Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Board

My experience spans the liberal arts, HIV healthcare activism, and most recently psychiatric research. I hold a BA in the Liberal Arts from Earlham College (USA) and a PhD in Translational Neuroscience from Edinburgh (UK). My primary research interest is to enable early detection and effective interventions for mental health conditions in marginalised communities, especially people living with HIV. I am a queer brown immigrant, and have spent the last decade living and working in numerous countries across six continents, including leading several projects and networks in support of social justice. A core priority for me is to help dismantle barriers for people from a wide range of backgrounds to access careers in neuroscience.

Having originally received their BSc in Biochemistry (University of Bristol, 2017), Dani has since gathered a decade of experience across early years education, psychoanalysis, philosophy of the biosciences, and community and trade union organising.

Still based in Bristol, Dani is currently Membership & Communities Manager of the BNA, where they are responsible for ensuring the best opportunities for the membership to grow their careers, develop their skills, and become actively involved in their organisation in order to make impactful collective interventions on the things that matter most to them – especially via the BNA Local Groups.

In addition, Dani is the staff lead for the BNA Scholars Programme – the BNA's flagship Equity, Diversity and Inclusion scheme to support career development among underrepresented groups in neuroscience – and for two of the organisation's governance bodies: the Early Career Researcher Advisory Board and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board.

Professor Jackie Hunter CBE is currently CEO of OI Pharmapartners Ltd, Board Chair of Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst and AStar Board member, Singapore. Jackie has over thirty years of experience in the bioscience research sector, working across academia and industry, including leading neurology and gastrointestinal drug discovery and early clinical development for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Jackie was also Chief Executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and is passionate about EDI and research culture.

Laura Andreae studied medicine at Cambridge and UCL. She did her PhD in developmental neurobiology at King's College London followed by postdoctoral research on plasticity (NIMR, London) and synaptic vesicle cycling (KCL). She set up her own lab at King's at the end of 2013 focusing on synapse and circuit development in health and in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders. She has made many contributions to EDI in neuroscience, including helping to create the BNA Scholars programme, was Chair of the ALBA Network (2022-23) and received the Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award in 2024 from the Society for Neuroscience for contributions to mentoring women in neuroscience.

I am currently Professor of Evolutionary Neurobiology and Behaviour at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, where my research group aims to advance our understanding of how brains evolve, shape and are shaped by, behavioural and ecological diversity. Previously, I led our School’s Athena Swan Gold Award application, and our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, I am EDI Champion with the EDI Caucus and a member of the BBSRC EDI Expert Advisory Group.​

I am Professor of Animal Behaviour and Cognition and Dean of Research Culture and Strategy at Newcastle University. My expertise lie in animal behaviour and cognition, with particularly interests in how cognitive processes influence the evolution of animal communication and coloration, and how we can use cognition and behaviour to study animal emotion and improve animal welfare. I currently work 2 days a week as Dean of Research Culture and Strategy for the university. Prior to this, I have been Chair of NU Women (our staff network for women across the institution), and Director of EDI for my Faculty, where I led a team that achieved our first faculty-wide Athena SWAN Silver Award. I am also Co-Chair of the University's 'For Families' project to make the University more family friendly, and co-lead a Wellcome Trust funded project to build an EDI Toolkit for research leaders.

I am a Biochemist and my research focuses on unravelling the molecular mechanisms in neuro-developmental and neurodegenerative disorders using rodent, fish and stem cell derived models. I use classical biochemistry and cell biology approaches in combination with cutting edge technologies such as gene editing and expansion microscopy. I had been the EDI representative on the BNA’s C and C previously and I have a deep and long standing interests in EDI. Outside of my research, I am a keen photographer, have travelled widely and very interested in cooking.

Leading the RSB’s equality, diversity and inclusion work, Jade works with the RSB’s CEO, board of trustees, committees, staff and member organisations to deliver a portfolio of policy activities. In addition to gaining a PhD in biomechanics and animal welfare science, Jade had enjoyed various career paths, including working as a research technician and a biotechnology research associate. With a strong commitment to professional development, Jade frequently mentors students and early-career researchers through the BioSci Toolkit and the Social Mobility Foundation. Jade also held board-level and EDI advisory experience with the Science Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.