A delegation of crystallographers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) left a remarkable impression at the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) conference held in Melbourne, Australia, from August 22nd to 29th, 2023. The researchers delivered impactful presentations, including a keynote address by Prof. Pance Naumov, titled “Crystal Adaptronics: Intersectional and Collective Properties and Effects of Dynamic Molecular Crystals.” Throughout the event, UAE crystallographers actively engaged in presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and presented research through posters. The contributions of UAE crystallographers underscored their commitment to scientific progress and collaboration, further establishing their influence in the global scientific community. The International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) conference is held every three years, with the 26th congress scheduled for 2023. The upcoming conference is […]

Prof. Saif Alqassim joined ECS as a formal member. Saif received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University – School of Medicine in Biophysics & Biophysical Chemistry in 2014. After a brief period at UAE University as Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Saif was appointed as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Physiology at University of Pennsylvania – Perelman School of Medicine (2015 – 2018). He officially joined the College of Medicine at Mohammed Bin Rashid University in 2017. Saif’s research interests lie in understanding actin cytoskeleton regulation in health and disease, using structural and biophysical methods.

Fluorescent organic crystals offer new flexibility for temperature sensing. Andrew Scott https://www.natureasia.com/en/nmiddleeast/article/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2022.55 Researchers in Abu Dhabi and China have reported the first instance of using organic (carbon-based) crystals for temperature sensing devices. This significantly widens the options for making novel temperature sensors, especially for extreme environments, including space.   “Organic materials have hardly been explored for functional devices in the past,” says Panče Naumov, whose team at New York University Abu Dhabi came up with the idea of organic temperature sensors with collaborators at Jilin University, in China. The work also drew on collaboration with researchers at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.   Naumov says that the elastic flexibility of organic materials is emerging as a major advantage to avoid damage […]

Malvern Panalytical and Gulf Support Centre in collaboration with New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) invite you to a 1-day seminar about analytical Structural analysis using multipurpose and advanced X ray diffraction platform – Empyrean. During the seminar you will be introduced to latest technologies in Advanced materials characterization using X-ray Diffractometer platforms – Empyrean. Also, you will have chance to visit the excellent Material Characterisation lab where two of advanced Empyrean systems are operated. Malvern Panalytical specialist will demonstrate the Empyrean through various configurations There will be time to meet the Experts in face-to-face. This is your chance to engage directly with our specialists and discuss how the solutions can help your research and delivering the best practice and […]

The Imaging and Characterizarion Core Lab at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is looking for a lead staff scientist to oversee its Physical Characterization Unit. The Physicla Characterization Unit hosts a wide spectrum of cutting edge X-ray diffraction facilities (10 units), including high intensity (METALJET) single crystal x-ray diffratometers and  X-ray diffractometers with different detectors, sources, collimators, and in-situ accessories for different scientific applications. An advanced small/wide angle X-ray  scattering equipment is also going to be installed. This Unit also houses a cutting-edge  Raman Spectrometer.This Lab is well positioned to support KAUST high impact research and education in both  physical and life sciences through providing the state-of-the-art facilities and matching first class technical expertise.       If you have […]

Join us on zoom: https://nyu.zoom.us/j/95167194438 Thursday, May 19th, 1:00 – 2:00pm XPS became in the recent years  one of the most important techniques when it comes to the analysis and characterization of solid surfaces and interfaces.  XPS does provide beside the elemental composition of the outer most surface the chemical state information. This is key and very important in a number of industrial applications. In this talk, an introduction to the surface analytical techniques will be given, and why XPS became such important over the years. In XPS, the probing depth can be varied from only 0.1 – 10nm together with the possibility to perform localized analysis down to 10um. That combination enables XPS to address the key analytical questions […]

Prof. Monther Abdeljabbar Khanfa joined ECS as a formal member, he hold a PhD degree from Univeristy of Tuebingen, Germany. He is serving as Chair of the Chemistry Department at University of Sharjah. His research focuses on • Developing new Fluorinated Platinum Phosphorus Complexes for the complexation of the Nobel gas, Xe. • Synthesis of novel derivatives of DO3A for the use in the MRI. • Synthesis and characterization and catalytic activity of novel arene-bisbyridyl-Ruthenium(II) deoxygenating catalysts. • Synthesis and catalytic activity of bis(triphenylphosphine)(diamine)ruthenium(II) catalysts for hydrogenation.  

SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) is a “third-generation” synchrotron light source that was officially opened in Allan (Jordan) on 16 May 2017. It is the first synchrotron light source in the Middle East and neighbouring countries, and also the region’s first major international centre of excellence. SESAME for the UAE Virtual Workshop Date: 13 April 2022 Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm Venue: Virtual The workshop will cover the importance of the UAE joining SESAME as a member with observer status. The move will enable scientists, researchers and industrial entities in the UAE to use the centre’s specialised laboratories to conduct research and develop local industrial capabilities, opening new horizons for the country on its scientific and industrial journey.

CCDC interviewed Dr Sharmarke Mohamed: crystal engineering of higher-order molecular ionic co-crystals https://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/Community/blog/interview-with-Dr-Sharmarke-Mohamed-crystal-engineering-higher-order-molecular-ionic-co-crystals/

Kindly please join us on Thursday, 24th of March at 2pm for a presentation by Dr. Vernon Smith entitled, “D8 VENTURE METALJET – Synchrotron quality crystallography in the home-lab”. Dr. Vernon Smith obtained his PhD in protein crystallography from the University of Cambridge.  After completing post-doctoral positions in the USA and Italy, he returned to Cambridge as a Research Fellow with the Medical research Council. He joined Bruker AXS in 2007 as a protein crystallography specialist supporting Bruker’s SC-XRD business in Europe. In 2014 he joined the SC-XRD Product Management team. Since2017 he has been the Business Development Manager for the global SC-XRD business. A calendar invite has already been sent for the said presentation, nevertheless, here’s the zoom link for it: https://nyu.zoom.us/j/98428113428

The 17 th conference of Asian Crystallography Association (AsCA 2022) will be held in Jeju island, Korea, from October 30th – November 2th 2022. http://new.asca2022.org/

On 20 September 2020, researchers from academia and industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) established the Emirates Crystallographic Society (ECS). The ECS is the culmination of years of work and represents the only internationally recognized professional body to represent UAE researchers who use diffraction methods. For a country that is only 50 years old, the UAE has made significant investments in scientific research over a short period of time. The establishment of the ECS is another milestone for the growing research community in the UAE.