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Biography
I obtained my PhD in Neonatal Gastrointestinal Development at the Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge University. I then undertook a number of postdoc research roles with the WHO, Great Almond Street hospital and Cambridge university, investigating the nutritional status of infants. I then undertook postdoctoral work at Newcastle University in the Department of Physiological Sciences, on a number of in vivo and clinical studies looking at the role of mucins in gastrointestinal pathology and disease, and also spent some time at Upsala University in Sweden. I undertook my first lectureship at Bradford University in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and then move to Sheffield Hallam where I have progressed from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer, and then to Principal lecturer over the last 20 years. I have also taken on a number of roles of responsibility, including being the Chair of the Research Ethics Committee for the College of Health and Wellbeing and life Sciences for the last 18 years and have been involved in policy and process development and implication across the College and the wider University. I have been the course leader for five different degree programs, and I am currently the BSc/MSci Biochemistry course leader.
I would describe myself as a highly skilled scientist with expertise in cancer cell biology and tissue engineering, with experience in clinical, in vivo and in vitro work. My current research focuses on (1) Cancer cell biology, therapies, and nutraceuticals, and (2) Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. I work on the biochemical mechanisms of disease, and I have specific expertise in gastrointestinal dysfunction and disease, including, oesophageal, gastric, colorectal cancer, and leukaemia. I am also very interested in the role of immunomodulators and inflammation in the mechanisms of disease and cancer, be this inflammatory driven bowel disease or degenerative disc disease. My tissue engineering work has focused on the use of hydrogels in the creation of tissue patches that could be used for the investigation of disease processes and regeneration in the gastrointestinal and urinary tract.
My current work focuses on the use of 2D and 3D cell culture models and the use of tissue engineering scaffolds to recapitulate the disease tissue microenvironment and its response to treatments and novel pharmaceutical agents. This work has included the study of the use of bioactive nutraceuticals' such as polyphenols and how they work alone and in combination with standard and novel chemotherapy agents. I am also interested in the use of novel drug delivery systems including the use of gold nanoparticles, dendrimers, and nano-emulsions, which can be used for the delivery of chemotherapy, nutraceuticals, and bioactive compounds within the cancer tumour microenvironment. My research has been funded by university studentships, and funding calls, charities, and commercial grants. This work has led to over 40 publications and seven successful PhD completions, with more publications and PhD completions in the pipeline.
I am very enthusiastic about my research, and I am a great advocate of research informed teaching. My research informs every part of my job, it informs my course design, my teaching, and assessments at all levels, from first year undergraduate essay topics to final year master’s and MSci research projects. I aim to inspire and encourage my students to embrace research to not only transform their lives, but the lives of others, and I encourage them to push the envelope of scientific discovery. I am delighted to say I have graduates and postdocs who have gone on to undertake study and research at the best pharmaceutical industries and universities in the World.