Chemistry in the Capital
T
he nation's capital served as a fitting backdrop for the bicentennial meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). More than 12 000 conferees and exhibitors converged on the Washington Convention Center and several hotels to attend a week of technical sessions, social events, and the ACS exposition. Once again, the Division of Analytical Chemistry presented an exciting and informative program that featured symposia on a variety of topics, including the human genome initiative, optical spectroscopy, chiral separations, lasers and MS, tunable semiconductor diode lasers for near-IR atomic and molecular spectroscopy, and general sessions on MS, electroanalytical chemistry, separations, biological/ macromolecular separations, and biochemistry.
To achieve this goal, dramatic developments must occur in the technology for DNA mapping and sequencing and in the analysis of DNA-derived information. These developments will be reported in future FOCUS articles. According to Hood, comparative models (such as the mouse, which is closely related biologically to humans), will serve as model systems for many human diseases. Simpler model systems (such as bacteria, yeast, nematodes, and drosophila) will provide insight into how human genes work. Comparative analyses of the many regions of the genome that have not
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Human genome initiative Among the Division-sponsored symposia, one of the more interesting and perhaps controversial was that on the human genome initiative. Cosponsored by the Division of Biological Chemistry, this seven-part symposium provided an overview of the field and included talks on recent technological advances in genome mapping, automated DNA sequencing, separation techniques, and MS of large molecules as well as a presentation on the legal, social, and ethical implications. Leroy Hood of the California Institute of Technology opened the overview session with an introduction to the field. According to Hood, "The genome initiative proposes to map and sequence the 24 different human chromosomes which guide the growth and development of humans." Once the genome is sequenced, scientists will possess the most powerful biological tool for analyzing fundamental problems in modern biology, and the ways in which molecular biology and medicine are practiced will change.
changed with time (evolutionary conservation) are very important. The timetable for the genome initiative is divided into three five-year periods. The primary focus of the first fiveyear period will be technological development, physical (using sequencetagged sites) and genetic mapping, and sequencing of 1% of the comparative models. The second five-year period will also focus on technological developments, with additional mapping of chromosomes, and sequencing of 5% of the comparative models. By the third five-year period, subcontracted companies may be asked to assist in sequencing the human genome as well as the genomes of other organisms. Elke Jordan of the National Center for Human Genome Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and B. J. Barnhart of the Human Genome Program at the Department of Energy (DOE) then presented information about their respective organizations' involvement with the genome initiative.
NIH and DOE are collaborating through joint working groups to coordinate their efforts to fulfill the goals of the first five-year plan. They will be developing maps for human chromosomes; improving technology for sequencing DNA; mapping and sequencing DNA of model organisms; developing computer technology to organize, disseminate, and interpret data; studying ethical, legal, and social issues and developing appropriate policy options; training scientists; and facilitating the transfer of technological information. As the genome is sequenced, a national database for storing and accessing information will become essential. Tom Marr of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory discussed some of the technical problems associated with constructing physical maps of large segments of DNA and with building a national human genome database. According to Marr, so far less than 1% of the human genome has been sequenced and information about it entered into a database. Concerns about how information gained from this initiative will be applied have prompted the formation of a Working Group on the Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues related to mapping and sequencing of the human genome. Chair Nancy Wexler of Columbia University and the Hereditary Disease Foundation stated that this group, jointly sponsored by NIH and DOE, is developing a program to identify and address the complex issues (e.g., confidentiality and appropriate use of genetic information) that will arise as human genetics research progresses. It is estimated that there are 30004000 inherited diseases that are caused by single-gene defects. And this alarming statistic provides only a small indication of the number of people that may ultimately be affected by the human genome initiative. Based on the presentations in this symposium, it is clear that analytical chemists must col-
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FOCUS laborate closely with molecular biologists if this initiative is to succeed. Award symposia Four Division awards were presented during the meeting. Alan Marshall, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The Ohio State University, was honored on Monday with the Division of Analytical Chemistry Award in Chemical Instrumentation. The twosession award symposium, organized by M. B. Comisarow of the University of British Columbia, featured talks on F T M S , FT-ICR spectroscopy, and FT-ICR/MS, by Comisarow, Michael Gross (University of Nebraska—Lincoln), Ben Freiser (Purdue University), D. H. Russell (Texas A&M University), R. E. Smalley (Rice University), Fred McLafferty (Cornell University), and Robert Mclver, Jr. (University of California—Irvine). Marshall's award address, "FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry: The Teenage Years," focused on recent theoretical advances made in his laboratory to improve the fundamental understanding of ion trapping, ion excitation, and ion detection. Based on this information, Marshall's group has been able to propose and demonstrate instrumental improvements that will extend the dynamic range and enhance selectivity, reproducibility, the upper mass limit, and the accuracy of relative ion abundances in FT-ICR/MS. Also on Monday, the Division paid tribute to Royce Murray, recipient of the Award in Electrochemistry. Murray, Kenan professor of chemistry at the University of North Carolina— Chapel Hill, and Editor-designate of ANALYTICAL C H E M I S T R Y , was
