Publications

2026

Grant, E., K. Hoang, J. Li, S. Atta, Z. Li, J. Zhou, G. Kantor, C. Akpan, T. Vasse, W. Lee and T. Vo-Dinh (2026). Spikey nanorattle-based SERS biosensors for direct detection of cancer-associated mRNA, Proc. SPIE 13843, Optical Biopsy XXIV: Toward Real-Time Spectroscopic Imaging and Diagnosis, 138430H (5 March 2026); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3106807

Instrument used: TEM

Heckman, M. M., C. S. Cai, A. Kalpattu, E. M. Simmons, R. M. Tighe and C. K. Payne (2026). Lipid adsorbed on the surface of nanomaterials enhances protein corona formation. Environmental Science: Nano 13(4): 2112–2122. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EN00971E

Instrument used: TEM

Ravel, V. M., S. R. Evans, S. K. Holmes, J. L. Doherty, M. S. Rahman, T. Roy and A. D. Franklin (2026). Impact of Contact Gating on Scaling of Monolayer 2D Transistors Using a Symmetric Dual-Gate Structure. ACS Nano 20(8): 7127–7136. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c19797 

Press release: https://pratt.duke.edu/news/transistor-contact-gating-study/

Instruments used: Cleanroom, EBL, SEM, Raman

Singh, R. R., A. Chinni, E. Cannistraci, R. Salinas, S. Yadav, K. Gozzi and M. A. Schumacher (2026). Transcription activation mechanism of a noncanonical DNA damage response pathway by the WYL-activator, DriD. Science Advances 12(12): eaec6337. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aec6337 

Instrument used: CryoTEM

Wu, Y., M. Liu, K. Li, S. Li, L. Y. Phoon, J. Mai, Y. Chen, W. Yan, S. N. Lan, J. Rufo, G. Milford, Y. He, Q. Wu, S. Yang, L. Lan, S. J. Benkovic and T. J. Huang (2026). SonoPIN enables precise, noninvasive, and efficient intracellular delivery of PROTACs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123(11): e2534439123. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2534439123 

Press release: https://pratt.duke.edu/news/sonopin/

Instrument used: Confocal

Arnal, M., R. F. Kay, L. A. Valdivia, W. Salenbien, P. E. Morse, M. R. Borths, B. A. Williams, C. Riddle, J.-N. Martínez and L. A. Gonzales (2026). New Early Miocene hystricognath rodents (Caviomorpha) from the Madre de Dios River in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon. Papers in Palaeontology 12(2): e70064. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.70064

Instrument used: MicroCT

Kim, S. Y.-K., T. Kaur, Y. Shmidov, M. Y. Wang, L. Fan, A. Leo, N. Angustia, Y. Xiang, D. Reker and A. Chilkoti (2026). Genetically Encoded Sterol-Modification of a Synthetic Intrinsically Disordered Protein Drives Its Self-Assembly Into Diverse Morphologies. Small: e09658. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202509658.

Instruments used: DLS, SAXS

McCourt, J. T., E. G. Arnault, M. Baksi, S. J. Poage, S. Salmani-Rezaie, K. Ahadi, D. Kumah and G. Finkelstein (2025). Electrostatic Control of Quantum Phases in KTaO3-Based Planar Constrictions. Nano Letters 25(45): 16091–16096. 

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c03680

Instruments used: AFM, EBL

McKeown Wessler, G. C., T. Wang, C. Brown, G. J. Graf, Y. Yao, A. Singh, V. Blum and D. B. Mitzi (2026). Hydrothermal Synthesis and Electronic and Optical Characterization of Ag2(NH4)AsS4. Inorganic Chemistry. 

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c04606

Instruments used: DSC, FTIR, SEM, XRD

Pakharukova, N., B. N. Thomas, H. Bansia, L. Li, D. K. Bassford, R. R. Abzalimov, J. Kim, A. W. Kahsai, B. Pani, K. Xiao, R. Ochakovski, S. Liu, X. Zhang, S. Ahn, A. des Georges and R. J. Lefkowitz (2026). Mechanism of beta-arrestin 1 mediated Src activation via Src SH3 domain revealed by cryo-electron microscopy. Nature Communications 17(1). 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69884-1

Instrument used: CryoTEM

UVVIS: Xie, W., Y. Deng, Y. Liu, Y. Zhao, S. J. Shin, K. Brown, Y. Wang, N. Peng, M. Gilbert, B. Davis, A. Shankar, P. Biradar, L. Zhang, A. Zhang, H. Weisbecker, Y. Wu, Y. Wang, S. Liu, J. Tian, A. J. M. Miller, J. Yin, W. J. Padilla and W. Bai (2026). Solution-processed electrochromics for synergistic solar and radiative heat management. Nature Sustainability. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-026-01774-2

Instrument used: UVVIS

Xie, W., Y. Deng, Y. Liu, Y. Zhao, S. J. Shin, K. Brown, Y. Wang, N. Peng, M. Gilbert, B. Davis, A. Shankar, P. Biradar, L. Zhang, A. Zhang, H. Weisbecker, Y. Wu, Y. Wang, S. Liu, J. Tian, A. J. M. Miller, J. Yin, W. J. Padilla and W. Bai (2026). Solution-processed electrochromics for synergistic solar and radiative heat management. Nature Sustainability. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-026-01774-2

Instrument used: UVVIS

Atta, S. and T. Vo-Dinh (2026). Direct, Pretreatment-Free Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Detection of Uric Acid in Urine Facilitated by Efficient Hydrogen Bonding-Driven Capture. Analytical Chemistry 98(6): 4653–4665. 

