Esther Johnston
@estherjohnston.bsky.social
Scientific Editor of @chemicalscience.rsc.org, the flagship journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Diamond open access! | bioinorganic chemist | PhD Stanford University, post-doc University of York | wife, mum, gardener, Christian | she/her
Reposted by Esther Johnston
🎁 It’s Day 8 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Graphendofullerene: a novel molecular two-dimensional ferromagnet” by José J. Baldoví et al. from the Universitat de València!
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
December 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
🎁 It’s Day 8 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Graphendofullerene: a novel molecular two-dimensional ferromagnet” by José J. Baldoví et al. from the Universitat de València!
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
🎁 It’s Day 7 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Umpolung of Covalent Organic Framework Towards High-Performance Cathodic Sodium Ions Storage” by Chun-Sing Lee and Qichun Zhang et al.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
December 7, 2025 at 2:01 PM
🎁 It’s Day 7 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Umpolung of Covalent Organic Framework Towards High-Performance Cathodic Sodium Ions Storage” by Chun-Sing Lee and Qichun Zhang et al.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
🎁 It’s Day 6 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Cu(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective and Stereospecific Borylative Annulation of Cyclic 1,3-Dione-Tethered 1,3-Enynes” by Rambabu Chegondi et al.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
December 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM
🎁 It’s Day 6 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Cu(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective and Stereospecific Borylative Annulation of Cyclic 1,3-Dione-Tethered 1,3-Enynes” by Rambabu Chegondi et al.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
🎁 It’s Day 5 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Molecular-level insight into the multiple mechanistic pathways in iron-catalysed alkene dimerisation” by Jennifer A. Garden and Stephen P. Thomas et al.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
December 5, 2025 at 10:03 AM
🎁 It’s Day 5 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Molecular-level insight into the multiple mechanistic pathways in iron-catalysed alkene dimerisation” by Jennifer A. Garden and Stephen P. Thomas et al.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
This cover gets one of my personal shout-outs for eye-catching image design. It's one of the most attractive covers and banner images I've seen in a while! The authors say it visualizes CHASER and RASER as pairs of dancers in a “molecular ballet,” their movements directed by small-molecule cues.
Issue 46 is here! #ChemSciCovers
Our front cover this week features Yubin Zhou, Lian He et al 🤩
'Reprogramming chemically induced dimerization systems with genetically encoded nanobodies'
🔗 doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Our front cover this week features Yubin Zhou, Lian He et al 🤩
'Reprogramming chemically induced dimerization systems with genetically encoded nanobodies'
🔗 doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
December 5, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This cover gets one of my personal shout-outs for eye-catching image design. It's one of the most attractive covers and banner images I've seen in a while! The authors say it visualizes CHASER and RASER as pairs of dancers in a “molecular ballet,” their movements directed by small-molecule cues.
Reposted by Esther Johnston
🎁 It's Day 3 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polymer Synthesis via Aqueous Dispersion Polymerization” by Brent Sumerlin et al. from the University of Florida, USA.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
December 3, 2025 at 2:17 PM
🎁 It's Day 3 of ChemSci Advent! Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polymer Synthesis via Aqueous Dispersion Polymerization” by Brent Sumerlin et al. from the University of Florida, USA.
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
It's Day 2 of ChemSci Advent! 🎁 Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Mercapto-NSAIDs generate a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and hydrogen sulfide” by Harinath Chakrapani et al. Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D4S...
December 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
It's Day 2 of ChemSci Advent! 🎁 Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Mercapto-NSAIDs generate a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and hydrogen sulfide” by Harinath Chakrapani et al. Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D4S...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
🎁 Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Synergistic engineering of ultraviolet metal-free crystals with exceptional birefringence via pyridine-derived dimers” by Jiachen Lu and Kang Min Ok from Sogang University!
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
December 1, 2025 at 1:53 PM
🎁 Celebrate our 15th anniversary year with us and unwrap “Synergistic engineering of ultraviolet metal-free crystals with exceptional birefringence via pyridine-derived dimers” by Jiachen Lu and Kang Min Ok from Sogang University!
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Read it for free here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
This week's Chemical Science Pick of the Week is "Watch out electrons!: Positron Binding Redefines Chemical Bonding in Be2" by Andrés Reyes (Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia) and co-workers.
Read it here for free: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
#ChemSky
Read it here for free: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
#ChemSky
November 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM
This week's Chemical Science Pick of the Week is "Watch out electrons!: Positron Binding Redefines Chemical Bonding in Be2" by Andrés Reyes (Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia) and co-workers.
