I'm off to the pub :)
With over 20 years of experience in the world of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Tom has extensive experience in implementing, supporting, enhancing, and driving the adoption of LIMS in many industries and organisations across the UK.
I am an early-career R&D scientist at Johnson Matthey, also studying for a PhD at the University of York. . I earned a first-class honors BSc in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (now Atlantic Technological University, Galway). During my undergraduate studies, I undertook a six-month placement at the State Laboratory in Kildare, working in the Animal Feedingstuffs department. There, I developed and analysed methods for detecting antibiotic levels in animal feed, sparking my passion for analytical method development and applied research. After graduating, I transitioned directly into industry, beginning my career as an active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) Stability Testing Analyst at Almac. This was followed by a role at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as a Consumer Health Product Quality Control Specialist and Stability Coordinator. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I sought to diversify my experience, taking a secondment in Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS), where I trained as an occupational hygienist. This broadened my perspective but also reaffirmed my desire to return to laboratory-based research. In 2021, I joined Johnson Matthey and simultaneously pursued higher education by undertaking a part-time master’s degree, which I completed in January 2024. My journey in academia and industry has now evolved further, as I am currently pursuing a PhD as an industry student in collaboration with the University of York. My background reflects a blend of hands-on laboratory expertise, analytical problem-solving, and continuous professional growth, driven by a passion for research and development in the chemical sciences.
Iyeru Godsglory Oluwole is the Head, Polygraph Section at Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Abuja, Nigeria. He is a Full Member of APA and ISOPE respectively. He has delivered lectures on digital forensics, data analysis and forensic psychophysiology among others within and outside Nigeria. He has lectured at African Development Bank Headquarters, Cote D’Ivoire, Russia International Conference on Lie Detection and Profiling and at Army Resource Center in Nigeria. He has quite a number of publications in Polygraph and Digital Forensics. He is certified in Cyber Security, Digital forensics, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Crime Investigation, Data Analysis, Data Analytics and Polygraph among others. He has facilitated trainings for personnel including Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Air force and almost all agencies of government (MDAs) in Nigeria. He has run Polygraph tests on Permanent Secretary Nominees, Attorney General of the Federation, Auditor General of the Federation and Chief Medical Director of Federal Hospital Nominees. He recently won a case where his polygraph examination report was admitted as evidence.
Tim has over 25 Years of experience in the role as a product specialist for Thermal Analysis and Hyphenated Technologies. Following a PhD and postdoctoral study of polysiloxane polymers for liquid crystalline materials and pyroelectric sensors at the University of Hull, Tim joined PerkinElmer as a product specialist helping with application and technical support for the thermal analysis product lines. When not cycling or playing badminton, Tim uses his knowledge of polymers and advanced materials to help the users of techniques such as DSC, TGA and DMA to solve the challenges that they face within their businesses.
Olukemi Oloyede (they/them) is a final year PhD student at Imperial College London whose work is based on the in silico prediction of pharmaceutical biotransformation in riverwater.
A Cardiothoracic Surgeon with substantial experience on innovative aspects of surgery, developing new products and novel methods together with the NHS and industry. Alongside a thirty-year tenure in the NHS, Milan was a lead expert in medical robotics for the British Standard Institute, which focused on surgical robots and their safety. He is also an expert for I.S.O; I.E.C and F.D.A (Joint Working Group). Milan holds a number of patents and patent technologies invented to speed the democratisation well-being for all
Karen Harper ICP-OES Field Application Specialist | PerkinElmer Karen is an ICP-OES Field Application Specialist at PerkinElmer, supporting laboratories in environmental and industrial analysis for over 10 years. With a background in the water industry, she brings valuable insight into the challenges of elemental analysis in effluents, wastewater, and regulatory compliance. Karen specialises in method development, troubleshooting, and workflow optimisation, helping laboratories maximise efficiency and data quality. At SinS, she looks forward to sharing expertise and discussing innovative approaches to ICP-OES and ICP-MS in environmental monitoring.
Tom is a Global Market Manager at PerkinElmer, leveraging his sales and management experience since joining in 2015. He finds fulfillment in collaborating with colleagues to optimize solutions using PerkinElmer technologies. A British expatriate, Tom has called Canada home for 12 years. Holding a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Bristol, his problem-solving skills are leveraged when figuring out environmental solutions. Outside the office, Tom revels in outdoor adventures with his wife and son, drawing inspiration for his role. His passion lies in enhancing PerkinElmer's offerings, particularly in tackling environmental challenges like PFAS and microplastics.
Dara is a PhD researcher at the University of Surrey, UK. She commenced in October 2022, intending to develop an analytical method for pesticide analysis in complex matrices using extraction techniques alongside ambient ionisation mass spectrometry (AIMS). Before starting her PhD, she worked as a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) study director, managing projects relating to pesticide formulation stability trials. There, she developed an interest in the impact of pesticides on the environment and the ways to mitigate the effects. Dara is passionate about outreach and interested in pursuing a career in academia while being a science communicator to make science accessible. She volunteers as the PGR representative for the chemistry department's EDI committee. She was selected for the 2023/2024 cohort of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Broadening Horizons in the Chemical Sciences in her first year. Dara was on the planning committee for the University of Surrey's first race equity conference in June 2024. She has presented both posters and oral presentations on her work at various conferences during her first and second year to a wide range of audiences, including Solutions in Science (SinS 2023). She has facilitated multiple conference sessions, the most recent being the British Mass Spectrometry Society ambient ionisation special interest group (BMSS AI SIG) in February 2025, where she received positive feedback.
Will is the senior applications scientist for Verdel Instruments. His work mainly involves development of extractions and applications for the novel technique, Total Correlation Mass Spectrometry (TOC-MS). Achieving his PhD from the University of York, he has since worked across the globe in analytical and bioanalytical application spaces for mass spectrometry.
Founder and CEO, I have completed MBA in Global Business Management and foreign Trade from VOU(Year 2019-2020), MBA in Oil and Gas from UPES (Year 2017-19) B. Tech, Electrical Eng. from NIT (Year 2011-2015) – Bhopal (MP). Entrepreneur, Worked for ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd. , Founder of OfficeBus.in, executed various domestic / industrial projects. Business Development, Project Technical and Business Management, Administration, Engineering, Project Coordination etc. I am a serial Entrepreneur, an engineer with a background working towards Innovation and Commercialization in the energy sector having more than 7 years of work experience and the part of a Startup Ecosystem worldwide where I majorly handles pitch deck presentation to investors, VC, and have raised successfully total USD 500,000 till now including grants, equity finance not limited to product development, customer acquisition, and research & development.
Dr. Lapo Renai is a postdoc researcher at the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) at the University of Amsterdam, working under the MSCA postdoctoral fellowship. He completed his studies in Chemistry at the University of Florence, Italy, and earned his PhD in Analytical Chemistry, focusing on developing high-throughput LC-MS platforms. Currently, he is involved in the MSCA-PF-funded project called ‘BEspace,’ which aims to unravel sample complexity and expand the chemical space of the environmental exposome. This project utilizes advanced separation techniques, including liquid chromatography (LC and 2DLC) combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The initiative includes fingerprinting environmental concerning chemicals in relevant exposome matrices, such as environmental and treated water samples, by computational tools for feature detection and annotation. During his postdoc, he has also participated in the EU-funded SECUREFOOD2050 project, which included the development of targeted and non-targeted LC-MS/MS methods for analyzing complex samples.
