Research
A diagnostics breakthrough
The Helicobacter pylori bacteria is a common cause of various stomach disorders like gastritis, ulcers, and even cancer. Despite the evident importance of being able to quickly and easily detect it in the human body, the existing methods have proven to be too inconvenient or complex. A possible remedy has arrived in the form of a recent project by ITMO’s Research Laboratory for Spectroscopy of Biological Objects. Their invention works in a manner similar to a breathalyzer and relies on domestically-produced components.
New algorithm forecasts nanomaterial toxicity
Students from ITMO have devised a quick-working method to ensure the biocompatibility of medical-purpose nanomaterials. Though the use of AI and machine learning in analysis of nanoparticles is often complicated by such factors as the concentration of materials, the creators came up with a way to solve this issue, too.
University
Institute of Laser Technologies: the story so far
Despite being launched in 2022, the Institute of Laser Technologies at ITMO University actually has a rich history going back to the earliest days of laser and quantum science in the ‘60s. ITMO.NEWS dug deeper to learn all about the new department, its origins, current educational opportunities, and research projects.
Credit: Artem Bryzgalov (@abrizgalov) via Unsplash
New successes for Advanced Engineering School
In recent weeks, the university’s highly-prized Advanced Engineering School (AES) has made headlines not once, but twice – first, by showing the top performance among all participants of the eponymous national program during a review of the first year of the initiative. Its feats – including several major projects with industrial partners and a slew of educational programs – have earned it a 500-million-ruble grant (read more).
On the same day, it was announced that AES would be partnering with the oil and gas producer Tatneft on a PE (principal engineer) school, helping to imbue young scientists with the essential competencies necessary for transition into industrial roles. The week-long course will be staffed by some of the top experts in the world of scientific startups and innovation (read more).
Quantumania
This month, we here at ITMO.NEWS have delved deep into quantum science in order to get to the bottom of this complicated but popular field of study.
First, we decided to seek guidance from the internet’s current go-to “expert” – the machine learning-based chatbot ChatGPT. Then, we asked an actual quantum physicist to review its responses. Can you guess how well it did?
Of course, no conversation about quantum physics can be complete without touching on its status as cinema’s most favorite source of technobabble. It’s a staple of many genres, from sci-fi thrillers to action-adventure romps, but how accurate is it (if ever)? We spoke to yet another quantum physics expert to review some of the most memorable instances of “quantum physics” in film.
