TROY, N.Y. — With COVID-19 still spreading in the United States, where it has already killed more than 140,000 people, improved screening and treatment options are critically important for high-risk patients with comorbidities, such as diabetes, pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular disease.

In a test of antiviral effectiveness against the virus that causes COVID-19, an extract from edible seaweeds substantially outperformed remdesivir, the current standard antiviral used to combat the disease.

Ryan Gilbert, a professor of biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will serve as a member of the Bioengineering of Neuroscience, Vision and Low Vision Technologies Study Section for the National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review.

A common drug, already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), may also be a powerful tool in fighting COVID-19, according to research published this week in Antiviral Research.

New research, published online today in Developmental Cell, shows that PRC1 – a protein that serves as a telltale sign in many cancer types, including prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer – acts as a “viscous glue” during cell division, precisely controlling the speed at which two sets of DNA are separated as a single cell divides.

Juergen Hahn, the head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the highest grade of membership. Members are nominated to this position in recognition of significant experience in, and service to, the field of chemical engineering.

TROY, N.Y. — Chemically engineered peptides, designed and developed by a team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, could prove valuable in the battle against some of the most persistent human health challenges.