IIT Bombay scientists devise simpler method making ring-shaped building blocks
Scientists at IIT Bombay have come up with a much simpler method to turn basic fatty acids into complex ring-shaped molecules, super important building blocks for medicines and industrial chemicals.
The new process uses a special chemical that targets specific spots on the fatty acid chain, making the whole thing quicker, less wasteful, and way more efficient than older methods.
IIT Bombay creates over 10 molecules
With this breakthrough, the team managed to create more than 10 valuable molecules in the lab, including muricatacin, an anti-cancer compound usually found in soursop fruit.
Instead of needing loads of plants, they made it faster and just as effectively in the lab.
Professor Debabrata Maiti says this technique could speed up drug discovery and even help modernize traditional medicines.
The work also points toward greener ways to make future medicines and chemicals.