Message from Carol
Dear Colleagues:
It has been a difficult summer at the Lab, and I know many of you feel the weight of recent layoffs, uncertainties about research funding, and adjustments in the work you are doing.
This past Founder’s Day (August 26), I found myself reflecting on how the Lab has evolved over time, pivoting at key points to align with changing priorities. For example, just two weeks after the start of the 1973 oil embargo, the Lab established the Energy and Environment Division, while continuing to build on the Lab’s accelerator, physics and nuclear chemistry research, and its newer lineup of biology and medical research.
Later, 1980-1982 saw a funding crisis at the Lab as a result of federal budget redirection towards defense R&D spending. In response, the Lab diversified its research programs, expanding materials science, proposing the Advanced Light Source, opening the National Center for Electron Microscopy, and expanding medical research beyond cancer to heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Today, we continue to be, not just relevant, but valued for our science, our facilities, and our impact. I am encouraged to see so many vital initiatives across the Lab, including in microelectronics, quantum computing, critical minerals, biomanufacturing, and geothermal energy, among others. Our user facilities, centers, and test beds are highly sought after by the research community and industry. Our startup incubation efforts, Cyclotron Road and Cradle to Commerce, help bring science-based solutions to the market.
Our science continues to evolve. Many of you are integrating (or planning to integrate) AI into your work. The DOE Joint Genome Institute’s Data Lakehouse project, described below, is just one example. Researchers are finding new and innovative ways to use AI to accelerate their research (see the story below about an AI tool called Model Context Protocol).
These are just a few examples of how we continue to address national needs. The Lab has proven throughout its history that it is resilient and nimble, and that it has the breadth and depth of skills to support the nation’s priorities as they evolve. Thank you for your continued commitment to bringing science solutions to the world.
Sincerely,
Carol Burns
Deputy Laboratory Director for Research
Chief Research Officer
The DOE Joint Genome Institute: Reinventing Itself as an AI-Centric User Facility
Established in 1997, the DOE Joint Genome Institute has evolved through the years from human genome sequencing facility to user facility for genomic science. Today, it aims to reinvent itself as an AI-centric user facility. The effort addresses a challenge faced by tens of thousands of researchers across the Biological and Environmental Research program’s user facilities, research centers, funded programs, and data and computing platforms – accessing data across BER’s thousands of distinct, unique data resources, which is currently a very time-consuming process. The initiative will help ready these data for AI capabilities and accelerate research through AI agent workflows and powerful large language model searches.
Model Context Protocol: An AI Tool for Seamless Access to Data, Scientific Resources
ScienceIT offers AI tools and services for Lab researchers through the CBorg AI Portal; many researchers have taken advantage of these offerings with creative applications and using new tools. One of the tools that researchers are finding valuable is the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which can be layered onto CBorg’s large language models in order to extend the knowledge and capabilities of a model. The Advanced Light Source’s Damian Guenzing has used MCP to connect NERSC, a database and calculation module, and a beamline-specific module to CBorg, allowing him to streamline his work.
Read how Damian used MCP and how IT is integrating MCP into CBorg services.
Industry Finds Value in Berkeley Lab Software
From battery technologies to biofuels innovations, many technology inventions prove of great value to industry. But did you know that Lab-developed software is also highly sought after by industry? Phenix software, which solves the 3D structures of macromolecules from X-ray crystallography and electron cryo-microscopy data, is used by many pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The TOUGH (Transport Of Unsaturated Groundwater and Heat) software program, which models underground flows of water, vapor, air, and heat, is an important tool for industry to assess risks, optimize production, and identify cost saving measures. Zeek cybersecurity software, first developed at the Lab, was recently integrated into the Microsoft Windows operating system.
NEED TO KNOW
Evacuating in Case of Fire
Imagine there’s a fire raging in Oakland, and it’s headed towards the Berkeley Lab main site. You’ve received an alert on your phone to evacuate the Lab. But what about the equipment you were working with? And where do you evacuate to?
Find out more about what to do in case of a fire threat at the Lab.
Learn About Upcoming Mandatory Research Requirements for “Data from People”
New DOE requirements mandate that the Lab’s Human and Animal Regulatory Committees (HARC) Office review all use of “data from people.” These new requirements uphold the Lab’s commitment to scientific integrity, stewardship, and respect for the individuals who make our research possible.
Impacted activities include:
- collecting data from people through anonymous feedback surveys, expert interviews and focus groups;
- developing algorithms with or otherwise analyzing data sourced from people, even when publicly-available or de-identified (e.g., population-level health information, customer data, genomic sequences, or images or video of the general public); and
- purchasing or receiving anonymous human samples from a collaborator for analysis or to conduct testing.
The HARC Office is here to help.
- Office Hours – 15-minute slots every week to answer your questions.
- General HARC Feedback Form
- Help Desk, HARC@lbl.gov, 510-486-6005
The requirements were reviewed in a series of town halls in August. To view the town hall recordings and slides, and to learn more about the rollout, visit the HARC website.
Introduction to Export Controls Training Course – Stay Informed, Stay Compliant
Export control may not always be at the top of mind, but in today’s rapidly evolving global research landscape, it’s more critical than ever.
Maintaining compliance is not just a legal obligation—it’s a reflection of our shared commitment to responsible stewardship. Violations can carry serious consequences, including fines, criminal penalties, and the potential loss of federal funding. Every employee plays a vital role in protecting the Lab’s integrity and reputation.
To help you carry out this responsibility, the Lab has developed the Introduction to Export Controls training course. This course provides a general introduction to U.S. export control laws and their relevance to your work. By completing it, you will be able to:
- understand the importance of export controls on activities at the Lab
- recognize how export controls impact your role
- successfully navigate export controls with available tools and resources.
Whether you’re new to export control or need a refresher, this training equips you with the knowledge to navigate today’s challenges confidently.
To sign up for the course or to learn more about export controls, visit Berkeley Lab training, the Export Control website, or contact the Export Compliance Office at exportcontrol@lbl.gov.
GOOD TO KNOW
Innovation Disco with VCs, Oct. 3
Wondering if your research is relevant to industry? Hear from and brainstorm with venture capitalists from At One Ventures, Congruent Ventures, DCVC, and Playground Global. The event, to be held at Haas Business School on Oct. 3 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., is hosted by Berkeley Lab’s Intellectual Property Office and the UC Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Program.
Explore the New IPO Website
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched a new website to enhance the online experience for employees and industry visitors. Explore the “For Lab Employees” section to find out more about disclosures, entrepreneurship training, NDA and MTA agreements, and more.
2026 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists: Nominations Open on Oct. 8
The Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists recognize the United States’ most promising faculty-rank researchers in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences. Nominations open on October 8 and run through December 3. The Lab will nominate up to three scientists, one in each of the three categories.
One nominee in each category will be named a 2026 Blavatnik National Awards Laureate and will be awarded $250,000, and five nominees will be recognized as finalists and will be awarded $15,000. Honorees will be celebrated at the 2026 Blavatnik Awards Ceremony in New York City in early Fall 2026.
Nominees must:
- have been born in or after 1984
- hold a doctorate degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.)
- currently hold a tenured or tenure-track academic faculty position, or equivalent
- currently conduct research as a principal investigator in one of the disciplinary categories in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, or Chemical Sciences.
If you are interested in being nominated or in nominating someone for the awards, contact your Area Leadership Director.
View the flyer or visit the website for more information about the Award.
