Academic
CHEMISTRY enjoys a high level of research activity involving a wide range of research programmes (see right). The Department is well-equipped and the high-field NMR and mass spectrometers, which are shared with Pharmacy, are operated as Eastern Cape regional facilities. New instruments commissioned in 2006 include a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer with protein NMR capabilities and an ICP spectrometer.
Current Programmes
Professor Torto – email: n.torto@ru.ac.za
Development of Microdialysis, SPE, SPME, MIPs and immunosorbent based sample handling techniques.
Fabrication of electrospun nanofibres.
Professor Nyokong – email: gail.cobus@ru.ac.za
Development of sensors for analysis of pollutants and of neurotransmitters.
Photodynamic therapy of cancer.
Nanotechnology.
Professor Davies-Coleman – email: m.davies-coleman@ru.ac.za
Chemical ecology of South African marine organisms.
Biomedical potential of South African marine natural products.
Synthesis of bioactive marine secondary metabolities.
Professor Watkins – email: g.watkins@ru.ac.za
Spectroscopic and thermal studies of coordination and organometallic complexes.
Supramolecular chemistry – design of nanomaterial.
Bioinorganic chemistry.
Dr Tshentu – email: z.tshentu@ru.ac.za
Bioinorganic chemistry of vanadium.
Metal ion separation.
Dr Klein – email: r.klein@ru.ac.za
Synthesis and application of organolithium and organochromium compounds.
Heterocycles with medicinal potential.
Mrs Sewry – email: j.sewry@ru.ac.za
Chemical Education; Service Learning and Community Engagement
Professor Kaye – email: p.kaye@ru.ac.za
Asymmetric synthesis of chiral molecules.
Design and synthesis of metal-selective ligands and catalysts.
Application of computational methods in the elucidation of organic reaction mechanism.
Synthetic and physical organic studies of heterocyclic compounds with medicinal potential (e.g. HIV-1 inhibitors, antimalarials).
Dr Pierre Kempgens - email : p.kempgens@ru.ac.zap
Professor Krause -email: r.krause@ru.ac.za
Dr Khene - email : s.khene@ru.ac.za
Dr Khanye- email: s.khanye@ru.ac.za
