Meet the people who make up STEM Faculty.
Summary:
Multidisciplinary psychologist and cell & molecular biologist with extensive experience in translational science. Keen interest in tumour biology, clinical neuroscience and health and wellbeing in connection with managing and living with chronic conditions. Active in STEM outreach & engagement, research in the mental health and wellbeing space and academic leadership. Committed to advancing scientific communication and academic collaborative approaches through the organisation of interest-guided platforms, research conferences, seminars, or student- or community-led symposia.
Professional Expertise:
Cell & Molecular Biologist with 13+ years’ experience in Translational Research of which 7+ years supporting and consulting on academic Clinical Trial research – field of Pharmaceutical Medicine.
Areas of research emphasis in the field of translational science have been on chronic inflammatory conditions and combining knowledge of cellular & molecular signalling pathways with insights from structural biology and medicinal chemistry to investigate and characterise novel treatment interventions, primarily in the field of tumour growth & metastasis. Practical insights from clinical and pre-clinical laboratory research associated with university teaching hospitals on squamous cell carcinomas, pancreatitis, and role of epigenetics in gynaecological tumours.
Advanced training in Tumour Biology, Clinical Neuroscience, Human Physiology, Human & Animal Ethics, and Laboratory Animal Science (anaesthesia & analgesia, animal husbandry; FELASA category C - animal study director’s licence). Experience of handling and isolating primary cells from animal & human tissues, cell line cultures (mono and co-cultures, planar migration assays, chemotaxis assays, spheroid sprouting assays, transient and stable transfections), ex ovo chorioallontoic membrane (CAM) assays, mouse & rat tumour models, antibody production in rabbits, modification of small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) and peptides for systemic targeting using liposomal encapsulation or radionuclide coupling, Western blotting, PCR & qPCR, immunofluorescence microscopy; isolation, purification & characterisation of peptide molecules (single chain variable fragments: scFvs & design ankyrin repeat proteins: DARPins) using various biochemical assays and biophysical methods including: isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, and size exclusion chromatography multi angle light scattering (SEC-MALS).
Active STEM Ambassador (Hub Staffordshire & Shropshire), yr 22/23 and 23/24.
Psychologist with BPS Stage 1 training in Health Psychology and SDS Level 2 training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Practical experience in piloting health interventions (increasing physical activity in elderly using a community science approach) with the aim of promoting life-style behaviour changes to support health & well-being for treatment interventions in the area of chronic non-communicable diseases such as COPD, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, obesity and mental health conditions. Clinical/research experience stemming from placements in Geriatric Neuropsychology (research into structural and functional implications of sexual dimorphism using MRI data; intervention to improve cognitive function in elderly depressed patients including design of a programme for visual perception disorders), as well as Childhood Autism (implications of early interventions and Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) teaching).
Midlands Health Psychology Network (MHPN) Co-Chair, yr 24-26. 5+ years’ experience as active MHPN Committee Member and Social Media & Events Co-Lead, supporting employability events (skill-based training and careers events), as well as knowledge exchange by organising seminars and an annual research conference for BSc & MSc Students and Trainee HP Practitioner Psychologists.
Roles within The Open University:
STEM Faculty:
FASS Faculty:
List of publications:
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9023-1456
