Andrei K. Yudin is in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto and works on developing synthetic tools to study biological processes. Andrei was originally interviewed on Reactions in August 2011; given his recent paper in Nature Chemistry titled “Oxadiazole grafts in peptide macrocycles,” we thought we would check in and see what’s changed recently.

1. What has changed in your research since you last appeared on Reactions?

During my 2013 sabbatical, I got interested in protein crystal structure determination and the role of synthetic molecules in mediating this process. During that time, we initiated several projects that have led to the emergence of synthetic tools to develop molecular probes of protein function. This area of research is still in its infancy and we have yet to publish our results. But the tangible outcome has been profound: our interest in functional significance of molecules now influences the way we go about reaction design. I would not have predicted that structural biology could have a measurable bearing on how we attempt to innovate in chemical synthesis, but it sure does.

2. What do you think is the most important aspect of your recent Nature Chemistry paper?

This work has everything from an interesting mechanistic insight into how macrocycles are made to the ultimate application of our molecules. I think the capability to control the structure of macrocycles using oxadiazole grafts is something other labs will be able to use. I also hope that “the oxadiazole effect” will lead to the discovery of many other macrocyclic systems with controlled properties. As a result of our paper, Sigma-Aldrich is now in the process of manufacturing “Pinc”, the central reagent that enables our reaction to take place.

3. Which is your favourite element — or if not an element, favourite molecule and why?

Water is my favorite molecule and the reason is that it mediates interactions between small molecules and their protein targets. The ChemDraw-driven “language of chemical structures” is an unfortunate oversimplification. I wish we had an easy way to depict water surrounding chemical structures because it is water, in its bulk and structured states, which does the heavy lifting during biological interactions. Water networks shift, reorganize, and are even known to possess entropy/enthalpy compensatory mechanisms. These mechanisms influence the intended consequences of functional group placement when we, synthetic chemists, apply our “penetrating” insights and convince ourselves that we are engaged in molecular design.

4. Imagine that your inbox is empty, there is nothing in need of writing, and there are no experiments that need attention: how would you spend this free time?

I would play 18 holes at the Indian Wells Golf Club (Burlington, Ontario). I would do it two times in the same day – one from the white tees and one from the blue tees, although I am not sure there will be material change to my score.

5. If you were given $1 million as you stepped out of your office to do with what you will, what would you use it for?

I would start a company around our recent boron technology. This will allow us to make about 100 molecules and outsource phenotypic screening to a contract research organization. The strength of our yet-to-be-published chemistry is that the molecules are cell permeable. We can’t afford to run costly assays now, but with $1 million we will be in a good position to attract investors and do so on reasonable terms because the technology will be substantially de-risked by then.

6. Where would you most like to travel to, but have never been — and why?

I am interested in Labrador, a fascinating Canadian province I have never been to. It has breathtaking cliff views of the ocean and is known for its austere beauty. Unfortunately, this is not a place I could convince my wife to visit because there are no swimming opportunities, so I will have to wait for a conference to be held there.

7. Which chemist do you look up to most, living or otherwise — and why?

There are so many people I could name. Out of this list, I am drawn to those who did more with less. In this regard, I feel that Emil Fischer’s study of sugars is exemplary. Whenever I teach this topic, it sends chills down my spine. In his work, Fischer established the stereochemistry of sugars by studying epimerization between gluconic and mannonic acids. Doing this with the tools he had at his disposal was akin to a miracle.

Ariane Vartanian studied materials chemistry at the University of Illinois before moving to New York, where she is now an Associate Editor for Nature Communications.

1. What made you want to be a chemist?

Strong undergraduate advising and a gallon of Red Bull. In college I wanted to be a cinematographer, but I took general chemistry to fulfill a requirement. I had found chemistry dry in high school; add that to an early morning class and some sort of teenage rebellious phase — I skipped class and found myself on the verge of failing as the semester ended. So I crammed the entire textbook in three sleepless days. By the 65^th hour I was full-on hallucinating molecules. It was right around the chapter on molecular orbital theory when delocalized electrons started (in some sense literally) swimming around in front of me. My grade in the class was horrible, but it was worth it because I emerged totally fascinated.

2. If you weren’t a chemist and could do any other job, what would it be — and why?

I’d move to the Continental Divide, foster a bunch of dogs, and open an ice cream petting zoo bar. Essentially people would come to eat ice cream and play with my dogs. I’d try to encourage more people to adopt dogs and get them out of shelters. I’ve thought through this plan to the extent that it combines many of my favorite things, but there might be holes in the money-making part.

3. What are you working on now, and where do you hope it will lead?

I’m an editor for Nature Communications, and I love it. There’s this hungry, feverish feel of continuously taking in new knowledge and trying to shape the way my field is represented. It’s a great feeling to fight for a paper I find really interesting, and then see it published. One of my eventual aims is to be a molecular animator, making big screen films featuring giant, dynamic molecules to convince people that chemistry is more than just balancing equations.

