A system to package and deliver drugs to each cell of your body, depending on its needs, has been developed at IISc. “Nanocapsules” made from a special type of material can now deliver drugs right inside cancer affected cells in the body.
Over the last 30 years, Kolkata has added 8 km2 of built-up area every year. Recent research has shown that Kolkata is no exception to the global urbanisation trends.
A collection of beads and rods, under certain circumstances, move in formations, just like flying birds. This may lead to novel methods for transporting cellular matter in the human body. This fascinating discovery is made by a team of scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and the TIFR Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad. They have published their findings in the prestigious journal Nature Communications (Sep 3, 2014 issue).
Imagine your car has been idling for 6 months. If at all it starts, would it feel smooth? Last week, ISRO scientists punched in a few lines of code from Bangalore, and millions of kilometers away, Mangalyaan engines roared to life.
A “two drug cocktail” that can curb the growth of breast cancers has been developed at IISc. The drugs have been developed to target two cancer causing proteins, which have been found to make breast cancers more aggressive. The two drugs have been tested in mice, and two labs at IISc are working on developing versions that can be used in human trials.
A new type of “Field Emission Device”, used routinely in your flat screen displays, has been developed. Using ribbons made of graphene, a form of carbon, researchers at IISc have shown its potential application as a pressure sensor. This new device is not only energy saving, but also highly stable; their fabrication is also easily scalable and easy to manufacture in large quantities.
The topography of the Western Ghats influences the rainfall over the mountain region, finds a recent study. The Western Ghats,a mountain range that runs parallel to the western coast of India, is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. Though a world heritage site, it also houses a sizeable human population. Rainfall from the summer monsoon plays a huge role for all inhabitants of the Ghats: the flora and fauna, and the people. Accurate prediction of rainfall in this region will be very useful.
A new “nozzle”, a device used in aeroplanes, can reduce the noise levels in our airports and boost the performance of aeroplane engines. Developed at the Indian Institute of Science, these nozzles also have potential applications in next generation eco-friendly refrigerators and fuel cells.
Prof. Vijayan has been examining the structure of molecules that are found in living systems all his life. After playing a role in deciphering the structure of insulin at Nobel Laureate Dorothy Hodgkin’s lab at Oxford, Prof. Vijayan was “the first trained protein crystallographer to return to India, to the IISc”.
Turning to geologic records to understand the hazards of tsunamis, the researchers from Centre for Earth Sciences observe that the last major tsunami to have visited the Indian shores is about 1000 years old.