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 »
ALSNews Vol. 413
February 26, 2020
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 »
Probing the Evolution of Photovoltaic Films during the Spin-Coating Process
A new, in-beamline spin-coating platform enabled researchers to probe the structure of a promising photovoltaic material in the crucial early stages of processing. The results demonstrate the power of multimodal in situ techniques as promising tools for optimizing synthesis parameters and, thus, device performance. Read more »
Can Minerals in the Earth’s Lower Mantle Store Water?
Earth is considered a watery planet, simply by virtue of the fact that 71% of its surface is covered by oceans. But researchers have discovered that, in the massive volume of material in Earth’s interior, minerals can serve as an important water reservoir, providing a new perspective on our planet’s water budget. 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 »
July 2020 Shutdown Preview
The ALS will be undergoing longer shutdowns in preparation for the ALS-U dark period. Although beam will not be available for users, the flurry of activity at the ALS will continue, and many projects are scheduled for the upcoming shutdowns. ALS Deputy for Accelerator Operations Fernando Sannibale gives us a preview of this summer’s shutdown. Read more »
Alex Frano, Assistant Professor and UEC Chair
As a light source user, Alex Frano loves the camaraderie of beamtime, and he is excited to build on that sense of scientific collegiality as this year’s Users’ Executive Committee chair. You may have seen him on the experimental floor or at the User Meeting, but do you know his secret talent? Read more »
February 2020 Message from the Users’ Executive Committee
The 2020 UEC Chair Alex Frano highlights the new date of the User Meeting, which will be August 25–27 this year. This year’s meeting will continue the tradition of excellent speakers, tutorials, and workshops. Read more »
March 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 2020-2 (July–December) cycle. The deadline for submissions is March 4, 2020. 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 »
Winter 2020 Shutdown Recap
Many projects around the ALS were completed during the Winter 2020 shutdown. Some of these improvements will benefit users now, and others provide additional utility that will be required in the future. In response to user feedback, we have endeavored to divide projects into the smallest possible segments in order to decrease the amount of time required for each shutdown. Read more »