Associate ProfessorFred Pfeffer

Research interests vary from the study and application of of fundamental molecular interactions (supramolecular chemistry) to forensic chemistry and the medicinal chemistry of antibacterial, anti-diabetic and anticancer compounds. My group has ongoing interests in the synthesis of preorganised scaffolds and their use in constructing larger supramolecular architectures (Prof Guido Clever from TU Dortmund - Germany and Dr Carol Hua from Melbourne University) and the recognition of anionic species.  Similarly the group has, for a number of years, studied the synthesis and application of novel 1,8-naphthalimide based probes for both sensing and imaging (collaboration with Prof Thorfinnur Gunnlaugsson from Trinity College Dublin-Ireland). 

More recent endeavours have involved collaboration with the Victorian Police Forensic Services Department in which we have identified potention routes for the chemical masking of illicit materials.  Another more recent collaboration with Richard Williams from the School of Medicine has focussed on the customisation of bioscaffolds for a range of applications including wound healing.  This work has been performed in partnership with international collaborators in Delhi (TERI - India). 

Knowledge Areas:
Supramolecular Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Forensic Chemistry