Month: November 2014

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Dr Geoff Brown from the Department of Chemistry is part of a successful bid for £3M funding from the BBSRC.

G BrownCongratulations to Dr Geoff Brown, who is part of a successful bid for £3M funding from the BBSRC.

The research, led by Prof Ian Graham (Biology, University of York), will investigate the biosynthesis of diterpenoids. These naturally-occurring chemicals produced by plants have a huge range of uses (fragrances, pharmaceuticals, vitamins, sunscreen, sweeteners, …) but are only produced in small quantities, making their extraction too expensive for commercialisation. They’re also notoriously difficult to synthesis in the laboratory on a large-enough scale.

This project aims to exploit synthetic biology, the reprogramming of simple biological organisms, to get around these problems and produce the molecules in larger quantities. This will involve lots of chemical analysis, which is where Dr Brown and our state-of-the-art Chemical Analysis Facility will come in. In particular, our 700 MHz NMR spectrometer will be used extensively to determine the chemical structures of the diterpenoids produced and explore their biosynthesis in more detail.

Watch out for updates in a year or so!

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Chemistry Research Colloquium – Professor Juri Rappsilber “Structural analysis of proteins in native environments, fact or fiction?”

On Monday 24th November, the  Chemistry Department Research Colloquium will be given by Professor Juri  Rappsilber, University of Edinburgh.

His talk “Structural analysis of proteins in native environments, fact or fiction?”, will be at 4pm in Chemistry LTG preceded by refreshments in the foyer at 3.40pm.

ALL WELCOME
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Chemistry Research Colloquium – Professor Tom Welton, Imperial College London – “Ionic Liquids: Solvents for Sustainable Chemistry”

On Monday 17th November, the  Chemistry Department Research Colloquium will be given by Professor Tom Welton, Imperial College London.

His talk, “Ionic Liquids: Solvents for Sustainable Chemistry”, will take place at 4.00 pm in Chemistry LTG preceded by refreshments in the Chemistry Foyer at 3.40pm.

All Welcome