Prof. Robin Williams

Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, Centre for Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London

I graduated with a PhD in molecular cell biology at the University of Melbourne (Australia) in 1994, and pursed subsequent postdoctoral positions at St Andrews University and University College London (UCL) in the UK, followed by an independent Wellcome Trust Career Development fellowship at UCL.  I moved to Royal Holloway University of London in 2006, where I am now Professor of Molecular Cell Biology and have been the Head of the Centre for Biomedical Sciences for 12 years, and I continue my research into areas of molecular cell biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, drug development, and pharmacogenetics through studies often using the social amoeba Dictyostelium, and then translating discoveries to relevant mammalian models.

Research interests: He has a long-standing drive to improve the quality of life for people in our society, through better understanding the cellular basis of disease and by developing new therapeutic treatments. He often undertakes an innovative approach for his research, by primarily employing a simple non-animal model for early stage research, called the social amoeba Dictyostelium, which allows a range of experiments not available using traditional (mammalian) models. Using this model provides both specific advantages in research, and contributes to developing animal replacement, reduction and refinement (3Rs) research approaches.

 

Dr. Paul Devlin

Associate Professor/Reader in Plant Molecular Sciences, Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London.

General area of expertise: Plant environmental responses as a holobiont. We use functional genomic and metabarcoding approaches to characterise plant-environmental responses, and plant-microbiome interaction in relation to the environment. We are particularly interested in sustainable horticulture and agriculture, exploiting environmental conditions to optimise quality including a management of a healthy, beneficial microbiome.

Collaboration offered: We have extensive experience using RNAseq, qPCR and GCMS to analyse the impact of growth conditions and microbial supplementation on plant health. Recent work has analysed improvement of post-harvest chilling tolerance by end of production lighting conditions and effects of mycorrhizal supplementation on essential oil synthesis, both in conjunction with industry partners. We also have experience in the use of machine learning and hyperspectral imaging for non-invasive analysis in post-harvest quality. We are particularly interested in the exploitation of the microbiome for sustainable agriculture and have developed metabarcoding pipelines for next-generation sequence-based, culture-independent analysis of microbiome changes in response to agricultural practices and plant stress.

Responsibilities as below:

• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Plant Science (2022-present).
• External examiner for Genetics and Biochemistry Degrees, University of Cardiff (2019-present).
• Associate Editor, Plants (2018-present).
• Course Lead, Masters in Biological Sciences by Research, RHUL (2017-present).

Prof Alessandra Devoto

Professor of Plant Molecular Sciences, Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London.

I am currently Deputy Head of the Department of Biological Sciences. Born and educated in Italy I came to the UK in 1997. After appointments with one of the best institutes for plant sciences in Europe, The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, thanks to a prestigious Marie Skłodowska Curie fellowship, and the University of East Anglia, I joined Royal Holloway in 2006 as a Senior Lecturer, and then worked my way up to Professor. I am involved in both research and teaching spanning from biochemistry, molecular biology, functional genomics, and bioinformatics to plant responses to stress and climate change as well as on biotechnological applications for human health and energy production.

Research interests: Studying stress in plants and using a variety of approaches to unravel how distress signals affect growth during defence and more widely stress caused by climate change in plants and the regulatory networks underlying the responses. Understanding how plant hormones mediate these responses also through chromatin remodelling. Using experimental and computational background to understand how plants respond to changing environmental conditions, and how we can breed plants with enhanced tolerance to environmental stress without compromised growth. Work on fundamental science and has developed important biotechnological applications for health and energy production. Discovering mechanisms of action of natural compounds on growth during stress/defence and metabolite production. Exploiting plant and microorganism genetics for sustainable treatments enhancing crop value, and nutrients recycling. Synthetic Biology, high-throughput genomics.

Dr. Tom Walker

Associate Professor (Reader): School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick

Research/Teaching Interests

I am a medical entomologist and my research group studies novel methods of control for insect-borne diseases such as malaria. The main focus of our research is on the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia and we explore ways in which this bacterium can be used to reduce human pathogen transmission. My group undertakes both field and lab research and have worked on collaborative projects in numerous malaria-endemic countries including Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar, Kenya and the DRC. My main interest is now leading the development of Wolbachia-based biological control methods for Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit malaria following the success of my previous work as part of the World Mosquito Program. The Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquito line I created were released into wild populations and has recently been shown to reduce the incidence of symptomatic dengue and hospitalisations by ~77% in a randomised control trial in Indonesia. These lines I created have now been released into more than 12 dengue endemic countries and are having significant effects on dengue transmission.

My research interests in malaria have expanded to include collaborations on molecular insecticide resistance and the wider mosquitomicrobiome. I have also been involved in mosquito surveillance projects in Greece & Albania (West Nile virus), Ghana (malaria parasites), Ethiopia (yellow fever virus), Brazil (Zika virus), Tanzania (lymphatic filariasis parasites), St Lucia (arboviruses) and Madagascar (rift valley fever virus). I am particularly interested in novel methods for vector and pathogen surveillance. In the lab we undertake molecular analysis of wild caught insect samples (mosquitoes, sandflies, ticks) and develop insect embryo injection protocols including projects supporting genetic modification of sandflies (vectors of leishmaniasis) and Triatomine bugs (vectors of Chagas disease). My research has been funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, Royal Society, MRC, BBSRC, USAid, RSHTM and the Sir Halley Stewart Trust.

Prof Hilary J Rogers

Professor of Plant Molecular Sciences, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University

Research Focus:  understanding the mechanisms involved in post-harvest senescence across a range of fresh produce, and the effects of stress both pre-and post- harvest on these processes. I have over 25 years experience in working with floral senescence and over 10 years experience in working with fresh cut salads and other fresh produce. I use analysis of gene expression through transcriptomics: Illumina RNAseq; real time PCR; analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metabolites using thermal desorption gas chromatography time of flight mass spectroscopy (TD-GC-ToF-MS) and HPLPC; sensorial analysis for assessing fresh produce quality. My aim is to identify biochemical and signalling pathways that may be important in the susceptibility, initiation and progression of post-harvest senescence and food quality.

Roles

• Chair, Cardiff University Genetically Modified Organisms and Biological Agents Committee
• School Biological Safety Officer
• Member of the School Safety, Health & Environmental Protection Committee (Division Representative and Biological Safety Officer)
• Year 3 Lead
• Module Lead: BI2132 Genetics and its Applications
• Academic Team Leader

Ms Chongboi Haokip

An experienced International Development Consultant in Agriculture and worked on a biofuel project in India and several seminars with the World Vision of India. Dynamic and a driven individual with a natural leadership with visionary ideas, I have a can-do attitude, and enthusiasm. Strong communication which strengthens my interpersonal skills, stakeholder engagement and networking. My passion is capacity development in bringing the best out of individuals’ strengths to the benefit of community development for mutual vision and goals as joint legacy for the generations to come.