Samantha Lane

Personal statement

I graduated from Cardiff University in 2001 with an undergraduate degree in Microbiology, and went on to gain a PGCE in Secondary Science at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff the following year. I then returned to Cardiff University, this time to the Pharmacology Department of the Welsh School of Pharmacy where I carried out an industrially funded PhD in occupational lung disease, completed in 2005. I joined Bath Spa University in 2006 after carrying out 12 months post-doctoral research at the School of Pharmacy into plant tannins as a cause of respiratory disease.

My research interests centre on the analysis and measurement of respiratory toxins from processed organic material such as cotton and hemp. Specifically my work focuses on agents of microbial origin, including baterial endotoxin and fungal glucan, their measurement and health effects in occupational and domestic environments. I was awarded a Bath Spa Promising Researcher Fellowship in 2008.

Academic qualifications

• BSc(Hons) Cardiff
• PGCE UWIC
• PhD Cardiff.

Professional memberships

• Member of the Society of Biology since 2007
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2011.

Teaching specialism 

I am Module Leader for the following modules;

• FN4001-40: Introduction to Food and Nutrition
• FN4004-20: Fundamentals of Biochemistry
• BY4003-20: Human Biology
• BY6012-20: Investigations in Human Biology.

I am also a tutor on the following modules;

• FN5002-20: Research Skills
• FN6001-40: Food and Nutrition Dissertation
• BY4001-40: Biology; The Living World
• BY5001-40: Biology; The Science of Life
• BY5004-20: Health and Human Environments
• BY6001-40: Biology Dissertation.

Current research:

Currently working on things in the follow areas; the role of celebrity chefs on the habits and behaviour of UK consumers; food allergies; and dietary provision for those following minority diets (i.e. vegans, vegetarians and those with coeliac disease). Also developing research looking at microbial growth in drinking water stored in reused plastic drinks bottles.

Previous research: 

2006-2010: Focused on the analysis of microbial toxicants in domestic dusts and their links with symptoms of asthma. Included some collaborative work with Cardiff University, analysing fungal glucan in house dust collected from the homes of asthmatics. Awarded a Bath Spa Promising Researcher Fellowship in 2008, was an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Cardiff University during this period.

2005-2006: Post-doctoral research into cotton plant tannins as an agent of respiratory disease. Work carried out at Cardiff University. Funded by a grant for £28,000 from the British Cotton Growing Association, Manchester University, UK.

2002-2005: PhD research entitled 'Investigation into the measurement of biological contamination of cotton fibres as an indicator of risk to repiratory health and detriment to structural quality'. Work carried out at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University. Industrially funded by the International Cotton Association, Liverpool, UK.

Other scholarship

Attended and presented at the Centre for Bioscience Conference on Student Research. Nottingham University 2008.

Invited review article published in Biologist magazine: Lane, S. R., and Sewell, R. D. E. 2006. Endotoxins and glucans; environmental trouble-makers. Biologist 53(3): 129-134.

Attendance and poster presentation at the 2004 and 2005 British Pharmaceutical Conference, Manchester UK.

Invited presentation at The 27th International Cotton Conference, Bremen, Germany, 2004.
'Investigation into the Biological Contamination of Cotton Fibres as an Indicator of Quality and Safety'. Published in Conference Proceedings as: Lane, S., Sewell, R., and Nicholls, P. 2004. Investigation into the biological contamination of cotton fibres, as an indicator of quality and safety. Proceedings of the 27th International Cotton Conference, Bremen (Eds. Schneider, Th., Heap, S. A., and Stevens, J. C.) pp 55-61, Publishers; Faserinstitut, Bremen e. V., Postfach 105807, Bremen, Germany.

Scholarship specifically underpins the content of BY4003 Human Biology, BY5004 Health and Human Environments, and the projects offered for the BY6001/FN6001 dissertation modules and BY6012 Investigations in Human Biology.

Recent professional updating

• FAA Level 2 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work; April 2014
• Workshop on the use of ipads and apps in teaching; February 2014
• Introduction to 'R'; December 2013
• Minerva and the Grademark Workshop; March 2012
• Google Apps Workshop; February 2012
• Bristol Online Surveys Training; September 2011
• BSU e-learning day; June 2011
• Blackboard 9.1 Training Workshop; September 2010.