Professor of Chemistry, University of Stratbourg, France
Jean-Marie Lehn was bom in Rosheim, France in 1939. He received his Doctor of Science in 1963 from the University of Stratbourg working in the laboratory of Guy Ourisson. The following year he joined the group of Robert Bums Woodward at Harvard University, where he participated in the total synthesis of vitamine B12. On his return to Stratbourg he started to work in areas on the frontier between organic and physical chemistry, later taking an interest in biological processes as well. In 1968, he studied led to the synthesis of cage-like molecules that formed inclusion complexes, the cryptates, with various metal ions.
Quite an inspiring talk on the Darwinean adaption in Chemistry during his talk in the 10th Asian Chemical Congress in Hanoi, Oct.21-24, 2003 Vietnam
With this began his research on the chemical basis of "molecular recognition" (i.e. the way in which a receptor molecule recognizes and selectively binds a substrate), which also plays a fundamental role in biological processes. For these studies Lehn received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1987 with D.J. Cram and C.J. Pedersen.
In 1970 Lehn became Professor of Chemistry at the Univesite Louis Pasteur in Stratbourg and since 1979 he is Professor at the College de France in Paris.
Prof.Lehn was available for a chat and photograph after his talk during the conference. Here Dr.Narayanan Kannan is with him
Over the years his work led to the definition of a new field of chemistry, which he named "supramolecular chemistry" as it deals with the complex entities formed by the association of two or more chemical species held together by intermolecular forces, whereas molecular chemistry studies the features of the entities constructed from atoms linked by covalent bonds. His research broadened from molecular recognition towards supramolecular catalysis and transport processes. It also extended to the design of molecular devices, molecular electronics and photonics. More recently the main line of development concerned the design of "programmed" systems that undergo self-organisation by spontaneous assembly of suitable components into well-defined supramolecular architectures following an Aufbau plan. Author of more of many academies and institutions and has received numerous international honours and awards.