BHF Cambridge Centre of Excellence

After completing her degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Milan in 1994, Nicole obtained her PhD in Genetics and Biotechnology at the University of Dundee, UK. From 1999 to 2002, she carried out post-doctoral research at the University of Milan, and from 2002 to 2005 at University College in London, where she applied human genetics to study human evolution. From 2005 to 2007 she worked as Senior Scientist at the Pharmacogenomics Department of Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical applying human genetics to improve drugs discovery and pharmacogenomics.

Ken Smith is Professor of Medicine and Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge. He is a Fellow and Director of Studies in Clinical Medicine at Pembroke College, Cambridge and is the Khoo Oon Teik Professor of Nephrology, National University of Singapore. Ken studied medicine at the University of Melbourne, and completed a BMedSc in the Nuffield Department of Surgery in Oxford. He trained in nephrology with an interest in autoimmune disease at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and then completed pathology training specialising in clinical immunology.