Two Purdue University researchers have received $50,000 apiece to develop their innovations in the fields of cancer treatments and freshwater management. The funding comes from the Trask Innovation Fund, managed by Purdue Innovates Incubator. The fund supports Purdue researchers through the “valley of death," the time to move an innovation from laboratory creation to marketplace product.

RNAi technologies have been exploited to control viruses, pests, oomycetes and fungal phytopathogens that cause disasters in host plants, including many agronomically significant crops. However, it is unclear what process mediates RNA uptake by fungi. Here, the authors utilized live-cell imaging technology combined with molecular biology experiments to demonstrate that exogenous RNA is indiscriminately absorbed by Verticillium dahliae, the notorious plant pathogenic fungus. The uptake of exogenous RNA by fungal cells is predominantly mediated through endocytosis. This study not only provides a new theoretical foundation for applying trans-kingdom RNA interference technology in crop protection but also lays the groundwork for research and applications of exogenous RNA in plant-fungi interaction systems.

Researchers have unveiled a simple yet effective satellite-based tool to track Spartina alterniflora, one of the most aggressive invasive plant species threatening coastal wetlands.

The research team provided a comprehensive elaboration on the development process of China's first double-spoke superconducting cavity cryomodule. They emphasized detailed explanations of the cavity's optimization and manufacturing procedures, conducted in-depth analyses of encountered challenges, and established critical references to ensure the smooth mass production and installation of CSNS-II superconducting cavity cryomodules.

A pioneering research lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has achieved another milestone using light-driven enzymatic reactions to convert simple biological building blocks into valuable chemicals. The team, part of the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), developed a clean, efficient way to make complex chemicals called chiral ketones through photocatalysis. Chiral molecules — commonly used in agrochemicals and medicines — exist in two mirror-image forms, like left and right hands, and often only one “hand” is effective or safe. This study offers a precise and eco-friendly way to make specific chiral molecules with complicated structures, supporting new opportunities to transform renewable carbon sources like bioenergy crops into high-value molecules.