In 2017, I earned my PhD in Infection and Immunity from the University of Glasgow, where I worked under the mentorship of Prof. Markus Meissner. My doctoral research focused on unravelling the complexities of parasitic invasion mechanisms of Toxoplasma gondii. Following this, I spent six years as a postdoctoral researcher at the CRUK Beatson Institute, collaborating with Prof. Laura Machesky to investigate the intricacies of cancer cell migration.

Throughout my research career, I’ve leveraged cutting-edge gene-editing techniques to generate genetic knockout models in both mammalian cells and parasites. One of my key contributions was deciphering the invasion machinery of Toxoplasma gondii using knockout strategies to pinpoint essential proteins for the parasite’s survival. During my time at CRUK, I played a crucial role in the characterisation of the previously unknown gene Fam49B, now recognised as CYRI-B (Cyfip-related Rac Interactor-B). This work revealed CYRI-B as the first known negative regulator of the Scar/WAVE complex, which controls cell migration by regulating actin dynamics at the leading edge.

My expertise spans molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, large-scale omics, and some in vivo studies. However, my primary focus has been on microscopy, utilising various advanced imaging techniques to explore the actin cytoskeleton. My imaging work has earned multiple awards, including features on the cover of Focal Plane.

Now, as a lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), I teach mainly on biomedical sciences and the MSc One Health, while continuing my research on host-pathogen interactions, with a particular emphasis on Toxoplasma gondii. My current work focuses on the host factors that facilitate parasite entry and understanding how Toxoplasma selects its host cells.