What inspired you to embark on a career in academic research?
I have always enjoyed science which is ultimately what led me to study medicine on leaving school. Having worked in haematology for almost a decade, it is a specialty that is deeply intertwined with research, with an abundance of clinical trials, evolving guidelines and emerging science woven into everyday clinical practice.
Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) in particular is a field that has been transformed by research over the last two decades. Seeing firsthand the impact of research on patients’ lives, I had a desire to be part of the community actively contributing to advancing this research and making a real difference to the patients I see every day. The prospect of having the time and space to develop an expertise in a specific disease, and then being able to contribute to its understanding, was something I really looked forward to.
What was your path to join HAIM in Leeds?
I completed my undergraduate medical degree at the University of Edinburgh in 2014 before entering the NHS as a junior doctor, working across the Yorkshire region. Over time I gravitated towards West Yorkshire and, in 2018, began specialising in Haematology - a field I have always enjoyed since medical school.
In October 2023, I made the decision to step out of clinical training and pursue a PhD investigating breakthrough haemolysis in PNH with the University of Leeds – an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.
What does your daily role entail?
Now in the third and final year of my PhD, my day-to-day is mostly spent at a desk interpreting results, analysing data and writing my thesis. This contrasts with my first two years which were largely spent in the laboratory, learning and carrying out experimental work with ELISAs, flow cytometry and haemolysis assays.
Alongside my research, I continue to have a clinical role, attending weekly MDT meetings and seeing patients in regular PNH and aplastic anaemia outpatient clinics.
What aspects of your role do you most enjoy?
I have genuinely enjoyed all my time across the three years of my PhD. I love having the time, free from the pressures of clinical work, to immerse myself in the literature and research that has gone before. I love that when I read something that sparks an idea or hypothesis, I am able to explore it further – design an experiment, carry it out in the lab and potentially discover something new (although I have also learned that in science, your experiment doesn't always work!). Having that opportunity to be curious and explore ideas, even when they fail, is my favourite part of academia.
I also love the constant learning that comes with being part of a research community. Having regular opportunities to hear about colleagues' work is not only interesting but it often stimulates new ideas within my own research.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career?
Pursue a career in a field that you find genuinely interesting and enjoy. You spend an enormous amount of your life at work and so it is important that you find it rewarding time well spent.
What I found difficult early on in my PhD was developing a healthy relationship with feedback, which can often feel like criticism. An integral part of academia is the constant critique of your work from everywhere (supervisors, colleagues, reviewers) and it can feel personal, particularly when you have invested so much time and effort into something. It is important to remember that feedback is not failure and almost always leads to improvements in your research and practices, so seeking it, however difficult, is worth embracing.
