Dr. Erika Parkinson is a Biological Scientist specialising in proteomics analysis of serum, tissue and cell lines to study Skin Allergy, Skin Cancer and Breast Cancer.  Erika completed her BSc (HONS) in Biomedical Science at the Nottingham Trent University in 2001 where she also spent one year in industry developing detection assays for the DERA (now DSTL), Porton Down.  In 2002, Erika was awarded an MSc in Oncology from Nottingham University before undertaking her PhD where she used Mass Spectrometry and Bioinformatics to identify biomarkers of disease diagnosis and progression in Melanoma and Breast Cancer.  In 2006, she took a Research Fellow position within the Centre for Proteomic Research at the University of Southampton investigating the early haptenation events that lead to the onset of Allergic Contact Dermatitis, funded by Unilever plc.

In 2017, Erika moved into industry where she took a role as Head of R&D Biology and Lab Manager for a new purpose-built Cell Culture Facility at Solentim Ltd.

Deciding to make a move into Clinical Research, Erika is now collaborating with the Orthopaedic Research Institute to evaluate the effect of education and cycling in patients with osteoarthritis (CLEAT Study Trial).

Erika on joining the ORI team: “I am incredibly excited to work with the team at the Orthopaedic Research Institute and start my transition into Clinical Research. I am looking forward to learning about orthopaedics and how the world class research being undertaken by the team here strives to improve the quality of life and outcomes for our patients.”