Catch-up on recordings from the Salon Research Showcase

How do prior knowledge and new experiences shape the way we learn. And what happens to these processes as we age or develop dementia.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, Dr will present her research on how prior knowledge and novelty influence learning and memory formation. Her work explores how these processes are affected by ageing and dementia, and how they relate to changes in brain function.

Dorothy develops behavioural paradigms that bridge animal and human research, supporting translational approaches to understanding memory. Alongside this, she works with community organisations and charities to co create projects that promote healthy ageing and brain health.

Dorothy is a Reader in Cognitive Neuroscience at Edge Hill University, specialising in learning, memory, and translational neuroscience.
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As biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease continue to advance, are cognitive assessments keeping pace. And how can we better detect early changes using tools we already have.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, Dr will present his work on developing neurocognitive metrics that are sensitive to Alzheimer’s disease pathology. His research focuses on extracting more informative measures from existing neuropsychological tests, rather than relying on entirely new tools.

These approaches aim to provide accessible, non proprietary methods that can better align cognitive assessment with advances in biomarker research, helping to improve early detection and understanding of disease progression.

Dr Davide Bruno is an Associate Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology at Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Wisconsin Madison. His work sits at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and clinical research, focusing on improving how we measure and detect changes in brain function.
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How does physical activity influence brain health as we age. And what are the best ways to support people in staying active to reduce dementia risk.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, will introduce her research on how exercise impacts cognitive and brain health, particularly in older adults and those at risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Her work also explores how to increase engagement in physical activity, addressing one of the key challenges in translating evidence into real world impact.

Marta is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky, with a background in clinical psychology and neuropsychology. Her research uses a multi method approach, combining laboratory studies, neuroimaging, physiological measures, wearable technology, and real world data collection to better understand both the effects of exercise and how to promote it.
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How is culture understood within social work practice. And how does this shape the care and support offered to people living with dementia from marginalised communities.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, will present findings from her PhD research exploring how the concept of culture is perceived and applied within social work practice. Her work focuses on how these understandings influence care for racialised and marginalised older adults living with dementia.

Drawing on qualitative research, Kemba examines how assumptions, interpretations, and institutional perspectives of culture can shape decision making, interactions, and outcomes in dementia care. Her research highlights the importance of critically engaging with culture to support more equitable and responsive practice.

Kemba is a researcher at Cardiff University specialising in dementia, social work, and inequalities in care. Her work centres on amplifying under represented perspectives and improving practice for diverse communities.
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How can we better detect and understand cerebral amyloid angiopathy. And how do findings from models translate into insights from patient data.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, will present her research on translational biomarkers for cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Her work combines MRI and histology approaches in a mouse model alongside patient data to better understand disease mechanisms and improve biomarker development.

Ivana is a third year PhD student at Leiden University Medical Centre in The Netherlands. Her research focuses on bridging preclinical and clinical approaches to better characterise vascular contributions to neurodegeneration and support earlier and more accurate detection.
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How can patient experiences be better understood beyond tick box surveys. What can free text responses reveal about care that structured data often misses.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, will present her work on analysing free text responses from patient reported experience measures to better understand care experiences. Her research focuses on developing bespoke approaches to capture the nuance, detail, and meaning within patient feedback that is often lost in standardised survey formats.

Lucy is a Graduate Teaching Fellow and Senior Research Assistant at the University of Hertfordshire. Her work explores how qualitative data can be systematically analysed to inform improvements in care, ensuring that patient voices are more effectively heard and acted upon.

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How do amyloid beta and tau proteins drive damage in Alzheimer’s disease. And what role does their assembly process play in shaping disease progression.

In this session, Professor Louise Serpell will present her research on amyloid fibrils formed from amyloid beta and tau proteins and their role in Alzheimer’s disease. Her work explores how the assembly process and structural properties of these proteins influence neuronal survival and organelle health.

By examining how these proteins form and behave, her research provides important insights into how assembly dynamics contribute to neuronal damage and disease progression.

Louise is a Professor at the University of Sussex specialising in structural biology and the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Her work focuses on understanding protein aggregation and its impact on brain health.
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Can Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarkers work equally well across all populations. And how acceptable are these tests for communities that have historically been under represented in research.

In this session, Natalia Chemas will present research from her NIHR funded doctoral fellowship exploring the diagnostic validity of Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarkers in ethnic minority groups. Her work examines whether these emerging diagnostic tools perform consistently across different populations and explores how acceptable this testing approach is for diverse communities.

