news releases

Jul 7, 2009

Robo-Bats May Be Next Remote Control Flyers

Tiny flying machines can be used for everything from indoor surveillance to exploring collapsed buildings, but simply making smaller versions of planes and helicopters doesn’t work very well. Instead, researchers at North Carolina State University are mimicking nature’s small flyers – and developing robotic bats that offer increased maneuverability and performance. Small flyers, or micro-aerial… 

Jul 6, 2009

Dogs, Humans, put Heads Together to Find Cure for Brain Cancer

Pinpointing the genes involved in human brain cancer can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and sometimes the needle you find may not be the right one. By comparing human and canine genomes, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that a gene commonly believed to be involved in meningiomas-tumors that… 

Jun 30, 2009

Can Video Games Boost Thinking Skills in Elderly?

Researchers at North Carolina State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have received a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study whether and how video games can boost memory and thinking skills in the elderly – and then to use their findings to develop a prototype video game to do just… 

Jun 29, 2009

Tool Finds Best Heart Disease, Stroke Treatments for Patients with Diabetes

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Mayo Clinic have developed a computer model that medical doctors can use to determine the best time to begin using statin therapy in diabetes patients to help prevent heart disease and stroke. “The research is significant because patients with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease and… 

Jun 25, 2009

A Penny for Your Prions

North Carolina State University researchers have discovered a link between copper and the normal functioning of prion proteins, which are associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy diseases such as Cruetzfeldt-Jakob in humans or “mad cow” disease in cattle. Their work could have implications for patients suffering from these diseases, as well as from other prion-related diseases… 

Jun 25, 2009

Ramsey Appointed to NC State Board of Trustees; Tolson Reappointed

Randall C. “Randy” Ramsey of Beaufort, N.C., founder, president and CEO of Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales, has been appointed to the North Carolina State University Board of Trustees by Gov. Bev Perdue. Perdue also reappointed E. Norris Tolson to the board. An active member of numerous local and regional boards, Ramsey has served on the… 

Jun 24, 2009

Two More Students Diagnosed with H1N1 Influenza

North Carolina State University Student Health Services has received confirmation that two additional students have the novel H1N1 influenza virus. These cases are apparently not related to two previous cases reported on campus June 12. The students are recovering and are in self-isolation at home. Since H1N1 is now the most common influenza virus in… 

Jun 17, 2009

Study Finds Reproductive Health Effects From Low Doses of Bisphenol-A

New research from North Carolina State University and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) shows significant reproductive health effects in rats that have been exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA) at levels equivalent to or below the dose that has been thought not to produce any adverse effects. BPA is a chemical found in baby… 

Jun 17, 2009

NC State Faculty Receive Fulbright Scholar Awards

Three North Carolina State University faculty members have been chosen to participate in the Fulbright Scholars Program to teach and study abroad in the 2009-2010 academic year. Each year Fulbright grants are awarded to researchers, teachers and administrators of universities around the world. The grants allow for up to one year of research abroad at… 

Jun 10, 2009

Woodward Named Interim Chancellor of NC State

Dr. Jim Woodward has been named interim chancellor of North Carolina State University, bringing years of administrative experience and leadership to the university. “I have a special affinity for NC State that has grown since my time as a professor here,” Woodward said. “This institution is critical to the state of North Carolina and to the… 

Jun 8, 2009

NC State Board of Trustees Votes to Terminate Easley Contract

The North Carolina State University Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to terminate Mary Easley’s contract. The formal motion read: This board terminates Mary Easley’s contract on the grounds that (first) the duties for which we hired her no longer exist and (secondly) it is in the best interests of NC State University to eliminate her… 

Jun 8, 2009

Accuracy Essential to XBRL Financial Filing Program

The largest 500 companies regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are poised to submit quarterly financial reports that, for the first time, will be tagged using XBRL code – which will allow computers to “read” their content and make it easier for people to find and analyze financial data contained in the… 

Jun 3, 2009

Study Shows Bank Risk-Assessment Tool Not Responding Adequately to Market Fluctuations

A new study from North Carolina State University indicates that regulators need to do more to ensure that banks are adequately computing their Value-at-Risk (VaR) to reflect fluctuations in financial markets. The study finds that the tests used by regulators do not detect when VaRs inaccurately account for significant swings in the market, which is… 

Jun 2, 2009

Study: Lack of Capital Not a ‘Death Sentence’ for Start-Ups

A new study from North Carolina State University is turning the conventional wisdom about technology start-up companies on its head, showing that ventures with moderate levels of undercapitalization can still be successful and that a great management team is not more important than a top-notch technology product when it comes to securing sufficient amounts of… 

Jun 1, 2009

Study Shows Gay Couples Want Legal Rights, Regardless of Marriage

New research from North Carolina State University shows that gay and lesbian couples are forming long-term, committed relationships, even in the absence of the right to marry. However, couples surveyed for the study overwhelmingly said they would get married if they could in order to secure legal rights – such as retirement and healthcare benefits.…