Tim Dafforn

Tim Dafforn FIET
Tim Dafforn
Born	Timothy Richard Dafforn [1] London, United Kingdom
Education	Great Torrington School
Alma mater	University of Cardiff (BSc) University of Bristol (PhD)
Scientific career
Fields	Biophysical chemistry
Doctoral advisor	Professor John J. Holbrook

Timothy Richard Dafforn FIET is a British biophysical chemist and biotechnologist. He is a Professor at the University of Birmingham in the UK and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence. ^[2]

Early life and education

Dafforn was born in London and raised in North Devon. He attended Great Torrington School and North Devon College (now Petroc College) before studying for Bachelor of Science honours degree in Biochemistry at Cardiff University (1989-92). ^[3] He carried out his doctoral studies in the Department of Biochemistry at Bristol University. There he studied protein engineering under the supervision of John J. Holbrook, completing his Ph.D. in 1997. ^[4]

Academic career

Dafforn moved to the Department of Haematology at the University of Cambridge to work with Professor Robin Carrell FRS, studying the role of protease inhibitors including Serpins in blood clotting and immunity regulation. ^{[5] [6]} He later moved to work with Professor David Lomas where he successfully defined the polymerisation mechanism for α-1-antitrypsin, a process that underpins the mechanism of forms emphysema. ^[7] He later moved to the University of Manchester to take on a Medical Research Council Fellowship to study the mechanism of the collagen chaperone, Hsp47. ^[8]

In 2003, Dafforn joined the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham, where he became Professor of Biotechnology. His laboratory has contributed to major advances in the study of membrane proteins, particularly the development and application of styrene–maleic acid lipid particles (SMALPs)—polymer-based tools that allow membrane proteins to be extracted and studied in native-like environments. He has published widely across biophysics, synthetic biology, engineering biology, and translational biotechnology, and has supervised numerous doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. ^[4]

Impact and policy

Dafforn has notably exploited his work in science for wider impact. His interests in Synthetic/Engineering Biology led him in 2015 to take on the role of Chief Scientific Adviser at the UK Government Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) where he developed policy the ensure entrepreneurship was taught in UK Universities ^{[9] [10]} . He then took on a role in 2017 as Chief Entrepreneurial Advisor at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) where he developed policy to support Entrepreneurial Culture in the UK. ^[11] In 2025 Dafforn became Chief Scientific Adviser at the Ministry of Defence. ^[12]

References

1. "BIS appoints Professor Dafforn as Chief Scientific Adviser". GOV.UK.
2. "Professor Tim Dafforn". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
3. "Professor Timothy Dafforn" . Retrieved 2025-12-23.
4. "Professor Tim Dafforn". University of Birmingham. Archived from the original on 2025-04-19. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
5. Belzar, K. J.; Dafforn, T. R.; Petitou, M.; Carrell, R. W.; Huntington, J. A. (2000-03-24). "The effect of a reducing-end extension on pentasaccharide binding by antithrombin". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 275 (12): 8733–8741. doi: 10.1074/jbc.275.12.8733 . ISSN   0021-9258. PMID   10722716.
6. Skinner, Richard; Chang, Wun-Shaing W; Jin, Lei; Pei, Xue; Huntington, James A; Abrahams, Jan-Pieter; Carrell, Robin W; Lomas, David A (1998-10-16). "Implications for function and therapy of a 2.9 å structure of binary-complexed antithrombin1". Journal of Molecular Biology. 283 (1): 9–14. doi:10.1006/jmbi.1998.2083. hdl:1887/3620659. ISSN   0022-2836. PMID   9761669.
7. Elliott, Peter R.; Pei, Xue Y.; Dafforn, Timothy R.; Lomas, David A. (2000). "Topography of a 2.0 Å structure of α1-antitrypsin reveals targets for rational drug design to prevent conformational disease". Protein Science. 9 (7): 1274–1281. doi:10.1110/ps.9.7.1274. ISSN   1469-896X. PMC   2144685 . PMID   10933492.
8. Dafforn, T. R.; Della, M.; Miller, A. D. (2001-12-28). "The molecular interactions of heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47) and their implications for collagen biosynthesis". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 276 (52): 49310–49319. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M108896200 . ISSN   0021-9258. PMID   11592970.
9. CST letter. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80a475e5274a2e8ab51538/Improving_entrepreneurship_education_-_cst_letter_-_more_accessible.pdf.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
10. "Tim Dafforn is Appointed BIS's Chief Scientific Adviser". www.synbiobeta.com. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
11. "Board of Trustees biographies 2022-2023". www.theiet.org. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
12. "Professor Tim Dafforn to become new MOD Chief Scientific Adviser - University of Birmingham". www.birmingham.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2025-07-18. Retrieved 2025-12-23.