Using ALS beamlines, a new study revealed how CMX410 inhibits Pks13, a cell wall enzyme in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis. CMX410 is effective against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains of the bacterium and has been proven safe in multiple animal models of infection. Read more »
ALS News Vol. 474
October 28, 2025
Building Materials from the Nanocrystal Up
Researchers used the Advanced Light Source to clarify how an unusual intermediate state accelerates the transformation of nanocrystals into a superlattice during a two-step process with fewer defects than a one-step process. Read more »
Like the Sun, ALS Fractures Nitrogen Gas to Study Alien Atmospheres
A research team used the ALS to recreate how the Sun breaks apart nitrogen to inform a new model that can be used to understand the fate of a variety of elemental isotopes to explain atmospheric evolution on planets across the solar system. Read more »
MOFs in the Light: ALS User Omar Yaghi Receives 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Omar Yaghi, Susumu Kitagawa, and Richard Robson for the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). At many different ALS beamlines, Yaghi used a broad range of techniques to characterize MOFs in formats such as small crystals, thin films, and powders, leading to applications in water harvesting, carbon dioxide conversion, and more. Read more »
2025 Summer Shutdown Recap
The ALS returned to user operation in October after a lengthy shutdown. During the shutdown, a major milestone for ALS-U was accomplished: The mechanical installations of the accumulator ring and the booster-to-accumulator-ring transfer line were completed. Read more »
Applications due October 31 for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships
Applications for the next round of ALS Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships are due October 31 for a start date in 2026. Fellows spend a year in residence at the ALS pursuing research projects in teams that include staff and the user community, and are exposed to current scientific challenges that can be tackled using advanced synchrotron radiation tools. Read more »
UEC Nominations Due October 31, 2025
The Advanced Light Source Users’ Executive Committee (UEC) invites nominations for its upcoming election for five new UEC members (2026–2028 term). Nominations will be accepted through Friday, October 31, 2025. Take a look at what is involved, and remember that self-nominations are welcome! Read more »
ALS in the News (October 2025)
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- Exciting results from study that examined farmland soil treated only with organic fertilizers
- X-ray technique provides a new tool for nuclear forensics investigations
- Good Vibes at My Internship with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Made in Berkeley Lab: design and fabrication do the heavy lifting
- X-ray technique provides a new tool for nuclear forensics investigations
- Exciting results from study that examined farmland soil treated only with organic fertilizers