Chemo Patch to Ease Therapy
It’s worked for smoking cessation and birth control, and now perhaps for chemotherapy. Diana Chow, associate professor of pharmaceutics, is exploring the potential of a transdermal drug delivery system—known as the patch—as a user-friendly way to administer noninvasive chemotherapy for cancer patients. Such patches are painless, convenient, and easy to use—encouraging greater patient compliance while reducing nausea and other adverse effects.
Tiny Radios Could Save Millions
Radios the size of a single grain of sand could make a huge difference in the price of oil. Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Richard Liu’s technology will give a bird’s-eye view of well logging—the recording of a well’s underground properties to find oil-rich zones. The tiny technology will withstand extreme conditions and will allow faster, more accurate drilling—potentially saving millions of dollars per well.
Biotechnology Up Close and Personal
Biotechnology is not just for researchers anymore, thanks to a $1 million grant from the Texas Workforce Commission. The College of Technology’s Center for Life Sciences Technology is developing an interdisciplinary bachelor of science in biotechnology. “This will take students right from the process of scientific discovery to its applications in biotechnology,” says Rupa Iyer, research associate professor. Short-term training programs also are in the works for industry professionals eager to upgrade their skills.
When LASIK Goes Wrong
More than 700,000 people in the United States underwent LASIK surgery last year—and unfortunately some suffered complications ranging from glare and ‘star-bursting’ to profoundly fluctuating vision and lack of depth perception. The College of Optometry’s Texas Eye Research and Technology Center (TERTC ) is a key player in the nationwide effort to bring relief to these injured patients. After unsuccessful LASIK, contact lenses are frequently the best option, according to Jan Bergmanson, professor of optometry and TERTC founder. The difficulty, however, lies in finding a suitable lens design. The center is collecting data for FDA approval of post-LASIK contact lenses.