James Grufferty is an Analytical Chemist at Sensient Flavours Ltd. James graduated from the University of Reading with a BSc in Biochemistry (2016) and an MSc in Molecular Medicine (2017). James joined the flavouring industry in 2018 where he became a Trainee Flavourist. In this role he gained knowledge of many of the aroma chemicals used in flavourings. In 2021, he joined Sensient to apply this knowledge to the role of an Analytical Chemist. James currently performs GC-MS, GCxGC, and HPLC analysis on a range of flavourings and extracts and has an interest in looking at ways to improve the analysis of these.
Senior Scientist at Resolian in the Analytical Sciences team with 7 years experience performing trace organic impurity analysis on API and drug formulations to GMP. Experienced in LC-MS, LC-UV and SFC-UV with a particular focus on method development and sustainability in the laboratory.
Sulaf Assi is a reader in forensic intelligent data analysis at the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences in Liverpool John Moores University. She has a Bachelor in Pharmacy and Masters in Pharmaceutical Analysis from Beirut Arab University in Lebanon and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Analysis from the School of Pharmacy in London. Her research interests spread across multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary areas related to medication safety; patient safety; counterfeit medicines, drugs and lifestyle products; spectroscopy; mixed-method research, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Prof Kieran Kilcawley is a Principal Research Officer in the Department of Food Quality and Sensory Science at the Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Cork, and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Food and Nutritional Science at University College Cork and the School of Food Science & Environmental Health, Technical University of Dublin, Ireland. The focus of his research is the flavour of foods and beverages with a particular emphasis on volatile aromatic compounds and their role in sensory perception. He is a member of various national and international boards and journals associated with food and beverage research. He has published 120 peer reviewed publications and 16 book chapters.
Dr. Chuping Luo received his master's degree in chemistry from Nanjing University in 1990 and Ph. D from Peking University in 1996. As an accomplished expert in analytical chemistry, Dr Luo's career spans key roles in chromatography innovation, including VP of Production at Sepax Technologies, Chief Scientist in supercritical chromatography at Waters Corporation, Senior Principal Scientist at Advanced Materials Technology, and now General Manager at Welch Materials. With over 30 years of expertise, Dr. Luo is renowned for his contributions to chromatography column development and materials research.
Tabatha completed her BSc in Forensic Science from the University of Kent. Her first graduate role was with Charles River Laboratories where she was involved in bioanalysis for early-stage drug discovery. In 2018 she joined the Organic Mass Spectrometry Team at the National Measurement Laboratory hosted by LGC to take on a more research-based role. She is currently a Lead Researcher at LGC and part-time PhD student at the University of Surrey. During her time at LGC she has had access to a variety of state-of-the-art instrumentation has been involved in a diverse array of projects mainly focussing on clinical and food analysis. Her PhD expands on this work, advancing metrology in multi-analyte analysis in both clinical and food analytes and matrices.
I am a PhD student at the University of York whose research revolves around developing mass spectrometry methods for analysing archaeological proteins. The research presented here was conducted during a DTP funded placement where I was performing small molecule mass spectrometry on controlled substances.
Federica Calabrò graduated in Chemical-Toxicological and Environmental Safety Sciences at the Università degli Studi di Milano. Enrolled in the Analytical Sciences master program at the University of Amsterdam, she is currently involved in developing suspect screening strategies for the retrospective analysis of archived HRMS data under the supervision of Dr. S. Samanipour and Dr. L. Renai. Federica is also part of the Master+ ATLAS programme, thanks to which she has expanded her knowledge in Ion Spectroscopy, Protein Analysis, but also in Green and Circular analytical chemistry
A current 2nd year PhD student at the University of York, whose work focuses on the analysis of small molecules (especially lipids and metabolites) using two-dimensional mass spectrometry on FT-ICR instruments.
Sean O’Connor serves as an Analytical Sales Specialist at Verulam Scientific, where he focuses on automation, liquid chromatography, electrochemistry, and other laboratory techniques for small-scale production. He is passionate about helping customers find effective solutions. His clients often face challenges such as delayed results, the need to repeatedly train staff for mundane tasks, and an inability to undertake projects or testing due to time and capacity constraints. On a more sustainable note, the solutions he can provide aim to reduce or completely eliminate solvent usage through innovative sample introduction methods, sensitive detectors, and advanced separation techniques.
Dr. Phil Williams is a leading expert in Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), laboratory automation, and thermal analysis. With over 40 years of experience, he has been instrumental in optimizing laboratory operations through innovative technology and data-driven solutions. His deep understanding of scientific workflows and data integrity has made him a sought-after consultant, working with laboratories worldwide to implement efficient, compliant, and technologically advanced systems. He has extensive knowledge on laboratory digitalization, automation, and data management, helping organizations adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of modern science.
David Dunthorne is a Senior Research and Development Associate Chemist at Avantor and an avid member of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chromatographic Society. David attained his Bachelor of Chemistry (Hons) at University of Durham, studying across a broad range of chemical disciplines, including analytical chemistry techniques. Since 2017, he has worked within the Production, Applications and R&D teams within VWR, now part of Avantor. Recent focuses have been in developing novel HPLC/UHPLC manufacturing methods, the use of solid-core phases, novel chromatographic technologies, next generation LC stationary phases, and the development of high throughput sample preparation technologies. David’s work has featured in several peer-reviewed articles, and he has recently presented at both the International Symposium on Separation Sciences in 2024 and the Reid Bioanalytical Forum in 2023.
Margarita is an early career researcher currently working at the Emerging Chemical Contaminants (ECC) laboratory within the Environmental Research Group (ERG) at Imperial College London, having completed a Master’s in Analytical Toxicology at King’s College London. She has spent the last two years mainly focusing on wastewater-based epidemiology, preparing and testing samples by solid phase extraction, direct injection LC-MS and QTOF-MS for a national wastewater monitoring project. She has also spent time working on other projects testing river water, surface water and seawater for chemicals of concern including illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals and pesticides.
Rebecca is a second year PhD student at the University of York studying iridium speciation by a range of analytical techniques including mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry and UV-Vis.
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Matt James is a Senior Research Scientist at Avantor Sciences. Matt gained his PhD at University of Bristol and over the last 15 years, he has worked within the Technical Support, Applications and R&D teams within Hichrom, now part of Avantor. Recent focuses have been HPLC/UHPLC method transfer and translation, the use of solid core phases, development of next generation LC stationary phases and the development of LC methods for key applications, such as the analysis of nitrosamines and PFAS by LC-MS/MS.
Matt James is a Senior Research Scientist at Avantor Sciences. Matt gained his PhD at University of Bristol and over the last 15 years, he has worked within the Technical Support, Applications and R&D teams within Hichrom, now part of Avantor. Recent focuses have been HPLC/UHPLC method transfer and translation, the use of solid core phases, development of next generation LC stationary phases and the development of LC methods for key applications, such as the analysis of nitrosamines and PFAS by LC-MS/MS.
MSc in Analytical Chemistry: Excellence in Analytical Chemistry (Uni Tartu (Estonia) and UCBL, France), Currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Amsterdam. The PhD project is about computational LC-HRMS with the focus on Non-targeted analysis for environmental studies.
Matt James is a Senior Research Scientist at Avantor Sciences. Matt gained his PhD at University of Bristol and over the last 15 years, he has worked within the Technical Support, Applications and R&D teams within Hichrom, now part of Avantor. Recent focuses have been HPLC/UHPLC method transfer and translation, the use of solid core phases, development of next generation LC stationary phases and the development of LC methods for key applications, such as the analysis of nitrosamines and PFAS by LC-MS/MS.
