Sonia Brignell
Assembling Dendritic Molecules

PhD Project Overview

My PhD involved the synthesis of L-lysine based dendrimers with crown-ethers at the core and investigation of their host-guest properties. In particular we have been interested in the binding and release of active species, such as dopamine. Future work is to modify the surface functionality of these dendrons. Some of these systems self-assemble into gel-phase materials, and the potential of these to act as responsive and switchable systems is currently being explored. After two years of research I have decided that chemical research is not a career that I wish to follow in the long term. I am therefore writing up my results in the form of an MPhil. I am then planning to retrain for work in the financial industry.

I succesfully copmpleted my MPhil in May 2006

During my PhD I was pleased to present my work at the International Dendrimer Symposium in Michigan - USA.