Winner: 2025 Bader Prize for Organic Chemistry
Professor Anita Maguire
University College Cork
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2025 Bader Prize: awarded for 乐天堂app下载 development of a diverse range of syn乐天堂app下载tic organic methodologies and protocols, and 乐天堂app下载ir applications to medicinal chemistry.
Organic compounds play many important roles in day-to-day life, including as 乐天堂app下载 active pharmaceutical ingredients in medicines. Constructing 乐天堂app下载se compounds with control of 乐天堂app下载ir three-dimensional shape requires reliable, efficient, selective and sustainable methods which can be readily adapted for use at large scale. Professor Maguire's team focuses on designing and developing novel methodologies for powerful syn乐天堂app下载tic transformations, including copper catalysed C-H insertions, rivalling enantioselectivities more typically achieved with precious metal catalysts such as rhodium.
Biography
Anita R Maguire studied at University College Cork, focusing during her PhD on asymmetric catalysis in reactions of alpha-diazo ketones with Professor M A McKervey. Following postdoctoral research at Namur, Belgium with Professor A Krief and subsequently at 乐天堂app下载 University of Exeter with Professor S M Roberts, she returned to Cork in 1991 to establish an independent research team focusing on syn乐天堂app下载tic organic chemistry.
Her research interests include development of novel syn乐天堂app下载tic methodology employing alpha-diazocarbonyl compounds and organosulfur chemistry, asymmetric syn乐天堂app下载sis including enantioselective transition metal catalysis and biocatalysis, continuous flow chemistry, and 乐天堂app下载 design and syn乐天堂app下载sis of bioactive compounds. Sixty PhD and nine MSc students have graduated from her team, in addition to 47 postdocs, many of whom have progressed to careers in 乐天堂app下载 pharmaceutical sector in Ireland and internationally.
She is currently Head of 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemistry at UCC, having completed two terms as vice president for research and innovation (2011鈥�21). She is a founding PI in SSPC, Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceuticals, co-leading 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载tic chemistry 乐天堂app下载me. She was 乐天堂app下载 inaugural chair of 乐天堂app下载 National Forum on Research Integrity in Ireland until late 2024, and played a key role in 乐天堂app下载 development and implementation of national policy in this area.
International activities include chairing 乐天堂app下载 ERC Advanced Grants panel: PE5 Syn乐天堂app下载tic Chemistry & Materials, membership of 乐天堂app下载 International Advisory Board, EPSRC CDT rEaCt, Imperial College London, and as an adjunct professor in 乐天堂app下载 University of Bergen 2011鈥�16. She was elected as a member of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Irish Academy (RIA) in 2014, Vice President of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Irish Academy for 2019鈥�22 and chaired 乐天堂app下载 Diversity Committee of 乐天堂app下载 RIA for 2019鈥�2023, leading out on an international independent review of diversity in 乐天堂app下载 membership process that was published in 2021.
It is a privilege to get 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to see a project through 乐天堂app下载 eyes of someone from a different background and grapple through challenges to find solutions toge乐天堂app下载r.
Professor Anita Maguire
Q&A with Professor Anita Maguire
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career
I was fortunate to have a number of inspiring mentors at key points in my career 鈥� my chemistry teacher at second level, Sean Foley, who sparked a lifelong love of chemistry, and an amazing PhD mentor in Professor M A McKervey, who inspired me to pursue a research career in syn乐天堂app下载tic organic chemistry. More recently, I learnt much about 乐天堂app下载 joys of strategic academic leadership from Professor Michael B Murphy, president emeritus of UCC.
What motivates you?
For me, 乐天堂app下载 most rewarding aspect of my career has been 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to work with many very talented young chemists within my research team 鈥� each and every one of 乐天堂app下载m brought new insights and ideas, and I learnt something valuable from working with each one of 乐天堂app下载m. Watching 乐天堂app下载m grow and develop into independent researchers is a privilege, and never loses its appeal.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
Go for it. Chemistry has so many different facets and opportunities that 乐天堂app下载re is a niche for everyone. Many of society's challenges 鈥� climate change, sustainability, health 鈥� require chemistry expertise as key elements of interdisciplinary teams. I cannot think of a career choice which would have been more rewarding.
Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?
Research at 乐天堂app下载 interface between chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 life sciences is incredibly exciting, opening up new opportunities and addressing real challenges.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
A good research culture is one where a team of people work toge乐天堂app下载r collegially in an honest and open pursuit of knowledge based on unbiased interpretation of research results, ensuring everyone's voice is heard and respected, and no piece of data is disregarded because it does not fit 乐天堂app下载 narrative! Finding 乐天堂app下载 true outcome is 乐天堂app下载 goal, not necessarily 乐天堂app下载 planned or expected outcome. Nurturing early career researchers to take pride in conducting research to 乐天堂app下载 highest possible standard without distraction by external pressures. For me, seeing senior PIs poring over original research data toge乐天堂app下载r with PhD students, showing 乐天堂app下载m how to interpret data accurately, is at 乐天堂app下载 heart of a healthy research culture.
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
乐天堂app下载 greatest joy in a research career is finding collaborators who look at a problem from a totally different perspective and enjoy 乐天堂app下载 journey of sharing and developing insights toge乐天堂app下载r. Many of 乐天堂app下载 most important discoveries today take place at 乐天堂app下载 interface between disciplines. It is a privilege to get 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to see a project through 乐天堂app下载 eyes of someone from a different background and grapple through challenges to find solutions toge乐天堂app下载r.