Olivia Hill

Olivia joined Carpmaels & Ransford in 2026 as a Trainee Patent Attorney in the Life Sciences group. She graduated from University College London with a first-class Integrated Master’s degree in Biological Sciences, where she specialised in cell biology. In recognition of her academic performance, Olivia was awarded the UCL GEE Medawar Prize and appeared on the Dean’s List. She then completed a PhD in Molecular Cell Biology at the Francis Crick Institute under the supervision of Professor Michael Way.

During her PhD, Olivia investigated the impact of alternative splicing of a transcript encoding Arp2, a subunit of the Arp2/3 complex, on branched actin dynamics. To do so, she used a skeletal muscle cell line to examine the impact of removing one of the Arp2 splice variants on in vitro myogenic differentiation. She also used vaccinia virus actin tails to understand how independently knocking down each of the two splice variants in cells affected the cellular properties of the Arp2/3 complex. In the year between completing her PhD and joining Carpmaels, Olivia worked for a lab-based start-up at Victoria House that aimed to transform the treatment of serious diseases using next-generation antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics.

Outside of work, Olivia enjoys attending art exhibitions and watching films, as well as running, reading and improving her French and Spanish.