Molecular Machines: From Dream to Reality
Sir Fraser Stoddart, co-winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, recently lectured on molecular machines at the Technion’s Schulich Faculty of Chemistry as part of the Apeloig Distinguished Lecture Series. Before the lecture, he planted a tree on the Technion’s “Nobel Path” and added his signature to the Faculty of Chemistry’s Wall of Fame, which includes the names of luminaries of Chemistry since its inception.
Nobel Laureate Sir Fraser Stoddart and Distinguished Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig
, co-winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recently visited the Technion where he gave a lecture as part of the Apeloig Distinguished Lecture Series. This series was established by the American Technion Society and the Canadian Technion Society as a tribute to Distinguished Professor Yitzhak Apeloig when he completed his two terms (2001-2009) as Technion President. .
Currently a professor at Northwestern University, Sir Stoddart was born in Scotland in 1942. He completed all his degrees at the University of Edinburgh and since then has taught and researched at a number of universities and institutes in the UK and USA. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 and in 2016 he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Ben Feringa of The Netherlands and Jean-Pierre Sauvage of France, for their work on the design and synthesis of molecular machines. Their teams developed nano-molecules that can execute defined tasks, thus creating the smallest man-made machines. They have incorporated this technology to create bionic muscles, a nano-scale elevator, nano-cars, and more.
During the visit, Sir Stoddart planted a tree on the Technion’s “Nobel Path”, which is now home to trees planted by approximately 20 Nobel laureates who have visited the Technion. During the planting ceremony, Technion President Professor Peretz Lavie said “In 1950 there was nothing but a hill at this spot and now there is a new and thriving campus. We are proud that the very first tree planted by a Nobel laureate was planted by Albert Einstein opposite the historic Technion building in Hadar.”
Sir Stoddart planting a tree on the Technion’s “Nobel Path”
Sir Stoddart also signed his name on the Faculty of Chemistry’s Wall of Fame and received an Honorary Membership certificate of the Israel Chemical Society.. Before the lecture, Sir Stoddart met over lunch with PhD students of the department and discussed science and academic careers.
Professor Apeloig introduced his colleague before the lecture, saying “I’ve followed your career and your exciting science for many years. Your research transformed molecular machines from an obscure dream to a blossoming field of study in which tiny molecular machines (one nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter) are able to perform a wide variety of tasks. In addition to your contribution to fundamental science, you’ve also led the way to important practical applications, such as eliminating the currently used poisonous cyanide in gold mining. The awards you’ve won, including the Nobel Prize, reflect the importance of your scientific work and is a tribute to a brilliant career in which you trained more than 450 doctoral and post-doctoral students and published more than 1,100 scientific articles which have been cited more than 100,000 times !”
Sir Stoddart lectured about the development of the concept of the “mechanical bond” between molecules that are interlocked in a chain-like structure. These connections are significantly different from other chemical bonds. Sir Stoddart described some of the practical applications for molecular machines, including electronics and medicine, as well as discussing the beauty and creativity involved in the study of chemistry and the joy of investigating the unknown. He criticized European academic institutions whose hierarchical structure does not encourage researchers and faculty members in the early stages of their careers, unlike American academia. He added, “In the Technion, and in Israel in general, you have managed to promote science and nurture creativity and the three Nobel Prizes in Chemistry won by Technion researchers proves it.”