Dr. Zhiguang Xiao

z.xiao@unimelb.edu.au

After competing his MS at Fujian Normal University, China in 1985, Xiao became a faculty member of that University to teach Inorganic Chemistry at all levels. In 1989, he took up a scholarship offer from La Trobe University to undertake a postgraduate study on the model chemistry of molybdenum enzymes under the supervision of Prof. Tony Wedd and obtained his PhD in 1992. He then moved to the University of Melbourne with Tony to work in the area of metal-containing proteins and enzymes. Since then he has taken an important role in managing the bio-lab, directing the research activities and co-supervising honours and PhD students. His current research interests include the molecular aspects of transition metal transport proteins and molecular probes for bio-metals.

Dr. Jingli Xie

Jingli Xie received his BS (1995) and MS degree (1998) in Organic Chemistry from Jilin University. Upon graduation, he worked as Research Associate for two years at Synica Chemicals, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. After completing his PhD (2003) in Inorganic Chemistry at Nanjing University, he became a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Riverside. Jingli joined the Wedd group in May 2005 as a Research Fellow and currently as a ARC Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Wedd. In his free time, he enjoys running half-marathons around Carlton Gardens and tries to get Aussie accent for his spoken English.

Lee Xin Chong

lx_chong@yahoo.com

Lee Xin is an international student from Malaysia. She moved to Melbourne in 2002 and obtained her Bachelor of Biomedical Science in Phamacology and Chemistry (Honours) in 2007. She joined the Wedd group as an Honours student in 2007, during which she studied the CopK protein from C. metallidurans. After taking a well-deserved break filled with exciting travels and shoe-shopping for 4 months, she returned to the Wedd lab as a PhD student in 2008 to continue her honours project and investigate membrane-bound copper pumps from E. coli.

Gojko Buncic

g.buncic@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au

Gojko joined the Wedd group as a PhD student in 2007. He is co-supervised by Dr. Paul Donnelly and is looking at the synthesis of soluble metal ligands and sensors.

Karrera Djoko

k.djoko@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au

Karrera was born in Indonesia and obtained her BS in Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University in 2004. She worked there under the supervision of Ass. Prof. Christine Keating where she investigated the behaviours of protein and gold-protein conjugates in two-phase systems and developed a strong interest in the interrelationship between metals and biology. Upon graduation, she returned to Indonesia to teach primary level mathematics, science and English. She joined the Wedd group in May 2005 as a PhD student to work on copper resistance proteins from Escherichia coli. When she is not working hard in the lab, Karrera enjoys tutoring chemistry at Whitley College, playing the piano, and watching House.

Zhenyu Shi

errisy@gmail.com

Zhenyu received his BS in Chemistry and Biology in 2007 from Tsinghua University in China, where he completed his Bachelor's thesis under supervision of Prof. Guoqiang George Chen in the field of metabolic engineering. He also has research background in nanoporous materials and analytical chemistry. In the year 2008, Zhenyu joined the Wedd's group as a PhD student. Besides exploring exciting chemistry in the lab, he enjoys computer-related stuff and programming, including writing a small kits with VS and using Matlab to process images.

Chak Ming Sze

c.sze2@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au

Chak is a self-confessed internet addict who hails from Hong Kong. He completed a double major in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Melbourne and obtained his BSc with Honours in 2006. His Honours project involved the study of metalloproteins and metallopharmaceuticals and he was co-supervised by Dr. Paul Donnelly. Chak rejoined the group in 2007 to commence his PhD study on the same research area. When he's not busy saving the world with his chemistry, he spends all of his leisure time reading Chinese stories on the internet.

Matthias Zimmermann

m.zimmermann@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au

Matthias completed his studies in the diploma program (MSc) at the University of Bielefeld in 2005. As part of this, he undertook research projects at the Babes-Bolyai University and at the University of Stellenbosch. His Master's thesis, titled "Large Cyclic Polyoxotungstate Complexes as Hosts for Metal Cation Inclusion" was completed under the supervision of Prof. M. T. Pope at Georgetown University. Matthias moved to Melbourne in 2005 and joined the Wedd group to commence a PhD working on the molecular characterisation of zinc and copper transporting proteins. He enjoys being a residential tutor at Ormond College and when he is not doing chemistry, he is exploring his new home down under.

Ryan Gilbert-Wilson

r.gilbertwilson@ugrad.unimelb.edu.au

Ryan completed his Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne in 2007. He has previously worked in the areas of glycogen biology for a year with Dr. David Stapleton at Bio21 and tungsten-sulphur chemistry as a 399 student with Assoc. Prof. Charles Young. His honours work involves synthesising various polyoxometalate complexes for applications in photocatalysis. When out of the lab, he enjoys Monday night trivias with his mates and going to see Carlton (hopefully win) at the G on weekends.

Luke Moran

l.moran@ugrad.unimelb.edu.au

Luke joined the Wedd lab in 2008 as an Honours student. He is co-supervised by Dr. Paul Donnelly and will be looking at the synthesis of metal-based ligands and sensors.