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)

61 - 80 of 240 works

2020

Journal Article

Humulene diepoxides from the Australian arid zone herb Dysphania: assignment of aged hops constituents

Tan, Yuen Ping, Agnew‐Francis, Kylie A., Hofmann, Julian, Savchenko, Andrei I., Lafontaine, Scott R., Boyle, Glen M., Bernhardt, Paul V., Fraser, James A., Shellhammer, Thomas H. and Williams, Craig M. (2020). Humulene diepoxides from the Australian arid zone herb Dysphania: assignment of aged hops constituents. Chemistry: A European Journal, 26 (7) chem.201904420, 1653-1660. doi: 10.1002/chem.201904420

Humulene diepoxides from the Australian arid zone herb Dysphania: assignment of aged hops constituents

2019

Journal Article

Rearrangement-free hydroxylation of methylcubanes by a cytochrome P450: the case for dynamical coupling of C–H abstraction and rebound

Sarkar, Md. Raihan, Houston, Sevan D., Savage, G. Paul, Williams, Craig M., Krenske, Elizabeth H., Bell, Stephen G. and De Voss, James J. (2019). Rearrangement-free hydroxylation of methylcubanes by a cytochrome P450: the case for dynamical coupling of C–H abstraction and rebound. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141 (50) jacs.9b08064, 19688-19699. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b08064

Rearrangement-free hydroxylation of methylcubanes by a cytochrome P450: the case for dynamical coupling of C–H abstraction and rebound

2019

Journal Article

En route to D-ring inverted phorbol esters

Chow, Sharon, Krainz, Tanja, Bernhardt, Paul V. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). En route to D-ring inverted phorbol esters. Organic Letters, 21 (21) acs.orglett.9b03379, 8761-8764. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b03379

En route to D-ring inverted phorbol esters

2019

Journal Article

Basimarols A, B, and C, Highly Oxygenated Pimarane Diterpenoids from Basilicum polystachyon

Tan, Yuen P., Xue, Yongbo, Savchenko, Andrei I., Houston, Sevan D., Modhiran, Naphak, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Boyle, Glen M., Bernhardt, Paul V., Young, Paul R., Watterson, Daniel and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Basimarols A, B, and C, Highly Oxygenated Pimarane Diterpenoids from Basilicum polystachyon. Journal of Natural Products, 82 (10) acs.jnatprod.9b00522, 2828-2834. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b00522

Basimarols A, B, and C, Highly Oxygenated Pimarane Diterpenoids from Basilicum polystachyon

2019

Journal Article

1,4-Diazacubane crystal structure rectified as piperazinium

Arachchige, Kasun S. Athukorala, Fahrenhorst-Jones, Tyler, Burns, Jed M., AL-Fayaad, Hydar A., Behera, Jogendra N., Rao, C. N. R., Clegg, Jack K. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). 1,4-Diazacubane crystal structure rectified as piperazinium. Chemical Communications, 55 (78), 11751-11753. doi: 10.1039/c9cc06272f

1,4-Diazacubane crystal structure rectified as piperazinium

2019

Journal Article

Contemplating 1,2,4-thiadiazole-inspired cyclic peptide mimics: a computational investigation

Xie, Sida, Bernhardt, Paul V., Gahan, Lawrence R. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Contemplating 1,2,4-thiadiazole-inspired cyclic peptide mimics: a computational investigation. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 72 (11), 894-899. doi: 10.1071/CH19248

Contemplating 1,2,4-thiadiazole-inspired cyclic peptide mimics: a computational investigation

2019

Journal Article

Ranking oxidant sensitiveness: a guide for synthetic utility

Dallaston, Madeleine A., Bettencourt, Christian J., Chow, Sharon, Gebhardt, Joshua, Spangler, Jordan, Johnston, Martin R., Wall, Craig, Brusnahan, Jason S. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Ranking oxidant sensitiveness: a guide for synthetic utility. Chemistry - A European Journal, 25 (41), 9614-9618. doi: 10.1002/chem.201902036

Ranking oxidant sensitiveness: a guide for synthetic utility

2019

Journal Article

The cubane paradigm in bioactive molecule discovery: further scope, limitations and the cyclooctatetraene complement

Houston, Sevan D., Fahrenhorst-Jones, Tyler, Xing, Hui, Chalmers, Benjamin A., Sykes, Melissa L., Stok, Jeanette E., Farfan Soto, Clementina, Burns, Jed M., Bernhardt, Paul V., De Voss, James J., Boyle, Glen M., Smith, Maree T., Tsanaktsidis, John, Savage, G. Paul, Avery, Vicky M. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). The cubane paradigm in bioactive molecule discovery: further scope, limitations and the cyclooctatetraene complement. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 17 (28), 6790-6798. doi: 10.1039/c9ob01238a

The cubane paradigm in bioactive molecule discovery: further scope, limitations and the cyclooctatetraene complement

2019

Journal Article

Thermal and sensitiveness determination of cubanes: towards cubane‐based fuels for infrared countermeasures

Dallaston, Madeleine A., Brusnahan, Jason S., Wall, Craig and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Thermal and sensitiveness determination of cubanes: towards cubane‐based fuels for infrared countermeasures. Chemistry: A European Journal, 25 (35) chem.201901086, 8344-8352. doi: 10.1002/chem.201901086

Thermal and sensitiveness determination of cubanes: towards cubane‐based fuels for infrared countermeasures

2019

Journal Article

Reassignments and corroborations of oxo-bridged natural products directed by OSE and DU8+ NMR computation

Kutateladze, Andrei G., Krenske, Elizabeth H. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Reassignments and corroborations of oxo-bridged natural products directed by OSE and DU8+ NMR computation. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 58 (21), 7107-7112. doi: 10.1002/anie.201902777

