What’s your job title and how long have you been at Loughborough?

I am a Reader in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology. I have worked at Loughborough University for about 2.5 years

Tell us what a typical day in your job looks like?

The thing that I really enjoy about being an academic is that my days are often quite variable. I typically like to get to work before 8am so that I can catch up with emails and administration tasks without distractions. My days will vary between teaching in lectures and practical laboratories and supervising project students carrying out research in my laboratory. I also spend a lot of time writing research grants and working closely with partners across Europe on our research projects. In my laboratory, we grow brain cells that have been generated from stem cells. These need to be fed nearly every day and take about 3-6 months to mature. This takes a lot of time and often involves coming in the holidays and at weekends to make sure that they are healthy before we can do experiments with them. The laboratory is my happy place, so I spend a lot of time in the lab!

What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on?

We have been working on a very exciting project over the past few years called NeuChip. This research draws together a network of researchers working at the cutting edge of scientific discovery to demonstrate how human brain stem cells can be engineered into specifically designed complex circuits enabling them to function as an artificial biological computer. I have been able to work with fantastic scientists from around the world during this project and have been able to travel to learn new skills from other scientific disciplines.

What is your proudest moment at Loughborough?

During my time at Loughborough, I have won a few awards in the School of Science, including one for ‘Outstanding contribution to EDI’. This is an area I am passionate about. As an academic with ADHD, I have tried to support academics and students living with neurodiverse conditions through education as well as coaching and mentoring.

Which University value do you most resonate with and why?

Collaborative: Although I have only worked at Loughborough for a short amount of time, I have felt a strong sense of community. Research is incredibly collaborative and Loughborough is a great place to develop collaborations across multiple disciplines where people are genuinely excited by the work that they do.

Tell us something you do outside of work that we might not know about?

In my spare time, I like weight training and going for walks out in the Leicestershire countryside. I love to watch live comedy and luckily, my wife shares a similar sense of humour!

What is your favourite quote?

I teach synthetic biology and often refer to one of my favourite childhood books/films. “Life, uh, finds a way” Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jurassic Park)

If you would like to feature in ‘5 Minutes With’, or you work with someone who you think would be great to include, please email Lilia Boukikova at L.Boukikova@lboro.ac.uk