Past Final Year MSci & BSc Undergraduate Students

At Imperial College, Undergraduate Chemistry Students study either for an Integrated Masters Degree (MSci, 4/5 years duration) or for a Bachelor of Science Degree (BSc, 3/4 years duration); the length of the course depends on whether it incorporates a period in industry or abroad (see Department of Chemistry - Degree Courses Offered). MSci students undertake a 24-week research project in their final year and BSc students undertake a 10-week research project in their final year and the Spivey Group typically hosts 2 students each year.

Krishna Lall - MSci

Dates: Jan 2022 - Mar 2022 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Synthesis of norbornenes for para-selective MIDA-directed Catellani-type C-H functionalisations
Whereabouts: Unknown

Chen Dai - MSci

Dates: Oct 2021 - May 2022 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Selective reduction of vinyl nitriles in the synthesis of evoninic acid
Whereabouts: PhD Student with Prof Alan Spivey at Imperial College London

Cerian Healey - MSci

Dates: Oct 2021 - May 2022 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Toward a concise total synthesis of hydroxy-evoninic acid
Whereabouts: Unknown

Darko Vukovic - MSci

Dates: Oct 2021 - May 2022 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: N-borane adducts as protecting groups within the total synthesis of hydroxy-evoninic acid
Whereabouts: Scientist (Medicinal and Synthetic Chemistry) at Domainex

James Cochrane - MSci

Dates: Oct 2020 - May 2021 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Towards the total synthesis of hydroxy-evoninic acid
Whereabouts: Scientist (Chemistry) at Sygnature Discovery

Xiao (Cheryl) Kok - MSci

Dates: Oct 2020 - May 2021 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Cyclopentene Synthesis by Dimerization of Methylenecyclopropanes
Whereabouts: Unknown

Haozhe Zhang - BSc

Dates: Oct 2020 - Dec 2020 (IMPERIAL)
Background: BSc student at IMPERIAL
Project: Exploring the application of Cope-type hydroamination to the synthesis of (−)-lycorine
Whereabouts: PhD candidate at University of Oxford

Thomas Westbrook - BSc

Dates: Jan 2020 - Mar 2020 (IMPERIAL)
Background: BSc student at IMPERIAL
Project: Synthesis of photoaffinity-labelled insecticides for probing an insect proteome
Whereabouts: FIG M&A Advisory at Deloitte, Senior Associate

Ryan Whatling - MSci

Dates: Oct 2019 - May 2020 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Transition metal-catalysed cross-coupling of enantiopure BINOL O-sulfonates, accessed via catalytic kinetic resolution, as a route to optically pure NOBINs
Whereabouts: Graduate Scientist at AstraZeneca

Onur Guzel - MSci

Dates: Oct 2018 - May 2019 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Synthesis of sulfonyl chlorides for sulfonylative kinetic resolution of BINOLs
Whereabouts: Information Technology Consultant at FDM Group

Christine Ng - BSc

Dates: Oct 2018 - Dec 2018 (IMPERIAL)
Background: BSc student at IMPERIAL
Project: Synthesis of sulfonyl chlorides for sulfonylative kinetic resolution of BINOLs
Whereabouts: Unknown

Charlie Farnham - MSci

Dates: Oct 2017 - May 2018 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Synthesis of sulfonyl chlorides for sulfonylative kinetic resolution of BINOLs
Whereabouts: Unknown

Elizabeth Oluwanifemi Mogaji - MSci

Dates: Oct 2017 - May 2018 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: Towards asymmetric phosphorothioate synthesis
Whereabouts: Product Assistant at Univar Solutions

Joel Wong Wen Han - BSc

Dates: Jan 2017 - May 2017 (IMPERIAL)
Background: BSc student at IMPERIAL
Project: Synthesis of sulfonyl chlorides for sulfonylative kinetic resolution of BINOLs
Whereabouts: A STAR Singapore

Yan Zhang - BSc

Dates: Jan 2017 - May 2017 (IMPERIAL)
Background: BSc student at IMPERIAL
Project: Deracemisation of alpha-substituted aldehydes via enamine protonation
Whereabouts: PhD with Stephen Fletcher at Oxford University, UK

Youssef Shaalan - MSci

Dates: Oct 2016 - May 2017 (IMPERIAL)
Background: MSci student at IMPERIAL
Project: The total synthesis of hydroxy-evoninic acid via a benzilic ester rearrangement (BER)
Whereabouts: PhD at the University of Strathclyde based at GSK (Stevenage) 

