Experience

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  Frontier Bio

  • Hayward, California, United States

  • Head of Vascular Tissue Engineering

    • Sep 2023 - Present
    • Hayward, California, United States

    Leading a team of scientists and engineers pioneering the next generation of tissue-engineering technologies. My primary research focus is delivering lab-grown blood vessels for in vitro testing and medical device applications.

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  Self-employed

  • Sheffield, England, United Kingdom

  • R&D Consultant – Tissue-engineered medical devices

    • Mar 2022 - Sep 2023
    • Sheffield, England, United Kingdom

    Providing R&D consultancy for a variety of international research projects in tissue engineering, including NIH, NSF and industry funded work. Recent projects include a revolutionary tissue-engineered heart valve for paediatric applications and tissue-engineered vascular grafts for reconstructive surgery.

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  The University of Sheffield

  • United Kingdom
  • Higher Education
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Research Fellow

    • May 2018 - Mar 2022

    Developing the next generation of tissue-engineered blood vessels and vascular tissue for clinical applications and in vitro models to study haemodynamics and vascular disease. Delivered tissue engineering solutions for peripheral bypass, aortic arch and vein valve from TRL 1-4. My unique technology employs degradable elastomeric scaffolds, 3D printing and bioreactor culture to deliver unmatched blood vessel designs. Assembled and directed a 3 person research team.Secured >£650K of research funding including EPSRC, MRC, Innovative UK and industrial sources. Developed novel, photocurable, biomaterials as a foundation for my scaffold-based tissue engineering approach. Patented scaffold manufacturing methods underpinning my tissue engineering technology. Pioneered 3D printed bioreactor systems for biomimetic tissue culture using repurposed, biocompatible, materials and desktop SLA technology. Skilled at assembling teams and partnering to enable innovation through research. Developed collaborations with leading companies in vascular medical devices and 3D printing, along with SMEs in the tissue engineering industry.August - October 2018ICURe North by North West Research commercialisation programme. Exploring the market potential of novel porous 3D cell culture scaffolds, developed through my research, across the BioTech, Pharma and MedTech sectors.

  • Faculty of Engineering Media Fellow

    • Nov 2018 - Apr 2020

    As the first ever Faculty of Engineering Media Fellow, I work to promote my research work and that of the faculty through broadcast and digital media. Appearing on The One Show (BBC One), Sunday Brunch (Channel 4), and the Dear Lovejoy podcast to discuss tissue engineering and it's impacts on medicine in the future.Executive Producer of - The Broken Crab - an audio drama exploring the potential impacts of tissue engineering technology on society in the not too distant future through the experiences of an "enhanced" athlete. Presented as part of The Festival of the Mind 2020.

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  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Boston, Massachusetts

  • Visiting Research Fellow

    • Mar 2018 - May 2018
    • Boston, Massachusetts

    Working in the Edelman Lab developing tissue-engineered blood vessels as in vitro models for studying haemodynamics and vascular disease.

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  The University of Sheffield

  • United Kingdom
  • Higher Education
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Research Fellow - EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship

    • Mar 2017 - Mar 2018

    Funding - EPSRC doctoral prize fellowship - 55K (Principle investigator)Developing a tissue-engineered blood vessel for vascular grafting and in vitro modelling applicationsLecturer - BIE101-Introduction to Bioengineering

  • Postdoctoral Researcher - EPSRC IAA + MRC Confidence-in-Concept

    • Sep 2016 - Feb 2017

    Funding:EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account - 32K (Joint applicant)MRC Confidence-in-Concept scheme - 17K (Joint applicant)Developing a manufacturing strategy for the tissue engineering of small diameter blood vessels

  • PhD Researcher - EPSRC White Rose DTC for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

    • Sep 2012 - Sep 2016

    As part of the EPSRC White Rose Doctoral Training Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, my research focused on creating an innovative, tissue-engineered, vascular graft using a novel synthetic scaffold-based tissue engineering approach.Developed a novel, photocurable, polymer with superior mechanical properties and processing capabilities compared to other scaffold materials in use in the field. Devised new scaffold manufacturing methods, including additive manufacturing, allowing various scaffold geometries to be produced.Designed a bioreactor system for culturing cell-seeded polymer scaffolds under pulsatile flow to induce mechanical stimulation and maturation into vascular constructs.

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  Lab Support, a division of On Assignment

  • Sheffield, United Kingdom

  • Recruitment Consultant

    • Jan 2008 - Jan 2009
    • Sheffield, United Kingdom

    Working for a leading scientific recruitment consultancy providing highly skilled personnel to various companies throughout the UK science industry. The work was fast paced and high pressure, requiring excellent organisational and time management skills along with the ability to use initiative, prioritise and constantly adapt to new situations.Achievements:Ranked Number 1 Recruiter in Europe in September 2008.Prize winner in the summer 2008 KPI competition.