POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
Dr Aidan Kerckhoffs
January 2024
Aidan Kerckhoffs received his MSc in Chemistry from the University of Glasgow in 2017, where he carried out research placements at Roche, Syngenta and the Jamieson group. Aidan completed his DPhil in Matthew Langtons group at the University of Oxford funded by the Synthesis for Biology and Medicine CDT, where he worked on tuning the properties of azobenzene photoswitches and incorporating them into anion transporters. Aidan continued in Oxford as a PDRA in Angela Russell’s group developing AhR antagonists and strained ring naphthyl bioisosteres. Aidan joined the Collins group in 2024 as a PDRA and is working on photo-responsive molecular cargo transport, cyclic chemical reaction networks and controlling molecular-level motion.
PhD STUDENTS
Olivia Watts
June 2021
Olivia graduated from the University of Manchester in 2020. In her final year project she worked for Prof. David Leigh to develop metal-free active template reactions for higher order rotaxane synthesis. In 2018 she did a year abroad at NTU in Singapore, where she also spent the summer of 2019 working with Assoc. Prof. Roderick Bates on the total synthesis of asperidine B. In June 2020 she joined the Collins group as a TECS CDT PhD student, working on biocatalytically driven autonomous molecular motors.
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Sarah Eibenschutz
June 2022
Sarah graduated from the University of Bristol in 2018 where she conducted her final year project in Professor Crump’s group investigating the structure of IGF2R.  In 2017 she completed a summer placement at the ICR under the supervision of Professor Julian Blagg where she worked to develop PROTACs as oncological treatments. In 2019 she joined Sygnature Discovery and worked as a medicinal chemist until 2021. In September 2021 Sarah joined the TECS CDT and in June 2022 joined the Collins group and is currently working to develop cyclic reaction networks for new synthetic methodologies.
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Jamie Dudley
September 2022
Jamie graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022 having completed his final year project under the supervision of Professor Matt Crump. The project looked to elucidate the mechanism by which α-synuclein, a protein implicated in Parkinson’s disease, misfolded. In 2021 he completed a project at the ICR with Professor Ian Collins’ group which looked to synthesise PROTACs capable of targeting kinases implicated in neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma. Jamie joined the Collins group in September 2022 and is working on the development of a transition metal catalysed molecular writing system.
Nicholas O’Donoghue
June 2023
Nick graduated from the University of Oxford in 2020. His final year research project was supervised by Prof. Stuart Conway, and involved the Synthesis and Biological testing of BAPTA analogues to probe off target effects. After finishing university he worked as a PET radiochemist in Invicro for two years, producing and implementing radiotracers for clinical use. He also took an internship in the Max Plank institute for Solid State Research using scanning tunnelling microscopy in ultra-high vacuum to observe metal surfaces, and computational modelling of carbon nanoribbons to determine the degree of aromaticity when varying the periodic defects and dimensionality of these nanoribbions.
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Kiril Atanasov
September 2023
Kiril graduated from The University of Manchester with an MChem (Hons) degree in 2023, completing his final year project in the mechanochemistry of mechanical bonds under the supervision of Professor Guillaume De Bo. During his time in Manchester, Kiril undertook a research placement in Professor David Leigh’s group working on enantioselective molecular pumps. In 2022, he also conducted his 3rd year BSc project with Dr. Giacomo Crisenza focusing on the synthesis of arylsulfonium salts via late-stage C-H bond functionalisation. Kiril joined the Collins group in September 2023 where he is currently investigating the design and synthesis of cyclic photoactive reaction networks for molecular cargo transport.
Rosa Altarelli June 2024
Rosa Altarelli (MChem) graduated from the University of Leeds in 2023. During her final year research project, she worked with Professor Steve Marsden on the replacement of precious metals in the photochemical racemisation of amines. For this, she worked on developing a set of optimised conditions, and applying this to dynamic kinetic resolution, for the sustainable synthesis of chiral amine drugs. Rosa will be working on developing cyclic reaction networks for deracemisations.
Juliette Gregg
June 2024
Juliette graduated from the University of Bristol in 2023 having completed her final year research project under the supervision of Professor Varinder Aggarwal. The project investigated the utility of the strain-release compound 1-azabicylco[1.1.0.]butane (ABB) in the synthesis of novel spiro-azetidine carbonates. In 2021, she completed a Summer RSC studentship in the lab of Professor Jonathan Clayden extracting (-)-sparteine from Lupinus arboreus. Juliette joined the Collins group in June 2024 as a TECS CDT PhD student, co-supervised by Professor Basile Curchod, and is working on the development of a new type of light-driven rotary molecular motor.
Josh Dibb January 2025
Josh graduated from the University of Bristol in 2024, having carried out his final year research project under Professor Jonathan Clayden. This project aimed to optimise an enantioselective synthesis of diarylmethylamines, which used sterically hindered ureas and chiral lithium amides to promote aryl migration across the urea molecule. Josh then joined the Collins group in January 2025 where he is currently working to design an autonomous molecular motor using a palladium catalysed cyclic reaction network.
MASTERS STUDENTS
VISITING STUDENTS
ALUMNI
PDRA
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Dr Jordan Berreur, PDRA: January 2021 - January 2024
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Dr Charlotte Farrow, PDRA: October 2021 - March 2023
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Dr Grzegorz Pikus, PDRA: December 2019 - June 2021
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Dr Gandeepan Parthasarathy, PDRA: June 2019 - December 2019
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PhD Students
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​​Dr Aidan McFord, PhD: May 2019 - November 2022
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Dr Michael Chronias PhD: September 2019 - February 2024
Dr Oliver Bayley PhD: March 2020 - October 2023
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Dr Connah Harris PhD: July 2020 - July 2024
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Dr Emma Hollis PhD: July 2021 - December 2024
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UG, MSci and Visiting Students
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Athina Dimitrakopoulou , MSci Project Student: September 2023 - March 2024
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Usman Malik, MSci Project Student: November 2022 - March 2023
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Birk Jager, Visiting Student from Leibniz Universität Hannover: October 2022 - Feb 2023
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Manfred Battle, UG Project Student: September 2022 - March 2023
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Carlijn van Beek, Visiting Student from the University of Groningen: January 2021 - April 2021
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Natalie Awcock, MSci Project Student: October 2020 - May 2021
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Jamie Dale, MSci Project Student: October 2019 - May 2020
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Isaac Haigh, MSci Project Student: October 2018 - May 2019