News Releases

Pausing Nature's Crystal Symmetry to Advance Targeted Drug Therapy

From snowflakes to quartz, nature’s crystalline structures form with a reliable, systemic symmetry. Researchers at Drexel University, who study the formation of crystalline materials, have shown that it’s now possible to control how crystals grow – including interrupting the symmetrical growth of flat crystals and inducing them to form hollow crystal spheres. The discovery is part of a broader design effort focused on the encapsulation of medicine for targeted drug treatments.

What Makes Some People Creative Thinkers and Others Analytical?
February 13, 2019
A new brain-imaging study from Drexel University's Creativity Research Lab reveals that the different "cognitive styles" of creative and analytical thinkers are due to fundamental differences in their brain activity that can be observed even when people are not working on a problem.
Educational Outreach and Public Policy Changes Needed to Reduce Health Hazards for Nail Salon Technicians
February 5, 2019

The nail salon industry has seen rapid growth within the last 20 years, becoming increasingly popular among women of all ages who like to get their nails professionally done. For the technicians in those salons – many of whom are non-native English speakers – this beauty comes with a cost: an exposure to potentially unsafe chemicals and other health hazards in the workplace. A new study by Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health found that educational outreach and change in public policy are needed to help reduce these hazards for salon employees and owners.
Can a 6-hour Program Prevent Obesity? Drexel Psychologist Wants to Find Out
February 5, 2019
What if an hour a week for six weeks could prevent young adults from becoming obese? Meghan Butryn, PhD, a Drexel University psychology professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, is trying to find out.
Controlling What Goes on 'Between the Sheets' is Key to Optimizing MXenes' Abilities
January 31, 2019

New research from the College of Engineering shows how to customize the properties of materials called MXenes, which have displayed exceptional abilities to conduct electricity and block electromagnetic radiation.
Philly Sports Executives Headline Drexel Women in Sports Conference
January 30, 2019

Drexel University's Department of Sport Management, in partnership with the Lebow Women in Business Club, will gather top executives from across the sports world to discuss their experiences as women in the industry at the Women in Sports: Calling the Shots and Leading the Way Conference.
Getting Real — Drexel Opens Lab to Study Virtual, Augmented and Immersive Reality Technology
January 28, 2019
A new lab, opening in Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at Drexel University, will put students and researchers in the middle of the latest visual technology. Drexel’s Immersive Research Lab is dedicated to the study and development of new virtual and augmented reality technologies and immersive media, in a space designed to allow collaboration with researchers from across the University.
On Exhibition at Drexel’s Pearlstein Gallery: The Art of Game Creation
January 23, 2019

The Speed of Thinking, is an exhibition spawned from a mobile game about global trade and the collaborative artwork used in the creation of the game. The art team, Joelle Dietrick and Owen Mundy will also showcase works that portray architecture as fragments affected by economic and communications systems.
Kensington Blues: Philadelphia’s Opioid Crisis in a Decade of Photographs
January 16, 2019

Photographer and Drexel University alumnus Jeffrey Stockbridge has captured the veracities of the opioid crisis in Philadelphia through the lens of a decade long photography project, Kensington Blues.
Drexel and Arizona State Researchers Look at Risk of Infection From Water in the Air at Home
January 16, 2019
Researchers from Arizona State University and Drexel University have developed a more detailed framework for understanding and managing the risk of transmitting a bacterial disease via water spray from sinks, showers and toilets. As continuous testing of indoor water is not always feasible, the guidelines can help to identify water use situations that could increase the risk of exposure.
Can Changing How We Talk About Childhood Toxic Stress Influence Policy?
January 3, 2019
With a $500,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Jonathan Purtle will investigate how adjusting messaging can influences public opinions and policymaking about the science of child development.
'Rippling' Under Pressure — From Playing Cards to Tectonic Plates, This is What Happens When Layered Materials are Pushed to the Brink
January 2, 2019
Looking deeper into the internal behavior of layered solids and formations— from graphene sheets, to wood laminates, to geological formations — researchers at Drexel University are gaining a better understanding of a buckling phenomenon that occurs within the layers of the materials as they are put under pressure.
Biomedical Engineer Receives NSF CAREER Award to Study Tissue Scarring
December 13, 2018
Lin Han, PhD, has received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study fibrous tissues at the nanoscale, advancing the treatment and understanding of cartilage diseases.
Study: As Many As 1 in 40 U.S. Children Has Autism
December 7, 2018
As many as 1 in 40 children in the United States have been diagnosed with autism, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with researchers from Drexel University, Harvard Medical School and George Washington University. The report, based on data from the DHS’s 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, seems to confirm a decades-long trend of increasing autism diagnoses among children in the United States.
Addressing the Elephant in the Circuit — Finally, a Shrinkable Alternative for Capacitors
December 7, 2018
One of the last remaining unshrinkable obstacles blocking the progress of fully integrated, wearable technology is the clunky component that absorbs and disburses stray electricity and converts alternating current from a power source into the direct current used by most devices. Due to a meager selection of materials that can perform those diverse functions, these components — called electrolytic capacitors — tend to be a limiting factor when it comes to downsizing electronics. But a breakthrough by materials science and engineering researchers at Drexel University and Sungkyunkwan University in Korea could eventually replace them with a capacitor so thin and flexible that it’s literally painted on.
Survey Finds Daughters Can Thrive in Tech Even Without Tech Savvy Parents
December 5, 2018

