Topic: Bioorthogonal chemistry

Carolyn Bertozzi explains why sugars on cell surfaces matter for communication between cells and how new chemical methods make these complex molecules accessible to research. The discussion connects this work to neuroscience, biological aging and drug development.

Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and Barry Sharpless explain the development of reliable reactions for connecting molecular components and the extension of those reactions into biological systems. Meldal and Sharpless describe the ideas and discoveries behind click chemistry, including efficient azide–alkyne coupling, and its use as a practical strategy for building functional molecules. Bertozzi addresses the additional challenge of performing chemical reactions in living systems without disrupting their normal processes. Her account connects the study and labelling of cell-surface glycans wit