The Etch A Cell - VR Team

The Francis Crick Institute, UK

Lucy Collinson
Head of Electron Microscopy
Lucy is Head of the Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform (EM STP) at the Francis Crick Institute in London. She has a research background in microbiology and cell biology, and previously ran biological EM facilities at UCL and Cancer Research UK. The EM STP works with research groups at the Francis Crick Institute to address a range of biological questions that involve imaging a diverse range of samples, from molecules to whole organisms.
 

Martin Jones
Deputy Head of Microscopy Prototyping
Martin is Deputy Head of Microscopy Prototyping at the Francis Crick Institute in London. Originally an experimental physicist, with an interest in evolutionary and adaptive computation, he switched to biological research at Cancer Research UK’s London Research Institute. After initially working in a vascular biology lab, Martin joined the Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform where he now works on developing new hardware and software solutions to help acquire and efficiently interpret image data.
 

Helen Spiers
Zooniverse Biomedical Research Lead
Dr Helen Spiers is the Biomedical Research Lead of the Zooniverse (www.zooniverse.org). Currently based across the University of Oxford and The Francis Crick Institute, where she is presently seconded, Dr Spiers collaborates with multiple national and international research groups to develop, deploy and novel biomedical citizen science projects. Although diverse in subject matter, these projects are united by the common aim of applying collective intelligence to perform distributed data analysis of large volumes of biomedical data. Additionally, Dr Spiers analyses the meta-data produced by the Zooniverse platform and applies citizen science to advance electron micrograph segmentation approaches. Prior to her current role, she completed a PhD in developmental epigenetics at King’s College London after obtaining a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford.
 

Anne Weston
Senior Laboratory Research Scientist
Anne is a Senior Laboratory Research Scientist within the Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform at the Francis Crick Institute in London. She has a background in Zoology and Bioinformatics. She first began working in the field of electron microscopy during her undergraduate degree in 1996 and her work involves the use of scanning and transmission electron microscopes and microCT systems studying a variety of cellular and biological systems.
 

Christopher Peddie
Principal Laboratory Research Scientist
Chris is a Principal Laboratory Research Scientist within the Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform at the Francis Crick Institute in London. Originally a biochemist, he has a background in light and electron microscopy of central and peripheral nervous systems, and in cell biology. At the Francis Crick Institute, his work focuses on the development and application of complex 3D imaging techniques and technologies to answer the biological questions from research groups within the institute.
 

Amy Strange
Head of the Crick Digital Development Team
Amy Strange leads the Digital Development Team for the Francis Crick Institute, focussing on the delivery of digital and web development projects across both science and operations.
 

Elisa Ball
I am a science degree graduate with experience in scanning and creating 3D models and processing various types of image data using programs such as: Geomagic Wrap; Geomagic Control X; Agisoft PhotoScan; Agisoft Metashape; Meshmixer; Meshlab; Drishti; Volume Graphics Studio Max 2.2 and ImageJ. I am currently using my free time during the Covid-19 quarantine to volunteer with the Francis Crick Institute to segment cell data.
 

University of Queensland, Australia

Rob Parton
Group Leader Molecular Cell Biology
Rob leads a group based at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. The group is focussed on cell biology, investigating the complex workings of the cell, the fundamental unit of life, and what goes wrong in disease. He is Head of the Division of Cell and Developmental Biology and Deputy Director of the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis.
 

James Rae
Expert electron microscopist working in the Parton group who uses a range of electron microscopy techniques to understand the structure and function of cells.
 

Monash Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Australia

Angus Johnston
Head of NanoMaterials for Biology Laboratory
Angus is a Senior Lecturer and NHMRC Research Fellow at the Monash Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences in Melbourne, Australia. His research focuses on understanding how nanoparticles interact with cells, with the goal of improving the effectiveness of drugs and vaccines.
 

University of New South Wales, Australia

John McGhee
John McGhee is a practicing 3D Computer Artist and the Director of the 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab. His visual practice explores art and design-led modes of visualising complex scientific and biomedical data using 3D computer arts approaches, most recently Virtual Reality (VR) Head Mounted Displays (HMD). In early 2016, he was recognised as one of UNSW Sydney’s 20 ‘Rising Stars’ and emerging research leaders
 

Andrew Lilja
With an extensive research background in biomedical science and a longstanding interest in the visual arts, Andrew works as the lead pre-rendered content developer in the lab. He specialises in developing creative solutions to complex visualisations in addition to carrying out a supportive role in the lab’s interactive VR content development.
 

Benjamin Bailey
PhD candidate, VR developer, 3d Visualisation Aesthetics Lab
Benjamin Bailey is the former lead Virtual Reality developer of the 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab and is a currently pursuing PHD research on the role of artists’ tacit and explicit processes in creating credible virtual reality worlds. Coming from a background in the advertising and games industries, he specialises in real-time 3D worldbuilding and serves as a creative and technical lead for the lab's interactive VR projects.
 

National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway

Kerry Thompson
Lecturer in Anatomy at the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway
Kerry Thompson is a Lecturer in Anatomy at the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway since 2017. She is the Programme Director for the MSc in Microscopy & Imaging at NUI Galway.
In 2010 she was awarded her PhD for a microscopy heavy research project which focused on structure function relations in the human endometrium. In 2011 she began work as a Postdoctoral Microscopy Facility Scientist in the Centre for Microscopy and Imaging (CMI) in NUI Galway and was a key member in its establishment. In the 2014/2015 academic year Kerry acted as a project lead in the “Under the Microscope” Programme, which brought Microscope Activity Kits from the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) into Irish Primary Schools for the first time. Following this Kerry was elected on the Outreach & Education Committee of the RMS. With the support of both the RMS and the Microscopy Society of Ireland, the team continue to visit schools all over Ireland and partake in outreach events. In 2018 she was elected as Honorary Secretary of Outreach and Education of the RMS. Her current research is focused on the development of correlative light and advanced electron microscopy techniques and technologies. She is keenly involved in the acquisition of microscopy related research infrastructure, and the development of adequate training and career progression pathways for Imaging Scientists and Core Facility Staff.
 

Eva Munnelly
Eva Munnelly is a student at the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway completing an MSc in Microscopy and Imaging under the direction of Dr Kerry Thompson. She graduated from her BSc Hons in Zoology in 2019 following an 18 month internship at the Venom and Proteomics lab at NUI Galway lead by Dr Michel Dugon. Her undergraduate research focused on establishing the semi-social behaviour of the invasive Noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis.