LINE Symposium 2025: Careers panel

Dr. Catrin Beetham is a policy adviser in the government. After completing her PhD at Imperial College London studying pathways used by S. aureus to survive in low pH conditions - during which she undertook a public affairs internship at The Royal Society - she started on the Civil Service Fast Stream for Science and Engineering. She completed several postings within government, including the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Currently, she is working on and independent review on technology adoption in the Department for Business and Trade.

Dr. Henry Blest is the co-founder and CTO of Polari Group, a UK startup focused on anorectal health. With a PhD in biochemistry from Oxford, Henry specialized in virology and immunology, particularly in sexually transmitted infections like herpes simplex virus and HIV. He co-founded Polari Group with Anna Vybornova to innovate the sexual health and wellness market. Under Henry's leadership, Polari Group has secured pre-seed funding and plans to launch its first category-defining product in September 2025, promoting inclusivity and breaking taboos in sexual health.​

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Dr. Tina Chowdhury is a Senior Lecturer in Regenerative Medicine at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). She leads several high-impact research projects, focusing on regenerative medicine to identify therapeutics that slow down inflammation and repair tissue. She is also the Chief Investigator for a clinical trial investigating the environmental impact on pregnancy outcomes and preterm birth. Her work has been recognized with awards from the Times Higher Education, Reimagine Education, and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Additionally, Tina is involved in various public engagement initiatives and serves on editorial boards for several journals.

Dr. Cat Gale is a producer and director working on high-profile factual programs for major networks like the BBC, Channel 4, PBS and Netflix. After finishing her PhD in HIV and personalized medicine, she transitioned to television, creating award-winning documentaries such as "The Joy of Logic" and "Computer Says Show." Her work has been recognized with multiple nominations and awards, including Best Science Documentary at the BANFF World Media Festival. Cat's unique blend of scientific expertise and creative storytelling has made her a notable figure in factual programming.​

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Dr. Peter Hill is an early-career group leader at King's College London (KCL) focusing on molecular and infection biology. Peter completed his PhD at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre under Prof Petra Hajkova, and then joined Dr Sophie Helaine's lab at Imperial College London. Here, he began researching relapsing Salmonella infections and established his own research group as an Imperial College Research Fellow in 2019. In 2023, Peter joined KCL as a Wellcome Trust Career Development Award Fellow, focusing on relapsing invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella infections.​

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Aimé Palomeras is a Clinical Project Manager and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)  Manager at the NIHR Imperial Clinical Research Facility. She has a background in clinical research and is working with multi-disciplinary teams to manage several experimental, phase I and phase II clinical studies in various disease areas. In her role as PPIE manager she works with stakeholders, including the Imperial BRC Patient Experience Research Centre, UK CRF Network, Multidisciplinary BAME network, and the White city local community to promote diversity and inclusivity.

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