Zeid Kuzbari is a bioinformatician with a research focus on NGS whole-exome analyses of testicular germ cell tumours and breast cancer. He is also currently working on the implementation of functional assays of cancer susceptibility genes into the CanVar-UK data platform, supporting variant interpretation. Zeid completed a PhD in Genetics and Epidemiology at the ICR, holds a MSc in Biomedical Science from Université de Montréal, and has a strong background in immunology.
Zehra Akar is an Administrative Assistant at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof. Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. With a background in Public Health Policy and Reproductive Health and experience working in academic institutions and diagnostic laboratories, Zehra is currently providing administrative and operational support to the Jewish BRCA Testing Programme.
Yana Moscovitz is a Research Administrator at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. Yana joined the NHS England Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme in 2025 after completing an MSc in Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia.
Sudeekshna Muralidharan is a Research Administrator in the Translation Genetics Team under Professor Clare Turnbull at the Institute of Cancer Research. She is a double-MSc graduate with an MSc in Genetics of Human Disease from UCL and an MSc in Cancer, Molecular Pathology and Genomics from QMUL. She completed her BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences at KCL in 2021.
She started working on two projects at the ICR in May 2024. She has since been working solely on our largest ongoing programme, JBRCA, which currently tests over 43,000 patients. She is very interested in project management and hopes to develop her career within that discipline. She has an international background and was born in India but raised in Singapore and Belgium. She moved to London in 2018 for higher education and has been living there since.
Sarah Lane is a Scientific Project Manager at the Institute of Cancer Research within Professor Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology.
Sarah is a registered associate public health nutritionist with a MSc in Global Public Health and Nutrition, and has previous experience working in policy research funding management, focusing on nutrition, maternal health, and health inequalities funding initiatives. Sarah is currently working on the delivery of the NHSE Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme and Jewish BRCA Testing Programme.
Rebekah Beaumont is a Research Administrator at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. Rebekah has contributed to both the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme and the NHS Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme. She completed her master's degree in Genomic Medicine in 2025, co-led by Kings College London and City St George’s University London, where her dissertation focused on variant interpretation in undiagnosed paediatric cases of cerebellar ataxia.
Nicola Bell is a Genomics Practitioner at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology.
Nicola is currently working on the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme and the NHS England Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme. Nicola studied Biology at the University of Nottingham, graduating in 2022. Alongside her work at the ICR, she is completing an MSc in Genetic and Genomic Counselling with Cardiff University, due to graduate in 2026.
Miriam Babigumira is a Research Administrator at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology.
Having trained academically as a botanist, Miriam’s ethnobotanical work focused on documenting medicinal plant uses, supporting the sustainable use of plant resources, and contributing to community-led research. Her MSc in Women’s Health provided further insight into key areas of interest such as screening, early diagnosis, reproductive risk factors, lifestyle, and environmental exposures.
Miriam draws on this training to bring an interdisciplinary approach to working collaboratively across various teams within Institute of Cancer Research and community partners in delivering programme objectives ethically as well as within agreed timeframes.
Miriam is currently working on the Jewish BRCA Testing Program.
Dr Lucy Loong is a Cancer Research UK funded Clinical Research Fellow at The Institute of Cancer Research, a partnership analyst at the National Disease Registration Service, and a specialist doctor in Clinical Genetics. Her research focuses on the large-scale integration of nationally collected clinical genetic testing data and rare genetic disease registries with electronic healthcare records, including cancer registry data and hospital episode statistics. Using these linked population-level datasets, she applies data-driven and longitudinal analytic approaches to study cancer risk and outcomes, evaluate clinical service delivery, and assess cancer surveillance in individuals with inherited cancer susceptibility syndromes.
Kerstin is currently an Administrative/project Assistant at the Institute of Cancer Research, working within Professor Clare Turnbull’s laboratory in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. In this role, my current focus is supporting the BRCA and RETRO projects, where I provide high-level administrative and project coordination support to ensure the smooth delivery of complex research activities.
Josh is a research Genetic Counsellor within the group, primarily helping to guide patients through their germline genetic testing process, aiding their adjustment journey when we identify pathogenic variants, and facilitating cascade testing for their at-risk relatives. Josh holds Health and Care Professions Council registration as a Clinical Scientist following completion of the NHS Scientist Training Programme in Genomic Counselling in Oxford in 2021. He also has quantitative and qualitative research experience from the University of Oxford studying the return of germline pathogenic variants as secondary findings from the NHS 100,000 Genomes Project.
Esther is a Research Administrator working within Professor Clare Turnbull’s team in Genetics and Epidemiology at the Institute of Cancer Research. Esther joined the ICR in 2024 to support the delivery of the Jewish BRCA Testing programme, population testing for hereditary cancer risk. With an academic background in Cancer Sciences and interest in public engagement, Esther is keen to develop her skills in both public engagement and clinical trials in oncology.
Charlie is a research bioinformatician within the Translational Genetics team. He completed his PhD at the University of Manchester in 2022, developing approaches for the prioritisation and investigation of splice-impacting variants in Mendelian disease.
His current research focuses on developing methodologies to support the integration of functional data, particularly multiplex assays of variant effect (MAVEs), in the interpretation of germline variants in cancer susceptibility genes (CSGs). He also administers the CanVar-UK web platform for CSG variant interpretation.
Charlotte Hennessy is a Research Administrator for the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme. She works within the Genetics and Epidemiology team under Professor Clare Turnbull. She recently transferred from The Royal Marsden Hospital trust where she was working in the Clinical Genetics team.
Andrea Osborne is a Research Administrator in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology at the Institute of Cancer Research, working within Professor Clare Turnbull’s team. She joined the ICR in 2014 after roles in the NHS and Local Authority, initially supporting the Oncogenetics Teams as Data Manager on key prostate cancer studies including UKGPCS, GENPROS and BARCODE1.
In May 2025, Andrea moved to the Translational Genetics Team to support the Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme. She contributes to the day‑to‑day coordination and evaluation of this initiative, which offers germline genetic testing to people previously diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer who meet current eligibility criteria but have not had NHS testing.
Her role includes managing patient pathways, liaising with clinical teams at the Royal Marsden Centre for Molecular Pathology, supporting Research Genetic Counsellors, maintaining accurate documentation and databases, tracking samples and results, and communicating with collaborators across the NHS, research groups and patient organisations.Zeid Kuzbari
Bioinformatician:
Translational Genetics
Zeid Kuzbari is a bioinformatician with a research focus on NGS whole-exome analyses of testicular germ cell tumours and breast cancer. He is also currently working on the implementation of functional assays of cancer susceptibility genes into the CanVar-UK data platform, supporting variant interpretation. Zeid completed a PhD in Genetics and Epidemiology at the ICR, holds a MSc in Biomedical Science from Université de Montréal, and has a strong background in immunology.
Zehra Akar
Administrative Assistant:
Translational Genetics
Zehra Akar is an Administrative Assistant at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof. Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. With a background in Public Health Policy and Reproductive Health and experience working in academic institutions and diagnostic laboratories, Zehra is currently providing administrative and operational support to the Jewish BRCA Testing Programme.
Yana Moscovitz
Research Administrator:
Translational GeneticsYana Moscovitz is a Research Administrator at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. Yana joined the NHS England Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme in 2025 after completing an MSc in Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia.
Sudeekshna Muralidharan
Research Administrator:
Translational Genetics
Sudeekshna Muralidharan is a Research Administrator in the Translation Genetics Team under Professor Clare Turnbull at the Institute of Cancer Research. She is a double-MSc graduate with an MSc in Genetics of Human Disease from UCL and an MSc in Cancer, Molecular Pathology and Genomics from QMUL. She completed her BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences at KCL in 2021. She started working on two projects at the ICR in May 2024. She has since been working solely on our largest ongoing programme, JBRCA, which currently tests over 43,000 patients. She is very interested in project management and hopes to develop her career within that discipline. She has an international background and was born in India but raised in Singapore and Belgium. She moved to London in 2018 for higher education and has been living there since.
Sophie Allen
Data Manager:
Translational Genetics
Sophie is a Data Manager and part-time PhD student at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. With a background in bioinformatics and genetics, Sophie’s current research focuses on quantifying evidence for variant interpretation in inherited cancers, as well as co-ordinating the CRUK-funded Cancer Gene MAVE (CG-MAVE) grant, and supporting operation of the Cancer Variant Interpretation Group UK (CanVIG-UK).
Sarah Lane
Scientific Project Manager:
Translational Genetics
Sarah Lane is a Scientific Project Manager at the Institute of Cancer Research within Professor Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. Sarah is a registered associate public health nutritionist with a MSc in Global Public Health and Nutrition, and has previous experience working in policy research funding management, focusing on nutrition, maternal health, and health inequalities funding initiatives. Sarah is currently working on the delivery of the NHSE Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme and Jewish BRCA Testing Programme.
Rebekah Beaumont
Research Administrator:
Translational Genetics
Rebekah Beaumont is a Research Administrator at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. Rebekah has contributed to both the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme and the NHS Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme. She completed her master's degree in Genomic Medicine in 2025, co-led by Kings College London and City St George’s University London, where her dissertation focused on variant interpretation in undiagnosed paediatric cases of cerebellar ataxia.