As part Computer Science Education Week and the Hour of Code activities planned for this week, TechGirlz shared findings from a new survey of its program participants and their parents. Conducted in partnership with Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, this marks the first time a survey has matched responses from girls and their parents in order to gain a deeper understanding of the role parents play in female engagement in technology.
Drexel Creates Center of Excellence to Address Opioid Epidemic in Philadelphia
December 5, 2018
With a $1.5 million three-year grant from the HHS, College of Medicine clinicians are undertaking an ambitious project to address the opioid epidemic in Philadelphia.
Report Finds Discrimination Driving Disparities in Food Insecurity
December 5, 2018
Lifetime experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination are linked to food insecurity in Philadelphia, says a new series of reports from researchers at Drexel's Center for Hunger Free Communities.
Many State Lawmakers Want to Loosen Childhood Vaccine Requirements, But Legal Barriers Persist
November 29, 2018
An analysis of proposed vaccine legislation between 2011 and 2017 shows that although the majority of proposed bills would have allowed more parents to exempt their children from school immunization requirements, those that favored vaccines were more likely to become law.
Philadelphia Fellowship on Inclusion and Equity Awarded to Renowned Urbanist Richard Florida
November 27, 2018

New collaborative initiative by Drexel, Jefferson and the Science Center fosters groundbreaking research on inclusion and equity in Philadelphia.
Not All Organ Failures Are Created Equal: Study Identifies the Sepsis Symptoms That Lead to Death
November 26, 2018
The data analysis, pulled from more than 200,000 hospital visits, could help clinicians to more quickly identify - and treat- the patients who are at the greatest risk of dying from the common, and often insidious, condition.
Standing in for a Kidney, MXene Materials Could Give Dialysis Patients the Freedom to Move
November 5, 2018
A type of two-dimensional layered material, created at Drexel University, has emerged as a candidate to assist in replacing the body’s waste filtration system in wearable kidneys.
Legalizing Marijuana in California: Drexel Researcher Receives NIH Funding to Study Policy's Effects on Young Adults
November 1, 2018
The project offers a unique opportunity for researchers to track how the state’s changing cannabis laws are impacting public health.
Tower Health, Drexel Select Site for Regional Medical School Campus
October 31, 2018
Tower Health has selected a location for construction of a 200,000 square foot building for a four-year regional campus of Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health.
Molecular 'Mushrooms' and 'Brushes' Protect Cancer-Fighting Nanoparticles in the Bloodstream
October 23, 2018
For a number of innovative and life-saving medical treatments, from organ replacements and skin grafts to cancer therapy and surgery, success often depends on slipping past or fending off the body’s immune system. In a recent development, aimed at aiding cancer detection and treatment, Drexel University researchers might have found the ideal surface texture for helping microscopic, medical helpers to survive in the bloodstream without being screened out by the body’s natural defense mechanisms.
Would You Zap Your Brain to Improve Your Memory? Researchers Study Attitudes Toward Brain Stimulation
October 22, 2018
Drexel psychologists studied the public's attitudes toward brain stimulation.
Research Finds NJ Numerical Nutrient Criterion Used to Protect Streams is Too High
October 22, 2018

