CU Technology and Discovery News

�� researchers advance miniature laser technology for biomedical imaging

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:00:48 +0000

�� researchers advance miniature laser technology for biomedical imaging Daniel Corbin … Tue, 10/14/2025 - 11:00

News-Medical.Net—�� researchers have developed a new miniature laser that could enable smaller, cheaper and more powerful biomedical imaging systems. The innovation advances chip-based frequency comb technology, paving the way for improved optical tools that could transform diagnostics and medical research.

Read the Full Article

Partnering Opportunities for CU Technologies

Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and manages licensing partnerships with companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market. Discover how CU’s solutions can power your next breakthrough.

Explore Opportunities

Off

Traditional

White

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:25:53 +0000

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials Daniel Corbin … Mon, 10/13/2025 - 16:25

EurekaAlert!—A new open-source tool is reshaping how engineers design multi-material objects. Charles Wade, a PhD student in the �� Department of Computer Science, has created a design system software package that uses functions and code to map not just shapes but also where different materials belong in a 3D object.

Read the Full Article

Partnering Opportunities for CU Technologies

Explore Opportunities

Off

Traditional

White

A better band-aid: New 'suspended animation' technology could revolutionize wound care

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:16:34 +0000

A better band-aid: New 'suspended animation' technology could revolutionize wound care Daniel Corbin … Thu, 10/09/2025 - 14:16

�� Today—�� researchers led by Professors Christopher Bowman and Kristi Anseth have received up to $5.8 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a new wound treatment that temporarily halts cellular activity to prevent tissue damage. Inspired by the biostasis of tardigrades, the light-activated hydrogel could one day protect and preserve tissue in burns, frostbite and battlefield injuries.

Read the Full Article

Partnering Opportunities for CU Bioscience Technologies

Biosciences are crucial for advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care. At the University of Colorado, cutting-edge research in these fields is driving significant breakthroughs. The university's advanced facilities and collaborative environment enable researchers to delve into areas such as molecular medicine, regenerative therapies and personalized healthcare. By translating scientific discoveries into innovative treatments and technologies, CU is at the forefront of improving health outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for people around the world.

Explore Opportunities

Off

Traditional

White

Watch: Mapping neural activity to detect brain disorders

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:47:54 +0000

Watch: Mapping neural activity to detect brain disorders Daniel Corbin … Thu, 09/25/2025 - 12:47

CUbit Quantum Initiative—Svenja Knappe (�� Mechanical Engineering) is collaborating with scientists from the CU Anschutz Medical Campus to advance the use of quantum sensors into real-world health applications. These quantum sensors could aid in more effective diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of brain disorders.

Off

Traditional

White

AI helps spot 1,000 “questionable” journals

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:55:44 +0000

AI helps spot 1,000 “questionable” journals Daniel Corbin … Wed, 09/24/2025 - 12:55

Daniel Acuña, a �� computer scientist and founder of ReviewerZero, led development of an AI tool that analyzed ~15,200 open-access journals and flagged roughly 1,400 as potentially problematic, with over 1,000 confirmed to exhibit questionable publishing practices.

Read the Full Interview

The University of Colorado Connection

ReviewerZero AI, founded by Daniel Acuña (�� Computer Science) in 2023, is working with publishers to deploy an artificial intelligence technology suite, including tools to detect plagiarism and statistical inconsistencies, to ensure research integrity in scientific publications. The company won the 2023 Lab Venture Challenge (LVC), receiving a $125,000 grant from Venture Partners at �� and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program.

View the ReviewerZero Profile

Technology Networks—Daniel Acuña, a �� computer scientist and founder of �� startup ReviewerZero, led development of an AI tool that analyzed ~15,200 open-access journals and flagged roughly 1,400 as potentially problematic, with over 1,000 confirmed to exhibit questionable publishing practices.

Off

Traditional

White

Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:08:08 +0000

Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000 Daniel Corbin … Wed, 09/24/2025 - 12:08

Eleven teams of University of Colorado entrepreneurs, faculty researchers and graduate student innovators will compete for a combined $750,000 in startup funding grants in this year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) Showcases at the Dairy Arts Center. Judges from Venture Partners at ��’s entrepreneurial network will hear Shark Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in biosciences and another for physical sciences and engineering.

