Apparao M Rao is currently the Robert A. Bowen Professor of Physics in the department of physics and astronomy, and the director of the Clemson Nanomaterials Center at Clemson University. His research in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been cited over 30,000 in open literature and his h-index is 72. In 2008 and 2011, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, respectively. In 2012, he received the Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievements in Research, and has served on the Advisory Panel for the Dean and the Vice-President of Research, Clemson University. His extensive research and development efforts have led to the recent establishment of Clemson Nanomaterials Center, which is stimulating sustainable research and development capacity and competitiveness in the state of South Carolina. The state of SC conferred on him its highest honor - the 2014 Governor’s award for excellence in scientific research. Rao is also an adjunct professor at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, India where he initiated a nanomaterials program, and directs research projects of M.S./Ph.D. students. He has served as the chairman and organizer of several international conferences, including the Frontiers in Nano Sci., Tech. & Appl. 2014, Carbon 2010, & Nano 2010.

Accomplishments

Rao has developed a broad spectrum of game-changing technologies for spectroscopic characterization of nanocarbon allotropes, novel synthesis methods for controlling the morphologies of carbon nanotubes or CNTs, and scalable nano-manufacturing of CNT-based devices. His research has strongly enhanced the field of carbon science and technology in terms of the discovery of novel phenomena in nanocarbon systems, device development for electronics, photonics, and drug delivery, and is of primary interest to the South Carolina Research Authority. Many of these are seminal works, in particular the (i) photo-induced polymerization of solid C60, (ii) photo-enhanced oxidation of solid C60 (iii) diameter selective Raman scattering from single walled CNTs, and the demonstration that CNTs can be subjected to redox doping for tunable electronic properties, just like graphite, fullerenes and conducting polymers, (iv) synthesis and demonstration of logic functions in branched CNTs, (v) Raman evidence for renormalized electron and phonon energies near a charged defect in doped CNTs, (vi) Raman evidence for phonon bottle necks in single walled CNTs, and (vii) observation of superconductivity in boron doped CNTs. Notably, his pioneering Raman spectroscopic studies of fullerenes and CNTs have made Raman spectroscopy as an indispensable tool in nanocarbon research. Some of Rao’s other intriguing breakthroughs include the synthesis and measurement of electrical and mechanical properties of nonlinear CNT morphologies, such as branched and helical CNT forms which exploit unique functionality at the nanoscale. Recently, his group demonstrated double decoupling – a new paradigm for thermoelectric devices with a high figure of merit and compatibility factor.

Dr Srivari Chandrasekhar is an excellent synthetic organic chemist and this is amply justified by 258 publications, 3 patents and ~5000 citations in various journals. His contributions in total synthesis of scarce marine natural products and organocatalysis are globally recognized.

His noteworthy contributions in the total synthesis of architecturally diverse natural products are well-reflected towards the total synthesis of 35 natural products, which include an acinar morphogenetic inhibitor, Fusarisatin A, molecule with anticancer activity through tubulin inhibition, Rhazinal, neuro-protective natural product Stachybotrin C, anticancer molecule pladienolide, molecule with CNS activity, Kainic acid, prostacyclin analogue Beraprost, Bedaquiline (both R and S isomers) anti-TB compound, Azumamide E, Bengazole, Arenamide, Tubulysin, Spirastellolide B, Hyacinthacene A1, (-)-Spongidepsin with absolute stereo control. All these achievements were accomplished while developing new C–C bond formation reactions using organo-catalysis and carbocycles derived from carbohydrates.

More prudent research field has been the identification of novel peptido-mimetics wherein research group of Dr. S. Chandrasekhar has synthesized β-sugar amino acids, norbornene-based, aminoxy acids of furanoses and nucleoside-based amino acids and demonstrated that these monomers in various combinations of oligomerization resulted in predefined secondary structures including nanotubes.

Dr S. Chandrasekhar has for the first time identified polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a recyclable solvent for organo-metallic reactions wherein both the solvent and catalyst can be recycled. This unprecedented report triggered various research programs using PEG as a solvent in different parts of the world. Some of the reactions worth mentioning using PEG as solvent are as follows: Heck reaction in PEG, Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation (was performed for the first time in PEG), PtO2 recycle and H2 absorption studies. This work has found direct applications in developing non-infringing technologies for APIs.

Dr S Chandrasekhar has never hesitated to take-up challenging process development subjects relevant to health care. The processes developed for semi-synthesis of Taxol (M/s. Cipla), Misoprostol (M/s. AVRA) and Carboprost (M/s. AVRA) are worth mentioning and biotech problems are also addressed by him as evident in the synthesis of Fondaparinux as anti-coagulant agent. In addition, as part of the ‘Drug Discovery Process,’ over 500 new chemical entities are being synthesized in his group. The process developed for EV-077 sponsored by M/s. Evolva biotech helped them to enter into phase I clinical studies.

Several combinatorial libraries were prepared in his group as new chemical entities for screening against cancer (US patent 7179937), TNFα, 5HT antagonism etc. Two review articles written by him on hybrid natural products (Angewandte Chemie 2003, 3996) and prostaglandins (Chemical Review, 2007, 3286) are worth mentioning. A recent contribution of Dr. S. Chandrasekhar is the synthesis of bedaquiline (2S)-R207910, a novel anti-tuberculosis molecule, which has appeared as cover page with theme “Chemistry for a healthy world” in Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 2057. To date 50 students have already been awarded doctoral degree under his supervision and 20 students are pursuing their doctoral work on various themes in total synthesis, green chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, automation combinatorial chemistry and chemical biology.

Awards

1. Infosys Prize 2014 in Physical Sciences; Work in Organic Synthesis; Infosys Science Foundation; 2014
2. CSIR Technology Award; Process for Misoprostol; Council of Scientific and Industrial Research; 2014
3. CNR Rao National Prize for Chemical Research; Work in Organic Synthesis; CRSI; 2012
4. OPPI Scientist Award; Work in Pharmaceutical Sciences; OPPI, Mumbai; 2011
5. Ranbaxy Research Award; Work in Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Ranbaxy; 2010.

Honours

1. Fellow, Indian National Science Academy; Work in Organic Synthesis; Indian National Science Academy; 2015
2. Fellow, National Academy of Sciences; Work in Organic Synthesis; National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad; 2010
3. Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences; Work in Organic Synthesis; Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore; 2010
4. Fellow of Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences; Work in Organic Synthesis; A. P. Akademi of Sciences; 2006
5. Diamond Jubilee Roll of Honor; Chemical Sciences;IICT; 2005