The 146th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (Osaka)

Organizer: Motohiro Nishida (Grad. Sch. Pharm. Sci., Kyushu Univ.), Fan-Yan Wei (Grad. Sch. Pharm. Sci., Tohoku Univ.)

Life has evolved and expanded its complexity alongside the acquisition of energy derived from Group 16 elements—collectively known as chalcogens—with exceptional electron-donating and -accepting properties, particularly the essential biological elements oxygen (O), sulfur (S), and selenium (Se). While previous research has mainly focused on the individual redox characteristics of each chalcogen, recent findings have revealed that organisms produce unexpectedly large numbers of composite molecules, termed chalcogenides, in which O, S, and Se are linked in linear or cyclic structures together with essential metals. These molecules exhibit active functions that cannot be explained by the properties of single elements alone.
In this symposium, researchers from biological, medical, organic chemical, and physical sciences will gather to present cutting-edge findings on the formation and metabolic regulation of biological chalcogenides, as well as their unique functional roles. The symposium will also discuss how these insights can inform innovative strategies for drug discovery.