In this Perspective, rated as hot by the referees, Helen Blackwell and Sarah Fowler from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US, focus on the relationship between peptoid structure and function. Professor Blackwell explains the importance of peptoid research in the short interview below. 

1. Please explain, for a non-specialist, the significance of your article. 

Peptoids are non-natural oligomers that can mimic the structures and functions of native peptides. Several features make peptoids attractive for biological applications, including enhanced proteolytic stabilities, increased cellular permeabilities, and ease of synthesis. This article provides a primer on peptoids and covers the most current areas of peptoid research, ranging from antimicrobial agents to lung surfactant mimics to zinc-binding nanostructures. 

2. What has motivated your interest in this work? 

As new and challenging biological problems emerge, these systems are increasingly difficult to target with traditional small molecule drugs and probes. Peptoids have shown promise in regulating a variety of biological phenomena, and can serve as powerful tools to study biomolecular interactions. We are particularly interested in developing synthesis and design strategies to construct well-folded peptoids and examining their ability to interrogate a range of new antibacterial targets. 

3. Where do you see this work developing in the future? 

The peptoid field is still young, but is expanding at a rapid pace. Their scope of application is enormous, and perhaps to some extent, underappreciated. Future goals for the field are to obtain a better understanding of the molecular level interactions that are essential for peptoid folding. Such fundamental knowledge is critical for the development of peptoids that mimic the complex structure and function of proteins. At the opposite end of the spectrum, further study of their activity in vivo is also essential for their development as chemical probes and therapeutics. 

4. Are there any particular challenges facing future research in this area? 

The current availability of structural data for peptoids is low, and obtaining high resolution structures remains a major challenge for the field. The development of new monomer units and secondary structural motifs that stabilize peptoid structure may address this challenge. Focused NMR and X-ray studies are also required. Research toward these goals is ongoing in several labs around the world, and has the potential to shape peptoid research for years to come.