The student will be primarily working on synthetic organic chemistry and analysis. He will prepare a series of strained alkynes which can react with azides without the need for a catalyst. As a result, the new reagents have the potential to be ised to attach biomolecules to functional molecules such as fluorescent groups. The synthetic work will be extended to the functionalisation and purification of small peptides and biomolecules, and to the use of the reagents for certain materials applicaitons e.g. crosslinking of polymers.