Discusses peptide synthesis and applications within the pharmaceutical industry, surveying recent research in peptide synthetic methods and the structure-activity relationships of synthetic polypeptides. After a history of peptide chemistry, coverage includes amide and disulfide formulation; solid-phase peptide synthesis; stability and dynamics; structure/function studies of peptide hormones; neuropeptides; reversible inhibitors of serine proteinases; design of polypeptides; epitope mapping; and applications in immunology and vaccines