Aluminium is widely used in electrical engineering due to its electrical conductivity and relatively low density. However, when developing new materials for electric vehicles and electrical equipment, it is important to consider not only electrical conductivity but also mechanical strength. Components must withstand mechanical stress while retaining their ability to conduct electricity efficiently and dissipate heat.

One way to improve the properties of aluminium is to add small amounts of other metals. The challenge is to find the right combination of elements so that increased strength does not come at the cost of a significant reduction in electrical conductivity.

MISIS researchers studied aluminium-based alloys containing nickel and one of five rare earth metals: yttrium, erbium, ytterbium, gadolinium or samarium. First, they examined cast alloys — materials produced by pouring molten metal into a mould and allowing it to solidify. The samples were then heat-treated to determine how heating affects the metal’s internal structure and properties.

As the alloy solidifies, tiny particles of compounds containing nickel and rare earth metals form within the aluminium. These particles affect the alloy’s mechanical properties, while their quantity, size and distribution determine how efficiently the material conducts heat and electricity. After heating at 605–620 °C for six hours, the structure changed: the particles grew larger and their distribution became more varied.

Following heat treatment, the alloys retained good thermal conductivity while demonstrating sufficient strength. This makes them promising candidates for the further development of cast aluminium alloys, including those intended for electric transport applications.

In a second study, the researchers continued their work by investigating how rolling affects the properties of the same alloys. This metal-forming process refined the material’s microstructure. The average size of intermetallic compound particles — compounds formed by different metals within the alloy — decreased from approximately 1–1.5 to 0.8–1.2 micrometres. These changes helped strengthen the material.

“The best results were obtained with alloys containing yttrium, erbium and ytterbium. Rolling followed by heat treatment increased their strength while preserving their ability to conduct electricity. This is important for developing strong aluminium alloys for use in electrical engineering,” said Maria Glavatskikh, Associate Professor at the Department of Non-Ferrous Metals Science at NUST MISIS.

Both studies demonstrate that the properties of aluminium alloys can be deliberately modified not only by selecting the right alloying elements but also by choosing the appropriate processing methods. For cast materials, achieving a balance between strength and thermal conductivity is essential, while rolling followed by heating offers opportunities to produce stronger alloys with high electrical conductivity.

“The results could provide a basis for further development of materials for electrical conductors and electric vehicle components. At this stage, however, these are promising alloy compositions studied under laboratory conditions. Further research is needed to investigate their properties and assess the feasibility of manufacturing finished products,” said Andrey Pozdnyakov, Associate Professor at the Department of Non-Ferrous Metals Science at NUST MISIS.

The findings were published in the scientific journal Journal of Alloys and Compounds (Q1). The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 22-79-10142-P).

Electrical signals play an important role in the functioning of nerve cells and tissue regeneration. Conventional electrical stimulation requires electrodes to be placed in the target area and connected to an external power source. However, this procedure is invasive, increases the risk of infection and requires additional equipment. To address this challenge, the researchers proposed using magnetoelectric nanocomposites, which can generate an electrical charge directly inside the implant when exposed to a magnetic field.

Researchers from NUST MISIS and Tomsk Polytechnic University, together with colleagues from the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, used a 3D printer to fabricate a bioresorbable implant incorporating magnetoelectric nanoparticles. The device acts as a wireless converter: a magnetic field affects the nanoparticles, which generate an electrical signal through the magnetoelectric effect.

In a separate study, researchers from NUST MISIS, together with colleagues from Skoltech, ITMO University, Lomonosov Moscow State University and Dagestan State University, demonstrated new experimental approaches to measuring local electrical responses in magnetoelectric nanocomposites. They also proposed a new concept of an ultrafast thermally induced magnetoelectric effect that could be used for neurostimulation.

Detailed findings have been published in the scientific journals Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (Q2), Journal of Applied Physics (Q2), Rapid Research Letters (Q2) and ACS Nano (Q1).

“The series of studies presenting our findings is the result of many years of research into various types of magnetoelectric nanocomposites, including nanoparticles and nanofibres, as promising platforms for a wide range of applications, from neurostimulation and regenerative medicine to catalysis. These findings are scientifically significant for understanding the nature and fundamental mechanisms of the magnetoelectric effect in nanomaterials. We have high expectations for the new concept of an ultrafast magnetoelectric effect in composites based on an iron-rhodium alloy, which requires further investigation,” said Abdulkarim Amirov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Head of the Research Group at the Laboratory of Functional Low-Dimensional Structures at NUST MISIS.

The research on implant development, local magnetoelectric response measurements and the thermally induced magnetoelectric effect was supported by grants from the Russian Science Foundation (Nos. 25-73-10231, 24-19-00782 and 22-73-10091-P).

GMI sensors are used across a range of industries: in industrial applications to measure position, speed, strain and temperature; in geophysics to explore for mineral deposits and detect magnetic field anomalies; in biomedicine to detect magnetic labels and nanoparticles; and in non-destructive testing to identify microcracks and defects in structures and metals.

Researchers from MISIS University, the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, and the Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences have extended the sensor’s operating temperature range through software-based processing of recorded data. A miniature temperature sensor is placed next to the magnetic sensor. A dedicated algorithm analyzes the temperature and automatically adjusts the measurement results to compensate for the effects of heating and cooling. The proposed mathematical model automatically corrects temperature-related errors, maintaining measurement accuracy across a broad industrial temperature range of −50°C to +80°C.

“The proposed solution relies on additional information about changes in ambient temperature and data showing how the GMI sensor’s readings vary as it heats up or cools down. Each device is first calibrated to determine exactly how temperature affects its performance. During subsequent measurements, the algorithm automatically accounts for these changes and corrects the results. This significantly reduces the impact of temperature-related errors on measurement accuracy,” Sergey Gudoshnikov, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, Associate Professor in the Department of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold at MISIS University.

Without algorithmic correction, temperature changes had a substantial effect on measurement results. After the mathematical model was applied, temperature-related error decreased by more than a factor of 80, and the readings remained virtually unchanged even under significant heating. The findings have been published in the scientific journal Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (Q2).

“The proposed algorithm requires little computational power and can run even on compact microcontrollers. This makes it easier to integrate into existing measurement systems and well suited to technical applications where minimizing device size and weight is particularly important,” Vadim Tarasov, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Head of the Department of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold, and Director of the Center for Industrial Technology Engineering at MISIS University.

The researchers plan to extend the temperature range used for calibration. With further optimization, the method could deliver high measurement accuracy across a temperature range of −50°C to +100°C, significantly expanding the potential applications of these sensors under real-world operating conditions.

The research was carried out as part of the development program for MISIS University’s Engineering Technology Center, focusing on priority areas of scientific and technological development (Agreement No. 075-15-2025-570), and the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s Priority 2030 program.

The potential applications of photonic chips are wide-ranging. They include optical processors for accelerating matrix multiplication—the core operation behind neural network training and inference; rapid disease diagnostics based on spectral light analysis; ultra-high-speed data transmission through optical fiber; compact solid-state LiDAR systems for autonomous vehicles; quantum key generation and distribution for secure quantum communications; and highly accurate optical sensors for industry, environmental monitoring, and agriculture.

“To control light on a chip, we studied phase-change materials that can switch their state under short laser pulses. Depending on the state, the material has either an ordered crystalline structure or a disordered amorphous structure, with dramatically different refractive indices. After laser exposure, the material retains its new state, making it suitable for information storage,” Grigory Goltsman, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Chief Research Fellow at the NTI Quantum Communications Competence Center at MISIS University.

Researchers from MISIS University, MIET, MPSU, Technological Center R&D Company, HSE University, and the Russian Quantum Center compared five compositions based on different germanium-antimony-tellurium semiconductor compounds and identified the most promising candidates. All materials were deposited onto identical silicon nitride waveguides—the structures that guide light through a chip. This approach made it possible to compare the intrinsic properties of the materials without changing the device design itself. The key factors were how strongly each material altered light transmission and how quickly it could switch between states. The detailed findings were published in the journal Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing (Q1).

“The results could change if waveguides made from other materials, such as silicon-on-insulator, or laser pulses with different wavelengths are used, so each material requires additional optimization. Our findings show that a material’s composition directly determines how well it performs for on-chip light control. At the same time, no single parameter is enough—you have to consider the signal modulation, switching speed, and the size of the material cell on a silicon nitride waveguide,” Alexey Prokhodtsov, Research Engineer at the Photonic Gas Sensors Laboratory at MISIS University.

The study could provide the foundation for developing photonic devices with non-volatile memory—systems that retain stored information without a continuous power supply.

