reviews. The SAR data are discussed in light of the structural information available for each agent. The second chapter focuses on the total synthesis of the marine sponge-derived polyketide discodermolide. A comprehensive survey of the synthetic chemistry efforts of several groups over a 14-year period is provided together with a compa- son of the different approaches. The third chapter describes a comprehensive study of the mechanisms of activity of microtubules stabilizing drugs. Thermodynamic, kinetic, structural and fu- tional data on microtubules stabilizing drugs are discussed in an...