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Meet the SNUG members

The SNUG staff consists of NMR PI, lecturers, fellows, managers and technicians. Find out more about the members below.

University of Aberdeen

School of natural and computing sciences

Aberdeen

Prof Marcel JasparsChair in Chemistry FRSE, FRSC, CChem, Head of NMR

Keywords: Marine, natural products

My premise is that we can infer the true biological/ecological function of a natural product by careful study of its form using spectroscopic and physicochemical techniques.

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Dr Rainer EbelReader in Chemistry

Keywords: Marine, natural products

Dr Jioji Tabudravu, Research Fellow

Keywords: Marine, natural products

Beatson Insitute for Cancer Research

Drug Discovery

Beatson

Dr Kenneth Cameron, Senior NMR Scientist

Keywords: Structural biology, drug discovery

Our goal is to establish an integrated, industry-standard drug discovery programme to translate basic biology research from the Beatson and other CRUK centres into medicines for the treatment of cancer.

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University of Dundee

Drug Discovery Unit, College of Life Sciences

Dundee
Dan Fletcher.jpg

Dr Dan Fletcher, Senior NMR Scientist

Keywords: Pharma, drug discovery

University of Edinburgh

School of Biology

Edinburgh Biology

Prof Paul Barlow, Chair of structural biology, 

Head of Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Keywords: complement system, structural biology, immunology

Our main interest lies in proteins of the complement system. Overzealous or inappropriate  complement activation is responsible for many of the debilitating symptoms of a multitude of inflammatory disorders. We are best known for our work on complement control protein (CCP) modules (aka as SCRs and sushi domains), which are the most common structural units within complement proteins.

Dr Janice Bramham, Lecturer in biology

Keywords: Protein structure, protein interactions, biophysical characterisation

I am interested in the 3D structures, intrinsic dynamics and intermolecular interactions of biological macromolecules with the ultimate aim of understanding their structure-function relationships. I work on a diverse range of molecules, from proteins involved in the human disease, e.g. in the complement system and in bone diseases, to insect proteins as targets for improving crop yields.

I am aligned with the NMR facilty in the School of Chemistry and with the Protein Production Facility in the School of Biological Sciences.

University of Edinburgh

School of Chemistry

Edinburgh Chemistry

Prof Dusan Uhrin, Chair of NMR Spectroscopy, Head of NMR Facility

Keywords: pulse sequence development, complex mixtures, carbohydrates, protein-carbohydrate interactions, reaction kinetics

My research interests are in the development and application of NMR spectroscopy to the structure elucidation of molecules in solution. More specifically, I study natural complex mixtures such as dissolved organic matter, man-made mixtures e.g. beverages such as Scotch Whisky, structure function and conformation of marine polysaccharides, and protein-carbohydrate interactions. I develop new NMR methodology including pulse sequences for  reaction monitoring.

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Prof Guy Lloyd-Jones FRS, Forbes Chair and Head of Organic Chemistry

Keywords: Mechanism, Stop-Flow Techniques, Isotopes, Kinetics

 

We investigate Reaction Mechanism in the context of Synthetic Methodology and Catalysis. Intrinsic to this is the development of new tools for physical organic chemistry, including numerous stop-flow and quench-flow spectroscopic techniques.

 

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Dr Nicholle Bell, NERC Soil Security Research Fellow

Keywords: organic soils, nD NMR, complex mixtures structure determination

 

From filtering our drinking water to acting as a sink for carbon organic rich soils, such as peat, are vital to ecosytem services. My goal is to use NMR to investigate the molecular signature of soil organic matter in order to help  maintain and restore organic rich soils to allow them to perform their many functions.

Juraj Bella, NMR manager

Keywords: NMR spectrometer hardware, software maintence

Dr Lorna Murray, NMR technician

EPP Ltd

EPP (Edinburgh Pharmaceutical Processes) Ltd

Dr Alan Boyd, NMR Specialist

Keywords: Quantitative NMR, Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), contract research, synthesis, structure determination

EPP Ltd is unusual and different from other Contract Research Organisations. We have our own in-house, GLP compliant, NMR facility. We provide stand alone NMR services to clients in addition to supporting our other contract research work, including synthesis and structure determination. A major part of our work is quantitative NMR using proton and phosphorous-31. This is used to assay the purity of agrochemical and pharmaceutical products.

Dr Alan Boyd is EPP's NMR specialist with many years’ experience in the field spanning over 40 years. He has previously worked at both Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt universities, and also at the BP Research Centre in Sunbury-on-Thames. He has used most forms of high-resolution liquid-state NMR, and has long experience of running an efficient NMR service.

