Professor Craig Williams
Professor

Craig Williams

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 53530

Background

Craig M. Williams was born in Adelaide, Australia. He received his B.Sc. (Hons) degree in chemistry in 1994 from Flinders University. In 1997, he was awarded his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the same institution under the supervision of Professor Rolf H. Prager. He undertook post-doctoral studies as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow working with Professor Armin de Meijere at the Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany, from 1997 to 1999. In early 1999, he accepted a second post-doctoral fellowship at the Australian National University with Professor Lewis N. Mander.

Professor Williams has held an academic position at the University of Queensland since 2000, and during this time has won a number of awards including a Thieme Chemistry Journals Award in 2007, an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship award in 2011, and the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research (SCMB, UQ, 2019). The Williams research group explores numerous interests within the discipline of organic chemistry (e.g. medicinal chemistry, fundamental molecules, natural productisolation, microelectronics, drug and agrichemical development, impact sensitive molecules) enabled by organic synthesis refined through the construction of biologically active complex natural products (diterpenes, polyketides, alkaloids), and designs synthetic methodology to assist in this endeavour (synthetic transformations and reagents). Professor Williams especially enjoys teaching whole molecule retrosynthesis to undergraduate and post-graduate students.

Availability

Professor Craig Williams is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry Organic chemistry

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Flinders University

Research impacts

He has published more than 170 scientific papers, patents, review articles and book chapters that have been cited over 2700 times. Since starting his independent career in mid 2000 CMW has attracted substantial research funding as a sole investigator through fundamental and applied research and associated industry engagement (UQ, ARC, NHMRC, DPIF, CSIRO, DAAD, BioTech). Professor Williams has supervised over 120 young researchers to date. H-Index=28.

Search Professor Craig Williams’s works on UQ eSpace

240 works between 1995 and 2025
All (240) Journal Article (225) Book Chapter (5) Conference Publication (6) Other Outputs (4)

41 - 60 of 240 works

2022

Journal Article

Organocopper(II) complexes: new catalysts for carbon–carbon bond formation via electrochemical atom transfer radical addition (eATRA)

Gonzálvez, Miguel A., Su, Chuyi, Williams, Craig M. and Bernhardt, Paul V. (2022). Organocopper(II) complexes: new catalysts for carbon–carbon bond formation via electrochemical atom transfer radical addition (eATRA). Chemical Science, 13 (35), 10506-10511. doi: 10.1039/d2sc03418b

Organocopper(II) complexes: new catalysts for carbon–carbon bond formation via electrochemical atom transfer radical addition (eATRA)

2021

Journal Article

Activation of PKC supports the anticancer activity of tigilanol tiglate and related epoxytiglianes

Cullen, Jason K., Boyle, Glen M., Yap, Pei-Yi, Elmlinger, Stefan, Simmons, Jacinta L., Broit, Natasa, Johns, Jenny, Ferguson, Blake, Maslovskaya, Lidia A., Savchenko, Andrei I., Mirzayans, Paul Malek, Porzelle, Achim, Bernhardt, Paul V., Gordon, Victoria A., Reddell, Paul W., Pagani, Alberto, Appendino, Giovanni, Parsons, Peter G. and Williams, Craig M. (2021). Activation of PKC supports the anticancer activity of tigilanol tiglate and related epoxytiglianes. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 207, 207. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80397-9

Activation of PKC supports the anticancer activity of tigilanol tiglate and related epoxytiglianes

2021

Journal Article

Tandem oxidation-dehydrogenation of (hetero)arylated primary alcohols via perruthenate catalysis

Bettencourt, Christian J., Chow, Sharon, Moore, Peter W., Read, Christopher D. G., Jiao, Yanxiao, Bakker, Jan Peter, Zhao, Sheng, Bernhardt, Paul V. and Williams, Craig M. (2021). Tandem oxidation-dehydrogenation of (hetero)arylated primary alcohols via perruthenate catalysis. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 74 (9), 652-659. doi: 10.1071/ch21137

Tandem oxidation-dehydrogenation of (hetero)arylated primary alcohols via perruthenate catalysis

2021

Journal Article

Unmasking inherent chirality within the cubane skeleton

Yoshino, Nana, Kato, Yumi, Shimada, Yukako, Williams, Craig M. and Matsubara, Seijiro (2021). Unmasking inherent chirality within the cubane skeleton. Israel Journal of Chemistry, 61 (7-8), 380-386. doi: 10.1002/ijch.202100013

Unmasking inherent chirality within the cubane skeleton

2021

Journal Article

Comprehensive computational investigation of the Barton–Kellogg reaction for both alkyl and aryl systems

Burns, Jed M., Clark, Timothy and Williams, Craig M. (2021). Comprehensive computational investigation of the Barton–Kellogg reaction for both alkyl and aryl systems. The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 86 (11) acs.joc.1c00506, 1-14. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c00506

Comprehensive computational investigation of the Barton–Kellogg reaction for both alkyl and aryl systems

2021

Journal Article

Experimental and theoretical approaches for the development of 4H-Chromene derivatives as inhibitors of tyrosinase

Canavieira, Luciana Morais, Brasil, Edikarlos Macedo, Silva, Thiago de Melo e, Borges, Rosivaldo dos Santos, Silva, José Rogério Araújo, Lameira, Jerônimo, Bernhardt, Paul V., Williams, Craig M. and Alves, Cláudio Nahum (2021). Experimental and theoretical approaches for the development of 4H-Chromene derivatives as inhibitors of tyrosinase. Molecular Simulation, 47 (9), 762-770. doi: 10.1080/08927022.2021.1926455

Experimental and theoretical approaches for the development of 4H-Chromene derivatives as inhibitors of tyrosinase

2021

Journal Article

The future of retrosynthesis and synthetic planning: algorithmic, humanistic or the interplay?

Williams, Craig M. and Dallaston, Madeleine A. (2021). The future of retrosynthesis and synthetic planning: algorithmic, humanistic or the interplay?. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 74 (5), 291-326. doi: 10.1071/ch20371

The future of retrosynthesis and synthetic planning: algorithmic, humanistic or the interplay?

2021

Journal Article

A novel vitamin K derived anticoagulant tolerant to genetic variations of vitamin K epoxide reductase

Chen, Xuejie, Liu, Yizhou, Furukawa, Natsuko, Jin, Da‐Yun, Paul Savage, G., Stafford, Darrel W., Suhara, Yoshitomo, Williams, Craig M. and Tie, Jian‐Ke (2021). A novel vitamin K derived anticoagulant tolerant to genetic variations of vitamin K epoxide reductase. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 19 (3), 689-700. doi: 10.1111/jth.15209

A novel vitamin K derived anticoagulant tolerant to genetic variations of vitamin K epoxide reductase

2021

Journal Article

Enone-promoted decarboxylation of trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline in flow: a side-by-side comparison to batch

Pilkington, Rowan L., Dallaston, Madeleine A., Savage, G. Paul, Williams, Craig M. and Polyzos, Anastasios (2021). Enone-promoted decarboxylation of trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline in flow: a side-by-side comparison to batch. Reaction Chemistry and Engineering, 6 (3), 486-493. doi: 10.1039/d0re00442a

Enone-promoted decarboxylation of trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline in flow: a side-by-side comparison to batch

2020

Journal Article

Corrigendum to: Ranking Oxidant Sensitiveness: A Guide for Synthetic Utility (Chemistry – A European Journal, (2019), 25, 41, (9614-9618), 10.1002/chem.201902036)

Dallaston, Madeleine A., Bettencourt, Christian J., Chow, Sharon, Gebhardt, Joshua, Spangler, Jordan, Johnston, Martin R., Wall, Craig, Brusnahan, Jason S. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Corrigendum to: Ranking Oxidant Sensitiveness: A Guide for Synthetic Utility (Chemistry – A European Journal, (2019), 25, 41, (9614-9618), 10.1002/chem.201902036). Chemistry - A European Journal, 26 (59) chem.202004223, 13532-13532. doi: 10.1002/chem.202004223

