CrystEngComm Blog

CrystEngComm Tutorial Reviews are aimed at researchers who are new to the field or are embarking on a new direction of research, giving insight into how crystal engineering techniques underpin certain research areas.

They are focused on the application of crystal engineering techniques and should be comprehensive enough to be used for teaching purposes. They comment on best practice techniques for a given research methodology and how understanding crystal engineering can best serve researchers’ progress on a given topic.

Each Tutorial Review includes up to five ‘key learning points’ that a reader should expect to gain from reading the review.

See our most recent Tutorial Review by Phimphaka Harding and David J. Harding

A beginner’s guide to spin crossover Phimphaka Harding and David J. Harding CrystEngComm, 2026, 28, 1707-1726 https://doi.org/10.1039/D6CE00107F

Key learning points in this Tutorial review:

1. Spin crossover (SCO) is the reversible transition between two electronic states, high spin (HS) and low spin (LS) and may be observed in complexes with a d⁴–d⁷ electronic configuration.

2. Spin crossover results in substantial structural, magnetic and spectroscopic changes that can be tracked with appropriate techniques.

3. X-ray crystallography allows for a detailed understanding of the spin state at the metal centre, patterning in crystal phases of mixed spin states and the packing in SCO materials.

4. SCO can be induced by changes in pressure or light irradiation with high-pressure single crystal studies and photocrystallography providing new structural insights concerning these pressure- and light-induced states.

5.  Careful ligand design and judicious anion choice are required to design SCO materials with favourable magnetic properties.

Meet the authors

	Associate Professor Dr Phimphaka Harding MRSC studied at Chiang Mai University completing her B.Sc. in Chemistry in 1995. She then completed a Ph.D. at the University of Bristol in 2001, returning to Thailand to work at Walailak University. She now works at Suranaree University of Technology where her research interests include spin crossover materials, nanomaterials and sensors.
	Associate Professor Dr David J. Harding FRSC studied Chemistry (B.Sc. Hons.) at the University of Edinburgh graduating in 1997. He then completed a Ph.D. at the University of Bristol and after 2 years as a postdoc moved to Thailand. He now works at Suranaree University of Technology where he continues to explore molecular magnetic materials.

Tutorial Reviews are normally invited by the Editorial Board, however suggestions are welcome and enquiries, along with a brief synopsis and author credentials, should be directed to the Editors-in-Chief at CrystEngComm-rsc@rsc.org. Readers may nominate themselves, or others, to write a Tutorial Review.

We hope you enjoy reading this Tutorial review!

CrystEngComm Tutorial Reviews are aimed at researchers who are new to the field or are embarking on a new direction of research, giving insight into how crystal engineering techniques underpin certain research areas.

They are focused on the application of crystal engineering techniques and should be comprehensive enough to be used for teaching purposes. They comment on best practice techniques for a given research methodology and how understanding crystal engineering can best serve researchers’ progress on a given topic.

Each Tutorial Review includes up to five ‘key learning points’ that a reader should expect to gain from reading the review.

See our most recent Tutorial Review by Patrick C. Hillesheim and Arsalan Mirjafari

The anti-crystal engineering principles of imidazolium cations for ionic liquids Patrick C. Hillesheim and Arsalan Mirjafari CrystEngComm, 2026, 28, 11-35

Key learning points in this Tutorial review:

1. Crystal engineering provides a structural framework for understanding ionic liquids. Crystallographic analysis reveals how molecular geometry, packing motifs, and intermolecular forces govern melting points and phase behavior.

2. Disorder can be deliberately engineered. Anti-crystal engineering principles, such as cation asymmetry, conformational flexibility, and weak interactions, show how structural frustration suppresses crystallization to yield stable liquids.

3. Symmetry and shape control lattice energy. Variations in chain length, branching, or methylation alter molecular symmetry and steric balance, tuning lattice enthalpy and entropy to direct solid–liquid transitions.

4. Functionalization of the alkyl chains can lower crystallinity. Addition of functional groups can disrupt chain packing, lower melting points. However, the functional groups can also introduce new interactions which may, conversely, increase cohesion.

