Richard Sykes (microbiologist)

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| honorific_prefix = Sir

| name = Richard Sykes

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FRS|FMedSci|HonFREng}}

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| birth_name = Richard Brook Sykes

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1942|08|07}}

| birth_place = Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England

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| known_for = {{plainlist|* Monobactam (1981)

Formation of Glaxo-Wellcome (1995)
Formation of GlaxoSmithKline (2000)
Rector of Imperial College (2001–2008)
Chair of Royal Institution (2010)}}

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Knight Bachelor (1994)
Garrod Lecture and Medal (2009)}}

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| office = Chair of the Vaccine Taskforce

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Sir Richard Brook Sykes {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FRS|FMedSci|HonFREng}} (born 7 August 1942) is a British microbiologist, the chair of the Royal Institution, the UK Stem Cell Foundation, and the trustees at King Edward VII's Hospital, and chancellor of Brunel University. As of June 2021, he is chair of the UK's Vaccine Taskforce, where he is responsible for overseeing the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, including preparations for booster programmes and encouraging vaccine innovation in the UK.

In 1972, after gaining a first class bachelor's degree and a doctorate, both in microbiology, Sykes was appointed head of the Antibiotic Resistance Unit at Glaxo, where he helped develop the antibiotic ceftazidime. Subsequently, he was recruited by the Squibb Institute, in the United States, where he then developed aztreonam, the first clinically effective monobactam, a term he coined in 1981 to describe a new group of monocyclic β-lactams produced by bacteria. He oversaw the merger of Glaxo with Wellcome, to form Glaxo-Wellcome in 1995 and became its chair two years later. He then oversaw the Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham merger and held its chair until 2001.

His other appointments have included being rector of Imperial College from 2001 to 2008, chairman of NHS London from December 2008 to July 2010, vice-chairman of Lonza Group until 2013, and chairman of Imperial College Healthcare from 2012 to 2018.

Early life and education

Richard Sykes was born in the outskirts of Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, on 7 August 1942{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2004/jun/20/theobserver.observerbusiness10 |title=Imperial boss measures up money men |first=Heather |last=Connon |date=20 June 2004 |work=The Guardian |access-date=7 August 2023}} to Eric Sykes and his wife Muriel Mary Sykes.{{cite book |title=Who's Who 2018 |date=2018 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-1-472-93501-4 |page=2380 |edition=170th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xeupswEACAAJ |language=en}}Wong, John (6 July 2015) [https://www.nus.edu.sg/newshub/highlights/2015/2015-07/commencement_hg/commencement_citation-rbs.pdf Citation by professor John Wong]. National University of Singapore. Honorary degree of science recipient He attended Royds Hall Grammar school.{{cite book |last1=Fletcher |first1=Winston |title=Beating the 24/7: How Business Leaders Achieve a Successful Work/Life Balance |date=2003 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |location=Chichester |isbn=0-470-84762-X |pages=31–40 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9zQ-Hy3p9O8C&q=%22richard+sykes%22 |language=en |chapter=1. Sir Richard Sykes FRS}} Prior to his A-levels and completing school, he took up a job as a technician in a pathology laboratory.{{cite journal |last1=Lawrence |first1=Rebecca N. |title=Sir Richard Sykes contemplates the future of the pharma industry. Interview by Rebecca N Lawrence |journal=Drug Discovery Today |date=15 June 2002 |volume=7 |issue=12 |pages=645–648 |doi=10.1016/s1359-6446(02)02305-x |pmid=12110238 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12110238/ |issn=1359-6446}} After leaving secondary school he attended Paddington Technical College and Chelsea College, and gained a place at Queen Elizabeth College where he was awarded a first class BSc degree in microbiology. He received his doctorate in 1972 with a thesis on β-lactamases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, from the University of Bristol, where he worked with Mark Richmond.{{cite journal |last1=Sykes |first1=Richard |title=The 2009 Garrod lecture: the evolution of antimicrobial resistance: a Darwinian perspective |journal=The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy |date=September 2010 |volume=65 |issue=9 |pages=1842–1852 |doi=10.1093/jac/dkq217 |pmid=20573657 |issn=1460-2091|doi-access=free }} In 1973, together, they reported the first β-lactamase classification scheme.{{cite book |last1=Cooksey |first1=Robert C. |editor1-last=Bittar |editor1-first=Edward |title=Microbiology |date=1998 |publisher=Elsevier |location=Greenwich, Connecticut |isbn=1-55938-814-5 |page=207 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dMrxONoCS54C&dq=sykes&pg=PA207 |language=en |chapter=13. Mechanisms of resistance to antibacterial agents}}

