Preface

Abstract

Abstract In August 2007, IUPAC‚ Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry Division launched a combined Biomolecular-Biotechnology Symposium as a major component of the 41st IUPAC Congress in Turin, Italy. This four-day CHEM-BIO-TECH 2007 Symposium comprised IUPAC‚ 1st Symposium on Biotechnology held jointly with IUPAC‚ 8th Symposium on Bioorganic Chemistry, ISBOC-8. In designing the program, the goal was to focus on work at the interface of biotechnology and biomolecular chemistry from which many key industrial and academic advances have sprung. The program embraced topics ranging from novel drug discovery, biosynthesis, biocatalysis, and organic synthesis through artificial biomolecules and other emerging biotechnological applications. Attention was also devoted to industrial experience in drug research and in biotechnological productions. The special topics discussed during the symposium included: - natural products synthesis, biosynthesis, and isolation - industrial application of bioorganic chemistry and biotechnology - bioorganic and bioinorganic chemistry, biosynthesis, and biocatalysis - analytical methods applied to molecular recognition This issue of Pure and Applied Chemistry comprises a collection of 11 papers based upon the invited lectures delivered at CHEM-BIO-TECH 2007. It offers readers an enduring record of the representative scientific contributions announced during the symposium, in an area of interface between chemistry and biology of great interest and relevant potential applications. Francesco Nicotra and Mary Garson Conference Chair and Co-chair