Pune: The CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) in Pune hosted the prestigious Prof. K. Venkataraman Memorial Lecture on September 19, 2024.
The featured speaker, Dr. Mukund K. Gurjar, Chief Scientific Officer and member of the Board of Directors at Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited, captivated the audience with an insightful lecture titled “My Science Journey and Where I Am Now.”
Dr. Gurjar recounted his early fascination with science, beginning with his research work at Nagpur University and continuing through his academic tenure at the University of London.
He discussed his pivotal Ph.D. work, particularly his mechanistic studies on the Stobbe reaction, and explained his discovery of the rapid formation of the 3',6'-Anhydro ring compared to the 1,2-anhydro ring, driven by the influence of neopentyl CH2OH. His insights shed light on the structural dynamics of the furanose ring.
Dr. Gurjar’s presentation spanned a wide array of his scientific contributions, including oligosaccharide synthesis, understanding N-glycan biosynthetic pathways, and the synthesis of cell wall arabinogalactan peptidoglycans in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
He emphasized the practical applications of these discoveries in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly his pioneering work on AZT and its subsequent industrial manufacturing applications.
Dr. Gurjar shared experiences of his collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies and discussed notable breakthroughs in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) development, citing key products such as S-Amlodipine, S-Metoprolol, S-Atenolol, and Eribulin.
His lecture also explored the vital relationship between academic research and industrial application, particularly in the synthesis of peptides, Gd-chelating agents, and the role of chirality in pharmaceutical development. He highlighted how chiral switching has shaped the modern pharmaceutical industry.
Dr. Ashish Lele, Director of CSIR-NCL, praised Dr. Gurjar’s remarkable contributions to Organic Chemistry and noted that luminaries like him would continue to inspire future scientific exploration at CSIR-NCL. The event was anchored by Dr. Swati Chadha, with Dr. Moneesha Fernandes delivering vote of thanks.
