American Chemical Society’s 256th National Meeting & Exposition press conference schedule

EMBARGOED UNTIL Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time

American Chemical Society’s 256th National Meeting & Exposition press conference schedule

Newswise — BOSTON—Attend press conferences live – online at http://bit.ly/ACSLive_Boston2018 or in person -- at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Press conferences will be held Monday, Aug. 20, through Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018. Below is the schedule, which will be updated as needed.

The Press Center on-site location:
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
Room 102A
Phone: 617-954-3960

Anyone can view the press conferences, but to chat online, you must sign in first with a Google account.

ALL TOPICS ARE STRICTLY EMBARGOED FOR THE DAYS AND TIMES INDICATED.

Note to journalists: Please report that this research is being presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Monday, Aug. 20

9 a.m. Eastern Time

Next-gen insect repellents to combat mosquito-borne diseases (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Nearly 700 million people suffer from mosquito-borne diseases — such as malaria, West Nile, Zika and dengue fever — each year, resulting in more than 1 million deaths. Today, researchers report a new class of mosquito repellents based on naturally occurring compounds that are effective in repelling the bugs, including those that are resistant to pyrethroid insecticides and repellents. A brand-new video on the research is available at http://bit.ly/acsmosquitoes.

Joel R. Coats, Ph.D.
Iowa State University

9:30 a.m. Eastern Time

The environmental cost of contact lenses
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Many people rely on contact lenses to improve their vision. But these sight-correcting devices don’t last forever and they are eventually disposed of in various ways. Now, scientists are reporting that throwing these lenses down the drain at the end of their use could be contributing to microplastic pollution in waterways.

Rolf Halden, Ph.D.
Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University

Charles Rolsky
Arizona State University

10:30 a.m. Eastern Time

Strawberries could help reduce harmful inflammation in the colon
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Inflammatory bowel disease is a set of painful conditions that can cause severe diarrhea and fatigue. Researchers are now reporting that a simple dietary intervention could mitigate colonic inflammation and improve gut health. In this case, a strawberry — or rather, less than a cupful of strawberries — a day could help keep the doctor away.

Hang Xiao, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts

11 a.m. Eastern Time

2019: The International Year of the Periodic Table of Elements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the most beloved graphic in chemistry, Dmitri Mendeleev’s Periodic Table of Chemical Elements. To honor this anniversary, the United Nations proclaimed 2019 the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (or IYPT 2019).The American Chemical Society and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) will share some of the efforts planned to celebrate IYPT 2019.

Mary Kirchhoff, Ph.D.
American Chemical Society

1 p.m. Eastern Time

Maple leaf extract could nip skin wrinkles in the bud
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Maple trees are best known for their maple syrup and lovely fall foliage. But it turns out that the beauty of those leaves could be skin-deep — and that’s a good thing. Today, scientists report that an extract from the leaves may prevent wrinkles.

Navindra P. Seeram, Ph.D.
University of Rhode Island

Hang Ma, Ph.D.
University of Rhode Island

1:30 p.m. Eastern Time

New drug could prevent debilitating side effect of cancer treatment
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

About 50,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed annually with head, neck, nasal and oral cancers. Most are treated with radiation, and of those, 70-80 percent develop a painful and debilitating side effect called severe oral mucositis (SOM). While some drugs are available to treat SOM once it develops, none can prevent it. But today, researchers are reporting on a new drug, called GC4419, that appears to do just that. Although still in clinical trials, it has already been designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a “breakthrough therapy.”

Dennis P. Riley, Ph.D.
Galera Therapeutics, Inc.

2:30 p.m. Eastern Time

A new generation of artificial retinas based on 2D materials
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Scientists report they have successfully developed and tested the world’s first ultrathin artificial retina that could vastly improve on existing implantable visualization technology for the blind. The flexible device, based on very thin 2D materials, could someday restore sight to the millions of people with retinal diseases. And with a few modifications, the device could be used to track heart and brain activity.

Nanshu Lu, Ph.D.
University of Texas at Austin

3 p.m. Eastern Time

Honoring Franco-American Chemistry Collaborations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The American Chemical Society (ACS) and the French Chemical Society (SCF) are pleased to introduce the 2017 and 2018 recipients of the Franco-American Lectureship Prize. Marie-Paule Pileni, Ph.D., (Sorbonne, Paris-2017) and Karl Kadish, Ph.D., (University of Houston, U.S.-2018) are the first two awardees of this prize. The award celebrates significant achievements in research collaboration between the U.S. and France. Pileni and Kadish will speak about their journey to this prize and how their careers have benefited from transatlantic research cooperation.

Marie-Paule Pileni, Ph.D.
Sorbonne

Karl Kadish, Ph.D.
University of Houston

Tuesday, Aug. 21

9 a.m. Eastern Time

Bringing salvaged wooden ships and artifacts back to life with ‘smart’ nanotech
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Thousands of shipwrecks litter the seafloor all over the world, preserved in sediments and cold water. But when one of these ships is brought up from the depths, the wood quickly starts deteriorating. Today, scientists report a new way to use “smart” nanocomposites to conserve a 16th-century British warship, the Mary Rose, and its artifacts. The new approach could help preserve other salvaged ships by eliminating harmful acids without damaging the wooden structures themselves.

