Richard Timms - Behind the Lab Coat

Where are you from and where did you complete your education?

I grew up and went to school in rural Somerset (near the site of the Glastonbury Festival). For my undergrad I studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge and then stayed in Cambridge to do a PhD at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. I then moved to Boston in 2016 for a post-doc and returned to start my lab at CITIID in 2021.

What does your lab do, and what aspect of your research are you most excited about right now?

We study the ubiquitin-proteasome system; there are at least 600 E3 ubiquitin ligases encoded in the human genome, but for a significant proportion of these we don’t know what their substrates are and for very few do we have a molecular understanding of how they select their substrates. Elucidating the function of all the poorly-characterised E3 ligases could unlock so much interesting new biology.

At the moment I’m particularly excited about discovering novel conditional protein degradation pathways, where the activity of an E3 ubiquitin ligase can be switched on or off. These pathways may be particularly important for governing immune cell activation and the response to infection. 

Describe yourself in three words?

Inquisitive, measured, impatient

Do you have a hidden talent?

Hopefully, but time is probably running out to uncover it!

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

I don’t always succeed but I try hard to focus on the positive traits in people.

What inspired you to pursue a career in science?

My background is atypical as growing up I wanted to be a professional cricketer, and so it wasn’t until my early twenties that I considered alternative career paths. Biology was a natural choice for me to study at university as it was the subject I performed best in at school, but it wasn’t until I got in the lab for the first time that I realised that I would be well-suited to research. I’m quite envious of other scientists who recall an inspirational moment playing with a microscope or similar as a young child, but for me it wasn’t like that at all.

Who was the most influential person that taught you as an undergraduate?

Nobody as such, but I do remember final year lectures from Prof. Austin Smith, now at the University of Exeter. He got me interested in stem cells and cancer, but looking back maybe I had a lucky escape from a field which might not have suited me.

What advice would you give to aspiring scientists?

People not projects. I find young scientists are often convinced that they want to focus on a particular project, but projects have a nasty habit of failing – it’s very typical for the project you start out on for your PhD not to be the project you write your thesis on. Obviously you do have to be excited about the specific field, but if you can find the right environment then when your first project fails you’ll have the right people around you to help you come up with better ideas.

Now what about your most embarrassing moment?

Oh there have been many. An early one that sticks with me is as a 15-year old having to attend a large formal dinner wearing a tiny pair of trousers that didn’t come close to reaching my socks. We were away at a cricket festival and I had mistakenly packed some grey trousers from my old primary school uniform….my teammates were not sympathetic!

What’s the most interesting place you’ve visited?

I am extremely fortunate to have been to lots of places. The ones I find most interesting are those where everyday life is radically different; India for example is a fascinating place.

Where is your favourite place in Cambridge?

Fenner's Cricket Ground, which is tucked away behind Hughes Hall. I have many fond memories from when I used to play there.

If you could time travel, where and when would you go?

I’d like to go 15-20 years into the future. I’d be fascinated to get a glimpse of the extent to which emerging AI technologies will reshape the world.

Finally, what is your favourite immune cell?

Honestly, ALL of them! I have a 15-month-old son, so I’m very grateful to have every one of them working at full capacity when I get a cough or sneeze direct to the face!