Chair's Message Making Chemical Testing Relevant to Breast Cancer

Newsletter February 2011

Santa Clara Valley Section american Chemical Society Volume 33 No. 2

February 2011 NEWSLETTER TOPICS March Dinner Meeting • March Dinner Meeting: Making Making Chemical Testing Chemical Testing Relevant to Breast Cancer Relevant to Breast Cancer • Chair’s Message Dr. Megan R. Schwarzman • February Dinner Meeting: Sex, Love Abstract ductive environmental health, and Oxytocin Although breast cancer is U.S. and European chemicals one of the leading causes of can- policy, and the implications for • Welcome to the Santa Clara Valley cer and death in women, even human health and the environ- Section of ACS the small numbers of chemicals ment of the production, use and • New Members List for December that undergo safety testing are disposal of chemicals and prod- • Volunteer with Kids and Chemistry not routinely evaluated for their ucts. She is a research scientist at impacts on mammary (breast) the Center for Occupational and • Black History Month tissue. Likewise, there is no well- Environmental Health (COEH), • Committee Chair Needed established set of tests for screen- in UC Berkeley’s School of Public • Albert Ghiorso, Nuclear Researcher ing chemicals for their ability to raise the risk Health, and Associate Director of Health and • SPLASH is Coming to Stanford of breast cancer. Environment for the interdisciplinary In 2010, Dr. Schwarzman served as continued on next page Principal Investigator of a project to tackle this Chair's Message issue. The Breast Cancer and Chemicals Policy project, supported by a grant from the March Dinner Meeting As I write this, California Breast Cancer Research Program, Joint Meeting with Palo Alto AWIS we’ve just experi- convened a panel of 20 scientists and policy enced a New Year experts to review the biological mechanisms Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 celebration and associated with breast cancer and propose a Time: 7:00 Networking Dinner jumped into the strategy for screening and identifying chemi- 7:30-7:45 Announcements International Year of cals that could increase the risk of the disease. 7:45-9:00 Presentation Chemistry! I hope The panel followed a unique “disease end- Location: Xerox PARC you enjoyed a point” model, working backwards from a dis- 3333 Coyote Hill Road Palo Alto, CA 94304 relaxing end to your ease to identify the changes caused by chemi- 2010 with some extra time to spend with cals that could serve as early indicators of tox- Speaker: Dr. Megan Schwarzman your friends and loved ones. If you cele- UC Berkeley, School of Public icity. While this approach was recommended brate the winter season with gift-giving Health by the National Academy of Sciences in their traditions, I hope you received fun goodies Making Chemical Testing report “Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century”, that were made possible by the transform- Relevant to Breast Cancer this is the first time it has been implemented ing power of chemistry. At my house, Cost: $10.00 Light dinner buffet for any disease, including breast cancer. Santa visited and brought one especially Reservations: www.scvacs.org The Breast Cancer and Chemicals Policy nifty toy laden with cool chemistry— Sally Peters 650-812-4994 project model is intended to dovetail with the “Princess Bath Beauty Belle”. This Disney Reservations MUST be made by State of California’s Green Chemistry Princess has a lovely little orange swim suit Sunday, March 20th, stating your name, and pink-streaked hair, but once dipped Initiative, as well as ongoing efforts by federal address, company affiliation, and number into the bath by my 4-year old, her bath- scientific agencies working to create new and of people in party. Watch the web site for ing suit and hair instantly turn bright yel- more effective comprehensive chemical testing more information. If you are unable to low. At age 4, my daughter can’t appreci- approaches to better protect human health. honor your reservation and do not cancel ate the interesting thermochromic proper- Biography by Tuesday, March 22nd, you will be ties of Belle’s bathing suit, but I’m looking Dr. Megan R. Schwarzman’s work focus- invoiced following the dinner meeting. continued on page 2 es on endocrine disrupting substances, repro- Breast Cancer, continued from front page Reminder February Dinner Meeting Reminder Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry. She earned her medical degree from the University Sex, Love and Oxytocin of Massachusetts, completed her specialty Susan Kuchinskas training in Family Medicine at the University Abstract training to become a certified Slow of California, San Francisco, and earned a We tend to think of our emo- Sex Coach. master’s of public health from the University tions as coming from our minds. She has a B.A. from Rutgers, of California, Berkeley. Dr. Schwarzman also In fact, what we call