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I received a BSc (Hons) in Medical Pharmacology (2011) and PhD in Visual Neuroscience and Molecular Biology (2016) from Cardiff University, Wales. This was followed by postdoctoral training at Cardiff University focusing on early dendrite and synapse refinement during glaucoma using human patient and glaucoma animal model tissues. I joined the Pete Williams Lab in 2018 to further my postdoctoral training where I focused on the early mechanisms of neurodegeneration in glaucoma, particularly on mitochondrial and neuronal metabolism. In November 2021, I was promoted to Assistant Professor within the Williams Glaucoma Group, and lead an independent research program while continuing to work with the Williams Group.

Current lab memebers:

• Anne Rombaut (PhD student)
• Navid Golpour (PhD student)

My research investigates the interaction of metabolism, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation in neurodegnerative disease with a particular focus on the retina and glaucoma.

Through my career I have developed a broad skillset covering fundamental and translational research. These include mechanistic and therapeutic work in retinal cell culture and animal models of glaucoma and retinal dehgneration using molecular biology, gene therapy, and -omics (transcriptomics, metabolomics) techniques. Further experience includes confirmation of findings in post-mortem and biopsy human tissue, and existing human genetic datasets. Utilizing these strengths, my research seeks to streamline the process of taking findings from animals to patients by prioritizing mechanisms and treatments that have supporting evidence from human data. To this purpose, my lab is pursuing multiple mechanisms of degeneration in glaucoma, particularly targeting the modulation of metabolism and neuroinflammation with metabolite supplementation (e.g. with vitamins that have good clinical safety profiles) or FDA approved drugs that can be re-purposed to glaucoma.

• 2024. Lecturer, (PhD course: The Vascular Brain 3193). Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡.
• 2023, 2024. Practical demonstrator (BSc’s level: The eyes anatomy, physiology and pathologies course 1OP072). Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡.
• 2023, 2024. Lecturer (BSc’s level: The eyes anatomy, physiology and pathologies course 1OP072). Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡.
• 2023, 2024. Lecturer (Master’s level: Ocular Pharmacology and Diagnostics 3OP011). Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡.
• 2022, 2024. Teacher/Mentor (PhD course: Basic immunology course 3187). Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡.