Professor Nigel Scrutton (BSc, PhD, ScD) - personal details

Brief biographical outline. Nigel received a first class degree in Biochemistry and was awarded the Robson prize from the University of London, King's College (1985). He gained his PhD (1988) as a Benefactors' Scholar (St John's College) from the University of Cambridge and his ScD (2003) degree also from Cambridge. At Cambridge he was awarded the Henry Humphreys research prize (1989), held a Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowship (1988-91), a St John's College Research Fellowship (1989-92) and a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (1991-1999). He also held a Fellowship and was Director of Studies for Biology at Churchill College, University of Cambridge (1992-95). In 1995 he moved to the University of Leicester as Royal Society University Research Fellow, where he later became Lister Institute Research Professor of Biochemistry (1999-2004) and Professor of Biochemistry (1999-2005).

He was subsequently appointed Professor of Molecular Enzymology at the University of Manchester (2005), BBSRC Professorial Research Fellow (2006-2011) and Associate Dean for Research (2008-2010). He is currently Director of the Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre (2010 - present) and holds an EPSRC Established Career Fellowship in Catalysis (2012-2017). He is recipient of the Biochemical Society Colworth Medal, the Royal Society of Chemistry Charmian Medal, the RSC Rita and John Cornforth Award and a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award.

Brief research profile. Nigel has research interests in the mechanisms and structures of enzyme systems, with particular emphasis on understanding the physical basis of biological catalysis. His work is set at the interface of chemistry, biology and physics and is focused on elucidating fundamental mechanisms of enzyme systems from the quantum to macromolecular levels. His work is highly interdisciplinary and the group comprises ~25 researchers centred in the Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, with strong links to the Photon Science Institute. Major interests are in the use of biophysical methods (laser photolysis, ultrafast methods, single molecule and ensemble kinetic methods, structural biology and various spectroscopies), allied with chemical (isotope effects, computation, biocatalysis), engineering (protein design/redesign) and theoretical approaches. The group has developed new fast reaction approaches to study enzyme systems [e.g. magnetic field laser flash photolysis, various stopped flow (SF) methods, including high pressure SF, magnetic field SF, IR detection SF and cryogenic SF] and has a strong track record in new instrument development. The group has published ~300 scientific publications in enzyme chemistry, physics and biocatalysis.