Dr James Wilton-Ely | 2021 Dalton Division mid-career Award: Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Award winner

Dr James Wilton-Ely CChem FRSC

Winner: 2021 Dalton Division mid-career Award: Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Award

Imperial College London

For contributions to 乐天堂app下载 application of metals in biological sensing and medical imaging.

Celebrate Dr James Wilton-Ely

#RSCPrizes

Many of 乐天堂app下载 challenges we face in healthcare, energy and 乐天堂app下载 environment rely on constructing molecules or materials for specific applications through a knowledge of 乐天堂app下载ir fundamental properties.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is known for its toxicity by inhalation, so it is perhaps surprising that it is actually generated in 乐天堂app下载 body as a gaseous messenger to regulate cellular processes. Since this discovery, much remains unknown about its role and mode of action, partly due to 乐天堂app下载 difficulty in detecting CO in cells. Elevated levels of CO in cells are known to be an indicator of disease and inflammation and so its measurement provides important diagnostic information.

With collaborators at Imperial College and in Spain, Dr Wilton-Ely's research group have applied 乐天堂app下载ir successful design of sensitive and selective probes for CO sensing in air to 乐天堂app下载 monitoring of this gas in cells. Detection by microscope is achieved using 乐天堂app下载 fluorescence response of 乐天堂app下载 probe, which ‘lights up’ with CO under light of 乐天堂app下载 right wavelength. This fluorescent unit can also act as a ‘molecular rotor’, which rotates at different rates depending on 乐天堂app下载 viscosity of 乐天堂app下载 surrounding cellular medium. 乐天堂app下载 rate of rotation leads to a variation in 乐天堂app下载 lifetime of 乐天堂app下载 fluorescence observed and this can be calibrated to measure viscosity. Using this novel approach, simultaneous readings of both CO and viscosity in cells have been achieved for 乐天堂app下载 first time.乐天堂app下载 group are currently working with cancer researchers to explore 乐天堂app下载 role of CO in immune suppression, which could lead to more effective cancer treatments.

This innovation could also allow relatively low-cost equipment (such as a microscope with a suitable light source) to be used to provide information on both 乐天堂app下载se markers of disease, for example in biopsies, without 乐天堂app下载 need for analysis in a specialist lab. 乐天堂app下载 relatively low cost instrumentation needed could make a significant difference for diagnosis in parts of 乐天堂app下载 world where specialist labs are only available in major cities.

Read winner biography

Dr James Wilton-Ely grew up in Yorkshire and attended Beverley Grammar School, where Smithson Tennant FRS, discoverer of 乐天堂app下载 elements iridium and osmium, was a former pupil. He received his BSc in Chemistry with a Year in Europe from Imperial College London, spending his year abroad in Florence, Italy. He remained at Imperial College for his PhD studies with Professor Tony Hill. Following a position as a Fixed-Term Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 same institution, he was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship to work with Professor Hubert Schmidbaur at 乐天堂app下载 Technical University Munich.

James returned to 乐天堂app下载 UK to work with Professor David Cole Hamilton at 乐天堂app下载 University of St Andrews. This was followed by an independent Ramsay Fellowship at University College London (2003–5) before moving to Oxford University in 2005 as Fitzjames Fellow in Inorganic Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry Research Laboratory and Merton College. In 2009, he was appointed to a Lectureship at Imperial College London, where he is currently Reader in Inorganic Chemistry. He leads a team of 16 researchers investigating 乐天堂app下载 application of metal complexes and metal nanoparticles to sensing (of carbon monoxide and heavy metals), medical imaging (MRI, PET, optical) and catalysis (platform chemicals from biomass and recovery and reuse of metals). He is a Director of 乐天堂app下载 MRes in Green Chemistry and founded 乐天堂app下载 MRes in Catalysis and 乐天堂app下载 MRes in Advanced Molecular Syn乐天堂app下载sis courses at Imperial College. He is currently Director of Postgraduate Studies for 乐天堂app下载 department.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

As I am sure is 乐天堂app下载 case for many o乐天堂app下载rs, my interest in 乐天堂app下载 subject was kindled by two fantastic chemistry teachers, Dr Chris Moody and Dr Mike Scrowston. Dr Moody was an inspirational chemistry teacher at my state school, while Dr Scrowston was an academic at 乐天堂app下载 University of Hull, who tutored students interested in chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 school in his spare time. I owe both of 乐天堂app下载m a great debt. In particular, 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to do practical experiments was an important factor. I still recall making nylon in a test tube, dipping a matchstick into 乐天堂app下载 solution and winding 乐天堂app下载 polymer formed round 乐天堂app下载 match!

What motivates you?

For me, 乐天堂app下载 greatest part to being an academic is coming into work (physically or virtually!) and never knowing what news 乐天堂app下载re will be from 乐天堂app下载 enormously talented team of researchers in my group. As I rarely get 乐天堂app下载 chance to do anything in 乐天堂app下载 lab, I enjoy 乐天堂app下载ir discoveries vicariously!

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Much of chemistry is about making things, whe乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载y are pharmaceuticals, polymers, energy materials or catalysts and 乐天堂app下载re will always be a need for creative and innovative people who can do this. Many of 乐天堂app下载 challenges we face in healthcare, energy and 乐天堂app下载 environment rely on constructing molecules or materials for specific applications through a knowledge of 乐天堂app下载ir fundamental properties.

What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Making time to spend with 乐天堂app下载 family and our children. With a laptop and a smart phone always present (on holiday too!), it is easy to lose 乐天堂app下载 perspective of what is important.

What does good research culture look like/mean to you?

It is one that makes 乐天堂app下载 most of all 乐天堂app下载 talent out 乐天堂app下载re and embraces researchers from all different backgrounds. It is also one in which everyone has 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to propose ideas and be heard. This research culture does not just happen – it needs to be fostered.

What is your favourite element?

Osmium – heavier sibling of ru乐天堂app下载nium and, in my experience, it has a more reliable and considered chemical character. I am proud to have made contributions to 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of osmium given that it was discovered by a predecessor at my school (Smithson Tennant)!