Laurel Oldach
@laureloldach.bsky.social
Biochemistry & instrumentation reporter at Chemical & Engineering News. Signal: Laurel_Oldach.07
Also, and not for nothing, I dug the Sunday morning paper bringing my family all this journalism out from under 6” of snow in my driveway
My @washingtonpost.com colleagues worked round the clock this weekend to expose the truth of what's happening in Minneapolis and bring urgent weather news to millions facing dangerous cold and snow.
If you value this work, tell Jeff Bezos to #SaveThePost
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
If you value this work, tell Jeff Bezos to #SaveThePost
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
Federal agent secured gun from Minn. man before fatal shooting, videos show
A Washington Post analysis of videos sheds light on the encounter that left 37-year-old Alex Pretti dead.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Also, and not for nothing, I dug the Sunday morning paper bringing my family all this journalism out from under 6” of snow in my driveway
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
Wake up. Make breakfast. Do email. Watch a murder. Go to a party for a 5 year old. Laugh with my daughter. See a different angle of that murder. Hear govt officials slander the victim. Play Barbies with my kid. Feed her dinner. Tear up at that victim reading last honors to a vet. Put kid to bed. USA
January 25, 2026 at 4:43 AM
Wake up. Make breakfast. Do email. Watch a murder. Go to a party for a 5 year old. Laugh with my daughter. See a different angle of that murder. Hear govt officials slander the victim. Play Barbies with my kid. Feed her dinner. Tear up at that victim reading last honors to a vet. Put kid to bed. USA
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
🚨🚨🚨 "At least 63 times since 2007, data from some of the 28 human genomic repositories that the N.I.H. controls was improperly released to researchers, used for unapproved purposes or made vulnerable to theft..." (Gift Link) www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Genetic Data From Over 20,000 U.S. Children Misused for ‘Race Science’
www.nytimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 12:19 PM
🚨🚨🚨 "At least 63 times since 2007, data from some of the 28 human genomic repositories that the N.I.H. controls was improperly released to researchers, used for unapproved purposes or made vulnerable to theft..." (Gift Link) www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Good morning. Do you want a feel-good story about ingenuity and a determined graduate student cracking a decades-old total synthesis problem? If yes, @bethanyhalford.bsky.social spins a yarn you may enjoy.
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
Stereochemical secrets of secalosides A and B revealed at last
After almost 30 years, chemists fully decipher the structures of a pair of natural products
cen.acs.org
January 14, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Good morning. Do you want a feel-good story about ingenuity and a determined graduate student cracking a decades-old total synthesis problem? If yes, @bethanyhalford.bsky.social spins a yarn you may enjoy.
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
"In my editing room, we have a neon sign that says, “It’s complicated.” Human events are complicated. It’s important to find out new and destabilizing information. Facts outweigh story and artistic considerations. We’ve always rolled that way."
depthperceptionbyll.substack.com/p/filmmaker-...
depthperceptionbyll.substack.com/p/filmmaker-...
Ken Burns on how his film “The American Revolution” took longer to make than the war itself
If journalism is the first draft of history, the prodigious documentarian’s work records how the past echoes into — and rhymes with — the present.
depthperceptionbyll.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 1:58 PM
"In my editing room, we have a neon sign that says, “It’s complicated.” Human events are complicated. It’s important to find out new and destabilizing information. Facts outweigh story and artistic considerations. We’ve always rolled that way."
depthperceptionbyll.substack.com/p/filmmaker-...
depthperceptionbyll.substack.com/p/filmmaker-...
Meanwhile, in the lab: intratumor vaccination (or, if you will, "chemical reprogramming") guided by a PD-L1 degrader, all wrapped into one molecule
cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
A targeted protein degrader that doubles as a cancer vaccine
One molecule combines two approaches to waken dormant immunity against tumors
cen.acs.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:16 PM
Meanwhile, in the lab: intratumor vaccination (or, if you will, "chemical reprogramming") guided by a PD-L1 degrader, all wrapped into one molecule
cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
Gentle reminder that you can turn off autoplay on videos so you don’t have to be traumatized by graphic images without your consent:
Settings — content and media — autoplay videos and gifs
Settings — content and media — autoplay videos and gifs
January 9, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Gentle reminder that you can turn off autoplay on videos so you don’t have to be traumatized by graphic images without your consent:
Settings — content and media — autoplay videos and gifs
Settings — content and media — autoplay videos and gifs
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
We are proud to announce the formation of the Chemical & Engineering News Guild. We represent staffers across the editorial and operations teams at C&EN. 1/6
January 5, 2026 at 5:16 PM
We are proud to announce the formation of the Chemical & Engineering News Guild. We represent staffers across the editorial and operations teams at C&EN. 1/6
The vaccine news we have been anticipating is now here: www.hhs.gov/press-room/c...
www.hhs.gov
January 5, 2026 at 7:39 PM
The vaccine news we have been anticipating is now here: www.hhs.gov/press-room/c...