Natalia is a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London working within the dementia research team at the Centre for Psychiatry and Neuroscience. She completed a Psychology BSc in Colombia and a Mental Health Sciences MSc at University College London, and has experience supporting research studies across academia, the NHS, and industry.

Her doctoral research is supervised by Charles Marshall, Claudia Cooper, and Ashvini Keshavan and focuses on improving equitable access to emerging diagnostic approaches in Alzheimer’s disease.

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How can people living with advanced dementia be meaningfully included in research. What does participation look like when communication changes and flexibility is essential.

In this session, Dr Angela Carter will share findings from her PhD Action Research study exploring meaning in activities and interactions for people living with advanced dementia in a care home setting. Using qualitative, participatory, and creative approaches, her work actively included people with advanced dementia, their family members, and care home staff.

Angela will discuss how flexible and adaptable research methods can help amplify the voices of people who are often under represented in research. Drawing on her background as an occupational therapist, artist educator, and early career researcher, she will reflect on how creative approaches can support communication, uphold human rights, and recognise strengths and contributions in later stage dementia.
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What support do people living with dementia need to remain in work. How can employers, policy makers, researchers, and carers work together to shape better employment support.

In this session, Dr Rachel Allen from the University of West of Scotland present current work from the Working with Dementia Network + project, which explores dementia and employment across research, policy, and practice. The project has recently completed a series of Nominal Group Technique focus groups designed to identify priorities for future work in this area.

These groups brought together people living with a dementia diagnosis, carers, employers and managers, professionals involved in policy, and researchers. Rachel will discuss why this approach was used, what participants identified as key priorities, and how these findings will shape the next phase of the Network Plus programme.
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How do small vessel changes in the brain contribute to vascular dementia. And why might disease pathways differ between males and females.

In this session, Dr Daniel Ruiz Gabarre will present his research on vascular dementia using a preclinical rat model of small vessel disease. His work focuses on the Atp11b gene, which encodes a phospholipid flippase involved in transporting phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, and how disruption of this pathway contributes to vascular pathology and cognitive impairment.

Using transcriptomics and proteomics approaches, Daniel investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying disease progression, with a particular focus on sex differences and how these may shape vulnerability and outcomes in vascular dementia.

Daniel is a researcher at the University of Edinburgh specialising in vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia. His work combines experimental models with molecular profiling techniques to better understand mechanisms driving small vessel disease.
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Why are people with Down syndrome at increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and how can brain imaging help us understand this process. What role do cerebrovascular changes play in the development of cognitive decline.

In this session, Sara Zsadanyi will present her research exploring neuroimaging markers in Down syndrome related Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular focus on cerebrovascular lesions observed through brain imaging. Her work aims to improve understanding of how vascular changes may contribute to dementia risk and disease progression in this population.

Sara is a PhD student at the Sant Pau Memory Unit and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, specialising in biomarkers and neuroimaging. Her research focuses on improving early detection and understanding of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome, combining imaging approaches with clinical research to better characterise disease pathways.

Attendees can expect a clear and research focused talk followed by time for questions and discussion.
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Why do some people with genetic risk go on to experience cognitive decline while others remain resilient. How does genetic vulnerability shape pathways to later life cognitive impairment and dementia.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, Dr Donald Lyall, Senior Lecturer in Population Brain Health at the University of Glasgow, will present research on the role of APOE genotype in later life cognitive impairment and dementia. Donald’s work uses population health and epidemiological approaches to understand how genetic risk interacts with lifestyle and environmental factors to influence brain health and cognitive outcomes. He has extensive experience analysing large cohort datasets to uncover mediators and modifiers of cognitive decline, with a particular focus on how APOE affects vulnerability in ageing populations.

Donald will explore whether possession of specific APOE variants increases susceptibility to cognitive impairment, and what intermediate phenotypes may mediate these associations, shedding light on mechanisms that link genetic risk with cognitive health outcomes.
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How can connection, identity, and wellbeing be supported for people living with advanced dementia within culturally diverse communities. What does meaningful engagement look like when communication changes and when care moves online.

In this session, Nancy Brown will explore how culturally adapted non pharmacological interventions can support immigrant communities of older adults living with advanced dementia. Drawing on her PhD research at the University of Edinburgh and more than two decades of practice in therapeutic memory care, she will share how music, movement, personal objects, and Validation based communication were adapted for online delivery during the COVID period.

