Vic Morris was trained as both a chemist and a physicist and his postgraduate research was in solid-state physics. As a postdoctoral researcher he held fellowships from the Ministry of Defence, the Medical Research Council and ICI. He joined the Institute of Food Research in 1979 with a brief to introduce molecular biophysical methods into food science.
Current research activities include investigations of the molecular structure and interactions at interfaces, starch structure and function and the effects of pectin structure on functionality. The focus of this research is on understanding and manipulating food structures in order to enhance the health benefits from food consumption. The current and future direction of his research has been made possible by the use of novel probe microscopic methods that he has developed and pioneered in food science. These have allowed molecular investigation and solution of previously intractable problems in food science. Current research in this area is described at www.ifr.ac.uk/spm/.