News
12/17/2015
Distinguished Professor Michael Sailor Named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors
The National Academy of Inventors announced the election of Michael Sailor, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego, as a member of its 2015 class of new fellows. The distinction honors academic inventors whose work has made a tangible impact on the quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. Fellows are nominated by their peers and must be named inventors on U.S. Patents. Professor Sailor is a leader in silicon nanotechnology focusing on the structure of porous silicon on a nanometer scale to address a wide array of potential applications such as targeted delivery of powerful therapeutics to rechargeable batteries with higher capacity and longer life. Dr. Sailor holds 26 patents. Congratulations Professor Sailor.
10/08/2015
Professor Kamil Godula Receives NIH Director's New Innovator Award
Kamil Godula, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego, was named a recipient of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's New Innovator Award. The Award is part of the NIH's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program that supports exceptionally creative, early career investigators who propose innovative high-impact projects. The $2.3 million multi-year New Innovator Award will support Professor Godula's research developing chemical approaches and nanotechnologies to study how spatial arrangements of glycans on cell-surface proteins encode biological information and how this information can be harnessed to control the outcomes of cellular differentiation.
10/07/2015
UC San Diego's Environmental and Earth Sciences Ranked 1st in the U.S. by the science journal Nature
The science journal, Nature, ranked UC San Diego the top institution in the U.S., and fourth in the world, for Environmental and Earth Sciences, based on published research. The rankings of institutions for high-quality science are based on the Nature Index, a weighted fractional count of articles appearing in 68 natural science journals. UC San Diego was ranked fifth in the U.S., and 14th in the world, in all science categories combined.
09/29/2015
Devaraj Lab Designs New Method to Tag RNA
A team of researchers from Professor Neal Devaraj's Lab in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego have developed a versatile new method for tagging RNA. The team used a bacterial enzyme that recognizes a specific hairpin turn in RNA to make their tagging system. Using chemical links, they developed a system that can attach a variety of molecules to PreQ on the outer curve of the hairpin turn, so that the RNA is tagged with something useful, such as fluorescent die or a molecular handle that allows the visualization within the cell. Their research article was recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. To view the full research article click <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.5b07286"target="_blank">here</a>
09/24/2015
Professor Wei Xiong Receives DARPA 2015 Young Faculty Award
Wei Xiong, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego, has received the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) 2015 Young Faculty Award (YFA). The award provides funding of up to $1 million to further Dr. Xiong's research developing new spectroscopic techniques for observing ultrafast processes in nanomaterials, more specifically, revealing the relationship between molecular conformation and charge separation dynamics in nano-energy materials by surface sensitive multidimensional spectroscopy.
09/18/2015
Professor Rommie Amaro to Lead New Consortium Launched by UC San Diego & TSRI to Create Virtual Cell
UC San Diego and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) announced the formation of The Visible Molecular Cell Consortium (VMCC), a collaborative effort to assemble and simulate a virtual model of a cell. Rommie Amaro, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC San Diego and Arthur Olson, professor of molecular biology at TSRI, will jointly direct the consortium. The collaboration leverages existing strengths at both institutions to create 3D virtual cells down to the atomic level of detail. VMCC will offer fellowship funding for a dozen graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to work on collaborative projects across multiple disciplines that build bridges between the campuses. Organizers believe insights into cellular behavior gained from the collaboration will be applicable across many scientific fields. Directors' Amaro and Olson have scheduled their first workshop for Friday, October 2, 2015. Researchers interested in learning more about the consortium can direct inquiries to visiblemolecularcell@gmail.com.
09/16/2015
Distinguished Professor Vicki Grassian Joins UC San Diego Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is pleased to announce the addition of new faculty member Vicki H. Grassian, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemisty, Nanoengineering and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Dr. Grassian's primary research interests include surface chemistry of environmental interfaces, heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry, climate impact of atmospheric aerosols, and environmental and health aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology. She is currently Co-Director of the Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate and the Environment (CAICE), a National Science Foundation Center for Chemical Innovation, a role in which she will continue at UC San Diego. Grassian is a Fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), and AVS – a Society for the Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces and Processing. She has received numerous awards for her research including the National ACS Award for Creative Advances in Science and Technology (2012), the Midwest ACS Award (2014) and the RSC John Jeyes Award (2014).
