Watching chemistry as it happens

Life is the result of an incredibly complex mix of chemical reactions, all happening at the same time, influencing each other. These apparently chaotic and incomprehensible systems are elegantly regulated at organ, tissue and even cellular and sub-cellular level. Most of these chemical phenomena are not fully understood and the scale and complexity of the micro-environment where they happen often prevent scientific observations without perturbing them. This is where out-of-the-box chemical thinking can make a difference, and this is what Dr. Peng Zou has dedicated his research efforts to. Smart use of chemical tags can allow us to literally visualize chemical phenomena inside the cell as they happen, using relatively straightforward technologies such as fluorescence microscopy. One reaction at a time, Peng’s team is developing detailed cellular maps and achieving significant advances in the comprehension of the cell’s chemical machinery. This episode is masterful example of how chemistry can advance biological knowledge.

Visit https://thermofisher.com/bctl to register for your free Bringing Chemistry to Life T-shirt and https://www.alfa.com/en/chemistry-podcasts/ to access our episode summary sheet, which contains links to recent publications and additional content recommendations for our guest.

We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us! 

About Your Host

Paolo Braiuca grew up in the North-East of Italy and holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from nearby esteemed University of Trieste, Italy.  He developed expertise in biocatalysis during his years of post-doctoral research in Italy and the UK, where he co-founded a startup company. With this new venture, Paolo’s career shifted from R&D to business development, taking on roles in commercial, product management, and marketing. He has worked in the specialty chemicals, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical markets in Germany and the UK, where he presently resides.

He is currently the Director of Global Market Development in the Laboratory Chemicals Division  at Thermo Fisher Scientific™ which put him in the host chair of the Bringing Chemistry to Life podcast. A busy father of four, in what little free time he has, you’ll find him inventing electronic devices with the help of his loyal 3D-printer and soldering iron. And if you ask him, he’ll call himself a “maker” at heart.