“In the future, these technologies could be used in photonic computing and devices capable of storing and processing information with light. Before practical deployment, however, the selected materials must still be tested for durability, operational stability, and long-term state retention. This research is being carried out as part of MISIS University’s strategic technology project Quantum Internet under Russia’s Priority 2030 program,” Alexey Nevzorov, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Research Fellow at the NTI Quantum Communications Center at MISIS University, Priority 2030 postdoctoral researcher.

The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 23-79-00056) and the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Projects No. FSME-2025-0002 and No. FSMR-2024-0004).

Permeability indicates how easily gas or liquid can flow through rock. This parameter is particularly important for coal seams, as it determines how effectively methane can be removed before mining begins and during extraction. Inaccurate permeability estimates can reduce degassing efficiency and increase the risk of hazardous gas-dynamic events in mines.

However, a coal seam cannot be treated as a uniform material. It contains pores and a network of natural fractures known as cleats. Gas flows primarily through these fractures. As the stress acting on the coal increases, the fractures may close, reducing permeability. When the load decreases, they may open again. Coal is also affected by its interaction with gas: during gas adsorption, the coal matrix swells, while desorption causes it to shrink.

To determine how these processes should be accounted for in calculations, researchers from NUST MISIS, together with experts from the Geophysical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences and SUEK-Kuzbass JSC, examined five existing permeability models. Some primarily account for the compression of pore spaces and fractures, while others consider changes in coal properties during gas adsorption and desorption, porosity, or the mechanical characteristics of the rock.

“There is no universal model that is equally suitable for all coal seams. The choice should depend on the depth of the seam, the range of applied loads, the structure of the fracture network, the gas content of the coal, and the nature of its deformation. This approach makes it possible to account for the actual characteristics of a specific rock mass rather than applying the same relationship under different conditions,” said Konstantin Kolikov, Head of the Department of Mining Safety and Environmental Engineering at NUST MISIS.

To compare the models, the researchers carried out a series of numerical simulations. They examined effective stresses ranging from 0 to 50 MPa and depths of up to 1,500 metres. They also assessed the sensitivity of the models to changes in key parameters, including porosity and deformation caused by interactions between coal and gas.

The results showed a consistent trend: coal seam permeability decreases nonlinearly as the load increases. In the simulations, the most pronounced decline occurred at effective stresses of approximately 5–15 MPa, when natural coal fractures close actively. At depths exceeding 1,000 metres, changes in permeability become less pronounced as the deformation potential of the fracture network gradually diminishes.

The researchers found that the Seidle model is best suited to situations in which sorption-induced coal deformation needs to be taken into account. The Palmer—Mansoori approach can be applied to deep seams where changes in porosity are significant, while the Karkashadze—Khoutiev model makes it possible to account for the influence of the rock mass’s elastic properties. The findings are described in the journal Mining Science and Technology (Q1).

The results can be used to develop 3D models of coal deposits for assessing degassing efficiency, predicting gas behaviour within coal seams, and selecting drainage well parameters. According to the authors, choosing the appropriate model can reduce uncertainty when designing degassing systems and help engineers make better-informed decisions about the placement and operation of degassing wells.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 23-19-00398).

Muons are elementary particles produced in the upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere through interactions with cosmic rays. They can travel through substantial thicknesses of matter. The density of a material affects the proportion of muons that pass through an object: the denser a section is, the more strongly it attenuates the particle flux. By detecting muons, researchers can obtain information about the internal structure of various objects. Scientists at NUST MISIS propose applying this principle to diagnose distillation columns — large industrial installations used to separate crude oil into individual fractions. Unlike conventional gamma scanning of distillation columns, muography requires neither radioactive sources nor production shutdowns.

“To inspect equipment using muography, we install autonomous detectors on the outside of the columns. These detectors consist of nuclear emulsion plates. During the exposure period, the detectors record muons passing through the equipment. The plates are then developed and scanned, and the resulting data are processed using specialized software. By analyzing the distribution of detected particles, we can reconstruct the object’s internal structure and assess the condition of the column’s internal contact devices,” said Natalia Polukhina, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics and Lead Expert at the MegaScience Infrastructure Collaboration and Partnership Center at NUST MISIS.

The researchers have developed the detector design, measurement procedures, and software tools for processing the collected data. At the next stage, the team plans to create a complete solution for the regular monitoring of industrial equipment and launch a diagnostic service for oil refineries based on this technology. The service will cover measurements, data processing, and the preparation of assessment reports. Client-facing software is also being developed to enable customers to submit requests, track inspection work, and maintain records of previous measurements.

“Emulsion detectors require neither an external power supply nor an artificial radiation source, and all components of the detector system are manufactured in Russia. Once a sufficient volume of data has been collected and processed, the customer receives the inspection results and a diagnostic report. Muography can help identify signs of stagnant zones and mechanical defects in distillation columns. This information can be used by a facility’s technical teams to assess equipment condition and determine whether maintenance or repairs are needed,” said Yulia Krasilnikova, project lead and Head of the Research Administration at NUST MISIS.

The proprietary technology builds on years of research by specialists from NUST MISIS and the P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (LPI RAS). Previously, the researchers used muography to study cultural heritage sites, investigate the internal structure of large industrial facilities, and address challenges in petroleum geology. In 2025, a joint team from NUST MISIS and LPI RAS, working with specialists from Tatneft, delineated a section of a bituminous sandstone deposit in the Republic of Tatarstan. The experience gained provided a foundation for further adapting the method to industrial equipment. Applying the technology at the operating Moscow Oil Refinery marked one of the team’s first projects at industrial facilities.

Bone defects can occur following severe fractures, diseases, or surgical procedures. When the damaged area is extensive, the body’s natural regenerative capacity may not be sufficient to restore it fully. In such cases, doctors use osteoplastic materials — specialized substitutes that fill the defect and create conditions for new bone tissue to form.

One of the most widely used materials in this field is hydroxyapatite. Its composition closely resembles the mineral component of bone, making it a suitable basis for biomaterials. However, existing materials have several limitations, including insufficient mechanical strength, low porosity, and slow dissolution rates. Another challenge is the lack of antibacterial activity, which is particularly important when treating areas at risk of infection. In addition, manufacturing some materials requires considerable time and energy.

Scientists at NUST MISIS have proposed addressing these challenges with granules in which some of the ions that form the crystal structure of hydroxyapatite are replaced with strontium and silver ions. This modification makes it possible to influence several material properties simultaneously.

“Silver is known for its antibacterial properties, but excessive amounts can harm not only bacteria but also the body’s own cells. It is therefore essential to determine the right concentration of silver to achieve the desired antibacterial effect without damaging healthy tissue. Strontium, in turn, is a trace element found in bone tissue and plays an important role in osteogenesis. By combining these two elements in the new material, we aim to achieve antibacterial activity while improving osseointegration — the ability of a material to interact with bone tissue and become integrated into it,” said Ekaterina Chikanova, PhD in Chemistry and Associate Professor at the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry at NUST MISIS.

The granules are more than just hydroxyapatite powder: they are a material with a defined structure that allows its properties to be controlled. By adjusting the composition and production conditions, researchers can regulate porosity, mechanical strength, and the rate of dissolution in the body. Laboratory tests have shown that the material dissolves over a period of at least three weeks.

The porous structure allows fluids to penetrate the material and interact with cells, while the granules retain sufficient strength and effectively fill bone defects. This makes it possible to combine several essential characteristics in a single material: strength, porosity, and controlled resorption. The production process is also relatively simple. The researchers are optimizing the composition and drying conditions to ensure consistent material properties and enable production to be scaled up. The research findings have been published in the scientific journal Inorganic Materials.

“The development is intended for use in traumatology, orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, and dentistry. The next stage of the project involves producing a prototype of the granular material and further evaluating its properties,” said Kirill Kucheryaev, co-author of the development and a postgraduate student at the Department of Functional Nanosystems and High-Temperature Materials at the NUST MISIS College of New Materials.

According to Alevtina Chernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS, the university’s researchers are shaping a relevant scientific and educational agenda in biomedicine under the national Priority 2030 program. They are developing materials and technologies designed to improve the quality of life for millions of people and accelerate treatment in complex medical cases.

In the future, the technology could provide a basis for domestic production of osteoplastic materials with controlled properties. The researchers highlight several key advantages of the development, including low production costs, scalability, a controlled resorption rate, antibacterial properties, and the potential to accelerate osseointegration.

Modern artificial intelligence systems are rarely trained “from scratch.” Much more often, a model is first trained to perform one task, and the knowledge it has acquired is then used to solve another. This transfer can significantly reduce training time and the amount of data required. However, it is often impossible to determine in advance whether a model will retain its accuracy after such a transition.

A NUST MISIS researcher has proposed a mathematical solution to this problem. He developed a theorem that describes the conditions under which knowledge can be reliably transferred between machine learning models. Unlike traditional methods based primarily on experimental testing, the new approach makes it possible to obtain a formal mathematical proof that the transfer will be correct.

