- Home
- News & Views
- Topical Groups
- Education
- Careers
- Quick Links, etc
Older Events
Mar 24, 2022 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its March meeting online, Thurs, March 24, 7:00 pm
Featured Presentation

Seminar details:
Date: Thursday March 24th 7:00 pm ET
Speaker: Prof. Galia Debelouchina
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of California, San Diego
Title: “NMR-Based Tools for Structural Biology of Complex Systems: From Gels to Cells”
Flyer:
Abstract
Recent advances in structural biology have dramatically expanded the scope of proteins and assemblies that are now amenable to structural analysis. Yet, many biological systems display dynamics and undergo transformations that have been difficult to capture experimentally, especially in complex or native settings. In this context, my group has been developing NMR-based methodologies to describe such challenging systems and to pave the way to the next exciting structural biology frontier, the cellular environment. Here, I will present our progress on two fronts: 1) Development of NMR methodologies to describe the molecular basis of protein phase transitions from the liquid to the gel and solid states. In particular, I will focus on the transitions displayed by heterochromatin protein 1α (HP1α), a key player in gene regulation and chromatin organization. 2) Development of sensitivity-enhanced NMR approaches suitable for the cellular environment. Our work is based on a methodology called dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) which can transfer polarization from electron to nuclear spins and thus increase nuclear signals by several orders of magnitude. For this purpose, we develop small molecule DNP polarization agents that contain unpaired electron spins and that can be targeted selectively to a protein of interest. These agents have allowed us to obtain NMR structural data of tiny amounts of proteins (1-5 μg) and to study the polarization transfer mechanisms in targeted DNP experiments.
Connection Information
This will be a virtual meeting hosted via Microsoft Teams.
The seminar is free of charge. No advance registration is required.
Link to the meeting (uses Microsoft Teams):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2022-03-24
Register
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Registration
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Advance registration is not required.
Questions:
Jonathan.Williams@bms.com (Chair)
Thomas.OsbornPopp@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,867963351# United States, Elizabeth NJ Phone Conference ID: 867 963 351# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
Feb 24, 2022 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its February meeting online, Thurs, February 24, 7:00 pm
Featured Presentation

Seminar details:
Date: Thursday February 24th 7:00 pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Keith Fritzsching
Senior Member –Technical Staff
Sandia National Laboratories
Title: “Structure and Chemical Kinetics of Heterogenous Biomolecular Assemblies with Solid-State NMR”
Flyer:
Abstract
Solid-state NMR can be used to measure atomic-resolution structure and chemical kinetics in a broad range of systems, including those that lack periodicity, have defects, or otherdisorders. I will dicuss biophysics studies where detailed local conformational information is attenable despite long-range (nm-µm) disorder. I will highlight our recent study of TIA1, aprotein involved in several neurodegenerative diseases. Even in this large (43kDa) and complex protein, we could obtain site-specific information necessary for understanding the protein’s mechanisms and ligand binding. I will also discuss several Solid-state NMR methods development projects. I will introduce a class of recoupling pulse sequences that use an “interleaving” scheme to tune effective Hamiltonian scaling factors.
Connection Information
This will be a virtual meeting hosted via Microsoft Teams.
The seminar is free of charge. No advance registration is required.
Link to the meeting (uses Microsoft Teams):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2022-02-24
Register
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Registration
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Advance registration is not required.
Questions:
Jonathan.Williams@bms.com (Chair)
Thomas.OsbornPopp@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,867963351# United States, Elizabeth NJ Phone Conference ID: 867 963 351# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
Jan 20, 2022 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its January meeting online, Thurs, January 20, 7:00 pm UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Featured Presentation

