Find out who we are and what we do:
We are lucky to have been supported by a wide variety of people throughout the course of our research - you can find out about many of our past contributors through our Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition and Acknowledgements pages.
The Takeabitecc Team members are:
The Takeabitecc Team members are:
![]() Professor Sarah Bridle (PI)
University of Manchester Sarah has been studying dark matter and dark energy for the last 20 years. Motivated by the need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, Sarah leads the STFC Food Network and the Greenhouse Gas and Dietary choices Open source Toolkit (GGDOT), which brings data scientists together with expertise on food psychology, nutrition and life cycle analysis with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food choices. ![]() Dr Ximena Schmidt (Coordinator)
Brunel University London Ximena is a chemical engineer working on sustainable food and energy systems. She specializes in assessing sustainability aspects of different food products, their supply chains and consumption patterns, using life cycle assessment methodologies to understand the environmental, economic and social impacts. Her research has also extended to food-waste valorisation technologies and circular economy. Ximena is a Global Challenge research fellow at Brunel University London. ![]() Dr Ali Birkett
Lancaster University Ali has studied British dung beetles and how important they are for our hills and fields, including how they change the way CO2 is released from sheep and cow dung. Based at Lancaster University, Ali is passionate about sharing the results of research to inform and inspire others. ![]() Professor Jason Halford
University of Leeds Jason is Head of the School of Psychology, University of Leeds, the President Elect of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), a lead investigator on the SWEET and SWITCH research programmes, an investigator on iKnowFood and theme lead on Behaviour, Health and Consumption for N8 Agrifood ![]() Dr Claire Hoolohan
University of Manchester Claire is a Presidential Fellow at the University of Manchester. Her research examines society’s relationships with water, energy and food to understand pathways towards a sustainable future. Most recently this considers advances associated with Industry 4.0 and the opportunities and challenges these raise for creating a sustainable society. ![]() Dr Emma Nichols
University of Manchester Emma is the public engagement manager in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Manchester, connecting physics staff and students with schools, families and the public. She’s looking at how this work can incorporate sustainability themes, including running a 2019 ‘climate summit’ on campus for primary schools. ![]() Dr Laurence Stamford
University of Manchester Laurence is a Lecturer in Sustainable Chemical Engineering at The University of Manchester. He specialises in the assessment of the environmental, social and economic impacts across the entire life cycle of new technologies and products. This includes work in the food, renewables, fossil fuels, chemicals and nuclear sectors. |
![]() Alison Fletcher (Coordinator)
University of Manchester Alison project manages the STFC Food Network+ (SFN). Her primary role is to help increase membership and develop relationships between collaborators. This involves encouraging new research partnerships, developing funding applications and uniting different communities in their research goals across the Agri-Food research sector. ![]() Dr Christian Reynolds (Coordinator)
City University/ University of Sheffield/ University of South Australia Christian is Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Food Policy, City University, London; and an adjunct Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Food, University of Sheffield, and at the Barbara Hardy Institute for Sustainable Environments and Technologies, University of South Australia. Christian researches the economic and environmental impacts of food loss and waste, and the how to shift towards sustainable diets and cookery. ![]() Professor John Mclaughlin
University of Manchester John is Professor of Gastroenterology and Nutrition at the University of Manchester, and a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Salford Royal Hospitals. His research focusses on diet in health and disease, and nutritional status in older adults. He also collaborates on child and maternal nutrition in South Africa and India. He recently joined the project team having developed an interest in climate issues related to diet and health, and secured Wellcome funding for a public engagement programme. John is also the research trustee for the charity Guts UK. ![]() Joanne Cook
University of Manchester Joanne is a Masters Physics student with an interest in climate change. After reading the IPCC report in 2018, Joanne immediately made the decision to go vegetarian to reduce her carbon footprint. Joanne's goal is to raise awareness of the small changes we can all make to reduce our carbon emissions. ![]() Dr Angelina Frankowska
