From Pea moth to policy: a woman’s journey in Safety, Sustainability and Science

Sally Campbell

“I want to enable people to get their work done confidently and safely, rather than putting up barriers.”

Profile written by Anna Napolitano

Sally Campbell, Safety and Compliance Manager in Central Biomedical Services (CBS), has built a career defined by curiosity, creativity and genuine care for people. Today she plays a key role in ensuring Imperial’s animal research is carried out safely and responsibly, but her journey began in a very different place.

An unexpected call

Sally began her career in 1973 as a research assistant at what is now Rothamsted Research, focusing on pea moths. Just a year later, the UK’s Health & Safety at Work Act reshaped how research laboratories operated — and subtly redirected Sally’s own career.

She went on to broaden her hands‑on experience, taking up a role as a quality control technician at Whitbread Brewery (yes, beer tasting was genuinely part of the job!) before becoming a laboratory manager with the Medical Research Council, where health and safety became central to her work.

As her interest in health and safety deepened, her professional journey developed. Sally moved to the Marie Curie Research Institute and later to Central Saint Martin’s College of Art, taking responsibility for health and safety at both institutions. In 2010 she joined Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine safety team, bringing with her decades of experience and people-focused approach.

Making safety accessible

After 10 years supporting researchers across the faculty, Sally moved to CBS, where she now supports staff and animal facilities in carrying out their work safely, confidently, and in line with Imperial’s policies.

Her role provides health and safety-to advice on work in CBS and includes oversight of e-day safety advice, and looking after emergency planning and business continuity, ensuring CBS is prepared for the unexpected. It is, she says “a busy role, never dull, and I’m fortunate to be part of a fantastic team.”

For Sally Health and Safety should never feel intimidating or obstructive. Her aim is to demystify it.

“Working in CBS has given me a better understanding of the extraordinary research that takes place here, and the privilege and responsibility that comes with supporting work involving animals,” she explains. “I want to enable people to get their work done confidently and safely, rather than putting up barriers.”

Her motto is simple: there is usually a way to do things safely – it just takes a bit of creativity and a conversation.

Driving sustainability in animal research

Joining CBS brought new challenges in Sally’s career, including navigating operational and legal frameworks that underpin Imperial’s exceptionally high standards of animal welfare.

“Seeing firsthand how animal models contribute to better treatments and outcomes for people living with debilitating health challenges has been inspiring,” she says.

At the same time, Sally has brought another long-standing passion into her work: environmental sustainability. She has led CBS sustainability initiatives and played a key role in Imperial’s animal units achieving LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) Silver and Bronze accreditations.

Creativity beyond the lab

Creativity is woven through both Sally’s professional and personal life. Over the years she has embraced all sorts of crafts, from dressmaking – including making her own wedding dress from a pattern – to pottery, which she describes as “the messiest but most fun.”

When not busy crafting, she often swims. “I love swimming outside in the winter when the pool is lightly steaming and there’s hardly anyone else there, it’s pure joy.”

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Written by Anna Napolitano