Rebecca Nash completed her BSc in Chemistry from the University of Surrey in 2022. As part of her studies, she completed a placement year within the Organic Mass Spectrometry team at the National Measurement Laboratory hosted by LGC, during which time she worked on the development of LC-MS/MS methods for the analysis of food products. After completing her degree, she has since rejoined the OMS team as a Research Analyst, where she now works on a wide range of projects, currently focused on clinical analysis.
Philipp did his diploma and PhD theses at the Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics at the University of Innsbruck on the topic "electro attachment to explosives and biomolecules". Immediately after graduating he joined the SME IONICON Analytik in Innsbruck (Austria) as head of applied science, where he still works today, more than 17 years later. The applied science department of IONICON is responsible for analytical services for customers and internal research utilizing the latest developments in Proton-Transfer-Reaction - Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS). Furthermore, the team manages national and international projects, writes manuscripts for publications, and processes scientific material for any type of outreach (social media, YouTube, etc.). For several years, intellectually property, such as freedom-to-operate analyses, patent searches, and the submission of own patent applications belong to the ample tasks of IONICON's applied science team.
A PhD researcher at the University of Portsmouth specialising in the identification and quantification of emerging polar organic contaminants in freshwater. Their research utilises the Chemcatcher passive sampler alongside a combination of target and non-target analysis approaches.
My interest in extractable and leachables (E&L) started out whist in my final year of my BSc forensic Science degree when I was completing my dissertation on Irganox antioxidants with Resolian and Anglian Ruskin University. Once I finished my degree I was interested in carrying on in E&L so I applied for a vacancy at Resolian for a scientist position and have now been working there for nearly three years now. From my dissertation I had a keen interest in GCMS analysis, This was further developed whilst working at Resolian where my focus is on GCMS maintenance, sample preparation,/development and data review. I am also passionate about sustainability and green chemistry which led to investigating into alternative greener solvents for extractables and leachables studies.
Dr Helena Rapp Wright earned her BSc in Chemistry at the University of La Laguna (ULL, Spain) in 2014 and an MRes in Forensic Science at King’s College London (KCL, UK) in 2016. During her BSc and MRes, she undertook an industrial placement and two research projects focused on analytical chemistry. Following her MRes study, she worked at LGC (Fordham, UK) for two years in the small molecules department for bioanalytical sciences. Her work focused on developing analytical techniques for the identification and quantification of drugs from clinical trials, as well as their sample analysis. In 2018, she successfully secured a PhD studentship sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Ireland. Her PhD was held in the School of Chemical Sciences at Dublin City University (DCU) and part-time at KCL, researching contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in environmental water samples. She completed her PhD in 2021 and joined Imperial College London as a Research Associate in the Emerging Chemical Contaminant Group, focusing on wastewater-based epidemiology. Currently, she is an MRC Centre Early Career Research Fellow at the School of Public Health, investigating exposure to CECs. Helena (or Dr Rapp Wright) is also an elected member of the Environmental Chemistry Group at the Royal Society of Chemistry. Her research interests lie in the broad areas of analytical and environmental chemistry, mainly sustainability, wastewater analysis, biomonitoring and contaminants of emerging concern.
Extractables and Leachables Senior Programme Manager at Resolian, with a demonstrated history of method development and application of chromatography and mass spectrometry in a wide range of industries. Currently leading the Extractables and Leachables sector at Resolian. Previous experience in environmental, occupational health and doping control testing by. Strong interest in establishing collaboration between industry and academia. Holding Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in Environmental Science from Anglia Ruskin University.
Reliable, fast, and easy to use: CompactGC 4.0 Are you looking for a MicroGC catalysis research analyser for fast GC applications? CompactGC4.0 from GAS is the best and most versatile MicroGC available. If you look at gas-analysis from a laboratory point of view, you will use a traditional “GC with valve-oven” because of its reliability. If you look at it from a process-controller’s “need-for-speed” angle, a MicroGC would be the preferred choice. If you look at it in a smart way: you would not compromise but rather opt for the new CompactGC4.0! Being a hybrid technology design, the 19″ CompactGC offers you the best from both worlds; it delivers reliable answers fast. Its draft ensures the highest level of robustness and therefore the most cost-efficient micro-GC analysis available today.
Joanna Speight is a seasoned sales professional with over 30 years of experience in the laboratory and scientific industry. After earning a science degree, she began her career in the PPE and safety sector, where she worked for seven years. She then transitioned into chemical and equipment sales in Central London, building a sales team for a Northern-based company. For the next nine years, she specialised in selling scientific equipment designed to optimise R&D processes. Following this, she moved into the laboratory refurbishment sector, where she worked for 18 years, including at VWR. Throughout her career, she consistently sold the Köttermann product range, making her current role a natural and ideal progression.
Juditha is a Research Assistant in the Environmental Research Group at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health. As part of the Emerging Chemical Contaminants team, Judi specializes in the analysis of wastewater samples to detect contaminants of emerging concern, including illicit drugs, lifestyle compounds, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. Her work supports high-throughput environmental monitoring and public health research.
Alex Richardson is a Research Associate within the Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Emerging Chemical Contaminants groups at Imperial College London. She studied a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biology at the University of Sydney, Australia. Following this, she moved to the United Kingdom to complete a Master of Research in Forensic Science with a focus on analytical chemistry at King’s College London. Her professional experience spans both industry and academia. She completed a PhD studentship at King’s College London, focused on the development of a novel 3D-printed miniaturised passive sampler device to act as a surrogate for invertebrates during micropollutant bioconcentrating testing. Currently, Alex is employed at Imperial College London, where she is focused on investigating the occurrence of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in London's drinking water through participatory science.
Research associate with the Environmental Research Group at Imperial College London. Currently working on projects investigating emerging airborne pollutants (sVOCs, VOCs, and microplastics) in homes and outdoor environments.
Michael is an Inside Sales Account Manager with a background in chemistry and expertise in scientific software, laboratory analytics, and SaaS solutions. Holding a BSc in Chemistry from Bangor University, he has worked extensively in technical sales and account management, supporting clients in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Throughout his career Michael has applied analytical problem-solving and technical knowledge to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and practical application.
Ria has a masters in forensic science from King's College London and currently works as an analytical chemist at the research and development department at Domino Printing sciences. Her job involves conducting migration studies on food packaging ink, characterising raw materials and their impurities as well as providing support to the ink formulation chemists throughout the product development lifecycle.
Jasmin Schwarte is a Master of Science student following the Analytical Chemistry study programme which is a joint degree at the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She completed her Bachelor's in Forensic Chemistry at the Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences in Germany. Currently, she is doing a research internship at the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) at the University of Amsterdam and is working on her master thesis. Her project is about a new computational approach to assist liquid chromatography method development.
Sanne Boot is a second year PhD student at the University of Amsterdam and works within the InnovATOR project together with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her reseach covers chemometric tools for LC-MS optimisation and retention prediction methods based on structure and retention score.
Global Technical Manager for ALS Food Chemistry, where I support the global food laboratory network by driving operational excellence, knowledge-sharing, and performance enhancement. With extensive experience in food contaminants testing, method standardisation, and innovation-driven initiatives, I lead the development and implementation of ALS Food Chemistry standards and spearheads the expansion of new techniques and services. I am passionate about fostering collaboration and advancing technical expertise within the industry.
Dr Konstantinia Karametsi is a Senior Researcher at LGC, who is an experienced analytical chemist with over 15 years of industrial experience in different sections of analytical and food chemistry.
