ChemUniCologne

New Review out in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social: "Organic Spin-State Photoswitches" will tell you how to generate diradicals on demand, change spin states from singlets to triplets, in a bistable fashion. By Takuma & Joël @UniCologne
🔗🔓tiny.cc/Spinstate

Comparison of standard and modified 99Mo/99mTc radionuclide generators - Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 99mTc is the most widely used radionuclide in medical diagnostics and typically obtained from high-specific-activity (HSA) 99Mo produced in nuclear reactors. However, recent reactor shutdowns have led to supply shortages and prompted efforts to implement alternative production methods. One promising approach is neutron activation of 98Mo, which yields low-specific-activity (LSA) 99Mo. Since conventional Al2O3-based 99Mo/99mTc generators are designed for HSA 99Mo, adaptations are required for LSA 99Mo usage. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of modifying existing Al2O3-based 99Mo/99mTc generators for use with LSA 99Mo, anticipating production at the planned high brilliance neutron source (HBS) at Forschungszentrum Jülich. Key modifications included adjustments to the amount of Al2O3 on the column and the elution volume of 99mTc to enhance 99Mo adsorption and 99mTc elution efficiency. The performance of the modified “mock-up” system was compared with a standard clinical generator. The results demonstrated that only minor modifications are required for LSA 99Mo to be effectively utilized in a future generator, with elution efficiencies remaining comparable to conventional generators, while maintaining parameters like size, form, number, activity of the individual generator comparable. However, 99Mo breakthrough levels exceeded regulatory limits, highlighting the need for further optimization. Nevertheless, these findings support the feasibility of using LSA 99Mo in clinical applications with minimal changes to existing infrastructure.

Marcos first first-author paper is online, congrats! Technetium paper #9 since we started Tc chemistry in 2019.

@unicologne.bsky.social @chemunicologne.bsky.social
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link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Honored to share some big news: I’m now tenured as a W3 Professor of Organic Chemistry @UniCologne! Immensely grateful to all the group members who contributed to this journey🙏 — this milestone is ours to share. @ChemUniCologne #OrganicChemistry #Tenure 🍾🎉🧪🧬

Molecular structure model of the gepherin protein complex on a gray background, with colored segments: yellow, blue, gray, red, and green, representing the protein subunits.

🧠 How Synapses Hold Together 🤝

This #discovery was made by a research team @bccologne.bsky.social studying the molecular architecture of #synapses. The study shows that the protein #gephrin forms flexible filaments in the brain, serving as an important building block of inhibitory synapses.

Insights into Potassium 18‐Crown‐6 Complexes with Pertechnetate and Perrhenate: A Structural and Computational Study of their Coordination Chemistry The synthesis, crystal structures, and characterization of potassium 18 crown 6 complexes with tetrahedral oxoanions, [K(18 crown 6)][XO4] (X = Tc, Re), are reported. X-ray diffraction analysis, Rama...

First "first author"-paper of Clarence is online, congrats!
doi.org/10.1002/zaac...

@chemunicologne.bsky.social
@unicologne.bsky.social
🧪

Overview image, showing different microlaser platforms at the top (including disks, spheres, nanorods, and optoplasmonic lasers), the biological targets (cells, organoids, tissue, animals) in the middle, and different applications of microlasers (sensors, optical barcodes, cell tracking) at the bottom.

Is anyone still reading review papers these days? For those who do, check out our #review (open access) on #biointegrated #microlasers, now published in @optica.org. doi.org/10.1364/OPTI...

A PhD graduate standing proudly with his supervisors after a successful defense, wearing a traditional doctoral hat and smiling for the photo.

Congratulations to Baris on successfully defending his PhD thesis this week on “Optoelectronic properties of dipolar merocyanines on highly ordered surfaces”. TIDE is proud of this achievement and wishes him all the best for his future career.

#ProudPI #PhDone

YouTube video by Simons Chemiebaukasten Die Entdeckung des Polonium - Praktische Nuklearchemie

Finally after months of trying. I was able recreate the experiment of Marie Curie that lead to the discovery of Polonium on a 10^-6 scale.

Only in german for now. Until I translated it in a couple of weeks.

youtu.be/ClUnkq_gBL4?...

Three cyclists from our research training group, dressed in matching cycling outfits, stand smiling in front of Mont Ventoux among other cyclists. The Mont Ventoux rises in the background under a clear sky, capturing the spirit of accomplishment and team pride.

Some of our TIDE members took part in the stage 16 of cycling #TourDeFrance– #MontVentoux July 2025, and rode up the famous Mont Ventoux. It was a tough climb and an amazing experience!
#MontVentoux #Cycling #Researcher

A PhD student stands beside her scientific poster during a conference poster session. She is smiling and ready to present her research, with other posters and attendees visible in the background.

Soyoung attended #ICOE2025 in Coimbra, Portugal and presented her poster on microcavity #OLEDs and took part in discussions on organic electronics. She connected with researchers and students from across Europe, truly an inspiring experience!
#organicelectronics #solarcells #research #science

α-Helical Structure of Antimicrobial Peptides Enhances Their Activity through Molecular Surface Signatures The increase in antibacterial resistance is one of the greatest challenges in modern medicine, driving an urgent need to develop new drugs to combat resistant pathogens. Peptides represent a promising...

We are beyond excited to share our new paper on #NMR structures of antimicrobial #peptides in @pubs.acs.org Biochemistry! 1/3

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Picture of the TIDE group including PhDs from 1st and 2nd cohort as well as the speakers, PIs, scientific staff and coordination.

