John Hardy is a chemist by training, carrying out his undergraduate and doctoral studies at UK-based institutions (Bristol and York, respectively). He gained 10 years of international postdoctoral training in materials science, biomedical engineering and pharmacy (in France, Germany, Northern Ireland and the USA), and leads an interdisciplinary research group that develops novel biomaterials for regenerative medicine (typically drug delivery, neuromodulation and tissue engineering). He has published a number of papers and patents, and serves on the editorial boards of Future Science OA, Gels and the International Journal of Molecular Science. He enjoys interacting with industry, either as a consultant or collaborator, particularly with a view to translating technology from the lab to commercial application.