The pace is accelerating for 2010 as we plan for the future of Australia’s synchrotron science efforts, host distinguished visitors, meet with politicians, hold special events to inspire high school and university students, attract media coverage for our great science – and organise our next Open Day on Sunday 15 August 2010.

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This month our short interview features Chris Glover, principal scientist XAS (x-ray absorption spectroscopy) at the Australian Synchrotron.

Describe your job in 25 words or less.
Secretary, concierge, waiter, teacher, trainer, mechanic, electrician, engineer, programmer, safety consultant, motivator and occasional beamline police enforcer ... and scientist in the time that’s left.

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The Australian Synchrotron Open Day on Sunday 15 August 2010 is your chance to encounter one of Australia’s most exciting scientific facilities and see how synchrotron science can make life better for everyone. Come and see us for yourself...

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Selenium supplements may help prevent a wide range of cancers such as colon cancer, but too much selenium can lead to cardiovascular problems and other health issues. The gap between selenium benefits and selenium toxicity is surprisingly small, and is strongly influenced by the chemical form of selenium that is ingested.

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Drugs work best when our digestive system can absorb them completely so they can pass into the bloodstream and become available where they are of most use. Because most drugs can only partly dissolve in the watery environments inside our bodies, new drug products increasingly use oil-based ‘soft-gel’ formulations. Studies of how oily (lipid-based) drug products behave in our digestive system are helping to guide the development of more effective drug products.

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Beamtime submissions open on 1 June 2010 for round 2010/3 (September-December 2010).

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SAXS on the ABC
Arsenic and toenails
Arsenic and Phar Lap
New discovery could stop cancer in its track
Australopithecus may have brains
Honour for John Boldeman
Synchrotron Kiwis feature on Maori TV

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From mid-2010, Victorian businesses will be able to boost their competitiveness through easier access to Australian Synchrotron capabilities in ‘small technologies’ such as microtechnology and nanotechnology, which have the capacity to revolutionise virtually all aspects of manufacturing.

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The Australian Synchrotron has appointed another new member to its Science Advisory Committee. Dr Harald Reichert is Director of Research at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble France. He is the sixth new appointment to this AS committee since late last year.

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The Australian Synchrotron has appointed two new members to the Board of Directors: Professor Max Lu from the University of Queensland and Professor Keith Nugent from the University of Melbourne.

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Australian businesses stand to receive a significant boost in support for research and development, under new R&D tax incentive legislation introduced into federal parliament in May 2010.

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Synchrotron-related events in Australia and overseas.

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