College of Chemistry

Microbes provide sustainable hydrocarbons for petrochemical industry

January 7, 2022

Illustration of a bio-petroleum process

Researchers from UC Berkeley and the NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers have developed a chemical technology that combines fermentation and chemical refining (center panels) to produce petroleum-like liquids (right) from renewable plants (left). (Image by John Beumer, courtesy of NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers)

If the petrochemical industry is ever to wean...

New process makes ‘biodegradable’ plastics truly compostable

April 21, 2021

Degraded plastic after process.

A modified plastic (left) breaks down after just three days in standard compost (right) and entirely after two weeks. (UC Berkeley photo by Ting Xu)

Biodegradable plastics have been advertised as one solution to the plastic pollution problem bedeviling the world, but today’s “compostable” plastic bags, utensils and cup lids don’t break down during typical composting and...

Can beer yeast be used to create THC and CBD?

December 31, 2019
Scientists are using yeasts to manufacture cannabis compounds.

Semisynthetic artemisinin anti-malarials reach African children

August 15, 2014

Scientist sitting with a group of children in Kenya

Jay Keasling with children in a village outside Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by Gabrielle Tenenbaumn)

1.7million treatments of semisynthetic artemisinin have shipped to Africa, where they will treat malaria sufferers in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Niger and Nigeria over the next few months. This...

Novartis and UC Berkeley Extend Alliance to tackle undruggable diseases

July 28, 2022

Scientific illustration of DUBTAC target

Illustration of DUBTAC in action against a target. (Courtesy Nomura Lab)

Novartis-Berkeley Translational Chemical Biology Institute combines Novartis expertise in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry with Berkeley’s expertise in covalent chemoproteomics and chemistry methodologies Research collaboration aims to unlock intractable drug targets, discover...

Jnana Therapeutics announces appointment of alum Joanne Kotz, Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer

November 6, 2018
Jnana Therapeutics today announced that UC Berkeley Chemistry alum Joanne Kotz, Ph.D. has been named Chief Executive Officer.

Robert Bergman presents 2018 G.N. Lewis Memorial Lecture

October 24, 2018
Robert Bergman, the Gerald E. K. Branch Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Professor of the Graduate School, presented the 65th lecture in honor of Gilbert Newton Lewis (Dean of the College from 1912-1941).

UC Berkeley scientists develop new spectroscopic probe for the secrets of complex interfaces

February 4, 2019
The DOE has announced in a news release that Professor of Chemistry Richard Saykally and colleagues have devised a spectroscopy method that probes buried graphene layers inside graphite.

Department of Chemistry welcomes Polly Arnold to the faculty

July 17, 2019
Polly Arnold will be joining the Chemistry Department faculty in January of 2020.

Berkeley awarded $20M to establish an NSF Center for Chemical Innovation

July 1, 2020
A team of institutions led by UC Berkeley has been awarded a $20 million research grant from the National Science Foundation to pursue breakthrough technologies towards new medicines and innovative materials.