Seminar details:
Date: Thursday January 20th 7:00 pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Tom Popp
NMR Topical Group Co-Chair 2022
Rutgers University
Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
Title: “Development of NMR Instrumentation to Study Complex Materials”
Flyer:
Abstract
Many functional inorganic and biological materials are also highly complex in structure and composition on length scales of nanometers or greater. Solid state NMR is particularly well-suited to study these materials, due to its ability to observe local structure and site-specific dynamics. In this talk, I will share how solid-state NMR can be used to reveal new details about complex materials ranging from crystalline, porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to arthropod silk and bacterial biomass. I will also describe new developments in solid state NMR instrumentation, including a new paradigm for magic-angle spinning (MAS) experiments: spherical MAS rotors.
Connection Information
This will be a virtual meeting hosted via Microsoft Teams.
The seminar is free of charge. No advance registration is required.
Link to the meeting (uses Microsoft Teams):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2022-01-20
Register
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Registration
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Advance registration is not required.
Questions:
Jonathan.Williams@bms.com (Chair)
Thomas.OsbornPopp@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,867963351# United States, Elizabeth NJ Phone Conference ID: 867 963 351# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
Oct 18, 2021 – NMR Virtual Symposium
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to presents its
Under Construction
North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group
presents the
2021 Virtual NMR Symposium
October 18th, 2021
Microsoft Teams link:
Attendance is FREE of charge
Please circulate our ]
Please [ register here ] for this symposium
Note: You can view complete videos of these talks by clicking the video links below.
Program
Session 1 (8:00 – 10:00am EDT)
8:10 – 9:00am - Christian Griesinger, Max Planck Institute [ video ]
Title: TBA
9:05 – 9:55am Matthias Ernst, ETH Zurich [ video ]
Residual Dipolar Line Width in Proton MAS Solid-State NMR
9:55 – 10:15am – Break
Session 2 (10:15 – 12:05pm EDT)
10:20 – 11:10am - Lewis Kay, University of Toronto [ video ]
Developing the NMR toolkit to study protein molecules in the phase separated state
11:15 – 12:05pm - Ann McDermott, Columbia University [ video ]
Signaling in Biological Systems – Insights from NMR
12:05 – 1:00 pm - Lunch Break
Session 3 (1:00 – 2:40pm EDT)
1:05 – 1:45pm - Nicholas Whiting, Rowan University [ video ]
Advances in Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance
1:50 – 2:40pm - Qi Zhang, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [ video ]
Unveiling the “Invisible” Regulatory States in RNA
2:40 – 3:00pm – Break
Session 4 (3:00 – 4:50pm EDT)
3:05 – 3:55pm - Andrew Nieuwkoop, Rutgers University [ video ]
Using NMR and Molecular Dynamics to Understand Protein Lipid Interactions
4:00 – 4:50pm - David Rovnyak, Bucknell University [ video ]
The metabolome in the freezer: promises and pitfalls of mining metabolic knowledge in standard-of-care biobanked sera, and other unconventional NMR metabolomics
4:50 – 5:10pm – Break
Evening Keynote (5:10 – 6:30pm EDT)
5:25 – 6:15pm – Gerhard Wagner, Harvard University [ video ]
From NMR studies of translation initiation factors to understanding
6:20 – 6:30pm – Jon Williams, Co-Chair of the NJACS NMR Topical Group
Closing remarks
x
(Past Events)
Sept 23, 2021 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its September meeting online, Thurs, September 23, 2021, 7:00 pm
Featured Presentation

Seminar details:
Date: Thursday September 23rd 7:00 pm ET
Speaker: Dr. James Kempf, Product Manager for
Title: “Nuclear magnetic resonance and hyperpolarization”
Slides:
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance, with focus on hyperpolarization. Responsibility for product development in dissolution DNP, parahydrogen, brute-force hyperpolarization and other emerging methods in nuclear spin hyperpolarization. Leading internal R&D and external co-development and testing through customer collaborations.
This seminar is free of charge and sponsored by
Link to the meeting (uses Microsoft Teams):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2021-09-23
Register
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Registration
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Questions:
Bradley.Falk@bms.com (Chair)
Jon.Williams@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,402833072# United States, Elizabeth (833) 733-5876,,402833072# United States (Toll-free) Phone Conference ID: 402 833 072# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
May 27, 2021 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its May meeting online, Thurs, May 27, 2021, 7:00 pm
Featured Presentation

Seminar details:
Date: Thursday May 27th 7:00 pm ET
Speaker: Nikolaos Sgourakis, University of Pennsylvania
Title: “Leveraging methyl probes for studies of immune complexes by solution NMR”
Abstract
TBA
The seminar is free of charge and sponsored by NJACS NMR Topical Group.
Link to the meeting (uses Zoom Webinar):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2021-05-27
Register
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Questions:
Bradley.Falk@bms.com (Chair)
Jon.Williams@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,7161180# United States, Elizabeth (833) 733-5876,,7161180# United States (Toll-free) Phone Conference ID: 868 851 55# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
Apr 29, 2021 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its April meeting online, Thurs, April 29, 2021, 7:00 pm

