presstop

UConn Chemists Developing Safer, All-Natural Contrast Dye for Medical Imaging

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – In the United States alone, more than 130 million MRIs and CT scans were performed in 2023. And while those medical images are very valuable tools in identifying, or ruling out, serious health problems, they are not without risk.

While the majority of patients experience no adverse effects, the contrast dyes used in the process can cause allergic reactions, and can trigger kidney damage in those with pre-existing kidney disease. The concern is greatest among people requiring multiple scans.

Pragati Rout, a doctoral candidate, and her mentor, chemistry professor Greg Sotzing, have found a plant-based alternative that is safe, effective, and free of allergic reaction. They’ve created a company, called 404 Inc., to market the medical innovation, as well as other consumer products.

Read article

Startup ‘SeaSol’ Seeks to Convert Seaweed into Compostable Food Packaging, Replacing Plastic

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – When you visit your favorite sandwich, donut, or pizza shop next year, UConn Ph.D. candidate Yidan Zhang hopes you’ll be leaving with more than just good food. She wants you to also get a healthier food wrapper to carry it home.

Zhang is CEO of a startup called SeaSol Technologies, Inc. (DBA SeaSol), which is converting seaweed into a functional coating that makes food packaging compostable and high performance. The SeaSol team has developed a low-cost process that pares down the seaweed conversion process from 14 steps to one.

Read article

Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Recognized as a Global Leader in Venture Creation

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – UConn’s Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI) has received the Outstanding Contributions to Venture Creation Award at the 2025 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers Conference in Calgary, Canada.

The award honors a university center that demonstrates excellence in supporting the launch and growth of startups through innovative programs such as competitions, incubators, and accelerators. Selection is based on program impact, outcomes, and community engagement.

Read article

UConn, Connecticut Wealth Management Launch New Program to Prepare Future Financial Advisers

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Connecticut Wealth Management (CTWM), a prominent investment adviser based in Farmington, has partnered with the School of Business to launch the school’s first-ever student wealth management cohort.

The program, which officially debuted on Thursday, Oct. 2, has already drawn interest from 110 students eager to learn more about becoming financial advisors. The wealth management field is growing rapidly and expected to bring double-digit job growth over the next decade.

Read article

New Startup’s Mission: Safer Deliveries for Moms and Babies

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – For many expectant parents, the countdown to the arrival of a new family member is filled with anticipation. They need to select a name, paint a nursery, stock up on diapers, and prepare for sleepless nights ahead.

Everyone hopes for a smooth and easy delivery, and no one champions that more than Dr. Andrea Shields. Shields is a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UConn Health and the program director for the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship at the School of Medicine. She is working hard to decrease the risks that come with pregnancy and childbirth.

Read article

Nutritional Startup Provides Healthy Meals to Keep Vulnerable People Out of the Hospital

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Imagine the stress of just being discharged from the hospital–still feeling weak, vulnerable, and shaken by a serious diagnosis—only to be told that you now have to completely overhaul your diet.

That is a daunting task for many, but fortunately food expert Vanessa Sena and two colleagues from UConn Health have a solution.

They’ve started a business called MLC Nutrition, which provides delicious, healthy, chef-prepared meals for recently hospitalized patients, with the goal of optimizing their health and preventing rehospitalization.

Read article

Management Professor Offers Recommendations to Ease the Jolt of Strict Return-To-Office Policies

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – The comfort of working from home in sweatpants and slippers has recently disappeared for employees of many large companies.

Target, Microsoft, Under Armour, and T. Rowe Price are just some of the corporations that announced or reinstituted more stringent return-to-office policies this fall.

Management professor Travis Grosser told UConn Today that that the first six months of a new schedule are critical to establishing an employee’s reputation and value. And though it can be a difficult adjustment initially, in-office work greatly increases an employee’s visibility and career-growth opportunities.

Read article

Wolff Finalist Startup ‘Orbit Crates’ Offers Subscription Toy Rentals for Kids

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – After a busy day at work, the last thing mother-of-three Kim Conti wanted to do was spend time sorting and organizing construction trucks, pretend-play toys, puzzle pieces—and those dreadful games that come with dozens of small parts. To help reduce household clutter and save toys from ending up in landfills, Conti has created Orbit Crates, a subscription toy-rental company.

Read article

Business Career Expo Brings Recruiters from More than 30 Top Companies

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Senior Shravani Daptardar is studying analytics and information management, with a concentration in business intelligence, and she’s debating whether to go directly to work after graduation or to enroll in graduate school.

On Wednesday, she attended the School of Business Career Expo and had a chance to talk to recruiters from more than 30 top employers, as well as grad-school experts, about her options.

Read article

Management Professor Offers Advice on How to Combat ‘Quiet Cracking’ in the Workplace

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – “Quiet Cracking” is one of the most widely discussed topics in the workplace this summer. In the last week alone, it has made headlines in Forbes, Business Insider, and Psychology Today, and been discussed on MSN and CBS.

Management professor Travis Grosser, of the School of Business, has studied organizational change and shares insight on “quiet cracking” with UConn Today. Below, he explains the causes of quiet cracking and offers recommendations for both business leaders and employees to prevent or mitigate its impact.

Read article