RSS feedhttps://chem.medarbejdere.au.dk/en/news-and-eventsen-gbFri, 29 Mar 2024 10:02:06 +0100Fri, 29 Mar 2024 10:02:06 +0100TYPO3 EXT:newsnews-76753Thu, 21 Mar 2024 08:37:00 +0100New Assistant Professor (Tenure Track)https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/new-assistant-professor-tenure-trackFabian Mahrt has joined the Department of Chemistry at 15 March 2024.Fabian received his Ph.D. degree from ETH Zürich (Switzerland) in 2019, where he researched cloud microphysics with a focus on atmospheric ice formation in cirrus clouds and assessing impacts on climate. Since then, Fabian has been a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Colombia (Canada) and the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland), where he studied organic aerosol formation and their physicochemical properties in the laboratory.

In his new position, Fabian will be part of the Center for Chemistry of Clouds, where he will strive to establish a mechanistic understanding of aerosols particles and their interactions with clouds that is critical for climate predictions. As part of this effort his research group will map atmospheric conditions needed to form cloud droplets and ice crystals on aerosol particles.

Welcome to the department, Fabian!

 

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news-62078Fri, 15 Mar 2024 12:30:00 +0100Notice for special holidays and summer holiday. Deadline for changes: Thursday April 04, 2024https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/notice-for-special-holidays-and-summer-holiday-deadline-for-changes-thursday-april-04-2024Notice for remaining special holidays to be held during the period April 15-30, 2024, and notice for the main holiday to be held during the period July 08-26, 2024.
Dear employees at Department of Chemistry

  • The Department of Chemistry hereby gives notice for your remaining special holidays to be held during the period April 15-30, 2024.
  • The Department of Chemistry hereby gives notice for your main holiday to be held during the period July 08-26, 2024.

The dates can only be deviated from upon agreement with your immediate superior.

The deadline for changes is Thursday April 04, 2024

 

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news-76670Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:11:49 +0100Birgit Schiøtt is the new dean of the Faculty of Natural Scienceshttps://medarbejdere.au.dk/en/news-articles/news/artikel/birgit-schioett-bliver-ny-dekan-paa-faculty-of-natural-sciencesOn 1 May, Professor Birgit Schiøtt will become dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Schiøtt will head the faculty where she has built a career as an internationally recognised researcher who has helped advance our understanding the chemistry of the brain, and where she also served as head of the Department of Chemistry for eight years.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / media17104975091710497509news-76551Fri, 08 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0100Higher Doctoral Degree: Alexander N. Zelikin, Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/higher-doctoral-degree-alexander-n-zelikin-department-of-chemistry-aarhus-universityProdrugs: Molecular, macromolecular, and supramolecular opportunities in drug deliveryAlexander N. Zelikin defends his thesis:
Prodrugs: Molecular, macromolecular, and supramolecular opportunities in drug delivery

Friday 19 April 2024 at 13:15
Department of Chemistry, Auditorium I (1514-213), Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C

The official opponents:
• Professor Twan Lammers, RWTH Aachen University
• Professor Jan van Hest, Eindhoven University of Technology


To attend the defence, please sign up before Friday 12 April 2024: https://events.au.dk/azdoctor

Signing up as an unofficial opponent must be done via email to Dean Erik Østergaard Jensen, dean.nat@au.dk no later than 2 weeks before the defence.

A copy of the thesis can be requested from the author (zelikin@chem.au.dk) or Head of Secretariat Katrine Mikkelsen (klm@chem.au.dk), Department of Chemistry.

