MSc by Research (Chemistry)
Perform cutting-edge research with our Research Groups. Each 12-month project is unique, as the frontiers of research advance.
The Chemistry group’s active research themes include:
- Nanomaterials (e.g. magnetic nanoparticles and carbon dots)
- Nuclear materials (e.g. zeolites and ion-exchange materials)
- Biomaterials (e.g. lipid nanostructures and molecularly imprinted polymers; biosensors)
- Organic materials (Photoactive dyes)
- Organometallics and catalysts
- Polymers
- Microwave technology
- Materials processes
- Theoretical modelling
Activities are located in purpose-built research laboratories within the JB Firth Building. The building boasts a well-equipped analytical instrumentation suite.
You will take part in the day-to-day activity of an active research group. You'll complete a research project designed by you in collaboration with the group leader. You will use the latest world-class equipment to perform research in your chosen topic. Benefit from personal guidance from one of our world-leading academic staff.
Research is open-ended in nature, and it will be up to you to follow interesting leads and draw conclusions. You will also benefit from the experience and skill of your supervisor, who will always be available to suggest next steps. We’ll equip you with outstanding research skills & the potential to advance within your chosen field.
The nature of the work means that you will gain a great deal of broad experience, from technical expertise to networking skills and project management. Such experience is in great demand from employers, as it shows that you have the ability to take ownership of a project and drive it to completion.
Why study with us
- This year-long course gives insights to life as a researcher - excellent preparation for a future research career or alternatively for a wide range of sectors.
- You'll benefit from one-on-one supervision and gain access cutting-edge facilities.
- Compared to typical taught postgraduates degrees, you'll pay the lowest fees.
Current projects
Some current projects are listed below. A research project is not necessarily rigid and may evolve as it develops, and as you develop your understanding. If you have an idea for a new project and think one of our academics is a good fit to supervise it, please contact them. Our academic contact details can be found on their staff profiles, linked in the project titles below.
The lack of clean water has always been an issue of environmental concern all over the world. The main sources of water pollution are (i) industrial (chemical, organic, thermal and nuclear wastes), (ii) municipal (largely sewage consisting of human wastes, other organic wastes, and detergents), and (iii) agricultural (animal wastes, pesticides, and fertilizers).
The proposed project involves collection of water from Preston Dock, detection of toxic chemicals and biochemicals by analytical tools followed by separation using surface functionalised magnetic nanoparticles with the influence of an external magnetic field.
Next steps
To find out the next steps or apply for this course, please contact the project supervisor.
Ice nucleation is an important process, not least in the atmosphere, where cloud properties are greatly altered when liquid water freezes. Ice nucleation in some clouds can be triggered by small particles that act as nucleants. Understanding how these particles promote nucleation is of great importance in atmospheric sciences and in other applications such as cryopreservation. However, this is a difficult challenge because nucleation only occurs in regions that make up a tiny fraction of the particles total surface area, known as active sites.
In this project, you will investigate ice nucleation at active sites on well-characterised surfaces. This laboratory-based study will use chemical alteration and other experiments to determine what makes these active sites so effective at nucleating ice. This project will use a variety of techniques, including high-speed cryomicroscopy (shown in the image below) and state-of-the art scanning probe microscopy. This is a fundamental project that sits at the interface of chemistry, physics, and atmospheric science.
Next steps
To find out the next steps or apply for this course, please contact the project supervisor.
Ice I crystals have two polytypes; hexagonal (Ih) and cubic (Ic). Examples of hexagonal ice are common, such as in the image below of an ice crystal growing in a supercooled liquid water droplet. However, most previous reports of cubic ice have been found to be stacking disordered (Isd). This means that there are a mixture of hexagonal and cubic sequences in the structure, rather than cubic only. Whether ice is hexagonal, cubic or a mixture of both will determine several properties including crystal shape and light scattering, and hence affect their behaviour, so understanding and this phenomenon is of importance in many fields.
In this project you will investigate stacking disorder in ice crystals, as well as other systems where stacking disorder is observed such as silver iodide. This laboratory-based study will use a variety of techniques including state-of-the art microscopy to understand and potentially control the extent of stacking disorder within the crystals. This is a fundamental project that can have impact in a number of areas such as atmospheric science (understanding our planet’s coldest clouds) and cryopreservation.
Next steps
To find out the next steps or apply for this course, please contact the project supervisor.
Aim: isolate and characterise new potential Alzheimer’s drugs from Preston Marina. You'll use modern spectroscopy and advanced 1D/2D NMR and HRMS/MS techniques.
Culture samples from Preston Marina and select pure strains for further investigation.
Analyse the bioactive extracts with LC-HR-MS/MS and a Molecular Networking Algorithm. So you can prioritise compounds for further investigation with HPLC, NMR, HRMS/MS.
Methodology
Finding new drugs to alleviate dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease is a challenging task. The number of individuals that suffer from these diseases and economic costs in the modern world is staggering. Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for 60-70% of all dementia cases with a total cost of dementia worldwide estimated to be £380 billion per year.
Nature is a proven source of pharmaceutical drugs. Representing about 75% of current small molecule antibacterial agents. and about 78% of current anticancer drugs. This project will apply the combination of strain selection and bioassay. In conjunction with software-database-integrated dereplication tools, maximising the discovery of new bioactive molecules.
References
1. Chervin, J. et al. Targeted Dereplication of Microbial Natural Products by High-Resolution MS and Predicted LC Retention Time. J. Nat. Prod. 80, 1370–1377 (2017).
2. Yang, J. Y. et al. Molecular Networking as a Dereplication Strategy. J. Nat. Prod. 76, 1686–1699 (2013).
3. ACD/Labs.com :: Your Partner in Chemistry Software for Analytical and Chemical Knowledge Management, Chemical Nomenclature, and In-Silico PhysChem and ADME-Tox. http://www.acdlabs.com/
Next steps
To find out the next steps or apply for this course, please contact the project supervisor.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are an exciting class of synthetic receptor. They have been coined a replacement to antibodies and can be produced within hours, using low-cost monomers and using a simple one-pot synthesis. MIPs are designed to possess cavities selective for capturing a target biological such as a protein, virus or cell. MIPs hold the key to the development of novel rapid diagnostics and therapeutics, with impact within the healthcare industries.
Molecular Imprinting
You will investigate and characterise such MIPs using state-of-the-art electrochemical techniques, spectroscopies and microscopies including atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. This is a multi-disciplinary project at the interface between Chemistry and Biology with relevance to health, diagnostic biosensors, electronics, materials science, and more.
Next steps
To find out the next steps or apply for this course, please contact the project supervisor.
Synthetic cannabinoids are the fastest-growing recreational drugs in the world today. These compounds are known to produce psychotropic effects that mimic those of cannabis. The severity of adverse effects are much greater including:
Hypertension, agitation, elevated heart rate, hallucinations, seizures, and panic attacks.
Detection of these compounds is challenging due to constant production of new analogues of the banned compounds. This creates constant moving targets for toxicological analysts.
This project will involve creating a small library containing:
Parent and fragment structures, molecular formula, and masses m/z) using the ACDLabs Spectrus platform.
Next steps
To find out the next steps or apply for this course, please contact the project supervisor.
Alternative energy vectors are the key to our future. Hydrogen energetics is one of the current favourites, however sustainable hydrogen production and storage are the main unresolved problems so far. The proposed research project will target the development of Iron-N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (Fe-NHCs) for reversible hydrogen storage.
You will perform chemical synthesis under controlled atmosphere, using both Schlenk line and inert atmosphere glovebox techniques. Analysis of compounds will be mainly performed by NMR, IR, UV-VIS, CHN and single crystal XRD. Full training will be provided.
Next steps
To find out the next steps or apply for this course, please email the project supervisor.
Chandrashekhar Vishwanath Kulkarni
Liposomes and planar lipid bilayers are increasingly used as model membranes. However, there are more elegant lipid nanostructures that can be used to mimic complex biomembrane architectures. Lamellar (1-D), hexagonal (2-D) and cubic (3-D) phases are being explored for a few of such applications. These phases are highly organized nanostructures formed via self-assembling of lipid molecules in aqueous medium.
The project involves studying interactions of various essential biomolecules with aforementioned model membranes. The project, being interdisciplinary, will provide training in nanoscale characterization engaging various biophysical, chemical and structural analysis techniques. As a part of this project you may get a chance to travel to national/international laboratory.
You will be a part of the ‘Lipid Nanostructures Laboratory’ whose research is mainly focused on nanostructured self-assemblies of lipids, but it also extends towards the study of other amphiphilic molecules including surfactants and membrane proteins. Some of the forefront projects include model biomembranes, lipid nanoscaffolds, biomolecular interactions with lipid nanostructures, designing and fine tuning of lipid nanostructures, and exploring their novel applications for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations.
