C&EN: "Chairs of 36 US chemistry departments call to restore funding"

In this week's C&EN, this news (article by Max Barnhart): 

A coalition of 36 chemistry department chairs from US universities has published an open letter in Science highlighting their concern over recent federal policy decisions impacting science (2025, DOI: 10.1126/science.adx8085).

The letter calls out decisions to decrease overhead rates, reduce funding for science, lay off program managers at scientific agencies, and restrict efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion as detrimental to chemistry research in the US. It states that “failing to support the scientific enterprise will erode decades of progress in research and innovation, ceding leadership in key technological areas to global competitors.”

The authors of the letter are listed alphabetically, and the letter states that the authors’ opinions do not reflect those of their home universities.

Amanda Morris, chair of the chemistry department at Virginia Tech, took the lead in drafting and organizing support for the letter. “We didn’t want the letter to be political,” she says. “We wanted to make an economic stance for why chemical research is critical to the United States and our world prowess as a scientific leader.”

The letter cites American Chemistry Council data that say the chemical industry contributes over $600 billion annually to the US economy and supports over 4 million jobs. But maintaining stable research funding for academic labs is critical for sustaining this economic output, according to the letter’s authors.

Peter B. Armentrout, chair of the chemistry department at the University of Utah and signee of the letter, says that recent policy decisions “may have cost savings in the short term, but it’s going to cause long-term damage to the ability of the United States to perform scientific research and to lead in scientific research.”

It's a good thing to push all the buttons to see what works. Best wishes to them, and to all of us. 

Job posting: Director of Formulation Chemistry, Monarch, Oakland, CA

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

Director of Formulation Chemistry

You’ll translate our hit Monarch repellent compounds from milligram-scale discoveries into pilot and manufacturing scale formulations. You’ll optimize solvent systems, work on controlled release systems, and ensure robust, reproducible processes for field trials and commercial production. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead bench-to-pilot scale-up of candidate compounds, focusing on solvent selection, solvent recovery, controlled release, and other critical scale-up variables
• Design and execute experiments to assess solubility, stability, and volatility 
• Troubleshoot formulation issues and iterate quickly under real-world constraints
• Collaborate cross-functionally with predictive-modeling, behavioral assay, and computational chemist groups 

Requirements

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years’ hands-on scale-up or process chemistry experience
• Deep understanding of solvent properties, controlled release phenomena, and formulation principles 

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

The 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 6 research/teaching positions

The 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List has 6 research/teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

On June 18, 2024, the 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 9 research/teaching positions and one teaching position. 

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? Here's a link to the first open thread. 

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

Job posting: Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami, FL

From the inbox: 

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida International University invites applications to fill a full-time and permanent Teaching position starting in August 2025.  The position requires a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry or related field and experience teaching undergraduate students. At FIU we encourage faculty to incorporate innovative teaching methods into their classroom such as but not limited to active learning methods and use of simulations in our general chemistry courses. Duties of the position will include teaching in the area of general chemistry at the undergraduate level.  The ideal candidate is expected to continue to take an active role in curriculum reform efforts, developing potential online/hybrid courses, and pursuing educational grants. The candidate is expected to have departmental administration and committee duties as a full-time teaching faculty and is expected to have full-time presence on campus.  The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, with over 40 faculty from 13 different countries, has dynamic and growing Ph.D. programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry supporting over 100 graduate students, as well as a vibrant undergraduate program with over 100 B.A. and B.S. graduates each year. 

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply to Job Opening ID 534949 at careers.fiu.edu and provide a cover letter, C.V. and teaching philosophy. Candidates will be requested to provide names and contact information for at least 3 references who will be contacted as determined by the search committee. To receive full consideration, applications and required materials should be received by June 29, 2025. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

Have a great weekend

Well, this was a boring and wild week. I hope that you had more of a boring week than my wild week, but hey, it's Friday and I am very much looking forward to this weekend. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I will see you on Monday. 

"Unknown contaminant" (?) causes nitric acid tank release of NOX in Ohio

Via Ohio TV station WXIX, this chemical news: 

VINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - Residents in Vinton County are back in their homes after they were evacuated due to a chemical release at a southeast Ohio explosives manufacturing facility.

