Dr. Sk Asif Ikbal

Assistant Professor, Supramolecular Chemist

Kanazawa, JP.

About

Highly accomplished Assistant Professor with over 15 years of progressive experience in inorganic and supramolecular chemistry, specializing in chiral materials, molecular switches, and nanoprobes for biomedical applications. Proven leader in advanced research projects, securing significant grants, and publishing high-impact work in prestigious journals. Adept at both cutting-edge scientific discovery and effective academic instruction, poised to drive innovation in materials science and chemical biology.

Work

Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University

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Assistant Professor

Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan

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Summary

As a research professor, leads multiple projects in chiral materials, molecular switches, lactate-specific receptors for cancer research, and functionalization of nanoprobes for cell surface studies.

Highlights

Led 3 key research projects in chiral materials, molecular switches, and nanoprobes, significantly advancing supramolecular chemistry and biomedical applications.

Developed lactate-specific receptors with high selectivity, creating novel tools for potential cancer research and early diagnostic applications.

Functionalized nanoprobes with metal complexes, enabling advanced recognition AFM imaging for detailed cell surface studies.

Secured multiple WPI-NanoLSI Transdisciplinary Research Promotion Grants, contributing to the institute's research funding and strategic objectives.

Mentored junior researchers and students, fostering a collaborative research environment and contributing to academic growth.

Department of Applied Chemistry, Jabalpur Engineering College

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Assistant Professor

Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India

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Summary

Taught Inorganic Chemistry to B.Tech and Coordination Chemistry to M.Tech students at a TEQIP, MHRD-supported institution.

Highlights

Delivered comprehensive instruction in Inorganic Chemistry to B.Tech students and Coordination Chemistry to M.Tech students, achieving positive student feedback.

Developed and delivered curriculum for advanced chemistry courses, enhancing student learning outcomes and technical proficiency for over 100 students.

Contributed to the academic mission of a TEQIP and MHRD-supported institution, supporting national initiatives in higher education.

Institute of Catalysis Research Lyon (IRCELYON) and Ecole Centrale de Maresille

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Post-Doctoral Researcher

Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

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Summary

Conducted research on efficient and selective oxidation of methane using hemicryptophane catalysts under the supervision of Prof. Alexandre Sorokin and Prof. Alexandre Martinez.

Highlights

Investigated efficient and selective methane oxidation using hemicryptophane catalysts, contributing to sustainable chemical processes and a high-impact publication.

Successfully synthesized and characterized novel catalytic systems, applying advanced analytical techniques to validate material properties.

Collaborated effectively within an international research group, optimizing experimental protocols and data analysis for complex catalytic reactions.

Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

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Research Associate

Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

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Summary

Focused on the synthesis of porphyrins and supramolecular chirality under the supervision of Prof. Sankar Prasad Rath for a CSIR Project.

Highlights

Executed research for a CSIR Project on porphyrin synthesis and supramolecular chirality, meeting project objectives within a 9-month timeframe.

Contributed to the understanding of chiral systems and their applications in materials science through advanced synthetic methodologies.

Collaborated on research manuscripts, leading to multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals, enhancing departmental research output.

Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

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Doctoral Researcher

Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

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Summary

Conducted doctoral research on the synthesis of porphyrins, host-guest chemistry, and supramolecular chirality under the guidance of Prof. Sankar Prasad Rath, culminating in a PhD with a CPI of 8.0/10.

Highlights

Successfully completed PhD research on porphyrins, host-guest chemistry, and supramolecular chirality, achieving a distinguished CPI of 8.0 out of 10.

Pioneered novel synthetic routes for complex porphyrin systems, significantly expanding the toolkit for supramolecular chemistry and molecular recognition.

Authored and co-authored multiple high-impact publications (e.g., in Chemical Communications) based on doctoral findings, contributing to the field's knowledge base.

Mentored undergraduate students in laboratory techniques and research methodologies, fostering their scientific development and contributing to team projects.

