Well, the thing that needed to get done finally got done. Maybe I'll escape with my hide intact. I am looking forward to a fun weekend. I hope that you have a great weekend, and see you on Monday ..read more

I have been making nervous noises about the EPA ban on methylene chloride, and I believe that my thoughts are confirmed (unbeknownst to me) by the American Chemical Society's comment on the (then proposed) rule (opens PDF, via ACS' Will Hartwig): ACS appreciates the current proposed rule’s goal of protecting public health. However, ACS is concerned that the current proposal to regulate methylene chloride, also known as dichloromethane (DCM), fails to account for its use in small scale and particularly academic teaching and research laboratories. Both the EPA (with 40 CFR 262 Subpart K) and O ..read more

Via friend of the blog Alex Goldberg, this job posting:  Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry The successful candidate will lead lab chemistry efforts in the department enabling projects across the portfolio. They will also utilize the Genesis Therapeutics platform and assist medicinal chemistry efforts in drug discovery programs from Hit ID through candidate nomination. They will collaborate on multidisciplinary drug discovery projects, direct CRO chemists, and be responsible for synthetic chemistry strategy. The candidate will be expected to be a synthetic chemistry leader to drive ..read more

Via C&EN, this news:  The US Environmental Protection Agency has banned most uses of methylene chloride, a solvent that has been linked to a number of adverse health effects and some deaths. Since 1980, at least 88 people have died from acute exposure to methylene chloride, the agency says. Longer-term exposure can also lead to liver damage and the development of at least six different types of cancers, it adds. Methylene chloride is the second compound, after asbestos, to be banned under the revised Toxic Substances Control Act. The ban, which follows a risk assessment and an Apr ..read more

The 2024 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List (curated by Andrew Spaeth and myself) has 554 research/teaching positions and 86 teaching positions.  Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions. To see trending, go to Andrew Spaeth's visualization of previous years' list. On May 9, 2023, the 2023 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 626 research/teaching positions and 82 teaching-focused positions. Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? Here's the first open thread. Here's a link to the second, open thread.&nb ..read more

From the inbox:  The Department of Chemistry at Tulane University invites applications for a Professor of Practice position beginning in the Fall 2024. The successful applicant will have a Ph.D. in Chemistry with expertise in Organic Chemistry. Duties will include supervising General Chemistry Laboratories, which, in total, involves about 17 teaching assistants, and teaching a section of General Chemistry lecture class (~150 students).  The Department of Chemistry recognizes and rewards innovative and quality teaching. Candidates interested in creating and adopting pedagogical innov ..read more

In this week's C&EN, this letter to the editor:  I just had to comment on the two pieces from Newscripts in the April 1 issue of C&EN (page 40). In the first piece, the revelation by Jessica Pomerantz reminded me of an experience I had in 1977 in a senior-level physical chemistry class at Iowa State University.  It involved a Lewis acid-base reaction of boron trifluoride and trimethylamine in a rather complex glass network that included a liquid-nitrogen cold trap because the reaction was so exothermic. The instructions for valve settings and operation were quite specific an ..read more

In this week's Chemical and Engineering News, this good news (article by Alex Tullo):  First-quarter financial results are out from Dow and BASF. And if these two chemical giants are setting the trend for their peers—which are due to report their results over the next several weeks—the industry may be turning the corner after a dismal 2023. Dow’s sales fell 9.2% from the year-earlier period, while adjusted earnings slipped 5.1%. Sales and prices were down across all its business. But compared with the fourth quarter of 2023, Dow’s sales and earnings were up 1.4% and 28.8%, respectively ..read more

Well, this hasn't been the best week, to be honest. Here's hoping we get things done that need to get done. I hope you have a great weekend. See you on Monday.  ..read more

Via FiercePharma, this news:  As the BIOSECURE Act threatens to upend relationships with Chinese contractors and western biopharma companies operating in the U.S., Novartis has elected not to adopt a “wait and see” attitude. Novartis, like many drugmakers, has ties to Chinese firms in the manufacturing and contract research space, the Swiss pharma’s CFO, Harry Kirsch, said on a press call Tuesday during its first quarter financial results. Amid the threat of a looming biosecurity crackdown by the U.S. government against many of those Chinese biotechs, Novartis is now “actively” managing ..read more