The Thorneywork Lab
Professor Alice Thorneywork
I am an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry and Royal Society University Research Fellow at the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford. I am also Tutorial Fellow in Physical Chemistry at Lincoln College, Oxford.
I completed my undergraduate degree in Chemistry and DPhil in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at Christ Church, University of Oxford. Here, my doctoral work in the group of Prof. Roel Dullens focused on the use of colloidal model hard sphere systems to probe the structure, dynamics and phase behaviour of two-dimensional materials. This work led to me receiving the 2019 RSC Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics Group (SMTG) Young Scientist Award. In 2016, I moved to the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge first as a postdoc in the group of Prof. Ulrich Keyser, before beginning my independent research career in the department as an Oppenheimer Research Fellow (2018-2021) and, from 2021, a Royal Society University Research Fellow.
Email: alice.thorneywork (at) chem.ox.ac.uk
Dr. Cheuk Kit Ngai, Bryan
Bryan completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where his research focused on characterising the structural, chemical and biophysical properties of non-canonical DNA structures. As a postdoctoral research associate in the Thorneywork Lab, he aims to utilise DNA in nanopore designs and explore their potential roles in nanotechnology. Apart from science, he is also an aviation enthusiast.
Anna Drummond Young
Anna studied physics as part of the Natural Sciences Tripos at Pembroke College, Cambridge. She became interested in soft matter and completed her Master's project in the Thorneywork group, studying how polymer adsorption affects noise in the ionic current in glass nanopores. Now she is continuing her research as a DPhil student, and is especially interested in the role different salts play in nanopore systems. While outside the lab, she loves running and hiking, crocheting, and trips to the pub (especially for a pub quiz).
Eleanor Mackay
Eleanor completed her final year project as part of the Thorneywork group while studying Physics at Cambridge. She is now in her second year as a DPhil student with us, where she has been investigating the dynamics of density fluctuations in colloidal suspensions, and what this can tell us about interparticle interactions. Away from the lab, Eleanor enjoys running, reading detective novels, and outdoor swimming.
James Tett
James completed his BA and MSci degrees in physics at Christ’s College, Cambridge as part of the Natural Sciences Tripos. During his undergraduate studies, he served as an organ scholar and was an academic scholar at Christ’s. For his master’s degree, he investigated DNA hybridisation dynamics in picolitre droplets. Now in the Thorneywork group, James is continuing his studies in non-equilibrium systems, focusing on transport and conformational change of model polymers. James is a keen musician, runner, and philosopher/theologian (even speaking at his college chapel) and can often be found frequenting the organs of Oxford.
Esme Bailey
Esme completed her MChem degree at St Catherine's College, Oxford, with a masters project measuring interparticle interactions in colloid-polymer mixtures. She is now continuing her work with colloidal systems as a DPhil student, focusing on the fluctuations of magnetically controlled systems. Outside the lab, Esme enjoys running, singing and table football.
Ali Mort
Originally from Sydney, Ali holds joint Bachelor of Science (Chemistry, Astrophysics) and Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences from ANU and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Chemistry from the University of Sydney, where she won the Janet Elspeth Crawford Prize in Chemistry. Her research interests lie in DNA Nanotechnology and studying the intersection of tiling theory and chemistry, with a special focus on aperiodicity. Ali is continuing her research as a DPhil student, under joint supervision of the Thorneywork and Doye groups, and with the support of The Commonwealth and Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarships. When Ali is not in the Lab, you can find her out running, being an avid Marathoner.
Hetty Bieber
Hetty is a Part II student in the Thorneywork group, where she studies equilibrium and non-equilibrium behaviour of colloidal systems confined within micropores. Outside the lab, Hetty is a keen vegan baker and killer sudoku enthusiast, and enjoys open-water swimming and life drawing.
Alexandra Dawson
Alex is a Part II student at Teddy Hall and is investigating DNA translocation through solid-state nanopores, with a focus on increasing translocation times. Outside of the lab, she enjoys running and watching sport - especially football and tennis.
Finn Johnston
Finn is completing his final year in chemistry as a Part II in the Thorneywork group, investigating the dynamics of magnetic dimers under fluctuating magnetic fields and DNA linkages. Whilst away from the lab, he enjoys playing the piano, bouldering and playing video games (perhaps too much!).
