Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

We are developing new methods for the synthesis of chiral compounds. Chiral compounds are extremely important to both the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. For example, worldwide sales of chiral drugs are well over a hundred billion dollars. The first half of proposed NSERC-funded research focuses on the development of new classes of chiral catalysts. The discovery of better catalysts is crucial to improving the ways in which the afore-mentioned compounds can be made. Ultimately, our research, if proven successful, might be able to lower the cost of manufacturing human pharmaceuticals and other important chemicals. The second half of our NSERC proposal delineates a new synthetic route to a class of molecules that exhibit very promising therapeutic properties in humans. Research in this field might one day lead to the development of better medicines for the treatment of serious ailments. The NSERC grant also enables the training of highly qualified chemists that are required in the pharmaceutical and other allied chemical industries.