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  • Chemistry

Chemistry

These pages hold legacy content of completed research. Our new online home with details of our most recent achievements is the Chemistry Research and Enterprise Group on the university research portal.

For a list of all university research groups and centres, visit the University of Brighton's page on organisational research units.  

The Chemistry research and enterprise group in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences includes expertise spanning the traditional areas of organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry. Our chemists regularly work in partnership with our experts in biology, medicine, materials science, environmental science and nanotechnology.

Our chemistry research encompasses organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, analysis, electrochemistry, geochemistry, the chemistry of materials, computational chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, coordination chemistry and sensors. Group members are prominent within academic, advisory, and policy bodies, including the Royal Society of Chemistry, and act on Research Council and EU panels and in peer-review and editorial roles at leading scientific journals.

Sensors

A chemical sensor is a device that transforms chemical information (about composition, presence of a particular element or ion, concentration, chemical activity, partial pressure) into an analytically useful signal. These sensors can have applications in different areas such as medicine, home safety, environmental pollution and many others.

Chemical sensors usually contain two basic components connected in series:

  • a chemical (molecular) recognition system (receptor) and
  • a physicochemical transducer.

In the majority of chemical sensors, the receptor interacts with analyte molecules. As a result, its physical properties are changed in such a way that the appending transducer can gain an electrical signal.

Sensor projects

Pillarenes-x-ray-and-data

Pillar(5)arenes

Sensopellet

SensoPellet

A new tool to investigate signalling and motility in the lower digestive tract.

Photorelease-live-dead-assay

PHOTORELEASE

Developing sugar-NDs as novel inhibitors for Escherichia coli-derived biofilm formation.

Faecal-sensor

Faecal sensor to understand how signalling and muscle dynamics alter with incontinence

Supramolecular chemistry

Supramolecular chemistry – 'chemistry beyond the molecule' – is the chemistry that governs the assembly of molecules through multiple weak non-covalent interactions. Successful recognition of one molecule by another is achieved by designing 'hosts' with complementary chemical properties to their target ‘guests’.

Supramolecular chemistry incorporates computational design of hosts, synthetic chemistry and analysis. It has particular applications in the fields of chemical sensors and in biomimetic chemistry.

Supramolecular chemistry projects

Probing-Ion-transport-mechanisms-graph

Probing ion transport mechanisms with synthetic ion channels

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary science that looks at how we can manipulate matter at the molecular and atomic level. To do this, we must work on the nanoscale - a scale so small that we can't see it with a light microscope. One nanometer is one-billionth of a meter in size.

Nanotechnology projects

UNCOS-partners

UNCOS

UNCOS is a four year Industry Academia Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP) project on the derivation of graphenes and other carbon nanomaterials.

OncoNanoBBB-thumbnail

OncoNanoBBB

Delivering therapeutic agents, e.g. for brain cancer, across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) at the efficacious dose.

Computational chemistry

Computational chemistry bridges the gap between experiment and theory. Programmes are able to predict molecular shape and reactivity, which allows experimentalists to prioritise lab work, as well as spectra and other properties, which can help to identify products of chemical reactions. Combining experimental data with computer predictions can give new insights into molecular behaviour.

Many projects are underpinned by computational chemistry. It is often possible to collect data, for examples changes in fluorescence by an organic molecule when it binds a metal, which defy simple interpretation. By creating computer models of molecules it is possible to elucidate the causes that generate those data. Calculations range from simple mechanics, to determine the shapes of complex molecules, to quantum mechanical ab initio calculations that predict changes in spectra as a consequence of two molecules binding together.

Computer models have helped to explain molecules’ extraction preferences for specific metals, predict cyanide reactivity leading to its detection, determine which geometry (from many possibilities) leads to fluorescence when small molecules bind spectroscopically silent zinc, and determine which metals can be bound by a compound extracted form flaxseed.

Computational chemistry projects

Computational-representation-of-CWAs

A computational protocol to model organophosph(on)ate chemical warfare agents and their simulants

Inorganic chemistry

Our research involves molecular magnetism. Novel magnetic materials are being prepared, inspired by interests in Fe(II) and Co(II) spin crossover, supramolecular chemistry, 4f lanthanide complexes and the biologically relevant non-innocent d-block radical systems.

The fascinating physical properties of these materials can be exploited in a range of potential devices and applications including memory storage, quantum computing, molecular spintronics and low temperature refrigeration.

