Over the past year, a process has been ongoing to select the insertion-device beamlines that will be built and upgraded within the scope of the ALS-U Project. I am delighted to inform you that the selection process is now complete and to announce the result. Read more »
ALSNews Vol. 401
January 30, 2019
Hidden Flow of Lithium Ions Points Way to Better Batteries
Experiments revealed that lithium ions unexpectedly flow along the surfaces of electrode particles, boosting the growth of lithium “hot spots” that shorten battery life. The results correct decades’ worth of assumptions and will help improve battery design, potentially leading to a new generation of lithium-ion batteries. Read more »
UEC Chair Fanny Rodolakis
Fanny Rodolakis, the chair of the Users’ Executive Committee (UEC) for 2019, gives a preview of the UEC’s plans for the year, including the User Meeting. The UEC encourages users to submit general feedback and suggest speakers for this year’s User Meeting. Read more »
Maggie Zhuyun Xiao Awarded Best Student Presentation
Congratulations to Maggie Zhuyun Xiao, who earned the award at the Joint MMM-Intermag Conference for her presentation, “Single Domain Magnetoelastic Terfenol-D Microdisks for Particle and Cell Manipulation.” Maggie is an ALS Doctoral Fellow in Residence working with ALS Senior Scientist Elke Arenholz.
ALS in the News (January 2019)
- Drug Sponge Could Minimize Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
- Nanocrystals Get Better When They Double Up With MOFs
- Researchers Identify Openings for Shuttering Virus Factories
- Revealing Hidden Spin: Unlocking New Paths Toward High-Temperature Superconductors
- Scientists Program Proteins to Pair Exactly
- Researchers Use Jiggly Jell-O to Make Powerful New Hydrogen Fuel Catalyst
- Surprising Electronic Disorder in a Copper Oxide-Based Ceramic
Locking Protein Structure to Close the Door on Cancer
While the SHP2 protein helps regulate cellular activity, mutations in its structure can lead to cancer. X-ray crystallography at the ALS and SSRL has revealed differences between normal and mutated SHP2, as well as how it binds to certain cancer drugs. These structural insights open the door to new types of cancer therapy. Read more »
Forum Reinforces ALS Links to Water-Energy Nexus
About 80 Berkeley Lab scientists gathered at the ALS last week for an “ALS Water-Energy Outreach Forum” to discuss the challenges and opportunities arising from a growing focus on the nexus between water and energy—two resources essential to human populations—and to explore how the ALS can help address key questions in the field. Read more »
14-Day Notice Required for User Arrivals and Allowable Visa Types for Experimental Work
All users of the ALS must register in the ALSHub at least 14 days prior to their arrival date to provide required information (including visa type, if applicable). This allows enough time for pre-check-in processing and review. Read more »
Robbie Leftwich-Vann, ALS-U Project Manager
Robbie Leftwich-Vann came to Berkeley Lab with years of experience with NASA and the aviation sector. She is focused on building the infrastructure and setting up the tools for the ALS-U team to succeed—enabling the project to take flight. Read more »
Zahid Hussain Honored with DOE Secretary’s Award
Former ALS Deputy for Scientific Support Zahid Hussain was honored with a Department of Energy Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award. The award is one of the highest scientific honors given by Energy Secretary Rick Perry, recognizing “continuous and distinctive achievements.” Read more »