University of Manchester Angelina holds a degree in chemical engineering. She researches on sustainable food production and consumption by applying life cycle thinking to assess environmental impacts of the whole food supply chain. Her research interests also include the food-energy-water nexus, sustainable diets and health impacts of food systems. ![]() Francesca Harris
Francesca is a Research Assistant in Nutrition and Sustainability at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She is part of the Wellcome Trust funded Sustainable and Health Food Systems Project (SHEFS), and currently undertaking her PhD. ![]() Beckie Lait
University of Manchester Beckie is completing the final year of her integrated Masters degree in Theoretical Physics. Her masters project focuses on the animal-based growth hormones in dairy and their impact on human health. Since becoming vegan, she developed a keen interest in educating others about the environmental impact that our food choices have and hopes to dedicate her future career to outreach and public engagement in this area. ![]() Jacqueline Silva
University of Manchester Jacqueline was awarded a Chevening Scholarship to study Health Data Science at the University of Manchester. She is a nutritionist and has been working with dietary data management and analysis since 2011. She helped to set up a UK-Brazil partnership to study the environmental impacts of foods. ![]() Lucy Yates
University of Oxford Lucy is the Public Engagement Manager for LEAP, a Wellcome funded science research project at the University of Oxford to investigate the impact of the meat and dairy industries on the environment and human health. She has fourteen years’ experience working in museums and universities. |
![]() Dr Alana Kluczkovski (Coordinator)
University of Manchester Alana is a Research Fellow at the University of Manchester. Alana's research focus is on climate change and sustainable diets. She is using her teaching expertise to engage teachers and children with food and climate change challenges. Part of her work is to produce materials to guide public and policy makers about food choices to improve human and environmental health. ![]() Professor Katherine Denby
University of York Katherine works to enhance disease resistance and reduce crop waste in leafy vegetables. She combines genomics, transcriptomics, systems biology and synthetic biology with quantitative genetics and genetic diversity resources. Katherine is a Professor in the Biology Department at the University of York and Academic Director of the N8 AgriFood programme. ![]() Dr Helen Downie
University of Manchester Helen is a Knowledge Exchange Manager at the University of Manchester, working for the N8 AgriFood programme. Her areas of interest include sustainable land management in agriculture, soil health, soil and sediment microbiology, water quality, and wildlife conservation. Her work involves managing impact work of research projects in these areas. ![]() Jade Ajagun-Brauns
University of Manchester Jade is a Masters Physics student with an interest in sustainability and conservation. She aims to pursue an interdisciplinary career in environmental science with a focus on practical solutions, emphasising the important role that individual choices, especially but not exclusively dietary choices, have in mitigating climate change. ![]() Dr Rosie Green
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Rosie is an Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Sustainability currently working on the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems project, exploring links between diets, environmental impacts and health in India, South Africa and the UK. ![]() Dr Flora Hetherington
Flora works for the Global Food Security programme (GFS), which integrates, coordinates and disseminates research that will be influential in supporting food security goals. She is currently managing the UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund: Food Systems Programme, aimed at transforming the UK food system for healthy people and a healthy environment. ![]() Dr Carla Adriano Martins
The University of Manchester/ University of São Paulo Carla is a nutritionist with a Ph.D. in Sciences/Public Health Nutrition. She researches culinary as a tool to promote healthy and sustainable eating/food systems. Carla is a Global Challenge researcher fellow at the University of Manchester and a researcher at the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Public Health/University of São Paulo. ![]() Professor Pete Smith FRS, FRSE, FNA, FRSB
University of Aberdeen, Scottish Climate Change Centre of Expertise Pete is Professor of Soils and Global Change at the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Aberdeen and Science Director of the Scottish Climate Change Centre of Expertise (ClimateXChange). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, the Indian National Science Academy, the Institute of Soil Scientists, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the European Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society (London). |