Professional Services Team – Page 2

Paz is Programme Manager, working broadly across operations to ensure studies are set up and delivered successfully. Paz also oversees communications and manages the Engagement Team and the Administration Team, ensuring that our twin participants are well looked after when taking part in research and kept up-to-date with everything at TwinsUK.

Paz is co-chair of the TwinsUK Volunteer Advisory Panel and regularly conducts consultations with VAP members to make sure that TwinsUK research reflects the interests and priorities of our TwinsUK members.

Sam Wadge

Sam joined the department in 2012 as an intern and is now the Biobank Laboratory Manager. Responsibilities with this role include overseeing the laboratory team, governance and curating the numerous sample collections (over 700,000 aliquots).

Sam sits on the TwinsUK Resource Executive Committee acting as the gateway for accessing the biobank’s sample collections for the wider scientific community.

Ayrun Nessa

Ayrun has been an integral member of TwinsUK for 14 years initially working as a Lab Assistant. Later Ayrun joined the Clinical Research Team as Research Assistant, ultimately progressing to her current role, leading and overseeing twin visits.

Ayrun has been a key member in improving twin visits, developing, implementing and rolling out new visit structures, working with all teams within the DTR to develop and pilot new research tests, and most importantly ensuring that all ethical and legal standards are strictly maintained.

Ayrun has seen many changes over the years, from booking twins using handwritten diaries to the electronic systems we use now. Twin visits remain Ayrun’s favourite part of her job, particularly seeing the twins more than once over the years on repeat visits.

Taha Bhatti

Victoria Vazquez

Victoria Vazquez is the TwinsUK Data Access and Collaborations Manager ensuring smooth access to data from the scientific community. Victoria has also worked as professor Tim Spector’s Executive Assistant for fifteen years, managing his busy schedule, organising events and liaising with the media.

Christel Barnetson

Christel has been a member of the Department of Twin Research since 1994 and has been involved with the Research Grants and Finance Management of the Department of Twin Research over the past 15 years.

Christel is responsible for budgeting all new research projects and managing all research funding. She is also an active member of the TwinsUK Research Executive Committee.