UKAN - Key Persons


Afroditi Stathi

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Physical Activity and Community Health, University of Birmingham

Aygul Dagbasi


Colin McClure

Colin McClure is a newly appointed Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences, Queens University, Belfast. His research interests focus on the genetics which underpin life history dimorphism and ageing between the sexes, through the application of new methods of cell-selective chromatin-binding protein profiling. He also has a keen interest in the promotion of cross disciplinary training for early career staff and students.

Danny Ayala

Job Titles:
  • Coordinating Team Member / Administrator for BLAST / UKAN at the University of Brighton

Diane Crone

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Exercise and Health, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Dilara Dericioglu

Job Titles:
  • Network Manager
  • Researcher in Nutrition, University of Reading

Dr Aphrodite Vasilaki

Job Titles:
  • Senior Lecturer, Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, the University of Liverpool

Dr Bernadette Carroll

Job Titles:
  • Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Fellow
Dr Bernadette Carroll is a Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Fellow within the School of Biochemistry at University of Bristol. The Carroll lab study how the cells of our body sense and respond to nutrients both in health and upon exposure to age-related stress.

Dr Emilie Courtin

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy, the London School of Economics and Political Science

Dr Kambiz N Alavian

Job Titles:
  • Directorate Member / Co - I of MyAge Network and Reader in Neuroscience at Imperial College London
  • Senior Lecturer / Imperial College

Dr Leigh Breen

Job Titles:
  • Associate Professor of Metabolic and Molecular Physiology, University of Birmingham

Dr Li Chan

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism
Professor of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology Co-lead Life Long Health Multidisciplinary Theme, DERI Fellow, Member of the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models, Queen Mary University of London

Dr Mark Green

Job Titles:
  • Reader in Health Geography, University of Liverpool / Co - Investigators

Dr Mathew Piasecki

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Professor of Clinical, Metabolic and Molecular Physiology

Dr Miriam Clegg

Job Titles:
  • Visiting Research Fellow, University of Reading and Associate Professor in Human Nutrition, University College Cork / Professor Marion Hetherington

Dr Niharika Duggal

Job Titles:
  • Lecturer in Immunity and Ageing, University of Birmingham / Network Manager

Dr Si n Henson

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Immunology / Co - Lead Life Long Health MDT, Queen Mary University of London

Dr Tom Maden-Wilkinson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Core Team
  • Senior Research Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University

Dr Victoria Palmer

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Core Team
  • Research Associate ( MRC / CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit ), University of Glasgow

Dr. Viktor Korolchuk

Job Titles:
  • CoI
Dr Viktor Korolchuk is a Reader in Molecular Cell Biology at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University. His lab focuses on a homeostatic process of autophagy, its regulation by nutrients and energy and the contribution to human longevity. Within the Network Viktor will contribute his knowledge of molecular mechanisms to guide the development of novel strategies for healthy ageing.

Gary Frost

Job Titles:
  • Head of the Section for Nutrition Research
Professor Gary Frost is the head of the Section for Nutrition Research at Imperial College London and lead the Imperial Nutrition and Food Network. He qualified as a dietitian in 1982 and worked as a dietitian for 18 years. He was appointed to Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Imperial College in January 2008. He has a track record in nutrient sensing in the gastrointestinal track. His work in the field of SCFA has led to new understanding of signalling pathways.

Jaime Bishop

Job Titles:
  • Director Fleet Architects

Jasleen Gegic

Job Titles:
  • Data Scientist / Network Manager, Queen Mary University of London

John Mathers

Job Titles:
  • Director of the Human Nutrition Research Centre
Professor John Mathers is the director of the Human Nutrition Research Centre and Director of the Centre for Healthier Lives in Newcastle University. His major research interests are in understanding how eating patterns influence risks of age-related diseases including heart disease, diabetes, dementia and bowel cancer. Among his external roles, John was the President of the Nutrition Society and serves/ served on grants panels such as MRC, BBSRC and others. He is a Trustee of the British Nutrition Foundation and of the Rank Prize Funds. John is Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Nutrition.

John McLaughlin

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Gastroenterology
John McLaughlin is Professor of Gastroenterology and Nutrition and Head of the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology at the University of Manchester. Current research interests are gastrointestinal physiology in health and disease particularly the interactions between nutrients and the gut epithelium, gut inflammation, gut hormones, and gut-to-brain signalling. Also working as a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Salford Royal Hospital he manages the clinical GI physiology service and leads the Comprehensive Research Network for Gastroenterology in Greater Manchester. Another current role is as research lead Trustee for the charity GUTS UK.

Marie Curie

Job Titles:
  • Research Fellow at the University of Sussex

Marion Hetherington

Job Titles:
  • Visiting Research Fellow, University of Reading and Associate Professor in Human Nutrition, University College Cork / Professor Marion Hetherington

Nikolett Dravecz

Job Titles:
  • Network Manager

Prof. Lynne Cox

Job Titles:
  • Co - Director / Co - Director of BLAST Network and Associate Professor in Biochemistry at University of Oxford
  • Head of the Lab of Ageing
Lynne Cox is head of the lab of Ageing and Cell Senescence at the University of Oxford, researching core biological drivers and biomarkers of ageing with expertise in cell senescence, premature ageing, model organisms and -omics biology. She has extensive experience of setting up networks, and organising and running workshops and conferences.

Prof. Richard Faragher

Job Titles:
  • Co - Director / Co - Director of BLAST Network and Professor of Biogerontology at University of Brighton
  • Professor of Biogerontology at the University of Brighton
Richard Faragher is Professor of Biogerontology at the University of Brighton, leading a lab that researchers cell senescence. He brings to the network management team a range of skills and experience including: Director of the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). Previously chair of the British Society for Research on Ageing Help the Aged Living Legend awardee from for his championship of older people and the use of research for their benefit Awardee of the Lord Cohen Medal of the British Society for Research on Ageing Former trustee of Age Concern (Brighton & Hove) Co-director of SPARC, a £1.8million joint BBSRC and EPSRC capacity building and integrated networking activity that provided cross-disciplinary and early career support for emerging ageing researchers (e.g. through competitive pump-priming grants and networking events) and strengthened the relationship between the research community and end-users

Prof. Richard Hartley

Job Titles:
  • Directorate Member / Co - I of BLAST Network and Professor of Chemical Biology at University of Glasgow
  • Professor of Chemical Biology at the University of Glasgow
Richard Hartley is Professor of Chemical Biology at the University of Glasgow. He applies chemical approaches to the elucidation and manipulation of biological processes at the cellular and whole organism levels. As the developer of the anti-stroke compound Proxison TM (spun-out through the company Antoxis), he has wide research experience in oxidative stress as the chemical hub of multi-centre, cross-disciplinary teams. Richard also brings extensive experience of industrial collaborations, having designed molecular probes now marketed world-wide by Cayman Chemical, Abcam and Sigma.

Samantha Tankard

Job Titles:
  • Coordinating Team Member / Coordinator for UKAN at the University of Brighton

Sharon Simpson

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Behavioural Sciences and Health, University of Glasgow

Siobhan O'Dowd

Job Titles:
  • Coordinating Team Member / Project Manager for BLAST / UKAN at the University of Brighton

Susan Lanham-New

Job Titles:
  • Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Surrey
  • Professor