Clarissa Coveney

I read Biochemistry at University College London where I undertook a research project investigating the role of the gut microbiota and insulin sensitivity. During my summer holidays I conducted research at King’s College London optimising a detection method for early kidney nephropathy. I have a personal interest in science communication; I worked for one year at the Royal Institution in the L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre and have had continued involvement ever since. After my undergraduate degree, I went on to work at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism where I was involved in a project developing a more personalised treatment for Type II diabetes. Following this, I was awarded a Kennedy Trust Studentship to undertake a DPhil in Musculoskeletal Sciences.

My DPhil research project focusses on the primary cilium, its associated proteome and the role they play in cartilage biology and osteoarthritis (OA). The primary cilium is a microtubule-based organelle present on the majority of cell types, including those of the joint. Research suggests that the primary cilium has many potential roles in cartilage including as a transducer of physiological stimuli in chondrocytes. My project will investigate the role of primary cilia in adult tissue homeostasis and disease pathogenesis using molecular biology, in vitro cell models and pre-clinical models of disease. I am part of the ARUK centre for pathogenesis.