2025 Lab Venture Challenge Showcases

Physical Sciences: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m.

Biosciences: Thursday, Oct. 23, 6 p.m.

Dairy Arts Center (2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302)

Get Tickets

Through LVC, top innovators from ��, Denver and Colorado Springs compete for grants of up to $125,000. LVC supports projects that address a commercial need, have a clear path to a compelling market and have strong scientific support. The LVC grants are funded by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program, as well as Venture Partners and the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund.

LVC is run by Venture Partners, one of the university’s commercialization arms and a central resource for researchers who wish to translate their work into impactful business and social ventures. LVC finalists are working and collaborating with Venture Partners on their path to commercialization.

“At this early stage, funding is essential, but can be a challenge to obtain,“ said Joshua Bennett, director of LVC and assistant director of licensing at Venture Partners. “All of these teams have promising innovations ready to launch new businesses. LVC is a unique opportunity for those innovators to receive that vital funding, and we’re proud to work with the State of Colorado to make it happen.”

To date, LVC has funded 117 projects through 64 new deep-tech startup companies, which collectively have raised over $349 million in follow-on financing including Darwin Biosciences, Manifest Technologies (prev. Vitro3D) and Mesa Quantum.

Members of the entrepreneurial and university communities are invited to attend the LVC Showcases to enjoy good food, network and see which teams will walk away with $125,000 of funding.

This year’s LVC showcases were additionally made possible by Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP, Johnson & Johnson, Holland & Hart LLP, Paralex and Thermo Fisher Scientific

2025 Physical Sciences Finalists

Breakthrough Analog Domain Jamming Suppression for UAVs

Multi-Domain Anti-Jamming Technology (MDAT) provides real-time interference suppression for military UAVs. With 400x size reduction via analog domain processing, MDAT deploys as 6x6-inch, sub-5lb plug-and-play modules for retrofitting tactical drones, ensuring mission continuity in contested RF environments. The team has formed BoldRF LLC to bring their innovation to market.

Laila Marzall (�� Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), PI, CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter
Zoya Popovic (�� Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-PI
Marisha Parikh (�� Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program), Head of Business
Sarah Johns (Student: �� Leeds School of Business), Business Strategist
Stephanie Torres (Student: �� Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Product Strategist.
Gary Dolsen (Fmr: �� Leeds School of Business), Advisor

Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis for H₂ Production

Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis (MEE) improves hydrogen generation efficiency by enhancing bubble release and energy transfer. Adapted from space technology, MEE offers scalable, cost-effective clean hydrogen for transportation, industry and off-grid power. The team has formed a startup, Agami Zero, to bring their innovation to market.

Oana Luca (�� Chemistry), PI
Ankur Gupta (�� Chemical and Biological Engineering), Co-PI
Hunter Koltunski (Student: �� Chemistry), Scientific Lead
Richard Noble (�� Chemical and Biological Engineering), Scientific Advisor
Jafar Makrani, Co-Founder and CEO/CPO, LVC Pitch Presenter
Lyle Antieau III, Co-Founder and CTO/COO, LVC Pitch Presenter

Novel Synergistic Catalysis for Clean Water and Fuel

SynForce is developing a modular photo-thermo-catalysis device that rapidly activates a wide range of stubborn chemical bonds, enabling carbon-free fuel production at high reaction rates and the destruction of toxic PFAS in water, while reducing energy use and operating costs. The team has formed a startup, Synforce, to bring their innovation to market.

Longji Cui (�� Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), PI, LVC Pitch Presenter
Dishan Chooi (Student: �� Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Technical Co-Lead
Sarang Gosavi (Student: �� Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Technical Co-Lead
Yunxuan Zhu (Postdoc: �� Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Director of R&D
Karen Crofton (�� College of Engineering and Applied Science), Advisor

Next-Generation Holographic Materials for AR Displays

A thiol-ene holographic materials platform delivers low-haze, high-refractive-index photopolymers for sharper, more immersive AR displays. This versatile and scalable step-growth method overcomes shrinkage, scattering and supply-chain constraints of existing chain-growth materials for holographic optics.