"Biopharma people are shockingly the most reserved - they're a little too deferential to the FDA." - an anonymous peptide supplier quoted in this piece.
That's, uh, that's one way of explaining it.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/b...
That's, uh, that's one way of explaining it.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/b...
‘Chinese Peptides’ Are the Latest Biohacking Trend in the Tech World
www.nytimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:47 PM
"Biopharma people are shockingly the most reserved - they're a little too deferential to the FDA." - an anonymous peptide supplier quoted in this piece.
That's, uh, that's one way of explaining it.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/b...
That's, uh, that's one way of explaining it.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/b...
👀
January 4, 2026 at 10:57 PM
👀
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
Theorists: this shouldn’t happen!
Biology: bet.
Biology: bet.
the worst part about forensic DNA testing is that it relies on biology, and biology is a messy, messy thing
as an aside: it's more common in casework to see chimerism due to a stem-cell transplant. we had an example of that in our lab not very long ago. this type is called tetragametic chimerism
as an aside: it's more common in casework to see chimerism due to a stem-cell transplant. we had an example of that in our lab not very long ago. this type is called tetragametic chimerism
Murder victim discovered to have two sets of DNA due to rare condition: an extremely rare form of chimerism. www.newscientist.com/article/2507...
January 2, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Theorists: this shouldn’t happen!
Biology: bet.
Biology: bet.
Fascinating conversation on the lifecycle of fields of inquiry:
They are basically frosh level concepts now. If you’re lucky, you do science long enough to see your science become part of the tool kit, instead of a separate discipline.
December 31, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Fascinating conversation on the lifecycle of fields of inquiry:
This paper had me breaking out my biochemistry textbook to review GPCR signaling.
Turns out, from time to time a receptor can release and recapture a GTP-bound G protein (instead of the classic cycle where GPCR binds a GDP-Gprot, swaps in GTP and then frees GTP-Gprot to go conduct signaling).
Turns out, from time to time a receptor can release and recapture a GTP-bound G protein (instead of the classic cycle where GPCR binds a GDP-Gprot, swaps in GTP and then frees GTP-Gprot to go conduct signaling).
Opioid receptor agonists take advantage of new understanding of GPCR biology
Tool compounds separate pain relief from breathing suppression in mice
cen.acs.org
December 31, 2025 at 3:54 PM
This paper had me breaking out my biochemistry textbook to review GPCR signaling.
Turns out, from time to time a receptor can release and recapture a GTP-bound G protein (instead of the classic cycle where GPCR binds a GDP-Gprot, swaps in GTP and then frees GTP-Gprot to go conduct signaling).
Turns out, from time to time a receptor can release and recapture a GTP-bound G protein (instead of the classic cycle where GPCR binds a GDP-Gprot, swaps in GTP and then frees GTP-Gprot to go conduct signaling).
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
If you're a first-year biomedical Ph.D. student, I'd like to hear how your first few months of grad school have been going. I'm a science journalist at @statnews.com and got my Ph.D. in immunology before going into journalism. You can reach me at [email protected]. #journorequest
December 30, 2025 at 8:06 PM
If you're a first-year biomedical Ph.D. student, I'd like to hear how your first few months of grad school have been going. I'm a science journalist at @statnews.com and got my Ph.D. in immunology before going into journalism. You can reach me at [email protected]. #journorequest
After helping someone near to me field a just-this-side-of-plausible pitch, I'm looking for perspectives on a zero-trust future of digital correspondence. Has anybody read (or written!) something thought-provoking on wrangling your inbox in a post Turing Test world?
December 28, 2025 at 6:15 PM
After helping someone near to me field a just-this-side-of-plausible pitch, I'm looking for perspectives on a zero-trust future of digital correspondence. Has anybody read (or written!) something thought-provoking on wrangling your inbox in a post Turing Test world?
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
You’ve just opened a Chemistry themed pub. What are you calling it?
The Flask and Column
#ChemSky #ChemChat
The Flask and Column
#ChemSky #ChemChat
You’ve just opened a Star Trek themed restaurant. What are you calling it?
Bake It So
Bake It So
Oh hey, that works too. You’ve just opened a Star Trek themed restaurant. What are you calling it?
Make It So
Make It So
December 27, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
It just seems strange to not trust drug companies and actual research and to instead trust "med spas" with iv's, people making peptides in their garages, and formulating pharmacies with the cleanliness standards of Boar's Head plants.
December 26, 2025 at 8:07 PM
It just seems strange to not trust drug companies and actual research and to instead trust "med spas" with iv's, people making peptides in their garages, and formulating pharmacies with the cleanliness standards of Boar's Head plants.
