CU Technology and Discovery News

CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science—Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are developing a new class of “entangled materials” inspired by the surprising strength of a tangled ball of office staples.

CU Boulder College of Arts and Sciences—Research suggests that disrupted or fragmented sleep after a traumatic brain injury not only interferes with the healing process but also has long-term consequences for brain health. Rachel Rowe, an assistant professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder, has investigated this question in a recent study linking low-quality sleep following traumatic brain injury to cognitive impairment, persistent inflammation and delayed healing.

CU Boulder Today—CU Boulder researchers have discovered an appetite-suppressing compound in python blood that helps the snakes consume enormous meals and go months without eating yet remain metabolically healthy. The research, a collaboration with scientists at Stanford Medicine and Baylor universities, could inform new weight loss therapies that promote satiety without the nausea and muscle loss that can come with existing drugs.

CU Boulder Today—Supported by a new five-year, up to $25 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program, a team of CU Boulder, MIT, Harvard and Columbia researchers is working to develop 3D-printed liver tissue made of human cells and able to be transplanted into anyone without their body rejecting it.

Life Science Newswire–Cirena has secured a license to the University of Colorado Boulder’s patented RNA synthesis technology, enabling reliable synthesis of long RNA needed to support rapidly developing applications in CRISPR, functional genomics, and emerging RNA-therapeutic modalities.

CU Boulder College of Engineering & Applied Science—William Frantz didn’t walk away with the top prize at this year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC), but his research may still be a winner for future cancer patients. Frantz is developing microscopic droplets designed to help doctors track radiation therapy in real time, technology that could one day make cancer treatment more precise and less harmful, particularly for pediatric patients.

ScienceDaily—CU Boulder researchers have designed microscopic “racetracks” that trap and amplify light with exceptional efficiency. By using smooth curves inspired by highway engineering, they reduced energy loss and kept light circulating longer inside the device. Fabricated with sub-nanometer precision, the resonators rank among the top performers made from chalcogenide glass. The technology could lead to compact sensors, microlasers, and advanced quantum systems.

CU Boulder 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 University of Colorado Boulder 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 (CU Boulder 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.

CU Boulder 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.