Lionel M.

• Liverpool University, chemistry
• London

! was at Liverpool University from 1965 to 1969 where I took a 1st Class Honours Degree in Chemistry, followed by two years for a Masters, also at Liverpool.   I then left science altogether and spent six years as a professional musician. Returning to academe in 1977 (at the then City London Polytechnic - now part of London Metropolitan University) I obtained my PhD in 1980. This was followed by three consecutive post-doctoral fellowships at Imperial College London.    In the meantime, I had started writing articles for New Scientist and eventually became their chemistry consultant during the 1980's.    My teaching and research career as an academic began in 1985 with a senior lectureship in inorganic chemistry at (the then) Kingston Polytechnic - now Kingston University. In 1989 I moved to Brunel University as lecturer in inorganic chemistry. The chemistry department was closed in 1997 and I moved back to Imperial College as senior visiting scientist working with Professor David Phillips CBE FRS, developing new sensitisers for solar-energy conversion and photodynamic therapy.    In 2000, with two other colleagues, we co-founded the Imperial College anticancer start-up company PhotoBiotics Ltd (see www.photobiotics.com) to develop and promote a new antibody-targeted approach to photodynamic therapy. I was the company's first CEO.    I stepped down from this role several years later, and trained as a complementary and alternative medical (CAM) practitioner, but returned using my science-writing experience to promote the company. I finally left the company in 2012.   During my academic career, I have had well over 170 academic papers and articles published on my science and CAM activities. I have also had around 300 articles published as a science writer. I have also been consulting correspondent for the Royal Society of Chemistry house magazine Chemistry World. I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).

            When there are difficulties in understanding, I like to use my broad experience in chemistry and interest in extra-curricular subjects such as history, to illustrate points in chemistry, generally by creating metaphors and 'telling stories'.

            I taught undergraduates chemistry at Kingston and Brunel from 1985 to 1997. I also engaged in personal tuition during this time. I have been an hourly paid lecturer at Birkbeck College and London Metropolitan University. I taught chemistry to all years (up to and including 6th Form) at University College School from September to December 2014. In January 2016, I became a part-time master at Eton College teaching chemistry up to GCSE. I left this post (end of contract) on 30th June 2017.

            Advances in the sciences, especially quantum physics and cosmology (this has led to two publications in the IoP journal Physics Education on simple lab-based demonstrations of black-hole physics); history, particularly ancient history (especially Roman); keeping fit (swimming, Pilates, meditation, etc); CAM; music (classical, jazz, rock); general knowledge; philosophy of science (especially as it pertains to what science can and cannot do); current affairs; last but by no means least, my family