Professor Mander has succeeded in the total synthesis of a number of natural products which pose particular difficulties. His outstanding synthesis of gibberellins is the highlight. It has been said of his problem "... the combination of overall molecular complexity, centers of high sensitivity towards many reagents, and a singularly diabolical placement and density of functionality serves to thwart all but the most sophisticated of approaches" (E. J. Corey). His syntheses are based on innovative strategies of wide importance for C-C bond formations in new ways, particularly from aromatic starting materials. The approach is to reduce the planning and execution of organic synthesis to a set of reliable procedures. A successful objective of the gibberellin work is to illuminate relations between structure and biological activity, using structurally modified analogues, and to provide specific isotope labelled compounds as probes for biological investigation.