Nichola Davies: Director, Analytical and Structural Chemistry, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK Nichola Davies completed her PhD studies in physical organic chemistry at the University of Cambridge, utilising NMR spectroscopy to investigate positively cooperative binding and the tightening of non-covalent bonds. Nichola then joined Pfizer (Sandwich, UK) as an NMR spectroscopist supporting the medicinal chemistry department and implemented new techniques for structure elucidation and the application of novel NMR methodologies to support medicinal chemistry design strategies. Having gained further experience in a wider range of analytical techniques, in 2014 she joined AstraZeneca (Cambridge, UK), as an NMR expert within the Oncology Chemistry R&D Unit. Currently Director of the Analytical and Structural Chemistry team, Nichola is delivering analytical techniques to support small molecule structural characterisation, purity and stability assessment, in addition to NMR free ligand conformational analysis and in-cell MS concentration assays.
Christine Townsend is highly experienced Technical Support Specialist at Verulam Scientific with a background in Analytical Chemistry.
In 2017, I started my higher education career at the University of Leeds studying an MChem BSC in Medicinal Chemistry which I obtained a first-class degree in 2021. During my time in Leeds, I undertook a Masters project under the supervision of Dr. Paul Thornton and was awarded the Dean’s List for Outstanding Academic Achievement in 2018. Along with these academic achievements I actively participated in university life, being elected as treasurer (2018/19) and president (2019/2020) of LUU Chemistry Society. In 2021, I was accepted onto the REACT Centre for Doctoral Training Programme at Imperial College London, where I am currently working on my PhD degree in ‘Machine Guided Optimization of Organic Semi-Conductor Films for Light Activated Antimicrobials and Antiviral Surfaces’ under the supervision of Prof. Saif Haque. In 2022, I was awarded a first class MRes degree in Advanced Molecular Synthesis Since then, I have presented my work at the BioMedEng 2023 conference in Swansea and the 3rd Joint CDT conference in 2023, and ISC 2024. I also won a poster prize in the Imperial Natural Sciences Showcase (People’s Choice for Best Poster) Along with these academic achievements, I was awarded the Sir David Phillips Prize for Outreach and Community Support in 2023 for making an all-inclusive football team for the Imperial Chemistry Department. I am currently in my 3rd and final year of my PhD.
Alex is a research assistant in the EMCMS group of Dr. Saer Samanipour. He is mainly interested in computational mass spectrometry, statistics, and modeling. He works on prediction of the ionization efficiency of chemicals using machine learning.
Dr Kathy Ridgway has over 30 year’s laboratory experience as an analytical chemist – mainly working with GC-MS. Whilst working for Unilever Research, she completed a PhD with the University of Loughborough focussed on alternative extraction techniques. Following this, she worked as a technical specialist in Taints and off-flavours at Reading Scientific services limited (RSSL) and now works as a Senior Applications Chemist at Element lab solutions (formally Anatune). Her main focus is on automation of sample preparation protocols and alternative extraction techniques, particularly for food, flavour and fragrance applications. She is an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and current secretary of the separation science interest group (SSG).
Nikoleta is currently a PhD student in the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London. She holds an MPhys Physics from the University of Bath, with a particular focus in Photonics. At Bath she received a grant from Rank Prize Fund in Optoelectronics to fund her research in optical fibre-based endoscopic flow cytometry. Applying her physical science background to her current medical field, she is currently focussing on designing novel microfluidic devices for high-throughput and low-volume analysis of patient derived biofluids.
I am a Research Technical Professional focusing on developing LC-MS and GC-MS analyses of metabolomics and small molecules according to the client's project. I also train new users on GC-MS and LC-MS, perform preventative maintenance and troubleshooting of analytical equipment. I previously carried out research in organic geochemistry reconstructing past environments as a result of sea-level changes with sedimentary molecular fossils, and developed an amino acid racemisation relative dating method with bivalve shells.
I am a dedicated early-career researcher with over six years of hands-on experience in analytical chemistry, specializing in trace-level pesticide residue analysis, sample preparation, and advanced method development. My work focuses on detecting and quantifying ultra-low concentrations of agrochemicals in food, water, and soil, addressing critical gaps in food safety, environmental monitoring, and regulatory compliance. Beyond research, I bring more than a decade of teaching experience, where I have trained the next generation of scientists in analytical techniques, environmental chemistry, and sustainable agriculture. My passion lies in bridging cutting-edge science with real-world impact, ensuring that rigorous laboratory research translates into safer food systems and reduced chemical pollution. Currently, I am expanding my work to investigate Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and emerging contaminants, contributing to global efforts in chemical risk assessment and pollution prevention. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, policy engagement, and mentorship, I strive to advance science-backed solutions for a cleaner, healthier planet. Because precision in the lab today means protection for people and ecosystems tomorrow.
Hannah has had multiple roles in the life sciences, starting as a protein chemist, before moving into proteomics and then metabolomics. Her PhD involved studying protein-ligand complexes in solution and the gas phase using native mass spectrometry and HDX techniques. A major part of her time working in academia involved running LC and GC/MS core facilities supporting projects ranging from synthetic biology to cancer research. She is currently an LC/MS applications specialist for Agilent.
Jacob Russell is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on lithium isotope enrichment via solvent extraction. He holds a Master's degree in chemistry from Manchester Metropolitan University. Jacob is passionate about nuclear power, specifically nuclear fusion and promoting it as a viable option for low-carbon power
Final year PhD student at Imperial College London in the Department of Surgery and Cancer, undertaking a multi-disciplinary industrial CASE project in collaboration with Astra Zeneca. Research through his Master’s, industrial and current PhD projects have centred on platform development, building and optimising analytical systems for biomarker detection. He completed his Master’s in Biochemistry at the Birmingham Drug Discovery facility at the University of Birmingham. Here he developed a novel method of lipidomic analysis, using surface analysis mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, to characterise microbial drug susceptibility. In the years following this he worked on a number of diagnostic assays, for multiple myeloma, adapting them for several analytical platforms (Nephelometry/Turbidimetry, MS, ELISA) in the concept department of The Binding Site-ThermoFisher. His current PhD work involves translating engineering innovations from his research laboratory into the clinic, to alleviate current analytical limitations. Specifically, he is developing a novel microfluidic technology for the capture and functional analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from patient blood, to support precision therapeutics. Lewis also has a keen interest in translating his analytical designs into entrepreneurial ventures. Through funding awarded by the UKRI iCURE programme he has investigated the market viability of technology developed within his research group, developing a business strategy and pitching to a panel of VC investors.
Mark Perkins graduated from the University of Southampton (United Kingdom) with a PhD in Chemistry and completed postdoctoral research there. He then spent 12 years as a senior analyst and chromatography section manager at the Malaysian Rubber Board’s UK research centre, working on regulated pharmaceutical applications within a GMP environment. Mark joined Element Laboratory Solutions in Cambridge, United Kingdom (formerly Anatune) in 2015, and is currently a senior applications chemist. He is a global authority in automated SIFT-MS, but also has extensive experience in conventional chromatographic methods.
Lotte holds an MSci in Chemistry and Biology within Natural Sciences from Durham University. Lotte was recently a Research Assistant at King's College London with Prof. Michael Antoniou, sponsored by Breast Cancer UK. This project looked to develop a GC-MS method for the targeted analysis of common chemical pollutants in archived breast cancer tissue to identify cocktails of endocrine disrupting chemicals that may influence breast cancer progression She has recently started a PhD in the Environmental Research Group at Imperial College, supervised by Dr Leon Barron, Dr Fred Piel and funded by the ESPRC in collaboration with Puraffinity. This project will focus on non-targeted analysis of PFAS in drinking water and drinking water sources, and evaluating advanced sorbents for the removal of PFAS.
