CU Technology and Discovery News
ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Today—A neural circuit hidden in an understudied region of the brain plays a critical role in turning temporary pain into pain that can last months or years, according to new ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ research. The animal study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that silencing this pathway, known as the caudal granular insular cortex (CGIC), can prevent or halt chronic pain.
Gates Institute—The Gates Institute at the University of Colorado Anschutz, in partnership with CU Anschutz Innovations, has announced the recipients of its 2025 Grubstake Awards. The awardees include Wyatt Shields (ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering), partnering with Benjamin Bitler (CU Anschutz) on their project Macrophage Backpacks for Delivering Olaparib to High-Grade Serous Carcinomas.
ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Today—University of Colorado researchers have developed a fast, easy test that could help blood centers and hospitals monitor the quality of stored red blood cells. The palm-sized, chip-based device uses surface acoustic waves to assess cell aging, with the goal of improving transfusion outcomes and better allocating high-quality blood to patients.
Colorado AI News—A PhD student and an associate professor at CU Denver are trying to make today's language models more inventive without letting them drift into nonsense. They landed in MIT Technology Review's "What's next for AI in 2026" with a deceptively simple question: Can today's AI language models generate genuinely new ideas without turning creativity into nonsense?
In an ongoing effort to bridge a pervasive investment gap in innovation funding, the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ has awarded pre-seed funding to Illumen Therapeutics, developing cancer treatments based on discoveries from startup co-founder Roy Parker’s lab at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ.
FOX31 Denver—Host Genelle Padilla speaks with Jack Gugel and Thomas Martin, two researchers at the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ, who are studying pythons to develop a weight-loss treatment.
Denver7—NASA has selected a proposal from ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ researchers to design and build instruments that will be deployed by astronauts on the Moon. The instrument suite designed at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) will analyze lunar dust, which is abrasive like glass and sticks to all surfaces. Lunar dust can damage equipment and harm astronauts if inhaled.
A new, thin insulator has been designed to boost the energy efficiency of windows by blocking heat. Designed by a team from the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ, this invisible window shield material has been dubbed Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulator (MOCHI).
ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Today—Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., second only to heart disease. But a new cancer treatment method from ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ researchers uses sound waves to soften tumors and could be a potent tool against the disease.
Renewable And Sustainable Energy Institute—A startup team led by RASEI Fellow Oana Luca, called Agami Zero, has just secured seed funding after winning the 2025 CU Lab Venture Challenge. Their winning idea? A new way to produce hydrogen fuel more efficiently, a key mechanism for decarbonizing our energy economy.