News
In Memoriam: Claude F. Bernasconi (1939–2021)
January 13, 2021
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is deeply saddened to announce that Distinguished Professor Claude F. Bernasconi passed away on January 4, 2021, from complications due to COVID-19.
Coming full circle
December 16, 2020
Alumnus Darren Thompson, an accomplished chemist and student mentor, overcame a dark turn in his life with help from his determination, his Christian faith, and a UC Santa Cruz professor.
UCSC expands COVID-19 testing during surge to support community needs
December 15, 2020
A gift from Bud and Rebecca Colligan will expand testing capacity and help fund a new, dedicated laboratory space to house the diagnostic lab in the Genomics Institute’s facilities at the Westside Research Park.
New cryo-electron microscopy facility a boon for UCSC structural biologists
December 14, 2020
With major funding from NIH, researchers at UC Santa Cruz have acquired powerful imaging tools for studying the structures of biomolecules and their roles in disease.
Materials theorist Yuan Ping wins grant from Air Force Young Investigator Program
November 19, 2020
Ping’s research on spin dynamics in two-dimensional materials has applications for spintronics and quantum information technologies.
Novel technique spotlights neuronal uptake of amyloid beta in Alzheimer’s disease
November 2, 2020
Study finds a short section of the amyloid beta protein is recognized by the cellular prion protein, which mediates its uptake into neurons and subsequent toxicity.
Scientists discover how a common mutation leads to ‘night owl’ sleep disorder
October 26, 2020
A small change in a key component of our biological clocks lengthens the clock period, causing people to stay up late at night and sleep late in the morning.
Chemistry grad student awarded DOE support for research at national lab
October 5, 2020
Vivien Cherrette, a graduate student in chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, is among 52 outstanding U.S. graduate students to receive support from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program.
UC Santa Cruz leads research center on botanical dietary supplements
July 8, 2020
A new $5 million NIH grant supports a collaborative research program to understand the cellular mechanisms by which botanical natural products may affect human health.
Steck Award recipient helps discover protein involved with circadian clock timing
June 17, 2020
Afred Freeberg assisted the Partch lab in studying the molecular basis for circadian rhythms - biological processes that occur naturally in line with the Earth’s 24-hour daily rotation cycle.
New method predicts spin dynamics of materials for quantum computing
June 3, 2020
A universal first-principles approach will accelerate the identification and design of materials for quantum information science and other spintronics applications.
Alumnus leads massive effort to ramp up COVID-19 testing
May 4, 2020
UC Santa Cruz alumnus Joe DeRisi is one of the leading scientists in the fight against the novel coronavirus, helming a massive effort to ramp up state-of-the-art clinical laboratory testing for COVID-19 throughout California, while pioneering large-scale testing in Bay Area communities.
Powerful new supercomputer supports campus research in physical sciences
October 30, 2019
UCSC faculty are using the new system for research in astrophysics, climate science, materials science, chemistry, and other fields.
Chemistry graduate student Miguel Pinto received the ARCS Foundation's Anniversary Award
October 1, 2019
Miguel Pinto, a graduate student in chemistry and biochemistry, received the ARCS Foundation's Anniversary Award, which celebrates the organization's 60th anniversary and provides $17,000. His research includes the design and construction of targeted drug-delivery systems for the personalized treatment of cancer or infections.
Researcher and Lecturer Peter Weiss receives Clean Air Leader Award
May 1, 2019
Peter Weiss , lecturer in the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department at UCSC was recently recognized as a Clean Air Leader by the Monterrey Bay Air District.
Chemistry assistant professor Jevgenij Raskatov receives APS Early Career Lectureship
March 1, 2019
Raskatov awarded the Early Career Lectureship by the American Peptide Society which recognizes outstanding early career investigators who have demonstrated innovative research in peptide science.
Chemistry Faculty Among Highly Cited Researchers in 2018
February 1, 2019
Three faculty members from the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Professors Chen, Li, and Zhang, are in this year’s Highly Cited Researchers list, published by Clarivate Analytics and Web of Science.
Jevgenij Raskatov Receives Young Investigator Award from Boulder Peptide Society
August 10, 2018
The Boulder Peptide Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Jevgenij Raskatov, of the University of California Santa Cruz, has received the 2018 Young Investigator Award. The Young Investigator Award was established to support promising peptide scientists during the pre-tenure period.
Interview with Rebecca Braslau on Developing Alternative Plastics
June 8, 2018
Rebecca Braslau is a chemistry professor at UC Santa Cruz and has been developing an alternative plastic without the harmful phthalates that are found in most plastic materials. Sarah Marshall has the story.
Chemistry Graduate Student Jocelyn Macho Receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
June 8, 2018
Jocelyn Macho, a first-year graduate student in the MacMillan laboratory, has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
NIH funds $2.4M/3 year grant to develop technology to understand the function of natural products, botanicals and dietary supplements
June 8, 2018
Supported by a nearly $2.4M/3 year grant from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, the Center for High Content Functional Annotation (HiFAN) will be established in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz (along with collaborators at Simon Fraser University and UT Southwestern Medical Center).
Chemistry Undergrads Recipients of Koret Undergraduate Research Scholarships
January 2, 2018
Seven Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors are recipients of Koret Undergraduate Research Scholarships.
Congratulations to the Chemistry project leads of the Fall 2017 Launchpad grant
October 15, 2017
Professor Jin Zhang and Assistant Professor Jevgenij Raskatov receive Launchpad awards from the UCSC Industry Alliances & Technology Commercialization office (IATC). Launchpad assists promising UCSC technologies in becoming commercially viable.
Sgourakis Lab receives $1.9M/5 year NIH Outstanding Investigator Award
September 6, 2017
Sgourakis Lab receives $1.9M/5 year NIH Outstanding Investigator Award to study Tcell signaling for immunotherapy
UC Santa Cruz’s Seth Rubin gets cancer research grant
July 18, 2017
UC Santa Cruz professor Seth Rubin has a $250,000 grant to explore an out-of-the-box idea for fighting children’s cancers such as leukemia and retinoblastoma.
Chemistry Club students attend annual ACS Conference due to the generous support of our donors
April 20, 2017
Through the generous support of donations to our general gift funds, the Department was able to sponsor three undergraduates to attend the annual American Chemical Society held in San Francisco.
Chemistry Undergrads Recipients of Koret Undergraduate Research Scholarships
January 10, 2017
Nine Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology majors are recipients of the first Koret Undergraduate Research Scholarships.
Two Chemistry faculty members honored with Excellence in Teaching Awards
June 9, 2016
The Excellence in Teaching Awards given each year by the UC Santa Cruz Academic Senate Committee on Teaching are among the highest honors faculty members can receive. Lecturer Caitlin Binder is the recipient of the Ron Ruby Award for Teaching Excellence from the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences. Distinguished Professor Glenn Millhauser is the recipient of the campus Excellence in Teach Award.
Assistant Professors Ayzner and Raskatov honored as Hellman Fellows
April 5, 2016
Established at UCSC in 2011, the purpose of the Hellman Fellows Program is to support substantially the research of promising assistant professors who show capacity for great distinction in their research.
Chemistry Undergrad Major Recognized for Outstanding Research at National Conference
November 18, 2014
Rene Mercado, a chemistry major at UCSC, won in the Chemistry category for his presentation on "The Effect on Various Capping Ligands on Rhodium-Gold Alloy Nanoparticles for use in Electrochemical Reduction." His adviser is Shaowei Chen, professor of chemistry.
In Memoriam: Geoffrey 'Craig' Hunt
October 09, 2014