emotion can and an M.A. in creative writing practices medicine part time at San Francisco be seen as the expression of a bodi- from San Francisco State General Hospital. ly state. As chemicals like cortisol University. Her websites are www. kuchinskas.com www.chemis- Chair's Message, continued from front page or adrenaline prep our bodies for , fight or flight, they tweak our tryofconnection.com and www. forward to the day when I can share the minds into the state we call fear. hugthemonkey.com, which covers oxytocin chemistry behind this ‘trick’ with her. The sunnier emotions are also the result news, research and cultural sightings. What nifty chemistry gifts or gadgets have you received recently? Tell us about it on of chemicals flooding our bodies and brains. the Santa Clara Valley ACS Facebook The emotions of positive interaction with oth- page! Click on “Like” the Santa Clara ers -- trust, friendship, connection and every Valley ACS page in order to automatically kind of love -- are all based on oxytocin, the February receive real-time updates to the page. neurochemical of bonding. This includes sex- Are you tired of calling months in uality. While lust is driven in both men and Dinner Meeting advance for the best Valentine’s Day din- women by testosterone, when we're touched, Thursday, February 17, 2011 ner reservations and then paying double and especially when we orgasm, our brains Date: for half the service? Do we ever have the release oxytocin. You could say that sexuality, Time: 6:00 Social Hour solution for you during the month of love! love and intimacy -- when you read them as 7:00 Dinner Check out our February 17th dinner neurochemical states -- are all one thing. And 8:00 Presentation meeting, where Susan Kuchinskas, author they're all the result of oxytocin. Location: Shiva's Indian Restaurant of The Chemistry of Connection will If the need to propagate our species has 800 California St, Suite 100 enlighten us with her research on oxytocin driven human evolution, it's not surprising Mountain View, CA 94041 and the biochemistry of love. Any that sex would be one of the most fun things Speaker: Susan Kuchinskas research topic that can actually make me to do. What is surprising is that the sheer joy Science writer “Sex, Love and Oxytocin” blush while describing is sure to be of sex is so closely tied to our most transcen- intriguing! Bring your special someone, or dent emotions. Cost: $27.00 come just to hone your dating skills using In this lecture with Susan Kuchinskas, Indian Buffet that includes both vegetarian and chicken dishes. a new tool—your knowledge of chemistry. author of the new book, The Chemistry of www.scvacs.org We’ll meet at Shiva’s Restaurant in Connection, we'll explore the effects of oxyto- Reservations: Sally Peters 650-812-4994 Mountain View, so bring your saffron-re- cin as a hormone coursing through the blood- ceptor taste buds for a special Indian food stream and as a neurochemical, exciting the Reservations MUST be made by February 14th stating your name, address, treat. emotional pathways of the brain. We'll review Did you know that it’s possible to company affiliation, number of people in research in biology, neuroscience and psychol- party. Watch the web site for more infor- etch the entire Periodic Table of the ogy to examine the connection among the Elements on a human hair? I did not— mation. If you are unable to honor your myriad kinds of love we're capable of and until one of my Ex Comm colleagues reservation and do not cancel by Monday, ponder what it means for each of us that sex (thanks, George!) sent me the fascinating February 15th, you will be invoiced follow- and love are so intertwined. YouTube video of this laser-etching proce- ing the dinner meeting. Biography dure explored by Dr. Martyn Poliakoff at University of Nottingham. It is posted on Journalist Susan Kuchinskas, M.A., is the the Santa Clara Valley ACS Facebook page author of The Chemistry for you to enjoy too! I would love to hear of Connection: How the about the surprising chemistry projects Oxytocin Response Can you’ve heard about—email me at akenne- Help You Find Trust, [email protected] and I’ll post your Love and Intimacy. She links and comments. writes about science, Finally, have you made your housing technology and culture reservations for the ACS National Meeting for a variety of publica- in Anaheim in March? Housing is open tions, and is a frequent and I’m thrilled to report I scored the guest on talk radio, where Disneyland Hotel and I can’t wait to see she discusses how neuro- some great talks and meet Princess Belle in science can improve our person! relationships. She is in Welcome to Black History Month February is Black History Month the Santa Clara Valley Section of ACS and it would be nice to remember some Each month the section receives a be our guests. The dinner meetings are often of the important African American scien- spreadsheet from