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K.C. Nicolaou Elected to American Philosophical Society

Kristin Luciani | May 23, 2011

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Graduates
K.C. Nicolaou

Joining the ranks of such American leaders as George Washington, Thomas Paine, Charles Darwin, Robert Frost and Albert Einstein, UC San Diego professor of chemistry and biochemistry K.C. Nicolaou has been elected to the American Philosophical Society—the oldest and one of the most prestigious learned societies in the United States.

Founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin, the society’s mission is to “promote useful knowledge” by honoring and engaging distinguished scientists, humanists, social scientists and leaders in civic and cultural affairs with opportunities for interdisciplinary, intellectual fellowship. The organization provides a forum for the free exchange of ideas and supports research and discovery through grants and fellowships, public education, exhibitions and more. Today, the society consists of a select 1,004 elected members.

Nicolaou’s 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.

Nicolaou joined the UC San Diego faculty in 1989 and holds a joint appointment with The Scripps Research Institute. He is the author or co-author of nearly 725 publications, 55 patents and five books.  In addition to the American Philosophical Society, Nicolaou is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

 

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