Feedback from the fourth European Bioanalysis Forum Young Scientist Symposium.

Since 2014, the European Bioanalysis Forum organizes a Young Scientist Symposium. The meeting format was created to provide development opportunities for young scientists to engage in international discussions. Creating a peer community of young scientists has been a proven recipe to lower the threshold and promote engagement in this community of young talents. At the same time, the meeting is aimed at stimulating collaboration between the European Bioanalysis Forum and academia.

Enhancing research for undergraduates through a nanotechnology training program that utilizes analytical and bioanalytical tools.

Nanotechnology is a broad field combining traditional scientific disciplines; however, analytical chemistry plays an important role in material design, synthesis, characterization, and application. This article emphasizes the uniqueness of nanotechnology and the importance of providing high-quality undergraduate research experiences to both attract and retain talented individuals to the field of nanotechnology. In response to this need to develop a strong and sustainable nanotechnology work force, strategies to create authentic research experiences are considered within the framework of an interdisciplinary nanotechnology environment at West Virginia University. The program, named NanoSAFE Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), embeds students in different departments at West Virginia University and in research laboratories within the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. A large number of participants have little or no prior research experience and a strong effort is made to recruit applicants from under-represented populations. Components designed to foster research proficiency include frequent reporting, a strong peer-network, and training for secondary mentors. Evidence, which includes student publications and assessment findings demonstrating self-efficacy, is discussed to substantiate the viability of the strategies used in the 2016-2018 program. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Detecting Estrogenic Ligands in Personal Care Products using a Yeast Estrogen Screen Optimized for the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory.

The Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) is used to detect estrogenic ligands in environmental samples and has been broadly applied in studies of endocrine disruption. Estrogenic ligands include both natural and manmade "Environmental Estrogens" (EEs) found in many consumer goods including Personal Care Products (PCPs), plastics, pesticides, and foods. EEs disrupt hormone signaling in humans and other animals, potentially reducing fertility and increasing disease risk. Despite the importance of EEs and other Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) to public health, endocrine disruption is not typically included in undergraduate curricula. This shortcoming is partly due to a lack of relevant laboratory activities that illustrate the principles involved while also being accessible to undergraduate students. This article presents an optimized YES for quantifying ligands in personal care products that bind estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and/or beta (ERß). The method incorporates one of the two colorimetric substrates (ortho-nitrophenyl-ß-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) or chlorophenol red-ß-D-galactopyranoside (CPRG)) that are cleaved by ß-galactosidase, a 6-day refrigerated incubation step to facilitate use in undergraduate laboratory courses, an automated application for LacZ calculations, and R code for the associated 4-parameter logistic regression analysis. The protocol has been designed to allow undergraduate students to develop and conduct experiments in which they screen products of their choosing for estrogen mimics. In the process, they learn about endocrine disruption, cell culture, receptor binding, enzyme activity, genetic engineering, statistics, and experimental design. Simultaneously, they also practice fundamental and broadly applicable laboratory skills, such as: calculating concentrations; making solutions; demonstrating sterile technique; serially diluting standards; constructing and interpolating standard curves; identifying variables and controls; collecting, organizing, and analyzing data; constructing and interpreting graphs; and using common laboratory equipment such as micropipettors and spectrophotometers. Thus, implementing this assay encourages students to engage in inquiry-based learning while exploring emerging issues in environmental science and health.

Química, pedagogía y autoridad experta: el Tratado de Análisis Químico de José Casares Gil (1866-1961) y la construcción de una disciplina científica / Chemistry, pedagogy, and scientific authority: the Tratado de Análisis Químico by José Casares Gil (1866-1961), and the shaping of a scientific discipline

En este artículo se estudiará cómo José Casares utilizó sus libros de texto y su reconocimiento como experto para consolidar el análisis químico como disciplina en las universidades españolas. En primer lugar se mostrará el papel activo de Casares en la configuración de sus libros de texto. Gracias a sus publicaciones, algunos autores de libros de ciencias se convirtieron en voces autorizadas en su disciplina y las promocionaban en sus contextos locales. El estudio del tratado publicado por Casares muestra también los recursos utilizados por su autor para afirmar su disciplina ante públicos diversos. En segundo lugar se describe el origen y la evolución de su tratado, así como sus principales elementos configurativos. Finalmente, se examinan las estrategias utilizadas por Casares para construir una identidad disciplinar en torno a la química analítica en España (AU)

This article will explore how José Casares employed his textbooks and his recognition as expert to consolidate chemical analysis as a discipline in the Spanish universities. First, it will be shown the active role of Casares in the shaping of his textbooks. Thanks to their publications, textbook authors became trusted voices in their disciplines, promoting them in their local contexts. The study of the Casares’ treatise also shows the resources employed to establish his discipline among different publics. Secondly, the article will describe the origin and the evolution of his treatise, as well as its main shaping elements. Finally, the article will examine the strategies developed by Casares to construct a disciplinary identity for analytical chemistry in Spain (AU)

The current skills gaps in analytical sciences are failing industry: debate at the 21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum.

21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK, 7-10 September 2015 The 21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum held between 7 and 10 September 2015, brought together over 100 scientists from around the world, representing industry, academia and vendors, for 4 days of engaging science at the University of Surrey in Guildford, UK. The scientific program consisted of 43 podium and 23 poster presentations from key opinion leaders and those just setting out on their scientific career. The latter being the focus of the meeting. One of the highlights of the forum was the debate. An expert panel helped spark off an active discussion among a passionate audience on the topic of 'The Current Skills Gaps in Analytical Sciences are Failing Industry.'

