Professor Klaas Wynne
- Chair in Chemical Physics (School of Chemistry)
email:
Klaas.Wynne@glasgow.ac.uk
A4.11b, School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building
Biography
Prof. Klaas Wynne FRSE FRSC FInstP is chair of Chemical Physics in the School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow since 2010 and previously was a professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Strathclyde. He has been an Associate Editor with the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) from 2017 to 2020. He is the recipient of an ERC Advanced grant (2019-2026) and the RSC Chemical Dynamics Award for outstanding contributions to time-resolved spectroscopy (2018).
Klaas has had a keen interest in science from the age of about 8, when his mother signed him up with the “Gea Pioneers” a club for amateur geologists. His interest evolved over the years from geophysics to astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and microscopy. He did his MSci (1987) and PhD (1990) in chemistry at the University of Amsterdam under the tutelage of Prof Joop van Voorst applying picosecond lasers to highly nonlinear phenomena such as the infamous Raman photon echo. In 1991, he was awarded a NATO research fellowship to work with Robin Hochstrasser at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA. He stayed as a postdoc in Robin’s group for five years, applying femtosecond spectroscopy on a wide range of topics including coherence in photochemical reactions, ultrafast biological electron transfer and isomerisation, and coherence in degenerate quantum systems. In 1996, he took up a lectureship position in the Department of Physics at the University of Strathclyde.
Research interests
See Ultrafast/slow Chemical Physics group
He is interested in the structure and dynamics of liquids and solutions. He studies peptides, proteins, and other biomolecules treating them as amorphous blobs behaving much like gels. He is especially interested in phase behaviour such as supercooling, nucleation of crystals from solution, and liquid-liquid and liquid-crystalline transitions. The experimental techniques applied cover 18-orders of magnitude of dynamic range: from the femtosecond motion of molecules (using ultrafast and terahertz spectroscopies) to the hour-long timescale of some phase transitions (using various forms of microscopy, calorimetry, rheology, x-ray diffraction, etc.). His most recent interests involve the role of amorphous intermediates in solutions, amorphous drugs, and their evolution on timescales as long as months.
Grants
- 2025, STFC CY41882, Novel phase transition of titanium alkoxides, 45k, Wynne
- 2023, STFC SM34989, Small angle scattering & Diffraction (9 shifts beamtime on DLS I22), 45k, Wynne
- 2022, STFC SM31565, Characterisation of amorphous matter (2 shifts beamtime on DLS I22), 15k, Wynne
- 2021-2025, Gates Foundation, Advancing infrared and AI-based techniques for real time mosquito age-grading and evaluation of malaria vector control interventions in Africa, 2824k, Okumu, at UofG: Baldini (.4), Babayan (.3), Wynne (.1), Ferguson (.1), González-Jiménez (.1) $3,806,071 ($1,200,000 to UoG)
- 2021, STFC SM28529, Characterisation of locally favoured structures from the glass into the liquid (2 shifts beamtime on DLS I22), 15k, Wynne, McMillan, Wilding
- 2020, STFC SM27885, Structure factor TBOS for comparison to MD (rapid access for one sample), 0k, Wynne, McMillan, Wilding
- 2019-2024, ERC Advanced Grant 832703, Laser control over crystal nucleation – CONTROL, 2872k, Wynne
- 2019-2022, Leverhulme RPG-2018-350, Delocalised phonon-like modes in organic and bio-molecules, 341k, Wynne, Lapthorn, Senn
- 2018-2019, STFC SM20351, The liquid-liquid transition in triphenyl phosphite (9 shifts beamtime on DLS B22), 45k, Wynne
- 2017-2019, MRC MR/P025501/1, Development of a new tool for malaria mosquito surveillance to improve vector control, 664k, Ferguson, Wynne, Ranson, Okumu
- 2016-2019, EPSRC EP/N007417/1, Mapping and controlling nucleation, 562k, Wynne, France
