UCLA

CIC Careers in Green Chemistry Seminar Series
2021-10-14 13:00, 2021-08-12 13:00, 2021-07-22 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The Center for Integrated Catalysis is hosting a new seminar series called the “Careers in Green Chemistry.” With these webinars, we aim to bring speakers from a wide variety of careers, linked through green chemistry, to come talk about their current job as well as the career path that led them to that position. We are pleased to invite all students, postdocs, and faculty.

CANCELLED - Chem 228: Prof. Mark Wilson
2021-10-11 16:00
“TBA”

Chem 268 - David Eisenberg and Carla Koehler
2021-10-08 15:30

Chem 278: Prof. Rong Tong
2021-10-06 16:00
“Stereoselective Ring-Opening Polymerization to Synthesize Functionalized Polyesters”
Abstract: Polymers are all around us – from our daily use to biopolymers and therapeutics. Inspired by recent advances in chemistry, molecular pharmaceutics and biotechnology, on-demand and triggerable “smart” systems offers opportunities from precisely synthesis of polymers to delivering drugs in dose-, spatial- and temporal- controlled manners. This seminar will mainly discuss our ongoing efforts in controlling synthesis of degradable polyesters by external stimuli such as light and electricity. I will focus on the chemical synthesis of stereoregular, high-molecular-weight polyesters with various pendant functional groups. Our synthetic strategies allow for the preparation of various syndiotactic and stereoblock copolymers from racemic monomers. The mechanistic exploration of such triggerable polymerizations inspired us to develop a scalable synthetic method to prepare stereosequence-controlled copolymers with improved toughness and shape memory properties.

Chem 228: Prof. Bin Zhang
2021-10-04 16:00
“Phase Separation in Genome Organization”

Chem 268 - Margot Quinlan
2021-10-01 15:30

Chem 278: Dr. Jesse Peltier
2021-09-29 16:00
“Cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes: from Replacing Metals to Metal Replacement”
Abstract: Stable singlet carbenes are flourishing with a diversity of applications: from ligands in catalysis to the stabilization of otherwise unisolable chemical species. Here, I will showcase the diverse and rich chemistry of cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes (CAACs), a class of stable singlet carbenes known for their high ambiphilic character. Deviating from typical carbene-organocatalysis, which is still dominated by Lewis basic carbenes, I will demonstrate that CAACs allow for the catalytic valorization of carbon monoxide, a small molecule known for its inertness. I will explain how the intrinsic properties of CAACs, carbenes known to mimic the electronic properties of transition metals, enable this traditionally transition metal catalyzed process. Afterward, I will discuss a methodology to achieve the absolute templating of coinage metal clusters by means of galvanic metal replacement. Interestingly, clusters, as opposed to larger nanomaterials, have broadly displayed the opposite process, anti-galvanic exchange (AGR). This can be attributed to a lack of stable active metal clusters and a lack of strong M0 character in existing ones. To access low-valent active metal clusters, I will illustrate how CAACs’ ambiphilicity can be exploited to stabilize these highly reactive species and achieve the complete galvanic exchange in metal clusters. Going a step further, I will discuss how these molecular models allowed us to better understand the reactivity of M(111) surfaces further delineating the intermediacy of clusters between homogenous and heterogeneous processes.

Introduction of Biochemistry Faculty to First Year Biochemistry Graduate Students
2021-09-24 15:30

Chem 278: Dr. Megan Jackson
2021-09-22 16:00
“Molecular Design of Solids and Surfaces”
Abstract: Novel materials will be central to solving some of the greatest challenges facing us in the 21st century, including energy storage and utilization, chemical separations, water purification, and targeted drug delivery. This talk will focus on bringing molecular-level understanding to two areas of materials design. In part one, I will focus on bringing molecular-level precision to heterogeneous electrocatalytic active sites through a new class of materials called graphite-conjugated catalysts. In part two, I will discuss strategies for controlling the morphology and defect chemistry of a family of anisotropic metal-organic framework crystals that show promise in gas storage and separation.

