If someone said they could reprogram a person’s cells and then transplant them back on the skin’s surface to create excitable neural cells for the brain to help heal after injury, what would you think? For Chandan Sen, director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, this is a reality and only takes 100 milliseconds of contact with a tiny silicone chip.

Pitt has a long history of cutting-edge space science. Pitt researchers were among the first to analyze moon rocks brought back by the Apollo 11 crew, and more recently, they were among the first to use the most powerful telescope in history. They’re already working on its successor.

As a geologist, Michael Ramsey, professor of volcanology and planetary science in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, studies volcanoes to understand their behavior and minimize risks for people living nearby. Using his background as an engineer, he has developed unique instruments that allow him to gather data in the field, in the lab and from about 400 miles above ground, on satellites in low-Earth orbit.