Emergency crews issued an evacuation order within a three-mile radius of the Austin Powder Red Diamond Company in McArthur Wednesday morning after a 5,000-gallon tank with nitric acid released 3,000 gallons of nitric oxide into the atmosphere.

According to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, an “unknown contaminant entered the nitric acid tank,” causing the chemical reaction to occur.

Although the release was stopped, the lingering chemical plume prompted an evacuation of the small Village of Zaleski and several roads surrounding the Austin Powder Plant. Residents were able to go home at 4:40 p.m.

I too do not know what the contaminant was, but I'm guessing it was water or air. No fun for the local birds for sure. 

Job posting: Director of Research & Development, ELANTAS North America, St. Louis, MO

Via ACS Chemistry Careers, this position: 

ELANTAS North America is seeking a Director of Research & Development (R&D) to lead the creation, alignment, and execution of strategies for R&D programs, policies, and procedures. This role is based on-site in St. Louis, MO, and requires travel to other US facilities.

As a critical resource, the Director will collaborate with Global R&D teams and Business Line Directors to align development, lab testing, and technical services resources with business priorities.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Develops and recommends organization-wide technical research policies and programs needed to support profitable growth of the organization.
• Establishes & administers procedures pertaining to the discovery of new products, the alteration & improvement of existing products, and to the design of procedures and specifications of these products.
• Recommends budget requirements and takes action to guarantee effective research and development performance within approved budgets.

Requirements

Education & Experience:

• Ph.D. in Chemistry
• Minimum of 10 years related experience.
• Experience leading New Product Introduction (NPI) processes.

Via their website, this bit of info: "ELANTAS North America, Inc. is a premier global supplier of specialty resins for applications in the electrical and electronic industries." Best wishes to those interested. 

Now I've seen it all: NJ municipal workers steal pool chemicals for their own business

Via Patch:

SECAUCUS, NJ — On Tuesday, Secaucus Recreation Department employees John Schwartz, Frank Flanagan, Joseph Ferrara and Megan Wofsy-Flanagan were all arrested by Secaucus Police. All four are accused of stealing chemicals from the town pool and re-using them for their private pool maintenance business.

...Secaucus Police detectives used surveillance and undercover police officers to investigate. Police allege all four stole various pool chemicals purchased by the town and stored at the Secaucus town pool on Koelle Boulevard. Thefts sometimes occurred on a daily basis when these individuals were both on the clock and off the clock of the town’s payroll. They stole chemical amounts valued in the thousands, said police.

They would use the stolen chemicals to service pools for Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management, said police, charging customers thousands of dollars. These private pools were located in Secaucus, but also in towns in Hudson, Bergen, Morris and Somerset counties. Also, some of these four town employees would work for their private company while getting paid on the clock by the town of Secaucus, allege police and the town.

Read the whole sorry article. I often joke with my management about the difficulty in fencing chemicals, but I guess I was wrong! 

The 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 4 research/teaching positions

The 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List has 4 research/teaching positions. 

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

On June 11, 2024, the 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 4 research/teaching positions and one teaching position. 

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? Here's a link to the first open thread. 

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

C&EN: "At Columbia University, chemical scientists are dismayed by funding cuts"

In this week's C&EN, this news (article by Aayushi Pratap): 

...About 40 blocks north of Columbia’s main campus is the university’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, located in the Washington Heights neighborhood. It’s the research home of Barry Honig, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics who has spent over 4 decades as a researcher at Columbia studying protein interactions.

Honig was one of the collaborators on a project valued at over $1 million that lost its NIH grant. The group was investigating how proteins implicated in cancers interact with each other and the most effective ways to target them with drugs. “One day, the grant just didn't exist anymore—it is nothing like we have seen before,” he says. Columbia is currently in the process of negotiating the terms to restore the funding, he adds.

Honig says the research is fundamental to the field because scientists are only beginning to understand how proteins interact with each other. “We need this information to understand how drugs might bind to these proteins,” he says.

Looks like California is next. What a mess. 

