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Prof Helen C Hailes

Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Prof Helen Hailes
Address: Department of Chemistry, UCL
Phone No: +44 (0)20 7679 4654
Fax No: +44 (0)20 7679 7463
Extension: 24654
Email: h.c.hailes@ucl.ac.uk
Photo of Helen Hailes

Research areas of interest include:

  • Biocatalysis and chemoenzymatic synthesis
  • PI 3-kinase and PKB activators and inhibitors
  • Non-viral gene therapy
  • Calixarenes and tuberculosis therapies
  • Design and synthesis of novel hydrogen-bonded arrays
  • Novel signaling molecules
  • Organic synthesis in water

Summary

Helen Hailes Research Image

Research activity in our group is focused on the use of synthetic organic chemistry to probe and solve biological problems. Current projects include the use of water as a reaction solvent and the use of catalytic and biocatalytic synthetic strategies. Also novel kinase inhibitors, cytosine-based hydrogen-bonding polymers and new lipid design for use in a ternary gene delivery vector.

Research Profile

Selected Publications

  1. J. L. Galman, H. C. Hailes, “Application of a modified Mosher's method for the determination of enantiomeric ratio and absolute configuration at C-3 of chiral 1,3-dihydroxy ketones”, Tetrahedron: Asymm., 2009, 20, 1828-1831
  2. H. C. Hailes, P. A. Dalby, G. J. Lye, J. M. Ward, “Biocatalytic approaches to ketodiols and aminodiols”, Chimica Oggi-Chemistry Today, 2009, 27, 28-31.
  3. M. E. B. Smith, B. H. Chen, E. G. Hibbert, U. Kaulmann, K. Smithies, J. L. Galman, F. Baganz, P. A. Dalby, H. C. Hailes, G. J. Lye, J. M. Ward, J. M. Woodley and M. Micheletti, "A Multidisciplinary Approach Toward the Rapid and Preparative-Scale Biocatalytic Synthesis of Chiral Amino Alcohols: A Concise Transketolase-/ω-Transaminase-Mediated Synthesis of (2S,3S)-2-Aminopentane-1,3-diol", Org. Process Res. Dev., 2010, 14, 99-107.
  4. A. Cázares, J. L. Galman, L. G. Crago, M. E. B. Smith, J. Strafford, L. Ríos-Solís,G. J. Lye, P. A. Dalby, H. C. Hailes, "Non-alpha-hydroxylated aldehydes with evolvedtransketolase enzymes", Org. Biomol. Chem., 2010, 8, 1301–1309.
  5. A. Chiva, D. E. Williams, A. B. Tabor, H. C. Hailes, "Screening of polymeric supports and enzymes for the development of an endo enzyme-cleavable linker", Tetrahedron Lett., 2010, 51, 2720-2723.

All Publications

  • 1984-1987 : B. A. (Natural Sciences) (Hons) St. John's College, Cambridge.
  • 1987-1991 : Ph. D. in Biological Chemistry, University of Cambridge, with Professor J. Staunton FRS.
  • 1991-1992 : PDRA, Department of Chemistry, Cambridge University, with Professor J. Staunton, FRS.
  • 1992 : PDRA, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, with Professor S. V. Ley FRS.
  • 1993-1994 : PDRA, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, with Dr. D. A. Widdowson
  • 1994-2002 : Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, University College London
  • 2002-2005 : Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, University College London
  • 2005- Reader in Chemical Biology, University College London