Profile

When I am not in the lab I like going for walks, watching movies (I love superhero movies!) and stand-up comedy! Also I *love* cats. Our little Lizzie is 5 years and a half, she is lovely and very affectionate but silently judges me when we take selfies!

In each of our cells the DNA gives instructions to help the cells function properly. In cancer, these instructions are given or taken in wrong ways, so cells start growing like crazy.

I study how the information contained in the DNA is read and passed on to other important machineries in breast and prostate cancer cells, and what goes wrong compared to healthy cells. The ultimate goal is to have a better idea of how we can prevent the cancer from spreading, and if we can treat it with new drugs to kill it.

Most times I work in the lab and do experiments, but sometimes I meet with colleagues to help each other and exchange ideas, or I analyse data at home using informatics. I also give a few lectures to undergraduate students at Newcastle University, one of which is about my research so students can have an idea of what is going on in the lab.

Most days after I wake up I wash my face and I do yoga with my husband, on videocall with his mum (she’s a teacher in India!). Then we have breakfast together, we watch the news and play with Lizzie. Soon it’s time to get ready for work! I often listen to music while doing experiments, it’s a fun way to channel my concentration (and if alone in the lab, I may even end up dancing!). When I finish all that I wanted to do for that day, I go to the gym for ~1h, then I get home and cook dinner! I love cooking, and so does my husband (he makes a great curry!). Some days I take a break during the working day and go have a coffee with a friend or a colleague, it helps me recharge my batteries.