Dr Chris Rider gained his B Sc followed by a Ph D from the Department of Biochemistry at Sheffield University in the UK, where he continued as a Medical Research Council funded researcher, also being appointed an Honorary Lecturer. He then moved to what was to become the School of Biological at Royal Holloway University of London, eventually becoming Reader in Matrix Biology. Here he supervised externally-funded biochemical research on topics encompassing neuroscience, the immune system, plant molecular biology, HIV and growth factors. During this time he also spent a 12 month sabbatical research period as Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA. Following his retirement from full-time employment he remains a Visiting Lecturer at Royal Holloway.  During his career he has published more than 40 peer-reviewed research papers, and co-authored 2 scientific reviews, and written two academic book chapters.

He has just published a new book entitled ‘ A Brief History of Genetics’ which seeks to explain to a lay readership how this powerful science emerged, and how it impacts on our daily lives.