Rate My Professor Alexander Baker

Dr. Alexander Baker is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the University of Warwick, where he leads the Baker Humanitarian Chemistry Group. His research specializes in polymer and carbohydrate solutions to tackle humanitarian challenges, with a focus on neglected tropical diseases, particularly snake envenomation recognized by the WHO as a priority. Key efforts include developing diagnostic platforms stable across diverse conditions for under $1 USD, protein-free lateral flow glyco-assays, and glycan nanoscale probes to identify lectins in snake venoms and advance venom glycobiology. Baker earned a first-class MChem in Chemical Biology from the University of Warwick. He completed his PhD in 2017 under Professor Matthew Gibson, funded by BBSRC MIBTP iCase studentship and Iceni Diagnostics, investigating glycosylation systems in prokaryotes. During his doctoral work, he served on the Postgraduate Student Staff Liaison Committee, as MIBTP representative, and Faculty of Science Postgraduate Research Representative. He conducted a three-month mini-project at the University of Birmingham on glycopolymers for lectin studies. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, his research enabled the first published antibody-free lateral flow test sensing SARS-CoV-2 via glycans, later applied to NHS patient samples.

Baker's contributions extend to education and engagement. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Warwick International Higher Education Academy (WIHEA) alumni fellow, and Warwick Institute of Engagement (WIE) Senior Foundation fellow, he has improved PhD student mental health support, implemented parental leave policies, and championed faculty outreach. Notable awards include the 2024 Royal Society of Chemistry Early Career Prize for Excellence in Higher Education, 2023 Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship, 2022 RSC Horizon Prize and MIBTP Doctoral Career Development Fellowship, Macro Group UK Best Oral Presentation (2020), and multiple University of Warwick prizes for representation, symposia talks, and posters. Select publications feature 'The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds sialic acids and enables rapid detection in a lateral flow point of care diagnostic device' (2020), 'Polymer self-assembly induced enhancement of ice recrystallization inhibition' (2021), 'Glycosylated gold nanoparticles in point of care diagnostics: From aggregation to lateral flow' (2022), 'Polymeric Nanoparticles for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Snakebite' (2026), and 'Glycopolymer-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles for the Detection of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake' (2025). His work influences diagnostics innovation and public awareness of global health disparities.