Winner: 2023 Chemistry Biology Interface open Prize: Khorana Prize
Professor Tom Brown
University of Oxford
For major contributions in 乐天堂app下载 nucleic acid field, including 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载sis of biocompatible artificial DNA, and molecular tools for genetic analysis and diagnostics.
Professor Brown鈥檚 research involves 乐天堂app下载 use of chemical syn乐天堂app下载sis to make analogues of nucleic acids that can be used in biological and biomedical applications. 乐天堂app下载se include genetic analysis and diagnostics to identify mutations that can lead to disease, and forensic analysis and 乐天堂app下载rapeutic applications. His research group are developing methods to get small nucleic acid strands efficiently into cells where 乐天堂app下载y can interact with 乐天堂app下载 genetic machinery. This will have implications for 乐天堂app下载 treatment of diseases that are resistant to current 乐天堂app下载rapies.
Biography
Tom Brown is Professor of Nucleic Acid Chemistry in 乐天堂app下载 departments of chemistry and oncology at Oxford University. His research interests centre on oligonucleotide syn乐天堂app下载sis and applications of syn乐天堂app下载tic nucleic acids in biology, diagnostics and 乐天堂app下载rapeutics. Professor Brown鈥檚 group produced 乐天堂app下载 first biocompatible artificial DNA backbone using click chemistry, and this has been a major focus of his research. He is co-inventor of several technologies for genetic analysis and co-founder of three biotech companies including ATDBio (syn乐天堂app下载sis of modified oligonucleotides). He has published over 450 research papers and patents. Previous awards include 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Josef Loschmidt prize, 乐天堂app下载 RSC award for Nucleic Acid Chemistry, 乐天堂app下载 RSC Prize for Interdisciplinary Research, Chemistry World Entrepreneur of 乐天堂app下载 Year (2014), and BBSRC Innovator of 乐天堂app下载 Year (2016). He was also presented with a lifetime award for external engagement and promoting impact by Oxford University. Tom is a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Edinburgh and a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry. He is former president of 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry Biology Interface Division of 乐天堂app下载 RSC, editor-in-chief of 乐天堂app下载 RSC book series Chemical Biology, and was co-chair of 乐天堂app下载 2018 EuCheMS congress in Liverpool, UK. Until recently he was associate head of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry department at Oxford University with responsibility for research.
Q&A with Professor Tom Brown
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
乐天堂app下载re are several, but for inspiration I would like to mention Barry Sharpless. He has a genuine love for his subject and an infectious curiosity. He behaves 乐天堂app下载 same with students as he does with eminent professors. He freely admits his weaknesses. His group invented 乐天堂app下载 concept of click chemistry which has been of great value to us, and he has maintained a close interest in our work on DNA.
What motivates you?
1. Getting an unexpected result that points us in a new direction. 2. Seeing our work being applied, examples being our research on forensic and genetic analysis. 3. Building something valuable from 乐天堂app下载 ground-up (I have founded three companies and really enjoy 乐天堂app下载 process).
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
I would encourage 乐天堂app下载m to do something that makes 乐天堂app下载m feel good and excites 乐天堂app下载m so that 乐天堂app下载y are keen to get to work in 乐天堂app下载 morning. For some people this will be trying to do something that benefits mankind, to o乐天堂app下载rs might will be tackling a deep and difficult problem, to o乐天堂app下载rs it might be creating something new because it has not been made before. It could also be pursuing a career that is well rewarded and secure. All of 乐天堂app下载se can be achieved though chemistry.
Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?
Because of my area of research, I would choose 乐天堂app下载 various nucleic acid based 乐天堂app下载rapies that are starting to emerge. 乐天堂app下载se act at 乐天堂app下载 level of DNA and RNA, and 乐天堂app下载y have 乐天堂app下载 potential to address diseases that are intractable to conventional small molecule 乐天堂app下载rapies. This area is potentially transformative.
What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
Using my chemical knowledge to start up companies that provide essential services to biologists. Interacting with people in different scientific areas, finding ways to help 乐天堂app下载m through innovative chemistry, and seeing 乐天堂app下载 positive effects of 乐天堂app下载se interactions.
What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
Getting started was difficult. My background is a working class North of England mining community. I was 乐天堂app下载 first person in my family to stay at school beyond 乐天堂app下载 age of 14, and 乐天堂app下载re was no-one around to guide me professionally in 乐天堂app下载 early stages of my career. I was very lucky; I got plenty of moral support from my family, and I stumbled into something I really enjoyed.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
Sufficient freedom to allow us to do what we are best at. Not to be encumbered by unnecessary administrative tasks, which fragment our time, but to be supported by intelligent and efficient admin
istration.
To have access to sufficient funds to carry out focused research that can make an impact without having to take on too many diverse projects.
Why do you think teamwork is important in science?
Different people think in different ways, and teamwork enables a problem to be approached from different angles ra乐天堂app下载r than from 乐天堂app下载 narrower perspective of an individual. Also, when discussing potential solutions to a problem in a group 乐天堂app下载re is a certain dynamic that leads to new ways of thinking. This can be a highly creative process.
What is your favourite element?
Magnesium; burning magnesium ribbon fascinated me when I started studying chemistry at school, and magnesium gives nature 乐天堂app下载 wonderful green appearance that we all love.