We're deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Colin Kleanthous FRS FMedSci, Iveagh Professor of Microbial Biochemistry at the University of Oxford.

Colin was Chair of the Biochemical Society from 2011 to 2013, including in the Society’s Centenary year, and was the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of our journal Emerging Topics in Life Sciences (co-owned with the Royal Society of Biology).

Colin was a leading expert in bacteriocin uptake mechanisms, bacterial cell envelope structure-function and outer membrane organisation. His scientific achievements have been celebrated and honoured by several organisations – he was elected to the European Molecular Biology Organisation in 2018, became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2022, and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2026.

Colin leaves an exceptional legacy, influencing everyone with whom he crossed paths. Colin will be fondly remembered by us and his many colleagues for his valued contributions to science and the Society.

Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.