Gordon Florence

Dr Gordon Florence is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2001) and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Minnesota (USA) and Cambridge. He was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship in 2005 and a Leverhulme Research Leadership Award in 2012. His research focuses on synthetic organic chemistry, particularly the synthesis of bioactive natural products for drug discovery against neglected tropical diseases. He leads a multidisciplinary team exploring chemical biology and biocatalysis, with collaborations in infection mechanisms and sustainable metabolite production.

Education:

• PhD in Chemistry, University of Cambridge (2001)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Minnesota (2001–2002)

Teaching Roles:

• Adviser of Studies for the Gateway to Medicine programme
• Module Convenor for CH3613 and Lab Convenor for CH2601
• Academic Monitor for External Placements (CH4441)
• Director of Teaching in Chemistry (2020–2024)

Research Themes:

• Synthesis of rare bioactive natural products
• Targeting neglected tropical diseases (e.g., trypanosomiasis)
• Biocatalytic methods for sustainable production
• Mechanisms of bacterial and plant pathogens

His publications span synthetic strategies, drug target validation, and enzyme mechanisms, with recent work on acetogenin analogs and ATP synthase inhibition.

Awards:

• Leverhulme Research Leadership Award (2012)
• Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2005)

Grants & Collaboration:

• Leverhulme Trust funding for research leadership
• Interdisciplinary projects with chemical biology and biocatalysis

Lab & Teams: His research group (GJF Group) specializes in organic synthesis and drug discovery, with particular expertise in marine natural products and molecular diversification for healthcare applications.