Staff in the School of Natural Sciences

If you have a query about studying with us, our research activities or require further information information about the School of Natural Sciences, please contact us.

Head of School

• Professor Katherine Thompson

Academic staff

• Dr Tracey Barrett, Reader in Structural Biology
• Professor Sanjib Bhakta, Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Biochemistry
• Professor John Christodoulou, Professor of Biological NMR Spectroscopy (based at UCL), Christodoulou Group.
• Dr Tristan Cragnolini, Lecturer
• Professor Ian Crawford, Professor of Planetary Science and Astrobiology
• Professor Hilary Downes, Professor of Geochemistry
• Professor Franca Fraternali, Director of ISMB and Professor in Integrative Computational Biology
• Professor James Hammond, Professor of Geophysics
• Steve Hirons, Academic related researcher and lecturer
• Dr Brian Ho, Lecturer in Bacteriology
• Dr Philip Hopley, Senior Lecturer in Palaeoclimatology
• Dr Eleanor Jennings, Lecturer
• Dr Paul King, Lecturer
• Dr Philip Lowden, Lecturer in Chemistry
• Dr Alan Lowe, Senior Lecturer in Single Molecule Biophysics (based at UCL)
• Dr Amandine Marechal, Senior Lecturer (based at UCL)
• Professor Neil McDonald, Professor of Structural Biology
• Professor Carolyn Moores, Professor of Structural Biology
• Dr Irilenia Nobeli, Senior Lecturer in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology
• Dr Marianne Odlyha, Senior Lecturer
• Dr Andrew Osborne, Lecturer in Microbial Molecular Systems (based at UCL)
• Dr Dick Rayne, Lecturer
• Professor Gerald Roberts, Professor of Earthquake Geology
• Dr Andrew Rushby, Lecturer in Astrobiology
• Professor Helen Saibil, Bernal Professor of Structural Biology
• Dr Clare Sansom, Senior Associate Lecturer
• Professor Konstantinos Thalassinos, Professor of Mass Spectrometry (based at UCL)
• Professor Katherine Thompson, Professor of Biophysical Chemistry, Head of School
• Dr Charlie Underwood, Senior Lecturer in Palaeontology
• Professor Gabriel Waksman, Professor of Structural Molecular Biology
• Professor Bonnie Wallace, Professor of Molecular Biophysics
• Dr Mark Williams, Senior Lecturer in Biophysics
• Dr Giulia Zanetti, Reader in Structural Biology

IT Support Staff

• Yanni Goudetsidis, Computer Support Assistant
• Dr David Houldershaw, Computer Manager
• Simon Khang, IT Assistant

Laboratory Staff

• Dr Claire Bagnéris, Senior Research Laboratory Manager
• Veronika Bera-Frank, Teaching Laboratory Assistant
• Dr Shu Chen, Research Laboratory Manager (Electron Microscopy)
• Dr Sandra Codlin, Teaching Laboratories Services Manager
• Rajith Dissanayake, Laboratory Assistant and Demonstrator
• Dr Natasha Lukoyanova, Electron Microscopy Facility Coordinator
• Dr Nikos Pinotsis, X-Ray and Biophysics Facility Coordinator
• Gayathri Sritharan, Microbiology Laboratory Assistant
• Mariana Stoica, Basic Laboratory Assistant
• Dr Tien-Chye Tan, Senior Research Laboratory Manager
• Anna Zebrowska, Teaching Laboratory Assistant

Research staff

• Dr Natalie Al-Otaibi, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
• Mamata Bangera, B58, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
• Dr Rosie Bell, 358, Williams Lab, Dr Mark Williams
• Magnus Borup Bloch, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
• Alana Cowell, B69, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
• Leticia Matilla Cuenca, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
• Katie Downes, lab 321, Zanetti Lab, Dr Giulia Zanetti
• Josie Ferreira, B69, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
• Dr Cunrui Han, Professor James Hammond group
• Dr Dave Hollingworth, 359, Wallace Lab, Professor Bonnie Wallace
• Abhinav Koyamangalath Vadakkepat, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman
• Dr Tianyang Liu, B69, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
• Dr Pilar Menedez Gil, B58, Brian Ho Lab, Dr Brian Ho
• Dr Euan Pyle, 321, Zanetti Lab, Dr Giulia Zanetti
• Dr Jenni Robertson, Professor Gerald Roberts group
• Dr Philip Robinson, MRC Research Fellow
• Manoj Saxena, B55, Robinson Lab, Dr Philip Robinson
• Claudia Sgambato Professor Gerald Roberts group
• Dr Luca Troman, Rosalind Franklin Lab, Moores Lab, Professor Carolyn Moores
• Sander Van Der Verren, lab 321, Zanetti Lab, Dr Giulia Zanetti
• Dr Sunanda Williams, B76, The Waksman Lab, Professor Gabriel Waksman

Teaching staff

• Evans Asowata
• Dr Alexa Bakker
• Dr Fabrice Bollet-Quivogne
• Dr Nick Chatterton
• Graham Driver
• George Kortsaridis
• Dr Ros McKendry
• Dr Gwen Nneji
• Dr Jenni Robertson
• Dr Angus Westgarth-Smith
• Dr Patricia Zunszain

Visiting Staff

• Dr Andrew Beard, Honorary Research Fellow
• Declan Cook, Associate Research Fellow
• Dr John Cunningham, Honorary Research Fellow
• Jane De Rennes, Honorary Research Fellow
• Ryan Dowsell, Associate Research Fellow
• Dr Simon Drake, Associate Research Fellow
• Elliot Drew, Associate Research Fellow
• Christopher Dulson, Associate Research Fellow
• Dr Mohamed Ramy El-Maarry, Honorary Research Fellow
• Will Goldring, Associate Research Fellow
• Dr Jerome Gouge, Honorary Research Fellow
• Stephen Hristov, Associate Research Fellow
• Gabriel Ing, Associate Research Fellow
• James Irving, Honorary Research Fellow
• Robert William Janes, Honorary Research Fellow
• Dr Susan Little, Honorary Research Fellow
• Sarah Lowen, Associate Research Fellow
• Shumeng Ma, Associate Research Fellow
• Kate Morling, Associate Research Fellow
• Professor Elena Orlova, Honorary Research Fellow
• Gary Retallick, Honorary Research Fellow
• Dr Renos Savva, Honorary Research Fellow
• Hank Sombroek, Honorary Research Fellow
• Frances Megan Rachel Thomas, Associate Research Fellow
• Professor Maya Topf, Honorary Research Fellow, Visiting Professor
• Dr Sam Willcocks, Honorary Research Fellow
• David Wilson, Honorary Research Fellow
• Debbie Woods, Associate Research Fellow
• Dr Ying Zhou, Honorary Research Fellow

EMERITUS STAFF

• Professor Paul Barnes: Professor of Applied Crystallography. Visit Professor Paul Barnes' fellows page or email Professor Paul Barnes.
• Professor Charlie Bristow: Professor of Sedimentology.
• Professor Andrew Carter: Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences. Professor Carter is a specialist in thermochronology and geochronology, methods used to define rock formation ages, sediment provenance and rock uplift history. He was awarded the International Dodson prize in 2018. His research covers understanding Asian tectonics in relation to the formation of the Himalayas and Tibet, the glaciation history of Antarctica, and opening of the Scotia Sea. This research sheds light on the key changes in the Earth's climate over the last 50 million years. Email Professor Andrew Carter.
• 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 Nicholas Keep: Professor of Biomolecular Science. View Professor Nicholas Keep's Fellowship page.
  
• 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 Dr 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.

Fellows of the College

• Professor Paul Barnes
• Professor Sir Tom Blundell
• Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow
• Professor Nick Keep
• Professor Alan MacKay
• Professor David Moss
• Professor Glaucius Oliva
• Professor Janet Thornton