I studied for my undergraduate degree at The University of Edinburgh, which I completed in 2005, then moved to The University of Leeds to study for an MSc in Human Genetic. For my PhD at The University of Manchester I investigated the genetic basis of human pancreas development, focusing on the role of the transcription factor SOX9 in the specification of insulin producing cells. As a postdocoral researcher I continued to study genes that cause rare diseases when mutated. I am currently working on Urofacial Syndrome, an autosomal recessive disease that affects bladder function and facial expression.