Our Team
Dr Joanna Young | Group Leader
Joanna is an MRC Career Development Fellow and set up the lab at the University of Edinburgh in Sept 2021. She did her PhD at Imperial College in London studying host-pathogen interactions during E. coli infection. With a love for secreted proteins and post-translational modifications, she moved to parasitology to investigate Toxoplasma infection in the Treeck lab (NIMR then the Francis Crick Institute, London). During this time she set up a CRISPR screening method to identify which parasite proteins were essential during infection, and developed a fascination in the latent stages of Toxoplasma. Her fellowship combines these to focus on secreted proteins required for the formation and development of the Toxoplasma cyst.
Outside the lab, I have three small children who take up most of my time (and energy). Otherwise we are enjoying exploring the beautiful hills and beaches of Scotland.
Agustina Berazategui | Postdoc
Agustina obtained a degree in Biotechnology and completed a PhD in Molecular Biology at Universidad Nacional de San Martín in Buenos Aires. During her PhD, she studied the role of SUMOylation in regulating Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) expression in Trypanosoma brucei, focusing on how post-translational modifications influence gene expression and antigenic variation.
Building on her interest in gene regulation and nuclear organisation in T. brucei, in 2020 she joined Gloria Rudenko’s lab at Imperial College London as a postdoctoral researcher, where she investigated nuclear bodies and their role in controlling VSG monoallelic expression.
In April 2025, she moved to Edinburgh to join the Young group as a postdoctoral researcher. Her current research focuses on identifying Toxoplasma secreted effectors that modulate host immune responses and shape infection outcomes in susceptible and resistant species. Using genomic approaches, advanced imaging and proteomics, she aims to uncover parasite strategies that enable survival and immune evasion.
When she’s not in the lab, Agustina loves doing outdoor sports—especially hiking in nature and horse riding!
Natalie Roberts | Summer intern
Natalie completed her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences (Immunology) at the University of Edinburgh in 2025. She joined the Young Lab for her Honours project where she tagged Toxoplasma gondii phosphatases and continued her work as an intern. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing rugby and cooking.
Oscar Forestier | Wellcome Trust PhD Student
Oscar studied for his undergraduate degree (BSc Zoology) at the University of Aberdeen, graduating in 2019. In 2019, he undertook his Honours project with Dr. Julien Martin, focusing on body variance in yellow-bellied marmots Marmota flaviventris. Oscar then obtained his master's degree in evolutionary genetics at the University of Edinburgh. His master's project, supervised by Pr Paul Sharp and Dr Konrad Lohse, consisted of using demographic inference approaches on modern-day samples of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium praefalciparum to investigate the origin of malaria.
In 2022, Oscar joined the Wellcome trust HPGH program at the University of Edinburgh. After a rotation project, he remained in the Young lab. His project focuses on investigating the role of effector proteins in the generation and maintenance of Toxoplasma cysts using microscopic image analysis techniques.
Elena Hartmann | EASTBIO PhD student
Elena completed her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Manchester, where she was first introduced to parasitology through a year-long placement at the MRC Unit in The Gambia, investigating the role of a novel RBC mutation in the protection of severe malaria. Elena then obtained her master’s degree in Infection Biology, specialising in Parasitology, at the University of Glasgow where she stayed for a year further, working as a laboratory technician for Dr Clare Harding helping to investigate the regulation of iron within Toxoplasma.
Elena then moved to Edinburgh to start her PhD with the Young group in October 2023, with her project focusing on investigating host-parasite interactions in chronic Toxoplasma infection, establishing an immortalised human skeletal muscle system as a model for generating cysts.
Flora Caldwell | EASTBIO PhD Student
Flora studied for her undergraduate degree (MSc Biomedical Science) at the University of Dundee, graduating in 2023. For her Honours project (2021), she joined the lab of Dr Mattie Pawlowic, working on hypothetical Cryptosporidium oocyst wall proteins. Flora remained in the Pawlowic Lab as a Lab Technician (2022) and for her master’s project (2022/23). Her master’s project investigated the role of CpSOX in the crosslinking of the COWP family within the inner wall of the Cryptosporidium oocyst.
In October 2023, Flora joined the Young Lab as an EastBio PhD student, co-supervised by Dr Joanne Thompson and Dr Joanna Young. Her project explores parasite transmission of Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii.
Past members
Kseniia Bondarenko | postdoc
Ksena completed her BSc and MSc in Chemistry in Ukraine, followed by an Erasmus Mundus MSc in Chemical Engineering, where she first encountered the fascinating intersection of chemistry and neuroscience—growing neurons on chemical substrates. This inspired her to pursue a PhD combining these fields.
A year later, she was awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship at the University of Leicester to study the origins of tinnitus and hearing loss. Her research employed a range of neat techniques, including poking neurons with electrodes (electrophysiology), controlling genetically modified ion channels with light (using photo-switchable ligands), and mapping protein location using regular and advanced imaging. During this time, she came across expansion microscopy—a super-resolution method that physically enlarges biological samples—and applied it to reveal the location of her protein of interest in synaptic sites within the auditory brainstem, successfully completing her PhD. Shortly after, Ksena joined the Young Lab at the University of Edinburgh, to the study of Toxoplasma gondii (arguably the most beautiful of parasites), uncovering parasite hidden biology using an array of molecular biology and super-resolution imaging techniques.
Outside the lab, Ksena can be found surfing, participating in medieval re-enactment, and exploring Scotland’s landscapes in search of perfect aerial photography spots.
Johanna Dornell | Research Technician
Johanna Dornell completed her undergraduate degree (BSc Infectious Diseases) at The Open University, graduating in 2018. She then worked as a Research Assistant investigating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in breast cancer development and liver metastasis, and searching genetic variants linked to autoimmune neurological disorders, using the cBioPortal database and R programming.
In 2019, she joined Q² Solutions as a Medical Laboratory Technician in Immunology and Biomarkers, performing routine analysis of patient specimens, assay validations, proficiency testing, automated immunoassays, handling liquid robots and assisting with GMP, GLP compliance and ISO standards.
In 2021, Johanna transitioned to the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Genetics and Cancer (IGMM) as a COVID-19 Laboratory Technician for the TestED project. Pre and post analysis of COVID-19 samples, performing quantitative PCR and high-throughput sequencing. The team was awarded the Principal’s Medal in 2021.
In 2023, she joined Dr. Joanna Young’s Lab as a Research Technician, assisting with bacterial and cell culture, biochemical and molecular assays, genetic engineering (GMO’s), as well as GLP and H&S compliance.