On 8–9 December 2025, the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry hosted the Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Lectureship, featuring Professor Eric Jacobsen from Harvard University, a world-leading researcher in enantioselective catalysis. The lectureship programme and symposium were organized and led by Professor Matthew Gaunt and included a supporting lecture by Dr Izzat Raheem of Merck US (MSD).

Researchers from Cambridge and UT Southwestern have, for the first time, visualised molecules inside chromatin droplets, revealing how these structures organise and support cell function.

Professor Steven Lee has been announced a winner of the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) Scientific Achievement Award 2025.

We are delighted to host Professor Manos Mavrikakis from the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as the John Wilfrid Linnett Visiting Professor of Chemistry.

Researchers at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research reveal how electric fields transform water chemistry, enhancing reaction rates and rearranging molecular structures at the atomic level.

Professor Alex Forse has been awarded a 2025 Philip Leverhulme Prize, recognising the outstanding work of the Forse Group in developing innovative materials to tackle climate change.

Researchers at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Cambridge, have made a major breakthrough in the fight against climate change published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

For the first time, scientists have directly visualised and measured the tiny protein clusters, called alpha-synuclein oligomers, thought to trigger Parkinson’s disease in human brain tissue.

Researchers at Cambridge have found a smarter way to activate the immune system against cancer – making treatments safer and more precise.

Professor Oren Scherman’s research group at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, has developed a material that can detect subtle changes in the body, such as an arthritis flare-up, and release drugs exactly where and when they are needed.

The Duer group have found a way to stop brain cancer cells spreading by essentially ‘freezing’ a key molecule in the brain. The finding could pave the way for a new type of treatment for glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer.

Recent research has unveiled a new mechanism that explains how carbon dioxide (CO₂) can react directly at water’s surface instead of fully dissolving first. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of ocean acidification.

The legacies of two well-loved Department supervisors, Martin Mays and Jim Staunton, remain vivid for many who worked alongside them. Four alumni reflect on how their experiences during this pivotal period continue to influence their lives today. 

We opened our doors to nearly 300 sixth-formers this February for the 6th Cambridge Chemistry Race, an international competition that tests understanding of chemistry principles… all under a time limit.