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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / media17098920001709892000
news-76295Mon, 19 Feb 2024 11:57:00 +0100Energy storage: Hydrogen can be packed extremely tightly in a nanoporous materialhttps://inano.au.dk/about/news-events/news/show/artikel/energy-storage-hydrogen-can-be-packed-extremely-tightly-in-a-nanoporous-materialResearchers at Aarhus University have discovered a porous material in which hydrogen can be packed twice as densely as in pure liquid hydrogen. This is because hydrogen forms penta-molecular units that have not previously been observed. Hydrogen also forms a new type of bond with the lattice structure, called a hexahydrogen bond. This discovery opens new perspectives for efficient and safe energy storage.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaLise Refstrup Linnebjerg Pedersen17083402201708340220news-41941Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:54:00 +0100ChemOffice + E-Cloudhttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/chemoffice-e-cloudNew versionSince middle of the year 2023, a new version of ChemOffice + E-Cloud was released (version 22.2, for Windows only).
For Mac, there is a ChemOffice Professional installer, also in version 22.2.

You can find more information here: 
https://chem.medarbejdere.au.dk/en/internal-computer-systems/chemoffice-e-cloud

  • NB: On the Revvity web-side it is announced that after March 25, download is no longer available. 
    AU-IT will grant a temporary option via https://software.au.dk/, but first after that date.
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Department of ChemistryStaff17079944401707994440
news-76174Fri, 09 Feb 2024 09:04:54 +0100The CETEC Project Wins JEC Award for Circular Wind Turbine Solutionhttps://inano.au.dk/about/news-events/news/show/artikel/the-cetec-project-wins-jec-award-for-circular-wind-turbine-solutionTroels Skrydstrup and the rest of the CETEC team have received the JEC Award for their groundbreaking and innovative recycling technology for wind turbine blades.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / media17074658941707465894news-75460Thu, 14 Dec 2023 10:22:00 +0100New chemical method advances toward targeted RNA medicinehttps://inano.medarbejdere.au.dk/news-and-events/news/show/artikel/new-chemical-method-advances-toward-targeted-rna-medicineIn close collaboration with Novo Nordisk, a novel method has been developed to enhance the synthesis of therapeutic oligonucleotides for targeted drugs. This method holds importance in the creation of customised medicine aimed at precisely targeting diseased cells, representing a pivotal stride towards more efficient and gentle treatments to optimise patients' quality of life.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / media17025457201702545720news-75378Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:19:00 +0100A new article published in Nature Communications by the research group of Shuai Weihttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/a-new-article-published-in-nature-communications-by-the-research-group-of-shuai-weiPressure-induced reversal of Peierls-like distortions elicits the polyamorphic transition in GeTe and GeSeDepartment of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublication17019551401701955140news-75030Tue, 14 Nov 2023 07:51:00 +0100Article from Femtolab in Naturehttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/article-from-femtolab-in-natureMeasured how and how quickly a single sodium ion is gradually solvated by individual atoms in liquid helium.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublication16999446601699944660news-74982Fri, 10 Nov 2023 13:04:00 +0100Researchers from iNANO and Department of Chemistry receive grants for Green Breakthroughhttps://inano.medarbejdere.au.dk/news-and-events/news/show/artikel/researchers-from-inano-and-department-of-chemistry-receive-grants-for-green-breakthroughIndependent Research Fund Denmark supports four research projects with researchers from iNANO and Department of Chemistry at the helm. From self-cooling batteries to environmentally friendly magnets, these projects may pave the way for a greener future. What the projects have in common is that they are visionary initiatives that could be a step further in our approach to energy storage and sustainable technology.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaGrantResearchNews for employeesNews16996178401699617840news-74419Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:05:00 +0200Triple DNA helix artwork featured on the cover of prestigious journalhttps://inano.au.dk/about/news-events/news/show/artikel/triple-dna-helix-artwork-featured-on-the-cover-of-prestigious-journalIn a beautiful fusion of science and art, two PhD students from iNANO at Aarhus University have created a stunning piece of folded paper art that now adorns the cover of the scientific journal, Advanced Materials.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaGrantResearchNews for employeesNews16968423001696842300news-74127Wed, 20 Sep 2023 10:25:00 +0200Discovery of protein orientation helps scientists understand Parkinson’s diseasehttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/discovery-of-protein-orientation-helps-scientists-understand-parkinsons-diseaseThe groups of Birgit Schiøtt and Tobias Weidner publish an article about the folding of alpha synuclein at membrane surfaces in Nature Communications. Thanks to these new findings, it may now be possible to follow the misfolding process and the working mechanisms of potential medical drugs in molecular detail.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublication16951983001695198300news-73977Tue, 12 Sep 2023 15:22:00 +0200Kim Daasbjerg receives the first Else Kai Sass Awardhttps://nat.au.dk/en/about-the-faculty/news/show/artikel/kim-daasbjerg-modtager-den-foerste-else-kai-sass-prisProfessor, chemist and entrepreneur Kim Daasbjerg is the first recipient of the Else Kai Sass Award. Collaboration, innovation and remarkable research communication are at the core of the award and Kim Daasbjerg’s competences.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaNewsAwardsMichaela Louise Thulesen16945249201694524920news-73486Fri, 01 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0200Thibault Viennet joins the department as assistant professorhttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/thibault-viennet-joins-the-department-as-assistant-professorThibault Viennet joins the Department of Chemistry as new tenure track assistant professor on 1 September 2023, strengthening the department’s NMR section. He joins the department from a position as postdoc at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNews for employeesNewsJakob Laust Hviid16935516001693551600news-73654Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:07:00 +0200Gustav J. Wørmer wins 'Best PhD Dissertation within Organic Chemistry in Denmark'https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/gustav-j-woermer-wins-best-phd-dissertation-within-organic-chemistry-in-denmarkPhD Gustav J. Wørmer won 'Best PhD Dissertation within Organic Chemistry in Denmark' at the Danish Chemical Society's annual meeting on Friday.Gustav's dissertation is entitled 'Total Synthesis of [4.3.0] Natural Products' and deals with chemical synthesis of complex, bioactive natural compounds. Among other things, Gustav has developed the first synthesis route for the substances Streptazon A and Abikoviromycin, members of the class of [4.3.0]-piperidine alkaloids. This now makes it possible to study the underlying mechanisms responsible for the compounds' biological activity.

