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Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2025 Apr 7:e202505405. doi: 10.1002/anie.202505405. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Developing photocatalysts that can efficiently utilize the full solar spectrum is a crucial step toward transforming sustainable energy solutions. Due to their light absorption limitations, most photo-responsive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are constrained to the ultraviolet (UV) and blue light regions. Expanding their absorp-tion to encompass the entire solar spectrum would unlock their full potential, greatly enhancing efficiency and applicability. Here, we report the design and synthesis of a series of highly stable boron-dipyrromethene (bodipy) based MOFs (BMOFs) by reacting dicar-boxyl-functionalized bodipy ligands with Zr-oxo clusters. Leveraging the acidity of the methyl groups on the bodipy backbone, we ex-panded the conjugation system through a solid-state condensation reaction with various aldehydes, achieving full-color absorption, thereby extending the band edge into the near-infrared (NIR) and infrared (IR) regions. These BMOFs demonstrated exceptional reac-tivity and recyclability in heterogeneous photocatalytic activities, including C-H bond activation of saturated aza-heterocycles and C-N bond cleavage of N,N-dimethylanilines to produce amides under visible light. Our findings highlight the transformative potential of BMOFs in photocatalysis, marking a significant leap forward in the design of advanced photocatalytic materials with tunable prop-erties.

PMID:40192658 | DOI:10.1002/anie.202505405

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology is seeking a Laboratory Assistant to join our Lab Team. Reporting to the Laboratory Manager (Bio), this role is essential in supporting our research activities by providing a glasswashing service, ensuring laboratories are well-stocked with clean glassware and consumables, and assisting with laboratory waste management and sterilisation processes.

Key Responsibilities:

¿ Collect, clean, and sterilise laboratory glassware and reusable items, ensuring proper procedures are followed.

¿ Maintain and operate laboratory glasswashing machines.

¿ Assist in the preparation of goods for autoclave sterilisation, including racking pipette tips, wrapping culture flasks and redistributing sterile items.

¿ Support the clean room, CL1, CL2 laboratories and cold rooms with maintenance tasks. ¿ Assist with laboratory waste management, including the collection, segregation, and disposal of general, biological and chemical waste.

¿ Assist with the collection, sorting, laundering and redistribution of laboratory coats.

¿ Assist with handling of mobile cryogenic vessels and gas cylinders, including filling, monitoring stock levels and ensuring safe distribution.

¿ Provide general laboratory support, including media provision, ordering consumables, checking stock levels and ensuring laboratory areas remain clean and well-organised.

¿ Support the teaching team by preparing materials and equipment for practical classes.

¿ Support the technical team with chemical and biological shipments.

Essential Skills and Qualifications:

¿ Educated to GCSE/NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent practical experience).

¿ Experience working in a laboratory environment or similar setting where handling glassware, chemicals and sterilisation procedures was required.

¿ Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage routine tasks efficiently.

¿ A clear understanding of laboratory safety protocols, including handling biohazardous waste and chemical substances.

¿ Good communication and interpersonal skills, able to liaise effectively with researchers and technical staff.

¿ Physically able to lift and carry laboratory materials, work with cleaning and sterilisation equipment and move between different lab areas.

Desirable: ¿ Experience using autoclaves, glasswashing machines and cryogenic storage equipment.

¿ Familiarity with basic stock management and ordering consumables through purchasing systems.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing dates 27th of April 2025.

Please quote reference NQ45597 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology is seeking a Laboratory Assistant to join our Lab Team. Reporting to the Laboratory Manager (Bio), this role is essential in supporting our research activities by providing a glasswashing service, ensuring laboratories are well-stocked with clean glassware and consumables, and assisting with laboratory waste management and sterilisation processes.

Key Responsibilities:

¿ Collect, clean, and sterilise laboratory glassware and reusable items, ensuring proper procedures are followed.

¿ Maintain and operate laboratory glasswashing machines.

¿ Assist in the preparation of goods for autoclave sterilisation, including racking pipette tips, wrapping culture flasks and redistributing sterile items.

