Helms Research Group

We solve problems in energy and sustainability with better materials.

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

@bretthelms.bsky.social over at🦋…

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Join Our Team! We have a postdoc opening in my group at Berkeley Lab. We’re designing bio-derived chelators and polymer sorbents for critical mineral recovery, from molecular selectivity through to a working separation.

Priority review December 1.

https://t.co/Ay5kzpFrrk

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Berkeley Lab’s microelectronics and quantum materials programs are run as communities, spanning the Foundry, the ALS, and the Materials and Chemical Sciences Divisions. The new hire would sit at the center of that network.

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

We’re hiring a Staff Scientist in Microelectronics & Nanofabrication at the Molecular Foundry, Berkeley Lab. Early-career and experienced candidates welcome. Priority consideration for applications received by November 23. @BerkeleyLab @molecularfndry

https://t.co/QqnFMgCThA

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

We’re especially interested in sub-10 nm patterning, optical patterning approaches including EUV, and linking process, characterization, and device data to predictive models.

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Today’s the day! #CRB60 Fun Fact: Carolyn was on my dissertation committee at @UCBerkeley and then later my boss when she was director of @molecularfndry

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Donna Blackmond

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

@yanggroupucb 🔥

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

@julnicolas You’d be surprised by how often that’s not followed

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

How do you draw (meth)acrylates?

[Keasling Lab 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @Keasling_Lab]

2/2 The team achieved titers of 1.84 g/L and showed that these #renewablemonomers can be used to create recyclable plastics with tunable thermal and mechanical properties.

Congratulations to the entire team on this incredible achievement!

Read it here: https://t.co/l1xbuxI9DE

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Rather than infer transference from electrochemistry and its ideality assumptions, we measured the anion directly by electrophoretic NMR. It barely moves. That's where the high transference number comes from; ether ligands carry sodium rather than reshuffle the anion network.

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Just out in @J_A_C_S! Ether ligands unlock vehicular sodium transport in single-ion conducting organo-ionic (ORION) solids, which are used in sodium-ion batteries. @doescience @energystoragera @BerkeleyLab @PNNLab @UCSanDiego @UCBerkeley
https://t.co/zjhdcdZVVF

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Outstanding team: Carson Zellmann-Parrotta, Xiaoxu Ruan, J. David Bazak, Libby Katzman, Dong-Min Kim, Bryan McCloskey, Tod Pascal & Brett Helms

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

@rafeequemavoor @moldraw No one funds us to make those anymore, sadly

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Join our team! We are seeking postdoc candidates interested in pioneering all-organic batteries in partnership with the Energy Storage Research Alliance. @BerkeleyLab @molecularfndry @UCB_Chemistry Apply here: https://t.co/Ejri1bprJt

[Keasling Lab 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @Keasling_Lab]

We're thrilled to share our new manuscript in @NatureBiotech, led by former postdoc Zilong Wang! We engineered #PolyketideSynthases to produce renewable monomers for plastics with programmable properties, enabling materials-by-design for a circular and sustainable future. 1/2

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

@BerkeleyLab @doescience @Keasling_Lab @jaykeasling @DemarteauJeremy @cdscown @KPatBerkeley @NemiVora @BoseBaishakhi

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Outstanding team: Zilong Wang, Seokjung Cheong, Hai Wang, Jeremy Demarteau, Alexander R. Epstein, Baishakhi Bose, Weixi Hu, Matthias Schmidt, Leah Keiser, Mei Zhao, Beibei Ge, Alberto A. Nava, Ramu Kakumanu, Edward E. K. Baidoo, Yan Chen, Christopher J. Petzold, Yifan Guo...

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

...Nawa Raj Baral, Nemi Vora, Sarah L. Nordahl, Yuzhong Liu, Rithwik Ghanta, Pablo Cruz-Morales, Kevin Yin, Robert W. Haushalter, Kristin A. Persson, Corinne D. Scown, Brett A. Helms & Jay D. Keasling

[Helms Research Group @GroupHelms]

Just out in @NatureBiotech! New PKS-engineered route to chiral monomers for PDKs: tunable Tg and programmable depolymerization, all from corn stover feedstock. Cheaper & lower-GHG than dimedone. Biosynthesis meets circular plastics. @jbei @molecularfndry https://t.co/JALM8qzvv7