Support Staff

Hello there! My name is Sanjana Choudhary and I am reading for a Master’s in Modern South Asian Studies as an OICSD scholar. My research tackles colonial censorship of Indian magazines and banned literature in the 20th century. I am a writer and journalist, which makes me naturally passionate about the workings of the library and academia. As your Library & Education Rep, I will be coordinating as a bridge between the Education Committee of the College and the graduate academic community (MCR). I will also be organising the MCR research symposium for interested members. Feel free to reach out to me with any academic or library related concerns, suggestions and feedback! I can be reached out at sanjana.choudhary@some.ox.ac.uk anytime!

I joined the Domingos group in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford as a Novo Nordisk postdoctoral fellow in 2019.

My research focuses on the study of neuroimmune mechanisms underlying obesity. I use advanced molecular and genetic technologies along with computational approaches for transcriptomic profiling of sympathetic ganglia and the sympathetic neurons innervating the fat tissue. The aim is to identify the novel cellular and molecular targets that may lead to develop new tissue-specific therapies for obesity.

I completed my Ph.D. in Neuroscience at ETH Zurich in 2018. During my Ph.D., I have investigated the long-term impact of maternal overnutrition on the brain, behaviors, and metabolism. My study reveals that perinatal maternal high fat diet-induced obesogenic and addictive like phenotypes can be conserved across three generations via the paternal lineage and identifies sperm tRNA-derived small RNA as a potential epigenetic mark that partly mediates such abnormal traits to the progeny. Prior to my Ph.D., I attained an MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Bonn, Germany. I also hold a Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from Dhaka Medical College, Bangladesh.

Dr Raffaele Sarnataro is a Fulford Junior Research Fellow and a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Neuroscience, working in the Miesenböck group at the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour. His research investigates how sleep-control neurons operate and how sleep need is physically encoded in their molecular machinery and circuitry network dynamics, and is aimed at unveiling the mystery of why we need to sleep. 

Raffaele studied at Scuola Normale Superiore and, in parallel, at University of Pisa, Italy, obtaining a BSc in Biotechnologies, an MSc in Molecular and Cell Biology, and a Diploma di Licenza in Biology.  After a visiting research experience at Harvard Medical School, supported by the award of an Armenise-Harvard Foundation Summer Fellowship, Raffaele joined the 4-year Doctoral Programme in Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, funded by a Wellcome Trust four-year PhD Studentship in Science. During his first year, he obtained an MSc in Neuroscience, working with Prof. Gero Miesenböck and Prof. Colin Akerman for his rotation projects.

He then completed a DPhil (PhD) in Neuroscience in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (University of Oxford), working in the Miesenböck lab at the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, co-supervised by Prof. Vladyslav Vyazovskiy.  During his time in Oxford, Raffaele obtained a Jesus College Graduate Scholarship, gaining Oxford Scholar status in 2019, and received several academic awards by the Physiological Society, the British Neuroscience Association, the Guarantors of Brain, and Gordon Research Conferences.

In 2024, he was awarded a Fulford Junior Research Fellowship by Somerville College Oxford.  Raffaele has been President of the Oxford University Cortex Club, the neuroscience student forum, where neuroscience is discussed in formats ranging from small debates to panel discussions, to symposia with other universities, with talks featuring internationally prominent speakers and early career researchers.

At the same time, he is associate member of the Italian Center for Excellence and Transdisciplinary Studies, long-term collaborator of Italian National Association of Natural Sciences Teachers and Amgen Biotech Experience Italy, and was jury member at the 29th International Biology Olympiad, contributing to science communications and public engagement at various educational levels.

Reema is a social entrepreneur dedicated to bridging income inequalities and advocating for the rights of vulnerable communities in India. Over nine years, she has been consistently engaged in grassroots work, building community-led income generation models with rural women, smallholding farmers, and indigenous populations.

Reema’s work centers around transforming agriculture and livestock supply chains, empowering rural communities to embrace entrepreneurship through micro-enterprises. In the State of Maharashtra, she pioneered the first-ever rural women-owned food brand. This initiative not only doubled their incomes but also inspired a set of women leaders challenging the status quo regarding women’s social and economic standing in their respective villages.

Along with her efforts on the ground, Reema serves as an advisor to various non-profits and community-led organizations in India. Her role in establishing Rajasthan’s first micro camel milk dairy benefited over 3,000 camel herders, providing a sustainable source of income amidst livelihood threats due to State policies and declining camel populations. Additionally, her expertise has catalyzed the formation of Manipur’s first women-only farmer producer company (FPC), empowering over 16,000 tribal women to embrace small-scale pig farming and create value-added products from forest resources. Her responsibility in this role revolved around policy recommendations and programs aimed at enhancing technology, finance, and livelihood opportunities for women in India and Bangladesh.

She has co-authored a regional chapter on South Asia for FAO’s (The food and agriculture organization of the United Nations) report on Gender and Climate-Smart Agriculture in collaboration with the University of East Anglia (UEA, Norwich). Reema is a Presidential Award Winner in the year 2017 (awarded by the Honorable President of India and the Ministry of Woman & Child Development), recognized for bringing positive economic change for rural women in Maharashtra.

She has been featured as one of the Most powerful women in the Indian impact business in Business Today and the Forbes Magazine. Her organization, Happy Roots, has been featured as one of the successful case studies bridging gender gap in agriculture by the United Nations & The World Bank Group. Reema is also a fellow at the British Asian Trust and UnLtd India. Her passion for building more inclusive, equitable, and transformative institutions and societies, leads her to Oxford, where she seeks to deepen her inquiry through theory and practice. Reema wishes to challenge her critical thinking, both inside and outside the classroom, to solve development problems at scale. Her interest lies at the intersection of economic development, multi-dimensional equality (including gender justice and community rights) and technology. When not working, Reema indulges in the joys of traveling, exercising, and savouring a good glass of wine.

Rhiannon is a DPhil Student in Mathematics, specialising in Derived Algebraic Geometry. She previously completed a MMath Master of Mathematics at Oxford (2020). Visit her website here.

Aanchal is the first Elizabeth Moir Scholar, reading for an MPP at the Blavatnik School of Government . Before joining Oxford, she worked for the Food Innovation Hub at the World Economic Forum. 

Her research interests include policies at the intersection of innovation, technology, and partnerships for enabling food systems transformation. Her work with the World Economic Forum, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature focused on blended finance and partnerships. She holds a Bachelor’s in Commerce from Delhi University and Master’s in Sustainable Development Practices from TERI School of Advanced Studies.

Her experience with some of the leading organisations in the world and eminent experts trained her in in policymaking, implementing, partnering, and financing for large, complex projects. These projects include monitoring the environmental, social, and economic effects of responsible tourism on tribal communities, surveying villages and designing comprehensive agri-solutions, and leading India’s first research team in assessing PPP models for marine conservation. 

During her time at Oxford, she aims to work towards refining her skills and learning from her peers to lead effective collaboration.

Lachie is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Oxford’s School of Archaeology, and a Fulford Junior Research Fellow at Somerville College.

A biologist by training, Lachie’s research sits at the interface between the human and life sciences, employing the “celebrity science” of ancient DNA to investigate the role that humans and the environment play in shaping global animal populations. More specifically, he is focused on unravelling the causes and consequences of millennia of interaction between humans and their closest evolutionary companion, dogs.

Lachie is from New Zealand, where he completed both his undergraduate and master’s degrees (in Geology and Zoology) at the University of Otago. He then moved to the United Kingdom to undertake a DPhil in Archaeological Science at the University of Oxford (Merton College), funded by a Clarendon scholarship. In 2024, he began his Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by a German Research Council Grant, with the specific aim of assessing the consequences of strong artificial selection on purebred dogs over the last two centuries.

Hi, I’m Jess and I am a DPhil student in the Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.  I am studying the impacts of hot temperatures on mental health outcomes in England. I decided to focus my dissertation on this topic because mental health is personally very important to me and I want to better understand how the environments around us, and the changing climate, are impacting mental health. 

I am from the United States where I received my bachelor’s degree in biology and my master’s in environmental health. Outside of academics I spend a decent amount time doing some form of physical activity as I have a goal of running the original 6 major world marathons — I have already completed 3 and will be running the fourth this fall. I also enjoy photography, reading, traveling, and baking for my friends. 

I am excited to be a part of the welfare team and the Somerville community. Please reach out if you would like a friendly chat, if you would like a listening ear, or if you need support. 

I have undertaken the following training for my role as Student Welfare Advisor:

• First Aid Training offered by St John’s Ambulance
• Junior Deans Training offered by the University Counselling Service
• Peer Support Training offered by the University Counselling Service
• Health and Safety Training – Somerville Lodge Porters
• Fire Evacuation Training – Somerville Lodge Porters
• Welfare Policy and Procedures – Student Welfare Lead
• College Rules and Procedures – Decanal Officer
• Introduction to Safeguarding – Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership

Hi, I’m Rebecca the MCR House Chair. I’m responsible for the MCR space and its amenities (such as the air mattress lending scheme), together with providing biscuits and tea. I hope to green up the space a little and am always happy to hear suggestions how we could contribute to your wellbeing in the MCR! Otherwise I am a DPhil student in Medieval German, researching healthcare in medieval German convents. I like to go on long rambling walks, have a (supposedly) questionable obsession with peanut butter, and enjoy meeting friends and new people for shared food and nature excursions!