5. The parts of the imidazolium cation. The imidazolium cation can be viewed as comprising three regions—the charge-rich heterocycle, the symmetry-breaking domain, and the hydrophobic tail—each serving as a modular platform for introducing anti-crystal engineering features.

Meet the authors

	Patrick Hillesheim is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Illinois State University. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Florida in 2010 and completed postdoctoral research with Prof. Sheng Dai at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2010–2013). His research focuses on the development and fundamental studies of novel ionic liquids, with an emphasis on studying the bulk properties. His research combines organic chemistry, materials science, X-ray crystallography, and computational studies to investigate how non-covalent interactions and molecular structure influence macroscopic properties.
	Arsalan Mirjafari is the Dr. Richard S. Shineman Endowed Chair and Professor of Chemistry at the State University of New York at Oswego. His research focuses on property-driven design of functional ionic liquids through click-enabled and click-like synthesis. Applications include vaccine preservation, gene delivery, bioinspired organic materials, and thermally robust materials. He earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University of Isfahan (2009) and completed postdoctoral training with Prof. Jim Davis at University of South Alabama (2010–2012). His work advances ionic liquid design for biotechnological and materials applications.

Tutorial Reviews are normally invited by the Editorial Board, however suggestions are welcome and enquiries, along with a brief synopsis and author credentials, should be directed to the Editors-in-Chief at CrystEngComm-rsc@rsc.org. Readers may nominate themselves, or others, to write a Tutorial Review.

We hope you enjoy reading this Tutorial review and keep an eye out for the next one in the series coming soon: A beginner’s guide to spin crossover  by Phimphaka Harding and David J. Harding.

Happy New Year from the CrystEngComm Editorial Team!

CrystEngComm published its 27^th volume in 2025 with over 700 articles in 48 issues including 80 Highlight review articles, 3 Tutorial reviews and 50 Communications. Research from authors in 53 countries was published with more than 2.3 million downloads, ensuring excellent visibility for the articles.

We are delighted to share some further highlights of CrystEngComm in 2025, including our Outstanding Paper Award winners, the introduction of Tutorial reviews, new Editorial Board members and our most popular articles from the year.

2024 CrystEngComm Outstanding Paper Award

The Outstanding Paper Award is an award aimed at recognising the high-quality work published in CrystEngComm from the previous year. The winners this year were Thomas Pickles, Vaclav Svoboda, Ivan Marziano, Cameron J. Brown and Alastair J. Florence for their work on Integration of a model-driven workflow into an industrial pharmaceutical facility: supporting process development of API crystallisation.

The authors presented a resource-efficient yet scalable pharmaceutical crystallisation process development using a model-driven workflow. CrystEngComm hosted a desktop seminar featuring a presentation on the research behind the winning paper by all the authors of the paper which was well received within the community.

Integration of a model-driven workflow into an industrial pharmaceutical facility: supporting process development of API crystallisation Thomas Pickles, Vaclav Svoboda, Ivan Marziano, Cameron J. Brown and Alastair J. Florence CrystEngComm, 2024, 26, 4678-4689

New Editorial Board Members

Earlier this year we were delighted to welcome both Ghazala Sadiq and Sharmarke Mohamed to join our international Editorial Board.

Ghazala is part of the Scientific Leadership Team at the CCDC, managing the Pfizer Solid Form Design Centre Team, where part of her role includes applying the latest knowledge-based informatics techniques to drug development compounds. She has a keen interest in Crystal Engineering, covering a range of topics including polymorphism, co-crystal design, fundamentals of intermolecular interactions, crystallisation, and the importance of molecular self-assembly in the nucleation of crystalline phases.

Sharmarke is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Khalifa University (KU), Abu Dhabi, UAE,  acting as Principal Investigator in the Green Chemistry & Materials Modelling Laboratory. Sharmarke’s research spans chemical crystallography, computational chemistry, and green chemistry.

