Jonathan received his PhD from The University of Manchester in 2017 and his MChem (Hons) in Medicinal Chemistry in 2013 with support from the GSK Organic Chemistry Bursary. During this time, he completed a Nuffield Foundation summer project with Professor David Procter on Pummerer cyclisation methodologies and a group project with Dr Roger Whitehead on the synthesis of anti-tumour agents.
Jon undertook his final year undergraduate project with Professor Jason Micklefield on the development of biocatalytic aromatic halogenation methodologies. This work involved the design and synthesis of potential substrates for the flavin-dependant tryptophan halogenases as well as determining the regioselectivity of such halogenations.
In September 2013, Jon received the EPS Faculty Dean’s Scholarship to study towards a PhD on a collaborative project between Professors Jason Micklefield and Michael Greaney which hopes to develop integrated catalysis methodologies.
Jon’s skills include: the synthesis, purification and characterisation of organic compounds (including HPLC, NMR, IR and MS); protein overexpression and purification; methodology and process development.
In his spare time, Jon enjoys cycling and drinking fancy beers – albeit not at the same time.
Publications:
Development of Halogenase Enzymes for Use in Synthesis J. Latham, E. Brandenburger, S. A. Shepherd, B. R. K. Menon and J.Micklefield Chem. Rev 2018, 118, 232-269; (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00032)
Development of Halogenase Enzymes for use in Synthesis. Jonathan Latham, Eileen Brandenburger, Sarah A. Shepherd, Binuraj R. K. Menon and Jason Micklefield. American Chemical Society. 2017, (DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00032)
An Engineered Tryptophan Synthase Opens New Enzymatic Pathways to β-Methyltryptophan and Derivatives. Daniel Francis, Michael Winn, Jonathan Latham, Michael F Greaney and Jason Micklefield ChemBioChem. 2017 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cbic.201600471)
Structure and Biocatalytic Scope of Thermophillic Flavin-Dependent Halogenase and Flavin Reductase Enzymes B. R. K. Menon, J. Latham, M. S. Dunstan, E. Brandenburger, U. Klemstein, S. A. Shepherd, C. Karthikeyan, M. F. Greaney, D. Leys and J. Micklefield* Org. Biomol. Chem. 2016, 14, 9354–9361.(http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C6OB01861K)
Integrated Catalysis Opens New Arylation Pathways via Regiodivergent Enzymatic C-H Activation. J. Latham, J.-M. Henry, H. H. Sharif, B. R. K. Menon, S. A. Shepherd, M. F. Greaney, J.Micklefield. Nature Commun. 2016, 7, 11873 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NCOMMS11873)
Extending the Biocatalytic Scope of Regiocomplementary Flavin-Dependent Halogenase Enzymes. S. A. Shepherd, C. Karthikeyan, J. Latham, A.-W. Struck, M. L. Thompson, B. Menon, M. Styles, C. Levy, D. Leys and J. Micklefield Chemical Science 2015, 6, 3454-3460 DOI:10.1039/C5SC00913H