A translational pharmacologist with scientific, strategic and leadership experience in higher education, big pharma drug discovery and co-founder of a start-up biotechnology company. Brings an industry-to-academia research perspective to students, through knowledge exchange and consultancy with an emphasis on drug discovery, translational science, and scientific ethics. 

In industry, Lisa directed in vivo research in pain, obesity and cognition providing decision making projects to deliver novel patented candidate drugs into clinical development, including the gold standard treatment Pregbalin (Lyrica®) for diabetic neuropathic pain.

Lisa is an Associate Director of the Doctoral College and an Associate Professor at the University of Hertfordshire (UH) where she leads translational pharmacology research in the School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, centred on (i) translating discoveries in diabetes complications as a Home Office project licence holder (Diabetes mechanisms, biomarkers and treatment, 2009-2029) and (ii) substance-related harms into improved clinical practice, policy and public health. 

Lisa has supervised 8 PhD studentship awards and 2 MRes awards (including awards with industry experience) and currently supervises 6 PhD students at UH. 

Research Activities:

1. Investigating novel mechanisms, biomarkers for treatment-resistant complications of diabetes using models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes (collaboration/funding: PhD studentships, QR,  IPHAMETRA Institute, Gabon, Transpharmation Ltd)

2. Academic consultant for Transpharmation Ltd (translational science, drug discovery, animal health, consultancy, research concierge, KTPs, contract research) 

3.  Investigating pharmacological mechanisms of ketamine and novel psychoactive substances induced bladder dysfunction 

4. Pharmacoepidemiological research investigating patterns of Novel Psychoactive Substances Use and Health Risk Perception – using Mixed-Methods Approaches (collaboration with Professor Schifano, UH and Prof Papazisis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece).

Current funded research projects

• Patterns of Novel Psychoactive Substances Use and Health Risk Perception – A Mixed-Methods Approach 2020-2026 (collaboration with Professor Schifano, UH and Prof Papazisis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)
• Deciphering the role of siglec receptors expressed on microglia in neuropathic pain (Full-time QR-funded PhD studentship, 2023-2026, collaboration with Dr Shoib Siddiqui, UH, Dr Owein Guillemot-Legris , Transpharmation Ltd)
• Exploring the therapeutic potential of TRPV1 antagonism in diabetes (Part time QR PhD studentship 2021-2028, UH ethics, LMS/SF/UH/05024)
• Efficacy and safety profile of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (Full-time Professional Doctorate Clinical Medicine, 2024-2027).
• Defining the off-target vascular effects of NSAIDs using computational chemistry (Part time QR PhD studentship 2016-2024, submitted thesis, in collaboration with Dr MacKenzie, University of Brighton, Dr Pritchard and Prof Zloh at UH)
• UKRI Innovate UK KTP: cross-school SPECS / HML and Transpharmation Ltd, Human Facial Expression Identification using AI for Clinical Trials 2026-2029 £306K
• Contract research, Drug efficacy prediction by using machine learning techniques with Assoc Prof Na Helian (UH) and Transpharmation Ltd (October 2025-February 2026, £7.5K, completed)
• UKRI Innovate UK KTP kick start, Automating searching and visualising data analysis results with Assoc Prof Na Helian and Transpharmation Ltd (£5K, April - July 2025, completed)
• UKRI Innovate UK AKTP, with ISSED, Psychedelic assisted therapies (PATs) for treating addiction: awareness, misconceptions, knowledge gaps, perceived risks and barriers to implementation, October 2025-February 2026, £27K, completed)

PhD Doctorate & MSc by Research Awards at UH

• Novel Translational Endpoints of Neuropathic Pain and Pain Relief, Dr Michael Lanigan (2019-2023, Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange Partnership PhD programme with one year in industry awarded 2024; Transpharmation Ltd).  https://www.transpharmation.co.uk/news/advancing-preclinical-neuropathic-pain-research)
• Effects of Ketamine and Related New Psychoactive Substances in Rat Urinary Bladder, Dr Alex Gant, (PhD awarded 2024, Part time QR-funded PhD studentship 2014-2024, with Dr Benham, Dr Fergus, UH)
• MicroRNA mimic mediated cancer immunotherapy againsts Siglec-15; clinical implications in colorectal cancer progression, Dr Mo Ahmad, PhD awarded 2024, studentship 2021-2024, collaobration with Dr Shoib Siddiqui and Dr Maria Broaudaki, UH)
• Characterisation of peripheral neuropathy and markers of neuropathic pain: A comparative study across preclinical models of neuropathic pain (MSc by research awarded 2022)
• Regulation of microglial receptor Siglec-11 by microRNAs and overall effect on glioblastoma, Ms Deema Saifaldeen (MSc awarded 2022)
• PPARβ/δ receptor mediated control of vascular tone Dr Noelia Perez-Diaz (PhD awarded 2019, Part time QR PhD studentship 2014-2019, £29,400, with Dr MacKenzie, University of Brighton, Dr Hutter at UH)
• Phytochemical charactersation and effects of the native plant Tabernanthe Iboga in models of diabetes Dr Bayissi Bading (PhD studentship awarded in 2019, funded by IPHAMETRA Institute, Gabon 2014-2018 and internship with Oregon State University, £48,450 funded PhD studentship)
• The Effects of Therapeutic Interventions or Influenza  Virus Challenge in a Model of House Dust Mite-Induced Type-2 Allergic Pulmonary Inflammation Dr Sorif Uddin (2013-2018, GSK funded, PhD awarded 2018)
• Endothelial cell dysfunction in diabetes Dr Yousif Shamsaldeen (2013-2016, PhD awarded 2016)
• Modulation of TRPV1 function in sensory neuropathy Dr Sara Pritchard (2012-2015, PhD awarded 2015)

Projects seeking external funding

• Investigating the NLRP3-Independent Caspase-1 mediated pathway in Diabetic Macular Oedema and Retinopathy (collaboration with PI Dr Yousif Shamsaldeen, Liverpool John Moores University) 

• Molecular docking simulation screening of alkaloids from Tabernanthe iboga and antidiabetic activity. Memorandum of Understanding Collaboration 'Traditional Plant Based Medicines in diabetes' 2023-2027, IPHAMETRA institute, Gabon, Dr Bading, UH).

• Role of SSAO in diabetes (collaboration with Dr Skaramauskas, UH)

Public engagement / Policy

•  ACMD Ketamine Working Group (co-opted, July 2025-January 2026). ACMD report – Ketamine: An updated review of use and harms, Pharmacology and toxicology (Annex 2)  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ketamine-an-updated-review-of-use-and-harms/ketamine-an-updated-review-of-use-and-harms-accessible published 28 January 2026

• Invited Panel Member: Are psychedelics the next frontier in mental health care? 4th November 2025, XIth International Novel Psychoactive Substances Conference, Nice, France https://www.novelpsychoactivesubstances.org/ 

• Interview news article."Improving openness: a survey to understand the student perspective " published 29^th July 2024 https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/improving-openness-a-survey-to-understand-the-student-perspective

• Newsletter, Can changes in EEG be used to improve the development of neuropathic pain treatment published 11 October 2021, PhD studentship https://mailchi.mp/transpharmation/can-changes-in-eeg-improve-neuropathic-pain-treatments
• Article in The Conversation (1000+ reads, http://theconversation.com/banning-psychoactive-substances-is-not-enough-we-need-education-too-60385),
• Article in Pharmacology Matters, BPS online newsletter, 3000+ members, https://www.bps.ac.uk/BPSMemberPortal/media/BPSWebsite/Assets/Pharmacology-Matters-November-online.pdf?ext=.pdf)
• Invited speaker at the 2018 Drugscapes- two years after the ban' in Oxford https://www.brookes.ac.uk/hss/events/drugscapes/
• Invited speaker at the 2017 Pint of Science festival, Beautiful Minds in London (https://pintofscience.co.uk/event/healthy-mind-healthy-body)

Lisa is an Associate Director of the Doctoral College and Associate Professor in Translational Pharmacology research at the University of Hertfordshire. Lisa’s research-informed teaching is collaborative combining her specialised in vivo skills with industry experience in drug discovery and translational science. Lisa has supervised 8 PhD studentship awards, 2 MSc research awards and currently supervises 6 PhD students at UH funded by QR, industry and internationally. Lisa is particularly interested in the promotion and sharing of best practice in scientific ethics, the 3Rs and peer mentoring (she is the UH representative for concordat on openness of animal research, Springboard ECR Academy Medical Sciences Institutional Champion) as well as raising awareness of pharmacology and drugs education (she is a Fellow of Royal Society Biology, external examiner on intercalated BSc Pharmacology School of Medicine at Imperial College London).