For more than 100 years, major scientific breakthroughs are presented and discussed at ACS National Meetings. This year, the American Chemical Society hosted the 255th ACS National Meeting & Exposition March 18-22 in New Orleans, LA. The meeting was attended by more than 16 thousand chemical professionals from around the world, showcasing approximately 8,200 scientific papers, 5,000 posters and 230 exhibits.
For those who couldn’t make the trip to New Orleans, we’ve highlighted some of the most interesting new research with potential industry applications.
Newly disclosed drug candidates include a potential new cancer treatment
At each ACS National Meeting, the Division of Medicinal Chemistry hosts a session on first-time disclosure of clinical candidates. The session has become a mainstay for medicinal chemists interested in the latest in drug development.
In New Orleans, Iain Simpson, associate director of oncology medicinal chemistry at AstraZeneca, presented on their recent discovery of AZD0364, a selective inhibitor of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1 and ERK2). This new drug candidate was shown to be effective in animal models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and was also described as having potential use in the treatment of certain melanomas.
The good in vitro potency and selectivity is complemented by excellent physico-chemical properties (maximum absorbable dose estimated to be >4 g) and good oral pharmacokinetics across species, leading to a low predicted dose to man.
Check out C&EN’s coverage of all 11 potential new drugs disclosed in New Orleans, including hand-drawn structures of possible new treatments for type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and more.
New polymer film to power go-anywhere electronics of the future
Throughout the meeting, scientific research is presented in oral talks, poster sessions – and for some notable research – at press conferences. On day three of the meeting, the ACS Newsroom hosted a news conference about research on a new polymer-based material.
Tiesheng Wang, a graduate student at the University of Cambridge, described the low cost, tough and flexible polymer film as having supercapacitor performance properties. The novel material consists of a conducting polymer stitched to an ion-storage polymer to form a candy cane-like geometry.
The supercapacitor based on our material, which is known as “Candy Cane Supercapacitor”, could power electronics embedded in smart clothing, wearable and implantable devices, and soft robotics.
To learn more about this innovative new material, see the ACS News Release.
Generating more water with less energy by integrating systems of water reuse and desalination
At the Opening Ceremony, five scientists presented on subjects related to the meeting’s theme, “Food, Energy & Water”. One of the presenters, Amy Childress, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Southern California, presented on the minimization of energy consumption in water reuse and desalination systems.
The ultimate goal of the research is to determine best scenarios to synergistically utilize the two waste streams and reverse osmosis to achieve the highest beneficial use of both streams, while minimizing energy consumption and environmental concerns.
Dr. Childress was also listed among the “must-see presenters” in a guide to the ACS meeting published by C&EN. To learn more about her research, see the Technical Program.
Though time and travel budgets are finite as the number of meetings and conferences continues to grow, awareness of the research disclosed at these events is critical to the exchange of new ideas and opportunities for both academic and industrial scientists. If you’re planning your travel for the year, consider attending the 256th ACS National Meeting & Exposition this August 19-23 in Boston, MA.
You can find all of the latest research presented at the 255th ACS National Meeting & Exposition in New Orleans in SciFindern.
