Varinder Aggarwal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Varinder Kumar Aggarwal
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| Born | 1961 (age 63–64) Kalianpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
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| Fields | Organic chemistry Asymmetric synthesis |
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| Thesis | Stereocontrolled synthesis with phenylthio migration (1986) |
| Doctoral advisor | Stuart Warren |
Varinder Kumar Aggarwal, born in 1961, is a British scientist. He is an organic chemist who specializes in making molecules in a very specific way, called asymmetric synthesis. He works as a Professor of Synthetic Chemistry at the University of Bristol.
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Early Life
Varinder Aggarwal was born in 1961 in Kalianpur, a town in Northern India. When he was two years old, in 1963, his family moved to the United Kingdom. He grew up with his five brothers, first in Scotland, and then in Nottingham, England.
Education and Career
Varinder Aggarwal earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1986. His supervisor was Stuart Warren. After his PhD, he worked at Columbia University in the United States. Later, he took jobs at the University of Bath, then the University of Sheffield, and finally at the University of Bristol. He is currently a professor there.
What He Researches
Professor Aggarwal develops new ways to use chemical reactions. These reactions help to build complex and important molecules found in living things. His research also includes finding new ways to make these building processes faster, which is called catalysis.
His work has many uses, especially in medicine. For example, his research has helped create a more effective vaccine against tuberculosis.
Understanding Molecules
Many organic molecules can exist in two forms, like a "right hand" and a "left hand." In living organisms, usually only one of these forms is found. However, normal chemical reactions often create both forms in equal amounts. Professor Aggarwal's work on asymmetric synthesis makes it possible to create more of the specific form that is important for understanding how living things work.
He also specializes in a type of molecule called ylides. These are very important in a common chemical reaction known as the Wittig reaction, which is a basic tool in organic chemistry.
Awards and Recognition
Professor Aggarwal has received many awards for his work. These include the Corday-Morgan Prize and the Organic Stereochemistry Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry. In 2012, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
In 2019, he was given the Davy Medal by the Royal Society. This award recognizes outstanding discoveries in chemistry.