Glaxo and Squibb

File:GlaxoSmithKline Headquarters on the Great West Road in Brentford - panoramio.jpg

In 1972 Sykes was appointed head of the Antibiotic Resistance Unit at Glaxo.{{cite journal |last1=Goffee |first1=Rob |last2=Jones |first2=Gareth |title=Leading clever people |journal=Harvard Business Review |date=March 2007 |volume=85 |issue=3 |pages=72–79, 142 |pmid=17348171 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17348171/ |issn=0017-8012}} There, he helped develop the antibiotic ceftazidime. In 1977 he left Glaxo and was recruited to the United States by the Squibb Institute for Medical Research, where he worked under George B. Mackaness, the Australian immunologist who played an important part in getting the first ACE inhibitor, captopril, licensed.{{cite journal |last1=Carter |first1=P. B. |title=George Bellamy Mackaness. 20 August 1922 — 4 March 2007 |journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society |date=2014 |volume=60 |doi=10.1098/RSBM.2014.0017 |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbm.2014.0017|page=294|s2cid=71237348 |url-access=subscription }} In 1979 Squibb appointed Sykes to lead research into monocyclic β-lactam antibiotics.{{cite book |last1=Greenwood |first1=David |title=Antimicrobial Drugs: Chronicle of a Twentieth Century Medical Triumph |date=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-953484-5 |page=134 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i4_FZHmzjzwC&dq=Richard+Sykes+glaxo&pg=PA134 |language=en |chapter=4. Wonder drugs}}

There, he isolated product SQ26.180 from Chromobacterium violaceum, a bacteria discovered at Pine Barrens.{{cite news |last1=Sacharow |first1=Fredda |title=Swamp yields a new antibiotic |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/nyregion/swamp-yields-a-new-antibiotic.html |access-date=2 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203044147/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/nyregion/swamp-yields-a-new-antibiotic.html|archive-date=3 December 2021|work=The New York Times |date=13 June 1982}} By modifying the amide side chain and including a ceftazidime side chain, he produced aztreonam, the first monocyclic β-lactam antibiotic.{{cite book |last1=Sneader |first1=Walter |title=Drug Discovery: A History |date=2005 |publisher=Wiley |location=Chichester, West Sussex |isbn=978-0-471-89979-2 |page=337 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jglFsz5EJR8C&dq=richard+sykes+aztreonam&pg=PA337 |language=en |chapter=23. Antibiotic analogues}} In 1981 he coined this new group of antibiotics "monobactam". Its potential as a usefulness was published the following year.{{cite book |last1=Fisher |first1=Jed |editor1-last=Bryan |editor1-first=L. |title=Antimicrobial Drug Resistance |date=2012 |publisher=Academic press |location=Orlando |isbn=978-0-12-138120-2 |page=51 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E4FKEj5fMdkC&dq=sykes+ceftazidime&pg=PA51 |language=en |chapter=2. B-Lactams resistant to hydrolysis by the b-lactamases}} It could treat gram-negative infections such as gonorrhoea and became the first monobactam to be licensed for clinical use.{{cite book |last1=Stromgaard |first1=Kristian |last2=Krogsgaard-Larsen |first2=Povl |last3=Madsen |first3=Ulf |title=Textbook of Drug Design and Discovery |date=2009 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4200-6322-6 |page=429 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YLPMBQAAQBAJ&dq=coined+monobactam&pg=PA429 |language=en}}

From 1983 to 1986 he was vice-president of infectious and metabolic diseases at Squibb. He returned to Glaxo in 1987 and succeeded David Jack, almost 30 years after Glaxo acquired Allen & Hanburys.{{cite book |last1=Ravenscraft |first1=David J. |last2=Long |first2=William F. |editor1-last=Kaplan |editor1-first=Steven N. |title=Mergers and Productivity |date=2007 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-42431-6 |pages=306–310 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Smxp09JSwWAC&dq=Richard+Sykes+glaxo+merge+wellcome&pg=PA310 |language=en |chapter=Paths to creating value in pharmaceutical mergers}} The Harvard Business Review noted that at Glaxo, when a group of antibiotics failed in the last stages of clinical trial, Sykes praised the teams that had worked on them and encouraged them to move on. In 1993 he received his DSc.

