Last Name: Alexakis

First Name: Alexandre

Age: 64

Date of birth: July 22nd, 1949

Position: 

Professor of Organic Chemistry,
University of Geneva

Education: 

1967-1970 

 Ms in Biochemistry, University of Paris 6

1970-1975

 PhD with Prof. J. F. Normant,
 University of Paris 6

1976-1977

 Postdoc with Prof. G. H. Posner,
 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (USA)

Hobbies: 

Reading history books and listening to
classical music.

Pictures: 

“When I was a PhD student we worked
on 5 moles of starting materials.”

“Now it's only on 1 mole sorry...”

Alexandre Alexakis was born in Alexandria in 1949. He graduated from Paris VI university in 1970 and received his PhD in 1975. After a postdoctoral stay at Johns Hopkins University, he joined the CNRS at Pierre et Marie Curie University in 1977, being appointed Directeur de Recherche in 1985. In 1994 he was awarded the Silver Medal of the CNRS. In 1996 he moved from CNRS to Pierre et Marie Curie University as full Professor (1st class), then to the University of Geneva in 1998. In 2002 he was awarded the Novartis Lectureship Award. His research focuses on asymmetric synthesis and methodologies, using both metal catalysts, particularly copper reagents, and non-metallic catalysts (organocatalysis).

Sometimes he continues his research in the lab as in the good old days.

See also: Alexakis's Page on the web site of the School of chemistry and biochemistry.