Dr David Tredgett, General Manager

Keywords: Contract research, synthesis, structure determination, quantitative NMR, Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)

 

EPP Ltd is a Contract Research Organisation specialising in analytical and screening, physico-chemical testing, environmental science and research & development. We have our own in-house, GLP compliant, NMR facility to support all aspects of our R&D work including the synthesis of NMR certified reference standards.

Dr David Tredgett is responsible for the operational side of the business and has ultimate legal responsibility for the GLP service in his capacity of GLP Named Operator.

Glasgow Biology

University of Glasgow

Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology

Dr Brian O. Smith, Lecturer, Head of NMR Facility

Keywords: Protein structure, protein dynamics, protein-protein interactions, protein-ligand interactions

I use NMR as a tool to understand complex biological processes at the molecular level. My research covers a broad range of topics including natural surfactant proteins, sensors of inorganic stimuli (e.g. light, inorganic ions), and lipid binding proteins. I use NMR to determine the 3D structures of proteins and nucleic acids, and to probe their dynamics and interactions.

Glasgow Chemistry

University of Glasgow

School of Chemistry

Dr David Adam, NMR Manager

Keywords: NMR service

Heriot-Watt

Heriot-Watt University

Institute of Chemical Sciences

Dr David Ellis, Experimental NMR officer, Head of NMR Facility

Keywords: NMR spectroscopy, diffusion, photocatalysis, fluctionality.

The HW NMR unit supports research groups within the Institute of Chemical Sciences and elsewhere in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Specific areas of interest include the study of fluctionality in boron cluster compounds (with Alan Welch), the solid-state characterisation of 3D conjugated polymers for heterogeneous catalysis and 19F NMR for monitoring trifluoromethylation (with Filipe Vilela), and the self-diffusion of switchable micelles (with Ruaraidh McIntosh).

St Andrews Biology

University of St Andrews

School of Biology

Dr Uli Schwarz-Linek, Senior Lecturer

Keywords: Proteins, infections, protein interactions

We investigate the molecular basis for the subversion of host cell signalling and uptake processes by Streptococcus pyogenes and the autoimmune response triggered by some streptococcal infections.

St Andrews Chemistry

University of St Andrews

School of Chemistry

Keywords: Self-Assembly and Self-Replication Processes

Our Research Group is concerned with the study of non-covalent interactions at a fundamental level and the application of this knowledge in the transfer of concepts from biology to chemistry. We are interested in developing synthetic routes to complex mesomolecular systems through the programmed application of a fundamental understanding of non-covalent interactions in self-assembly and self-replication processes. Our research involves the interplay of experimental and computational methods - including synthetic chemistry, NMR spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations - for the design and construction of these systems. 

Dr Tomas Lebl, Senior Scientific Officer, NMR manager

Keywords: NOMAD, natural products, lignin modifications, organotin compounds

My role is to run the liquid state NMR facility in St Andrews and participate in various projects as a liquid state NMR specialist. We provide a broad portfolio of experiments for elucidation of structures, dynamics and kinetics of molecules in solution

Prof Sharon Ashbrook, FRSE, FRSC, Chair in Physical Chemistry,

Keywords: solid state NMR, high-pressure minerals, microporous framework materials, first principle calculations, ceramics, quadrupolar nuclei.

Our research aims to combine NMR spectroscopy with first-principles calculations to investigate structure, disorder and dynamics in the solid state. Research involves the development of new experiments, implementation and improvement of existing experiments and the application to systems of interest in chemistry, geology and materials science. Particular emphasis is given to nuclei which possess a nuclear electric quadrupole moment, such as 17-O, 23-Na or 27-Al, which account for over 75% of all NMR-accessible nuclides. Current areas of interest include high-pressure minerals, microporous framework materials and ceramic materials proposed for the encapsulation of nuclear waste.

Dr Daniel Dawson, NMR manager

Keywords: solid state NMR,

My role is to run the solid state NMR facility in St Andrews and participate in various projects as a solid state NMR specialist.

Strathclyde

University of Strathclyde

Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry

Dr John A. Parkinson, Senior Research Fellow, Head of NMR Facility

Keywords: Biomolecules, complex mixtures, DNA, NMR methods

My interests lie in the fields of (bio)molecular structure, recognition and reactivity, molecular self-assembly, reaction monitoring, studies of small molecule structure and dynamics and applications of NMR diffusometry, pureshift and related methods for understanding data from complex mixtures to complex structures. I works closely with the medicinal chemistry group working on the development of new DNA minor-groove binding molecules with antibiotic activity.  A major theme that has emerged in recent years has been the investigation by NMR spectroscopy of enzyme reaction systems in the context of venoms from bees and snakes in close collaboration with Dr. Mark Dufton  and Dr. David Watson.

Mr Craig Irvine, NMR Technician

Keywords: NMR service

West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland

School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences

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Dr Mostafa Rateb, Lecturer in Natural Product Chemistry

Keywords: NMR service

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