Category Archives: Organic Chemistry

From Code to Chemistry: Coscientist, the AI System Mastering Nobel Prize-Winning Reactions – SciTechDaily

December 31, 2023 medical

Coscientist, an AI developed by Carnegie Mellon University, has autonomously mastered and executed complex Nobel Prize-winning chemical reactions, demonstrating significant potential in enhancing scientific discovery and experimental precision. Its ability to control laboratory robotics marks a major leap in AI-assisted research. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

An AI-based system succeeds in planning and carrying out real-world chemistry experiments, showing the potential to help human scientists make more discoveries, faster.

In less time than it will take you to read this article, an artificial intelligence-driven system was able to autonomously learn about certain Nobel Prize-winning chemical reactions and design a successful laboratory procedure to make them. The AI did all that in just a few minutes and nailed it on the first try.

This is the first time that a non-organic intelligence planned, designed, and executed this complex reaction that was invented by humans, says Carnegie Mellon University chemist and chemical engineer Gabe Gomes, who led the research team that assembled and tested the AI-based system. They dubbed their creation Coscientist.

The most complex reactions Coscientist pulled off are known in organic chemistry as palladium-catalyzed cross couplings, which earned its human inventors the 2010 Nobel Prize for chemistry in recognition of the outsize role those reactions came to play in the pharmaceutical development process and other industries that use finicky, carbon-based molecules.

Published in the journal Nature, the demonstrated abilities of Coscientist show the potential for humans to productively use AI to increase the pace and number of scientific discoveries, as well as improve the replicability and reliability of experimental results. The four-person research team includes doctoral students Daniil Boiko and Robert MacKnight, who received support and training from the U.S. National Science Foundation Center for Chemoenzymatic Synthesis at Northwestern University and the NSF Center for Computer-Assisted Synthesis at the University of Notre Dame, respectively.

An artists conceptual representation of chemistry research conducted by AI. The work was led by Gabe Gomes at Carnegie Mellon University and supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation Centers for Chemical Innovation. Credit: U.S. National Science Foundation

Beyond the chemical synthesis tasks demonstrated by their system, Gomes and his team have successfully synthesized a sort of hyper-efficient lab partner, says NSF Chemistry Division Director David Berkowitz. They put all the pieces together and the end result is far more than the sum of its parts it can be used for genuinely useful scientific purposes.

Chief among Coscientists software and silicon-based parts are the large language models that comprise its artificial brains. A large language model is a type of AI that can extract meaning and patterns from massive amounts of data, including written text contained in documents. Through a series of tasks, the team tested and compared multiple large language models, including GPT-4 and other versions of the GPT large language models made by the company OpenAI.

Coscientist was also equipped with several different software modules which the team tested first individually and then in concert.

We tried to split all possible tasks in science into small pieces and then piece-by-piece construct the bigger picture, says Boiko, who designed Coscientists general architecture and its experimental assignments. In the end, we brought everything together.

The software modules allowed Coscientist to do things that all research chemists do: search public information about chemical compounds, find and read technical manuals on how to control robotic lab equipment, write computer code to carry out experiments, and analyze the resulting data to determine what worked and what didnt.

One test examined Coscientists ability to accurately plan chemical procedures that, if carried out, would result in commonly used substances such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. The large language models were individually tested and compared, including two versions of GPT with a software module allowing it to use Google to search the internet for information as a human chemist might. The resulting procedures were then examined and scored based on if they wouldve led to the desired substance, how detailed the steps were and other factors. Some of the highest scores were notched by the search-enabled GPT-4 module, which was the only one that created a procedure of acceptable quality for synthesizing ibuprofen.

Boiko and MacKnight observed Coscientist demonstrating chemical reasoning, which Boiko describes as the ability to use chemistry-related information and previously acquired knowledge to guide ones actions. It used publicly available chemical information encoded in the Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System (SMILES) format a type of machine-readable notation representing the chemical structure of molecules and made changes to its experimental plans based on specific parts of the molecules it was scrutinizing within the SMILES data. This is the best version of chemical reasoning possible, says Boiko.

Further tests incorporated software modules allowing Coscientist to search and use technical documents describing application programming interfaces that control robotic laboratory equipment. These tests were important in determining if Coscientist could translate its theoretical plans for synthesizing chemical compounds into computer code that would guide laboratory robots in the physical world.