Dr David Schramm is a Foundation Doctor at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and a Somerville alumnus with research interests in interventional radiology, medical innovation, and data-driven approaches to improving patient outcomes.

David matriculated at St Peter’s College, Oxford, to read Biochemistry before completing graduate-entry Medicine at Somerville. His academic work includes developing AI tools for opportunistic vertebral fracture detection and leading multicentre studies on contrast-associated kidney injury and venous thrombosis management. He has also contributed to national collaborative studies through the UK Interventional Radiology Trainee Collaborative (UNITE) committee and evaluated digital health technologies such as wearable ECG devices and virtual operating platforms.

Alongside his clinical training, David maintains an active interest in translational biotechnology and early-stage innovation, contributing to protocol design and patent development.

Elena joined the Oxford University Biochemistry Department in 2014 as an independent group leader to study the structure and function of cell surface receptors in neural and vascular development.

‘Understanding how cells form tissues is important, because failure leads to developmental diseases and cancers. Specialised proteins are found at the surfaces of cells and direct their movements as tissues grow. My lab uses a range of cutting-edge techniques to understand how this works, especially X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, cell biology assays, confocal and super resolution microscopy.’

Learn more: http://seiradake.web.ox.ac.uk

Caroline Series (1969, Mathematics) is a distinguished mathematician working in hyperbolic geometry, Kleinian groups and Dynamical systems.

After studying at Somerville in 1969, Professor Series held posts in Berkeley and Newnham College, Cambridge before arriving at the University of Warwick in 1978. In 1987 she became Reader in Mathematics at Warwick and, in 1992, Professor. In 2017, she became the third woman in its history to serve as president of the London Mathematical Society. In 2023, she was awarded a CBE in the King’s first list of Birthday Honours.

I’m a DPhil student in History, researching memory, identity in postcolonial nation-states. As Welfare Officer, I care deeply about fostering an inclusive and supportive MCR where everyone feels welcome and heard. Whether you’re looking for someone to talk to, advice on resources, or just a quiet cup of tea, I’m here to help. I’m also a big believer in small but sustainable joys—so expect occasional sweet bites, helpful scheme plans (feel free to share ideas) and low-pressure events to keep spirits up. Please feel free to reach out anytime!

Alison assists the Graduate and Tutorial Officer in the Academic Office.

My work aims to improve psychological treatments for people experiencing severe mental health problems, with a particular focus on: i) distressing voices; and, ii) sleep disruption.

In my research, I have developed a new psychological framework for understanding why voices cause distress: listening to and believing derogatory and threatening voices. The theory was built from patient interviews and tested in 591 NHS patients who hear voices. I aim to develop this into a psychological treatment to help NHS patients who hear voices to feel less emotionally affected by them.

As part of the wider Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis team I have worked on several studies which have demonstrated that sleep disruption is one contributory cause of mental health problems, including psychotic experiences. I led a pilot trial testing a sleep intervention for psychiatric inpatient wards. The treatment was feasible to deliver. The patients who received it experienced reductions in insomnia, and there were promising reductions in the duration of inpatient admissions. I have a particular interest in nightmares, their causes and the consequences for other mental health problems. Our pilot trial demonstrated that a brief CBT intervention for nightmares showed promising reductions in nightmares, insomnia and paranoia in patients experiencing psychosis.

I am an HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist and hold an honorary clinical contract with Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. I completed my doctorate in clinical psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, following which I joined the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis research group as part of the Wellcome Trust funded Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute. I have since been funded by an NIHR Clinical Doctoral Fellowship and a Development and Skills Enhancement Award.

I am the Departmental Lecturer in Physical & Theoretical Chemistry.

I teach Chemistry at Somerville in addition to two other colleges, Lady Margaret Hall, and St Peter’s. Previously I held Lectureships at Magdalen, Merton and New.

I studied for my MChem degree at Magdalen College (2008-2012) before moving to New College for a DPhil in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Stuart Mackenzie, which I completed in 2016.

My position involves teaching all aspects of the undergraduate Physical Chemistry course, from Prelims (1^st Year) to Final Honours School (3^rd Year). I hold tutorials for small groups of students where we discuss the lecture course material in more detail. We also meet in larger groups for problems classes to cover the more numerical aspects of each topic, and I offer thematic revision classes to prepare each group of students for their respective exams. In the Chemistry department, I provide synoptic revision lectures to all years and examine the first year Physical Chemistry Prelims paper.

My DPhil research was concerned with the photochemical spin dynamics of proteins, suggested to be the basis of the magnetic sense in some animals. It involved the development of a range of highly sensitive optical cavity-enhanced techniques to detect very small changes in reactivity caused by an external magnetic field.