Chemistry

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 20^th and 21^st 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.

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.

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, Intereg 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).

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.