Furthermore, Gustav has contributed to the development of new types of reactive groups, which can be used, among other things, for precise chemical functionalisation of proteins and for the design of covalent drugs.

The research was carried out in Prof. Thomas B. Poulsen's research group, where Gustav is now employed as postdoc.

Congratulations, Gustav!

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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNews for employeesNewsAwardsJakob Laust Hviid16926232201692623220
news-73405Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:36:05 +0200Old mattresses made new: simple chemistry can recycle polyurethanehttps://nat.au.dk/en/about-the-faculty/news/show/artikel/fra-gammel-madras-til-ny-madras-polyuretan-kan-genanvendes-med-simpel-kemiTogether with partners from industry, researchers from Aarhus University have now proven that simple chemistry can do more than just extract important raw materials from polyurethane foam – the most important component can also be reused again and again in new mattresses.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaSustainabilityResearchNewsPublicationPeter Gammelby16909653651690965365news-73085Wed, 28 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0200AU and KU join forces to promote chemistryhttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/au-and-ku-join-forces-to-promote-chemistryA new collaboration between Aarhus University (AU) and the University of Copenhagen (KU) will convey chemistry’s important role in solving big societal challenges. Chemistry is a significant cornerstone in the green transition and also one of the core sciences in a large number of Denmark’s big companies. Therefore, it is essential that we recruit more students to the chemistry degree programmes in the Danish universities as their competences are needed.

With a new project, supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation with 5 million DKK, Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen will develop new materials for teaching chemistry in the Danish upper secondary school. The teaching material will convey a number of subjects, with a focus on the core areas within the Danish universities and the Danish industries, and show how chemical knowledge is essential to solving current and future societal challenges.

