
New Designer Biocides
Inventing the future generation of antimicrobials
Developing new molecules using biodegradable linkers for reduced environmental impact, higher potency and slower release
Synthesis of New Cyclic Lipopeptide-Based Antimicrobial Agents

Lipopeptides are expressed by bacteria in nature in response to microbes competing for the same source of nutrients. Some of these have been exploited for its antimicrobial properties, such as the Iturins family of antifungals and the antibiotic Battacin.
Analogues of these lipopeptides can be chemically accessed with a technique called CLipPA, by using commercially available building blocks. These analogues will be put to the test against the pathogens to determine their efficacy as antimicrobial compounds. This will set the basis for facile access to lipopeptides and discovery of new biocides
Victor's research will be applicable in expediting the process of synthesizing antimicrobial agents.
PhD student Victor Yim
Victor received an MSc in chemistry at University of Auckland, and he is passionate about synthesis of peptides and following applications with antibiotics.

New Designer Bactericidal Polymers
Chloe’s project aims to design and synthesise high performance, low cost, colourless guanidine containing antimicrobial biodegradable polymers through various polymerisation techniques.
Chloe is supervised by Dr Jianyong Jin, and her project is composed of four major parts:
1. Design and Synthesis the novel guanidine monomer
2. Ring openning Polymerisation of guanidine cyclic monomers
3. Co-Polymerisation with other functional monomers
4. Evaluate and Analysis of guanidine containing polymers on antimicrobial potency, stability, biodegradation and cytotoxicity
A possible application for this enhanced compound is in antimicrobial handwash and liquid soaps, as it is also water soluble.


Chloe received a BS(Honors) in Chemistry at the University of Auckland. She is passionate about Organic, Polymer and Surface Chemistry
PhD student Chloe Cho
Short Peptides as Eco-Friendly Marine Anti-Fouling Agents

Developing new eco-friendly co-biocides that could help preventing the growth of micro and macroscopic organisms on submerged surfaces (marine biofouling).
These compounds will be incorporated in biocide-laced paints and should have characteristics such as biodegradability and absence of toxicity for the marine environment.
Lead compounds from the literature have been identified and our initial interest is focusing on micropeptides, based on truncated portions of Lactoferrin, that showed antibacterial properties at nM concentrations and that have been recently tested for antifouling assays on the macrofouler barnacle Balanus improvisus with good results.
PhD student Thomas Grant
Thomas received a BSc(Honors) in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Auckland. He is passionate about synthetic chemistry and protecting the environment

Published Work