I was born in Godreaman and went to Aman Junior School. My life long interest in science was aroused in the Junior School when the teacher in my 11+ class told me that if you went to the Grammar School you would learn that the chemists call water H₂O. I was hooked.

I passed to go to the Grammar School in 1954 and entered form 1 alpha, my form room was Room 3, my house Penri and Mr Meirion Jenkins my first form master.

In the Sixth Forms I took Chemistry, Botany and Zoology and am eternally grateful to Mr Gwilym Williams and Mr David Daniel Davies for their inspiration. I was a Prefect in the second year 6th form.

On completing my A levels I went to the Department of Biochemistry at U.C. Cardiff where I completed my first degree in Biochemistry and then with the help of a Medical Research Council Studentship completed my PhD also at Cardiff in 1967.

I then had a postdoctoral fellowship to do research in the Division of Cell Pathology at the Clinical Research Centre based at the MRC Institute of Medical Research at Mill Hill.

In 1969 I took a Lectureship in Biochemistry at Hatfield Polytechnic (now University of Hertfordshire) and in 1973 appointed to a Senior Lectureship in Biochemistry at Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes University) where I have been until the present day. My life long research interests have included a study of metabolic disorders and the pharmacological and potential teratogenic effect on foetal development of drugs taken during pregnancy.

Whilst living in London and Hertfordshire the London Welsh Male Voice Choir became a very important part of my life. I was the Concert Secretary and was also involved in organising the Festival of 1000 Welsh Male Voices at the Royal Albert Hall and taking the Choir to Berlin at the height of the cold war to entertain the British Forces stationed in Berlin. I am now one of the Founding Members of the Friends of the LWMVC.

At Oxford Brookes in addition to my lecturing role I was Senior Tutor responsible for student recruitment into over 20 of our undergraduate science degree programmes. I was also the University Poisons and Hazardous Materials Adviser.

I retired from full time employment in 2007 but still have my room at Brookes and I am employed there in a part time capacity, doing some teaching and liaison work with a local FE college.

I currently live near Oxford and have two daughters in their thirties, Nicola Ceril (in business) and Rhian Ceri (a chartered psychologist).

I have many interests including being secretary to the management committee and a trustee of the local village hall and social centre. I am also especially fond of 4-part harmony Welsh Male Voice singing.