I am currently Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. Our research lies in the field of asymmetric synthesis and the application of stereoselective oxidation and reduction reactions to natural product synthesis. We have a burgeoning interest in the area of carbohydrates and the application of metathesis to the synthesis of heterocycles. The group consists of a mixture of postdoctoral researchers, graduate (DPhil) students and undergraduate (Part II) students. We meet two/three times per week to discuss advances in the laboratory and hold problem sessions to highlight recent developments in the literature.
Curriculum Vitae
Academic Titles
2006 – 2011 Head of Organic Chemistry, University of Oxford
2004 – present Professor of Chemistry, Magdalen College and the University of Oxford
2001 – 2004 Lecturer in Chemistry, Magdalen College and the University of Oxford
2000 – 2001 Reader in Chemistry, University of Manchester
1994 – 2000 Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Manchester
Education
1993 – 1994 Post doctoral research with Prof. P. D. Magnus FRS on the synthesis of Taxol and its deoxy derivatives using an intramolecular pyrylium ylide cycloaddition approach, resulting in 5 publications.
1989 – 1992 D.Phil, Oxford University, under the supervision of Prof. S. G. Davies entitled Chiral Oxonium Ions, resulting in 5 publications.
1985 – 1989 BSc (Hons) first class, University of Bath. Final year project with Professor T. J. Gallagher entitled Ketenethioacetals as synthons for the synthesis of substituted amino acids
Awards and positions
2022 Royal Society of Chemistry: Tilden Prize
2019-2021 Editor-in-Chief of Tetrahedron Letters
2018-2021 Chairman of the Board of Editors of Tetrahedron Publications
2015-2021 Editor of Tetrahedron Letters
2014-2019 EPSRC Established Career Fellow
2014 Royal Society of Chemistry: Charles Rees Award
2012 AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer & Syngenta Prize for Process Chemistry Research
2011 Royal Society of Chemistry: Synthetic Organic Chemistry Award
2006 Royal Society of Chemistry: Corday-Morgan Medal
2002 AstraZeneca Award for Organic Chemistry
2001 Novartis Young Investigator Award
2000 Pfizer Academic Award
1998 Glaxo Wellcome award for Innovative Chemistry
1998 – 2001 Associate Editor (UK) for the journal Tetrahedron Letters
