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Staff Profile

Dr Alex Laude

Director of Faculty Facilities (FMS)

  • Telephone: 44 (0) 191 208 4860
  • Address: The BioImaging Unit
    Second Floor William Leech Building
    Medical School
    Framlington Place
    Newcastle
    NE2 4HH
Background

I have managed the BioImaging facility (provider of advanced light microscopy, technology, techniques and advice) since 2010. Under my direction, the facility has secured over £4.5m in competitive equipment funding over the past 10 years. This has allowed us to expanded the facility in terms of imaging technologies and staff to meet the needs of the biomedical research community in Newcastle and the North East.

In 2019 I was invited to co-lead a RMS focused interest group to improve microscope quality and imaging data analysis / management practices within the UK.  This more recently expanded into the international QUality Assessment & REProducibility for instruments & images in Light Microscopy (QUAREP-LiMi) community (www.quarep.org) where until 2023, I co-chaired working group 9 (planning & funding).

Since 2022, I have been appointed the Director of Faculty Facilities (FMS). I am responsible for the strategic and financial management of a cohort of 9 scientific facilities in addition to developing sustainable investment plans for the faculty's core research equipment infrastructure.  

I am a passionate advocate for outreach and engagement and in 2019 created The Cell Detectives outreach group (https://thecelldetectives.agency).  The aim is to evoke interest in science and technology through hands-on access to cutting-edge instrumentation and passionate scientists. The group is RTP-led but brings together, industry and academics to provide an engagement vehicle with which to showcase biomedical research, instrumentation and STEM careers to the public.


Research

Academic Career: As part of my PhD studies I developed a microscope-based laser photoablation system and applied it to investigate calcium signalling dynamics in live cells. Further postdoctoral research projects have all used microscopy in various forms to image and track cells in both fixed and live environments. My research has contributed towards publications in the fields of Calcium Signalling, Cancer (RAS proteins) and more recently, microscopy, where I have helped to develop novel fluorescence-based imaging techniques and preparatory methods.

Technical career: As manager of the BioImaging Unit, since 2010, I am currently responsible for the organisation, maintenance, user training and development of high-end microscopy resources in the Faculty these include: automated wide field, confocal, super resolution, live-cell imaging systems and data analysis software. In addition to this, I have a track record in assisting the development, validation and application of novel preparatory and imaging methods used to study cellular processes in both three dimensional tissues and individual cells.

Microscopy community: I am an active participant in the UK bioimaging community and was chosen to host their annual meeting in 2012. I am co-leading the UK’s efforts to improve microscope quality control procedures and was invited to set-up The Royal Microscopical Society’s ‘Quality Control Focused Interest Group’ to drive the subject nationally. I am a co-founder of the QUAREP-LiMi (Quality Assessment and Reproducibility for Instruments & Images in Light Microscopy) an international organisation established with similar aims.


Director of Faculty Facilities: I took up the position of director of faculty facilities in 2022, I am responsible for the strategic and financial management of a cohort of 9 scientific facilities. As part of the role I have implemented an investment strategy to ensure that the faculty's core research infrastructure as well as the scientific facilities are well maintained, fit for purpose and kept at the cutting-edge of biomedical research. This has broadened my knowledge of other enabling technologies ranging from electron microscopy, through flow cytometry to genomics and proteomics.  I work closely with facility managers to develop and implement sustainable and robust TRAC-based cost-recovery models for facility management. Central to my sustainable facility strategy is the recognition, reward and carer development of the RTPs that provide the important link between technology and biomedical research; I am keen to ensure that this need reflected in the way that advanced research technologies are supported in the UK.

 


Teaching

MMB053 Enabling technologies & methodologies for biomedical research MRes module co-leader

PSC2002 - Fluorescent-based techniques to study intracellular signalling in living cells

UG / PG - Fluorescence imaging techniques theory and hands-on

Microscopy workshop - three-day microscopy- and techniques focussed workshop

Small-group microscopy tutorials


Publications