¿ Support the clean room, CL1, CL2 laboratories and cold rooms with maintenance tasks. ¿ Assist with laboratory waste management, including the collection, segregation, and disposal of general, biological and chemical waste.

¿ Assist with the collection, sorting, laundering and redistribution of laboratory coats.

¿ Assist with handling of mobile cryogenic vessels and gas cylinders, including filling, monitoring stock levels and ensuring safe distribution.

¿ Provide general laboratory support, including media provision, ordering consumables, checking stock levels and ensuring laboratory areas remain clean and well-organised.

¿ Support the teaching team by preparing materials and equipment for practical classes.

¿ Support the technical team with chemical and biological shipments.

Essential Skills and Qualifications:

¿ Educated to GCSE/NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent practical experience).

¿ Experience working in a laboratory environment or similar setting where handling glassware, chemicals and sterilisation procedures was required.

¿ Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage routine tasks efficiently.

¿ A clear understanding of laboratory safety protocols, including handling biohazardous waste and chemical substances.

¿ Good communication and interpersonal skills, able to liaise effectively with researchers and technical staff.

¿ Physically able to lift and carry laboratory materials, work with cleaning and sterilisation equipment and move between different lab areas.

Desirable: ¿ Experience using autoclaves, glasswashing machines and cryogenic storage equipment.

¿ Familiarity with basic stock management and ordering consumables through purchasing systems.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing dates 27th of April 2025.

Please quote reference NQ45597 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology is seeking a Laboratory Assistant to join our Lab Team. Reporting to the Laboratory Manager (Bio), this role is essential in supporting our research activities by providing a glasswashing service, ensuring laboratories are well-stocked with clean glassware and consumables, and assisting with laboratory waste management and sterilisation processes.

Key Responsibilities:

¿ Collect, clean, and sterilise laboratory glassware and reusable items, ensuring proper procedures are followed.

¿ Maintain and operate laboratory glasswashing machines.

¿ Assist in the preparation of goods for autoclave sterilisation, including racking pipette tips, wrapping culture flasks and redistributing sterile items.

¿ Support the clean room, CL1, CL2 laboratories and cold rooms with maintenance tasks. ¿ Assist with laboratory waste management, including the collection, segregation, and disposal of general, biological and chemical waste.

¿ Assist with the collection, sorting, laundering and redistribution of laboratory coats.

¿ Assist with handling of mobile cryogenic vessels and gas cylinders, including filling, monitoring stock levels and ensuring safe distribution.

¿ Provide general laboratory support, including media provision, ordering consumables, checking stock levels and ensuring laboratory areas remain clean and well-organised.

¿ Support the teaching team by preparing materials and equipment for practical classes.

¿ Support the technical team with chemical and biological shipments.

Essential Skills and Qualifications:

¿ Educated to GCSE/NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent practical experience).

¿ Experience working in a laboratory environment or similar setting where handling glassware, chemicals and sterilisation procedures was required.

¿ Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage routine tasks efficiently.

¿ A clear understanding of laboratory safety protocols, including handling biohazardous waste and chemical substances.

¿ Good communication and interpersonal skills, able to liaise effectively with researchers and technical staff.

¿ Physically able to lift and carry laboratory materials, work with cleaning and sterilisation equipment and move between different lab areas.

Desirable: ¿ Experience using autoclaves, glasswashing machines and cryogenic storage equipment.

¿ Familiarity with basic stock management and ordering consumables through purchasing systems.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing dates 27th of April 2025.

Please quote reference NQ45597 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A position is open for a PA/Secretary to support Prof. Róisín Owens and the Bioelectronic Systems Technology Group (https://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/research/groups/best) based in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology.

The group's research focuses on the development of organ on chip models with integrated electronic devices. A particular interest is the effect of the microbiome on the gut-brain-axis. The group is led by Prof. Owens and consists of 10 -15 researchers, including post-doctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students and visiting researchers with a variety of backgrounds. This is an inclusive and diverse group driving a number of active outreach and widening participation activities.

