Dr. Nelson Lam

Biography

Nelson Lam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Victoria. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge and has held postdoctoral fellowships at the Scripps Research Institute and Cambridge. His research focuses on organic synthesis, specifically in the areas of selective catalysis, radicals, and photoredox processes. The Lam Lab aims to develop catalytic strategies for the selective functionalization and derivatization of ubiquitous functional groups such as alcohols and amines. The lab addresses current deficiencies in organic synthesis, particularly in developing selective variants of common chemical transformations. Their work includes employing emerging methods in radical chemistry to leverage proximity effects for enhanced reaction selectivity. Furthermore, a continual goal of the Lam Lab is to apply new methods to shorten the total synthesis of both natural and unnatural products.

Research Interests