Current Final Years
Current Third Years
Current Second Years
Current First Years
Current Final Years
Naomi Berthaut
Naomi graduated from the University of Bristol in 2019 with a BSc in Neuroscience. During her degree, she carried out a SWBio DTP summer research placement in Prof Zafar Bashir’s lab, investigating the effects of acetylcholine on synaptic transmission in the CA2 region of the hippocampus using in vitro electrophysiology. For her final year project, she worked in Dr Paul Dodson’s lab, looking into sleep disturbances in mice models of Parkinson’s disease. These experiences were central to her interest in neuroscience research, and led her to undertake a PhD combining experimental and computational approaches.
Naomi’s PhD project is supervised by Dr Mike Ashby and Dr Cian O’Donnell. It aims to investigate how neurons control the trafficking and distribution of mitochondria in long-range axons, using two-photon microscopy to track individual mitochondria, and the larger scale and power of computational models to simulate trafficking in entire axonal trees.
Zac Collins
Zac graduated with an Integrated Masters in Biochemistry from the University of York in 2019. During his masters project he investigated the role of bacterial Gam proteins and their role as DNA end-binding proteins. It was during this project that Zac became fascinated by the defence systems employed by bacteria to protect themselves from bacteriophage and other selfish elements. This caused him to want to pursue a PhD project in this field.
Zac’s PhD project is titled “Structure-function studies of the bacterial plasmid defence system Wadjet” and is supervised by Prof Mark Szczelkun and Prof Christiane Berger-Schaffitzel. This project aims to use both structural techniques, as well as biophysical analysis to determine how proteins involved in the newly discovered Wadjet system interact with foreign plasmid DNA to protect their hosts.
Maeve Dale
Maeve graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2018 with a BSc in Genetics. Her final year project utilized viruses as a tool to investigate the stress response and defence mechanisms of plants. This sparked an interest in both research and sustainable crop development which lead to a research based MSc at Durham University. There she investigated the role of cell wall dimerisation in drought and freezing tolerance.
Her interest in food security continues in her PhD with Prof Alistair Hetherington. This project will focus on intercellular signalling pathways involved in plant tolerance against stresses such as salt, cold and drought.
Molly Davidson
Molly graduated from the University of Bristol with a BSc in Neuroscience in 2018. Her final year undergraduate project with Dr Pete Brennan involved investigating whether social buffering pheromones are able to reduce a stress response in mice.Molly remained in Bristol to complete a MSc in Molecular Neuroscience. This included a research project with Dr Kevin Kemp which aimed to develop a model of progressive multiple sclerosis using organotypic cerebellar slices.
Her PhD project will combine behavioural experiments with computational modelling to investigate how affective states influence decision making. This project is supervised by Prof Mike Mendl, Prof Iain Gilchrist, Dr John Fennell and Dr Liz Paul at the University of Bristol in collaboration with Prof Peter Dayan at the Max Planck Institute.
Tim Neary
Tim graduated from the University of Bristol in 2018 with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry. After graduation Tim worked with Dr Fabio Parmeggiani on the characterisation of de novo designed modular domains to better enable the implicit design of repeat protein arrays. During this time, Tim developed a keen interest in de novo protein design.
Tim’s PhD project, under the supervision of Dr Fabio Parmeggiani and Dr Ross Anderson at the University of Bristol, aims to design novel binding modular units for use in the construction of repeat protein arrays.
Zoe Parr-Cortes
CASE studentship
During her Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Bristol, Zoe took a year out to complete a BSc in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, where she experienced research for the first time. Following her Veterinary degree, Zoe worked in general practice for 2 years. Wanting to pursue research again, she undertook a 6-month project as part of the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute Clinical Primer scheme funded by the Wellcome Trust. After completing this, Zoe decided to undertake a PhD at the University of Bristol.
Zoe’s PhD aims to understand whether and how dogs detect changes in cortisol levels in dogs and humans. Dogs are beginning to be trained to assist patients with Addison’s disease; a condition resulting in low cortisol levels, suggesting dogs can discriminate cortisol levels via scent. Zoe aims to assess sensitivity and specificity of their response and use mass-spectrometry to identify critical compounds that trigger alerting behaviour.
Gabbie Portlock
Gabbie graduated from the University of Manchester with a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology with Industrial Experience in 2019. Over 2017/18, she completed a 12-month biology placement at Eli Lilly, where her research focused on developing novel in vivo models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related tauopathies. During her industrial placement and multiple projects at university, Gabbie developed a particular interest the molecular mechanisms underpinning the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD and Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Gabbie’s PhD project is supervised by Dr Paul Dodson and Dr Jiaxiang Zhang and is titled: ‘encoding of decision making by dopamine neurons’, relating to PD and tauopathies such as progressive supranuclear palsy. Gabbie will use in vivo behavioural testing, electrophysiological recording and computational modelling to further characterise sub-populations of dopamine neurons involved in decision making and impulsive choices.
Hayley Reeve
Hayley holds undergraduate and MRes degrees in Psychology from the University of St Andrews, where she applied a behavioural approach to explore rodent cognition. Her interests have since shifted towards the neural processing underlying cognition, having integrated neuroanatomy and neurophysiology with behaviour during research assistant posts at the University of Sussex and the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit at the University of Oxford. Most recently, she contributed to data collection using electrophysiology and optogenetics in combination with behaviour to investigate memory-related activity in the hippocampus and beyond.
She joins the University of Bristol for her PhD on interactions between the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex during goal-directed behaviour, under the supervision of Prof Richard Apps, Prof Clea Warburton, and Dr Nadia Cerminara.
Simon Lenz
Simon graduated from the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen, Germany, with a BSc in Biomimetics. Learning from nature and applying this knowledge to technology fascinated him throughout all his studies.
His thesis was about the biomechanics of the landing performance in locusts. After a short study break (working as a Software Engineer at the German Research Institute for Artifical Intelligence), he came back to insects and studied the adhesion of beetles in a MPhil at the University of Cambridge.
In Bristol, Simon will be studying the acoustic camouflage of moths and how to incorporate their structures into artificial systems, supervised by Dr Marc Holderied.
Michael Beer
Michael graduated from the University of Oxford in 2020 with an MBiochem in Biochemistry. During his Masters, he was a member of the Prof Nicole Zitzmann group. Using a combination of X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry and interferometric scanning mass spectrometry, Michael structurally characterized the human UDP-glucose glycoprotein:glucosyltransferase 1 enzyme, and subsequently identified and characterized an interaction partner. This work, along with previous research under Prof Peter McHugh investigating interaction interfaces between DNA binding proteins, has cemented his interest in structural biology and biophysics.
