Mar. 3, 2025 - ME Faculty & Staff Newsletter
Department Highlights
​New technology turns waste heat into electricity, defies physical limit
Assistant Professor Longji Cui and his team in the Cui Research Group have developed a new technology to turn thermal radiation into electricity in a way that literally teases the basic law of thermal physics. The group says their research has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing industries by increasing power generation without the need for high temperature heat sources or expensive materials.
Rentschler, Aspero Medical awarded $4.5M for endoscopy advancement
Six years ago, Professor Mark Rentschler helped launch startup company Aspero Medical to develop a medical device used during endoscopy procedures. Today, with the help of a $4.5 million grant through the Anschutz Acceleration Initiative, Rentschler and his team are bringing two new medical devices to the market that have the potential to transform surgeries in the gastrointestinal region even further.
Diamond in the rough: Research could help better detect, target cancer cells
Associate Professor Xiaoyun Ding and his team in the Biomedical Microfluidics Laboratory (BMMLab) stumbled across an interesting anomaly during a cell sensing project that used different forms of acoustic waves to measure cell mechanics. The group discovered a new wave mode never seen before that can unlock a new level of cell manipulation capabilities.
Tiny compasses could improve navigation, brain imaging and more
Associate Research Professor Svenja Knappe is apart of a team of physicists and engineers studying quantum technology. In a novel study, the group has discovered a new way to measure the orientation of magnetic fields using atoms. Their findings could one day lead to the creation of new quantum sensors that can map the activity of the human brain or even help airplanes navigate the globe.
Tiny insects could lead to big changes in robot design
Professor Sean Humbert is being awarded a five-year, $909,000 grant to make robotic advancements in flight physics and aerial systems. How? By unlocking the biological secrets of your common, everyday housefly.