Dr Ryan Mewis

My profile

Biography

Ryan Mewis graduated from the University of Hull with a MChem (Hons) in 2005 and subsequently obtained a PhD in inorganic chemistry from the same institution by working on the “Synthesis of Tetraazamacrocycles: Biomedical Applications” under the supervision of Drs Archibald and Boyle. In 2009 he joined the group of Professor Simon Duckett at the University of York as a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on a project related to the hyperpolarisation technique SABRE (Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange) entitled the “Chemical Aspects of Hyperpolarisation”. This project, which was part of a joint collaboration with Professor Gary Green (University of York), was focused on developing what is primarily a spectroscopic technique, to one that can be used in clinical diagnosis.
In February 2015, Dr Mewis joined the staff at Manchester Metropolitan University as a Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2016. He became the programme leader for chemistry programmes in 2024.
Dr Mewis is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

Prizes and awards

In 2019, Ryan was awarded best Undergraduate Supervisor of the year and best Postgraduate Supervisor at the Manchester Metropolitan University Teaching Awards

Membership of professional associations

Ryan is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Interests and expertise

Research Interests

  • Development of catalysts for use with the hyperpolarisation technique SABRE (Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange)
  • Utilizing SABRE towards different applications
  • Application of NMR to routine drug testing 
  • Macrocyclic complexes directed towards biomedical applications

Prospective students looking for either MSc or PhD positions are strongly encouraged to contact Dr Ryan Mewis prior to applying. 

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

Member of the Subject Expert Grant Assessment Panel (SEGAP) for the RSC

I also review papers for Analytical Methods, Journal of Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Reaction Kinetics, Mechanisms and Catalysis, Chemistry - A European Journal, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Chemical Education, Mangetic Resonance in Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry

See here for more details https://publons.com/author/981223/ryan-e-mewis#profile

Consultancy and advisory roles

I act as a consultant for Oxford Instruments

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

Member of the Subject Expert Grant Assessment Panel for the RSC

Projects

Current Projects

Current projects are focused on the following:

  • Detection of drugs using multi-modal approaches e.g. GC-MS, IR and NMR
  • Hyperpolarisation of metal complexes by SABRE. 

Academic collaborations

I work very closely with Dr Oliver Sutcliffe (MMU) on Novel Psychoactive Substance based projects. I have also published extensively with Prof. E. Kate Kemsley (Quadram Institute) on how to use automated NMR for the detection and qualitative analysis of drugs within a seized sample. 

Teaching

Why do I teach?

I teach because I enjoy the challenge of empowering the next generation of chemists with the knowledge that they need to move on with their chosen careers. I am a firm believer in research-led teaching and utilize examples from current and past research exploits where possible.

I recognize that obtaining a degree is a long and sometimes arduous journey - I know that I worked very hard for my degree. One of the greatest joys of my job is seeing students obtaining the best degree possible, especially when they have suffered setbacks along the way. I am always happy to help students who are struggling, and even more so when the student in question has invested substantial effort in trying to elucidate the answer for themselves. 

How I’ll teach you

I teach using lectures, which incorporate formative assessments so that students can appraise their own learning, alongside tutorials that are student led. I also facilitate laboratory classes at a number of levels of our courses. I also develop new experiments for laboratory classes to enhance student learning with associated virtual learning environment support so that students can appraise their own learning and develop confidence prior to entering the laboratory.

I am also involved in the development of smart worksheets for assessment purposes so that students can obtain instantaneous feedback on their work. 

Why study…

Chemistry is an exciting and diverse subject that, as the middle science, also encompasses aspects of physics and biology. Chemists are at the forefront of key scientific discoveries that improve our daily lives such as helping to combat disease or producing stronger and more durable materials. 

Obtaining a degree in chemistry doesn’t stop there - it will empower you with valuable transferable skills such as problem solving, team-working and independency (particularly of importance for project modules). A chemistry degree doesn’t mean that you have to go on to do a chemistry orientated job, instead it gives you wide-ranging opportunities when you have graduated. However, if a chemistry orientated job is what you want to go on to do, then you will be equipped with relevant and up-to-date analytical skills, reinforced with the relevant chemical knowledge, that will be what future employers are looking for. 

Undergraduate courses

Teaching specialisms cover NMR and inorganic reaction mechanisms

I currently teach on:

6F7Z2103 Further Topics in Analysis, Synthesis & Catalytic Chemistry

6F7Z2104 Frontiers in Pharmaceutical Chemistry

6F7Z2002 Frontiers in Chemical and Environmental Science 

6F7Z2101 Advanced Project and Personal Development (Unit leader)

6F6Z2021 Project and Personal Development

6F5Z2017 Spectroscopy and instrumental Analysis (Degree Apprentice programme)

6F5Z2019 Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry (Degree Apprentice programme)

6F5Z2110 Structure and Spectroscopy

6F5Z2102 Solid state, d-block and f-block chemistry

6F5Z2101 Laboratory Techniques 2

6F4Z2118 Laboratory Techniques and Cheminformatics (Unit Leader)

6F4Z2108 Laboratory Techniques and Computational Chemistry (Unit Leader)

6F3Z3006 Introductory Chemical Reactions and Mechanisms

6F3Z3005 Principles of Chemistry

I am also the year leader for year 4 of the MChem course currently, as well as the programme leader for chemsitry programmes. 

Courses

Supervision

Current students

Emily Griffiths - PhD (principal Supervisor)

Alex Wilcock - PhD (principal Supervisor)

Conner Maccullum – MSc (second supervisor)

David Dixon – PhD (second supervisor)

Previous Students

Faye Own – MSc (graduated 2017 (second supervisor))

Thomas Tennant – MSc (graduated 2018 (principal supervisor))

Christopher Turnbull – MSc (graduated 2019 (second supervisor))

Armita Hayathakbsh – MSc (graduated 2019 (principal supervisor))

Thomas Robertson – PhD (graduated 2020 (principal supervisor))

Matthew Hulme – PhD (graduated 2020 (second supervisor))

Nicolas Gilbert – PhD (graduated 2021 (second supervisor))

Jack Marron – PhD (second supervisor)

Soliman Alkirit – PhD (second supervisor)

J. Hena Hussain – MSc (graduated 2020 (second supervisor))

Filip Zukowicz – MSc (second supervisor)

Prospective students looking for either MSc or PhD positions are strongly encouraged to contact Dr Ryan Mewis prior to applying.

Research outputs

  • Development of catalysts for use with the hyperpolarisation technique SABRE (Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange)
  • Utilising SABRE towards different applications.
  • I am also interested in the use of macrocyclic complexes towards biomedical applications

Career history

Sept 2016 onwards

Senior lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at Manchester Metropolitan University. 

Feb 2015 - Aug 2016

Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at Manchester Metropolitan University. 

Jan 2013-Jan 2015

Research Fellow based in CHyM (Centre for Hyperpolarisation in MRI) at the University of York

Jan 2012 - Jan 2013

Research and teaching fellow at the University of York

Mar 2009 - Jan 2012

Post-doctoral researcher at the University of York