A catalyst for success. Postgraduate opportunities

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Making an impact

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Contents Research areas 10

Computational Systems Chemistry 11

Electrochemistry 12

Molecular Assembly, Function and Structure 13

Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics 14

Magnetic Resonance 15

Facilities 16

PhD research programmes 18

MSc Chemistry by Research 19

Applications, fees and funding 20

1. Developing materials at the nanoscaleCurrent research is developing faster, smarter and more efficient technological devices. Page 4

2. Working towards a faster diagnosisDeveloping innovative techniques for faster point-of-care medical tests and crime scene analysis. Page 6

3. Spinning out our scienceTurning Chemistry’s research into enterprising companies. Page 8

4. Research facilitiesOur world-class facilities are enabling cutting edge research. Page 16

5. Study optionsWe offer a dynamic and supportive environment for chemistry postgraduate students. Page 18

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Chemistry at the University of Southampton is a large and successful research department, with excellent links to industry and collaborations with research groups world-wide. We have achieved grade 5 in the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and have been awarded a Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE) ‘Excellence Ranking’, recognising our world-leading research and teaching.

Significant investment (over £22 million) means that our 250 researchers, including 200 postgraduate students and 50 post doctoral research assistants, are housed in state-of-the-art laboratories, all built or fully refurbished within the last ten years.

We are also equipped with a wide range of modern instrumentation including an IT facilities suite, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, internationally leading X-ray crystallography (including EPSRC’s National Crystallography Centre) and e-Science learning facilities.

Every year around 60 students join our postgraduate school to study for PhD, MPhil or MSc degrees.

Our Graduate School ensures that all postgraduate students receive the highest possible standard of instruction and training. This is in addition to the opportunity to contribute their skills and talents to our diverse research culture.

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Southampton scientists have secured £5 million of funding for research into nanotechnology that could result in faster computers, smarter sensors and more energy-efficient mobile phones.

Led by the University of Southampton and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the research team aims to develop the technique of supercritical fluid electrodeposition to make and enhance materials with length scales below 2 nm.

High-tech materials underpin a wide range of photonic and electronic devices, including recording and medical equipment. Silicon, for example, is used as a semiconductor in computer chips. How materials are layered and patterned helps determine the qualities of devices such as storage, speed and power.

“The drive is always to make technological devices faster, smaller and smarter,” says project leader Professor Phil Bartlett.

“Our aim is to develop techniques that could be used to produce significantly smaller and more complex nanomaterials for data storage, sensors, energy conversion and a huge range of other applications that no-one has even dreamt of yet.”

Electrodeposition, also known as electroplating, is already widely used to layer or add properties to materials to protect or thicken them or for aesthetics. The process deposits liquid into the pores of the material – but it has limits.

“Electrodeposition of materials into pores with diameters smaller than a few tens of atoms is very difficult, if not impossible, from liquids,” says Phil.

“But using supercritical fluids – halfway between a fluid and a gas –means we could potentially reach pores of less than two nanometers. Supercritical fluids can completely fill a space, like gas, but have properties of a liquid that can be altered by temperature or pressure. Their extreme penetrating powers will enable electrodeposition to apply to structures far smaller than anything achieved to date.”

The five-year programme brings together researchers from the universities of Southampton, Nottingham and Warwick with expertise in electrochemistry, supercritical fluid science, synthetic chemistry and materials physics.

Cell assembly in the nanotechnology laboratory

Developing materials at the nanoscale

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Southampton scientists are developing an innovative technique for DNA testing that is paving the way to point-of-care tests for medical conditions and faster crime scene analysis.

The ability to diagnose disease and identify people from the DNA sequence of their genome has revolutionised medicine and forensic science. However, the time consuming nature of this type of test causes problems if results are needed quickly.

In partnership with international analytical science company LGC, Southampton researchers have developed a new way of fluorescently labelling DNA with special probes, known as HyBeacons. “They are like little balls of loosely screwed up string that uncoil easily and find their targets,” says project leader Tom Brown, Professor of Chemical Biology. The HyBeacons light up when they attach to a specific target sequence of DNA. Their advantage over existing

systems is their very simple structure, which makes them more predictable: they bind faster to their targets and always work. “In theory you could diagnose any infectious or genetic disease by using HyBeacons on the DNA sequence of bacteria, viruses or people,” adds Tom.

