Hot Articles

December 7, 2009

Coverstory: Timely Transformation

Drug firms implement new business strategies to deflect mounting market pressures and accelerate into new geographies. (pp. 13-21)

Coverstory: Branded Drug Firms Expand Into Generics

(pp. 16-17)

Science & Technology: Tribology All Around pp. 47-49

Meeting highlights how friction triggers molecular-scale changes in adhesive tape, cosmetics, and more.

Employment: Niche Opportunities Open In Pharma pp. 53-56

Recent uptick in biology hiring could herald jobs for chemists in drug discovery.

November 30, 2009

Coverstory: Making Food Safer

Recalls and public concern drive the push for greater vigilance. (p. 11)

Coverstory: Testing Life's Staples

Time, sensitivity, and broad screening for contaminants in a multitude of matrices are critical for food analysis. (pp. 12-14)

Coverstory: There's Money In Safer Food

As concern grows over food recalls, instrument makers eye a growing market for test equipment. (pp. 15-17)

November 23, 2009

Coverstory: The Other Site

Allosteric drugs promise precise control over diseases mediated by G-protein-coupled receptors. (pp. 12-15)

Coverstory: Under The Influence Of Ethanol: How Alcoholic Beverages Are Like Allosteric Drugs

(pp. 12-15)

November 16, 2009

Coverstory: Stretching Tires' Magic Triangle

Chemical companies hope their innovations can improve the environmental performance of tires without sacrificing safety and durability. (pp. 10-14)

November 9, 2009

Coverstory: Partnering For Global Health

Drug companies and nonprofits are taking novel approaches to refill the pipeline of new drugs and vaccines for neglected diseases. (pp. 16-22)

Science & Technology: Chemistry Behind The Wall

Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, chemists who lived in former East Germany reflect on science then and now. (pp. 42-46)

November 2, 2009

Coverstory: A New Normal

Record unemployment requires a realistic attitude and creative thinking. (p. 45)

Employment Outlook: Down But Not Out

Chemistry jobs took a beating this year, prompting out-of-work chemists to reinvent themselves. (pp. 46-52)

Employment Outlook: On the Move

Marcel Goes To St. Louis. (p. 48)

Employment Outlook: External Research

Ken Does The 1-2-3 Step. (p. 50)

Employment Outlook: Quality Control

Jeff Lands On His Feet. (p. 52)

Employment Outlook: Courting Generation Y

Companies revamp programs to attract and retain young superstars. (pp. 53-55)

Employment Outlook: Working For Uncle Sam

The recession may lead more chemists to pursue careers as civil servants. (pp. 56-58)

Education: Revisiting The Premed Curriculum

Updating premedical education to reflect modern science could improve the experience for other students, too. (pp. 35-38)

Science & Technology: Promoter Quadruplexes

Folded DNA structures in gene-activation sites may be useful cancer drug targets. (pp. 28-30)

Science & Technology: The Dawn Of Academic Chemistry

Philipps University, in Marburg, Germany, celebrates the 400th anniversary of the earliest chemistry professorship. (pp. 32, 34)

October 26, 2009

Coverstory: Enterprise Software In The Annus Horribilis

Decades of big investment in information technology are paying off in the chemical industry's response to the recession. (pp. 10-15)

What's That Stuff?: Silly String

It's a party for polymer chemistry, all in a can. (p. 31)

Business: Missing The Target

Some researchers call for moving beyond targeted therapies when tackling cancer. (p. 20)

October 19, 2009

Coverstory: Science From Art

Chemists tap museum collections as a rich source of novel research questions, collaborations. (pp. 12-16)

Coverstory (Web Exclusive): A Museum Career

Chemist works at intersection of chemistry and art. (pp. Web Exclusive)

Employment: Rising To The Challenge

In biotech, a culture of creativity and team building helps top companies to work for weather a tough economy. (pp. 46-48)

October 12, 2009

Coverstory: Shipping Drug R&D Abroad

Rise of foreign drug discovery services providers coincides with restructuring of R&D at major pharmaceutical firms. (pp. 16-23)

Science: You Smell

All of us have our very own odorprint, and scientists are hot on its trail. (pp. 50-54)

October 5, 2009

Coverstory: Materials For Adventure

New fibers and membranes make outdoor gear lighter and more comfortable. (pp. 15-21)

