New Antibiotics May End Chronic Infections, Slash Billions in Health Care Costs

LSU Chemistry Hosts 2025 Smart REU Students for a Summer of Breakthroughs and Growth

August 14, 2025

Each summer, LSU Chemistry welcomes a group of undergraduates to participate in the Smart Polymer Composite Materials and Structures Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The ten-week program brought together a talented cohort of students from across the country to explore polymer and materials chemistry in LSU labs. Meet the chemstry cohort and read their stories. 

Read their stories

New Grant Supercharges LSU’s Analytical Science Infrastructure: Major Upgrades for MSF and NMR Facilities

The LSU Mass Spectrometry Facility (MSF) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility are receiving major upgrades thanks to a $69,199 enhancement grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents. With an additional $45,287 in cost share from LSU, the grant will streamline workflows by enabling new in-house sample preparation techniques and introducing variable-temperature capabilities for NMR spectroscopy. The improvements will enhance research quality and foster deeper collaboration across scientific disciplines. | Learn more

Technology for Licensing: Wettability Enhancing Spray for Agrochemical Applications

LSU Chemistry Assistant Professor Amy Xu and graduate student Sulochana Ekanayaka Mudiyanselage developed a coacervate adjuvant as an eco-friendly spray additive that spreads more effectively over waxy leaves. By improving wettability, sprays retain better, reducing waste, protecting crops, and minimizing environmental harm.

To learn more about the recently filed patent or explore collaboration opportunities, email techlicensing@lsu.edu. 

Five LSU Researchers Win Highly Prestigious NSF CAREER Awards

Five LSU faculty members received the National Science Foundation’s top grant for early-career researchers, recognizing their potential as academic role models and supporters of LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda. Among them, Prof. Sviatoslav Baranets was awarded $690,000 to explore converting waste heat into electricity, and Prof. Amy Xu received $802,000 to study how proteins and polysaccharides interact to support plant growth and resilience. | LSU Blog

Leading Like a Scientist, Pitching Biotech Solutions

June 4, 2025

In CHEM 7780: Special Topics in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, taught by Assistant Professor Amy Xu, students stepped into the world of biotech innovation—not with a final exam, but with a mock startup pitch. One team, BioSpecific Innovations, proposed BioBridge, a mock immunotherapy using BiTEs and recombinant DNA to guide T-cells to attack leukemia and multiple myeloma cells. Their project combined cutting-edge science, clinical trial design, and investor-ready strategy. 

Starting next year, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology will be open to undergraduates as CHEM 4013. 

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Celebrating 25 Years of Service

May 20, 2025

Amy Commander, LSU Chemistry’s Senior HR Specialist, was honored at the LSU Faculty and Staff Recognition Jazz Brunch for 25 years of service. Amy began her LSU journey in 1999 with Undergraduate Admissions, later transitioning to the School of Social Work before finding her home in the Department of Chemistry in 2003. Among her proudest achievements at LSU are earning her bachelor’s degree in 2002 while working full time and raising a family. As she looks ahead to retirement in a few years, she’s excited for new adventures and plenty of travel.

Congratulations, Amy, and thank you for your dedication and service to LSU!

How LSU Chemists Are Learning from Nature to Rethink Nitrogen Fixation

May 15, 2025

Professor Emeritus Brian Hales and Dr. Kresimir Rupnik are uncovering how nature efficiently converts nitrogen gas into ammonia. They aim to unravel the inner workings of nitrogenase, a natural enzyme, paving the way for cleaner, more energy-efficient alternatives to traditional fertilizer production.

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