Profile – Dr Kira Shaw

Name:

Dr Kira Shaw

Job Title:

Wellcome Trust Career Development Award Research Fellow

Place of work / study:

University of Manchester

Area of Research:

Neuroscience

How is your research funded:

Career Development Award, Wellcome Trust

Tell us a little about yourself:

I am from Blackburn, Lancashire. I study how the brain’s blood vessels change during ageing, the menopause transition and Alzheimer’s disease. After my PhD at the University of Sheffield, I spent six years at the University of Sussex with Professor Catherine Hall studying the relationship between brain cells and blood vessels, then returned to Sheffield before starting my Wellcome Trust fellowship at Manchester in January 2026. You can read more about that route in my career story on returning to research and building independence. In addition, I enjoy writing fun neuroscience articles aimed at the public. Recently I wrote an article titled ‘Is Alzheimer’s caused by disruptions to the brain’s energy supply?’

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:

In my spare time, I have written a novel.

Why did you choose to work in dementia?

Dementia affects so many lives in the UK, not only those who have the diagnosis, but also their close friends and families. Research has the power to help us defeat this disease, and help all these people.

Find Kira online:

University of Manchester profile | Shaw Lab | ORCID | LinkedIn