The project aims to strengthen the understanding of the scope and the societal relevance of chemistry.

“To supply enough and qualified labour for the green transition and future drug development, we must graduate more chemists than we do now,” says Pernille Harris, Head of Department at the Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen.

She continues: “Therefore, we are thrilled that the Novo Nordisk Foundation supports this collaborative initiative between Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen in developing teaching materials for the upper secondary schools. We hope that the project can attract more young people to the chemistry degree programmes. In Denmark, we have a long and proud tradition of chemistry research, which Morten Meldal’s Nobel Prize exemplifies greatly.”

Aarhus University is also very happy with the grant. “Chemistry is a core science, both now and in the future,” says Karl Anker Jørgensen, Acting Head of Department at the Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University. “With this project, we hope that more upper secondary school pupils discover the importance of chemistry and the many exciting possibilities that a chemistry degree provides. We are delighted to collaborate on this important task and look forward to involving both researchers and teachers in the development of new teaching materials.”

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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaGrantNews for employeesNewsEducationDepartment of Chemistry, Aarhus University16879536001687953600
news-72991Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0200New company to develop precision weapons against cancer tumourshttps://nat.au.dk/en/collaboration/examples-of-business-collaboration/translate-to-english-kripthoniteAfter almost ten years, researchers at Aarhus University have converted a natural cell toxin into a substance with potential to kill even the most stubborn cancer cells. Now they have set up a company to make the substance ready for hospitals.Department of ChemistryBusinessStaffPublic / mediaResearchNews for employeesNewsPeter F. Gammelby16874244001687424400news-72947Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:15:00 +0200Advances in treatment of implant-associated infectionshttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/advances-in-treatment-of-implant-associated-infectionsThe groups of Alexander N. Zelikin (Dept. of Chemistry) and Rikke L. Meyer (iNANO), in collaboration with Aarhus University Hospital (Skejby) and University Medical Center Utrecht, report on the design of targeted therapy to treat implant-associated infections. The findings have been published in Advanced Science. Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublicationJakob Laust Hviid16874145001687414500news-72884Fri, 16 Jun 2023 08:30:28 +0200Folding the code of life: Triplex origami opens new avenues of researchhttps://inano.au.dk/about/news-events/news/show/artikel/folding-the-code-of-life-triplex-origami-opens-new-avenues-of-researchResearchers from Aarhus University have developed a revolutionary new method, called triplex origami, to manipulate the shape and tight packing of DNA. The new discoveries open up exciting new possibilities in gene therapy, nanotechnology, and more.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublicationLise Refstrup Linnebjerg Pedersen16868970281686897028news-72859Thu, 15 Jun 2023 10:10:00 +0200Henrik Helligsø Jensen celebrates click chemistry in 'Dansk Kemi'https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/henrik-helligsoe-jensen-celebrates-click-chemistry-in-dansk-kemiThe latest issue of 'Dansk Kemi' is dedicated to click chemistry and Morten Meldal's Nobel Prize. Associate Professor Henrik Helligsø Jensen celebrates Morten's work and describes how click chemistry has impacted his own research.Ever since Morten Meldal, K. Barry Sharpless and Carolyn R. Bertozzi received the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery and development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry, the public and the natural science environment have shown great interest in the three scientists' work.

In basic terms, click chemistry is a tool to assemble certain functional groups, which are forms of molecular appendages. The tool – or the click-chemical reactions – takes place with high efficiency under mild conditions and without the formation of malignant by-products. The former means that high temperatures or certain solvents are not required for the click reactions to take place, which is important in handling sensitive molecules. In addition, click chemistry's ability to be used in mild conditions and the fact that dangerous by-products are not formed contribute to a sustainable aspect. In other words, click chemistry is a modern tool, customised to assemble molecular fragments in an easy and streamlined way. Today, the tool is used, to a great extent, on small molecules, macromolecules and in the development of polymers in materials science.

