Dr Henrietta J. Standley
Lecturer
- standleyhj@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2087 6735
- Fax:
- +44 (0)29 2087 4116
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Adeilad Syr Martin Evans, Rhodfa'r Amgueddfa, Caerdydd, CF10 3AX
Trosolwg
Biosciences research
My research background is in developmental biology. My specific interests are the community effect signalling interaction and the mechanism by which the dorsoventral axis is established in the Xenopus embryo.
Scholarship of learning and teaching, and pedagogic research
Developmental biology is my teaching focus across CQFW Levels 4-6. In addition to the scholarship of learning and teaching within the context of a spiral curriculum in developmental biology, I pursue my interests in the internationalisation of higher education, the international student experience, critical thinking skills development, and foundation-level learning and teaching and the subsequent transitions to CQFW Level 4 and beyond.
Roles
- Head of International Student Mobility
- Chair of the International Foundation Programme Board of Studies
- Chair of the Preliminary Year in Science Board of Studies
- Exam Liaison Officer Preliminary Year
- Exam Board Chair: IFP International Foundation Programme Composite
- Exam Board Chair: Preliminary Year in Science Composite
- Module Lead: BI0001 Cells and the Chemistry of Life
- Module Lead: BI2233 Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
In addition to my teaching and scholarship roles, I am Head of International Student Mobility for the School of Biosciences, directing engagement with the Erasmus+, Study Abroad, International Exchange, and IAESTE programmes.
I am Chair of the Boards of Studies and the Examination Boards for two University programmes: the Preliminary Year in Science and the International Foundation Programmes in Health & Life Sciences, Business, and Engineering.
Bywgraffiad
I graduated from the University of Cambridge with a First Class BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences (Zoology). During my degree I became particularly interested in developmental biology. I continued at the University of Cambridge for my Ph.D., researching the community effect signalling interaction during Xenopus myogenesis (Fig. 2) in the laboratory of Professor Sir John Gurdon (1997-2001).
I subsequently moved to the USA, joining Professor Janet Heasman’s laboratory at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation as a postdoctoral Research Fellow (2002-2004). My research focussed on functional analyses of maternally-expressed Xpygopus and XTcfs in the Xenopus Wnt signalling pathway (Fig. 3).
I rejoined Professor Sir John Gurdon’s laboratory, at the University of Cambridge, as a postdoctoral Research Associate investigating endoderm commitment and nuclear reprogramming (2005-2007). As College Lecturer in Cell Biology and Fellow of Newnham College, University of Cambridge, I was responsible for directing studies, small group teaching, and admissions interviewing (2005-2007). I also lectured on developmental and stem cell biology for Natural Sciences (Zoology).
I joined the Cardiff University School of Biosciences as a Lecturer (Teaching and Scholarship) in 2007. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2016 and to Reader in 2019. My teaching profile spans cellular, molecular and developmental biology, genetics, and biochemistry. I have led development of several new modules in developmental and stem cell biology.
Qualifications
BA Honours Natural Sciences (Zoology), Class I, University of Cambridge
Ph.D., University of Cambridge
Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, Cardiff University
The Leadership Foundation for Higher Education Aurora Programme
External appointments
2015-2019: External Examiner, FdSc & BSc (Hons) Human Biosciences, Lancaster University and Blackpool & The Fylde College.
2017-2021: External Examiner, International Foundation and Pre-Masters Programmes in Science and Engineering, Durham University International Study Centre.
Aelodaethau proffesiynol
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB)
- Royal Society of Biology South Wales Branch Committee
- Cambridge Philosophical Society, Lifetime Fellow
- Society for Developmental Biology
- British Society of Developmental Biology
- Foundation Year Network
Safleoedd academaidd blaenorol
2016-2019: Senior Lecturer (Teaching & Scholarship), School of Biosciences, Cardiff University
2007-2016: Lecturer (Teaching & Scholarship), School of Biosciences, Cardiff University
2005-2007: College Lecturer in Cell Biology, and Fellow, Newnham College, University of Cambridge
2005-2007: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge
2002-2004: Postdoctoral Fellow, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation
1997-2001: Graduate student, Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge
Ymrwymiadau siarad cyhoeddus
Conference presentations
2016: Developing critical thinking skills in diverse student cohorts - can internationalisation aid the acquisition of higher-order cognitive abilities? Internationalising the Curriculum conference, Nottingham Trent University.
2015: Assessment for Learning: Developing awareness of good academic practice in an exceptionally diverse cohort of foundation students. Foundation Year Network conference, University of Leeds.
2013: Principal address: IAESTE (British Council) Summer Reception.
2011: Jones, H. Standley, H., Bartlett, T. and Crosthwaite, P. (2011) The perceived added value of peer marking in formative assessment – a cross-disciplinary Study. Presented at: All Wales Teaching Showcase, Cardiff.
2009: The Role of a Lecturer in Teaching and Scholarship. University of Cambridge.
Learning and teaching workshops
2019: Internationalising the Curriculum. Cardiff University.
2016: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in the Biosciences. Welsh Baccalaureate Conference.
2015: Biological Data in Research Welsh Baccalaureate Conference http://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/welshbacc2015/ (Fig.1).
2010: The Role of a Lecturer in Teaching and Scholarship Developing an Academic Career in the Sciences and Engineering. Developing an Academic Career in the Sciences and Engineering, Cardiff University.
