Academy Discourse - Molecules That Changed the World Professor K. C. Nicolaou, University of California, San Diego Thursday, 3 November 2011, Academy House Professor K.C. Nicolaou is a Cypriot-American chemist known for the total synthesis of natural products. His research is focused on a specialized field of organic chemistry called total synthesis, which involves the creation of organic molecules from scratch in the laboratory. This process allows rare molecules found in nature to be made in great numbers for study or to serve as the basis for drugs. Or, completely new types of complex organic molecules can be made from simpler precursor molecules. Through his work Nicolaou is developing new synthetic technologies and strategies that will advance the fields of biology and medicine. www.ria.ie Disclaimer: The Royal Irish Academy has prepared the content of this website responsibly and carefully, but disclaims all warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information contained in any of the materials. The views expressed are the authors’ own and not those of the Royal Irish Academy.

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