Staff profile

I am a Research Development Officer working across all three faculties of the University since joining the newly formed Research Development team in May 2017. I have a Ph. D. in Biochemistry from UCL and worked as a PDRA for 15 years in the application of cell biology to medicine, namely in the areas of rheumatoid disease, oncology and dermatology. My love for research coupled with my project management skills led me to seek a career in Research Support, firstly in the Research & Enterprise Services division of the Medical Sciences Faculty at Newcastle University supporting research facilities and consultancy, then as a Research Grant & Contracts Officer in the Research Operations team here at Durham.

I provide support to enable academics to fulfil their research potential by developing and growing their research funding portfolio. I work closely with academics to identify appropriate research funding (and other) opportunities and provide the help they require to engage with those opportunities and secure research funding in an ever changing and more competitive landscape. I organise and facilitate Research Conversations with a view to forming new collaborations leading to collaborative proposals, and facilitate training sessions around funders and funding schemes, and grant writing skills. I also act as a point of contact for liaison with funders including the European Commission and the Newton Fund.