60 seconds with Michael Youdell

Michael is the Centre Manager for the Cancer Research UK Oxford Centre and is also one of the Department's Harassment Advisors.
In this interview, Michael gives us an insight into the importance of his team's work and explains why he volunteered to be a Harassment Advisor.

Tell us a little about your role

I manage a range of cancer research infrastructure programmes aimed at taking Oxford based scientific discoveries and using them to improve cancer patient care.

Why is what you and your team do important?

Our team administers and manages a range of technical teams working across translational activities including sample collection, clinical data curation, molecular diagnostics and clinical trials. This is important as it allows researchers across the University to apply their expertise to positively impact patient care, which is crucial in bringing much needed research funding to cancer research at Oxford.

What's currently at the top of your to do list?

I'm off to a meeting to review some data from a project I work on in colorectal cancer. Researchers from three groups in the Department are collaborating with teams across the UK to correlate multiple molecular analysis with radiation therapy response to try and find new ways of targeting treatments.

How did you get to this point in your career?

I completed a DPhil at the Department of Biochemistry and then worked in industry for a few years as a Scientific Operations Manager before returning to academia to take up my current role in Oncology.

Alongside your role as Centre Manager of the Cancer Research UK Oxford Centre, you are one of the Department's Harassment Advisors. What does holding this role mean to you?

I think it is everyone's responsibility to make sure that we work in an environment that is respectful of the diversity of peoples and ways in which they work. I volunteered to be a Harassment Advisor because I think it is an important issue and I hope that I can make a difference in encouraging people to speak out and speak up when they feel like they are not being treated appropriately.

What do you like to do outside of work to relax?

I like cooking, reading trashy crime fiction novels and gardening.