 2025 CrystEngComm journal covers

We have published 60 covers supplied by authors in 2025. All the covers are available to view in the cover gallery and the articles have all been collected together in our Articles behind the 2025 journal covers collection ensuring great visibility of both the covers and associated articles.

Issue 46 cover image

Issue 45 cover image

Introducing Tutorial reviews to CrystEngComm

We launched our new series of Tutorial reviews in 2025. This new article type is aimed at researchers who are new to the field or are embarking on a new direction of research, giving insight into how crystal engineering techniques underpin certain research areas.

Useful practices in single crystal diffraction analysis of reticular structures Stefano Canossa CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 6556-6571
	The impact of crystal habit on the pharmaceutical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients Niranj H. Ram, Madhukiran R. Dhondale, Maan Singh, Brahmeshwar Mishra, Ashish Kumar Agrawal, Anne Marie Healy and Dinesh Kumar CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 4614-4633
Identifying and characterising flexible crystals Atiqur Rahman, John C. McMurtrie, Sajesh P. Thomas and Jack K. Clegg CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 7110-7120
These articles all free to access until 30th April 2026.

Themed collections in 2025

 In 2025 we published two themed collections:

MOFs in Asia guest edited by Hoi Ri Moon, Sarah S. Park and Jihye Park, showcasing the recent advances and innovative research in the field of Metal-Organic Frameworks across Asia.

MOFs: three decades of pioneering research a post-publication collection of papers celebrating the research of the winners of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi, and their co-workers.

A selection of the most popular articles in 2025

The overestimated capability of fluid shear to induce secondary nucleation: an urgent call for diligently executed control experiments  Lorijn De Vrieze and Simon Kuhn CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 4810-4815
A lot to unpack: a decade in high Z′ crystal structures  Paul G. Waddell CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 578-589
Exploring intermolecular interactions and energetics in crystalline substituted thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines Pran Kishore Deb, Anila M. Menon, Fathima Nida PSR, Ipsha Shruti, Sara Nidal, Katharigatta N. Venugopala and Deepak Chopra CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 2070-2085

We would love you to be part of the future of CrystEngComm so on behalf of the Co-Editors-in-Chief Professors Christian Doonan and C. Malla Reddy, we invite you to submit your research to CrystEngComm.  See our author guidelines for information on our article types or find out more about the advantages of publishing in a Royal Society of Chemistry journal.

From all the CrystEngComm team, we thank you for your continued interest in and support of the journal and wish you well for 2026!

CrystEngComm Tutorial Reviews were first commissioned in 2024 and are aimed at researchers who are new to the field or are embarking on a new direction of research, giving insight into how crystal engineering techniques underpin certain research areas.

They are focused on the application of crystal engineering techniques and should be comprehensive enough to be used for teaching purposes. They comment on best practice techniques for a given research methodology and how understanding crystal engineering can best serve researchers’ progress on a given topic.

Each Tutorial Review includes up to five ‘key learning points’ that a reader should expect to gain from reading the review.

See our most recent Tutorial Review by Atiqur Rahman, John C. McMurtrie, Sajesh P. Thomas and Jack K. Clegg

Identifying and characterising flexible crystals Atiqur Rahman, John C. McMurtrie, Sajesh P. Thomas and Jack K. Clegg CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 7110-7120

Key learning points in this Tutorial review:

1. Molecular crystals undergo two types of mechanical deformation—elastic (reversible) and plastic (irreversible)—each led by different structural features and intermolecular interactions.

2. Elastic flexibility is often driven by anisotropic interaction topologies and reversible molecular reorientations, whereas plasticity is facilitated by low-energy slip systems (often slip planes).

3. μ-XRD and μ-Raman mapping provide insight into structural changes and local internal stress distribution across the elastically bent crystals.

4. Mechanical deformation affects a range of material properties, including fluorescence, conductivity, and thermal behaviour, highlighting the multifunctionality of flexible crystals.

5. Classical models like Euler–Bernoulli theory are limited due to anisotropic and inhomogeneous deformations in crystals

6. Flexible molecular crystals are promising for next-gen technologies such as piezoelectric actuators and reconfigurable waveguides.

