UF researcher catalyzing change in methane conversion

University of Florida chemical engineering researcher Helena Hagelin Weaver, Ph.D., is uncovering how the structure of catalyst materials can dramatically improve the efficiency of methane conversion. Her team’s findings, recently published in ACS Catalysis, reveal how manipulating nanoscale support structures can boost methane oxidation at lower temperatures — a key step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling more sustainable chemical production.

A giant LEAP toward faster, smarter genetic testing for cancer

UF researchers have developed a breakthrough CRISPR upgrade — called CRISPR-LEAP — that can target nearly any DNA sequence, potentially transforming cancer detection, infectious disease testing and personalized medicine.

From semiconductors to table tennis. Meet Shubham Ravan 

Shubham Ravan, a first-year master’s student in chemical engineering, specializes in semiconductor fabrication and scaling processes from lab to commercial applications. He recently received the department’s MS Research, Leadership and Service Excellence Award and serves as the graduate cohort representative. Outside the lab, he stays active with badminton and table tennis and enjoys reading science fiction and biographies.

UF researchers develop new ‘designer’ catalyst to create hydrogen gas 

University of Florida researchers have developed a new “designer” catalyst by combining platinum and chromium into atomic pairs within silver, enabling a more stable process for producing hydrogen gas. The breakthrough, led by Professor Jason Weaver, Ph.D., could improve energy conversion and reduce industrial costs. The team’s findings were published in Angewandte Chemie, a prestigious, peer-reviewed German journal.

UF protease-inhibitor research targets better disease treatments

A University of Florida professor is developing a fast, powerful tool for blocking harmful human enzymes, a process that could result in better medicines and more precise treatments for diseases. 

This summer, UF biomaterials researcher Elizabeth Aikman was not in Kansas anymore 

University of Florida’s Elizabeth Aikman, a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate studying biomaterials from Bombyx mori silk, attended summer school in California in July to advance her studies. Bombyx mori are also known as domestic silk moths and are economically important to the billion-dollar sericulture (silk) industry.