Embarking on his PhD, Michael will be working with Dr Jim Spencer and Prof Adrian Mulholland. Michael will examine Macromolecular Rate Theory and investigate how this theory can explain how mutations in bacterial enzymes, outside of their active sites, can confer antibiotic resistance. Throughout his PhD Michael will utilize techniques such as X-crystallography, enzyme kinetics assays and molecular dynamics simulations.
Joshua Bonser
Joshua graduated from the University of Lincoln in 2019 with a BSc in Biochemistry, followed by a MRes in Molecular Cell Biology from the University of Nottingham in 2020. During his undergraduate studies Joshua developed an interest in DNA replication and repair, culminating in him undertaking a project studying novel proteins in the homologous recombination pathway of DNA repair. This extended further resulting in Joshua studying the archaeal accessory helicase Hel308 during his time at the University of Nottingham.
Joshua’s project at Bristol is supervised by Prof Christiane Berger-Schaffitzel and Prof Mark Dillingham, alongside Dr Binyam Mogessie, and investigates modulators of double-stranded DNA break repair and how these discoveries may be applied to increase gene insertion efficiency using CRISPR/Cas9 systems. This project aims to utilise nanobodies and the Trim-Away technique to inhibit and knock out proteins in these pathways to study them and boost DNA insertion efficiency.
Jess Sweetman
CASE studentship
(she/her)
Jess graduated from Bristol in 2016 with a BSc in Biology before pursuing an MScR in Plant Sciences. During her studies Jess specialised in various aspects of plant sciences with a particular focus on plant adaptation and development. Her master’s project looked at how UV-B light could be utilised to antagonise dark-induced senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. During 2018 Jess undertook a summer research project under the supervision of Dr Antony Dodd in collaboration with the Bristol-based SME LettUs Grow. This project related to the manipulation of lighting regimes to optimise aeroponic systems within a vertical farming setup and sparked a deep interest in the applications of plant sciences for addressing food security issues.
Jess’ PhD project “Enhancing the stress tolerance and shelf life of horticultural crops through light quality manipulation” is supervised by Prof Kerry Franklin and Prof Alistair Hetherington at the University of Bristol in collaboration with LettUS Grow.
Charlotte Fletcher
Charlotte graduated from the University of Manchester in 2020 with a MSci in Biology. Her Masters research project involved designing and assembling vectors for recombinant virus-like particle (VLP) expression in microalgae. This, along with a summer placement at the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre, contributed to an interest in novel vaccine platforms and biopharmaceutical R&D.
Under the supervision of Prof Imre Berger, Charlotte will contribute to the development of COVID-19 vaccine candidates based on the ADDomer© VLP vaccine platform. She will use synthetic biology and structural techniques to optimise the ADDomer© scaffold for further vaccine innovation.
Ellie Fletcher
(she/her)
Ellie graduated with a BSc from the University of Warwick in 2019 where she also did an Intercalated Study Abroad Year at Monash University, Melbourne. She then went to the University of York for a MSc by Research looking at photosynthesis in algae, particularly the dynamics of an organelle called the pyrenoid.
Ellie became fascinated by plant organelle dynamics in 2016 when she attended a confocal microscopy workshop at the Gatsby Plant Science Summer School. Ellie is now working under the supervision of Dr Imogen Sparkes and Prof David Stephens to re-engineer Golgi dynamics in plants, as a novel strategy to increase food production. This will be achieved by identifying molecular components, more specifically myosins and their interactors, which drive Golgi movement and affect cell growth.
Bryony Gardner
CASE studentship
Bryony graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2020 with an MSci in Plant Science. The research projects in her degree developed her interest in genetics and root responses to nutrients in the soil. Her third-year research project involved identifying candidate genes for zinc uptake in Arabidopsis thaliana. She went on to an MSci project with Future Food Beacon fellow Dr Sina Fischer looking at suberin deposits in neo-tetraploid Arabidopsis thaliana roots in response to environmental stimuli.
Joining the Root Development lab in Bristol, Bryony is undertaking a CASE project working with Bristol-based aeroponic vertical farming company LettUs Grow. Plants secrete compounds from their roots known as exudates. The project aims to understand how these compounds might affect plant growth and how this understanding might improve aeroponic cultivation setups to optimise plant growth and nutrition.
Sioned Heal
Standard studentship with associate partner: In collaboration with Bristol + University of the West of England (UWE)
Sioned graduated from the University of Bristol in 2020 with an Msci in Biochemistry. Her final year project was spent in Jeremy Henley’s lab studying the role of sentrin specific proteases (SENPs) in regulating the SUMOylation status of known SUMO targets, specifically the Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor (RhoGDI).
Sioned will continue pursuing this area of interest by undergoing a PhD project in Bristol under the supervision of Prof Jeremy Henley focusing on the regulation of neuronal energy production by SUMOylation. Here, the SUMOylation status of mitochondrial proteins will be studied and associated with changes in neuronal metabolism. Part of the project will be undertaken in UWE under the supervision of Dr Tim Craig, where the Seahorse XFe24 will be used to measure key metabolic parameters and determine how changes in protein SUMOylation may affect metabolism.
Katie Jeal
CASE studentship
(she/her)
Katie graduated from the University of Bristol with an MSci in Biology in 2020. During the summer of 2019 she carried out a summer studentship funded by the British Society of Plant Pathology investigating the impact of the fungus Zymoseptoria triticii on wheat. Her final year project investigated whether exposure of plants to UV-B could delay the onset of dark-induced senescence. Both of these projects developed her interest in agriculture and the methods being applied to meet increasing agricultural demands.
Katie’s PhD project will enable her to pursue these research interests further. Under the supervision of Dr Jill Harrison and Prof Keith Edwards her PhD will focus on understanding the CLAVATA signalling pathway in wheat to engineer ears with more fertile grain and an increased yield.
Cam Mellor
Cam graduated from the University of Bristol in 2020 with a BSc in Biochemistry. Using molecular dynamics, docking and in vitro techniques, their final year project investigated potential inhibitors of P. falciparum’s lactate dehydrogenase in the lab of Dr Richard Sessions. This experience, along with a summer studentship with Dr Mike Jones, attempting to covalently link phycocyanin to purple bacteria reaction centres to develop biophotovoltaics, confirmed their keen interest in molecular biology.
Amy Mickleburgh
CASE studentship
Amy graduated from the University of Bristol with an MSci in Chemistry. During her degree, she undertook a research project supervised by Matthew Crump and funded by the RSC. This project focussed on expressing and characterising proteins involved in the biosynthetic pathway of thiomarinol and introduced her to the area of chemical biology. She continued in this field for her final year project which investigated the priming mechanism of the mupirocin biosynthetic pathway.