A PhD student from Brunel University, working on Quantitative Structure-Retention Relationship Models, in collaboration with GSK and Imperial College London.
I am a final-year PhD student in Analytical Chemistry at Sapienza University of Rome. My research focuses on the development of innovative liquid and solid-phase materials for microextraction techniques applied to complex matrices, with particular attention to sustainable approaches using recycled polymer waste. As part of this work, I carried out a seven-month research stay at the University of Córdoba (Spain), collaborating with Prof. Cárdenas’ group on functionalized sorbents from recycled polystyrene for biological applications. My participation in this conference is supported by the Best Oral Presentation Award I received at EuSP2024 | GSAC2024 in Crete.
Graduate of the university of East Anglia, holding a BSc in Biomedicine with 1st class honours. Scientist with over a decade of experience in analytical science, starting my career in the food industry performing industry standard wet analysis and organoleptic evaluation before moving on to drug surveillance screening at LGC, Fordham. Currently pursuing a career within the pharmaceutical industry, working for the contract research organisation, Resolian, supporting the Analytical Sciences department.
Dr Santanu Majumder is a Lecturer in Environmental Analytical Chemistry at Bournemouth University. His research focuses on developing innovative analytical methods to address environmental challenges. He completed his PhD at the University of Girona, Spain, in 2013, supported by the Erasmus Mundus Doctoral Scholarship from the European Commission. He was also awarded the DAAD Doctoral Scholarship. Dr Majumder was a Marie Curie Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Birmingham (2021-2023) and a Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellow at Texas A&M University, USA (2017-2019). He currently supervises the Analytical Science Research Group (ASRG), where he is developing novel analytical techniques with his team for the chemical characterisation of toxic pollutants, including heavy metals and emerging contaminants such as engineered nanomaterials, PFAS and micro/nano-plastics, across various environmental matrices. His group also conducts novel analytical research with applications in forensic science and advanced health sciences, with funding from organizations including the UK Home Office, NERC, UKRI, Research England, the European Commission, and numerous charitable funding bodies. He is also acting as a referee and editor for several reputed international journals.
Dr Eylan Yutuc is a Lecturer of Biomedical Science at Swansea University Medical School. His research focuses on lipidomics, mass spectrometry, and biomarker discovery in neurodegenerative diseases. He integrates analytical chemistry with neuroscience to explore gut–brain axis mechanisms and develop diagnostic tools for conditions like Parkinson’s disease.
Dr Santanu Majumder is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Environmental Analytical Chemistry at Bournemouth University. His research focuses on developing innovative analytical methods to address environmental challenges. He completed his PhD at the University of Girona, Spain, in 2013, supported by the Erasmus Mundus Doctoral Scholarship from the European Commission. He was also awarded the DAAD Doctoral Scholarship. Dr Majumder was a Marie Curie Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Birmingham (2021-2023) and a Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellow at Texas A&M University, USA (2017-2019). He currently leads the Analytical Science Research Group (ASRG), where he is developing novel analytical techniques with his team for the chemical characterization of toxic pollutants, including heavy metals and emerging contaminants such as engineered nanomaterials and micro/nano-plastics, across various environmental matrices. His group also conducts analytical research with applications in forensic science and advanced health sciences, with funding from organizations including the UK Home Office, NERC, UKRI, Research England, the European Commission, and numerous charitable funding bodies. He is also acting as a referee and editor for several reputed international journals.
Dr Santanu Majumder is a Lecturer in Environmental Analytical Chemistry at Bournemouth University. His research focuses on developing innovative analytical methods to address environmental challenges. He completed his PhD at the University of Girona, Spain, in 2013, supported by the Erasmus Mundus Doctoral Scholarship from the European Commission. He was also awarded the DAAD Doctoral Scholarship. Dr Majumder was a Marie Curie Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Birmingham (2021-2023) and a Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellow at Texas A&M University, USA (2017-2019). He currently supervises the Analytical Science Research Group (ASRG), where he is developing novel analytical techniques with his team for the chemical characterization of toxic pollutants, including heavy metals and emerging contaminants such as engineered nanomaterials and micro/nano-plastics, across various environmental matrices. His group also conducts analytical research with applications in forensic science and advanced health sciences, with funding from organizations including the UK Home Office, NERC, UKRI, Research England, the European Commission, and numerous charitable funding bodies. He is also acting as a referee and editor for several reputed international journals.
Hayrunisa Cengiz is a second-year Pharmacy student at Istanbul University with a strong passion for science and research. She is an active member of a student research group under the mentorship of Professors Sena Çağlar Andaç and Pelin Köseoğlu Yılmaz. The group focuses on chromatographic analysis of pharmaceutical drugs, emphasizing green analytical chemistry methods and experimental design. Hayrunisa is particularly interested in scientific innovation and enjoys participating in exhibitions as a way to share knowledge, connect with others in the field, and explore emerging developments in pharmaceutical sciences.
John holds a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Sheffield with a thesis on the topic of energetic materials (typically high nitrogen content chemical compounds – traditionally explosives or solid fuels). He previously worked in the QC lab of Ecolab (manufacturer of Licensed Medicinal Products, and Medical Devices) before becoming a Field Engineer at JayTee Biosciences where he mainly covered HPLC and GC maintenance for instruments from Agilent, Waters, Thermo and Shimadzu, covering a large area in the UK. Later, he joined Agilent as a Remote Support Engineer, where he helped customers to solve their problems with instrumentation. Since 2022 he has worked for Restek as the UK and Ireland LC Specialist, supporting customers with method development, and troubleshooting chromatographic problems
John holds a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Sheffield with a thesis on the topic of energetic materials (typically high nitrogen content chemical compounds – traditionally explosives or solid fuels). He previously worked in the QC lab of Ecolab (manufacturer of Licensed Medicinal Products, and Medical Devices) before becoming a Field Engineer at JayTee Biosciences where he mainly covered HPLC and GC maintenance for instruments from Agilent, Waters, Thermo and Shimadzu, covering a large area in the UK. Later, he joined Agilent as a Remote Support Engineer, where he helped customers to solve their problems with instrumentation. Since 2022 he has worked for Restek as the UK and Ireland LC Specialist, supporting customers with method development, and troubleshooting chromatographic problems
I am a second year PhD student studying analytical chemistry. The subject of my research is the analysis of new biodiesels using the multiple chromatographic and detection techniques.
I am a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Bristol in the Butts Research Group, prior to this I also completed my PhD in the same group, working on the IMPRESSION project. My expertise is in the development of AI methods and tools in chemical applications and I'm currently leading the work on web-IMPRESSION, a user-friendly solution to commercialising the IMPRESSION AI model.
Dr Sasha Woods is Director of Science and Policy at Earthwatch Europe. She has a diverse academic background, with a BSc in Natural Sciences from the University of Birmingham, an MSc in Reproductive and Developmental Biology from Imperial College London, and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Bristol. Her postdoctoral research at prestigious institutions further solidified her expertise. She explored Parkinson's Disease at Harvard Medical School (2015-2016) and delved into retinal development and disease at University College London (2016-2019). Since 2016, Sasha has been a dedicated educator, serving as a Teaching Fellow for the Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health course and Applied Neuroscience program at King's College London. Recognising the urgent need to address climate change and biodiversity loss, Sasha transitioned her focus to socio-environmental science. She now leads the Science and Policy team at Earthwatch, where she ensures the organisation's work is scientifically rigorous and solution-oriented.
