Research Technician – Molecular Biology & Genomics
I have recently joined the FASD group at the University of Salford as a research technician in molecular biology and genomics. I am currently researching the role of small extracellular vesicle microRNAs as potential biomarkers for FASD. I have a varied career path, having worked in industry (in vitro toxicology and diagnostic assay development), and having completed a PhD at the University of Liverpool in Cancer Genetics. For my PhD I looked at a novel cancer-associated gene in Fanconi anaemia (FA), a rare cancer-predisposition syndrome, and this was when my interest in FASD was piqued. The FA pathway evolved as a mechanism by which to repair DNA damaged by various agents including acetaldehyde, a by-product of both cellular metabolism and of the consumption of alcohol. My interest in the developmental effects of FASD is what interested me going forward, and I hope to use my research at Salford for the detection of novel biomarkers in FASD to enable faster diagnosis and support for those affected.