معرفی
Dr. Na (also Anna) Wu is a Lecturer in Bioorganic Chemistry at the University of Bradford, where she established her independent research career in 2020 after a series of prestigious international research positions. Her work focuses on innovative methodologies in organic synthesis and catalysis, with particular emphasis on developing efficient routes to complex molecular architectures.
Dr. Wu received her BS in Chemistry from Shann'xi Normal University, followed by MS & Ph.D. in Synthesis & Catalysis from Peking University (2006-2010), formally graduating in June 2012. Her doctoral research centered on the application of Pauson-Khand reaction in the total synthesis of (±)-Pentalenolactone-a Methyl Ester under Prof. Zhen Yang. She further expanded her expertise through international research experiences, including a visiting researcher position at Durham University (2010-11) with Prof. Todd Marder, a postdoctoral position at University of Nottingham (2013) with Prof. Simon Woodward, and a Research Fellowship at Guangxi Normal University (2015). In 2018, she was awarded the prestigious Royal Society Newton International Research Fellowship, which she continued at Durham University under Prof. Andy Whiting before joining the University of Bradford.
Dr. Wu's research program centers on two interconnected themes: designing 'domino' strategies that enable multiple bond formation in single steps, and developing methods for synthesizing ynamides and ynamines. Her work explores novel palladium-catalyzed enyne cyclizations, Pauson-Khand reactions, and mechanistic studies to access polycyclic alkaloids as bioactive agents. Additionally, she creates practical, environmentally-friendly routes to ynamides and ynamines with applications in light-harvesting and fluorescent materials. Her research bridges synthetic methodology development with practical applications in pharmaceutical synthesis and materials science.
Dr. Wu's publication record demonstrates consistent innovation in organic synthesis, with recent work showing increased emphasis on sustainable chemistry approaches including water-based synthesis and metal-free reactions. Her publications span high-impact journals including Angewandte Chemie, Chemical Communications, and Organic Letters, with several articles highlighted as notable contributions in their fields.
- UK-China joint training doctoral students scholarship awarded by CSC (2010-2011)
- Guangxi Province Key Laboratory grant (2014-2017)
- Research Grant awarded by National Nature Science Foundation of China (2015-2018)
- Young Investigator Research Grant awarded by Guangxi Provincial Nature Science Foundation (2015-2017)
- Research Grant from Peking University Shenzhen graduate school (2016)
- Newton International Research Fellowship, awarded by the UK Royal Society (2018)
- Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Seal of Excellence, awarded by European Commission (2018)
- Top 10 Most Accessed Article in Angewandte Chemie (October 2012)
- Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Dr. Wu has secured multiple research grants from national and international funding bodies and actively recruits graduate students through various scholarship programs including the Schlumberger Faculty for the Future, Commonwealth PhD scholarship, Chinese Scholarship Council visiting scholarship, and Nigerian Tertiary Fund Trust. Her laboratory at the University of Bradford focuses on advancing organic synthesis through innovative methodology development and interdisciplinary applications.