Tom’s team is currently developing a fast test for chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is becoming a big problem, particularly in the western world. If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to long-term painful infections in women that result in infertility. Yet, many patients who have tested positive for the disease don’t return for their results. Ian Clarke, Professor of Molecular Microbiology at Southampton is leading researchers, in partnership with LGC and Optigene – a company that manufactures systems for analysing DNA – to design a chlamydia test to produce results within 15 minutes, while people are still in the clinic.

This research could aid the prescribing of medicines to individuals, helping doctors to take their patients’ genetic make-up into account when calculating dosages. Forensic scientists could also benefit from faster tests to identify people from traces left at a crime scene by comparing DNA samples with national databases.

Super-fast DNA testing

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Ilika is a science-based materials discovery company that was spun-out from the University in May 2004. The company investigates new materials prepared by a technology that allows for surfaces to be covered in a highly controlled fashion, with monolayers or a variety of metal atoms.

Ilika forms new alloys that have interesting catalytic, electronic and magnetic properties using high-throughput technologies, developed by Professor Brian Hayden (who started the company), Professor Mark Bradley and Dr Samuel Guerin. Ilika’s technology platform was initially developed through an Higher Education Funding Council for England investment to establish a combinatorial chemistry centre of excellence in the UK.

The company was spun out when the current Chief Executive Officer, Graeme Purdy, was appointed. The company has since established itself as a global leader in the development and application of innovative research and development techniques for the discovery of new materials. Ilika has established a strong client base of multinational companies such as Toyota, Shell, Asahi Kasai and NXP, and its portfolio has already helped to accelerate the development of materials used in fuel cells, hydrogen storage and electronic memory devices. Many products Ilika has developed impact on broad and diverse markets, including the energy sector, for example, developing lithium ion batteries for use in electric and hybrid vehicles.

The University of Southampton’s Professor Hayden, who is seconded part time to Ilika as its Chief Scientific Officer comments: “Ilika provides direct evidence of the value of basic scientific research at universities, and the company’s formation is a testament to the University’s ability to help academics make best use of the intellectual property arising from their research.”

Professor Brian Hayden, founder of spin out company Ilika

Entrepreneurial excellence.

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Research areas Computational Systems Chemistry

Our existing research activities are broadly based, covering multiple length, timescales, and methods, but are founded on strong activity in the development of new theories and computational techniques. The research is, however, unified by the common theme of exploring interacting systems, where the larger scale behaviour of the whole system arises from complex interactions of individual smaller components. Our activities are underpinned by the University’s 8000-core supercomputer, which is currently the largest in any UK university, and by an EPSRC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training in Complex Systems Simulation. The range of domains covered is broad, from nanoscale materials properties, atmospheric chemistry, through to biological systems.

Important areas of research that current PhD students are involved in include:– Classical and quantum mechanical methodology

development

– Multiscale modelling

– Drug design, binding, delivery, transport and metabolism

– Semiconductor and metallic nanoparticles

– Membrane transport phenomena

– Atmospheric chemistry

For further information about the Computational Systems Chemistry Group, please visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/computational

Our research activities are incredibly diverse and have a strong multidisciplinary emphasis; at the heart of all our programmes is a strong link to industry.

Chemistry’s research is organised into five sections:

– Computational Systems Chemistry

– Electrochemistry

– Molecular Assembly, Function and Structure

– Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics

– Magnetic Resonance

Within these sections are over forty subsequent research groups, with a wide variety of interests that span the breadth of chemistry.

Particular research strengths at the University of Southampton include:

– Atmospheric and gas phase chemistry

– Catalysis – preparation, characterization and mechanisms

– Chemical crystallography

– Combinatorial development of materials/catalysis

– DNA repair and genetic analysis

– Electrodeposition of nanostructured layers

– Fuel cells and batteries

– Inorganic materials

– Modelling of biological systems

– Solid state NMR

– Sonoelectrochemistry

– Supramolecular chemistry – host guest interactions, anion coordination and sensing

– Synthesis of oligonucleotides, natural products and pharmaceuticals

– Synthetic methodology

– Transition metal and main group complexes, macrocycles, organometallics and homogeneous catalysis

“We build complex models of how molecules interact and try to predict their behaviour. This doesn’t replace laboratory experiments, of course, but, through our calculations, we hope to greatly reduce the time it takes to get results which is valued by the pharmaceutical and chemical companies we work with.”

