Our research

The Department of Chemistry of the University of Malta has 8 academics engaging in a wide variety of research.

The members of the department have links with industry as well as international universities and research networks. These links help sustain their research. Members of the Department of Chemistry engage in the following research fields:

Analytical Chemistry

Prof. Claude Farrugia | Prof. David Magri

Main research activities in this area are the development of analytical techniques for pharmaceutical products, natural product analysis, chemoinformatics (Farrugia) and preparation of indicators and molecular logic gate sensors (Magri).     

Computational Chemistry

Prof. Joseph Grima

The Department has quite a reputation in this area which focuses on the modelling of auxetic materials and other materials with negative properties such as negative thermal expansion.    

Environmental Chemistry

Prof. Alfred Vella | Prof. Emmanuel Sinagra | Prof. Noel Aquilina

The research involves studies both in the Maltese context as well as the global environment. These involve analysis for chlorates, pharmaceutical residues, persistent organic pollutants and also heavy metals in the local environment and atmospheric modelling.   

Forensic Analysis Laboratory

Prof. Emmanuel Sinagra | Dr. Godwin Sammut | Ms. Sarah Schembri

The research interest within the Forensic Analysis Laboratory is related solely to Forensic Science.  Research is focused on forensic drug analysis and forensic toxicology.  The laboratory also engages in other research activities with other departments at the University of Malta, namely the Department of Criminology and the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.  The Forensic Analysis Laboratory also provides services to the Malta Police Force and Customs Malta amongst other agencies.  

 

Inorganic Chemistry

Prof. Ulrich Baisch

There are a number of areas of interest in this cornerstone discipline of chemistry. Research is focused on organometallics, lanthanide chemistry and the chemistry of air-sensitive compounds.     

Organic Chemistry

Prof. Giovanna Bosica | Prof. David Magri

The research interests in organic chemistry are organic synthesis, with a particular interest in green organic synthesis (Bosica), and molecular engineering of molecules for supramolecular chemistry as well as novel sensors (Magri).     

Polymers, Colloids and Interfaces

Departmental research in this area includes studies in physical chemistry of proteins in solution, interactions of proteins with surfactants, nanoparticle dispersions, powders and surfactants.   Prof. Emmanuel Sinagra | Prof. Claude Farrugia

Solid State Chemistry

Prof. Ulrich Baisch

Research ranges from elucidating the structure of materials used in the cultural heritage as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients using both single crystal and powder crystallography to crystal engineering of various materials.        

Collaboration

Besides the above fields of research, the academic staff of the Department also engages in other research activities through collaborative relationships with other departments at the University of Malta, notably the Department of Geosciences, Department of Physiology & Biochemistry, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Metamaterials Unit and the Department of Metallurgy & Materials Engineering.


https://www.um.edu.mt/science/chemistry/ourresearch/