Christopher Bowman (�� Chemical and Biological Engineering), Co-PI, LVC Pitch Presenter,
Robert McLeod (�� Department of Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-PI
Yunfeng Hu (Postdoc: �� Chemical and Biological Engineering)
John Rynk (Student: �� Materials Science & Engineering Program)

A Language-Driven Engine to Deploy Robots Like Software

BoBoRobo’s agentic AI engine turns plain English specifications into ready-to-deploy robotics—validated in a digital twin and safety-checked across OEMs. It outputs layout, BOM, install plan and robot-specific code, cutting deployment timelines from six months to ten days and reducing costs by up to 50%. The team has formed a startup, BoBoRobo, to bring their innovation to market.

Alessandro Roncone (�� Computer Science), PI, CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter
Anuj Pasricha (Student: �� Department of Computer Science), CTO
Claire Chen (Postdoc: �� Computer Science), CSO

Low SWaP Frequency Comb for Quantum applications

Our Gen-III low-SWaP frequency comb, built on thin-film lithium niobate nanophotonics, delivers octave-spanning spectra with ultra-low power. Compact, scalable and robust, it enables deployable quantum clocks, sensors and communication systems beyond the lab. The team has formed a startup, Chi3 Optics, to bring their innovation to market.

Scott A. Diddams (�� Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), PI
Tsung-Han Wu (Postdoc: �� Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Founder, CEO
Peter Chang, CTO
Nathan Brooks, Principal Scientist, LVC Pitch Presenter

2025 Biosciences Finalists

Metabolite-Based Therapeutics for Obesity

Pythons exhibit dramatic metabolic plasticity with feeding, increasing organ size and activity by up to 40% after consuming large prey. From this biology, the team discovered a novel feeding-induced metabolite that was upregulated by 1,000-fold and acts as a natural appetite suppressant through modulating satiety. The team has formed a startup, Arkana Therapeutics, to bring their innovation to market.

Leslie Leinwand (�� Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), PI
Thomas Martin (Postdoc: �� Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), CSO, LVC Pitch Presenter
Jack Gugel, CEO
Yuxiao Tan (Postdoc: �� Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), Co-Founder

Bioadhesive Patches That Seal Where Sutures Fail

DuraPatch provides rapid closure of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks during neurosurgery, eliminating the need for sutures. Engineered with high-resolution 3D printing and advanced biomaterials, DuraPatch strongly adheres to wet tissues to create a watertight seal while supporting and promoting healing. The team has founded a startup, Entangl3d, to bring their innovation to market.

Matt Davidson (�� BioFrontiers Institute), CEO and Founder, LVC Pitch Presenter
Jason Burdick (�� Chemical and Biological Engineering and BioFrontiers Institute) Co-Founder, PI
Peter Lennarson (CU Anschutz Medical Campus), Advisor

Vaporizable Droplets for Proton Beam Visualization

Vaporizable exoskeletal droplets provide in vivo visualization of beam placement during proton therapy, a rapidly growing treatment approach for cancer. Using this image-guided therapy, clinicians can make real-time adjustments to the treatment, reducing harmful side effects and improving patient outcomes. The team has formed a startup, Radiosensitive VEDs, to bring their innovation to market.

Mark Borden (�� Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering), PI
William Frantz (Student �� Biomedical Engineering), LVC Pitch Presenter
Barry Marston, Advisor

Computationally Designed IL-18 binders to Treat Sepsis

Enabled by recent advances in AI-driven protein design, minibinders are being engineered to target IL-18, a key driver of sepsis. These compact, stable proteins penetrate tissues efficiently and can be precisely dosed to avoid prolonged immune suppression, offering a next-generation therapeutic for sepsis. The team has formed a startup, iMembrane Therapeutics, to bring their innovation to market.

Jingshi Shen (�� Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), PI
Suzhao Li (CU Anschutz Medical Campus), President, LVC pitch presenter
Charles Dinarello (CU Anschutz Medical Campus), Advisor

Nanorobotic Synthesis of Oligonucleotides

Modern DNA synthesis suffers from low overall yields due to the accumulation of errors for longer strands. The team has designed a nanorobotic synthesis platform which can detect and correct errors during synthesis, enabling ultra-high fidelity synthesis of gene-length DNA for single-cell omics and genomics application. The team has formed a startup, Nanosynth, to bring their innovation to market.

