– Proficiency in written and oral science communication for general and specialist audiences
– Takes ownership of numerous writing projects while effectively working with commenters and editors
– Experience in experimental design and execution with a strong foundation in statistical and quantitative analysis
Education
PhD Pathology
University of Cambridge & Diamond Light Source
Thesis: Multi-modal imaging of herpesvirus infection
Summary: Used multiple microscopy techniques to probe the assembly of herpes simplex virus-1 in the cell and assess the functions of nine viral genes
MSc Integrated Immunology
University of Oxford
BSc Biology (Honours)
Imperial College London
Speech & Drama Diploma
Trinity College London
Career
Freelance science journalist (present)
Significant experience writing news stories, news analyses, profiles, explainers, and feature articles for Asimov Press, Live Science, Nature, New Scientist, Science, Scientist Live, and The Scientist
Selected articles
News: Atlas of biomedical literature could help track down fabricated studies (Science)
Explainer: Why is it harder for some people to build muscle than others? (Live Science)
Feature: The truth about foods said to boost your immune system (New Scientist)
Beamline scientist (2022–present)
Diamond Light Source
Academic Publications
Co-corresponding (*) and first author
Nahas, K. L.*, Ferreira Fernandes, J., Crump, C., Graham, S. C. & Harkiolaki, M.* (2022) Contour: a semi-automated segmentation and quantitation tool for cryo-soft-X-ray tomography. Biological Imaging 2, E3. DOI: 10.1017/S2633903X22000046
First author
Unreviewed preprint: Nahas, K. L., Connor, V., Wijesinghe, K. J., Barrow, H. G., Dobbie, I. M., Harkiolaki, M., Graham, S. C., & Crump, C. M. (2024) Applying 3D correlative structured illumination microscopy and X-ray tomography to characterise herpes simplex virus-1 morphogenesis. bioRxiv. DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.13.584906
Nahas, K. L., Connor, V., Scherer, K. M., Kaminski, C. F., Harkiolaki, M.*, Crump, C. M.* & Graham, S. C.* (2022) Near-native state imaging by cryo-soft-X-ray tomography reveals remodelling of multiple cellular organelles during HSV-1 infection. PLOS Pathogens 18(7): e1010629. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010629
Middle author
Okolo, C. A., Kounatidis, I., Groen, J., Nahas, K. L., Balint, S., Fish, T. M., Koronfel, M. A., Cortajarena, A. L., Dobbie, I. M., Pereiro, E. & Harkiolaki, M*. (2021) Sample preparation strategies for efficient correlation of 3D SIM and soft X-ray tomography data at cryogenic temperatures. Nature Protocols 16, 2851–2885 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00522-4
Vyas, N., Perry, N., Okolo, C., Kounatidis, I., Fish, T. M., Nahas, K. L., Jadhav, A., Koronfel, M. A., Groen, J., Pereiro, E., Dobbie, I. M.* & Harkiolaki, M.* (2021) Cryo-structured illumination microscopic data collection from cryogenically preserved cells. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 62274 DOI: 10.3791/62274
Okolo, C., Fish, T. M., Nahas, K.L., Jadhav, A., Vyas, N., Taylor, A. & Harkiolaki, M. (2022) A combination of soft X-ray and laser light sources offer 3D high content information on the native state of the cellular environment. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2380(012042). DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/2380/1/012042
Harkiolaki, M., Vyas, N., Pizzey, C., Fish, T. M., Jadhav, A., Nahas, K.L. & Okolo, C. (2022) Synchrotron Radiation and Laser Light Microscopy Partnership for the Study of Biological Systems: The Case of Soft X-ray Tomography and Structured Illumination Microscopy at Cryogenic Temperatures. Microscopy & Microanalysis. 28(S1), 1328-1330. DOI: 10.1017/S1431927622005463
Experience
Media trips
Attending the inaugural Hong Kong Laureate Forum as a reporter.
Workshops
Scientific Paper Writing & Publishing (Cofactor Ltd)
Science Communication (Steve Cross)
People Management (MTD Training)
Teaching and outreach
Tutoring University of Cambridge undergraduates on developmental biology (2020–2021)
Training students at B24 Correlative Cryo-Imaging Workshop, Diamond Light Source (2021)
Public engagement at the Cambridge Science Festival (2019)
Reviewed abstracts for the public science Wolfson Research Event (2022)
Conferences
Session chair
Virus workshop: assembly, egress, and entry
Microbiology Society Annual Conference (2022)
Talk presenter
Biological Cryo-Imaging User Meetng at CCP-EM Spring Symposium (2024)
University of Cambridge internal meeting (2024)
Instruct-ERIC Soft-X-Ray Tomography Workshop (2023)
Microscience Microscopy Congress (2023)
Microbiology Society Annual Conference (2022)
Microscience Microscopy Congress (2021)
Microbiology Society Annual Conference (2021)
CCP-EM Spring Symposium (2019)
Poster presenter
World Molecular Imaging Congress (2023)
Microbiology Society Annual Conference (2019)
Wolfson College, Cambridge Research Event (2019)
Skills & Awards
Writing
Finding stories, conducting interviews, and writing, editing and fact-checking under time constraints
Research
Cell & virus cloning, microscopy and statistics
Data Analysis
Linux, BASH, Python, R, Macro (ImageJ) & Microsoft
Awards
2016 winner of Faculty of Natural Sciences—Make A Difference competition for designing a patented quality test for frying oil (Imperial College London)
Oxford, UK
kamalnahas.writing[at]gmail[dot]com