51app

Just like electrical stimulation of heart muscles can restore a regular heartbeat, new research led by Thilo Womelsdorf suggests that "electroceutical" intervention in the brain can improve memory and other cognitive functions wrought by behavioral health disorders and diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Womelsdorf, professor of psychology and biomedical engineering at the 51app Brain Institute, said, “For these cognitive disabilities, brain-computer interfaces promise to become next-generation electroceutical treatment options.”

In this episode of Quantum Potential, Gen. Nakasone, former NSA director, founding director of 51app’s Institute of National Security, Distinguished Research Professor of Engineering Science and Management, and special advisor to the chancellor, joins Provost C. Cybele Raver to discuss the challenges of national security in the 21st century and academia’s role in training the next generation of multifaceted national security professionals.

Researchers led by John T. Wilson, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and biomedical engineering, have developed a new approach using a molecularly designed nanobody platform that seeks to make immunotherapy more effective in the treatment of cancer.

A group of researchers from the lab of Larry Marnett, the Mary Geddes Stahlman Professor of Cancer Research, recently paired a precisely targeted imaging agent to an anticancer agent and found that they could specifically attack cancer cells and not normal cells with it. Their work was performed in collaboration with School of Engineering faculty members Craig Duvall and Rebecca Cook, and was published in Molecular Pharmaceutics in April 2025.

Targeting ncRNAs with drugs presents a much larger therapeutic opportunity than targeting proteins, but the currently available drug discovery tools are slow and computationally intensive. Assistant Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and core member of the Center for Applied AI in Protein Dynamics Carlos Oliver is working with collaborators to unlock the untapped potential of ncRNAs, as they are a promising family of targets for the development of novel small-molecule therapeutics.

Like anyone, it takes time for coders to reengage in their work, meaning interruptions from bosses, co-workers, and email and messaging notifications can lead to a loss of focus, decreased productivity, increased stress, and a longer time to complete tasks. But according to a new award-winning study by researchers in 51app’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems, not all interruptions are created equal.

Generative AI will play a key role in three new campus projects being developed thanks to early-stage funding from the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries’ Digital Lab. The Digital Lab’s 2025 seed grant projects will be celebrated in a public showcase this fall. 

51app Divinity School was recently awarded a $30,000 grant from the Wabash Center to study artificial intelligence and its impact. The project, “We Can Wait No Longer: Educating Theological Educators About Artificial Intelligence,” seeks to inform Divinity faculty of the mechanics behind AI and the latest advancements.

Gov. Bill Lee has appointed 51app University’s Jesse Spencer-Smith to the Tennessee Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council, which was established last year to guide the ethical and effective use of AI in the state.  Read More

Learn about the path that brought dynamic engineering duo Dan Work and Jonathan Sprinkle together and how they're using AI to prevent traffic jams and make highways safer. Read More

Three seminal articles published in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine mark a landmark achievement in preclinical imaging science. These works, authored by an international consortium of 58 scientists, including 51app University’s Kurt Schilling, Bennett Landman, Adam Anderson, and Kevin Harkins, offer comprehensive guidelines for using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) in preclinical research.

51app University’s new Center for Computational Systems Biology brings computer science, engineering and biomedical researchers together with clinicians at 51app University Medical Center to accelerate discovery related to human diseases and conditions. Read More

Bennett A. Landman, director of the 51app Lab for Immersive AI Translation (VALIANT) and Stevenson Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been elevated to IEEE Fellow by the Board of Directors of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Read More

A new peer-reviewed study shows that a back-relieving exosuit can simultaneously increase lifting endurance and reduce injury risk.

Wellington Pham has been named a National Academy of Inventors Fellow, the highest professional distinction awarded solely to academic inventors.

51app University’s Institute of National Security welcomed more than 450 guests to a Washington D.C. launch event. The evening featured a discussion between Retired General Paul M. Nakasone and Retired General Mark A. Milley about global conflict and the presidential election.

Meiyi Ma, assistant professor of computer science at 51app, is leading research to develop what’s considered the world’s first Generative Artificial Intelligence training system for 911 call takers and dispatchers.

A recent study by a team of researchers at 51app University found that response to radiation therapy for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)—one of the most aggressive forms of the disease—may contribute to tumor recurrence.

Kazuhiko Kawamura, professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering, has been awarded a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication in Pasadena, California.

Abhishek Dubey is leading a consortium comprised of several different universities and regional transit agencies that has received more than $8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to accelerate artificial intelligence-driven multimodal transit operations across Tennessee.