09/11/2015
Tezcan Lab Engineers the First Metal-Organic Framework Constructed from Protein Building Blocks
A team of researchers from the Tezcan Lab in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego have successfully engineered a protein to self-assemble with metal ions and organic linkers to form the first ternary protein-based metal-organic framework (MOF). Their work introduces a new strategy for the rational design of protein crystals as well as a new class of hybrid materials that combine the ability to design, fine tune, and crystallize MOFs with the chemical and structural versatility of proteins. The new materials could be useful for protein drug delivery, new types of biocatalysts, and molecular electronic devices. The research team included Professor Akif Tezcan (Principal Investigator), Dr. Pamela Sontz, Postdoctoral Scholar, Jake Bailey (Graduate Student) and Sophia Ahn (Undergraduate Student). Their research article was published in Chemical & Engineering News and the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), selected as the ACS Editors' Choice by ACS Publications Group, and the Top Most Read Article in JACS in August 2015. To view the full research article click <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.5b07463?source=cen"target="_blank">here</a>
09/09/2015
GAANN Fellowship Program Awarded $1.1 Million From U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education's Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program awarded UC San Diego's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry $1.1 million over the next three years to fund its GAANN Fellowship Progam. The award assists the Department in its efforts to attract and retain the most talented graduate students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, and to prepare them to engage in innovative research and teaching careers in the chemical sciences. The funding enables ten GAANN Fellowships to be awarded, in each of the next three years, to continuing doctoral-level students who meet the program eligibility criteria. For additional information, including application deadlines, please click <a href="http://chemistry.ucsd.edu/graduate-program/doctoral-program/gaann.html"target="_blank">here</a>
08/25/2015
Seth Cohen Wins American Chemical Society's 2016 Cope Scholar Award
The American Chemical Society (ACS) named Professor Seth Cohen, faculty member, and former Chair, in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego, as a recipient of the 2016 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award. One of ACS's top national honors, the Cope Scholar Award is presented annually to 10 chemists in recognition and support of excellence in organic chemistry. The award includes $5,000 and a $40,000 unrestricted research grant. Professor Cohen was recognized for his pioneering research associated with the discovery and application of metalloprotein inhibitors targeting diseases ranging from cancer to heart disease to HIV to biohazard infections. He will be honored at the Fall 2016 ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia. Congratulations Seth!
07/27/2015
Toor Lab's Anastassia Gomez Selected As 2015 HHMI Gilliam Fellow
Chemistry & Biochemistry graduate student, Anastassia Gomez, a member of the Toor Lab, has been selected a 2015 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellow. There are only 30 candidates named annually to the HHMI national fellowship. Criteria for selection include academic excellence, scientific potential, and commitment to the advancement of diversity and inclusion, in the sciences. The prestigious HHMI Gilliam Fellowship provides graduate school support for up to three years to help each fellow move toward a career in science research and teaching. Congratulations Anastassia!
07/24/2015
NSF Survey Ranks UC San Diego's Chemistry & Biochemistry Research Spending No. 5 in the U.S.
