Chris Schofield
IOI Director of Chemistry
Governance and Leadership
Human Antibiotics

Biography

Prof Chris Schofield is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is a Fellow of Hertford College and was previously Head of Organic Chemistry.

He has researched in antibiotic mode of action, biosynthesis and resistance since the start of his career in Oxford. His research group aims to contribute to a chemical understanding of biological systems, where possible of medicinal or agricultural importance. His group has pioneered work on metal-using enzymes that are involved in antibiotic biosynthesis and resistance as well as in human physiology, in the latter case including in the hypoxic response.

His work has opened up new therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of bacterial infections and diseases including anaemia. His work is highly collaborative as demonstrated by his work with the Innovative Medicines Initiative to combat resistance to the penicillin family antibiotics (ENABLE project).