Professor Jon Essex | Head of Computational Systems Chemistry

The University of Southampton has a world class reputation in developing and applying computational methods to chemical, biological and materials problems.

Coarse-grain molecular dynamics simulations of the interaction of PAMAM dendrimers with model membrane systems

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Electrochemistry Molecular Assembly, Function and Structure

Electrochemistry has been a centre of scientific excellence at the University of Southampton since the 1960s. Electrochemistry is a broad subject covering all areas of charge transfer reactions at interfaces and impacts on daily life in many immediate ways from corrosion and energy storage, through water treatment and purification, clean energy generation and environmental monitoring to medical diagnostics and electrodeposition.

Our work in energy is underpinned by in-situ and ex-situ studies of well characterised systems, providing fundamental insights into electrocatalysis. Our work on the development and application of high-throughput methodologies in electrochemistry has been applied to functional materials discovery for a wide range of applications and for electrode modification for applications in electroanalysis, biosensors and biofuel cells. This work has resulted in a very successful spin-out company, Ilika, with more fundamental work still being pursued within Chemistry.

The Group is active in the area of templated electrodeposition of nanomaterials and the applications of nanomaterials, particularly in plasmonics and metamaterials, with internationally leading programmes. Templated electrodeposition technologies, pioneered in Southampton, offer effective routes to novel nanostructures which have the ability to produce large quantities, or areas, of material at reasonable cost. Our earlier work is being commercialised by Nanotecture, a spin-out company in the field of energy storage.

For further information about the Electrochemistry Group, please visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/electrochemistry

Active research programmes within this group are concerned with developing new synthetic methodologies, total synthesis of complex biological molecules, green chemistry and catalysis, new framework materials, coordination, macrocyclic and supramolecular chemistry for a range of applications in materials science, healthcare, electronics and sustainable industrial processes.

The ability to establish the composition (identity) and precise structures of the molecules and materials being prepared are key features of our work and often lead to improved understanding of structure/function relationships. Diffraction techniques therefore play a major role within our research, including single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction and neuron diffraction.

The group has secured significant funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the European Union, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries and medical charities. Providing excellent training for young research scientists is a key aspect of the Group’s activities. In addition to the academic staff, there are currently around 60 PhD students and 12 post-doctoral researchers in the Group, and collaborations take place with universities in the UK, Europe and further afield.

For further information about the Molecular Assembly, Function and Structure Group, please visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/mafs

Electrochemistry is a broad subject covering all areas of charge transfer reactions at interfaces.

Research in this group is involved with all aspects of the synthesis, characterisation, properties and applications of new molecular and supramolecular compounds and framework materials.

“At Southampton, six academics lead teams researching different aspects of electrochemistry. This field has been important for almost 200 years and I am sure that electrochemistry will still be a vital subject in a hundred years’ time.”

Professor Phil Bartlett | Head of Electrochemistry

“This dynamic subject allows us to address many of the most important issues in our society and can be very rewarding. We interact with other scientists both within chemistry and beyond, crossing the boundaries of disciplines to enable us to make fascinating and important new discoveries.”

Professor Gill Reid | Head of Molecular Assembly, Function and Structure

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Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics

Magnetic Resonance

We have an international reputation in molecular diagnostics and therapeutics and collaborate with scientists elsewhere at the University of Southampton and outside, such as biologists, physicists, engineers and medical researchers, to investigate how modified molecules could result in important breakthroughs in disease therapy.

Recent developments in the field of genomics are leading to rapid advances in our understanding of gene regulation, gene expression and development, and subsequently there are many emerging opportunities for scientists engaged in the molecular sciences on the interface between chemistry and biology.

Important areas of research that current PhD students are involved in include:– Highly parallel high-throughput methods of DNA

sequence analysis

– Point-of care diagnostics

– Natural and synthetic small molecules

– Selective inhibition of medically relevant protein-protein interactions

For further information about the Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics Group, please visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/molecular_diagnostics_and_therapeutics

The Magnetic Resonance section in Chemistry and Biological Sciences, led by Professor Malcolm Levitt, is working on several projects that could result in new tools for scientists to diagnose diseases such as cancers or to help develop new efficient forms of fuel cells, solar cells and batteries.