Have a great weekend

Well, this was a fun and busy week. Looks like things are going to get busier, but who knows. I hope that you had a great week and that you have a wonderful weekend. See you on Monday. 

Job posting: Scientist III, Process R&D, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Florence, SC

Via ACS Chemistry Careers: 

You will join a team of synthetic organic chemists to support the manufacturing of pharmaceutical ingredients at the Florence, SC - East site. Many of our products are already in the market, serving patients. We work on a variety of projects for existing and new clients. At this position, you will perform hands-on experimentation and learn knowledge and skills for process development of pharmaceutical products. We have a fast-paced working environment while keeping a good work-and-life balance. We encourage employees to participate in technical discussions.

Responsibilities: 

• Develop chemical processes to synthesize drug intermediates and APIs that meet or exceed the quality requirements from clients.
• Collect process data through laboratory experiments with accurate, detailed documentation for process evaluation, development, and troubleshooting.
• Record and analyze scientific data/observations in detail. Summarize and interpret process data to draw conclusions. Write updates/reports. Participate in discussions with colleagues and clients.

Education: PhD in Chemistry or related discipline with commensurate experience

Experience: 0-2 years of experience

Full ad here. Best wishes to those interested. 

RIP Robert Holton

Via the Tallahassee Democrat, this sad news: 

Dr. Robert Anthony Holton, known as “Bob” to friends and colleagues, was a groundbreaking chemist and the scientist behind the first total synthesis of the cancer drug Taxol. He died peacefully at his home in Tallahassee, Florida, on May 21, 2025. He was 81.

Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and raised in Charlotte, he was the son of Marion Downing Holton and Aaron T. Holton. He met his first wife, Juanita Bird, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill while earning his undergraduate degree in chemistry. They moved to Tallahassee, where he earned his doctorate from Florida State University and had their first son, Robert. After postdoctoral work at Stanford University, where their second son, David, was born, he held faculty positions at Purdue University and Virginia Tech. He returned to FSU in 1986 with his second wife, Dr. Marie E. Krafft, where they both held faculty appointments in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and had their son, Paul. He spent the remainder of his career at FSU.

He is best known for his work on Taxol, a potent chemotherapy agent originally derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. The semisynthetic process he developed was the first commercially viable method for large-scale production. In 1993, he and his research group achieved the first successful total synthesis of Taxol, one of the most intricate and celebrated accomplishments in synthetic organic chemistry. His breakthroughs helped expand access to a critical cancer treatment and marked a milestone in the history of medicinal chemistry.

A teenage memory: hearing about the wonder drug Taxol, and then (while volunteering at a hospital) hearing one physician say to another: "I'm going to be on [local TV show] and they're going to ask me about Taxol - what should I say?" 

A grad student memory: learning about the semisynthesis from 10-deacetylbaccatin III, and thinking "that's really cool." 

A professional memory: learning about the facility in Michigan where the trees are grown for taxol synthesis, and thinking "that's really cool." 

Rest in peace, Professor Holton.

The 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 2 research/teaching positions

The 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List has 2 research/teaching positions. 

On June 4, 2024, the 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 3 research/teaching positions and one teaching position. 

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? This is the first open thread. 

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread. 

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet. 

Is the generics market well-structured or poorly structured?

Via Marginal Revolution, libertarian economics professor and FDA commentator Alex Tabarrok on the generics market.

The United States has some of the lowest prices in the world for most drugs. The U.S. generic drug market is competitive and robust—but its success is not accidental. It is the result of a series of deliberate, well-designed policy interventions.

The 1984 Hatch-Waxman Act allowed generic drug manufacturers to bypass costly safety and efficacy trials for previously approved drugs by demonstrating bioequivalence through Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). To spur competition, the Act also granted 180 days of market exclusivity to the first generic filer who challenges a brand-name patent—a mini-monopoly as a reward for initiative. Balancing static efficiency (P=MC) with dynamic efficiency (incentives for innovation) is hard, but Hatch-Waxman mostly got it right.

The Generic Drug User Fee Amendments (GDUFA), modeled after the very successful Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), require generic manufacturers to pay user fees to the FDA. These funds allow the Office of Generic Drugs to hire more staff and meet stricter approval timelines. GDUFA dramatically reduced ANDA backlogs and accelerated market entry, especially under GDUFA II.

