The new recipients of the University’s fellowship scheme will receive support to develop independent research.
The recipients of the University of Birmingham’s College of Medicine and Health’s pump-priming Springboard Fellowships have been announced for 2026.
The scheme received 60 applications, from both internal and external candidates. Dr Scott Davies and Dr Taha Shahid have been announced as the successful awardees.
The Springboard Fellowship is an open and competitive scheme which supports early career researchers in developing their independent research programmes. Support also includes assistance in preparing proposals for prestigious awards.
I am over the moon to have been awarded the Springboard Fellowship. It gives me real reassurance and confidence in my research plans, and I’m looking forward to having the bandwidth to build my research group and develop as a leader in my field.
Dr Scott Davies, incoming Springboard Fellow at the University of Birmingham, said: "I am investigating how immune cells interact with epithelial cells in the liver using advanced microscopy. I recently reported a new cellular process, AVentosis, which describes the invasion of certain immune cells into epithelial cells. First identified in the liver, I’ve now found evidence that it occurs in other organs too. My goal is to uncover how this process is regulated and what it means for immune function and disease.
Being awarded the Springboard Fellowship feels incredible. It will allow me to build on my current findings, demonstrate the impact of AVentosis on invaded cells, and deepen collaborations with leading researchers in the cell-in-cell field. Altogether, this support will strengthen my track record and position me for future competitive fellowships — something I’m truly grateful to pursue here in the College of Medicine and Health.”
The fellowship will enable me to build new collaborations within Birmingham's DNA metabolism research community and beyond and develop my independent research career within the College of Medicine and Health.
Dr Taha Shahid, incoming Springboard Fellow at the University of Birmingham, said: "I am a structural biologist, with a focus on understanding the molecular machines that copy and maintain our genomes. My work combines cryo-electron microscopy with artificial intelligence and molecular dynamics to capture these machines in action.
My recent work on DNA-unwinding enzymes revealed an unexpected mechanism – showing that ATP hydrolysis manages entropy (in the form of structural constraints) rather than providing direct mechanical power – which overturns longstanding models in the field.
I am excited to begin my Springboard Fellowship, which I will use to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying DNA replication and repair."
Both Scott and Taha will begin their Springboard Fellowships in early 2026.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Staff profile for Dr Scott Davies, Postdoctoral Research Fellow based in the Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham.