The successful candidate will have HND, HNC, level 4/5 vocational qualification or equivalent level of practical experience. Previous PA/assistant experience will be advantageous. You will be responsible for diary management, e-mails, extensive travel arrangements, group events (e.g. seminars, group meetings, focus meetings, project meetings, social events), note taking at meetings and planning action items resulting from meetings. Finance administration will be an important part of the job. This involves keeping an overview of research grant spending, doing ordering and preparing draft budgets for research grants.

An additional duty will be maintaining the health and safety documents for the research group, ensuring they are kept up to date, and alerting group members when they need to be updated or reviewed. Management of our webpage and social media will also be under your responsibility. You must be able to prioritise work and work well under pressure, meeting tight deadlines.

You should be highly competent in Microsoft, with excellent command of Excel spreadsheets, Teams, Word etc. The use of project management software is a plus. Excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

More information about the role is available in the Further Particulars attached.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.

This role is part-time (50% FTE) and we welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for flexible working arrangements.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

If you have questions on the application process, please email Mrs Alessandra Uomo, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Closing date for applications is 13th April 2025.

Interviews are likely to be held soon after the closing date.

Please quote reference NQ45452 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A position is open for a PA/Secretary to support Prof. Róisín Owens and the Bioelectronic Systems Technology Group (https://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/research/groups/best) based in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology.

The group's research focuses on the development of organ on chip models with integrated electronic devices. A particular interest is the effect of the microbiome on the gut-brain-axis. The group is led by Prof. Owens and consists of 10 -15 researchers, including post-doctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students and visiting researchers with a variety of backgrounds. This is an inclusive and diverse group driving a number of active outreach and widening participation activities.

The successful candidate will have HND, HNC, level 4/5 vocational qualification or equivalent level of practical experience. Previous PA/assistant experience will be advantageous. You will be responsible for diary management, e-mails, extensive travel arrangements, group events (e.g. seminars, group meetings, focus meetings, project meetings, social events), note taking at meetings and planning action items resulting from meetings. Finance administration will be an important part of the job. This involves keeping an overview of research grant spending, doing ordering and preparing draft budgets for research grants.

An additional duty will be maintaining the health and safety documents for the research group, ensuring they are kept up to date, and alerting group members when they need to be updated or reviewed. Management of our webpage and social media will also be under your responsibility. You must be able to prioritise work and work well under pressure, meeting tight deadlines.

You should be highly competent in Microsoft, with excellent command of Excel spreadsheets, Teams, Word etc. The use of project management software is a plus. Excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

More information about the role is available in the Further Particulars attached.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.

This role is part-time (50% FTE) and we welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for flexible working arrangements.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

If you have questions on the application process, please email Mrs Alessandra Uomo, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Closing date for applications is 13th April 2025.

Interviews are likely to be held soon after the closing date.

Please quote reference NQ45452 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A position is open for a PA/Secretary to support Prof. Róisín Owens and the Bioelectronic Systems Technology Group (https://www.ceb.cam.ac.uk/research/groups/best) based in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology.

The group's research focuses on the development of organ on chip models with integrated electronic devices. A particular interest is the effect of the microbiome on the gut-brain-axis. The group is led by Prof. Owens and consists of 10 -15 researchers, including post-doctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students and visiting researchers with a variety of backgrounds. This is an inclusive and diverse group driving a number of active outreach and widening participation activities.

The successful candidate will have HND, HNC, level 4/5 vocational qualification or equivalent level of practical experience. Previous PA/assistant experience will be advantageous. You will be responsible for diary management, e-mails, extensive travel arrangements, group events (e.g. seminars, group meetings, focus meetings, project meetings, social events), note taking at meetings and planning action items resulting from meetings. Finance administration will be an important part of the job. This involves keeping an overview of research grant spending, doing ordering and preparing draft budgets for research grants.

An additional duty will be maintaining the health and safety documents for the research group, ensuring they are kept up to date, and alerting group members when they need to be updated or reviewed. Management of our webpage and social media will also be under your responsibility. You must be able to prioritise work and work well under pressure, meeting tight deadlines.

You should be highly competent in Microsoft, with excellent command of Excel spreadsheets, Teams, Word etc. The use of project management software is a plus. Excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

More information about the role is available in the Further Particulars attached.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.

