aspuru-list February 2016

aspuru-list@lists.fas.harvard.edu

34 participants
57 discussions

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] Excitonics Seminar, Tomorrow, Feb 9 at 3PM in 36-428

by Catherine M Bourgeois

Please post and forward to your groups CENTER FOR EXCITONICS SEMINAR SERIES<http://www.rle.mit.edu/excitonics/event-type/seminar-series/> Molecular evolution meets biophysics: the history of the RubisCO enzyme and the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex February 9, 2016 at 3:00pm/36-428* *please note time change to 3:00 pm instead of 4:30 pm Romain Studer The European Bioinformatics Institute, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL-EBI) [studer_romain_web] Ancestral sequence reconstruction allows the inference of a protein's past characteristics at a particular point during its evolution. The inferred ancestral sequence can be modelled in 3D, assuming a structural template exists. Having ancestral structures allows a better understanding of protein evolution and protein function. Ultimately, the ancestral sequence can be resurrected in vitro by synthesis and purification and its properties can be studied using the standard protocols, used its for modern counterparts. Recent successful studies using ancestral sequence reconstruction have focused on old proteins (Groussin et al., Biol Lett. 2013), nuclear receptors (Harms et al., PNAS 2013) or cetacean myoglobins (Dasmeh P. et al., PLOS Comp Biol 2013). In this talk, I will give an introduction to methodologies used to infer ancestral sequences and to identify amino acids under selective pressures. I will present some studies that successfully used these methods. Finally, I will present my recent work on RubisCO (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase), the main enzyme responsible for the fixation of CO2 in bacteria and plants (Studer RA et al., PNAS 2014) and our current collaborative project on the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex, which participate in energy transfer in Bacteria. Romain Studer is a postdoctoral fellow within the lab of Dr. Pedro Beltrao at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) in Cambridge, UK. He is now studying the evolution of posttranslational modification (PTM) of amino acids. He did his PhD at University of Lausanne (2005-2009), under the supervision of Prof. Marc Robinson-Rechavi. He studied the impact of whole-genome duplications in vertebrates' evolution and initiated the development of Selectome, a database of positive selection. In 2010, he collaborated with Prof. Bernard Rossier (University of Lausanne) to work on the evolution of sodium regulation. He then received a fellowship grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation to continue his research at University College London within the lab of Prof. Christine Orengo (2010-2013). He conducted several evolutionary projects, on the RubisCO enzyme and on the coagulation system. His research interest is to study the evolution of biological systems by integrating knowledge from phylogenetic inference, structural information and biochemical function. Light refreshments will be served. The Center For Excitonics Is An Energy Frontier Research Center Funded By The U.S. Department Of Energy, Office Of Science And Office Of Basic Energy Sciences

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] Feb 9 meet with Eric Neuscamman

by Joey Goodknight

Hey Everyone, I still have a lot of spots open in the afternoon (2:30 onwards at this point) to meet with Eric Neuscamman. I could also take people for lunch and dinner still. He's Berkeley's newest theorist and even if his research is not of interest to you, I'm certain he would have fascinating insight on the faculty recruitment process. http://neuscammanlab.com/ amd I hear he's a really nice guy and gives a great talk. So come meet him before he's famous! -Joey

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] Away Tomorrow.

by Aspuru Lab Email

Team, Siria will be working from home tomorrow due to the inclement weather because she commutes via the Orange and Red lines. I will monitor things and will make a decision on my commute sometime in the morning. Please note we will have limited access to Harvard systems. Please be patient and allow a couple days for responses and requests until Monday. Best, Marlon G. Cummings

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] [qip] today

by Edward Farhi

Hi Quanta We are meeting at 11:00 for our first group meeting of the term. As usual in 6-310. We have a talk at 1:30. See you, Eddie *********************************************** Edward Farhi Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics Director Center for Theoretical Physics Massachusetts Institute of Technology 6-300 Cambridge MA 02139 617 253 4871 *********************************************** _______________________________________________ qip mailing list qip(a)mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/qip

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] Prof. Kenta Hongo visits Harvard

by Steven A. Lopez

Dear Group, Professor Kenta Hongo will be visiting next week on *Feb 11 *and *Feb 12*. He was in our group and is now at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. He is quite interested in learning about the projects in the area of informatics. If interested, can you suggest the most convenient time slots for your meeting by *Monday*? His schedule is relatively open at this point. Thanks, Steven -- Steven A. Lopez, PhD Postdoctoral researcher, Aspuru-Guzik group Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology Harvard University

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] [qip] Seminar - Marissa Giustina (tomorrow)

by Cyril Stark

Hi Everybody, The first qip seminar of 2016 is happening tomorrow and is given by Marissa Giustina (University of Vienna). Please find details below. Best wishes, cyril -- Title: Significant-loophole-free test of local realism with entangled photons Place: 6C-442 Time: 1:30 (Feb 5) Abstract: Local realism is the worldview in which physical properties of objects exist independently of measurement and where physical influences cannot travel faster than the speed of light. Bell’s theorem states that this worldview is incompatible with the predictions of quantum mechanics, as is expressed in Bell’s inequalities. Previous experiments convincingly supported the quantum predictions. Yet, every experiment requires assumptions that provide loopholes for a local realist explanation. Here, we report a Bell test that closes the most significant of these loopholes simultaneously. Using a well-optimized source of entangled photons, rapid setting generation, and highly efficient superconducting detectors, we observe a violation of a Bell inequality with high statistical significance. -- Cyril Stark Center for Theoretical Physics Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Ave, 6-304 Cambridge, MA 02139, USA _______________________________________________ qip mailing list qip(a)mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/qip

