PhD Project: Structure-Activity Approaches towards a New Generation of Boron-containing Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (bNRTIs).(Advisor: Dr John Tomsho, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA)

Role involved the collection, storage and transfer of all regulated biohazard waste generated on site. Interdepartmental disposal of waste was performed in accordance with EHRS specifications and codes.

Teaching position involved instructing organic chemistry workshops and laboratory classes for undergraduate students as part of the department’s curriculum. The courses cover fundamental principles of organic chemistry and combines class-based learning with practical experiments

Role involved analysis of the metabolic products from radio-labeled clinical and pre-clinical drug studies in vivo. Preparation, extraction and LC-MS analysis of animal samples were performed and reports were generated for clients following completion of the studies.

Overview:The work entails real time analysis of select football games to provide live statistical match data to some of the largest sporting organisations and media outlets in the world.Skills Developed:-Meticulous eye for detail; essential to deliver exceptionally accurate information, which is then used by third party clients-High diligence to stay focused over long periods of time, which is imperative in delivering consistency of results, such that the strong client approval ratings are retained

Responsibilities include: -Product and Raw Material Testing under GLP/GMP ISO 22716:2007 accredited standards; quality control, compliance adjustment, and stability studies-Formulation Development Work; research, data collection, analysis, report, and regulatory compliance-Literature Production; standard operating procedures (SOPs), certificates of analysis (CoA), report writing, and stock control-Internal Recording and Documentation; MRP (movement and creation of stock, substance monitoring, and job completion), Q-Pulse quality management (non-conformance reporting), and shared access storage proficiency-Customer/Supplier Complaints; investigation, testing and resolution of batch issues -Laboratory Maintenance; stock control, equipment troubleshooting and calibration -Liaise with the production, sales and regulatory teams to ensure product quality, and work towards new material developments Techniques and Skills Applied:-Gravimetric analysis-Titrimetric analysis (volumetric, potentiometric and coulometric)-Reagent preparation-Product sampling and production reagent addition-Understanding of regulatory compliance such as BPR (ECHA, REACH, COMAH, etc...)-Hazard assessment and mitigation

- Delivering practical lab session to classes of 10 – 20 BSc undergraduate students- Design and implementation of laboratory lesson briefs- Individual support to undergraduate students with course work and practical lab work- Marking and individual feedback on assessed work- Demonstration of key laboratory techniques and skills

Project: Late-stage Functionalisation of Agrochemical-like Scaffolds by Electrochemically-generated Free Radicals(Prof. P. O’Brien, Dr. V. Chechik, Dr. A. Parkin, in sponsorship with Syngenta)Research focused on utilising electrolysis to achieve synthetic transformations which provide a cleaner & easer route to agrochemical-like scaffolds.Project Aims:Build a toolkit of electrolysis reactions to:•Rapidly construct a library of small, interesting agrochemical targets•Selectively functionalise large, complex agrochemical scaffoldsSkills developed:•Data recording – big data was recorded sensibly, backed up & stored in an easy to navigate database•Processing and analysis – all characterisation & physical data was processed using specialist software, analysed to retrieve structural & physical meaning, & presented in a clean & consistent layout•Use of analytical software packages: Microsoft Office, Origin, etc.•Optimisation of methodology; substrate selection & design, equipment design, & reactivity•Presentational skills – routinely communicated my research to audiences of all backgrounds & understanding•Teaching – worked as a graduate teaching assistant•Collaboration - liaised to form strong interdisciplinary relationships which required quick learning of new chemistry & techniques. At the interface between organic, physical and electrochemical science, I collated individual expertise to achieve a common research goal•Lab book recording & maintenance•Risk assessment & hazard mitigationTechniques used:•Electrochemical techniques•Synthetic organic techniques•pH studies•Mass Spectrometry•1D & 2D NMR Spectroscopy•IR Spectroscopy•Purification (distillation, flash chromatography, crystallisation)•Reagent, buffer and stock solution preparation•Good lab practice (GLP)•Laboratory maintenance (cleaning, restoration, inventory and chemical organisation, repair)•Consumable & equipment procurement using electronic procurement system

Project: Synthetic Approaches Towards the Total Synthesis of (-)-TAN-2483B; a lead as a novel kinase inhibitor(Dr. Joanne E. Harvey, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand)Project Aims:•Perform the total synthesis of the natural product (-)-TAN-2483B•Explore cleaner, less wasteful and cost-effective synthetic strategies•Scale up production and optimisation•Probe biological activity of the natural product•Develop analogues to investigate structure-activity relationshipSkills developed:•Report writing – produced weekly progress reports as well as a final thesis piece•Spectral processing & analysis – all characterisation techniques and physical data was processed using specialist software, analysed to retrieve structural and physical meaning, and presented in a clean and consistent layout•Adapting to new environments and cultures – operating in an institute with a different social culture as well as working culture was a rewarding and valuable experience•Risk assessment & hazard mitigation – meticulous research of the risks and hazards of each experiment was performed.Techniques used:•Kept an electronic lab book using online software package (and a physical copy)•Inert and in air synthetic organic techniques (including glove box chemistry & Schlenk technique)•Optical Rotation (equipment operation, & spectral processing & analysis)•X-ray crystallography (spectral processing & analysis)•Melting point characterisation•Mass Spectrometry (sample preparation, spectral processing & analysis)•1D & 2D NMR (equipment operation, & spectral processing & analysis)•IR Spectroscopy (equipment operation, & spectral processing & analysis)•Purification (distillation, flash chromatography, crystallisation)•Reagent, buffer & stock solution preparation•Good lab practice (GLP)•Laboratory maintenance (cleaning, restoration, inventory and chemical organisation, repair)•Consumable and equipment procurement (direct from the vendor)

Project: The Synthesis of Two Novel Heparin Binding Agents and Study of their Biological Activity(Prof. David K. Smith, University of York, RSC Bursary)Research:This project focused on the application of nanochemistry in drug design and activity.A synthetic strategy was designed and two novel Heparin binding agents were successfully synthesized via a 7-step transformation pathway. Once the new compounds were fully characterised, extensive titration assays were performed to determine their effectiveness at binding to the natural polysaccharide, heparin. These titration experiments were monitored by UV/visible spectroscopy, fluorimetry and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Furthermore, pH was varied and monitored as a function of binding efficiency.Chemistry concepts developed:• Use of tandem titration-spectroscopy as a method for probing chemical activity• Importance of the environment (pH, temperature and pressure) on substrate performance and activity• Application of nanochemistry to design biologically active substratesTechniques used:• Titration• UV/Vis Spectrometry (titration assays with heparin)• Fluorimetry (titration assays with heparin)• Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy (chiral titration assays with heparin probe the 3D complex formed)• pH studies (titration studies as well as monitoring change as an independent variable)• Inert and in air synthetic organic techniques• Optical Rotation (equipment operation, & spectral processing & analysis)• Mass Spectrometry (spectral processing & analysis)• 1D & 2D NMR (equipment operation, & spectral processing & analysis)• IR Spectroscopy (equipment operation, & spectral processing & analysis)• Purification (distillation, flash chromatography, crystallisation)• Reagent, buffer and stock solution preparation• Good lab practice (GLP)• Laboratory maintenance (cleaning, restoration, organising electronic inventory and chemicals, repair)• Melting point characterisation