Professor David Leigh

Exercising Demons: A Molecular Information Ratchet 

Prof Dave Leigh

Click here for more details on joining the Leigh group


Forbes Chair of Organic Chemistry and EPSRC Senior Research Fellow


Some Research Highlights

Macroscopic Transport by Synthetic Molecular Machines         A Reversible Synthetic Rotary Molecular Motor.           A Mechanically-Interlocked Rotary Molecular Motor.


Leigh Group - In the Press

From time to time, research from the Leigh Group is featured in newspapers and other media all over the world. To view a selection of recent articles, click on the links below the graphic.

The Magic of Chemistry - Chem. Sci. 4, C5 (2007)

For an interview with Dave in Chemical Science, please click on the icon below.

Discussing the latest Science paper on BBC TV News - Reporting Scotland (29 November 2004)

To view a report about our research on the BBC Scotland evening news programme, 'Reporting Scotland', please click on the TV below. (If you can't view the report, you may need to download Realplayer from the link below.)


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Discussing the latest Nature Materials paper on BBC Radio - Good Morning Scotland (29 August 2005)

To hear a report about our research on the BBC Radio Scotland morning news programme, 'Good Morning Scotland', please click on the icon below.

'Prize for team's little gift to the future', The Times, March 2008

'Tiny Pieces of the World...', The Scotsman, September 2005

'A Chancellor Powered by Brownian Motion', The Daily Telegraph, September 2005




Our research group is concerned with developing simple ideas and concepts across the traditional branches of the molecular, biomolecular and materials sciences by the design and synthesis of new types of molecular level architectures to control and influence function and properties. Following the discovery of a simple hydrogen bond-directed route to catenanes (mechanically-interlocked rings) in our laboratory a few years ago, we are currently exploring several areas of possible application including biological chemistry (peptide and protein rotaxanes, novel prodrug systems), catalysis (reagents that function through hydrogen bonding), macromolecules (mechanically-linked polymers) and smart materials (catenane and rotaxane-based devices).


Research interests

 

These and other research programmes are supported by the UK research councils, the European Community (including TMR Networks with academic and industrial groups in Italy, France, Greece, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands) and both UK and overseas industry.

"If you want to conquer the ocean and reach out for new continents

don't tell your men to get wood and nails to build a ship,

just instil in them the yearning for the expanse of the seas and distant lands"

Antoine de Saint-Exupery


Click here for a brief introduction on

  Catenane and Rotaxane

For "The World of 'Molecular Machines'", please click on the map.


 


Discussing the latest Science paper on BBC Radio Scotland (29 November 2004)

To listen to Professor Leigh's (very early morning!) interview with Mhairi Stuart on the BBC Radio Scotland news programme, 'Good Morning Scotland', please press play on the Quicktime panel below.  (If you can't see the panel, you may need to download Quicktime from the link below.)

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An interview with Dave on BBC Radio 4 (26 June 2003)

To listen to Professor Leigh's interview with Geoff Watts on the BBC Radio 4 Science programme, 'Leading Edge', please press play on the Quicktime panel below.  (If you can't see the panel, you may need to download Quicktime from the link below.)

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