A model to study cancer cell interactions

Some cancer cells recruit healthy stem cells to help tumors grow. Andrea Vernengo, associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, and her colleagues are using 3D bioprinting to create models that mimic human tissue. These models help researchers better understand cellular interactions in chondrosarcoma, a bone cancer that resists many existing treatments. Read story

Three people in an engineering laboratory with equipment and a robotic arm in the background.

Repairing damage in minutes

Damage to composite materials can sideline aircraft, wind turbines and other critical infrastructure. A new study by researchers in the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering found that a polymer cold spray repair method can restore up to 80% of a material's original strength in about 30 minutes. Read story

A person looking through a microscope in a laboratory.

What chameleons can teach us about being human

A study co-authored by Natasha Shylo, assistant professor of biological and biomedical sciences in the College of Science & Mathematics, found that veiled chameleon embryos share surprising similarities with human embryos. Those similarities suggest chameleons could serve as a new model for studying the earliest stages of human development. Read story

Person wearing a lab coat in a chemistry lab with equipment.

National recognition in analytical chemistry

James P. Grinias, professor of chemistry in the College of Science & Mathematics, was named chair-elect of the American Chemical Society's Division of Analytical Chemistry and earned national recognition for his contributions to the field. Read story

A person wearing a dark suit standing outside with trees in the background.

Hurricane exposure linked to higher eviction risk

When a hurricane hits, the impact may reach far beyond damaged buildings. New research by Qian He, assistant professor of geography, planning and sustainability in the School of Earth & Environment, found that hurricane exposure can increase renters' risk of eviction, even when their homes are not damaged. Read story

Helping bones heal

A team of Rowan researchers from the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering and the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University is turning collaborative research into a startup focused on helping bones heal faster. HydroPep Therapeutics is developing an injectable material designed to stimulate new bone growth and improve the healing of fractures. Read story

Classroom with young students sitting in desks facing a teacher at a blackboard.

Clues in the classroom

A student tackling a math problem might count on their fingers or mouth numbers at their desk. Noticing these behaviors can offer clues about how a student approaches a problem and whether they need support. Molly Fisher, professor in the College of Education, wants to know if AI could help teachers assess their own noticing skills and better understand student thinking. Read story

A man stands in a research laboratory with equipment in the background.

Sustainable jet fuel

Jun Hee Jang, an assistant professor of chemical engineering in the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, is studying how to convert lignin, a natural material found in wood, into a cost-effective, sustainable aviation fuel. Read story

In the media

NEW YORK TIMES

The truth about brain rot: It's a cry for help

Maxi Heitmayer, assistant professor of psychology, explores the social and psychological factors behind excessive social media use among Generation Z.

WASHINGTON POST

Scientists heard a knock at the door. It was a pelican in need of help.

Gerald Hough, professor of biological and biomedical sciences and psychology, weighs in on what scientists know about animal behavior and decision-making.

NPR TED RADIO HOUR

The day the dinosaurs died

What happened in the days, even hours, after an asteroid set off the fifth extinction? Kenneth Lacovara, paleontologist and founding director and chief scientist of Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University, sheds light on the mystery.

THE CONVERSATION

Revolutionary War battlefields often romanticize combat, but this mass grave just outside Philadelphia shows the violence soldiers actually experienced

Jennifer Janofsky, professor of public history, and Wade Catts, adjunct professor of history, discuss how they are piecing together the stories and identities of Hessian soldiers buried nearly 250 years ago at Red Bank Battlefield.

VOX

Flock cameras are creepy. They might still be worth it.

Police departments across the country are adopting automated license plate readers, raising questions about privacy, surveillance and public safety. John Shjarback, associate professor of law and justice studies, discusses the trade-offs.

Award highlights

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering

Multifunctional Injectable Hydrogel for Spinal Cord Injury Repair, National Institutes of Health, Peter Galie, Biomedical Engineering

Mental Health Care Pathways: Examining Help-Seeking Behaviors in Engineering Graduate Students, National Science Foundation, Sarah Wilson, Experiential Engineering Education

Hypoxia-Responsive Lipid Nanoparticles for Regulation of Angiogenesis as a Therapeutic Strategy for Preeclampsia, National Institutes of Health, Rachel Riley, Biomedical Engineering

Understanding How a Choice-Based Model of Capstone Experiences Influences Undergraduate Engineering Professional Preparation, National Science Foundation, Cassandra Jamison, Experiential Engineering Education

Advancing Pathways through a Multi-Institutional Consortium for Engineering Education and Workforce Development (AMP-ENGINE), National Science Foundation, Cassandra Jamison, Experiential Engineering Education

Supporting Student Well-Being with a Community of Transformation, National Science Foundation, Sarah Wilson, Experiential Engineering Education

Predicting Freeze-Thaw Soil Behavior for More Resilient Cold-Region Infrastructure, National Science Foundation, Yingxiao Liu, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Advancing Thermomagnetic Materials and Devices for Efficient Waste Heat Recovery, National Science Foundation, Amin Nozari, Mechanical Engineering

Empowering Secure and Private-Preserving Semantic Communication for Wireless Edge Networks, National Science Foundation, Qianqian Zhang, Electrical & Computer Engineering

AMPP Foley Catheters: Pathogen-Activated Antimicrobial Peptides for CAUTI Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Sebastian Vega, Biomedical Engineering

Virtua Health College of Medicine & Life Sciences

Mobile MAT Prescribing Unit for Veterans of Southern New Jersey with Substance Use Disorders, U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Richard Jermyn, Rehabilitation Medicine

Project TF-CBT National Adaptation and Support Center, U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Elisabeth Pollio, Child Abuse Research & Service Institute

Rowan-Virtua SOM Mobile Preventive Care Infrastructure Development to Improve Rural Health Outcomes, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Subcontract with New Jersey Department of Health, Millicent Channell, School of Osteopathic Medicine

Neural Circuits Mediating Motivation Deficits in an Alzheimer's Disease Rat Model, National Institutes of Health, Elizabeth West, Neuroscience

Rowan-Virtua SOM Mobile Liver Health Unit, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Subcontract with New Jersey Department of Health, Richard Jermyn, Rehabilitation Medicine

State Opioid Response (SOR): College Recovery Services, U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Subcontract with New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services, Richard Jermyn, Rehabilitation Medicine

Benzodiazepine Mediated Mechanisms of Transcriptional Semi-Quiescence in Discrete Myeloid Populations, National Institutes of Health, Subcontract with Drexel University, Zachary Klas, Cell & Molecular Biology

College of Science & Mathematics

Pilot Trial of Physical Activity Partnerships for Women in Midlife with Elevated Risk for Cardiovascular Disease, National Institutes of Health, Danielle Arigo, Psychology

Toward the Prevention of Depression Among Neurodivergent College Students, National Institutes of Health, Steven Brunwasser, Psychology

Discovery and Development of Millipede Alkaloids as a New Generation of Painkillers, National Institutes of Health, Subcontract with Virginia Tech, Thomas Keck, Chemistry & Biochemistry

College of Education

AI Tools for Measuring Teachers’ Professional Noticing of Children’s Mathematics, National Science Foundation, Molly Fischer, Content Area Teacher Education

Integrating Responsible Generative AI Applications and Role-Playing Simulations to Improve Undergraduate Education and Practice in Technology-Based Design, National Science Foundation, Yu-Chun Kuo, Critical Literacy, Technology & Multilingual Education

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