Professor Steven Ley is an Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Trinity College, having served as the 1702 Professor of Chemistry for 21 years and is a Fellow of the Royal Society. His research focuses on synthetic methodologies, natural product synthesis and flow chemistry, leading to the establishment of four spin-out companies and the publication of over 900 papers. He has received numerous awards, including the Royal Medal and the 2018 Arthur C. Cope Award.

Synthesis involves the design and assembly of functional molecules, and is continually evolving towards more sustainable methods. Our research focuses on improving synthesis procedures through new reagents and bond-forming processes, with a broad range of projects reflected in over 900 publications.

Natural product synthesis serves as an excellent training ground for those interested in organic synthesis, pushing the boundaries of molecule assembly and chemical reactivity. With a rich history of innovation, natural product synthesis continues to inspire the development of new drugs and enhances our understanding of molecular functions, facilitating advances in our understanding of complex systems.

We have focused on developing methods and tools to improve the synthesis process, particularly through machine-assisted molecular assembly. Over the past thirty years, this approach has enabled us to pioneer continuous processing methods and flow chemistry, resulting in a significant shift towards more sustainable and efficient compound production.

There have been over 400 students and postdoctoral associates trained and worked in the Ley Group 1978, when Steve took on his first PhD students at Imperial College, London