This role is part-time (50% FTE) and we welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for flexible working arrangements.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

If you have questions on the application process, please email Mrs Alessandra Uomo, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Closing date for applications is 13th April 2025.

Interviews are likely to be held soon after the closing date.

Please quote reference NQ45452 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded PhD at the University of Cambridge, under the supervision of Professor Alex Routh is available. It is in collaboration with a Dynamic Smart Glass manufacturer. Dynamic Smart Glass windows become opaque or clear in response to an external trigger. Example uses can be temperature modulation in cars through to maintaining a pleasant environment in a house.

To optimize the operation of such systems, we will examine the dynamics of colloidal particles in an applied electric field. The aim is to understand the resulting particle motion and accumulation under the electrodes. The project will be a combination of experimental rig design, construction and measurement as well as mathematical modelling. The exact balance of the project will be determined by the student's interests.

This studentship is only available for applicants who qualify for Home Fees and meet our minimum entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

Suitable candidates will have a good undergraduate degree in either Chemistry, Physics, Applied Maths, Chemical Engineering or similar. Candidates should apply for admission for our PhD in Chemical Engineering via the above link and list Prof Alex Routh as the prospective supervisor and Vacancy Reference number NQ45098 in the research proposal field. For queries regarding the project, please contact Alex Routh (afr10@cam.ac.uk).

Please quote reference NQ45098 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded PhD at the University of Cambridge, under the supervision of Professor Alex Routh is available. It is in collaboration with a Dynamic Smart Glass manufacturer. Dynamic Smart Glass windows become opaque or clear in response to an external trigger. Example uses can be temperature modulation in cars through to maintaining a pleasant environment in a house.

To optimize the operation of such systems, we will examine the dynamics of colloidal particles in an applied electric field. The aim is to understand the resulting particle motion and accumulation under the electrodes. The project will be a combination of experimental rig design, construction and measurement as well as mathematical modelling. The exact balance of the project will be determined by the student's interests.

This studentship is only available for applicants who qualify for Home Fees and meet our minimum entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

Suitable candidates will have a good undergraduate degree in either Chemistry, Physics, Applied Maths, Chemical Engineering or similar. Candidates should apply for admission for our PhD in Chemical Engineering via the above link and list Prof Alex Routh as the prospective supervisor and Vacancy Reference number NQ45098 in the research proposal field. For queries regarding the project, please contact Alex Routh (afr10@cam.ac.uk).

Please quote reference NQ45098 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship is available to UK nationals and outstanding international students, with Professors Lynn Gladden, Mick Mantle and Andy Sederman, to start 1 October 2025.

Porous materials are central to the production of fuels, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, clean water and gas storage. Depending on the product required, the porous materials are known as catalysts, sorbents, membranes etc., but they all have common characteristics in that their performance is determined, to differing extents, by their chemical composition and the size (typically of nanometre to micron dimensions) of the pores that they contain.

Surprisingly, we still know relatively little about how molecules behave when confined within the pores of these materials, and yet it is clear that the chemical composition of the materials as well as their pore size have very significant effects on their performance. Pores are small, with curved surfaces and the macroscopic material is almost always optically opaque. The group in Cambridge has developed a wide range of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods to understand how molecular adsorption and mobility, and the phase behaviour of mixtures of molecular species changes when moving from the bulk phase to the confined 'world' of a nanometre to micron scale pore. Importantly the magnetic resonance methods can be performed at the operating conditions at which the porous materials will be used so that we learn how the materials are really 'working'.

This project will apply these techniques to at least 3 materials thereby demonstrating this approach in application to at least one catalyst (sustainable methanol production/ sustainable aviation fuel), one inorganic adsorbent (direct air capture) and an organic membrane (carbon capture and utilization; pharmaceutical production). These methods will then be translated on to low field NMR technology such that they can then be used widely as a routine part of material design in university and industrial R&D laboratories.

