Generated by All in One SEO Pro v5.0.1.1, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # DEMENTIA RESEARCHER A network for early career researchers ## Posts ### [What is Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Training? Do I need it?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/what-is-good-clinical-practice-gcp-training-do-i-need-it/) **Published:** March 23, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Do you need GCP training, and how often? Updated for the 2026 UK Clinical Trials Regulations and ICH E6(R3), with free UK courses and who actually needs them. **Content:** ## What is Good Clinical Practice (GCP)? Good Clinical Practice (GCP) is the international ethical, scientific and practical standard for designing, running, recording and reporting clinical research. Compliance provides public assurance that the rights, safety and wellbeing of research participants are protected, and that research data are reliable. You will often see it written as ICH GCP, after the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, the body that publishes the guideline. GCP training is the structured learning that shows you understand that standard and can apply it to your own work. ## What changed for GCP in April 2026? On 28 April 2026 the amended UK Clinical Trials Regulations came into force alongside the latest revision of the GCP guideline, [ICH E6(R3)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/clinical-trials-for-medicines-compliance-with-ich-e6-good-clinical-practice-gcp-in-the-united-kingdom). This was the largest change to UK clinical trials regulation in more than twenty years, and it matters for training. Two points are worth knowing: - **The GCP principles are now a legal requirement.** Regulation 28 of the amended regulations requires compliance with the ICH E6 GCP principles, rather than with the entirety of the guideline. Trials supporting a marketing authorisation application are expected to follow the full guideline. - **Proportionality is the organising idea.** E6(R3) is built around risk and fitness for purpose. Sponsors and sites are expected to judge what a particular trial genuinely needs, rather than applying one fixed checklist to every study. If you trained before 2026 your certificate has not been withdrawn, but the content you were taught has moved on. Most employers are now asking staff working on trials to complete refresher training covering E6(R3). ## Do I actually need GCP training? This is the question we are asked most, and the answer is more nuanced than many researchers are told. ### If you work on a CTIMP, yes Everyone involved in conducting a Clinical Trial of an Investigational Medicinal Product must be qualified by education, training and experience to perform their tasks. If you are delivering a CTIMP, you will be expected to hold current GCP certification. ### If your study is not a CTIMP, probably not A great deal of unnecessary GCP training gets done every year. The HRA, MHRA and the devolved administrations for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have published a [joint statement](https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/policies-standards-legislation/good-clinical-practice/joint-statement-application-good-clinical-practice-training-researchers-hra-mhra-devolved-administrations-northern-ireland-scotland-and-wales/) confirming that there is no legal requirement for research other than CTIMPs to be conducted in line with ICH GCP. The same statement notes that researchers are sometimes required to complete GCP training inappropriately and disproportionately, either when they do not work on CTIMPs at all, or when their involvement in a trial is minimal and sits entirely within their existing professional expertise. If you are being asked to complete a full GCP course for an observational or qualitative dementia study, it is reasonable to ask your R&D office which requirement that is meeting. ### If you are a PhD student or early career researcher It depends on what you will be doing, not on your job title. Recruiting and consenting participants to a CTIMP, handling investigational medicinal products or collecting trial data all point towards needing it. Analysing an existing dataset, running interviews for a non-CTIMP study, or [working on preclinical laboratory research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-studying-whilst-working-in-dementia-research-its-possible/) generally do not. Many supervisors and sponsors encourage GCP training anyway, because it teaches consent, documentation and data integrity properly. It is free, it is CPD accredited, and it is a useful line on your CV if you are moving towards clinical research delivery. ## Does everyone need the same level of GCP training? No. Training should be appropriate and proportionate to what you actually do on the study. Someone acting as a Principal Investigator needs a different depth of understanding to someone performing a single delegated task within their existing professional competence. If you are a PI or site lead working out who on your team needs what, start from the delegation log. Decide which tasks are being delegated to whom, then ask whether those people have the training and experience for those specific tasks. ## How often do I need to renew my GCP certificate? There is no single legally fixed renewal period. Your employer or sponsor sets this through their own standard operating procedures, so the answer depends on where you work and what you work on. As a rule of thumb, the NIHR recommends refresher training every two to three years to keep pace with best practice. Regulatory change matters too, and the April 2026 updates are exactly the kind of shift that should prompt a refresher regardless of when you last trained. For a researcher’s view on whether all this refreshing is worthwhile, read [Dr Emma Law on GCP refreshers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-gcp-training-do-we-really-need-regular-refreshers/). ## What GCP training is available, and is it free? The NIHR offers [free GCP training](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/clinical-research-courses-and-support/good-clinical-practice) to people supporting clinical research delivery in the NHS, UK universities and other publicly funded organisations in England. The current offer covers: - **GCP introduction**, for staff new to research delivery - **GCP refresher**, for experienced staff, including the E6(R3) updates - **GCP consolidation**, a facilitated session building on the e-learning - **Informed consent** courses, at a range of levels All courses are CPD accredited. They are booked through [NIHR Learn](https://learn.nihr.ac.uk/), which replaced the former CRN Learn platform. If you have not used it before, create an account using your work email address. The courses focus on practical application, so that you know what to do differently when you get back to your workplace. ## I am not based in England. Where do I go? GCP training is organised nation by nation, although the underlying standard is the same across the UK: - **Scotland:** [NHS Research Scotland](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/) runs the national NRS GCP programme - **Wales:** [Health and Care Research Wales](https://healthandcareresearchwales.org/support-and-guidance/training-courses) offers free introduction and refresher sessions - **Northern Ireland:** training is coordinated through Health and Social Care R&D, so speak to your local R&D office ## Can I access this training from outside the UK? No. NIHR GCP courses explore the application of GCP within UK regulations, policies and frameworks, so access is limited to UK-based researchers at eligible organisations. Unfortunately we are not able to recommend alternative providers for researchers based overseas. ## Where should I start? If you know which course you need, go straight to [NIHR Learn](https://learn.nihr.ac.uk/) and search the GCP catalogue. If you are not sure, start with the [NIHR GCP page](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/clinical-research-courses-and-support/good-clinical-practice). Either way, check your own organisation’s SOPs before booking, because your employer decides what you need and how often you need it. ## Related reading - [Blog – GCP Training: Do We Really Need Regular Refreshers?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-gcp-training-do-we-really-need-regular-refreshers/) - [Updated – UK HRA Good Clinical Practice Guideline](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/updated-uk-hra-good-clinical-practice-guideline/) - [Blog – What I Wish I Knew Before Working in Clinical Trials](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-i-wish-i-knew-before-working-in-clinical-trials/) - [Capacity & Consent to Research Resources](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/capacity-consent-to-research-resources/) - [Podcast – Behind the Approval: Research Ethics and Consent](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-behind-the-approval-research-ethics-and-consent/) - [Dementia Research Ethics Resources](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-research-ethics-resources/) - [NIHR Clinical Trials Toolkit](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/clinical-trials-toolkit/) --- **Last reviewed: August 2026.** Updated to reflect the amended UK Clinical Trials Regulations and ICH GCP E6(R3), which both took full effect on 28 April 2026. **Categories:** Careers, Training **Tags:** Good Clinical Practice, National Institute for Health and Care Research --- ### [Masters in Dementia: Is It Worth It, and How to Choose One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/should-you-do-a-masters-in-dementia/) **Published:** August 27, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Thinking about a masters in dementia? What it costs, how to fund it, whether you need one at all, and how to pick the right course for what you actually want. **Content:** Every autumn we get the same email. Someone has finished their degree, or has been working in care for a few years, and they want to know whether to do a masters in dementia. They have usually already picked one. What they are really after is permission. We tend not to give that permission straight away. The question underneath is almost never “which course”, it is “how do I get from here to doing research”, and a masters is only sometimes the answer to that. A masters in dementia can be a very good decision. It can also be a way of putting off the step that would get you further. So here is the longer reply, starting with the short version. In brief A masters in dementia is sometimes the only way in, often optional, and occasionally an expensive mistake. If you are aiming at a PhD, check first whether the doctoral programmes you want would take you without one, because plenty will and some will pay for the masters themselves. If you do go ahead, pick the course by what its dissertation actually involves and who supervises it, not by the words in the title. Most people end up self funding, because free routes are narrower than they look: the dementia charities fund PhDs rather than taught masters, and the main funded schemes are restricted to health and care professionals. Check what the government loan covers before you budget around it, since it only covers your first masters and stops at 60. Funded routes exist for all three main paths into dementia research, clinical, laboratory and social science. They differ from each other, so find yours before you spend anything. And if you are going back to the university where you did your first degree, ask about the alumni discount first. On this page In this article we’re going to work through the decision making process in the order it needs making. It starts with [why people do it](#why-people-do-it), because the reason you give yourself changes the answer more than anything else does. Then the money question, [what it really costs and what free routes exist](#you-might-not-have-to-pay-for-one), followed by the three funded routes into dementia research. They differ enough that you should read your own and ignore the other two. There is one [if you work in health or care](#if-you-work-in-health-or-care), one [if you are heading for the lab](#if-you-are-heading-for-the-lab), and one [for social science and qualitative work](#if-you-are-heading-for-social-science-or-qualitative-research). After that it gets practical. [What it costs](#what-it-costs), including the part nobody writes down, and [how to pay for it](#how-to-pay-for-it), which works differently in each of the four UK nations and trips people up constantly. Then [the kinds of courses](#three-kinds-of-course-and-why-people-pick-the-wrong-one) and how people end up on the wrong one, [where to look](#where-to-look), and [how to judge a course](#judging-a-course-once-you-have-found-it) once you have a shortlist. It closes with [applying](#applying) and [what to try first](#things-to-try-first), which for some readers will be the only section that matters. Jump to whatever is useful. Nobody needs to read the whole thing to answer a question they have already half answered. ![Three questions to ask before choosing a masters in dementia: what is the destination, what is the gap, and is this the cheapest way to close it](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/01-three-questions-first.png "01-three-questions-first")Before choosing a course, define your destination, identify the gap and decide whether a master’s is the best route. ## Why people do it Ask around and the same handful of answers come back. **“I want to do a PhD.”** By far the most common, and the one where the most money gets wasted. Skip to the next section before you spend anything, because a fair number of doctoral programmes will take you without a masters and some will pay for one. **“I don’t know what to do next.”** Also common, and more reasonable than it sounds. Finishing a degree with no plan is unsettling and a masters is a legitimate looking place to stand while you work it out. The trouble is the cost. A year in a research assistant post answers the same question, pays you instead of charging you, and leaves you employable at the end. Some people do find their direction during a masters, though more of them find it in a job. **“I want to know more about dementia.”** Nothing wrong with the motive, but check how much of it you can get for nothing first. There are free MOOCs and open courses that cover a lot of ground, and if they hold your attention for eight weeks that tells you something useful before you commit twelve months and a five figure sum. **“My gran has dementia.”** A parent, a grandparent, someone you cared for. This is more common in our field than in most, and it is a perfectly good reason to be here. Two things to think about. First, whether you want to work with people living with dementia or study the condition, because those lead to very different courses. Second, that grief and study are hard to run at the same time, and there is no prize for doing it sooner rather than when you are ready. **“My employer expects it,” or a scheme requires it.** Straightforward, and the only version where the answer is simply yes. Read the actual requirement yourself rather than relying on what someone said in a corridor, because “masters level credits” and “a masters” are not always the same thing. **“I want to switch field.”** You have a degree in one subject and want to work in another. This is where a masters earns its keep most reliably, because there is often no other way in. The one to be wary of is a masters bought purely to strengthen an application. Letters after your name do not fix a CV that is short of research experience, and if that is the gap, there are cheaper ways to close it. Adverts saying “masters desirable” mean desirable. Look at who is actually getting appointed. In a future article we will talk about how you might get some research experience outside gaining a qualification. Whatever brought you here, the useful question is the same. What do you want to be different in two years, and is this the cheapest way to get there? We followed Morgan Daniel through [her whole MSc year at UCL](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/morgan-msc-story/), from the week she arrived to the week she finished. She wrote about this exact decision twice, [once before she was sure](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-should-i-meaning-you-do-a-masters/) and [again halfway through](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-is-a-masters-the-right-choice/), along with the imposter syndrome, the homesickness, the dissertation and the job hunt at the end. If you would rather hear it from someone living it than from us, start there. ## The funding reality Start with the number, because it is what stops most people. Fees for a taught masters commonly land somewhere between £12,000 and £15,000 for a home student. Lab based courses cost more. International fees are higher again, often double. On top of that sits twelve months of rent and food, and for many people a pile of undergraduate debt that is already there. The England loan is £13,206, and it has to cover fees and living costs together. For most courses it will not stretch to both. So cost is a real obstacle rather than a failure of nerve. Plenty of capable people decide against a masters because of the money, and that is frequently the right decision. What follows is what free money exists, and it is less than people hope. ### What the dementia charities do and do not fund Worth clearing up first, because it is the most common misunderstanding we hear. As a rule, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society fund PhD studentships rather than taught masters. As far as we are aware there is no standing charity scheme you can apply to for MSc fees, so if someone has pointed you at a dementia charity for masters funding, they are most likely thinking of doctoral money. There are exceptions, so keep your eyes open. ARUK has previously partnered with HDR UK to fund a masters in dementia data science. In Scotland, the [Alzheimer Scotland Student Research Programme](https://sdrc.scot/alzheimer-scotland-student-research-programme) aims to fund at least one masters level studentship every year, covering tuition fees, a stipend and consumables, and it runs an annual round. Applications are open only to Scottish Dementia Research Consortium members, though membership is free. Other charities, dementia or otherwise, occasionally do the same. Notice the shape of these, though. Applications come from research teams at universities or NHS Scotland, not from students directly, and the Scottish scheme says plainly that it will not accept an application from an individual without formal institutional backing. That is the same pattern as the PhD studentships. Your job is to find the research team, not the application form. And with roughly one award a year in that particular case, this is opportunistic money rather than something you can plan around. ### The routes that do exist, and who they are shut to There are four, and each has a gate on it. **NIHR INSIGHT** will fund a research masters outright, fees and money to live on. It is open only to registered health, social work and public health professionals early in their careers, and the section below sets out the detail. **NIHR Pre doctoral fellowships** pay for salaried time and will sometimes cover a masters, but you need to be employed in health or care to apply at all. **A 1+3 doctoral award** pays for a taught year, and this is the one people misread. It is not a masters application. You are applying for a PhD and the masters year comes attached to it. If what you want is the masters on its own, this route is shut. **Your employer** might pay. This is the most widely available of the four and much the slowest. It usually means two or three years of building a case, proving the value and waiting for a training budget to come round. Beyond those, the money thins out fast. Institutional scholarships are real but few and heavily contested. Small educational trusts hand out hundreds rather than thousands. Neither will fund a masters on its own. ### If none of them fit you This will be a lot of readers. A bioscience graduate heading for the lab, with no NHS employer behind them and no wish to commit to a PhD yet, has no free route to a taught masters. That is simply the position, and pretending otherwise wastes your time. At that point the question changes. It stops being how do I get this funded and becomes whether this is worth borrowing for. Four things to weigh before you take on the debt. - Would the doctoral programmes you want take you without a masters? Many will, and an afternoon reading four sets of eligibility criteria is a good trade against twenty thousand pounds. - Would a year in a research assistant post give you the same experience while paying you rather than charging you? - Would a PGCert or PGDip close the specific gap for a third or two thirds of the cost? - Is waiting two years for an employer to fund it genuinely worse than borrowing the money now? If you have worked through those and still want it, then borrow and go. Wanting the qualification is a legitimate reason to pay for one, and this is not an argument that nobody should. The mistake is paying without checking whether you had to. ## If you work in health or care This is the group with the best odds, and a lot of people never find out. [NIHR INSIGHT](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/supporting-career-development/insight-programme) runs as regional programmes through universities. Successful applicants get a funded place on an eligible research masters, plus money that can be taken as a tax free stipend or used to backfill the clinical role during study. No previous research experience is needed. It is aimed at people at an early stage of their professional career, usually within about five years of qualifying, and the [eligibility page](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/supporting-career-development/insight-programme/eligibility-what-you-can-apply-for) is worth reading carefully, because being further along makes you ineligible. Doctors and dentists are not covered, since they have their own route through Integrated Academic Training. INSIGHT has until now been an England programme, but it is absorbing the INSPIRE scheme and expanding across all four UK nations, so the picture is changing in your favour. The eligible courses vary by region and are usually research focused rather than subject focused, things like clinical research, healthcare research methods, health informatics or public health. That is a point in their favour rather than against, for the reasons in the section on methods courses below. ### NIHR Pre doctoral fellowships If INSIGHT has passed you by, these are the next rung. Separate schemes run for medical and dental trainees, for other registered professions, and for people specialising in research methodology. You do not need a masters to apply, and some will fund one as part of the award, whether that is a full MSc or a certificate, diploma or MRes. There are also shorter research internships for registered health and care professionals, and a separate masters level route for experienced practitioners moving into research delivery leadership rather than academia. These schemes change names, merge and get restructured fairly often, so check the current position on the NIHR site rather than relying on what a colleague did three years ago. ## If you are heading for the lab Be clear about the position here. There is no funded route to a standalone taught masters in biomedical science. If you want the MSc on its own, you are paying for it, and the loan will not cover all of it. What does exist is the four year doctoral programme, now common, which frequently builds in a research masters year with rotations through several labs before you commit to a project. That is a funded masters, but it comes attached to a funded PhD. You get it by applying for the doctorate, not by applying for the masters. The dementia charities fund studentships too, across cause, cure, care and prevention: see [the ARUK PhD Scholarship scheme](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/grants/phd-scholarship/) and [Alzheimer’s Society resources for early career researchers](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/what-we-do/researchers/early-career-researchers-resources). One thing to understand about those: applications are made by the supervisor rather than by you. You cannot apply directly, which means your job is finding the researcher, not finding the form. Identify people whose work you want to be part of, approach them, and get yourself named on their application. Studentship advertising runs all year but peaks between November and January for autumn starts, so the autumn before you want to begin is when to be having conversations. Do you need a masters first? Frequently not. Plenty of funded studentships ask for a 2:1 and relevant lab experience without requiring one. A current dementia charity funded studentship advertised at one of the big centres says an MSc or MRes is favoured but not a prerequisite, which is a fair summary of the field. Where a masters genuinely helps is when you have no wet lab experience at all, because that is the gap panels notice, and an MRes closes it better than a taught MSc. ## If you are heading for social science or qualitative research This is where the 1+3 is most likely to be worth pursuing, because social science routes more often expect prior methods training and several partnerships hold that option for applicants who have none. Read their entry routes carefully. The same partnership frequently runs a 1+3, a straight PhD and a shorter option with a research methods certificate attached, and which you apply for depends on the training you already have. One reassurance on scope. Alzheimer’s Society funds across psychology, health and social sciences as well as biological subjects, so care research, qualitative work and social care studies sit inside the remit rather than at the edge of it. The methods point matters most here. Qualitative and mixed methods training is genuinely hard to pick up informally, and it is the thing that makes you employable across projects. If you are paying for a masters yourself, a serious methods course will do more for you than a subject course with a couple of methods modules bolted on. ![Infographic titled Count all three costs showing three colored bars: orange Course fees (the number shown in the prospectus), yellow Living costs (rent, food and travel for the year), teal Lost earnings (salary, pension and experience forgone).](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/02-count-three-costs.png "02-count-three-costs")The true cost includes fees, living expenses and the earnings and experience you give up. ## What it costs Three costs. Most people count one. Fees swing widely by subject and institution, with lab based courses dearer than classroom based ones, and international fees frequently more than double. Then living costs. A full time masters is not something you slot around a job, whatever the word “flexible” is doing in the prospectus, so twelve months of rent and food has to sit somewhere in the sums. The third is the salary you did not earn. It is usually the biggest number involved and the one nobody writes down: a year of pay, a year of pension contributions, a year of experience not gained. Put a figure on it. ## How to pay for it ### Government postgraduate loans All four UK nations offer something. They are not the same thing, which causes no end of confusion. England lends up to £13,206 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2026, as set out on [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study). Here is the catch people fall into: that is the total for the entire course, not a yearly amount, so a two year part time course splits the same sum across both years. It is not means tested. It goes to you rather than the university, and you decide how much covers fees and how much covers rent. Repayment starts the April after you finish, at 6% of anything over £21,000, alongside your undergraduate loan if you have one. Wales is the largest package in the UK at up to £19,635, confirmed by [Student Finance Wales](https://www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/postgraduate-finance/master-s/what-s-available/). It used to be part grant, but since 2024/25 the whole thing is a loan. Like England it covers fees and living costs, it is paid to you in three instalments, and repayment is 6% of income over £21,000. Scotland splits it in two through [SAAS](https://www.saas.gov.uk/full-time/postgraduates): a tuition fee loan of up to £7,000 paid to the institution, and a living cost loan of up to £6,900 for full time students. The fee loan is a hard cap, so anything dearer leaves a gap you fill yourself. Repayment is Plan 4, at 9% of income over £33,795, which is a much higher threshold than the rest of the UK. Check the current position on studying outside Scotland, as the rules differ from the other nations. Northern Ireland changed substantially for 2026/27. The tuition fee loan [rose from £6,500 to £10,000](https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/news/economy-minister-announces-54-increase-postgraduate-loan-support), an increase of just over half, and [Student Finance NI confirms the new figure](https://www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate/tuition-fee-and-extra-help-student/help-with-tuition-fee-costs/tuition-fee-loan/how-much-can-i-get/). It and it works differently from the rest of the UK. It goes straight to your university rather than to you, and it covers fees only, with nothing towards living costs. Repayment is on Plan 1 at 9% of income over £26,900, added to your undergraduate balance rather than collected separately. Students who started before 2026/27 stay on the old £6,500 limit. ### Three rules that catch people out These apply everywhere, so check them before you plan around any of this. You need to be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year. It has to be your first masters, so anyone already holding one, or a higher qualification, is out. And the course has to be a full standalone masters, normally 180 credits, which means topping up an earlier certificate or diploma usually will not qualify. All of these figures move every year, so check with your own funding body rather than trusting a number you read somewhere. None of them are open to international students. ### The alumni discount, if you are going back to your old university The most reliable money on this page, and the one people most often walk past. Most UK universities cut tuition fees for their own graduates coming back for postgraduate study. Twenty per cent is typical, some do ten, a few go to twenty five, and it usually applies to postgraduate certificates and diplomas as well as full masters. Normally it lands automatically when you enrol, without an application. Twenty per cent off a twelve thousand pound course is most of a term’s rent. If you are weighing up two decent courses and one is at your old university, put that in the sum. Four things to check. A few discounts are capped in cash rather than being a straight percentage, so on a dear course the real saving is smaller than the headline. Others cannot be stacked with the university’s own scholarships, which means picking between the automatic discount and a bigger competitive award. Some vanish entirely if an external body is invoiced for your fees, so employer sponsorship can quietly cost you the discount, though most institutions will still apply it to whatever you are funding yourself, including from a government loan. And the eligibility is often wider than people assume, covering exchange students, summer school attendees and foundation course students, not only full degree graduates. It is always worth asking, because it takes one email and nobody volunteers the information. ### Scholarships, trusts and employer funding Institutional scholarships and hardship funds exist almost everywhere, are poorly advertised, and go underspent on the less fashionable subjects. Small educational trusts, professional bodies and subject associations hand out a few hundred to a few thousand pounds each. Applying to fifteen of them is a slog, but fifteen small awards is still a term’s rent. If you are employed, ask what your organisation has funded before now, because that tells you more than the written policy will. And taking one module at a time spreads the cost and gives you somewhere to stop. ## Three kinds of course, and why people pick the wrong one Courses with near identical names do very different jobs. Getting the family wrong is the most expensive mistake available here. Practice facing courses are built for people already working in health and social care. Usually part time, frequently distance or online, centred on care, services, policy and practice. They will help you evidence your practice, lead a service, or move sideways into applied research. They will not get you into a laboratory PhD. Science facing courses are built for bioscience and psychology graduates aiming at a research PhD. Full time, campus based, lab or data work, a substantial project. Strong preparation for a research degree, and close to impossible alongside a job. Then the methods courses, which carry no disease label at all: epidemiology, statistics, health data science, clinical trials, public health, health economics, qualitative methods, neuroscience. For a research career these are frequently the smarter purchase, because a technique travels across projects and subject knowledge does not. A lot of people in this field learned their methods on a course, then picked up the dementia knowledge on the job. Going the other way round is much rarer. So the question to sit with is whether you are short of knowledge or short of technique. That is what should decide which family you apply to. One more thing, because the letters look alike and the courses are not. A taught MSc is mostly modules with a project bolted on the end. An MRes, or an MSc by research, is mostly project with a few modules bolted on the front. If you already know a PhD is the destination, the research heavy version usually leaves you in a stronger position. ## Where to look for a masters in dementia Start with [our higher education courses directory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/), which pulls together dementia and neurodegeneration relevant postgraduate courses from across the UK and beyond: dementia studies and dementia care through to neuroimaging, neurobiology, data analysis, lab work, ethics and science communication. If you want a masters in dementia specifically rather than a broader research qualification, filter it by level and go straight to [the MSc list](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/?fwp_he_level=msc) if that is what you are after. After that, [FindAMasters](https://www.findamasters.com/) is the widest net for courses beyond our own list. Then look past it. Find out where the authors of papers you admire teach, because a course is a different proposition when the people running it are still doing the work. Check your professional body for accredited programmes. Look at research centres and institutes as well as universities, since taught provision often hangs off a centre and gets badged under a department name no database search will surface. And put the course name into a search alongside “review” or “experience” to see what gets said away from the prospectus. If you are in work, ask colleagues who have done one recently. Not whether they enjoyed it. Whether it did the specific job they wanted, and whether they would spend the money again. With nobody to ask, [Morgan’s year](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/morgan-msc-story/) is the nearest thing to that conversation, and she [talked the whole thing over](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-msc-complete-reflecting-on-the-year-with-morgan-daniel/) once it was behind her. ![Informational infographic titled'Judge the course' on a dark rounded-rectangle card, with four tiles labeled Dissertation, Supervisor, Teaching, and Outcomes (each with an icon and a short question), and the line 'The prospectus is only the start' at the bottom.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/04-judge-the-course.png "04-judge-the-course")Look beyond the prospectus and examine the dissertation, supervision, teaching and graduate outcomes. ## Judging a course once you have found it Prospectuses are marketing. These are the things that tell you whether it will do the job. The dissertation matters more than anything else on the page. Is it original empirical research, a secondary analysis, a service evaluation, or a literature review? Is it attached to a live project or invented from scratch? A project attached to live research gives you data and a supervisor with something at stake. It can also lead to a publication, which a literature review written from scratch rarely will. Ask who supervises and whether they still do research, how supervisors get allocated, how many students each one carries, and whether you can approach someone before you apply. Find out what “flexible” means in practice. Distance and part time courses range from well designed online teaching to a folder of PDFs and a discussion board. How much live teaching is there, and how many people are on the course? Ask where the last two or three cohorts ended up. A course that routes people into research keeps those numbers and is usually pleased to share them. If the answer comes back vague, treat that as information. And check the qualification is recognised wherever you need it recognised, which for some professional routes is the whole reason you are doing it. ### Questions to ask the course leader Email them before applying. The reply tells you a great deal. Worth asking: - What did the last cohort go on to do? - Can dissertations attach to ongoing projects, and how does that get arranged? - Who might supervise in my area? - How many staff teach on the course? - What does a typical week look like for a part time student in work? - What costs sit outside the fee? - Is there an exit route with a certificate or diploma? - What does the course do for people heading towards a PhD? That last question is the test. A serious answer covers supervision and proposal writing. A weak one tells you many graduates go on to further study. ## Applying First, whether you will get in. Most courses ask for a 2:1, but that is a starting position rather than a wall. Plenty accept a 2:2, particularly with relevant experience, and practice facing courses frequently say outright that they will consider professional experience in place of the grade. If you are working in health or care and have a 2:2 from a decade ago, you are very likely still a serious applicant. Ask the admissions team directly rather than ruling yourself out from the website, because the published requirement and the actual decision are not the same thing. Start earlier than feels sensible. Funding deadlines frequently fall before course deadlines, and working backwards from the wrong one is what catches people out, so run both applications in parallel. ### Writing the personal statement Write it about what comes next, not about what you have already done. The usual failure is a chronological account of a degree the reader can see on your transcript. Tell them what you intend to do with the qualification and why this course in particular lets you do it. Name modules. Say which dissertation topic interests you. Mention the member of staff whose work you want to be near. Do that and the statement could not have been sent anywhere else, which is the entire point. Be plain about the gap you are filling. “Clinical experience, no research methods training, this course fixes that” beats any amount of lifelong passion. Deal with anything odd in your history in a sentence, because unexplained gaps get imagined worse than they are. Ask referees early, tell them what the course is, and send them the statement so they can back it up. Much of this carries over to PhD applications, and [Ajantha Abey’s advice on assessing and approaching a lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-phd-application-advice-assessing-approaching-a-new-lab/) is a good companion. ## If you are already working Have the conversation with your employer before you apply, not after you have a place. Three things are on the table: money, protected time, and what happens when work gets busy. Protected time is the valuable one and the one you are least likely to be offered. Be realistic about the load. Part time study on top of a full time job and a family is hard, and it goes better for people who put it in the diary than for people who intend to fit it in. If you suspect you will let it slide, pick a course with fixed study days. ## If you are applying from outside the UK No UK government loan is available to you, and international fees run considerably higher, so the funding picture starts from a different place. Scholarships designated for international students, schemes run in your own country and institution level awards are the main routes, and the institutional ones are usually the largest. Budget for the visa, the immigration health surcharge and evidence of maintenance funds. One date matters more than the rest. The Graduate route, which lets you stay and work without sponsorship after your course, is being cut from two years to 18 months for bachelor’s and masters graduates. Applications submitted on or before 31 December 2026 still get the full two years, and anything from 1 January 2027 gets 18 months. It goes on the date you apply rather than when you graduate or start. PhD graduates are unaffected and keep three years. If you are weighing up a UK masters partly for the work experience afterwards, that changes the sums, and it is another argument for the research heavy route if a doctorate is where you are heading. And check how a UK masters is treated wherever you plan to work afterwards, since recognition varies. ## Things to try first A research assistant or technician post pays you, hands you real research experience, and often comes with part time study and fee support attached. If you are not certain you want a research career, that is a far better way to find out than paying to find out. Our [jobs board](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/jobs/) carries them regularly, however the competition for these roles is stiff, with many getting around 100+ applications for a single roll. If you are turned down, you could look for internships, or ask for some lab experience, but we realise this is a luxury not everyone can afford to do. A postgraduate certificate or diploma costs a third or two thirds of a masters and frequently does the specific job you need. One warning if you are planning to top up to a full masters later: the government loan is generally only available for a complete standalone masters, so a top up may not attract funding. Worth checking with your funding body before you treat the staged route as the cheap option. The directory filters for both, so you can see [the PGCert options](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/?fwp_he_level=pgcert) and [the PGDip options](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/?fwp_he_level=pgdip) without wading through the full list. Short courses and summer schools will cover a single technique in a week, many of them free or heavily subsidised through research networks and doctoral training programmes. There are [free dementia MOOCs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/free-dementia-courses-wicking-moocs/) and [free online Stanford courses](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/stanford-university-courses-you-can-take-online-for-free/) that cost nothing but time, which makes them a cheap way to test whether you like a subject before committing a year to it. And getting involved in a real study, even informally, leaves you with a named contribution and someone who knows your work. In an application that can outweigh a taught qualification. If you are building a CV for a future PhD application, any role that involves working with people living with dementia will stand you in good stead, including care work. Being able to talk first hand about the impact of the condition carries real weight at interview, and it is something most applicants cannot do. ![Infographic'Try these before paying' listing five options: RA/tech post; funded 1+3 programme; short course or summer school; PGCert/PGDip; salaried pre-doctoral scheme with icons.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/05-try-these-first.png "05-try-these-first")A master’s should solve a defined problem, not simply postpone a difficult decision. ## So is a masters in dementia worth it? If a scheme you want requires one, yes, and all that is left is picking it and paying for it. If you are switching fields and there is no other way in, usually yes. If you want a funded PhD, find out whether the programmes you have your eye on would take you without one before you spend anything. For a fair number of people the answer is that they would, and what looked like a requirement turns out to be something you did not have to buy. And if you are here because you do not know what comes next, a masters is an expensive way to find out. A year in a research assistant post costs nothing, pays you, and answers the question faster. ## Five things to do next 1. Write down what you want to be different in two years. Vague is fine to start with, but keep going until you can say what changes. 2. Read the eligibility criteria for three or four doctoral programmes you would want to be on, and find out whether they need a masters or would fund one through a 1+3. 3. Check what your own nation’s funding body will lend you this year, and whether it covers the fee. 4. If you would go back to your old university, email them about the alumni discount and ask what would void it. 5. Email one course leader with two specific questions, then judge the course by the reply. ## Common questions about doing a masters Do you need a masters to do a PhD in the UK? Not always. It varies between disciplines and between individual doctoral programmes. Some expect a masters, some state explicitly that they do not, and some will fund one for you as part of a combined award. Read the eligibility criteria for the specific programmes you are interested in rather than relying on a general rule. What is a 1+3 studentship? A funded award combining a one year taught masters with a three year PhD, usually covering fees and a stipend for the whole thing. It is aimed at people who need masters level training before starting doctoral research, and it means you do not pay for the masters yourself. How much is the postgraduate masters loan? In England, up to £13,206 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2026, and that is the total for the whole course rather than a yearly amount. Wales offers a loan of up to £19,635, the largest package in the UK. Scotland offers a tuition fee loan up to £7,000 plus a living cost loan up to £6,900. Northern Ireland rose to £10,000 for 2026/27, covering fees only and paid directly to the university. Figures change annually, so check with your own funding body. Do I need a masters before a PhD in dementia neuroscience? Frequently not. Many funded studentships ask for a 2:1 and relevant laboratory experience rather than a masters, and four year programmes often include a research masters year with lab rotations built in. A masters helps most when you have no wet lab experience at all, and an MRes closes that gap better than a taught course. Do the dementia charities fund masters degrees? Generally no. Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society fund PhD studentships rather than taught masters. Applications are made by the supervisor rather than by the student, so the practical step is identifying a researcher whose work fits and approaching them, not looking for an application form. Studentships are advertised year round but peak between November and January for autumn starts. Can I get my masters funded if I work in the NHS or social care? Possibly. The NIHR INSIGHT Programme funds research masters places for early career registered health, social work and public health professionals, usually within about five years of qualifying, and adds either a tax free stipend or a contribution to backfill your clinical role. No previous research experience is needed. Doctors and dentists are not eligible and use Integrated Academic Training instead. If you are further into your career, pre doctoral fellowships fund salaried time to build research skills and some will pay for a masters as part of the award. Check the NIHR site for the current position, as these schemes are restructured fairly often. Who is eligible for the postgraduate masters loan? Rules vary by nation, but three conditions catch people out across the UK. You need to be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year. It must be your first masters, so anyone who already holds a masters or a higher qualification is not eligible. And the course must be a full standalone masters, normally 180 credits, which means topping up an existing certificate or diploma usually does not qualify. International students cannot access any of the UK government schemes. Does the loan cover my fees? Not necessarily. It is a contribution rather than a matched amount, so if your course costs more than the maximum loan you cover the difference yourself. Do universities give a discount if I did my undergraduate degree with them? Most do. A tuition fee reduction for returning graduates is standard across UK universities, commonly twenty per cent, with some at ten and some up to twenty five, and it is usually applied automatically. Check whether it is capped in cash terms, whether it can be combined with other scholarships from the same institution, and whether it is withdrawn if an employer or other external body pays your fees. Can I do a masters with a 2:2? Often yes. Most courses advertise a 2:1 as the standard requirement, but many will accept a 2:2 alongside relevant experience, and practice facing courses commonly state that professional experience can be considered instead of the grade. Ask the admissions team rather than ruling yourself out from the published requirement. How long can I stay in the UK after a masters as an international student? The Graduate route currently gives bachelor’s and masters graduates two years to stay and work without sponsorship. From 1 January 2027 that drops to 18 months, based on the date you submit the application rather than when you graduate. Applications on or before 31 December 2026 keep the full two years. PhD graduates are unaffected and continue to receive three years. Can I do a masters part time while working? Yes, and many courses are built for it, including distance and online options. It is demanding, and the people who finish tend to be those who negotiated protected time rather than those who planned to fit it around everything else. Is an online masters taken as seriously as a campus one? For most purposes yes. The qualification is the same. What matters more is what the course contained and what you produced during it, particularly the dissertation. Will a masters improve my chances of a funded PhD? It can, but not automatically. It helps most when it produces research experience, a supervisor who will advocate for you and a well developed proposal. A qualification without those adds less than people expect. What is the difference between an MSc and an MRes? A taught MSc is mostly modules with a research project at the end. An MRes, or an MSc by research, is mostly research project with a smaller taught component. If you already know you want a PhD and need supervised research experience rather than more teaching, the research heavy option is usually the better fit. Should I choose a dementia specific course or a general methods one? If you are short of subject knowledge, a masters in dementia is the right call. If you are short of technique, take the methods course. For research careers specifically, methods training is often the more valuable and more transferable choice. What if I cannot afford it? Look at part time and modular study to spread the cost, at employer funding, at institutional scholarships and hardship funds, at small charitable trusts, and at whether a funded doctoral route or a salaried pre doctoral scheme would take you without a masters at all. That last one is the one most people never check. Funding figures were checked against UK sources available in August 2026. Amounts change annually, so confirm the current position with your own funding body before making a decision. **Categories:** Careers, Funding, Top tips **Tags:** Careers, Masters, Masters Programme **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** Undergraduates --- ### [Moving Universities? How to Transfer a Research Grant in the UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/transfer-research-grant-uk-university/) **Published:** August 19, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Moving university with active funding? Learn how UK research grant transfers work, including UKRI, NIHR, staff, students, data and equipment. **Content:** **Changing university is rarely just a matter of clearing an office and updating an email signature. If you want to transfer a research grant or fellowship to a new institution, you may also need to move staff, students, equipment, data, contracts and regulatory approvals. Some of those things can follow you. Others may need to stay where they are. This guide covers how a research grant transfer actually works in the UK: the conversations worth having before you accept the job, what each funder requires, what happens to the money, and who needs to agree to what.** In brief A research grant belongs to your host organisation, not to you personally. Most awards can move with you to another university in the United Kingdom, but never automatically and never quickly. To transfer a research grant you need the funder’s written approval and the written agreement of both institutions. UKRI requires the request at least six months before the grant end date and advises allowing at least four months for the process itself. Fellowships follow the same route, with extra conditions attached and fewer fallback options if agreement cannot be reached. Staff, students, equipment, data and ethics approvals are handled separately. They do not move with the money. *Last checked against UK funder and regulatory guidance on 19 August 2026.* On this page - [Can you transfer a research grant to another university?](#can-you-transfer) - [Start the conversation early](#start-early) - [The human side of a grant transfer](#the-human-side) - [Transferring a UKRI grant](#ukri) - [NIHR, Wellcome and medical research charities](#nihr-wellcome) - [Dementia funders: ARUK, Alzheimer’s Society and others](#dementia-funders) - [What actually happens during a grant transfer?](#what-happens) - [What happens to staff employed on the grant?](#staff) - [Can your PhD students move with you?](#students) - [Equipment, samples and laboratory materials](#equipment) - [Data, intellectual property and research records](#data) - [Ethics, sponsorship and NHS research](#ethics) - [Applications already under review](#applications) - [Moving a UKRI grant overseas](#overseas) - [A practical grant transfer checklist](#checklist) - [Frequently asked questions](#faq) ## Can you transfer a research grant to another university? Often, yes, but never assume that a grant will automatically move with you. The first point to understand is that a research grant is not normally money held personally by the researcher. The funder has made an award to, or entered into a contract with, your university, NHS organisation or other host institution. You may lead the research, but your organisation is usually accountable for the money. Transferring a research grant therefore means more than changing the name of the university on the paperwork. Your current institution may need to close and reconcile the existing award, the funder must approve the change, and your new institution may need to accept a new award or contract. At the same time, separate arrangements may be required for everyone and everything connected with the project. Whether a transfer is possible will depend on: - the funder and funding scheme - whether you are the project lead, co-lead or fellow - the terms of the individual award - how much time and money remain - whether both institutions agree - whether the new institution is eligible for the funding - whether the new research environment can support the work - what will happen to the staff, students and partners involved - whether the move is within the UK or to another country. A personal fellowship may be designed to support a named researcher, but it is still administered by a host organisation and the funder may attach conditions to any move. A collaborative project grant may be transferable, or the original university may remain involved and retain part of the funding. An internal university award, start-up fund or departmental pot will usually stay with the institution that provided it. If only a few months remain, a full transfer may make little sense. The institutions and funder might instead agree that the existing university will complete the award, retain a defined part of the work, appoint a replacement lead or subcontract some activity to the new university. These are decisions to agree, not workarounds to arrange informally. ## Start the conversation early You do not need to announce a possible move before you have accepted a firm offer. Once the move is confirmed in writing, however, contact the relevant teams quickly. For a typical transfer, that will include: - the research or post-award office at your current institution - the equivalent team at your new institution - your Head of Department or institute director - the funder, usually through the official institutional route - co-investigators, project partners and collaborators - staff paid from the award - postgraduate researchers whom you supervise - HR, finance and contracts teams - information governance, sponsorship and research ethics teams where relevant. Do not focus only on your largest grant. Make a list of every active award, fellowship, studentship and consultancy or collaboration agreement. Add applications under review, awards announced but not started, final reports still outstanding and projects that have spent their budget but have not formally closed. Small awards are easy to forget and can cause disproportionate trouble later. ## The human side of a grant transfer The paperwork is the part people prepare for. The conversations are the part that goes wrong. Start with the asymmetry. For you, moving institution happens perhaps twice in a career and shapes the next decade of your work. For the post-award officer handling your transfer, it is Tuesday. They will process several this year. That gap explains a good deal of the frustration researchers describe, and understanding it changes how you ask for things. Deadlines that feel urgent to you are one item on a list to them, and a polite reminder with a date attached will achieve more than an email explaining how important the grant is. It also helps to separate who has authority from who has influence. Your Head of Department has no formal role in a funder’s transfer decision and can still delay it by months. Your post-award officer holds no seniority and effectively controls the timetable. The people who can say yes and the people who can slow things down are rarely the same people, and it is worth working out which is which before you start pressing. Your current institution is unlikely to mind that you are leaving. It will mind about grant income leaving, about outputs that were expected to be returned in the next assessment exercise, about whether the work can be backfilled and about losing a study site or a piece of infrastructure. This is also why you may receive contradictory advice from within the same university. Your department may want to keep part of the project. The central research office may simply want a clean close and a tidy final statement. Neither is acting in bad faith; they are answering to different measures. That context matters when someone suggests a subcontract, or proposes that the original institution retains a defined part of the work. It is often a sensible arrangement and it is sometimes the only way to keep a project intact. It is also a way to retain income and credit. Ask what is being traded before you agree to anything in a corridor, and get the split written down. There is an awkward period that no guidance acknowledges. You are told not to announce a move until you have a firm offer, but the person most likely to be asked for a reference is your current line manager. Many researchers therefore spend weeks knowing something their team does not, while being unable to say it. There is no clean answer to this. What helps is deciding in advance what you will say if asked directly, and being honest that you are exploring options rather than denying it outright. When the move is confirmed, tell the people paid from your award before it reaches a departmental email. This is the single thing that does most lasting damage to a research group. Staff will not expect you to have every answer on day one, and saying that you do not yet know what will happen to a post is far better than silence. Explain what you are asking for on their behalf, what you cannot control, and when you expect to know more. Then keep to that date, even if the only update is that there is no update. The receiving institution is negotiating too. It wants the grant income and the outputs, and that is your leverage. It is also the only point at which you have any. Once you have signed, the person who promised you laboratory space during recruitment is frequently not the person who allocates it. Space, technical support, access to core facilities, start-up funding and any budget shortfall created by the move should appear in the offer letter or in a written summary attached to it, not in a recollection of an interview. Finally, transfers stall in a predictable place. Your outgoing research office is closing a file. Your incoming research office is opening one. Nobody owns the space between the two. The practical fix is unglamorous and works: name one person at each institution, introduce them to each other directly, and stop being the relay station through which every message passes. If you are still weighing up the move itself rather than the admin, our blogs on [whether to apply for a lectureship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-should-you-apply-for-a-lectureship/) and [how to transition to a new lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/advice-from-the-high-seas-how-to-transition-to-a-new-lab/) are the place to start. Worth remembering Most grant transfers complete without drama. Universities handle them routinely, and for every award that leaves an institution another one usually arrives. The list of checks below is long because the process touches a lot of separate systems, not because the process usually fails. The rest of this guide is the practical side: what each funder requires, what happens to the money, and who needs to agree to what. ## Transferring a UKRI grant UKRI allows a research grant to transfer to another eligible organisation if the new organisation can provide a suitable environment for the project. The transfer requires UKRI’s prior written approval and the written agreement of both the institution giving up the award and the institution receiving it. The current organisation normally submits the transfer request through the appropriate funding system. Requests that were once raised through the Joint Electronic Submission system (Je-S) are now handled in the UKRI Funding Service, so check which system your award sits in before your research office starts looking for the old grant maintenance screens. The request must explain why and when the transfer is needed and confirm that satisfactory arrangements are in place for the project to continue. There are several UKRI rules worth knowing: - A transfer request must be submitted at least six months before the grant’s end date. If less than six months remains, the two organisations must manage the arrangements between them. - UKRI advises allowing at least four months from the date of the request for the transfer process to be completed. - The original university must reconcile the award before the remaining funds can be transferred. - The unspent balance is offered to the new organisation through a new offer acceptance process. - UKRI will not increase the award because of the move. The receiving organisation must agree to provide any additional resources needed to complete the project. - If the original institution will continue to do part of the work, the institutions must agree how the activity and related funding will be divided. How long it takes Work back from the grant end date, not from your start date at the new university. Six months before the end for the request, four months for the process, and longer again if staff, NHS approvals, equipment or international partners are involved. If your new job starts in three months and the grant ends in eight, a full transfer is already tight. For a UKRI fellowship, the new university must also confirm its commitment to the fellow. This includes salary commitments, access to suitable resources, career development, training, mentoring and support at least equivalent to that promised in the original application. If you are earlier in that journey, our blog on [knowing when to apply for your first fellowship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/) covers what those commitments look like on paper. If an award has been announced but has not started, a standard UKRI transfer request cannot yet be submitted. The awarding council should be contacted for advice before the award is accepted or activated. Current details are available in [UKRI’s guidance on requesting a change to a project](https://www.ukri.org/manage-your-award/requesting-a-change-to-your-project/) and its [full economic cost grant guidance](https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-research-grants/ukri-guidance-on-fec-grant-terms-and-conditions/). ## What about NIHR, Wellcome and medical research charities? Do not apply UKRI rules to every other funder. Each funder, and sometimes each scheme, will have its own process. NIHR funding is generally governed by a contract with the host or contracting organisation. The position can differ between research programmes, career development awards and infrastructure funding, so speak to the relevant NIHR programme team before making commitments. Scheme-specific restrictions may apply. For example, an NIHR Research Professorship may be transferred to another organisation in England with NIHR approval, but not within the award’s first 12 months, and the new organisation must provide a statement confirming its support. Wellcome also has a formal process for transferring a grant to a new administering organisation. Its published guidance makes clear that transfer-related costs are not added to the award, so removal costs, local salary differences and other expenses need to be discussed with the new institution. Wellcome also has specific provisions for equipment awarded through its grants. Other medical research charities may take a different approach. Some will permit a transfer if the scientific case remains sound; others may require a new contract, a formal deed of novation or a change of lead applicant. Check the latest award conditions and ask the funder in writing. ## Dementia funders: ARUK, Alzheimer’s Society and others If your award comes from a dementia charity rather than a research council, the rules are usually clearer and shorter than UKRI’s, but they bite in different places. **Alzheimer’s Research UK** treats this as a change of host institution and runs it through a specific form rather than an informal email. Three points catch people out. Your current host institution must submit a final invoice before a new award can be issued to you and your new host, so a slow finance office at the place you are leaving can hold up money at the place you are going to. ARUK says the process can take several months and asks you to make contact as early as possible. And if the new host institution is in another country, ARUK asks for the form at least 12 months before the move wherever that is possible. There is also a rule worth knowing if you are a *co-applicant* rather than the Grant Holder. If a co-applicant moves institution during the grant, the normal expectation is that the grant stays with the Grant Holder. A portion of the money may be transferred, but only where ARUK, the Grant Holder and the co-applicants all agree. Do not assume your slice of a project grant travels with you because your name is on it. **Alzheimer’s Society** awards must be held at a UK-based university, NHS site or other recognised higher research institution, and the Principal Investigator is expected to hold a contract of employment with the host institution that runs beyond the planned finish date. That second condition is the one that quietly blocks moves. If you are heading to a shorter fixed-term contract, or to an organisation that does not meet the eligibility definition, the problem is not the transfer paperwork. It is that the award cannot sit where you are going. For **Race Against Dementia**, the **Alzheimer’s Association**, BRACE and the smaller disease-specific charities, read the award letter rather than the website. Terms vary considerably between schemes, and several of these funders make decisions case by case rather than by published policy. Ask in writing and keep the reply. One thing is consistent across all of them: none of these charities is your employer. The host institution issues the employment contract and carries the employer’s obligations, which is exactly why the money and the jobs have to be sorted out as two separate pieces of work. ## What actually happens during a grant transfer? The exact sequence differs, but most transfers involve four linked pieces of work. ### 1. The scientific and operational case The funder will want reassurance that the move will not damage the research. You may be asked to explain: - what has been completed so far - whether the aims, methods or timetable will change - which members of the team will move - what will happen to collaborators and study sites - whether equivalent facilities, expertise and equipment are available - whether the move creates new risks or delays - how any interruption will be managed. If the original application relied heavily on a particular imaging platform, tissue collection, clinical population, animal facility or specialist colleague, simply saying that the project will continue may not be enough. Show how the new arrangement will deliver what was funded. ### 2. Financial reconciliation Your current institution must establish what has been spent, what is contractually committed and what remains. This may require a final or interim expenditure statement, an agreed transfer date and a clean division of costs around that date. Check for costs that have been ordered but not invoiced, staff commitments, partner payments, travel bookings, service contracts and open purchase orders. The figure shown as available in your internal account may not be the amount that can transfer. Our blog on [managing a research budget](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-from-costings-to-successfully-managing-a-research-budget/) explains why those two numbers so often differ. The new university will then rebuild the remaining budget using its own systems and cost assumptions. Salary scales, estates charges, indirect costs, VAT treatment and facility fees may differ, as our guide to [costing your research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/costing-your-research/) sets out. Funders do not necessarily provide more money to cover the difference, so any shortfall should be part of your appointment negotiations. Fellowships can work differently, and the difference matters. EPSRC, for example, transfers a fellowship at its original value and does not permit re-costing, so the award will not be rebuilt around your new institution’s salary scales and overhead rates. If the new post pays more, or the local estates and indirect cost rates are higher, the receiving organisation absorbs the difference rather than the funder. The new host will also need to provide a statement from the head of department confirming that it is content with the transfer and will support you as set out in the original application. Establish which basis applies to your award before you negotiate, because a fellow and a project lead are not in the same position here. ### 3. Contracts and agreements The existing award may be terminated and replaced, or the parties may use a novation agreement to substitute the new institution into the contract. Collaboration agreements, subcontracts, data-sharing agreements, material transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements and access arrangements may also need to be amended or replaced. This is one reason transfers involving several universities, NHS organisations, charities or commercial partners take longer. The main funder approval is only one part of the legal work. ### 4. Setting up the new award Once the funder and institutions have signed the necessary documents, the new university must create a finance code, schedule payments, register reporting dates and arrange access to procurement and other systems. There may be a gap between approval in principle and being able to spend the money. Agree which organisation will pay each cost during that gap. Do not leave project staff wondering whether their next salary will arrive. ## What happens to staff employed on the grant? Grant funding and employment contracts are related, but they are not the same thing. A postdoctoral researcher or research assistant does not automatically move because the principal investigator moves. Possible outcomes include: - the employee stays and continues work at the original university - the employee is offered a new role at the receiving university - the two universities decide that employment protections under TUPE may apply - the role ends and the original employer follows its redundancy or redeployment process - the person works remotely under an agreed arrangement. TUPE is a legal and fact-specific question. Researchers should not promise that a team member’s job, salary, continuity of service or pension will transfer. Bring both HR teams into the discussion early and make sure staff can get independent advice, including from their trade union where applicable. Immigration status can also affect the timetable. A researcher on a Skilled Worker visa who changes employer will normally need a new Certificate of Sponsorship and must update their visa. The [UK Government’s current guidance](https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/update-your-visa-if-you-change-job-or-employer) says they should not start the new job until permission has been confirmed. Visa arrangements should therefore be treated as an early task, not an issue for the final week. ## Can your PhD students move with you? Students are not pieces of a grant and the decision is not the supervisor’s alone. A doctoral researcher may prefer to remain registered at the original university, move institutions, change supervisor or use a joint supervision arrangement. The universities, doctoral training partnership and funder may need to agree: - where the student will be registered - who will supervise them - how tuition fees and the stipend will be paid - whether their project and submission deadline remain unchanged - how training requirements will be met - whether ethics, data access or sponsorship arrangements need changing - how a Student visa would be affected. UKRI training grant rules require the receiving organisation to accept the terms attached to a transferring studentship. That does not mean every student can or should transfer. Start with the student’s wishes, then involve the postgraduate research and funding teams at both institutions. ## Equipment, samples and laboratory materials Equipment bought from a grant is usually recorded as an institutional asset. It is not automatically the researcher’s property. Before arranging a van, establish: - who legally owns the item - whether the funder expects or permits it to move - whether it is still needed by staff or students remaining behind - whether the receiving university can house, insure and maintain it - who will pay for decommissioning, decontamination, transport, installation and recalibration - whether warranties, licences and service contracts can be transferred - how it will leave one asset register and enter the other. The same care is needed for human tissue, biological samples, cell lines, animals, controlled substances, radioactive materials and other regulated items. Material transfer agreements, import or export controls, licences, specialist couriers and local approvals may all be required. No sample should be packed up informally and taken to the new laboratory. If you are building a facility from scratch at the other end, our guide to [setting up a new lab space](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-set-up-your-new-lab-space/) covers what the receiving institution needs to have ready. ## Data, intellectual property and research records Taking copies of project data is not the same as taking personal files from a work computer. The original university may be the data controller, a joint controller, a processor, the sponsor or the legal owner of particular records and intellectual property. Before any data moves, agree: - what data will move and what will remain - the legal basis for sharing or transferring it - which organisation will be controller or processor after the move - whether consent materials and privacy information cover the change - whether a data-sharing or processing agreement is required - how access will be secured, logged and withdrawn - who will respond to participant requests, incidents and audits - where the authoritative research record will be retained. The Information Commissioner’s Office says a data-sharing agreement is good practice and helps organisations demonstrate accountability under the UK GDPR. Moving data outside the UK brings additional rules: making personal information accessible to a separate overseas organisation can count as a restricted transfer, even if the files remain on a UK server. See the ICO’s guidance on [data-sharing agreements](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/data-sharing/data-sharing-a-code-of-practice/data-sharing-agreements/) and [international transfers](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/international-transfers/a-brief-guide-to-international-transfers/). Intellectual property needs its own review. Patents, software, databases, confidential know-how and background IP may be governed by employment terms, the grant agreement and contracts with collaborators. A grant transfer does not automatically transfer ownership. Your contracts or research commercialisation team will need to record any licences, assignments or continuing rights. ## Ethics, sponsorship and NHS research Approval obtained through one university or sponsor should not be assumed to follow a researcher automatically. For studies involving NHS or health and social care settings, a move may change the sponsor, Chief Investigator, insurance, participating organisations, data controller or study documents. These changes may need to be submitted through the Health Research Authority’s modification process before they are implemented. Under the HRA arrangements in force from 28 April 2026, a change of sponsor is classed as a modification of an important detail; it may become a substantial modification if it also changes insurance or study documents beyond the sponsor’s name. Speak to the sponsor and research governance teams early. They, rather than the individual researcher, should decide which notifications and approvals are required. The HRA provides current guidance on [making changes to an approved research project](https://www.hra.nhs.uk/approvals-amendments/amending-approval/), and our blog on [negotiating ethics submissions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-what-the-ethics-negotiating-ethics-submissions/) is a useful primer if this is unfamiliar ground. The same principle applies outside NHS research. University ethics approval, animal research permissions, tissue governance and local laboratory approvals may need amendment, recognition or a new submission. Pause affected activity until the responsible teams confirm that the necessary permissions are in place. ## What if you have a funding application under review? Applications in progress need attention too. If you have not submitted, decide which institution can truthfully commit the facilities, employment and support described in the application. If an application is already under review, check the scheme rules and tell the funder through the appropriate institutional contact once the move is official. If funding has been announced but not accepted, ask whether it should be accepted by the original institution, issued to the new one or handled through a formal transfer. Do not try to solve this by quietly changing an affiliation after the decision. The host organisation is part of the funder’s assessment and contract. ## Moving a UKRI grant overseas Moving country is harder than moving between UK universities. A UK funder may be unable to send public or charitable funding overseas, or only certain parts of an award may be portable. UKRI’s Money Follows Researcher scheme currently permits eligible project leads to request a transfer to eligible organisations in Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands or Switzerland. It applies to grants from the seven research councils but not to fellowships. The transfer must take place at least six months before the grant ends. UKRI says that only directly incurred costs, excluding equipment, are transferred under this scheme, with a stated exception for eligible directly allocated salary costs for the project lead. Payments continue quarterly in sterling. The move must not significantly impair the research. These rules are specific and may change, so check [UKRI’s current overseas transfer guidance](https://www.ukri.org/manage-your-award/transferring-your-research-grant-to-another-country/) before making plans. If you are moving with a team or supervising students who will follow, our [guide to moving abroad as a PhD student](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-a-guide-to-moving-abroad-as-a-phd-student/) covers the personal side of the same move. ## A practical grant transfer checklist Before agreeing a transfer date, make sure somebody is dealing with each of these areas. - **Awards** — every active grant, fellowship, studentship and internal fund has been identified. - **Applications** — submitted, awarded and not-yet-started applications have been checked. - **Funder approval** — the correct request has been submitted through the authorised route. - **Institutional approval** — both organisations have confirmed what they will relinquish and accept. - **Budget** — spend, commitments, remaining funds, partner payments and any shortfall are understood. - **Team** — each member of staff has individual HR advice and a confirmed plan. - **Students** — registration, supervision, funding, visas and student preferences have been addressed. - **Facilities** — the new institution can provide the space, systems, equipment and specialist support promised. - **Equipment** — ownership, permission, transport, insurance and asset registers are settled. - **Samples and materials** — agreements, permits, shipping and storage are approved. - **Data** — controller roles, agreements, access, security and participant information have been reviewed. - **Ethics and sponsorship** — all modifications, notifications and approvals are complete before work changes. - **Contracts and IP** — collaboration, commercialisation, confidentiality and intellectual property arrangements have been checked. - **Immigration** — new sponsorship or visa applications have been completed where required. - **Reporting** — responsibility for outstanding reports, outputs, audits and record retention is clear. - **Communication** — staff, students, collaborators, partners and study sites know what is changing and when. Keep a written record of decisions and approvals. A spreadsheet listing each award, responsible contact, required action, deadline and status is often more useful than a long email chain. ## Frequently asked questions about transferring research funding ### How long does a research grant transfer take in the UK? Allow several months. For UKRI awards, current guidance says to allow at least four months from the transfer request, and the request must be made at least six months before the grant’s end date. Complex projects involving staff, contracts, NHS studies, international partners, equipment or data can take longer. ### Can my current university refuse to release my grant? A transfer is not solely the project lead’s decision. For UKRI funding, the funder and both the relinquishing and receiving organisations must agree. If a full transfer of a research grant cannot be agreed, the parties may need to consider a change of project lead, continued involvement by the original institution, a subcontract or closure of the award. A fellowship has fewer options, because funding awarded to a named individual cannot be reassigned to someone else unless the award’s terms and conditions specifically allow it. ### Will the funder pay the costs of moving the research? Do not assume so. UKRI does not increase an award following a transfer, and Wellcome states that it does not provide extra funding for transfer costs. Discuss relocation, equipment transport, salary differences, refurbishment and other additional costs with your new institution before accepting the move. ### Can I transfer a research fellowship as well as a research grant? Yes, and UKRI uses the same transfer request route for a fellow as for a project lead. A fellowship carries extra conditions: the new organisation must confirm its commitment to the fellow, including salary, resources, training, mentoring and support at least equal to the original proposal. Some schemes transfer a fellowship at its original value without re-costing, and a fellowship cannot be reassigned to another person. Fellowships are also excluded from the Money Follows Researcher scheme for moves overseas. ### Do grant-funded staff automatically transfer with the award? No. Employment arrangements must be handled separately by HR. Staff may remain, apply for or be offered new roles, or in some circumstances have rights under TUPE. Visa, pension, continuity of service, redundancy and relocation questions all need individual advice. ### Can I take research data and samples to my new university? Only with the appropriate institutional, contractual, ethical and regulatory permissions. Data and samples may be controlled or owned by the original institution, sponsor, biobank or another partner. Agree a documented transfer or access arrangement before anything moves. ### Which institution goes on the paper after I move? There is no single rule, and it is worth agreeing before you leave rather than afterwards. Journals generally expect the affiliation where the work was carried out, often with your new institution shown as a present address. Your funder’s requirements are separate and follow the grant rather than you: award terms normally require the funding to be acknowledged with the grant reference on every resulting output, and the open access conditions attached to the award continue to apply wherever you are now employed. Where a paper is written up after you move, settle authorship, affiliation and acknowledgement wording with your former co-authors and both research offices while everyone is still on good terms. ### Does moving institution affect my REF submission? Yes, and not in the way it once did. For REF 2029, outputs are linked to the institution that supported the research rather than travelling with the researcher, so a paper is normally returned by the organisation where you had a substantive link when the work was done. A substantive link is usually demonstrated by employment of at least 12 months at 0.2 FTE or more, and you do not need to still be there when the output is submitted. Long-form outputs such as books are an exception and may remain portable for up to five years with sufficient justification. The rules have changed between exercises, so ask both research offices where each output will sit rather than assuming. ### Can I hold a research grant at two institutions at once? Not by default. A grant is administered by a single host organisation, which is accountable to the funder for the money. What is possible, with agreement, is an arrangement that achieves something similar: an honorary or visiting contract at one institution, a fractional joint appointment across both, a subcontract from one to the other, or a formal split in which the original institution retains a defined part of the work and its share of the funding. Each of these needs the funder and both universities to agree, and each has consequences for who employs your staff, who holds the ethics approval and who is accountable for the data. None of it should be arranged informally. ### What if my new employer is not eligible to hold the funding? Check this before you accept the job, not after. UKRI funding can only be held by an eligible organisation: universities and other higher education providers, research institutes, NHS bodies with research capacity, public sector research establishments, Catapult centres and approved independent research organisations. A business, charity or overseas employer is not automatically eligible. An organisation can apply to become an independent research organisation, but it must be assessed and authorised first, which is not quick. Charity funders set their own definitions and some require the award to sit at a UK university, NHS site or recognised research institution. If your new employer is not eligible, the realistic options are that the grant stays behind under a new project lead, that part of the work is subcontracted to you, or that the award is closed. ### Can I transfer a dementia charity grant to a new institution? Usually, but through the charity’s own change of host institution process rather than a research council route. Alzheimer’s Research UK requires a form, a final invoice from your current host before a new award is issued, and around 12 months’ notice for a move to another country. Alzheimer’s Society awards must sit at an eligible UK organisation with a PI contract running beyond the grant end date. Check your award letter and ask the funder in writing. ## The main lesson: the grant is only one part of the move The money is often the most visible part of a research transfer, but it is rarely the most complicated. People, data, contracts, students, samples and approvals each follow their own rules. Treating them as separate workstreams makes it easier to see what needs to happen and who has the authority to make it happen. Start once your move is confirmed, involve both research offices, and get the funder’s position in writing. The administration may still be slow, but it is far less likely to stop the research or leave your team dealing with the consequences at the last minute. [![Infographic titled “Moving Your Research: A Roadmap for Grant Transfers in the UK”. It advises starting at least six months before the grant end date, securing written agreement from the funder, outgoing university and incoming university, and allowing four months for processing. Staff and students do not transfer automatically; equipment and data ownership must be agreed; and ethics approvals and sponsorships may need updating. UKRI, Wellcome and charity funders have different transfer requirements.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Transferring-your-Research-Grant.jpg "Transferring your Research Grant")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Transferring-your-Research-Grant.jpg) **Acknowledgement:** This UK-focused guide was prompted by Jonathan O’Donnell’s articles, [Transferring your funding](https://researchwhisperer.org/2026/04/07/transferring-your-funding/) and [its practical addendum](https://researchwhisperer.org/2026/04/14/transferring-your-funding-addendum/), published by *The Research Whisperer*. Funder and regulatory information has been checked against UK sources available on 19 August 2026; researchers should always confirm the current terms of their own award. **Categories:** Careers, Funding, Top tips **Tags:** Careers, Funding, Research Funding, UKRI --- ### [Blog - Brain Drain: The Controversy Around Glymphatics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/) **Published:** September 3, 2026 **Author:** Dr Yvonne Couch **Excerpt:** Dr Yvonne Couch on the glymphatic system row: what we actually know about how the brain clears fluid, and where scientists still disagree. **Content:** --- **I was running low on things to discuss when I got sucked into an accidental science chat via email with some colleagues. I genuinely can’t remember how it started but it concluded with the fact that we have to have a journal club where we do a he said/she said argument about whether or not [brain glymphatics actually exist](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/oxford-glymphatic-brain-clearance-symposium/), how we define them and what they do. Controversial start, right? So today we’re going to talk about how the brain rids itself of fluid via the so-called glymphatic system, and the arguments that currently exist on both sides of the fence.** ## How the lymphatic system works ![Square infographic showing a cutaway brain with cerebrospinal fluid entering spaces around arteries, exchanging with interstitial fluid, carrying solutes into perivascular spaces and draining through meningeal lymphatic vessels towards cervical lymph nodes. It notes that the exact route and driving force remain under investigation.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/How-Might-the-Brain-Clear-Waste.png "How Might the Brain Clear Waste")A simplified overview of how cerebrospinal fluid, interstitial fluid and meningeal lymphatics may work together to clear waste from the brain. Let’s start back at the beginning with the lymphatic system and what it does in the body. In the old days, and probably still in the brains of some people who don’t think about physiology sensibly, the circulatory system looked like those pictures in anatomy books for children; the red blood has the oxygen and all those pipes go to the tissue, the oxygen comes out and then the blood that has no oxygen is blue and goes back to the heart and lungs to get made red again. Broadly, this can be considered the case but actually what happens is that there’s an intermediate step that helps out; the lymphatics. Blood leaves the heart and tootles around the body collecting hormones and oxygen and other things that need to be delivered to various tissues. When it gets to said tissues, all these vital components are hanging out in the plasma and they can diffuse out of the capillaries. Tissue capillares, the smallest of your blood vessels, are fairly leaky and so things can come and go across them fairly easily. At this point the majority of your blood is being returned to your heart and lungs for reoxygenation but some of that fluid that came out remains in your tissues. BUT….the issue we have is that your vascular system is under pressure. Think of it like a hosepipe with a sprinkler at the end. You can get the water to come out when you turn the sprinkler on, but you’re not getting water to go back up the sprinkler. And if you just keep dumping fluid into your tissues and not returning it somehow your tissues are going to get bigger and bigger. And this is where your lymphatics come in. Lymphatic vessels act to remove fluid from tissues, taking up damaged cells, proteins, bacteria, excess plasma, and returning it (eventually) to the circulatory system. They do this because of the special arrangement of their endothelial cells. Basically their endothelial cells are arranged in such a way as to respond to external pressure. When fluid builds up in the tissue it increases pressure around the endothelial cell junctions and causes a whole bunch of molecular biology to happen which opens small pores in the lymphatics, the interstitial fluid rushes down the pressure gradient into the lymphatics, pressure is increased on the inside and the pores close. The system then requires external forces, like muscle contraction, to move it back to the veinous system via the lymph nodes. All in all this is why they recommend you get up and walk about on long flights, your leg muscles are basically squeezing your lymphatic vessels to get them to return the fluid to where it belongs, i.e. *not* in your ankles. ## So why is this relevant in the brain? Most tissues in the body can be thought of kind of like the city of London. Stuff goes in, stuff gets produced, stuff comes out. The brain is a little bit more like the old city of Dubrovnik, all walled in and with only a couple of gates. Brain capillaries are not like tissue capillaries, the blood brain barrier is much more restrictive so that ‘leakage’ that happens in peripheral tissue simply happens less in the brain. But the brain is still a tissue, there is still production of stuff inside that needs to get out. If anything there is more need for stuff to get out. > If your ankles swell up then maybe you can’t put on your favourite strappy sandals. If your brain swells up, you die. Now, the less informed amongst you (myself included until a couple of years ago) will be thinking ‘but the brain is surrounded by CSF (cerebrospinal fluid), surely stuff just gets out and goes into that?’ and yes, it sort of does. Some fluid exchange between the brain and the CSF happens but if you think about where the CSF is, in the ventricles, around the edges, it doesn’t really explain how stuff from deep within the brain is cleared. If we stick with the city/waste analogy, CSF as the sole means of clearance would be like having your bin men only empty the bins on the big A-roads around towns. Pretty soon the middle is going to get a bit grotty. Around the early to mid-2000s this is where we were at with the brain. Experiments from the 90s showed us that if you inject Indian ink into the brain, that it accumulates in spaces around blood vessels. This is important because if you inject anything into the brain the assumption was, if you know nothing about how the fluid clearance is going to work, that your injection will just sort of diffuse according to the space around it and just gradually become a fuzzy cloud around wherever you originally put it. **This does not happen, what happens is that it preferentially ends up in these perivascular spaces**. Diffusion in the brain is slow, it’s packed with cells and dendrites and axons and stuff that gets in the way of large molecules just ‘moving around’ so when they bump into a low-resistance space, like that around the vasculature, they’re likely to accumulate there just because of physics. ## Now…this is where it gets fun and controversial. We start with the famous [2012 Nedergaard paper](https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.3003748). Basically, Nedergaard’s group were trying to establish whether CSF gets into the brain. Not anything more fancy at that stage, just does CSF enter the parenchyma or does it remain in its own space. They injected tracer into the cisterna magna and found it accumulated in periarterial spaces. So now what we have is the earlier experiments by people like Weller and Carare, who said ‘stuff in the brain goes out via perivascular spaces’ and Nedergaard now showing that ‘stuff going into the brain gets there via periarterial spaces’. **The important thing about this 2012 paper is that Nedergaard’s group** ***linked these two concepts**.* They said that bulk fluid movement, via periarterial and perivascular spaces was a way of clearing the brain. The controversy really begins when you think about [how the vasculature looks in the brain](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-small-vessel-disease-a-quiet-driver-of-dementia/). I work a lot in a field where people are really interested in capillaries, and the model there looks like a tube of endothelial cells then smack bang on top of them are pericytes (occasionally, they’re there own controversy we absolutely do not have time for) and directly contacting them, astrocyte end feet. There is not really a great deal of ‘perivascular space’. This space, often referred to as the Virchow-Robin space, only really exists around large vessels. But if the proposal is that this space forms part of the brains clearance system, then how are things being cleared from deep within the brain, from neurons that are distant from large penetrating vessels and arteries that do not have a Virchow-Robin space? > Nobody is arguing, at this point, that fluid does not leave the brain via perivascular spaces. The question is *how.* Proponents of the [glymphatic hypothesis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/oxford-glymphatic-brain-clearance-symposium/) suggest that fluid moves by bulk flow. Those against this hypothesis think that it’s largely diffusion. You can think of this as like dropping a bucket of golf balls into a lake. The lake has small drainage ditches. If you just drop the balls in, they’ll initially sort of just float around but because there’s a little more flow around the ditches, *eventually* they’re like to accumulate there. This is diffusion into perivascular spaces. If there is natural flow between the drainage ditches and you drop the balls in, they’re *much more likely* to end up there because there is a current within the water. This is the glymphatic model as of 2012-ish. ## The meningeal lymphatics discovery **Now the glymphatic system is really all about flow, not so much about vessels.** You’ll remember in the rest of the body we have lymphatic vessels but the main lymphatic marker, LYVE-1, was never really found in the brain. Which is what led people to believe the brain had no lymphatic system. This changed in 2015 with a couple of papers, from [Louveau et al.](https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14432) and [Aspelund et al.](https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20142290), that found LYVE-1 staining in the meninges. These protective membranes are often lost when you take a brain out of the skull and so naturally, up until that point, nobody had found anything in the brain. These papers were specifically interested in what was going on within the dural space, so they looked at isolated meninges and found lymphatic vessels. This means we now have an explanation (sort of) about how things get from the brain to the cervical lymph nodes. If they manage to get into the meningeal space, this is essentially a tissue like any other in the body and the lymphatic vessels there act in the same way as they do elsewhere. Pressure builds up, lymphatic endothelial cells open pores to allow fluid to flow down pressure gradients, pressure equalises, pores close, fluid drains. Great. The issue we have now, is how does stuff get from within the brain to the meninges? If you remember, we’ve ended up with a whole bunch of stuff draining into perivascular spaces which, hopefully you’ve noticed, are PERI vascular. These are not active vessels pumping stuff, this is just space around vessels passively collecting things. In the rest of the body we have valves in our lymphatics, our body’s muscles do a lot of the heavy lifting by squeezing the lymphatic vessels during movement, we have none of this in the brain so how are we getting it up to the meninges? This is where we get back to our ‘glymphatics’ controversy. The glymphatic theory basically tells us that the interstitial fluid within the brain is part of the whole system, and beyond that, that arterial contractions within the brain create ‘waves’ within that fluid which is what generates the bulk flow. And this is where a lot of people struggle with this theory. Nobody seems to be disputing the fact that arteries pulsate, and indeed there is a very neat study by the Nedergaard crew showing that changing arterial pulsation affects tracer movement out of the brain. What people are disputing currently is whether arterial pulsation is *sufficient* to generate the kind of movement that is required to bulk shift solutes over a whole brain. I am acutely aware, because I type all these blogs using the same word doc template, that we are just about to go over my normal length of blog. I’ve tripped into the three-page territory here and for that, I apologise but I hope you’re staying with me and finding this as interesting as I am. If not, feel free to step away now. Let’s go back to our golf balls in the lake analogy. The glymphatic fans would have us believe that the arteries are producing enough pulsatile force to generate that subtle current between the drains that we discussed. The diffusion fans, who do a lot of mathematical modelling, suggest that all we’re doing is stirring up the water around the drains which just means *maybe* the balls get there faster but ultimately, it’s not because of bulk flow. ![Square infographic comparing pulsatile bulk flow, illustrated with strong arrows driven by arterial pulsation, with passive diffusion, illustrated by particles gradually collecting in perivascular spaces. It highlights evidence for both explanations and the unresolved question of how waste moves from deep brain tissue to the meninges.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/The-Glymphatic-Debate.png "The Glymphatic Debate")The glymphatic controversy centres on whether brain waste clearance is driven mainly by arterial pulsations and bulk flow or by passive diffusion. ## Where the field stands today And this is where we get to the state of play today. Basically, the early 2010s had us believe that there was a degree of directionality about fluid clearance from the brain. Papers proved that CSF tracers accumulated around arteries, suggesting CSF to brain exchange, and papers proved that parenchymal tracers accumulated around veins, suggesting brain to vein drainage. The Nedergaard papers linked those two and introduced pulsatility as a way of generating the bulk flow needed to move fluid around and between all these compartments. Between then and now the field has changed. The first thing critics brought up which contravened directionality was CAA, or cerebral amyloid angiopathy. The pathology of this disease shows that amyloid accumulates around the periarterial space. If there is directionality of fluid flow, as the old-school glymphatics hypothesis suggests, then this would seem counterintuitive. If fluid is just diffusing passively then this makes more sense. The second thing the critics introduced was the modelling, showing that pulsatility may not generate enough movement to create bulk flow. And finally the meningeal lymphatics were discovered, showing an actual direct route for solutes out of the brain. These days, over a decade on from the original discoveries, we have a different definition of ‘glymphatic function’ which tries to encompass more of the physical controversies whilst still maintaining that there is absolutely a fluid clearance system in the brain. Basically, glymphatic function can be considered to be *efficient CSF–interstitial fluid exchange and clearance to meningeal lymphatics*. Exactly how the fluid is cleared from the deeper parts of the brain and via what routes, is what remains largely elusive and the focus of a lot of ongoing research. I’m sure I’ve missed out a ton in this field. There’s [the contribution of sleep](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-sleep-and-dementia-should-we-worry/), where extracellular space might be larger and so diffusion might be improved. There’s the role and contribution of AQP4, which moves water around the brain. There’s all the hard-core modelling which I absolutely do not understand. But hopefully what I’ve done is walked you through where the glymphatic system idea started, why it’s important, and where it’s going. ## Quick answers ### What is the glymphatic system? A proposed system for clearing fluid and waste from the brain, using the fluid filled spaces around blood vessels rather than a dedicated network of vessels like the lymphatics found elsewhere in the body. ### Is the glymphatic system real? Nobody disputes that fluid leaves the brain via the spaces around blood vessels. What’s still contested is how, specifically whether it moves by bulk flow driven by arterial pulsation, or largely by diffusion. ### Does the glymphatic system clear waste during sleep? Sleep is thought to help, since the extracellular space between brain cells may open up during sleep, but exactly how much this contributes to fluid clearance is still being researched. --- ![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Yvonne-Couch.jpg "Dr Yvonne Couch")Dr Yvonne Couch #### Author **[Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-yvonne-couch/)** is an Associate Professor of Neuroimmunology at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne shares her opinions, talks about science and explores different [careers topics in her monthly blogs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-disrupting-dementia-research-careers/) – she does a great job of narrating too. [@dryvonnecouch.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/dryvonnecouch.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Yvonne Couch, Glymphatic System, Glymphatics, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research --- ### [Profile - Dr Chris Henstridge, University of Dundee](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-chris-henstridge/) **Published:** March 20, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Principal Investigator researching synaptic pathology in health and disease. with many collaborations in psychology, neuropathology, neuroimaging, and genetics **Content:** ![Dr Christopher Henstridge Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Dr-Christopher-Henstridge.png "Dr Christopher Henstridge")Dr Christopher Henstridge ##### **Name:** Dr Chris Henstridge ##### **Job Title:** Principal Investigator ##### **Place of work / study:** [University of Dundee](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=university-of-dundee) ##### **Area of research:** I study anatomical and molecular changes in the human synapse, with a particular focus on Motor Neuron Disease ##### **How is your work funded?** Currently funded by a variety of local and national charities ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I grew up on the far north coast of Scotland and this beautiful location instilled my interest in nature and biology. I did my PhD in Dundee and the city has been an important part of my life ever since, and I have established my lab here. I have always enjoyed travelling and was lucky to spend 4 years living and working in Budapest, as a PostDoc. I am fortunate to have a very supportive wife and two young kids and we are soon to add a dog to the mix. If my daughter gets her way, the dog will be named after her favourite kids TV character, Makka Pakka! I really enjoy the challenges of an academic career, and try really hard to ensure that my career runs on my terms. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I like to experiment with growing things from seed, and currently have a 8 foot tall avocado plant outgrowing the house! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have always been interested in synapses and their role in disease, but historically my work centred on neuropharmacology and models of autism. However, my focus shifted to dementia when I joined the lab of Tara Spires-Jones in Edinburgh as a PostDoc. I was fascinated to learn that synapse loss is the strongest correlate with cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease and that it’s a common feature across all dementias. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? You have to be proactive and look after your own career. Seek as many opportunities as you can that excite you, BUT only within your own personal capacity. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? With two young kids, I haven’t read a book in a LONG TIME. However, my favourite author is [John Steinbeck and Travels With Charley](https://amzn.to/4wSIeSK) is one my my favourite books of his. It’s not a well known Steinbeck book, but it’s really good and i definitely recommend it. He describes a road trip he took around the USA with his dog, Charley. My wife got me a first edition as a wedding gift. ##### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @CMHenstridge](https://twitter.com/CMHenstridge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Chris Henstridge, Motor Neurone Disease, Synapses, Synaptic alterations, The University of Edinburgh, University of Dundee **Organisations for Bios:** University of Dundee **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Blog - Where LGBTQIA+ identities intersect with dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-where-lgbtqia-identities-intersect-with-dementia/) **Published:** June 9, 2023 **Author:** Dr Jodi Watt **Excerpt:** Dr Jodi Watt explores LGBTQIA+ identities & dementia research, highlighting the lack of inclusion & unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ people with dementia **Content:** --- **It is June, and for me as a queer person, that means one thing – it is Pride Month! You might be thinking “Jodi, what has that got to do with dementia research?”, and if so, this blog post is most definitely for you!** As a person who identifies as queer, I fear what the future looks like for me if I am diagnosed with dementia. I am not comfortable saying it, but I cannot deny that in this moment, I am disappointed and dissatisfied by the extent of the inclusion of minority groups within dementia research and associated discourse. Whilst many are aware and concerned about this important and neglected issue, in a scientific world where many researchers at every stage still conflate the concepts of gender and sex – sex being assigned at birth, gender being the societal presentation of your identity – are we really, truly, doing all that we can? We really lack data on this topic, but what is there has predominantly come from the US, where more than [1 million LGBTQIA+ older adults are expected to be living with dementia by 2030](https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2014.900161), and current annual costs associated with care in this group [surpasses $17 billion](https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464816672047). The experiences of such individuals are massively affected by a lifetime of disparity and discrimination, which may in turn have led to them being [more at risk of cognitive decline](https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.12197). Such lifelong discrimination is multi-faceted, and wide-ranging, touching on everything from socio-economics to healthcare. Older LGBTQIA+ adults are more likely than their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts to have experienced family estrangement due to their identity, and be childfree, taking away major support groups who are normally involved in the day-to-day care of individuals living with dementia prior to the need for those individuals to be in more formalised care settings. Such care settings, for example healthcare and living communities for the elderly, have historically failed to meet the needs of LGBTQIA+ older adults, with some even unable to access such support due to [living below the poverty line](https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2016.1247539). Those who can access these may feel forced to “[re-enter the closet](https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12265)” when they are in such facilities to not be subjected to possible discrimination and can face issues with partner involvement when that partner is of the same sex or [does not conform to rigid gender norms](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2009.00884.x). They may also postpone necessary treatment for fear of discrimination, which can be additionally burdensome for family caregivers. In some instances, LGBTQIA+ individuals are effectively invisible to helpful resources, due to a combination of these factors. The impact of the AIDS crisis should also not be dismissed in the lives of many individuals we are seeing presenting with dementia at present. These individuals often lost many loved ones and experienced a tragedy greater than most of us can comprehend. A generation of queer individuals was forever damaged by this, and that population is now ageing into dementia, as are their caregivers. Some such individuals may be experiencing further discrimination due to their own HIV statuses, again compounding the lifelong discrimination that these individuals may have faced. These people represent one of the sub-populations experiencing even greater disparity, alongside transgender individuals, or those who are part of racial and ethnic minority groups. The accumulation of these lifelong stressors can lead to complex internalised homophobia and related physical and mental health issues, which further contribute to disparities between those under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella, and cisgender, heterosexual individuals. [Depression particularly represents an important related factor](https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa136). Similarly, much of the research work in dementia is framed around normative tropes of loss, decline and forgetting, which can be biased in their use of gendered language and heteronormative concepts, and require updating to be more inclusive. Accurate figures for LGBTQIA+ individuals do not exist at baseline in many countries so whilst disappointing, it is no surprise that it is currently impossible to source accurate data pertaining to the specific group of individuals who are both LGBTQIA+ and are living with dementia. This will doubtless improve with time but requires that those involved in dementia research and healthcare are provided with better education regarding this population and are exposed to as diverse a range of patients and [people living with dementia as possible](https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.12137). So, what can we do as people involved in dementia research and care? Good practice guidelines are not well-established in this space, but if we involve LGBTQIA+ people of all ages at all stages of practice shaping and policy making, we can improve on these as we go forward. There are significant factors of LGBTQIA+ experience that make these individuals at greater risk for dementia, but thankfully many of these are modifiable. As society becomes more accepting of differences from the cisgender and heterosexual norm, it is important that we increase discourse around the topic and consider how we can make changes in our own practice that make for a better experience for these individuals. Not everyone experiencing dementia holds the additional experience of lived LGBTQIA+ identity, but everyone who experiences dementia deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. --- ![Jodi Watt Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Jodi-Watt.jpg "Jodi Watt")Jodi Watt #### Author [**Dr Jodi Watt**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jodi-watt-university-of-glasgow/) is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Glasgow. Jodi’s academic interests are in both healthy ageing and neurodegenerative diseases of older age, and they are currently working on drug repurposing for dementia. Previously they worked on understanding structural, metabolic and physiological brain changes with age, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. As a queer and neurodiverse person, Jodi is also incredibly interested in improving diversity and inclusion practices both within and outside of the academic context. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dementia Care, Dr Jodi Watt, LGBTQIA+, Pride, University of Glasgow **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research, Clinical Research, Policy --- ### [Blog - Are Sportspeople More Prone to MND?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-are-sportspeople-more-prone-to-mnd/) **Published:** June 21, 2023 **Author:** Dr Sam Moxon **Excerpt:** Is there a link between contact sports, repetitive head trauma & diseases like Motor Neurone Disease & Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy? Dr Sam Moxon explores **Content:** --- **Doddie Weir, a towering figure both on and off the rugby field, was diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND) in 2017. Known for his exceptional skills as a lock and his charismatic personality, Weir’s diagnosis sent shockwaves through the rugby community. He was only 46 at the time of diagnosis and Doddie is just one of several cases that have led some people to wonder if certain sports increase your risk of developing MND.** Motor Neurone Disease, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. MND affects the nerve cells, known as [motor neurons,](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-uk-motor-neuron-disease-research-institute/) that control voluntary muscle movements, such as walking, speaking, swallowing, and breathing. As the disease progresses, these motor neurons gradually degenerate and die, leading to a progressive loss of muscle function and weakness. This can result in difficulties with mobility, coordination, speech, and eventually, death. The exact cause of MND is not yet fully understood, and it can occur sporadically (without a known cause) or, in some cases, be inherited due to specific gene mutations. MND is a relentlessly progressive disease with no known cure, although various treatments and therapies can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life for individuals living with the condition. Understanding the potential link between sports participation and the development of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a subject of ongoing scientific inquiry and public concern. Many individuals wonder whether engaging in sports, particularly those involving contact or repetitive head trauma, increases the risk of developing MND. While various studies have explored this topic, the evidence remains inconclusive, and the complex nature of MND necessitates a nuanced examination of the potential relationship between sports and this debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. There is, however, a potential biological mechanism whereby repeated head trauma can lead to an increased risk of developing MND via another form of neurodegeneration called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain condition associated with repeated head injuries and concussions. It is commonly found in individuals who have participated in contact sports such as American football, boxing, ice hockey, and soccer, as well as military veterans exposed to blast injuries. CTE is characterised by the accumulation of tau in the brain. Over time, this protein build-up can lead to progressive damage to brain cells, resulting in various symptoms including memory loss, cognitive decline, mood disorders, impulsivity, aggression, and difficulties with motor function. The diagnosis of CTE can only be definitively confirmed through post-mortem examination of the brain tissue. It is important to note that CTE is still being actively studied, and our understanding of its causes, risk factors, and long-term effects is evolving. It has, however, been a disease of great infamy because of the effect it has had on the world of sports. Nowhere is this more evidence than in the case of former World Wrestling superstar Chris Benoit. The story of Chris Benoit’s CTE is a tragic and controversial one. In June 2007, a shocking incident occurred when Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their young son Daniel were found dead in their home in Fayetteville, Georgia. All died at the hands of Chris. Following the incident, investigations were conducted, including an examination of Chris Benoit’s brain. The examination revealed that he had an advanced stage of CTE. The extensive damage observed in his brain was believed to be a result of the repeated head traumas he had suffered throughout his wrestling career. CTE is thought to be associated with repeated concussions and subconcussive hits to the head. It can lead to cognitive impairment, behavioral changes, and mental health issues. In the case of Chris Benoit, the presence of CTE raised questions about whether the condition played a role in his tragic actions. This incident sparked significant public debate and brought attention to the long-term effects of head trauma in sports, particularly in contact sports like professional wrestling and football. It prompted discussions about the importance of concussion protocols, athlete safety, and the potential consequences of repeated head injuries. While Chris Benoit’s case highlighted the devastating impact of CTE, it is essential to recognise that his actions cannot be justified or condoned. It serves as a reminder of the need to prioritise athlete safety and take measures to prevent, detect, and manage head injuries in sports. So how does this relate to MND? Let’s go back to a sport like rugby for a moment. Concussions are a common occurrence in rugby, given its physical nature and high-impact collisions. Rugby involves intense physical contact; tackling, and scrums, which can result in head injuries and concussions. Due to the fast-paced and physical nature of the game, players are at risk of experiencing direct blows to the head from collisions with opponents or contact with the ground. The nature of the sport also involves players frequently jostling for possession, leading to accidental clashes and collisions that can result in head trauma. As a result, the prevalence of concussions in rugby is a concern, and efforts are continually being made to enhance player safety, raise awareness about concussion management, and implement protocols to identify and manage head injuries effectively. According to a recent [study](https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/ex-rugby-players-face-15-times-higher-risk-of-motor-neuron-disease-366298), former rugby players face a significantly higher risk of developing Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The study found that retired professional rugby players have a 15 times higher risk of MND compared to the general population. The research involved analysing health records of over 8,000 former professional rugby players in England, Scotland, and Wales. However, it is important to note that the study did not establish a direct causal relationship between rugby and MND, and further research is needed to understand the underlying factors contributing to this increased risk. But still, it begs the question – what could be causing this trend? And that takes us back to CTE. High impact sports with high rates of concussion lead to greater risk of developing CTE. New [research](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-als-be-caused-by-traumatic-brain-injury-202202022680) has prompted discussions regarding the potential link between CTE and the development of MND. We have yet to determine a biological link but there seems to be epidemiological evidence to suggest there is increased risk in certain sports. NFL players are seen to be [4 times more likely](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-nfl-players-odds-als.html) to develop MND in their lifetime. That figure could be as much as [15 times higher for rugby players](https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/ex-rugby-players-face-15-times-higher-risk-of-motor-neuron-disease-366298). This has led to governing bodies taking action in response to the concerns surrounding the potential long-term health risks associated with contact sports like rugby, football, and boxing. Recognising the need to prioritise athlete safety, efforts are being made to implement stricter safety protocols, enhance concussion management procedures, and improve equipment design. Governing bodies are collaborating with researchers and medical experts to gain a better understanding of the potential links between these sports and neurodegenerative diseases like CTE and MND. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on educating athletes, coaches, and parents about the risks involved and promoting injury prevention strategies. By taking these proactive measures, governing bodies aim to mitigate the potential health risks and ensure that the future of these sports prioritises the well-being of participants. --- ![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/sam-moxon.jpg "sam-moxon")Dr Sam Moxon #### Author **[Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-moxon/)** is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney. [Follow @DrSamMoxon](https://twitter.com/DrSamMoxon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog, Science **Tags:** Blog, Dr Sam Moxon, Motor Neurone Disease, Sports, traumatic brain injury **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research, Biomarker Research, Dementia Prevention Research --- ### [Blog - Fading stars: disorder in the galaxy of the brain](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-fading-stars-disorder-in-the-galaxy-of-the-brain/) **Published:** June 22, 2023 **Author:** Dr Chris Henstridge **Excerpt:** Dr Chris Henstridge explores the connection between synapse loss, cognitive decline, and overlapping symptoms in Frontotemporal Dementia & Motor Neuron Disease **Content:** --- **There are more connection points (synapses) between our brain cells than there are stars in our galaxy. These tiny structures are essential for brain function and hold the key to our every thought, feeling, movement and memory. Given their fundamental role in brain function, it is maybe unsurprising that their dysfunction is linked to many diseases of the brain. But *where*, *when,* and *why* do these connections break down and can we find ways of stopping it? This is essentially the focus of my research team at the University of Dundee. In this blog post I will summarise how synapse loss is a conserved feature across two seemingly different diseases: Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Motor Neuron Disease (MND).** FTD hit the headlines recently when Bruce Willis announced his formal retirement from acting, following diagnosis of FTD. It is a rarer form of dementia than Alzheimer’s disease (AD), most commonly diagnosed between 45-65 years of age and is caused by disruption in the frontal and temporal lobes. People living with FTD often display changes in personality, mood, and language, with memory problems usually occurring later. ***How could this possibly have any link to Motor Neuron Disease, which only causes movement problems, right?*** MND is gaining a lot of exposure thanks to a few high-profile sportsmen living with the disease, and superhero endurance feats by their close family and friends to raise money for MND care and research. Rob Burrow, his wife Lindsey, and their close friend Kevin Sinfield recently ran the London marathon to raise awareness and funds for MND and often appear on TV to talk about their lived experience. MND is an umbrella term for several diseases caused by the breakdown of the motor neurons in the brain and/or spinal cord. This leads to progressive weakening of the muscles and paralysis, with many passing away within two to three years after diagnosis. However, around half of all MND patients also have problems with their thinking skills and show changes that are very similar to people with FTD, mostly language, personality, and mood changes. This is very important because these changes are often over-looked yet can have a profound impact on the quality of life of the patient and their support network and these patients tend to have a more aggressive form of disease. ***Could similar underlying changes in the brain explain the similar symptoms in FTD and MND?*** We know that synapse loss is the strongest correlate with cognitive decline in AD, and that synapse loss occurs in the brains of people with FTD. This was shown in several studies during the 1990’s that linked synapse density in post-mortem human brains with previous cognitive testing scores. Functional and structural brain scanning of MND patients with and without cognitive decline revealed changes in parts of the frontal cortex, that looked like changes observed in people with FTD. However, we had no idea what the underlying changes were that associated with cognitive change. Therefore, as a PostDoc in the lab of Prof. Tara Spires-Jones in Edinburgh, I started looking at this with the hypothesis that synapse loss could be a major feature. Synapse loss had never been linked to cognitive change in MND before and I was fortunate that MND Scotland found my hypothesis compelling enough to award me a 3yr project grant in 2016. Using two high-resolution imaging techniques, I discovered that MND patients tended to have a lower synapse density in the frontal cortex than people without MND. Importantly, MND patients with cognitive decline tended to have the lowest synapse densities, suggesting a link for the first time between cognitive change in MND and synapse loss. Interestingly, this looks to have been confirmed in recent work using live human participants and synapse-targeting tracers which can be visualised in a PET scan. The researchers found that synapse loss in the frontal cortex of FTD patients tracked closely with progressive cognitive decline. ![MND Scotland Logo](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MND-Scotland-Logo.png "MND Scotland Logo")Chris works with MND Scotland, who are a significant funder of MND Research. See their grant calls at https://bit.ly/46iFzVy ***So what is driving synapse loss?*** It is becoming increasingly accepted across the neurodegeneration field that synapse loss is a central player in disease. However, the mechanisms driving synapse loss are largely unknown. Following my previous work showing that synapse loss occurs in the frontal cortex of MND patients with cognitive decline, we decided to perform experiments to try and discover why they were being lost. We extracted synaptically-enriched fractions from post-mortem brain and isolated the proteins for identification by mass-spectrometry. We had three groups, non-neurological controls, MND and MND with cognitive impairment. We identified almost 6000 proteins at the synapse and found several hundred changed in expression in the MND samples. Importantly, based on our experimental approach we could tease out a molecular signature that was present in the MND with cognitive impairment samples. This revealed key inflammatory pathways that were upregulated and several postsynaptic scaffolding proteins that were downregulated. One of the inflammatory pathways we identified has already been linked to a shorter survival time in MND patients. We are now working on whether these changes are cause or consequence of disease and whether some of these changes are specific for MND or merely a feature of end-stage neurodegenerative disease. ***What about disease-associated proteins at the synapse?*** In both of my studies described above, I also showed that a protein linked with Alzheimer’s, FTD and MND called TDP-43, was found to be present at the human synapse. TDP-43 is normally found in the nucleus, but around 30% is thought to exist outside the nucleus in other cellular locations, such as the synapse. Could disfunction in this protein be a link between several diseases of the brain? To try and get at this question MND Scotland and Alzheimer’s Research UK recently funded a collaborative project between myself and Dr. Francisco Inesta-Vaquera in Dundee, to establish new model systems for assessing TDP-43-induced cell stress. While this project will not be able to address synaptic roles for TDP-43 pathology, it will generate novel temporal and spatial information on the development of TDP-43-induced damage in the brain. This will be important for many brain diseases, given the convergent accumulation of TDP-43 pathology. Further work in our lab is now focussing on the synaptic role of TDP-43 and whether this may be a more direct link between pathology, synapse loss and overlapping cognitive decline in AD, FTD and MND. ***Working together*** I believe it’s very important for different funders to work together and look at some of the commonalities between different diseases. AD, FTD and MND are different diseases, they mostly affect different brain areas, different cell types are particularly vulnerable, clinical presentation is predominantly distinct but there is a lot to learn in the areas of overlap. Furthermore, and most importantly, by working in these areas of overlap any breakthrough in understanding will have far-reaching impact across diseases. As we advance our understanding of brain disease, I hope one day we will be able to ensure that everyone’s galaxy shines bright into old age. --- ![Dr Christopher Henstridge Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Dr-Christopher-Henstridge.png "Dr Christopher Henstridge")Dr Christopher Henstridge #### Author [**Dr Chris Henstridge** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-chris-henstridge/)is a Principle Investigator at University of Dundee. Chris studies anatomical and molecular changes in the human synapse, with a particular focus on Motor Neuron Disease (MND). Chris grew up on the far north coast of Scotland and that beautiful location instilled his interest in nature and biology. He completed his PhD in Dundee, then spent time in Budapest and other parts of Scotland, before returning to Dundee to establish his own lab. [Follow @CMHenstridge](https://twitter.com/CMHenstridge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog, Science **Tags:** Blog, Dr Chris Henstridge, MND Scotland, Motor Neurone Disease, Synapse, University of Dundee **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2020 - Day One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2020-day-one/) **Published:** July 28, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The 1st of our AAIC 2020 Highlight Podcasts, Basic Science & Pathogenesis with Dr Megan O'Hare, Professor Louise Serpell, Dr Emily Maguire & Dr Lindsay Sinclair **Content:** **This week we are recording a daily podcast, sharing all the news and highlights from this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International ‘Virtual’ Conference.** #### Day One “Basic Science and Pathogenesis” [Dr Megan O’Hare](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/megan-ohare/) is joined by [Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/), from the University of Sussex, [Dr Emily Maguire](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-emily-maguire/) from the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University and [Dr Lindsay Sinclair](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-lindsey-sinclair/) from University of Bristol. Check back at this time tomorrow for news from day two, and checkout the twitter feed with [\#AAIC20](https://twitter.com/hashtag/aaic20?lang=en-gb) to find more, remember all the content from AAIC20 is available on-demand for 30 days after the conference for those registered while the conference is running, and 60 days for ISTAART member. Visit [Tweet #AAIC20](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?button_hashtag=AAIC20&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **You can now find our podcasts on your preferred smart home speaker – just ask it for the “Dementia Researcher Podcast”** --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher podcast, brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research U.K. and Alzheimer’s Society. Supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Hello everyone, and thanks for joining us, I am Megan O’Hare and I am delighted to be hosting our first daily Alzheimer’s Association International Conference special podcast. So we’ll be sharing news and our favourite moments from each day of the AAIC, like we do normally but as you probably know, the conference was due to take place in the Netherlands this year, but the pandemic has changed all that, and so this year’s conference is taking place virtually, with every talk and poster still being shared online, and there are live scientific sessions and pre-recorded and on-demand videos as well. I imagine a lot of you have registered because I think they had over 20,000 registrants, which is a lot of people. And I think it’s all worked really well, I think we can say that it’s all worked really well, I know yesterday there were a couple of problems with probably bandwidth situations where some of the slides were a bit blurry for the live sessions, but they’re going to be available online soon so then you’ll be able to see properly. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** So yeah, I think shall we move on to introductions? I’m delighted to be joined by Dr. Lindsey Sinclair, psychiatrist and post-doctoral researcher over in Bristol. Dr. Emily Maguire, a research associate from Cardiff University, and Professor Louise Serpell who is professor of biochemistry and Director of Neuroscience based at the University of Sussex. So I’ve interviewed a couple of you, don’t think me and Emily, we haven’t met yet, but very excited to. So maybe we can start with a tiny introduction from all of you so get a bit of your background and what you’re working on right now. Shall we start with Louise? Because you’re top of my screen. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Hello, hi Megan, thanks for the introduction. So I’m one of the directors of Sussex neuroscience and I work on, a sort of a mixture of structural biology and cell biology to try and understand the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. So yesterday’s AAIC was pretty much my area and it was exhausting in terms of trying to watch just about every talk I possibly could. So I really enjoyed it, I mean it’s really amazing and it’s very similar to the sorts of things I’ve been doing. So there was some amazing panel discussions which I’ll talk about a bit later on. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, we sort of mentioned before we started recording that they’d put all the basic science ones on yesterday, and that meant that you had to pick possibly between two or three favourite ones. But I think they are all going to be up online again, so we’ll be able to catch up during the week. So Lindsey? **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** Thank you very much Megan, so I work at the University of Bristol and I’m an Alzheimer’s Society-funded junior fellow there, which means that I’m a post-doctoral researcher as well as being a psychiatrist. I’m not really doing any of that at the moment because I’m on maternity leave, so from a perspective of a slightly workaholic, working mother, the virtual conference is brilliant. And I think it makes it much more accessible to those of us who may have a few childcare issues, particularly during this pandemic. So I loved yesterday. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** I think we did a podcast right at the end of your pregnancy, maybe at the 38 weeks I think, so- **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** Yeah, he was born three days later. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah. So hopefully we won’t have any of that today. But yeah, I think having it virtually has really opened it up, well I mean they’ve had 20,000 registrants so that’s just been amazing really. And Emily? **Dr Emily Maguire:** Hello, so I’m Emily and I work in Cardiff in the Dementia Research Institute, I’m also really happy that it’s virtual this year, I mean it was nice to L.A. last year but it’s also really nice to listen to talks in your pyjamas, as many coffees as you want. So I work, I use human stem cells and I differentiate them into microglia to study Alzheimer’s. So at the moment I’ve got two projects on the go, one is to investigate the effects of the PLC-gamma-2 mutation that is shown to protect against Alzheimer’s, and the other is to try and generate high and low genetic risk models of Alzheimer’s using blood samples from patients who have high and low genetic risk. So making them into stem cells. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** I caught something on Radio Four the other day about Toast, you know the Nigel Slater book? That I’ve never read, but apparently it’s very good, anyway then they did a stage play of it and now they’re doing a radio play of it, and part of it is, if you go to the stage play they give you Walnut Whips and biscuits throughout so that you can eat them while you’re listening to cooking things and stories but now they’re doing it virtually, if you buy a ticket they send you a Walnut Whip in the post, and I did think AAIC should have sent us some biscuits for the coffee break bit, because it’s nice to make your own cup of tea but a free biscuit would have really topped it all off. Anyway, so if anyone’s listening, for next year maybe. Free biscuits. **Dr Emily Maguire:** It would have to be like over 20,000 free biscuits though, that would have been quite- **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Quite a lot of biscuits, okay fine. I’m just going to go out and buy some biscuits later. So okay, shall we start with the plenary session which was delivered by Ralph Nixon on proteostasis failure in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and new clues to pathogenesis and therapy. And Louise, this is really very much your field so do you want to give us a quick summary of the talk? **Professor Louise Serpell:** I will, if I start to go into too much detail and get a bit too excited about it then do just sort of wave at me too much, but basically so Ralph Nixon is from NYU and he’s a very well-known name as you were saying Megan that you remember having referred to his work a lot in your thesis, and his work is really focusing on autophagy, so if you mention autophagy then he’s the name that comes up. And just to say a little bit about what autophagy is, sometimes people pronounce it differently, it’s a biological mechanism of clearance of unwanted proteins, organelles, and it’s generally thought to be a good thing, so it’s a protective mechanism and it generally correlates with longevity and lifespan and it’s intrinsically linked with the endosomal-lysosomal system so many proteins that have been highlighted as being really important in Alzheimer’s disease from GWAS studies and so on, are endosomal-lysosomal proteins so it really highlights how important it is in Alzheimer’s disease. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And what they also noticed is that lysosomal storage diseases show neurodegenerative symptoms, so it suggests that there’s something about lysosomal system that’s really important in the brain. So Alzheimer’s researchers have observed large membrane-bound compartments that suggest that there’s a failure of this autophagosomal mechanism. So really that’s what he talks about, that’s really what he’s been doing for many years, and he mentioned that the autophagy system is tightly regulated by insulin-signalling pathway and mTOR which also then links it back to lifespan and longevity which is really interesting I think. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And he showed that if you can inhibit lysosomal function then you recapitulate AD-type pathology. And what he really talks about in terms of new findings was that he described a fluorescent system where they’d used an RFP and a GFP, which allowed them to follow the auto-lysosomal maturation to follow acidification, so it responded to the PH of the environment which was really interesting for me because we’ve done something similar that a post-doc in my lab, Karen Marshall, published on recently. So that was really nice. And what they noticed is that it looks like, in Alzheimer’s disease, the lysosomal system is not properly acidified. **Professor Louise Serpell:** So there seems to be something that’s going on in the lysosomal system that means there’s a failure so then there’s a build-up of all of those undegraded proteins, many of which are things like A-beta and possibly tau as well, and he showed this really beautiful image of a cell that then became filled with these lysosomal things, and they got bigger and bigger and bigger over time, and eventually the cell looked like it was no longer there at all, and it was just a sort of, well it looked like a plaque actually, an amyloid plaque with a little nucleus in the middle. So essentially it sort of explodes out of the cell, so I just thought that that really nicely showed how important lysosomes are and how the amyloid plaque is generated in general. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah I enjoyed him saying that lysosomes used to be considered the most boring organelle in the cell and now they’re one of the most interesting because as you said, loads of genes from GWAS studies have centred on that endosomal-lysosomal axis and then he had a list of so many neurodegenerative diseases, I thought that was really interesting. **Professor Louise Serpell:** So the main thing I think at the end of it was really that this was a possibility for targeting for therapeutics, so that’s what he really left us with, that idea that we can try and enhance the lysosomal system to try and produce therapies. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, the tool that he used that you mentioned, the fluorescent system as I understood it, it basically fluoresces green when it’s the correct acidity, is that right? And then it quenches to red, or it that it quenches to red as it gets more acidic as you go through the different vacuoles the lysosome sort of becomes more acidic, so if it doesn’t it stays green, is that right? **Professor Louise Serpell:** I think that that’s right. Yeah, green to red I think is the order **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, that’s the way you want it to go to know that you’re, yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah, so we used a similar sort of system where we tagged A-beta with a sypher label and it just gets more and more red as it goes through the acidification system. So you can follow A-beta as it goes into the lysosomal system and ends up- **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Do you do that live, and track them? **Professor Louise Serpell:** Exactly. So you get a little movie of it all going in and getting brighter and brighter and brighter. And then it’s interesting that it just sort of stays there, and it also seems to impair the lysosome system for other proteins, so if you add a different protein in to the cellular medium, normally it would be taken up by lysosomes and degraded, sorry, taken up by endosomes and then lysosomes, but it seems that whole seems to be impaired. So it’s not just that you get lots of accumulation of protein in the lysosomes and autophagosomes, but the whole system seems to stop working, so the cell doesn’t really function as it should. So it’s quite, I think it’s cool. Yeah, and then there are lots of other talks that seem to sort of come into that so I can always go back to them later. Yeah. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, Emily or Lindsey, did you also attend the plenary? **Dr Emily Maguire:** Yeah, and actually so it’s funny that you said that lysosomes were always boring because they’ve always been my favourite organelle, because I did my PhD on lysosomes and on lysosomal diseases specifically. And I guess it’s funny, he did briefly mention it but the real overlap between lysosomal diseases, especially one called Niemann-Pick Type C and Alzheimer’s disease often it’s actually called childhood Alzheimer’s disease because you get storage of tau and amyloid in the brain, and you get a similar-ish neurodegeneration and the loss of lysosomal function and progressive storage. So I think the overlap and the importance of the lysosome in Alzheimer’s disease is key, and clearly his contribution to the field is just immense. Definitely. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** And this all centred on lysosomes in neurons, a new study, microglia, I’m assuming there are lysosomes in microglia, are they affected in any way? Is it a similar situation in glial cells? **Dr Emily Maguire:** I think that, yes, probably, but I don’t know specifically because actually since I’ve switched and working on Alzheimer’s disease I haven’t done that much looking at the lysosome but yeah there are lysosomes present in all cells and I think the function will definitely be affected in microglia as well. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, and Lindsey? **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** So I came to the plenary from a completely non-lysosome specialist perspective, so I normally work on things like depression and anxiety as manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease or risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s disease, so nothing to do with lysosomes in my daily work, but what I particularly liked was the way that he was able to make it understandable for someone like me, who didn’t really know an awful lot about autophagy and lysosomes. And I really liked the way, particularly from a clinical perspective, that he was able to relate it to other similar diseases. I thought that was really good, and I particularly liked the inside-out model of where neuritic plaques come from because that made a lot of sense to me. So that was great. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, I think obviously, without trying to sell his work, but he was really hammering home that how many diseases the lysosome can cause, defects, or dysfunctional lysosomes can cause, I thought that slide was really powerful where he listed them all. So maybe Lindsey, as you’ve come in from a completely different area, risk factors, what talks and posters stood out for you? **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** So there were a couple of the sessions which I really, really liked, so the locus coeruleus session which was one of the on-demand sessions, I particularly liked the first talk by Professor Lea Grinberg from the University of California in San Francisco in Sao Paulo. I’ve read some of her work before, but she was again, able to make it really understandable to a non-specialist and was talking about how important the locus coeruleus and the raphae are in the early development of Alzheimer’s disease. And I hadn’t realised until she was talking about it that the volume of the locus coeruleus drops by almost 10 percent with each step increase in Braak stage. So that was a very new piece of information for me, and the other talks in that session were very good but a lot more specialist, so for example, one of them was talking about pupil dilation in mice, another one was talking about human fMRI, so a lot less general and kind of overview-y so it was really good to have Grinberg talking at the top of that session. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** And the white matter damage session, which is one of the live ones, had four speakers, so the first one was James Nicoll from Southampton, he was talking about ARIA, which is an imaging abnormality that you see after A-beta immunisation. And from a clinical perspective that was really good talking about where you see these things on MRI but what actually are they? Donna Wilcock from Kentucky was talking about VCID using Meso Scale discovery techniques, and it’s always nice to see new-ish techniques like that being used as larger amounts of data and \[proteo 00:16:58\] mix, so that was great. And the one in that session that I really, really liked, and would recommend to any clinicians listening was Professor Joanna Wardlaw from the University of Edinburgh, who was talking about white matter hyperintensities. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** Now, I’ve been to a lot of talks about white matter in Alzheimer’s disease, I’ve seen loads of scans with white matter hyperintensities but I didn’t know what they actually were, it turns out, until I listened to her talk, I thought it was a brilliant description of what they actually are and why they cause problems. So I’d recommend that to any clinicians listening, or anyone interested in vascular disease. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Would you like to \[inaudible 00:17:42\] quickly what they are? **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** Yeah, sure. So it’s to do with fluid getting stuck in perivascular spaces and that’s what impairs the fluid and water clearance, and that’s why white matter hyperintensities can increase or decrease in size. It’s to do with the amount of fluid and edema, which I had no idea about, I’d thought, like many people, that they were just a permanent lesion. So I had no idea that there was so much of a dynamic component to them. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Okay, and would that be a potential area of therapy that you could target that area? Or if it’s sort of something somehow you drain the fluid? I don’t know. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** So it’s not something that you could go in with a needle and drain, but it will give you a bit more of an idea about when you’re looking at someone’s scans to say is it progressing? Is it resolving? Has it completely disappeared? What kind of evidence of core damage is there that remains? So I think it would make it easier for you to talk to patients about what these white spots on their scans actually mean. And what the change in size over time might mean for them. As well as having obvious research implications. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** And then there were a few of the posters that I particularly liked, but I must say, like Louise, I found the whole poster thing quite overwhelming. There were so many of them, and there were hundreds, and you just have to choose from a title and then hope that the pdf loads, which it did for almost all of them. So it took me probably two and a half hours to have a good look through the posters, whereas normally you just cruise past them and go “Oh that looks interesting” or “I like the picture on that.” So it took a lot longer. But the one that I thought- **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Do you think that \[inaudible 00:19:42\] different ones that may be weren’t so visually impactful but the title really caught your eye, so you looked at them in a different way? I don’t know. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** I think probably, probably, because I’m normally a very visual person so it probably forced me to pay more stringent attention to what was in the title, and what might have been in the abstract. So the one which I was most interested in was from Elena Chrysostomou from the University of Maryland, in Washington, who’s developed an online tool called NEMO-AD that uses seven existing data sets to allow you to look at gene expression in particular, genes between different areas, or between different cell types in one area. And I just thought that’s the kind of tool that will be really useful to people when they’re planning studies or trying to work out what to look at. So I thought that was great. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** From a clinical perspective, there was a another poster from Alexandra \[Vigand 00:20:42\] from San Diego, who was pointing out that there’s no consensus on threshold for positivity of tau PET scans which would be kind of helpful to have if we’re going to use them diagnostically. She was saying that some people relate whether a scan is positive for tau to whether it’s positive for amyloid or not. And it would be useful to have a clear idea of how much tau there has to be, in what areas, before you say that it’s abnormal or not. So form a clinical perspective that would be very useful. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** And finally, there was a very productive fellow Alzheimer’s Society-funded researcher called Kirsty McAleese from Newcastle who had four posters, all of which were dense with results, and so she’s obviously been working really hard, and again, she just had a very useful practical poster, looking at diagnoses in the brains for dementia research cohort, showing that pure disease is the exception, rather than the rule. So she was talking about how most people have evidence of more than one pathology, which again is just relatively practical and useful and helps you plan studies and not be too much of a purist I think when you’re using human tissue. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, she’s done a couple of podcasts for us, she’s very good. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** Yeah. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** But four posters, that’s a lot. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** Yeah. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Emily, any posters or other sessions that stood out for you? **Dr Emily Maguire:** So I think that probably, so there was lots of good talks, and I watched a lot of talks and I think the one that I enjoyed the most was one called human brain resilience to AD pathology. And that was by Teresa Gomez-Isla from Harvard Medical School, and I thought it was really cool, because what she was looking at in particular is brains that come from people have tau and amyloid stored in their brains, but they reached the age of 90 and they don’t develop Alzheimer’s disease. So, her idea is to find out what’s different between these brains and Alzheimer’s disease brains where they develop Alzheimer’s, in order to find out what is the root cause of the pathology or what maybe we should be targeting therapeutically. **Dr Emily Maguire:** So these brains, even though they have neuronal tau and amyloid, they don’t show neuronal degeneration in the same way, but one thing that they do have, is they seem to have much less microglial, so the resilient brains have a lot less microglial activation when compared with Alzheimer’s diseased brains. And much less inflammatory cytokine production. And this really ties into genetic studies in Alzheimer’s which highlight microglia as being important in the pathology. So for one, the gene that I work on is expressed in microglia and seems to be important in this as well, so I think this is really important because it suggests that in the future maybe we should be trying to look at therapeutics that are like microglial targeting rather than necessarily amyloid and tau targeting therapeutics. So yeah, I enjoyed that quite a bit. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Sorry, do you think that those people have effective microglial responses, so it’s that they just have never, their microglia don’t respond in the same way so the normal response would end up with Alzheimer’s disease but this is an abnormal response, or is it that there’s some other, I don’t know, what would be not making them activated? **Dr Emily Maguire:** So I think that they might have resilient brains, they might have genetic or maybe lifestyle factors that means that their microglia respond in different ways to the ones with the plaques and the tangles where they develop Alzheimer’s. If it is, so the changes in the microglia behaviour, so microglia it seems that at a certain stages of Alzheimer’s they can protect against the disease, maybe to slow the progress but they can also, overactivation of microglia can also cause problems in the disease. So it’s probably just changes in microglial behaviour which we’re trying to work on at the moment, lots of people in the field are trying to work on but we don’t know exactly what the specific changes are yet. Does that answer- **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Louise, did you also see that talk? **Professor Louise Serpell:** No, I was just really pleased that Emily decided to talk about it because I saw a bit of it, and I saw a panel discussion where it was mentioned and I thought “Oh this is really fascinating, I want to go back and watch it.” The only thing I did pick up was that, they did obviously talk about activated microglia, but they also talked about there being more oligomeric phospho tau in the synapse, which it’s interesting isn’t it? How we watch things and we pick up the things that feel important to us, so that’s the bit I’ve written down, you obviously talked about microglia, which one is, activated microglia is obviously very important, I did write that down, but it’s the way that I go “Oh P-Tau, I’ll put that down.” So it was really, really good and it’s such a clever idea isn’t it? The whole idea of looking at resilience, what is it that some people have got that somehow stops them from being effected by pathology. So that was the only thing I- **Dr Megan O’Hare:** So in the resilient brains, there was more oligomeric phospho tau?- **Professor Louise Serpell:** No, in the ones in the disease, people who were sharing symptoms. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Oh in the disease, right, okay. And that was at the synapse specifically? **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Okay, right, so the resilient brains had not got to that stage. Okay. Anything else Emily? **Dr Emily Maguire:** I guess it is true, it’s funny because my main take away from that talk was the activated microglia stuff, but I did think that the phospho tau stuff was also, at the synapses specifically was also really interesting because at the moment I’m thinking a lot about synaptic pruning and synaptic-specific degeneration, and it’s role in Alzheimer’s disease and how that relates to microglia, which are often the ones that prune the synapses. And there was a previous talk in the same session where because it’s quite hard to look at synapses, we’re developing new techniques to do this, and Thomas Montine from Stanford University has developed a new technique called, what is it, called mass synaptometry where he barcodes individually individual synapses from human brains, I think it was human brains, and then he pulls them together and this allows him to examine differences in individual synapses. Which is really cool. **Dr Emily Maguire:** And he found a similar thing to what Teresa Gomez-Isla found, which is an increase in tau specifically at the synapses in Alzheimer’s diseased brains. And he also found increases in injury markers and oxidative stress amoebic \[retination 00:28:04\] so all kind of damage markers within the Alzheimer’s disease synapses compared to controls, and this technique I think in the future is going to be really good for looking at this and kind of links the two talks together as well nicely. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** I went to quite a few of the microbiome talks which was talking about the gut-brain axis, but also again about immunity and immunology and that sort of thing which I guess sort of links in with the microglia. Did anyone go to any of the microbiome talks? They were probably at the same time as the white matter ones and other ones. **Dr Emily Maguire:** No, but I wanted to, and I’ll listen to them later. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, they were good, they were good. There was one, let me find her name, Meiyu Geng from Shanghai, and they were actually looking at a drug or a therapy GV971 that seemed to actually regulate and improve the peripheral immune response, which led to decreased neuroinflammation so it was quite interesting that there was actually a, it wasn’t just talking about basic biology, she actually had a drug therapy that she was talking about. So that was quite interesting. Any other, did you see any posters Emily? I know that Louise and Lindsey have said it was a bit overwhelming just the numbers of them, did you manage to see any? **Dr Emily Maguire:** So I mainly focused on talks. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah. **Dr Emily Maguire:** But what poster did I like? Well there was one that I particularly liked, and again, it was about the synapse because I guess that was a bit of my focus yesterday. But it’s called early developmental abnormalities in hippocampal synapse distribution in a mouse model of AD. And it was by a guy called \[Ajit Ray 00:30:04\] and essentially what I thought it was good, again, because more techniques to look at the synapse and it looks like he developed a really cool genetically encoded post-synaptic targeting construct that he used to label the synapses and he got some really, really nice pictures of them and they look really cool, and he was comparing synapse loss in different areas of the Alzheimer’s diseased mouse brain and he found that synapses are lost to different extents and at different stages and in different areas of the brain and I thought this focus was really nice research and also really nice pictures and a really good start for future studies. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Were there any correlates with where the synapses were being lost? Like we talked about phospho tau or anything? **Dr Emily Maguire:** Well, as far as I remember, he hadn’t looked at that in this study yet, but I would assume that that would be a really nice place, a really nice thing to look at next. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** And what areas of the brain seemed particularly vulnerable to synaptic loss? **Dr Emily Maguire:** So the weird thing is, I don’t know that much about specific areas of the brain, so I could tell you what he put, so in the apical tuft he found that synapses are lost early and then they remain low. But in the distal apical synapses, they’re elevated early and then they normalise at later stages, and then- **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Elevated? First of all? **Dr Emily Maguire:** Yeah, yeah. And in other areas it seems like they’re lost at later stages and sometimes they’re lost at early and late stages. So yeah, basically it’s a complex picture, I think that’s what it shows overall and we should be looking at different brain areas when thinking about it. Although, as I said, my knowledge on, apart from you know, general overview, isn’t great. So I’m probably not the best person to ask about that. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Anything from you Louise? Did you see any of these other talks that these guys saw? **Professor Louise Serpell:** I can say a little bit about some of them, they all tend to link back to what I tend to look at but I went into some of the on-demand sessions and had a chat with people which was really nice, there was one particular one which was one of the early ones, where I attempted to watch the talks at the same time as talking to people, because I hadn’t been prepared enough. Because you have to get in there really early. And then I talked to Eleanor Drummond who’s in Sydney and she talked about, she was looking at the content of plaque, so she was basically taking plaques and then analysing what was in them to see what the provenance of A-beta was and I guess it tells you about where it’s come from. And the really nice thing about that was that she found lots of endo-lysosomal proteins in there. **Professor Louise Serpell:** So that was really interesting, I really enjoyed that and I also talked to Cora O’Neil who works in Cork. And she works on a protein called \[Trip-MAL 00:33:23\] which is a calcium channel, which is found in lysosomes, and she’d found impaired function there and she was looking at the possibility of using that as a target for therapy. So that was really nice. And then I went to a different session where they were talking about RNA interactions, quite a lot of RNA interactions with tau. And Lulu Jiang who’s in Boston working with Ben Wolozin had this really nice system, I really like these things where she had made a CRY2 optogenetic tau, which meant that it was being expressed in the cells and then when you shine blue light on them, the CRY2 dimerizes, so you start to get conglomeration of the protein. So you can trigger aggregation and assembly and then see what happens, so that was really nice. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** In very, very specific places as well can’t you do it- **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah- **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah, so clever systems to answer difficult questions I think is really, really interesting. And then I also talked to Stephanie Fowler who’s at Colombia and what she’d been doing was isolating vesicles from brain and then characterising what the tau inside them looked like. And what she’d found was that the region of tau that they’d found was repeat three and repeat four, which was really interesting because it correlates with the core of tau which has been found from cry UAM studies of \[pertilicle 00:34:58\] filaments so she was essentially looking at tau that then goes on to form these pertilicle filaments. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And some of these interactions are really fascinating because then I emailed a few of those people, had a chat with them, maybe gave some, we had a bit of exchange of ideas, so I think what I would really encourage people to do is to go into those chat rooms, so the first one was a Zoom one, so we could see everybody, and that was fascinating but then the second one was just typing. And Stephanie Fowler actually, I typed in after the whole thing had finished and she eventually replied to me, and I just think that this sort of interaction is, it’s not the same as seeing people in real life but possibly it’s more inclusive. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Because I what I really encourage people to do is just to talk to Ralph Nixon, talk to people that you possibly might be worried about just walking up to at a massive AAIC conference, but you can ask questions and have a conversation with people and I’ve said, I don’t think anyone knows who I am so it’s just having a really nice interesting chat about things. I found people to be very open and interested in your point of view. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah I’d not actually thought about networking virtually \[crosstalk 00:36:24\] I just hide at home in my pyjamas, but yeah you’re right, I probably wouldn’t go up to Ralph Nixon in real life but you could send him a question or whatever, he can always ignore you. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Exactly. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** \[crosstalk 00:36:38\] to ignore someone in real life or, well if they do it’s soul-destroying. **Professor Louise Serpell:** But for example, Ben Wolozin, I’ve been reading loads of his papers and he works on stress granules and what’s in stress granules and whether they are the precursor to aggregation, particularly focusing on tau at the moment, but also in some of the other diseases like \[pherson 00:36:58\] TDP43 and things like that. And it was really nice just to type conversation with him and he just came across as really nice and really open to people’s ideas so. Yeah, so that’s my recommendation anyway. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Well let us know if you \[inaudible 00:37:18\] from this. **Professor Louise Serpell:** You know, I think that that’s one of the, what I miss about going to conferences, is that sort of conversation that you have with people over the coffee table or something like that, and it’s really nice to find that a virtual meeting can provide that, although not quite as well, but yeah, possibly with some positive sides to it that we wouldn’t get in real life. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, I guess people have had three, four months practice now doing things virtually haven’t they? So it’s not quite so awkward, we’re used to communicating with our families like that so maybe it’s benefited from being in July and not right at the beginning of lockdown when people wouldn’t have quite known how it worked. But yeah, we were talking this morning about obviously, for the environment it’s much better to have it virtually, but you’re missing out on certain things. So whether you could do every other year you have a face-to-face meeting, otherwise it’s virtually, I don’t know, but it seems to be working well, we should all try networking like Louise did. That’s the next stage. So are there any other final points you’d like to talk about? Lindsey, we haven’t really talked about any risk factors that you found or anything like that. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** I don’t think there was so much focus on risk factors or at least not in the sessions that I watched yesterday. The only one, the only other one even, which I would mention just from a clinical perspective, was a small-ish clinical trial done by a chap called Jurgen Claassen from Nijmegen, who was looking at cerebral autoregulation in Alzheimer’s disease. And there have been fairly classic studies apparently showing that cerebral autoregulation is impaired in an APP mouse model, and certainly clinically there have always been discussions about do we put people on antihypertensives, because they may have an element of vascular dementia, or do we worry about reducing cerebral blood flow. And he showed looking at calcium channel blockers that you can drop peoples blood pressure and it doesn’t affect their cerebral blood flow. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** So from a clinical, again, quite practical perspective, it’s useful to have research like that, saying that you can treat people and without worrying about completely knocking off all of their perfusion. I would echo Louise’s comments about networking, I’m always far too scared to go up to important people in the flesh, particularly if they’re surrounded by friends or other people asking questions, so I think that if you’re shy then just typing something and hoping that you might get a reply is great. And I think the AAIC actually said at the start of the plenary that they’re planning on doing more virtual sessions in the future, which is obviously more inclusive for people from other countries which may be less funded in terms of travel grants and it just makes it more accessible to a greater number of people. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, and as you said at the beginning, childcare or going away to America for two weeks possibly isn’t possible for a lot of people- **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** Yes. I can’t think of many conferences where they’d let you sit feeding a baby in the middle of a session. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** I don’t know, they have the cinemas don’t they where you can take your baby and feed your baby so. **Dr Lindsey Sinclair:** They’re normally quite loud. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** And Louise has just pointed out to me that Friday is the ask the expert day, so that will be the day where we can all send our questions in. Build up our confidence throughout the week, and then get ready to do it on Friday. So thank you and I assume you’re all going to attend some talks today. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And fit some in but I’m hoping that it might be possible to watch them later. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Okay, yeah, yes that is also the beauty of all the on-demand stuff, that the live sessions will then be available, I think Emily you said in 24 hours after the broadcast so we can pick those up again so yeah, thank you guys. I’ve enjoyed our chat. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Lovely to talk to you, thank you Megan, and really nice to meet you both Lindsey and Emily. **Dr Emily Maguire:** Yeah, it’s been great, I think today I’m going to catch up on some of the sessions that you guys mentioned, I don’t know much about white matter damage in AD, so I’ll give that a go. And what’s the RNA one? Tau RNA, that sounds good. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** And you’re going to write someone a question, yeah? Virtually network. **Dr Emily Maguire:** Networking. \[crosstalk 00:41:58\] working side a lot. **Professor Louise Serpell:** I wanted to say something about that, because I’ve been one of those people who sits on a table who’s the ask the expert, and then the idea is that someone comes and talks to you at lunchtime, and it’s the worst thing in the world when you’re sitting there by yourself and no one comes to talk to you. So what I would say is, the people who are running those sessions want you to ask questions, they want it to be all buzzy and interesting and so yeah, that’s what I think, people want to hear from people, they don’t want to sit there all by themselves feeling a bit sad. **Dr Megan O’Hare:** Yeah, also as soon as you ask a question it prompts someone else to ask a better one so you know. But thank you guys, enjoy the rest of the week and everyone else, we are recording another podcast, we’re recording one each day this week except Friday I think, so anyway, catch our next one. Bye. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research U.K. and Alzheimer’s Society. Supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** **If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to or find us on twitter [@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** **You can find our podcast on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A) and where ever you get your podcasts.** **This podcast is brought to you in association with [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/) and [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/), who we thank for their ongoing support.** **You can find our podcast on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A) and where ever you get your podcasts.** *Finally, the views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of NIHR Dementia Researchers, PIA membership, ISTAART or the Alzheimer’s Association.* [![](//d8g345wuhgd7e.cloudfront.net/site/images/badges/w600.png)](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/qj2ay-677e2/Dementia-Researcher-Podcast) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC20, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Cardiff University, Dr Emily Maguire, Dr Lindsey Sinclair, Dr Megan O’Hare, ISTAART, Podcast, Professor Louise Serpell, Sussex Neuroscience, UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, University of Bristol, University of Sussex **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2020 - Day Two](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2020-day-two/) **Published:** July 29, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Day 2 AAIC 2020 Highlights Podcast - Biomarkers. Sharing news from this great event. Adam Smith, Dr James Quinn, Courtney Kloske and Rory Boyle. **Content:** **This week we are recording a daily podcast, sharing all the news and highlights from this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International ‘Virtual’ Conference.** #### Day Two “Biomarkers” [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) is joined by [Dr James Quinn](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-james-quinn/), Research Fellow, from Massachusetts General Hospital, [Rory Boyle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rory-boyle/), PhD Candidate from Trinity College Dublin and [Courtney Kloske](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-courtney-kloske/), Doctoral Candidate at the University of Kentucky. Check back at this time tomorrow for news from day two, and checkout the twitter feed with [\#AAIC20](https://twitter.com/hashtag/aaic20?lang=en-gb) to find more, remember all the content from AAIC20 is available on-demand for 30 days after the conference for those registered while the conference is running, and 60 days for ISTAART member. Visit [Tweet #AAIC20](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?button_hashtag=AAIC20&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **You can now find our podcasts on your preferred smart home speaker – just ask it for the “Dementia Researcher Podcast”** --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by DementiaResearcher.NIHR.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Adam Smith:** Hello. I’m Adam Smith, and I’m delighted to be hosting this podcast for the NIHR Dementia Researcher website. I sound particularly northern today, I don’t know. Am I putting that on? **Adam Smith:** Today, I am joined by three amazingly talented early career researchers, bigging them all up there, to discuss day two of the Alzheimer’s Association International Virtual Conference. With so much content to take in, and the chance to go back and watch again, what we’re going to do today is share our favourite talks from the day, so that we might highlight something that you have perhaps missed or inspire you to take a look. **Adam Smith:** It’s a little bit different, because usually the audience for these podcasts are people who haven’t managed to actually make it out to the conferences, but this year everybody can attend, which is fantastic. So I’d like to welcome first timers. We have Rory Boyle, who’s a PhD candidate from the Whelan Lab at Trinity College Dublin, researching neuroimaging and cognitive reserve, and whose name apparently means red headed king. **Rory Boyle:** Yep, it does. **Adam Smith:** We also have Courtney Kloske, who is a doctoral candidate from the University of Kentucky, reading neuro information in Alzheimer’s disease, who also has a very successful side hustle in dancing, I believe. **Adam Smith:** Is that something you still do, Courtney? **Courtney Kloske:** No, I grew up doing it so I started when I was three and continued til I was about a junior in college, but I haven’t kept up with it in grad school. I still have my ballet shoes in my apartment though, so. **Adam Smith:** So you could take it up at any moment? **Courtney Kloske:** Yes, I could go put them on right now and do some ballet for you. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic, well we could always flip his to make this a video version of the podcast, if you’d like to don a tutu? **Courtney Kloske:** Yep. **Adam Smith:** And Rory, although as much as you’re the red headed king, you actually have black hair. So, that \[crosstalk 00:02:12\]- **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, no but I have a cousin called Rory who has red hair, so yeah. Growing up I was called, my family called me Rory dubh, which means, confusingly in Irish, or \[inaudible 00:02:24\] Gaeilge, red haired king with black hair. My cousin with red hair was called Rory rua, which means red haired king. So, not a lot of sense made there but yep… **Adam Smith:** Is that the equivalent of calling you the slim guy, fat. And fat guy slim? **Adam Smith:** \[crosstalk 00:02:42\] I can say that, as the fat guy. **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, I think my mam was just copying my auntie, she liked her nephew’s name but they never copped on that I would never have ginger hair, so didn’t really work out. **Adam Smith:** Well, thank you very much Courtney and Rory as our first timers. And we do also welcome back expat, Dr. James Quinn who is a research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, researching the role of neuropeptides, and precision medicine. **Adam Smith:** Is that still the case, James? Because you’re a man of many talents, you’re always looking at new things. Is that still your field? **Dr James Quinn:** Yeah, so definitely what I’m mainly focusing on is predominantly neuropeptides, really why they’re getting dysregulated in dementia and whether they can be a potential biomarker and their PG target. **Dr James Quinn:** So, it’s really my area of expertise at the moment. **Adam Smith:** And I feel like I’ve not suitably picked on you with, we’ve got Courtney with her dancing \[crosstalk 00:03:37\]- **Dr James Quinn:** I can’t dance. I can’t dance. **Adam Smith:** Rory with his red hair, I can’t pick on you in any other way other than, I imagine, everybody else picks on you there in the US for your accent? **Dr James Quinn:** Somewhat. My parents got very annoyed when I said, my girlfriend will attest to this, when she had a lovely, I need to get this right… So, a basil plant. But I said basil to my parents, my parents basically disowned me at that point in time. **Adam Smith:** Seems very reasonable. Do you get annoyed with all your colleges walking in and going, “Do you want a cuppa tea James?” **Dr James Quinn:** I’m the one offering to make them tea, so I feel like that’s how I’ve made friends here. But, I do remember when I came for my interview I brought Scottish shortbread, I mean it was close enough. But that went down really well, so I think sometimes you have to embrace the stereotypes a little bit. **Adam Smith:** Well, I think that’s enough bullying of everybody. **Adam Smith:** This, of course, is your third AAIC recording with us, James. So I remember in our very first one, you were very critical of a certain researcher that’s just been made a full professor. Going, “They’re not the young ones anymore, we are.” And of course now, James, three years in and fellow, you’re one of the old guard now, you’re not one of the young people anymore. **Dr James Quinn:** I know, it all went wrong Adam. I keep coming back, but I think the podcasts are really good, I remember every year I’ve taken part and then as soon as the conference ended, I’ve just listened back to all of them. Kind of in a row, and it is a really good way of kind of finding out what early career researchers as well as mid-career, senior investigators think of what is going on at the conference. **Dr James Quinn:** It’s a lot easier to listen to a podcast than a talk. **Adam Smith:** Well that’s very kind of you to say so, and thank you very much everybody for coming down here and joining us. And I think this is the first time, as well, where all the panellists are people who are aren’t resident in the UK right now, so that’s another first for us as well, so the less serious introductions aside, maybe we should move onto the more serious introductions. **Adam Smith:** So Rory, could I ask you to properly introduce yourself? **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, no problem. So my work focuses on the development and validation of neuroimaging measures of brain health, but primarily cognitive reserve. So, probably most of you are familiar with the concept, but cognitive reserve is a construct that can explain how some people are able to maintain their cognitive function despite having significant levels of pathology, or despite experience brain ageing. **Rory Boyle:** So, it’s a really potentially powerful mechanism because ultimately if you can figure out how to enhance cognitive reserve, you might be at one stage able to slow cognitive decline, or able to maintain function in people who have high levels of Alzheimer’s pathology. But I suppose the focus of my work is that we don’t really have a solid way of measuring cognitive reserve. So, I’m using structural and functional MRI data, alongside cognitive and social behavioural data to try and develop an objective neuroimaging measure, and we’re using machine learned techniques to apply to these data to try and develop a robust, generalizable measure that hopefully, or it better be, accurate across multiple data sets. **Rory Boyle:** So, that is what my work is looking now. **Adam Smith:** That’s really interesting, thank you Rory. And you know, it’s funny enough you should mention that. Because that’s something that too occurred to me yesterday is, so much of what we see and hear at the conference is looking at the disease itself, rather than looking at the people without the disease to understand why they don’t get it, as opposed to why people do. **Adam Smith:** And I don’t know, it’s just interesting that the focus seems to be on the disease rather than people without the disease. **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, yeah. And I sort of I suppose it’s a bit more of an optimistic way of looking at things as well, so it’s not all doom and gloom. **Adam Smith:** And to play to those stereotypes again, that’s the Irish way, right? **Rory Boyle:** It will be grand. **Adam Smith:** And Courtney, can I come to you next? **Courtney Kloske:** Yeah, so I do neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease research, and I specially look at how the APOE ISA forms impact neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease, so definitely a big growing topic right now. And the way I’m approaching this is in a broad sense, so I’m doing a lot of work on human atopsy tissue, from the Sanders Brown \[inaudible 00:08:10\] ageing brain bank. And I’m comparing APOE3 and APOE4 patient samples to just get a broad sense of their neuroinflammatory panels and profiles in their brain. Moving from RNA to protein, and then looking at the histology in the tissue, and then kind of taking all of the things that I’m finding in the human tissue, and targeting neuroinflammation pathways in mass models, looking at how the APOE ISA forms impacts specific pathways. **Adam Smith:** That’s really interesting, and funnily enough, Dr. Lindsay Sinclair, who did the podcast with us yesterday, works in the south west UK brain bank. And that’s her field as well. Do you get brain tissue from the UK brain banks? I know they ship it all over the world as well, don’t they? **Courtney Kloske:** We might, but the brain bank that we have in Sanders Brown is pretty extensive, so I think that all of my work is done in house but I can imagine other people in the centre getting stuff from abroad. **Adam Smith:** Well, just a plug for the UK there, the UK brain banks are quite happy to supply brain tissue elsewhere. **Adam Smith:** And James, we’ll come to you now. **Dr James Quinn:** So yeah, I did my PhD in the UK at the University of Manchester, working with Professor Nigel Hooper and Dr. Katherine Kellett. And there I was looking at tau proteolysis, and that’s a post translation of one application of tau. How that can be a potential biomarker of different types of tau, so things like Alzheimer’s disease, \[inaudible 00:09:38\] generation and progressive supranuclear palsy. After completing my PhD, I moved to Mas General Hospital, to work with Dr. Becky Carlisle, and Dr. Steven Arnold, where they have got some exciting preliminary data, looking at neuropeptides, the signalling molecules in the brain. Pretty similar to neurotransmitters. **Dr James Quinn:** And essentially showing that they could be really good biomarkers of synaptic health, as they’re picked up in both brain and CSF. So my project is really just to go and do a deep dive into these neuropeptides, see if we can improve them as a biomarker, potential therapeutic target and understand what’s going wrong, in the disease. **Adam Smith:** Okay, so the focus for today’s session was biomarkers. So before I go to each of you to ask what your own highlights were, perhaps we can talk about what the Alzheimer’s Association trailed as the main plenary sessions. **Adam Smith:** Rory, did you attend the imaging biomarkers AD prevention plenary? **Rory Boyle:** Yes, I did. **Adam Smith:** With Susan Landau? **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, so it was a really great, interesting talk. There was a whole lot covered, so I suppose I’ll try and give a brief overview, but yeah Susan started off talking about how, comparing different amyloid and tau profiles that you can discover based on PET imaging. **Rory Boyle:** She just sort of, a couple of facts she pointed out that I found really interesting, were that one in five people at the age of 90 years old who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are actually amyloid negative, based on PET imaging. And then while tau can be, or is associated with amyloid positivity, a third of people who are amyloid positive actually have tau levels in the normal range. So I suppose Susan pointed out from the discrepant findings that pathologies other than just amyloid and tau can explain substantial amount of cognitive impairment. **Rory Boyle:** And then I suppose, the next thing Susan focused on was how drug trials tend to focus on enrolling people who are actually cognitively impaired, right now. To see if the kind of the cognitive treatments or drugs can reduce impairment, or slow decline. But there’s the argument that the pathological effects might be too deep rooted at that stage, to maybe reverse decline or slow decline. **Rory Boyle:** So, Susan was emphasising that it’s really important to identify biomarker profiles of cognitively healthy people as well, so that these individuals can also be used in treatment or prevention trials at earlier stages. And I suppose that’s where Susan then sort of switched focus to prevention. And she talked about the US POINTER study, so sort of the US analog of the FINGER trial from Finland. Which found that a two-year intervention, or multi domain intervention, comprised of an exercise intervention, a diet intervention, cognitive stimulation, and sort of self-monitoring of your heart health, was found to have a protective effect in cognitive function. **Rory Boyle:** And Susan, I think, is maybe the lead of the US POINTER study. So she was describing their goals, she said, “Our goal is to investigate whether that multi domain intervention will have the same effects in the US.” But they’re also collecting really rich neuroimaging data, so they’d be able to look at the neuromechanisms underlying these de-cognitive protective effects. **Rory Boyle:** And they’ll be able to ask whether lifestyle factors can protect cognitive function. Via, say, effects on vascular pathology or Alzheimer’s pathology. And they’ll also be able to look at whether PET imaging measures of amyloids or tau, or other neuroimaging measures that baseline are able to predict individuals who respond best to interventions. So, I suppose then you could target treatments maybe at these individuals as they’ll stand benefit most treatments, so that was a really nice overview of the POINTER study, or other goals. And I suppose to close, the take home message that Susan made which was really nice was that to optimize Alzheimer’s treatment and prevention, it’s all about matching the right participant or participant group, to the right treatment strategy at the right time. So I thought that was a nice easy to understand and fairly clear take home message from the talk. **Adam Smith:** And that’s a message that’s come through loud and clear a few times now, hasn’t it? In various different things- **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, yeah. **Adam Smith:** Is, it might not necessarily be the drug that’s at fault, but it’s the wrong people at the wrong time rather than an ineffective treatment. **Adam Smith:** I attended this session as well, I have to say she got through a lot of content in a short space of time. I was struggling to keep up, I may have to go back and watch that one back. **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, I definitely will too. I was typing notes one handed so I was fair bit slower as well. But yeah, there was a huge amount of content but in fairness, it was really clearly presented as well so… **Adam Smith:** Absolutely, it was. I think it was a great talk, it’s one I think you can watch back a few times and I think you’ll get something new from it each time. And I should add, that you normally don’t type notes one handed, right? It’s because you’ve got a dodgy shoulder right now. **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, well it’s my bad hand as well, so I don’t normally type notes at all maybe, but yeah. Bit slower this time. **Adam Smith:** So, James and Courtney did you watch that one too? Did you have anything to add to Rory’s summary? **Courtney Kloske:** Yeah, I watched it as well and I thought it was a great talk and I agree that, she crammed a lot of information in there but it was very well presented. As somebody who does not do neuroimagery, and was able to understand most of the talk. And kind of going off of what you’re talking about with the pointer study, and targeting the right groups, it’s something that I’ve heard before but it’s something that I liked how she said it, was the people that have amyloid positive, they’re amyloid positive in their brain, but they might have low tau. That, when we’re targeting them for certain clinical settings, and everything that we should try and focus on what else is present in their brain, she was like, “If they’re amyloid positive and low tau, they could have vascular pathology that, if we could treat that we could help all other symptoms as well.” **Courtney Kloske:** And so I think hitting that at multiple points instead of just saying, “You have Alzheimer’s disease.” And only targeting that, I think that that was one of the ideas that I really took away from the talk. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, absolutely. Good point. What about you James? **Dr James Quinn:** I agree with what Courtney said and what Rory said, but I thought it was a very good example of precision medicine based approaches, and I really like the point she made about one of the clinical trials, and back in 2015 that was a failed anti amyloid trail. But 36% of the patients they had in that trial were amyloid negative. So it was anti amyloid drug, and testing on 36% on these patients who don’t have any amyloid pathology in the first place. **Dr James Quinn:** So I thought that a real kind of key take home message, that we have to be looking at patients with a much more holistic view. Take into account all of the pathology that’s in the brain, and also all the different environmental factors that can play a role and also looking for those kind of easy hits that we can make. So, let’s say they’ve got a big vascular build up, we can look at treating them a statin, instead of going down this approach of only focusing on one drug to cure Alzheimer’s disease, which is never going to happen. **Adam Smith:** And that’s tricky as well, isn’t it? Because I think pharma companies have to consider carefully the screening and screen failure costs, which has upped the ante on getting the right people into the right trials, but also at the same time the screen fills go up, because they’re looking for amyloid, or they’re having to look for amyloid before they decide who to enrol into the trials. Which has put the costs up. **Adam Smith:** And so, I think it’s tricky finding the right people for the trials as well, which has driven the costs up as a result, I’m not quite sure what \[crosstalk 00:18:03\]- **Dr James Quinn:** That’s the perfect transition to the next talk. **Adam Smith:** It is, which I’m going to come to you about actually I think James. So, you attended the blood based biomarkers session from Charlotte Teunissen. What did you learn? **Dr James Quinn:** Yeah, so Charlotte Teunissen is one of the big players in the Alzheimer’s disease biomarker field, so she is based at the Amsterdam centre. And essentially, she really just gave tour de force overview of plasma tau, A-BETA, \[inaudible 00:18:40\] NFL, as potential AD biomarkers. She also mentioned this pre-screening idea, that they were able to by looking at plasma amyloid, they were able to rescue the number of lumber punctures down from 434 to 220 lumber punctures, to get 100 patients in clinical trial. **Dr James Quinn:** So I thought that was a really nice example of using plasma biomarkers in order to reduce number of LPs, because LPs take a long time. They’re like an hour. And also they can be perceived to be invasive. **Dr James Quinn:** So, that was a really good analogy. And she kind of talked a little bit about the two test she’s developed. So within the group, they’ve developed their \[inaudible 00:19:24\] anti amyloid approach to meeting a \[inaudible 00:19:28\] which is this kind of very fancy technique, but it’s essentially a big multi-plexilizer, that takes place in individual beads within a well, so you can have multiple wells with different antibodies on it. And you can get ultrasensitive detection. **Dr James Quinn:** So, for example, NFL you can just tech down to like three peakagrams, whereas in \[inaudible 00:19:50\] you can detect 70 nanograms. So, we’re really getting to extremely high levels of sensitivity. **Dr James Quinn:** So, she talked a little bit about that and how they have been able to multiplex these AD biomarkers to the GFAP, which is a marker of astrocytes. NFL, which is a marker of accidental damage, and then amyloid. And she showed in lots of different cohorts what was going on. And yeah, it was just a really good talk. **Dr James Quinn:** And also talked a little bit about pre analytical protocols to reduce variability. Showing that amyloid left at room temperature for 24 hours decreases, but in a fridge it’s stable, and this sort of thing. So it’s really just showing that blood based biomarkers now are at a point which we can use in clinical, well I wouldn’t say clinical practice but in research practice. In order to improve the patient recruitment into clinical trials. But yeah, I mean I could talk about this forever so I’ll let you move on to another. **Adam Smith:** Well, it’s the holy grail isn’t it? Blood based biomarkers, the holy grail that comes up. I mean certainly I think it’s come up at the AAIC for three, four years now. And it always just seems to be on the horizon. It just, oh wait we’re nearly there oh… **Adam Smith:** I don’t know, I mean you get a sense every year that we come back, it’s getting that much closer. I guess we just have to hope this time next year we’ll be there, or not we but the community will be there because this isn’t just something that one group is looking at, of course, is it? And I should get a plug in here, there’s a whole professional interest area part of ISTAART, which is specially for blood based biomarkers, and anybody interested should join that PIA, and we had Henrik doing a podcast with us last week, who talks about this very eloquently and passionately. So please do look through our archives to find that podcast. **Adam Smith:** Did anybody, Rory, Courtney, did you have anything to add on that session from Charlotte? **Rory Boyle:** No, I didn’t get a chance to listen to it unfortunately, it was my dinner time at that stage. **Adam Smith:** I love the idea, you took a lunch break. **Rory Boyle:** Dinner \[crosstalk 00:22:06\]- **Adam Smith:** Dinner. What about you Courtney? **Courtney Kloske:** I was able to watch it, and after that talk I just felt like everything just exploded in the field because she was talking about 217, the \[inaudible 00:22:21\] 217, and then the next talk an hour later, then the paper came out. So, my brain is on overload with this stuff right now, but I was just fascinated by the talk and it was a good lead into the rest of the talks for the day and that paper. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. I know I’d prepared all of you suggesting things that you might want to go to, and one of the other things I suggested which was the very last of the live sessions today, which was the leads, L-E-A-D-S, not Leeds from Yorkshire who just got promoted to the Premiership. **Adam Smith:** Sporadic early onset, AD in the spotlight session. Did anybody actually manage to get to that? **Dr James Quinn:** I could take this one again \[crosstalk 00:23:08\]- **Adam Smith:** Go, James. **Dr James Quinn:** It was super interesting. I don’t think there’s too many cohorts that really focus on this early onset Alzheimer’s disease outside of the known \[inaudible 00:23:19\] in mutations, APP mutations. So, it is essentially a cohort where they are looking at early onset Alzheimer’s disease, so anything before the ages of 65. And they just, it was definitely early stages with the cohort. They had some kind of concrete data, but they really just laid out their plans, what they’re going to be doing over the next four years, the cohort. And then the plan is to then translate that into a therapeutic unit. Therapeutic arm, where they can test novel drugs in this cohort. **Dr James Quinn:** It was really interesting, they kind of broke down clinical criteria. I think if you are interested, it’s definitely one to watch. I don’t think I could do a good enough job of summarizing what was said, because it was looking at MRI data from the cohort. It was looking at clinical demographic data from the cohort, so it’s not really something you can really explain but it’s just a really interesting cohort and it’s kind of spread throughout the US and they are planning on taking it international as well. So it could be really exciting for the future. **Adam Smith:** And there’s a few people working in that space, isn’t there? I’m thinking particularly of people like Craig Ritchie, with the prevent trial. And Clive Ballard with protect as well. Just thinking of the UK examples, I know that there are others in the US, and elsewhere in the world as well. Thank you very much, James. **Adam Smith:** So, Courtney, I’m going to come back to you because of course with so many posters, so many online sessions, on demand sessions, live sessions, and biomarkers being such a vast topic, tell me, what talks and posters caught your particular attention today? **Courtney Kloske:** So, I have not gotten to the posters yet because there were so many other talks that I wanted to listen to, so I’m getting to the posters later. But for the talks, my favourite one for the whole day of all the sessions in it was the role of microglia activation in the development of amyloid and tau pathology. So, there are four talks in that session and they were all just very fascinating, kind of talking about targeting microglia phenotypes in a different way than I would normally expect and kind of in more of a biomarker idea. So I would suggest going to check out all of those. **Courtney Kloske:** There was one specifically on higher trim two levels, and microglia activation associated with a slower rate of amyloid PET, increase in human and transgenic mouse models of amyloid data. And it was by Michael Ewers. I don’t remember where he is from, but his was one of the four talks and it was really great so I’d recommend checking those out. **Courtney Kloske:** There was one that I really liked that didn’t really have anything to do with biomarkers today, it was from Lee Goa at Harvard on sleep disturbance and \[inaudible 00:26:20\] in Alzheimer’s disease, and in this study they followed patients for 12 years and looked at their self-reported data. And I was really fascinated by their findings saying that if you have, if you sleep more than nine hours your likelihood of having Alzheimer’s disease, or developing Alzheimer’s disease, increased. And in my head I’m always telling people you need to get as much sleep as you can, whereas I think instead you have to find that nice balance. **Courtney Kloske:** And they did talk about a potential mechanism in there, so I think future studies in that will be really fascinating. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, I attended that one. It was a watch, was that? It wasn’t poster, yeah. So I went to that one too. I found that talk really fascinating too, I saw that they used UK bio bank data which particularly caught my eye because where I work, at UCL, has a bio bank. **Adam Smith:** And they had 502,000 people in their data sets, which is just such a huge number. Anybody who’s interested in data checks should definitely look up the UK bio bank, and given this study was taking place at Massachusetts General Hospital just shows you can access this data elsewhere in the world. And it was fascinating, so six to nine hours sleep, two per 1000 were going to go on to develop cognitive impairment. Whereas for the nine hours plus sleep it was 6.6 per 1000. So it was more than three times as likely, which I agree with you I mean who thought more sleep was better? I mean that’s not the case at all. I mean obviously it’s going to be complex, there’ll be more factors to play into that I’m sure if you wanted to unpick and find fault with this I’m sure you could. **Adam Smith:** But also sleep apnea was a factor, and daytime sleepiness came into that. And there was another sleep study, I don’t know if you picked up on, today as well that was talking about more frequent napping through the day was another risk, another potential biomarker as well, looking at sleep patterns through the day. I’ll have to go back through my notes. **Adam Smith:** Anyway, sorry. I interrupted you, but yeah I found that very interesting too. What else did you see? **Courtney Kloske:** EEG talk, the valuable tool to do screening for neurodegenerative and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, at the Paris Brain Institute. I’m not an EEG person, so I’m not even going to try and really get into that, but it was a great talk and it really gave a nice overview of really what they were trying to do. And it does really seem like it’s a good potential way to look at neurodegeneration, their study was from the way she presented it I really enjoyed it. **Courtney Kloske:** That one I saw you had tweeted about, so I went and checked it out. So that one was good. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, do you know what funnily enough I’ve written a note here that I didn’t mention on that sleep study which something did occur to me, so if I’m a big sleeper and I know this, and I suddenly go, “Whoa I’m going to stop getting quite so much sleep. I’m going to start getting up earlier in the mornings and going to bed later at night.” Would it make any difference? I think that is a follow up study for that one, looking at if you can change sleep patterns, does it have any effect? **Courtney Kloske:** Yeah, I don’t get the full nine hours but I do get a fair amount of sleep so as soon as I heard that I was like, “Oh no.” **Adam Smith:** And also as well of course, the Mediterranean way of having that siesta in the afternoon when it’s during the hot bit, then does that offset then by that Mediterranean diet? **Adam Smith:** So, Rory, I’m going to come to you next. Could you maybe tell us what you’ve seen and heard today? **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, yeah. So actually I suppose I seen one poster got Courtney might have seen the talk related to the poster, but it was from Nico Franzmeier, in Michael Ewers’ lab. So they’re in LMU, in Munich. Ludwig Maximilian University. But yeah, the poster showed really nice results showing that soluble trend two, from CSF, attenuated the effect of APOE on cognitive decline and \[inaudible 00:30:55\], so it suggests that maybe soluble trend two has a protective effect for Alzheimer’s that might be a mechanism through which reserve or resilience operates, so that was personally quite interesting. **Rory Boyle:** And then I seen a really nice talk, it was part of the neuroimaging predictors of cognitive decline session. And it was from Razvan Marinescu, from MIT. I think he might also be affiliated to UCL. But he gave an overview of the results from the tadpole challenge. So the tadpole challenge is sort of machine learning, I suppose, competition where participants, 33 different teams were given a load of cognitive clinical data and neuroimaging data, including MRI, PET, DTI and CSF measures as well. And they were asked to try and predict three different type of variables, so ventricular volume from MRI data, the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s around CI. And cognitional function as measured by the ADAS cog scale. **Rory Boyle:** So, I suppose not to get too into the results but what was really interesting from my point of view was that machine learning models were able to outperform random chance for predicting clinical diagnosis at follow up, as well as ventricular volume. But no model could perform better than a random guess for predicting follow up cognitive function. So, not to bring everything back to cognitive reserve, but it sort of shows the potential for cognitive reserve that there is a huge gap between neuroimaging data and cognitive function, there is something else there at play, which if we could measure better maybe we could predict these things better as well from baseline data. **Rory Boyle:** But yeah, it was really interesting and really well presented. And it was an actual academic challenge with cash prizes, so that was nice to see as well I suppose. But yeah- **Adam Smith:** Fantastic, have we covered everything else? Or was there anything else particular today you want to draw attention to? **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, I seen another really nice talk as well from McKenna Williams in UCSD, on she was presenting work from the Vietnam era twin studies, that really nice cohort where, I think they’re Vietnam veterans or from that era anyway, obviously. But she showed that an Alzheimer’s signature measure of \[inaudible 00:33:42\] was not able to predict progression to Alzheimer’s from mild cognitive impairment, but a signature based on grey matter meant the \[inaudible 00:33:51\] was able to predict regressions, so that was nice because usually just Alzheimer’s \[inaudible 00:33:57\] signature seems to be quite powerful, so it was sort of nice to show that maybe something else can outperform it as well, for predicting diagnosis. So I found that really interesting as well. **Adam Smith:** I didn’t see that one, but it sounds like it’s worth going to look up. **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, yeah. It was definitely worth a look. **Adam Smith:** I’m going to go to you now, James. You’ve attended everything today, right? I mean you’ve got a big list now. **Dr James Quinn:** I tried to. I think there’s three talks I kind of want to talk about. The first one was the COVID-19 talk, it was in the developing topics session. It was really interesting, it was led by a soon to be PhD student Jennifer Cooper at UVC, and it looked at GFAP, total tau, UCHL1 and NFL, and COVID-19 positive plasma. **Dr James Quinn:** And they showed that there was a high percentage of delirium in COVID, this is something that people in Mas General are looking at. And they showed that GFAP significantly increased, the total tau significantly decreased in COVID-19 versus ICU controls. And actually none of these measures significantly correlated with a measure of respiratory illness. So it shows that the neurological aspects of the disease is separate from the respiratory aspects of the disease. So I was fascinated by that, and I’m going to send that back to the people in my lab who are doing some COVID-19 work. Because it’s just very interesting to see we can detect neurological aspects of COVID-19. **Dr James Quinn:** And then the next talk that I want to talk about was the overall session about precision medicine, and there was one talk that I found very interesting. I’m sure I will get the same for you in a second, but where they’ve essentially showed that, they did all of this, they’ve made this, I think it was called a human farmer comb. Which was all of the data that’s publicly available about Alzheimer’s disease, plus all of the data publicly available \[inaudible 00:35:58\]. Put it together, sent machine learning to do whatever it does. And they’ve pulled out some targets, but they said they were only able to pick the targets to test further by having a cell biologist in the broom to sit down and go through the targets that were pulled out. So it was good to see that my job is going to be safe for the future, but it was a really interesting way of pulling together all other data that’s publicly available and making it so it can be used for something positive, really. **Dr James Quinn:** Let me just get the name of the presenter for you, Martin Hofmann-Apitius, but yeah. It was a fascinating talk. I’m not great with this kind of big data approach, but it was a really well described presentation. And then finally, I think the biggest news response from day has been about the tau 217 \[inaudible 00:36:57\] blood based biomarker. So I went to the blood based biomarker session, and as it was being presented I go the notification on my phone from the New York Times being like, “There’s a new biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.” **Dr James Quinn:** So it was very promising. And then a lot of the other talks throughout the day were looking at this tau 217, \[inaudible 00:37:16\] and comparing it against tau 181, as well as the tau 231. \[inaudible 00:37:27\] and showing that they, they’re all pretty similar but the 217 is the best and that it was able to predict amyloid positivity, future tau PET positivity and a ton of other things, and that it is a really exciting biomarker, and a lot of the presenters were talking about how to translate this into the clinic. **Dr James Quinn:** It wasn’t one specific talk, but I can get the paper up for you. It was titled by, the first leader of it was Sebastian Palm Q-V-I-S-T, I can’t pronounce his surname, from Lund University, which as actually a plasma P-tau 217 for distinguishing Alzheimer’s disease. And that paper was released today, comparing Alzheimer’s disease against other neurodegenerative disorders. So, showing it’s very specific to Alzheimer’s disease. Again, I do not think anybody knows why all the other tauapathies and neurodegenerative disorders do not show any increases in phospho tau, when there’s clearly phospho tau in the brain. **Dr James Quinn:** But, yeah. It was a very interesting presentation. And I think, overall, it was a very biomarker heavy day. But it was a biomarker day so, to be expected. **Adam Smith:** It’s interesting, isn’t it, how these things go through trend, to use a modern term. I mean, last year at the AAIC Bart De-Stooper, stood on the stage and said, I don’t want to misquote him but he was, “It’s all about amyloid, stop worrying too much about tau.” **Adam Smith:** I’m sure he wasn’t saying tau is not relevant, but it was, “Let’s focus son amyloid.” And this year tau has been back on top, in fact didn’t Alzheimer’s Association have a specific tau conference last year as well? **Dr James Quinn:** This year, Adam. **Adam Smith:** Oh, was it this year? Sorry, this year has flown by. **Dr James Quinn:** Yeah, I know. It was probably one of the last conferences that took place, because it was back in February in Washington. A few people from my floor went. **Courtney Kloske:** Yeah, I heard it was a great conference. But yes, that was this year. **Adam Smith:** That was this year? So I went in search, I attended lots too and I went in search to try and pick out some little gems hidden amongst the posters. And I found lots. So many posters looking particularly at cognitive testing, use of cognitive testing, variations on cognitive testing, cognitive testing games. There was a particularly interesting one from Bruno Brancher from Brussels that I found was particularly interesting that’s worth a look, if people are still browsing back through yesterday’s posters. **Adam Smith:** There was an interesting one on hand dexterity as well, and using speech recognition. And I think what kind of occurred to me particularly was with all these potential for use of biomarkers in combinations, which so many of these were suggesting. Is how few of these actually then transition through to clinical practice, I think I did make this point in Twitter before. **Adam Smith:** It’s quite interesting, they all often will show some indication but never enough to be more commonly used or to find their way into mainline practice. I don’t know, would you agree with that? Disagree? **Dr James Quinn:** I just think, I’ll bring up a comment someone else made in one of the presentation. It’s going to take 20 years to get a biomarker into clinical practice, so it’s the same as getting a therapy out. It needs to go through the same level of validation, so I think \[inaudible 00:41:15\] talked about the first CSF COW paper that came out, CSF COW amyloid paper came out in 1996, to show that was differentially different between AD and control. And it’s probably only just starting to get into the clinic. **Dr James Quinn:** They said they do neurofilament light in the clinic, but they still don’t really do tau and amyloid, so it’s a really long \[inaudible 00:41:37\] process. But it would be interesting in 10, 15 years’ time to see whether there will be this massive plethora of different biomarkers out there and stuff that you can do a home instead of having to go to a clinic. **Adam Smith:** Well, which leads me nicely onto another, I’m just going to jump through mine quickly. Iona Patchie from the University of Athens had this fantastic poster about using sniff sticks. And this resonated with me because we hosted a webinar just a few weeks ago with a guy from Turan, who was talking about the old factory system and links to condition. And the relationship between able to, the sniff sticks were able to help differentiate between people who had neuropsychiatric difficulties, as opposed to a neurological disorder quite reliably. And you could see how using that would be relatively inexpensive. **Adam Smith:** It would be fairly quick and easy, potentially, to use as well in clinical practice. So I thought that had a lot of potential, I’d like to see more on that. We had of course as well quite a few posters today on gait, although many of the ones on gait looked like they weren’t loading properly. Ríona McArdle, who joins us regularly for podcasts and is joining us later in the week as well, she had a poster looking at gait combined with other things to differentiate between different dementia types, and I think that’s got a lot of potential and I’m hoping we might be able to do a podcast in future specifically looking at gait as well. **Adam Smith:** And there was also an interesting talk from Eva \[inaudible 00:43:24\] from Wisconsin. Really just reinforcing APOE again, as a demonstrating that people with APOE dementia, onset occurs earlier with a vaster decline. But it was just interesting data, there was 16 years’ worth of data that they based that on which reinforced what I think we know. **Adam Smith:** That was a lot to take in, wasn’t it? And we’re probably running low to time. What I am going to do though is before we move on, I do want to give you all an opportunity to plug your own talks, and I’m sure you’re all presenting, right? You’ve all got posters, talks. Is there anything you’d like to plug, Courtney first? **Courtney Kloske:** I have a poster, it’s in the basic sciences and pathogeneses button at the top. And you can just type in my name and it’ll come up, I’m the only Courtney in that group so it’s pretty easy. But it’s on the imperative neuroinflammatory response of APOE4 patients, and Alzheimer’s disease. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic, and did you do one of the awesome narrations? I’m loving the poster with narration, I’m loving that. **Courtney Kloske:** No, I did not. At the same time this poster was due I had another conference, I went to the \[inaudible 00:44:40\] conference. So I was trying to finish up both posters and time got away from me. But I have watched a bunch of them, and I do really enjoy it and I wish I had taken the time to make one. **Adam Smith:** Well, please do everybody go visit Courtney’s poster there. And I think if anybody gets a chance to narrate their future, they definitely should. What about you Rory? **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, so I have an oral presentation on Thursday as part of a featured research session, so the presentation is titled validation of composite proxy measures of cognitive reserve. And it’s part of the featured research session \[inaudible 00:45:20\] cohorts, \[inaudible 00:45:22\] association between modifiable dementia risk factors and the ageing brain. So that’s on Thursday at… The live chat or the live chat room is live at 11AM on Thursday, central daylight time. So that’s 5PM Ireland and UK time, so I’ll be there to take questions but I’ll be typing very slowly, so be kind. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant, thanks Rory. Is that one of the ones that’s been recorded via Zoom and then shown back as a live session with you on the screen and everything? **Rory Boyle:** No, so I’m on the screen for the actual recorded talk, but I think we’re just doing a chatroom. We’re not actually doing Zoom for the Q&A. **Adam Smith:** Okay, fantastic. Well done. And is that your first AAIC talk? **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, it is my first year here at AAIC so my only exposure before was just to podcasts, I suppose last year. So, yeah. Unusual first time, but good. **Adam Smith:** That’s brilliant, and congratulations on being able to do a talk as well. And at your first AAIC. James, are you presenting? **Dr James Quinn:** Yeah, so my poster was up yesterday but you can still access so if you go on the basic sciences and pathogeneses tab and just search Quinn, Q-U-I-N-N. Poster’s there. It is recorded, so if you want to listen to me talk about the poster you can listen, you can hit the PDF if you’d rather not listen to my voice again. **Dr James Quinn:** And then I’ll just plug the other person in my lab who has a poster, so if you go on the biomarkers and search Trombetta, T-R-O-M-B-E-T-T-A, I had to type it and spell it at the same time to make sure I’ve got the spelling right. And she’s got a poster on plasma biomarkers, using the O link, \[inaudible 00:47:02\] which a few people have presented on today which is this large scale looking at thousands of amyloids as a potential biomarker. And yeah, so it’s been really good to see how they transitioned to virtual. I know there’s been a few hiccups, but for the first time they’re doing a virtual conference it’s been impressive. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, that’s what I was going to just spend a couple minutes on before we wrap up. It’s brilliant, right? I mean, I have to say it could have all clearly gone horribly wrong dependent so much on technology, but I mean from my perspective I think this is amazing, I think Alzheimer’s Association have done such an awesome job to pull this off. **Adam Smith:** We shouldn’t give them all the credit, because I’m sure there’s some brilliant IT company working alongside them to make this happen. But views, Rory? **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, definitely when you throw that on top of the fact that it’s free, it’s pretty amazing especially for those that don’t have access to funding or even undergraduates or just regular people who just have an interest, they can all sign up and access as much information as we can. So, it’s really great from that point of view, so I know a lot of other conferences went virtual but still kept a fairly hefty registration fees and that. So that alone is pretty amazing so the fact it works at all and it’s free, is pretty good. **Adam Smith:** I’d agree, that’s put me off attending a couple of things later in the year I have to say, the fact that they still charge, I don’t know… **Adam Smith:** I mean clearly they’ve got overheads to still cover, but to pay the same amount of money when there isn’t a venue and things like that, does feel tricky. What about you Courtney, what do you think? **Courtney Kloske:** I’ve really enjoyed it, I feel like I’m getting to see a lot more that what I normally do in person, because we don’t have to run across the whole convention centre and you can just watch that one clip and then automatically go to the next talk. You don’t have to the like, “Oh I’m stuck in this room for the full four sessions.” You can switch between different talks and we have a whole month or two, depending on if you’re an ISTAART member or not, to go back and watch more videos and check on the posters, so I think that as much as I wish I was in Amsterdam this is a nice second. **Adam Smith:** It is, there’s that kind of balance. Whilst what you’ve lost in networking, we have gained in better use of time. The ability to see so many things in one day is really awesome. We will be interested to see if they survey afterwards the people living with dementia and carers and things which of course have been enabled to participate this year, which this is one conference that doesn’t really have a high attendance, quite understandably so. I think it’s quite heavy on the science, that isn’t to say that people with dementia aren’t welcomed or their options aren’t welcomed, but it is a tricky one this one and I can understand why they don’t encourage that. **Adam Smith:** It’ll be interesting to see afterwards how many actually come back now, and say, “Yeah, do you know what? That’s one conference, we’re not so bothered for that.” Or whether their feedback is, “Yeah we welcomed the opportunity to see the people behind the research.” What about you, James? Are you loving it? **Dr James Quinn:** Yeah, I’ve been enjoying it. It was good. My dad was able to come, and couldn’t work out how to comment on my poster, but he sent me a message on WhatsApp with his questions, so I was able to write that on the poster. And I think it’s things like that which are really, really good and I think it does make it a lot more accessible. And it would be interesting to see, next year, if the whole COVID situation is calmer, whether they will stick to a virtual format or whether it will be a local format instead of being a full-blown conference. It would just be super interesting to see where conferences go in the future. And I’ve been really impressed, and the technical support have been amazing. **Dr James Quinn:** Like, my poster wasn’t online when I went on Monday morning, and within 10 minutes I emailed them and they’d put it up. So I think yeah, there’s been a few issues and it’s taken a bit of time but it’s to be expected, and the fact you can go back and look at all of them on demand. And I’m also interested to see how early career researchers have managed it with respect to being in a lab and things, because for me a conference you need to fully get involved and you go to AICs and five or six days at a conference you get really involved and have all of those opportunities to network. **Dr James Quinn:** So, it’ll be interesting, I don’t know if Dementia Research want to do anything around that, it would be quite interesting to get some kind of feedback, because I think it’s quite an important thing, because I put a Twitter poll out and it was like 67% of people have been going to virtual conferences have been going into the lab. So I have taken two or three days off to focus on conference, but then I’m going to go back in so it’d be interesting to see how it changes, what’s the word I’m looking for? How people focus on things, and how work gets in the way and all of these kinds of things. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, I think I agree. Understanding, retrospectively, whether people took specific time out to participate in the conference or just squeezed it in alongside other work and what they’re PIs or bosses, how they expected you to engage with the conference as well. **Adam Smith:** It has been tricky because it’s on different time zones, but I think the Alzheimer’s Association have done an amazing job, the people behind it, the IT company, as you’ve said they’ve been super timely to respond to things. I think the whole conference is no harder to navigate than the really life conference, we’re all getting slightly fewer steps but we’re getting more talks in. I’ve got better coffee at home definitely, than any conference venue I’ve ever been to at an Alzheimer’s Association event, so I’m pleased. I think it really is great. And we were talking about this before as well, just as my team, about the future. **Adam Smith:** And you could see how there is a place for this, irrespective of whether we’re clear for big international conferences next year or not, giving people the opportunity to participate in this way, in addition to participating in a physical conference would potentially help a lot of people from lower, middle income countries that struggle financially to attend. Or just can’t take the time out to go swanning off to Boston for a week, but would still like to participate in the conference. So whether they can do, it’s a lot more work I imagine. But whether they can do both at the same time, potentially in the future. Or even do something like, we were talking about this before, like the Olympics do, like the AAICs in the US one year and then elsewhere in the world. Maybe they put in a third year rotation, where every third year is a virtual one. **Rory Boyle:** Yeah, that would be really nice. Yeah. **Adam Smith:** I think what has, I don’t know again because I’m not behind the stats. I think this was a really fascinating opportunity, and I tweeted about this as well. For people from other diseases to come and see what’s going on in dementia. We talk about this all so often, how heart disease researchers and cancer and people working in diabetes and things like this. Could learn from each other, if only they’d go to each other’s conferences. But nobody’s got the money or time to go to a conference that’s not relevant to you. **Adam Smith:** It would be really great if there are some researchers working in other diseases at the moment that came along to this conference to inspire their own working and get some new ideas, maybe. It would be brilliant to see that. This is all we’ve got time for, thank you ever so much for everybody to attend. I wish we were now going off to a bar to enjoy a few drinks, but I’m sure we can all do that in our own kitchens. Thank you very much Courtney, Rory and James, for joining us today. **Rory Boyle:** Thank you Adam. **Adam Smith:** And we have profiles on all of today’s panellists on our website, including details of how you can find them on Twitter. Please do go look at their posters, go look at their talks. Follow them on Twitter, and please do follow up on the conversation we’ve had today with them offline. **Adam Smith:** You can please like, subscribe and review our podcast through the website, iTunes, Spotify, \[inaudible 00:55:32\]. Everywhere where you find your podcasts, just search for Dementia Researcher. We’ll be back tomorrow with Dr. Anna Volkmer, Daniella Wilson, and Dr. Leonardus \[inaudible 00:55:44\] to talk about day three. And also as well, I should say, you can ask Alexa now and she’ll find the podcast. So if you just say, “Alexa play the Dementia Researcher Podcast.” It will. Thank you very much everybody, have a good evening. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by DementiaResearcher.NIHR.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** **If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to or find us on twitter [@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** **You can find our podcast on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A) and where ever you get your podcasts.** **This podcast is brought to you in association with [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/) and [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/), who we thank for their ongoing support.** [![](//d8g345wuhgd7e.cloudfront.net/site/images/badges/w600.png)](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/qj2ay-677e2/Dementia-Researcher-Podcast) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC20, Adam Smith, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Courtney Kloske, Dr James Quinn, ISTAART, Massachusetts General Hospital, Podcast, Rory Boyle, Trinity College Dublin, University College London, University of Kentucky **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2020 - Day Three](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2020-day-three/) **Published:** July 30, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Day 3 AAIC 2020 Podcast - Clinical Manifestations; Drug Development. Sharing news from Adam Smith, Dr Anna Volmer, Danielle Wilson and Dr Leonidas Chouliaras. **Content:** **This week we are recording a daily podcast, sharing all the news and highlights from this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International ‘Virtual’ Conference.** #### Day Three “Clinical Manifestations; Drug Development” [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) is joined by [Dr Anna Volmer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/), Speech & Language Therapist and academic at University College London, [Danielle Wilson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-danielle-wilson/), Commercialisation Lead at the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London and [Dr Leonidas Chouliaras](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-leonidas-chouliaras/), Psychiatrist and NIHR Clinical Lecturer at University of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. Check back at this time tomorrow for news from day four, and visit the twitter feed with [\#AAIC20](https://twitter.com/hashtag/aaic20?lang=en-gb) to find more, remember all the content from AAIC20 is available on-demand for 30 days after the conference for those registered while the conference is running, and 60 days for ISTAART member. Visit [Tweet #AAIC20](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?button_hashtag=AAIC20&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **You can now find our podcasts on your preferred smart home speaker – just ask it for the “Dementia Researcher Podcast”** --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Adam Smith:** Hello. I am Adam Smith and I am delighted to be hosting this podcast for the NIHR Dementia Researcher website. Once again, I am joined by three special guests who have all been immersed in the third day of the Alzheimer’s Association International Virtual Conference. As with the last two days, the focus for our chat today will be what we’ve seen and heard from the conference, so that we might highlight something that you’ve missed or inspire you to go take a look at. **Adam Smith:** I’m going to cut straight to the chase. Please allow me to introduce our three panellists. We have Danielle Wilson from Imperial College London, Doctor Leo Chouliaras from Cambridge University and Peterborough Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It is a Foundation Trust, right Leo? **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, fantastic. And Doctor Anna Volkmer, who you will all know, is a speech and language therapist and academic from UCL. Hello, and thank you everybody for being here today. **Adam Smith:** Anna, I’m going to come to you first time because that’s… well, two fold. First of all, people will now know that we’re not the same person because we are actually in a podcast at the same time. You and I talk all the time, but we’ve never actually been in a podcast together before, I realise. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I’m glad that we can now differentiate between us, yeah. That’s really significant. **Adam Smith:** And the first time I’ve gotten to introduce you as Doctor. Congratulations. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Thank you very much. I’m going with evil Doctor Volkmer. I think it works well with my surname. **Adam Smith:** It does. You’d be a character with some minions, I imagine. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah. I was going for a Bond villain. And I’d like some henchmen, but you know. **Adam Smith:** Isn’t that what the children are for? Are the children your henchmen? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, precisely. That’s right. **Adam Smith:** How does it feel? I feel like we’ve been on this journey with you over the last couple of years that you’ve been writing for us, and podcasting, and doing all your blogs and webinars and things. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, I’m glad you say that. Yeah, no. It feels great. It’s a bit of a relief really, to get all the thesis stuff out of the way. But it’s also exciting to get onto the next stages. Everybody always said to me, “Your PhD is almost your gateway to being able to apply for lots more research funding.” Now I feel like the world’s opening up in lots of ways, which is exciting. **Adam Smith:** Well, exciting that you at least are perceiving it that way, because I think also as well, we’ve done blogs and podcasts on this, that it can also be the most scary of times too, when you’re starting to go, “Oh my God, what am I going to do now?” **Dr Anna Volkmer:** That’s true. To be fair, I think that’s very true for most people. I think I’m a very lucky person in lots of ways because I came to this with a career already. Actually, I’ve always got that to fall back on, and I found it really reassuring, and actually really helpful in keeping me quite calm. Whereas lots of my friends and colleagues around me, when they were overwhelmed, it was all consuming. I think also probably, things like having kids as well, that reminds you that you can be beavering away on your thesis and actually, if a child comes and chats at you, that has to be more important. **Adam Smith:** Keeping you grounded. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** Well done, and congratulations again. It’s fantastic. You’re going to have to give me a new update for your bio on our website that still says you’re a student. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Of course. **Adam Smith:** Danielle, I have to say, I was deliberately a little bit vague when I introduced you at the start there, because the last time we spoke, you were looking after clinical trials at Oxford. But now I saw your email’s changed and you’re at Imperial now. What are you up to these days? **Danielle Wilson:** Yeah. Yeah. Thanks, Adam. Yeah, as you say, I was within Oxford for the past couple of years leading the Oxford Radiology Research Unit, and also working across the university as well, to try and embed AI technology largely within radiology actually, within the NHS. I’m actually back in London at Imperial, five weeks into the new job. I am leading the Care Research Centre as the Commercialisation and Centre Manager at the UK Dementia Research Institute. **Danielle Wilson:** We focus on developing new ways to help people live well with dementia using technology. We might use movement sensors, ECG, other equipment within the home to try and prevent, predict, and to try and perhaps manage that environment so that people can live longer and much more successfully within their own home. That was what I was really interested in, listening out for at this conference. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. And actually, I didn’t realise you were working for the DRI. In a past episode, we have had… is it Dave Sharp? **Danielle Wilson:** Yep. Yep. He is the director of the centre. **Adam Smith:** We have had Dave Sharp, for anybody trolling through our back catalogue, in the session where we talked about the Alzheimer’s Society’s Summit, Care Summit. I think Dave Sharp did a talk for us about what work is going on in the DRI on care. That’s fascinating. Thank you very much, and congratulations on the new job. **Danielle Wilson:** Yeah, thank you. **Adam Smith:** Leo, it’s a while since we’ve seen you. And of course, as a jobbing clinician, I imagine you’ve had a bit of a busy few months. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Yeah, exactly. It’s been very busy. I normally work half-time for the university doing research related to Lewy Body Dementia and the epigenetic involvement of DNA methylation in Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. But I also normally work half-time for the NHS as an all-day psychiatrist. And actually, the last few months since the university has been closed, I’ve been working full-time in an inpatient psychiatric ward looking after people with dementia with all sorts of other psychiatric problems. It’s been a busy few months really. **Adam Smith:** Well, although good, it sounds like that’s the best for you. I think it’s good that they didn’t try to scoop up all the psychiatrists and put them elsewhere. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** I think people still get psychiatrically unwell, so it’s very wise to have psychiatrists doing that and not looking after people with chest infections. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. Thank you again all of you, for joining us today. The focus for day 3 of the AAIC was the Clinical Manifestations and Drug Development. That will be what we’ll talk about today. **Adam Smith:** Before I come to each of you to discuss your own highlights, I just want to pick up on a couple of what were the headline talks for the day. The one that caught the most attention on social media was Nick Fox from UCL’s session on Early Onset Dementia. Anna, did you even get a mention in his… I know Ida did who obviously has done podcasts for us before. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, Ida did, but I didn’t quite make it. I didn’t quite make the cut. He did email me and a few members of the team in anticipation of his talk and asked for advice. But one of the things, I guess I’m in a privileged position because I work with Professor Fox so as he was talking I basically knew everybody he was referencing and I really enjoyed…it’s really nice to actually hear someone you’re walking with talk, but then also hear them talking about the team as well so it was a real pleasure. I really enjoyed it. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** If I go through what he talked about and then that might be quite helpful for us to then chat about. He basically talked about early-onset dementia in terms of Alzheimer’s, so early onset Alzheimer’s and spoke about how this accounts for quite a large proportion of all the early-onset Alzheimer’s, early-onset dementia, I’m sorry. And the fact that these generally non-memory led Alzheimer’s and therefore can be really difficult to diagnose. And then he went through the kind of forming types. So he talked a bit about, he did talk a bit about the memory led, early-onset type but also talked a lot about the logopenic variant so the language led variant where people present with real preserved social façade but often difficulties in repetition and word retrieval because of the problems with the phonological buffer. He talked about the executive difficulties some people might present with and often associated with the Presenilin 1 variant. And then the visual variant so the PCA, Posterior Cortical Atrophy, and how those…He talked a bit about how with PCA people often end up with multiple trips to their opticians before they then get maybe guided towards even psychiatry with a functional diagnosis before. And I think that often happens with the language led variant as well, the logopenic, that they often get diagnosed with a functional difficulty or an anxiety issue, or even depression before they actually are able to identify that these young onset dementia are actually Alzheimer’s. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** And then he spoke a little bit more about things like age of onset and what these same genes overlap with like cortical basal syndrome. A little bit about the genetics of it essentially saying that it is a little bit more likely that it’s associated with a genetic form if it’s early-onset, but it’s still very rare that it is genetic. And he talked a little bit about mortality and life expectancy essentially saying that people with the early-onset Alzheimer’s live an average of kind of 11 years whereas people with the later-onset live an average of, I think he said 9 years. And then he really came back to actually the more day-to-day stuff is about living with it and talking about the impact on social isolation and on social isolation he came back to COVID and one of the things that Aida Suarez Gonzalez has done in our team at the Rare Dementia Support Group is she’s published and collated a lot of work around what’s been done to support the people with the rare dementia in particular who are living with CoVid. Well, during CoVid sorry, they haven’t got CoVid themselves, but during CoVid and what’s been done in terms of care. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** And then he also pointed out the fantastic work being done by the Rare Dementia Support which I’m also part of. So the rare Dementia support at UCL is an organization led by Professor Seb Crutch and they have built a support group for all of the rare dementia including PCA, PPA, early-onset Alzheimer’s and a Carer’s group and behavioural variant and they do fantastic work in hosting support sessions and support kind of talks and networking sessions and also actually being constantly on the phone to people. They have fantastic phone, I feel like I’m in an advert now, but people can phone up from all over the country and even beyond and we’ve actually…What I’ve found quite interesting at the minute, we’ve actually found that we’ve had more calls, way more calls at the moment during the CoVid period to those lines and particularly… **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, from my experience what happens in that team is that the team members take the calls and they direct the ones specifically where its related to language or swallowing, which is what I do as a speech therapist, they direct them to me. But I’ve had an overwhelming number of people wanting to talk about communication because they feel so isolated and that is something that Professor Fox touched on. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** But it was a really, really accessible talk and it was the second time he’s given a plenary talk at AAIC so I think it was a great honour for him to do that a second time, but it was great. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I’m a fan. **Adam Smith:** It was I think, yeah people were raving about it on social media and I completely agree. I think he was clear, concise, accessible. When the video started to play I was a little bit unsure because I’m not always a big fan, I have to admit, I think they can be a little bit uncomfortable particularly if technology doesn’t work in watching those. They really, I think they really did add to it. They were useful in the place where they were inserted. So yeah, well done, Nick. **Adam Smith:** Danielle and Leo did you have anything to add to Anna’s fantastic summary? **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Yeah, I really liked it, as Anna said. She made a very good summary. I also really liked that he started his presentation thanking all of the members of his team for all of their work but also he made a very good mention on all of the people and their families who have been taking part in the trials and the studies which I think is very important to acknowledge. **Adam Smith:** There are a few people that did it, I am recalling Shane Ludlow’s plenary from last year when he collected his award, he did very much the same. Kind of making sure that everybody got the right credit throughout it wasn’t just a token gesture of, “Oh and here are the other people in my lab at the start.” I think that’s…it shows a lack of ego there which, I think is fantastic. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much Anna for providing that wonderful summary. And Leo, I’m going to come to you next. Did you, you attended the Mechanisms of Neurovascular Dysfunction and Interaction with AD, AD Pathology, which Costantino Ladecola led. And I think salt was discussed in there, as I butchered that name. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Yes exactly. It was a really fascinating talk by Costantino Ladecola from Cornell University in the United States and he actually has been doing this kind of work for several years so he gave a very comprehensive summary of quite a lot of work they have done in the field. Essentially, it comes back to a lot of the clinical work we do. Except in clinics we diagnose people in memory clinics about 70 or 80% of the people get a diagnose of Alzheimer’s disease but when we do actually do the neuro pathological studies we see that the number is lower and most of the people actually have mixed pathologies: Alzheimer’s and vascular disease as well. And starting from the point his group has been trying to understand a little bit more about the contribution of cerebral vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease and how the different pathologies interact and he had very good material in his presentation. He explained exactly how the cerebral vascular system in the brain works and about its own auto-regulation mechanisms. That the brain needs to ensure that it regulates the blood flow and how this goes wrong in Alzheimer’s disease and in dementia with the different types of cells that are involved in the system and he said that it’s widely believed that \[inaudible 00:16:15\] pathologists contribute to \[inaudible 00:16:18\] dysfunction and dementia. He also showed very good data about how Alzheimer’s disease pathology actually affects the cerebral vascular system and then through that causing dementia. And we do know very well that hypertension is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and he tried to explain the mechanism of that but also how salt is involved, as you said, through a series of experiments. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** The work mainly is in live mouse models, but they have a lot of high profile publications and they actually saw that normally the brain has their own vascular regulation system and what happens in Alzheimer’s disease, there is a failure of this whole cerebral vascular system. That’s through oxidative stress and they identify the particular type of cell \[inaudible 00:17:10\] that are involved in the process. And that it seems \[inaudible 00:17:16\] and our pathology as well as hypertension activate those paravascular \[inaudible 00:17:22\] cells and they cause dysfunction in all levels. And then through that the brain is depleted of the nutrients and the blood flow and then we have the clinical symptoms of dementia. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** And then he went on to talk about the salt and how that is causing dysfunction. Obviously salt can increase hypertension and that can be a problem, but it seems that salt also has an independent mechanism of how they cause damage in the blood vessels in the brain. And it seems that salt directly affects the epithelial cells in the brain and through that, through inflammation, it affects the function of the blood vessels. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** What I thought was very interesting was that they then went on to find out more about how salt interacts with the epithelial cells looking at the specific inflammatory factors quite refined work. And they actually then came to the conclusion that salt directly affects \[inaudible 00:18:21\] and in mine that had the cerebral vascular damage, when they gave them an \[inaudible 00:18:27\] treatment they still managed to rescue their cognitive function meaning that it’s not just blood vessel damage, but also blood vessel damage associated with \[inaudible 00:18:39\]. And essentially gave back the message that through studying the cerebral vascular disease and blood vessels in the brain we can find modifiable risk factors to reduce the risk of getting dementia, but also open new therapeutic targets trying to ensure that the cerebral vascular system in the brain is working very finely. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** So I thought it was a very good talk and very good data. As I said it was in mainly mouse models so I think we need to see how that can translate to humans, but overall very high quality of work and as I said, work over several years. I think the message is we do need to reduce salt intake and also manage the modifiable risk factors that we know very well, hypertension, and in general showing that healthy lifestyle can reduce our risk of getting dementia and that there are particular mechanisms behind that. **Adam Smith:** A really good summary. Thank you, Leo. **Adam Smith:** Did anybody else manage to get to that session as well? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** Anna. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Sorry I went to that session as well and I really enjoyed it, I found it really accessible. I thought the visuals that he used to explain the mechanism as a non-medical person, I found that really, really helpful, it made it really clear. And when he went into the information on dietary so I found it quite fascinating because he also explained something about dietary salt collecting in the guts and causing something, was it IL17, to be released which in turn impacts on cerebral vascular function. Is that right, Leo? **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Yeah, exactly. So it seems that the inflammation and the signals already start from the gut and then signal the damage response to the brain so it was very, very interesting. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, fascinating how you know that kind of…It’s not just in the brain but also in the gut. We don’t think about all those different levels, but equally that idea that we’ve always talked about high dietary salt being bad for you, but actually why and how, I thought that was really valuable. Made it very, very accessible. **Adam Smith:** It is. I completely agree and as you say, another modifiable risk factor to add to the list. It’s a point at a change of lifestyle, generally isn’t it. Because I think whether that’s reducing salt, getting the right about of sleep, the right diet, keeping your brain active, taking more exercise. These are all the same things that we’re told if we want to avoid strokes and diabetes and heart disease and things like this. So, it’s kind of no surprise that this is a factor, however understanding why it’s a factor is important so it can be looked at further. **Adam Smith:** Thank you Leo and Anna for summarising that. So let’s talk more generally about the stuff we’ve seen and heard. **Adam Smith:** Danielle, you’ve been quiet. Let’s come to you first of all. So what did you see and hear yesterday that caught your eye? **Danielle Wilson:** Yeah, sure. **Danielle Wilson:** So, my previous work within dementia has been around clinical trials, recruiting patients into trials and running really big prevention studies. And only being within the DRI for the \[inaudible 00:22:07\] I wanted to go and see what was happening within technology and I really focused my attention there. So, something that caught my eye was a presentation by Professor Ipsit on how at the University of Harvard where she outlined mapping behavioural symptoms within dementia using passive radio sensing. And how the digital phenotyping makes this work possible. And by that she defined that as moment-by-moment quantification of the individual level of the \[inaudible 00:22:47\] phenotype in \[inaudible 00:22:48\]. So using data for personal digital devices to enable us to study perhaps how people move around their homes and what that then says about what might be happening clinically. **Danielle Wilson:** So he used quite a good example of a patient with a depressed mood for example and being able to use voice analysis, perhaps using an Alexa device or your mobile phone to be able to track that. But also using atticrophy, which is the study of movement, to perhaps track sleep, appetite, or psycho motor symptoms and he then applied that to dementia. So could we, perhaps, manage, track, agitation or the other end, apathy. **Danielle Wilson:** So, his group have been working with MIT Massachusetts, its geo technology, to monitor this movement and behaviour and using A.I. to then map these movements. And what I really liked about his presentation was his use of the technology which is still fairly experimental, and then using it to try and help clinicians facilitate earlier intervention. And they have been able to demonstrate that change of movement or old patterns of movements could be used to adjust medication or behaviour or interventions. And they’ve used it CoVid patients as well living in an assisted facility where they were able to manage breathing rate of those that were diagnosed with CoVid and the changes between day one for example versus day four. And obviously not having to have very close contact to be able to do that so I really like the evolution and the quick nature that that could be used within CoVid patients so I found that really interesting. **Danielle Wilson:** There were a couple of other presentations that caught my eye, do you want me to summarise those as well? **Adam Smith:** Yeah please do. Jump in. **Danielle Wilson:** So one was work being led by Professor Al Landford at UCL and was presented by Myra Bellow \[inaudible 00:25:02\] and it was an eye compass as they call it. It was preliminary work really to get the views of clinicians. So if this was a dashboard, a tablet, or an app that could actually track a patient’s progression using individualised markers. So the clinician can call this up, they can compare it to the previous trajectory, trajectory of other people with the same diagnosis and it would also show progression over time. So I thought that was a really neat piece of work that could actually help use some of the technology that we’re talking about to then translate that into the clinic where it becomes really useful for clinicians treating patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s, but other diseases as well which need tracking overtime. **Danielle Wilson:** And there were two other things that really caught my eye, digital bio-markers. And this was presented by Professor \[inaudible 00:26:04\] Dodge from Oregon Centre Ageing and Technology. And she described the digital bio-marker as using participants as their own universe, which actually I really quite liked. And using these digital bio-markers within clinical trials. So she has gone even further, so can we use technology such as movement of mice\[s\] for example in clinical trials as the outcome measures. Because actually \[inaudible 00:26:39\] on the NIC or my CSS levels have gone up or down by a couple standard deviations might not mean much to that patient in their own home, yet if they’re sleeping better or if they forget to take their medication as regularly that will have the biggest impact. So it’s trying to use technology that we might see in people’s homes in a meaningful way for those patients and their families to then translate that into outcomes for clinical trials. And I thought marrying up all of those things was incredibly interesting and a really emerging area I think, of kind of watch this base. And also the emphasis on using technology doesn’t mean getting rid of the human in healthcare but it means we can provide additional information or can actually support clinicians to make perhaps better or more personalised decisions and then help those people with dementia and their families live longer in their own homes. So I really like that combination of taking it from the home, into clinical trials and into the clinic as well. **Danielle Wilson:** And then the last presentation was from Adam Hampshire at Imperial, so as part of the DRI, with \[inaudible 00:28:04\] and they outlined results from the Protect Study using cognitract which is a battery of assessments. Which is actually an online battery. They’ve used it on ten thousand people without dementia participants that were over 50 years of age to see if it could track progress over time. To see if people would actually do it from the comfort of their own homes and actually is it cost effective as well. And they were able to demonstrate all of those things actually. It is cost effective, you can track change over time, and it is quite sensitive to change which could therefore mark advantages for clinical trials. Can we ask people to do things from the comfort of their own home, are they sensitive to that change and actually are they cost effective. So I thought that was a really interesting presentation as well and ties into the work that we do within the DRI at the care research and technology centre so it was good to see that within all of the other things that were being done while \[inaudible 00:29:16\]. So I found those really interesting and I would definitely give them a watch if you haven’t already. **Adam Smith:** Thanks, Danielle. I think we’re really starting to scratch the surface with technology. I think there’s still a lot of concerns about the reliability of its use and concerns about ethics of the data and things like that but between that combination of…I saw an interesting \[inaudible 00:29:43\] yesterday somewhere which, is probably somewhere at my fingertips around smart phone ownership in elderly populations in the US was something like 80% and there were more people with smart watches then you’d actually imagine. In Florida, I think it was, over 50% of over 55 had the smart watch or something like that. That combination of smart watch with your smart home devices actually starting to understand what kind of questions do you ask and how often you ask them. **Adam Smith:** Has anybody of yet…I love my sci-fi, but if you’ve seen that Adastra Movie recently and then the more recent Blade Runner film where they had these computer A.I.s that asked you questions and then listened to how you answered them to decide if there was some kind of intervention needed. So you can imagine your smart home asking you some questions every morning when you wake up and combining with your smart phones and wearable. And if that’s what it takes in order to predict that you’ve got an issue in your thirties and forties to act on those modifiable risk factors then it might seem a bit sci-fi, but let’s…I’m all up for that, I love technology, I’m a techno-positive rather than a techno-phoebe. **Adam Smith:** Between asking each of you I’m going to pick up on something I heard as well \[inaudible 00:31:11\]. So the one I’m going to mention, first of all I’m kicking myself because having asked everybody to make sure you knew who gave the talk I didn’t write the note down myself. So this was the talk on use of AXS05 which is a drug intervention for use in agitation. There’s lot of data in the talk which I recommend you go back and look but the main takeaway from this was that over this five week trial of what they call advanced one trial, this particular drug treatment had a 30% reduction on the CMA eye scale and agitation. Its recommended that this might be only a short-term use but 30% after and you started to see the benefits after about a week or two, I think it was. So that seems like I know right now, particularly on today’s sessions, there will be a lot of discussion around agitation and how to manage that through cognitive behavioural therapy and other non-drug interventions. But I think when…I think most people would agree that sometimes a short-term drug might have its place and if that is the case having one that’s the right drug and that’s effective rather than relying on the old-fashioned antipsychotics is important and X05 looks like it may have some potential, so do go have a look at that talk. **Adam Smith:** Who am I going to come to next? Anna, what did you see? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I looked at quite a few different and diverse things but I just wanted to pick up on a poster that links with what yourself and Danielle mentioned. It was a poster by a guy called Alexander \[inaudible 00:33:01\] in the department of speech, music and hearing at KTH \[inaudible 00:33:07\] Royal Institute of Technology. I’m not sure exactly where that is, but he was essentially describing the idea of early diagnosis of dementia through audio recordings. So using like, so you get somebody to do like a description of a picture. Something we often use in speech therapy and neuro psychology is a cookie theft picture and then recording it and using the google automatic speech recognition module and actually using that to look at things like accuracy, precision, specificity, and recall and using that as an early detector for dementia symptoms. And I know that’s something that I’ve discussed with many people previously, this idea of like using your mobile device to pick up on conversation actually rather than…because we know that things like picture descriptions or answering specific questions has got some validity, but actually in language we think that conversation carries a lot more information about how people are managing cognitively and functionally and so…But the problem, of course, with that is then, this isn’t in the poster this is more my reflection, is that difference is that actually if you’re recording using your Alexa or your phone conversations you’re actually recording people who aren’t there. Sorry, who haven’t consented. And I think that’s often a problem with some of these devices and the ideas around technology is how do we get over consent? Because it’s one thing for example, Danielle described that example where people are looking at senses and you can kind of monitor where you’re walking. I looked at another poster and they were talking about a GPS monitor. But then there’s another thing where you’re capturing more in their environment which is, audio or video, something else but would provide so much more useful information. That’s what I’m really looking forward to in the future. Is how we get over that hurdle and capture more of that. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** The other thing, I looked at lots of posters because I think they had a lot more…probably because of the therapist in me. Many of the intervention and the therapy stuff is more in the poster section and there was a really nice poster I looked at which links to a talk actually that I did. One of the webinars that I did, Adam, on remote therapy; delivering things through the computer. And the poster was called “The Virtual Interface for Dementia Management in CoVid-19 Era and Beyond” and it was presented by someone called Paul Agoss from the University of Toronto. And she had done a kind of systematic review of the literature on delivering remote assessments or doing remote assessments like the Mocker, and the MMSE, and the Boston Naming Test and looked at…and basically demonstrated that they were equally valid. In the review it was demonstrated whether they’re done remotely, by video technology, or in person. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** But then she also addressed, and I think this is quite nice because this is real. What happens in reality in clinical context is the research says, Yeah you can do all this stuff, but actually there’s always barriers. And she took some of the barriers from the literature and kind of addressed them with information from the literature. And I think often, we say yeah you can do everything remotely via video technology, but actually she was raising that there’s really limited access to technology, there’s always technical interference, as we’ve experienced today. There’s always issues of privacy and security and there can be kind of issues in terms of people’s actual knowledge and awareness of technology and she presented a list of ideas and solutions which I thought was just really neat to make it…bringing the literature into the functional, kind of real domain. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** The last poster I wanted to mention was something I always think is really…I see this all too often. It’s a poster by somebody…So the poster is called a Case of Amyotrophic Lateral sclerosis so ALS or MND as we call it in the UK, with a frontal temporal dementia manifested as naming and sentence comprehension disorder by \[inaudible 00:37:49\] from Beijing, China. Essentially what he’s saying in this poster is that normally it’s very rare for MND to be associated with the frontal temporal dementia, but it does happen. And he was saying it happens more often with the behavioural variant, but then presented this example of somebody who, he hasn’t said this, but essentially I would interpret this person having potentially more of a non-fluent variant of \[inaudible 00:38:22\] because they described this person as having problems with sentence comprehension. And I actually think this is more common than we realize, from my clinical observations. So clinically these are the people who often get sent to me because they’ll have been diagnosed with something a little while ago. So they’ll be diagnosed with the Frontal Temporal dementia often a non-fluent variant and as time goes on they develop more and more \[inaudible 00:38:52\] symptoms so symptoms that impact on their swallowing and their speech. And then ultimately swallowing is one of the highest risk issues, you know people developing chest infections and often it is really difficult of poorly managed because it’s not as well recognized and there’s very little research in this area. And I’ve had patients who’ve bounced around where their speech therapist say, “Well I don’t know why this is happening because it shouldn’t be happening.” And medical professionals are saying, I don’t know why this is happening either but actually I’m really glad they presented this because I know it’s rare, but it’s really useful to have these case studies and I think what would have been a really nice conclusion is to say how they managed it. But again that intervention is still neat. **Adam Smith:** Thanks, Anna. Interesting. Does anybody have any other points to pick up on Anna’s…I think you definitely went looking for the things that you’re specialist area there. That’s why nobody else can call in because we’re all like Anna is the expert on these things. **Adam Smith:** Picking up on a couple more that I went to. I saw a talk from \[inaudible 00:40:03\] Gordon from the Banner institute, I went in search of this because this was talking about gene match and how they use gene match to enrol to the generation study which was stopped early. **Adam Smith:** Main takeaways from this for me, no real surprises but they had quite a high uptake of people who were interested as a result of being on the register, but that drops down the longer you’ve been on it. As somebody who’s had a hand in joint dementia research in the UK , knowing that the new registrants are the most active and motivated is no real surprise, but it sounds like gene match has some real potential. And I don’t think we’ve got quite that same system in the UK yet. Certainly not open, \[inaudible 00:40:54\] Collected is part of protect and prevent and things like this but they’re not as open and as accessible as gene match is. Maybe that’s something to look out for JDR in the UK in the future. **Adam Smith:** Clive Ballard, of course, I hope I’m not stealing your thunder here Leo, are you going to talk about Clive still? **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** I was about to talk about that. **Adam Smith:** Then I will skip Clive Ballard’s talk, I don’t want to steal your thunder. We also saw Biogen were back in the auditorium presenting no new data from engage and emerge other than to keep this in the spot light clearly which biogen are keen for us to do and everybody is always very interested in what biogen have got to say, but they were quite up front in saying that there was no new data being presented. That the Emerge trial was the successful one and Engage didn’t reach its end point and that work continues. **Adam Smith:** Anna though, just picking up in your speech in language therapy. There was a talk from somebody in Cambridge that you might want to go look at that tested out the reliability of Google’s auto-translate service in people with dementia were found at a 35-65% accuracy. But again, I didn’t make note of the name. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** That’s all right I’ll look it up. I think that’s quite common that a lot of these automatic speech recognition systems. They find it difficult to cater to the accent but also any speech or language errors so they become less and less accurate. **Adam Smith:** The last point I will make before I come to you Leo was there have been a few presentations thinking about the impact of CoVid-19. **Adam Smith:** So Hugo Gertz gave a presentation that explored that CoVid interrupted many trials and as a result they would be missing lots of data and they were looking at how they could create a modelling platform to essentially, hopefully, reliably fill in the gaps. I’ve got to say, I don’t think I fully understood this so I would recommend if people are interested in how you might fill in the gaps from your studies that were interrupted by CoVid you might want to go watch that talk by Hugo. **Adam Smith:** Also, Cath Mummary \[inaudible 00:43:24\] introduced a professional interest area talk and I think later this week, through the PIAs over the coming weeks. They’re going to be looking at how trial sites have been affected by CoVid-19, as well. **Adam Smith:** \[inaudible 00:43:42\] gave an argument that there would need to be more online engagement and more use of online cognitive testing because of the impact of CoVid and peoples’ hesitancy to visit healthcare settings and nervousness around that so this might be the drive that we finally need to move towards more home-based diagnosis rather than clinical settings. Which has been in the background for quite some time. The last piece from CoVid as well was a press release from AAIC that there’s been an announcement from Alzheimer’s Association of a new research study to globally track and understand the long term impact of exposure to the Novel Corona virus on the brain which I know that’s been something getting talked about a little bit at UCL as well so it’ll be interesting to see the details of that study. That press release is online and I’ve tweeted about that as well so I think if you’re interested in the details of that study that they’re just kicking off I would suggest you go find it on social media. **Adam Smith:** Leo. That’s my romp through the headlines that I’ve written down. My notes are all in the bin now. Please tell us what were your highlights from yesterday? **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Wonderful and fascinating talks yesterday. I attended a session called “Re-purposing Drugs Targeting \[inaudible 00:45:12\] Inflammatory Mechanisms” there were quite a few good talks there. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Howard Feelit \[inaudible 00:45:17\] from the ADDF, the drug discovery foundation, presented some studies are doing concenolithic\[inaudible 00:45:26\] therapy so compounds targeting cellular \[inaudible 00:45:30\] is an alternative way of trying to Macular Degeneration. There was an excellent talk on microglia cells in Alzheimer’s disease by \[inaudible 00:45:40\]. He’s from a company in Germany but he gave a very good explanation of the different types of microglia. And that some might be protective, some of them harmful and some others we don’t really know. So it’s not just all microglia, all the same. And what was the take-home message for me from that one was that actually mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, their microglia is different from microglia in human brains and I think that’s an important message, and for any sort of translation or aspect of that. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** And then it was Clive Ballard from \[inaudible 00:46:19\] University here in the UK and how they used public level of \[inaudible 00:46:24\] data to find drug targets, repurpose drug targets for Alzheimer’s disease. They started from, they created the transcriptomic signature of Alzheimer’s disease which is public level of the data. Then they used connectivity maps of different compounds tested in cancer cell lines and they found which ones would be relevant for this transcriptomic signature and then tested those and came up with about 20 compounds that are of interest and now they do more work on that and also \[inaudible 00:46:57\] and how those have led to some clinical trials so that was interesting. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** And there is ongoing work on the GLP1 analogs and how those might be a good target and some data coming out. So some hope that there are still trials, there are still targets going on. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** And there was a lot of other sessions from dementia with Lee Bodies yesterday. There were sessions from biomarkers looking at EZ, a lady from \[inaudible 00:47:30\] talking a lot about EZ work and \[inaudible 00:47:34\] dementia. Gene Leverans from the United States on the DRB \[inaudible 00:47:41\] studying the US trying to understand more about people with Lewy Body Dementia. As well as some new \[inaudible 00:47:50\] CSF to measure alpha synuclein so people nowadays use acids that they used for proteins to measure alpha synuclein in the CSF anyway so hopefully we will come up with body markers for Lewy Body Dementia as well soon. As well as using FPG type in the singular \[inaudible 00:48:11\] island sign on the FDZ to help distinguish Lewy Body Dementia from other neurodegenerative diseases. So, I just thought those were very interesting talks on Lewy Body Dementia as well as some on the neuropsychiatry and behavioural neurology talks again on Lewy Body Dementia. Parit \[inaudible 00:48:34\] from the Mayo Clinic presented how perhaps males with DLB are different from females with DLB, presenting with slightly different symptoms which again is very interesting. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Frederick Blang from \[inaudible 00:48:47\] presenting data on perhaps some new, different autonomic symptoms in DLB that we often overlook in clinical practice around sweating and more \[inaudible 00:49:01\] and tears associated with 34 hour autonomic dysfunction. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** So I thought that was all very interesting things going on. Some posters as well I visited but the posters were actually from different days. From Cambridge here, James Throw gave a very fascinating talk on demand about the knowledge of the metric system involvement in progressive super or nuclear policy and it was actually very interesting to see the work they do in their group. They see people in their clinics, they scan their brains using seven Tesla MRI scans focusing on the local cecalis\[inaudible 00:49:38\] and then they also look into the neuropathology when those people donate their brains and actually they have a plan for those studies. They have used them for clinical studies. They are using automoxidive and progressive super or nuclear palsy to investigate some of the symptoms so overall very comprehensive approach targeting the neuro \[inaudible 00:49:58\] system in progressive or nuclear \[inaudible 00:50:00\]. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. Thank you, Leo. I have absolutely failed to keep this anything like to time. But it’s so hard because I think there’s so much going on and everyone’s been to so many fascinating talks that everybody wants to share. And I think this hopefully will still be useful. Because of course, particularly for an ISTAART member I think all the talks in the content from the conference is going to be available over the next month so please, I hope the podcast has inspired you to go look something up. Last chance now, put your hand up, nobody else can see this but if you have a talk to plug yourself that you’d like to mention or a poster that you’d like to highlight that you’re presenting. **Adam Smith:** Okay, let’s go to Danielle was first. Danielle… **Danielle Wilson:** Yeah I’m not presenting this year but I hope that we will have a bigger presence next year actually. It was something you said, Adam, about CoVid and it really is kind of two sides of the coin being the loss that everyone suffered, you know the funding, the experiments that have lost data, etc. But I think it’s also the opportunity that it presents to really push forward the use of the remote assessing patients and how we do that and how we do that quickly. And how we assist our older populations to be able to do that quickly so I just wanted to loop back into that because I think it’s really bottom. **Adam Smith:** I agree. Thank you, Danielle. **Adam Smith:** Leo? **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Yeah also, I’m not presenting something this year but I wanted to mention my colleagues from Cambridge who actually are presenting a lot of new data on the prevent dementia study from here in the UK. A lot of the imaging data is now coming in so how different are people who have a family history of dementia compared to people who don’t have that and the \[inaudible 00:51:55\]… **Adam Smith:** So their names, anybody specifically we should go look for? **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Yeah. Elijah Mak, Andre Lowe, and Maria-Eleni Dounavi and Lee Su as well. If people search on the Abstracts prevent dementia study those will come up. Very interesting data coming out. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. Thank you, Leo. **Adam Smith:** I also am co-author on a poster that’s being presented today by Professor Yun-Hee Jeon from Sydney University where I have a collaboration with them on use of registers and this looks at comparing the different study recruitment registers from three different places in the US and Australia, and the Netherlands and the UK as well so please do go give that a look. **Adam Smith:** The last study, I didn’t mention, but I saw a great presentation on a trial bus. Which this is a huge trailer, imagine those kind of imaging trailers that we see for breast screening and things that get towed around to various places. They created one of those as a clinical trial sight to particularly take to people where there were huge populations of people, but half an hour from a trial sight. Half an hour really didn’t seem too long, but half an hour was apparently too far. It looks amazing, the first couple of slides they’re sharing it and all and then the last three slides they’re telling you what a nightmare it is between staffing with no one near it and having to travel miles and not being able to keep anything in it and finding places to park it and getting it level and then the costs of moving it from place to place. It sounds horrifically complicated but they were still keen having spent $400,000 just on making it to make sure it paid for itself. So have a look, I thought it was a great idea at first for Scotland and by the end I would talk myself out of it. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much to our panellists: Leo, Danielle, and Anna. I think the big takeaways from today are: Tech is good. We should embrace technology. Everybody should go watch Nick Fox’s talk which is available online now. There’s hopefully a potentially exciting new drug for use in agitation but only where absolutely necessary and we should all be taking in less salt. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much everybody again. We’ll be back tomorrow with discussing Day 4. Please remember to like, subscribe and leave a review of the podcast through the website or wherever you get your podcasts. Tomorrow I will be joined by Riona McArdle, Esther Wiskerke and Dr Byron Creese to discuss what I think is the Care Day, which is today of course. We’re all going to be rushing off now and looking at those. **Adam Smith:** Thanks very much everybody! **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Thank you. **Danielle Wilson:** Thank you. **Dr Leonidas Chouliaras:** Thank you. **Adam Smith:** Enjoy the rest of the conference and thanks again! **Voice Over:** Brought to you by DementiaResearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s society. Supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- **Like what you hear? 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Our last for 2020, with Adam Smith, Dr Riona McArdle, Dr Byron Creese and Esther Wiskerke. **Content:** **This week we are recording a daily podcast, sharing all the news and highlights from this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International ‘Virtual’ Conference.** #### Day Four “Public Health; Dementia Care and Psychosocial Factors; Dementia Care Practice” [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) is joined by [Dr Riona McArdle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-riona-mcardle/), Research Associate from Newcastle University, [Dr Byron Creese](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-byron-creese/), Senior Research Fellow from Newcastle University and Dementia Care Consultant [Esther Wiskerke](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-esther-wiskerke/). Check back at this time tomorrow for news from day four, and visit the twitter feed with [\#AAIC20](https://twitter.com/hashtag/aaic20?lang=en-gb) to find more. [Tweet #AAIC20](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?button_hashtag=AAIC20&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **You can now find our podcasts on your preferred smart home speaker – just ask it for the “Dementia Researcher Podcast”** --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher podcast, brought to you by demetiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. In association with Alzheimer’s research UK and Alzheimer’s society. Supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Adam Smith:** Hello. I’m Adam Smith. I’m delighted to be hosting this podcast for the NIHR Dementia Researcher website. I’m, once again, joined by a new panel today of dementia researchers to discuss day four of the Alzheimer’s Association International virtual conference. We’re going to be discussing some of the big news from the day and our personal highlights. As we know, many of you haven’t managed to attend over the last couple of days because you’re back in the labs and back at work so we hope this podcast will help direct you to some of the great content that’s out there. So I’m delighted to welcome back three people you’ll know from previous episodes. We have Dr. Riona McArdle from New Castle University, hi Riona. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Hi, everyone. **Adam Smith:** We have Dr. Byron Creese from the University of Exeter. Hello, Byron. **Dr. Byron Creese:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** And we have Esther Wiskerke. **Esther Wiskerke:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** That’s completely pronounced wrong, right? I mean that’s not even how you just told me to pronounce it. Esther is with us again as well. Riona we haven’t seen you, is its last year’s AAIC since you were last with us? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Yeah. It is. **Adam Smith:** It’s a whole year. Yeah. We really must do something more. I’d really love to do a podcast on your work on gait. You’re not the only one at the moment, are you? I’ve seen there’s quite a few posters and talks on gait this year. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** There was a few this year. Probably a bit less than actually last year. But there was a few and there was a lot of attendees who are very interested in gait as well, which is very good to hear. **Adam Smith:** It is. It is. Byron, so much of what’s being presented this year is from Exeter. It must be a good place to be. **Dr. Byron Creese:** Yeah, it’s good. I’m having a lot of fun there, enjoying me time and there’s a good bunch of people to work with. Good dementia research community for sure. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. Well it’s great to see so much coming out of Exeter and the UK, particularly, and Esther, it’s not quite so long since we saw you last. And, of course, I should say that you’re Dutch. So I feel like we needed a token Dutch person to make up for the fact that we’re not in the Netherlands this year. Were you planning to attend had this not been virtual? **Esther Wiskerke:** I might’ve missed it, no. I fear I would’ve had to miss it due to work commitments. **Adam Smith:** I think it’s fantastic that I think so many other people who, otherwise wouldn’t have been able due to work or because the costs were quite prohibitive, are being able to attend. And your first day I see as well, Esther. **Esther Wiskerke:** Indeed. Because of it being virtual it has been a bit more accessible and yeah, I enjoyed it. It’s nice to have a peak. **Adam Smith:** Thank you all for joining us today. Do you know what? Today’s sessions were public health, dementia care, psychosocial factors and dementia care practice. That’s quite a lot to take into one day, but that was the focus for day four, so before I come to each of you to discuss your own highlights, perhaps we can talk about a couple of the main plenaries from the day. Byron, can I come to you first? Did you manage to attend the Ethics and Dementia plenary? **Dr. Byron Creese:** I did. I got to most of it anyways. **Adam Smith:** What did you see? **Dr. Byron Creese:** So it was all around, broadly, the ethics of disclosing biomarker information to the general public or research participants, even. I watched three talks, one from Scott Roberts in Michigan, one from Aida Rosdomsader in Cologne and one from Jennifer Lingler in Pittsburgh. I thought an interesting theme to come out of that was that you can disclose your oath, either Apoe or petamamoid status, does not really have much of an impact on people. People can deal with it, can handle the information. It does not adversely affect their wellbeing or psychological status in any kind of major way. I think there are important implications, probably, for the disclosure Apoe status effects somebody’s performance on a memory test or cognitive test. I think there’s some work going on in that space. That’s quite interesting for clinical trials, I think. So you can recruit Apoe four status and then oversee in a clinical trial, you’re going to be undertaking cognitive tests on people and the fact that someone’s in the trial in fact know they’re Apoe positive and, therefore, have an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Does it affect their performance when testing? That was quite an interesting point, but the broader point about the impact on people, I thought, was an important take away point for me, for the research we’re doing. **Adam Smith:** It’s not a session I got to, but, just out of interest, did anybody from Gene Match, were there any of those presentations from the Gene Match services in the US? **Dr. Byron Creese:** No. What’s that? I’m not familiar with that. **Adam Smith:** So Gene Match is an extension of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry, where they send testing kits through the post, they know the results but they never discloses it to people, even when they randomize people to approach them on their Apoe status. I have to say, some of the listeners will know, but I’ve got some involvement and joined dementia research in the UK and things like knowing the Apoe status of part of our cohort could be incredibly valuable. Because so many of the studies that are coming through are looking for people of a certain age with one risk factor and a risk factor being Apoe, if we knew the Apoe status of people, it would massively reduce the number of people we had to screen for no reason and one of the really annoying things is, because so many of the trials don’t share data with each other, it’s quite feasible that somebody who’s motivated to participate in a trial might come in and have their Apoe status tested two, three times in a year. They never get enrolled into the study, but they try to enrol in the next study, they test Apoe as well and find it’s negative, never disclosed, and that person just keeps having their time wasted by trying to enrol in studies they couldn’t get into. **Dr. Byron Creese:** I don’t recall that coming up, but I suppose when you’re talking about ethics of disclosure, there’s maybe two points then. There’s the ethics of disclosing the information in a responsible way, but, actually, also the ethics of disclosing it so that somebody doesn’t go wasting their time getting tested repeatedly and wasting resources and so on. I think that’s an interesting point. It leads up, actually, to there’s a poster from Glasgow Memory Clinic and I forget the author. It was Glasgow Memory Clinic going through a flow chart of screening for a trial and then the number of people recruited into that trial based on their Apoe status and it was sort of 3,600 down to about 64. There’s a huge drop off rate in people needed to screen in order to get down to that and you wonder if more information is available if that wouldn’t happen. **Adam Smith:** Completely. In fact, I’m sure we can guess was that something like the generation’s trial or the tomorrow. **Dr. Byron Creese:** It was generation, I think. **Adam Smith:** The number of people you have to screen on those to get the numbers is massive and I think that’s one of the things with joined dementia research, we tried to encourage trial sites to share back screen fail data so that it improves the data of the person so that we don’t over approach people for trials. Particular things like MMSE score, if somebody self-reports of having an MMSE of 25 and they’re getting approached for MTI trials, but actually, when you brought them in, they’re testing more like 20 and that information never finds its way back into the data pool. People with MTI are in such high demand for studies that they’re hot property. They’re approached lots to participate in trials and we just drag people back into sights, no reason. **Adam Smith:** Thanks, Byron. That’s fascinating. I’m going to come to you next, Riona. The racial disparity session with Lisa Barnes was talked about a lot online yesterday. Could you give us a summary of that session? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** It was really interesting. Lisa Barnes kind of talking about racial equality between African-Americans and white people and she was talking about how African-Americans are twice as likely to develop dementia but they’re less likely to get a diagnosis or be represented in clinical trials, which, I think is something that was talk about a little bit last year, as well and it steadily getting more into the narrative of research that we really aren’t including minority groups into clinical trials. She also mentioned that there didn’t seem to be any difference in the rates of their actual cognitive decline in comparison to the white population, but they seem to start at a lower set on the cognitive tests. They’re getting lower scores going into any kind of studies, which could be influenced by factors affected by race, such as socioeconomic status or the literacy and also the fact that they’re less likely to get a diagnosis at those early stages, so it’s kind of hard to compare them, I think. It is interesting that they didn’t really find any particular differences. There was a few differences in pathology. So they find that people with dementia in African-Americans communities were more likely to have mixed pathology, but she also mentioned that, actually, they go to memory clinics for other problems for memory problems and that might be why we’re just seeing a more representative group of people who might also have hypertension or other factors. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Then she went on to talk about just how the experiences of discrimination in their youth was actually impacting their health and the presentation of their cognition. For example, they found using FMRI studies, that there was less functional connectivity in places that were related to trust in people with dementia from African-American decent, and that this seemed to be linked to their experiences of discrimination in schools, particularly if they’d grown up in South America. I just thought that was a really interesting idea that I’d never thought of and it also got mentioned then later on in a LGBTQ session as well that, perhaps, that was something that would feed into LGBTQ experiences as well, that they felt more discrimination in their youth and that might affecting their later cognitive status. That was really interesting. **Adam Smith:** It was. Does anybody else have anything to add to that? **Esther Wiskerke:** I made that link as well. She talked, like Riona just said, about the integrated schools so you’d think \[inaudible 00:12:13\] “oh, that’s a great thing” but, actually, now it turns out it has some adverse effect later down the line and who could’ve thought that? That’s just really interesting to see, also, for future policies, I guess, that you’re thinking you make the right decision at one level but on another level, it might actually go the other way. It just shows the complexity, and also, you’re right, I picked up as well about the LGBTQ population, my goodness. And if you have a double, it gets really complex that way. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Yeah. For sure. **Adam Smith:** I think a podcast panellist from a previous years AAIC, I think it might’ve been in 2018, Nika Soboleva, she also had a post yesterday looking at African-American populations and education, which was very interesting, so please, go have a look at that. She is Nika Soboleva, and that’s under the public health section in the posters. I don’t know if that’s an interesting Segway, because I was going to talk later about one of the big sessions yesterday which was the Lancet Report, looking at life’s modifiable lifestyle risk factors and, of course, for anybody who’s not picked up on this before, the Lancet Report brought together 28 world leading experts. It published, was it a year or two ago now for the first time? **Dr. Byron Creese:** It was ’17 I think. **Adam Smith:** Yeah. So, a few years ago now and they’d reported there was a 40% potential risk reduction if you employed the right prevention strategies and after analysing global best practice, they’ve increased the factors from 9 to 12 with three new ones added. And the new ones, I’m looking at my notes, are excessive alcohol intake, head injury in midlife, air pollution in later life but that added to. The greatest proportion came from less education in early life, hearing loss in midlife and smoking in later life. Sorry. The point I was trying to make was the education in early life, which can contribute in itself, a 7%. It’s no surprise that when you combine that with the problems experienced around race and those educations that that’s an amplified issue. **Esther Wiskerke:** I wonder, can you even link that back to what was discussed in the ethics session? What was raised by \[inaudible 00:15:10\] I can’t pronounce that. It’s a super Dutch name. Because, what I understood from that at least is that once she found ethic in her study for honest to correctly, that once people are being taught, that they have the gene, they have a more desire to actually control the future. Some of them started to make considerable changes in their life, even, of course, that the gene doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to develop it. So that’s interesting to see whether by telling people, if you say what the Lancet’s saying that, of course, things in life can impact your chances, but then it’s nearly a full circle. Does that make sense? Because by testing, you’re telling, people change their way of life, and if, in that way, your actions saying it, but that might actually then your chance of not developing it. You get my drift? On the other hand, apparently some people go a bit reckless as well, because if it’s not explained properly enough, that this is not your future telling, per se, people also might start being a bit reckless more or that I say, give up. **Dr. Byron Creese:** Scott Roberts’ talk I think had the same finding, that disclosure of Apoe prompted behaviour change. The thing I wonder about the other factors, though, is in terms of prompting behaviour change, is there are things like many lifestyle factors are risk factors for other cancers and heart disease, other stroke and so on. Do people their behaviour change, I don’t know. It’s a real challenge, isn’t it? The individual level behaviour change required to, sort of mitigate risk for dementia. I don’t know if it’d be any different for cancer or for stroke or for heart disease or diabetes. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** I think in that session, they really tried to amplify how policy level interventions is what’s needed opposed to putting the allness on the individual. So smoking always comes up, obviously it’s a big one, and that was like, hey, can we put a policy in that would actually get people to stop smoking, which would actually help many different types of disease and so on. So I think they were trying to take the allness a little bit less off the individual for the prevention factors. **Dr. Byron Creese:** I suppose smoking, they have done that. They put the messages on the packets and then they just make it really hard to buy and they make it really hard to do. So they don’t leave it up to the individual, it’s massive policy changes and you can see some stuff around the UK around advertising certain foods that’s been going on in the last couple of weeks. \[crosstalk 00:18:10\] Yeah. Exactly. **Esther Wiskerke:** A bit of a more scary comment from Scott Roberts, I found, is his comment about insurance change because now, of course, if you admit to smoke and drinking, you admit to it all because you’re probably having quite a bit of fun but a bad lifestyle. Your insurance works up so I wonder, also with testing, if that got in the hands of insurance, would that ultimately mean your insurance is going to go up and is it fair if that was the case? **Adam Smith:** I am going to cheat slightly and quote some of Clive Ballard’s fantastic tweets. So he highlighted yesterday that we know that 40% of dementia risks could be prevented or delayed and that 12 of the risk factors accounted for 35% of dementia, but that rises to 56% in Latin America. There were some really obvious things in here like found that people wearing hearing aids reduced the risk of cognitive decline in people with hearing loss, for example. You would hope that somebody in government somewhere is looking at this Lance report, somebody in public health and saying “Let’s translate this into some policy and practice.” For anybody who’s not listened to it yet, if you go back a couple of episodes we have a podcast with my boss, professor Martin Rosser, looking at his work on the cognitive footprint and this idea that government policies and various other things can be scored in terms of cognition to give them a positive or negative score with. And you’d hope that many policies on other things like combinations of drugs can have a positive cognitive score or negative, but you can add all this up to try and create a positive cognition through policies and in society. **Adam Smith:** So that’s worth a look. Sorry. Was there anything to add on the racial disparities talk, Riona? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** No? Did we not cover that? **Adam Smith:** Sorry. I realize we jumped off to the Lancet report. Okay. Anything else to talk about on the Lancet report? We should give proper credit, of course, to Jill Livingston as well, from UCL, which is where I work, for a lot of the work and Clive Ballard and many of the others. We’d all recommend that you go back and look at that session, which I think was one of the live ones, so that will be available later today, being the 31st of July. **Dr. Byron Creese:** Maybe just to add one thing. I suppose we were talking a lot about the prevention aspect of dementia, there was Gaes Uhlbech, his talk. He’s at University of Oslo, which is more about the management and care of people with dementia, so including treatments for the disease itself, but also various symptoms of the disease, including behaviour and psychological changes, nursing home care and so on. His particular point was on the side of behaviour and psychological symptoms has no real effective drug treatments and there hasn’t been since the last report in 2017, but the good news is there’ve been a number of big studies looking at nonpharmacological interventions, particularly for people in nursing homes, it seems to work really well for agitation, depression, in particular. So nonpharmacological is going to be things like enhanced social interaction, stuff as simple as that, like talking to people more. A reminiscence and a bit of light exercise type things as well as care home staff, management things. **Adam Smith:** I think that came through as a theme in much of yesterday, which was highlighting the importance that care wasn’t just a case of caring for people. If you got the care right, it could also delay and mitigate some of the symptoms that we know are associated with dementia. I’m going to say things like, we’ll talk about in a while, the key to a diet suggested if you got diet right it might delay some of these other things we’ve been talking about now. Just emphasizing the importance of care, again, not just to make somebody comfortable, but to also, potentially give them a better quality of life through delaying the progress of a disease. Does that sound right? **Adam Smith:** I am going to go around the table now and ask people just to talk to what were their favourite sessions of the day. Esther, let’s come to you first. **Esther Wiskerke:** I liked the talk of David Hoffman, the key considerations for dementia capable preparedness plans but I also had some fun with some of the posters, if I may touch on that. I picked out three. The first one was from the faculty of medicine the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Calvin Soy, if I pronounced that right, and it was called The Companion Rulebook for Elderly Residents with Dementia: A cognitive behavioural analysis for new psychiatric symptoms. Obviously it’s a small poster so that was just talking about care is more than just giving care, but actually talking to people. So what they’re trying to do there is develop robots to actually interact with people, but it was ultimately a small study and I did interact with the poster and I saw a few other people did as well, asking actually how to robot interacted. Somebody else, like I said, was intrigued to find that out so that would be interesting to follow that a bit more and to see how that was done. There was actually no answer back to that, which was a shame, but another one was from the Canadian Alzheimer’s Society, Riley Melvern, and that was called the Out of the Shadows: Addressing resident to resident aggression in long term care. **Esther Wiskerke:** They’re developing an evidence based booklet on that to help carers and family members and they’re actually looking for suggestions to the terminology of resident to resident aggression and they’re looking for something more person centred and that sounds a little more respectful. So, actually, I responded to that poster and I got a very nice reply back and I wondered if they’re actually considering aftercare with residents because when there’s an altercation between two people, the people might be quite high on adrenaline because if you just had a fight you might either feel very vulnerable or if you’re the aggressor you’re super high and then it’s up to the care staff that they have to separate people, but then the complexities that, though you’ve separated two people, one might be super high, the other one might be feel very sad. The one who is necessarily the aggressor might also, equally, be the victim because the other one might have said something that caused the whole conflict and both may not remember. So I think the work they’re going to be doing is very, very good, actually. I look forward to that booklet in the end. **Esther Wiskerke:** Then there was one by Dr. Daven from the University of De Sao Paulo in Brazil and it was about the importance of personal possessions in the construction of institutional ambiance for elderly with Alzheimer’s disease and they’d done a literature review on that. That poster made me a little bit sad in a way, in the sense that the outcome was that it reinforces the sense of belonging if you bring along personal possessions to a new home. That, in a way, of course for every human on the planet, if you move house, there’s little people who do the total mindfulness and say, “I leave all my old stuff at home. I’m going to start fresh.” Who would do that? Not many people can have that mental strength. Generally, we bring all our nonsense with us and all our comforts with us and now we feel at home again in our new place. Why would we have to actually have to think about that for people with dementia? Obviously, they’re still people. Then I thought, wow, that we still have to look into that. **Adam Smith:** On that same subject, I saw a poster yesterday that talked about activities. Obviously, we know that activities in residential care is something that’s talked about a lot, both for keeping physically active but also to provide something to do, and this talked about the number of residents who used to do day to day household activities, that they couldn’t anymore. They weren’t expected to clean their own rooms or to do their own washing up or to make their own breakfast, which were activities that they took some comfort from. These were routines that they built up that they would polish their silver, they would make their own bed and this particular study looked at how you might introduce some of those activities, and it wasn’t just a ploy to reduce the number of staff they needed. This was genuinely people wanted to have a cleaning cupboard where they put their vacuum and their polish because they couldn’t access the cleaning stores because they were all locked away somewhere down the corridor because it wasn’t safe to let people have a tin of pledge and a duster. I can’t remember who did it. It was a poster from yesterday. **Esther Wiskerke:** That comes back to a sense of purpose because if you’re busy, then, of course, everybody wants to go to a hotel or all-inclusive, but it’s your sense of purpose at home, at least, that you want to do your own stuff. **Adam Smith:** That’s nice as holiday. Byron, sorry, you had something. **Dr. Byron Creese:** Yeah. I completely agree with what you said, Esther, about that is a simple, expected finding, and the same with you, Adam. Was polishing silver one of the examples? What kind of sample would you take? **Adam Smith:** It was. It really was and I’ve seen this on a video, as well. There was a lady that used to, once a month, she would polish the silver and she’d taken her silver with her, but it was annoying her that it was sitting there getting tarnished because the domestic staff that came in to help with the room didn’t polish it with the brasso. They would just give it a quick once over. Back to what you were saying. **Dr. Byron Creese:** There’s a lot of those simple things that some of the, there was a world study that whether 10 minutes a day or something is helpful and it’s like yeah. Yeah, that makes sense because it’s helpful to me, right? I don’t like being sat in lockdown here. I can see how horrible no social interaction is, but then they looked over 20 years and all of this knowledge comes about from research but it doesn’t get implemented into practice, necessarily, and 20 years ago the situation is more or less the same. So there’s a gap between research and practice. **Adam Smith:** Of course, this talks to, because I did watch your presentation yesterday. So exactly your work, as well, about measuring people’s movement using wearable technology and how much physical time they spend upright and doing things. It’s in the same space, isn’t it? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Yeah. So there’s a lot of reasons that people aren’t moving about in long-term care facilities so my work that I presented yesterday showed that people with cognitive impairment living in nursing homes are doing very, very, very little activity in comparison to people in community dwelling settings. They’re doing maximum 2,000 steps a day, which is very little, and our study collects every step after three steps, so we’re really taking in a lot more than what a Fitbit or anything like that would show you. So we’re taking every step that you might possibly make, basically. So they’re doing a lot less activity. All of their activity is very much in shorter walking bouts and it shows that they’re really moving around a constrained setting and they’re not really getting up or moving about very much, which we know is really good for a population that lives in long-term care. Even moving a little bit more every day than what they do at their baseline has been shown in studies to be very beneficial for their quality of life and, also, to help them maintain some of their functional status as well. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** But there’s a lot of reasons why that doesn’t go ahead in those long-term care facilities. For example, the environment of the long-term care facility. I saw a talk on this yesterday, as well, about what environment looks like in those care homes. So when you have a traditional nursing home where it’s warded and people have their own small, little rooms and stuff like that, they’re more socially isolated, they’re not getting to interact, they’re not involved in activities. Whereas if they’re in small-scale nursing homes that have, say a big kitchen in the centre that they can come into, they much more likely to be able to interact with people and move around, and there was also a look in the Netherlands, Green Care Farms, where they mix agriculture with care. So you go and live on a farm and you help out on the farm, even though you’ve got dementia, like severe stages of dementia. That’s supposed to be really good for their social interaction with each other for getting involved and going outdoors. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** It’s kind of like the policies and the environment of the nursing homes and the long-term care that needs to change, as opposed to the individual because they’ll be asked to sit in the chair so that they don’t fall because that would be a big problem in a nursing home is if you have a fall, but then you’re making them more frail by doing that, so it’s quite hard. A hard sell. **Adam Smith:** Do you know why it’s tricky? I don’t think I’d want to be in a senior position in a care home group or things like that because the guidance does quickly change to reflect latest thinking and research and keeping on top of that when you’re a care home manager that’s tied down with day to day work, just trying to keep on top of the residents, is difficult. And I’ve had some interaction with the larger care home groups at senior level and, as much as quality of care is clearly important, it is a lot about occupancy rates. Over the last few years, so many of those larger care home groups were bought by venture capitalist firms that were quite interested in the properties and the land and things like that. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** It’s hard to get the right balance between being risk adverse and trying to promote independence within a care facility because, obviously, you could promote independence, but, for example, I’m doing a systematic review at the moment on activity in care homes, and there’s one study that found people who go outside and walk more are the most likely to fall, which is obviously a really negative thing to have happen in a care home. Yet, they seem also to be reporting to have better functional status and quality of life because they’re getting to go outside. Just trying to balance that, what’s more important? The face that they could fall and break their hip or the fact that they would like to have some independence or stimulation? **Dr. Byron Creese:** I suppose the fall statistics are shocking, aren’t they? If you break your hip, is the mortality in six months or a year? No wonder \[crosstalk 00:34:27\] **Esther Wiskerke:** In Holland they have developed an air bag for your hip and the moment you hit the floor, boom, it went off, and it sends a text message to your carer that you’ve fallen. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** That’s amazing. **Adam Smith:** Is that like the children that do horse riding, the eventing, they have vests like that, don’t they, that protect them if they get thrown? **Esther Wiskerke:** It’s super discreet and will fit into your clothes. You wouldn’t even know you’re wearing it. **Adam Smith:** Cool. We should look at that. Riona, I’m interested to know, did you do any heat mapping? Actual physical mapping to look at the layout of the care home and then make the hot spots as to where people were spending their time? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** No. I think that’s usually done through infrared sensors, so we just use non-intrusive, small wearable technologies. We don’t know where they are or what they’re doing, we have no GPS or anything, but there has been work that have done that and shown they move within certain paths within the care home and sometimes if they keep reusing the same paths, that can be an indication of wandering, but I think there’s still a lot of work ongoing with that. **Adam Smith:** I did some work on that in the NHS many years ago to look at where staff spent their time, how much of it was spent by bedside compared to at the nurses station or elsewhere around the place, which can indicate some fascinating behaviours as to what work is like. Fantastic. Sorry, Esther, we interrupted you there. Do you have anything else you wanted to highlight? **Esther Wiskerke:** Yeah. There was one very interesting one on demand and it was called Caregiving is Associated with Worse Sleep and Worse Sleep Related Health and Functioning by Kate Schachter. It was, actually, also a bit of a catch 22. It looked into that people who live with a caregiver, the people with dementia may actually disturb the caregiver by night and wandering, for instance, and then, in return, the caregiver sleeps badly and, therefore, starts to disfunction. And, actually, there’s a more risk of institutionalization of the care recipient. So it goes in a viscous circle, but it also highlights, again, a little bit, not rocket science, of course. Recently, I read something in the Harvard business review and they said managers who are sleep deprived don’t function. That it’s dangerous for your organization to have non sleeping employees, basically, and everybody knows the example of sleep deprived mothers. You love your darling dearly, but it doesn’t help getting through the day if your sleep has been disturbed. **Esther Wiskerke:** And I guess that links, also again, to a really good point that David Wathen made later. He said some people with dementia are in a comparable situation as in childhood, only their legal status is different. So a lot of those issues we’re going into are a little bit comparable, but, of course, they’ve moved on in life so they’re adults. So that’s where the ethics gets a little bit tricky, how much can you intervene? Even, Riona, what you said earlier about walking around. A mom that lets her child run around to play ground and then fall and drop and climb on things, obviously the child is going to hurt themselves, but, probably, it is better for child to run around for their physical abilities, but may hurt terribly. So there’s always a bit of a catch finding this balance and that is tricky ethically speaking. Makes it complicated to solve. **Adam Smith:** I saw that Kate Schachter talk as well, she’s from the University of Wisconsin and the reason why carers were getting worse sleep was either down to being, obviously, woken up by the person that they were caring for. That they felt they needed to be vigilant all the time and they simply stayed up later and woke up earlier. Staying up later because once you’ve managed to put down the person you’re caring for to bed, that becomes your free time. That’s when you want to sit down and relax but then you have to get up early in the morning because you can’t leave them lying in bed in the morning. Honestly, I don’t think we’d be very surprised by the results. I think it kind of confirms what they’ve seen in this rest study and the take away of that was strategies are needed to support sleep health in carers. Any ideas, anyone? I think that’s going to be a tricky one. Esther, I’m going to have to move on, I’m afraid, and give everybody else the chance to come to their talks. Ri, let’s come to you next. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** So I saw quite a few interesting talks and a couple of posters yesterday. One of the talks that I thought was really interesting was in the LGBTQ session from Jason Flat, he’s from the University of Nevada, and he was talking about prevalence rates of dementia in LGBTQ populations, but also the challenges that are affecting them that we’re not very good at thinking about, in terms of policy when we think about dementia care. So he was saying that those comparable to higher rates of dementia in LGBTQ older adults, however, the problems with this is that they are less likely to have access to a caregiver, they’re twice as likely to live alone, they’re often scared of going into medical care because they’ll have faced discrimination through medical care. He did mention, I can’t remember how many years ago, but he mentioned that being transgender has only, more or less, recently stopped being a mental health condition in America and seen as one. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** So there’s obviously a lot of stigma that they’re still trying to break through. And some of the things I thought was really interesting that he mentioned was that we need more data on these kind of populations and we also need to be tailoring care to be more inclusive and we need to understand that not everyone has a biological family that can take care of them. Some of them have families of choice, and those families also need to be informed of their medical needs and their needs to be something in place for that. So I thought that was a really interesting session and just highlighted, again, that we’re not always that good at thinking about minority populations within research and we need to be a little bit better at being inclusive to these populations. Thought that was really interesting. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** I also saw a really good poster from Oregon by Lindsey Miller, who is part of Jeffery Kaye’s lab group. She was looking at sensor data on couples and older adult couples in the home and how they spend their time together because that could be indicative of their well-being and their health. So she looked at patterns of how much time couples spend together inside and out of the home and she found there’s patterns of people who spend a lot of time together and people who spend a lot of time apart, and the people who spend a lot of time together was protected by men having lower cognitive abilities and being less active and that this might be an indicator for their waning independence and increased caregiver strain and it reminded me of a talk from last year by Neil Clemmons, who used to be in that group as well, I think, that indicated that the more time that couples spent together in bathrooms was an indication of low functional ability of the person with dementia. So I thought that was sort of an interesting way to look at patterns and, again, what you said, thinking about where people are actually in the room and how that might indicate daily behaviour as well, Adam. So I thought that was really interesting. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Finally, I also really enjoyed a talk by Shannon Holloway from Rush University. So, she was looking at standing activity as recorded by accelerometer. So this is, in my research interest anyway to have a look at, she was reporting from the mind trial. So Rush University have got a lot of sensor data anyway that’s really interesting and she was looking at standing, in particular, because basically any activity breaks up sedimentary behaviour, and that’s always good for a person with dementia, for older adults. And she said there has been some findings that standing and cognitive function are related, but there’s never been any looking at this in the real world. So she looks at it in the real world using seven day data and recording how many minutes a person spends standing a day and what that standing activity intends to use and she’s explaining we do spend a lot of our day standing. For example, if you were chopping something in the kitchen, you would probably be standing to do that or if you were just moving around doing your cleaning, that would mostly be recorded as standing and it can break up the day. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** She found that standing acts of the intensity was associated with perceptual speeds, ones she controlled for all the of the confounders. So kind of like information processing, which often comes up with other motor activities like gait, as well. So that was good for me to hear and she suggested that we need to think about doing interventions to increase standing behaviours because they interrupt sedentary behaviours and might be more feasible than people doing broad scale aerobic activity or walking for a long time if they’re not able to do that. So I thought that was a really nicely presented talk and some quite interesting novel findings from Shannon Holloway as well. **Adam Smith:** Well it makes absolute sense, doesn’t it, when you think about it? Standing activities. We’ve all got standing desks and things now. Why wouldn’t you employ some of those same tools in that setting? Let’s come to you next, Byron. **Dr. Byron Creese:** It’s probably an obvious one but I really enjoyed the Lancet commission talks, but we’ve already spoken about those. **Adam Smith:** Sorry. Did I steal your thunder? **Dr. Byron Creese:** No. It’s fine. That was my only thing. No. I’m joking. So I did go to the talk, and we did the ethics one, and I went to the talk on the ketogenic diet. I’ve been working on a big study in Exeter, which is kind of an older adult tracking study called Protect, and we take a lot of information about people’s diet and lifestyle and it’s all kind of in the same areas as the factors highlighted in the Lancet commission, so I went to that because I think people often ask me, “what about the keto diet?” And aiding Alzheimer’s disease risk and so on so I thought I’d go, primarily, not because it’s something I researched, necessarily, but just out of interest, and that was from Susan Craft at WakeForest School of Medicine in the US. **Dr. Byron Creese:** She just presented a few studies showing that, maybe, there’s some effect of the keto diet on memory and some biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, but the study was pretty small. I think it was in the 10s of people and then I think most other studies in this area have been really small as well, so I’m not sure there’s that much we can draw into it. I highlighted that that particular diet in mice reduces Alzheimer’s pathology in transgenic mice, but I think a lot of things do in transgenic mice, as far as I understand from my animal research colleagues, it’s good to be a mouse with Alzheimer’s disease. **Adam Smith:** We can cure everything in mice. They’re going to rule the world one day, aren’t they? **Dr. Byron Creese:** Yeah. So I thought it was interesting because it’s a huge topic to the general public, I think, diet. And I did think it was interesting, however, that diet was left out of the Lancet commissions, it’s not one of the 12 risk factors. So I assume that means that, although the evidence might me emerging, it’s not yet in a place where you can say that any of these diets actually prevent dementia. Although they may be healthy, for a variety of other reasons. **Adam Smith:** Is weight one of the risk factors? The BMI? \[crosstalk 00:46:48\] **Dr. Riona McArdle:** It is in the WHO report. **Adam Smith:** I suppose diet and exercise combination. I went to those keto sessions as well. Did you see the one by Steven Cunnane? Benefit trial? **Dr. Byron Creese:** No. I just caught this one right here. **Adam Smith:** He was great. I would really recommend anybody go back and watch this. So Stephen Cunnane reported on the benefit trial. He’s from Sherbrooke University in Quebec and they gave people a five milligram substitute, not substitute, drink and he had this awesome analogy of how the brain runs compared to a hybrid or a traditional car. Old fashioned cars run on petrol, your brain would run on glucose, but, actually, if you were to get a hybrid car, if you could run a certain percentage of it from the keto, it will have a longer effect. I’m butchering this so I would recommend you go see it, but what he showed was that once you got MCI, your brain stopped being very good at running on glucose, but it did continue to be good to run on the ketone generated energy. So swapping diet at that stage, their study found that there was improvements in executive function, language function and episodic memory are all using this Boston scale. I’m not doing this justice. I suggest you go look at it. The analogy he used for the electric car was fantastic and I was sold on it. I know that, maybe I’m just easy to persuade, but the images he showed of the brain running on the different fuels, did suggest that there’s something really in that, potentially, as a way to slightly delay the onset of things. **Adam Smith:** Go see it. Steven Cunnane. Sherbrooke. Sorry, Byron, please do carry on. **Dr. Byron Creese:** I saw a few posters yesterday. My favourite poster was a couple days ago, but yesterday there was three posters on psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease and I think they’re all linked, in some way, to making the case for Pimvanserin for psychosis in dementia because I’m not sure we mentioned Pimvanserin but I think that’s a subtext because two of them were from Acadia, who’s the pharmaceutical company that make that drug. They were looking at cost associated with Lewy Body dementia psychosis versus other psychosis and found that psychosis and found that psychosis in Lewy Body dementia were associated with higher health care costs. Then there were health care practitioners perceptions of antipsychotic efficacy. So that was first one was from Victor Egar, Acadia and this next one was from Jenny Chin at Acadia, as well. So that’s just showing that in a real world setting, healthcare practitioners report that their atypical antipsychotics, usually people don’t get much better or they don’t work very well, basically. Again, I suppose that’s slightly setting the scene for their new drug, but it reports what we already know and a lot of these drugs are used, but they’re not really much good, in general. **Dr. Byron Creese:** So there’s that gap at the moment, where there are some people that evidently need some kind of treatment for psychosis, but there’s nothing available except these older antipsychotic drugs. There was just another poster about the need to develop educational tools for dementia related psychosis so that it’s better recognized by healthcare practitioners and that was Thomas Indigan at Medscape Education, but it’s done in collaboration, I think, with Jeffery Cummings, as well. That was developing an educational tool for practitioners so they can learn more about psychosis, learn more about treatment options available, what works, what doesn’t work, what the dangers are and so on. **Dr. Byron Creese:** I feel those three were interesting. They must be, I don’t know if it’s cynical. I think their positions to support some new compound, I suspect. **Adam Smith:** Yeah. I think, even some of the trials that we’ve seen that have been less successful in things, that they’re trying to make the point now that it’s not necessarily that the trials didn’t work, it’s that you have to give the right drug to the right person at exactly the right time and that personalized medicine is the key factor here. It’s not that they’re bad drugs, they were just giving them to people at the wrong time. Which is something that’s come up a few times over the last few days. **Adam Smith:** I’m going to, very quickly, draw attention to a few things that caught my eye. Karen Chastry from Toronto did a very interesting talk on creating tech for people with dementia and MCI, which I thought was very interesting. Jane Senior from Manchester, I wasn’t sure if she was presenting Katrina Forsythe’s work or if it was the other way around. That was very interesting. That was about prison population. 16% of people in prisons are older now but, yet, prisons are designed for younger people and that if you were an older person in prison, you were four times less likely to have a diagnosis of dementia compared to the general population outside of prison. Which then did get me thinking about do they need some specific facilities for older prisoners or, actually, is this more to do with looking at more how we disperse justice? Do we create new facilities? It’s got me thinking about various things, but that’s an interesting talk, Jen Senior from Manchester. **Adam Smith:** I love this one. So Gregory Day from the Mayo Clinic in Florida, I’ll cut straight to his highlight. They were looking at assessing the reliability of reported medical history in older adults compared to actual medical history and this is something that is important because so much time and money and cost and, not just for people performing trials but people who want to participate in them as well, they’ve lost it in screen failure. Screen failure is this thing that everybody wants to try and reduce. It’s an awful term, isn’t it? Because people feel like they failed then if they don’t get randomized. Anyway, they checked the likelihood of diabetes and stroke being accurately reported by people when they came to be tested. One in four people who reported being diabetic weren’t and one in six people who reported not having a stroke, had. Which I thought was fascinating stats. **Dr. Byron Creese:** It wasn’t that they’d had a stroke and not known about it. \[crosstalk 00:54:54\] **Adam Smith:** Okay. You’re right. People that had strokes didn’t realize. One in six people said they hadn’t had a stroke but actually had. One in four people thought they were diabetic, but weren’t. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** It’s kind of the same for diabetes, though, isn’t it? They’ve all been told that they have diabetes at some point and then might’ve gotten their levels back to normal and now they don’t have it but they still think that they’ve got it because they’ve not been told, probably, that they don’t. That was a really interesting talk, though. You’re right, Adam. **Adam Smith:** It was. They did highlight that there are national screening programs for diabetes, as well. Whether people go to the follow ups is the key. The main take away here was that medical history should be objectively confirmed. No surprises. I reached out to them because I’m quite interested, we have this in joined dementia research, I did a lot of screening for one of the biogen studies. One of the interesting things about that was how many people tended to actually… we always thought that people would, let me get this the right way around, under report their seriousness. So if you say somebody how severe is your symptoms? They would generally say they’re more severe than they actually are, and we thought it would be the other way around, that people would underestimate and go, no, I’m fine. Actually, they don’t. It’s completely reversed. So back to that point about screening earlier, I’m quite interested to look at how real life screening data compared to what people reported in a register, like joined dementia research, to see if there are differences there and if we can start to predict what those might be to do better matching and better recruitment to trials. There’s some potential in that. **Adam Smith:** Sorry, Ri. Did you have anything to add on that Gregory Day study? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Not really. One of the things that they said for the stroke was that one of the independent factors that predicted an inaccurate reporting of having a stroke was the use of unrelated collateral sources as well. So, basically, people who weren’t related to them may not know as much about them, but I spoke to Gregory Day about it as well, and he said that they made sure to have the collateral sources and the patients in different rooms from each other so they couldn’t influence each other’s thinking. And that’s something I was interested in because in a lot of healthcare settings, often, say a couple might go in and then they might be more biased in their answers so that they’re not upsetting the other member of their couple. For example, you could ask them do you feel really depressed right now? And they might not want the other member to know, so they’ll be like no I’m absolutely fine, and you won’t get a really accurate report that way. But they said that they keep them out for that reason, but it is a consideration then, when you think about actual clinical practice, that that could be increasing inaccurate practice as well. **Adam Smith:** That’s interesting. I’ll have to bare that in mind when we’re looking at new systems for enrolment trials and things and, obviously there’s been a lot of talk about how trials have been affected by COVID over the last few days and how we need to embrace technology to ensure that we can fill in the gaps and the data doesn’t get lost. And being able to perform, exactly, to have that objectivity that you mentioned there whilst using that new technology might be something we have to think about. Or somebody does. **Adam Smith:** The other thing to highlight that Alzheimer’s Association highlights yesterday was the SOL-INCA study that found that Apoe four, the gene with the strongest impact on Alzheimer’s risk for white European decent of populations appears to be less accurate predictor of risk in populations from Latin America. So please do have a look at that. They’ve tweeted about it as well. I think that’s the last of my notes. We’ve probably run dreadfully over time, as usual. Before we start to think about wrapping this up, obviously we’ve talked about one of your presentations, have you been presenting other stuff this week? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** I also presented a poster this week looking at novel jill task cognitive measure for gait to see if a specific type of jill task was better at discriminating Lewy Body disease from Alzheimer’s disease in comparison to usual gaits, where you just walk at your comfortable pace. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Usual gait seem to be the same, if not better than this particular jill task. So that was quite interesting, just summing up some of the last bits of my Ph.D. but the main one for me was the presentation, looking at care homes versus community dwelling people with cognitive impairment and that was in collaboration with University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology as well. It was really nice to get the opportunity to do that. **Adam Smith:** I did see that. Were you angling for a nice little trip to New Zealand off the back of it? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** No. Not quite. I, hopefully, if I get a fellowship, I would hopefully be working with \[inaudible 01:00:14\] he’s the professor on that study and would do a small couple of trips to New Zealand to collaborate with her there, and they’re collaborating with my PI professor in Rochester at the moment \[inaudible 01:00:28\] so I was fortunate enough to be allowed to look at some of the data that I thought matched well with my Ph.D. data. **Adam Smith:** Cool. Are you caught up in this awful suspension of funding rounds for fellowships right now? Are you caught up in the middle of that? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Yeah. A little bit. I was hoping to apply for the Alzheimer’s Society, but I don’t think that they’re going to go ahead this year. I’ve applied for the Henry Welcome so we’ll have to see how that goes and then have a look again in January when the NHR open up. **Adam Smith:** Well fingers crossed and good luck for that. Byron, did you have anything that you’re presenting this week? **Dr. Byron Creese:** I had a poster about using bioengematic techniques to understand side effects of antipsychotics and then yesterday presented in an on demand session and then a Q and A later on. The on demand session was organized by Clyde Feldman and it was about advancing clinical trials in the digital age, I think, was the title. Not of my presentation, of the session, and then I talked about a particular tool called the “Mild behavioural impairment checklist” which we think might be a pretty quick and easy way to enrich samples for people at risk of dementia. So might normally do an Apoe test or a cognitive test, but both of those take a little bit of time. We’ve shown that on MBI screening can be done with a questionnaire which takes about 10, 15 minutes to fill out. And you get an idea of the level of new onset psychological symptoms, which for some people can be the very first manifestation of new age degenerative disease, even before obvious cognition. So if you can do that quickly and at scale, there’s more and more emerging data about links with MBI to pet pathology changes, genetics, so on. **Dr. Byron Creese:** Just eluding back to what we were talking about in difficulties in screening, it might be a quick and easy way to enrich samples for people that are more likely to progress further through each screening. **Adam Smith:** Thanks, Byron. And if anybody is really interested in your on MBI, of course, you did very kindly record a webinar with us last month. **Dr. Byron Creese:** I did. **Adam Smith:** I believe that is available on our YouTube channel, which is YouTube.com/dementia research. Let’s think about wrapping up now then. This is the last of our podcasts for the AAIC 2020. There is another day of the conference starting shortly. We’re recording this Friday morning so there is another set of sessions this afternoon which include the ask sessions where, I believe, you can put your questions to senior researchers, the various PIA sessions and educational workshops. I wanted to highlight, of course, the way the conference is being delivered this year does mean that all the posters and presentations and the live sessions have been recorded and they’ll be available via the platform for the next 30 days, however, I think you do have to be registered by today, the 31st of July, to be able to access those over the next 30 days. **Adam Smith:** So if you haven’t already registered, quickly register now and then you can watch this at your leisure over the next 30 days or 60 days if you’re an ISTAART member and ISTAART does have 50% off its membership right now. So do have a look at joining ISTAART. I believe, also, as well, that ISTAART has a whole range, the professional interest areas have a whole range of activities planned over the next two, three weeks with lots of webinars and on demand sessions and Q and A sessions and things so if you are a member of ISTAART, you can access that content, some of which is very relevant for early career research and such things. **Adam Smith:** I particularly challenge you to go look at things that are outside of your comfort zone, given it’s free. You’ve got 30 days or 60 days. Go browse through the content. Challenge yourself to look at something that’s out of your immediate sphere of interest and do encourage your colleagues, maybe from other disease areas to go and have a look as well? We keep talking about the need to collaborate more with researchers in different disease areas so it’d be great if the way the conference is being delivered this year enables some of that. **Adam Smith:** I’m going to come back to everybody, just final reflections on how we think the week’s gone as our last one. We look back on the format, the tech, the layout. How did you find it, Esther, as your first AAIC? Because you don’t know what a physical one is like. How did you find the platform? **Esther Wiskerke:** It was good. Like you said, it made it accessible for myself and I thought just spare a thought for the IT people behind the scenes. I thought the way they did their timings was pretty good. I think some speakers could possibly do with a bit of a workshop on how to speak less monotonous. **Adam Smith:** That’s neurologists for you. Honestly, if you’ve ever been to a neurology concert there. **Esther Wiskerke:** Some were hard to get through. There was no standing ovations in the audience. Not many, at least. **Adam Smith:** Neurologists hated me everywhere. **Esther Wiskerke:** That could improve, I suppose. Other than that, lovely and particularly put together and well done for \[inaudible 01:06:32\] **Adam Smith:** Thanks, Esther, and thanks very much for joining us today. What about you, Ri? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** Yeah. I really enjoyed the format. I thought they did it really well. It was a lot to get through. I think I felt a lot more pressure to watch a lot more stuff because, normally, you have to pick a session and stick to it. That wasn’t really the case this year so I definitely watched an awful lot of things and I felt fatigued by the end of yesterday. But I did really enjoy it. I think it’s good format. Really accessible format to people as well. I know they had like 21,000 people or something this year at it, which is insane. I did miss the crack, though, from going to an actual AAIC conference and having a ridiculous opening ceremony with dancers and all sorts of \[inaudible 01:07:21\] so, hopefully we’ll be back again next year for it. **Adam Smith:** I agree. Actually, I think I came away feelings slightly less guilty because, usually, I’ll often come away thinking oh my god, I didn’t see as much as I would. It’s so expensive to come here. You’ve travelled so far to do it and then if you accidentally walk into the wrong room at the wrong time, you can end up sitting in there for two hours, unless you get out and run across the conference hall to find the next place. So I really enjoyed it in that respect. I think it’s amazing that they’ve done this for free, that they haven’t still tried to charge people because they must’ve taken already, by that point a lot, the early bird had been gone. They had a lot of money in the bank. The fact that they continue to do this for free, I think is amazing. And many of the other conferences later this year are still trying to charge full price, should take a long hard look at their models to provide this in this way, if they can afford to. So I think that’s brilliant. **Adam Smith:** What about you, Byron? **Dr. Byron Creese:** I think it’s awesome they kept it online and great that it’s free and, I think going forward, hopefully, they can maintain some accessibility for people being able to attend that wouldn’t be able to by keeping some of these features. I, personally, find one of the most beneficial things of conference is I end up talking to people and chatting about work and we get ideas and I’d been talking to Zayn Arishman in Calgary every week, literally, more or less, every week for the last two years because we met at AAIC and loads of work has come out of that, for example. He’s in Calgary, which is miles away. So that sort of thing is really good and I miss that and it did take, this is a personal thing, it just took me a couple of days to get my head around it. I just couldn’t. All these emails come in about it and I just couldn’t work it out. But that’s just me. **Adam Smith:** I know what you mean. I think, if you’re the kind of person that’s pretty who’s pretty active on Twitter, I think, that kind of Twitter complimented this quite well. I’m not convinced that the chat rooms and chat functions were about this experience, though, through the dementia researcher website, we killed our chat rooms off because nobody used them and I’m not convinced that worked amazingly. **Dr. Riona McArdle:** I think it’s hard, like already listened to you talk hours ago and then you go into the chat room and you’re like, I listened to seven other talks now. I don’t know what’s happened. **Dr. Byron Creese:** So the on demand sessions, I realized you can just view them at any time, which is great, because it doesn’t matter so much that I missed two days, almost, into the conference. But we did a Q and A yesterday evening. I think it was pretty well attended and, actually, it was good. It was mostly the presenters chatting with each other to talk about work we’re going to do because we were from different places and that sort of thing. So that was really good. **Adam Smith:** I’ve left a few questions on posters and talks and not had replies and then, of course, I can’t necessarily remember which ones I did to go back and look to see if I’ve had a reply and I don’t seem to get any notification or prompt that they replied to me, so then, unless I can remember and write good notes and go back and find it, or I have gone back and looked and there’s been no reply. I asked a question yesterday about the ketones session about what participants were in that trial and 24 hours later, there’s no reply. We’ll have to see. But, honestly, I think Alzheimer’s Association, congratulations on putting together an awesome conference with short notice and I think if there’s a way of making future conferences have a way to engage like this through an online platform, as well as in a physical attendance, I think that would be great. You could maybe charge half price for people to engage online, now that people know what to expect and I’m pretty sure people would still pay. If you had a choice of $1,000 to go to it or $500 to participate online, I’m fairly sure you’d still get a lot of people who would go for the online option. **Adam Smith:** Agree? Maybe? **Dr. Riona McArdle:** $500 is a bit steep to pay for something online. **Adam Smith:** Yeah. Maybe. They’d pay something, I think. It’s good to have an online offering because, otherwise, it’s prohibitively expensive if you don’t have it billed into a grant or some other funding. It is. And next year’s AAIC, which we hope will go ahead as a physical thing in Boston in July, it’s when you add in the fact that you need a hotel for a week, you’ve got flights to the US for a week, you’ve got $1,000 for the ticket. It adds up, whereas, a few hundred dollars to participate virtually, I think would be great. **Adam Smith:** Well thank you very much, Esther, Byron and Ri for joining us today. As we said. Alzheimer’s Association provides a whole load of content over the next couple of weeks so please do take a look. Please remember to like, subscribe, review our podcast through wherever you get your podcast. We are going to have a couple weeks off now because we’ve had a bit of a full on two weeks of podcasts with the relay one’s last week and AAIC ones this week. We will be back on the 10th of August with Megan Torville, Sarah Carpaninis and Tom Phillips from the University of Cardiff to talk about mouse models in AD. If you’re a new listener, please be sure to register on our website to get your Friday bulletins and lots of news for our website. Thank you very much, everybody, and we’ll look forward to seeing you at podcasts very soon, I hope. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. In association with Alzheimer’s research UK and Alzheimer’s Society. Supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** **If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to or find us on twitter [@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** **You can find our podcast on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A) and where ever you get your podcasts.** **This podcast is brought to you in association with [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/) and [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/), who we thank for their ongoing support.** [![](//d8g345wuhgd7e.cloudfront.net/site/images/badges/w600.png)](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/qj2ay-677e2/Dementia-Researcher-Podcast) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC20, Adam Smith, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Byron Creese, Dr Ríona McArdle, Esther Wiskerke, ISTAART, Newcastle University, Podcast, University College London, University of Exeter **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC Satellite Symposium 2023 Highlights](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-satellite-symposium-2023-highlights/) **Published:** May 29, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Bringing you updates from the AAIC Satellite Symposium, held earlier this month in Mexico City, highlighting research from across Latin America. **Content:** **In today’s episode, [Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-chi-udeh-momoh-imperial-college-london/), Research Programme and Biomarker Lead at Imperial College London and GHBI Fellow at University California, San Francisco talks to a line-up of captivating guests as we dive into sharing insights from the AAIC Satellite Symposium 2023 – focussing on the latest research from Latin America.** This week’s guests are all currently GBHI Fellows, and highly respected researchers at their home institutions: [**Dr Adolfo M. García**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-adolfo-m-garcia-university-of-california-san-francisco/), Director, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andres / Senior Atlantic Fellow, Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco / Associate Researcher, Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Adolfo specializes in language in neurodegenerative diseases. [**Dr Alison Canty**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alison-canty-trinity-college-dublin/), Associate Professor, & Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin / Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania. Alison is researching Neuroplasticity in ageing and neurodegenerative disease. [**Dr Jayashree Dasgupta**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jayashree-dasgupta-trinity-college-dublin/), is a GBHI Fellow and Clinical Psychologist working on translating evidence based practices to develop services for mental well-being, active aging and dementia care in India. She is also an ethics researcher and my work involves highlighting perspectives from under-represented settings into clinical research. **[Michelle Moses-Eisenstein](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-michelle-moses-eisenstein-university-of-california-san-francisco/)**, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health and Performing Artist at Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco. Michelle is committed to improving the lives of people with dementia and their care partners through innovation across arts programs, grants, communications, and policy. She is a creative and empathetic problem solver motivated to achieve public health solutions and health equity through relationship building, advocacy, education, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships. [**Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-chi-udeh-momoh-imperial-college-london/), Research Programme and Biomarker Lead and currently GHBI Fellow. Chi was I was born in Nigeria and relocated to the UK as a teenager. She has always been fascinated by the brain – how we think, learn and remember; and how these processes can be affected in disease/ alleviated therapeutically. Chi studied Neuroscience all the way through undergrad to PhD, then did my post-doc in neuroepidemiology, her focus is now on Dementia Prevention and biomarkers. **For more information on the event visit:** [www.alz.org/satellite-symposium/overview.asp](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alz.org%2Fsatellite-symposium%2Foverview.asp&token=956d5d-1-1685265884809 "https://www.alz.org/satellite-symposium/overview.asp") For more information on GBHI visit: [www.gbhi.org/events/gbhi-annual-conference-2023](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gbhi.org%2Fevents%2Fgbhi-annual-conference-2023&token=feed13-1-1685265884809 "https://www.gbhi.org/events/gbhi-annual-conference-2023") --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by University College London and the NIHR in Association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Association, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Hi everyone. I’m Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh and I’m a translational neuroscientist, based of course Imperial College in London, Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and Aga Khan University in Kenya. It’s my pleasure to be hosting this special episode recorded on location from the AIC Satellite Symposium and it’s co-hosted by the Global Brain Health Institute in the very exotic Mexico City. So, these events were started by the Alzheimer’s Association a few years ago, and essentially, they’re a light version of their big international conference, so they put a focus on issues and research taking place in particular parts of the world. And they work to improve accessibility in areas where researchers may not easily be able to afford to attend the bigger international events, like the AIC Conference coming up soon in Amsterdam. So, for our regular listeners, you’ll know how these highlight podcasts work, but for any newbies, it’s a pretty simple format. I’m joined by four amazing researchers who have been attending this event, the Global Brain Health Institute Conference, as well as the AIC Satellite Symposium. They’re going to share their highlights. They’re going to summarize some of the talks, the posters, and takeaways. The aim is essentially to keep you in the loop even if you can’t attend. I know there were some people able to attend virtually, but the GBHI conference was in person only. But we hope to be able to share some of the work of the brilliant researchers, including those joining me here, working across all areas of discovery, particularly around brain health and dementia. So, let’s meet the guests. I’m delighted to be joined by Dr. Adolfo Garcia, Michelle Moses-Eisenstein, Dr. Alison Canty, and Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta. Say hello everyone. I’m hoping to just start with some introductions, and we can go around the tables to do some introductions. So, Adolfo, would you like to go first? **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Absolutely. I’m the director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Center at Universidad de San Andrés in Argentina, a senior Atlantic Fellow at the Global Brain Health Institute, and a researcher at Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Basically, I work at the interface of language science and cognitive neuroscience. The main thing that we do with our teams is to try to leverage our knowledge about the connections between speech, language, and the brain to try to see if we can find markers, signatures, clues into the integrity of different brain regions, networks, and mechanisms based on people’s speech behavior. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Excellent. Thank you so much, Adolfo. And Michelle? **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Hi. Thanks so much for having me. I’m Michelle Moses-Eisenstein. I’m not a doctor, but I’d love to play one on TV at some point. My background is health policy and advocacy as well as government, and in my more personal capacity, not professionally trained, I really enjoy community musical theater, so I also identify as a performing artist. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Awesome. Alison. **Dr Alison Canty:** Thank you, Chi. I’m Alison Canty. I am a fellow of the Global Brain Health Institute, but usually I’m based in Hobart at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Center at the University of Tasmania. In my role there, I do research into neuroplasticity, looking at how the connections of the brain change during aging and in neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and looking at ways to try and restore the plasticity that’s lost in the disease processes. I’m also an educator. We run some really large online programs to try and reach those who need to know about dementia. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Excellent, thank you. And Jayashree? **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Hi, Chi. Thanks a lot for having me. I’m Jayashree Dasgupta and I’m currently an Atlantic Fellow at the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College Dublin, but I’m a neuropsychologist and a social entrepreneur from India. The work that I do is really around trying to build services for people in the areas of mental health as well as dementia care. A lot of the work that I’m doing is around improving awareness about these conditions, advocacy for this, as well as trying to really understand how we can support carers and leverage the local knowledge in these places to provide support where you don’t have services to meet the needs of the hour. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Brilliant, thank you. So, let’s get to the highlights which I’m sure our viewers are hoping to hear about. Alison, would you like to go first? **Dr Alison Canty:** Sure. Thanks, Chi. Well, I was really interested in how the program was put together, to really set the scene for this part of the world and in Latin America. In the first session of the AAIC conference, we really started with hearing about the World Health Organization’s sort of global action plan for dementia. It was nice that we then went down into Latin American situations and which countries have a plan, which ones are planning their plans, and which countries don’t have any plan or have made no progress towards the goals of having a dementia plan. Then we moved into the Mexican situation, and we found out about the dementia plan here and how it’s going, how it’s being implemented, and the challenges being experienced in this context in this part of the world. What was striking for me at the end is we heard from someone with personal experience, the lived experience of dementia as a carer for someone in this part of the world. That was really striking for me. As the conference continued, it was really good to see how the countries are all starting to work together and we’re hearing about collaborations that are occurring across the countries as we work towards implementing these dementia plans and really collaborative approaches. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Excellent. Yeah, I’m really intrigued also to hear Michelle’s perspective, especially from a non-scientist background. So please if you’d like to go next. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Sure. Well, what you said really resonates, especially in terms of the caregiver perspective. I think one place where we really saw that, and maybe I’m biased because I’m also an Atlantic Fellow based with Chi in San Francisco and we’re not that far from Los Angeles. I love good films and for anyone who was at Keys Bags, Names, Words, the screening, I know Iris was there, it was fantastic. It blew me away. I hope everyone gets a chance to see it. I think what I really took away is that the leadership space of global brain health equity is consistently academic, consistently clinical, consistently scientific and a place of problem solving. And it’s very challenging. I mean, this isn’t a surprise to anyone. This is the human experience. It’s such a challenge to be vulnerable. Somehow, they got these people in front of a camera who are either people living with dementia, or their care partners and they gave them this empowered space. And it’s a compilation of just really powerful stories. Of course, experts like my mentor, Dr. Lea Grinberg, and her lab at UCSF, and you can sign up at the website if you want to learn more about it. I believe it’s KeysBagsNamesWords.com. That’s where they’re going to send more information through their listserv about the upcoming screenings. But that absolutely blew me away. It’s just wonderful, beautiful stories that I think through their own vulnerability, give a voice to others to tell more stories. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Awesome. Did you \[inaudible 00:08:05\] **Dr Alison Canty:** Yeah, what I found really remarkable about that movie was, it was lots of narratives, lots of stories all woven together, but it’s the same stories occurring across the whole world. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yes. **Dr Alison Canty:** It’s not unique to a particular place. We’re all experiencing the same effects of learning how to care for someone with dementia and to really have that as an empathy-driven approach to sharing those stories was what was really heart touching for me. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yeah. No, absolutely. I mean, couldn’t agree more. I think it also speaks to the need for interdisciplinary or even multidisciplinary collaborative approaches. We can’t only do science and medicine without thinking about the arts, because I think that was really, really powerful at driving the message on the advances, but all the challenges as well of dementia patients that we’re all working towards. So Jayashree, do you want to go next? **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Sure. I mean, I think overall the conference experience was fantastic because unlike… Well, it’s the first conference I’ve attended in person for a while, and it was just amazing to have the opportunity to interact with people whom I’ve reached out to over email on, kind of seen on Zoom over the past pandemic years. I think that’s been my biggest highlight really. I mean, the scientific sessions and everything were fantastic, but just getting to actually meet people who are doing such fantastic work and talk to them has been a real draw for me. What I felt was really interesting though about the conference was just the way that all these different countries in Latin America are working together and to see that entire body of work and the sense of collaboration is absolutely amazing. Of course, each scientific session had very specific scientific outputs, but what was more interesting as a researcher in the field who’s trying to do some of this work was to actually hear about the challenges that people are facing and the opportunity to discuss this one-on-one or through the breakouts. I think I personally learned a lot from those interactions as well. So that was fantastic. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Exactly. Adolfo, what did you think? **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Yeah, well, the main \[inaudible 00:10:22\] of course, is this podcast, right? I mean, it’s a real perk of all weeks. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Exactly. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Having you here host and making you blush with this- **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Oh, my word. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Doesn’t get any better than this, but I will echo the thoughts about the importance of integrating the arts into what we do. That was actually something that cut across the program proper with the brain boosts, right? So, between some of the main sessions, there was an opportunity for some fellows to actually engage in dynamic creativity-based, creativity-driven activities that involved music and dance. I think that’s very good, not just because we believe in the power of art to contribute to our overarching mission, but just because of the mindset that it puts you in before a talk, right? Just create the right mind space for that. Diversity was a running theme, but it was also something that was incarnated in everything that happened. If you just take a walk around the posters, you will see that they have been produced by people who come from backgrounds as diverse as cinema, the world of music, I don’t know, geriatrics. You have of course your run-of-the-mill scientists, so we have to do that. But there are also crossings with the world of technological development, startups, networks. So that was very, very interesting to see. The topics that were addressed really were focusing on the hotspots of discussion nowadays, anything ranging from biomarkers to education and with a really, I should say, intersectional or transdisciplinary approach, where you can see the whole gamut of aspects that cut across from ranging from our genes and the alleles of the genes to the neuroanatomy of the diseases that we are interested in learning about, to the sociocultural milieus in which all of us operate. So, I think that was fantastic. The final thing I’ll mention is the eagerness, even the urge from everybody to collaborate. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yes. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** I’m going to echo what you said, but it’s something that you could also feel during the breaks. I mean, everybody was as eager to reach the breaks as they were to listen to the sessions just because it was the right time to network and to make your life easier than it is. But we all know, and we hope for a good reason. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yeah, I mean, thank you so much for rounding up. I think definitely I have to say the brain boosts were one of my favorite activities as well, and it just really helped, again, to put you in that frame of mind to receive more. There was also obviously excellent food. I don’t know how no one mentioned that, but I’ve eaten so much this week. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** I’m just \[inaudible 00:13:29\] **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** \[inaudible 00:13:30\] be a foodie. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Speaking of access and health equity, I think we had access to mole every day. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Exactly. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** It was great. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** But I should also speak about the diversity of the panels as well. I don’t know whether that was intentional, but I really want to commend the organizers. I noticed there was a running theme around gender-balanced panels, and that really resonated with me anyways. So, thank you guys so much. I mean, we can talk about these highlights forever, but I just wanted to hear from each of you of something that really stood out and it could be aligned with your research or your work, but what was that message or talk or session that just really stood out for you? **Dr Alison Canty:** Shall I start? **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yes, please. **Dr Alison Canty:** So chief for me, one of the messages we heard earlier in the week was really think about how you can change the narrative and to change your language that you use so that you can reach the right people each time, just to be prepared to communicate in the language of the people that you are speaking with. That’s a really important message for all of us as scientists or as educators or as clinicians, to speak the language of the audience so that they understand. Another quote that I heard during the week, which really resonated with me was to feel the fear and then do it anyway. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Oh, yes. Oh, yes, yes. JC Melody or… ? **Dr Alison Canty:** Yes, it was her, speaking from South Africa. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** I’m definitely… that’s now my motto. **Dr Alison Canty:** Feel the fear and do it anyway. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** And just keep going. Yeah. Thank you. Michelle. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Sure. So, I love what everyone said about the arts and the importance there. I’ll say the lightning rounds or what do we call… The lightning poster sessions, which you didn’t actually have lightning. If you haven’t watched them yet and you were at all concerned, no actual lightning was used in the creation of these lightning rounds. It was very safe. Very safe. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** I think it’s like the speed, right? **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Yeah. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** It’s funny. If you haven’t attended all of these scientific conferences and you’re hearing lightning rounds, do you expect some special effects? **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Yeah, right? We have all the theatrical, we have a lot of actors- **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Exactly. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** … in the hotel for this session. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** I see, next conference. \[inaudible 00:15:54\]. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Yeah, Veronica Rojas really blew me away because she talked about the incredible work that she’s been doing as an artist, the dignity and really the breaking through the barrier of stigma that she’s been able to accomplish to date, as well as some new partnerships that she’s doing with de Young Museum in San Francisco is really cool. Then most importantly, maybe I’m biased because my background is health policy, she closed with advocating for the importance of funding because as we all know, ideas are wonderful, but without funding, what do we really accomplish? I think it was just a beautiful showcase on the power of the arts as a non-pharmacological tool, which really resonated with me because my research is about expanding access to music very broadly, as well as a focus on expanding access to neurologic music therapy in both nursing homes and community settings. Because neurologic music therapy is evidence-based. I think the best example that I’ve heard recently was you could have a patient, you’re trying to work with aphasia, and maybe with the left brain and atrophy, excuse me, they may have lost their ability to speak verbally, but the right side of the brain is still able to help them communicate through music. That’s something that a certified music therapist can do, in just three simple steps and its life changing. If we can get more people to support the work that Veronica’s doing and music therapists and non-pharmacological tools, the results would be cost savings and just healthier people. So, it was really inspiring to see, as you all said, the space that this meeting created for the arts and the dignity that it can really bring. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Absolutely. Thank you. That was beautifully said. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Thanks. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Adolfo. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Yeah. I think the one thing that stood out for me is the question that remains unresolved, and it concerns education as a- **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Oh, yes. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** … as a variable. So usually, we try to factor that away when we are forming our groups. We try to make sure that your patient group is matched with your controls in terms of education so that you can rule out the influence of that factor. All right, fair enough. The discussion was set forth today regarding the diversity of educational systems. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Exactly. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Even intraregional. So, it’s just if you take a look at Latin America, I mean, how many years of primary school and how many years of high school are compulsory in the different educational systems across countries? That varies a lot. So, it was interesting to see that it’s not the number of years of education that seems to account for ultimate behavioral performance and brain behavior connections, but actually the completion of certain educational milestones. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yes. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** So having completed primary school or high school, irrespective of the number of years, and a very nice idea was made explicit today by- **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Stefanie. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** … Stefanie Piña Escudero who said that, “Well, it doesn’t really matter how many years of education you have, but if you complete high school, either after 13 years of education or 10 years of education, depending on your educational system, then you’re better equipped to apply for better jobs and make more money and have better life chances.” And if we’re talking about social determinants of health, that speaks volumes. But there was one issue that was not discussed, and it’s the very nature and validity of the notion of years of education, because what we do is count the years that a person has been in school, and that is not tantamount to education. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** No. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Far from it. What we are really measuring is how many years a person has been enrolled in an educational system. That does not mean that they have received it. It is not a measure of education. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Absolutely. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** At all. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Absolutely. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** You don’t know how much those people have learned. You don’t know what proportion of the expected goals of the curricula have been met. You don’t even know how frequently they attended school. All you know is that for a certain amount of time they’ve been enrolled. So, I want to take this opportunity to bring this topic up because I think that it’s a major case of construct invalidity. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yeah, yeah. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** And all the publications out there. And I can think of very few that actually escape this, are referring to accounting for, factoring out, measuring, or trying to measure the impact of education without actually measuring education. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** You’ll be pleased to know in our group, we use the highest level of education attained, so educational attainment rather than years as our \[inaudible 00:21:06\] rate for education. So, I was really excited to hear when Stephanie also put within the context of social determinants of health. Thank you so much, Adolfo. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Let’s confess that we had rehearsed this. I was just again \[inaudible 00:21:18\] the right. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** No, no, no. Absolutely. Wasn’t rehearsed, but it’s great that we’re thinking along the same lines. Jayashree, please. **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** No, great. I mean, I absolutely echo what you were saying. This was actually one of the discussions that I thought really stood out for me because I think I want to kind of highlight that it’s not just about the years of education, but the quality of education, that we really need to think about how we can measure that more effectively. This is an area that I’ve been trying to think about and work with, and some of my work is parents talk about the need for more quality education in low- and middle-income countries. They recognize that this is something which is important. I’m going to take this opportunity to say we need to get more people to think about that because it’s not just a tick box in terms of providing free access to schooling. It’s really about what goes into teaching. It was great to see that there were posters talking about even including education about brain health, because that’s what we really need to do. So, I think that that’s something which was definitely a highlight for me. So, I’m glad we’re using this opportunity to discuss it. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** But the challenges are multifarious, even if you’re actually measuring outcomes or attainment or ultimate attainment, because the truth is that, at least for some educational systems that I’m familiar with, you cannot trust the grades. You cannot trust the scores because governments are under such pressure to falsify the scores that they report for international assessments. I don’t want to say this is happening everywhere, but this is happening. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Feel free to be controversial. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** Oh, absolutely. But no, I really do mean it because I think that we all have a general understanding, which paradoxically enough is based on this bogus operationalization of the construct. But we know that education accounts for a wide proportion of the variance in your cognitive outcomes and your neurobiological mechanisms and whatnot. But how do we really bridge that gap and how do we really find measures of attainment that are reliable? **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Great question. I wonder while we’re on this topic, and I’ll be quite brief, but I wonder whether where we keep thinking about crystallized education, we forget about fluid intelligence. **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Yes. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** So that’s another thing for the viewers to contemplate because we use education, educational attainment, occupational complexity as our metrics of, for instance, cognitive reserve. But I really like to question that was posed during those sessions around the fact that, well, what are we really measuring with the construct education in itself? We might be missing out on a whole different form of intelligence that’s promoting reserve. But yeah, thank you all so much. I really don’t think we can… If I may, I just want to, in a minute or so, just really talk about one session that was fire for me, which was the GBHI session on intersectionality that was led by our fellow, Dr. Marianela Ibanez. It just really resonated, there were common themes around gaps and challenges, thinking about intersectionality in dementia research, but more importantly, some methodological considerations that were described by another fellow as well, Dr. Tanisha Hill Jarrett in an introductory talk. That was quite interesting because we’d already, during the GBHI conference, as had all of these talks around leadership, local and global leadership approaches to brain health equity that we \[inaudible 00:25:08\] but also Professor Anna Luisa Sosa and Professor Luis Miguel gave that excellent keynote. But I think that my absolute favorite session, I guess maybe again like Michelle, I think that given a lot of the research that I do around dementia prevention, I was so blown, and thinking about multi-partner consortium, I was so blown by the work being done in Latin America with \[inaudible 00:25:37\] that Professor Ibanez talked about and Latin thinkers. I really loved Maria Carrillo’s comments and I hope that they take this into consideration, talking about the need for collaborative work within these high consortium partners should really be taken seriously. So, I’m hoping to hear more about the excellent work going on in the region. But before we wrap up, we should mention, and I’m sure we’ve done so already, but that all of us have one thing in common. We’re all Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health. As the new call for applications for 2023 has just… I can’t even believe it’s already open. I was speaking to our director, Dr. Victor Valcourt, like, “Hang on a second. The call for 2024 is already open. Wow.” So, I wonder if I could just ask you all to say in just one sentence, what advice would you give to someone who’s thinking of applying? **Dr Alison Canty:** Go for it. Take a risk, acknowledge the fears, and do it anyway. For me, it’s been a fantastic opportunity to broaden my perspectives and horizons and to meet and tap into an amazing network of like-minded people. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Excellent. Thank you. **Michelle Moses-Eisenstein:** Yeah, it’s been an absolute dream. I’m not ready for it to end. So, two pieces of advice, if that’s okay. So, one, in your application, make sure you describe how you give back to the communities that you’re a part of. Then it’s also never too early to come talk to us. If you go, I think to gbhi.org and search for the Fellows directory, we all have similar email addresses and I’d love to talk with interested applicants and you can just get more kind of customized advice, depending on what your background is or what country you’re coming from. So, I would definitely get some custom advice, depending on who you see in that Fellows directory and what kind of people really resonate with you. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yeah, absolutely. Adolfo. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** It catapulted my career, absolutely. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Same. **Dr Adolfo M. García:** But in very, very concrete, non-abstract ways, just giving me access to data sets, to expertise, to grantsmanship that I needed to really hone. As a result of that, the access to funding opportunities was just beyond my wildest dreams. So, I guess if I were to give one piece of advice to someone interested in applying, it would go beyond the curriculum. Do not restrict your goals to what GBHI is offering explicitly. Just go beyond that. What’s your vision? Where do you want to go? What is it that makes you different, distinct? What’s your distinct added value, the distinct contribution you can make, and what’s the farthest way you can take it? So, factor that into your own personal plan for how you want to leverage the resources, the expertise, the people who are embedded in this community, because I doubt that you’ll find a better opportunity to do that. So, think beyond what the program explicitly offers. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Excellent. Thank you. Jayashree. **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** I think I’m just going to sum it up in one sentence. It would be, dare to dream. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Yeah. **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** I think the fellowship has been a fantastic experience and I’ve had an opportunity to interact with people who I might not have interacted with had I not been part of the fellowship. It’s been an amazing experience to just really start thinking out of the box. Absolutely. The fellowship is an opportunity to really see how you can think of different ideas to solve mammoth problems. I think the biggest strength of the fellowship is that it is a network of people who have a shared vision towards helping each other do that. **Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh:** Exactly. Exactly. I mean, I really love all your comments and like Adolfo and all of you, I mean, GBHI is my lucky charm, non-negotiable. I’ve told this to \[inaudible 00:29:47\] he says, “No, you are your lucky charm.” I’m like, “No, GBHI. You have no idea.” But yeah, I think one addition, I mean, everyone’s given amazing advice and I also wanted to say very, very important to collaborate, to really engage with the program, to make those connections. I’ve made lifelong friends, literally. So, I mean, it’s amazing. And make those connections and forge those collaborations, expand beyond what’s an offer. And honestly, the faculty will expand you, whether you like it or not. So yeah, I wish we could keep talking, but we have a pyramid visit to go to. Yeah, we’re not \[inaudible 00:30:28\] we promise it’s the end of the conference. But that’s all we have time for today. We’re going to rush away, catch some sunshine, take some beautiful photos at the pyramids before we head back to our various locations. But I hope you enjoyed listening, and if you want to find out more about any of the research we discussed, just head over to the AIC and GBHI website and you’ll find the link in the show notes. I really hope that Adam Smith provides that. So, thank you so much to my fabulous guests, Dr. Adolfo Garcia, Michelle Moses-Eisenstein, Dr. Alison Canty, and Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta. I’m Dr. Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by DementiaResearcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing you research, news, career tips, and support. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) – **our narrated blogs are now [also available as a podcast.](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs)** This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Atlantic Fellows, Dr Adolfo M. García, Dr Alison Canty, Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh, Dr Jayashree Dasgupta, GBHI, Global Brain Health Institute, Michelle Moses-Eisenstein, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [UK Government to invest £375 million in MND research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/uk-government-to-invest-375-million-in-neurodegenerative-disease-research/) **Published:** November 15, 2021 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** A £375 million investment to improve understanding and treatment for a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including £50 million for MND **Content:** ![MND Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/MND-Research-300x238.png "MND Research")Photo by Stefano Intintoli on Unsplash **People living with neurodegenerative diseases could live longer, healthier lives due to innovative new research, following a government commitment to invest £375 million over the next 5 years.** At least £50 million will be made available specifically for research to help find a cure for MND – a condition that affects the brain and nerves and affects 5,000 people in the UK. New, innovative projects will help researchers to better understand the disease and its related conditions, develop and test treatments and improve care for those living with MND. The full £375 million investment will fund projects into a range of diseases such as Pick’s Disease, Fronto-temporal dementia, wernicke-korsakoff, Parkinson’s disease dementia, Lewy Body dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, improving our understanding while searching for new treatments. For MND, a new NIHR research unit will be set up to co-ordinate research applications for the new funding, encouraging more innovative studies with the ultimate goal of finding a cure. The government has already invested millions of pounds in MND research, including over £7 million to support pioneering clinical trials, which have led to major advances in how the disease is understood. This includes improving our understanding of how different types of MND are passed on genetically which could unlock new treatment options for patients using gene therapy. There is currently only one drug licensed in the UK to treat MND – Riluzole – which slows the progression of the disease and extends someone’s life by a few months. The funding announced today will accelerate progress across the UK to find better treatments for MND, and give people living with the condition the chance of a better quality of life, and more good years with their loved ones. --- The NIHR has committed to ongoing research into MND, reinforced by issuing a [Highlight Notice](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/explore-nihr/funding-programmes/themed-calls.htm) inviting applications from ambitious research projects to take potential treatments from the lab to the clinic, as part of scaled-up efforts to significantly improve the care and support available. The NIHR has also awarded a prestigious Research Professorship to leading MND researcher Professor Chris McDermott. The award will focus on improving care for people with MND, bolstering leadership in this area of research, and strengthening the design of clinical trials to help more people with the disease take part. While there is still work to be done, significant progress is already being made – including through the development of better data resources such as MND register and MND biobanks which support researchers working to better understand the disease. Improved data sets make it easier for scientists to monitor responses to treatment in clinical trials. And through innovative and flexible trial designs, researchers are able to conduct faster and cheaper trials which will deliver potential new treatments to patients more quickly. As well as the funding for research into neurodegenerative diseases, a new MND partnership will be formed to pool expertise and resources across the research community to accelerate the delivery of new treatments. The partnership, backed by £4 million, is co-funded by: - the NIHR - UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) - Life Arc - MND Association - My Name’5 Doddie Foundation **Researchers can apply for funding via the [NIHR](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/) and [UKRI](https://www.ukri.org/) websites.** **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** ALS, Department of Health and Social Care, MND, Motor Neurone Disease, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Professor Chris McDermott --- ### [Discovery indicates MND may be caused by abnormal lipid processing in cells](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/discovery-indicates-mnd-may-be-caused-by-abnormal-lipid-processing-in-cells/) **Published:** June 20, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Genetics study adds weight to a theory that motor neurone degenerative diseases are caused by abnormal lipid processing pathways inside brain cells **Content:** ![Graphic of Lipids](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Lipids-300x238.png "Lipids")The four main groups of lipids include: Fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated) Glycerides (glycerol-containing lipids) Nonglyceride lipids (sphingolipids, steroids, waxes) Complex lipids (lipoproteins, glycolipids) **A new genetic discovery adds weight to a theory that motor neurone degenerative diseases are caused by abnormal lipid (fat) processing pathways inside brain cells. This theory will help pave the way to new diagnostic approaches and treatments for this group of conditions. The discovery will provide answers for certain families who have previously had no diagnosis.** Motor neurone degenerative diseases (MNDs) are a large family of neurological disorders. Currently, there are no treatments available to prevent onset or progression of the condition. MNDs are caused by changes in one of numerous different genes. Despite the number of genes known to cause MNDs, many patients still remain without a much-needed genetic diagnosis. A [University of Exeter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/?s=University+of+Exeter) team led by Professor Andrew Crosby and Dr Emma Baple has a long history of research in motor neurone degenerative diseases. The team [developed a hypothesis](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://74n5c4m7.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%252F%252Fwww.exeter.ac.uk%252Fnews%252Fhomepage%252Ftitle_770929_en.html/1/010201816ce04b02-be641e64-aa11-47c5-92af-785fbb321594-000000/le3R88KTLxbO3Ed-fbpVzRQoGOk%3D274&source=gmail-imap&ust=1655993851000000&usg=AOvVaw2WvNayQY7JhmGNHfdUjQPI) to explain a common cause of MNDs stemming from their discovery of 15 genes responsible for MNDs. The genes they identified are all involved in processing lipids – in particular cholesterol – inside brain cells. in the new hypothesis published in the leading neurology journal [*Brain*](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://74n5c4m7.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%252F%252Feur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%252F%253Furl%3Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%25252F31848577%25252F%2526data%3D05%25257C01%25257CL.Vennells%252540exeter.ac.uk%25257Cdfc261dfbda94d4d81ff08da37e384fc%25257C912a5d77fb984eeeaf321334d8f04a53%25257C0%25257C0%25257C637883747567335765%25257CUnknown%25257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%25253D%25257C3000%25257C%25257C%25257C%2526sdata%3D4Kct%25252F7AyfRUgBlV8XC5HjHWIN%25252FId20V41piRHeynvlA%25253D%2526reserved%3D0/1/010201816ce04b02-be641e64-aa11-47c5-92af-785fbb321594-000000/xuThwobDdJPZSRx9PEsLbYFFl_A%3D274&source=gmail-imap&ust=1655993851000000&usg=AOvVaw2YBw4XkFLqvXb2vfOeh3r_), describes the specific lipid pathways that the team believe are important in the development of MNDs. Now, the team has identified a further new gene – named “*TMEM63C*” – which causes a degenerative disease that affects the upper motor neurone cells in the nervous system. Also published in *Brain*, their latest discovery is important as the protein encoded by *TMEM63C* is located in the region of the cell where the lipid processing pathways they identified operate. This further bolsters the hypothesis that MNDs are caused by abnormal processing of lipids including cholesterol. > [Professor Andrew Crosby](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://74n5c4m7.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%252F%252Fmedicine.exeter.ac.uk%252Fpeople%252Fprofile%252Findex.php%253Fweb_id%3DAndrew_Crosby/1/010201816ce04b02-be641e64-aa11-47c5-92af-785fbb321594-000000/2jTb9sKS4lD1syDhmNqwUiYG98Q%3D274&source=gmail-imap&ust=1655993851000000&usg=AOvVaw21E7PcGDGMp2B0dWaoFunQ), at the University of Exeter, said: “We’re extremely excited by this new gene finding, as it is consistent with our hypothesis that the correct maintenance of specific lipid processing pathways is crucial for the way brain cells function, and that abnormalities in these pathways are a common linking theme in motor neurone degenerative diseases. It also enables new diagnoses and answers to be readily provided for families affected by some forms of MND” MNDs affect the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle activity such as walking, speaking and swallowing. There are many different forms of MNDs which have different clinical features and severity. As the condition progresses, the motor neurone cells become damaged and may eventually die. This leads to the muscles, which rely on those nerve messages, gradually weakening and wasting away. If confirmed, the theory could lead to scientists to use patient samples to predict the course and severity of the condition in an individual, and to monitor the effect of potential new drugs developed to treat these disorders. In the latest research, the team used cutting-edge genetic sequencing techniques to investigate the genome of three families with individuals affected by hereditary spastic paraplegia – a large group of MNDs in which the motor neurons in the upper part of the spinal cord miscommunicate with muscle fibres, leading to symptoms including muscle stiffness, weakness and wasting. These investigations showed that changes in the *TMEM63C* gene were the cause of the disease. In collaboration with the group led by [Dr Julien Prudent](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://74n5c4m7.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%252F%252Fwww.mrc-mbu.cam.ac.uk%252Fresearch-groups%252Fprudent-group/1/010201816ce04b02-be641e64-aa11-47c5-92af-785fbb321594-000000/EAEJyMel7Vcjgn5gy_MKKQ352H4%3D274&source=gmail-imap&ust=1655993851000000&usg=AOvVaw3JDswFHizCMWBLqx3q9mdZ) at the Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit at the University of Cambridge, the team also undertook studies to learn more about the functional relevance of the TMEM63C protein inside the cell. Using state-of-the-art microscopy methods, the Cambridge team’s work showed that a subset of *TMEM63C* is localised at the interface between two critical cellular organelles, the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria, a region of the cell required for lipid metabolism homeostasis and proposed by the Exeter team to be important for the development of MNDs. In addition to this specific localisation, Dr Luis-Carlos Tabara Rodriguez, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Prudent’s lab, also uncovered that *TMEM63C* controls the morphology of both the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, which may reflect its role in the regulation of the functions of these organelles, including lipid metabolism homeostasis. > [Dr Emma Baple](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://74n5c4m7.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%252F%252Fmedicine.exeter.ac.uk%252Fpeople%252Fprofile%252Findex.php%253Fweb_id%3DEmma_Baple/1/010201816ce04b02-be641e64-aa11-47c5-92af-785fbb321594-000000/HEZ1at2yGgzIyQyzq5pGc9vxZu0%3D274&source=gmail-imap&ust=1655993851000000&usg=AOvVaw0yYSW89bThut_pcPaezphb), of the University of Exeter, said: “Understanding precisely how lipid processing is altered in motor neurone degenerative diseases is essential to be able to develop more effective diagnostic tools and treatments for a large group of diseases that have a huge impact on people’s lives. Finding this gene is another important step towards these important goals” The Halpin Trust, a charity who support projects which deliver a powerful and lasting impact in healthcare, nature conservation and the environment, part-funded this research. Claire Halpin, the charities’ co-founder with her husband Les said “The Halpin Trust are extremely proud of the work ongoing in Exeter, and the important findings of this highly collaborative international study. We’re delighted that the Trust has contributed to this work, which forms part of Les’s legacy. He would also have been pleased, I know.” The HSP Support Group is a UK charity providing help for people diagnosed with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP). Adam Lawrence, the Group’s Chair said “Finding a new type of HSP is extremely important as it helps reduce the uncertainty which people with the condition often have on their diagnosis journey. The work of the team in Exeter investigating HSP and its genetic causes over many years is world-leading and has increased the global understanding of HSP. Their work is important providing much needed answers for people with HSP, and developing treatments.” The new study is entitled ‘[TMEM63C mutations cause mitochondrial morphology defects and underlie hereditary spastic paraplegia’](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://74n5c4m7.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%252F%252Facademic.oup.com%252Fbrain%252Farticle-lookup%252Fdoi%252F10.1093%252Fbrain%252Fawac123/1/010201816ce04b02-be641e64-aa11-47c5-92af-785fbb321594-000000/n5OpaYHqeOAY_CGdZtr3jJGJOpM%3D274&source=gmail-imap&ust=1655993851000000&usg=AOvVaw35lqkYlZSPkl93XeBHQXw9), and is published in *Brain*. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Dr Emma Baple, Genetics, Halpin Trust, MND, Motor Neurone Disease, Professor Andrew Crosby, University of Exeter --- ### [MND Matters Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/mnd-matters-podcast/) **Published:** May 1, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The MND Matters podcast offers information on Motor Neuron Disease for everyone including people living with and affected by MND. **Content:** **The [Motor Neurone Disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-als-associaton-project-revoice/ "The ALS Associaton – Project Revoice") (MND) Matters podcast offers people living with and affected by motor neurone disease access to information, informal advice and expertise.** Created by the MND Association, the podcast will explore a wide range of subjects alongside people affected by MND. As well as being an extra information source for the MND community, MND Matters will also be a new tool for the Association to use to raise awareness among the wider community. Find out more on our website --- [Catch-up on recent shows and subscribe](https://open.spotify.com/show/5pTDEkRUUdI1Ez8Gy3ipDL?si=3d30b5ccd4454610) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Motor Neurone Disease, Podcast --- ### [The ALS Associaton - Project Revoice](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-als-associaton-project-revoice/) **Published:** June 8, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Hear how ALS Researchers are using a unique deep learning algorithm to analyze the DNA of a person’s voice and create a complete digital voice clone. **Content:** **Learn about Project Revoice from the ALS Association and how it uses a unique deep learning algorithm to analyze the DNA of a person’s [voice](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-including-the-voices-of-people-with-dementia/) and create a complete digital voice clone. When integrated with text-to-speech devices, this gives people with ALS (Motor Neurone Disease) the ability to speak freely and naturally in their own voice, even after they physically can’t.** Thanks to breakthroughs in voice technology, it’s now possible to fully recreate the unique essence of any voice and build a complete digital voice clone for everyday use with Augmented / Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. With several technologies available, we encourage you to discuss your options with an assistive technology expert or email . If you live outside the United States you can find a local ALS/MND association [find more information on our website](https://www.alsmndalliance.org/find-als-mnd-association/). Regardless of which option(s) you choose, we strongly encourage you to learn more and consider voice banking. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** ALS Association, Motor Neurone Disease, Project Revoice, Speech and Language Therapy, Speech Pathology --- ### [Discovery Research funding webinars for global researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/discovery-research-funding-webinars-for-global-researchers/) **Published:** June 11, 2023 **Author:** Wellcome Trust **Excerpt:** Learn how Wellcome Trust can can fund and support research and researchers based in low- and middle-income countries around the world. **Content:** **Join the Wellcome Trust online to learn how Wellcome Discovery Research funding can support research and researchers based in low- and middle-income countries around the world (apart from India and mainland China).** We fund discovery research through our funding schemes to support a broad range of researchers and disciplines. These funding schemes are open to researchers in [low- and middle-income countries](https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/guidance/low-and-middle-income-countries) (LMICs) apart from India and mainland China. Review all [funding oppertunities](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/funding-calls/) on the Dementia Researcher website. --- ## Find out more about our Discovery Research funding [Discovery research](https://wellcome.org/what-we-do/discovery-research "Discovery research") is our term for studies, across a wide range of disciplines, that lead to new knowledge and insights into human life, health and wellbeing. This includes research that may have clinical or societal impact, or translational potential, or research focusing on diseases of global, regional or local importance. As a global funder, we aim to grow and diversify the research and researchers we fund by supporting a range of projects that better represent the international research community. We know that if we are going to make a significant impact on improving human health, we need to fund research led from a diverse range of countries, perspectives and experiences. Join our webinars to hear more details and ask questions on how your research fits our [Discovery Research remit](https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/guidance/discovery-research-schemes-remit "Discovery research funding remit"). --- ## What the webinars will cover Please join us for one of our webinars to hear about our commitment to helping support you and your research through Wellcome’s Discovery Research funding schemes. Take the opportunity to hear from Wellcome staff, committee members and funded researchers to discuss: - our vision and priorities for funding researchers and research led from LMICs - our Discovery Research funding schemes - examples of funded discovery research around the world - application assessment process and advice for applying - panel Q&A with Wellcome staff, funded researchers and our [Funding Advisory Committee](https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/guidance/funding-application-advisory-committees "Funding advisory committees") members. We invite you to submit questions ahead of the webinars on [Slido](https://app.sli.do/event/pWJu1prQjNARNaVnJhfsmv/live/questions). --- ## Register These webinars are primarily for researchers based in [low- and middle-income countries](https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/guidance/low-and-middle-income-countries) at all career stages as well as for research support staff. Please register for one of the webinars in your preferred time zone using the links below. You are welcome to attend any of the webinars – it does not need to correspond with the region where your research is based. The content of each webinar will be the same, with some of the panel membership tailored for each region. While all our application systems are managed in English, these webinars will offer live interpretation options – details will be confirmed nearer the time. --- ## Webinar for researchers in Latin America Tuesday 18 July, 13:00 – 14:30 (UTC) *Live interpretation in Spanish and Portuguese* [Register](https://wellcome-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8rWOFNLyTr-PByJfhfntWw#/registration) ## Webinar for researchers in Africa Wednesday 26 July, 12:00 – 13:30 (UTC) *Live interpretation in French and Swahili* [Register](https://wellcome-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-BZJ0s90TPmGYbP3a71C6Q) ## Webinar for researchers in Asia Wednesday 2 August, 08:00 – 09:30 (UTC) *Live interpretation in Thai and Vietnamese* [Register](https://wellcome-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2JRyVD2eQkmYvJMkcYkkmA) --- ## Our Discovery Research funding schemes - [Wellcome Early-Career Awards](https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/early-career-awards) - [Wellcome Career Development Awards](https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/career-development-awards) - [Wellcome Discovery Awards](https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/discovery-awards) **Categories:** Events **Tags:** Funding, Low and Middle Income Countries, Wellcome Trust --- ### [The UK Dementia Research Institute has a new Director](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-uk-dementia-research-institute-has-a-new-director/) **Published:** June 14, 2023 **Author:** UK DRI **Excerpt:** Professor Siddharthan Chandran appointed to replace Professor Bart De Strooper as Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute. **Content:** ![Professor Siddharthan Chandran](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Professor-Siddharthan-Chandran-280-×-280px.png "Professor Siddharthan Chandran (280 × 280px)")Professor Siddharthan Chandran **We are delighted to announce that [Professor Siddharthan Chandran](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-siddharthan-chandran-the-university-of-edinburgh/), a world-leading expert in neurodegenerative diseases, will become the new Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) from 1 October 2023.** Professor Chandran is a clinician-scientist at the forefront of the emerging discipline of Regenerative Neurology. He is renowned for his pioneering work in motor neuron and neurodegenerative disease research—work that bridges the gap between the laboratory and the clinic. He is currently a Group Leader at the UK DRI at the University of Edinburgh where his lab uses patient derived pluripotent stem cells to study motor neurone disease (MND) and frontotemporal dementia. *“I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the UK DRI whose ultimate aim is to transform the outlook for people at risk of or living with dementia and related neurodegenerative conditions. The UK DRI is the science discovery engine that underpins the entire UK dementia ecosystem. My vision is to grow the UK DRI into a world-leading beacon for innovation, discovery and translation for dementia.” **Professor Chandran*** Alongside his UK DRI research, he is Dean of Clinical Medicine, Director of Edinburgh Neuroscience, the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research and the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic at the University of Edinburgh. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Chandran possesses impressive leadership skills, a thorough knowledge of the UK policy landscape, and an understanding of what is needed for science to thrive both in the UK and internationally. His own work is already transforming the lives of people affected by MND through the innovative MND-SMART clinical trial, dramatically speeding up the delivery of new treatments for the disease Professor Chandran was selected as the new UK DRI Director after a comprehensive international search and in addition to leading the Institute, Professor Chandran will maintain an active research laboratory, continuing his critical work on understanding and preventing neurodegenerative diseases. **The UK DRI is delighted to welcome Professor Chandran into his new role – [read the full story](https://ukdri.ac.uk/news-and-events/professor-siddharthan-chandran-appointed-as-new-director-of-the-uk-dri).** --- **![UKDRI logo](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/UKDRI-logo-150x150.jpg "UKDRI logo")** **About the UK Dementia Research Institute** The national UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) is the single biggest investment in dementia research in the UK. Established in 2017 by its founding funders, the Medical Research Council, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK, the multi-million-pound Institute is hosted across six leading UK universities: University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London and King’s College London, with its central hub and headquarters at UCL. The UK DRI works on ways to prevent, treat and care for people with all types of dementia, and ways to keep the brain healthy. [www.ukdri.ac.uk](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://click.agilitypr.delivery/ls/click?upn%3DXeiFNEX3ObL5Neev-2BEFFc1Nrgp6V7KvS55GLnhBXznarrym0N8PCvuvfwOQXHM-2BAgYB7_3z4UDEojuDu-2FrthAAL1ASgKQqilSnfPWCef-2F6BJfWi7bVHruJIIi-2FDAXjzBmhhUmxdhmwu44uV6TZUhlQgLC2R19cbTK0utxkhcTz32mK5NPXxlWcU25QyQrSNivSGJI9UeovIv-2FRcD9dhXXBjTCt-2BGgGYVbSFsxZuMOe9thIZdMLuVTpupmWcG1nseBDrsQ5CwcdRwBDouikW0CvCTa9BnDURNcFxvN57syPGjIM8tjdFTtgJcUArvxgn79Ra9AfFwB2Ibi9vLQkNnMEa1-2FEd9tqI598d7B1IVobdGIIVvIbA6sIPJaJd6ENGmEv1BA0-2BlJZRTfLRZaBCzhnPU261vBDt9KXAjjSgRRd26J68Cuwc-2BqF5ycPysbYl4R0qfuF-2F5c9P4ePUrrtgKkORTBSCguq7rtYQZ-2FQWN6ITYs4r-2F421ZTI32KTd2CNR7TcSqDs0v4hL7cGrgKmzTaHu-2F9Wg-3D-3D&source=gmail-imap&ust=1687352447000000&usg=AOvVaw3ox1FspmjlDZN85LSYzlMI) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** MND-SMART, Motor Neurone Disease, Professor Bart De Strooper, Professor Siddharthan Chandran, UK Dementia Research Institute --- ### [ISTAART Is 10,000 Members Strong](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-is-10000-members-strong/) **Published:** June 14, 2023 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** ISTAART has achieved the amazing milestone of welcoming the 10,000th member to its amazing community of scientists, clinicians and dementia professionals **Content:** **We’re proud to share that the [International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART)](https://istaart.alz.org/) is now 10,000 members strong — and we’re just getting started. With more scientists, clinicians and dementia professionals than ever before, we’re poised to make significant advancements in dementia science through the exchange of ideas, collaboration and networking.** As ISTAART celebrates its 15th anniversary, it’s fitting to remember that we began as a small but dedicated group of dementia professionals. Since then, we have grown to represent diverse areas of practice and members from more than 110 countries. ISTAART’s tremendous growth wouldn’t be possible without more accessible membership options, allowing students and individuals in lower and middle income countries to join at no cost. It’s clear that diversity is ISTAART’s greatest strength as our membership has grown. A variety of dementia professionals from all career stages and backgrounds actively engage in our Professional Interest Areas (PIAs), executive committees, Advisory Council and Ambassador Program, bringing unique perspectives and knowledge to the table. With 29 unique PIAs, our members have opportunities to learn and collaborate on topics such as biomarkers, technology and more with peers from around the world. Thank you for being a part of this inclusive global network of scientists, clinicians and other dementia professionals — together, we are making momentous strides to accelerate research and advance careers. Visit our [Alzheimer’s Association Corner](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-association/) for more information on the community and its resources. --- **Paulo Caramelli, MD, PhD** Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil ISTAART Chair **Suvarna Alladi, DM** National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India ISTAART Vice-Chair P.S. We hope you’ll join us at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)](https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fact.alz.org%2Fsite%2FR%3Fi%3DDkuO6ZZ5FPUebFYoEL3Nx3fl96kFt6i0mt1UsQjcCIOMloMQVDn5iQ&data=05%7C01%7Cadam.smith%40ucl.ac.uk%7C79c43ae949a1442f443508db6bfd6651%7C1faf88fea9984c5b93c9210a11d9a5c2%7C0%7C0%7C638222508309970316%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ek4TCE0e5YEPLvOF3%2FJ8jLo3D3BnMrms%2BCFRlXtjwUw%3D&reserved=0), July 16-20 in Amsterdam, Netherlands and online. As an ISTAART member, you’ll receive exclusive benefits, including free virtual attendance, in-person registration discounts, admission to Professional Interest Area (PIA) Day and access to members-only events. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, ISTAART --- ### [Investigating sex & population specific risk factors of MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/investigating-sex-population-specific-risk-factors-of-mnd/) **Published:** June 19, 2023 **Author:** Motor Neurone Disease Association **Excerpt:** An MNDA Study is reanalysing over 150,000 MND datasets of Motor Neuroen Disease patients and healthy subjects for a thorough investigation of MND risk factors. **Content:** ![Investigating sex and population specific risk factors of MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Motor-Neurons-under-a-microscope-1-300x238.jpg "Motor Neurons under a microscope")Investigating the sex and population-specific risk factors of MND is crucial for understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing targeted strategies for prevention, early detection, and treatment. #### About the project This project aims to reanalyse datasets of over 150,000 Motor Neurone Disease (MND) patients and healthy subjects to address three important components of MND risk (factors that impact whether you will be diagnosed with MND) which have not been thoroughly investigated. The components of risk to be investigated are sex-specific genetic factors, population-specific genetic risk factors and overlap of genetic risk between MND and other neurological diseases. Acknowledging the genetic complexity of MND will help to better understand mechanisms involved in disease risk and is central to developing effective therapies and genetic counselling strategies. #### **What could this mean for MND research?** This work could help to reveal differences in genetic factors between population groups and sexes in MND. Understanding more about these risk factors and the underlying biology could help to explain individual differences in disease development and progression. It could also aid in developing new therapeutics which are based on the disease-linked factors and may offer a more personalised approach to treatment of MND. This project may provide more insights into whether certain genetic factors of MND are also risk factors for other neurological diseases. > With an MND Association Junior Non-Clinical Fellowship I was able to navigate the precarious transition from postdoctoral researcher to independent scientist. Thanks to the MND Association, I am now a tenured principal investigator with a growing team working on the genomics of motor neurone disease, a crucial area for future treatments. **Dr Russell McLaughlin** --- **Lead Institution:** [Trinity College Dublin](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=trinity-college-dublin) **MND Association Funding:** £155,811 **Funding dates:** September 2021 – August 2023 Find out more about the research being funded by MNDA [on their website](https://www.mndassociation.org/research/our-research/research-we-fund/understanding-clinical-progression/investigating-sex-and-population-specific-risk-factors-of-mnd). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Dr Russell McLaughlin, Motor Neurone Disease, motor neurone disease association, Trinity College Dublin --- ### [Could MND be caused by a virus? A new trial will investigate](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/could-mnd-be-caused-by-a-virus-a-new-trial-will-investigate/) **Published:** June 20, 2023 **Author:** Motor Neurone Disease Association **Excerpt:** Is MND caused by the activation of ancient viruses hidden within our DNA? A new trials has started to investigate this theory. Shared from MNDA website. **Content:** **MND is a complex disease, and the causes are still not fully understood. Researchers all around the world are working tirelessly on different theories to try to understand more about what causes MND and how to treat it. One theory is that MND is caused by the activation of ancient viruses which are hidden within our [DNA](https://mndresearch.blog/glossary/dna/). To test this theory, a [clinical trial](https://mndresearch.blog/glossary/clinical-trial/) investigating the use of retrovirals in people living with [MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/mnd-matters-podcast/) is currently underway in the UK, Europe and Australia. We recently sat down with Professor Julian Gold to chat about this theory and how HIV drugs could be used to treat MND. Watch more below or read on to find out more.** > **Introducing Professor Julian Gold…** > > Professor Julian Gold is an infectious disease specialist, including in the treatment of HIV. He became interested in repurposing HIV drugs for other diseases. Along this journey, he came across research which suggested that MND could potentially be caused by a virus. Professor Gold is the lead investigator of the Lighthouse II clinical trial, which is investigating a HIV drug, called Triumeq, in people living with MND. Shared from the MND Website, first published on the 15th June 2023 – [**Head to the MND Assocation Blog for the original article with video**](https://mndresearch.blog/2023/06/15/could-mnd-be-caused-by-a-virus-a-new-clinical-trial-investigates/) --- ## **Does this mean MND is caused by a virus?** Throughout evolution, humans have picked up ancient viruses which become embedded within our DNA. These viruses, known as retroviruses, infect cells, create copies of their DNA, and then insert this DNA into the hosts DNA. It has been shown 9% of our DNA is made of ancient retroviruses picked up during evolution. Many are defective or lying dormant and historically the DNA from them was considered to be “[junk DNA](https://mndresearch.blog/glossary/junk-dna/)”. However, over the years some of these retroviruses have been linked to diseases. Probably the most well-known retrovirus is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). A particular retrovirus, known as human endogenous retrovirus-K (HERV-K) is thought to be activated in the brain and nerve cells of people with MND. Researchers have also shown that mice which are genetically modified to express HERV-K develop MND-like symptoms. ## **How could HERV-K cause MND?** Researchers are still working on understanding how HERV-K might contribute to the development of MND. A number of different pathways are thought to be involved, but work is still ongoing to understand these pathways and how they are linked to HERV-K. For example, the activation of HERV-K may be controlled by a protein called TDP-43, which is known to be implicated in MND. When researchers increased the production of TDP-43 in human neurons (grown in a dish), they observed an increase in production of HERV-K. HERV-K has also been shown to increase TDP-43 accumulation, which is observed in 97% of all MND cases. Work is ongoing to understand more about the role of HERV-K and TDP-43 in MND. ## **Could a HIV drug be used to treat MND?** Many people with HIV have also developed neurological problems, including MND-like symptoms. Several studies have documented improvement in these symptoms with anti-retroviral therapy. Hear Professor Gold talk about this more below. Triumeq is made up of a combination of anti-retroviral drugs. These drugs target different mechanisms of the retrovirus, all with the same goal of preventing the virus from copying itself and implanting into the hosts DNA. When HIV treatments were being developed, they found that targeting more than one mechanism was much more effective than just using one drug. Two of the drugs (Abacavir and Lamivudine) block the activity of an enzyme called reverse-transcriptase. If this enzyme doesn’t function the retrovirus can’t make more copies of itself and the amount of activated retrovirus in the body is reduced. ![An enzyme known as reverse-transcriptase helps the retrovirus make more copies of itself so that it can continue to spread throughout the body. Abacavir and Lamivudine work by blocking the activity of reverse-transcriptase.](https://i0.wp.com/mndresearch.blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Reverse-transcriptase-2.png?resize=650%2C264&ssl=1 "Visual Guide to Qualitative Longitudinal Research")An enzyme known as reverse-transcriptase helps the retrovirus make more copies of itself so that it can continue to spread throughout the body. Abacavir and Lamivudine work by blocking the activity of reverse-transcriptase. The other drug (Dolutegravir) which makes up Triumeq blocks another enzyme called integrase. This enzyme plays an important role in helping place the viral DNA copy into the hosts DNA. When it is blocked, the viral DNA can no longer be inserted into the human DNA and prevents the retrovirus from replicating. ![An enzyme known as integrase helps the retrovirus insert its DNA copy (blue) into the human DNA (yellow), which allows it to spread throughout the body. Doultegravir blocks integrase activity.](https://i0.wp.com/mndresearch.blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Integrase.png?resize=650%2C235&ssl=1 "A guide to qualitative longitudinal research methods")An enzyme known as integrase helps the retrovirus insert its DNA copy (blue) into the human DNA (yellow), which allows it to spread throughout the body. Doultegravir blocks integrase activity. ## **Has Triumeq been tested in MND clinical trials before?** Triumeq was tested in a phase 2 clinical trial, called Lighthouse. This trial was held in Australia and recruited 40 people with MND who all received a daily dose of Triumeq for 24 weeks. There was no placebo group in this study, so all participants received the treatment. Participants were initially observed for 10 weeks to determine their predicted rate of disease progression. This was then compared with their actual progression whilst on the treatment. Participants were assessed using measures such as the ALS Functional Rating Scale ([ALSFRS-R](https://mndresearch.blog/glossary/alsfrs-r/)) and breathing capacity (Forced Vital Capacity; FVC). The trial also measured the levels of HERV-K throughout the study, to see if taking Triumeq reduced the amount of virus present. Generally, the drug was found to be well-tolerated by the participants and safe to administer at the dose it was given. This was to be expected, since Triumeq has already been proven to be safe for the treatment of HIV. There was a statistically significant reduction in disease progression, as measured by [ALSFRS-R](https://mndresearch.blog/glossary/alsfrs-r/). Participants were shown to have a change in decline from 1.12 points per month during the initial observation period to 0.76 points per month whilst on the treatment. Breathing progression was also shown to stabilise after 18 weeks on the treatment, indicating another positive change. In most participants on the trial, levels of HERV-K were reduced, suggesting that the treatment is working as it should within the body. However, it took around 24-weeks for levels to significantly reduce. As this trial was only 24-weeks long, the full potential clinical benefits of Triumeq may not have been observed. This trial provided [proof-of-concept](https://mndresearch.blog/glossary/proof-of-concept/) of using Triumeq as a potential treatment for MND and lead to the development of a larger, and longer, phase 3 trial (Lighthouse 2). ## **What is the Phase 3 clinical trial?** Lighthouse II is a phase 3 clinical trial investigating Triumeq in people living with MND. It is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, meaning that participants are randomly allocated to receive either the treatment or a placebo without knowing which one they are taking. The trial will assess whether Triumeq is effective in delaying the progression of MND, if it is safe and well tolerated and how it affects health outcomes in people with MND. ## **What will happen in the Phase 3 trial?** This is a much larger trial than the Phase 2 one and is expected to enrol 390 participants who will take Triumeq or the placebo for a maximum of 24 months. Measurements of disease progression and reaction to the drug will be recorded every 3 months. Throughout the 24-months there will be 2 interim analyses. This is where data collected from the trial will be independently reviewed, by people not involved in the trial. This provides opportunities to stop the trial early if the drug is not showing positive signs for those living with MND. We know that people living with MND don’t have time to wait, so trials that include interim analyses are vital for making sure participants spend the minimum amount of time on trials while also thoroughly testing new potential treatments. ## **How can I take part in the trial?** The trial has been designed to allow more people living with MND an opportunity to take part in a clinical trial. For example, there is no time limit since onset of symptoms to take part in this trial. Potential participants will need to have a blood test to check that they are not likely to have an allergic reaction to one of the anti-retrovirals. The trial is aiming to recruit up to 200 participants in the UK. Recruitment is currently taking place at: - King’s College London - University College London - Sheffield Additional centres are currently in set-up around the country. For more information on recruiting sites use the button below to go to our website or contact us on . [Take part in Light House 2](https://www.mndassociation.org/research/clinical-trials/treatment-trials/triumeq) --- As Professor Gold mentioned in our interview, Dr Avindra Nath has played a vital role in this research. Dr Nath and team have delved deeper into how a virus might cause MND in the laboratory, increasing knowledge of this area and helping provide evidence for the clinical trials. You can find out about Dr Nath’s work in a [webinar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmdxYi-mkVY&t=2770s) from FightMND. We would like to thank Professor Gold for contributing to this blog. King’s College London is the lead trial site in the UK. The MND Association is proud to support to this trial site by funding a research nurse. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Dr Avindra Nath, HIV, Motor Neurone Disease, motor neurone disease association, Professor Julian Gold --- ### [£8m to speed up research into new treatments for MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/8m-to-speed-up-research-into-new-treatments-for-mnd/) **Published:** June 21, 2023 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** The NIHR has announced its next major step in new government action to speed up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND). **Content:** **NIHR is announcing its next major step in new government action to speed up research into [Motor Neurone Disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/investigating-sex-population-specific-risk-factors-of-mnd/) (MND). This is part of a £50 million commitment to MND research over five years – by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).** Subject to contracts being signed, NIHR will be investing almost £8 million into early phase clinical research for MND. This will seek to speed up innovative new treatments for patients. This programme of early phase clinical research, led by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs), is made up of a £4.7 million investment in a collaboration of UK researchers who will take forward an early phase platform trial to screen for drugs which have the potential to be successful in clinical trials. It also includes a further £3.25 million investment to train a new group of MND researchers to support future research. Researchers hope eligible patients can begin taking part in the study in summer 2024. This NIHR funding will support the project for 3.5 years. Patient charities MND Association, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, MND Scotland, and medical research charity LifeArc intend to provide additional support to extend the study to 5 years and carry out additional lab research. > “Motor [neurone disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-uk-motor-neuron-disease-research-institute/) is debilitating. This new funding demonstrates our commitment to helping the UK’s world-leading scientists to test promising new drugs, and confirms the Government’s commitment to MND research. Our investment will also help train and support the next generation of MND scientists to tackle this complex illness. Research is the best opportunity we have of finding new insights and ways to treat MND and improve the lives of everyone impacted by the disease.” **Professor Lucy Chappell, NIHR Chief Executive** ## Building strength in MND early phase clinical research MND is also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). There is currently no effective therapy or cure for the disease. Patients face a rapidly progressing paralysis that spreads around the body. This robs them of the ability to walk, eat, talk and eventually breathe. Around half of those diagnosed with MND will die within two years. The condition affects around 330,000 people around the world. Historically, drug trials for MND have rarely been successful. Drugs need to be tested in phase 3 clinical trials (such as the MND-SMART platform launched in 2020), to show if they will benefit patients. But phase 3 trials can be expensive and time-consuming and their success rate is variable. A new £4.7m early phase platform programme – called ‘EXPErimental medicine Route To Success in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (EXPERTS-ALS)’ – will help this. Researchers at the Universities of Sheffield and Oxford will lead a collaboration of expert centres across the UK. They aim to recruit 700 people with MND from 11 centres for the five-year trial. The EXPERTS-ALS programme will screen potential drugs, looking for early signs of benefit found in blood tests. A ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ decision can be reached within a few months. Successful drugs can be prioritised for testing in the larger phase 3 trials , with a higher chance of a positive outcome. All study participants will be asked to provide additional biological samples to enable researchers to create a valuable bank of samples. This will allow scientists around the UK to learn from every patient involved in the trial to uncover new insights into MND and possibly identify new research approaches. > “MND is a cruel and devastating disease and we need new approaches to identify more effective treatments to help patients. EXPERTS-ALS is a pioneering project to prioritise the drugs which have the best chance of success in halting the progression of this terrible degenerative disease. Over five years, we will be able to screen drugs faster, on a larger scale and identify which ones should proceed into phase 3 trials based on signals found in people living with MND.” **Professor Christopher McDermott, UK MND Research Institute** ## Funding for the future EXPERTS-ALS brings together a collaboration of 11 organisations. This includes a range of NIHR BRCs in England and additional institutions from across the devolved administrations. The £3.25 million of the £8 million investment will be used to build research capacity across a range of career levels among MND researchers involved in the study. This programme of work will harness and develop skills and expertise across centres and clinical research networks and lead to an increase in capacity for experimental medicine and therapeutic trials research in MND. **The approach to capacity building has four interlinked components:** 1. Early career cohort 2. Trial infrastructure and capacity 3. Experimental medicine infrastructure 4. Collaboration This is the first time a broad collaboration of NIHR BRC and UK Dementia Research Institute partners and other centres of excellence has come together to focus on patient-based MND research. The 11 universities involved in the collaboration are: - University of Sheffield - University of Manchester - University of Edinburgh - University of Newcastle - University of Exeter - South Wales MND Network and University of Cardiff - The Walton Centre, University of Liverpool - King’s College London - University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology - University of Cambridge - University of Oxford #### **The NHS trusts involved are:** - King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (sponsor of the study) NIHR has published a joint NIHR/Medical Research Council Highlight Notice inviting outstanding researchers across the academic and life sciences sector to submit applications to an open call for the highest quality projects. [Read more about the Highlight Notice and instructions on how to apply](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/nihr-highlight-notice-motor-neurone-disease/30806 "https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/nihr-highlight-notice-motor-neurone-disease/30806"). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Motor Neurone Disease, National Institute for Health and Care Research --- ### [Podcast Playlist - Understanding & Researching MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-playlist-understanding-researching-mnd/) **Published:** June 21, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** It's MND Awareness Day, so we put together a great podcast episode playlist to provide an introduction to MND, the research and living life with the disease. **Content:** **Every year the world recognises MND / ALS Awareness Day on the 21st June. MND / ALS Associations across the world use the day to raise awareness of the disease to the general public.** This playlist has been carefully curated to share some of the best podcast episodes on the topic, to bring you up to speed on the disease and some of the latest research. We use today to express hope that we will soon see a turning point in the search for cause, treatment and cure of this disease. Dementia Researcher is putting a spotlight on Motor Neurone Disease from the 19th to 25th June 2023. #### [Download / Stream the Playlist](https://www.podchaser.com/lists/understanding--researching-motor-neurone-disease-11SK7MkvLg) --- --- **Check-out the rest of this weeks special [MND Content](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/motor-neurone-disease/)** **Categories:** Science **Tags:** Motor Neurone Disease --- ### [MND Research - The Future](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/mnd-research-the-future/) **Published:** June 3, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** MND Research Leaders - Prof Justin Yerbury, Prof Lezanne Ooi & Dr Luke McAlary discuss their research from protein misfolding to drug discovery **Content:** **MND Research is important! Join us as we take a deep dive into what is MND, how and when is it diagnosed and what treatment is available. Hear from an expert panel of IHMRI researchers including Professor Justin Yerbury, Professor Lezanne Ooi and Dr Luke McAlary.** We will uncover how ground-breaking [research is teaching us more about the disease,](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-uk-motor-neuron-disease-research-institute/) as we work together to find new treatments and work towards the goal of a cure. #### Panellists: **[Professor Justin Yerbury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Yerbury)** Justin is a Professorial Fellow at the University of Wollongong and is group leader of the Yerbury lab based at IHMRI. His MND research has particular emphasis on protein misfolding, protein aggregation and inclusion formation. In 2016, Justin was diagnosed with MND himself, having lost several family members to the disease including his grandmother, mother and sister. Post diagnosis, Justin continues to research MND and is an advocate for people living with a disability. In 2020, he was recognised for his dedication to MND research and advocacy with a Member of the Order (AM). **[Professor Lezanne Ooi](https://www.ihmri.org.au/researchers/professor-lezanne-ooi/)** Lezanne is a Professor at the University of Wollongong and group leader of the Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration Lab at IHMRI. Her research uses induced pluripotent stem cells, derived from human blood and skin cells to model disease and aid drug discovery. Lezanne’s lab is working to better understand and treat diseases such as ALS/MND, Alzheimer’s Disease and Vanishing White Matter Disease. [**Dr Luke McAlary**](https://scholars.uow.edu.au/display/luke_mcalary) Luke is the 2020 Bill Gole Postdoctoral Fellow for Motor Neuron Disease Research Australia. His research is aimed at understanding the molecular causes of MND and developing methods to alleviate or cure disease. Luke works in the Yerbury lab based at IHMRI. --- **Would you like to present your research? We regularly host webinars on YouTube and discussions on Twitter Spaces and are always look out for researchers who would like to present their work. Dementia Researcher can provide a platform to enable you to share in a safe, supportive space and help build your research communications skills (which might be useful if you’re building a narrative CV) – [Drop us a line.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/contact/)** **Categories:** Science **Tags:** Dr Luke McAlary, IHMRI, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Motor Neurone Disease, Professor Justin Yerbury Justin, Professor Lezanne Ooi Lezanne, University of Wollongong --- ### [Profile - Dr Courtney Kloske, Alzheimer's Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-courtney-kloske/) **Published:** July 27, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Associate Director of Science Engagement and Outreach at the Alzheimer's Association, working to support ISTAART, Conference delivery and much more. **Content:** ![Dr Courtney Kloske Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Dr-Courtney-Kloske.jpg "Dr Courtney Kloske")Dr Courtney Kloske #### Name: Dr Courtney Kloske #### Job title: Associate Director of Science Engagement and Outreach #### Place of work / study: [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-association/) #### Area of Research: Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease #### Tell us a little about yourself: After completing her PhD at The University of Kentucky in Sanders-Brown Centre on Ageing in Dr. Donna Wilcock’s lab, Courtney joined the Alzheimer’s Association as the Associate Director of Science Engagement and Outreach. During her PhD Courtney studies how genetic risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease can impact the inflammatory profile using human autopsy tissue and animal models. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I was a dancer for 16 years and a competitive dancer for about 10 years! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? In undergrad, I was involved with a group that’s major philanthropy was the Alzheimer’s Association. Through this, I saw how Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias impacted so many of my close friends and how we came together to raise money for dementia. I knew the main way I could give back to this disease was through research so when I started graduate school, I found a lab focused on Alzheimer’s disease. Also, in graduate school, the Alzheimer’s Association has been instrumental in helping me take my passion for Alzheimer’s disease and translating that off of the bench through working to increase funding for research and care as well as helping to inform the community about dementia. I think seeing people around me so directly impacted by this disease and then being able to help in so many ways has been why I chose to work in the dementia field and why I never plan on leaving this field! #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Follow @CourtneyKloske](https://twitter.com/CourtneyKloske?