Robert Elmes

Dr Robert Elmes

Chemistry, Human Health Institute, Faculty of Science & Engineering

Associate Professor

Science and Engineering Associate Dean of Research

Location Callan Building

Room 2.101

Phone (01) 708 4615

Email robert.elmes@mu.ie

Biography

Rob graduated from the University of Dublin, Trinity College in 2007 having undertaken his final year project at the Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Université Montpellier I, France under the supervision of Prof. Thierry Durand. In 2007 he was awarded an IRCSET Embark Scholarship to undertake his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Thorri Gunnlaugsson at TCD where his research concerned the design, synthesis and evaluation of new metal complexes and nanomaterials as DNA probes and photoreagents. After a short postdoctoral tenure at the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute in Dublin, Rob moved to The University of Sydney under the guidance of Prof. Kate Jolliffe. Here, he was involved in the development of new platforms for the recognition, sensing and transport of biologically relevant anions. In late 2014, Rob returned to Ireland taking up a lecturing position at Maynooth University where he is currently a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry within the Department of Chemistry. Rob’s research interests lie in the fields of Supramolecular Chemistry and Chemical Biology where the group is trying to develop areas in both health- and nano- science. Rob’s current research concerns designing biomimetic materials as drug delivery vehicles, diagnostic tools, antitumor therapeutics and environmental sensors.

