Cresswell Lab @ Bath​

Jacob graduated from the University of Bath in 2020 with a 1st class Integrated Master’s in Chemistry with Drug Discovery. During his placement year at Charles River Laboratories, he worked on development of an inhaled drug to treat respiratory diseases. Jacob’s research is focused on using a technology-driven approach to develop mechanistic understanding of photocatalytic reactions. In his spare time, he is a keen solo guitarist and enjoys making sushi and mixing cocktails.

Hannah graduated from the University of Leeds in 2020 with an MChem degree in Medicinal Chemistry. She carried out her Master's project in the Nelson group, where she expanded the substrate scope of a photoredox Minisci-type reaction for use in the elaboration of drug fragments. In her third year, Hannah undertook an industrial placement at AstraZeneca in Macclesfield, during which she was responsible for the process development of a Suzuki reaction that was later run on the plant. Her PhD research currently centres on the photocatalytic C-H functionalisation of primary amines. When not in the lab, Hannah enjoys tending to her jungle of houseplants and trying out new vegan recipes.

Qiao carried out the first two years of his Masters programme at ECUST, before moving to Edinburgh as part of a 2+3 Program Scholarship. He graduated in 2021 with a 1st class MChem degree, following 8 months of experience at ChiroChem in Liverpool. His research in the Cresswell group is focused on visible light photoredox catalysis.

George graduated with a 1st class MChem degree from the University of Durham, including a project on the electrophilic fluorination of pyrroles with David Hodgson. His research in the Marken and Cresswell groups is focused on the translation of photoredox reactions into scalable electrochemical processes.

Divyaakshar graduated with a Masters degree in Chemistry from KU Leuven, which included two synthetic organic research projects with Prof. Dr. Erik Van der Eycken. The first focused on ruthenium-catalysed C–H functionalisation for peptide modification, and the second on photoredox-catalysed alkylation of imines with nucleophilic radicals. His research in the Cresswell group is initially focused on visible light photoredox catalysis.

Darren graduated from the University of Bath in 2022 with a 1st class MChem degree in Chemistry. During his undergraduate degree, he carried out a research project in the Hill group focusing on the synthesis and reactivity of +1 oxidation state aluminium compounds. In October 2022, he started his PhD in the Cresswell lab to work in the area of photoredox catalysis for primary amine C-H functionalisation. In his spare time, Darren likes to play the guitar to old-school rock and heavy metal alongside going to the gym.

Marcus graduated from the University of Bath in 2022 with a first-class Master’s in Chemistry. During his third year, he completed a 12-month placement working in Early Chemical Development at AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, applying visual kinetic analyses to establish process understanding and improve the sustainability of precious metal-catalyzed transformations. During his final year project, Marcus studied in the Cresswell Group, investigating the photocatalytic hydroaminoalkylation of vinyl sulfones. Marcus’ PhD research is focused on applying photochemistry and flow chemistry as enabling techniques for modular azacycle construction. Outside of the lab, Marcus is extremely active in Scouting. He holds many roles, including a Queen’s scout, cub scout leader, scout leader, tomahawk throwing instructor, and air rifle instructor!

Emma graduated from the University of Bath in 2022 with a MSci in Natural Sciences, including an industrial placement year in medicinal chemistry at Roche. Her masters project in the Bull group involved investigating a new methodology for the carboxylation of aromatic building blocks. Her PhD project focuses on the development of a new approach to azacycle synthesis using photoredox. When not in the lab, Emma can be found giving historical tours of Bath, hiking up a mountain, or getting lost in a new country. 

Francesca graduated in 2022 with an honour first-class single-cycle Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technologies from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Perugia. As part of her degree, she conducted an internship in the Medicinal and Advanced Synthetic Chemistry Lab Masq focusing on the synthesis and characterization of bile acid derivatives as ligands of the farnesoid X receptor. In October 2022, she started her PhD with Dr Alex Cresswell and Prof. Tony James to research applications of photoredox catalysis in DNA-encoded libraries. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing many sports, such as running, swimming, alpine skiing, canoeing, and hiking.

Rebecca graduated from the University of Bath with a MSci in Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology). She completed her MSci project in the Lovell group, synthesising targeted covalent macrocycles to inhibit protein-protein interactions involved in cancer. Her PhD - joint between the Cresswell and Lovell labs - is focused on controlling the topology of macrocyclic peptides. Outside of the lab, Rebecca enjoys walking, cooking, and crochet.

Hannah graduated with a 1st class MChem degree from the University of York in 2023. She undertook her Masters research project in industry, in the chemical synthesis department at the Lubrizol corporation. Hannah's PhD research will focus on using photoredox catalysis for C-H functionalisation of unprotected amines. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys socialising, reading, and keeping active through running, climbing and hiking.