College of Life Sciences Imaging Steering group
The University of Leicester Imaging Steering group oversees the use and maintenance of current imaging equipment within the College of Life Sciences as well as investigating the potential to acquire new equipment that will enhance world-leading research. The group oversees the Advanced Imaging Facility, Electron Microscope Facility, Histology facility and Flow Cytometry.
James Higgins - Chair
Department of Genetics and Genome Biology
James is an Associate Professor in Plant Molecular Cell Biology. The focus of Dr Higgins’ research is to unravel the mechanisms governing meiotic crossover frequency and distribution in model plants including Arabidopsis, barley, wheat and rice. He uses genetic, SRM and genomic techniques to answer fundamental biological questions regarding the function of meiotic genes that ensure correct chromosome pairing synapsis and crossing over to promote balanced segregation of chromosomes into haploid gametes. The knowledge of meiotic recombination in Arabidopsis is translated to important agronomical crop species such as wheat and barley. This knowledge will benefit plant breeders by altering crossover distribution in important crop plants. He has published 45 peer-reviewed papers in journals such as Nat Genetics, EMBO J, Plant Cell and PLoS Genetics. Dr Higgins holds multiple BBSRC grants, including an sLOLA as well as a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Networks.
Learn more about James Higgins
Yolanda Markaki - Deputy Chair
LISCB, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Dr Markaki uses advanced fluorescence light microscopy methods with emphasis on quantitative super-resolution microscopy (SRM) to study genome organization and nuclear function. She carried out her postdoctoral training at the Center of Advanced Light Microscopy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich next to Prof Thomas Cremer and later moved to the University of California, Los Angeles to work on stem cell systems in the lab of Prof Kathrin Plath. Yolanda has supported the development of three advanced light microscopy facilities, she has 12 years+ experience in SRM and has authored very popular peer-reviewed protocols and methods on SRM and fluorescence microscopy. She is also the Editor of Methods in Molecular Biology (MiMB) on Light Microscopy (ISBN-10:1493983059). Yolanda has led several Advanced Imaging and Image Analysis workshops and lectures and she is actively engaging with students and staff in designing fluorescence microscopy experiments, image analysis pipelines and troubleshooting.
Learn more about Yolanda Markaki
Kayoko Tanaka - Academic lead
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Kayoko is a Lecturer of Cell Signalling and Cytoskeleton Regulation and the academic lead of the Leicester Advanced Imaging Facility. Her research interests are small G protein signalling withfocus on the oncogenic K-Ras signalling. The research goal is to reveal the molecular mechanism of oncogenic-RAS-driven tumorigenesis. Her lab uses both human cell culture and a powerful model system fission yeast to highlight the key conserved features of the Ras signalling. Her publications include those in NAR and J Cell Biol.
Learn more about Kayoko Tanaka
Natalie Allcock
Electron Microscopy Facility
Natalie is the Facility Manager Electron Microscopy Facility.
Learn more about the Electron Microscopy Facility
David Cousins
Department of Respiratory Sciences
David is a Professor in the Department of Respiratory Sciences. His research interests are the role of the immune system in respiratory diseases, such as Asthma and COPD, and also the fundamental biology of Type 2 immune responses. His lab uses a variety of molecular biology methods and multi-parameter flow cytometry to probe immune function.
Andrew Fry
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Andrew is a Professor of Cell Biology, since 2000. He is PI for Leicester in BBSRC Capital Award 2021 of £1.1M for “Midlands Open Bioimaging” and catalytic in promoting advanced bioimaging at Leicester and the broad Midlands cohort. He was the College Dean of Research (2014-2019), has been the academic lead for the Core Biotechnology Services (2012-2014) and is now chair of the University of Leicester Wellcome Trust Key Funder Working group. Prof Fry mentors extensively and holds the institutional Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund. He is a past Lister Research Fellow (awarded 2000) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology since 2016.
Angie Gillies
Histology Facility
Learn more about the Histology Facility
Kees Straatman
Advanced Imaging Facility
Dr Straatman is Senior Experimental Officer and Manager of the Advanced Imaging Facility (AIF) at Leicester (since 2007). AIF offers access to a wide range of advanced microscope systems (mostly fluorescence microscopes) as well as image analysis resources. The facility offers training, technical assistance, advice and collaborations on microscopy-related projects. Kees provides support for the planning and practical preparation of a wide range of samples. He is familiar with the major functionalities of the instrument applied for and its software. He will, therefore, be able to oversee daily operations and troubleshooting with ease and perform routine trainings using the ZEN interface with which he is very familiar. Kees organises ImageJ workshops, run twice a year with local, national and international participants. Also the RMS preconference ImageJ workshops MMC 2014, MMC 2015, MMC2017, MMC2019 and MMC2021. Kees also co-supervises PhD students.