Staff profiles

Basic Careers

Head
Candy Hassall leads the Wellcome Trust's funding activities in the area of basic biomedical research training and careers. These provide a range of opportunities for support: from Vacation Scholarships for undergraduates through to Principal Research Fellowships for outstanding, internationally recognised senior scientists and also the Investigator Award scheme. As part of this role, Candy works closely with those funded by the Wellcome Trust, as well as other stakeholders. She held a British Heart Foundation Basic Science Lectureship at University College London before joining the Trust in 1996.

Clinical Activities

Head
John Williams trained initially as a neuroscientist at the National Institute for Medical Research, London. Postdoctoral training followed at Stanford and Duke. In 1998 he changed direction and embarked on a career in science administration when he joined the Wellcome Trust. John has held a number of roles within the organisation. He is currently Head of Clinical Activities and Head of Neuroscience and Mental Health.

Senior Portfolio Developer
Kathryn Adcock has a BSc in biochemistry from Imperial College London and a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Cambridge. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Basel and then Zurich before joining the Wellcome Trust in 2005. She is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with researchers across a wide range of activities. Kathryn also provides input into the development and implementation of the Trust's scientific strategy and direction. She is currently Senior Portfolio Developer for Clinical Activities and for Neuroscience and Mental Health.

Molecular and Physiological Sciences

Head
Michael Dunn is Head of the Molecular and Physiological Sciences team in Science Funding. Having obtained a PhD in biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, he went on to work on the genetics of type 1 diabetes at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford. Michael joined the Trust in 2000. His role is to manage and develop its scientific portfolio and community of investigators to enable the Trust to achieve its mission.

Senior Portfolio Developer
Audrey Duncanson joined the Wellcome Trust in 2000 and is now a Senior Portfolio Developer. Her role is to help develop and implement strategic funding initiatives in genetics, genomics and the molecular sciences, and to oversee the portfolio in these areas. After receiving a BSc (Hons) in molecular biology and a PhD from the Department of Genetics, University of Glasgow, Audrey went on to postdoctoral studies in fly neurodevelopment at the Department of Genetics, University of Leicester. Her current responsibilities include the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, the UK10K sequencing project and H3 Africa.

Science Portfolio Advisers

Rebecca Aarons joined the Wellcome Trust in 2007 following postdoctoral research into motor neurone disease at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University, Canada. Rebecca has a BSc and PhD in chemistry from the University of Manchester. Since joining the Trust, Rebecca has overseen projects in structural biology, the chemistry/biology interface, epigenetics, cell screening, microscopy and imaging. Current responsibilities include the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology at the University of Edinburgh.

Meher Antia has a bachelor's degree in physics and a PhD in bioengineering. She joined the Wellcome Trust in 2010 following postdoctoral training at the University of Washington in Seattle and the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Since joining, Meher has handled projects in the areas of structural biology, biophysics, biongineering and bioinformatics. Her responsibilities include the Structural Genomics Consortium, the Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression at the University of Dundee and the Centres of Excellence in Medical Engineering.

Jane Itzhaki has a first degree in natural sciences and a DPhil in cell biology. Following postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford and the Clinical Sciences Centre in London, she joined the Wellcome Trust in 1998. Jane oversees the funding portfolio in the areas of cell and developmental biology, including stem cell biology. Her responsibilities include the Wellcome Trust-Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, the Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research and the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research.

Melissa Lewis joined the Wellcome Trust in 2011 after two years in a similar role at the Natural Environment Research Council. She has a BSc in biology and a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry, as well as research experience in cardiovascular medicine at Imperial College London. Melissa's responsibilities at the Trust include the Genetics, Genomics and Population Research Expert Review Group, International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition Student Stipends and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. She is also assisting in the development of the Trust's 'connecting environment, nutrition and health' challenge.

Clare McVicker has a BSc in pharmacology, a PhD in physiology and experience working in a pharma environment. She joined the Wellcome Trust in 2005 following postdoctoral training at King's College London and Imperial College London. Since joining, Clare has overseen the Physiological Sciences portfolio. Her responsibilities include the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research at the University of Manchester, the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium and the Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory at the University of Cambridge.

Neuroscience and Mental Health

Head
John Williams

Senior Portfolio Developer
Kathryn Adcock

Please see the Clinical Activities team above for biographies.

Science Portfolio Advisers

Lynsey Bilsland joined the Neuroscience and Mental Health team in 2009. Her role is to oversee the molecular and cellular neuroscience portfolio, identify and develop strategic funding initiatives, and build relationships with stakeholders within UK neuroscience. Lynsey holds a PhD in neuroscience from UCL and a BSc (Hons) in pharmacology from the University of Glasgow. She joined the Trust following a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroscience at Cancer Research UK, London.

Shewly Choudhury has a BSc (Hons) in biological sciences from the University of Leicester and undertook a PhD in neuroscience at the Babraham Institute at the University of Cambridge and GlaxoSmithKline. She joined the Wellcome Trust in 2005. Shewly's current role involves overseeing the cognitive neuroscience and mental health portfolio, contributing to the development and implementation of strategic funding activities and initiatives, and fostering and maintaining relationships with stakeholders in the neurosciences.

Clarissa Edwards joined the Wellcome Trust's Neuroscience and Mental Health Team in 2011, moving from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and returning to her primary discipline. She holds a PhD from King's College London, where her thesis focused on experience-dependent synaptic plasticity. She has also studied a combination of neuroscience, physiology, psychology and philosophy at UCL and Oxford. At the Trust she works to promote the molecular and cellular neuroscience portfolio, engaging with scientists and stakeholders and identifying opportunities for strategic funding.

Pathogens, Immunology and Population Health

Head
Danny Altmann joined the Wellcome Trust in 2011 as Head of Pathogens, Immunology and Population Health. His role is to drive the Trust research agenda in these areas and oversee the research portfolio. For several years Danny has been Professor of Immunology in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College London, where he was also Director of Research Strategy for the Department of Medicine. Danny is the Editor in Chief of 'Immunology'.

Senior Portfolio Developer
Michelle Jimenez is responsible for contributing to the development and implementation of strategic funding initiatives in public health and infectious diseases, and to oversee and coordinate the portfolio in these areas. Before joining the Wellcome Trust in 2005 she worked as a nutrition specialist for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and evaluated humanitarian assistance programmes in Afghanistan and North Korea. She completed her BSc in Guatemala and has an MSc in Nutrition from McGill University, Canada.

Science Portfolio Advisers

Lara Bethke is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of strategic funding activities in the virology, mycology, bacteriology and animal health portfolios. She oversees a number of activities including the Thailand and Vietnam Major Overseas Programmes and the Oxford Centre for Research in Clinical Tropical Medicine. Lara has a PhD in biological sciences in public health from Harvard University.

Michael Chew obtained his PhD in parasitology at Imperial College London. He contributes to the development and implementation of strategic funding activities and initiatives in the team. Michael’s responsibilities include the Malawi Major Overseas Programme, the Liverpool Centre for Research in Clinical Tropical Medicine, the Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology in Glasgow, the African Capacity Strengthening Strategic Awards, and the Public Health and Tropical Medicine Fellowship scheme.

Lauren Foster-Mustarde works across the Wellcome Trust's portfolio in public health research and population studies. Her current responsibilities include the UK and international cohort studies, the Imperial College Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine, the UKCRC Centres of Excellence for Public Health Research, and initiatives related to e-health. Lauren's training is in international public health with a specialisation in reproductive and sexual health research (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine). Prior to joining the Wellcome Trust she worked as a research fellow in maternal health and in the international NGO sector.

Nidhee Jadeja contributes to the Wellcome Trust's portfolio in the area of public health research and population studies. Her responsibilities include the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, health systems research, and the development of Strategic Challenge 5: Connecting the Environment, Nutrition, and Health. Nidhee completed her first degree from the University of Toronto and her training in public health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Tom Sutherland oversees the immunology funding portfolio and contributes to the implementation of strategic funding activities and initiatives in the team. The work involves development of joint initiatives, facilitation of immunology-related workshops, and maintaining awareness of current themes and strategic opportunities within the immunology research field. Communication is a key aspect of the role, both assisting colleagues internally where scientific input is required, and externally with other funders, researchers and international partners. Before joining the Trust, Tom completed a first degree at Cambridge followed by a PhD on bacterial meningitis. He has worked on short-term projects in Nepal and Kenya as well as completing a three-month internship at the WHO in Geneva.

Marta Tufet oversees the immunology funding portfolio and contributes to the implementation of strategic funding activities and initiatives in the team. Her other current responsibilities include UK Biobank, the Kenya Major Overseas Programme, the joint DfID-MRC-Wellcome Trust Global Health Trials Initiative, the Bloomsbury Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine and the Insect Pollinators Initiative. Marta has a PhD in molecular parasitology (malaria) from Imperial College London and previously worked for 'Nature Reviews Immunology'.

International Activities

Head
Jimmy Whitworth has been Head of International Activities at the Wellcome Trust since 2004. He is responsible for strategy, policy and developing the scientific portfolio for research in low- and middle-income countries, which has an annual grant disbursement of about £70-100 million. Jimmy qualified in medicine in 1979, and has worked in the Gambia for Save the Children Fund and in Sierra Leone and Uganda for the Medical Research Council. He has worked at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he was Professor of International Public Health from 1999 to 2004.

International Activities Manager
Val Snewin works in the International Activities team at the Wellcome Trust, with particular responsibility for health research capacity strengthening initiatives in Africa. She contributes to planning and coordinating implementation of Trust global health research strategy both internally and with the external community. In 2005, Val was on secondment to the Department for International Development; prior to that, she was a member of the Wellcome Trust Strategic Planning and Policy Unit. She joined the Trust in 2000, following ten years of research into malaria at the Pasteur Institute, Paris, and as a research lecturer at Imperial College London, working on tuberculosis.

International Activities Adviser
Alice Norton joined the Wellcome Trust in 2009. She contributes to the operation and development of the strategy, policy and scientific portfolio of the Trust's international activities. She has particular responsibility for the African Institutions Initiative. Before joining the Trust, Alice worked as Country Programme Manager for the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative in Tanzania. She has a PhD in parasitology from Imperial College London and postdoctoral experience in epidemiology and parasite population genetics in Kenya, Niger and Tanzania.

International Operations and Governance Manager
Bradley Busetto oversees and gives guidance on the management, policies and structure of the Wellcome Trust's international operations and initiatives. He worked for many years for the UN, where he held a variety of senior management roles in overseas operations. Earlier in his career, Bradley worked in the private sector as a management consultant, where he gained valuable experience in business systems and management. He earned his BA and MA from Stanford University.

Influenza Research Coordinator
Frederick Hayden joined the Wellcome Trust in September 2008 on a part-time basis after serving as a medical officer in the Global influenza Programme at the WHO for two years. He is clinically trained in medicine and infectious diseases and has been on the medical faculty of the University of Virginia School of Medicine since 1978, where he is Richardson Professor of Clinical Virology and Professor of Medicine. For nearly three decades, Frederick led a research group conducting translational research on influenza and other respiratory viral infections.

Assistant Influenza Research Coordinator
Dan Korbel assists with coordination of influenza research activities both within the Wellcome Trust and externally with other funders and international partners. The work involves development of joint initiatives, facilitation of influenza-related workshops, and maintaining awareness of current themes and strategic opportunities within the influenza research field. Dan has a PhD in human malaria immunology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and worked for a number of years as a postdoctoral researcher on immune responses to TB and gastrointestinal parasites at the LSHTM and Queen Mary, University of London. He joined the Trust in 2010.