Aug, 2021 - Funding Awarded

Starting in September with funding awarded by RSC we'll be synthesizing catenanes, two mechanically interlocked macrocycles, following a template-directed synthesis to explore their chiroptical properties.

Catenanes are exciting molecules that exploit the mechanical bond. The two macrocycle molecules are not connected by a covalent bond but instead interlocked like two links in a chain. This arrangement gives rise to a new type of chirality, called topological chirality. Chiral molecules are essential for advanced applications in spintronics and photonics. Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) has recently gathered attention, not only as a manner to interrogate the chiral environment of molecules, but also in applications like display technologies (3D screens) or biosensing and bio-imaging - a powerful tool that allows the study of real-time biological processes in vivo.

Results from this project will open-up future avenues of research in the field of CPL materials and their application in healthcare technologies.

Jun, 2021 - New Paper

Read our new paper in Biosensors- https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/11/6/192

Coumaphos is an organophosphorus compound used as insecticide and frequently used by beekeepers for the management of parasitic mites. The most important metabolite, chlorferron (CFN), has been identified in biological samples and foodstuff. The need to quickly identify the presence of typical metabolites, as an indication of interaction with coumaphos has driven the need to produce a highly sensitive electrochemical method for chlorferron analysis, based on molecularly imprinting polymers (MIP) technology. The results from in vitro metabolism of CMP analysed also demonstrates the potential for detection and quantification of CFN in environmental samples. The newly developed CFN-MIP sensor offers similar LoDs than chromatographic methods with shorter analysis time.

Mar, 2021 - New Paper

Read our new paper in Electroanalysis - https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/elan.202060599

A new electrochemical method for the identification and quantification of Fenamiphos pesticide's major metabolite in biological samples – Fenamiphos Sulphoxide (FNX) was developed. The developed sensor was successfully applied for the determination of FNX in spiked plasma and urine matrixes with acceptable recovery rates. The proposed method also proved successful in detecting FNX prepared from the in vitro metabolism of FNP using liver microsomes to metabolize it.