Academic research spending by UC San Diego's Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry totaled $31.4 Million in FY2013, 5th highest for U.S. research universities and colleges in 2013, compared to $27.4 Million and 8th highest for U.S. research universities and colleges in FY 2012. Federally funded research support accounted for 85.2% and 83.2% of FY2013 and FY2012 Chemistry & Biochemistry R&D expenditures, respectively. The data and rankings were published as part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Higher Education Research & Development (HERD) Survey for Fiscal Year 2013 (its most recent report). The HERD Survey is an annual census and the primary source of information on R&D expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities; it collects information on R&D expenditures by field of research, types of research and expenses, and sources of funds. To access the full survey article click <a href="http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i22/2013-Academic-Spending-Trends.html"target="_blank">here</a>
07/20/2015
Gianneschi Group Designs First Enzyme-Responsive Nanoparticle Delivering Chemotherapeutics to Tumors
Researchers from the Gianneschi Group and UC San Diego's Moores Cancer Center have successfully engineered the first nanoscale therapeutic drug delivery system targeting cancer tumors utilizing the enzyme-directed assembly of a responsive nanoparticle. This targeting approach represents a significant departure from known methods of active or passive targeting to tumors. The work builds upon Professor Nathan Gianneschi's patent pending, Enzyme Directed Assembly of Particle Theranostic (Edapt),technology. Their research article published in the journal Advanced Materials (07/14/2015 Issue). Congratulations Gianneschi Group! To access the full research article click <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201501803/full"target="_blank">here</a>
07/13/2015
Professor Cohen Named American Chemical Society Fellow
The American Chemical Society (ACS) has selected Professor Seth M. Cohen as a 2015 ACS Fellow. The ACS Fellows Program recognizes and honors individuals for their outstanding achievements in, and contributions to, the science and the profession and for their equally exemplary service to the community. Professor Cohen was named a 2015 Fellow for extraordinary achievements in research including his pioneering research with metalloprotein inhibitors and advancements in modification methods for metal-organic frameworks; and also for his service contributions as Treasurer of the Division of Inorganic Chemistry and Advisory Board Member of C&EN. Congratulations Seth!
06/22/2015
Devaraj Lab Leads Development of Synthetic Cell Membranes That Grow Like Living Cells
Researchers from Professor Neal Devaraj’s Lab and The BioCircuits Institute have designed and synthesized the first artificial cell membrane capable of sustaining continual growth, just like a living cell. The artificial cell membrane continually synthesizes all of the components needed to form additional catalytic membranes mimicking nature’s ability to support phospholipid membrane formation. To develop the growing membrane the researchers substituted a complex network of biochemical pathways with a single autocatalyst that simultaneously drives membrane growth. Their achievement provides an important new tool for synthetic biology and origin of life studies. Their research paper was published in the 6/22/15 early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Congratulations to the Devaraj Lab and The BioCircuits Institute! To access the full research report click <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/06/19/1506704112.full.pdf"target="_blank">here</a>
06/10/2015
Researchers from Gianneschi & Cohen Groups First to Image Nanostructure Formations in Real Time
Professor Nathan Gianneschi and Chair Seth Cohen of UC San Diego's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry co-led a team of researchers from UC San Diego, Florida State and Pacific Northwest National Labs that, for the first time, visualized the growth of nanoscale chemical complexes in real time. The ground-breaking research employed a recently developed process called Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy (LCTEM) that provided scientists an unprecedented understanding of the stepwise formation of nanostructures. Their research paper was published in the 'Journal of the American Chemical Society' (6/8/2015 online edition). Congratulations to the Gianneschi and Cohen Groups! To read the full research article click <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.5b00817"target="_blank">here</a>
06/02/2015
Gianneschi Group Develops Bio-Inspired Nano Materials That Produce Structural Colors
Structural colors arise from the interaction of light with materials that have patterns on a minute scale. The natural structure of melanosomes (tiny packets of melanin) that produce structural colors in bird feathers inspired the efforts of a team of researchers from UC San Diego (the Gianneschi Group), the University of Akron and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, to fabricate colored films with colors determined by physical structures rather than by pigments. The team created the colored films by synthesizing various concentrations of polydopamine-based synthetic melanin nanoparticles (SMNPs) that were then evaporated into thin layers that mimicked the natural structures found in bird feathers. The SMNP films interacted with light to create pure hues of color ranging from red to green. The new SMNP materials have broad applicability in colorimetric sensors, full color displays, and photonic pigments. The research team’s findings were documented in a paper published in the 5/26/2015 issue of ‘ACS NANO'. Congratulations to the Gianneschi Group and the entire research team! To access the full research report click <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/ipdf/10.1021/acsnano.5b01298"target="_blank">here</a>
06/01/2015
Faculty Diversity in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Ranked #2 in the Nation
A survey on faculty diversity at the top 50 U.S. chemical research universities and colleges, ranked UC San Diego’s Chemistry and Biochemistry Department No. 2 in the nation. Minorities hold 11% of the Department’s faculty positions, compared to 16% at No. 1 Georgia Tech and an average of 4% for all 50 institutions (only UC San Diego and Georgia Tech were at or above 10%). The 2013-14 academic year survey was conducted by OXIDE, a collaboration between the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy. An article on the survey, including a discussion on diversity with UC San Diego Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Judy Kim, was published in Chemical & Engineering News (05/18/15 Issue). To read the full survey article click <a href="http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i20/New-Survey-Minority-Chemistry-Professors.html"target="_blank">here</a>
05/31/2015
David John Lee Selected as Recipient of the President's Dissertation Year Diversity Fellowship
The Office of the President has designed the Dissertation Year Fellowship program to identify doctoral candidates: 1) who have overcome educational, social, or economic barriers, or 2) whose research or planned career direction focuses on problems related to disadvantaged segments of society, and 3) who demonstrate strong potential, promise and desire for a university teaching and research career. Dissertation Year Fellowships are awarded to promising students in the final stages of their doctoral work who demonstrate strong potential for university teaching and research. Congratulations to David John Lee (Burkart Lab) on being selected as the recipient of this prestigious award!
