Michael J. Booth
2026 United Kingdom Award Finalist — Faculty
Current Position:
Associate Professor of Chemical Biology and Organic Chemistry
Institution:
University College London
Discipline:
Chemical Biology
Recognised for: Chemically engineering nucleic acids with remote control, developing light- and magnetically responsive systems that expand possibilities for synthetic biology, programmable biocomputing, and targeted therapeutics.
Areas of Research Interest and Expertise:
Chemical biology, nucleic acid chemistry, synthetic biology
Previous Positions:
- MChem, University of Southampton, Chemistry
- PhD, University of Cambridge, Chemistry (Advisor: Shankar Balasubramanian)
- Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Oxford (Advisor: Hagan Bayley)
- Junior Research Fellow, University of Oxford
- Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Oxford
- Royal Society University Research Fellow, University College London
- Lecturer, University College London
- Associate Professor, University College London
Research Summary:
Nucleic acids, the molecules that store and transmit genetic information, are central to modern medicine and biotechnology. Michael Booth, PhD, is engineering nucleic acids to respond to multiple colours of light and magnetic fields, including the creation of the first-ever magnetically activated nucleic acids. These engineered molecules enable precise control of genetic processes in synthetic cells and living systems, allowing remote-controlled communication, programmable biocomputing, and targeted delivery of therapeutics. Booth’s group also discovered an entirely new mechanism for nucleic acid therapeutics, enabling safer and more effective treatments. This work is transforming how nucleic acids can be harnessed to study biology and develop next-generation medicines.
“My research aims to use chemistry to modify DNA and RNA molecules to unlock new ways to control their behaviour for biological and medical applications. It is an incredible honour for my groups work to be recognised with this Blavatnik Award.”
Key Publications:
- D. Hartmann, R. Chowdhry, J. M. Smith, M. J. Booth. Orthogonal light-activated DNA for patterned biocomputing within synthetic cells. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2023.
- J. M. Smith, D. Hartmann, M. J. Booth. Engineering cellular communication between light-activated synthetic cells and bacteria. Nature Chemical Biology, 2023.
- E. Parkes, A. Al Samad, G. Mazzotti, C. Newell, B. Ng, A. Radford, M. J. Booth. Magnetic activation of spherical nucleic acids enables the remote control of synthetic cells. Nature Chemistry, 2025.
- D. Kashyap, T. Milne, M. J. Booth. Engineering antisense oligonucleotides for targeted mRNA degradation through lysosomal trafficking. Chemical Science, 2025
Other Honors:
2024 Rising Star in Biological, Medicinal, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, ACS Bio & Med Chem Au
2024 Young Chemical Biologist Award, International Chemical Biology Society
2024 Highly Commended Nomination, ChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship
2019 Early Career Research Award (Biotechnology), Biochemical Society
2018 Early Career Researcher, Oxford MPLS Impact Awards
2017 Research Fellow, Oxford Innovation Society Fellowship
2016 & 2017 Finalist, Biotechnology Award, IChemE Global Awards
2015 Early Career Researcher UK Award (Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology), Scopus
In the Media: