Dr. Ryan McNamee

M.Sc., Queen's University Belfast, 2018

Ph.D, University of Oxford, 2023

Ryan was born and raised in the north of Ireland, where the hills are emerald green, and the sky is grey as far as see. He wanted to move away from home for his undergraduate studies – but not too far away as to miss the Sunday roast. During his 5 years in Belfast, Ryan fell in love with chemistry and undertook a year’s placement at GSK, working on severe asthma treatments. During his year out, he discovered that Oxford offered scholarships to work in different labs before committing to a specific group, which won him over as this was a fantastic way to experience a wide diversity of research. At Oxford, Ryan pursued his interest in strained ring systems within the laboratory of Professor Edward Anderson and developed several innovative methods for functionalizing strain-release reagents. Feeling the call for a new challenge, Ryan made a significant career move into biology when he joined the MacMillan lab as a postdoctoral researcher. Outside the laboratory, he finds solace and enjoyment in running, hiking, camping, culinary adventures, and travelling alongside his wife and friends.

Fun Facts

• At 16, Ryan failed school and wanted to become a tradesman. His mother was not having it and made him go back to the school and convince the headmaster to let him back in. It worked – on the condition that he took the undersubscribed subjects: chemistry, biology and ICT.
• He spent most of his summer childhood on the west coast of Ireland and dreams of owning a little caravan there one day.
• Ryan invited his parents to his graduation but surprised them with his wedding.