Hahn Lab Univ of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Postdoc Positions

Departments of Pharmacology, Medicinal Chemistry,
and Lineberger Cancer Center

 

We are seeking postdoctoral fellows to develop and apply novel approaches for in vivo manipulation and imaging of signaling. We are a multidisciplinary team using protein engineering, organic chemistry, and novel microscopy techniques to study the dynamics of signaling networks in living cells and animals.  We seek postdoctoral fellows to design novel biosensors, molecules for photomanipulation of protein activity, and engineered allosteric activation of signaling pathways. Other positions focus on the flow of information through signaling networks controlled by spatio-temporal dynamics, and involve interactions with groups developing models of network behavior and computational tools to understand and model imaging data. See the Hahn lab web site for more information about our work and the exciting collaborative environment at UNC. (hahnlab.com). See also Gulyani et al. Nature Chem. Bio 7:437 p437; Karginov et al. Nature Biotech 28(7) p743; Yoo et al. Developmental Cell 18 p226; Wu et al. Nature 461 p104; and Machacek et al Nature 461 p99.

Chemical Biology. We seek postdoctoral fellows experienced  in the design and execution of complex multi-step organic syntheses. This position offers the opportunity for an organic chemist to move into a new area of research, focusing on projects that combine organic synthesis and molecular biology to develop new tools for the imaging and manipulation of signaling pathways in vivo. There will be multiple opportunities to apply your new tools in biological studies.

Biophysics and imaging. We are developing novel biophysical techniques based on lifetime imaging, single molecule imaging and correlation microscopy to study signaling dynamics in living cells. These projects will require a background in mathematics, physics or engineering, and ideally an understanding of microscopes, lasers, and/or programming for microscope automation.  This is a collaboration with Enrico Gratton of the Laboratory of Fluorescence Dynamics (http://www.lfd.uci.edu/).

GEF- GTPase signaling networks. These positions are for postdocs interested in protein engineering and/or the spatio-temporal dynamics of signaling networks.  Projects focus on a) developing novel biosensor approaches for signaling upstream and downstream of GTPases b) methods for control of such molecules in vivo, and/or c) use of these tools to dissect the spatio-temporal dynamics of signaling networks controlling cell polarization and trans-endothelial migration. We will interact closely with Dr. Gaudenz Danuser developing network models and computational approaches to derive information re the spatio-temporal dynamics of signaling from imaging data (http://lccb.hms.harvard.edu/), and with Drs. Keith Burridge (http://www.med.unc.edu/cellbiophysio/faculty/burridge) and with John Sondek of UNC (http://www.med.unc.edu/pharm/sondeklab/) , who study the biology and structural biology of GEFs and GTPases. Applications in vivo will be carried out with Dr. Anna Huttenlocher, examining TEM in zebrafish models (http://medmicro.wisc.edu/people_faculty.php).

To apply, please send a CV to Klaus Hahn at khahn@med.unc.edu.

£250 prize for schools electrochemistry challenge

The RSC's Electrochemistry Group is inviting students to enter a competition to design a battery and win up to £250.

The competition asks students 'Imagine you had a power cut at home - what could you use to produce some power?' The group are looking for the most imaginative solution that uses materials found in the home and garden.

A separate set of prizes is available to the best entry of a cartoon or illustration that demonstrates an electrochemical principle. Again, the judges are looking for creativity and entrants are asked to 'think different!'

More information can be found on the RSC Electrochemistry Group website. The deadline for entries is 15 December 2012.

more here: http://www.rsc.org/Membership/Networking/InterestGroups/Electrochemistry/electrochemistry-challenges.asp

Congratulations to Dr. Kattel

Krishna Kattel (Dr. Kattel now) completed his PhD from Kyungpook National University, Korea.

Congratulations Dr. Kattel. 

His thesis title was: 

"Synthesis, Characterization, In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Lanthanide Oxide/Hydroxide Nanostructures for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Contrast Agent and Fluroscence Imaging (FI) Agent."

