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Staff Profile

Dr Alex Laude

Head of Biomedical Research Facilities

  • Email: alex.laude@ncl.ac.uk
  • Telephone: 44 (0) 191 208 4860
  • Address: Second Floor William Leech Building
    Medical School
    Framlington Place
    Newcastle
    NE2 4HH
Background

I am the manager of the Biomedical Research Facilities at Newcastle University, where I lead the strategic and financial management of twelve scientific facilities. My role focuses on developing sustainable investment plans for our core research facilities, equipment and infrastructure, ensuring that our capabilities remain aligned with the evolving needs of the biomedical research community.

Since 2010 and up until 2024, I managed the BioImaging Unit at Newcastle University—a core facility providing advanced light microscopy technologies, techniques, and expert advice. Over the past decade, I’ secured more than £5.5 million in competitive equipment funding, allowing us to expand both our imaging technologies and staffing. This growth enabled us to better support researchers across Newcastle and the North East.

My academic background includes a BSc in Physiology from the University of Bristol and a PhD in Molecular Physiology from the University of Liverpool, where I developed laser photoablation microscopy to study calcium signalling. Postdoctoral work at Cambridge and Liverpool further deepened my expertise in cell imaging and cancer signalling.

In 2019, I was invited to co-lead a Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) focused interest group aimed at improving microscope quality and imaging data practices across the UK. This initiative evolved into the international QUAREP-LiMi community, where I co-chaired Working Group 9 (Planning & Funding) until 2023, helping to shape global standards for reproducibility and instrument quality.

I’m also deeply passionate about outreach and engagement. In 2019, I founded The Cell Detectives, an RTP-led initiative designed to spark curiosity in science and technology. Through hands-on access to cutting-edge instrumentation and collaboration between industry and academia, we showcase biomedical research and STEM careers to the public in an accessible and inspiring way.

Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to scientific excellence, collaborative leadership, and creating inclusive pathways for public engagement and institutional growth.


Research

Academic Career: As part of my PhD studies I developed a microscope-based laser photoablation system and applied it to investigate calcium signalling dynamics in live cells. Further postdoctoral research projects have all used microscopy in various forms to image and track cells in both fixed and live environments. My research has contributed towards publications in the fields of Calcium Signalling, Cancer (RAS proteins) and more recently, microscopy, where I have helped to develop novel fluorescence-based imaging techniques and preparatory methods.

Technical career: As manager of the BioImaging Unit, since 2010, I am currently responsible for the organisation, maintenance, user training and development of high-end microscopy resources in the Faculty these include: automated wide field, confocal, super resolution, live-cell imaging systems and data analysis software. In addition to this, I have a track record in assisting the development, validation and application of novel preparatory and imaging methods used to study cellular processes in both three dimensional tissues and individual cells.

Microscopy community: I am an active participant in the UK bioimaging community and was chosen to host their annual meeting in 2012. I am co-leading the UK’s efforts to improve microscope quality control procedures and was invited to set-up The Royal Microscopical Society’s ‘Quality Control Focused Interest Group’ to drive the subject nationally. I am a co-founder of the QUAREP-LiMi (Quality Assessment and Reproducibility for Instruments & Images in Light Microscopy) an international organisation established with similar aims.

Facility manager community: I am an active participate in the UK Technical Specialist Network and through this, co-founded the UK Research Facilities Coordinator’s Network (RFCN).  This is a UK-wide initiative dedicated to strengthening the visibility, sustainability, and strategic impact of research facilities across the Higher Education and Research Institutions. RFCN brings together facility managers, research technical professionals (RTPs), and institutional leaders to foster collaboration, share best practices, and advocate for the essential role of facilities in driving research excellence.


Manager of Biomedical Research Facilities: I formally took up the position of Manager of fBiomedical Research Facilities in 2024, I am responsible for the strategic and financial management of a cohort of 10 scientific facilities. As part of the role I have implemented an investment strategy to ensure that the faculty's core research infrastructure as well as the scientific facilities are well maintained, fit for purpose and kept at the cutting-edge of biomedical research. This has broadened my knowledge of other enabling technologies ranging from electron microscopy, through flow cytometry to genomics and proteomics.  I work closely with facility managers to develop and implement sustainable and robust cost-recovery models for facility management. Central to my sustainable facility strategy is the recognition, reward and carer development of the RTPs that provide the important link between technology and biomedical research; I am keen to ensure that this need reflected in the way that advanced research technologies are supported in the UK.

 


Teaching

MMB053 Enabling technologies & methodologies for biomedical research MRes module co-leader

PSC2002 - Fluorescent-based techniques to study intracellular signalling in living cells

UG / PG - Fluorescence imaging techniques theory and hands-on

Microscopy workshop - three-day microscopy- and techniques focussed workshop

Small-group microscopy tutorials


Publications