Prof. Hong Ran visited VastPro PharmaTech and gave a talk titled “Biomimetic Synthesis of Complex Natural Drugs”

       On March 18, 2026, Prof. Hong Ran, from the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (SIOC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, was invited to visit our company and gave a talk titled "Biomimetic Synthesis of Complex Natural Drugs." In his talk, Prof. Hong Ran, combining classic natural compounds as case study - such as paclitaxel, lankacidin C, and tetrodotoxin, explained systematically on how to draw on the logic of natural biosynthesis, how to ingeniously design reaction sequences and experimental conditions in the laboratory, and how to employ biomimetic synthesis methods to construct complex core structures of natural drug molecules efficiently and greenly. and to achieve the fine-tuned total synthesis successfully.

       Prof. Hong Ran, combining abundant chemical reaction illustrations and research cases, elucidated in a straightforward manner on the design concepts, technical challenges, and completion paths of the biomimetic synthesis of several representative complex natural drug molecules by his research team. From Hendrickson’s ideal synthesis principles to the challenges of spectral analysis in diversity-oriented synthesis, and then to the precise verification of product structures by X-ray crystallography. The related work is logically clear, solidly backed by data, and with extremely original innovation. Our R&D colleagues are engaged in exchanges with Prof. Hong Ran and will start cooperation on specific research projects with Hong Group team.

       Dr. Hong Ran is a professor and doctoral student supervisor at the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (SIOC), Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on biomimetic synthesis of natural products, enzymatic catalysis, and asymmetric synthetic methodologies. He is dedicated to applying biosynthetic strategies to the development of reaction methodologies and the total synthesis of complex natural products with significant physiological activities. He has received the "Chinese Chemical Society Wei-Shan Award for Natural Product Synthesis" (2017) and the Thieme Chemistry Journal Award (2018).