Caty Ashton is a Senior Biochemistry Technician at Lancaster University. She is working towards improving the efficiency of photosynthesis through the analysis of plant biochemistry, physiology, and molecular characterization. She will analyze proteins and enzymes which are key to the photosynthesis mechanism. Ashton received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Lancaster, and her PhD in Chemistry and Materials engineering from Loughborough University. During her PhD, she worked with MRI contrast agents, and developed novel macromolecular dual imaging particles: able to both enhance MRI images and produce luminescence. During her master’s program she studied abroad at Queensland University of Technology and developed tethered ligands, in an attempt to demonstrate control of stereochemistry in tris(heterolytic) ruthenium(II) complexes. She has been published in the Polymer Chemistry Journal.