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The Cell Biology section studies the eukaryotic cell, the fundamental unit of human life. Members of the section are engaged in research that aims to understand the basis of a variety of human disorders and diseases at the cellular level and to help develop improved diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Expertise ranges across disciplines and includes cancer, developmental and vascular biology, advanced microscopy, handling of “big data” sets and public outreach.

Dr Paris Ataliotis is the head of the Section of Cell Biology. The section supports education across undergraduate and post-graduate programmes. Most section members are academic leads for Level 6 BSc modules. The section is home to the academic lead for the image resource facility, and the curator of the pathology museum.

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Who we are
Dr Paris Ataliotis – Head of Section, Reader in Developmental Genetics

Research interests: developmental biology, 22q11 Deletion Syndrome.

Dr Christina Baboonian – Reader in Cardiovascular Immunology 
Dr Veronica Carroll – Senior Lecturer in Vascular Biology

Research interests: vascular biology and renal cancer.

Dr Florencia Cavodeassi – Senior Lecturer in Developmental Biology

Research interests: vertebrate eye development and congenital human eye malformations.

Dr Androulla Elia – Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences

Research interests: pancreatic cancer biology and regulation of eukaryotic protein synthesis.

Dr Axel Nohturfft – Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science

Research interests: the biogenesis of cellular membranes and organelles, development of bio-informatic tools for cell biology.

Dr Catherine Roberts – Lecturer in Biomedical Science

Research interests: retinoic acid signaling in cardiac development, repair and regeneration.

Dr José Saldaña – Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science

Research interests: T-cell maturation, Hedgehog signaling, cancer immunotherapy.

Dr Carol Shiels – Senior Lecturer in Pathology

Curator of the pathology museum, with an interest in outreach and public engagement.

Dr Ferran Valderrama – Reader in Cancer Cell Biology

Research interests: prostate cancer biology, advanced microscopic imaging.

What we do
Teaching

As the largest academic grouping within the Centre for Biomedical Education, members of the Cell Biology section have a number of teaching and organizational roles on almost all courses at St George's, University of London but especially to Biomedical Science, Medicine, Intercalated BSc and the MRes in Translational Medicine. Our teaching is informed by our research expertise and experience and every effort is made to incorporate this research into teaching at all levels. Members of the section have played key roles in developing innovative methods of undergraduate teaching and improved methods of assessment. Many of us have experience of institutional roles that encompass student welfare and wellbeing.

Research

Members are active in research in their respective fields and carry out internationally-recognised and externally funded research and supervise research projects at undergraduate and postgraduate level. We host research project students from St George's, University of London and other UK universities, as well as from European institutions through the ERASMUS+ scheme.

Members of the section and contribute both to scientific and educational research output. External grant funding (Wellcome Trust, Ralph Bates Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund, St George’s Hospital Charity, British Heart Foundation) supports individuals within the section. Members of the section have numerous collaborations with other groups at St George’s, at institutions in the UK and internationally.

Enterprise

Members of the section are active in learned societies and act as peer reviewers for research grant applications and journal manuscripts.

The Image Resource Facility, under the direction of Dr Valderrama, has established a relationship with Nikon UK to provide advanced microscopy equipment at St George's and to act as a centre of excellence. The pathology museum has an extensive and nationally important collection dating back to the early 19th century and the university has secured funding from the Wellcome Trust to preserve and maintain the post mortem catalogues and make them more accessible to other researchers and the public.

 

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