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.5c06098

Instrument used: UVVIS

Roy, M., J. F. Castaneda, S. J. LeBlanc and A. D. Stiff-Roberts (2026). Film formation of two-dimensional hybrid perovskite using resonant infrared matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation. AIP Advances 16(1). DOI: 10.1063/5.0298136.

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0298136.

Instruments used: AFM, SEM, RAMAN

Williams, G. D. Z., J. Barre, P. Louvat, S. Bérail, R. Millot and A. Vengosh (2026). Geochemical controls on the formation of lithium brines in closed-basins of the Lithium Triangle. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 679: 119849. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2026.119849.

Instrument used: Mass-Spec Sapphire

Xu, J., Y. Li, C. Novak, M. Lee, Z. Yan, S. Bang, A. McGinnis, S. Chandra, V. Zhang, W. He, T. Lechler, M. P. Rodriguez Salazar, C. Eroglu, M. L. Becker, D. Velmeshev, R. E. Cheney and R.-R. Ji (2026). Mitochondrial transfer from glia to neurons protects against peripheral neuropathy. Nature

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09896-x.

Instrument used: SEM

Bai, Y., X. Yuan, Y. Weng, K. Yin, H. Wang and X. Ni (2026). Digital composites with reprogrammable phase architectures. Science Advances 12(4): eaed9698. 

Press Release: https://pratt.duke.edu/news/programmable-lego-like-materials/

DOI: https://doi:10.1126/sciadv.aed9698

Instruments used: Cleanroom, DSC

Yang, K., R. Zhong, K. Li, J. Mai, P. Liu, Y. He, J. Rich, Y. Chen, J. Wang, Z. Ma, X. Xu, Q. Wu and T. J. Huang (2026). Precision acoustofluidics for high-throughput mechanobiology in suspension cells. Science Advances 12(1): eady1136. 

https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ady1136.

Instruments used: Cleanroom, TEM

Bu, Y., S. M. McDonald, E. H. R. Tsai and M. L. Becker (2026). Stereochemically-Controlled Fluorinated Copolymers for Selectively Permeable Barrier Applications. Advanced Functional Materials: e31526. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202531526.

Instruments used: DSC, SAXS

Yu, Y., V. Somayaji, Z. Geng, A. J. Offen, J. Liang and J. Liu (2026). Light-powered ambient-pressure ammonia synthesis using a plasmonic semiconducting catalyst. Nano Research 19(1): 94908274. DOI: 10.26599/NR.2025.94908274.

Instruments used: XPS, SEM, TEM, XRD

Grigoryan, R*., W. Swenson, M. P. Field, M. C. De Silva, A. Strasma, N. Jayasundara and M. A. Kipp (2026). Automated methods for multi-isotopic analysis of major cations in biological samples: application to chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-025-06309-w 

*SMIF staff author

Instrument used: MassSpecSapphire

Grigoryan, R*., W. Swenson, M. P. Field, M. C. De Silva, A. Strasma, N. Jayasundara and M. A. Kipp (2026). Automated methods for multi-isotopic analysis of major cations in biological samples: application to chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-025-06309-w

*SMIF staff author

Instrument used: MassSpecSapphire

2025

Salvino, M. J., T. E. Schroeder, L. W. Grimaud and A. C. Peterson (2025). Time Dependent Material Fatigue of the Artificial Urinary Sphincter Pressure Regulating Balloon: A Mechanical and Microscopic Analysis. Urology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2025.12.031

Instruments used: SEM, RSA

Shin, E., R. E. Bangle, N. C. Wilson, S. B. Nikodemski, J. H. Vella and M. H. Mikkelsen (2025). Metasurface-Enhanced Thermal Photodetector Operating at Gigahertz Frequencies. Advanced Functional Materials: 2420953.

https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202420953

Instruments used: Cleanroom, SEM, XRD

Boulinguez-Ambroise, G., M. Bradley-Cronkwright, N. T. Dunham, G. S. Yapuncich, D. Schmitt, A. Zeininger, D. M. Boyer and J. W. Young (2025). Comparative biomechanical analysis of jumping between the arboreal northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 205(4). 

https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf177

Instrument used: MicroCT