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November Chemist of the Month Chad Mirkin Dr. Chad Mirkin is a Professor of Chemistry, Engineering, Materials, and Medicine at Northwestern University. He leads a research group of 65 members (the largest in the U.S.), has authored 400+ research articles, holds 370+ patents, founded 3 companies and acts as a scientific advisor to President Obama. Over the past decade, Dr. Mirkin ranks as the total most highly cited chemist in the world (>20,000 citations), and is ranked #2 in terms of average cites (85 /paper). Impressed? You should be! But what does he do? Dr. Mirkin is a world leader in nanoscience, and has pioneered such technologies as nanoparticle-based detection schemes (DNA sensing or delivery), as well as Dip-Pen Nanolithography (a.k.a. the world’s smallest pen). The reason why scientists are so excited by these discoveries is that they afford opportunities to experiment in ways which did not exist before. To put this in perspective, think of the discoveries that followed the invention of the telescope, the microscope, the computer... We were fortunate to have Dr. Mirkin visit our department this month, as the 2011 Chute Lecturer. Student of the Month Chemical of the Month Well, sanitation, to be precise, but you get the idea! Chemically speaking, soap is a salt of a fatty acid, formed through a process called saponification. Soap molecules contain a hydrophilic (water loving) tail and hydrophobic (water hating) head, which classifies these molecules as surfactants (something that lowers the surface tension of water). As a result, soaps are able to bring together fats and water, making it easier to remove greasy components from clothes, dishes or hair. Detergents, by the way, constitute any compound (or mixture of compounds) with “cleaning properties”. Modern detergents combine surfactants, bleaches, enzymes, and water softeners to facilitate the cleaning process. Of course, soap is also a natural disinfectant (by breaking down the cellular membrane of pathogens), hence the bit on sanitation. All that, AND they make pretty bubbles too! Chemist of the Month Axel Becke Dr. Axel Becke is one of the world’s most cited and best-known computational chemists working today. His innovations in the area of density functional theory have grown this research area from one of academic interest only to one of the most wide-spread methods used to compute the properties of molecules. In the very widely used density functional models known by their abbreviations BLYP and B3LYP, the B stands for Becke, who along with Lee, Yang, and Parr developed these approaches. Dr. Becke’s accomplishments have been recognized through his recent appointment as Killam Chair in Computational Sciences and Shirreff Chair in Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University. Student of the Month Alex Baker is a third-year Chemistry student at Dalhousie. This past summer he worked in the synthetic chemistry research laboratory of Dr. Alison Thompson. Alex worked within a team to optimize the synthesis of a certain class of fluorescent compounds (F-BODIPYs), research that will culminate in a publication later this year and that will serve as a foundation for the preparation of new materials. Alex presented his work at the Faculty of Science Undergraduate Summer 2011 Research Symposium, and was awarded First Prize in the Poster Competition. Congratulations, Alex! Chemical of the Month Anthocyanins – the chemistry of fall colours Who can argue fall as the best time of year in Nova Scotia (hurricanes aside). With fall comes a brilliant display as leaves turn to reds, orange and golds. This colour show literally breaks down as a result of the changing chemistry inside the leaves. Throughout the summer, chlorophyll must be continuously replenished, as sunlight causes the molecule to decompose. As days shorten, chlorophyll production slows down, meaning that other chemicals can take center stage. Anthocyanins in particular are a class of molecules that give leaves (eg maples) their red colour. Anthocyanin production actually increases in the fall, as sugar becomes increasingly available in the plant. Anthocyanins are through to act as a sunscreen for the leaves. Anthocyanins are also responsible for the red/ blue/ purple coloration of flowers and fruits (think apples, blueberries & grapes). The exact colour of these molecules is pH dependant, giving rise to the well-known purple cabbage pH indicator experiment. Finally, as dietary antioxidants, anthocyanins also have numerous health benefits. Chemist of the Month Michael Quilliam Dr. Michael Quilliam, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Dalhousie and leader of the Certified Reference Material program at the National Research Council (Halifax), has dedicated his career to the study of marine and freshwater biotoxins. Among them is Dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1), a biotoxin responsible for the (sometimes deadly) outbreaks of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). DTX1 was recently responsible for poisoning 60 people who consumed mussels harvested between late July and early August in British Colombia. Thanks to Dr. Quilliam’s pioneering work on the development of rapid chemical screening tests (employing mass spectrometry), DSP monitoring programs are now in place, meaning outbreaks like the one that occurred in BC are far less common. Dr. Quilliam has developed an impressive collection of 28 certified reference materials for biotoxins, being distributed to a global market. Dr. Quilliam is being honoured at this month’s international conference of The Association of Analytical Chemists, and will receive the Technical Division of Reference Materials Award for his contribution to the reference material program. Student of the Month Coming off a second summer of research at Dalhousie as a USRA recipient, Andrew Crowell can now proudly state that his research has been published (in Analytical Chimica Acta). His next paper is just about ready to be submitted. This academic year, Andrew will explore another aspect of a project he started this summer through the Chem 4901 honours research project class. Andrew is looking forward to gaining experience this year as a TA, and is also busy preparing an NSERC application for PGS scholarship, as he wishes to continue doing research at the graduate level next year. Chemical of the Month Caffeine Early morning lectures, late night study sessions… September has arrived, and who can deny their daily caffeine fix! Caffeine is one of today’s most widely used drugs, and has been with use for centuries - as tea in China (~2700 B.C.), then coffee in Africa (~600 A.D.), now colas, and energy drinks, and pills... Caffeine is an alkaloid, being a naturally occurring compound containing a basic nitrogen group (other alkaloids include quinine, nicotine, and morphine). True to the nature of alkaloids, caffeine has a very bitter taste. It is this bitterness that was originally meant to protect those plants which produce caffeine from being eaten by bugs and other animals (ironic isn’t it?). Caffeine was extracted in pure form from coffee in 1820. Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic, and though it is considered a relatively ‘safe’ drug, Health Canada still recommends a daily caffeine limit of 400 mg (three small cups of coffee, or just one extra large!). Too much caffeine can give you the jitters, and it’s hard to deny the withdrawal effects of caffeine. Then again, it’s also hard to deny me my first morning cup of Tims. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chris Lavery is currently studying in his third year toward a PhD under the supervision of Professor Mark Stradiotto. Chris has been awarded an NSERC PGS-D scholarship, and his current work is related to the synthesis and application of new "P,S and P,O variants of DalPhos Ligands" in palladium catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Of particular interest, is the use of such ligands in the synthesis of a variety of indole compounds.
Professor Emeritus Jan Kwak, former Chair of the Department and now Head of the Department of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Qatar University has been honored with the 2011 
Student of the Month for June is Saptarshi Chowdury who acheived the highest standing amongst his fellow second-year chemistry students for the 2010/11 year. He is currently serving as an 
Mary Anne White will be honoured in the spring convocation at the University of Western Ontario with the awarding of the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa (D.Sc.), Mary Anne is cited for her contributions to materials science, as an exemplar for women in science and her strong commitment to increasing the appreciation and promotion of science to young and old.
Erin has been recognized by her fellow students for her "awesome research mentoring skills". Erin is currently studying for her PhD with Laura Turculet and assists with the training and supervision of undergraduate research students.
Consisting of amazingly strong single layers of graphite, graphene has the potential to revolutionize materials science. The subject of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics, graphene has shown promise in many areas ranging from super-fast transistors to differentiation of human stem cells.
The chemists of the month are Mark Stradiotto (left) and Peter Wentzell. Mark will be appointed Killam Professor of the Faculty of Science effective 1 July 2011 for his outstanding research contributions, while Peter received the Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor Award from Dalhousie University.
The students of the month are Mark MacLean and Lauren Doyle. At the Atlantic Inorganic Discussion Weekend in Fredericton, Mark received the award for the best undergraduate oral presentation and Lauren received the award for best undergraduate poster presentation.
This chemical is a simple element. When refined to high-purity, it is the principal component of most semiconductor devices, especially integrated circuits. No silicon, no Twitter!
Dan Wayner (PhD, Dalhousie, 1984) joined the National Research Council Division of Chemistry in 1986 where he carried out pioneering work in the electrochemistry and thermochemistry of transient reaction intermediates. He was appointed NRC's Vice-President, Physical Sciences in January 2010, overseeing seven NRC research institutes.
Michelle has been awarded a prestigious Vanier Graduate Scholarship in recognition of her academic excellence and her community involvement with various organizations including the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Shinerama, Best Buddies Canada, and others. 
Due to its effectiveness against a wide variety of bacteria, Amoxicillin is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. First discovered in 1972, it is now produced synthetically and works by interfering with the formation of bacterial cell walls.
David Dolphin, a chemistry professor and entrepreneur at the University of British Columbia, has dedicated his research career to the investigation of porphyrins and their complexes. His work has lead to the development of anti-cancer drugs and Visudyne, one of the leading treatments for age-related macular degeneration. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 2006 in recognition of his contributions.
Devon McLean and Travis LeBlanc obtained the highest score in the Concepts in Chemistry program for the Fall 2010 in classes that total more than 1200 students.
From its serendipitous discovery in 1898, versatile polyethylene has grown from a curiosity to the world's most widely used plastic. Annual production amounts to around 80 billion kg.
John Polanyi, a chemistry professor at the University of Toronto, won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1986 for his work on reaction dynamics. He has also done extensive work in the fields of science policy and politics, both nationally and internationally.
Sarah Crawford is working towards her PhD and has been awarded an NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship in recognition of her superior academic performance. In addition, she won the President's Graduate Teaching Assistant Award in 2010 for her indispensable contributions to undergraduate laboratory instruction at Dalhousie.
Insulin is a hormone, produced by the pancreas, that regulates glucose levels in the body. When the pancreas produces insufficient insulin, diabetes results. Insulin was first isolated by Drs Banting and Best at the University of Toronto in 1921.