Michael Tellier (PI). CV. Contact: mt477@leicester.ac.uk

Michael earned his PhD in 2015 from the University of Nottingham, UK, where he studied the human cellular functions of SETMAR, a fusion between a methyltransferase domain and a domesticated DNA transposase under the supervision of Prof. Ronald Chalmers. He then moved to the University of Oxford, UK, to join the laboratory of Prof. Shona Murphy to investigate the functions of kinases (CDK9, CDK12) and phosphatases (PP1, PP2A) in transcription and co-transcriptional processes, including pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation. In early 2023, he moved to the University of Leicester, UK, to open his laboratory. 

Social media: @Michael_Tellier; @michaeltellier.bsky.social‬

Abby L. Gardner (BBSRC MIBTP, 2024 - )

Yagiz Ozturk (F50, 2023 - )

I was born and raised in Ataşehir, Istanbul, where I developed a passion for biology that eventually led me to study Molecular Biology and Genetics at Acıbadem University. During my MSc in Cancer Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Leicester, I explored histone acetylation and the role of p300/CBP in gene regulation in the Shaun Cowley’s Lab. This experience deepened my fascination with transcription & chromatin biology and inspired me to continue in research. Currently, I am a PhD student at the University of Leicester in the Tellier Lab, supported by the Future 50 Scholarship. My project focuses on uncovering the functions of Ctdp1 protein in mouse embryonic stem cells using a degron-based dTAG (PROTAC) system. Beyond traditional molecular techniques, I am also developing my bioinformatics expertise. I am especially motivated by the chance to study a protein whose role is still poorly understood, which makes every result feel exciting and impactful. Outside the lab, I enjoy traveling to experience new cultures, skiing, gaming, and cooking. Friends would describe me as cheerful, kind-hearted, and open-minded—qualities that also shape the way I approach science.

Thomas R. Strange (MRC AIM DTP, 2023 - )