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] Fwd: Photographing the Aspuru-Guzik Lab Spaces

by Marlon Cummings

Dear Sub-Group offices: I would like to schedule some time for the architects to come by and take some shots of the lab spaces. Can I ask that you tidy-up your spaces? I would like to have to come by on Thursday and Friday - 1 hour blocks for each sub group. Thursday Beginning at 2PM-4:00 (slightly prior and during group meeting) in the Quantum Office, and moving to the Excitonics Office. Then to we can consider the Materials Office on Friday. Maybe in the morning -- 8:00AM-9:30AM. Let me know if this can work for all? Thanks, MC. -------------- *Marlon G. CummingsLab Manager, Aspuru-Guzik GroupMallinckrodt M136Department of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyHarvard University12 Oxford StreetCambridge, MA 02138617-496-9964617-496-9411 (fax)http://aspuru.chem.harvard.edu/ <http://aspuru.chem.harvard.edu/>* ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Norris, Paul <NORRIS(a)ellenzweig.com> Date: Tue, Feb 2, 2016 at 9:39 AM Subject: Photographing the Aspuru-Guzik Lab Spaces To: Marlon Cummings <marloncummings(a)chemistry.harvard.edu> Cc: "Cahalane, Neil" <Cahalane(a)ellenzweig.com>, "Hunt, Catherine" < Hunt(a)ellenzweig.com>, "Baykal, Oguz" <Baykal(a)ellenzweig.com> Marlon, You had mentioned that Alan would be away starting this first week of February. I would like to schedule a time when we can come an photograph several of your group’s spaces. If the spaces (Alan’s office, the former “Siberia” and the office suite just down the hall from you) were tidied up, I expect that we will be there from about four to six hours. Can you give me some options for days when this will be possible? Many thanks, <norris(a)ellenzweig.com> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.ellenzweig.com_&d=C…>

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] Group Meeting, Feb 04, 2:30 PM, Div Room

by Ian Kivlichan

Hi all, Tomorrow I'll give group meeting at 2:30 PM in the Div Room. See below for the title and abstract. Group meetings will continue on Thursdays at 2:30 PM in the Div Room for the rest of the semester. Best, Ian ------------------------------------- Speaker: Ian Kivlichan Title: Fundamental Complexity Classes Abstract: After the last two complexity-heavy talks, I'll introduce some of the more important polynomial computational complexity classes (everything will have a 'P' in it). I'll also talk about oracle machines, the polynomial hierarchy, what it means for the polynomial hierarchy to collapse, as well as a few things that would imply collapse, including work in our group. No background is expected or required, and I'll generally forgo formal definitions in favour of more intuitive explanations.

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] Group Meeting, Jan 26, 3:30 PM, Div Room

by Ian Kivlichan

Hi all, Tomorrow a visiting postdoc candidate, Yudong Cao (see past emails from Borja), will give group meeting at 3:30 PM in the Div Room. See below for the title and abstract. Also, group meeting will return to the Thursday 2:30 time slot starting next week, and will stay at that slot for the rest of the semester. All the best, Ian ------------------------------------- Speaker: Yudong Cao Title: Quantum algorithms and quantum complexity for quantum chemistry Abstract: Recent advances in quantum algorithms and quantum complexity theory could bring new possibilities in applications. Of particular interest is the quantum algorithm for solving linear systems of equations proposed by Harrow, Hassidim and Lloyd. I will talk about my past work with theorists and experimentalists on practical issues of realizing the algorithm, as well as some potential applications for quantum chemistry. On the quantum complexity end, my work is inspired by the observation that some of the tools developed by complexity theorists could be significantly improved and applied on practical adiabatic simulation of many-body quantum systems. I will present some results along this line of inquiry and also how it could be useful for quantum chemistry.

8 years, 3 months

[Aspuru-Guzik Group List] TODAY - ITAMP/HQOC Joint Quantum Sciences Seminar: Alexandra Boltasseva

by Ploucha, Clare Dolores

HQOC/ITAMP Joint Quantum Sciences Seminar Wednesday, February 3, 2016 4:00 PM, Jefferson 250 Prof. Alexandra Boltasseva, Purdue University "Practical Nanophotonics with Plasmonic Ceramics" In recent years, two avenues of nanophotonics, namely plasmonics and metamaterials, have seen an explosion of novel ideas and designs that could provide breakthrough devices and exotic functionalities. However, transforming these concepts into practical devices requires a significant amount of effort. The constituent materials in these structures play a crucial role in realizing efficient devices. Similar to the way silicon shaped the nanoelectronics field, efforts toward finding the best set of materials for plasmonic and metamaterial devices could revolutionize the field of nanophotonics. As a potential solution, alternative plasmonic materials have recently gained significant attention. Metals, despite being essential components of plasmonic and metamaterial structures, pose many technological challenges toward the realization of practical devices—primarily due to their high optical loss, integration and fabrication limitations. Hence, searching for an alternative to metals is vital to the success of future nanophotonic devices. In this course, recent developments in the pursuit of better plasmonic materials will be outlined, and several classes of materials including transparent conducting oxides and plasmonic ceramics as potential alternatives to metals will be discussed as material platforms that provide low intrinsic loss, tunability and compatibility with standard semiconductor fabrication processes. Refreshments Served from 4:00-4:30 PM Guest Presentation from 4:30-6:00 PM -- Clare Ploucha Faculty Assistant to Professors Lukin & Greiner and their labs Department of Physics 17 Oxford St., Lyman 324A Cambridge, MA 02138 P. (617) 496-2544

8 years, 3 months

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aspuru-list February 2016