Research Team

Our research team of catalysis experts include a broad range of expertise. Most importantly, CREATE SusSyn provides a collaborative team of medicinal chemists (to address challenges in one of the least “green” industries, the pharmaceutical industry), synthetic chemists (specializing in catalysis ranging from small molecule to polymer/materials synthesis) and engineers (specializing in key catalytic transformations relevant to chemical processes, energy sector and the bio-based economy) to design and develop Clean Technology innovations for chemical synthesis.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Department of Chemistry

 

Schafer
Laurel Schafer

Professor and Canada Research Chair in Catalysis Development
CREATE SusSyn Program Director
UBC Sustainability Fellow

Organometallic/Organic: Development of early transition metal catalysts for potential application in the synthesis of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and polymers.

Contact: schafer@chem.ubc.ca

Website:  http://chem.ubc.ca/our-people/profiles/laurel-schafer

 

Dake
Gregory Dake

Associate Professor
CREATE SusSyn Advisory Committee Member

Organometallic/Organic: Development of early transition metal catalysts for potential application in the synthesis of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and polymers.

Contact: gdake@chem.ubc.ca

Website:  http://chem.ubc.ca/our-people/profiles/gregory-dake

Love
Jennifer Love

Professor

Organic/Organometallic/Coordination Chemistry: Development of new catalytic methods; complex molecule synthesis using newly developed reaction methodology; mechanistic investigation.

Contact: jenlove@chem.ubc.ca

Website: http://chem.ubc.ca/our-people/profiles/jennifer-love

 

Mehr
Parisa Mehrkhodavandi

Associate Professor

Organometallic/Inorganic/Catalysis/Polymers: Development of homogeneous catalysts for formation of biodegradable polymers of defined structure; Synthesis and reactivity of novel organometallic complexes for applications in synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Contact: mehr@chem.ubc.ca

Website: http://chem.ubc.ca/our-people/profiles/parisa-mehrkhodavandi

Sammis
Glenn Sammis

Associate Professor

Organic: Investigation of new methods for the fluorination of alkyl and aryl radicals, utilization of oxygen- and nitrogen-centered radicals in the synthesis of heterocycles, and natural product synthesis.

Contact: gsammis@chem.ubc.ca

Website: http://chem.ubc.ca/our-people/profiles/glenn-sammis

Berlinguette
Curtis Berlinguette

Professor

Inorganic/Materials/Chemical Engineering:  solar energy conversion; dye-sensitized solar cells; solar fuels; clean hydrogen production; amorphous materials; heterogeneous/homogeneous catalysis.

Contact: cberling@chem.ubc.ca

Website: http://chem.ubc.ca/our-people/profiles/curtis-berlinguette

 

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Burt
Helen Burt

Angiotech Professor of Drug Delivery
Head, Division of Drug Delivery at Center for Drug Research

Application of nanotechnology for the development of innovative nano-sized drug delivery systems for potential application in treatment of cancer, arthritis, tissue regeneration, infectious diseases and more.

Contact: burt@mail.ubc.ca

Website: http://www.pharmacy.ubc.ca/research/researchers/helen-m-burt

Grierson
David Grierson

Professor
CREATE SusSyn Advisory Committee Member

Drug discovery and development using small molecule library synthesis of biologically active molecules with application in cancer, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease and genetic disorders

Contact: david.grierson@ubc.ca

Website: http://www.pharmacy.ubc.ca/research/researchers/david-grierson

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Bi
Tony Bi

Professor

Primary research interests are fluidization and multiphase flow systems and their applications in bioenergy systems, air pollution control and chemical synthesis, as well as green process engineering, industrial ecology and life cycle analysis.

Contact: xbi@chbe.ubc.ca

Website:  http://www.chbe.ubc.ca/faculty-staff/bi.php

Ellis
Naoko Ellis

Professor

Primary research interests include Multiphase Systems including Fluidization, Chemical Looping Combustion and CO2 capture, Biomass Utilization, Biodiesel Production and Bio-Oil Upgrading.

Contact: nellis@chbe.ubc.ca

Website: http://www.chbe.ubc.ca/faculty-staff/ellis.php