Jamie Durrani
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Jamie Durrani
@jtdurrani.bsky.social
190 followers 56 following 12 posts
Senior science correspondent for Chemistry World.
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Reposted by Jamie Durrani
chemistryworld.com
Next week, negotiators will try to finalise the details of a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution. But disagreements about reducing plastic production and limiting the use of particular chemicals in plastics manufacture could have a major influence on the treaty's success.
Plastic treaty negotiations go down to the wire
Capping production and limiting use of harmful chemicals are key topics for negotiators to consider
www.chemistryworld.com
August 1, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
robinson-julia.bsky.social
From 1 June 2025, it will be illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes. In our latest explainer @adamcvean.bsky.social tells you everything you need to know about exactly what this means and why it is happening: www.chemistryworld.com/news/explain... @chemistryworld.com
Explainer: Why is the UK banning disposable vapes?
Prior to the ban, almost seventy million single-use e-cigarettes were being discarded each year in the UK - containing enough lithium for a thousand electric vehicle batteries
www.chemistryworld.com
May 30, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
annademming.bsky.social
While machine learning algorithms have wowed with how they help figure out protein folding problems, most proteins function by switching between conformations and engineering ‘de novo’ proteins that do this has proved a lot more tricky...
www.chemistryworld.com/news/designe...
Designer protein switches conformations like a natural one
Researchers design, produce and test a synthetic protein with a dynamic structure
www.chemistryworld.com
May 31, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
neilwithers.bsky.social
I'm very pleased to see this collection live – links to individual stories to follow below...
chemistryworld.com Chemistry World @chemistryworld.com · May 20
Many medical conditions affect women disproportionately or exclusively. In our new collection, we look at the gender gap in health and drugs, how treatments for menopause are slowly changing, what we’re finding out about period products and more.
Women's health | Chemistry World
Many medical conditions affect only women, or affect them disproportionately, but women's health has historically been neglected in medical research. In this collection, we look at the gender gap in h...
www.chemistryworld.com
May 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
iupac.org
What is a molecular machine?

A new @iupac.org project aims to define the key terms used in molecular machines.

📖 Please read the following two @chemistryworld.com articles published by @rsc.org and take part in two polls 👍

📧iupac.molecular.machine.committee@gmail.com

🌐 iupac.org/what-is-a-mo...
May 6, 2025 at 5:26 PM
jtdurrani.bsky.social
Epi editors change the activity of individual genes without altering genetic code, and could help treat many diseases. To learn more, I spoke with scientists from four companies at the cutting edge of this entirely new type of medicine 🧪 #chemsky
www.chemistryworld.com/news/epigene...
Epigenetic editors enter clinical trials
New wave of precision medicines amplify or silence genes, without altering genetic code
www.chemistryworld.com
April 9, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
richvn.bsky.social
Alphafold is running out of data. So a consortium of leading pharmaceutical companies announced plans today to make their own AlphaFold-3-inspired AI model using thousands of protein structures currently secreted away in company vaults.
by Ewen Callaway | @nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
AlphaFold is running out of data — so drug firms are building their own version
Thousands of 3D protein structures locked up in big-pharma vaults will be used to create a new AI tool that won’t be open to academics.
www.nature.com
March 27, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
broadwithp.bsky.social
Official US shortages of semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) have now ended, but the first generics are gearing up for launch in 2026 in some markets. So companies are looking for the next generation of drugs. www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/weig...
Weight loss drug supply races
With official shortages ended, but the first generics gearing up for launch, companies are looking for the next generation of drugs
www.chemistryworld.com
March 18, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
emmapewsey.bsky.social
Want to start a career in science journalism? Take a look at our internship opportunity - we're a friendly and supportive team, and many of our former interns are now freelancers who I still work with regularly!
March 6, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
gomobel.bsky.social
I did this internship back in (thinks for a bit...) 2016 and it's such a wonderful experience. Apply if you're eligible! cc @absw.bsky.social
March 4, 2025 at 11:55 AM
jtdurrani.bsky.social
Want to get into science journalism, or know some who does? Our two-month, paid internship is now open for applications - come and work with us #ChemSky 🧪
careers-rsc.icims.com/jobs/3588/sc...
Jobs at Royal Society of Chemistry
Find out more about working for us and view all vacancies including. We continue to ensure an inclusive workplace where opportunities are open to all, and where everyone can belong and bring their tru...
careers-rsc.icims.com
March 3, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
laurahowes.bsky.social
Absolute unit
February 28, 2025 at 10:53 AM
jtdurrani.bsky.social
Several European governments have proposed cuts to their research budgets recently, leaving observers worried that short-term funding decisions will cause long-term damage to the sector www.chemistryworld.com/news/protest...
Protests and alarm as European research sector braces for cuts
Swiss science organisations are the latest to speak up after a wave of cuts is proposed across Europe
www.chemistryworld.com
February 25, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
philipcball.bsky.social
As well as a "folding code", do proteins come with a second sequence code that is basically an address for a biomolecular condensate? A fascinating idea from Rick Young at the Whitehead Institute and colleagues.
www.chemistryworld.com/news/hidden-...
‘Hidden grammar’ explains proteins’ distribution into sub-cellular condensates
Proteins' amino-acid sequences appear to guide their access to blob-like aggregates involved in many cell processes
www.chemistryworld.com
February 12, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
philipcball.bsky.social
I have run out of patience with the apparent silence of most US science institutions (and not just US) in the face of Trump & Musk's rampage. There are of so many facets of that, but in this column for @chemistryworld.com I talk about the assaults on inclusion.
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/scie...
Scientific institutions have a long history of anticipatory obedience
Societies should learn from this and speak up to support inclusion
www.chemistryworld.com
February 7, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
emmapewsey.bsky.social
With UKRI's announcement that it's increasing PhD stipends by 8%, I've updated my chart of stipends v minimum/living wage since 1999.

