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Health & Science

Researchers plan to 3D-print a lunar landing pad using the moon’s own materials, with the aim of building a permanent base on the moon. But first they need to analyze what moon dust is made of (and nope, it’s not cheese).

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A rendering of a multi-purpose construction system on the moon.
From Mali to Greenland, these Northwestern researchers are studying tiny creatures and sometimes unseen changes to develop important research conclusions.

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Earth and planetary sciences professor Andy Jacobson leads a team of researchers at Northwestern and the Chicago Botanic Garden investigating the effects of soil additives on agricultural fields.

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A photo of a crop field with many uniform rows of unidentified green plants growing. The crop field extends far into the distance, where some mountains are visible against a horizon and a setting sun. The sky is slightly cloudy.
Quantum physics is an exploration of light and matter at the most fundamental level. Professor Prem Kumar says more than an intriguing curiosity, quantum is essential to creating real-world technologies that will revolutionize our lives.

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Prem Kumar smiles while standing over a lab bench with his right hand twisting a piece of metal equipment. He wears a blue blazer and a dark green shirt.
As the world’s population rises and the effects of climate change threaten crop yields, food insecurity is an urgent matter. With the support of University Trustee Melih Keyman and Zeynep Keyman, Northwestern researchers are pursuing a novel approach to farming with the potential to make a substantial impact on the global food crisis.

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Sarah Sobol, wearing safety glasses, a light blue lab coat with a Northwestern research logo and orange gloves, is conducting synthetic biology research in a lab.
The Lucks Laboratory developed a home test that can detect common contaminants in water. The technology, called ROSALIND, harnesses the “molecular taste buds” found in bacteria and programs them to glow when they detect a contaminant.

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In a lab environment, Julius Lucks, wearing a dark suit and a purple striped tie, stands beside a Northwestern researcher wearing a light blue lab coat. Their mouths are open as though in conversation, and they are gesturing while looking at a laptop screen.
Northwestern has been awarded $50 million over five years from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Simons Foundation to establish the National Institute for Theory and Mathematics in Biology (NITMB) — the first institute of its kind in the U.S.

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A close-up infrared image of a fruit fly’s brain, displayed in neon reds, greens and yellows.
With a Circumnavigators Travel-Study Grant, senior global health and neuroscience double major Elizabeth Hyun traveled to five post-conflict nations in 10 weeks to study how historical context contributes to trauma diagnoses.

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Elizabeth Hyun smiles in Seoul, South Korea
Ruchi Gupta is co-founder of Yobee, a startup that makes an all-natural, topical scalp treatment clinically proven to revitalize the skin’s microbiome and reduce flakiness, itching and redness. In spring 2023 Gupta was one of three women chosen to be part of the inaugural class of FoundHer Fellows, a program supporting women faculty at Northwestern who are first-time founders of entrepreneurial ventures.

Watch our video with Gupta

Portrait of Dr. Ruchi Gupta

Light the Way

Winter 2024
Lauren Dandridge Gaines ’04 is co-founder and principal of Chromatic, a Los Angeles–based lighting design firm working at the intersection of architecture and social justice.

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Michelin-starred restaurant asterid in the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles