Claire Seedhouse
Dr Claire Seedhouse is an Associate Professor in haemato-oncology and group leader, whose research focuses on mechanisms of drug action and resistance in blood cancers, including acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), multiple myeloma and lymphoma.
Claire studied for her PhD at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Manchester, where she developed an interest in DNA damage and repair. This interest was furthered during her post-doctoral positions and a fellowship at the University of Nottingham, and extended into mechanisms of drug resistance when she was appointed as the Skillington Haematology Lecturer.
Outside of work Claire can often be found watching cricket, from grassroots games to international tours. Her favourite tipple is champagne. She is also a lifelong Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter!
Claire studied for her PhD at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Manchester, where she developed an interest in DNA damage and repair. This interest was furthered during her post-doctoral positions and a fellowship at the University of Nottingham, and extended into mechanisms of drug resistance when she was appointed as the Skillington Haematology Lecturer.
Outside of work Claire can often be found watching cricket, from grassroots games to international tours. Her favourite tipple is champagne. She is also a lifelong Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter!
Martin Grundy
Dr Martin Grundy is a Research Fellow currently investigating how the subcellular localisation of mutated NPM1 contributes to Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.
Martin gained his PhD at the University of Nottingham studying the activity of the aurora kinase B inhibitor Barasertib in AML. His research has focused on improving treatment options for AML patients, including work on the AML 14 and 15 clinical trials, multi-drug resistance and BH3 profiling. He has expertise in flow cytometry, western blotting, cell culture, confocal microscopy and live imaging.
Outside of the lab, he loves spending time with his wife and children, supporting Derby County, running, cooking and playing poker.
Martin gained his PhD at the University of Nottingham studying the activity of the aurora kinase B inhibitor Barasertib in AML. His research has focused on improving treatment options for AML patients, including work on the AML 14 and 15 clinical trials, multi-drug resistance and BH3 profiling. He has expertise in flow cytometry, western blotting, cell culture, confocal microscopy and live imaging.
Outside of the lab, he loves spending time with his wife and children, supporting Derby County, running, cooking and playing poker.
Alice Worker
Dr Alice Worker is a Research Fellow in the Seedhouse lab researching chromosome 1q abnormalities and Cks1b in multiple myeloma. She is investigating the role Cks1b, a small cell cycle protein overexpressed in 40–50% of multiple myeloma cases, plays in disease progression and aggression, and studying it as a potential driver of drug resistance. Her work involves cell culture, bone marrow and blood sample processing, patient cell culture, qPCR, Western blotting and flow cytometry.
Alice completed her PhD here, and before that studied a BSc in Biomedical Science and an MRes in Cancer Sciences at the University of Birmingham, supervised by Dr Sophie Kellaway and Professor Constanze Bonifer.
When she’s not caring for her cells in the lab, Alice enjoys reading science fiction, fantasy and crime novels, and drafting her own future novel — often with a gin and tonic in hand.
Alice completed her PhD here, and before that studied a BSc in Biomedical Science and an MRes in Cancer Sciences at the University of Birmingham, supervised by Dr Sophie Kellaway and Professor Constanze Bonifer.
When she’s not caring for her cells in the lab, Alice enjoys reading science fiction, fantasy and crime novels, and drafting her own future novel — often with a gin and tonic in hand.
Alex Thompson
Prof Alex Thompson is a Professor of Blood Cancer and Stem Cells and group leader with a focus on blood cancer and haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), with an established interest in developmental genes — primarily HOX genes — in normal and malignant blood cell formation.
Alex obtained a PhD in Biochemistry from Boston University Medical School under Prof. Katya Ravid, then established his own research group at Queen’s University Belfast with Prof. Terry Lappin, focused on HOX in normal and malignant haematopoiesis. He spent three years as a visiting scientist with Dr Guy Sauvageau in Montréal, identifying key regulators of HSC function, before returning to Belfast to identify candidate FDA-approved drugs for repurposing in AML, including Salinomycin, and develop 3D models of the leukaemic bone marrow niche.
Outside the lab, Alex may be found on a golf course, supporting Man Utd, or making cocktails for family and friends in his converted garage.
Alex obtained a PhD in Biochemistry from Boston University Medical School under Prof. Katya Ravid, then established his own research group at Queen’s University Belfast with Prof. Terry Lappin, focused on HOX in normal and malignant haematopoiesis. He spent three years as a visiting scientist with Dr Guy Sauvageau in Montréal, identifying key regulators of HSC function, before returning to Belfast to identify candidate FDA-approved drugs for repurposing in AML, including Salinomycin, and develop 3D models of the leukaemic bone marrow niche.
Outside the lab, Alex may be found on a golf course, supporting Man Utd, or making cocktails for family and friends in his converted garage.
Harry Jenkins
Dr Harry Jenkins is a Research Fellow evaluating candidate drugs for potential repurposing in childhood Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). His research is moving towards patient-derived iPSC models of childhood therapy-related leukaemias.
Harry attained his PhD at the University of Nottingham investigating immunomodulation by H. pylori and how infection may protect against multiple sclerosis via central nervous system remyelination. He has expertise in flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, stem cell differentiation, in vivo disease models, RT-qPCR and cell viability assays.
When not at work, Harry enjoys cooking, follows Nottingham Forest, and enjoys a rum.
Harry attained his PhD at the University of Nottingham investigating immunomodulation by H. pylori and how infection may protect against multiple sclerosis via central nervous system remyelination. He has expertise in flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, stem cell differentiation, in vivo disease models, RT-qPCR and cell viability assays.
When not at work, Harry enjoys cooking, follows Nottingham Forest, and enjoys a rum.
Sophie Kellaway
Dr Sophie Kellaway is an Assistant Professor in Cancer Sciences and group leader researching gene regulation and signalling in acute myeloid leukaemia. Her goal is to enable precision haematology approaches to improve AML outcomes, particularly preventing relapse, using next generation sequencing and bioinformatics (RNA-seq, scRNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq).
Sophie gained her PhD at the University of Manchester studying stem cells as a model for congenital hyperinsulinism, then worked as a post-doctoral fellow with Constanze Bonifer and Peter Cockerill at the University of Birmingham. She was awarded a Leukaemia UK John Goldman fellowship to set up her lab at Nottingham.
Outside of the lab Sophie is usually found walking long distances in the mountains and drinking Scotch whisky.
Sophie gained her PhD at the University of Manchester studying stem cells as a model for congenital hyperinsulinism, then worked as a post-doctoral fellow with Constanze Bonifer and Peter Cockerill at the University of Birmingham. She was awarded a Leukaemia UK John Goldman fellowship to set up her lab at Nottingham.
Outside of the lab Sophie is usually found walking long distances in the mountains and drinking Scotch whisky.
Mercedes Vazquez Cantu
Dr Mercedes Vazquez Cantu is a Research Fellow investigating mechanisms of relapse in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Her research combines single-cell RNA sequencing and ATAC sequencing to identify genes and regulatory pathways involved in leukaemic stem cell activation.
Mercedes completed her PhD at the University of Nottingham, developing an induced pluripotent stem cell-derived organoid model of triple-negative breast cancer. She has expertise in disease modelling, genome editing, molecular biology, organoid culture and sequencing data analysis.
Outside the lab, Mercedes enjoys dancing, hiking, travelling and sampling local craft beers wherever she goes.
Mercedes completed her PhD at the University of Nottingham, developing an induced pluripotent stem cell-derived organoid model of triple-negative breast cancer. She has expertise in disease modelling, genome editing, molecular biology, organoid culture and sequencing data analysis.
Outside the lab, Mercedes enjoys dancing, hiking, travelling and sampling local craft beers wherever she goes.
Holly Cook
Holly Cook is a Senior Research Technician in Dr Sophie Kellaway’s lab, joining BCASC in April 2026. She investigates mechanisms of LSC reactivation via AP-1 signalling in AML, with experience in cell culture, gene editing, bacterial cloning, RNA/cDNA work and RT-qPCR.
Holly studied BSc Biomedical Science at Nottingham Trent University and an MRes in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Medicine at the University of Liverpool, working on gene editing in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. She is a HCPC-registered Biomedical Scientist.
Holly’s father, Stuart, previously battled AML and is now over 25 years in remission — a personal motivation for her work.
Outside of the lab Holly plays bass guitar, enjoys the gym, and pub-crawling her way around Nottingham.
Holly studied BSc Biomedical Science at Nottingham Trent University and an MRes in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Medicine at the University of Liverpool, working on gene editing in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. She is a HCPC-registered Biomedical Scientist.
Holly’s father, Stuart, previously battled AML and is now over 25 years in remission — a personal motivation for her work.
Outside of the lab Holly plays bass guitar, enjoys the gym, and pub-crawling her way around Nottingham.
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