Despite the importance of organic chemistry to human health and quality of life, very few outreach programs have been successful in communicating this message. This contributes to negative public perceptions of organic chemistry and obscures the enormous advances in quality of life engendered by organic synthesis. New chemical outreach programs that provide insight and hands-on experience of small molecule chemistry are vital to improving public engagement with the science. Make a Molecule is an organic chemistry workshop program that provides high school students with the opportunity to synthesize and biologically assess short peptides in a safe and easy manner, allowing them to experience the thrill of making and testing new bioactive molecules in a classroom environment. This manuscript details the development of the Make a Molecule project from its origins in our “synthetic fermentation” chemistry to its initial application in high schools. Scientific protocols were optimized to suit a classroom setting with the help of high school students. An accompanying website was constructed to serve as an experimental guide, aid with the workshop execution, and provide an educational resource for students and teachers. With everything in hand, the first Make a Molecule workshops were conducted in a local high school in Zurich, Switzerland, during which students were able to successfully synthesize and test novel bioactive molecules.

中文翻译：

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制作分子：面向高中生的有机和药物合成化学讲习班计划

尽管有机化学对人类健康和生活质量具有重要意义，但很少有推广计划能够成功传达这一信息。这加剧了公众对有机化学的负面认识，并掩盖了有机合成所带来的生活质量的巨大进步。提供小分子化学见解和实践经验的新化学外展计划对于提高公众对科学的参与至关重要。“制造分子”是一个有机化学研讨会计划，它为高中学生提供了一种以安全便捷的方式合成和生物学评估短肽的机会，使他们可以在课堂环境中体验制造和测试新的生物活性分子的快感。该手稿详细介绍了“制造分子”项目的发展，从其在“合成发酵”化学中的起源到其在高中的最初应用。在高中生的帮助下，优化了科学规程以适合教室环境。建立了一个附带的网站，以作为实验指南，协助讲习班的执行，并为学生和教师提供教育资源。一切准备就绪，第一个“制造分子”讲习班在瑞士苏黎世的当地一所中学举行，在此期间，学生们能够成功地合成和测试新型生物活性分子。在高中生的帮助下，优化了科学规程以适合教室环境。建立了一个附带的网站，以作为实验指南，协助讲习班的执行，并为学生和教师提供教育资源。一切准备就绪，第一个“制造分子”讲习班在瑞士苏黎世的当地一所中学举行，在此期间，学生们能够成功地合成和测试新型生物活性分子。在高中生的帮助下，优化了科学规程以适合教室环境。建立了一个附带的网站，以作为实验指南，协助讲习班的执行，并为学生和教师提供教育资源。一切准备就绪，第一个“制造分子”讲习班在瑞士苏黎世的当地一所中学举行，在此期间，学生们能够成功地合成和测试新型生物活性分子。