Yimon Aye

Yimon Aye is Professor of Chemistry & Chemical Biology at the University of Oxford, and tutorial fellow at Pembroke College. Aye was born and raised in Burma. She received a full scholarship to attend Cambridge Tutors College, UK (high school equivalent) and read chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford University, UK, as an international student scholar (2000-2004), during which time she worked with Prof. Stephen L. Buchwald (MIT, USA) and Prof. Stephen G. Davies (Oxford University, UK) as an undergraduate research assistant and Part-II thesis student, respectively. Aye subsequently moved to Harvard University (USA) and achieved her Ph.D. in organic chemistry under the supervision of Prof. David A. Evans (2004-2009). She then moved to MIT (USA) to research the cellular and biochemical regulatory mechanisms of the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase with Prof. JoAnne Stubbe. In her independent career that began in mid-2012, Aye set out to understand the detailed mechanisms of electrophile signaling. This impetus culminated in the development of “REX” technologies (T-REX™ delivery and G-REX™ profiling). In a parallel research program distinct from redox-dependent cell signaling, she studies proteins/pathways involved in mammalian genome maintenance and nucleotide signaling, including the mechanisms of anticancer agents in clinical use. Since January 2022, Aye has been serving as an associate editor of ACS Chemical Biology. For a representative list of international honours and contributions made, both in the US and in Europe by Aye and her team members, please visit Support and Honours and Highlights.  Favourite pastimes: Outreach; learning something new.