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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

Modulating stiffness with photo-switchable supramolecular hydrogels
A Tabet, R Forster, CC Parkins, G Wu, OA Scherman
– Polymer Chemistry
(2019)
10,
467
Supramolecular complexation between chain-folding poly(ester-imide)s and polycyclic aromatics: a fractal-based pattern of NMR ring-current shielding
M Knappert, T Jin, SD Midgley, G Wu, OA Scherman, R Grau-Crespo, HM Colquhoun
– Polymer Chemistry
(2019)
10,
6641
Oligopeptide-CB[8] complexation with switchable binding pathways
G Wu, DE Clarke, C Wu, OA Scherman
– Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
(2019)
17,
3514
Aryl-viologen pentapeptide self-assembled conductive nanofibers
DE Clarke, M Olesińska, T Mönch, B Schoenaers, A Stesmans, OA Scherman
– Chem Commun (Camb)
(2019)
55,
7354
Polymeric raspberry-like particles via template-assisted polymerisation
Y Lan, J Liu, E Eiser, OA Scherman
– Polymer Chemistry
(2019)
10,
3772
Cucurbit[8]uril-mediated Pseudo[2,3]Rotaxanes
G Wu, I Szabó, E Rosta, OA Scherman
– Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
(2019)
55,
13227
Plasmon-directed polymerization: Regulating polymer growth with light
Y Wang, S Wang, S Zhang, OA Scherman, JJ Baumberg, T Ding, H Xu
– Nano Research
(2018)
11,
6384
Protein-mediated gelation and nano-scale assembly of unfunctionalized hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate
A Tabet, JY Park, J Shilts, K Sokolowski, VK Rana, M Kamp, N Warner, D Hoogland, OA Scherman
– F1000Res
(2018)
7,
1827
Protein-mediated gelation and nano-scale assembly of unfunctionalized hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate
A Tabet, JY Park, J Shilts, K Sokolowski, VK Rana, M Kamp, N Warner, D Hoogland, OA Scherman
– F1000Research
(2018)
7,
1827
An adherent tissue-inspired hydrogel delivery vehicle utilised in primary human glioma models.
MJ Rowland, CC Parkins, JH McAbee, AK Kolb, R Hein, XJ Loh, C Watts, OA Scherman
– Biomaterials
(2018)
179,
199
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Head of group

Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

01223 334372 (shared)

Email address