Meet the Team

Prof. Tom Solomon CBE

Director of The Pandemic Institute

Professor Tom Solomon CBE has been working on emerging infections of pandemic potential for nearly thirty years, with research programmes in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the UK.

He is Professor of Neurological Science and Head of the Brain Infections Group at the University of Liverpool. He trained in medicine in Oxford, did his PhD in Vietnam, and completed post-doctoral research in the United States. He was Director of the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Infection and Global Health (2010-17). In 2014 Tom was made founding Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, which was heavily involved in the UK response to Ebola, Zika, Covid-19 and now monkeypox. He is an NIHR Senior Investigator, Academic Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians, and Vice President (International) of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Tom appears regularly in the media discussing emerging infections, hosts the Scouse Science Podcast and tweets @RunningMadProf.
Reyhaneh Dobbash

Trainee Business Development Officer

Rey joined the team in October 2023 after completing her MRES in Advanced Biological Sciences, specializing in Immunology. With a BSc in Biological and Medical Sciences from the University of Liverpool, and having experienced the challenges of the Covid-19 Pandemic during her undergraduate studies, she is eager to contribute to infectious disease prevention. Her role involves identifying funding opportunities, cultivating partnerships, and leveraging strategic alliances to advance the institute’s initiatives in pandemic research and preparedness.
Sara Donovan

Operations & Finance Manager

Sara has a proven track record in high-level programme coordination, with responsibility for operational and financial management. She has over 17 years’ experience in the delivery of major projects funded by UKAid (DFID/FCDO), GSK, and BMGF in partnership with government and non-governmental bodies across UK, Asia and Africa. Sara has experience of collaborating with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to deliver against demanding deadlines.

Sara’s previous role was on the programme management team for the Ascend West and Central Africa programme, where she was responsible for the financial management and reporting of a 3 year, £18M milestone-based contract, funded by FCDO UKAid and managed by four leading development organisations: LSTM, Sightsavers International, The Schistosomiasis Control Initiative Foundation, and Mott MacDonald.
Dr Becky Glennon-Alty

Communications Manager

Since completing her Zoology-based PhD in 2009, Becky has largely worked in science communications and public engagement roles, and is passionate about breaking down barriers and making scientific research accessible to all. She has worked specifically in the field of infectious diseases communication and engagement for almost 10 years, and is an experienced events manager.
Dr Caryn Hughes

Partnerships and Innovation Lead

Prior to joining The Pandemic Institute, Caryn was Manager of the Doctoral Training Hub at the University of Glasgow, leading a multi-institutional team responsible for providing end-to-end management and administration for numerous UKRI-funded Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs). At this time, Caryn also served as Coordinator for the CDT in Future Ultrasonic Engineering in partnership with Strathclyde University. Before this, Caryn worked as a Business Development Manager for an EPSRC and SFI CDT between the University of Glasgow, Queen’s University Belfast and the Irish Photonic Integration Centre.

Caryn’s former research background was based on spectral pathology for disease-state diagnostics, working as a PhD student and Research Associate at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, the Analytical and Medical Vibrational Spectroscopy Group at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, and as a Visiting Researcher at the Spectral Analytics Laboratory at the University of Strathclyde.
Sarah Martindale

Programme Manager

Sarah completed her MSc in Molecular Biology of Parasites and Disease Vectors at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) in 2013 where, as part of her research project, she investigated the physical, social and economic impact of lymphatic filariasis on communities in Malawi. In 2014, she joined the Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases (CNTD) at LSTM as a Programme Manager.

Her key areas of expertise include programme design, oversight and monitoring of programme implementation and cross-sectoral collaboration. Sarah has a strong track record building partnerships between stakeholders, including collaborating with national governments and local experts in complex multicultural environments across Africa.
Dr Shona Moore

Senior Programme Manager, Institute of infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences

Shona is a senior programme manager within the Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences where she manages a busy multi-disciplinary global health research programme. She is an experienced pandemic scientist and worked at the forefront of the COVID19 response managing Liverpool Outbreak Laboratory’s containment level 3 operations.
Rebecca Spencer

UK Pandemic Sciences Network Coordinator

Rebecca joined the TPI team as the UK Pandemic Sciences Network Coordinator in August 2024 and also works part-time as a Research Project Administrator for the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool. She has previously held various roles within the University, including UK ChiMES Data Manager and ISARIC4C Project Administrator, supporting CCP and PHOSP-Covid studies through managing study consent and sample notification forms, co-ordinating patient questionnaires and sample logistics, amending and submitting study documents for ethical approval, writing SOPs and working instructions, liaising with academics, lab teams and hospital sites, as well as working as PA to Professor Calum Semple. Rebecca also has previous experience working as a Clinical Systems Analyst and working within the NHS providing administrative support. She has a master’s degree in Biotechnology Law & Ethics from the University of Sheffield, where she studied modules relating to clinical trials and pharmaceutical development, patent law, medical ethics and regulation of healthcare.
Catherine Turner

Project Co-ordinator

Cat has largely worked in administrative roles since graduating from the University of Liverpool in 2015, having studied Combined Honours in German and Psychology (BA). Prior to joining us, Cat was working as an Operations Support Administrator in the School of the Arts at UoL, providing administrative support to the Music department. She has also worked in both patient-facing and back office roles in the NHS as a member of LUHFT, working in teams including Learning and Development and Organisational Development among others. Cat’s responsibilities as Project Co-ordinator include managing the team’s purchases and travel requests, servicing committees such as the TPI Steering Group, and managing record keeping for the team.