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Ivan Racheff Professor Rosa Espinosa Marzal has received a $556,000 NSF grant to investigate the solid electrolyte interphase — a nanoscale protective coating that governs battery safety, lifespan and performance — in next-generation sodium- and potassium-based batteries. Using atomic force microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and computational modeling, her team aims to decode how this poorly understood layer forms and behaves, with findings expected to inform the design of safer, longer-lasting and more affordable energy storage systems.

Ivan Racheff Professor Rosa Espinosa Marzal used a novel combination of imaging techniques to reveal that inferior joint lubrication in osteoarthritis stems from the mechanical instability of vesicle-dominated boundary films — overturning the long-held belief that vesicles are superior lubricants. These findings point to lamellar structures promoted by high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid as a more effective source of lubrication, offering a more scientifically grounded foundation for developing future osteoarthritis therapies.

Assistant Professor Yuanwei Li  has received a DARPA grant to develop a nanophotonic chip-based sensor array capable of detecting and tracking neurochemical biomarkers in real time with unprecedented sensitivity and throughput. If successful, the technology could pave the way for portable, wearable devices that continuously monitor brain chemistry, enabling earlier detection of neurological conditions and more personalized diagnostics.

Engineers led by Assistant Professor Yingjie Zhang have developed a groundbreaking three-state model that reveals how water molecules behave at solid surfaces, resolving decades of scientific debate about the nature of these critical interfaces. By combining advanced microscopy techniques, the research provides a molecular blueprint that enables precise control of solid-water boundaries, with transformative implications for water desalination, carbon dioxide reduction and electrochemical energy storage technologies.

Associate Professor Hua Wang has been awarded a 2026 Early Career Investigator Award from METAvivor for his pioneering research into next-generation exosome vaccines targeting metastatic breast cancer. Wang's innovative approach uses chemically modified tumor-secreted extracellular vesicles combined with click chemistry to trigger specific immune responses against cancer cells, offering new hope for patients living with the disease. 

Illinois researchers led by Assistant Professor Jean-Charles Stinville have discovered a breakthrough strategy for designing fatigue-resistant metal alloys by controlling how plastic deformation spreads at the atomic scale, potentially transforming materials used in transportation, aerospace and energy applications. By engineering alloys where deformation remains uniformly distributed rather than localized — a mechanism confirmed through advanced imaging and computational modeling — the team has opened new pathways to create metals that resist fatigue failure while maintaining strength under repeated loading cycles.