Joshua Johnson (�� ATLAS Institute), CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter
Mirela Alistar (��, ATLAS Institute), PI
Curtis Woodard, Advisor

Eleven teams of University of Colorado entrepreneurs, faculty researchers and graduate student innovators will compete for a combined $750,000 in startup funding grants in this year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) Showcases at the Dairy Arts Center. Judges from Venture Partners at ��’s entrepreneurial network will hear Shark Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in biosciences and another for physical sciences and engineering.

Off

Traditional

White

Power electronics researchers awarded $1.5M to advance energy technologies

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:49:04 +0000

Power electronics researchers awarded $1.5M to advance energy technologies Daniel Corbin … Thu, 09/11/2025 - 10:49

�� College of Engineering and Applied Science—Imagine a future where electric vehicle charging stations or AI data center power supply systems can be built like LEGO bricks—small, stackable units that can expand as demand grows. Luca Corradini, associate professor in the �� Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, is embarking on such a project.

Read the Full Article

Partnering Opportunities for CU Technologies

Explore Opportunities

Off

Traditional

White

New single-dose, temperature-stable rabies vaccines could expand global access

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:52:49 +0000

New single-dose, temperature-stable rabies vaccines could expand global access Daniel Corbin … Thu, 09/04/2025 - 14:52

�� Today—�� researchers have discovered a new way to make human rabies vaccines that could greatly expand access to immunization across the globe. They have formed a startup company called VitriVax to bring the technology—decades in the making—to market.

Off

Traditional

White

New experimental tool can predict potential wildfires on an hourly basis

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 21:11:33 +0000

New experimental tool can predict potential wildfires on an hourly basis Daniel Corbin … Wed, 09/03/2025 - 15:11

Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)—CIRES and NOAA scientists have developed the Hourly Wildfire Potential Index (HWP)—an hourly updated assessment of wildfire risk across every nine square kilometers of land. The tool enhances existing weather prediction models by providing more accurate, real-time forecasts of wildfire activity and associated smoke emissions.

Off

Traditional

White

AB Nexus announces 2025 grant awards with an emphasis on quantum-focused research collaborations

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 19:14:27 +0000

AB Nexus announces 2025 grant awards with an emphasis on quantum-focused research collaborations Daniel Corbin … Fri, 08/15/2025 - 13:14

The AB Nexus program announced its 2025 seed grant awards to four research teams from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the ��. Collectively, the winning teams will receive $750,000 in funding to advance cutting-edge research that improves human health and well-being.

Off

Traditional

White

CU Technology and Discovery News

���������� researchers advance miniature laser technology for biomedical imaging

Partnering Opportunities for CU Technologies

Off

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials

Partnering Opportunities for CU Technologies

Off

A better band-aid: New 'suspended animation' technology could revolutionize wound care

Partnering Opportunities for CU Bioscience Technologies

Off

Watch: Mapping neural activity to detect brain disorders

Off

AI helps spot 1,000 “questionable” journals

The University of Colorado Connection

Off

Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000

2025 Lab Venture Challenge Showcases

2025 Physical Sciences Finalists

Breakthrough Analog Domain Jamming Suppression for UAVs

Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis for H2 Production

Novel Synergistic Catalysis for Clean Water and Fuel

Next-Generation Holographic Materials for AR Displays

A Language-Driven Engine to Deploy Robots Like Software

Low SWaP Frequency Comb for Quantum applications

2025 Biosciences Finalists

Metabolite-Based Therapeutics for Obesity

Bioadhesive Patches That Seal Where Sutures Fail

Vaporizable Droplets for Proton Beam Visualization

Computationally Designed IL-18 binders to Treat Sepsis

Nanorobotic Synthesis of Oligonucleotides

Off

Power electronics researchers awarded $1.5M to advance energy technologies

Partnering Opportunities for CU Technologies

Off

New single-dose, temperature-stable rabies vaccines could expand global access

Off

New experimental tool can predict potential wildfires on an hourly basis

Off

AB Nexus announces 2025 grant awards with an emphasis on quantum-focused research collaborations

Off

�� researchers advance miniature laser technology for biomedical imaging

Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis for H₂ Production