Chris Coxon

Dr Chris Coxon completed his PhD as part of the Cancer Research UK Medicinal Chemistry Training Programme at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University (2010), where he was involved with designing selective small molecule inhibitors of protein kinases e.g. cyclin-dependent kinases and Nek2 that are involved in cancer. He also began his interest here in the use of fluorine in organic chemistry. Chris then moved to Durham University in 2010 to work as a postdoctoral research associate in the areas of synthetic organic chemistry and chemical biology under Prof. Patrick Steel, where he identified and developed new small molecule chemical agents to sensitise multiple herbicide resistant weeds e.g. ‘black grass’ to crop control measures – a major challenge in wheat production. In Oct 2012 he joined Prof. Steven Cobb’s group (Durham University) as a PDRA, where he became interested in peptide chemistry and developing new peptide modification, fluorination and cyclisation methods. In 2013 Chris began his independent research career as a Temporary Lecturer at Durham University, also running the School of Chemistry chromatography facility, before being appointed to a permanent position of Lecturer in Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry at Liverpool John Moores University in October 2014, where he was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Medal for Research and Scholarship (2019). In 2019, Chris moved to Scotland to take up the position of Associate Professor in Synthetic Chemistry at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh) as a Bicentennial Research Leader. He finally, moved to University of Edinburgh, School of Chemistry in August 2021 as Senior Lecturer in Medicinal Chemistry and Director of the MSc in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry. Chris is also the Co-founder and Director of Pepmotec Ltd – a peptide modification spin-out company based in Durham.