Education

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
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PhD Chemistry Grade: CPI 8.0 out of 10

University of Burdwan

Burdwan, West Bengal, India
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Master of Science (M.Sc.) Chemistry (Inorganic specialization) Grade: 71.83%

Sreegopal Banerjee College, University of Burdwan

Burdwan, West Bengal, India
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Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Chemistry (major), Physics and Mathematics Grade: 65.25%

Hooghly Collegiate School, West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education

Hooghly, West Bengal, India
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High School Diploma Higher Secondary (12th) Grade: 74.30%

Kamalpur High School, West Bengal Board of Secondary Education

Kamalpur, West Bengal, India
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High School Diploma Secondary (10th) Grade: 85.12%

Awards

CSIR-NET Research Fellowship

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

Awarded for outstanding academic performance and research potential, enabling doctoral studies in Chemical Sciences.

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) Qualification

Government of India

Qualified with an All India Rank of 327, demonstrating high aptitude in Chemistry for postgraduate admissions.

Publications

Acceleration and deceleration of chirality inversion speeds in a dynamic helical metallocryptand by alkali metal ion binding

Science Advances

Explored the dynamic control of chirality inversion in metallocryptands through alkali metal ion binding, revealing novel mechanisms in supramolecular chemistry.

Bio-inspired Oxidation of Methane in the Confined Spaces of Molecular Cages

Inorganic Chemistry

Investigated bio-inspired methane oxidation within molecular cages, offering insights into sustainable catalysis and energy conversion.

Step-wise induction, amplification and inversion of molecular chirality through the coordination of chiral diamines with Zn(II) bisporphyrin

Chemical Communications

Demonstrated step-wise induction, amplification, and inversion of molecular chirality using Zn(II) bisporphyrin and chiral diamines, advancing chiral recognition strategies.

Metal-Coordination-Driven Mixed Ligand Binding in Supramolecular Bisporphyrin Tweezers

Chemical Communications

Explored metal-coordination-driven mixed ligand binding within supramolecular bisporphyrin tweezers, contributing to advanced molecular recognition systems.

Transfer and control of molecular chirality in the 1 : 2 host-guest supramolecular complex consisting of Mg(II)bisporphyrin and chiral diols: the effect of H-bonding on the rationalization of chirality

Chemical Communications

Investigated the transfer and control of molecular chirality in host-guest complexes, highlighting the role of H-bonding in rationalizing chiral phenomena.

Languages

English

Hindi

Skills

Synthetic Chemistry

Organic Synthesis, Transition Metal Synthesis, Porphyrin Synthesis, Host-Guest Chemistry, Supramolecular Chirality, Chiral Materials, Molecular Switches, Lactate-Specific Receptors, Nanoprobe Functionalization, Catalyst Synthesis, Hemicryptophane Catalysts.

Analytical Techniques

1H-NMR Spectroscopy, Multi-Nuclear NMR (13C, 19F, 31P), 2D NMR (COSY, ROESY, NOESY, DOESY, HMQC, HSQC, HMBC), ESI-Mass Spectrometry, GPC Separation, UV-Vis Spectroscopy, Circular Dichroism (CD) Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction (SHELXTL-97, WINGX, SIR97, DIAMOND, ORTEP, PLATON), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Imaging.

Computational Chemistry & Data Analysis

DFT Structure Optimization, TitrationFit Program, Hypspec Software, Hypnmr Software, Equilibrium Constants Calculation, Binding Constants Calculation, Origin (Data Analysis), ChemDraw.

Research & Project Management

Research Design, Experimental Design, Grant Writing, Project Leadership, Team Collaboration, Scientific Publication, Mentorship, Curriculum Development, Academic Instruction.

Projects

JSPS Kakenhi Grant-in-Aid Scientific Research-C

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Summary

Principal Investigator for a scientific research project funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

WPI-NanoLSI Transdisciplinary Research Promotion Grant (TDRP-G)

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Summary

Principal Investigator for a research promotion grant focused on transdisciplinary research within the Nano Life Science Institute.

WPI-NanoLSI Transdisciplinary Research Promotion Grant (TDRP-G)

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Summary

Principal Investigator for a research promotion grant focused on transdisciplinary research within the Nano Life Science Institute.

WPI-NanoLSI Transdisciplinary Research Promotion Grant (TDRP-G)

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Summary

Principal Investigator for a research promotion grant focused on transdisciplinary research within the Nano Life Science Institute.