05/21/2015
Professor Michael Tauber Wins 2015 Academic Integrity Award
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Michael Tauber, was one of two UC San Diego faculty members to win the campus's 2015 Academic Integrity Faculty Award. The award is presented annually to a faculty member who has contributed significantly to creating a culture of academic integrity through research, teaching and service. Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Suresh Subramani, and Academic Senate Chair, Gerry Boss, presented the award to Professor Tauber at the 5th Annual Integrity Awards Ceremony held late last month. Congratulations Mike!
05/20/2015
Erica Lennard Receives 2015 Employee of the Year Award
Erica Lennard, Director of Student Affairs for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was named a recipient of UC San Diego's 2014-2015 Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year Award (ESEOY). The ESEOY recognizes professional and support staff from across all Vice Chancellor areas and UC San Diego Health Systems, who have demonstrated exemplary service and made exceptional contributions to the UCSD and San Diego communities. Erica was recognized for her outstanding management of all aspects of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's educational enterprise which impacts more than 25,000 students each year. Chancellor Khosla presented Erica with the ESEOY Award at a formal ceremony held on May 19, 2015. Congratulations Erica!
05/06/2015
Professor Roy Wollman Receives 2015-2016 Hellman Fellows Award
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Roy Wollman, has been selected as a 2015-2016 Hellman Fellows Fund Award recipient. The Hellman Fellowship Program was established by the late Warren Hellman and his wife, Chris, to provide financial support and encouragement to promising young faculty who show capacity for great distinction in their research and creative activities, and to enhance their progress towards tenure. To date the Hellman Fund has committed over $5 million to the Hellman Fellowship Program at UC San Diego. Congratulations on this impressive award Roy!
05/01/2015
Burkart Lab and Pomeroy Lab Assist Biology’s Cal-CAB in Production of World's 1st Algae Surfboard
Chemistry students from the laboratories of Professor Michael Burkart and Professor Robert Pomeroy joined forces with members of Division of Biological Sciences Professor Steve Mayfield’s California Center for Algae Biotechnology (Cal-CAB) to produce the world’s first algae-based, sustainable surfboard. The students were able to chemically change the oil obtained from laboratory algae into a polyol that when mixed with the right catalyst expands into a foam-like substance that hardens into the polyurethane that forms a surfboard’s core. The group successfully worked with local surfboard core manufacturer, Arctic Foam, to produce the board. The first manufactured algae-based surfboard was presented to San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. Congratulations to all!
04/24/2015
Chancellor Nominates Student Affairs Director Erica Lennard for San Diego's 2015 YWCA TWIN Awards
Erica Lennard, Director of Student Affairs for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been nominated by the Chancellor's Office as UC San Diego's representative at the 2015 YWCA Tribute to Women & Industry (TWIN) Awards. The TWIN Awards honor women for outstanding contributions to their workplace, community or industry. The YWCA of San Diego County will announce 2015 TWIN Award recipients at its 17th Annual 'In the Company of Women' benefit on May 21, 2015. Organizers for the event also include District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and County Supervisor Diane Jacobs. Congratulations Erica!