Dr Sean Beevers, is Reader in Atmospheric Modelling and leads the Environmental Research Group’s Air Pollution Modelling team which is part of the School of Public Health at Imperial. Sean is also a member of the UK Air Quality Expert Group. Founder of the London Air Quality Network and the ERG. I have worked closely with the Greater London Authority in implementing major changes to the city from the Congestion Charge to the new Ultra Low Emissions Zone. I have contributed to numerous UK research council projects on air pollution policy and health, publishing over 100 papers including in the Lancet, Nature, BMJ, Epidemiology and Stroke. I have estimated the air pollution benefits of the hydrogen economy and recently on the air pollution cost and benefits of Net Zero policy, working with the Committee on Climate Change.
Rick is Professor of Analytical and Clinical Metabolomics at the University of Liverpool. He has spent the last 25 years working in metabolomics from being a technician in Sheffield to his current role in Liverpool. He has a passion for developing chromatography-mass spectrometry untargeted/targeted assays for collection of high quality data and in developing new tools (software) and resources (MS/MS and retention time libraries) for metabolite annotation/identification. He applies these to study health and disease in humans and other mammals. He is passionate about training the next generation of scientists. He is President of the Metabolomics Society and is Reviews Editor for the journal Metabolomics. He was awarded a Honorary Fellowship by the Metabolomics Society in 2020 for his commitment to the society and metabolite annotation.
Bhavik Patel is a Professor of Clinical and Bioanalytical Chemistry at the University of Brighton. He completed his PhD in 2005 in Bioengineering at Imperial College London and shortly after secured an EPSRC Life Sciences Fellowship. He was appointed lecturer at the University of Brighton in 2010 and progressed to the ranks of Professor in 2019. He was awarded the GlaxoSmithKline Emerging Scientist Award in 2013 and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Science Award in 2015. In 2023, he was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Analytical Science mid-career Prize for the development of innovative electrochemical sensors for advancing the understanding of biological signalling processes. His research is focused on the development of tools and methods for the monitoring of biological signalling molecules that play key roles in influencing the central nervous system and periphery.
Chloe Miller is a 3rd year PhD student working on 3D-printed Electrochemical sensors for the detection of biological molecules in various biological systems, under the supervision of Professor Bhavik Patel. Her introduction into Electrochemical sensors occurred during a project in the final year of her bachelor's degree, studying falsified vitamin C tablets using voltammetry. Chloe graduated with a 1st class Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences degree from the University of Brighton in 2021. She then went onto achieve a commendation in her Pharmacology Masters in 2022 from Nottingham Trent University.
Dr. Rosse is Vice President at PIC Solution, Inc. and also serves as President at Arrival Discovery LLC. He is a distinguished scientist with expertise in medicinal & analytical chemistry, laboratory automation and computational sciences. Prior, he functioned in scientific and management positions with Dart NeuroScience, Cephalon, Sanofi and Hoffman-La Roche. During his >20 years industrial tenure, he led multidisciplinary teams and invented pre-clinical candidates for CNS, Inflammation, Metabolism, Oncology and Antibacterial Agents indications. Dr. Rosse’s career is also characterized by the implementation of intelligent laboratory automation platforms using Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC) for the manufacturing of small molecules. His current focus is on the development of novel instrumentation and methodologies for using CO2 in extraction, purification and formulation at research, pilot and industrial scale. He recently edited a 2-volume book on the applications of SFC in life sciences. Dr. Rosse received the Ph.D. degree in chemistry from the University of Basel in Switzerland and postdoctoral training at Stanford University.
Rosemary Perkins is a veterinary surgeon and research associate at the University of Sussex. She earned her PhD studying environmental emissions from pet parasiticides and has authored numerous publications on this topic, including research on waterway pollution from pet parasiticides through down-the-drain and swimming pathways. In addition to her research, she continues to practice as a small animal veterinarian. She is an active member of the Imperial College PREPP (Producing Rational Evidence for Parasiticide Prescription) group and VetSustain’s Pet Parasiticides working group.
Dr. Leon Barron leads the Emerging Chemical Contaminants team within the Environmental Research Group at Imperial. His research aims to further our understanding of the sources, risks and impacts existing, emerging and new chemical contaminants on environmental and public health. His projects have mainly focussed on pharmaceuticals, personal care products, illicit drugs, pesticides, 'forever chemicals' (PFAS), disinfectant by-products, security-related substances and industrial chemicals. His work spans across all environmental spheres (soil, water, air and biological materials).
A Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of Imperial College’s Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP). My work is interdisciplinary and has a theme of enhancing opportunity for increased ecological, social and economic sustainability in land-use transitions. This work currently across three domains, exploring consequences of the expansion of tree crops (e.g. viticulture & palm-crop in West Africa), of greenspace in cities and within the PREPP group considering environmental pesticide pollution.
First-year PhD student at Imperial College London in the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment working to understand the ecological impact of extracting minerals used in electric vehicle batteries to ensure the energy transition is environmentally and socially just.
Steven Wright studied at Southampton University and was awarded a PhD for studies of fundamental reactions occurring on single crystal surfaces in ultra-high vacuum. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral research in Berlin, Odense, Essen, and Liverpool where he continued to investigate fundamental reactions using mass spectrometry and laser-based techniques. Embarking on an industrial career path in 1999, he joined Applied Materials as a product development engineer and later, Microsaic Systems, where he developed the first commercial micro-engineered mass spectrometer, ultimately in the role of Chief Scientist. Steven has been Principal Scientist at Verdel Instruments since 2021and is currently developing a novel 2D mass spectrometry technique. He also holds a Visiting Researcher position at Imperial College, London.
Drew Szabo is a postdoctoral researcher in analytical chemistry, originally from Australia and currently based at the University of York, UK. Drew’s research focuses on the suspect and non-targeted screening of emerging contaminants using high-resolution mass spectrometry. Their work supports the identification of previously unknown or unmonitored chemicals in complex environmental samples, including water, sediment, and soil. Drew’s current project applies advanced computational tools to process and interpret large-scale chemical datasets. He is particularly interested in the integration of open-source software, machine learning, and mass spectrometry workflows to improve the detection and characterization of contaminants of emerging concern. Drew has collaborated with interdisciplinary teams across academic, regulatory, and environmental monitoring sectors. He is committed to making analytical science more transparent and accessible, and have contributed to training initiatives and international workshops focused on non-targeted analysis.
Jasmin Uhlhorn completed a BSc in Computer Science at Bremen University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and went on to earn an MSc in Artificial Intelligence from University of Aberdeen (UK). Following this, she transitioned into environmental sciences and is currently pursuing a PhD at Brunel University London (UK), where her research focuses on chemical pollution and toxicokinetics.
Dr. Saer Samanipour is an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam and a scientist at the Van ’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences. His research focuses on environmental modeling, computational mass spectrometry, and the development of data-driven methods for non-target chemical analysis and exposome mapping.
Karen E. Johnston is an Associate Professor in Inorganic Chemistry at Durham University. She obtained her PhD from the University of St Andrews. Following this she spent her postdoctoral years at the University of Windsor (Canada) and ALISTORE-ERI (Nantes, Cambridge). Her current research broadly spans the area of solid-state chemistry, focusing on the synthesis and structural characterisation of novel perovskite-based materials using a combination of powder diffraction (X-ray and neutron), solid-state NMR spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. Since her appointment in Durham in 2015, she has concentrated on the design and development of new solid electrolyte materials for all-solid-state batteries. In particular, her work has focused on probing local structural changes and assessing their influence on the observed physical properties, including the ionic conductivity. In parallel, she is also exploring polymer-based electrolytes, comparing their properties and performance relative to their ceramic counterparts.