Inorganic chemistry projects

Molecular-structure-of-the-metal-radical-cation

Switchable molecules: a radical approach

Magnetic-drug-delivery-diagram

Switchable surfactants in drug delivery

Lipid chemistry

Lipids are amphiphilic molecules, meaning they have chemical parts that are both water soluble and water insoluble. There are many examples of amphiphilic molecules in chemistry and biology, such as surfactants and soaps; lipids, steroids and fats and sometimes proteins and DNA. What makes amphiphiles so interesting is that when mixed with water they self-assemble into 3-dimensional structures. The properties of these 3D structures mean that amphiphiles have a range of applications in cleaning as detergents, in pharmacy as drug delivery systems, in the food industry as emulsifiers and in the catalyst industry as templates for high surface area catalysts. However, arguably, more important than all these is the fact that lipids are present in all living organisms where they make up the cell membrane.

The cell membrane is a boundary between the changing external environment and the stable internal environment of cells. Cells with ruptured membranes die hence maintaining a stable cell membrane is critical to life as we know it. Cell membranes are predominantly mixtures of phospholipids and proteins and the interaction between lipids and proteins appears to be vital to survival and health.

Changes in the phospholipid composition of cells have been observed in some of the most pressing health concerns of the 20th and 21st century; examples being cancer, heart disease, obesity, liver disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Our research focuses on the biological role of lipids in lipid protein interactions and phospholipid homeostasis – the process through which cells make lipids and stay healthy.

 

Lipid chemistry projects

Small-angle-x-ray-diffractogram-final

Quantifying a biophysical model of lipid-protein

Lipid-DNA interactions in crowded molecular environments.

DDM-lipid-homeostasis

Modelling of the mechanisms of phospholipid homeostasis

Adopting A tandem computational and experimental strategy to address a long-standing biological question.

The chemical basis for ageing

Resveratrol, a component of red wine proposed to have widespread health benefits, has been demonstrated to cause premature cellular senescence in primary cells in vitro. Novel structural analogues of resveratrol, 'resveralogues', are being synthesised and evaluated to determine the chemical features underlying the beneficial activities of stilbene molecules while abrogating the detrimental ones.

The chemical basis for ageing projects

STRAND-resveratrol

Synthesis and evaluation of Resveratrol derivatives

STRAND-ageing-cells

Identifying small molecules to remove or modify the phenotype of ageing cells

Polymers

Synthesis and applications of cryogels

Cryogels obtained by gel formation in semi-frozen solution are an emerging class of porous materials, which recently attracts considerable attention as potential materials for the biomedical, biotechnological and environmental applications. Our research is actively working on the developing of novel cryogel materials and their exploitation for a particular task in the biomedical and environmental area.

Recent projects are dealing with developing wound healing materials (EU FP7 MATTIS, Interreg Biocare, MoD Coi, EU FP7 ENSOR) and adsorbents for removing of toxins from the blood (MONACO EXTRA). Together with Prof. A. Cundy we are working on the development of novel, cryogel and nanotechnology based, devices for remediation and water clean-up (CARBOSORB, HYREM, POLARCLEAN).

Polymers projects

EU-funding-logo

ACROBAT

Infection-detecting-dressing

Development of an infection detecting wound dressing

nanotech-for-water

CARBOSORB

ENSOR

ENSOR

Evolving nano-carbon strategies in (bio-) organic remits

Protein Chemistry

Our research focuses on the development of methods for the analysis and characterisation of peptides and modifications on proteins towards their applications to LC-MS based proteomics.

Protein Chemistry projects

Skull

Sex determination of human remains from peptides in tooth enamel

Outreach - public understanding of chemistry

Members of the chemistry research group undertake outreach activities at all levels from demonstrations of nanoparticle synthesis to schools (STEM Summer School, Science Outreach Taster Day, RSC’s ‘Chemistry at Work’) to explosive ‘Bigger Bang’ shows at the university, in the House of Commons, across Europe, at the All Russia Science Festival in Moscow and the Abu Dhabi Festival of Science.

Other work includes science consultancy for CBBC’s BAFTA-winning programme Operation Ouch!, presenting in ‘The Lab’ on ITV’s Ministry of Mayhem, the BBC’s Bright Sparks, BBC4’s The Volatile History of Chemistry, BBC2’s Rocket Science, National Geographic’s The Mystery Files, BBC’s History Cold Case and BBC’s Science Britannia.

Chemistry-Hal

Hal Sosabowski presenting at chemistry event

Research team

Dr Peter J Cragg
Dr Marcus Dymond
Dr Gerry Gallacher
Dr Ian Gass
Dr Matthew Ingram
Professor Sergey V Mikhalovsky
Dr George Olivier
Dr Lizzy Ostler
Dr Bhavik Anil Patel
Dr Dipak Sarker
Dr Ken Rutt
Dr Irina Savina
Professor Hal Sosabowski
Dr Nicolas Stewart
Dr Alison Willows

Postdoctoral researchers

Dr Guy Standen

Postgraduate researcher

Vishal Birar
Gennaro Dicello
Blaise Geoghegan
Elaheh Sirjani
Megi Kamenica
Shaimaa Shakargi

