Dr Neil Wells
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
Profile
Dr Neil Wells is a Principal Enterprise Fellow in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy and manages the University of Southampton’s NMR Spectroscopy Facility. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the use of this advanced characterisation technique, including the provision of rapid, reliable services to industry clients in fields such as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.
Neil uses the Facility’s specialist instruments to interrogate chemical samples in order to understand their composition, 3D structure and other key structural characteristics at a molecular level. Typically used in combination with other characterisation methods, it’s an invaluable technique for quality control and product development, for example to compare different batches of chemical compounds, or to establish whether a new synthesis works and the identity and purity of the resulting compounds.
Neil’s academic background includes an MRes and PhD, both looking at aspects of organic synthesis and involving extensive use of NMR spectroscopy. He joined the NMR Spectroscopy Facility in 2001 and became its manager in 2009. Recent research collaborations involve photochemistry experiments carried out inside the NMR spectrometer using a bespoke fibre optic setup.
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