Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I started life (academically) as a physiologist, doing my PhD in molecular physiology at Liverpool John Moores University with a focus on skeletal muscle tissue. During this time, I became very interested in fundamental molecular genetics, and spent three and a half years as a postdoc in this field at Queen Mary University. Trying to combine my two main interests, I received funding to go to University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and it was here where I began applying some of the cool techniques from the field of functional genomics into the muscle cells. I have very recently moved back to London to start my own research group in the CHAPS department at King's.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Take your time, patience is key. Explore many avenues in life, experiences can be revolutionary. Concentrate on your own path, trust the process. Oh, and don’t put some much pressure on yourself!
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
I'm working hard on a method project. This work sits at the interface of biophysics and genomics to try and obtain multiple data sets from a single muscle cell. We are quite close to the big breakthrough, after overcoming several false dawns and large obstacles. It should be very exciting and may (hopefully!) open up some new vistas of research avenues within the field of muscle biology.
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
I'm quite keen about my fitness and playing sports. Having played football to a relatively high standard when I was younger, the sports-bug has stuck with me. I also like getting stuck into projects. Sometimes these can be fitness related (e.g. training for marathon or more triathlons), but I also find a lot of fun at getting stuck into carpentry, DIY and mechanical based projects – something I have inherited from my dad!
What are you most looking forward to this year?
We recently got our first puppy – a young golden retriever – which promises to be a real handful.... But I cannot wait to take him out for some long walks in and around the big parks near us, or down to Kent and enjoy a beer or two in the sun!
Who inspires you most and why?
My parents. From relatively humble beginnings, they both managed to achieve great success professionally and personally. The life lessons, skills and values they have taught me (and my sisters), not to mention some of the sacrifices they have made along the way, have been nothing short of vital. I'm very proud to be their son, and always work to try and make them as equally proud of me.
What is your favourite thing about working at King’s?
I have only just started at King's, so it is an early-stage question to answer. But, being based in central London the energy of the city is so infectious. It is so nice to be able to wander out of campus and be in the buzz of Borough Market within minutes, for example. That’s something that I love!
QUICK-FIRE:
Favourite cuisine: Korean/Japanese
Netflix recommendation: Currently watching Drive to Survive – I was not a big F1 person before this, but its very good!
Coffee order: Flat white
One thing you could not go a day without: Coffee (probably very cliché)