Author: Justin

Challenging The Assumption That Fibrosis Can’t Be Reversed

Challenging the Assumption That Fibrosis Can’t Be Reversed At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, two scientists are challenging one of medicine’s most deeply rooted assumptions– that fibrosis is permanent and irreversible.   Dr. Ronit Freeman, a biomedical engineer, and Dr. James Hagood, a pediatric pulmonologist, arrived at the problem of fibrosis from… Continue reading Challenging The Assumption That Fibrosis Can’t Be Reversed

Three College researchers receive grants to boost innovative research

Three College researchers receive grants to boost innovative research Through two separate funding mechanisms managed by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, College of Arts and Sciences faculty Ronit Freeman, Igor Andreoni and Carl Rodriguez have received competitive grants to fund new or ongoing projects in their laboratories.   The RCSA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to catalyzing innovative scientific research… Continue reading Three College researchers receive grants to boost innovative research

Ronit Freeman Among 11 Cottrell Scholars Winning RSCA Bridge Award

Ronit Freeman Among 11 Cottrell Scholars Winning RSCA Bridge Award Research Corporation for Science Advancement has awarded $800,000 to 11 Cottrell Scholars through its RCSA Bridge Awards. This emergency initiative will help stabilize strong research programs that have experienced disruptions due to abrupt changes to their federal funding.    “These researchers are pursuing exciting and productive research programs that are, importantly, training the next generation of scientists,” said RCSA President Eric Isaacs. “The Bridge awards provide critical continuity to outstanding early-career scientists doing high-potential… Continue reading Ronit Freeman Among 11 Cottrell Scholars Winning RSCA Bridge Award

Soft Robotic Flowers Bloom in New Research Released by the Freeman Lab

Soft Robotic Flowers In Bloom CHAPEL HILL, NC – Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill, led by Associate Professor Ronit Freeman, have pioneered a revolutionary soft robotics technology: flower-shaped structures made from DNA-inorganic crystals that can be programmed to change shape in response to environmental cues.   Fast to produce and control by the sequence and length of polymerized DNA within, these soft robots are capable of reversible shapeshifting. The… Continue reading Soft Robotic Flowers Bloom in New Research Released by the Freeman Lab

Ronit Freeman Named 2025 Mentor Awardee

Professor Freeman Named 2025 Mentor Awardee We are excited to announce that Ronit Freeman has been recognized this year as a faculty member that has exhibited outstanding graduate student mentorship. Dr. Freeman has led and continues to lead her students through their journeys into the field of science while instilling integrity, thoroughness, and professionalism.   Since… Continue reading Ronit Freeman Named 2025 Mentor Awardee

UNC Remembers Slain Professor Zijie Yan

https://freeman-lab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Zijie-Yan-Memorial_mixdown.mp3 UNC Remembers Slain Professor Zijie Yan Chapel Hill, NC – On the afternoon of August 28, a memorial was held in honor of Dr Zijie Yan  outside of his office at the University of North Carolina in the department of Applied Physical Sciences. The event marked the dedication of memorial space including a plaque,… Continue reading UNC Remembers Slain Professor Zijie Yan

Ronit Freeman Named One of This Year’s Women of Achievement

Chapel Hill Magazine puts Ronit Freeman under the microscope  Ronit Freeman was announced as a Chapel Hill Magazine’s Women of Achievement 2025 for her work with peptide technology, synthetic biology, therapeutics development and drug delivery, and disease and environmental sensing solutions, among other areas of expertise.  Since 2014, the publication has been honoring and featuring exemplary… Continue reading Ronit Freeman Named One of This Year’s Women of Achievement

Freeman Lab Awarded NC Innovation Grant

Professor Freeman Awarded Grant Ronit Freeman, an associate professor of applied physical sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, was recently awarded a NCInnovation research and development grant for a fibrosis treatment project.   NCInnovation is a nonprofit that helps unlock the innovative potential of North Carolina’s world class public universities. The organization recently approved… Continue reading Freeman Lab Awarded NC Innovation Grant

Turning the ‘tides on Synthetic Biology

Turning the ‘Tide on Synthetic Biology What comes to mind when you hear ‘peptides’? Most people associate them with cosmetics.  But peptides are more than just advertising jargon – they are powerful building blocks using in synthetic biology. Recently, GLP-1 – Glucagon-like peptides-1 – have been popularized as a weight-loss drug. GLP-1 is a peptide… Continue reading Turning the ‘tides on Synthetic Biology

UNC Research Stories with Dr. Freeman

UNC Research Stories with Dr. Freeman UNC Research’s Alyssa LeFaro visited the Freeman Lab to find out about Dr. Freeman’s young, yet illustrious career at UNC Chapel Hill. In the article, Building Living Materials, they look at inspiration, new tech, and trailblazing through her lab in the Applied Physical Sciences department:   “Let me show… Continue reading UNC Research Stories with Dr. Freeman

Making Sense of Disease in the Field

Making Sense of Diseases in the Field When millions of humans and animals are on the verge of being exposed to highly contagious and dangerous diseases – time is of the essence. Disease detecting techniques like SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy), used in a laboratory setting, allow for a higher degree of sensitivity in detection, but… Continue reading Making Sense of Disease in the Field