Dr Maria Paz Munoz-Herranz
Senior Lecturer in Synthetic ChemistryResearch Overview
Dr. Muñoz is a synthetic chemist with expertise in physical organic chemistry and a strong interest in developing innovative metal-based methods for small‑molecule synthesis with therapeutic potential.
Her research focuses on developing new strategies to access diverse N‑heterocycles, privileged scaffolds in drug discovery.
Current projects include transition metal‑catalysed reactions of allenes, bimetallic gold–platinum catalysis, and the design of allene-derived ligands for organometallic architectures.
She also investigates allene‑derived complexes as metallodrugs and their interactions with DNA for diverse applications.
Collaborative projects span anticancer, antimicrobial, and antifungal drug discovery, with future directions in PROTACs for Alzheimer’s disease and DNA‑encoded library methodologies.
Informal enquiries about self‑funded opportunities are welcome.
Profile
Paz studied Chemistry at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, where she graduated with a Master in Chemistry (Organic Chemistry) in 1999.
In 2001 she obtained her Diploma Thesis at the same University under the supervision of Prof. Antonio M. Echavarren, and then carried out her PhD in Chemistry in the same group (October 2004. “Competing Pathways in the Cyclization of 1,6-Enynes Catalyzed by Transition Metals: Selectivity Studies”).
During her postdoctoral stay in the group of Prof. Lloyd-Jones (University of Bristol), she held the positions of Research Assistant (working on “Synthesis of New 3,3'-Binol Derived Substituted Phosphoramidites” for the Ligand Bank, European Community's Sixth Framework Programme); Post-Doctoral Fellow from the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (working in “Mechanistic and Kinetics Aspects of the Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization of Dienes and Related Reactions”); and finally Research Associate (working on “Development of New Protocols for Alkene Difuntionalisation” financed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK).
In 2009, Dr Muñoz returned to Madrid, Spain with a prestigious Ramón y Cajal Award to work at the Insituto de Química Orgánica General (IQOG-CSIC), where she started her research into the discovery of new platinum-catalysed reactions of allenes. In 2011, she moved to the University of East Anglia (UEA) as Lecturer in Organic Chemistry, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer / Associate Professor in 2017.
She joined the Department of Chemistry at Lancaster University as a Senior Lecturer in Synthetic Chemistry in January 2023. She is currently the Head of the Organic Chemistry Section, the Industrial Placement coordinator for the new degree, MChem with Industrial Placement, and the Chemistry Director of Engagement.
Current Research
Selected publications from the group:
- Metal complexes as Antifungals? From a crowd-source compund library to the first in vivo experiments. Angelo Frei*, Alysha G. Elliott, Alex Kan, Hue Dinh, Stefan Braese, Alice E. Bruce, Mitchell R. Bruce, Feng Chen, Dhirgam Humaidy, Nicole Jung, A. Paden King, Peter G. Lye, Hannah K. Maliszewska, Ahmed M. Mansour, Dimitris Matiadis, María Paz Muñoz, Tsung-Yu Pai, Shyam Pokhrel, Peter J. Sadler, Marina Sagnou, Michelle Taylor, Justin J. Wilson, Woods Dean, Johannes Zuegg, Wieland Meyer, Amy Cain, Mark A. T. Blaskovich* JACS Au 2022, 2 (10), 2277.
- Precious metal complexes of bis(pyridil)allenes: synthesis, catalytic and medicinal applications. Hanna K. Maliszewska, Carla Arnau del Valle, Ying Xia, María J. Marín, Zoë A. E. Waller and M. Paz Muñoz. Dalton Trans. 2021, 50, 16739.
- Allene-derived gold and platinum complexes: synthesis and first application in catalysis. Hanna K. Maliszewska, David L. Hughes and M. Paz Muñoz. Dalton Trans. 2020, 49, 4034.
- Platinum and Gold Catalysis: a la Carte Hydroamination of Terminal Activated Allenes with Azoles. J. M. Alonso, M. P. Muñoz*. Org. Lett. 2019, 21 (18), 7639.
- Heterobimetallic catalysis: Platinum-Gold-catalysed tandem cyclisation/C-X coupling reaction of (hetero)arylallenes with nucleophiles. J. M. Alonso, M. P. Muñoz*. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 4742.
PhD Supervision Interests
https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/dna-encoded-alchemy-gold-catalysis-on-a-genetic-canvas/?p192045
Exploring the Synthesis of Cubanes: Towards an Expedient Synthesis of 1,2-Disubstituted Cubanes (Nahin Kazi)
01/08/2024 → 30/11/2024
Research
i-Motif DNA-based asymmetric beta-N-stabilised-Au(III)carbene catalysis
01/05/2024 → 30/04/2027
Research
New Dual Colour Fluorometric Assays for Drug Discovery and Plankton Respiration
01/04/2023 → 30/09/2023
Research
Royal Society of Chemistry Schools' Analyst Competition
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor
Lancaster University Chemistry Open Day
Other
Lunch and Learn Event provided by Shimadzu as part of the 150th Anniversary Celebrations
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Elements of Success
Other
2025 RSC Dalton Community Northern Regional Meeting
Participation in conference - Academic
Pyridyl allenes, novel ligand frameworks for catalysis and metallodrugs
Invited talk
Elements of Success
Other
Westholme School, visiting the Lancaster Chemistry department for the Aspirine masterclass and the talk
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor
Elements of Success
Other
Chemistry (Organisational unit)
Member of Advisory Panel
Winstanley College
School Engagement
Campus in the City
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Science night for Goosnargh Cubs
Other
Adventures on allene chemistry: from bimetallic catalysis to new metallodrugs
Invited talk
Lancaster University Chemistry Offer Holder Event
Other
Chemistry (Organisational unit)
Member of Advisory Panel
IUPAC Global Women's breakfast 2025
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor
Chemistry outreach event: School talk - Organic Chemistry in our everyday life
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Chemistry – Biology collaborations in the quest to find the treatments of the future
Invited talk
NCCPE training: engaging communities and working together course
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Lancaster Chemistry Academia-Industry Symposium
Symposium
b-N-Stabilised gold carbenes
Oral presentation
Robust b-N-stabilised gold carbenes for catalysis and medicinal applications
Invited talk
Undergraduate Programme Examiner (Organic chemistry)
Expert Opinion
Keep calm, it is only chemistry!
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Elected member of the RSC Organic Chemistry Community council
Charity
Chemistry (Organisational unit)
Member of Advisory Panel
OCCA Industry Insight event
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor
Campus in the City
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Lancaster University Chemistry Offer Holder Event
Other
Chemistry (Organisational unit)
Member of Advisory Panel
Launch event for the MChem (with Industrial Placement) degree at Lancaster University
Other
Chemistry (Organisational unit)
Member of Advisory Panel
The Impact of Synthetic Chemistry in Biosciences:from method development to new drug-type molecules and diagnostics
Invited talk
PhD viva - internal examiner
Examination
Bis(pyridyl)allenes as Versatile Ligands for Novel Metal Complexes
Invited talk
Interview Panel for PDRA post in Engineering department at LU
Consultancy
PhD international report
Examination
Grant reviewing
Expert Opinion
Poster presentation
Other
Unravelling the secrets of metal-allene chemistry and beyond:chemistry in action for sustainable development
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
International PhD examination
Examination
A whistle-stop tour through my research (mainly) on metal-allene chemistry, future research plans and possible collaborations
Oral presentation
- Chemical Synthesis
- Organic Research Group