Fran Diggle

In the Lab:
I see my primary role as that of a facilitator, for the research that occurs in the Whiteley lab. This may involve technical, practical or logistical support as necessary. I also train both new and visiting lab members in some of the specific techniques we use. Primarily, preparation of RNA-seq libraries from both clinical and in vitro samples. My current focus is getting PETRI-seq, a single cell RNA sequencing technique for Prokaryotes, to work for the organisms we study.

About Fran:
After receiving my BSc (Hons) - 1st class in Biological and Biochemical Sciences in the U.K. I embarked on a  PhD program at The Paterson Institute for Cancer Research which combined both Molecular and Cell Biology approaches. Whilst I enjoyed being in the lab, I realized that my talents lay elsewhere. I completed a Masters in Education, spending the next 25 years happily teaching Biology to 11-18 year old students, whilst training lifeguards and CCF recruits (both Army and RAF), providing counseling on work experience and careers, running the girls swimming team and managing a boarding house of 65+, 13 - 18 year old girls (not all at the same time!). When my husband accepted a position as a Professor at Georgia Tech, I moved with him and our son to Atlanta. Shortly after, an opportunity arose, combining both research and management in the Whiteley lab, which I joined in July 2018 as a research scientist/lab manager. 

Publications:
Click here for a list of publications from Fran