Melinda read Natural Sciences at Emmanuel College and completed her PhD thesis on parametric probes of ligand field theory in 1988. Since then she has transferred into the field of solid-state NMR spectroscopy as has been working in it for more than 10 years. She is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and a fellow of Robinson College. Her current research interests are in NMR studies of biological materials, in particular human and equine bone. She is the author of 'Introduction to Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy', a leading textbook in the field.