Shining light on brain function: New optogenetics protocol poised to advance neuroscience
Rice neuroscientist Valentin Dragoi and Ariana Andrei from the Houston Methodist Research Institute developed a detailed, step-by-step guide for deploying optogenetics in nonhuman primates, providing critical guidance for researchers working to advance understanding of the brain’s complex networks and their relationship with behavior.
Rethinking equity in electric vehicle infrastructure
Xinwu Qian, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University, is spearheading research that reimagines how and where charging stations should be deployed.
Avantika Gori, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University, is leading an innovative project to address flooding in rural communities.
Rice-led study finds focused ultrasound therapy improves cancer treatment
Combining an existing small-molecule protein therapy called tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand with focused ultrasound can significantly reduce tumor size and burden in prostate cancer models, according to a new study published in Advanced Science by researchers at Rice and Vanderbilt.
Rice senior Cat Tran to intern at SpaceX through Brooke Owens Fellowship
Rice senior Cat-Linh Tran has been selected as a 2025 Brooke Owens Fellow, a prestigious honor recognizing exceptional undergraduates pursuing careers in aerospace.
Harnessing failure as an asset: How Rice researchers are innovating smarter wearable tech
A new study by mechanical engineers at Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing explores how programmed failure in heat-sealable, sheet-based systems can be used to protect devices, enable complex sequencing of actions and even streamline control mechanisms.
The Rice Department of Computer Science and Ken Kennedy Institute invite Houston industry and community partners to an evening discussion on LLMs, DeepSeek and the future of generative AI.
Rice-led study finds 2D carbon material is 8 times tougher than graphene, resists cracking
Rice researchers found that a carbon material known as monolayer amorphous carbon is eight times tougher than graphene.
Rice Wind Energy advances to final phase of Collegiate Wind Competition
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Rice Wind Energy as one of 12 teams advancing to the final phase of the 2025 Collegiate Wind Competition.
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.”
