Science and Technology

A new, recently licensed medical device developed by University at Buffalo researchers would introduce into intensive care settings the powerful and effective method of anesthetizing patients that works so well in the operating room.

A new book based on 15 years of on-the-ground research in Cuba describes two Cubas -- one for Cubans, one for outsiders -- that co-exist but do not mix, and explains how the Cuban culture we do not see was critical in sustaining the Castro regime while other socialist countries collapsed.

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers, generally is viewed as an irritant that produces a burning sensation when applied to a sensitive area of the body, such as the cornea. Paradoxically, the same compound also may reduce pain. Scientists at University at Buffalo now link the analgesic effects of capsaicin to a lipid.

In 2007, University at Buffalo computer scientist Sargur Srihari, Ph.D., one of the world's experts on pattern recognition and its application to fingerprints and handwriting, was selected by the National Academy of Sciences to serve with other national experts on its Committee on Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Science Community. The NAS released the panel's findings in a report called "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward"

Snow that blows and drifts across roadways has long troubled road maintenance crews and commuters alike, creating treacherous driving conditions and requiring additional maintenance resources to mitigate the problem. Now, a University at Buffalo engineer has led the development of "SnowMan," a user-friendly, desktop software package that puts cost-effective solutions to the snow drift problem at the fingertips of highway designers and road maintenance personnel.

During normal growth and development, cells in the body communicate with each other through protein receptors on the cell surface. Among the proteins used for this communication are receptor tyrosine kinases, or RTKs, which have been shown to play a critical role in the development and progression of many cancers by transmitting too much signal. A biochemist at the University at Buffalo has received $720,000 from the American Cancer Society to study how the RTK signaling pathway functions.

To tackle an increasing global infectious disease burden and rising rates of drug-resistant infections, University at Buffalo philosophers are working with medical researchers to develop the first-ever infectious disease ontology.

Laura Garofalo, assistant professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo, has received a 2008-09 Architectural Education Award from the American Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).

In the world of supercomputers, practical considerations like energy consumption have traditionally been overshadowed by the emphasis on high performance. But as energy costs have increased, computational scientists at the University at Buffalo's Center for Computational Research (CCR) have found a way to do more cutting-edge science while consuming less power.

This month, the city of Anchorage, Alaska, will celebrate life in the Arctic with "Freeze," a bold series of outdoor installations by artists, architects and designers committed to perpetuating the Northern spirit, along with a wide variety of other events. Brian Carter, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo, has written a book about the projects being presented.