Welcome to Flextal lab

Research Focus

In a world of evolving Materials Science, Crystal Engineering & Supramolecular Chemistry stand as cornerstones for exploring functional molecular crystals. Our goal is to uncover the intricate connection between molecular arrangements and mechanical properties, ultimately enabling the engineering of exceptionally durable organic crystals. This pursuit has far-reaching implications, reshaping domains ranging from pharmaceutics, self-healing to cutting-edge functional applications like flexible electronics, energy storage and photonics etc.

Core Research Areas

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Our research delves into elucidating how factors such as crystal packing arrangements, intermolecular interactions, and symmetry influence properties like elasticity, hardness, and fracture behavior. By elucidating the fundamental mechanisms governing the mechanical properties of molecular crystals, our work not only contributes to the fundamental understanding of these systems but also holds promise for informing the design and engineering of novel materials with tailored mechanical characteristics for diverse applications ranging from pharmaceutical formulations to advanced materials science.

We investigate the crystalline forms of pharmaceutical compounds and their impact on drug stability, solubility, and bioavailability. By uncovering how different crystal forms and polymorphs influence drug formulation and performance, our work contributes to the development of more efficacious and stable pharmaceutical products with improved therapeutic outcomes and manufacturability.

We also explore "plastic crystals," molecular crystals characterized by their nearly globular shape and high symmetry, exhibiting three-dimensional plasticity due to dynamic disorder in the molecules. Our approach involves utilizing advanced experimental methods such as X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, complemented by computational simulations to elucidate the underlying principles dictating the transitions between order and disorder in these crystals.

In our laboratory, we're pioneering the exploration of Autonomous Self-healing Molecular Crystals, a frontier where materials possess the remarkable ability to spontaneously repair structural damage. These groundbreaking materials offer unprecedented opportunities for resilience and durability, heralding a transformative advancement with profound implications for cutting-edge technologies and sustainable applications.
cmreddy
Dr. C Malla Reddy
Professor, Department of Chemistry
IIT Hyderabad, Telangana, India

About the Supervisor

C Malla Reddy did his Ph.D. in Crystal Engineering & Supramolecular Chemistry from the University of Hyderabad in 2006. He was a post-doctoral fellow at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, 2007-2008. Immediately he moved to Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata as an Assistant Professor in Department of Chemical Sciences. In 2014 he has been promoted to Associate Professor, then in 2019 to Professor. After serving for 15 years in IISER Kolkata, he shifted to IIT Hyderabad at the end of 2023. For the Year 2014-2015, he has been awarded with prestigious Swarna Jayanti fellowship by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. He was the associate editor for RSC Advances from 2015-2016. Currently, he is the editor-in-cheif for CrystEngComm (RSC Journal) and the co-editor for Acta Crystallographica Section B.

  • B.Sc. (Botany, Zoology, Chemistry with First Class) Silver Jubilee Govt. Degree Collage, Sri Krishna Devaraya University, Kurnool, A. P., 1997.
  • M.Sc. (Organic Chemistry with First Class) Nizam P.G. College, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana, 2000.
  • Ph.D. (Thesis: Intermolecular Interactions and Mechanical Properties of Molecular Crystals—Applications to Crystal Engineering), School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, 2006. Thesis Supervisors: Prof. Gautam R. Desiraju and Prof. K. Anantha Padmanabhan

  • Professor, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad from December 2023 – present.
  • Head, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata from Sept 2020-Aug-2023.
  • Professor, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata from Oct 2018-Nov 2023.
  • Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata from 16 Dec 2013 to Oct 2018.
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata from 4 Aug 2008 to 15 Dec 2013.
  • Post Doctoral Fellow: Supervisor: Prof. Teodor Silviu Balaban (now at Aix Marseille University), Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, Jan 2007 to June 2008.

  • Editor-in-Chief for the journal CrystEngComm published by Royal Society of Chemistry from 2024-present.
  • Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences from National Academy of Science, India (2021).
  • Bhagyatara Award for the year 2019 by Panjab University, Chandigarh.
  • The Distinguished Lectureship Award" by Chemical Society of Japan, March 2017.
  • Swarnajayanti Fellowship in Chemical Sciences for the year 2015 by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India.
  • Associated Editor for CrystEngComm, Royal Society of Chemistry (2019-2024).
  • Advisory Board Member for CrystEngComm, published by Royal Society of Chemistry (2016-2019).
  • Co-editor for Acta Cryst B, International Union of Crystallography (2016-present)
  • Associate Editor, RSC Advances, Royal Society of Chemistry (2015-2016)
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, year 2015.
  • Junior Research Fellowship (2000-2002) and Senior Research Fellowship (2002-2006) by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India.

Recent Research Highlights

Flextal Lab News