Dr Joëlle Prunet she/her
Senior Lecturer
Mission Priority Areas
I think it is a great idea to have a CDT with a build-in mechanism for interdisciplinary research, and I would like to participate in this adventure.
My research used to be centred on synthetic organic chemistry, but we are now making new polymers with potential for biomedical applications, and I am keen to supervise students from diverse horizons, who would be interested in working on multidisciplinary projects.
In addition, I am always looking for new collaborators who would exploit in different ways the new polymers we are building.
My main passion in research has always been the construction of new molecules. I started my career in the synthesis of bioactive natural products, and this activity is still ongoing in my group. During this time, I employed olefin metathesis for the synthesis of very complex structures.
More recently, I have developed this powerful reaction as a new method for conjugating small molecules to polymers, and for the construction of unprecedented mimics of biopolymers, such as amylose. I have started a very fruitful collaboration with Bernhard Schmidt, which employs one of our new polymers as PEG replacement for the purpose of drug delivery and transfection. Because of their great potential, I am always looking for new collaborators who could make use of our other new polymers, as new materials for healthcare in particular.
I would love to supervise more students on collaborative projects, where they would start in my group by designing and constructing new polymers, in collaboration with Bernhard Schmidt, then move to other research groups to tailor these polymers for specific applications. I am always very present at the beginning of my students’ PhD, and I welcome their new ideas, especially if they push beyond the spectrum of their research projects.
I have supervised students for over 20 year who now pursue brilliant careers in academia over the world, in pharmaceutical, polymer or food industries, but also as secondary chemistry teachers.
My commitment with EDI started when I was in France, where I participated in diverse activities to encourage women to engage in STEM career paths. In Glasgow, I chaired the Athena SWAN self-assessment team for the Bronze award renewal for the School of Chemistry, and was a member of the University Gender Steering Group.
Before Covid, I used to have a potluck dinner at my house with my group every year, so we could all share the cuisine from our diverse home countries (e.g. diverse European countries but also China, India, Syria and Columbia), and I will start again next year because it is a great way to discover and appreciate the different cultures within the group.
