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Department of Physics and Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy has a rich and long history dating back to the latter part of the 19th century. Our faculty and students are exploring nature at all length scales, from the subatomic (quarks and gluons) to the macroscopic (black holes and dark energy), and everything in between (atomic and biological systems).

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Why Magnets are Quantum Materials

THE QUANTUM AGE — Did you know that a magnet is a quantum material? Permanent magnets are arguably the first quantum material that we harnessed for technological purposes. Watch along with Dr. Erica Carlson, of Purdue PhysAstro, to find out where magnets came from and the quantum properties that make them work.

Purdue researchers see possible link with dog, human cancer treatments

PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE — In the first experiment of its kind, Purdue University researchers, including David Nolte of Purdue Physics and Astronomy, treated canines diagnosed with cancer using chemotherapy to see if their response could lead to future treatment for human cancer patients. Chemoresistance, a patient's adverse reaction to chemotherapy, can lessen remission and survival time.

What are the Webb and Hubble telescopes looking at right now? Find out with these new NASA tools

BBC — The images released by the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope have profoundly changed our perception of the Universe, but do you ever wonder when those images were captured, or what Webb and Hubble are looking at right now? A view of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A was captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Danny Milisavljevic (Purdue University), Tea Temim (Princeton University), Ilse De Looze (UGent). Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI).

Purdue Physicists share in $200M Department of Energy Award to upgrade CERN’s CMS detector 

In February of 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) formally approved $200 million to the CMS experiment upgrade. According to Fermilab, the upgrade will increase the collision rate by a factor of five, giving scientists a massive dataset to look for new particles and study rare subatomic processes. Two professors from Purdue University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy will receive funding from this DOE grant, totally over $600,000: PI Andreas Jung, associate professor, and Miaoyuan Liu, assistant professor.

A New Frontier in Cancer Treatment: Understanding Chemoresistance

STUDYFINDS — Have you ever wondered why some cancer treatments work for some patients but not for others? This question lies at the heart of a new study conducted by researchers at Purdue University. They’ve embarked on a mission to unlock the mysteries of chemoresistance — the phenomenon where cancer patients’ bodies resist the effects of chemotherapy. David Nolte, of Purdue PhysAstro, is highlighted in this article by StudyFinds.

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Department of Physics and Astronomy, 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2036 • Phone: (765) 494-3000 • Fax: (765) 494-0706

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