Amy chose to stay with the Crump lab for her PhD project joint with CASE partner UCB Pharma. Her project focuses on applying biophysical techniques to investigate aggregation of α-synuclein molecules on homogeneous surfaces which is thought to play a critical role in the development of Parkinson’s Disease.
Ellie Murphy
Standard studentship with associate partner: In collaboration with Marine Biological Association (MBA) + Bristol
(she/her)
Ellie graduated from the University of Bristol in 2020 with a BSc in Biology. In 2019, she carried out a summer placement in Dr Andy Bailey’s lab, extracting and sequencing Trichoderma DNA to facilitate species identification. Her final year project was carried out in Prof Alistair Hetherington’s lab, investigating the involvement of ABA in dark-induced stomatal closure.
Ellie is excited to pursue the field of cell signalling. Her PhD project supervised by Prof Alistair Hetherington and Dr Glen Wheeler involves use of the Mesolens microscope at the Marine Biological Association to investigate how calcium signalling in stomatal guard cells is coordinated across a leaf, and the spatial coordination of stress responses in diatom populations.
Arthur Norman
Arthur graduated from St Anne’s College, University of Oxford with an MSc in Biochemistry. During his studies Arthur co-led the Oxford team at the international synthetic biology event, iGEM, designing protease detection circuits aimed at diagnosing Chagas disease. During his Master’s project he continued analysing genetic circuits, specifically how synthetic feedforward and feedback circuits can be used to modulate output of genetic systems.
Arthur’s PhD in the Woolfson lab looks at the de novo design of proteins and their assembly in bacterial cells. He will be working with the Savery and Verkade labs to analyse these constructs.
Annabel Phillips
Annabel graduated from the University of Bristol in 2020 with a MSci in Chemistry. She carried out her final year research project under the supervision of Professor Chris Willis, employing a variety of synthetic methodologies to produce novel drug scaffolds. It was during this project that Annabel became fascinated by applications of chemistry to understanding biological problems, particularly the biosynthetic pathways of natural products.
As a result, Annabel is continuing her studies at the University of Bristol to carry out a PhD under the supervision of Professors Matthew Crump and Chris Willis. She is studying the kalimantacin assembly line, working at the chemistry-biology interface to investigate how the incorporation of β-branches is tightly controlled and if the order of this incorporation can be changed to produce novel chemical entities.
Sofia Raak
(she/they)
Sofia graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2019 with a BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology. She gained an interest in neurobiology from her honours project and a Wellcome Trust funded biomedical vacation scholarship project at the University of Bath. She continued her studies at Cardiff University, where she completed her MRes Stem Cell Neurobiology degree in 2020 focused on microglia and neurodegeneration.
Her PhD project is investigating how microRNAs and Argonaute proteins impact local protein control at neuronal synapses. The project is supervised by Prof Jonathan Hanley and Dr Cian O’Donell and combines cell culture-based techniques and computational modelling of synapse activities.
Christopher Richardson
Chris graduated from the University of Bristol in 2015 with an MSci in biology, after which he worked in the plant science industry focussing on genetic screening and generation of knockout varieties before moving on to work as a strain engineer working with filamentous fungi.
His work with construct design and genetic manipulation inspired him to return to the University of Bristol to undertake a PhD centred on gene editing whilst broadening his horizons by working on animal models. His PhD focusses on the optimisation of CRISPR/Cas9 homology-directed repair in zebrafish to introduce mutations in potassium ion channels of the heart which cause cardiac arrythmias.
Elise White
Elise graduated from the University of Bristol in 2020 with a BSc in Biochemistry. She undertook her final year research project under the supervision of Dr Ross Anderson, using experimental protein biochemistry to investigate computationally designed novel protein scaffolds. Additionally, she completed a studentship with Dr Steve Burston investigating the protein folding characteristics of a bacterial adhesin protein. Prior to university, Elise undertook a Nuffield research placement, using computational modelling to simulate the spread of the Zika virus in South America.
Elise’s experiences during these projects were pivotal to her desire to stay at Bristol to undertake a PhD. Her PhD project is supervised by Dr Marc Van der Kamp and Prof Matthew Crump. It focuses on simulation-led redesign of a polyketide synthase enzyme, combining computational protein modelling with experimental protein biochemistry and biophysical techniques.
Abbie Williams
Abbie graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2019 with a BSc in Bioveterinary Science and an award for excellent academic performance. During her undergraduate research project, Abbie carried out research on the protective effects of microbiome extracts on avian intestinal epithelial cells, against the invasion of several Salmonella enterica serovars. Building on her microbiology experience, Abbie completed an MRes from 2019-2020 at the University of Liverpool, researching mobile genetic elements and associated fitness costs.
Abbie’s experience in microbiology and interest in microbiome processes has led to her now conducting research in host-microbiome interactions with liver fluke infection. This project, supervised by Prof Mick Bailey and Dr Laura Peachey, will utilise several ‘omics’ technologies to examine and integrate data from gastro-intestinal microbiota, metabolites, and host immune responses. This research will provide a greater understanding of complex host-parasite-microbiome interactions across the course of liver fluke infection.
Sophie Williams
Sophie graduated from the University of Manchester in 2018 with an integrated M.Sci in Biochemistry. During her master’s degree project, Sophie looked into the structure and function of the S.cerevisiae mitochondrial inner-membrane protein YME1. After graduating, Sophie went on to work as a Microbiology technician at a biotechnology company in Cardiff for two years before returning to academia.
To pursue her interest in membrane protein function, Sophie is currently working with Prof Ian Collinson and Dr Vicki Gold at the University of Bristol, investigating the functioning and mechanism of the bacterial ‘secretosome’. It is the project’s aim to explore the interactions between the holo-translocon, BAM complex and periplasmic chaperones within the secretosome and its role in bacterial outer-membrane biogenesis.
Current Third Years
Dasha Anderson
CASE studentship
(she/her)
Dasha graduated from Durham University in 2020 with an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience, prior to which she studied a BSc in Psychology. During her time at university, she developed a strong interest into how psychoactive drugs, both medical and recreational, affect the brain and the resulting policy implications. During her Masters, Dasha explored this through a research project investigating patterns of medical cannabis use, while also chairing the nationwide student group Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Given increasing interest into the potential therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin for mental health, Dasha’s PhD project will focus on understanding the neurobiology of these drugs using electrophysiological, behavioural and molecular pharmacology. In a collaboration with COMPASS Pathways who are developing psilocybin for clinical use, the project will be supervised by Dr Emma Robinson and Dr Zuner Bortolotto.
Maisie Brett
CASE studentship
Maisie graduated from the University of Exeter in 2017 with a BSc(Hons) in Conservation Biology and Ecology, where her final research project under Dr Regan Early looked at the efficiency of bio-control use in UK agriculture based on biogeographical matching of predators and prey.
She completed her MRes as part of the Community Ecology group at the University of Bristol in 2020. During this project she used ecological network analysis to assess the impact of invasive plants on plant-pollinator interactions within Fynbos habitats of South Africa.
Her PhD project supervised by Prof Jane Memmott expands upon this research. By assessing competition between managed honeybee populations and native pollinators, incorporating flowering phenologies and using socio-ecological network analysis, Maisie hopes to inform ecologically sustainable beekeeping practices within heathland habitats that promote pollinator biodiversity.
Sacha Charlton
(she/her)
Sacha graduated from the University of Warwick in 2021 with a Master of Chemistry (with Industrial Placement). Her final year project was exploring Diels-Alderase enzyme catalysis under the supervision of Prof Greg Challis. Sacha undertook her industrial placement with the Biocatalysis team in the iLAB at AstraZeneca, Gothenburg. This work fuelled her passion for biochemical research with experience in high-throughput automation techniques and analytical chemistry.
Sacha is now undertaking a PhD at the University of Bristol in the groups of Prof Chris Willis and Prof Paul Race, where she can further probe her interests in natural product biosynthesis, organic synthesis and drug discovery. Her project will focus on engineering biosynthetic pathways and biocatalysts to deliver new antimicrobial compounds.
George Greiff
George graduated from the University of Oxford with a BA in Biological Sciences in 2021, completing his honours project on the molecular basis of intergametic signalling in the liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha. In the summer of 2021, he continued working on Marchantia at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Cambridge, focussing on natural variation in disease resistance to Phytophthora pathogens. George has a long-standing interest in bryophyte biology and land plant evolution.
George’s PhD aims to determine the molecular mechanisms regulating stem cell function in the moss, Physcomitrium patens. The project is supervised by Jill Harrison and Tom Gorochowski.
Srikanth Lingappa
CASE studentship
Srikanth graduated from Government Science College, Bangalore University in 2019 with MSc in Biotechnology. Upon graduation, Srikanth joined National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR) Bangalore, as a research intern studying Host-pathogen interactions.
Srikanth’s PhD is based at the University of Bristol, in collaboration with AstraZeneca, Cambridge (CASE partner). In his PhD project, Srikanth will use in silico structural modelling methods to predict the structures of trypanosome’s non-variant surface proteins and map the exposed epitopes at the parasite cell surface. After assessing these predictions experimentally, the targets will be used for the development of novel immunotherapeutics. This project is supervised by Dr. Paula MacGregor, Dr. Fabio Parmeggiani, Prof. Imre Berger, and Dr. Andrea Gonzalez-Munoz (CASE supervisor, AstraZeneca).
Charlotte (Lottie) Muir
Lottie graduated from the University of Nottingham with a BSc in Neuroscience in 2018. Their final year project with Prof Fran Ebling focused on the role of tanycytes in energy balance over time. This sparked a fascination with neuroendocrinology and its interplay with age. Continuing this interest in ageing, Lottie undertook an MSc in Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Bristol where they investigated TDP-43 pathology in dementia patients with Dr Hannah Taylor. Most recently, Lottie has been developing their experience with rodent behavioural tests while working as a research technician at the University of Nottingham.
Lottie’s PhD project aims to explore exercise as an intervention for age-related changes to the brain and body clock, looking at clock gene expression (via bioluminescent reporters) as well as whole animal physiology and behaviour. It is supervised by Prof Hugh Piggins, Prof Kate Ellacott, Prof Tony Pickering and Dr Jamie Walker.
Nathan Palk
(he/him)
Nathan graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2020 with a BSc in Biomedical Science. Following this, he completed a MRes in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bristol where he investigated the link between two-component systems and toxicity in the major human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus.
For his PhD project, supervised by Professor Ruth Massey and Dr Maisem Laabei, Nathan is continuing his interest in bacterial pathogenesis by investigating the role of membrane stability in the ability of Staphylococcus aureus to form part of the human microbiome and withstand attack from the immune system
Rokas Petrenas
CASE studentship
Rokas graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2021 with a BSc in Biochemistry. He undertook his final year project under the supervision of Dr Christopher Wood, where he worked on the application of deep learning for protein design. From this, Rokas developed an interest in de novo protein design.
Rokas is undertaking his PhD at the University of Bristol, in collaboration with Rosa Biotech. The project will combine computational protein design with ultrafast spectroscopy to develop a new generation of synthetic biosensors. The project is supervised by Prof Dek Woolfson and Dr Tom Oliver.
James Rawson
(he/him)
James graduated from the University of Bristol in 2021 with an MSci in Palaeontology in Evolution. During his studies, James developed a keen interest in the relationship between form and function and how this relationship shapes the course of evolution in both living and fossil species. This culminated in his final year project in which James used innovative computational techniques to investigate the functional drivers of evolution in crocodilians and their extinct relatives.
James’ PhD project at Bristol, supervised by Professor Emily Rayfield, Dr Pamela Gill and Professor Abigail Tucker, will examine the functional and developmental evolution of the lower jaw and middle ear in the earliest mammals.
Hannah Romanowski
Studentship led by Rothamsted Research
Hannah graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc in Zoology in 2019, where she did her final project in urban ecology focussing on the effects of urban variables on the diet of red foxes. She has since completed an MSc in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Bristol.
She will be studying long-term trends in the abundance and phenology of migrating insects, under the supervision of Dr James Bell and the Rothamsted Insect Survey. Trends will be investigated in relation to climate and landscape variables. This will be then linked to population ecology of insectivorous birds and bats, to investigate if these long-term trends are potential drivers of change.
Grace Ryall
(she/her)
Grace graduated from the University of York in 2021 with an MBiomedSci in Biomedical Sciences. She undertook her master’s project in Dr Gareth Evans’ lab, where she investigated a potential role for the neuronal kinase N1-Src in the splicing of splicing factors during differentiation. This left her with a desire to further explore how phosphorylation contributes to the molecular pathways critical for normal brain function.
Working with Prof Jonathan Hanley and Prof Clea Warburton at Bristol, and Dr Jon Brown at Exeter, Grace’s PhD project aims to determine if phosphorylation of the Argonaute protein at a specific residue is required for certain types of synaptic plasticity and memory. To this end, she will conduct a range of biochemical, behavioural, and electrophysiological assays using relevant mouse models.
Izayana Sandoval-Carvajal
CASE studentship led by Rothamsted Research
Izayana graduated from the University of Costa Rica in 2014 with a BSc in biology, three years later she got a degree in molecular biology and biotechnology, and in 2020 she completed her MSc in bioinformatics and system biology at the same University.
Her experience has been focused on mainly virus expression studies by transcriptomics, and also diagnosis and detection of plant viruses, viroids, and bacteria limited to the vascular system. Additionally, aphid molecular taxonomy and characterization of their bacterial endosymbionts. She is passionate about science and enjoys being constantly learning new things. One of her main interests is to contribute to disease management efforts, especially because in her country agriculture is one of the main economical activities.
Currently, she is a student of the University of Bristol and she is developing her doctoral research in Rothamsted Research where she is determining the source of resistance against Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) in a resistant line of wheat under the supervision of Prof. Kim Hammond-Kosack, Prof Gary Foster and Dr. Chris Burt.
Asheesh Sharma
Standard studentship with associate partner: In collaboration with University of the West of England (UWE) + Bristol
(he/him)
Asheesh graduated from the University of Bristol and University of West of England in 2016 with an MSc in Robotics. During his research project, he developed a swarm of physically connected agents and studied their use as constituents in free form soft-actuators, where their properties allow different swarm behaviour to emerge, leading to a specific morphology.
His PhD is based at the University of Bristol and the University of West of England. The project investigates the use of 3D camera systems to assess the body conditioning and behaviour of cattle. The project is supervised by Dr Andrew Dowsey (UOB), Dr Tilo Burghardt (UOB), Dr Melvyn Smith (UWE), and Dr Mark Hansen (UWE).
Elliot Stanton
Elliot graduated in 2021 with an MSci in Microbiology from the University of Glasgow. During this time, he undertook a yearlong work placement at Cefas, Weymouth where he completed a research project developing methods to monitor antimicrobial resistance in important pathogens of UK salmonid aquaculture. Upon returning to Glasgow to complete his final year of undergraduate studies Elliot furthered his interest in One Health approaches to tackling the global antimicrobial resistance crisis through performing an in silico research project characterising bacteriocins with potential activity against important plant pathogens.
At the University of Bristol, under the supervision of Dr Kristen Reyher, Dr Andrew Dowsey and Dr Fernando Sanchez-Vizcaino Elliot’s PhD project will seek to answer key questions around one health antimicrobial resistance, enabled through close interaction with various stakeholders and the use of a number of scientifically valuable datasets.
George Thompson
George graduated from the University of Manchester in 2018 with a BSc in Pharmacology with Industrial Experience. During his degree he gained an interest in circadian clocks in musculoskeletal systems whilst working in the lab of Professor Qing Jun Meng. After University he gained experience in advanced cell culture methods through his work in the Dive lab at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute.
At the University of Bristol he is studying the synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins with Professor David Stephens. The project involves using genome engineering to knock out key proteins in the early secretory pathway and circadian clock. High resolution imaging methods including atomic force microscopy with Professor Mike Allen of Plymouth Marine Laboratory will then be used to study the outcomes of these knockouts on ECM formation.
Fraser Woodburn
Fraser graduated from Cardiff University with a BSc in Biological Sciences in 2020. In his third-year placement, he worked for a sea turtle conservation NGO in Malaysia with Dr Nicolas Pilcher. When he returned to Cardiff for his final year, he undertook a project on the effect of social context on the production of the male-specific pheromone, cis-vaccenyl acetate, in Drosophila melanogaster with Dr Wynand van der Goes van Naters. He has developed a keen interest in conservation, sensory ecology and neuroethology.
Fraser’s PhD is based primarily at the University of Bristol, supervised by Prof Daniel Robert, and co-supervised by Prof N. Hempel de Ibarra at the University of Exeter. The aim of his PhD is to determine the mechanisms of electroreception in Bumblebees and Honeybees.
Callum Young
(he/him)
Callum did a neuroscience undergraduate in Bristol, and is staying there for his PhD. His project focusses on the role of GABA signalling in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) of the midbrain, and how this plays a role in reward learning. He is interested in how animals (and people) form expectations about the world around them, and how those expectations inform future behaviour and decision making.
He hopes to link this to psychiatric pathologies like depression and addiction, which are characterised by aberrant reward processing. This project will utilise a combination of computational and laboratory techniques to investigate reward learning and neural activity in the VTA.
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Current Second Years
Amaia Alcada
Amaia graduated from the University of Navarra (Spain) in 2020 with a BSc. in Biology. During her degree, she had the opportunity to do a placement at the University of Cambridge, studying the role played by the Hox genes in neuronal diversification. There she became fascinated by neuroscience. In 2022 she completed her Master’s by Research at University of Bristol. Her research was focused on studying the expansion of a certain structure of the brain called the Mushroom Body in Heliconius butterflies. This project consolidated her interests in evolutionary biology and neuroscience and made her want to pursue a PhD in these areas.
For her PhD, Amaia will be looking at the development of the expanded Mushroom Body in Heliconius butterflies under the supervision of Dr Stephen Montgomery and Dr James Hodge.
David Alliband
Standard studentship with associate partner: In collaboration with University of Bristol + University of the West of England (UWE)
(he/him)
David earned his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science from the University of Worcester in 2021. His research project focussed on the relationship between blood fatty acid content and cognition under the supervision of Dr Allain Bueno. He then investigated infection-induced neurodegeneration and action selection in Drosophila during his MRes at the University of Birmingham in 2022, supervised by Prof Alicia Hidalgo and Assoc Prof Carolina Rezaval.
David’s PhD project is supervised by Prof Jon Lane and Dr Lucy Crompton investigating autophagy control of human neuroinflammatory signalling using hiPSC-derived astrocytes, microglia, and neurons in 2D and 3D co-cultures.
Amy Amin
(she/her)
Amy graduated from the University of Bristol where she completed an MSci Neuroscience and after taking a gap year, she is continuing her studies here for her PhD. She was inspired by her final year project which combined computational modelling to supplement a behavioural model for the assessment of motor adaptation, leading her to pursue a PhD.
Her PhD project under Dr Paul Dodson focuses on probing the function of dopaminergic inputs from the basal ganglia into the cerebellum. She is interested in understanding the motivational decisions that drive our movements. She hopes to explore this connection in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson’s, OCD, and depression, where the circuit malfunctions. The project will utilise a combination of laboratory techniques with computational modelling to understand how movement and related motivational signals are processed in the brain.
Tejavsi Anand
Tejasvi graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022 with a BSc in Biomedical Science. During this time she developed a keen interest in cellular and molecular biochemistry which was further fueled by an internship at Zumutor Biologics where they aimed to identify novel immunotherapies using monoclonal antibodies from a human antibody gene library.
Tejasvi’s interdisciplinary PhD project, supervised by Professor Mark Szczelkun and Dr. Thomas Gorochowski aims to understand the molecular mechanism behind a type of phase variation used by certain bacterial Type I Restriction-Modification enzymes called “shufflons”. She additionally hopes to investigate the potential of shuffling as a basis for the rational design of genetic switches.
