About the Department of Chemistry
With a pedigree as one of the oldest Chemistry departments in England, and continuing an illustrious tradition at the University epitomised by the discoveries of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins in the structure of DNA, the Department of Chemistry has a distinct focus on understanding the chemistry of life and the interface with biology. Our imaginative, interdisciplinary research provides the foundations for innovations in chemical biology, biomaterials science, synthetic biology and nanomedicine.
The Chemistry Department of King’s College London has been in existence since 2012. The department has witnessed an extraordinary period of development from a zero base to 19 permanent Principal Investigators (Pis). We are a growing, dynamic department that is smaller, younger and more gender diverse than Chemistry norms – for instance, the mean age of PIs is 43, and our open, inclusive working environment has helped us achieve gender representation above national averages for chemistry, e.g. 50% female professors (w.r.t.. 9% nationally).
In 2014 we became a cornerstone of a strategic expansion of physical sciences in the university. King’s acquired and fully refurbished a stand-alone, four-storey chemistry research building, “Britannia House”, and the department moved into the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences. Our success presaged further large-scale development of science at King’s alongside the re-start of an Engineering Department. We profit from our position in central London and opportunities afforded by King’s partnerships with the Francis Crick Institute (the Crick), Rosalind Franklin Institute (RFI) and London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN).
Our vision is to become an international centre of excellence that transcends the boundaries of chemistry to explore new frontiers at discipline interfaces and provide fundamental solutions for a sustainable and healthy society. We have exploited our inherent positioning at the physical and life science interface to instil a clear identity and have become renowned for the chemistry of life. Moreover, we have seeded areas for future growth in chemical biotechnology and bioelectricity, as part of King’s propitious engineering rejuvenation.
We harness our unique interdisciplinary skills in three research themes:
Chemistry of life across scales – a new era of functional biology
Chemical biotechnology – interfacing biology with materials
Bioelectricity – clean, sustainable energy
We provide a vibrant environment in which to study 21st century undergraduate and postgraduate chemistry in the heart of London. Our approach enshrines the rigour of the discipline in a progressive interdisciplinary context, designed to produce a new generation of scientists fluent across traditional subject boundaries. The cross-fertilisation of physical and biological sciences enables our graduates to harness the transformative power of chemistry and tackle emerging challenges in modern society and medicine.
We aspire to lead with modern teaching methods, emphasising student learning through new technology-enhanced approaches and combining virtual and hands-on laboratory experiences. In an innovative educational environment, students gain an integrated view of chemistry without the usual subdiscipline divides and become comfortable working beyond the traditional confines of the subject. Our research-led education lays the foundations for graduates to exploit their unique range of chemical expertise both within and beyond the discipline.