Monish Paul Nakhwal - BSc

Dates:  Feb 2017 - April 2017 (IMPERIAL)
Background: BSc student at IMPERIAL 
Project: Radiofluorination of germanium substitutes for toxic aryl stannanes used in PET imaging
Whereabouts: Blackrock

Jia Yuan Chng - BSc

Dates:  Oct 2016 - Dec 2016 (IMPERIAL)
Background: BSc student at IMPERIAL 
Project: Asymmetric desymmetrisation of meso-diols
Whereabouts: Unknown

Nils Floden - MSci

Dates: Oct 2015 - June 2016
Background: Imperial College MSci Student 
Project: Organocatalytic kinetic resolution of amines by means of sulfonylation
Whereabouts: PhD student at University of Cambridge

Sean Linsdall - MSci

Dates: Oct 2015 - June 2016
Background: Imperial College MSci Student 
Project: Total synthesis of Lophirone H
Whereabouts: PhD student at University of Oxford

Amy Irvine - BSc

Dates: Jan 2016 - Mar 2016
Background: Imperial College BSc Student 
Project: Non-enzymatic kinetic resolutions of alcohols
Whereabouts: Unknown

Zhang Shuyue - MSci

Dates: Oct 2014 - May 2015
Background: Imperial College MSci (4 Year) Student 
Project: Synthesis of Lophirone-H 
Whereabouts: PhD student at the University of St Andrews

Nico Fessner - MSci

Dates: Oct 2014 - May 2015
Background: Imperial College MSci (4 Year) Student 
Project: Asymmetric synthesis of phosphorothioate-nucleosides via atropisomeric pyridine-N-oxide catalysis 
Whereabouts: Unknown

Si Jia Lee - BSc

Dates: Oct 2014 - Dec 2014
Background: Imperial College BSc Student 
Project: Synthesis of new sulfonylation catalysts
Whereabouts: Unknown

Vivien Tang - MSci

Dates: Oct 2013 - May 2014
Background: Imperial College MSci (5 Year) Student who spent her 4th year doing an industrial placement at Firmenich (Geneva)
Project: The novel synthesis of 6-[18F]-DOPA
Whereabouts: Unknown

Aaron Trowbridge - MSci

Dates: Oct 2013 - May 2014
Background: Imperial College MSci (4 Year) Student
Project: Catalytic asymmetric sulfonylation methodology for amines
Whereabouts: PhD student with Prof Matt Gaunt, University of Cambridge

Qian Wen - BSc

Dates: Jan 2014 - April 2014 (Spring Term)
Background: Imperial College BSc Student
Project: Dynamic kinetic resolution of alcohols
Whereabouts: Unknown

Hossay Abas - MSci

Dates: Oct 2012 - May 2013
Background: Imperial College MSci (5 Year) Student who spent her 4th year as a year in industry placement in Med Chem at GSK, Stevenage
Project: Towards the total synthesis of Lophirone H via an oxonium-Prins cyclisation
Whereabouts: PhD student in the group

Keith Andrews - MSci

Dates: Oct 2012 - May 2013
Background: Imperial College MSci (5 Year) Student who spent his 4th year as a year in industry placement in Med Chem at GSK, Stevenage
Project: Developing a diastereoselective double ring-closing metathesis reaction towards the total synthesis of (-)-euonyminol and investigating the use of DFT methods for 13C NMR spectra prediction
Whereabouts: PhD with Dr Ross Denton, University of Nottingham

Fiona Li - MSci

Dates: Oct 2011 - May 2012
Background: Imperial College MSci (4 Year) Student
Project: Synthesis of a novel five residue α-helix protein mimetic LRH-1 antagonist.
Whereabouts: Unknown

Luca Pelazzo - BSc

Dates: Jan 2012 - Apr 2012 (Spring Term)
Background: Imperial College BSc Student
Project: Synthesis of the core of Lophirone H via a Prins cyclisation.
Whereabouts: Unknown

George Calvert - BSc

Dates: Oct 2011 - Dec 2011 (Autumn Term)
Background: Imperial College BSc Student
Project: Synthesis of the core of Lophirone H via a Prins cyclisation.
Whereabouts: Accountant at PWC, London

Wang Hei (Elvis) Ng - BSc

Dates: Oct 2010 - Dec 2010 (Autumn Term)
Background: Imperial College BSc (3 Year) Student
Project: Synthesis of Natural Product Cordigol.
Whereabouts: PhD student with Prof Pauline Chiu, The University of Hong Kong

Samantha Lee - BSc

Dates: Jan 2011 - Apr 2011 (Spring Term)
Background: Imperial College BSc (3 Year) Student
Projec t: Kinetic Resolution of Alcohols
Whereabouts: MRes with Prof. Steve Ley, Cambridge, UK.

