John Finney

Structures and interactions in aqueous solutions Enzyme dynamics and function Structures and ordering in high pressure ices Contact details: Office: Room 5P2B Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 7850 Ext: 37850 Fax: +44 (0)20 7679 0595 Email:john.finneyucl.ac.uk

Research Interest
My research interests are centred on liquid, non-crystalline and disordered crystalline systems, with an emphasis on water, aqueous solutions and the role of water in biological processes. Current active projects relate to (a) structure and interactions in aqueous solutions, with particular reference to the understanding of solution processes such as the hydrophobic interaction, salting out, and self-assembly; (b) enzyme dynamics and function (in particular the effect of solvent) and (c) structure and ordering in high pressure ices.

Other activities
My current undergraduate teaching focusses on trying to enhance communications skills – written, oral, and electronic. I am currently Vice-President of the British Crystallographic Association, and a member of the Royal Society’s Standing Committee on Scientific Aspects of International Security. I am also an honorary Vice-President of Euroscience.

(b). Salzmann,C.G., Radaelli,P.G., Hallbrucker,A, Mayer,E, Finney,J.L. (2006). The Preparation and Structures of Hydrogen Ordered Phases of Ice. Science 311, 1758-1761.
Notes: Unlocking the geometrical frustration in ice structures is a longstanding problem, This work solves this problem in the cases of ices V and XII, and solves the structures of the consequent two new ordered ice structures ices XIII and XIV.

(c). Finney,J.L., Bowron,D.T., Soper,A.K., Loerting,T., Mayer,E., Hallbrucker,A. (2002). Structure of a new dense amorphous ice. Physical Review Letters 89, 205503.
Notes: A previous Phys. Rev. Letter (Finney et al Phys. Rev. Letts 88 (2002) 225503) determined the atomic-level structures of high and low density amorphous ice, information of intense interest to many with respect to the properties and functioning of water. This subsequent paper put the cat among the pigeons by presenting the structure of an even higher density phase that has led to a major shift of ideas about liquid water that are still controversial.
 

• B.A. Natural Sciences (part II Physics), Jesus College, Cambridge, 1964.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education, University of Leicester, 1965.
• Ph.D. Crystallography, Birkbeck College, University of London, 1968.
• Lecturer (1968), Reader (1977) and Professor (1986-93) of Crystallography, Birkbeck College, University of London
• Head, Neutron Science Division, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory 1988-93
• Chief Scientist, ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory 1990-93
• Quain Professor of Physics, University College London, 1993-1999
• Science Coordinator, European Spallation Source, 1993-96
• Professor of Physics, University College London 1999-to date.

This is a view of ice XII, a metastable phase of ice. Pretty, isn’t it? It was discovered, and its structure solved, by work in the group in UCL in the late 1990s, in collaboration with colleagues in Göttingen. This was the first new phase of ice to be found since the pioneering work of Bridgman in the 1930s. Not satisfied with this, however, we have recently, in collaboration with researchers in Austria and at the ISIS Pulsed Neutron Facility, discovered two further new phases ices XIII and XIV, and in doing so solved one of the outstanding problems relating to how water molecules order at low temperatures. Moreover, understanding these structures helps us to understand the way water molecules interact with each other, information which is important if we are to understand how water is involved in the essential biological processes that are necessary for maintaining life.