Read it here for free: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
#ChemSky
Read it here for free: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
#ChemSky
Reposted by Esther Johnston
There has been so much fantastic bioinorganic chemistry research presented as part of the #ChemSciSymposium.
If you'd like to discover more state-of-the-art research in this area, do make sure to check out our spotlight collection with @daltontrans.rsc.org:
pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/...
If you'd like to discover more state-of-the-art research in this area, do make sure to check out our spotlight collection with @daltontrans.rsc.org:
pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/...
November 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
There has been so much fantastic bioinorganic chemistry research presented as part of the #ChemSciSymposium.
If you'd like to discover more state-of-the-art research in this area, do make sure to check out our spotlight collection with @daltontrans.rsc.org:
pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/...
If you'd like to discover more state-of-the-art research in this area, do make sure to check out our spotlight collection with @daltontrans.rsc.org:
pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
ChemComm’s new 5-page limit is here! We’re giving authors more space for statements and references, while preserving the concise and accessible nature of our Communications.
Read our updated guidelines: www.rsc.org/publishing/p...
Read our updated guidelines: www.rsc.org/publishing/p...
ChemComm
The journal for urgent communications of outstanding significance from across the chemical sciences.
www.rsc.org
November 18, 2025 at 10:17 AM
ChemComm’s new 5-page limit is here! We’re giving authors more space for statements and references, while preserving the concise and accessible nature of our Communications.
Read our updated guidelines: www.rsc.org/publishing/p...
Read our updated guidelines: www.rsc.org/publishing/p...
Just saying, these B K-edge XAS are really hard to do and technically impressive!
Our Chemical Science Pick of the Week for this week is "Direct measurement of covalent three-center, two-electron M–H–B bonding in Zr and Hf borohydrides using B K-edge XAS" by Jason Keith and Scott Daly et al.
Read it here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
#ChemSciPicks
Read it here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
#ChemSciPicks
November 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Just saying, these B K-edge XAS are really hard to do and technically impressive!
Reposted by Esther Johnston
If you're suddenly interested in ℚ𝕦𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕦𝕞 𝕋𝕦𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘, hear me out:
Do you know the famous dead/alive cat?🙀
With @aromaticist.bsky.social group we found a case where the tunneling in rings makes them Aromatic and Antiaromatic at the same time!⌬
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Do you know the famous dead/alive cat?🙀
With @aromaticist.bsky.social group we found a case where the tunneling in rings makes them Aromatic and Antiaromatic at the same time!⌬
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
October 12, 2025 at 8:15 AM
If you're suddenly interested in ℚ𝕦𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕦𝕞 𝕋𝕦𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘, hear me out:
Do you know the famous dead/alive cat?🙀
With @aromaticist.bsky.social group we found a case where the tunneling in rings makes them Aromatic and Antiaromatic at the same time!⌬
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Do you know the famous dead/alive cat?🙀
With @aromaticist.bsky.social group we found a case where the tunneling in rings makes them Aromatic and Antiaromatic at the same time!⌬
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
Registration closes soon for this year's Chemical Science symposium on the chemistry of imaging, biosensing and diagnostics on 18-19 November in London!
Join us in person or online to hear from our expert speakers and the 2025 Lectureship winner next month: www.rsc.org/events/d...
#ChemSky 🧪
Join us in person or online to hear from our expert speakers and the 2025 Lectureship winner next month: www.rsc.org/events/d...
#ChemSky 🧪
October 16, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Registration closes soon for this year's Chemical Science symposium on the chemistry of imaging, biosensing and diagnostics on 18-19 November in London!
Join us in person or online to hear from our expert speakers and the 2025 Lectureship winner next month: www.rsc.org/events/d...
#ChemSky 🧪
Join us in person or online to hear from our expert speakers and the 2025 Lectureship winner next month: www.rsc.org/events/d...
#ChemSky 🧪
This cover gets one of my personal shout-outs for originality and creativity! My favourite cover image of the year so far in Chemical Science. Just the right mix of artistic, clear link to the science, and eye-catching.
Congrats to the authors! Read their paper here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Congrats to the authors! Read their paper here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Issue 37 is here! #ChemSciCovers
Our front cover this week features Michelle T. Ma, Rachel E. Nuttall et al 🤩
'Maleic anhydride derived diphosphines: adaptable chelators for receptor-targeted 99mTc, 64Cu and 188Re radiotracers'
🔗 doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Our front cover this week features Michelle T. Ma, Rachel E. Nuttall et al 🤩
'Maleic anhydride derived diphosphines: adaptable chelators for receptor-targeted 99mTc, 64Cu and 188Re radiotracers'
🔗 doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
October 6, 2025 at 6:44 PM
This cover gets one of my personal shout-outs for originality and creativity! My favourite cover image of the year so far in Chemical Science. Just the right mix of artistic, clear link to the science, and eye-catching.
