Desirée Villahermosa Caballero

Graduated as a Biologist (speciality Biomedicine) and as a Biochemist from the Universitat de Barcelona in 2005, I moved to Cadiz where I did a MSc in Biotechnology in 2009, followed by a PhD in Microbial Biotechnology. For my thesis, I optimized the process of sulphide removal in wastewater treatment plants utilizing already present bacterial community.

I moved to the UK in 2013, where I collaborated with the Cancer Research groups at the University of Bangor, and worked in Industry. In January 2015 I was awarded a PhD Summa Cum Laude, and I started my first postdoctoral position at University of Bangor. I studied drug sensitivity in mismatch repair proteins; errors in DNA replication lead to accumulation of mutations and potentially cancer, Mismatch Repair is the main DNA repair pathway during DNA replication and for the maintenance of microsatellite stability.
In 2017 I started a Research Fellow position at the Genome Damage and Stability Centre in University of Sussex, studying a protein complex involved in structural maintenance of chromosomes, which has roles in DNA replication, homologous recombination, other yet unknown functions and is essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity.

And in 2019, I have shifted my career towards Research Development, Funding and Administration. For this, the skills I gained through my active involvement with SRUK/CERU are invaluable.