The deep sea encompasses more than 90% of Earth’s habitable volume, characterized by low temperatures and high pressures, with pressure increasing by about 1 bar per 10 meters depth. This extreme environment is home to unique organisms with remarkable adaptations. The biological relevance of hydrostatic pressure is becoming much more widely understood and appreciated as discoveries of new niches for extreme life continue to emerge.
Participants were treated to insightful updates from various CHESS facilities, including CESR, CHEXS, MSN-C, MacCHESS, NSDF, HMF, and XLEAP. These sessions underscored the cutting-edge research and technological advancements happening at CHESS, fostering a deeper connection within the community.
Recipients of the annual awards are nominated by their departments and selected by a committee for more than just their individual research outcomes. Awardees are also recognized for their impacts on society, reputation in the field, leadership, mentorship, and citizenship within the college and university.
Joel Brock, the Given Foundation Professor, School of Applied and Engineering Physics
Rai and co-workers addressed this problem by developing a novel high-pressure SAXS cell that is suitable for routine use. By using single-crystal diamond windows in combination with high-energy X-rays, SAXS data can be obtained from biological samples at up to 4000-times atmospheric pressure (400 MPa) with temperatures ranging from 0 to 80C. This cell design prioritizes ease of sample loading, temperature control, mechanical stability and X-ray background minimization.
Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the research – to be led by Richard Cerione, the Goldwin Smith Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Goldwin Smith Professor of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology in the College of Veterinary Medicine – focuses on cancer-fighting enzyme blockers, which have potential as SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors.
