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Simon Pope

Professor Simon Pope

Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and Director of PGR

School of Chemistry

Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

  • luminescent complexes for targeted biological imaging
  • photoactive materials for lighting harvesting and energy applications
  • earth abundant metal complexes for energy applications
  • development of carbon nanomaterials 

For more information, click on the 'Research' tab above.

Publication

2024

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2007

2006

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1998

1995

Articles

Book sections

Research

  • luminescent complexes for targeted biological imaging
  • photoactive materials for lighting harvesting and energy applications
  • earth abundant metal complexes for sustainable energy applications
  • development of carbon nanomaterials 

All of the work undertaken in our group involves a wide variety of organic and inorganic synthetic chemistry with a strong emphasis on spectroscopic characterisation. Our recent work has investigated new ligand frameworks for luminescent chromium(III), rhenium(I), iridium(III), platinum(II) and gold(I) complexes, as well as lanthanide based systems. We have developed metal complexes that have useful applications in bioimaging and are interested in the targeted behaviour and design of such systems, including the use of signal peptides.

We also develop metal complexes for high efficiency energy upconversion performance, which has broad application to photocatalysis and solar cell technologies. We are also actively pursuing the development of doped and surface functionalised nanoparticles for a range of materials applications. Recent work has described the surface chemistry of nanodiamonds to produce luminescent hybrid materials.

See 'Publications' tab for a full list of our recent research activity and outputs.

We collaborate widely and are always looking to develop new partnerships with academics and industry.

 

For more information on specific projects available with Professor Simon Pope please review the Molecular synthesis section of our research project themes.

Teaching

CH5208 Applications of Molecular Spectroscopy (Module Leader)

CH5202 Structure, Bonding and Reactivity in Compounds of the p- and d-block Elements 

CH3307 Advanced Spectroscopy and Diffraction

CH3403/CHT237 Bioimaging Applications of Coordination Compounds (Module Leader)

Details of modules can be found in course finder.

Biography

BSc and PhD University of Southampton (2000, supervisor Prof Gillian Reid).

Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Bristol (2000-2, Prof Michael D. Ward).

Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Manchester (2002-6, supervisor Prof Stephen Faulkner).

Appointed as Lecturer, Cardiff, in 2006; promoted to Personal Chair in 2017.

Supervisions

  • design, synthesis and characterisation of luminescent molecules 
  • photoactive materials for energy applications (photoredox, light harvesting, energy upconversion)
  • development of molecular probes for biosensors and bioimaging
  • functionalised carbon nanomaterials (carbon dots, nanodiamonds)

I welcome applications from self-funded postgraduate students. Please contact me to discuss potential PhD project ideas that are of interest to you and your funders..

Current supervision

Deemah Alenazy

Deemah Alenazy

Research student

Emily Judd-Cooper

Emily Judd-Cooper

Research student

Ibrahim Saleh Alkhaibari Alkhaibari

Ibrahim Saleh Alkhaibari Alkhaibari

Research student

Allie Ibbott

Allie Ibbott

Research student

Ben Christie

Ben Christie

Research student

Basheer Alrashidi

Basheer Alrashidi

Research student

Nadia Alqurashi

Nadia Alqurashi

Research student

Daniel Clements

Daniel Clements

Graduate Demonstrator

Madelaine Thorne

Madelaine Thorne

Graduate Demonstrator

Ellie Payce

Ellie Payce

Graduate Demonstrator

Past projects

Examples of previous PhD thesis titles from the group:

  • "Design and synthesis of luminescent probes aimed at biologically important targets"
  • "Tuning the photophysics of Ir(III) and Pt(II) complexes by synthetic modification of quinoxaline ligands"
  • "Developoment of new DNA-binding Sensitisers for biosensors"
  • "A spectroscopic investigation of Cr(III) complexes"
  • "Fluorescent nanodiamond: bioengineered functional materials"
  • "Red emitting iridium(III) and rhenium(I) complexes developed for photonic applications"
  • "Luminescent and electrochemical probes based on Au(I), Ir(III) and Fe(II) coordination complexes for bioimaging, diagnostics and therapeutics"
  • "Element specific smart media for fast, low cost, radionuclide analysis"
  • "Amphiphilic ligand architectures for s-, d- and f-block metallosurfactants towards micellar systems and microemulsions"
  • "Development of luminescent iridium(III) and rhenium(I) complexes for optoelectronic applications"