Using a combination of theoretical approaches, computer simulations and laboratory experiments, research in this area is helping to increase our understanding of the structures and motion of atoms and molecules through studying the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei.

We investigate the magnetic resonance of solid materials including superconductors, the determination of biomolecular structures by magnetic resonance, the development of new methods for enhancing magnetic resonance signals, and the development of new agents and methods for the medical context of the application, where it is known as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The Magnetic Resonance Group is also working at very low temperatures. Equipment built by the group can carry out experiments at minus 269 celsius, the temperature of liquid helium; the machine performs magnetic resonance experiments on very cold samples rotating at more than a million revolutions a minute. Very few labs in the UK have the capacity to work with extreme cold, but it is crucial because the magnetic signals being examined are much stronger at very low temperatures.

As with many areas of scientific research at Southampton, boundaries between traditional disciplines are breaking down. Our team of academics, PhD students and post-doctoral researchers work with physicists, biologists, electronic and mechanical engineers as part of their projects.

Important areas of research that current PhD students are involved in include:– The development of magnetic resonance

methodology, especially at low temperatures

– The magnetic resonance of solid materials, including superconductors

– The determination of biomolecular structures by magnetic resonance, especially in the solid state

– development of new methods for enhancing magnetic resonance signals; development of new agents and methods for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

For further information about the Magnetic Resonance Group, please visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/magnetic_resonance

Researchers in Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics are working on new ways to diagnose and treat human diseases more effectively.

Science at the atomic scale is a major area of research at the University of Southampton.

“This is a very exciting area of Chemistry and is attracting many talented students. Our work at the molecular level can provide important diagnostic tools, and help scientists involved in the development of drugs to make important breakthroughs in developing cures and treatments.”

Professor Tom Brown | Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics

“This is an exciting area of research because it has tremendous potential. We are developing new theories on how magnetic nuclei behave and are able to test them immediately in the laboratory.”

Professor Malcolm Levitt | Head of Magnetic Resonance

Exploring reaction optimisation

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Facilities

Our in-house services are available to researchers within Chemistry and the wider University, sa well as external corporate communities. They include:

Southampton Chemistry Analytical Services (SCAS)SCAS combines modern analytical instrumentation with expert knowledge to provide comprehensive analytical solutions to the external commercial and industrial community.

Services include Mass spectrometry, NMR Spectroscopy and X-Ray diffraction, which provide strong research support functions for its clients, both internal and external to the University. www.southampton.ac.uk/scas

Southampton Diffraction CentreThe Southampton Diffraction Centre, based in the University’s Chemistry department, works with both academia and industry, and is the home to an array of world-class x-ray diffraction facilities. The Centre examines the periodic arrangement of atoms and molecules in crystalline matter, using high powered x-rays; these might be proteins and enzymes or perhaps candidate materials associated with the pharmaceutical, electronics or catalysis industries. The Centre also includes the EPSRC National Crystallography Service, a unique facility set up at the University of Southampton to support and develop research excellence in chemistry, biochemistry and the physical sciences.

As well as conducting their own research, the Southampton team offers a tailored service to other researchers, from running regular experiments to helping them devise more complex versions to allow materials to be explored in different ways.

Scientific Glass Blowing ServiceThe glassblowing workshop has over 40 years experience in the design and construction of specialised glassware for scientific research and development. Apparatus can be constructed in both borosilicate glass and quartz and is manufactured to the highest standards for use by University staff and students, as well as external medical and commercial organisations. www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/glassblowing

Mechanical WorkshopOur mechanical workshop specialises in the manufacture of unique equipment that is not commercially available, for both teaching and research. This well-equipped section has provision for large capacity and precision machining as well as horizontal boring. We have a welding facility that uses the tungsten inert gas technique to weld aluminium and stainless steel to ultra high vacuum standards.

For further information visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/researchfacilities

We have a reputation for applying fundamental research to real-world applications, enabled by our cutting-edge facilities.

