Lister Institute

Fellows

Our Current Fellows

Imperial College London Institute of Cancer Research John Innes Centre Kings College London MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Newcastle University The Babraham Institute The Francis Crick Institute Trinity College Dublin UCL & The Francis Crick UCL Institute of Ophthalmology University College London University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge University of Dundee University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Manchester University of Newcastle University of Oxford University of Sheffield University of York
Shoba Amarnath

Dr Shoba Amarnath

University of Newcastle
Expertise
Cancer
Title of Reseach Project
Translating co-receptor biology to Immuno-therapeutics in Cancer
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Dr Shoba Amarnath

Awards & Achievements
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Elizabeth Ballou

Dr Elizabeth Ballou

University of Exeter
Expertise
Cell biology
Pathogens
Health tech – devices, sensors, apps etc
Title of Reseach Project
Investigating how cross-kingdom microbial partnerships impact fungal pathogenesis of the causative agents of Mucormycosis
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Dr Elizabeth Ballou

Awards & Achievements
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David Bending

Professor David Bending

University of Birmingham
Expertise
Immunology/Inflammation
Title of Reseach Project
Regulation of T cell receptor signalling dynamics during T follicular helper cell responses
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Professor David Bending

Awards & Achievements
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Tanmay Bharat

Dr Tanmay Bharat

University of Cambridge
Expertise
Biofilms
Biophysics
Cell biology
Imaging
Infection
Microbiome
Molecular Biology
Pathogens
Structural Biology
Health tech – devices, sensors, apps etc
Title of Reseach Project
In situ structural studies of the functional organisation and inhibition of the BAM complex in Gram-negative bacteria
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Dr Tanmay Bharat

Awards & Achievements
Awarded International Prize Scholarship, Vallee Foundation, USA, 2018
Awarded John Kendrew Award, EMBL Heidelberg, Germany, 2019
Selected for a Philip Leverhulme Prize for Biological Sciences, Leverhulme Trust UK, 2020
Selected as an EMBO Young Investigator, 2020
Awarded Eppendorf Young European Investigator Award, 2021
Awarded Colworth Medal, The Biochemical Society, 2022
Awarded Fleming Prize, The Microbiology Society, 2023
Finalist for the Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists UK , 2024
2025 EMBO Gold Medal
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Alexander Borodavka

Dr Alexander Borodavka

University of Cambridge
Expertise
Biochemistry
Biophysics
DNA/RNA
Infection
Title of Reseach Project
From Single Molecules to Whole Viruses: A New View on Viral Assembly and Replication in Cells.
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Dr Alexander Borodavka

Awards & Achievements
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Amanda Chaplin

Dr Amanda Chaplin

University of Cambridge
Expertise
Biochemistry
Biophysics
Cancer
DNA/RNA
Molecular Biology
Structural Biology
Title of Reseach Project
Cryo-EM studies of human DNA repair complexes: DNA-PK and interacting partners
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Dr Amanda Chaplin

Awards & Achievements
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Ross Chapman

Dr Ross Chapman

University of Oxford
Expertise
Biochemistry
Title of Reseach Project
DNA double-strand break repair mechanisms in immunity and oncogenesis.
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Dr Ross Chapman

Awards & Achievements
Head of Genome Integrity Laboratory.
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Johnathan Cooper-Knock

Dr Johnathan Cooper-Knock

University of Sheffield
Expertise
Genetics / epigenetics
Title of Reseach Project
Detailed cell-specific genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
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Dr Johnathan Cooper-Knock

Awards & Achievements
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Andrew Davidson

Dr Andrew Davidson

University of Glasgow
Expertise
Cancer
Cell biology
Imaging
Title of Reseach Project
Investigation of tumour cell death, its clearance and the consequences for tumour inflammation.
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Dr Andrew Davidson

Awards & Achievements
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James Davies

Professor James Davies

University of Oxford
Expertise
Genetics / epigenetics
Genomics
Title of Reseach Project
Using base pair mapping of genome architecture to interrogate the mechanisms by which enhancers control transcription
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Professor James Davies

Awards & Achievements
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Marco Di Antonio

Associate Professor Marco Di Antonio

Imperial College London
Expertise
Cancer
Chemical Biology
DNA/RNA
Genetics / epigenetics
Genomics
Chemistry /Medicinal chemistry
Title of Reseach Project
Unravelling epigenetic pathways leading to chemo-resistance in ovarian cancer with a light-controlled CRISPR-based platform
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Associate Professor Marco Di Antonio

Awards & Achievements
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Sarah Dimeloe

