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Blizard Institute - Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

Our team

We are a vibrant community of researchers, clinicians, and students from across Queen Mary Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and Barts Health NHS Trust. Our lab groups are based at the Barts Cancer Institute, the Blizard Institute at Whitechapel and the William Harvey Institute at Charterhouse Square. We host regular joint lab meetings fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for early-career scientists in advancing their careers.

Our core team is led by Professor William Alazawi, Professor Dunja Aksentijevic, Dr Katiuscia Bianchi, Professor Li Chan, and Professor Sian Henson. Zafira Salam is our programme manager.

Will AlazawiProfessor William Alazawi

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Professor of Hepatology, Director of Research at the Blizard Institute

Dunja AksentijevicDr Dunja Aksentijevic

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Reader in Cardiovascular Physiology and Metabolism, Wellcome Trust Career Re-Entry Fellow, Director of Education at William Harvey Research Institute

Katiuscia BianchiDr Katiuscia Bianchi

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Reader in Cell Biology, Group Leader at the Barts Cancer Institute

Li ChanProfessor Li Chan

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Professor of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology

Sian HensonProfessor Sian Henson

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Professor of Immunology

Professor Will Alazawi

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Professor of Hepatology, Director of Research at the Blizard Institute. His research within the network focuses on Steatotic Liver Disease.

Dr Dunja Aksentijevic

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Reader in Cardiovascular Physiology and Metabolism, Wellcome Trust Career Re-Entry Fellow, Director of Education at William Harvey Research Institute. Her research within the network focuses on metabolic mechanisms and dysfunction in diseases.

Dr Katiuscia Bianchi

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Reader in Cell Biology, Group Leader at the Barts Cancer Institute. Her research within the network focuses on cellular metabolism in the increased risk of breast cancer in obesity.

Professor Li Chan

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Professor of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology. Her research within the network focuses on how hormones and genes affect weight in children.

Professor Sian Henson

Co-Lead Barts Metabolism Network, Professor of Immunology. Her research within the network focuses on metabolic changes to T cells in Type 2 Diabetes.

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