The breakthrough by researchers at the University of Houston has transformed ceramics from fragile and brittle materials into tough, flexible structures. By blending ancient design with modern materials science, they have created a new class of ceramic structures that can bend under pressure without breaking.

Traditionally, ceramics were known for their inability to withstand stress, making them unsuitable for high-impact or adaptive applications. However, this limitation may soon change as the UH researchers have shown that origami-inspired shapes with a soft polymer coating can transform fragile ceramic materials into resilient and adaptable structures.

Led by Maksud Rahman, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Md Shajedul Hoque Thakur, postdoctoral fellow, the team has successfully 3D printed ceramic structures based on the Miura-ori origami pattern. This innovative approach allowed them to create materials that can handle stress in ways ordinary ceramics cannot.

The coated structures flexed and recovered when compressed in different directions, while their uncoated counterparts cracked or broke. The researchers tested these structures under both static and cyclic compression, with computer simulations backing up their experiments. The results consistently showed greater toughness in the coated versions, especially in directions where the original ceramic was weakest.

“This work demonstrates how folding patterns can unlock new functionalities in even the most fragile materials,” said Rahman. “Origami is more than an art – it’s a powerful design tool that can reshape how we approach challenges in both biomedical and engineering fields.”

The potential applications for this technology are vast, ranging from medical prosthetics to impact-resistant components in aerospace and robotics. With their newfound ability to create lightweight yet tough materials, researchers may soon revolutionize various industries and transform ceramics into versatile and reliable materials for future innovations.

The world of tissue engineering has just taken a significant leap forward with the advent of Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) 3D bioprinting. This innovative technique, developed by Carnegie Mellon’s Feinberg lab, allows for the printing of soft living cells and tissues with unprecedented structural resolution and fidelity. The result is a microphysiologic system entirely made out of collagen, cells, and other proteins – a first-of-its-kind achievement that expands the capabilities of researchers to study disease and build tissues for therapy.

Traditionally, tiny models of human tissue have been made using synthetic materials like silicone rubber or plastics, but these cannot fully recreate normal biology. With FRESH bioprinting, researchers can now create microfluidic systems in a Petri dish entirely out of collagen, cells, and other proteins – a major breakthrough that will revolutionize the field.

“We’re hoping to better understand what we need to print,” said Adam Feinberg, a professor of biomedical engineering and materials science & engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. “Ultimately, we want the tissue to better mimic the disease of interest or ultimately, have the right function, so when we implant it in the body as a therapy, it’ll do exactly what we want.”

The implications of this technology are vast, with potential applications in treating Type 1 diabetes and other diseases. FluidForm Bio, a Carnegie Mellon University spinout company, has already demonstrated that they can cure Type 1 diabetes in animal models using this technology, and plans to start clinical trials in human patients soon.

As Feinberg emphasized, “The work we’re doing today is taking this advanced fabrication capability and combining it with computational modeling and machine learning… We see this as a base platform for building more complex and vascularized tissue systems.”

With FRESH bioprinting, the possibilities are endless. This technology has the potential to change the face of medicine and improve countless lives. As researchers continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, one thing is certain – we will witness some incredible breakthroughs in the years to come.

The article “Tailoring Gene Editing with Machine Learning: A Breakthrough in CRISPR-Cas9 Enzyme Engineering” discusses how researchers from Mass General Brigham have harnessed machine learning to revolutionize the field of genome editing. By developing a machine learning algorithm called PAMmla, they’ve predicted the properties of over 64 million genome editing enzymes, significantly expanding our repertoire of effective and safe CRISPR-Cas9 enzymes.

CRISPR-Cas9 enzymes are powerful tools for editing genes, but their traditional application can have off-target effects, modifying DNA at unintended sites in the genome. The researchers’ novel approach uses machine learning to better predict and tailor these enzymes, ensuring greater specificity and accuracy in gene editing. This scalable solution has the potential to transform our understanding of genetic conditions and unlock new therapeutic targets.

The study showcases the power of PAMmla by demonstrating its utility in precise editing disease-causing sequences in primary human cells and mice. The researchers have also made a web tool available for others to use this model, enabling the community to create customized enzymes tailored for specific research and therapeutic applications.

Ben Kleinstiver, PhD, and Rachel A. Silverstein, PhD candidate, are leading authors on this study, highlighting the potential of machine learning in expanding our capabilities in gene editing. This breakthrough has significant implications for the field, offering a new era of precision and safety in genome editing technology.