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DURHAM, N.C. -- It might look like a roll of chicken wire, but this tiny cylinder of carbon atoms -- too small to see with the naked eye -- could one day be used for making electronic devices ranging from night vision goggles and motion detectors to more efficient solar cells, thanks to techniques developed by researchers at Duke University. First discovered in the early 1990s, carbon nanotubes are made from single sheets of carbon atoms rolled up like a straw. Carbon isn’t exactly a newfangled material. All life on… read more about Tiny Tunable Nanotubes »

Dr. Shu Wang has received The Henkel Award for Outstanding Graduate Research in Polymer Science and Engineering! The award is given to recognize a graduate student or recent graduate who has completed an outstanding Ph.D. thesis in polymeric research.  Shu received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Duke in 2022, under the direction of Profs. Stephen L. Craig and Michael Rubinstein. During his time here at Duke, Shu developed a keen interest in rupturing large molecules with the goal of understanding how the… read more about Alumnus Shu Wang Receives The Henkel Award from PMSE »

Of the fastest growing neurological disorders in the world, Parkinson’s disease is pathologically defined by the accumulation of the protein α-synuclein in vulnerable neurons in the brain. Prolonged exposure to environmental challenges of largely unknown origins are suspected as principal driving factors for disease risk and progression. The increase in polystyrene nanoplastics in the environment from single-use plastics, recent detection of polystyrene contaminants in blood, and reports of anionic polystyrene… read more about Do the toxins of anionic nanoplastics have a possible role in Parkinson’s disease risk and progression? »

Congratulations to Dr. Catherine Denning-Jannace, a 2024 Samuel DuBois Cook Society Awardee! The Samuel DuBois Cook Society was established in the spring of 1997 to honor Dr. Cook, a retired Duke University professor who was the first African-American professor to hold a regular faculty appointment at a predominantly white college or university in the South. The society recognizes the years of service that Dr. Cook has offered to Duke University, to the cause of African-American advancement, and to the betterment of… read more about Dr. Catherine Denning-Jannace Receives 2024 Samuel DuBois Cook Award! »

Congratulations to Emily Derbyshire, who has been selected as the 2024 Crano Memorial Lecturer. The award is given in recognition of Emily’s pioneering work using chemical biology approaches to uncover novel aspects of malaria parasite biology and identify druggable targets. The Crano Memorial Lecture Series is overseen by the Akron Section of the American Chemical Society and is named in honor of John C. Crano, a former chair of the Akron Section.  Crano, a long-time employee of PPG, was instrumental in the… read more about Emily Derbyshire Selected as Crano Memorial Lecturer »

Michael Therien, William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, has been recognized with the 2024 Inter-American Photochemical Society Award in Photochemistry for his outstanding contributions to the field. The Inter-American Photochemical Society (I-APS) Award in Photochemistry was established in 1988 to recognize outstanding contributions by members of the Society to the advancement of the photochemical and photophysical sciences, recognizing achievements made during the past ten… read more about Michael Therien Recognized by Inter-American Photochemical Society Award  »

Athena Yao has been interested in neuroscience from the moment she picked up a book in her high school library addressing the science of stress and motivation. “I was trying to figure out the source of my own stress and how I could develop a better sense of control over my life,” she shares. “It was fascinating to learn about the biological basis of emotion and behavior.” After witnessing the impacts Alzheimer’s had on her grandfather and family, the Neuroscience major, who is also minoring in Computer Science and… read more about Science + Technology + Design = Innovations at Duke »

Logan Glasstetter, a Franz lab alumnus, is one of 49 recipients of the prestigious Marshall Scholarship! The award will support his scientific research interests in a broad range of disciplines: chemistry, nanoparticle therapy, regenerative medicine, and drug discovery pertaining to protein-misfolding diseases. Marshall Scholarships are awarded each year to high-achieving American students to pursue post-graduate studies from all academic disciplines at any university in the United Kingdom. The award covers all… read more about Chem Alumnus Logan Glasstetter Receives Marshall Scholarship for Grad Study in the UK »