The size, composition, and shape of the nanoparticles are tuned by controlling reaction conditions. These nanoparticles are made dispersible in various media through proper surface modifications. The effects of particle size, shape, composition, and interparticle spacing on physical and chemical properties of the nanostructures are addressed by my research. I accomplished the synthesis of a series of biocompatible multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles for highly efficient diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In addition, I synthesized various paramagnetic lanthanide oxide nanoparticles for advanced T1 and T2 MRI contrast agents. I demonstrated the applicability of antibody conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles for cancer cell separation in buffer and IO-Ab nanoparticles to capture cancer cells without pre-treatment process.

As an extension of my research, I am planning to do further research on gold nanoparticles for a wide range of biological studies. Through precise control over the particle morphology and surface modification, I plan to design and create gold nanostructures that can be used for applications such as bio-sensing and therapeutics.

More on Dr. Kattel's can be found on his publications.
1) Kattel, K.; Park, J. Y.; Xu et al. “A Facile Synthesis, In Vitro and In Vivo MR Studies of D-glucuronic Acid Coated Ultrasmall Ln2O3 (Ln = Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho and Er) Nanoparticles as a New potential MRI Contrast Agent.” ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2011, 3, 3325-3334. (IF:4.5)

2) Kattel, K. et al.; “Water–Soluble Ultrasmall Eu2O3 Nanoparticles as a Fluorescent Imaging (FI) Agent: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.” Colloids and Interfaces A: Physiochemical and Engineering Aspects 2012, 394, 85-91. (IF: 2.3).

3) Kattel, K.; Park, J. Y.; Xu, W.; Kim, H. G.; Lee, E. J.;et al. “Paramagnetic Dysprosium Oxide Nanoparticles and Dysprosium Hydroxide Nanorods as new T2 MRI contrast agent.” Biomaterials 2012, 33, 3254-3261. (IF: 7.88).

4) Xu, W.*; Kattel, K.*; Park, J. Y.*; Chang, Y.; Kim, T. J.; Lee, G. H. “Paramagnetic Nanoparticle T1 and T2 MRI Contrast Agents.” Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2012, 14, 12687-12700. [*authors have equal contributions]. (IF. 3.6)
5) Kattel. K. et al. “Surface Coated Eu(OH)3 Nanorods: A Facile Synthesis, Characterization, MR Relaxivities and In Vitro Cytotoxicity.” Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. (Just accepted).

Our congratulation to Dr. Anant Marahatta

Anant Marahatta successfully defended his PhD dissertation this month (2012, November) at Tohoku University Sendai, Japan. We would like to congratulate him for his achievement. 

 

His Ph.D. research work is mainly concentrated on the “Theoretical investigation of the structures and dynamics of the crystalline molecular gyroscopes”. His work is regarded as a complementary theoretical study that aimed to characterize the experimentally synthesized crystalline molecular gyroscopes (It is a compliment from the ACS reviewers). He computed series of quantum chemistry calculations by applying Gaussian-03 and density-functional-based tight-binding program (DFTB+) packages. Here is a short description   of his research work.

 

The phenylene-bridged macrocages whose interior rotator (phenylene) is protected by an exterior framework (stator) are found to be structurally analogous with the macroscopic gyroscope and expected to have many several useful collective effects and properties in the crystal such as dichorism and birefringence. Recently, an X−ray crystallography of the gyroscope like molecule having a phenylene rotator encased in three long siloxaalkane spokes was reported by Prof. W. Setaka and his group. They observed the phenylene rotator at three stable positions around the molecular axis, suggesting the molecule demonstrates functions as a molecular gyroscope in crystal. The rotational dynamics and the underlying mechanisms of such novel molecular gyroscope were not revealed. I am the first to carry out series of quantum chemistry calculations for theoretically investigating its crystal structures and the rotational dynamics. Another objective of my research is finding computationally cheap yet decent theoretical method that can characterize the experimentally synthesized crystalline molecular Gyroscope.

