Our research group is made up from members across the globe who want to build upon their enthusiasm for organic synthesis and transition metal catalysis in a supportive environment. We work in the fantastic new Molecular Sciences Building with state-of-the-art facilities for research. In addition to a well-equipped lab for synthesis we have tools such as a glovebox, ReactIR, auto-column instruments, H-cube, photoreactors.
We are always happy to hear from people and institutions that might be interested in working with us in some fashion.
For individuals interested in joining the team (Click here for details).
For potential collaborations and other research interactions, then please contact Paul directly with further information.
Postgraduate Researchers
Peter Simm
Peter completed a BSc in Chemistry, followed by MSc in Green Chemistry, both at the University of Leicester; his MSc project focused on the synthesis of functionalised pincer ligands for late transition metals. Peter joined the Davies group as a PhD student to research novel transition metal catalysed methodology toward functionalised heterocycles. In his spare time Peter enjoys films and television.
Thomas Squire
Tom completed his MSci degree at the University of Birmingham, which led on to him joining the MIBTP program across the universities; University of Birmingham, Warwick and Leicester. As part of the MIBTP training year he developed transferable skills in computer programming/modelling and large scale data analysis of RNA sequence data. He also had the opportunity to work with Prof Martin Wills (University of Warwick) synthesising RNA derivatives for analytical science and with ChemBAM developing its website and content. Currently he is working across the Davies and Peacock groups designing artificial enzymes. Outside the lab Tom enjoys supporting his local football team and mixing his own music, with the tag line “mixing chemicals by day and music by night”.
Jack Bowyer
Jack completed his MSci in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry at the University of Nottingham. His MSci project, under the supervision of Prof. Hon Wai Lam, involved transition metal catalysed methods to access enantioenriched sulfinamides. Jack joined the Davies group in 2024 and in his spare time enjoys hiking and cycling.
Abdulrahman Mohammed
Abdulrahman holds a BSc. in Pure Chemistry from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Nigeria and an MSc. in Organic Chemistry from Bayero University Kano with research in Isolation of Bio-active Compound from Plant leaf extract. He also holds an MSc. IT(Business ) from Heriot Watt University. He’s joined the Davies group as a PhD student studying catalysis of new platform motifs and in his spare time enjoys traveling, watching Anime and Adventure movies.
Xinlie Jiang (Lyle)
Xinlie completed his undergraduate studies at the Harbin Institute of Technology and subsequently pursued a research-based master’s degree in the Davies Group at the University of Birmingham. He is currently continuing his research within the Davies Group as a PhD student, focusing on noble metal catalysis. His interests include swimming and music.
Willow Ambler-Danyluk
Willow’s – bio to follow!
Alexander Kendrew
Alex completed his MSci degree in Chemistry with German at the University of Birmingham. He joined the Davies group in 2025, where he undertook his MSci project in ligand-enabled gold redox catalysis. Alex was awarded a Birmingham Chemistry Scholarship in 2026 to continue as a PhD student within the group. Alex enjoys photography in his spare time, and also shoots competitively for the UoB archery team.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS
PAST MEMBERS:
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCHERS (PHD/MPHIL CANDIDATES)
- Dr Bethan Greene (PhD, 2026) – Concept Life Science
- Xinlie Jiang (MSc, 2025)
- Dr Sifan Li (PhD 2023) – to PDRA with Prof Ru-Yi Zhu, NUS, Singapore
- Dr Elena Claudia Gini (PhD 2023) – to Research Scientist at Astx, UK
- Dr Laura Hamouche (PhD, 2022) – to Research Scientist at CRL, UK
- Dr Alessandro Balella (PhD, 2022) – to Process Chemist, Evotec, Italy