national ACS with the the 3rd Thursday of the month at a local spot, tists, engineers, and inventors that have names of members new to our section. The somewhat convenient to the entire section. If made important contributions to the sci- members are either new to ACS, have trans- you are unable to attend in the evening, per- ence of chemistry. This isn’t meant to be ferred in from other areas, or are the newest haps you would join us for an outreach event, a comprehensive list, but should be taken members -- the students. To welcome you to like judging a science fair, participating in the as a starter to get your interest piqued. the section and get to know you, the chemistry olympiad, or a national chemistry Patricia Bath - (USA) In 1988, Executive Committee offers new members a week event in October. Then, there is our Patricia Bath invented the Cataract Laser free dinner!! To encourage you to attend a annual wine tasting and awards picnic in July. Probe, a device that painlessly removes monthly section dinner meeting, we would The local section is a volunteer organization. cataracts. Prior to this invention, cataracts like you to be our guest. When you register, Please attend an event, volunteer to help, and were surgically removed. Patricia Bath make certain to mention that you are a new get to know your local fellow chemists. founded the American Institute for the member and you and a spouse (or friend) will Welcome!! Prevention of Blindness. George Washington Carver - (USA, New Members List for December ca. 1864-1943) George Washington Dr. Deepshikha Angrish Jasna Hodzic Mr. Servando G. Panee Carver was an agricultural chemist who Diego Avelloneda Mr. Brian Jeffrey Hom Mr. Phat-Dat Phan discovered industrial uses for crop plants Mr. Jordan J. Baker Victoria Johnson Mrs. Ashley Piekarski such as sweet potatoes, peanuts and soy- Terri Bella Mrs. Aleida Jones Mr. Taha Rezai beans. He developed methods for Mr. Anthony J. Bortolazzo Harpreet Juneja Dr. Hector Manuel Rodri- improving soil. Carver recognized that Ms. Jenelle K. Bray Dr. Alexander A. Khorlin guez legumes return nitrates to the soil. His Mr. Arick Brown Mr. Jacob Latone Dr. Patrick J. Rudewicz work led to crop rotation. Carver was Ms. Thao P. Bui Mr. Bao Le Ms. Katrina T. Sarkissian born a slave in Missouri. He struggled to Mr. Phillip J. Calabretta Dr. Jacques Leibovitz Vong Sok gain an education, eventually graduating Mr. George Chan Mr. Neel A. Leslie Dr. William B. Stockton from what was to become Iowa State Dr. Daniel J. Coady Zhengzheng Li Mr. Daniel L. Sun University. He joined the faculty of the Ms. Emily Ann M. Crocker Mr. Steve Liu Mr. Ravisubhash Tangirala Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1896. Mr. Andy Dang Ms. Melissa C. Lombardo Celia M. Tarcha Tuskegee is where he performed his most Mr. Scott Dashner Ms. Pamela M. Lundin Mr. Tan Q. Tran of his famous experiments. Ms. Jenny Y. Doan Mr. Nicholas A. Moore Ms. Tiffany T. Truong Marie Daly - (USA, 1921–2003) In Ms. Denise R. Eubanks Miss Megan Morisada Ms. Kristina M. Tuminaro 1947, Marie Daly became the first Ms. Kimberly Ann Eugenio Ms. Elena Naderzad Hailiang Wang African American woman to earn a Ph.D. Ms. Tanya Ghaemmaghami Dr. Hou T Ng Dr. Lloyd S. White in chemistry. The majority of her career Ms. Zhuojun Guo James T. Nguyen Dr. Gregory Lewis Whiting was spent as a college professor. In addi- Mr. Daniel R. Haber Joy Obiri Ms. Heather J. Wright tion to her research, she developed pro- Ms. Amrita B. Hazra Mr. Jonathan D. Oribello Dr. Haiming Zhang grams to attract and aid minority students in medical and graduate school. Mae Jemison - (USA, born 1956) Mae Jemison is a retired medical doctor and American astronaut. In 1992, she Volunteer with Kids and Chemistry became the first black woman in space. Kids & Chemistry is a community- tionship with a local school. She holds a degree in chemical engineer- based program that brings together scien- 2. Choose an activity - Purchase our new ing from Stanford and a degree in medi- tists and children to do hands-on science Kids & Chemistry Kits from the ACS cine from Cornell. She remains very activities. Volunteers include ACS mem- Store, or use ACS-approved lessons active in science and technology. bers, ACS Student Chapters, and corpo- submitted from other members. Percy Julian - (USA, 1899-1975) rate groups. 