Pradip Songara

Pradip is a Post-Doctoral Research Scientist in the Chemical Ecology Group at Rothamsted Research, where his work bridges chemical ecology and chemical biology to develop ecologically inspired, next-generation pest management solutions.

He leverages his expertise in synthetic organic chemistry to design authentic semiochemical standards alongside sustainable production methods for biologicals. His research covers synthetic organic methodology, catalysis, and chemical biology, as well as micronutrient biofortification and soil–plant nutrient cycling, aiming to develop advanced fertiliser formulations that boost crop resilience and efficiency. Additionally, Pradip works on biomaterial formulations for targeted, sustainable pest management and employs molecular modelling to create practical solutions for crop protection.

Prior to Rothamsted, Pradip earned a PhD from the University of Bristol under Prof. Varinder K. Aggarwal FRS, specializing in stereoselective lithiation–borylation methodology, and holds a First-Class MChem from the University of Reading. He gained industrial experience at GlaxoSmithKline and Eli Lilly and was previously a Publishing Editor at the Royal Society of Chemistry managing journals such as Journal of Materials Chemistry and Nanoscale.