Research

Interests

Chavaunne Thorpe is an Arthritis Research UK Career Development Fellow with a keen interest in tendon structure-function relationships. She graduated with a 1st class degree in Equine Science from the University of Bristol, and subsequently completed a PhD in Tendon Matrix Biology at UCL. She joined QMUL as a post doctoral research associate, working on a project funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board to investigate the initiation and progression of tendinopathy in racehorses. During this project, she discovered the importance of the interfascicular matrix in tendon function, which led to further funding from the BBSRC to characterise the role of the interfascicular matrix in tendon health and ageing. She left QMUL in November 2016 to take up a fellowship position at the Royal Veterinary College, funded by Arthritis Research UK. During her fellowship, she will be investigating the role of the tendon progenitor cell population in tendon homeostasis, injury and repair. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her horse Betsy, running and cooking.