LSU Department of Chemistry

11/18/2025

⭐Student Spotlight⭐
Samuel Owoso, Chemistry Graduate Student

Meet Samuel, a 5th-year Ph.D. candidate in the Zhang Research Group studying biomacromolecular and polymer chemistry. His research explores how molecular evolution leads to the emergence of functional protoproteins and investigates the dynamic mechanisms that enable sequence selection at life’s origin. Samuel chose chemistry because it allows him to uncover how molecular interactions give rise to function and to translate those insights into new materials, one monomer at a time.

After graduation, Samuel hopes to pursue a career as a materials R&D scientist, creating functional and sustainable polymers that enable innovations in energy, biotechnology, and next-generation electronics. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing badminton, writing music, singing, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

11/17/2025

We were proud to join the Baton Rouge Chapters of the ACS and AIChE in celebrating outstanding contributors to science, many of whom are part of our community.

🏆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗘. 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Prof. Rao M. Uppu – Professor of Environmental Toxicology at Southern University and A&M College - Baton Rouge, LA, and Adjunct Professor in LSU Chemistry

🏆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Dr. Howard Pentes – Manager, Louisiana State Police Crime Lab

🍎 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Ms. JoAnne Steward – LSU Laboratory School; 2025 ACS High School Chemistry Teacher of the Year

Mr. Lorenzo Foster – St. Michael the Archangel High School; Recipient of the 2024 ACS Southwest Region Award for Excellence in High School Teaching

🌟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗖𝗦 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱
Daniel Le Lorier, LSU Chemistry

🧪 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗔𝗖𝗦 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺
- Timothy Namikas, Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, Honors, National Exam
- Kevin Zheng, Catholic High School, 1st Place, Baton Rouge Local Section Exam
- Aiden Fee, The Dunham School, 2nd Place, Baton Rouge Local Section Exam
- Darren Weng, Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, 3rd Place, Baton Rouge Local Section Exam

👏 Congratulations to all honorees for their remarkable achievements and contributions to science, education, and the community.

11/14/2025

Loving all the posts from Super Science Saturday! Thank you for volunteering and helping make our event a success. 💜💛

11/13/2025

“This paper is high-impact because it examines an existential risk, projecting the billions of people who would starve under nuclear winter scenarios” ... “Focus on questions that address pressing scientific or societal needs” ... “a totally unexpected discovery” ... “In general, research that becomes widely cited often does so because it creates a shared resource others can easily adopt and build upon.”

Hear more from LSU researchers who recently authored highly cited papers on how they did it: https://www.lsu.edu/blog/2025/11/highly-cited-papers.php

LSU College of the Coast & Environment LSU College of Engineering LSU College of Science LSU AgCenter LSU College of Humanities & Social Sciences

11/13/2025

🌟 #𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗼𝘂𝘁! 🌟
A huge thank you to the 100+ volunteers who made a success! Your time, energy, and commitment helped create an inspiring day of discovery and fun for our community. Thank you for making it all possible!

⭐ LSU Chemistry Students
⭐ Iota Sigma Pi
⭐ LSU Engineering Development Ambassadors
⭐ LSU Mathematics Club
⭐ LSU Student Affiliates American Chemical Society
⭐ Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU Chemistry)
⭐ LSU NOBCChE
⭐ BASF
⭐ LIGO
⭐ Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
⭐ Orbia Fluor and Energy Materials
⭐ Lee Research Group, LSU Chemistry
⭐ Kuroda Research Group, LSU Chemistry
⭐ Baranets Research Group, LSU Chemistry
⭐ Xu Research Group, LSU Chemistry
⭐ Duan Research Group, LSU Chemistry
⭐ Feng Research Group, LSU Entomology
⭐ Capital Area STEM
⭐ GeauxTeach at LSU
⭐ Elgrishi Research Group, LSU Chemistry
⭐ Chambers Research Group, LSU Chemistry
⭐ ExxonMobil Baton Rouge
⭐ Industry Makes.
⭐ LSU Women in Physics (WiP)
⭐ Society of Physics Students (SPS), LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy
⭐ LSU Laboratory School
⭐ LSU SCI Lead
⭐ LSU Food Science Club
⭐ LSU BioGrads
⭐ Center for Energy Studies at LSU
⭐ LSU College of Science
⭐ Baton Rouge Chapter of the ACS

11/12/2025

We are proud to celebrate our faculty who were honored at the LSU Promotion and Tenure Ceremony! Their commitment to research, teaching, and mentorship strengthens our Tiger community every day.

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure:
⭐ Prof. Matthew Chambers

Promotion to Professor:
⭐ Prof. Revati Kumar

11/12/2025

Controlling how and when molecules cross cell membranes is a challenge in drug delivery and biomedical engineering. Greater precision could enable therapies that activate only where and when they’re needed, reducing side effects and improving effectiveness.

In a new paper, the García-López Research Group reports a photoswitchable rotaxane that changes shape in response to light, doubling membrane permeability (29% → 59%) and demonstrating how light can precisely regulate molecular activity.

Their findings open new possibilities for light-responsive tools that could one day deliver drugs or modulate cells with pinpoint accuracy.

🔬 Read the full study to see how light is redefining molecular medicine > https://www.beilstein-journals.org/bjoc/articles/21/192

11/11/2025

Congratulations to graduate student Kelcey Hines for successfully defending her doctoral dissertation! Kelcey worked under the guidance of Prof. Kermit Murray.

11/11/2025

11/10/2025

11/08/2025

🌟 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆! 🌟
Join us TODAY at the LSU PMAC for a STEM-sational event full of discovery and hands-on learning! 🧪🔬 From building rockets and extracting fruit DNA to exploring 3D molecules in virtual reality, there’s something for every curious mind.

🗓 Saturday, November 8th
⌚10 AM – 3 PM
📍LSU Pete Maravich Assembly Center (PMAC)
✨FREE Admission!
🔗Learn more: https://www.lsu.edu/science/chemistry/information/sss.php