Dara is a PhD researcher at the University of Surrey, UK. She commenced in October 2022, intending to develop an analytical method for pesticide analysis in complex matrices using extraction techniques alongside ambient ionisation mass spectrometry (AIMS). Before starting her PhD, she worked as a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) study director, managing projects relating to pesticide formulation stability trials. There, she developed an interest in the impact of pesticides on the environment and the ways to mitigate the effects. Dara is passionate about outreach and interested in pursuing a career in academia while being a science communicator to make science accessible. She volunteers as the PGR representative for the chemistry department's EDI committee. She was selected for the 2023/2024 cohort of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Broadening Horizons in the Chemical Sciences in her first year. Dara was on the planning committee for the University of Surrey's first race equity conference in June 2024. She has presented both posters and oral presentations on her work at various conferences during her first and second years to a wide range of audiences, including Solutions in Science (SinS 2023). She has facilitated multiple conference sessions, the most recent being the British Mass Spectrometry Society ambient ionisation special interest group (BMSS AI SIG) in February 2025, where she received positive feedback.
Dr. Richard Ladd, BSc, PhD, CChem, MRSC is a seasoned leader in analytical sciences with a distinguished career dedicated to advancing technology innovation across the pharmaceutical industry. Over a 30-year tenure at AstraZeneca, he held senior leadership roles spanning Discovery, Development, and Operations, with a strong focus on pharmaceutical and process chemistry. He played a pivotal role in the successful development and commercialization of three new drugs and led the global Analytical Sciences Research and Technology group. In this role, he was responsible for driving the evaluation and implementation of emerging analytical technologies across AstraZeneca’s international R&D sites.
Following his time at AstraZeneca, Dr. Ladd served as Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Business Operations at Waters Corporation, where he helped define and deliver strategic direction for the global pharmaceutical business.
Today, as an independent consultant, Richard remains passionate about enabling scientific progress through innovative analytical technologies. He works with leading organizations to accelerate the adoption of next-generation detection platforms that improve analytical performance and decision-making.
Dr. Ladd holds a BSc (Hons) in Applied Chemistry and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Manchester, UK. He is a Chartered Chemist and a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Nathanael Page is an Associate Scientific Director at Resolian, specializing in chromatography and mass spectrometry for the quantitation and characterization of trace impurities in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. With an MSc in Analytical Chemistry from Loughborough University, Nathanael has provided technical guidance for the quantitation and characterization of nitrosamines and other impurities in numerous pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Nathanael's research interests revolve around enhancing the sustainability of impurity quantitation and characterization methods.
Jelle Verdonck has degrees in Master of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Master of Safety Engineering. He is a PhD student at KU Leuven, Belgium. His PhD focuses on development of chromium speciation method and is part of the European project ‘Human Biomonitoring for Europe’ (HBM4EU). HBM4EU is a project that forms a bridge between science and policy by exploring current questions in chemical risk assessment. Therefore, new scientific data is generated which will support policy makers to protect human health. Additionally, the project aims to bridge the gap between science and society by informing general population.
Derryn Grant is a PhD student at Imperial College London, supervised by Dr Leon Barron. She has successfully developed an LC-MS method to quantify synthetic opioids in wastewater. Alongside this, she volunteers as a committee member of the Separation Science Interest Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Suvi Takala, Head of Unit – Chemistry, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Suvi Takala is Head of Unit of Chemistry, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), with over 20 years of experience in regulation of chemicals. At ECHA she has been involved from the early days in setting up the REACH processes, in particular on substance identification. She is currently leading the Chemistry unit that assesses the substance identification information under the REACH, CLP, PIC, POP and Biocides regulations and provides advice on chemistry, including on the analytical methods used for identifying substances. Before joining ECHA Suvi worked in the Finnish chemical industry on regulatory affairs and product stewardship. She holds a degree in Environmental Science and in Economics and Business Administration.
Patrick Mann is a Senior Analytical Scientist at CatSci, a pharmaceutical contract research organisation specialising in route scouting and process development. With a background in quantum dot synthesis for medical imaging, Patrick completed his PhD before taking up a role as Departmental Lecturer in Practical Chemistry at the University of Oxford. There, he developed undergraduate lab exercises, managed analytical instrumentation, and integrated computational chemistry and coding into the curriculum. At CatSci, he is currently leading the development of high-throughput experimentation capabilities, applying advanced chromatographic techniques and data processing workflows. Patrick’s work centres on leveraging AI, machine learning, and digital tools to enhance analytical efficiency and support chemists in modern pharmaceutical development.
Ruth is an Associate Professor at Swansea University with over 20 years’ experience in analytical science. Ruth undertakes innovation-led research focussing on analytical technologies and methods for medical/chemical analysis, with recent work concerning environmental medicine, VUV spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and sample preparation technology development. Her research supports the R&D of multinational companies, government agencies and SMEs, with collaborators that span analytical technology, waste management, and environmental regulators. Her innovation-led projects have secured financial support from industry, UKRI, EU and charities, and advanced commercial and/or regulatory services, expanded product applications and resulted in high impact publications.
Although I grew up in New Zealand, while completing my MChem at Edinburgh I ended up falling heads first into the Scotch Whisky industry, working part-time in whisky shops, running tastings, and eventually at a distillery. I completed my masters project on exchange at The University of Bologna, studying archaeological remains with spectroscopic techniques, and am excited to be able to combine my passions and experience of analytical chemistry and whisky with my PhD investigating peated flavours in scotch.
My name is Quang-Dong Bui, I am 3rd year PhD student in Vrije Universiteit Brussels under supervision of Professor Sebastiaan Eeltink
Ben is a Senior Research Fellow at UWE, Bristol and co-lead of of UWE's Biospheric Microplastics Research Cluster. He has 18 years of experience in environmental sampling, measurement, analysis and apportionment of air pollution and other airborne components. He worked as an environmental consultant for 5 years, developing and undertaking novel source apportionment investigations for industry and regulatory authorities, and between 2018 and 2020, was seconded into the Environment Agency (England) to aid in the development of the UK's next-generation air quality monitoring networks. Ben has worked on research projects for national and international research councils, national and local authorities and private organisations (as PI, Co-I and PDRA) and currently developing methods for capturing and characterising microplastics in the troposphere and methods to capture and analyse airborne DNA for conservation purposes Ben sits on the Committee of the International Network of Environmental Forensics and on the Editorial Board of the Cambridge University Press Journal, Prisms: Plastics. Ben has also been an ad-hoc member of Defra's Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG).
1995 PhD from Cornell University, Ithaca NY, USA mentor: Prof. Fred W. McLafferty
1997-1999 Postdoc FOM-AMOLF Amsterdam, The Netherlands, PI: Prof. Jaap boon and co-I: Prof. Ron Heeren
1999-2001 Research Scientist, Ionspec, Irvine, CA, USA.
2001-2009 Assistant and Associate Professor of Biochemistry Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA, PI: Prof. Catherine Costello
2009-current, Professor of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
Dr David Megson is currently a Reader in Chemistry and Environmental Forensics at Manchester Metropolitan University (UK). He also works on pollution litigation cases as a Senior Environmental Consultant at Chemistry Matters (Canada).