The Malcolmson lab has developed a three component carboamination of dienes utilizing aliphatic and aryl amines in conjunction with alkenyl electrophiles. Two different Pd-based catalysts allow for regiodivergent introduction of the amine reagent. The multicomponent coupling, together with the regiodivergence, enables the rapid production of a library of small molecule building blocks to facilitate drug discovery. Mechanistic experiments suggest the origin of regioselectivity with both catalysts, including a key pi-stacking… read more about Malcolmson Lab Develops Catalytic Three Component Regiodivergent Reactions to Prepare Allylic Alkyl Amines »

The Board of Directors of Optica (formerly OSA), Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, has elected Martin Fischer, research professor of Chemistry and Physics, to the Society’s 2024 Fellow Class. He is being honored “For pioneering contributions to nonlinear optical microscopy and imaging in biomedicine, materials science and cultural heritage.” Fischer, who directs the Advanced Light Imaging and Spectroscopy (ALIS) facility, researches novel laser microscopy methods that provide non-invasive, high-… read more about Martin Fischer Elected Fellow Member of Optica  »

Majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Visual & Media Studies and on the pre-med track, Stephany Perez-Sanchez knew she wanted to pursue a career in medicine, all thanks to a high-school psychology course. “My favorite unit in that class was neuroanatomy,” the junior explains. “I was so fascinated by the brain and how this structure controls all our functions.” She brought her cerebral fascination to Duke and began her research in earnest during the summer of 2022 in the Huang Fellows Program. Focusing… read more about Future Physician Discovers Intersections Between Media and Science »

Research Triangle Park -- The second annual Triangle Venture Day brought together startup companies and research faculty from all three Triangle Universities and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center to present their ideas for drug discovery and new treatments to investors who came from all over the country on Sept. 12. Four Duke faculty and the leaders of two Duke spinouts were among two dozen presenters asking for $1 million to $25 million in support. More than 50 investors attended the session to see presentations… read more about Duke Companies and Faculty Share Ideas with Investors at Triangle Venture Day »

Warren Warren, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Physics, Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, and David Beratan, R.J. Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, and Physics, have been recognized with 2024 American Chemical Society National Awards for their outstanding contributions to their fields of research. Beratan’s contributions to the field of Chemical Physics were recognized with the Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics, sponsored by the Journal of Chemical Physics and the ACS Division… read more about Warren and Beratan Recognized by the American Chemical Society National Awards »

The Department of Chemistry invites applications for a tenure-track position at the assistant professor level, to begin July 1, 2024. We seek colleagues with strong commitments to research, teaching, and advancing a diverse and inclusive community of scholars. Applicants in any subarea of chemistry are welcome, especially those with research interests related to the chemistry of life processes, energy, or sustainability. Applications should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, description of research plans, and a… read more about Join Us at Duke! We're Hiring! »

Florence Wang graduated this past May with dual degrees in Statistical Science and Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Dance. Immersed in STEM throughout her time at Duke, she enhanced her course loads by adding quantitative statistical and life science classes. “That additional coursework really helped me gain a better understanding of the neural mechanisms behind how humans think,” she explains. During her senior year, she added a research assistant position at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, where she was… read more about Divergent Thinking by Dint of Dance  »

A study by the Craig lab and collaborators provides a blueprint for rewriting historical performance rules for materials made from polymer networks. Adding a small fraction of reactive groups in the right places within conventional networks can make the materials about 10 times more difficult to tear, and systematic studies uncover a physical picture at the heart of the phenomenon.  Read here for more information:  https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.adg3229 read more about Embedding reactive bonds leads to less breakable materials »

DURHAM, N.C. -- When it comes to the environmental impacts of cars, much ink has been spilled on tailpipe emissions. But there’s another environmental threat from cars you might not think about: microplastic pollution. Car tires are made of rubber but also plastic polymers and other materials. Tiny bits of these materials, most a fraction the size of a grain of sand, slough off whenever tires rub against the road. Some are washed into soils and waterways; others enter the air, where their long-term effects on the health… read more about How to Make Rubbery Materials That Can Take a Beating Without Losing Their Bounce »