Applicants can only be considered for this studentship if they meet the Department's entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

To apply for these studentships, you will need to submit a formal application for our PhD in Chemical Engineering programme, which is available at the entry criteria page above. You will need to note Profs Lynn Gladden, Andy Sederman, and Mick Mantle as your prospective supervisor, and you will need to note vacancy reference number NQ45084 in the research proposal field. We are unable to consider late or incomplete applications.

Please quote reference NQ45084 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship is available to UK nationals and outstanding international students, with Professors Lynn Gladden, Mick Mantle and Andy Sederman, to start 1 October 2025.

Underground storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen will play an important role in the energy transition and the delivery of net zero because the storage can be done at scale. However, the demands of underground carbon dioxide (UCS) and underground hydrogen storage (UHS) are very different. In the case of UCS, we need to store large quantities of carbon dioxide for the long term, whilst UHS requires the temporary storage of hydrogen through the seasons such that it can be recovered for use as an energy vector when needed. UCS is, of course, much more widely studied than UHS.

The aim of this project is to understand the micro-scale physical and chemical processes occurring in rocks when carbon dioxide and hydrogen are injected into them. The scientific challenge here is that a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir, where gas storage would take place, is very different from a pure synthetically made porous material. In addition to chemical and structural differences of different rock types, the pores into which the carbon dioxide or hydrogen is injected contain varying levels of sea-water and residual hydrocarbon. This is a very complex system, but if not studied including this complexity it is unlikely that relevant insights will be obtained.

The project will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), just as you would in a medical application, to see inside the rock and investigate how carbon dioxide and hydrogen move and become immobile within the rock. How do they interact with the internal surface of the rock? Do emulsions form within the rock? Do any chemical interactions occur? How are these characteristics changed by the rate at which the gas is injected? How does the brine, gas, residual hydrocarbon system evolve over time? The images we will acquire will provide unique datasets against which to validate numerical codes developed by our collaborators. The ambition is to be able to optimise selection of storage sites and the methods of injection such that carbon dioxide and hydrogen gases can be stored and accessed safely and effectively.

Applicants can only be considered for this studentship if they meet the Department's entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

To apply for these studentships, you will need to submit a formal application for our PhD in Chemical Engineering programme, which is available at the entry criteria page above. You will need to note Profs Lynn Gladden, Andy Sederman, and Mick Mantle as your prospective supervisor, and you will need to note vacancy reference number NQ45087 in the research proposal field. We are unable to consider late or incomplete applications.

Please quote reference NQ45087 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship is available to UK nationals and outstanding international students, with Professors Lynn Gladden, Mick Mantle and Andy Sederman, to start 1 October 2025.

Porous materials are central to the production of fuels, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, clean water and gas storage. Depending on the product required, the porous materials are known as catalysts, sorbents, membranes etc., but they all have common characteristics in that their performance is determined, to differing extents, by their chemical composition and the size (typically of nanometre to micron dimensions) of the pores that they contain.

Surprisingly, we still know relatively little about how molecules behave when confined within the pores of these materials, and yet it is clear that the chemical composition of the materials as well as their pore size have very significant effects on their performance. Pores are small, with curved surfaces and the macroscopic material is almost always optically opaque. The group in Cambridge has developed a wide range of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods to understand how molecular adsorption and mobility, and the phase behaviour of mixtures of molecular species changes when moving from the bulk phase to the confined 'world' of a nanometre to micron scale pore. Importantly the magnetic resonance methods can be performed at the operating conditions at which the porous materials will be used so that we learn how the materials are really 'working'.

This project will apply these techniques to at least 3 materials thereby demonstrating this approach in application to at least one catalyst (sustainable methanol production/ sustainable aviation fuel), one inorganic adsorbent (direct air capture) and an organic membrane (carbon capture and utilization; pharmaceutical production). These methods will then be translated on to low field NMR technology such that they can then be used widely as a routine part of material design in university and industrial R&D laboratories.

Applicants can only be considered for this studentship if they meet the Department's entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

To apply for these studentships, you will need to submit a formal application for our PhD in Chemical Engineering programme, which is available at the entry criteria page above. You will need to note Profs Lynn Gladden, Andy Sederman, and Mick Mantle as your prospective supervisor, and you will need to note vacancy reference number NQ45084 in the research proposal field. We are unable to consider late or incomplete applications.

