Our staff
Our academic staff are engaged in a diverse range of research and teaching activities across the biological sciences.
Many of them are also involved in a wider research programme through the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology (ISMB), a joint institute between Birkbeck and University College London (UCL). Recent academic appointments are jointly held with UCL.
Staff categories
These are our Birkbeck categories within the Department of Biological Sciences.
Head of department
Deputy Head of Department
- Dr Richard Rayne, Assistant Dean for Teaching
academic staff
- Dr Tracey Barrett, Reader in Structural Biology
- Professor Sanjib Bhakta, Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Biochemistry, Assistant Dean for Internationalisation and Partnership
- Dr Emmanuel Boucrot, Reader in Molecular Cell Biology, BBSRC David Phillips Research Fellow (based at UCL)
- Professor John Christodoulou, ISMB Lecturer (based at UCL), Christodoulou Group.
- Dr Jerome Gouge, Sir Henry Dale Fellow, Wellcome Trust
- Dr Brian Ho, Lecturer in Bacteriology
- Professor Nicholas Keep, Professor of Biomolecular Science, Executive Dean, School of Science
- Dr Paul King, Lecturer
- Dr Philip Lowden, Lecturer in Chemistry
- Dr Alan Lowe, Lecturer in Single Molecule Biophysics (based at UCL)
- Dr Amandine Marechal, MRC Career Development Award Fellow (based at UCL)
- Professor Neil McDonald, Professor of Structural Biology
- Professor Carolyn Moores, Professor of Structural Biology, Head of Department
- Dr Anastasia Mylona, Birkbeck Career Development ISSF Fellow
- Dr Irilenia Nobeli, Senior Lecturer in Bioinformatics / Computational Biology
- Dr Marianne Odlyha, Senior Lecturer
- Professor Elena Orlova, Professor of Macromolecular Systems
- Dr Andrew Osborne, ISMB Lecturer in Microbial Molecular Systems (based at UCL)
- Dr Richard C Rayne, Lecturer, Assistant Dean for Teaching and Learning
- Dr Anthony Roberts, Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer
- Dr Philip Robinson, MRC Research Fellow
- Professor Helen Saibil, Bernal Professor of Structural Biology
- Dr Clare Sansom, Senior Associate Lecturer
- Dr Renos Savva, Senior Lecturer
- Professor Adrian Shepherd, Professor in Computational Biology
- Dr Jonathan M Slater, Lecturer
- Dr Konstantinos Thalassinos, ISMB Senior Lectureship in Biophysical Mass Spectrometry (based at UCL)
- Dr Katherine Thompson, Reader, Assistant Dean for Equalities
- Dr Salvador Tomas, Reader in Chemical Biology
- Professor Maya Topf, Professor in Computational Biology
- Professor Gabriel Waksman, Professor of Structural Molecular Biology
- Professor Bonnie Wallace, Professor of Molecular Biophysics
- Dr Mark Williams, Lecturer in Biophysics
- Dr Giulia Zanetti, Reader, Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow, ISMB
Research staff
- Dr Oishik Banerji, B59, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
- Dr Mamata Bangera, B58, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
- Dr Joe Beton, 362, Saibil Group, Professor Helen Saibil
- Dr Alana Cowell, B69, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
- Dr Tristan Cragnolini, 358, Topf Lab, Professor Maya Topf
- Dr Jesus Gomez de Segura, 362, Saibil Group, Professor Helen Saibil
- Dr Thomas Gruhl, based at UCL, Dr Amandine Marechal
