News

UT News

UT Austin Professors Named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors

Jonathan Sessler of the Department of Chemistry and George Georgiou of the Department of Molecular Biosciences at The University of Texas at Austin have been named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

Headshots of George Georgiou and Jonathan Sessler juxtaposed

Features

Visualizing Science 2015: Beautiful Images From College Research

As part of a continuing tradition, we invited faculty, staff and students in the College of Natural Sciences community to send us images this past spring that celebrated the magnificent beauty of science and the scientific process. Our goal was to find those moments where science and art become one and the same.

A map of DNA fragments sequenced from the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. The dead zone is an area of low oxygen in the Gulf. Each square is a different DNA fragment from the water. The colored groupings—based on similar DNA sequence composition—represent genomes of newly discovered species that are important to the ecosystem.

Podcast

Fun With Chemistry

Kate Biberdorf combines the energy of a kickboxer with a passion for chemistry and a love of sharing science with the public

A woman in blue lab coat blows a puff of fire out of her mouth

Features

Company Founded by Cancer-Fighting Chemist Sold for $21 Billion

Jonathon Sessler's Pharmacyclics company aided in advancing molecules to target cancer and was recently bought by AbbVie.

Jonathan Sessler, in suit and tie, smiles and stands before white board with notes

Features

Fun with Chemistry Inspires Students of All Ages

The program, which began visiting schools in December of 2014, was created to get children excited about science. The demonstrations are intended to be fun and exciting while showcasing basic principles of chemistry.

A volunteer from the crowd assists Dr. Biberdorf at Explore UT. Photo by Jeff Mertz.

Research

When Sperm Meets Egg, Zinc 'Fireworks' on Display

The University of Texas at Austin's Emily Que, an assistant professor of chemistry, was lead author on a new study that describes the cutting-edge technology a research team used to become the first to capture images of these molecular fireworks and to pinpoint the origin of the zinc sparks.

As a human egg is activated by a sperm enzyme, an explosion of zinc sparks erupt.

Features

Visualizing Science 2014: Beautiful Images From College Research

This past spring, we asked faculty, staff and students in the College of Natural Sciences community to send us images that celebrated the extraordinary beauty of science and the scientific process. We were looking for that moment where science and art collide and we succeeded.

Polarized light microscopy image of a copepod

UT News

Synthetic Molecule Makes Cancer Self-Destruct

Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and five other institutions have created a molecule that can cause cancer cells to self-destruct by ferrying sodium and chloride ions into the cancer cells.

Illustration showing how synthetic ion transporters can induce apoptosis by facilitating chloride anion transport into cells.

Accolades

Three Natural Sciences Faculty Selected to Receive President's Associates Teaching Excellence Awards

The award recognizes faculty members who have achieved a consistent level of excellence in teaching undergraduate students.

President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award

Accolades

Chemist and Computational Biologist Elected Fellows of National Science Organization

AAAS fellows are chosen annually by their peers to recognize their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.

Ron Elber and William Press.