About

The ANU Research School of Chemistry has an enviable reputation as a powerhouse of chemical research, attracting leading chemists from around the country and overseas.

Supported by world-class equipment and laboratories housed in a state-of-the-art new building, we conduct pioneering research across the breadth of chemistry, biochemistry and materials science.

Our research has had widespread international impact and has led to applications in the agricultural, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, materials and polymer industries. All of our academics are involved in our undergraduate teaching program and in supervising post-graduate students.

Our postgraduate research students work alongside some of the world’s most influential and innovative academics in research areas from a wide spectrum of chemistry, including computational and theoretical chemistry, materials science, and protein structure and function.

A large number of international scientists visit the Research School each year, contributing to research projects, our extensive seminar series and graduate lecture courses. We also have strong collaborative relationships with other Australian and international universities, government agencies and industry.

Facilities

The Centre for Advanced Microscopy (CAM) provides state-of-the art microscopy and microanalysis equipment to researchers, students and industry partners.

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Compounds ANU (CANU) aims to directly link the leading synthetic chemistry capabilities within the RSC to ANU medical and biological research programs primarily conducted within the RSB and JCSMR.

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The Joint Mass Spectrometry Facility (JMSF) was created in 2016 by the Research School of Chemistry and Research School of Biology to consolidate and grow mass spectrometry facilities at ANU.

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Kioloa Campus

The 348-hectare ANU Kioloa Coastal Campus is one of Australia’s premier field stations, offering a diverse ecology which encourages research across all scientific disciplines.

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The ANU MakerSpace is an initiative by the Research School of Physics and Engineering, where we know people learn by doing.  

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The National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s most highly-integrated supercomputer and filesystems, Australia’s highest performance research cloud, and one of the nation’s largest data catalogues—all supported by an expert team.

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NMR has applications in all fields of the experimental sciences. It is the single most powerful technique available to chemists for studying the composition, structure and function of molecules.

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The CPAS Podcast Studio is open to staff and students throughout ANU (not just scientists!) to record and grow podcast series. Your success is our success: we want to help you make the biggest and best podcast series in the world.  

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Science precinct

Our new $240-million science precinct on the ANU campus has state-of-the-art biological and chemical research laboratories, as well as a teaching hub.

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Designed by Eggleston, MacDonald and Secomb, the Forestry Building (#48) was officially opened on 16 May 1968 by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh with the unveiling of a wooden sculpture in the building’s main foyer.

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Articles

A researcher holds up a large pretzel in one hand and a 3D molecule model in the other. He is smiling at the camera. Behind him is the Research School of Chemistry building.

Researchers from ANU have developed a new way to synthesise bicyclic peptides, with major implications for future research into drug treatments for a range of diseases including cancer, viruses and bacterial infections.

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A woman stands in front of an autumn-coloured tree, facing the camera.

Meet the PhD researcher exploring how bacterial proteins could hold the key to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

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An ANU-backed start up that is turning the tide on the wave of plastic pollution flooding our planet has taken out a top prize in one of Australia’s major sustainability awards.

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Close up of hand holding the heavy metal element bismuth, showing a crystal structure and iridescent surface.

If you find yourself at a barbecue with Dr Christoph Nitsche, you must ask him about heavy metal. No, not the head banging type of heavy metal; the type on the periodic table. It has an amazing range of potential uses, from fighting cancer to antibiotics.

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This cellular agriculture start-up hopes to add a tasty new animal-free ingredient to the menu.

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A researcher in a lab with a plastic bottle.

A new Australian enviro-tech start-up backed by ANU will "infinitely" recycle plastic to help solve the global plastic pollution crisis.

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