Positions available
Part II

Prospective Part II students are invited to attend Open Days to learn more about how research during the Part II is considered by the department. Anyone interested is strongly encouraged to contact Prof Ben Davis directly and to come and spend some time with the group (e.g. over tea or at a group meeting) to really learn how research is carried out in our group.

We view the Part II as a golden opportunity to genuinely experience research life and, importantly, to discover what there is to love about it. Part II projects in the group are integral to the discoveries that we make as a group and Part II students get to experience the full range of what we do.

Previous Part II students from the group have been involved in some of our key work. For example, during their projects, Part II students have demonstrated the first examples of Olefin Metathesis[pub 100] [Angel Lin] reactions or Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling[pub 129] [Charlotte Wood] reactions on proteins, have discovered new biosynthetic pathways to antibiotics and their biological mechanisms[pub 177] [Tom Yabe], have created unique glycopeptide libraries that can chemically evolve to form optimized ligands for proteins[pub 69] [Tom Hotchkiss] or designed new artificial enzymes and explored their use in the creation of drug-like synthetic targets[pub 57] [Katie Doores]. In 2014 work of Part II Rafal Wiewiora led to a key breakthrough in our discovery of a general method for protein mutagenesis that was published in Science [pub 225].

Often, therefore, these projects will see Part IIs publish papers as first or leading authors and the majority of Part II students will see their project discoveries published. Many go on to graduate study not only in the UK but abroad (in recent years, Harvard and Sloan-Kettering). We see this a being an integral part of the excitement that can come from choosing interesting and ambitious 'bigger questions' to study. We don't believe in humdrum projects and we do ask people to commit themselves during their time with us so that they fully enjoy it; this provides a fun and exciting opportunity to those who see science as a way to make a difference in the world.

D.Phil

Prospective D.Phil students are invited to contact Prof Ben Davis. Information about applications and scholarships are available on the Chemistry Department Postgraduate pages.

The group is a participating group in several of the DTCs/CDTs/IDCs that Oxford runs. This is a wonderful mechanism for those who may not be entirely decided about a precise area of research since it allows them to enter into rotations of short projects before committing to a given group. We are active in these centres and participate in both the short projects and the full DPhil schemes within these programmes. The DTC page provides more details and we would also encourage direct application to these centres as well as the department. Note that the deadlines for application may not all align and the several programmes run semi-indepedently of each other and of the department's processes.

Postdocs

Available postdoctoral positions are advertised on the Chemistry Department website. Prospective postdoctoral candidates are invited to contact Prof Ben Davis directly.

Potential Sources of Funding

Prof Benjamin G. Davis
University of Oxford
Chemistry Research Laboratory
Mansfield Road
Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK
Phone: + 44 (0)1865 275652
Fax: + 44 (0)1865 275674
Ben.Davis@chem.ox.ac.uk