News from the NNI Community - Research Advances Funded by Agencies Participating in the NNI

Platinum has long been used as a catalyst in fuel cells, but the metal's high cost has hindered fuel cells from competing with cheaper ways of powering automobiles and homes. Now researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new platinum-based catalytic system that is more durable than traditional commercial systems and has a potentially longer lifespan. The process involves using nanoscale spheres of selenium that react with a salt precursor to platinum to generate particles of platinum smaller than two nanometers in diameter.

Tools that detect cancer in its early stages can increase patient survival and quality of life. But cancer screening often calls for expensive equipment and trips to the clinic, which may not be feasible in some rural or developing areas. Now scientists have developed a simple and sensitive urine test that can produce a color change in urine to signal growing tumors in mice.

Tools that detect cancer in its early stages can increase patient survival and quality of life. But cancer screening often calls for expensive equipment and trips to the clinic, which may not be feasible in some rural or developing areas. Now scientists have developed a simple and sensitive urine test that can produce a color change in urine to signal growing tumors in mice.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory have demonstrated that it is possible to see greater details of DNA origami nanostructures. DNA origami is the folding of long "scaffold" strands of circular DNA molecules held together using short "staple" strands to create various two- and three-dimensional shapes at the nanometer scale.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory have demonstrated that it is possible to see greater details of DNA origami nanostructures. DNA origami is the folding of long "scaffold" strands of circular DNA molecules held together using short "staple" strands to create various two- and three-dimensional shapes at the nanometer scale.

Plant-derived compounds called phytosterol have been found to lower LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol that contributes to plaque buildup in arteries. Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have found that nanoparticles embedded in granola bars and pudding boosted the absorption of phytosterol in the body.

Plant-derived compounds called phytosterol have been found to lower LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol that contributes to plaque buildup in arteries. Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have found that nanoparticles embedded in granola bars and pudding boosted the absorption of phytosterol in the body.

Researchers at Rice University have developed a catalytic reactor that uses carbon dioxide as its feedstock and produces highly purified and high concentrations of formic acid. Tests showed that nearly half of the electrical energy could be stored in formic acid as liquid fuel.

Researchers at Rice University have developed a catalytic reactor that uses carbon dioxide as its feedstock and produces highly purified and high concentrations of formic acid. Tests showed that nearly half of the electrical energy could be stored in formic acid as liquid fuel.

A team of scientists has discovered a new possible pathway toward forming carbon structures in space using a specialized chemical exploration technique at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. This study is part of an ongoing effort to retrace the chemical steps leading to the formation of complex carbon-containing molecules in deep space.