Members
Dr Laura Barter
Principle Investigator
I completed my PhD at Imperial College in the Biochemistry Department. It focused on a study of the structure function relationships within the Photosystem II reaction centre, using Time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. I was then awarded a Royal Society University Fellowship which enabled me to set up my independent career at Imperial in the Chemistry Department. I moved focus from studying the light dependent reactions of photosynthesis to investigating the Calvin cycle, and its inefficiencies. I am particularly interested in developing novel chemical tools and technologies to enhance photosynthetic efficiency, and increase crop yield. This involves some exciting collaborations with industry partners, e.g. Syngenta.
Outside of my research, I love the outdoors – walking in the countryside (particularly climbing up mountains), and running too. I have two young children, who I adore, and who keep me busy when I am at home!! When I have time, I really enjoy going to the theatre too.
Dr Ainul Zulkepli
Postdoctoral Research Associate, The President’s Excellence Fund for Frontier Research
I am a postdoctoral research associate in the Barter group and my current research at Imperial is focusing on exploring the potential application of biomimetic compounds as novel agro-chemicals to improve photosynthesis. I am also the project manager for AGRI-net and the Agri Futures Lab. I was born and raised in Malaysia where I did my undergraduate study in Biomedical Science. I moved to the UK in 2012 to do my PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Bristol where I studied the structural mechanistic of post-translational modification enzymes in polyketide biosynthesis.
Email: a.zulkepli@imperial.ac.uk
Dr Ryan Brown
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Research
“Enhancing mimetic efficiency towards increasing photosynthetic efficiency”.
Some species of plants have developed CO2 concentrating mechanisms to increase cellular CO2 levels and therefore increase the efficiency of photosynthesis. One such mechanism, based upon the catalytic conversion of bicarbonate salts into CO2 by carbonic anhydrases (CAs), has inspired this research. CA has one of the fastest known enzymatic catalytic activities, with a rate of CO2 hydration of ca. 106 molecules per second per enzyme. Earlier work from our group demonstrated that chemical mimetics formed of zinc(II) coordination compounds are able to capture and release CO2 with the largest rate constant of any small-molecule CA mimic reported (Rains et al, ACS Catal., 2019, 9, 1353).
Building upon this work, we are interested in increasing the bioavailability of the chemical mimetic through ligand modifications towards carrying out in vivo studies. In parallel we are also developing a range of different and novel transition metal coordination compounds as bioavailable chemical mimetics.
Personal
I completed my MChem degree at the University of Sussex with Prof. Geoff Cloke followed by a move to London where I completed my PhD at Imperial College London under the supervision of Prof. Mark Crimmin. I then carried out a short postdoc position with Dr David Pugh at King’s College London. After a short stint in teaching, I came back to the lab.
Outside of the lab I enjoy watching football (Good Ol’ Sussex By The Sea!), travelling, lifting things up and putting them back down, techno, gaming and engaging in hipster coffee culture.
Tom Wells
3rd year Ph.D. student, ICB CDT programme
I joined the group in 2019 as a PhD student as part of the MRes/PhD Centre for Doctoral training program from the Institute of Chemical Biology, after completing a BSc in Biochemistry at the University of York. I have previously worked on characterisation of algal proteins and automating ADME assays. My current work focuses on the further characterising the carbon fixing enzyme Rubisco and testing compounds to increase photosynthetic efficiency.
Karen Zhu
3rd year Ph.D. student (joint with Dr Yuval Elani and Professor Oscar Ces), ICB CDT programme
I'm Karen, a 2nd year PhD student on the ICB CDT funded by the EPSRC, supervised by Dr. Yuval Elani, Prof. Oscar Ces, and Dr. Laura Barter. Having completed an MSci in Chemistry, I continued my study with an MRes and now a PhD all at Imperial. My project focuses on creating stimuli-responsive liposome-based systems to trigger downstream reactions and cascades, which can be used as drug delivery systems or as synthetic organelles. In my spare time, I like to hang out with friends and binge-watch tv shows & dramas.