3. Present your lesson - Use classroom Percy Julian developed the anti-glaucoma Volunteer efforts can be implement- management techniques to maximize drug physostigmine. Dr. Julian was born ed as a full program administered by an the impact of your lesson. in Montgomery, Alabama, but education- ACS local section or by an individual as a Tell us about it - After you're done, al opportunities for African Americans one-time classroom visit. The program drop us a line. We'd love to hear about were limited in the South at that time, so can also be incorporated into an existing your efforts and help in any way possible. he received his undergraduate degree corporate outreach/education program, Please visit the ACS website to be from DePauw University in Greencastle, or serve as the focal point for a larger able to access the links above at: Indiana. His research was conducted at mentoring program. www.ACS.org > Education > DePauw University. How it Works: Community Outreach > Volunteer with Samuel Massie Jr. - (USA, died May 1. Contact a school - Establish a rela- kids and chemistry continued on next page Black History Month, continued from previous page 9, 2005) In 1966, Massie became the Albert Ghiorso, Nuclear Researcher first black professor at the U.S. Naval BERKELEY, CA—Albert Ghiorso, life- first step in his long, element-finding career. Academy, making him the first black to long nuclear researcher at the Lawrence For reasons having to do with available teach full-time at any US military acade- Berkeley Laboratory, the co-discoverer of energies and experimental methods, most of my. Massie received a master's degree in twelve chemical elements (more than anyone these elements were discovered in pairs. chemistry from Fisk University and a else in history) and a prolific inventor of Ghiorso's first trophies, while still at doctorate in organic chemistry from Iowa nuclear technology, died December 26, Chicago's Met Lab, were elements 95 and tate University. Massie was a professor of 2010, at the age of 95. 96 (americium and curium) in 1944-45. chemistry at the Naval Academy, became With a round dozen elements to his These were followed, back at the Rad Lab in the chairman of the department of chem- credit, more even than his great friend, men- Berkeley in 1949, by the discovery of ele- istry and co-founded the Black Studies tor, and colleague, Glenn Seaborg, Albert ments 97 and 98 (berkelium and californi- Program. Ghiorso holds the world record for the dis- um). In late 1952, elements 99 and 100 Garrett Morgan - (USA) Garrett covery of transuranium elements -- and pos- (einsteinium and fermium) were found in Morgan is responsible for several inven- sibly for elements of any kind. It's an aston- debris brought back from the first H-bomb tions. He was born in Paris, Kentucky, in ishing achievement for someone who found test in the Pacific. 1877. His first invention was a hair his true calling almost by accident. Element 101 (mendelevium) was a straightening solution. October 13, 1914 Al Ghiorso was born in Vallejo, loner, the first element to be identified from he patented a breathing device which was California, and grew up in Alameda. His individual atoms -- a mere 17 atoms, created the first gas mask. The patent described a father had come to the U.S. with his family in the 60-inch cyclotron. Many discoveries hood attached to a long tube that had an from Genoa, Italy, at the age of two, growing since have been based on even fewer atoms. opening for air and a second tube with a up to become a ranch hand, riveter, welder, Competition and controversy have been valve that allowed air to be exhaled. On and general jack-of-all-trades -- and, not part of the element quest from the begin- November 20, 1923, Morgan patented coincidentally, a strong union supporter and ning, and Al Ghiorso has never ducked a the first traffic signal in the U.S. He later political radical, who urged his son to vigorous discussion about who discovered patented the traffic signal in England and become an "honest" lawyer. But the younger what when. He was a leader in the fight to Canada. Ghiorso had too much fun fixing and build- have element 106 named seaborgium after Norbert Rillieux - (USA, 1806- ing gadgets, so with the help of a scholarship Glenn Seaborg, but when the International 1894) Norbert Rillieux invented a revolu- -- to cover the $26 annual fee -- he got a Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry final- tionary new process for refining sugar. degree in electronic engineering from UC ly conceded and allowed an element to be Rillieux’s most famous invention was a Berkeley in 1937. named after a living person, they compro- multiple effect evaporator, which har- It was the depths of the Great mised by giving element 105, claimed by nessed steam energy from boiling sugar- Depression and the only work Ghiorso both Berkeley Lab and Dubna, the name cane juice, greatly reducing refining costs. could find was doing odd jobs for short- dubnium. Today, most of the rest of the One of Rillieux's patents was initially wave radio and electronics enthusiasts. In world calls it that, but the name hahnium is declined because it was believed he was a 1941 he was hired to install an intercom sys- still heard in Berkeley. slave and therefore not a US citizen tem to connect the secretarial desks at UC Many of the machines and detectors (Rillieux was free). Berkeley's Radiation Laboratory. He did a used in the search for heavy elements, good job, so he was asked to wire some including