- 2016, STFC SM14699, Frustration of crystallisation by a liquid–crystalline phase (9 shifts beamtime on DLS I22), 45k, Wynne
- 2015-2016, EPSRC EP/N508792/1, A Dynamic Perspective on Biomolecular Function and Reactivity, 14k, Wynne, Lapthorn, Smith, Hunt, Fedorov
- 2015, STFC SM11285, Liquid crystalline states frustrating crystallisation (2 shifts beamtime on DLS I22), 15k, Wynne
- 2013-2016, EPSRC EP/K034995/1, Solvation dynamics and structure around proteins and peptides: collective network motions or weak interactions, 546k, Wynne, Lapthorn, Kelly
- 2012-2013, UKIERI, Proposal for holding joint Symposia on ‘Structure and Dynamics’ between Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India and University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, 15k, 16k, Ganesh, Wynne
- 2012-2015, EPSRC EP/J00975X/1
- EP/J009733/1, The structure and dynamics of water confined in nanoscale pools: the dynamic crossover, 523k, Wynne, Hunt
- 2011-2012, EPSRC , Bridging the Gap-EPSRC: Ultrafast chemical physics equipment sharing, 27k, Wynne, Murray, Senn
- 2012-2015, EPSRC EP/J004790, EP/J004812, EP/J014478, Liquid–liquid transitions in molecular liquids: from supramolecular structure to phase separation, 664k, Wynne, Sefcik
- 2013, RSC, Faraday Discussion Meeting ‘Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions’, K. Wynne, A. Soper (RAL), A. Angel (Arizona State U.), K. Seddon (Queen’s U.), S. Meech (UEA), H.E. Stanley (Boston U.)
- 2010, ISIS 1010269, A liquid-liquid transition in supercooled Gallium (3 days on SANDALS), Wynne, Demmel, Howells, Turton
- 2008-2013, EPSRC EP/F06926X, Two-dimensional terahertz–IR spectroscopy: a unique probe of ultrafast hydrogen-bond dynamics of liquid water and model systems, 691k, Wynne, Karolin, Birch
- 2007-2012, EPSRC EP/E046541, Terahertz spectroscopy of aqueous ionic solutions to understand the role of hydrogen-bond network breaking and strengthening in the Hofmeister series, 562k, Wynne, Hunt
- 2006-2011, EPSRC EP/D062861, Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture, 3118k, Birch, Pickup, Faulds, O’Donnell, Smith, Martin, Wynne, Dawson, Girkin, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2006-2011, SFC, Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture, 1150k, Birch, Pickup, Faulds, O’Donnell, Smith, Martin, Wynne, Dawson, Girkin, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2004-2007, EPSRC GR/S95510, A comparison of the THz-frequency vibrational spectra of (chiral) liquids obtained through ultrafast infrared and Raman spectroscopies, 252k, Wynne
- 2004-2005, Wolfson Foundation, Nanometrology of colloidal particles, 449k, Birch, Wynne, Smith, Graham
- 2004-2009, Leverhulme Trust
- F/00273/E, Surface-enhanced ultrafast Kerr-effect spectroscopy of dynamics in biomolecules, 125k, Wynne, Birch
- 2004-2007, EPSRC GR/S75369, Understanding the structural and dynamic basis of kinetics in biomolecules using novel ultrafast Raman techniques, 330k, Wynne, Birch, Smith, Graham, Karolin
- 2004-2005, SHEFC SRIF, Materials preparation and characterisation equipment, and solid-state ultrafast laser sources (SHEFC, Science Research Investment Fund), 470k, Several investigators including D.J.S. Birch and K. Wynne
- 2003-2006, EPSRC GR/S48110 & GR/S48127, Single Molecule Sensing in Clinical Medicine (EPSRC Adventure Fund), 528k, Birch, Pickup, Smith, Wynne, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2003-2006, EPSRC GR/R97566, Using electromagnetic pulses emitted by ultrafast molecular currents for studying charge-transfer reactions, 211k, Wynne, Jaroszynski
- 2002-2006, EPSRC GR/R88090, Basic technology: Developing laser-plasma accelerators and coherent radiation sources as tools for time-resolved studies, 4270k, Jaroszynski, Burnett, Cairns, Dangor, Gillespie, Wark, Bingham, Poole, Norreys, Wynne, Hooker, Krushelnick, Walmsley
- 1999-2001, EPSRC GR/M75600, Ultrafast electron-energy loss/gain spectroscopy (fs-EELS/EEGS), 78k, Wynne, Jaroszynski
- 1999-2002, SHEFC RDG, X-ray to infrared sources for Strathclyde Terahertz to Optical Pulse Source (TOPS), 570k, Jaroszynski, Phelps, Wynne
