From Merrifield to MetaPhore: A Random Walk with Serendipity

Introduction It is the highpoint of my career to receive this award, named in honor of my Ph.D. mentor, Bruce Merrifield. There is little that I can add to what we all know regarding the impact that Bruce has had on peptide research. Certainly, he has had a more significant impact on my scientific development than any other individual. I do need, however, to acknowledge from the start that I have made a habit of associating myself with outstanding individuals, such as Bruce, who have made me look good. My mother always advised, “You are known by your friends” and I took those words to heart. I also need to acknowledge the support of my wife Suzanne, our four children and their spouses for their sacrifices and encouragement over the many years. Suzanne and I are in the middle of our 42nd year of marriage. She received a Ph.T. (put husband through) degree from Caltech when I graduated in 1962, and has never wavered in her support. So my thanks to my family, students, postdocs and collaborators for allowing me to be associated with their lives; this award belongs to you collectively. What I would like to share with you is an intellectual journey, a quest that has dominated my scientific career. The problem of molecular recognition manifests itself in many contexts; I will focus on one of its manifestations, G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) activation. I would also like to emphasize those colleagues who have dominated my intellectual development and impacted my branch-point decisions. As you will discover, my career has been stochastic; unanticipated opportunities have been discovered and exploited, new paradigms and software have been developed, some of which has even turned out useful.