Meet the authors

	Professor Jack K. Clegg studied Chemistry, History and German graduating with a Bachelor of Liberal Studies (Honours) and a University Medal from the University of Sydney. He went on to complete a PhD in Chemistry (2008) and a Bachelor of Laws (2009) from the same institution graduating with the Convocation Medal. After completing his studies he won a Marie Curie Fellowship to conduct research at the University of Cambridge. Jack returned to Australia to join The University of Queensland in 2012. In 2018 Jack was awarded the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year.
	Sajesh P. Thomas earned his MSc in Chemistry from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam and his Bachelor’s degree from Kasaragod Government College, Kerala. He completed his PhD in 2014 from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, under the guidance of Prof. T. N. Guru Row, focusing on charge density and crystal engineering studies of pharmaceutical solids. Following his doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research with Prof. Mark A. Spackman at the University of Western Australia, Perth, and later held a Marie-Curie fellowship with Prof. Bo B. Iversen at Aarhus University, Denmark. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he leads Materials and Quantum Crystallography Lab (MQCL). His research interests include quantum crystallography and crystal engineering of pharmaceutical solids and soft piezoelectric materials.
	Professor John C. McMurtrie completed his BSc (Hons) at Macquarie University before moving to The University of New South Wales for his doctoral. He then completed a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Sydney (2003–2004). John was appointed Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at Queensland University of Technology in 2004 where he remains, now as a Professor of Inorganic Chemistry.
	Atiqur Rahman received his BSc (Hons) in Chemistry from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi and his MSc in Chemistry from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He is currently pursuing a joint PhD at IIT Delhi and The University of Queensland under the supervision of Professor Sajesh P. Thomas and Professor Jack K. Clegg. His doctoral research focuses on the structural origins of mechanical flexibility and piezoelectricity in molecular crystals, with an emphasis on structural perturbations induced by bending and high-pressure conditions, employing synchrotron-based micro-focused X-ray diffraction and high-pressure crystallographic techniques.

Tutorial Reviews are normally invited by the Editorial Board, however suggestions are welcome and enquiries, along with a brief synopsis and author credentials, should be directed to the Editors-in-Chief at CrystEngComm-rsc@rsc.org. Readers may nominate themselves, or others, to write a Tutorial Review.

We hope you enjoy reading this Tutorial review* and if you haven’t already seen them please do read the previous tutorial reviews in our series: Useful practices in single crystal diffraction analysis of reticular structures by Stefano Canossa and  The impact of crystal habit on the pharmaceutical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients by Dinesh Kumar et al.

*Free to access until December 31st 2025.

We are delighted to share our latest themed collection:  MOFs in Asia

This themed collection showcases the recent advances and innovative research in the field of Metal-Organic Frameworks across Asia, highlighting cutting-edge developments in their design, synthesis and application. The collection is guest-edited by Hoi Ri Moon (Ewha Womans University, Republic of Korea), Sarah S. Park (Pohang University of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea) and Jihye Park (University of Colorado Boulder, USA).

Full Collection

Browse a selection of some of the articles in the collection:

Editorial

MOFs in Asia   Hoi Ri Moon, Sarah S. Park and Jihye Park CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 6696-6696

Highlight review articles

Recent multifunctional applications of AIE-MOF/COF porous materials Siwen Liu, Guijie Liang, Song Wang and Qingsong Hu CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 3643-3658
MOFs in healthcare diagnostics: shaping the future of biomedical test strips   Vibhav Shukla and Kafeel Ahmad Siddiqui CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 4443-4452

Communications

Efficient solvent-free mechanochemical synthesis of CALF-20 for carbon dioxide capture Natchaya Phongsuk, Chalarat Chaemchamrat, Taya Ko Saothayanun, Nopphon Weeranoppanant and Sareeya Bureekaew CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 5959-5964
Coordinated water modulation for proton conductivity via post-synthetic transmetalation in yttrium-based coordination polymers Byoung Gwan Lee, Dongwook Kim, Jin Young Bae, Ji Woo Jeong and Dae-Woon Lim CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 5952-5958