 

The most important conclusion of this research work is that in the presence of highly efficient encapsulating frame around the rotating segment, the rotational dynamics of crystalline molecular gyroscopes can be dramatically improved with an extremely low activation barrier. It is very essential to realize the rotationally free molecular machines. I am able to reveal the microscopic mechanisms of rotations with the help of reasonably simple theoretical methods. It will be highly beneficial for the development of nanoscale devices based on assemblies of molecular gyroscopes.

 

He has started a post-doctoral position at the same University in Japan. We wish him a successful career ahead.

For detail, you can go through his research paper:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jp308974j

Dr. Pandey moving to PENNSTATE for post-doctoral position

Binod Pandey successfully defended his PhD dissertation this month at University of Missouri – Saint Louis, US. We would like to congratulate him for his achievement.

Here is a short description of his PhD research.

Gold nano-structures are at the center of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Nanoporous gold is a gold nanostructure with pores and ligaments in the nm dimensions. Size and topography of these pores and ligaments can be compared to the dimensions of the microdomains of the membrane. Highly increased surface to volume ration of the nanoporous gold makes it an attractive substrate for protein immobilization and assay development. My study involved utilization of nanoporous gold for the development of electrochemical immunoasays for the cancer biomarkers such as prostate specific antigen (biomarker for prostate cancer) and carcinoembryonic antigen (biomarker for colorectal cancer). Another aspect of the study involved development of electrochemical techniques for the study of carbohydrate lectin interactions on the nanoporous gold surface as an alternate and close mimic of the cell surface for carbohydrate presentation, and as a model for carbohydrate protein interaction studies. Electrochemical lectin assays were also developed for the high throughput screening of the glycan targets in glycoproteins, glycoconjugates and cell surface carbohydrates.

His publications can be viewed at google.scholar site. 

http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k8_W3EQAAAAJ&hl=en

After his PhD, Dr. Pandey will be joining Benkovic lab at PENNSTATE as a post-doctoral research associate. 

Best wishes from our side Dr. Pandey.

2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to Robert and Brian

+]Enlarge

 

An X-ray crystal structure depicts the ß2 adrenergic receptor (green) with its G protein, a heterotrimer called Gs (yellow, blue, and purple). The complex is stabilized by a llama antibody (red) and the enzyme T4 lysozyme (magenta).

Credit: Nature

[+]Enlarge

 

Lefkowitz

Credit: Stewart Waller/PR Newswire/HHMI

Robert J. Lefkowitz, 69, and Brian K. Kobilka, 57, will take home this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for unraveling the molecular workings of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The receptors are a family of proteins that transmit critical biological messages for functions such as vision, smell, taste, and neurotransmission.

[+]Enlarge

 

Kobilka

Credit: Stanford U

Lefkowitz and Kobilka’s discoveries also laid the foundation for aflurry of structures of GPCRs solved over the past five years, the Nobel committee said at an Oct. 10 press conference. Those structures explain at atomic-level detail how the receptors, which always wind back and forth seven times through cell membranes, transmit messages.

GPCRs “are crucially positioned to regulate almost every known physiological process in humans,” Lefkowitz, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator based at Duke University Medical Center, said by phone at the press conference. For decades, researchers knew that hormones such as adrenaline outside cells led to changes inside cells. But the exact nature of this chemical signaling was a mystery. Lefkowitz first traced this signaling with radioactive blocking agents. Eventually, his team managed to pluck GPCRs—including the receptor for adrenaline, the β-adrenergic receptor—out of the tissues where they had always been studied.

Kobilka, now at Stanford University School of Medicine, was a postdoc in Lefkowitz’ lab in the 1980s, when the lab was hunting for the gene encoding the β-adrenergic receptor. When Kobilka finally isolated the gene, he realized the receptor comprised seven helices, just like rhodopsin, which resides in the retina and responds to light. The Lefkowitz team realized that a large family of seven-helix receptors must exist. “Lefkowitz and Kobilka have helped us understand the molecular details of cellular signaling,” says American Chemical Society President Bassam Z. Shakhashiri. “It is helping chemists create new medicines that will benefit society.”

GPCRs are targets for as many as 50% of prescription medicines on the market, but many of those drugs, such as beta-blockers, date to long before the prizewinning discoveries. “Chemists made early GPCR drugs by just making molecules related to natural hormones or neurotransmitters,” says Fiona H. Marshall, chief scientific officer of Heptares Therapeutics, a firm that specializes in GPCR drug discovery. Lefkowitz and Kobilka’s work allows medicinal chemists to understand better the proteins they are targeting as they go about designing new drugs, she adds. Although the Nobel committee pointed to Kobilka’s more recent research achievements, including the first X-ray crystal structure of a GPCR bound to its signaling partner, “this Nobel Prize is not just about the GPCR structure,” Marshall says. “That was the icing on the cake at the end.”

Lefkowitz and Kobilka will split the $1.2 million prize, which Lefkowitz said he didn’t anticipate. “I can assure you I did not go to sleep last night waiting for this call.” His original plan for the day, he said, included getting a haircut.

 

Chemical & Engineering News

ISSN 0009-2347

Copyright © 2012 American Chemical Society

http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/web/2012/10/Robert-Lefkowitz-Brian-Kobilka-Share.html

Watch Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2012 Live on NepaChem

This is the time for the announcement of the 2012 Nobel prizes. Today Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced. The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded jointly to John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent". Lets congratulate both scientists for their achievement.

The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics will be announced tomorrow. And, the day after tomorrow (10/10/12)  the same prize in Chemistry will be announced. You can watch the ceremony live here.

Congratulations to Dr. Lekh Nath Adhikari

We would like to congratulate Dr. Lekh Nath Adhikari for successfully defending his PhD dissertation from department of chemistry at University of Nevada, Reno. He has started working on the same department. We would also like to wish him a successful future ahead. Below is the abstract of his research work.

Reactions of simple amines, alcohols, ethers, and bi-functional molecules on the Si(100) -(2x1) surface were studied theoretically and experimentally. Additionally, theoretical calculations were performed for the interaction of several of these types of molecules on the 3C-SiC(100), 4H-SiC(1000), and 6H-SiC(1000) surfaces. The adsorption and desorption experiments on the Si(100)-(2x1) surface were performed in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). Theoretical studies were performed for the adsorption of these molecules onto clusters that are representative of the Si(100)-(2x1), 3C-SiC(100)-(3x2), 4H-SiC(1000)-(2x2), and 6H-SiC(1000)-(3x3) surfaces using the Gaussian suite of programs.

AES studies showed a rapid increase in surface carbon and nitrogen signals for all amines studied and a similar increase in carbon and oxygen signals for all alcohols studied. The signals appear to level off with increasing dose in all cases, indicating surface saturation after room temperature adsorption of these molecules onto the Si(100)-(2x1) surface. Primary amines and alcohols give a saturation coverage of roughly one half of a monolayer, indicating one molecule reacting per silicon surface dimer, while mixed alcohol/amines (3-amino-propanol) and ethers, such as diethyl ether, dihydrofuran, and tetrahydrofuran, appear to have lower saturation coverages that depend on the identity of the adsorbing species.

All saturated primary amines (methylamine, ethylamine, and propylamine) studied showed a parent ion desorption peak in TDS, along with an imine formation channel. These are interpreted as arising from surface-bound alkyl amidogen radicals resulting from N-H bond cleavage upon adsorption on the Si(100)-(2x1) surface. Hydrogen elimination from a surface bound alkyl containing radical appears to be a common decomposition reaction, yielding imines in the case of adsorbed saturated primary amines, aldehydes in the case of adsorbed saturated alcohols, and alkenes in the case of adsorbed saturated ethers. Unsaturated amines and alcohols, however, appear to react with the surface to produce alkene products upon TDS, which must involve hydrogen addition instead of elimination. The energetics for these reactions, as revealed through TDS, are sensitive to the exact nature of the adsorbing radical species.

