Alex Burke

Alumni, Chemistry

What do you do?

I recently graduated from Durham with my MChem degree, after working under the supervision of Professor Robert Pal in my final year. The focus of my final project was microscopic evaluation of molecular nanomachines, where specialised modifications were made to their structure to allow the nanomachines to recognise and attach to specific cancer cells.  The light activation wavelengths were also shifted to longer, more biologically compatible wavelengths. I am now pursuing a career in tech and I hope to return to research in the future.

How are you involved in this area of science? 

I completed a microscopic evaluation of different light-activated molecular nanomachines, functionalised with various diamine addends, to assess how these addends affected the molecular nanomachines’ ability to internalise within cells, and subsequently destroy them, as well as photophysical studies into how the molecular nanomachines’ activation wavelengths were affected. 

What do you love about this topic?

I love how making the slightest changes to the structure of molecular nanomachines can drastically change their function, and I really enjoyed exploring the use of different combinations of addends in different positions, and which of these would form the most efficient molecular nanomachines for specific functions, looking at both the benefits and compromises of each functionalisation. 

How does this work deliver real-world impact?

When I was completing my research project, I was very interested in how a specific peptide chain functionalisation could allow molecular nanomachines to selectively target cancer cells. When paired with other functionalisations to improve cell internalisation, quicken the rate of induced necrosis, and shift the activation wavelength to more biologically safe wavelengths, the molecular nanomachines could be a potential form of cancer treatment.