Nicki Bell
Genomics Practitioner:
Translational Genetics
Nicola Bell is a Genomics Practitioner at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. Nicola is currently working on the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme and the NHS England Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme. Nicola studied Biology at the University of Nottingham, graduating in 2022. Alongside her work at the ICR, she is completing an MSc in Genetic and Genomic Counselling with Cardiff University, due to graduate in 2026.
Miriam Babigumira
Research Administrator:
Translational Genetics
Miriam Babigumira is a Research Administrator at the Institute of Cancer Research, within Prof Clare Turnbull’s team in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. Having trained academically as a botanist, Miriam’s ethnobotanical work focused on documenting medicinal plant uses, supporting the sustainable use of plant resources, and contributing to community-led research. Her MSc in Women’s Health provided further insight into key areas of interest such as screening, early diagnosis, reproductive risk factors, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. Miriam draws on this training to bring an interdisciplinary approach to working collaboratively across various teams within Institute of Cancer Research and community partners in delivering programme objectives ethically as well as within agreed timeframes. Miriam is currently working on the Jewish BRCA Testing Program.
Dr Lucy Loong
Honorary Clinical Research Fellow:
Translational Genetics
Dr Lucy Loong is a Cancer Research UK funded Clinical Research Fellow at The Institute of Cancer Research, a partnership analyst at the National Disease Registration Service, and a specialist doctor in Clinical Genetics. Her research focuses on the large-scale integration of nationally collected clinical genetic testing data and rare genetic disease registries with electronic healthcare records, including cancer registry data and hospital episode statistics. Using these linked population-level datasets, she applies data-driven and longitudinal analytic approaches to study cancer risk and outcomes, evaluate clinical service delivery, and assess cancer surveillance in individuals with inherited cancer susceptibility syndromes.
Kerstin Ackers
Administrative Assistant:
Translational Genetics
Kerstin is currently an Administrative/project Assistant at the Institute of Cancer Research, working within Professor Clare Turnbull’s laboratory in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology. In this role, my current focus is supporting the BRCA and RETRO projects, where I provide high-level administrative and project coordination support to ensure the smooth delivery of complex research activities.
Joshua Nolan
Genetic Counsellor:
Translational Genetics
Josh is a research Genetic Counsellor within the group, primarily helping to guide patients through their germline genetic testing process, aiding their adjustment journey when we identify pathogenic variants, and facilitating cascade testing for their at-risk relatives. Josh holds Health and Care Professions Council registration as a Clinical Scientist following completion of the NHS Scientist Training Programme in Genomic Counselling in Oxford in 2021. He also has quantitative and qualitative research experience from the University of Oxford studying the return of germline pathogenic variants as secondary findings from the NHS 100,000 Genomes Project.
Esther Oniwinde
Research Administrator:
Translational Genetics
Esther is a Research Administrator working within Professor Clare Turnbull’s team in Genetics and Epidemiology at the Institute of Cancer Research. Esther joined the ICR in 2024 to support the delivery of the Jewish BRCA Testing programme, population testing for hereditary cancer risk. With an academic background in Cancer Sciences and interest in public engagement, Esther is keen to develop her skills in both public engagement and clinical trials in oncology.
Charlie Rowlands
Bioinformatician:
Translational Genetics
Charlie is a research bioinformatician within the Translational Genetics team. He completed his PhD at the University of Manchester in 2022, developing approaches for the prioritisation and investigation of splice-impacting variants in Mendelian disease. His current research focuses on developing methodologies to support the integration of functional data, particularly multiplex assays of variant effect (MAVEs), in the interpretation of germline variants in cancer susceptibility genes (CSGs). He also administers the CanVar-UK web platform for CSG variant interpretation.
Charlotte Hennessy
Research Administrator:
Translational GeneticsCharlotte Hennessy is a Research Administrator for the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme. She works within the Genetics and Epidemiology team under Professor Clare Turnbull. She recently transferred from The Royal Marsden Hospital trust where she was working in the Clinical Genetics team.
Andi Osborne
Research Administrator:
Translational GeneticsAndrea Osborne is a Research Administrator in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology at the Institute of Cancer Research, working within Professor Clare Turnbull’s team. She joined the ICR in 2014 after roles in the NHS and Local Authority, initially supporting the Oncogenetics Teams as Data Manager on key prostate cancer studies including UKGPCS, GENPROS and BARCODE1.
Dr Sina Tabakhi
Jim Gkantalis
Mi Chween Chan
ICR PhD Student:
Stromal Radiobiology
I am a PhD student investigating the role of myeloid cells in responses to radiotherapy and immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. I will be utilising multiplexed immunofluorescence and transcriptomic techniques on clinical trial samples to gain a wider understanding of the myeloid population interactions within the tumour microenvironment.