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

Dr. Adil Alkas

Education

B.Sc. in Chemistry, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey, 2010
M.Sc. in Chemistry, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey, 2014
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, 2019

Research: My master study focused on preparation of furan-containing Schiff Bases and their group 4B metal complexes. I completed my Ph.D. at Massey University with Prof. Shane Telfer. My Ph.D. study involved synthesis of multicomponent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their applications in catalysis, gas adsorption and fluorescence. My current work focuses on synthesis of new bis/tris[Ru(II)-pyrrolide] complexes, investigation of their photophysical properties, and their use as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy.

Recent Conference Presentations

Poster: Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Thermolysis and Modification of a Multicomponent Metal-Organic Framework, New Zealand Institute of Chemistry Conference, Christchurch, New Zealand, Nov. 2019.
Oral: Synthesis of Multicomponent Metal-Organic Frameworks, The 6th International Conference on Metal-Organic Frameworks & Open Framework Compounds, Auckland, New Zealand, Dec. 2018.

Publications

Alkaş, A., Friche, L.E.S., Harris, S. N., & Telfer, S. G. (2020). Thermal Elimination of Ethylene from Cyclobutyl Groups Characterised by X-ray Crystallography in a Metal-Organic Framework Matrix. Chemistry-A European Journal, 26(45), 10321-10329.
Alkaş, A., Cornelio, J., & Telfer, S. G. (2019). Tritopic Triazatruxene Ligands for Multicomponent Metal-Organic Frameworks. Chemistry-An Asian Journal, 14, 1167-1174.
Alkaş, A., & Telfer, S. G. (2019). Synthesis and Characterization of Zn-carboxylate Metal-Organic Frameworks Containing Triazatruxene Ligands. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 72 (10), 786-796.
List of other publications.

Fun Facts: I used to be a nomad travelling between east and southeast Turkey depending on seasons. My study enthusiasm made me an intercontinental nomad who is still trying to understand postmodern life.

Research Assistants

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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.

Jacob Campbell

Education
B.Sc. in Chemistry, Saint Mary's University, 2019. Certificate of honours (Chemistry), Saint Mary’s University, 2020.

Research
My B.Sc research focused on employing a mechanochemical approach to organocatalysis as well as improving the synthesis of mcm type cationic gemini surfactants. My current research focuses on the synthesis of photodynamic therapy agents bearing a tellurophene motif. This consolidation shows promise towards photosensitizers that can be used for both diagnosis and therapy in the field of oncology.

Awards

Gerry Dauphinee Graduate Scholarship, 2022
Faculty of Graduate Studies Entrance Scholarship, 2020-2024
CREATE BioActives Scholarship, PhD, 2020-2024