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Studying Interfacial Effects in Solid-Electrolyte Batteries

An ambient-pressure probe of a solid electrolyte revealed how surface electrochemical mechanisms lead to poor electrolyte performance and battery failure. The results can help scientists engineer better coatings and interfaces, which are essential for building safer and better-performing batteries, particularly for use in vehicles. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

The Spatial Dynamics of Bone Remodeling During Lactation

To mobilize the minerals needed for milk production, osteocytes—the cells responsible for maintaining bone quality—facilitate the release of calcium and other minerals from the bone matrix surrounding them. In this study, researchers investigated how osteocytes balance the rapid release of calcium with maintaining bone integrity. Read more »PPT-icon-35

Protein Pioneer: Enabling Scientists to Design Novel Proteins for the Future

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper for the development of protein structure prediction and design. At the ALS, Baker leveraged high-throughput small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and protein crystallography capabilities to design novel proteins and pave a new pathway for science, technology, and the environment. Read more »

David Shapiro Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society

David Shapiro has been elected as a 2024 Fellow of the American Physical Society. The Council of Representatives recognizes him “for pioneering work in the development of the lensless diffractive imaging method, x-ray ptychography, and the scientific use of this imaging technique for important energy, chemical, materials, magnetic, physics, and biological uses.”

Manganese Cathodes Could Boost Lithium-ion Batteries

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are used in mobile devices, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. But supplies of nickel and cobalt, commonly used in the cathodes of these batteries, are limited. New research opens up a potential low-cost, safe alternative in manganese, the fifth most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. Read more »

COSMIC Scattering Team Receives 2024 Klaus Halbach Instrumentation Award

The 2024 Klaus Halbach Award for Innovative Instrumentation at the ALS was presented at the annual User Meeting to the COSMIC Scattering Team “for the development of x-ray imaging and x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy instrumentation for investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of functional magnetic and quantum materials at ALS Beamline 7.0.1.1.” Read more »

Mel Sibony Receives 2024 Tim Renner User Services Award

In celebration of his work, the ALS Users’ Executive Committee presented Mel Sibony with the 2024 Tim Renner User Services Award “for outstanding support of the ALS user community through the development and maintenance of the 4D software system and database and computer hardware at the ALS.”
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2024 User Meeting Highlights

Another successful ALS User Meeting was held August 12–14, bringing the ALS user community together under the sunny summer skies of Berkeley, California. Over 300 participants enjoyed an engaging program organized by the Users’ Executive Committee (UEC), led by User Meeting organizers Wendy Gu, Devin Grabner, Monsuru Ramoni, and Shan Wu. Read more »

A Promising Compound for Reversible Male Contraception

Researchers found that a small-molecule protein inhibitor—screened from billions of compounds and analyzed using structural insights from protein crystallography—reversibly suppresses male fertility in mice. The work addresses the pressing need for more contraceptive options that enable all individuals to control their own fertility. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35