Marvellous Arabambi
Marvellous graduated from the University of Warwick in 2022 with a MChem Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry. Her final-year project was with Professor Sébastien Perrier, investigating how polymer and small molecule chemistry could be used in improving the stability and control over the length of self-assembling supramolecular cyclic peptide nanotubes for the purpose of drug delivery.
Her interest lies in conducting interdisciplinary research which explores the interface between chemistry and biology. Marvellous’ PhD project will involve the application of computational molecular simulation methods, and single molecule biophysical experiments, to investigating enzymes mechanism, conformational behaviour and fluctuations. The results will provide atomic-level insight into enzyme activity and inhibition, relevant to enzyme design and evolution. The project is supervised by Prof Adrian Mulholland, Prof Frank Vollmer, Dr Marc van der Kamp and Dr Chris Pudney.
Natasha Brock
Studentship led by Rothamsted Research
Tash graduated from the University of York with a BSc in Biological Sciences (with a Year in Industry) in 2022. During her Year in Industry, Tash worked in the Novel Human Genetics Research Unit at GlaxoSmithKline. Her final year project with Prof Neil Bruce was characterising the Glutathione detoxification pathway of TNT and Copper in Arabidopsis thaliana at the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP).
Tash’s PhD will be based at the Rothamsted Research, supervised by Prof Nigel Halford, with co-supervisors Dr David Withall (Rothamsted) and Dr Gary Barker (University of Bristol). The main aim of her PhD is to use CRISPR/Cas9 to re-engineer wheat to alter its amino acid metabolism.
Emily Carr
CASE studentship
(she/her)
Emily graduated from the University of Bristol with an MSc in Biology in 2021. During the third year of her integrated master’s, Emily completed work investigating how root hair structure aids adhesion to the soil. Then, for her fourth year, she worked on creating phylogenies describing how the process of hydrotopism may have evolved.
Building further upon her knowledge of plant roots so far, Emily will be working with Professor Claire Grierson to understand how root exudates from wheat affect root soil interactions, with the aim of using this knowledge to prevent soil erosion. Emily’s work will also involve a CASE placement at LettUs Grow, a vertical farm based in Bristol.
Nick Cherbanich
(he/they)
Nick is a Pharmacology graduate, with a focus on neuroscience and behaviour. Their previous projects have investigated the effect of psychoactive drugs and schizophrenia genetic risk factors on rodent perception, cognition, and affective state. Nick also has non-academic interests in the intersection between psychology, social politics, and language. Their PhD will investigate the effects of prediction error on emotional state in different species, with a view to understand the cognitive mechanisms of depression to improve both human health and animal welfare.
Joe Flanagan
CASE studentship
Joe is an MSci Natural Sciences graduate from UCL with a background spanning neuroscience, pharmacology, psychology, and organic chemistry. Joe is currently researching the molecular and synaptic mechanisms which underlie the sustained antidepressant effects of NMDA receptor antagonists at the University of Bristol. Joe is fascinated by the mechanistic role that dysfunctional endocannabinoid and serotonergic signalling plays in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer; and how compounds targeting dysfunctional endocannabinoid and serotonergic signalling (i.e., cannabinoids and psychedelics) may prove to be breakthrough treatments for these debilitating disorders/diseases that currently lack efficacious pharmacotherapies.
Tom Gerrard
Standard studentship with associate partner: In collaboration with University of Bristol + University of the West of England (UWE)
After graduating from University of Bristol with a BSc Biology, Tom completed a master’s by research degree in biological sciences. His research master’s focussed on the development of single nucleotide polymorphism marker panels which would allow rapid genotyping of unknown pathogenic bacteria.
His PhD project is supervised by Dr Darryl Hill from Bristol and Dr Lynne Lawrance from UWE. Tom aims to use his background in bioinformatics to look into the population biology of Moraxella catarrhalis and to provide insight into the pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance of these opportunistic bacteria.
Sara Hall
CASE studentship
Sara graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2003 with a BSc Zoology and completed her final year project at the Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh. She then went on to work in the dairy sector as a specialist cheese buyer before returning to work on her family farm. Sara is hugely motivated by the significant challenges currently faced by the UK dairy industry and passionately believes that collaborative research between science and farmers is of vital importance to achieve sustainable agriculture.
Supervised by Dr Daniel Enriquez-Hidalgo at the University of Bristol and Dr Taro Takahashi at Rothamsted, and in partnership with Pasture for Life, Sara’s PhD will consider environmental, economic and animal welfare aspects of conventional, regenerative and sustainably intensified dairy systems. Using field-based research and multidisciplinary approaches, she hopes the project will help identify optimal dairy farming systems for the future.
Tanya Kaur
(she/her)
Tanya graduated from the University of Birmingham with a BSc Biomedical Science in 2021, followed by an MRes Molecular and Cellular Biology. During her time at university, she developed a strong interest in the restoration of misaligned circadian rhythms as a therapy for metabolic disorders. Tanya thus ventured into neuroendocrinology during her masters, where she explored the hypothalamic role of the PAS-domain protein kinase in energy homeostasis, under the supervision of Dr Gabriela Da Silva Xavier.
For her PhD project, Tanya will investigate the interplay between the homeostatic and circadian centres of the hypothalamus through the melanocortin system, with the aim to therapeutically adjust when and how much we eat, sleep and exercise. A combination of approaches including electrophysiology, behavioural assays and bioinformatic analyses will be employed, with supervision by Prof Hugh Piggins, Prof Kate Ellacott, Prof Matt Jones and Dr Andrew Wood.
Elizabeth Moruzzi
(she/her)
Liz graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022 with an Msci in Biochemistry. Her final year project investigated which SENP removed SUMO-2/3 from Rho-GTPase in Prof. Jeremy Henley’s lab. In summer 2021, she undertook a studentship project where she helped characterise novel ADDobodies for next generation antivenoms in Prof. Christiane Berger-Schaffitzel’s lab. These projects sparked her interest in applying synthetic biology in a natural cell-based context.
Staying in Bristol for her PhD project, she will design a de novo self-regulated molecular motor, supervised by Dr Mark Dodding and Prof. Dek Woolfson. She aims to improve understanding of molecular motors and integrate this synthetic motor design into natural cells.
Alexandre Pinto
Alex graduated from the University of Porto in 2021 with a Master’s in Bioengineering directed mainly to Molecular Biotechnology. During his degree, Alex developed a strong interest in molecular signalling, particularly in the endocannabinoid system, given its paradoxical ubiquity and specificity of function. This led him to develop a final project focusing on endocannabinoid and Ca2+ dynamics in astrocytes, under the supervision of Giovanni Marsicano at Neuro centre Magendie, France.
