Thomas Lectka

Thomas Lectka is the Jean and Norman Scowe Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University, where he has been a faculty member since 1994. His research focuses on synthetic and physical organic chemistry, particularly in the area of organofluorine chemistry.

• PhD, Cornell University
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Heidelberg (Alexander von Humboldt Fellow)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University (NIH Fellow)

Dr. Lectka's research is centered on developing novel synthetic methods, especially for fluorination, and understanding the physical organic principles underlying reactivity. His work spans radical fluorination, catalytic asymmetric synthesis, and the design of fluorinated bioactive molecules. Using a combination of experimental and computational techniques, his lab investigates C-F bond formation, reaction mechanisms, and the biological applications of fluorinated compounds.

His recent work, as reflected in publications from 2010 to 2024, shows a consistent trajectory in advancing fluorination methodologies, with increasing emphasis on site-selectivity, enantiocontrol, and biomedical relevance. Themes include the development of new reagents, mechanistic studies, and the synthesis of fluorinated natural product analogs and peptidomimetics.

Dr. Lectka has received numerous honors and awards, including:

• ACS Arthur C. Cope Scholar (2024)
• ACS Maryland Chemist of the Year (2017)
• John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship
• Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award
• Sloan Fellowship
• NSF CAREER Award
• NIH First Award
• Eli Lilly Grantee Award

He actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students in his research group, contributing to education and training in organic chemistry. His lab, The Lectka Group, is supported by grants from the NIH and NSF, enabling cutting-edge research in synthetic methodology and physical organic studies. The group fosters a collaborative environment focused on innovation in fluorine chemistry.

The Lectka Group is an active research laboratory at Johns Hopkins University dedicated to pushing the boundaries of synthetic organic chemistry through the exploration of fluorine's unique properties. Current projects include site-selective radical fluorination and the synthesis of unusual fluorinated species, aiming to provide new tools for drug discovery and materials science.