What does it mean to you to have won this award?
It means the world to me! Research is what keeps us motivated and excited every day. It is the greatest honour to be considered successful by your colleagues. Needless to say, this award belongs to my wonderful team, whose hard work and dedication have enabled us to grow in numbers and begin a lot of exciting and impactful projects.
What’s next for you in this area?
We are planning to translate our technologies into first-in-human clinical trials. Our work is focused on using therapeutic ultrasound for targeted drug delivery into the brain. The indication we are interested in is called diffuse midline glioma, a paediatric brain tumour with terrible prognosis. If all goes well, we plan to begin treating children with brain cancer in the near future, with the hope of improving their quality of life.
What do you see as the strengths of our Faculty? What makes us distinctive?
FoLSM is unique in terms of the breadth of expertise as well as the close collaboration between fundamental scientists and clinicians. My lab is based in St. Thomas’ Hospital, embedded within the clinical space. This setting enables us to translate our ideas from inception to pre-clinical testing and clinical implementation in a short timeframe. We routinely collaborate with experts from other Schools and Institutes from within FoLSM, such as the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), and the Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics. Disruptive innovation comes at the interface of disciplines and FoLSM facilitates truly interdisciplinary collaboration.
Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
My background is in Physics, Nanomedicine, and Biomedical Engineering. Over the last 13 years, I have been working in the field of non-invasive brain therapies, in particular using focused ultrasound for targeted drug delivery for treatment of brain cancer or neurodegenerative diseases. Following my PhD at Imperial College London, I spent 5 years at Columbia University in New York City as a research scientist, before starting my own laboratory at King’s College London in 2021. Ever since, I’ve been working towards expanding my group, exploring diverging aspects of therapeutic ultrasound, and training the next generation of biomedical engineers.
What is a typical day like for you?
A typical day involves loads of meetings, committees, boards, deadlines, teaching, etc. Rejections of grants or papers and experimental failures are also routine in our line of work. However, every now and then, you get the joy of an acceptance or a positive experimental result. Happy days!
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
I would advise my 18-year-old self to be humble, receptive to feedback, and reduce self-doubting to a minimum!
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, travelling around the world, going to the cinema/theatre, and exercise (a bit!). A year ago my wife and I were lucky to welcome our first daughter to this world, so spending time with her is by far my favourite activity outside work!
Who inspires you most and why?
On a professional level, my colleagues and my group inspire me every day! Each one of them brings a unique perspective to solve all the diverse challenges we face in both research and education. On a personal level, my family inspires me and supports me in every possible way. I am grateful to everyone for making this award possible!
QUICK FIRE:
Favourite season: Summer
Favourite cuisine: Greek (slightly biased)
The quality you value most in others: Empathy
The last photo on your phone: My 1-year-old daughter playing piano for the first time!