Page 21 - PERIODIC Magazine Issue 6

C hemistry at Kew Gardens

Through an initiative established by Oxford Chemistry alumnus Dr Iain Farrell, for
the past two years an undergraduate chemist has been given the opportunity to
spend a summer working at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, learning valuable
skills alongside expert plant scientists, attending lectures and seminars, and of

course, enjoying the beautiful environment of the Gardens.

At the Jodrell Laboratory, Kew, the research of Dr Iain Farrell
and his colleagues focusses on plant-insect interactions
via small molecules; pollinator health (bees and thrips),
anti-feedants for crop pests, and more recently, using
phytochemistry to inform the spatial distribution of
mosquitos.

Over around eight weeks, undergraduate interns gain
experience with a range of techniques. 2017 intern
Nicolas Desclée isolated a molecule now being tested with
mosquitos, and this year Jacob Locke-Gotel began with
isolation of some plant sterols critical to the diets of bee
larvae, using solvent partition and normal phase column
chromatography. He has also isolated an alkaloid, using flash
chromatography, for tasting experiments with bees. My confidence in utilising analytical machinery and
software has grown to the level of showing other interns
how they work. In addition, I have been reminded that
classical yet powerful separation techniques such as column
chromatography still have a place in the laboratory.
I’d like to thank Iain for his initiative in creating the placement
and the staff at Kew for instilling inspiration and their warm
welcome.”

Dr Iain Farrell (Univ. 1968) spent two years on Voluntary
Service Overseas teaching chemistry in Malaysia after
Work continues to isolate (by HPLC) and identify (by HRMS- his first degree, and returned to the Dyson Perrins
NMR) a molecule from heather which appears to be very for a D.Phil. on fungal metabolites in Sir Ewart Jones’
group. He also gained a P.G.C.E. and was appointed to
effective against one common gut infestation of bees. teach chemistry at Harrow School, where he remained
Jacob writes: “In my short time at Kew I have had the for 34 years until retirement. Kew accepted his offer
opportunity to be part of a team who, day in day out, are of voluntary work in the biochemistry laboratory
changing the way we see our planet. I was directly involved where he has spent much of the past seven years,
in projects from the offset and given the space to tackle helping undergraduates on sandwich placements and,
obstacles myself or come together and collaborate. incidentally, extending his list of publications.

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Periodic
The Magazine of the Department of Chemistry