Chemistry capabilities

Read about our research capabilities.

Synthetic and medicinal chemistry          

We have expertise in hit-to-lead, fragment-based drug discovery, lead optimization and chemical probe generation. We also have capabilities in:

  • late-stage functionalization (for example, through C-H activation, multicomponent reactions, palladium couplings and general catalysis, including asymmetric synthesis)
  • library formation, using supported reagents or robotic liquid handling (Opentrons)
  • PROTACs and hybrid drugs or for pull down studies (linker + biotin/photoactivatable probe), pro-drugs, bioisosteres, escape from flatland strategies to improve PK properties
  • labelling (deuterium) or for pull down studies (linker + biotin/photoactivatable probe).

Equipment

We are well equipped with standard chemical synthesis equipment for library synthesis. This includes carousels and dry blocks for reflux or low temperature chemistry (cryogenics) under inert atmosphere, when needed.

We also have standard rotary evaporators, Greenhouse, Genevac and blowdown evaporators. We have a freeze dryer for lyophilized material. We also have capabilities in:

  • microwave (CEM, Biotage), monowave (Anton Paar) and flow capability
  • Thales H-Cube for high temperature/pressure hydrogenations, photochemical reactors and ball mill (solvent-free) reactors.

We use supported reagents for coupling chemistry as well as:

  • Mitsunobu reactions
  • metal scavenging
  • catch-and-release
  • SPE purification
  • ISCO semi-prep HPLC
  • Biotage automatic purification for normal and reverse phase separations.

We use preparative and analytical TLC.

400, 500 and 600 MHZ Varian NMRs and HRMS, IR, UV capabilities are available through core facility sharing within the School of Life Sciences.

Analytical chemistry

This is provided using MDAP; mass directed purification, for LCMS purity analysis, reaction profiling.

We use X-ray for single crystal structure determination and protein cocrystal structures (work carried in conjunction with Diamond Light Source, Oxford).

Industry-standard data curation

We have Dotmatics, StarDrop and Swiss ADME.

Teaching

We provide Postgraduate lab supervision (MSc and PhD projects), undergraduate talks/lectures/open days as well as face to face or remote training (medicinal chemistry, palladium chemistry) for industry.

Consultancy

We can provide medicinal and chemistry-related consultancy on oncology and synthetic chemistry programmes.