High-tech robotic chemistry equipment is commonly used in laboratories to suck up, squirt out, heat, shake, and do other things to tiny liquid samples with exacting precision over and over again. Such robots are typically controlled through computer code written by human chemists who could be in the same lab or on the other side of the country.

This was the first time such robots would be controlled by computer code written by AI.

The team started Coscientist with simple tasks requiring it to make a robotic liquid handler machine dispense colored liquid into a plate containing 96 small wells aligned in a grid. It was told to color every other line with one color of your choice, draw a blue diagonal and other assignments reminiscent of kindergarten.

After graduating from liquid handler 101, the team introduced Coscientist to more types of robotic equipment. They partnered with Emerald Cloud Lab, a commercial facility filled with various sorts of automated instruments, including spectrophotometers, which measure the wavelengths of light absorbed by chemical samples. Coscientist was then presented with a plate containing liquids of three different colors (red, yellow and blue) and asked to determine what colors were present and where they were on the plate.

Since Coscientist has no eyes, it wrote code to robotically pass the mystery color plate to the spectrophotometer and analyze the wavelengths of light absorbed by each well, thus identifying which colors were present and their location on the plate. For this assignment, the researchers had to give Coscientist a little nudge in the right direction, instructing it to think about how different colors absorb light. The AI did the rest.

Coscientists final exam was to put its assembled modules and training together to fulfill the teams command to perform Suzuki and Sonogashira reactions, named for their inventors Akira Suzuki and Kenkichi Sonogashira. Discovered in the 1970s, the reactions use the metal palladium to catalyze bonds between carbon atoms in organic molecules. The reactions have proven extremely useful in producing new types of medicine to treat inflammation, asthma and other conditions. Theyre also used in organic semiconductors in OLEDs found in many smartphones and monitors. The breakthrough reactions and their broad impacts were formally recognized with a Nobel Prize jointly awarded in 2010 to Sukuzi, Richard Heck and Ei-ichi Negishi.

Of course, Coscientist had never attempted these reactions before. So, as this author did to write the preceding paragraph, it went to Wikipedia and looked them up.

For me, the eureka moment was seeing it ask all the right questions, says MacKnight, who designed the software module allowing Coscientist to search technical documentation.

Coscientist sought answers predominantly on Wikipedia, along with a host of other sites including those of the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and others containing academic papers describing Suzuki and Sonogashira reactions.

In less than four minutes, Coscientist had designed an accurate procedure for producing the required reactions using chemicals provided by the team. When it sought to carry out its procedure in the physical world with robots, it made a mistake in the code it wrote to control a device that heats and shakes liquid samples. Without prompting from humans, Coscientist spotted the problem, referred back to the technical manual for the device, corrected its code, and tried again.

The results were contained in a few tiny samples of clear liquid. Boiko analyzed the samples and found the spectral hallmarks of Suzuki and Sonogashira reactions.

Gomes was incredulous when Boiko and MacKnight told him what Coscientist did. I thought they were pulling my leg, he recalls. But they were not. They were absolutely not. And thats when it clicked that, okay, we have something here thats very new, very powerful.

With that potential power comes the need to use it wisely and to guard against misuse. Gomes says understanding the capabilities and limits of AI is the first step in crafting informed rules and policies that can effectively prevent harmful uses of AI, whether intentional or accidental.

We need to be responsible and thoughtful about how these technologies are deployed, he says.

Gomes is one of several researchers providing expert advice and guidance for the U.S. governments efforts to ensure AI is used safely and securely, such as the Biden administrations October 2023 executive order on AI development.

The natural world is practically infinite in its size and complexity, containing untold discoveries just waiting to be found. Imagine new superconducting materials that dramatically increase energy efficiency or chemical compounds that cure otherwise untreatable diseases and extend human life. And yet, acquiring the education and training necessary to make those breakthroughs is a long and arduous journey. Becoming a scientist is hard.

Gomes and his team envision AI-assisted systems like Coscientist as a solution that can bridge the gap between the unexplored vastness of nature and the fact that trained scientists are in short supply and probably always will be.

