Leone Spiccia

Professor
B.Sc(Hons)(UWA), Ph.D(UWA)
Room: 213, Building 75
Phone: +61 3 9905 4526
Fax: +61 3 9905 4597
Email: Leone Spiccia@monash.edu
Website: Spiccia Group Webpage


Qualifications

PhD degree, UWA, 1984
Bachelor of Science Honours Degree, UWA, 1978

Professional Profile

  • 2006- Professor of Chemistry, Monash University
  • 2008-10 Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences Panel, Australian Research Council
  • 2006-08 Deputy Dean, Faculty of Science, Monash University
  • 2006-07 Associate Dean Research, Faculty of Science, Monash University
  • 2003-06 Deputy Head, School of Chemistry, Monash University
  • 1998-05 Reader in Chemistry, Monash University
  • 1993-98 Senior Lecturer, Monash University
  • 1987-93 Lecturer, Monash University
  • 1986-87 Post-doctoral Fellowship with Prof AM Sargeson, Australian National University
  • 1984-86 Post-doctoral Fellowship with Prof W Marty, Universite de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
  • 1983-84 Post-doctoral Fellowship with Prof TW Swaddle, University of Calgary, Canada

Associations and Awards

  • 2010 Humboldt Research Award
  • 2007 Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf Fellow, Dresden, Germany
  • 2005 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Postgraduate Supervision, Monash University
  • 2004- Member of the American Chemical Society
  • 1996- Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute
  • 1978- Member of the Royal Australian Chemical institute

Teaching commitments

General, inorganic and bio-inorganic chemistry level 1-4 courses taught with emphasis on:

  • coordination and inorganic chemistry
  • bio-inorganic chemistry
  • kinetics and reactivity of metal complexes
  • metal ions in biology
  • electron transfer reactions of metalloproteins
  • techniques and methods in inorganic chemistry
  • advanced problem solving

Research Interests

Our research interests are centered around the design, synthesis and application of metal complexes and new materials and the elucidation of the structure, properties and reactivity of transition metal complexes. These research activities range from being fundamental in nature to applied and commercial projects. Our research covers both fundamental and applied research projects, and is multi-disciplinary in nature, combining chemistry with aspects of biology, biochemistry, medical science, (nano)materials science and engineering, environmental science, earth science and physics.

Ongoing projects include:

  • Bio-inspired water oxidation catalysts and water splitting devices
  • Novel materials for application in dye sensitized solar cells
  • Molecules as minerals – metal ion speciation and complexation in aqueous solution
  • High affinity agents for the selective binding and sensing of biomolecules
  • Application of immobilized macrocyclic metal complexes in protein purification
  • Diagnostics, therapeutics and biosensors based on metal complex-bioconjugates
  • Artificial nucleases and ribonucleases
  • Agents for the treatment of HIV
  • Agents for the imaging and treatment of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease

Collaborative projects are being pursued with colleagues from:

  • Chemistry, Materials Engineering, Monash Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences and Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy
  • CSIRO, St Vincent’s Hospital and the Adelaide Museum
  • The Universities of Adelaide, Deakin, LaTrobe, Melbourne, Queensland and Wollongong and the Australian National University
  • EPF Lausanne, UC Berkeley, Davis and San Diego, the Universities of Bochum, Heidelberg, Würzburg and Zurich, Rutgers University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin and Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Research Outcomes

  • Substantial research support from the Australian Research Council through the Discovery, Linkage Industry, Linkage International and LIEF programs, and through the Australian Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science. Major funding is also being received from the Australian Solar Institute, VSA and SERD grants from the Victorian State Government to the Victorian Organic Solar Cell (VICOSC) Consortium, the Bioimaging Cooperative Research Centre, Go8-DAAD and DEST ISL-DAAD grants
  • Over 260 refereed publications and patents
  • Over 200 lecture/poster presentations at local and international conferences
  • Invitations to give lectures at many local and overseas universities and conferences
  • Supervised 29 PhD and 2 Masters students to completion and there are currently 12 PhD students conducting their studies under my supervision

For further details please visit the Spiccia Group webpage.