Bioanalytical Microchips Based on Integrated, Application Tailored Monolithic Modules. Microfluidic devices offer substantial advantages over current technology, in terms of speed, cost of analysis, portability, operator simplicity and safety. Integrating multiple analytical processes within a simple and reliable portable device will lead to application in a range of areas, from pharmacology to therapeutic drug monitoring, proteomic and metabolomic screening for disease diagnosis and drug develo ....Bioanalytical Microchips Based on Integrated, Application Tailored Monolithic Modules. Microfluidic devices offer substantial advantages over current technology, in terms of speed, cost of analysis, portability, operator simplicity and safety. Integrating multiple analytical processes within a simple and reliable portable device will lead to application in a range of areas, from pharmacology to therapeutic drug monitoring, proteomic and metabolomic screening for disease diagnosis and drug development, and also for performing clinical diagnostics in a rural area. This will significantly impact on the quality of life of the Nation as a whole, not only due to expedient diagnosis and treatment which has obvious health benefits, but also in the considerable financial benefits that result from early and efficient treatment. Read moreRead less
Polymer nanoparticles and their assembled supracolloidal monolithic structures for applications in separation science. This project will generate new polymeric materials that will improve the analysis of complex samples. This will be applied in a wide range of areas of national importance including: pharmaceutical analysis and drug discovery; environmental, clinical and forensic analysis; and energy generation and foods.
Microreactors for Organic Synthesis. Since the electronic revolution, miniaturisation has been the trend for devices from consumer electronics to scientific instruments. In this time very little has changed in the manner, or scale, that synthetic organic chemistry has been carried out even though advances in instrumentation mean that less compound is required for identification and analysis. This project aims to bridge the gap by developing recyclable miniaturised reaction vessels for the format ....Microreactors for Organic Synthesis. Since the electronic revolution, miniaturisation has been the trend for devices from consumer electronics to scientific instruments. In this time very little has changed in the manner, or scale, that synthetic organic chemistry has been carried out even though advances in instrumentation mean that less compound is required for identification and analysis. This project aims to bridge the gap by developing recyclable miniaturised reaction vessels for the formation of organic compounds on a scale thousands of times smaller than it is currently done. These devices will have applications in drug discovery programmes due to higher throughput and increased efficiency while minimising waste.Read moreRead less
Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in sit ....Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in situ. This will enable the control of stereochemistry in photoredox reactions – not possible with standard catalysts - and establish other useful synthetic transformations. These strategies will make it easier to prepare valuable classes of organic molecules – efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively.
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Micro-disperse sintered nano-diamonds: a new class of versatile adsorbent for high performance liquid chromatography. Nano-diamond is currently recognised amongst researchers as a highly significant material for the development of new technologies in analytical science, diagnostics and nano-technology. Here, sintered nano-diamond, with its many unique properties, will provide a new generation of stationary phases for use in high performance liquid chromatography.
Biomimetic templating radical polymerisation in nanoreactors. The aim is to develop methodology for synthesis of polymer with hitherto inaccessible control of the microstructure by free radical means, that is the molecular weight distribution and monomer sequences. This will be achieved by combining the two concepts of biomimetic templated radical polymerisation and polymerisation in nanoreactors in the form of submicron-sized micelles or droplets. Scale-up of the methodology will be developed b ....Biomimetic templating radical polymerisation in nanoreactors. The aim is to develop methodology for synthesis of polymer with hitherto inaccessible control of the microstructure by free radical means, that is the molecular weight distribution and monomer sequences. This will be achieved by combining the two concepts of biomimetic templated radical polymerisation and polymerisation in nanoreactors in the form of submicron-sized micelles or droplets. Scale-up of the methodology will be developed based on an environmentally friendly approach whereby miniemulsions are generated using carbon dioxide. Increased ability to control the polymer microstructure will enable advanced design of functional polymers with far-reaching applications in materials science, nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Read moreRead less