Paula did a PhD in Molecular Biology in 2001 followed by postdoctoral research in Manchester, Japan and Brighton, all focused around single-strand DNA repair and proteins binding to XRCC1. After realising she really didn’t have the patience to deal with any more cell culture or another Western blot, Paula moved into using her science and communications background to support the wider scientific community. Paula worked at the MRC head office for six years running funding panels and strategic initiatives across several areas including structural biology, bioinformatics, large scale cohorts, genetics and genomics. From 2012, Paula worked at the University of Cambridge setting up and running initiatives to create multidisciplinary and multi-sector networks for research (first in public health, and then in therapeutics working with the pharma and biotech industry). Her role now is to work behind the scenes to give strategic and operational support to the various projects and programmes the Saez Group and EMBL-EBI Research overall are involved in.