The lab team

I lead a research group based in Cambridge studying how problems in the brain’s small blood vessels can lead to stroke and dementia. In my lab, we use human stem cells to create laboratory models of blood vessels and brain tissue, which help us understand what goes wrong in disease and how we might develop better treatments. A big part of our work is using cells donated by patients, so our research stays closely connected to real people and real conditions. We combine biology, engineering, and imaging to explore how blood vessels support brain health and what happens when that support breaks down. This website is part of a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) project. Through short videos and virtual lab tours, I’d like to show you what our research looks like day to day, introduce you to the people in the lab, and explain why this work matters - whether you’re a patient, a family member, a student, or just curious about science.

I am a PhD student in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge. Before Cambridge I worked as a researcher and lecturer at AGU in Bahrain. I hold a BSc(Eng) in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (FH Krems), and an MRes in Cardiovascular Medicine (University of Sheffield). My research focuses on diseases that affect small blood vessels of the brain, with particular emphasis on CADASIL. I use patient-derived stem cells, which I differentiate into vascular smooth muscle cells to investigate potential modulators of the disease.

I’m a PhD student in Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. My research journey builds upon a foundation in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. When not in the lab, I can often be found on the river, rowing for St John’s College. I’m dedicated to understanding the disease mechanisms of Cerebral Small Vessel disease with advanced cellular models.

I am a PhD student in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge. I have previously graduated from a BSc in Biomedical sciences at University College London, with a specialisation in Drug Mechanisms, as well as an MPhil in Therapeutic sciences at the University of Cambridge. My research focuses on furthering our understanding of rare monogenic forms of small vessel disease (SVD), particularly COL4A1/2-related SVD. More specifically, I use patient-derived stem cells, which I differentiate into brain microvascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells to model the disease and examine the mechanisms underlying its development.