Academic in Residence appointed for Queen's Centre for Excellence in Agriculture and Food Integrity
Queen’s academic, Dr Simon Cameron, has been appointed the new Academic in Residence by the National Measurement Laboratory (NML) at LGC for the NML’s Centre for Excellence in Agriculture and Food Integrity at the University.
Dr Simon Cameron is a Senior Lecturer in Microbiology and Bioanalytical Chemistry within the School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s. Simon joined the University in 2019 from Imperial College London, where he worked as a post-doctoral research associate following completion of his PhD in microbiology and metabolomics from Aberystwyth University in 2015. In 2021 he was awarded a Community of Analytical Measurement Science (CAMS) Fellowship.
With over a decade of experience, Simon’s work focuses on the development of new mass spectrometry-based approaches, particularly ambient ionisation mass spectrometry, to understanding health and disease across humans, plants, and animals. Through collaborations with industry groups, he has expanded his research into developing methods using smaller, lower-cost, and high-throughput instrumentation for food and product analysis that will potentially advance accessibility of these capabilities beyond traditional laboratory settings.
His research group at Queen’s has received funding from UKRI BBSRC, UKRI Innovate UK, Academy of Medical Sciences, The Royal Society, CAMS, and industry partners including instrument manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and industry bodies.
Commenting on his appointment, Dr Simon Cameron said:
"Combining Queen’s and the NML’s extended networks, we can foster stronger collaborations in Northern Ireland and across the UK that will create the interdisciplinary environment for innovation-based measurement projects supporting improved reliability, safety and productivity of the agri-food industry and supply chain.”
Professor Sharon Huws, School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s commented:
"I am delighted that Dr Simon Cameron is announced as the academic in residence with the NML at LGC. His role will nurture the collaboration between the ASSET centre within the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's, which hosts the Centre for Excellence in Agriculture and Food Integrity with the NML, further enhancing its impact."
Dr Julian Braybrook, Director, National Laboratories at LGC & UK Government Chemist added:
“We welcome the opportunity Simon’s appointment provides for strengthening delivery of our mutual goals of enhancing the utility of translational analytical measurement science research outcomes that help address the future sustainability challenges facing the food and feed sector.”
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