ProfessorKeith Willison
Chair in Chemical Biology
Department of Chemistry - Faculty of Natural Sciences
Orcid identifier0000-0002-1353-1471 (opens in a new tab)
- Chair in Chemical BiologyDepartment of Chemistry - Faculty of Natural Sciences
- 020 7594 5837 (Work)
- 301F, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, United Kingdom
BIO
The group’s research interests cover a range of topics including eukaryotic protein folding and single molecule approaches to protein dynamics and protein counting. Everything we do involves interdisciplinary approaches to biological research problems – we collaborate with physicists, mathematicians and engineers across Imperial College.
We were founder members of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Biology and the Institute of Chemical Biology. The EPSRC-funded CDT started life in 2003 and was recently renewed for a 5th round of student intake from 2024-2029. In the first four CDT programmes we trained over 250 PhDs in Chemical Biology subjects ranging from optics, spectroscopies, microfluidics and other physical science-based platforms to biological problems such as artificial vesicles/cells and cancer drug discovery.
We were founder members of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Biology and the Institute of Chemical Biology. The EPSRC-funded CDT started life in 2003 and was recently renewed for a 5th round of student intake from 2024-2029. In the first four CDT programmes we trained over 250 PhDs in Chemical Biology subjects ranging from optics, spectroscopies, microfluidics and other physical science-based platforms to biological problems such as artificial vesicles/cells and cancer drug discovery.
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
- Professor of Chemical BiologyImperial College London, Chemistry, London, United Kingdom1 Mar 2012 - present
- Weston Visiting ProfessorWeizmann Institute of Science, Structural Biology, Rehovot, Israel1 Oct 2011 - 31 Aug 2012
- Head of Chester Beatty LaboratoriesInstitute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom1 Jan 1996 - 30 Apr 2005
- Scientist/Team LeaderInstitute of Cancer Research, Section of Cell and Molecular Biology, London, United Kingdom1 Sep 1981 - 31 Aug 2011
- Postdoctoral FellowCold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Virology, Cold Spring Harbor, United States1 Jan 1979 - 31 Aug 1981
- Special Visiting Professor Top Global Universities ProgramTokyo Institute of Technology, Cell Biology, Tokyo, Japan20 Oct 2017 - present
NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS
- Research AssistantUniversity of Oxford, Zoology, Oxford, United Kingdom1 Oct 1971 - 31 Jul 1972
DEGREES
- PhD, BiochemistryUniversity of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom1 Oct 1975 - 30 Sep 1978
- BSc Hons, BiochemistryUniversity of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom1 Oct 1972 - 1 Jul 1975
LANGUAGES
- JapaneseCan understand
- FrenchCan read and speak
- ItalianCan understand
FACULTY
- Faculty of Natural Sciences
POSITION NAME
- Chair in Chemical Biology