The UK is a world leader in healthcare research. You only have to look at the staggering pace of the development of the Covid-19 vaccine to realise that our scientists are some of the brightest and best in the world.

In our pursuit of rapid, repeatable results, scientists such as myself have become entirely reliant on single-use plastics. Have you ever wondered what happens to these plastics? Since the used items are often contaminated with biohazardous waste, they are usually incinerated, releasing trillions of tonnes of carbon dioxide and other noxious fumes into the environment. But the environmental problems don't stop there – scientific labs use a disproportionate amount of electricity per unit of space to keep incubators and ultra-cold freezers running.

The purpose of my Fellowship is to find out how the leading institutions in the USA have begun to fundamentally rethink how they use resources and generate waste. I will use my findings to advocate for less wasteful scientific practices throughout the UK. I want to make healthcare research more environmentally sustainable – what's the point in finding a cure for cancer if the planet is on fire?