Dr Jonathan Sperry
PhD/BSc(Hons) (Exon.)
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
****MSC SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE FOR 2021**** 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 (IELTS, 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.
We alo have a very active interest in subjecting alkaloids to phenotypic screening in various disease models
- 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), A/P Ning Yan (National University of Singapore) and Prof. Xianhei Zeng (Xiamen University)
Electrochemical synthesis
Mechanochemical synthesis
Mechanochemical degradation of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and pharmaceutical waste
Valorization of lignin to access valuable alkanes for use as bio-based solvents, transportation fuels etc
Green solvents and reagents.
Teaching | Current
- CHEM 253
- CHEM 260
- CHEM 330
- CHEM 360
- CHEM 730
- CHEM 735
- CHEM 750
- CHEM 760
Postgraduate supervision
Postdoctoral
Dr Ashley Lindsay
Ph.D
Ryan Dixon (2016)
Ardalan Nabi (2016)
Jessica Liyu (2017)
Maurycy Prystupa (2017)
Shi-Wei Kim (2017)
Rory Devlin (2018)
Kapish Gobindlal (2018)
Stephanie Lee (2019)
Simon Lin (2020)
Karen Ichikawa (2020)
Yichen Qiu (2020)
BSc (Hons)
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
Royal Society of New Zealand Rutherford Discovery Fellow
Areas of expertise
Organic and Sustainable Synthesis
Medicinal Chemistry
Heterocyclic Chemistry
Natural Products
Green Chemistry
Committees/Professional groups/Services
Founding member of the Centre for Green Chemical Science (CGCS)
2016-2018 Chair: Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC)
School of Chemical Sciences Research Committee
School of Chemical Sciences Wellbeing Officer
Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)
- Bolan, N., Sarkar, B., Yan, Y., Li, Q., Wijesekara, H., Kannan, K., ... Noll, H. (2021). Remediation of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminated soils – To mobilize or to immobilize or to degrade?. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 401.10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123892
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Melanie Kah - Chitara, M. K., Keswani, C., Varnava, K. G., Birla, H., Dilnashin, H., Singh, S. P., ... Singh, H. B. (2020). Impact of the alkaloid colletotrichumine A on the pathogenicity of Colletotrichum capsici in Capsicum annum L. Rhizosphere, 16.10.1016/j.rhisph.2020.100247
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Kyriakos Varnava - Feng, Y., Long, S., Yan, G., Chen, B., Sperry, J., Xu, W., ... Lin, L. (2020). Manganese catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of biomass-derived aldehydes: Insights to the catalytic performance and mechanism. JOURNAL OF CATALYSIS, 389, 157-165. 10.1016/j.jcat.2020.05.037
- Devlin, R., & Sperry, J. (2020). The curious yellow colouring matter of the Iceland poppy. Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 18 (28), 5278-5286. 10.1039/d0ob01162b
- Anstis, D. G., Lindsay, A. C., Söhnel T, & Sperry, J. (2020). Synthesis of the 1,2,4-Thiadiazole Alkaloid Polyaurine B. Journal of natural products, 83 (5), 1721-1724. 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00166
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Ashley Lindsay, Tilo Söhnel - Kim, S. H., Söhnel T, & Sperry, J. (2020). Structural Revision of Pseudocerosine and Validation of a Biosynthetic Proposal for E-ring Formation in Pyridoacridine Alkaloids. Organic letters, 22 (9), 3495-3498. 10.1021/acs.orglett.0c00953
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Tilo Söhnel - Thuy, T. P., Chen, X., Soehnel, T., Yan, N., & Sperry, J. (2020). Haber-independent, diversity-oriented synthesis of nitrogen compounds from biorenewable chitin. GREEN CHEMISTRY, 22 (6), 1978-1984. 10.1039/d0gc00208a
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Tilo Söhnel - Anderson, K., Eastabrook, A. S., & Sperry, J. (2020). One-pot oxidative hydrolysis-oxidative cleavage of 7-borylindoles enables access to o-amidophenols and 4-acylbenzoxazoles. Chemical communications (Cambridge, England), 56 (24), 3559-3562. 10.1039/c9cc09807k
Contact details
- +64 9 923 8269
- +64.9.923.8269
- j.sperry@auckland.ac.nz
- Media Contact
Primary office location
SCIENCE CENTRE - CHEMISTRY - Bldg 301
Level 7, Room 727A
23 SYMONDS ST
AUCKLAND 1010
New Zealand