Biography

I initially read for a B.Sc in Genetics at Glasgow University and gained a 1st class degree in 1988.

My first post-graduate appointment was as a research assistant in the Department of Cancer Studies (now the Birmingham CRUK Institute for Cancer Studies) at Birmingham University, where I had the opportunity to complete my PhD, entitled Epstein Barr virus and Cell Survival.  I remained at Birmingham on a Wellcome funded post doctoral fellowship until I was appointed as a lecturer at Keele university in 1995.

At Keele, I have supervised or co-supervised 5 PhD students and 1 MPhil student and had considerable cross-school and cross-faculty teaching experience and my focus shifted from research to teaching and I am now Senior Lecturer in the Education and Scholarship family.

Research and scholarship

My main scientific research interest was on the role of viruses in the control of apoptosis and cellular differentiation, although I have side interests in apoptosis, cancer biology and genetics in general. My early research at Keele focused on the role of proteins encoded by Epstein Barr virus and its primate virus analogues. My technical expertise lies in molecular and cell biology.  The most successful period of my research career remains my PhD research - 3 of the resulting publications have between them been cited over 2000 times.  Since establishing my own independent research programme here at Keele, I have held major grants from the Wellcome Trust and BBSRC and studentships from AICR and LRF, plus 3 Nuffield vacation scholarships.

In the past decade, I have re-focused my research towards pedagogical action research and have developed several projects based around the technological innovations I have made in feedback provision and  I have had several Teaching Innovation Awards.

I  completed an MA in Learning and Teaching with Technology in 2013 and was appointed Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in November 2013.

I am the local ambassador for the Biochemical Society and had long-standing membership of the American Society for Microbiology and The International EBV Association.

Teaching

My main aim in teaching is to change the mindset of my students from “What do I need to do to pass this assessment?” to “What skills and knowledge have I gained from doing this assessment?”  This has helped me to develop some authentic assessments over the years from group webpages aimed at a non-scientific audience to themed editorials.

I am also keen to develop the use of new technologies in teaching, assessment and feedback and in recent years have explored the use of various tools for group work and pioneered the use of audiovisual feedback using screencasting software.   In 2012, I was awarded Keele’s Teaching Excellence Award for my work on screencasting. 

I was an early adopter of the “flipped classroom approach”, so was ahead of the curve when the pandemic hit in 2020 in terms of preparing asynchronous teaching materials.

In the past I have had significant cross-school and cross faculty teaching experience, contributing to medicine (PBL tutor, genetics and microbiology), pharmacy (genetics) and forensic science (genetics and school liaison).

Current teaching

Level 4

  • LSC-10066   Molecular Cell Biology (module manager and major contributor)
  • LSC-10068   Professional Skills for Biochemists (CBL tutor)

Level 5

  • LSC-20050  Human Genetics (Module Manager and main contributor)

Level 6

  • Project supervisor on double and single project modules and dissertation module (up to 8 students per year)
  • LSC-30015  Biology of Disease
  • LSC-30026 Case Studies in Biomedical Science (CBL tutor)
  • LSC-30051 Case Studies in Biotechnology (Module manager and major contributor)

Level 7

  • Project supervisor on MSc Biomedical Science (Blood Science and Microbiology)

Publications

School address

School of Life Sciences
Huxley Building
Keele University
Staffordshire
ST5 5BG
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 734414
Email: lifesciences.office@keele.ac.uk

Accessibility

Accessibility information for Huxley Building can be found on its AccessAble page.
Technical Manager: Chris Niles
Faculty Operations Manager: Maria Kyriacou

Enquiries

Tel: +44 (0) 1782 734414
Email: lifesciences.office@keele.ac.uk

Health and safety

Health and Safety Lead
Dr M Skidmore
Human Tissue Authority License
Dr D Tonge
Biological Safety Officer (University Level)
Ms R Harrison
Staff wellbeing champion
Dr Jenny Moran

A full list of School staff is available with details of individual room and telephone numbers, email addresses, details of research interests and other information.

Programme directors

Biology
David Hulse
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733640
Email: d.r.hulse@keele.ac.uk

Bioveterinary Science
Dr N Kareem
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733671
Email: n.o.kareem1@keele.ac.uk

Biochemistry
Dr David Watson
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733676
Email: d.watson@keele.ac.uk

Biomedical Science
Glenn Hussey (Admissions Tutor)
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733880
Email: g.d.hussey@keele.ac.uk

Ecology and Conservation
Jamie Pringle
Email: j.k.pringle@keele.ac.uk

Environmental Science
Michael Montenari
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 733162
Email: m.montenari@keele.ac.uk

Human Biology
Dr Mirna Mourtada (Admissions tutor)
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733679
Email: m.m.maarabouni@keele.ac.uk

Geography
Angie Turner
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 733620
Email: a.c.turner@keele.ac.uk

 

Geology
Steve Rogers
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 733752
Email: s.l.rogers@keele.ac.uk

Geology and Physical Geography
Steve Rogers
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 733752
Email: s.l.rogers@keele.ac.uk

Life Sciences
Research Centre Lead: Dr Helen Price
PGR Lead: Dr Marcelo Lima
Email: h.price@keele.ac.uk, m.andrade.de.lima@keele.ac.uk

Neuroscience
Dr Chris Adams
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733943
Email: c.adams@keele.ac.uk 

Microbiology and Immunology
Dr Jenny Moran
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733594
Email: j.a.moran@keele.ac.uk

Neuroscience
Dr Chris Adams
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733943
Email: c.adams@keele.ac.uk 

Pharmacology
Dr A Winter
Tel: +44 (0)1782 733117
Email: a.winter@keele.ac.uk

Sustainability and Environmental Management
Michael Montenari
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 733162
Email: m.montenari@keele.ac.uk