Neil Champness

Computational discovery of novel oxide-based X-ray detectors at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Computational discovery of novel oxide-based X-ray detectors at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com

PLEASE REPOST: We have a 4-year, fully funded PhD studentship focussed on using computational chemistry to find new and improved oxides for X-ray detection, to start in October 2025. findaphd.com/phds/project.... This is open only to UK nationals.

Honored to receive the #RSCPrizes Corday-Morgan Mid-Career Prize for Chemistry. Credit has to go to the hard work and creativity of many outstanding researchers over 10 years at 3 institutions (@qmul.bsky.social, @unisouthampton.bsky.social, @unibirmingham.bsky.social). Short🧵

Inter- and Intramolecular On-Surface Synthesis of Porphyrin-Based Nanostructures on Au(111) and Cu(111) Surface-confined synthesis provides alternative reaction pathways to those utilized within solution-phase chemistry and offers a route to extended molecular architectures with nanoscale dimensions and fascinating magnetic, electronic, and catalytic properties. However, these reaction pathways can be complex multistep processes, containing multiple reactive intermediates. Optimizing the selectivity and efficiency of such synthetic routes should be underpinned by detailed mechanistic insight, which requires submolecular spatial resolution in combination with details of chemical evolution throughout the reaction process. A key challenge is the application of an experimental methodology that allows in-depth study of multistep reactions. Here, we combine the spatial resolution of scanning tunneling microscopy with temperature-programmed photoelectron spectroscopies and present a comprehensive characterization of a multistep on-surface reaction utilizing a brominated porphyrin species. The porphyrin species employed is a highly functionalizable “molecular building block” from which nanostructured materials can be built, and within this work we identify key differences between the reaction on Cu(111) and Au(111). Intermolecular Ullmann-type coupling as well as intramolecular ring-closing and self-metalation are observed: specifically, on Au(111) we characterize self-metalation within covalently coupled assemblies of ring-closed TPP. Our results highlight the differing reactivity of Au(111) and Cu(111) and the strong influence of the substrate upon the reaction pathway and preferred products, and we provide spectroscopic and topographical characterization for all reaction steps.

Nice to see this collaboration with Ellie Frampton and Alex Saywell published. A few years in the making with beautiful images from the team.

Research Fellow (Post doctoral) at University of Birmingham An opportunity for an academic position as a Research Fellow (Post doctoral) is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.

New postdoc position in #interdisciplinary project with biological studies /synthesis of metal-modifield nanoparticles for head-neck cancer with @Nik Hodges and @hannongroup.bsky.social www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNJ141/r...

Great postdoc opportunity at the chemistry-biology interface working with our team and those of Nik Hodges and @pikramenougroup.bsky.social
on metallo-drug nanoparticles against cancer. Come and join us in Birmingham and do some exciting interdisciplinary research!

Calling all coordination chemists! ICCC 2026 (Denmark /Sweden) - in Odense next year. Propose sessions on your favourite topics NOW... but be quick! iccc2026.com Great planning meeting last week... Lots to look forward to… See you there!

MOF electrocatalysts in CO2 conversion: critical analysis of research trends, challenges and prospects Achieving sustainable energy and a clean environment is a strong driving force behind the exploration of the electrocatalytic potential of MOFs for CO2 conversion. The growing interest in the application...

👉 Don't miss the review by Paul Anderson et al. from University of Birmingham

🔓 MOF #electrocatalysts in CO2 conversion: critical analysis of research trends, challenges and prospects
#Openaccess #MCF_review

Awesome #ismsc2025 lecture from my @uobchemistry.bsky.social colleague @lewischemistry.bsky.social on controlling the formation of low symmetry cages by understanding subtle interactions. Beautiful science presented using beautiful slides (as ever)!

We are excited to announce our line-up of plenary speakers for the 8th UKPorMat conference www.ukpormat.com to be held at @unibirmingham.bsky.social Professor Neil McKeown from the University of Edinburgh @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social @edinburghchem.bsky.social neilmckeownedinburgh.wordpress.com

Welcome to our new Fellows 2025: solving the challenges we face - The Learned Society of Wales The 56 new Fellows and 4 Honorary Fellows announced by the Learned Society of Wales show how Wales has answers to many of the most pressing questions we face today. Our new Fellows are drawn from acad...

The 56 new Fellows and 4 Honorary Fellows announced by the Learned Society of Wales show how Wales has answers to many of the most pressing questions we face today.

www.learnedsociety.wales/welcome-to-o...

A beautiful day in Worcestershire.

A lanthanide MOF with nanostructured node disorder Nature Communications - The synthesis and structural characterization of a metal-organic framework, UoB-100(Dy), reveals a complex nanodomain structure in which strong correlations between...

Brilliant to see this paper out in @naturecomms.bsky.social. Fantastic work from our co-authors including (but not limited to) Emily Meekel, Johny Bulled and @stecanossa.bsky.social. Understanding correlated disorder in Ln-based MOFs whilst collaborating across 5 countries.

We are immensely proud to see our instruments contribute to such wonderful research. Congratulations to the authors!