OK, but as a Marylander, it pleases me to see Oakland on the real Bay
Google Gemini Pro: please generate a map of the western united states showing cities of over 250K population
December 22, 2025 at 5:30 PM
OK, but as a Marylander, it pleases me to see Oakland on the real Bay
The end of the year is a great time to boost your colleagues. If you know an amazing early-career* chemist or biochemist doing creative work on important problems, please consider nominating them to the Chemical & Engineering News Talented 12 class of 2026?
cen.acs.org/sections/tal...
cen.acs.org/sections/tal...
C&EN's Talented 12
Know an extraordinary young researcher who is inspiring the next generation of chemists? Submit your nomination by January 20, 2026 for the Talented 12 class of 2026.
cen.acs.org
December 18, 2025 at 9:22 PM
The end of the year is a great time to boost your colleagues. If you know an amazing early-career* chemist or biochemist doing creative work on important problems, please consider nominating them to the Chemical & Engineering News Talented 12 class of 2026?
cen.acs.org/sections/tal...
cen.acs.org/sections/tal...
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
Der Spiegel arranges for an academic scholar of media to produce — quarterly — an evaluation and critique of the magazine on any subject the scholar finds important. The latest, "Knowing Ignorance," is on Der Spiegel's climate coverage. Bernhard Poerksen is the author. www.spiegel.de/internationa...
December 18, 2024 at 10:18 PM
Der Spiegel arranges for an academic scholar of media to produce — quarterly — an evaluation and critique of the magazine on any subject the scholar finds important. The latest, "Knowing Ignorance," is on Der Spiegel's climate coverage. Bernhard Poerksen is the author. www.spiegel.de/internationa...
Biochemistry fam, help a sleep-deprived reporter out. Let's say you wanted to explain the GPCR/G protein cycle to someone who hadn't heard of it. Would you call GTP and GDP ligands? Cofactors? Small-molecule buddies?
December 17, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Biochemistry fam, help a sleep-deprived reporter out. Let's say you wanted to explain the GPCR/G protein cycle to someone who hadn't heard of it. Would you call GTP and GDP ligands? Cofactors? Small-molecule buddies?
This filing is worth your time if you care about what’s happening to NIH.
Also: I follow this stuff for a living, and I had forgotten all about the $500 million, not peer reviewed Taubenberger/Memoli vaccine development grant
Also: I follow this stuff for a living, and I had forgotten all about the $500 million, not peer reviewed Taubenberger/Memoli vaccine development grant
She alleges violations of due process under the Fifth Amendment, the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the Administrative Procedure Act, and her rights to freedom of speech under the First Amendment and the Whistleblower Protection Act.
Full complaint:
katzbanks.com/wp-content/u...
Full complaint:
katzbanks.com/wp-content/u...
katzbanks.com
December 17, 2025 at 4:16 AM
This filing is worth your time if you care about what’s happening to NIH.
Also: I follow this stuff for a living, and I had forgotten all about the $500 million, not peer reviewed Taubenberger/Memoli vaccine development grant
Also: I follow this stuff for a living, and I had forgotten all about the $500 million, not peer reviewed Taubenberger/Memoli vaccine development grant
Reposted by Laurel Oldach
For @cenmag.bsky.social, I tried to summarize what happened in science policy in 2025. Spoiler: A lot!
Thanks to Ian Banks, @jeremymberg.bsky.social, Arthur Daemmrich, @cdelawalla.bsky.social and @ucs.org Jen Jones for their insights.
Out soon: what to expect in 2026
cen.acs.org/policy/nih-n...
Thanks to Ian Banks, @jeremymberg.bsky.social, Arthur Daemmrich, @cdelawalla.bsky.social and @ucs.org Jen Jones for their insights.
Out soon: what to expect in 2026
cen.acs.org/policy/nih-n...
‘A huge rupture in everything’: US science faced major upheaval in 2025
Amid enormous shifts, many scientists pushed back and risked dismissal from their jobs even as federal agencies fired thousands of employees
cen.acs.org
December 10, 2025 at 3:27 PM
For @cenmag.bsky.social, I tried to summarize what happened in science policy in 2025. Spoiler: A lot!
Thanks to Ian Banks, @jeremymberg.bsky.social, Arthur Daemmrich, @cdelawalla.bsky.social and @ucs.org Jen Jones for their insights.
Out soon: what to expect in 2026
cen.acs.org/policy/nih-n...
Thanks to Ian Banks, @jeremymberg.bsky.social, Arthur Daemmrich, @cdelawalla.bsky.social and @ucs.org Jen Jones for their insights.
Out soon: what to expect in 2026
cen.acs.org/policy/nih-n...