Reassignments and corroborations of oxo-bridged natural products directed by OSE and DU8+ NMR computation

2019

Journal Article

Determining the necessity of phenyl ring π-character in warfarin

Xing, Hui, Houston, Sevan D., Chen, Xuejie, Jin, Da-Yun, Savage, G. Paul, Tie, Jian-Ke and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Determining the necessity of phenyl ring π-character in warfarin. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 29 (15), 1954-1956. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2019.05.039

Determining the necessity of phenyl ring π-character in warfarin

2019

Journal Article

Nitric oxide modulates μ‐opioid receptor function in vitro

Huang, Lillian, Wyse, Bruce D., Williams, Craig M. and Smith, Maree T. (2019). Nitric oxide modulates μ‐opioid receptor function in vitro. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 46 (7) 1440-1681.13091, 676-685. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.13091

Nitric oxide modulates μ‐opioid receptor function in vitro

2019

Journal Article

Stachyonic acid: a dengue virus inhibitor from Basilicum polystachyon

Tan, Yuen P., Houston, Sevan D., Modhiran, Naphak, Savchenko, Andrei I., Boyle, Glen M., Young, Paul R., Watterson, Daniel and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Stachyonic acid: a dengue virus inhibitor from Basilicum polystachyon. Chemistry – A European Journal, 25 (22) chem.201900591, 5664-5667. doi: 10.1002/chem.201900591

Stachyonic acid: a dengue virus inhibitor from Basilicum polystachyon

2019

Journal Article

Cyclooctatetraenes through valence isomerization of cubanes: scope and limitations

Houston, Sevan D., Xing, Hui, Bernhardt, Paul V., Vanden Berg, Timothy J., Tsanaktsidis, John, Savage, G. Paul and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Cyclooctatetraenes through valence isomerization of cubanes: scope and limitations. Chemistry: A European Journal, 25 (11), 2735-2739. doi: 10.1002/chem.201805124

Cyclooctatetraenes through valence isomerization of cubanes: scope and limitations

2019

Journal Article

Cyclooctatetraene: a bioactive cubane paradigm complement

Xing, Hui, Houston, Sevan D., Chen, Xuejie, Ghassabian, Sussan, Fahrenhorst-Jones, Tyler, Kuo, Andy, Murray, Cody-Ellen P., Conn, Kyna-Anne, Jaeschke, Kara N., Jin, Da-Yun, Pasay, Cielo, Bernhardt, Paul V., Burns, Jed M., Tsanaktsidis, John, Savage, G. Paul, Boyle, Glen M., De Voss, James J., McCarthy, James, Walter, Gimme H., Burne, Thomas H. J., Smith, Maree T., Tie, Jian-Ke and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Cyclooctatetraene: a bioactive cubane paradigm complement. Chemistry: A European Journal, 25 (11), 2729-2734. doi: 10.1002/chem.201806277

Cyclooctatetraene: a bioactive cubane paradigm complement

2019

Journal Article

Cubanes in medicinal chemistry

Reekie, Tristan A., Williams, Craig M., Rendina, Louis M. and Kassiou, Michael (2019). Cubanes in medicinal chemistry. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 62 (3) acs.jmedchem.8b00888, 1078-1095. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00888

Cubanes in medicinal chemistry

2019

Journal Article

New Halimanes from the Australian rainforest plant Croton Insularis

Maslovskaya, Lidia A., Savchenko, Andrei I., Gordon, Victoria A., Reddell, Paul W., Pierce, Carly J., Boyle, Glen M., Parsons, Peter G. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). New Halimanes from the Australian rainforest plant Croton Insularis. European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2019 (5), 1058-1060. doi: 10.1002/ejoc.201801548

New Halimanes from the Australian rainforest plant Croton Insularis

2019

Journal Article

Enantioselective synthesis of (R)-2-cubylglycine including unprecedented rhodium mediated C–H insertion of cubane

Houston, Sevan D., Chalmers, Benjamin A., Savage, G. Paul and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Enantioselective synthesis of (R)-2-cubylglycine including unprecedented rhodium mediated C–H insertion of cubane. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, 17 (5), 1067-1070. doi: 10.1039/c8ob02959h

Enantioselective synthesis of (R)-2-cubylglycine including unprecedented rhodium mediated C–H insertion of cubane

2019

Journal Article

Synthesis of the seco-limonoid BCD ring system identifies a Hsp90 chaperon machinery (p23) inhibitor

Pinkerton, David M., Chow, Sharon, Eisa, Nada H., Kainth, Kashish, Vanden Berg, Timothy J., Burns, Jed M., Guddat, Luke W., Savage, G. Paul, Chadli, Ahmed and Williams, Craig M. (2019). Synthesis of the seco-limonoid BCD ring system identifies a Hsp90 chaperon machinery (p23) inhibitor. Chemistry - A European Journal, 25 (6), 1451-1455. doi: 10.1002/chem.201805420

Synthesis of the seco-limonoid BCD ring system identifies a Hsp90 chaperon machinery (p23) inhibitor

2019

Journal Article

New casbanes and the first trans‐cyclopropane seco‐casbane from the Australian rainforest plant croton insularis

Maslovskaya, Lidiya A., Savchenko, Andrei I., Pierce, Carly J., Boyle, Glen M., Gordon, Victoria A., Reddell, Paul W., Parsons, Peter G. and Williams, Craig M. (2019). New casbanes and the first trans‐cyclopropane seco‐casbane from the Australian rainforest plant croton insularis. Chemistry - A European Journal, 25 (6), 1525-1534. doi: 10.1002/chem.201804904

New casbanes and the first trans‐cyclopropane seco‐casbane from the Australian rainforest plant croton insularis

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

    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

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Paul Bernhardt

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Discovery of New Herbicides

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: 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

  • 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

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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