Daschle, left, Blum and Chu

Former Senator Gets
Introduction to Lab

Former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle received a lunch briefing on Berkeley Lab last Thursday by Director Steve Chu and several scientists. Visiting at the invitation of University of California Regent Richard Blum, Daschle heard from Associate Laboratory Director Paul Alivisatos on the Molecular Foundry, Physical Biosciences Division Director Jay Keasling on synthetic biology and Helios, nuclear scientist Kevin Lesko on prospects for a deep underground science laboratory in Daschle's home state of South Dakota, and accelerator scientist Wim Leemans. See a full photo of the participants here.

Two-Day Tutorial
Touts Helios Project

An interested audience of 75 scientists, engineers and staff participated in a two-day tutorial last week at Berkeley Lab to explore potential studies in the "Helios" project, the Lab's future energy initiative. The goal of the sessions was to inform those intending to participate in cross-disciplinary Helios teams about the various approaches to important issues and processes, both the biological and the physical. Named for the Greek god of the sun, Helios will focus on the conversion of solar energy into a carbon-neutral form of energy that could sustain our world in an environmentally friendly manner. Speakers outlined the challenges and identified roadblocks and knowledge gaps. The sessions were captured on video so that they can be accessed at a later time during the team-formation process. Go here for more information on the project.

Schedule Adjustment
For Storeroom Inventory

To comply with Department of Energy property accounting requirements, Berkeley Lab's Site Services must conduct a physical inventory of supplies and equipment. Accommodating the inventory will require the Central Storeroom (Bldg. 78) to be closed tomorrow, Feb. 15, March 15, April 12, May 17, June 14, July 19, and August 16. Those needing "project critical" supplies on those dates should call x5087 to arrange emergency service.

Custom Microbes,
At Your Service
By Andrew Pollack

Synthesized bacteria

There are bacteria that blink on and off like Christmas tree lights and bacteria that form multicolored patterns of concentric circles resembling an archery target. Yet others can reproduce photographic images. These are not strange-but- true specimens from nature, but rather the early tinkering of synthetic biologists, who seek to create living machines and biological devices that can perform novel tasks. Berkeley Lab's Jay Keasling is trying to take up to 12 genes from the wormwood tree and yeast and get them to work together in E. coli bacteria to produce artemisinin, a malaria drug now extracted from the wormwood tree. Full story.

Smart Way to Smell
Stale Foodstuffs
By Kanupriya Vashisht

Subramanian

American consumers might soon stop turning food products up and down, trying to check for that ever-evasive expiration date on milk, yogurt or cereal. Berkeley Lab materials scientist Vivek Subramanian is developing a technique that will disregard doubtful dates and track food's freshness using sensors. The sensors will keep track of bacteria levels independently and detect gas emissions within a closed environment, such as a milk bottle, letting consumers accurately know when food is no longer consumable, and possibly dangerous to ingest. Full story.

Funding Slows Science
Institute in Okinawa

The long sought international graduate university for Okinawa is running behind schedule. The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, on whose governing board Berkeley Lab Director Steve Chu sits, has been a political plum, attracting top names within the scientific communities as supporters, allies and faculty, but it's hit a snag. OIST was to open in 2008 on a new campus near Onna Village, but that's run afoul of money problems. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi broke the bad news last week, telling the public "If we can open in 2012, that's a great success story." Full story.