The work is based on mathematical logic, a framework widely used to verify the correctness of complex computer systems. The researcher adapted it to artificial intelligence tasks by linking the knowledge transfer process to Hoare logic, one of the best-known methods of formal program verification. This makes it possible not only to evaluate model performance experimentally, but also to prove the conditions under which the model will retain its properties after being trained on new data.

“The proposed mathematical framework could serve as a foundation for developing more reliable AI systems, particularly in areas where errors are unacceptable, such as medicine, industry, robotics, and autonomous transportation. In the future, the method could be used to verify algorithms before they are deployed in real-world systems, making artificial intelligence technologies more predictable and safer,” said Nikita Yuryevich Nikitin, a researcher at the College of New Materials at NUST MISIS.

Detailed results of the study have been published in the journal Scientific Reports (Q1). The research was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 23-73-00131).

Today, additive manufacturing makes it possible to produce complex-shaped components that cannot be manufactured using conventional casting methods. Aluminum-silicon alloys, known as silumins, are the most commonly used materials for laser metal 3D printing. However, such structures quickly lose strength when exposed to prolonged heating, and their properties are difficult to improve through heat treatment. Nickel, cerium, or copper are therefore added to aluminum alloys to improve their heat resistance and high-temperature strength, but this increases the material’s density and cost. To address this issue, researchers at NUST MISIS have proposed an alternative based on an aluminum-calcium alloy system.

“The denser the material, the stronger it is and the lower the likelihood of cracks forming during operation. We managed to reduce the porosity of the samples by selecting the optimal combination of laser power and printing speed. At the same time, calcium can replace expensive alloying elements without compromising their effectiveness, while reducing the density of the material,” Nikolai Letyagin, PhD in Engineering, lead engineer of the research project at the Department of Metal Forming at NUST MISIS.

The samples withstand tensile loads of up to 366 MPa while being able to elongate by 30% before failure. This combination of high strength and ductility allows components to withstand mechanical loads more effectively, reducing the risk of sudden failure. The detailed research findings are available in the scientific journal Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing (Q1).

“One of the key advantages of the new alloy is its resistance to high temperatures. After heating to 300°C, it retains almost all of its hardness, whereas the hardness of conventional aluminum-silicon materials decreases by approximately one-third. This makes the alloy suitable for manufacturing components that operate at high temperatures, such as those used in engines and power systems,” Torgom Akopyan, DSc in Engineering, senior research scientist at the Department of Metal Forming at NUST MISIS.

The research was supported by grants from the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education (FZRR-2026-0005) and the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 23-79-10147).

The meeting was attended by VAST President Tran Hong Thai, Rosatom Director for Quantum Technologies Ekaterina Solntseva, First Vice-Rector of NUST MISIS Sergey Salikhov, and Nikolai Kolachevsky, Director of the P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, academician and scientific coordinator of the national quantum computing roadmap.

The roadmap will cover several areas, including the joint development of Vietnam’s quantum technology development roadmap, workforce training, the establishment of research laboratories, and the development of quantum computing infrastructure more broadly.

“Quantum technologies are a new and groundbreaking field that requires significant investment. Studying the experience of leading countries such as Russia will enable Vietnam to significantly accelerate the development of its talent pool and its own technological capabilities,” said Tran Hong Thai.

The parties also plan to conduct joint research, including through the use of Russia’s quantum computing infrastructure, and exchange scientific expertise. In particular, VAST intends to invite leading Russian specialists to Vietnam to work on joint projects and lead specific areas of research.

The University of Science and Technology MISIS is a member of the ecosystem supporting Russia’s national quantum computing roadmap, led by Rosatom, and is developing a superconducting quantum computer. MISIS is also involved in the strategic technology project “Quantum Internet” under the Priority 2030 state programme, through which the university is steadily expanding its cooperation with scientific and educational institutions in Vietnam.

In 2025, Vietnam National University became a partner of MISIS. The university contributes to the development of Vietnam’s quantum technology programme. Last autumn, MISIS researchers took part in the first meeting on quantum technologies in Hanoi, aimed at developing Vietnam’s quantum science and technology ecosystem. Alexey Ustinov, Head of the Laboratory of Superconducting Quantum Technologies at NUST MISIS, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Professor, is one of the world’s leading scientists in the field of quantum technologies. He was appointed Honorary Director of the Institute of Quantum Technologies at the High-Tech and Innovation Park of Vietnam National University in Hanoi.

In spring 2026, the university was visited by Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. During his visit, he discussed promising areas of cooperation in science and education and the development of closer academic ties. The Prime Minister also viewed MISIS researchers’ work in quantum technologies and student projects in robotics and met with Vietnamese students.

Until now, the effects of degradation inside the human body on the properties of polymer implants — including their strength, structure, and ability to interact with bone tissue cells — have not been fully understood.

“When developing biodegradable implants, it is important to understand exactly how the material’s properties will change over time. We compared two types of fillers for polylactide and found that hydroxyapatite provides the best balance of mechanical stability and biological activity, while silicon dioxide, by contrast, causes the material to become more brittle and lose strength more rapidly. These findings will help developers make informed choices about the material composition depending on the required properties of the final implant,” Anna Cheremnykh, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, Research Scientist at the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Research and Education Laboratory at NUST MISIS.

Among the materials studied, hydroxyapatite-based composites proved to be the most promising, particularly those containing 10–15 wt.% hydroxyapatite. The scientists demonstrated that these compositions offered an optimal combination of mechanical properties, were safe for cells, and most effectively promoted cell adhesion. The findings are published in the Journal of Polymer Research (Q2).

“Cells adhered more actively to the surfaces of samples that had already undergone biodegradation than to freshly printed ones — especially when the material contained hydroxyapatite, the same mineral that makes up bone tissue. This suggests that as the material degrades, the implant surface becomes more favorable for the attachment of cells involved in bone regeneration,” Fedor Senatov, DSc in Physics and Mathematics, Director of College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS.

According to Altevina Chernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS, the university is implementing the strategic technology project Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials as part of the national Priority 2030"program. The project focuses on developing and commercializing new products and technologies and training engineers for a rapidly growing industry. University scientists are developing solutions designed to improve the quality of life for millions of people and make treatment faster and more effective in complex medical cases.

The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Grant No. 24-23-00442).

During an X-ray examination, some of the radiation passing through the body’s tissues is scattered, creating background interference that reduces image contrast and can obscure fine details. Special anti-scatter grids are used to minimize this effect. Traditionally, such filters are made of lead, but the material’s low mechanical strength and manufacturing challenges mean they must have a certain shape and be relatively thick. As a result, the structures absorb some of the useful X-ray radiation, often making it necessary to increase the radiation dose to obtain a high-quality image.

Researchers at NUST MISIS, the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute Research Centre, and Moscow Polytechnic University have proposed using 3D printing to manufacture tungsten grids with a new design featuring converging channels. Unlike conventional structures with parallel partitions, the channels in the new filter are aligned with the direction of the X-ray beam. This allows the grid to block scattered radiation more effectively while barely weakening the primary X-ray beam. Tungsten’s high density also made it possible to create partitions three times thinner than those of comparable designs, further reducing the absorption of useful radiation while maintaining effective suppression of scattered photons.

“We successfully produced a thin-walled grid structure using selective laser melting of micron-sized tungsten powder. This approach makes it possible to significantly reduce the thickness of structural elements and create the geometry required for the beam of a specific X-ray system. We then tested the grid under conditions close to those of real diagnostic imaging. X-ray images were taken using a model of the human pelvic region, with special test markers placed at points that needed to be distinguished in the image. Without the filter, the image consisted largely of background noise, and the shadows of the markers were barely visible. With the grid in place, however, they could be clearly seen,” Stanislav Chernyshikhin, Head of the Additive Manufacturing Laboratory at MISIS University.

To assess the tungsten grid’s performance under more challenging conditions, the researchers placed a layer of acrylic glass in front of the pelvic model to simulate human tissue. Without the grid, the test markers were almost completely lost in the noise, whereas with the filter, they remained clearly distinguishable. Detailed results of the study were published in the journal Bulletin of the Lebedev Physics Institute.

“Another challenge was ensuring that the filter itself did not interfere with image acquisition, since even thin partitions leave their own imprint on the image. We demonstrated that this shadow can be removed through digital processing using the fast Fourier transform without any loss of diagnostic information. The same approach is used with conventional lead filters,” Igor Dyachkov, an engineer at the MegaScience Infrastructure Cooperation and Partnership Center at MISIS University.

According to the researchers, the benefits of a thinner grid will be particularly noticeable when examining dense areas of the body, where scattered radiation causes the greatest image distortion. These are precisely the scenarios that pose the greatest challenges in clinical practice.

