UCLA has introduced a shared-use electron microscope, the ThermoFisher Scientific Spectra 300C, for studying atomic structures of bio-sourced compounds. This tool enables rapid structure determination through micro-electron diffraction, significantly reducing analysis time. It supports the BioPACIFIC MIP collaboration aimed at developing sustainable bio-based materials, benefiting researchers at UCLA, UCSB, and beyond.

There’s a new shared-use electron microscope at UCLA for investigators seeking to elucidate the atomic structures of bio-sourced monomers and small molecules. The NSF’s BioPACIFIC MIP now offers access to its ThermoFisher Scientific Spectra 300C transmission electron microscope (TEM) housed at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA.

The BioPACIFIC MIP X-ray Diffraction Platform offers a compact SAXS-WAXS beamline for advanced characterization of biopolymers, featuring a high brilliance liquid gallium X-ray source and a large-area pixel array detector. It allows for rapid kinetic SAXS measurements, enhancing research capabilities for U.S. scientists via a peer-review access process.

The BioPACIFIC MIP X-ray Diffraction Platform features an unparalleled laboratory SAXS-WAXS (small- and wide-angle x-ray scattering) beamline for high-throughput characterization of biopolymers and nanostructures. Custom-developed by a research team at UCSB, the new X-Ray instrument offers performance level comparable to a second-generation synchrotron but on a benchtop instrument, to help scientists elucidate materials structure in the nano- and meso-scale.

Prof. Javier Read de Alaniz, co-Director of BioPACIFIC MIP, received the 2023 American Chemical Society Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award for excellence in organic chemistry, which includes a $40,000 research grant, established in 1984 to honor Arthur C. Cope's legacy.

BioPACIFIC MIP co-Director Prof. Javier Read de Alaniz has been awarded the 2023 American Chemical Society Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, sponsored by the Arthur C. Cope Fund, in recognition and encouragement of excellence in organic chemistry.

BioPACIFIC MIP has enhanced its Additive Manufacturing facility at UC Santa Barbara by adding two new printers, accessible for free through their User Program. The Carbon M2 3D printer utilizes CLIP technology for faster, smoother printing, while the Mono3Z2 offers versatility with its 5-wavelength capability for multilateral objects.

BioPACIFIC MIP has added two new printers to the Additive Manufacturing facility at UC Santa Barbara. Both printers are accessible at no cost through the BioPACIFIC MIP User Program and proposal process.