Chemistry

Research Teach Repeat: Condensed Matter Physics

Chemistry is the central science that connects the fundamental laws of physics with the complexity of biology, medicine, and materials engineering. Research in the discipline of Chemistry at UNE brings together a diverse and collaborative team working across computational and theoretical chemistry, sustainable and synthetic organic chemistry, materials science, and bioorganic and medicinal chemistry. Our computational research harnesses quantum chemistry, molecular simulation, and artificial intelligence to understand chemical processes at the atomic scale, from training deep learning density functionals in collaboration with Microsoft Research AI for Science, to identifying new approaches for solar panel recycling. In sustainable chemistry, we are developing greener synthetic pathways that use plant-based feedstocks in place of petroleum, while our materials research combines chemistry with 3D printing to create smart materials for personalised drug delivery, biomedical devices, and environmental applications such as carbon capture. In medicinal chemistry, we are designing novel carbohydrate-based cryoprotectants to replace the toxic additives currently used in cryopreservation - opening new possibilities in regenerative medicine, therapeutic vaccine development, livestock reproduction, and the conservation of endangered species.