- Dr Andrew Hartley, based at UCL, Dr Amandine Marechal
- Dr Sophie Hesketh, lab 320, Roberts Lab, Dr Anthony Roberts
- Dr Dave Hollingworth, 359, Wallace Lab, Professor Bonnie Wallace
- Dr Marina Ivanova, 363, Saibil Group, Professor Helen Saibil
- Dr Abid Javed, 358, Orlova Group, Professor Elena Orlova
- Dr Tabitha Jenkins, B58, Dr Jerome Gouge
- Dr Abhinav Koyamangalath Vadakkepat, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
- Dr Tianyang Liu, B69, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
- Dr Kevin Mace, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
- Dr Mauro Maiorca, 358, Topf Lab, Professor Maya Topf
- Dr Guendalina Marini, 363, Saibil Group, Professor Helen Saibil
- Dr Pilar Menedez Gil, B58, Brian Ho Lab, Dr Brian Ho
- Dr Andrew Miles, 359, Wallace Lab, Professor Bonnie Wallace
- Dr Aakash G. Mukhopadhyay, 313, Roberts Lab, Dr Anthony Roberts
- Dr Adam Redzej, B59, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
- Dr Manoj Saxena, B55, Robinson Lab, Dr Philip Robinson
- Dr Ramtin Shayan, B69, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
- Dr Altin Sula, 359, Wallace Lab, Professor Bonnie Wallace
- Dr Katerina Toropova, 313, Roberts Lab, Dr Anthony Roberts
- Dr Lucy Troman, Rosalind Franklin Lab, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
- Dr Sander Van Der Verren, lab 321, Zanetti Lab, Dr Giulia Zanetti
- Dr Yogesh Vegunta, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
- Dr Sunanda Williams, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
- Dr Jennifer Wells, lab 320, Roberts Lab, Dr Anthony Roberts
- Dr Ben Woods, 616, Dr Salvador Tomas
Honorary Research Fellow
- Dr Jane Nicklin
- Dr Nicklin's current research in environmental mycology covers these themes: the relationship between fungi and other organisms to provide biological control of pests, weeds and diseases, fungal ecology and fungal hazards.This research has applications in improving indoor air quality and managing mycology in historic collections. Fungi can be used as biocontrol agents for insect pests, invasive weeds and control of nematodes. Work on the taxonomy of Sooty Moulds may provide a way to identify new fungal sources of this important enzyme.
- Publications (BIROn)
- Email Dr Jane Nicklin
Laboratory managers and technical staff
- Veronika Bera-Frank, Bioscience Teaching Laboratory Assistant
- Dr Sandra Codlin, Teaching Laboratories Services Manager (Bioscience, Chemistry and co-manager of Microbiology)
- Aisha Shaibu, Chemistry Teaching Laboratory Assistant
- Dr Nikos Pinotsis, ISMB X-Ray Crystallography Lab and Biophysics Manager
- Dr Claire Bagnéris, Senior Laboratory Manager, Rosalind Franklin Molecular Biology Laboratory
- Mariana Stoica, Laboratory Assistant
- Gayathri Sritharan, ISMB Microbiology Teaching Laboratory Assistant
- Dr Tien-Chye Tan, Rayne and Wolfson Laboratory Senior Laboratory Manager
- Dr Shu Chen, ISMB Electron Microscopy Laboratory Manager
- Dr Natasha Lukoyanova, ISMB Electron Microscopy Laboratory Co-ordinator(Office)
- Anna Zebrowska, Bioscience Teaching Laboratory Assistant
Computer support group
- Richard Westlake, Computer Manager
- Dr David Houldershaw
- Yanni Goudetsidis
- More information is available on the Computer Support Group site.