Research Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal

	Year	Publication
	2024	Wynne, C.; Elmes, R.B.P. (2024) 'Modified synthetic peptides: from therapeutics to chemosensors'. Sensors and Diagnostics, . [Link] [DOI]
	2024	Wynne, C.; Elmes, R.B.P. (2024) 'Utilising a 1,8-naphthalimide probe for the ratiometric fluorescent visualisation of caspase-3'. Frontiers In Chemistry, 12 . [Link] [DOI]
	2024	Bright, S.A.; Erby, M.L.; Poynton, F.E.; Monteyne, D.; Pérez-Morga, D.; Gunnlaugsson, T.; Williams, D.C.; Elmes, R.B.P. (2024) 'Tracking the cellular uptake and phototoxicity of Ru(ii)-polypyridyl-1,8-naphthalimide Tröger's base conjugates'. RSC Chemical Biology, . [Link] [DOI]
	2024	Tong, H.; Ali Mohammed, F.; Elmes, R.B.P. (2024) 'Amino acid – Squaramide conjugates as anion binding receptors'. Results in Chemistry, 11 . [Link] [DOI]
	2024	Kırpık, H.; Kose, M.; Elmes, R.B.P.; Karabork, M. (2024) 'BODIPY- imine based fluorescence “turn on” chemosensor for selective sensing of Hg²⁺'. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 451 . [Link] [DOI]
	2023	Brennan, L.E.; Kumawat, L.K.; Piatek, M.E.; Kinross, A.J.; McNaughton, D.A.; Marchetti, L.; Geraghty, C.; Wynne, C.; Tong, H.; Kavanagh, O.N.; O'Sullivan, F.; Hawes, C.S.; Gale, P.A.; Kavanagh, K.; Elmes, R.B.P. (2023) 'Potent antimicrobial effect induced by disruption of chloride homeostasis'. Chem, 9 . [Link] [DOI]
	2023	Ren, D.; Tang, L.; Wu, Z.; Zhang, Q.; Xiao, T.; Elmes, R.B.P.; Wang, L. (2023) 'An amphiphilic molecule with a single fluorophore exhibits multiple stimuli-responsive behavior'. Chinese Chemical Letters, 34 . [Link] [DOI]
	2022	Kavanagh O.N.; Bhattacharya S.; Marchetti L.; Elmes R.; O’sullivan F.; Farragher J.P.; Robinson S.; Thompson D.; Walker G.M. (2022) 'Hydroxychloroquine Does Not Function as a Direct Zinc Ionophore'. Pharmaceutics, 14 (5). [DOI]
	2022	Marchetti LA; Krämer T; Elmes RBP; (2022) 'Amidosquaramides - a new anion binding motif with pH sensitive anion transport properties'. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, . [DOI]
	2022	Grundzi A.; Healy S.A.; Fenelon O.; Elmes R.B.P. (2022) 'Squaramide-naphthalimide conjugates – Exploiting self-aggregation effects in acetate recognition'. Results in Chemistry, 4 . [DOI]
	2022	Abogunrin A.A.; Healy S.A.; Fenelon O.; Elmes R.B.P. (2022) 'Head vs. Tail Squaramide–Naphthalimide Conjugates: Self-Assembly and Anion Binding Behaviour'. Chemistry-Switzerland, 4 (4):1288-1299. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2021	Calatrava-Pérez E.; Marchetti L.A.; McManus G.J.; Lynch D.M.; Elmes R.B.P.; Williams D.C.; Gunnlaugsson T.; Scanlan E.M. (2021) 'Real-Time Multi-Photon Tracking and Bioimaging of Glycosylated Theranostic Prodrugs upon Specific Enzyme Triggered Release'. Chemistry - A European Journal, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2021	Kumawat L.K.; Wynne C.; Cappello E.; Fisher P.; Brennan L.E.; Strofaldi A.; McManus J.J.; Hawes C.S.; Jolliffe K.A.; Gunnlaugsson T.; Elmes R.B.P. (2021) 'Squaramide-Based Self-Associating Amphiphiles for Anion Recognition'. ChemPlusChem, 86 (8):1058-1068. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2021	Kavanagh O.; Elmes R.; O’sullivan F.; Farragher J.; Robinson S.; Walker G. (2021) 'Investigating structural property relationships to enable repurposing of pharmaceuticals as zinc ionophores'. Pharmaceutics, 13 (12). [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2021	Tian, X; Kumawat, LK; Bull, SD; Elmes, RBP; Wu, LL; James, TD (2021) 'Coumarin-based fluorescent probe for the detection of glutathione and nitroreductase'. Tetrahedron, 82 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2021	Geraghty, C; Wynne, C; Elmes, RBP (2021) '1,8-Naphthalimide based fluorescent sensors for enzymes'. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 437 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2020	Ramos J; Arufe S; Martin H; Rooney D; Elmes RBP; Erxleben A; Moreira R; Velasco-Torrijos T; (2020) 'Glycosyl squaramides, a new class of supramolecular gelators'. Soft Matter, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2020	Elmes R.B.P.; Ryan G.J.; Erby M.L.; Frimannsson D.O.; Kitchen J.A.; Lawler M.; Williams D.C.; Quinn S.J.; Gunnlaugsson T. (2020) 'Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Profiling of Ruthenium(II)-Based 4-Nitro- And 4-Amino-1,8-naphthalimide Conjugates'. Inorganic Chemistry, . [DOI]
	2019	Wu D.; Daly H.; Grossi M.; Conroy E.; Li B.; Gallagher W.; Elmes R.; O'Shea D. (2019) 'RGD conjugated cell uptake off to on responsive NIR-AZA fluorophores: Applications toward intraoperative fluorescence guided surgery'. Chemical Science, 10 (29):6944-6956. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2019	Marchetti L.; Kumawat L.; Mao N.; Stephens J.; Elmes R. (2019) 'The Versatility of Squaramides: From Supramolecular Chemistry to Chemical Biology'. Chem, 5 (6):1398-1485. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2019	Wu L.; Gardiner J.; Kumawat L.; Han H.; Guo R.; Li X.; He X.; Elmes R.; Sedgwick A.; Bull S.; James T. (2019) 'Coumarin-based fluorescent 'AND' logic gate probes for the detection of homocysteine and a chosen biological analyte'. RSC Advances, 9 (45):26425-26428. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2019	Qin L; Wright JR; Lane JDE; Berry SN; Elmes RBP; Jolliffe KA; (2019) 'Receptors for sulfate that function across a wide pH range in mixed aqueous-DMSO media'. Chemical Communications, . [DOI]
