Personal Statement
I am an immunologist and postdoctoral research associate in the Pharmacology & Therapeutics department at the University of Liverpool, working in Professor Lekh Dahal’s group. My current project, funded by North West Cancer Research, examines the translational relevance of the STING pathway and viral infection in follicular lymphoma, with an emphasis on high-content phenotyping and multiplexed tissue analysis.
I trained in cellular biology and immunology (PhD, Ana-Maria Lennon-Dumenil lab, Institut Curie, Paris) and specialise in molecular and immunological assay and platform development—translating high-content technologies (mass cytometry, imaging mass cytometry, microfluidics, CRISPR) into practical tools for research, diagnostics and R&D. My previous postdoctoral work in the group of Michael Sixt (ISTA, Vienna) focused on cell motility, where I developed CRISPR workflows in cell lines, immortalised haematopoietic progenitors, and designed microfluidic platforms for migratory assays. Since working at the University of Liverpool (T. Zech, Prof Joe Slupsky) I gained experience in B cell malignancies, mass cytometry and I am developing imaging mass cytometry and metal-conjugated mRNA detection approaches for fixed tissues.
I enjoy teaching and mentoring (completed FLTHE stages 1 & 2; AFHEA) and regularly supervise undergraduate, MSc and MRes students; I welcome collaboration and inquiries about teaching, consultancy or translational projects. Please get in touch if you’d like to connect.

Research Overview

Project Overview
My research investigates the translational relevance of the STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) pathway and viral CMV co-infection in follicular lymphoma (FL). The project combines high-content patient cell and tissue profiling with functional assays to understand how STING signalling shapes the tumour immune microenvironment, influences therapy response and drives viral reactivation in FL. This work is funded by North West Cancer Research (NWCR).

Aims
• Characterise activation states of the STING pathway across FL patient tissues and relate these states to clinical features and therapy response.
• Determine how viral reactivation (e.g., latent herpesviruses) interfaces with STING signalling in the tumour microenvironment.
• Develop and validate multiplexed detection strategies (protein and nucleic acid) for STING pathway components in fixed tissue samples.

Methods / technical approach
• Imaging mass cytometry and mass cytometry for single-cell and spatial proteomics.
• Metal-conjugated nucleic-acid detection for mRNA localisation in fixed samples.
• Functional assays (ex vivo immune cell assays, proliferation) and targeted microscopy imaging method development to link phenotype with mechanism.

Funding & recognition
North West Cancer Research (NWCR) — project supported by the lab’s NWCR award Excellence in Research, 2024. [NWCR news story — ISMIB, University of Liverpool]
Reversat et al., Technical detection of STING pathway components in fixed tissues., European Journal of Immunology, in press.