Professional and support Staff
- Teaching office - email the teaching team:
- Sava Savitch-Lee, Assistant School Manager (Biology taught programmes plus Cert HE Life Sciences)
- Jakki Saunders, Team Leader
- Izabela Kutrys, Administrative Assistant
- Joe Raymond, Administrator (undergraduate programmes)
- Thomas Taylor, Administrator (Cert HE Life Sciences)
- Yeti Wan, Administrator (taught postgraduate programmes)
- Shagufta Fayyaz, Learning Support Officer
- Research and Finance Office - email the research team:
- Geoff Rideout, Assistant School Manager (Biology Research)
- Charise Rawlinson, Team Leader
- Andrew Service, ISMB Administrator
- Tyler Shepherd, Senior Administrator, Finance
- Tricia Fossett, Administrative Assistant
Emeritus staff
- Professor Paul Barnes: Professor of Applied Crystallography
- Dr Geoff Coast: Emeritus Reader in Comparative Endocrinology
- Dr Coast's research focuses on insect neuroendocrinology, particularly the endocrine control of excretory processes. Investigations study the effect of diuretic hormones at the cellular level (receptor binding, second messenger and ion transport studies), on the secretion of primary urine by isolated Malpighian tubules, and on fluid excretion in the intact insect. His research also covers the release of peptide hormones from neurohaemal organs and their degradation in the circulation.
- Email Dr Geoff Coast
- Professor Graham Goldsworthy: Professor of Biology
- In 1986, Graham Goldwsorthy was appointed Professor of Biology and head of the department at Birkbeck. While at Birkbeck, his interests in insect neuropeptides have included structure/activity relationships; molecular modelling; structure prediction including CD analysis; the synthesis and design of novel analogues; studies of their actions in the insect; and characterisation and identification of their second messenger systems and receptors.
- Email Professor Graham Goldsworthy
- Professor Elizabeth Hounsell: Professor of Biological Chemistry
- Professor Hounsell's research covers projects looking at macromolecular interactions involved in growth control, immune surveillance and neuropathology. These areas lead on to cancer studies, autoimmunity, allergy, AIDS and infection. A major aim of her lab's research is to understand the role of protein glycosylation in cell regulation and to learn how to manipulate protein and oligosaccharide structure in rational drug design.
- Email Professor Elizabeth Hounsell
- Professor Alan Mackay, FRS
- Dr Andrew Milner: Emeritus Reader in Vertebrate Palaeontology
- Dr Milner's principal research programmes are concerned with the structure, biogeography and evolution of amphibians, ancient and modern. Research on early amphibians, especially those of the order temnospondyli, includes investigations on their morphology, evolution, biogeography, palaeobiology and circumstances of their death and preservation. Research on modern amphibian groups looks at their origin and early diversification, historically a problem area for biologists because of an apparently poor fossil record.
- Email Dr Andrew Milner
- Professor David Moss: Emeritus Professor of Biomolecular Structure
- Visit Professor David Moss' fellows page
- Visit Professor David Moss' research website
- Email Professor David Moss
- Dr Rex Palmer: Emeritus Reader in Structural Crystallography
- Dr Palmer's research interests focus on the structure and function of biologically active molecules in general with particular reference to: ribonuclease structure and function; mistletoe lectin, sambucus niger lectin, RIP toxins and other lectin protein structures; drug design and small molecule crystallography; cyclosporin structures; sodium channel binding drugs; and molecular modelling and dynamics.
- Email Rex Palmer
- Professor Christine Slingsby: Emerita Professor of Structural Biology
- Professor Slingsby's research interests include: the origin of the vertebrate eye lens; interactions of crystallins, refractive index and transparency; the structure of alpha-crystallin and related small heat shock proteins; changes to eye lens crystallins in cataract; the role of small heat shock proteins in neuromuscular systems; and small heat shock proteins in aging and disease.
- Email Professor Christine Slingsby
- Professor Michael Thompson: Emeritus Professor of Analytical Chemistry
- Professor Thompson's research interests include statistical aspects of calibration and data quality in analytical chemistry, food safety, chemometrics, metrology, sampling quality, and geochemistry and environmental chemistry. He is the recipient of several awards including Honorary Life Membership of the International Association of Geoanalysts, the Harvey Wiley Award, the L S Theobald Lectureship and the SAC Gold Medal.
- Email Professor Michael Thompson
These Fellows of the College are associated with the department: Professor Paul Barnes, Professor Sir Tom Blundell, Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, Sir Aaron Klug, Professor Alan MacKay, Professor David Moss, Professor Glaucius Oliva and Professor Janet Thornton.