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Bioorganic Chemistry is an emerging field developing at the interface between the traditional fields of Chemistry and Biochemistry. As an interdisciplinary science, it also involves concepts from other fields, such as Physics, Biology, and Pharmacy. The field of Bioorganic Chemistry, to give a few examples (but not an exhaustive list), studies multiple different aspects, such as: the use of enzymes in synthesis; the synthesis of all types of biological molecules and biomolecules (sugars, lipids, proteins or peptides, nucleic acids, biopolymers, or their derivatives); the design and synthesis of ligands, inhibitors, or modulators of enzymes or any other cell biomolecules, cell membrane receptors, or targets; molecular recognition; biocatalysis; orthogonal synthesis; molecular and biological signaling; and informatics simulations of aspects related to cell molecules and biomolecules, both using molecular modelling and AI algorithms.

A healthy ageing process is important when it is considered that one-third of the population of Europe is already over 50 years old, although there are regional variations. This proportion is likely to increase in the future, and maintenance of vitality at an older age is not only an important measure of the quality of life but also key to participation and productivity. So, the binomial "nutrition and ageing" has different aspects and poses considerable challenges, providing a fertile ground for research and networks. The NutRedOx network will focus on the impact of redox-active compounds in food on healthy ageing, chemoprevention, and redox control in the context of major age-related diseases. The main aim of the NutRedOx network is to gather experts from Europe, and neighbouring countries, and from different disciplines that are involved in the study of biological redox active food components and are relevant to the ageing organism, its health, function, and vulnerability to disease. Together, these experts will form a major and sustainable EU-wide cluster in form of the NutRedOx Centre of Excellence able to address the topic from different perspectives, with the long-term aim to provide a scientific basis for improved nutritional and lifestyle habits, to train the next generation of multidisciplinary researchers in this field, to raise awareness of such habits among the wider population, and also to engage with industry to develop age-adequate foods and medicines.

Polysulfides (H2Sx) represent a class of reactive sulfur species (RSS) which includes molecules such as H2S2, H2S3, H2S4, and H2S5, and whose presence and impact in biological systems, when compared to other sulfur compounds, has only recently attracted the wider attention of researchers. Studies in this field have revealed a facet-rich chemistry and biological activity associated with such chemically simple, still unusual inorganic molecules. Despite their chemical simplicity, these inorganic species, as reductants and oxidants, metal binders, surfactant-like “cork screws” for membranes, components of perthiol signalling and reservoirs for inorganic hydrogen sulfide (H2S), are at the centre of complicated formation and transformation pathways which affect numerous cellular processes. Starting from their chemistry, the hidden presence and various roles of polysulfides in biology may become more apparent, despite their lack of clear analytical fingerprints and often murky biochemical footprints. Indeed, the biological chemistry of H2Sx follows many unexplored paths and today, the relationship between H2S and its oxidized H2Sx species needs to be clarified as a matter of “unmistaken identity”. Simultaneously, emerging species, such as HSSeSH and SenS8−n, also need to be considered in earnest.

The objective of this research was to investigate cytotoxicity effect of Haarlem oil (HO) on HL-60 cell line and Steinernema feltiae (S. feltiae). The test results using trypan blue method and CellTiter-Glo® assays revealed that HO showed higher cytotoxicity effect against HL-60 cell line especially at concentration of 1:10 and 1:5. Meanwhile, the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay revealed that the higher cytotoxicity effect showed at 1:5, with the cell viabilities were around 40-65%. The nematicidal assay discovered that HO at concentration of 1:5 showed higher activities compare to other concentrations with percentage viability of 70%. These studies have shown that HO shows cytotoxic effect against HL-60 cell lines, and moderate activity against S. feltiae as well.

Many tumor cells exhibit a disturbed intracellular redox state resulting in higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As these contribute to tumor initiation and sustenance, catalytic redox agents combining significant atctivity with substrate specificity promise high activity andselectivity L. Must oxidatively stressed malignant cells. We describe here the design and synthesis of novel organochalcogen based redox sensor/effector catalysts. Their selective anticancer activity at submicromolar and low micromolar concentrations was established here in a range of tumor entities in various biological systems including cell lines, primary tumor cell cultures, and animal models. In the B-cell derived chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), for instance, such compounds preferentially induce apoptosis in the cancer cells while peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy donors and the subset of normal 13-cells remain largely unaffected. In support of the concept of sensor/effector based ROS amplification, we are able to demonstrate that underlying this selective activity against CI.I. cells are pre-existing, elevated ROS levels in the leukemic cells compared to their nonmalignant counterparts. Furthermore, the catalysts act in concert with certain chemotherapeutic drugs in several carcinoma cell lines to decrease cell proliferation while showing no such interactions in normal cells. Overall, the high efficacy and selectivity of. (redox) catalytic sensor/effector compounds warrant further, extensive testing toward transfer into the clinical arena.