News: Honours projects - Chemistry
Deciphering the catalytic potential & the electron transfer pathways of microorganisms
![Electron transfer pathways](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2019-05/bell-electron-transfer-pathways-2.png?h=b3a32e4e&itok=_eCbBz59)
Honours project: Study new enzymes and the associated ferredoxins from bacteria found in interesting environments (or genes from metagenomes) or which carry out novel reactions.
Synthesis using Nature’s catalysts; enzymes
![Stephen Bell Biocatalyst 2](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2019-05/stephen-ball-biocatalysis2.png?h=4bf7da95&itok=pv-5gDNK)
Honours project: Projects in this area involve the isolation and study new enzymes from bacteria of interest or taking existing enzymes and adapting them for chemical synthesis.
[Read more about Synthesis using Nature’s catalysts; enzymes]
Understanding the mechanism of enzyme catalysed reactions of importance in drug metabolism
![Stephen Bell - Mechanism of enzyme catalysed reactions of importance in drug metabolism](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2019-05/stephen-bell-mechanism-enzyme1.png?h=d69a50e9&itok=JJReL70d)
Honours project: Learn about the mechanism by which the major family of enzymes involved in drug metabolism catalyse oxidative transformations.
Improving food safety using plasma sterilisation
![Improving food safety using plasma sterilisation](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2019-09/coad-honours-plasma.jpg?h=7e824dc5&itok=zBX2Hj8G)
Honours project: Investigate the use of a high energy form of matter (plasma) to improve food safety.
[Read more about Improving food safety using plasma sterilisation]
Using metal-organic frameworks to understand catalysis
![Chris Sumby Catalysis Figure](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2019-04/catalysis-figure.jpg?h=6db1c67f&itok=adfWKZyJ)
Honours project: Insights into industrial catalysis and x-ray crystallography in metal-organic frameworks.
[Read more about Using metal-organic frameworks to understand catalysis]
Catalytic activity of metal clusters on surfaces
![Figure shows the HR-TEM image of the Au9 cluster deposited on a titania nanosheet. Scale bar is 0.5 nm](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2019-05/metha-au9.png?h=e7b6955a&itok=wVbti4dw)
Honours project: Develop techniques to determine the geometric and electronic structure of size-specific clusters (e.g. Au9) deposited onto semiconductors surfaces (e.g. TiO2) and test their performance for photocatalytic water-spitting (H2 production) and CO2 reduction (hydrocarbon formation).
[Read more about Catalytic activity of metal clusters on surfaces]
Linking supramolecular cages into functional nanomaterials
![Witold Bloch supramolecular cages](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2019-05/network-supramolecular-cages.png?h=f301c2dd&itok=BZ3eawV6)
Honours project: Explore the use of metal-organic cages as building blocks for the synthesis of advanced porous networks.
[Read more about Linking supramolecular cages into functional nanomaterials]
New Metal-organic frameworks for Biomacromolecule Protection
Honours project: Investigate new metal-organic frameworks for biomacromolecule encapsulation and protection
[Read more about New Metal-organic frameworks for Biomacromolecule Protection]