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Wanli Yang Receives VUVX Mid-Career Award in Condensed Matter Physics

At the 40th International Conference on Vacuum Ultraviolet and X-Ray Physics, Wanli Yang was awarded the Mid-Career Award in Condensed Matter Physics for extending the applicability of soft x-ray science within the materials science community, especially for the application of ex situ and in situ x-ray spectroscopy to Li-ion batteries. Read more »

Tuning Material Properties with Laser Light

Researchers demonstrated that coupled electronic and magnetic properties in a material can be repeatably tuned using laser light. The results suggest the possibility of creating microelectronic devices that use a laser beam to erase and rewrite bits of information in materials engineered for random-access memory and data storage. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Molecular Framework Imparts Stability to Reactive Catalyst

Researchers have shown that a rigid metal–organic framework (MOF) can be used to stabilize core regions of a reactive catalyst that has potential for use in artificial photosynthesis. The framework immobilizes and preserves key reactive intermediates and affords a clearer view of how the catalyst’s structure correlates with function. Read more »

A Bullfrog’s Powerful Defense Against Toxic Red Tides

Working as a “molecular sponge,” a bullfrog protein known as saxiphilin provides powerful, yet little understood, protection against deadly neurotoxins produced in red tides. Crystallography studies at the ALS have clarified saxiphilin’s function, potentially enabling better ways to monitor and combat toxins in our oceans and food supplies. Read more »PPT-icon-35

September 4 Deadline for General User Proposals

The User Office is accepting new General User Proposals (GUPs) from scientists who wish to conduct research at the ALS in the 2020-1 (January–June) cycle. The deadline for submissions is September 4, 2019. Applicants are reminded that they may request joint access to the Molecular Foundry, a nanoscience user facility at Berkeley Lab, to support their ALS activities. Read more »

How Light-Harvesting Bacteria Toggle Off and On

Researchers clarified the atomic-level mechanism that enables bacteria to switch light harvesting off and on in response to potentially damaging overexposure to light. The results could have long-range implications for artificial photosynthesis and optogenetics—the use of light to selectively activate biological processes. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

X-Ray Studies Key in Study Relating to Immune System-Signaling Protein

A grouping of amino acids—part of an important signaling protein, STING—plays an important role in activating the immune system. A study conducted through the Collaborative Crystallography program at the ALS confirmed how this part of the STING protein helps to bind a protein-modifying enzyme associated with autoimmune diseases and some cancers. Read more »

Shape transformation and self-alignment of Fe-based nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have widespread applications in biotechnology, materials science, engineering, and environmental studies. Thus, much attention has been paid to their controllable synthesis. Three new functions of iron-based nanoparticles are reported: shape transformation, oxidation prevention, and self-alignment. Read more »