Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Scientists
Dr Michael Dos Santos (Marie-Curie Fellow, France)
Dr Fernando Sanchez-Cantalejo (Marie-Curie Fellow, Spain)
Fernando was born and grew up in Granada (Spain). He studied Pharmacy at the University of Granada and obtained his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the same institution in 2010 working on the synthesis of natural aza-sugars. He was recently awarded a Marie Curie post-doctoral fellowship to spend two years in Birmingham. Outside the lab Fernando likes to read novels, practise sports (especially jogging), ride motorcycles and spend time with friends.
PhD Students
Elli Chatzopoulou (Greece)
Elli joined the group in September 2011. She studied for her bachelor degree at the University of Athens where she graduated at the top of the year. This included an undergraduate project in sugar chemistry. During her spare time, Elli loves latin dancing and cooking.
Andrew Gillie (UK)
Andy completed his MSci at the University of Birmingham in 2011. Having already spent a summer placement with the Davies group, he completed his final year project under the supervision of Prof. Mike Hannon on the synthesis and characterisation of rhenium complexes for use as luminescent probes for steroid receptors. Upon graduating Andy received the Alfred Bader prize for the best student going on to undertake research in organic chemistry before re-joining the Davies group for his PhD. His current research focuses on the gold-catalysed synthesis of oxazoles and the diverse chemical structures which can be accessed from these compounds. In his spare time Andy enjoys running alongside Birmingham’s canals and plays with a local brass band.
Matthew Barrett (UK)
Matt is undertaking a joint project between the Davies and Grainger groups at the University of Birmingham. He completed his Master of Chemistry degree in 2011 at the University of Southampton which included a 6 month 4th year placement at Key Organics in Cornwall carrying out synthetic organic chemistry. In his spare time Matt really enjoys outdoor activities such as kayaking and hiking as well as caving and loves to explore new places and travelling.
Holly Adcock (UK)
Holly read for her MSci degree at the University of Birmingham; between her third and fourth year she completed a summer project with Dr. Richard Grainger with whom she also completed her MSci research project on sulfenic acids for oxathiane synthesis. She received the Alfred Bader prize for work in organic chemistry on graduation. After travelling she decided to return to Birmingham to begin a PhD in the Davies group in December 2010 and is really enjoying the opportunity to work with a diverse range of people. Outside of university Holly enjoys climbing and watching live music.
Michel-Franck Boissonet (France)
Michel-Franck was born in Valence (France) in 1986. He obtained his Masters degree in organic chemistry at the University of Grenoble in 2010, with a thesis on photo-oxidation using diruthenium complexes, under the supervision of Dr. Olivier Hamelin. He then joined the Davies' group as a PhD student exploring weak interactions in catalysis in a joint project with Dr Jim Tucker. Michel is a keen Didgeridoo performer who in his spare time likes mountains and enjoys arts.
Tom Baker (UK)
Tom joined the group in September 2009, to work on the applications of alkynes as masked ylides. He completed his MChem at the University of Bath, including work with Dr. Steve Bull on a palladium-catalysed isomerisation reaction and undertook his final year project with Dr. Simon Lewis on the synthesis and reactivity of novel bifunctional silanes.
Parmjit Heer (UK)
Pam graduated from Birmingham in 2008 with an MSci (1st Class). During her Master's year she joined the Davies group to work on new cascade reactions to achieve complex structures from simple starting materials. Previously, Pam had undertaken an EPSRC undergraduate summer project working with Dr Adrian Wright (Chemistry) in collaboration with Dr Liam Grover (Chemical Engineering) and Dr Tim Button (Metallurgy and Materials) where she worked on developing piezoelectric calcium polyphosphates as bone replacement material. Pam started her PhD in September '08 with an EPSRC-funded project working on gold-catalysed cycloisomerisations.
Alex Cremonesi (Italy)
Alex joined the group at the end of June 2008 and is exploring the area of palladium catalysis. Previously he completed the Leonardo da Vinci programme at Sanofi-Aventis (Frankfurt) where he worked on a new synthesis of C- and N-derivatives of 2,3-dihydro-1h-indoles as drug-like scaffolds.
Alex completed his degree at the University of Parma, where he undertook research with Prof. Giovanni Casiraghi on the stereoselectivity of the vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction between pyrrolic silyloxydiene and ketones to access a new quaternary stereocentre.
MSci Students
Jonathon Kedge
William Spencer
Bill joined the Davies group in September of 2011 for a master project in catalysis, choosing this project for its potential to be used in total synthesis to drug discovery. He began studying Chemistry with Industrial Experience in summer 2008, spending his first two years on campus and the 3rd year at Novartis (NIBR) working as part of a 5-member team doing exploratory medicinal chemistry. His interests include climbing, playing the guitar and practising and teaching the martial arts.
Glen Ward
Past Members
Nicolas Martin PhD (France)
Nicolas joined the group as a PhD student in 2007 after completing his MSc at Universite Lyon I in France. He previously worked with Prof. Genevieve Balme in Lyon (France, 2005-2006), Prof. Bruce Arndtsen in Montreal (Canada, 2004-2005) and with Dr. Alexander Doemling at Morphochem AG in Munich (Germany, 2003-2004). After completing his PhD studies in 2010 Nico joined the group of Prof. Olivier Baudoin for a postdoc.
Christelle Detty Mambo PhD (France)
Christelle joined the group as a PhD student in December 2006 to work on cycloisomerisation reactions and was awarded her her PhD in 2011. Previously, she completed her research training in the Group of Prof. Yves Le Merrer (Université Paris 5), studying synthetic approaches towards 1�-homo-N-nucleosides, as potential inhibitors of fibroblast growth factor receptor.
During her undergraduate studies, Christelle's keen interest in synthetic and medicinal chemistry led her to work in 2002 and 2003 under the supervision of Prof. Herv� Galons (Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris) on heterocyclic chemistry and the preparation of biotinylated steroid derivatives.
Dr Lidia Dumitrescu (Romania)
Dr Sebastien Albrecht (France)
Dr Estelle Banaszak (France)
Summer Students
Olga Kvak (Toronto); Laura Totterdell (Birmingham); Daniel (Cambridge)
