Dr Nordine Helassa BSc(Hons), MRes, PhD, FHEA

Personal Statement

I obtained a BSc (Hons) in Plant Chemistry-Biology and a Masters degree in Microbial Ecology from the University of Lyon (France). Then, I completed a PhD in Biochemistry investigating the fate of insecticidal proteins produced by GM plants in the environment (INRA, Montpellier, France). I was subsequently employed as a Postdoctoral Researcher on a number of projects focusing on:
- bacterial cell wall formation (Institute for Structural Biology, Grenoble, France),
- development of fluorescent calcium, glutamate and glucose indicators optimised for in vivo imaging (St George’s University of London and University of Liverpool),
- calcium in cell division and neurodegeneration (University of Liverpool).

Currently, my research focuses on the role of calcium and calcium-binding proteins in neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases using protein biophysics, structural biology, cellular imaging and electrophysiology. I have recently been awarded a British Heart Foundation Basic Science Research Fellowship (University of Liverpool) to investigate the role of calmodulin in cardiac arrhythmia.

My research is supported by the British Heart Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

Prizes or Honours

• Travel award (Biochemical Society, Biophysical Society and Physiological Society, 2018)
• Travel award (Society for Invertebrate Pathology, 2008)
• Scholarship (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, United-Kingdom; French Ministry of Research and Région Rhône-Alpes, France, 2004)

Funded Fellowships