Prof Jean-Marie Lehn's field of research is supramolecular chemistry and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1987 for his groundbreaking work. On 25 June 2025, he was invited by the Faculty of Chemistry, Physics and Biosciences at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF) to give a lecture on further perspectives of supramolecular chemistry as part of the colloquium of the German Chemical Society (GDCh). The title was "From Supramolecular Chemistry Towards Adaptive Chemistry". He was welcomed by the Rector of TUBAF, Professor Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht, and the designated Rector of the University, Professor Jutta Emes, also welcomed the guest. The lecture was very well received by a broad audience across all departments.
Following a visit in 2012, when he gave a lecture at the 36th Clemens Winkler Colloquium, Prof Lehn was a guest at TU Bergakademie Freiberg for the second time. When asked why he believes it is important to bring research closer to people outside of universities, Prof Lehn explained that the natural sciences are the most important for humanity, as they determine the future of everyone. Prof Lehn wanted to study philosophy as a schoolboy, but later opted for the natural sciences because: "Philosophy discusses very important problems, but it is not possible to verify the answers!"
Chemistry studies particularly relevant today
Jean-Marie Lehn graduated from the University of Strasbourg in 1960 and was awarded his doctorate there in 1963 under Guy Ourisson. His academic career then took him to Harvard, where he worked on the synthesis of vitamin B12 in the laboratory of Robert Burns Woodward and witnessed the development of the Woodward-Hoffmann rules. This time strongly influenced his scientific career.
Back in Strasbourg, Mr Lehn first became an assistant professor at the Faculty of Natural Sciences there and was appointed full professor in 1970. From 1980 until his retirement, he held the professorship for molecular interactions at the Collège de France in Paris. Professor Lehn also founded the ISIS (Institute of Supramolecular Science and Engineering), where he is still active today. When asked why young people should study chemistry today, Mr Lehn emphasises the enormous relevance of the natural sciences and chemistry in particular: "Every life is based on chemical units and processes."
