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NOVEMBER 22,1999 C&EN
fragments of the molecule were preassembled and then combined. The re searchers' use of their orthoester forma tion sequence to create an orthoester link between rings G and H was a key step in the assembly of a fragment containing rings D, E, F, G, H, and A2. This fragment was coupled to another that included rings Αχ, Β, A, and C. The orthoester for mation sequence was then used a second time—in this case to create the more sen sitive orthoester linkage between rings C and D. Nicolaou and coworkers elaborat ed and deprotected the structure to form thefinalproduct Asked to comment on the synthesis, chemistry professor Stephen Hanessian of the University of Montreal—whose research interests include natural prod uct synthesis and carbohydrate chemis try—says, "It isn't necessarily the diffi culty in synthesizing the individual sug ar units as much as the logistics of functional compatibility that merits ku dos in the assembly of everninomicin." Overall in the synthesis, "a great deal of knowledge regarding selectivity in ma nipulating protective groups was gath ered and considerable light was shed on conformational effects on selective functionalization of carbohydrate templates," Nicolaou and coworkers note. With the synthesis in hand, the stage is now set, they add, for the semisynthesis and bio logical testing of novel everninomicin an alogs as a potential route to the discovery of ever better antibiotics. Stu Borman
After 20 years, focus of lab managers' association is unchanged In 1980, a group of laboratory managers got together to mull over some of the problems associated with running analyt ical laboratories. The chemists shared ex periences with one another, bounced ideas for solutions off their fellow lab managers, and formed an organization to promote networking. Late last month, that organization, the Analytical Labora tory Managers Association (ALMA), cel ebrated its 20th anniversary. Originally made up of lab managers exclusively from university settings, the young association quickly attracted inter estfromthe heads of laboratories in oth er sectors. Managers of industrial, com mercial, and government laboratories, in
addition to those working in the Midwest," Lyttle re universities, learned that marked. "Amazingly, 62 peo they weren't alone in their ple showed up from across need to deal with issues of the U.S. and Canada." equipment, staff, finance, ALMA's present mem motivation, and a host of bership numbers nearly other problems. 350, and, unlike its early "ALMA came along at days, is made up mostly of just the right time—just as laboratory directorsfromin corporations began reex dustry. Managers from all amining the role of analyti sectors continue to be well cal laboratories and started represented, however, and wholesale downsizing," the change in the organiza said Claude A. Lucchesi, Some of ALMA's board members pose at the 20th anniversary tion's makeup doesn't sur one of ALMA's cofounders. meeting. From left: David Green, Robin Hood, Lucchesi, John prise its cofounders. Head of an analytical ser Plvlnskl, Lyttle, Wayne Collins, John Coulter, and Karl Van Dyke. "It makes sense that vices laboratory at North managers from all types of western University, Evanston, 111., for Ύοιι must be a lab manager because no labs choose to get involved with more than 30 years, Lucchesi delivered one else would notice those kinds of ALMA," Lyttle asserted. "We all hire the his remarks before a group of nearly things/ " Lyttle recalled, laughing. "We same type of staff, use similar equip 100 attendees at the recent anniversary began talking and quickly realized there ment, and interact with the same ven celebration at Argonne National Labora must be others like us who could bene dors. And we all have similar manage tory, Argonne, 111. fitfroman exchange of ideas." ment, budgetary, and people concerns." The meeting featured about a dozen Lucchesi pointed out that two de With input from instrument vendors talks on lab management issues, includ and others who put Lucchesi and Lyttle cades ago lab managers focused mainly ing evaluating employee performance, in touch with university lab directors, the on developing methods, making mea measuring customer satisfaction, and pair soon organized a meeting. *We were surements, and training staff. By con assessing cost-productivity efficiency. expecting maybe 20 people—mainly from trast, today's managers validate methThe program also included panel and roundtable discussions to provide par ticipants with a chance to tap into the ex pertise of their fellow lab managers. "Most