“Supporting universities is not charity for us; it is about building a long-term technology partnership. We see the NUST MISIS Endowment Fund as a flexible tool that enables us to quickly invest in breakthrough engineering solutions while avoiding bureaucratic barriers. This approach to managing the endowment makes cooperation with the university truly productive and future-oriented,” said Dmitry Zauers, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprombank.

The contribution is one of the largest in the Fund’s history and underscores the long-standing partnership between the bank and the university, united by a common goal of supporting science and education.

Alevtina Chernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS, said: “Over 15 years of active work, the NUST MISIS Endowment Fund has supported around 200 projects totaling more than RUB 150 million. Today, our Fund ranks among the top 10 university endowments in Russia by size and among the top five in terms of development dynamics. Our donors are primarily academic and industrial partners, friends of NUST MISIS, as well as alumni from different years who have achieved professional success and returned to their alma mater to support a new generation of students and researchers. The contribution from Gazprombank, our key business partner, will help the university support researchers who are shaping the current scientific and educational agenda.”

For the first time, the NUST MISIS Endowment Fund has received an opportunity to finance scientific research in the form of grants, marking a transition to a new model in which the endowment serves as a launchpad for technology projects.

Fedor Senatov, Head of the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS, noted: “Part of the funding will be used to modernize the Institute’s technological infrastructure in the organ-on-a-chip field. We will expand our capabilities in developing microfluidic systems and improving long-term cultivation technologies for several types of cells, enabling us to reproduce the properties of tissues from different organs. The development of these competencies has already significantly increased the interest of industrial partners in joint research.”

Research in the field of additive manufacturing of metal products will also receive support. A team from the College of Materials Science, Additive and Scalable Technologies at NUST MISIS, together with M-Shape, will develop extrusion 3D printing technology for metal-filled polymers. This approach makes it possible to produce parts without melting the metal, which is particularly important when working with brittle and refractory materials, and opens up new opportunities for medicine, mechanical engineering, and the oil and gas industry.

“The contribution from Gazprombank will enable us to deepen our research into extrusion 3D printing technology for metal products, which expands the possibilities for manufacturing parts from materials that are difficult to process using conventional methods. Together with M-Shape (‘М-Шейп’), we are improving every stage of the technological process, from developing the material composition to optimizing printing and sintering parameters, as well as studying the properties of the resulting samples. This technology has significant potential for applications in power engineering, the chemical and oil and gas industries, as well as in the production of medical equipment,” said Alexander Komissarov, Head of the College of Materials Science, Additive and Scalable Technologies at NUST MISIS.

The NUST MISIS Endowment Fund was established in 2011 to provide long-term support for the university’s strategic initiatives. As of May 2026, its assets amount to RUB 731 million.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease in which joint cartilage gradually deteriorates and inflammation develops. Today, nearly 600 million people worldwide live with this diagnosis.

“Materials and technologies in biomedical engineering developed by scientists at NUST MISIS are being successfully introduced into medical practice and can significantly improve the quality of life of many patients. At our university, we have developed a prototype of a sustained-release hydrogel based on alginate and sodium hyaluronate for the local treatment of osteoarthritis, one of the most common degenerative joint diseases. The innovative technology delivers an anti-inflammatory drug directly to the affected area of the joint and gradually releases it over a period of two weeks. This eliminates the need for repeated procedures and accelerates treatment,” said Alevtina Chernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS.

Current treatment is primarily symptomatic. At the same time, most drugs have a short-term effect or may negatively affect the entire body, potentially causing side effects. Although existing intra-articular injections deliver medication directly to the site of inflammation, their effects are also limited in duration.

Researchers at NUST MISIS have proposed an alternative approach — an injectable system in which the hydrogel components are administered directly into the joint, where they mix and form a gel matrix. The matrix retains the drug at the site of inflammation and gradually releases it over an extended period. The material is based on two natural polymers — alginate and sodium hyaluronate. The former forms a strong gel structure, while the latter is a natural component of synovial fluid and helps maintain its cushioning properties.

“We developed a two-component delivery system. Before injection, its components are kept in separate syringes and are mixed directly in the joint during administration. As a result, a hydrogel is formed that fills the injection site, retains the drug and gradually releases it. We selected the material composition so that the gel could form immediately after injection while maintaining the required mechanical properties,” said Dmitry Voytsekhovsky, co-author of the study and a graduate of the Engineering Biotechnology program at the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS.

As an anti-inflammatory agent, the researchers used ibuprofen. Experiments showed that the hydrogel initially releases part of the drug rapidly, helping to suppress inflammation promptly, and then gradually releases the remaining amount over approximately two weeks. This makes it possible to maintain a therapeutic concentration of the anti-inflammatory compound in the joint area without the need for frequent repeat injections.

“We tested the safety of the new material in vitro using human cell cultures. The hydrogel showed no toxic effects on connective and cartilage tissue cells, confirming its cytocompatibility. In addition, in combination with ibuprofen, it promotes the transition of immune cells — macrophages — into a state associated with suppression of inflammation and tissue repair. Compared with the control group, the magnitude of this effect increased more than tenfold, confirming the anti-inflammatory properties of the developed system,” said Ekaterina Kuvshinova, leading expert of the research project at the Scientific and Educational Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at NUST MISIS.

The findings could provide a basis for developing new approaches to the treatment of degenerative joint diseases. In the future, the technology could make osteoarthritis treatment more effective, reduce the overall drug burden on the body and improve patients’ quality of life.

The research contributes to the objectives of NUST MISIS’ strategic technology project “Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials”, implemented under the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s Priority 2030 program.

“Applicants’ projects were presented and evaluated at 17 venues, from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Krasnoyarsk and Vladivostok. The winners represent 66 regions — four more than last year. A quarter of them will have the opportunity to implement their developments together with industrial partners, which have prepared technology challenges for competition participants for the first time this year,” Director General of the Foundation Andrey Zhizhin.

NUST MISIS Rector Alevtina Chernikova: “At MISIS University, we create an environment that encourages scientific exploration: from their first years of study, our students become immersed in the fascinating world of research together with leading scientists. The university actively supports student scientific societies, design bureaus, and project offices. We also pay special attention to technology entrepreneurship, helping young people develop the skills and competencies needed to launch their own startups and create high-tech production based on university research. I congratulate the UMNIK grant competition winners and wish them continued success!”

The following projects will receive grant support:

“Development and study of a magnetically controlled antimicrobial system based on hollow iron-nickel-copper microspheres to prevent periprosthetic infections and post-implantation complications.” Author — Irina Rysak, fourth-year student at College of New Materials.

“Development of a search-and-rescue unmanned aerial system for detecting people in hard-to-reach areas using computer vision and autonomous navigation.” Author — Maksim Karpenko, fourth-year student at College of Computer Sciences.

“Development of a technology for producing small-diameter bars from two-phase titanium alloy ingots using radial-shear rolling.” Author — Anna Khakimova, research project engineer at the Department of Metal Forming and master’s student at College of Technologies.

“Development of an additive manufacturing technology for extrusion tooling with integrated cooling channels of complex geometry.” Author — Mikhail Gilvitinov, master’s student at College of Materials Science, Additive and Scalable Technologies.

“Development of high-entropy oxide catalysts for biogas enrichment.” Author — Kseniya Kokina, research laboratory assistant at the “Inorganic Nanomaterials” Research Center and PhD student at College of New Materials.

“Development of a magnetically controlled module for removing kidney stone fragments.” Author — Danil Abramov, master’s student at College of Materials Science, Additive and Scalable Technologies.

“Development of a technology for producing rare-earth-free hard magnetic materials based on the Mn—Al system using additive manufacturing.” Author — Konstantin Nechaev, research project engineer at the Department of Physical Materials Science and PhD student at College of New Materials.

“Development of a non-magnetic corrosion-resistant β-titanium elinvar material for elastic sensing elements of accelerometers operating under extreme conditions.” Author — Alexandra Baranova, PhD student at College of Technologies.

Congratulations to the winners!

When the body repairs damaged tissue, inflammation develops at the wound site. However, if this process is prolonged, excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species — chemically active molecules capable of damaging cells — accumulate in the tissues. This condition is known as oxidative stress. It is considered one of the key causes of delayed wound healing, particularly in chronic skin injuries.

To address this problem, a team from the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS developed a hydrogel system based on sodium alginate, a natural polymer derived from brown algae. Dendrimers were used to stabilize the structure and serve as molecular containers for delivering the active component. As the antioxidant agent, the researchers used a metalloporphyrin capable of mimicking the activity of the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which protects cells from excessive levels of reactive oxygen species.

The developed system combines the functions of all its components. Dendrimers ensure efficient loading of the porphyrin and protect it from premature degradation, while the hydrogel matrix provides conditions for its gradual release directly at the site of injury. The study showed that most of the antioxidant is released in a controlled manner during the first 24 hours. This mechanism is particularly important during the early stages of wound healing, when cells are most vulnerable to oxidative stress.

