The Suntharalingam research group aims to use the chemical and physical diversity offered by inorganic compounds to design and develop new generations of metallopharmaceuticals for the treatment of diseases. The group also focuses on engineering new nano-material systems to deliver therapeutics to their site(s) of action.
Scientific Inspiration
Prof. Stephen Lippard – one of the pioneers of the field of bioinorganic chemistry. His sustained scientific creativity over many decades and attention to detail is very inspiring. I was fortunate to work in his research group in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) from 2012 to 2014.
In three words or phrases: Supportive, inclusive, organised.
Provision of Training
I prefer to take responsibility for your technical training at first (along with my experienced postdoctoral researchers), leading to more independence later.
Progression Monitoring and Management
I will expect you to take full ownership of your progression but come to me when you need help troubleshooting. I like to be kept up to date, and will expect to see evidence of method development/data generation on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. I will help you to reach your full potential. I am here for advice and guidance to help you reach the goals you set for yourself.
Communication
I am available to talk with any research group member at any time. I am happy to discuss any issues that are impacting your ability to fulfill your potential or our expectations.
Meetings
PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per fortnight. These meetings will be face-to-face. I am usually contactable for an instant response on every working day.
Work Patterns
Work in my lab requires being present on site (be it in a laboratory or at a field site) during the core hours of 9am - 5pm (or a subset if working part time).
Notice Period for Feedback
I need at least 1 week's notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5,000 words.
MIBTP Project Details
Primary supervisor for:
See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.
Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health concern worldwide. According to the latest statistics, bacterial AMR was responsible for 4.71 million deaths in 2021. If no new antimicrobials are developed, the World Health Organisation predicts that AMR will cost the world economy $100 trillion by 2050. Given the clinical and financial burden imposed on society by AMR, it is imperative that new antimicrobial agents are developed that can overcome AMR. Antimicrobial drug development has largely focused on organic small molecules and natural products. These agents are typically one-dimensional and tend to target a specific biochemical process within bacteria, allowing for the possibility of AMR to occur more readily. It is more advantageous to develop antimicrobial agents that can simultaneously target several physiological and metabolic functions within bacteria, leading to multiple modes of action. This approach could reduce the rate at which AMR occurs and thus help alleviate the global health threat imposed by AMR.
Antimicrobial agents containing metals (metallo-antimicrobials) have recently received widespread attention as potential next generation antimicrobials due to their versatile and diverse physical and chemical properties. In this project, we aim to develop metallo-antimicrobials (containing sliver, gold, copper or gallium) that can act across multiple domains and potentially overcome AMR. The project will involve chemical synthesis and characterisation of novel metallo-antimicrobials (using spectroscopic and analytical methods), studying the antimicrobial potential of the metallo-antimicrobials in vitro (bacterial cultures and biofilm), determining the mechanisms of action(s) of the metallo-antimicrobials using global RNA sequencing and proteomics techniques.
