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Studying chemical sustainability requires an interdisciplinary approach, reflecting the multidisciplinary research hub at the Manufacturing Futures Lab, based at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº East. The practical research module is intended to be a ‘chemistry and biotechnology boot-camp’ whereby students with differing levels of experimental chemistry experience will acquire skills and techniques that will develop their personal sense of research mastery and support confidence building in conducting their own interdisciplinary practical experiments.

Students on this module come from a range of backgrounds whose practical research skills can differ, for example, some may have skills in analytical chemistry but less organic synthetic chemistry, while others may have organic synthetic skills but less expertise on how to purify products and analyse the components of reactions. Equally, practical expertise in the area of biotechnology will vary. In order to undertake a research project on this course at Master’s level, it is central that all students develop experimental skills in both biotechnology and core organic synthesis and product analysis so that they can confidently and safely apply these techniques in their research projects.

As a Term 2 module, this will prepare students for the practical demands of their independent Research Project. They will be trained in the safe execution of selected synthetic transformations
(including risk assessments), compound isolation, purification and characterisation, enzyme preparation and application and compound identification.