College of Chemistry

Introducing a kinder, gentler way to blow holes in cells

March 29, 2019
By Robert Sanders | UC Berkeley media relations

NanoEP experiment

A new technique developed by University of California, Berkeley, nanomaterials scientists has overcome the overcome the obstacles to delivering macromolecules using inexpensive lab equipment to efficiently infuse large macromolecules into cells. Called nanopore-electroporation, or nanoEP, the technique gently creates fewer than a dozen tiny holes in each cell that are sufficient to let molecules into the cell without traumatizing it. The pores heal rapidly afterward. In tests, more than 95 percent of the cells survived the procedure. .

New technique to capture CO2 could reduce power plant greenhouse gases

July 23, 2020
By Robert Sanders | UC Berkeley media relations

Use of MOFs to capture CO2

A big advance in carbon capture technology could provide an efficient and inexpensive way for natural gas power plants to remove carbon dioxide from their flue emissions, a necessary step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow global warming and climate change. Developed by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and ExxonMobil, the new technique uses a highly porous material called a metal-organic framework, or MOF, modified with nitrogen-containing amine molecules to capture the CO2 and low temperature steam to flush out the CO2 for other uses or to sequester it underground.

Authors John Newman and Nitash Balsara release 'Electrochemical Systems', Fourth Edition

April 1, 2021
Frances Chaves | ECS-Blog

John Newman and Nitash Balsara

The long-anticipated fourth edition of Electrochemical Systems by John Newman and Nitash P. Balsara is now available.* The fourth edition updates all of the chapters, adds content on lithium battery electrolyte characterization and polymer electrolytes, and includes a new chapter on impedance spectroscopy. Topics covered include electrochemical theories as they relate to the...

Scientists discover new clue behind age-related diseases and food spoilage

February 26, 2020
Theresa Duque | Lawrence Berkeley Lab

criegee intermediate research

Scientists in the lab of Kevin Wilson (Ph.D. '03, Chem), at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have made a surprising discovery that could help explain our risk for developing chronic diseases or cancers as we get older, and how our food decomposes over time. What’s more, their findings, which were reported recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), point to an unexpected link between the ozone chemistry in our atmosphere and our cells’ hardwired ability to ward off disease.

Megaphages harbor mini-Cas proteins ideal for gene editing

July 20, 2020
By Robert Sanders | UC Berkeley media relations

Illustration of a megaphage injecting its DNA into a gene

The DNA-cutting proteins central to CRISPR-Cas9 and related gene-editing tools originally came from bacteria, but a newfound variety of Cas proteins apparently evolved in viruses that infect bacteria. The new Cas proteins were found in the largest known bacteria-infecting viruses, called bacteriophages, and are the most compact working Cas variants yet discovered — half the size of today’s workhorse, Cas9.

Professor Christopher J. Chang awarded the Humboldt Research Award

January 8, 2021
UC Berkeley, College of Chemistry Press Release

Portrait of Christopher J. Chang

Christopher J. Chang, Class of 1942 Chair Professor of Chemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Berkeley, has been awarded the Humboldt Research Award. The award, honoring internationally recognized researchers, includes a stay at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg where Professor Chang will be hosted by Professor Kai Johnsson....

Congratulations to Jeffrey Long and Daniel Neumark on receiving 2019 ACS awards

January 25, 2019
Linda Wang | C&E News

Jeffrey Long and Daniel NeumarkUC Berkeley College of Chemistry professors Jeffrey Long and Daniel Neumark have been announced as 2019 American Chemical Society (ACS) awardees for their pioneering chemical research. They will be honored at a ceremony at the spring ACS national meeting in Orlando, Florida, March 31–April 4, 2019.

Omar Yaghi awarded the German Chemical Society gold medal

March 4, 2020
College of Chemistry Press Release

Omar Yaghi

Omar Yaghi has been awrded the the 2020 August-Wilhelm-von-Hofmann-Denkmünze. The German Chemical Society bi-annually presents this prestigious award to an outstanding national and international chemists in a wide range of fields. Among the oldest chemistry awards, the August-Wilhelm-von-Hofmann-Denkmünze gold medal was first awarded in 1903. The award is intended to recognize outstanding achievements in chemistry; in particular by scientists working outside of Germany.

Enrique Iglesia appointed to the Royal Academy of Sciences

July 16, 2021
UC Berkeley, College of Chemistry Press Release

Enrique Iglesia

The College of Chemistry is pleased to announce that Enrique Iglesia, Theodore Vermeulen Professor in Chemical Engineering, and been appointed as a Foreign Academic member of the Real Academia de Ciencias of Spain (Academy), during a meeting in Plenary Session in June.

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Huge bacteria-eating viruses narrow gap between life and non-life

February 12, 2020
Robert Sanders | Berkeley News

Discovery of new class of phages

Scientists have discovered hundreds of unusually large, bacteria-killing viruses with capabilities normally associated with living organisms, blurring the line between living microbes and viral machines as reported in new research findings in Nature. These phages — short for bacteriophages, so-called because they “eat” bacteria — are of a size and complexity considered typical of life, carry numerous genes normally found in bacteria and use these genes against their bacterial hosts.