James Bell
Cardiff University
Welsh Crucible 2021
James is originally from south Devon and read mathematics and physics at the University of Exeter. He was particularly inspired by biophysics research and went on to study for a PhD in cartilage biomechanics under the supervision of Peter Winlove. After some short postdocs in cartilage and arterial research he moved to Cardiff to work as an RA in ocular biomechanics. James’ research involves combining imaging techniques with mechanical testing to visualise how tissues in our bodies function mechanically, and what causes dysfunction in disease. He also leads the development of a new biomechanics facility at Diamond Light Source, the UK synchrotron, which has the remit of making the visualisation of mechanical phenomena more accessible to the wider scientific community. James is keen to explore ways of engaging with scientists from different fields to foster fruitful cross-disciplinary collaborations.