A New Dimension for Agrochemical and Pharmaceutical Synthesis (ANDAPS): From Innovation to Application

Our current quality of life depends on the availability of food and healthcare. The pressure on these critical resources is, however, constantly increasing due to the growing and aging global population, the accelerating impact of climate change, and an unpredictable political environment. It is therefore imperative that we can discover, develop, and supply the new agrochemicals and medicines that will provide our future healthcare and food security needs. A major challenge in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical sectors is the high rate of attrition of the candidate molecules being investigated, which fuels cost, negatively impacts sustainability, and slows down the discovery pipeline. Methods and strategies that allow rapid, cost-efficient, and sustainable access to desirable candidate molecules are therefore extremely valuable.
This programme will deliver a suite of synthesis methods to streamline the discovery and development of the next generation of agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. Building on our recent breakthroughs in organobismuth chemistry, we will develop new ways of making valuable molecular architectures that are currently under-represented in compound libraries, while minimising the number of chemical operations required and avoiding the use of toxic or precious elements. By working in close collaboration with key academic and industrial stakeholders, we will ensure that our methods and strategies will have direct and immediate impact. Uptake will be expedited through commercialisation and targeted Knowledge Exchange activities, and by ensuring that our solutions are both compatible with Industry 4.0 workflows, and ahead of evolving legislation.