PhD Studentship: Bioinspired Total Synthesis of Complex Natural Products

Supervisory Team: Jonathan George

PhD Supervisor: Jonathan George

Project description:

The School of Chemistry is offering a fully funded PhD studentship to a highly motivated candidate to start in September 2024. The student will carry out their doctoral research in the George Group, which has recently moved to the University of Southampton.

Background

The use of natural products as antibiotics and anticancer agents has revolutionised human healthcare. However, many natural products are highly complex molecules isolated in minute amounts from their natural source. The total synthesis of these molecules is therefore crucial to allow their future application in medicine. This research project aims to develop new ways of constructing 3-dimensionally complex natural products using strategies inspired by their biosynthesis. In particular, we will target the synthesis of natural products of mixed biosynthetic pathways in which the dearomatization of aromatic rings converts simple, flat structures into stereochemically complex molecules. This work will expand the toolkit of complexity-generating organic reactions that can be applied in medicinal chemistry.

Research in the George Group

We have developed many concise, biomimetic total syntheses of complex molecules – some of which are summarised in the following review (Acc. Chem. Res. 2021: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00019).

Sometimes our synthetic routes are used to help decipher biosynthetic pathways in collaboration with biochemists (Nat. Chem. 2017: https://www.nature.com/articles/nchem.2829; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/anie.201804351). We have also integrated modern methods of photoredox catalysis (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.201814089), photochemistry (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.2c09978) and biocatalysis (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.201812432) into our total synthesis projects.

The project will involve the biosynthetically-inspired structure revision of natural products (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/anie.202200420), and sometimes even the prediction and isolation of new natural products! We also develop bioinspired synthetic methodology for the rapid construction of molecular complexity (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202203311). Our ultimate goal is to discover new ways to make complex natural products as quickly and easily as possible – sometimes achieving this in just one step! (Chem. Sci. 2023: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2023/SC/D2SC05377B).

Training and mentoring

You will receive expert training in synthetic organic chemistry and other specialist areas as required by the project, either from the George Group or appropriate collaborators. You will also gain extensive experience of a range of analytical techniques including advanced NMR analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Mentorship in writing high-impact publications and delivering engaging scientific presentations will also be provided.

Entry Requirements

A good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: 31 August 2024.  Applications will be considered in the order that they are received, the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified.

Funding: We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students, including Bursaries and Scholarships. For more information please visit PhD Scholarships | Doctoral College | University of Southampton  Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How To Apply

Apply online:  HERE Select programme type (Research), 2024/25, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD Chemistry (Full time)”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor Jonathan George

Applications should include:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Two reference letters
• Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

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