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Nature’s Chemists: Dr. Sarah Barry Visits Newcastle

On June 11th, Newcastle University’s Chemical Biology Special Interest Group was delighted to host Dr. Sarah Barry from King’s College London as part of the Inspiring Women in Chemical Biology seminar series, proudly sponsored by the Biochemical Society.  Dr. Barry, who leads an interdisciplinary research group focused on bacterial metabolism and natural product biosynthesis, delivered an engaging seminar titled “Learning from Nature’s Chemists.” Her talk explored how nature’s own chemical strategies can inspire innovative approaches in synthetic biology and drug discovery.  A highlight of the visit was a lunch with early career researchers, offering a valuable opportunity for informal discussion for PhD students, postdocs and fellows. Attendees included members from… Read More »Nature’s Chemists: Dr. Sarah Barry Visits Newcastle

Celebrating North East Women in Chemical Biology

On a bright afternoon in May, researchers gathered in Newcastle University’s Baddiley-Clark Building for the Chemical Biology Symposium: Spotlight on Women in the North-East, a key event in the Inspiring Women in Chemical Biology seminar series, supported by the Biochemical Society.  The symposium was more than just a scientific meeting — it was a celebration of the achievements of women in STEM and a platform for fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration within the Chemical Biology community in the North East of England.  The event opened with two captivating talks:  Dr Ting-Yu Lin (Durham University) presented “Decoding RNA Modifications: From Molecular Mechanisms to Disease Pathways,” offering a deep dive into the… Read More »Celebrating North East Women in Chemical Biology

Prof. Flashman Kicks Off NU’s Inspiring Women in Chemical Biology Seminar Series in 2025

In March 2025, Newcastle University’s Chemistry Biology Special Interest Group had the pleasure of welcoming Prof Emily Flashman from the University of Oxford for the first seminar in a new series of talks focusing on Inspiring Women in Chemical Biology, proudly sponsored by the Biochemical Society.  Prof. Flashman delivered a captivating seminar titled “How plant cysteine oxidases mediate hypoxia and redox stress-signalling during submergence”, offering deep insights into the molecular mechanisms that plants use to respond to low oxygen environments. Her work, which bridges biochemistry and plant physiology, sparked engaging discussions among attendees and highlighted the importance of redox biology in environmental stress responses.  Prof. Flashman’s met with academics from… Read More »Prof. Flashman Kicks Off NU’s Inspiring Women in Chemical Biology Seminar Series in 2025

IDWGS 2025

This February, we celebrated International Women and Girls in Science Day!   Within Newcastle University’s chemical biology research groups, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and make a difference. A special thanks to all the women in the Kawamura Research Group and McAllister Lab for their incredible contributions to the field of science!  International Women and Girls in Science Day (IDWGS) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 to promote full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls. Celebrated annually on February 11th, this day highlights the critical role women and girls play in science and technology… Read More »IDWGS 2025

Team Building in Durham

On 7 June, chemical biologists from the Kawamura Research Group and McAllister Lab ventured to Durham for a team away day, supported by the Newcastle University SAgE Faculty’s People Fund.  Enhancing the skills that Chem-Bio researchers need to be successful, the team day-out included interactive workshops focused on how to create effective PowerPoint presentations and conduct data analysis (for example, for IC50 which is a measure of the potency of a substance in inhibiting a specific biological or biochemical function), as well as building teamworking and communication skills.   The day also included dragon-boat racing down the River Wear (courtesy of Adventure Access), and a surprise encounter with TV presenter Matt… Read More »Team Building in Durham

International Women’s Day 2024

Friday 8th March 2024 marked International Women’s Day, which is a time to celebrate the contributions of women in various fields, including scientific research and chemical biology. Female scientists have been led ground-breaking research, contributing to our understanding of complex biological systems and the development of innovative medical treatments and drug discovery.  International Women’s Day also reinforces the importance of supporting and encouraging women in science to ensure a diverse and inclusive future for all scientific endeavours.    Emma Wadworth (PhD Student):  “To any young women, from any background, thinking of a career in science, definitely push yourself! Working towards new scientific discoveries is a challenging and rewarding experience.”   … Read More »International Women’s Day 2024

Oli Returns from Maternity Leave

In November 2023, Oli Curry – a PhD student – returned from maternity leave. Oli will be continuing her research into chemical probes for Targeted Protein Stabilisation (TPS), and the team are excited to have Oli return as a new mum.     Oli:  “It’s unbelievable I spent a big chunk of this year changing nappies and breastfeeding – maternity leave was a special time in my life, but it’s time to do some cool science again!” 

Joanna & Harriet Return from Maternity Leave

In June 2023, Joanna Bonnici and Harriet Stanway-Gordon – two of our Post Doctoral Research Associates – returned to work after maternity leave. The team is excited to have them back, and looking forward to plenty of baby photos and supporting them in balancing work and home life as parents.   Joanna:   “I’m excited to return to work to face new challenges that don’t involve changing nappies or deciphering the meaning behind my baby’s cries.”  Harriet:   “Can’t believe I’m heading back to work already – feels like only yesterday Ziggy arrived! Looking forward to getting back to some semblance of normality (although I am going to miss spending most of… Read More »Joanna & Harriet Return from Maternity Leave

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science we are proud to celebrate the achievements of the intelligent, hard-working and passionate women in our group.  We have welcomed several new female scientists to the team including PhD students; Filomena Saulino (Oct 2020), Emma Wadforth (Oct 2021), Oliwia Rebacz (Oct 2021), and masters students (Jan 2022); Valeria Cobiltean, Hannah Hamilton. PDRA  Marie-Helene Ruchaud joined the team in September 2021, she is currently developing quantitative cellular assays to investigate inhibitors of SARS-Cov2. Chiara Maniaci was awarded a prestigious BBSRC Discovery fellowship in February 2020 and continues to make great progress with her research. Joanna Bonnici returned to the group in June… Read More »Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Newcastle University Rainbow Network steering committee member

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Benoit Darlot is now an active member of the NU Rainbow Network steering committee. He is investing his time and efforts to defend LGBTQ+ rights on the campus and to foster institutional change within the university to tackle EDI issues. (Blog by B.D.)