Click Chemistry, Excellence and Equality in Science

About

Humans are changing the structure and chemical composition of the world we live in at historically unprecedented rates, leading to major global challenges. There is a great need for the creation and dissemination of scientific knowledge within a diverse and equitable environment to be able to solve these global challenges. Through chemistry, we can understand the changes that are happening and their consequences.

The first part of the talk will give an account of the road to the Nobel Prize for the CuAAC reaction and explore how Click Chemistry has opened up new avenues in treating infectious and metabolic illnesses, as illustrated within cancer, obesity, Alzheimer's dementia and novel antibiotics to combat the multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Furthermore, existential aspects of our fundamental understanding of chemistry, the importance of serendipity in research, the associated need for freedom of research and our pledge to the young to study science for a better future society will also be discussed. In addition, the talk will touch on how to transfer excellence to the research environment.

Within academia, research has shown a strong positive correlation between diversity and innovative excellence and the ability of groups to develop creative solutions. It has also been shown that without inclusion, the power of diversity cannot be successfully harnessed.

The second part of the talk will address aspects of gender and intersectional diversity and how to nurture an inclusive mind-set so that we can collectively shape a future where everyone has equal opportunity to pursue their passions and excel in their chosen path for the benefit of all.

Morten Meldal is a Danish chemist and professor at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, alongside Barry Sharpless and Carolyn Bartozzi, for the groundbreaking development of 'Click chemistry and biorthogonal chemistry'. Throughout…