Dr Megson investigates sources of legacy and emerging persistent organic pollutants and monitors them in the environment using advanced analytical techniques including multidimensional chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Much of Dr Megson’s research has an environmental forensics aspect which involves identifying the sources of contamination, transport pathways and the magnitude of pollutant exposure. As a recognised international expert in this area Dr Megson regularly contributes to expert witness reports for large (>$100 million) litigation cases involving environmental pollution in North America. His current research group includes 6 PhD students and 2 post-doctoral researchers. He has attracted >£4.5 million of research funding since his appointment as a lecturer in 2016.
Dr Megson is currently Chair of the International Network of Environmental Forensics (INEF) and sits on committees for the Royal Society of Chemistry (ESEC), British Mass Spectrometry Society (EFASIG), Northwest Brownfield Regeneration Forum (NWBRF), British Standards Institution (BSI) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). He has a H-index of 24, i10 index of 37 and his work has received over 1000 citations. He has organised 10 international conferences, published >60 peer reviewed manuscripts, 4 book chapters and acted as editor for 8 books and journal special issues.
Santiago Domínguez, President of SciY and President of the Software Division at Bruker BioSpin, is a seasoned executive with 27 years of experience in general management, sales, and marketing. With a passion for technology, startups, and innovation, Santiago's leadership at SciY focuses on advancing the life sciences and biotech sectors by fostering collaboration and entrepreneurship. His work with SciY aligns with his mission to support impactful startups, particularly in biopharma, diagnostics, and FoodTec, while addressing global challenges such as climate change and food security. At Bruker BioSpin, Santiago leads the Integrated Data Solutions division, where his goal is to deliver cutting-edge software solutions that accelerate research and innovation across various industries, from healthcare to chemicals. His customer-centric approach is coupled with a strategic focus on financial sustainability and long-term growth. Santiago is deeply committed to transforming Galicia’s biotech ecosystem, aiming to create 30,000 jobs by 2030 by leveraging local research and fostering innovation in the region. Through his role at SciY and Bruker, Santiago blends his experience in venture capital and technology with a vision to democratize opportunities, support underrepresented regions, and ensure that innovative ideas can scale globally, ultimately improving lives around the world.
Ralph Adams is Head of NMR Spectroscopy in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Manchester, where he leads research in NMR methods development and its application to chemistry, biochemistry, and medicine. His work focuses on designing novel pulse sequences and software tools that enhance the chemical information extractable from NMR spectra. Ralph studied Chemistry at the University of York and completed a Ph.D. on hyperpolarised magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under the supervision of Prof. Simon Duckett and Prof. Gary Green. He competed postdoctoral research in the areas of SABRE and MAD NMR before joining the University of Manchester NMR facility team in 2010. As part of his current role, Ralph collaborates widely across the natural sciences, providing researchers with access to advanced analysis tools to address diverse scientific challenges.
Ivan Ssensamba is a distinguished professional with a Bachelor of Engineering in Telecommunication from Kyambogo University, Uganda. As Operations Director at Precise Data Traffic Technologies Ltd., he leverages his expertise in intelligent transportation systems (ITS), traffic impact studies, highway design, automation, and process optimization to drive innovative solutions. Ivan spearheads specialized training in traffic data analysis and has been instrumental in advancing technology-driven projects, including the introduction of Automated Traffic Counts (ATC) during his tenure at the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), where he began collaborating with colleague Dr. Chris. A passionate environmental activist, Ivan integrates his extensive knowledge of technological innovations to address environmental challenges, notably leading community-driven research on methane emissions in Uganda’s Albertine Graben, aligning cutting-edge technology with sustainable development goals.
Mark Barrow is a Reader (Associate Professor) within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick. His PhD entailed the usage of mass spectrometry to study pure and derivatized fullerenes, while his current research focuses upon the application of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS) for the characterization of complex mixtures, especially those related to the environment and to sustainable energy. This includes development of experimental approaches and of advanced data processing algorithms. The laboratory at the University of Warwick is home to two FTICR mass spectrometers, one with a 12 T magnet and the newest addition has a 15 T magnet. Mark was amongst the earliest researchers in the relatively new field of “petroleomics” and his research interests cover a wide range of types of sample, including fuels, bio-fuels, bio-oils produced from pyrolysis of biomass, environmental samples, and archaeological samples. His environmental collaborations include Environment and Climate Change Canada, particularly for the investigation of the impact of the oil sands industry in Canada, and the British Geological Survey. Such samples include industrial process waters, ground water, surface water, sediment cores, and more. Mark is a trustee and elected member of the executive committee of the British Mass Spectrometry Society (BMSS), previously holding the post of Education Officer and is now the General Secretary.
Julie Herniman is a Research Technical Professional (RTP) and facility manager at the University of Southampton. She is responsible for the multi-user chromatography and mass spectrometry facilities within the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Her research primarily focuses on the coupling of mass spectrometry to various forms of chromatography (GC, LC and SFC) to address problems in areas such as petrochemistry and renewable fuels, agrochemicals and formulated products and polymeric excipients. Owen Hewitt has just completed a 2-year Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship working with the EPSRC funded National Crystallography Service on X-ray and electron diffraction.
Chris is a Technical Specialist and Director of the Warwick Analytical Science Centre at the University of Warwick, and a Co-Investigator on the EPSRC-funded TSN ROKS project
Dr. Mansoor Saeed, Senior Technical Expert a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, brings over 30 years of expertise in analytical sciences, bioanalysis, mass spectrometry, and separation science to his role at Syngenta Group, which he joined in 2002. With a PhD in Chiral Bioanalysis and extensive experience from positions at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist and Smithers ESG, he currently leads critical research using liquid chromatography and ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry to identify molecules of interest in research and development. As a member of the Syngenta's Global Product Metabolism & Analytical Sciences group, he acts as a technical lead in metabolite identification developing innovative analytical methods and collaborating with specialists in NMR, spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography to support compound registration to address analytical challenges across the organization.
I am a passionate pharmaceutical analysis leader and Separation Science expert. My career profile is rather unique as it has combined both academic (separation / analytical science research and teaching) and industrial experience (most recently Pfizer as global Analytical Technology & External Strategic Innovation Lead). This has helped me to develop leading edge understanding of trends in analytical and pharmaceutical science as well as the evolving industrial landscape and opportunities. I have been honoured to have been named in numerous Analytical Science Power Lists and in a past Top 30 Women Leaders in European Healthcare (Pharmaceutical Market Europe). I am motivated by learning, and enjoy catalysing impactful analytical innovation partnerships including the successful and growing Community for Analytical Science (CAMS) in the UK and Ireland (which has launched over 60 projects including academic chairs, lectureships, postdoctoral fellowships and PhD research projects). In 2024 I re-joined academia in Ireland at UCC as the Futures Pharmaceuticals Chair of Analytical Chemistry and am working hard on re-establishing my academic career, research group and funding. I am open to ideas about new collaborations and projects -so please come and chat with me.
Lewis is the Facility & Research Director at Analytical Services International, based at St Georges, University of London. His role involves overseeing the development, implementation, and routine analysis of biological samples for TDM, forensic and clinical toxicology, and for the support of clinical trials. Lewis completed his BSc degree at Loughborough University, his MSc and Clinical Scientist Training courses at Queen Mary University of London and King’s College Hospital, and his PhD at the University of Leicester. Additionally, Lewis is a committee member of the Royal Society of Chemistry Separation Science Group, Treasurer for the London Biological Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group, a member of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists and The International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology, and the previous Chair of the London Toxicology Group.
