Newcastle-Under-Lyme, England, United Kingdom
We're looking for insights into the challenges you face when conducting neuroscience research and in particular when wanting to use representative models of the brain. Please get in touch if you wish to discuss these challenges with us! Background: Neurological injuries and diseases can have profound impacts on us and urgently require new treatments. A major challenge in developing new and effective neurological therapies is finding realistic models of the injured brain within which to test them. You could use animal models which are associated with ethical issues, are expensive and require substantial expertise. Or you could use dish models, but these are often overly simplistic or technically demanding. I'm part of a research team addressing these challenges through the development of new models of neurological injury. As part of this process, I am also co-founder of BrainMix, where we are developing an off-the-shelf, frozen mixed brain cell model for people to buy and use in their laboratory. We are currently on the iCure-BBSRC-NC3Rs funded program to explore if there is a market for our product. We would love to hear from people who are interested. My work in this field has resulted in 26 publications and has attracted around £1m funding from the MRC, EPSRC, BBSRC, Nc3Rs, Royal Society, British Neuropathological Society, Wolfson Trust and North Staffordshire Medical Institute. I joined Keele in 2010 for my PhD in Neural Tissue Engineering, funded by the EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre in Regenerative Medicine. After my PhD I was awarded an EPSRC Engineering:Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Fellowship to develop protective matrices for safe and effective surgical delivery of stem cells to sites of neurological injury. Subsequently, I was appointed as Lecturer in Neuroscience in the School of Life Sciences (2016) and made Program Director for the Neuroscience BSc in 2020 and then the MRes in Bioscience in 2023. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience in 2024. If you are interested in my research or in BrainMix, please send me a message!
- Leading research program in Neural Tissue Engineering - Program Director for Neuroscience BSc (since 2020) and MRes in Neuroscience (since 2023)
- Awarded around £950k in research funding, including leading a multiple user equipment bid - Led and involved in 12 publications, including in field leading journals (e.g. ALTEX, Materials Science Engineering C) - Program Director for our Neuroscience BSs (since 2020) and MRes in Bioscience (since 2023) programs.
- Awarded independent research funding of £250k by an EPSRC Engineering:Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Fellowship to develop 3D implants for spinal cord repair - Published four papers as first author, including in field leading journals (e.g. Nanoscale and Advanced Healthcare Materials)
- Awarded competitive funding by York University to complete an MSc in Bioscience