In 1994, during his time at Glaxo, he was part of the group that founded the Jenner Institute for research into vaccines.{{cite book |title=MRC Annual Report |date=1994 |publisher=Medical Research Council |page=26 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eiwgAQAAMAAJ&q=richard+sykes+jenner+institute |language=en}}{{cite web |title=The Vaccine Taskforce: objectives and membership of steering group |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1027646/vtf-interim-report.pdf |website=GOV.UK |access-date=30 November 2021 |language=en}}{{cite journal |last1=Dickson |first1=David |title=Research trio to develop new vaccines |journal=Nature Medicine |date=1 December 1998 |volume=4 |issue=12 |pages=1349 |doi=10.1038/3927 |pmid=9846561 |s2cid=33610131 |language=en |issn=1546-170X|doi-access=free }} In 1995 he oversaw the merger of Glaxo with Wellcome, to form Glaxo-Wellcome.{{cite book |last1=Brier |first1=Jennifer |title=Infectious Ideas: U.S. Political Responses to the AIDS Crisis |date=2009 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |isbn=978-0-8078-3314-8 |page=193 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TLuPrFGD7LwC&dq=Richard+Sykes+1995+glaxo+wellcome&pg=PA193 |language=en}} In 1997, he became chair of Glaxo-Wellcome.{{cite book |last1=Gay |first1=Hannah |last2=Scientific (Firm) |first2=World |title=The Silwood Circle: A History of Ecology and the Making of Scientific Careers in Late Twentieth-Century Britain |date=2013 |publisher=World Scientific |isbn=978-1-84816-991-3 |page=183 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DjW6CgAAQBAJ&dq=richard+sykes+merge+glaxo&pg=PA183 |language=en}} In 2000 he oversaw the Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham merger and held its chair until 2001.{{cite book |last1=Rugman |first1=Alan M. |title=The Regional Multinationals: MNEs and 'Global' Strategic Management |date=2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-84265-4 |page=123 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BgDnv2XlssQC&dq=richard+sykes+merge+glaxo&pg=PA123 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Fuller |first1=Steve |title=The Sociology of Intellectual Life: The Career of the Mind in and Around Academy |date=2009 |publisher=SAGE |location=Los Angeles |isbn=978-1-4129-2838-0 |page=15 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x_G2dI27xSYC&dq=richard+sykes&pg=PA15 |language=en |chapter=1. Introduction: the place of intellectual life}} The merger resulted in the marketing of several new drugs. According to Sykes at the time, "the industry would be transformed by understanding the human genome".

Royal Institution and others

Sykes was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1997.{{cite web |title=Richard Sykes {{!}} Royal Society |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/richard-sykes-12379/ |website=royalsociety.org |access-date=30 November 2021 |language=en-gb}}{{cite web |url=https://collections.royalsociety.org/DServe.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqSearch=(RefNo==%27EC%2F1997%2F33%27) |title = Library and Archive Catalogue EC/1997/33 Sir Richard Brook|publisher=The Royal Society |location=London}} In 1994 he became a trustee of the Natural History Museum, London, and in 1997 he was appointed senior independent director of Rio Tinto plc, a position he held until 2008.

He was a member of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education that published an influential report in 1997.{{clarify|date=November 2021}}{{cite web|title=Higher Education in the learning society: Main Report|url=http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/dearing1997/dearing1997.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211022652/http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/dearing1997/dearing1997.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 February 2015|website=Education England|access-date=10 February 2015}}

