Two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (2D MOFs) derived from transition metals and redox-active organic ligands behave as semiconductors, resulting in potential applications as chemiresistive sensors and electrocatalysts for fuel cells. This project will investigate the synthesis, structure and properties of new types of 2D MOFs using a combination of computer-aided molecular design, ligand synthesis, coordination chemistry and atomic-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and charge-transport measurements.

Key publications:
Ordering, flexibility and frustration in arrays of porphyrin nanorings (Nature Comms 2019, 10, 2932)
Conductive two-dimensional metal–organic frameworks as multifunctional materials (Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 7873)

Useful links:
Anderson group: http://hla.chem.ox.ac.uk
Castell group: https://users.ox.ac.uk/~mrc/

For further details please contact Harry Anderson (harry.anderson@chem.ox.ac.uk) or Martin Castell (martin.castell@materials.ox.ac.uk)

The generation of mesoporous nanoparticles with an interior that is both paramagnetically doped and potentially loaded with a therapeutic offers much to programmable theranostics. If one can sterically control the exposure of the interior particle void to the external solution than water and drug diffusion can be controlled. DNA is a programmable self-assembly material in which the strength and identity the of interactions between component parts can be designed using simple Watson-Crick base pairing rules. It can be used as a construction material for theranostic devices that can detect or release a drug and/or signal when a set of conditions are met. This project will design, fabricate and characterise these hybrid nanomaterials that can respond to biological cues associated with a disease state.

Key publications:
Water gated contrast switching with polymer–silica hybrid nanoparticles (Chem. Commun. 2019, 55, 8540)
Reversible pH-responsive MRI contrast with paramagnetic polymer micelles (Chem. Commun. 2023, 59, 1605)
Ultrahigh magnetic resonance contrast switching with water gated polymer–silica nanoparticles (Chem. Commun. 2023, 59, 6008)

Useful links:
Davis group: http://jjdgroup.co.uk
Bath group: https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/our-people/bath

For further details please contact Jason Davis (Jason.davis@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Sufficiently conductive two-dimensional films have a capacitative fingerprint that is highly responsive to the dielectric changes associated with any molecular recognition event that occurs at their surface. Two-dimensional transition metal-organic frameworks (2D MOFs), including those that are redox responsive, have potential powerful applications in energy storage and diagnostics if they can be suitably receptor modified. This project will investigate the generation of electrochemically addressable transition metal MOF films, their capacitative charging, and the peripheral modification of these with biological receptors such that clinically-relevant biological targets can be detected.

Key publications:
Reagentless Redox Capacitive Assaying of C‐Reactive Protein at a Polyaniline Interface (Anal. Chem. 2020, 92, 3508)
Graphene Oxide Interfaces in Serum Based Autoantibody Quantification (Anal. Chem. 2015, 87, 346)
Redox Capacitive Assaying of C-Reactive Protein at a Peptide Supported Aptamer Interface (Anal. Chem. 2018, 90, 3005)
Ultrafast Biomarker Quantification through Reagentless Capacitive Kinetics (Anal. Chem. 2023, 95, 4721)
Chemiresistive Polymer Percolation Network Gas Sensor Created with a Nanosphere Template (Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2023, 2202042)

Useful links:
Davis group: http://jjdgroup.co.uk
Castell group: https://users.ox.ac.uk/~mrc/

For further details please contact Jason Davis (Jason.davis@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Nanocrystals find application in diverse areas of chemistry and in energy materials, but their formation is an intricate process and only partly understood. We will develop new, machine-learning-driven approaches to understanding – and ultimately controlling – the formation of nanocrystals for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications.

Key publications:
State of the Art and Prospects for Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals (ACS Nano 2021, 15, 10775)
Simulations in the era of exascale computing (Nat. Rev. Mater. 2023, 8, 309)

For further details please contact Volker Deringer (volker.deringer@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Predicting new materials with large-scale computations and machine learning is a thriving research field. In this project, we will develop chemical ML models for structurally and compositionally complex inorganic materials – in particular, new glassy electrolytes for solid-state batteries – to be predicted and synthesised in the laboratory.

Key publications:
Modelling and understanding battery materials with machine-learning-driven atomistic simulations (J. Phys. Energy 2020, 2, 041003)
Simulations in the era of exascale computing (Nat. Rev. Mater. 2023, 8, 309)

For further details please contact Volker Deringer (volker.deringer@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Amorphous materials find increasing use in catalysis, but their complex surface structures and their reactivity are far from fully understood. In this project, we will develop new machine-learning-driven approaches to predicting, and ultimately controlling, the structure of amorphous photocatalyst surfaces. We aim to understand the links between surface structure, composition, and product selectivity in the CO₂ reduction reaction, connecting simulations with state-of-the-art experimental characterisation.

Key publications:
2022 roadmap on low temperature electrochemical CO₂ reduction (J. Phys. Energy 2022, 4, 042003)
Device-scale atomistic modelling of phase-change memory materials (Nat. Electron. 2023, 6, 746)

For further details please contact Volker Deringer (volker.deringer@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are a diverse family of inorganic materials that show great promise as electrode materials in Na- and K-ion batteries — they have fast charge rates, high cyclability and can be made straightforwardly from inexpensive earth-abundant starting materials. We have recently uncovered a range of structural distortion mechanisms in K-ion PBAs that are of key importance to electrochemical performance, but the relevance of these to Na-ion PBAs is not yet known. This project will focus on combining detailed structural and electrochemical studies to a range of Na-ion PBAs to determine the nature and importance of distortion mechanisms in this family and with a view to developing new materials with improved electrochemical properties.

Key publications:
Predicting Distortion Magnitudes in Prussian Blue Analogues (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 24471)
K-Ion Slides in Prussian Blue Analogues (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 24249)

Useful links:
Goodwin group: https://goodwingroupox.uk
Pasta group: https://www.pastagroup.org

For further details please contact Andrew Goodwin (andrew.goodwin@chem.ox.ac.uk)

This project sits in the area of materials design for sustainable catalysis. The project will develop renewable, 3-dimensional carbon fibre assembly materials which will enable more efficient chemo-biocatalytic hydrogenation or electrochemical catalysis for generation of amine-containing chemicals via reduction of unsaturated bonds in nitrogen-containing molecules (eg nitro compounds, azides). It couples carbon materials design expertise from the Grobert group with innovative hydrogenation catalysis and electrocatalysis from the Vincent group.

Useful links:
Grobert group: http://www-grobert.materials.ox.ac.uk
Vincent group: http://vincent.chem.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Nicole Grobert (nicole.grobert@materials.ox.ac.uk)

Post-synthetic modification of transition-metal oxide thin films allows the synthesis of solid-state compounds that cannot be prepared by other routes. This allows the preparation of novel materials with properties such as superconductivity, magnetoresistance and spin-polarized conductivity.

Key publications:
Synthesis and Magnetism of Extended Solids Containing Transition-Metal Cations in Square-Planar, MO₄ Coordination Sites (Inorg. Chem. 2019, 58, 11961)
LaSr₃NiRuO₄H₄: A 4d Transition-Metal Oxide–Hydride Containing Metal Hydride Sheets (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 5025)
The role of π-blocking hydride ligands in a pressure-induced insulator-to-metal phase transition in SrVO₂H (Nature Communications 2017, 8, 1217)
Superconductivity in an infinite-layer nickelate (Nature 2019, 572, 624)

For further details please contact Michael Hayward (michael.hayward@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Na-ion batteries are a cost-effective and more sustainable alternative to Li-ion batteries; however, the industrial synthesis of Na-ion cathode materials is currently performed via energy intensive solid-state shake-and-bake methods. This project will investigate the effects of shifting to co-precipitation synthesis to the structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties of Na-ion cathode materials, with the aim of facilitating an industry transition towards greener, more scalable manufacturing processes.

Key publications:
Superstructure control of first-cycle voltage hysteresis in oxygen-redox cathodes (Nature 2020, 577, 502)
Delocalized electron holes on oxygen in a battery cathode (Nature Energy 2023, 8, 351)
How sodium-ion batteries could make electric cars cheaper (link)

For further details please contact Robert House (robert.house@materials.ox.ac.uk)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a central pillar of the fourth-industrial revolution, but the reliance on batteries as the energy supply for the hundreds of billions of smart devices presents a critical sustainability challenge. This project will develop kesterite indoor photovoltaics to more sustainably power IoT devices, particularly focussing on electron microscopy analyses of structural defects at interfaces and grain boundaries. The project also focuses on the integration of the photovoltaics developed with wearable electronics.

