At CRL Portishead we work on a range of immunology focused projects to drive drug discovery through preclinical development. In my role as a Research Leader in the Innovation Team I help develop our bespoke assays, expanding upon complexity and ensuring reproducibility in our systems. I have particular expertise in the assessment of cellular immunity with T cells, NK cells, B cells and DCs, utilising genetic modifications or immunotherapeutics to understand mechanisms of action or translational efficacy in IO, autoimmunity and infection models. My PhD at the University of Southampton focused on the genetic manipulation of CD8 T cells to improve adoptive-transfer therapy against cancer. Here, knockdowns were utilised to lift inhibitory TCR signals and improve the T cell cytotoxicity in preclinical models.