Theoretical studies of the interaction of amines and alcohols on the cubic SiC(100)-(3x2) surface showed similar results to those observed for these molecules on the Si(100)-(2x1) surface. However, the adsorbed products on the cubic SiC(100) surface were predicted to be slightly more stable than those on the Si(100) surface in all cases. Hexagonal SiC surfaces (4H- and 6H-) appear to be less reactive with water and ammonia than that of cubic surface based on these computational results.

Chemistry experiments on Mars by "Curiosity rover"

NASA's new Mars rover Curiosity has landed on Mars surface after a ~year journey (354 million miles) and already started sending photographs of the red planet. This $2.5 billion rover will stay in the red planet for 2 years and will explore and help us understand whether this planet has ever been able to support any kind of life. To answer this BIG question, Curiosity will collect rock/soil/dust samples and will perform whole bunch of analytical chemistry to analyse them.

Curiosity is basically an entire chemistry lab containing variety of 10 analytical equipments, which can test the chemical composition of soil, packed in one mobile unit. Lets see what analytical equipment it has and 

1. The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) Instrument: It is a powder x-ray diffraction with x-ray fluorescence capabilities and will tell something about mineral composition of Mars.
2. Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) Instrument:  ChemCam fires invisible laser pulses at a target. It then views the resulting spark with a telescope and spectrometers to identify chemical elements. 
3. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument:  It has three laboratory tools for analyzing chemistry. The tools will examine gases from the Martian atmosphere, as well as gases that ovens and solvents pull from powdered rock and soil samples. SAM focuses on the detection of organics and the characterization of compounds in the Martian soil that could be used as nutrients for life, in particular nitrates and perchlorates. 
4. The Rover Environmental MonitoringStation (REMS) instrument: REMS will provide daily weather reports from the Red Planet. It consists of a suite of meteorological instruments that will record hourly measurements of wind, pressure, temperature, humidity, and ultra violet (UV) radiation. 

Watch these videos.

Test results from these instruments will pave the way for future Mars missions, and may provide insight in the search for life on other planets.

Explanation of "The Higgs Boson"

Selecting Reviewers for your manuscript:Publishing Your Research 101

In this video, ACS editors will provide some tips to help you decide whom to suggest as reviewers for your article. The reviewers will not only make recommendations on whether or not the work should be published, but on its suitability for the journal. They will also make comments and suggestions to help you improve the quality and clarity of your manuscript, and perhaps even to improve your science. Your article, when published, will be better for having gone through this process. It is to your advantage to have knowledgeable and rigorous reviewers evaluating your manuscript.

International Chemistry Olympiad Questions: Can you answer them?

44th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is going to be held on July 21–30, 2012 at the University of Maryland, USA. Secondary school students from all around the world are competing for medals by taking both theoretical and laboratory examinations in chemistry. As this years exam is coming very close, here we put some of the questions asked in previous exams. 

“Graduate students might be able to answer most of the questions, but not all of them, and certainly not within the period of time that’s expected,” writes Chemistry and Engineering News quoting Michael P. Doyle, chair of the chemistry and biochemistry department at the University of Maryland.

Check yourself, if you can correctly answer these questions.

If you can not see complete question, click on each question.

Couldn't find right answers? Find the answers to these quiz questions at http://cenm.ag/popquiz. 

Congratulations to Dr. Sitaram Acharya

We would like to congratulate Dr. Sitaram Acharya for completing his PhD in chemistry from University of Missouri-St. Louis, USA. He has accepted a postdoctoral position at Texas Christian University-Fort Worth, TX, USA. Wishing you all the best Dr. Acharya.

Here is a short description of his research.

Research works are mainly based on synthesis and characterization of water-soluble and air-stable 

PTA (PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) and DAPTA (N,N’-diacetyl-1,3,5-complexes of 

Group 10 metals, platinum and palladium. These novel phosphine complexes were stabilized with a 

variety of alkyl, alkynyl, halo, and halo(alkyl) ligands. The catalytic activities of the platinum(II)-

PTA complexes were investigated for the first time in catalytic hydrosilylation reactions of alkenes, 

alkynes, and ketones using a variety of hydrosilanes including siloles and silafluorenes. The 

complexes were found to be very effective catalysts giving the regioselective products with a very 

good turn over number. The catalytic activity of palladium(II)-PTA complexes were investigated in 

catalytic Suzuki-Miyaura and copper-free Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions. These complexes 

were found to be catalyze these reactions efficiently forming the cross-coupled products with 

minimal side reactions.

NMR and HPLC in organic synthesis laboratories

In continuation of our effort to let you know some of the routine equipments/instruments used for research, this time Rameshwor Pandit  from Yeungnam University, South Korea presents two key instruments used in his Organic Synthesis Lab: NMR system and HPLC. These instruments are widely used in research and routine analysis laboratories for variety of applications.

(1)   NMR Spectroscopy

This system consists of mainly four parts (1) superconducting magnet (2) detector and amplifier (3) console and (4)  spectrum display.

Varian VNS 300 MHz                                                   

At the beginning, sample solution is prepared in deuterated solvent. Next, the computer program is opened (above is Varian VNS 300 MHz) and set some of the parameters like temperature, spinning.  As soon as sample is inserted into the magnet, the system is locked to a particular deuterated solvent. The Varian system works on automated shimming while Bruker type of system works on mechanical shimming. Now the sample is scanned setting some acquisition parameters like no. of scans, time, sample FID. As the sample is scanned, computer shows spectrum which is processed to get NMR spectrum as shown in computer display (below).

Computer Displaying Spectrum

Superconduting magnet of  7.4 Tesla with  probe at the buttom (Varian VNS 300 MHz)

OXFORD 900 MHz NMR Magnet

(2) High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

HPLC is a high pressure column chromatography for the separation of molecules, particularly chiral HPLC has occupied the broad space in recent synthetic chemistry. We have this old HPLC which uses manual way of sample injection. The most advanced HPLC of these days are assembled with automatic injection system. Big glass bottle contains solvents.

JASCO Co-2056 Plus Column JASCO Co-2075 Plus UV/VIS Detector

Sample to be analysed is injected manually/automatic while the pump moves the solvent and sample through the column, the detector detects the components of sample and measures the retention time. The retention time differs for each component as these components are different in chemical constituents and hence differential interaction persists between columns while the sample passes through.

Prepared and Posted by

Rameshwar Pandit

Writing Your Cover Letter: Publishing Your Research 101

Why cover letter while submitting your manuscript for publication is important and how to write it? 

A video from ACS media.

More info on cover letter writing: Art of the Cover Letter.

PhD fellowships and Research funding for 2068/2069 announced by NAST, Nepal

Congratulations to following winners.

New Element #116 named Livermorium after Lawrence Livermore Lab

Flerovium (NEW ELEMENT!) Atomic#114 Official name and symbol (Fl)

Instruments/equipments in a microfluidic laboratory

I am presenting the instruments/facilities that we use in our microfluidic/nanofluidics instrumentation laboratory. We primarily fabricate glass based microfluidic devices ourselves and use them for different biological applications.

1. We have a basic photolithography setup that includes a dark room, UV light source and developing solution.

2. Then we perform wet chemical etching to make channel networks on the substrate glass plate using BOE (buffered oxide etchant) which is an appropriate mixture of HF and NH4F.

Chemical wet etching setup

The BOE solution is heated to certain temp to fasten the etching rate and stirred continuously to have uniform etching. The solution on the right is Chromium etchant which removes chromium layer from the substrate plate.

3. Sand blaster is used to make holes to have access to the channels. It uses 25-50 micron  sand particles which are bombarded on the surface of glass substrate. It makes holes of ~1mm diameter.

Sand blaster to make holes

4. This small microscope is sometimes used to visualize the channels during chip fabrication process.

Microscope

5. Ovens: We have two ovens. Both of them are used for drying purpose and for high temperature bonding of glass plates (right one).

