Robert Hettich: Decoding biological complexity with next-gen mass spectrometry
Vilmos Kertesz, senior staff in the Biosciences Division at ORNL, has received a 2025 Al Yergey Mass Spectrometry Scientist Award from the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. The award recognizes his contributions to the fields of analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry.
Robert “Bob” Hettich, an ORNL Corporate Fellow, is a pioneer in using mass spectrometry to uncover how microbes interact within complex environments and influence larger systems like plants and humans. A founder of the field of metaproteomics, he leads research that supports bioenergy, environmental resilience and health through advanced protein analysis.
Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently welcomed Vanderbilt University colleagues for a symposium on basic science research, with a focus on potential collaborations in the biomedical and biotechnology spaces.
Gerald Tuskan, director of the Center for Bioenergy Innovation and a Corporate Fellow at ORNL, has been awarded the Marcus Wallenberg Prize, the world’s highest honor in the field of forestry, for his pioneering work in sequencing and analyzing the first tree genome.
Daniel Jacobson, distinguished research scientist in the Biosciences Division at ORNL, has been elected a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, or AIMBE, for his achievements in computational biology.
Scientists at ORNL have developed a first-ever method of detecting ribonucleic acid, or RNA, inside plant cells using a technique that results in a visible fluorescent signal. The technology can help researchers detect and track changes in RNA and gene expression in real time, providing a powerful tool for the development of hardier bioenergy and food crops and for detection of unwanted plant modifications, pathogens and pests.
Scientists at ORNL and the University of Cincinnati achieved a breakthrough in understanding the vulnerability of microbes to the butanol they produce during fermentation of plant biomass. The discovery could pave the way for more efficient production of domestic fuels, chemicals and materials.
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, researchers at ORNL are evaluating technology to detect compounds emitted by pathogens and pests in agricultural products at the nation’s border.
By editing the polymers of discarded plastics, ORNL chemists have found a way to generate new macromolecules with more valuable properties than those of the starting material.
P&G is using simulations on the ORNL Summit supercomputer to study how surfactants in cleaners cause eye irritation. By modeling the corneal epithelium, P&G aims to develop safer, concentrated cleaning products that meet performance and safety standards while supporting sustainability goals.