Organic Synthesis and Chemical Biology

We investigate the molecules of nature. 

Nature provides mankind with unique chemical substances, so-called natural products. These molecules are produced by many organisms including bacteria, fungi and plants, and these compounds have been evolutionarily optimized over time. The understanding of natural products led to important contributions of chemistry to our society, as many contemporary drugs, vitamins, dyes, flavors and fragrances are natural products or derivatives.We obtain natural products through two distinct operations, either through isolation from natural sources or their chemical reconstitution in the laboratory by total synthesis. The resulting substances are then investigated in the context of their chemical, ecological and therapeutic properties.