04/22/2015
Devaraj Lab Develops Technique Enabling the Targeted Placement of Proteins to Phospholipid Membranes
Devaraj Lab researchers demonstrated the first modular system for targeting proteins to phospholipid membranes in a controlled and homogeneous fashion using SNAP-tags. Professor Neal Devaraj, graduate student researcher Andrew Rudd, and undergraduate student Joan Valls Cuevas reported their findings in a research paper published in the April 1, 2015 edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) and the April 20, 2015 online edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN). Congratulations to the Devaraj team! For the full research report click <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jacs.5b00040"target="_blank">here</a>
04/09/2015
Amaro Lab's Jamie Schiffer Wins NVIDIA GPU Award at ACS Spring 2015 National Meeting
Jamie Schiffer, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and member of the Amaro Lab, won the NVIDIA GPU Award for Best GPU Poster at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2015 National Meeting held in Denver in March. The ACS Division of Computers in Chemistry (COMP) and NVIDIA Corporation determine the recipient of the award based on researchers who have demonstrated outstanding computational chemistry research using a GPU, whether through programming new GPU-accelerated algorithms, existing GPU-accelerated software applications, or both. Jamie’s presentation entitled, 'Entropically Driven CK-ASB9 Interaction: How GPU-enabled Computing Provided Unique Insight into an Intrinsically Disordered 116 kDa Protein Complex', was selected as the grand prize winner from a field of over 130 entrants. Congratulations Jamie!
04/07/2015
Devaraj Lab Develops Technique That Enables Targeted Placement of Proteins to Phospholipid Membranes
Devaraj Lab researchers demonstrated the first modular system for targeting proteins to phospholipid membranes in a controlled and homogeneous fashion using SNAP-tags. Professor Neal Devaraj, graduate student researcher Andrew Rudd, and undergraduate student Joan Valls Cuevas reported their findings in a research paper published in the April 20, 2015 editions of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) and Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), respectively. Congratulations to the Devaraj team!
04/06/2015
Rommie Amaro Honored As Woman of the Year Finalist by California State Assembly
UC San Diego Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rommie Amaro, was honored as a finalist for the 78th District’s 2015 Woman of The Year (WOTY) by California State Assembly Speaker, Toni Atkins. The WOTY event, sponsored by the California Legislative Women's Caucus, celebrates outstanding women in California whose achievements and contributions have made a positive impact on their communities. Professor Amaro’s drug discovery research utilizing cutting-edge computational methods and her BioChemCoRe Outreach Program aimed at cultivating young women scientists were selection factors lauded by Speaker Atkins. Congratulations on this prestigious honor Rommie!
04/03/2015
Joseph Lab's Aaron Ward Recipient of NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
We proudly announce that the National Science Foundation has selected Aaron Ward from the Joseph Lab in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as a recipient of the 2015 Graduate Research Fellowship!
03/31/2015
Kubiak Research Group's Melissa Clark Receives Area Safety Coordinator-Excellence in Safety Award
Melissa Clark, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a member of the Kubiak Research Group, was selected as the inaugural recipient of the 'Area Safety Coordinator - Excellence in Safety Award'. The award is in recognition of Melissa’s outstanding contributions towards improving the culture of laboratory safety within the Kubiak Group and on a broader scale throughout the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. The Excellence in Safety Award is jointly sponsored by campus Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) and the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. Congratulations Melissa!
03/16/2015
Katja Lindenberg Appointed Chancellor's Associates Endowed Chair in Chemistry & Biochemistry
UC San Diego Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Katja Lindenberg, has been appointed Chancellor's Associates Endowed Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry. This distinguished appointment recognizes Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's Professor Lindenberg for her extraordinary contributions to teaching, research, and academic and community service. Congratulations Katja!