Following the same line of research, Alex’s PhD project will focus on type-1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) diversity of function. The aim is to understand the mechanisms underlying CB1 polarization to different subneuronal localizations with emphasis on the role of mRNA untranslated regions contained in CB1 transcripts. This project will be developed mainly at the University of Bristol, under the supervision of Professor Jeremy Henley.
Anjali Shah
Anjali graduated from University of Bristol in 2021 with an MSci Chemistry with Industrial Experience. She established an interest in the interface of chemistry and biology early on, inspiring her to pursue an industrial placement at Evotec. She gained experience in medicinal chemistry while working on the lead optimisation stage of a project, driving her curiosity in drug discovery. Her final year project, under Professor Dek Woolfson, focused on de novo designed alpha helical barrels and their applications.
She will now begin a PhD under Professor Chris Willis at the University of Bristol. The project focuses on maleidrides, aiming to explore their biosynthetic pathway including the mechanism behind ring contraction and the role of particular enzymes. Additionally, the generation of a library of novel maleidrides with the goal of producing bioactive compounds. This will tie in with and develop her skills in organic chemistry, biosynthesis and drug discovery.
Matthew Turk
Matthew graduated from University of Exeter in 2021 with a first-class BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, where he developed an interest in safeguarding food security. His dissertation studied the genetic basis of floral transition in duckweed species and considered how exploitation of non-standard crops may impact future food security.
Following completion of his undergraduate degree, Matthew was selected for a Lady Emily Smyth MScR studentship within the Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory at University of Bristol, focusing on furthering understanding of the bases of infection and symptomology in two viral diseases of cassava. Cassava is a critical tropical crop, and this understanding could be utilised to develop future plant biosecurity procedures, better ensuring global food and economic security. His PhD project “Saving Cassava: A Novel Gene in a Deadly Virus” will expand on this research, characterising the role of different (Ugandan) Cassava brown streak virus genomic regions in infection.
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Current First Years
Afsal Ayoob Khan
Studentship led by Rothamsted Research
Afsal is a B. Sc-M.Sc. (integrated) Climate Change Adaptation graduate from College of Climate Change and Environmental Science (CCCES), Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, India. He also has a master’s degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Padua, Italy and PG Diploma in Sustainability Science from Indhiragandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India. He is interested in the field of climate change in relation to the environment and livestock sector, focusing on its impact, adaptation and mitigation strategies that enable to reduce the negative impacts pertaining to the changing climate scenario.
An experienced professional with expertise in areas such as climate change, sustainable agricultural production, and environmental management, Afsal has published several scientific articles in internationally reputed journals and has had abstracts in national and international conferences. He attended several international conferences/symposiums within the country and abroad. He specialises in climate change and livestock production, with a primary focus on developing interventions to reduce enteric methane emissions from livestock. His research is under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Enriquez-Hidalgo (University of Bristol), Dr. Jordana Rivero (Rothamsted Research) and Dr. Christopher Browne (ZELP Co.) and will focus on interventions to reduce enteric methane emissions in the early life of cattle, supported by ZELP CASE Project. This is rooted in a deep commitment to addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time: mitigating the environmental impact of the livestock industry while ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.
Felix Bowers
Felix completed his Integrated Masters in Palaeontology and Evolution at the University of Bristol in 2023. His master’s project used phylogenomic methods to study fungal evolution. During his undergraduate years, Felix developed an interest in computational modelling through work in mining and a 2022 internship. Under the supervision of Emily Rayfield, he developed a deep learning protocol for automated segmentation of bone and cartilage in CT scans.
Continuing his research in Bristol, Felix focuses on three-dimensional imaging to study bone remodelling in zebrafish. He aims to explore the relationship between form and function, providing insights valuable for both evolutionary biology and medical science.
James Boyd
CASE studentship
James graduated with a BSc in Cancer Biology and Immunology in 2022 from the University of Bristol. His final year project investigated the effects of the immunosuppressive protein, TIM3, on activation of immune cells called T-cells, with Professor Christoph Wuelfing. During this project he developed a fascination for T-cells and how they can be used to treat cancer. He then continued on to complete an MRes with Prof Wuelfing, investigating the impacts of a novel immunostimulatory receptor on T-cell activity.
James’ PhD is investigating how mutations in the T-cell-associated protein, CD8, impacts the affinity of T-cells for cancer cells, and how this impacts T-cell-mediated tumour death. This project aims to use both molecular dynamic simulations and cellular imaging to investigate how CD8 mutations could be used to enhance cellular cancer therapy.
Tom Chambers
CASE studentship
Tom graduated from the University of Manchester in 2022 with a BSc in Biochemistry. He remained in Manchester and completed an MSc in Biochemistry the following year. During his master’s project, Tom joined the lab of Professor Christopher Grant. His research focused on the role of the helicase Dhh1 in the formation and regulation of processing bodies and stress granules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Tom’s PhD project is supervised by Professor Mark Dillingham and is in collaboration with Oxford Nanopore Technologies. His project has two primary aims. Firstly, to optimise the speed, accuracy, and simplicity of nanopore sequencing by incorporating novel DNA helicases. Secondly, to use the traces generated during nanopore sequencing to study the mechanism of action of DNA helicases, particularly those of medical interest and how they are affected by drugs or mutations.
Ana Paula Cipriano
Ana Paula Cipriano holds a Biology degree from the University of São Paulo, and she completed her master’s at the same institution, with an internship at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Since her undergraduate studies, she has been fascinated by social insects, conducting research on the behavioral ecology of stingless bees for her undergraduate dissertation to conclude her bachelors. After graduating, she undertook a one-year internship focused on sea turtle conservation, involving research, fieldwork, and environmental education for the general public in various cities along the Brazilian coast.
During her master’s, she focused on investigating how factors like climate and hormones impact morphology, shedding light on the interplay of environment and reproduction in South American lizards. Ana Paula’s keen interest lies in understanding animal interactions with their surroundings, with a focus on ecology, behavior, and conservation. Currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Bristol under Dr Christoph Grüter, she aims to understand the drifting behavior in Brazilian stingless bees and UK honeybees. The project’s scope encompasses factors such as nutritional state, pesticide exposure, and pathogen infection, while also considering the spatial arrangement of apiaries. This research collaboration extends to Meli, a non-profit organization focused on traditional communities in Brazil.
Selina Diether
Standard studentship with associate partner: In collaboration with University of Bristol + University of the West of England (UWE)
Selina successfully completed her Biomedical Science undergraduate degree and Master in Research at UWE Bristol. During her degrees and work as a research technician in the Greenhough Lab she has been researching hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) induced signalling mechanisms and metabolism in pancreatic cancer. Throughout her research experience she developed a keen interest in how cells sense and respond to changes in their microenvironment which motivated her to pursue a PhD.
