Cosgrove group on top floor of Central Science Laboratories, Keele University in November 2023
Dr Sebastian Cosgrove
Originally from Bradford in West Yorkshire, Seb moved to the University of Manchester for his undergraduate degree. He spent a year working for Syngenta at Jealott’s Hill before a final year project with Prof David Procter working on samarium diiodide reductions. He then moved to the University of Leeds to undertake a PhD with Prof Steve Marsden, working on metal-free photochemical C-N bond formation. This was followed by 3 and a half years in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology. He moved with an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship to work with Prof Nick Turner FRS, looking at the combination of biocatalysts with precious-metal catalysis. After spending another year or so working with Nick and Prof Sabine Flitsch, Seb joined Prof Nigel Scrutton FRS in the Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub to work on continuous flow biocatalysis. He came to Keele as a lecturer in organic chemistry and chemical biology in November 2020.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Alberto is from Aranda de Duero, Spain. He began his studies at the University of Burgos and then moved to the University of Salamanca, where he continued with a Master’s degree in Supramolecular Chemistry. He then started his PhD with Professor David Diez at the same university with a FPU grant from de Spanish government finishing it with honours in 2024. He focused his research in the applications on Diversity-Oriented Synthesis of chiral isoxazolidines, developing new methodologies to synthesise bioactive heterocycles. Alberto joined Cosgrove and Miller groups in June 2024 as PDRA as part of a BBSRC Prosperity Partnership with Unilever, UCL and the University of Manchester.
PhD Students
Tom Roberts
3rd Year PhD Student – With Dr Marcelo Lima (Keele University)
Tom is from Carmarthenshire, West Wales. He graduated from Keele University in 2013 completing his final year project in the stereoselective synthesis of tetrahyrdrofurans. Tom then spent time outside of academia before studying for a masters in medicinal chemistry with the open university, graduating with a Merit in 2020. Tom’s project focused on the potential of triple reuptake inhibitors as potential antidepressants. Tom joined the group in September 2022 where his research will focus on Engineering carbohydrate-active enzymes to enable continuous-flow biocatalysis.
Christopher Field
3rd Year PhD Student – With Prof Sam Hay (University of Manchester) and EnginZyme
Chris is from Norwich, Norfolk. He graduated with a first-class BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Leeds in July 2021. He remained at Leeds whilst completing an MRes in Physics, which involved using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to study the effects of post-translational modification on microtubule structure and dynamics. He started a joint PhD between the University of Manchester and Keele University in October 2022, in collaboration with EnginZyme, where he will be investigating novel, low-cost enzyme immobilisation systems for use in large-scale, continuous flow biomanufacturing
Apisit Naramittanakul
2nd Year PhD Student – With Dr Nick Wright (Keele University) and Rasayan Inc.
Apisit is from Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. He completed his BSc in Biotechnology from Mahidol University. In 2022, Apisit completed his MEng in Biomolecular Science and Engineering from Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Thailand. His final year project involved development of continuous flow system with immobilized enzyme for phenol derivatives biodegradation. Apisit joined the Cosgrove group in September 2023 as a PhD student where his research will focus on an integrated flow and computational platform to unlock the potential of biocatalysis.
Andrea Maganza Zurdo
1st Year PhD Student – With Prof Gavin Miller (Keele University) and Iceni Glycoscience
Andrea is from Ibiza, Spain. She graduated from Keele University in 2023 obtaining a first class BSc chemistry degree. Her final year project within the Cosgrove group involved the development of novel nucleoside inhibitors for GDP-D-Mannose dehydrogenase (GMD). She obtained an MRes degree from Keele in September 2024 with her research focusing on the synthetic approaches of adenosine deaminase. She started her PhD, funded by Iceni Glycoscience in October 2024, investigating bioprocess optimisation for carbohydrate active biocatalysts.
Jana Fröhlich
1st Year PhD Student – With Prof Gavin Miller (Keele University) and Unilever
Jana is from Cologne, Germany. She graduated from the University of the Arts London in June 2023 with an integrated MSc in Cosmetic Science with Distinction. Her master’s project focused on driving sustainability in the cosmetics industry by reducing energy consumption during the manufacture of water-in-oil emulsions. Jana also obtained a Diploma in Professional Studies after completing a year in industry at GlaxoSmithKline in 2021, working on developing a natural denture adhesive. She continued her journey in sustainability by joining the Cosgrove group in September 2024 as a PhD student, where her research will focus on the decarbonisation of surfactant and functional polymer value chains by enzymatic processes in collaboration with Unilever.
Masters students
Aimee-Page Jenkins
MRes student 2024-25
Aimee is from Redhill, Surrey. She graduated with a first class BSc medicinal chemistry degree from Keele University in 2024. Her final year project within the Cosgrove group involved the development of active fragments for drug discovery utilising nitroreductase biocatalysis. During her degree she completed a summer research project with Dr Rebecca Ruscoe, focusing on enzyme-enabled Hantzsch dihydropyridine synthesis. She then re-joined the Cosgrove group for an MRes in 2024, with her project focussing on the development of novel chemoenzymatic cascades.
Joey Cheang
MChem student 2024-25
Joey is from Walsall, England. She is currently in her 4th year at Keele University studying for an MChem in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry. Her 3rd year project focused on the synthesis of T-series resolvins as a potential therapeutic option for chronic inflammatory diseases. For her master’s year, she joined the Cosgrove group in September 2024, with her project focusing on the use of metagenomic kinases for locked nucleotides.
Alistair Hackney
MRes student 2024-25
Group Alumni
Matthew Winterbottom – MChem 2023-24, Immobilisation of glycosyltransferases
Dr Simon Anderson – PDRA 2022-24, Alcohol oxidase engineering
Dr Alice Wahart – PhD 2020-24, Alcohol oxidase bioprocess optimisation; Eurofins
Joseph Wilson – MRes 2022-23, Nucleoside biocatalysis
Hannah Murally – MChem 2022-23, Nitroreductase optimisation
Matthew Wong – Visiting PhD student, University Sains Malaysia, 2023, Enzymatic functionalisation of carbohydrates
Amelia Swarbrook – Summer placement 2022, Biocatalytic coumarin synthesis; PhD Student at Oxford Inorganic CDT
Andrea Maganza Zurdo – Summer placement 2022, Enzyme expression optimisation
Arjeta Selmani – Erasmus+ visiting scholar, University of Prishtina, Kosovo, 2022-23, New biocatalytic approaches to coumarins
Jasmine Watts – MChem 2021-22, Amine resolution with lipases
Lauren Holder – MChem 2021-22, Nitroreductase optimisation; PhD student with Prof Gavin Miller, Keele University