Reuben completed his undergraduate studies in biochemistry at the University of Bedfordshire in 2020. Subsequently he pursued an MSc in Pharmacology at the University of Oxford, where under the supervision of Professors Fran Platt and Ming Lei, his interest in the function and significance of the endo-lysosomal system flourished. Since completing his MSc, he has been working as a research assistant in the Platt lab studying rare neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders and their intersections with more common neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he can be found blundering in online chess and struggling up countryside hills on a bike.

Oliver graduated with an MChem, BSc in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Leeds, receiving the Craig Jordan and Dawson prizes for his overall grades and final dissertation. During his research placement at Unilever Research & Development, Oliver studied the relationship between soft matter structures and material rheology with a focus on temperature variations during manufacture and storage. From this work he received Registered Scientist (RSci) accreditation with the Royal Society of Chemistry. For his MChem project, Oliver worked under Professor Paul Beales to create a novel system of liposome-encapsulated esterase/ ethyl acetate pH clocks, demonstrating how the clock time could be manipulated by controlling diffusion parameters. Outside of academia, Oliver enjoys cooking, hiking and camping, and sports such as running, Muay Thai, and climbing.

Alex was awarded an MSci degree at the University of Bristol. He spent his second year summer exploring his interest in the biological applications of chemistry by computationally studying the evolution of beta lactamase enzymes with Professor Adrian Mulholland. In his third year summer he investigated the photo-dynamics of diphenyloctatetraene using laser spectroscopic techniques with Dr Tom Oliver and his research contributed to a publication in The Journal of Physical Chemistry-ACS Publications. Alex continued with laser spectroscopic techniques for his fourth year project where he studied the mechanism of photoisomerization of the naturally occurring antioxidant, resveratrol. Alex hopes to use his laser spectroscopic experience and apply it to biological challenges we face today. Outside of the lab Alex can be found playing football and hockey or down at the pub enjoying a post lab pint.

Rowan graduated with his Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Canada in 2023 with minors in chemistry, chemical biology, and biochemistry. At McMaster, he conducted his senior research project in antimicrobial medicinal chemistry, supervised by Dr. Jakob Magolan. In the Magolan Lab, he focussed on the synthesis of analogues to establish structure-activity relationships and optimise the activity of an identified lead compound targeting lipoprotein biosynthesis pathways in gram-negative bacteria. He also contributed to the design and synthesis of novel synthetic sideromycins — molecules containing iron-chelating functionality chemically linked to β-lactam antibiotics, to improve entry into gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, Rowan had the opportunity to contribute to synthesis for a cancer-related medicinal chemistry project, as part of an industrial collaboration with adMare BioInnovations. Outside of academics, Rowan is an avid pianist and swimmer and enjoys working on the latest NYT crossword puzzle.

Zoë completed her MChem at the University of Oxford in 2023, where she was awarded the Mouat Jones Scholarship by her college for academic excellence in her final examinations. For her 4th year project, she worked under the supervision of Professor Angela Russell on the synthesis of photoaffinity probes derived from fatty acids, which will be used to generate a global map of the protein-lipid interactions involving these fatty acids. Alongside chemistry, Zoë enjoys comedy, music, reading, and cooking.

Alice completed her MChem at The University of York. During her master's year, she completed an industrial placement at Astrazeneca working in chemical development. Her master's research focused on the process development of a mineralocorticoid-receptor modulator, due to be used as a heart failure treatment. She worked on designing and optimising the synthetic route of an intermediate in the overall synthesis, ahead of a large-scale manufacture. She also completed an internship working as an analyst using mass spectrometry. After finishing her degree, she took a year out to travel around Southeast Asia and Australia. In her free time, she enjoys socialising with friends, visiting local restaurants, and going on walks - especially anywhere near the coast.

Adam's research focuses on innovative technologies including automation, robotics, machine learning and modelling to optimise protein design and drug discovery. Through a collaboration with Synthace in his Master's research, Adam created an optimised assay to identify new antibiotics for resistant infections. Outside academics, he is a co-founder of Evolvere Biosciences, which is developing a revolutionary directed evolution platform to rapidly engineer novel antibiotics that can outpace bacterial resistance. Adam is also involved in mentoring youth at his local church. He loves cooking up new recipes, going for walks, and tackling global challenges through science.