Chemistry PhD, MScR

Our key research areas include:

• the chemistry-biology interface
• experimental and theoretical chemical physics
• synthesis
• materials chemistry

The chemistry-biology interface

This is a broad area, with particular strengths in the areas of:

• protein structure and function
• mechanistic enzymology
• proteomics
• peptide and protein synthesis
• protein folding
• recombinant and synthetic DNA methodology
• biologically targeted synthesis
• the application of high throughput and combinatorial approaches

We also focus on biophysical chemistry, the development and application of physicochemical techniques to biological systems. This includes mass spectrometry, advanced spectroscopy and microscopy, as applied to proteins, enzymes, DNA, membranes and biosensors.

Experimental and theoretical chemical physics

This is the fundamental study of molecular properties and processes. Areas of expertise include:

• probing molecular structure in the gas phase, clusters and nanoparticles
• the development and application of physicochemical techniques such as mass spectoscropy to molecular systems
• the EaStCHEM surface science group, who study complex molecules on surfaces, probing the structureproperty relationships employed in heterogeneous catalysis

A major feature is in Silico Scotland, a world-class research computing facility.

Synthesis

This research area encompasses the synthesis and characterisation of organic and inorganic compounds, including those with application in:

• homogeneous catalysis
• nanotechnology
• coordination chemistry
• ligand design and supramolecular chemistry
• asymmetric catalysis
• heterocyclic chemistry
• the development of synthetic methods and strategies leading to the synthesis of biologically important molecules (including drug discovery)

The development of innovative synthetic and characterisation methodologies (particularly in structural chemistry) is a key feature, and we specialise in structural chemistry at extremely high pressures.

Materials chemistry

The EaStCHEM Materials group is one of the largest in the UK. Areas of strength include the design, synthesis and characterisation of functional (for example, magnetic, superconducting and electronic) materials, such as:

• strongly correlated electronic materials
• battery and fuel cell materials and devices
• porous solids
• fundamental and applied electrochemistry polymer microarray technologies
• technique development for materials and nanomaterials analysis