He also mentioned the FDA’s Division of Policy Development in the Office of Generic Drug Policy, which was apparently helpful in accelerating generics to market. 

Here's another viewpoint on a specific arm of the generics market, via an article in JAMA by Eli Cahan: 

One family of drugs that has remained stubbornly susceptible to shortage is what experts call generic sterile injectables (GSIs). This class—which includes non–brand-name IV medications like fluids as well as many antibiotics and chemotherapies—accounts for a disproportionate share of the problem: between 2017 and 2023, 67% of all drugs in shortage were GSIs, according to data from IQVIA.

Part of the supply chain vulnerability derives from GSIs being less than enticing from the manufactures’ perspective, explained Erin Fox, PharmD, MHA, associate chief pharmacy officer at University of Utah.

An April 2025 report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) characterized “low price and low-profit margins” as key drivers of the GSI shortages. Late last year, a US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report likewise found that 70% of GSIs do not achieve profitability by 3 years. This limited upside has led to manufacturers exiting the market, according to the GAO report.

I think this is the core issue that isn't mentioned by Prof. Tabarrok - in some places, the generics market is genuinely neither competitive nor robust. Instead, there are not enough players in the market, the margins seem to be razor-thin, quality is lacking and the only profits to be made are in the times of shortage when prices spike. I am not saying that Prof. Tabarrok is wrong, but I think I am saying his praise is incomplete.

(In truth, I think Prof. Tabarrok is praising the policy responses from both Congress and the FDA for creating the correct conditions for the strengths of the American generics market and not the weaknesses...)

What if Harvard Chemistry were structured as a for-profit corporation?

Bloomberg's Matt Levine is a very fun financial writer, and this week's column as to how to avoid the new potential 21% endowment tax is hilarious. 

In the current framework, a big capital gain is good, for the university. In a 21% excise tax framework, it is less good. (It’s 21% less good.) In the excise-tax framework, $100 of endowment income would pay for $79 of professors’ salaries. But if a for-profit corporation were to pay $100 of professors’ salaries, that payment would be tax-deductible (for the corporation). And so the trade is something like:

1. The for-profit Chemistry Corporation hires all of Harvard’s chemistry professors, sets them up with labs, buys their equipment and pays their graduate students. Let’s say the operating budget of the chemistry department is $8 million, a number I just made up. The Chemistry Corporation takes over the responsibility for that budget.
2. Harvard invests $100 million in the Chemistry Corporation and gets 95% of the stock; the professors get the rest.
3. The Chemistry Corporation re-invests that cash with whoever currently manages Harvard’s endowment, targeting an 8% annual return.
4. The Chemistry Corporation makes $8 million a year on its investments, and pays $8 million a year in operating expenses, for a net income of $0.
5. It pays no taxes, because it has no net income.
6. Harvard doesn’t pay any excise tax on the return on its $100 million Chemistry Corporation investment, because that return is zero.
7. Harvard also rents office space to the Chemistry Corporation (not taxable, because not investment income?) and pays, you know, $1 a year for the Chemistry Corporation to provide teachers for undergraduate chemistry classes.
8. I guess if they discover a valuable new chemical that’s gravy.

There is a precisely analogous approach for the Harvard Professional Football Team Inc., though it could also earn revenue from ticket sales. Or for the Classics Corporation, which probably couldn’t.

First of all, surely the Harvard chemistry department's annual budget is much more than $8 million. I'm guessing it's closer to $80 million, but university department finances are weird, especially since each professor can bring in their own money, etc, etc. 

Second, I would be interested in hearing about the vague ratios of grant funds brought in versus startup package, and how those "ROIs" compare to 8% annual returns. 

Large organizations seem to spend a lot of time working around tax avoidance, so it seems reasonable that if the US government began levying further excise taxes on endowments that universities would begin doing odd things to structure their finances to avoid them. 

Have a great weekend

It would be nice if life slowed down just a little bit, but there you are. I hope that you had a calmer week than I did and that you have a great weekend. See you on Monday.