03/04/2015
Cliff Kubiak Wins 2015 Basolo Medal for Outstanding Research in Inorganic Chemistry
UC San Diego Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clifford Kubiak, has been awarded the 2015 Fred Basolo Medal for Outstanding Research in Inorganic Chemistry. The prestigious Basolo Medal, established in honor of Northwestern University researcher and educator, the late Dr. Fred Basolo, is awarded annually by the university to a top researcher in the field of inorganic chemistry. Professor Kubiak joins an elite field of Basolo Medal recipients, including three Nobel Prize winners. Congratulations Cliff!
03/04/2015
'Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry' Publishes Special Edition Honoring Professor Perrin
The March 2015 issue of the 'Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry' (JPOC) honors Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Charles Perrin for 50 Years of contributions to Physical Organic Chemistry through his research and teaching at UC San Diego. The 50 Year milestone was celebrated with a symposium held in his honor in September 2013. The JPOC Special Edition adds to the celebration of Professor Perrin's achievements with a collection of commemorative publications and contributions from close friends and colleagues from throughout his career. Of special note is a paper from Charlie's son, David Perrin, Professor of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia. Congratulations Professor Perrin!
02/26/2015
Barbara Sawrey Elected to the Board of Directors of the American Chemical Society
UC San Diego Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Dean of Undergraduate Education, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty member, Dr. Barbara Sawrey, was elected to a second three-year term on the Board of Directors of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS is the largest scientific society in the world. Congratulations Dr. Sawrey.
02/20/2015
Professor Francesco Paesani Receives NSF CAREER Award
UC San Diego Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Francesco Paesani, is the recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation Career Award. The highly competitive NSF CAREER Award was awarded from the Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods Program in the Chemistry Division and the Division of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure to develop new theoretical and computational approaches for molecular-level computer simulations. The new methodology will enable computer simulations of condensed-phase systems with unprecedented accuracy, providing information on fundamental molecular processes from ion hydration in bulk and at interfaces to proton transfer and transport in solution. Congratulations on this impressive award Professor Paesani! For details on Francesco's NSF CAREER AWARD click <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1453204"target="_blank">here</a>
02/17/2015
NIH Consortium Deploys Wang Labs' Epigram Software Enabling +100 Human Epigenome Mappings
Epigram, a software tool developed by Wang Lab researchers in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at UC San Diego, contributed to the successful mapping of over 100 human epigenomes by the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Program Consortium (REPC). The application, which analyzes DNA sequence motifs to predict the placement of chemical tags that control gene activity, enabled the creation of reference epigenome maps for 111 different tissue and cell types. The Consortium's research paper was published in the Feb. 19 issue of 'Nature'. Congratulations Wang Labs. For the complete research article click <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v518/n7539/full/nature14248.html"target="_blank">here</a>
02/14/2015
Professor Robert "Skip" Pomeroy Receives 2014 UC San Diego Diversity Award
The Office of the Chancellor announced the selection of Robert S. Pomeroy, Teaching Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, as a recipient of the 2014 UC San Diego Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action and Diversity Award. The annual award recognizes individuals, organizations and students who have made outstanding contributions in support of UC San Diego's commitment to diversity. Professor Pomeroy is an exemplary champion of diversity at UC San Diego, both on and off campus, through his involvement in educational outreach, mentoring, recruitment and professional activities. He will be honored at a formal ceremony on February 24, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at the Price Center West Ballroom. Congratulations Professor Pomeroy!
02/10/2015
Russell Chan Selected as 2015 Inamori Fellow
Russell Chan has been selected as one of three Inamori Fellows for 2015. The Inamori Fellowship Program at UC San Diego supports our best and brightest graduate students who will ensure the future of humanity through a balance of the scientific process and human spirit. This investment in our students is parallel to the Inamori Foundation's commitment to the Kyoto Prize that is given annually to those who have made significant contributions to the progress of science, the development of civilization, and the enrichment and elevation of the human spirit. Chan is a graduate student in the lab of Professor Nav Toor.
