Meet the team
David Westhead
Principle Investigator, University of Leeds
David Westhead is leading the project and has a strong interest in the development of careers in biomedical data science.
David Westhead is leading the project and has a strong interest in the development of careers in biomedical data science.
Alastair Droop
Co-Lead, University of York
Dr Droop is the head of the Data Science group within the Bioscience Technology Facility at York. He has extensive experience working in support bioinformatics. He and his team provide data science and bioinformatics support to a wide range of clients both within Academia and the private sector.
Dr Droop is the head of the Data Science group within the Bioscience Technology Facility at York. He has extensive experience working in support bioinformatics. He and his team provide data science and bioinformatics support to a wide range of clients both within Academia and the private sector.
Claudio Angione
Co-Lead, University of Teeside
Professor Angione works at the intersection of artificial intelligence, mathematics and biomedicine. Research topics include biological mechanism-aware AI, biomedical modelling and optimisation, and multi-omics data integration.
Professor Angione works at the intersection of artificial intelligence, mathematics and biomedicine. Research topics include biological mechanism-aware AI, biomedical modelling and optimisation, and multi-omics data integration.
Jess Shilton
Research, University of Leeds
Jess is a qualified and experienced career practitioner. Having previously completed funded research investigating student and graduate career trajectories, she is now conducting the research for the PROMOTE project, as well as establishing its mentoring scheme and intersectoral exchange activity.
Jess is a qualified and experienced career practitioner. Having previously completed funded research investigating student and graduate career trajectories, she is now conducting the research for the PROMOTE project, as well as establishing its mentoring scheme and intersectoral exchange activity.
Kim Wright
LIDA Business Operations Coordinator, University of Leeds
Kim is the Business Operations Coordinator for LIDA- a pan-Faculty institute supporting Data Science and AI at the University of Leeds- where she has been for almost 10 years. She will be working with the team on the PROMOTE project to ensure smooth running business operations and administrative support.
Kim is the Business Operations Coordinator for LIDA- a pan-Faculty institute supporting Data Science and AI at the University of Leeds- where she has been for almost 10 years. She will be working with the team on the PROMOTE project to ensure smooth running business operations and administrative support.
Kylie Norman
Data Scientist Development Programme Manager, University of Leeds
Kylie is Manager of LIDA's Data Scientist Development Programme, having developed its in-house mentoring service. She is CMI L5 coaching certified and is advising on mentoring development.
Kylie is Manager of LIDA's Data Scientist Development Programme, having developed its in-house mentoring service. She is CMI L5 coaching certified and is advising on mentoring development.
Luisa Cutillo
Co-Lead, University of Leeds
Luisa combines a background in maths, statistics, and bioinformatics with strong mentoring experience to support researchers’ career growth.
Luisa combines a background in maths, statistics, and bioinformatics with strong mentoring experience to support researchers’ career growth.
Mark Iles
Co-Lead, University of Leeds
Mark has been conducting research in the field of statistics/genetic epidemiology for almost 30 years and has been very involved in postgraduate teaching of data science.
Mark has been conducting research in the field of statistics/genetic epidemiology for almost 30 years and has been very involved in postgraduate teaching of data science.
Marlous Hall
Co-Lead, University of Leeds
Having navigated her way through academia to forge an independent research career as Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Marlous is keen to tackle the barriers to leadership which continue to face biomedical data scientists.
Having navigated her way through academia to forge an independent research career as Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Marlous is keen to tackle the barriers to leadership which continue to face biomedical data scientists.
Samuel Relton
Co-Lead, University of Leeds
Sam is an Associate Professor in Health Data Science coming from a mathematics background and interested in research using GP and hospital records.
Sam is an Associate Professor in Health Data Science coming from a mathematics background and interested in research using GP and hospital records.
Simon Cockell
Co-Lead, University of Newcastle
Simon Cockell has worked in bioinformatics at Newcastle University in a range of capacities for 20 years – starting as an analyst in a research support service, to running this service for 9 years and now as an academic with responsibility for increasing the data science components of the biomedical science curriculum.
Simon Cockell has worked in bioinformatics at Newcastle University in a range of capacities for 20 years – starting as an analyst in a research support service, to running this service for 9 years and now as an academic with responsibility for increasing the data science components of the biomedical science curriculum.
Suparna Mitra
Co-Lead, University of Leeds
Suparna is an experienced investigator for multiple medical projects involving Metagenomics, Statistics and Bioinformatics. Interdisciplinary collaboration is central to her research, which explores the complex interactions between the gut microbiome, antibiotic resistance, and environmental factors.
Suparna is an experienced investigator for multiple medical projects involving Metagenomics, Statistics and Bioinformatics. Interdisciplinary collaboration is central to her research, which explores the complex interactions between the gut microbiome, antibiotic resistance, and environmental factors.