Current
Daniel Harris
Daniel graduated from the University of Essex, East Anglia in 2025 with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry. Once completed, he undertook a summer placement in the Forgan group at the University of Glasgow. Here, Daniel’s role was to investigate the immune response of dendritic cell as a direct result of metal organic frameworks (MOF) exposure. Additionally, the placement also involved MOF surface modification with a view of increasing the dendritic cells uptake of MOFs. Shortly after his placement, Daniel began his PhD at the University of Glasgow within the Adam’s group, commencing in October 2025. Daniel’s research project involves designing α-helical peptides utilising AI models such as AlphaFold, with a focus on self-assembly and catalytic properties.
Olivia Hanlon
Olivia graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2022 with a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry. During her undergraduate degree, Olivia joined the Draper group where she worked on improving the flexibility and conductivity of perylene bisimide thin films. After graduating, Olivia worked in the virology department of Merck where she focused on retrovirus and lentivirus detection within cells. Olivia then returned to the university of Glasgow, completing an MSci in Advanced Functional Materials, splitting her time between the School of Chemistry and the School of Physics and Astronomy. As part of Olivia’s masters project, she returned to the Draper group working on the role perylene bisimides can play in colour changing fabrics. In 2024, Olivia joined the Adams group. Partnering with Sonichem and Scottish Forestry, her project focuses on utilising biomass for the production of sustainable chemicals.
Hongbo Jiang
Hongbo graduated from Zhejiang University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Engineering. During his undergraduate studies, he immersed himself in the exploration of Microfluidics for Bio-ink Output with Arbitrary Concentration under the guidance of Prof. Liang MA. Subsequently, Hongbo embarked on his master’s journey at Zhejiang University, delving into Piezoelectric Applications of Short Peptide Self-assemblies and natural proteins under the supervision of Prof. Kai TAO. Following the completion of his Master of Engineering degree, Hongbo commenced his doctoral studies at the University of Glasgow in October 2024 as a member of the Adams group. His current research endeavors are centered on developing methodologies to manipulate supermolecular structures’ orientation to enhance Piezoelectric responses significantly.
Helen Futty
Helen graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2024 with an MSci in Chemistry and Mathematics. In her fourth year, she completed a Mathematics project on polynomial rings. She joined the Adams group in 2023 for her final year master’s project and studied the conductivity of hydrogel noodles. Helen began working towards her PhD in 2024 and is focusing on the self-assembly of two component peptide systems based on AI predictions by platforms such as AlphaFold
Tejaswini Maurya
Tejaswini graduated with a first-class BSc(Hons) in Chemistry from Delhi University, India. During her undergraduate studies, she worked on projects including the preparation of biodiesel from vegetable oil using the process of saponification and the synthesis of gold nanoparticles using tea leaf extract by applying principles of Green Chemistry. These projects were supervised by Dr. Shuchi Dhingra at the University of Delhi, India. She then graduated with an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Glasgow in 2022. For Tejaswini’s MSc thesis, she worked with the Adams group on “ The Formulation of a Dipeptide-based hydrogel by integrating azobenzene as a fluorescent compound,” which exhibited changes in mechanical and physical properties upon exposure to a UV-Vis lamp. Tejaswini’s research now focuses on how the stereochemistry of phenylalanine residues in 2NapFF can significantly influence its physical and chemical properties.
Fin Hallam Stewart 
Fin graduated with an MSci in Chemistry with European Placement from the University of Glasgow in 2023. In his placement year, Fin worked on the synthesis of a Covalent Organic Framework (COF) to be used as a cathode material within Lithium-ion batteries, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Oliver Dumele at Humboldt Universität in Berlin, Germany. This research project was funded by Erasmus+. Upon his return to Glasgow in September 2022, Fin worked on his MSci thesis with the Adams group, titled Inducing Alignment of Micellar Structures in Transient Hydrogel Systems. Fin remained within the Adams group and started working towards his PhD in October 2023 on antimicrobial hydrogels for the application of medical implant coatings. Fin is funded by Tenovus Scotland.
Rui Huang 
Rui graduated from Minjig University in 2021 and received a Bachelor of Science degree with the first grade in the specialty. During his undergraduate studies, Rui devoted himself to the development of A Quick and Simple Method for Extracting UnsaponifiableVegetable Oils.Rui joined the Adams group in October 2021, Rui worked with the Adams group for his MSci in science, titled Charge Screening Wormlike Micelles Affects Extensional Relaxation Time and Noodle Formation. In 2022, Rui started a PhD within the Adams group at the University of Glasgow. His research focusing on using photoresponsive gelators for energy storage, and designing and controlling the self-assembled structures formed by a range of functionalised dipeptides in the micellar and gel states and examining what happens when these are irradiated with light.
Past
Emma Bowley
Emma graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2022 with a MSci in natural sciences specializing in chemistry and maths. Her masters project was the synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrazine derivatives and their potential in metal coordination polymers under the supervision of Dr Ben Pilgrim. Emma joined the group in October 2022 and is working on transient gels and electropolymerisation. Emma is funded by the University of Glasgow.
Simona Bianco (2025 graduation)
Chloe Wallace (2025 graduation)
Qingwen Guan (2024 graduation)
Max Hill (2024 graduation)
Maria Laura Vieri (Joint with Prof. C Goodyear, 2024 graduation)
Ian Bennett-Wright (joint with the Mount Group, University of Edinburgh, 2024 graduation)
Courtenay Patterson (2023 graduation)
Valentina Gauci (2023 graduation)
Lisa Thomson (2022 graduation)
Dan McDowall (2022 graduation)
Ana Mari Fuentes-Caparrós (2021 graduation)
Emily Cross (2020 graduation)
Craig Wilson (joint with Professor A. Cooper, 2019 graduation)
Ammar Alhamed (joint with Professor A. Cooper, 2019 graduation)
Michael Nolan (joint with Dr. A. Cowan, 2019 graduation)
Andre Zamith Cardoso (2018 graduation)
Edward Eden (joint with Professor A. Cooper, 2017 graduation)
Matthew Wallace (joint with Dr. J. Iggo, 2017 graduation)
Emily Draper (2016 graduation)
Anita Peacock (2016 graduation)
Salmah Awhida (2015 graduation)
Thanchanok Ratvijitvech (joint with Professor A. Cooper, 2015 graduation)
Jaclyn Raeburn (2014 graduation)
Andrea Laybourn (2013 graduation)
Dave Adams Lab 