Chemistry

A 12-month appointment in the Département de Chimie Moléculaire, a joint CNRS–Université Grenoble Alpes laboratory, funded by ANR’s SANTAC project. Create sequence-controlled DNA amphiphiles using solid-phase synthesis and non-natural building blocks, then investigate their self-assembly and delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids in cell models. Work combines phosphoramidite synthesis,…

This Faraday Discussion compares electrochemical devices on Earth and in space. Researchers examine how reduced gravity changes bubble dynamics, transport and efficiency; electrolyser designs that manage gas separation and withstand radiation and temperature extremes; battery interfaces, dendrites and durability; and fuel-cell catalysts, gas handling and closed-loop energy storage. Precirculated research papers support extended discussion among academic and industrial researchers and postgraduate students. The meeting is at Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BA, on 2–4 November 2026. Times are GMT (Europe/London, UTC+0). Registration opens at 11:00 on 2 November, welcome at 12:45 and Michael Hecht’s introductory lecture at 13:00. Sessions start at 09:00 on 3 and 4 November; the meeting closes at 13:00 on 4 November. Participants include Detlef Lohse, Kerstin Eckert and closing lecturer Hitoshi Naito. The published programme may change. Public booking is open. Until 2 October, fees are GBP 445/545 for members/nonmembers and GBP 225/275 for student members/nonmembers, plus VAT. Standard fees are GBP 505/620 and GBP 275/325 respectively, plus VAT; registration closes 19 October. Abstract submission has closed.

PharmSci 360 connects experimental, computational and clinical evidence across drug discovery, development and delivery. Researchers will examine in-vitro-to-human translation using PBPK, quantitative systems pharmacology and AI; organ-chip and other human-relevant models; biomarkers and reliable bioanalytical assays; and integrating clinical trials with real-world data. Manufacturing sessions connect process understanding, analytical characterization and digital models with quality and scale-up. Formulation sessions address predictive design, advanced materials, targeted delivery and patient usability, alongside career development. Programme participants include Julie L. Gerberding (Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH)); Stephanie Barrett (Merck & Co., Inc.); Ben Boyd (Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences); Stephan Schmidt (University of Florida); Douglas Kiehl (Purdue University); Samir Mitragotri (Harvard University); Eric Appel (Stanford University). The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists hosts this in-person meeting at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, on 25–28 October 2026. The opening plenary is 25 October, 17:00–18:30; principal scientific symposia start at 09:00 on 26–28 October. The closing plenary is 28 October, 16:15–17:30, followed by a reception until 18:30. Times are America/Chicago, CDT (UTC−05:00). Current full-conference fees are US$1,705 for members, US$2,145 for non-members and US$325 for student/postdoc members; one-day passes are available. Registration requires an AAPS portal account. Use the official registration page linked from the event website. Ordinary cancellation refunds are no longer available.

Omar M. Yaghi examines how reticular chemistry changes the scale and diversity of materials that chemists can design. By joining molecular building blocks into extended structures, researchers have developed large families of metal–organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks with tunable internal spaces and functions. The lecture asks how artificial intelligence and robotics could accelerate the preparation and exploration of these materials, moving chemical discovery from scarcity toward abundance. Yaghi connects this approach to carbon capture and the collection of water from air, building on design principles for nanoporous frameworks and their applications in gas storage and separation. The discussion extends the metal–organic framework research recognised by the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry into current methods for discovery and environmental applications.

The episode examines what happens chemically when cooked starch cools and is reheated. Melissa and Jam discuss glucose polymers, insulin, digestion, crystallization, resistant starch, and interactions with gut microbes. They review studies involving foods such as bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes, and explore the proposed effects of repeated reheating. The discussion connects everyday cooking questions to food chemistry and the evidence behind claims about leftovers.

Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar M. Yaghi examine the origins, development and applications of metal–organic frameworks. Robson follows the emergence of coordination polymers and the design of extended molecular structures from pre-organized building blocks, explaining the architectural ideas behind framework construction. Kitagawa describes how coordination chemistry led to porous materials and then to flexible crystalline structures. His discussion of soft porous crystals shows how frameworks can respond to external stimuli, opening and closing as they capture molecules, with implications for gas storage and separation. Yaghi considers how fundamental framework chemistry can connect to industrial and societal applications, including emerging uses of artificial intelligence. Together, the lectures show how complementary approaches to molecular design, porosity and responsive structure developed into a broad materials research field.

Jonathan Webb discusses lithium-ion battery chemistry with Neeraj Sharma of UNSW, explaining why prolonged full charging or deep discharge can shorten battery life and what the underlying processes mean for phone and electric-vehicle battery engineering.

Benjamin Thompson and Shamini Bundell discuss two scientific stories from the Nature Briefing. The first concerns a technique for detecting lead that may help researchers read damaged Roman scrolls from Herculaneum without unrolling the fragile, charred material. The second examines a biodegradable, paper-inspired edible battery and its potential use in medical devices inside the body. The publisher’s episode page and official podcast feed both identify this 25 September 2026 episode; the discussion lasts 11 minutes 32 seconds.

The Chemical Breakdown team looks ahead to the 2026 Nobel prize in chemistry. Host Mariana Kneppers discusses possible research areas and laureates with Jamie Durrani and Neil Withers, with additional predictions from the Chemistry World team. Topics include skeletal editing, GLP-1 research and analytical techniques, alongside how previous prizes shape expectations. This is a predictions episode published before the prize announcement, rather than a report of confirmed winners.