News Archive

From Lab Bench to Dance Floor, Courtney Johnson Leads with Creativity and Empathy

Courtney John's daily life is a blend of cutting-edge chemical research and tireless leadership in service to her department and peers.

In Redesigned Chemistry Course, Students Turn Pigments into Art Preservation Tools

In UNC Chemistry, a new kind of experiment is taking shape—one that melds the rigor of synthetic chemistry with the beauty of art conservation.

Light-Powered Technique Accelerates Synthesis of Medicinal Plant Compounds

A new light-driven method dramatically simplifies and accelerates the synthesis of stemoamide alkaloids, a class of bioactive compounds found in plants.

Study Finds Protein Stability in Cells a Complex Balance of Repulsion and Attraction

In their study, the UNC team focused on just one kind of protein called GB1, a small, well-studied globular protein often used as a model.

NSF Honoree Blends Chemistry, Environmental Passion in Bid to Find Nanoplastics

Haley Jostes' proposal is setting the stage for future studies on how these plastics might affect human health.

Kara Joseph Wins NSF Fellowship for Research on PFAS in Marine Mammal Milk

Ph.D. chemistry candidate Kara Joseph has won the 2025 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Toxic Shine: Floor Waxing Releases Dangerous Chemicals into the Air, Study Finds

A UNC study revealed that each application of floor wax brought a new burst of toxic emissions.

The Hidden Afterlife of Antidepressants: How UNC’s Emily Crawford Tracks Drugs in North Carolina’s Waterways

Emily Crawford is pioneering a multidimensional approach to quantify antidepressants in North Carolina’s waterways.

UNC Scientists Transform Chemicals from Oil Refinery Waste into Compounds for Anesthetics, Antidepressants

Chemists in the Johnson Lab convert chemicals from petroleum waste into compounds for study as anesthetics and antidepressants.

UNC Chemists Develop Light-Powered Method to Build Key Drug Molecules Faster

UNC chemists have developed a faster, more flexible way to build an important class of molecules used in many prescription drugs.

Chemistry Student Honored at ACS Symposium for Pioneering Plastic Recycling Research

Ph.D. student Eliza Neidhart's research offers a new, chemical solution that could change how we reuse plastic.

UNC Chemistry Students Receive NSF Fellowships and Recognition for Research

Three chemistry students have been selected as fellows by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program for 2025 and nine students received honorable mentions.