Science: Rebecca Kamen

A sculptor nurtures an elemental garden. (p. 43)

Women In Chemistry: Rebecca Kamen

A sculptor nurtures an elemental garden. (p. 43)

September 28, 2009

Coverstory: Flu Fighters

Drug firms help battle the novel H1N1 virus in response to calls from health agencies and governments. (pp. 15-26)

Coverstory: Flu Vaccine Race Against The Clock

Developers have made vaccines against the pandemic flu but now must deliver them in time. (pp. 27-33)

Science & Technology: Getting By On Little Water pp. 60-62

Advances in breeding and basic science confer drought tolerance to crops.

Science & Technology: Targeting RNA pp. 63-68

Unique challenges face developers of drugs that hit disease-related RNAs rather than disease-related proteins.

September 21, 2009

Coverstory: Asphaltene Chemistry

Mass spectrometry unravels the chemical makeup of the least understood and heaviest crude oil fraction. (pp. 12-17)

September 14, 2009

Coverstory: Mapping The Epigenome

New techniques reveal how small chemical changes to DNA and DNA-packaging proteins can alter gene expression in a big way. (pp. 11-16)

September 7, 2009

Coverstory: RNA Interference

Drug delivery has become a key factor in the competition to make drugs based on nature's gene-silencing pathway. (pp. 18-27)

Science & Technology: Superresolution Imaging Goes 3-D pp. 69-71

ACS Meeting News: New microscopy techniques break the diffraction limit in three dimensions.

Education: Nontraditional Pathways pp. 91-99

Back-to-school supplement explores alternatives to the traditional college education experience.

Education: An Enriching Respite pp. 92-94

Gap-year experiences help students recharge, refocus.

Education: Community Colleges pp. 95-96

In a down economy, two-year colleges are a smart choice, but they struggle with overcrowding, scant funding.

Education: Learning Chemistry Online pp. 97-99

Despite a slow start, distance learning is gaining ground in chemistry education.

Education: Continuing Education pp. 98-99

ACS online courses offer convenience for the working chemist.

August 31, 2009

Coverstory: Leachates From Packaging

Scientists track down chemicals migrating into food and drugs, define levels harmful to human health. (pp. 11-15)

August 24, 2009

Coverstory: Coming Back To Nuclear Energy

A resurgence of interest in new power plants is driving discovery of advanced materials. (pp. 14-18)

Science & Technology: What's That Stuff Sports Drinks p. 36

Balanced mixture of sugar, salt, and other additives keeps athletes going strong.

Education: On The Road To Core Standards pp. 37-38

A drive is under way in the U.S. to develop common education standards in math and English; science could be next.

August 17, 2009

Coverstory: Stimulus For Instruments

Scientific instrument makers hope that big bucks in government stimulus R&D spending mean big profits for them. (pp. 13-16)

Business: Mining The Sea Of Plastic Web Exclusive

Scientists sail off to study plastic trash in the Pacific and ways of recovering it.

Science & Technology:

Trouble In The Tundra pp. 39-43

Features formed by melting permafrost provide clues to a changing Arctic landscape and climate.

Science & Technology: Kindling For Climate Change Web Exclusive

Toolik scientists study the long-term impact of a raging fire in the Arctic.

August 10, 2009

Coverstory: Nanotech Toolkit

As nanotechnology R&D advances, instrumentation is keeping stride with scientific and educational needs. (pp. 12-17)

Business: The Grim Auto Reaper

Engine-killing by chemistry is vital to the federal government's Cash-for-Clunkers program.

Science & Technology: From Nature, A Past And Future

Golden anniversary for natural products research society brings celebration, introspection. (pp. 32-35)

Employment: Where Art Meets Science

For scientists with a flair for the visual, illustration is a fulfilling career. (pp. 48-50)

August 3, 2009

Coverstory: Global Top 50

BASF and Dow Chemical maintain top spots, but fertilizer makers and Middle Eastern firms move up in ranking during a tough year. (pp. 11-15)

Science & Technology: Learning From UCLA

Details of the experiment that led to a researcher' death prompt evaluations of academic safety practices. (pp. 29-34)

Science & Technology: The Curious Case Of Caloric Restriction pp. 36-40

Reversing aging was once only fiction, but a special diet might add years to the human life span.

