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Beneath the surface: Diving into water’s hidden carbon-cleaning capabilities
3D rendering of water molecules on a copper surface.

Water molecules become increasingly disordered at the surface of a catalyst. Researchers found that this disordered interfacial water, shown transitioning from structured (left) to disorganized (right), plays a key role in speeding up the conversion of carbon monoxide into ethylene, a valuable fuel and chemical building block.

(Image: Courtesy of Shoji Hall)

Beneath the surface: Diving into water’s hidden carbon-cleaning capabilities

Penn materials scientist Shoji Hall and colleagues have found that manipulating the surface of water can allow scientists to sustainably convert greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to higher energy fuel sources like ethylene.

5 min. read

AI finds hundreds of potential antibiotics in snake and spider venom
Venom on the Fang of a Diamondback Rattlesnake

Image: McDonald Wildlife Photography Inc. via Getty Images

AI finds hundreds of potential antibiotics in snake and spider venom

Research from the lab of César de la Fuente on an AI-powered screen of global venom libraries uncovers dozens of promising drug candidates.

Eric Horvath

2 min. read

Cracking the code of force-driven chemistry

Cracking the code of force-driven chemistry

Penn Engineering’s Robert Carpick, Cangyu Qu, and Lu Fang have developed a theoretical model that overcomes previous challenges in accurately describing the relationship between mechanical stress and chemical reactions. Their new study fills in the gap for describing the forces that occur when molecules are squeezed between two surfaces. This result helps make it easier to predict mechanochemical reactions, which are promising for the green manufacturing of plastics, metallic compounds, lubricants and more.

Scientists unlock frogs’ antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs
A tree frog in Thailand.

The researchers theorized that frogs must have developed antibiotics to survive in their challenging environment.

Image: Michael Edward via Getty Images

Scientists unlock frogs’ antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs

The lab of César de la Fuente has created synthetic peptides, a class of antibiotics, derived from the secretions of a frog commonly found in South Asia.

Ian Scheffler

2 min. read

Five from Penn elected 2024 AAAS Fellows
Headshots of five Penn professors elected 2024 AAAS Fellows.

(Clockwise from bottom left) M. Susan Lindee, Marlyse Baptista, Jinbo Chen, George Cotsarelis, and Christopher B. Murray were elected 2024 AAAS Fellows. 

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Five from Penn elected 2024 AAAS Fellows

Professors from the School of Arts & Sciences, Perelman School of Medicine, and School of Engineering and Applied Science are among 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators being recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

4 min. read

2025 CAREER Award recipient: Jina Ko

2025 CAREER Award recipient: Jina Ko

Ko, a professor in bioengineering in Penn Engineering and in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine, is awarded the 2025 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award for her expertise across bioengineering, molecular biology, and chemistry in developing transformative technologies for molecular diagnostics of diseases, especially with respect to how brain-related conditions are diagnosed and treated.

Penn fourth-year Jaskeerat Gujral named 2025-2026 ThinkSwiss Research Scholar

Penn fourth-year Jaskeerat Gujral named 2025-2026 ThinkSwiss Research Scholar

Gujral, a fourth-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences studying neuroscience with a minor in chemistry, and sub-matriculating in the bioengineering master's program in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has been selected for a ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship, a program that aims to promote research opportunities in Switzerland to foster exchange between Swiss, U.S., and Canadian universities and research institutions.

A greener, cleaner way to extract cobalt
A large setup infrastructure for mining gold and other minerals in Australia.

(Image: Alfio Manciagli)

A greener, cleaner way to extract cobalt

Penn researchers led a collaborative effort pioneering safer, more sustainable technique to extract elements critical to battery-powered technologies. Findings pave the way for getting value from materials that would otherwise be considered waste.
Squire Booker appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Squire Booker

Squire Booker is a Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences and Perelman School of Medicine.

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Squire Booker appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor

Through his work as an interdisciplinary chemist, Booker has has made advancements in human health and innovative new treatments of disease.