I have been a member of EEMGS (and UKEMS) since being a graduate student in the laboratory of the late Prof. Jim Parry. Since that time, I have worked as a research scientist in academia and in industry.
Currently, I am the head of Genetic Toxicology at GSK. I have served as the treasurer of both EEMGS (2009-2014) and UKEMS (2002-2007). I was the President of the UKEMS (2012-14) and a councillor for the International Association of Environmental Mutagen Societies (IAEMGS, 2010-2014). Therefore, I believe I have considerable experience of operational leadership and the internal workings of the society. I also contributed to the revision of the EEMGS constitution helping to establish the society as a SCIO.
As treasurer, I was involved with the organisation of EEMGS conferences in Oslo, Norway in 2010; Barcelona, Spain in 2011 and Warsaw, Poland in 2012. Then as President of UKEMS, I co-organised the Lancaster (UK) meeting in 2014 with Prof. Frank Martin. At that meeting, I was able to leverage my industrial and University of Swansea academic position to help develop a broad meeting program, covering key pillars of environmental mutagenesis and genomics, including basic and applied research in DNA repair, technology and regulatory engagement and environmental mutagenesis.
I am a highly experienced scientist (25 years+) with an international reputation, Worldwide networks across Industry, Academia & Regulatory sectors and a proven track record of promoting scientific excellence, talent, and diversity.
I am passionate about the development of young scientists, having successfully supervised 6 PhD and 12 Master’s students and as an external examiner for 7 PhD candidates across multiple institutions (Imperial College London, Swansea University; University of Utrecht; Lancaster University and King’s College, London). I have participated in numerous successful private-public partnerships and published widely. I have a broad understanding of potential new technologies in our discipline, across a wide spectrum of applications, which can be used to address business opportunities and scientific gaps.
I recently helped to organise a workshop on error corrected next generation sequencing (London, May 2022) and established a scientific interest group on this topic within the UKEMS. If elected by the EEMGS membership, I would use my energy and experience to support the executive committee of the society, its constituent societies and most importantly – you, its members. I would help the society deliver the next ICEM meeting in 2026 (working with the IAEMGS President, Prof. Gareth Jenkins) and promote the objectives of the EEMGS society, its scientific excellence and values of diversity, peace and freedom for all.