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Professor AP de Silva

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
AP de Silva

Professor AP de Silva

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

With my co-workers, I invented the experimental field of molecular logic. I also established the general research tool of fluorescent PET (photoinduced electron transfer) sensing/switching. My research focus is in these two areas under the umbrella of supramolecular chemistry.

Contact info

  • View Academic Profile
  • a.desilva@qub.ac.uk
  • +44 (0)28 9097 4422

Research Interests

Open to PhD applications in:

  • Fluorescent sensors
  • Supramolecular chemistry
  • Molecular logic
  • Molecular machines and devices

Make a PhD enquiry


Public outreach & key achievements

  • The DNA of Innovation, vol. 4, ‘Our Global Impact on Society’, Queen’s University Belfast Publication, 10 November 2014, p 24. “Supermolecules from the Land of Serendipity”
  • Chemistry World, 23 March 2015, (reported by P. Ball) “Simple Chemistry Mimics Animals' Predator Spotting Method”

  • ChemistryViews, 7 April 2015,(reported by D. Bradley) “An Outline for Molecular Edge Detection”
  • Nature Chemistry, 22 April 2015, Print version May 2015 volume 7, number 5, p 368 (reported by A. Pichon) “Detection on the Edge”

  • Materials Today, 15 June 2015, (reported by D. Bradley) “Genuine molecular drawing package”

  • Presentation by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) to Parliamentarians and Policymakers, Churchill Room, Houses of Parliament, London, 7 July 2015, (one of only 9 studies featured) “Inspirational chemistry for a modern economy”

  • RSC News July 2015 (Cover story)(reported by V. Marshall and R. Walker) (one of only 2 studies featured) “Making the Case for Chemistry”

  • Belfast Telegraph, 17 July 2015, Print version 17 July p. 17 “QUB prof de Silva's blood pressure device is worldwide hit”

  • Authorea 20 December 2017, Backstories “How Fluorescent PET Sensors/switches Happened and What They Do”

  • Materials Today, 26 January 2019, (reported by D. Bradley) “Sensing molecular logic”

  • SpectroscopyNOW.com 1 February 2019, (reported by D. Bradley) “From NIR to eternity: Logically speaking”

  • Nature Research interactive periodic table to celebrate its 150th anniversary, 6 February 2019, (invited by C. Hansell and produced by G. Marsh) “Mini-podcast on sodium”

  • ChemViews 10 July 2019, (reported by S. Uchiyama) “Probing Nanosized Micelles with Fluorescent Sensors”


Research students

PhD title Application of Molecular Switching and Logic 
Years of study 2017-2019 
Country P.R. China 
   
PhD title Indicator Displacement Assays with Cyclophane hosts 
Years of study 2018-2020 
Country Northern Ireland 
   
PhD title Synthesis of an expanded cyclophane for switchable guest capture/release
Years of study 2018-2020 
Country P.R. China 

Alumni: Where are they now

PhD title Fluorescent sensors based on various hosts 
Years of study 1994-1996 
Country Ireland 
Current Position  Professor, Trinity College Dublin 
   
PhD title Switches based on crown ethers, cyclophanes and amino acids 
Years of study 1999-2001 
Country Northern Ireland 
Current Position Vice-President, Almac Sciences, Craigavon, Northern Ireland 
   
PhD title Application of fluorescent molecular logic to edge detection 
Years of study 2013-2015 
Country P.R. China 
Current Position Assistant Professor, Nantong University, P.R. China 

Discover More

  • Faculty of Engineering And Physical Sciences
  • School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Postgraduate research
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Tel:+44 (0)28 9097 5418
Fax: +44 (0)28 9097 6524
E-mail: candce@qub.ac.uk

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