July 27, 2009

Coverstory: Stimulating Sustainbility

Obama Administration is pumping huge amounts of dollars into green-energy projects, including battery R&D, as a way out of the recession and into a clean-energy future. (pp. 17-22, 24-28)

Science & Technology: 21st-Century Armor

The increasingly sophisticated successor to an ancient material—ceramic—is saving lives on today's battlefields. (pp. 48-53)

July 13, 2009

Coverstory: Electronic Chemicals

Despite a drop in business, makers of electronic materials strengthen product research and development efforts. (pp. 10-14)

Business: Chemicals To Help Coal Come Clean

Scrubbing methods to capture carbon from power plants are advancing to the demonstration phase.

July 6, 2009

Coverstory: Facts & Figures Of The Chemical Industry

For the chemical industry, 2008 started strong, but recession dragged it down. INTRODUCTION, FINANCES, EMPLOYMENT, PRODUCTION, TRADE, . (pp. 29, 30-46, 47-50, 51-59, 60-63)

June 29, 2009

Coverstory: On A Mission

To help enrich the education of Native American students, Robin Jose travels on lonely roads to bring modern chemistry tools to tribal colleges on Indian reservations. (pp. 10-14)

Career & Employment : Flexible Work Arrangements

Unconventional work schedules help companies motivate employees even in turbulent times. (pp. 40-42)

What's That Stuff? Dental Anesthetics p. 33

Nonaddictive derivatives of cocaine numb the pain of dental work.

June 22, 2009

Coverstory: Engineering Polymers

Nylon, polycarbonate, and ABS businesses have all been squeezed by the recession, but some will bounce back better than others. (pp. 15, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21)

Coverstory: The Ole Standby

Nylon may be on the ropes, but observers say it isn't down for the count. (pp. 16-17)

Coverstory: Slowing Down

As current uses of polycarbonate wane, producers search for new ones. (pp. 18-19)

Coverstory: A Mature Plastic

Makers of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene have struggled for a long time, and the recession isn't helping. (pp. 20-21)

Government & Policy: Next-Generation Risk Assessment

EPA's plan to adopt in vitro methods for toxicity testing gets mixed reviews from stakeholders. (pp. 30-33)

Reel Science: Moon

An astronaut away on a three-year gig in outer space...

June 15, 2009

Coverstory: Tools For Amyloids

Raman and infrared spectroscopic methods give glimpses of difficult-to-see parts of the amyloid formation process. (pp. 10 -14)

Mercury Purge

Congress is moving legislation to outlaw mercury-cell chlorine plants.

Business: Sneaky Solar

Solar energy developers seek to move beyond clunky rooftop panels. (pp. 17-18)

June 8, 2009

Coverstory: Sustainable Syntheses

Developing greener processes brings many benefits for pharmaceutical and fine chemicals manufacturers.

Coverstory: Academic Routes To Working With Pharma

University process development programs are a means to meeting academic and industry needs.

Science & Technology: Future Of Metals

Developing sustainable supplies of metals will rely on smart product design and more efficient recycling.

Science & Technology: NOBCChE's Gateway To Science

Black chemists and chemical engineers meet in St. Louis for annual conference.

June 1, 2009

Coverstory: Keepers Of The Gate

Advanced imaging and detection technologies help root out threats of terrorism in airports.

Science & Technology: Seeking Saltiness

New findings on salty taste may inspire ways to trick the tongue.

May 25, 2009

Coverstory: The New Computing Pioneers

With in-house information technology burdened to the breaking point, the traditionally conservative drug industry is putting cloud computing to the test.

Merck Seeds An Open Database With Computers And Data

Next-Generation DNA Sequencing Raises The Bar In Laboratory Data Management

Business: Research Resurrection

A Rutgers biochemist revives a World War II-era antimalarial research project.

Science & Technology: Better Safeguards For The Food Supply

Scientists fill out their toolbox of protein assays to avoid another melamine crisis.

May 18, 2009

Coverstory: Modernizing TLC

New instrumentation, materials, and analysis techniques take lab staple into high-performance arena.

Science & Technology: Alzheimer's Scary Link To Diabetes

Disruptions of insulin signaling and glucose regulation contribute to development of Alzheimer's disease.

