Dr Charlie McTernan

Charlie is a Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute, and a Lecturer in Chemistry at King's. His research focuses on investigating how Artificial Molecular Machines and Metal-Organic Capsules can be applied in Biomedical Science.

He studied Chemistry at the University of Oxford. He joined Professor David Leigh’s group in 2013. His doctoral research included the synthesis of artificial molecular machines, switchable catalysts, and rotaxanes. In September 2017 he joined the Nitschke Group, and in September 2018 began his Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellowship, and joined Sidney Sussex College as a Research Fellow, where he investigated the synthesis and post-assembly modification of diverse metal-organic capsules, and ways to tie molecular knots in single molecules. In 2021, he started his independent career, exploring how interlocked architectures and metal-organic capsules can be applied in biological settings.

Research Interests

• Supramolecular Chemistry in Biological Setting
• Aims to apply recent breakthroughs in artificial molecular machines and metal-organic capsules in biologically relevant settings.