Aysha Divan is a lecturer at the Faculty of Biological of Biological Sciences at the University of Leeds. Her research experience includes studying the role of p53 in retinoblastoma tumour progression and the molecular basis of chromatin remodelling during gene locus activation.

She is currently managing (with a key role in developing) the new Masters Bioscience Programmes (encompassing 6 programmes) launched at the Faculty in October 2004. She has developed the transferable skills module of which scientific communication is a key component and produced a student toolkit which brings together guidelines and case material supporting the development of these skills. She is currently developing an interactive website to supplement the toolkit and trains communication skills to Masters Students in the Faculty. Other teaching includes practical core skills training and specialist cancer genetics module.

"This volume would be an ideal resource for developing and structuring a new graduate student course in the biological sciences. The information conveyed is up to date, well organized, and imperative for today's scientists, both young and established." -- The Quarterly Review of Biology

"Aysha Divan has written a practical and solid guide for students intending to pursue a degree in the biosciences. Communication Skills is intended for the graduate student practitioner, although an undergraduate would not go wrong in reading and rereading it. The author's own communications skills, as evidenced by this guide, are exemplary. It serves up a no-nonsense approach to bioscience research with the aim of conveying that graduate work in the biosciences is important, and it is important that it be done right."--The American Biology Teacher