laboratory managers, by vir tue of their education and experience, are thoroughly capable of handling the technical aspects of their jobs," Luc chesi noted. "But often the managerial skills are obtained on the job in a hap hazard manner." Lucchesi added that one of ALMA's objectives is to promote study and communication of lab man When you need α biocide for your water-based agement problems in order to help man formulation, look into glularaidehyde-based agers "achieve an effective mix of tech UCARCIDE Preserve ive;;. nical and executive skills." The idea for the first lab managers They're the formulator-friendly choice for: meeting germinated just over 20 years ago at a nuclear magnetic resonance >~ Compatibility with a broad range of ingredients (NMR) spectroscopy workshop at ^ Efficacy at low concentrations Northwestern. ALMA's other cofound^ Highly effective antimicrobial action against er, Thomas Lyttle, a private consultant based in New Orleans, managed aca bacteria, yeast and molds demic instrumentation facilities for 30 years, first at Iowa State University in Take a closer look. Call 1 - 8 0 0 - 8 4 7 - 6 2 8 0 . Ames, and later at Tulane University in Union Carbide Corporation New Orleans. He remembers that dur ing the NMR workshop he was "nosing about Lucchesi's lab" and examining some cleverly designed pieces of equip ment—like a "student-proofed" NMR sample compartment (designed to avoid 39 Old Ridgebury Road, Danbury, CT 06817-0001 sample-tube breakage) and user-friend ©Copyright 1996 Union Carbide. UCARCIDE is a registered trademark of Union Carbide. ly gas manifolds. "Claude came up to me and said, CIRCLE 6 4 ON READER SERVICE CARD
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NOVEMBER 22,1999 C&EN 6 9
science/technology ods and instruments and deal with regu latory constraints, he said. In addition, the heads of modern analytical laborato ries need to implement total-quality management practices and must cham pion the latest reorganization buzzword. The past 20 years have also been marked with changes in the content of ALMA's presentations. Unlike earlier meetings that focused on scientific and technical points in analytical chemistry, the thrust of recent meetings, Lucchesi emphasized, is the human element. "Just a few years ago, when I would begin speaking about effective communi cation or good hiring practices, I could see that my audience wasn't interested. They wanted to hear about something you can put a number on. Ifs different now." Lucchesi commented that today's managers more than ever recognize the importance of customer and staff satis faction. And the ALMA spokesman said he's gratified to see that heads of labora tories nowadays concentrate on com municating with senior managers to whom they report—in terms of dollars and cents—the value of the problem-
solving activities that are carried out in that promotes sharing of information on problems and their solutions. analytical facilities. So what's the secret to successfully Other recent changes in the lab man agers association include publication of managing an analytical laboratory? Lytits quarterly peer-reviewed journal, Man tle answers that there isn't a single trick that guarantees success but insists that aging the Modern Laboratory, and expan sion of the organization's activities over "you're only as good as your people." "Hire good people and work with seas. Last year, ALMA held a meeting in Oslo with representatives from 16 coun them to help them achieve their poten tries attending. The organization plans to tial," Lyttle says. "Make sure to estab convene its next European meeting in lish an excellent rapport with the people in your lab, and make them feel like Amsterdam in the fall of 2000. Despite growth and change in the they work with you—not for you. And managers association, ALMA's princi be sure to network with fellow lab man pal objective remains the same: to pro agers who can tell you how to do that vide a forum for networking among lab best." Mitch Jacoby managers, and to create an environment
Chaperone GroEL's 'best friends' identified In a study that could help explain why some proteins need assistance to fold properly, researchers in Germany have identified a large group of natural pro tein substrates of the bacterial chaper one GroEL. Chaperones are proteins that prevent partially folded proteins
from aggregating and help them attain their correctly folded native structures. Among the chaperones, GroEL and its cofactor GroESfromEscherichia colt bacteria have been the most intensive ly studied. The barrel-shaped GroEL Continued on page 74
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