Research in the Byrne Group is at the interface of carbohydrate chemistry and inorganic chemistry, seeking to develop new chemical tools to aid in the fight against anti-microbial resistance. We also explore more fundamental chemistry related to these topics.

Our primary research focusses on glycoconjugates or carbohydrate-functionalised materials that interact with carbohydrate-binding proteins (from pathogens) and their diagnostic or therapeutic applications. These include luminescent glycoclusters and materials as sensors for bacterial lectins; systems which will be developed into diagnostic technologies for detecting bacterial infections. We also have an interest in antimicrobial properties of novel carbohydrate-derived compounds, such as metal complexes and multivalent materials.

We have further expertise in luminescent self-assemblies, such as lanthanide complexes, supramolecular chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, coordination chemistry and organometallic chemistry (including catalysis).

Projects

Click on the tiles below for more information on current and past projects

SFI SIRG project

SUGARCOAT

LINK4LECTIN

Publications

ORCID | Google Scholar | ResearcherID/Publons

  1. K Wojtczak, E Gillon, D Bura, K Richmond, M Joyce, E Caraher, K Kessie, T Velasco-Torrijos, C Trujillo, A Imberty, K Kavanagh, G Cooke and JP Byrne*, “Antiadhesive glycoconjugate metal complexes targeting pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans“, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 2025, 23, 9950; 10.1039/d5ob00970g; Part of themed collection: New Talent 2025.
  2. K Wojtczak, E Zahorska, IJ Murphy, F Koppel, G Cooke, A Titz, JP Byrne*, “Switch-on luminescent sensing of unlabelled bacterial lectin by terbium(iii) glycoconjugate systems”, Chemical Communications, 2023, 59, 8384; 10.1039/D3CC02300A; Front Cover; Part of the themed collections: Chemical Communications HOT Articles 2023 and Chemosensors and Molecular Logic
  3. IN Hegarty, DE Barry, JP Byrne, O Kotova, T Gunnlaugsson*, “Formation of lanthanide luminescent di-metallic helicates in solution using a bis-tridentate (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-picolinamide (tzpa) ligand”, Chem. Commun., 2023, 59, 6044; 10.1039/D3CC01126G
  4. K Wojtczak, JP Byrne*, “Structural considerations for building synthetic glycoconjugates as inhibitors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectins”, ChemMedChem, 2022, 17, e202200081; 10.1002/cmdc.202200081
  5. JP Byrne, L Delgado, F Paradisi, M Albrecht*, “Carbohydrate-functionalized triazolylidene iridium complexes: hydrogenation catalysis in water with asymmetric induction”, ChemCatChem, 2022, 14, e202200086; 10.1002/cctc.202200086; Part of a special collection on Carbohydrate Chemistry
  6. C O’Reilly, S Blasco, B Parekh, H Collins, G Cooke, T Gunnlaugsson, JP Byrne*, “Ruthenium-centred btp glycoclusters as inhibitors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation”, RSC Advances, 2021, 11, 16318; 10.1039/D0RA05107A
  7. JP Byrne, M Albrecht*, “Anion-cation synergistic metal-free catalytic oxidative homocoupling of benzylamines by triazolium iodide salts”, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 2020, 18, 7379; 10.1039/D0OB01472A
  8. AA Molar-Cuni, JP Byrne, P Borja, C Vicent, M Albrecht*, J Mata*, “Selective conversion of monosaccharaides into sugar acids by dehydrogenation in water”, ChemCatChem, 2020, 12, 3746; 10.1002/cctc.202000544 [pdf]
  9. JP Byrne, P Musembi, M Albrecht*, “Carbohydrate-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene Ru(II) complexes: synthesis, characterization and catalytic transfer hydrogenation activity” Dalton Transactions, 2019, 48, 11838; 10.1039/C9DT02614B [pdf]
  10. DB Barry, CS Hawes, JP Byrne, B Poulsen, M Ruether, JE O’Brien, T. Gunnlaugsson*, “A folded [2×2] metallo-supramolecular grid from a bis-tridentate (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-picolinamide (tzpa) ligand” Dalton Transactions, 2017, 46, 6464; 10.1039/C7DT01533J
  11. JP Byrne*, AB Aletti, S Blasco, G Hessman, T Gunnlaugsson*, “Self-templated btp [2]Catenanes Formed by Triazolyl Hydrogen Bonding; The Formation of Selective Anion Hosts for Phosphate”Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2016, 55, 8938; DOI: 10.1002/anie.201603213
  12. JP Byrne, M Martínez-Calvo, RD  Peacock, T Gunnlaugsson*, “Chiroptical Probing of Lanthanide‐Directed Self‐Assembly Formation Using btp Ligands Formed in One‐Pot Diazo‐Transfer/Deprotection Click Reaction from Chiral Amines” Chemistry – A European Journal, 2016, 22, 486; DOI: 10.1002/chem.201504257
  13. JP Byrne, JA Kitchen, JE O’Brien, RD Peacock, T Gunnlaugsson*, “Lanthanide directed self-assembly of highly luminescent supramolecular ‘peptide’ bundles from α-amino-acid functionalized 2,6-bis(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine (btp) ligands” Inorganic Chemistry, 2015, 54, 1426; DOI: 10.1021/ic502384w
  14. SJ Bradberry, JP Byrne, CP McCoy, T Gunnlaugsson*, “Lanthanide luminescent logic gate mimics in soft matter: [H+] and [F−] dual-input device in a polymer gel with potential for selective component release” Chemical Communications, 2015, 51, 16565; DOI: 10.1039/C5CC05009J
  15. EP McCarney, JP Byrne, B Twamley, M Martínez-Calvo, G Ryan, ME Möbius, T Gunnlaugsson*, “Self-assembly formation of a healable lanthanide luminescent supramolecular metallogel from btp ligands” Chemical Communications, 2015, 51, 14123; DOI: 10.1039/C5CC03139G
  16. JP Byrne, JA Kitchen, O Kotova, V Leigh, AP Bell, JJ Boland, M Albrecht, T Gunnlaugsson*, “Synthesis, structural, photophysical and electrochemical studies of various d-metal complexes of btp [2,6-bis(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine] ligands that give rise to the formation of metallo-supramolecular gels” Dalton Transactions, 2014, 43, 196; DOI: 10.1039/C3DT52309H
  17. JP Byrne*, JA Kitchen, T Gunnlaugsson*, “The btp[2,6-bis(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine] binding motif: a new versatile terdentate ligand for supramolecular and coordination chemistry” Chemical Society Reviews, 2014, 43, 5302; DOI: 10.1039/C4CS00120F

Other contributions

Editor of the collection Irish Chemical Events.

Conference report: JP Byrne, P Melle, M Valencia, Á Vivancos, “Homogenous Catalysis – New Paradigms, Wonderful Applications” – Swiss Chemical Society Spring Meeting, University of Bern, 21st April 2017, Chimia, 2017, 71, 316; DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2017.316

Contributions to Faraday Discussions, 2019, 219, including the discussion on “Preparation of multivalent glycan micro- and nano-arrays”