Corrigendum to: Ranking Oxidant Sensitiveness: A Guide for Synthetic Utility (Chemistry – A European Journal, (2019), 25, 41, (9614-9618), 10.1002/chem.201902036)

2020

Journal Article

Nonclassical Phenyl Bioisosteres as Effective Replacements in a Series of Novel Open-Source Antimalarials

Tse, Edwin G., Houston, Sevan D., Williams, Craig M., Savage, G. Paul, Rendina, Louis M., Hallyburton, Irene, Anderson, Mark, Sharma, Raman, Walker, Gregory S., Obach, R. Scott and Todd, Matthew H. (2020). Nonclassical Phenyl Bioisosteres as Effective Replacements in a Series of Novel Open-Source Antimalarials. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 63 (20) acs.jmedchem.0c00746, 11585-11601. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00746

Nonclassical Phenyl Bioisosteres as Effective Replacements in a Series of Novel Open-Source Antimalarials

2020

Journal Article

Synthetic tigliane intermediates engage thiols to induce potent cell line selective anti‐cancer activity

Chow, Sharon, Krainz, Tanja, Bettencourt, Christian J., Broit, Natasa, Ferguson, Blake, Zhu, Mingzhao, Hull, Kenneth G., Pierens, Gregory K., Bernhardt, Paul V., Parsons, Peter G., Romo, Daniel, Boyle, Glen M. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Synthetic tigliane intermediates engage thiols to induce potent cell line selective anti‐cancer activity. Chemistry: A European Journal, 26 (59) chem.202003221, 13372-13377. doi: 10.1002/chem.202003221

Synthetic tigliane intermediates engage thiols to induce potent cell line selective anti‐cancer activity

2020

Journal Article

Herbicides that target acetohydroxyacid synthase are potent inhibitors of the growth of drug resistant Candida auris

Agnew-Francis, Kylie A., Tang, Yu Cheng, Lin, Xin, Low, Yu Shang, Wun, Shun Jie, Kuo, Andy, Elias, S. M. A. Sayeed Ibn, Lonhienne, Thierry G., Condon, Nicholas, Pimentel, Bruna Natalia Alves da Silva, Vergani, Carlos, Smith, Maree T., Fraser, James A., Williams, Craig M. and Guddat, Luke W (2020). Herbicides that target acetohydroxyacid synthase are potent inhibitors of the growth of drug resistant Candida auris. ACS infectious diseases, 6 (11) acsinfecdis.0c00229, 2901-2912. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00229

Herbicides that target acetohydroxyacid synthase are potent inhibitors of the growth of drug resistant Candida auris

2020

Journal Article

Squaramides as bioisosteres in contemporary drug design

Agnew-Francis, Kylie A. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Squaramides as bioisosteres in contemporary drug design. Chemical Reviews, 120 (20) acs.chemrev.0c00416, 11616-11650. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00416

Squaramides as bioisosteres in contemporary drug design

2020

Journal Article

EBC‐232 and 323: a structural conundrum necessitating unification of five in silico prediction and elucidation methods

Maslovskaya, Lidia A., Savchenko, Andrei I., Krenske, Elizabeth H., Chow, Sharon, Holt, Tina, Gordon, Victoria A., Reddell, Paul W., Pierce, Carly J., Parsons, Peter G., Boyle, Glen M., Kutateladze, Andrei G. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). EBC‐232 and 323: a structural conundrum necessitating unification of five in silico prediction and elucidation methods. Chemistry – A European Journal, 26 (51) chem.202001884, 11862-11867. doi: 10.1002/chem.202001884

EBC‐232 and 323: a structural conundrum necessitating unification of five in silico prediction and elucidation methods

2020

Journal Article

Cubane, Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane and Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane: Impact and Thermal Sensitiveness of Carboxyl-, Hydroxymethyl- and Iodo-substituents

Dallaston, Madeleine A., Houston, Sevan D. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Cubane, Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane and Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane: Impact and Thermal Sensitiveness of Carboxyl-, Hydroxymethyl- and Iodo-substituents. Chemistry - A European Journal, 26 (52) chem.202001658, 11966-11970. doi: 10.1002/chem.202001658

Cubane, Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane and Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane: Impact and Thermal Sensitiveness of Carboxyl-, Hydroxymethyl- and Iodo-substituents

2020

Journal Article

Structures of fungal and plant acetohydroxyacid synthases

Lonhienne, Thierry, Low, Yu Shang, Garcia, Mario D., Croll, Tristan, Gao, Yan, Wang, Quan, Brillault, Lou, Williams, Craig M., Fraser, James A., McGeary, Ross P., West, Nicholas P., Landsberg, Michael J., Rao, Zihe, Schenk, Gerhard and Guddat, Luke W. (2020). Structures of fungal and plant acetohydroxyacid synthases. Nature, 586 (7828), 317-321+. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2514-3

Structures of fungal and plant acetohydroxyacid synthases

2020

Journal Article

Cubane chirality via substitution of a “hidden” regular tetrahedron

Yoshino, Nana, Kato, Yumi, Mabit, Thibaud, Nagata, Yuuya, Williams, Craig M., Harada, Mei, Muranaka, Atsuya, Uchiyama, Masanobu and Matsubara, Seijiro (2020). Cubane chirality via substitution of a “hidden” regular tetrahedron. Organic Letters, 22 (11) acs.orglett.0c01142, 4083-4087. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.0c01142

Cubane chirality via substitution of a “hidden” regular tetrahedron

2020

Journal Article

Kalparinol, a Salvialane (Isodaucane) sesquiterpenoid derived from native Australian dysphania species that suggests a putative biogenetic link to zerumbone

Tan, Yuen Ping, Savchenko, Andrei I., Agnew-Francis, Kylie A., Boyle, Glen M., Bernhardt, Paul V., Fraser, James A. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Kalparinol, a Salvialane (Isodaucane) sesquiterpenoid derived from native Australian dysphania species that suggests a putative biogenetic link to zerumbone. Journal of Natural Products, 83 (5) acs.jnatprod.9b01039, 1473-1479. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b01039

Kalparinol, a Salvialane (Isodaucane) sesquiterpenoid derived from native Australian dysphania species that suggests a putative biogenetic link to zerumbone

2020

Journal Article

EBC-342: A novel tetrahydrofuran moiety containing casbane from the Australian rainforest

Maslovskaya, Lidia A., Savchenko, Andrei I., Krenske, Elizabeth H., Chow, Sharon, Gordon, Victoria A., Reddell, Paul W., Pierce, Carly J., Parsons, Peter G., Boyle, Glen M. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). EBC-342: A novel tetrahydrofuran moiety containing casbane from the Australian rainforest. European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2020 (8), 1042-1045. doi: 10.1002/ejoc.202000017

EBC-342: A novel tetrahydrofuran moiety containing casbane from the Australian rainforest

