About
Yamni lectures in Biomedical Science (anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology) at the School of Health and Social Care at Swansea University. She is the Lead for the Anatomy and Physiology Team and her specialist teaching subjects include digestion, blood, immunology, microbiology, parasitology, wounds (infection and healing) and maggot (larval) therapy.
Her research career, investigating the immune system of insects and invertebrates, commenced with her doctorate at Swansea University and now spans over 25 years. Her post-doctoral experience includes a period of time spent at Fundaco Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, researching immune defences in insects that cause Chagas’ Disease.
In 2001, she set up the Swansea University Maggot Research Group, which focuses on the medicinal maggot, Lucilia sericata, and the molecules involved in larval therapy. She and her team have published their laboratory scientific findings primarily on the antimicrobial activity of larval secretions, and wound healing molecules associated with this insect. Yamni is currently investigating the public and clinician attitudes and perception to maggot therapy. As such, she has established the “Love a maggot!” campaign, a major public engagement movement, which aims to raise awareness and change perception of maggot therapy, for school children, wound clinicians and the public. Her work has featured in the media, radio and TV reports, and recently she was invited to act as a maggot research consultant for the BBC Medical drama Casualty.
Yamni is a member of the Welsh Wound Network group and was recently selected to participate in the elite Welsh Crucible Programme, promoting the development of future Research Leaders in Wales. Yamni is an Athena Swan Champion and a Diabetes Community Champion. She is also a member of the British Society for Parasitology and an Elected Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. She is a trained STEM Ambassador, delivering interactive sessions on microbiology and entomology to pupils at local schools. In November 2018, she won the National WISE Award for Innovation for her maggot research and STEM Ambassadorship, presented by HRH the Princess Royal, and in 2019, she was a finalist in the Women in STEM category for Chwarae Teg Womenspire awards.