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Courtney Kloske, Neuroinflammation, University of Kentucky **Organisations for Bios:** Alzheimer's Association **Themes for Bios:** Charity --- ### [Profile - Rory Boyle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rory-boyle/) **Published:** July 27, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Kebab eating, Red-Haired King and PhD Candidate in the Whelan Lab at Trinity College Dublin, researching Neuroimaging and Cognitive Reserve **Content:** ![Rory Boyle profile picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/profile_photo-184x300.jpg "Rory Boyle")Rory Boyle #### Name: Rory Boyle #### Job title: [PhD Candidate](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-5-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-starting-my-phd/) #### Place of work / study: Whelan Lab, Trinity College Dublin #### Area of Research: Neuroimaging; Cognitive Reserve #### How is your work funded: My PhD is funded by the Irish Research Council in conjunction with an Enterprise Partner, Altoida. #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am 28 years old and I am from Dublin. Outside of research, I enjoy playing and watching Gaelic Football and eating the finest Kebabs Dublin has to offer. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My name means Red-Haired King in Irish but I have black hair… #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have always been fascinated by the brain in general and I have a personal interest in Dementia. Doing research in this field is an opportunity to combine those interests and I hope one day that I could help to improve the way in which we detect and diagnose dementia so that we can start to help people living with dementia at the earliest stage possible. #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Follow @rorebole](https://twitter.com/rorebole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** AAIC20, Cognitive Reserve, Neuroimaging, Rory Boyle, Trinity College Dublin **Organisations for Bios:** Trinity College Dublin **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [The growth of acronyms in the scientific literature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/meta-research-the-growth-of-acronyms-in-the-scientific-literature/) **Published:** July 27, 2020 **Author:** eLife **Excerpt:** Some acronyms are useful and are widely understood, but many acronyms used in scientific papers hinder understanding, this article explores the issues. **Content:** **![N/A](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/acronym-300x200.jpg "acronym")Some acronyms are useful and are widely understood, but many of the acronyms used in scientific papers hinder understanding and contribute to the increasing fragmentation of science.** Here we report the results of an analysis of more than 24 million article titles and 18 million article abstracts published between 1950 and 2019. There was at least one acronym in 19% of the titles and 73% of the abstracts. Acronym use has also increased over time, but the re-use of acronyms has declined. We found that from more than one million unique acronyms in our [data](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-negative-data/), just over 2,000 (0.2%) were used regularly, and most acronyms (79%) appeared fewer than 10 times. Acronyms are not the biggest current problem in science communication, but reducing their use is a simple change that would help readers and potentially increase the value of science. Read the full article here on the eLife website – **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Acronyms, Adrian Barnett, eLIFE, Queensland University of Technology, University of South Australia, Zoe Doubleday --- ### [Could Common Vaccines Protect Against Alzheimer’s?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/could-common-vaccines-protect-against-alzheimers-disease/) **Published:** July 28, 2020 **Author:** Alz Forum **Excerpt:** New reports draw attention to an emerging research trend suggesting that systemic infections could help trigger Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain. **Content:** ![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cdc-5gUNHmQ0xE8-unsplash-300x198.jpg "cdc-5gUNHmQ0xE8-unsplash")Thanks to CDC for sharing their work on Unsplash. **During a viral pandemic, everything to do with vaccination is *au courant.*** At this week’s virtual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), two reports drew attention by turning on its head the field’s emerging research trend suggesting that systemic infections could help trigger Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain. If that is true, the new studies asked, does warding off infection lower a person’s Alzheimer’s risk? Some [initial data](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimers-disease-data-initiative-launches-new-ad-workbench/) presented at AAIC hint that it might. Analyzing large population datasets, researchers found that vaccination against both influenza and pneumococci was associated with a lower risk of subsequent Alzheimer’s disease. Alas, the data are correlational, hence it is unclear if the shots themselves are protective, or if people who choose vaccination engage in other healthy behaviors that make them less likely to get Alzheimer’s. To view this article in full, visit the Alz Forum website: **Categories:** Science **Tags:** Alz Forum, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dementia Prevention --- ### [Profile - Dr Jane Haley, MND Scotland](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jane-haley-mnd-scotland/) **Published:** June 16, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Director of Research developing and delivering the MND Scotland research strategy and overseeing a wide portfolio of grant funding. **Content:** ![Dr Jane Haley Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Dr-Jane-Haley.jpg "Dr Jane Haley")Dr Jane Haley #### Name: Dr Jane Haley #### Job title: Director of Research #### Place of work / study: MND Scotland #### Area of Research: I develop and deliver the MND Scotland research strategy and oversee our portfolio of grant funding. Our vision is for a world without [MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/motor-neurone-disease/), so we fund research that is either aimed at finding meaningful treatments (because, currently there is only one and it only extends life by 2-3 months) or improving quality of life for those currently living with this devastating condition. #### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m quite a quiet, private person so there isn’t much to say really! Outside work, I am a Girlguide leader and also Treasurer and Trustee for Girlguiding Midlothian. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I established an Art-science group called FUSION, which is still running more than a decade later. And I manage the Cajal Embroidery Project, which is a global art-science project launched in February 2020 and involved about 70 people from across the world. We were all creating embroideries of Cajal images during the pandemic – 81 in total! #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Talk to people and willingly collaborate. You won’t regret it. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [‘The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios’](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15886.The_Facts_Behind_the_Helsinki_Roccamatios#:~:text=A%20collection%20of%20short%20fiction,year%20of%20the%2020th%20century.) by Yann Martel. A collection of short stories that are beautiful, fascinating, and devastating. #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @MNDScotland](https://twitter.com/MNDScotland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Jane Haley, MND Scotland, Motor Neurone Disease **Organisations for Bios:** Charity **Themes for Bios:** Charity --- ### [Intervention for Sentence Processing Impairments in Aphasia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/intervention-for-sentence-processing-impairments-in-aphasia/) **Published:** June 10, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Rosemary Varley discusses her latest researcg and a therapy for sentence processing impairments in aphasia based on usage-based Construction Grammar. **Content:** **The talk by [Professor Rosemary Varley](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-rosemary-varley/), organised by the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology describes the design of the therapy (and how it borrowed ideas from other domains of neurorehabilitation) and preliminary outcomes in sentence comprehension and production of the clinic-delivered intervention. Rosemary also covers the groups strategy in designing and testing a new intervention, and capture of consecutive awards that allowed them to move from single-case and case-series pilot studies, through to larger scale randomised control trials.** Rosemary Varley is Professor of Acquired Language Disorders in the Department of Language and Communication at UCL. Previous posts have included work in the NHS and research/teaching posts at the University of Hong Kong and the University of Sheffield. Most of her work is directed at the investigation of post-stroke impairments in adults. Major research themes are the application of neuroscience to aphasia rehabilitation, the development of biologically plausible accounts of speech and language, and exploration of residual cognition in severe aphasia to establish the role of language in thought and other domains of cognition. She is co-author of the software SWORD, a program that allows people with post-stroke speech disorder to self-manage their therapy. She co-authored the textbook Introduction to Language Pathology (with David Crystal). She has published research in major international journals such as Nature Reviews Neuroscience and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. Her research is funded by government research councils and charities. In 2006, she was awarded an ESRC Professorial Fellowship. Intervention for sentence processing impairments in aphasia: Sentence-level aphasia therapies are less developed than those targeting word/naming impairments. In the Stroke Association-funded [UTILISE study](https://www.cognitionandgrammar.net/utilise%29), we explored the outcomes of a therapy based around a new approach to sentence processing – that of usage-based Construction Grammar. At the core of the intervention are common and functional sentences such as I made it, which are systematically primed, loosened and lengthened to create further utterances (e.g., I made it yesterday; I made you coffee yesterday). In our first study, therapy was delivered at relatively low-dose in clinic, but follow-on funding has allowed creation of an app that supports telehealth rehabilitation. - 00:00:00 – Start - 00:00:03 – Introduction Professor Alex Leff - 00:01:42 – Talk – Professor Rosemary Varley - 00:45:02 – Q&A **Categories:** Science **Tags:** Aphasia, Primary Progressive Aphasia, Professor Rosemary Varley, Speech and Language Therapy, University College London --- ### [NIHR Guide to designing a team day](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/nihr-guide-to-designing-a-team-day/) **Published:** June 13, 2023 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** Have you been handed the task of organising a team day for your department or research group? This guide will help you make it successful **Content:** **While remote and hybrid working models are becoming more prominent, team members still value the importance of spending time face to face. However, often due to complex logistics and cost, getting people together may only be possible on rare occasions. So, it’s important to get the most out of these days and consider their design so that there is great value and enjoyment for everyone.** At the end of this webinar participants will: - Consider the purpose of their face-to-face team day and as a result create an informed agenda. - Reflect on how to create a thread throughout the day that ensures cohesion. - Understand how to create engagement and bring energy to the room through activities. - Discuss inclusive tools to use if ‘problem solving’ or ‘conflict resolve’ are on the agenda. - Consider inclusion and accessibility throughout the day. - Know the importance of evaluating the day and following up on any learning or action points that arise. Visit the [NIHR YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@NIHRtv) for more great support content. --- #### Looking for some further advise? Read below to discover the key ingredients for organising a successful team day that fosters camaraderie, enhances team dynamics, and boosts morale. Let’s dive into the strategies and tips that will help you create a memorable and impactful event for your team. 1. **Define Objectives** – Begin by clearly defining the objectives of the team day. Are you aiming to build stronger relationships, enhance problem-solving skills, boost creativity, or improve communication? Understanding your goals will shape the activities and structure of the day, ensuring alignment with your team’s needs. 2. **Involve the Team** – To make the team day more meaningful, involve team members in the planning process. Seek their input, ideas, and preferences through surveys or brainstorming sessions. By allowing them to contribute, you’ll enhance their engagement and sense of ownership, resulting in a more successful event. 3. **Choose the Right Venue** – Select a venue that suits your objectives and the size of your team. Consider a location that provides both indoor and outdoor spaces, promoting flexibility in activity choices. Ensure the venue offers the necessary amenities, such as meeting rooms, audio-visual equipment, and catering options to facilitate a smooth and comfortable experience. 4. **Plan Engaging Activities** – Craft a diverse range of activities that encourage collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, and fun. Mix structured team-building exercises with more relaxed, social interactions. Consider activities like escape rooms, treasure hunts, workshops, or even outdoor sports. Tailor the activities to match your team’s preferences and objectives. 5. **Foster Collaboration** – Promote cross-functional collaboration and communication during the team day. Introduce activities that require different team members to work together, allowing them to understand each other’s strengths and perspectives. Encourage active listening, respect, and open dialogue to strengthen relationships and break down silos. 6. **Include Skill Development** – Make the team day an opportunity for skill development. Offer workshops or guest speakers who can provide valuable insights on topics such as leadership, conflict resolution, research methods, time management, or innovation. These learning experiences will not only enhance individual growth but also contribute to the team’s overall effectiveness. 7. **Create Networking Opportunities** – Designate time for networking and socialising. Arrange informal settings, like lunches or evening gatherings, where team members can interact in a relaxed environment. These moments foster connection, build relationships, and encourage [collaboration](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-collaborations-and-qualitative-research-in-dementia/) beyond the formal team day. 8. **Celebrate Achievements** – Recognise and celebrate individual and team achievements during the team day. Highlight the progress made, milestones achieved, and collective successes. Acknowledgment boosts motivation and reinforces a positive team culture, inspiring members to strive for continued excellence. 9. **Evaluate and Follow-Up** – After the team day, conduct an evaluation to gather feedback on the event. Learn from the strengths and weaknesses of the day to improve future team activities. Additionally, establish a follow-up plan to maintain the momentum and integrate the lessons learned into the team’s ongoing development. 10. **Sustain the Team Spirit** – Keep the [team spirit](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-back-to-research/) alive beyond the team day by reinforcing the values and lessons learned. Incorporate elements from the event into day-to-day operations, such as regular team-building activities or ongoing communication initiatives. Continually nurture the connections and bonds established during the team day. Conclusion – Organising a successful team day requires careful planning, thoughtful consideration of objectives, engaging activities, and a focus on team dynamics. By following the strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll create an extraordinary experience that brings your team closer, strengthens their skills, and sets the stage for ongoing success. Embrace the opportunity to inspire, motivate, and unite your team, and watch as the impact resonates long after the event has ended. **Categories:** Top tips **Tags:** Collaboration, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Networking, Team Building --- ### [Finally: The Alzheimer’s Blood Test We’ve Always Wanted?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/finally-the-alzheimers-blood-test-weve-always-wanted/) **Published:** July 29, 2020 **Author:** Alz Forum **Excerpt:** Suddenly, phospho-tau217 looks to be the most robust plasma biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease yet. That’s the general consensus... **Content:** ![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pawel-czerwinski-DNC3cXM0lMU-unsplash-300x200.jpg "pawel-czerwinski-DNC3cXM0lMU-unsplash")Thanks to Paweł Czerwiński for sharing their work on Unsplash. **[Plasma](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/can-exercise-protect-people-whose-plasma-tau-is-up/) p-Tau217 Set to Transform Alzheimer’s Diagnostics** Suddenly, phospho-tau217 looks to be the most robust plasma biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease yet. That’s the general—and enthusiastic—consensus from two papers and several presentations at this year’s virtual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, being held July 27 to 31. - Plasma p-tau217 was measured in several cohorts by two types of test. - It differentiates AD from controls and from related diseases. - It outperforms plasma p-tau181, neurofilament light, and imaging markers. In one study, the marker identified people with the highest likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease, as judged by neuropathology of plaques and tangles, with an AUC or 0.98, i.e., almost 100 percent accuracy. Postmortem neuropathology remains the gold standard for AD diagnosis. In differential diagnosis, plasma p-tau217 also distinguished AD from other neurodegenerative diseases, notably including tauopathies, with high accuracy, beating out other plasma markers including neurofilament light and p-tau181. “I am tremendously excited about the potential for plasma p-tau217 to advance research, drug development, and care,” **Eric Reiman**, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, told Alzforum. Reiman was a senior author on one of the studies, which was led by **Oskar Hansson**, Lund University, Sweden. --- Read this article in full on the Alz Forum website – **Categories:** Science **Tags:** AAIC20, Alz Forum, Fluid biomarkers --- ### [15/1: How many applications does it take to get a job offer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/fifteen-to-one-how-many-applications-it-can-take-to-land-a-single-academic-job-offer/) **Published:** July 30, 2020 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Survey finds that standard metrics of success can’t completely explain why some candidates get academic job offers and others don’t. **Content:** ![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/van-tay-media-TFFn3BYLc5s-unsplash-300x200.jpg "van-tay-media-TFFn3BYLc5s-unsplash")Thanks to Van Tay Media for sharing their work on Unsplash. **It takes at least 15 job applications to land a single offer, finds a survey of 317 early-career researchers who applied for faculty positions in a range of nations.** The results have shed light on a hiring process that is often opaque, frustrating and hard to predict. Contrary to common belief, the authors found that a publication in a high-profile journal isn’t an absolute prerequisite for a successful application. The survey was conducted by members of the [Future PI Slack community](https://futurepislack.wordpress.com/), a postdoctoral support group. They collected responses from researchers who had applied for faculty positions between May 2018 and May 2019. Respondents hailed from 13 countries, although 72% were from the United States; 85% were in the life sciences. Overall, 58% received job offers, significantly above the average from other studies, suggesting that successful applicants were especially willing to take the survey. Only 26% had an authorship credit in *Cell*, *Nature* or *Science*. The survey tracked conventional metrics of success such as fellowships, citations and publications, and found that these measures were only modestly effective at predicting which applicants would get [job offers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-job-hunting/). The authors tried to construct a flow chart to predict the applicants’ fate, but it was less than 60% accurate. --- Read this article in full on the Nature Careers website: **Categories:** Careers, Dissemination **Tags:** Chris Woolston, Finding a job, Nature Careers, Nina Notman --- ### [Profile - Professor Georgina Charlesworth, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-georgina-charlesworth-university-college-london/) **Published:** September 7, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Georgina Charlesworth is a UCL clinical psychologist evaluating psychological and social interventions for people with dementia and family carers. **Content:** ![Professor Georgina Charlesworth Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Professor-Georgina-Charlesworth.jpg "Professor Georgina Charlesworth")Professor Georgina Charlesworth ##### Name: Professor Georgina Charlesworth ##### Job title: Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing and Dementia ##### Place of work / study: University College London ##### Area of Research: Evaluation of psychological and social interventions for people with dementia and family carers ##### How is your work funded: Currently by the ESRC, NIHR and Alzheimer’s Society ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a psychologist, and currently the co-lead for a Dementia Network Plus called ‘[SPIN-D](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/spin-d-building-connections-for-inclusive-dementia-care/)‘ – Sustainable Prevention, Innovation and Involvement Network for Dementia. Being involved in the network is a great opportunity to enhance between different stakeholder groups, including: researchers, health and social care staff; people living with, or at risk of, dementia and their families; industry and policy makers. I have worked with with people with dementia and their families for 35 years now, both in research and in the NHS, and from before the time I qualified in clinical psychology. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My car is a yellow electric Renault 5. I’m not really a ‘car person’, but this car has a presence that people seem to enjoy. I get approached in car parks by people keen to reminisce about the Renault 5(s) that they have owned. Lots of kids wave as part of the ‘Yellow Car’ game (not a game that I remember from my childhood, but seems to be played by all the primary school children in the area that we live in now). ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My first job as a research assistant was in neuropsychological assessment in people with dementia and at the time I was just looking for a job in the place where I was living. However, I was pleased to get this particular job as ‘the brain’ is an amazing organ and there is still so much to learn about how it works. When I qualified as a clinical psychologist in the mid 1990s, I wanted to work with a population that was underserved by psychology. I took a post working in mental health in later life and with people with dementia of all ages and have never wanted to change specialty. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Publish ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m between books, but plan to read Bob Mortimer’s [‘The Long Shoe’](https://amzn.to/4d7SbUj) next ##### Favourite film of all time? Any films I’ve watched in the past 20 years have been ‘family viewing’ and I’d say our family favourite is Paddington 2. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? My newest hobby is cryptic crosswords. I avoided them in the past as I had no idea where to even start with answers, but now I can sometimes (very occasionally) finish one! I still find sudokus easier, though. My personal challenge is to try to finish the hard sudoku in the Metro paper between getting on the Victoria line at Tottenham Hale and arriving at Warren Street. I’ve re-started knitting in recent years too. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To have access to green space for kids. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? I quite like the Italian Lakes. We were there this summer and I was reminded how nice they are. Impossible to get a good cup of tea there, though. ##### Do you collect anything? Yes and no. I’m not a collector, but have collections of anything that might be useful one day. Bubble wrap, Amazon packaging, cardboard boxes, ribbons, tissue paper, safety pins, paperclips, those polythene pockets we used to keep paperwork in, and so on. ##### Can we find you on social media? [@spindnetworkplus.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/spindnetworkplus.bsky.social) [Find Georgina on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-charlesworth-18162671/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Professor Georgina Charlesworth, SPIN Dementia Network +, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Psychology --- ### [A guide to emotional intelligence in the lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-guide-to-emotional-intelligence-in-the-lab/) **Published:** September 7, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Learning how to manage your feelings can help you to tackle some tricky situations at work, say organizational psychologists. **Content:** **![A guide to emotional intelligence in the lab - Nature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/A-guide-to-emotional-intelligence-in-the-lab-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "A guide to emotional intelligence in the lab - Nature 680 x 520 px")When Chen looks back on her time as a PhD student a decade ago, there’s one skill that she wishes she had developed much more than any technical prowess: emotional intelligence. This often-overlooked ability to recognize and manage the emotions of yourself and others might have saved her from years of inner turmoil.** During her PhD, Chen’s supervisor went from paying her little attention to taking a romantic interest in her. The relationship escalated into a toxic but exhilarating affair. “I believed everything he said,” says Chen, who requested a pseudonym for this article to avoid career repercussions. But things fell apart after her postdoctoral studies, when she asked her supervisor to clarify their relationship status so she could make decisions about her own life. The now-former supervisor’s reaction surprised her: “He stopped all communication with me.” The end of the relationship also had professional consequences. The supervisor reassigned several of Chen’s projects to other students without discussing it with her, she says. When the results of these projects were published as papers and patents, Chen says, she was not included as a co-author or an inventor, despite her contributions. If she had been recognized and acknowledged for her work, Chen thinks, she would be in a “substantially stronger position professionally than I am today” — a familiar bind for anyone who’s had to [explain a publication gap left by a hostile manager](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-do-i-explain-the-publication-gap-i-ended-up-with-after-a-hostile-manager/). The sudden cut-off left Chen confused and heartbroken, affecting her work and her productivity. As she reflects, Chen realizes that her supervisor’s actions were deeply unprofessional and took advantage of her position as a student — the kind of unchecked power dynamic explored in [The Open Secret: a piece on academic bullying](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-open-secret-a-piece-on-academic-bullying). However, she adds that having greater emotional intelligence — sometimes known as emotional quotient, or EQ — could have helped her to avoid falling for her supervisor’s false promises or to navigate her heartbreak more effectively during the aftermath. Emotional intelligence is a catch-all term for the mix of self-awareness, empathy, social skills and management of feelings that comprises our ability to understand others. It has a reputation for being overlooked as a tool in academia in favour of technical expertise and outward achievement. But it’s key for career success, because it enables people to work effectively with others, says Marc Brackett, a psychologist at Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence in New Haven, Connecticut. It’s therefore a skill that complements many other capabilities. “It helps you deal with all of the barriers to achieving your goals in life,” he adds. Some universities, including Yale and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, run courses on emotional intelligence. Brackett’s centre aims to help staff to manage difficult emotions and create a supportive learning environment, whereas Harvard’s course focuses on emotional intelligence in leadership roles. But few institutions provide such training specifically for PhD students, laboratory leaders and other academic staff. There’s still debate about what emotional intelligence is, how to measure it and its role in the workplace, says Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, an organizational psychologist at University College London. And although emotional intelligence has become prized in many fields, its importance might depend on the job in question: it’s probably more important for those who work regularly with others than for those who mostly work alone. “What’s missing about the debate, because of the popularity of the concept, is a little bit of nuance,” says Chamorro-Premuzic. ## **Heal thyself** Emotional intelligence as a concept was formally introduced by Yale psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer almost four decades ago. They described it as a set of skills that enable people to recognize their own and other people’s emotions and use this information to guide their thinking and behaviour. Five years after Salovey and Mayer coined the term, psychologist and New York Times journalist Daniel Goleman popularized the idea and expanded the definition to include social skills, such as empathy and conflict resolution. Since then, the idea of emotional intelligence has become a messy mixed bag of models, definitions and methods, says Chamorro-Premuzic. The American Psychological Association in Washington DC defines emotional intelligence as the “ability to process emotional information and use it in reasoning and other cognitive activities”. According to Chamorro-Premuzic, much of the disagreement about what emotional intelligence is has centred around whether it’s truly a skill or simply “personality rebranded”. Some models define emotional intelligence as a set of cognitive skills that can be picked up by anyone, whereas others approach it more as a fundamentally innate trait. Still others present it as a combination of the two. Some researchers are taking the definition a step further. Camila Devis-Rozental, a learning-design researcher at Bournemouth University, UK, who focuses on well-being in higher education, coined the term ‘socio-emotional intelligence’, which includes ‘social responsibility’ — a moral compass that guides people towards making a positive impact on those around them. Despite the varied definitions, emotional intelligence has become a “darling of the human-resources world”, says Chamorro-Premuzic. Several studies support its glowing status as an essential skill in the workplace: people with high emotional intelligence experience greater career success, more job satisfaction and are more innovative than their less emotionally intelligent colleagues. Research also suggests that emotional intelligence is an important ingredient for effective leadership and helps to build strong relationships. But higher emotional intelligence doesn’t always lead to better outcomes across the board, says Chamorro-Premuzic. For instance, although some research suggests that emotional intelligence is related to creativity, other evidence hints that traits often linked to emotional intelligence, such as agreeableness and conscientiousness, are negatively correlated with it. People with high emotional intelligence might also be reluctant to challenge the status quo or make bold choices, he adds. The thinking goes that such people tend to be respectful and focused on getting along with others rather than shaking things up, he explains. Furthermore, workplaces that place too much value on emotional intelligence can end up sidelining talented, high-performing people who might be neurotic, grumpy or lack social skills, he adds. At the darker end of the scale, having high emotional intelligence can also enable people to be overly persuasive and manipulative. Such people are often skilled at masking their intentions with charisma, which can be misinterpreted as being emotionally intelligent and socially adept, says Chamorro-Premuzic. “It can be co-opted or utilized by people who are very toxic,” he says. ## **The emotionally intelligent lab** Misconceptions around EQ are rife, especially those who say it’s either all about being charming or all about making nice, polite gestures, such as opening the door for someone, says Margaret Andrews, a former academic who runs emotional-intelligence training for business leaders at Harvard. To Andrews, it’s not about suppressing your emotions or avoiding potential conflict. If anything, emotional intelligence equips people to have difficult conversations in a way that the other person can understand, such as sharing challenging feedback, she says. “It’s actually often being able to see what needs to be said.” (See ‘Tips for boosting your emotional intelligence’.) The ability to deliver challenging feedback or tackle conflicts without adding fuel to the fire is important for effective leadership, says Andrews. Despite this, many senior academics and scientific and technical professionals are unprepared when they reach a leadership position, because it requires a whole different skill set that is more people-focused than technical, she adds. “A lot of the time, people in higher education will consider themselves to be [accidental leaders](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-is-leadership-important-in-science/).” Andrews also says that it’s not uncommon for researchers to dismiss emotional intelligence as a low-priority ‘soft skill’, because they are often too busy developing their technical expertise. But although emotional intelligence is just one of many ingredients for a successful team manager, plenty of research has found that it’s strongly linked with effective leadership — a distinction that maps closely onto the difference between [supervision and mentorship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-supervision-vs-mentorship/). Many people rate interpersonal skills as the top quality of their favourite boss, she adds. Few studies have investigated emotional intelligence in PhD students and its impact on their work, but it’s probably a skill that can help graduate students to develop the [resilience to cope with common hurdles](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academic-overwhelm-youre-not-the-only-one/), including receiving difficult feedback and working mainly alone, says Devis-Rozental. And, like any skill, it’s learnt. “It’s not something you’re just born with, but actually something you can develop depending on your environment,” she says. Ultimately, creating an emotionally intelligent culture is all about remembering that researchers are people, says Nemanja Stanojević, a physician at Roskilde University, Denmark. “We are pushed to produce and to be efficient,” he says. “In that marathon, we forget that we are just human beings.” > ### **Tips for boosting your emotional intelligence** > > ***Feel your feelings*** > > The first step to developing emotional intelligence is to become more aware of your emotions, says Marc Brackett, a psychologist at Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence in New Haven, Connecticut. That means giving yourself — and everyone else — permission to experience feelings fully instead of casting them aside or suppressing them. “Unpleasant emotions don’t feel good in the moment, but they’re useful for many things,” he says. > > ***Tune your self-awareness*** > > Emotions are rarely black and white, but rather complex and multifaceted. Emotional intelligence involves developing the self-awareness to recognize the many shades of emotion in yourself and others. For instance, instead of simply feeling happy, you might be closer to content or pleased. “It’s labelling emotions precisely and in a granular way,” says Brackett. > > ***Build your emotional vocabulary*** > > Do you often say ‘meh’ to describe how you’re feeling? It might be time to expand your emotional vocabulary. There are several tools that can help you to identify and track your moods. In 2019, Brackett and his colleagues launched an app called How We Feel, which includes a ‘mood meter’ with 144 words. > > ***Learn to regulate your emotions*** > > Building the ability to control your emotions is key to responding to difficult challenges rather than reacting to them. There are several strategies for managing your emotions, including mindfulness and cognitive behavioural techniques, such as replacing unhelpful thoughts with positive ones. It’s a good idea to learn several strategies so you can self-regulate in a range of emotional contexts and situations, says Brackett. > > ***Write it down*** > > One step to building emotional intelligence is keeping a journal to track your feelings and reflect on situations, says Rory Lambe, a wearable-technology researcher at University College Dublin. He adds that writing things down regularly is a good way to practise your emotional skills and keep them sharp. “It built my emotional intelligence and allowed me to respond in a better way,” says Lambe. > > ***Listen between the lines*** > > When it comes to building better relationships with other people, listening a little more deeply can go a long way, says Nemanja Stanojević, a physician at Roskilde University, Denmark. “Sometimes it’s not what they say, it’s more about how they say it,” he says. For instance, Stanojević’s medical training taught him that if someone takes a long time to explain something, it often means that they are struggling. Now, he uses similar techniques in his academic life. --- **Find the original and more great articles on the Nature Careers Website – *doi: *** **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** emotional intelligence, Gemma Conroy, Nature Careers **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Blog - My Grandad’s Story: Why I Became a Neuroscientist](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-my-grandads-story-why-i-became-a-neuroscientist/) **Published:** September 7, 2026 **Author:** Rahul Sidhu **Excerpt:** Rahul Sidhu writes about his grandad, who lived with vascular dementia, and what watching his decline as a teenager taught him about his work today. **Content:** --- **For most of my career so far, I have spoken about dementia through the lens of research. I have discussed experiments, scientific discoveries, research papers and spend much of my time thinking about dementia as a scientific challenge. However, **before I became a researcher and studied neuroscience, [dementia was something I experienced every day at home with my late Grandad](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-my-journey-to-a-phd-in-neuroscience-the-highs-lows/)**.** As I have progressed in dementia research, I have realised how important lived experiences are, as they shape the questions we ask, the passion we bring to our work, and our understanding of the people behind the disease. Therefore, I have decided to use this platform to share my family’s experience of dementia, for three main reasons. I want to remind researchers why this work matters and that behind every experiment, every paper and every research project are real people and families whose lives have been changed by dementia forever. I want to raise awareness of the realities of dementia and the stigma that still exists in many communities, [including South Asian communities like my own](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-challenges-of-dementia-care-for-ethnic-minorities-in-the-uk/). **I want to honour my grandfather and ensure that his legacy is remembered for far more than the dementia he developed later in life**. I hope that sharing my family’s experience will encourage other families to seek support sooner, while reminding and inspiring fellow researchers of the purpose behind the years we dedicate in the lab ![An older man with white hair sits smiling in a green armchair, wearing a white polo shirt with blue stripes. The setting, with its plain furnishings and armchair, suggests a care home environment.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Rahul-Sidhu-Grandfather.png "Rahul Sidhu Grandfather")Rahul’s grandad in his later years. My grandad was one of the most influential people in my life, and he lived with vascular dementia during my formative years. I was a teenager when his symptoms became more severe, until he passed away in 2019. > Watching somebody you love slowly change because of dementia, knowing there is no cure, is like a continuous slow drip of sadness and an experience that stays with you. I can now see that my experiences with my grandad have shaped almost every aspect of my journey into dementia research, even if I did not fully realise it at the time. Before I tell the story of his dementia, I want to tell the story of my grandad before he got dementia, as **although dementia became a big part of his life, it wasn’t everything**. ## My Grandad Before Dementia When I think about my grandfather, dementia is not the first thing that comes to mind. I think about a man who was resilient, intellectual, respected and fiercely independent, who endured challenges that most of us could never imagine in our generation. He lived through the Partition of India in 1947, which was one of the most turbulent and troubling periods in modern history. He was forced to leave his home and travel over 300 miles to create a whole new life from scratch, navigating unbelievable uncertainty and loss. It was an experience that required extraordinary determination. Despite this, he went on to train as a highly successful doctor in India before immigrating to England in search of better opportunities for our family. In the UK, he built a successful career and established a life that created opportunities for future generations. I am struck by the scale of everything he overcame, as he rebuilt his life more than once, adapting to entirely new circumstances. He still always remained dedicated to helping others, guided by his Sikh values, he believed strongly in kindness, humility and selfless service. The opportunities that I have today, including the privilege of pursuing a career in dementia research, are only possible because of the sacrifices of people like my grandad. That is why it is so important to me that when I tell his story, dementia is only one chapter. ## Watching His Dementia Progress I lived with my grandad my entire life, which meant I witnessed the progression of his dementia first-hand and at first, the changes were subtle. Every morning, he would make the most tasteful masala chai. It was part of his daily routine for decades, but gradually he began to become confused about the order of making it and tasks that were once automatic in his brain, became more difficult. When making breakfast, he would sometimes pour oil onto his cereal instead of milk, and when getting dressed, he would put his clothes on incorrectly. As a young teenager, I didn’t entirely understand what was happening and what caused this confusion shift. Over time, this confusion became much more noticeable. His sense of time was disrupted, and he would regularly wake us up during the middle of the night believing it was morning time. This heightened confusion led to much more dangerous incidences. When my brother and I were at school, and my parents were at work, he would sometimes leave the house alone, vulnerable and disoriented. Thankfully, our neighbours knew him and would help bring him home safely. ![A formal studio portrait of an older man and woman seated side by side against a plain grey backdrop. The man wears a dark suit jacket, striped shirt and tie, hands resting on his lap. The woman wears a pale mint green sari with a matching dupatta covering her head, hands folded in her lap.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Rahul-Sidhu-Grandparents.png "Rahul Sidhu Grandparents")Rahul’s grandad and grandmother. Eventually, we accepted that what we were seeing was more than normal ageing and sought medical help. My grandad was diagnosed with vascular dementia and although the diagnosis provided answers, it also raised difficult questions about how we would navigate the future as a family. As the disease progressed, the changes became increasingly difficult to watch. The most upsetting changes were not the memory problems, but the changes to his behaviour and personality. My grandad was always kind, fair and patient, yet dementia made him increasingly anxious, agitated and prone to sudden, extreme mood swings. Small frustrations would trigger anger and agitation in ways that were completely out of character before he developed dementia. He then lost the fluent English he had spoken his entire life and reverted to his mother tongue of Punjabi. Eventually, even his Punjabi disappeared, and he could only say a few words at most. **Language is not simply a means of communication; it is a person’s identity and culture**. As the disease progressed further, he lost his mobility and could no longer walk, causing him to be bound to his bed or wheelchair. However, for me, the hardest stage of his dementia was when he stopped recognising us. Watching somebody lose their memories is difficult but watching them lose their connection to the people they love is heartbreaking. ## Breaking the Stigma One of the reasons I wanted to write this blog is that I believe there is still far too little awareness of dementia in many communities, including South Asian communities. Our family’s experience highlighted this very clearly. Even though we had healthcare professionals within our wider family, we knew remarkably little about dementia ourselves before and during Papaji’s diagnosis. In many South Asian families, dementia is still not openly discussed or well understood. > Symptoms are often dismissed as a normal part of ageing, and families frequently try to manage by themselves for as long as possible. As my grandad’s condition progressed, it became even more challenging for us as a family unit to care for his increasingly demanding needs. [We made the incredibly difficult decision to move him into a nursing home](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/pats-story/), and it remains one of the hardest decisions we have ever made. **We did not make that decision because we loved him less** but made it because we loved him enough to recognise that he needed specialist care that we could no longer provide safely at home. The nursing home offered round-the-clock support from professionals with expertise in dementia care and could provide a quality of care that we could not provide ourselves. Many family members struggled to understand our decision, and judged us for it, believing that we should continue caring for him at home. Like many others, they did not fully appreciate the reality of living with someone who had advanced dementia every day. They did not see the emotional exhaustion, the sleepless nights, or the constant concern for his safety and well-being. They did not fully understand that dementia affects an entire family, not just the individual living with the disease. I do not blame them for this lack of understanding, as I believe it came from a lack of awareness rather than a lack of compassion. Therefore, raising awareness is important because **until you experience dementia yourself, it can be difficult to appreciate its impact**. Reducing its stigma starts with conversations and starts with families feeling able to discuss dementia openly and seek support without fear of judgement. Communities need to be more understanding that dementia is not a normal part of ageing, and it is not something that families should be expected to face alone. This is why it is really important for dementia scientists to openly discuss the disease and organise more public-facing events. The more we engage with the public, the greater the awareness and understanding of dementia will become. ## Representation in Research Matters My family’s experience also taught me something about representation. Dementia does not discriminate and affects people from every background, culture and community, yet not all communities are equally represented in research or public awareness. South Asian communities are one example where, too often, dementia remains misunderstood, hidden or associated with stigma. Families may delay seeking support, and symptoms may go unrecognised, meaning important conversations may never happen. ![A family group seated and standing around a small restaurant table, with a wall plaque reading "IN HONOUR OF..." visible behind them. On the left, an older woman in a grey outfit sits with sunglasses pushed up into her hair, her hand resting on the table. Behind her, a younger woman with dark hair and sunglasses stands. To the right, a man in a striped top holds a baby, and in front of him a young boy in a blue outfit sits at the table. On the far right, an older man in a pale blue shirt sits smiling.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Rahul-Sidhu-Family.png "Rahul Sidhu Family")Rahul’s grandad (right) with the wider family. We need more culturally sensitive approaches to dementia awareness, more engagement with underrepresented communities, [more opportunities for people from underrepresented backgrounds to contribute to research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/announcing-new-global-leaders-in-dementia-research/), and more researchers and clinicians who understand how culture can shape people’s experiences with dementia. Most importantly, we need more lived stories like mine. These stories help people recognise themselves in experiences that might otherwise feel invisible and they create a personal understanding in ways that statistics never can. ## Remembering Why We Research Seven years after losing my grandad, I now find myself in the most privileged position, working in a field that seeks to understand and ultimately defeat the disease of dementia that changed his life. Research is built on experiments, data and scientific discovery, but it is easy to become consumed by statistics and results and lose sight of the people we are ultimately trying to help. > When that happens, I remind myself why this work matters. I think about my grandad, the man who survived the largest global partition ever, the doctor who cared for patients, the man who built a new life in a new country and the man who sacrificed so much to help the future generations succeed. I think about how dementia slowly stripped away the abilities he had spent a lifetime building. So, I remember that every sample, every dataset and every experiment represent real people and real families. These are people like my grandfather, who were pillars of their communities and spent their lives helping others. This is my own personal evidence that dementia can affect the sharpest of minds. For those of us working in dementia research, that reality should never feel distant. On the days when experiments fail, when funding applications are rejected, when progress feels unbearably slow, when you’re running experiments until late at night… just remember why you started. **Behind every research question is a person, and for me, that person will always be my Papaji.** His dementia shaped my journey into research, but his life shaped something more important; it taught me why the work I do every single day, and many others, to abolish dementia is worth doing. --- ![Rahul Sidhu Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Rahul-Sidhu-1.jpg "Rahul Sidhu")Rahul Sidhu #### Author [**Rahul Sidhu**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rahul-sidhu-the-university-of-sheffield/) is a PhD student at The University of Sheffield, focusing on the effects of heart disease on dementia in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease. His research aims to uncover how cardiovascular health influences neurodegenerative conditions, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies.​ [Follow @rahulsidhu\_](https://twitter.com/rahulsidhu_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Rahul on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul-sidhu-39a463202/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Ethnicity, Family, Lived Experience, Rahul Sidhu, Stigma, The University of Sheffield, Vascular Dementia **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [An introduction to overviews of reviews](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/an-introduction-to-overviews-of-reviews-planning-a-relevant-research-question-and-objective-for-an-overview/) **Published:** March 5, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Planning an overview of systematic reviews? Learn to frame clear questions, set relevant objectives, involve stakeholders and develop a transparent protocol. **Content:** [![Biomedical desk](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Biomedical.jpg "Biomedical")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Biomedical.jpg)Overviews of systematic reviews are a relatively new approach to[ synthesising evidence](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/an-introduction-to-overviews-of-reviews-planning-a-relevant-research-question-and-objective-for-an-overview/), and research methods and associated guidance are developing. Within this paper we aim to help readers understand key issues which are essential to consider when taking the first steps in *planning* an overview. These issues relate to the development of clear, relevant research questions and objectives prior to the development of an overview protocol. ## Methods Initial discussions and key concepts for this paper were formed during a workshop on overview methods at the 2016 UK Cochrane Symposium, at which all members of this author group presented work and contributed to wider discussions. Detailed descriptions of the various key features of overviews and their different objectives were created by the author group based upon current evidence (Higgins J, Green S. Cochrane Handbook Syst Rev Interv. 2011;4:5, Pollock M, et al. Sys Rev. 2016;5:190-205, Pollock A, et al. Cochrane overviews of reviews: exploring the methods and challenges. UK and Ireland: Cochrane Symposium; 2016, Pieper D, et al. Res Syn Meth. 2014;5:187–99, Lunny C, et al. Sys Rev. 2016;5:4-12, Hartling L, et al. Comparing multiple treatments: an introduction to overviews of reviews. In 23rd Cochrane Colloquium; 2015, Hartling L, et al. Plos One. 2012;7:1-8, Ballard M, Montgomery P. Res Syn Meth. 2017;8:92-108) and author experiences conducting overviews. ## Results Within this paper we introduce different types of overviews and suggest common research questions addressed by these overviews. We briefly reflect on the key features and objectives of the example overviews discussed. ## Conclusions Clear decisions relating to the research questions and objectives are a fundamental first step during the initial planning stages for an overview. Key stakeholders should be involved at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the planned overview is relevant and meaningful to the potential end users of the overview. Following best practice in common with other forms of systematic evidence synthesis, an overview protocol should be published, ensuring transparency and reducing opportunities for introduction of bias in the conduct of the overview. --- [Read the paper](https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-018-0695-8) **Categories:** Dissemination, Science **Tags:** Alex Pollock, Biomedcentral, Ginny Brunton, Harriet Hunt, Lise Estcourt, Pauline Campbell, Systematic Reviews --- ### [I want to leave academia – what’s next?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/i-want-to-leave-academia-whats-next/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Thesis Whisperer **Excerpt:** Thinking of leaving academia after your PhD? Discover the hidden job market, how your research skills translate and where your career could take you. **Content:** Good advice on how NOT to be an academic when you finish your PhD is pretty thin on the ground. Many supervisors have never done anything else, and/or are not well enough connected with industry to know what is ‘hot’. Careers centres at universities tend to shape their offerings around the huge undergraduate cohort, who have very different needs. If you want to leave academia at the end of you PhD it’s likely you will face some kind of career transition. While we train astrophysicists, we don’t have any astrophysics companies in Australia. Nor does industry seem to recognise disciplines like anthropology. If you want to leave academia, in many cases, you have to become someone else. Professionally at least. In fact, there’s a whole range of careers out there you have probably never heard of while you were busy writing your dissertation, but they are hard to recognise. Out there, the skills you learn as an astrophysicist is more likely to be packaged in a job called ‘data scientist’; on the humanities side, an anthropology graduates might be suitable for a job called ‘UX designer’. Many non-academic employers have hard problems to solve and would really value your skills. The problem is – how do you find each other? I’ve been researching the complex issues around PhD graduate employability for some three years now. My colleague Rachael Pitt deserves the credit for starting me on this path. Our first project together resulted in a paper called ‘[Academic superheroes: a critical analysis of job descriptions](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1360080X.2015.1126896) for the purpose of employability.’ In that paper we treated academic job ads as ‘wishlists’ where universities are describing the perfect candidate and performed a simple content analysis using the [Researcher Development Framework from Vitae](https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers-professional-development/about-the-vitae-researcher-development-framework). The premise of this initial research was: if you know what skills and attributes are most prized by universities, you can work backwards to the skills programs you want to offer. This ‘market research’ of academic employers gives us some data to guide PhD students who want to become academics. The results of that research were well received by the community and immediately useful to people like myself, who have to plan transferable skills programs. The obvious next step was to repeat the process with non academic jobs, to see what skills and capabilities industry wants. But it was here that we hit what turned out to be a 2 year snag. How do you decide what non-academic job is relevant to an analysis? Non-academic employers don’t tend to use the word ‘PhD’ in their job ads. If you type that term into a database you probably only see academic jobs. Yet, many employers, especially in knowledge intensive economies like Australia, are looking for people do highly complex jobs that [involve research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/research-culture-why-scientific-societies-should-involve-more-early-career-researchers/) in some way. I was stuck on this problem until my colleague Dr Will Grant from the Centre for Public Awareness of Science saw me present the findings from the Pitt / Mewburn study and was immediately interested in the problems I sketched out. Afterwards we had a coffee that turned out to be the start of a beautiful research collaboration. Our initial idea was to find money for research assistant time to identify enough, relevant non-academic jobs and then repeat the procedure Rachael and I developed. Will made the genius suggestion that we approach the government for money. Since we are lucky enough to be located in Canberra, our nation’s captial, we literally walked across the road and had a meeting with Will’s contact in the Department of Industry. The government were interested in funding research into the problem, but sent us back inside ANU to seek help from machine learning specialists. This was a research direction Will and I had not thought about at all, but ended up being amazing. Our initial inquiries led us to the clever people at Data61, in particular A/Prof Hanna Suominen. Hanna is an expect in Natural Language Processing as well as machine learning. Luckily, as a research supervisor and passionate educator, she was interested in the problem of PhD employability too. To cut a very long and interesting story short, over the last two years Hanna inducted Will and I into some of mysteries of advanced big data / machine learning research techniques. As a primarily qualitative researcher, it’s been exciting to be able to participate at the leading edge of this emerging science. Machine learning enables qualitative research at a scale that is normally impossible ‘by hand’. (Along the way we have had lots of fun too. I count Will and Hanna as friends as well as trusted work colleagues, a lovely side-effect of this project). Together we managed to design an algorithm that can ‘read’ job ads and rank them according to research skills intensity. [Australia’s biggest online jobs market place, Seek.com.au](https://www.seek.com.au/), generously gave us every job ad from 2015 for our experiments. It took much longer than we thought (of course), but we did manage to measure the magnitude of the ‘hidden’ job market for PhD graduates in Australia, which we expressed as a distribution curve: [![Thinking of leaving academia after your PhD? Discover the hidden job market, how your research skills translate and where your career could take you.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/screen-shot-2017-11-17-at-1-02-22-pm.png "Thinking of leaving academia after your PhD? Discover the hidden job market, how your research skills translate and where your career could take you.")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/screen-shot-2017-11-17-at-1-02-22-pm.png) We’ve drawn the ‘PhD threshold’ conservatively at x=5. For those who remember their high school calculus, the area under the curve to the right of the threshold line represents the magnitude of the ‘hidden’ job market for PhD graduates. In case you’re wondering, it’s roughly 5334 jobs in our Seek data set from 2015 – enough for every available PhD graduate in Australia. Probably more than enough if you believe the research that suggests that only about a third of jobs are ever advertised in the first place. Around 80% of employers who wanted PhD level skills, did not mention the PhD at all, confirming the hunch that non academic employers don’t understand what a PhD graduate can do for them (oh, and there was one job for an anthropologist – but no one was looking for an astrophysicist. Sorry). However, the ‘PhD shaped’ jobs weren’t where you might expect to find them. Consider the following graph, which compares the relative job market for people specialising in marketing and communications (orange), vs science (pink): [![Curve 2](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Curve-2.png "Curve 2")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Curve-2.png) We train many more PhDs in science than we do in marketing and comms, but marketing and comms clearly has a much greater need for high level research skills. Why? They are grappling with an entirely new business model – it’s all about tracking and analytics now. Lots of marketing people are trying to work out where and when you might buy something so they can put targeted, even personalised, advertising in your way. The advanced technical skills needed for this work is much more likely to be taught in an astro-physics course than a marketing one. This is one reason for the massive shortage of data scientists, highlighted in [this report on the ‘Quant Crush’ from Burning Glass](https://burning-glass.com/research/quant-crunch-data-science-job-market/). There are big implications in this research for all of us in the business of research education. Should we be telling astro-physics graduates to look for a marketing job? Or should we change how we approach teaching marketing and comms to include these skills, and enrol heaps more students? Do we even need to be responsive to employer needs at this granular level when it’s likely, with technological changes, these needs change continuously? These are still open questions we are exploring, but if you are interested and want to go full nerd, you can [download our newly released “Tracking Trends in Australian Industy” report here](https://cpas.anu.edu.au/files/Mewburn%2C%20Suominen%20and%20Grant%202017%20Tracking%20Trends%20in%20Industry%20Demand%20for%20Australia%27s%20Advanced%20Research%20Workforce.pdf). In the meantime, our annoying research problem has unexpectedly become a most useful and fruitful research direction. Hanna, Will and I are now exploring the commercial possibilities of our algorithm. As I said earlier, Job ads are interesting and useful wish lists. By exploring the market for your skills via job ads, you can work out what research techniques are in demand, or what software packages / programming languages you should you learn. Universities are storehouses of learning that you can tap to develop yourself in all kinds of ways. All kinds of learning is available for free (or at least for cheap): courses, amazing mentors, online learning, libraries full of books and resources. With knowledge of where you are going, you can start to engage with industry and seek the experience that will make you a credible candidate, perhaps via an intern program. Yes, it’s challenging to fit this ‘extra’ work into your PhD, but it’s an investment in your future. Our app will make this process much easier by putting the power of our algorithm in your hands. Our data insights can help you see what kinds of jobs you might be able to do, what kind of skills and experiences will make you competitive, and where the jobs are. This helps you make and action concrete career plans – hopefully settling some of the uncertainty that many feel, particularly towards the end of the PhD. We plan on making searching intuitive and fast, using the latest machine learning tools. Importantly, we believe in keeping this technology free for PhD students and graduates if we can. We’ll have to be creative to achieve this, but I’m reasonably confident we can make it work. We aim to have a (free) beta version of ‘PostAc’ TM (App. No. 1872576) available by next May. [If you’re interested in participating in the testing of the demonstration version, you can sign up here](https://goo.gl/forms/et3Zyyo5Ag5szVwU2). Obviously there is a lot more work to do yet, but I’m interested in your initial reactions to this body of research. Are you confused about how to get a non academic job? What information or data do you think you need to help you make good choices about developing your skill set? What are the challenges in making what is essentially a career transition to become ‘something else’ at the end of your PhD? [This article was first published on 6th December 2017 by the Thesis Whisperer – to see the original publication click here.](https://thesiswhisperer.com/2017/12/06/i-want-to-leave-academia-what-next/) **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Thesis Whisperer **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Profile - You (Lily) Cheng, Harvard Medical School](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-you-lily-cheng-harvard-medical-school/) **Published:** September 6, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** You (Lily) Cheng is a Harvard Medical School Instructor using computational methods and neuroimaging to study heterogeneity in Alzheimer’s disease. **Content:** ![Portrait of a woman with short dark hair, wearing a light beige top, against a blue background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Dr-You-Lily-Cheng-280-x-280-px.jpg "Dr You Lily Cheng 280 x 280 px")Dr You Lily Cheng ##### Name: You (Lily) Cheng ##### Job title: Instructor ##### Place of work / study: McLean Hospital / Harvard Medical School ##### Area of Research: My research uses computational methods and multimodal neuroimaging to understand why Alzheimer’s disease affects people differently, with a particular focus on neuropsychiatric symptoms, individual differences, and disease progression. ##### How is your work funded: My research is supported by an Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship (AARFA), as well as funding from the National Institutes of Health and McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a researcher at McLean Hospital. My research focuses on understanding heterogeneity in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias—why the disease manifests differently across people and across stages of progression. I use [multimodal neuroimaging](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/relay-podcast-neuroimaging-pia/), computational modeling, and machine learning to study brain changes associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms, sex differences, and disease progression. More broadly, I am interested in developing computational approaches that better capture the complexity and heterogeneity of brain aging and dementia, with the long-term goal of contributing to more precise and individualized approaches to understanding and treating these diseases. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have two cats, and I’m fascinated by the challenge of decoding their unique language—what they want, what they’re trying to tell me, and what might actually be going on in their heads. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I was drawn to dementia research because it brings together many of the things that fascinate me—cognition, the brain, computational methods, and enormous human heterogeneity. It’s a challenging problem that requires people from many disciplines to think together, which is exactly the kind of science I enjoy. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Don’t put yourself in a box. Stay curious across disciplines and methods, and give yourself room to try small ideas—you may discover new ways of doing science that you never expected. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’ve just started [The Laws of Thought: The Quest for a Mathematical Theory of the Mind by Tom Griffiths](https://amzn.to/4xg0CEv), and so far I’d recommend it. It’s fascinating to see how people have been trying—and often failing, then trying again—for centuries to formalize how the human mind works. ##### Favourite film of all time? 3 Idiots ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Wandering around a museum, reading whatever book catches my interest, or painting with a good cup of coffee nearby. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Choosing to work with people who gave me room to explore, learn new things, and grow into my own scientific direction. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Somewhere warm, by the beach, and not too crowded. ##### Do you collect anything? Magnets ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Lily on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/youchenglily/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** computational biology, Harvard Medical School, Neuroimaging, You (Lily) Cheng **Organisations for Bios:** Harvard Medical School **Themes for Bios:** Computational Biology, Imaging --- ### [Podcast - Fellowship vs Lectureship: Which Is Right for You?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/) **Published:** September 4, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Fellowship or lectureship? Fiona McLean, Kamar Ameen-Ali, Warren Donnellan & Sarah-Naomi James on workload, pay & if permanent still means secure **Content:** **Should you pursue a fellowship or apply for a lectureship? The choice is often framed as protected research time versus a permanent contract, but the reality is more complicated.** [Dr Fiona McLean](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blogger-profile-dr-fiona-mclean/) is joined by [Dr Warren Donnellan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-warren-donnellan-university-of-liverpool/) from University of Liverpool, [Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kamar-ameen-ali/) from Teesside University, and [Dr Sarah-Naomi James](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-naomi-james-university-college-london/) from University College London, to compare the jobs as they are actually experienced. They discuss teaching, hidden administration, research independence, institutional support, pay, promotion and what happens when funding ends. They also ask whether any academic role can now be considered secure, and share the questions candidates should ask before accepting a post. Their routes show that fellowships and lectureships are not separate tracks: teaching can strengthen a fellow's next move, lecturers can still win fellowships, and careers rarely follow the tidy sequence shown on a CV. ## **In this episode:** - What teaching-and-research and teaching-and-scholarship lectureships involve day to day - How fellowships create independence, and where institutional control still applies - Why teaching, administration and student support often consume more time than workload figures suggest - What happens when a fellowship ends, including tenure-track promises and the need for further funding - How salary bands, spine points and contribution points affect pay - Whether any academic role can now be considered secure - The interview questions that reveal expectations and departmental culture - Why teaching experience, mentorship and resilience can keep more than one career route open --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Narrator:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers and research, sharing conference highlights, and so much more. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Hello, I'm Dr Fiona McLean, and I'm an Alzheimer's Research UK Fellow at the University of Dundee, and I'm delighted to be hosting today's show. If you've been to any career session at any conference in the last 10 years, you will have heard the same framing. You do your PhD, you do a postdoctoral position or two, and then you go for a fellowship, or you go for a lectureship. One buys you protected research time, and the other buys you a permanent contract. Pick one. And it's a genuinely difficult choice, because most people are making it with very little real information. Job adverts do not tell you what the workload is. Interview panels do not tell you what happens when the money runs out. And the people who've been through it tend to describe their own routes being more deliberate than they actually were. It is also a choice being made in a very particular moment. Independent fellowships have always been competitive, and there are only a few hundred early career awards made across the whole of the UK in any given year across every discipline. At the same time, universities are now under real financial strain. The sector has been shedding jobs, and permanent no longer means what it used to mean. So, the old logic that the lectureship is the safe option and the fellowship is a risky one deserves another look. I'm joined today by three people who've made this decision from different starting points and in different kinds of institutions. We have Dr Warren Donnellan, who's a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Liverpool, where his research looks at resilience in paid and unpaid dementia care. Dr Sarah-Naomi James is a senior research fellow at UCL working on life course epidemiology and brain health and has just been awarded an Alzheimer's Society Leader Fellowship. Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, who's a senior lecturer in biomedical science at Teesside University, where she researches neuroinflammation as a driver of neurodegeneration and leads a BSc programme. Thank you so much for joining me today. So, we're going to get straight into it and talk exactly about what these jobs are. So, we want to start by defining these terms because I think there's a lot of confusion in this debate coming from the fact that we're using two different words to describe about 15 different jobs. So, Kam, can I start with you? For someone who's only ever seen academia from the inside of a lab or an office, what does a lectureship actually consist of? What is the job like? ## What does a lectureship actually involve? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Yeah, so my lectureship is what we call teaching and research lectureship, which means that there's an expectation that I engage in both of those things as part of my job. And I have a certain number of hours in my workload dedicated to those things, as well as all the kind of associated administration that comes with teaching and comes with running a course and running modules as well. So, my teaching responsibilities, they run across the academic year. I lead modules. That's topics within the course. I also teach on those as well. So as part of that, I have to organise assessments for the students. I have to do marking. I also have to supervise project students, dissertation students. And because I'm a course leader, I have to provide leadership for the whole of the undergraduate biomedical science course. So that kind of fits in my teaching responsibilities and my administration responsibilities. With my research, it's as you would expect. So, it's to publish papers, to carry out research, apply for grants and so on. So yeah, as part of my teaching and research contract, it's kind of those two main activities, but then also the hidden administration activities that we also have to do. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, and what's that split roughly, like if you could explain to our listeners in sort of a percentage term? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** In terms of percentage, so I did check my workload before we started recording for this because I wanted to double check. And it's roughly around, you know, split 33% for each of the three. So teaching, research, and administration as well. So, it's roughly equally split. But in terms of how it's across the year, in terms of the proportion, you'll have periods where you're doing a lot more teaching and then periods where you'll have time to do more research. So, it's not like that's equally spread across the year. You'll have different periods of time where you're doing more of one than another. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. And do you think that's reflective of the contract that you signed? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** I think so. On paper, it looks like that, but when you're doing your work day to day, it kind of can feel like you're doing nothing but teaching or nothing but like admin tasks. But on paper, I'm like, actually, yeah, my time should reflect what it says, but it doesn't always feel like that. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And so, you mentioned about modules and leadership and that side of things. So, some students will maybe be aware, if you're listening to the podcast, but for anyone else, what does that really mean? What is that job of module leading? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Yeah, it's kind of hard to put into words because it's so many kind of small activities. [So, module leadership will be things like](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-from-postdoc-to-lecturer-my-first-six-months/) setting up the virtual learning environment for the students, making sure all of the recorded lectures, the resources and materials are available to the students on that virtual learning environment. It will also be dealing with any student queries related to that particular module. As I said before, setting up the assessment, arranging the marking, or doing the marking of that assessment, liaising with the external examiner for that assessment. So, it's like all these small little tasks that then kind of add up. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. Yeah, it's a massive job, and obviously, that'll change through the term about how much of that you have to do. That's kind of what you were saying with the, you know, it's not 33% of your time every day, it's 33% of your time across a year, and that you have to dedicate to these different roles. And just to move on to Sarah, so same question, but maybe the other way around, what is an independent fellowship, and how is it different from being employed as a postdoc or on someone else's grant as a researcher? ## What is an independent fellowship? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** Yeah, so I'm actually in this kind of intermediate position where I'm still on a postdoctoral position but have been awarded a fellowship. So, these are my answers in the context that I understand but maybe ask me in a year and I might change my answers. But essentially, when you're in a postdoctoral position, you're funded by somebody else's grant and working on their kind of research vision, research strategy. So, you're doing things like authoring papers, perhaps starting to be writing grants, and supervising students, but it's all kind of at the discretion of the PI of that grant that you're funded by. And so, what a fellowship gives you is an independent package for dedicated time, money, and protection essentially to work on the papers or research area that you would like to work on. So really, it's around giving the person who's got the fellowship the financial security, I guess, as well to work on what they want to. And so, the fellowships are externally funded often by different charities or by different medical research bodies, Wellcome Trust, MRC, et cetera, but they're all facilitated through a university. So, you apply externally to these funders, but as part of the university system. And we can come onto that later because that gives you lots of advantages, but also disadvantages and a lot more procedures, I guess, that you have to follow as part of your institution. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So, it's kind of like you have to be sponsored by someone essentially. They have to sort of say, "Yeah, I back this person to be able to complete this work." And I guess part of that agreement, you as researchers say, "I'm going to bring my ideas in. Hopefully, there's money in, and then the people to do that work." And then the flip side is the university will have to be able to agree to say, "Okay, I'm going to give this researcher space to do it in the lab. We're going to make sure that they have access to the necessary equipment and anything else we need to deliver the research." And, yeah, so it's like almost an agreement with the university or whoever it is that's going to sponsor this fellowship before you even have to put that application in, right? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** Yeah, and so with that, lots of universities do give you [lots of support around writing the grant as well](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-guide-to-securing-your-first-research-fellowship/). So, it's very kind of mutual relationship. But I think, yeah, it's important to kind of consider the external funding by the bodies and then how you work with the institution to firstly, like, write the application, but also then enact it as well. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, and I guess that sort of brings us on to talking about independence. So, while, yes, it's an independent fellowship that is attached to you, there's very much a sort of, yeah, relationship with the university to say, "Whilst your research is independent, we'd hope that you would engage in sort of activities within the university, including teaching, I guess." Is that what you find? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** Absolutely, so I guess that's the other thing as well. When you're a postdoc, you kind of have to seek out opportunities for teaching if that's what you want to do, and we'll come on later perhaps to say why that's such a good reason. But you still kind of have to ask permission, as it were, of the PI of that grant about how you manage your workload. Whereas when it's a fellowship, that's very much you have the autonomy to decide that, you have the autonomy to decide what you need to deliver on your goals, what you want to kind of do, how much teaching you want to embed. But even though we talk about independent research, science especially in this age is very collaborative and actually working across the institutions, working across different researchers, whilst it's independently funded, you are definitely part of that, the wider team and who's delivering on the teaching as well as the research. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, I think this is a good point actually to sort of point out to our listeners about opportunities in teaching. I know from my own experience, I was on a fellowship, which is 100% research, but there was an opportunity to pick up a couple of neuroscience lectures, and I had some really good advice from someone in the department who said, "Technically, you're not contracted to do this. You don't have to do it. But right now, these two neuroscience lectures have come up right in your area." So that's a great opportunity to take them on, because if you don't do it now, maybe in a couple of years' time when that fellowship's coming to an end and you're looking hopefully for maybe something more permanent in a lectureship form at the university, you know, they'll look at that and say, "Well, she's already engaging in teaching. You know, we need someone to keep doing those lectures, so why not keep the person on who's already doing them?" And then the other point was that they said, "You might get the opportunity to do lectures later, but it might not be in your area. It might be I sit in the School of Medicine, and it could be anything. It could be, well, we need someone to do the kidney. Can you lecture the kidney?"-- But if you've got those opportunities that come up to lecture in something that you're passionate about, that you've got expertise in, then just take that opportunity. And then, yeah, we're talking about kind of, um, what the award covers before. So, we said about the university buying into sort of you as a researcher and your ideas, and they'll offer the lab space. But the research grant will often cover consumables, you know, staff. Anything else you can think of, Sarah, that they kind of cover your salary, obviously? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** The different funders will offer different packages depending on the budget, but also their rules. So, there's something called the overheads, which some funders don't fund. And what that essentially is, is giving money straight to the university to kind of cover your lab space and that aspect. But because it's your fellowship, you are essentially in charge of that budget. So, before you apply, you have to get it all validated from your university. But, you know, you can put in things like salary for postdocs, some offer you can put funding in for PhD students, anything really that will kind of deliver that research vision. My work is accessing big data, so I've kind of put in requests for the data access requests and kind of the science support that's needed for that. So, anything within that kind of research vision. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I'm going to ask you the big question now is what happens at the end of that fellowship? So, my own experience, so with the fellowship I got, I got a letter of support from the University of Dundee that said at the end of my fellowship, I would be put onto a tenure-track lectureship to give me some sort of continuity and ability to keep applying for grants throughout fellowship that went beyond the time that I had within that original research fellowship. What about yourself? Have you done something similar, or will it be a question at the end that you will then look for lectureship jobs that are out there being advertised? What was your experience? ## What happens when a fellowship ends? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** So, this is the kind of gamble, as it were, about the fellowships that they are fixed term. So, I'm on a five-year fellowship, and actually, credit to lots of the funders where they've tried to shift away from the shorter-term fellowships to longer fellowships for this reason, because whilst you're kind of delivering the research, you also do need to start writing grants to secure the next couple of years. And the job instability is a huge part of, you know, view your work and it's important. So, I think having job instability as part of a fellowship is obviously a bad thing. So, lots of advice is to try to talk to your university. And again, it depends on the institution around getting in writing that they will then support you to get on this tenure track. In my own case at UCL, there is less money for positions and to commit to those tenure positions. So, what they typically say is that you need at least two fellowships and then they'll commit to it. And so, it's an ongoing debate in our institutions about how they can support us, and we can come to it later. There are other ways to perhaps get promoted whilst you're on these fellowships to make yourself in a better position to get to the next step. But yeah, in my own case, it's not guaranteed. It's a tentative relationship that I'll have to revisit over the next couple of years. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Fingers crossed it goes well. (laughs) And Warren, can you let us sort of understand better about the lectureship job title, what that sort of means from your perspective? And obviously, lectureship is a word that sort of covers many different institutes and sometimes different jobs. So where does that variation come from? ## Teaching and scholarship contracts, and the promotion ladder **Dr Warren Donnellan:** Yeah, so I'm a senior lecturer at University of Liverpool, and I'm on a teaching and scholarship contract. So basically, what that means is that the ratios between the teaching, research and admin are slightly different from Kam's, for example. So, I also checked mine, (chuckles) my workload in prep for this. And currently, I have 60% teaching, 20% research, and 20% admin. The problem is that admin kind of encapsulates everything that isn't teaching and research, so you do feel squeezed. But yeah, I think I'm an unusual case 'cause I've always been on that teaching focused, even though I'm very research active and I've brought in grants and I've published, I've always been teaching-focused, even though Liverpool is a very research-intensive university. So, it's slightly, well, it's very difficult at times to be a teaching-focused lecturer in a very research-intensive environment. You are squeezed, and you're kind of fitting it in as and when you can. The only good thing is that, you know, not the only good thing, but one of the positives is that I'm not going to be sacked if I don't bring in a major grant you know, 'cause I'm there to run the modules. I'm there to teach. I'm there to kind of do all of the stuff that Kam described on the teaching and admin front. But yeah, it's a slightly, it's a bit of a balancing act. And the point I think someone, was it Sarah made about identity as well is a really important point about, who am I? Am I a researcher today? Am I an educator? Is that a false dichotomy, you know? Liverpool puts a lot of emphasis on this idea of research-connected teaching. So, the idea is you should be doing both and, you know, the stuff that you're teaching about, in an ideal world, you're teaching about stuff that you're actively, you're a leading expert in, and that's going to improve the student's experience. It's going to improve your satisfaction. It's not always the case, (chuckles) but luckily at Liverpool, that's kind of what I do. I get to teach stuff that I'm actively researching. But yeah, as you said, it's very different depending on what university you're working at. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. My own experience, Dundee is, they call it research-led teaching, which very much means the students are being taught by people who are active in those research areas. And I think to make that kind of teaching work, there needs to be a bit of a balance, because you get big numbers of undergrads in and you need people who have the time and to focus and the skills, 'cause teaching's such a difficult skill to teach with larger numbers of students. And then as they go up through their degrees and get more specialised, you know, they then sort of maybe have smaller lectures with people who specialise in those areas. So, it's a real tricky balance. And just quickly on sort of the ladder of progression in a lectureship, so most people go in at lecturer, and then there's senior lecturer. And then, in other institutes, this is sometimes where it changes a little bit, but what in Liverpool, is it reader then professor, or is there associate professor in there? **Dr Warren Donnellan:** Yeah, it's a really good question 'cause I think it does vary. I think for me, my routine, I didn't even do a master's, to be honest. I'm slightly unusual. I went and did my BSc at Liverpool, and then I got onto a PhD, a four-year part-time PhD where I was also doing this doctoral academic teacher job where I was teaching statistics undergrads. And then I got a university teacher job, and then I got a lecturer promotion, and then I got a senior lecturer promotion. And I think, as you said in the intro, that sounds really straightforward, but it was not. (laughs) I had a child in that process, and that was my ladder, but, you know, I was never a postdoc. It's always been teaching-focused for me. There is no reader on my teaching and scholarship pathway. It's straight to professor. That's my next rung on the ladder. And something I'm starting to think about at the moment is, you know, someone said to me in a meeting last week, you get chair, then what? It's like you're over the edge of the cliff and people don't think about that. So, you might not have time to talk about that today, but these are the kinds of things you're thinking about. So, yes, we talk about job security. I'm really lucky to have that. But then you think, right, okay, now what? (laughs) ## How each of them got there **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, I think, yeah, you've brought us on really nicely to our next section, which is about how each of you got to where you are. And it's great to hear these stories, these unedited versions, not just the CV, not what we see on the university profile page. And just to touch quickly back to you, Warren, about that. So, it's interesting to hear that, yeah, your next step is professor. And you mentioned the word chair. So, a lot of people call it a chair because it's like a chair in a really specific subject. So, it's chair of neuroscience or chair of, well, it can be a chair of anything.-- The university can make up whatever chair they want. But it's quite an interesting wording. So that's a professor. Some universities have associate professor. We don't have it at Dundee. I think, actually, that's maybe reserved sometimes for Oxbridge and maybe Sarah can confirm, maybe London universities as well, yeah, where associate professors, sometimes you'll hear someone's a professor and you think, "Oh my goodness, they're so young." And then they're like, "Oh wait, wait, wait. I'm an associate professor." And then you're like, "Wait, what? What's that?" (laughs) So if anybody ever hears that, don't panic, don't panic. You're not behind in your career. But Warren, just to touch back. So yeah, you said about how you got there. You don't have a master's. And I also don't have a master's, so it's okay not to put yourself into debt to try and chase that academic and research dream. Not that I'm saying a master's isn't useful, but they are very expensive. And so, you're set about your teaching, so that's quite a unique way to have come in. Do you think you were able to prove yourself before they kind of then gave you that big trust in sort of being a leader in teaching, being a lecturer? What's your sort of perspective on that? And also, did you ever think about applying for fellowships and did you? **Dr Warren Donnellan:** Yeah, so because I had the doctoral academic teacher slash PhD four-year thing, the idea behind the doctoral academic teacher positions at Liverpool is that they're a bit of an apprenticeship. You know, you're learning to teach. You come in with very little teaching experience, if any, and you just learn on the job, and you can do teaching qualifications and stuff, but it's very experiential, and there's a lot of trial and error. So, by the time that four years comes to an end, you know, hopefully, you've proved yourself, you've demonstrated that you can teach and you've got rapport with the students, and you know the university systems. And that's one of the advantages of staying at one institution. I'm like a Liverpool lifer. (laughs) And, you know, has its pros and cons. You know, sometimes I get jealous of my colleagues who've been all over the world and arrived at Liverpool. I'm quite proud of the fact that I'm a Liverpool alumni. You know, it's really served me well. You know, you get your feet under the table. You get to know the staff, the students, the institution. So that's kind of how it worked. I never really considered fellowships because I think I just fell in love with teaching. I'm a massive, massive fan of education and educating future psychologists. That's my kind of purpose if you like. So, I never considered that, but I have got lots of friends and colleagues who've done it and loved it. And can I just say as well, I've been involved in a couple of recent recruitment drives at Liverpool, and people who've been on fellowships are so, so, so attractive for lectureships because, okay, you've got the research skills, but the fellowship, as you said earlier, gives you that independence and that autonomy that maybe a postdoctoral researcher or a research assistant doesn't have. You know, you're like a ready-made lecturer. People that we've took on who've had fellowships just absolutely fly because they've developed those skills. So, I think it's a bit of a false dichotomy to think of lectureships over here and fellowships over there. It's all one kind of journey. **Dr Fiona McLean:** They're very complimentary. **Dr Warren Donnellan:** It's a snaky path, but it's a journey. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, yeah, that's great to hear. And yeah, that's really nice to hear that you know, there are other skills that come from a fellowship, not just research. And back to Kam, your route looks different again. How did you end up in Teesside, and how deliberate was that? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Yeah, so after my PhD, which I did at Durham, I went straight into my first postdoc, and I moved my first postdoc, so I didn't stay at Durham. But at the same time, I didn't really have any real aim of having a career in academia. It was almost just like thinking about the next thing. It wasn't thinking long-term. And I feel like each decision that I've made along my career has really been about just seizing opportunities that are available to me at the time and looking at things that I'm interested in and following that for as long as I'm interested in it. So, after my first postdoc, I spent two years working for a research funder, and doing that actually really helped me realise that I wanted to work in research and that I feel like if I'd done a second postdoc immediately after that first one, I might have burnt out and I might have actually decided that I didn't like research. So, I feel like I needed that time outside of academia to kind of realise that. So, I then had two more postdoctoral positions after that. And during that time, [I did apply for a fellowship that was unsuccessful](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/). And I had to move around for those different postdoctoral positions. And part of me feels like we're told a lot about, oh, if you move around, it's going to be an advantage working in different labs. It'll increase your chances of getting a fellowship. And for me, that wasn't true because we're talking about short-term postdoc contracts here, and I didn't ever really have enough time during those contracts to build up the pilot data and to kind of establish those connections in order to be able to put in a strong competitive fellowship application. So, for me, actually moving around wasn't advantageous. And so, I can see how actually staying in the same place can actually help. So, it's just a little bit about, I guess, challenging that narrative. At the time, I wasn't keen on the idea of teaching, so it's not like I was looking purposefully to apply for a lectureship. I found the idea of standing in front of all of those students really terrifying, and I really, really didn't want to do it. But it got to a point for me where having some job security became, the shift was that was now what was more important than pursuing anything else. And so, I started to look at lectureships, and when I got the one at Teesside, which was just over four years ago now, I quickly found that actually I really, really valued the teaching side of my job and helping students to develop and to achieve their goals. I found that really, really rewarding, like Warren said. And so that's probably one of the most valued part of my jobs that I have now. And I would say that it wasn't necessarily deliberate, more about kind of seizing opportunities. That's a big part of it. A lot of what you realise is a lot of it is luck because I feel like if I'd waited any longer, the job market isn't what it was when I got my lectureship. So, a lot of it was actually, I applied kind of at the right time, even though at the time, I didn't know it was the right time 'cause if I had left it any later, there's just not those posts around now, which would've made it more difficult for me to try and transition to a lectureship. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. I think you've kind of covered my next question, which was what's it like being in a sort of less research-intensive university, whereas actually, what you've kind of said is that's been a good thing because it's opened up this whole other passion for you in teaching, which is fantastic. And Sarah, what about yourself? So how did you find yourself? You kind of touched on part of that route, but how did you end up going down the fellowship route specifically? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** Yeah, so after my PhD, I did it in King's, and then I changed institutions for my postdoc, but I changed phenotypes. So, my PhD was kind of in epidemiology, but around neurodevelopmental health. And then actually, I shifted then to thinking about the other aspect of ageing around dementia. But the methods were very similar, which was the kind of appeal there. And I changed phenotype at the time because I was still very open and excited about everything, but also this kind of idea of serendipity. So, we call it like part luck, part preparedness, like be prepared and get yourself in a situation where you can take those leaps, but a lot of it is luck as well. And actually, it's through luck that now that I have this postdoc, which I came to kind of just feel so motivated by dementia research, and we can talk about that later. So, then I was in this postdoctoral position at UCL, and technically, I am still on it. And so, this is eight years later, and that's actually very unusual. So, over these years, it's been a fixed-term contract. Every two years kind of had to review where can I get my additional funding from? So, [my funding over the past eight years has been a combination of bridging money](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-perpetual-postdoc-its-broke-so-lets-fix-it-a-discussion-important-people-need-to-hear/). My different PIs have kind of been able to kind of cover the gaps. And so there has been, even though looking back, it's eight years of very enjoyable job, there's been lots of job uncertainties around that. And I've had two periods of maternity leave within that and the kind of fixed-term contract, when is this ending? Is there more money coming? It's been quite hard. And just to add though, over those eight years, I have applied for other opportunities. I have actually applied for lectureships and had very honest conversations with the people in those hiring positions where, actually, we realised the teaching configuration wasn't right for what I wanted. And I actually wanted to ask a question. But around, you know, when you apply for jobs, can you talk about and negotiate that kind of workload of how much teaching and how much research there is? And actually, in the case that I applied for these jobs, we decided that wasn't the case. And so, I have also applied for jobs at other fellowships as well. So even though I've now successfully secured one, it hasn't been that straightforward. And there's been lots of times that I've sought other opportunities and actually decided to stay in my role. And so sometimes, staying in the position is also an active choice as well. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, I think you've kind of brought us onto our next section, Sarah, which is kind of about the trade-offs of the two roles and what you're basically sacrificing by maybe going down a different route. And so, I might just open this up kind of to the group. So yeah, what do you feel from, if you have more of a research or fellowship role, what has to be sacrificed to deliver what you guys think? Kam? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** So, I think I have what's considered probably quite a full teaching load for somebody who's on my type of contract, so on a teaching and research contract. I think I actually have. It would be interesting to compare with Warren 'cause I probably have maybe a comparable teaching and admin percentage if you add everything up to him because I actually do have a lot on my workload compared to other people on the same type of contract as me. I don't know how that's happened. But when I look at it in terms of my calendar, for example, I'll see that it involves teaching on average, two, three-hour classes a week from October to December and then from January till May, so the two semesters of the academic year. So, when I look at that on paper, on my calendar, and I think, actually, I have got loads of time to do research because I'm only teaching two classes a week and they're only three hours each. So where is all my time going? When I look at it, it tends to get filled with things like just meetings, paperwork, student meetings. All those slots seem to get filled up with those types of things. So, it can be hard to find that time to do the research, even though on paper, it looks like I should have a lot of time. But I'm lucky that I have a PhD student, so that does help with driving the research forward. And within my workload, that does count as research rather than teaching. But if it's project supervision for undergraduates or master's students, that's classed as teaching. So, it is hard finding that balance, but you've just got to try and make it work and just look at the whole academic year and where you've got pockets of time where you can progress on certain activities, I think. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. And Kam and Warren, you are technically both sort of permanent lecturers. Do you feel more secure than, say, Sarah, who's on a fellowship with a fixed-term, or? Because there's a lot of disruption in UK academic institutes right now. And Dundee's gone through loads of redundancies. Most of the universities in Scotland are, actually, and there's a lot in England as well. And, you know, if you have a fellowship, technically, like you've got your salary covered and you've got your protected time, like they can't really get rid of you 'cause it wouldn't be a cost saving because, you know, it's an outside charity or funder that's going to be covering that salary. So how does that make you guys feel? Warren, what do you think about that? **Dr Warren Donnellan:** Yeah, I think for me, because teaching income is the main source of income for, well, for any university, if you look at the figures, I feel perhaps more secure than my researcher colleagues. Yeah, so I feel relatively safe. I don't think anyone feels fully safe. ## Pay, salary bands and spine points **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. And I guess that we've not really spoken too much about it, because it's an uncomfortable topic, but money. Can we quickly have a chat about, do people in fellowships get paid more, less, you know, vice versa with lectureships? There are obviously the kind of spine points and the grading systems that are across UK universities for your lectureships. And you can actually, anyone who wants to explore that, any listeners who want to have a look into that, you can Google that quite easily and have a look at where lecturers and different promotions will land you on a pay scale. But within your institutes, do you think there's big discrepancies between lectureships and fellowships? Just a quick guess or no, Warren? **Dr Warren Donnellan:** I'm really not sure. I'm not sure.-- But I know that we have increments each year and it's reasonably generous. But yeah, I don't think any of us went into lecturing for the money. (laughs) **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah. - That's fair to say. And I know from applying for fellowships, you can kind of say what salary you believe you should be on. And depending on whether it's a junior fellowship, like a postdoctoral fellowship, or a senior fellowship, you know, that salary will be expected to be more or less depending on the fellowship itself. And I think the university would probably check that they agreed with the amount that you were going to ask for, as would the funder. And they would also have a look and check that it was reasonable. My experience is that a lot of people are on similar salaries because of that grading system and points-based system. **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** So, my experience is that they are very similar 'cause you're just on the bands. The biggest difference, and we haven't covered that, is around the clinical versus non-clinical fellowships. That's where you get the differences in my institution. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** The differences in my institution. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, we have the same, yeah. **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** So, you have the banding, but you have the spine points within that. So, a little tip that I would say for anybody applying for a postdoctoral job and also a fellowship is to try and negotiate up on that spine because lots of people kind of just accept that you start your job, you go in at the lowest rung, but actually, there sometimes is negotiating room to go further. ## Fellowship or lectureship: is either one secure? **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. And there's also these things called contribution points. Maybe if you're doing a postdoctoral fellowship, then you might have to stay on the postdoctoral grade, which at Dundee is grade seven. But if you've got a fellowship, you might be able to ask for those contribution points, which take you into the first couple of bands on grade eight because you've got your own money and that should be rewarded. So those are always useful conversations to have. And as my granny used to say, you know, if you don't ask the question, if you don't ask, you don't get, so you may as well ask. And the worst that someone can say is no. I want to now bring it to the present because I think the decisions that we're having to make now are different from 5, 10 years ago. And there are only so many early career fellowships out there, especially in our field of dementia. And the success rates of major schemes sit. You know, there's not that many opportunities to really land those types of grants and fellowships. And at the same time, you see that universities are struggling financially. There's a lot of restructuring and severance schemes that are happening across the UK, and staff numbers are starting to fall for the first time in a long time at universities. And that's such a challenge for many people that are listening now as it is for us on the podcast. So just to kind of touch on that, just Sarah, for being through that fellowship process recently, what is it like out there? Is it quite, you know, competitive? Do you feel like you have to put out a lot of applications to sort of be successful? What's the feeling? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** Yeah, it's definitely very competitive. And so, I think one of the things that my mentor said to me is that the only constants that we have in academia is things going to change. So actually, finding ways to be resilient to rejection, finding ways to kind of reach out for mentorship across different people, different kind of areas of expertise and experience. My mentors have never been through this particular environment. So actually, the wisdom that they have is just, you know, get those systems in place, celebrate the small things, celebrate just submitting a grant. Don't celebrate if you're successful or not. You know, just the fact that you've got to that position and you've got that idea, those are the kind of small wins. So, yeah, the advice is that supportive system. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, and it's kind of maybe going for all opportunities, which is maybe something I think Warren and Kam might say is as well don't just look for fellowship opportunities, look for the lectureships as well. And there's opportunities in both these roles of fellowship and lectureship to do research and teaching. So, if you can get your foot in the door and get that opportunity, you might have a chance to mould what that role is. And, yeah, absolutely. I think what's important as well is with the lectureship, it's not going to stop you applying for a fellowship. And as Warren, you made a great point earlier, a lot of these things sit alongside each other now. And I'll come to all of you and just say, you know, do you think that one of these routes is safer? Just yes or no or, you know, is it all just a risk 'cause academia is a risk now? Kam, I'll come to you first. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** I used to think that having a lectureship, a permanent contract, that was security. And when I got that, that's what I thought, until around 18 months ago when, as you've described, [these redundancies and severances started to happen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-facing-redundancy-in-academia/) across most higher education institutions in the UK. And all of a sudden, I felt like, hmm, I'm not so secure anymore. And I felt like it's a little bit of a myth because I almost feel like at any point, I could get an email from HR calling me into a meeting saying I'm at risk of redundancy. And I know, as Warren said, that maybe if you're on a teaching and scholarship contract, you might be more valuable to the university because you are essentially there to provide all the teaching. And I do that as well, but actually, a big portion of my contract is research. So, they might see somebody that is a lecturer who can do what I do and is on a lower grade and therefore cheaper. So, I am therefore disposable. So, I don't think one is necessarily more secure than the other because, as you've described of a fellowship, it's still fixed term, but you at least have that security for the period of the fellowship. So, I don't think one is more secure than the other, but maybe on balance, a lectureship still is more secure at the moment because of the potential for the permanent contract. ## What to ask before you accept a post **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, I agree, absolutely. I guess if we're going to be talking about, yeah, sort of security and sort of decision making that people have to make, that brings us on to maybe what we should be asking before we take up one of these roles. Should we be asking, am I secure in this position when you're applying for lectureships? And that kind of feeds into what the university's goals are and what their vision for the university is long-term. Are they going to be delivering more teaching? Because, as you say, it brings in good money. What does that teach look like? Does it matter to what level? And these are kind of important questions to ask at the interview stage. And maybe this is a bit controversial, but, like, let's maybe ask you all now, before accepting a job, is there one question from each of you that you think should be asked to an interview panel to sort of almost really test them and check that this job is right for you? Warren, what's that maybe question that you might be scared to ask in an interview to sort of check that the lectureship's the right thing? **Dr Warren Donnellan:** Well, I was on a panel recently and the candidate said, "What would success look like in my first year?" And I was just, I loved it. I've never heard that question before. And the chair of the panel was like, really had to think, but it led to a really nice little conversation at the end of the interview. You know, operationalising success, it's transparent, isn't it? It's open. So, I love that question. And if I ever get the opportunity to ask it, [I'm going to add it to my list of questions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-big-list-of-academic-job-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them/). **Dr Fiona McLean:** It's brilliant 'cause it actually pushes the interviewers to go, "Well, actually, this is what success looks like." And then if you get the job and you deliver that, you can always say, "Well, I asked you what you said success looked like and I delivered it." So that's a great question. Sarah, what in a fellowship interview, what's maybe a question that people might be scared to ask, but actually is really important before they accept a fellowship? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** I don't know 'cause I just prepared my answer for the other one in my mind. And so, I was going to talk about that because I have applied for lectureships along the way and actually decided to stay on the fellowship track. And the thing really that was different for me is that it isn't a question at the interview, but it's a question about asking people in that system. So, reach out to the current lectureships and not people necessarily on the panel because personally, nobody's going to be able to guarantee your success. Nobody's going to be able to guarantee, yes, this is a permanent job for life. But actually, I think the most important thing from me and my peers through seeing their experience is the culture and your peers and the people you're going to be working with. So, before you do anything, we kind of touched on it, do you stay in an institution? Do you move institutions? Like part of that is understanding who are you going to be working with day to day. And I think that's, in a very changeable sector, our resilient systems are people. And I think that at the end of the day, I think that's the best advice. Things are going to change. So, work in a place where you think that you kind of fit into that culture and then you can feel that you will get that support. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. I think quite a good question to ask the panel is, are you happy working here? Because it's quite a, you know, you'll see it on their faces if they're like, "Yeah, I love it here." And if there's any doubt, you'll see it on their faces really quickly that they're like, "Oh, ugh." And I always think that's a good question to ask is, yeah, are you happy in this department? Are you happy at this university? And just quickly, Kam, have you got your one question that you would ask before you take a job on? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Something similar to yours, and I have asked this before, and it is, tell me one thing that you like about working here. Because if they're scrambling to try and find something, it's a bit of a red flag because it's like, well, if there is something that you like working about here, it should come to mind. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** So yeah, it's quite similar to yours. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Great. And that brings us on nicely to our last section. And before we wrap up, one last question to each of you, and I want something specific from you rather than sort of general. And it's about anyone who's listening, what advice would you give them on these kind of jobs, the fellowship versus lectureship, something specific about that you want to change their minds about? And I'll go to Kam first with that. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Don't be scared of teaching. (laughs) And like you said, if you're a postdoctoral researcher or if you're a research fellow, if you've got a fellowship at the moment, take any opportunities to get some teaching experience like you've said, Fiona, because you never know when an opportunity might come. And actually, if job security is what you want, that might be a route to it. So, take opportunities and be planning for different routes so that if the opportunity comes, then you have that experience and you're ready for it. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Warren? **Dr Warren Donnellan:** [For me, it's mentorship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-supervision-vs-mentorship/). That mentorship has been transformative for me. And now I'm in a position where I'm mentoring colleagues myself. And without that, I don't know where I'd be. Helping you to navigate someone who isn't in your field, you know, who has that objective lens is really helpful as well. So yeah, mentorship. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Perfect. And Sarah, what's your one takeaway for the listeners? **Dr Sarah-Naomi James:** Don't take rejection personally. It's not about you, your personality. A lot has to do with luck. And so don't take it personally but find ways to kind of keep that resilience up and a big part of that is mentorship. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I love that from all of you. Thank you so much. And I'd now just like to say thank you to Warren, Sarah, and Kam for joining me and for being so open about their own journeys and experiences. If there's one thing that I'd like listeners to take away from this conversation, it's that there's two jobs, not two grades. And if anyone else is saying that, then I think you can take it from these three experts that that's not the case at all. If this episode has raised things that you want to talk about, you will find careers content, funding calls, and job adverts on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, along with a full transcript of this episode and links to everything we mentioned. Do also join us in the Dementia Researcher community app where you can carry on this conversation with people making exactly the same decisions as you're having to make right now. I'm Fiona McLean, and you've been listening to the "Dementia Researcher Podcast." Everyone safe. Bye. **Guests:** Bye. - Bye. Bye. **Narrator:** The "Dementia Researcher Podcast" was brought to you by University College London, with generous funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > **[HESA staff statistics](https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/19-02-2026/sb274-higher-education-staff-statistics)** > > [**Advance HE Fellowship**](https://advance-he.ac.uk/fellowship/information-for-individuals/) > > **[The Researcher Development Concordat](https://researcherdevelopmentconcordat.ac.uk/)** **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alternative Careers, career pathways, Career Plans, Dr Fiona McLean, Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Dr Sarah-Naomi James, Dr Warren Donnellan, Fellowships, Getting a Fellowship, Lectureships, Life as a Lecturer, Podcast, Teaching **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher, PhD Students, Postdocs, Undergraduates --- ### [Profile - Victoria Gabb, University of Bristol](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-victoria-gabb-university-of-bristol/) **Published:** July 12, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Victoria Gabb is an NIHR-funded Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol, studying sleep, circadian rhythms, cognitive impairment and dementia. **Content:** ![Victoria Gabb Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Victoria-Gabb-280-x-280-px.jpg "Victoria Gabb 280 x 280 px")Victoria Gabb #### **Name:** Victoria Gabb #### **Job Title:** Senior Research Associate in Sleep & Dementia Neuroscience #### **Place of work / study:** University of Bristol #### **Area of Research:** [Sleep & circadian rhythms](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-sleep-cognition-dementia-istaart-research-perspectives/); mild cognitive impairment #### How is your research funded: NIHR #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m currently working towards a PhD by published work. I’ve been working in health research since 2019. Before my current role, I worked in the NHS on clinical trials on depression and psychosis and on the COVID-19 Infection Survey at the Office for National Statistics. I’ve been working in sleep and dementia research since 2021. I typically work on several projects at once, so my work is quite varied, but the key themes so far have been improving how we measure outcomes in dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) research. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: If you ask me where I want to go, day or night, rain or shine, I will pretty much always say the beach. I love being by the ocean. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia research? Whilst I was doing my master’s, working in dementia was well-respected, but there was very little hope for treatments. When I was working in mental health, I did maternity cover leave on a dementia clinical trial, and saw first-hand how important dementia research was, and also how much we had to learn. I think being involved in dementia research is a privilege and it’s an exciting time as we’re seeing huge developments in disease-modifying treatments and biomarkers. I also enjoy working with older adults and hearing their stories – and I think I have a bit of a ‘grandad’ sense of humour! #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? To set and maintain boundaries (i.e., learn to say ‘no’ and always take your breaks and annual leave). #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently listening to the audiobook “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity”. I’d recommend it. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Watching K-dramas, getting outside, DIY, running (usually whilst listening to an audiobook) #### Favourite Film of all time? Ice Age #### Can we find you on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn? [Follow @vickygracegabb](https://twitter.com/vickygracegabb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow Victoria Gabb on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriagabb/) [@victoriagabb.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/victoriagabb.bsky.social) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Sleep, sleep and circadian biology, Sleep and Circadian Rhythms PIA, University of Bristol, Victoria Gabb **Organisations for Bios:** University of Bristol **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Blog - Facing Redundancy in Academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-facing-redundancy-in-academia/) **Published:** January 17, 2025 **Author:** Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali **Excerpt:** In this blog, Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali candidly shares her struggles with job insecurity in academia and why a permanent position may not be so permanent **Content:** --- **My blogs for Dementia Researcher have chronicled my journey from being a postdoctoral researcher to obtaining my first permanent academic position as a lecturer in biomedical science. This journey continues as I now face being made redundant from my job.** I’ve technically been made redundant before. After my second postdoc position my contract ended and my PI didn’t have any additional funding to keep me on, and my contract had been too short for me to work towards a competitive fellowship application. I did submit one, despite only being in the lab 16 months, but it failed. Luckily, I planned ahead, applying for other postdoctoral positions, and making arrangements to uproot my life to yet another city. I was only unemployed for a month before starting my next position at the University of Glasgow. This time it’s different. I’m not on a temporary contract, approaching an end date that’s been in the diary for a while. Instead, I’m in a permanent contract which doesn’t have an end date, but simultaneously does, as it can be terminated at any point at the behest of senior management. In my blogs I’ve written a lot about [job insecurity in academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/career-uncertainty-in-academia/) and the precarity that early career researchers (ECRs) have to deal with. As an ECR, you either stick out the temporary contracts and tolerate the insecurity until you hopefully land a permanent position as a lecturer or research fellow, or you enter the non-academic job market in the search of greater stability. I remember the feeling of relief when I was offered my lectureship. It no longer felt like there was a ticking clock, and I could now properly settle in a single place. But I’ve come to learn that permanency is a myth in academia, at least in places like the UK where a permanent contract doesn’t provide the same degree of security that tenure might in other places. It feels like we’re sold a false dream, one which promises permanency and security, but in reality, can be taken away at any point. So how have I ended up in this situation? To understand this, let me first explain a little bit about how universities operate in the UK, or more specifically, in England. Students are charged a tuition fee when studying at university, with the amount dependent on whether they are considered a ‘home’ or ‘international’ student. International students pay significantly higher tuition fees and are therefore a major source of income for universities. In 2023, the UK government brought in new restrictions to student visa routes in an attempt to cut net migration. International students would no longer be allowed to bring family members with them unless the student was registered on a postgraduate research course. This had a detrimental effect on the number of postgraduate students in my department, many of whom were overseas mature students, who could only study in the UK if able to bring their children and spouse for support with living. Since this visa change, many have decided to study in other countries without such restrictions, leading to plummeting student numbers here, and significant financial pressures. This, along with other challenges, has led to many universities seeking what they call ‘efficiencies’. This includes making staff redundant. ![Graphic](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Redundancy-in-Academia.png "Redundancy in Academia")Sector leaders expected more than 100 of the UK’s 140-odd universities to be making redundancies by the end of 2024-25, in what has been described as a “cataclysmic” situation where “everything is on the table”. This year, my university has had two rounds of voluntary severance. This is where there’s an open call for staff to put themselves forward to terminate their contract in return of a financial package. Last month we entered the next phase: voluntary redundancy. Here, particular groups of staff are targeted in areas where senior management have determined specific ‘efficiencies’ need to be made. My department was one of those areas selected. This is despite the fact that we have two high performing undergraduate courses in our department (one ranked 2nd and another ranked 3rd in the UK, in the Guardian University Guide 2025) so surely cannot be considered to be underperforming. During the voluntary redundancy phase, targeted staff are told how many people, and at what grade, need to put themselves forward for voluntary redundancy, again in return of a financial package. This has been rather terribly described as “sacrificing yourself to save the jobs of your colleagues”, because should these requirements not be met, the whole targeted group will be placed at risk of compulsory redundancy. This means senior management will decide who will go. This is also, worth knowing, one of the moments a [job description](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/academic-job-description/) that no longer reflects your real role can hurt you, since it’s usually the paperwork on file that gets checked first. It’s important to stress that many universities are going through a similar process due to the financial pressures I outlined earlier, in additional to a range of other challenges too. It isn’t just my university. However, as you can imagine, it’s been an incredibly stressful time for my colleagues and I, as we continue to try and do our best for our students, at a time when we should be winding down from a long semester of teaching and research activities, ready to spend quality time with friends and family over the holidays. There’s nothing unique about people being made redundant in academia. It can happen in any job and working outside of academia wouldn’t provide immunity from the risk of redundancy. However, what is unique is that we endure precarity early in our careers on the implicit assumption that job security will eventually come. It’s disappointing to realise that I’m in no more of a stable situation than I was when I started my career. What have I worked for? Now, with the prospect of compulsory redundancies on the horizon, the illusion of stability is shattered, and my fate may depend on how someone who I’ve never met judges my performance on arbitrary measures, in direct comparison to my colleagues. Last time I was made redundant, only I was involved in the process, my performance wasn’t under scrutiny, and I didn’t have to compete with anyone. I don’t know what the next few months will look like, going into the new year with this looming, but I do know that there are no winners in these situations. Those left behind face higher workloads, as the need for teaching, research, and administration doesn’t disappear when staff leave. These ‘efficiencies’ we keep hearing about are code for doing more with fewer people, and somehow, we’re expected to maintain the same standards of student support. We need more compassion and thought for staff wellbeing as the process can be extremely demoralising. But ultimately, in academia, we’re all replaceable. --- ![Dr Kamar Ameen-Al Profile Picture. Kam has long straight black hair with a centre parting, she is stilling in a lab, wearing glasses and a blue jumper](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dr-Kamar-Ameen-Al.png "Dr Kamar Ameen-Al")Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali #### Author **[Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kamar-ameen-ali/)** is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University. In addition to teaching, Kamar is exploring how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Having first pursued a career as an NHS Psychologist, Kamar went back to University in Durham to look at rodent behavioural tasks to completed her PhD, and then worked as a regional Programme Manager for NC3Rs. [Follow @Kamar\_Ameen\_Ali](https://twitter.com/Kamar_Ameen_Ali?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @kamarameenali.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/kamarameenali.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Careers, Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Job Insecurity, Job Security, Redundancy, Short-term Contracts, UK University **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Career Uncertainty in Academia: What to Do Next](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/career-uncertainty-in-academia/) **Published:** August 30, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Contract ending? Waiting on a grant? Practical advice on your rights, your money, your job search and your head, plus how to help someone going through it. **Content:** **[![Graphic titled “Career Uncertainty in Academia: What to Do Next”, showing an academic contract with its end date circled alongside possible career paths in research, teaching, industry and higher education.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Career-Uncertainty-in-Academia-300x229.jpg "Career Uncertainty in Academia")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Career-Uncertainty-in-Academia.jpg)Somewhere in your contract there is a date. You know it without looking. Most people in this position can tell you the month, a good number can tell you the day, and some have worked out exactly how many pay cheques are left. It sits underneath everything else you are doing and it gets louder in the quiet parts of the week. That is what career uncertainty in academia feels like day to day, long before anything actually happens.** If that date is inside the next six months you are probably already applying for things, and finding that a full-time job and a full-time job search do not fit into the same week. If it is inside twelve, you may still be telling yourself there is plenty of time. Either way, the thing you are actually dealing with is not the date. It’s the not knowing what sits on the other side of it. We cannot fix that. Nobody can hand you a contract from a website. What we can do is set out how career uncertainty in academia actually works: what is genuinely within your control, what your rights are, what the timeline should look like, and what to say to the person down the corridor who is going through it and pretending they are fine. This is not a piece about staying positive. Plenty of these situations do not turn out alright. People leave the field who should have stayed, and good research stops halfway. Pretending otherwise is insulting to anyone who has lived it. What is true is that the outcome is often better for people who started early, knew their rights, and were not doing it alone, and those three things are available to everyone reading. In brief If your contract or funding ends within the next twelve months, the single most useful thing you can do is start now rather than in six months time, because almost everything that helps takes longer than you think. Get your end date and notice period confirmed in writing. Find out whether your institution has a redeployment policy and how to get on it, because most do and most people never ask. Work out your continuous service, since two years with the same employer changes your legal position considerably, and from 1 January 2027 the qualifying period for unfair dismissal drops from two years to six months. Run your Plan B in parallel with your Plan A, not after it. A fellowship application and a job search are not sequential, and treating them as such is what turns a difficult six months into a bad three. Career uncertainty is not a personal failing and it is not evidence about the quality of your work. Across all academic staff in UK higher education, 29% were on fixed-term contracts in 2024/25, but for research-only staff the figure is roughly two thirds, and it has barely shifted in a decade. The system produces this outcome by design, and it produces it for excellent researchers as reliably as for anyone else. And if you are reading this because of somebody else, skip to [how to help](#how-to-help-someone-going-through-this). The short version: ask once, offer something specific, and stop asking whether there is any news. On this page We have written this in the order the situation usually unfolds. It starts with [what the uncertainty actually is](#what-you-are-actually-dealing-with), which matters because people spend a lot of energy fighting the wrong thing. Then [a timeline](#the-timeline-twelve-months-to-the-last-day) from twelve months out to your final week, [the job search](#searching-while-still-doing-the-job) on top of a full workload, and [waiting on a grant decision](#the-particular-hell-of-waiting-for-a-funding-decision), which is its own distinct misery. After that, [how to stay reasonably sane](#staying-reasonably-sane), and [what happens if your visa is tied to the job](#if-your-visa-is-tied-to-the-job), which is the most urgent section here for anyone sponsored. Then the two things people leave too late: [your rights when a fixed-term contract ends](#your-rights-the-bit-nobody-tells-you), which are better than most researchers realise, and [the money](#the-money-conversation-you-should-have-with-yourself), which is the part people avoid until it is urgent. It finishes with [what happens if it does not work out](#if-it-does-not-work-out), [where to start](#where-to-start) if the whole thing feels too big to pick up, and two sections for other people: [how to help someone going through this](#how-to-help-someone-going-through-this) and [what to do if you are the PI](#if-you-are-the-pi-or-the-line-manager). There are [answers to common questions](#faq) at the end. Jump to whatever you need. Nobody is expected to read all of this in one go, least of all at midnight. ![Infographic showing that 64% of UK research-only academic staff were on fixed-term contracts in 2024/25, with the message that this is structural and not a judgement on someone’s work.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1.png "Fixed-term research contracts")Nearly two thirds of research-only academic staff in UK higher education were on fixed-term contracts in 2024/25, showing that academic career uncertainty is structural rather than personal. ## What career uncertainty in academia actually is Career uncertainty in academia is really three separate problems, and they get tangled together, which is part of why the whole thing feels unmanageable. **The practical problem** is that you need income and a job from a date you already know. This one is solvable, or at least workable. It responds to lists, deadlines and other people. **The waiting problem** is different. You are not able to act on the decision that matters most, because a panel meets in March, or a PI is waiting on a costing, or an outcome letter is somewhere in a queue. Waiting is not the same as working towards something, and it drains people who are otherwise very good at hard work. The remedy is not patience. It is having something else genuinely in motion so the wait is not the only thing happening. **The identity problem** is the one that catches people out. Research is not a job you do, it is a thing you are, and most of us said so out loud at interview. When the contract ends, it is hard not to hear it as a verdict. It is worth separating the two early, because the job market in this field is not a quality assessment. It is a function of how much money is in the system this year, which programmes happen to be recruiting, and whether the grant that would have employed you landed on a good day with a panel. [Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-yvonne-couch/) has written about this more honestly than most, including the part where you go into an empty office and cry, in her [blog on resilience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-resilience/). If you have not read it, read it before you read the rest of this. She makes a point that took most of us years to accept: it is largely luck and timing, and accepting that is not the same as giving up. It is also worth knowing the actual shape of the thing, because it is easy to assume you are the unlucky one. HESA’s staff record puts 29% of all academic staff in UK higher education on fixed-term contracts in 2024/25, which sounds manageable until you separate out the research-only workforce. UCU’s *Support for Research Staff* report found 66% of research-only staff on fixed-term contracts, a figure the union says has changed little in a decade, and more recent analysis of the HESA dashboard puts it at 64% for 2024-25. At individual institutions it goes much higher. The same UCU work, based on freedom of information requests to 103 institutions, found some things worth carrying into any conversation with your own employer. Nearly a third of universities could not say whether research staff had been redeployed at the end of a contract, because they did not track it. Where institutions did answer, redeployment rates ranged down to zero. Only one employer offered enhanced paid notice periods to research-only staff on fixed-term contracts, and most paid only statutory redundancy pay. UCU also notes that some employers use open-ended contracts that carry an identifiable “at risk” or funding end date, which do not appear as fixed-term in the statistics but offer most people little practical benefit over one. If that describes your contract, treat this article as applying to you. This is not new, and it is not you. [Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kamar-ameen-ali/) has written repeatedly about academic job insecurity and precarity, including [facing redundancy from a permanent post](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-facing-redundancy-in-academia/), which is a useful corrective to the belief that a permanent contract is the finish line. The [Perpetual Postdoc series](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-perpetual-postdoc-20-20-hindsight-tips-from-perpetual-post-docs/) and the [discussion on breaking the cycle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/social-audio-perpetual-postdoc-breaking-the-perpetual-postdoc-cycle/) cover the structural picture, and [Academic precarity: moving the discussion forward](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academic-precarity-moving-the-discussion-forward/) sets out what universities could do differently if they chose to. Our partner blog on why [rejection in academia is structural rather than personal](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/rejection-in-academia-is-structural-not-personal/) makes the same case with the evidence attached. None of that gets you a job. It does mean you can stop spending energy on the question of whether you deserve this, and put it into the parts that move. ![Four-point checklist for UK fixed-term researchers covering continuous service, redeployment, redundancy entitlement, notice and fair process.