Inaugural Lecture: Professor Mike Webb, School of Chemistry
- Date: Wednesday 11 December 2024, 15:45 – 18:00
- Location: Chemistry LT A (2.15)
- Type: Inaugural Lecture
- Cost: Free
Join us on 11 December for the upcoming Inaugural Lecture of Mike Webb, Professor of Biological Chemistry in the School of Chemistry.
An inaugural lecture is a significant milestone in any academic’s career, recognising their promotion to Professor. It also offers an opportunity for our new professorial colleagues to showcase their work and innovative research with a broad audience, including members of the public, family, friends, and colleagues.
This lecture is part of a Faculty-wide series that celebrates those who have joined the University to offer ever greater teaching, research, and expertise across our eight Schools.
About this lecture
How far a particular reaction proceeds in the laboratory or the cell is controlled by the position of chemical equilibrium. In the cell, the biosynthesis of many molecules is tightly controlled by feedback inhibition generating dynamic equilibria. In the laboratory, the yield of reactions can be limited by competition between the desired reaction and a reverse reaction to regenerate the starting chemicals.
In his lecture, “Disrupting equilibria in the lab and in the cell”, Professor Webb will describe how manipulating chemical equilibria can identify candidate drugs as well as help make designer biomolecules and cells, using examples from the past, present and future of his laboratory’s research.
About our speaker
Michael Webb is Professor of Biological Chemistry and Director of Research and Innovation in the School of Chemistry.
Mike studied Natural Sciences before completing a PhD with the late Professor Chris Abell in the Chemistry department at Cambridge. Following postdoctoral work with Professor Steve Benkovic (Penn State) and Professor Alison Smith (Cambridge Plant Sciences), Mike was appointed in the School of Chemistry as a Lecturer in Chemical Biology in 2007 and has subsequently developed strands of research across protein engineering and biosynthesis both independently and through collaborations with researchers in the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and beyond. Highlights of this research include the development of stable analogues of phosphohistidine, discovery of regulatory pathways in bacteria and most recently the development of selective and highly efficient protein labelling methods.
Book your place
The lecture will take place in the School of Chemistry at the University of Leeds, with arrival and registration from 3:45pm in the School of Chemistry (Chemistry Lecture Theatre A 2.15); the lecture commences at 4pm in Chemistry Lecture Theatre A 2.15. This will be followed by a drinks reception in the atrium of the Sir William Henry Bragg Building from 5pm.
Booking is required to attend this event – you can do so at our dedicated ticket portal. Please book by Monday 9 December 2024.