Fantastic news: @dfg.de has just approved the second funding period for our research training group TIDE! We are honored and very happily looking forward to further 4.5 years of collaborative PhD journeys at @unicologne.bsky.social and @unibonn.bsky.social!
Further info: uni-koeln.de/en/universit...

Great news for all students @unicologne.bsky.social interested in #structuralbiology, in particular @chemunicologne.bsky.social and at the Department of Biology: We are very honoured to receive funding through the 2025 #Fulbright-Cottrell Award!

New work in a great team effort with the @poepsel-lab.bsky.social. We identified novel interactors of AIFM1 and found that this protein once only associated with cell death is a master organizer of the mito-IMS: By interaction with AK2 and SLC25 family members ensuring metabolic adaptation.

Hello Bluesky! We are the NMR research group @chemunicologne.bsky.social @unicologne.bsky.social and we are interested in studying biomolecular function by #NMR.

Follow us for news about our #research and #teaching!
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#sciencesky #biochemistry #structuralbiology

#jobadvert #research #R&D @andreasphysics.bsky.social @chemunicologne.bsky.social ⬇️

Cross-section measurements of the 93Nb(p,n)93mMo reaction up to 17 MeV - Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry The nuclear reaction cross-sections of the 93Nb(p,n)93mMo process were measured in three experiments up to 17 MeV proton energy by using the stacked target foil technique. The target stacks were irrad...

First paper of Andreas (open access). Congrats!
@chemunicologne.bsky.social @unicologne.bsky.social 🧪

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Celebrating 75 years of #FCI @chemieverband.bsky.social ! 🎉 Grateful for the funding that supports the research of @kathlab.bsky.social including Julian Strippel and Matea Rabar. @chemunicologne.bsky.social 🧬⚗️

New nuclear chemistry publication by @erikstrub.bsky.social and co-workers. Congratulations! 👏💐

A new tool from our lab :-). Together with the Brachvogel, Bogeski and Mielenz labs. We developed a genetically encoded sensor to monitor activity of the dipeptidases DPP8 and DPP9 in cells allowing us to ask fundamental questions about their spatiotemporal regulation. DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202403076

A new study from the @riemerlab.bsky.social and the bange lab. We found a new mode how specific degradation motifs become unmasked by DPP8/9. Really nice work by Kim, Konstantin and Franziska. As usual accompanied by a special graphical abstract. doi.org/10.1038/s443...

An image of the title page of an article titled "Biologische und biomedizinische Anwendungen intrazellularer Laserpartikel".

Very happy to contribute to #BIOspektrum! My short (3 pages) take on the applications and potential of #microlasers for #biosensing and #singlecell tracking.

Open access👉 rdcu.be/elhkx (in German)

Thanks @gbmev.bsky.social, @gesvirologie.bsky.social and @riemerlab.bsky.social 😉 for the invitation!

Cover of the Cologne university magazine with a statue of Justitia, a pair of scales and two white cats. Topics: artificial intelligence, knowledge, traditions. April 2025 issue.

📰 The new #Unimagazine is here🎉
This time with artificial lack of transparency, helpers at the start of life 👶, Tradwives and Alphabros 💪 and an insight into ageing research at #UniCologne 🔬.
English articles are available online ➡️ uni.koeln/PFP29 📲

Congratulations to @andreasphysics.bsky.social and @thegatherlab.bsky.social for winning 1.1 Mio € start-up funding for their new filter technology! 💐🎆

Bundesministerium fördert Gründungsvorhaben zu bahnbrechender Filtertechnologie Mittels neuartiger Spektralfilter können künftige Sensoren genauer und zuverlässiger arbeiten / Die EXIST-FT Förderung des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz fördert herausragende, fors...

💶 Gründungsvorhaben der Universität zu Köln mit 1,1 Millionen Euro gefördert. Das Projekt PoLightFilters entwickelt eine bahnbrechende Filtertechnologie, die optisches Rauschen signifikant reduziert und neue Wege in der Photonik, Sensorik und Display-Technologie eröffnet.
Mehr dazu ▶️ uni.koeln/VLNVY

Struggling with thermal evaporation of perovskites? We found in our recent study that the interface can make or break your mixed halide film. One key effect: iodide likes to stick to certain substrates and can thereby kick out the bromide close to the interface. pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

New paper out in AJP–Renal Physiology! Collaborating with Gentzon Hall (Duke), PhD student Yingyu Sun shows how ERISM -a cell force imaging technology developed in our lab- helps reveal how rare mutations are involved in certain forms of kidney disease.

As promised: our review "Technetium - the Unknown Center of the Periodic Table" is now in the final layout, including a typo (argh!) in the abstract. 🧪
@chemunicologne.bsky.social
@unicologne.bsky.social
chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

Many thanks to all for this great collaboration pushing further the limits of microlasers - this time for DNA sensing. In particular to former #HCNB postdoc @sorayacaixeiro.bsky.social now at UBath and our friends from @kathlab.bsky.social in organic chemistry @chemunicologne.bsky.social.

Plutonium concentrations link soil organic matter decline to wind erosion in ploughed soils of South Africa Abstract. Loss of soil organic matter (SOM) from arable land poses a serious threat to soil fertility and crop yields, and it thwarts efforts to conserve soils as carbon sinks to mitigate global warmi...

12 years after Hendrik's PhD, the data are finally published! To quote "everything comes to him who knows how to wait", would belittle the work of Joel who accepted the challenge to write it up and push it through review. @unicologne.bsky.social @chemunicologne.bsky.social
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doi.org/10.5194/bg-2...