Peter Dervan

Peter Dervan is an American chemist and bioorganic chemist who has made significant contributions to the field of DNA recognition and medicinal chemistry. He was born on January 25, 1945, in Denver, Colorado.

Peter Dervan's research interests include synthetic organic chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology. He has a particular focus on understanding and manipulating the recognition of DNA by synthetic molecules.

Peter Dervan has several notable achievements, including the development of synthetic molecules that can selectively recognize and bind to DNA sequences, known as pyrrole−imidazole polyamides (PIPs). His work on PIPs has opened up new avenues for research in gene regulation and potential therapeutic applications. He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field, including the Welch Award in Chemistry and the Wolf Prize in Chemistry.

Peter Dervan has worked at several prestigious institutions throughout his career. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University. He then held academic positions at Columbia University and California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where he currently serves as the Bren Professor of Chemistry.

Peter Dervan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1967. He then went on to pursue his Ph.D. in Chemistry at Stanford University, which he completed in 1971.