Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/C52456X/1
Title:	New Approaches to Transition Metal Complexes Of Nucleobases
Principal Investigator:	Lynam, Dr JM
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
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Department:	Chemistry
Organisation:	University of York
Scheme:	First Grant Scheme Pre-FEC
Starts:	01 October 2005	Ends:	30 September 2007	Value (£):	115,828
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Chemical Synthetic Methodology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
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Summary on Grant Application Form
The structure of DNA carries the genetic code of life on earth. Considering how complex this task is, it is perhaps surprising that the genetic code is actually carried by only four fairly simple molecules, sometimes called nucleobases. The four nucelobases (thymine, adenosine, guanine and cytosine) actually occur in DNA in pairs, one on each strand of the double helix and perhaps most remarkably can actually recognise each other. This can be thought of as a kind of molecular handshake: thymine only shakes hands with (or recognises) adenosine whereas guainine will only shake hands with cytosine. So DNA has a self-check mechanism to ensure no mistakes are made.We wish to design new molecules which are based on the four nucleobases described above and use this handshaking to build new molecular structures. We intend to place metals into the four nucleobases and use the special properties which metals have. For example, metals are known to be excellent catalysts: that is they can make reactions proceed in a faster and more efficient manner. Furthermore, metals often have interesting magnetic and electronic properties and it may be possible to use the handshake from the bases to allow for the synthesis of new materials in which the metals can talk to one another: this could form the basis of simple wires the size of molecules.Finally, it is known that simple forms of nucelobases can have powerful anti-cancer properties. We have prepared a compound, containing a nucleobase and a metal, which kills cancer cells. Further developments on these lines are obviously highly important.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.york.ac.uk