Ayusman Sen
@ayusmansen.bsky.social
Active autonomous systems; synthetic nano and micromotors; micropumps; nanotechnology, systems chemistry. https://sites.psu.edu/sengroup/ “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Yogi Berra
Kinetic and diffusion asymmetry combine with dissipation to provide the time and space symmetry breaking to give rise to directional motion for nanoscale enzymes. This mechanism enables the generation of higher-order tensorial outputs from scalar energy input. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Molecular Active Matter, Kinetic Asymmetry, and Non‐Reciprocal Interactions
Nanoscale enzymes constitute dissipative active matter that converts scalar energy input into vectorial outputs. Through kinetic and diffusion asymmetry, they break time and space symmetry, resulting....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
New paper out detailing how kinetic asymmetry can lead to single enzyme chemotaxis and apparent non-reciprocal interactions between enzymes: doi.org/10.1002/smll...
Molecular Active Matter, Kinetic Asymmetry, and Non‐Reciprocal Interactions
Nanoscale enzymes constitute dissipative active matter that converts scalar energy input into vectorial outputs. Through kinetic and diffusion asymmetry, they break time and space symmetry, resulting....
doi.org
"Being a younger chemist isn’t simply about age; it’s about being new and willing to learn from those around us." #chemsky 🧪
Comment: You’re never too old to be part of the younger chemist community
Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN): Keeping you up to date with the chemistry news that matters most. Published by the American Chemical Society.
cen.acs.org
If you want an example of why having political appointees deeply involved in grantmaking... www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/b...
Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him (Gift Article)
Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.
nytimes.com
Congrats we just made it impossible to come here for a PhD www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/16/m...
Trump administration limits student visas to four years, changing longstanding policy - The Boston Globe
The new rule, which also restricts the international students’ ability to transfer schools or change majors without approval in their first year, will go into effect in mid-September.
bostonglobe.com
This was written by Henry Scott Holland (27 January 1847 – 17 March 1918). He was Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford. The poem is actually not a poem at all but rather part of a larger speech Henry Scott Holland gave. .
Welcome to the Fascist States of America, where the EiC of a leading journal is forcibly removed by police for passing out his own editorial at the annual meeting of the field’s association…because it’s “too political” (read: it calls on scientists to speak out & stand up). We are here. This is it.
We entered it last year my friends. We are now neck deep in it.
Colette Delawalla, PhD@cdelawalla.bsky.social · 2mo agoWelcome to the Fascist States of America, where the EiC of a leading journal is forcibly removed by police for passing out his own editorial at the annual meeting of the field’s association…because it’s “too political” (read: it calls on scientists to speak out & stand up). We are here. This is it.
Can you generate fluid motion in protein systems without catalysis? Yes, binding events alone can sustain macroscopic flows. Macroscopic Convective Fluid Flows Arising From Binding of Ions and Small Molecules to Proteins. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Macroscopic Convective Fluid Flows Arising From Binding of Ions and Small Molecules to Proteins
The interaction of ions or small molecules with proteins causes convective flows due to the displacement of water from the hydration shell. As shown, the replacement of the nickel ion removed from ur...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Just out in ACS Nano, Congratulations Xiaotian! Emergent Nonlinearity in Active Molecular Chemotaxis | ACS Nano pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Emergent Nonlinearity in Active Molecular Chemotaxis
Understanding chemotaxis at the molecular level is challenging, as individual enzyme molecules cannot sense chemical gradients across their nanometer-sized bodies. Typical theoretical models encompass...
pubs.acs.org
Chemotactic velocity of enzymes emerges from a nonlinear coupling between the enzyme’s spatial distribution, its conformational state, and chemical gradients from catalysis. Great work by @xiaotian-lu.bsky.social Emergent Nonlinearity in Active Molecular Chemotaxis pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Emergent Nonlinearity in Active Molecular Chemotaxis
Understanding chemotaxis at the molecular level is challenging, as individual enzyme molecules cannot sense chemical gradients across their nanometer-sized bodies. Typical theoretical models encompass...
pubs.acs.org
The students can easily learn the facts now using AI. What only we can teach them is the ability to think, analyze, and choose the best path forward: the scientific method. They will remember that even if they never do science again.
Science Magazine@science.org · 3mo ago“I will miss the creativity of teaching.” During #TeacherAppreciationWeek, check out this #ScienceWorkingLife essay from a retired professor emeritus on how she challenged students to think beyond facts—and how she learned to teach like a scientist. https://scim.ag/4en9MsX
Great work by @ektashandilya.bsky.social and @xiaotian-lu.bsky.social. Shifts the paradigm from passive, receptor-based delivery to dynamic, energy-responsive targeting. Chemotaxis of ATPase-Powered Nanoparticles up Extra- and Intracellular ATP Gradients | Nano Letters pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Chemotaxis of ATPase-Powered Nanoparticles up Extra- and Intracellular ATP Gradients
Guiding synthetic nanomaterials toward specific cells and subcellular organelles remains a critical challenge for targeted therapeutics. Here, we report that ATPase-functionalized nanoparticles harnes...
pubs.acs.org
Of if he did that and it worked, he should deffffinitely be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Zoomer Antimillenarian@surcomplicated.bsky.social · 4mo agoIt turns out there is a way JD Vance can singlehandedly advance peace in the Middle East: Start campaigning for Netanyahu.
Viktor Orban has taken the high road and has already conceded defeat in the Hungarian election. But Trump and the GOP HAVE STILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGED TRUMPS DEFEAT IN 2020! They are fascist liars! Repost if you agree #BlueCrew
Orban conceding the elections after clearly losing them is another point of contrast to politicians on this side of the pond who are inspired by Orban policies and politics
This is tragically beautiful.
Home of the Brave exists to show Americans the real-world consequences of this administration’s policies, and to highlight what bravery looks like in defense of American democracy. Hoping more scientists who have megaphones are brave enough to use it. Thank you Jack for using yours.
Bill Kristol@billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 4mo ago"All of these things frighten me, and they should frighten you as well. I made the decision to create a life for myself here, because I viewed this as a place that rewarded determination, hard work, and integrity. It still has a chance to be that place again." open.substack.com/pub/ofthebra...
Eloquent and sad. As an immigrant myself, I feel exactly the same. I’m a Nobel Prize-winning immigrant. I can no longer recognize this country. open.substack.com/pub/ofthebra...
I’m a Nobel Prize-winning immigrant. I can no longer recognize this country.
Attacks on science and immigrants are destroying America.
open.substack.com
Don't be absurd. We feed the title/abstract into ChatGPT and ask it to predict how many citations it'll pick up in the next two calendar years. If it's over 15 we accept it without bothering with peer review. /s
Thank you. I would love to see how the concept of agency extends to replication. All the articles I have seen side-step this issue and without it there is no tie-in between agency and evolution, and the latter mekes no teleological sense.
Philip Ball@philipcball.bsky.social · 4mo agoThere's a strand of thought that says the agency of individual organisms is nothing more than the process of evolution itself. I'm not sure quite (yet?) what that is supposed to mean, but I'm writing about it.
The inability to replicate does not rule out livingness. But why do living beings replicate? It does not seem like agential behavior with no benefit to the individual (“selfish gene” aside). There is lot on evolution but not on how evolution by replication promotes agency for individual organisms.
Philip Ball@philipcball.bsky.social · 5mo agoGood question. I do think it is over-rated in thinking about life - I mean, it's evidently essential in the long run, but there's so much else. www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/arch...