Jamie Durrani

2 weeks ago | chemistryworld.com | Jamie Durrani

New wave of precision medicines amplify or silence genes, without altering genetic codeA new class of medicines that control the activity of individual genes could transform the treatment of numerous diseases, from viral infections to neurological disorders. The first human trial of a therapeutic based on an ‘epigenetic editor’ began earlier this year, with a string of others due to start in the coming months.

3 weeks ago | chemistryworld.com | Jamie Durrani

Three long-chain alkanes detected by Nasa’s Curiosity rover could be chemical biosignatures that point to a history of past life on Mars, according to an international team of researchers. However, the team notes that the compounds may also have inorganic origins. Source: © NASA/JPL-Caltech Picomolar concentrations of decane, undecane and dodecane were detected in mudstone samples drilled from Mars’s Gale crater, which at one time likely held a lake of liquid water.

1 month ago | chemistryworld.com | Jamie Durrani

Source: © Jiaojiao Zhao et al/Springer Nature Limited 2025 A new way to create ultra-thin layers of metals makes it possible for scientists to study a new and unusual class of 2D materials. Researchers in China used the technique to make layers of five different metals that were only a few angstroms thick, uncovering exotic physical properties. Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in 2D materials.

1 month ago | chemistryworld.com | Jamie Durrani

A five-membered aromatic bismuth ring, prepared by researchers in Germany, addresses a long-standing challenge in synthetic chemistry. The isolation of a complex containing the motif means that analogues of the classic cyclopentadiene anion have now been produced using all of the naturally occurring pnictogen elements. Cyclopentadiene is a widely used ligand in transition metal chemistry that features an aromatic five-membered carbon ring, with the formula C5H5.

1 month ago | chemistryworld.com | Jamie Durrani

One of the most powerful nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) magnets in the world has been delivered to the University of Warwick. The magnet, which is being installed at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s UK high-field solid state NMR facility, will enable spectroscopic studies to be carried out in the 1.2GHz range. Source: © The University of Warwick The new 10-tonne magnet was delivered by crane to a purpose-built facility on 15 February.