 |
Dr. Mike Collins
& Professor Steven Ley at the Poster
Reception |
Microwave technology has
become an accepted method for enabling
synthesis reactions; however, using the
microwave energy to enhance bioscience
applications is an exciting, new concept
that many researchers find intriguing.
Thus, bioscience applications were a hot
topic at the 5th International Microwaves
in Chemistry Conference, which was held
in London in April. Among the 20 speakers
discussing a variety of topics in medicinal
chemistry, polymer chemistry, nanotechnology
and biosciences, several presentations
were of particular interest to researchers
in biosciences, including the following.
Dr. Ben Davis of the University of Oxford
(UK) has been conducting groundbreaking
research in the role sugars play in modulating
the properties of proteins. He presented
recent developments from his laboratory
and discussed using microwave energy to
accelerate or enable new approaches in
ligation, glycoconjugates synthesis, and
biocatalysis.
 The biotech industry has also discovered
how microwave energy can enhance proteomic
applications. In her presentation, Dr.
Jennie Lill of Genentech (USA) discussed
a variety of microwave-assisted reactions
for the characterization of proteins.
Using ring-closing olefin metathesis to
prepare macrocyclic-constrained peptides
has been a focus of Dr. Steve Marsden’s
research group. Marsden, of the University
of Leeds (UK), discussed microwave-acceleration
of olefin metathesis reactions on solid-phase,
the first such example of its kind.
Dr. Michael Collins of CEM Corporation
discussed new research in several bioscience
areas including enzymatic digests and the
effect that microwave energy has on these
processes.
This year’s Keynote Presentation
was given by Professor Steven V. Ley, PhD,
CBE FRS of the University of Cambridge,
who is renowned for his work in organic
chemistry. Ley has utilized microwave-assisted
reactions for many years and is well known
for his groundbreaking research.
The International Microwaves in Chemistry
Conference hosted a record number of attendees
this year with 280 scientists present at
the lectures over 3 days.
|
