SYNTHESIS • CATALYSIS • MECHANISM
Group Leader
Mark Greenhalgh
Mark is originally from North Yorkshire, and completed his Undergraduate degree at the University of Sheffield, including a final year project with Dr Simon Jones. During his Undergraduate, Mark spent an enjoyable year studying in Australia at the University of Wollongong. Mark moved to the University of Bristol in 2010 to join the Bristol Chemical Synthesis CDT, before starting a PhD with Dr Steve Thomas on the iron-catalysed hydrofunctionalisation of alkenes and alkynes. In September 2012, Mark moved with Steve to the University of Edinburgh to complete his PhD.
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Mark then moved to the University of St Andrews to conduct postdoctoral work with Prof. Andrew Smith on the development and mechanistic understanding of organocatalytic enantioselective methodologies.
In April 2020 Mark moved to The University of Warwick as an Assistant Professor to start his independent research group.
Post-docs
Andrew Bage
I grew up in rural Bedfordshire and obtained an MChem degree from Newcastle University, which included a final year project under the supervision of Dr Fabio Cucinotta. In 2017, I joined the group of Professor Stephen Thomas at the University of Edinburgh to complete my PhD studies, funded by AstraZeneca and focusing on borane catalysis. After a short postdoc in the Thomas group exploring iron-catalysed transformations, I received a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship to work on Spns2 inhibitors with Professor Webster Santos.
I joined the Greenhalgh group in February 2024 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to investigate chalcogen bonding catalysis on an EPSRC funded project in collaboration with Mercedes Alonso and Frank De Proft at Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB),.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing and watching sport, hiking, and playing and listening to music.
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See Google Scholar for previous publications
PhD Students
Frances Bugden (Final year Phd)
I’m originally from Aberdeenshire and obtained my integrated MChem degree in Chemistry with Drug Discovery from the University of Strathclyde in 2020. During my degree I carried out two summer placements in 2017 and 2018 under the supervision of Dr David Nelson working on the synthesis of NHC catalysts and then iron-catalysed Kumada reactions as part of a GSK project. I also carried out a 12 month industrial placement in 2018 as part of my degree at Johnson Matthey in Edinburgh working in process improvement. I completed my Masters research project under the supervision of Professor John Murphy in radical chemistry, specifically looking at aryl migration and leading to a publication (Adv. Synth. Catal., 2020, 362, 2260-2267). I recently started my PhD in 2020 in the area of chalcogen bonding catalysis.
In my spare time I enjoy playing the tenor saxophone, reading and baking.
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Publications:
Henry Stone (2nd year Phd)
I am originally from Oxfordshire and I obtained my integrated MChem degree from the University of Warwick in 2022. During my degree I attempted to carry out a summer research project which was interrupted by the covid-19 pandemic.
I completed my masters Research project under the supervision of Dr Stefan Roesner and Prof. Mike Shipman on improving the synthesis of cyclic hydrazino acids. Currently, I am working on my PhD in the Greenhalgh group, on a project sponsored by GoldenKeys High-Tech Materials Co. Ltd.
In my free time, I enjoy reading and playing video and social deduction games.
Jason Westwood (1st year PhD)
Originally from Shropshire, I earned my BSc in Chemistry from the University of Warwick in 2022 and continued on with an MRes at the same university in 2023, where I had the chance to work with Mark. Currently, I'm pursuing my PhD in the same group, and my research is about developing chalcogen bonding catalysts.
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Outside of my lab work, I like baking, cooking, and playing the piano and violin.
Fiona Gibson (1st year PhD)
I am originally from the South Lakes and graduated with an integrated Masters Degree from Lancaster University. I undertook my Masters Research in 2023 under Dr Michael Peach in computational and quantum chemistry. I am currently in the first year of my PhD looking at developing a deeper understanding of chalcogen bonding, in the context of catalysis. As part of the EUTOPIA scheme, I am co-superised by Mercedes Alonso and Frank De Proft at Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB), where I will spend the second year of my PhD utilising computational methods to aid in my research.
In my free time I enjoy playing the flute, reading, and playing netball.
Masters Students
Abbe Lowe (MRes)
I am originally from Berkshire and gained my BSc in Chemistry at the University of Warwick in 2023. I am now partaking in a joint supervised MSc by research as part of the Greenhalgh and Jenner Groups. This project involves exploring the biochemical basis for control of subunit communication in fungal hybrid polyketide synthases.
In my free time, I follow the Formula 1 season and enjoy long walks and socialising with friends.
Simon Gkitsali (MChem)
I’m originally from London and I am currently in my fourth year on MChem stream. For my project I’m working on developing synthesising new halogen bond donors and assessing their Lewis acidity. After completing my degree, I plan to travel and later work towards a PhD .
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When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy reading, playing tennis, weightlifting and playing the guitar.