PELAKITA.ID – It was an honor to serve as a host for Professor Morten Meldal at the Nobel Laureate Lecture held at Universitas Hasanuddin.
Professor Morten Meldal is a Danish professor of chemistry at the University of Copenhagen and a recipient of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, awarded for his independent discovery of click chemistry—an elegant and efficient method for connecting molecular building blocks with wide-ranging applications in drug discovery, materials science, and chemical biology.
His discovery was not merely a new laboratory technique; it represented a new philosophy of science.
Click chemistry has enabled researchers to map DNA, track disease processes in living cells, and develop highly targeted cancer therapies with remarkable precision.
Meldal’s work helped shift chemistry away from the challenge of how to build molecules toward the more profound question of what those molecules can do.
Professor Meldal is a prolific scientist with hundreds of scientific publications, numerous patents, and a distinguished record of international recognition and major research awards.
He has played a foundational role in the field of combinatorial chemistry and has been actively involved in biotechnology entrepreneurship, co-founding several biotech start-ups. Beyond science, he is known for his artistic interests and his commitment to broader humanistic values.
It was truly heartwarming to see the enthusiasm of the audience—especially high school students—who were visibly excited to meet such a brilliant mind and Nobel Laureate.
It was a rare and special occasion, and one can only hope it inspires them to pursue science, or at least to strengthen their scientific curiosity and critical thinking.
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Written by Nana Saleh, Ph.D