May 11, 2009

Coverstory: Europe's Beauty Race

Cosmetics makers worry they won't meet the 2013 deadline for new European Union safety-testing regulations.

Novel Ingredients Spread Across InCosmetics

Business: A Minnow Jumps Out

Small contract development firm Recipharm wants to swim with the big fish.

May 4, 2009

Coverstory: Building Brick By Brick

Starting from square one, the South African science community is slowly laying the foundation for a biotechnology industry.

Coverstory: Reporter's Notebook

Read a reporter's journal detailing experiences while visiting South African scientists.

Science & Technology: Wallboard Woes

Odors and corrosion raise concern over drywall imported from China.

Science & Technology: Collective Behavior In Chemistry

Scientists note that the oscillating Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction requires a requisite number of particles to get started.

April 27, 2009

Coverstory: Cellulosic Scale-Up

DOE-backed ethanol producers encounter difficulties converting waste streams to commercially viable fuel.

Career & Employment: Spectacular Scientific Talks

Science may be complex, but presentations should be clear, concise, and well-timed.

Science & Technology: Perfecting Solid-Catalyst Synthesis

ACS Meeting News: Researchers strive to devise methods that provide molecular-scale control.

April 20, 2009

Coverstory: Specialty Chemicals

The economic downturn is taking its toll across the industry, but companies are fighting to survive and emerge even stronger.

Business: Paying Attention To Neglected Diseases

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative is mobilizing public/private partnerships.

How MSF Advanced From The Field To The Research Lab

Government & Policy: What Should The Public Know?

Bayer, chemical board dispute over community access to accident data may be harbinger of battles to come.

Education: High Jinks Boost Chemical Learning

ACS Meeting News: Incorporating games and other playful activities in college chemistry classes raises passing rates.

April 13, 2009

Coverstory: Weighing Options

In the wake of drug-trial setbacks, obesity researchers assess what it will take to move forward.

Coverstory: Generation Next

Two examples show how digging deeper into obesity biology can reveal new insights

Government & Policy: Sustainable Nanotech

Workshop prioritizes research and regulatory needs for safe design, disposal of nanomaterial-containing products.

Science & Technology: Harnessing Light

Despite centuries of research, photosynthesis still has many unsolved mysteries.

Science & Technology: Small-Molecule Photosynthesis

Attempts to mimic a plant's light-harvesting and water-splitting megamachinery.

Science & Technology: Tracking Electrons

Attosecond science opens the door to real-time observation and control of electron dynamics.

Science & Technology: The Looming Petascale

Chemists gear up for a new generation of supercomputers.

Science & Technology: In Cahoots: Fungi, Ants, And Bacteria

Symbiotic system could be a source of potential drug leads and enzymes for biofuel production.

Science & Technology: What's That Stuff? Self-Darkening Eyeglasses

The science behind dual-purpose lenses.

April 6, 2009

Coverstory: Hope In A Pill

A crop of small-molecule drugs in development could double the treatment options for people with multiple sclerosis in coming years.

Science & Technology: Genes Take A Back Seat

Epigenetics, the molecular framework that controls genes' expression, takes its cues from both nature and nurture.

Science & Technology: The First Four

The founding generation of epigenetics-based drugs combine promise and peril.

Science & Technology: Orchestrating Genetic Expression

Epigenetic modifications alter chromatin landscape, turn genes on and off.

Employment: Expatriate Programs

As recessionary forces grip the globe, firms cut the fat from international staffing plans.

ACS News: Scenes From The ACS Meeting In Salt Lake City

A photo spread and slideshow of the 237th National Meeting.

Business: DCAT Week Ennui

Too much defense and not enough offense at drug industry event.

Government & Policy: A Climate of Change

Diplomats begin working out new global treaty to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

March 30, 2009

Science & Technology: 192 Lasers Converge

Livermore Lab's National Ignition Facility is gearing up to focus on the inner workings of planets and stars, fusion energy research.

Science & Technology: Optics Needs Of NIF Required New Production And Coating Methods

Government & Policy: Lying In Wait

Researchers help U.S. Army search for chemical munitions dumped at sea. WIth Video

Government & Policy: Dolphin Death Wrongly Linked To Munitions

March 30, 2009

PITTCON 2009

Coverstory: Weathering The Crisis

Some instrument vendors skipped Pittcon 2009, but more than 19,000 attendees did not.

Coverstory: Analytics For Fuel Cells

New tools to probe degradation will help design of longer lasting devices.

Coverstory: Advanced Detectors Take The Stage

Hybrid technologies combine strengths to improve photon and ion detectors.

Coverstory: Shining Light On Art

Conservators use intense light sources for everything from characterizing pigments to removing lichens.

Coverstory: Food Analysis Gets A Boost

New methods offer simpler, faster, more convenient ways to characterize food.

Coverstory: New And Notable At Pittcon

Scientific instrumentation and more.

Coverstory: Pittcon Awards 2009

Researchers receive honors for achievements in analytical chemistry and applied spectroscopy.

March 23, 2009

Coverstory: Boron Dreams

Priestley Medalist M. Frederick Hawthorne has some unfinished business.

Coverstory: Polyhedral Boranes: Chemistry For The Future

Education: Teaching Chemistry In Qatar

Middle Eastern country fosters unique opportunities for Western-style education.

Education: NYU Abu Dhabi Will Experiment With Interdisciplinary Programs

Science and engineering degrees at Middle East campus will start with two-year foundation courses.

Science & Technology: What's That Stuff? Instant Film

Layers of light-sensitive dyes, emulsions, and developers combine in one-step photography.

March 16, 2009

Coverstory: Pharma Outsourcing

Pharmaceutical companies look for outsourcing partners all along the drug development pipeline.

Coverstory: Additive Approach

Case Study #1: UCB taps deCode for structure-based drug discovery.

Coverstory: Greatest Hits

Case Study #2: Merck advances process development by tuning up biocatalysts with Codexis.

Coverstory: Handle With Care

Case Study #3: In a manufacturing pact, DSM has the right reactor for the right product from NicOx.

Business: Who's Next?

Veterans of past layoffs tell those facing the ax in the pharma industry what they can expect.

Government & Policy: Safety Board Retreats

Citing antiterrorism law, Bayer pressures Chemical Safety Board to cancel public meeting on fatal accident. With Video

Government & Policy: Insights: Change Is Coming

Converging forces spur modernization of U.S. chemical control law.

Science & Technology: Making Diagnostics Affordable

Nonprofits and academics work toward tests that meet the needs of the developing world.

March 9, 2009

ACS News: Employment & Salary Survey

Salary gains and steady employment for chemists mark 2008 survey.

Science & Technology: Key Advance In DNA Sequencing With Nanopores

High-quality detection takes the label-free, single-molecule technique closer to reality. Web Exclusive, With Video

Coverstory: The Dragon Still Roars

The global economic crisis has hurt Chinese exporters, but business is still humming in a wide range of sectors.

Business: On The Bubble

Cleantech start-ups and investors weigh the odds of growing during a downturn. With Audio and Video

Education: The Lecturing Life

By shouldering a sizable teaching load, lecturers have become an indispensable part of chemistry departments.

Employment: Fueling An Analytical Chemistry Career

Stimulus bill may energize employment in renewable energy.

March 2, 2009

Coverstory: Graphene: Carbon As Thin As Can Be

Surprising mechanical, structural, and electronic properties of one-atom-thin sheets grab widespread attention.

Government & Policy: An Influential Body

Board on Chemical Sciences & Technology provides expert advice based on good science. With Video

Government & Policy: Evidence Reexamined

Board's report leads to overturn of murder conviction.

Government & Policy: Push For Energy Technology

DOE Secretary Steven Chu stresses science role for agency.

Science & Technology: What's That Stuff? Synthetic Grass

Carpet's cousin is rooted in relatively simple chemistry.

Education: Instilling Scholarly Integrity

Project will develop models for integrating responsible conduct of research into graduate education.

February 23, 2009

Coverstory: Pittcon Turns 60

What started as a humble gathering of analytical researchers has become a central institution for an entire field.

Coverstory: Pittcon: A Real Cover Story

Photo Gallery

Science & Technology: Artificial Blood

Poor clinical trial results and controversy stymie attempts to create alternatives to donated blood.

Science & Technology: Using Stem Cells To Make Blood Substitutes

Artificial blood derived from cord blood stem cells is being tested in humans.

