Science and Engineering Frontiers

Jesse Hudspeth, a PhD student in chemistry, is spending a year in Austria studying proteins in certain mushrooms that synthesize psilocybin, which can produce psychedelic effects.

We asked Xiaoli Zhang, associate professor of mechanical engineering, to tell us more about how machines can learn and share knowledge to improve manufacturing processes.

“The buzzword is rational drug design," said Christine Morrison, assistant professor of chemistry. "We’re being very deliberate about the protein we’re targeting and the inhibitors we’re building, rather than just throwing spaghetti at the wall.”

Through the SIF, academic and industry partners, along with current faculty, students and alumni, can more easily access the university's world-class research equipment and instrumentation, as well as the technical expertise to use them.