Dr Simon Turega MChem, PhD
Senior Lecturer in Organic Chemistry
Summary
I joined the academic staff at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ in late 2014. After completing my MChem and PhD degrees at the University of Manchester I moved to the University of St Andrews. I left St Andrews to begin work in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sheffield before taking up my current position. My research interests cover several areas, physical organic chemistry, chemical biology and synthetic chemistry.
Teaching
BSc/Mchem Chemistry and BSc Biochemistry
Fundamentals or Organic Chemistry, Introduction to Cells and Biological Molecules, Organic and Biological Chemistry, Advanced Organic Synthesis and Spectroscopy, Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery, PSP1, PSP2
Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Molecular recognition
Much of my chemistry has involved the study of molecular recognition. Using a selection of synthetic model systems I studied the effect of changing the polarities of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors in my molecules and the solvents they are being studied in. There has been a lot of focus on how individual hydrogen bonds build up to form the type of complex molecular recognition seen in drug receptor interactions. Possibly what is most interesting is the hydrophobic effect where contacts between non-hydrogen bonding groups can build up to form a powerful driving force for molecular interactions.
Chemical biology
I am interested in chemical biology, in molecular recognition and the reversible covalent chemistry that controls gene regulation. This is directed towards the reversible methylation and acetylation of histone lysine residues and the development of small molecule probes to detect and quantify these processes. The work involves the synthesis of small molecules that can be made fluorescent and the observation of these probes in pluripotent cell lines.
Publications
Journal articles
Shipp, J., Parker, S., Spall, S., Peralta-Arriaga, S.L., Robertson, C.C., Chekulaev, D., ... Weinstein, J.A. (2022). . Inorganic chemistry, 61 (34), 13281-13292.
Zubi, A., Alnafisah, H.A., Turega, S., Marques, I., Gomes, J.R.B., Thomas, J.A., & Félix, V. (2021). . Chemistry – A European Journal, 28 (5), e202102465.
Hudspith, L., Shmam, F., Dalton, C.F., Princivalle, A., & Turega, S. (2019). . Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry.
Aldewachi, H., Woodroofe, N., Turega, S., & Gardiner, P. (2017). . Talanta, 169, 13-19.
Cullen, W., Turega, S., Hunter, C.A., & Ward, M.D. (2015). . Chemical Science, 6 (5), 2790-2794.
Zubi, A., Wragg, A., Turega, S., Adams, H., Costa, P.J., Félix, V., & Thomas, J.A. (2014). . Chemical Science, 6 (2), 1334-1340.
Cullen, W., Turega, S., Hunter, C.A., & Ward, M.D. (2014). . Chemical Science, 6 (1), 625-631.
Turega, S., Cullen, W., Whitehead, M., Hunter, C.A., & Ward, M.D. (2014). . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 136 (23), 8475-8483.
Whitehead, M., Turega, S., Stephenson, A., Hunter, C.A., & Ward, M.D. (2013). . Chemical Science, 4 (7), 2744-2751.
Turega, S., Whitehead, M., Hall, B.R., Meijer, A.J.H.M., Hunter, C.A., & Ward, M.D. (2013). . Inorganic Chemistry, 52 (2), 1122-1132.
Sun, H., Hunter, C.A., Navarro, C., & Turega, S. (2013). . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 135 (35), 13129-13141.
Adams, H., Chekmeneva, E., Hunter, C.A., Misuraca, M.C., Navarro, C., & Turega, S.M. (2013). . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 135 (5), 1853-1863.
Turega, S., Whitehead, M., Hall, B.R., Haddow, M.F., Hunter, C.A., & Ward, M.D. (2012). . Chemical Communications, 48 (22), 2752-2784.
Chekmeneva, E., Hunter, C.A., Misuraca, M.C., & Turega, S.M. (2012). . Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, 10 (30), 6022-6031.
Hunter, C.A., Misuraca, M.C., & Turega, S.M. (2012). . Chemical Science, 3 (8), 2462-2469.
Hunter, C.A., Misuraca, M.C., & Turega, S.M. (2012). . Chemical Science, 3 (2), 589-601.
Hunter, C.A., Misuraca, M.C., & Turega, S.M. (2011). . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 133 (50), 20416-20425.
Hunter, C.A., Misuraca, M.C., & Turega, S.M. (2011). . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 133 (3), 582-594.
Brittle, S.A., Richardson, T.H., Dunbar, A.D.F., Turega, S.M., & Hunter, C.A. (2011). . Journal of Materials Chemistry, 21 (13), 4882-4887.
Allen, V.C., Robertson, C.C., Turega, S.M., & Philp, D. (2010). . Organic Letters, 12 (9), 1920-1923.
Camara-Campos, A., Musumeci, D., Hunter, C.A., & Turega, S. (2009). . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131 (51), 18518-18524.
Hunter, C.A., Ihekwaba, N., Misuraca, M.C., Segarra-Maset, M.D., & Turega, S.M. (2009). . Chemical Communications, 26, 3964-3966.
Chekmeneva, E., Hunter, C.A., Packer, M.J., & Turega, S.M. (2008). . Journal of the American Chemical Society, 130 (52), 17718-17725.
Brittle, S., Richardson, T.H., Dunbar, A.D.F., Turega, S., & Hunter, C.A. (2008). . The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 112 (36), 11278-11283.
Turega, S.M., Lorenz, C., Sadownik, J.W., & Philp, D. (2008). . Chemical Communications, 34, 4076-4078.
Jones, C.E.S., Turega, S.M., Clarke, M.L., & Philp, D. (2008). . Tetrahedron Letters, 49 (31), 4666-4669.
Backstrom, N., Burton, N.A., Turega, S., & Watt, C.I.F. (2008). . Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry, 21 (7-8), 603-613.
Cowie, R.M., Turega, S.M., & Philp, D. (2006). . Organic Letters, 8 (23), 5179-5182.
Turega, S.M., & Philp, D. (2006). . Chemical Communications, 35, 3684-3686.
Postgraduate supervision
Philip Lane - A study of small molecule probes for the lysine specific demethylase 1 enzyme