Research Funding 

Before starting my DPhil, I worked as a clinical trials researcher across various NHS departments, including NHS Blood and Transplant and the Late Phase Oncology Clinical Trials Team. Prior to this, I gained experience as a laboratory technician in multiple NHS pathology laboratories, specialising in haematology and blood transfusion at Velindre Cancer Centre.

My academic background includes a BSc and MSc in Biochemistry, followed by a Master’s in Precision Cancer Medicine which was funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCS). During this MSc I was supervised by Prof. Roman Fischer for my dissertation project. I also completed an internship in Prof. Chunxiao Song’s Chemical Epigenetics Group at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Additionally, I undertook an internship at the Big Data Institute, supervised by Dr. Christiana Kartsonaki, where we focused on cancer epidemiology, specifically ovarian cancer, utilising the UK Biobank dataset.

My DPhil is funded by Cancer Research UK, and I am affiliated with the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN) and the Department of Biochemistry. My supervisory team includes Prof. Olaf Ansorge, Prof. Rachael Bashford-Rogers, and Dr. Bo Sun. My research interests focus on T cell biology within the immunobiology of brain cancers, aiming to advance early detection methods and contribute to the development of novel immunotherapies.

My DPhil research will investigate T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing as a potential non-invasive biomarker for adult diffuse gliomas, aiming to refine diagnostic and monitoring methods. Using sequencing strategies and machine learning tools, my work aims to examine how TCR repertoire signatures may reflect tumour-specific immune response and therefore the overall focus is to enhance early detection strategies and guide therapeutic decision-making in neuro-oncology.

DpHIL Supervisors 

Prof Olaf Ansorge 

Prof Rachael Bashford-Rogers

Dr Bo Sun