Research Articles

Exploring bimodal mesoporous aluminum MOFs: synthesis and defect analysis of rad net topology with imine-based ligand Souvik Pal, Ling-I Hung, Wun-Jing Chen, Jiun-Jen Chen, Chun-Chuen Yang and Chia-Her Lin CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 6295-6302
Influence of varying the nickel salt aqueous subphase on the formation of Ni3(hexaiminotriphenylene)2 metal–organic framework nanosheets at the air/liquid interface Kazuaki Tachimoto, Kanokwan Jumtee Takeno and Rie Makiura CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 5793-5802

We hope you enjoy reading these articles along with the rest in the collection. The articles are all free to access until November 30^th 2025.

We are delighted to introduce Tutorial Reviews as a new article type in CrystEngComm

CrystEngComm Tutorial Reviews were first commissioned in 2024 and are aimed at researchers who are new to the field or are embarking on a new direction of research, giving insight into how crystal engineering techniques underpin certain research areas.

They are focused on the application of crystal engineering techniques and should be comprehensive enough to be used for teaching purposes. They comment on best practice techniques for a given research methodology and how understanding crystal engineering can best serve researchers’ progress on a given topic.

Each Tutorial Review will include up to five ‘key learning points’ that a reader should expect to gain from reading the review.

See our most recent Tutorial Review by Stefano Canossa from ETH Zürich

Useful practices in single crystal diffraction analysis of reticular structures Stefano Canossa CrystEngComm, 2025, 27, 6556-6571

Key learning points in this Tutorial review:

1. Crystal structures are artificial simplifications of the non-periodic structure of real crystals. Nonetheless, these models are key enablers of scientific progress, if they maintain accuracy before precision in describing the average structure.

2. Steps such as sample preparation, data collection, data reduction, and structure modelling should be based on educated intentional choices. Default options provided by software or pre-made routines can be accepted only when their significance has been understood in the appropriate context.

3. Models can be only as reliable as the data allows for, and data can be only as good as the crystal allows for. Investing adequate care firstly on crystal selection, then on data collection and reduction, and ultimately on structure modelling, is a defining aspect of a crystallographer’s work.

4. The distinction between ‘data’, ‘information’ and ‘model’ — herewith provided — is necessary for a correct crystallographic practice and a scientifically rigorous representation of its results.

5. Standard diffraction data provide a wealth of information beyond the simple numerical values of integrated intensities. This information can be found in reciprocal space reconstructions and include aspects such as mosaicity, disorder, and defects.

Meet the author

Stefano Canossa is a senior scientist with over a decade of experience in the crystallographic analysis of open-framework compounds using X-ray and electron diffraction. Trained as a coordination chemist, his crystallographic journey began during his MSc research on host–guest chemistry in metal–organic frameworks, and later expanded to include co-crystals, metal complexes, zeolites, and perovskites. Alongside crystal structure determination, his independent research explores the synthesis and characterization of correlated disorder in crystalline materials by leveraging on single crystal total scattering analysis in both real and reciprocal space.

Tutorial Reviews are normally invited by the Editorial Board, however suggestions are welcome and enquiries, along with a brief synopsis and author credentials, should be directed to the Editors-in-Chief at CrystEngComm-rsc@rsc.org. Readers may nominate themselves, or others, to write a Tutorial Review.

We hope you enjoy reading this Tutorial review and keep an eye out for the next one in the series coming soon: Identifying and Characterising Flexible Crystals by Jack Clegg and colleagues.

First launched in 2022, the Outstanding Paper Award is an award aimed at recognising the high-quality work published in CrystEngComm from the previous year, acknowledging the excellence of the paper as a whole and recognising the contributions of all the authors.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 CrystEngComm Outstanding Paper Award, as selected by the Editorial Board, for their work on Integration of a model-driven workflow into an industrial pharmaceutical facility: supporting process development of API crystallisation: Thomas Pickles, Vaclav Svoboda, Ivan Marziano, Cameron J. Brown and Alastair J. Florence

The authors presented a resource efficient yet scalable pharmaceutical crystallisation process development using a model-driven workflow.

