Here is a chemistry education video from the Royal Society of Chemistry on High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) included on the “Modern Instrumental Techniques for schools and colleges” DVD.
Much thanks to the Royal Society of Chemistry for producing this video.
Analtech’s Technical Director, Ned Dugan, is featured in a
recently posted Technology Forum on Thin Layer Chromatography on LCGC’s Chromatography Online.
Here’s an excerpt:
What advantages does TLC have over other methods for pharmaceutical analysis?
Dugan: In some ways, TLC can offer obvious advantages to other methods for analysis. Usually TLC is simpler, faster, more environmentally friendly, and significantly less expensive than other forms of analysis. Minimal sample preparation is required and solvent consumption is comparatively low. In addition, TLC is a very simple and forgiving method of analysis. If a mistake is made, very little time or resources are wasted.
In other ways, TLC can be the perfect compliment to other methods of analysis. Besides the fact that TLC is used as an inexpensive pilot method for establishing separation protocols, there are many hyphenated chromatography techniques that involve TLC.
Excerpts from an article at Genomeweb.com:
Scientists from NASA this week reported that they have detected the amino acid glycine in samples of the comet Wild 2 gathered by the spacecraft
Stardust, adding ammunition to the theory that life on Earth may have extraterrestrial beginnings and that life may exist elsewhere in space.
…
In January 2004 Stardust passed through the dense gas and dust surrounding the icy nucleus of the comet Wild 2. As it did, it collected gas and dust samples in a collection grid filled with a special aerogel. The grid was then stowed in a capsule that detached from Stardust and parachuted to Earth two years later.
…
In preliminary tests, glycine was detected in both the sample of the aerogel and aluminum foil from the sides of the chambers that held the aerogel in the collection grid.
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But though glycine was detected, it was unclear whether that was due to contamination from terrestrial sources. To determine whether the glycine had in fact come from outer space, Elsila and his fellow researchers performed gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and isotope ratio mass spectrometry.
The most common form of carbon, carbon 12, has six protons and six neutrons in its nucleus. A glycine molecule from space, however, tends to have more of the heavier isotope carbon 13, which carries an extra neutron in its nucleus, than a glycine from Earth. Because the glycine from the Stardust samples contained carbon 13, “the carbon isotopic signature was extraterrestrial, proving that this glycine is cometary,” Elsila said.
The latest issue of The Peak from LCGC North America 
features a great Cover Story on Social Networking in the Scientific Community.
Here’s a couple of excerpts:
The BIO organization, who hosts the annual BIO Conference, has a presence on several social media sites, including LinkedIn which has more than 6000 members, Flickr, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. They also deliver news during the convention using these vehicles and make use of blogs to engage in two way conversations with their members.
Pittcon began building its online community recently with a presence on LinkedIn and Twitter, and among its 300 followers on Twitter include scientists, exhibitors and scientific publishers. Pittcon also is planning on launching its own online scientific community later in 2009.
“A few years ago, we introduced live networking sessions where conferees and exhibitors could brainstorm ideas and discuss solutions to scientific problems in an informal environment,” said Annette Wilson, Pittcon 2010 President. “We think scientists will benefit from engaging in these discussions year round and we will provide the collaborative environment where they can do so easily.”
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Mary Canady added: “When I arrived at the BIO meeting, I felt like I already had many friends there because I had developed relationships through my online networks prior to the meeting.”
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), National 
Venture Capital Association, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Delaware BioScience Association, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and Delaware HIV Consortium organized the Delaware BioScience Business Roundtable held at Christiana Care’s John H. Ammon Medical Education Center on August 12.
This event brought together leaders from the bioscience, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries as well as top government officials.
The News Journal ran a great front page story on the event, here’s an excerpt:
The life sciences already have a strong footprint in Delaware, thanks in part to the presence of industry giants such as chemical and biotech firm DuPont Co., drug maker AstraZeneca and Agilent. A study earlier this year by the University of Delaware’s Center for Applied Demography & Survey Research found that the biopharmaceutical and related sectors employed nearly 12,000 people in Delaware in 2008.
Several speakers touted Delaware’s advantages in the field of life sciences, including its strong sense of community, easy access to government officials and high concentration of Ph.D.s.
“We have a lot to build on,” Gov. Jack Markell said in the event’s keynote speech.
The complete article and photos from the event can be seen by clicking here.
In addition to the newspaper coverage, some of us were offering live twitter updates – here’s a sample:
Click Here to access the entire feed.
We were fortunate enough to catch up with some of the participants and get their insights on the BioScience Industry in Delaware, the U.S., and the world.
Jennifer Bachman, Laboratory Coordinator and Inventory Specialist for the Chemistry Department at Sewanee: The University of the South, talks about how satisfied everyone at Sewanee is with our Uniplate Thin Layer Chromatography plates.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information has 
posted a paper on the advantages of using HPLC for identifying mycobacteria.
Here’s an excerpt:
It was established that results of HLPC use were highly correlated with results of microbiologic methods of mycobacteria identification: for identification of M. tuberculosis complex the correlation was 97.0%, for nontuberculous (NTM) slowly growing mycobacteria–95.3%, for quickly growing NTM–96.2% (overall–96.1%). Results of identification of mycobacteria by HPLC were ready in significantly shorter time-frame (during 24 hours).
Click Here for more.
NAOSMM 2009 was held in the Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho. Following the show, the place was transformed into the field for the Boise Burn Arena Football Team.
Steven Miles, General Manager for Analtech, wanted to try his hand, or rather – foot, at the sport – and Head Coach Brent Winter was willing to let him give it a try.
The following videos feature the pre-kick conversation between Steven Miles and Micky Jones explaining what led to this opportunity, then a couple of kicks from Boise Burn Kicker Ben Scott, and the final video is Steven Miles’ three kicks.
We want to express our appreciation to Coach Brent Winter, Kicker Ben Scott, and the entire team!
There is one product that has everyone talking at NAOSMM this year is our flexible, pre-cut TLC plates (click here to check out the plates).
This has been an incredible show! We made some wonderful new friends and we look forward to working with everyone at NAOSMM to provide the best products for separation science!
We’ll see everyone in Norfolk, Virginia next year – we’ll be at Booth 51.