Supervisor(s): 

Dr Elizabeth Veal, Dr Vanja Pekovic-Vaughan and Dr Viktor Korolchuk

A degree in Biology at Newcastle University provided the opportunity to study molecular biology and genetics and was inspirational in my desire to remain in this field.  

Following graduation, I developed an interest in research while working as a Research Technician in Newcastle’s Musculoskeletal Research Group and the Northern Institute for Cancer Research’s Drug Discovery Group.

The BBSRC Doctoral Training Partnership has enabled me to expand on these interests and begin a PhD project of my own. 

Elucidating new redox-signalling mechanisms mediating responses to reactive oxygen species (ROS)  

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are generated from a range of sources and vary in their reactivity. Highly reactive ROS oxidise substrates indiscriminately, causing oxidative damage and potentially leading to disease. However, not all ROS are damaging and those that are less reactive, such as H2O2, can have positive roles in signalling. Thus far, relatively little is known as to how H2O2 is sensed, or how it impacts on its substrates. Evidence suggests that the peroxidases, peroxiredoxins, may act as a transducer of the signal. Hence, this project aims to uncover new targets of peroxiredoxin-mediated H2O2 signalling, characterising their interaction and investigating the impact H2O2 signalling has on function.