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Darren Willcox

@dr-dwillcox.bsky.social

Lecturer @University of Manchester. Interested in low-valent transition metal complexes, organoaluminium chemistry and cyclopropanes

250 Followers  |  218 Following  |  19 Posts  |  Joined: 27.01.2025  |  2.2458

Latest posts by dr-dwillcox.bsky.social on Bluesky

Congratulations Rebecca. I’m putting mine together for this next year…

09.12.2025 18:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Metals against AMR - Understanding how bismuth inhibits metallo-Ξ²-lactamase enzymes at Nottingham Trent University on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Metals against AMR - Understanding how bismuth inhibits metallo-β-lactamase enzymes at Nottingham Trent University, listed on FindAPhD.com

Funded PhD position: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
This is an interdisciplinary project where you get to do coordination chemistry with bismuth and zinc, as well as some microbiology and some computational chemistry - all in the name of combatting antimicrobial resistance.
Currently UK only.

24.11.2025 16:17 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Same here

15.11.2025 18:53 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Congratulations Alexis!

11.11.2025 12:56 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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[FSE Bicentenary PhD] Controlling magnetic relaxation times in rare earth single-molecule magnets and qubits at The University of Manchester on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - [FSE Bicentenary PhD] Controlling magnetic relaxation times in rare earth single-molecule magnets and qubits at The University of Manchester, listed on FindAPhD.com

We are hiring PhD students in very different research areas! Please see two adverts below, and note that the second position is restricted to UK students only. Please re-post; interested candidates please contact me by email:
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

10.11.2025 09:20 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Sustainable Catalysis with Sb and Bi Pincer Complexes at The University of Manchester on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Sustainable Catalysis with Sb and Bi Pincer Complexes at The University of Manchester, listed on FindAPhD.com

🚨 PhD Opportunity 🚨 πŸ” Reposts appreciated!

My group at @manchester.ac.uk is recruiting a 3.5-year PhD student to explore Sb & Bi pincer complexes for metallomimetic chemistry.

πŸ”¬ Fully funded (UK only)
πŸ“ Manchester
πŸ§ͺ Synthetic inorganic chemistry

Apply πŸ‘‰ tinyurl.com/yrjkvha9

05.11.2025 12:54 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 21    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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[FSE Bicentenary PhD] New Electrosynthetic Strategies to Nitrile Covalent Warheads, and Their Application to the Development of Electrochemically-Activated Prodrugs for Targeted Drug-Delivery at The ... PhD Project - [FSE Bicentenary PhD] New Electrosynthetic Strategies to Nitrile Covalent Warheads, and Their Application to the Development of Electrochemically-Activated Prodrugs for Targeted Drug-De...

We are seeking a motivated candidate to apply for the prestigious Bicentenary PhD Scholarship at the University of ManchesterπŸ‘©β€πŸ”¬πŸ§‘β€πŸ”¬

Interested applicants should contact me at giacomo.crisenza@manchester.ac.uk. We welcome applications from the UK and worldwideπŸ—ΊοΈ

Info: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

23.10.2025 14:18 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

They are not really favourable if you have childcare duties over the summer, as I find out every year…

13.09.2025 14:56 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Well done Cris and team!

12.09.2025 19:25 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Many congratulations Marina and team, beautiful chemistry!

05.09.2025 17:51 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Scientists develop groundbreaking β€˜blood on demand’ technology to revolutionise emergency transfusions Rapid washout: Cocktail-treated RBCs can be washed and prepared for transfusion in just 25 minutes – compared to over 75 minutes for glycerol.Higher recovery rates: The new method results in an averag...

and press release here.
www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/s...

04.09.2025 15:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Research Associate in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry:Manchester As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

We are recruiting! Two 24 month postdoc positions are available with @m-l-baker.bsky.social and I, one mainly synthesis and the other measurements of lanthanide SMMs. Links below, deadline 19th Aug - please re-post:
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...

05.08.2025 20:07 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Congratulations!

04.08.2025 18:04 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Janus-Faced Reactivity of Heterobimetallic Al–Zn Complexes p-Block complexes containing unsupported metal–metal bonds can activate small molecules via mechanisms that complement and contrast with those of d-block metal complexes. Within this compound class, A...

Our groups first foray into heterobimetallic Zn/Al chemistry. Congratulations to Jake, Josef, Avantika, George, Nik and @millsgroupchem.bsky.social.

chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...

