DalPhos Catalysts for Next-Generation Pharmaceutical Synthesis

About the Innovation

Professor Mark Stradiotto is a world-leader in the field of metal catalysis for assembling organic molecules, including the active pharmaceutical ingredients in medicines. His game-changing research has resulted in the development of the commercialized “DalPhos” (DALhousie PHOSphine) catalysts, which have addressed important conceptual and practical challenges in the preparation of pharmaceuticals, and offer high performance and practicality, while encompassing considerations of sustainability.

About the Innovator

Prof. Mark Stradiotto received his BSc (Hons.) in Applied Chemistry (1995) and PhD in Organometallic Chemistry (1999) from McMaster University, the latter under the supervision of Profs. Michael A. Brook and Michael J. McGlinchey. After conducting research as an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley with Prof. T. Don Tilley (1999-2001), Mark moved to the Department of Chemistry at Dalhousie University where he now holds the rank of Professor with tenure. Mark has received a number of awards in recognition of his research achievements, including the 2021 Rio Tinto Award from the Canadian Society for Chemistry for outstanding contributions to inorganic chemistry in Canada. In July 2013, Mark was named the Dalhousie University Alexander McLeod Professor of Chemistry, and in 2017 he was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK). In 2018, Mark was the recipient of the Dalhousie University Faculty of Science Award for Teaching, and in 2020 he was named a Dalhousie University Arthur B. McDonald Research Chair (Canada Research Chair Tier-I equivalent; 2020-2027). Mark’s catalysts are used worldwide by both academic researchers, and by pharmaceutical researchers in the discovery and production of new medicines.