Cathy Lee - MSci

Dates: Oct 2010 - May 2011
Background: Imperial College MSc (4 Year) Student
Project: Studies on the asymmetric retro-Cope elimination reaction
Whereabouts: Unknown

Fleur Ferguson - MSci

Dates: Oct. 2009 - May 2010.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of trisubstituted tetrahydropyrans as potential anti-cancer leads.
Whereabouts: PhD with Dr Allesio Ciulli at University of Cambridge, UK.

Luca Laraia - MSci

Dates: Oct 2008 - May 2009.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of potential antagonist of nuclear receptors – next generation anti-cancer agents.
Whereabouts: PhD on CRUK-funded programme at University of Cambridge, UK.

Mungyuen Li - MSci

Dates: Oct 2008 - May 2009.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Investigations into novel germyl-Stille cr oss-coupling reactions.
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof. Ian Patterson, University of Cambridge, UK.

Yun Lei Tan - BSc

Dates: Jan 2008 - Apr 2008 (Spring Term)
B ackground: Imperial College London BSc (3 year) student.
Project: Total synthesis of iso-evoninic acid – a component of anti-HIV natural product hypoglaunine B.
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof Benjamin Cravatt, Scripps, La Jolla, California, USA.

Sarah Warren - MSci

Dates: Oct 2007 - May 2008.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of sansalvamide A and analogues.
Whereabouts: PhD in the Spivey group.

Kiu Hong (Kelvin) Lam - MSci

Dates: Oct 2007 - Nov 2007 (right College).
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Novel solidphase methods for synthesis of human N-myristoyl transferase 1 inhibitors on cancer therapeutics.
Whereabouts: Unknown.

Chirag Patel - MSci

Dates: Oct 2006 - May 2007.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: The total synthesis of hypoglaunine B.
Whereabouts: PhD with Pr of. Ramon Vilar, Imperial College London, UK.

Chloe Chan - BSc

Dates: Jan 2007 - Apr 2007 (Spring Term)
Background: Imperial College London BSci (3 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of 3-aminopyrimidines using Ge-soluble polymers.
Whereabouts: Unknown.

Nancy Lau - BSc

Dates: Jan 2007 - Apr 2007 (Spring Term)
Background: Imperial College London BSci (3 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of new chiral organocatalysts for acylative kinetic resolution.
Whereabouts: Unknown.

Robert Phipps - MSci

Dates: Oct 2005 - May 2006.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (5 year) student.
Project: Towards the total asymmetric sysnthesis of (+)-lycorine.
Whereabouts: PhD with Dr Matthew Gaunt, University of Cambridge, UK then Post-doc with Prof. Dean Toste, University of Berkeley, USA.

Karen McCague - MSci

Dates: Oct 2005 - May 2006.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Towards the development of an asymmetric Kornblum de LaMare rearrangement
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof. Alan Armstrong, Imperial College London, UK the Post-doc with Prof Keith James, Scripps, USA.

Gemma Veitch - MSci

Dates: Oct 2004 - May 2005.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (5 year) student.
Project: Studies towards a model thiol for studying cysteine interactions with nitric oxide.
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof. Steven Ley, University of Cambridge, UK. Postdoc with Prof. Eric Jacobsen, Harvard University, Boston, USA.

Daniel Vandenburg - BSc

Dates: Jan 2005 - Apr 2005.
Background: Imperial College London BSc (3 year) student.
Project: Chiral N-oxides via rhenium catalysed deoxygenative kinetic resolution.
Whereabouts: MPhil, University of York, UK then PhD, University of bath, UK.

Quentin Jackson - MSci

Dates: Oct 2003 - May 2004.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Chiral N-oxides via rhenium catalysed deoxygenative kinetic resolution.
Whereabouts: Unknown.

Harminder Mudhar - MSci

Dates: 2003 - 04.
Background: Imperial College London MSci (4 year) student.
Project: New approaches to a-functionalised chiral acids via a-lactone formation
Whereabouts: GlaxoSmithKline, Harlow, Essex.

Chris Yau - BSc

Dates: Jan 2004 - Apr 2004.
Background: Imperial College London BSc (3 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of new chiral organocatalysts for acy lative kinetic resolution.
Whereabouts: Unknown.

Matthew Helm - MSci

Dates: Oct 2002 - May 2003.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of a novel safety-catch analytical construct for solid phase organic synthesis
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof Joe Harrrity, University of Sheffield, UK.

