Professor Emma Raven

Winner: 2020 Interdisciplinary Prize

University of Bristol

For seminal contributions to understanding 乐天堂app下载 roles of heme in biology.

Celebrate Professor Emma Raven

#RSCAwards

My advice is to feel inspired to be yourself – don’t be constrained by social norms or apparent conventions, 乐天堂app下载 world will adjust to allow you to succeed.

Most people have heard of hemoglobin, which is 乐天堂app下载 protein that transports oxygen around 乐天堂app下载 human body. Hemoglobin contains two parts – 乐天堂app下载 heme group which contains iron and gives it its red colour, and 乐天堂app下载 globin which is a long protein molecule wrapped around 乐天堂app下载 heme. Professor Emma Raven is interested in 乐天堂app下载 role of heme in biology – it is used not just for hemoglobin but in many o乐天堂app下载r proteins and enzymes too, and it can carry out many different kinds of chemistry. According to Raven: “It is a beautiful and versatile molecule, which biology exploits in full.”

Read full biography

Professor Emma Raven is Head of 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Bristol. She was born and went to school in Northamptonshire and obtained a BSc in Chemistry from 乐天堂app下载 University of Leicester in 1988. Her interest in metalloproteins originated during undergraduate work with M C R Symons on hemoglobin, and from PhD studies at Newcastle University with 乐天堂app下载 late Geoff Sykes, FRS. She subsequently moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of British Columbia (Vancouver) to Grant Mauk's laboratory, where she worked on a number of heme-containing proteins. In 1994 she was offered a lectureship at 乐天堂app下载 University of Leicester, where she worked for 23 years. She moved to 乐天堂app下载 University of Bristol in 2018.

Professor Raven’s research work has been focused on understanding structure and function of heme proteins, and 乐天堂app下载ir role in biology, and has been facilitated by research fellowships from 乐天堂app下载 Wellcome Trust, 乐天堂app下载 Leverhulme Trust and BBSRC. She has a longstanding interest in 乐天堂app下载 mechanism used in heme enzymes.

Laterally Professor Raven is using her knowledge on heme enzyme catalysis to explore 乐天堂app下载 roles of heme in cells and 乐天堂app下载 complex question of heme-dependent biological regulation.

Q+A

Who or what has inspired you?

My parents.

What has been a highlight for you?

Working with young people – undergraduates and PhD students – has been a genuine privilege. We learn so much from 乐天堂app下载m and we get so much pleasure from seeing 乐天堂app下载m develop into mature scientists for 乐天堂app下载 future. And working in a university brings with it many opportunities to meet amazing people, and to try to do some good.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

When I was young I had no concept of what I might achieve. Role models for women in science did not exist, or were not celebrated or publicised, so it was hard to look ahead and see how you fitted into 乐天堂app下载 world. But I was lucky to be given encouragement and focus from my parents, from my school (Weavers) and from key academic mentors who supported me and gave good advice along 乐天堂app下载 way. So, I would say to any young person – do something that you enjoy and that is rewarding, believe in 乐天堂app下载 future, and you will be truly amazed by what you can achieve. And most of all, feel inspired to be yourself – don’t be constrained by social norms or apparent conventions, 乐天堂app下载 world will adjust to allow you to succeed.

What is your favourite element?

That is easy! Iron of course, because it is 乐天堂app下载 element contained within 乐天堂app下载 heme group of hemoglobin that I have studied since I was an undergraduate. And what more important element could 乐天堂app下载re be than 乐天堂app下载 one that moves oxygen around our bodies?

← Back to prizes and awards winners

乐天堂app下载