I'm a science journalist specialising in the physical sciences. My day job is assistant news editor at Nature, but I have also spent time as a freelance journalist, and on staff as a reporter, also with Nature for several years. My writing career started at the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine Chemistry World where I was a features editor and reporter. I've got a BSc from Imperial College London, and a PhD from Cambridge University, both in chemistry.
I'm science writer in residence in the school of chemistry at the University of Leeds.
You can read an interview with me here A full list of all my Nature articles is here
I split my time between the UK and France.
Longer articles
Toxic shockers: Key chemicals to look out for Pretty much everything in the modern world comes with a hidden cocktail of chemical extras. Get the facts on what to worry about New Scientist 26th November 2014 (subscripion required)
The future's flat: the wondrous world of 2D materials Graphene started it all, but even as we try to exploit its distinctive properties, a host of new materials just atoms thick are already in the works. New Scientist 27th October 2014 (subscription required)
Nano magic: The power of powder to save energy Can adding a special ingredient to coolants slash fuel bills and stir up an energy revolution? New Scientist 4th July 2013 (subscription required) Matters of substance What is the universe really made of? Katharine Sanderson contemplates dark matter, dark energy and the nature of everything. Cambridge Alumni Magazine July 2013 (page 20)
Press P to print The use of 3D printers to create lab equipment, deliver reagents and even build biomaterials is on the rise. Katharine Sanderson installs drivers and prints away. Chemistry World, 25th June 2013
Science's spiritual side Some view science and religion as mutually exclusive. Most feel there is some conflict between them. But this has not always been the case. Chemistry World, 6th February 2013 (subs required, pdf here)
The race to stop a global killer A deadly fungus sweeping the world is behind the mass death of hundreds of amphibian species. Researchers in Europe have teamed up to work out how to stop it – can they succeed? BBC Future 21st November 2012 (Not available in the UK, for non-UK IP addresses tryhere)
3D printing: the desktop drugstore Printers that create artificial limbs, cheap drugs and replacement organs could radically change medicine in poorer countries. But can this technology deliver? BBC Future 26th September 2012 (Not available in the UK, for non-UK IP addresses try here)
Vaccination: A durable design Vaccines against cervical-cancer causing strains of HPV are good, but could be a lot better. Here's a look at how work is progressing. Nature Outlook: Human papillomavirus 30th August 2012
Thanks to chemistry: A sweet invention A look at human insulin's legacy - which reaches far beyond treating diabetes, and revolutionised the biotech industry Thanks to Chemistry project - The Chemical Heritage Foundation January 2012
The life factory Does biology have the monopoly on evolution? (subscription required) New Scientist 1st Feb 2011
It's not easy being green A look at the prospects for revamping chemistry as a sustainable enterprise Nature 5th Jan 2011
Chemistry for the climate Chemists claim that by mimicking photosynthesis in the lab, they could revolutionize fuel production within five years Nature Reports Climate Change 18th September 2008
Cooked to perfection Heston Blumenthal, chef-proprietor of the Fat Duck restaurant, uses chemistry to create unusual dishes. Katharine Sanderson talks to him. Chemistry World May 2005
Latest news
. 3D printing: the future of manufacturing medicine? As the pharmaceutical industry shifts from mass manufacture towards personalised medicine, 3D printing could become part of the drug production line. Pharmaceutical Journal 2nd June 2015 March of the synthesis machines What impact will automated chemical synthesis have for medicinal chemists? Nature reviews drug discovery 30th April 2015 (£) Clinical trials and tribulations A shake-up of the way clinical trials are conducted is on the horizon, with the aim of improving access to medicines. Pharmaceutical Journal 23rd April 2015. Budget restrictions bite for Europe's space mission hopefuls Plans to capture an asteroid and travel to other planets are culled from European Space Agency shortlist. Nature 30th March 2015 