Celebrating RACI and Academy of Science awards 2022–23

Abstract

It is a pleasure to present this year's special issue featuring the recipients of awards and medals issued by the Australian Academy of Science and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.David J. Craik (The University of Queensland), the Academy's 2023 David Craig Medal awardee, and coworkers Frøsig-Jørgensen, Ji, Gorman and Kan contribute an account on the discovery and optimisation of the toxin isolated from the marine cone shell Conus victoriae and analogues, which have analgesic properties comparable to that of gabapentin, one of the foremost clinically used drugs for neuropathic pain. Structure-activity relationships were investigated with extensive use of solid phase peptide synthesis. Backbone cyclisation of the conotoxin proved to be particularly effective in improving potency and pharmacological properties of the peptide, improve biological stability and reduce proteolytic degradation, and the backbone cyclisation also improved the oral bioavailability. 1 Yu Heng Lau (The University of Sydney), the winner of an Early Career Travel Bursary, is the author of an account on the supramolecular chemistry of protein cages and viruses. Examples of protein cages include the outer capsid shells of viruses and simple organellelike structures in bacteria that house enzymes in the interior. The account serves to introduce the world of protein cages to the chemical audience and to highlight similarity with supramolecular chemistry. It is concluded that many chemistry concepts have counterparts in molecular virology. Many of the molecular self-assembly properties and host-guest behaviours that apply to classic supramolecular systems also operate at the scale of capsid formation. 2 George A. Koutsantonis (The University of Western Australia), the Leighton Medallist, and coworkers Jago and Gaschk contribute a tutorial Primer Review on the history and fundamentals of molecular photochromism, i.e. molecules that reversibly change colour upon exposure to light. The fundamental concepts and histories are presented, and key photochromic molecules and selected applications are provided. Advances in experimental and theoretical research have led to a thorough understanding of photochromism and enabled the rational design of photochromes for various material applications. The authors conclude that, although several types of organic photochromes have been studied extensively, numerous potential applications are waiting to be explored. 3 Paul L. Burn (The University of Queensland), winner of the Applied Research Medal, and coworkers Hutchinson, Poliquit, Clulow, Gentle and Shaw contribute a research article on the detection of explosives containing nitro-groups by correlating vapour uptake with the luminescence quenching of poly(dendrimer)s. It was found that that the addition of first-generation biphenyl-based dendrons to one of the polymers resulted in improved photoluminescence quenching and sensitivity, whereby neutron reflectometry was applied to characterise vapour uptake. 4 Timothy U. Connell (Deakin University), the Organ...