Professor of Supramolecular & Polymer Chemistry / Director of the Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis

What we do

Our research interests include the synthesis of functional nanosystems, controlled polymer architectures and dynamic supramolecular assemblies through molecular recognition processes.

The underlying theme of our research lies at the interface between synthetic organic efforts on small molecules and macroscopic properties at the materials level, developing a macro-organic approach to chemistry. Dynamic supramolecular self-assembly of materials will be an area of great importance in the coming years, allowing for innovations in nanotechnology and at the biological and chemical interfaces.

We are particularly interested in exploring topics such as water-soluble and stimuli-responsive materials, template and imprinting technologies of functional polymers for use in chiral separations and enantioselective catalysis, and controlling material morphologies and architectures both in solution and in the solid state through rational design and a multi-step, hierarchical self-assembly process.

Watch Professor Scherman discuss his research

Take a tour of the Scherman Lab

Publications

How many fluorophores are required to achieve AIE?
T Xiao, Z Huang, L Zhang, S Jin, X Chen, H Qian, G Wu, JA McCune, OA Scherman
Chemical science
(2025)
Kinetic Locking of pH-Sensitive Complexes for Mechanically Responsive Polymer Networks.
SJK O'Neill, YC Tse, Z Huang, X Chen, JA McCune, OA Scherman
J Am Chem Soc
(2025)
147
Explainable Deep Learning Framework for SERS Bioquantification.
JK Zaki, J Tomasik, JA McCune, S Bahn, P Lió, OA Scherman
ACS Sensors
(2025)
10
Meta-analysis of urinary metabolite GWAS studies identifies novel genome-wide significant loci
JK Zaki, J Tomasik, JA McCune, OA Scherman, S Bahn
Scientific Reports
(2025)
15
Kinetically Arrested SERS-Active Aggregates for Biosensing.
NS Potter, K Sokołowski, RL Sala, JA McCune, OA Scherman
Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
(2025)
31
Supramolecular Conductive Hydrogels With Homogeneous Ionic and Electronic Transport
SJK O'Neill, M Ashizawa, AM McLean, RR-M Serrano, T Shimura, M Agetsuma, M Tsutsumi, T Nemoto, CDJ Parmenter, JA McCune, GG Malliaras, N Matsuhisa, OA Scherman
Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
(2025)
37
An All-in-One Nanoheater and Optical Thermometer Fabricated from Fractal Nanoparticle Assemblies.
WH Skinner, RL Sala, K Sokolowski, I Blein-Dezayes, NS Potter, S Mosca, B Gardner, JJ Baumberg, P Matousek, OA Scherman, N Stone
ACS nano
(2025)
19
Biomimetic Entropy-Dominant Molecular Hinges with Picomolar Affinity.
Z Huang, AS Groombridge, G Wu, M Olesińska, X Chen, JA McCune, OA Scherman
Journal of the American Chemical Society
(2024)
146
Highly stretchable dynamic hydrogels for soft multilayer electronics.
S O'Neill, Z Huang, X Chen, R Sala, J McCune, G Malliaras, O Scherman
Science advances
(2024)
10
Improved Imaging Surface for Quantitative Single-Molecule Microscopy
YP Zhang, E Lobanova, A Dworkin, M Furlepa, WS Yang, M Burke, JX Meng, N Potter, RL Sala, L Kahanawita, F Layburn, OA Scherman, CH Williams-Gray, D Klenerman
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces
(2024)
16

Telephone number

01223 331797, 01223 334372 (shared)

Email address

College