Mike Edwards

Biography

I was appointed as a lecturer at Keele in the summer of 2011. I obtained first my undergraduate degree (MChem) from the University of Bath undertaking a final year project, synthesising  anti-malarial agents, under the supervision of Prof. Malcolm Sainsbury. Having loved my 4 years in Bath I stayed to complete a PhD working with Prof. Jon Williams. My research pioneered a new approach to C-C bond formation using alcohols as alkylating agents and transition metal catalysis to “borrow hydrogen” – this remains an area of worldwide research interest today.

Following this I undertook two postdoctoral research stints, first at the University of Illinois Urbana−Champaign (USA) working with Prof. Scott Denmark in the area of Lewis base catalysis and organoelement chemistry, and more recently with Prof Richard Taylor at the University of York working on the synthesis of natural products and biologically relevant heterocycles.

Research and scholarship

Scholarship

Teaching across Medicinal Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry, I am particularly interested in the development and enhancement of university curricula within these disciplines. I have been involved in several projects at faculty, university, and sector level that explore how students can be supported in developing a deeper understanding of key concepts, alongside the design of assessment and feedback approaches that better align with the disciplinary knowledge and professional skills required by our graduates.

I am currently involved in the following projects:

(a) OneNote Reflective Portfolios

Alongside my colleagues Chloe Harold, Chris Hawes and David McGarvey, I have been exploring how digital portfolios can enhance student learning and engagement across both theory-based and practical modules. Using Microsoft OneNote, we have developed a range of portfolio activities that provide students with an interactive space to collate and organise information, complete assignments, and receive timely and responsive feedback. Across a range of introductory and advanced modules, these portfolios have proven to be an effective tool for encouraging students to reflect on their progress and engage more meaningfully with feedback. We are continuing to expand and deploy these approaches across a range of subject areas.

(b) Development of Interactive Authentic Assessment Activities

Alongside my colleagues Natalie Capel and Tess Phillips, I have designed and successfully implemented authentic assessment activities in drug design and forensic toxicology. Through a series of collaborative sessions, students simulate real-world professional practice as Medicinal Chemists, designing and developing new drug candidates, and as Forensic Toxicologists, investigating the manner, mode and mechanism of unexplained deaths. We continue to refine and develop these assessments, drawing on emerging technologies and innovative practices to further enhance the student learning experience.

(c) Professional Experience in Education

Alongside my colleague Daniela Plana and the placements team, I helped introduce a third-year module that provides Natural Sciences students interested in careers in teaching or training with opportunities to gain practical experience in schools, colleges and other educational settings. Following its successful launch, the module has expanded in scope, strengthening partnerships with local schools and colleges while giving students the confidence and experience needed to pursue future careers in education.

Research

My research interests focus on heterocyclic chemistry, encompassing both the synthesis of novel heterocyclic compounds and their applications in medicinal chemistry. Our research aims to develop efficient and innovative synthetic methodologies for the preparation of biologically relevant molecules and to apply these compounds to address important challenges in drug discovery, particularly through their use as molecular probes.

Over the years, we have undertaken projects across a range of therapeutic areas, including the development of antimalarial agents with novel mechanisms of action, targeted delivery strategies for Autotaxin (ATX) inhibitors, and the design of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) mimetics with antioxidant activity. While these areas remain of continuing interest, our current research focus is the development of novel anti-proliferative agents for cancer treatment in collaboration with Jóhannes Reynisson (School of Pharmacy).

This work investigates the synthesis and biological evaluation of novel thienopyridine derivatives as potential anti-cancer agents. In particular, we are exploring their ability to inhibit the enzyme phospholipase C-γ (PLC-γ), a target implicated in cancer cell growth and proliferation.

Teaching

I split my teaching between the Forensic Science and Chemistry degree programmes. In Chemistry, I teach topics ranging from foundational chemical structure to organic, medicinal and organometallic chemistry. In Forensic Science, I teach forensic chemistry topics including toxicology, drugs of abuse, arson, explosives, and chemical analysis.

• CHE-10063 - Chemical Structure and Reactivity
• CHE-20081 - Principles of Drug Design
• CHE-20099 - Practical and Professional Chemistry
• FSC-20009 - Drugs of Abuse (Module Leader)
• CHE-30058 - Mechanisms of Drug Action
• CHE-30078 - Kinetics, Catalysis & Mechanism (Module Leader)
• CHE-30080 - Synthetic Strategies in Organic Chemistry
• FSC-30039 - Forensic Toxicology: Ingestion to Detection
• FSC-30043 - Explosives, Arson and Evidence (Module Leader)
• FSC-40037 - Forensic Science Principles
• CPS-40003 - Analytical Science: Principles and Practice

I also offer student research projects across the third- and fourth-year modules for:

• BSc/MChem Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry
• BSc/MSci/MSc Forensic Science