John de Mello is a Professor of Nanomaterials in the Department of Chemistry at Imperial College. His research focuses on the experimental and theoretical characterisation of nanoparticles and molecular semiconductors with particular emphasis on their use in optoelectronic devices. He has published over 75 papers and 3 patents and was a co-recipient of the Royal Society's Brian Mercer Award for Innovation in Nanotechnology. Prof. de Mello currently holds a Royal Society Industry Fellowship with Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, and is a co-founder of Molecular Vision Ltd. - an Imperial College spin-out specialising in the use of organic LEDs and photodiodes for chemical sensing. He is also a director of Solar Press, a London-based company specialising in low cost solar cells for the developing world.