Rachael Williams

Biography

I studied Biomedical Sciences, both at undergraduate and masters level at The University of Bradford, graduating in 2014. My masters research project investigated wound healing in human skin.  

My combined interest in skin research and the beauty industry, led me to apply for a post as a research technician here, in the Centre for Skin Sciences (CSS) at the end of my masters degree. As a research technician I work on industrial funded research projects. Shortly after starting I was assigned to a project with the company Aveda. During this project both the university and the company supported my enrolment for a part time PhD.My PhD topic is in identifying age-related changes within the female scalp with Dr Julie Thornton. While much is known about facial ageing and the mechanisms behind it, to date little attention has been paid to scalp ageing. We know hair becomes sparser, thinner and brittle with age, so we are investigating what is happening within the scalp, and working with Aveda on how this can lead to possible interventions.

I’m privileged to have had the opportunity to work in the Aveda laboratories in the USA, as well as presenting my work at conferences in Europe and the USA, giving talks in Orlando, London, Portugal and Barcelona.  This is my fourth year collaborating with Aveda and the second year of my PhD.