News & Events
Cancer Models Created by Mechanical Engineers Offer New Insight Into Tumor Growth
As cancer and tumor cells move inside the human body, they impart and are subject to mechanical forces. In order to understand how these actions affect cancer cell growth, spread, and invasion, a team of engineers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is developing new models that mimic aspects of the mechanical environment within the body, providing new insight into how and why tumors develop in certain ways.
Mothers of Children With Autism Found to Have Significantly Different Metabolite Levels
Blood sample analysis showed that, two to five years after they gave birth, mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had several significantly different metabolite levels compared to mothers of typically developing children. That’s according to new research recently published in BMC Pediatrics by a multidisciplinary team from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Arizona State University, and the Mayo Clinic.
Immune System Killer Cells Controlled by Circadian Rhythms
An analysis of an exhaustive dataset on cells essential to the mammalian immune system shows that our ability to fight disease may rely more heavily on daily circadian cycles than previously assumed.
Bone Fracture Risk May Increase When Critical Enzymatic Processes Decline
TROY, N.Y. — A loss of enzymatic processes within the body can increase a person’s risk of bone fracture. This new insight was recently published in eLife by an international team of scientists and engineers led by Deepak Vashishth, the director of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
In Alzheimer’s, Connection Between Bone, Brain, and Microbiome May Be Critical
An estimated 50 million people worldwide live with dementia, a syndrome that progressively affects a person’s cognitive function. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, but a full understanding of the mechanisms behind how and why it occurs remains elusive.
Rensselaer-Developed Algorithm Accurately Predicts COVID-19 Patient Outcomes
With communities across the nation experiencing a wave of COVID-19 infections, clinicians need effective tools that will enable them to aggressively and accurately treat each patient based on their specific disease presentation, health history, and medical risks.
Rensselaer Partners with St. Peter’s Health Partners to Extend Lab Capabilities for COVID-19 Testing
To extend its COVID-19 testing capabilities, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has partnered with St. Peter’s Health Partners to establish a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) overflow lab at Rensselaer under the St. Peter’s license.
To Benefit Paralyzed Veterans, Polymer Coating Aims To Extend Life of Microelectrodes
For individuals with central nervous system paralysis, the effectiveness of neuroprosthetic technology — such as brain-controlled prosthetic limbs or muscle stimulation devices — makes a world of difference. If the process of implanting tiny electrodes in the brain were to be improved, allowing for stronger and longer lasting communication between neurons and external devices, it could significantly enhance quality of life.
New Research Aims To Combat Prion-like Spread of Tau Pathology in Alzheimer’s
Armed with evidence that a specific site on heparan sulfate — known as the 3-O-sulfate group — is critical to the transfer of harmful tau proteins in the brain, a research program funded by the NIH’s National Institute of Aging is scrutinizing the interactions between heparan sulfate and tau, determining how misfolded tau spreads in the brain, and developing strategies to block it.
With Deep Learning Algorithms, Standard CT Technology Produces Spectral Images
Bioimaging technologies are the eyes that allow doctors to see inside the body in order to diagnose, treat, and monitor disease.
Rensselaer, GE Research, Cleerly, and Cornell Partner With NIH To Improve Cardiac CT Diagnosis
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for men and women. The most common type of heart disease, coronary artery disease, is caused when plaque builds up along the walls of arteries that carry blood to the heart. It is often diagnosed through a cardiac computed tomography (CT) scan, which shows doctors if arteries are narrowing.