Organic Synthesis

Louis Fensterbank traces organic synthesis from nineteenth-century natural-product isolation to the construction of increasingly complex molecules, and considers its contributions to medicine, agriculture, materials and longer lives. The lecture examines two current challenges: using automation and artificial intelligence to explore new chemical space for therapeutics and advanced materials, and developing greener synthesis that reduces waste, energy use and toxicity. It considers how molecular innovation can advance alongside environmental protection. Fensterbank is Professor at Collège de France. Makoto Fujita provides commentary; Marie Oshima moderates. Online via Zoom Webinar. Wednesday 28 October 2026, 13:30–14:30 JST (Asia/Tokyo; UTC+9). Public advance registration is required through the organizer’s event page. The lecture is in English with Japanese interpretation. Organized by Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study.

IKCOC-16 brings academic and industrial chemists and engineers together to examine advances in organic chemistry and related disciplines. The scientific programme connects improved efficiency in organic synthesis with the synthesis of materials and applications in the life sciences. Plenary, invited and contributed lectures, poster discussions and the IKCOC Prize lecture provide forums for comparing research approaches and exchanging findings. Confirmed participants include prize recipient Eric N. Jacobsen, Erick M. Carreira and Hiroaki Suga. The conference takes place in person at Rihga Royal Hotel Kyoto on 16–19 November 2026. Times are Japan Standard Time (Asia/Tokyo, UTC+9). Registration is 14:00–16:00 on 16 November, followed by the opening ceremony at 16:00 and opening lecture at 16:45. Scientific sessions run 09:00–16:40 on 17 and 18 November, with posters 16:40–18:40. On 19 November, sessions run 09:00–16:00 and closing remarks finish at 16:15. Lectures and formal discussions are in English. Online registration closes at 23:59 JST on 31 October. Standard fees are JPY 60,000 for active participants and JPY 25,000 for students, who must provide valid student identification. The banquet is extra. Registrations are currently non-refundable.

A 12-month appointment in the Département de Chimie Moléculaire, a joint CNRS–Université Grenoble Alpes laboratory, funded by ANR’s SANTAC project. Create sequence-controlled DNA amphiphiles using solid-phase synthesis and non-natural building blocks, then investigate their self-assembly and delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids in cell models. Work combines phosphoramidite synthesis, purification, physicochemical characterization and biological assays. The planned start is 1 January 2027; applications close on 12 October 2026 at 23:59 source local time.

Develop bio-based organic solvents from renewable carbon for lithium- and sodium-ion battery electrolytes. Combine organic synthesis with NMR, FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy, GC-MS and physical-property measurements, working with battery-performance researchers and industrial collaborators. The full-time appointment lasts two years with a possible one-year extension; start is 26 October 2026 or by agreement. Teaching may occupy up to 20% of working time. Apply by 16 October 2026.

A twelve-month postdoctoral project beginning in January 2027 studies electroactive chiral materials derived from [7]helicene, quasi[8]circulenes and neutral helical radicals incorporating tetrathiafulvalene. Combining helical scaffolds with electron-donor units is intended to influence charge delocalization, molecular packing, conductivity and spin filtering. The work builds on preliminary enantiomer resolution and synthesis results, and investigates chiroptical modulation, spin-dependent electrochemistry and chirality-induced spin selectivity. Collaborations involve theoretical chemistry and electrochemistry, with a possible short visit to the University of Modena. Applications require a cover letter, CV and one referee contact, sent to Flavia Pop by 31 October 2026.