June 2004
Vol 1, no. 6
News and analysis
The smell of death
Volatile metabolites provide vital clues in murder investigation.
Argenta set to license oncology programme
Argenta's oncology programme is now ready for licensing and the company is 'having serious conversations' over this with several companies.
Nano-engineering crystal arrays
Materials chemists in the UK have made important advances in understanding how to control the growth of films of zinc oxide crystals on a range of substrates.
Opening the access debate
The final evidence session of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiry into scientific publishing has exposed wide gaps in the understanding of issues surround...
Emissions trading goes global
Emission reduction worldwide will count towards EU credits.
Sanofi-Aventis emerges
Aventis has finally accepted a bid from its French rival Sanofi Synthélabo.
Publishing on the edge
With moments to spare before the official launch, the Royal Society has published the first paper in its new journal dedicated to research at the physical-life science interface.
Skyepharma - down but not out
Rumours of an enforced exodus among senior management at SkyePharma.
Biotech report fails to impress industry
EU biotechnology strategy reports limited progress.
Beware the 'lucrative' research grant
Academic researchers world-wide need to get up to speed with ongoing changes to patent legislation or face potentially grave financial consequences.
Ionic liquids: what the Heck is the promise?
Ionic liquids (ILs) are often hailed as the green saviours of organic chemistry.
Reaching for an opportunity
The UK chemical industry should see the impending Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (Reach) legislation as 'an opportunity, not a threat'.
Chemical concerns for MEPs
Being a member of the European Parliament (MEP) could be a risky occupation.
EU sets limits for pesticides in food
Judging by the workload facing the new European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a move to Europe could be a smart decision for scientists looking for long-term job security.
Superbug buster
The publication of results using a novel bio-decontamination technique has pumped up the share price of the British company that developed the technology and could advance the figh...
Fire at Acordis plant
Fire investigators are probing the cause of a blaze at a chemical plant in Derby, UK.
Rising interest in cholesterol reduction
Billion dollar sales set for a shake up.
Just an accident?
A second inquest into the death of a British serviceman involved in nerve agent trials at Porton Down fifty years ago began on 5 May 2004.

Chemical bounty in the bargain basement
The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF), Philadelphia, US, has acquired a priceless collection of textbooks chronicling the past 600 years of chemistry.
In Brief
Chem People website; National Institute of Clinical Excellence; BP; BASF; Intelligent Engineering; Chiron Corporation
Chemical science
Detecting pathogens on a micro-scale
US researchers develop portable genetic analysis device.
Crystals go under cover
Fooling the human body by camouflaging inorganic particles as proteins.
Protein target for natural cancer treatment
Enzyme holds key to anti-cancer properties of bacterial product.
Spicing up a cystic fibrosis solution
Opening therapeutic options for lung disease.

Keeping an eye on diabetes
Modifying contact lenses will allow easy monitoring of blood glucose levels.
Come fly with me
Acoustic levitation of micro droplets leads to test tubes without walls.
Robins spark a pigment of the imagination
Evidence suggests that radical-pair theory guides migratory birds on their way.
Raising a toast to cholesterol
Spanish researchers suggest that sherry can help lower cholesterol.
Rapid cleavage leads to better liver drugs
Novel compounds help the body accept DNA-based drugs.
RNA catalyses inorganic particle formation
Chemists use biological compounds to assemble nanoparticles.
One giant leap for lunar minerals
US and Russian scientists discover new mineral in moon rocks.
Total recall for T cells
Scientists track down protein which helps the immune system remember.
A rosette for surgical structures
Nanotechnology helps bone regrowth around artificial implants.
Nanotube conveyor belts
Carbon nanotubes shuffle atoms and molecules into place.
Secrets of the active site
Effects of fluorine on enzyme-inhibitor interactions.
Belt up for new nanomaterials
Simple method to prepare conducting polymer nanostructures.
DNA computers go medical
New automaton promises to diagnose cancer and administer a therapy.
Sensitively measuring radiation
Radiation doses can be measured and calculated more sensitively thanks to a new material being developed by Norwegian researchers.
Chemistry and the war on terror
A recent report from US scientists concludes that biologically inspired sensors and lab-on-a-chip devices will be at the heart of future counter-terrorism technologies.
Non-explosive route to green reagent
Hydrogen peroxide can be efficiently synthesised from hydrogen and oxygen without the need for strong acids or the risk of explosion.
Shedding light on protein structure
Scientists from Umeå University in Sweden have come up with a straightforward way of measuring distances within protein molecules using fluorescence spectroscopy.
Haute-couture catalysts
Tailor-made ligands have allowed researchers to develop a unique catalytic system.
Linking large and small
Connecting microfluidic devices may not be as problematic in the future as it is now.
Growing smarter
Materials are becoming increasingly smart and now, by utilising known biological applications, a 'smart Petri dish' is being developed.
Recent Features

Don't worry, it's organic
According to public perception, organic food is the more heathy option. But is this always the case? Maria Burke looks at organic farming and explodes a few popular myths.

Benefiting from bad breath
New studies into the chemicals present in garlic and onions continue to confirm that these remarkable plants contain a veritable treasure trove of healing agents. Dennis Rouvray in...

Measurements in miniature
Colin Self is helping the food industry to find robust and reliable technologies for routinely detecting vitamins, but his technology could have wider implications, including for r...
Enriching uranium
The nuclear power industries of Europe and the US plan to invest at least $5 billion over the next decade in separation of uranium isotopes. David Fishlock looks at how the technol...
Meeting the matchmaker
Nearly 20 years ago, Sir Alec Jeffreys made a discovery that would lead to the development of DNA fingerprinting, one of the most powerful tools available for identifying criminal ...
Green chemistry - a synonym for innovation?
Products from renewable resources and synthetic procedures that use energy and raw materials economically with the help of novel catalysts are examples of the potential benefits of...
Regulars

Comment: Campaign underway
Simon Campbell unveils his plans to raise the profile of the chemical sciences.
Flashback
June - 75 years ago; 100 years ago; 165 years ago; 180 years ago; 205 years ago

The Last Retort: The house that Black built
Name the French-born chemist who founded pneumatic chemistry, introduced the limewater test for carbon dioxide, discovered an element and pioneered the study of thermodynamics.
Chemistry World Letters, June 2004
Chemistry World Reviews, June 2004