Eleanor J. Schofield, Ph.D.
Mary Rose Trust

9:30 a.m. Eastern Time

Gut bacteria provide key to making universal blood (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Blood banks around the world are continually in need of type O blood, which can be universally administered in an emergency. Now, scientists say they have identified enzymes — from the human gut — that can turn type A and B blood into O, as much as 30 times more efficiently than previously studied enzymes. A brand-new video on the research is available at http://bit.ly/acsblood.

Stephen G. Withers, Ph.D.
University of British Columbia

10:30 a.m. Eastern Time

Nanobot pumps destroy nerve agents
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Once in the territory of science fiction, “nanobots” are closer than ever to becoming a reality, with possible applications in medicine, manufacturing, robotics and fluidics. Today, scientists report progress in developing the tiny machines: They have made nanobot pumps that destroy nerve agents, while simultaneously administering an antidote.

Ayusman Sen, Ph.D.
The Pennsylvania State University

11 a.m. Eastern Time

E-cigarettes can damage DNA
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

The popularity of electronic cigarettes continues to grow worldwide, as many people view them as a safer alternative to smoking. But the long-term effects of e-cigarette usage, commonly called “vaping,” are unknown. Today, researchers report that vaping may modify the genetic material, or DNA, in the oral cells of users, which could increase their cancer risk.

Silvia Balbo, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota

Romel Dator, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota

1 p.m. Eastern Time

Portable freshwater harvester could draw up to 10 gallons per hour from the air
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

For thousands of years, people in the Middle East and South America have extracted water from the air to help sustain their populations. Drawing inspiration from those examples, researchers are now developing a lightweight, battery-powered freshwater harvester that could someday take as much as 10 gallons per hour from the air, even in arid locations. They say their nanofiber-based method could help address modern water shortages due to climate change, industrial pollution, droughts and groundwater depletion.

Shing-Chung (Josh) Wong, Ph.D.
University of Akron

1:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Saliva could influence taste preferences
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Saliva is crucial for tasting and digesting food, but scientists have now found that it may have another, more subtle role. Salivary proteins could be part of a feedback loop that influences how food tastes to people — and by extension, what foods they’re willing to eat. The researchers hope that, one day, their findings could help consumers stick to a healthier diet.

Cordelia A. Running, Ph.D.
Purdue University

2:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Water bottles, other recycled 3D printing materials could avoid military supply snags
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Soldiers on the battlefield or at remote bases often have to wait weeks for vital replacement parts. Now scientists report they have found a way to fabricate many of these parts within hours under combat conditions using water bottles, cardboard and other recyclable materials found on base as starting materials for 3D printing. They say this ‘game-changing’ advance could improve operational readiness, reduce dependence on outside supply chains and enhance safety.

Nicole Zander, Ph.D.
Army Research Laboratory

3 p.m. Eastern Time

Weaponizing oxygen to kill infections and disease
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

The life-threatening bacteria called MRSA can cripple a hospital since it spreads quickly and is resistant to treatment. But scientists report that they are now making advances in a new technique that avoids antibiotics. Instead, they are using light to activate oxygen, which then wipes out antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The method also could be used to treat other microbial infections, and possibly even cancer.

Peng Zhang, Ph.D.
University of Cincinnati

Wednesday, Aug. 22

9 a.m. Eastern Time

Biomaterial could keep tooth alive after root canal (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

A root canal ranks high on most people’s list of dreaded dental procedures. Although the lengthy and sometimes painful surgery relieves the agony of an infection, a root canal results in a dead tooth with no living soft tissue, or dental pulp, inside. Today, scientists report development of a peptide hydrogel designed to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels and dental pulp within a tooth after the procedure. A brand-new video on the research is available at http://bit.ly/acsrootcanal.

Vivek Kumar, Ph.D.                                        
New Jersey Institute of Technology

9:30 a.m. Eastern Time

Illicit drug use could be higher than previously thought; soars during special events
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

America’s drug problem may be even worse than officials realize. And illicit drugs are consumed at a higher rate during celebratory events. Those are just two of the conclusions scientists have drawn from recent studies of drug residues in sewage.

Bikram Subedi, Ph.D.
Murray State University

Tara Croft
Murray State University

10:30 a.m. Eastern Time

These lithium-ion batteries can’t catch fire because they harden on impact
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Lithium-ion batteries commonly used in consumer electronics are notorious for bursting into flame when damaged or improperly packaged. These incidents occasionally have grave consequences, including burns, house fires and at least one plane crash. Inspired by the weird behavior of some liquids that solidify on impact, researchers have developed a practical and inexpensive way to help prevent these fires.

Gabriel Veith, Ph.D.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive press releases from the American Chemical Society, contact [email protected].

Follow us: