Jaideep Sahni, a graduate student in biomedical engineering, peers through a microscope in Ryan Pedrigi's Scott Engineering Center lab. Sahni is examining human aortic endothelial cells — which come from the aorta and are useful for studying cardiovascular diseases — before performing an experiment to gauge their flow response.
In March 2020, Pedrigi received a five-year, $543,000 award from the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program to lay the groundwork for a targeted, noninvasive treatment for atherosclerosis. He envisions that someday, patients will receive a therapy where ultrasound pulses are applied to diseased arteries, stimulating a cellular response that beats back plaque buildup and prevents further accumulation. Learn more about the award and ongoing work in Pedrigi's lab.
Jan. 22 | New spaces, big and small
Craig Chandler | University CommunicationWith East Campus at her back, Lydia Cole, a senior from Plattsmouth, studies in the scenic new Dinsdale Family Learning Commons on Jan. 27.
Like the new semester, the opening of the former C.Y. Thompson Library was delayed due to the record-setting winter storm on Jan. 25. The $22.5 million renovation — funded entirely by private donors — transformed the former library into a technology-rich collaborative environment and hub for innovation, research and learning. Husker alumni and philanthropists Ruth and Bill Scott of Omaha provided a challenge gift to encourage others to invest in the project and to offer the option of naming the new student commons.
Learn more about the Dinsdale Family Learning Commons.
Craig Chandler | University Communication Taylor Ruwe, a freshman from Hooper, studies in a pod — similar to a first-class airline seat — in the lower level of the Dinsdale Family Learning Commons.Jan. 22 | Testing awaits
Craig Chandler | University CommunicationBria Foley, a senior pre-med major and a student worker, waits for the next Husker to step up for a rapid, saliva-based COVID-19 test on the morning of Jan. 19.
To attend courses or be on campus on Jan. 25 — the first day of the semester — students, instructors and staff must complete one test and receive a negative result. Appointments should be scheduled through the Safer Community app. Results will also be reported securely through the app. Additional options are available for individuals who do not have access to a smartphone.
Test results, available primarily in less than 24 hours, are being completed in a federally-approved lab on East Campus. Studies indicate that the saliva-based PCR test used by the university is as accurate as nasal-based testing. Any negative COVID-19 result from other testing facilities cannot be substituted for the university's program.
Members of the university community who expect to participate in classes, work or visit any on campus facility on Jan. 25 must get tested and receive a negative result first. Due to testing demand, students, instructors and staff are advised to schedule a test at least 36 hours prior to coming to campus.
Exemptions from the testing protocol (including for anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days) are available. Complete details, including an FAQ on the program, are available here. For additional questions, send email to covid19@unl.edu.
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