The researchers confirmed the stability of the system and the effective incorporation of the antioxidant component into the material. In addition, the hydrogel maintained its structural integrity over an extended period and demonstrated the properties required for use in modern medical coatings.

“Biological tests were conducted on human skin cells. The results showed that the material had no toxic effect on keratinocytes and fibroblasts, the main cells involved in the regeneration of skin tissue. Their viability remained high even after several days of contact with the hydrogel,” said Nikita Yabbarov, Associate Professor at the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS.

After confirming the material’s biocompatibility, the researchers evaluated the functional activity of the hydrogel under conditions of artificially induced oxidative stress. The experiments showed that the system significantly reduced excessive levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species. This also confirms the ability of the developed formulation to protect cells from oxidative damage.

“Another important result was the material’s effect on immune cells — macrophages. They play a key role in wound healing: some types promote inflammation, while others, on the contrary, contribute to tissue repair. The developed hydrogel stimulated the transition of macrophages to a pro-regenerative state, which is associated with the formation of new tissue and the resolution of the inflammatory process,” said Darya Zinovieva, co-author of the study and a student at the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS.

Fedor Senatov, Director of the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS, said: “The results allow us to consider the new hydrogel system as a promising platform for developing advanced biocompatible wound-healing coatings. In the future, the technology could form the basis for materials designed to restore skin and mucous membranes where it is necessary to simultaneously control inflammation, protect cells from oxidative damage, and stimulate natural regenerative processes. It is particularly important to note that this undergraduate thesis was carried out at the level of a serious scientific study. The research topic and its relevance were driven by the partners of our university within the Health Engineering consortium, established at the initiative of MISIS as part of the Priority 2030 program.”

Infrared detectors are used in industrial monitoring, medicine, environmental science, night-vision systems, and space technology. Typically, such devices operate according to one of two principles: either photoelectric sensors directly convert photons into an electrical signal, or thermal sensors detect changes in material properties caused by heating under radiation.

To address this limitation, the scientists developed an innovative infrared sensor based on lead telluride single crystals. For the first time, the device combines two radiation-detection mechanisms — photoelectric and thermal — thereby improving the efficiency of object detection.

“We have shown that a single semiconductor element can detect infrared radiation through two different physical mechanisms. At the same time, the mechanisms have virtually no effect on each other. When exposed to mid-wave infrared radiation with wavelengths of 2–5 μm, the device operates as a conventional photodiode: photons generate an electrical signal through the creation of electron-hole pairs. At longer wavelengths, starting from 10.6 μm, a different mechanism is activated — the barrier pyroelectric effect,” said Danil Kobtsev, Research Assistant at the Laboratory of Photonic Gas Sensors at NUST MISIS.

Lead telluride is widely used in mid-wave infrared photodetectors due to its high sensitivity to this type of radiation. At the same time, the occurrence of the pyroelectric effect on its surface had previously been considered impossible, since according to classical physics, this phenomenon can only be observed in materials without a center of symmetry, such as barium titanate and lithium tantalate. When the temperature of such crystals changes, an electric charge develops on their surface, which can be used to detect infrared radiation.

“Lead telluride is a material with a center of symmetry and cannot exhibit the pyroelectric effect under normal conditions. We introduced an indium impurity into the material and formed a p—n junction, which created an internal electric field inside the crystal. This field broke the local symmetry by shifting the ion sublattices relative to each other. As a result, due to the strong temperature dependence of the dielectric permittivity of lead telluride, we obtained a large electrical signal that can be used to detect radiation with an energy below the bandgap. At the same time, the material retained all of its conventional photoelectric properties, making it possible to combine two infrared radiation detection mechanisms in a single device,” explained Vadim Kovalyuk, Head of the Laboratory of Photonic Gases at NUST MISIS.

The researchers confirmed the performance of the experimental samples within the temperature range typical of high-precision detectors, from −233 to −83 °C. Tests demonstrated high sensitivity in the photoelectric mode, a stable thermal response, and stable performance during prolonged operation. The details of the study have been published in the Journal of Applied Physics (Q2).

“The proposed semiconductor architecture provides a foundation for developing universal, compact, and precise array sensors that can be used in thermal imaging, surveillance systems, industrial diagnostics, and scientific research,” said Grigory Goltsman, Chief Research Scientist at the Laboratory of the Quantum Communications Competence Center of NTI at NUST MISIS.

The project was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 23-79-00056) and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Project No. FSME-2025-0002).

Microtia, a congenital abnormality of the external ear, occurs in approximately one in 10,000 newborns on average. However, current methods of reconstructing this organ still have several limitations. Autologous cartilage transplantation, in which material for the implant is taken from the patient’s own body, is associated with surgical risks such as bleeding and tissue damage, while synthetic implants made of porous polyethylene are often rejected by the body and can become a source of infection.

Biopolymer constructs printed using a 3D bioprinter avoid these drawbacks, but after implantation they often become deformed under the pressure of contracting skin. To improve implant integration after surgery, specialists from NUST MISIS, together with colleagues from the National Clinical Research Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency, the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, the E. I. Chazov National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, the N. N. Priorov National Medical Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics, the Institute of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetology, the biotechnology company Imtek, and 3D Bioprinting Solutions developed a hybrid 3D printing method.

“We combined two different groups of materials in a single hybrid 3D bioprinting process: a porous and elastic polymer framework that provided the required biomechanics, and a soft collagen material with chondrocytes that enabled vascular network formation and rapid integration of the implant into the body. We tested two versions of the bioprosthesis framework — one with polylactide ribs and one without them. The conventional implant collapsed under load and lost half of its shape. The ribs increased the structure’s resistance to deformation by 44%,” Fedor Senatov, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Director of College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS.

The researchers filled the pores of the framework with a collagen hydrogel containing living chondrocytes — cells that eventually form the body’s own cartilage tissue, which is not rejected by the immune system as a foreign material. The collagen hydrogel also supports active vascular network development, which is essential because implants without blood vessels remain vulnerable to infections due to the lack of immune cell access.

Details of the study are available in the journal International Journal of Bioprinting (Q1).

“We observed connective tissue and small blood vessels growing throughout the entire volume of the implant. In constructs containing chondrocytes, clusters of mature cartilage cells formed, which, if successful, will give rise to new cartilage tissue inside the pores of this improved bioprosthesis. Three-month in vivo tests showed that the artificial ears successfully integrated, caused no inflammation or rejection, and retained their anatomical shape,” Sergey Zhirnov, the lead author of the study and an engineer on a research project at the Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at NUST MISIS.

The work was supported financially by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (FSME-2026-0018). The researchers’ next step is to conduct clinical trials of the improved implant.

According to Alevtina Chernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS, university researchers have been conducting biomedical studies for several years within the university’s strategic technology project “Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials,” implemented under the national “Priority 2030” program. Their developments help improve people’s quality of life significantly.

Every year, up to 90% of drugs that show promising results in vitro and in animal studies later prove ineffective in humans. One reason for this discrepancy is species differences, as well as limitations of existing preclinical models, which do not reliably predict how the human body will respond. Unreliable preclinical models account for up to 75% of all spending on new drug development.

Permeability is the ability of a barrier to allow substances to pass through it. In the intestine, permeability determines how drugs and nutrients move from the intestinal lumen into the bloodstream. To measure it, a marker substance is passed through a membrane, and researchers record how much of it reaches the other side and how long the process takes. The closer this value is to that of actual human tissue, the more reliable the model is considered to be.

“The standard for studying the intestinal barrier in vitro remains Caco-2 cells cultured on Transwell inserts. This system consists of a flat monolayer that lacks the characteristic ‘villus-crypt’ relief of the intestinal mucosa. The resulting barrier is also three times denser than human intestinal tissue, which significantly reduces its permeability to soluble substances,” Elizaveta Kudan, DSc in Biology and professor at the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS.

To address this issue, researchers at NUST MISIS developed a method for producing membranes from polycaprolactone, a biocompatible polymer already used in medicine. The scientists demonstrated that the permeability of the new membrane is two orders of magnitude closer to that of actual human tissue than the standard laboratory model.

“We were able to create a membrane with a stable microrelief that does not flatten out. It is precisely the combination of its structure and carefully selected porosity that allows us to grow intestinal epithelial cells on its surface. These cells form a living barrier that can mimic both healthy intestinal mucosa and disease models. To ensure that the cells were distributed evenly across the complex surface, we additionally treated it with chitosan and polyglutamic acid,” Valentina Kostenko, a co-author of the study and graduate of the iPhD Biomaterials Science program at NUST MISIS.