Simon Meek - MSci

Dates: Oct 2002 - May 2003.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Development of a stereoselective aldol-ring-closing metathesis (RCM) approach to the synthesis of a highly oxygenated Celastraceae sesquiterpenoid cores.
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof Joe Harrrity, University of Sheffield, UK. Postdoc with Prof. Amir Hoveyda, Boston College, USA.

Chris Drake - MSci

Dates: Oct 2001 - May 2002.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of antagonists of the allergic response.
Whereabouts: PhD with Dr Joachim Steinke, Imperial College London, UK.

Catherine Simmonds - MSci

Dates: Oct 2001 - May 2002.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of a solid supported atropisomeric chiral DMAP.
Whereabouts: MerckSharpeDohme, Terlings Park, Harlow, UK. GSK, Stevenage, UK.

Karen Taggart - MSci

Dates: Oct 2001 - May 2002.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of a novel safety-catch analytical construct for solid phase organic synthesis
Whereabouts: Unknown.

Ben Greener

Dates: Oct 2000 - May 2001.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Development of a new Zr-mediated asymmetric epoxidation for tertiary allylic alcohols.
Whereabouts: Pfizer Global Research and Development, Sandwich, UK.

Susan H. Hancock - MSci

Dates: Oct 2000 - May 2001.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Towards the synthesis of a model thiol for studying cysteine interactions with niitric oxide.
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof. Ben Davis, University of Oxford, UK. Postdoc with Prof Steve Withers, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Stuart Cameron - MSci

Dates: Oct 1999 - May 2000.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Towards the synthesis of a protein sulfenic acid model.
Whereabouts: Air Traffic Control, Bournemouth.

Chris Gripton -MSci

Dates: Oct 1999 - May2000.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Germyl linker cleavage by Stille-type cross-coupling.
Whereabouts: PhD in the Spivey group.

Andrew Watts - MSci

Dates: Oct 1999 - May 2000.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Model studies for the total synthesis of Lycorine.
Whereabouts: AstraZeneca Charnwood, Loughborough, UK.

Catherine Brear - MSci

Dates: Oct 1998 - May 1999.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Investigations into palladium catalysed biaryl ether formation and catalysis using DMAP-N-oxides.
Whereabouts: AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, UK.

Lindsey Sprigens - MSci

Dates: Oct 1998 - May 1999.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Towards the synthesis of a protein sulfenic acid model.
Whereabouts: Ministry of Defence (MOD), London.

Rebecca Glen - MSci

Dates: Oct 1997 - May 1998.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of atropisomeric derivatives of DMAP.
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof David Hodgson, University of Oxford, UK. Postdoc with Prof Alois Furstner, Mulheim, Germany. Research Chemist at Peakdale Molecular, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Cheshire, UK.

Iain Lingard - MSci

Dates: Oct 1997 - May 1998.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Synthesis of 3-substituted 2- pyridones, their [4+4]-photodimerisation and subsequent asymmetric desymmetrisation
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof. Mark Bradley, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

Steven Tierney - MSci

Dates: Oct 1996 - May 1997.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Aziridination of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and studies towards thiohydroximate to primary hydroxylamine reduction.
Whereabouts: PhD with Dr Steve Moratti, University of Cambridge, UK. Chemist at Merck New Business Speciality Chemicals, Poole, UK.

Benjamin Andrews - MSci

Dates: Oct 1995 - May 1996.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: [4+4]-Photodimer asymmetrisation - a new route to functionalised a-amino acids
Whereabouts: PhD in the Spivey group.

Juliet Kay Barrell (now Simpson) - MSci

Dates: Oct 1995 - May 1996.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Developmen t of an enantiomeric switching protocol.
Whereabouts: PhD with Prof. Varinder Aggarwal, University of Bristol, UK. Chemist at GSK, Stevenage, UK.

Andrew Bissell - MSci

Dates: Oct 1995 - May 1996.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Development of an improved route to low temp erature fluorescent sensors
Whereabouts: MPhil in the Spivey group.

Martin Neilson - MSci

Dates: Oct 1995 - May 1996.
Background: University of Sheffield MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Catalysis of dehydrative cyclisation by cobalt(II) carboxylates.
Whereabouts: PhD with Dr Ian McLure, University of Sheffield, UK.

Helen L.Y. Yah - MSci

Dates: Oct 1995 - May 1996.
Background: University of Sheffiel d MSci (4 year) student.
Project: Development of a new reagent for the aziridination of alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.
Whereabouts: Unknown.