Athene Donald

I have been at the Cavendish since 1983, and became a professor in 1998. My activity sits within the sector of Biological and Soft Systems, and focusses on using the ideas of soft matter physics to study a wide range of systems of both synthetic and biological origin. There is an emphasis on using different types of microscopy, but these are by no means the only approaches used. Other techniques used include passive microrheological techniques for the study of a range of complex fluids, including the inside of cells; we are exploring cell adhesion, mitosis and spreading using optical approaches (including the effect of external physical cues such as topographical patterns); and we have a substantial effort directed at protein aggregation at intermediate lengthscales, predominantly using model protein systems including beta lactoglobulin and insulin but extending to A beta. The unifying theme is understanding structure-function-processing relationships. My group comes from a diverse range of backgrounds, as does my funding.

Since October 2014 I have been Master of Churchill College.

From 2010-14 I was the University of Cambridge's Gender Equality Champion. I am a member of Royal Society Council. I was the founding chair of the Institute of Physics Biological Physics Group (2006-10) and am Project Director of the IOP's Teaching Biological Physics project. I am a Trustee of the Science Museum Group ; a member of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council; and a memberof the Vitae External Advisory Board. I write occasionally for the Guardian Science Blogs at Occam's Typewriter