C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News)

Strait of Hormuz closure hits Asia’s chemical industry Facilities declare force majeure as feedstock supplies are disrupted

The effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz after the Feb. 28 attacks on Iran by the US and Israel is disrupting the supply of raw materials to Asia’s petrochemical industry.

#chemsky 🧪

C&EN will be on site at #Pittcon2026. Visit us at Booth 1441.

Heading to #Pittcon2026?

C&EN will be at Booth 1441 with a hands‑on activity and a look at new personalization tools designed to help you stay informed and move your science forward.

Find C&EN at Booth 1441 during the #Pittcon 2026 expo.

#chemsky

The inside scoop from @leighkboerner.bsky.social: "About 150 employees remained in ORD as of Feb. 13. Most got letters that day saying that they would be reassigned to other offices in March. The letters did not specify which offices."

Editorial: Can we future-proof the language of chemistry? Consider when a new term can both be effective and protect from bad actors trying to twist your meaning. by C&EN editorial staff. A television set showing the torn scrap of paper with part of the dictionary entry for “global warming” on it. Obscured in the background, a scientist with goggles looks frustrated.

“Science’s use of language needs to be mindful of where it leaves room to have its terms twisted to promote potentially harmful policies.” cen.acs.org/education/sc...

#chemsky #scicomm 🧪

ACS opens nominations for 2026 Arthur C. Cope Postdoctoral Fellowship in Organic Chemistry Mentors may nominate eligible early-career organic chemists through April 3

The American Chemical Society is accepting nominations for the 2026 Arthur C. Cope Postdoctoral Fellowship in Organic Chemistry, a 2-year fellowship that provides $85,000 per year to support postdoctoral research at a nonprofit institution in the US. #chemsky

FDA says it wants individualized medicines. Can we get there? The agency has announced a new framework for approving rare disease drugs, but investors are still skeptical

The FDA recently announced a new regulatory framework that would let personalized medicines with a “plausible mechanism” of action bypass randomized clinical trials.
For @cenmag.bsky.social, @rowanwalrath.bsky.social and @laureloldach.bsky.social dig into it

Uncovered: From alchemy to AI, and the funds behind it all Join us as we dive deeper into a graphic novelesque experience that sheds light on alchemy, chemistry, and the money that paid for it

Join us as we dive deeper into a graphic novelesque experience that sheds light on alchemy, chemistry, and the money that paid for it.

#chemsky 🧪

Inside the push to make ice rinks sustainable Rinks use energy, water, and refrigerants, and they create microplastics. People are trying to reduce this footprint

Ice rinks are energy-and water intensive to maintain. Researchers are considering ways to make them more sustainable, but there are quite a few trade-offs.
Read more in Prachi Patel's excellent story for @cenmag.bsky.social:
cen.acs.org/environment/...

FDA says it wants individualized medicines. Can we get there? The agency has announced a new framework for approving rare disease drugs, but investors are still skeptical

With @laureloldach.bsky.social in @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...

"I think that there’s a lack of really trusting that this pathway that’s commercially viable for individualized medicine is really going to open up. If investors don’t believe in it, there are no companies in this space. The companies won’t last." Julia Vitarello, patient advocate and founder, EveryONE Medicines

The FDA recently described a new regulatory framework that would let personalized medicines with a “plausible mechanism” of action bypass randomized clinical trials.

But recent decisions about rare disease drug applications raise doubts about what the pathway means for patients.

#chemsky #biosky

Gene-modified pancreas cells offer hope for people with type 1 diabetes Proof-of-concept trial in a single patient shows that cells can survive transplantation without immunosuppression

A proof-of-concept trial in a single patient has shown that genetically engineered pancreas cells can survive transplantation without immunosuppression.

#chemsky #genetherapy 🧪

RSVP for the Priestley Medalist Meet & Greet with Jennifer Doudna Monday, March 23, 4:00-4:30 PM EDT ACS Booth (#823) Theater, Expo Hall, ACS Spring 2026

Join us for a meet and greet with Jennifer Doudna, the 2026 Priestley Medalist, at #ACSSpring2026.

Visit the ACS Booth Theater to meet her and receive a signed copy of her recent C&EN feature.

RSVP now: connect.discoveracs.org/cen-priestle...

#chemsky 🧪

FDA says it wants individualized medicines. Can we get there? The agency has announced a new framework for approving rare disease drugs, but investors are still skeptical. by Rowan Walrath, Laurel Oldach. Gloved hands hold up a baby in a blue-and-white striped shirt. A tube inserted into his nose is held in place by a fish sticker.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently announced a new regulatory framework that would let personalized medicines with a “plausible mechanism” of action bypass randomized clinical trials. Read more: cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...

#healthpolicy #raredisease #chemsky 🧪

March 3 Business Watch: Lyondell cuts sustainability goals; AbbVie to invest in drug chemicals Here’s what we’re watching in chemistry business news this week

March 3 Business Watch: Lyondell cuts sustainability goals; AbbVie to invest in drug chemicals

Here’s what we’re watching in chemistry business news this week:

#chemsky 🧪

How did chemists identify the poison that killed Alexei Navalny? Epibatidine is used in research but is not part of typical toxicology panels

European leaders have concluded that the Russian politician Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison in 2024 because he “was poisoned with a lethal toxin,” epibatidine.

#chemsky 🧪

As the EPA formalizes end of research office, critics fear health impacts Opponents view move as the end of independent environmental research at the agency

The EPA informed Congress on Feb. 13 that it is eliminating the Office of Research and Development (ORD). Opponents worry that the closure marks the end of independent research at the agency.

