Research

Manganese makes its mark in drug synthesis

Rice University chemists find manganese far superior to silver and cerium as a way to make building blocks for drug design and manufacture.

Urban mining for metals flashes electronic trash into treasure

Flash Joule heating recovers valuable and toxic metals from electronic waste. The process allows for “urban mining” of resources that could be a win for the environment as well as for manufacturers.

Renewable energy will increase security and lower geopolitical risk, study shows

The transition to renewable energy will make the U.S. energy supply significantly more secure not only by decreasing the mining and materials required to build fossil fuel systems, but also by avoiding the political risks that threaten fossil fuel supply chains, according to new research from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Corps of Engineers funds bid to ‘flash’ waste into useful materials

A $5.2 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers grant will expand Rice efforts to recycle waste into valuable products through flash Joule heating.

US Army backs ‘sleeping cap’ to help brains take out the trash

Rice engineers are developing a noninvasive device to understand how the brain disposes of metabolic waste during sleep.

Sylvia Dee wins fellowship to launch Gulf of Mexico study

Sylvia Dee, an assistant professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, wins an early-career fellowship to pursue Gulf of Mexico research.

Maryland health care payment model reduces costs and complications, study shows

Maryland health care payment model reduces costs and complications, study shows

American Chemical Society honors Gustavo Scuseria

Rice University’s Gustavo Scuseria wins the American Chemical Society Award in Theoretical Chemistry.

Old bones get new life in renovated Rice laboratory

The skeletons of more than 800 Southeast Texas animals are getting a second life in a renovated archaeology lab space at Rice University.

Mask up, and make ’em tight

A loose-fitting mask may be doing you no favors if you’re around SARS-CoV-2.

Sex and the symbiont: Can algae hookups help corals survive?

Scientists have discovered that symbiotic single-celled algae that live inside of and feed corals can reproduce not only by mitosis, but also sexually. Encouraging sex in these algae can accelerate their evolution to produce strains better able to help reefs cope with climate change.

Rice lands grant to improve time-release drugs

HOUSTON – (Sept. 21, 2021) – Time-released drugs are about to get a geometry lesson, thanks to bioengineers at Rice University.

Grant backs effort to build useful bacterial colonies

Rice scientists have won a grant to advance the development of custom-designed microbial colonies for a variety of applications.

Physicists probe light smashups to guide future research

Modern simulations could improve MRIs

Rice University engineers improve simulations that analyze gadolinium-based contrast agents used in clinical magnetic resonance imaging. More efficient simulations could help make better compounds for imaging technologies.