Professor Sarah Dimeloe

University of Birmingham
Expertise
Immunology/Inflammation
Metabolism (inc diabetes and obesity)
Title of Reseach Project
Co-operative metabolic synthesis as a fourth signal for T cell priming
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Professor Sarah Dimeloe

Awards & Achievements
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Rebecca Drummond

Professor Rebecca Drummond

University of Birmingham
Expertise
Immunology/Inflammation
Infection
Pathogens
Microbiology
Title of Reseach Project
Exploring how host immunity and co-infection influence fungal environmental adaptation in the CNS.
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Professor Rebecca Drummond

Awards & Achievements
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Yuval Elani

Dr Yuval Elani

Imperial College London
Title of Reseach Project
Synthetic analogues of live cell therapies as novel targeted therapeutic modalities.
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Dr Yuval Elani

Awards & Achievements
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Vilaiwan Fernandes

Dr Vilaiwan Fernandes

University College London
Title of Reseach Project
Making a Neuron: applying lessons from development to direct neuronal reprogramming.
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Dr Vilaiwan Fernandes

Awards & Achievements
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Ravindra Gupta

Professor Ravindra Gupta

University of Cambridge
Expertise
Immunology/Inflammation
Infection
Title of Reseach Project
Cell cycle regulation in Macrophages
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Professor Ravindra Gupta

Awards & Achievements
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Chris Hill

Dr Chris Hill

University of York
Title of Reseach Project
From molecules to cells: Understanding the mechanisms by which enteroviruses steal ribosomes.
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Dr Chris Hill

Awards & Achievements
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Anthony Khawaja

Professor Anthony Khawaja

UCL Institute of Ophthalmology
Expertise
Ophthalmology
Title of Reseach Project
Translating genomic discovery into clinical prediction tools for glaucoma
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Professor Anthony Khawaja

Awards & Achievements
Promoted to Professor of Ophthalmology, 2023
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John Knight

Dr John Knight

University of Oxford
Expertise
Cancer
Cell biology
DNA/RNA
Molecular Biology
Title of Reseach Project
Harnessing the divergent roles of elongation dependency for cancer therapy
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Dr John Knight

Awards & Achievements
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Rebecca Lawson

Dr Rebecca Lawson

University of Cambridge
Expertise
Data modelling and big data
Mental health/ psychiatry
Neurology
Sensory
Title of Reseach Project
Computational neurodevelopment: a new framework for understanding autism spectrum disorder.
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Dr Rebecca Lawson

Awards & Achievements
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Tung Le

Dr Tung Le

John Innes Centre
Expertise
Biochemistry
Health tech – devices, sensors, apps etc
Title of Reseach Project
The line of duty: How to segregate a giant linear plasmid in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Dr Tung Le

Awards & Achievements
Promoted to Professor, 2024
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James Lee

Dr James Lee

The Francis Crick Institute
Expertise
DNA/RNA
Gastrointestinal
Genetics / epigenetics
Genomics
Immunology/Inflammation
Molecular Biology
Title of Reseach Project
From SNPs to biology in inflammatory diseases
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Dr James Lee

Awards & Achievements
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Joana Neves

Dr Joana Neves

Kings College London
Expertise
Cell biology
Immunology/Inflammation
Title of Reseach Project
Regulation of Innate Lymphoid Cell differentiation & function in intestinal health and disease
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Dr Joana Neves

Awards & Achievements
Awarded a research grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, 2023
Awarded a research grant from BBSRC/NC3R, 2023
Awarded an MRC Impact Accelerator Award, 2024
Awarder an MRC Program Grant, 2025
Reader in Mucosal Immunology
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Thi Hoang Duong Nguyen

Dr Thi Hoang Duong Nguyen

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Title of Reseach Project
Molecular mechanisms of end-replication in cancer cells.
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Dr Thi Hoang Duong Nguyen

Awards & Achievements
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Rickie Patani

Professor Rickie Patani

UCL & The Francis Crick
Expertise
Neurology
Title of Reseach Project
Identifying therapeutically targetable RNA binding proteins in ALS
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Professor Rickie Patani

Awards & Achievements
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Fränze Progatzky

Dr Fränze Progatzky

University of Oxford
Title of Reseach Project
Functional heterogeneity of barrier tissue peripheral glia in health and disease.
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Dr Fränze Progatzky

Awards & Achievements
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Srikanth Ramawamy

Dr Srikanth Ramawamy

Newcastle University
Expertise
Artificial Intelligence
Data modelling and big data
Imaging
Mental health/ psychiatry
Neurobiology
Neurology
Physiology
Title of Reseach Project
A tale of two neuromodulators: how histamine and serotonin shape social interactions in mice and human brains
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Dr Srikanth Ramawamy

Awards & Achievements
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Elizabeth Rosser

