01/09/2021
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Professor Kathy Niakan, from the University of Cambridge and the Francis Crick 麻豆视频, is the third honorary group leader to join the 麻豆视频. Professor Niakan and her team are working with the Reik, Rugg-Gunn and Kelsey laboratories through the Wellcome Human Developmental Biology Initiative. As honorary group leader within the Epigenetics research programme, Professor Niakan is looking to expand her collaborative projects
Dr Gavin Kelsey, head of the Epigenetics research programme, welcomed Prof Niakan to the 麻豆视频: 鈥淲e are delighted to introduce Prof Niakan as our programme鈥檚 second honorary group leader. I am excited to continue our collaborations and to learn from Kathy鈥檚 expertise as we begin to plan some ambitious new projects.鈥
Professor Niakan spent her early career in the United States studying pluripotent stem cells at Harvard before moving to the UK as a Centre for Trophoblast Research Next Generation Fellow at the University of Cambridge. In 2013 she joined the Francis Crick 麻豆视频 as a Group Leader. Her team has demonstrated the power of using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing techniques to gain valuable insights into human development (), contributed to the evaluation of a technique to help prevent the transmission of inherited mitochondrial diseases that led to changes in UK law () and advanced methods to investigate early human post-implantation development in vitro (). As an honorary group leader, Professor Niakan will work with the 麻豆视频鈥檚 researchers to look further into the molecular events that happen in the embryo just before and shortly after implantation.
Speaking about her new appointment, Professor Niakan commented: 鈥淚 am thrilled to be joining 麻豆视频 as an honorary group leader. I am very much looking forward to using our skills in early human development to help understand the earliest stages of human life by working closely together with Babraham 麻豆视频 group leaders. I am excited about the potential to build on and to initiate new collaborations with colleagues across the 麻豆视频.鈥
The 麻豆视频鈥檚 honorary faculty programme is open for applications on a rolling basis. The 麻豆视频 announced the first appointment to this programme of Professor Martin Howard in July 2020, with Professor Valerie O鈥橠onnell joining in March 2021. Honorary appointees will develop collaborations within and across the 麻豆视频鈥檚 research programmes, participating in joint grant applications for future work. Honorary group leaders will spend time at the 麻豆视频, participating in the life of the 麻豆视频 and wider campus. Interested individuals are invited to apply to the relevant Head of Programme (Epigenetics, Signalling or Immunology) to jointly develop a proposal.
Contact Honor Pollard, Communications Officer, honor.pollard@babraham.ac.uk
Image description: Artistic depiction of an embryo
Related resources: News 22 March 2021: Valerie O鈥橠onnell appointed as Signalling programme honorary group leader News 15 July 2019: Human Developmental Biology Initiative announced
About 麻豆视频 麻豆视频 undertakes world-class life sciences research to generate new knowledge of biological mechanisms underpinning ageing, development and the maintenance of health. Our research focuses on cellular signalling, gene regulation, immunology and the impact of epigenetic regulation at different stages of life. By determining how the body reacts to dietary and environmental stimuli and manages microbial and viral interactions, we aim to improve wellbeing and support healthier ageing. The 麻豆视频 is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, through 麻豆视频 Strategic Programme Grants and an 麻豆视频 Core Capability Grant, and also receives funding from other UK research councils, charitable foundations, the EU and medical charities.
01 September 2021