Later career

=Imperial=

In January 2001, he was appointed rector of Imperial College London and completed his tenure in 2008.{{cite book |last1=Heaman |first1=Elsbeth |title=St Mary's: The History of a London Teaching Hospital |date=2003 |publisher=Liverpool University Press |location=Montreal|isbn=0-85323-968-1 |chapter=14. Science and strategy; the merger with Imperial College|page=417 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I6bjRiQzFqkC&dq=richard+sykes+merge+imperial&pg=PA417 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Richard Sykes |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/staff/reporter/public/Reporter193web.pdf |website=Imperial College London |publisher=Imperial College |access-date=9 November 2021 |location=London}}{{cite book |last1=Evatt |first1=M. A. C. |last2=Brodhurst |first2=E. K. |title=Sharing Experience in Engineering Design (SEED 2002) |date=2002 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-86058-397-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EKYDrsr4ikQC&dq=richard+sykes&pg=PA119 |language=en}} At Imperial, he was involved in several controversial debates including on issues such as increasing tuition fees, which he favoured.{{cite journal |title=A Rector to remember |journal=Imperial Matters: Alumni Magazine |date=2008 |issue=32 |pages=10–13}} He criticised secondary schools for the quality of the science taught there, and opposed teaching grants being awarded on a per capita basis.{{cite book |last1=Gay |first1=Hannah |title=History Of Imperial College London, 1907–2007, The: Higher Education And Research In Science, Technology And Medicine |date=2007 |publisher=Imperial College Press |location=London |isbn=978-1-86094-708-7 |page=604 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bdC6CgAAQBAJ&dq=richard+sykes+merge+imperial&pg=PA604 |language=en |chapter=15. The expanding college, 1985-2001...Part 1: Governance and the medical school mergers}} In 2002 he proposed to merge Imperial College with University College London.{{cite book |last1=Harte |first1=Negley |last2=North |first2=John |last3=Brewis |first3=Georgina |title=The World of UCL |date=21 May 2018 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TLBdDwAAQBAJ&dq=richard+sykes+merge+imperial&pg=PT144 |publisher=UCL Press |isbn=9781787352933 |language=en}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2002/nov/18/highereducation.universitymergers|title=Opposition ends Imperial and UCL merger dream|work=The Guardian|date=18 November 2002|access-date=13 April 2021}} The strength of opposition meant that it did not go through. He supported the lifting of the £3,000 cap on tuition fees and instead allowing the universities to set their own fees.{{cite book |title=The future sustainability of the higher education sector: international aspects, eighth report of session 2006–07, Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence |date=2007 |publisher=The Stationery Office |isbn=978-0-215-03600-1 |page=43 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dBSmydnaPvEC&dq=%C2%Arichard+sykes&pg=PA43 |language=en}}

=UK Stem Cell Foundation=

Sykes chairs the UK Stem Cell Foundation. It was established in 2005.{{cite book |last1=Devaney |first1=Sarah |title=Stem Cell Research and the Collaborative Regulation of Innovation |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |location=Abingdon, Oxford |isbn=978-0-415-52130-7 |page=39 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=101WAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22UK+Stem+Cell+Foundation%22&pg=PT39 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 7 Mar 2005 (pt 29) |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/vo050307/debtext/50307-29.htm |website=publications.parliament.uk |publisher=Parliament.co.uk |access-date=30 November 2021}}{{cite book |last1=Furcht |first1=Leo |last2=Hoffman |first2=William |title=The Stem Cell Dilemma: The Scientific Breakthroughs, Ethical Concerns, Political Tensions, and Hope Surrounding Stem Cell Research |date=2011 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-62872-181-2 |page=230 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MjuCDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22UK+Stem+Cell+Foundation%22&pg=PT230 |language=nl}}

=Other roles=

From 2003 to 2005 he was trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. From 2007 to 2011 he was senior independent director and non-executive deputy chairman of Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation.{{cite news |last1=Bawden |first1=Tom |title=Sir Richard Sykes: voted out, but not down |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jun/10/enrc-richard-sykes-kazakh-mining-firm |access-date=2 December 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=10 June 2011 |language=en}} In September 2008, he was appointed chair of NHS London, but resigned in May 2010 over the decision of the Cameron Ministry to halt former health minister Ara Darzi's planned reorganisation of health care in London.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/26/nhs-london-richard-sykes-resigns|title=NHS London chief Richard Sykes resigns in care review row|author=Randeep Ramesh|work=The Guardian|date=26 May 2010|access-date=27 May 2010}}{{cite journal |last1=Wise |first1=Jacqui |title=BMJ News |journal=British Medical Journal |date=5 June 2010 |volume=340 |pages=1216–1217 |url=https://www.bmj.com/bmj/section-pdf/186576?path=/bmj/340/7758/News.full.pdf}}

