Meet our new academic staff from the Department of Chemistry

This week we spoke to Dr Francisco Martin-Martinez, from the Department of Chemistry. Fran's research focuses on developing nature-inspired molecules and materials, with applications in self-healing infrastructure such as asphalt that can mend its own cracks.

We talked to Francisco about what it takes to build a better world, his PhD journey and what he does in his spare time.

What first attracted you to the field of Chemistry?

I was not attracted just to Chemistry but also to Physics and Biology. I was always intrigued by fundamental building blocks of matter and living organisms. Trying to understand how things work in the physical world around us, or why materials have different properties arising from their molecular scale. I was also attracted by Engineering. I like anything connected with design, and enjoy building things, so I ended up studying Chemical Engineering. Then, from Engineering I ended working on Computational Chemistry. Now, I try to link both disciplines in my research.

What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about Chemistry?

I am not sure there is a biggest misconception. There are some misconceptions for sure, for instance chemistry is sometimes easily associated with pollution and harmful chemicals, as if chemistry would be a synonym of something bad, without realising that everything “good” around us (and even ourselves) is chemistry, good, colourful, and beautiful chemistry.

What's the biggest mystery in science you'd love to solve or see solved? 

I do not think I am on my way to solve any big mystery in science, but I hope to make a humble contribution in the field in which I carry out my research. I also believe that the biggest mysteries in science are beyond our ability to solve them. Understanding the Universe, its origin, the functioning of Nature, or even our brain… All these impose many big and fundamental questions whose complexity is beyond our capacity.

I believe we can only try to reach some better understanding that provides meaning to our existence while contributing to build a better world for us and the generations to come. However, seeing vaccines for cancer, and finding more and more cures for it would be lovely. Or a safe, affordable, and clean nuclear fusion energy would be great too. These are not fundamental questions but would be great achievements for humans.   

What advice would you give to someone considering studying Chemistry?

Enjoy it, be curious, but also work hard and be disciplined. Do not fear asking questions or asking for help if you struggle. I do not think this is a chemistry-specific advice but applicable to any other discipline or even to life. Also, sometimes we base our decisions on social pressures or our understanding of market opportunities, but I think it is important to study something you like and that you are passionate about (if possible), because then you will become better at it. It is much more difficult to become good at something you do not like, and the process will be less enjoyable.

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

I debated to study something scientific or humanities. I thought that if I go down the humanities route, I will never touch a physics, chemistry, or mathematics book. However, if I study something scientific, I could always educate myself in, history, literature, or philosophy. I think I was right, even though I wish to have more time to read history, philosophy, and fiction novels.

What are you currently working on?

I did my PhD in computational chemistry, and this is at the core of what we do in our research group, although we do some wet lab work, and we are also collaborating with different experimental groups worldwide. We use computational chemistry methods and machine learning to design and develop new molecules and materials following bio-mimicry principles. Nature has mastered its ability to create materials for millions of years, so we need to learn from natural materials and processes.

We are especially interested in biomass, and how to design bio-based materials with applications in precision agriculture, self-healing infrastructure, or energy storage. I just started at King’s, so it is a work in progress, although from my previous experience at MIT, and Swansea University, I feel it is always a work in progress.

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going hiking, doing some sport, or cooking at home.