Please quote reference NQ45084 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship is available to UK nationals and outstanding international students, with Professors Lynn Gladden, Mick Mantle and Andy Sederman, to start 1 October 2025.

Underground storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen will play an important role in the energy transition and the delivery of net zero because the storage can be done at scale. However, the demands of underground carbon dioxide (UCS) and underground hydrogen storage (UHS) are very different. In the case of UCS, we need to store large quantities of carbon dioxide for the long term, whilst UHS requires the temporary storage of hydrogen through the seasons such that it can be recovered for use as an energy vector when needed. UCS is, of course, much more widely studied than UHS.

The aim of this project is to understand the micro-scale physical and chemical processes occurring in rocks when carbon dioxide and hydrogen are injected into them. The scientific challenge here is that a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir, where gas storage would take place, is very different from a pure synthetically made porous material. In addition to chemical and structural differences of different rock types, the pores into which the carbon dioxide or hydrogen is injected contain varying levels of sea-water and residual hydrocarbon. This is a very complex system, but if not studied including this complexity it is unlikely that relevant insights will be obtained.

The project will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), just as you would in a medical application, to see inside the rock and investigate how carbon dioxide and hydrogen move and become immobile within the rock. How do they interact with the internal surface of the rock? Do emulsions form within the rock? Do any chemical interactions occur? How are these characteristics changed by the rate at which the gas is injected? How does the brine, gas, residual hydrocarbon system evolve over time? The images we will acquire will provide unique datasets against which to validate numerical codes developed by our collaborators. The ambition is to be able to optimise selection of storage sites and the methods of injection such that carbon dioxide and hydrogen gases can be stored and accessed safely and effectively.

Applicants can only be considered for this studentship if they meet the Department's entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

To apply for these studentships, you will need to submit a formal application for our PhD in Chemical Engineering programme, which is available at the entry criteria page above. You will need to note Profs Lynn Gladden, Andy Sederman, and Mick Mantle as your prospective supervisor, and you will need to note vacancy reference number NQ45087 in the research proposal field. We are unable to consider late or incomplete applications.

Please quote reference NQ45087 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship is available to UK nationals and outstanding international students, with Professors Lynn Gladden, Mick Mantle and Andy Sederman, to start 1 October 2025.

The transition to net zero is driving a new phase in the development of innovative catalysts and processes because the reactants required for these 'net zero' processes come from new sources, and the products of the reaction are required with increasingly high specifications. This project addresses Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) which is considered, if adopted in an environmentally responsible way, to have the potential to cut the greenhouse gas emissions of the aviation sector by up to 80% compared with traditional jet fuels (World Economic Forum) and can also be used as an energy vector where high energy density is required.

Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalysis is one of the primary catalytic conversions used to produce SAF, using green hydrogen and biogenic or captured carbon dioxide. Magnetic resonance techniques are now sufficiently advanced that they can provide unique insights in to how a catalyst operates under reaction conditions. Whilst FT processes have existed for many years, the new feedstocks used in SAF as well as the new product specifications required mean that there is real need to re-design the catalysts and processes conditions to deliver carbon-neutral fuels and contribute to delivering net zero.

Our approach is to use new magnetic resonance methods developed in the group which allow us to understand how molecules move in and out of the catalyst, and how the reaction occurs inside the catalyst under reaction conditions, much like the way magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to study blood flow and the internal structure and behaviour of the human body. For applicants interested in learning and developing new skills in magnetic resonance imaging techniques applied to catalysis, there is much scope for building this interest into the project.

Applicants can only be considered for this studentship if they meet the Department's entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

To apply for these studentships, you will need to submit a formal application for our PhD in Chemical Engineering programme, which is available at the entry criteria page above. You will need to note Profs Lynn Gladden, Andy Sederman, and Mick Mantle as your prospective supervisor, and you will need to note vacancy reference number NQ45075 in the research proposal field. We are unable to consider late or incomplete applications.

