Since peptide synthesis was first established in the 1950s, techniques have continued to evolve, leading to the development of peptides capable of application in a wide range of manufacturing settings, including the development of various materials and products, as well as drug discovery. The diverse variety of items that can be manufactured thanks to peptide synthesis includes gold (Au) nanoparticles synthesized with the aid of peptides for use in photothermal therapy, which involves heating cancer cells to a specific temperature to kill them, and also cell culture interfaces used in regenerative medicine, and sensors to detect viruses and explosives.

The peptides we ingest as food are composed of various compounds, which have a diverse array of functions relating to the nutrition, taste, and bioregulation of foods. They have a higher absorption rate than proteins and amino acids and are known to be the most efficient means of building muscle, for example. They are also involved in the most important element of food —— taste —— and studies currently underway aim to equip peptides with bioregulatory functions governing such matters as blood pressure and glucose metabolism.

Peptides often feature in the ingredient lists of foods and cosmetics, but what actually are they? Aside from peptides of these kinds, our own bodies contain peptides produced when proteins synthesized from amino acids are broken down. This diverse array of peptides has a variety of hormonal effects demonstrating powerful physiological activity. As they are molecules that already exist within the human body, they are less toxic than chemically synthesized drugs and have therefore been attracting attention in the drug discovery field for some time.