4 Convergence of Macromolecular Chemistry and Biology
Professor Staudinger’s studies of macromolecular chemistry spanned natural
and synthetic polymers; he drew heavily on both fields as he developed his ideas
about macromolecular structure and behavior. He retained an interest in biological
problems until late in life, stimulated in part by his wife, Magda, who was trained in
plant physiology [1, 4]. In reading Professor Staudinger’s Nobel Lecture [1], one
can’t help but be struck by his fascination with “the wonder of life in its chemical
aspect,” and with the role that macromolecular chemistry would play in helping us
understand how living systems work. I believe Professor Staudinger would be
pleased by the extent to which macromolecular chemistry and biology have now
converged.
References
1. Nobelprize.org (1964) Hermann Staudinger – Nobel lecture, December 11, 1953: Macromolecular chemistry. In: Nobel lectures, chemistry 1942–1962. Elsevier, Amsterdam. http://
www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1953/staudinger-lecture.pdf
2. Staudinger H (1970) From organic chemistry to macromolecules: a scientific autobiography
based on my original papers. Wiley, New York
3. Staudinger H, Fritschi J (1922) Helv Chim Acta 5:785
4. Olby R (1970) J Chem Ed 47:168
5. Watson JD, Crick FHC (1953) Nature 171:737
6. Kendrew JC et al (1960) Nature 185:4711
7. Pauly PJ (1987) Controlling life: Jacques Loeb and the engineering ideal in biology. Oxford
University Press, New York
8. Jackson DA, Symons RH, Berg P (1972) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 69:2904
9. Nobelprize.org (1993) Paul Berg – Nobel lecture, December 8, 1980: Dissections and
reconstructions of genes and chromosomes. In: Nobel lectures, chemistry 1971–1980. World
Scientific, Singapore. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1980/berglecture.pdf
10. Keller A (1957) Philos Mag 2:1171
11. Krejchi MT et al (1994) Science 265:1427
12. Fraser RDB, MacRae TP (1973) Conformation in fibrous proteins. Academic, New York
13. Chou PY, Fasman GD (1974) Biopolymers 13:222
14. Yu SM et al (1997) Nature 389:167
15. Stroobants A, Lekkerkerker HNW (1987) Phys Rev A 36:2929
16. Watanabe J (1993) Thermotropic liquid crystals in polypeptides. In: Teramoto A,
Kobayashi M, Norisuye T (eds) Ordering in macromolecular systems. Springer, Berlin,
pp 99–113
17. Livolant F, Bouligand Y (1986) J Phys (Paris) 47:1813
18. Demus D, Richter L (1978) Textures of liquid crystals. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim
19. Petka WA et al (1998) Science 281:389
20. Shen W, Kornfield JA, Tirrell DA (2007) Macromolecules 40:689
21. Shen W, Zhang K, Kornfield JA, Tirrell DA (2006) Nat Mater 5:153
22. Olsen BD, Kornfield JA, Tirrell DA (2010) Macromolecules 43:9094
23. Langer RS, Tirrell DA (2004) Nature 428:487
24. Urry DW (1993) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 32:819
The Wonder of Life in Its Chemical Aspect
209
Professor Staudinger’s studies of macromolecular chemistry spanned natural
and synthetic polymers; he drew heavily on both fields as he developed his ideas
about macromolecular structure and behavior. He retained an interest in biological
problems until late in life, stimulated in part by his wife, Magda, who was trained in
plant physiology [1, 4]. In reading Professor Staudinger’s Nobel Lecture [1], one
can’t help but be struck by his fascination with “the wonder of life in its chemical
aspect,” and with the role that macromolecular chemistry would play in helping us
understand how living systems work. I believe Professor Staudinger would be
pleased by the extent to which macromolecular chemistry and biology have now
converged.
References
1. Nobelprize.org (1964) Hermann Staudinger – Nobel lecture, December 11, 1953: Macromolecular chemistry. In: Nobel lectures, chemistry 1942–1962. Elsevier, Amsterdam. http://
www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1953/staudinger-lecture.pdf
2. Staudinger H (1970) From organic chemistry to macromolecules: a scientific autobiography
based on my original papers. Wiley, New York
3. Staudinger H, Fritschi J (1922) Helv Chim Acta 5:785
4. Olby R (1970) J Chem Ed 47:168
5. Watson JD, Crick FHC (1953) Nature 171:737
6. Kendrew JC et al (1960) Nature 185:4711
7. Pauly PJ (1987) Controlling life: Jacques Loeb and the engineering ideal in biology. Oxford
University Press, New York
8. Jackson DA, Symons RH, Berg P (1972) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 69:2904
9. Nobelprize.org (1993) Paul Berg – Nobel lecture, December 8, 1980: Dissections and
reconstructions of genes and chromosomes. In: Nobel lectures, chemistry 1971–1980. World
Scientific, Singapore. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1980/berglecture.pdf
10. Keller A (1957) Philos Mag 2:1171
11. Krejchi MT et al (1994) Science 265:1427
12. Fraser RDB, MacRae TP (1973) Conformation in fibrous proteins. Academic, New York
13. Chou PY, Fasman GD (1974) Biopolymers 13:222
14. Yu SM et al (1997) Nature 389:167
15. Stroobants A, Lekkerkerker HNW (1987) Phys Rev A 36:2929
16. Watanabe J (1993) Thermotropic liquid crystals in polypeptides. In: Teramoto A,
Kobayashi M, Norisuye T (eds) Ordering in macromolecular systems. Springer, Berlin,
pp 99–113
17. Livolant F, Bouligand Y (1986) J Phys (Paris) 47:1813
18. Demus D, Richter L (1978) Textures of liquid crystals. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim
19. Petka WA et al (1998) Science 281:389
20. Shen W, Kornfield JA, Tirrell DA (2007) Macromolecules 40:689
21. Shen W, Zhang K, Kornfield JA, Tirrell DA (2006) Nat Mater 5:153
22. Olsen BD, Kornfield JA, Tirrell DA (2010) Macromolecules 43:9094
23. Langer RS, Tirrell DA (2004) Nature 428:487
24. Urry DW (1993) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 32:819
The Wonder of Life in Its Chemical Aspect
209