Meet the authors of this Outstanding Paper

Thomas Pickles

Thomas joined CMAC in October 2020 where he completed his PhD within the Florence Group with his thesis titled the “Intensification of a workflow for particle engineering and crystallisation process development”. After the completion of his PhD he worked in the pharmaceutical industry for Pfizer R&D UK before returning to CMAC in 2024 as a PDRA working on the core project “Automated model-based design of experiments for crystallisation process development”. More recently, Thomas has moved into a project research scientist role working on the multi-institutional and disciplinary collaborative project “Test Beds for MediForge – Industry 5.0 medicines manufacturing research hub”. The project integrates laboratory equipment for end-to-end synthesis, crystallisation, isolation, drying and drug product development with machine learning and automation. This project aims to reduce material usage and streamline development timelines for use in pharmaceutical manufacturing at the many gram scale.

 Vaclav Svoboda

Vaclav Svoboda is a crystallization scientist at Pfizer with a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Strathclyde. He develops processes for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), collaborates across teams to scale up crystallizations and isolations to pilot and commercial scale. His research interests include continuous crystallization, wet milling, particle engineering, drying and process modelling. Vaclav has worked with both academia and industry to advance crystallization science for drug development.

Ivan Marziano

Despite not having yet fulfilled his childhood dream of acquiring superpowers through an experiment gone south, Ivan has enjoyed a successful 25+ year career as a pharmaceutical chemist. An internationally recognised leader in crystallization, he has contributed to the launch of many new medicines and the introduction of novel technologies, and is now serving as CSIO of Particology, a Kent-based contract research organisation. Ivan is also passionate about DEI, with his endeavours recognised with a 2024 WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Ally Award. Outside of work, when he is not busy polishing his RSC Fellowship certificate, Ivan is an avid music fan.

Cameron J. Brown

Cameron is a Reader in Digital Pharmaceutical Manufacturing for the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Specialising in the development of digital design tools and strategies for pharmaceutical manufacturing. He is a Chemical Engineering graduate of Heriot-Watt University, where he also obtained his PhD in the characterisation of crystallisation processes. He joined Strathclyde University in 2014 and has been through many roles as research associate, research fellow, and Chancellor’s fellow. Currently a member of the Acceleration Consortium and committee member of the British Association of Crystal Growth. His current research is focused on the development and application of modelling approaches for pharmaceutical manufacturing, including GenAI, self-driving labs, hybrid physics/data approaches. Currently principal investigator for PharmaCrystNet and co-investigator on the MediForge: Industry 5.0 Medicines Manufacturing Hub and Digital Design and Manufacturing of Amorphous Pharmaceuticals. Knowledge exchange activities include pre-competitive and one-to-one projects with the leading pharmaceutical companies as well as knowledge transfer partnerships. Currently, Cameron co-ordinates and delivers the Drug Substance Manufacturing module as part of the Advanced Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing MSc course at the University of Strathclyde.

Alastair J. Florence

Alastair Florence is a distinguished professor in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Strathclyde and is Director of CMAC, providing leadership across the portfolio, engaging with key stakeholders, and driving the centre’s vision to transform the development and manufacture of medicines.  Alastair leads a number of major programs across the portfolio including the new flagship EPSRC MediForge Industry 5.0 Manufacturing Hub, Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber-physical systems (CEDAR) and the £33M UK-RPIF funded CMAC Data Lab partnership. He leads the multidisciplinary, multi-institution academic team driving ambitious manufacturing research, training, translation and facilities programs and working in close collaboration with industry partners to understand challenges and develop effective solutions across CMAC programs. His research interests lie in the science and technology associated with continuous crystallization, physical form control and advanced characterization of pharmaceutical materials and the development of digital technologies to transform the development and manufacture of medicines.

