Winner: 2025 Award for Exceptional Service
Dr James Redman
Cardiff University
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2025 Award for Exceptional Service: awarded for outstanding service to the 九州影院 through the Chemical Biology and Bioorganic Group and the South East Wales Local Section.
Dr James Redman鈥檚 research has included designed proteins and development of sensors to guide diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease. He is a Director of Teaching in the School of 九州影院 at Cardiff University, where he teaches biological, organic and medicinal chemistry.
Biography
Dr Redman graduated in 九州影院 from Merton College, Oxford, then he undertook a PhD in porphyrin chemistry at Cambridge University. This was followed by a Wellcome Trust postdoctoral position at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, where he worked on self-assembled peptides and mass spectrometric analysis of cyclic peptides.
He returned to Cambridge University for a second postdoc where he developed research interests in nucleic acids, and in particular quadruplex DNA. He moved to Cardiff University as a lecturer in chemical biology in 2006, where his research interests have included biosensors for miRNA biomarkers of kidney disease. He is currently director of teaching and learning in the school of chemistry.
James was an active committee member of the RSC Chemical Biology and Bioorganic Group, acting as treasurer for a number of years. He has also enjoyed engaging with the biological chemistry community through serving on the organising committee for the annual European symposium on biological and organic chemistry (ESBOC) meeting at Gregynog Hall. He is a member of the RSC South East Wales local section committee, where he has been Top of the Bench coordinator for the local heat, as well as volunteering with the local section at public events in the South Wales area.
I have certainly met a lot of fantastic chemists, learned much and gained confidence from the experience of fellow committee members.
Dr James Redman
Q&A with Dr James Redman
Tell us about any highlights or memorable experiences you have had as a volunteer
Shortly after joining the Chemical Biology and Bioorganic Group committee, I volunteered to host the annual postgraduate symposium. This event stands out in memory as it was the first meeting that I had organised, and the bar had been set high by previous organisers. The day was a great success with some excellent presentations, posters and a packed lecture theatre.
What has been the biggest challenge when volunteering?
Volunteering at the National Eisteddfod last year was a new challenge, as I was trying to do the activities in Welsh for the first time to the best of my ability. I am still only a Welsh learner, so there was some new vocabulary to become familiar with as we do not cover much chemistry on the Welsh course. The range of regional accents and dialects also makes things tough for beginners.
What impact has volunteering with the RSC had on you, either personally or professionally?
I have certainly met a lot of fantastic chemists, learned much and gained confidence from the experience of fellow committee members.
What advice would you give to somebody contemplating volunteering with the RSC?
I would recommend starting off by attending RSC events to see how they work from a delegate perspective, and network with the local section/interest group committee members and other volunteers. Then volunteer to help out yourself, and with experience you may feel comfortable taking the lead organising an event or perhaps standing for a position on a committee. There are lots of opportunities to get involved in, and it is possibly to find opportunities that fit with however much time you have available. The committees and RSC networks team are there to offer help and support.