Team

Meet the Team

  • Prof. Tom Solomon CBE

    Director of The Pandemic Institute

    Professor Tom Solomon CBE has been working on emerging infections of pandemic potential for nearly thirty years, with research programmes in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the UK.

    He is Professor of Neurological Science and Head of the Brain Infections Group at the University of Liverpool. He trained in medicine in Oxford, did his PhD in Vietnam, and completed post-doctoral research in the United States. He was Director of the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Infection and Global Health (2010-17). In 2014 Tom was made founding Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, which was heavily involved in the UK response to Ebola, Zika, Covid-19 and now monkeypox. He is an NIHR Senior Investigator, Academic Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians, and Vice President (International) of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

    Tom appears regularly in the media discussing emerging infections, hosts the Scouse Science Podcast and tweets @RunningMadProf.

  • Reyhaneh Dobbash

    Trainee Business Development Officer

    Rey joined the team in October 2023 after completing her MRES in Advanced Biological Sciences, specializing in Immunology. With a BSc in Biological and Medical Sciences from the University of Liverpool, and having experienced the challenges of the Covid-19 Pandemic during her undergraduate studies, she is eager to contribute to infectious disease prevention. Her role involves identifying funding opportunities, cultivating partnerships, and leveraging strategic alliances to advance the institute’s initiatives in pandemic research and preparedness.

  • Sara Donovan

    Operations & Finance Manager

    Sara has a proven track record in high-level programme coordination, with responsibility for operational and financial management. She has over 17 years’ experience in the delivery of major projects funded by UKAid (DFID/FCDO), GSK, and BMGF in partnership with government and non-governmental bodies across UK, Asia and Africa. Sara has experience of collaborating with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to deliver against demanding deadlines.

    Sara’s previous role was on the programme management team for the Ascend West and Central Africa programme, where she was responsible for the financial management and reporting of a 3 year, £18M milestone-based contract, funded by FCDO UKAid and managed by four leading development organisations: LSTM, Sightsavers International, The Schistosomiasis Control Initiative Foundation, and Mott MacDonald.

  • Dr Becky Glennon-Alty

    Communications Manager

    Since completing her Zoology-based PhD in 2009, Becky has largely worked in science communications and public engagement roles, and is passionate about breaking down barriers and making scientific research accessible to all. She has worked specifically in the field of infectious diseases communication and engagement for almost 10 years, and is an experienced events manager.

  • Dr Caryn Hughes

    Partnerships and Innovation Lead

    Prior to joining The Pandemic Institute, Caryn was Manager of the Doctoral Training Hub at the University of Glasgow, leading a multi-institutional team responsible for providing end-to-end management and administration for numerous UKRI-funded Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs). At this time, Caryn also served as Coordinator for the CDT in Future Ultrasonic Engineering in partnership with Strathclyde University. Before this, Caryn worked as a Business Development Manager for an EPSRC and SFI CDT between the University of Glasgow, Queen’s University Belfast and the Irish Photonic Integration Centre.

    Caryn’s former research background was based on spectral pathology for disease-state diagnostics, working as a PhD student and Research Associate at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, the Analytical and Medical Vibrational Spectroscopy Group at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, and as a Visiting Researcher at the Spectral Analytics Laboratory at the University of Strathclyde.

  • Sarah Martindale

    Programme Manager

    Sarah completed her MSc in Molecular Biology of Parasites and Disease Vectors at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) in 2013 where, as part of her research project, she investigated the physical, social and economic impact of lymphatic filariasis on communities in Malawi. In 2014, she joined the Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases (CNTD) at LSTM as a Programme Manager.

    Her key areas of expertise include programme design, oversight and monitoring of programme implementation and cross-sectoral collaboration. Sarah has a strong track record building partnerships between stakeholders, including collaborating with national governments and local experts in complex multicultural environments across Africa.

  • Dr Shona Moore

    Senior Programme Manager, Institute of infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences

    Shona is a senior programme manager within the Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences where she manages a busy multi-disciplinary global health research programme. She is an experienced pandemic scientist and worked at the forefront of the COVID19 response managing Liverpool Outbreak Laboratory’s containment level 3 operations.

