Created machine for the assembly of organic molecules

Molecule assembly machine

Chemists from the University of Illinois under the leadership of Martin Burke built a device that can make the assembly of any organic molecules as simple as printing parts on a 3D printer. Automation of this process will accelerate the development of new drugs and other technologies that depend on the synthesis of "small molecules."

“Small molecules” refers to a class of compact organic molecules that are widely used, for example, as the basis of medicines in medicine. Also with their help, biologists study the properties of cells and tissues. But such molecules are very difficult to synthesize in the laboratory.

Even 20 years ago, the production of a given substance was a non-trivial task in itself. One could spend years searching for paths that eventually led to the production of the desired molecule. In recent years, the theory has advanced greatly, and the process of obtaining the desired substance has become dependent only on the availability of the necessary equipment and funding. And with such a device, the issue of synthesis is almost a few clicks away.
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A molecular machine works by assembling the necessary molecules from simpler components that serve as building blocks. She has already demonstrated the creation of 14 different molecules, including ring structures that are complex for the synthesis. One scientific observer even called this discovery "the end of an era of synthesis ."

First of all, the company founded by Burke, specializes in drugs from the fungus. It is expected that the development of technology will create unique opportunities in other areas of medicine. The ability to collect virtually any molecule will help overcome the current bottleneck, which consists in the synthesis of the necessary substances, and will accelerate research in groups that do not have specialists in organic synthesis.