Staff Team Update

We are sad to be saying goodbye to our Research and Liaison Manager, Julie Clayton, but delighted to welcome a new colleague, Niels Bootsma, into the role! 

Julie is leaving Alopecia UK to expand her role in coordinating public involvement in research at the University of Bristol, with a focus on dementia, movement disorders and primary care research. 

Julie said: 

"In my time with the charity, I have loved getting to know the team at Alopecia UK and see their drive and passion at work. It has been great to meet charity volunteers who are supporting alopecia research including members of the Lay Research Panel who have provided that vital 'lived experience' voice for developing research project ideas and critical feedback to help us decide which projects to fund. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to interact with scientists, dermatologists and trichologists on our Research Committee and the wider research community who are dedicated to research on all forms of alopecia."

Alopecia UK CEO, Sue Schilling, said: 

"Julie has been a huge asset to Alopecia UK, we are especially grateful for the work she did refreshing our research awards processes, and in the planning and groundwork for the launch of our first-ever PhD studentship bursary. Julie has better connected to other charities within the AMRC network and has even developed formal collaborations via our new membership with Connect Immune Research. 

We are delighted to have Niels on board and know that he will develop our research aims and relationships from the firm foundations that Julie has set. Niels is based in Scotland, so our regional footprint has grown with our furthest team members being over 400 miles apart! Welcome Niels, and thank you Julie!"

 Niels said: 

"I am excited to join the team at Alopecia UK. I am eager to contribute to finding answers to the questions that so many of you in the alopecia community have. With my background in research, I hope to help more people understand how the research that Alopecia UK helps facilitate can improve lives."  

 Final words from Julie:

"I would like to thank my successor, Niels Bootsma, for stepping so ably into the role of Research and Liaison Manager at Alopecia UK. Niels is already taking up the reins to make sure that research at Alopecia UK goes from strength to strength. And I look forward to catching up with Alopecia UK friends and colleagues at the Big Weekend in March 2023."

Julie's final working day with Alopecia UK is Monday 31st October 2022. We are delighted to confirm that Niels has been working alongside her for the past couple of weeks and even more excited that we have expanded the role from 2 to 4 days a week, which is brilliant news for our Research aim. 

A huge thank you to Julie for all she has contributed in her time at Alopecia UK and a very warm welcome to Niels!

You can read more about Niels here.