Integrating bio-inorganic and analytical chemistry into an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory.

Undergraduate laboratories expose students to a wide variety of topics and techniques in a limited amount of time. This can be a challenge and lead to less exposure to concepts and activities in bio-inorganic chemistry and analytical chemistry that are closely-related to biochemistry. To address this, we incorporated a new iron determination by atomic absorption spectroscopy exercise as part of a five-week long laboratory-based project on the purification of myoglobin from beef. Students were required to prepare samples for chemical analysis, operate an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, critically evaluate their iron data, and integrate these data into a study of myoglobin.

The life and work of Geoffrey Tyndale Young.

Geoffrey Tyndale Young was born in England's Peak District in 1915: his father and both grandfathers were pharmaceutical chemists. He graduated from the Universities of Birmingham and Bristol and was a transatlantic scientific liaison officer in the Second World War, shortly after which he was elected to a Fellowship at Jesus College Oxford. He combined peptide synthesis research, undergraduate teaching, and College administration with leadership in European peptide science and was universally respected for his integrity, wisdom, and unflappable diplomacy. A close friend of Josef Rudinger, he attended almost all of the first two dozen European Peptide Symposia 1958-1996. When he retired in 1982, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and was elected an Emeritus Fellow of Jesus College, of which he had been Acting Principal 1973-1977. In retirement, he was instrumental in setting up this journal and steered the formation of the European Peptide Society, of which he was the first chairman. In 1950, he married Janet Mary Baker, later Baroness Young of Farnworth, Leader of the British House of Lords 1982-1983, who died in 2002: they had three daughters who survive him. He died at home in Oxford on 24 May 2014 aged 98.

Significant steps in the evolution of analytical chemistry--is the today's analytical chemistry only chemistry?

In this review the history of chemistry and specifically the history and the significant steps of the evolution of analytical chemistry are presented. In chronological time spans, covering the ancient world, the middle ages, the period of the 19th century, and the three evolutional periods, from the verge of the 19th century to contemporary times, it is given information for the progress of chemistry and analytical chemistry. During this period, analytical chemistry moved gradually from its pure empirical nature to more rational scientific activities, transforming itself to an autonomous branch of chemistry and a separate discipline. It is also shown that analytical chemistry moved gradually from the status of exclusive serving the chemical science, towards serving, the environment, health, law, almost all areas of science and technology, and the overall society. Some recommendations are also directed to analytical chemistry educators concerning the indispensable nature of knowledge of classical analytical chemistry and the associated laboratory exercises and to analysts, in general, why it is important to use the chemical knowledge to make measurements on problems of everyday life.

Bioanalysis young investigator: Dajana Vuckovic.

Dajana currently has 21 peer-reviewed articles published or accepted for publication in top analytical chemistry journals including Analytical Chemistry and Angewandte Chemie International Edition. She has co-authored eight book chapters, and made 22 presentations at international conferences such as Pittcon and ASMS conferences. Dajana's commitment to excellence is also illustrated by the awards she has won to date, including a Postdoctoral Fellow Award offered by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2010-2012) and the Douglas E Ryan Analytical Chemistry Student Award of the Canadian Society for Chemistry (2010). During her PhD in my group, Dajana excelled in very diverse areas of interest including the development of targeted LC-MS assays for drugs and metabolites, application of in vivo solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in mice and LC-MS metabolomics for the first time, and evaluation of a high-throughput 96-well plate automated SPME system. Since her graduation from my group she has further extended her bioanalytical expertise to proteomics. I think Dajana's excellent research productivity, accomplishments to date, willingness to address complex bioanalytical challenges and extensive expertise in both small molecule and protein bioanalysis make her an excellent candidate for the Bioanalysis Young Investigator Award.

Bioanalysis young investigator: Maria Rambla-Alegre.

Maria Rambla-Alegre obtained the European doctorate in March 2011, with the maximum qualification: Excellent "Cum Laude", and has already published 33 articles in reputable scientific journals, presented 61 communications in international symposia, participated in nine research projects, as well as received several awards since 2006. Nowadays, Maria is contracted at Ghent University (Belgium) where she is completing a post-doc. During the time I have known her, I have frequently been impressed by her exceptional capabilities to quickly learn new skills to develop and validate new liquid chromatographic procedures, and by her constant initiative to bring together innovative analytical methods. Maria has always adopted a positive, critical view and shows eagerness to better herself. Besides her exceptional knowledge in LC, she has a sound scientific background in capillary electrophoresis, GC, sample preparation and optimization procedures that allows her to complement her investigations and has resulted in significant papers in the analytical chemistry field. Our research group has greatly benefited from Maria's capabilities, as can be seen in recent publications in the Journal of Chromatography A, Talanta, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry and other specialized journals that directly represent her work, mainly as corresponding author. It is extremely remarkable that she has published a review of her PhD results. Not everyone has the possibility to publish it. This is a clear sign of the high quality of her research. Compared to other fellows that I have supervised, Maria is undoubtedly the best one. I can, beyond all doubt, give a score of 10/10 to the quality of her research activity. Finally, I would personally like to add that she is an outstanding, serious, independent thinker who is always well informed about the topics she tackles. Maria is also very friendly, a good worker and always willing to help others, which has been a most positive characteristic in creating a good atmosphere within the department. She is a bright and highly efficient person to work with. For all these reasons, I can only strongly recommend Maria to be awarded the Bioanalysis Young Investigator Award.