People

Our Team

Professor Naresh Kumar

Principal Investigator

Prof Naresh Kumar completed his PhD in organic chemistry at Wollongong University in 1983, and after working as a Research Scientist at the School of Chemistry, University of NSW was appointed a Lecturer in 2003. He moved through the ranks to become Professor of chemistry in 2009. Prof Kumar has a full-time research and teaching appointment at the University of New South Wales. During the past ten years, he has carried out both vigorous independent and strong collaborative research in organic synthesis, natural products chemistry and biomaterials. This activity is reflected in 7 book chapters, and 250 publications that have appeared in major peer-reviewed international journals of chemistry. The major emphasis of his research has been in the area of heterocyclic chemistry and, more recently, in the areas of medicinal chemistry and biomaterials. These projects have been well supported by ARC grants, NHMRC grants, and commercial research contracts. Prof Kumar's group has access to state-of-the-art research facilities through the School of Chemistry and the UNSW Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre.

n.kumar@unsw.edu.au

9385 4698

School of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney

Lecturer/Associate Lecturer

Postdoctoral Researchers

Tsz Tin Yu

Research focus: His research interests mainly focus on synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry, especially on the synthesis of bioactive compounds and the development of novel antimicrobial agents in response to antimicrobial resistance.

Hobbies:

Jun Sun, PhD

Research focus: PFAS remediation, environmental science and analytical chemistry

Hobbies: Painting, Gym

Tuong To, PhD

Research focus: synthetic chemistry

Hobbies: Board games

PhD Students

Yao Cheng

Research focus: 1. Medicinal Chemistry: Design and synthesis of biologically active molecules. 2. Organic Methodology: Development of simple strategies for constructing pharmaceutical scaffolds

Hobbies: Hiking, Squash, Swimming, Board games

Dittu Suresh

Research focus: Dual-action antimicrobials focused towards quorum sensing inhibitors and small molecule antimicrobial peptide mimics

Hobbies: Badminton, games

Nathan Carey

Research focus: My research aims are broadly to synthesise new antimicrobial compounds. Recently my attention has been on using bacterial iron transport mechanisms to target resistant, virulent bacterial strains.

Hobbies: When I'm not in the lab you might find me on some outdoor adventure with some favourites being skiing, hiking, abseiling/canyoning or a good roadtrip.

Valerio Falasca

Research focus: Anticancer and antiinflammatory drug discovery

Hobbies: Brazilian Jiu Jitzu, Hiking, Bouldering

Rasel Ahmed Khan

Research focus: My research interests lie in the field of medicinal chemistry, with a particular focus on the design and development of novel therapeutic agents. Currently, I am working on the development of next generation quorum sensory inhibitors

Hobbies: Adventures, reading, photography, hiking, traveling, and playing board games

Samuel Attard

Research focus: development of antimicrobial hydrogel-based compounds

Hobbies:

Matthew Erlik

Research focus: My research interests include the discovery of anticancer drugs

Hobbies: Video games, music

Tope A. Ibisanmi

Research focus: Research interest: Antimicrobial resistance, computational and experimental drug design

Hobbies: Adventures, web surfing, football.

Robert Rourke

Ghayah Bahatheg

Master's Students

Lilla Nur Firli

Research focus: I am currently working on discovering antibacterial compounds from marine sponges. My project combines natural product isolation, structural analysis, and target identification using biotin-tagging and phage display.

Hobbies: I find joy in creative writing, reading, video editing, and capturing moments through photos. I also like baking (only when I feel like it).

Josh Fleming

Research focus: I'm interested in medicinal chemistry projects, with a combination of organic synthesis and biotesting

Hobbies: Reading, hiking, crocheting

PhD, 2019

Jeremy Dobrowolski

PhD, 2019

Basmah Almohaywi

PhD, 2020

Vina Aldilla

PhD, 2020

Vidia Nuraini

My Expertise

Agricultural chemicals; chemical nomenclature; chemicals - organic, reagent; drugs; pharmaceutical products & technology;

Biography

Born 1938. Research Associate at Columbia University 1963 - 1964. Appointed Lecturer at Monash University 1965, promoted to Senior Lecturer 1971, Reader 1975. Appointed to Chair of Organic Chemistry UNSW in 1983. Secretary General of IUPAC 2004-2011.