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Kasia Hammond
City Coordinator
Kasia is a third year PhD student doing a structural biology project which uses very big microscopes to look at very small proteins, usually found in the cell membrane. This is her third year of Pint of Science and she can’t wait to help share all of the exciting science in Leeds!
Becca Motley
City Coordinator
Becca is a PhD student and aspiring professional spreadsheet creator with a boundless enthusiasm for science. She works in the lab to expand our understanding of rare childhood epilepsies and is thrilled to have the opportunity to share her love of the science of the mind with the public.
Jelizaveta Pavljuk
Event Manager - Atoms to Galaxies
Jelizaveta is a second year PhD student looking at molecule diffusion within the sugary cell coat, working at the interface between biology, physics and chemistry. She is excited to be part of the Leeds team this year and help make science accessible and inclusive.
Trent McLean-Ash
Event Manager - Creative Reactions/Our Society
Trent spent the first few years post-school as a butcher, baker, but lamentably never a candlestick-maker. Attending university following an access course, he now does a PhD in microbiology. He aims to use his non-scientific past to make science more open for people from varying backgrounds.
Emma Ryder
Event Manager - Planet Earth
Emma, a postdoctoral researcher, specialises in structural biology in DNA repair. Her work involves isolating protein tools to understand specific protein-protein interactions. Inspired by last year’s Pint of Science talks, she is excited to get involved and help share more exciting science!
Erica Harris
Event Manager - Beautiful Mind
Erica is a Research Assistant and part time PhD student working on trying to understand the mechanisms behind rare neurodevelopmental disorders. She treats her “mini brains” she grows in the lab like her children & is looking forward to contributing to Pint of Science after many years as a big fan!
Jennifer Mclauchlan
Event Manager - Atoms to Galaxies
Jenny is a second year PhD student in food science working on alternative proteins by changing oat protein to improve acceptability. She is passionate about interdisciplinary science and sustainability, with an excitement to share the work being done here at Leeds (with a pint in hand, of course!)
Paloma Serena Tarodo
Event Manager - Our Body
Paloma is a first year PhD student looking at microglia in a neurodevelopmental disorder called Fragile X syndrome. She is very excited to be part of Pint of Science and help make science more accessible and engaging for everyone!
Amy Truesdale
Event Manager - Atoms to Galaxies
Amy is a 2nd year PhD student studying a cell membrane protein which responds to physical stresses. She is interested in collaborative science that combines fields, as well as sharing scientific concepts and research skills with the public.
Gaia Ferrarin
Event Manager - Planet Earth
Gaia Ferrarin is a skilled molecular biologist and cancer researcher. Her PhD focuses on the BACE family of proteins in cancer and their therapeutic potential. Passionate about making science accessible, she thrives on learning and collaboration to drive impactful scientific progress.
Tanmay Bhore
Event Manager - Atoms to Galaxies
Hi! I'm a PhD student in theoretical physics, working on the mysteries on quantum physics! I study all the spooky aspects of quantum mechanics, from Schrodinger's cats to quantum teleportation and all the way to black holes. I love demystifying science and explaining it like I'm 5!
Hannah Shackleton
Event Manager - Our Society
Hannah is a fist year PhD student in Criminology, looking at Probation and partnership-working blending interview data and social statistics. She is excited to get involved in her first year of Pint of Science, using her social science background to make science more accessible for everyone.
Molly Massey
Event Manager - Creative Reactions
Molly is a second-year PhD researcher uncovering the sweet secrets of crystallisation in chocolate. After a few years in New Product Development, she returned to academia for more chocolate-challenges. She loves talking about science and is totally ready for Pint of Science 2025!
Emily Horner
Event Manager - Our Body
Emily is a second-year PhD student, whose research seeks to explore how immune cell interactions alter metabolism in type 2 diabetes. Emily is very excited to get involved in her first year of Pint of Science and help share exciting science, to the public, in an engaging and accessible way.
Cella Conning-Rowland
Event Manager - Tech Me Out
Cella is a 4th year PhD student looking at how diabetes affects gene expression in the heart, and how we can use this to predict those who are more at risk of cardiac problems. This is her first time working with pint of science and she can't wait to share some exiting science with new people.
Eima Karim
Event Manager - Our Body
I am a British Heart Foundation funded PhD student interested in the mechanisms that drive blood clotting in disease. My research focuses on targeting Pim kinase as a therapeutic approach. I am looking forward to my first year of Pint of Science, educating non-scientists on all things science!
Alex Derry
Event Manager - Atoms to Galaxies
Alex, a 3rd year PhD student, works on screening a fragment library using NMR machines. He enjoys outreach projects, having delivered a Lego drug design activity to sixth form students and is looking forward to helping in this year’s Pint of Science to enthuse more people with some wacky science.
Alex Rzeszutek
Event Manager - Creative Reactions
Alex is a third-year PhD researcher, exploring how diet and nutrients impact chemotherapy resistance in triple-negative breast cancer. Outside the lab, she loves baking, relaxing in local cafes, going to gigs, and hitting the trails for a good hike.
Meg Pott
Event Manager - Creative Reactions
Meg is a second year PhD student exploring how nutrition impacts the gut-brain axis, aiming to identify therapies for long COVID. Working closely with patients to understand their condition has sparked her interest in science communication, which she hopes to further through Pint of Science.
Emily Rawsthorne
Event Manager - Planet Earth
Em is a first year PhD student using genetics to increase the winter growth of wheat. She had no scientific knowledge before 2020, and is excited use her non-academic background to help Pint of Science bridge the gap between scientific discovery and public engagement.
Andrea Sendula
Event Manager - Planet Earth
Andrea is a second year PhD student exploring fracture dynamics in materials that behave somewhere in between fluid and solid. She is excited to be involved with this year’s Pint of Science and in sharing her interest in maths and science with the general public.
Charlotte Williams
Event Manager - Our Society
Charlotte is a first year PhD student studying how viruses make their way from animals into humans. She spent a significant portion of her teenage years in Leeds youth politics, helping young people to feel heard and is excited to continue sharing her passions with the unsuspecting public.
Benedict Brown
Event Manager - Our Body
Benedict is a lecturer in pharmacy and a practicing pharmacist. His PhD was looking at methods to improve the speed of drug development within the pharmaceutical industry. Since taking up his lecturing position, he has developed a research interest in the use of AI in healthcare.
Molly Southern
Event Manager - Tech Me Out
Molly is a first year PhD student looking at building a whole-heart computational model integrating fibrosis for use in research and teaching, to then be used in a study focused around the triggers of atrial fibrillation. She is very passionate about making science fun and accessible for all!
Dylan Casey
Event Manager - Planet Earth
My name is Dylan and I am from County Cork in the south of Ireland. I moved to Leeds last year to begin my PhD studies where I am investigating how errors in V(D)J recombination contribute to the development of childhood leukaemia. I have always been deeply passionate about science and look forward …
Monica Dosa
Event Manager - Beautiful Mind
Monica is a first year atmospheric chemistry PhD student who uses a reaction chamber to simulate how alkoxy radicals react under different conditions and their impacts on climate and air quality. She is excited to help bring people together so they can share and explore new ideas together through pi…