THE ASSET OF RELATED SPECIES

A personal insight into Hungarian academic research starting from the opening of a brand new Research Institute for Chemistry (1962). It enjoyed ample financial support that led to peaceful development of personnel, and scientific aspects for several years. From 1969, inceasing political influence affected research and community life that led to hostilities for some years. Then new research programs became defined that turned chemical research towards biologic and medicinal applications. The academic financial support needed to be supplemented by industrial contributions. In the 1980s, some results of the Institute became recognized internationally. The changing political system caused severe financial problems owing to privatized industrial companies (2000). A few favourable years allowed to buy new instruments and introduce new research techniques making easier to obtain new grants and lead fruitful cooperations. In 2013 the Institute became amalgamated into a new Research Center for Natural Sciences. All the buildings of the Institute for Chemistry had been left to oblivion.

Autorentext
I graduated from Chemistry in Budapest, 1958. In 1962 entered the Central Research Institute for Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Obtained CSc degree in 1967 and DSc degree in 1976 in physical organic chemistry. Further areas of research included protein binding, receptor binding, chiral drugs, carotenoids, cyclodextrins.