Professor M. Carmen Galan FRSC

Winner: 2021 Chemistry Biology Interface Division mid-career Award: Jeremy Knowles Award

University of Bristol

For the development of bioinspired and transformative synthetic probes and their application to the targeting and regulation of cellular processes in both mammalian and plant cells.

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Learning and discovering new things that can help solve important societal challenges and problems is what motivates me.

Professor Galan and her research group are interested in using chemistry to develop synthetic probes that can be used to target cellular processes in the context of disease: for example, to develop novel therapeutics and diagnostic tools, and also in agriculture to address the challenges of climate change.

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Carmen Galan is Professor in Organic and Biological Chemistry at the School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, UK. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Carbohydrate Research. Carmen received her PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center at the University of Georgia, USA, working under the supervision of Professor Geert-Jan Boons. She then did her postdoctoral work with Professor Chi-Huey Wong (Scripps Research Institute) and later with Professor Sarah O’Connor (MIT). Carmen began a lectureship at Bristol in 2006 before being appointed to the role of Professor in 2017. Carmen is the recipient of the 2017 RSC Carbohydrate Chemistry Dextra award.

Carmen’s independent research covers a diverse area of inter- and multidisciplinary research at the Chemistry Biology interface. Her work spans carbohydrate synthesis, medicinal chemistry, catalysis, functional nanomaterials and biological applications in the areas of cancer, antimicrobials and plant nanobionics.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

I have always been very inquisitive and very much interested in chemistry, physics and biology subjects as I could find explanations for everyday phenomena. Since I was little, I enjoyed experimenting with home tools or reinventing cooking recipes. I could never follow a recipe twice, always wondering what would happen if you changed this or that, often to the detriment of the final product.
I had very inspiring teachers and I decided to become a chemist when I finished high school, as I felt the subject was more suitable to my interests.

Who or what has inspired you?

When I was in high school, I became very interested in medicine and how specific drugs were used to treat diseases. Me and my siblings grew up with asthma, which meant a lot of trips to the emergency room. I really wanted to learn about how drugs were made and how one could design new molecules to target specific diseases. Learning about chemistry seemed like the natural thing to do to answer those questions.

What motivates you?

Learning and discovering new things that can help solve important societal challenges and problems is what motivates me.

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

Chemistry is all around us and underpins many other subjects. If you are inquisitive and you are interested in the subject, a career in chemistry, be it in academia or industry, can be very rewarding. Never boring, always exciting … and a bit like a rollercoaster!

What has been a highlight for you (either personally or in your career)?

I have been very lucky to have had fantastic mentors, colleagues and friends from whom I have learnt loads and also supported me along the way. Since having my own research group, I have been extremely fortunate to work with a very talented group of students and researchers that are as enthusiastic as I am. Seeing them succeed makes everything worth it.

What has been a challenge for you (either personally or in your career)?

Finding a work–life balance that works for my family. I have been very fortunate to have a very supporting and understanding family that have stepped in to support me throughout my career. I would not be where I am today without their support and understanding.

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

An environment where you are given the flexibility and support to accomplish what you need to achieve, without bias or prejudices.

Why do you think team work is important in Science?

Scientific advancements do not happen in isolation. Most of the work we do requires knowledge from different disciplines and would not happen without sharing ideas, developments and working together.