I found science and experiments fun as a kid – especially burning stuff with the sun and a magnifying glass. Somehow my parents also acquired a research grade microscope from a family friend which I enjoyed playing with. I was quite good at it in school so kept doing what I was good at. As a Christian, the privilege of discovering what the creator has made has also been a key motivator for me to stay in science. It’s a massive privilege to see things no one else but God knows about.  

 

I’ve come to the LMCB via a PhD in bioenergetics at QMUL, some short postdocs at QM/Oxford, Imperial College and Berkeley. Then a really cool project back at QMUL working on photosynthesis in cyanobacteria which ended up being more about phototaxis and then circumstances were such that I got the opportunity to work in an in vivo mouse immunology lab at the William Harvey Research Institute. Then Jonathan advertised for a postdoc in a project that sounded really cool so I applied and here I am!

   

 I am working on visualising gene expression changes in a developmental context.  The model we use is Dictyostelium discoideum - a really cool cellular model that does lots of neat stuff – like become multicellular!

 

How and where do you see yourself in 5 years?

No idea. Hopefully still in London. Hopefully employed. Trying to work that out before this contract finishes!

 

Bit of rock climbing, walks and holidays with my wife, some music, boardgames, cooking and baking then eating the fruits of my labour. But coming to work is quite fun too – especially when the cells pose nicely for the camera!