From bench to patient bedside: I’m back fulfilling my passion working towards improvements in healthcare and disease prevention.

Molecular Geneticist Victoria is returning to her research career with a Daphne Jackson Fellowship, sponsored by the Medical Research Council and Imperial College London, where she is carrying out her research.

Victoria took a three-year career break in 2017 when she chose to focus on her family and their needs. Prior to her career break, Victoria built up eight years of research experience from working in a molecular biology research laboratory at the same university hospital where she studied for her PhD at the University of Lagos. After submitting her PhD thesis, Victoria moved to join her family in London in October 2017.

“My interest in the biological sciences started from school and stemmed from watching science programs on TV which exposed me to numerous applications of DNA analysis in scientific research, healthcare, medicine and forensic investigation. It led me to study cell biology and genetics at the University of Lagos, Nigeria and it was my passion for research which made me continue with academic studies toward obtaining a Ph.D. in the same discipline.”

A molecular biology and genetics specialist, Victoria’s research interests lie in the study of factors that influence genetic variations, diseases, mutations and heredity. Her current research project is focused on the use of molecular genetics tools for monitoring patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), with the potential to answer questions posed by the development of haematological malignancies.

“I’m hugely excited to be given a Daphne Jackson Fellowship which has given me the chance to re-train and obtain valuable experience within a world leading UK research facility, Imperial College London. It is my hope that this opportunity will be the start of a lifelong journey of ground-breaking scientific discoveries that ultimately will contribute to the improvement of healthcare and disease prevention.”

• Three-year Fellowship started in 2020
• Fellowship hosted by Imperial College London
• Fellowship sponsored by Medical Research Council (MRC) and Imperial College London
• Supervisor: Prof. Jane Apperley
• Project title: Development of digital PCR and next generation sequencing for monitoring patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).