Submitted by Catherine Atkins on Wed, 17/07/2024 - 12:18
Congratulations to Becky Walker-Smith, postdoctoral research associate in the Fitzgerald Group, who has successfully been awarded a Cross-Sector Experience Award by the Academy of Medical Sciences. Becky is one of the inaugural cohort of researchers to be granted this funding which was introduced in November 2023.
The awards provide up to £100k to support individuals who wish to work in a different sector for between three and twelve months. This should be different from their current role and should have a clear link to the improvement of human health.
Becky will be partnering with Cambridge-based ECI spinout company Cyted Health. The company has pioneered the development of non-invasive diagnostics for earlier detection of gastrointestinal disease, including oesophageal cancer.
At Cyted, Becky will be joining the research and development team to develop molecular biomarkers to diagnose Barrett’s Oesophagus and early cancer of the oesophagus.
Becky commented: “I am thrilled to have received this funding and I am really looking forward to applying my research in a commercial setting. This is a rare opportunity to foster collaboration between academia and industry, and I am grateful to the Academy of Medical Sciences for recognising the strength and future impact of this research. It is truly a privilege to contribute to these molecular diagnostic tests, and I look forward to a time where patients benefit from them.”