Lisa Barrett
My research looks at ways of creating a miniaturised version of a breast cancer tumour in the lab, so that we can move away from using animals to test cancer drugs and use 'mini tumours' instead.
I'm taking a technique used in chemical engineering research and applying it to cancer biology, which definitely has it's challenges! My background is in biochemistry and oncology, so I'm stepping out of my comfort zone a little to do this project in an engineering department. But I think it's so important to incorporate different disciplines into research, that's where the really interesting science happens!
The item that I am holding is a micropipette, one of the most frequently used pieces of equipment in biological research. It allows me to measure out and transfer very small and very precise volumes of liquid which is essential for my experiments!