[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/nmr50.jpg” caption=”Nicole Marlatt explains her research poster to Atoosa Rezvanpour during a poster session in Alumni Memorial Hall. Both are PhD candidates in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario. Photo by Susan Bubak.”]Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has been a vital part of chemical research at McMaster University since 1958. In 1986, the NMR facility was formalized and today it houses seven modern instruments. NMR celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with a one-day symposium on Friday, May 2.

“NMR at McMaster has an outstanding history of research, innovation and service excellence, both internally and internationally. This has created a niche and reputation in the chemical research world that is second to none, and for which the Faculty of Science are proud supporters,” said John Capone, dean of the Faculty of Science.

The symposium started with opening remarks by Peter George, president of McMaster University, and a video interview with Ron Gillespie, professor emeritus and member of the Order of Canada, and Russell Bell, professor emeritus. The speakers created an atmosphere of nostalgia, as the two pioneering chemists reminisced about NMR at McMaster and beyond.

There were oral presentations until 4 p.m. by such distinguished guests as Dr. W.F. Reynolds from the University of Toronto, Dr. Brian Sykes and Dr. Rod Wasylishen from the University of Alberta, Dr. Mark Henkelman from the Hospital for Sick Children and Dr. Robert E. Lenkinski from Harvard University. Following the symposium was a poster session and banquet.

“The symposium in honour of 50 years of NMR at McMaster was a delightful commemoration of decades of cutting edge research and innovation,” said Alex Bain, professor in the Department of Chemistry and organizer of the symposium. “Dr. Gillespie and Dr. Bell were trailblazers for NMR research at McMaster University. The changes they have witnessed in discovery through NMR instrumentation in their careers are phenomenal, and they themselves have left us a legacy of success from which the rest of us can continue to build upon.”

NMR at McMaster University started with the arrival of Gillespie, who was lured here with the promise of NMR. The facility started with a Varian DP-60 instrument that was used extensively in the 1950s. It was essentially the first successful commercial instrument, but is now almost a dinosaur in the NMR world.

The facility that now houses seven NMR spectrometers was established with funding provided by The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and McMaster University. The instruments include, a Bruker AV 600 and AV 700, which were funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

The facility is well respected in the field and has proven very versatile. It has analyzed both liquid and solid samples from a variety of materials, including organic, inorganic, biochemical, geological, industrial, forestry, agricultural and biomedical.

The Symposium was generously sponsored by Bruker Biospin, Varian, the dean of Science and the vice-president of Research at McMaster University.

The Canadian chemical community can look forward to another 50 years of progress, as the next generation of researchers at McMaster step forward to take their place in NMR innovation.