I am currently in the second year of my PhD at Aziz’s lab. My broad research interests are in how regeneration takes place, in particular anterior-posterior axis establishment and the roles of cell cycle control in regeneration. My background is in Cell and Developmental Biology, which I specialised in during my Natural Sciences degree at the University of Cambridge. During this period, I briefly worked with Professor Jonathan Jones of the Sainsbury Laboratory, where I investigated the genetics of plant-pathogen interactions. I was also fortunate to perform my Part II project with Dr Torsten Krude, where I worked on the initiation of DNA replication. I continued my studies with an MRes degree in Stem Cell Biology at the University of Nottingham in Aziz’s lab. Here I investigated the roles of SmedHDAC in planarians, with the aim to both understand the function of this gene in regeneration and development in planarians. Currently I am becoming more interested in anterior and posterior polarity specification during regeneration. In my spare time I enjoy travelling, reading and learning new languages.
 

Publications 

Robert A. Blassberg, Daniel A. Felix, Belen Tejada-Romero and A. Aziz Aboobaker. PBX/extradenticle is required to re-establish axial structures and polarity during planarian regeneration. 2013. Development and stem cells.doi: 10.1242/dev.082982.

Belen Tejada Romero, Deborah J Evans and A. Aziz Aboobaker. Chapter 13. FACS Analysis of the Planarian Stem Cell Compartment as a Tool to Understand Regenerative Mechanisms in Progenitor Cells, Methods and Protocols. Series: Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 916. Mace, Kimberly A.; Braun, Kristin M. (Eds.). Humana.

Deborah J Evans, Suthira Owlarn, Belen Tejada Romero, Chen Chen and A. Aziz Aboobaker, 2011. Combining Classical And Molecular Approaches Elaborates On The Complexity Of Mechanisms Underpinning Anterior Regeneration. Plos One. 6(11), e27927