Dr Joanne Power

Position

Hon Media Secretary (2021-)

Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Glasgow

Joanne is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the laboratory of Dr Katarzyna “Kasia” Modrzynska at the University of Glasgow. Joanne initially studied Biomedical, Health, and Life Sciences at University College Dublin in Ireland, before moving to Scotland for a Wellcome Trust MRes-PhD programme in 2013. Joanne’s first introduction to Parasitology research was at the University of Glasgow, completing a placement during her MRes year in the lab of Prof Andy Waters, working on the rodent malaria model, Plasmodium berghei. Since this time, Joanne has completed her PhD in malaria epigenetics in the Waters lab at the University of Glasgow, worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar at Pennsylvania State University in the USA (continuing her research into the mechanisms of translational repression in malaria transmission), and returned to Scotland after the COVID-19 pandemic to continue her research in the lab of Dr Modrzynska, this time focussing on paternal and maternal allelic inheritance during early ookinete development (the earliest stages of development after the parasite is transmitted to a mosquito).

Alongside her continued research in the field of malaria transmission dynamics, Joanne is also a founding member of the Women in Malaria Initiative with Dr Elena Gómez-Díaz of the Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine Lopez-Neyra (IPBLN, Spain), a community of practice that provides a platform for women scientists around the world working in malaria research. She has also been heavily involved in science communication and public engagement throughout her academic career and enjoys teaching and mentoring students of science of all ages, from primary school pupils to experienced clinicians studying for their Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H). A recent profile of Joanne was also featured on the Herminthology website (https://www.herminthology.com/) as the first profile of 2023! At present, Joanne runs the social media arms of the BSP as part of the Communications Team with Dr Pegine Walrad and Dr Dong Xia.