Please quote reference NQ45075 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A fully funded 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship is available to UK nationals and outstanding international students, with Professors Lynn Gladden, Mick Mantle and Andy Sederman, to start 1 October 2025.

The transition to net zero is driving a new phase in the development of innovative catalysts and processes because the reactants required for these 'net zero' processes come from new sources, and the products of the reaction are required with increasingly high specifications. This project addresses Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) which is considered, if adopted in an environmentally responsible way, to have the potential to cut the greenhouse gas emissions of the aviation sector by up to 80% compared with traditional jet fuels (World Economic Forum) and can also be used as an energy vector where high energy density is required.

Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalysis is one of the primary catalytic conversions used to produce SAF, using green hydrogen and biogenic or captured carbon dioxide. Magnetic resonance techniques are now sufficiently advanced that they can provide unique insights in to how a catalyst operates under reaction conditions. Whilst FT processes have existed for many years, the new feedstocks used in SAF as well as the new product specifications required mean that there is real need to re-design the catalysts and processes conditions to deliver carbon-neutral fuels and contribute to delivering net zero.

Our approach is to use new magnetic resonance methods developed in the group which allow us to understand how molecules move in and out of the catalyst, and how the reaction occurs inside the catalyst under reaction conditions, much like the way magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to study blood flow and the internal structure and behaviour of the human body. For applicants interested in learning and developing new skills in magnetic resonance imaging techniques applied to catalysis, there is much scope for building this interest into the project.

Applicants can only be considered for this studentship if they meet the Department's entry criteria: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egcepdcng/requirements

To apply for these studentships, you will need to submit a formal application for our PhD in Chemical Engineering programme, which is available at the entry criteria page above. You will need to note Profs Lynn Gladden, Andy Sederman, and Mick Mantle as your prospective supervisor, and you will need to note vacancy reference number NQ45075 in the research proposal field. We are unable to consider late or incomplete applications.

Please quote reference NQ45075 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Adv Mater. 2025 Feb 2:e2412757. doi: 10.1002/adma.202412757. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Despite improvements in cancer survival rates, metastatic and surgery-resistant cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, remain challenging, with poor prognoses and limited treatment options. Enhancing drug bioavailability in tumors, while minimizing off-target effects, is crucial. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising drug delivery vehicles owing to their high loading capacity, biocompatibility, and functional tunability. However, the vast chemical diversity of MOFs complicates the rational design of biocompatible materials. This study employed machine learning and molecular simulations to identify MOFs suitable for encapsulating gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and SN-38, and identified PCN-222 as an optimal candidate. Following drug loading, MOF formulations are improved for colloidal stability and biocompatibility. In vitro studies on pancreatic cancer cell lines have shown high biocompatibility, cellular internalization, and delayed drug release. Long-term stability tests demonstrated a consistent performance over 12 months. In vivo studies in pancreatic tumor-bearing mice revealed that paclitaxel-loaded PCN-222, particularly with a hydrogel for local administration, significantly reduced metastatic spread and tumor growth compared to the free drug. These findings underscore the potential of PCN-222 as an effective drug delivery system for the treatment of hard-to-treat cancers.

PMID:39895194 | DOI:10.1002/adma.202412757

We are seeking an enthusiastic and independent Postdoctoral Research Associate to join our growing research in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge.

This position offers an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms underpinning genome assembly, viral replication, and evolution in RNA viruses with segmented genomes, with the ultimate goal of informing the development of antiviral strategies.

The successful candidate will participate in an exciting project funded by a Wellcome Discovery Award, which explores the roles of RNA structure, dynamics, and biomolecular condensates in viral life cycles.

Key Responsibilities will include:

1) Applying reverse genetics system to generate recombinant rotaviruses, and explore the functional consequences of mutations in key viral proteins that drive phase separation.

2) Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to integrate experimental data with computational approaches, including machine-learning tools, to investigate evolutionary conservation and phase separation phenomena.

3) Contribute to various research group activities, writing manuscripts, presenting at group meetings.

The PDRA is expected to carry out independent research on a day-to-day basis and develop new approaches under the guidance of an academic supervisor. In addition, cooperation with other lab members and assistance with the training of students within the research group is required.