- 1999-2003, PRF 34344 - AC6, Chemical reaction control with high-power femtosecond electrical pulses, 40k, Wynne
- 1999-2002, EPSRC GR/M52090, Study of superradiance and short pulse propagation in an underdense plasma, 406k, Jaroszynski, Phelps, Wynne
- 1999-2003, RS A20172, Femtosecond field emitter, 10k, Wynne
- 1999-2002, SHEFC , Strathclyde Synchronised Electron and High Power Ultra-Short Terahertz to Optical Pulse Source (TOPS), 530k, Jaroszynski, Phelps, Wynne
- 1999-2002, EPSRC GR/M39312, The solvent response to chemical reactions, 190k, Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/L91627, T-Ray near-field imaging, 51k, Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/K88002, Temporal and spectral dynamics of phonons in crystals excited using subpicosecond optical pulses, 193k, Han, Wynne
- 1996-1997, Strathclyde, Ultrafast reaction dynamics in proteins, 20k, Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/K88972, Fluorescence dynamics in confined water: application to the structure of silica hydrogels, 198k, Birch, Wynne, £8244k, £15386k
Teaching
- Level 1 – PHYS1011 Science Skills (2025-present)
- Level 1 - Thermodynamics (2012-present).
- Level 3 – Hot Chemistry (2017-present).
- Level 4 - S6p – ‘Dynamics of molecular clusters and fluids’ (2011-present).
- MSci placement talks (2011-present).
Research datasets
Additional information
Recent professional activities
Editorial
- Associate editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) (2017-2020).
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Elsevier journal Chemical Physics (2012-present).
- Member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry (2012-2015).
Panels, committees
- Commission member for the periodic evaluation of the research institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS) evaluating the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences | FZU in Prague (2025).
- Member Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) panel for the SNSF Consolidator Grants call (2022-2024).
- Member of the RSE B2 (Earth Sciences and Chemistry) Sectional Committee (2019-2021).
- Member of the RSC Faraday Division Awards Selection Committee (2018-2020).
Conference organisation
- Co-chair of the international conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy (TRVS), 2023, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Co-organiser of the international conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy (TRVS), 2017, Cambridge, UK.
- Organiser of Faraday Discussion meeting 167 on ‘Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions’ (Bristol, September 2013).
Visitors, postdocs, & students
Postdocs
- Ankita Das, from September 2022 to March 2025.
- Nikita Tukachev (with Hans Senn), October 2020 to December 2022.
- Chris Syme, from 2020-2021.
- Ben Russell, from March 2020.
- Zhiyu Liao, from December 2019.
- Judith Reichenbach, June-August 2017.
- Gopakumar Ramakrishnan, February 2014 – March 2017.
- Mario González-Jiménez, from December 2013.
- Chris Symes, October 2012 – June 2016.
- David A. Turton, August 2004-November 2013.
- Marco Candelaresi, August 2009 – November 2010.
- Kitsakorn Locharoenrat, July 2008 – May 2009
- Neil T. Hunt, November 2004 – October 2006
- Andrew R. Turner, September 2004 – September 2006
- John J. Carey, 2001-2006
- Gerard Giraud, 2002 – 2003
PhD/MRes students
- Laure-Anne Hayes, 2023-present.
- Laure-Anne Hayes, Carnegie Trust Vacation Scholar, summer 2022.
- Sarah Huynen, October 2020-April 2022.
- Mauro Vinicio Pazmino Betancourth, 2019-2022.
- Nina Kinney, MRes by Research, 2019/20.
- Josh Mitton, ‘Robustness, Scalability, and Interpretability Of Equivariant Neural Networks Across Different Low-Dimensional Geometries’, October 2018-September 2022.
- John Boling, October 2017-2021.
- Andrew Farrell, October 2016-present.
- Finlay Walton, ‘Mapping and Controlling Nucleation’, October 2015-2019.
- Judith Reichenbach, ‘Structure and Dynamics in Ionic Liquids and Concentrated Salt Solutions: An Ultrafast Spectroscopy Study’, 2013-2017.
