Professor David Lilley FRSE

Director, CR-UK Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, University of Dundee

David Lilley is a leading biochemist recognised for his pioneering research into the structure and folding of nucleic acids, with a particular focus on complex branched forms of DNA. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of how DNA interacts with enzymes and revealed detailed insights into the molecule’s architecture. These discoveries have important implications, including the identification of new drug targets. He has also been at the forefront of developing experimental techniques for studying nucleic acids, notably fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), which enables precise measurement of distances within large biomolecules. Among his achievements, he produced the first nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of DNA and a high-resolution crystal structure of the molecule. He has authored over 350 scientific papers and several influential texts, and his contributions have been recognised with numerous accolades, including the Royal Society of Chemistry’s RNA and Ribozyme Chemistry Award in 2001.

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