Paul Bernhardt

Biography

After completing my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Newcastle, I held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Basel (Switzerland) from 1990-2. I returned to Australia in 1993 to take up an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Australian National University (Canberra) from 1993-4. I joined The University of Queensland in 1994.

Research Interest

Protein Electrochemistry This research involves incorporating redox active enzymes with electrochemical systems such that the enzyme functions natively whilst in communication with an electrode (rather than with a natural electron transfer partner). We are currently investigating a number of systems, most from the molybdenum enzyme family that catalyse oxygen transfer reactions of both organic and inorganic substrates. Chelators for Fe Overload Disorders Fe overload is a potentially fatal condition that affects a significant proportion of the population and its incidence is particularly problematic in developing countries. Its current treatment is expensive and highly invasive and compliance is poor. We are working on developing orally active drugs to treat Fe overload (collaboration with Prof. D.R. Richardson, Uni. of Sydney, Australia). Also we are developing fluorescent Fe chelators that will identify the cellular compartments from which Fe is chelated (collaboration with Dr J.J. Davis, Oxford University UK). Copper Complexes at ATRP Catalysts Atom trabsfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) is one of the most widely used 'controlled' radical polymerisation techniques and has resulted in polymers with well defined molecular weights and architectures. Our work is focuseed on complexes that catalayse this process by generating organic radicals from the simple reaction between a Cu(I) complex and an alkyl halide initiator. We can probe this atom transfer reaction with cyclic voltammetry and we have gained new insight to this interesting and fundamentally important reaction (collaboration with Prof. M.J. Monteiro, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, UQ). Secondary Research Areas: Medicinal Chemistry