New Antibiotics May End Chronic Infections, Slash Billions in Health Care Costs
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LSU's Antibiotic Breakthrough
Bacterial biofilms make chronic infections hard to treat, protecting bacteria from antibiotics with a tough layer of proteins, sugars, and DNA. But there's good news! LSU Chemistry Professor Mario Rivera and his research team have discovered a new class of antibiotics that break through these defenses by blocking bacteria’s access to iron, a vital nutrient they need to survive.
Prof. García-López Receives 2025 Thieme Chemistry Journals Award
February 17, 2025
LSU Chemistry Assistant Professor Víctor García-López has been named a 2025 recipient of the Thieme Chemistry Journals Award, an annual honor recognizing promising early-career researchers worldwide who have recently begun independent academic careers as assistant or junior professors. Awardees are selected by the editorial board members of SYNTHESIS, SYNLETT, and SYNFACTS, who seek out exceptional talent in chemical synthesis, catalysis, and related areas of organic chemistry. The award includes a one-year complimentary subscription to these journals and a certificate.
Big Idea Award for Molecular Switches Research
January 29, 2025
Assistant Professor Víctor García-López received an LSU Provost’s Fund - Big Idea Phase I award for his work on light-activated, non-genetic molecular switches to control mechanosensitive channels in neurons. In collaboration with Professor Ryoichi Teruyama (LSU Biological Sciences) and researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the project will utilize the molecular switches to understand mechanosensitive channels better and offer insights into treating certain neurological diseases. | Learn more
LSU Chemistry Professor Receives NSF CAREER Award to Advance Research on Plant Growth and Resilience
February 4, 2025
Assistant Professor Amy Xu has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award for her research on protein-polysaccharide interactions within the crowded environments of plant cells, an essential process for plant survival and growth. Her findings will provide new insights into how plants adapt to stress, such as drought and high temperatures. Discover how Prof. Xu’s research could help develop sustainable agricultural practices and address global food security challenges.
LSU Chemistry Professor Receives NSF CAREER Award to Develop Advanced Materials for Energy Applications
January 28, 2025
Assistant Professor Sviatoslav Baranets received an NSF CAREER award for his innovative research in developing new semiconducting materials for thermoelectric applications. His research investigates a unique class of heteroanionic oxypnictide compounds for thermoelectric generators to convert waste heat into electricity efficiently.
Learn how Prof. Baranets is paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future while inspiring the next generation of innovators.
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