New opportunities at the interface of chemistry and biology

ORGN 255

Peter G. Schultz, Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
Living organisms are remarkable in their ability to generate complex structures with functions ranging from gene regulation and the immune response to photosynthesis and catalysis. The machinery of the cell when combined with the tools and principles of chemistry can be used to create molecules and assemblies of molecules with properties not yet found in nature. A number of such examples of the synergistic use of biology and chemistry will be discussed ranging from the generation of selective biological catalysts studies in genomics, drug discovery and materials science.