Complex molecules made to order in synthesis machine Automated clipping together of modular building blocks shows promise for drug discovery. Nature 12th March 2015 Eels use electricity to remote control prey movements The ability of electric eels to shock their prey with a 600-volt blast is well known, but exactly how the fish orchestrate their attacks has remained a question as murky as the waters they hunt in. New Scientist 4th December 2014 Photons double up to make the invisible visible People have infrared vision — and it could be the result of pairs of photons combining their energies to appear as one 'visible' photon. Nature 1st December 2014. Ephemeral superheavy atoms coaxed into exotic molecules If you were ever to get excited about a chemical reaction, now might be the time. An international team has managed to make a chemical compound containing the superheavy element seaborgium. Nature blog 19th September 2014 Water-splitter could help make fuel on Mars A cunning way to split water into oxygen and hydrogen in two distinct steps could be a boon to both astronauts and future Earthlings. New Scientist, 11th September 2014 Natural products offer new hope for the honeybee Small molecules help explain how a devastating bee-killing bacteria works. Chemical and Engineering News, August 6th 2014 Building a nanorobot How can nanotechnology help battle disease? Guardian nanomedicine supplement, 29th March 2014 Irreversible kinase inhibitors gain traction The approval of Boehringer Ingelheim's anticancer drug afatinib highlights the growing enthusiasm for once-shunned irreversible kinase inhibitors. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 30th August 2013 Nanotech's Sunday best Amidst fears of nanobots crawling under our skin, or "grey goo" infiltrating our world, there are some areas where consumers are happily embracing nanotechnology Guardian (Nanofutures website) 20th August 2013 Big ambition for nanotechnology Could nanotubes be the next big thing for detecting disease early? One high school student in the US hopes so. Guardian (Nanofutures website) 26th July 2013 Straight talk with...Doris Meder and Geert Van Minnebruggen Q&A with the directors of an ambitious Europe-wide project to democratise access to large-scale life-sciences facilities. Nature Medicine 8th July 2013 Putting nanotechnology regulation under the microscope An international survey suggests current regulations are sufficient to ensure products containing nanotechnology are safe – but should more be done? Guardian (Nanofutures website) 25th June 2013 Mapping the mind with nanotechnology The Brain Initiative is combining neuroscience with nanotechnology in the world's biggest project to understand the mind. Guardian (Nanofutures website) 30th May 2013 Turning point: Lucy Collinson A microbiologist changes career paths and learns the nuances of microscopy and management Nature 1st May 2013 Nanotechnology: the world's smallest meal Can the food industry avoid the mistakes of GM and put nanoketchup on the UK's menu? Guardian (Nanofutures website), 27th April 2013 What you need to know about nano-food The big questions around small food. Guardian (Future of food supplement), 27th April 2013 DNA folding takes a fresh direction Interlocking grids guide the production of two- and three-dimensional structures. Nature 22nd March 2013 Stealth nanoparticles sneak past immune system’s defences Artificial protein fragment could enable nanobeads to deliver drugs where they're needed. Nature 21st February 2013 Charity's hiring woe highlights lack of tech know-how in NGO community UK-based charity's struggle to recruit a technology policy advisor highlights a dearth of interest in technology among Western NGOs and funding agencies, insiders say. SciDev.Net 13th February 2013 Explosive power makes silicone robot jump Kaboom! Controlled explosions in the legs of this silicone 'soft robot' make it leap higher than 30 times its own height. Nature 8th February 2013 (more video here) Diamond defects shrink MRI to the nanoscale Technique could be sensitive enough to detect structure of a single protein. Nature 31st January 2013 Bloggers put chemical reactions through the replication mill Online project seeks crowd-sourced help to reproduce chemists' published results. Nature 21st January 2013 Nanomachine mimics nature's protein factory An tiny machine that can build short peptides, much like the ribosome, has been made. New