In the latest issue of 'Dansk Kemi', which is dedicated to click chemistry and Morten Meldal's Nobel Prize, Henrik Helligsø Jensen celebrates Morten Meldal and his work with this exceptional tool. Henrik explains how the tool has helped him and his research group to develop non-natural oligosaccharides and shown that also these molecules possess the ability of protein recognition even though they do not have quite the correct chemical structure.

You can read the new issue of 'Dansk Kemi' here (Danish only). Henrik's contribution can be found on pages 13-15.

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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNews for employeesNewsPublicationJakob Laust Hviid16868166001686816600
news-72775Tue, 13 Jun 2023 09:22:09 +0200New research centre: RNA medicine for better treatment of metabolic diseaseshttps://inano.au.dk/about/news-events/news/show/artikel/new-research-centre-rna-medicine-for-better-treatment-of-metabolic-diseasesA new team of researchers dreams of making a difference for patients with e.g. diabetes, fatty liver, renal fibrosis, and atherosclerosis. With DKK 60 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, centre leader Professor Jørgen Kjems can now open an interdisciplinary centre for RNA medicine research at Aarhus University, which over a period of 6 years will develop more effective types of treatment for metabolic diseases.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaGrantResearchNews for employeesNewsJakob Laust Hviid16866409291686640929news-72294Thu, 01 Jun 2023 08:45:00 +0200Nicole Hauser joins the departmenthttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/nicole-hauser-joins-the-department-1Nicole Hauser joins the Department of Chemistry as new tenure track assistant professor. For the last few years, Nicole has been a part of Prof. Mohammad R. Seyedsayamdost’s laboratory at Princeton University, which focuses on the isolation of natural products, their biosynthesis and biocatalysis.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaNews for employeesNewsJakob Laust Hviid16856019001685601900news-72534Wed, 31 May 2023 09:40:00 +0200CETEC awarded Plastprisen 2023https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/cetec-awarded-plastprisen-2023The CETEC consortium, comprised of Aarhus University, Olin, Vestas and the Danish Technological Institute, have received the Plastprisen 2023 at Plastindustrien's anniversary on 25 May at Industriens Hus for their work on developing a method for recycling wind turbine blades through.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaNewsAwardsJakob Laust Hviid og Lise Refstrup Linnebjerg Pedersen16855188001685518800news-72513Fri, 26 May 2023 16:34:00 +0200New chemical reagents for protein modification create interesting opportunities in drug discovery https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/new-chemical-reagents-for-protein-modification-create-interesting-opportunities-in-drug-discoveryResearchers from Prof. Thomas Poulsen’s research group, in collaboration with scientists at the Research Unit for Molecular Medicine (MMF) at Aarhus University Hospital, have published two articles on two new reagent classes that each break new ground for covalent protein modification in drug design.Reagents for direct chemical functionalisation of proteins form the basis for preparation of advanced biopharmaceuticals – such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) – as well as precision medicines that work via covalent chemical bonding of the drug to the target protein. Therefore, the introduction of new reagent classes, which is what Prof. Thomas Poulsen and colleagues have done, expands the options for designing new drugs.

The first study is published in Bioconjugate Chemistry and shows that so-called oxSTEF-reagents, which enable highly efficient targeting of surface-exposed disulfide bonds, can selectively modify a suite of different proteins, including human growth hormone.  In more colloquial language, that means the researchers have found a way to ‘hijack’ a type of weak bond – which are found in almost all proteins – to e.g. selectively modify protein hormones, enzymes or antibodies. Moreover, the researchers show how they can generate proteins with highly uniform modification patterns, which can otherwise be a significant challenge.

In the second study, published in Angewandte Chemie, the research team pioneer the first use of alpha-lactams as covalent molecular tools for chemical biology. The alpha-lactam group is intrinsically unstable due to its significant strain and has so far been regarded as a curiosity. Basically, it has never before been possible to use this class of very exotic molecules for any type of chemical-biological experiments, but this barrier has now been overcome, which creates exciting possibilities within drug design.

