We are excited to share the highlights of the many achievements within the UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry community through our new 20-page color departmental magazine. Click here to view the magazine. We publish this magazine to keep our community updated on departmental accomplishments, groundbreaking research, our newest faculty members, and the many ways our faculty, students, and […]

On February 14, 2025, UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry faculty, graduate students, and keen undergraduates assembled in the Young Hall Collaboratory for a student-faculty mixer, hosted by UCLA’s Student Members of the American Chemical Society (SMACS) in collaboration with the department. Select photos from the event can be viewed below, and the full photo gallery is […]

Professor Karen Wooley (Texas A&M University) visited UCLA on February 21 to give the 2025 Chemistry & Biochemistry Distinguished Lecture.  A pioneer in the field of polymer science and nanotechnology, Wooley is recognized for her contributions to the development of novel synthetic methodologies, particularly in the design and preparation of functional materials. Enthusiastic students, postdoctoral […]

The recent Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles left nearby residents worried about lingering volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their air and soil. To address these concerns, researchers at UCLA’s Molecular Instrumentation Center (MIC) are using a new demonstration instrument—a Syft Tracer i3—to measure these VOCs in the surrounding areas. Early results from indoor […]

Professor Anastassia Alexandrova recently delivered the 2025 Trustees’ Council of Penn Women Lecture in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. Known for her groundbreaking work in theory and computation, Alexandrova is the Charles W. Clifford Jr. Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at UCLA.  This prestigious public lecture has […]

Professor Prineha Narang recently delivered the 40th annual Yunker Lecture at Oregon State University. This prestigious public lecture has been presented by several Nobel Laureates in the past. Known for her groundbreaking work in quantum materials, non-equilibrium phenomena, and quantum information science, Narang’s lecture attracted an enthusiastic crowd. From Oregon State University Physics Department IMPACT […]

2024 Nobel Laureate Professor David Baker (University of Washington), along with 20 of his coworkers, and Professor Ken Houk and his former UCLA graduate student, Dr. Cooper Jamieson (Ph.D. ’21, now at Gilead), have reported the first computational design of functional serine hydrolases that have folds different from natural serine hydrolases. Their work, recently published […]

Kaner group researcher Dr. Maher El-Kady (Ph.D. ’13) is featured in a new short film from the Chemistry Shorts series titled Energy to Spare: Building Better Batteries. The seven-minute film highlights El-Kady’s work on next-generation battery technology, specifically zinc-ion batteries, as a safer and more sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Chemistry graduate students from the […]