Research

Liquid metal isn’t just the prerogative of killer robots from the future; in the right hands, it’s also a highly potent material for energy storage. Take the recent study by scientists at ITMO and Skoltech: in the production of various batteries, porous materials play a key role by counteracting anodic expansion. The team decided to find a simpler, cheaper way to produce such materials – and so they did, by using a liquid metal alloy and emulsifying it with organic solvents. The method has already been tested on nearly a dozen metals, so the scientists are quite confident in its success.

Read more: Liquid Metal Makes Production of Porous Metals for Batteries Easier

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Health issues caused by genetic mutations, such as oncological and hereditary diseases, have a new enemy: DNAzymes, specially designed chains that target and disable the faulty genes. Recently, the team of ITMO’s ChemBio Cluster came out with an innovation in the field: bivalent DNAzymes, which, as evident from the name, consist of two merged DNAzymes – and are thus much more effective. The prototype has completed in vitro testing and will now be studied further.

Read more: ITMO’s New Compound Disables Disease-Producing Genes 17 Times Faster Than Counterparts

University

It’s been a few years since ITMO launched its PI School initiative – a way for young scholars to discover their calling as multi-faceted and ambitious team leaders for a new generation of researchers. For this year’s installment, one of our team’s writers joined the fold of budding PIs to observe the process from the inside – and return with insights. Who are PIs? How do they benefit from this four-day foray into research management? What, how – and from whom – do they learn there? We rest assured that all these questions are answered in our report.

Read more: PI School: Rising Stars – First-Hand Experience

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As always, no news digest of ours is complete without updates on the latest opportunities for future Master’s students. Earlier this month, ITMO announced its partnership with Zyfra, a developer of industrial software, on the program Business Transformation Technologies and Strategies. The program, which trains students to apply AI and similar solutions in industrial environments, will now feature guest experts from the company among its lecturers; students will also get to work on real-life cases courtesy of Zyfra.

Read more: ITMO and Zyfra Group to Partner on New Solutions for Artificial Intelligence

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If you’re in St. Petersburg, don’t miss out: you have until Saturday, June 22 to visit STAGE 2024, the latest exhibition of works by graduates of ITMO’s Art & Science Master’s program. This year, the theme is Bytes and Butterflies – in other words, the confluence of human, technology, and nature. You’ll get to put yourself in the shoes of an astronaut, an inhabitant of the Russian Far North, a doomsday prepper – and more. NB: entrance is free for all ITMO students and staff!

Read more: Earthquake-Sensing Cats and Perfume for Insects: All About ITMO’s STAGE 2024 Science Art Exhibition

Beyond ITMO

Fret not – the odds are probably that AI isn’t gonna replace us anytime soon. It can, however, make your work a little more comfortable, provided that you know how to wield it. We’ve reviewed a few AI tools that can help improve your performance, whether it’s writing, research, or even content creation.

Read more: 7 AI Tools to Make Your Life Easier