Actually, both studies provide completely new avenues for covalent ligand design – a major area within contemporary drug discovery – which can hopefully aid the development of new drugs with better impact and less side effects.

Supplemental information

   Type of studies/methods       Experimental studies
   External collaborators      Article in Bioconjugate Chemistry: Novo Nordisk A/S

   Article in Angewandte Chemie: None
   External funding   Article in Bioconjugate Chemistry:
   This project received funding from the Novo Nordisk
   Foundation. Grant Number: NNF19OC0054782
   
   Article Angewandte Chemie:
   This project received funding from the European
   Research Council under the European Union’s
   Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
   (grant agreement no. 865738) to Thomas B. Poulsen 
   and from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Grant
   Number: NNF19OC0054782.
   Conflicts of interest   None      
   Other       N/A      
   Links to scientific articles         Article in Bioconjugate Chemistry:
   https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/
   acs.bioconjchem.3c00005 

   Article in Angewandte Chemie: 
   https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full
   /10.1002/anie.202304142 
   Contact information    PROF. Thomas B. Poulsen
   Department of Chemistry, AARHUS UNIVERSITY
   Telephone: +45 61 14 18 44.
   EMAIL: thpou@chem.au.dk
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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublicationJakob Laust Hviid16851116401685111640
news-72317Tue, 16 May 2023 08:17:37 +0200Understanding how the “heart” of the plant works may lead to protecting plants from pathogenshttps://mbg.au.dk/en/news-and-events/news-item/artikel/understanding-how-the-heart-of-the-plant-works-may-lead-to-protecting-plants-from-pathogensResearchers at Aarhus University have discovered the secrets behind how plants move sugar using a protein called the SUC transporter. This breakthrough solves a long-standing mystery of the plant 'heart' and sheds new light on how plants defend themselves from pests. The discovery published in Nature Plants is the result of over five years of research by a talented team of scientists.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNews for employeesNewsPublicationLisbeth Heilesen16842178571684217857news-72234Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200New chemical methods by the Gothelf Lab with potential for drug deliveryhttps://inano.au.dk/about/news-events/news/show/artikel/new-chemical-methods-by-the-gothelf-lab-with-potential-for-drug-deliveryTraditional medicines typically work by targeting the body in a non-specific way, which can lead to unnecessary side effects and the need for taking more medicine than necessary. Researchers from iNANO and Department of Chemistry have developed new chemical methods, which may prove useful in targeted drug delivery.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublicationLise Refstrup Linnebjerg Pedersen16837200001683720000news-72184Tue, 09 May 2023 08:57:00 +0200Entrepreneurs from iNANO and Dept. of Chemistry receive DKK 12m to revolutionise stroke treatmenthttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/entrepreneurs-from-inano-and-dept-of-chemistry-receive-dkk-12m-to-revolutionise-stroke-treatmentThe spin-out company, MedicQuant, from Aarhus University raises more than DKK 12 million in capital to further develop a rapid analysis tool that will ensure faster treatment of, among other things, blood clots.The spin-out company, MedicQuant, founded by researchers from iNANO and Dept. of Chemistry at Aarhus University, has the potential to save lives with their newly developed technology.

The founders – Line Debois Frejlev Nielsen, Malthe Hansen-Bruhn and Kurt Vesterager Gothelf – have designed a groundbreaking technology that can rapidly measure the level of medication in the blood of stroke patients. This gives doctors a more accurate overview – and may reduce mortality and disability in stroke patients.

MedicQuant have now raised more than DKK 12 million in capital, most of which comes from Vækstfonden (The Danish Growth Fund), to further develop the technology.

The health tech company is headed by Line Debois Frejlev Nielsen and Malthe Hansen-Bruhn. Their vision is to create a global business and save lives with MedicQuant's platform technology, which also has potential in other disease areas.

