Maria Sanz

Maria Sanz is a Reader in Physical Chemistry, specializing in rotational spectroscopy and molecular structure analysis. Her research focuses on conformational isomers, hydrogen bonding, and atmospheric pollutant interactions. She leads projects funded by EPSRC and the Royal Society, including studies on musk odorant receptors and atmospheric aerosol nucleation. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through environmental chemistry and molecular mechanisms research.

Research Interests: Her expertise spans rotational spectroscopy techniques (e.g., Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy), molecular hydration dynamics, and non-covalent interactions in biomolecules. She explores structural evolution of molecules like ethanolamine and fenchone under hydration, as well as pollutant behavior like 4-methyl-2-nitrophenol.

Grants & Projects:

• EPSRC Project: Conformations of musk odorants and their binding to human musk receptors (2024-2027)
• Royal Society Grant: Unraveling atmospheric amine nucleation (2019-2023)

Key Contributions: Over 70 peer-reviewed articles, including high-impact studies in Angewandte Chemie and Journal of the American Chemical Society. Her work bridges experimental spectroscopy with quantum chemical calculations to elucidate molecular mechanisms.