Background

Area of Expertise

Andrew Houlton (AH) is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Newcastle University and previously held an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship (1999-2004). His research focuses on inorganic/coordination chemistry aspects of DNA and DNA-based materials and nanomaterials. This research has been continually funded for over 20 years by a combination of research councils (EPSRC, BBSRC, RCUK) and other governmental bodies (EU, RDA), industry (Intel, Akzo Nobel, BAE Systems, Johnson Matthey, Touchlight Genetics) and charities/learned societies (Leverhulme Trust, Nuffield Foundation, Royal Society, Wolfson Foundation). His work has been recognized by, and covered in, book chapters and invited reviews and the feature of Science, Nature Nanotech, Chem.& Eng. News, NanoToday and RSC articles.

Andrew Houlton was awarded first class Hons. in Chemistry in 1985 and a Ph.D. for a thesis "Molecular and Electronic Structure of Iron Sandwich Compounds" in 1989 from Essex University. After postdoctoral research with the Cancer Research Campaign, he moved to Imperial College to work with Prof. D.M.P. Mingos on crystal engineering and molecular recognition in coordination compounds. He was appointed to a College lectureship in 1993. He joined the staff of the Department of Chemistry at Newcastle University as a lecturer in bio-inorganic chemistry in 1994, becoming senior lecturer in 1999 and Professor in 2004.

Houlton has published over 160 research papers, written invited review articles and contributed to several books. He was awarded the David Whytock Memorial Prize (1985) and a prestigious EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship (1999–2004). He is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College, UK representative on the Management Group for COST D39 and acts as a referee for EPSRC, BBSRC, RCUK, Leverhulme Trust, DoE, the Royal Society and a variety of international funding agencies. 

Research

Research Interests

Andrew Houlton (AH) is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Newcastle University and previously held an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship (1999-2004). His research focuses on inorganic/coordination chemistry aspects of DNA and DNA-based materials (e.g. Nature Comm. 2017, 8, 720; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-00852-6; Chemical Science 2019, https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2019/SC/C8SC05103H#!divAbstract; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136, 6649 (DOI: 1021/ja500439v); Nanoscale, (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2014/nr/c3nr06767j#!divAbstract) ACS Nano, 2010, 4, 2149; DOI: 10.1021/nn9014533)  etc.) and nanomaterials.

This research has been continually funded for over 20 years by a combination of research councils (EPSRC, BBSRC, RCUK) and other governmental bodies (EU, RDA), industry (Intel, Akzo Nobel, BAE Systems, Johnson Matthey, Touchlight Genetics) and charities/learned societies (Leverhulme Trust, Nuffield Foundation, Royal Society, Wolfson Foundation). His work has been recognized by, and covered in, book chapters and invited reviews and the feature of Science, (Guiding Polymers with DNA 2014, 344, 588) Nature Nanotech (DNA shows the Way 2007 - https://www.nature.com/articles/nnano.2007.213), Chem.& Eng. News, NanoToday and RSC articles.

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=qGbsIpgAAAAJ&hl=en

Teaching

Advanced Inorganic Chemistry CHY3306/CHY3305 - Module Leader 

Bio-inorganic Chemistry

Contemporary Inorganic Chemistry CHY8832 - Module Leader 

Bio-inorganic Chemistry

Further Inorganic Chemistry CHY8425

Structural Methods in Materials Chemistry

Publications

• Mistry L, El-Zubir O, Dura G, Clegg W, Waddell PG, Pope T, Hofer WA, Wright NG, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Addressing the properties of “Metallo-DNA” with a Ag(I)-mediated supramolecular duplex. Chemical Science 2019, 10(11), 3186-3195.
• Lunn S, Hribesh S, Whitfield C, Hall M, Houlton A, Brownowska A, Tuite EM, Pike AR. Duplex Healing of Selectively Thiolated Guanosine Mismatches through a Cd2+ Chemical Stimulus. ChemBioChem 2018, 19(11), 1115-1118.
• Nurdillayeva RN, Oshido AB, Bamford TA, El-Zubir O, Houlton A, Hedley J, Pike AR, Horrocks BR. Inkjet printing and electrical characterisation of DNA - templated cadmium sulfide nanowires. Nanotechnology 2018, 29(13), 135704.
• Al-Mahamad LLG, El-Zubir O, Smith DG, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. A coordination polymer for the site-specific integration of semiconducting sequences into DNA-based materials. Nature Communications 2017, 8, 720.
• Ventura C, Guerin AJ, El-Zubir O, Ruiz-Sanchez AJ, Dixon LI, Reynolds KJ, Dale ML, Ferguson J, Houlton A, Horrocks BR, Clare AS, Fulton DF. Marine antifouling performance of polymer coatings incorporating zwitterions. Biofouling 2017, 33(10), 892-903.
• Borah D, Cummins C, Rasappa S, Watson SMD, Pike AR, Horrocks BR, Fulton DA, Houlton A, Liontos G, Ntetsikas K, Avgeropoulos A, Morris MA. Nanoscale silicon substrate patterns from self-assembly of cylinder forming poly (styrene)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer on silane functionalized surfaces. Nanotechnology 2017, 28(4).
• Lamming G, Kolokotroni J, Harrison T, Penfold TJ, Clegg W, Waddell PG, Probert MR, Houlton A. Structural Diversity and Argentophilic Interactions in 1-D Silver-based Coordination Polymers. Crystal Growth and Design 2017, 17(11), 5753-5763.
• Houlton A. Designer nanorod synthesis. Science 2016, 353(6305), 1204-1205.
• Al-Hinai M, Hassanien R, Watson SMD, Wright NG, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Metal-conductive polymer hybrid nanostructures: preparation and electrical properties of palladium-polyimidazole nanowires. Nanotechnology 2016, 27(9), 095704.
• Hassanien R, Almaky MM, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Preparation and electrical properties of a copper-conductive polymer hybrid nanostructure. RSC Advances 2016, 101(6), 99422-99432.
• Lamming G, El-Zubir O, Kolokotroni J, McGurk C, Waddell PG, Probert MR, Houlton A. Two-Dimensional Frameworks Based on Ag(I)-N Bond Formation: Single Crystal to Single Molecular Sheet Transformation. Inorganic Chemistry 2016, 55(19), 9644-9652.
• Mohamed HDA, Watson SMD, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Chemical and electrochemical routes to DNA-templated rhodium nanowires. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 2015, 3(2), 438-446.
• Watson SMD, Pike AR, Pate J, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. DNA-templated nanowires: morphology and electrical conductivity. Nanoscale 2014, 6(8), 4027-4037.
• Watson SMD, Galindo MA, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Mechanism of Formation of Supramolecular DNA-Templated Polymer Nanowires. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2014, 136(18), 6649-6655.
• Pate J, Zamora F, Watson SMD, Wright NG, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Solution-based DNA-templating of sub-10 nm conductive copper nanowires. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 2014, 2(43), 9265-9273.
• McGrath N, Patil AJ, Watson SMD, Horrocks BR, Faul CFJ, Houlton A, Winnik MA, Mann S, Manners I. Conductive, Monodisperse Polyaniline Nanofibers of Controlled Length Using Well-Defined Cylindrical Block Copolymer Micelles as Templates. Chemistry - A European Journal 2013, 19(39), 13030-13039.
• Amo-Ochoa P, Alexandre SS, Hribesh S, Galindo MA, Castillo O, Gómez-García CJ, Pike AR, Soler JM, Houlton A, Zamora F. Coordination Chemistry of 6-Thioguanine Derivatives with Cobalt: Toward Formation of Electrical Conductive One-Dimensional Coordination Polymers. Inorganic Chemistry 2013, 52(9), 5290-5299.
• Watson SMD, Mohamed HDA, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Electrically conductive magnetic nanowires using an electrochemical DNA-templating route. Nanoscale 2013, 5(12), 5349-5359.