Key publications:
Lead-Free Perovskite-Inspired Absorbers for Indoor Photovoltaics (Adv. Energy. Mat. 2021, 11, 2002761)
Emerging Indoor Photovoltaic Technologies for Sustainable Internet of Things (Adv. Energy. Mat. 2021, 11, 2100698)

Useful links:
Hoye group: https://hoyegroup.web.ox.ac.uk/
Nellist group: https://www-stemgroup.materials.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Robert Hoye (robert.hoye@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Lead-halide perovskites have revolutionised thin film photovoltaics, but are limited by their composition of toxic lead and limited stability. Working together with collaborators at Imperial College London, this project will take an interlinked experimental-computational approach to design, synthesise and develop the next generation of solar absorbers that can replicate the exceptional optoelectronic properties of lead-halide perovskites, but overcome their toxicity and stability limitations.

Key publications:
Strong absorption and ultrafast localisation in NaBiS2 nanocrystals with slow charge-carrier recombination (Nature Communications 2022, 13, 4960)
Layered BiOI single crystals capable of detecting low dose rates of X-rays (Nature Communications 2023, 14, 2452)
Bandlike Transport and Charge-Carrier Dynamics in BiOI Films (J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2023, 14, 6620)

Useful links:
Hoye group: https://hoyegroup.web.ox.ac.uk/
Wheatherup group: https://emi.web.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Robert Hoye (robert.hoye@chem.ox.ac.uk)

This project will develop synthetic nanopores and transport systems for controlled ion and water transport across lipid bilayer membranes. Functional integration into paramagnetic nanoparticles and liposome to develop responsive MRI contrast agents will be explored.

Useful links:
Langton group: https://langtonrg.web.ox.ac.uk
Davis group: https://jjdgroup.co.uk

For further details please contact Matthew Langton (matthew.langton@chem.ox.ac.uk ) or Jason Davis (jason.davis@chem.ox.ac.uk)

This project will develop photochromic lanthanide systems incorporating main- group photoswitches, in which the emission can be modulated in response to different wavelengths of light. These will be applied to controlled anion sensing, and to access multi-state switchable luminescent materials for information storage.

Useful links:
Langton group: https://langtonrg.web.ox.ac.uk
Faulkner group: http://faulkner.chem.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Matthew Langton (matthew.langton@chem.ox.ac.uk ) or Steve Faulkner (Stephen.faulkner@chem.ox.ac.uk)

This project will involve the chemical design and synthesis of inorganic molecular photoswitches with aggregation induced emission (AIE) properties, and interrogation of the photo-switching/photo-luminescence behaviour and guest binding capabilities (Langton group). These systems will be fabricated into stimuli-responsive photoluminescent electrospun fibres (Tan group), for applications in sensing and guest binding and delivery.

Useful links:
Langton group: https://langtonrg.web.ox.ac.uk
Tan group: https://eng.ox.ac.uk/mmclab/

For further details please contact Matthew Langton (matthew.langton@chem.ox.ac.uk )

A new class of intramolecular cooperative catalysts that feature sustainable d- block and group 13 elements mounted on a Zintl cluster will be prepared. This family of catalysts will then be employed to mediate two categories of transformations of high value to the manufacturing sector: 1) olefin functionalisation reactions; 2) hydroformylation reactions. This project involves skills in organic and inorganic synthesis, spectroscopy, and computational chemistry.

Key publications:
A Zintl Cluster for Transition Metal-Free Catalysis: C═O Bond Reductions (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 21213)
Intermediates and Mechanism in Iron-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 11872)

Useful links:
Mehta group: mehtalab.co.uk
Neidig group: https://theneidiglab.web.ox.ac.uk/home

For further details please contact Meera Mehta (meera.mehta@chem.ox.ac.uk) and Michael Neidig (michael.neidig@chem.ox.ac.uk)

In the future batteries with energy densities above 800 Whkg−1 will be required. Several "post lithium-ion" battery technologies – such as fluoride-ion batteries (FIBs) – are being explored to address this need. This project will investigate the synthesis of new fluoride containing layered double hydroxide nanosheets liquid dispersions/gels in order to create stable and safe high F– mobility electrolytes: this project will integrate the chemical design/synthesis of novel layered double hydroxide (O’Hare group) and the electrochemical characterisation of electrolytes and battery systems (Pasta group) to produce new high-performance FIBs.

