Mimicking and expanding biological assembly and function

CHED 1629

Dirk Trauner, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
Exploring biosynthetic pathways and connections through total synthesis is a central theme of our research program. Several efficient syntheses of biologically active natural products that have been guided by biosynthetic speculations will be presented. In addition, small molecules that confer completely new functions to a central switch in neurobiology - the ionotropic glutamate receptor will also be discussed. Using a combination of chemical synthesis and site-directed mutagenesis we have developed a light-actuated version of this ion channel that mimics naturally occurring photoreceptors and has already found interesting applications in neurobiology.
 

Exploring and Exploiting Nature with Biomimetics
1:30 PM-4:45 PM, Tuesday, March 27, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N230A, Level 2, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007