04.08.2025 13:40 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 1
Video thumbnail

Dual release with a bit of logic!

We show the release of a double cargo payload with 2 stimuli, force and water, with an AND gate mechanism.

Great work from Lei Chen, now available in #openaccess as a #HotPaper in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

#chemsky

14.07.2025 09:54 β€” πŸ‘ 21    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

As promised, postdoc positions at BristolUni.bsky.social available in homogeneous catalysis and computational chemistry exploring the replacement of palladium catalysts by Earth-Abundant Metals: www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...

#ChemSky #CompChemSky #ChemJobs #UKChemJobs

11.07.2025 08:13 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Congrats Robin. That’s great news

10.07.2025 18:44 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I had an idea who you were referring to but had to check just to be sure. My hunch was very much correct! The UK funding is properly fucked up

10.07.2025 18:43 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Congratulations Clare! It’s very much deserved

25.06.2025 19:43 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Congratulations Rebecca

25.06.2025 14:32 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nitrile Hydroboration by Cooperative Iron Catalysis: An Experimental and Computational Study Reductive amination is a challenging reaction in catalysis that often gives poor yield and selectivity. We present an ironcatalyzed approach of synthesizing amines through reduction of nitriles throu...

New paper from the group and a fantastic collab. with the de Visser group where we explore the iron-catalyzed hydroboration of nitriles via metal-ligand cooperative catalysis Congratulations Laura, Yi, Ryan, Sam.

chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

24.06.2025 17:28 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Look forward to working with you too Josh. Very exciting times!

18.06.2025 15:22 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Congratulations Hannah

04.06.2025 15:46 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Normalising huge substrate scopes worsens wellbeing And holds up the pace of scientific progress

Two independent analyses show that when looking at the size of substrate scopes published in Organic Letters, or in Organic Letters and JACS combined, the average number of examples reported has more than doubled in the past decade.
#ChemSky

29.05.2025 15:42 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Last few days to apply! Deadline: Thursday 29th May.

27.05.2025 07:05 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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(EPSRC DTP) Combining experiment and theory to understand dynamic ordering of molecules in liquid solutions that influences physical properties of drug-like molecules and reactivity at The University ... PhD Project - (EPSRC DTP) Combining experiment and theory to understand dynamic ordering of molecules in liquid solutions that influences physical properties of drug-like molecules and reactivity at T...

Excited to be part of this PhD project with Andrew Leach’s team in Manchester.
Great opportunity to get involved!
#compchem #phd

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

15.05.2025 17:03 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD and who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary ...

Are you interested in main-group heterobimetallic complexes and want to work in a fantastic department?
Come join us the University of Manchester.
The MSCA is now open.
Please email me directly if you are interested.

marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-p...

14.05.2025 18:11 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Job Details

We're recruiting a PDRA to work with our team at Oxford Chemistry @ox.ac.uk @oxfordchemistry.bsky.social ! If you are interested in synthetic inorganic chemistry and catalysis research, Apply!

my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...

13.05.2025 10:30 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 17    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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PhD in Chemistry: Synthesis of Transition Metal Precursors for Semiconductor Materials at Cardiff University on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - PhD in Chemistry: Synthesis of Transition Metal Precursors for Semiconductor Materials at Cardiff University, listed on FindAPhD.com

🚨PhD position in synthetic inorganic chemistry in our group.🚨 The position is joint with semiconductor company TOK and will involve trip(s) to Japan!
Please see the details below ⬇️

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

09.05.2025 17:04 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A graphic for the Marie SkΕ‚odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), showing a historical portrait of Marie SkΕ‚odowska-Curie overlaid with an image of four young researchers walking down a hallway. The European Commission logo is in the top left. Text reads: "Marie SkΕ‚odowska-Curie Actions – €404.3 million to support postdoctoral researchers”

A graphic for the Marie SkΕ‚odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), showing a historical portrait of Marie SkΕ‚odowska-Curie overlaid with an image of four young researchers walking down a hallway. The European Commission logo is in the top left. Text reads: "Marie SkΕ‚odowska-Curie Actions – €404.3 million to support postdoctoral researchers”

Choose Science. Choose Europe.

A new Marie SkΕ‚odowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 call is now open.

With a budget of €404.3 million, it will support around 1,650 researchers from Europe and beyond.

Apply by 10 September β†’ europa.eu/!fBTMgF

08.05.2025 10:12 β€” πŸ‘ 960    πŸ” 563    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 99

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