Marcus Munafo is professor of Biological Psychology at the University of Bristol. The bulk of his research focuses on understanding pathways into, and the subsequent consequences of, health and mental health. He has particular focus on addictive substances, primarily tobacco and alcohol use. No single study or article is going to be authoritative On becoming interested in science Well, how I got to where...
Dr Sheena Cruickshank is the academic lead for the public engagement of science at Manchester University. As part of the Manchester Immunology Group, much of her work focuses on immunology and specifically infection and parasitology. Her current research focuses on defining and developing biomarkers to help manage gut inflammation found in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. So basically we evolved to have parasitic diseases On earliest...
Professor Marcel Dicke investigates the ecology of insect-plant interactions. He is a winner of the Dutch Nobel Prize and is the world’s leading advocate of using insects as a sustainable source of protein for human consumption. He has met with leading politicians to discuss the future of food security on earth and published the best-selling ‘The Insect Cookbook’. Marcel is based at Wageningen University...
Claudia Hammond is an award-winning author, broadcaster and psychology lecturer. She received her MSc in Health Psychology studying at Sussex and Surrey University. Whilst she still lectures in the subject at Boston University in London she is perhaps best known as the long term presenter of BBC’s ‘All in the Mind’ and the author of a number of popular psychology books...
Dr Robin Hesketh is a senior lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. For over 30 years he has worked as a research scientist on the subject of cancer. He is the author of many papers and books on the subject including the authoritative textbook ‘Introduction to Cancer Biology’. In a first for a comedy event, he had blood taken...
Steve Backshall is one of the best-known wildlife TV presenters in Britain, working primarily with the BBC’s Natural History Unit. He studied arts, and later biology, at university before moving into presenting. His TV work has seen him win two BAFTAs and front a variety of shows including Lost Land of the Jaguar, The Really Wild Show and the hugely popular Deadly 60. When...
Matthew Cobb is a Professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester. With an initial background in psychology, these days much of his laboratory studies involve working with maggots and focus on how the sense of smell works. He has also published a number of books on both science and history, and his latest book focusing on the race to crack the genetic code...
Professor Barry Marshall is an Australian physician, Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the University of Western Australia and the winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for his discovery, along with Dr Robert Warren, of helicobacter pylori and its relationship to the cause of peptic ulcers. Their particular process of discovery has become something of science legend. As well as the...
Professor Peter Doherty is an Australian medical researcher specialising in infectious diseases. His research with Rolf Zinkernagel into how the body’s immune cells protect against viruses won them both the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1995. In 1997, Peter was also named Australian of the Year, made a Companion of the Order of Australia and named by the National Trust as one...
Dean Burnett is a doctor of neuroscience at Cardiff University working in the Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences. He is also a comedy writer and part time stand-up comedian. His comedy work revolves around science and he is the author the popular Guardian blog Brain Flapping. I’ve had a couple of people who don’t think it’s acceptable to portray science in an...
Baba Brinkman is a Canadian rapper and poet who is best known for combing science and literature with hip-hop music. In 2009 he wrote and performed ‘The Rap Guide to Evolution’ which was deemed the first peer-reviewed rap show. His show ‘Ingenious Nature’ played to critical acclaim off-Broadway in 2012. Dr Heather Berlin is an American neuroscientist who obtained her doctorate in experimental neuropsychology. ...
Andrew Steele works as a computational biologist for Cancer Research UK, despite gaining his PhD in physics. He is a leading science communicator, particularly in the area of science funding. A lot of the simple problems have been solved, really. On becoming interested in science My mum always tells me it was when I was about seven, I started looking up at the stars...
Tim Spector is a Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College London as well as the Director of the Department of Twins Research and Epidemiology at St Thomas’ Hospital. In 1993 he was the founder of the UK Twins Registry which remains one of the largest collections of genotype and phenotype information on twins in the world. He is also a successful popular science...
Dr Emily Grossman is a science communicator and broadcaster who is an expert in molecular biology and genetics. She has taught in a wide range of schools and museums across the UK as well as regularly appearing on a mix of radio and television programmes. In 2014 she took up the role of biology expert in Sky’s science panel show ‘Duck Quacks Don’t...
Dr Stuart Derbyshire is an associate professor and faculty member of the University of Birmingham where he conducts research in the area of functional pain: that is pain that cannot be explained by injury or disease. There clearly is a nervous system that’s necessary for pain, heads full of sawdust do not complain of pain. On getting interested in science Actually it was a...
Alice Roberts is a clinical anatomist with a PhD in paleopathology and the Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. As well as being the author of a number of best-selling popular science books, Alice is perhaps best known for presenting a wide range of science documentaries for the BBC including ‘The Incredible Human Journey’ and ‘Ice Age Giants’. I’ve...
Professor Raymond Tallis has been listed as one of the top living polymaths in the world. He is a philosopher, a poet, novelist, critic and a retired physician and clinical scientist specialising in geriatrics. Ray is a distinguished supporter of the British Humanist Association and a patron of Dignity in Dying. True science is full of bitter disappointments, only charlatans win a prize...
Stephen Curry is a Professor of Structural Biology at Imperial College London. After starting his career in physics his research now deals with applying physics to biological problems. He is also a regular writer and blogger on science for the Guardian. It actually took until the 1950’s before the very first protein structure was solved. On becoming interested in science So I did...
Lewis Dartnell is an astrobiologist working in the Centre for Planetary Studies searching for the possibility of micro bacterial life on the surface of Mars. He also gives regular talks on the subject at schools and science festivals and has published a number of popular science books. We’ve found more and more Earth-like planets orbiting other stars in the night sky. On early inspirations...
Hugh Warwick is an ecologist and writer who is also an expert on, and lover of, hedgehogs. He has been studying the animals for over 30 years and has written numerous articles and books about the animals. He does regular talks and events throughout the UK about ecology and conservation. And hedgehogs. Nobody in their right mind could have anything negative to say about...
Kat Arney is a science communicator with a PhD in developmental biology. She spent over a decade working with Cancer Research UK whilst also making radio programmes and writing about science and genetics. She is a regular on the Naked Scientists podcast and her first book, ‘Herding Hemingway’s Cats’ was released in 2015. I think that I am a writer trapped in...