“I love working on the Generations Study because I feel it is a worthwhile project that will help people. I feel fortunate that I have been involved at the very beginning of this unique study, which will run for many decades to come.”
Jill Williamson began her science career at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund working with patients who had leukaemia and lymphoma. She then trained as a cytogeneticist (studying chromosomes) before moving to work in molecular biology in Professor Alan Ashworth's lab at the Breakthrough Research Centre. Now she is the team manager of the Breakthrough Generations Study Laboratory, and has been instrumental in setting up the lab and maintaining its productivity.
The study laboratory team
Blood samples for the study are processed at the Breakthrough Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research in Chelsea. Up to 200 blood samples arrive at the laboratory every day and each must be processed as quickly as possible. The team responsible for this is headed by Jill Williamson.