• Al-Hinai MN, Hassanien R, Wright NG, Horsfall AB, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Networks of DNA-templated palladium nanowires: structural and electrical characterisation and their use as hydrogen gas sensors. Faraday Discussions 2013, 164, 71-91.
• Houlton A, Watson SMD. DNA-based nanowires. Towards bottom-up nanoscale electronics. Annual Reports on the Progress of Chemistry. Section A: Physical and Inorganic Chemistry 2012, 107, 21-42.
• Watson SMD, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics of templating reactions for the formation of nanowires. Nanotechnology 2012, 23(50), 505603.
• Mohamed HDA, Watson SMD, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Magnetic and conductive magnetite nanowires by DNA-templating. Nanoscale 2012, 4(19), 5936-5945.
• Hassanien R, Al-Said SAF, Siller L, Little R, Wright NG, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Smooth and conductive DNA-templated Cu2O nanowires: growth morphology, spectroscopic and electrical characterization. Nanotechnology 2012, 23(7), 075601.
• Watson SMD, Hedley JH, Galindo MA, Al-Said SAF, Wright NG, Connolly BA, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Synthesis, Characterisation and Electrical Properties of Supramolecular DNA-Templated Polymer Nanowires of 2,5-(Bis-2-thienyl)-pyrrole. Chemistry: A European Journal 2012, 18(38), 12008-12019.
• Galindo MA, Hannant J, Harrington RW, Clegg W, Horrocks BR, Pike AR, Houlton A. Pyrrolyl-, 2-(2-thienyl)pyrrolyl- and 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)pyrrolyl-nucleosides: synthesis, molecular and electronic structure, and redox behaviour of C5-thymidine derivatives. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 2011, 9(5), 1555-1564.
• Carlsson S, Gonzalez R, O'Farrell N, Patole SN, Connolly BA, Houlton A, Horrocks BR, Pike A. Self-Organisation of Self-Complementary DNA Molecules Covalently Attached to Silicon Surfaces. Science of Advanced Materials 2011, 3(3), 483-489.
• Al Hinai M, Wright N, Horsfall A, Hassanien R, Horrocks B, Houlton A. Ultra-sensitive hydrogen gas sensing using DNA-templated palladium nanowires. In: IEEE Sensors. 2011, Limerick, Ireland: IEEE.
• Hong Q, Rogero C, Lakey JH, Connolly BA, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Immobilisation of proteins at silicon surfaces using undecenylaldehyde: demonstration of the retention of protein functionality and detection strategies. Analyst 2009, 134(3), 593-601.
• Pruneanu S, Olenic L, Tudoran L, Kacso I, Al-Said S, Hassanien R, Houlton A, Horrocks B. Preparation of 1D nanostructures using biomolecules. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2009, 182(1), 012014.
• Pike AR, Ryder LC, Horrocks BR, Clegg W, Connolly BA, Houlton A. Ferrocenyl-modified DNA: Synthesis, characterization and integration with semiconductor electrodes. Chemistry: A European Journal 2005, 11(1), 344-353.
• Mirkin MV, Lie LH, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Lateral charge transfer in DNA monolayers. In: 205th Meeting of The Electrochemical Society. 2004, San Antonio, Texas, USA: Electrochemical Society, Inc.
• Houlton A. Integrating DNA with semiconductor materials: Bio-inorganic hybrid devices. In: Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society: 226th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. 2003, New York, USA: American Chemical Society.
• Amantia D, Price C, Shipman MA, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W, Houlton A. Minor groove site coordination of adenine by platinum group metal ions: Effects on basicity, base pairing, and electronic structure. Inorganic Chemistry 2003, 42(9), 3047-3056.
• de Smet LCPM, Zuilhof H, Sudholter EJR, Wittstock G, Duerdin MS, Lie LH, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Diffusion in porous silicon: effects on the reactivity of alkenes and electrochemistry of alkylated porous silicon. Electrochimica Acta 2002, 47(16), 2653-2663.
• Pike AR, Lie LH, Eagling RA, Ryder LC, Patole SN, Connolly BA, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. DNA on silicon devices: On-chip synthesis, hybridization, and charge transfer. Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) 2002, 41(4), 615-617.
• Gibson AE, Price C, Clegg W, Houlton A. Inner- and outer-sphere binding of the minor groove site of adenine by alkali metal ions. Journal of the Chemical Society: Dalton Transactions 2002, (2), 131-133.
