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Probing Composite Materials to Make Better Batteries

Researchers found that when an ion-conducting polymer composite is placed in an electric field, it forms ion-rich hotspots that continue to grow for hours after the field is removed. The study opens a new path to understanding the dynamic structure of composite materials for smaller, lighter batteries. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Construction, characterization and crystal structure of a fluorescent single-chain Fv chimera

In vitro display technologies based on phage and yeast have a successful history of selecting single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies against various targets. However, single-chain antibodies are often unstable and poorly expressed. We explore the feasibility of converting scFv antibodies to an intrinsically fluorescent format by inserting a monomeric, stable fluorescent protein between the light- and heavy-chain variable regions. Read more »

Actor in a Supporting Role: Substrate Effects on 2D Layers

ALS studies highlighted interactions that can occur between technologically intriguing 2D materials and the substrates that physically support them. The results provide important insights into the issue of non-negligible interlayer coupling and demonstrate the potential for tuning single-layer properties through substrate engineering. Read more »

CC-90009, a novel cereblon E3 ligase modulator, targets acute myeloid leukemia blasts and leukemia stem cells

A number of clinically validated drugs have been developed by repurposing the CUL4-DDB1-CRBN-RBX1 (CRL4CRBN) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex with molecular glue degraders to eliminate disease-driving proteins. Here, we present the identification of a first-in-class GSPT1-selective cereblon E3 ligase modulator, CC-90009, that targets acute myeloid leukemia blasts and leukemia stem cells. Read more »

A Detailed Look Inside Tsetse Flies

To better understand the unique reproductive biology of tsetse flies, which are carriers of the parasites that cause a deadly infection known as African sleeping sickness, researchers explored the intact organs and tissues of tsetse flies using a powerful 3D x-ray imaging technique at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source. Read more »

Identifying Ionic and Electronic Charge Transfer at Oxide Heterointerfaces

Researchers identified how ion and electron transfer naturally balance at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 oxide heterointerface, affecting the band alignment and magnetic signature of the interface. The results show that Sr ions are more mobile at the interface than in the bulk, implicating a high importance of ionic charge transfer in oxide heterostructures. Read more »

2D MXene Shows Evidence of a Magnetic Transition

A variety of experiments, including ALS x-ray studies, provided direct evidence of a magnetic transition in a 2D compound called a MXene (pronounced “maxene”). The finding adds new functionality to a family of materials with numerous ways to fine-tune properties for applications ranging from spintronic devices to electromagnetic shielding. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

ALS in the News (January 2021)

Stacking the Deck for Custom-Built Hybrid Materials

Researchers fabricated an electronically coupled heterostructure from a novel semiconducting 2D polymer and a 2D transition metal dichalcogenide. Dramatic optical and electronic changes emerged as polymer thickness decreased, underscoring the potential for the discovery of emergent phenomena in studies of hybrid heterostructures. Read more »

Inhalable COVID-19 Protection via Synthetic Nanobodies

Protein structures obtained in part at the ALS helped researchers to increase the potency of simplified antibodies (nanobodies) designed to neutralize SARS-CoV-2. Stable enough to be used in inhalers or nasal sprays, the nanobodies offer a new option, aside from injected vaccines, for COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35