Cyhoeddiadau
2016
- Moxham, B.et al. 2016. The attitudes of medical students in Europe towards the clinical importance of embryology. Clinical Anatomy 29(2), pp. 144-150. (10.1002/ca.22667)
- Rutherford, S. and Standley, H. 2016. Social space or pedagogic powerhouse: do digital natives appreciate the potential of web 2.0 technologies for learning?. In: Pinheiro, M. M. and Sim, D. eds. Handbook of Research on Engaging Digital Natives in Higher Education Settings. IGI Global, pp. 72-97.
- Standley, H. 2016. Perceptions of critical thinking: a pilot investigation into the attitudes of home and international students. In: Kirk, S. et al. eds. Internationalising the Curriculum: Internationalisation at Home and Engaging Academic Staff. Nottingham: Nottingham Trent University, pp. 23-41.
2015
- Standley, H. 2015. International mobility placements enable students and staff in Higher Education to enhance transversal and employability-related skills: Graphical Abstract Figure.. FEMS Microbiology Letters 362(19) (10.1093/femsle/fnv157)
2006
- Standley, H.et al. 2006. Maternal XTcf1 and XTcf4 have distinct roles in regulating Wnt target genes. Developmental Biology Vol 28(2), pp. 318-328. (10.1016/j.ydbio.2005.10.012)
2004
- Kofron, M.et al. 2004. New roles for FoxH1 in patterning the early embryo. Development 131(20), pp. 5065-5078. (10.1242/dev.01396)
- Standley, H. and John, G. 2004. The community effect in Xenopus development. In: Horst, G. ed. The Vertebrate Organizer. Springer, pp. 73-91.
2002
- Standley, H. and Gurdon, J. B. 2002. Uncommitted Xenopus blastula cells can be directed to uniform muscle gene expression by gradient interpretation and a community effect. International Journal of Developmental Biology Vol 46(8), pp. 993-998.
- Belenkaya, T. Y.et al. 2002. Pygopus encodes a nuclear protein essential for Wingless/Wnt signalling. Development 129(17), pp. 4089-4101.
- Standley, H., Zorn, A. M. and Gurdon, J. B. 2002. A dynamic requirement for community interactions during Xenopus myogenesis. International Journal of Developmental Biology 46, pp. 279-283.
2001
- Standley, H., Zorn, A. M. and Gurdon, J. B. 2001. eFGF and its mode of action in the community effect during Xenopus myogenesis. Development Vol 12(8), pp. 1347-1357.
1999
- Gurdon, J. B.et al. 1999. Single cells can sense their position in a morphogen gradient. Development 126(23), pp. 5309-5317.
Addysgu
Module leaderships
- BI0001 Cells and the Chemistry of Life
- BI2233 Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
- BI3002, BI3003 and BI3004 Biosciences Erasmus Placement Research Projects
Teaching contributions
- BI0002 Genetics, Evolution and Diversity
- BI0004 Nutrition, Transport and Signalling
- BI1001 Skills for Science
- BI2001 Research Techniques
- BI3001 Biosciences Final Year Project (literature and scientific engagement projects)
- BI3256 Current Topics in Development, Stem Cells and Repair
- Dentistry (BDS)
- Medicine (MBBCh)
- BI2251 Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Blood (until 2012)
Biosciences research background
I am particularly interested in understanding the mechanisms by which a combination of inherited factors and intercellular signals cause a cell to become committed to a particular fate. I have focused on the community effect and axis formation in development of Xenopus laevis embryos, which are especially amenable to micromanipulation.
The community effect describes a signalling interaction within group of cells that is essential for them to be able to differentiate. One such interaction takes place within the group of muscle precursor cells found in the dorsolateral mesoderm of the early gastrula embryo. During my Ph.D. with Prof. Sir John Gurdon at the University of Cambridge I used a candidate approach to identify the community factor responsible for mediating this interaction. I determined that eFGF behaves as the endogenous myogenic community factor (Fig. 2). More recently I have used single cell transplantations to investigate when cells of the vegetal hemisphere become determined to contribute to the endoderm germ layer, where they will give rise to the intestines and associated organs.
The dorsoventral axis of the developing Xenopus embryo is established by activation of the Wnt/ beta-catenin pathway. The components of this pathway are synthesised maternally and are present in the Xenopus oocyte before fertilisation. While in Prof. Janet Heasman's laboratory at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, I used antisense methods to deplete oocytes of maternal mRNAs encoding various members of the Wnt pathway. I then analysed the phenotypes of embryos developing from these depleted oocytes to determine the contribution of each factor to normal development. I found that the beta-catenin interacting proteins XTcf1, XTcf4, and pygopus have distinct and required roles in establishing the dorsoventral axis (Fig. 3).
Scholarship of learning and teaching, and pedagogic research
My current research interests are the internationalisation of higher education, the international student experience, critical thinking skills development, and foundation-level learning and teaching and the subsequent transitions to CQFW Level 4 and beyond. I am developing the Inclusive Curriculum Design in a Global University unit for the University’s Academic Practice for Early Careers Staff programme.
Ymgysylltu
I am Chair of the Royal Society of Biology South Wales Branch Committee. We organise or support a wide variety of events on diverse biological topics, of interest to students, professional biologists, and the public.
