Summer 2008 Newsletter
Q & A with Rachel Linck, Ph.D.
This issue’s featured scientist is Dr. Rachel Linck who has worked as a chemist at Chemir Analytical Services for over 2 years and is quickly rising in the ranks. Recently, Dr. Linck was promoted to Project Leader – Technical Services where she will work with clients to design projects to meet their individual needs. We sat down with Rachel to discuss her experiences in the lab, her new position and her plans to compete in a triathalon.
Q. What did you do before coming to Chemir?
RL. Before starting at Chemir I was conducting postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and prior to that, my doctoral research at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. I primarily studied bioinorganic chemistry, focusing on metal-containing enzymes that conduct important biological reactions. The goal of my graduate research was to prepare a catalyst to produce hydrogen efficiently and inexpensively. Hydrogen is a “clean” fuel, which can potentially reduce our dependency on petroleum fuels which can be environmentally detrimental.
Q. You are one of the LC/MS specialists at Chemir. What are some memorable projects that you have worked on?
RL. I remember one job last year where a manufacturer claimed that their athletic clothing was made from fabric containing seaweed. The claim was that as you sweat, the seaweed would release its vitamins into your skin, removing the need for a sports drink. We completed a comparative analysis of the “seaweed” shirt and a control cotton shirt using LC/MS and found that the “seaweed” shirt did not actually contain any vitamins or minerals known to be in seaweed. The story and our results were written up in the New York Times!
One of my favorite projects was the deformulation of several embalming fluids. You wouldn’t believe what is in embalming fluid! They contain surfactants that reduce the surface tension of the formulation so that it can get into tiny capillaries, all sorts of fragrances for obvious reasons, dyes in case the corpse is discolored, preservatives like aldehydes and alcohols, and solvents to carry the other ingredients throughout the body. There are many different types of specialty embalming fluids that are applied to different situations. It was kind of a morbid project, but it was very interesting, scientifically!
Q. What do you like best about working at Chemir?
RL. Definitely the people. Everyone here has a great mind for problem solving and is willing to help out whenever needed. It’s a real team atmosphere.
Q. What are you looking forward to in your new position?
RL. I’ll miss being in the lab, but I am looking forward to interacting with our customers more directly and helping them create a plan of attack to solve their problems.
Q. I hear that you've started running. Do you have any races coming up?
RL. That’s right. I started running about 2 years ago. I ran my first race, 5 miles through downtown St. Louis, on St. Patrick's Day this year. I am currently training to do my first triathlon in the summer or fall of this year. Wish me luck!