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Dr. Jane Cleal is an Associate Professor in Reproductive Cell Biology at the University of Southampton’s Faculty of Medicine. She leads research on placental and maternal tissue mechanisms, focusing on fetal development, lifelong health, and interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes. Her work integrates systems biology with molecular and cellular approaches. Education: PhD in Medicine, University of Southampton (2005) BSc (Hons) Molecular Cell Biology, University of Southampton (2001) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2013) Teaching Roles: Deputy Programme Lead for the BM6 widening access to medicine degree Module Lead for MEDI0011 Human Structure & Function 1 Her research interests span placental and endometrial biology, vitamin D regulation, and the impact of maternal exposures on fetal programming. Key areas include fetal growth, obesity, and cardiometabolic health. Recent work explores endometrial gland function in miscarriage risk and climate change effects on developmental health in Caribbean communities. Publications highlight placental transport mechanisms, vitamin D’s role in pregnancy, and computational models of drug diffusion. She has supervised 3 current PhD students and secured grants from Wessex Medical Research, BBSRC, and Wellbeing of Women. Awards: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2013) External Roles: Editorial Board Member, British Journal of Nutrition (2012–2018) Council Member, Physiological Society (2009–present) Reviewer for Irish Government research panels (2017–2023) Outreach: Public engagement on reproductive science and healthy lifestyle choices.

• Reproductive Cell Biology
• Placental Biology
• Fetal Development
• +4 more

Dr. Adele McCormick is Reader in Molecular Virology at the University of Westminster's School of Life Sciences, where she leads the Genomics and Infectious Diseases research group. She coordinates the MSc Biomedical Science program and teaches molecular biology and clinical microbiology. Education background: PhD in Sustainable Energy Systems, University of Sheffield MSc in Clinical Pathology, University of Sheffield BSc in Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Sheffield Her research focuses on viral pathogenesis, antiviral resistance mechanisms in HIV/HCV, and the role of endogenous retroviruses in neurological disorders. She established the university's genomics facility for BSL-2 pathogen sequencing and collaborates internationally on antiviral development projects. Recent publications emphasize molecular diagnostics, SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics, and retroviral involvement in ALS. Her work shows increasing focus on nanoparticulate antivirals and long-read sequencing applications since 2020. Dr. McCormick has secured substantial research funding including an ALS Association grant ($325,000) and directs the Westminster virology research group. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and serves on editorial boards for virology journals.

• Virology
• Antiviral Drug Resistance
• Human Endogenous Retroviruses
• +2 more

Dr. Sharon Kessler is a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences. She holds a PhD from Arizona State University (2014) and completed postdoctoral fellowships in computational modeling (McGill University), virology (Leibniz Institute), and disease signaling (Durham University). Her research integrates disease ecology and animal cognition, emphasizing the One Health framework to study how animal health perceptions influence disease transmission dynamics. Key interests include the evolution of human healthcare networks, behavioral defenses against pathogens, and conservation biology. Education: PhD, Arizona State University, 2014 Postdoctoral Fellowships: McGill University (Canada), Leibniz Institute (Germany), Durham University (UK) Research Interests: Role of cognition in disease avoidance behaviors Evolution of human care-giving strategies Parasite-microbiome interactions in lemurs Zoonotic disease surveillance Social structures and health signaling in primates Collaborations: Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Behavior and Evolution Research Group Cognition in Complex Environments Initiative Advising: Open to mentoring students on topics like healthcare networks, primate behavior, or conservation genetics. Contact via email for project discussions.

• Disease Ecology
• Animal Cognition
• One Health
• +7 more

Laurence Hurst is a Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath , where he leads research at the Milner Centre for Evolution and Centre for Mathematical Biology . His work bridges mathematical, bioinformatic, and experimental approaches to evolutionary genetics. Research Focus : Selection on synonymous mutations, gene order evolution, genomic redundancy, codon usage bias, and long non-coding RNA dynamics. Key Collaborations : Projects funded by The Evolution Education Trust, The Royal Society, MRC, and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Methodologies : Integrates systems biology, computational genomics, and experimental validation. SDG Contributions : Work indirectly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals through advancing genetic understanding for health and environmental applications. Notable Trends in Publications : Recent articles examine protein evolution mechanisms, retroviral co-option in human embryogenesis, transgene design optimization, and bacterial adaptation via epistasis. These studies highlight interdisciplinary applications of genetics, molecular biology, and computational methods. Laboratory & Affiliations : Affiliated with the Milner Centre for Evolution and Centre for Mathematical Biology, focusing on evolutionary dynamics and genomic systems biology.

