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Ruben Tomás is a Research Fellow joint with The ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ and Cryologyx, an early-stage biotechnology company based in Coventry, UK. Ruben focuses on the development of next-generation cryoprotectants to expand the storage and transportation of cell-based products used in drug discovery and diagnostics.

Ruben completed his PhD in the Gibson group focusing on "Metabolic Oligosaccharide Engineering for Glycocalyx Remodelling with Synthetic Polymers", under the supervision of Professor Matthew Gibson (supervisor; Department of Chemistry and Warwick Medical School) and Dr Daniel Mitchell (co-supervisor; Warwick Medical School). Glycocalyx engineering through metabolic labelling, a technique pioneered by Carolyn Bertozzi, allows the installation of azide groups onto the cell surface through the use of unnatural azide modified sugars to hijack the promiscuous biosynthetic pathway of endogenous glycans. Subsequent biorthogonal installation of synthetic polymers conjugated to biomolecules, drugs or fluorescent dyes allows non-native functionality to be introduced, probing biological processes and enhancing cell-based therapies. The use of cell and molecular biology techniques have been utilised to determine the biocompatibility and efficiency of such approaches (; ).

Fig. 1. Cell surface modification with azido sugars and bioorthogonal small molecule probes.

We also focus on improving the cryopreservation formulations of cells, with recent efforts targetted towards improving the cryopreservation of stem cells using polymer derivatives of natural antifreeze proteins, whilst retaining their pluripotent status.

Academic Background

PhD in Analytical Science at The ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ (2017-2021)

Passed!

MSc in Molecular Analytical Science at The ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ (2016-2017)

Graduated with Pass with Distinction.

Activities and Societies: Student Staff Liason Officer for Molecular Analytical Science at The ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ (2017). Outreach Officer for The ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ's Chemistry Society (2017). STEM ambassador for The Royal Society of Chemistry (2017-onwards).

BSc (Hons) in Forensic Science at Nottingham Trent University (2013-2016)

Graduated with First Class Honours.

Activities and Societies: Course Representative for Forensic Science at Nottingham Trent University (2014). Student member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (2013-2016).

Previous Research

July 2017 - September 2017

Electrochemical sensing directly in bodily fluids – a move towards point of care and in vivo analysis

Supervised by Professor Julie Macpherson (Warwick Electrochemistry and Interfaces Group, Department of Chemistry) and Dr Tony Bristow (Astra Zeneca, Industry Supervisor).

April 2017 - July 2017

Conquering poor resolution in fast magic angle spinning solid-state NMR spectra of noncrystallisable protein assemblies.

Supervised by Dr Józef Lewandowski (The ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ's Solid State NMR Group, Department of Chemistry) and Dr Peter Gierth (Bruker, Industry Supervisor).

Jan 2016 - April 2016

Dye-Doped Silica Nanoparticles and Microparticles for Fingermark Enhancement.

Supervised by Dr Muriel Funck (School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University).

Nottingham Trent University, Summer Placement

July 2015 - September 2015

Synthesis of Novel Antimalarial Compounds derived from the Codinaeopsin Scaffold.

Supervised by Dr Liam Duffy (School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University).

Publications

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Notable features: Invited Viewpoint for 100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science, , Top Most Accessed Paper Jun-Nov 2020, 3rd Most Accessed Paper 2020-21, .

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Notable features: Warwick Press Release, , , , , , Under Technology, , , .

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Notable features: , , , Top Most Accessed Paper June 2019

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Notable features: Most access Nov/Dec 2018

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Notable features: Warwick press release, Highlighted a 'hot' paper.

Awards

07/20 Talk prize winner at MAS CDT annual conference.

06/20 ACS Macro Letters cover page feature.

06/20 ACS Editors’ Choice.

06/20 Chemical Biology Warwick Postgraduate Symposium Presentation Prize

07/19 ACS Editors’ Choice.

07/19 Biomacromolecules cover page feature.

06/19 Talk prize winner at MAS CDT annual conference.

09/18 - 09/19 ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ Chair of student staff liason committee.

06/18 Poster prize winner at MAS CDT annual conference.

09/17- 09/18 MAS CDT Secretary of student staff liason committee.

05/17 Poster prize winner at MAS CDT annual conference.

09/16 MAS scholarship awarded by the Engineering & Physical Science Research Council.

07/16 Winner of the Trent Institute for Learning and Teaching Research in Undergraduate Studies in the School of Science and Technology 15/16 for the best research project

09/13 - 07/16 NTU Undergraduate Studies Scholarship

Conferences Presentations

07/20 MAS CDT annual conference, Virtual, UK (Oral)

06/20 Macro Group YRM, Virtual, UK (Oral)

06/20 Warwick Chemistry Postgraduate Symposium, Coventry, UK (Oral)

01/20 4th Chemical Ligation Meeting, Le Studium, Orleáns, France (Poster & Oral)

06/19 MAS CDT annual conference, Somerset, UK (Poster & Oral)

05/19 Warwick Postgraduate Symposium, ÉñÂí¸£ÀûӰƬ, UK (Poster)

07/19 MAS CDT annual conference, Bakewell, UK (Poster & Oral)

Contact Information

Email: R.Tomas@warwick.ac.uk

Linkedin:

Orcid ID:

MOAC Department, Top floor Senate House, Universty of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL.

MAS 2016