News

October 8, 2018

Climate study points to western Canada as the route of human migration into North America

When and how the first humans reached North America is a complicated puzzle. Scientists believe these people arrived in Alaska after crossing the Bering Strait, only to be stopped by the enormous Laurentide and Cordilleran ice sheets. The migrants would eventually make their way down to the Americas via one of two paths: the western coast of Canada or an opening between the two ice sheets.

Read More

October 4, 2018

Nonaddictive drug compound could replace opioids for chronic pain sufferers

A new nonaddictive drug compound discovered by Purdue University researchers could lead to the treatment of chronic pain without the need to rely on opioids, just as a bipartisan package of bills moves through the U.S. House and Senate to battle the nation’s opioid epidemic.

A compound developed by a research team led by Val Watts, professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology and associate dean for research in Purdue’s College of Pharmacy, shows unparalleled selectivity in inhibiting the adenylyl cyclase 1 (AC1), making it a potential target for treating pain and reducing the dependency on opioids for pain management.

Read More

October 3, 2018

New 3D-printed cement paste gets stronger when it cracks — just like structures in nature

What if the inherent weaknesses of a material actually made houses and buildings stronger during wildfires and earthquakes?

Purdue University researchers have 3D-printed cement paste, a key ingredient of the concrete and mortar used to build various elements of infrastructure, that gets tougher under pressure like the shells of arthropods such as lobsters and beetles. The technique could eventually contribute to more resilient structures during natural disasters.

Read More

September 27, 2018

Maria Sepúlveda receives Purdue Agriculture Research Award

Maria (“Marisol”) Sepúlveda, professor of ecology and natural systems and associate head of research for the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, has been selected to receive Purdue University’s 2018 Agriculture Research Award. The award has been presented annually since 1982 and is the highest honor recognizing research excellence by a faculty member in the College of Agriculture.

Read More