the Cook team

The next frontier in chemical discovery lies in making

molecules with precision, purpose and control, directly

where they are needed. Research on the Cook Team places

synthetic organic chemistry at the heart of delivery science

as we develop new catalysts and reactivity to enable the

transport of small molecules, nucleic acids and organometallic

catalysts across biological barriers. Currently, we leverage our

expertise in organic and inorganic chemistry, chemical engineering, chemical biology and antibody engineering to create catalytic drug factories that operate selectively at the site of disease, enabling therapeutic interventions such as the on-tumour synthesis of chemotherapeutics.

​

Delivery is inherently disease-agnostic: whether therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic, its success hinges on the synthesis of biocompatible vehicles that achieve efficient and selective delivery into biological environments. Our research is guided by the hypothesis that mechanistically rational catalysts, lipid architectures and chemical-biological conjugates can be designed to overcome delivery barriers including biological instability, poor selectivity and limited intracellular access. Critically, each of our research directions are aimed at addressing unmet clinical needs in cancer therapy, neurological disorders, organ-specific disease and cellular rejuvenation.

​

In our lab, high-throughput experimentation (HTE) and sustainable catalysis underpin the discovery and development of new chemistry towards the development of delivery systems capable of addressing critical global challenges. As society enters the age of personalized medicine, achieving precise control over the structures and spatiotemporal release of bioactive agents is paramount.