'Tis the season
Holiday lights
Cheers! I'll drink to that...
All around the chemistree
That 2020 hindsight bias: Andrews' lab edition
100

The flu is caused by these viruses and results in 650,000 deaths annually.

What are influenza viruses?

100

This reporter protein has an excitation peak at 395nm and an emission peak at 509nm, making it fluoresce green.

What is green fluorescent protein (GFP)?

100

HO HO HO....but backwards...

What is alcohol3?

100

This terpene majorly contributes to the smell of pine trees.

What is pinene?

100

This graduate student is earning their doctoral degree at the end of 2020!

Who is Chuanzhen Zhao?

200

This virus has a basic reproductive number (R0) of 2.5, which is twice that of the influenza virus, and has caused a global pandemic.

What is SARS-CoV-2?

200

This fluorescent protein aborbs light between 540-590nm and emits light in the 550-650nm range.

What is mCherry?

200

While counterintuitive, 200-proof of this alcohol won't kill bacteria, whereas 140-proof will.

What is ethanol?

200

Crushing a hand warmer initiates the rapid crystallization of this compound.

What is sodium acetate?

200

This graduate student helped launch #BlackinChem x UCLA in 2020!

Who is Samantha Mensah

300

This influenza viral substrain caused the 1918 Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic. It also caused the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

What is the H1N1 influenza virus?

300

A genetic mutant of GFP, this fluorescent protein has an excitation peak of 514 nm.

What is yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)?

300

Alcohol binds to this ligand-gated ion channel.

What is the GABAA Receptor?

300

Holly is for more than just decking the halls. Surprisingly, its berries contain high amounts of this highly addictive chemical compound.

What is caffeine?

300

This trio of students advanced to candidacy in 2020!

Who are Sara Erwin, Katie Perrotta, and Merel Dagher.

400

Viruses like poliovirus, rabies virus, and West Nile virus can use this nerve as a shortcut to access the central nervous system.

What is the olfactory nerve?

400
The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is often used as a reporter for biosensors. It was first isolated from this species.

What is the jellyfish Aequuorea victoria?

400

This drug is used to treat chronic alcohol dependence and inhibits the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which produces hangover effects.

What is Disulfiram (Antabuse)?

400

Indium gallium nitride alloy semiconductor materials create LED Christmas lights of these colors.

What are blues and greens?

400

This graduate student won the NSF GRFP in 2020!

Who is Cameron Movassaghi?

500

A common symptom of COVID-19 is loss of smell or taste. While olfactory neurons and taste receptor cells are thought to be impacted, they do not express these key receptors.

What are angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors?

500

This class of oxidative enzymes produce bioluminescence.

What are luciferases?

500

While most commonly used for opioid dependence, this medication can be used for alcohol dependence. Its mechanism of action in alcohol dependence is generated via KOR antagonism.

What is Naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol)?

500

Dr. Nettleton named this antitumor antibiotic after a character in the Puccini opera La Bohème; however, many mistakenly think it's named after a famous reindeer.

What is Rudolphomycin?

500

This graduate student made some biopolymers for developing students as part of the CNSI Outreach program in 2020!

Who is Liv Heidenreich?