From next October, PhD students will take home around £100 a year more than someone working 37.5 hours a week on the living wage.
Minimum wage increased approximately linearly between its introduction in 1999 and April 2022, from an equivalent salary of around £6400 to £16,200. Until October 2002, minimum PhD stipend levels were slightly higher than minimum wage. A sharp increase in stipend levels then occurred between October 2002 and October 2005. Since then PhD stipends have continued to increase, though to a lesser extent than minimum wage. By April 2019, minimum wage and minimum PhD stipends were once again about equivalent; as of April 2022, the salary of someone working full-time on minimum wage increased above the value of the PhD stipend minimum. A 13% increase in October 2022 brought stipends above minimum wage again, but this lasted only until April 2023. The planned increase in stipend for October 2025 will leave PhD students earning around £100 more a year than if they were on minimum wage
January 31, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
patdwalter.bsky.social
Come work with us! Great job as a science media producer @chemistryworld.bsky.social. Good pay and benefits and you can work from Cambridge or remotely and work with a very talented group of science communicators. #scicomm #scijobs #chemsky careers-rsc.icims.com/jobs/3607/sc...
Jobs at Royal Society of Chemistry
Find out more about working for us and view all vacancies including. We continue to ensure an inclusive workplace where opportunities are open to all, and where everyone can belong and bring their tru...
careers-rsc.icims.com
January 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
neilwithers.bsky.social
Today is my last working day of 2024! So here's a thread with highlights of the articles I've published this year – which also marked @chemistryworld.bsky.social's 20th anniversary!

Let's start in January, with this feature on editing the backbones of polymers
www.chemistryworld.com/features/edi...
Editing polymer backbones
Changing the chemical makeup of a polymer backbone could revolutionise how we make, use and even recycle plastics. James Mitchell Crow reports
www.chemistryworld.com
December 20, 2024 at 10:53 AM
jtdurrani.bsky.social
Last day in the office, so it's time to look back at 2024's highlights.
Back in April, I reported on how the fascinating Davy Notebooks Project was offering new – and not all nice – insights into one of chemistry’s most well-known historic figures. #ChemSky 🧪
www.chemistryworld.com/news/davy-no...
Davy notebook project paints complicated picture of influential chemist
Humphry Davy was a prolific scientist, but could also be petty, selfish and prejudiced
www.chemistryworld.com
December 19, 2024 at 11:48 AM
Reposted by Jamie Durrani
chemistryworld.com
Delegates from over 170 countries failed to reach a binding agreement after a week of discussions in Busan, South Korea.
www.chemistryworld.com/news/plastic...
Plastic treaty negotiators fail to reach agreement
Disputes over treaty's scope remain as original deadline passes
www.chemistryworld.com
December 2, 2024 at 4:20 PM
jtdurrani.bsky.social
Negotiations for a global plastics treaty enter a crucial phase on Monday. I wrote about the issues that have dogged the process so far, and what's at stake next week:
www.chemistryworld.com/news/after-y...
After years of negotiations, a global agreement to tackle plastic pollution is within sight
The UN's plastics treaty negotiations have faced many hurdles, but delegates are getting closer to a final agreement
www.chemistryworld.com
November 22, 2024 at 11:00 AM
jtdurrani.bsky.social
It is with deep sadness and regret that I have started yet another social media account.
November 22, 2024 at 10:56 AM