#chemsky 🧪

Farm bill and Trump’s glyphosate order magnify pesticides’ ‘watershed moment’ Order comes as Bayer proposes a settlement for thousands of Roundup lawsuits and all branches of government consider pesticide maker liability

President Donald J. Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to promote domestic production of glyphosate-based pesticides, potentially giving manufacturers immunity from lawsuits over alleged health impacts and inadequate warning labels.

#chemsky 🧪

Inside the push to make ice rinks sustainable. Rinks use energy, water, and refrigerants, and they create microplastics. People are trying to reduce this footprint. by Prachi Patel. A woman in a jacket kneels next to an ice rink in an indoor arena setting and gazes at the ice.

Stefania Impellizzeri, a sustainable-materials chemist at @torontomet.bsky.social, is trying to make ice rinks more efficient and sustainable by fine-tuning water chemistry and rink-related materials. Read more: cen.acs.org/environment/...

#chemsky 🧪 @stefimpellizzeri.bsky.social

For 50 years, his test has been saving museum artifacts Andrew Oddy looks back on his career as Keeper of Conservation at the British Museum and the exposure test that bears his name

Andrew Oddy developed a test to prevent damage to museum artifacts on display. The Oddy test has become standard practice when designing new exhibitions.

#chemsky 🧪

Iran war hits the chemical sector. Qatar shuts down plants as infrastructure comes under attack. by Alexander Tullo. An aerial image of a tank farm with damage from fire.

The conflict between the US and Iran is beginning to impact Middle Eastern petrochemical makers and could have repercussions for the wider chemical industry if the fighting drags on. Read more: cen.acs.org/business/pet...

#chemsky 🧪

Jennifer Doudna’s journey from student to scientist and mentor The 2026 Priestley Medalist and Nobel laureate struggled with finding her way through school before achieving the greatest feats in science

Jennifer Doudna’s journey from student to scientist and mentor: Ahead of her 2026 Priestley Medal address, she talks C&EN through her story and why her focus is now on the next generation of scientists in her lab.

#chemsky 🧪

Glass data storage solution could last millennia. Microsoft researchers write stable data into borosilicate glass with lasers. by Ananya Palivela. A rectangular piece of translucent blue glass has several vertical sections of varying blue shades.

In a new study, scientists at Microsoft Research have shown that they can write information into a lump of borosilicate glass. Their calculations suggest the data trapped inside would be stable for at least 10,000 years. cen.acs.org/materials/el...

#chemsky 🧪

Hear insights from: • Dr. Mohamed Ateia Ibrahim, Environmental Consultant and Scientist, AECOM • Ann Lee-Jeffs, Founder and President, Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) • Dr. Juliana Vidal, Senior Program Manager, Beyond Benign • Dr. Adelina Voutchkova‑Kostal, Director of Sustainable Development, American Chemical Society Periodic Talks Theater, Expo Hall Monday, March 23 | 1:30–3:20 PM EDT

What steps do we need to take to design out pollution for a more sustainable future? Join C&EN at #ACSSpring2026 for a panel exploring chemistry's role in mitigating pollution and waste across a product’s lifecycle. connect.discoveracs.org/cen-future-o...

#chemsky #FutureofChem

Comment: The ACS Strategic Plan in action Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN): Keeping you up to date with the chemistry news that matters most. Published by the American Chemical Society.

In December 2024, the American Chemical Society Board of Directors approved the 2025–29 ACS Strategic Plan to guide the organization over the next 5 years. This strategic plan is intended to be a living document that upholds the needs and priorities of the society.

#chemsky

Eli Sloutskin and Alexander Butenko watched this droplet transform as they lowered and then raised its temperature. Their work could be useful in manufacturing micro- and nanoparticles and creating new metamaterials. cen.acs.org/physical-che...

#CENChemPics #chemsky 🧪

Quiz: C&EN’s periodic table challenge Can you remember all 118 elements in the periodic table without looking at the answers?

Can you remember all 118 elements in the periodic table? Compete to be the best and show off your rankings with our new leaderboard! cen.acs.org/education/sc...

#chemsky 🧪

Join us for the Chem Social March 22, 2026 3:00 PM-5:00 PM Der Biergarten 300 Marietta St NW Atlanta, GA 30313

Join C&EN and ACS on Campus for the #ChemSocial at #ACSSpring2026. Whether you are a first‑time attendee or returning to the meeting, this event offers an opportunity to meet peers, play trivia, and build connections across the chemistry community.

RSVP here: cvent.me/WaxYbE?RefId...

#chemsky

Comment: Highlighting interdivisional collaboration for the next 150 years Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN): Keeping you up to date with the chemistry news that matters most. Published by the American Chemical Society.

"Over the years, as chemistry expanded, so, too, did the divisions, growing from five to 32 vibrant communities that now span polymer science, analytical chemistry, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, business management, and beyond."
#chemsky 🧪

Humanoid robots and lab machines attract researchers at SLAS The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening convention was all about bots and AI agents

Tobor, in its gray outfit, had been showing off its nimble limbic moves, as if dancing. It quickly became the buzz at the 2026 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) International Conference and Exhibition, held in Boston Feb. 7–11.

#chemsky 🧪

MAHA’s next target: Metals in vaccine ingredients Officials are going after metal-containing ingredients, including aluminum adjuvants. Here’s why vaccines need them

As part of a broader play against vaccines, the Make America Healthy Again movement has seized on concerns over common vaccine ingredients.

#chemsky 🧪