University of Pittsburgh

​We've already heard about water-repellant materials that copy the structure of the lotus leaf. Now, however, scientists have created a flexible optical plastic that wards off liquids even better, and it was inspired by something else – the humble Enoki mushroom.

The US Department of Defense has awarded contracts worth a total of US$7.2 million to develop an autonomous trauma care system called TRACIR that uses robotics, and artificial intelligence to autonomously treat battlefield casualties almost immediately.

With blinds in front of our windows, we usually have to choose between light and privacy, but “smart glass" can toggle its opacity as needed. Now a University of Pittsburgh team has developed a new type of glass that can switch between hazy and clear in seconds – just add water.

​Last year, a proof-of-concept study described how the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool could be used to eliminate HIV from infected cells. In a potential step towards a permanent cure, the team has shown that the technique keeps the virus from spreading, and in latent cases, rips it from its hideout.

​The CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system could help fight cancer, and now, researchers have used the tool to target what they call cancer’s command center, in a treatment that’s been shown in mice to shrink aggressive tumors and increase survival rates, without harming healthy cells.

It's safe to say that generally-speaking, electricity and water don't mix. So, what do you do if you're designing a powered wheelchair for use in a splash park? If you're part of a team at the University of Pittsburgh, you power it using compressed air.

Sufferers of celiac disease have an intolerance to the dietary protein gluten, but what causes the condition isn’t fully understood. Researchers have found that a common virus could set the stage for the disease – and vaccinating against that virus could help prevent it from ever taking hold.

A novel study has found success in using the extracellular matrices in zebrafish to jumpstart mammalian cardiac tissue regeneration, possibly bringing science closer to fixing a "broken heart.​"

The same team responsible for a thought-controlled robotic arm demonstrated in 2012 has recreated the physical feeling of touch through a robotic hand, allowing a quadriplegic man to feel "his" fingers and hand for the first time in 10 years.​

New research apparently confirms a phenomenon that many of us may have already suspected: excessive exposure to social media can disrupt sleep patterns.

Building on a previous study, University of Pittsburgh researchers gave quadriplegic Jan Scheuermann the ability to control a sophisticated robotic arm and pick up and manipulate objects of varying sizes using just her thoughts.

Researchers have discovered a way to improve regrowth of corneal tissue in the human eye using a molecule known as ABCB5 to act as an identifying marker for rare limbal stem cells. Transplants in mice using this technique have successfully grown fully-functional transparent corneas.