According to NUST MISIS Rector Alevtina Chernikova, researchers at the university have been conducting biomedical research for several years as part of the strategic technology project “Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials,” implemented under the national Priority 2030 program. Their work is aimed at developing technologies that can significantly improve people’s quality of life.

A patent application has already been filed for the method of producing the biomimetic membrane.

“Targeted drug delivery systems like this represent one of the most promising directions in modern oncology. Nearly 20 million new cancer cases are diagnosed worldwide every year, and chemotherapy remains the primary treatment for a large proportion of patients. Our goal is to develop technologies that make this treatment safer,” said Elena Nikolskaya, PhD in Chemistry and Associate Professor at the College of Biomedical Engineering at NUST MISIS.

Dactinomycin is an anticancer antibiotic used to treat several types of cancer, including melanoma. However, its clinical use is limited by severe side effects, including systemic toxicity, suppression of blood cell production, and damage to the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, physicians often have to reduce the dosage or replace it with less toxic — though sometimes less effective — alternatives. To address this challenge, the researchers proposed delivering the drug using nanoparticles that reduce the exposure of healthy tissues to the highly toxic active compound while enabling its selective accumulation and sustained release within tumors.

“We coated the nanoparticles with membranes derived from melanoma cells. This approach offers two major advantages. First, the immune system is less likely to recognize and eliminate these particles before they reach the tumor. Second, cancer cells preferentially absorb particles with surface characteristics similar to their own, allowing the drug to accumulate precisely where it is needed. The more selectively a nanoparticle targets the tumor, the less toxic drug circulates throughout the body and reaches healthy organs. This reduces both the risk of side effects and the likelihood of treatment resistance,” explained Maxim Vershinin, co-author of the study and a graduate of the Engineering Biotechnology track at NUST MISIS.

The researchers optimized the synthesis conditions to maximize the drug loading capacity of the nanoparticles while ensuring gradual drug release followed by safe biodegradation. In vitro experiments showed that the developed nanoparticles entered tumor cells more efficiently than the conventional formulation and were more than twice as effective at killing melanoma cells.

The project received the award for Best Presentation at BIOTECH FORUM 2025 in Almetyevsk and was also awarded second-degree diplomas at both the Lomonosov 2025 International Conference and the Biochemical Physics 2025 conference.

The research was carried out as part of the Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials strategic project at NUST MISIS under Russia’s Priority 2030 academic leadership program.

Nerve cells are sensitive not only to chemical and electrical signals but also to mechanical forces arising from injuries and various diseases. However, the mechanisms by which cells detect and process such signals remain poorly understood.

“For several years, a research team at NUST MISIS led by Alexander Erofeev has been developing innovative technologies for medicine. The scientists have created a new approach for studying brain cells based on scanning ion conductance microscopy. Using an ultrafine glass nanopipette, researchers can apply mechanical stimulation to specific regions of a cell with extremely high precision, down to tens of nanometers. The technique does not damage the cell and simultaneously measures changes in its properties in real time. This technology opens up new opportunities for investigating the mechanisms of nervous system function and, in the future, could be used to study the consequences of traumatic brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, and the regeneration of nervous tissue after damage,” said Alevtina Chernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS.

The researchers conducted experiments on hippocampal neurons, which is a region of the brain responsible for learning and memory, as well as on astrocytes, the cells that support and protect neurons. They applied localized mechanical stimulation to different parts of the cells and monitored their responses.

“We found that different types of nervous system cells respond to mechanical stimulation in distinct ways. When the cell body of a neuron was stimulated, it became stiffer. This response was associated with the reorganization of the cell’s internal scaffold, or cytoskeleton. In contrast, stimulating neuronal processes produced no such effect. Astrocytes displayed even more complex behavior. Stimulating the central part of the cell caused temporary softening, whereas stimulation of their processes increased stiffness. This suggests that different nervous system cells are able to ‘filter’ physical signals: the metabolic center of neurons is well protected from incidental mechanical disturbances, while the thin processes of astrocytes are highly sensitive to localized mechanical cues, which is critical for sensing external stimuli,” said Alexander Erofeev, Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics, Head of the Research Laboratory of Biophysics at NUST MISIS.

To determine the cause of these changes, the researchers temporarily blocked the activity of the actin cytoskeleton, one of the key structural components of the cell. After this intervention, the mechanical responses almost completely disappeared. The findings confirmed that cytoskeletal reorganization plays a central role in the cellular response to mechanical stimulation. The results have been published in the journal ChemBioChem (Q1).

“The proposed method not only enables the application of precisely controlled mechanical forces to individual regions of a living cell but also allows researchers to monitor changes in its properties in real time,” said Vasily Kolmogorov, Engineer at the Research Laboratory of Biophysics at NUST MISIS.

The study was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 25-14-00295).

Neutral atoms are among the most promising platforms for implementing qubits, and interest in this technology continues to grow. Recently, Google Quantum AI also launched research in this area. To enable interactions between qubits, atoms are temporarily excited into highly excited Rydberg states, which dramatically enhance the interaction strength. But only over short distances. Two distant qubits cannot interact directly, so operations between them must be performed through a chain of intermediate atoms. Since each additional operation introduces a certain probability of error, and the chain length increases proportionally with processor size, the overall computational accuracy decreases. As a result, the probability of successfully executing a logical operation drops exponentially as the number of qubits grows.

“Existing neutral-atom quantum processors resemble a city where you can only talk to your nearest neighbor. To send a message across town, it has to be passed from person to person, with the meaning becoming slightly distorted each time. We have proposed a scheme in which the number of operations is fixed and does not depend on the size of the system. In other words, the information bypasses unnecessary intermediaries and reaches its destination without degradation,” said Ivan Dudinets, Research Fellow at the Russian Quantum Center.

The researchers divide qubits into two categories. Computational qubits remain fixed in a static array of optical tweezers throughout the computation. Messenger qubits, which are special mobile atoms, transport quantum information between any two computational qubits. A messenger atom approaches the first qubit, acquires its quantum state, moves to the second qubit, and performs the required quantum operation. The messenger can then either be discarded or reused.

The proposed concept includes five different architectures, distinguished by the way messenger atoms are transported. These include conveyor-belt schemes using moving optical traps, a free-flight approach in which atoms travel ballistically before being recaptured, and hybrid architectures combining routing strategies with quantum teleportation. The full results have been published in the leading international journal Physical Review A.

“All five architectures solve the same fundamental problem. The difference lies in how the messenger qubit is transported. In conveyor architectures, the atom travels inside a moving optical trap. In free-flight schemes, it is launched like a projectile and interacts with qubits while in motion. Hybrid architectures employing quantum teleportation reduce the number of operations by measuring the qubit directly during computation. At present, the bidirectional conveyor architecture appears to be the most experimentally feasible, since all of its essential components have already been demonstrated. However, it also requires the largest number of operations and is therefore the most sensitive to the fidelity of physical gates. We see strong potential for its experimental implementation,” said Alexey Fedorov, PhD, Head of the College of Physics and Quantum Engineering at NUST MISIS.

The research was supported by Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation under the Quantum Computing Roadmap (Agreement No. 868-1.3-15/15-2021, dated October 5, 2021). The work carried out at NUST MISIS was conducted within the framework of the strategic technological project “Quantum Internet” under the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s Priority 2030 program.

Early detection of plant diseases is one of the key challenges in agriculture. In practice, leaf photographs are often taken directly in the field, where image quality is affected by lighting, weather conditions, and the surrounding environment. As a result, even state-of-the-art computer vision systems can produce inaccurate results. Researchers at NUST MISIS have proposed a new approach to improve the reliability of these systems. Their solution is based on the HiP²-Net neural network architecture, which enables the algorithm to account for the specific characteristics of individual crop species.

“At NUST MISIS, we embrace the global trend toward the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence across diverse sectors of the economy. Under the leadership of Evgeny Korzhov, PhD in Engineering and Head of the Department of Computer-Aided Design, our researchers have developed a new neural network—based algorithm that analyzes leaf images while simultaneously identifying the plant species, detecting disease symptoms, and determining the type of disease. Looking ahead, this technology could serve as the foundation for mobile applications and digital services for the agricultural sector, enabling faster detection of crop diseases and helping reduce yield losses,” said rector of NUST MISIS Alevtina Chernikova.

To train the system, the researchers employed data augmentation, applying additional image transformations, including the simulation of small disease lesions on leaves. This approach enables the algorithm to recognize subtle and early-stage disease symptoms that are often difficult to detect in the initial phases of infection.

“The algorithm also incorporates information about the image’s ’greenness,’ allowing it to better distinguish leaf tissue while minimizing the effects of shadows, glare, and distracting background elements. This is particularly important for adapting such systems to real-world imaging conditions,” Ali Salem Muthana, postgraduate researcher at the Department of Computer-Aided Design at NUST MISIS.

