A huge congratulations to Ethan Ling for completing is Masters in Chemistry! Ethan’s dissertation/research project focused on click chemistry optimisation on peptides. We wish Ethan all the best in the next stages of his career, and we’re delighted that he was a part of the Kawamura Research Group.
A special thanks to Tim Bell for using his artistic flair and creative skills to develop a new logo for the Kawamura Research Group! Capturing the essence of our research in molecular science and chemical biology, the new design has been well received by our group’s supporters.
Written by Rob Dawber: Here at Newcastle University, we believe in the power of community and collaboration, not just in our research labs but also in our efforts to make a difference in the wider world. With this spirit in mind, a group of enthusiastic researchers working within the university’s Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology Groups recently organized a cake sale to raise funds for Cancer Research UK – an organisation that funds much of our own research! We are thrilled to announce that our efforts were a smashing success, raising over £500 in a matter of hours! A Sweet Initiative for a Serious Cause In the UK alone there… Read More »Cake Sale Success: NU Researchers Raise Funds for CRUK
Written by Siddique Amin: Last weekend, the Newcastle University chemistry department set up shop at the Beamish Museum for a two-day outreach event of all things chemistry. The event was a chance for families visiting the museum to delve into the fascinating world of chemistry research. Leading the charge were some enthusiastic volunteers from the chemistry department, including Kawamura Group researchers Siddique, Tom, and Emma. Throughout the weekend, the volunteers showcased the diversity of chemistry research performed at Newcastle University through a range of interactive experiments. Visitors got to witness the wonders of spectroscopy, learn about the power of solar cells, explore the science behind sugars, and get a glimpse… Read More »Showcasing Chemistry at Beamish Hall
Friday 8th March 2024 marked International Women’s Day, which is a time to celebrate the contributions of women in various fields, including scientific research and chemical biology. Female scientists have been led ground-breaking research, contributing to our understanding of complex biological systems and the development of innovative medical treatments and drug discovery. International Women’s Day also reinforces the importance of supporting and encouraging women in science to ensure a diverse and inclusive future for all scientific endeavours. Emma Wadworth (PhD Student): “To any young women, from any background, thinking of a career in science, definitely push yourself! Working towards new scientific discoveries is a challenging and rewarding experience.” … Read More »International Women’s Day 2024
In 2023, members of the Kawamura Group worked closely with The Big Picture People to produce a simple video explaining what chemical biology is and a flavour of the research undertaken at Newcastle University. This project was funded by the Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust, to help communicate to a wider audience about the field of chemical biology. In early 2024, Newcastle University staff and students dropped-in to our informal event to watch the video and meet the members of the Chemical Biology Department. As well as highlighting the team’s collection of scientific posters, attendees participated in a hands-on experiment using methylated spirit and fruit, to extract cells containing DNA, with… Read More »What is Chemical Biology?
We were delighted when Tom Smith’s artwork was chosen for the front cover of the RSC’s Chemical Biology journal in January 2024! About the artwork: “When deciding how best to summarise the work from our paper into some art we were thinking about the themes of developing cyclic peptide hits using experimental vs bioinformatic guided data. It just so happens that at the end of 2023, Newcastle University’s Glassblowing team ran a series of festive glassblowing workshops to raise funds for Newcastle Hospital Charity. There we encountered some incredible glass designs, including a hand made from glass, by our talented glass blower Robyn Hare (Newcastle University Research Facilities). We thought… Read More »Tom’s Artwork Featured on RSC Chem Bio’s Cover
The Kawamura Group and McAllister Lab celebrated the end of successful year of chemical biology research within Newcastle University! The 2023 Winter Symposium, organised by Emma Wadworth, Tom Smith and Tim Bell, took place at the end of December. Research presentations from all team members were followed by fun activities including a festive team quiz and a Secret Santa. The teams enjoyed a festive lunch at Pleased to Meet You, before some braver participants went on to karaoke. 2023 was a great year for the Chemical Biology teams which saw many achievements: New lab facilities set-up in the Bedson Building; Six new team members and three summer studentships; Collaborative research… Read More »ChemBio Winter Symposium 2023
In November 2023, Oli Curry – a PhD student – returned from maternity leave. Oli will be continuing her research into chemical probes for Targeted Protein Stabilisation (TPS), and the team are excited to have Oli return as a new mum. Oli: “It’s unbelievable I spent a big chunk of this year changing nappies and breastfeeding – maternity leave was a special time in my life, but it’s time to do some cool science again!”
In October 2023, Siddique Amin attended the ELRIG UK Drug Discovery conference in Liverpool, and presented his poster on Cell-Permeable Cyclic Peptide Library Generation for Target-Based Screening.