hon-
ored at a two-session award symposium organized by R. M. Wightman, also of UNC-CH. The award symposium featured talks about a variety of electrochemical techniques. William Heineman (University of Cincinnati) discussed EXAFS spectroelectrochemistry of metal complexes in polymer films on electrode surfaces. Theodore Kuwana (University of Kansas) discussed the electrochemical activation of highly oriented pitch-based carbon fiber electrodes. Richard Buck (UNC-CH) described the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to investigate human IgG adsorbed on a silver electrode, and C. Michael Elliott (Colorado State University) talked about the electrochemical applications of soluble polyelectrolytes. Murray's award address described the collaboration of workers in his laboratory with colleagues at Stanford University, Du Pont, and the Universi-
ty of Karlsruhe, F.R.G., to study electrochemical reactions and associated phenomena at the interface between a fluid electrolyte solution and an electrode in a superconducting state. According to Murray, the investigation involves the study of copper-based ceramic phases that become superconducting at temperatures above that of liquid nitrogen. Superconducting electrode—electrolyte solution interfaces may exhibit unusual electron transfer dynamics and double-layer capacitances because of the paired charge carriers of the electrode. Murray and co-workers have devised microelectrodes from superconducting materials with an ultralow-temperature solvent and have
nalytical chemists must collaborate closely with molecular biologists. measured double-layer capacitance at temperatures spanning T c . Murray's award symposium concluded later that afternoon with talks by Hector Abrufia (Cornell University) and C.E.D. Chidsey (AT&T Bell Labs) on self-assembling monolayers; Stephen Creager (Indiana University) on tunneling microscopy of chemically modified electrodes; Debra Rolison (Naval Research Laboratory) on surface analysis of electrochemically deuterated palladium; J. S. Facci (Xerox Webster Research Center) on the electrochemistry and physics of electron hopping in an electroactive polymer; and A. G. Ewing (The Pennsylvania State University) and Wightman on voltammetric measurements of neurotransmitters in and from single cells. Paul W.J.M. Boumans, chief scientist at Philips Research Laboratories (Eindhoven, The Netherlands), was presented with the Division's Award in Spectrochemical Analysis at a symposium organized by Alexander Scheeline of the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. Boumans' award address, entitled "Understanding Spectroscopy with a View to Rationalizing Spectrochemical Analysis," dealt with some of the philosophical issues that spectroscopists need to consider in pursuing their quest for knowledge. Boumans' vast interest in spectrochemical analysis was reflected in the talks presented by W. L. Wiese (National Institute of Standards and Tech-
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nology) and M. W. Blades (University of British Columbia) on low-temperature plasmas and on a new plasma source; by John Olesik (UNC-CH) on fundamental processes in the ICP; by Ramon Barnes (University of Massachusetts) on the analysis of semiconductor organometallics; and by Walter Slavin (Perkin-Elmer) on ICP sample introduction. The award symposium concluded with talks by R. Kenneth Marcus (Clemson University) on glow discharge devices; by Scheeline on various approaches to quantitative analysis using the theta pinch discharge; by Akbar Montaser (George Washington University) and J.A.C. Broekaert (Institut fur Spektrochemie und angewandte Spektroskopie, F.R.G.) on sample introduction for ICP spectrometry; by Gary Horlick (University of Alberta) on elemental analysis; and by James Winefordner (University of Florida) on the present status of analytical atomic spectrometry. Dennis Peters, professor of chemistry at Indiana University, was honored on Tuesday with the Division's Excellence in Teaching Award at a symposium organized by G. M. Hieftje, also of Indiana University. Speakers included J. M. Hayes (Indiana University), Dennis Evans (University of Delaware), Michael Morris (University of Michigan), Milos Novotny (Indiana University), Wightman, Creager, Mark Anderson (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), D. C. Nguyen (Los Alamos National Laboratory), J. Z. Stemple (Naval Research Laboratory), Brian Willet (3M Company), and Stanley Burden (Taylor University). Their talks reflected Peters' research interests in electrochemistry and his dedication to chemical education. Peters' interests in mechanistic and synthetic organic electrochemistry were exemplified in his award address. He described his investigations of the nonaqueous electrochemical reduction of halogenated organic compounds at mercury and carbon cathodes. The next ACS national meeting will be held April 14-19 in the spacious Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Topics for the Division-sponsored symposia will include NMR studies of surfaces and catalysts, nonlinear chromatography, characterizing the structure of large molecules, applications of MS/MS, spectroscopic investigations in supercritical fluids, spectroscopic chromatographic studies in organized media, biosensors, electrochemistry at solid electrodes, theoretical studies of electrophoretic separations, and supercritical fluids in analytical chemistry. Grace K. Lee
