Tom graduated with a BSc (Biomedical materials science) before obtaining an MSc (Polymer material science and engineering) at the University of Manchester. He continued his studies with a PhD studying the Design, synthesis and application of enzyme responsive hydrogel particles using peptide actuators supervised by Rein Ulijn and Brian Saunders. After a postdoctoral position with Unilever, investigating the application of emulsion polymerisations to the delivery of actives in home and personal care products, Tom joined the group in 2009, working with Prof Steve Rannard and Dr Andrew Owen on Non-Attrition HAART nanoparticle therapies for HIV/AIDS Drug Delivery. He left the group in 2012 to take up a position within the University of Liverpool Centre for Materials Discovery and in 2014, Tom joined the Department of Chemistry as a Lecturer.

McDonald Group Website http://www.mcdonaldlab.co.uk/