Science & Technology: Off-Balance Ocean

Acidification from absorbing atmospheric CO₂ is changing the ocean's chemistry.

Science & Technology: Learning From Mistakes

Lab incident at UCLA highlights need to disseminate accident information and increase safety awareness.

Career & Employment: Make Your Résumé Work For You

A good résumé is a marketing tool that gets you noticed, even in a weak job market.

February 16, 2009

Coverstory: Greening The Farm

Safer and environmentally friendlier pesticides and agricultural practices gain traction on U.S. farms.

Coverstory: Pinpointing Trends In Pesticide Use

Limited data indicate that pesticide use has dropped since the 1970s.

Coverstory: Defending Mother Nature

Combating out-of-control plants requires judicious use of herbicides.

Business: Small Technologies Firms Find A Home

Informex introduces forum for sustainable chemistry firms.

Business: Less Sunny Skies

Attendees at annual detergents meeting confront a more hostile business environment.

Government & Policy: Regulatory Overlord

Obama's pick for White House job endorses strict analysis of federal rules.

February 9, 2009

Coverstory: Breaking The Cycle

Behind the latest megadeal in pharmaceuticals, a more subtle transformation of the industry is taking place.

Government & Policy: Nanoceuticals

Dietary supplements made with nanotechnology are hitting the market with little government oversight.

Science & Technology: C&EN Talks With: Jean-Claude Bradley

Organic chemist champions open science, web technology. With Videos

February 2, 2009

Coverstory: Materials For The Modern Gladiator

Thanks to innovations in materials science and engineering, NASCAR drivers can crash at 200 mph and walk away from the wreckage.

Business: Leather From Another Era

In the Hazaribagh district of Dhaka, Bangladesh, archaic tanneries put workers and the environment at risk. With Photo Gallery

Government & Policy: New Leader Takes Over At NIEHS

Toxicologist Linda Birnbaum charts course for NIH institute. With Audio

January 26, 2009

Coverstory: The Greening Game

Makers of cleaning products and detergents seek the sweet spot between products that are green and products that clean.

Coverstory: Cleaning Products Are A Port In A Storm For Chemical Makers

Makers of cleaning products and detergents seek the sweet spot between products that are green and products that clean.

Science & Technology: Postdocs Feel Job Crunch

As recession deepends, postdocs find themselves caught in a difficult academic job market

January 19, 2009

Coverstory: Custom Chemicals

Contract manufacturers look for ways to cope with economic challenges and changes at pharmaceutical customers.

Coverstory: From Compound To Pill

Custom chemical firms add capabilities ranging from chemistry development through finished-dose manufacturing.

Business: Clustering In Heidelberg

German region wins competition to anchor one of five national R&D clusters.

Tight Focus Helped German Clusters Compete

Science & Technology: Unease Over Tungsten

Increased use boosts element's environmental status to concern.

Employment: Head of the Class

Ph.D. chemists carve out satisfying careers teaching high school.

January 12, 2009

Coverstory: World Chemical Outlook

For the global chemical industry, the very bad day started early in the fourth quarter of 2008, and it may last another six months.

United States

Chemical industry mirrors larger economy, where a rebound will require home values to stabilize.

Canada

With an unhappy ending to 2008, Canadian producers aren't eager about beginning 2009.

Latin America

The region may avoid the worst of the petrochemical downturn, but growth will slow.

Europe

A bleak midwinter outlook points to a long year ahead.

Asia-Pacific

After several strong years, Growth stalls throughout the region.

Government & Policy: DOE Weapons Labs At A Crossroad

Questions abound for nuclear scientists as new President charts path for U.S. weapons labs.

Government & Policy: Restructuring

A shrinking weapons complex.

Government & Policy: Reinvention

A search for new science opportunities.

January 5, 2009

Cover Story: We're All In This Together

Each of us has a personal stake in the advancement of chemistry and letting others know the value of our science.

Education: Quant Lab Revisited

Changing times and student profiles call for reexamination of quantitative analysis curricula.

Science & Technology: A Science Academy Like No Other

Taiwan's Academia Sinica addresses challenges in an effort to attract best students, faculty.

Science & Technology: A Forum In Taiwan

Academia Sinica's anniversary celebration and meeting of presidents from science academies around the world.