I read Physics at Oxford and after graduating, worked for several years as a Patent Examiner at the European Patent Office before returning to academia in the UK. My PhD and early career was in applied molecular spectroscopy (infrared, Raman) and the design of novel sensors. Subsequently I focused on quantitative analysis using spectral data and the emerging discipline of chemometrics – a branch of statistics particularly useful for handling the large datasets produced by modern analytical techniques. Applications of these methods have included several important food authentication issues – detection of adulteration in edible oils; processed fruits; meat products; coffee.

The arrival of ‘omics technologies in recent years opened up new opportunities. My interests have expanded to include the application of multivariate statistics to many more high-dimensional data types. These include a wider range of spectral data, especially those used in metabolomics (NMR, GC-, LC-MS). I also have an interest in electromyography and digital signal processing. Most recently, my research has concentrated on the handling of data collected using the emerging technology of “benchtop” (low-field) NMR spectroscopy.

I am author or co-author of around 80 peer-reviewed articles, as well as many conference proceedings, posters, book chapters and a textbook. I am a Professor in the School of Chemistry at the University of East Anglia.

I have secured research grants from many different funding bodies including BBSRC, UKRC, MAFF, DEFRA-LINK and InnovateUK. I also work with industry via confidential consultancies arranged through QIB Extra Ltd.

Key Publications

Defernez M, Wren E, Watson AD, Gunning Y, Le Gall G, Colquhoun IJ, Williamson, Kemsley EK (2017) Low-field NMR spectroscopy for distinguishing between arabica and robusta ground coffees Food Chemistry 1;216:106-13.

Gunning Y, Watson AD, Rigby NM, Philo M, Peazer K, Kemsley EK (2016) Species determination and quantification in mixtures using MRM mass spectrometry of peptides applied to meat authentication Journal of Visualized Experiments 115 pe 54420

Watson AD, Gunning Y, Rigby NM, Philo M, Kemsley EK (2015) Meat authentication via MRM mass spectrometry of myoglobin peptides Analytical Chemistry 87 (20) 10315–10322

Jakes W, Gerdova A, Defernez M, Watson A, McCallum C, Limer W, Colquhoun IJ, Williamson D, Kemsley EK (2015) Authentication of beef versus horse meat using 60 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy Food Chemistry 175 1-9

Parker T, Limer E, Watson A, Defernez M, Williamson D, Kemsley EK (2014) 60MHz 1H NMR Spectroscopy for the analysis of edible oils TRAC – Trends in Analytical Chemistry 57 147–158