The flowcytometryUK 2026 Meeting will take place in person and will highlight the diverse areas in which cytometry is a vital resource. There will be scientific presentations from a number of speakers covering immunology, marine biology, extracellular vesicles and other important research areas. Talks will be interspersed with commercial flash presentations. Sponsors will allow delegates to have access to information on recent developments in the field.
The Royal Microscopical Society Flow Cytometry Section AGM will take place at this meeting.
Scientific Organisers
Derek Davies
Derek is an independent Cytometry consultant offering education and training in all forms of cytometry. He was previously the National Science Technology Platform (STP) Training Lead at the Francis Crick Institute in London where his role was to develop Educational and Training courses to support Biomedical Research in the UK and beyond. He co-organises the section’s annual flow cytometry course at the University of York and is active in promotion of cytometry via focussed meetings and other courses. He is one of the principal organisers of the flowcytometryUK annual meeting. Derek is particularly keen to promote cytometry education within the UK and beyond.
Rachael Walker
During her PhD in Clinical Engineering at the University of Liverpool. Rachael was introduced to flow cytometry and cell sorting when tasked with setting up and running a MoFlo cell sorter. This has led to a successful career in flow cytometry and core facility management. Rachael was highlighted as a future leader in Cytometry with the award of a place on the ISAC Scholar Program (2012-2014) and Emerging Leader in Shared Resource Laboratory Program (2014-2016).
Now with nearly 25 years of experience in flow cytometry and cell sorting and 20 years of working in flow cytometry core facilities, Rachael was a wealth of experience in analysis and sorting cells of differing types including; immunology, cell biology, stem cell biology, large cells such as cardiomyocytes, c. elegans eggs; organelles such as nuclei. Rachael can provide expertise in experimental setup, optimisation and analysis. She can help with optimal instrument set up, post- acquisition analysis of data and preparing figures for papers.
Rachael joined Babraham Institute Flow Cytometry Core Facility in September 2012, following 7 years running Flow Cytometry Core Facilities at the University of Cambridge. During her time at Babraham Institute, Rachael was grown the facility to help facilitate the world-class research of the Institute as well as serving over 35 biotech companies that use the facility. Rachael has been instrumental in transforming the core to be a hub for innovation with the latest spectral and imaging cytometers.
Rachael is heavily involved with the flow cytometry community, including being Chair of the Cambridge Cytometry Club; secretary and of the main organisers of flowcytometryUK annual meetings and being on several committees/taskforce for International Society of Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC). Rachael was elected to ISAC Council (2022-2026). Rachael was awarded the Papin Prize for Knowledge Exchange in 2023. In 2025 Rachael was given a Highly Commended award as Researcher of the Year in the Cambridge Independent newspaper Science and Technology Awards.
Rachael was awarded a BBSRC Modular Training Program Grant in 2014 with Derek Davies to write flow cytometry courses. These courses now in their 10th year have trained over 2000 scientists. Her passion for education has led her setting up the annual Babraham Institute Spectral Flow Cytometry Symposium. Now its 4th year, this unique symposium gives delegates the chance to hear from world leading experts in spectral flow cytometry and partake in workshops.
Karen Hogg
Karen is currently a Senior Experimental Officer at the University of York, Bioscience Technology Facility. Karen underpins the scientific service within the Imaging and Cytometry Laboratory and takes a lead role in the research, operation and method development of cell sorting and analysis. As such, Karen’s expertise is utilized for a wide range of diverse applications both within and external to the Department of Biology. Karen is also a co-organizer and tutor on multiple flow cytometry courses throughout the UK. She got her BSc, Joint Honours in Biology and Biochemistry at Keele University, U.K. 1991-1995; then obtained her MSc in Applied Parasitology & Medical Entomology from the University of Liverpool, U.K. 1995-1996; then proceeded to obtain her Phd. from the School of Biology, University of Leeds, U.K. 1996-1999
Philip Hobson
The Francis Crick Institute London
Dr Philip Hobson graduated with a PhD in Immunology from King's College London in 2003. He then had post-doctoral positions in Imperial College London followed by King's College London. In 2014, he joined the Flow Cytometry facility at the National Institute for Medical Research, London, where he had a keen interest in high dimensional data collection and analysis. He currently works at the Francis Crick Institute, London, where he is a Deputy Head of the Flow Cytometry Science and Technology Platform. With the purchase of the Helios/Hyperion systems in late 2017, he is responsible for setting up and running the service and is currently working on projects in collaboration with the users of these systems.
RMS Organisers
Nick Cameron
[email protected]
01865 254772
Contact Nick for exhibition and sponsorship event queries and RMS Corporate Membership.
Dawn Hopkins
[email protected]
01865 254774
Contact Dawn for corporate opportunities and RMS Corporate Advisory Board (CAB) enquiries.
