Name:
Dr Gemma Lace-Costigan
Job Title:
Lecturer in Biomedical Science
Place of work / study:
University of Salford
Area of Research:
Abnormal protein accumulation in neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia)
Tell us a little about yourself:
I completed a BSc Neuroscience followed by a PhD in Genomic Medicine at the University of Sheffield. I joined the University of Salford nearly 7 years ago as a Teaching Fellow and was promoted to Lecturer after 2 years. I currently supervise 5 PhD students who are all working on dementia related projects, largely trying to understand why abnormal proteins accumulate in neurodegenerative diseases. I am extremely passionate about public engagement and science communication, and am Lead in Knowledge Transfer and Engagement at the Salford Institute for Dementia. I am a single mum to two gorgeous and crazy children, Jax, 4 and Eve, 7.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I do a martial art called Tang Soo Do with my kids and me and my daughter are currently training for our blackbelts (to be tested December 2018).
Why did you choose to work in dementia?
As an undergraduate student I remember being overwhelmed that we could know so much about diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, but not have a cure or even any disease modifying treatments available. Several members of my family have been impacted by dementia and so I was also personally motivated to join a world wide effort to defeat dementia.