Best of the Week: Pittcon 2025 Roundup, Inspiring the Next Generation

This week, LCGC International published a variety of articles on trending topics in separation science. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most popular articles that were published this week in no particular order.

We’d love to hear from you! Is there a topic you’d like to see covered in LCGC? Share your ideas with us—we value your feedback and are committed to exploring the subjects that matter most to our readers. Email chroncich@mjhlifesciences.com with your thoughts. Happy reading!

The LCGC Blog: Overcoming “Separation Anxiety” – Accessible Resources to Learn Chromatography and Separation Chemistry

Emanuela Gionfriddo

Emanuela Gionfriddo has spent many years working in chromatography and separation chemistry, and she still remembers how overwhelming method development and troubleshooting used to feel. In the early days, every challenge—including tracking down leaks in gas and liquid chromatography systems—seemed like a mountain to climb. In this month’s edition of The LCGC Blog, she discusses insights on learning the basics of separation chemistry and picking up handy troubleshooting techniques along the way. With this information, she hopes to push towards more accessible resources for newcomer and veteran chromatographers alike.

Pittcon 2025: Regenerative Engineering Takes Center Stage at Keynote Coulter Lecture

Will Wetzel

Although short courses took place on Saturday the 1st, Pittcon 2025 really took off yesterday with the delivery of the Wallace H. Coulter Lecture. This talk took place at 5:00 pm on March 2 in Ballroom East, and it was delivered by Cato T. Laurencin, MD, PhD. Laurencin is well-known as a scientist and entrepreneur with an extensive career in regenerative engineering, which is defined as an amalgamation of materials science, stem cell research, clinical translation, and biology, for regenerating organs and complex tissues.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists at Pittcon

Caroline Hroncich

Ask the average high school or college student to explain separation science, and you’re likely to hear some unexpected answers. Many students begin and complete their college education without gaining a deeper understanding of chromatography and its vital role in critical applications, said Dwight Stoll, professor of Chemistry at Gustavus Adolphus University, during the LCGC International Awards Symposium at the Pittcon 2025 conference in Boston, Massachusetts. This makes it even more essential for senior researchers to inspire and mentor the next generation of separation scientists.

Christopher Pohl Speaks to the Next Generation of Aspiring Separation Scientists

Aaron Acevedo

Christopher A. Pohl is the 2025 winner of the Lifetime Achievement in Chromatography Award. Pohl is known for his significant contributions to chromatography, especially in the field of ion chromatography. His research has spanned multiple facets of chromatography, particularly ion chromatography, and he is credited with pivotal advancements in polymeric stationary phase development, detection methods, and post-column technologies. In this final installment of our interview series with Pohl, he shares what he believes to be the most important advice for future separation scientists.

Pittcon 2025: Long Luo Discusses His Laboratory’s Tetrahedron Approach

Will Wetzel

At Pittcon 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts, Long Luo, an associate professor at the University of Utah, was recognized as this year’s recipient of the Pittcon Achievement Award. Luo’s laboratory group focuses on tackling major challenges in environment, energy, and health by designing and synthesizing new functional materials and molecules while developing innovative analytical methods and tools. During his award symposium on Monday, March 3rd, Luo delivered a talk titled, “Controlling Organic Reaction Selectivity by Alternating Current Electrolysis.” In his talk, Luo discussed recent advancements in electrochemical organic synthesis, which is a field that has gained renewed interest because of its potential for greener, more efficient pharmaceutical production. Recently, we had a conversation with Luo, where he elaborated on the tetrahedron approach and discussed the challenges in adopting this approach consistently in the laboratory.

Metrohm's 2025 Young Chemist Explores Supercritical Water Oxidation in PFAS Research

Will Wetzel

At Pittcon 2025, Metrohm USA recognized Elham “Elle” Akbari, who was the 2025 winner of Metrohm USA’s Young Chemist Award. Akbari is a teaching assistant and researcher at Temple University. As a researcher at Temple University, Akbari focuses on supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) as a potential large-scale remediation technique. Her work analyzes SCWO's effectiveness under different conditions, aiming to optimize the process, overcome challenges, and contribute to scalable per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) destruction technologies. Akbari sat down with LCGC International to discuss this research, as well as the challenges of using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and combustion ion chromatography (CIC) to characterize PFAS in environmental samples.

Shimadzu Debuts Multiple New Analytical Products at Pittcon 2025

Caroline Hroncich

During Pittcon 2025, taking place in Boston, MA, March 1-5, 2025, Shimadzu announced multiple new products and its new facilities in North America. The announcements come as the company marks its 150th anniversary. During the event, Shimadzu introduced a series of compact gas chromatography systems, three ultraviolet (UV)-Vis spectrophotometers, a new line of triple quadrupole mass spectrometers, and an upgraded upkeep system for its MALDI-8000 Series time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers.