Soraya graduated with a BSc and MSc in Biomedical Sciences from Plymouth University. Following this, Soraya was a Teaching and Support Assistant at Plymouth University, before accepting a place on a 4-year Regenerative Medicine Centre of Doctoral Training Programme funded by EPSRC and MRC at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ in 2017.
Soraya’s PhD programme was a collaboration with º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, Nottingham University and Keele University, where Soraya’s first year of training was divided. Upon completion of this initial training year, Soraya accepted a 3-year PhD project at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ titled ‘Optimising Processes for the Expansion, Harvest and Selective Isolation of Extracellular Vesicles’.
Soraya is currently working as a Research Assistant with Dr Owen Davies within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences in collaboration with a private funder.
Soraya’s current research is focused on defining and understanding the role of stem cell derived extracellular vesicles, in order to aid development of a novel cell-free product for applications in soft tissue regeneration.
Member of the UK Society for Extracellular Vesicles (UKEV) and the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV).
Soraya has been a STEM Ambassador since 2016, as well as the co-ordinator for HEART Outreach funded by EPSRC since 2018. In January 2020 Soraya was awarded theSTEM Ambassadors 50 Hours of Engagement Award by STEM Learning for these roles.
Featured publications
- Epigenetic reprogramming enhances the therapeutic efficacy of osteoblast-derived extracellular vesicles to promote human bone marrow stem cell osteogenic differentiation. Kenny Man, Mathieu Y. Brunet, Maria Fernandez-Rhodes, Soraya Williams, Liam M. Heaney, Lee A. Gethings, Angelica Federici, Owen G. Davies, David Hoey, Sophie C. Cox (2021). Journal of Extracellular Vesicles Volume 10 Issue 9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34262674/
- Development of a Bone-Mimetic 3D Printed Ti6Al4V Scaffold to Enhance Osteoblast-Derived Extracellular Vesicles’ Therapeutic Efficacy for Bone Regeneration. Kenny Man, Mathieu Y. Brunet, Sophie Louth, Thomas E. Robinson, Maria Fernandez-Rhodes, Soraya Williams, Angelica S. Federici, Owen G. Davies, David A. Hoey and Sophie C. Coxhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34765595/