Michael Willis

Michael Willis is Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and Fellow of Lincoln College, leading the Willis Research Group with expertise in catalytic organic synthesis. His work bridges academic innovation and industrial pharmaceutical applications through novel sulfur chemistry methodologies.

His educational trajectory includes:

• Undergraduate studies at Imperial College London
• PhD at University of Cambridge under Professor Steve Ley
• Postdoctoral research at Harvard University with Professor David Evans

Research centers on catalytic sulfur functionalization, particularly using DABSO as a sulfur dioxide surrogate to develop sulfonamide/sulfonimidamide synthesis routes. His group pioneers enantioselective desymmetrization methods and heterocyclic cross-coupling techniques, emphasizing industrial applicability in drug discovery. Key themes include energy-efficient catalysis and sustainable chemistry approaches to complex molecule synthesis.

Analysis of recent publications (2021-2023) reveals sustained innovation in sulfur reagent development, with increasing focus on photocatalysis and radical-based transformations for sulfonamide diversification. The work demonstrates strategic progression from fundamental reagent discovery (DABSO) to complex target synthesis with pharmaceutical relevance.

Award recognition includes:

• 2015 Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Syngenta Process Chemistry Research Award
• 2014 Royal Society of Chemistry Catalysis in Organic Chemistry Award
• 2008 AstraZeneca Award in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

The Willis Group maintains active pharmaceutical industry collaborations while developing next-generation catalytic methods. Current projects focus on expanding sulfur pharmacophore applications and improving synthetic efficiency for agrochemical targets through novel catalytic manifolds.