Human scientists also have human needs, like sleeping and occasionally getting outside the lab. Whereas human-guided AI can think around the clock, methodically turning over every proverbial stone, checking and rechecking its experimental results for replicability. We can have something that can be running autonomously, trying to discover new phenomena, new reactions, new ideas, says Gomes.

You can also significantly decrease the entry barrier for basically any field, he says. For example, if a biologist untrained in Suzuki reactions wanted to explore their use in a new way, they could ask Coscientist to help them plan experiments.

You can have this massive democratization of resources and understanding, he explains.

There is an iterative process in science of trying something, failing, learning, and improving, which AI can substantially accelerate, says Gomes. That on its own will be a dramatic change.

For more on this paper, see Carnegie Mellons AI Coscientist Transforms Lab Work.

Reference: Autonomous scientific research capabilities of large language models by Daniil A. Boiko, Robert MacKnight, Ben Kline and Gabe Gomes, 20 December 2023, Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06792-0

Original post:

From Code to Chemistry: Coscientist, the AI System Mastering Nobel Prize-Winning Reactions - SciTechDaily

Organic Chemistry

Organic chemistry research transformed: The convergence of automation and AI reshapes scientific exploration – EurekAlert

December 31, 2023 medical

image:

(A) Appraisal of the research groups diverse inputs in AI applications for organic chemistry. Visualization through (B) research groups and (C) institutes word cloud maps, along with (D) geographical distribution.

Credit: Science China Press

Recently, National Science Openmagazine published online a review article led by Professor Fanyang Mo (School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University) and Professor Yuntian Chen (Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo). The research team proposed a significant shift towards automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in organic chemistry over the past decade. Furthermore, they introduced an innovative concept: the development of a generative, self-evolving AI chemistry research assistant.

The landscape of research in organic chemistry has undergone profound changes. Data, computing power, and sophisticated algorithms constitute the foundational pillars of AI-driven scientific research. In recent years, the rapid advancements in computing technology, coupled with the iterative enhancement of algorithms, have initiated a series of paradigm shifts in the scientific domain. This has led to a complete overhaul of conventional research methodologies. Organic chemistry, inherently predisposed to creating new substances, is uniquely positioned to thrive in this era of intelligent innovation. Scientists globally are now converging in their efforts to explore and harness the capabilities of artificial intelligence in chemistry, thus igniting the 'artificial intelligence chemistry' movement.

The academic realm is currently at the forefront of a research renaissance in this domain. The future holds great promise for the application of knowledge embedding and knowledge discovery techniques in scientific machine learning. This innovative approach is designed to narrow the gap between existing predictive models and automated experimental platforms, thereby facilitating the development of self-evolving AI chemical research assistants. In the field of organic chemistry, the concept of knowledge discovery through scientific machine learning is unlocking new possibilities. At the heart of this discipline is the understanding of reaction mechanisms, which often involve complex networks of intermediates, transition states, and concurrent reactions. Traditional approaches to deciphering these mechanisms have depended on kinetic studies and isotope labeling. However, merging symbolic mathematics with AI is poised to cast new light on these intricate pathways, potentially transforming both the understanding and teaching of organic chemical reactions.

Furthermore, the aspect of knowledge embedding holds significant importance from an organic chemist's perspective. Organic chemistry is replete with heuristic rules, ranging from Markovnikov's rules for electrophilic addition to Baldwin's rules for ring closures. Embedding these established principles into AI models would ensure that their predictions are not solely data-driven but also resonate with the intuitive understanding of chemists. This integration would yield insights that are both deeper and more aligned with the nuanced perspectives of organic chemistry.

###

See the article:

Transforming organic chemistry research paradigms: moving from manual efforts to the intersection of automation and artificial intelligence

https://doi.org/10.1360/nso/20230037

National Science Open

2-Nov-2023

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Go here to see the original:

Organic chemistry research transformed: The convergence of automation and AI reshapes scientific exploration - EurekAlert

Organic Chemistry

AI System recreated Nobel Prize-winning chemical reactions in lab – The Week

December 31, 2023 medical

An artificial intelligence (AI) system has independently mastered and successfully recreated Nobel Prize-winning chemical reactions in the laboratory. The remarkable achievement, detailed in a study published in the prestigious journal Nature, marks a significant milestone in the field of AI-driven scientific discovery.