  • Rebecca Spencer

    UK Pandemic Sciences Network Coordinator

    Rebecca joined the TPI team as the UK Pandemic Sciences Network Coordinator in August 2024 and also works part-time as a Research Project Administrator for the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool. She has previously held various roles within the University, including UK ChiMES Data Manager and ISARIC4C Project Administrator, supporting CCP and PHOSP-Covid studies through managing study consent and sample notification forms, co-ordinating patient questionnaires and sample logistics, amending and submitting study documents for ethical approval, writing SOPs and working instructions, liaising with academics, lab teams and hospital sites, as well as working as PA to Professor Calum Semple. Rebecca also has previous experience working as a Clinical Systems Analyst and working within the NHS providing administrative support. She has a master’s degree in Biotechnology Law & Ethics from the University of Sheffield, where she studied modules relating to clinical trials and pharmaceutical development, patent law, medical ethics and regulation of healthcare.

  • Catherine Turner

    Project Co-ordinator

    Cat has largely worked in administrative roles since graduating from the University of Liverpool in 2015, having studied Combined Honours in German and Psychology (BA).  Prior to joining us, Cat was working as an Operations Support Administrator in the School of the Arts at UoL, providing administrative support to the Music department. She has also worked in both patient-facing and back office roles in the NHS as a member of LUHFT, working in teams including Learning and Development and Organisational Development among others. Cat’s responsibilities as Project Co-ordinator include managing the team’s purchases and travel requests, servicing committees such as the TPI Steering Group, and managing record keeping for the team.

Our Steering Group

  • Professor David Sweeney
    TPI Steering Group Chair

    Professor David Sweeney was Executive Chair of Research England for five years, and Director for Research, Innovation and Skills in the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for ten years, working collaboratively with other UK higher education funding bodies to oversee the first Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise. Currently, he is the Professor of Research Policy at the University of Birmingham.

  • Professor Louise Kenny
    University of Liverpool

    Professor Louise Kenny is the Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool; she is also a founding Director of the Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research, which is funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), and was until December 2017 Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Cork University Maternity Hospital, where she worked as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist from 2006-2018.

  • Professor David Lalloo
    Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

    Professor David Lalloo is the Director of School of Tropical Medicine and a clinical academic in Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with a particular interest in clinical trials and epidemiological studies in LMICs. He chaired the DHSC COVID-19 Prophylaxis Oversight group and was an advisor to a number of DHSC, FCDO/DfID, NIHR and NICE COVID-19 groups. He currently chairs the NIHR Global Health Advisory Group, has been a member of the Medical Research Council Global Health group for over 10 years and was previously a member of SAGE for Ebola and Zika.

  • Professor Raphaela Kane
    Liverpool John Moores University

    Professor Raphaela Kane is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Health at Liverpool John Moores University, with a clinical background specialising in Accident and Emergency nursing in both the UK and Ireland. Professor Kane has enjoyed an extensive clinical and senior management career in the NHS in London for 15 years, undertaking further studies in nursing and education.

  • Dr Jim Gardner
    Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    Dr Jim Gardner joined LUHFT as Chief Medical Officer in June 2022. Across a career of over 30 years, Jim has undertaken senior leadership roles spanning primary and secondary care, the private sector, charitable sector and academia. Having studied medicine at Cambridge University and King’s College London, Jim undertook a series of clinical roles across England and Australia before becoming a GP Partner in a high performing practice in Cumbria.

  • Colin Sinclair
    KQ Liverpool

    Colin is the CEO of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool), which is transforming almost half of Liverpool City Centre into a world-leading innovation district. Colin has recently taken up the dual role of CEO of Sciontec Liverpool, a new development company that has been created to bring new investment to the city regions science and tech business facilities, whilst creating a world-leading innovation ecosystem to help commercialise research and grow innovation-led companies.

  • Professor Matt Ashton
    Liverpool City Council

    Professor Matt Ashton was appointed as the Director of Public Health in Liverpool City Council in April 2020, in a joint appointment with the University of Liverpool, where he received his honorary professorship within the Department of Public Health and Policy. Matt is also the lead Director of Public Health for the Liverpool City Region Violence Reduction Partnership, and for Food Active, a healthy weight programme delivered by the Health Equalities Group, and commissioned by local authority public health teams, NHS organisations, and Public Health England teams at both regional and national level.

  • Adrian Nolan
    Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

    Adrian Nolan has extensive experience in the design and management of economic/social research and policy development, and has been working in economic development and regeneration for fifteen years, having held a number of roles in consultancy and policy environments. His key areas of expertise are in policy development and analysis, evaluation, economic/social assessments, appraisals, housing and business, and industry research.