Stereo Chemistry

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 16: It's all of these things that none of us get trained for Mar 17, 2019

Show notes

Being a chemistry professor is Jen Heemstra's dream job. How she got there was a bit of a nightmare. But now she's running her own team at Emory University and has become a social media celebrity by sharing her experiences and leadership advice on Twitter. She credits her personal tragedy and professional setbacks for making her who she is today. In the latest episode of C&EN's Stereo Chemistry podcast, we spent two days with Heemstra and her team to learn more about her and her approach to graduate education. Heemstra's adversity has not only shaped her attitude but also how she runs her lab. She's helping her students develop skills that go beyond the bench—things like how to manage motivation, how to develop research ideas, and how to write grants. Listen now to hear more about Heemstra's journey and philosophy.

Here's a link to Jen's PhD Balance post on Instagram (PhD Balance was formerly The PhDepression).

Ask Jen a question for her Office Hours column!

Nominate an early-career chemist for this year's Talented 12 feature.

Music credits:

"School" and "Mall" by Komiku are licensed under CC0 1.0.

"Blind" by Meydän is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

"The Confrontation" by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0.

"May the Chords Be with You" by Computer Music All-stars is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Image credit: Jessica Lily (Jen Heemtra's headshot); Matt Davenport/C&EN (Photo collage)

Ep. 15: Being scientists together in a relationship is the very best thing in the world Feb 10, 2019

Show notes

They say love is a many-splendored thing, and we have to agree. In the latest episode of Stereo Chemistry, love unites rotovap romance, intimate feelings formatted for the Journal of the American Chemical Society, and the slow but tireless march of equality. C&EN spoke with five chemistry couples about their love stories, as well as what advice they have for those trying to give love a chance in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) profession. You'll hear real talk about fears and doubts, about struggling with work-life balance, and about solving the two-body problem. And you'll also hear some of the cutest gosh-darn stories we've ever had the privilege of sharing.

Read a script of this podcast on our website.

Music credits:

"In Your Arms" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC BY 3.0.

"Plain Loafer" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC BY 3.0.

Ep. 14: On the face of it, RNA is a terrible drug target Jan 03, 2019

Show notes

RNA should be a terrible drug target. It's long, noodle-like structure lacks the nooks and crannies that small molecule drugs use to grab onto proteins and thereby control them. But a decades-old disregard for RNA is starting to change. In August 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first-ever RNA interference (RNAi) drug, which uses a double-stranded RNA molecule to prevent the production of disease-related proteins. In the past two years, several startups have launched to show that some RNAs can, just like proteins, be drugged with small molecules. And a third group of companies recently emerged with plans to drug proteins that make modifications to RNA, part of the budding field of epitranscriptomics. In this episode, C&EN visits Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, and Accent Therapeutics to discuss these three strategies, and to understand how RNA-modulating therapies will compete in the wider world of drug discovery.

Visit our website for a script of this podcast.

Music credits:

"And...(Insert Problem Here)" by GR∑Y is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

"Raccoon Family Robinson", "Robot Park", and "The Confrontation" by Podington Bear are licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0.

"Wireless" by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Image credit: J. Am. Chem. Soc.