A new way of measuring the relative habitability of freshwater environments for fish and aquatic insects suggests that New Jersey’s water monitoring and treatment standards could use a boost.
A Stabilizing Influence Enables Lithium-Sulfur Battery Evolution
October 16, 2018

A new approach for making cathodes for lithium-sulfur batteries, reported by researchers in the College of Engineering, could help to prevent a performance-sapping phenomenon that has been preventing their progress toward commercial use. Their method for infusing sulfur into the cathode cuts a time-consuming process down to just five seconds and does it without using toxic chemicals which are often a necessary part of production.
Drexel Researchers Are 'Taking Science to the Streets' to Improve Firefighter Safety with $1.5 Million FEMA Grant
October 15, 2018
Researchers at Drexel University will assess and train firefighters nationwide to improve on-the-job safety and prevent injuries. The project, called FOCUS 2.0, is funded by a $1.5 million grant from FEMA and DHS.
Drexel Researcher Receives NIH Director's Early Independence Award to Study City Growth
October 2, 2018
Usama Bilal, MD, PhD, an assistant research professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health, has been awarded a $1.25-million Early Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health.
Medicaid Expansion Improved Immigrants' Access to Health Insurance, But Disparities Persist
October 1, 2018
The disparity between uninsured noncitizens and native citizens grew between 2010 and 2015, according to a Dornsife School of Public Health study.
U.S. Open Squash Championships Take Center Court at Drexel This Fall
October 1, 2018
The top squash players in the world will once again take to the courts at Drexel University this Fall to vie for the most prestigious title contested on American soil — the 2018 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championship. The hotly contested tournament, which features a field of world-class players, will be held at Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center from Oct. 6-13.
Drexel Debuts First Exhibit in Custom-Built Gallery Gifted from Robert and Penny Fox
September 25, 2018

Drexel University’s Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection (FHCC) of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design is opening its new, custom-built gallery space with the presentation of The Fox Collection, 2008-2018: A Decade of Renewal. The exhibition honors Robert (Hon. ’13) and Penny Fox (Hon.’13) for their generous support, which made the new gallery possible. It will open to the public on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 and run through March 23, 2019.
PECO and the Exelon Foundation Renew Commitment to Successful West Philadelphia Education Partnership
September 21, 2018

PECO and the Exelon Foundation awarded a $300,000 grant to the Drexel Exelon Foundation/PECO Community Education Collaborative – a program that supports and enhances the work of the School District of Philadelphia at the Morton McMichael and Samuel Powel elementary schools in West Philadelphia. The purpose of the program is to improve educational outcomes for local students with a particular focus on STEM education.
Drexel's Spray-On Antennas Could Be the Tech Connector of the Future
September 21, 2018

A group of researchers from the College of Engineering recently reported a method for spraying invisibly thin antennas, made from a type of two-dimensional, metallic material called MXene, that perform as well as those being used in mobile devices, wireless routers and portable transducers.
Despite Changes to U.S. Kidney Allocation System, Inequities Still Persist
September 17, 2018
Early disease diagnosis and preemptive waitlisting remain the most effective strategies to improve survival chances, a College of Medicine study shows.
Pioneer in Ocular Gene Therapy to Receive 2018 Marion Spencer Fay Award
September 14, 2018
The College of Medicine's Institute for Women's Health and Leadership has selected physician and scientist Jean Bennett, MD, PhD, as its 2018 Marion Spencer Fay Award honoree.
Undocumented Immigrants Least Likely to See a Doctor, but Still Healthier Than Other Populations
September 14, 2018
Undocumented immigrants have the worst rates of health care utilization and access, however, they have lower risk of chronic disease than other immigrants and U.S. citizens.
Redevelopment of 33rd Street Corridor to Expand Nexus of Athletics Activity for Drexel and Philadelphia
September 14, 2018
The hub of athletics activity on Drexel’s University City campus will soon have a new look — and even more activity. Announced today, renovation plans for the two-block stretch of 33rd Street adjacent to the University’s indoor varsity and recreational sports complexes, will expand its athletics and events space, and bring in US Squash, the national governing body of the sport of squash, as a new tenant and developer of the Pennsylvania Armory.
11th Street Health Center Welcomes New Director
August 30, 2018
The College of Nursing and Health Professions has appointed Roberta Waite as the new executive director of the Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11th Street Family Health Services Center.
Drexel Exhibit Pays Tribute to Design Integrity of Fashion Legend James Galanos
August 21, 2018

The Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection (FHCC) of Drexel University’s Westphal College of Media Arts and Design will present a retrospective exhibition of work by renowned fashion designer James Galanos. The exhibition, James Galanos: Design Integrity (October 19-December 8, January 8-27 2019), will celebrate the artistry of James Galanos, considered by his peers to be one of the greatest and most creative of American designers of the 20^th century.
Bestselling Cookbook Author Hosting Dinner at EAT Café Fundraiser
August 20, 2018
Julia Turshen, author of "Feed the Resistance" and "Now & Again" will host a four-course dinner at the EAT Café Sept. 11.
Once a Performance Barrier, This Material Quirk Could Help Strengthen Our Telecommunication Connections
August 20, 2018
Researchers who study and manipulate the behavior of materials at the atomic level have discovered a way to make a thin material that enhances the flow of microwave energy. The advance, which could improve telecommunications, sheds new light on structural traits, generally viewed as static and a hindrance, that, when made to be dynamic, are actually key to the material’s special ability.
Pennsylvania's Youth More Accepting of Marijuana, But Not Using It More, Report Shows
August 8, 2018
A report by the Pennsylvania State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup, which is chaired by a Drexel University professor, found that attitudes toward marijuana became more of its use in recent years as the state legalized it for medical usage.
Obamacare Relieved Financial Strain of Those Closest to the Federal Poverty Line
August 2, 2018
While data shows that the Affordable Care Act helped people across the spectrum, a study shows that those around or below the federal poverty line benefitted most.
Drexel Purchases West Philadelphia Community Center to Expand Community Partnerships and Programming
August 1, 2018

Four years after the Dana and David Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships opened its doors to the Powelton and Mantua communities, Drexel University announced plans to expand the programming offered to the community with the purchase in June 2018 of the West Philadelphia Community Center.
Drexel's Polymer Pill Proves it Can Deliver
August 1, 2018
Selecting the right packaging to get precious cargo from point A to point B can be a daunting task at the post office. For some time, scientists have wrestled with a similar set of questions when packaging medicine for delivery in the bloodstream: How much packing will keep it safe? Is it the right packing material? Is it too big? Is it too heavy? Researchers from Drexel University have developed a new type of container that seems to be the perfect fit for making the delivery.
Drexel Introduces Repository of Virtual Reality Content to Enhance Online Education
July 26, 2018

New digital enhancements will take online education to new and far more expansive heights at Drexel University. VRtifacts+, a first of its kind repository, will empower faculty and instructional designers to seamlessly incorporate 250,000 augmented, virtual and mixed reality learning objects across a wealth of disciplines into the University’s online coursework.
Report: Fossil Fuel Industries - The Goliath of Climate-Related Lobbying Efforts, Spent Billions
July 19, 2018

A new study by Drexel environmental sociologist Robert J. Brulle, PhD, shows that between 2000 and 2016, lobbyists spent more than two billion dollars on influencing relevant legislation in the US Congress. As the first peer-reviewed, comprehensive analysis ever conducted of climate lobbying data, Brulle’s research confirms the spending of environmental groups and the renewable energy sector was eclipsed by the spending of the electrical utilities, fossil fuel, and transportation sectors.
Drexel STEM Students Will Earn Teacher Certification Through New $1.2 Million Grant
July 18, 2018

More Drexel University undergraduate students will have the opportunity to earn teacher certification in science and mathematics thanks to the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Scholarship program, which recently awarded Drexel’s School of Education a 5-year, $1.2 million grant. The new grant will allow 24 Drexel students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a major related to science, technology, engineering or mathematics to earn pre-service teacher certification in middle grades (4-8) science or mathematics through Drexel’s DragonsTeach Middle Years program.
You Have One Job: Compared to Multi-Tasking Workers, Soldier Ant Brains Small
July 16, 2018
A Drexel University study found that ant colonies evolved to spend less energy on developing the brains of soldier ants, who have relatively simple jobs, compared to multi-tasking workers.