Dubbed "Coscientist" by its creators, a team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, this cutting-edge AI system has demonstrated its ability to execute complex organic chemistry reactions, particularly the palladium-catalysed cross couplings that garnered the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2010. The researchers, led by chemist and chemical engineer Gabe Gomes, have hailed this as the first instance of non-organic intelligence planning, designing, and executing such intricate reactions initially devised by human chemists.

Harnessing the power of large language models, similar to those fueling popular chatbots like GPT-4, Coscientist showcases the potential for AI to expedite scientific discoveries, enhance experimental reliability, and augment the overall pace of research. By training on vast amounts of textual data, the AI system can process and generate natural language, enabling it to perform a range of scientific tasks.

Equipped with diverse software modules, Coscientist emulates the activities of research chemists. It can scour public information on chemical compounds, access technical manuals for robotic lab equipment, write code for experiments, and analyze resulting data to refine its approach. The researchers meticulously assembled the AI system, piecing together various components to construct a comprehensive tool for scientific exploration.

Notably, Coscientist exhibits "chemical reasoning," utilizing chemistry-related information and acquired knowledge to guide its actions. It leverages publicly available chemical information encoded in the Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System (SMILES), a machine-readable notation for representing molecular structures. By scrutinizing specific parts of molecules within the SMILES data, Coscientist adapts its experimental plans accordingly.

The breakthrough moment for the research team came when they witnessed Coscientist asking all the "right questions." The AI system sought answers from a wide range of sources, including Wikipedia, the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and academic papers describing the Suzuki and Sonogashira reactions. These reactions, discovered in the 1970s, employ palladium to catalyze carbon bonds in organic molecules.

In an astonishing display of speed and accuracy, Coscientist devised a precise procedure for the required reactions within minutes. The resulting samples analyzed by the researchers demonstrated the unmistakable "spectral hallmarks" of the Suzuki and Sonogashira reactions, which have proven instrumental in developing novel medications targeting inflammation, asthma, and other medical conditions.

While acknowledging the immense potential of AI in scientific exploration, Gomes emphasizes the need for responsible and cautious usage. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI systems is crucial in crafting rules and policies that prevent any harmful misuse, whether intentional or accidental. Gomes, alongside other experts, lends their expertise to the US government's efforts to ensure the safe and secure application of AI.

Read the original here:

AI System recreated Nobel Prize-winning chemical reactions in lab - The Week

Organic Chemistry

Organic compounds in asteroids formed in cold areas of space – Tech Explorist

December 31, 2023 medical

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contain 20% of the carbon in the interstellar medium. They are potentially produced in circumstellar environments by interstellar clouds or by processing of carbon-rich dust grains.

Scientists studied certain organic compounds, known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), extracted from the Ryugu asteroid and Murchison meteorite. Surprisingly, they discovered these PAHs likely formed in the cold areas of space between stars rather than in hot regions near stars, challenging previous beliefs. This finding has opened up new possibilities for understanding life beyond Earth and the chemistry of celestial objects. The researchers from Curtin University in Australia conducted controlled burnings of plants to produce PAHs as part of this study.

ARC Laureate Fellow John Curtin Distinguished Professor Kliti Grice, director of WA-OIGC, said PAHs are organic compounds of carbon and hydrogen common on Earth but also found in celestial bodies like asteroids and meteorites.

We performed controlled burn experiments on Australian plants, which were isotopically compared to PAHs from fragments of the Ryugu asteroid that were returned to Earth by a Japanese spacecraft in 2020 and the Murchison meteorite that landed in Australia in 1969. The bonds between light and heavy carbon isotopes in the PAHs were analyzed to reveal the temperature at which they were formed,Professor Grice said.

Select PAHs from Ryugu and Murchison were found to have different characteristics: the smaller ones likely formed in cold outer space, while bigger ones probably formed in warmer environments, like near a star or inside a celestial body.

Study co-author Dr Alex Holman, also from WA-OIGC, saidunderstanding the isotopic composition of PAHs helps unravel the conditions and environments in which these molecules were created, offering insights into the history and chemistry of celestial bodies like asteroids and meteorites.

This research gives us valuable insights into how organic compounds form beyond Earth and where they come from in space,Dr Holman said.

