Current Research Group
Dr. Alison Thompson, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Pyrrole Chemistry for Chemical Biology and Energy
Education
B.Sc. Hons I; I was an undergraduate at the University of Leicester in the UK (long before Leicester City won the Premier League); I gained my Ph.D. at the University of Sheffield in the UK with Dr. Varinder Aggawal; I gained PDF experience in Strasbourg (Prof. Solladie-Cavallo) in France, and then at UBC (Dr. David Dolphin) in Vancouver.
Research
In my Ph.D. I learned that if the product wasn't white and wasn't crystalline then it couldn't possibly be pure; this limited knowledge was turned on its head when I started working with polypyrroles - stunning oranges, purples, reds, and sometimes even black. My research group develops synthetic methodology to make new types of functional pyrroles and polypyrroles in elegant ways; we complex many of our polypyrroles and investigate their optical properties or bioactivity. We have many hundreds of pyrroles in our lab, but there is always the need for a few more.
Publications
Our publications link has my full record.
Fun Facts
I have two children; we have a dog; I ride my bike to work; horse-riding is my first love; I swim a lot; I enjoy making things from yarn or anything else that inspires - one project involved a crocheted blanket that resembles the landscape of a farm (brown ridges for a ploughed field, yellow corn field, blended green and yellow hay field, red for the barn; you get the idea).
Postdoctoral Fellows
Research Assistants
Dr. Jim Hilborn
Education: I received my B.Sc. from the University of Guelph followed by my Ph.D. from Dalhousie University with Dr. James Pincock. I continued a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Mount Allison University with Dr. Ross Barclay.
Research: I have had extensive experience in the pharmaceutical business with research and commercial support for a large number of commercial and non-commercial products.
My research interest includes examining the synthesis and physical organic reaction mechanism of the photochemical decarboxylation of naphthylesters. This research led to the first determination of the decarboxylation rate of various acyloxy and arylacyloxy radicals at ambient temperature. From this work the synthesis of naphthyl substituted diaryl ethanes was explored. My current interests include new synthetic methodologies using traditional as well as photochemical techniques.
Recent Publication
Hilborn, J. W., Moya-Barrios, R., & Thompson, A. (2019). Photodecarboxylation of Substituted Naphthylmethyl Arylacetate Esters: Synthesis of Naphthylarylethanes. The Journal of organic chemistry, 84(18), 11992-11999.
Fun Facts: I am the father of four children which range in age from university to elementary school. I enjoy river fishing for salmonids (trout and salmon) using both fly and spinning set-up. A long-suffering Leafs fan, we all know that next year is their year!
Ph.D. Students
Emily Brown
Education
B.Sc. Chemistry at University of Northern British Columbia, 2022.
Research
My undergraduate research focused on the synthesis and application of metal organic frameworks for the removal of pollutants from aqueous systems. Additionally, I have done some work with the Northern Analytical Laboratory Services that focused investigating an industrial client's propriety lignin solution for characterization and application.
Awards
Dalhousie Dean of Science PhD Entrance Scholarship
Fun Facts
I have many good luck charms and I love reading. I also enjoy crafts, so have been (slowly) teaching myself to bind books.
Adam MacKay
Education
B.Sc in Biochemistry, University of Guelph, 2022
M.Sc in Chemistry, University of Guelph, 2025
Research
I completed my M.Sc under the supervision of Dr. France-Isabelle Auzanneau. My M.Sc research focused on the synthesis of large oligosaccharides, in particular the tetrasaccharide Lewis Y, to the be used in the design of cancer Immunotherapeutics. My PhD research focuses on the synthesis of F-BODIPYs that contain a plastic-like appendage to be used as sensors for nanoplastics.
Recent Conference Presentations
Synthesis of Tetrasaccharide Lewis Y from Trisaccharide Lewis X and LacNAc. Canadian Glycomics Symposium. Canmore, Alberta, May 2026.
Fun Facts
I am a triplet. During the winter months you can catch me at the curling club. In my free time I also play the piano.