Chemical mechanisms of Life

At the scale of atoms, Life is controlled by chemical reactions between nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. However, there are large gaps of understanding on how the different biomolecules interact at the atomic scale.

A series of methodological breakthroughs have made it possible to reveal, control, and predict the quantities, structure and dynamics of biomolecules with unprecedented precision.

By combining these recent advances, we now aim to explore the complex interplay of nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites.

We propose an internationally leading and interdisciplinary research network focusing on mapping, understanding, and manipulating chemical mechanisms at the heart of Life.Founded by four research leaders in chemistry and biophysics, and physically located at the crossroads of chemistry, cell biology, and medicine, we will work through recruiting promising young scientists, invite international research leaders, and build an interactive on-line platform for catalyzing collaboration.

We will establish a Master program called “Chemistry of Life” for long-term impact on education.

We envisage a rapid growth of the network into a vibrant and open center, which brings research fields and data on different biomolecules together, combines cutting-edge methods, and catalyzes novel research for deciphering, understanding and controlling chemical mechanisms of Life. Advances are expected in education, research, pharma, and industry.