The use of high-tech methods and creative experiments has shown that select PAHs on asteroids can be formed in cold space.

Journal Reference:

Go here to see the original:

Organic compounds in asteroids formed in cold areas of space - Tech Explorist

Organic Chemistry

Assistant or Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry, Tenure-Track job with University of Louisville Chemistry … – American Chemical Society

December 22, 2023 medical

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Louisville (UofL) invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in organic chemistry. Applicants from all areas of organic chemistry are encouraged to apply. In particular, chemical synthesis, methods development, catalysis, green chemistry, and organic materials align well with departmental ambitions. The successful candidate is expected to establish a high quality research program involving Ph.D. and M.S. students, teach effectively at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and engage in service activities. The University of Louisville strives to foster and sustain an environment of inclusiveness. We seek candidates with the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the success of our diverse student communities.

To apply, attach one document containing a cover letter (max. 2 pages), a curriculum vitae, a research statement (max. 7 pages), a teaching statement (1 page), and statement addressing past and future plans to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (1 page) and arrange for 3 reference letters to be submitted by email to deptchem@louisville.edu. Applicants are also required to provide additional information via https://uofl.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UofLCareerSite (job R103039). Review of applications will start on November 7, 2023 and continue until the position is filled. The expected start date is July 1, 2024.

The Department of Chemistry is located on the Belknap Campus of UofL, three miles from downtown Louisville. UofL is a state-supported research university located in Kentucky's largest metropolitan area. In addition to the departments in natural sciences, UofL has a highly research-focused School of Medicine and the J.B. Speed School of Engineering for potential collaborations and synergistic activities. UofL has exciting research centers including the Brown Cancer Center, the Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, the Center for Regulatory and Environmental Analytical Metabolomics, the Micro/Nano Technology Center, and the Electrooptics Research Institute and Nanotechnology Center. UofL hosts teaching and learning resources for innovative teaching practices, including the Delphi Center and the Belknap Academic Building fitted with the latest active learning technology.

The university is committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and actively encourages candidates who can impact this mission through their research, teaching, and/or service.

Continued here:

Assistant or Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry, Tenure-Track job with University of Louisville Chemistry ... - American Chemical Society

Organic Chemistry

Biology and organic chemistry cause stress to pre-medical students – Daily Northwestern

May 5, 2023 medical

Illustration by Lily Ogburn

For pre-medical students taking biology and organic chemistry at the same time, labs can take up as many as eight hours of their week.

Its a fate many pre-medical students at Northwestern cant avoid: taking biology and organic chemistry classes at the same time. The two-quarter sequence, which includes labs that can run between two and four hours each, leaves some students feeling emotionally and mentally drained.

Most students choose to take the combination during their sophomore year, though others can choose a different path. For Weinberg sophomore Tara Chen, who completed the sequence at the end of Winter Quarter, the combined course load proved difficult to manage.

Having it done is a huge relief, Chen said. It just really put a massive burden on my sophomore year, and I really did not get to enjoy my second year of college at all.

They said they had zero free time outside of studying, eating and sleeping during the first two quarters of the academic year, due in part to lengthy lab sections.

By the second quarter of the sequence, students typically take two four-hour labs in addition to their normal course work for the biology and organic chemistry classes. Chen said attending eight hours of lab each week in addition to studying took a toll on their mental health.

Chen skipped a Chem 215-2: Organic Chemistry II exam at one point during Winter Quarter due to panic attacks they had the night before. That week, they had two tests within 24 hours of each other, followed by a four hour lab and an additional lab report.

I would have had to do my lab report and study for the orgo exam after finishing studying for the bio exam, Chen said. It was just such a brutal combination that I ended up being like, I absolutely cannot do this right now.

Though their professor was accommodating and excused them from the exam when they procured a doctors note, Chen said some students may not have access to health professionals who are readily available to write such letters.

Weinberg freshman Ethan Lee is currently taking the biology and organic chemistry sequence and is set to finish it in Fall Quarter 2023. He said his organic chemistry professor treats the courses lab like a separate class with quizzes, midterms and finals of its own.

Even though Im only taking 3.3 units of credit, it feels like Im taking four, just because of the lab, Lee said.

He said he chose to take three classes a quarter, rather than four, while in the sequence, a time management technique he learned from older students on the pre-medical track. He plans to take two online classes this summer to keep up with his course plan, he said.

Lee said he manages the course load by utilizing resources like peer-guided study groups, office hours with professors and drop-in tutoring opportunities.

Weinberg sophomore Julie Paska, who completed the sequence in Winter Quarter, said she also utilized all the help she could find by staying after class to ask questions and setting up one-on-one meetings with professors. She said though the courses were difficult, she was able to do well by the end of the sequence.

You are learning how to interpret, analyze and utilize a whole new language of science while also balancing that with other classes at the same time, Paska said. That ends up being a little stressful, but I will say that its not completely impossible to do.

On a typical day while she was taking biology and organic chemistry courses, Paska would wake up at 6 or 7 a.m. and study until about 10 p.m. Then, she would wake up the next day and do the same thing.

Paska said while she worked herself too much in the fall, she had learned to prioritize her sleep by Winter Quarter.

I realized that you could study for all of these hours at a time, but youre not really actually going to acquire anything if youre not sleeping enough, Paska said.

Paska said enduring challenges the classes presented made her a more resilient student and taught her to take initiative on seeking support.

Now that shes no longer in the sequence, Paska said she is straight chilling.

I feel like I actually have time to do things non-academic and just spend time by myself or with friends, without fear or pressure, Paska said.

Email: [emailprotected]

Twitter: @sqpowers04

Student champions using tech for the greater good – Temple University News

May 5, 2023 medical

In March 2020, Allyson Yu was in the midst of her first year as a Temple University student. She was settling in, enjoy her coursework and fully embracing the metropolitan setting that was one of the primary drivers behind her enrolling at Temple.

Then, without warning, the world shut down.

It was really, really hard for everyone. I had been looking for a city atmosphere and also a school that had a lot of different avenues to explore, and that is what brought me to Temple, said Yu, who is a native of Reading, Pa. But if there was one silver lining, this was what really started to introduce me to tech. Within days, we were able to seamlessly transition coursework to a virtual environment, and this showed me how technology really has the capability to help others.

This transition to remote learning ultimately led Yu, who was initially a biology and visual studies major, to change her major to Management Information Systems (MIS) where she has continued to explore how technology can improve the lives of others. Her undergraduate research project has focused on how institutions can improve learning environments for students with disabilities who choose to study in STEM-related fields, and even as student, she is already beginning to reap the benefits of her work.

Last year, Yu entered her research project Challenges and Opportunities in Creating An Accessible Web Application for Learning Organic Chemistry in the 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, a conference held in Athens, Greece. Yu ended up earning first place in the undergraduate category of the conferences Student Research Competition.

The overarching idea of the project is looking at how can we remove barriers for students for students with disabilities in STEM fields, Yu said. What we have found is that students with disabilities show a high interest in STEM fields in high school but then it dissipates a bit in higher ed. So essentially, my project focused on first learning what students need for support and then developing a web application that can help in this regard.

The application that Yu helped develop was WebORA, a website that helps organic chemistry students learn by interacting with 3D molecular reactions. The project, which received the support of a Creative Arts Research and Scholarship (CARAS) grant from Temple, is somewhat of a full-circle moment for Yu as it represents the full genesis of her academic journey.

As a first-year student at Temple, Yu worked in Professor of Organic Chemistey Steven A Flemings lab, which was developing a 3D molecular application. That application served as springboard for WebORA, which was further informed and enriched thanks to Yu's user experience and web development coursework that she gained as an MIS student.

As part of her study, Yu surveyed more than 50 students who were taking an organic chemistry course, and 12 of those students took part in a usability tests via WebORA. Overall, the application was well received, though one of the recommendations of the study would be expand the app for additional STEM-related fields other than just organic chemistry.

This whole thing was just really fulfilling. I felt very proud of myself, too, and I think this is a cause that we need to spread more awareness of, Yu said. One thing that also came out of this is that I came to learn how much Temple already has in place. Temples Office of Disability Resources and Services (DRS) has so many resources available, and I am grateful to know that students who need support here will be able to find it thanks to DRS."

