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About the Project
This PhD project falls into the areas of supramolecular chemistry, chemical biology and DNA nanotechnology and involves the preparation and study of DNA-based materials and sensors. These systems vary from modified nucleic acids, in which DNA is tagged with redox-active or photo-active units, to completely artificial nucleic acids, in which the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA is replaced entirely with metal-containing units. The student will study various characteristics of these systems, ranging from their spectroscopic and assembly-forming properties to their ability to mimic biological processes, such as DNA replication. Potential applications include sensing (e.g. for COVID-19, cancer or trauma) and the generation of DNA-based materials with novel catalytic, magnetic or conducting properties.
The student will be trained in the following techniques: organic synthesis; automated DNA synthesis; UV/vis, fluorescence & CD spectroscopy; electrochemistry; MS; HPLC; gel electrophoresis.
Funding Notes
Interested candidates should contact Prof Jim Tucker in the first instance by email, attaching an up-to-date CV.
References
2) Macrocyclic Metal Complex-DNA Conjugates for Electrochemical Sensing of Single Nucleobase Changes in DNA, JLHA Duprey, J. Carr-Smith, S. L. Horswell, J. Kowalski, JHR Tucker, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2016, 138, 746-749. (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.5b11319)
3) Cisplatin Adducts of DNA as Precursors for Nanostructured Catalyst Materials, K Englert, R Hendi, PH Robbs, NV Rees, APG Robinson, JHR Tucker, Nanoscale Adv., 2020, 2, 4491-4497 (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2020/na/d0na00528b#!divAbstract)
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