My research addresses the mechanisms underlying injury and scarring in the kidney and peritoneum, in the contexts of chronic kidney disease and peritoneal dialysis. These are examples of fibro-proliferative disorders, conditions that cause significant disease and suffering, and for which treatment options are very limited. Development and testing of novel therapies is restricted by incomplete knowledge of the biology of their progression, and lack of adequate biomarkers to serve as surrogate endpoints in clinical trials.

I am director of the Division of Infection and Immunity, which is one of the four research divisions of the School of Medicine. In the division, we conduct high quality basic and translational research that is internationally recognised, widely cited and globally exploited for the benefit of human health. See: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/medicine/research/divisions/infection-and-immunity

I am Director of Wales Kidney Research Unit, a Biomedical Research Unit funded by Health and Care Research Wales to deliver an All-Wales strategy for the study of diagnosis, prevention, treatment and social context of kidney disease. See: http://kidneyresearchunit.wales/en/

I am clinically active as a consultant nephrologist within Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

I graduated from Cardiff University in medical sciences, and qualified as a doctor from the Royal London Hospital. I completed my medical and scientific training in Oxford and Imperial before heading west. I was appointed as a  consultant hepatologist in Cardiff in 2002, with a clinical practise covering all aspects of biliary and liver disease; I also perform practical procedures including Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCPs).

I run a research group in the School of Medicine focusing on immunology/T cell biology and areas of on-going interest include cancer immunology, immunotherapy, and the design of superior semi-bespoke vaccines. Bridging the gap of basic research and clinical medicine, I set up a vaccine trial in advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) in 2019, and is opening a larger study of immunotherapy in earlier stage CRC in 2022.

I am Professor of Viral Pathogenesis and Lead Co-Director of the Systems Immunity University Research Institute at Cardiff University. I completed my PhD with Tracy Hussell and Gordon Dougan at Imperial College London where I studied the role of T cell costimulation in modulating immunity to respiratory infections. I then undertook a postdoctoral research position at the La Jolla Institute (San Diego, USA) working with Carl Ware and Mick Croft to understand the role of TNF/TNFR interactions in herpesvirus infections. I have worked at Cardiff University since 2007 where I have been a Wellcome Trust fellow for 15 years and have continued my research defining the mechanisms that regulate innate and adaptive immune responses to viruses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I also took on numerous roles including COVID lead for the School of Medicine and an advisor to Welsh Government.  

I am a Sêr Cymru Professor of Translational Drug Discovery, and Director of the Medicines Discovery Institute at Cardiff University. The institute, an important investment in the science of drug discovery, aims to translate new understanding of disease mechanisms at Cardiff, Wales and internationally level to develop new therapeutic approaches for patients requiring better treatment options.  

I lead multidisciplinary project teams and medicinal chemistry groups from the inception of drug discovery projects through to the clinical studies, introducing multiple molecules for clinical development for a wide range of diseases. I have considerable experience in and out successful licensing, due diligence, patent litigation and the creation of commercial agreements.

I am a qualified pharmacist (University of Manchester, 2003) with experience of working in community, hospital and industrial sectors. Having completed a PhD at Cardiff University's Welsh School of Pharmacy in April 2008, where I developed a bioresponsive polymer-phospholipase conjugate for the treatment of breast cancer, I am now a Reader in Polymer Therapeutics and Director of Research at Cardiff University’s School of Dentistry. My long-standing research expertise is in using natural biodegradable polymers as novel carriers for bioactive agents, thereby minimising toxicity, overcoming resistance and increasing bioavailability. I have broad expertise in the design, synthesis and characterisation of bioresponsive polymer therapeutics for diseases such as infection, chronic wounds and cancer.

Reader in Human-centric AI

I am the Lead of Multimedia Computing Research Group, Cardiff University. I am Reader in Computer Science. I graduated from The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, and subsequently worked in the Department of Intelligent Systems at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), The Netherlands for my PhD on Interactive Intelligence. My PhD research was funded by Philips Research Laboratories. I am a founder member of the Delft Image Quality Lab. Since 2006, I have been working closely with industry to develop next generation image and video technologies. I led a project funded by Philips Research Laboratories that developed novel algorithms for visual media quality assessment; and a project funded by Philips Healthcare that addressed a number of issues related to medical image quality.

My research interests sit at the intersection of Image and Video Processing, AI/Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Applied Perception, Multimedia Computing, and Human-Technology Interaction.

I am Professor of Inflammation Biology and lead for multimorbidity research in the Systems Immunity Research Institute. As a cytokine biologist, I am interested in how cells sense and interpret cytokine cues to instruct inflammation and the progression to chronic disease. I have pioneered therapeutic advances in biological medicines, contributed new animal models of inflammation, and established plausible mechanisms explaining the development of disease heterogeneity in arthritis and fibrosis in renal patients on peritoneal dialysis.

I am a Pharmacist with unique expertise and knowledge of medicines and health. I’ve combined a love of science with a desire to improve lives by undertaking an inspirational musculoskeletal research journey in the Division of Infection and Immunity at Cardiff University’s School of Medicine. My stimulating career crossed a range of settings that was rewarded with a Chair in Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics. I conquered the conflict of interest in Medical Research and Education by practicing a personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education. My top-level experience and practice in doctoral education combined with a sustained record of effectiveness in strategic leadership of high-quality learning is recognised by Higher Education Academy (now AdvanceHE) the most prestigious level of Principle Fellow. I maintain my active commitment to, and integration of, teaching with research within the Division of Infection and Immunity by strategic leadership of academic or professional practices as the creator and Programme Director of the Applied and Experimental Clinical Immunology MSc. I take my expertise in the development and implementation of effective and inclusive: strategies, policies, procedures and initiatives, to enhance practice and outcomes for learners into my newest role of Director of Organisation and Wellbeing in the School of Medicine. 

I am a passionate and multi award-winning educator, science communicator and Senior Lecturer based at Cardiff University. I obtained a BSc degree in Biochemistry before completing a PhD in Huntington’s disease. I then began an independent research fellowship funded by the Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales to translate my findings on cognitive training into the patient clinic. My clinical research inspired me and demonstrated the need to provide accessible and engaging information. Working currently as a teaching and scholarship focused Senior Lecturer, I now teach the next generation of budding scientists and in 2023 I was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship which recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession across the United Kingdom. Using my international expertise in science communication, I deliver engaging and interactive sessions with infectious enthusiasm. I have built a reputation for my ability to untangle the academically technical and translate it into entertaining, relevant and engaging content. In 2022 I was elected to the Learned Society of Wales as the youngest ever Fellow. As a first generation academic with expertise in equity, diversity and inclusion, I am changing the typical image of academia by making science more open, honest and fun. 

I am a cellular immunologist with more than 30 years’ experience studying how T-cells move around the body to maintain healthy tissues and control diseases such as infections, cancer, and neurodegeneration. T-cells continually survey the body by moving in and out of lymphoid organs where signs of disease or tissue damage are detected.  Following activation, T-cells relocate via the bloodstream from lymphoid organs and home to the diseased organ where they can control the disease. Our studies of T-cell trafficking have revealed novel approaches to boost immunity and protect our bodies against virus infections and cancers by increasing T-cell homing to diseased tissues. As Chair of Forum and Trustee of the British Society for Immunology (BSI), Chair of the BSI-NCRI Cancer Immunology Steering Group and Council member of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS), I advocate for Immunology to governments and other policymakers.