These virtual sessions revealed unexpected moments of connection, relational awareness, and joy, challenging assumptions about engagement in later stage dementia. Nancy will also reflect on her career journey as a practitioner researcher and the importance of empathy, co creation, and cultural sensitivity in dementia research and care.
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Inflammation plays a central role in many neurological conditions, yet the immune system in the brain behaves very differently from the rest of the body. Understanding how these responses are regulated, and how they can be influenced with precision, is an active area of research.

In this session, Dr Kate Harris from Newcastle University will discuss her research on brain inflammation, focusing on cell based screening and target deconvolution as tools for identifying new ways to modulate immune responses. She will explore how these approaches help reveal subtle immune behaviours and why controlling inflammation requires nuance rather than broad suppression.

Attendees can expect a clear overview of phenotype driven discovery, insight into how immune targets are identified, and time for questions and discussion.
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Why do some people experience greater cognitive change as they age while others remain relatively stable. How can brain imaging help us distinguish normal ageing from processes linked to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session bringing researchers together to share their work, methods, and ideas.

In this session, Dr Jenna Merenstein will present her research at the University of Utah, which uses MRI measures of brain structure and function to study cognitive ageing across the adult lifespan. Her work focuses on cognitively healthy adults to help define patterns of normal brain ageing and understand how these differ from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Jenna will also introduce a newer direction in her research exploring moderating factors that may influence brain and cognitive ageing, including environmental exposures such as air pollution, access to greenspace, and noise exposure.
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Dementia research often focuses on memory and cognition, but there is increasing recognition that changes in behaviour and mental state can be among the earliest markers of neurodegenerative disease.

This Salon Research Showcase session brings together researchers and the public for a 45 minute online session to explore current work on behavioural and psychological symptoms in people living with, or at risk of, dementia.

In this session, Dr Byron Creese, Senior Lecturer at Brunel University of London, will discuss his research on managing behavioural and psychological symptoms in neurodegenerative conditions and how these symptoms might help with early diagnosis. Drawing on clinical and translational research, he will outline key findings on neuropsychiatric syndromes, emerging methods to detect subtle changes, and the implications for care and future research directions.
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Why do some people develop Alzheimer’s disease while others with similar backgrounds do not. How do genetics interact with environment and social factors to shape individual risk. This session tackles these questions by looking at dementia risk as a whole system rather than a single cause.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session that brings researchers together to share their work, ideas, and approaches.

In this session, Shea Andrews will introduce his research programme at UCSF, which integrates genetic, environmental, and social risk factors to develop dementia risk assessment tools for personalised medicine in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. He will focus on genetic exposome approaches, showing how combining large scale genetic data with real world exposure information can improve how we predict risk, understand disease mechanisms, and tailor prevention strategies.

Shea is an Assistant Professor at the University of California San Francisco, specialising in genetics and genomics. Attendees can expect a clear and research focused talk that bridges population science and personalised medicine, with time for questions and discussion at the end.
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Dementia prevention is often framed as a matter of individual lifestyle choice. This session steps back and asks what prevention looks like when we think at population level, not just personal risk.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly 'Showcase' series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session that brings researchers together to share work.

In this session, Simone Salemme will explore how dementia prevention can move beyond individual level interventions towards population based approaches rooted in equity, data, and public policy. Drawing on Italian and European initiatives, he will discuss how prevention can be embedded within national and EU non communicable disease strategies to support brain health across the life course.

Simone is a PhD Fellow and early career researcher at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Attendees can expect a clear overview of current evidence, policy links, and practical challenges, with time for questions and discussion.

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Apathy is one of the most common symptoms in dementia and one of the least well understood. This session asks a simple question. What is really going on when people stop acting.

This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly 'Showcase' series. Each week we host a 45 minute online session that brings researchers together to share work.

In this session, Rebecca Williams will focus on apathy in dementia, with particular attention to frontotemporal lobar degeneration. She will introduce a different way of thinking about apathy, not as a simple lack of motivation, but as a loss of confidence in the outcomes of action. Drawing on her PhD research, she will explain how this shift in thinking, alongside computational modelling, is helping to generate new insights into causes and potential approaches to treatment.

Rebecca @beckyandthebrain is a PhD student specialising in dementia research at the MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. Attendees can expect a clear and accessible talk, grounded in current research, with time for questions and discussion at the end.
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