My research interests revolve around the biology & pathology of musculoskeletal disorders. I began my career at the RJAH in 2006 as a Research Assistant prior to embarking on my PhD studies in the Charles Salt Centre for Metabolic Research investigating the role of osteoprotegerin in osteoblastic cells. Since completing my studies in 2010, I have been employed by Keele University as a Research Associate, based in the Centre for Spinal Studies and Cartilage Research group at the RJAH. I am also a visiting lecturer for University Centre Shrewsbury.

I was initially funded on a Versus Arthritis programme grant with Prof Sally Roberts, investigating cell therapy treatments such as autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) for osteoarthritis and played a large part in the development of the current clinical trial ASCOT (Autologous Stem Cells, Chondrocytes or the Two?). A secondary outcome measure of the trial, part funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), is the assessment of the quality of the repair tissue formed following cell therapy, of which I am jointly responsible for alongside Prof Roberts; this also involves studying the production and expression of extracellular matrix components and associated cellular signalling pathways. I am also involved in the analysis of a sister population of the cells being returned to the patients, with the aim of trying to identify markers that have the potential to help identify a therapeutically potent sub-population of cells for treating patients in the future.

I am currently funded on an MRC grant with Dr Jan-Herman Kuiper, focusing on the spontaneous/natural healing of articular cartilage (SHARC) of patients having undergone surgery that involved a controlled cartilage injury (such as a harvest biopsy for ACI). This will be based on the histochemical and biochemical analyses of repair tissue biopsies, synovial fluid biomarkers, medical imaging and gait analysis. I also supervise a first year PhD student, investigating the use of bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) to treat cartilage defects in the ankle.