about

I work for MalariaGEN at Oxford University's Big Data Institute. Our global network of partners has built huge datasets of human, malaria parasite and mosquito genomes, and I'm currently focused on thinking about how we can translate our scientific population genetic research into actionable information for malaria control programs.

Much of my previous research has involved developing and implementing statistical frameworks to understanding the genetic ancestry of different human populations.

In 2019 I won the Royal Geographical Society's Land Rover Bursary. The Mobile Malaria Project. involved working with Jaguar Land Rover to convert a Land Rover Discovery into a mobile sequencing lab and driving it across Africa to work with local researchers to test nanopore sequencing technology for malaria control. Our aim was to work with African scientists to trial cheap portable genetic sequencing machines in low resource settings. You can find my (unedited!) daily journal on the pages on the website and much more about the trip at mobilemalaria.com

Away from research, I’ve developed a malaria genetics based card game (Cards against malaria) that describes how genetics susceptibility to disease works; I’m also collaborating with the Oxford based children’s comic The Phoenix to develop a strip about DNA and genetics, and am working with playwright Beth Flintoff to produce a play about the future use of genetics and big data in healthcare.

I have written a range of articles for popular audiences, including for The Conversation and a prizewinning article for Naturejobs. Full list to come.

In 2017 I co-presented The Jesus Strand a documentary for the US History Channel about the science (or lack of it) behind various claims that DNA has been extracted from 2000 year old relics.