Paul Groundwater

Professor Paul Groundwater, holding a BSc in Chemistry and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Sunderland, along with professional qualifications CSci, CChem, and FRSC, serves as Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health. He joined the University of Sydney in April 2009 after serving as Professor at Sunderland Pharmacy School from May 1996 to March 2009. His career has been dedicated to advancing pharmaceutical sciences through research and education in medicinal chemistry.

Groundwater's research interests encompass the design, synthesis, and testing of novel agents for treating bacterial infections, as well as new methods for bacteria detection. His contributions address antibacterial resistance, including studies on FtsZ inhibitors such as 'A Carbocyclic Curcumin Inhibits Proliferation of Gram-Positive Bacteria by Targeting FtsZ' (Biochemistry, 2016), '6-Bis(4-hydroxybenzyl)-2-acetylcyclohexanone, a Novel FtsZ Inhibitor' (Antibiotics, 2022), and tubulin-binding compounds (Molecular Pharmacology, 2024). Recent works include 'The role of adjuvants in overcoming antibacterial resistance due to bacterial multidrug efflux pumps' (RSC Medicinal Chemistry, 2022) and 'Structural insights into the activity of carbapenemases' (RSC Medicinal Chemistry, 2025). He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and five books, including 'Antibacterial Agents: Chemistry, Mode of Action, Mechanisms of Resistance and Discovery' (2012), 'Anticancer Therapeutics: From Drug Discovery through Clinical Trials to Real World Pharmacoepidemiology' (2018), and 'An Integrated Guide to Human Drug Metabolism' (2024). In teaching, Professor Groundwater is Program Director for the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) and Master of Pharmacy, and Year 1 Coordinator at the Sydney School of Pharmacy. His extensive publications and leadership roles underscore his impact on drug discovery and pharmacy training.

Professional Email: paul.groundwater@sydney.edu.au