02/09/2015
Dennis and McCammon Groups' 3D Enzyme Model Provides New Tool for Anti-Inflammatory Drug Discovery
UC San Diego researchers from the Edward Dennis and McCammon Groups in the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Pharmacology have developed the first 3D computer models of PLA2 enzymes extracting their substrates from cellular membranes, an early step in inflammatory diseases such as asthma and arthritis. The new tools provide a better understanding of these enzymes and could help drive therapeutic drug development. The Groups' research was published in the Jan. 26, 2015 early edition of the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences". For the full report click <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/01/21/1424651112.full.pdf+html"target="_blank">here</a>
02/08/2015
Kara Finzel Selected as UCSD Representative for the Annual Graduate Research Advocacy Day
The Graduate Research Advocacy Day is an annual event held at the State Capitol of Sacramento, led by all of the System-wide graduate deans. Each year, two students are selected from each UC campus to showcase how their UC graduate research is of value to the people of California and how it impacts areas that resonate with state leadership. Selected students accompany the dean of graduate studies to this event, all expenses paid. Congratulations to Kara Finzel (Burkart Lab) for being selected as one of the two UCSD representatives to accompany the Dean of Graduate Studies to the 2015 Graduate Research Advocacy Day in Sacramento!
01/21/2015
Prather Research Group Embarks on CalWater 2015 Field Campaign
UC San Diego Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Distinguished Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry Professor Kimberly Prather, CalWater 2015 Project Co-Lead, and the Prather Research Group (PRG), embarked on the CalWater 2015 field campaign to study how California gets its precipitation. CalWater 2015 is an interagency/interdisciplinary group composed of researchers from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), NASA, UC San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. CalWater 2015 will utilize 4 aircraft, a research vessel and the Bodega Bay Marine Lab to study the impact aerosols have on precipitation levels of atmospheric rivers crossing California.
01/20/2015
Don Johnson accepted to the UC San Diego Chapter of the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society
The Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Chapter here at UC San Diego recognizes students who demonstrate academic and personal excellence, passion to foster an environment of support and to serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service and advocacy for students who have been traditionally underrepresented. All in honor of Dr. Alexander Bouchet who embodied such qualities and was the first African American doctoral recipient in the United States. Congratulations to Don Johnson for being selected as a member of the 2015 cohort of the UC San Diego Chapter of the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society!
01/15/2015
Thiemens Research Group Reveals Mars' Climate 4 Billion Years Ago
In a collaborative study, scientists from Thiemens Research Group in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego, NASA and the Smithsonian Institution, conducted new analyses of the Martian meteorite, ALH84001, discovered in Antarctica in 1984. Researchers recorded detailed measurements of carbonate minerals contained in the meteorite that revealed a record of the climate on Mars billions of years ago. The research article was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 13, 2015 issue. For the full report click <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/112/2/336.full"target="_blank">here</a>
01/09/2015
Tezcan Lab Designs Supramolecular Protein Assembly with In Vivo Enzymatic Activity
Researchers from the Tezcan Lab in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego reported the first designed supramolecular protein assembly with a non-natural architecture that displays enzymatic activity inside living cells. Postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Woon Ju Song and Professor Akif Tezcan engineered a monomeric redox protein, through the introduction of metal-driven mutations, into a tetrameric metallo-protein. This artificial protein assembly displayed beta-lactamase activity, the primary mechanism of antibiotic resistance, and enabled bacterial cells to survive antibiotic treatment. The Tezcan Lab findings form an important bridge between protein design, synthetic biology and protein evolution. The research was published in the journal Science (12/19/2014 issue) and was funded by the National Science Foundation. For the complete research article click <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6216/1525.html"target="_blank">here</a>
01/05/2015
Prather Research Group Featured in Environmental Journal: High Country News
UC San Diego Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry Kim Prather and the Prather Research Group (PRG) CalWater-2 research project characterizing marine aerosols and precipitation chemistry at the Bodega Marine Laboratory in Bodega Bay, CA are featured in the December issue of environmental magazine High Country News (HCN). The article, entitled "The Dust Detectives," is the cover story and chronicles a day in the field with Prather and her research team. PRG field experiments indicated atmospheric rivers passing over California containing dust particles from China's Taklamakan Desert dropped 40% more precipitation on California than those without the Asian dust, and that the bacteria riding on these dust particles are the likely catalysts for ice nucleation and higher precipitation levels.