Chemistry & Biodiversity: The Sweet Smell of Success

John Wiley & Sons is pleased to announce the launch of the new chemistry journal, Chemistry & Biodiversity.

Edited by two internationally renowned experts in their field, M. Volkan Kisakuerek and Bernard Testa, Chemistry & Biodiversity focuses on research fields straddling the border between the chemical and biological sciences, with the ultimate goal of broadening our understanding of how nature works at a molecular level.

The new journal has already met with a resounding positive response. Numerous eminent researchers worldwide have announced their intention to support the publication. For example, the current Honorary Chairman of the Editorial Board is Professor Albert Eschenmoser of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla CA, USA, and the ETH-Zurich, Switzerland.

The publication of the inaugural issue of Chemistry & Biodiversity brought last April prominent chemists from around the globe to the launch in Zurich, supporting the journal’s interdisciplinary approach.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Eschenmoser said he was deeply honored to be invited to participate in the journal "I know editor Volkan Kisakuerek’s extraordinary professional talents, his vision in the field of scientific publishing, his incomparable creative zest in this field, and his sheer love for the written word in science."

Professor Dr. A. Vasella, also of ETH-Zurich remarked, "It is fundamentally important that we understand life and all the associated phenomena in as detailed and in as much a molecular way as possible. Chemistry & Biodiversity will be an important vehicle for helping to enrich the scientific communities’ understanding in this area."

Professor G M Blackburn, Secretary of IUPAC Division-III (Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry), equally emphasized the significance of this new journal: "The convergence of these two disciplines is important, particularly in respect to ongoing successful drug discovery, which is critical in light of the threat to health care presented by advancing bacterial resistance to existing antibiotics."

"The future of chemistry as a science", explained Dr. Kisakuerek "lies in a large part in biology. Our understanding of life, of biology, lies in a large part in chemistry. Chemistry affords a vast body of information and knowledge on the material substratum of life - of the molecules and macromolecules of which living organisms are made, their pathways of anabolism and catabolism, the mechanics of their regulation, their functional recognition and interactions, and their organization into systems of higher complexity."

The launch, sponsored by Givaudan (one of the world's leading international flavor and fragrance houses), was underpinned by themes reflecting nature’s rich and diverse range of smells and tastes.

The evening commenced with a presentation by Dr Roman Kaiser, Director of Givaudan’s Natural Scents Research Unit. In - Vanishing Flora - Lost Chemistry- , Dr Kaiser took the audience on an olfactory journey around the world to visit a selection of endangered species in their natural habitats and explained how he was able to - capture - their scent and then recreate it back in the laboratory. The audience was able to smell these scents, safe in the knowledge that the flora itself had not been harmed.

"Dr. Kaiser’s work involves the capture of the natural fragrance of plants and investigation of the chemical components that structure the scent so that perfumers can create synthetic reconstitutions", said Dr. Kisakuerek. "In a sense, this ties in with the dictum of the new journal -chemistry probing nature,- and the underlying ethos that chemistry can make a positive contribution to biodiversity."

During dinner, the guests were presented with a new perfume, prepared in honor of the launch of Chemistry & Biodiversity by Dr. Kaiser and Givaudan's expert perfumers. The distinctive new perfume replicates the essence of the Philodendron solimoesense from the rain forests of French Guiana - one of the unique scents Dr. Kaiser brought back to the Givaudan laboratory from his latest travels.

Apart from Dr. Kaiser's - Vanishing Flora - Lost Chemistry: The Scents of Endangered Plants around the World-, the first issue features a wide range of topical and exciting research reports. Dr. Kisakuerek points out two highlights: - A contribution from Dieter Seebach and co-workers on the synthesis and applications of ß-oligoarginines, plus a review of novel non-nucleoside-based reverse transcriptase inhibitors by Eric De Clercq especially reflect the primary goal of the journal to foster the linkage between biology and chemistry -.

Furthermore, Chemistry & Biodiversity is the official journal of the Center for the Study of Biological Complexity (CSBC), a new and vital research institution at the Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, which will also serve as the North American branch of the journal's editorial office. The CSBC aims to coordinate and promote all aspects of research and scholarly activity in the investigation of complexity as applied to biological systems. "It is an honor for the CSBC to sponsor a journal of this high caliber, and one that so closely reflects our own mission," said Gregory A. Buck, Ph.D., CSBC director. The first issue of Chemistry & Biodiversity also outlines the CSBC and the various opportunities for studying life sciences at the Virginia Commonwealth University.

05-aug-2004