International Conference in Neutron Scattering: HZB-contributions awarded
Dr. Anup Kumar Bera from the department of Quantum Phenomena in Novel Materials convinced the committee with his poster about ‘Haldane chains’.
More than 800 participants had gathered for the International Conference in Neutron Scattering, held during 8-12 July 2013 in Edinburgh, to discuss advances in neutron research and the advancement of the neutron scattering instruments and techniques. A committee selected sixteen outstanding posters from the 650 poster presentations, two of these from HZB scientists.
Dr. Anup Kumar Bera from the department of Quantum Phenomena in Novel Materials convinced the committee with his poster about quantum magnetic properties in a one dimensional spin-1 chain magnet known as ‘Haldane chain’. When cooled down to low temperature, this material hosts a fascinating state of matter called a “quantum spin-liquid”.
Matthew Barrett received a poster prize for the best student poster contribution. He is a PhD-student at F-ISFM and works as well in the department fpr sample environment, where he optimizes humid environment cells for biological samples.
Dr. Elisa Wheeler received the Young Scientist Award from the International Union of Cristallography. The jury awarded her research work, which she completed as a postdoctoral student with Prof. Bella Lake and Dr. Nazmul Islam at the HZB. Elisa Wheeler is now a scientist at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, Frankreich.
- Humboldt-Fellow at HZB-Institute for Solar Fuels: Alexander R. UhlAlexander R. Uhl, UBC Okanagan School of Engineering in Kelowna, Canada, aims to develop with Roel van de Krol from the HZB Institute for Solar Fuels an efficient and inexpensive photoelectrolyser for producing hydrogen using sunlight. His stay is being funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
- 5000th protein structure at BESSY II: Starting point for a COVID drugMany proteins have a complex architecture that enables biological functions. Molecules can bind to specific sites on a protein and alter its function. A team at HZB has now investigated the Nsp1 protein, which plays a role in infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They analysed protein crystals, previously mixed with molecules from a fragment library, and discovered a total of 21 candidates as starting points for drug development. At the same time, they also decoded the 5000th structure at BESSY II.
- What Zinc concentration in teeth revealsTeeth are composites of mineral and protein, with a bulk of bony dentin that is highly porous. This structure is allows teeth to be both strong and sensitive. Besides calcium and phosphate, teeth contain trace elements such as zinc. Using complementary microscopy imaging techniques, a team from Charité Berlin, TU Berlin and HZB has quantified the distribution of natural zinc along and across teeth in 3 dimensions. The team found that, as porosity in dentine increases towards the pulp, zinc concentration increases 5~10 fold. These results help to understand the influence of widely-used zinc-containing biomaterials (e.g. filling) and could inspire improvements in dental medicine.