Team work and clear communication are essential.

More information on the role is available on the Further Particulars attached.

Fixed-term: this is a short-term project with the funds for this post are available for 6 months in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing dates 13th of February 2025.

Please quote reference NQ44913 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and independent Postdoctoral Research Associate to join our growing research in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge.

This position offers an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms underpinning genome assembly, viral replication, and evolution in RNA viruses with segmented genomes, with the ultimate goal of informing the development of antiviral strategies.

The successful candidate will participate in an exciting project funded by a Wellcome Discovery Award, which explores the roles of RNA structure, dynamics, and biomolecular condensates in viral life cycles.

Key Responsibilities will include:

1) Applying reverse genetics system to generate recombinant rotaviruses, and explore the functional consequences of mutations in key viral proteins that drive phase separation.

2) Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to integrate experimental data with computational approaches, including machine-learning tools, to investigate evolutionary conservation and phase separation phenomena.

3) Contribute to various research group activities, writing manuscripts, presenting at group meetings.

The PDRA is expected to carry out independent research on a day-to-day basis and develop new approaches under the guidance of an academic supervisor. In addition, cooperation with other lab members and assistance with the training of students within the research group is required.

Team work and clear communication are essential.

More information on the role is available on the Further Particulars attached.

Fixed-term: this is a short-term project with the funds for this post are available for 6 months in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing dates 13th of February 2025.

Please quote reference NQ44913 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A position is open for a Postdoctoral Research Associate/Assistant as part of a recently established Sustainable Chemicals & Materials Manufacturing Hub (SCHEMA) funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences research council (EPSRC) (https://schemahub.ac.uk/hub).

The post-holder will join an exciting research and industrial community within the SCHEMA Hub, becoming a member of the Catalysis and Process Integration group led by Prof Laura Torrente (www.capi.ceb.cam.ac.uk).

The overall aim of the project is to accelerate the development of novel manufacturing routes for sustainable polymers by revealing kinetic and mechanistic understanding of polymerisation chemistries using flow systems to guide the design of efficient, tailored manufacturing routes.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in reaction engineering and inorganic chemistry, including a PhD in a relevant area. Experience in polymerization chemistries would be advantageous.

The ability to work both as part of a team and independently, coupled with excellent communication, organisational and problem-solving skills are required. The duties / responsibilities of this post include developing and driving research objectives, writing up work for presentation and publication, collaborating with academic and industrial partners, assisting in the supervision of student research projects, and delivering seminars and occasional talks as outlined on the Further Information document.

Applicants should provide a CV, including contact details of three referees and a covering letter describing their suitability for the role. For further information contact Prof Laura Torrente (lt416@cam.ac.uk)

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing dates 24th of February 2025.

Please quote reference NQ44838 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A position is open for a Postdoctoral Research Associate/Assistant as part of a recently established Sustainable Chemicals & Materials Manufacturing Hub (SCHEMA) funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences research council (EPSRC) (https://schemahub.ac.uk/hub).

The post-holder will join an exciting research and industrial community within the SCHEMA Hub, becoming a member of the Catalysis and Process Integration group led by Prof Laura Torrente (www.capi.ceb.cam.ac.uk).

The overall aim of the project is to accelerate the development of novel manufacturing routes for sustainable polymers by revealing kinetic and mechanistic understanding of polymerisation chemistries using flow systems to guide the design of efficient, tailored manufacturing routes.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in reaction engineering and inorganic chemistry, including a PhD in a relevant area. Experience in polymerization chemistries would be advantageous.

The ability to work both as part of a team and independently, coupled with excellent communication, organisational and problem-solving skills are required. The duties / responsibilities of this post include developing and driving research objectives, writing up work for presentation and publication, collaborating with academic and industrial partners, assisting in the supervision of student research projects, and delivering seminars and occasional talks as outlined on the Further Information document.

Applicants should provide a CV, including contact details of three referees and a covering letter describing their suitability for the role. For further information contact Prof Laura Torrente (lt416@cam.ac.uk)

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing dates 24th of February 2025.

Please quote reference NQ44838 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.