Useful links:
O'Hare group: https://ohare.chem.ox.ac.uk
Pasta group: https://www.pastagroup.org

For further details please contact Dermot O'Hare (dermot.ohare@chem.ox.ac.uk) or Mauro Pasta (mauro.pasta@materials.ox.ac.uk)

Acrolein is the simplest unsaturated aldehyde and a key molecule in the industrial manufacture of acrylic acid and polymers, but its production is based on fossil feedstocks (propylene) and is therefore subject to sustainability concerns. While glycerol, derived as a by-product of biomass-to-biofuels conversion, can serve as a “green feedstock” for acrolein production, selectivity challenges are encountered in the pertinent dehydration processes, while the formation of coke precursors via acrolein or glycerol oligomerisation leads to risks of catalyst deactivation. This project adopts computational catalyst screening methods to identify promising dilute alloy catalysts composed of transition metals doped into Cu hosts for the conversion of glycerol to acrolein, and will inform experimental catalyst discovery efforts.

Useful links:
Stamatakis group: http://stamatakislab.org/
Tsang group: https://tsang.web.ox.ac.uk/

For further details please contact Michail Stamatakis (michail.stamatakis@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Amine-groups are widespread in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and many other important chemicals. An important route to their synthesis is via reduction of nitro groups, but available nitro reduction methods suffer from limited selectivity, rare-metal catalysts or use of heavy metals. This project builds on demonstrations of nitro group reductions at carbon, either via electrocatalysis or hydrogenation catalysis, and uses a combination of experimental methods (electrochemistry, GC, NMR, IR spectroelectrochemistry) to feed into a computational study of mechanism (via density functional theory and kinetic Monte Carlo) aiming at elucidating means of tuning selectivity to the amine product.

Useful links:
Stamatakis group: http://stamatakislab.org/
Vincent group: http://vincent.chem.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Michail Stamatakis (michail.stamatakis@chem.ox.ac.uk) and Kylie Vincent (kylie.vincent@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Breakthroughs in the electrochemical conversion of CO₂ to C_XH_YO_Z are urgently needed in our race to replace fossil feedstocks with renewable ones for the production of sustainable fuels and chemicals; in this context, copper stands out as a promising electrocatalyst which can generate more than 16 products, yet so far with only poor selectivity. Crucially, however, several reports suggest that the presence of Cu² and Cu²⁺ yields higher selectivity towards multi-carbon products such as ethylene, and thus, this project aims to explore La₂CuO₄ and related perovskite oxides to understand the underlying mechanisms and the effect of the oxidation state of Cu on selectivity. The project adopts first principles-based computational chemistry approaches in tandem with operando experiments to elucidate the active site of the perovskite under reaction conditions, and explore approaches such as Ba doping to stabilise the Cu in a desired state and prevent nanoparticle exsolution.

Key publications:
2022 roadmap on low temperature electrochemical CO₂ reduction (J. Phys. Energy 2022, 4, 042003)
Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations for heterogeneous catalysis: Fundamentals, current status, and challenges (J. Chem. Phys. 2022, 156, 120902)
Probing electrode/electrolyte interfaces in situ by X-ray spectroscopies: old methods, new tricks (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2015, 17, 30229)

Useful links:
Stamatakis group: http://stamatakislab.org/
Wheatherup group: https://emi.web.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Michail Stamatakis (michail.stamatakis@chem.ox.ac.uk) and Robert Wheatherup (robert.weatherup@materials.ox.ac.uk)

The study of catalyst surfaces under realistic or close to realistic reaction conditions is vital for the understanding and design of new catalysts. Material properties such as oxidation states and the Fermi level/work function are highly sensitive to the environment and can vary significantly when measured under ultra-high vacuum conditions. With the recent development of monolayer graphene membranes, atmospheric pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AtmPXPS) can measure material properties at pressures in excess of 1 bar, allowing access to the conditions of industrial catalysis. In this project, the student will manufacture novel particulate and thin film photocatalysts using atomic layer deposition (ALD) directly coupled to the AtmPXPS setup which will allow the study of their nucleation and growth mechanism before focusing on the evolution of their surface properties under photocatalytic reaction conditions. This will shed light on the catalytically active sites during the hydrogenation of CO₂ or the splitting of water into green hydrogen.

Key publications:
Graphene Membranes for Atmospheric Pressure Photoelectron Spectroscopy (J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2016, 7, 1622)
2D Material Membranes for Operando Atmospheric Pressure Photoelectron Spectroscopy (Topics in Catal. 2018, 61, 2085)
Low-Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition of Crystalline and Photoactive Ultrathin Hematite Films for Solar Water Splitting (ACS Nano 2015, 9, 11775)

For further details please contact Ludmila Steier (ludmilla.steier@chem.ox.ac.uk) and Robert Wheatherup (robert.weatherup@materials.ox.ac.uk)

This project will focus on the design, synthesis and characterisation of inorganic molecular compasses. The optical properties of such “compasses”, during light- induced electron transfer reactions, can be surprisingly sensitive to magnetic fields. Starting with a BODIPY-Al³⁺-porphyrin-C₆₀ triad, we will optimise the molecular structure for maximum magnetic sensitivity using techniques such as EPR and picosecond transient absorption spectroscopy.

Key publications:
Chemical compass behaviour at microtesla magnetic fields strengthens the radical pair hypothesis of avian magnetoreception (Nature Communications 2019 10, 3707)
Sequential Electron Transfer in a BODIPY–Aluminum(III) Porphyrin–C60 Triad Studied by Transient EPR Spectroscopy (Applied Magnetic Resonance 2022, 53, 671)

Useful links:
Timmel group: http://timmel.chem.ox.ac.uk
Anderson group: http://hla.chem.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Christiane Timmel (christiane.timmel@chem.ox.ac.uk) and Harry Anderson (harry.anderson@chem.ox.ac.uk)

This project is concerned with novel synthesis, testing, and characterization of single transition metal atoms and small clusters on zeolite and related inorganic supports as new inorganic catalytic materials for a wide range of CO₂ hydrogenation to useful alcohols/hydrocarbons. Rational synthesis using various physiochemical synthetic techniques to establish the structures for optimal performance will be combined with advanced material characterization including diffraction, electron microscopy, and computation to guide the synthesis and materials tested for the reaction.

Key publications:
Dispersed surface Ru ensembles on MgO(111) for catalytic ammonia decomposition (Nature Communications 2023, 14, 647)
High Loading of Transition Metal Single Atoms on Chalcogenide Catalysts (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 7979)

For further details please contact Edman Tsang (edman.tsang@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction in aqueous medium requires a proper balance of protons, hydroxyls, carbonate ions and alkali-metal ions at the cathode and anode. By using Cu based catalysts, we have recently reported a pure-water-fed membrane–electrode– assembly system for CO₂ reduction to ethylene by integrating an anion-exchange membrane and a proton-exchange membrane, respectively, under forward bias with excellent stability at high Faradaic efficiency and current density towards ethylene. Here we propose to systematically investigate the support effects for the Cu phase to optimise best catalytic selectivity, activity and lifetime under neutral pH and gain controls in catalytic performance.

Key publications:
Pure-water-fed, electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction to ethylene beyond 1,000 h stability at 10 A (Nature Energy 2024, 9, 81)
Advances in higher alcohol synthesis from CO₂ hydrogenation (Chem 2020, 7, 849)

For further details please contact Edman Tsang (edman.tsang@chem.ox.ac.uk) and Dermot O'Hare (dermot.ohare@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Achieving net-zero carbon emissions requires better batteries; here polymer binders and electrolytes for solid state batteries are targeted to show high conductivity, mechano-chemical properties, electrochemical stability and to facilitate large-scale cell manufacturing. The project applies high selectivity and control polymerization catalysts to produce block and copolymers from oxygenated monomers and explores structure-performance relationships in next generation lithium and sodium ion batteries.

Key publications:
Buffering Volume Change in Solid-State Battery Composite Cathodes with CO2-Derived Block Polycarbonate Ethers (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 17477)

Useful links:
Williams group: Home - Charlotte Williams Research (ox.ac.uk)

For further details please contact Charlotte Williams (charlotte.williams@chem.ox.ac.uk)

B/N/C composites can possess potential significant electronic and thermoelectric properties in the bulk, as thin films, nanotubes or spun fibres. Effective modelling is complex owing to the subtle balance of interactions resultant from small differences in electronegativities. We will develop (relatively simple) potential models which with allow greater insight into these key properties.

