Key details
Dr Andrew P Mendham
Senior Lecturer, Analytical Chemistry
Dr Andrew Mendham joined the School of Science, University of Greenwich in March 1993, primarily working in the microbiology laboratory. During this period the department permitted part-time study which eventually led to the successful completion of a BSc Hons Chemistry in 1998. Shortly after graduation, Dr Mendham was promoted to a senior technical position, in the University of Greenwich, with responsibility for managing the institution's modern NMR laboratory.
Subsequently, after an additional period of part-time study, the University of Greenwich awarded Andy a PhD (2006) for his research entitled 'Vibrational spectroscopic studies of the structure and conformation of cyclic dipeptides'.
In 2009, he was appointed as a Senior Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Analysis, and is currently the Programme Leader for the HNC, BSc and MChem Chemistry programmes.
Responsibilities within the university
Programme leader
- HNC Chemistry
- BSc Chemistry
- MChem
Course leader
- Organic Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry (HNC)
- Chemical Investigation
- Advanced Practical Skills and Research Methodology
- Practical Laboratory Science Skills 1
- Practical Laboratory Science Skills 2
Course participation
- Analytical Chemistry
- Instrumental Analysis
- Pharmaceutical Analysis and Testing
- Practical and Professional Skills
- Pharmaceutical Analysis, Mathematics and Statistics
- Analytical Chemistry (HNC)
- Chemical Investigation
- Advanced Practical Skills and Research Methodology
- Practical Laboratory Science Skills 1
- Practical Laboratory Science Skills 2
Recognition
- Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)
Research / Scholarly interests
Dr Mendham's research interests focus on the applications of molecular spectroscopy in determining the structure and conformation of molecules, both in the solid and solution states. His expertise predominantly encompasses NMR (solid and solution states), Raman and infra red spectroscopic techniques.
He has a particular interest in a group of molecules called cyclic dipeptides which are derivatives of diketopiperazine (DKP). DKP derivatives have been of long-standing interdisciplinary scientific interest, particularly as potential anti-cancer and anti-microbial agents. The six membered DKP ring typically adopts either a planar or boat conformation, and in addition, due to steric constraints, both amide bonds always adopt a cis conformation. Dr Mendham has been synthesising a range of new DKP derivatives, not only for their potential pharmacological applications, but also as a means for predicting the factors affecting the conformational aspects of the ring torsional angles.
He is also currently investigating the formation of a range of drug/cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. NMR spectroscopy (2d ROESY and DOSY experiments) is being used to characterise the drug/cyclodextrin systems.
Consultancy
Dr Mendham undertakes a range of consultancy projects focused on the application of NMR, Raman and infra red spectroscopic techniques.
Recent publications
Article
Nandi, Uttom , Trivedi, Vivek, Douroumis, Dennis, Mendham, Andrew P. , Coleman, Nichola J. (2020), Layered Silicate-Alginate Composite Particles for the pH-Mediated Release of Theophylline. MDPI. In: , , , . MDPI, Pharmaceuticals, 13: 182 (8) 1424-8247 (Online) (doi: http://doi.org/10.3390/ph13080182).
Elmes, Victoria K. , Edgar, Benjamin J., Mendham, Andrew P., Coleman, Nichola J. (2018), Basic metallosilicate catalysts from waste green container glass. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, Ceramics International, 44 (14) . pp. 17069-17073 ISSN: 0272-8842 (Print), (doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2018.06.151).
Chowdhry, Babur , Dines, Trevor, Mendham, Andrew, Ryall, John (2015), Infrared and raman spectroscopy of eugenol, isoeugenol, and methyl eugenol: Conformational analysis and vibrational assignments from density functional theory calculations of the anharmonic fundamentals. American Chemical Society. In: , , , . American Chemical Society, The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 119 (46) . pp. 11280-11292 ISSN: 1089-5639 (Print), 1520-5215 (Online) (doi: http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jpcafh) NB Item availability restricted.
Conference item
Elmes, Victoria K. , Mendham, Andrew P., Coleman, Nichola J. (2017), Hydrothermal synthesis of basic catalysts from waste container glass. In: 13th International Conference on Materials Chemistry (MC13), 10th - 13th July 2017, Liverpool , . , . pp. 1-1 (doi: http://www.rsc.org/events/detail/21273/13th%20International%20Conference%20on%20Materials%20Chemistry%20(MC13)).
Conference proceedings
Elmes, Victoria Katherine , Mendham, Andrew Paul, Coleman, Nichola Jayne (2017), A waste-derived lithium metasilicate basic catalyst. MATEC Web of Conferences. In: , , In: Z. Chen, T. Pasang, K. T. Lau, M. Zhu (eds.), 2017 2nd International Conference on Materials Science and Nanotechnology (ICMSNT 2017). MATEC Web of Conferences, , 109 (3004) (Ch. 3) (doi: http://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201710903004).