I started my career as a Biomedical Scientist working in a range of clinical microbiology, and reference laboratories. In this role I was responsible for developing and performing diagnostic, outbreak and surveillance testing for infectious diseases in humans and their environment. I also supported monitoring of known and emerging threats to public health (including working in a field laboratory in Africa during the Ebola pandemic). Additionally, I facilitated evaluation of effective interventions and testing facilities.

Wanting to experience more in the field of public health, I then took up a post in a health improvement team within Public Health England. In this role I was responsible for supporting the delivery of a range of projects and initiatives designed to support the local system in improving health outcomes and reduction in health inequalities based on evidence and cost-effectiveness and drawing on the unique expertise and resources that sits within PHE.

To complement my project and change management skills developed in my previous roles, I then took up a post in the PHE National Infection Service development team, assisting in the delivery of a large-scale change project, bringing together 2500 staff working on communicable disease into new organisational structure to improve efficiency and strengthen multidisciplinary and scientific leadership within PHE.

In 2018, I moved to Norwich and took up a post at the Quadram Institute where I have worked in several project/research scientist positions.

My current role as the Microbiome and Health Human Studies Lead, is to provide oversight of the microbiome related human studies in the Food, Microbes, and Health Institute Strategic Programme at the Quadram Institute Bioscience.I provide training for staff who wish to set up and be involved in a human study, particularly related to sample collection and management, and the ethics process. I am an administrator of the QIB account for a publicly accessible database of clinical trials.I provide guidance on how to obtain ethical approval from the Health Research Authority for human studies. I also provide guidance on how to access and deposit tissue with the NRP Biorepository.Another of my key roles is in establishing and building strong relationships with stakeholders related to Human Study delivery across the NRP, UEA, and primary and secondary care teams.

I also am a member of several internal and external ethics committees whose aims are to protect the rights, safety, dignity and wellbeing of research participants and facilitating and promoting ethical research that is of potential benefit to participants, science and society.