Current Group

Marvin Fresia has been awarded the Walter Benjamin fellowship from the German Research Foundation and joined the lab in July 2024. He obtained his doctorate from the Technical University of Braunschweig (Germany) under the supervision of Prof Dr Thomas Lindel, working on the total syntheses of terpene alkaloids sharing a cyclopenta[f]indole core. He is currently working on alkenyl oxonium ions. Outside of the lab, he enjoys exploring the UK, reading and video games.

Originally from Devon, Harry graduated in 2018 with First Class BA MSc degrees in Natural Sciences, specialising in Chemistry, from Girton College, University of Cambridge. After graduating, he spent a year working at Charles River Laboratories as a Medicinal Chemist, focusing on the synthesis and development of novel drug candidates. Harry is currently enrolled in the SBM CDT DPhil programme with rotations in the Burton and Ed Anderson groups. Outside the lab, Harry is a keen footballer but also enjoys running cycling and hiking. When inside he enjoys cooking and subsequently eating.

Originally from Suzhou, China, Zechen obtained his First Class Bachelor Degree in Applied Chemistry from University of Reading. He completed his final year project under the supervision of Dr Chris D. Smith, focusing on the synthesis of indole derivatives by flow-photochemical heterocyclic metamorphosis. In Oxford, Zechen became a member of St Hugh's College and joined the Burton group, where he is exploring complex oxonium ion chemistry. Outside the lab, Zechen is a big fan of tennis and photography, you can find him either on tennis courts or walking on the street with his camera

Dima is the recipient of a Hill Foundation Scholarship. Originally from a small town in Russia, he graduated from Lomonosov Moscow State University with First Class MSc in Chemistry degree. During his final year project, Dima worked on the synthesis of new Z-selective ruthenium metathesis catalysts with unsymmetrical fluorinated NHC ligands. After graduation, he took part in a project on using C-H activation for the design of CF3-containing amino acids with different heterocyclic cores. Apart from chemistry, Dima enjoys travelling, reading, taking photographs and spending time with friends.

Dylan was born and raised in Singapore to Swiss and Filipino parents. He completed his BSc in Biochemistry (minor in Bioengineering) at the University of Notre Dame. During his BSc, Dylan worked in Dr. Richard Taylor's lab on the partial synthesis of GEX1A. In Oxford, Dylan is in Wolfson college and is exploring the total synthesis of medicinally relevant Lathyrane natural products. Outside of the lab, Dylan's hobbies include trying out new restaurants and cafes, traveling, working out, reading Sci-Fi/Fantasy books and playing tennis with Jason.

George grew up in Walsall, a town on the outskirts of Birmingham. He completed his MChem degree in Chemistry at the University of St Andrews, and carried out his final year research project under the supervison of Prof. Andrew Smith on the development of enantioselective isothiourea-catalysed [2+2]-cycloadditions. Upon joining the SBM CDT programme, he completed rotations in the Burton and Willis groups, before re-joining the Burton group to explore the total synthesis of complex natural products. Outside of the lab, George enjoys travelling, playing golf and badminton.

Stan originated from Liberia, West Africa, where he obtained his bachelor's degree (Honours) in Chemistry from the University of Liberia. He later obtained an MPharm in Advanced Pharmaco-Science from Osaka University under the direct supervision of Prof. Shuji Akai as a Japanese (MEXT) Scholar working on lipase-oxovanadium co-catalysed dynamic kinetic resolution of dual stereogenic secondary allylic alcohols. He is currently a 2023 SBM CDT student exploring the development of triaryloxonium ions as potent precursors for meta-benzyne generation. Outside the lab, he loves reading and writing.

Originally from Hong Kong, James is the recipient of the Oxford-Croucher Scholarship. He obtained his BSc in chemistry at University College London. He then obtained his MRes degree in Green Chemistry, Energy, and the Environment at Imperial College London focusing on the mechanistically guided optimisation of Ullmann amination under the supervision of Dr. Rob Davies and Prof. Chris Braddock. He worked as a RA in the Yu group of  PolyU (HK), focusing on the copper-catalysed C-H activiation for enantioselective C-N functionalisation. Outside the lab, James enjoys exploring the UK and Europe.

Originally from Hangzhou, China. Lantao is now studying his MChem in Somerville College. For his Part II project in Burton group, he is now doing light-irradiating radical cyclization. Outside of the lab, he enjoys playing video games and cooking.