Useful links:
Wilson group: https://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/people/mark-wilson
Grobert group: http://www-grobert.materials.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Mark Wilson (mark.wilson@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Synthesizing polymers that interface effectively with inorganic substrates is pertinent to various industrial applications, such as enhanced durability, chemical resistance, and controlled conductivity. This project will explore the interfacial chemistry between polymers and inorganic substrates, utilizing nanoindentation as a primary investigative tool. It involves the synthesis of well-defined polymers using controlled polymerization strategies such as metal-catalysed ring-opening polymerization and ring-opening copolymerization. Polymer end-groups and side chains will be chemically modified to systematically investigate and correlate the mechanical properties at the nano-scale, as revealed by indentation techniques, with the underlying chemical interactions. The objective is to establish insights essential for the design of advanced composite materials with tailor-made functionalities.

Useful links:
Gregory group: https://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/people/georgina-gregory

For further details please contact Georgina Gregory (georgina.gregory@chem.ox.ac.uk)

Manufacturing of next generation nuclear shielding materials is critical to enable sustainable large scale low carbon-footprint energy coverage. Yet different manufacturing routes result in materials with different properties and often these variations are related to changes in microstructure. We will evaluate the effect of different low activation binder phases on the manufacturability and related property variations to the study of grain and phase boundary networks.

Useful links:
Marquardt group: https://www.materials.ox.ac.uk/peoplepages/marquardt.html
Armstrong group: https://www.materials.ox.ac.uk/peoplepages/armstrong.html

For further details please contact Katharina Marquardt (katharina.marquardt@materials.ox.ac.uk)

Solid-state batteries (SSB) with ceramic electrolytes are critical to move our society away from high-carbon footprint energy production, enabling storage and transport of energy. While it is known that grain boundaries affect the performance of the solid-state ceramic electrolytes – how they do so is not known. This project is focused on characterizing the ceramic electrolytes GB-crystallography, GB-network, and GB-evolution using advanced electron microscopy. Synchronized electrochemical measurements will link electrical properties to the GB-structure and -network. Initially we focus on cubic Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZOs), one of the most favourable electrolyte ceramics, later extending to the sulphides such as Li₆PS₅Cl.

Useful links:
Marquardt group: https://www.materials.ox.ac.uk/peoplepages/marquardt.html
Bruce group: https://www.materials.ox.ac.uk/peoplepages/bruce.html

For further details please contact Katharina Marquardt (katharina.marquardt@materials.ox.ac.uk) and Peter Bruce (peter.bruce@materials.ox.ac.uk)

Nanocarriers have revolutionized medicine, notably expediting anti-COVID-19 vaccine development. Yet the major obstacle in their clinical application is the challenging control of nanoscale particle synthesis, leading to heterogeneity and impeding manufacturing and regulatory processes. This project aims to enhance organic and inorganic nanoformulations for mRNA vaccine delivery by leveraging the unparalleled insights into the structure-function-performance relationship, enabled by the combination of SPARTA® analysis (Molly Stevens’ group) and high-resolution electron imaging (Peter Nellist’s group).

Useful links:
Stevens group: https://www.stevensgroup.org
Nellist group: https://www-stemgroup.materials.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Molly Stevens (molly.stevens@dpag.ox.ac.uk, m.stevens@imperial.ac.uk) and Peter Nellist (peter.bruce@materials.ox.ac.uk)

The COVID-19 pandemic has familiarised us all with the significance of point-of-care diagnostic tools for rapid, reliable, and accessible testing. Nanozymes (Molly Stevens’ group), with their exceptional catalytic properties and stability, hold the promise of unmatched sensitivity for point-of-care diagnostic biosensors. Atom Probe Tomography (Paul Bagot’s group) enables the structural and chemical characterisation of nanozymes with an unprecedented level of detail. The gained new insights into structure-function relationship will be leveraged to optimise the new generation of nanozymes for enhanced CRISPR-based diagnostics.

Useful links:
Stevens group: https://www.stevensgroup.org
R.A.P.T.O.R.: https://atomprobe.materials.ox.ac.uk

For further details please contact Molly Stevens (molly.stevens@dpag.ox.ac.uk, m.stevens@imperial.ac.uk) and Paul Bagot (paul.bagot@materials.ox.ac.uk)