Dr. Huw M.L. Davies stands as a preeminent figure in modern organic chemistry, renowned for his transformative contributions to synthetic methodology. He currently holds the distinguished position of Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Organic Chemistry at Emory University, a role he has maintained since 2008 with exceptional scholarly impact. Born in Aberystwyth, Wales, Davies completed his undergraduate education at University College Cardiff before earning his PhD from the University of East Anglia in 1980. Following postdoctoral research at Princeton University, he established his independent career at Wake Forest University from 1983 to 1995, subsequently advancing to distinguished professorships at the University at Buffalo where he served as both UB Distinguished Professor and Larkin Professor of Organic Chemistry until his move to Emory.
Professor Davies has pioneered groundbreaking approaches in enantioselective synthesis, particularly through the development of chiral dirhodium catalysts that have revolutionized asymmetric C-H functionalization methodologies. His research program has yielded transformative advancements in rhodium-carbene induced C-H insertion, enabling site-selective and enantioselective functionalization of non-activated primary C-H bonds as demonstrated in his highly influential 2018 Nature Chemistry publication. These innovative synthetic methods have been widely adopted by research groups worldwide, with several of his chiral catalysts now commercially available to advance drug discovery efforts. The profound impact of his work extends to total synthesis of biologically active natural products and the development of novel chiral therapeutic agents, significantly accelerating pharmaceutical research through more efficient synthetic pathways.
As Director of the NSF Center for Chemical Innovation for Selective C-H Functionalization, Davies leads a major collaborative initiative uniting 23 faculty members from 15 universities to advance this critical chemical transformation. He serves as Associate Editor for Chemical Society Reviews while previously contributing editorial leadership to Organic Reactions and Organic Syntheses, shaping the dissemination of chemical knowledge across the global research community. His exceptional contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors including the ACS Herbert C. Brown Award for Creative Research in Synthetic Methods and fellowship in the National Academy of Inventors. Currently directing the Davies Group at Emory, his research continues to push the boundaries of catalytic asymmetric synthesis, with ongoing work focused on expanding the scope and precision of C-H functionalization to address previously intractable synthetic challenges in medicinal chemistry.
