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ALS Director Announces Andreas Scholl as New Science Deputy

I am delighted to inform you that our search for a new science deputy has ended successfully with the appointment of ALS senior staff scientist Andreas Scholl. I look forward to working with him as we continue to manage this world-leading facility and get ready for ALS-U science. Read more »

Design and Synthesis of Selective Phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) Allosteric Inhibitors for the Treatment of Fragile X Syndrome and Other Brain Disorders

PDE4D enzymes are important for normal brain function. Mutations have been asssociated with an ultrarare neurodevelopmental disorder, and genetic variation in PDE4D contributes to biological variation in human cognitive ability. Here, researchers report on novel PDE4D inhibitors providing potent memory-enhancing effects in a mouse model, with improved tolerability and reduced vascular toxicity over earlier PDE4 inhibitors. Read more »

Chiral Crystals Give Rise to Topological Conductors

Researchers have discovered materials whose chiral crystal structures produce chirality in their electronic behavior. These topological conductors retain their unique electronic properties regardless of defects and open new possibilities in materials research. Read more »

April 2019 Message from the UEC

Fanny Rodolakis, the chair of the Users’ Executive Committee (UEC) for 2019, reports on the most recent UEC meeting and calls for speaker suggestions for this year’s User Meeting. Read more »

Superconductor Exhibits “Glassy” Electronic Phase

Researchers discovered that electrons in a high-temperature superconductor can exhibit a new type of collective behavior that is more “glassy” (disordered) than expected. The study provides valuable insight into the nature of collective electron behaviors and how they relate to high-temperature superconductivity. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

ALS Doctoral Fellowship Applications Open June 1

ALS Doctoral Fellowships in Residence allow early-career researchers to spend a year at the ALS working at the frontier of synchrotron radiation research and helping advance state-of-the-art techniques. Applications will be accepted from June 1–June 30. Read more »

Infrared Light Reveals Microstripes at Insulator-Metal Transition

In this study of a current-driven insulator-to-metal transition, a distinctive stripe pattern develops between the insulating and metallic phases. The work reveals remarkable new features of electrically induced insulator-to-metal transitions in materials with potential applications in energy-efficient memory and transistor devices. Read more »PPT-icon-35

Structural Characterization of a Synthetic Tandem-Domain Bacterial Microcompartment Shell Protein Capable of Forming Icosahedral Shell Assemblies

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are subcellular compartments found in many prokaryotes, and they are of considerable interest for biotechnological applications. The BMC-H2 shell system constitutes a relatively simple generic building block that could be used to construct designed shells with a relatively highly tunable pore. Read more »

Electric Skyrmions Charge Ahead for Next-Generation Data Storage

Researchers have observed chirality for the first time in polar skyrmions in a material with reversible electrical properties. The combination of polar skyrmions and these electrical properties could one day lead to applications such as more powerful data storage devices that hold information even after a device has been powered off. Read more »

Antibody Uses Mimicry to Block SARS Coronavirus

Protein structures not only revealed how SARS and MERS antibodies inhibit the viruses from attaching to host cells, they also revealed an unprecedented example of receptor mimicry that triggers the cell-invasion machinery of the SARS virus. The results inform efforts to prevent and treat these serious, often deadly, respiratory diseases. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35