Education
BSc (Hons) June 1986: BSc (HONS) Chemistry, Northumbria University
PhD July 1992: PhD in Organic Chemistry, Northumbria University
Employment History
- 1992 – Co-founder and director of contract research
organisation, Newcastle upon Tyne
- 2001 – Senior Research Associate, Department of Biological
Sciences, Durham University
- 2004 – Postdoctoral research fellow, Institute of Human
Genetics, Newcastle University
- 2004 – Lecturer in Stem Cell Biology, Newcastle University
- 2008 – Senior Lecturer in Stem Cell Biology, Newcastle
University
- 2012 – Reader in Cellular Reprogramming, Newcastle
University
- 2015 – Professor of Cellular Reprogramming, Newcastle
University
- 2015 – Chief Scientific Officer, Newcells Biotech Ltd
Other Appointments, honours and Awards
- Governmental work-UK Holder of HFEA licence R0179-A to
perform interspecies nuclear transfer
- Governmental work EU Site inspector for INSERM
- Editorial Board Editor in Chief of Stem Cells Portal
(November 2010-present)
- Panel Member Member of the Rhode Island Stem Cell Review
Scientific Panel
Principal active grant awards
- 2018 NC3R Crack-IT challenge 29: ImmuLiver: £100,000; SME
Principal Investigator
- Horizon 2020- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Initial
Training Networks: £303,172; Co-investigator
- NC3R Crack-IT Challenge 24 “3D iPSC derived laminated
retinal model as a tool for toxicology studies”: £1,000,000; SME Principal Investigator
- MRC project grant “An iPSC based screen for candidate pain
modulating compounds”: £617,000; Principal Investigator
- MRC CONFIDENCE IN CONCEPT FUNDING – NEWCASTLE AWARD
Exploiting the role of exosomes to treat age related macular degeneration and provide
biomarkers for early diagnosis of the disease: £65,459, Principal Investigator
- Horizon 2020- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Initial
Training Networks “An integrated interdisciplinary approach to animal-free chemical and
nanomaterial safety assessment” £250,000; Principal Investigator
- 2016 – 2019 NC3R: CRACK-IT challenge 20: METABODERM;
£800,000; SME Principal Investigator
Patents
- Armstrong L, James AL, Monget D, Orenga, S (1999) New
chromogenic substrates for the detection of bacterial hydrolases. French Patent 9900781
- Armstrong L, James, AL, Monget D, Orenga S (1998)
Chromogenic substrates for detecting enzymes activity, especially bacterial peptidase
activity. French Patent FR9804332
- Armstrong L, James AL, Orenga S. (1998) Substrates and
procedures for the detection of deaminase activity. French Patent 9802380
- Armstrong L, James AL and Orenga S. (1997) Detection of
deaminase activity in microorganisms using a substituted alpha amino acid. French Patent
9714191
- Armstrong L, and James Al. (1997) New enzymatically
cleavable esculetin derivatives for use as substrates for specific detection of
microorganisms. British Patent GB9600024
Postgraduate and Graduate Supervision
Primary research supervisor of 12 PhD students, two MPhils, 7 postdoctoral research associates and
three MRes/MSc students.