Special Biochemistry Seminar - Prof. Francisco Carrau
2021-09-16 10:00

gBSA Summer Seminar - Amateur Hour!
2021-09-03 15:30
Featuring incoming first-year students

CANCELLED - gBSA Summer Seminar - Dr. Fran Zone
2021-08-27 15:30
Fran Zone – Guest SpeakerLeadership Communication StrategistZone Communication, San Francisco, CA

Student Exit Seminar: Chen Lin
2021-08-23 15:00
Multiscale Simulation of Biophysics, with Emphasis on Rare-Event Sampling
The behavior of a biophysical systems often is quite different when investigated on different length scales and a complete description of such a system typically requires different approaches for these different length scales. At atomic and mesoscopic scales, a considerable number of degrees of freedom are involved. The associated free energy profiles are relatively rugged with energy barriers or kinetic bottlenecks preventing efficient sampling when doing numerical simulations. To alleviate this problem, a variety of sampling strategies have been developed
In this seminar, I will start with a general background of the multi-scale modeling of biophysical systems and review the different sampling strategies that are being used when doing simulations. Next, I will talk about two of my projects. The first one involves reaction-diffusion problems in a confined environment in the presence of attractive interactions. The second one is the diffusion-driven phase separation problem inside a cross-linked network of semi- flexible polymers. I will use these two projects to illustrate how one can apply multi-scale descriptions and sampling techniques to Non-equilibrium Biophysical systems.

gBSA Summer Seminar - Dr. Sean Shen
2021-08-20 15:30
Sean Shen– AlumniLoo Group(2016)Process Development ScientistAmgen, Camarillo, CA

gBSA Summer Seminar - Dr. Kristen Koch
2021-08-13 15:30
Kristen Koch– AlumniKoehler Group (2007)Senior Business AnalystCGH Technologies, Inc., Manassas, VA

gBSA Summer Seminar - Dr. Phil McFadden
2021-08-06 15:30
Phil McFadden– AlumniClarke Group (1983)Associate ProfessorOregon State University, Corvallis, OR

gBSA Summer Seminar - Dr. Alexander Patananan
2021-07-30 15:30
Alexander Patananan– AlumniClarke Group (2014)Medical Communication ManagerAmgen, Palmdale, CA

gBSA Summer Seminar - Dr. Alex Bradley
2021-07-23 15:30
Alex Bradley– AlumniQuinlan Group (2019)Sr. Life Science SpecialistL. E. K. Consulting, Los Angeles, CA

SoCal Merck Symposium 2021
2021-07-19 13:00
SoCal Merck Symposium 2021

Caltech, UCLA, UC Irvine, and Merck

July 19, 2021, 1:00 to 6:00 pm PST

Event Program (all times PST)

1:00 pm – Carly Brennan, Prescher Group, UCI – Multicomponent Bioluminescence Imaging with Naphthylamino Luciferins
1:20 pm – Nick Hafeman, Stoltz Group, Caltech – The Total Synthesis of (–)-Scabrolide A
1:40 pm – Dr. Makeda Tekle-Smith, Doyle Group, UCLA – Nucleophilic C(sp3)–H Fluorination
2:00 – 2:10 pm – Break
2:10 – 2:20 pm – Molecule of the Month (MOM) rapid pitch presentations
2:20 – 3:00 pm – MOM poster session on GatherTown
3:00 – 3:10 pm – Break
3:10 pm – Andrew Kelleghan, Garg Group, UCLA – Intercepting Fleeting Cyclic Allenes with Transition Metal Catalysis
3:30 pm – Karli Holman, Reisman Group, Caltech – Synthetic Studies Toward Falcatin A
3:50 pm – Alex Lu, Dong Group, UC Irvine – Dynamic Kinetic Intermolecular Hydroacylation
4:10 – 4:20 pm – Break
4:20 pm – Dr. Andrew Neel, Associate Principal Scientist, Merck Process Chemistry – Sampling the Catalytic Spectrum to Deliver an Ideal Manufacturing Route to STING agonist MK-1454
5:00 pm – MOM winners presentation
5:10 – 6:00 pm – GatherTown poster session
WebEx link: https://merck.webex.com/merck/j.php?MTID=ma70457450bbe7498dfeefc56b608c96a
Meeting number (access code): 131 835 7557
Meeting password: [REDACTED]
GatherTown link: https://gather.town/app/tmhgx8fnOwrrwT14/2021%20SoCalMerckSymposium
Password: [REDACTED]

NSF Center for Integrated Catalysis Webinar Series
2021-07-06 10:00
The NSF Center for Integrated Catalysis is delighted to announce that it will be hosting a monthly webinar series. The next webinar of this series will be held on Tuesday, July 6th, 2021 at 10:00 AM. We are pleased to invite all students, postdocs, faculty, and staff.

