ApconiX Welcomes Abigail Walker
ApconiX is delighted to welcome Abigail Walker as a senior scientist in the Safety Science Group.
Academic Career
Abi completed her BSc in Neuroscience at the University of Glasgow. Her dissertation evaluated the validity of different in vivo schizophrenia models and their relative application to human disease, comparing genetic, pharmacological, and stress-based induction of different schizophrenic phenotypes. During her Brain Sciences MSc, also at the University of Glasgow, she worked in the Garscube Institute stroke research facility which bolstered the completion of her thesis focussing on spinal cord injury rehabilitation. For this project, Abi was part of a team investigating corticospinal tract pathways through the medulla. She used retroactive fluorescent labelling to visualise tract routes in the non-human primate and facilitate the mapping of crossed and un-crossed pathways in the medulla which could be extrapolated to generate a map of likely spinal cord regeneration and tract salvage pathways following injury.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit just after Abi finished her master’s degree. During lockdown she put her lab experience to use by working in the COVID testing lab at Alderley Park. She also developed an interest in nutrition and once lockdown lifted she completed a Nutrition and Behaviour MSc at Bournemouth University where she wrote her thesis on disordered eating patterns associated with variable restrictive diet motivators. Afterwards, Abi worked as a freelance nutrition advisor and collaborated with a US-based start-up to develop meal plans for people with poor access to healthcare who needed guidance on using diet to manage health conditions including arthritis, metabolic disorders, and thyroiditis.
Abi’s father is a medical writer, and her own interest in the field was piqued when he asked for her help in completing a piece of overflow work. Abi soon established herself as a freelance medical writer and attended the 2024 EMWA conference in Valencia.
Working at ApconiX
Abi started working on TSAs as an associate in 2023, taking on progressively larger projects in-line with her development as a drug discovery scientist until eventually joining the Safety Science Group in February 2025.
Dr James Sidaway, Head of Safety Science, added “Having worked with Abi in the past, the expanding demand for domain expertise and target safety presented itself with an opportunity to fully integrate Abi into our process and to continue to expand our client offerings. Abi brings a solid grounding and experience in neuroscience and a wicked sense of humour!”
Interests Outside of Work
Abi describes herself as “a bit of an outdoorsy nerd”. She likes fitness, hiking, wild camping, bird watching, and various creative pursuits such as taking in Scotland’s poetry and arts scene and working on her book.
