Michael John Hannon

Professor Michael John Hannon holds the Chair of Chemical Biology at the University of Birmingham's School of Chemistry. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Advanced Study at TU Munich and the Scientific Advisory Board of Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz. His research bridges chemistry and life sciences, focusing on metal complexes in biology/medicine as imaging agents and therapeutics, with expertise in synthetic chemistry (organic, supramolecular, nanoscale) and biophysical methods for DNA recognition. His work on DNA Y-shaped junctions has significantly advanced the field.

Education: B.A. (Natural Sciences, first class) and MA (Cantab) from the University of Cambridge (1990 and 1994), followed by a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry (1994). Postdoctoral fellowships included work with Nobel laureate Jean-Marie Lehn in Strasbourg. He joined the University of Warwick in 1994 as a Lecturer, became a Professor in 2005, and moved to Birmingham the same year. He directed the Institute of Advanced Studies (2015–2019) and co-organized the Intercontinental Academia ‘Laws Rigidity and Dynamics’ (2018–2019).

Research interests include metallo-supramolecular structures for DNA/RNA targeting, anti-cancer drugs, and HIV inhibition. His articles highlight innovations in drug delivery, nanoparticle imaging, and viral RNA interactions. Awards include the Royal Society ESEP Fellowship (1993–1994). He chairs major conferences and serves as an advisor for biomedical imaging initiatives like the PSIBS Biomedical Imaging Centre. Current opportunities exist for doctoral students in imaging chemistry, molecular probes, and supramolecular chemistry.