Advance is shaped by the people behind it. From the experts who teach the courses to the staff who support bookings, tours, and events, the team is a major part of what people value about the experience. This page makes that visible.
Meet the Team
Advance is shaped by two kinds of people: those who teach with deep, current expertise, and those who make the wider experience feel organised, supported, and easy to trust.
Course Experts
Advance training is led by specialists who bring practical knowledge, technical depth, and current experience into every course. Their expertise shapes the quality of the learning and gives people direct access to the knowledge behind the work.
Facilities Team
The Facilities Team helps shape bookings, prepare spaces, and support the details that keep meetings, events, training days, and practical sessions running smoothly. Their role is a key part of what makes the experience feel well supported from start to finish.
Course experts
Learn from experts with deep, current experience in the field. The tutors at Advance are a major part of what makes the training valuable. They bring specialist knowledge, practical judgement, and real-world context into every course, giving learners direct access to the people shaping best practice in their field.
Senior Pathology technician at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell
Apprenticeship at Harwell. BTEC in Medical Laboratory Sciences at the College of Oxford and HTEC in Medical Laboratory Science at Paddington College.
Adele Austin is a pathology technician based in the Histology lab with over 40 years of experience in research.
Clinical Pathology Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell
PhD in Immunology, Lancaster University - research focused on antibiotics, macrophages and intestinal hormones. MSci in Biomedicine, Lancaster University.
Alex Hardgrave is the Clinical Pathology Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell.
Head of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell
PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Nice
Lydia has over 25 years of experience of mouse genome engineering, with expertise in both classical and genome editing methods.
Training Lead & Head of Pathology Services at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell
PhD in Neurobiology; MRes in Biomedical Science; PGDET in Education and Training
Maz is the Training Lead and Head of Pathology Services at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell.
Scientific Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell
Degree in Cell and Molecular Biology; PhD in Neurobehavioural Genetics
Michelle Stewart is the Scientific Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell.
Director of the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell
BSc in Genetics, University of Sheffield; PhD at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research on neuroendocrine gene expression
Sara Wells is Director of the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell.
Support
These are the people who make sure everything runs smoothly.
Facilities manager
Oversees all campus operations and client relationships with background in event management.
Technical lead
Manages laboratory equipment and technical systems across all research spaces.
Client coordinator
Handles bookings and enquiries with expertise in coordinating complex facility schedules.
The people behind Advance make the offer stronger.
Advance works because the people behind it bring more than job titles alone. Course experts shape the quality of the training through practical knowledge and specialist judgement. Facilities staff make the spaces easy to use and the process easy to manage. Together, they help create an experience that feels credible, supportive, and well considered.
Learners benefit from being taught by people who know the work in practice.
Facilities users are supported by real people who understand what is needed and help shape the right setup.
The people behind Advance are part of what makes the brand feel professional, useful, and easy to trust.
Testimonials
Learners and facility users trust Advance
In Their Own Words