Follow this link:

Student champions using tech for the greater good - Temple University News

Organic Chemistry

Love of organic chemistry drives ASU graduate – ASU News Now

May 5, 2023 medical

April 28, 2023

Editors note:This story is part of a series of profiles of notablespring2023 graduates.

When Lauren Harstad was attending Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she took AP biology. She fell in love with a section called biochemistry. However, she soon realized what she really liked was organic molecules and finding out how they work. Lauren Harstad is graduating with a double major in chemistry and biological sciences. Photo by Mary Zhu Download Full Image

A lot of biochemistry is just organic chemistry and biological systems, so pretty soon after I arrived at ASU I found out I didn't want to do the biochemistry part, and I switched to a chemistry major, Harstad said.

Harstad explained that Arizona State University is special in that first-year students are welcomed into professors labs to conduct research. She loves the fact that professors are willing to take on relatively inexperienced students.

Laurens ability to accomplish all she has while continuously demonstrating the highest level of approachability and professionalism has been nothing short of inspiring to everyone around her, said Assistant Professor Kyle Biegasiewicz from the School of Molecular Sciences. Lauren has been an integral part of our research program, and her commitment, determination and passion for science has made her a truly special undergraduate to mentor. We are so proud of her accomplishments and can't wait to see all of the wonderful things she does in her graduate and professional career."

Harstad, a Barrett, The Honors College student, is about to graduate with many accolades to her name. She is earning a Bachelor of Science with a double major in chemistry and biological sciences, with a minor in mathematics. Harstad was recently presented with the 2023 Distinguished Chemistry Merit Award. She won a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship in 2022, as well as the Edward B. Skibo Memorial Scholarship in 2021.

As president of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society, Harstad was involved with chemistry demonstrations at ASU Homecoming, ASU Open Door and her school's Fall Welcome.

Question: What was your aha moment when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in?

Answer: I had always been interested in science in high school, but I knew I wanted to pursue a career in chemistry soon after I began taking lab classes at ASU, and especially after beginning work in a research lab. I was really drawn to the problem-solving aspect of research, and organic chemistry in particular just clicked with me.

Q: Whats something you learned while at ASU in the classroom or otherwise that surprised you or changed your perspective?

A: Before going to college, I didnt realize how many career paths are opened up by a degree in the sciences. Chemistry is such a robust field full of exciting research, and it spans so many different industries beyond working in academia.

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: I chose ASU because of the focus on undergraduate research. I am very fortunate to have joined a research group during my first year at ASU, as this experience has been significant in encouraging me to attend graduate school and pursue a career as a research scientist.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: My research advisor Professor Biegasiewicz has been instrumental in helping me to realize my passion for organic chemistry. He has taught me the importance of working hard to achieve my goals and is always pushing me to do my best.

Q: Whats the best piece of advice you would give to students?

A: Get involved in opportunities beyond the classroom, whether through research positions, internships or anything else you find interesting! Its easy to feel underqualified at first, especially if you dont have any experience in a certain field, but having a good work ethic and attitude is just as important in landing that first position.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: When I need to clear my head, I often go for a walk through the open space near the Biodesign Institute. The area is full of trees and desert plants that make it a peaceful place to gain some perspective.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I will be pursuing a PhD in chemistry at Princeton University beginning this summer.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: I believe there is a need for more research focused on non-addictive forms of pain relief. The opioid epidemic is a problem that has affected so many families in the U.S., and I am hopeful that science will one day find a more promising alternative to these substances.

Go here to see the original:

Love of organic chemistry drives ASU graduate - ASU News Now

Organic Chemistry

Three elected to the National Academy of Sciences – Northwestern Now

May 5, 2023 medical

Joining the company of some of historys most distinguished scientists, three Northwestern faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

Timothy K. Earle, Teri W. Odom and Richard B. Silverman have been recognized for their excellence and notable contributions to their field of science. They are among the 120 new members and 23 new international members selected this year.

Timothy K. Earle

Earle, professor emeritus in the department of anthropology, also previously served as department chair from 1995 to 2000. An economic anthropologist, Earles research is anchored by topics of social inequality, leadership and political economy with a proclivity for finding alternatives to centralized power. His quests to answer this have led him to conduct long-term archaeological research in Polynesia, South America and Europe to understand overlapping economic, warrior and religious powers in political organizations of premodern societies.

