Lecture – M.G. Finn

The immune system is Nature’s premier engine for the rapid evolution of molecular function, and molecular-scale information is its currency. Physical organic chemistry is the field devoted to the understanding of molecular information at its most fundamental level. These two disciplines have much to teach each other. This lecture will describe the manipulation of reliable bond-forming and bond-breaking reactions for the creation of multifunctional immunogens based on virus-like particles. Equipped with an informed intuition of how molecules behave and a willingness to make plenty of mistakes, organic chemists can bring useful insights to a biological endeavor as complex as vaccine development.