Kate Jolliffe

Professor Kate Jolliffe is a distinguished academic at The University of Sydney, where she serves as Professor of Chemistry and Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Science. She leads the Jolliffe Research Group within the School of Chemistry and is a member of The University of Sydney Nano Institute. With over two decades of academic excellence, Professor Jolliffe has established herself as a leading researcher in supramolecular chemistry and molecular recognition.

Professor Jolliffe earned her BSc (Hons) from the University of New South Wales in 1993, followed by her PhD from the same institution in 1997. Her academic journey includes a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Universiteit Twente in The Netherlands (1996-1998), a Temporary Lectureship at the University of Nottingham, UK (1998-2000), and a Research Fellowship at the Australian National University (2000-2002). She joined the University of Sydney as a QEII Fellow in 2002, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2007, Associate Professor in 2008, and Professor in 2009. She served as Head of the School of Chemistry from 2013 to 2016.

Professor Jolliffe's research focuses on the design and synthesis of molecular receptors, sensors, and transporters for anionic species, with particular emphasis on sulfate, phosphorylated biomolecules, and dicarboxylates. Her work employs strategies ranging from large, semi-rigid macrocycles to flexible peptide-based receptors. Additionally, she investigates the synthesis of natural and novel cyclic peptides, developing efficient methods for head-to-tail cyclization with applications in studying protein folding and biological activity. Her research aligns with the Faculty of Science Research Strengths in Molecules to Materials, Understanding Disease & Disorder in Humans, and Next Generation Materials.

Professor Jolliffe's extensive publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to anion recognition, molecular sensing, and peptide chemistry. Her recent work shows increasing focus on practical applications of molecular receptors in biological and environmental contexts, particularly in water purification, cellular analysis, and medical diagnostics. There's a clear trend toward interdisciplinary research that bridges chemistry with biology, medicine, and environmental science.

• RACI Beckwith Medal (2004)
• RACI Biota award for Medicinal Chemistry (2006)
• NSW and ACT Young Tall Poppy Science award (2007)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2012)
• RACI A. J. Birch Medal (2017)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW (2017)
• Vice Chancellors award for Outstanding Teaching and Research (2017)
• RACI H. G. Smith Memorial Award (2018)
• Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2020)
• RACI Margaret Sheil Leadership Award (2021)

Professor Jolliffe actively mentors the next generation of scientists, currently supervising eleven research students working on diverse projects including macrocyclic sulfopeptides as LYTACs, fluorescent sensing arrays, cyclic carboxylate sensors, and novel peptide synthesis methods. Her research group collaborates extensively with other institutions and researchers across multiple disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of modern chemical research. She has been instrumental in establishing collaborative networks that bridge traditional academic boundaries.

As a member of The University of Sydney Nano Institute, Professor Jolliffe contributes to cutting-edge research in nanoscale science and technology. Her laboratory focuses on developing molecular-scale tools with applications ranging from environmental remediation to medical diagnostics. The group's work on anion recognition has particular relevance for understanding biological processes and developing new analytical techniques.