About WestCHEM
WestCHEM has been formed as part of the ScotCHEM initiative on pooling of Chemistry in Scotland.
The School brings together the strengths of the two major chemistry research schools in the West of Scotland, to offer an outstanding research environment in a large, diverse and expanding chemistry research school.
WestCHEM incorporates research in all areas of modern chemistry, including:
- Functional Materials Chemistry
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Organic and Inorganic Synthesis
- Structural Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biological Chemistry
- Chemical Proteomics
- Heterogeneous Catalysis
The campuses of the partner institutions in WestCHEM are both situated within the City of Glasgow - a few minutes apart and linked by efficient local transport networks.
WestCHEM is managed by a Directorate led by Professor Chick Wilson and Professor Duncan Graham.
WestCHEM Research
Our research is grouped in four general themes: Synthetic and Biological Chemistry; Materials Chemistry; Theory, Structure and Spectroscopy; and Analytical Chemistry
Synthetic and Biological Chemistry
Coverage: organometallic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, synthesis, synthetic methodology and mechanism, biophysical chemistry. Extensive connections with the Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences (Glasgow) and the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS).
Materials Chemistry (Synthesis, Characterisation and Evaluation)
Coverage: synthetic inorganic materials chemistry, complemented by substantial characterisation facilities, targeted on development of functional materials. Key research strengths on both campuses link strongly to Electrical Engineering at GU and Chemical Engineering at SU, to the Institute of Photonics and Physics Department at SU and the Physics & Astronomy Department at GU.
Theory, Structure & Spectroscopy
Coverage: structural chemistry, structural biology, Raman and Raman Optical Activity spectroscopy, NMR, theory and modelling, major programmes in technique development. Key research strengths link to wide collaborations in academia and at central facilities. BBSRC Membrane Protein Structure Initiative. Substantial equipment suites in X-ray diffraction, solution and solid-state NMR.
Analytical Chemistry
Coverage: nanometrology, forensic analysis, analytical techniques, environmental chemistry. Centre for Molecular Nanometrology (CMN), Centre for Forensic Science, leadership of the CPACT consortium, application of analytical techniques in environmental chemistry.
Cross-cutting themes and more specific areas of excellence exist across WestCHEM and are either shared across the School or focused in individual groups, acting as focus for strongly collaborative and interdisciplinary research efforts.
WestCHEM Science Committee
The WestCHEM Science Committee coordinates WestCHEM research direction, including the planning joint activities across both campuses, identifying likely topics for major joint proposals, and organising flourishing joint colloquia programmes, joint postgraduate lecture schedules and very successful Research Days.
Outward-looking collaborations are also strongly part of the WestCHEM ethos, for example with other colleagues in chemistry, physicists, life scientists, engineers, clinicians and many others.
Further Links
Further links and facilities are also available throughout the Chemistry community in Scotland via the ScotCHEM arrangement.
In addition, there is active collaboration with biological and pharmaceutical scientists through PharmaLinks.
Many aspects of drug research are approached through multidisciplinary collaborations.