some of the most important Geiger counters. accelerators built at Berkeley Lab over a "I was not told that it would be neces- period of three decades, were invented or sary to build hundreds of these devices for influenced in their design by Al Ghiorso, Committee Chair Professor Glenn T. Seaborg's group," including the HILAC, SuperHILAC, and Ghiorso later recalled. By way of consolation, BevaLAC. Ghiorso's finest invention, the Needed when the U.S. entered World War II not Omnitron, was never realized, however. For over 10 years, I have chaired the long afterward, he married one of the Rad "Unfortunately, the accelerator was never Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section's com- Lab secretaries whose desk he had wired, built because it came into competition with mittee on local and international science Donald Cooksey's assistant, Wilma Belt. the terrible holocaust war in Vietnam, fairs. When Seaborg went to Chicago to where the U.S. was spending the equivalent This year (the International Year of organize the Manhattan Project's of three Omnitrons per day to devastate the Chemistry, 2011) will be my last year as Metallurgical Laboratory he asked Ghiorso country!" chair of this committee. We need a new to join him there, instead of enlisting in the Ghiorso's life was never limited to heavy chemist within our Section to step up Navy. Ghiorso barely knew Seaborg, but he elements and heavier machinery. He credits now to become the co-chair, learn the agreed on condition that he wouldn't have his wife, Wilma, with sparking his interest in process, and next year (2012) chair our to build any more Geiger counters. music, art, and opera. They began collecting Science Fair Committee. Seaborg kept his word. In the spare paintings in 1951 and before long Ghiorso It has been my pleasure to serve and moments left over after he'd spent the day was picking up his own camel's hair brush. be a part of this local ACS activity. maintaining the existing Met Lab equip- Many of his powerful semi-abstract paintings For more information, please con- ment, Ghiorso began inventing new instru- are to be seen on the walls of UC Berkeley tact: [email protected] ments for detecting nuclear radiations, the Buildings. SPLASH is Coming to Stanford April 16-17, 2011 In 1957, MIT students first started pus for a two-day learning extravaganza. Happy running short educational programs for Classes are taught by Stanford undergrad- high school students to explore fun and uates, graduate students, and other com- interesting topics on the MIT campus. It munity members. Valentine's is called Splash! And it is the program See www.stanfordesp.org for more that brings high and middle school stu- information or contact Howard Peters at dents from everywhere to Stanford’s cam- [email protected]. Day

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SANTA CLARA VALLEY SECTION FUTURE MEETINGS 2011 Section Officers Chair Abby Kennedy 209-640-2005 [email protected] Feb 17 Susan Kuchinskas Chair-Elect Natalie McClure 650-906-7831 [email protected] Science Journalist Past Chair Bruce Raby 408-294-6718 [email protected] Shiva's Indian Restaurant Secretary Karl Marhenke 831-688-4959 [email protected] 800 California Street Treasurer Ihab Darwish 650-594-1654 [email protected] Mountain View, CA Councilors Mar 13-17 2011 AIChE Spring Meeting 2009-2011 Abby Kennedy 209-640-2005 [email protected] Chicago, IL 2009-2011 Howard Peters 650-854-4614 [email protected] www.aiche.org/Conferences/ 2009-2011 Ean Warren 650-329-4554 [email protected] SpringMeeting/index.aspx 2010-2012 Linda Brunauer 408-554-6947 [email protected] 2010-2012 Sally Peters 650-812-4994 [email protected] Mar 16 Dr. Merry Sherman 2010-2012 Peter Rusch 650-961-8120 [email protected] CEO Mountain View Pharmaceutics 2011-2013 George Lechner 408-226-7262 [email protected] BioScience Forum 2011-2013 Herb Silber 408-924-4954 [email protected] www.biosf.org/programs.htm Alternate Councilors Mar 23 Dr. Megan Schwarzman 2009-2011 Ihab Darwish 650-594-1654 [email protected] Joint meeting with AWIS David Parker 2009-2011 408-615-4961 [email protected] Palo Alto Research Center 2009-2011 Bruce Raby 408-294-6718 [email protected] 2010-2012 Lois Durham 650-322-3507 [email protected] Palo Alto, CA 2010-2012 Natalie McClure 650-906-7831 [email protected] Mar 27-31 National Meeting and Exposition 2010-2012 Stephanie Gehling 408-429-9681 [email protected] Anaheim, CA 2011-2013 Mark Kent 408-736-0989 [email protected] 2011-2013 Harry Ungar 831-708-2049 [email protected] Apr 4-5 16th Annual John Stauffer Lectures Dr. John Bercaw, N. Carolina State U. Public Relations www.stanford.edu/dept/chemistry/ Robert Galemmo 650-866-4702 [email protected] events/conf/jstauffer/index.html Newsletter Apr 28 Dr. Charles Bamforth Editor Aaron Novack 510-293-8111 [email protected] UC Davis Professor ChemPloyment Abstracts BEER Director Charles Sullivan 650-728-7034 [email protected]