Profile

Photo:

Ash Toye

My CV

  • Education:

    Secondary School: Bedwas Comprehensive School nr Caerphilly in South Wales

    University of Bristol School of Biochemistry for my undergrad and PhD.

  • Qualifications:

    GCSEs 3 A’s, 5 Bs and 1D.

    University of Bristol Honours Biochemistry: 2.1

    University of Bristol PhD in Biochemistry

  • Work History:

    Research assistant

    Research associate

    Research fellowship

    Senior lecturer

    Reader/Associate Professor

  • Current Job:

    I am Director of the Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Bristol.

    I’m a reader or Associate Professor of cell biology. I am also a principal investigator scientist in Englands Blood service (NHS Blood and Transplant). This means I get to run a lab on work that I’m interested in but to do this I have to write grants to apply for enough money to do the work. Typically we get money for 3 to 5 years.

    • About Me:

      I’m really enthusiastic scientist, who is facinated by how blood cells work. I enjoy running in the countryside to unwind and relax.

    • Read more

      OK so I was born in Wales but escaped across the Severn Bridge to take a Biochemistry degree in Bristol University. I met my wife in the first two weeks of University, she was in the room below.  Initially at Bristol my Welsh accent was so strong people used to ask me to talk slowly and say things again but I have been in Bristol now for so long I have lost most of my accent. We have two children (17 and 14 years old) and we have a guinea pig. We live in the countryside.

      I stayed in Bristol after my degree to study further to get my PhD  on  understanding Alzheimer’s disease. After this I worked as a scientist in Prof Michael Tanners lab firstly on kidney disease and then also on red blood cells. In 2005 I was awarded a fellowship to set up my own lab.

      I currently run a team of people working on growing blood cells. The main aim of the lab is to grow red blood cells which carry oxygen to the tissues. We also grow white blood cells we are needed to protect us from infection.  We can currently grow 2 tablespoons of blood (enough for a baby). My hope is to one day grow enough blood for an adult transfusion.

      Outside of work I like reading zombie and apocalyptic novels!

       

       

       

       

       

    • Read more

    • My Typical Day:

      I get up around 7am and have breakfast which is often mini weetabix with choc chips. I normally first browse the web – usually the BBC news. Then start working on my computer and chatting to students and scientist researchers about our projects on zoom or writing about our work. I may run tutorials of biochemistry students teaching them biochemistry. Sometimes I have to give lectures on various topics. I normally stop work about 5.30 but sometimes work late into the night if we have a deadline or a lot of work to do.

    • Read more

      So my days in the lab are over and instead I manage a team of scientists who are working on growing blood and studying the blood cells.

      At the moment I am mostly working from home. I talk to my scientists and write science. Every now and then I creep into the lab and put a lab coat on an actually do some science. 🙂

      My favourite bit of the day is when a student or researcher shows me a new result and we need to think about it and what to do next. Sometimes it will be something nobody has seen or done before!

      Some times I get to be on TV (OK only twice). My image is my Ouchface with Dr Chris from Operation Ouch.

       

       

       

    • What I'd do with the prize money:

      Probably will us it to create a Science art (Sci-art) project. I am fascinated with using art as a way to talk about science. I have done this successfully before producing a piece of work with an artist and would like to explore another aspect. It would be cool to produce a related piece of art to take into schools.

      Alternatively I will do something called a reverse Science Cafe- where I tell a group of people from the public some pieces of information and you answer my questions about your thoughts on the science.

    • My Interview

      • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

        obsessed, enthusiastic, patient

        What did you want to be after you left school?

        a scientist

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        I used to be told off a lot for talking and also distracting others

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        Radiohead

        What's your favourite food?

        curry- hottest I can heat is a jalfrezi

        If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

        health for my family, world peace and a research institute to keep doing science

        Tell us a joke.

        Did you hear about the red blood cell that wasn't good at spelling? It was a type O.

Questions answered by Ash

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