We’re so excited to introduce Megan our new Senior Scientific Projects Officer, who joined the Beacon team in January.
Get to know one of the newest members of our team and email her at megan@rarebeacon.org to say hello.
Welcome to the rare family, Megan!
What were you doing before you joined Beacon?
Before joining Beacon I worked as a researcher at the Francis Crick Institute – a biomedical discovery institute.
Most of my work was lab based, but when I could, I got involved with scientific outreach and public engagement activities.
Why did you choose to join the Beacon team?
I initially reached out to Beacon to find out if there were any volunteering opportunities available. It just so happened that at the time there was a job opening in the Science Team which aligned with my values and interests.
As soon as I met everyone at Beacon and learnt more about the role I knew it was exactly what I was looking for in a career.
The team were incredibly passionate about the work that they do and it was clear to me that everything that Beacon does has a tangible impact on patient groups and the wider rare disease community. I felt genuinely excited about the prospect of using my science background to contribute to these achievements.
What do you want to achieve most at Beacon?
I really hope to get involved in more patient engagement in this role, whether that is through creating educational resources for patient groups, or contributing to the organisation of events; I hope to create something that will have a real impact.
Although I have only been at Beacon for a few weeks I have already met so many wonderful people from the rare disease community and having seen all of the events lined up for 2025, I am confident that I will continue to meet so many more.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
I spend a lot of my free time outdoors – this has a lot to do with the fact that I have a very energetic golden retriever (called Omellete) who LOVES being outside. We spend a lot of time in the countryside and exploring local villages.
Other than that, I spend a lot of time with friends and family. Usually eating, drinking or travelling. Although, I equally enjoy being on the sofa cuddling my cats, and I am not ashamed to say that’s how I spend a large amount of my time.
What’s your favourite book/film/TV show and why?
This is a tough one because my favourites change quite often. In terms of TV I watch anything and everything so I really couldn’t pick a favourite.
I enjoy reading books by Sally Rooney, Dolly Alderton and Lisa Jewel. At the moment I am reading Yellowface by Rebecca Kuang which I’m really enjoying.
If I had to pick a favourite movie it would probably be Hunt for the Wilderpeople – it’s very wholesome and I would recommend giving it a watch.
And that’s a wrap!
We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little more about one of our newest Beaconites, Megan.
Remember to email her to say hello and join us in welcoming Megan to the rare family!
