We are delighted to welcome new Magdalen Fellow of Biology Professor Jason Chin, who will lead the newly established Generative Biology Institute (GBI) at the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) in Oxford. A world-leading researcher in synthetic and engineering biology, Jason will be the Founding Director of the GBI at EIT and a Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at the University of Oxford’s Department of Chemistry.
Oxford’s GBI aims to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges by advancing the ability to engineer biology, unlocking new possibilities in healthcare, sustainable agriculture, and climate change mitigation. With a team of over 300 researchers, the institute will develop technologies to design and program biological systems.
The GBI will be housed in a state-of-the-art facility in The Oxford Science Park, adjacent to EIT’s Oxford campus. The institute will collaborate with Oxford’s academic community, including the University’s strategic initiatives in AI, genomics, and synthetic biology.
President of Magdalen Dinah Rose KC said, “Magdalen is delighted to welcome Jason. The new Institute of Generative Biology is a truly exciting opportunity for Oxford, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
Jason is joining us from Cambridge, where he is a Programme Leader at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Head of the Centre for Chemical and Synthetic Biology, and previous joint Head of the Division of Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry. He is also a Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and a Professorial Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
Jason is also a non-executive director at the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology. His research has led to several major advances in engineering biology, including the synthesis of a 4-million-base-pair bacterial genome with a novel genetic code. His early work helped drive the success of Ambrx, a company later acquired by Johnson & Johnson for $2 billion. His latest innovations are being realised through Constructive Bio Ltd, where he is Founder, Director, and Chief Scientific Officer. Constructive Bio transforms living cells into programmable factories for sustainable pharmaceutical and materials production.
Jason said, “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Magdalen community. I look forward to engaging with, learning from, and being inspired by all the amazing people at Magdalen”.
Jason brings a wealth of expertise and we are thrilled to welcome him to Magdalen’s community. We look forward to the work that will emerge from the GBI under his leadership.