Read the full news article in MEDWATCH (in Danish).

Contact

CEO Line Debois Frejlev Nielsen
MedicQuant
Email: info@medicquant.com

CTO Malthe Hansen-Bruhn
MedicQuant
Email: info@medicquant.com

Professor Kurt Vesterager Gothelf
iNANO and Department of Chemistry
Email: kvg@chem.au.dk 

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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaNewsLise Refstrup Linnebjerg Pedersen16836154201683615420
news-72023Thu, 27 Apr 2023 09:30:00 +0200New chemistry can extract virgin-grade materials from wind turbine blades in one processhttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/new-chemistry-can-extract-virgin-grade-materials-from-wind-turbine-blades-in-one-processResearchers from Aarhus University and the Danish Technological Institute have developed a chemical process that can disassemble the epoxy composite of wind turbine blades and simultaneously extract intact glass fibres as well as one of the epoxy resin's original building blocks in a high quality. The recovered materials could potentially be used in the production of new blades.The new chemical process is not limited to wind turbine blades but works on many different so-called fibre-reinforced epoxy composites, including some materials that are reinforced with especially costly carbon fibres.

Thus, the process can contribute to establishing a potential circular economy in the wind turbine, aerospace, automotive and space industries, where these reinforced composites, due to their light weight and long durability, are used for load-bearing structures.

Being designed to last, the durability of the blades poses an environmental challenge.  Wind turbine blades mostly end up at waste landfills when they are decommissioned, because they are extremely difficult to break down.

If no solution is found, we will have accumulated 43 million tonnes of wind turbine blade waste globally by 2050.

The newly discovered process is a proof-of-concept of a recycling strategy that can be applied to the vast majority of both existing wind turbine blades and those presently in production, as well as other epoxy-based materials.

The results have just been published in the leading scientific journal Nature, and Aarhus University, together with the Danish Technological Institute, have filed a patent application for the process.

Specifically, the researchers have shown that by using a ruthenium-based catalyst and the solvents isopropanol and toluene, they can separate the epoxy matrix and release one of the epoxy polymer's original building blocks, bisphenol A (BPA), and fully intact glass fibres in a single process. 

However, the method is not immediately scalable yet, as the catalytic system is not efficient enough for industrial implementation – and ruthenium is a rare and expensive metal. Therefore, the scientists from Aarhus University are continuing their work on improving this methodology.

"Nevertheless, we see it as a significant breakthrough for the development of durable technologies that can create a circular economy for epoxy-based materials.  This is the first publication of a chemical process that can selectively disassemble an epoxy composite and isolate one of the most important building blocks of the epoxy polymer as well as the glass or carbon fibres without damaging the latter in the process," says Troels Skrydstrup, one of the lead authors of the study.

Troels Skrydstrup is a professor at the Department of Chemistry and the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) at Aarhus University.

The research is supported by the CETEC project (Circular Economy for Thermosets Epoxy Composites), which is a partnership between Vestas, Olin Corporation, the Danish Technological Institute and Aarhus University.

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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaNews for employeesNewsPublicationPeter F. Gammelby16825806001682580600
news-71951Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:42:36 +0200Postdoc wins the Danish award for ‘Best PhD in Medicinal Chemistry’https://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/postdoc-wins-the-danish-award-for-best-phd-in-medicinal-chemistryPostdoc Esben Bjerregaard Svenningsen received the Danish award for ’Best PhD in Medicinal Chemistry 2022-2023’ last week.Esben was selected by the board of the Danish Society for Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology (DSMKB) based on candidate nominations, CV and his oral presentation. As winner, Esben will represent Denmark in September at the EFMC Young Medicinal Chemists’ Symposium, a European competition for the best PhDs in medicinal chemistry.

Esben did his PhD in the research group of Professor Thomas Poulsen. It focused on the biological evaluation of compounds produced in the research group. For this purpose, he single-handedly established the Cell Painting assay and used it for biological evaluation of compound collections. Among others, he discovered a protein synthesis inhibitor and studied the antiviral mechanism of polyether ionophores. The assay can speed up otherwise tedious biological studies, enabling faster and better testing, potentially aiding the discovery of new drugs.

Congratulations on the award, Esben.

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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaPostdocsResearchNews for employeesNewsAwardsJakob Laust Hviid16823329561682332956
news-71535Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:10:00 +0200Zelikin Lab publishes in Nature Communicationshttps://chem.au.dk/en/the-department/news-and-events/single/artikel/zelikin-lab-publishes-in-nature-communicationsThe research group of Prof. Alexander Zelikin is vested in the development of synthetic cells and specifically the mechanisms of artificial transmembrane signalling. The group’s new publication in Nature Communications reports on their most recent success on this road.A cell is the smallest unit of cellular life, but it is still highly complex on the molecular level. One critically important function of a cell is to perceive chemical information. This is achieved by using transmembrane proteins, termed signalling receptors, which connect input signals to the corresponding signalling events within the cell.

The Zelikin Lab works to recreate this process in artificial (non-biological) cells. Specifically, the group focuses on the development of methods to send chemical information across a sealed biomolecular membrane. In the manuscript just accepted to print in Nature Communications, they successfully designed such transmembrane signalling using tools of organic chemistry. Using these tools, they created model synthetic cells that respond to the external environment, such as biochemical cues or even inorganic materials, by turning on enzymatic catalysis.

These results open up opportunities to engineer synthetic cells that adapt to external environments, mimicking the hallmark behaviour of cells in nature.
 

Additional information

   Type of
   study/method
   Journal article (peer-reviewed)
   External
   collaborators 
   No external collaborators
   External funding   Novo Nordisk Foundation (Grant No. NNF20OC0062131)
   Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF FNU Grant No. 0135-
   00162B)
   Lundbeck Foundation (Grant No R164-2013-15291)
   Carlsberg Foundation (Grant No. CF19-0275)      
   Conflict(s) of
   interest
   None    
   Other   N/A      
   Link to scientific
   article
   https://rdcu.be/c8pjA
   Contact
   information
   Prof. Alexander Zelikin, Department of Chemistry and iNANO,
   Aarhus University
   Tlf.: +45 23 29 79 86. Email: zelikin@chem.au.dk       
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Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaResearchNewsPublicationJakob Laust Hviid16800918001680091800
news-71446Wed, 29 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0200The Chemistry Show – a roaring success for 25 yearshttps://nat.au.dk/en/about-the-faculty/news/show/artikel/kemishow-25-aars-bragende-succesExplosions, brightly coloured flames and foam sausages, all mixed with humour and infectious enthusiasm. The Chemistry Show has entertained and inspired children and adults across Denmark for 25 years, and after the anniversary performance on 29 March, the students who run the show will reopen it to the public at Aarhus University.Department of ChemistryStaffPublic / mediaNewsJakob Laust Hviid16800696001680069600news-71392Wed, 22 Mar 2023 08:43:00 +0100Number of applicants via quota 2 for the natural science degree programmes at a stable levelhttps://nat.au.dk/en/about-the-faculty/news/show/artikel/ansoegertallet-via-kvote-2-til-de-naturvidenskabelige-uddannelser-ligger-paa-stabilt-niveauThe number of first priority applications for the natural science degree programmes via quota 2 is at the same level as last year, according to preliminary figures. Department of ChemistryStaff16794709801679470980news-71371Tue, 21 Mar 2023 09:41:08 +0100AU staff shall delete TikTok from their AU mobile deviceshttps://medarbejdere.au.dk/en/news-articles/news/artikel/slut-med-tiktok-paa-au-telefonerAarhus University follows advice from the national Centre for Cyber Security.Department of ChemistryStaff16793880681679388068