Interview with Dr. Danila A. Barskiy—Outstanding Young Editorial Board Member of Molecules

Dr. Danila A. Barskiy graduated from the Department of Natural Sciences of Novosibirsk University (Russia) in 2012 and completed his Ph.D. in 2015 based on his research at the International Tomography Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He then moved on to be a postdoctoral fellow at the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (Nashville, USA) and the Department of Chemistry at UC Berkeley (Berkeley, USA). Since 2020, he has been a Sofja Kovalevskaja Research Group Leader at the Johannes Gutenberg University, Helmholtz Institute Mainz (Germany). His focus is on developing novel spectroscopic magnetic resonance methodologies and uncovering unresolved details of hyperpolarization chemistry. He is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) as well as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and was a Vice-Chair of the Hyperpolarization Methods Study Group Committee of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM). Dr. Barskiy is among the recipients of the Erwin Schrödinger Award 2021 of the Helmholtz Association and a finalist of the Falling Walls 2024 science competition.

Research interests: nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); hyperpolarization; spin dynamics; spin isomers; parahydrogen; chemical kinetics; thermodynamics; catalysis

The following is an interview with Dr. Danila A. Barskiy:

Part I—Regarding his research career:

1. Can you briefly describe your research?
My ongoing research is related to spin physics, spin chemistry, and spin technologies broadly defined. I began my professional career with a focus on chemistry, specifically on heterogeneous catalysis. However, over time, my interests and research focus have evolved. I am now fascinated by fundamental questions at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and engineering, while still maintaining a focus on nuclear spins.

2. What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?
There have been many developments in our field, some accomplished by our group and some by other researchers, that make me excited and very hopeful about the future of spin technologies. Currently, I am most excited about our recent publication where we determined, with the highest precision to date, an isotope effect caused by nitrogen isotope substitution in an ammonium cation using zero-field NMR methods. Typically, such precision in frequency determination could be expected from sophisticated techniques studying molecules in the gas phase. However, we have demonstrated a new tool that allows for such precision measurements under normal conditions, i.e., in room-temperature liquids.
Another exciting direction in our zero-field NMR work, soon to be published, involves investigating battery electrolyte composition and degradation directly through metal enclosures. This is possible because we work at extremely low frequencies (tens of Hz), where the skin depth is quite large, allowing the magnetic field to penetrate through metal, making various chemical signatures readily detectable. I believe this demonstration marks a milestone in several potential application areas, although much more work is needed to substantiate this claim.

3. If you could select one paper to highlight your research, which one would it be? (Doesn’t have to be from Molecules!)
The one mentioned above (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48390-2), although it is a difficult choice because we have many ongoing directions, all of which are very interesting. This work was also featured in several news outlets, such as https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/1183896/measuring-quadrupole-spins-with-zero-field-nmr-for-the-first-time.html.

4. What would you like to achieve as an ultimate goal for your research career?
It may sound strange, but reality has already surpassed some of my wildest expectations, and I am grateful for every new discovery, scientific realization, and accomplishment. I don’t have a specific “ultimate goal” in mind. However, I do have a strong desire to contribute to education and I hope to devote more time to this in the near future.

5. Have you ever encountered any difficulties in your scientific research or How do you overcome setbacks?
I believe that having problems and setbacks, and eventually developing the resilience to overcome them, is crucial for long-term success in any field, no matter how one defines “success”. Like everyone, I experience ups and downs, but these challenges are what build character.

Part II—Regarding the journal Molecules:

1. What attracted you to join the Academic Editor team of Molecules?
I was attracted by the transparent expectations, the extremely supportive team of editors, clear goals, and straightforward communication. I could openly share my suggestions for changing details of the editorial process, and the team always took them into consideration. Additionally, I appreciated that if something unexpected arose in my schedule, the Editorial Office was always ready to support me and handle communications with potential authors.

2. As an Editorial Board Member and Guest Editor (Special Issue “Hyperpolarized Molecules for Applications in Chemistry and Biomedicine”), what do you think is the most important responsibility while serving in these positions?
The most important responsibility is to ensure that published work is of the highest quality as it will be accessible in an open access form to a global audience. Ultimately, it is the editor’s responsibility to uphold the quality of science.

Part III—Work–life balance and advice to young researchers:

1. How do you balance your life and work? What are your hobbies? How do these hobbies promote and help scientific research?
I would not say I balance it perfectly… I resonate with the saying, “There is no work–life balance: there are life choices and their consequences.” In my free time, I enjoy playing piano or mandolin, assembling art-related jigsaw puzzles, and traveling to explore new places. Switching between different activities helps me relax and provides a fresh perspective when coming back to research.

2. As a young talented researcher, what valuable suggestions would you like to share with young students who are just starting out?
One piece of advice I would give is to understand that we often strive to achieve something in life due to inner unresolved struggles. It is crucial to be confident in your abilities, regardless of the outcome (even if it is a negative result of a proposed experiment). This confidence enables you to explore the most interesting scientific questions without bias. Embracing this approach, rather than focusing solely on incremental improvements driven by a fear of failure, is something I consider essential in academic research today.

3. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
I would like to thank the journal Molecules and the MDPI publishing group for providing a high-quality open access platform that helps shape the future of science for those motivated to do so.