John Knowland

Bio

Joined the Medical Research Council’s staff in Cambridge in 1972, and was a Research Fellow of St. John’s College. In 1976, was appointed a University lecturer in Biochemistry in Oxford with a tutorial Fellowship at Pembroke College. In 2001, moved to Brasenose College as the Bursar, retiring in 2009. In 1993, showed that in sunlight some sunscreen ingredients decompose and generate free radicals, which can damage DNA in human cells. This led to the development, with the Oxford spin-out company Oxonica, of an alternative ingredient, which is photostable and minimises free radical formation amongst other advantages. Graduated from Oxford in Biochemistry, and took a doctorate in Zoology.