	2019	Kumawat, Lokesh K. and Abogunrin, Anthony A. and Kickham, Michelle and Pardeshi, Jyotsna and Fenelon, Orla and Schroeder, Martina and Elmes, Robert B. P. (2019) 'Squaramide—Naphthalimide Conjugates as “Turn-On” Fluorescent Sensors for Bromide Through an Aggregation-Disaggregation Approach'. 7 . [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2019	Qin L.; Vervuurt S.; Elmes R.; Berry S.; Proschogo N.; Jolliffe K. (2019) 'Extraction and transport of sulfate using macrocyclic squaramide receptors'. Chemical Science, 11 (1):201-207. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2018	Xiao T.; Zhou L.; Xu L.; Zhong W.; Zhao W.; Sun X.; Elmes R. (2018) 'Dynamic materials fabricated from water soluble pillar[n]arenes bearing triethylene oxide groups'. Chinese Chemical Letters, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2018	Xiao T.; Zhong W.; Zhou L.; Xu L.; Sun X.; Elmes R.; Hu X.; Wang L. (2018) 'Artificial light-harvesting systems fabricated by supramolecular host–guest interactions'. Chinese Chemical Letters, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2018	Marchetti L.; Mao N.; Krämer T.; Kitchen J.; Elmes R. (2018) 'A long wavelength colourimetric chemosensor for fluoride'. Supramolecular Chemistry, :1-11. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2018	Sedgwick, Adam C. and Hayden, Alex and Hill, Barry and Bull, Steven D. and Elmes, Robert B. P. and James, Tony D. (2018) 'A simple umbelliferone based fluorescent probe for the detection of nitroreductase'. . [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2018	Odyniec M.; Sedgwick A.; Swan A.; Weber M.; Tang T.; Gardiner J.; Zhang M.; Jiang Y.; Kociok-Kohn G.; Elmes R.; Bull S.; He X.; James T. (2018) ''AND'-based fluorescence scaffold for the detection of ROS/RNS and a second analyte'. Chemical Communications, 54 (61):8466-8469. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2017	Ao, X; Bright, SA; Taylor, NC; Elmes, RBP (2017) '2-Nitroimidazole based fluorescent probes for nitroreductase; monitoring reductive stress in cellulo'. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 15 :6104-6108. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2017	Liu, X.,Elmes, R.B.P.,Jolliffe, K.A. (2017) 'Synthesis of Side-Chain Modified Peptides Using Iterative Solid Phase 'Click' Methodology'. 70 (2):201-207. [Link]
	2016	Elmes R. (2016) 'Bioreductive fluorescent imaging agents: Applications to tumour hypoxia'. Chemical Communications, 52 (58):8935-8956. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2016	Qin L.; Hartley A.; Turner P.; Elmes R.; Jolliffe K. (2016) 'Macrocyclic squaramides: Anion receptors with high sulfate binding affinity and selectivity in aqueous media'. Chemical Science, 7 (7):4563-4572. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2016	Martiez-Calvo, M; Orange, KN; Elmes, RBP; Poulsen, BL; Williams, DC; Gunnlaugsson, T (2016) 'Ru(II)-polypyridyl surface functionalised gold nanoparticles as DNA targeting supramolecular structures and luminescent cellular imaging agents'. Nanoscale, 8 :563-574. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2016	Payne D.; Fossey J.; Elmes R. (2016) 'Catalysis and Sensing for our Environment (CASE2015) and the Supramolecular Chemistry Ireland Meeting (SCI 2015): Dublin and Maynooth, Ireland. 8th - 11th July'. Supramolecular Chemistry, :1-11. [DOI]
	2015	Ryan G.; Poynton F.; Elmes R.; Erby M.; Williams D.; Quinn S.; Gunnlaugsson T. (2015) 'Unexpected DNA binding properties with correlated downstream biological applications in mono vs. bis-1,8-naphthalimide Ru(II)-polypyridyl conjugates'. Dalton Transactions, 44 (37):16332-16344. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2015	Elmes R.; Busschaert N.; Czech D.; Gale P.; Jolliffe K. (2015) 'pH switchable anion transport by an oxothiosquaramide'. Chemical Communications, 51 (50):10107-10110. [DOI]
	2015	Elmes R.; Jolliffe K. (2015) 'Anion recognition by cyclic peptides'. Chemical Communications, 51 (24):4951-4968. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2015	Elmes, Robert B. P. and Jolliffe Katrina A. (2015) 'Amino acid-based squaramides for anion recognition'. Supramolecular Chemistry, 27 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2015	Cloonan, S.M., Elmes, R.B.P., Erby, M., Bright, S.A., Poynton, F.E., Nolan, D.E., Quinn, S.J., Gunnlaugsson, T., Williams, D.C. (2015) 'Detailed Biological Profiling of a Photoactivated and Apoptosis Inducing pdppz Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Complex in Cancer Cells'. Medicinal Chemistry, 58 :4494-4505. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2014	Elmes, R. B. P., Yuen, K. K. Y., Jolliffe, K. A. (2014) 'Sulfate-Selective Recognition by Using Neutral Dipeptide Anion Receptors in Aqueous Solution'. Chemistry - A European Journal, 20 :7373-7380. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2014	Nathalie Busschaert, Robert B. P. Elmes, Dawid D. Czech, Xin Wu, Isabelle L. Kirby, Evan M. Peck, Kevin D. Hendzel, Scott K. Shaw, Bun Chan, Bradley D. Smith, Katrina A. Jolliffe and Philip A. Gale (2014) 'Thiosquaramides: pH switchable anion transporters'. Chemical Science, 5 :3617-3626. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2013	Elmes, R. B. P., Turner, P., Jolliffe, K. A. (2013) 'Colorimetric and Luminescent Sensors for Chloride: Hydrogen Bonding vs Deprotonation'. Organic Letters, 15 :5638-5641. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2012	Elmes, R. B. P., Erby, M., Bright, S. A., Williams, D. C., Gunnlaugsson, T. (2012) 'Photophysical and biological investigation of novel luminescent Ru(II)-polypyridyl-1,8-naphthalimide Trger's bases as cellular imaging agents'. Chemical Communications, 48 :2588-2590. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2012	Ryan, G. J., Elmes, R. B. P., Quinn, S. J., Gunnlaugsson, T. (2012) 'Synthesis and photophysical evaluations of fluorescent quaternary bipyridyl-1,8-naphthalimide conjugates as nucleic acid targeting agents'. Supramolecular Chemistry, 24 :175-188. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2012	Elmes, R. B. P., Kitchen, J. A., Williams, D. C., Gunnlaugsson, T. (2012) 'Pushing the limit: synthesis, photophysical and DNA binding studies of a NIR-emitting Ru(II)-polypyridyl probe with light switch behaviour'. Dalton Transactions, 41 :6607-6610. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2011	Elmes, R. B. P., Orange, K. N., Cloonan, S. M., Williams, D. C., Gunnlaugsson, T. (2011) 'Luminescent Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles; Their DNA Binding Abilities and Application As Cellular Imaging Agents'. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 133 :15862-15865. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2011	Elmes, R. B. P., Erby, M., Cloonan, S. M., Quinn, S. J., Williams, D. C., Gunnlaugsson, T. (2011) 'Quaternarized pdppz: synthesis, DNA-binding and biological studies of a novel dppz derivative that causes cellular death upon light irradiation(Link)'. Chemical Communications, 47 :686-688. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2010	Elmes, R. B. P., Gunnlaugsson, T. (2010) 'Luminescence anion sensing via modulation of MLCT emission from a naphthalimide-Ru(II)-polypyridyl complex'. Tetrahedron Letters, 51 :4082-4087. [DOI] [Full-Text]