• Pike AR, Lie LH, Patole SN, Ryder LC, Connolly BA, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Integrating DNA with semiconductor materials: Bio-inorganic hybrid devices. In: DNA-Based Molecular Construction: International Workshop on DNA-based Molecular Construction. 2002, Jena, Germany: American Institute of Physics.
• Pike AR, Ryder LC, Horrocks BR, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ, Connolly BA, Houlton A. Metallocene - DNA: Synthesis, molecular and electronic structure and DNA incorporation of C5-ferrocenylthymidine derivatives. Chemistry: A European Journal 2002, 8(13), 2891-2899.
• Lie LH, Patole SN, Hart ER, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Photochemical reaction of diazomethane with hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2002, 106(1), 113-120.
• Lie LH, Duerdin M, Tuite EM, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Preparation and characterisation of luminescent alkylated-silicon quantum dots. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 2002, 538, 183-190.
• Price C, Horrocks BR, Mayeux A, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W, Houlton A. Self-complimentary metal complexes containing a DNA base pair. Angewandte Chemie: International Edition 2002, 41(6), 1047-1049.
• Silver J, Fern GR, Miller JR, Slade E, Ahmet M, Houlton A, Evans DJ, Leigh GJ. Electrostatic field effects manifested in ferrocenyl metal complexes and the crystal structure of [Fe(η5-C5H5)(η5-C5H4CH=NNHC5H4N)]·HCl. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2001, 637-639, 311-317.
• Ryder L, Pike A, Horrocks B, Houlton A. Ferrocenyl-nucleosides: synthesis, redox chemistry and incorporation into DNA. In: 10th International Conference on Bioinorganic Chemistry. 2001, Florence, Italy: Elsevier Inc.
• Gibson AE, Price C, Clegg W, Houlton A. Inner- and outer-sphere co-ordination of the minor groove site of adenine by alkali metal ions. In: 10th International Conference on Bioinorganic Chemistry. 2001, Florence, Italy: Elsevier Inc.
• Price C, Shipman MA, Rees NH, Elsegood MRJ, Edwards AJ, Clegg W, Houlton A. Macrochelation, cyclometallation and G-quartet formation: N3- and C8-bound PdII complexes of adenine and guanine. Chemistry - A European Journal 2001, 7(6), 1194-1201.
• Price C, Shipman MA, Gummerson SL, Houlton A, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. Ruthenium-carbon bond formation via cyclometallation of a nucleobase. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions 2001, (4), 353-354.
• Bateman JE, Eagling RD, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. A Deuterium Labeling, FTIR, and Ab Initio investigation of the solution-phase thermal reactions of alcohols and alkenes with hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2000, 104(23), 5557-5565.
• Shipman MA, Price C, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W, Houlton A. Base-specific minor groove site binding in Metallo- Nucleobase Polymers. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 2000, 39(13), 2360-2362.
• Georgopoulou AS, Michael D, Mingos P, White AJP, Williams DJ, Horrocks BR, Houlton A. Bifunctional ferrocene derivatives for molecular recognition of DNA duplexes. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions 2000, (17), 2969-2974.
• Shipman MA, Price C, Gibson AE, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W, Houlton A. Monomer, Dimer, Tetramer, Polymer: Structural diversity in Zinc and Cadmium Complexes of Chelate-Tethered Nucleobases. Chemistry - A European Journal 2000, 6(23), 4371-4378.
• Encinas S, Simpson NRM, Andrews P, Ward MD, White CM, Armaroli N, Barigelletti F, Houlton A. Photoinduced energy transfer within hydrogen-bonded multi-component assemblies based an a ruthenium-polypyridyl donor and an osmium-polypyridyl or ferrocenyl acceptor. New Journal of Chemistry 2000, 24(12), 987-991.
• Isaac CJ, Price C, Horrocks BR, Houlton A, Elsegood MRJ, Clegg W. Synthesis, structure and coordination chemistry of mono- and bis-heterocyclic-ferrocenyl derivatives. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 2000, 598(2), 248-253.
• Aslanoglu M, Isaac CJ, Houlton A, Horrocks BR. Voltammetric measurements of the interaction of metal complexes with nucleic acids. Analyst 2000, 125(10), 1791-1798.
• Houlton A, Isaac CJ, Gibson AE, Horrocks BR, Clegg W, Elsegood MRJ. Synthesis, structure and redox properties of ferrocenylmethyl-nucleobases. Journal of the Chemical Society - Dalton Transactions 1999, (18), 3229-3234.
• Houlton A, Price C, Rees NH, Clegg W. Evidence for directed metalation: A structural intermediate in the formation of a novel C-bound adenine complex of ruthenium. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition in English, 36, 1762-1764 1997.