4. Which historical figure would you most like to have dinner with — and why?

I’d be kind of interested in dining with Lucy the Australopithecus. She has a mythical reputation in grade school history books but I imagine there’s more to her story than the single paragraph we get.

5. When was the last time you did an experiment in the lab — and what was it?

About half a year ago. I was attempting to use DOSY NMR to figure out the conformational flexibility of ligands attached to different axes of anisotropic gold nanocrystals.

6. If exiled on a desert island, what one book and one music album would you take with you?

I would be a terrible hunter, so I doubt I’d survive any longer than a week. Therefore my choice would be about maximizing lifetime knowledge. I’d take The Western Intellectual Tradition, which I own for some reason but would never read otherwise. As far as music, I think listening to music created by humans would make me too lonely and sad¹.

7. Which chemist would you like to see interviewed on Reactions — and why?

Any chemist who does research in a developing country. I’d like to learn about the differences in their experience and the unique challenges they face.

[1] Editor’s note: In this case, might I recommend music made by non-humans?

Haibo Ge is a Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), and works on the development of novel transition metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization processes and structure-activity relationship studies of anticancer agents. His group recently published a paper entitled “Site-selective C–H arylation of primary aliphatic amines enabled by a catalytic transient directing group” in Nature Chemistry.

1. What made you want to be a chemist?

I was amazed by the “magic” results from arranging different elements when I was a middle school student. Later, I was attracted by the art of synthetic chemistry and the applications in pharmaceuticals.

2. If you weren’t a chemist and could do any other job, what would it be — and why?

If I weren’t a chemist, I would want to be a pilot since I enjoy the feeling of flying “freely” in the sky. However, I have never had this experience, and thus it might not be realistic.

3. What are you working on now, and where do you hope it will lead?

We are working on the site-selective C–H functionalization of simple substrates such as aliphatic amines and aldehydes via transition metal catalysis. I hope that it will lead to the practical use of these methods in process chemistry.

4. Which historic figure would you most like to have dinner with — and why?

Mozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher and the founder of the school of Mohism. More impressively, he was also a great scientist with prominent knowledge in geometry, physics, optics, etc.

5. When was the last time you did an experiment in the lab — and what was it?

I was running a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction together with a new graduate student about two weeks ago if that counts.

6. If exiled on a desert island, what one book and one music album would you take with you?

For the book, I would like to take the ancient Chinese book Strategies of the Warring States. For the music album, I would like to have the Collection of Chinese Classical Music with me.

7. Which chemist would you like to see interviewed on Reactions — and why?

Vy Dong because she is such a creative chemist.

Ellen Sletten is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles.  The Sletten Group develops fluorinated nanomaterials and imaging agents for applications in medicine, chemical biology, and energy.  Ellen can be found on Twitter at @EllenSletten.

1. What made you want to be a chemist?

I was hooked ever since taking Advanced Placement Chemistry in high school¹. The ability to explain everything around me with elements and molecules was fascinating. I was particularly drawn to organic chemistry because of its synergy with biology, which ultimately led me to carrying out my graduate work with Carolyn Bertozzi.

2. If you weren’t a chemist and could do any other job, what would it be — and why?

I would be a horse trainer. My first job was working on a farm and teaching horseback riding lessons.  I loved it and spent every free second in high school at the barn. I managed to ride horseback a little in college but gave it up completely to go to graduate school.  Someday I’ll find time for it again!

3. What are you working on now, and where do you hope it will lead?

We are exploiting the fluorous phase to create advanced nanotheranostics.  Perfluorinated materials have unique, orthogonal properties to biomolecules which allow us to control the localization and delivery of imaging agents and therapeutics.  We envision these materials will lead to a general approach for personalized medicine.

4. Which historical figure would you most like to have dinner with — and why?

Marie Curie — perhaps she is an obvious choice, but it is incredible what she accomplished in a time when it was difficult for women to do anything outside of their homes.

5. When was the last time you did an experiment in the lab — and what was it?

I ran a TLC plate yesterday — does that count?  As a new faculty member, I’ve spent many hours in lab teaching my students and helping them with their chemistry; however, I haven’t actually done any of my “own” experiments here at UCLA.

6. If exiled on a desert island, what one book and one music album would you take with you?

I’m a big Billy Joel fan so any of his albums would do but if I had to pick one it’d be The Stranger, which has “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” on it.  There are many books I’d like to find time to read but I’d have to go with Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, which is a perfect mix of science and inspiration.  Shout out to my graduate school book club for introducing me to this book!

7. Which chemist would you like to see interviewed on Reactions — and why?

John Jewett because he always has great answers!

[1] For our non-American readers, “Advanced Placement” classes (commonly referred to as AP) are upper-level classes that can be taken in lieu of the corresponding introductory course at a university, should the student score well enough on the associated AP exam. While not identical by any means, these are similar to an A-level in regard to who takes them and why.