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2027
    Evolving the nitrogen-nitrogen three electron bond as a technology enabler
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Emergent organocopper complexes as robust catalysts for electrosynthesis
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Cryo-EM inspired drug discovery to treat human fungal pathogenic infections
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Pioneering stable copper carbanions for new C-C bond forming paradigms
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Modulation of the Gastrointestinal Microbiome with probiotics and subsequent Methane production as a novel approach to treat constipation: A Proof of Principle Study (TRI Sport Grant led by PAH)
    Metro South Hospital and Health Service
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2022
    Herbicide discovery for Australian WONS based on developments in the bioisostere concept - Phase 2
    Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
    Open grant
  • 2019
    A Gas Chromatography-High Resolution Accurate Mass Spectrometry Facility
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2019
    A versatile accurate mass, high resolution QTOF mass spectrometer for chemistry and proteomic applications
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Novel Drugs to Reduce the Human Scabies Burden (NHMRC Project Grant led by The Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research)
    Queensland Institute of Medical Research
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Chemical Building Block Size Principles for Discovery Chemists
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Gas chromatography: Separating inseparables, identifying unidentifiables (ARC LIEF grant administered by Monash University)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Feeding behaviour of Soldier fly (Inopus rubriceps (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)) larvae and the effects on sugar cane
    Sugar Research Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Herbicide Discovery for Australian WONS Based on Developments in the Bioisostere Concept
    Commonwealth Department of Social Services
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    A nuclear magnetic resonance facility for modern molecular analysis
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Integrative blood coagulation research core facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Novel Pain therapeutics discovery: Probing molecular mechanisms
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Pioneering new oxidation catalysis paradigms for organic synthesis
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Structure elucidation and spectroscopic analysis
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Structure elucidation and spectroscopic analysis - B
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Advanced applications of bromine based chemistry
    Bromine Compounds Limited
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    Acetohydroxyacid synthase: A new drug target for human fungal pathogens
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Novel analgesics for improved relief of cancer induced bone pain
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - Seed Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Novel analgesics for improved treatment of chronic cancer pain
    Queensland Emory Development Alliance
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Chemically Re-Engineering Bioactive Natural Products using Fragment Based Drug Design
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2016
    Developing a paradigm shift in new pharmaceutical and agrochemical design
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Linking Chemical Synthesis with Protein Discovery to Reveal Key Biological Pathways
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    Analytical and preparative enantioselective chromatography
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2008
    An X-Ray Diffraction Facility for Molecular Structure Determination
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2008
    Neurotrophic Active Natural Products: Total Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Neovibsanins A and B, and Analogues
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2006
    ESEG_Australian Microbial Biodiscovery: Exploration of Bioactive Chemical Space
    UQ External Support Enabling Grant
    Open grant
  • 2004
    Synthesis And Pharmacological Evaluation Of Strong Opioid Analgesics With Improved Side-Effect Profiles
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2004
    Targeted Synthesis of Bioactive Molecules- General Principles for Developing 'Designer' Biocides
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2004
    The Insect-Plant Chemical Ecology Network (IPCEN)
    ARC Seed Funding for Research Networks
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2004
    Management of postharvest diseases of subtropical and tropical fruit using their natural resistance mechanisms
    Queensland Department Primary Industries
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2004
    Characterisation of Antifungal Compounds in Australian Mango Cultivars
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2003
    Unprecedented Alkaloid Hybrids that Selectively Modulate Various Cancers and the Central Nervous System
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2005
    Virtual Screening In Structure-Based Drug Design For Malaria
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2002
    Bicyclononanolides - A biological activityplothora in Queensland's backyard
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2001
    The synthesis of stroke injury blockers
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Craig Williams is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Discovery of New Herbicides

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Luke Guddat

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Pioneering stable copper carbanions for new C-C bond forming paradigms

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Paul Bernhardt

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The synthesis of strained chemical building blocks as technology enablers

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of innovative synthetic methodologies: electrochemical Atom Transfer Radical Addition (eATRA) and strained nitrogen ring synthesis paradigms

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Paul Bernhardt

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing next generation green herbicides

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Luke Guddat

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cryo-EM inspired antifungal drug discovery

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk, Professor Luke Guddat

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Synthesis and applications of glycosaminoglycan mimetics

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Vito Ferro

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Microbial manufacturing of plant saponin-inspired vaccine adjuvants

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor James De Voss

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cryo-EM inspired antifungal drug discovery

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk, Professor Luke Guddat

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of new chemical tools for probing glycosaminoglycan-dependent cellular processes

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Vito Ferro

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing novel copper catalysts for carbon-carbon bond forming reactions using electrosynthesis.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Masnun Naher, Professor Paul Bernhardt

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Synthesis of inhibitors and probes for heparan sulfate degrading enzymes

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Vito Ferro

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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