6. Refrigerators: We have two refrigerators. One shown below is set for 4 deg C and also has a -20 deg C freezer. We use this for storing our biological samples (proteins, reagents). The other one (not shown here) maintains a temp of -76 deg C. This is used to use those samples which require very low temp. 

7. Centrifuge, UV lamp, and sonicator

8. Profiler: This is used to measure the depth of micro/nano channels. It measure upto nanometer level.

9. Fluorescence microscopes: We have four fluorescence microscopes. They are equipped with highly sensitive camera or PMT detectors. Using these microscope we study different phenomena occurring inside microchannels. These microscopes are also equipped with high voltage power supply devices.

10. Metal evaporator: We use this device to make electrodes in the microcip. It evaporates metal (we use chromium and gold, regularly) on the chip surface in a vacuum chamber.

11. Black boxes: We have four of such black boxes which have laser induced fluorescence, high voltage power supply and are controlled using PC. 

-Basant

www.bgiri.com

Biochemist,PhD position in NAST, Nepal

A biochemist position (research fellow) is available in Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Nepal. The job opening advertisement is given below. However, it doesn't mention anything about the when the opening was posted. It requires to submit the application within 7 days of the notice published.  

What makes a good chemist?

Bibiana Campos Seijo, editor

Chemistry World, Email: Chemistry World

I was listening to a programme on the radio a few days ago (BBC4, you'll be glad to hear) about the banking crisis in the UK. During one of the sections of the programme the presenter asked the interviewee: 'in your opinion, what makes a good banker?' The interviewee struggled to answer the question so the presenter changed tack and asked instead 'what makes a bad banker?' Funnily enough, the interviewee was not short for an answer then.

Obviously, we are in the middle of a global financial crisis so we can all agreethat at this point in time it is probably easier to describe a bad banker than a good one. It's a pity, however, that one's job should be defined by what you do wrong and not by what you do right. So I wondered: how would we chemists fare if the question had been about us? Chemistry and chemical are terms that, on occasion, have had a bad press and for some carry a certain negative connotation, but I refuse to follow the presenter's line of reasoning and define what makes a good chemist by first defining what makes a bad chemist. I definitely want my discipline to be defined by what is good about it. So the question for me is: what makes a good chemist?

Excellence in problem solving and a mind for analytical detail are attributes that immediately spring to mind, together with a good degree of tenacity and perseverance; indeed, anybody who has spent any time in the lab completing a research project or a PhD should have these in spades. Being open is another vital characteristic that a chemist must exhibit; and by this I mean open to share one's ideas and knowledge with others but also, and this is very different, open to ideas from others. Loving what you do, working well as part of a team, and following government and industry regulations are also important. An attribute that is becoming increasingly relevant is the ability to communicate: chemists need to be able to articulate their knowledge and thought processes and impart them to others. Writing papers, proposals and bids; giving presentations and lectures; attending congresses and networking with colleagues are all essential parts of the job these days so good oral and written communication skills are now vital.

Interestingly, many of the attributes I've mentioned are not exclusive to chemists; they are common to all good scientists. So I wondered: is there an attribute that is unique to us? I found some of the information I discovered doing a quick Google search quite baffling. To give you an example, one website said that, besides many other qualities, some of which I have already mentioned, a chemist must be humble. Why should a chemist - as opposed to a physicist or a biologist, or an artist, a lawyer or a politician for that matter - be humble? Others amused me. One site suggested that a good chemist must be 'aware of the limitations of science'. Patronising or what? The most satisfactory answer for me in terms of that exclusive attribute is around the reproducibility of results. A good chemist should be good at replicating other people's results and equally their results should be easily replicated by anyone else. 

But can I challenge you to define in 140 characters (it's the digital age after all) what, in your opinion, makes a good chemist? Tweet us @ChemistryWorld or email chemistryworld. 

I fear 140 characters simply won't be enough...

Bibiana Campos Seijo, editor

Chemistry World 
Email: Chemistry World