Selina´s project, supervised by Professor Anne Ridley (UOB) and Dr. Alexander Greenhough (UWE), focuses on elucidating the role of receptor-mediated mechanical sensing and signalling during intestinal homeostasis and epithelial barrier function in response to biophysical stress using 3D organoid culture and 2D mechanonsensing models.
Cameron Haddow
Cameron graduated from the University of Bath in 2021 with a BSc in Biochemistry. During this he developed an interest in drug discovery and cancer biology leading to an industrial placement within the AstraZeneca Biophyics team (Cambridge, UK). Upon graduation, he built upon this at the CRO: Domainex (also Cambridge, UK) again using Biophysics to characterise molecular interactions across early phase drug discovery projects.
In both roles Cameron developed a specific interest in the mechanisms of E3 ligases harnessed by novel induced degradation modalities (e.g: PROTACs). This inspired him towards his research theme: ‘Molecular mechanisms of the ubiquitin system’ supervised by: Christiane Berger-Schaffitzel, Jeremy Henley (University of Bristol) and Julien Licchesi (University of Bath).
Dulcie Havers
CASE studentship
Dulcie graduated for the University of Oxford in 2023 with an MSc in Biochemistry. During her master’s research project, Dulcie worked on systems involved in bacterial cell division investigating components of the Tol-Pal system and their interactions. This developed her interest in the mechanistic basis of bacterial biology.
Dulcie has now joined the Collinson group at the University of Bristol, where she is undertaking a CASE project working with the Oxford-based biotechnology company Oxford Nanopore Technologies. Dulcie is researching the ubiquitous bacterial SEC machinery, a system used by all bacteria (and eukaryotes) to translocate proteins across membranes. This project aims to better understand the dynamic mechanism of this system, and how this could be exploited in a biotechnology context.
Magdalena Kaźmierczak
Magdalena graduated from Warsaw University of Technology in 2021 with MSc in Chemical Technology and from University of Warsaw in 2022 with MSc in Computational Engineering. During her second Master’s degree she worked towards computational modelling of novel semiconductors and nanoswitches for the next generation of electronics. It was that time that helped her discover an interest in the application of computation simulations in molecular modelling and drug design.
Under the supervision of Dr Marc van der Kamp and Prof Chris Willis Magdalena aims to utilize computational simulations as well as experimental characterization to design new classes of Dielse-Alderases with specific activity and selectivity. These enzymes are proven to sustainably biosynthesise tetronate antibiotics such as abyssomicins – natural products with highly promising antibiotic activity.
Emily Lai
(she/her)
Emily attained her Bsc (Hons) in Chemistry from the University of Bristol in 2023. Her final-year project, completed under the supervision of Prof Matthew Crump, involved the successful synthesis of a carefully designed mimic substrate for the putative esterase in the biosynthetic pathway of the antibiotic mupirocin.
Her PhD will delve deeper into this field looking more closely at the spatiotemporal control governing the interactions between these enzymes and their ligands. By using various NMR assay techniques which allow for real-time observations of substrate processing, coupled with the use of specific substrate mimetic probes and Cryo-EM to capture intermediate conformations of these proteins, she hopes her project will significantly enhance our understanding of systems offering insights to help tackle the global threat of antibiotic resistance.
Lisa Moiseienko
Standard studentship with associate partner: In collaboration with University of Bristol + University of the West of England (UWE)
Lisa graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in 2022 with a Master’s in Biology and the qualification of a Junior Researcher, specializing in Microbiology. Her graduation project was focused on investigating the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria and was titled ‘Screening of Lactic Acid Bacterial Strains for the Further Fermentation of Plant Juices.’ During the past year, Lisa worked as a Research Technician at the University of Bristol, where her research interests shifted towards antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly resistant E. coli isolated from farm animals and human samples.
The aim of Lisa’s PhD project is to investigate the mechanism of action of novel technology as cold atmospheric plasma and its effects on cells of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The project is supervised by Prof Matthew Avison at the University of Bristol and Dr Alexandros Stratakos from the University of the West of England.
Elsa Oakes
CASE studentship
(she/her)
Elsa graduated from the University of Exeter with a BSc in Neuroscience in 2023. During her undergraduate degree she undertook a placement year, researching the role of extra-synaptic GABAergic signalling in the brain’s master circadian clock. Additionally, she completed a final year project investigating the microglial response to adeno-associated viral vector injections. These projects fostered her interest in neural circuit function and neuroimmune communication.
For her PhD project, Elsa will investigate the mechanisms by which psilocybin treatment alters neural plasticity in rodents. This research aims to provide insight into how psychedelic drugs could be used to treat psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder. The project is supervised by Dr Jack Mellor and Dr Emma Robinson (University of Bristol). Elsa’s work will also involve a CASE placement with COMPASS pathways.
Liberty O’Brien
(she/her)
Liberty graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 2022 with an integrated master’s degree in chemistry, with a focus on environmental chemistry and soil science. For her master’s research project, she worked with a research facility in Iceland, investigating trends in trace metal concentrations in seaweeds sampled locally.
Her PhD research is co-supervised by Dr Charlotte Lloyd at the University of Bristol and Dr Martin Blackwell at Rothamsted Research. The project aims to explore the potential to exploit the positive properties of biodegradable plastic mulch films for their use in agriculture. Liberty is motivated by a passion for moving towards more sustainable agricultural systems and the belief that scientific research is critical in aiding this transition.
Rabia Sevil
Rabia graduated from the University of Bristol in 2020 with a BSc in Physiological Science. Following her degree, she carried out a 3-month research placement with Dr Robert Drake, working on a pilot study ‘Using machine learning to identify treatment relevant behavioural motifs in rodents’. In 2022 she returned to the University of Bristol to complete a Master’s by Research in Repair and Regeneration where she used zebrafish as a model organism to investigate the role of Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha in the repair and regeneration of bone. This project consolidated her interest in studying age-associated disorders of bone, leading her to pursue a PhD in this area.
Rabia’s PhD project is supervised by Prof Chrissy Hammond and Dr Bernadette Carol. It aims to investigate mechanisms of senescence acquisition and survival in vitro and in zebrafish models of osteoarthritis, with an ultimate aim to find interventions to kill senescent cells and alleviate disease pathology.
Samantha Siomko 
(she/her)
Samantha graduated from the University of Alabama in 2022 with a MSc degree in biological sciences and from Gettysburg College in 2017 with a BSc in biology. Her previous work focused on microbiome-based acquired immunity against amphibian-specific fungal pathogens, and she recently completed a fellowship in public health where she developed molecular detection techniques to track emerging human pathogens in environmental water sources. Her current PhD research will investigate probiotic interventions for enteric infections in cattle under the supervision of Prof Paul Wigley and Dr Benedetta Amato.