A peptide journey through the scientific discoveries of David Craik – a personal reflection

Prof. David Craik has profoundly influenced modern peptide science through his pioneering work on peptide cyclisation, structural biology, and the molecular logic behind nature’s own mechanisms for macrocyclisation. Best known for the discovery and characterisation of cyclotides – cyclic plant peptides stabilised by a cystine knot – David and team defined not only their topological features but also the enzymatic machinery underlying their biosynthesis. His work laid the biochemical and structural foundations for understanding how nature produces stabilised peptides and how this stability can be harnessed for practical applications.