Read the full outstanding article:

Integration of a model-driven workflow into an industrial pharmaceutical facility: supporting process development of API crystallisation Thomas Pickles, Vaclav Svoboda, Ivan Marziano, Cameron J. Brown and Alastair J. Florence CrystEngComm, 2024, 26, 4678-4689

Please join us in congratulating this year’s winners!

We are delighted to introduce Professor Sharmarke Mohamed (Khalifa University of Science and Technology, UAE) and Dr Ghazala Sadiq (The Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, UK) as the latest members of the CrystEngComm Editorial Board!

Professor Sharmarke Mohamed

(ORCiD 0000-0002-5195-2533)

Sharmarke Mohamed is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Khalifa University (KU), acting as Principal Investigator in the Green Chemistry & Materials Modelling Laboratory. He founded and currently heads the KU Chemical Crystallography Laboratory, offering crystallographic services to KU researchers while forging new collaborations with premier global labs in solid-state chemistry. He also holds the role of Theme Leader for the Center for Catalysis and Separations (CeCaS). Sharmarke graduated with a First Class MSci in Chemistry (2007) and PhD in Chemistry (2011) degrees from University College London, mentored by Prof. Sarah (Sally) L. Price FRS and Prof. Derek A. Tocher. His research, spanning chemical crystallography, computational chemistry, and green chemistry, is reflected in over 70 publications and three patents. At CrystEngComm, Sharmarke oversees the commissioning of computational chemistry manuscripts, striving to elevate the journal’s presence in the Middle East and Asia. Sharmarke joined the Editorial Board in 2025, following service on the Editorial Advisory Board of the journal since 2021, and was honored to be recognized as an Outstanding Reviewer in 2019 for his rigorous and timely reviews for the journal. His brief stint in the pharmaceutical industry led to intellectual property on novel solid forms of generic drugs and contributed to the current U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s guidance of what constitutes a “pharmaceutical cocrystal”.

Sharmarke’s service to the UAE chemical sciences community is extensive. He co-founded the Emirates Crystallographic Society in 2020, acting as Vice President and UAE Councillor to the European Crystallographic Association. As Chair of the American Chemical Society (ACS) UAE Chapter (2023–2024), Sharmarke oversaw a 55% increase in ACS membership from the UAE. He also established KU’s first ACS International Student Chapter in 2022, mentoring a senior chemistry student to become the UAE’s sole COP28 ACS Ambassador in 2023.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Sharmarke cherishes time with his two boys, tries to hone his multilingual skills, enjoys playing padel and seizes opportunities to travel and learn new cultures, whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Sharmarke has given his thoughts on working with the RSC and on the Editorial Board of CrystEngComm in particular:

“The RSC is home to some of the best journals in chemistry and it is my pleasure to be a part of the Editorial Board of CrystEngComm, where I hope to contribute to expanding the reach and visibility of the journal in the Middle East and Asia.”

Dr Ghazala Sadiq

(ORCiD 0000-0001-6638-8464)

Ghazala is part of the Scientific Leadership Team at the CCDC.  Ghazala manages the Pfizer Solid Form Design Centre Team where part of her role includes applying the latest knowledge-based informatics techniques to drug development compounds.  Ghazala also leads the Crystal Form Consortium, a collaborative venture bringing together scientists from major pharmaceutical industries around the world.  Working to leverage the vast wealth of structural knowledge in the CSD, the Consortium’s primary goal is to provide structural informatics tools and insights to address challenges relating to polymorphism, stability, and solid form selection during different stages of the drug development process.  She has a keen interest in Crystal Engineering, covering a range of topics including polymorphism, co-crystal design, fundamentals of intermolecular interactions, crystallisation, and the importance of molecular self-assembly in the nucleation of crystalline phases.

Ghazala’s thoughts on working with the RSC on the Editorial Board of CrystEngComm:

“It’s a real privilege to join the CrystEngComm editorial board. The journal plays a key role in advancing crystal engineering, and I look forward to working with the RSC to help shape its continued success”.