Congrats to the authors! Read their paper here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Congrats to the authors! Read their paper here: doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
🎉 Today we reveal the 2025 RSC Prize winners! 🎉
Celebrating excellence across research, diversity, tech roles, apprentices and partnerships. Join us in congratulating the remarkable individuals and teams advancing chemistry for society. buff.ly/K2un4O1 #Chemistry #ChemSky
Celebrating excellence across research, diversity, tech roles, apprentices and partnerships. Join us in congratulating the remarkable individuals and teams advancing chemistry for society. buff.ly/K2un4O1 #Chemistry #ChemSky
June 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM
🎉 Today we reveal the 2025 RSC Prize winners! 🎉
Celebrating excellence across research, diversity, tech roles, apprentices and partnerships. Join us in congratulating the remarkable individuals and teams advancing chemistry for society. buff.ly/K2un4O1 #Chemistry #ChemSky
Celebrating excellence across research, diversity, tech roles, apprentices and partnerships. Join us in congratulating the remarkable individuals and teams advancing chemistry for society. buff.ly/K2un4O1 #Chemistry #ChemSky
Reposted by Esther Johnston
Hello BlueSky and #ChemSky community! For our first post, we are delighted to welcome our new @sef-journal.rsc.org Editor-in-Chief Karen Wilson @profkwilson1971.bsky.social! 🎉
Find out more about Karen on our website ➡️ www.rsc.org/publishing/j...
@rsc.org
#RSCEnergy #Energy #Catalysis
Find out more about Karen on our website ➡️ www.rsc.org/publishing/j...
@rsc.org
#RSCEnergy #Energy #Catalysis
June 25, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Hello BlueSky and #ChemSky community! For our first post, we are delighted to welcome our new @sef-journal.rsc.org Editor-in-Chief Karen Wilson @profkwilson1971.bsky.social! 🎉
Find out more about Karen on our website ➡️ www.rsc.org/publishing/j...
@rsc.org
#RSCEnergy #Energy #Catalysis
Find out more about Karen on our website ➡️ www.rsc.org/publishing/j...
@rsc.org
#RSCEnergy #Energy #Catalysis
Reposted by Esther Johnston
This week's #ChemSciPicks comes from @matilegroup.bsky.social (University of Geneva, Switzerland), who look at the response of reaction mechanisms to electric-field catalysis on carbon nanotubes in microfluidic reactors. Read the full paper here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
May 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM
This week's #ChemSciPicks comes from @matilegroup.bsky.social (University of Geneva, Switzerland), who look at the response of reaction mechanisms to electric-field catalysis on carbon nanotubes in microfluidic reactors. Read the full paper here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/D5S...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
We are delighted to announce that Professor Christopher Chang @christhechang.bsky.social has won the 2025 Chemical Science Lectureship! rsc.li/chemsci-lectu...
Chris will deliver his Lectureship at the 2025 #ChemSciSymposium on 18-19 November in London, UK: rsc.li/chemscisymp2025
#ChemSky #🧪
Chris will deliver his Lectureship at the 2025 #ChemSciSymposium on 18-19 November in London, UK: rsc.li/chemscisymp2025
#ChemSky #🧪
May 29, 2025 at 3:14 PM
We are delighted to announce that Professor Christopher Chang @christhechang.bsky.social has won the 2025 Chemical Science Lectureship! rsc.li/chemsci-lectu...
Chris will deliver his Lectureship at the 2025 #ChemSciSymposium on 18-19 November in London, UK: rsc.li/chemscisymp2025
#ChemSky #🧪
Chris will deliver his Lectureship at the 2025 #ChemSciSymposium on 18-19 November in London, UK: rsc.li/chemscisymp2025
#ChemSky #🧪
I really enjoyed working on this themed collection behind the scenes in the Editorial Office, since my actual research background is #bioinorganic chemistry. It's a great representation of the current state of the art of the discipline!
Announcing the joint Spotlight Collection on Bioinorganic Chemistry between @chemicalscience.rsc.org and @daltontrans.rsc.org, available to read now! 🧪
Guest Edited by Abhishek Dey, Serena Debeer, and Mi Hee Lim.
Read the collection: rsc.li/bioinorganic-...
Guest Edited by Abhishek Dey, Serena Debeer, and Mi Hee Lim.
