Spotlight on Dr Chris Taylorson

What is your role and what does it involve?

I have just gone down to 0.5FTE to act as carer for my father in law who suffers from dementia. I am now concentrating on my teaching duties and as Molecular Biosciences Degree Programme Tutor.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

I am in my 44th year at UCL and I have been many, many things whilst here. Class laboratory technician, research technician, PhD student (part time), research fellow, senior lecturer, admissions tutor, degree programme tutor, outreach and admissions lead for the Faculty of Life Sciences.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

During my research career I was involved in setting up and running the very first biotechnology start-up at UCL, London Biotechnology, way back in 1983.  This work developed a rapid and sensitive diagnostic system based on enzyme amplification cascades and the technology licensed and used on half of the worlds diagnostic hospital analysers to measure Thyroid stimulating hormone levels and prostate specific antigen. The royalties from this technology paid for my other research into cancer therapies.  Teaching, which is of course of equal importance, has been a massively enjoyable part of my life at UCL and I am proud of all the students who have gone on to achieve great things and hope I have played a small part in their development.

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list?

At present the team I am part of in Structural and Molecular Biology are working to improve the student experience and make our department feel like the family that it is.

What is your favourite album, film and novel?

Album: Forever Changes by Love
Film: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Book: American Prometheus, biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?

The funniest ones are always a little risqué.  But having a ridiculous sense of humour helps in teaching I believe.

Here's an old one from my school days:  A man is walking down the road with a banana in his ear. Man walks up to him and says "Oi mate you've got a banana in your ear" to which he replies, "Sorry mate I can't hear you, I've got a banana in my ear" (see what I mean).

Who would be your dream dinner guests?

Sir David Attenborough, Maud Menten and Robert Oppenheimer

What advice would you give your younger self?

Spend more time with the ones you love when you are young, you have to strike the right work-life balance.

What would it surprise people to know about you?

My wife and I have bred championship winning Irish Wolfhounds for thirty years, two of which were best of breed at Crufts, I am also a life-long supporter of the mighty Leicester City Football Club.

What is your favourite place?

In college:  The Cruciform 1.01 teaching laboratory. Formerly the childrens ward and surrounded by wonderful tiled murals of nursey rhymes. Unbelievable natural lighting and full of youngsters enthusiastic about science.

At home: On my patio, sitting under my Olive tree with a good glass of Claret.