Senior Lecturer in Analytical Chemistry
Over the last 12 years, my research has applied chromatography hyphenated techniques to the search for, and validation of, biomarkers for a number of diseases.
Currently, I am involved in the metabolomics and lipidomic study of prostate cancer, glioblastoma and atherosclerosis. The aim of this research is understand the underlying biochemistry, to develop new markers for diagnosis, prognosis and the identification of new mechanisms for drug targets.
In addition, this approach is applied to the comparison of yeasts and brewed products with the use of chemometric approaches to the development and characterisation of products of the brewing industry. This is in collaboration with BrewLab UK.
I have been responsible for the design and resource of an excellent analytical chemistry lab for our undergraduate and postgraduate students.
My research uses quantitative mass spectrometry and the routine use of UHPLC-MS, GC-QqQ-MS and UHPLC-QToF-MS. There is further implementation and use of CE-QToF-MS for the analysis of complex samples.
I am a committee member of the Royal Society of Chemistry – Separation Science group. Through which, I help organise national and international conferences to disseminate the most recent advances within the field of separation science. We also sponsor a number of summer placements within a cognate research topic.
Teaching and supervision
I am responsible for teaching fundamental and advanced analytical techniques and approaches to a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
These techniques are tailored to individual courses but largely I teach quantitative analytical chemistry using standards, experimental design, UV, MS, NMR and IR Spectrophotometry, chromatography (LC, GC, CE), Isotope dilution mass spectrometry (quantitative MS).
These are aligned to the fields and clinical, biomedical, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical science courses below:
Research interests for potential research students
My research is focused on the analysis of complex samples. Currently, my research is within the field of metabolomics and lipidomics, applied to a number of cancers and cardio vascular disease.
Publications
Article
Abu Abed, Omar S, Chaw, Cheng, Williams, Lee and Elkordy, Amal (2021) PEGylated polymeric nanocapsules for oral delivery of trypsin targeted to the small intestines. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 592 (120094). ISSN 0378-5173
Childs, Stephen, Haroune, Nicolas, Williams, Lee and Gronow, Michael (2017) Investigation of the Low Molecular Weight Thiol Composition in a Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cell Line (LNCaP) by LC-UV-MS and NMR after Labelling with the Ellman Reagent. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 08 (01). pp. 1-18. ISSN 2156-8251
Abu Abed, O. S., Elkordy, Amal, Chaw, Cheng, Williams, Lee and Carlile, Mark (2016) Development and Characterisation of Polymeric Nanacapsules Containing Macromolecule. Molecular Therapy, 24 (Supp 1). S237-S238. ISSN 1525-0016
Childs, Stephen, Haroune, Nicolas, Williams, Lee and Gronow, M (2016) Determination of cellular glutathione: glutathione disulphide ratio in prostate cancer cells by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Journal of Chromatography A, 1437. pp. 67-73. ISSN S0021-9673
Rashid, M, Auger, V, Williams, Lee, Dou, Y, Pruneanu, S and Ali, Z (2007) Polymer based microchip for combined capillary electrophoresis and electrochemical detection. Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2007. EMBS 2007. 29th Annual International Conference of the IEEE. pp. 111-114. ISSN 1557-170X
Whiteley, P, Waring, R, Williams, Lee, Klovrza, L, Nolan, F, Smith, S, Farrow, M, Dodou, Kalliopi, Lough, John and Shattock, Paul (2006) Spot urinary creatinine excretion in pervasive developmental disorders. Pediatrics International, 48 (3). 292-297.. ISSN 1442-200X
Conference or Workshop Item
Abu Abed, O. S., Chaw, Cheng, Carlile, Mark, Williams, Lee and Elkordy, Amal (2015) Effects of copolymer type and excipient on the size and encapsulation efficiency of lysozyme containing nanocapsules. In: 6th APS International PharmSci 2015, Innovation in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 7 - 9 Sept 2015, East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, UK. (Unpublished)
- Analytical method development and procedures of sample preparation with a primary focus on metabolomics, clinical and (bio)pharmaceutical samples.
- Chromatographic and hyphenated techniques. Multiple modes and types of Mass Spectrometry (MS). Capillary electrophoresis (CE).
Techniques by abbreviation:
- (Ultra) high Performance Liquid Chromatography (U)HPLC, (U)HPLC-qToF-MS,
- Preparative Liquid Chromatography (prep-LC)
- Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC)
- Gas Chromatography (GC), GC-QqQ-MS
- Solid Phase Extraction (SPE)
- Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME)
Capillary Electrophoresis :
Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE), Micellar ElectroKinetic Chromatography (MEKC), MicroEmulsion ElectroKinetic Chromatography (MEEKC), Capillary Gel Electrophoresis (CGE), Ion analysis, Isotachophoresis.