The newly developed model achieved higher accuracy than the baseline neural network model: the proportion of correctly identified cases increased from 87.5% to more than 93% on the experimental dataset. The system was better at detecting mild disease symptoms, proved less sensitive to variations in background and lighting, and interpretation maps showed that the model focused on biologically meaningful features such as leaf veins, spots, and damaged tissue. The full results have been published in the scientific journal Discrete and Continuous Models and Applied Computational Science.

“When making predictions, the model focuses on the characteristic features of plant diseases—such as leaf veins, spots, and damaged areas—rather than on incidental elements in the image. In the future, this technology could be integrated into mobile applications for farmers, cloud-based crop monitoring platforms, and digital agriculture systems,” Elena Lyapuntsova, EngD, professor in the Department of Computer-Aided Design at NUST MISIS.

The research team plans to expand the database of crop species and diseases and further adapt the technology to work with photographs captured directly in field conditions, including natural lighting, complex backgrounds, and varying image quality.

The NCUT delegation included President Zhang Lifeng, Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Han Fei, Dean of the School of Civil Engineering Ji Yingbo, and Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges Xu Mei.

The guests were welcomed by Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Mikhail Filonov: “The continuous expansion of cooperation with China’s leading universities is aligned with the objectives of MISIS under the Priority 2030 program, which focuses on developing international academic mobility for students, researchers, and faculty members in order to enhance qualifications, exchange experience, and implement best educational and research practices. I am confident that this agreement will open up new opportunities for both sides.”

Vladimir Pirozhkov, Director of the Engineering Center of High-Complexity Prototyping “Kinetica” at MISIS, presented the center’s key projects and spoke about its capabilities in industrial design, digital engineering, and the development of high-tech products.

At the Laboratory of Hybrid Nanostructured Materials, the Chinese colleagues were introduced to the university’s promising developments in advanced materials and additive manufacturing.

Alexander Komissarov, Director of the College of Materials Science, Additive and Scalable Technologies, presented modern educational programs and approaches to training engineering professionals for high-tech industries.

The discussion on future cooperation was attended by Dmitry Vasilyev, Director for International Affairs; Andrey Travyanov, Director of the College of Technologies; Konstantin Grigorovich, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Professor of the Department of Steel Metallurgy, New Production Technologies and Metal Protection; Evgeny Levashov, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Department of Powder Metallurgy and Functional Coatings, and Director of the MISIS—ISMAN Scientific and Educational Center for Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS); Natalia Korotchenko, Director of the Information and Marketing Center; and Yury Rishko, Head of the Academic Affairs Office.

The parties discussed the development of joint research projects in areas of mutual interest and explored opportunities for representatives of both universities to participate in joint seminars, scientific conferences, and other academic events.

The signed memorandum supports the objectives of the Russia—China Cross Years of Education initiative, aimed at promoting academic mobility, developing joint educational projects, and strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Nickel—titanium alloy is notoriously difficult to machine, and manufacturing components from it typically requires numerous additional processing steps. As a result, increasing attention is being paid to additive manufacturing technologies, particularly laser-based 3D printing using metal powders.

Researchers from NUST MISIS and the P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences investigated how laser-printing parameters affect the properties of nickel—titanium alloy. To do this, they produced thin-walled specimens using the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) process, in which a laser selectively melts metal powder layer by layer. The team varied laser power and scanning speed to determine how these parameters influence the material’s structure and functional behavior.

“For several decades, NUST MISIS has been advancing research in shape memory alloys. The materials and technologies developed by our scientists are now widely used across various sectors of Russian industry and have been successfully implemented in production. In this study, NUST MISIS researchers examined how 3D-printing parameters affect the properties of a nickel—titanium-based alloy. Owing to its unique combination of strength, flexibility, and ability to return to its original shape, this material is widely used in medicine, aerospace engineering, robotics, and microelectronics. It is the alloy used, for example, in vascular stents, orthodontic archwires, and certain types of implants. The results of this research pave the way for the development of improved medical devices, miniature actuators, and components for 4D printing,” said Alevtina Chernikova, Rector of NUST MISIS.

The study also showed that under less intensive printing conditions the alloy retains high superelasticity, which is the ability to undergo deformation and fully recover without damage. Under more intense laser exposure, the material exhibits a stronger shape memory effect.

This approach is particularly important for 4D printing, an emerging field in which printed objects can change their shape or properties over time in response to temperature, mechanical load, or other external stimuli. The ability to predetermine material behavior opens the door to a new generation of smart structures.

“The key outcome of this work is the confirmation that the alloy’s properties can be tuned directly during the printing process, without additional heat treatment. We found that changing the printing parameters can shift the phase transformation temperature by nearly 45°C. In other words, we gained the ability to control the point at which the material begins to recover its shape or display superelasticity,” said PhD Stanislav Chernyshikhin, Head of the Laboratory of Additive Manufacturing at NUST MISIS.

The findings may prove valuable for the production of personalized medical implants, miniature mechanisms, flexible joints, and robotic devices. In addition, the study could serve as a foundation for developing industrial printing protocols for nickel—titanium alloys with predefined characteristics tailored to specific applications and operating conditions.

The research findings were published in the scientific journal Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing (Q1). The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 25-29-00954).

Organic dyes are among the most widespread classes of water pollutants. They enter wastewater from textile, pharmaceutical, and chemical manufacturing and are difficult to remove using conventional treatment methods. Existing magnetic nano-adsorbents typically require chemical surface treatment of the nanoparticles to effectively bind pollutants. Such coatings limit the range of substances that can be captured, complicate the operation of purification systems, and make regeneration of the sorbent more difficult.

Scientists from NUST MISIS and Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University demonstrated that surface modification of nanoparticles is not necessary. Instead, the key is in designing their internal structure correctly, since it determines which dye will be absorbed and by what mechanism.

The researchers synthesized rod-shaped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles — tiny magnetic rods permeated with two types of pores: small pores (up to 10 nm) and large pores (up to 50 nm). The ratio of pore sizes was controlled by adjusting the heating rate during calcination of the matrix from which the nanoparticles were later formed: the slower the heating, the greater the number of small pores. After water purification, the nanoparticles can be instantly removed from the water using an ordinary magnet.

To understand how the pores affect absorption, the researchers added the nanoparticles to solutions containing three dyes: methylene blue, methyl orange, and eriochrome blue.

“These three dyes were chosen deliberately — all of them are widely used in industry and regularly end up in wastewater. Methylene blue is used in medicine as well as for dyeing cotton, wool, and silk. As a byproduct of aniline production, it can heavily contaminate water resources in regions with chemical industries. Methyl orange is used in the chemical and textile industries. It is a toxic substance that is hazardous if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. Eriochrome blue is used in the textile industry for fabric dyeing. What all of them have in common is that they decompose extremely slowly in the natural environment and are poorly removed by standard purification methods. That is why, once they enter water systems, they remain there for a very long time. However, our development successfully dealt with each of them,” Alexey Nikitin, Candidate of Chemical Sciences and Associate Professor at the Department of Physical Materials Science at NUST MISIS.

Eriochrome blue produced an unexpected result: upon contact with the nanoparticles, it clumped together into large aggregates measuring several hundred nanometers. At low concentrations, the dye was absorbed effectively, but at high concentrations the aggregates returned to the solution. Such behavior has never before been documented for this class of dyes. The detailed findings were published in Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (Q1).

“This development changes the conventional view that surface chemistry is the most important feature of a sorbent. Pore architecture plays an equally important role. In the future, industries will be able to use sorbents tailored to specific pollutants, making them simpler, cheaper, and more reliable under real production conditions. In addition, dyes have different molecular structures and acquire different charges when dissolved in water, making them a convenient platform for studying adsorption processes,” Maxim Abakumov, Doctor of Chemical Sciences and Head of the “Biomedical Nanomaterials” Laboratory at NUST MISIS.

The study was carried out as part of the strategic technological project “Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials” at NUST MISIS under the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s “Priority 2030” program.

Retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, are often diagnosed at late stages, when vision can no longer be restored. One reason is the limitations of existing diagnostic methods: they detect structural changes but miss early functional disturbances in cells.

“Researchers at NUST MISIS have been engaged for several years in developing innovative technologies that in the future will simplify diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. The diagnostic method for retinal pathologies developed at the university based on the ‘glow’ of cells will become an important tool for detecting diseases and assessing the effectiveness of ongoing therapy,” said Rector of NUST MISIS Alevtina Chernikova.

