QM+Emulate Centre Staff

ClareDr Clare Thompson

Centre Manager/Lead Centre Scientist
Queen Mary University of London

Having joined Queen Mary in 2009, Clare has extensive experience in the field of cellular mechanobiology and 2D/3D cell culture techniques. Her research is focussed on the mechanical regulation of cell signalling pathways within the synovial joint. In particular, she has published extensively on the role of a small, microtubule-based signalling organelle, the primary cilium, in this phenomenon demonstrating the importance of ciliary trafficking events for this regulation. 

Clare manages the Centre's suite of Human Emulation Systems and has specialist training in the use of the Emulate platform across Emulates validated organ models for kidney, liver, lung and intestine. She leads development of new models within the centre and will provide support and training for research teams in the design, preparation and analysis of their studies and development of research proposals.

Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 3603
Email: clare.l.thompson@qmul.ac.uk
Location: 323, Engineering, Mile End

Dr Sasha BerdichevskiDr Sasha Berdichevski

Principal Scientist/European Science Liaison
Emulate Inc.

Sahsa obtained a BA in Medical Laboratory Science (Faculty of Biology), an MSc in Physiology (Faculty of Medicine) and a PhD in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (Faculty of Biomedical Engineering) in Technion, Israel. Her research experience included investigating cytoprotective and cardiotoxic compounds on cardiomyocyte physiology; designing biosynthetic hydrogels for tissue engineering and developing imaging methodologies to identify host response to biodegradable implants. She has also established an injectable micro-carrier delivery system for cardiac muscle regeneration. After completion of her PhD in 2014, she joined the Engineering Department at the University of Cambridge as a Post-Doctoral Researcher, having obtained a Blavatnik Fellowship, followed by a Marie-Curie Fellowship. Her research interests were concerned with designing scaffolds for bone and capillary networks growth. In December 2018 she joined the IMED Post-Doctoral program at AstraZeneca, where she was working on evaluating hepatic sinusoidal zonation in Liver-Chip models. 

Miss Catrin BevanCatrin Bevan

Centre Technician
Queen Mary University of London

Tel:  
Email: catrin.bevan@qmul.ac.uk
Location: 323, Engineering, Mile End

 

Catrin obtained a BSc in Biomedical Science from Oxford Brookes University and has since completed an MRes in Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer from St. George’s University of London. She is a skilled cell biologist has significant expertise in the preparation and culture of 3D in vitro models such as spheroid, organoid and organ chip culture in the oncology field, particularly focussed on prostate cancer development and progression.

Having joined the centre in 2021, Catrin is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organ chip centre and provides  support and training to visiting researchers.