Sources/links

Collaborations

Funding

Research Council Funding

Electrochemical sensor for monitoring levels of oxygen and nitrogen reactive species to benefit ageing research (BBSRC BB/K013807/1 [2013-14] BAP £94,436)

SensoPellet: A new tool to investigate signalling and motility in the lower digestive tract (EPSRC EP/J000175/1 [2012-13] BAP £98,989)

Chemical characterisation of synaptogenesis (EPSRC EP/C532058/1 [2006-09] BAP £139,526)

The Bigger Bang! Show and An Elemental Spectacle: A guided tour of the darker reaches of the Periodic Table (EPSRC EP/G01986X/1 [2008-11] MHS, SVM £162,796)

X-Ray photoelectron spectrometer focussed beam and monochromator - XPS FOAM (NERC [2013] RLDW £233,000)

Nano Systems for Disease Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment - NanoSys-DPDT (MRC/ Healthtech & Medicines Industrial Case Studentship [2011-13] RLDW £150,000)

RoCOCO - Carbon Dioxide Dissociation (EPSRC RLDW [2008-10] £145,000)

EU Funding

Compositum (FP7 IRSES [2009‐13] SVM £67,382)

Advanced First Response Respiratory Protection (FP7 [2008-11] SVM £251,093)

OncoNanoBBB (FP7 IAPP [2011-15] SVM €782,253)

ENSOR (FP7 IRSES [2011-15] RLDW €265,000)

UNCOS (FP7 IAPP [2010-14] RLDW €550,000)

PHOTORELEASE (FP7 IRSES [2011-14] PJC €186,200)

Other Funding

Global Education Outreach in Science, Engineering and Technology – GEOSET (HEFCE [2011] RLDW £60,000)

Outreach

2008: Principal Investigator for EPSRC Partnerships for Public Engagement (PPE) Grant EP/G01986X/1: The Bigger Bang! Show and An Elemental Spectacle: A Guided Tour of the Darker Reaches of the Periodic Table; £162,000
 
2008: Finance South East (SEEDA) Commercialisation Award for Dr Hal’s Science Trumps; £60,000
 
2008: The Royal Society of Chemistry Large Grant; £5,000

Awards, recognition, impact

Awards and Recognition

Dr Bhavik A Patel won the 2013 GSK Emerging Scientist Award.

Chemistry outreach activities

Live chemistry demonstrations

Students as researchers

Students, whether postgraduates and undergraduates at Brighton or still in local schools and colleges, feature in the group’s research papers.

Vishal Birar, Angela N Sheerin, Jana Milkovicova, Richard GA Faragher and Elizabeth L Ostler. (2015)  A facile, stereoselective, one-pot synthesis of resveratrol derivatives. Chemistry Central Journal  9:26.

Faragher RGA, Burton DGA, Majecha P, Fong NSY, Davis T, Sheerin A and Ostler EL Resveratrol, but not dihydroresveratrol, induces premature senescence in primary human fibroblasts.  AGE (2010) epub:DOI: 10.1007/s11357-010-9201-5.

A low pH sensor from an esterified pillar[5]arene, RR Kothur, J Hall, BA Patel, CL Leong, MG Boutelle and PJ Cragg, Chem. Commun., 2014, 50, 852

A. Fagan-Murphy, F. Watt, K. A. Morgan and B. A. Patel*, Influence of different biological environments on the stability of serotonin detection on carbon-based electrodes, J. Electroanal. Chem., 2012, 684(0), 1-5

J. Tunna and B. A. Patel*, Analysis of 5-Hydroxytryptophan in the presence of excipients from dietary capsules: comparison between cyclic voltammetry and UV visible spectroscopy, Anal. Methods, 2013, 5, 2523 – 2528

Detection of clinically important cations by a pillar[5]arene-modified electrochemical sensor, LE Dube, BA Patel, A Fagan-Murphy, RR Kothur and PJ Cragg, Chem. Sensor, 2013, 3, 18

A.T. Ball and B. A. Patel*, Rapid voltammetric monitoring of melatonin in the presence of tablet excipients, Electrochimica Acta, 2012, 83(0), 196 – 201

L. D. Morgan, H. Baker, M. S. Yeoman and B. A. Patel*, Chromatographic assay to study the activity of multiple enzymes involved in the synthesis and metabolism of dopamine and serotonin, Analyst, 2012, 137(6), 1409 – 1415 

An artificial sodium ion channel from calix[4]arene in the 1,3-alternate conformation, O Lawal, KSJ Iqbal, A Mohamadi, P Razavi, HT Dodd, MC Allen, S Siddiqui, F Fucassi and PJ Cragg, Supramol. Chem., 2009, 21, 55

Undergraduates italicised, year 13 student underlined.

(Dr Peter J Cragg, Dr Bhavik A Patel)
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