Research team
Helen Griffiths
Helen is a Research Technician and has worked in the Gift of Sight laboratory for seven years, making her the longest serving member of staff. Helen’s role in the research laboratory is to provide technical support to research projects, this includes DNA extraction from patient blood samples, managing and analysing sample data and screening for mutations in genes associated with blinding eye conditions.
Angela Cree
Angela is the Vision Research Manager and deals with the day-to-day administration of the laboratory and its staff. She organises training schedules for students, writes grant applications and assists with the research in the laboratory. A busy mother of three Angela likes to visit friends, eat out, research her family history and fit in some gardening and swimming.
Xiaoli Chen
Xiaoli has worked in the Gift of Sight laboratory for the past 2½ years as a Research Technician and has now achieved funding to enable her to continue her work as a PhD student. Her project will be entitled “Characterisation of Adult Ocular Stem Cells and their use in Regenerative Medicine”. Out of work Xiaoli enjoys playing badminton and travelling.
Jay Self
Dr Jay Self completed his PhD with Professor Lotery's research team and has now returned to clinical work to finish his training as a clinical ophthalmologist. With two young children Jay has very little time for hobbies at present but enjoys sport. Jay is a member of the Gift of Sight Board and is willing to attend local schools to speak about both the Gift of Sight Appeal and careers in Ophthalmology.
Heather Thomson
Heather Thomson is a Post –Doctoral Research Fellow undertaking supervised research towards the culture of ocular stem cell types and development of retinal organotypic cultures. Heather obtained a Phd in Experimental Diabetes Research and a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ulster prior to coming to Southampton. She enjoys going to the gym, travelling, shopping and attending music concerts.
Marie Nelson
Marie works through the Wellcome Trust as Senior Research Nurse to Professor Lotery. She joined him in October 2007 and coordinates his increasing amount of studies between the clinic and the laboratory.
A mother of two Marie still found time to undertake the Great South Run in 2008 and 2009 to raise funds for Gift of Sight.
Sam Khandhadia
Sam, who is a clinical ophthalmologist, will be evaluating whether liver transplants may actually protect against macular degeneration! His project will involve both laboratory work and working with liver transplant patients across the country. Out of work Sam runs a 5-a-side football team in Southampton.
Andrew Treharne
Andrew completed a Masters degree in Chemistry with Medicinal Sciences (MChem) at Southampton in 2008. He is now a PhD student working in both Chemistry and medicine and is investigating how to create polymer scaffolding for retinal stem cells. Out of work Andrew enjoys badminton and going to stand up comedy shows.
Charles Pierce
Charles is working as a Research Registrar, having started his PhD in August 2010. He has a clinical background and is studying the genetic factors and different proteins that influence AMD in terms of its development and response to treatment.
Outside work Charles' main hobbies include tennis, squash and cricket (the latter of which he says badly!)
Jennifer Scott
Jennifer is a Biology graduate of the University of Southampton who has joined our research team as a Vision Research Technician. She works mostly with Heather Thompson and Andrew Treharne culturing cells on polymers with the long term goal of growing retinal cells for implantation into diseased and damaged eyes. Out of work Jennifer enjoys indoor climbing and bouldering as well as playing games with her friends.