Read the collection: rsc.li/bioinorganic-...
May 27, 2025 at 1:41 PM
I really enjoyed working on this themed collection behind the scenes in the Editorial Office, since my actual research background is #bioinorganic chemistry. It's a great representation of the current state of the art of the discipline!
Reposted by Esther Johnston
Announcing the joint Spotlight Collection on Bioinorganic Chemistry between @chemicalscience.rsc.org and @daltontrans.rsc.org, available to read now! 🧪
Guest Edited by Abhishek Dey, Serena Debeer, and Mi Hee Lim.
Read the collection: rsc.li/bioinorganic-...
Guest Edited by Abhishek Dey, Serena Debeer, and Mi Hee Lim.
Read the collection: rsc.li/bioinorganic-...
May 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Announcing the joint Spotlight Collection on Bioinorganic Chemistry between @chemicalscience.rsc.org and @daltontrans.rsc.org, available to read now! 🧪
Guest Edited by Abhishek Dey, Serena Debeer, and Mi Hee Lim.
Read the collection: rsc.li/bioinorganic-...
Guest Edited by Abhishek Dey, Serena Debeer, and Mi Hee Lim.
Read the collection: rsc.li/bioinorganic-...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
Ferredoxin 🤝 Hydrogenase,
an on-and-off relationship?
WE CERTAINLY THINK SO‼️
@chemicalscience.rsc.org
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
an on-and-off relationship?
WE CERTAINLY THINK SO‼️
@chemicalscience.rsc.org
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
May 26, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Ferredoxin 🤝 Hydrogenase,
an on-and-off relationship?
WE CERTAINLY THINK SO‼️
@chemicalscience.rsc.org
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
an on-and-off relationship?
WE CERTAINLY THINK SO‼️
@chemicalscience.rsc.org
doi.org/10.1039/D5SC...
Reposted by Esther Johnston
Interesting paper here in @chemicalscience.rsc.org. I was a first generation UG, as defined here. I spectacularly failed my first year & almost
got kicked out. Recognise the points about failing to adapt. After 37 years, this can still influence my outlook, not always productively. #chemsky
got kicked out. Recognise the points about failing to adapt. After 37 years, this can still influence my outlook, not always productively. #chemsky
Very interesting study! I’m also a first generation PhD and graduate, but I fortunately had the parents support and the ability to build networks and connections. Raising awareness about the existing barriers is a great start. #chemsky #education #firstgen
Being a first generation university graduate, the impact on a career in science
Being in the first generation to access Higher Education (First Gen) is a barrier to academic success. First Gens face difficulties transitioning into, completing, and attaining competitive grades in ...
pubs.rsc.org
May 14, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Interesting paper here in @chemicalscience.rsc.org. I was a first generation UG, as defined here. I spectacularly failed my first year & almost
got kicked out. Recognise the points about failing to adapt. After 37 years, this can still influence my outlook, not always productively. #chemsky
got kicked out. Recognise the points about failing to adapt. After 37 years, this can still influence my outlook, not always productively. #chemsky
Reposted by Esther Johnston
Very interesting study! I’m also a first generation PhD and graduate, but I fortunately had the parents support and the ability to build networks and connections. Raising awareness about the existing barriers is a great start. #chemsky #education #firstgen
Being a first generation university graduate, the impact on a career in science
Being in the first generation to access Higher Education (First Gen) is a barrier to academic success. First Gens face difficulties transitioning into, completing, and attaining competitive grades in ...
pubs.rsc.org
May 10, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Very interesting study! I’m also a first generation PhD and graduate, but I fortunately had the parents support and the ability to build networks and connections. Raising awareness about the existing barriers is a great start. #chemsky #education #firstgen
This study is an interesting attempt to quantify the effect of being first in your family to go to college on your success in chemistry. I felt some of this as a grad student. I wonder if the same effect is seen in the other science? 🧪
New study from the Women in Supramolecular Chemistry (WISC) revealing the unique challenges resulting from being First Gen (first generation of a family to access Higher Education) in science and showing how these persist at every stage of a career in academia:
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
Being a first generation university graduate, the impact on a career in science
Being in the first generation to access Higher Education (First Gen) is a barrier to academic success. First Gens face difficulties transitioning into, completing, and attaining competitive grades in ...
pubs.rsc.org
May 12, 2025 at 9:32 AM
This study is an interesting attempt to quantify the effect of being first in your family to go to college on your success in chemistry. I felt some of this as a grad student. I wonder if the same effect is seen in the other science? 🧪