Biography
I am the Senior Technician for Biomedical Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University, where I’ve been in post since 2022. I support a wide range of teaching and project labs, including 2 large teaching laboratories, specialist cell culture facilities and an analytical Science and Drug Development suite. Across a typical trimester, I manage the delivery of almost 90 classes and support around 350 students as they build hands-on skills in biomedical science.
I graduated from Edinburgh Napier with a First-Class Honours degree in Biomedical Sciences and completed an internship with Quintiles (now part of IQVIA) during my studies. After graduating, I joined Charles River Laboratories, initially splitting my time between the Dermal Services team and a new department focused on In Vitro toxicology.
As the in vitro toxicology team grew, my role became increasingly focused on regulatory and safety assessment toxicology. Eventually, I shifted fully into method development—working on the design, validation, and regulatory support of alternative in vitro approaches to reduce reliance on animal testing. My work concentrated on 3D cell models, with a particular interest in inhalation toxicology and in vitro cloud exposure systems, as well as ex vivo tissue studies used to assess drug permeability.
With the rapid growth of the department, I also became one of the primary trainers for new team members. I was responsible for hands-on technical training, and ensuring consistency and quality across the team’s methods and practices. This role gave me a deep appreciation for mentoring and knowledge sharing, which I’ve carried into my current role in education.
One of the highlights of my time at Charles River was contributing to the NC3Rs by helping to develop and validate complex in vitro lung models for regulatory safety assessments—part of a broader effort to improve ethical standards and scientific relevance in toxicology testing.
Now back at ENU, I enjoy combining my industry experience with a passion for supporting students and ensuring our labs provide a high-quality, well-equipped environment for learning and discovery.