Unlocking Cryoprotection: The Role of Glycerol in Supercooled Water

Researchers uncover how glycerol, a common cryoprotectant, manipulates water's behavior at extremely low temperatures to prevent ice formation. The study, published in Nature Communications, provides a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between glycerol and water, with profound implications for cryopreservation – the science of preserving biological materials at ultra-low temperatures. This is an international research effort, led by Stockholm University (SU), in collaboration with Pohang University of Science and Technology (Republic of Korea), RIKEN SPring-8 Center (Japan) and Brooklyn College of the City University of New York (USA).