Board of Trustees

Bradley is a Reader in Ageing Physiology at the University of Westminster. His research interests focus on understanding losses in human muscle and metabolic function with ageing, with particular focus on the endocrine signatures of biological ageing. He Joined the board of trustees in 2021, and from 2022-2026 led on communications and outreach. In September 2026 he was elected Chair of the BSRA.

James is a Senior Lecturer in the Medical School at Swansea University. His
research focuses on the biological mechanisms of ageing and uses the African
Turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) as a model of organismal ageing. His
laboratory is characterising the natural neurodegeneration found in killifish as a
model for understanding how neurodegenerative diseases occur in people. James
has been a BSRA member since the beginning of 2024 and Honorary General
Secretary since September 2024.

Laura is a Lecturer in Healthcare and Research Associate at the University of Exeter. Joining the Board of Trustees in 2026 as an early career researcher, she wants to improve the experiences of the BSRA’s junior academic members. Her research focuses on the molecular basis of ageing and how this intersects with obesity and sex differences. She has been a member of the BSRA since 2023 and was recipient of a BSRA Travel Award in 2025.

Paul is a Reader in Biomedical Sciences at Oxford Brookes University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. His research focuses on the pathogenesis of chronic and age-related disease, and how to improve modelling of disease. He established and ran the MRC Harwell ageing screen and was a member of the management group of the MouseAGE COST action and the ShARM ageing biobank initiative.

Jon is group leader and head of knowledge exchange and commercialisation at the Babraham Institute. His work studies the mechanisms by which cells adapt to new environments, and the connections between adaptation and ageing.

Ghada Alsaleh trained as a pharmacist before completing her MSc and PhD at the University of Strasbourg. She joined the University of Oxford in 2017 as a postdoctoral researcher and, in 2021, established her independent research group at the Botnar Research Centre with support from Arthritis UK.

Her research focuses on how autophagy regulates biological ageing and age-related diseases. More recently, she founded the UK’s first Space Innovation Lab, investigating how microgravity affects ageing to improve our understanding of human physiology and develop strategies to promote healthy ageing on Earth and during future space missions.

Jonathan is an Early Career Post-Doctoral researcher in the Department of Inflammation and Ageing at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on the hallmarks of ageing and their relationship to resilience in an ageing population. He has a particular interest in the ageing immune system and its relationship to bone homeostasis

Diana is a scientist and consultant with a PhD in Molecular Genetics from
University of Glasgow, where she explored how ageing, the gut microbiome
and hormones interact to shape our health. In her consulting work, she’s
passionate about turning cutting-edge research into real-world solutions. In
her work with Kirkstall, Diana is committed to advancing preclinical
research by promoting the use of in vitro models to replace animal testing –
driving efficiency, reducing costs, and improving ethical standards. She
believes these technologies are key to unlocking personalized medicine
and delivering treatments that truly work for patients.

David is a Professor at Durham University. His research focuses on ageing in the nematode worm C. elegans. He discovered mutations in bacteria that slow C. elegans ageing by altering bacterial metabolism. He co-founded Magnitude Biosciences, which provides research services in C. elegans to companies across the world. A BSRA Trustee from 2014-2019, he was also Chair of the society from 2022 to 2026, and now acts in an Emeritus Chair and advisor role and also trustee for  Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships.

Babis is a Reader in Genetics, Genomics and Fundamental Cell Biology and Director of Industrial Innovation at Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences.

His research focuses on gene and protein networks implicated in cellular fitness and metabolism with a focus on nutrient-responsive signalling pathways.

Merlin is a research scientist at SENISCA Ltd, specialising in preclinical geroscience, cellular senescence, and the development of innovative RNA-based therapeutics targeting the fundamental mechanisms of ageing. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Exeter, where his doctoral research focused on immunosenescence. Alongside his work in translational biogerontology, Merlin maintains a strong interest in developing advanced platforms for assessing cellular senescence utilising novel approaches. Furthermore, he is an active advocate for the modernisation of preclinical research, championing animal-free methodologies and sustainability within the biotechnology sector to drive ethical, human-relevant discovery forward.

Stephen is an experienced communications specialist whose career spans the research, healthcare, and pharmaceutical sectors. Having held both agency and in-house roles, he is driven by a passion for making science and medical advances accessible to all. Stephen holds an MA in Psychology from the University of St Andrews. Joining as a Trustee, he will leverage his expertise to champion the BRSA’s impact on research into ageing, advocating for patients, donors, and the wider scientific community.

Ian is a semi-retired Business Consultant who studied chemistry and biochemistry at Aston University but spent most of his career in commercial sales, marketing, and business consultancy.  He has a longstanding interest in the biology of ageing and actively participates in the 1000 Elders Group at Birmingham University, taking part in studies led by doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers. Ian is also a non-executive director of several small businesses and serves on the Executive Committee and as a Trustee of the Sutton Coldfield u3a one of the UK’s largest regional u3a branches, with over 1,300 members.