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Team Members

Celebrating the Start of Faye’s PhD Journey

We’re thrilled that Faye Turnbull has officially begun her PhD journey as part of the Kawamura Research Group and the North-East England Doctoral Landscape (NEEDL) – a new Centre for Doctoral Training supported by UKRI’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).  Faye joins us after completing her Master’s in Chemistry at Newcastle University, bringing a strong foundation in chemical biology to her doctoral studies. We look forward to following Faye’s journey in protein hotspot mapping for protein–protein interaction studies – here’s to a new chapter in her research! 

Tom and Tim’s Next Chapter in Chemical Biology

We’re thrilled that Tom Smith and Tim Bell will be continuing their journey with us as Postdoctoral Research Associates working on cyclic peptide discover technology, following the end of the PhD Studies!  Over the last several years, Tom and Tim have been integral to our team – not only through their contributions to chemical biology research but also through the energy and enthusiasm they bring to our group culture. Their leadership in team-building activities, including last year’s Chemical Biology Christmas Symposium, has helped create a collaborative and vibrant environment that we’re proud of.  Here’s to more exciting research and many more moments of teamwork and celebration! 

Farewell to Emma & Kallie

This September, we said goodbye to two fantastic researchers. Dr. Emma Wadforth also completed her PhD in Chemical Biology, sponsored by the European Research Council (ERC), and is now heading to an exciting new role at The Francis Crick Institute.   Dr. Kallie Friston joined us as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate after completing her PhD at Newcastle University, aligned with the MoSMed CDT. Now Kallie is starting a new role in Medicinal Chemistry at Newcastle University.  Both Emma and Kallie were valued members of our team, and we wish them every success in their future endeavours and look forward to following their journeys! 

Lauren’s Summer Studentship

By Lauren Archer: I’ve had the opportunity to carry out a summer studentship in the Kawamura Research Group, and I’ve found it to be an incredibly rewarding experience. I’m really grateful to have been welcomed into such a supportive and collaborative team, where I’ve been able to develop both technically and professionally.  My current work focuses on the PHD finger domain of KDMs, a project that sits at the interface of chemistry and biology. Coming from a chemistry background, this area has been a steep learning curve, and has introduced me to a range of new chemical biology techniques, including protein purification and bacterial transformation.   Working in a multidisciplinary lab… Read More »Lauren’s Summer Studentship

Celebrating Our 2025 Summer Graduates

At the end of July, we proudly celebrated the achievements of four students in the Chemical Biology department at Newcastle University.   Huge congratulations to Dr Filomena Saulino and Dr Siddique Amin on the successful completion of their PhDs – the first Kawamura group Newcastle PhD students ! – and to Faye Turnbull and Ellie Bentley on earning their Master’s degrees!  We’re excited to share that Siddique has since joined AstraZeneca, where he continues to apply his expertise as a Senior Scientist. Filomena remains with us as a Postdoctoral Research Associate, continuing her impactful work in the Kawamura Research Group.   We’re proud of you all and wish you every success in… Read More »Celebrating Our 2025 Summer Graduates

Showcasing Research at PPSG 2025 Conference

In July, members of our team—Dr Robert Dawber, Tim Bell, and Keir Pebody—attended the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Protein and Peptide Science Group (PPSG) 2025 Early Stage Researcher Meeting in Birmingham.   The conference provided a platform for early career researchers to present their work, exchange ideas, and build connections within the scientific community. We’re proud to share that both Rob and Tim presented their research findings, contributing to the discussions that make PPSG a valuable experience for young researchers.  Tim’s talk presented his PhD work involving peptide arrays for informing chemokine PPIs and Probe Development. Meanwhile, Rob’s poster described his work to develop new methods to study how post-translational modifications… Read More »Showcasing Research at PPSG 2025 Conference

Emma Presents at the RSC CBBG Symposium

This June, Emma Wadforth had the exciting opportunity to present her PhD research at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Chemical Biology and Bioorganic Group (CBBG) Postgraduate Symposium in Aberdeen, UK.  As she nears the completion of her PhD journey—funded by the European Research Council (ERC)—Emma’s oral presentation marked a proud moment of sharing her work with the wider scientific community. The CBBG symposium provided a great opportunity for connecting with fellow researchers in chemical biology, exchanging ideas, and celebrating the progress of early-career scientists. Emma’s PhD project synthesised and characterised a selection of novel cyclic peptides from mRNA display against NEU2. This work led to the discovery of some of… Read More »Emma Presents at the RSC CBBG Symposium

Farewell to Roman Belle!

After an incredible 10 years, we bid a fond and heartfelt farewell to Dr. Roman Belle as he embarks on an exciting new chapter.  Roman joined our group as a DPhil at the University of Oxford, then transitioned as a postdoc with us at Newcastle University. During his time with us, Roman made significant contributions to our understanding of epigenetics. His work has been instrumental in advancing our research on histone and DNA modifications and enzyme inhibition.  Beyond the lab, Roman has been a cornerstone of our team culture—always ready with a word of encouragement, a collaborative spirit, and a great sense of humour. We also want to thank Roman… Read More »Farewell to Roman Belle!

Joanna Delivers Talk at the RSC Chem Bio Symposium 2025

In London, the RSC’s Chemical Biology Symposium 2025 showcased the latest advancements in chemical biology, bringing together leading experts from around the world. We’re delighted that Dr Joanna Bonnici‘s flash talk, “JmjC catalysed histone H2a N-methyl arginine demethylation & C4-arginine hydroxylation,” was featured within this event, alongside her poster on this work.  “It was fantastic to finally be able to present, share and discuss my recent publication. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was inspiring to learn from, and connect with, leaders in the field – all within such a historic and beautiful venue.” – Joanna Bonnici  The paper (Bonnici J, et al. Commun Biol. 2024 ) is available to read… Read More »Joanna Delivers Talk at the RSC Chem Bio Symposium 2025

Farewell to Siddique and Cecilia!

In early 2025, we bid a heartfelt farewell to two team members, post-doctorate research associates Siddique Amin and Cecilia Gonzalez Garcia.  Throughout their time with us, Siddique and Cecilia played key roles in advancing our research efforts. Beyond their professional contributions, both brought warmth, positivity, and a strong sense of teamwork to the group.  While we’re sad to see them go, we’re excited for what lies ahead for them.  Wishing you both continued success and happiness in your next chapters!