Earle has published many works including A Primer on Chiefs and Chiefdoms, Bronze Age Economics, and The Evolution of Human Societies: From Forager Group to Agrarian State.

Over the course of his career, Earles honors include the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of American Archaeology, the 2020 Felix Neubergh Prize in Archaeology from Gothenburg University, as well as being honored during the 2010 American Anthropological Society Annual Meeting.

Teri W. Odom

Odom is chair of the chemistry department, the Joan Husting Madden and William H. Madden, Jr. Professor of Chemistry and a professor of materials science and engineering. She is an expert in designing structured nanoscale materials with extraordinary size- and shape-dependent properties. These nanoscale materials have been applied to advances in nanomedicine, imaging, and nanophotonics.

Odoms NAS election follows numerous awards including the 2020 Royal Society of Chemistry Centenary Prize, the 2020 American Chemical Society Award in Surface Science, and the 2018 Research Corporation for Science Advancement Cottrell Scholar TREE Award.

Odom has also co-authored various notable publications including Multiscale Patterning of Plasmonic Metamaterials, Direct Observation of Nanoparticle-Cancer Cell Nucleus Interactions, and Lasing Action in Strongly Coupled Plasmonic Nanocavity Arrays.

Richard B. Silverman

The inaugural Patrick G. Ryan/Aon Professor in the chemistry department, Silverman focuses his research on central nervous system disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, and epilepsy, and on cancer, including melanoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, with the goal of developing pharmaceutical therapies.

He is the inventor of Lyrica, a breakthrough drug marketed by Pfizer for epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain, as well as another drug treating a child with infantile spasms, a third drug in clinical trials for tuberous sclerosis and infantile spasms, and a fourth drug in IND review for ALS.

A highly decorated scientist, Silverman has earned numerous accolades such as the 2021 Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, elected Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and multiple awards from the American Chemical Society.

He has also authored and co-authored five significant books in his field, including The Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Drug Action, now in its third edition, The Organic Chemistry of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions, and Mechanism-Based Enzyme Inactivation: Chemistry and Enzymology.

Three elected to the National Academy of Sciences - Northwestern Now

Organic Chemistry

Falling in Love with Chemistry – News – Macalester College

May 5, 2023 medical

By Catherine Kane 26

Richmond Sarpong came to Macalester from Botswana in 1991 on a pre-medicine track. That didnt last long.

I fell in love with chemistry, he says.

Sarpong switched his major to chemistry and continued down that path, taking a particular interest in organic chemistry. Now a chemistry professor at the University of CaliforniaBerkeley, Sarpong came back to campus in February to reflect on his journey and current work with a lecture made possible by a Jean Dreyfus Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions grant.

He spoke about his upbringing, time at Macalester, and scholarship at UCBerkeley, particularly his research into creating less addictive painkillers using compounds inspired by others found in the natural world, to a packed audience in Kagin Ballroom.

At Berkeley, his lab conducts research on natural compounds that can be used in drug development. The research we do is focused on how we can improve the way in which we make medicines, Sarpong says. About 50 percent of medicines are inspired by natural products, which are chemical compounds that are found in nature.

Sarpongs fascination with medicine, and later using chemistry to improve health outcomes, comes from his childhood in Sub-Saharan Africa. He saw the impact of Ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, on communities he was living in to treat river blindness. Coming to Macalester, he learned how such drugs are made using chemical processes.

To me, molecules are like architectural masterpieces, he says.

With a newfound passion for organic chemistry, Sarpong continued on to Princeton where he earned a PhD in organic chemistry and became a professor at UCBerkeley in 2004. Sarpong said his time at Macalester uniquely prepared him to enter the world of research.

Macalester provided me with a personal infrastructure to learn how to learn, he says. It also gave me this appreciation for diversity, internationalism, and having a global mindset, which I think has been important in my role as a chemistry professor. Macalester gave me the ability to engage, interact, and find common ground with people from all sorts of different cultures and countries.

His two days on campus were funded by a grant the Chemistry Department received from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. The grant provides funding to host a speaker and support two undergraduates in summer research.

During his visit, he reflected on the promise of the students he met: The future passes squarely through Macalester.

Falling in Love with Chemistry - News - Macalester College