Biography:
Chris is currently a PhD student in Dr Vito Mennella’s research group. He graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2017 with an MSci in Biochemistry & Biological Chemistry. His masters project explored the role of Lipocalin-2 in adipose tissue in the metabolic syndrome of diabetes and obesity in the FRAME lab. After graduating he worked at Cellmark Forensics as an Interpretation Scientist analysing STR genotype profiles and reporting to the National DNA Database before joining the Molecular and Cellular Biology department at MRC Harwell in late 2018. His role included designing and carrying out CRISPR-Cas9 experiments to generate transgenic mouse models of human disease for the Genome Editing Mice for Medicine (GEMM) project, as well as delivering targeted knock-outs for the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC). Chris joined the MRC Toxicology Unit in 2021 and is applying advanced imaging and multi-omics approaches to investigate the induction and progression of toxicity in primary cell airway models.
Research Interests:
Chris joined the MRC Toxicology Unit in 2021 and is applying advanced imaging and multi-omics approaches to investigate the induction and progression of toxicity in primary cell airway models. Chris' research is looking into cell surface receptors and signaling machinery to begin to delineate gene, protein, and spatial signatures of toxicity in airway cells.
Chris is also involved in a collaborative project to understand the molecular architecture and function of cilia rootlets in airway multiciliated cells. These cells have many cilia which beat synchronously to enable proper clearance of particulate matter and pathogens from the airway. Cilia are vital for airway defence to toxicants. The project aim is to investigate how cilia beating is coupled to intracellular structures and organelles and how they contribute to ciliary motility.