Research Fellow in Organic Synthesis at University of Birmingham Apply for the Research Fellow in Organic Synthesis role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details and apply now.

We have a short-term PDRA position available to start almost immediately and to complete by the end of sept 2025 - get in touch if you are interested www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DMN029/r...

Remember those patterns? Our article is finally out on @naturecomms.bsky.social and you can read what disordered marvels caused them! Thanks to @nchampness.bsky.social @ellamschmidt.bsky.social & all the great scientists I joined in this journey 🎆
#MOF #crystallography #totalscattering #3DdeltaPDF

#chemsky @uobchemistry.bsky.social

A lanthanide MOF with nanostructured node disorder Nature Communications - The synthesis and structural characterization of a metal-organic framework, UoB-100(Dy), reveals a complex nanodomain structure in which strong correlations between...

Brilliant to see this paper out in @naturecomms.bsky.social. Fantastic work from our co-authors including (but not limited to) Emily Meekel, Johny Bulled and @stecanossa.bsky.social. Understanding correlated disorder in Ln-based MOFs whilst collaborating across 5 countries.

Next in the lead-up to the UKPorMat conference is the poster abstract deadline.

We've already had a bunch of great abstracts submitted, so don't wait to get yours in!

#Chemsky

Scalable and precise synthesis of polymer nanoparticles - Nature Synthesis A platform for the rapid and high-throughput preparation of polymer nanoparticles from polymers in flow is developed, allowing for the scalable synthesis of precision polymer nanoparticles.

Now online:

News & Views on the Article by Andrew Dove, Rachel O’ Reilly & co-workers

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Scalable and precise synthesis of polymer nanoparticles by Chun Feng from East China University of Science and Technology

www.nature.com/articles/s44... ($)
#ChemSky

More Exciting news - We now have confirmed our list of Invited Speakers for the 8th Annual UK Porous Materials Conference (UKPorMat) in Birmingham 3-4 June. Oral abstracts deadline is now 21st March (this Friday!).

More information:
www.ukpormat.com

Come and join us in Birmingham on the 3rd and 4th June for this years UK Porous Materials Conference. The list of invited speakers is fantastic! #chemsky @uobchemistry.bsky.social

Congrats to lead author @anabecaballero.bsky.social on our new paper about Folate receptor-targeted gold nanoparticles bearing a DNA-binding anthraquinone, just published at www.mdpi.com/2304-6740/13/3/87

An enzyme overexpressed in cancer cells, transforms an inert large supramolecular complex into a DNA Junction Binder! With NAND logic control, and a fascinating role for entropy in controlling binding, read it at doi.org/10.1002/anie.202503683 @uobchemistry.bsky.social

This year's Annual UK Porous Materials conference is on June 3/4 at @uobchemistry.bsky.social in Birmingham - registration and abstract submission are open and it's going to be great!

More details here:

www.ukpormat.com
#ChemSky

Also, there is a PhD position open in my group. #chemsky

Research Fellow in Systems Chemistry at University of Birmingham Discover an exciting academic career path as a Research Fellow in Systems Chemistry at jobs.ac.uk. Don't miss out on this job opportunity - apply today!

🚨 #Postdoc opportunity in Systems Chemistry!🚨
Please Share!
Interested in creating new decision-making materials based on electrochemically programmable protein networks?
Then join my group!

2-year Postdoc supported by #ERC @erc.europa.eu at
@uobchemistry.bsky.social

#chemsky See link for more:

On the physical processes of mechanochemically induced transformations in molecular solids Initiating or sustaining physical and chemical transformations with mechanical force – mechanochemistry – provides an opportunity for more sustainable chemical processes, and access to new chemical…

Check out this Feature Article on the physical processes of mechanochemically induced transformations in molecular solids by @amichalchuk.bsky.social at @unibirmingham.bsky.social

#OpenAccess 🔓

Chemists amid coronavirus five years on: Anya Gryn’ova A computational chemist has moved from being group leader at a German research institute to an associate computational chemistry prof in the UK

Covid-19 disrupted most chemistry research significantly, but not so much with @grynova.bsky.social's group. Their work with theoretical chemistry could be done remotely on supercomputers, but even they noticed a surge in productivity and creativity when they returned to in-person.

Flyer for Symposium 12 at the XL Biennial Meeting of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry. Invited speakers: Andrew Goodwin (University of Oxford), Nathalie Katsonis (University of Groningen), and Neil R. Champness (University of Birmingham).

Join us for Symposium S12: Molecular Architectures and Material Innovations at RSEQ Biennial Meeting in Bilbao!
🔬 Explore structural insights into reactivity & chemical properties with top speakers.
🗓️ Don’t miss it! #BQB2025
@ge3c-rseqf.bsky.social
@geen-rseq.bsky.social

Chemistry PhD opportunities - Postgraduate Research Degrees School of Chemistry at The University of Birmingham PhD opportunities and postgraduate research degrees

🧪Come join us for a PhD making and studying functional molecular capsules! We have a fully funded position (UK home fees eligible only) available in the group to start in September 2025 (start date is flexible). Links 👇
www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/chem...
www.findaphd.com/phds/project... #chemsky