Between 2010 and 2012 he was on the advisory board of the Virgin Group. Until 2013, he was vice-chair at the Swiss life sciences company Lonza AG.{{cite web |title=Sir Richard Sykes (1942–) |url=https://www.rigb.org/our-history/people/s/richard-sykes |website=www.rigb.org |language=en}}[http://www.enrc.com/en-GB/About-Us/Management1/Management/ ENRC Management] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528004344/http://www.enrc.com/en-GB/About-Us/Management1/Management/ |date=28 May 2011 }} He was appointed chairman of the Royal Institution in 2010 and Imperial College Healthcare in 2012. He was appointed Chancellor of Brunel University in 2013.[http://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/news-items/ne_289414 Sir Richard Sykes appointed Chancellor of Brunel University] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514021613/http://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/news-items/ne_289414 |date=14 May 2014 }} In 2020, Sykes stepped down as chairman of the NetScientific Group after serving it for nine years.{{cite web |title=Board Changes |url=https://netscientific.net/2020/03/31/2268-2-3/ |website=NetScientific |access-date=9 November 2021 |date=31 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109193609/https://netscientific.net/2020/03/31/2268-2-3/|archive-date=9 November 2021}}

=Vaccine Taskforce=

In 2020 he led an independent review of the workings of the Vaccine Taskforce.{{cite web |title=UK COVID-19 Update: Nurse Gives 'Historic' Jab, Oxford Vaccine Phase 3 Results |url=https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/942175#vp_3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116174907/https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/942175|archive-date=16 January 2021|website=Medscape |access-date=12 November 2021 |language=en|url-access=subscription}} On 14 June 2021, Sykes was appointed chair of the Vaccine Taskforce, where he will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of the UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme, including preparations for booster programmes and encouraging vaccine innovation in the UK.{{cite web |title=Sir Richard Sykes appointed chair of Vaccine Taskforce |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-richard-sykes-appointed-chair-of-vaccine-taskforce |website=GOV.UK |access-date=25 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913015543/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-richard-sykes-appointed-chair-of-vaccine-taskforce |archive-date=13 September 2021 |language=en}}

Other activities

Sykes was chairman of the advisory panel of the think-tank Reform.{{cite web|title=Tax cuts, yes, but first reform public services. Daily Telegraph 3 September 2006 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3631903/Tax-cuts-yes-but-first-reform-public-services.html}} He is a member of the Advisory Council for the Campaign for Science and Engineering.{{cite web|url=http://www.sciencecampaign.org.uk/about/who/advisory.htm |title=Advisory Council of the Campaign for Science and Engineering |access-date=11 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828110110/http://www.sciencecampaign.org.uk/about/who/advisory.htm |archive-date=28 August 2010 }} He is chair of the Trustees at King Edward VII's Hospital.{{cite web |title=Our Team |url=https://www.kingedwardvii.co.uk/about-king-edward-vii/team |website=King Edward VII's Hospital |access-date=25 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516172808/https://www.kingedwardvii.co.uk/about-king-edward-vii/team|archive-date=16 May 2022}}

Awards and honours

Sykes was knighted in the 1994 New Year Honours.[http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/people/honorary-graduates/honorary-graduates-1994/sir-richard-sykes-dsc Sir Richard Sykes DSc – 1994] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235940/http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/people/honorary-graduates/honorary-graduates-1994/sir-richard-sykes-dsc |date=3 March 2016 }}

He holds honorary degrees from several universities including Birmingham, Brunel, Cranfield, Edinburgh, Hertfordshire, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Madrid, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield Hallam, Sheffield, Strathclyde, Surrey, Warwick and Westminster. Sykes was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) in 1998.[https://acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/fellow/Sir-Richard-Sykes-0005734 Fellow Sir Richard Sykes FRS FMedSci] – website of the Academy of Medical Sciences

In 2009 he received the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy's Garrod Medal and delivered its accompanying lecture.{{cite web|date=2021|title=Garrod Lecture & Medal|url=https://bsac.org.uk/what-we-do/garrod-lecture-medal/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102031240/https://bsac.org.uk/what-we-do/garrod-lecture-medal/|archive-date=2 November 2021|access-date=2 November 2021|website=The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy|language=en}} It was titled "The evolution of antimicrobial resistance: a Darwinian perspective" and was published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy in 2010.{{cite journal |last1=Sykes |first1=R. |title=The 2009 Garrod Lecture: The evolution of antimicrobial resistance: a Darwinian perspective |url=https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/65/9/1842/718974|journal=Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy |date=1 September 2010 |volume=65 |issue=9 |pages=1842–1852 |doi=10.1093/jac/dkq217|pmid=20573657 |doi-access=free }}