Dr Elizabeth Rosser

University College London
Expertise
Immunology/Inflammation
Title of Reseach Project
Extrafollicular B cells in the immunopathology of Juvenile-Idiopathic Arthritis Associated Uveitis.
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Dr Elizabeth Rosser

Awards & Achievements
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Tomás Ryan

Dr Tomás Ryan

Trinity College Dublin
Expertise
Immunology/Inflammation
Molecular Biology
Neurology
Title of Reseach Project
Gone or Misplaced? Retrieving Infant Memories in Adults.
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Dr Tomás Ryan

Awards & Achievements
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Stephen John Sammut

Dr Stephen John Sammut

Institute of Cancer Research
Title of Reseach Project
Determining the role of adaptive immunosurveillance in limiting triple-negative breast cancer metastasis and evolution.
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Dr Stephen John Sammut

Awards & Achievements
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Hayley Sharpe

Dr Hayley Sharpe

The Babraham Institute
Expertise
Biochemistry
Cancer
Cell biology
Imaging
Molecular Biology
Proteomics
Title of Reseach Project
Receptor tyrosine phosphatase signalling mechanisms in health and disease.
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Dr Hayley Sharpe

Awards & Achievements
ERC Consolidator grant awarded in 2023
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Christopher Stewart

Dr Christopher Stewart

Newcastle University
Expertise
Data modelling and big data
DNA/RNA
Gastrointestinal
Immunology/Inflammation
Infection
Microbiome
Molecular Biology
Paediatrics
Pathogens
Proteomics
Health tech – devices, sensors, apps etc
Title of Reseach Project
Using stem cell derived “mini guts” to investigate microbiome-host interaction in early life
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Dr Christopher Stewart

Awards & Achievements
Microbiology Society Fleming Prize, 2022
NOSTER & Science Microbiome Prize, 2023
Elected to the Royal Society UK Young Academy, 2023
Applied Microbiology International WH Pierce Prize, 2023
Neonatal Society Rising Star, 2024
Promoted to Professor, 2024
2025 ​Laureate for the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK (Life Sciences)
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Kirby Swatek

Dr Kirby Swatek

University of Dundee
Expertise
Biochemistry
Infection
Molecular Biology
Proteomics
Structural Biology
Title of Reseach Project
Irreversible inactivation of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins
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Dr Kirby Swatek

Awards & Achievements
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James Thaventhiran

Dr James Thaventhiran

University of Cambridge
Title of Reseach Project
Safeguarding modified mRNA therapeutics from off-target antigen expression.
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Dr James Thaventhiran

Awards & Achievements
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Stephan Uphoff

Dr Stephan Uphoff

University of Oxford
Expertise
Biochemistry
Biophysics
DNA/RNA
Genetics / epigenetics
Imaging
Infection
Molecular Biology
Pathogens
Title of Reseach Project
Resolving oxidative stress response mechanisms in bacteria during infection and antibiotic treatment.
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Dr Stephan Uphoff

Awards & Achievements
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Stineke Van Houte

Dr Stineke Van Houte

University of Exeter
Expertise
Immunology/Inflammation
Infection
Title of Reseach Project
Developing new tools to tackle antibiotic resistance

Dr Stineke Van Houte

Awards & Achievements
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Helen Weavers

Dr Helen Weavers

University of Bristol
Expertise
Biochemistry
Cell biology
Developmental biology
Imaging
Immunology/Inflammation
Regeneration
Title of Reseach Project
Targeting immune system resilience to curb collateral damage and extend healthy ageing
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Dr Helen Weavers

Awards & Achievements
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Fiona Whelan

Dr Fiona Whelan

University of Manchester
Expertise
Infection
Microbiome
Pathogens
Health tech – devices, sensors, apps etc
Title of Reseach Project
Accessory gene driven competition within the cystic fibrosis lung microbiota
Awards & Achievments Visit Website

Dr Fiona Whelan

Awards & Achievements
Promoted to Senior Lecturer, 2024
Awarded AMS Springboard Award, 2024
Awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, 2024
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Nicola Whiffin

Dr Nicola Whiffin

University of Oxford
Expertise
Data modelling and big data
Diagnostics
DNA/RNA
Genomics
Title of Reseach Project
Bridging the diagnostic gap: realising non-coding variant identification and classification in the clinic.
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Dr Nicola Whiffin

Awards & Achievements
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Research Prizes

The Lister Institute’s competitive research prizes give young scientists the opportunity to develop their potential through flexible funding over a five-year period. The awards are aimed at younger,  researchers in the early years of running their own groups, for whom receipt of the prize would make a significant difference to their research work.

Learn more about Research Prizes