The 2021 Organic Graduate Symposium
2021-06-11 13:00
On Friday, June 11, the 2021 Organic Graduate Symposium featured research talks by twelve of this year’s UCLA chemistry graduate students. The Organic Graduate Symposium is an event that provides a forum for organic chemistry graduate students who are within one year of obtaining their Ph.D. to present their dissertation research at UCLA to their peers, researchers, and faculty. The Organic Graduate Symposium is open to the UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry affiliates and their families.

Chem 218 Student Exit Seminar: Michael LeClaire
2021-06-10 12:00
“Biophysical Characterization of Cancer-Derived Cells and Extracellular Vesicles”
ABSTRACT: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a class of lipid bilayer enclosed particles secreted by most mammalian cells, and are found ubiquitously in body fluids such as plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. EVs contain molecular signatures of their secreting host cells, and are involved in long-range intercellular communication and transfer of biomolecular cargo. There is significant potential for EVs to be used as biomarkers for specific cancers, and their involvement in long-range intercellular communication holds promise for their use as targeted drug delivery vehicles. However, EVs’ nanoscale size and heterogeneity (30-1000 nm) and the choice of isolation methods confound the structural, biophysical, and surface biochemical analysis of single vesicles. Here, we focus on the characterization of single small extracellular vesicle (sEV) (40-160 nm) structural-mechanical properties by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and other methods. We examined the impact of isolation methods on the biophysical heterogeneity of single sEVs, including their nanoscale morphology and the presence of co-isolates. We also investigated the structural-mechanical properties of breast cancer cell line-derived sEVs and their secreting cells, finding that breast-cancer derived sEVs reflect the biomechanical signature of the cancer cells that secrete them, and identify similar trends in patient plasma derived EV like particles. Finally, we demonstrated the applicability of AFM-based single sEV analysis as an efficient tool to quantify the abundance, structure, and biomechanical properties of sEVs from limited volume patient cerebrospinal fluid. Overall, this work advances the understanding of single sEV structural-mechanical properties and provides a framework to assess sEV quality and purity.

Chem 278 Prof. Duan Research Group Seminar
2021-06-09 16:00
“Ultrathin Wavy Nanowires as Highly Efficient Anode Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cell Application”
Abstract: Direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are of tremendous interests for their higher volumetric energy density, safer storage, transport, and lower cost vs. hydrogen. However, the anode alcohol oxidation reactions are less kinetically favorable and require noble metal based electrocatalysts, which are costly and limits the widespread adoption. Therefore, an important challenge is to develop highly efficient electrocatalysts with high mass activity (MA) to lower the required amount of noble metal and the overall cost. Ultrathin wavy nanowires represent a class of attractive electrocatalysts with high specific surface area, rich catalytic hotspots and excellent charge transport. In this talk, I will discuss my effort in the design, synthesis and characterizations of the ultrathin Rh wavy nanowires and ultrathin alloy Pt3Ag wavy nanowires as highly effective electrocatalysts for the alcohol oxidation reactions, by considering the most fundamental design criteria to simultaneously improve the specific activity (SA) and the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA). In addition, I will briefly discuss my ongoing effort to extend this system to Rh/Ni(OH)2 wavy nanowires and high entropy alloy wavy nanowires for the oxidation reactions of alcohols and hydrazine.

NSF Center for Integrated Catalysis Webinar Series
2021-06-08 13:00
The NSF Center for Integrated Catalysis is delighted to announce that it will be hosting a monthly webinar series. The next webinar of this series will be held on Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 at 1:00 PM. We are pleased to invite all students, postdocs, faculty, and staff.

Chem 268: Samantha Zink Kozlowski
2021-06-04 15:30
Rodriguez Group
“Probing amyloid structure and function through designed fibril cores”

The 2021 Organic Graduate Symposium
2021-06-04 13:00
On Friday, June 4, the 2021 Organic Graduate Symposium featured research talks by eleven of this year’s UCLA chemistry graduate students. The Organic Graduate Symposium is an event that provides a forum for organic chemistry graduate students who are within one year of obtaining their Ph.D. to present their dissertation research at UCLA to their peers, researchers, and faculty. The Organic Graduate Symposium is open to the UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry affiliates and their families.

Chem 218 Student Exit Seminar: Arkaprabha Basu
2021-06-03 12:00
“Quantifying the Actin Cytoskeleton: A non-invasive image quantification tool to identify and track sub-cellular processes in real-time”

Chem 278 Prof. Kaner Research Group Seminar
2021-06-02 16:00
Lisa Pangilinan
“Effects of Solubility and Grain Size Refinement on the Hardness of Transition Metal Borides”

Mit Muni

“Graphene for Capacitive Energy Storage”
