Chemistry - MRes

• Research Methods and Independent Study (20 cp) - This module provides an underpinning in research skills relevant to the independent study. You will be introduced to the techniques required to formulate a research project and to carry out a literature review. You will be given practice in the use of the library and learning resources including relevant IT packages.
• Research Project (20 cp) - You will work on laboratory-based research and will evaluate and review the scientific literature relevant to the topic. Design and conduct experimental work, and present the findings in the form of a presentation, poster and a written thesis. Example titles can be found below.

Choose two modules from the following:

• Drug Detection, Analysis and Screening (20 cp) - Study analysis methods including IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques, GC / HPLC, related hyphenated techniques, and immunoassays. Other areas include spectroscopy, chromatography, multivariate data processing, biophysics and related disciplines to the analytical chemistry of drugs and drug containing materials.
• Organic Synthesis and Characterisation of Biologically Active Compounds (20 cp) - Develop knowledge in the synthesis of relatively complex organic molecules. Topics include: retrosynthetic analysis and total synthesis of biologically important molecules; the controlled formation of C-C bonds and functional group transformations; and structure elucidation of complex molecules.
• Inorganic Chemistry Beyond the Molecule (20 cp) - Understand the use of the biomimetic and supramolecular approaches in materials chemistry. You’ll learn the importance of interfaces in structure regulation and recognition in the generation of new materials including the recognition and incorporation of materials into the human body.
• Physical Properties of Solid-state and Nano-composite Materials (20 cp) - Study the theoretical background, synthesis and characterization of inorganic and nanocomposite materials, and characterization using solid state methods. You will be given direct practical experience of synthetic and characterization methods in the form of practical laboratory sessions in our state-of-the-art laboratories.
• Chemotherapeutics (20 cp) - This module covers three key areas - cancer therapies, antibacterial agents and synthetic methodology. You’ll study drug action and synthesis including the underlying methodology applied to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals.

Research project title examples

• MRI contrast agents
• Peptide-mineral interactions
• Small Molecule Approaches to the Elucidation of Protein Function
• Multiplexing
• Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging
• Fluorescence Microscopy
• X-ray diffraction
• Development of screenable essays