Igor Antipin named Zinin Lecturer of the Year in 2024
Professor of the Department of Organic and Medical Chemistry of Kazan Federal University, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences was awarded a commemorative medal and a diploma.
The chemist gave a lecture Supramolecular interactions in action: from chiral discrimination to innovative materials at the 32nd Zinin Readings, which took place at the Kirov Military Medical Academy (St. Petersburg) in the historical auditorium where Nikolai Zinin gave his lectures.
The Zinin Readings are a significant event in the scientific life of Russia. The lecturers of the readings, which have been held since 1992 by the St. Petersburg branch of the Mendeleev Russian Chemical Society and the Kirov Academy, are famous Russian scientists.
Nikolai Zinin, after whom the readings are named, is a graduate and an outstanding scientist of Kazan University, one of the founders of chemical science in Kazan and Saint Petersburg.
“The fact that the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Chemical Society and the Military Medical Academy elected me as the Zinin Lecturer of 2024 is a great honor. This recognition from colleagues is evidence that we conduct research at a high level,” said Dr Antipin. “My report consisted of three parts. In the first, I talked about Kazan University and the Kazanian school of chemistry. The second was devoted to fundamental research in supramolecular chemistry, in particular, absolute asymmetric supramolecular synthesis. In the third part of the report, I presented the results of applied research. I am developing superstructural polymeric materials and composites based on them, some of which have been launched into production. I am glad that my report has generated great interest among my colleagues.”
Supramolecular chemistry, noted Antipin, studies self-organizing molecular systems that exist and operate due to weak, non-covalent intermolecular contacts (van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonds, etc.).
“Supramolecular chemistry is a bridge between living and non-living nature – this definition was given to it by a world-famous chemist, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who was the rector of Kazan University for 11 years, Alexander Konovalov,” explained Professor Antipin. Coincidentally, Konovalov (1934-2021) was the first KFU representative to have been elected as Zinin Lecturer of the Year, and Antipin is the second.