• Genetics
• Evolutionary Biology
• Molecular Biology
• +2 more

Carla Cohen is a computational biologist affiliated with the University of Oxford, working in the Computational Biology group at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM) and the Soft Tissue Repair group at the Botnar Research Centre. She specializes in single-cell RNA-seq analysis and contributes to the Human Cell Atlas project, focusing on creating an ethnically diverse atlas of musculoskeletal tissues. Education: DPhil in Pathology, University of Oxford (William James); Postdoctoral work at Terry Fox Laboratory, Vancouver (Dixie Mager) Her research spans computational genomics, epigenetics of ankylosing spondylitis, 3D genome architecture, and musculoskeletal biology. Recent work involves single-cell transcriptomic profiling of tendon repair and RUNX3 gene regulation in autoimmune diseases. The 15 most recent publications highlight her expertise in single-cell RNA-seq, epigenomic profiling, and functional genomics, particularly in musculoskeletal tissues and inflammatory arthritis. These studies focus on enhancer polymorphisms, chromatin looping, and cell-type-specific gene regulation. Carla also trains researchers in computational methods (Linux, R, Python) through collaborations like the African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology. Her work is funded by the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, supporting the global Human Cell Atlas project. She has contributed to the Botnar Research Centre's efforts on musculoskeletal repair and previously worked on ankylosing spondylitis genetics at the University of Oxford. Carla advocates for equality, diversity, and inclusion in science, alongside her technical contributions to genomics.

• Computational Genomics
• Single-cell RNA-seq Analysis
• Musculoskeletal Biology
• +5 more

Professor David Parkinson is a Professor of Neuroscience at the Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth . He serves as the Inspire Lead for the Medical School and is the Home Office Named Information Officer for the university. His work involves significant external collaboration through the Inspire initiative with Exeter, Bristol, and Cardiff Universities. His research focuses on neuroscience, developmental biology, and cancer , particularly in the areas of Schwann cell biology, peripheral nerve regeneration, and tumorigenesis in meningioma and schwannoma. He teaches neuroscience and cell signaling across multiple programs, including the Foundation and Physician Associate Courses, and serves as an academic tutor for first- and second-year medical students. The recent research articles highlight a strong focus on molecular mechanisms in NF2-mutated and Merlin-negative tumors , with investigations into YAP/TAZ signaling, human endogenous retroviruses, VEGF+ Schwann cell subpopulations, and targeted therapies using proteomics and genomics. His work contributes to advancing neuro-oncology and regenerative neuroscience. He is a member of the European Association of Cancer Research and his research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being. Supervised 12 Plymouth theses, indicating active student mentorship. Extensive research output (105 publications) with recent high-impact papers in journals like Brain and Neuro-Oncology . Active in national and international research networks, particularly in cancer and neuroscience. He leads and contributes to collaborative research teams focused on peripheral nerve tumors and regenerative mechanisms, with ongoing work in targeted therapies for schwannoma and meningioma.

• Neuroscience
• Schwann Cell Biology
• Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
• +13 more

Dr. Timothy Powell is a Senior Lecturer in Translational Genetics & Neuroscience and Deputy Head of Department at the Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre within King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. He leads the Psychiatric Biogerontology & Translational Medicine Group where he supervises MSc students, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Dr. Powell joined King's College London in 2009 as a 1+3 MSc/PhD student after completing his undergraduate degree in Human Sciences at University College London. He graduated with a PhD from the SGDP Centre in 2014, where he was awarded the Gottesman-Shields PhD Prize. In 2016, after postdoctoral training, he received a Medical Research Council Skills Development Fellowship. His research combines wet-lab experimental methods with population genetic approaches to investigate biological mechanisms mediating risk for psychiatric disorders such as major depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. His work focuses on telomere shortening, inflammation, neurogenesis, and human endogenous retroviral expression as key biological pathways. Recent publications reveal groundbreaking connections between ancient viral DNA in the human genome and psychiatric disorders, as well as important insights into telomere biology and aging in mental health contexts. Dr. Powell's extensive publication record demonstrates a strong trajectory in psychiatric genetics with increasing focus on the role of human endogenous retroviruses and telomere biology in mental health disorders. His work bridges molecular mechanisms with clinical implications, particularly in drug repositioning strategies for depression and understanding biological aging in psychiatric conditions. Gottesman-Shields PhD Prize Medical Research Council Skills Development Fellowship Dr. Powell actively mentors students at various levels and has received significant research funding including an MRC New Investigator award and NIH funding for his work on genetic risk of HIV acquisition. His research group employs multidisciplinary approaches including telomere quantification, inflammatory cytokine analysis, cellular models, and RNA sequencing. He also engages in public outreach through events like Pint of Science and BBC Radio 4 discussions on stem cells and drug repositioning for depression.

• Translational Genetics
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatric Disorders
• +11 more

Ravinder Kanda is a Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Genomics at the School of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University. His research focuses on the interplay between host genomes and retroviral elements, combining evolutionary biology with virology. University: Oxford Brookes University School: School of Biological and Medical Sciences Role: Senior Lecturer Research Interests: Evolutionary dynamics of endogenous retroviruses in primate genomes Host-pathogen interactions in varicella zoster virus infections Population genetics of viral and human genomic diversity Conservation genomics for endangered species like Javan Gibbons Scientific Awards: No awards mentioned in available data. Advising & Collaborations: No explicit advising records found. Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams in virology, genomics, and conservation biology projects.

• Evolutionary Genomics
• Virology
• Population Genetics
• +6 more

Andrew Mason is a Lecturer in the Department of Biology at the University of York, part of the Jack Birch Unit for Molecular Carcinogenesis and the York Biomedical Research Institute. He holds a PhD in endogenous retrovirus research from the Roslin Institute (2013–2017) and has held postdoctoral roles there. His research focuses on urothelial carcinoma and endogenous retrovirus impacts in avian/human cancers, utilizing sequencing technologies like RNAseq, ATACseq, and single-cell transcriptomics. He leads the Mason Lab, which collaborates with Genomics England’s 100,000 Genomes Project and explores ERV effects in poultry production. Education: PhD in endogenous retroviruses (Roslin Institute, 2013–2017). Research interests include bladder cancer stratification, ERV-driven oncogenesis, and avian genomics. Teaching includes bioinformatics modules in undergraduate and postgraduate programs, emphasizing genomic data analysis and ethical considerations. He is a Data Stewardship fellow in Elixir UK, promoting FAIR data practices. His lab’s work spans cancer bioinformatics, retroviral biology, and translational genomics.

• Cancer Genomics
• Transcriptomics
• Bioinformatics
• +3 more

Professor Deepak Srivastava is a faculty member at King's College London, serving as Dean of Research Infrastructure and Professor of Molecular Neuroscience within the Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN). He leads the Neuronal Circuitry and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NCND) Group and directs the Wohl Cellular Imaging Centre (WCIC), an advanced microscopy facility for neuroscience research. His research focuses on synaptic biology in health and disease, particularly neurodevelopmental disorders like schizophrenia and autism. He employs cutting-edge techniques including patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and advanced imaging to study synaptic mechanisms. Education: Holds a BSc from Cardiff University (1999) and a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2005). He lectures on neuroscience and psychiatric research programs, including the MSc in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health. Supervises BSc, MSc, and PhD students annually. Research interests include molecular mechanisms of synaptic connectivity, estrogen's role in neuronal circuitry, and translational approaches using stem cells. Key collaborations involve pharmaceutical companies and institutions like the Icahn School of Medicine. Notable achievements include co-leading the £28.5M Human Functional Genomics Initiative and delivering an inaugural lecture on synaptic biology in mental health (2024). Grants and projects include MRC-funded initiatives on functional genomics, epigenomics in rare diseases, and neuroCOVID research. His work bridges basic science and clinical applications, aiming to develop therapeutic strategies for psychiatric disorders.

• Neuroscience
• Cell Biology
• Mental Health
• +3 more

Dr Oliver Pain is a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London. His research focuses on statistical genetics, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and functional genomic annotations to understand psychiatric and neurological disorders. He specializes in developing tools like the GenoPred pipeline for polygenic scoring and improving genetic prediction across diverse populations. Pain holds a PhD in psychiatric genetics from Birkbeck, University of London, and has contributed to projects such as the AMBER consortium investigating antidepressant response mechanisms. Education: BSc in Molecular Genetics (King's College London, 2010–2013) MSc in Genes, Environment, and Development (Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, 2013–2014) PhD in Psychiatric Genetics (Birkbeck, University of London, 2014–2017) Research Interests: Pain's work integrates genetic and genomic data to uncover disease mechanisms, with a focus on depression, ALS, and polygenic risk prediction. His tools enhance clinical utility of genetic data, including UPDOG for trans-ancestry polygenic scores and GenoPred for scalable polygenic analysis. Publications: Over 30 peer-reviewed articles, emphasizing polygenic methodologies, GWAS, and translational applications in precision medicine. Recent work includes advancements in ALS diagnostics and antidepressant response prediction. Awards: Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2021–present) Grants & Projects: Wellcome Trust grant for stratifying patients using genetics (2021–2026) Alan Turing Institute project on ALS drug targets (2022) Labs & Teams: Part of the Statistical Genetics Unit led by Prof. Cathryn Lewis and collaborates with international consortia like the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium.

• Statistical Genetics
• Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS)
• Functional Genomic Annotations
• +3 more

Dr. Shantha Perera is a Senior Lecturer in Immunology and Medical Microbiology at the University of Wolverhampton, affiliated with the School of Biomedical Science and Physiology within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Her work bridges clinical immunology, microbiology, and psychoneuroimmunology, with a focus on stress-immunity interactions and molecular mimicry in autoimmune diseases. Education B.Sc (Hons) Microbiology, University of London M.Sc Immunobiology, University of Aberdeen Ph.D Genetics, University of London M.D. International University of Health Sciences, St Kitts, W.Indies Research Interests Her research explores how anti-stress interventions affect salivary immunological and biochemical biomarkers, physiological variables, and mood states. She also investigates the role of human endogenous retroviruses in molecular mimicry associated with rheumatoid arthritis, linking virology and autoimmunity. Publications span diverse areas including monoclonal antibody characterization, neonatal immunity, microbial stone deterioration, and the impact of tactile stimulation on preterm infants. Her work often intersects immunology, microbiology, and clinical applications.

• Clinical Immunology
• Clinical Microbiology
• Autoimmune Diseases
• +4 more