Abeles symposium

This symposium was the inspiration of Joanne Stubbe (MIT, MA, USA), who organized an impressive tribute to the career of Robert H Abeles (Brandeis University, MA, USA). Professor Abeles is an influential figures in the development of 'rational drug design' and is one of the pioneers in the development of suicide substrates. His work in transition-state or reaction-intermediate analogs, most notably trifluoromethyl ketones, has had a substantial impact on the design of novel pharmaceutical compounds. Despite retirement and failing health, Professor Abeles has managed to contribute to the development of combinatorial chemistry, which is currently of interest as a strategy in drug design. Another facet of his career has been a fascination with biosynthetic pathways or enzyme catalyzed reactions of an unusual or obscure nature. Professor Abeles's approach has always had a distinctly chemical emphasis resulting in unraveling detailed, and often surprising, mechanisms. He has served as an inspiration to countless academic and industrial scientists around the world. Evidence of this is the impressive attendance at the Abeles Symposium and the standing ovation given to Professor Abeles. Former associates gave most of the oral presen-tations in the morning and afternoon sessions of the symposium. Professor Joanne Stubbe gave the introductory talk for the morning's session. An overview of the various research areas by Professor Abeles, including his early work on ribonucleotide reductase that led, in part, to Professor Stubbe's own research in this area, was presented.