Scientists from MISIS University, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and the Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry studied lipofuscin, which is a pigment that accumulates with age in retinal pigment epithelial cells. It can luminesce under light exposure, and its properties can be used to assess the condition of the eye. A key feature of lipofuscin is its phototoxicity: when irradiated with visible light, it can generate reactive oxygen species and toxic oxidation products that cause pronounced oxidative stress. Studying these processes is important for understanding mechanisms of retinal damage and diagnosing age-related degenerative changes. A major role here is played by lipofuscin’s autofluorescence. Measuring its “glow” parameters is an important tool for early diagnosis of eye diseases.

Until now, there has been insufficient data on how exactly the composition of lipofuscin changes under photodamage and how this is reflected in its “glow” signal. For the first time, Russian researchers used fluorescence lifetime imaging to track at the cellular level how lipofuscin changes during photooxidation inside pigment epithelial cells.

Experiments showed that as photooxidation progresses, not only does the composition of lipofuscin change, but also the nature of its “glow”: in particular, the fluorescence lifetime increases. This is presumably due to the fact that the original molecular components of lipofuscin are oxidized and partially broken down, while the products of their transformation have different fluorescent properties.

“What is important is that we were able to record these changes without introducing additional labels or interfering with the cell. Such measurements became possible thanks to fluorescence lifetime imaging. This is a modern microscopy method based on measuring the lifetime of excited molecular states, which allows us to obtain additional diagnostic information about tissue condition,” said Alexey Semenov, Candidate of Biological Sciences, researcher at the Laboratory of Photonic Gas Sensors at MISIS.

The scientists also studied the role of antioxidants in suppressing the phototoxic effects of lipofuscin. In the experiment, they investigated the carotenoid protein AstaP, isolated from the microalgae Coelastrella astaxanthina, which can deliver zeaxanthin, which is a natural substance that protects cells from oxidative stress. It was found that the AstaP—zeaxanthin complex slows down lipofuscin degradation: the formation of oxidized products is reduced, and complete pigment damage does not occur. Details of the study are published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry B (Q1).

“To increase the sensitivity and speed of measurements, in the next stage we plan to use quantum sensors we have developed — superconducting single-photon detectors,” said Grigory Goltsman, leading researcher at the Laboratory of Quantum Information Technologies at MISIS.

The work was carried out under the program for attracting talented young scientists under the age of 39 (postdocs) within the framework of Priority 2030 (grant No. K4-2024-3).

“Our team at MISIS University, a national leader in materials science, has developed and patented an innovative aluminum-based alloy that combines strength, ductility, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance. By varying the ratio of alloying additions (scandium and zirconium) we can design materials with properties tailored to specific applications,” said NUST MISIS Rector Alevtina Chernikova.

Modern electronics and electric vehicles require lightweight materials capable of efficiently dissipating heat. Emerging trends in automotive manufacturing involve producing a single large, complex-shaped casting instead of assembling numerous smaller components, significantly accelerating production. This technology has already been successfully adopted by Tesla, which manufactures aluminum parts weighing up to 150 kg using Giga Press machines. However, conventional casting alloys are unsuitable for such applications because they do not provide sufficient thermal conductivity.

The researchers based their work on an aluminum alloy containing zinc and calcium. Previous studies had demonstrated its high thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and suitability for casting technologies. The alloy enables the production of complex-shaped components in large volumes, but its relatively low strength limited its range of applications.

“To address this issue, we added small amounts of scandium and zirconium, elements capable of increasing strength without reducing thermal conductivity. During the study, we varied their ratio and investigated how this affected the material’s properties,” said Anastasia Lyskovich, a postgraduate researcher at the Department of Foundry Technologies and Artistic Processing of Materials at MISIS.

“The challenge in developing a material that is both suitable for casting and highly thermally conductive lies in the fact that most casting alloys contain large amounts of alloying elements that reduce heat conductivity. In our alloy, calcium and zinc provide the necessary casting properties while having minimal impact on aluminum’s ability to dissipate heat. The high mechanical performance is achieved through scandium and zirconium, which are added in very small quantities and effectively strengthen the alloy during heat treatment,” explained Andrey Koltygin, Head of the Department of Foundry Technologies and Artistic Processing of Materials and Director of the Engineering Center for Foundry Technologies and Materials at MISIS.

The study showed that increasing the zirconium content slightly reduces strength and thermal conductivity but improves ductility, significantly enhances corrosion resistance, and lowers the material’s cost.

The findings open new opportunities for developing advanced aluminum alloys for electronics, energy systems, and transportation applications, where complex-shaped components must simultaneously provide efficient heat dissipation and withstand mechanical loads.

The research results were published in the journals Materials (Q2) and Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (Q1). The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 24-29-00682).

“At the University of MISIS, the strategic technological project Materials Energy is being carried out under the Priority 2030 national program. A research team led by the talented young Doctor of Engineering Danila Saranin is developing technologies and materials for alternative energy, focusing on extending the service life and improving the efficiency of next-generation solar cells. The researchers enhanced the thermal stability of perovskites by introducing triphenylamine-pyridine molecules into the material structure, which nearly tripled the devices’ effective operating lifetime. The proposed method could become one of the key approaches for the future large-scale production of solar panels,” MISIS University Rector Alevtina Chernikova.

Today, perovskite solar cells significantly outperform silicon-based counterparts in cloudy conditions and under artificial lighting. However, the widespread adoption of these panels remains limited because the thin films rapidly degrade when exposed to adverse environmental factors.

One of the key challenges facing materials scientists is extending the operational lifetime of perovskite modules at high temperatures, which greatly accelerate corrosion of metal contacts and the formation of structural defects. Existing stabilization methods, such as surface passivation, often work only under mild, near-room-temperature conditions and prove insufficient at the standard operating temperatures of solar panels — 80—100°C.

To address this issue, researchers from MISIS University, together with colleagues from the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Synthetic Polymeric Materials, proposed an effective way to protect perovskite modules from heat-induced degradation. The team introduced special organic molecules into the material that form thin films directly within the perovskite structure. These molecules stabilize the material from within, protect the interfaces between the device layers, and slow down defect formation.

“The triphenylamine-pyridine molecules we introduced are designed so that one part donates electrons while the other attracts them. This allows them to interact efficiently with the perovskite and create localized electric fields inside the material, altering the energy levels at crystal grain boundaries. This reduces energy losses and increases the open-circuit voltage to 1.14 V. The molecules also increase the activation energy required for the diffusion of critical defects, which extended the solar cell’s effective operating lifetime by more than three times at 80°C,” Ekaterina Ilyicheva, engineer at the Advanced Solar Energy Laboratory of MISIS University.

The new molecules block ion migration within the material — one of the main causes of perovskite degradation over time. Thanks to this, the stable operating lifetime at 80°C increased nearly threefold. Full details of the study are available in the journal Solar RRL (Q1).

“Thermal degradation has remained the main barrier to the commercialization of perovskite solar cells. Our bulk passivation strategy using the TPA-Py molecule not only preserves high efficiency but also dramatically improves device stability under real operating conditions,” Lev Luchnikov, research engineer at the Advanced Solar Energy Laboratory of MISIS University.

The work was carried out as part of the MISIS University strategic technological project Materials Energy under the Priority 2030 program and was also supported by Russian Science Foundation grant No. 22-19-00812-P.

Many complex metal components are produced from powders. For this purpose, hot isostatic pressing technology is used: powder is placed into a sealed metal shell—a mold—which is then compressed and heated under high pressure. As a result, the particles are sintered, forming a dense material.

“The mold is a key element of this process. It must be strong, airtight, ductile at high temperatures, and at the same time easily removable after processing. Typically, such shells are made from metal blanks welded together. However, this method is not suitable for complex shapes. An alternative can be 3D printing, but it is expensive and limited by equipment size,” said Andrey Travyanov, Director of the College of Technologies at NUST MISIS.

Scientists from NUST MISIS and the University of Lyon proposed a different approach—using cold spray deposition. This is a technology in which metal powder is deposited at high velocity onto a surface, forming a dense coating. This method makes it possible to create thick metal layers without significant internal stresses.

First, a model of the future part is created, for example from aluminum. Then a steel layer is applied onto it using cold spray deposition. After that, the aluminum base is removed, leaving a metal shell of the required shape. To strengthen the temporary coating, the scientists carried out heat treatment. As a result, the material properties improved significantly: strength increased by about 4 times, while ductility rose from 1% to 20%.

Afterwards, the researchers assembled a full capsule, filled it with nickel alloy powder, and performed pressing. The shell withstood the entire process: no cracks formed, and the joints remained strong. Details of the study were published in Journal of Thermal Spray Technology (Q2).

“We demonstrated the possibility of creating complex-shaped shells without welding and expensive printing. In the future, the technology may be applied not only to powders but also in additive manufacturing. For example, it may be used to densify parts produced by cold spray deposition, opening new opportunities for creating strong metallic components of complex shape,” said PhD (Tech.) Maxim Khomutov, Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Hybrid Additive Technologies, NUST MISIS.