Selected publications

=Articles=

{{Cite book | doi = 10.1016/S0065-2911(08)60376-8| chapter = The β-Lactamases of Gram-Negative Bacteria and their Possible Physiological Role| title = Advances in Microbial Physiology Volume 9| volume = 9| pages = 31–88| series = Advances in Microbial Physiology| year = 1973 | pmid = 4581138| isbn = 978-0-12-027709-4| last1 = Richmond| first1 = M.H.| last2 = Sykes| first2 = R.B.}} (Co-author)
{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1038/291489a0| pmid = 7015152| title = Monocyclic β-lactam antibiotics produced by bacteria| journal = Nature| volume = 291| issue = 5815| pages = 489–91| year = 1981| bibcode = 1981Natur.291..489S| s2cid = 4303108| last1 = Sykes| first1 = R. B.| last2 = Cimarusti| first2 = C. M.| last3 = Bonner| first3 = D. P.| last4 = Bush| first4 = K.| last5 = Floyd| first5 = D. M.| last6 = Georgopapadakou| first6 = N. H.| last7 = Koster| first7 = W. H.| last8 = Liu| first8 = W. C.| last9 = Parker| first9 = W. L.| last10 = Principe| first10 = P. A.| last11 = Rathnum| first11 = M. L.| last12 = Slusarchyk| first12 = W. A.| last13 = Trejo| first13 = W. H.| last14 = Wells| first14 = J. S.}} (Co-author)
{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1128/AAC.22.3.414| pmid = 6982680| title = Interaction of azthreonam and related monobactams with beta-lactamases from gram-negative bacteria| journal = Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy| volume = 22| issue = 3| pages = 414–20| year = 1982 | pmc=183759| last1 = Bush| first1 = K.| last2 = Freudenberger| first2 = J. S.| last3 = Sykes| first3 = R. B.}} (Co-author)
{{cite journal |title=Azthreonam (SQ 26,776), a synthetic monobactam specifically active against aerobic gram-negative bacteria |journal=Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy |date=January 1982 |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=85–92 |doi=10.1128/AAC.21.1.85 |pmid=6979307 |issn=0066-4804|last1=Sykes |first1=R. B. |last2=Bonner |first2=D. P. |last3=Bush |first3=K. |last4=Georgopapadakou |first4=N. H. |pmc=181833 }} (Co-author)
{{cite journal |title=Penicillin: from discovery to product |journal=Bulletin of the World Health Organization |date=2001 |volume=79 |pages=778–779 |s2cid=33582904 |pmid=11545336 |url=https://www.scielosp.org/pdf/bwho/v79n8/v79n8a16.pdf |language=en |issn=0042-9686|last1=Sykes |first1=R. |issue=8 |pmc=2566502 }}
{{cite journal |title=The 1998 Radcliffe Lecture. Medicines, Morals and Money: the high ground and the bottom line |journal=Business Ethics: A European Review |date=1999 |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=79–87 |doi=10.1111/1467-8608.00132 |pmid=11657843 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-8608.00132 |language=en |issn=1467-8608|last1=Sykes |first1=R. |url-access=subscription }}
{{cite journal |title=The 2009 Garrod Lecture: The evolution of antimicrobial resistance: a Darwinian perspective |url=https://academic.oup.com/jac/article/65/9/1842/718974|journal=Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy |date=1 September 2010 |volume=65 |issue=9 |pages=1842–1852 |doi=10.1093/jac/dkq217|last1=Sykes|first1=R.|pmid=20573657|doi-access=free }}

=Books=

{{cite book |title=New Medicines: The Practice of Medicine and Public Policy |url=https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/new-medicines-the-practice-of-medicine-and-public-policy|date=2000 |isbn=978-0-1170-2676-6|publisher=The Nuffield Trust}}

=Reports=

{{cite book |title=UK Vaccine Taskforce 2020 Achievements and Future Strategy |date=December 2020 |publisher=Gov.UK |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1027646/vtf-interim-report.pdf}}