- Joanna Mosses, ‘Phase transitions and mesophases in molecular liquids and solutions: spectroscopic and imaging studies’, 2010-2017.
- Thomas Harwood (effectively taken over from E. Ellis in 2012, University of Strathclyde), ‘The Use of Terahertz Spectroscopy for Biomolecular Analysis’, October 2011-March 2016.
- Marc A. White, October 2010-October 2011.
- Scott Campbell, December 2007-December 2011.
- Johan Lundahl, November 2004 – October 2007.
- Gregor Welsh, ‘Understanding and control of ultrafast currents for terahertz pulse generation’, October 2004 – March 2008.
- Gerard Giraud, ‘The solvent response to chemical reactions’, July 1999 – June 2002.
- John J. Carey, ‘Near-field effects studied with T-Rays’, September 1998 – 2001. Ph.D. December 2002.
- Justyna Zawadzka, ‘Ultrafast Electron-Energy Loss and Gain Spectroscopy (fs-EELS/EEGS)’, September 1998 – 2001. Ph.D. February 2003.
Assistant
- Kathryn Allan (JACS editorial assistant), 2017-2020.
Senior visitors
- Daniel Kuroda, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA, autumn 2022/spring 2023.
- Dr Olof Johansson, University of Edinburgh, visiting researcher, 2013.
- Prof Edward W. Castner Jr., Rutgers University, visiting professor, 2010-2013.
- Prof Robin M. Hochstrasser, Donner Professor of Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania. Visiting professor at Strathclyde January 2006-December 2011.
Current collaborators
- Dr. Jim McCabe (AstraZeneca, Macclesfield) – amorphous drugs.
- Dr. Daniel Kuroda (Louisiana State) – solvent in salt electrolytes.
- Dr. Rebecca Beveridge (Strathclyde) – clustering in solutions.
- Dr. Gabriele Sosso (Warwick), Prof. Paul McMillan and Dr. Martin Wilding (UCL), Prof. Gregor Mali (National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia), Prof. Motohiro Nakano, Prof. Yuji Miyazaki (Osaka University) – properties and simulations of supercooled and vitrified liquids.
- Prof. Heather Ferguson, Dr Francesco Baldini, Dr Simon Babayan, and Dr Lisa Ranford-Cartwright (Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, GU), Prof Richard Hogg and Dr David Childs (School of Engineering, GU), Prof. Roderick Murray-Smith (Computing Science, GU), Prof Hilary Ranson (Dept. of Vector Biology, U. Liverpool), Dr Abdoulaye Diabaté (Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Burkina Faso), Dr Fredros O. Okumu (Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania) – spectroscopy and machine learning of mosquitoes.
Administrative responsibilities
- Class head of CHEM1010 and deputy head of CHEM1001 (2022-present).
- Third-year Physical Chemistry paper setter (2019-present)
- Advisor of Studies (2018-present).
- Principal web publisher of the School of Chemistry (2011-present).
Oral presentations
Conferences
- 10th International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems (10thIDMRCS), July 2025, Barcelona, Spain (invited).
- 12th Liquid Matter Conference, September 2024, Mainz, Germany.
- International Symposium on Industrial Crystallization (joint with Annual Meeting of the British Association of Crystal Growth), September 2023, Glasgow, UK (plenary).
- 9th International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems (9IDMRCS), August 2023, Chiba, Japan (invited).
- Chemistry and Physics of Liquids Gordon Research Conference, August 2023, Holderness, NH, USA (invited).
- Telluride workshop on Vibrational Dynamics, July 2023, Telluride, Colorado, USA (invited).
- 27th International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy (ICORS), August 2022, Long Beach, CA, USA.
- 16th International Conference on the Physics of Non-Crystalline Solids, July 2022, Canterbury, UK.
- Paul F. McMillan Symposium, UCL, June 2022, London, UK (invited).
- Telluride workshop on Vibrational Dynamics, July 2021, Telluride, Colorado, USA (invited).
- Telluride workshop on Water Structure, Dynamics, and Thermodynamics in Biology, June 2021, Telluride, Colorado, USA (invited).
- BCA and BACG Joint Online Meeting 2021, March/April 2021 (invited keynote).
- Annual meeting of the British Association for Crystal Growth, Glasgow, UK, 2020 (invited).