Chandrashekhar Vishwanath Kulkarni
Lipid molecules self-assemble into elegant nanostructures in presence of water. They are widely used in various nano- and bio-technological applications. However, some of these nanostructures are highly viscous and inconsistent at micro-domain level. Their applicability can be enhanced by dispersing them into nanostructured particles. These colloidal emulsions often require appropriate stabilizers such as surfactants or functionalized solid particles. Recently we have successfully employed carbon nanotubes for this purpose.
With this project, we would like to explore some novel stabilizers and employ them to fine-tune properties of lipid nanostructured emulsions. We also plan to design and synthesize similar molecules together with our international collaborators. The project, being interdisciplinary, will provide training in nanoscale characterization engaging various chemical and structural analysis techniques. As a part of this project, you may get a chance to travel to national/international laboratory.
You will be a part of the ‘Lipid Nanostructures Laboratory’ whose research is mainly focused on nanostructured self-assemblies of lipids, but it also extends towards the study of other amphiphilic molecules including surfactants and membrane proteins. Some of the forefront projects include model biomembranes, lipid nanoscaffolds, biomolecular interactions with lipid nanostructures, designing and fine tuning of lipid nanostructures, and exploring their novel applications for pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations.
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What you'll do
- You’ll have access to world-class equipment, including state-of-the-art facilities - from atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy to our Anton Paar Microwave for rapid and green nanoparticle synthesis.
- You’ll take advantage of our unique experience and capabilities and choose a supervisor whose work mirrors your own interests.
- You'll have the opportunity to publish your work in academic journals and present results to colleagues and collaborators.
Looking to start your postgraduate journey?
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Academic expertise

Mark is a lecturer in chemistry, whose research interests lie in the field of crystallisation. The main focus of his research is gaining a fundamental understanding the mechanisms that govern crystal nucleation and growth. Mark teaches across a range of subjects, with a particula...

Dr Tabudravu is a natural product chemist and teaches for our organic, forensic science, and analytical chemistry teams. Dr Tabudravu also supervises postgraduate projects on analytical, and natural product drug discovery subjects.

Tapas is currently a Reader in Nanomaterials Chemistry and leading the Nano-biomaterials Research group at UCLan. He is associated with three Research Centres at UCLan. He is passionate about teaching materials chemistry with physical aspects and doing cutting-edge research on Na...

Sub teaches a range of subjects spanning physical and analytical chemistry. With particular expertise in smart materials and biosensors, Sub has led collaborative research projects and teams with funding from EPSRC, The Wellcome Trust, The Leverhulme Trust, The Royal Society and ...
Future careers
MSc by Research degrees represent an ideal combination of timescale and topic. You choose what to do, and our experienced researchers help you do it effectively. You don’t have to commit 4 years, as for a PhD (though an MSc by Research can be a great route if you plan to subsequently enter PhD research). Where a PhD typically completes 3-4 projects for their thesis, you will complete 1. You’ll gain all of the benefit that is relevant for employment outside academia.
Students with Master’s degrees earn more: it’s just a fact (HEPI, 2020). Students with MSc by Research degrees learn how to take ownership of a task and make it work. This is the single attribute that each and every employer values most highly in their employees.
You will learn how to draw on all your own and your supervisor’s experience and contacts to solve any particular problem. You will learn how to communicate effectively and at an appropriate level. You’ll hone your IT and writing skills.
As this is a research degree, there are no formal teaching sessions on this programme. However, you’ll undertake a range of training courses which will contribute to your personal development and enhance your research skills.
With a strong tradition in experimental research, the School owns a wide range of equipment which you’ll utilise to carry out your own independent and collaborative research which will contribute towards the advancement of knowledge in the Natural Sciences. This includes our Analytical Suite of advanced spectroscopy and microscopy facilities, the Maudland Nanophysics Laboratory, with atomic resolution microscopes, our Magnetic Materials laboratory, the High Performance Computing cluster, the Alston Observatory and various other specialized facilities.
The individually tailored programme of further study and guided reading you undertake alongside research training within the School will equip you with the skills to develop and complete your programme of research. This is supplemented by a centralised training and support programme from within our Graduate Research Office.
You’ll have the option of undertaking collaborative work within the School or working as part of a multi-disciplinary group across the wider University. As you progress through the course, you’ll have regular meetings with the Director of Studies and other members of the supervisory team alongside annual monitoring from our Research Degrees Tutors to ensure that you’re supported every step of the way.
This course is based in the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information
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