Featured Presentation
Seminar details:
Speaker: Ivan V. Sergeyev, Bristol Myers Squibb
Title: “Dynamic Nuclear Polarization:
Abstract
NMR as a whole, but especially solid-state NMR, can be classed as a “signal-limited”
technique – with limited sample volumes, compromises must be made between signal-to-noise
ratio and experimental acquisition times. In recent years, a sensitivity revolution has
enabled orders-of-magnitude signal enhancements, up to a theoretical maximum of 660-
fold, via the Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) technique. In enabling the gradual easing
of the aforementioned compromises, DNP-enhanced SSNMR has enabled studies of systems
not previously amenable to solid-state NMR, including whole viruses, amyloid fibrils,
membrane proteins, and complex multi-component materials. Yet, the “there is no such
thing as a free lunch” mantra also applies — DNP-NMR is not without its pitfalls, generally
requiring specialized hardware and modifications to the sample that can impact spectral
resolution. Extensive efforts have gone into mitigating these pitfalls and maximizing the
sensitivity gains available, especially as the field moves to ever higher magnetic fields.
Recent investigations of previously under-explored facets of the technique, for instance
direct enhancement of nuclei other than 1H, hint that we have only scratched the surface in
terms of the capabilities and potential of DNP. In this talk, I will present:
- An overview of the technology and mechanisms behind DNP, including recent advances at high magnetic field and low microwave power
- A brief practical discussion of the state-of-the-art in sample preparation for various DNP applications
- Recent work in 19F-DNP, with potential implications for the field as a whole
- Perspectives for the future: combining DNP, ultrafast magic angle spinning (MAS), and selective excitation to revolutionize sensitivity and resolution
Time:
7:00 – 8:00pm, 4/29/2021 EST
The seminar is free of charge and sponsored by NJACS NMR Topical Group
Link to the webinar (uses Microsoft Teams):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2021-04-29
Register
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Questions:
Bradley.Falk@bms.com (Chair)
Jon.Williams@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,7161180# United States, Elizabeth (833) 733-5876,,7161180# United States (Toll-free) Phone Conference ID: 868 851 55# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
Mar 25, 2021 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its March meeting online, Wed, Mar 25, 2021, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Featured Presentation
Speaker: Yongchao Su, Google Scholar
Title: “Investigating Molecular Mechanisms of Drug Delivery and Stability from Solid-state NMR
Abstract
Structural details often provide molecular mechanisms to construct the interplay among biology, chemistry and engineering for drug product development. Solid-state NMR analyzes a wide range of drug and wet pharmaceutical materials from small molecule medicines to biological products. The obtained structural information at macroscopic and microscopic scales offer critical knowledge for understanding and optimizing drug delivery, chemical and physical stability, bioavailability, formulation composition, and manufacturing process. This presentation will provide examples to introduce the molecular structure mediated questions in pharmaceutical sciences and elaborate how ssNMR techniques are employed to tackle these analytical challenges.
Seminar details:
Time:
7:00 – 8:00pm, 3/25/2021 EST
The seminar is free of charge and sponsored by NJACS NMR Topical Group
Link to the webinar (uses Microsoft Teams):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2021-03-25
Register
Please [ register here ] for this meeting
Questions:
Bradley.Falk@bms.com (Chair)
Jon.Williams@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,7161180# United States, Elizabeth (833) 733-5876,,7161180# United States (Toll-free) Phone Conference ID: 868 851 55# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
Feb 17, 2021 – NMR Topical Group Meeting
The North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group is pleased to present its February meeting online, Wed, Feb 17, 2021, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Featured Presentation
Speaker: Jon Williams, PhD – Postdoctoral Associate – Baum Research Group – Rutgers
Title: “Dynamics and Disorder in α-Synuclein Amyloid Fibril Aggregation and Seeding
Abstract
Amyloid fibril formation and propagation of α-Synuclein (αS) is associated with the progression of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease. Cell-to-cell spread of αS fibrils is thought to contribute to disease progression, which leads to “seeding” or templated misfolding endogenous αS monomer through processes such as templated elongation and secondary nucleation. The molecular level details of these seeding mechanisms and the interactions that drive the aggregation process are not fully understood, but will be critical in not only fully understanding the process of seeding but also in identifying potential avenues of therapeutic disruption. In this talk, I will describe some of our recent efforts to characterize the interactions between monomeric αS and αS amyloid fibrils using a combination of solution NMR and solid-state NMR techniques. I will describe how combining NMR measurements of relaxation, exchange, and water accessibility with other biophysical measurements of protein aggregation and cell toxicity has led to the identification of a common aggregate binding site on αS monomers, as well as the role that dynamics can play in the ability of amyloid fibrils to template aggregation.
Seminar details:
Time:
6:00pm 2/17/2021 EST
The seminar is free of charge and sponsored by NJACS NMR Topical Group
Link to the webinar (uses Microsoft Teams):
https://njacs.org/nmr-2021-02-17
Register
No registration required
Questions:
Bradley.Falk@bms.com (Chair)
Jon.Williams@rutgers.edu (Co-Chair)
Microsoft Teams meetingJoin on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 908-409-1059,,86885155# United States, Elizabeth (833) 733-5876,,86885155# United States (Toll-free) Phone Conference ID: 868 851 55# Find a local number | Reset PIN Audio for this meeting can be heard in the Microsoft Teams client. Please check your audio device settings before you join the call. If you see phone numbers above, you can use them to join the meeting’s audio if necessary. |
(Past Events)
Oct 20, 2020 – NMR Virtual Symposium

North Jersey ACS NMR Topical Group
presents the
2020 Virtual NMR Symposium
October 20th, 2020
Link to webex: https://njacs.org/nmr-symposium-webex
Password: NJACS-2020
Attendance is FREE of charge
]
Program 2020 Virtual NMR Symposium |
|
Session 1 (8:00 - 10:50 am EST) - Chair: István Pelczer, Princeton University |
|
8:00 am |
![]() Opening remarks
Justyna Sikorska,
Chair
|
8:10 am |
![]() 1. Detection of metabolic reprogramming associated with HBV infection using metabonomics
Yulan Wang,
|
8:50 am |
![]() 2. NMR As Mechanistic Tool In Photocatalysis
Ruth M. Gschwind,
|
9:30 am |
![]() 3. Ultraclean pure shift NMR?
Gareth Morris,
|
10:10 am |
![]() 4. Fast NMR: Solving a puzzle with most of the parts missing
Vladislav Y. Orekhov,
|
10:50 am |
Break (20 min) |
Session 2 (11:10 am - 12:10 pm EST) - Chair: Gaetano T. Montelione, RPI |
|
11:10 am |
![]() 5. Intrinsically disordered proteins by NMR: What can 13C direct detection tell us?
Isabella C. Felli,
|
11:50 am |
![]() 6. Integrative modelling of biomolecular complexes
Alexandre Bonvin,
|
12:30 pm |
![]() 7. High molecular-weight complexes in the regulation of gene expression: A view by integrative structural biology
Teresa Carlomagno,
|
1:10 pm |
Break (50 min) |
Session 3 (2:00 - 4:00 pm EST) - Chair: Mark McCoy, Merck & Co. |
|
2:00 pm |
![]() 8. Mechanochemical Synthesis of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and their Characterization with New NMR Crystallographic Methods based on Solid-State NMR of Quadrupolar Nuclei
Robert W. Schurko,
|
2:40 pm |
![]() 9. Deuterium Metabolic Imaging (DMI), a novel MR-based method to map metabolism in 3D
Robin A. de Graaf,
|
3:20 pm |
![]() 10. How Quantitative NMR Enables New Metabolomics Methods
Daniel Raftery,
|
4:00 pm |
Break (20 min) |
Session 4 (4:20 - 7:00 pm EST) - Chair: Luciano Mueller, Bristol-Myers Squibb |
|
4:20 pm |
![]() 11. Accelerated Identification of Natural Products using Small Molecule Accurate Recognition Technology (SMART) 2.1
William Gerwick,
|
5:00 pm |
![]() 12. Discovery and characterization of active small molecule ligands targeting the function of ubiquitin specific protease USP7 by a catalytic site independent mechanism
Till Maurer,
|
5:40 pm |
![]() 13. Keynote: NMR-based screening of combinatorial libraries to target protein-protein interactions with reversible or covalent agents
Maurizio Pellecchia,
|
6:40 pm |
![]() 13. Closing remarks
Bradley Falk,
Co-chair
|
7:00 pm |
End |
We acknowledge the generous support of our sponsors:














x