Scientist 10th January 2013 Earthworms roped into making quantum dots Is it time chemists abandoned their white coats in favour of trowels? Ordinary earthworms can put together substances with unusual light-emitting properties. New Scientist 2nd January 2013 (subs reqd) Fast DNA origami opens way for nanoscale machines Molecules can now be folded into shapes in minutes, not days. Nature 13th December 2012 Sprinkled nanocubes hold light tight Device based on scattered silver cubes could scale up light absorption for solar power Nature 5th December 2012 Revolution's aftershocks still rattling Egyptian universities Fight for campus access symptomatic of larger problems facing scientific research. Nature 22nd November 2012 Bid to curb fried-food chemical goes cold Acrylamide levels still too high in Europe’s food, says report. Nature 30th October 2012 How to boil water without bubbles Coating helps hot metal hang onto protective vapour layer that prevents explosive boiling Nature 12th September 2012 Super-stretchy jelly can take a hit Mix-and-match hydrogel is most resilient yet (video) Nature 5th September 2012 The secret to a clean beach? Dogs that harass gulls Water quality rises after dogs chase gulls from a Lake Michigan beach C&EN 31st August 2012 In-law infighting boosted evolution of menopause Conflict between generations of unrelated childbearing women affects offspring survival Nature 23rd August 2012 Amino acid provides shortcut to drugs Organocatalyst halves synthesis of prostaglandin family Nature 15th August 2012 Stinky rocks hide Earth's only haven for natural fluorine Chemists settle centuries-old debate about what causes 'fetid fluoride' to smell Nature 11th July 2012 Turning point: Rachel O'Reilly Polymer chemist describes her path to independence Nature Jobs, 6th June Trade rules must be tightened to halt frog-killing fungus Q&A with Mark Auliya on policy efforts that might protect amphibians from fatal disease Nature 1st June 2012 The glass is already half full for nano-based water treatments How nanotechnology can help give us all a clean glass of water to drink Guardian (nanotechnology world website) 22nd May 2012 Plastic Logic exits e-reader market Young company changes strategy to stay competitive Nature 21st May 2012 Universities clash by the Nile Two Egyptian academic institutions claim rights to the same buildings. Nature 1st May 2012 Make your own drugs with a 3D printer Print out the tubes and flasks needed then print in chemical inks. A technology that could change the way chemists work. New Scientist 17th April 2012 (subs required) Rat helps pinpoint pain model Random screen of metabolites could open up new routes to drug targets Nature 22nd January 2012 Russian Mars moon probe crashes down Following the last moments of the doomed Phobos-Grunt spacecraft Nature 16th January 2012 Mining molecular gastronomy Theoretical physics spots that East Asian cuisine doesn't match flavours like Western cuisine Nature 15th December 2011 Simulated Mars mission 'returns' to Earth Mars 500 experiment ends, but how real was it? Nature 4th November 2011 Artificial cells made to reproduce thanks to DNA Fake cells with life-like characteristics come a step closer to reality New Scientist 15th Sept 2011 Life-like cells are made of metal More news about the possibility of non-carbon based evolving life New Scientist 14th Sept 2011 Chemistry resurrected at London university Q&A with the man responsible for the decision Nature 7th Sept 2011 King's brings back chemistry Exclusive news that once-defunct department to be resurrected Nature news blog 1st Sept 2011 Time for a power walk Deformed droplets offer step-by-step way to charge up personal electronics Nature 23rd Aug 2011 Pollutants' role in birth defects becomes clearer Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons linked to neural tube defects Nature 18th July 2011 Martyn Poliakoff Q&A Green chemist and video star Martyn Poliakoff talks about his new role as foreign secretary to the Royal Society SciDev.Net 8th July 2011 Calcified clue to ancient photosynthesis Microbial mat gives new clues to photosynthetic past Nature 6th July 2011 Nile University in peril Egypt's new science city leaves future of not-for-profit research university unclear Nature 29th June 2011 Mars mission arrives in 'orbit' What's it like to be isolated for almost two years in a capsule as if you were on your way to the red planet? Nature 9th Feb 2011
