Blundell is a Birkbeck Fellow and former Head of the Department of Crystallography (1978).

In 2017 he received the acclaimed Ewald Prize, the most prestigious available in the field of Crystallography, only given once every three years for outstanding contributions to the discipline.

The prize was given to Blundell in recognition of his worldwide leadership in crystallographic innovation, especially at the interface with life sciences. He is perhaps most well-known for his part in determining the structure of insulin with Dorothy Hodgkin and for co-founding Astex, a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of drugs in oncology.

Blundell’s contributions were recognized by a knighthood in 1997.