Sam received his BA and MSci in Natural Sciences (Chemistry) from Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 2018, completing his masters’ research with Professor Andrew Wheatley on the reactions of organoaluminium compounds with esters. He then moved to the University of St Andrews to complete his PhD with Professor Rebecca Goss on the Critical Resource Catalysis (CRITICAT) CDT. During his doctoral studies Sam worked on developing biocompatible cross-coupling reactions and the discovery of novel halogenating enzymes for the purpose of natural product diversification. His research interests include synthetic biology, organic chemistry and catalysis, enzyme discovery, and bioinformatics.
In 2023 he moved to the University of Manchester as a postdoctoral research associate in the group of Professor Jason Micklefield, and is currently researching enzymatic methods for the synthesis of medicinally relevant oligonucleotides. Outside of the lab Sam enjoys exploring the city’s many pubs, reading, and drinking tea.
Publications:
Samuel A. Molyneux, Rebecca J. M. Goss. Fully Aqueous and Air-Compatible Cross-Coupling of Primary Alkyl Halides with Aryl Boronic Species: A Possible and Facile Method. ACS Catalysis, 2023, 13, 6365-6474.
Samuel A. Molyneux, Scarlet A. Ferrinho, Rebecca J. M. Goss, Elizabeth L. Bell, Amy Crossley, Anthony P. Green, Kathryn Yeow, and Elaine O’Reilly. Modern Developments in Biocatalysis in Modern Developments in Catalysis Vol. 2. 2022: World Scientific.
Samuel A. Molyneux, Charlotte Crowe, Sunil Sharma, Ying Zhang, Danai S. Gkotsi, Helen Connaris, and Rebecca J. M. Goss. Halogenases: a palette of emerging opportunities for synthetic biology–synthetic chemistry and C–H functionalisation. Chemical Society Reviews, 2021, 50, 9443-9481.
Samuel A. Molyneux, Hannes Ludewig, Scarlet Ferrinho, Kai Guo, Rosemary Lynch, Danai S Gkotsi, and Rebecca J.M. Goss. Halogenases: structures and functions. Current Opinion in Structural Biology, 2020, 65, 51-60.
Jonathan Slaughter, Samuel A. Molyneux, Andrew J. Peel, and Andrew E. H. Wheatley. Action of Organoaluminum Reagents on Esters: Alkene Production and the Degradation of Synthetic Lubricants Organometallics, 2019, 38, 395−408.