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Water Improves Material’s Ability to Capture CO2

With the help of the ALS, researchers from UC Berkeley and ExxonMobil fine-tuned a material to capture CO2 in the presence of water. The parties have applied for a patent on the material, which was developed for use on the relatively humid flue gases emitted by certain natural gas power plants, a cleaner-burning alternative to coal. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

ALS Reveals Vulnerability in Cancer-Causing Protein

A promising anticancer drug, AMG 510, was developed by Amgen Inc. with the help of novel structural insights gained from protein structures solved at the ALS. AMG 510, which is currently in phase II clinical trials for efficacy, targets tumors caused by mutations in the KRAS protein, one of the most common causes of cancer. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

X-Ray Technology Sheds New Light on Antibiotic Synthesis

Atomic-scale structural analyses performed at the ALS are helping scientists understand the inner workings of the enzyme “assembly lines” that microbes use to produce an important class of compounds, many of which have uses as antibiotics, antifungals, and immunosuppressants. Read more »

Light Sources Form Data Solution Task Force

With funding from DOE for a two-year pilot program, scientists from the five light sources have formed a Data Solution Task Force that will demonstrate, build, and implement software, cyberinfrastructure, and algorithms that address universal needs between all five facilities. These needs range from real-time data analysis capabilities to data storage and archival resources. Read more »

77Se NMR Probes the Protein Environment of Selenomethionine

Sulfur is critical for protein structure and function but lacks a sensitive isotope for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. This can be circumvented by substituting sulfur with selenium, which has an NMR-compatible isotope (77Se). To enable interpretation of the NMR data, the structures of five of protein variants were solved by x-ray crystallography to a resolution of 1.2 Å. Read more »

Turning Up the Heat on Antibacterial-Resistant Diseases

Scientists have designed a biocompatible polymer that has the potential to advance photothermal therapy, a technique that deploys near-infrared light to combat antibacterial-resistant infections and cancer. The team synthesized the polymer by stringing together small molecules called ionic azaquinodimethanes, which they characterized at the ALS. Read more »

New Catalyst Resists Destructive Carbon Buildup in Electrodes

Key challenges in the transition to sustainable energy can be met by converting CO2 to CO through the use of solid oxide electrolysis cells. But because these can suffer from carbon deposition at the electrodes, researchers have now identified and tested a new, cerium oxide–based catalyst that is more resistant to carbon buildup. Read more »PPT-icon-35