Researchers led by Professor Justin Caram and alumna Dr. Arundhati Deshmukh (Ph.D. ’21) have settled an almost 30 year old question about the nanoscale structure of self-assembled light-harvesting nanotubes. The nanotubes exhibit a brick-like arrangement of molecules that enables highly unusual photophysical properties, giving them extraordinary light harvesting capabilities on par with natural photosynthetic pigments. […]

Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential to transform energy storage, with exceptional theoretical capacity and performance in combination with an element in abundant supply. But the intricate reaction mechanism, particularly during discharge, has been challenging to solve. UCLA researchers have identified the key pathways to a complex sulfur reduction reaction that leads to energy loss and […]

If computers used ripples in magnetic fields, called magnons, to encode and process information, the result would be devices with potential memory speed on the order of billionths of a second. UCLA researchers and partners caused two distinct types of magnons to interact so that output is not directly proportional to input — a crucial […]

A recent innovation in battery technology by Professor Richard Kaner’s group has been prominently featured on the cover of the prestigious journal Advanced Materials. The project, led by Kaner, along with the newly graduated Dr. Chenxiang Wang and researcher Dr. Maher El-Kady, introduces an innovative approach to enhance the efficiency and lifespan of zinc batteries. […]

Dr. Steven Jonas, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and postdoctoral alumnus of the Paul S. Weiss group, has been honored with the 2024 Society for Pediatric Research Young Investigator Award. In the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Jonas continues to collaborate on research and mentoring with Professor Paul S. Weiss. He was a postdoctoral fellow […]

Professor Keriann Backus and collaborators from the University of Washington were awarded a $1.3 million W.M. Keck Foundation grant to fund research in single-cell protein measurement innovation. Backus and collaborators Devin Schweppe and Brian Beliveau, both Assistant Professors of Genomic Sciences at the University of Washington, have been awarded a three-year, $1.3 million W.M. Keck […]

A large research team led by Professor Gerard Wong has shown that fragments of the coronavirus may drive inflammation by mimicking the action of specific immune molecules in the body. The findings could contribute to not only the understanding and treatment of COVID-19 but also efforts to detect coronaviruses with the potential to cause pandemics […]

By Ben Paul, UCLA Division of Physical Sciences What are viruses, really? And where did they come from? UCLA’s Chemistry and Biochemistry department is pushing the boundaries of virology, and helping to answer that question once and for all. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ALIVE? This may seem like too philosophical a question to […]