- Dr Ana Almeida (PhD, 2021) – to Research Scientist at Sygnature Discovery ltd, UK
- Dr Matthew Wakeling (PhD, 2020, ORCID 0000-0002-8802-7667) – to PDRA with Prof. Ruben Martin (ICIQ, Tarrogona, Spain)
- Dr Elsa Martinez Arce (PhD, 2019) – to Researcher at University of Barcelona
- Dr Onyeka Obumselu (PhD, 2018) – to Lecturer
- Dr Matthew Ball-Jones (PhD, 2017) – to PDRA with Prof. Joe Harrity (Sheffield) now Process Chemist at Sai Life Science
- Dr Joshua Priest (PhD 2017) – to PDRA with Prof. Ian Coldham (Sheffield)
- Dr Miguel Garzón Sanz (PhD 2016) – to PDRA with Dr Sam Butterworth (Manchester)
- Fatima Khan (MSc, 2016, with Dr Richard Grainger)
- Dr Matt Barrett (PhD 2016, with Dr Richard Grainger) – to Research Scientist at ReViral
- Dr Andy Gillie (PhD 2015) – to Research Scientist at Sygnature Discovery
- Dr Elli Chatzopoulou (PhD 2015) – to Scientist at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute San Diego, US
- Dr Holly Adcock (PhD 2015) – to Research Fellow, University of Birmingham,
- Dr Michel Franck Boissonet (PhD 2015, with Prof. James Tucker)
- Dr Tom Baker (PhD 2014)
- Dr Parmjit Heer Kaur (PhD 2014) – to R+D at Kingspan ltd
- Dr Alex Cremonesi (PhD 2013) – to R+D Scientist
- Dr Christelle Detty-Mambo (PhD 2011) – to Research Scientist
- Dr Nicholas Martin (PhD 2010) – to PDRA with Dr Olivier Baudoin
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
- Dr Aniket Gupta (EPSRC funded) – Research fellow with Dr James Lewis, University of Birmingham, UK
- Dr Ivy Ghosh (Leverhulme Trust funded)
- Dr Richard Mudd (Leverhulme Trust funded) – Research coordinator with Prof John Bower, University of Liverpool, UK
- Dr Nagnath More (Marie Skłodowska-Curie, IF) – Research Scientist at Charles River, UK
- Dr Prakash Sekar (Marie Skłodowska-Curie, IF, ORCID) – Sygnature life Sciences, UK
- Dr Raju Jannapureddy (Marie Skłodowska-Curie IIF) – Academic (Osmania University, India)
- Dr Fernando Sanchez-Cantalejo (Marie Skłodowska-Curie IEF) – Scientist (Spain)
- Dr Mickael Dos Santos (Marie-Curie IEF)
- Dr Sebastian Albrecht (2007-9) – Academic (Université de Mulhouse – École Nationale Supérieure De Chimie)
- Dr Estelle Banaszak (2006) – Academic (ESCOM, France)
VISITING RESEARCHERS
- Alejandro Portugues
- Dr Lidia Dumitrescu
- Ana Sanjuan
- Giulio Assanelli
MSCI PROJECT STUDENTS
- Alexander Kendrew (2025/26) = PhD University of Birmingham with Dr Paul Davies
- Lindsey Nuttall (2024/25)
- Clara Eriksson (2023/24) – PhD University of Birmingham with Prof Andy Wilson
- Fraser Lawson (2023/24) – PhD University of Liverpool with Prof John Bower
- Ellen Tait (2022/23)
- Ian Nixon (2022/23) – R+D Scientist at AstraZeneca (Macclesfield, UK)
- Alice Oram (2021/22) – R+D Scientist at AstraZeneca (Gothenburg, Sweden)
- Nicholas Gocher (2021/22) – R+D Scientist at Evotec ltd, Oxford, UK
- Clare Rabbitt (2021/22) – PhD at University of Bristol with Prof Chris Willis
- Zakiyya Miah (2019/20)
- Yasmin Begum (2019/20)
- Melodie Zehnder (2018/19)
- James Osborne (2018/19) – PhD Okinawa Institute of Science
- Joanna Butler-Ward (2018/19)
- Edwin Mok (2018/19)
- James Bowen (2017/18) – PhD with Prof Chris Willis (Bristol)
- Katarina Stefkova (2017/18) – PhD with Dr Rebecca Melen (Cardiff)
- Joanne Adeluola (2017/18)
- Catherine Povey (2016/17) – PhD (Warwick)
- Marcus Burgnon (2016/17)
- Jasper Sach (2016/17)
- Andrew Riley (2015/16)
- Mat Wakeling (2015/16) – PhD with Dr Paul Davies (Birmingham)
- Pascal Delany (2015/16) – PhD with Prof David Hodgson (Oxford)
- Josh Farndon (2014/15) – PhD with Dr John Bower (Bristol)
- Jay Wright (2014/15) – PhD with Prof Patrick Steel (Durham); PDRA US
- Tzu Hui (2014/15)
- Matthew Gray (2013/14) – Research Scientist at GlaxoSmithKline
- Kim Koell-Keith (2013/14)
- Matthew Crane (2013/14)
- Graziella Dragomir (2012/13) – PhD with Dr Alan Aitken (St Andrews)
- Harry Shrives (2012/13) – PhD with Prof David Proctor (Manchester)
- Glenn Ward (2011/12)
- Bill Spencer (2011/12)
- Jon Kedge (2011/12) – PhD with Prof James Tucker (Birmingham)
- Lee Beasmore (2010/11) – Teaching
- Parmjit Heer Kaur (2009/10) – PhD with Dr Paul Davies (Birmingham)
- Denise Meyer (Erasmus)
- Thomas Mietke (Erasmus)
SynCat Research 