Dr Jonathan Sperry

PhD/BSc(Hons) (Exon.)

Associate Professor

In: Chemical Sciences » Faculty of Science

Biography

Feb 2017-present. Associate Professor in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Auckland.
Feb 2014- 2019. RSNZ Rutherford Discovery Fellow
Feb 2012- Feb 2017. Senior Lecturer in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Auckland.
Nov 2009- Feb 2012. Lecturer in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Auckland
Mar 2006- Nov 2009. Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Auckland, New Zealand, (RSNZ Marsden Fund, D.Prof. M. A. Brimble FRS)
Oct 2002- Feb 2006. Ph.D Synthetic Organic Chemistry, University of Exeter, UK. Biomimetic Oxidations in Natural Product Synthesis (Prof. C. J. Moody)
1999-2002. BSc (Hons) Biological and Medicinal Chemistry, 1st class. University of Exeter, UK. Final year project: A Diels Alder approach to Vitamin B6 analogues

Research | Current

****Ph.D SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR 2019**** Contact Jon for more details

BSc(Hons) / MSc

Several Honours and MSc projects are available for students starting in semesters 1 and 2. Please contact Jon for further information

Ph.D studies

A number of funding sources are available to support students into their PhD studies. The application processes are conducted through the University of Auckland, however please get in contact with Jon first to discuss the application. If you are an Australian or New Zealand student with a first class honours degree then you should be eligible for a scholarship.

If you are from outside Australasia, possess a stellar academic record and good English skills (TOEFL scores), I will endeavour to organise a scholarship for you.

If your country has a scholarship program then please contact Jon to see if we are able to support an application.

Internships

We regularly host interns from all over the world. If you are interested spending some time in the Sperry lab, please contact Jon

Our Research interests can be split into three main areas:

- Organic Synthesis -

C-H functionalization

Study of natural product synthesis as a platform for methods development.

Particular emphasis is placed on compounds that possess unprecedented architecture, biomimetic synthesis and novel reaction development.

- Medicinal chemistry -

We have a strong interest in developing therapeutics for areas of unmet need, for example;

The synthesis and biophysical analysis of isocitrate lyase (ICL) inhibitors for the treatment of latent tuberculosis - in collaboration with Dr Ivan Leung and Dr Ghader Bashiri (University of Auckland)

Natural products (and their analogues) for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, psychosis, OCD, anxiety, etc.

Novel therapeutics targeting the PSA-NCAM complex - in collaboration with A/P Maurice Curtis (Centre for Brain Research). This work is focused on discovering fundamentally new strategies to treat brain cancers, glioma, glioblastoma etc.

- Sustainable Synthesis / Green Chemistry -

Biorenewable platform chemicals in the synthesis of fine and commodity chemicals, in collaboration with A/P Shinji Kudo (Kyushu University, Japan) and A/P Ning Yan (National University of Singapore)

Electrochemical synthesis

Mechanochemical synthesis and mechanochemical degradation of pollutants

Valorization of lignin to access valuable alkanes for use as bio-based solvents, transportation fuels etc

Green solvents and reagents.

Teaching | Current

CHEM 230
CHEM 260
CHEM 330
CHEM 360
CHEM 730
CHEM 735
CHEM 750

Postgraduate supervision

Postdoctoral

Dr Ashley Lindsay

Ph.D

Se Hun Kim (2016)

Ryan Dixon (2016)

Ardalan Nabi (2016)

Trang Pham (2016)

Kirsty Anderson (2017)

Jessica Liyu (2017)

Maurycy Prystupa (2017)

Shi-Wei Kim (2017)

Annabelle Collins (2018)

Rory Devlin (2018)

Kapish Gobindlal (2018)

MSc

Yichen Qiu

BSc (Hons)

Seongmin Paul Jun

Daniel Anstis

Karen Ichikawa

Leila Jones

Interns/visiting students

Distinctions/Honours

RSNZ Rutherford Discovery Fellowship 2014-2019

Thieme Chemistry Journal Award 2014

Deans Commendation 2002

Henry Normon Rydon Award 2001

Deans Commendation 2000

Responsibilities

Associate Professor in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry

Rutherford Discovery Fellow

Areas of expertise

Organic and Sustainable Synthesis

Medicinal Chemistry

Heterocyclic Chemistry

Natural Products

Green Chemistry

Committees/Professional groups/Services

Chair: Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC)

Founding member of the Centre for Green Chemical Science (CGCS)

Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)

Pham, T. T., Lindsay, A. C., Chen, X., Gözaydin G, Yan, N., & Sperry, J. (2019). Transferring the biorenewable nitrogen present in chitin to several N-Functional groups. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 13.10.1016/j.scp.2019.100143
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Ashley Lindsay
Huang, X., Kudo, S., Sperry, J., & Hayashi, J.-I. (2019). Clean Synthesis of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and Levulinic Acid by Aqueous Phase Conversion of Levoglucosenone over Solid Acid Catalysts. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 7 (6), 5892-5899. 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b05873
Feng, Y., Yan, G., Wang, T., Jia, W., Zeng, X., Sperry, J., ... Lin, L. (2019). Synthesis of MCM-41-Supported Metal Catalysts in Deep Eutectic Solvent for the Conversion of Carbohydrates into 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural. ChemSusChem, 12 (5), 978-982. 10.1002/cssc.201802792
Thuy, T. P., Gozaydin, G., Sohnel, T., Yan, N., & Sperry, J. (2019). Oxidative Ring-Expansion of a Chitin-Derived Platform Enables Access to Unexplored 2-Amino Sugar Chemical Space. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (6), 1355-1360. 10.1002/ejoc.201801683
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/47193
Homer, J. A., & Sperry, J. (2018). Biomimetic synthesis of the bisindole framework present in sciodole, an alkaloid from Tricholoma sciodes. Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 16 (38), 6882-6885. 10.1039/c8ob02142b
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/45855
Ludvíková L, Štacko P, Sperry, J., & Klán P (2018). Photosensitized Cross-Linking of Tryptophan and Tyrosine Derivatives by Rose Bengal in Aqueous Solutions. The Journal of organic chemistry, 83 (18), 10835-10844. 10.1021/acs.joc.8b01545
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/45634
Homer, J. A., & Sperry, J. (2018). Synthesis of three Tricholoma-derived indoles via an ortho-quinone methide. Arkivoc, 2018 (4), 6-12. 10.24820/ark.5550190.p010.475
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/44699
Bhusal, R., Patel, K., Kwai, B., Bashiri, G., Reynisson, J., Sperry, J., & Leung, I. (2018). Targeting isocitrate lyase for the treatments of tuberculosis. FEBS OPEN BIO. (pp. 1).
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Ivanhoe Leung, Ghader Bashiri