R.J. Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Chemistry David Beratan, Associate Research Professor of Chemistry Peng Zhang and a team including four other Duke researchers are the recipients of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2023 Faraday Horizon Prize. The Faraday Horizon Prize highlights the most exciting, contemporary chemical science at the cutting edge of research and innovation, awarded to collaborative teams whose research opens up new avenues of research in the field of physical chemistry. In addition to Beratan and… read more about Duke Team Wins International Chemistry Award  »

Professor Kevin Welsher has been named as a Bass Fellow! Seven faculty members have been named 2023 Bass Chairs and inducted into the Bass Society of Fellows in recognition of their demonstrated excellence in both undergraduate teaching and research. The chairs were created in 1996 when Anne T. and Robert Bass gave $10 million as a matching gift to encourage Duke alumni, parents and friends to endow the positions. Candidates are nominated by faculty and evaluated by a faculty committee for having achieved “true… read more about Prof. Kevin Welsher Receives Bass Fellowship! »

Dr. Jonathan Schultz is a 2023 Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellow in Chemical Sciences! The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation has announced its 2023 class of Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellows in Chemical Sciences, individuals who underscore the Foundation’s mission of supporting basic research in the chemical sciences and chemical instrumentation. Dr. Schultz was selected as one of just 16 recipients after a three-part review led by a panel of scientific experts. Jon's project, “… read more about Dr. Jonathan Schultz Receives Beckman Fellowship! »

Five members of the Class of 2024 have been named to the third class of Nakayama Scholars.  The Nakayama Public Service Scholarship bolsters the university’s efforts to encourage students to use their Duke experience to engage with significant challenges facing communities around the world. The students represent multiple disciplines across Duke’s academic departments as well as a variety of future careers pursuits. Juniors Nhu Bui, Grace Endrud, Jacob Hervey, Chloe Nguyen and Ronit Sethi were chosen for their… read more about Duke Names Third Class of Nakayama Scholars »

Seven faculty members have been named 2023 Bass Chairs and inducted into the Bass Society of Fellows in recognition of their demonstrated excellence in both undergraduate teaching and research. The group was celebrated Monday evening during a reception at the J.B. Duke Hotel. The chairs were created in 1996 when Anne T. and Robert Bass gave $10 million as a matching gift to encourage Duke alumni, parents and friends to endow the positions. Candidates are nominated by faculty and evaluated by a faculty committee for… read more about Three Trinity Faculty Named 2023 Bass Chairs »

The initial round of the Duke Climate Research Innovation Seed Program (CRISP) will fund 12 teams of Duke University scholars to accelerate research on sustainable, equitable solutions to climate change and its effects. The teams have collectively been awarded $643,000 to investigate wide-ranging topics such as lower-cost, higher-efficiency solar cells; subsidies for energy-saving home renovations; the environmental, health and justice impacts of mining critical raw materials; and pastoral care for climate change. During… read more about Twelve Research Teams Launching Projects to Advance Duke Climate Commitment Priorities »

This year’s student commencement speakers will be Trinity senior Kyle-Brandon “KB” Denis and M.D./Ph.D. candidate Dylan Eiger. They will deliver welcome remarks at the university-wide ceremony at 9.a.m. Sunday, May 14, in Wallace Wade Stadium. Denis and Eiger were chosen from among more than 350 nominees. The selection committee reviewed nominations for students who have facilitated a welcoming community for their peers through seen and unseen leadership roles, impacted the greater Durham area through engagement with… read more about Student Speakers Selected for Commencement Ceremony »

How do parasites make natural products? A new study by the Derbyshire lab resolved a polyketide synthase present in Toxoplasma gondii and observed an unexpected self-acylation activity with acyl carrier proteins within this system. Their findings suggest a potential regulatory mechanism and may help identify the metabolite(s) being made by the parasite in future studies. You can read more about their work in a recent ACS Chemical Biology issue, available here. read more about Derbyshire Lab May Help Identify the Metabolite(s) Being Made by Parasites »