Professor Roberts is an internationally recognized expert in medicinal, organic and industrial chemistry. Professor Roberts took his B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Salford University and studied at post-doctoral level in Zurich (with A. S. Dreiding) and Harvard (with R. B. Woodward). His academic career has taken him to the Universities of Salford (1972-80), Exeter (1985-95) and Liverpool (1995-date).

In the period 1980-1986, he was the head of research, Glaxo, Greenford, UK, and at present he is the head of the chemistry department at Liverpool University. Professor Roberts' research interests span medicinal chemistry, biotransformations and biomimetic catalysts as well as asymmetric synthesis. He collaborates with and consults for pharmaceutical, polymer, paint and biotech companies and is on the board of three companies, Ultrafine Chemicals, Charterhouse Therapeutics (founder) and Stylacat (founder).