BENGT NORDEN

Dr Nordén is a physical chemist with interest in structure and interactions in biomolecular solution systems. His pioneering contributions cover a range of physics and chemistry: from fundamental optical properties of bio-chromophores to topics related to molecular recognition. Using polarized light spectroscopy he developed a method for assessing three-dimensional structures of protein-DNA complexes in solution. Nordén designed several, now famous constructs, including peptide nucleic acids (PNA) and threading-intercalators, some with unique kinetic (in contrast to thermodynamic) recognition properties and a modular system for assembly of addressable supra-molecular networks for nanotechnological applications. He recently discovered an extended conformation of DNA with implications to genetic recombination mechanisms and possibly also to the genetic code. Prof Nordén is a former Chair of the Nobel Prize Committee for Chemistry. Based on his international networks he founded the Molecular Frontiers Foundation (MFF, www.molecularfrontiers.com) hosted by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. MFF has as purposes to identify early on scientific breakthroughs and to empower youth in demonstrating the usefulness of science.