet spot for relaxor nanomaterial
A new study led by Rice materials scientist Lane Martin sheds light on how the extreme miniaturization of thin films affects the behavior of relaxor ferroelectrics — materials with noteworthy energy-conversion properties used in sensors, actuators and nanoelectronics.
Rice scientists and collaborators at Baylor College of Medicine have demonstrated a new method for detecting the presence of dangerous chemicals from tobacco smoke in human placentas with unprecedented speed and precision.
Halas awarded Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry
Rice’s Naomi Halas is the recipient of the 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry, awarded “for the creation and development of nanoshells — metal-coated nanoscale particles that can capture light energy — for use in many biomedical and chemical applications.”
Rice computer science professor receives Secretary of Energy Achievement Award
Rice’s John Mellor-Crummey was honored in January with a Secretary of Energy Achievement Award as a member of the leadership team of the Department of Energy’s seven-year, $1.8 billion Exascale Computing Project.
Rice computer scientists develop solutions for making AI models more efficient and customizable
A team of researchers at Rice is working on solutions to make AI models less expensive and more accessible, customizable and environmentally friendly.
Rise of DeepSeek: Experts weigh in on the disruptive impact of new Chinese open-source AI model
Rice AI experts are available to discuss DeepSeek and weigh in on what it means for the future of AI.
Rice graduate student exploring stem cell possibilities receives Quad Fellowship
Thanks to winning a Quad Fellowship, an international award supporting the next generation of scientists and technologists, Rice graduate student Tawan "Pop" Kiratiwongwan is building connections in science, industry, academia and government that deepened his understanding of the impact of his work.
Rice researchers lead project using quantum phenomenon to transform super-resolution imaging
A multidisciplinary team of researchers from Rice and Texas A&M has received a $1.2 million award from the W.M. Keck Foundation to advance super-resolution imaging and single-molecule tracking by harnessing super-radiance, a quantum optical phenomenon with transformative potential for research and innovation in medicine, engineering and the physical sciences.
Rice earns top 10 spot in US News rankings for online graduate computer science program
Rice’s Online Master of Computer Science program continues its meteoric rise, advancing four more spots to No. 10 in the latest U.S. News and World Report Best Online Programs rankings.
Rice labs tapped for brain research by UK funding agency with multimillion-dollar awards
Four Rice research groups are part of an inaugural cohort of 18 projects funded by the U.K.’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency to unlock cutting-edge brain-interfacing technologies.
Emerging focus on brain health among several Rice researchers’ expertise
Rice is a hub of cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research on the brain. In addition to a critical mass of researchers in the field, Rice is home to entities dedicated to collaborative clinical and scientific research on the brain.
An international team of engineers has developed an innovative, scalable method for creating topography-patterned aluminum surfaces, enhancing liquid transport properties critical for applications in electronics cooling, self-cleaning technologies and anti-icing systems.
