Light-Driven Skeletal Editing for New 3D Scaffolds

This 4-year PhD project is fully funded by the Leverhulme Trust; students who are eligible to pay tuition fees at the Home rate are eligible to apply. The succesfful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipiend set the the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2027.

We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.

This PhD project will develop new synthetic organic methods for skeletal editing of densely functionalised saturated heterocycles. The central goal is to convert heterocycles into stereodefined carbocycles using visible light, enabling rapid access to three-dimensional, sp3-rich molecular frameworks that are difficult to prepare using conventional synthesis. The project will design and synthesise tailored substrates, optimise photochemical ring-contraction reactions, map functional-group tolerance and establish how substitution patterns control regioselectivity and stereoselectivity. Mechanistic studies will combine control experiments, intermediate analysis and stereochemical correlation to distinguish competing reaction pathways. The project will also investigate catalyst-controlled asymmetric induction, including matched and mismatched effects between substrate chirality and chiral catalysts. Applicants will gain broad training in multistep synthesis, reaction development, photochemistry, purification, spectroscopy and mechanistic problem-solving within an ambitious programme at the frontier of modern organic synthesis and methodology. You will also build transferable skills, including presenting results orally and in writing, time management, and project planning and management. The project will be co-supervised by Prof. Gavin J. Miller and Prof. Michael Greaney. Further information about the supervisory team is available at millerresearchgroup.co.uk and greaneylab.weebly.com.

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.

To apply, please contact the main supervisor, Prof Gavin Miller - gavin.miller@manchester.ac.uk. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

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