Dr Adam Clayton - University of Leeds

Dr Clayton aims to develop more sustainable chemical manufacturing routes by developing and applying digital technologies. Multistep continuous flow processes offer on-demand synthesis of high-value chemical products with minimal risk of supply chain disruptions, while the combination of catalytic steps significantly reduces waste generation. However, the development of these systems is notoriously challenging, owing to the chemical and physical interactions between steps, and the requirement for divergent reaction conditions. Dr Clayton will develop an autonomous continuous flow platform utilising machine learning to simultaneously optimise telescoped catalytic reactions, such as chemoenzymatic cascades, and apply this technology within pharmaceutical manufacturing.