News & Events

New platform explored to meet emerging need in mechanobiology

Jae Park, a doctoral student in the lab of Alexandra Rutz, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, has developed a unique, dynamic platform with electricity-conducting biomaterials in which stiffness can be modulated by applying voltage. Such a platform can help researchers learn more about the potential to use conducting polymers to study mechanobiology and to study the effect of stiff environments on cells, which play a role in fibrosis and some types of cancer. (Credit: Jae Park)

06.12.2026

Samsung grant will fund better energy storage systems

Researchers at WashU have found a promising way to improve electrostatic capacitors using an innovative design of the ferroelectric materials that maintain electric polarization. The work caught the eye of component manufacturer Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which provided a $1.8 million grant to take this technology to the next level. (Photo: Shutterstock)

06.11.2026

Mixed plastic waste target of upcycling process to cut waste, emissions

Christopher Cooper, at WashU McKelvey Engineering, is developing a two-step process to recycle pure and mixed plastics by breaking them down into pieces and rebuilding the pieces into new materials with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. (Photo: iStock)

06.01.2026