Editorial

	Year	Publication
	2020	Xiao, TX; Elmes, R; Yao, Y (2020) Editorial: Host-Guest Chemistry of Macrocycles. LAUSANNE: [Editorial] [DOI]

Reviews

	Year	Publication
	2019	Xiao, TX; Zhong, WW; Zhou, L; Xu, LX; Sun, XQ; Elmes, RBP; Hu, XY; Wang, LY (2019) Artificial light-harvesting systems fabricated by supramolecular host-guest interactions. NEW YORK: [Reviews] [DOI]

Other Publication

	Year	Publication
	2023	Zhang, Q.; Qian, H.; Xiao, T.; Elmes, R.B.P.; Wang, L. (2023) Construction of molecular nanotubes with precise length, diameter and chirality. [Link] [DOI]
	2023	Xiao, T.; Elmes, R.; Yao, Y. (2023) Editorial: Host–guest chemistry of macrocycles— Volume II. [Link] [DOI]
	2023	Qian, H.; Xiao, T.; Elmes, R.B.P.; Wang, L. (2023) Construction of a sequential light-harvesting system via supramolecular copolymerization. [Link] [DOI]

Professional

Professional Associations

	Description	Function	From / To
	Royal Society of Chemistry Local Section	Treasurer	01/01/2015 -
	Institute of Chemistry of Ireland	Council member	01/12/2014 -

Honors and Awards

Date	Title	Awarding Body
01/01/2021	Teaching Hero Award	National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in collaboration with the Union of Students in Ireland
01/10/2021	Visiting Researcher at Scripps Research	Scripps Research, La Jolla. California
01/05/2020	Czarnik Emerging Investigator Award for Molecular Sensors	Molecular Sensors and Molecular Logics Gates (MSMLG)
01/01/2009	Trinity Trust Travel Award	Trinity College Dublin
01/01/2009	Best multidisciplinary poster	Nature Chemistry
01/06/2022	Visiting Professor at Universite D'Orleans, France	Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
01/08/2010	Best Talk	Dublin Chemistry Seminar Series

Committees

Committee	Function	From / To
Frontiers in Supramolecular Chemistry	Associate Editor	-
Institute of Chemistry Of Ireland Council	Committee Member	-
Royal Society of Chemistry Republic of Ireland Local Section Committee	Treasurer	-

Employment

Employer	Position	From / To
University of Sydney	Postdoctoral Research Associate	01/01/2012 - 31/08/2014
Trinity College Dublin	Postdoctoral Research Associate	01/04/2011 - 31/12/2011
Maynooth University	Lecturer	01/09/2014 - 09/03/2020

Education

	Start date	Institution	Qualification	Subject
		Medicinal Chemistry	B. A. Mod.
		Medicinal and Supramolecular Chemistry	PhD

Editorial / Academic Reviews

Amount	Role	From / To
Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry	Reviewer	-
Journal of Organic Chemistry	Reviewer	-
Organic Letters	Reviewer	-
Sensors and Actuators, B: Chemical	Reviewer	-
Results in Chemistry	Member of the Editorial Board	-
RSC Advances	Reviewer	-
Frontiers In Chemistry	Guest Editor	-
Chemical Science	Reviewer	-
Supramolecular Chemistry	Reviewer	-
Coordination Chemistry Reviews	Reviewer	-
Bioconjugate Chemistry	Reviewer	-
Chemical Communications	Reviewer	-

Research

Undergraduate Studies

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Maynooth University Faculty of Science & Engineering