Tom Kitto
3rd year Ph.D. student (joint with Dr Yuval Elani, Dr Nazila Kamaly and Professor Oscar Ces), ICB CDT programme, co-funded by Syngenta
I'm Tom Kitto, a PhD student of Laura's in the Institute of Chemical biology CDT. My project seeks to mimic the plant cell wall in bottom-up synthetic biology systems. This would then be applied in permeation studies to help design more powerful agrochemicals for the future!
I've come from a Chemical Engineering Master's at the University of Bath, having worked in novel QR code printing in Australia just before COVID. I've also studied in Montreal, Canada, during my undergrad. I enjoy fencing.
Catherine Parry
3rd year Ph.D. student (joint with Dr. Richard Gill and Professor Colin Turnbull)
I am a second year (departmentally funded) DTP-PhD student supervised by Dr. Richard Gill, Dr. Laura Barter and Prof. Colin Turnbull. I am from West Wales and studied BSc Biology at Bath University before coming to Imperial. My project is exploring the use of hyperspectral imaging technology to identify bioindicators of pollination using Arabidopsis and Oilseed rape. My long-term aim is to develop a remote sensing technology for the detection of pollination deficits in the field, allowing farmers and land managers to improve crop yields through optimising pollination.
In my spare time I enjoy being outdoors, hiking and running, and refuelling with coffee and cake with friends.
Sarah Chapman
2nd year Ph.D. student (joint with Dr Maxie Roessler), ICB CDT programme, co-funded by Syngenta
I’m Sarah, from the flatlands of Norfolk, and I completed my chemistry undergraduate at the University of Manchester. In my final year simulated EPR spectra (specifically DEER) of multi-spin [3]- and [4]- rotaxanes to predict their structures in frozen solution (supervised by Prof. E. McInnes and Dr A. Bowen). Over the course of my Ph.D., I will be investigating the photodegradation of agrochemicals on plant leaf surfaces using EPR spectroscopy, with the aim of using this information to improve sustainability of agrochemicals. In my spare time, I like to play trumpet and piano, and read novels (when time permits)!
Zak Elliott
1st year PhD student (joint with Professor Matthew J. Fuchter), ICB CDT programme, co-funded by Syngenta
I am currently in the first PhD year of a 1+3 PhD program with the ICB CDT. My project is investigating the use of photoswitches (e.g. azobenzene) to gain insight into factors such as agrochemical permeability and transport, while developing light-based approaches for plant chemical biology.
I previously completed a BSc in Chemistry at Queen Mary University of London, before an MRes in the department of Bioengineering at Imperial. In my spare time I like to go to the gym, read a good book, cook and watch a bit of football.
Sean Nwachukwu
1st year PhD student (joint with Professor Nicholas Long and Dr. Rudiger Woscholski), ICB CDT programme, co-funded by Syngenta
My name is Sean Nwachukwu and I am a PhD student at the Institute of Chemical Biology EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training.
My PhD project involves the development and testing of novel water-soluble biomimetics, with the aim of improving the efficiency of photosynthesis, thus improving crop yield without necessitating extra farming space.
I’m from Hertfordshire and my family are originally from Nigeria (Igbo tribe). Previously I did an Integrated master’s degree in ‘Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry’ at the University of St Andrews. In my spare time, I look for literally any excuse to socialise, I like to travel, watch Formula 1 (Ferrari fan) & Football (Chelsea fan), and write poems and screenplays for films and TV shows.
Baiqiu Tang
MRes student, ICB CDT programme
Hello, I am Baiqiu Tang, and I am currently an MRes student affiliated to 1+3 PhD program at ICB CDT. My research project focuses on establishing a high-throughput screening platform for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to test routes to enahance photosynthesis and therefore biomass yield.
I am from Shanghai, China. I completed my MSci in Chemistry at Imperial College. In my spare time, I enjoy watching documentaries and doing aerobic training. I love road cycling and have recently started running, with the hope of joining a triathlon.