Southampton’s world-class facilities represent over £4m of investment in state-of-the-art crystallographic science

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PhD research programmes MSc Chemistry by Research

The objective of the chemistry PhD programme at the University of Southampton is to produce high-quality professional scientists, with a sound understanding of chemistry and an enthusiasm to use this knowledge to carry out research and development in an academic or industrial environment.

Professional scientists are expected to make presentations, write research proposals and reports/papers, plan future experiments on various timescales, provide leadership and manage the work of others, as well as carrying out their own experiments in the laboratory. Our PhD programme therefore seeks to assist and encourage you to achieve the highest possible standards in all these areas, and this is the objective of all components of our training.

Research students are also expected to attend a number of lecture courses in advanced knowledge, skills and safety during their studies – this will include the opportunity to hear research presentations given by invited speakers from around the globe. All successful applicants are registered initially for approximately one year as an MPhil and, subject to adequate progress, transfer to the PhD programme during year 2.

Further information, about our research degrees, including current available postgraduate studentships, can be found at: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/postgraduate

Our one year masters course begins in October each year and is intended for participants with high quality first degrees in chemistry or a closely related subject, such as biochemistry, physics, polymer science, environmental sciences or engineering.

The MSc programme provides training in chemical research and involves both lecture based units and a research project that constitutes two thirds of the assessment.

In addition to units to enhance knowledge in chemistry, you will be offered training with regard to safety in the laboratory and to improve your professional skills, such as data analysis and presentation and oral presentations, for example.

Graduates from the programme have gone on to work in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, national and international laboratories, taken other postgraduate courses (a PhD for example) in academia or embarked upon careers in teaching.

For further information about our masters programmes please visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/msc

With cutting-edge facilities and a team of world-class academics, the University of Southampton offers a dynamic and supportive environment for chemistry PhD researchers.

A masters degree offers you the chance to deepen your scientific knowledge and to specialise within your subject.

“My PhD position is challenging but at the same time it is very interesting. My group and supervisors are extremely friendly and helpful, I have learned a lot and there’s something new almost every day. As chemistry PhD projects are often linked closely to industry, students get an insight into life at work and gain not only science related skills, but also communication, presentation and team work experience.”

Barbara Sander | PhD student in the Computational Systems Chemistry Group

Pioneering research in the area of Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics

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Applications, fees and fundingFor more information about our postgraduate programmes call, email or contact us through the website quoting chemistry postgraduate admissions: Tel: +44 (0)23 8059 4121 Email: pgafnes@southampton.ac.uk Web: www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry

Your application for postgraduate study can be made online at www.southampton.ac.uk/pgapply

Applications for PhD study are considered throughout the year. Most candidates will be invited to interview to discuss the programme in more detail.

Fees and funding Please visit: www.southampton.ac.uk/pgfeesandfunding for the most recent information relating to tuition fees.

StudentshipsMany studentship opportunities become available throughout the year. For more information please visit www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/pgfunding

Relevant web links are shown throughout the Chemistry Postgraduate Opportunities brochure. Please also consult www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry online for further details and/or any changes which have appeared since first publication of the Chemistry Postgraduate Opportunities brochure.

Disclaimer

The University of Southampton will use all reasonable efforts to deliver advertised programmes and other services and facilities in accordance with the descriptions set out in its prospectuses, student handbooks, welcome guides and website. It will provide students with the tuition, learning support, services and facilities so described with reasonable care and skill.

The University, therefore, reserves the right if it considers it to be necessary to alter the timetable, location, content or method of delivery of events provided such alterations are reasonable.

Financial or other losses

The University will not be held liable for any direct or indirect financial or other losses or damage arising from changes made to the event timetable, location, content or method of delivery of various services and facilities set out herein.

Force majeure

The University will not be held liable for any loss, damage or expense resulting from any delay, variation or failure in the provision of services and facilities set out herein, arising from circumstances beyond the University’s reasonable control, including (but not limited to) war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, interruption in power supplies or other services for any reason, fire, boycott and telecommunications failure.

In the event that such circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the University arise, it will use all reasonable endeavours to minimise disruption as far as it is practical to do so.

© University of Southampton 2011

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Published by Chemistry, University of Southampton

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Cryofilling a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer

www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry pgafnes@southampton.ac.uk +44 (0)23 8059 4121