News Releases

Weaker transcription factors are better when they work together

Rice bioengineer Caleb Bashor and colleagues have developed a generalizable method to address “off-target” gene activation, a significant problem in the field of synthetic biology. Taking a cue from nature, the researchers showed they could all but eliminate the activation of off-target genes by designing weak transcription factors that cooperatively assemble.

Rice’s Jing Chen receives early career award from American Psychological Association

Jing Chen, an assistant professor of psychological sciences at Rice University specializing in human factors and human-computer interaction, has received the Earl Alluisi Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association (APA), the world’s largest association of psychologists.

New Rice University students move to campus Aug. 13

Rice University will kick off its annual O-Week tradition Aug. 13, welcoming the incoming Class of 2027 with a weeklong orientation program to familiarize incoming students with their new campus, residential colleges and classmates.

Education program tackles race-based cancer health disparities

Rice U.’s Carolyn Nichol has won a competitive 5-year, $1,038,544 NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) award to address race-based cancer health disparities by increasing underrepresented minority student populations’ engagement and participation in biosciences education.

Kissinger, Clinton and Baker to headline anniversary gala at Rice’s Baker Institute

Three former U.S. Secretaries of State will join a moderated discussion on geopolitics, foreign affairs and public service at the 30th anniversary gala celebrating Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Oct. 26.

Price increases to blame for rising hospital emergency room costs

Price increases were the largest source of spending per visit in emergency rooms over the past decade in four of five states studied, according to a new report from researchers at Rice University and UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.

Tiny, flexible spinal probe system could lead to better therapies

A $6.25 million National Institutes of Health grant supports Rice U. engineers optimizing a neural probe array that can record the activity of spinal cord neurons as bodies move and behave. Scientists would also develop an integrated data-processing and stimulation-feedback system.

Rice lab’s boron nitride composite could be useful for advanced technology applications

Rice University scientists have found that a boron nitride nanocomposite interacts with light and heat in unexpected ways that could be useful for advanced technology applications.

Rice study: Children are usually the poorest members of refugee communities

Violent conflicts around the world have driven more people from their home countries than ever before. As these individuals and families seek safe havens, new research from Rice University has found that refugee children are up to three times more likely to be poor than adults – even within their own families.

Rice University political expert available to discuss how impeached Texas attorney general, ‘thorn in side of Biden Administration,’ hopes to avoid removal from office

Rice University political expert available to discuss how impeached Texas attorney general, ‘thorn in side of Biden Administration,’ hopes to avoid removal from office

When D turns to F, quantum matter is A-plus

In a potential boon for quantum computing, Rice physicists have shown that topologically protected quantum states can be entangled with other, highly manipulable quantum states in some electronic materials.

Melinda Spaulding Chevalier named VP for public affairs at Rice

Melinda Spaulding Chevalier, an Emmy Award-winning communicator, brand strategist, crisis management expert and community affairs leader, has been named Rice University’s next vice president for public affairs.

Rice U. experts available to discuss new report on job loss predictions in major cities around US due to AI

Las Vegas; Miami; Louisville, Kentucky; Orlando, Florida; and Grand Rapids, Michigan top the list of cities at greatest risk of losing jobs to artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report from the Chamber of Commerce, a business research company.

Rice U. experts available to discuss new report on job loss predictions due to AI for the Houston area

Rice University experts are available to comment on a new report from the Chamber of Commerce predicting that Houston stands to lose as many as 12% of jobs due to AI by 2027.

DesRoches announces Tommy McClelland as Rice's next director of athletics

Rice University President Reginald DesRoches announced in a message to the campus today that Tommy McClelland will be the school’s next director of athletics.