Meet The Team
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr Danielle Brain
Danielle is a research associate, looking at improving the assays that are used to assess the immunocompatbility of novel biomaterials and long-acting formulations.
Danielle obtained both her undergraduate and PhD at the University of Liverpool. Her PhD was working within the immunocompatibility group on an NIH funded grant, POP, focussing on improving the assays that are used to assess the immunocompatbility of novel long-acting formulations and more specifically those designed to be used for the treatment of HIV and administered subcutaneously.
Danielle has also spent 3 years working on the Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre (IDDC) project, which worked to improve the assays and knowledge around the immunocompatibility of intracellular drug delivery systems in the UK using LNPs as a example delivery system.
Danielle was also awarded her own funding and spent time working as a researcher in Residence in collaboration with the Medicines Discovery catapult on the development of a 3D subcutaneous model for intracellular drug distribution and immune cell activation.
Danielle’s current role is working on the GreenNanoBone project where she is adapting and developing assays for the assessment of a sustainable, plant-based biomaterial to treat Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ).
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr Beth Heaton
Beth completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and an MRes degree, which investigated the impact of HIV antiretrovirals on glucose uptake and immune cell activation.
She then began working towards a PhD investigating how nano-enabled medical technologies interact with components of the human immune and haematological systems, focusing specifically on the biocompatibility of these materials with the immune system. Her project investigated the impact of how long these nano-enabled materials remain in place and how this affects their clinical utility.
Currently, Beth works on the BBSRC-funded Lipid Voyage project, investigating how bacteriophages interact with the innate immune system.
Biomanufacturing Strategy Manager
Dr Makeba Lawson-Williams
Makeba is the Biomanufacturing Strategy Manager for Work Package 2, based at the University of Liverpool.
She has 10 years’ experience spanning pharmaceutical manufacturing and life science consulting.
Within the BRITE project, she informs biomanufacturing strategy, bringing industrial insight and regulatory alignment to biologics development and scale-up feasibility.
Enterprise Manager and TTO
Dr Alex Osgerby
Alex has a background spanning industrial biomanufacturing, with experience across process development, scale-up and cGMP production of novel therapeutics.
He holds a PhD in molecular microbiology, where his research integrated genetic engineering, synthetic biology and bioprocess engineering to optimise recombinant protein expression systems. He has also developed experience in technology transfer, translating research into impactful applications.
He currently works as an Enterprise Manager within the BRITE programme at the University of Liverpool, supporting the development of a regional ecosystem to identify, protect, and commercialise biologics innovations.
Scientific Data and Insights Officer
Dr Claudia Gutiérrez-Arellano
Claudia is the Scientific Data and Insights Officer of the Biologics Regional Innovation and Technology Ecosystem (BRITE) programme at the University of Liverpool.
She contributes to the development of modelling approaches and decision-support tools for biologics manufacturing and innovation.
She holds a BSc in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Southampton, and a PhD in Geography from King’s College London.
Her experience spans research, consultancy and policy-focused projects, with expertise in quantitative analysis, data management, reproducible workflows and scientific communication
PhD Student
Luke Wingrave
Luke completed his undergraduate and MRes degrees in Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool. During his Masters project, Luke studied the effects of small molecule drugs on glucose uptake transporters (GLUTs) and the potential effects this could have on immune responses.
Luke is currently investigating the immunomodulatory potential of small molecule drugs as he works towards his PhD. The project investigates impacts on responses such as glucose uptake, lactate secretion, and inflammasome activation, with a view to repurposing the drugs for autoimmune conditions such as MS.
PhD Student
Isabel Upstone
Isabel completed an integrated Master's degree in Molecular Biology at the University of Sheffield and is currently working towards a PhD funded by The Leverhulme Trust, via the Pandemic Institute, and the National Measurement Laboratory.
Her research focuses on understanding how lipid nanoparticles (LNP's), widely used for the delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics, interact with the innate immune system.
The project investigates whether pre-existing trained immunity states influence responses to LNPs and contribute to interindividual variability in inflammatory outcomes, aiming to support the development of LNP-based therapeutics with improved safety and predictability.
PhD Student
Ashleigh Hill
Ashleigh is a first-year PhD student supported by the BBSRC North-West Doctoral Programme. She recently completed her undergraduate BSc (Hons) degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of York, including a year-in-industry at LifeArc.
During her degree, she explored biomaterials for restoring age-related osteoporosis, which piqued her interest in how biomaterials can manipulate immune microenvironments and support the development and delivery of next-generation therapeutics.
Ashleigh’s PhD investigates how controlled changes in biomaterial properties shape innate immune responses. Through linking material features to underlying biological mechanisms, her work will aim to deepen understanding of immune sensing, inflammation and tissue repair.
PhD Student
Currently reviewing
This PhD will investigate why innate immune responses to emerging viruses vary between people and whether they can be safely programmed towards sustained protection.
Using human blood and immune-cell models, the project will study trained immunity, immunometabolism and antiviral responses to identify predictors of protection and new host-directed interventions.