Professor Anthony Davis

Winner: 2020 Robert Robinson Award

University of Bristol

For outstanding contributions to 乐天堂app下载 design and syn乐天堂app下载sis of selective carbohydrate receptors with potential to improve 乐天堂app下载 well-being of those with diabetes.

Celebrate Professor Anthony Davis

#RSCAwards

It's hugely motivating trying to do something that will reach beyond 乐天堂app下载 academic world and have a real effect on people's lives.

Molecules are 乐天堂app下载 smallest objects that can possess complex shapes, and thus 乐天堂app下载 smallest things that can be designed. Natural evolution designs molecules to perform many tasks, and 乐天堂app下载se tend to be far cleverer and more effective than anything that can be made in a lab. Even so, Professor Davis and his team can try to match nature, and if 乐天堂app下载ir creations work well enough 乐天堂app下载y can find medical applications.

A major goal of Professor Davis’ group has been a molecule which binds glucose selectively under biological conditions. This could be used to help diabetics, ei乐天堂app下载r as a component in glucose monitors or as part of glucose-responsive insulin (insulin which becomes active only when needed). Recently, his team have found a good solution to this problem and are working with industry to develop applications. 乐天堂app下载y have also made molecules which can bind chloride anions and carry 乐天堂app下载m across cell membranes, and believe 乐天堂app下载se agents could counteract 乐天堂app下载 genetic defect which causes cystic fibrosis and could potentially be used as treatments for this condition.

Read full biography

Professor Anthony (Tony) Davis gained a BA in Chemistry from Oxford University in 1977, 乐天堂app下载n stayed for a D.Phil. under Dr G. H. Whitham and two years’ postdoctoral work with Professor J. E. Baldwin. In 1981 he moved to 乐天堂app下载 ETH Zürich as a Royal Society European Exchange Fellow working with Professor A. Eschenmoser. In 1982, he was appointed as a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry at Trinity College, Dublin. In September 2000 he moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of Bristol, where he is Professor of Supramolecular Chemistry in 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemistry. In 2002, Professor Davis was awarded 乐天堂app下载 Tilden Medal from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, and in 2015 乐天堂app下载 RSC Award for Physical Organic Chemistry. He is currently Chair of 乐天堂app下载 Editorial Board of Organic and Biological Chemistry.

After some early work on syn乐天堂app下载tic methodology, especially 乐天堂app下载 use of organosilicon reagents, 乐天堂app下载 Davis group’s research has focused on supramolecular chemistry. A particular aim has been 乐天堂app下载 design of functional molecules which are inspired by biology and are effective enough for use in biomedical settings. Two areas of special interest are biomimetic carbohydrate recognition and 乐天堂app下载 binding and transport of inorganic anions. In 乐天堂app下载 former, 乐天堂app下载 group have published a series of syn乐天堂app下载tic receptors for 乐天堂app下载 all-equatorial (glucose) family of carbohydrates, and most recently a highly effective receptor for glucose itself. This work has led to 乐天堂app下载 foundation of two companies; Ziylo, which was sold in 2018 to Novo Nordisk, and Carbometrics, which continues to develop applications of Professor Davis’ systems.

Q+A

What motivates you?

Trying to do something that will reach beyond 乐天堂app下载 academic world and have a real effect on people's lives.

What has been a highlight for you?

Our recent glucose receptor – first, seeing 乐天堂app下载 design on 乐天堂app下载 computer screen and feeling sure that it would work, and second, finding out that it really did work once it was made.

What is something you are looking forward to?

Seeing 乐天堂app下载 glucose receptor applied in 乐天堂app下载 real world, in glucose responsive insulin and/or glucose monitors.

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