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4.png "Rights for fixed-term researchers")A fixed-term contract still carries employment rights. Researchers should check their continuous service, redeployment policy, possible redundancy entitlement, notice and the process being followed. ## The timeline: twelve months to the last day Most of the advice people give is correct and given too late. Here is what to do and roughly when. ### Twelve months out This is the strong position, and very few people use it, because twelve months feels like ages and the current project is going badly and there is a paper to finish. Confirm your actual end date in writing, along with your notice period. Not what somebody said in a meeting. The contract. Ask your PI directly what they expect to happen. The useful phrasing is a question about the money, not about you: “Is there funding to extend this post beyond June, and if not, when would we know?” You are not being disloyal by asking. Any PI worth working for expects the question and will be relieved you asked early. Find out whether your institution has a redeployment register or policy, who runs it, and what triggers your access to it. Most UK universities have something. It usually kicks in when notice is issued, and it usually requires you to actively register. It will not find you. Start anything with a long lead time. A fellowship application is a six to nine month project, not a six week one, and it needs institutional costing, letters of support and a host who has agreed to have you. If a fellowship is the plan, this is the month to start, and our guidance on [knowing when you are ready to apply](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/), [what the panel is looking for](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-getting-a-grant-funded-a-view-from-the-panel/) and [Becky Carlyle’s fellowship writing and interview tips](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-fellowship-writing-interview-tips/) are the place to begin. If a lectureship is more likely, our [podcast on fellowship versus lectureship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/) is a straight conversation about pay, workload and whether permanent really means secure. Do the slow CV things now. A submitted paper, a small pilot grant, a teaching contribution, a public involvement role, a committee seat. These take months to appear and they are the difference between two otherwise identical applications. Tell people. Not a public announcement, just the quiet version, to five or six people who know your work: “My contract ends next summer, I am looking, keep me in mind.” Most research posts are filled by people who were already known to somebody on the panel. This is not corruption, it is how a small field works, and being invisible is the only way to lose from it. ### Six months out Have the conversation with your PI again, this time asking for an answer with a date attached. If the answer is genuinely unknown, ask when it will be known and put that date in the diary. Ask for your reference now, while you are still in post and the person still has your project fresh in mind. Ask for it in writing and ask what they will say about your independence, because that is the sentence panels read. Check your continuous service. Add up every contract you have held with this employer, including short extensions and gaps of a week or less. This number determines your legal position and it is often longer than people assume. See [your rights](#your-rights-the-bit-nobody-tells-you) below. Start applying properly. Not browsing. Applying. Our [jobs board](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/jobs/) carries UK and international posts across discovery science, clinical research, care and social science, and the [funding calls listing](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/funding-calls/) covers fellowships and smaller awards. Beth Eyre’s blog on [how to find a postdoc job](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-to-find-a-postdoc-job/) covers the part nobody explains, which is that a good proportion of posts are arranged by approaching a lab before anything is advertised. If you need a visa, this is late rather than early. See [the visa section](#if-your-visa-is-tied-to-the-job). ### Three months out Notice should be issued around now, depending on your contract. When it is, read it and check the date, because administrative errors are common and hard to unpick later. Register for redeployment the moment you are eligible. Ask HR to confirm in writing that you are on it. Apply widely, and widen what “widely” means. This is the point at which restricting yourself to posts that are a perfect continuation of your current work stops being ambition and starts being a risk. If you’re tied to a particular geographical location, you may find getting a new job harder, and may need to consider alernative areas or may event need to get creative e.g. Have you considered industry? Charities? How about teaching? Don’t panic, but consider your options and look around. Sort your paperwork while you still have a payslip. If you need a mortgage, a tenancy reference, a loan or a visa, get the employment letter now. Landlords and lenders treat “employed until June” very differently from “unemployed since June”, and the letter is free while you are still there. Get your own record straight. Your publication list, your ORCID, your conference talks, your teaching, your code, your protocols. Note that data, samples and institutional records are not yours to take, and the rules on that are genuinely strict, but your own CV evidence is. Take a copy of anything you wrote that you are entitled to keep, before your account is closed at midnight on your last day, which is a thing that happens. ### The last few weeks Hopefully by now, you have funding, a new job or some certinity. If you haven’t, it is time to agree the handover in writing, so that what you did survives you and so that nobody can later claim you left a mess. Sort out anything you are owed. Untaken annual leave, expenses, and statutory redundancy pay if it applies. Get personal contact details for the people you want to stay in touch with, and give them yours. Institutional email disappears fast. Ask about honorary or visiting status. Many departments will grant it, it costs them nothing, and it gives you library access, an affiliation for papers still in review, and a route back in. It is one of the most useful things to ask for and almost nobody asks. If a paper is still in progress, agree now who does what, in writing, including authorship. Do not agree to finish it unpaid on the assumption it will be quick. It never is. There is a good blog on how the [unpaid limbo period](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-why-are-we-excluding-the-best-brains-from-dementia-research/) quietly excludes people who cannot afford to work for free, and it is worth reading before you volunteer for it. Worth remembering Almost everything in this timeline is a thing you can do on a bad day when you cannot face writing an application. Confirming a date, sending an email to HR, asking for a reference, updating ORCID. On the days when the job search feels impossible, do one of those instead. It still counts. ![Three-panel infographic explaining the practical, waiting and identity problems associated with academic career uncertainty, alongside a suggested response to each.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2.png "Three forms of career uncertainty")Academic career uncertainty combines three distinct problems: practical pressures, waiting for decisions and the effect insecurity can have on a researcher’s professional identity. ## Searching while still doing the job The practical difficulty is that the job search arrives on top of a full workload, and the workload does not shrink out of sympathy. Two things help more than any others. Time-box it, so that applications happen in a fixed slot rather than colonising every evening and then not happening at all. And build one strong application document that you adapt, rather than starting from nothing each time. Your fifth application should take a third as long as your first. Widen the search deliberately, in three directions. **Sideways within research.** Trial coordination, data management, research delivery, biobanking, imaging cores, methods support. These posts are frequently longer, better funded and more secure than the discovery post you are leaving, and they keep you in the field. **Sideways within the sector.** Charities, funders, NHS research delivery, policy, regulators, publishing, science communication, PPIE and research management all employ people who understand research from the inside, and they struggle to recruit them. Our feature on [leaving the lab but not the field](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/leaving-the-lab-but-not-the-field-research-related-careers-in-dementia/) profiles four people who did exactly this. **Out.** Industry, biotech, data science, consultancy, health tech, the civil service. Sam Moxon’s [blog on the academic exodus](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-academic-exodus/) and Yvonne Couch on [the great academic resignation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-great-academic-resignation/) are worth reading, as is [Hannah Hussain on stepping outside academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-stepping-outside-of-academia/) and [what to do if you want to leave and do not know what is out there](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/i-want-to-leave-academia-whats-next/). We keep everything on this together under the [leaving academia tag](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/leaving-academia/). On applications themselves: name what you can do rather than what you have studied. Outside academia, “I ran a longitudinal study across four NHS sites, managed a £180k budget and supervised three staff” lands better than a thesis title. Inside academia, the sentence panels look for is evidence of independence. For interviews, our [long list of real academic interview questions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-big-list-of-academic-job-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them/) is the most-used careers page we have, for good reason. One more thing, and it is the awkward one. You will apply for things you do not get, repeatedly, while already feeling fragile. Fiona McLean’s podcast on [what grant rejection taught four researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-failing-forward-what-my-grant-rejection-taught-me/) and the older show on [dealing with failure and imposter syndrome](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-dealing-with-failure-and-imposter-syndrome/) are both worth an hour, mostly because hearing senior people list their own rejections recalibrates what normal looks like. ## The particular hell of waiting for a funding decision Waiting on an outcome is different from job hunting, because there is nothing to do and the thing you are waiting for would solve everything. Three rules, learned the hard way by a lot of people. **Run the alternative in parallel.** Not as a sign of no confidence in the application, as basic arithmetic. If the decision comes in April and your contract ends in July, a rejection in April leaves you three months, which is not enough time to start. Applying for jobs while you wait costs you nothing if the grant lands. **Find out the actual timeline and the actual next round.** When does the panel meet, when are outcomes communicated, when is the next call, what is the resubmission policy. Ask the funder’s programme team, who are usually helpful and are used to the question. Knowing “if this fails, the next deadline is October” converts an open-ended dread into a plan. **Decide in advance what you do on the day it is rejected.** Write it down now. Something like: take the evening off, read the feedback in two days not two hours, send it to your mentor, decide about resubmission the following week. People who have decided in advance recover in days. People who have not can lose a month. And when it does go wrong, the feedback is worth reading properly once the sting has gone, even the unhelpful sort. [Getting a grant funded: a view from the panel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-getting-a-grant-funded-a-view-from-the-panel/) explains how the room actually works, which makes reviewer comments considerably easier to interpret. ## Staying reasonably sane We are wary of writing this section, because most wellbeing advice written for researchers is either patronising or suggests you take up mindfulness during the worst six months of your career. So, only the things people actually tell us worked. **Separate what you control from what you do not, on paper.** Applications sent, conversations had, skills built, references secured: yours. Panel composition, funding rates, whether the department’s business case gets approved: not yours. The stress of the second category is entirely wasted and it is genuinely possible to spend a whole month there. **Keep a done list rather than a to-do list.** In a period where outcomes are all external and mostly negative, a record of effort is the only honest evidence that you are doing something. Rahul Sidhu’s blog on [imposter syndrome](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-imposter-syndrome/) is good on why the internal account of your own competence stops being reliable in periods like this. **Protect one thing that is not work and not the job search.** One evening, one club, one long walk on a Sunday. The people who come out of this in reasonable shape are almost always the ones who kept something. **Tell three people the truth.** Not the whole department, three people. Isolation is what turns a difficult period into a bad one, and everybody’s instinct is to hide it until it is resolved, which can be a year. Jodi Watt’s blog on [navigating challenging conversations in academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-navigating-challenging-conversations-in-academia/) is good on why this is hard and worth doing anyway. **Watch the drift into overwork.** The instinct is to work harder to prove you should be kept, and it does not work, because the decision is almost never about your productivity. It does reliably cost you sleep and health. The [podcast on burnout in academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-at-breaking-point-burnout-in-academia/) covers this well. **Get help if it is more than stress.** If you are not sleeping, not eating properly, or the low mood has stopped lifting when something good happens, that is worth taking to your GP. Most universities have an Employee Assistance Programme with free confidential counselling, and most staff never find out it exists. Your union can also help with the work side. If things get really dark, Samaritans are on 116 123, free, any time. Our [community](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/communities/) has a lot of people in the same position, which is worth something at midnight when it feels like it is only you. ## If your visa is tied to the job If you are sponsored, read this before anything else on the page. The timelines here are unforgiving, and they override every other deadline in this article. If you are in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, your permission is tied to your sponsoring employer. Your employer must report the end of your employment to UK Visas and Immigration, normally within ten working days, and the Home Office then usually curtails your permission to 60 days, or to your existing visa expiry date if that is sooner. Within that window you need to find a new sponsor, switch to another route, or leave. Four things about this that people get wrong, and they are expensive mistakes. **The 60 days do not start on your last day at work.** They start when the Home Office issues and serves the curtailment decision, which may be weeks later. That sounds like a bonus, and it is not, because the decision can be served to your UKVI account “on file” and the clock runs whether or not you have read it. Keep your contact details current. **You cannot keep working once the sponsored employment ends**, including any supplementary work, and including for the employer you have just left. **Your dependants’ permission is tied to yours**, so a curtailment affects the whole household. **The gap is shrinking.** Practitioners reported through 2026 that the Home Office is acting considerably faster than it used to. Do not plan on the historic delay. Moving to a new employer needs a new Certificate of Sponsorship and a new application, and you should not start the role before permission is confirmed. See the [government guidance on changing job or employer](https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/update-your-visa-if-you-change-job-or-employer). Three practical points on top. Not every university post is sponsorable, and the salary and skill thresholds have been tightened, so check before you invest weeks in an application. Your institution’s international staff or immigration compliance team is a better first call than HR generally, and they deal with this constantly. And build in far more time than feels necessary, because the immigration timeline, not the job timeline, is what determines whether you can accept an offer. If you are anywhere near this situation, take proper immigration advice rather than relying on a careers article. If you are considering a move abroad rather than within the UK, our [guide to moving abroad as a PhD student](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-a-guide-to-moving-abroad-as-a-phd-student/) and the piece on [transitioning to a new lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/advice-from-the-high-seas-how-to-transition-to-a-new-lab/) cover the parts that do not appear in the offer letter. ![Four-stage timeline showing what researchers should do at 12 months, six months, three months and during the final weeks before a fixed-term contract ends.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/3.png "Fixed-term contract timeline")Start preparing 12 months before a fixed-term research contract ends: confirm the dates, begin applying, register for redeployment and organise the final handover while running Plan A and Plan B together. ## Your rights when a fixed-term contract ends Researchers routinely assume that because a contract has an end date written on it, nothing else applies. That is wrong, and it is expensive to get wrong. This is a general summary for the UK and not legal advice, so check your own position with your union, your HR team or Acas. **The end of a fixed-term contract is a dismissal in law.** Under section 95(1)(b) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, the expiry and non-renewal of a fixed-term contract counts as a dismissal, even though you knew the end date from the first day. It is not an administrative event and your employer should not treat it as one. **Two years of continuous service changes things.** With two years or more with the same employer, you are generally entitled to statutory redundancy pay (your institution may improve this, but few do) where the post ends because the work or funding has ceased, and to a fair reason and a fair process. Continuous service accrues across successive contracts with the same employer, so several back-to-back postdoc contracts usually count as one continuous period. Gaps matter, but short ones often do not break it. **From 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal drops from two years to six months.** This is one of the changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025, and anyone who already has six months’ service on that date gets the protection immediately. The cap on the compensatory award is also removed from the same date. For a workforce employed largely on short contracts, that is a meaningful shift. The qualifying period for statutory redundancy pay is a separate thing and remains at two years. [Acas has a plain-English summary of what is changing and when](https://www.acas.org.uk/employment-rights-act-2025). **There is a four-year rule.** Under regulation 8 of the Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002, an employee continuously employed on successive fixed-term contracts for four years or more is treated as permanent on any further renewal, unless the employer can objectively justify continuing the fixed term. Two caveats matter. It makes you permanent in the role you are already doing, not entitled to a different or better one, which tribunals have been clear about. And it is not automatic in practice, because employers do argue objective justification and sometimes succeed. If you are approaching four years, that is a conversation to have with your union rather than a rule to assume applies. **You have a right to be told about vacancies.** Regulation 3(6) of the same Regulations gives fixed-term employees the right to be informed by their employer of available vacancies, specifically so that they have the same opportunity as permanent colleagues to secure permanent employment. This is a small right and almost nobody uses it, but if internal posts in your department are being filled through conversations you are not part of, it is worth knowing it exists. **Time limits for tribunal claims are getting longer.** From 1 October 2026, the time limit for most employment tribunal claims increases from three months to six, with the equivalent change for breach of contract claims in Scotland on 9 November 2026. That is more breathing space than people have had, but it is still short, and the clock does not wait for you to feel ready. **Redeployment is usually a right in policy, not just a courtesy.** Many universities commit to seeking suitable alternative employment before a fixed-term post ends. Some give redeployees priority consideration or guaranteed interviews for posts they are qualified for. Ask for the policy document by name. If you are on it, keep checking it yourself rather than waiting to be contacted. **Pregnancy, maternity and disability protections apply in full** and do not depend on length of service in the same way. Non-renewal that is influenced by pregnancy or maternity leave is a serious matter, not a grey area. **Join the union before you need it.** This is the single most common regret we hear. UCU membership costs very little on a research salary, and the value is not in the politics, it is in having somebody who has read your institution’s redundancy procedure fifty times and can come to the meeting with you. Nobody has ever told us they wish they had joined later. ## The money conversation you should have with yourself People put this off because looking at it makes it real. Looking at it early is what gives you options. Work out your runway. Not a vague sense of it, an actual number: how many months you can cover with what you have, plus notice pay, plus any redundancy payment, plus untaken leave (remember you will not pay tax on all of your redundancy payment). That number is your decision-making horizon. It tells you whether you can hold out for the right post or whether you need income by a specific date, and those are two very different job searches. Find out what you are entitled to while out of work, because researchers routinely assume they will not qualify for anything and never check. New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance is contribution-based rather than means-tested. It depends on having paid enough Class 1 National Insurance as an employee, usually across the two most recent complete tax years, and your savings, your capital and your partner’s income do not affect it. Nor, usefully, does a redundancy payment. It is paid fortnightly for up to 182 days, and you need to be working fewer than 16 hours a week on average and actively looking for work. Your own pension income can reduce it. Universal Credit is the means-tested one. It does take account of savings, capital and a partner’s income, and a redundancy lump sum can affect it. You can claim both together, in which case the JSA counts as income for the Universal Credit calculation. Check your National Insurance record on your personal tax account before you need to, because that is what determines the first one, and claims take time to process. Do not make big irreversible financial decisions in the first fortnight after bad news. Do not cash in a pension, do not take a high-interest short-term loan, and do not accept a much worse contract out of panic in week one when you have five months left. If you are on a research pension scheme, deferring is normal and your contributions do not evaporate. Get the paperwork before you leave. And be honest with whoever else this affects. A partner who finds out in month five that the money runs out in month six is dealing with two problems, one of which you created. ## If it does not work out Sometimes there is no post. The department restructures, the grant fails, the sector has a bad year, and none of it had anything to do with you. A few honest things. Leaving research is not a moral failure, and the field is smaller and less interesting for treating it as one. Plenty of the people who now run programmes, fund the work, deliver the trials, shape the policy and communicate the science came out of exactly this moment. Leaving academia is not the same as leaving dementia research. The charities, the NIHR infrastructure, industry, the NHS, publishers and the funders are all full of people who were postdocs once and are still contributing to the same problem, usually with a pension and a mortgage they can plan around. Going is not permanent. People come back, especially into applied and clinical research, and time spent in industry or the NHS is frequently an advantage rather than a gap. And there is no version of this where a year of your work disappears. The papers stay published, the skills stay yours, and the people who know your work still know it. If you are weighing this up properly rather than in a panic, start with the [leaving academia collection](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/leaving-academia/) and Nature’s piece on [moving from academia to industry](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/moving-from-academia-to-industry-the-great-resignation/). ## Where to start Everything above is keyed to how long you have. This is the bit that is not, because these eight things are worth doing whether your end date is next month or next summer, and none of them depends on knowing what happens next. That is the point of them. Done roughly and quickly, they beat done properly in three months’ time. 1. Confirm your contract end date and notice period in writing, from the contract, not from memory. 2. Add up your continuous service with this employer across every contract, and find out whether you have passed two years. 3. Email HR and ask for the redeployment policy by name, and ask what triggers your eligibility. 4. Ask your PI one direct question about funding, with a date attached to the answer. 5. Work out your runway number, and check your National Insurance record while you are at it. 6. Ask for your reference now, in writing. 7. Tell five people in the field that you will be looking. 8. Join the union, if you have not. --- ## How to help someone going through this Most people reading this will know somebody in this position right now, and most of them are doing nothing because they do not know what would help. Here is what people tell us actually did. **Ask once, properly, then stop asking.** “How are you doing with the contract thing?” is a good question the first time. Asked every time you pass in the corridor, it becomes a weekly reminder that they have no news and everyone is watching. Say instead: “I am not going to keep asking, but I am here, and tell me when there is something.” **Offer something specific, with a date.** “Let me know if I can help” puts the work back on them. “I will read your fellowship draft this weekend if you send it by Friday” is help. So is “I will do the Thursday lab meeting for you”, “I will introduce you to my old PI at Newcastle”, and “come round for dinner on Saturday”. **Say their name in rooms they are not in.** When you hear about a post, an extension, a bit of money, a project that needs somebody, name them. This is the single most valuable thing a colleague can do and it costs an email. **Send jobs only if they have said they want them.** Ask first. Unsolicited job links can read as agreement that they are finished, and some people find it crushing. Others want everything you have. It takes one question to find out which. **Do not reassure them it will be fine.** You do not know that, they know you do not know that, and it ends the conversation. “That sounds really rubbish and I am sorry” is better and truer. If they want to problem-solve they will start. **Do not compare it to your own worst year, and do not tell the story about the person who got a lectureship two days before their contract ended.** Survivor stories are not comforting when you are the one waiting. **Keep including them.** People in this position drop off invitations, partly from money, partly from not wanting to be the one with bad news. Keep asking anyway, and be the person who suggests something free. **If they are your friend rather than your colleague,** the useful offers are practical and unglamorous. Proofread the application. Mind the kids for an afternoon so they can write. Drive them to the interview. Feed them. **And if you are their partner:** the thing most people say they needed was for someone to take the household admin off them for a couple of months, and for the question “any news?” to not be the first thing said at the door. ## If you are the PI or the line manager You have more influence over how this goes than anyone, and the two failures we hear about most are both failures of timing. **Start the conversation twelve months out.** Not three. Say what you know, say what you do not, and say when you will know more. “I do not know yet, and I will tell you the day I do” is a perfectly good answer and vastly better than silence. People will forgive uncertainty; they will not forgive finding out from a departmental email. **Give them the date, then keep it.** If you say you will know by the end of March, come back at the end of March even if the only news is that there is no news. **Write the reference now,** while the work is fresh, and tell them what it says. **Protect their time to apply.** An afternoon a week to write applications is the most valuable thing you can give somebody whose post is ending, and it costs the project very little compared to the cost of them leaving mid-way with nothing arranged. **Put their name on things.** Authorship, the grant application, the talk at the conference, the acknowledgements. Visibility is currency and you control a lot of it. **Know your own institution’s redeployment process** before you need it, so you can tell them rather than sending them to HR. **Keep their [job description](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/academic-job-description/) current.** When roles get matched against a new structure, the starting point is usually the paperwork on file, not what someone actually does day to day, so this is worth sorting well before a restructure is ever announced. **Do not ask them to finish the paper unpaid,** and do not let the culture of your group assume that they will. **And say something human.** It is astonishing how many people go through this and report that their PI never once acknowledged it was happening. ## Common questions about academic career uncertainty ### Is the end of a fixed-term contract a redundancy? Often, yes. Where a fixed-term contract expires and is not renewed because the funding or the work has ceased, that is usually a redundancy situation. In law, the expiry and non-renewal of a fixed-term contract is a dismissal under the Employment Rights Act 1996, even though the end date was known from the start. Whether you are entitled to statutory redundancy pay depends mainly on having two years or more of continuous service with that employer. ### Does my service carry over between contracts? Usually. Continuous service accrues across successive contracts with the same employer, and short gaps generally do not break it. This matters more than most researchers realise, because three consecutive eighteen-month postdoc contracts at one university normally add up to continuous service rather than three separate starts. Check your dates and get HR to confirm the figure in writing. ### How much notice should I get? Whatever your contract says, subject to statutory minimums, which increase with length of service. Read the contract, and if the notice you are given looks short, ask your union before you agree to anything. Generally you should expect things in writing no later than three months before the end of your contract. ### What is the four-year rule? Under the Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002, an employee employed on successive fixed-term contracts for four years or more generally becomes a permanent employee unless the employer can objectively justify keeping the contract fixed-term. Employers do sometimes justify it. If you are approaching four years, take advice rather than assuming either way. ### Is it true that unfair dismissal rights are changing? Yes. From 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal reduces from two years to six months under the Employment Rights Act 2025, and the cap on the compensatory award is removed. Anyone with six months’ service on that date is protected immediately. The two-year qualifying period for statutory redundancy pay is separate and is not changing. ### Should I tell my PI I am applying elsewhere? If your contract is ending and there is no funded extension, yes, and early. It is not disloyalty, it is the expected consequence of the post ending, and you will need a reference. The situation is different if you are leaving a post that would have continued, in which case wait until you have a firm offer. ### How far in advance should I start applying? Six months minimum for a job, nine to twelve for a fellowship. Recruitment in universities is slow, offers are subject to checks, and start dates can be months after interview. People who start at three months are not doing anything wrong, they are just running out of runway. ### What is a redeployment register and how do I get on one? Most UK universities operate a process for finding suitable alternative employment for staff whose posts are ending. It typically gives you access to internal vacancies, sometimes with priority consideration or a guaranteed interview where you meet the essential criteria. It is usually triggered when notice is issued, and it usually requires you to register actively. Ask HR for the policy and ask them to confirm in writing when you are on it. ### Can I claim benefits between contracts? Probably more than you think. New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance is contribution-based, so it depends on your Class 1 National Insurance record rather than your savings, and neither your capital nor a partner’s income affects it. A redundancy payment does not affect it either. It runs for up to 182 days. Universal Credit is the means-tested one and does take account of savings, capital and household income. You can claim both together. Check your National Insurance record early, because claims take time to process. ### What happens to my visa when my contract ends? If you are on a Skilled Worker visa, your employer must report the end of your employment to UKVI, normally within ten working days, and the Home Office will usually curtail your permission to 60 days or your existing expiry date, whichever comes first. Critically, that 60 days runs from the date the curtailment decision is served, not from your last day at work, and it runs whether or not you have actually read the notice. You cannot work during that period, and your dependants’ permission is tied to yours. Speak to your institution’s immigration compliance team as early as possible and take proper immigration advice, because this timeline governs everything else. ### Should I keep working unpaid to finish a paper? Be very careful with this. It is extremely common and it quietly excludes anyone who cannot afford to do it. If you agree to it, agree in writing what is being finished, by when, and what your authorship is, and set a limit. Better still, ask whether a short paid extension, an honorary contract with library access, or a named contribution from a colleague finishing the work would achieve the same thing. ### Should I ask for an honorary or visiting position when I leave? Yes, and almost nobody does. It costs the department nothing, and it gives you an affiliation for papers still in review, library and journal access, and an ongoing relationship with the group. Ask before your last day. ### How do I explain a gap on my CV? Plainly and in one sentence. “My contract ended in June 2026 when the project funding finished” is a complete explanation and every panel in this field understands it. Do not apologise for it, do not pad it, and do not leave it unexplained, because unexplained gaps get imagined as worse than they are. ### Does leaving academia mean leaving dementia research? No. The charities, NIHR infrastructure, NHS research delivery, industry, funders, publishers and policy bodies are full of people who trained as researchers and are still working on the same problem, frequently with more security and better pay. Our leaving academia collection has first-hand accounts from people who made that move. ### What should I say to a colleague whose contract is ending? Ask once, sincerely, then say you will not keep asking but you are there. Offer something specific with a date on it rather than an open-ended offer of help. Say their name when opportunities come up. And do not tell them it will be fine. ## The main lesson: start earlier than feels necessary, and do not do it alone Nothing on this page changes the funding rate, the number of posts, or the fact that a system this dependent on short contracts will keep producing this outcome until somebody fixes it. That fight is worth having, and we will keep publishing people who are having it. What is inside your control is smaller but not small. Twelve months instead of three. A conversation instead of a guess. Knowing what you are legally entitled to instead of assuming the end date settles it. A runway number instead of a vague dread. Three people who know rather than nobody. And if you are the one watching somebody else go through it, you are more useful than you think. Ask once, offer something specific, and put their name in rooms they are not in. --- [![Infographic titled “The Countdown: Navigating Academic Contract Uncertainty”. A timeline advises confirming the end date and starting fellowship applications 12 months before expiry, running job and funding plans in parallel at six months, and arranging redeployment, employment letters and visa or mortgage paperwork at three months. It also covers the two-year legal threshold, calculating financial runway, separating contract expiry from personal research quality, and planned changes to UK employment law.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Navigating-Academic-Contract-Uncertainty-1024x576.png "Navigating Academic Contract Uncertainty")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Navigating-Academic-Contract-Uncertainty.png) --- *This article is general information about the UK context and not legal or financial advice. Employment law, benefits and immigration rules change, and individual contracts differ, so check your own position with your union, your HR department, Acas or a qualified adviser. Checked against UK sources available in August 2026.* **Categories:** Careers, Top tips **Tags:** Career Challenges, Careers Planning, Fixed-term contracts, Job Insecurity, Wellbeing **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Academic Job Descriptions: Writing Them, Auditing Them, Fixing Them](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/academic-job-description/) **Published:** September 4, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** What an academic job description actually does, why most start life as an edited template, what the 'other duties' clause really allows, how UK pay grading links to it, and how to write, audit or fix one that's gone wrong. **Content:** **Ask most researchers when they last read their own academic job description and you’ll get a shrug, or a laugh, or “before I signed the contract, I think.” It sits in a PDF somewhere, filed and forgotten, until something forces you to look at it again: a restructure, a regrade application, a dispute over who’s doing what, or a pay conversation that goes nowhere because nobody can point to what the job is actually meant to be.** That’s a shame, because an academic job description is one of the more consequential documents in a research career, and almost nobody treats it that way. It isn’t admin. Your grade is built from it, your contract holds you to it, and in a sector going through as much structural change as UK higher education currently is, employers increasingly make decisions against it. We’re writing this for two audiences at once, because it’s the same document seen from two sides. If you write job descriptions — as a PI, a line manager, or anyone drafting a role for recruitment — the first half of this is for you. If you have a job description sitting somewhere you haven’t looked at in years, the second half is for you. Most people reading this will find themselves in both halves at different points in their career, sometimes in the same year. In brief A job description in UK higher education isn’t just a recruitment formality, it’s usually the document your pay grade is evaluated from, most commonly through a scheme called HERA. If it understates what you actually do, you may be paid against a job that isn’t quite the one you’re doing. Job descriptions are almost always edited from an existing template rather than written from scratch, which is sensible, but it means outdated duties and broad catch-all clauses often ride along unexamined for years. That catch-all “other duties as reasonably required” line is legitimate and necessary, but UK employment law only allows it to be used reasonably, not as licence to redefine a role indefinitely. If your JD is wrong, the fix usually starts with your line manager, not HR, and it’s a different conversation from asking for a pay rise. If you’re a UCU member, this is exactly the kind of thing your branch can help you word and evidence. On this page We’ve set this out in the order it’s most useful to read. It starts with [what a job description actually is](#what-a-job-description-actually-is) and [why most are edited from a template rather than written from scratch](#most-job-descriptions-arent-written-from-scratch), which matters for what comes next: [the “other duties” clause](#the-other-duties-clause), explained properly, including what UK employment law actually says about it. Then [why all of this matters](#why-it-matters-more-than-people-think), for pay, for restructuring, and for who gets to apply for a role in the first place. After that it splits by audience: [writing a good job description](#writing-a-good-job-description) if that’s your task, and [auditing your own](#auditing-your-own-job-description) if you’re the one holding the job. It finishes with [what to actually do if it’s wrong](#if-its-wrong-what-you-can-actually-do-about-it), including where a union can help, and a short section for [PIs and managers](#what-this-means-for-pis-and-managers-too). Jump to whatever’s useful. There are [answers to common questions](#common-questions-about-job-descriptions) at the end. ## What an academic job description actually is An academic job description sets out a role’s purpose, duties, responsibilities and the level at which it operates, independent of whoever happens to be doing it at any given time. That’s the part worth sitting with: a good JD describes the job, not the person. It should read the same whether the postholder has been there six months or six years. ### The HERA link to pay In UK higher education a job description does more work than in most sectors. Almost every UK university runs some form of formal job evaluation to set pay grades, and most use a scheme called **Higher Education Role Analysis, or HERA**. HERA scores the job description itself against a set of competencies: decision-making, communication, analysis, team development, and so on. A trained analyst reads the JD, sometimes alongside an interview, and produces a points score. That score sets the grade. The grade sets the pay band. So the JD isn’t a formality that happened once, at recruitment, and can now be forgotten. It is, quite literally, the paperwork a salary is built from. ### What else it does Beyond pay, a JD typically does several jobs at once: - It sets the basis for what someone can reasonably be asked to do, and what falls outside their role - It’s the reference point in appraisal, probation and performance conversations - Managers usually check it first when they match roles against a new structure during a restructure - A disciplinary or grievance process refers back to it if there’s a dispute about expectations - Candidates read it before they apply, so a bad one costs an employer good applicants before a single CV lands Most people only encounter their own JD twice in an entire post: once when deciding whether to apply, and once when something has gone wrong. That gap is really what this piece is trying to close. ## Most job descriptions aren’t written from scratch Here’s something to be honest about. The vast majority of job descriptions, in academia and everywhere else, start life as an edit of one that already exists. A department has a template for “Research Associate,” a PI opens the version used for the last post, or HR hands over a standard form for the grade, and the new JD gets built by amending what’s already there rather than working out from first principles what this particular role actually needs. That’s not laziness, and it isn’t a problem in itself. Reusing a template keeps language, format and evaluation-friendly phrasing consistent across a department, and writing every JD from a blank page isn’t realistic for anyone recruiting regularly. Most UK institutions actively encourage it, through standard templates held by HR or People Services, precisely so JDs stay consistent enough to evaluate fairly. The catch is what rides along unexamined. A duty that made sense for the previous postholder, who happened to have a particular specialism, sits there unquestioned three appointments later. Evaluation language pitched for a role at a different level lingers because nobody checked whether it still fits. And, most relevantly here, broad catch-all clauses get copied forward from JD to JD, generation to generation, without anyone stopping to ask what they actually commit the postholder to. ![“Reasonable duties ≠ a blank cheque”. A balance compares one occasional task with an overflowing pile labelled permanent scope creep.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Reasonable-duties-vs-Blank-Cheque.png "Reasonable duties vs Blank Cheque")The catch-all clause allows reasonable, occasional flexibility—not the permanent expansion of a role without review. ## The “other duties” clause: useful flexibility, or a blank cheque? Almost every job description in the UK ends with some version of “and any other duties as may reasonably be required.” It’s worth understanding what that line is actually for, because it genuinely cuts both ways, and it’s the part of a JD most likely to have been copied forward without anyone thinking about it since. ### Why the clause exists There’s a real reason it exists. No job description can anticipate every task a role will involve, and without some flexibility built in, a PI or manager would technically need to renegotiate the JD every time something reasonable but unlisted came up: covering for a colleague, helping out with an unexpected deadline, picking up a short-notice task that doesn’t fit neatly into the bullet points. For anyone running a small team on a fixed-term grant, that flexibility is genuinely necessary to run a lab or project sensibly, not a bureaucratic formality. ### Where it goes wrong Problems start when the same clause gets used, deliberately or just by drift, to justify loading a much wider or higher-level set of duties onto someone than their grade reflects: treating “any other reasonable duties” as licence to mean anything at all, indefinitely, without ever revisiting the JD or the grade attached to it. At that point it has stopped being flexibility. It has become scope creep with a legal fig leaf. ### What UK employment law actually says It isn’t as open-ended as it looks on paper. [Acas’s own guidance on flexibility clauses](https://www.acas.org.uk/employment-contracts-and-the-law/implied-and-imposed-terms/custom-and-practice/flexibility-clauses) in employment contracts is clear that employers can only rely on this kind of clause to make changes that are reasonable, and that using it to push through an unreasonable change can leave an employer in breach of contract even where the clause appears to allow it. Acas specifically expects consultation before a flexibility clause is used for a significant change, and notes that persistent misuse can support a claim for breach of contract or constructive dismissal. In other words, employers never intended “other duties as required” as a blank cheque, and legally it isn’t one. It’s meant to cover reasonable, occasional, roughly-equivalent-level tasks, not a standing licence to redefine the job. ### Who ends up doing this work It’s also worth naming who tends to absorb this kind of undocumented work in practice, because it isn’t random. Research on “office housework” and non-promotable tasks — work that keeps a team functioning but rarely appears in a JD or gets credited at appraisal — consistently finds it lands disproportionately on women, and the pattern shows up specifically in academia: a well-cited study of US faculty (Guarino and Borden, 2017) found women academics carry a heavier service load than men, in effect “taking care of the academic family” on top of their formal role. Harvard Business Review’s research on non-promotable tasks found something similar in the wider workforce: women are asked to take on this kind of work 44% more often than men, and say yes 76% of the time against 51% for men. None of that shows up anywhere on a JD, which is rather the point. If duties keep landing on the same person through “any other reasonable duties” without ever reaching the JD, it’s worth asking, honestly, whether that pattern is evenly spread across a team, not just whether any single task was reasonable. ### What to actually do about it For anyone writing JDs, the practical upshot is keeping the catch-all clause, but not leaning on it to avoid updating the document when duties genuinely and permanently change: that’s exactly what the clause was never meant to paper over. For anyone on the receiving end, a single ad hoc task under this clause is normal and not worth a fight. A pattern of duties well outside your role or grade, especially one that’s gone on for months rather than days, is exactly the kind of thing worth raising, and the audit further down this piece gives you the evidence to raise it properly. ![“Your job description sets your grade”. A document flows through a HERA evaluation gauge to a stepped pay grade.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Your-job-description-sets-your-grade.png "Your job description sets your grade")In UK higher education, your job description is commonly evaluated to determine the role’s grade and pay band. ## Why it matters more than people think ### The pay link is direct It’s worth returning to the HERA point, because it changes how you should think about your own JD. Job evaluation schemes exist to guarantee equal pay for equal value, a real and important protection, but the mechanism only works if the JD is accurate. Understate what you actually do on your JD, and an evaluator will assess and pay you against a job that isn’t quite the one you’re doing. Most UK institutions publish their grading structures and evaluation policies openly, and it’s worth ten minutes with your own institution’s version so you know precisely how the link operates where you are. ### Duties drift, JDs don’t update themselves Jobs in research rarely stay still. A colleague leaves and their public engagement work lands on you without anyone deciding it should. A PI’s grant expands and you pick up line management you were never evaluated for. An ethics amendment needs someone to own it, a piece of fieldwork or lab safety responsibility becomes “your thing” because you did it once competently, or you end up effectively co-supervising a PhD student without it ever being written down anywhere formal. You become the person who “just handles” the data management plan, because you’re good at it and someone has to be. None of this shows up on paper unless somebody deliberately puts it there. That’s scope creep, and it’s completely normal: jobs evolve. The actual problem isn’t that duties change, it’s that JDs are static by default and only change when someone actively asks. ### Restructuring raises the stakes UK higher education is going through a lot of institutional restructuring at the moment, and one detail is worth knowing without needing to dwell on it. When a restructure matches, maps or places roles against a new structure, managers usually start from the job description on file, not from their private knowledge of what someone actually does day to day. If a JD has drifted a long way from the real role, that’s the moment it can bite. It’s one more reason an accurate JD is worth having in good times, rather than trying to fix it under pressure once a [restructure is already underway](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/career-uncertainty-in-academia/). ### It shapes who applies, too Anyone writing JDs should remember the audience isn’t only the postholder. A vague, jargon-heavy or unrealistic job description doesn’t just create problems down the line, it puts off strong candidates before they apply. Job-seekers use a JD to self-select, to work out whether they’re a genuine fit, and an unclear one either scares off people who’d have been excellent or attracts people who are a poor match, wasting everyone’s time at shortlisting. ## Writing a good academic job description Writing an academic job description? A few habits separate one that works from one that just gets filed. ### Write for the role, not the person Write for the role, not the person filling it. That’s what keeps it usable once they leave, and it’s the quickest way to catch a JD that’s drifted into describing a person rather than a job. ### Be concrete about level Be concrete about level, not just tasks. This is where most JDs under-sell the role without anyone noticing. Take a fairly ordinary research duty and look at the difference specificity makes: Written vaguelyWritten properly“Manages the study database.”“Independently designs and manages the study database, with autonomy over structure and quality control, escalating only significant changes to the PI.”“Supports PhD students.”“Co-supervises two PhD students, including independent responsibility for day-to-day methodological guidance.”Same tasks, but the right-hand column is evidence: independence, technical ownership, a defined escalation point. That’s the kind of language HERA-style evaluation actually scores against. The same applies to anything described as strategic, where the evaluator needs to know what strategy it feeds into and how, not just that the word “strategic” appears. Vague verbs under-grade real responsibility; specific ones capture it. ![“Does your JD match your real job?” A magnifying glass examines a job description alongside duties, autonomy, people and budget.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Does-your-JD-match-your-read-job.png "Does your JD match your read job")Check whether your job description reflects your actual duties, independence, management responsibilities and resource oversight. ### Keep it honest, inclusive and current Separate essential from desirable, honestly. A JD that lists forty “essential” requirements isn’t ambitious. Nobody can evaluate it fairly, and candidates trying to work out whether to apply can’t either. And watch the language itself: research on job adverts consistently finds that words like “competitive,” “dominant” or “ambitious” skew applications male, while more collaborative language broadens the pool. That isn’t about softening expectations, it’s about not accidentally filtering out good candidates before they’ve even applied. Drop internal acronyms too, or explain them, since a JD is often the first thing an external candidate reads about your institution. The single biggest failure mode is a well-written JD nobody ever touches again, not a badly written one. Build a habit, annually, at appraisal, or whenever a role changes materially, of asking whether the JD still matches reality. If you’re stuck for format, most UK institutions have a standard JD template through HR or People Services. Use it rather than reinventing one from scratch each time, for all the reasons in the section above. ## Auditing your own job description Now the other half. If you’re the one holding the job rather than writing it, here’s a straightforward way to check whether yours still reflects reality. Find it first. It’s usually in your original offer paperwork, on your HR self-service portal, or your line manager or HR team can send a copy. Then actually sit with it, rather than skimming. - Does it list what you actually spend your time on now, not what you did in year one? - What are you doing that isn’t written down anywhere: line management, committee work, informal mentoring, co-supervision that was never made official, being “the person who handles” something, however minor it feels? - Is the level of responsibility described accurately, given the autonomy, budget or resource oversight, or number of people relying on your decisions today? - When did you last genuinely read it, rather than skim it at interview? - Does it match your contract or offer letter, and your actual line management structure? Discrepancies here are worth flagging early, before they compound. It’s worth keeping a running note as things change through the year, a live record of what you actually do, rather than trying to reconstruct it from memory when a regrade conversation comes up. It also makes appraisal, and any future job hunt, considerably easier, since it’s effectively a running record of your own responsibilities. ## If it’s wrong, what you can actually do about it This is the part people avoid, mostly because it sounds like a fight. It doesn’t have to be. ### Start with your line manager, not HR In almost every UK institution, the process for reviewing or updating a JD begins with agreement between you and your manager, usually with a tracked-changes version of the current JD showing what’s changed and why. “I want to make sure this reflects what I’m actually doing” lands very differently from “I want a pay rise,” and it’s the more accurate framing anyway, since the two things aren’t the same request. ![“If it’s wrong: update first, regrade second”. Three rising steps show line manager, update JD and review grade.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/If-its-wrong-update-first-regrade-second.png "If its wrong update first regrade second")Start with your line manager, update the job description using evidence, then consider a formal grade review. ### A JD update and a regrade are two separate things Updating a JD to reflect reality doesn’t automatically trigger a higher grade, since most institutions build some flex into each grade band precisely so a role can expand a little before it tips into the one above. A significant, permanent change can justify a formal re-evaluation, though, and most HR teams run a specific process for exactly this: a regrade, or job re-evaluation request. [Cambridge](https://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/pay-benefits/grading/grading/change-existing-role/review-filled-posts/regrade-re-organisation), [UCL](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/hr-policies-procedures-and-advice/z-policies/grading-procedure-professional-services-jobs) and [Exeter](https://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/employment/jobevaluation/), for example, all publish their regrading procedures openly, and while every institution’s process differs in the detail, they follow a broadly similar shape: an updated, tracked-changes JD, line manager sign-off, then a formal evaluation. ### Evidence matters more than feeling busier The single most common reason evaluators turn down a regrade request is that it describes someone working harder, not doing a different job. Evaluators are looking for permanent, structural changes to duties, autonomy or scope, not temporary overload, and not performance either: doing your existing job brilliantly is a conversation for a different pay mechanism, like a contribution award, not a regrade. ### Be realistic about the outcome A fair case doesn’t guarantee a higher grade. Worth knowing before you start: a formal re-evaluation can occasionally show a role sits at the correct grade already, or even, rarely, above it. If you’re unsure, most institutions let you have an informal conversation with a job evaluation adviser before committing to a full application, which is usually the sensible first move. ### Name it if duties were added without a review Most institutions expect changes in duties to trigger a review, not to just accumulate silently, so a manager who’s been layering on responsibility without ever discussing an update to the JD is the actual problem here, more often than any individual task. ### Where a union can help This is also the kind of situation a union is useful for, not just for disputes that have already gone wrong. UCU represents academic, research and academic-related staff on pay and conditions in most UK institutions, and local branches routinely help members word a JD update, work out what evidence a regrade case actually needs, and, if it comes to it, attend the meeting with you. None of that requires things to have already broken down. Getting the wording right on a JD update before you submit it is a far easier ask of a union rep than untangling a dispute after a panel has already turned a case down. Process and timing vary by institution, so check yours specifically. Some universities review annually, some only on request, some require senior sign-off before a case even reaches a panel, and outcomes can take months. There’s no real shortcut beyond finding your own institution’s job evaluation or grading policy, usually on the HR or People Services intranet, and reading it before you start. ## What this means for PIs and managers, too If you manage people, a periodic JD check isn’t paperwork for its own sake, it protects the person doing the job. Reviewing a JD with a team member, even briefly, even informally, before a restructure lands, before an appraisal, before duties pile up unnoticed, is one of the more useful and low-cost things a manager can do for someone’s career security. It costs half an hour. Leaving it can cost someone a fair grade, or worse, leave them exposed if their actual role and their paperwork tell two different stories. It’s also worth knowing what pay and permanence actually look like on the other side of a role change, and our [podcast on choosing between a fellowship and a lectureship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/) is a straight conversation about exactly that. --- ## Common questions about job descriptions ### What is an academic job description? An academic job description is a formal written statement of a role’s purpose, duties and responsibilities, and the level at which it operates, independent of whoever currently holds it. In UK higher education it also typically forms the basis for job evaluation and pay grading. ### What does “other duties as may reasonably be required” mean? It’s a standard clause giving an employer flexibility to ask someone to do reasonable, occasional tasks not explicitly listed in their JD, without needing to renegotiate the contract each time. Under UK guidance from Acas, it only covers changes that are reasonable; using it to permanently and substantially expand someone’s role without review can amount to a breach of contract. ### How do I get my job description changed if it’s wrong? Start with your line manager, not HR, and bring a tracked-changes version of your current JD showing what’s actually changed. This is a separate step from asking for a regrade: the JD update comes first, since it’s the document any later pay case is built on. If you’re a union member, your branch can help with wording and evidence before you submit anything formally. ### What’s the difference between a job description and a person specification? A job description sets out the duties, responsibilities and purpose of the role itself. A person specification lists the skills, qualifications and experience needed to do it. They’re usually issued together but serve different functions: the JD describes the job, the person spec describes the ideal person for it. ### Does my job description form part of my contract? Usually, yes, either directly or by reference, since most UK contracts of employment refer to the JD as setting out your duties. That’s exactly why accuracy matters. It isn’t just descriptive, it’s often the legal basis for what you can be asked to do. ### How often should a job description be reviewed? There’s no universal rule, but many institutions suggest an annual check, often folded into appraisal, plus a review whenever duties change materially: a new line management responsibility, a change in grant scope, or a restructure. ### What is HERA, and does every UK university use it? HERA, Higher Education Role Analysis, is a job evaluation scheme designed specifically for the sector and used by well over a hundred UK institutions to assess job descriptions and assign pay grades consistently and fairly. Not every institution uses HERA specifically, some use other analytical schemes, but the underlying principle, that pay grade is derived from an evaluated job description, is close to universal in UK higher education. ### Can updating my JD lower my grade? In rare cases, yes, if a formal re-evaluation genuinely finds a role sits at a lower level than currently graded. Most institutions apply salary protection for a period if this happens, so pay doesn’t drop overnight, but it’s a real possibility worth knowing about rather than being surprised by. ### I’ve taken on extra duties informally. Should I ask for more money, or a JD update? Usually the JD update comes first, since it’s the document any pay case gets built on. Talk to your line manager about getting the JD to reflect reality, then use that updated document as the basis for a formal review if the change is significant and permanent. ### What if my manager won’t update my JD? Escalate through your HR business partner or People Services team, who can usually advise even if your manager isn’t engaging, or speak to your union rep if you’re a member. Keep your own written record of what’s changed and when, since this becomes useful evidence either way. ### Does a good job description really affect who applies for a job? Yes. A clear, honest, well-structured JD helps the right candidates self-select in, and puts off people who’d be a poor fit, saving time for everyone at shortlisting and interview. A vague or overloaded one does the opposite. ### Is it worth asking to see a role’s JD before I apply? Absolutely, and it’s a completely normal thing to request if a full JD isn’t included in the advert. It tells you far more about the actual expectations of a role than the advert copy usually does. ### What happens to my JD during a restructure? It’s typically one of the first things checked when roles are matched, mapped or placed against a new structure, which is exactly why it’s worth having an accurate one on file well before a restructure is ever announced, rather than scrambling to update it once one is. --- *This article is general information about the UK context and not legal advice. Employment law, job evaluation schemes and institutional policies change, and individual contracts and grading structures differ, so check your own position with your line manager, your HR or People Services team, your union or Acas. Checked against UK sources available in September 2026.* --- [![Infographic titled “Beyond the PDF: Crafting an Effective Higher Education Job Description”. It recommends describing the role rather than the current postholder; writing duties clearly so roles can be evaluated through systems such as HERA; removing outdated responsibilities copied from earlier versions; replacing vague phrases with specific, measurable duties; limiting “other duties” to reasonable occasional tasks; separating essential from desirable requirements; and reviewing job descriptions during annual appraisals before restructures or pay disputes arise.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Beyond-the-PDF-Crafting-an-Effective-Academic-Job-Description.jpg "Beyond the PDF Crafting an Effective Academic Job Description")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Beyond-the-PDF-Crafting-an-Effective-Academic-Job-Description.jpg) **Categories:** Careers, Top tips **Tags:** Career Development, HERA, Job Descriptions, Job Evaluation, Pay and Grading, PI Advice, Restructuring, UCU **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher, PhD Students, Postdocs, Undergraduates --- ### [Blog - How does the brain clean itself? And is this linked to Alzheimer’s?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-does-the-brain-clean-itself-and-is-this-linked-to-alzheimers/) **Published:** November 12, 2021 **Author:** Dr Beth Eyre **Excerpt:** Beth Eyre provides insights into the brains waste system – and how it may be important in Alzheimer’s disease. So, saddle up for some fascinating science! **Content:** --- **A while ago I read a paper about an interesting idea of how the brain cleared waste from its environment. Ever since I’ve been intrigued to learn more about this phenomenon. So, I thought in this month’s blog I’d give you an insight into the brains waste system – and how it may be important in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). So, saddle up for some fascinating science! So let’s start with the basics, and answer the questions, what is the glymphatic system?** The glymphatic system is a relatively new discovery – only being described in a living system in 2012. In the body the lymphatic system plays an important role in waste clearance, helping to remove excess fluid and waste from the spaces between cells and the blood[2](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aax4063). However, lymphatic vessels have only recently been identified in the outer covers of the brain and are still yet to be observed in brain tissue, so how does your brain – which creates an abundance of waste clean itself? Your brain is surrounded by fluid – known as cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). This fluid is produced inside large ventricles (big holes) inside the middle of your brain. CSF flows through the different ventricles inside your brain into the subarachnoid space (a space which surrounds the brain). Research indicates that CSF and the fluid that surrounds cells (known as the interstitial fluid) continuously exchange with each other. It’s thought that this exchange occurs due to CSF moving from the subarachnoid space into spaces that lie alongside diving arteries within the brain (these spaces are also known as perivascular spaces). It’s also been suggested that this mixture of CSF and interstitial fluid exit the brain via the spaces surrounding the draining veins of the brain. Once the fluid has exited the brain it is then thought to be reabsorbed into the circulation. **![Glymphatic System 1. Brain cells perform autophagy, mopping up diseased & damaged bit of protein & metabolic waste. 2. Special nervous system cells sweep in to scavenge additional waste 3. The glymphatic system flushes out dirty fluid & molecules from inside the brain tissue through a network of pathways. Clean cerebrospinal fluid replaces it 4. Lymphatic vessels surrounding the brain deliver the waste to the lymphatic system, which rids the body of toxins, waste & other unwanted materials..](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Glymphatic-System-500-x-500-px.png "Glymphatic System - Dementia Researcher")How was the glymphatic-system discovered?** In the first study to show the glymphatic system in a living system Illif and colleagues imaged the movement of small fluorescent molecules which had been injected into the CSF in mice. When they injected the tracers into the large ventricles in the middle of the brain, they observed little movement of the tracers into the brain tissue. However, when they injected the tracers into CSF in the subarachnoid space (the space that surrounds the brain) the tracers entered the brain tissue! They suggested that CSF enters the brain and flows in the space alongside arteries that dive down into the brain. These diving arteries have specialised cells called astrocytes which surround them, which help form the blood brain barrier – an important membrane that protects the brain from toxins. Astrocytes also have specialised end feet, which wrap around blood vessels of the brain and within these end feet are specialised channels that permit the movement of water through them. The authors were curious to understand the role of these specialised water channels in glymphatic clearance. To investigate this, they used a mouse model that had been modified to lack these water channels. Intriguingly, they found that the flow of CSF along the pathway they’d previously discovered was slowed in these mice. Further to this, they also reported a reduction in the clearance of solutes from the fluid that surrounds cells in these mice. From this, they concluded that these water channels, on the end feet of astrocytes are important in the bulk flow of CSF movement into and out of the brain. **How does this waste clearance system link to AD?** There is increasing evidence to suggest that AD may occur due to an imbalance between the production and clearance of proteins within the brain, one of which being Amyloid Beta (AB). In the study previously mentioned the team also injected soluble AB into the brain to establish how this protein is cleared[1](https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/scitranslmed.3003748). They found that the protein was removed from the brain in the pathways they’d previously proposed. What’s more, AB clearance was reduced in mice which lacked the specialised water channels on the end feet of the astrocytes. Studies from the same group have also shown that tau, another protein which builds up in the brain in AD can also be cleared from the brain along this same pathway. Further to this, a different research group used a different technique to image the glymphatic pathways in a tau mouse model and found supporting evidence that extracellular tau can be cleared from the brain via the glymphatic pathway. They also reported that in regions of the brain where they found a greater number of tau deposits, that they also found less specialised water channels on the astrocytic end feet. Furthermore, they demonstrated that the application of a drug that inhibits these water channels reduced the exchange of CSF and the fluid that surrounds brain cells, as well as reducing the clearance of tau. All of this together adds support to the idea that the glymphatic system may be an important waste clearance system of the brain. **Controversies around the glymphatic system** As with all research there are drawbacks and, like most ideas in science there is always some controversy – [the glymphatic system is definitely an idea with a lot of controversy surrounding it](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/). One issue with research investigating the glymphatic system is that most of the studies have been conducted in animals, and very few studies have visualised this system in humans. This is due to a number of reasons, one being that some of the methods currently used in animals, such as two-photon imaging can’t be used in humans. It has also been proposed that the space surrounding arteries within the brain (perivascular space), where the CSF flows may be altered when brain tissue is removed after death and fixed. Animal studies have shown that the size of the space surrounding arteries in the brain is reduced in fixed tissue. Therefore, some researchers suggest that it’s difficult to fully investigate glymphatic clearance after death. However, perivascular spaces have been observed in humans using MRI. Finally, it’s important to note that we still do not understand the mechanism of how the specialised water channels aid the movement of CSF. More research into the mechanisms of this are certainly needed. Overall, it’s clear that this area needs a lot more research for us to fully understand what the glymphatic system is and how it may be important in brain diseases like AD. However, the research so far is interesting and any new avenues that may aid our understanding, as well as serve as potential therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases are worth further investigation. --- ![Beth Eyre Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/beth-eyre-small.png "beth-eyre-small")Beth Eyre #### Author [**Beth Eyre** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beth-eyre/)is a PhD Student at The University of Sheffield, researching Neurovascular and cognitive function in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease. Beth has a background in psychology, where she gained her degree from the University of Leeds. Inside and outside the lab, Beth loves sharing her science and we are delighted to have her contributing as a regular blogger with Dementia Researcher, sharing her work and discussing her career. [Follow @bethsbrainbites](https://twitter.com/bethsbrainbites?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog, Science **Tags:** Beth Eyre, Blog, CSF tau, Glymphatic System, The University of Sheffield **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research --- ### [Forefront Webinar - Brain Waste Disposal System & Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/catch-up-the-forefront-webinar-series-the-brain-waste-disposal-system-dementia/) **Published:** November 28, 2021 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Gemma Lace from University of Salford presents her research into the brains waste disposal system and its connections to dementia. **Content:** **Our fourth Forefront Webinar delivered in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society was recorded on the 26th November 2021 – hosted by [Dr Clare Jonas](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-clare-jonas/), Research Communications Officer from Alzheimer’s Society.** In this webinar **[Dr Gemma Lace](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dr-gemma-lace-costigan/)** from the University of Salford discusses her research on [the brains waste disposal system](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/), its connections to dementia – including dementia prevention, potential causes, risks and sleep. The Forefront Webinars Series is livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube on the last Friday of each month – in each webinar there are two sessions, one from an Alzheimer’s Society funded Researcher presenting on their work, and another essential careers sessions to keep you at the forefront of your field. --- If you enjoyed this webinar – register for our next which take place on Friday 17th December, in this session Dr Melanie Handley will discuss her research on providing person centred care in hospitals, and Dr Julia Ravey will run the second session, providing top tips on how researchers can use social media for science communications – **[Register on Zoom now](https://ucl.zoom.us/webinar/register/3116377924241/WN_F7VAJfTiS22nBT9dB983nw)**. **Categories:** Careers, Webinar **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Society Resources, Dr Clare Jonas, Dr Gemma Lace, ECRDementia Webinar, Forefront Webinar, Glymphatic System, University of Salford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research --- ### [Blog - Small Vessel Disease: A Quiet Driver of Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-small-vessel-disease-a-quiet-driver-of-dementia/) **Published:** July 22, 2026 **Author:** Dr Connor Richardson **Excerpt:** Dr Connor Richardson on small vessel disease: the vascular driver behind almost half of dementia cases, and maybe our best shot at prevention. **Content:** --- **Since moving to the University of Edinburgh, a large part of my research has shifted towards vascular dementia and small vessel disease. It is a natural progression for me after recent years focused on vascular neuropathology and dementia, and I wanted to use this blog to introduce the topic to anyone who, like me not so long ago, may not have given it the attention it deserves.** When we talk about dementia research, the conversation often gravitates towards amyloid and tau. These are the headline pathologies, the ones that attract the most funding and fill the most conference sessions. But there is another contributor to dementia that affects millions of people worldwide and arguably represents our best opportunity for prevention. Cerebral small vessel disease, or SVD, is the most important [vascular contributor to cognitive decline](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/vascular-and-immune-contributors-to-dementia/) and dementia. **What is Cerebral Small Vessel Disease?** SVD refers to a group of conditions that damage the small blood vessels deep within the brain. You cannot see these vessels on a standard scan, but what you can see are the consequences. [White matter hyperintensities](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/scottish-dementia-research-consortium-sdrc-publishes-annual-report/), lacunes, microbleeds and enlarged perivascular spaces are the hallmark imaging features that tell us something has gone wrong at the microvascular level. If you have ever looked at a brain MRI of someone over 65, chances are you have seen white matter hyperintensities. They are incredibly common in ageing populations, and their presence increases with age, hypertension, diabetes and smoking. From an epidemiological perspective, SVD is not a rare condition. It accounts for approximately 25% of all ischaemic strokes and contributes to an estimated [45% of dementia cases globally](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/who-dementia-statistics/). Those are not small numbers. Yet when we think of the landscape of dementia research, the proportion of attention SVD receives does not match the proportion of disease it causes. **SVD and Vascular Cognitive Impairment** Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. The World Stroke organisations 2026 fact sheet (Cai, Mok and Markus, 2026, International Journal of Stroke) reported that pure vascular dementia accounts for around 15% of all dementia cases, with mixed vascular and neurodegenerative pathology responsible for another 16%. Together, that represents approximately 17.6 million people worldwide. Under current trends, the global burden is projected to reach 42.7 million cases by 2050. SVD sits at the centre of this. It is the primary driver of vascular cognitive impairment and the most common pathological substrate underlying vascular dementia diagnoses. From population neuropathology studies, including work from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies that I was involved with at Newcastle, we know that vascular pathology is one of the most prevalent findings in the ageing brain. Late life dementia is rarely caused by a single pathology. Mixed disease is the norm, and SVD is frequently part of that mix. **What is Driving the Damage?** Recent research has advanced our understanding of the mechanisms through which SVD leads to cognitive decline. A comprehensive review by Markus and colleagues (2025, Physiological Reviews) laid out the current understanding of SVD pathogenesis, identifying blood brain barrier disruption, endothelial dysfunction, neuroinflammation and [impaired perivascular clearance](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/) as the central processes driving disease progression. Very recently in a study by Leigh and colleagues (2026, Annals of Neurology), showed that disruption of the blood brain barrier within white matter hyperintensities was the strongest predictor of how much those lesions would expand over time. Disruption in the tissue surrounding existing lesions, the penumbra, was the best predictor of which patients would progress to worse disease. This is significant because it suggests we may be able to identify individuals at highest risk of cognitive decline before it happens, using imaging markers of blood brain barrier integrity. Risk factors for SVD are largely the same one’s epidemiologists have been tracking for decades. Ageing, hypertension, hyperglycaemia and smoking all increase levels of reactive oxygen species and pro inflammatory cytokines, compromise vascular integrity and ultimately damage the brain parenchyma. These are modifiable risk factors, which brings us to perhaps the most important point. **Prevention and What Comes Next** The American Heart Association’s 2025 scientific statement (Smith et al., 2025, Stroke) described vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia as potentially [the most preventable cause of clinically significant cognitive decline](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/catch-up-on-the-bsms-dementia-research-conference-2023/). That is a bold statement, but the evidence supports it. Intensive blood pressure lowering has been shown to reduce white matter hyperintensity progression and delay cognitive impairment. There is also emerging evidence that B vitamins can lower homocysteine and may slow white matter lesion progression. On the treatment side, there are currently no FDA approved therapies specifically for vascular cognitive impairment. However, clinical trials are underway. Isosorbide mononitrate and cilostazol, both modulators of endothelial function, have shown promise in reducing recurrent stroke, dependence and cognitive impairment after lacunar stroke. Newer therapeutic approaches targeting neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction are also in development. From an epidemiological standpoint, the challenge now is translating what we know about risk factors into effective population level prevention strategies. We have the knowledge. The question is whether we can implement it at scale to reduce the burden of SVD related dementia in the decades ahead. That is a question I am looking forward to working on in my new role at Edinburgh. **Why This Matters** SVD is not a niche topic. It is a major contributor to dementia worldwide, [it overlaps with and worsens Alzheimer’s pathology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-a-vascular-element-of-alzheimers-cerebral-amyloid-angiopathy/), and it is driven by risk factors we already know how to target. If we are serious about reducing the global burden of dementia, giving SVD the research attention and funding it warrants is not optional. It is essential. --- ![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson.png "Dr Connor Richardson")Dr Connor Richardson #### Author [**Dr Connor Richardson** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/ "Profile – Dr Connor Richardson, Newcastle University")is a Neuro-epidemiology Research Associate at The University of Edinburgh. His research interests lie in using advanced statistical modelling and machine learning to measure dementia risk. Connor blogs about his research, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and sometimes his Pomapoo’s. [Follow @connorrichards2](https://twitter.com/connorrichards2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Cerebral Small Vessel Disease, Dr Connor Richardson, Small Vessel Disease **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research --- ### [Blog - Sleep and Dementia: Should We Worry?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-sleep-and-dementia-should-we-worry/) **Published:** June 18, 2026 **Author:** Rahul Sidhu **Excerpt:** Rahul Sidhu explores sleep and dementia, explaining why occasional restless nights are unlikely to matter, while long term sleep problems need attention. **Content:** --- **This blog is all about the relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s Disease, and whether we should really be worried about a few sleepless nights. As a dementia researcher, I spend a lot of time thinking about what affects brain health. Recently, that question became a little more personal.** Over the past few weeks, I’ve had a few sleepless nights, and it got me wondering: what is actually happening in my brain when I sleep, and is it harmful when I don’t sleep well? I am sure fellow PhD students can relate to sleepless nights. Academia has somehow managed to create an environment where everyone agrees that sleep is essential, yet makes it surprisingly difficult to get any, whether it is stress from experiments, thesis writing, postdoc hunting or grant applications. So if poor sleep really is a risk factor for dementia, I suspect a significant proportion of researchers will have a degree of personal concern. It turns out we’re not alone in asking these questions. Many people have asked me to talk about the effect of sleep on brain health, especially about the relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease. It has become one of the most fascinating areas of dementia research over the last decade. What once seemed like a passive period of rest is now understood to be a critical time when the brain carries out essential maintenance and housekeeping functions. Increasing evidence suggests that the quality of our sleep may influence the very biological processes involved in Alzheimer’s disease. So why is Sleep Important? I used to think that sleeping is a fundamental flaw to the human body; we are unconscious for several hours of the day in a vulnerable state. However, sleep is actually one of the most important parts of life. While we’re asleep, the brain remains remarkably active. Sleep helps consolidate memories, regulate emotions, support immune function, and maintain healthy communication between neurons. But one of the most exciting discoveries in neuroscience is that **sleep appears to help the brain clear away waste products that accumulate throughout the day.** **Think of sleep as the brain’s overnight cleaning crew**. Much of the excitement in this field stems from [the discovery of the glymphatic system](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/). This network helps move cerebrospinal fluid through the brain, clearing away metabolic waste and unwanted proteins. Studies suggest that this system becomes particularly active during sleep, especially deep slow-wave sleep. This discovery became especially interesting when researchers realised that some of the proteins being cleared are the same proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease. As most of us know, Alzheimer’s disease is characterised by the accumulation of two key proteins, amyloid-beta and tau. Amyloid-beta forms sticky plaques outside brain cells, while tau forms tangles inside them. These changes can begin many years, and possibly decades before symptoms become noticeable. Research has shown that amyloid-beta levels naturally rise during wakefulness and fall during sleep. When sleep is disrupted, the brain may have fewer opportunities to clear these proteins efficiently. Several studies have found that even a single night of sleep deprivation can lead to measurable increases in amyloid-beta levels. > This doesn’t mean that one bad night’s sleep causes Alzheimer’s disease, but it does demonstrate how closely sleep and brain biology are connected. Some of the strongest evidence comes from the Whitehall II study, which followed nearly 8,000 adults over 25 years. Researchers found that people who regularly slept six hours or less per night in their 50s and 60s had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia later in life compared with those sleeping around seven hours per night. Persistent short sleep was associated with approximately a 30% increased risk of dementia. Importantly, these studies only show associations rather than proof of cause and effect. These are still theories, and we do not know the true story. Sleep is only one factor among many that influences dementia risk. However, the evidence increasingly suggests that sleep may be an important piece of the puzzle. ![A 2025 meta analysis of 76 cohort studies found that obstructive sleep apnea was associated with a 43 higher risk of all cause dementia and a 66 higher risk of Alzheimers disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/A-2025-meta-analysis-of-76-cohort-studies-found-that-obstructive-sleep-apnea-was-associated-with-a-43-higher-risk-of-all-cause-dementia-and-a-66-higher-risk-of-Alzheimers-disease.png "A 2025 meta analysis of 76 cohort studies found that obstructive sleep apnea was associated with a 43 higher risk of all cause dementia and a 66 higher risk of Alzheimers disease")Also, sleep and dementia are a two-way relationship. One of the most important findings in recent years is that the relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease does appear to go both ways. Poor sleep may contribute to Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain. At the same time, those very changes can disrupt sleep. In fact, sleep disturbances are often observed years before memory problems and symptoms become apparent. People may experience fragmented sleep, increased daytime sleepiness, changes in their sleep-wake cycle, or difficulty staying asleep through the night. As amyloid and tau accumulate in brain regions involved in regulating sleep, sleep quality may deteriorate further. This creates a potentially vicious cycle: poor sleep may contribute to Alzheimer’s pathology, and Alzheimer’s pathology may then make sleep worse. The point of this blog isn’t to **make everyone panic about a few restless nights**, but to understand what is happening to our brain when we sleep. Everyone experiences poor sleep from time to time. Stress, travel, illness, work deadlines, family responsibilities, or simply an overactive mind can all result in a few restless nights. The reassuring news is that occasional poor sleep is unlikely to have a meaningful impact on your long-term dementia risk. The brain is remarkably resilient and well-equipped to cope with temporary disruptions. What concerns researchers most is chronic sleep disruption that persists over months or years. This then got me thinking to what happens to the brain in sleep disorders. Conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea are receiving increasing attention in dementia research. Sleep apnea causes repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, resulting in fragmented sleep and reduced oxygen levels. Studies have linked untreated sleep apnea with poorer cognitive performance and an increased risk of cognitive decline. Some research suggests that people experiencing persistent sleep problems in later life may have up to double the risk of developing dementia compared with those who sleep well. The relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most exciting developments in modern dementia research. While sleep alone will not determine whether someone develops dementia, it is increasingly being recognised alongside exercise, cardiovascular health, and education as an important component of brain health across the lifespan. Finally, if you’re a PhD student reading this at midnight while analysing data, consider this your evidence-based reminder that sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your brain is go to bed and rest. --- ![Rahul Sidhu Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Rahul-Sidhu-1.jpg "Rahul Sidhu")Rahul Sidhu #### Author [**Rahul Sidhu**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rahul-sidhu-the-university-of-sheffield/) is a PhD student at The University of Sheffield, focusing on the effects of heart disease on dementia in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease. His research aims to uncover how cardiovascular health influences neurodegenerative conditions, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies.​ [Follow @rahulsidhu\_](https://twitter.com/rahulsidhu_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Rahul on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul-sidhu-39a463202/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Rahul Sidhu, Sleep, The University of Sheffield **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Dementia Prevention Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Blog - Pedagogy For Gen Z](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-pedagogy-for-gen-z/) **Published:** July 30, 2026 **Author:** Dr Yvonne Couch **Excerpt:** Dr Yvonne Couch on teaching Gen Z, why lecture cliffhangers are ridiculous, what small group teaching gets right, and the skills ChatGPT can never hand them. **Content:** --- **Wasn’t that a snazzy title? This one I am actually writing way back in May when I came across a Times Higher Ed article that I sent to a variety of colleagues and by doing so, annoyed them intensely. But let’s not rush into the ‘today we’re going to talk about’ bit before we do some definitions for both ends of the spectrum. For the young people listening, pedagogy is the theory and practice of teaching and learning, essentially, how knowledge is taught, shared, and understood. For the old people listening, Gen Z is apparently anyone born after 1997 (I know, it’s horrifying right? I was actually just old enough to remember the general election results from that year). So hopefully it’s obvious that today we’re going to talk about whether we need to [adapt the way we teach](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-to-teach-or-not-to-teach/) the young people of today.** I’ll start by saying that I also found the THE article vaguely annoying. I won’t cite it but I will describe it. It starts by listing insults supposedly aimed at Gen Z (“lazy”, “chronically online”, “entitled”) before mirroring them back at educators (“technologically impaired”, “boring”, “condescending”). It criticises us as educators for stereotyping Gen Z, while simultaneously stereotyping educators, and then it proceeds to distil an entire generation down into a pool of humans somehow irrevocably neurologically transformed by TikTok, Covid and AI. **It slides very quickly from social observation into pseudo-neuroscientific determinism**. It treats students as products of technological conditioning rather than people capable of adaptation, discipline, boredom tolerance, reflection, or intellectual growth. But what it does raise is an interesting point about the speed of the developing world and the speed of educational adaptation. In another article on the same site, which was much less provocative and much more informative, the author pointed out that the majority of jobs that candidates were training for now didn’t exist 10 to 20 years ago. And yet our courses have not massively adapted. For a lot of biology and medicine and chemistry and physics we teach very similar core material to what was taught 20 years ago. And yet 20 years ago if I had wanted to find out more about the TCA cycle the internet was still in its relative infancy. I did not have a smart phone in my pocket, in fact I had a very clunky affair with rubber buttons, I did have a laptop but it weighed a ton. My University had a ‘computer room’ where you could go and spend some hours browsing papers but we made notes on paper in lectures and did not have instant answers to hand. Part of the criticism of the original article was basically ‘if you’re going to record your lecture then why should I bother going when I can watch the recording in my pyjamas at 11pm with some pot noodles’. Now, this is where I become way older than I probably actually am because even as an undergrad I could see this as an issue. We had lecturers who, at that stage back in the mists of time, printed out their PowerPoint slides and left a pile for you to collect by the door. And of course, you always had a mate who just told you to grab one because they were rancidly hungover. But for me, my two favourite lecturers were a guy called Mike (who’s last name I have forgotten) who insisted on doing all his lectures on acetates using an overhead projector, and Alan Crossman who wrote a great neuroanatomy text book and who would basically put up a picture of a brain and talk for an hour. **These two lecturers forced me to engage with the content, mainly by forcing me to take notes.** > Now we have the issue that almost no students need to take notes because they can get the answer to anything very quickly, whenever they want. So, the original article posits the question, how do we engage these students in the same way I was engaged by the acetates and the brain picture? The author suggests that Gen Z have zero attention span, and another article suggests the way we capitalise on this is essentially by making our lectures in shorter chunks with ‘cliffhangers’. Part of me thinks this is utterly ridiculous because frankly who wants to hear: ‘Coming up next in the exciting world of energy production, you’ll never guess what happens when pyruvate is diverted into the TCA cycle’. Nobody. And the other part of me also thinks it’s ridiculous because these people are going to have to be adults at some point, with adult jobs where you actually do have to focus for more than two minutes on a task and so **maybe this is the time where they should be learning to grow up**. Having said all that there is somewhat of a case of moving with the times. I loved my old lecturers for just talking at me for an hour because it forced me to take notes. This generation, according to a paper by Sarah Chardonnenes on educational practices in the digital age, require more than just the **‘passive passing on of information’**. They need more of an interaction. In the original annoying article, which is written in the tone of a Gen Z student, they say they need **a ‘reason to show up in person’**. I teach at a University where we do quite a lot of small group teaching. My tutorials vary widely from year group to year group and from topic to topic. I do journal clubs, journal club ‘rap-battle style’ with students presenting two different papers that contradict each other, [reverse tutorials where they teach me](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-started-my-own-lecture-course/), quizzes, all sorts. But this interactive style of teaching also allows me to be creative with the students. One of my favourite tutorials is a third year one for more advanced students where we talk about inflammation and mood disorders. I start by getting them to tell me the holes in the current research, or where the clinical gaps are, then I get them to walk me through what they would do to discover a new drug or a new biomarker if I gave them a million pounds. ![94% of UK undergraduates use generative AI for assessed work. Only 36% feel encouraged by their institution to do so.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/AI-Stats.png "AI Stats")The advantage of this approach is that the answers are not set in stone. They need to be up to date with some of the literature but they also need to know some fundamentals of techniques and how they’re applied, they need to think about ethics and how to frame research questions. It’s much more flexible as an approach and **there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer** in the way there would be if I gave them an essay and we worked through that. There’s a case for mixing this in to lectures as well but this runs the risk of the age-old problem of one person answering everything vs you picking on random audience members. The former doesn’t allow everyone to contribute and the latter makes more introverted students nervous. If I do set them an essay, I try and make it one where they are required to come down on one side or the other. For my second-year medics when I taught neuroscience, their opening essay of the year was entitled ‘Astrocytes are the most important cell in the brain. Discuss’. Now, [I’ve just fed this into chatGPT](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-chatgpt-in-academia/) and asked it to tell me what it would write. And it does outline a great essay where it talks about the role of astrocytes in the brain and compares them to neurons, it defines ‘importance’ and ‘brain function’ and gives some good primary papers. But actually what I want from this essay is for them to realise how many different types of cell there are in the brain. **It has totally failed to talk about microglia, or endothelial cells, or oligodendrocytes.** For just memory or knowledge-based tasks, Chardonnens suggests that generative AI is used as a way to personalise learning. She uses the example of maths students who were all given essentially the same assessment, and then they worked through the problems they got wrong with the tool. This allowed their learning to be personalised and at their own pace. So with tasks that you give your students to take away, consider a basic Q&A style list they work through with chatGPT to highlight their weaknesses and work on them. To get them to focus, much of the literature suggests that actually **we need to think more about metacognition**. Even that annoying THE article suggests they *know* they can’t concentrate, so forcing them to think about that, and to set learning and achievement goals for themselves prior to starting really helps them to have something to aim for and brings them more focus. I am very much a millennial but even I know the satisfaction of ticking off a to-do list at my desk every day. The final thing we need to think about from a teaching perspective is soft skills, or things that chatGPT can’t teach them. > I know we believe that our job is to pass on our knowledge, but actually our job is to pass on our wisdom. They have *all the knowledge*, it’s two clicks away at any moment. But it won’t tell them [how to give a good scientific talk](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-presenting-your-data-like-a-pro/), it won’t teach them [how to pitch an idea to an investor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-storytelling-in-academia/), it won’t tell them how to think critically about a paper, it won’t tell them how to creatively problem solve in the lab. All of these things require them to be present, to engage and to practice in person with other humans. So yes, maybe Gen Z are different from us. They’re much more technologically aware than we were at their stage. But our job is to ‘keep up with the field’ in terms of our research and so there’s no reason we can’t keep up with the field in terms of pedagogy and just be a bit more imaginative. Part of the trouble here, of course, is that a lot of us are doing this on the fly around [all the other jobs we actually do](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-managing-the-endless-demands-of-an-academic-career/), so integrating innovative teaching practices can be challenging. But for me personally, I like mixing my tutorials up a little because fundamentally if I’m enjoying myself, hopefully so are they. --- ![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Yvonne-Couch.jpg "Dr Yvonne Couch")Dr Yvonne Couch #### Author **[Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-yvonne-couch/)** is an Associate Professor of Neuroimmunology at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne shares her opinions, talks about science and explores different [careers topics in her monthly blogs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-disrupting-dementia-research-careers/) – she does a great job of narrating too. [@dryvonnecouch.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/dryvonnecouch.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Yvonne Couch, Pedagogy, Teaching, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Postdoc Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Patient and Public Involvement Scotland Showcase - Open for Abstracts](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/patient-and-public-involvement-scotland-showcase-open-for-abstracts/) **Published:** September 3, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** NHS Research Scotland has opened the call for abstracts for its 2027 Patient and Public Involvement showcase event in Dundee. Deadline: 30 October. **Content:** **![Blue poster advertising the Patient and Public Involvement Scotland Showcase with an'Open for Abstracts' tag and a deadline of 30 October 2026; NHS Scotland logo visible on the bottom right.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Patient-and-Public-Involvement-community-urged-to-submit-abstracts-for-2027-showcase-event-300x229.jpg "Patient and Public Involvement community urged to submit abstracts for 2027 showcase event")Scotland’s Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) community is being called on to share its work, with the abstract submission window now open for the 2027 PPI showcase event — the fourth in a series that has quickly become a fixture in the Scottish research calendar.** Hosted jointly by NHS Research Scotland (NRS) and the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Government, the event will take place at Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) on **Monday 8 March 2027**. It follows three successful gatherings since the series launched in 2024, each one bringing together public contributors, researchers, NHS staff, academics and third-sector partners with a shared interest in improving how patients and the public shape health and care research. ## Why PPI matters [Patient and public involvement](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/european-survey-on-dementia-research-ppie/) is now widely recognised as central to good research — not an add-on, but a core part of how studies are designed, prioritised and delivered. Involvement can take many forms, from shaping research priorities and study design, to sitting on advisory groups, helping develop participant-facing materials, or working alongside research teams across the full lifecycle of a study. Done well, PPI helps studies stay grounded in lived experience, and can improve recruitment, relevance, accessibility and inclusivity — helping research reach the people it’s meant to serve. ## What the organisers are looking for The call is open to [PPI partners](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-is-a-public-advisor-researcher/), researchers at all career stages (including early career researchers), professionals and policymakers with an interest in developing PPI practice. Three submission formats are on offer: - **60-minute workshops** - **Oral presentations** - **Speed talks** Submissions are welcomed across a range of experience levels, and organisers are keen to see the full breadth of PPI activity happening across Scotland reflected in the final programme. Dr Julie Simpson, Research Manager for Information and Capacity at the CSO and a key lead on the event, said the call is about inspiring the wider community and building a programme that reflects real progress in the field. In her words, the organisers want submissions that spotlight successful initiatives, test out new ideas, showcase diversity and inclusion, or simply reflect honestly on what’s been learned. The programme will be built around three themes: 1. **Early and continuous engagement**, ethical co-production, and genuine partnership working 2. **Reaching underserved groups and communities**, and widening who gets to take part 3. **Building and supporting the PPI community**, helping people make new connections across the country Expect sessions exploring what motivates people to get involved, the challenges involvement can bring, the outcomes it produces, and some of the misconceptions that still linger around what “meaningful” involvement actually looks like. Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientist for Health, underlined just how central this is to CSO-funded research, noting that all CSO-funded studies carry a condition of public participation — a reflection of how far the culture has shifted toward genuine partnership between researchers and the public they serve. ## Key dates - **Abstract submission deadline:** Friday 30 October 2026 - **Event date:** Monday 8 March 2027 - **Venue:** Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA), Dundee - **Full programme and registration:** launching early 2027 ## How to submit Two submission routes are open now: - [Submit an oral presentation](https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=OKhblvAIFUGLdeCB5kRqRnGHupZKcfJAl5goiRiTizxURTMxVVVFQ0VEQTc0QklVWllPRDdHMTg3MyQlQCN0PWcu) - [Submit a workshop proposal](https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=OKhblvAIFUGLdeCB5kRqRnGHupZKcfJAl5goiRiTizxUQ0lGSjQyVElKT0lIVUI2TjUyNEVUNkszOSQlQCN0PWcu) Anyone with questions about the event, or who wants to talk through their submission before putting pen to paper, can contact the NRS team directly via the [original NHS Research Scotland announcement](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/news/patient-and-public-involvement-community-urged-to-submit-abstracts-for-2027-showcase-event). *Source: NHS Research Scotland, published 26 August 2026.* **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** Patient and Public Involvement, PPI, PPI Impact **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Patient and Public Involvement --- ### [Blog - pTau217 Blood Test for Alzheimer's: What the FDA Clearance Means](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ptau217-blood-test-what-fda-clearance-means/) **Published:** September 2, 2026 **Author:** Dr Emma Law **Excerpt:** Dr Emma Law on what the FDA clearance of the pTau217 blood test means for dementia research, from recruitment and trial design to where PET imaging still fits. **Content:** --- **The [FDA clearance in August 2026 of Roche’s Elecsys pTau217 blood test](https://www.roche.com/investors/updates/inv-update-2026-08-24), developed in collaboration with Eli Lilly, has been widely discussed as a major milestone for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. Designed to support the assessment of amyloid pathology in people aged 55 years and older with symptoms of cognitive decline, the test provides clinicians with a blood-based tool that can help determine whether Alzheimer’s-related brain changes are likely or unlikely to be present. Importantly, it is not intended to be a stand-alone diagnostic test but rather part of a broader clinical assessment pathway.** For healthcare systems, the implications relate to future diagnostic pathways, service redesign and access to emerging disease-modifying treatments. For early career researchers (ECRs), however, the implications may be even more profound. The clearance of pTau217 represents a signal that blood-based biomarkers are moving from the research environment into routine clinical practice. As this transition occurs, it has the potential to reshape research priorities, study design, recruitment strategies, funding expectations and career development opportunities across dementia research. ## **A Field in Transition** For many years, Alzheimer’s disease research has been organised around a relatively small number of biomarker approaches. Amyloid PET imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis have become central tools for identifying the biological changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease and for defining study populations. These technologies transformed research by allowing investigators to move beyond symptom-based diagnoses and towards biologically defined disease states. However, they also introduced significant challenges. PET imaging is expensive, specialist equipment is not universally available, and large-scale imaging studies require substantial infrastructure. CSF testing, while highly informative, involves lumbar puncture procedures that some participants may find burdensome or unacceptable. As a result, recruitment into biomarker-defined studies has often been slow, costly and concentrated within specialist research centres. This has influenced not only which studies could be undertaken, but also who was able to participate in them. [The emergence of blood-based biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-clinical-opportunity-for-blood-based-biomarkers/) raises the possibility of changing this model fundamentally. The FDA clearance of pTau217 reflects growing evidence that blood measurements can provide clinically meaningful information about underlying Alzheimer’s pathology, with [high agreement reported against established measures](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11848338/) such as amyloid PET. For ECRs entering the field today, it is therefore important to recognise that **research conducted over the next decade may look very different from research conducted over the previous one**. ![Square infographic on a black and burgundy background with a diagonal blood-sample tube. Two columns explain that pTau217 can help assess amyloid pathology, support rule-in and rule-out decisions, and guide PET or CSF testing. It cannot diagnose Alzheimer’s on its own, replace a full clinical assessment, or make PET or CSF obsolete.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/What-pTAU217-can-and-cannot-do.png "What pTau217 can and cannot do")The pTau217 blood test can support assessment and guide further testing, but it is not a stand-alone diagnostic tool and does not replace clinical evaluation, PET or CSF. ## **Recruitment May Never Be the Same Again** One of the most immediate implications concerns [participant recruitment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-recruiting-participants-for-clinical-trials/). Historically, many Alzheimer’s studies have employed a recruitment pathway that involved screening large numbers of individuals before identifying a relatively small number with confirmed amyloid pathology. Often this required PET imaging or CSF testing for substantial numbers of participants, creating significant financial and logistical burdens. **Blood biomarkers offer a potentially more efficient alternative.** Researchers may increasingly use pTau217 testing as a first-line screening tool to identify individuals who are likely to be amyloid positive before moving to confirmatory investigations. **Rather than replacing PET imaging, blood biomarkers may allow researchers to target PET more effectively.** This has important implications for grant applications and study feasibility. [Funding panels](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-getting-a-grant-funded-a-view-from-the-panel/) are increasingly interested in deliverability, recruitment performance and value for money. Protocols that can demonstrate efficient screening approaches may become more competitive, particularly for large-scale cohort studies and clinical trials. ## **Studying Disease Earlier Than Ever Before** A second important implication relates to the study of preclinical and prodromal disease. One of the most challenging aspects of Alzheimer’s research has been identifying people before substantial cognitive decline occurs. Amyloid accumulation may begin [many years before symptoms become clinically apparent](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blood-test-may-predict-alzheimers-risk-10-years-early/), yet identifying such individuals has traditionally required expensive imaging programmes and significant research infrastructure. Scalable blood biomarkers may help address this challenge. As testing becomes more accessible, researchers may be able to identify biologically defined at-risk populations earlier and at greater scale. This has important implications for prevention research, risk-reduction studies and investigations into the earliest phases of disease development. For ECRs, this opens opportunities to ask questions that were previously difficult to address: - How early can biological changes be detected? - Which factors influence progression from biomarker positivity to symptoms? - Can interventions alter disease trajectories? - How should information about biomarker status be communicated to individuals? As treatment strategies move towards earlier intervention, these questions are likely to become increasingly significant. ## **Population Research Could Expand Dramatically** Blood biomarkers may also transform population-level dementia research. Historically, biomarker studies have often involved selected populations recruited from specialist centres. The practical realities of PET scanning have made it difficult to conduct biomarker-driven studies at scale across broad populations. **A blood test changes that equation.** Researchers may increasingly be able to incorporate biomarker assessment into: - Longitudinal ageing studies - Population health research - Primary care cohorts - Community-based studies - [Rural and remote research programmes](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-dementia-research-in-rural-areas/) For countries such as Scotland, with strong traditions of population-based research and data linkage, this may present substantial opportunities. Blood biomarker information could potentially be combined with longitudinal health records, demographic data and outcome measures in ways that were previously impractical. The result may be a shift away from highly selected research cohorts towards studies that better reflect the populations encountered in routine clinical practice. ## **Clinical Trials Are Likely to Evolve** The development of disease-modifying Alzheimer’s therapies has increased the importance of confirming underlying pathology before treatment. Consequently, identifying eligible participants has become an increasingly costly component of clinical trial delivery. Blood biomarkers offer the prospect of streamlining this process. The FDA-cleared pTau217 assay supports both rule-in and rule-out assessment of amyloid pathology, providing positive, negative and intermediate result categories to inform further investigation. Future trials may increasingly adopt a staged approach: 1. Blood biomarker screening 2. Confirmatory PET or CSF testing 3. Enrolment into therapeutic studies This model has the potential to reduce costs, improve efficiency and minimise unnecessary investigations. For ECRs [interested in clinical trials](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-two-worlds-of-clinical-trials/), translational medicine and therapeutic development, understanding how blood biomarkers fit within future recruitment pathways is likely to become an important skill. ![Square infographic on a black and burgundy background with mint and red details and a diagonal blood-sample tube. It presents five ways blood biomarkers could reshape research: more efficient recruitment, earlier disease research, broader population studies, leaner clinical trials and increased implementation science.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/5-ways-blood-based-biomarkrs-could-change-research.png "5 ways blood based biomarkers could change research")Blood biomarkers could make recruitment more efficient, enable earlier and broader research, streamline clinical trials and create new questions for implementation science. ## **The Rise of Implementation Science** One of the most interesting consequences of successful biomarker development is that **some of the most important research questions are no longer primarily laboratory questions**. As blood-based biomarkers move towards clinical practice, attention increasingly shifts towards implementation. For ECRs, some of the most impactful dementia research over the next decade may focus not on discovering new biomarkers, but on understanding how existing biomarkers can be used effectively in real-world health systems. ## **Why PET Still Matters Alongside the pTau217 Blood Test** It would be a mistake to interpret the emergence of pTau217 as signalling the end of PET imaging. PET remains one of the most valuable tools available for understanding Alzheimer’s disease biology. It continues to play an essential role in biomarker validation, disease modelling, therapeutic trials and mechanistic neuroscience research. Indeed, the FDA clearance of pTau217 was itself built upon evidence demonstrating concordance with amyloid PET imaging. In many research settings, PET remains the reference standard against which newer biomarkers are compared. **The lesson for ECRs is not to abandon imaging expertise, but to use imaging more strategically.** The strongest future studies are likely to integrate blood biomarkers and imaging rather than treating them as alternatives. Blood-based biomarkers offer scalability and accessibility, while PET continues to provide unparalleled biological precision. ## **Practical Recommendations for Early Career Researchers** As the field evolves, ECRs should actively consider how to future-proof their research programmes. ### **Design for a Hybrid Biomarker Future** Avoid assuming that a single biomarker modality will dominate throughout the lifetime of a study. Where feasible: - Collect blood biomarker samples. - Retain PET or CSF when scientifically justified. - Build flexibility into recruitment strategies. - Plan for evolving clinical standards. Studies that can adapt to changing practice are likely to have a longer shelf life. ### **Focus on Questions That Will Matter in Five Years** Perhaps the most important recommendation is to ask: > Will this research question still be important when the study reports? The biomarker field is changing rapidly. Research focused on improving diagnosis, treatment access, patient outcomes and service delivery is likely to remain relevant regardless of which individual biomarker eventually becomes dominant. ## **Looking Ahead** The FDA clearance of Elecsys pTau217 does not immediately transform dementia research, nor does it remove the need for PET imaging or other established approaches. What it does signal is that blood-based biomarkers are entering a new phase of clinical credibility and practical applicability. For early career researchers, this should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a disruption. The emergence of blood biomarkers offers possibilities for larger studies, earlier disease detection, more efficient recruitment, broader participation and entirely new areas of implementation research. The researchers most likely to thrive over the next decade will not be those who view PET and blood biomarkers as competing technologies. Instead, they will be those who understand how these tools can be combined to answer meaningful scientific, clinical and societal questions. In many ways, the era of proving that blood biomarkers can detect Alzheimer’s disease is drawing to a close. The next challenge, and perhaps the most exciting one for today’s early career researchers, is determining how these biomarkers can be used to improve research, reshape healthcare systems and ultimately improve the lives of people affected by dementia. --- ![Dr Emma Law Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dr-Emma-Law.jpg "Dr Emma Law")Dr Emma Law #### Author [**Dr Emma Law** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-law-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/)is Strategic Manager for the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network in Scotland. Emma has 13 years experience as a Clinical Trials Network Manager and over 35 years experience as a Nurse, many of which were spent in the delivery of Clinical Research Trials. Emma completed her PhD and is passionate about giving people living with dementia and their carers access to participate in research. [Neuroprogressive Dementia Network](https://www.linkedin.com/in/neuroprogressive-dementia-network-3a4502384/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, blood biomarkers, Dr Emma Law, Drug Trials, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, p-tau217 **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Biomarker Research, Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher, PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Abstract submission is open for AD/PD 2027](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/abstract-submission-is-open-for-ad-pd-2027/) **Published:** September 3, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The abstract submission deadline for AD/PD 2027 in Barcelona, has been extended to Tuesday 8th September, with Junior Faculty Awards for early career researchers and no embargo. **Content:** **![AD/PD 2027 banner announcing abstract submissions open; deadline Sept 1, 2026; features a geometric brain illustration.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Abstract-submission-is-open-for-ADPD™-2027-300x229.jpg "Abstract submission is open for ADPD™ 2027")If you have [work you want to share](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-to-nail-your-conference-abstract/) with the neurodegeneration research community, submissions are now open for the AD/PD™ 2027 International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases, and the deadline is 1 September 2026 September 8, midnight CET.** The [AD/PD Conference](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/ad-pd-conference-2027/) runs from **16 to 20 March 2027** in Barcelona, Spain, as a hybrid event with an online option for anyone who can’t travel. It’s one of the larger gatherings in the field, bringing together basic scientists and clinical researchers across Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and related disorders, with a focus on where these diseases overlap. This is the 21st edition of the conference. A few things worth knowing before you submit: Abstracts are limited to 280 words and need to follow a set structure: [objectives, methods, results and conclusions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-to-write-a-powerful-conference-abstract). The title can run up to 20 words, in upper case. You can include tables, graphs and images, though these count towards your word limit (images are exempt). Each person can present up to [five posters](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-creating-award-winning-posters/) and [one oral presentation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-conference-lightning-talks-preparation-to-performance/), but there’s no cap on how many abstracts you submit or how many you’re listed on as a co-author. If you’re an early career researcher, the **Junior Faculty Awards** are open to graduate students (PhD, MD) and junior scientists up to five years post-doctorate. If you want to be considered, upload your supporting documents when you submit, as you can’t add them later. Two more points that matter for ECRs. Submitted abstracts must contain unpublished data, and anything previously presented won’t be accepted. And AD/PD™ has no embargo policy, so once your work is in, you’re free to share and promote it across your own networks. Accepted authors will be notified in mid-October 2026. The presenting author needs to be a registered participant, and all accepted abstracts are published on the conference website ahead of the event. You can read the full submission rules and start your abstract on the [AD/PD™ 2027 abstract submission page](https://adpd.kenes.com/abstract-submission/). **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** AD/PD --- ### [European Survey on Dementia Research PPIE](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/european-survey-on-dementia-research-ppie/) **Published:** September 3, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dementia researchers across Europe are invited to complete a 10 minute survey on public involvement and engagement in research. **Content:** **Researchers working in dementia across Europe are being invited to take part in a [short online survey](https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/liverpool/a-european-survey-on-the-knowledge-and-experience-of-patient-an) exploring knowledge and experiences of [involving and engaging public stakeholders](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-public-involvement-engagement-in-research/) in dementia research.** The survey has been approved by the University of Liverpool ethics committee, reference 18073, and takes around 10 minutes to complete. Public involvement and engagement are increasingly important parts of dementia research. This includes working with people living with dementia, unpaid carers, health and social care professionals, charity providers and members of the public when sharing research findings. This European survey aims to understand whether experiences of patient and public involvement and engagement vary across different countries. The questionnaire has been developed together with four unpaid carers for someone with dementia, helping to make sure the questions reflect the perspectives of people with lived experience. The research team is keen to hear from junior, mid career and senior academics conducting dementia research across Europe. Your responses will help build a clearer picture of current practice, common challenges and areas where researchers may need more support. Before completing the questionnaire, you will be asked to read the full study information and complete a consent form. --- [Take Part in the Survey](https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/liverpool/a-european-survey-on-the-knowledge-and-experience-of-patient-an) Please also consider sharing this opportunity with colleagues and networks involved in dementia research across Europe. **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** Patient and Public Involvement, University of Liverpool --- ### [Catch-up on recordings from the Salon Research Showcase](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/catch-up-on-recordings-from-the-salon-research-showcase/) **Published:** September 2, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The Dementia Researcher Salon Research Showcase features weekly talks where researchers present studies and findings in dementia research. Watch on YouTube. **Content:** Weekly series ## Watch every Salon Research Showcase talk Wednesdays · 12 noon or 8.00pm UK · 45 minutes · Free to attend Every Wednesday one researcher gets forty five minutes and an audience that actually wants to hear about their project. The Dementia Researcher Salon Research Showcase began in February 2026. Each session hands a single researcher the floor to talk through their current study: the question they set out to answer, the methods they chose, what they have found so far, and the parts that are still causing trouble. No panel, no debate format, no attempt to survey a whole field in an hour. One project, explained properly, followed by questions from whoever turns up. Speakers have joined from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, Sussex, Oxford, Newcastle, Barcelona, Leiden, Modena, Kentucky, Utah and San Francisco. Subjects have run from the structural biology of amyloid fibrils to how social workers interpret culture, from APOE genotype to what it takes to stay in work after a dementia diagnosis. PhD students present alongside professors, and the audience is a mix of researchers, clinicians, people living with dementia, carers and anyone else who registers. Members watch recordings on demand in the [Dementia Researcher App](https://communities.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/) as soon as a session finishes. A selection also goes onto YouTube, and those are listed below. **Coming up next:** see the schedule in the [Salon Planner](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/events/month/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=645). --- [ ![Why do some people with Parkinson’s disease develop dementia while others do not. And how do genetic differences influence cognitive outcomes across the disease. This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series - this time guest hosted by Annika Dhawan. In this session, Dr Esra Demir Unal will present her research exploring the genetic factors that contribute to cognitive heterogeneity in Parkinson’s disease. Her work investigates how rare monogenic variants, polygenic risk, and genetic loci associated with Alzheimer’s disease influence susceptibility to dementia and cognitive decline. By combining insights from monogenic Parkinson’s disease with broader genetic risk profiles, the research aims to improve understanding of why cognitive outcomes vary between individuals and identify pathways that may support earlier prediction and more personalised approaches to care. Esra is an Assistant Professor at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, specialising in neurogenetics and neurodegenerative disease. Her research focuses on the genetic architecture of dementia and Parkinson’s disease, with an emphasis on understanding the biological mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment. Attendees can expect a research focused session with time for questions and discussion. - Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Why do some people with Parkinson’s disease develop dementia while others do not. And how do genetic differences influence cognitive outcomes across the disease. This livestream is part of the Dementia Researcher weekly Showcase series – this time guest hosted by Annika Dhawan. In this session, Dr Esra Demir Unal will present her research exploring the genetic factors that contribute to cognitive heterogeneity in Parkinson’s disease. Her work investigates how rare monogenic variants, polygenic risk, and genetic loci associated with Alzheimer’s disease influence susceptibility to dementia and cognitive decline. By combining insights from monogenic Parkinson’s disease with broader genetic risk profiles, the research aims to improve understanding of why cognitive outcomes vary between individuals and identify pathways that may support earlier prediction and more personalised approaches to care. Esra is an Assistant Professor at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, specialising in neurogenetics and neurodegenerative disease. Her research focuses on the genetic architecture of dementia and Parkinson’s disease, with an emphasis on understanding the biological mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment. Attendees can expect a research focused session with time for questions and discussion. – Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Genetic Determinants of Cognitive Heterogeneity in Parkinson’s Disease ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdmlLb9n5oM) Genetic Determinants of Cognitive Heterogeneity in Parkinson’s Disease 02/09/2026 10:55 pm [ ![How can families maintain meaningful connections with loved ones living with dementia after they move into a care home. And how can reminiscence help make visits more engaging and rewarding for everyone involved. In this session, Dr Connr McDonald presents findings from his PhD, a collaborative Action Research study exploring family centred reminiscence during care home visits for people living with dementia. Working alongside family members, the project co developed a new approach to using reminiscence as a way of strengthening and preserving relationships. The session will explore how collaboration with families shaped the intervention, what was learned through the co design process, and how reminiscence can support meaningful interaction and connection within care home settings. Connor is an early career researcher at the University of the West of Scotland whose research focuses on dementia care, family involvement, and collaborative approaches to improving the experiences of people living with dementia and those closest to them. Attendees can expect a thought provoking and discussion led session with time for questions and conversation. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)How can families maintain meaningful connections with loved ones living with dementia after they move into a care home. And how can reminiscence help make visits more engaging and rewarding for everyone involved. In this session, Dr Connr McDonald presents findings from his PhD, a collaborative Action Research study exploring family centred reminiscence during care home visits for people living with dementia. Working alongside family members, the project co developed a new approach to using reminiscence as a way of strengthening and preserving relationships. The session will explore how collaboration with families shaped the intervention, what was learned through the co design process, and how reminiscence can support meaningful interaction and connection within care home settings. Connor is an early career researcher at the University of the West of Scotland whose research focuses on dementia care, family involvement, and collaborative approaches to improving the experiences of people living with dementia and those closest to them. Attendees can expect a thought provoking and discussion led session with time for questions and conversation. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Strengthening Family Connections Through Reminiscence ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVdmfM15tVg) Strengthening Family Connections Through Reminiscence 02/09/2026 10:00 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 1 0 Imaging Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqFUNX34hGE) Imaging Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome 07/08/2026 11:01 am [ ![How well does dementia research reflect the experiences of LGBTQ+ communities. And what happens when people living with dementia are excluded from the conversations that shape research, policy, and care. In this session, Dáithí Clayton will chats with Dr Claudio Di Lorito, Senior Research Fellow, Primary Care and Population Health, University College London & NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) Advisor and EDI Lead, King’s College Hub. Together they will explore the current state of queer dementia research, with a particular focus on the experiences of trans and nonbinary people living with dementia. Drawing on both research and lived experience, they will reflect on how identity, visibility, and inclusion shape the realities of dementia care and support. The session examines progress made within the field, highlight ongoing gaps in knowledge and practice, and consider how researchers, practitioners, and policy makers can better address the needs of LGBTQ+ communities affected by dementia. Dáithí is a dementia researcher, advocate, and educator based in Belgium. Their work focuses on queer dementia research, challenging inequities in care and representation while amplifying the voices and experiences of people who have often been overlooked within dementia research and practice. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)How well does dementia research reflect the experiences of LGBTQ+ communities. And what happens when people living with dementia are excluded from the conversations that shape research, policy, and care. In this session, Dáithí Clayton will chats with Dr Claudio Di Lorito, Senior Research Fellow, Primary Care and Population Health, University College London & NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) Advisor and EDI Lead, King’s College Hub. Together they will explore the current state of queer dementia research, with a particular focus on the experiences of trans and nonbinary people living with dementia. Drawing on both research and lived experience, they will reflect on how identity, visibility, and inclusion shape the realities of dementia care and support. The session examines progress made within the field, highlight ongoing gaps in knowledge and practice, and consider how researchers, practitioners, and policy makers can better address the needs of LGBTQ+ communities affected by dementia. Dáithí is a dementia researcher, advocate, and educator based in Belgium. Their work focuses on queer dementia research, challenging inequities in care and representation while amplifying the voices and experiences of people who have often been overlooked within dementia research and practice. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 3 1 Queer Minds Matter: Dementia, Identity, and the Politics of Being Seen ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yRmkh8518Y) Queer Minds Matter: Dementia, Identity, and the Politics of Being Seen 17/07/2026 1:52 pm [ ![What can the UK learn from Japan about technology and dementia care. And how might robotics, virtual reality, smart homes, and artificial intelligence support people living with 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 Bethany Linder @BethanyLinder shares insights from her Churchill Fellowship exploring advances in assistive dementia technology in Japan. Through visits with leading experts in robotics, virtual reality, and smart home technologies, Bethany examined how one of the world’s fastest ageing populations is using technology to support people living with dementia. The session will explore what has worked, what has not worked, and future directions in assistive technology, alongside reflections on how lessons from Japan could help improve dementia care in the UK. Bethany is a dementia researcher at the Department of Psychiatry at University of Oxford. Her work focuses on using technology to support older adults and people affected by dementia, including current research exploring how artificial intelligence could support medication management for people living with dementia. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)What can the UK learn from Japan about technology and dementia care. And how might robotics, virtual reality, smart homes, and artificial intelligence support people living with 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 Bethany Linder @BethanyLinder shares insights from her Churchill Fellowship exploring advances in assistive dementia technology in Japan. Through visits with leading experts in robotics, virtual reality, and smart home technologies, Bethany examined how one of the world’s fastest ageing populations is using technology to support people living with dementia. The session will explore what has worked, what has not worked, and future directions in assistive technology, alongside reflections on how lessons from Japan could help improve dementia care in the UK. Bethany is a dementia researcher at the Department of Psychiatry at University of Oxford. Her work focuses on using technology to support older adults and people affected by dementia, including current research exploring how artificial intelligence could support medication management for people living with dementia. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 3 0 Assistive Technology and Dementia Care ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdg8qX1n760) Assistive Technology and Dementia Care 08/07/2026 1:38 pm [ ![In this session, Russ Barker will present work exploring the coexistence of dementia and epileptiform activity, an important but under explored issue in geriatric neurology and long term care. His integrative literature review brings together evidence from across disciplines to identify key seizure risk domains in dementia care. Russ is Founder and CEO of Seagull Health, based in Blue Springs, Missouri. His work aims to support better recognition of hidden neurological events in ageing populations and provide a conceptual basis for developing a standardised seizure risk scoring framework for dementia care environments. Attendees can expect a research focused session with time for questions and discussion. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)In this session, Russ Barker will present work exploring the coexistence of dementia and epileptiform activity, an important but under explored issue in geriatric neurology and long term care. His integrative literature review brings together evidence from across disciplines to identify key seizure risk domains in dementia care. Russ is Founder and CEO of Seagull Health, based in Blue Springs, Missouri. His work aims to support better recognition of hidden neurological events in ageing populations and provide a conceptual basis for developing a standardised seizure risk scoring framework for dementia care environments. Attendees can expect a research focused session with time for questions and discussion. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 0 0 Seizure Risk and Dementia Care ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwDVW9XoF9c) Seizure Risk and Dementia Care 29/06/2026 12:03 am [ ![In this session, Dr Soraya Meftah will present her research exploring how electrical signalling in the brain is disrupted in dementia. Her work investigates how amyloid and tau affect brain function and the molecular changes linked to these disruptions. Soraya studies dementia using both experimental models and a novel human brain slice culture model, helping to bridge the gap between laboratory findings and the human brain. This work aims to better understand how disease related changes affect brain networks and neuronal communication. Soraya is a Race Against Dementia Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in brain signalling, neurodegeneration, and translational approaches to dementia research. Attendees can expect a research focused session with time for questions and discussion. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)In this session, Dr Soraya Meftah will present her research exploring how electrical signalling in the brain is disrupted in dementia. Her work investigates how amyloid and tau affect brain function and the molecular changes linked to these disruptions. Soraya studies dementia using both experimental models and a novel human brain slice culture model, helping to bridge the gap between laboratory findings and the human brain. This work aims to better understand how disease related changes affect brain networks and neuronal communication. Soraya is a Race Against Dementia Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in brain signalling, neurodegeneration, and translational approaches to dementia research. Attendees can expect a research focused session with time for questions and discussion. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 1 0 How Amyloid and Tau Disrupt Brain Function ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO0_pmZ_pqE) How Amyloid and Tau Disrupt Brain Function 28/06/2026 11:55 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 0 0 Learning, Memory and the Ageing Brain ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAihckZ9ZA) Learning, Memory and the Ageing Brain 10/06/2026 7:25 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 2 0 Neurocognitive Metrics for Detecting Alzheimer’s Pathology ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jsq5Hpy2qc) Neurocognitive Metrics for Detecting Alzheimer’s Pathology 04/06/2026 8:17 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 1 0 Exercise, Brain Health and Alzheimer’s Risk ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yWuHPYIf9Q) Exercise, Brain Health and Alzheimer’s Risk 22/05/2026 3:20 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 3 2 Culture and Dementia Care in Social Work Practice ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRp18iks8GM) Culture and Dementia Care in Social Work Practice 22/05/2026 11:28 am [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 3 0 Biomarkers in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8jsqd7SG1U) Biomarkers in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy 13/05/2026 10:37 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support 1 2 Giving Patients a Voice Through Free Text Data ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGCtQNFCTqA) Giving Patients a Voice Through Free Text Data 13/05/2026 7:09 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: • https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ • https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ • https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity • https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher • https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: • https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ • https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ • https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity • https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher • https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 4 0 Amyloid Plaques and Tau Assembly in Alzheimer’s Disease ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh_nsGBt-J0) Amyloid Plaques and Tau Assembly in Alzheimer’s Disease 29/04/2026 6:07 pm [ ![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.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. 3 1 Blood Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Across Diverse Communities ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB0pdSImazk) Blood Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Across Diverse Communities 22/04/2026 6:29 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 2 0 Creative & participatory Research in advanced dementia ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKAXl0nMHMI) Creative & participatory Research in advanced dementia 16/04/2026 8:59 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 1 0 Working while living with Dementia ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZZMbbHvehA) Working while living with Dementia 15/04/2026 1:46 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 2 0 Sex Differences and Molecular Pathways in Vascular Dementia ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc-RLz8uLrU) Sex Differences and Molecular Pathways in Vascular Dementia 05/04/2026 9:20 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 2 0 APOE Genotype and Dementia: Mediators and Modifiers ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VfUXWIPcRk) APOE Genotype and Dementia: Mediators and Modifiers 13/03/2026 1:06 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 3 1 Culturally Adapted Engagement in Advanced Dementia Care ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi1_M3lbbxQ) Culturally Adapted Engagement in Advanced Dementia Care 13/03/2026 1:06 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 0 0 Precision Inflammation in the Brain – Drug Discovery ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u80RfmlK2y8) Precision Inflammation in the Brain – Drug Discovery 13/03/2026 1:05 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 2 0 Exploring Brain Ageing Across the Lifespan Using MRI and Environmental Data ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9flOh7ov1-o) Exploring Brain Ageing Across the Lifespan Using MRI and Environmental Data 13/03/2026 1:05 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 2 0 Behavioural Change and Early Neurodegeneration ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_gniZSgtq0) Behavioural Change and Early Neurodegeneration 07/03/2026 1:01 am [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 0 0 Mapping Dementia Risk Through Genes and Environment ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCHy8FZC5zw) Mapping Dementia Risk Through Genes and Environment 02/03/2026 3:26 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Join our community: https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 0 0 Population Approaches to Dementia Prevention ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWvmVsXSvYY) Population Approaches to Dementia Prevention 22/02/2026 12:35 pm [ ![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. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)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. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher 0 0 Understanding Apathy in Dementia ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2HqAXABaek) Understanding Apathy in Dementia 16/02/2026 10:35 pm [ Subscribe ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1qv0E1UzNPtGhz2nQaoig/) **Categories:** Research News, Webinar **Tags:** Dementia Researcher Salon --- ### [Share Your Jobs, Events, Funding Calls and Blogs With Us](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/share-with-the-community/) **Published:** August 28, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** You can add your own jobs, events, funding calls and courses to the Dementia Researcher website. It is self-service, free, and takes about five minutes. We are also looking for bloggers and podcast ideas. **Content:** ![Promotional banner for Dementia Researcher Listings:'Got Something to Share?' with colorful icons and a box releasing tiles representing jobs, events, funding, and courses.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Got-a-job-event-or-funding-call_-Put-it-on-our-website-yourself-300x229.jpg "Got a job event or funding call_ Put it on our website yourself")Everything you need, all in one place. Help us keep it that way. **Every week we go hunting. Funder newsletters, university web pages, LinkedIn, Bluesky, the lot. We pull together the jobs, events, courses and funding calls that early career dementia researchers actually need to see, and we list them in our [Find](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/advertise/) space.** We’re reasonably good at it. But we’re never going to catch everything, and we shouldn’t have to. If you’re the one hiring the postdoc, running the workshop, or launching the call, you knew about it long before we did. So add it yourself. ## Four forms, that’s it You don’t need to email us and wait. You don’t need to ask permission. Register an account, pick the right form, fill it in, and it goes live once we’ve given it a quick once-over: - [Post a job](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/post-a-job/) – PhDs, postdocs, fellowships, technicians, research assistants, professional services roles. It joins the [jobs board](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/jobs/). - [Submit an event](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/events/community/add) – conferences, webinars, seminars, workshops, journal clubs. It joins the [events calendar](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/events/). - [Submit a funding call](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/new-funding-call/) – grants, fellowships, travel awards, small pots. It joins the [funding listings](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/funding-calls). - [Submit a course](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/new-he-course/) – masters, doctoral training, short courses and CPD. It joins our [higher education course directory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/). Everything sits behind one page if you’d rather start there: [add to our listings](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/advertise/). There’s no charge for any of it. There never has been, and there isn’t going to be. ## Where it actually goes This isn’t a listing that sits in a corner gathering dust. Anything you add gets picked up by our [Weekly Bulletin](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/newsletter/), which lands in the inboxes of more than 5,500 subscribers every Friday morning. The website itself gets around 20,000 visitors a month. Our readers are mostly early career researchers, but there are plenty of PIs, research managers, funders and clinicians in there too, based right across the UK and around the world. Listings also get indexed by Google, which is how a lot of people find a vacancy weeks after it was posted. Free advertising, in other words, from the people already looking. ## Fancy writing for us? We’re always after new bloggers, and you don’t need to be a writer to be one. We publish [blogs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/blogs/) from researchers at every stage, on pretty much anything relevant to a research career. The science you’re excited about. The experiment that fell over. The conference you loved or hated. The thing nobody warned you about. The bit of admin that took three months and shouldn’t have. Send us a rough idea, a paragraph, or a half-finished draft and we’ll help you shape it. Email . ## And podcast ideas Got a topic we should be covering on the [podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/podcasts/)? A guest we should be chasing? Want to come on and talk about your own work? [Tell us here](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs) – it’s a short form, and we read every submission. ## Not signed up yet? If you’re reading this and you’re not already part of the community, that’s easily fixed. [Join the Dementia Researcher community](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/communities/) to connect with other researchers, join groups and get involved in the conversation. And [subscribe to the Weekly Bulletin](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/newsletter/) for news, jobs, funding and events every Friday. Everything you need, all in one place. Help us keep it that way. **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Advertise --- ### [Blog - Two Worlds of Clinical Trials](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-two-worlds-of-clinical-trials/) **Published:** February 26, 2026 **Author:** Dr Peter Connelly **Excerpt:** Dr Peter Connelly explores the differences between academic and industry sponsored clinical trials and what they mean for recruitment, intensity and practice. **Content:** --- **If we put to one side self-driven research projects, the two main groups of clinical trials in which you might be asked to participate are those funded by charities or NHS-related funders such as the Chief Scientists Office in Scotland. These studies are usually led by senior academics within the UK. On the other hand there are studies funded by the pharmaceutical industry and often led by internationally recognised academics, based either in the UK or abroad, albeit there can be some overlap between how trials are classified.** There are, of course, some common features between these two groups of trials. Each will have carefully designed protocols clearly defining the intervention, the duration of exposure to that intervention, including a drug, and criteria to be met if someone is either to be included or excluded from the trial. If you choose to participate, there will be a target for the number of people you are expected to recruit and retain until the intervention has been completed. Both commercial and academic sponsors tend to use a [recruitment funnel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ptau217-blood-test-what-fda-clearance-means/) to try and establish the feasibility of a local centre being able to meet the expected recruitment target. > Targets generated in this way are often wholly unrealistic. I can recall on one occasion being approached by a senior researcher who told me that based on my local population and the expected number of people with dementia **I should have no difficulty recruiting 400 to 500 people to a drug trial within a year**. Notwithstanding the fact that my staffing levels would not support this magnitude of recruitment, this number exceeded the total recruitment to that trial from multiple centres and over a much longer period. A better measure is to look at how many people you recruited to a similar study in the past or to look for recruitment levels at other similarly-sized centres across the country. The likelihood is that academically-led and commercially-sponsored studies will have different goals for their research. In the case of drug trials, academically-led trials are likely to concentrate on drugs already in use and try to address puzzling clinical problems, such as, for instance, which antidepressant might be more effective in the treatment of depression associated with dementia. Alternatively academically-led studies might look at the potential for **re-purposing an existing medication**, which might have been used in other conditions, but is no longer subject to a patent. Commercial trials, on the other hand, are likely to be assessing the efficacy and safety of drugs which are not currently licensed for treatment. These studies might be examining the effectiveness and safety of different doses of the drug on the condition in question, the potential benefits and problems associated with longer term use or delayed start of the drug under investigation or even be the first use in humans, though those trials are usually carried out in specialised centres. > The use of a placebo is almost uniform in commercially-sponsored studies and not infrequent in academically-led studies and you must always discuss this openly with potential participants. There is typically a considerable difference in the intensity associated with each type of trial. The duration of a clinical trial is likely to be much longer if commercially-sponsored and you should be prepared to support someone’s participation over a long period, even if deterioration is apparent. Criteria for entry into commercial studies often includes very detailed assessment of the potential participant, including perhaps MRI and/or PET scan sometimes repeated on several occasions. Cognitive and other assessments used in commercial trials are often less familiar to those who primarily work in the clinical domain. Many of these assessments require intensive training and benchmarking against established standards. Although this might be anxiety-provoking, developing these new skills is rewarding and one must remember that in a clinica trial your role is to administer the tests and not interpret the results in the way that might be done by a neuropsychologist if used in clinical practice. In many trials, interpretation is often done remotely from your trial centre. Obviously, if there are issues of patient safety or immediate therapeutic importance these results can be utilised and become very useful, given that the test may not have been carried out had the participant not been in the clinical trial. In academically-led studies the intervention is usually much shorter and perhaps more relevant to a current clinical problem. There may still be multiple assessments carried out but many of these are more likely to be familiar to those working in the clinical domain. MRI or PET scans might be involved depending on the clinical question and on the level of funding, but are much less likely to be required repetitively throughout the trial. In either type of study **it is extremely useful to liaise with other participating centres.** Not only does this allow a forum for the discussion of problems which have arisen in your own centre, but the general level of camaraderie is always appreciated. Naturally, a little competitiveness over meeting recruitment targets is permissible. Funding is of course also quite different in scale. The fees payable to your centre from the pharmaceutical industry will certainly help to support the level of staffing you require to undertake their study, but these staff invariably must be available at the start of the study and throughout, which can be a not insignificant risk to your organisation. You should also be aware that not only are the assessments more detailed but also the monitoring of your performance, your notes and your interpretation of findings, where appropriate, is going to be subject to monitoring at almost forensic levels by external companies. While essential for the running of the trials, some researchers find the intensity of this monitoring highly stressful. Obviously, monitoring and quality control is also in place in academically-led studies to ensure that data is robust and the trial conducted to high standards, but somehow the pressure does not seem so great. **Ultimately, both types of trials are essential** if we are to expand the range of interventions we can offer to our patients and participation in each type of study can be very enjoyable and rewarding. If you are asked to participate, certainly think of doing so, but do talk to others who have experienced the pros and cons of participation before you decide to do so. --- ![Dr Peter Connelly Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dr-Peter-Connelly.jpg "Dr Peter Connelly")Dr Peter Connelly #### Author **[Dr Peter Connelly](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-peter-connelly-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/)** is a retired Old Age Psychiatrist who spent much of his career in Tayside, helping to establish clinical trials for dementia and neuroprogressive disorders in Scotland. Now working with the Scottish Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, he combines professional insight with personal experience as a former carer. In retirement, he enjoys music, golf, and time with his grandchildren. [@nrs-ndn1.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/nrs-ndn1.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Careers, Clinical Research, Commercial Research, Dr Peter Connelly, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher --- ### [Blog - Recruiting Participants for Clinical Trials](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-recruiting-participants-for-clinical-trials/) **Published:** September 16, 2025 **Author:** Dr Emma Law **Excerpt:** Dr Emma Law explores challenges & best practices in recruiting participants for clinical trials, highlighting strategies to improve success in dementia research **Content:** --- **Clinical trials require willing participants to be included in the trials. This may sound like a simple and easy task but many years of trial involvement has illuminated that this is one of the hardest parts of clinical trials – finding the right people to participate. I will illustrate some of the challenges and best practices in successful trial recruitment.** One thing is clear in clinical trials – The quicker we can recruit to the trials the sooner the results are known and the faster the results are translated into treatments. This is true for all clinical trials. But when it comes to dementia trials there are a myriad of hurdles to overcome when trying to recruit participants. Do you have the right participants for the trial? The clinical research protocol will be highly prescriptive about which participants are required for each trial – they will likely have an age range such as between 50 and 90. They will likely have set characteristics of the intended population such as memory scores or level of dementia, ie Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) of below 24 or between 22 and 28 or whatever the population to be included in each of the clinical trials are. They may have stipulations for more in-depth characterisation such as the type of dementia i.e. Alzheimer Disease confirmed by scan, or level of dementia confirmed by the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) assessment. > The more prescriptive the inclusion criteria, the harder it becomes to find participants who fit the desired characteristics to be included in the trial. This leads to a **[funnel effect of recruitment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ptau217-blood-test-what-fda-clearance-means/)**. For some trials, we would pre-screen say 100 people to find the desired characteristics in 5 of those 100. This is acknowledged by the pharmaceutical companies, who make provision that to find the intended population, there will have to be many people screened but it is a challenge in recruitment to trials. Likening recruitment to a funnel starting wide at the top (your 100 potential participants ) to the narrow or small amount actually suitable for the trial in question. In the UK, to help in recruitment, we have tools such as [Join Dementia Research](https://www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk/) (JDR) or Scotland’s Permission to Contact whereby people are already signed up and registered to be approached about trials in their area. This works well if the people signing up have dementia or memory impairment which is well characterised. It doesn’t work so well if there are many people signing up who do not have memory problems at all. This requires a large number to be registered to reach the required numbers to be initially approached for a dementia clinical trial, although having ‘healthy volunteers’ is useful for some trials. We need to be able to get the word out to people who may want to be part of clinical trials and this is where the private organisations are very successful, as they have advertising budgets which their NHS or academic colleagues can only dream about. We can negotiate with the sponsor company to be able to have newspaper adverts, or advertise via GP surgeries, which can assist recruitment. In Scotland, we have found that the most successful targeted recruitment strategy is to recruit via the NHS memory clinics as they have up-to-date information and access to the potential study participants. We have found that the most successful targeted recruiters are the staff who have a clinical role as well as a research role and are therefore thinking about potential research participants while carrying out their clinical role. The memory clinics are not always geared up to talk to people about research and when the clinicians are not actively involved in research some may see this as onerous and just something else they have to do on a busy clinic day. A useful best practice tool is to include information about research at clinics, as this may help to remind people, both staff and attendees, that research is an option for them. We use the recruitment tools already mentioned – JDR, Permission To Contact (PTC) and any other tools available to us such as advertising a trial or social media if allowed. The advantage we have found with PTC is that we have already permission to screen medical records and this allows us to be very targeted in our invitations to attend for a pre-screening visit of someone who is interested in being part of a clinical trial – we are able to invite only those who meet the strict inclusion criteria and therefore do not raise false hope or expectation for those who do not meet the criteria. In England, the advent of the NHS App feature which will allow patients to sign up for clinical trials, which was announced in June 2025 by the Department of Health and Care may be a game changer – we will have to wait and see if it is. Also, there are plans to eventually integrate NIHR Be Part of Research with the NHS App and this is a very hopeful development. We will all be watching closely because if this encourages and enables targeted recruitment and speeds up trials, everyone is a winner! From the participants involved in a potentially successful trial, to the pharmaceutical industry having results from trials translated into treatments more quickly, to the clinicians who can access new treatments in their patient populations. --- ![Dr Emma Law Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dr-Emma-Law.jpg "Dr Emma Law")Dr Emma Law #### Author [**Dr Emma Law** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-law-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/)is Strategic Manager for the The Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network in Scotland. Emma has 13 years experience as a Clinical Trails Network Manager and over 35 years experience as a Nurse, many of which were spent in the delivery of Clinical Research Trials. Emma completed her PhD and is passionate about giving people living with dementia and their carers access to participate in research. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Clinical Research, Clinical trials, Dr Emma Law, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, Study Recruitment **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher --- ### [Tau Studies Point to New Alzheimer’s Tests and Treatments](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tau-studies-point-to-new-alzheimers-tests-and-treatments/) **Published:** July 16, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The CELIA trial found diranersen reduced tau and showed signs of slowing decline, while separate research linked blood tau with future Alzheimer’s risk. **Content:** **![Breaking News banner:'Tau research offers new hope for predicting and treating Alzheimer’s' with AAIC 26 logo over a purple cityscape.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Tau-research-offers-new-hope-for-predicting-and-treating-Alzheimers-300x229.png "Tau research offers new hope for predicting and treating Alzheimers")** **New findings presented at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2026-day-four/) suggest that measuring and reducing tau could play an increasingly important role in the future diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.** Two separate studies have placed renewed attention on tau, a protein that normally helps maintain the structure of nerve cells. In Alzheimer’s disease, [abnormal forms of tau accumulate inside brain cells](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-rainwater-prize-winners-advancing-tau-research/), forming tangles associated with neuronal damage and cognitive decline. One study investigated whether an experimental treatment could reduce tau production and slow the progression of early Alzheimer’s disease. The other examined whether levels of a particular form of tau in the blood could help identify cognitively healthy people at greater risk of developing impairment years later. ##### Experimental treatment reduces tau Results from the Phase 2 CELIA trial provide early evidence that directly lowering tau may affect the course of Alzheimer’s disease. The trial evaluated diranersen, an experimental antisense oligonucleotide treatment developed by Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals. Rather than targeting tau after it has accumulated, diranersen is designed to reduce the instructions used by cells to produce the protein. The study included 416 people with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease or mild Alzheimer’s dementia. Participants received one of three dosing regimens or a placebo over 18 months. The treatment was delivered intrathecally, through an injection into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. Across the three doses, diranersen reduced total tau in cerebrospinal fluid by an average of 50% to 65%. A substudy involving 131 participants also found[ reductions in brain tau pathology measured using PET imaging](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/news-from-the-pet-front-early-amyloid-networks-and-tau-mystery/). The lowest dose, administered every six months, produced the strongest clinical results. Compared with placebo, it was associated with a 26% slowing of decline on the Clinical Dementia Rating–Sum of Boxes, alongside larger differences on some measures of cognition. However, the trial did not meet its primary endpoint. Researchers had expected higher doses to produce greater clinical benefits, but this dose-response relationship was not seen. The treatment also did not separate from placebo on one measure of daily functioning. These inconsistencies mean that the findings need to be interpreted cautiously. The results have not yet established that diranersen is an effective treatment, and [a larger Phase 3 trial will be needed to confirm](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-clinical-trials-advancement-and-methods-pia/) whether reducing tau produces meaningful and sustained benefits. The treatment was reported to be generally well-tolerated. The most frequent adverse events included pain associated with the procedure, symptoms following lumbar puncture and temporary episodes of confusion. Biogen plans to take diranersen into Phase 3 development. ##### Blood test may help estimate future risk A separate study, [published in JAMA](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2851720), examined whether [plasma p-tau217 could help estimate the risk of future cognitive impairment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-blood-based-biomarkers-for-dementias/) among people who did not have symptoms when tested. Researchers combined data from several longitudinal studies involving nearly 2,700 older adults. Participants were grouped according to their blood p-tau217 levels and followed over time. Within five years, the estimated risk of developing cognitive impairment was 12% among those with low p-tau217 and 38% among those with very high levels. At ten years, the corresponding estimates were 40% and 78%. The ten-year figures should be treated with particular caution because only 5% of participants had been followed for longer than a decade. The study populations were also drawn from established research cohorts and may not fully represent people seen in routine healthcare. Importantly, [p-tau217](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ptau217-blood-test-what-fda-clearance-means/) is not a precise countdown to the onset of dementia. Some people with elevated levels may never develop symptoms, while cognitive impairment can arise for reasons other than Alzheimer’s disease. Age, other health conditions, genetics and lifestyle may all influence an individual’s risk. The test is therefore not ready to be used on its own to tell cognitively healthy people whether or when they will develop dementia. Its near-term value may be in research, particularly for identifying people who could take part in prevention trials before symptoms appear. ##### Why the findings matter Most of the disease-modifying Alzheimer’s treatments developed so far have concentrated on [removing amyloid from the brain](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-alzheimers-disease-takes-a-lifetime/). Tau is more closely associated with neuronal damage and the progression of cognitive symptoms, making it another important treatment target. Together, these studies demonstrate two possible uses for tau: as a biomarker that could help estimate future risk and as a biological target for treatments intended to slow disease progression. Both approaches remain under investigation. The blood-test findings require validation in larger and more representative populations, while diranersen must demonstrate its safety and effectiveness in Phase 3 trials. Nevertheless, the results add to growing evidence that tau may become central to how researchers identify, monitor and potentially treat Alzheimer’s disease. **Further information:** Read the [JAMA blood biomarker study](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2851720) and the [CELIA Phase 2 results](https://investors.biogen.com/news-releases/news-release-details/biogen-presents-phase-2-celia-data-aaic-demonstrating-meaningful). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Biogen, CELIA trial, Diranersen, Tau --- ### [Research breakthrough for remote Alzheimer’s testing](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/research-breakthrough-for-remote-alzheimers-testing/) **Published:** January 6, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Study shows Alzheimer’s biomarkers can be measured from finger prick blood samples collected at home & posted to labs, opening global participation in research. **Content:** **A groundbreaking international study has demonstrated that Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers can be accurately detected using simple finger-prick blood samples that can be collected at home and mailed to laboratories without refrigeration or prior processing.** The research, led by US institute Banner Health working with the University of Exeter Medical School and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) publishes today in [*Nature Medicine*](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://74n5c4m7.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%252F%252Fwww.nature.com%252Farticles%252Fs41591-025-04080-0/1/0102019b8db5338a-a18c1fc8-5b3c-4400-871a-6433b1190ea4-000000/axyx2feqj_qnlaDVpIuyx41fUb8%3D459&source=gmail-imap&ust=1768213826000000&usg=AOvVaw2y_kETQ19jVNygTQX7H24h). It represents the first large-scale validation of this accessible testing approach that removes geographic barriers and opens brain disease research to global populations without requiring specialised healthcare infrastructure. The DROP-AD project, conducted across seven European medical centers including the University of Gothenburg and University of Exeter, **successfully tested 337 participants and proved that finger-prick blood collection can accurately measure key markers of Alzheimer’s pathology** and brain damage. This breakthrough enables worldwide research participation by eliminating the logistical constraints that have historically limited biomarker studies to well-resourced medical facilities. Alzheimer’s disease is usually confirmed through brain scans or spinal fluid tests, which are invasive and expensive. [Blood tests that measure biomarkers, such as p-tau217](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ptau217-blood-test-what-fda-clearance-means/), are emerging as accurate and accessible tools for detecting Alzheimer’s disease. Although drawing blood through venipuncture (inserting a needle into a vein) is much simpler than procedures such as spinal taps or brain scans, practical hurdles remain outside of clinics, including how samples are handled and stored and whether people have access to trained staff to collect them. > [Professor Nicholas Ashton](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-nicholas-ashton-banner-health/), senior director of Banner’s Fluid Biomarker Program and lead investigator of the study, said: “This breakthrough could fundamentally change how we conduct Alzheimer’s research by proving that the same biomarkers doctors use to detect Alzheimer’s pathology can be measured from a simple finger prick collected at home or in more remote community settings. While we’re still years away from clinical use, we’re opening doors to research that was previously impossible – studying diverse populations, conducting large-scale screening studies, and including communities that have been historically underrepresented in Alzheimer’s studies. > > “Ultimately, we are moving toward a pathway of treating people for Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms emerge. If this trajectory continues, we will need innovative ways to identify eligible individuals who are not routinely presenting in clinical settings. This work represents one such approach in that direction and further validation remains.” The researchers tested a new method for detecting Alzheimer’s disease using a few drops of blood obtained from the fingertip and then dried on a card. This process was used to find proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other brain changes in the 337 participants. The study found that levels of p-tau217 in finger-prick samples closely matched results from standard blood tests and were able to identify Alzheimer’s disease-related changes in spinal fluid with an accuracy of 86 per cent. Two other markers, GFAP and NfL, were also successfully measured and showed strong agreement with traditional tests. The University of Exeter Medical School played a pivotal role, recruiting participants from the PROTECT-UK study and serving as the only site to test self-collection capabilities. Participants successfully collected their own finger-prick samples without the guidance of study personnel after watching trained staff and receiving written instructions. While not ready for clinical use, this breakthrough addresses critical barriers in Alzheimer’s research by enabling remote participation in studies, clinical trial recruitment and monitoring, broader population sampling for epidemiological research, and inclusion of underrepresented communities and regions with limited healthcare infrastructure. The findings suggest that this simple technique could make large-scale studies and remote testing possible, including for people with Down syndrome, who face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and for other underserved populations. > Anne Corbett Professor in Dementia Research at the University of Exeter, said: “What excites me most is that this work makes this type of research far more accessible. We’re moving toward a future where anyone, anywhere, can contribute to advancing our understanding of brain diseases. This isn’t just a technical advancement – it’s a paradigm shift in how we conduct neuroscience research.” > > Co-author Clive Ballard, Professor of Age-Related Diseases at the University of Exeter Medical School, added: “Our ongoing work will determine whether this could also be a valuable way of identifying people in the community who would benefit from more detailed diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease.” The method also shows promise for research applications beyond Alzheimer’s, including studies of Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS, and brain injuries by the detection and accurate measurement of neurofilament light (NfL), a key biomarker of neurodegeneration. The researchers emphasize that significant additional research and validation is required before any clinical application and caution that the method is not ready for clinical use yet. The UK research was supported by the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre and the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Health, and the Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula. > Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said: “This type of research – with the potential to transform diagnosis and care for people with Alzheimer’s disease – showcases the importance of NIHR infrastructure funding and the expertise of its researchers supporting internationally collaborative commercial research. The future potential to enable testing in different settings outside of hospital clinics is hugely exciting.” The paper is titled ‘’ A minimally invasive dried blood spot biomarker test for the detection of 28 Alzheimer’s disease pathology’ ’ and is published in *Nature Medicine*. [Read the Paper](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04080-0) **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Biomarkers, blood biomarkers, Cognitive testing, Dr Nicholas Ashton --- ### [Clock Model Blood Test Predicts Alzheimer’s Onset](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/clock-model-blood-test-predicts-alzheimers-onset/) **Published:** February 19, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** New FNIH study in Nature Medicine shows a single blood test can predict Alzheimer’s risk and estimate symptom onset within 3 to 4 years, aiding trials. **Content:** ![FNIH Biomarkers Consortium Study](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FNIH-Biomarkers-Consortium-Study-web-300x229.png "FNIH Biomarkers Consortium Study web") **A new study developed and launched by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health’s [Biomarkers Consortium](https://fnih.org/our-programs/biomarkers-consortium-plasma-a%CE%B2-as-a-predictor-of-amyloid-positivity-in-alzheimers-disease/) shows that a single blood test can assess not only a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease but also predict approximately when symptoms will start, with an average margin of error of about 3-4 years. The study was [published today](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04206-y) in Nature Medicine.** > “With advances in Alzheimer’s blood-based diagnostics, like in this study, the field is moving closer to earlier diagnosis and more accessible, precise treatments for people living with the disease,” said Alessio Travaglia, PhD, Director, Translational Science, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases, at the FNIH. “Advances in Alzheimer’s research are gaining remarkable momentum, built on decades of scientific progress and the growing role of biomarkers in accelerating the development of new therapies and diagnostics.” **AFNIH Biomarkers Consortium Study Shows “Clock Model” Blood Test Can Predict Onset of Alzheimer’s Symptoms Years in Advance** – The “clock model” can use a single blood test to estimate the onset of symptoms within 3-4 years. – A new web-based tool visualizes how Alzheimer’s biomarkers change over time and relate to symptoms. – These tools could strengthen clinical trial planning and, with further refinement, inform early care decisions. Researchers in the study analyzed [p-tau217](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ptau217-blood-test-what-fda-clearance-means/), a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, in blood samples collected over a period of up to 10 years from more than 600 adults (ages 62-78 years) who were initially free of cognitive symptoms. The team then built statistical clock models that related blood p-tau217 changes over time to future symptom onset. People with higher levels of plasma p-tau217 tended to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms sooner, and older individuals developed symptoms more quickly after reaching elevated levels of this protein. The model was able to estimate how many years away a person might be from developing memory and thinking problems related to Alzheimer’s, with an accuracy of within 3-4 years. This level of accuracy could prove especially helpful for clinical trials, helping researchers select participants most likely to develop symptoms within a trial’s timeframe—making studies more efficient and powerful. The research team also developed a web-based application that allows scientists to visualize how levels of plasma p-tau217 change over time and how they relate to Alzheimer’s symptoms. The interactive tool helps researchers to explore complex relationships between plasma p-tau217, age, and symptoms. > “This study shows that it is possible to use blood tests to predict not only if individuals are likely to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms but also to estimate when the symptoms will begin,” said Suzanne Schindler, MD, PhD, the study’s senior author and an Associate Professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “We are working to make these models even more accurate.” Both Alzheimer’s biomarker testing in people without cognitive symptoms and use of the [web-based application](https://amyloid.shinyapps.io/plasma_ptau217_time/) should be limited to research settings, the study authors wrote. The study builds on data and insights generated from previous and ongoing FNIH research partnerships committed to advancing understanding of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Beginning with the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) in 2004 and continuing through the [Accelerating Medicines Partnerships®](https://fnih.org/our-programs/accelerating-medicines-partnership-amp/) and the Biomarkers Consortium, the FNIH has spearheaded numerous collaborative efforts focused on identifying and validating biomarkers for early detection and effective treatment of Alzheimer’s. This study was supported by private-sector partners AbbVie Inc., the Alzheimer’s Association, The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s Diagnostics Accelerator, Biogen, Johnson & Johnson, and Takeda. --- **About the Biomarkers Consortium** The FNIH’s Biomarkers Consortium leads cross-sector efforts to validate and qualify biomarkers that accelerate the development of new therapeutics and health technologies. The core operations of the Biomarkers Consortium are supported through its contributing membership program, which includes the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, private industry, and not-for-profit organizations. **About the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health** The FNIH builds public-private partnerships that connect leading biomedical scientists at the National Institutes of Health, life sciences companies, foundations, academia, and regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. Through team science, we solve complex health challenges and accelerate breakthroughs for patients, regardless of who they are or what health challenges they face. The FNIH accelerates new therapies, diagnostics, and potential cures; advances global health; and helps train the next generations of scientists. Established by Congress to support the mission of the NIH, the FNIH is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, please visit fnih.org. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** blood biomarkers --- ### [Why I say yes to career opportunities that scare me](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/why-i-say-yes-to-career-opportunities-that-scare-me/) **Published:** August 30, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** This piece from Science.org examines how initial fears gave way to confidence and fulfillment in academia by embracing opportunities outside your comfort zone. **Content:** ![Why I say yes to career opportunities that scare me](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Why-I-say-yes-to-career-opportunities-that-scare-me-300x229.jpg "Why I say yes to career opportunities that scare me") **When I spotted the invitation to apply for an instructor position at a nearby university, my first reaction was to ignore it. I was less than 2 years into my Ph.D. program, and although I had a pleasant experience as a [teaching](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-teaching-as-an-ecr-why-take-the-time-to-do-it/) assistant when I was an undergraduate student, I hadn’t yet taught in graduate school. The advertised position would be unlike anything I had done before. Anxiety consumed me as I pictured myself standing at the front of a room full of students. But then I thought back to an earlier decision to say yes to an offer that took me out of my comfort zone, and the unexpected path it set me on.** That earlier offer came late one evening during my second year of college. I was sitting at the front desk of our university gym swiping students’ ID cards while studying for a biology exam. One of my co-workers noticed my textbook and asked whether I was doing research with any professors. I told him I wasn’t. The truth was I had never dared to ask if I could. My co-worker went on to explain that a spot would soon open up in his lab because he was graduating, and he asked whether I would like him to introduce me to the professor he was working with. I had always assumed research opportunities were only for the most talented and exceptional students, and I held a deep-seated fear that I would be exposed for not having what it took. But for some reason, I said yes. A few days later, I found myself nervously sitting across from the professor in his office. He asked questions I didn’t fully know the answers to, and I probably overstated my skills and experience. I was offered the position anyway and was soon shadowing him in the lab. I didn’t know what I was doing at first. But I quickly realized that learning was part of the process; no one starts out with all the skills and abilities they need. Each day I gleaned new information and got a little better at doing experiments. I went on to work with him for two amazing years. Eventually, I was even able to help train other students. That set me on a path to graduate school. It also showed me that saying yes to uncertain opportunities could produce benefits I could never dream of. That lesson served as a guiding light years later when considering whether to apply for the instructor position. I decided to send in my application despite my doubts—and a few months later I was at the front of a room full of students in an introductory chemistry course, helping them work through practice problems. I had a shaky voice and unsteady legs as I introduced myself on the first day. But as the class went on I found myself becoming more comfortable and less anxious while I spoke. After the students left, I stood in the empty classroom full of dirty whiteboards and thought to myself, “This is it.” I had found the thing I wanted to do for the rest of my career. I enjoyed talking with students and helping them think through challenging problems. I loved seeing the “Aha!” moments when they finally understood how to get the correct answer. From then on, I committed to shifting my default response to “yes” when presented with career opportunities that made me nervous because I felt underqualified. I agreed to teach just about every course I was offered and 4 years later I had taught a dozen courses as an adjunct instructor. After I completed my Ph.D., those experiences helped me obtain a faculty position at a small liberal arts university, where I am today. This shift in mindset didn’t mean saying yes was suddenly easy. More than 10 years and dozens of classes later, I still find myself nervous at times, especially at the beginning of the semester. But I no longer fear the unknown. I have learned that stepping into these uncertain situations has helped me grow and uncover hidden passions that I never would have discovered otherwise. --- **Author** William Mills is an assistant professor at Mount St. Mary’s University. Find the original post and more great content at Science.Org – 10.1126/science.z845va9 – **Categories:** Careers, Partner Blogs **Tags:** career opportunities, Science Magazine, Teaching, William Mills **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Behind the Brain Bank: From Donation to Scientific Insight](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/1457-2/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Discover why brain donation matters: from collection to research, this film highlights the critical role of brain banks in dementia science. **Content:** **![Laura Palmer in the brain Bank](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Brain-Bank-300x116.jpg "Brain Bank")What happens to a [brain donated for dementia research](https://youtu.be/Ro5-uxaoWwI?si=yGzoIPRFVx4BiJd4), and how does that donation go on to help scientists understand diseases such as Alzheimer’s?** In this short film, we go behind the scenes at the [South West Dementia Brain Bank](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/south-west-dementia-brain-bank-40th-anniversary/) to see the work involved in collecting, preparing and preserving human brain tissue for research. It offers a glimpse of a part of dementia science that most people, including many researchers, rarely get to see. Studying donated human brain tissue remains incredibly important. Researchers can examine the biological changes associated with different forms of dementia, compare tissue from people with and without neurological conditions, and test ideas about how these diseases begin and progress. Brain tissue can also help researchers connect what was observed during a person’s life with what was happening biologically within their brain. The South West Dementia Brain Bank has been receiving donations since 1984 and is now based at Southmead Hospital under the custodianship of the University of Bristol. The tissue and associated data it provides are used by researchers investigating the causes, mechanisms, diagnosis and potential treatment of dementia. Behind every sample is an extraordinary decision made by a donor and their family. This film provides a useful introduction to what happens after that decision, the people responsible for caring for these precious donations, and why brain banking continues to be such an important part of dementia research. **Categories:** Researcher Stories **Tags:** Brain Bank, Careers, Medical Research Council, Researcher Stories --- ### [What Comes After the PhD? A Post-Viva Year in Academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/from-phd-to-ecr/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** What comes after the PhD? Georgina Collins shares a year of varied roles, skills development, and planning for a permanent academic career. **Content:** [![From PhD to ECR](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/phd-to-ecr-300x169.jpg "phd-to-ecr")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/phd-to-ecr.jpg)Georgina Collins ***As a newly qualified Early Career Researcher, looking ahead to your first year post-PhD, you may be wondering What Comes After the PhD. In this case study Georgina Collins, who has a PhD in Translation Studies, talks about her first year as an early career researcher.*** I studied for a PhD in Translation Studies in the French Studies department at Warwick and took my viva on 1 October 2010. I wanted to continue working in academia so had applied for a number of posts beginning a year prior to completing my PhD. **My Year in Jobs** In the year immediately following my viva (1 October 2010 to 1 October 2011) I took on a number of different jobs at Warwick and beyond in order to develop my academic employability as well as being able to survive financially. These were: - Freelance Translator - Course Tutor, Workers’ Educational Association ([WEA](https://www.wea.org.uk/)) - Early Career Fellow, Institute of Advanced Study, University of Warwick - Early Career ‘Research Exchange’ Project Officer / Web Writer – University of Warwick - Researcher: Women from Muslim Communities in France, School of Health and Social Studies, University of Warwick - Teaching Fellow, French Studies **How a few of these posts have helped me:** **Freelance translator** – I have a PhD in Translation Studies and have worked as a part-time freelance translator (French to English) since 2006. As I hope to lecture in Translation Studies and French Studies, having professional experience of translation and the French language is of great benefit to me. Publications of my literary translation will be especially helpful. **Course tutor, WEA** – I have taught World Literature for the WEA for over two years and it has provided me with invaluable experience in the classroom as well as in course development, lesson planning, student assessment and module review. These are all skills that are transferable to academic posts. **Early career fellowship, University of Warwick** – I was fortunate to be awarded an Early Career Fellowship from the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) at Warwick which began on the day of my viva. This was an immense relief, but it also put extra pressure on me as it was dependent on receiving no more than minor corrections. Luckily, all went well. The IAS Early Career Fellowship is 0.5 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) and its main aim is to give new researchers time to advance the development of their research career by: - Writing research publications - Compiling and presenting conference papers - Applying for jobs and postdoctoral fellowships - Engaging with IAS activities **Conference Organisation** During the course of my IAS fellowship, I organised the following events: - Publishing your Thesis in the Humanities - African Languages and Translation - Between Utopia and Dystopia: The Afterlives of Empire, The French Institute, London I am now organising a further conference at the French Institute on behalf of the Society for Francophone Postcolonial Studies. This is called The Postcolonial City and will be held in November 2011. The events I organised enabled me to discuss potential research projects with academics in related areas such as African Languages and Translation and also Francophone Postcolonial Studies. As a result, I have put together a three year research project. **Engaging with IAS activities** Whilst working at the IAS, I attended a number of skills sessions, research seminars, publishing workshops and events organised by members of the Sub-Saharan African Research Network (SSARN). It was great to have access to both the skills workshops as well as research events, which allowed for continued professional development following achievement of the PhD. **Applying for jobs and postdoctoral fellowships** During the course of my Early Career Fellowship I applied for a number of jobs and postdocs, which can be a full-time job in itself. It can be very difficult at times to remain enthusiastic and continue to give every application considered attention following any rejections. Having said this, I made sure I put great effort into each application, preparing for interviews and listening to any feedback, and this paid off in the end. **Final thoughts** It has been an exhausting year. When I finished my PhD, I am not sure I realised the hurdles I would still have to jump before attaining a full-time post. Having said that, I have thoroughly enjoyed the variation of jobs I have had the opportunity to do, I haven’t been without work and I am very excited about the pathway that my academic career is taking. **Next steps** I hope that the skills I have gained over the last year as well as my Teaching Fellowship will provide me with the experience needed to gain a permanent position. Content from Image Georgina Collins e-portfolio **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Careers, Georgina Collins, PhD to Postdoc, University of Warwick **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Stranger Things Career Tips: Teamwork, Transferable Skills](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/stranger-careers-advice/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** From the Upside Down to the workplace: season 2 tips on commercial awareness, Belbin roles, and transferable capabilities. **Content:** ![Stranger Things](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/stranger-things-300x169.jpg "stranger-things")What did you get up to this weekend? I stayed in and binge-watched series 2 of Stranger Things. I know, I know, I’m a little behind. I could pretend the delay was due to my active social life or (more believably) because I had The Defenders and Transparent to get through first. But the truth is I was terrified it wouldn’t live up to series 1. I simply couldn’t bear to see Eleven et al. in a sub-par storyline. So imagine my delight when I found that not only is series 2 just as good as the first, but it’s also choc-a-bloc with useful careers messages – Totally Tubular! Here are three careers tips I took from the upside-down world of Hawkins: #### **1) Speaking the same language helps** “The demogorgon”, “the shadow monster”, “demodogs”, “true sight”…these are terms Eleven, Mike and the gang use to navigate the scary and weird world in which they find themselves. Without these words it would be far trickier to make sense of and communicate what’s happening around them. Compared to the academic setting, new jobs and sectors can also feel like scary weird worlds. And if you don’t speak the language – something employers might describe as showing “commercial awareness” – they’ll be even more foreign. So before you attend a careers event and network with employers, and certainly before you make applications, try to learn a little of their language. The best way to do this is by [reading relevant industry publications; the blogs,](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-talking-tales-from-reading-at-my-desk-to-navigating-the-research-involvement-ocean/) magazines and journals those working in your chosen field are reading. They’ll tell you what’s going on in a strange other world, and the correct terms to describe it. #### **2) There are many ways to bring something to a team** **\[Warning: this tip contains spoilers. Soz.\]** The Stranger Things kids are a motley crew, yet they’ve managed to save eachother, Hawkins, and presumably the entire world twice. Mike’s the leader, and Eleven’s contribution is obvious, sure. But what about the rest of them? Will keeps getting lost or infected, Lucas reveals the group’s secrets, and Dustin hides a demodog. Yet they all help in their own way. Without Will, the evil-root-tunnel-thingies would never have been found. Without Lucas bringing Max on board, they never would have reached those evil-root-tunnel-thingies. And without Dustin’s bond to a demodog, they’d never have made it out of the evil-root-tunnel-thingies alive. These sorts of teamworking skills (minus the evil-root-tunnel-thingies) are attractive to most employers. So even if you’re a Dustin or a Lucas and you don’t take up the obvious leader or ideas-generator role, you have something to add. If you find it difficult to identify and communicate your contribution to a team, check out [Belbin’s team roles](https://www.belbin.com/about/belbin-team-roles/) for details of the less prominent but still vital roles people can play. #### **3) Skills can be transferred** Eleven’s telepathic skills were ideally suited to her first (enforced) career in espionage. But does that mean she can’t do anything else? No sir-ee, she didn’t let herself be pigeon-holed. She recognised her transferrable skills and carried them into a variety of settings, including anti-bullying campaigns, demogorgon elimination consultancy, and an internship at a vigilante start-up. Just like Eleven, you’ll have developed a bunch of skills throughout your PhD and post-doctoral experiences that will also be useful in other settings. It’s important to recognise what these skills are so you can speak confidently about them. It could be the research or writing skills you picked up along the way, the project management and organisational skills you used to plan your PhD and fit it around other areas of your life, the teaching skills you used to supervise students, or the communication skills you used to present your work at conferences. If you spot a skill you enjoy using, seek out further opportunities to develop it through your academic work and departmental responsibilities, or through internships and extracurricular activities. This will convince an employer it truly is a strength you can bring to their organisation. **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** S Donaldson, UCL Careers, University College London --- ### [Professor Nigel Hooper - Starting a Research Career in Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/my-advice-for-new-dementia-researchers-prof-nigel-hooper/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Starting a dementia research career? Nigel Hooper offers practical guidance for early career researchers on curiosity, collaboration, and following ideas. **Content:** **Starting a career in dementia research can feel daunting. There is a huge amount still to understand, the science moves quickly, and [building a research career](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/building-careers-in-applied-dementia-research/) brings plenty of uncertainty of its own. But it is also a field where researchers at every career stage have the opportunity to make a genuine contribution.** In this short film, [Professor Nigel Hooper](https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/nigel.hooper/) from The University of Manchester shares his advice for researchers who are just starting out. Drawing on a career spent investigating the biology of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, he reflects on what makes dementia research such an important and rewarding area to work in. For early career researchers, his message is a useful reminder that good science is about more than experiments and publications. Curiosity, collaboration, making connections and being willing to follow new ideas can all help shape where a research career goes next. Whether you are considering a PhD, have recently started working in dementia research, or are simply wondering what a career in the field might look like, Nigel offers some encouragement from someone who has seen dementia research change considerably over the course of his career. --- [![Careers in Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Careers-in-Dementia-Research-1-1024x341.png "Careers in Dementia Research")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Careers-in-Dementia-Research-1.png) **Categories:** Researcher Stories **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Professor Nigel Hooper, Researcher Stories, The University of Manchester --- ### [Interactive Guide: How PhD Skills Align with Career Demands](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/explore-the-skills-that-can-open-career-doors-after-your-doctoral-training/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Content:** **[![Door Illustration](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/blog-door-16x9-300x169.jpg "Open a Door")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/blog-door-16x9.jpg)Ph.D. holders in a variety of careers agree that they started developing many of the professional [PhD skills](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/five-transferable-skills-you-can-gain-from-a-phd/) they use in their jobs while they were in grad school. The information interpreting, data analysis, and problem solving they did as Ph.D. students were important in research and nonresearch positions alike, a [recently published survey](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185023) of 3803 science and engineering Ph.D.s shows.** However, some skills that are very important at work tend to take a back seat during Ph.D. training, the survey also highlights. Overall, respondents were least prepared for the degree of time management, team work, and personnel management their jobs require. But the importance of these professional skills also varies between career paths. For example, managing others is important for tenure-track researchers, but less so for careers in communication and consulting. Identify the skills you need to focus on with this interactive based on the survey’s data, which compares the extent a skill is developed in grad school with its importance in 12 career sectors. Scored on a scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree, respondents reported whether they believed they developed each skill during their Ph.D. training and whether the skill is important for doing their job successfully. The average scores generally fell between neutral, which lies at the center of the plots, and strongly agree at the outside edges. Coming out of grad school with the necessary professional skills can ease the transition into the workforce, as an [informal survey of new hires](https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2017/04/skills-industry-hires-need) at one company illustrates. Having these skills on hand can also make trainees more competitive in the job market. So, explore the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of jobs in a variety of sectors to shed some light on areas that you might want to start prioritizing. By [Maggie Kuo](https://www.sciencemag.org/author/maggie-kuo), [Jia You ](https://www.sciencemag.org/author/jia-you)Nov. 27, 2017 Content from Science Magazine: [https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2017/11/explore-skills-can-open-career-doors-after-your-doctoral-training ](https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2017/11/explore-skills-can-open-career-doors-after-your-doctoral-training) **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Jia YouNov, Maggie Kuo, Science Magazine --- ### [Profile - Dr Carla Abdelnour, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-carla-abdelnour-hospital-de-la-santa-creu-i-sant-pau/) **Published:** June 18, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Carla Abdelnour is a neurologist at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau researching biomarkers and personalised care in LBD and Alzheimer’s disease. **Content:** ![Dr Carla Abdelnour Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Carla-Abdelnour.jpg "Dr Carla Abdelnour")Dr Carla Abdelnour ##### Name: Dr Carla Abdelnour ##### Job title: Neurologist ##### Place of work / study: Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau ##### Area of Research: Neurodegenerative diseases ##### How is your work funded: National funding by the Carlos III Health Institute ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a physician-scientist interested in clinical research and dementia advocacy. My long-term goal is to develop a biologically based framework for personalized diagnosis and treatment of mixed neurodegenerative dementias, particularly [Lewy body dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-three-researchers-one-disease-lewy-body-dementia/) (LBD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Over more than ten years of clinical practice and research, I have witnessed the profound heterogeneity of these disorders and the urgent need for molecular tools that capture co-pathology and predict clinical trajectories. My research program integrates clinical phenotyping, fluid biomarkers, and high-dimensional proteomics to identify mechanisms underlying disease heterogeneity and progression. Beyond research, I am strongly committed to mentoring, teaching, and advocacy. At Stanford University, I mentor junior researchers Alena Smith, who won Best Student Poster at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2024 and co-authored a manuscript under review; and Hillary Vossler, who presented amyloid PET findings in Lewy Body Dementia at international conferences. I also mentor Marc Castillo, a Master’s student in Neuroscience at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and previously lectured on Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease at the International University of Catalonia (2019–2021). I have served on two PhD committees, demonstrating recognition of my expertise and contribution to training the next generation of researchers. I actively advocate for Lewy Body Dementia patients as a Board Member of the Lewy Body Dementia Association and Scientific Committee member of Lewy Body España. From 2023 to 2025, I founded and led a Spanish-language Parkinson’s disease support group in the San Francisco Bay Area, providing education and resources through monthly meetings. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love learning new things and adding hobbies to my list. In particular, I like travelling, making my own clothes, and I’m currently learning to play the guitar ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Because I want to understand how our brain works and what makes us who we are ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Search for your “why”. Be aware of your ultimate purpose and motivation; that will be your compass during your research journey ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Crucial conversations](https://amzn.to/4vkYET5). Yes, I totally recommend it ##### Favourite film of all time? Start Wars episode III ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Listening to music and going to the beach ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Marry my husband ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Anywhere if I’m with my husband ##### Do you collect anything? Nope, but I have too many fabrics. I don’t collect them, but I buy them with the hope of making clothes ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @carlaabdelnour](https://x.com/carlaabdelnour?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@carlaabdelnour.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/carlaabdelnour.bsky.social) [Find Carla on LinedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-abdelnour/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Carla Abdelnour, ISTAART, Lewy body dementia **Organisations for Bios:** Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, University of Texas **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Blog - Academia and the Sense of Self](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academia-and-the-sense-of-self/) **Published:** June 18, 2026 **Author:** Dr Yvonne Couch **Excerpt:** Dr Yvonne Couch explores how academia can blur work and self, and why a richer identity beyond research can protect confidence and value. **Content:** --- **It’s still Friday afternoon and I am still cogitating on academic life for no good reason other than it’s raining and I don’t want to go and get my PCR results from another building. But I’m hoping that my procrastination will fill at least 8 minutes of your day whilst you’re on the bus or waiting for your computer to reboot.** Today’s piece was actually inspired by a school friend who I hope will not mind me telling this story. She was my one friend from our year 5 friendship group who went off and did a PhD. All our other friends were sensible and got normal, well paid, regular jobs. This particular friend stayed in academia for some considerable time and then, voluntarily, chose to leave. We met up recently and I asked her whether she struggled when she left. She said she cried for an age the day she finished, even though it was her choice to leave and that various aspects of her job were genuinely making her unhappy, she still felt like she was losing a piece of herself. So today we’re going to explore why that might be. Because I wanted to try and make this less waffly than my other Friday afternoon piece, I thought I would look for some nice nerdy primary literature to help us all out. Turns out this is quite challenging because I don’t know all the important psychological terms for any of this so I just started by googling the question ‘why do some jobs affect your sense of self more than others’. This led me to a BBC article entitled ‘Why we define ourselves by our jobs’. This started the ball rolling with someone called Prof. Anne Wilson. Prof. Wilson runs something called the IMPETUS lab in Ontario and they study motivation and identity, amongst other things. In the BBC article, she describes how the issue with identifying yourself as your job is particularly prevalent in jobs where there is no real ‘9-5’. People who set their own hours, like academics, can end up letting their jobs fill time which ‘normal’ people would spend doing other things like having hobbies or seeing friends. I am a good example of how this can accidentally happen. I am absolutely not an over-worker by any means. I am clearly writing this instead of doing a Western blot and I have a stuffy nose so very firmly want to go home just after lunch today. But I start work between 6.30 and 7 most days so I can miss the traffic, meaning I’m usually home by 4 or so. My partner often doesn’t get home until around 7 but sometimes he comes in and I’ve sat down at the kitchen table to have a meeting or send one email and gotten distracted and am still working. At which point he very firmly tells me I’m not paid enough to work this many hours and I should stop. Wilson terms this ‘enmeshment’. This is actually a term from the field of relational psychology and is usually applied to dysfunctional families or couples. It specifically describes a ‘*dysfunctional relationship dynamic, characterized by blurred boundaries, excessive emotional dependency, and a loss of individual autonomy*’. And you can see how that would be problematic in a relationship, but even more so in a career where the factors affecting those boundaries and autonomy are so much out of your control. If you do not have a point where your job stops and you start, or where your commitments stop and your life starts, then your boundaries are blurred. If your sense of achievement is based on papers and grants, you remain at the whim of luck and timing. > These factors are important because, as Wilson goes on to point out “*If you tie \[your self-worth\] to your career, the successes and failures you experience will directly affect your self-worth*,” But how does this happen? It all starts, at least I’m going to say it all starts, with something called identity construction. According to the internet this is ‘*the ongoing, dynamic process through which individuals define who they are by synthesizing personal experiences, social interactions, and cultural contexts*’. Identity construction is basically the process by which we develop a sense of self. So you can hopefully see, after all that word salad, how our environment and our experiences within academia shape our sense of self. In the majority of academia, you don’t just learn how to do the research, you are encouraged to think critically, you are taught how to present and how to observe, you are taught how to speak and how to question, all of these things gradually become ingrained in your personality to the degree that they become part of you. They influence how you see the world and as such, how you see yourself within that world. So identity construction, or sense of self, involves learning what an ‘academic’ looks like. This involves learning the criteria by which they are judged and how they are defined as worthy. This means that evaluation is constitutive of identity. You learn what counts (money, papers, TED talks) and you shape yourself according to those criteria. But we’ve done countless versions of this blog where we discuss how opaque evaluation criteria are, how much luck and timing are involved in grant success, how much paper evaluation depends on the reviewers you get even how much better men are at going for prizes and accolades than women. > This uncertainty around evaluation leads to an uncertain sense of self. Let’s have a concrete example. I applied for a fellowship. My science was evaluated locally by people who had no skin in the game, i.e. they didn’t care about my work and were not involved in it, and they said it was good, well written and interesting. And yet I failed. Because of the inherent uncertainty in the system, my sense of self-worth and fundamentally of self, have been undermined. If I have done everything ‘right’ and still failed, and I see people doing things ‘worse’ and succeeding then where are the boundaries? I even asked a senior academic this. Clearly I failed for a reason, what did they think it was? And it apparently ‘looks different for everyone’ which is obviously an issue. If nobody understands the rules then how are we meant to play the game? We’re left thinking “I don’t know what kind of person I need to be and even whether who I am has value here” Now. Let’s move on from the self-pity and the wallowing and determine whether there’s anything we can do about it. Sarah Bentley and colleagues wrote about identity construction in a paper entitled ‘*Construction at Work: Multiple Identities Scaffold Professional Identity Development in Academia*’ which showed that PhD students are better able to construct a confident professional identity when they are not confined to a single ‘academic identity’, but rather had lots of overlapping experiences that helped them make sense of who they are. Students who had experiences beyond academia had a broader, richer sense of self, were better at seeing the PhD as a means to an end and they weren’t trapped into seeing academia as their only possible future. I was in a meeting once with a funder where we were discussing the implementation of the narrative CV and one extremely belligerent academic said that they had no interest in students who were doing anything other than science. No teaching, no hobbies, nothing. Just research. But Bentley’s work argues that this is actually bad for the sense of self. If you just do science you will end up seeing yourself, as I often do, as ‘just’ a scientist. This is not only not great for your self-esteem, but it’s also not great for your capacity to see your potential in the future. **My own identity and sense of self worth is a constant work in progress.** My experience with coaching has taught me to try and see my job as just a job and not as my entire being. My wonderful colleagues and students constantly remind me of my value. And I am trying to explore other ways of using my skills so that I have, as Bentley suggests, a fuller sense of self. These articles are part of that. Fundamentally, academia creates a stronger sense of identity because it doesn’t just reward what you do, it defines who you are, and then evaluates that continuously. So as junior academics (or even senior academics) if you’re reading this and feeling like ‘I am a researcher’ will be written on your grave, remember to go and explore some other things as well because you are not just a researcher you are a myriad of things, all of which have value somewhere. --- ![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Yvonne-Couch.jpg "Dr Yvonne Couch")Dr Yvonne Couch #### Author **[Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-yvonne-couch/)** is an Associate Professor of Neuroimmunology at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne shares her opinions, talks about science and explores different [careers topics in her monthly blogs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-disrupting-dementia-research-careers/) – she does a great job of narrating too. [@dryvonnecouch.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/dryvonnecouch.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Being a PI, Blog, Dr Yvonne Couch, Leadership, self worth, University of Oxford, Wellbeing, Work Life Balance **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Postdoc Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Profile - Dr Emma Elliott, The University of Manchester](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-elliott-the-university-of-manchester/) **Published:** June 19, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Emma Elliott is a Research Associate at The University of Manchester, studying cognitive impairment and neuropsychology in dementia research. **Content:** ![Dr Emma Elliott Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Emma-Elliott.jpg "Dr Emma Elliott")Dr Emma Elliott ##### Name: Dr Emma Elliott ##### Job title: Research Associate ##### Place of work / study: The University of Manchester ##### Area of Research: Measuring cognitive impairment and neuropsychology ##### How is your work funded: Currently funded by the Alzheimer’s Society. Previously a [DEM-COMM fellow](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-minds-in-motion-dr-katie-breheny-health-economics-in-dementia-care/) funded by NIHR/Alzheimer’s Society ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m a mixed methods researcher with a background in psychology. I’ve worked in clinical research since 2014, with roles in the NHS, university, and consultancy. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have a beautiful labrador called Willow who is a retired guide dog ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I’ve had a long-standing interest in cognitive disorders and how we can use neuropsychology to improve people’s lives. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Be proactive and follow whatever makes you passionate and curious ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’ve just started ‘[It’s all in your body](https://amzn.to/43UeesI)‘ by psychologist, Dr Sula Windgassen ##### Favourite film of all time? The Matrix ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Hiking and music ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Emma on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-elliott-researcher/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Emma Elliott, The University of Manchester **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Manchester **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [AI Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration: London Summit Insights](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ai-enabled-trials-in-neurodegeneration/) **Published:** June 19, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** LifeArc and the DEMON Network share talks from the London Summit on AI Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration, covering AI, trial design and remote trials. **Content:** ##### **[![London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AI-Summt-2026-Cover-300x229.png "AI Summt 2026 Cover")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AI-Summt-2026-Cover.png)On 27 May 2026, the [DEMON Network](https://demondementia.com/) and [LifeArc](https://www.lifearc.org/) hosted the London Summit on AI Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration, bringing together researchers, clinicians, data scientists and trial specialists to explore how artificial intelligence could reshape the way neurodegeneration trials are designed, delivered and evaluated.** Dementia Researcher attended the event to record a selection of talks for those unable to join in person. Together, these presentations offer a wide ranging look at how AI might support clinical trials, from improving recruitment and patient selection to enabling remote participation, strengthening outcome measurement, supporting personalised interventions, and helping researchers make better use of complex health data. The talks cover practical examples from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, diabetes, imaging, digital trials and platform trial design. They also raise important questions about inclusion, trust, safety, patient preference, data quality, trial efficiency and the need to ensure that new technologies support people and services in ways that are useful, ethical and realistic. - [Professor Claudia Cooper](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-claudia-cooper/) reflects on the APPLE Tree trial, a group based lifestyle intervention designed to support cognitive wellbeing in older adults at increased risk of cognitive decline. Her talk explores how prevention trials can reach the people most likely to benefit, how to reduce barriers to participation, and how future work might use AI and electronic health records to support long term follow up and implementation. - [Dr Qiang Liu](https://www.bristol.ac.uk/person/Qiang-Liu-19536bf4-770e-4fcb-8ce0-775db839d846/) discusses how multimodal AI can support more personalised clinical trials in dementia and neurodegeneration. Drawing on work with imaging, electronic health records, natural language processing, synthetic data and treatment prediction, the talk considers how AI could help identify suitable participants, analyse biomarkers, characterise cohorts and tailor treatment recommendations. - [Professor Anne Corbett](https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/25961-anne-corbett) shares learning from the PROTECT platform at the University of Exeter, showing how remote and hybrid trials can widen access, improve efficiency and support large scale dementia research. Her presentation explores online recruitment, consent, follow up, cognitive testing, home based biomarker collection, participant support, safety monitoring and the possible role of AI in future remote trials. - [Professor Lu Liu](https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/42893-lu-liu) introduces a range of AI methods for healthcare and trial design, including digital twins, medical knowledge graphs, reasoning based AI and patient to trial matching. The talk explains how these tools could support clinical prediction, identify vulnerable patients, predict deterioration, improve eligibility screening and make trial matching more transparent. - [Professor Xujiong Ye](https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/43390-xujiong-ye) focuses on causal AI and virtual clinical trials, explaining how researchers can move beyond prediction to ask what might happen if an intervention or treatment were changed. His talk introduces structured causal models, counterfactual reasoning, generative AI and trial emulation, showing how these approaches could help researchers explore treatment effects and simulate virtual populations. Together, the playlist captures an important conversation about the future of trials in neurodegeneration. It shows both the promise of AI and the practical work still needed to make these tools safe, inclusive, trustworthy and useful for researchers, clinicians, participants and people affected by dementia and related conditions. --- [ ![On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session... Professor Xujiong Ye from the University of Exeter explains how causal AI can help researchers move beyond simple prediction and ask what might happen if an intervention or treatment were changed. The talk introduces structured causal models, counterfactual reasoning and generative AI, showing how these methods can be used to simulate individual outcomes, generate realistic virtual populations, and explore treatment effects in a controlled virtual environment. Using examples from medical imaging and trial emulation, Xujiong discusses how causal AI could support future clinical trials by helping researchers understand treatment effects, adjust for confounding factors, and test approaches before applying them in real world studies. -- Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network - https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc - https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Xujiong Ye - https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/43390-xujiong-ye -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session… Professor Xujiong Ye from the University of Exeter explains how causal AI can help researchers move beyond simple prediction and ask what might happen if an intervention or treatment were changed. The talk introduces structured causal models, counterfactual reasoning and generative AI, showing how these methods can be used to simulate individual outcomes, generate realistic virtual populations, and explore treatment effects in a controlled virtual environment. Using examples from medical imaging and trial emulation, Xujiong discusses how causal AI could support future clinical trials by helping researchers understand treatment effects, adjust for confounding factors, and test approaches before applying them in real world studies. — Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network – https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc – https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Xujiong Ye – https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/43390-xujiong-ye — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch 0 0 Causal AI for Virtual Clinical Trials – Professor Xujiong Ye ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vaypeZ020o) Causal AI for Virtual Clinical Trials – Professor Xujiong Ye [ ![On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session... Professor Lu Liu from the University of Exeter explores how machine learning, medical knowledge graphs, digital twins and reasoning based AI could support future healthcare and neurodegeneration trials. The talk introduces several categories of AI methods, from data driven clinical prediction models to knowledge informed systems that combine electronic health records, medical expertise, imaging and personalised patient data. Lu explains how digital twins could help clinicians identify vulnerable patients, predict deterioration, and support earlier preventive care. The presentation also considers how AI could improve patient to trial matching by making eligibility screening faster, more transparent and easier to review, with clear reasoning around inclusion and exclusion criteria. -- Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network - https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc - https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Lu Liu - https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/42893-lu-liu -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session… Professor Lu Liu from the University of Exeter explores how machine learning, medical knowledge graphs, digital twins and reasoning based AI could support future healthcare and neurodegeneration trials. The talk introduces several categories of AI methods, from data driven clinical prediction models to knowledge informed systems that combine electronic health records, medical expertise, imaging and personalised patient data. Lu explains how digital twins could help clinicians identify vulnerable patients, predict deterioration, and support earlier preventive care. The presentation also considers how AI could improve patient to trial matching by making eligibility screening faster, more transparent and easier to review, with clear reasoning around inclusion and exclusion criteria. — Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network – https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc – https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Lu Liu – https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/42893-lu-liu — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch 3 0 AI, Digital Twins and Trial Matching – Professor Lu Liu ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX-HX9lYASo) AI, Digital Twins and Trial Matching – Professor Lu Liu [ ![On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session... Professor Anne Corbett from the University of Exeter discusses how remote and hybrid clinical trials can widen access, improve efficiency, and support large scale dementia research. Drawing on experience from the PROTECT platform, Anne explains how online recruitment, consent, follow up, cognitive testing and home based biomarker collection can allow people to take part in research without travelling to a clinic. She highlights examples including trials of vitamin D, dietary supplementation and cognitive training, showing how remote methods can support strong recruitment, retention and data quality. The talk also explores the practical challenges of remote trial delivery, including safety monitoring, participant support, digital exclusion, outcome measurement and data management. Anne considers how AI could further support participant selection, stratification, intervention allocation, compliance monitoring and treatment response in future trials. -- Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network - https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc - https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Anne Corbett - https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/25961-anne-corbett -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session… Professor Anne Corbett from the University of Exeter discusses how remote and hybrid clinical trials can widen access, improve efficiency, and support large scale dementia research. Drawing on experience from the PROTECT platform, Anne explains how online recruitment, consent, follow up, cognitive testing and home based biomarker collection can allow people to take part in research without travelling to a clinic. She highlights examples including trials of vitamin D, dietary supplementation and cognitive training, showing how remote methods can support strong recruitment, retention and data quality. The talk also explores the practical challenges of remote trial delivery, including safety monitoring, participant support, digital exclusion, outcome measurement and data management. Anne considers how AI could further support participant selection, stratification, intervention allocation, compliance monitoring and treatment response in future trials. — Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network – https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc – https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Anne Corbett – https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/25961-anne-corbett — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch 0 0 Remote Trials for Dementia Research – Professor Anne Corbett ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS_WRq1GrAE) Remote Trials for Dementia Research – Professor Anne Corbett [ ![On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session... Dr Qiang Liu explores how artificial intelligence can support more personalised and inclusive clinical trials in dementia and neurodegeneration. Drawing on work across multimodal data, imaging, clinical records, language models and treatment prediction, the talk shows how AI can help identify suitable participants, analyse biomarkers, support cohort characterisation, and tailor treatment recommendations to individual patients. Qiang also discusses lessons from work in depression trials, including the role of patient preferences, synthetic data, avatars and rule based AI systems, and considers how these approaches could inform future dementia trials. -- Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network - https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc - https://www.lifearc.org/ Dr Qiang Liu - https://www.bristol.ac.uk/person/Qiang-Liu-19536bf4-770e-4fcb-8ce0-775db839d846/ -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session… Dr Qiang Liu explores how artificial intelligence can support more personalised and inclusive clinical trials in dementia and neurodegeneration. Drawing on work across multimodal data, imaging, clinical records, language models and treatment prediction, the talk shows how AI can help identify suitable participants, analyse biomarkers, support cohort characterisation, and tailor treatment recommendations to individual patients. Qiang also discusses lessons from work in depression trials, including the role of patient preferences, synthetic data, avatars and rule based AI systems, and considers how these approaches could inform future dementia trials. — Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network – https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc – https://www.lifearc.org/ Dr Qiang Liu – https://www.bristol.ac.uk/person/Qiang-Liu-19536bf4-770e-4fcb-8ce0-775db839d846/ — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch 1 0 Using Multimodal AI to Personalise Trials – Dr Qiang Liu ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ihyu2nR7hs) Using Multimodal AI to Personalise Trials – Dr Qiang Liu [ ![On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session... Professor Claudia Cooper from Queen Mary University of London reflects on the APPLE Tree trial, a group based lifestyle intervention designed to support cognitive wellbeing in older adults at increased risk of cognitive decline. In this talk, Claudia discusses the challenges of dementia prevention research, including how to reach people most likely to benefit, reduce barriers to participation, support lasting behaviour change, and avoid increasing anxiety among the worried well. She also shares learning from delivering the trial during the COVID pandemic, the importance of peer support and community connection, and early findings around diet, cognition and cost effectiveness. The presentation also considers where AI and electronic health records may help future trials, particularly in follow up, data collection and implementation in real world care settings. -- Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network - https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc - https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Claudia Cooper - https://www.nihr.ac.uk/people/professor-claudia-cooper -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)On the 27th May 2026 the DEMON Network and LifeArc hosted the "London Summit on AI-Enabled Trials in Neurodegeneration". In this session… Professor Claudia Cooper from Queen Mary University of London reflects on the APPLE Tree trial, a group based lifestyle intervention designed to support cognitive wellbeing in older adults at increased risk of cognitive decline. In this talk, Claudia discusses the challenges of dementia prevention research, including how to reach people most likely to benefit, reduce barriers to participation, support lasting behaviour change, and avoid increasing anxiety among the worried well. She also shares learning from delivering the trial during the COVID pandemic, the importance of peer support and community connection, and early findings around diet, cognition and cost effectiveness. The presentation also considers where AI and electronic health records may help future trials, particularly in follow up, data collection and implementation in real world care settings. — Find out more: Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network – https://demondementia.com/ LifeArc – https://www.lifearc.org/ Professor Claudia Cooper – https://www.nihr.ac.uk/people/professor-claudia-cooper — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch 0 0 Dementia Prevention Trials & The APPLE-Tree Study – Professor Claudia Cooper ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhI799cg13M) Dementia Prevention Trials & The APPLE-Tree Study – Professor Claudia Cooper [ Subscribe ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1qv0E1UzNPtGhz2nQaoig/) --- **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AI Trials, ARC, Artificial Intelligence, Clinical trials, DEMON Network, Dr Qiang Liu, Professor Anne Corbett, Professor Claudia Cooper, Professor Lu Liu, Professor Paresh Malhotra, Professor Xujiong Ye --- ### [Profile - Dr Michael Belloy, Washington University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-michael-belloy-washington-university/) **Published:** June 22, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Michael Belloy is an Assistant Professor at Washington University, studying Alzheimer’s genetics, sex differences, ancestry and disease resilience. **Content:** ![Dr Michael Belloy Profile picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Michael-Belloy.jpg "Dr Michael Belloy")Dr Michael Belloy ##### Name: Dr Michael Belloy ##### Job title: Assistant Professor ##### Place of work / study: Washington University ##### Area of Research: Our research is dedicated to understanding the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. We focus on questions surrounding [sex differences](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/sex-differences-in-alzheimers-parkinsons-blood/), the influence of ancestry, and disease heterogeneity. ##### How is your work funded: NIA, Alzheimer’s Association, Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Knight Family Early Stage Investigator Program ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am part of the Neurogenomics and Informatics Center, NGI. My lab leads research on age related neurological and dementia disorders using a multi modal, big data approach that combines genetics, multi omics, imaging, biomarkers, clinical data and histopathological data. My main goal is to identify new genetic risk variants for Alzheimer’s disease, understand their molecular pathways, and use this knowledge to support drug development and personalised medicine. My current research focuses on three areas: sex dimorphism, supported by an R00 grant, the role of ancestry, and disease heterogeneity and resilience. I also serve as vice chair of the Sex and Gender Differences Professional Interest Area for the Alzheimer’s Association. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I don’t have one right now. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I simply find this an interesting and important area of research which made me choose it over other options ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t hesitate to pursue and ask for what you want ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Nothing right now ##### Favourite film of all time? Hard to choose one, but generally enjoy Marvel movies ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Gym, hiking, weekend city trips, a good Belgian beer ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Perhaps a bit cheesy, but probably marrying my wife 🙂 ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Hawaii ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @BelloyMichael](https://x.com/BelloyMichael?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Michael on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-belloy-b73a1b6b/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Michael Belloy, Sex and gender, Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease PIA, Washington University **Organisations for Bios:** Washington State University **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Epigenetics --- ### [Research from the ARUK Thames Valley Conference](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/research-from-the-aruk-thames-valley-conference/) **Published:** June 23, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Watch the main plenary and five flash talks from the ARUK Thames Valley Research Conference, covering dementia science from cells to care. **Content:** ##### **[![Promotional graphic for the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Network Dementia Research Day playlist. The design has a dark grey background with orange and white geometric panels. Large white text reads “Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Network Dementia Research Day”. Below are headshots of Professor Paul Matthews, Dr Kristijan Jovanoski, Dr Gloria Wong, Dr Elizabeth Dellar, Dr Sybille Marchese and Helen Jolly. The Dementia Researcher logo appears near the top right, a For A Cure logo appears bottom left, and a “Watch Now” button with a play icon appears bottom right.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Alzheimers-Research-UK-Northern-Alliance-ECR-Event-2-300x229.png "ARUK TV Network Meeting 2026")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Alzheimers-Research-UK-Northern-Alliance-ECR-Event-2.png)On 17th June 2026, Dementia Researcher joined the [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/) Thames Valley Research Network for its annual research conference, a day bringing together researchers from across the region to share new findings, ideas and approaches in dementia and neurodegeneration research.** We were pleased to record a selection of talks from the event, including the main plenary lecture and five flash talks. These recordings do not represent the full conference programme, but they offer a valuable snapshot of the breadth of science presented on the day, from fundamental disease mechanisms through to applied interventions, biomarker discovery and new approaches to diagnosis. The playlist includes [Professor Paul Matthews](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/paul-m-matthews-0a4344a), Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, discussing mechanisms of inflammatory neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. His plenary lecture explores the role of microglia, astrocytes, genetic risk, systemic inflammation and emerging tools that may help researchers better understand and target early disease processes. The five flash talks showcase a wide range of current research. [Helen Jolly](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/from-molecules-to-mind-early-career-research-at-the-aruk-conference/) presents work on subcellular proteomics and protein mislocalisation in Alzheimer’s disease, exploring not only how much of a protein is present, but where it is located within cells. [Dr Sybille Marchese](https://www.chg.ox.ac.uk/people/sybille-marchese) discusses new iPSC derived neuron models designed to study 4R tau splicing and tau aggregation. [Dr Elizabeth Dellar](https://www.ndcn.ox.ac.uk/team/elizabeth-dellar) shares research on cerebrospinal fluid extracellular vesicle proteomics in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and how this may help identify prognostic protein signatures. [Dr Gloria Wong](https://www.reading.ac.uk/pcls/staff/gloria-wong) presents preliminary findings on brain changes in people with dementia receiving Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. [Dr Kristijan Jovanoski](https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/team/kristijan-jovanoski) examines whether machine learning and neuropathology can help distinguish dementia with Lewy bodies from Parkinson’s disease dementia. Together, the talks reflect the range of methods now being used to understand neurodegenerative disease, including imaging, proteomics, stem cell models, post mortem tissue analysis, psychosocial intervention research and data driven approaches. They also show how dementia research increasingly crosses traditional boundaries, connecting molecular biology, clinical science, psychology, technology and care. We are grateful to the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Network for inviting Dementia Researcher along, and to all of the speakers who allowed us to share their work more widely. Dementia Researcher also recorded a podcast at the conference, featuring further discussion from the event and the people behind the research. That episode will be released in the next few weeks. --- [ ![Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this lecture features Professor Paul Matthews, Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, speaking on mechanisms of inflammatory neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Matthews explores how inflammation in the brain may contribute to the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. He focuses in particular on the roles of microglia and astrocytes, two types of glial cells that help regulate immune activity, synaptic function, tissue repair, and communication between the brain and the body. The talk considers why these cells are so important in Alzheimer’s research, how genetic risk factors may influence inflammatory responses, and how new tools in imaging, molecular analysis, and physical sciences could help researchers better understand disease mechanisms and identify future therapeutic targets. Professor Matthews also discusses the work of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, a national research institute based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, and its role in bringing physical sciences, advanced imaging, mass spectrometry, chemistry, and AI supported methods into life science discovery. The session is introduced by Professor Clare Mackay from the University of Oxford, who reflects on Professor Matthews’ long standing contribution to imaging, neuroscience, dementia research, and scientific leadership. Speaker notes Professor Paul Matthews is Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute. He is also the Edmond J. and Lily Safra Professor of Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics at Imperial College London and a Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial. His research focuses on neuroinflammatory mechanisms in neurodegeneration, with particular attention to Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. His work uses approaches including MRI, PET imaging, epidemiology and molecular omics to understand disease mechanisms and support translational research. Professor Clare Mackay is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, Associate Director and Head of Translation at the Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, and Co Theme Lead for Dementia at the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre. Her research uses neuroimaging to understand risk for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disease, and she is also the academic lead for the Oxford Brain Health Clinic. -- Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network - https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Professor Paul Matthews - https://www.rfi.ac.uk/our-people/paul-matthews/ -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Paul and his scientific journey 01:04 Paul's transition from academia to industry and leadership roles 02:24 The importance of creativity in scientific research 02:57 Overview of the Rosalind Franklin Institute and its focus on physical sciences in biology 08:24 Mechanisms of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease 09:12 Microglia: the brain's immune cells and their diverse roles 11:39 Microglia activation states and their significance 13:11 The role of astrocytes in brain health and disease 15:24 Microglia-astrocyte interactions in neuroinflammation 20:45 Microglia's central role in Alzheimer's pathology 21:33 Genetic insights into Alzheimer's disease 23:20 Environmental factors and viral associations in neurodegeneration 25:42 Cell signaling pathways in microglial responses 28:58 Gene expression and microglial response to amyloid beta 31:22 Spatial propagation of inflammatory signals in the brain 37:23 Microglia and astrocyte responses in Alzheimer's variants 41:45 Therapeutic implications and future directions in glial research 48:35 Biomarkers and environmental risk factors in neurodegeneration 49:55 Emerging therapeutic strategies targeting glial cells](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this lecture features Professor Paul Matthews, Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, speaking on mechanisms of inflammatory neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Matthews explores how inflammation in the brain may contribute to the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. He focuses in particular on the roles of microglia and astrocytes, two types of glial cells that help regulate immune activity, synaptic function, tissue repair, and communication between the brain and the body. The talk considers why these cells are so important in Alzheimer’s research, how genetic risk factors may influence inflammatory responses, and how new tools in imaging, molecular analysis, and physical sciences could help researchers better understand disease mechanisms and identify future therapeutic targets. Professor Matthews also discusses the work of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, a national research institute based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, and its role in bringing physical sciences, advanced imaging, mass spectrometry, chemistry, and AI supported methods into life science discovery. The session is introduced by Professor Clare Mackay from the University of Oxford, who reflects on Professor Matthews’ long standing contribution to imaging, neuroscience, dementia research, and scientific leadership. Speaker notes Professor Paul Matthews is Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute. He is also the Edmond J. and Lily Safra Professor of Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics at Imperial College London and a Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial. His research focuses on neuroinflammatory mechanisms in neurodegeneration, with particular attention to Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. His work uses approaches including MRI, PET imaging, epidemiology and molecular omics to understand disease mechanisms and support translational research. Professor Clare Mackay is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, Associate Director and Head of Translation at the Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, and Co Theme Lead for Dementia at the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre. Her research uses neuroimaging to understand risk for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disease, and she is also the academic lead for the Oxford Brain Health Clinic. — Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network – https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Professor Paul Matthews – https://www.rfi.ac.uk/our-people/paul-matthews/ — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Paul and his scientific journey 01:04 Paul's transition from academia to industry and leadership roles 02:24 The importance of creativity in scientific research 02:57 Overview of the Rosalind Franklin Institute and its focus on physical sciences in biology 08:24 Mechanisms of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease 09:12 Microglia: the brain's immune cells and their diverse roles 11:39 Microglia activation states and their significance 13:11 The role of astrocytes in brain health and disease 15:24 Microglia-astrocyte interactions in neuroinflammation 20:45 Microglia's central role in Alzheimer's pathology 21:33 Genetic insights into Alzheimer's disease 23:20 Environmental factors and viral associations in neurodegeneration 25:42 Cell signaling pathways in microglial responses 28:58 Gene expression and microglial response to amyloid beta 31:22 Spatial propagation of inflammatory signals in the brain 37:23 Microglia and astrocyte responses in Alzheimer's variants 41:45 Therapeutic implications and future directions in glial research 48:35 Biomarkers and environmental risk factors in neurodegeneration 49:55 Emerging therapeutic strategies targeting glial cells 4 0 Mechanisms of inflammatory Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease – Professor Paul Matthews ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cihX03YWhzU) Mechanisms of inflammatory Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease – Professor Paul Matthews [ ![Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Helen Jolly from the University of Oxford discussing subcellular proteomics in Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than only asking whether protein levels go up or down in Alzheimer’s disease, this research asks a different question: where are proteins located inside cells, and does that location change in disease? Helen explains how subcellular fractionation can be used to separate brain tissue into different cellular compartments, creating a map of protein localisation. Using brain tissue from the ROSMAP cohort, the study compares people with Alzheimer’s disease, control participants, and people with high Alzheimer’s pathology who remained cognitively resilient. The talk highlights how some proteins appear to shift location within cells in Alzheimer’s disease, even when their overall abundance does not change. These changes may point to disrupted trafficking, synaptic vesicle processes, spliceosome movement, and other mechanisms that could help researchers understand vulnerability and resilience in the Alzheimer’s brain. Helen also discusses early findings around proteins that may not have been detected in previous whole tissue proteomic studies because their total levels did not change, but their subcellular distribution did. This approach opens up new ways to study disease mechanisms beyond simple changes in protein abundance. Speaker notes Helen Jolly is a DPhil researcher at the University of Oxford, based in the Centre for Human Genetics and associated with the Institute for Molecular and Computational Medicine. Her PhD project focuses on modelling protein localisation and interactions at subcellular resolution in brain tissue from individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive resilience, as well as in iPSC neuronal models of tauopathy. Her work also uses multiomic statistical approaches to investigate mechanisms linked to vulnerability and resilience. This talk builds on Helen’s work using subcellular proteomics to investigate Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive resilience, including research presented through Oxford’s Genomics Data Forum under the title “Sub cellular proteomics to investigate cognitive resilience in Alzheimer’s disease”. -- Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network - https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Helen Jolly - https://www.chg.ox.ac.uk/people/helen-jolly -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch Chapters 0:06 Introduces the study question: protein abundance vs. protein distribution in cells 0:36 Explains subcellular localization and the fractionation method 1:03 Shows canonical organelle markers and how the fractions behave 1:32 Applies the method to ROSMAP brain tissue from controls, AD, and resilient individuals 2:02 Introduces protein mislocalization as a disease signal independent of abundance 2:31 Example with APP/amyloid showing abundance and fraction shifts across conditions 2:59 Describes modeling spatial change across seven fractions 3:26 Reports around 220 proteins predicted to mislocalize by disease 3:54 Highlights converging pathways like dynactin, AP3, and spliceosome-related proteins 4:23 Discusses top hit SCAI and plans for tissue- and cell-based validation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Helen Jolly from the University of Oxford discussing subcellular proteomics in Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than only asking whether protein levels go up or down in Alzheimer’s disease, this research asks a different question: where are proteins located inside cells, and does that location change in disease? Helen explains how subcellular fractionation can be used to separate brain tissue into different cellular compartments, creating a map of protein localisation. Using brain tissue from the ROSMAP cohort, the study compares people with Alzheimer’s disease, control participants, and people with high Alzheimer’s pathology who remained cognitively resilient. The talk highlights how some proteins appear to shift location within cells in Alzheimer’s disease, even when their overall abundance does not change. These changes may point to disrupted trafficking, synaptic vesicle processes, spliceosome movement, and other mechanisms that could help researchers understand vulnerability and resilience in the Alzheimer’s brain. Helen also discusses early findings around proteins that may not have been detected in previous whole tissue proteomic studies because their total levels did not change, but their subcellular distribution did. This approach opens up new ways to study disease mechanisms beyond simple changes in protein abundance. Speaker notes Helen Jolly is a DPhil researcher at the University of Oxford, based in the Centre for Human Genetics and associated with the Institute for Molecular and Computational Medicine. Her PhD project focuses on modelling protein localisation and interactions at subcellular resolution in brain tissue from individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive resilience, as well as in iPSC neuronal models of tauopathy. Her work also uses multiomic statistical approaches to investigate mechanisms linked to vulnerability and resilience. This talk builds on Helen’s work using subcellular proteomics to investigate Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive resilience, including research presented through Oxford’s Genomics Data Forum under the title “Sub cellular proteomics to investigate cognitive resilience in Alzheimer’s disease”. — Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network – https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Helen Jolly – https://www.chg.ox.ac.uk/people/helen-jolly — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch Chapters 0:06 Introduces the study question: protein abundance vs. protein distribution in cells 0:36 Explains subcellular localization and the fractionation method 1:03 Shows canonical organelle markers and how the fractions behave 1:32 Applies the method to ROSMAP brain tissue from controls, AD, and resilient individuals 2:02 Introduces protein mislocalization as a disease signal independent of abundance 2:31 Example with APP/amyloid showing abundance and fraction shifts across conditions 2:59 Describes modeling spatial change across seven fractions 3:26 Reports around 220 proteins predicted to mislocalize by disease 3:54 Highlights converging pathways like dynactin, AP3, and spliceosome-related proteins 4:23 Discusses top hit SCAI and plans for tissue- and cell-based validation 2 0 Subcellular Proteomics in Alzheimer’s Disease – Helen Jolly ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8W3ynb_pbM) Subcellular Proteomics in Alzheimer’s Disease – Helen Jolly [ ![Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Sybille Marchese from the University of Oxford discussing new approaches to modelling tau pathology in human iPSC derived neurons. Tau is a key protein involved in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. In the adult human brain, tau exists in different forms, including 3R and 4R tau. However, modelling tau pathology in the lab has been difficult because iPSC derived neurons typically express mainly 3R tau, making it harder to reproduce the tau biology seen in the adult human brain. In this presentation, Dr Marchese explains how her team is developing more human relevant, reproducible, and scalable neuronal models for studying tauopathies. Using rational design and splice AI, the team identified non coding intronic mutations that increase 4R tau expression, enabling the creation of cell lines that more closely reflect adult human tau expression patterns. The talk also describes how these models can be used to generate tau assemblies, including Triton insoluble tau aggregates, and to study whether these assemblies resemble the tau conformations found in human disease. This work could help researchers better understand tau aggregation, test disease mechanisms, and develop more relevant models for future therapeutic research. Speaker notes Dr Sybille Marchese is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Fowler Lab at the University of Oxford’s Centre for Human Genetics, within the Oxford GSK Institute of Molecular and Computational Medicine. Her current work combines spatial proteomics and super resolution imaging to investigate changes in the subcellular localisation of tau following pathological assembly in iPSC models of tauopathy. Before joining Oxford in 2024, Dr Marchese completed her PhD at the University of St Andrews, where she studied early receptor mediated mechanisms leading to neuronal dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. Her background includes synaptic biology, amyloid beta oligomers, neuronal plasticity, advanced imaging, and tau biology. -- Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network - https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Sybille Marchese - https://www.chg.ox.ac.uk/people/sybille-marchese -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Tau and Its Importance in Neuroscience 02:31 Challenges in Modeling Tau Pathology 04:50 Innovative Approaches to Tau Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Sybille Marchese from the University of Oxford discussing new approaches to modelling tau pathology in human iPSC derived neurons. Tau is a key protein involved in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. In the adult human brain, tau exists in different forms, including 3R and 4R tau. However, modelling tau pathology in the lab has been difficult because iPSC derived neurons typically express mainly 3R tau, making it harder to reproduce the tau biology seen in the adult human brain. In this presentation, Dr Marchese explains how her team is developing more human relevant, reproducible, and scalable neuronal models for studying tauopathies. Using rational design and splice AI, the team identified non coding intronic mutations that increase 4R tau expression, enabling the creation of cell lines that more closely reflect adult human tau expression patterns. The talk also describes how these models can be used to generate tau assemblies, including Triton insoluble tau aggregates, and to study whether these assemblies resemble the tau conformations found in human disease. This work could help researchers better understand tau aggregation, test disease mechanisms, and develop more relevant models for future therapeutic research. Speaker notes Dr Sybille Marchese is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Fowler Lab at the University of Oxford’s Centre for Human Genetics, within the Oxford GSK Institute of Molecular and Computational Medicine. Her current work combines spatial proteomics and super resolution imaging to investigate changes in the subcellular localisation of tau following pathological assembly in iPSC models of tauopathy. Before joining Oxford in 2024, Dr Marchese completed her PhD at the University of St Andrews, where she studied early receptor mediated mechanisms leading to neuronal dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. Her background includes synaptic biology, amyloid beta oligomers, neuronal plasticity, advanced imaging, and tau biology. — Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network – https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Sybille Marchese – https://www.chg.ox.ac.uk/people/sybille-marchese — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Tau and Its Importance in Neuroscience 02:31 Challenges in Modeling Tau Pathology 04:50 Innovative Approaches to Tau Research 0 0 4R Tau Splicing in iPSC Neurons – Dr Sybille Marchese ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1OzmBXEmU4) 4R Tau Splicing in iPSC Neurons – Dr Sybille Marchese [ ![Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Elizabeth Dellar from the University of Oxford presenting research on cerebrospinal fluid extracellular vesicle proteomics in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Current ALS biomarkers are largely based on neurofilament proteins, which reflect nerve cell damage. In this talk, Dr Dellar explains why researchers are looking for additional biomarkers that may reveal more about the underlying biological mechanisms driving disease. The presentation focuses on extracellular vesicles, small membrane bound particles released by cells that carry molecular cargo, including proteins. By capturing extracellular vesicles from cerebrospinal fluid and analysing their protein content using mass spectrometry, the team aims to identify protein signatures that may provide new information about ALS progression, survival, and disease biology. Dr Dellar describes how this approach can reveal signals that are not easily detected in whole cerebrospinal fluid alone. The work identifies extracellular vesicle enriched protein modules associated with survival and disability progression in ALS, as well as individual proteins with prognostic potential comparable to neurofilament light, one of the best existing ALS biomarkers. This research suggests that extracellular vesicle proteomics could help enrich biomarker discovery in ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, offering new ways to study disease mechanisms and support future therapeutic research. Speaker notes Dr Elizabeth Dellar is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular interest in extracellular vesicles and the use of biofluid based approaches to better understand early disease mechanisms. Her recent work includes research using data independent acquisition mass spectrometry to profile cerebrospinal fluid in ALS, aiming to identify biomarkers and biological pathways linked to disease processes. -- Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network - https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Elizabeth Dellar - https://www.ndcn.ox.ac.uk/team/elizabeth-dellar -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to ALS and Biomarkers 03:04 Exploring Extracellular Vesicles in ALS Research 04:53 Network Analysis and Clinical Correlations in ALS](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Elizabeth Dellar from the University of Oxford presenting research on cerebrospinal fluid extracellular vesicle proteomics in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Current ALS biomarkers are largely based on neurofilament proteins, which reflect nerve cell damage. In this talk, Dr Dellar explains why researchers are looking for additional biomarkers that may reveal more about the underlying biological mechanisms driving disease. The presentation focuses on extracellular vesicles, small membrane bound particles released by cells that carry molecular cargo, including proteins. By capturing extracellular vesicles from cerebrospinal fluid and analysing their protein content using mass spectrometry, the team aims to identify protein signatures that may provide new information about ALS progression, survival, and disease biology. Dr Dellar describes how this approach can reveal signals that are not easily detected in whole cerebrospinal fluid alone. The work identifies extracellular vesicle enriched protein modules associated with survival and disability progression in ALS, as well as individual proteins with prognostic potential comparable to neurofilament light, one of the best existing ALS biomarkers. This research suggests that extracellular vesicle proteomics could help enrich biomarker discovery in ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, offering new ways to study disease mechanisms and support future therapeutic research. Speaker notes Dr Elizabeth Dellar is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular interest in extracellular vesicles and the use of biofluid based approaches to better understand early disease mechanisms. Her recent work includes research using data independent acquisition mass spectrometry to profile cerebrospinal fluid in ALS, aiming to identify biomarkers and biological pathways linked to disease processes. — Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network – https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Elizabeth Dellar – https://www.ndcn.ox.ac.uk/team/elizabeth-dellar — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to ALS and Biomarkers 03:04 Exploring Extracellular Vesicles in ALS Research 04:53 Network Analysis and Clinical Correlations in ALS 1 0 CSF Extracellular Vesicle Proteomics in ALS – Dr Elizabeth Dellar ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg3G4gy2QKo) CSF Extracellular Vesicle Proteomics in ALS – Dr Elizabeth Dellar [ ![Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Gloria Wong from the University of Reading discussing brain changes in people with dementia receiving Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, also known as CST. CST is a structured, group based intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia. Rather than using brain stimulation, CST brings people together for activities, games and discussions that are socially engaging and personally meaningful. Evidence from previous studies has shown that CST can provide modest cognitive benefits, alongside benefits for quality of life, and it is recommended by NICE for people with mild to moderate dementia. In this talk, Dr Wong asks an important question: if CST can support cognition and quality of life, what might be happening in the brain? She presents preliminary neuroimaging findings from pilot studies exploring whether CST is associated with changes in functional connectivity and brain structure. One study, conducted in Hong Kong, examined changes in networks linked to autobiographical memory, self representation, executive function and language. Early findings suggested increased connectivity in the default mode network after CST, while measures linked to brain reserve and cognitive reserve appeared to predict cognitive benefit. The talk also discusses pilot work from collaborators in Brazil, using structural MRI to explore cortical thickness changes following CST. These early results raise questions about how social interaction, reduced stress, language use, verbal working memory and neuroplasticity may contribute to the effects of CST. Dr Wong emphasises that these findings are preliminary, but they point towards important future research on how psychosocial interventions may influence the brain in dementia. Speaker notes Dr Gloria Wong is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading. Her specialist areas include dementia, psychosis, mental health and ageing, with research interests spanning cognitive stimulation, self concept, personhood, language and psychopathology, and early intervention in psychiatry. She is also connected to the International Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Centre and has worked on CST implementation, training and research, including studies of CST in Hong Kong and international collaborations on the mechanisms and delivery of CST for people with dementia. -- Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network - https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Gloria Wong - https://www.reading.ac.uk/pcls/staff/gloria-wong -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cognitive Stimulation Therapy 02:35 Evidence and Benefits of CST 04:34 Preliminary Findings and Future Directions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Gloria Wong from the University of Reading discussing brain changes in people with dementia receiving Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, also known as CST. CST is a structured, group based intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia. Rather than using brain stimulation, CST brings people together for activities, games and discussions that are socially engaging and personally meaningful. Evidence from previous studies has shown that CST can provide modest cognitive benefits, alongside benefits for quality of life, and it is recommended by NICE for people with mild to moderate dementia. In this talk, Dr Wong asks an important question: if CST can support cognition and quality of life, what might be happening in the brain? She presents preliminary neuroimaging findings from pilot studies exploring whether CST is associated with changes in functional connectivity and brain structure. One study, conducted in Hong Kong, examined changes in networks linked to autobiographical memory, self representation, executive function and language. Early findings suggested increased connectivity in the default mode network after CST, while measures linked to brain reserve and cognitive reserve appeared to predict cognitive benefit. The talk also discusses pilot work from collaborators in Brazil, using structural MRI to explore cortical thickness changes following CST. These early results raise questions about how social interaction, reduced stress, language use, verbal working memory and neuroplasticity may contribute to the effects of CST. Dr Wong emphasises that these findings are preliminary, but they point towards important future research on how psychosocial interventions may influence the brain in dementia. Speaker notes Dr Gloria Wong is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading. Her specialist areas include dementia, psychosis, mental health and ageing, with research interests spanning cognitive stimulation, self concept, personhood, language and psychopathology, and early intervention in psychiatry. She is also connected to the International Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Centre and has worked on CST implementation, training and research, including studies of CST in Hong Kong and international collaborations on the mechanisms and delivery of CST for people with dementia. — Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network – https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Gloria Wong – https://www.reading.ac.uk/pcls/staff/gloria-wong — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cognitive Stimulation Therapy 02:35 Evidence and Benefits of CST 04:34 Preliminary Findings and Future Directions 3 0 Brain Changes in Dementia After Cognitive Stimulation Therapy – Dr Gloria Wong ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fE3is58zBc) Brain Changes in Dementia After Cognitive Stimulation Therapy – Dr Gloria Wong [ ![Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Kristijan Jovanoski from the University of Oxford presenting research on Lewy body dementias. Lewy body dementias include dementia with Lewy bodies, often shortened to DLB, and Parkinson’s disease dementia, often shortened to PDD. These conditions share Lewy body pathology, but in clinical practice they are commonly separated using the “one year rule”: if dementia develops before, or within one year of, Parkinsonism, the diagnosis is usually DLB; if dementia develops later, it is usually classed as PDD. In this talk, Dr Jovanoski asks whether DLB and PDD are truly biologically distinct conditions, or whether they are being separated mainly by the timing of symptoms. Using 668 post mortem cases from the Oxford Brain Bank and the Parkinson’s UK Brain Bank, the team trained a machine learning model to predict clinical diagnosis from neuropathology. The analysis included healthy controls, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s disease dementia. The findings suggest that DLB is not defined by Lewy body pathology alone. Instead, the model identified Alzheimer’s disease pathology, including tau pathology and neuritic plaques, as important features distinguishing DLB from PDD. This supports the idea that DLB may be better understood as a combination of Lewy body and Alzheimer’s pathology, while PDD more closely resembles Parkinson’s disease. The talk highlights how data driven approaches could support more biologically informed classification of Lewy body dementias, with the longer term goal of improving diagnosis, treatment selection and care for people affected by these conditions. Speaker notes Dr Kristijan Jovanoski is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the University of Oxford. He is listed within Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences Translational Neuropathology Group, which studies Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body diseases and related neurodegenerative conditions. His work brings together neuropathology, neuroscience and data driven methods to better understand the biological features that distinguish overlapping neurodegenerative diseases, including Lewy body dementias. -- Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network - https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Kristijan Jovanoski - https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/team/kristijan-jovanoski -- Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social #dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Lewy body dementia 00:28 What DLB and PDD are, and the one-year rule 01:25 The core question: are they biologically distinct? 01:54 Brain bank study and machine learning approach 02:24 Model performance and what it found 02:53 Why Alzheimer’s co-pathology matters 03:49 What the findings mean for diagnosis and classification 04:17 Conclusion and future direction](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Research Conference on 17th June 2026, this talk features Dr Kristijan Jovanoski from the University of Oxford presenting research on Lewy body dementias. Lewy body dementias include dementia with Lewy bodies, often shortened to DLB, and Parkinson’s disease dementia, often shortened to PDD. These conditions share Lewy body pathology, but in clinical practice they are commonly separated using the “one year rule”: if dementia develops before, or within one year of, Parkinsonism, the diagnosis is usually DLB; if dementia develops later, it is usually classed as PDD. In this talk, Dr Jovanoski asks whether DLB and PDD are truly biologically distinct conditions, or whether they are being separated mainly by the timing of symptoms. Using 668 post mortem cases from the Oxford Brain Bank and the Parkinson’s UK Brain Bank, the team trained a machine learning model to predict clinical diagnosis from neuropathology. The analysis included healthy controls, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s disease dementia. The findings suggest that DLB is not defined by Lewy body pathology alone. Instead, the model identified Alzheimer’s disease pathology, including tau pathology and neuritic plaques, as important features distinguishing DLB from PDD. This supports the idea that DLB may be better understood as a combination of Lewy body and Alzheimer’s pathology, while PDD more closely resembles Parkinson’s disease. The talk highlights how data driven approaches could support more biologically informed classification of Lewy body dementias, with the longer term goal of improving diagnosis, treatment selection and care for people affected by these conditions. Speaker notes Dr Kristijan Jovanoski is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the University of Oxford. He is listed within Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences Translational Neuropathology Group, which studies Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body diseases and related neurodegenerative conditions. His work brings together neuropathology, neuroscience and data driven methods to better understand the biological features that distinguish overlapping neurodegenerative diseases, including Lewy body dementias. — Find out more: Alzheimer's Research UK Network – https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/network-centres Dr Kristijan Jovanoski – https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/team/kristijan-jovanoski — Dementia Researcher works alongside events organisers to share their work. If you're organising a dementia research event and would like us to record or share your talks, to get them open access and to reach a wider audience, get in touch: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social \#dementiaresearch Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Lewy body dementia 00:28 What DLB and PDD are, and the one-year rule 01:25 The core question: are they biologically distinct? 01:54 Brain bank study and machine learning approach 02:24 Model performance and what it found 02:53 Why Alzheimer’s co-pathology matters 03:49 What the findings mean for diagnosis and classification 04:17 Conclusion and future direction 1 0 Predicting Clinical Diagnosis and Pathology in Lewy Body Dementias – Dr Kristijan Jovanoski ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM8EAegiwo4) Predicting Clinical Diagnosis and Pathology in Lewy Body Dementias – Dr Kristijan Jovanoski [ Subscribe ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1qv0E1UzNPtGhz2nQaoig/) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer’s Research UK Resources, Dr Elizabeth Dellar, Dr Gloria Wong, Dr Kristijan Jovanoski, Dr Sybille Marchese, Helen Jolly, Professor Paul Matthews --- ### [Profile - Lillian Morgado, Georgia State University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-lillian-morgado-georgia-state-university/) **Published:** June 23, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Lillian Morgado is a Research Coordinator at Georgia State University, studying dementia, policy, justice, data sharing and biomarker disclosure ethics. **Content:** ![Lillian Morgado Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Lillian-Morgado.jpg "Lillian Morgado")Lillian Morgado ##### Name: Lillian Morgado ##### Job title: Research Coordinator ##### Place of work / study: Georgia State University ##### Area of Research: I work on qualitative research. Current interests include the criminal justice system and dementia, data sharing between dementia researchers, and the ethics and logistics of [biomarker disclosure](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-blood-based-biomarkers-for-dementias/) ##### How is your work funded: I currently work on projects funded NIH, ADDI, AFTD, Alzheimer’s Association ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I got interested in health policy and dementia after working as a paralegal at an elder care law firm– I saw how much dementia impacted people’s lives and how ill-prepared systems are to help them. After obtaining my MPH, I worked as an ORISE fellow at the CDC as the policy liaison for the Healthy Ageing Branch. I am currently working as a research coordinator at Georgia State University. Starting in August, I will begin my PhD in Health Policy. I hope to research the interactions between structural societal factors and dementia. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I’ve taught my cats to give fist bumps in exchange for treats. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I got interested in dementia after working as a paralegal at an elder care law firm. There I helped families navigate how to get legal and care help for their loved ones and pay for it. It was great to be able to help people through such difficult times in their lives, but I felt that the system was unnecessarily difficult to navigate. I chose to work in dementia research to help improve those systems. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Create an ‘elevator pitch’ for yourself. It’s good to have a short intro ready explaining who you are and what you do for conferences and other professional situations. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Jane Eyre](https://amzn.to/4uY6fpn). I would definitely recommend it– it is surprisingly relatable for a book written almost 200 years ago. ##### Favourite film of all time? Cinderella (1997) starring Brandy ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Puttering around the garden and ripping out english ivy ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Applying for a GRA position during my MPH ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Lisbon ##### Do you collect anything? Books on gardening and plant identification ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Lillian on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianmorgado/) [@lillianmorgado.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/lillianmorgado.bsky.social) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Ethics, Georgia State University, Law, Lillian Morgado **Organisations for Bios:** Georgia State University **Themes for Bios:** Policy --- ### [Blog - Seeing the whole person: why data matters in human-centred dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-seeing-the-whole-person-why-data-matters-in-human-centred-dementia/) **Published:** June 24, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Brandon Newman explains why shared care data helps clinicians see the whole person, reduce avoidable admissions, and support safer dementia care. **Content:** --- **High-quality dementia care is fundamentally rooted in an understanding of the individual beyond their presenting symptoms. Their history, routines, environment and lived experience often provide the context needed to make sense of behaviour that might otherwise seem confusing.** While working as a paramedic, I attended a call concerning an older woman found outside her home, reportedly confused. On initial interaction, she appeared articulate and engaged, recounting events coherently and without obvious cognitive impairment. However, when I helped her back inside, environmental cues suggested a different story – there were signs that something wasn’t quite right. There were many unopened boxes of cornflakes stacked up in the kitchen, and I started to notice repeated behaviour. Thanks to the numbers by the phone, we managed to track down her daughter. She didn’t live locally and, due to family and work commitments, had not seen her mum for about a year. She had been unaware of the extent of her mother’s functional decline – when they spoke on the phone every day, she reported that she was fine. Moments like this show how subtle dementia symptoms can be when you only see a snapshot of someone’s life. > On the frontline, we rarely have the full picture of the person we’re caring for. A person’s history, routines, social context and lived experience often provide the necessary framework to interpret behaviours that may otherwise appear atypical or pathological. Without this contextual insight, there is a significant risk of misinterpretation resulting in inappropriate clinical decision-making and ultimately avoidable harm. Over the years, I’ve become increasingly aware that the information clinicians need often exists, it just isn’t shared between the teams caring for that person. Better use of data can help bring those pieces together, giving clinicians a clearer picture of the whole person. ##### Seeing only part of the picture As paramedics, we often have to rely on what we can find in someone’s home – hospital letters on the kitchen table, or whatever family members could tell us in the moment. In this case, when I spoke to the patient’s daughter, she had no idea about the repetitive hoarding behaviour of buying breakfast cereal. The daughter shared a story that their father always enjoyed cornflakes before work. However, her father sadly had died several years ago. This was an example of the regressive memory that we see in this cohort of patients. However, without this information from her daughter, we were relying purely on the patient’s story. Without understanding a person’s history – the expansive data from a variety of health care sources – behaviour can easily be misunderstood. Someone living with dementia may have dozens of healthcare touchpoints over time. Paramedics, GPs, hospital teams, physiotherapists, pharmacists and memory clinics all contribute pieces of the picture. However, when those insights are recorded separately, clinicians who encounter the patient only see part of the story. ##### Why data matters in dementia care Understanding a person’s baseline is essential when caring for someone living with dementia. Their cognition, medication, support network and existing care plans all help clinicians understand what is normal for that person and what might have changed. The challenge is that this information is often recorded in different places across the healthcare system. In urgent or crisis situations, clinicians rarely have time to track down those details or build that picture from scratch. The most important aspect is understanding the legal and ethical frameworks in place, such as the assessment of mental capacity (Mental Capacity Act 2005). This was vital in this case because, as clinicians, we must act in the patient’s best interest if there is no other framework, such as an LPA, in place. When data from different services is consolidated into a shared care record, clinicians can quickly access information that already exists about the patient. Instead of relying on fragments of information or repeating the same questions and assessments, they can build on what is already known from a clear baseline and see a clearer picture of the person they are caring for, rather than how they appear in the moment, ultimately providing patient-centred care. That shared understanding creates a trusted source of truth that helps clinicians make safer decisions about care while saving valuable time for both healthcare professionals and the families supporting the patient, again in line with their wishes and the MCA 2005. Without it, clinicians may take cautious decisions that lead to unnecessary hospital admission or reactive care when another approach might have been possible. ##### Bringing it all together I have been working with the team at Graphnet on its digital [Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)](https://www.graphnethealth.com/solutions/care-planning/cga). This multidisciplinary approach is designed to capture the various factors that influence an older person’s health and well-being, encompassing not only their medical conditions but also cognitive health, functional ability, mental well-being, and social circumstances. What makes digital CGA particularly valuable is that it allows different professionals involved in someone’s care to contribute to the same record. This approach facilitates the development of a continuous, evolving shared care and understanding of the patient. Geriatricians, Paramedics, hospital teams, physiotherapists, pharmacists, GPs and memory clinics can all add their perspective over time. Instead of each service holding a separate piece of the story, those insights begin to form a shared picture of the person and their needs. This is the benefit of using a solution that is pan-ICB. When clinicians encounter that patient, they are not starting from scratch. They can see what has already been assessed and build on it, allowing that understanding to follow the patient throughout their care journey which is what the Graphnet Shared Care Record is designed for. ##### Why this matters for people living with dementia For people living with dementia, in the moment decisions can have a huge impact on their wellbeing, while long-term care planning is made harder without all the data to hand. Hospital is not always the best environment for someone with dementia. Unfamiliar surroundings can increase confusion and the risk of delirium, which can be distressing for both patients and their families – this can set their base back several weeks. There is also a greater risk of delirium and falls as individuals are unaware of the environment, especially when going to the bathroom during the night. Long hospital stays can also affect physical health. Older people often lose muscle strength while in hospital, increasing the risk of falls and making recovery more difficult. Up to 5% loss of muscle mass can occur in the first few days, by the end of the first week this can be as much as 10% coupled with approximately 40% reduction in strength \[1\]. When clinicians have access to better information about a person’s baseline and support network, they are better able to decide whether hospital admission is truly necessary or whether care can be provided safely within the community. ##### Conclusion After more than twenty years working as a paramedic, I’ve seen first-hand how difficult it can be to care for someone when you only have fragments of their story. When clinicians are limited to fragmented or episodic data, there is an inherent risk of misjudgement. Human-centred dementia care means understanding the whole person: their health, their history, their environment and their wishes. Data and shared assessments help bring those fragments together, giving clinicians the context they need to make better decisions. Better information will never replace compassion or clinical judgement. But it can help ensure that people living with dementia are supported in ways that reflect who they are, not just the condition they live with. --- ![Brandon Newman Prrofile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Brandon-Newman.jpg "Brandon Newman")Brandon Newman #### Author **[Brandon Newman](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-brandon-newman/)** is a Paramedic and Clinical Workflow Lead at Graphnet Health. After 16 years as a paramedic, he continues to work on the frontline while helping improve clinical workflows, with a particular interest in paramedic practice and care for older people. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Brandon Newman, Data, Dementia Care, Graphnet Health, Qualitative Methods **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Meet the New Alzheimer’s Society Awardees](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/meet-the-new-alzheimers-society-awardees/) **Published:** June 25, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Society **Excerpt:** Meet Alzheimer’s Society’s new dementia research awardees and hear how their projects aim to improve diagnosis, care, prevention and brain health. **Content:** **Special livestream recording with Alzheimer’s Society, introducing some of their newly funded Fellows and awardees from the 2025 to 2026 funding round.** Alzheimer’s Society has announced £5.45 million to support 17 new dementia research awards across the full spectrum of research, from biology, biomarkers and diagnosis to care, prevention, inequalities, mobility and support for people living with dementia. In this session, Dr Alice Carstairs from Alzheimer’s Society explains the aims of the funding call and why supporting emerging dementia researchers matters. We also hear short presentations from five newly funded researchers: [Dr Sarah Gregory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-sarah-gregory/), University of St Andrews [Dr Emma Elliott](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-elliott-the-university-of-manchester/), The University of Manchester [Dr Sarah-Naomi James](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-naomi-james-university-college-london/), University College London [Dr Joseph Kwon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-joseph-kwon-university-of-oxford/), University of Oxford [Dr Marcella Montagnese](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-marcella-montagnese-university-of-cambridge/), University of Cambridge Their projects cover sex differences and dementia risk, fairer cognitive screening in primary care, women’s brain health across the life course, blood and digital biomarkers for diagnosis, and brain charts for personalised dementia medicine. The session ends with audience questions and advice for researchers thinking about applying for future Alzheimer’s Society funding. **Resources** [Alzheimer’s Society Funding Schemes](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/funding) [Blood Biomarker Challenge](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/what-we-do/researchers/news/blood-biomarker-tests) [NICE Guidelines for Dementia](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97) [European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia cohort (EPAD)](https://ep-ad.org/) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society Resources, Dr Emma Elliott, Dr Joseph Kwon, Dr Marcella Montagnese, Dr Sarah Gregory, Dr Sarah-Naomi James --- ### [Blog - Academic precarity: Moving the discussion forward](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academic-precarity-moving-the-discussion-forward/) **Published:** July 22, 2024 **Author:** Dr Lis Grey **Excerpt:** Dr Lis Grey's blog on academic precarity explore challenges and solutions for better research job security. Let's create a brighter future for researchers. **Content:** --- **In 2021, the Government published its [R&D People and Culture Strategy](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60f804228fa8f50c768387c5/r_d-people-culture-strategy.pdf), in which it acknowledged the threat that short, fixed-term contracts for people in research posed to their vision of cementing the UK’s ‘position as a global science superpower’. In the same year, Dr Yvonne Couch led an excellent mini-series on the Dementia Researcher podcast discussing [The Perpetual Postdoc](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher/sets/the-perpetual-postdoc?si=84a0b736fe84490e8cdd46e725514949&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing). Over several episodes the speakers highlighted the negative impact of short-term contracts and lack of job security on their lives and research. I won’t repeat all they covered here but I recommend you find these recordings and have a listen, if you haven’t already.** Three years and four Science Ministers later\*, sadly, not much seems to have changed. So, I’m returning to the topic now to see if we can spark more discussion and find some solutions. First, a little explainer on how universities are funded – bear with me here, it’s messy and I’ve had to piece this together from various sources as I couldn’t find a nice comprehensive guide to university finances\*\*. This is also specific to the UK – I’d be interested to know how it differs in other countries but my little brain was a bit frazzled just trying to make sense of the UK system for now. So, about 80% of university funds are from public sources – this includes the Quality Related funding linked to a university’s performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), funding council grants for research, funding council grants for teaching and tuition fees. The remaining 20% of funding is from private sources, such as philanthropy, conference and event income, commercial or charity sponsored research etc. While teaching funding has changed quite a lot in the past decade, with funding council grants reducing leading to higher dependence on tuition fee income, research funding has remained relatively stable, both across the sector and within individual institutions. That is, apart from the odd year where a team lands a mega programme grant, we can predict fairly well how much research funding a given university will receive. Why does this matter? Well, the usual response to questions about the lack of [permanent positions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/career-uncertainty-in-academia/#your-rights-the-bit-nobody-tells-you) for research staff is that it’s grant dependent and we don’t know which funding applications will be successful. But, while, yes, we don’t know which individual projects will be funded, we can be fairly sure that a university will receive X amount in overall research funding in the coming year. So, could this relative stability not allow universities to back at least half of their research staff in permanent positions? This is what happens in many other skilled private sector companies. For example, my brother is an engineer and works for a sustainable energy consultancy firm – the majority of staff members are employed on permanent contracts and deployed across projects as they come in and as fits the individual’s expertise. If a member of staff is ‘between projects’, they will be asked to support another project, further their training and work on building the client base. Consultancy companies can do this as a proportion of the income from each project will go into a central pot specifically to cover salaries for these short periods where individual staff members are not directly earning the company money. In a university, this could work by having a charge built into all research grants, specifically for bridging researchers between projects. Afterall, research grants already have inbuilt charges to cover the salaries of professional services staff (this comes under ‘overheads’ when you’re costing a funding application in Worktribe) – so adding a small charge to cover short periods of researchers’ time might not cause too much disruption to our current system. A more radical idea though is to change the proportions of direct and indirect public research funding. The government allocates a certain amount of public funds to research – some of this goes directly to universities (this is the Quality Related funding), the rest goes to the NIHR and UKRI research councils, which allocate the funds in research grants. At the moment, research staff salaries are mostly covered by these public research council grants – but we could cut out the middle man here by government increasing the QR funding and decreasing the amount that goes to research councils. A proportion of the direct funding would be ring-fenced for researcher salaries on the condition that these are not then costed into research grants. This probably wouldn’t cover all research staff, so we’d need to consider how permanent contracts would be assigned – perhaps having criteria relating to number of years research experience. And, like in consultancy firms, applying for research grants would need to be a necessary part of a researcher’s role (although it usually is already…). I know there are numerous flaws in both these suggestions but I hope they have got you thinking. The current system needs to change and that change needs to be informed by the people most affected – the research staff. Since the 2021 People and Culture Strategy, research councils and individual university management teams have been discussing so-called academic precarity, but there hasn’t been much engagement with researchers, that I can see, and not much has changed. So I would urge you to ask your universities what they are considering to improve researchers’ job security, invite them to join you in proposing solutions and take these to the wider research community. Surely we can come up with something better than what we’ve got at the moment – after all, we’re institutions of the most highly educated people around. \*Not counting the new Labour minister – at time of recording, he’s only a few days into the job! \*\*I wonder why! --- ![Dr Lis Grey Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Dr-Lis-Grey-1.jpg "Dr Lis Grey")Dr Lis Grey #### Author [**Dr Lis Grey**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-lis-grey-university-of-bristol/) is an NIHR / Alzheimer’s Society Dem Comm Research Fellow at University of Bristol and NIHR ARC West. Her interest lie in understanding how people with neurodegenerative disorders experience health and care services, and developing ways to improve services and support people to live well with these conditions. Lis is also passionate about working to improve research culture, and away from her work, a passionate gardner overly-ambitious baker. [Connect with Lis on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-grey-08a29175/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Lis Grey, Fixed-term contracts, Job Insecurity, Perpetual Postdoc, Research Culture, University of Bristol **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Culture **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Resilience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-resilience/) **Published:** August 8, 2024 **Author:** Dr Yvonne Couch **Excerpt:** Dr Yvonne Couch's charts a journey on resilience in academia. Learn how to navigate challenges and build resilience while avoiding toxic positivity. **Content:** --- **This week’s corner of my mind comes courtesy of me. This week I have inspired myself from many different angles, it turns out. I was invited to give a talk recently at Liverpool John Moores on academic burnout for their graduate workshop. As I said to them at the time, I do not like giving talks. Academic or otherwise. I don’t like being the centre of attention, I don’t like the risk of screwing up. I don’t like any of it. But it’s part of my job so I have had to suck it up and become a bit resilient and work through my feelings. There’s angle one of my inspiration, my own resilience. We’ll talk a little bit about how I achieved it and what you might think of doing to help yourselves become a bit more resilient. Angle two was talking about that resilience in the talk. This is all becoming very meta, isn’t it? But hear me out. I opened my slide on resilience by saying that it had become a bit of a dirty word in academia. So we’ll also talk a bit about when it’s acceptable to say no, and not be resilient. But fair warning, we’re also going to talk about me today. A lot. I apologise in advance.** Let’s start with some definitions. According to the great Google, resilience is “*the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness*” or “*the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity*”. I realise that last one is about stuff, rather than people, but I enjoyed the word elasticity because I think it is apt for people too. Now for a little narcissism, lets talk about my own resilience. I said up top that I don’t like giving talks. That’s an understatement. I *really* don’t like giving talks. I get shaky and sweaty. If I have to give a science talk at the end of a session I spend most of that session not listening to the other talks but rather worrying about whether I drank too much water to stop my throat getting dry and now I really need to rush out to the bathroom. Sometimes my heart is pounding so loudly when the person introduces me that I can’t hear them. I worry I’ll freeze mid-slide. I worry I won’t be able to answer the questions. I worry there won’t be any questions. I worry the microphone won’t work. I worry I’ll trip on the way to the stage. I remain amongst the stalwart crew of people who actually quite enjoyed doing things on zoom for a while because I liked talking to a bunch of black boxes. For a start you couldn’t actually see how many people were in the audience, always a nice thing so you’re not overwhelmed. But there was the added advantage that everyone switched their cameras off so you couldn’t tell if they were bored. Bonus. At school I was prescribed beta-blockers to help with anxiety during chamber orchestra concerts. Can’t have shaky hands if you’re a solo viola player. And they worked well so for the first talks I gave I used them to stop the pointer shaking. The very first conference talk I gave landed well after lunch so I combined them with one of the tiny bottles of vodka from the plane trip. This worked exceedingly well and I had such a great time that a senior Professor from the Netherlands came up to me afterwards and asked whether I had really said ‘all of those cytokines *sloshing* around the place’ and I replied that yes, yes I had said that. She said she had thoroughly enjoyed my talk and that gave me a little boost for the next time I had to do it. My next talk was a morning slot. The vodka and propranolol wasn’t going to cut it at 10am, people would judge, so I had to go cold turkey. But by this point I had learned about the butterflies. Someone said you should pay attention to the butterflies because they tell you what’s important. Physiologically the butterflies are descended from the fight-or-flight response. They’re part of what happens to your body when you run away from the bear that’s chasing you through the woods. You might get butterflies before a big exam, or when someone proposes to you, or before you start a big race, or before an important meeting. Those situations aren’t the same but they all have one thing in common, they’re all important to you on a subconscious level. The butterflies are telling you something important is going to happen but – and here’s the important thing – they are not telling you that you might die because a bear is chasing you. In the modern world the bear, and all it’s physiological shenanigans, are all in your head. > Rob Gilbert put it best when he said “*It’s alright to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation*”. My approach to my 10am talk was, therefore, to get my butterflies in formation. I stood and contemplated for a while. I acknowledged that yes, I was nervous but I’d been nervous last time and everything seemed to go OK. And in reality what was the worst that could happen? I could bore some scientists I might not see again for a while. I was too junior to make an impact and really nobody was likely to remember if I made a bit of a hash of it. I was prepared enough that I didn’t think I’d make a massive hash of it. So with my butterflies all lined up, my hands still sweaty and my heart still pounding I cracked on. And as before, it went fine and I didn’t die. And I’ve now done it a bunch of times and not died. I’ve actually had slides go wrong or disappear, or not look like how I originally made them because the operating system of the projector wasn’t the same version I was using so it screwed around with the fonts. Things have gone wrong and I’m still fine. And this, for me, is resilience. I have learned to spring back into shape after I give talks because now I know that if stuff does go wrong, the world is not going to end and I am not going to die. > The other example of resilience I brought up in my talk was grant rejection resilience. And this is where we split off into toxic positivity and it all gets a little dark. I had a grant rejected yesterday. I have now lost count of the number I’ve had rejected over the years. I got fellowship rejections from the BHF and the MRC in the same week a bunch of years back and those ones floored me. I went into an empty office and just bawled. Why did everyone hate me and my work and my ideas? Why was my science so unappealing? And years of experience of sending the same thing back to a bunch of different people has made me realise that it’s just luck and timing. People don’t hate my work any more than they like the person down the corridor who’s work got funded. But my first PhD student, when I tried to talk her down from the proverbial ledge after [one of her first rejections](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/career-uncertainty-in-academia/#the-particular-hell-of-waiting-for-a-funding-decision), said ‘people keep telling me it’s luck but if it is then what’s the point in putting all this effort in?’. I told her that it was probably going to happen a lot and she might just need to get used to it, but was that right? I was asking her to be resilient under circumstances that were totally out of her control. Toxic resilience is apparently “*the expectation that employees should be able to handle excessive stress, pressure, and adversity without breaking down or showing signs of weakness*”. I was expecting her to learn to put up with the lottery of gloom that is scientific funding because I had. Because quitting feels like weakness. But actually quitting for the sake of your mental wellbeing is not weakness, it’s strength and emotional maturity. It’s saying ‘this far, but no further’. Unfortunately, academia has become a competitive environment. Academic institutions have become financial behemoths that require feeding with more and more grants, so they can grow bigger and bigger. These grants are handed out not on the basis of merit but on the basis of luck and happenstance and timing. But it’s not a sustainable situation and telling your junior staff they just need to be ‘resilient’ is not helpful. They have mortgages to pay, children to put through nursery and cats to feed. > We need to think carefully about how we use the word resilience. We need to think about when, where and to whom we apply it. Telling your PhD students they need to become a bit more resilient is OK when the circumstances benefit them. They need to suck it up and learn to give talks, or be OK with the fact that occasionally they might have to work long hours or be a bit stressed. This is a level of resilience that will benefit them in whatever they choose to do at the end of their studies. Telling your PhD students they need to become a bit more resilient is not OK when the circumstances benefit you. They do not need to work every weekend just because you did, they do not need to start at 6am and work until midnight because that’s what you did, they do not need to write their thesis without pay because that’s what you did. And the same goes for your more senior staff. Telling them they need to be more resilient when the outcomes of that resilience is that they bring you in more overheads but they only stave off their own unemployment for another two years, is not right. **My payslips recently said that I had had ten years of continuous service. I think I get an extra days’ holiday for that. What I still don’t have is a permanent job**. I feel like committing myself to one place for ten years *might* suggest it’s probably where I want to work but I am abundantly mediocre and eminently replaceable. And I have tried resilience. For a really long time. But ten years of feeling undervalued is incredibly demotivating and demoralizing. And there’s only so much resilience in the tank. So maybe asking my former PhD student to put up with the same was wrong. And for that, I hope she considers this my letter of apology and my encouragement that she should always put herself and her happiness first. --- ![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Dr-Yvonne-Crouch.png "Dr Yvonne Couch")Dr Yvonne Couch #### Author **[Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-yvonne-couch/)** is an Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne shares her opinions, talks about science and explores different [careers topics in her monthly blogs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-disrupting-dementia-research-careers/) – she does a great job of narrating too. [Follow @dr\_yvonne\_couch](https://twitter.com/dr_yvonne_couch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [![goodpods top 100 life sciences podcasts](https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/leaderboard_badges/science_life-sciences_top1_week.png)](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/life-sciences?indie=false&period=week#23475233) [Goodpods Top 100 Life Sciences Podcasts](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/life-sciences) [Listen now to Dementia Researcher Blogs podcast](https://goodpods.com/podcasts/dementia-researcher-blogs-152322) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Being a PI, Blog, Dr Yvonne Couch, Resilience, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - The Academic Exodus](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-academic-exodus/) **Published:** April 25, 2023 **Author:** Dr Sam Moxon **Excerpt:** Dementia Research and Academia in general has a leaky pipeline, but why? Is academia still a 'good job for life?' Dr Sam Moxon explores whats going wrong. **Content:** --- **I have worked in academia for the duration of my career. I have always had this romantic view about starting my own group and developing a ‘research identity’ at a university. I never saw another career path for me. Academia has a reputation of being a career full of free intellectual thought, idea development and stimulating conversations and collaborating. I am now, however, wondering if I have been pursuing the right thing and I am not the only one.** During my last postdoc, I knew of a PI who received funding to hire a new researcher. They advertised what should have been an incredibly attractive opportunity to any budding young researcher. It was a 4 year, fully funded postdoc position with the potential to apply for further support to extend the post. This would normally attract a multitude of applications. Instead… they received four. This is not a one-off situation either. I have spoken to a number of research group leaders in the last 12-18 months, and they are all saying the same, rather cliched but relevant phrase: “You just can’t get the staff anymore”. Similarly, I have noticed a shift in thinking for PhD students with fewer and fewer expressing a desire to move on to a postdoc after they have submitted their thesis. On the surface, it looks like nothing has changed in terms of the value prospects of transitioning to a postdoc. There is a decent pay jump from a PhD stipend to a postdoc starting salary and you get to continue to pursue research that interests you. Additionally, working at a university gives you a level of day-to-day freedom that is hard to find in industry so it seems a great move right? But, unfortunately, more significant reasons like beneath these surface features that help you understand why promising young scientists are leaving academia. Firstly, the temporary contract situation of postdoc life has always been a bug bare. You never hold down a permanent position and have to find new funding or a new job at least 3 or 4 times during your postdoc stint. This seemed like a manageable situation for postdocs when jobs were fairly readily available but the pandemic has drastically changed this. During the first 18 months of lockdowns and university closures most funders pulled all their schemes. The postdoc job market pretty much vanished and we saw large numbers of talented young scientists [left stranded at the end of a contract](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/career-uncertainty-in-academia/) with nowhere to go but out of academia. It really exposed the frailty of life as a postdoc and many just don’t think it’s worth the risk. Industrial research jobs offer you permanent contracts, often comparable or improved salaries and a host of benefits packages that a university simply doesn’t offer. Secondly, while the salary for a postdoc looked attractive when I first moved into that role 7 years ago, it hasn’t changed much since. The economic situation across the globe, however, has. This is why the unions are now at odds with the government with continued strikes. Academic salaries are simply not being adjusted to reflect inflation and haven’t for some time. Companies who manage their own financial situations often appear more likely to adapt pay scales to a dynamic economy which in turn makes their employees feel more valued. Universities must catch up if they want to hold on to good people. That last point is important too because it’s not just the young researchers that are going elsewhere. Do a quick job search and you will see several universities advertising a host of academic positions at lecturer grade and above. Companies are starting to notice that there are very talented people working at universities. People who have skills that they need and people who are being given increased workloads, pressure, and no significant remuneration for their extra efforts. Why stay somewhere for the same salary with increased workload when you can get poached for more money elsewhere? Yes there is the sense of legacy that you have built with your research but legacy doesn’t pay the bills and, in this economy, more and more people are going to switch to the more pragmatic approach of seeking financial security. It feels like we are at a bit of a crossroads and we need to acknowledge that there is a problem brewing here. We need academic institutes to prosper. They train the next generation of scientists who go on to discover future medicines and therapies. It is getting harder and harder for universities to hold on to good people and that is a real issue. You cannot produce promising scientists without strong mentors. This problem is not going to go away. The economic situation across the globe is not magically going to improve overnight. Many predict it will get worse. It is time to acknowledge the problem and address it. Academia is losing the romanticised image that made it so attractive to people like me and that is a real shame. It needs to get its image of valuing and developing intelligent and promising people back. If we ignore the issue, it will only get worse and we need strong academic institutes to keep our innovation machine running. --- ![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/sam-moxon.jpg "sam-moxon")Dr Sam Moxon #### Author **[Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-moxon/)** is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney. [Follow @DrSamMoxon](https://twitter.com/DrSamMoxon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Careers, Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Careers, Dr Sam Moxon, Leaving Academia, University of Birmingham **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Research Infrastructure --- ### [Profile - Ireneaus Nyame, University of Cape Coast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ireneaus-nyame-university-of-cape-coast/) **Published:** August 12, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Ireneaus Nyame is a research and teaching assistant integrating molecular biology, machine learning and computational approaches to study cancer and Alzheimer’s **Content:** ![Ireneaus Nyame Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Ireneaus-Nyame.jpg "Ireneaus Nyame")Ireneaus Nyame #### **Name:** Ireneaus Nyame #### **Job Title:** Research and Teaching Assistant #### **Place of work / study:** University of Cape Coast #### **Area of Research:** Interested in how traditional molecular techniques and computational approaches can be integrated to understand non-communicable diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s, and to inform new therapeutic strategies. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a BSc. Biomedical Sciences graduate with machine and deep learning experience. This background is motivated by my interest in integrating [molecular biology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/virtual-cells-aim-to-turn-raw-data-into-predictive-models-of-biology/) techniques and computational approaches to research. I am also an ISTAART Ambassador for 2025/2026 #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I really love to just sing and gospel is my favorite. And one fun thing I love as well is to explore the world and travel to places, even the obscure ones. And that is what I envision to be my hobby in some years to come. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: To contribute to a dementia-free world #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Seek mentorship #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Nothing right now #### Favourite film of all time? Not sure #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Not sure #### What’s the best decision you ever made? Believing and following Christ #### What’s the best vacation spot? Not sure #### Do you collect anything? No #### Would you like to share your playlist? #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @NyameIreneaus](https://twitter.com/NyameIreneaus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Ireneaus on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ireneausnyame/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Ireneaus Nyame, University of Cape Coast **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Other, Sleep --- ### [Blog - My Experience as a Co-Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-my-experience-as-a-co-researcher/) **Published:** September 12, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Following a diagnosis with Posterior Cortical Atrophy, Martin Robertson's life changed, & since then he has discovered a passion for research and co-production **Content:** --- **This is one person’s experience of Co-Research. It’s important to remember that we are all individuals with unique experiences, although there are some common themes.** If someone had told me, the day after my diagnosis of Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), that I would become a Co-Researcher earning at least £25/hour, up to £60, I would have laughed. Not because I was upset by my diagnosis—quite the opposite. I felt free to do what I wanted, when I wanted, if I wanted. I haven’t worn a wristwatch since! I was fed up with being poked, prodded, scanned, and enduring six lumbar punctures. However, the same could be said of anyone if, back in 2019, they were told we’d soon be locked down in our homes—we would have laughed. The two situations are very much related. I live in rural Aberdeenshire, and while I was able to travel for a few years after my diagnosis, it wasn’t easy. But during the lockdown, online meetings became the norm, allowing me to talk and work with people all over the world. Without this opportunity, I would have withered away. My neurologist, whom I see every six months (he’s fascinated by my cognitive abilities), told me I would have been in residential care three years ago if not for all my research work. While the income is nice, it’s not the main reason I work—I began as a way to fill time during COVID, and now it keeps me active. My first project began because, during the lockdown, I was extremely isolated. It was a co-production of the history of a short-lived Scottish charity, for which I am forever grateful. This project allowed me to feel empowered and independent. We worked through Teams, and during this time, I realised that the life skills I’d acquired through work were highly valuable in academia. In the 1990s, I worked as a Benefit Fraud Officer. I had to interview people and quickly pick up on body language cues to gauge discomfort or deceit. This skill was crucial, especially when the interview was “Under Caution,” meaning it could be used in legal proceedings. I had to be right, or we would lose. When I left that job and took a BA degree in 1999, I learned that this was actually known as “Conversation Analysis.” During my fraud work, I also handled the Subsidy claim annually, which required me to teach myself how to identify outliers—a form of “Data Analysis,” as I later learned during my degree. Additionally, I needed to thoroughly understand Benefits Regulations, where the use or omission of a single comma could make or break a prosecution. The ability to scrutinise language became a skill I honed further in my degree. However, after graduation, I moved into Personal Care, where I earned minimum wage until my PCA diagnosis 14 years later. Even in that role, I used Conversation Analysis loosely, relying on my innate sense of non-verbal communication. Looking back, it’s clear that I had a high cognitive reserve all along, but I was lazy. I attended a posh boarding school that emphasised academics, and my brother is an Oxbridge Don, so the genes and ability were there. I just preferred working with people over building a career. I wouldn’t call dementia a superpower, but it has allowed me to work at an academic level. First, it gave me the time—initially because I no longer had to worry about paid work, and now because, unable to travel, I can keep my brain active. > More importantly, PCA affects me in a specific way. Some call it “brain blindness” because it severely affects vision. However, I prefer the term “brain deafness.” When I read, whether it’s a trashy thriller or an academic paper, my brain subconsciously shuts off my hearing so I can focus entirely on the words. Similarly, when I listen or speak, my eyes close, something that’s particularly noticeable during online calls. The downside is that I can only work for about three hours a day, and I’m often asleep by 8 pm. As you can see, I’d much rather be meaningfully involved in Co-Research. However, I make one exception: I allow my neurologist to poke, prod, and ask questions. There are only 50 people in Scotland with PCA, and I’m beating the odds. I find that the academics I work with understand we are all part of a team, each bringing different perspectives and life experiences. In a future blog, I will share more examples of this. --- ![Martin Robertson Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Martin-Robertson.jpg "Martin Robertson")Martin Robertson #### Author [**Martin Robertson**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-martin-robertson-lived-experience-researcher/) is a lived experience researcher living in Scotland. He has been involved in a number of research projects and is passionate about co-production and public voice in research since his diagnosis with [Posterior Cortical Atrophy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-ppi-worked-for-me/), in 2016 aged 57. [Find Martin Robertson on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-robertson-989052256/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Co-production, Inspiring stories, Living with Dementia, Martin Robertson, Patient and Public Involvement, PCA, Posterior Cortical Atrophy **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Patient and Public Involvement --- ### [Becoming a Scientist: Practical Advice for Aspiring Researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/advice-about-becoming-a-scientist-dementia-explained/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Content:** **There is no single route into science, and very few researchers begin their careers knowing exactly where they will end up. Some are drawn in by a particular subject, some by a question they cannot stop thinking about, and others through chance, personal experience or a good teacher.** In this short film from [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/), dementia researchers share the advice they would give to anyone thinking about becoming a scientist. It was originally produced for Dementia Explained, a resource created to help children and young people [understand dementia](https://dementiacarers.org.uk/), but the message is just as relevant to anyone considering a research career. Science needs curiosity, patience and people who are prepared to keep learning. It also needs different backgrounds, skills and ways of looking at a problem. Nobody is expected to have every answer at the beginning. Most research careers start with an interest in something and the willingness to see where the questions lead. **Categories:** Researcher Stories **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Career Journey, Researcher Stories **Target Audiences:** Undergraduates --- ### [Delays, Diagnosis, and Despair: Peter’s Experience with Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/peters-story/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Explore Peter’s journey from early warning signs to a formal dementia diagnosis and the isolating impact on mental health. **Content:** ![Peter's Story](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/patient-story-peter-300x199.jpg "patient-story-peter")It all started after a catalogue of incidents made Peter suspect he had a problem, in this story we learn of Peter’s Experience with Dementia. He ordered some clothes online in completely the wrong size. He made arrangements to meet friends only to show up a week early. Then one day standing at the cashpoint, he found himself with his bank card in his hand but with no idea what the machine he was looking at actually was. ‘I found myself standing in front of the strange looking instrument built into a wall and in my hand I was holding a piece of plastic. I felt scared, really scared. There were people queuing up behind me and they were making not very nice remarks.’ #### Seeking a memory test Peter went for a routine blood test and asked the nurse if he could have a memory check too. He was told not to worry [– he was too young](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/creating-a-dementia-friendly-society-get-them-whilst-theyre-young/) for anything to be wrong. They eventually let him take the test, which he failed. The next morning he repeated the memory test with his GP and got the same result. Peter assumed his memory loss might be a side effect of the medicine he was taking for arthritis, though he was told that was unlikely. After being referred to a memory clinic, they found his recall to be well below average and so was finally ordered a brain scan. Over six months had passed, but Peter didn’t breathe a word of his ordeal to either his friends or family. ‘I didn’t want to worry anyone unnecessarily,’ he explains. Peter visited his family for Christmas but still didn’t tell them anything. He kept his fears about what the New Year might hold to himself. #### Waiting months for a diagnosis A couple of months later and Peter was at the hospital for the results of the brain scan. ‘I can tell you word for word how it went,’ Peter recalls. ‘The doctor said, unfortunately, we found a growth on the back of your neck and it’s attached to your spinal cord.’ Peter was trying to process that bombshell when the doctor added: ‘There’s no damage to the back of your brain, or to the middle of your brain, but there’s a lot of damage to your frontal lobes and you have vascular dementia.’ The damage to the brain was similar to that seen in patients who have been through chemotherapy, which Peter had not. The doctor said he was sorry but that there was nothing they could do. The appointment was over and the doctor got up and ushered Peter to the door. Outside the office, Peter demanded a prognosis. ‘You’ve seen my results, so where do you see me in five years’ time?’ he asked. The doctor replied that Peter wouldn’t be alive in five years, and advised him to pick up some leaflets about his condition. ‘I just stood there on my own and felt there was nobody there to help me. I’d stopped smoking for six months then – it was a big thing for me – and the first thing I did was I went and bought 20 cigarettes.’ ‘I was scared, confused. I felt so bad and so down.’ #### Feeling alone after diagnosis Peter’s Experience with Dementia came as a shock, he felt like there was nobody to help him and was struggling to deal with his diagnosis alone. ‘I started spiralling out of control so I decided, and I’m so ashamed now, that I was going to end it all. I was feeling very low and suicidal.’ **Categories:** Inspiring stories **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Society Resources, Inspiring stories --- ### [Challenging Guilt in Dementia Caregiving: Pat Sikes’ Story](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/pats-story/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** An analytic reflection on guilt among families facing dementia, highlighting the value of candid storytelling to move beyond blame and inform practice. **Content:** ![Family sitting in their living room](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/patient-story-pat-300x218.jpg "patient-story-pat")Photo: Pat (left), posing with husband David, daughter Robyn and newborn Poppy Joan **Pat Sikes husband, David, lives with dementia, in this story she talks about Guilt in Dementia Caregiving.** In many families where someone develops dementia there can be quite a time lag – in some cases, years – between the onset of the condition and diagnosis. Behaviour which is out of character, particularly when it’s unpleasant, can be very hard to live with and to respond to. If, for example, a person who was previously gentle and loving becomes distant, disruptive, aggressive or abusive, it’s natural to give like for like and be nasty back. This can leave us feeling very guilty once we understand the cause. Of course dementia also happens in families where relationships were not great to start with, but the guilt can still be there. Sometimes with knobs on. #### Guilt is everywhere There is guilt about how we behaved towards them pre- and post- diagnosis; [guilt](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-letting-go-of-mum-guilt/) about decisions taken – especially around deciding on residential care; guilt about educational and career choices which take people away; guilt about enjoying life events which the person with dementia isn’t aware of, and so on. #### Pat’s experience The signs of Pat’s husband’s dementia first appeared 15 years ago My husband, David, has vascular dementia and posterior cortical atrophy. The signs began to show around 15 years ago when he was 55 and our kids were 13 and 15. Those 15 years have been rough – made rougher by David’s complete denial that anything was wrong. Add to that his avowal that we were all \*\*\*\*\*\*\* idiots, his disengagement, physical aggression and-until he stopped communicating verbally-some extremely hurtful and vicious comments. For instance, when our daughter was in the middle of university applications he told her ‘they don’t take people like you at Cambridge’. (They did!) For the last 3 and a half years David has lived in care because we were unable to keep him safe at home. He is very limited in what he can do now but the guilt – for our retaliations, for our care choices, for our feelings – continues. As does the sadness that he hasn’t been able to share in graduations, weddings, the birth of his first grandchild. #### Sharing our stories I wrote this piece because once again a guilt wave (guilt tsunami more like) has overwhelmed me. This time it’s down to a change in caring arrangements. I know that it’s an unproductive feeling. I know that I can only continue to do the best that I can by David – and I know that I work very hard to do that best. I also know that others feel like me. Let’s not compound **Guilt in Dementia Caregiving, amd** our feelings of guilt by keeping them as guilty secrets. Sharing our stories with people who know what it’s like is so important, helping us to move forward where stewing in guilt will not. **Categories:** Inspiring stories **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Society Resources, Inspiring stories --- ### [In praise of academic spouses](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/in-praise-of-academic-spouses/) **Published:** March 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** In this blog explore how academic spouses sustain PhD journeys with practical help, emotional support, and quiet resilience. **Content:** ![Academic Spouses](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/blog-academic-spouses-300x182.png "blog-academic-spouses")Academic Spouses *This post is by **Moira Hansen** who is currently in the 3rd year of her Lord Kelvin Adam Smith-funded PhD at the University of Glasgow. As a graduate of both literary studies and life sciences, her research project – ‘”Melancholy and low spirits are half my disease”: physical and mental health in the life and works of Robert Burns’ – indulges her passion for arts, sciences and Scotland. Tireless support of her academic dreams and a firm grounding in reality is provided by her husband and her 12-year-old son. Respite from research and domesticity come in the form of the family’s two rough collies and the on-going battle to get to grips with her new patterns, having earned her black belt in taekwondo earlier this year.* *Follow Moira on Twitter as [@moiraehansen](https://twitter.com/moiraehansen) while updates on her research can be found at [@bluedevilism](https://twitter.com/bluedevilism)* --- Research proposals, funding applications, research trips, conference attendance, journal articles, writing up, editing, viva prep, corrections, final submission…a doctorate is a long process, physically and emotionally draining, but worth it for the degree, the postnomial letters, the graduation celebrations. But what if you don’t get these? What if, at the end of the three or four years, the sum total of what you have to show is a line or two of thanks in the acknowledgements section of the thesis and a seat halfway up the graduation hall where you can just about see what’s going on? Such is the lot of the academic spouse. Truly the unsung heroes of the PhD journey. Now I do have to confess a vested interest here; my husband undertook his PhD between 2009 and 2013. However, I’ll be the first to admit that I entirely underestimated the impact I had on that journey. I wasn’t a supervisor, a mentor, a funder, a colleague. My own specialism (literature) was entirely outside his field of research (microbiology of paediatric inflammatory disease). It wasn’t until I started my own PhD in 2015, and found him doing for me things I had instinctively done for him, that I really gained an appreciation for the importance of this unique role within the PhD experience. So what does your significant other do for you? Think about it. Really think about it. Many things your partner does are come naturally within an established relationship and you might not even realise it. It might be dropping the kids off at school so you can make that early meeting, keeping dinner warm because you’re late leaving the lab (again!), making that long overdue dental appointment or remembering to send a card for a friend’s birthday. The kinds of things that happen in any relationship, not just ones with an academic. But think about the psychological impact of such practical activities. You’ll not find a supervisor doing these things. It’s a different kind of [care, care of the person and not the researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-uk-dementia-care-research-summit-2020/). Yet, it is vital; we’re only too aware of the issues around mental health in academia, and these little things are just one less thing for you to worry about. One of my favourite things to do was packing for conference or research trips. I’m now a dab hand at getting a week’s worth of clothes, toiletries and a laptop into hand luggage (useful for my own travels!) For both of us, it was my way of making sure he was looked after, even from a distance; the subconscious signal that I supported his trip, that I recognised its value to his research, even if it was another few nights away from home, from me and our son. However, it’s not just about these practicalities. Your academic spouse will also recognise and help you manage the emotional demands that research places on you. You still can’t get your experiment to run, your statistical analysis to make sense, or negotiate access to that treasured-but-vital manuscript? It’ll be your spouse who becomes the release for those frustrations. They’ll let you scream, cry, rage and complain then quietly put the kettle on and never remind you that none of it is their fault. They’ll develop some understanding of your research and become a sounding board for new ideas, a friendly ear for all the ‘thinking out loud’ as you try to make sense of your latest results, a test audience for your conference paper, the copy editor for your next article (or even your whole thesis). Yet, they remain distant enough that they can spot poor explanations and excessive jargon in your writing, ask questions from a different perspective that provoke alternative ways of thinking and prevent you from disappearing completely into your research bubble. Keeping things grounded in this way is probably one of the most important things your academic spouse will do for you. They’ll recognise that, at times, there are looming deadlines which necessitate late nights and long hours but they’ll also be the first to tell you that you need a break, albeit in a roundabout way. It might be the bottle of wine in the fridge on a Friday evening or it might be that this is the weekend where you absolutely need to cut the grass, put up the new bathroom shelf or go shopping for a new sofa. It’s important that you listen to these ones; it may also be your partner’s way of telling you that they’re feeling a little neglected! As a PhD student, your spouse will be on that journey with you every step of the way. Your worries will also be their worries, your victories will also be their victories. They’re probably the only other person as invested in your research as you are. I insisted on going with my husband to submit his thesis. The night before his viva, he slept better than I did. But the nature of the role of the academic spouse is that you’ll be the only person who really sees what they do. Those sentences in the acknowledgements will never do justice to the sacrifices they have made for you. So make sure you tell them. We couldn’t do it without them. Content from: **Categories:** Careers, Lifestyle **Tags:** Family, Moira Hansen, PhD Life, Thesis Whisperer, University of Glasgow **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Profile - Dr Timothy Rittman](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-timothy-rittman/) **Published:** February 19, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Timothy Rittman is a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, researching neuroimaging and cognition in Parkinson’s plus disorders. **Content:** #### **Name:** ![Dr Tim Rittman](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Tim-Rittman-300x210.jpg "Dr Tim Rittman")Dr Tim Rittman [Dr Timothy Rittman](https://www.rittman.uk/members/tim%20rittman.html) #### **Job Title:** Clinical Lecturer #### **Place of work / study:** University of Cambridge and Addenbrookes Hospital #### **Area of Research:** Neuroimaging and cognition in Parkinson’s plus disorders #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a neurology registrar and [research scientist using imaging to understand how neurodegenerative diseases](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research-fellow-small-vessel-disease/) progress through the brain. My main clinical and research interests are the Parkinson’s plus disorders of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal syndrome. I am on the steering group of the World Young Leaders in Dementia and have an interest in public engagement with neuroscience as the scientific adviser to the Folkestone Festival of the Brain. I trained as a medical student in Nottingham and have worked in Lincoln, Nottingham and London before coming to the East of England in 2010. I have two children aged 6 and 4, both born during my PhD. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I love playing the piano and the church organ whenever I get the chance. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** During my undergraduate studies I attended a short course of the neuropathology of dementia and since then I’ve been hooked. I met people with dementia as a doctor and was struck by the change in personality and personhood that these diseases can produce, but also fascinated about how the pathologies of dementia change the brain in very specific ways. I became determined to learn more about dementia and to improve the lives for people living with these conditions. **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Timothy Rittman, University of Cambridge **Organisations for Bios:** University of Cambridge **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Imaging --- ### [Profile - Dr Amy Monaghan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-amy-monaghan/) **Published:** February 19, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Amy Monaghan is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at UCL, working on drug discovery for dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. **Content:** #### **Name:** ![Dr Amy Monaghan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Amy-Monaghan-200x300.jpg "Dr Amy Monaghan")Dr Amy Monaghan Dr Amy Monaghan #### **Job Title:** Postdoctoral Research Associate, Pharmacology and Screening #### **Place of work / study:** Alzheimer’s Research Drug Discovery Unit at UCL #### **Area of Research:** [Drug discovery](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/when-drug-discovery-fails-scientists-share-their-frustrations-with-the-process/) for dementia and neurodegenerative diseases #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Originally from the border of the Peak District between Sheffield and Manchester. Did my degree in Pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh and followed that with a PhD in molecular cell biology at the University of Aberdeen, trying to identify new therapies for Prostate Cancer. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have had my two ponies for 13 years – they have travelled from Manchester to Aberdeen and back down to Surrey with me, and I have to get up at 5.30 am every morning before work to feed them. But that’s fine because our new puppy wakes me up at 5 am anyway…… An actual fun fact…. In 2014 I was in the Guinness book of records for being part of the most tandem skydives in one day. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** For every 5 researchers funded for cancer research, there is 1 funded for dementia research, yet there are no drugs that can halt or slow the progression of dementia. I wanted to apply the practical the skills I learnt studying prostate cancer drug discovery, in one of the brand new drug discovery institutes funded by Alzheimer’s research UK. Whilst pharma companies terminate their internal neuroscience programmes, we pursue the projects that they deem too risky, and hope that the first steps towards a cure are within reach. [Follow @AmyMonaghan90](https://twitter.com/AmyMonaghan90?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Amy Monaghan, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research --- ### [Profile - Dr Ione Woollacott](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-ione-woollacott/) **Published:** February 19, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Ione Woollacott is a Clinical Research Fellow at UCL, researching frontotemporal dementia with a focus on inflammation, fluid biomarkers and neuropathology. **Content:** #### **Name:** ![Ione Woollacott](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Ione-Woollacott-300x200.jpg "Ione Woollacott")Dr Ione Woollacott Dr Ione Woollacott #### **Job Title:** Clinical Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology #### **Area of Research:** Frontotemporal dementia, with a focus on [fluid biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-biofluid-based-biomarkers-pia-year-in-review-recap/) and neuropathology #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a Neurology registrar in the final year of my PhD, exploring markers of inflammation in frontotemporal dementia. I split my research time between three research departments at the UCL Institute of Neurology, working on cerebrospinal fluid and post mortem brain tissue samples from individuals with frontotemporal dementia. I have also performed medical assessments and lumbar punctures for two FTD research studies at the Dementia Research Centre, and seen patients in a weekly cognitive disorders clinic at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, which my PhD supervisor, Dr Jonathan Rohrer, runs. I did an intercalated BSc in Neuroscience during my medical degree at the University of Bristol, then the Academic Foundation Training Programme at King’s College London, where I worked on motor neuron disease genetics. After that I did an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship in Neurology at UCL, which is when I became interested in the overlapping condition, frontotemporal dementia. After my first year of registrar training I obtained a Medical Research Council Clinical Research Training Fellowship to do my PhD. I am passionate about teaching and science public engagement, and love the challenge and variety of clinical academic life. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I play in an all-female recorder quartet called The Quartelles, which I founded through playing in the London Recorder Orchestra. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** During my Neuroscience BSc, the molecular aspects of how synapses and signals could make a person and their memories really fascinated me. However, when I worked with people with dementia during summer jobs in nursing homes, I realised how devastating a loss of a person’s mind and self can be. Neurology is a lot about listening to a person’s story, and piecing together bits of evidence together to reach a diagnosis and find a treatment. However, for people with dementia, the story often seemed to stop there, as no treatments were available. I wanted to help advance things further for them, to find out why things have happened, and what we can do about it. The breadth of the problem and yet the variety of techniques we can use to understand disease mechanisms in dementia also appealed to me. The patients I see in our research studies and clinics regularly inspire my research questions, and the generosity of patients and their families in helping us to advance our research pushes me onwards to make things change for the better. [Follow @DrIoneW](https://twitter.com/DrIoneW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Ione Woollacott, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Akin Nihat](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-akin-nihat/) **Published:** February 19, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Akin Nihat is a Clinical Research Fellow and MRC-funded PhD student at UCL, researching prion disease, rapidly progressive dementia and better disease models. **Content:** #### **Name:** ![Akin Nihat](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Akin-Nihat-211x300.jpg "Akin Nihat")Akin Nihat Akin Nihat #### **Job Title:** Clinical Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of [Prion Diseases](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ask-your-mentor-podcast-professor-patrick-lewis/) #### **Area of Research:** Prion disease/rapidly-progressive dementia #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m a clinical research fellow and MRC-funded PhD student interested in the clinical and molecular aspects of prion disease. I split my time between reviewing patients with prion disease throughout the UK and undertaking clinical research, working in the lab to develop better cell models of human prion disease, and seeing general neurology patients in clinic. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’m a triplet, so there are always two better versions of me wandering around. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I have been interested in cognition and neuroscience for as long as I can remember, even before I decided to pursue a career in medicine. During my early jobs as a junior doctor, I spent a lot of time on general medical wards and saw a huge population of patients with dementia or cognitive impairment with little or no recourse to treatment; I became really interested in what we don’t know about these conditions, and particularly the disconnect between some of the excellent research taking place and the almost non-existent trickle down into clinical practice. [Follow @dranihat](https://twitter.com/dranihat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Akin Nihat, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Podcast - Managing a clinical and researcher career](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/managing-a-clinical-and-researcher-career/) **Published:** February 19, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The life of a clinical academic is a constant balancing act between clinical work and research. Amy Monaghan talks to Dr Timothy Rittman, Dr Ione Woollacott & Dr Akin Nihat about how they meet theses challenges. **Content:** **In our very first podcast we have a fantastic panel, talking around ‘Managing a clinical and research career’.** The life of a clinical academic is a constant balancing act between the demands of delivering patient care and the requirement of driving research relevant to that. Although they are complimentary, there is often a gap between basic science and clinical application to be traversed. In this recording, [Amy Monaghan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-amy-monaghan/) talks to [Dr Timothy Rittman](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-timothy-rittman/) from University of Cambridge and Addenbrookes Hospital and [Dr Ione Woollacott](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-ione-woollacott/) and [Dr Akin Nihat](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-akin-nihat/) from University College London and University College London Hospitals. We hear how these three individuals meet this challenge, and what advice they might have for others. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the dementia researcher podcast, brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk a network for early career researchers. **Amy Monaghan:** Hello, my name is Amy Monaghan. And welcome to the first podcast recording for the NIHR dementia research website. Every month we will be inviting a group of researchers and experts to share their thoughts and advice on a wide range of topics, which we hope will be of interest to early career researchers or others thinking about coming to work in dementia research. This week our topic of discussion is managing a clinical and research career. Our first panellist today is Ione Woollacott. Ione, if you’d like to tell us a little bit about yourself and what you’re doing at the moment. **Ione Woollacott:** Hello. Thanks. I’m a medical research council funded clinical research training fellow. I was a neurology registrar until two and a half years ago when I took time out of my training to do a PhD at the UCL Dementia Research Centre. So my research is a basic science project looking at the role of inflammation in a type of dementia called frontotemporal dementia. And my research focuses on markers of inflammation in the spinal fluid and brain tissue, post-mortem brain tissue. So I do a mix of techniques. And trying to find out specifically whether the markers different in different genetic types of frontotemporal dementia. So my research, that’s the kind of basic science side. But my clinical side is that I do medical assessments and lumbar punctures for FTD research trials at UCL, and also see patients in the Cognitive Disorders Clinic at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery there. **Amy Monaghan:** Thanks. Okay. Our second guest today is Timothy Rittman, who’s a clinical lecturer at the University of Cambridge. Welcome, Tim. If you’d like to tell us a little bit about your research and what you’re doing at the moment. **Tim Rittman:** Thanks Amy. So I’m in the final stages of my career as a neurology registrar at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. But I also do research as a clinical lecturer at the University of Cambridge, which I just started over the last month or so. So my work looks at cognitive and imaging biomarkers in tau associated dementias, particularly progressive supranuclear palsy and looking at how the underlying pathology and genetics influences what we see in brain imaging and brain networks. So my PhD finished in 2014, so quite a long time ago now, and for the last four years I’ve been carrying on a full time clinical career and carrying the research along alongside that. **Amy Monaghan:** Great. And our third and final guest today is Akin Nihat. If you’d like to introduce yourself, Akin, and tell us a little bit about what you’re doing at the moment. **Akin Nihat:** Hi. Thanks. So I’m an MRC clinical research training fellow at the MRC Prion Unit at UCL, in my first year of my PhD. And I came to be a clinical research fellow at the unit really after my core medical training, where I then worked up a research proposal. I kind of split my time between lab work and clinical work at the moment. The primary project for which I’m funded is a lab based project where I’m trying to develop better cell models of prion disease, which causes a very rapidly progressive dementia. But I also do a fair bit of clinical work on the side, and I’m particularly interested in looking at the longitudinal progression of the conditions and clinical tools to try and predict progression and objectively quantify that. **Amy Monaghan:** Great. So those are our three guests today. I’m Amy Monaghan and I’m a postdoctoral research associate at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Drug Discovery Institute. So not a clinician at all, but I’m just here to help everyone else discuss what we’ve got to discuss today. If you want to join in on Twitter or if you’ve got any suggestions for any future podcasts, you can use the @dem\_researcher, or the #ECRdementia. And obviously they’ll also be a forum topic on the website, which is dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. So the life of a clinical academic is a constant balancing act between the demands of delivering patient care and driving research that’s relevant to that. And although they’re complimentary, there can often be a wide gap between the basic science and the clinical application. So to start off, maybe Tim, you could start us off because you are balancing research and clinician side by side constantly. How do you manage the tension between being a clinician and being go a researcher at the same time? **Tim Rittman:** I think that’s a very difficult balance to get right, to be honest. And I’m not sure I always have. Particularly when you’ve finished the PhD and when you’ve gone back into clinical training full time, I think that’s the most challenging time, well certainly it was for me. Basically research becomes your hobby. So it is what you do outside of work, when you get home, and at weekends. And what becomes very difficult is that when you’re in a research group, you go to the lab meetings, you’re in touch with people from day to day. When you’re back in the clinical world, then you’re very much cut off from that. So I think the most important thing, and it took me a little while to figure this out, was actually to work out how you communicate with the people who are in your lab. Because you won’t bump into them as you would have done in the past. **Tim Rittman:** So for me, I found things like Slack, particularly useful, which is a sort of online chat type forum website where you can have a team of people that you invite and discuss things with. And that means even if you’re in clinic or your on a ward round, you can still pick up the messages and answer briefly between patients or something like that. So it’s a way of keeping that contact going. But it just does take up a lot of time really. Yeah. **Amy Monaghan:** Worthwhile time. **Tim Rittman:** Yeah. I think so. On balance. Yeah. I think life in general, I’ve got a young family as well as. So trying to fit everything in. You have to be quite strict and plan what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it. And things like working out… If you’ve got clinic the following day, staying up to 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning to do research is not a great idea. But on other days it might be possible. It’s getting that sort of balance right. **Amy Monaghan:** Yeah. I think work life balance is probably something that all researchers need to learn a little bit more about. **Tim Rittman:** Absolutely. **Amy Monaghan:** Probably a topic for a future podcast maybe. Have either of you got any more ideas around managing your clinical and your research career? Or indeed, keeping them separate, depending. **Akin Nihat:** Yeah. I mean I think… To be honest, I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum to Tim. In terms of where I am in my research, obviously I’m in my first year having not really done any consistent work as a registrar. But in some ways it’s quite refreshing to hear that it’s still a problem that more senior people have to deal with, because it’s something that I’ve struggled quite a lot within the past. And it’s a bit of a cliche, but I think probably the single most useful technique I found is just to be ruthlessly organized as best as you possibly can. I think inevitably, the areas tend to bleed into each other as much as you try and separate them. Particularly if you’re doing a clinical job that requires kind of quite acute commitments. Or for example, part of my clinical role is to assess patients with prion disease and we can’t always predict when we’re going to get referrals in. **Akin Nihat:** So sometimes you simply have to respond to things and you have to put research to one side. So I think in trying to be absolutely as organized as possible at using every free moment to do something productive. As opposed to just kind of in a tacking away at something that’s not really getting you anywhere. I think the other thing that I found really helpful, again kind of picking up on what Tim said, is in some ways try and align some of your research work with some of the work you’re doing clinically. Because if you have kind of a shared space between them, it makes it much more easier to communicate between the two and kind of keep your eye on both. **Ione Woollacott:** I’m just going to comment on the work life balance thing actually, because I think this is a really difficult issue. Particularly when you’re training as a registrar, you’re learning new stuff all the time. I’m at the final year of my PhD, so I’ve only got six months left. And obviously getting tense about writing up and things. And trying to write papers and write chapters and they’re slightly different. And also wants to keep hobbies going just for my own sanity. One thing I’ve tried to do is block time. So which is difficult to do when you’re clinical, but say right plan weekends and say, well Saturday I’m going to have Saturday off but work Sunday. So that at least you’ve got in your mind that discipline of, well I’m not going to think about work for this period of time, but then when I am working I’m just going to think about the work, if I can. **Ione Woollacott:** That’s obviously more difficult if you have children as well to deal with… To look after. But I think that’s worked for me because otherwise you end up bleeding. The work bleeds into all your time and all your thinking. And that can become quite stressful. And obviously as you said about kind of patients and things. Part of my research is collecting spinal fluid from patients and that is a clinical contact. But although that’s time consuming, that’s beneficial. Because I’m actually getting samples for research, so that there are benefits of combining the two together. It’s just finding the balance between that. **Amy Monaghan:** And we can touch on that a little bit, because the next question is to what degree is your research and your clinical work complimentary to each other? So Ione, if you want to talk a little bit more. **Ione Woollacott:** Yeah. Although the project is looking at, or using molecular techniques, so I do ELISAs and immunoassays on CSF. Without patients, I wouldn’t have these samples, so they are very clinically aligned. Similarly, people who’ve kind of kindly donated their brains, after death, to the Queen Square Brain Bank. I’m using their precious tissue to look at Microglia. So I’m always in the back of my mind, got these patients who I’ve met or who I know donated this. And I think that kind of pushes me on when research seems hard. And patients inspired research questions as well. I know this has been a cliché, but actually in clinic you might say, well for example, we’ve realized that quite a few people with certain types of genetic FTD have autoimmune diseases. **Ione Woollacott:** Now, for me that was really interesting. We have a few people in our studies and I started to think about that. And Jon Rohrer, who had the GENFI study that I work on, we’ve put a question now in the medical research questionnaire about what type of autoimmune disease that is just to try and pick out that a bit further. And that’s tied into my project on inflammation. So there is overlap and things that seem interesting as a clinical observation might turn more into actually a mechanism of disease. **Tim Rittman:** I think for a lot of clinicians, even if they don’t end up going into research, when they do a PhD or a period of research time, that actually develops their sub specialty as well. So it’s been much easier for me coming now to sought out consultant posts to say, well actually I’ve got all this experience in my time during my PhD doing specialist research clinics or specialist dementia clinics and the general memory clinics. And then it puts you in a very strong position to then say, well this is what I’d like to be on my job plan as a consultant. But I think there are certainly some people who I know who I’ve met and are very good friends who are very much towards the research end. And they sort of take the approach that you want to do as little clinical work as possible and really focus on the research. And you’re almost a doctor who is a sort of token title if you’d like. **Tim Rittman:** My own view I think would be that you need to be a good clinician and a good researcher, which is a challenge because it means you almost doing twice the work. But I really think that there’s benefits of being a good clinician. I think the question originally was about how well the research and clinical things are aligned. And I think when you go back again for a PhD into general training as a registrar, you do lots of different bits. So although my research is in dementia, you do peripheral nerve and headaches and epilepsy. And all of those things develop you as a clinician and I think help you look at things in different ways and help you look at your research in different ways as well. So I think they’re all valuable training to be at the end product I suppose, which is a clinical researcher. **Amy Monaghan:** And Akin, do you have anything to add to that? **Akin Nihat:** I definitely agree with what you’re saying, Tim. I think it’s absolutely crucial. Certainly I’m seeing even at my early stage, to have some kind of clinical contact as well. I think definitely my work is very much a lab project and it’s a project which has some very clear clinical benefits at the end of a long period. But having said that, it’s really important for me to try and maintain the clinical contact. Because to start with, I think through the research training you also want to have some clinical training as well, particularly the type of fellowships that Ione and I have, the purpose is also to get some clinical experience. But also I’ve certainly had a couple of occasions where I’ve been seeing patients and some interesting questions have arisen from just the odd experience or the odd phenomenon that you happen to see. And it’s led to some quite promising work actually. **Amy Monaghan:** So let’s follow that up a little bit and ask where you are drawing your inspiration for your research questions from. Is this coming from predefined projects? Is this coming from patients that you’re seeing day to day in the clinic? Is it coming as Ione touched on before where you were doing a little bit of research and suddenly there’s a really interesting question that pops out of that. Maybe Akin, you can take the lead on this one? **Akin Nihat:** Yeah. The first thing I would say is I don’t have complete control about my research questions at this point. Obviously, I developed a fellowship proposal and I’m aiming to answer certain questions. Having said that, a lot of the clinical work I do comes out of either discussions about interesting patients with colleagues, with peers, with seniors or I think basically looking at the literature and seeing if there are interesting aspects that we can answer with the data that we have. And I think that’s something that I found that’s quite important, particularly in our type of work where you are kind of trying to combine two careers. You want to try and be as efficient as possible. **Akin Nihat:** And some of that is really identifying the kinds of questions that you’re able to answer with the kind of data that you have. For example, a lot of my clinical work is based around a big cohort of patients with prion disease who very kindly donated their time, did assessments for us. And we have a really beautiful data set there that has the potential to answer lots of interesting questions which we’ve identified either through looking at the literature or from just assessing individual patients and saying, is this something that might prove useful to aspects of finding out about the condition. **Amy Monaghan:** Ione. **Ione Woollacott:** Yeah. You ask where we draw inspiration from? **Amy Monaghan:** Yes. **Ione Woollacott:** I have to say that the generosity of the families that take part. I work a lot in inherited forms of FTD, particularly within the Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia Initiative, or GENFI. And we see people, individuals who are in their 20s, 30s, 40s who are at risk of developing inherited dementia. They’ll be a 50/50 risk mostly. These people are well. They’re coming, they’re having lumbar punctures, they’re asking questions, they want awareness, they come to our support groups. And I think when you’re having a bad research day or a bad clinical day, you just think, well, the courage and the generosity of these people are actually pushing you forward. And for them that’s when you want to actually answer the questions. So common question is, when will I develop a disease? There’s a mutation in my family, when will I get this? Well we don’t know that well enough. There therefore needs to be research into that. And that’s what’s happening. **Ione Woollacott:** And I think that the patients themselves can generate things. But also, as you said, looking at questions that other groups are answering. And you think, well, with this amazing data set, what can we actually do with that? What’s meaningful and what’s not going to be wasteful of data? And I think there’s a lot to be said for having… So for example, I talk about why we use lumbar punctures for research. Because lots of people don’t like having lumbar punctures, unsurprisingly. And actually the questions patients ask, or their families asked at the support groups really informed how we need to explain that better to people. And in fact inform people about what spinal fluid does, et cetera. So I think there’s a two way process and I think that’s really important. **Tim Rittman:** Yeah. Definitely. I’d agree. And I think going and meeting people with the disease that you’re studying, I think is really important. Even if you’re not a clinician. All of these diseases have support groups. I’ve done a lot of work with the PSP association and with Alzheimer’s Research UK. And it’s really valuable actually to see what people’s lives are like, to talk to them. And I think firstly that gives you the inspiration to think, well, these are terrible diseases which need addressing and need an answer. And I suppose that’s where my ultimate motivation comes from. And then yeah, there are sort of aspects of disease which you look at and think, why are the eye of movements funny in PSP? What’s that telling us about the disease? What’s that telling us about where this starts and how it progresses and things like that? So I think it does start with seeing just how bad the human cost of dementia and seeing that for yourself and what that is. Yeah. **Amy Monaghan:** Yeah. And I think I would emphasize to people, myself, that it is really good to go and do these outreach events that are possible, even if you’re not a clinician. I’ve been into care homes and things, and just talking very basically about the research that you’re doing, to people either living with dementia or their carers or their families. And sometimes it’s just the fact that you’re doing something is all that they need to know. So that’s really good. So our last question, actually, it’s flown by, our first podcast. What advice would you have for someone working in clinical practice who wants to take up research? So Tim, I’ll come to you first. Full circle. **Tim Rittman:** That’s a difficult question. I think firstly, you’ve got to really want to do it. And if you’re not interested in a career in research, that’s fine. Don’t do it. If you’re thinking about it and you’re not sure, try and get some experience. And try and choose your research group carefully. I think that can be quite tricky when you’re sort of looking from the outside in. But try and talk to a few different people who are doing things that you’re interested in and don’t take the first offer that comes along. And talk to, not only the bosses… I think people tend to go and talk to the PIs who will give you this amazing picture of how wonderful their research group is, which may be true, but go and talk to the people who are actually doing the research as well. And try and find out what the lab group is like. **Tim Rittman:** What other advice would I give? Well, certainly think about the time commitment. Because you’re essentially doing two careers. Think about some of the financial implications as well. Because when you start to do a PhD, your wage does drop a bit. And think about where your support and advice is going to come from. There are some departments which are very well set up. I’m incredibly lucky in Cambridge that people are very encouraging of people doing support. But try and find people who are on your side who will help mentor you through the process. **Amy Monaghan:** I think some of the advice you’ve given there is not just for clinical researchers, it’s for all researchers can take some of that on board. **Tim Rittman:** Absolutely. **Amy Monaghan:** Akin, what about you? **Akin Nihat:** Yeah. I think probably someone at my stage, I went into this process having come out of core medical training. So I had a strong idea that I wanted to do research. And I had a particular set of skills that I really wanted to acquire. I dabbled with it a little bit in an integrated BSE, as a lot of medical students for example, will do. And it was really a matter of saying, well, I’m really, really keen on it and I don’t think I’m going to be able to get that level experience if I leave it later. So I would certainly reiterate what Tim said about essentially having a really clear idea of why you want to do it. And trying to gain as much experience as you can early. That’s not to say if you don’t get early experience, it’s not an option, but it’s always going to stand you in better stead. **Akin Nihat:** The other thing that I really want to pick up on is the benefit of a really strong mentor. And I think that’s ideally someone who doesn’t necessarily have a particular stake in what happens to you, but is potentially someone who is in a similar kind of area or someone who’s in a position you would quite like to emulate and can give you objective advice, both on choosing a research group for example, or on these difficult decisions that you have to make along the way that’s not always very clear which option you should take. **Amy Monaghan:** I think a mentor can be very good as well at sometimes telling you what not to do. So you don’t have to do 100% of things all of the time, actually that one can wait. Especially in your case where you’re trying to balance two careers at the same time. Ione? **Ione Woollacott:** I would definitely agree, obviously with both you, but Tim’s point in particular about speaking to people who either currently working or have worked in a department at junior level. So when I did my academic clinical fellowship… Or actually when I was applying for them, I didn’t know where I wanted to study. It was a point of when I was applying for core medical training after my F2 or F1 year. And I actually looked up on the website and contacted via email and then actually asked if I could speak by phone, which I think is quite helpful to people who’d worked at different centres. And that was really helpful just to get an idea of what kind of lab it was, what they enjoyed, what was difficult, what their supervisor really was like. So that was really incredibly useful. **Ione Woollacott:** The other two things I’d say is, one is that everything takes longer than you think to set up. And I was applying for my clinical fellowship while I was doing my first registrar post. It was very stressful. It was a lot of late nights. And I think you’ve got to give yourself rest occasionally. You’ve got to plan ahead. And then the second thing is don’t be afraid to contact people who you think are quite senior and you think won’t respond to you. Because what’s the worst that can happen if you email someone? They’ll just ignore you or say no. I might try twice. I think probably after twice I’ll leave it. **Ione Woollacott:** But a lot of people don’t even make that step because they’re worried they’ll get rejected. But actually if you’re keen, if you want… I did some summer projects when I was at medical school. If you want to give up your holiday, you want to get off a weekend. If you really want to do it, people are always looking for keen people to do it. And if you don’t email them, you can ever even start. So I would say don’t be worried about that. Just go for it and make a cogent case for why they should take you on. But go for it. **Tim Rittman:** I think that’s particularly true in medicine, because we have a very hierarchical structure. And the consultant or the professor can seem a long way away. So I would certainly echo that. **Ione Woollacott:** But they were us once, I’d like to think. Hopefully. **Akin Nihat:** Definitely. I think I’ve never had a bad experience from contacting someone in that kind of context. And you know, it also kind of leads into having to develop a little bit of resilience, which is something that we all have to do. Because you get to a point, particularly in the medical system, where as you say, you have a hierarchical system, you have a set of jobs, you do them, you do them successfully, you’re happy with that. But having to break out of that and kind of be a bit more creative means you’re more likely to fail and get rejection and you have to develop a bit of resilience about that as well. **Ione Woollacott:** I was going to make a final point about resilience. I actually found the research style of life surprisingly much harder than medicine. Medicine is very stressful. It’s long hours and you have very difficult cases. But actually it’s much more consistently stressful than research. Where it’s emotional highs, but also emotional lows, the peaks and the troughs. I was lucky to learn this quite early on because I did an academic foundation post. So that for months, it was only four months, I thought I’m going to cure and motor neuron disease and I thought I’m just never going to get anywhere, in the same day or week. And I think that’s something that people need to know who want to go into research that there are incredible rewards from doing it. But it can be very hard, long hours. Experiments can take weeks and keep failing. But that resilience to keep going and just remember you to have that. **Akin Nihat:** One of the things actually, along those lines that gave me a little bit of inspiration was, I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, was the publication of CVs of failures. So I can’t remember who initially started this idea, but I think is absolutely brilliant. Because it was a series of quite prominent people, professors or kind of adjunct professors and so on, who essentially published CVs in which they only listed things that they didn’t successfully obtain. So grants, for example, rejected papers. And it’s so easy to get a picture of people slightly ahead of you and think, God, they so successful. Everything they do is just absolutely perfect. And when you see how many rejections these people have had in the past, it just shows you that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Because I completely agree with you, Ione, that I found it much more personally- **Ione Woollacott:** Demoralising. **Akin Nihat:** Exactly. Demoralising. In academia than I ever did on the wards, where I felt in some ways I was… Although I was on my own a fair bit, I was still part of a kind of wider system. **Ione Woollacott:** Yeah. **Amy Monaghan:** Yeah. I think that’s definitely a topic for a future podcast, resilience in research. And not being so… It’s hard, especially when you’re researching something like dementia, not to become emotionally immersed in your research. And when your research is going well, you feel great. And when research isn’t going so well, you feel awful. And getting out of that kind of as you say, cycle of peaks and troughs. On the CV of failures, if you go onto Twitter you can still go on the #CVoffailures and they are on there. And there are some astonishingly long lists. But you only need to be successful once. I think that’s what you need to take away from that. **Ione Woollacott:** Yeah. **Amy Monaghan:** So thank you all for coming in and thank you for listening. Again, if you want to get in contact, you can join the discussion on the #ECRdementia or use @dem\_researcher. If you want to suggest any ideas for future podcasts or just get in touch with us, use the website, dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. **Voice Over:** This was a podcast brought to you by dementia researcher. Everything you need in one place. Register today dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** **If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to or find us on twitter [@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** **You can find our podcast on [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A) (and most podcast apps).** **Categories:** Careers, Podcasts **Tags:** Akin Nihat, Amy Monaghan, Clinical Academic, Clinical Career, Ione Woollacott, Podcast, Time Management, Timothy Rittman, University College London, University of Cambridge **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Clinical Research, PhD Essentials, Postdoc Essentials --- ### [First Submission to Your Supervisor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/first-submission-to-your-supervisor/) **Published:** February 2, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Perfectionism derails early PhD work. Embrace imperfect first submissions, framing, and constructive supervision to sharpen your thesis. **Content:** **I’ve always wanted to do my best. To impress. More than that – to be the best. To be infallible. I wanted every one of my submissions to my [supervisor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/help-my-supervisor-is-never-around/) to be the same. Perfect.** Throughout the first three months of my PhD, I kept trying to write that perfect paper. Those frustrated attempts now lie in shreds, scattered across my hard drive like so many pieces of ticker tape. I couldn’t do it. It was immensely frustrating. My friends were writing papers all over the place. I wasn’t. I was unproductive, and I felt ashamed. It was becoming more and more apparent to me that I’d picked a project that I hadn’t the slightest clue about. I’d been ambitious – arrogant might be an appropriate word. But then I found the framing device, my theoretical grounding, and I was back on my feet again. Feeling as insecurely confident as usual. And I wrote. I wrote and I wrote and I wrote. What I finally handed in to my supervisor that first time was a twenty-thousand word monster, and I was ragged when I finally submitted it, sometime in the February or March of 2010. I’d worked so hard that I couldn’t see the writing in front of me any more. When I went to my supervisor for the post-submission discussion, I was hoping for praise, even proclamations of genius. The response rapidly dispelled any pretentious desires. “Were you drunk when you wrote this?” \*\*\* When you face criticism, it’s hard not to get upset. And it’s especially hard not to be upset when it comes from your supervisor. I thought of my supervisor as a mentor, and yes, I wanted to please him, to make him proud of me and to vindicate his acceptance of this imposter who’d had the gall to think they might one day be a Dr. Such feelings can make it really hard to submit that first paper, that first piece of work. It colours your relationship with your mentor, colours their expectations of you. And if you’re driven to please, like me, the idea of disappointing a person who has both a personal and professional stake in your success is anathema. But the thing is, that first piece of work is just that – a first piece. It is not your entire thesis. It is not the pinnacle of your work. Neither is your thesis come to that. You can always improve, you can always get better. That first submission is a chance for you to show what you can do, how you think, how all the odd parts of your mind click together. As much as anything else, it’s a way for your supervisor to come to some understanding of your personality and your academic voice. After that first piece, it’s their job to help you express and direct those tendencies in the best way they possibly can. If they’re a good supervisor, like mine was, their job is not to judge you as a person, mould you and make your into an image of themselves, but is to imagine who, with the right help, you might become. \*\*\* “Were you drunk when you wrote this?” he said, looking up, blearily, from the computer screen. “Wish that I had been.” We both of us burst out laughing. “It’s bonkers,” he said, “but I think we can do something with it. Go away, and make it work.” That happened with a high proportion of my individual submissions. I didn’t write nearly as many papers as my colleagues, partly because the ones I did produce were often as grotesque (in nature as well as size), as this first one. It happened to a lot of my thesis chapters. It sounds painful, and it was. But there was a cathartic ending. That first submission, initially termed a “Kafkaesque nightmare”, is still there. Unlike the more sensible attempts which I gave up on, and which are now uselessly littering my computer, it underwent revision and extension, and, in the end, became part of my thesis. The first half, in fact. If I hadn’t dared to submit it, if I’d been too worried about failure, I wouldn’t have the thesis I have today. Your work is never going to be perfect and universally loved. So, with your first submission at least, take a risk: stop aiming for some abstract and impossible concept of perfection, and content yourself with something which might be far more flawed, but which might also, perhaps, be immeasurably more daring. ##### An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field. ##### Niels Bohr --- ![Dr Jenny Walklate](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Dr.-Jenny-Walklate.jpg "Dr Jenny Walklate")Dr Jenny Walklate Thanks to Dr. Jenny Walklate for writing this article About Jenny – I recently completed my PhD in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. My research project used literary theory and strategies to investigate the production and experience of temporality in museum spaces, and its analytical model is one I hope to develop in the future. After completing my first degree, an MA.Hons. in Medieval History at the University of St. Andrews, I commenced a full Masters at the University of Leicester’s School of Museum Studies. There I won an AHRC scholarship to conduct my PhD research, and was fortunate to have a rich, varied and enjoyable time as a full time research student. Currently, I’m looking for academic jobs – many of my posts will focus on this aspect of post-PhD existence – but I am fortunate to be able to blog here, and to have a role as the Treasurer for the Subject Specialist Network, the Museum Ethnographers Group. I hope that I will be able to provide information and encouragement to those at all stages of their PhD, and afterwards for the life beyond. The article was first published at [jobs.ac.uk](https://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/studentships/2390/presentation-tips-and-speaking-in-public) **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Dr. Jenny Walklate, paper, PhD Confirmation, PhD Life, Supervisor, Writing **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials --- ### [Presentation Tips and Speaking in Public](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/presentation-tips-and-speaking-in-public/) **Published:** February 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Public speaking tips for academics: master concise, audience-friendly writing, timed delivery, confident Q&A, and reflective improvement. **Content:** **I suspect speaking in public is a little like Marmite – either you thrive on it and find it a thrilling and stimulating experience, or it scares the living daylights out of you. Possibly both.** I first got into public speaking as a teenager who was somewhat socially awkward and gawky, but fond of performing and good at English. My English teacher Mrs Johnson gave me my leg up here and, I think, made all the difference to my life as a consequence. I will be forever grateful to her for showing me how a shy, bookish, slightly chubby bespectacled ‘smart kid’ can be transformed into a subject of approval just through presenting on stage. Though my sudden surge in popularity might also have been to do with the fact that I juggled with plates and nearly brained the headmaster… The result of all of that is that I’m a bit of a diva, and, when asked, I usually love to give presentations. Despite the fact that I get nervous beforehand, I also get a genuine buzz from them. But whether or not you’re a diva, there are some important things that you can do to help yourself give the best presentation you possibly can. I hope these little pieces of advice, from preparation through to reflection, help you. #### Preparation Write your paper as a piece to be presented. It isn’t a journal article! People can’t go back and reread a passage they don’t understand, or look at a dictionary to find a word. They have to be able to comprehend what you say rapidly, so make sure you’re clear and concise in your conceptual definitions, and that the flow of your argument is smooth. Please write it to the length asked. Keeping a paper to time is a skill, one worth having and longer doesn’t necessarily mean better. If you can’t squish or stretch your idea to fit into the timeframe, rethink your idea. If in doubt, it is better to have a paper a little too short than a little too long. Make sure that you write your paper far enough in advance to leave some time to practice. Not so much that you can recite it like a parrot, but enough so that you don’t need to refer to your notes too much. Sometimes, it’s worth using props, visual and otherwise. You might use the venerable but berated [Powerpoint](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-giving-your-first-seminar/) or the apparently almost obligatory Prezi, if they’re appropriate for you. But perhaps it’s worth also thinking about using tactile, handleable things, sound or video or even smell. But don’t use props just because you think it’s expected. I have seen phenomenal presentations where the presenter just relied on their own charisma and the quality of their work: no props at all. If that approach works for you and for the paper you are presenting, go for it. And never, ever, do things for the gimmick, or just for decoration or because they are fashionable. Make your props, or their lack, meaningful and active. If you have particularly tricky visual media to present, or you aren’t sure if you’re operating system is going to play with that of the event, then check with the organiser or your chair/contact beforehand. Trust me, this saves a whole lot of stress at the beginning of the presentation and makes the waiting audience much more well disposed towards you. #### During the Presentation and Just Before - Don’t panic. I’ve always been told that sucking a boiled sweetie helps calm nerves. You’re prepared, you can do no more, and everyone there wants you to succeed – they want to have a good time as much as you do! - Introduce yourself to your chair or the conference organiser in person when you arrive, and ask if you should upload your Powerpoint, if you have one, or if there is anything you should do to prepare. - Don’t use paper. It rustles, you drop it, and it’s annoying. I use my Kindle these days, but I used to use flashcards with minimal notes. Try to minimise both risk and distractions for yourself and the audience. - Speak up, and not too quickly. Speak appropriately for the size of the room, and make sure that microphones, if needed, are on. Don’t hide behind lecterns or tables: I’m short, I get swamped by them, and I know how tempting it is to stand behind what is effectively a huge physical and emotional shield. But the audience needs to see you, and see you engage with your work. - Don’t fidget too much. You can be physically dynamic as appropriate for your presentation, but don’t wave your arms unnecessarily or tap your feet, etc. It’s distracting. - Be aware of your timeslot in the day, and perform appropriately, turning it up or down as needed. I have observed the following: In the morning, people are tired, but after coffee/tea, they’re usually fine. Just before lunch, they get fidgety and grumpy. After lunch, people are likely to be perky, but around 1500, they get sleepy and hungry again. Gauge your audience and their mood, and work with it rather than against it. - Wear something that makes you feel good. You want to feel smart and professional and intelligent. It sounds shallow, but clothing does make a difference not only to how you are perceived, but how you perceive yourself. #### The Questions This is often one of the things people are most worried about. The dreaded questions at the end where the façade of intellectual professionalism you have created crumbles into nothingness. There are several things to remember: People aren’t usually out to get you. If they’re asking a question, they’re probably genuinely interested. If you do think they’re being deliberately cruel, respond politely and try to speak to them or an organiser afterwards. It’s good to be prepared for possible questions beforehand, so do try to think what people might ask. Preparation really will help. But don’t be surprised if you get some curveballs! Also, don’t be surprised if you don’t get asked any questions. I know I always fall into the trap of feeling as though I’ve done a boring presentation if people don’t respond immediately. But that isn’t necessarily the case – and remember, they may come up and ask you more afterwards. #### Reflection It is always worth reflecting on what you’ve done. How did the presentation go, how did the audience react? What could you have done better? Did you use sensory props as well as you could have? What differences would you make in terms of content and the construction of the paper if you had to do it again? Perhaps keep a diary of the presentations you give, in which you can answer these questions and log your changes and hopefully improvements over time. It might give you an idea of your weaknesses, but also of your strengths and your evolution. I think the most important thing, though, is to write a presentation that is reflective and performative of who you are. I’ve given you pieces of advice above, but you have to mould them to fit your own style. I’m not going to say that there are no hard and fast rules – I’m fairly sure, for instance, that you can’t sensibly give a presentation on Wittgenstein’s Tractus entirely in the form of interpretive dance (do prove me wrong if you can) – but I would say be innovative and interesting where possible. Don’t succumb to the Powerpoint if you don’t think it’s appropriate for your presentation, but don’t consign it to oblivion, and use it well if you choose to. In presenting your work, you are presenting yourself. Treat your papers as a form of intellectual practice, and exemplify what you research within them: show, to the rest of the world, the unexpected wonders and dangers of the inside of your imagination. --- ![Dr Jenny Walklate](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Dr.-Jenny-Walklate.jpg "Dr Jenny Walklate")Dr Jenny Walklate **Thanks to Dr. Jenny Walklate for writing this article** About Jenny – I recently completed my PhD in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. My research project used literary theory and strategies to investigate the production and experience of temporality in museum spaces, and its analytical model is one I hope to develop in the future. After completing my first degree, an MA.Hons. in Medieval History at the University of St. Andrews, I commenced a full Masters at the University of Leicester’s School of Museum Studies. There I won an AHRC scholarship to conduct my PhD research, and was fortunate to have a rich, varied and enjoyable time as a full time research student. Currently, I’m looking for academic jobs – many of my posts will focus on this aspect of post-PhD existence – but I am fortunate to be able to blog here, and to have a role as the Treasurer for the Subject Specialist Network, the Museum Ethnographers Group. I hope that I will be able to provide information and encouragement to those at all stages of their PhD, and afterwards for the life beyond. The article was first published at [jobs.ac.uk](https://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/studentships/2390/presentation-tips-and-speaking-in-public) **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Dr. Jenny Walklate, Presentation, Presenting Skills **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials --- ### [Sarah's Dementia Story: A Caregiver's Journey Homeward](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/sarahs-story/) **Published:** February 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** A daughter's candid narrative of caring for a mother with Alzheimer's, exploring sacrifice, duty, and the emotional toll with honesty. **Content:** #### **![Sarah's Story](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/patient-story-sarah-300x211.jpg "patient-story-sarah")Sarah’s story** I’m writing this first paragraph after writing down my whole story. I have to start by saying that doing this, being able to put down in writing some of what I feel on a day to day basis and allowing myself to be honest without fear of upsetting the person in front of me – has been one of the most cathartic and stress relieving things I have done. My name is Sarah, I’m in my 30’s and I care for my mum who has Alzheimer’s disease. #### **Where my dementia story began** My story really started 4 years ago when my dad passed away quite unexpectedly. I’d noticed some changes in Mum when I came back home for Christmas to stay with my parents. It’s only then, over a period of days, I noticed a change in my mum’s behaviour and repetition, along with my dad clearly trying to compensate for this. I spoke to him about it and he agreed he would try and get her to the doctors after Christmas to get her checked over. We never managed this as he fell ill shortly after and passed away. Whilst in hospital, I made a promise to him that I would look after her. He was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to cope when he came home – but now I think he may have had an inkling that he wouldn’t. #### **Moving back home** I’ve always been very close to my mum and we have a great relationship so it really was a simple decision that I would move back up from London and move in with her, knowing full well she would struggle with the grief of losing dad and coupled with the fact that she may not be able to manage independently. So this is what I did. It was actually a really easy decision as I had no family commitments, only rented in London and I could commute to my job fairly easily. Both of my siblings were settled with partners so I felt it was my role. My friends thought I was mad, and some of my family in fact probably thought it was complete overkill and wouldn’t be a good thing for mum long term but I knew it’s what I needed to do given the changes I’d seen in her. And I had a promise to keep which I probably didn’t even portray as one of my reasons at the time. #### **Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease** Mum was diagnosed with [Alzheimer’s disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-matters-podcast-from-the-wisconsin-alzheimers-disease-research-centre/) shortly after in 2013. The last 4 years have become progressively more challenging, as expected. I had to sacrifice a great career, my home, independence and numerous other things to move back home but it was the right path to take. Seeing first hand how difficult mum was finding things, I just became fixated on her happiness and wellbeing as she deserves that more than anyone I know. She is the most lovely lady, to anyone that knows her and after giving up her life to raising me and my siblings, the least I can do is return the favour and ensure she has something to live for. She does not deserve Alzheimer’s and she couldn’t be more loving or grateful for the help. **Categories:** Inspiring stories **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Society Resources, Inspiring stories --- ### [Research impact at the UK Parliament](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/research-impact-at-the-uk-parliament/) **Published:** February 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** New UK Parliament research impact hub helps academics understand what Parliament needs, how research is used, and practical ways to engage. **Content:** ![British Houses of Parliament](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/British_Houses_of_Parliament-300x199.jpg "British_Houses_of_Parliament")The UK Parliament is delighted to announce the launch of a new web hub for academic researchers. [‘Research Impact at the UK Parliament’](https://www.parliament.uk/research-impact) provides comprehensive information for researchers and universities on how they can engage with Parliament. The hub answers three key questions: - What is Parliament interested in? - How does Parliament use research? - Why engage with Parliament? It provides essential information on ways to engage with Parliament and stay up to date, as well as contact details of parliamentary teams and staff who work with research to support Parliamentarians. The pages feature a variety of case studies in which researchers from across the UK, and from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, write about their experiences of working with a number of parliamentary offices. **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Impact, Policy, Research impact at the UK Parliament **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Patient and Public Involvement, Policy --- ### [Lessons I’ve learnt as an early career researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/lessons-ive-learnt-as-an-early-career-researcher/) **Published:** February 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Nicola Hemmings reflects on the slip-ups she made as she built her career in science, and offers advice on how to avoid them **Content:** **As I come to the end of my current [postdoc](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/advice/what-phd-advice-phd-students) and tenure as a bona fide early career researcher (at least according to several grant-awarding bodies), I look back on the past 10 years since I started my master’s with wizened eyes. Here are some of the mistakes I have made – from the trivial to the fundamental – plus some hand-waving advice on better practice. I don’t have all the answers by a long shot, but I’m still here.** ### Failing to organise my data adequately (c.2007) Prepare your datasets like you would if you were giving them to a stranger who knew nothing about them. Label, annotate and meticulously file your R scripts. Incorporate read-me files into everything and write them for the monkey that will be you in five years, when you return to your data and/or analyses for some unforeseen but vitally important reason. Don’t get this wrong. You will regret it. ### Not practising writing enough (c.2008) Fortunately I learned this lesson early, thanks to a combination of brutally honest criticism and good advice (see below). But it was a very steep learning curve, and I should have made the most of all that lovely time I had as an undergraduate and then a master’s student to refine my writing technique. ### Jumping the gun (c.2009) It’s great getting exciting, tantalising results. Just remember to be self-critical. Make sure that you have sufficient evidence to support your conclusions. Scrutinise your methods. If all the boxes are ticked, then great (see next point). But take the time to ensure that they are. ### Being slow to publish (c.2010) Take heed of the previous point. But once you have rigorously evaluated your work, don’t drag your feet. Whatever stage you are at in your academic career, if you’ve done good research, get it out there. Papers matter. ### Worrying about what people think of me and my ability as an academic (c.2011) This is truly a waste of time and energy. First things first: people probably aren’t even thinking about you. They’re busy worrying about themselves. But regardless, this kind of worry is completely unproductive. Worry about your work instead, let that speak for itself, and the rest will follow. ### Ignoring the advice of those who know better (c.2012)… In the early stages of your career (and probably late stages, too), you will think naive thoughts, miss crucial information, make mistakes and/or simply let your untempered enthusiasm run away with you. Respect your academic elders – they’ve probably made most of these mistakes several times over, and have advice that could save you the trouble. ### …apart from those times when I ignored my intuition and took bad advice! (also c.2012) Try to hone your bullshit radar – not everyone has your best interests at heart. A disconcerting proportion of people act completely in their own interests, and are quite happy to use you, abuse you and put you in awkward positions if you are willing. Beware and learn to say “no” if the arrangement is not mutually beneficial. ### Crying over spilled milk (c.2013) The saying is true – there really is no use. Whether it’s one lost sample or an entire failed experiment, what’s done is done. If you can’t fix it, the most pragmatic and efficient thing to do is salvage what you can, learn from it, and move on. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not that bad – trust me. I have extensive experience of getting over it. ### Giving work too much priority (c.2014) Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. I find [science addictive,](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/you-dont-have-to-be-a-scientist-to-do-science-foldit-addictive-science-games-to-held-alzheimers-coronavirus/) and my research is important. But life is bigger than academia, and it’s really important that academics remember that. Don’t wait for things to be put into perspective for you – make time for the other things in life now. It will probably help you to be more productive at work anyway. **Nicola Hemmings is a postdoctoral research associate at the [University of Sheffield](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-sheffield), specialising in behavioural ecology and reproductive biology. This [post ](https://nicolahemmings.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/mistakes-ive-made-as-an-early-career-researcher/)originally appeared on [her blog](https://nicolahemmings.wordpress.com/).** ### Looking back with rose-tinted glasses (c.2015) Despite all the mistakes I have made, there are moments when I long for my PhD heyday. But although I loved the academic freedom of my PhD and early postdoctoral work, I now get huge fulfilment from overseeing projects, interacting with external partners, teaching and supervising students, and supporting the work of other excellent scientists. All alongside my own research and scholarship. I’ve learned so much since my PhD and developed as both a researcher and a person. I really wouldn’t want to go back. I’m looking forward to the future. Follow Nicola on Twitter [Follow @HemmingsNicola1](https://twitter.com/HemmingsNicola1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Content from: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/mistakes-ive-made-early-career-researcher **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Careers, Nicola Hemmings, The University of Sheffield, Times Higher Education **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - How I Started My Own Lecture Course](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-started-my-own-lecture-course/) **Published:** June 25, 2026 **Author:** Dr Becky Carlyle **Excerpt:** Dr Becky Carlyle shares how creating a neuroscience course reshaped her teaching, sharpened her science, and inspired future dementia researchers. **Content:** --- **One of the most important roles we have as Dementia Researchers is to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists. I was somewhat dismayed when I started teaching Neuroscience to second year Oxford medics that the part of the syllabus that deals with dementia hasn’t really changed since I was at Medical School a long, long time ago. And the basic fact is that while the central theories hold, almost everything swirling around them has changed. So when I was given the opportunity to increase my teaching portfolio by teaching a new lecture course to second year biomedical scientists, I should have said, “absolutely not, I’m completely overwhelmed,” but instead, I said, “sounds amazing, sign me up.”** It had been a LOT of work. But three students from the course have just finished their first short research projects in the lab, and it has been a really positive culmination to a really good teaching year. Running a course really forces you to ask **the super basic questions in our field**, such as; “do we really know that?”, “how do we know that?”, “who figured it out”, and “are there any big gaps” in a way that you simply don’t have the bandwidth to consider when you’re rushing from grant to grant. I firmly believe it improves my grasp of the field, and gives me far better context for what we’re doing in the lab. But it is a lot. And so in this blog, I’m going to run through a few of the guiding principles I used when creating this course from scratch, in a hope to inspire more of you to step forwards and teach students the up to date scientific knowledge they need to push the field forwards. My first piece of advice would be to teach mostly what you know, alongside a small handful of things that you always wished you’d had time to figure out. My course is called **“The Molecular Basis of Neurodegenerative Disease and Dementia,”** which means for most of the lectures, the study techniques and the foundational experiments are firmly in my wheelhouse. But we don’t cover only RNA and proteins. Much to the chagrin of a young man who came to the first lecture and then was never seen again, we start with clinical diagnosis; the huge amount of variability clinicians see in people with dementia and the difficulties this poses for diagnosis. In my mind this is essential information for understanding the leading edge of molecular discovery in neurodegeneration, and starts the course with a clear rationale for continued advances in biomarkers and deeper understanding of molecular mechanism. The look of shock on the student’s faces as we went through the current dementia diagnosis toolkit suggested it was a really important lesson in understanding where our biosamples arise from, and the tough decisions clinicians make in limited time to categorise people. Of course, it’s then instantly obvious why having a biochemical marker of a disease state might help this diagnosis. With the exception of the young gentleman above with an aversion to “just more psychology stuff,” the students were hooked. ![From big questions to bright ideas, teaching can shape the next generation of dementia researchers.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ChatGPT-Image-Jun-26-2026-12_20_24-AM-300x300.png)From big questions to bright ideas, teaching can shape the next generation of dementia researchers. From there on in we explored both the history and current status of molecular dementia research, starting with insoluble proteins and disease models, moving through recent big papers in single-cell RNA seq and proteomics, and using these to launch three themed lectures; metabolism, neuroinflammation, and EI balance. The final lecture took three clinical trials that had either recently completed or were currently underway, looked at their scientific rationale, clinical trial design and inclusion criteria, and finished by discussing how biomarkers might inform rationale trial design. At each stage students were expected to build their knowledge of the scientific techniques employed to achieve the discovery, to consider the relevance of the models and samples used, and to **embrace the complexity and uncertainty** thrown up by deep molecular characterization of these complex disorders. In small group tutorials we argued for and against hypotheses; amyloid, prion, the utility of mouse models, and students learnt how to use primary evidence to formulate scientific arguments. I had an absolute blast teaching the course, and the reviews from the students were mostly very positive. Many commented on how unusual it was to see papers from the last two years in a lecture, despite the fact that when they become practicing scientists in a few years’ time, putting brand new papers in context of the historical literature is one of the most important skill sets they will require. Those of you who know me will know that my public persona is somewhat energetic, and I think the students appreciated the **genuine enthusiasm of not knowing something**, and enjoyed the prompts to get them to plot out ways to try to figure it out. A few things to consider along the way. If your students are in the first part of their academic journey, they have probably received pretty basic teaching on many of the systems you’re going to cover, and so you’ll have to ensure you cover some of those bases first. Metabolism is a great example, where the students hadn’t heard about some of the glial neuronal shuttles, and why different cells might use different fuels under different conditions. Make sure you check out the syllabus for what they’ve already covered in their courses, and that you proactively plug any gaps in the teaching that you might need for them to understand a disease state. Similarly, most lectures are online these days, so make sure you’re not repeating material they’ve already heard too frequently. > Be clear on what you want students to take away from your lectures, and that you give opportunities for students of all strengths to succeed. A big part of this is providing good handouts with direct links to the reviews and primary literature that you quote, which gives the top students the opportunity to go and check out full papers and further contextualise their learning. I’ve kind of given up summarising things with bullets for some of my scientific talks, but these summaries are essential for the weaker students to ensure they have understood the drive of the argument, and will enable them to revisit the material and further their understanding outside of the rapid-fire lecture format. Still, don’t give away absolutely everything in the handouts – keep some things as discussed in the lecture only, so that the students who attend and fully engage will benefit more widely from the experience. When it comes to examining, set your questions with these different levels of students in mind. A question such as; “Outline the key arguments **against** the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer’s Disease” allows the weaker student to pass by bulking out your bullet summaries, the stronger students to use primary evidence to make their argument, and the best to write a well-rounded appraisal which takes in alternative hypotheses and highlights key experimental evidence across the board. In this scenario everyone who understands the broad argument passes, and the top students gets to show they are thinking deeply in creative ways about the topic. When you’re marking their exams, be self-reflective. For example, I noticed a few students put a lot of weight on one of the clinical trials we covered in a final lecture as a competing mechanism to amyloid, and this arises from the fact that I hadn’t made it clear that I’d essentially picked trials at random from different sub-categories to highlight – I didn’t necessarily believe that evidence for this mechanism was particularly strong. There were a few occasions like that where I realized that even though you say this science is open for discussion every lecture, your word really is taken as ground truth by a subset of students, and it’s important to recognise this when you’re talking. I will be taking this reflection and others forwards to next year, where the slides and the flow will stay generally the same, but I will tweak the way I introduce certain ideas. Three easy final things. 1) Of course, always check the work, but I found that ChatGPT was really good for identifying to first person to do a certain thing. Especially when it comes to the major evidence along the amyloid pathway, much of this was accepted knowledge when I started to think about dementia, and so the path of discovery was not always clear to me. 2) Related to this, it’s really quite common that lots of people were working on the same thing at the same time, and you can’t cover it all. You can therefore make a choice to highlight the work of specific people who may come from under-represented groups, or who are known to be an all-round good egg. For example, we had a brief aside in the neuroinflammation lecture to talk about Ben Barres and their article on “[How to Pick a Graduate Advisor](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627313009070)” before we moved on to their work on reactive astrocytes. 3) At the end of each lecture, I highlighted Oxford based researchers and highly-rated supervisors working on this aspect of neurodegeneration, giving the students links to labs they may want to join for future research projects and internships. I hope this also proves valuable for colleagues in departments without undergraduate teaching portfolios. > It’s a serious job to be educating the scientists of the future, and one not to be taken lightly. I’m of the firm belief that courses like this early on their careers will inspire students to join to fight against dementia, or to equip them with reasoning skills and practices that will benefit them whatever field of research they choose. Lecturing makes it more likely you’ll inspire excellent students to come and work in your lab, and raises your profile amongst the research community as your students ripple out to other labs. I’m pretty hopeful that I’m starting to create excellent PhD students who may come eventually to work in my lab, and if they don’t, then hopefully you’ll see some of them in yours. The students are awesome, and I’m excited to see how far they’ll go. --- ![Dr Becky Carlyle profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dr-Becky-Carlyle.jpg "Dr Becky Carlyle")Dr Becky Carlyle #### Author **[Dr Becky Carlyle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-becky-carlyle-university-of-oxford/)** is an Alzheimer’s Research UK Senior Research Fellow at University of Oxford, and has previously worked in the USA. Becky writes about her experiences of starting up a research lab and progressing into a more senior research role. Becky’s research uses mass-spectrometry to quantify thousands of proteins in the brains and biofluids of people with dementia. Her lab is working on various projects, including work to compare brain tissue from people with dementia from Alzheimer’s Disease, to tissue from people who have similar levels of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology but no memory problems. Becky is also a mum, she runs, drinks herbal tea’s and reads lots of books. **[Find Becky on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-carlyle-bb399118/)** **[@bcarlylegroup.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/bcarlylegroup.bsky.social)** **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Course Development, Dr Becky Carlyle, Research Culture, Teaching, Training, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Postdoc Essentials, Research Culture, Research Methods **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [The surprising career parallels between footballers & researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-surprising-career-parallels-between-footballers-researchers/) **Published:** July 1, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Nature Careers - Sarah Blackford reflects on how early-career scientists and professional football players share similar motivations, pressures and challenges. **Content:** **![The surprising career parallels between footballers and researchers - Nature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/The-surprising-career-parallels-between-footballers-and-researchers-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "The surprising career parallels between footballers and researchers - Nature 680 x 520 px")Precarious contracts, international mobility, pressure for quick wins and an obsession with league tables. Sound familiar?** You’ll probably recognise these realities of academic life. But you might be surprised by how much you have in common with the [professional footballers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/study-explores-links-between-sports-brain-injury-dementia/) battling it out at the men’s FIFA World Cup 2026 and other high-level tournaments (perhaps not the salaries). At the early-career stage, both professional footballers and academic researchers are driven by the kind of passion and talent that can demand sacrifices in home life, leisure and personal time. For players, this means long hours at the training ground, dreaming of a winning goal in the national league or on the international stage. For researchers, it means hopes for a breakthrough discovery or highly cited paper. But success in both soccer and science requires more than talent and dedication. It also demands resilience, adaptability and a willingness to remain constantly on the move. For elite footballers, this is down to the transfer system, through which players get sold to clubs around the world. For working scientists, it means ‘academic mobility’ — moving between research groups near and far, depending on where your expertise is most valued. Both moves can involve uprooting your life, adjusting to new colleagues and cultures, and occasionally learning a new language, before the cycle begins again a few years later. Short-term contracts make long-term planning difficult. In both research and football careers, you might always have an eye on your next contract. Yet insecurity does not necessarily disappear for those who secure a permanent academic position. In football, there is always the prospect of landing a position as manager or head coach, allowing you to stay in the profession. In research, the equivalent is to become a group leader or professor. Ironically, both promotions bring a whole new set of skills and challenges: people and resource management, recruitment, mentoring, training, budgeting and pressure for your team to deliver results. #### Papers published, goals scored Whereas football managers are judged on league position, researchers are evaluated through publication metrics, grant income and international profile. These parameters influence promotion prospects, future funding opportunities and even an institution’s position in national and international league tables, similar to a football club. Furthermore, a talented researcher or group leader might be headhunted on the basis of their *h*-index, much as footballers and their managers are because of their goal-scoring record. For those who succeed in football, there are rich pickings — a place in the national team, a seven-figure salary, media and sponsorship opportunities galore. Successful researchers are very unlikely to enjoy Premier League wages or global fame. Their victories are more about impact: a treatment developed, a problem solved, knowledge advanced. Yet researchers have important advantages over footballers when it comes to long-term career prospects. Whereas professional sporting careers are often constrained by age or injury, a research career can evolve over time, creating opportunities both in and beyond academia. Members of both professions can move into teaching and training, or into communication roles such as public engagement or media commentary — whether as a scientific ‘talking head’ or as a football pundit. But the technical expertise, analytical thinking, adaptability and capacity for continual learning developed during a research career create opportunities across multiple sectors long after time in academia has ended. #### Support off the pitch Furthermore, researchers today often have access to much greater career support than did those of previous generations. I have witnessed this shift at first hand over my three decades in academic career consultancy. And, although provision remains patchy, universities are increasingly investing in professional-development programmes, dedicated career staff, mentoring schemes and coaching to help researchers prepare for careers in academia and beyond. Of course, neither footballers nor researchers are motivated only by career prospects. For researchers, the opportunity to explore unanswered questions, make discoveries and contribute to society remains a powerful draw. Much like a footballer dreaming of representing their country, many scientists are driven by the chance to be part of something larger than themselves. Not many footballers win the World Cup. Few researchers win a Nobel prize. But both professions continue to attract people willing to devote themselves to the pursuit of something uncertain. And for researchers, at least, leaving academia need not mean leaving the field. --- ***Shared from Nature Careers, for this and more great content visit doi: *** **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Careers, Nature Careers, Short-term Contracts **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Microphone tips for starting a podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/microphone-tips-for-starting-a-podcast/) **Published:** July 3, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Starting a podcast? Our Solutions Lab Q&A shares practical mic, recording and editing tips to help ECRs sound clear online. **Content:** > Hi, this may be a smaller question than usual for the Solutions Lab, but I listen to the Dementia Researcher podcast and ’m hoping you might have some practical advice. > > I’m an early-career researcher and I’m planning to start a podcast. I wondered whether you had recommendations for a decent microphone to get started with, ideally something that doesn’t require a complicated set-up, or cost too much. > > I’d also really appreciate any general tips on how to make audio sound better when recording online. For example, things like where to record, whether to use headphones, how close to sit to the microphone, and any common mistakes to avoid. > > I’m not aiming for a full studio set-up, just something that sounds clear, professional, and reliable enough for interviews and conversations. > > I hope you don’t mind my asking for advise, I love your podcast and it always sounds great! > > Best Wishes > > Claire **Categories:** Solutions Lab **Tags:** Adam Smith, Podcasting, Solutions Lab --- ### [ISTAART RELAY Podcast - Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-clinical-trials-advancement-and-methods-pia/) **Published:** July 4, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Mixed pathology, fluid biomarkers and smarter trial design. Carla Abdelnour with host Sindhuja Govindarajan. The ISTAART Clinical Trials & Methods PIA on Relay. **Content:** **Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC.** Series closer, and the relay comes full circle: [Dr Carla Abdelnour](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-carla-abdelnour-hospital-de-la-santa-creu-i-sant-pau/), who hosted episode one, returns as the guest. Carla is a clinician scientist in Barcelona and incoming Chair of the ISTAART Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA, working on mixed neurodegenerative disease, particularly Lewy body and Alzheimer's pathology together. With host [Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sindhuja-t-govindarajan-karolinska-institutet/) she explains why co-pathology is so common and what it means for treatment: does someone with both alpha-synuclein and Alzheimer's pathology respond to an anti-amyloid drug the same way as someone without? They discuss why she leans on fluid biomarkers, the wish for a synuclein PET tracer, and how trials might stratify or include people by co-pathology. Carla makes a useful point for anyone designing research, that clinical trial methods translate straight to observational studies, and previews the CTAM PIA's AAIC programme, including a panel and featured session on global representation in trials. **Takeaways** - Mixed pathology is common, and co-occurring alpha-synuclein and Alzheimer's pathology may change how people respond to treatment. - Trials could stratify or include people by co-pathology, but alpha-synuclein is currently detectable only in CSF, which limits that. - Fluid biomarkers offer the specificity to track different proteinopathies and, potentially, response to treatment. - Clinical trial design transfers straight to observational research: the same inclusion criteria, outcomes and sample-size thinking. - Global representation in trials is a live priority, with a CTAM panel launching at AAIC. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** Narrator: Hello, and welcome to season seven of the Dementia Researcher "ISTAART Relay" podcast. In this series, members of the ISTAART's professional interest areas interview each other about their PIAs and the hot topics in their fields. Each guest then becomes the next episode's host, passing the conversation along from one researcher to the next. We are releasing one episode a day in the run up to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, this year in London and online, showcasing the work of the ISTAART PIAs. Thank you for listening. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Hello and thanks for tuning in. I'm Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan. I'm an Alzheimer's Association research fellow and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. And over the summer, I'll be transitioning into a new role as an assistant professor at the Karolinska Institute. I also serve as the outgoing chair on the Professional Interest Area for Elevating Early Career Researchers, it's shortened as PEERs PIA, and this is within the ISTAART. Today, I'm delighted to be talking with Dr Carla Abdelnour from the Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA. Hi, Carla, welcome to the show. Dr Carla Abdelnour: Hi, Sindhuja. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: To kick things off, could you introduce yourself to our listeners and tell us a little bit about your current work and research focus? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Of course. My name is Dr Carla Abdelnour, I'm a clinician scientist, and I work in Barcelona, Spain at the Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau in the neurology department in the memory unit. My work focuses on studying mixed neurodegenerative diseases of ageing, particularly Lewy body disease with Alzheimer's disease mixed pathology. And what I want to do with my research is to try to understand how these proteinopathy interact to develop better tools for diagnosis and also for treatments of our patients. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: That's great. That's such a massive space at the intersection of two very important questions. How did you first get involved in this area of research? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Well, that's a great question, Sindhuja. I started working on this approximately 10 years ago, when I started my PhD. I developed my PhD on dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease mixed pathology. I was studying patients with dementia with Lewy bodies who had Alzheimer's disease profiles in CSF. So, I studied different aspects of this mixed pathology, in particular how these patients progress over time, because they have faster progression, as our studies have also shown. We studied how the presence of AD pathology in DLB influenced clinical presentation and atrophy patterns. All of that work was done in collaboration with the European Dementia with Lewy Body Consortium, which I am very grateful to for their help with my PhD. Then I moved to the US to do my postdoctoral fellowship with Kathleen Poston at Stanford University. There, I was able to include Parkinson's disease patients with cognitive impairment who also had Alzheimer's disease biomarkers. Then I had the full Lewy body disease spectrum to study and could understand the differences, and how the presence of Alzheimer's disease pathology influences cognition, disease progression in general, function, global cognition and so on. I also tried to study novel biomarkers, in this case plasma markers, and how to interpret them in the setting of mixed pathologies. It has been great working in this field for all these 10 years, because I have been seeing the growth in awareness of co pathologies, which is great. I am excited to see how many people are now interested in this field. I started working on it in my PhD. It was a great opportunity. At that time, I was working at Fundació ACE as a neurologist, and I got the opportunity to join the European Dementia with Lewy Body Consortium and work on our dementia with Lewy bodies cohort. That is how I got into this field. To be fair, when I finished my residency as a neurologist, I was interested in stroke and also movement disorders. Then I got into the memory unit, and I fell in love with our patients who have cognitive impairment, because it is so interesting. Our memory and our behaviour are what make us human. Since I started neurology, what I wanted to do was understand our brain and how the brain works. So, understanding behaviour and cognition is a great way to do that. When I got the opportunity to work on dementia with Lewy bodies, it was pure luck, but I was very lucky because I was able to combine my passion for movement disorders, so Parkinson's disease, but also cognition. I have always thought that sometimes we make these different fields a little bit arbitrary. In the end, they are all neurodegenerative diseases, and the patients are very similar. Sometimes, because of how these diseases have been described, we separate them, but they are more similar than we think. So, I am very happy to be kind of in both fields, because that gives me the opportunity to gain experience from one field and move the information to the other, and have a different perspective. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: I think we're kindred spirits in that. I did my PhD with a different field of neurodegeneration and moved to the field of ageing. I worked on multiple sclerosis before and there are a lot of commonalities in terms of how the brain is affected. And I could see like the spark in your face when you're talking about how complex the brain is. I agree with you that a lot of the presentations perhaps even are similar across a diverse spectrum of diseases. But exactly how we study them is quite different, right? So, for example, I'm representing the PEERs PIA today, but my area of research is neuroimaging, mainly MRI focused. And so, we're looking at how the pathological mechanisms manifest, how can we study them in vivo, you know, before sometimes when cognitive impairment is present sometimes during the process along the continuum. In terms of your specific research areas, am I right in understanding that you're focusing more on the plasma markers and as such the biofluid markers and cognition? Can you tell us about the methodologies you use for your research? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes, of course. I have been analysing biofluid biomarkers, mainly CSF. More recently, I have also been studying plasma markers. During my PhD, I also studied MRI for atrophy patterns. But I think my goal is to work more on fluid biomarkers, because they are some of the best measures to understand different proteinopathies and different processes. That is why I am very excited that we are now able to identify alpha synuclein in CSF. I remember doing my PhD when we were not able to do that. That is fairly recent. I remember reading papers that ended by saying, well, what we need is an alpha synuclein biomarker, and now we have it. That has changed our understanding of these diseases and the awareness, as I mentioned before, of the frequency of mixed pathologies and all the implications that will have for our patients and the treatments that we decide for them. So, I think I am more inclined, or I guess biased, towards fluid markers, because we can identify different proteins that reflect the proteinopathies, but also the pathophysiological processes that might indicate disease progression. I am interested in trying to find biomarkers for monitoring patients, or seeing if we are able to identify markers, for example, for responses to treatment, or for better prognosis or prediction. I guess biofluid markers are very good for that. But I am happy to incorporate other markers too, from imaging. In particular, I will be very happy when we have a PET tracer for synuclein. That would be great, to see alpha synuclein in the brain. I think that will be really exciting. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: That's great. One cannot argue with the specificity that comes from biofluid markers and how complementary they interact with other biomarkers as well, it's great to hear. So, in your opinion, do you think the more recent advancements or discoveries that you're so excited about are adequately incorporated in clinical trials? Like what would you want if you had a magic genie or a magic wand, what wish would you want to incorporate in clinical trials to fix a current problem? Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: I think that is a great question. One of the things that I am very excited about is incorporating the identification of different proteinopathies in clinical trials, either for inclusion, exclusion, or stratification. I think maybe we can start with stratification. There is this question about what happens when a patient with Alzheimer's disease, for example, receives a treatment for amyloid or tau but also has alpha synuclein. Does that person respond in a similar way to a person who does not have alpha synuclein, or Lewy bodies? I think this is a fair question, and I definitely would love to see more clinical trials trying to answer it as a secondary outcome or exploratory outcome. I understand the difficulties, though, because right now alpha synuclein is available only in CSF. Not all clinical trials have CSF as an inclusion criterion. Sometimes you can only have PET, or amyloid or tau inclusion criteria. And not all clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease require biomarker confirmation either, so that is another thing. But I understand that it is not easy. Even in a subgroup of patients, clinical trials could try to answer that. There are some great ongoing clinical trials happening in that space, so I am very excited. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: That's great. Your excitement for the research topic and for the future horizon is very obvious from the way you can talk about this. That's been really helpful to set the stage for what I want to talk about next, which is the work of your PIA with the Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA, can I call it the CTAM PIA? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Okay, great. So clearly, it's a massive interdisciplinary effort with converging disease spectrums, with converging proteinopathies, diverging as well, which is what makes it very fascinating. So how does your PIA organise itself with the different experts from statisticians to clinicians? How are you organising, how do you bring this work together within the PIA? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Well, I think that's a very good question. In our PIA we have collaborative environment and we're very open to any topic or idea that somebody might have. And we always try to encourage people and help them and support them in moving those ideas forward because usually they are within the objectives of the PIA. What our PIA wants to do is we want to develop better tools for synuclein clinical trials. And also, we have a second objective that has to do with the education of people about the design of clinical trials. So yes, you're right, we're very interdisciplinary PIA and I think that's a strength because we can learn from different perspective, and, yes, so any idea that people have and any of the members, I invite them to collaborate, if you have any idea about something that you want to develop either a webinar or a different activity or a paper, just reach out to us where we will support you with your idea and probably put you in contact with people that will help you. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Yes. Our PIA is on clinical trials and methods. The methods part is one of the very interesting ones, because what we want to do is develop novel methods, or identify methods, for clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The second objective is to educate people about how to conduct clinical trials. What are the best methodologies if you have an idea for a clinical trial? I find that fascinating. There have been a lot of webinars and different activities that the PIA has developed over the years to support people in this regard. Clinical trials are very difficult to manage and perform, but I think with the right support, they can be done. So again, if people are interested in learning more, just reach out to us. Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes. So, our PIA is on clinical trials and methods. And the methods part is, I think, one of the very interesting ones because what we want to do is try to develop novel methods or identify methods for the clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. And the second objective is to educate people about the, how to conduct clinical trials? What are the best methodologies that you have an idea for a clinical trial? Which I found fascinating and, there have been a lot of webinars and different activities that the PIA has developed over the years to support people in this regard. Clinical trials are very difficult to, to manage and to perform. But I think with the right support that can be done. So again, if people are interested in learning more, just reach out to us. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Yes, I love that question. I got involved in 2020, during the pandemic. I remember receiving the email invitation and thinking, oh my god, which is such a great opportunity. During the pandemic, I was working in Fundació ACE as a neurologist, and I was heavily involved in the clinical trial unit. I was actually the deputy head of the clinical trial unit, and I was coordinating several clinical trials and more than 100 participants in clinical trials. During the pandemic, the question was, oh my god, how are we going to cover clinical trials in this situation? All these protocols, all these visits, what are we going to do? We had to adapt very quickly. I thought it would be a great opportunity to reach out to people from different parts of the world and understand how they were going to manage that situation. It was a great opportunity in that regard. I learned a lot from my colleagues around the world, and since then I have been very involved in the PIA. Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes, I love that question. So, I got involved in 2020. It was during the pandemic. I remember when I received it, that email of invitation, and I thought, oh my god, that's such a great opportunity because during the pandemic I was working in Fundació ACE as neurologist and I was heavily involved in the clinical trial unit. I was actually the deputy head of the clinical trial unit, and I was coordinating several clinical trials and more than 100 participants in clinical trial. And during the pandemic what happened was that we had that question, oh my god, how are we going to cover clinical trials in this situation, right? All these protocols of these visits, what are we going to do? We have to adapt really quickly to all of that. So, I thought that that will be a great opportunity to reach out to people from different parts of the world and understand how they were going to manage that situation. It was a great opportunity in that regard. I learned a lot from my colleagues around the world or how they were managing that. Where after that it was a great opportunity also for networking. I have been always interested in clinical trials because I'm a clinician, and I want also been able to develop better treatments for my patients, and clinical trials are the best way to do that, right? It helps me also being up to date on the treatments that are being developed in the pipelines of the different neuroactive diseases. So yes, I think clinical trials are very helpful, and as a researcher, it also has taught me about what is the best way to develop a protocol for a research. So, if you are a researcher doing an observational study or you have an idea of an observational study, learn about clinical trials because that will be a great foundation, that is the gold standard, I would say, for developing protocol for any research. It's the highest level of scientific evidence, so learning about clinical trials is actually very helpful for your career. So then, that was what brought me to the CTMP and has been an amazing journey. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Yes, of course. We are in the process of updating our executive committee. Currently, the vice chair, Rema Raman, is the chair of our PIA. She has done amazing work during the last two years, and I am very grateful for her leadership. This year I will be the new chair of the PIA, and we are waiting for the elections because we recently had elections and will have our new executive committee team. I am looking forward to meeting them either in person or virtually. We can have a virtual coffee if needed. We are in the process of building the new executive committee, but we have had an amazing committee this year and over the past period. We have three working groups. We have a working group on Lewy body trials, which I work on in collaboration with the Lewy Body Dementia PIA. We also have another working group on diverse representation across the workflow, and another one about remote assessments in clinical trials. We have several working groups, and if people want to be involved in any of them, please reach out. I will be happy to talk with you about your ideas and how to get involved more actively. Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes, of course. So, we're in the process of updating our executive committee, and currently the vice chair, Rema Raman, is the chair of our PIA, she's been an amazing work during the last two years and I'm very grateful for her leadership. And this year I will even a new chair of the PIA and we are waiting for the elections because we have elections just recently and we will have our new EC team, which I'm, I'm looking forward to meet them either in person or virtually, we'll have a virtual coffee if needed. So yes, we're in the process of building the new EC, but we have had an amazing EC this year and the past period and we have three working groups. And so, we have a working group on Lewy body trials that I work on in collaboration with the Lewy body dementia PIA. We also have another working group on diverse representation across the flow, and we have another one about remote assessments in clinical trials. So, we have several working groups and if people want to be involved in any of these working groups of have other ideas, please reach out, and I'll be happy to talk with you about your ideas and how to get involved more actively. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Yes. During AAIC, I encourage people to come to the PIA. There is going to be an amazing panel discussion on global representation in clinical trials. This is something that we have been discussing a lot during the past three years. Rema Raman and Jorge Llibre are leading that effort with the working group, and that is going to launch at AAIC. So please come to our PIA Day. I think it is going to be an amazing discussion. In addition to that, we have a Featured Research Session on a similar topic around representation, led also by Rema. I do not recall the exact details, because I have not checked the programme in detail just yet, but we are going to have a Featured Research Session on clinical trials from the CTAM PIA. I will be in London, so if you have questions about how to get involved more actively, please come and talk to me. We are always asking for members' input or ideas. I think we are a very open PIA. One of the things that we want to do next year, in addition to continuing the work from the previous executive committee, is to increase member engagement, particularly among early career members who might be interested in clinical trial design or methods. So, reach out to me. I will be happy to give you my contact details, and then we can have a more personal discussion about your ideas or how to get involved. Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes. So, during AAIC, I encourage people to come to the PIA. There is going to be an amazing discussion, a panel discussion on global representation in clinical trials. This is something that we have been discussing a lot during the past three years. Rema and Jorge Libre, Rema Raman and Jorge Libre are leading that effort with the working group and that is going to be a launch at the AAIC. And so, please come to our PIA Day. I think it's going to be an amazing discussion. And in addition to that, we have a Featured Research Session on the similar topic on representation that is led also by Rema. I don't recall the exact details but just reach out because I haven't checked the programme in detail just yet, but we're going to have a Featured Research Session on clinical trials from the CTAM PIA. And I'll be in London, so, if you have questions about how to get involved more actively, we're always asking for members input or ideas. We, I think we're very open PIA, and one of the things that we want to do for next year, in addition to continue the work from the previous EC is to continue the increase of the engagement of the members, in particularly, the early career members that might be interested in clinical trial design or methods. So yes, reach out to me, I'll be happy to, to give you my contact then we have, can have more personal discussion about your ideas or how to get involved. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Great. I particularly like your mention of early career researchers because that's the objective of my PIA, which is PEERs PIA, that I represent. In terms of easier involvement, you also have an EC position for early career researchers, right? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes, that's correct. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Can you- Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Yes. In the past, the early career researchers have been involved in helping us with the year in review webinar. That year, actually, we used to do two segments within one webinar, because we wanted to talk about pharmacological trials and nonpharmacological trials. As you can imagine, Sindhuja, that is a lot of work. But people have done amazing work. I remember last time it was Erina who took on the pharmacological trials, and I am very sorry because I do not remember the other person, but I think it was an amazing summary of what had happened. Clinical trials are such a big field. There are a lot of clinical trials happening within one year. I think it is a good opportunity to stay up to date with what is happening, and I think we are going to continue to do that. In addition, I think we might also want to consider discussing novel methodologies, not only focusing on clinical trials from the pharmacological or nonpharmacological side but also asking what new methodologies people are developing for designing clinical trials. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Although the elections are done for this year, can you tell us a little bit about what kind of activities have those ECR executive committee members gotten involved in in the past? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes, I think that is a very good question. Clinical trials are organised in different phases, and each phase has a main objective. You identify your outcomes depending on the phase of your study. For example, if you are conducting a phase two trial where you want to study safety and tolerability, your outcomes will have to reflect that, although you can incorporate cognition, function or other aspects that interest you as secondary outcomes, and biomarker changes as exploratory markers. When you have a project or a research question, you design your methods to answer that specific question. You design your experiment to answer that question, and you identify the outcomes that you have to measure. What I think might be similar between the two approaches is how to develop the protocol. For example, you have to identify the exclusion and inclusion criteria for the subjects. You have to identify all the outcome measures and describe them. You have to calculate your sample size, to know whether you have enough people involved, or samples, or whatever you need to answer your research question. That is very important in both clinical trials and research studies. Having all that prepared beforehand, before doing the actual study, is very helpful. So, I think the way clinical trials are structured is translatable, for the most part, to observational studies. It has a similar to do list when you are designing an observational study. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: So, in what ways do you think the methodologies or techniques that you use for clinical trials different from what's used in research studies? Like what are the challenges that one might not know about if they've only been exposed to, you know, research prospective studies like that? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes, I think that's a very good question. I guess, well, the clinical trials since they are organising different phases and each phase has some main objective, you will identify your outcomes depending on the phase that your studies. So for example, if you are conducting a phase two trial where you want to study safety and tolerability, your outcomes will have to reflect that, although you can incorporate as a secondary outcomes, cognition function or other aspects that your interest, for example, biomarker changes as an exploratory markers, et cetera. Now, when you have a project or a research question, you will be designing your methods for answering that specific question, right? You are going to design your experiment to answer that question, and you will identify what are the outcomes that I have to measure to answer my research question. What I think might be similar between two approaches is how to develop the protocol, for example, you will have to identify what are the exclusion and inclusion criteria for their subjects. You are going to have to identify all the outcome measures and describe them. You have to calculate your sample size to know you have enough people involved or samples or X to answer your research question, which is very important in both clinical trials and research studies. And so, I think having all that prepared beforehand, before doing the actual study is really helpful. So, I think the way that clinical trials are structure is translatable the most part to observational studies, has a similar to do list. This is when you are designing an observational study. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Clinical trial design is very complex and interdisciplinary it looks like. You previously mentioned what you would like to see ideally in a new clinical trial with the incorporation of like a magic wish of PET alpha-synuclein. But in terms of recent studies that have shown success, is there a particular study that sounds very exciting to you, very promising that you want to see more of? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Such a good question. So, do you mean research study or a clinical trial in particular? Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Yes. I went to AD/PD recently in Copenhagen, and they presented a clinical trial that is going to investigate a treatment in people with Lewy body disease. I am very excited about that clinical trial. It is a phase two trial. It has also been done in collaboration with the Lewy Body Dementia Association, and that has been an effort led by Charles Shih from Stanford and Doug Galasko from UCSD. I am really happy to see that because I need to know whether these treatments also work in the population with that clinical phenotype, for example Lewy body disease, but with the presence of amyloid data. Dr Carla Abdelnour: A clinical trial? Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: I mean a clinical trial in specific, yeah. Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes, yes. So, I went to ADPD recently in Copenhagen and they presented a clinical trial that is going to investigate a treatment in people with Lewy body. So yes, I'm very excited about that clinical trial. It is a phase two trial. It has been done also collaboration with the Lewy Body Dementia Association and, and that has been an effort that has been led by Charles Shih from Stanford and Doug Galasko from UCSD. So, I'm very, yes, really happy to see that. because I just, I just, I need to know, I need to know if this, this, these treatments also work in the population of that clinical phenotype that is for example Lewy body disease but have the presence of amyloid data. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Thank you for sharing that. What advice would you have for someone who is new to ISTAART or Alzheimer's Association in general in this field of work? How do you think it has helped you to be involved outside of research advancements alone? Dr Carla Abdelnour: Yes. I think that's a very important question. I will say reach out to members from different PIAs from your main interest. I think people are very open to extend their experience, so, if you reach out to people and ask them about their experiences, if you are interested in getting involved more actively in any of the activities, just reach out to people. Also, you can reach out to the Alzheimer's Association and the PIA directly. I think their leadership team is amazing. They, they're doing an amazing job helping us to build this network of collaborators across the world. So, you have any questions, I think that's also a great resource. There is a lot of information on the PIA website about the different PIAs if you want to check that also, because there are a lot of opportunities and you might have different interests, not only on one field, but different fields. And you can definitely be a member of several PIAs at the same time and different working fields too. I will also say that it's an amazing opportunity to meet people, to discuss ideas, and at the end, to move the field forward, Sindhuja, because this is such a complex problem. We want to develop better diagnostic tools, a better treatments for our patients. And we're not going to do that alone, we need a big team, a global team. And the Alzheimer's Association with the PIAs are doing that. So, I'm very happy to be part of the PIA, and I will say that if you interest, just reach out. We need more people working on this problems, more people trying to answer these questions. So yes, just come onboard and help us to end dementia. Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan: Well said, we cannot do this alone, we have to work together on that. I think that is a fantastic wrap up for the podcast so far. Thank you all for listening. This is the last show in the season for 2026. ISTAART PIAs are a great way, like Carla mentioned, to expand your network, find new collaborators, and learn more about Alzheimer's and dementia field in general. We hope that these podcasts have inspired you to get involved and you can find the profiles on myself and our wonderful guest, Carla, and information on how to become involved in the ISTAART on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, and also at www.alz.org/istaart, or, for simpler terms, Google ISTAART and it'll take you there. We're looking forward to seeing you at the AAIC conference, so, if you haven't already registered, visit alz.org for more information and come find us and say hello. Thank you. Bye. Dr Carla Abdelnour: Thank you. Bye. Narrator: You have been listening to the "Relay" podcast, delivered as a collaboration between Dementia Researcher and ISTAART. This podcast is made at University College London with generous funding from the NIHR, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Society. Please like and subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links/resources mentioned in the show: > [**ISTAART Website**](https://istaart.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC 2026**](https://aaic.alz.org/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, Clinical trials, Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA, Dr Carla Abdelnour, Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan, ISTAART, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research, ISTAART Relay **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Dementia Researcher X ISTAART Relay 2026: Complete Series](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-researcher-x-istaart-relay-2026-complete-series/) **Published:** July 6, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Six podcast episodes and two Relay Live specials introducing ISTAART Professional Interest Areas, dementia researchers and the topics shaping AAIC 2026. **Content:** **The Dementia Researcher ISTAART Relay returns for 2026 with six podcast episodes and two special Relay Live sessions, bringing together researchers from across the Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment, better known as ISTAART.** Across the series, members of ISTAART’s Professional Interest Areas interview one another about their research, the communities they represent, the topics shaping their fields, and what their PIAs have planned around the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London and online. The format is simple: each guest becomes the next host, passing the conversation from one researcher to the next. The result is a connected series that moves across technology, policy, imaging, biomarkers, clinical trials, early career support, sensory health, sex and gender differences, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, and Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s disease. The 2026 Relay series features conversations with Vanessa Young, Lillian Morgado, Patrick Lao, Joe Kane, Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan, Carla Abdelnour, Michael Belloy, Carmela Tartaglia, Sam Lockhart and Ingrid Ekström. Together, the episodes offer a snapshot of where dementia research is moving now: towards better use of biomarkers, more inclusive research design, earlier detection, clearer trial methods, stronger global networks, and more opportunities for researchers at every career stage to get involved. Whether you are attending AAIC, joining virtually, new to ISTAART, or simply curious about the work of the PIAs, this collection is a great way to meet the people behind these international research communities. Watch the full playlist, listen to each episode, and follow the links below to learn more about each guest and how to get involved in ISTAART. **Title****Description****Technology and Dementia PIA: Sleep, Wearables and Digital Equity**[Carla Abdelnour](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-carla-abdelnour-hospital-de-la-santa-creu-i-sant-pau/) speaks with [Vanessa Young](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-vanessa-young-ut-health-san-antonio/) about sleep, the ageing brain, digital measures, wearables, nearables, AI and making technology-based dementia research more accessible.**Health Policy PIA: AI, Biomarkers and the Human Side of Policy**[Vanessa Young](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-vanessa-young-ut-health-san-antonio/) speaks with [Lillian Morgado](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-lillian-morgado-georgia-state-university/) about qualitative research, legal epidemiology, caregivers, the justice system, AI, blood-based biomarkers and why policy conversations matter.**Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease PIA: Imaging, Timelines and Trial Readiness**[Lillian Morgado](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-lillian-morgado-georgia-state-university/) speaks with [Patrick Lao](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-patrick-lao-columbia-university/) about multimodal biomarkers, Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s disease, disease timelines, risk and resilience, clinical trials and return of results.**Lewy Body Dementias PIA: Diagnosis, Biomarkers and Better Trials**[Patrick Lao](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-patrick-lao-columbia-university/) speaks with [Joe Kane](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-joe-kane/) about Lewy body dementia diagnosis, MIPG and DAT scans, alpha-synuclein biomarkers, skin biopsy, outcome measures and trial design.**PEERs PIA: Building Careers, Confidence and Community**[Joe Kane](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-joe-kane/) speaks with [Sindhuja T Govindarajan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sindhuja-t-govindarajan-karolinska-institutet/) about neuroimaging, machine learning, large datasets, research careers, AAIC skills sessions and supporting early career researchers.**Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA: Mixed Pathologies and Trial Design**[Sindhuja T Govindarajan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sindhuja-t-govindarajan-karolinska-institutet/) speaks with [Carla Abdelnour](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-carla-abdelnour-hospital-de-la-santa-creu-i-sant-pau/) about Lewy body disease, Alzheimer’s co-pathology, fluid biomarkers, alpha-synuclein, stratification and clinical trial methods.**Relay Live: Sex, Gender and FTD in Focus**[Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) hosts [Michael Belloy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-michael-belloy-washington-university/) and [Carmela Tartaglia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-carmela-tartaglia-university-of-toronto/) for a live discussion on sex differences, X chromosome research, frontotemporal dementia, heterogeneity, diversity, biomarkers and AAIC.**Relay Live: Neuroimaging and Sensory Health in Focus**[Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) hosts [Sam Lockhart](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-lockhart-wake-forest-school-of-medicine/) and [Ingrid Ekström](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ingrid-ekstrom-karolinska-institutet/) for a live discussion on imaging biomarkers, AI, sensory decline, smell testing, dementia risk, translation and AAIC activities.--- [ ![Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Series closer, and the relay comes full circle: Dr Carla Abdelnour, who hosted episode one, returns as the guest. Carla is a clinician scientist in Barcelona and incoming Chair of the ISTAART Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA, working on mixed neurodegenerative disease, particularly Lewy body and Alzheimer's pathology together. With host Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan she explains why co-pathology is so common and what it means for treatment: does someone with both alpha-synuclein and Alzheimer's pathology respond to an anti-amyloid drug the same way as someone without? They discuss why she leans on fluid biomarkers, the wish for a synuclein PET tracer, and how trials might stratify or include people by co-pathology. Carla makes a useful point for anyone designing research, that clinical trial methods translate straight to observational studies, and previews the CTAM PIA's AAIC programme, including a panel and featured session on global representation in trials. Takeaways • Mixed pathology is common, and co-occurring alpha-synuclein and Alzheimer's pathology may change how people respond to treatment. • Trials could stratify or include people by co-pathology, but alpha-synuclein is currently detectable only in CSF, which limits that. • Fluid biomarkers offer the specificity to track different proteinopathies and, potentially, response to treatment. • Clinical trial design transfers straight to observational research: the same inclusion criteria, outcomes and sample-size thinking. • Global representation in trials is a live priority, with a CTAM panel launching at AAIC. -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the series 01:14 Dr Carla Abdelnour’s research background 03:54 Mixed pathology in dementia 07:18 Biomarkers and imaging methods 10:08 Bringing biomarkers into trials 13:40 Inside the CTAM PIA 20:47 AAIC sessions and member involvement 24:59 Clinical trials vs. research studies 28:04 Promising trials in Lewy body disease 29:10 Advice for new members 31:26 Final thoughts on collaboration](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Series closer, and the relay comes full circle: Dr Carla Abdelnour, who hosted episode one, returns as the guest. Carla is a clinician scientist in Barcelona and incoming Chair of the ISTAART Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA, working on mixed neurodegenerative disease, particularly Lewy body and Alzheimer's pathology together. With host Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan she explains why co-pathology is so common and what it means for treatment: does someone with both alpha-synuclein and Alzheimer's pathology respond to an anti-amyloid drug the same way as someone without? They discuss why she leans on fluid biomarkers, the wish for a synuclein PET tracer, and how trials might stratify or include people by co-pathology. Carla makes a useful point for anyone designing research, that clinical trial methods translate straight to observational studies, and previews the CTAM PIA's AAIC programme, including a panel and featured session on global representation in trials. Takeaways • Mixed pathology is common, and co-occurring alpha-synuclein and Alzheimer's pathology may change how people respond to treatment. • Trials could stratify or include people by co-pathology, but alpha-synuclein is currently detectable only in CSF, which limits that. • Fluid biomarkers offer the specificity to track different proteinopathies and, potentially, response to treatment. • Clinical trial design transfers straight to observational research: the same inclusion criteria, outcomes and sample-size thinking. • Global representation in trials is a live priority, with a CTAM panel launching at AAIC. — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the series 01:14 Dr Carla Abdelnour’s research background 03:54 Mixed pathology in dementia 07:18 Biomarkers and imaging methods 10:08 Bringing biomarkers into trials 13:40 Inside the CTAM PIA 20:47 AAIC sessions and member involvement 24:59 Clinical trials vs. research studies 28:04 Promising trials in Lewy body disease 29:10 Advice for new members 31:26 Final thoughts on collaboration 2 0 ISTAART Relay Podcast – Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x7hzl_NfKU) ISTAART Relay Podcast – Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA 2026 [ ![Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Most people with hypertension after 50 never develop dementia, so what separates those who do? That is the question driving Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan, a neuroimaging researcher and outgoing Chair of the ISTAART PEERs PIA, recorded as she moves from a postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania to an assistant professorship at the Karolinska Institute. With host Joe Kane she explains how machine learning on tens of thousands of MRI scans can pick up subtle brain changes years before symptoms, and why scans from different scanners have to be harmonised first. The conversation then turns to PEERs itself, a PIA built not around one research area but around early career researchers everywhere, and the work of levelling opportunity across borders through local routes like Neuroscience Next, WYLD and INTERDEM Academy. Sindhuja runs through the PIA's AAIC workshops, from narrative CVs to social bingo for ECRs, and closes with practical advice on getting people involved: make the ask specific. Takeaways • Machine learning on large MRI datasets can detect brain changes years before any cognitive symptoms show. • Scans from different scanners must be harmonised first, stripping out machine noise so only the biology remains. • PEERs exists to level opportunity for early career researchers wherever they are, across every research area. • Local routes such as Neuroscience Next, WYLD and INTERDEM Academy widen access for those who cannot get to the big conference. • Interest among ECRs is common but clarity often is not, so make the ask specific and people will step up. -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:58 Sindhuja's Research Journey and Neuroimaging in Dementia 07:31 Exciting Developments in Dementia Research 11:03 Challenges and Opportunities for Early Career Researchers 15:39 The Role of PIA in Supporting Researchers 20:41 Sindhuja's Personal Journey in the PIA 25:10 Engagement Strategies for Early Career Researchers 29:05 Conclusion and Future Directions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Most people with hypertension after 50 never develop dementia, so what separates those who do? That is the question driving Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan, a neuroimaging researcher and outgoing Chair of the ISTAART PEERs PIA, recorded as she moves from a postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania to an assistant professorship at the Karolinska Institute. With host Joe Kane she explains how machine learning on tens of thousands of MRI scans can pick up subtle brain changes years before symptoms, and why scans from different scanners have to be harmonised first. The conversation then turns to PEERs itself, a PIA built not around one research area but around early career researchers everywhere, and the work of levelling opportunity across borders through local routes like Neuroscience Next, WYLD and INTERDEM Academy. Sindhuja runs through the PIA's AAIC workshops, from narrative CVs to social bingo for ECRs, and closes with practical advice on getting people involved: make the ask specific. Takeaways • Machine learning on large MRI datasets can detect brain changes years before any cognitive symptoms show. • Scans from different scanners must be harmonised first, stripping out machine noise so only the biology remains. • PEERs exists to level opportunity for early career researchers wherever they are, across every research area. • Local routes such as Neuroscience Next, WYLD and INTERDEM Academy widen access for those who cannot get to the big conference. • Interest among ECRs is common but clarity often is not, so make the ask specific and people will step up. — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:58 Sindhuja's Research Journey and Neuroimaging in Dementia 07:31 Exciting Developments in Dementia Research 11:03 Challenges and Opportunities for Early Career Researchers 15:39 The Role of PIA in Supporting Researchers 20:41 Sindhuja's Personal Journey in the PIA 25:10 Engagement Strategies for Early Career Researchers 29:05 Conclusion and Future Directions 0 0 ISTAART Relay Podcast – PIA for Early Career Researchers (PEERS) 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXJKczCQnlw) ISTAART Relay Podcast – PIA for Early Career Researchers (PEERS) 2026 [ ![Join Dementia Researcher for the second of two special ISTAART Relay LIVE livestreams, hosted alongside this year’s six episode Relay podcast series. In this session, Adam Smith will be joined by Samuel N. Lockhart from the Neuroimaging PIA and Ingrid Ekström from the Sensory Health and Cognition PIA. The conversation will explore their research, current hot topics in neuroimaging, sensory health, and cognition, and how their PIAs are bringing researchers together around shared scientific and career interests. We will also talk about AAIC, including what Samuel and Ingrid are planning, what their PIAs will be focusing on, and which sessions, themes, and conversations they think researchers should be watching for. Find the podcast in your podcast app https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the series and guest experts 01:55 Dr. Sam Lockhart's background and role in neuroimaging 03:44 The impact of AI and machine learning in neuroimaging 05:46 Upcoming activities and educational programs in neuroimaging 07:17 Dr. Ingrid Ekstrom's research on sensory decline and dementia 09:14 Olfactory testing as a predictor for dementia 13:00 Sensory impairments and their impact on quality of life 19:23 Current research on brain imaging biomarkers 22:28 Operational challenges in clinical trials and imaging infrastructure 25:18 The role of technology in democratizing neuroimaging 28:12 Future directions and innovations in neuroimaging and sensory health 48:41 Join the iSTART community and upcoming conference highlights](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Join Dementia Researcher for the second of two special ISTAART Relay LIVE livestreams, hosted alongside this year’s six episode Relay podcast series. In this session, Adam Smith will be joined by Samuel N. Lockhart from the Neuroimaging PIA and Ingrid Ekström from the Sensory Health and Cognition PIA. The conversation will explore their research, current hot topics in neuroimaging, sensory health, and cognition, and how their PIAs are bringing researchers together around shared scientific and career interests. We will also talk about AAIC, including what Samuel and Ingrid are planning, what their PIAs will be focusing on, and which sessions, themes, and conversations they think researchers should be watching for. Find the podcast in your podcast app https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the series and guest experts 01:55 Dr. Sam Lockhart's background and role in neuroimaging 03:44 The impact of AI and machine learning in neuroimaging 05:46 Upcoming activities and educational programs in neuroimaging 07:17 Dr. Ingrid Ekstrom's research on sensory decline and dementia 09:14 Olfactory testing as a predictor for dementia 13:00 Sensory impairments and their impact on quality of life 19:23 Current research on brain imaging biomarkers 22:28 Operational challenges in clinical trials and imaging infrastructure 25:18 The role of technology in democratizing neuroimaging 28:12 Future directions and innovations in neuroimaging and sensory health 48:41 Join the iSTART community and upcoming conference highlights 4 0 Relay LIVE: Neuroimaging and Sensory Health in Focus ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9AnoIx7Qzg) Relay LIVE: Neuroimaging and Sensory Health in Focus [ ![Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Lewy body pathology shows up in roughly 30% of the brains of people who had dementia, yet it gets diagnosed in only about 5% of cases. Closing that gap has shaped much of Dr Joe Kane's career. Joe is a geriatric psychiatrist at Queen's University Belfast and outgoing Chair of the ISTAART Lewy Body Dementias PIA, and with host Dr Patrick Lao he traces his work from the Diamond Lewy programme to consensus diagnostic guidelines built by Delphi process. They discuss the symptoms clinicians often miss because they don't think to ask, from constipation to loss of smell, the cardiac scans and seed amplification assays now detecting pathology in CSF and even skin, and the TOP HAT trial repurposing an anti-sickness drug for hallucinations. Joe makes the case for a Lewy body specific rating scale, explains why the prodrome may be psychiatric or delirium rather than cognitive, and runs through the PIA's biggest AAIC programme in years, including a PIA Day panel on seed amplification assays. Takeaways • Lewy body dementia is heavily underdiagnosed: pathology appears in about 30% of brains but is diagnosed in around 5%. • Much of the disease shows outside the brain, in constipation, blood pressure and smell, so it gets missed if nobody asks. • Seed amplification assays, now usable on CSF and even a small skin biopsy, are changing how the pathology is detected. • Trials can fail on the wrong yardstick, which is why the PIA is building a Lewy body specific rating scale. • The prodrome is not only cognitive; the first sign can be depression, psychosis or delirium, and those gaps need data. -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:03 Exploring Lewy Body Dementia Research 04:36 Clinical Guidelines and Diagnosis Challenges 08:25 Biomarkers in Lewy Body Dementia 12:09 Emerging Biomarkers and Clinical Trials 15:35 The Role of the PIA in Research 18:17 Engagement and Collaboration in the PIA 20:58 Understanding the Prodromal Stage of Lewy Body Dementia 24:43 Advice for New Researchers in the Field](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Lewy body pathology shows up in roughly 30% of the brains of people who had dementia, yet it gets diagnosed in only about 5% of cases. Closing that gap has shaped much of Dr Joe Kane's career. Joe is a geriatric psychiatrist at Queen's University Belfast and outgoing Chair of the ISTAART Lewy Body Dementias PIA, and with host Dr Patrick Lao he traces his work from the Diamond Lewy programme to consensus diagnostic guidelines built by Delphi process. They discuss the symptoms clinicians often miss because they don't think to ask, from constipation to loss of smell, the cardiac scans and seed amplification assays now detecting pathology in CSF and even skin, and the TOP HAT trial repurposing an anti-sickness drug for hallucinations. Joe makes the case for a Lewy body specific rating scale, explains why the prodrome may be psychiatric or delirium rather than cognitive, and runs through the PIA's biggest AAIC programme in years, including a PIA Day panel on seed amplification assays. Takeaways • Lewy body dementia is heavily underdiagnosed: pathology appears in about 30% of brains but is diagnosed in around 5%. • Much of the disease shows outside the brain, in constipation, blood pressure and smell, so it gets missed if nobody asks. • Seed amplification assays, now usable on CSF and even a small skin biopsy, are changing how the pathology is detected. • Trials can fail on the wrong yardstick, which is why the PIA is building a Lewy body specific rating scale. • The prodrome is not only cognitive; the first sign can be depression, psychosis or delirium, and those gaps need data. — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:03 Exploring Lewy Body Dementia Research 04:36 Clinical Guidelines and Diagnosis Challenges 08:25 Biomarkers in Lewy Body Dementia 12:09 Emerging Biomarkers and Clinical Trials 15:35 The Role of the PIA in Research 18:17 Engagement and Collaboration in the PIA 20:58 Understanding the Prodromal Stage of Lewy Body Dementia 24:43 Advice for New Researchers in the Field 0 0 ISTAART Relay Podcast – Lewy Body Dementias PIA ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPZ50ea3fLQ) ISTAART Relay Podcast – Lewy Body Dementias PIA [ ![Join Dementia Researcher for the first of two special ISTAART Relay LIVE livestreams, taking place alongside this year’s six episode Relay podcast series. In this session, Adam Smith will be joined by Michael Belloy from the Sex and Gender Differences PIA and Carmela Tartaglia from the Frontotemporal Dementia PIA. Together, they will discuss their research, the latest hot topics in their fields, and the work of their PIAs in supporting collaboration, knowledge sharing, and career development across the dementia research community. We will also look ahead to AAIC, exploring what Michael and Carmela are most looking forward to, what their PIAs have planned, and where they see important conversations happening this year. Join us live to hear from our guests, learn more about their research areas, and get a closer look at the people and PIAs helping to shape the Relay podcast series. Find the podcast in your favourite podcast app - https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the series and guests 01:08 Research focus of Dr. Michael Beloy in neurogenomics 03:35 History and structure of the iStart PIA groups 10:12 Current research on sex differences in dementia 13:41 Sex and gender differences in frontotemporal dementia 18:44 Research on neuroinflammation and biomarkers in FTD 23:58 Dr. Beloy's motivation for studying sex differences 27:47 Research interests of Dr. Carmela Tataglia in FTD 32:10 Biggest challenges and opportunities in FTD research 35:47 Therapeutic developments and clinical trials in FTD 41:07 Who should join the iStart PIA groups 50:26 Upcoming AAIC conference and iStart activities 58:05 Conference tips and final thoughts](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Join Dementia Researcher for the first of two special ISTAART Relay LIVE livestreams, taking place alongside this year’s six episode Relay podcast series. In this session, Adam Smith will be joined by Michael Belloy from the Sex and Gender Differences PIA and Carmela Tartaglia from the Frontotemporal Dementia PIA. Together, they will discuss their research, the latest hot topics in their fields, and the work of their PIAs in supporting collaboration, knowledge sharing, and career development across the dementia research community. We will also look ahead to AAIC, exploring what Michael and Carmela are most looking forward to, what their PIAs have planned, and where they see important conversations happening this year. Join us live to hear from our guests, learn more about their research areas, and get a closer look at the people and PIAs helping to shape the Relay podcast series. Find the podcast in your favourite podcast app – https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the series and guests 01:08 Research focus of Dr. Michael Beloy in neurogenomics 03:35 History and structure of the iStart PIA groups 10:12 Current research on sex differences in dementia 13:41 Sex and gender differences in frontotemporal dementia 18:44 Research on neuroinflammation and biomarkers in FTD 23:58 Dr. Beloy's motivation for studying sex differences 27:47 Research interests of Dr. Carmela Tataglia in FTD 32:10 Biggest challenges and opportunities in FTD research 35:47 Therapeutic developments and clinical trials in FTD 41:07 Who should join the iStart PIA groups 50:26 Upcoming AAIC conference and iStart activities 58:05 Conference tips and final thoughts 4 0 Relay LIVE: FTD and Sex, Gender Research in Focus ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-dZUuOMmQY) Relay LIVE: FTD and Sex, Gender Research in Focus [ ![Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Almost everyone born with Down syndrome overproduces the amyloid precursor protein from birth, which makes it one of the clearest natural windows we have into how Alzheimer's begins. Dr Patrick Lao, Assistant Professor at Columbia and Programmes Chair of the ISTAART Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA, comes from a medical physics background and uses multimodal neuroimaging to map the disease across its genetic and sporadic forms. With host Lillian Morgado, he explains amyloid and tau PET, Thal phases and Braak staging, and how chronological age can stand in for disease stage in this population, with a typical symptom onset around 54. They talk about why people with Down syndrome were long left out of anti-amyloid trials and how that is now changing, and the risk and resilience research asking why some people fall off the expected timeline. Patrick also previews the PIA's AAIC PIA Day session on returning results, plus the separate DSAD/ADAD conference coming to London next year. Takeaways • Genetic forms of Alzheimer's, including Down syndrome, let researchers study the earliest disease pathways before symptoms appear. • In Down syndrome, chronological age can approximate disease stage, with symptoms typically expected around age 54. • Imaging shows where amyloid and tau sit in the brain, the spatial detail a blood test cannot give. • People with Down syndrome were historically excluded from anti-amyloid trials; that is shifting, with a lecanemab safety extension now underway. • Not everyone follows the population timeline, and risk and resilience work asks what pushes onset earlier or later. -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:06 Research Background and Focus Areas 03:32 Neuroimaging Techniques and Their Importance 08:20 Understanding Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome 10:51 Life Expectancy and Alzheimer's Disease Concerns 12:56 Resilience and Variability in Disease Progression 13:38 Clinical Trials and Inclusion of Down Syndrome 16:33 Advancements in Alzheimer's Disease Research 17:27 Role of Professional Interest Areas (PIAs) 22:37 Future Plans and Conferences](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Almost everyone born with Down syndrome overproduces the amyloid precursor protein from birth, which makes it one of the clearest natural windows we have into how Alzheimer's begins. Dr Patrick Lao, Assistant Professor at Columbia and Programmes Chair of the ISTAART Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA, comes from a medical physics background and uses multimodal neuroimaging to map the disease across its genetic and sporadic forms. With host Lillian Morgado, he explains amyloid and tau PET, Thal phases and Braak staging, and how chronological age can stand in for disease stage in this population, with a typical symptom onset around 54. They talk about why people with Down syndrome were long left out of anti-amyloid trials and how that is now changing, and the risk and resilience research asking why some people fall off the expected timeline. Patrick also previews the PIA's AAIC PIA Day session on returning results, plus the separate DSAD/ADAD conference coming to London next year. Takeaways • Genetic forms of Alzheimer's, including Down syndrome, let researchers study the earliest disease pathways before symptoms appear. • In Down syndrome, chronological age can approximate disease stage, with symptoms typically expected around age 54. • Imaging shows where amyloid and tau sit in the brain, the spatial detail a blood test cannot give. • People with Down syndrome were historically excluded from anti-amyloid trials; that is shifting, with a lecanemab safety extension now underway. • Not everyone follows the population timeline, and risk and resilience work asks what pushes onset earlier or later. — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:06 Research Background and Focus Areas 03:32 Neuroimaging Techniques and Their Importance 08:20 Understanding Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome 10:51 Life Expectancy and Alzheimer's Disease Concerns 12:56 Resilience and Variability in Disease Progression 13:38 Clinical Trials and Inclusion of Down Syndrome 16:33 Advancements in Alzheimer's Disease Research 17:27 Role of Professional Interest Areas (PIAs) 22:37 Future Plans and Conferences 0 0 ISTAART Relay Podcast – Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoaOuauJZK0) ISTAART Relay Podcast – Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA [ ![Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. If we cured Alzheimer's tomorrow but did no work on cost, distribution or access, we would have cured it only for the richest people in the world. That line from Lillian Morgado sits at the centre of this episode. Lillian is a research coordinator at Georgia State University and Communications Chair of the ISTAART Health Policy PIA, working mainly in qualitative research and legal epidemiology. With host Dr Vanessa Young, she talks through what qualitative work actually involves, her research on caregivers and people with dementia in the justice system, and the question that opened up next: what happens to someone with no caregiver to advocate for them. They get into why AI and blood-based biomarkers are as much policy problems as scientific ones, how regulation differs across borders, and why policy is the bridge that decides whether science reaches the people it was meant for. Lillian also runs through the Health Policy PIA's busy week at AAIC, from PIA Day to a featured research session on dementia care across countries. Takeaways • Policy is the bridge from the lab to the patient; without it, a breakthrough only reaches the few who can already afford care. • Qualitative interviews and coding surface the right questions before the big quantitative money goes in. • Caregivers matter enormously when someone with dementia meets the justice system, which raises the question of those who have none. • AI and blood-based biomarkers carry legal and access questions, and the rules differ between, say, the US and Europe under GDPR. • You do not join a PIA because you already belong; you belong because you get involved, and you need not be an expert to contribute. -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest 01:09 Guest introduction: Lilian Morgalo and her role 01:51 Research focus: Qualitative methods in dementia 04:26 Themes from qualitative interviews with caregivers 07:07 Hot topics: AI and blood-based biomarkers 08:38 Communicating health policy and legal considerations 10:48 International policy landscape and differences 12:47 Benefits of international collaboration and PIA involvement 14:27 Joining and contributing to PIA 16:30 Community engagement and collaboration opportunities 17:53 Upcoming events at the Alzheimer's Association Conference 20:13 How the European dementia community engages 21:18 Ways to get involved in the PIA 22:17 Advice for early career researchers 24:02 Skills gained from policy involvement 25:36 Closing remarks and resources](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. If we cured Alzheimer's tomorrow but did no work on cost, distribution or access, we would have cured it only for the richest people in the world. That line from Lillian Morgado sits at the centre of this episode. Lillian is a research coordinator at Georgia State University and Communications Chair of the ISTAART Health Policy PIA, working mainly in qualitative research and legal epidemiology. With host Dr Vanessa Young, she talks through what qualitative work actually involves, her research on caregivers and people with dementia in the justice system, and the question that opened up next: what happens to someone with no caregiver to advocate for them. They get into why AI and blood-based biomarkers are as much policy problems as scientific ones, how regulation differs across borders, and why policy is the bridge that decides whether science reaches the people it was meant for. Lillian also runs through the Health Policy PIA's busy week at AAIC, from PIA Day to a featured research session on dementia care across countries. Takeaways • Policy is the bridge from the lab to the patient; without it, a breakthrough only reaches the few who can already afford care. • Qualitative interviews and coding surface the right questions before the big quantitative money goes in. • Caregivers matter enormously when someone with dementia meets the justice system, which raises the question of those who have none. • AI and blood-based biomarkers carry legal and access questions, and the rules differ between, say, the US and Europe under GDPR. • You do not join a PIA because you already belong; you belong because you get involved, and you need not be an expert to contribute. — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest 01:09 Guest introduction: Lilian Morgalo and her role 01:51 Research focus: Qualitative methods in dementia 04:26 Themes from qualitative interviews with caregivers 07:07 Hot topics: AI and blood-based biomarkers 08:38 Communicating health policy and legal considerations 10:48 International policy landscape and differences 12:47 Benefits of international collaboration and PIA involvement 14:27 Joining and contributing to PIA 16:30 Community engagement and collaboration opportunities 17:53 Upcoming events at the Alzheimer's Association Conference 20:13 How the European dementia community engages 21:18 Ways to get involved in the PIA 22:17 Advice for early career researchers 24:02 Skills gained from policy involvement 25:36 Closing remarks and resources 0 0 ISTAART Relay Podcast – Health Policy PIA 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUahkOaSV7M) ISTAART Relay Podcast – Health Policy PIA 2026 [ ![Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Sleep might be one of the earliest windows we have into brain health, and Dr Vanessa Young thinks the way we measure it is about to change. Fresh from finishing her PhD in May, Vanessa is a postdoc at the Glenn Biggs Institute and Communications Chair of the Technology and Dementia PIA. She studies sleep and the ageing brain, where the relationship seems to run both ways: as dementia develops, sleep gets worse, and poor sleep may feed back into the disease. With host Dr Carla Abdelnour, she gets into digital biomarkers, why wearables let you capture sleep continuously at home rather than in a one-off sleep study, and the move from wearables to "nearables", bed sensors and room radar that ask nothing of the participant at all. They also cover the analysis headache that comes with years of continuous data, the equity problem when a study needs home Wi-Fi, and what the PIA has planned for its full-day AAIC preconference on AI. Takeaways • Sleep and dementia feed each other, so sleep is worth studying as somewhere we might • actually step in and help. • Wearables capture sleep night after night at home, which reaches people who live nowhere near a big sleep centre. • The field is shifting from wearables to "nearables", sensors in the mattress or radar in the room, to cut participant burden and bias. • Years of continuous data brings its own problem: telling meaningful signal apart from background noise. • If a study needs Wi-Fi to send its data, it quietly excludes people, so digital equity has to be designed in. -- The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ -- A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. -- Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:52 Exploring Sleep and the Aging Brain 05:36 PhD Findings and Future Directions 09:14 Digital Biomarkers and Data Analysis 13:43 Hot Topics in Sleep Research 18:09 AI and Technology in Dementia Research 22:55 The Role of Professional Interest Areas (PIAs) 27:08 Upcoming Events and Opportunities at AAIC 30:42 Advice for New Researchers and Conclusion](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC. Sleep might be one of the earliest windows we have into brain health, and Dr Vanessa Young thinks the way we measure it is about to change. Fresh from finishing her PhD in May, Vanessa is a postdoc at the Glenn Biggs Institute and Communications Chair of the Technology and Dementia PIA. She studies sleep and the ageing brain, where the relationship seems to run both ways: as dementia develops, sleep gets worse, and poor sleep may feed back into the disease. With host Dr Carla Abdelnour, she gets into digital biomarkers, why wearables let you capture sleep continuously at home rather than in a one-off sleep study, and the move from wearables to "nearables", bed sensors and room radar that ask nothing of the participant at all. They also cover the analysis headache that comes with years of continuous data, the equity problem when a study needs home Wi-Fi, and what the PIA has planned for its full-day AAIC preconference on AI. Takeaways • Sleep and dementia feed each other, so sleep is worth studying as somewhere we might • actually step in and help. • Wearables capture sleep night after night at home, which reaches people who live nowhere near a big sleep centre. • The field is shifting from wearables to "nearables", sensors in the mattress or radar in the room, to cut participant burden and bias. • Years of continuous data brings its own problem: telling meaningful signal apart from background noise. • If a study needs Wi-Fi to send its data, it quietly excludes people, so digital equity has to be designed in. — The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 30 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from Neuroimaging to Diversity and Disparities and everything in between. Find out more at https://istaart.alz.org/ — A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profiles on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors. — Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:52 Exploring Sleep and the Aging Brain 05:36 PhD Findings and Future Directions 09:14 Digital Biomarkers and Data Analysis 13:43 Hot Topics in Sleep Research 18:09 AI and Technology in Dementia Research 22:55 The Role of Professional Interest Areas (PIAs) 27:08 Upcoming Events and Opportunities at AAIC 30:42 Advice for New Researchers and Conclusion 3 0 ISTAART Relay Podcast – Technology & Dementia PIA 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il__7jiZZr8) ISTAART Relay Podcast – Technology & Dementia PIA 2026 [ Subscribe ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1qv0E1UzNPtGhz2nQaoig/) --- [Listen on Captivate](https://feeds.captivate.fm/dementia-researcher/relay-podcast/), on [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-vodcast/id1350258595), on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=b6d6438ea8f24c86) --- ## Continue the Conversation with B-Sides And because the Relay conversations did not stop when the main episodes ended, each of our guests stayed with us for a special B-Sides recording. B-Sides is our bonus podcast series for Apple Podcasts and YouTube subscribers, where we step away from the main interview format and ask guests a few more off-piste questions about research, careers, conference life, lessons learned and the things that do not always fit into a standard episode. Across these bonus conversations, the Relay guests share more about the people behind the research, the career moments that shaped them, the advice they would pass on, and the questions they are still thinking about. So, after you have watched or listened to the full ISTAART Relay series, make sure you head over to B-Sides for the extra conversations with every guest from this year’s Relay. Available to Dementia Researcher subscribers on [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-vodcast/id1350258595) and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbyBbNwvFuzE). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Adam Smith, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Carmela Tartaglia, Dr Carla Abdelnour, Dr Carmela Tartaglia, Dr Joe Kane, Dr Michael Belloy, Dr Patrick Lao, Dr Sam Lockhart, Dr Samuel Lockhart, Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan, Dr Vanessa Young, Ingrid Ekström, ISTAART, Lillian Morgado, Professor Carmela Tartaglia, Relay Podcast Series, Samuel N. Lockhart, Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan --- ### [Blog - Why Some Ideas Never Get a Chance](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-some-ideas-never-get-a-chance/) **Published:** July 6, 2026 **Author:** Dr Sam Moxon **Excerpt:** Dr Sam Moxon asks whether dementia funding rewards safe bets over bold ideas, and what that risk aversion costs the field and early career researchers. **Content:** --- **Most researchers are familiar with the experience I am about to describe. You develop an interesting idea for a research project. It’s a bit different. That sort of ‘outside of the box thinking’ we are so often promoted to lean into. You decide to write a grant around it and [spend time assembling the team](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-grant-writing-tips-from-awardees-reviewers/), defining the work packages, costing it… the whole shebang!** The submission deadline approaches so you prepare a final draft and submit it, feeling incredibly confident. You seem to tick the boxes for the work to be in scope and your idea is genuinely novel. This is what the field of dementia research is screaming out for. We have been battling the same issue for decades with little tangible progress. It is time we started focussing on different approaches in our attempt to find real solutions. The [notification day arrives](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-grant-rejections-the-norm-in-academia/) and bang… rejected. I have seen a lot of grant submissions in my time and the ones that got rejected have often been the ones that sounded the most exciting or the most novel. This begs a question… are we taking enough risks in our fight against dementia? Or are our funders too risk adverse to go all in on some truly revolutionary ideas? This is not a simple question to answer. We know that funding is framed as meritocratic. In theory the best ideas should be funded every time. But who decides what the best ideas are? It’s us with our inherent and subconscious biases. As a result, decisions are often influenced by current trends rather than individual merit. A great example of this is in the trend in industrial funding right now. You might be running a company that is genuinely game changing and revolutionary but if you don’t have a defence angle or some sort of [AI application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-agentic-ai-and-the-future-of-dementia-research) it’s so much harder to get funding. The same can be said in dementia research. Biomarkers, AI, monoclonal antibodies; they all made headlines in dementia researcher and it’s naïve to assume that decisions haven’t been weighted on if you included the right ‘buzz words’ in your work. I remember a while ago a huge funding call came out and the goal was to diversify dementia research. Spread it across the country and create a national and diverse portfolio of projects that would case a wide net and approach the problem of dementia from many angles. I read over a submission for this that ticked this box beautifully. The group proposed something truly innovative. An approach that had the potential to drastically improve how we study dementia in the lab and remove the burden of animal research. I knew this would get funding. I was wrong. It was rejected for being too ambitious and here’s the big question. Is it possible to be too ambitious when we are trying to fight a disease that has plagued us and evaded all treatments for decades? What made this harder to understand was the fact that **at least 75% of the projects that did get funded were doing essentially the same thing**. It was clear that there was a bias towards techniques that had the least amount of risk attached to them. But do you know where risk adversity gets you? Incremental progress. Research that is ‘safe’ that might move the needle slightly. More of what we know already just slightly improved. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes this is exactly what is needed. But we have spent decades chasing answers with limited success. Maybe we should be asking if playing it safe is really the way to move forwards. > If we only ever fund ideas that are likely to work, we may never fund the ideas that actually change things. This ripples out into how we approach our work too. In academia, if you aren’t getting funding your time is limited. Grants and papers are your currency and without it you either stagnate or lose your job. If we don’t fund the risky but exciting ideas, researchers start going for things that seem to fit a pattern of ‘this will get funded’. We frame our work to include the ‘right’ keywords, techniques and research themes to try and guarantee our tenure. As a result, that initial creative spark (the thing that made the idea exciting) fades more and more over time. Early career researchers face this dilemma far more than anyone else in academia. If you want to be an academic you need to secure a lectureship. In order to do this your CV must contain papers and grants. What does that mean? It means your career progression is directly tied to how successful you are in securing funding. So what are you likely to do in that scenario if funders think you can be ‘too innovative’? You are most likely to stay within established boundaries. You will play it safe and defer from taking a chance on something unconventional because the cost of failure is so high. It’s so sad to see this play out. **Before a proposal has even [reached a panel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-case-for-distributed-peer-review-in-research/), it has already been shaped by the system you are trying to fit it into**. The result is a loop. Funders [prioritise the lower risk proposals](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-grant-funding-lottery/). The ‘that’s just about exciting enough to be new but not too exciting to be risky’ ones. Researchers respond by submitting safe bets. It’s not about just one project. Over time this shapes the entire field. Now, for balance, I must say that this does not mean that all [high-risk ideas](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-lessons-from-the-pit-lane-what-adrian-newey-can-teach-dementia-researchers/) are good ideas and worthy of hundreds of thousands in funding. It also does not mean that all safe projects lack value. We need incremental research that is vigorous and built on strong foundations. I just wonder if the balance has tipped too far in one direction and we risk limiting our potential for discovery. There are so many exciting avenues for exploration out there. Whether its replacing animal models with truly innovative human-relevant systems (organoids, iPSC’s, bioprinting etc), use of AI and digital tools, lifestyle studies for prevention that look beyond biology. The list goes on and these could all fundamentally change how we understand and study dementia. This is key because dementia is not a simple problem. It is highly unlikely that we will solve it through a single breakthrough. We need to create space to challenge the status quo with new ideas, even if they come with uncertainty attached to them. # **The question is not ‘can we afford to take risks?’ It’s whether we can afford not to.** --- ![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Dr-Sam-Moxon.jpg "Dr Sam Moxon")Dr Sam Moxon #### Author **[Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-moxon/)** is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney. [Follow @DrSamMoxon](https://twitter.com/DrSamMoxon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Sam Moxon, Funding **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Grant Writing **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Free online Stanford University courses for Researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/stanford-university-courses-you-can-take-online-for-free/) **Published:** July 7, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Eight Free online Stanford University Courses that we think will be of interest to Dementia Researchers from Statistics to Coding to Communications **Content:** **You probably knew that Stanford University is known is an academic powerhouse ranking as one of the world’s top universities. But did you know there is a way to get Stanford on your CV? Without having to step through its doors?** Well good news… a wide range of FREE [online courses](https://www.edx.org/school/stanfordonline) from Stanford University are available to take on edX. Here is a short list of this months courses that we thought might be of interest to Dementia Researchers. - [**Introduction to Healthcare Communication Strategies**](https://www.edx.org/learn/healthcare/stanford-university-introduction-to-healthcare-communication-strategies) – Explore the foundations of effective health communication, including active listening and improvisation. Learn the skills required to build strong and trusting relationships from leading Stanford Medicine faculty. - **[Leadership and Resilience in Healthcare Risk Management](https://www.edx.org/learn/healthcare/stanford-university-leadership-and-resilience-in-healthcare-risk-management)** – Learn how effective leadership positively influences the crisis management process, and how you, as a leader, can implement resiliency techniques for your organization in this course from the Stanford Center for Health Education. - **[Mining Massive Datasets](https://www.edx.org/learn/mining/stanford-university-mining-massive-datasets)** – The course is based on the text Mining of Massive Datasets by Jure Leskovec, Anand Rajaraman, and Jeff Ullman, who by coincidence are also the instructors for the course. - **[Visual Media for Effective Healthcare Communication](https://www.edx.org/learn/medicine/stanford-university-visual-media-for-effective-healthcare-communication)** – Enhance your ability to connect with an audience using visual presentation. Gain tools and strategies to communicate more effectively via the media, with guidance from leading Stanford Medicine faculty. - [**Healthcare Ecosystems and Communication**](https://www.edx.org/learn/healthcare/stanford-university-healthcare-ecosystems-and-communication-strategies-to-examine-information) – Throughout this course from the Stanford Center for Health Education (SCHE), you’ll explore where information comes from, how it spreads, and why misinformation can travel faster and farther than the truth. You’ll also investigate the challenge of conducting difficult conversations and develop your ability to navigate them more effectively. - **[Designing Your Career](https://www.edx.org/learn/career-development/stanford-university-designing-your-career)** – Welcome to the Designing Your Career module. Whether you’re exploring what you might want to do next or you’ve already identified a role or organization that you would like to be a part of, this short module is structured to help you take practical steps toward designing your career. - **[Communicating with Presence](https://www.edx.org/learn/medicine/stanford-university-communicating-with-presence)** – Enhance patient care with the Stanford Presence 5 model—a proven framework for humanism and effective communication in medicine. This online CME/CE course equips healthcare professionals with practical strategies to build trust, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen clinician-patient connections. Enroll today to transform your approach to patient interactions! - [Introduction to Population Health](https://www.edx.org/learn/healthcare/stanford-university-introduction-to-population-health) – This course offers an overview to population health, determinants of health, and the built environment using a socio-ecological model. We outline major payors in the US healthcare system and offer practical tips to address disparities in health outcomes across populations. --- **Looking for something more substantial? Check our our [Higher Education Courses Directory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/).** **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** edX, Stanford University, Training --- ### [Blog - Do Cats, Dogs and Dolphins Get Dementia Too?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-do-cats-dogs-and-dolphins-get-dementia-too/) **Published:** July 7, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Can animals get dementia? Frank Gunn-Moore explores what cats, dogs, dolphins and whales can teach us about ageing, memory and Alzheimer’s. **Content:** --- **It is a fact that most of our understanding about neuroscience and how the brain works is based not on studying humans but on other animals. How a nerve cell works came from studies on animals such as squid, sea anemones, cockroaches, even crabs. From these fundamental studies came the understanding of action potentials and even how simple nerve circuits work, specifically how nerve cells talk to each other.** And of course, how nerve cells talk to each other leads to the fundamental question of “What is a memory?” This question will be answered in lots of different ways (usually dependent on the type of scientist you are talking to), but the fact remains we still don’t really know. Somehow the physical connection at that synapse can hold information in a form that we interpret as a memory. Fast forward and of course scientists started to use more complex animals from birds, rodents and other mammalian species. Then in the latter part of the 20th Century, as technologies advanced exponentially, we started to look directly at human material. Indeed, to paraphrase the [Nobel Prize](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-not-to-win-a-nobel-prize-do-we-need-to-reassess-success-in-science/) Winner, Sydney Brenner who used a type of worm in his neuroscience, he predicted that the animal model for the 21st Century was called *Man*. Part of me feels that we have forgotten our comparative physiology and pathology roots and certainly when I first started working on dementia **there was an unwritten central dogma that only humans could suffer dementia. Well, that turns out to be totally untrue**. My own interest in spontaneous models of non-human dementia came from an observation at home one Saturday morning. “Cardhu”, one of my favourite cats, was become increasingly odd in his behaviour: forgetting where his food was, confusion of where he was in the flat, made banshee noises at night; and unfortunately, also forgetting where the litter tray was! In talking to my wife Danielle who happens to be a world specialist on cats (and was recently awarded an OBE for services to Feline Medicine), I asked her: *Do cats get dementia?* “Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome” was the term used in Veterinary circles, but it led to Danielle and I looking for the pathology signs of dementia (specifically [Alzheimer’s disease amyloid plaques and modified tau](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-alzheimers-disease-takes-a-lifetime/)) in cats who had died with neurological problems. Fast forward, we saw tau pathology and an odd looking amyloid deposition. We were not alone others had looked at dogs where [the amyloid deposition looked like human form, but the tau looked normal](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/news-from-the-pet-front-early-amyloid-networks-and-tau-mystery/). Some years later I went to talk by Sir Simon Lovestone entitled: *Diabetes, Dementia and the Killer Whale*. In this lecture, Simon was proposing that other animals that live a long time but stop reproduction quite early (like humans), might also display signs of dementia. This sparked a memory because after Danielle and I had published our cat work, a PhD student from Spain contacted me saying that they had a small bit of data on dolphins (from strandings), but didn’t know what to do with it. Cue a publication with all of us on *Alzheimer’s disease in humans and other animals: A consequence of postreproductive life span and longevity rather than aging* 1. This was further continued by then a chance meeting in a pub with someone I hadn’t seen in ~30 years. Mark Dalgleish was a veterinary pathologist who routinely took samples from cetacean strandings around Scotland. Cue work carried out then showed that three different species of dolphins around Scotland showed similar pathological signs as we see in humans 2 which led in both cases to many media interviews. > When you start to look more closely, it turns out that our fellow animals also have the capability of getting dementia. Indeed, recently from the work of a talented final year undergraduate project student, we have published a summary of domestic animals, farm animals and sea mammals 3. Now, I stress I am not advocating [the use of any of these animals for testing of new compounds](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/has-a-reliance-on-animal-models-delayed-progress-in-dementia-research/), heavens know show much lecanemab and/or donanemab you would need for a whale! But it is the fact that we are not unique and other species, if they live long enough, can show signs of developing a dementia. Personally, I think a more interesting question can be asked of why do some animals don’t get dementia? In the same way we have found the blind mole rat seems to be immune to cancer, why are some animals, which live a long time, appear to be immune to dementia? So what for the future? Well the US is about to embark on stopping all animal research, which of course has underpinned human disease research; how this will impact in Europe no one quite knows, but it is based on the premise that we can take human skin cells and make them into nerve cells and then mini-organoid brains. We also can produce enormous amount of human data very quickly, though we still have a fundamental issue that we can’t take biopsies of the human living brain, and so we look for [proxies in other bodily fluids](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-blood-based-biomarkers-for-dementias/). This is all great, but we must remember that humans are not the only species that can get dementia and we can both benefit. As my wife Danielle says human studies have been fantastic at informing her how to treat her cats… --- ![Portrait of a smiling older man with gray hair and beard in a white shirt against a pale background, head-and-shoulders view.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Professor-Frank-Gunn-Moore.jpg "Professor Frank Gunn-Moore")Professor Frank Gunn-Moore #### Author **[Professor Frank Gunn-Moore](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-frank-gunn-moore-university-of-st-andrews/)** is an academic and researcher in neurodegeneration and dementia research at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. His group has advanced understanding of the early cellular and biochemical mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease, including links between mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction, and has pioneered new models including the identification of Alzheimer’s-like pathology in cetaceans. His research has also identified potential therapeutic targets, novel signalling pathways such as FRMD6/Willin in the Hippo pathway, and contributed to patented optical technologies developed with industry. He has published over 150 research papers across biology, chemistry and physics, reflecting the interdisciplinary breadth of his work. [Find Frank on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-gunn-moore-frsb-frse-21786b2b/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** animal models, Blog, Dogs, Professor Frank Gunn-Moore **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - How I Found My Way into Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-found-my-way-into-dementia-research/) **Published:** July 9, 2026 **Author:** Harriet Greene **Excerpt:** Harriet Greene got into an Oxford PhD at 23 with no master's, via Bali, a broken arm and a Greek dive boat. Her first blog on the give to gain principle. **Content:** --- **I wrote my first essay on Alzheimer’s at 15. I had no idea then that it would eventually lead me to Oxford, via Bali, a broken bone and a Greek dive boat.** Strange things have happened to me recently; people have been approaching me for advice. At first, I deflected. Surely, they’d be better off asking someone else. But it kept happening, and eventually I started to think maybe I am coming full circle, I have been privileged enough to have been given a lot, and now I have some knowledge to give back. I hope to introduce myself to all of you, and to share something that really grounds everything I do, the simple [give to gain principle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/strong-mentorship-was-essential-for-my-career-success/). It is the reason I want to write this blog: to hopefully share some insights/knowledge I have gained and will gain throughout my PhD with all of you in the hope that it helps someone, even just one person. My name is Harriet, and I am a second-year PhD researcher at the University of Oxford studying Clinical Neurosciences. This sentence still feels alien to me despite the fact that I have now been here for over 18 months. [Rather than take you down a perfect path](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-pursuing-your-passion-finding-purpose-in-chaos/) of how I got here, with well-laid-out stepping stones and the notion that all of my well-calculated decisions would lead me here, I am going to take you down a very convoluted path. > I hope to show that a path doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful, and that I wouldn’t be here if multiple people hadn’t given me their time and effort. A sensible start to my story would be ten years ago, at just 15 years old. I had brilliant Chemistry and Biology teachers who made me really love the subjects. I loved science, but I am not sure it loved me back at that point. I liked it because it was hard, it was challenging, and it made me think more than any other subject had. I was encouraged by the same teachers and put my mind to pursuing medicine at university, taking Biology, Chemistry and Religious Studies at A-level. My teachers at school were my first advocates, the first people to believe in me and tell me that I could do anything I put my mind to. They gave me a lot of confidence, and for that, I will always be grateful. I missed out on the grade boundaries for medicine by one mark, getting a B in Biology instead of an A. I chose my insurance option in Neuroscience; little did I know that this would lead me down the path I am on now, particularly in studying Dementia, as I did my extended project qualification at A-level on Alzheimer’s and was already interested in Neuroscience. With my dreams of being a neurosurgeon down the drain, I built my new dream as a neuroscientist. I was honestly crushed when I found out I had missed the grades, even more crushed when it was by one mark. I really did think that what was meant to be will be, and maybe medicine wasn’t right for me at that time, and I could always revisit the idea later. I was actually offered a place at St. George’s for Medicine through clearing, but I knew I wanted to go to Queen Mary as I fell in love with the university. Looking back, I just didn’t want medicine enough; it was never my only path. Three years at Queen Mary University of London sailed past, I scraped my first-class degree, having worked hard but still really enjoyed myself. I did my final year dissertation in an [electrophysiology lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-electrophysiology/), working as an assistant for three months. Truth be told, I didn’t like it; e-phys was not for me, but I loved writing my report. The results for the dissertations came out as a histogram of the whole cohort’s grades. There was a single bar at 90%, representing one person in the cohort who got that mark. It was the talk of the year, who got it, who on earth could it be? Needless to say, my classmates were even more shocked than I was to find out it was me. It was a testament to how hard I worked writing the report, how much I enjoyed researching and piecing together my results to tell a story. As I mentioned, I didn’t love my lab rotation, just the report, and I had absolutely zero idea what I wanted to do, other than get out of London and have some life experiences. I had worked in a pub in London and saved to go travelling, so that’s exactly what I did. Yes, it is very cliché to do a gap year, to go and find myself, but I packed up an enormous backpack and headed for a tiny island off the coast of Bali to scuba dive, Nusa Penida Island. I am conscious of this not turning into a travel blog, but anything in the ocean had always been my hobby, and I actually tried diving when I was 10 and loved it. I took the next few certifications in diving over three tough months of a very steep learning curve. I had an amazing and patient instructor, who always took the time to talk to me and share everything he had learned. I left Bali with my dive qualifications, travelled some more and ended up back in the UK after 9 months. I was at a loss, back home with my parents, no job, just a broken arm…no cool story to say here, I fell over in Australia and had to go home instead of getting a job diving there. I convalesced back in the UK and got a job as a divemaster in Corfu, Greece, putting my training to good use. It was challenging, exhausting and incredibly rewarding. I loved my team, I had a brilliant boss, an ex-Greek marine, who taught me so many skills that I carry with me to this day. **Diving is a lot like science; you are always learning, and the best of the best never think that they have all the knowledge they need and nothing else to learn.** The summer ended, and I worked in the dive office when I could to start researching my next career steps. As incredible as working on a boat is every day, I missed science and contributing to something bigger than myself. I found myself reading papers, thinking about how much I missed the purpose that science gives me. It is grounding. I set my sights on Oxford for a postgraduate degree, go big or go home right? If I am being completely honest, my Dad, my biggest advocate, had once said he would love one of his children to go to Oxford or Cambridge. It was said just in passing, with no expectation or pressure when I was younger. I think some part of my brain remembered that, and I thought that maybe I could at least try to get into the best university in the world (sorry Cambridge). My mum, my other biggest advocate, always says, “Why not you?” From learning to ride a bike to Oxford, I carry this in everything that I do. I spoke to my academic advisor from my undergraduate degree. A wonderful scientist, and an extremely kind person. We maintained a good relationship throughout my degree, so when it came to advising me now, nearly two years after graduating, he was very pleased to help. I was second-guessing myself, maybe I shouldn’t apply? He said to me words that I still carry with me to this day. “Harriet, when we are young, [we question ourselves too much](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-choose-your-mentors/). And then when you get older, all you want to do, is do. Less time for questions and more time for taking action.” These words echo in my brain all the time, and it goes to show how important it is to maintain good relationships with mentors when you find them. I needed three references for Oxford: my academic advisor, my head of programme from my undergraduate degree and I even had a supporting letter from my teacher at school that supported me in applying to medicine. I got into an Oxford PhD at 23 years old, with no master’s degree, just a Bachelor of Science and a teaching qualification in scuba diving. Furthermore, my references were a contributing factor to my being put forward for a graduate scholarship competition in my department. In the early career stages, of course, you have to be excellent, but it is so important to find and keep these mentors. They give you so much time, advice, and they can make or break your career in my opinion, so maintaining a great relationship with them is paramount. These mentors do not have to be scientists; they can be your dad, ex-Greek marines and scuba instructors. > They just need to be [people who support you](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-importance-of-good-mentorship/), people who make you feel like you can do something even when you are convinced you can’t. My path is not traditional; it is convoluted, and it is uniquely mine. No advice should ever tell you to follow the same path, but instead, an individual should draw on the skills they learned during that path and communicate those across. This is what I want to do in my blogs: to turn unique experiences into advice, insights, and information that will support and uplift others. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, then stick around. --- ![Harriet Greene Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Harriet-Greene.jpg "Harriet Greene")Harriet Greene #### Author [**Harriet Greene**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-harriet-greene-university-of-oxford/) is a PhD student at the University of Oxford researching dementia prevention, with a focus on how vascular risk factors such as hypertension affect the brain. Her project models the neurovascular unit in vitro, allowing her to explore biological mechanisms creatively and collaborate across departments and disease areas. Supported by the British Heart Foundation for research consumables, Harriet is also interested in biotech start-ups and translating lab discoveries into patient benefit. Outside academia, she is a scuba diving instructor, shell collector and lover of the sea, with a strong belief in paying kindness forward within the research community. [Find Harriet on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-greene-87433b191/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Careers, Harriet Greene **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Have your story told with the Wellcome Photography Prize](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/have-your-story-told-with-the-wellcome-photography-prize/) **Published:** July 11, 2026 **Author:** Wellcome Trust **Excerpt:** Enter the Wellcome Photography Prize and share powerful stories of health, science and human experience. Free to enter worldwide. Closes 21 October 2026. **Content:** **The [Wellcome Photography Prize](https://wellcome.org/engagement-and-advocacy/engaging-people/wellcome-photography-prize) is now open for entries, celebrating exceptional [visual storytelling](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/methods-matter-podcast-visual-and-creative-methods/) that explores health, science and human experience around the world.** As the Prize approaches its 30th anniversary in 2027, it continues to bring together diverse perspectives on how health is understood, experienced and shaped across different cultures, communities and environments. Free to enter and open to anyone, anywhere in the world – from photographers and scientists to first-time image makers. The person behind the lens matters less than the story it helps to tell. Entries are invited across three categories: striking solo photography, a storytelling series and the marvels of scientific and medical imaging. A total prize fund of £52,000 will be awarded, with £10,000 for each category winner, and 25 finalists receiving a cash prize. Everything you need to know, including how to enter and full terms and conditions, is available on our website. So, are you ready to share your story? **Entries close 21 October 2026.** --- [Click Here](https://wellcome.org/engagement-and-advocacy/engaging-people/wellcome-photography-prize) **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** Photography Competition, Photography Prize, Wellcome Trust --- ### [Former Elite Soccer Players Show Evidence of Brain Health Changes in Mid-Life](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/former-elite-soccer-players-show-evidence-of-brain-health-changes-in-mid-life/) **Published:** July 12, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** Research presented by Caleigh Grace Lynch presneted at AAIC provides insights into brain health among former elite professional soccer players during midlife. **Content:** **![Breaking News: Former elite soccer players show brain health changes in mid-life, AAIC 26 branding in a purple cityscape background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Former-Elite-Soccer-Players-Show-Evidence-of-Brain-Health-Changes-in-Mid-Life-300x229.png "Former Elite Soccer Players Show Evidence of Brain Health Changes in Mid-Life")** **LONDON, July 12, 2026** — A new study of former elite soccer players provides important insights into brain health and player-reported neurological symptoms compared to people without a history of repetitive head impacts, according to the first and largest study of its kind in retired professional soccer players, presented today at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference®](https://aaic.alz.org/overview.asp) (AAIC®) 2026 in London and online. The former players reported higher levels of depression and anxiety and had subjective difficulties with thinking and decision-making skills. MRI scans identified differences in brain structure between some former players and a comparison group of healthy people with no history of contact sports or head injuries. The findings add to a growing body of research, including additional studies reported at AAIC 2026, exploring how soccer play may influence brain health over time. “These findings suggest there may be measurable effects on brain health in former elite soccer players even in mid-life, before clinically apparent neurodegenerative disease would typically emerge,” said Caleigh Grace Lynch, M.Sc., lead author of the study and a research technician at Imperial College London and the [UK Dementia Research Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/what-research-is-taking-place-in-the-uk-dementia-research-institute/) Centre for Care Research & Technology. “While we did not find significant differences in objective cognitive testing between the groups, we did observe important differences in symptoms and brain structure.” “Research like this helps us better understand brain health factors across the lifespan and reinforces the importance of injury prevention and monitoring,” said [Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D.](https://www.alz.org/press/spokespeople/maria_c_carrillo_ph_d), Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer and medical affairs lead. “These findings can help players, physicians and sports organizations better understand the risks of contact sports and how to participate safely.” The study included 142 former professional soccer players, ages 30-60: 126 males who held a full-time professional contract for a minimum of three years, and 16 females who competed at the top two tiers of the women’s professional game in the UK. They were compared to a control group of 56 healthy people (43 male) of the same age who have not played contact sports, served in the military and had no history of repetitive head impacts, concussion or other neurological issues. Interim analyses of this dataset revealed that former elite professional soccer players reported significantly higher symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as worse self-rated ability to plan, focus on and solve problems and manage daily tasks, compared to the control group. Nearly one-third of former players (31%) scored in the range indicating clinically significant depression symptoms, compared with 9% of controls, while 42% scored in the range indicating clinically significant anxiety symptoms, compared with 25% of controls. Brain imaging of 124 former players revealed lower gray matter volume in several brain regions, including frontal, cingulate and thalamic areas that play important roles in memory, attention, decision-making and emotional regulation, compared to controls. At the group level, there was evidence of reduced brain volume in footballers compared with controls. Researchers report clinical review of the scans by a neuroradiologist found that a small proportion of the scans (~2%) had clinically significant atrophy suggestive of neurodegeneration. Further investigation is required to fully understand this result. Researchers said the combination of elevated symptoms and altered brain volume patterns may suggest trauma-related neurodegeneration, but more research is needed to definitively prove this. Future work is planned to further investigate these findings, including the use of an expanded dataset, integration of additional biomarkers such as advanced diffusion imaging and blood-based biomarkers of neurodegeneration, and longitudinal follow-up. “By following participants over time, we hope to better understand how repetitive head impacts may influence long-term brain health and neurodegenerative disease, and help inform strategies to make sports safer for future generations,” said Thomas D. Parker, B.M., B.M.Ch., M.R.C.P., Ph.D., senior author of the study and clinical lecturer and consultant neurologist at Imperial College London and the UK Dementia Research Institute Centre for Care Research & Technology. The study is part of the Advanced BRAIN Health Clinic Research Programme based at the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health, an integrated clinical care and research initiative investigating the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts in retired elite soccer and rugby players. The Alzheimer’s Association offers guidance on brain health and brain injury risk reduction. One of its [10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain](https://www.alz.org/help-support/brain_health/10-healthy-habits-for-your-brain) is “Protect your head: Help prevent an injury to your head. Wear a helmet for activities like biking and wear a seatbelt. Protect yourself while playing sports. Do what you can to prevent falls, especially for older adults.” As a U.S. Centers for Disease Control Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Risk Reduction, the Alzheimer’s Association is committed to making brain health a central part of public health. The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way in raising awareness about brain health through initiatives that cover the entire spectrum of public health engagement, including the recently launched [Brain Health Advancement Institute](https://www.alz.org/professionals/brain-health-advancement-institute), a destination for researchers, health care professionals, public health practitioners and policymakers working to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia across all communities. --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)** The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community. Alzheimer’s Association: [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) AAIC: [alz.org/aaic](https://aaic.alz.org/) AAIC newsroom: [alz.org/AAICpress](https://www.alz.org/aaicpress) AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26 --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association®** The [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/alzheimers-association-international-conference-2/) is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximising quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) or call +1 800.272.3900. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Neuroinflammation, Sports --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2026 - Day One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2026-day-one/) **Published:** July 13, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The first of our AAIC 2026 podcasts brings together Adam Smith, Sarah Graef & Muthia Huda Islami to share their highlights from day one. **Content:** ##### **In this episode, we share highlights from the first day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC).** [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) chats with [Sarah Graef](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-graef-rush-university/) from Rush University Medical Center and [Muthia Huda Islami](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-muthia-huda-islami-nbch/) from the National Brain Centre Hospital Mahar Mardjono in Jakarta. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. **Key topics** - Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease - Genetic epidemiology in diverse populations - Lifestyle interventions and dementia prevention - Innovative drug delivery methods for neurodegenerative diseases - Global research collaborations and underrepresented populations --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers and research, sharing conference highlights, and so much more. **Adam Smith:** Hello and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. I'm Adam Smith and this is the first of our daily highlight shows from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference or AAIC 2026, which this year is taking place in London and online. There's an enormous amount happening across the conference with presentations, posters, panels, and conversations taking place all at the same time, and none of us can see everything. So, over the next few days, we'll be bringing researchers together who've been attending online to compare notes and share some of the work that's caught their attention. Joining me to look back at the first day are Dr. Sarah Graef from Rush University Medical Centre, Dr. Muthia Huda Islami from the National Brain Centre, Mahar Mardjono in Jakarta. Sarah, Muthia, thank you so much for joining us and welcome to the podcast. **Sarah Graef:** Thanks for having me. **Adam Smith:** So, before we get into the conference highlights, let's find out a little bit more about each of our guests. So please introduce yourself, tell us about where you work and what you study and give us an overview of your research. Sarah? **Sarah Graef:** Sure. Hi, everyone. My name is Sarah and I work in multi-domain lifestyle intervention trials. I've been at Rush University since 2019. I've had kind of a varied career path. I'm a registered dietitian, a chiropractor, and then now I'm a PhD candidate. So, I moved into research specifically to study nutrition within multi-domain lifestyle trials. **Adam Smith:** So that's a really hot topic right now, isn't it? Or I'd like to think particularly given that it's kind of mentioned there in the Lancet Commission report and things like that. So is there any particular... I'm guessing you're going to say that diet's the one that you are particularly interested in out of all those lifestyle interventions. **Sarah Graef:** That might be my particular interest, but really since 2019, I've expanded my idea of what's important and it's so many pieces even within lifestyle by itself. I don't think diet is the most important factor, but it's just my personal interest. **Adam Smith:** Combined with other things. Well, thank you very much for joining us, Sarah. Muthia, how about you? **Muthia Huda Islami:** Okay. Hello, I'm Muthia. I currently work as a research fellow in Indonesia's National Brain Centre Hospital. Basically, what I do is very broad because actually the clinical research unit in the National Brain Centre Hospital was just started in three years ago, so it's very new, but we are quite kind of running on marathon. I'm the one who is mainly responsible in Alzheimer's disease and related dementia research. So, what I do is basically building Alzheimer's disease registries in the hospital and then also initiating international and national collaborations. Particularly right now, I'm also one of the key members of the team that is currently designing a multi-domain lifestyle intervention trial Indonesia. It's the FINGERS. Yeah, it's the FINGERS. My team was presented in the FINGERS Network I think on Saturday and we are pretty new, so there are a lot to learn from me in this kind of field. But actually, what I am really interested is actually molecular and genetic epidemiology. As I mentioned before, my research is very broad right now because of the initial phase of the National Brain Centre Hospital itself in my country. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. I saw that we're expecting some big news from FINGER study tomorrow, aren't we? So maybe you should have been joining the podcast tomorrow. Sorry, have I scheduled you on the wrong day? **Muthia Huda Islami:** No worry. **Adam Smith:** But that sounds like fascinating work. Have you got some kind of key collaborations? Is there a country you find yourself collaborating with more than others do you think? **Muthia Huda Islami:** Currently, I think we are very, very in the early phase. I think we've just reached out to do FINGERS Brain Health Institute in January. So, we're still into conceptualization and e-signing. I think we plan to reach out to our neighbour countries such as Singapore and Malaysia to learn more from them because we have similar cultures. **Adam Smith:** That's wonderful. I know a lot of Indonesian researchers have historically as well ended up in Australia and places like that where obviously I know lifestyle seems to be a very key researched thing in Australia. **Muthia Huda Islami:** That's true. **Sarah Graef:** One quick thing, Muthia, I know that it sounds like FINGERS adapted culturally and regionally. I've worked on U.S. POINTER since 2019, so feel free to reach out to me or I can reach out to anyone within U.S. POINTER for you. **Muthia Huda Islami:** Oh, yeah, that sounds great. I will reach out to you definitely. Yeah. **Adam Smith:** I love it when spontaneous collaborations happen mid-podcasts. They're the best that can happen. So, tell me, all of you, is this your first... I'm assuming this isn't your first AAIC. What about you, Sarah? **Sarah Graef:** No, I think this is my fourth. I've only been to one in-person. I went to Toronto. **Adam Smith:** Oh, that was just last year, wasn't it? **Sarah Graef:** Yeah. Yeah, it was. So, U.S. POINTER had the results then, so I got to see that presented. It was just completely amazing to be in that room with so many people and thousands of researchers and people interested in dementia. **Adam Smith:** What about you, Muthia? I'm guessing that this is your... Is this your first? **Muthia Huda Islami:** Yeah, this is my first actually, because I think this is one of those early years where I get particularly active in Alzheimer's disease research because previously, I was pretty active in the tuberculosis, meningitis research. Yeah, I'm a very, very early researcher, so I'm still finding out my grounds. **Adam Smith:** So, it's exciting. Next year you absolutely have to apply to become an ISTAART ambassador. That usually opens around February time. ISTAART ambassadors get a free ticket to attend the conference, and you get to help out. They give you a T-shirt, and you go around and help facilitate the event and get to go to lots of stuff. It's a brilliant opportunity. It usually opens in February. Of course, we're going to be in Chicago next year so you can have some great pizza. **Muthia Huda Islami:** Great. Thanks. I will try to submit. **Adam Smith:** Right. Well, as I said, it's great to have you all here, but let's now turn to the conference programme. So, you've each spent the day. You've given up your Sunday to attend different sessions and see some speakers and research topics. What's the first thing you'd like to share today? Muthia, I'm going to come to you first. What's your first highlight from the event? **Muthia Huda Islami:** Okay. So, I think I will start from the very first session, which was about the novel biomarkers and its trajectories in early Alzheimer's disease. I think one of the presentations really stood out for me. It was presented by Dr. Balder about presymptomatic plasma biomarkers and autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease. I think he presented about the longitudinal modelling of 127 plasma samples from individuals with familial Alzheimer's disease. He mapped out the segments and the timing of plasma biomarkers; changes related to expected symptom onset. He basically found that AD-related plasma biomarkers began rising roughly 20 years before the clinical onset in this familial Alzheimer's disease cohort and the ordering and the trajectory of different biomarkers over time. Of course, combining multiple biomarkers instead of relying only one plasma biomarkers, for example, p-tau217, which has been very, very, I think, prominently talked about in these years and particularly combining multiple biomarkers for building the predictive models. I think why it stood out for me is because I'm working in a National Brain Centre Hospital and I have often heard people asking when they have a family members diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, they often ask whether they will have disease as well. If they will, they often ask when they will develop that. I think this kind of finding, even though it's been studied on 127 plasma samples, I think this kind of open doors or ways to shape that kind of answer to those families who wonder whether they will have the disease and when they will have the disease. Also, I think in the discussion itself, he also talked about the future implication of this finding, and I really find it very interesting because it means that this kind of finding can be also externally validated in other cohort and particularly in the sporadic Alzheimer's disease, which is the part that still needs population-specific data. Also, I think this is also because I'm working in all middle-income countries where the biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease are not readily available everywhere anywhere. We are still in the progress of the procurement of those biomarkers. So, I think to know which plasma biomarkers and which combination this kind of study can actually helps us identifying which plasma biomarkers that we need to have readily available everywhere and not in one centre. So yeah, I think that's why we stood on me in the first section of AAIC. **Adam Smith:** That's brilliant. Thank you so much. Combining biomarkers is... I mean, that was a hot topic I mentioned before that we had this AAIC Neuroscience Next event back in March in Manchester, which all the recordings for that are on our YouTube channel, and we had exactly that same conversation about how... Because with so many, and they all make these claims, don't they? Speech changes can happen 25 years before, so we should be tracking language. We had a podcast just a few weeks ago where we were looking at sensory changes and apparently your sense of smell can start to change anything up to 20 years in advance. If you can spot amyloid buildup in blood at certain points, you can see how, particularly for familial dementia, where combining those is important, but it's interesting. Did they have any thoughts on which biomarkers were good combinations? Did that come up? **Muthia Huda Islami:** I don't think it came up because I think he presented basically all the AD biomarkers that have been established in the recent NIA-AA guidelines, which are including GFAP and NfL, but I think what's interesting as well is that I think the prominent AD biomarkers such as the beta-amyloid, no, the plasma, the p-tau, they began raising 20 years before the first onset of symptom. Whereas the beta-amyloid plasma, they began rising around 10 years before the onset of symptom. I think that kind of difference in the decade can open any questions in the future studies. **Adam Smith:** Sarah, I'm going to come to you now for your first highlight from today. **Sarah Graef:** Sure. I went to the session Why Brains Age Unequally, and there was a panel there of course. One of the presenters, Dr. Gabriela Novotni, she said, "Our brains age differently based on the space we inhabit." Or putting it another way, you and your brain don't share the same number of candles. Really, it's based on the exposome for this panel. So, it's all the environmental exposures that are really hard to quantify but we know add up to part of dementia risk. So, it was really interesting to listen to all these different experts talk about their version of the exposome and how they study it. One in particular was Dr. Agustina Legaz looking at the brain age gap. Really, they were looking at predicted age minus chronologic age. So, what goes into that in this model is 73 factors. Part of why the exposome is so hard to quantify or measure or really talk about is because there's so many different factors that go into it. Throughout my research, we've talked a lot about social determinants of health. In the United States, we have tonnes of different indices. A lot of times they'll have 10 metrics or 14 factors, but it doesn't really capture the whole exposome. You get snippets in each one of these indices. So, what this group was able to do is get this brain age gap, this model, and it combined physical factors like air pollution, green space, temperature, precipitation, along with social factors like socioeconomic status, democracy markers, migration, and all 73 factors were able to be combined. What they found was that the whole exposome measured outperforms any single risk. So, it makes a lot of sense. Of course, all of these factors are going to make more of the risk than anyone individually, but how do you put that all together? **Adam Smith:** Wow, that is huge. I mean, it must be an amazing piece of work and super complex as well. Did they have any insights on how they bring all that together into one place? Is this modelled or is this based on real people or is it just combining data? **Sarah Graef:** I know they used a large language model to assist with some of this. I believe it's predictive, but I'm going to follow up. I wrote their names down. I was looking them up. I want to follow up and see how they did this more because it's really amazing. I think solely I can focus sometimes too much on just nutrition, but really the question is how does nutrition fit in as part of the bigger exposome? If we can look at more factors and eventually figure out what locations are needed, which another presenter talked about, being able to tailor even on a community level, what people might need might be able to have a bigger effect than any one thing alone. **Adam Smith:** I mean, that sounds quite comprehensive. Did they acknowledge that there were any gaps in their current model? **Sarah Graef:** Didn't hear them mention gaps, but something that another speaker talked about, I believe this was Dr. Iracema Leroi, she said they can do a SWOT analysis to look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and really use that per location, maybe per country. She specifically looked at Southeastern Europe and Balkan countries but using that to understand where the needs are per country so that they could then target policy and help the exposome in certain locations. If it's built environment or air pollution or whatever it is, they could use all these things together from my understanding to target a region. **Adam Smith:** That's wonderful. Carl, we could do a whole podcast just on that one topic alone, aren't we? Because the potential for that and then when you bring in technology as well and looking at could your... I mean, my watch tells me whether I've had a good night's sleep. If my watch could start to say to me, have you had a good cognitive health day based on all those factors that I'm sure many of which are digitally measurable? That's probably something that Apple and Google should be all over. So, you should hook it with Agustine and Ira as well. I know, but we've had both those people on the podcast before as well talking about their work. Well, certainly, Ira's at Trinity College Dublin. I know Augustine has a position there as well as well with BrainLat, I think. So, it is fantastic work. Thank you very much, Sarah. So, we've gone round and had our first... Do you know what? I'm going to pick up one of my highlights, shall I? Rather than putting all mine at the end. I'm going to mention that we had this great introduction from Joanna Pike and Maria Carillo who highlighted that politics should not influence science, which I think was a very important takeaway message, which they put right up there at the front. They also talked about, as ever with Alzheimer's Association, the amazing work they do to lobby to increase funding, their increased investment, which is now nearly a billion pounds. So, it's great to see those awards. They've also given out some awards yesterday. So, the 2026 de Leon Prize in neuroimaging went to Beau Ances, who's a senior scientist at Washington University in St. Louis. That same prize as well went to Alexis Moscoso Rial, who's a junior scientist in Santorino, de Santiago in Spain, and then also to Hannah de Bruin, who's a trainee at UMC in Amsterdam. Then we had some big awards today, the Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Bengt Winblad Lifetime Achievement Award that went to Adesola Ogunniyi. And then you had the Khalid Iqbal Lifetime Award, which went to Linda Van Eldik, and the Henry Wisniewski Lifetime of Achievement Award that went to William Jagust as well from Berkeley. Then there was a philanthropy award that went to Debbie and Clay Jones. The first plenary of the day came from Dr. Ryan Watts, who was the CEO and co-founder of Delani Therapeutics, who opened with a really personal reflection, which I really liked. I don't know if either of you saw the first plenary. He showed a video of his mom, chatting to his mom before her symptoms gotten worse and she was living with dementia and shared her experience of Alzheimer's disease and the impact that that had on his family and particularly the caregivers. His main focus was on the blood-brain barrier, one of the biggest challenges in developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases as we know. And he described Delani's transport vehicle technology, which uses a transferrin receptor to help medicines cross into the brain more effectively. This approach could improve how antibodies and enzymes and other biological treatments are delivered, potentially increasing their reach within brain tie and opening new treatment possibilities for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's. I think they've been looking at ALS, as well as I think he mentioned Sanfilippo's syndrome as well, one of the childhood dementias. But yeah, that was really exciting work. But the key takeaway was that there's this better drug delivery method that might just be there and that new drugs might target delivery differently to have more impact. So that was a great first plenary talk on day one. There'd been plenty more things happening across the conference. What else did you see or hear today, Sarah, that you want to share with our listeners? **Sarah Graef:** Sure. I reviewed one of the posters and that one is called Phytochemicals and Cognitive Ageing in Adults Aged Greater Than or Equal to 50 Years. It was a systematic and meta-analysis of a long-term interventions. They define long-term as greater than or equal to 12 weeks. So of course, the nutrition aspect of it caught my eye. They looked at phytochemical classes, five different ones. While the effects did not approach significance, it didn't reach significance, it approached significance in a small effect size, what they also were able to see is that people who are vulnerable may, of course, have a better response. So that becomes kind of crucial as far as if you think of nutrition intervention, specifically phytochemicals and antioxidants, if we think those are going to have a benefit. Part of the idea is that there's probably a threshold for what helps with brain health. More isn't always better, but you do need a certain amount. So, if you can choose and find people that are vulnerable and maybe don't have as good a nutrition quality or status to begin with, bigger room for improvement, long enough intervention, maybe there are ways to maximise what you can see from an effect. **Adam Smith:** Was there anything that particularly surprised you about that one? **Sarah Graef:** I think maybe not surprising. With a lot of Cochrane reviews, we see things that don't reach significant, but that doesn't mean there's not results there. It just means in this review, there wasn't enough evidence with this pool of studies. So, I think that's really it, is finding ways to see differences with nutrition. We know it works in preclinical models. So, what happens when we get to a randomised controlled trial or any type of trial once we're dealing with people? How do we maximise these results to se what we're seeing pre-clinically? So, it gave me a lot of questions as well as reading through this and seeing what they found. **Adam Smith:** When you're talking about vulnerable groups, I think also as well it's important or you would hope that these studies and this research looks beyond the kind of cognitive elements or the dementia part of this and recognises that actually this will also bring benefits for heart health or for diabetes or for longevity, whatever else it is, and that particularly now when we start to look at the cost-effectiveness of interventions that you've got to balance all those things and bring those things into the same space. **Sarah Graef:** Yeah. Hopefully, one of the mantras we have in a lot of the trials is what's good for the brain is good for the body, so looking at what we're capturing in outcome assessments as well, not only what is the intervention doing. We see some evidence, of course, that it's beneficial for cognition, but also what other benefits are there? I think that's important to capture. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, absolutely. Thank you very much. Muthia, let's hear your next highlight. **Muthia Huda Islami:** I think my next highlight would be the Dementia in Africa session. I think particularly it's very, very interesting for me because right now in my work, I am not only working on one trial, but also basically trying to establish the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centre as appointed by the Ministry of Health. I think Indonesia has a lot to learn from Africa basically in bridging the gaps between the genomic studies and the risk factor studies. Because I think one particular presentation was presented by Dr. Rufus Akinyemi. Basically, he presented findings from the African Dementia Consortium, which is a multicountry cohort spanning nine countries in Africa with approximately 3000 recruited subjects aimed at identifying dementia risk factors and mapping the genetic architecture of dementia in African population, which is a group historically underrepresented in Alzheimer's disease genetic research. I think in that presentation, what I remember is that this is very, very interesting because in this study, he found that the APOE4 showed a significant but notably weaker effect on incident AD in African cohort compared to East Asian or European ancestry, which suggests that GLL's risk is a uniform across accessories. Also, when he tried to calculate the population attributable fraction of the 14 modifiable risk factors from the Lancet Commission model, the results actually differed from previously published estimate which basically in the effect size rather than which factors that matter. Also, from the genetic side is that the GWAS finding also showed... Well, there was several overlapped known AD loci such as TREM2 and APOE, but there was also suggested presence of additional African accessory linked genetic modifiers that may explain or reduce APOE for risk observed. There were also other roles, several AD GWAS loci that was previously also identified in European accessory, which suggesting there was perhaps some genetic overlap, but not necessarily completely the same kind of genetics. I think the reason why this finding is very, very interesting is that I think I'm particularly interested in the disparities of Alzheimer's disease mechanisms across accessories. I think this kind of finding opens the doors for potential discoveries or opportunities for research in other LMIC countries such as in Southeast Asia that may be underrepresented, for example, Indonesia because for example, we are currently doing two stroke studies. We are still trying to recruit the subjects and identifying whether the genetic architecture may differ. Sometimes there's this kind of voice telling me maybe there won't be any findings, but I think this finding from Africa motivates me to actually explore further in this kind of context in Indonesia. I think this also can be either the genetic preference may be explained by other factors such as vascular risk factors and maybe environmental modifiers or maybe other factors such as exposomic factors such as what Sarah mentioned before in the other studies. There's also a notable difference in the \[inaudible 00:28:36\] path divergence, which I think I also noticed in the previous abstract and the previous AAICs in Brazil, which they also have different \[inaudible 00:28:50\] factors and modifiable risk factors. So, I think why I feel like this study is very, very interesting is because it really highlights the disparities of Alzheimer's disease biological mechanisms across ancestries. We often see that in the papers that use GWAS from European ancestries, they say that they need to replicate those findings in other populations, in underrepresented populations. But I think maybe from the African studies, we can actually say that other countries or other underrepresented populations is not exactly a space for replication, but rather a space for another discovery. **Adam Smith:** That's always a bit of a kind of get out clause, isn't it? Or a bit of that last slide that we often see at the conferences is an acknowledgement that certain populations were underrepresented in the trial and more work is needed. That's been that kind of get out of jail free card that so many studies put at the end. Although I think for many years now, we have seen far greater effort and target levels being set to say, "This proportion of people will come from different countries." However, there's a big difference between recruiting South Asian people in the US as opposed to delivering research on South Asian people that aren't in South Asia. I think it is really important that that research happens in the countries where people are living. We know that dementia's growth is reducing in parts of the Western world but growing in Sub-Saharan Africa and across other parts of Asia as well. So, great. I completely agree. Well done, Muthia, for picking that one out. I'm going to pick up on a poster I saw. I have to say I was deliberately driven to this poster having seen a post from Instagram. It's a bit of a plug for somebody who I do know. So, Federica D'Andrea from University of West London, the Geller Institute of Ageing at poster number 784, which I think is online if you want to check this out, on building an interdisciplinary network to advance olfactory research in ageing and dementia. I've certainly got a big of interest in sensory health. We did a relay a podcast last week on sensory health, which I thought was super fascinating looking at smell, vision, hearing, and everything else. So, this one really did catch my eye. So, smell loss affects around half of people over 65 yet remains under-researched, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. I did ask in this relay podcast, I ask, are they looking at treatments or just as a predictor? There is actually ongoing work to generally address this. So, if somebody with dementia loses their sense of smell, what can you do to give them that back again not just using this as a predictor to say, "Oh, you've got Alzheimer's"? Her project brings together researchers, clinicians, charities, industry, lived experience and the rest to these workshops and survey to agree what should be the research priorities and objectives for funding bids. I like this because it does the kind of groundwork of priority setting but does it in a really proper way by engaging all those people in what I think is probably a really genuinely neglected field of research in that sensory health. I think if anti-amyloid therapists are successful in giving people treatments and people are going to be living with some form of cognitive decline or some form of impairment for longer, then we ought to do more to address the things that they live with day in, day out. If that is a loss of sense of smell or a change of taste, then if we can do more to... Because these are the things that would make you miserable, aren't they, and unhappy. If you don't enjoy food anymore or you can't smell the flowers or do these, these are the things that will really impact your lifestyle. And I think that's a really important piece of work there. So, well done, Federica. That's poster 784. We've heard about some of the work that you've been watching, but I also wanted to ask about your own involvement in the conference because I think you've both had posters or you've both had presentations as well. Muthia, what have you been presenting on this week or will you be? Let's get an advert in for your poster right now. **Muthia Huda Islami:** Okay. I think I'm actually not the main presenter, but I'm one of the co-authors of the poster and the conceptualization and the actual analysis of the study itself. So, it's basically drawing from the registries that we've been making on Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we actually aimed to quantify the Alzheimer's disease diagnostic time and to identify the determinants of the diagnostic delay in Indonesia. So how do we do that is that we actually conducted a cross-sectional hospital-based study, which is conducted in Indonesia's National Brain Centre Hospital, which is a tertiary setting and also a national and rural referral centre for all Indonesia, and we collected data from 2022 to 2025. We collected data from electronic medical records, and we extracted data, clinical data, and also other demographic data from those electronic medical records. What we found is that when quantifying the diagnostic delay of Alzheimer's disease in Indonesia, we found that there were around 223 patients and then the median diagnostic time of Alzheimer's disease was actually 1.8 years since the onset of the first symptom. What is noted is that the maximum year that our diagnostic delay of Alzheimer's disease in Indonesia can actually reach up to 17 years. We also identified that males were associated with lower odds of diagnostic delay even though the association became a bit inconsistent in our sensitivity analysis. But I think this finding actually highlights the need for Indonesia to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure for early Alzheimer's disease detection. I think this is also a lesson for other countries with similar burden, for example, high vascular burden and also triple burden disease with also high infectious disease burden. **Adam Smith:** I mean, I'm not surprised by that. In fact, I think that actually to me, I think, sounds pretty... If that's from when they record their first symptom, that sounds pretty low actually. I mean, not the highest one, that's ridiculous, but that low one because I know in the UK certainly there was a big effort to encourage people to see their GP at the early signs of changes, pushing for earlier diagnosis. But I think even now from first symptoms being recognisable to going to a memory clinic, taking outside delays in waiting for appointments and things, it's still several years, and consistently, with what you said as well, that men are worse because they tend to ignore the symptoms more. They don't like going to the doctor as much. I think in the UK that number used to be about three years. So, people would bury their head in the sand for about two to three years from when the first thought something was going on to finally going to the doctor about it. They always get a spike in referrals after Christmas, after Easter, after holidays when family members return to see their parents and things and somebody else says to them, "Hey, this is getting bad. You should really go to the doctors now." I don't know if that sounds... Do you get a sense of that, Sarah? I mean, obviously, you have worked clinically. Do you get a sense that that's the same where you are? **Sarah Graef:** Yeah, I think so. The only thing I would say is probably for nutrition. Before a holiday, no one comes in if it's something nutrition related. It's kind of month by month. You get total avoidance end of the year. But of course, everyone sets new goals and holidays I think allow time for people to reflect on what's important to them and hopefully their health is in there. So, I think it makes sense for after the holidays to then get something done. **Adam Smith:** Muthia, what's the biggest factor that influences that delay? Is it stigma? What's the biggest issue that needs to be addressed there? **Muthia Huda Islami:** I think looking at the baseline characteristics of the patients, actually I think more than half of our patients that have the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease actually have more than 12 years of education. Then I think from that, we can assume that Indonesia, those people that have diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is because that they have high awareness of the disease itself, whereas perhaps I think the real diagnostic really may actually be longer than this because we haven't reached enough patients with low educations. Also, I think it also makes sense because this is the cohort that comes to the territory setting, which means that it's located in the centre of the city and we haven't included other data from either a primary healthcare, for example, which may be located in rural areas which may have patients with lower education status. So, I think that's also our limitation. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, that'll be a factor. Thank you very much, Muthia. Sarah, you've been presenting as well. Tell us about what you've been presenting. **Sarah Graef:** Sure. I made a poster in collaboration with my research mentor, Dr. Jeff Katula, along with the entire U.S. POINTER group, which is about 20 people. **Adam Smith:** Wow. **Sarah Graef:** We listed them all. It's a big staff for a big trial. We did the two-year clinical trial multi-domain lifestyle intervention. That was completed last year. Now we're in four years of follow-up for an observational phase. However, we still have to retain the participants, and so that can get kind of tricky after an intervention when they're used to contact, staff, accountability. So, it went from clinic visits twice a year to clinic visit once a year. Plus, we're using this method of retention that's described in the poster. The title is Maximising Retention Through Participant Engagement: The U.S. POINTER Alumni Extension Study. A bit of a mouthful, but basically what we do is we offer brain healthy events that are optional every month at each of the five sites. So, there's staff dedicated to hold these brain healthy events that fit into one of the four domains of lifestyle intervention. It could be a physical activity session. It could be something related to nutrition in the mind diet. It could be a social and cognitive challenge or health monitoring. Maybe a physician gives an educational presentation, we provide a mind diet lunch, they attend. So, it's a method where they get some more information. They keep U.S. POINTER on their mind. We get to give back to them a little bit, and then they stay in the trial throughout this observation period. **Adam Smith:** That's a great idea, and one that I think lots of people who are listening or watching today will have some thoughts on because trial retention is always challenging, particularly for anything that's kind of happening over a longer period of time. So well done for going to the effort, because I think all too often in studies, that really interesting piece of work that you've done there doesn't get published, it doesn't get written about. So well done for taking the time out to put that together to share. How does that get funded? Was that costed into the original study? **Sarah Graef:** I'm glad you mentioned that. The Alzheimer's Association decided to fund the additional alumni extension. So, I don't think it was in the original two years. I'm not the financial person, but from my understanding, it was a decision to continue support after it. The funding came through towards the end of U.S. POINTER, the main trial. **Adam Smith:** It's great as well because obviously one of the things we've learned from POINTER off and FINGERS is the number of add-on studies or new ideas that all, because there are so many collaborators on these studies that the new things that come up off the back of it or interesting questions that gives you this kind of ready and waiting cohort of people that you're in touch with enables you to potentially recruit to those studies so quickly and to say, "Okay. Actually, next week while you're here, we've got another idea. Would you like to hear more about that for recruitment to add-ons?" **Sarah Graef:** Yeah. So many times, they're asking us as we approached graduation from the original trial, "Well, what's next? Well, we want you to develop independence. That's part of it. And also, we would still like to give back as we monitor and collect the data that you're still giving us that you're volunteering." So, what we found is that the educational presentations were best attended. So, I think it'll be interesting too, from a cost effectiveness standpoint, which events are most worthwhile? There's some that are very costly and others that you can do a little more efficiently, and so we're kind of seeing that we're two years... All five sites are in a little different spot, but we're about two years into the four-year follow-up. **Adam Smith:** That's wonderful. Thank you so much. So, who's the first? How are people are going to find that on the online platform? Do you know who the first author is? Maybe if they look up that or... **Sarah Graef:** Yeah, that's me. Sarah M. Grace. Last name is G-R-A-E as in Edward, F as in Frank. Then Jeff Katula is second author very graciously as my research mentor. Help me out with that. **Adam Smith:** Wonderful. Thank you for highlighting that I've spent the whole of this podcast pronouncing your surname incorrectly. **Sarah Graef:** I'm used to it. I'll take whatever you have. **Adam Smith:** You're so very polite for not mentioning that sooner. Thank you so much. I'm going to pick up on two more posters. David Wingfield from Imperial College London, who's in the UK DRI as a professor of practise and primary care as a poster on the UK DRI's Minder study. We've talked about this study on the podcast before and it's showing that complex dementia research combining home monitoring, biological sampling, image, and longitudinal follow-up can be delivered successfully within primary care, which I think is an underutilised place, particularly for those... That's where all the people are. We often refer to memory clinics, but early symptoms are in primary care. And so, they work with GP research teams to manage recruitment and consent and tech deployment and follow-up generating some really rich data on digital biomarker development. I really enjoyed that poster because it challenges the assumption that dementia research has to happen in specialist centres. It shows that there's this really scalable model for delivering research in a community GP setting, which I think particularly if you're looking for those people who haven't yet developed symptoms or you're trying to reach out into the communities that you're wanting to encourage prevention or monitoring, that's where the research has to be. It can't just be in memory clinics. So that's a good piece of work from the UK DRI. That was David Wingfield. Also, Davina Premraj from Krembil Brain Institute at the University of Toronto has a post to comparing persistent post-concussion symptoms in older versus younger adults with SCAT6 data. Injury mechanisms differed markedly by falls, obviously dominating older adults, sporting injuries with younger ones while overall symptom burden was broadly similar between the two groups. This felt important because concussion research obviously almost never includes older adults despite the falls making them a high-risk group. It's always looking at younger people and on what happens on TBI in the longer term, but looking at falls in the shorter term made this really interesting for me and it fills the obvious blind spot with some clear relevance to dementia risk as well. We know that people, older people, particularly after a fall and that admission to hospital is when we see that sudden decline and dementia come in, even if the earlier symptoms were there. So that really good to see a supervisor publicly and championing a student's work in that too. So that was another one. I'm browsing through LinkedIn. So, if you're on LinkedIn and you want your presentation mentioned, I'm very influenced by what I read on there because there are so many. There are literally well over a thousand posters in the online platform. So, add me on Instagram and I'll find you. We're going to be back tomorrow with another group of researchers and more conference highlights talking about the studies, the posters, and the presentations of attracting the most attention. You can find profiles on all of our guests along with other AAIC coverage on the Dementia Research website of course. If you look at #AAIC26 on nearly all the social media platforms, you're going to find a vast array of highlights, people standing alongside their posters and lots of great updates on social media as well. Of course, you can still time to register for the AAIC for all conference, which is going to be on Thursday and is free and open to anybody from across the world. So, for now, I'm Adam Smith and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Thank you very much. **Sarah Graef:** Thank you. **Muthia Huda Islami:** Thank you. **Adam Smith:** Thank you. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Dementiresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**AAIC Website**](https://aaic.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC For All**](https://www.alz.org/aaic-for-all) > > [**US Pointer Study**](https://uspointer.net/home.cfm) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC26, Dr Sarah Graef, Muthia Huda Islami, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Lifestyle Programme Boosts Brain Health Across Latin America](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/lifestyle-programme-boosts-brain-health-across-latin-america/) **Published:** July 13, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** Lifestyle changes improved memory and thinking in older adults at risk of dementia across Latin America, with coaching delivering the strongest gains. **Content:** **![Breaking News banner over a cityscape announcing a brain-health program for at-risk older adults in Latin America; AAIC26 and Alzheimer's Association logos.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Lifestyle-Program-Improves-Brain-Health-Among-Older-Adults-at-Risk-for-Dementia-Across-Latin-America-300x229.png "Lifestyle Program Improves Brain Health Among Older Adults at Risk for Dementia Across Latin America")** **LONDON, July 13, 2026** — The Alzheimer’s Association-funded Latin American Initiative for Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline (LatAm-FINGERS) found that two culturally tailored lifestyle interventions improved memory, thinking and overall cognitive function in older adults at risk of dementia across 11 Latin American countries, with the strongest gains seen in participants receiving structured support and coaching. Findings from the two-year study reported today at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference](https://aaic.alz.org/overview.asp)® (AAIC®) 2026 in London and online build on and reinforce results from the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk ([U.S. POINTER](https://www.alz.org/us-pointer/study-results)), demonstrating that multidomain lifestyle interventions — including physical activity, healthy eating, cognitive training and social engagement — can be successfully adapted across diverse cultures, health systems and communities. The study is also being [published simultaneously in *The Lancet*](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01278-X/fulltext). “The results demonstrate for the first time in Latin America that culturally adapted lifestyle interventions can be successfully implemented across diverse countries and communities, and deliver cognitive benefits for populations that are often underrepresented in clinical research,” said Lucia Crivelli, Ph.D., lead author of the study and principal investigator at Fleni, a neurological institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “We did not simply translate the U.S. POINTER model into Spanish and Portuguese. We adapted it to local cultures and habits while preserving its core elements — making the program practical, affordable and feasible as a public health strategy,” Crivelli added. Multinational working groups with representatives from each participating country identified which components needed to remain standardized and which could be tailored locally based on culture, climate, food availability, technology access and participant preferences. Physical activity programs incorporated culturally familiar activities such as salsa and tango, and outdoor group exercise in public parks. Nutrition counseling adapted the MIND diet to regional food traditions by relying more on foods such as avocado, quinoa, açaí, aguaymanto, chia and pumpkin seeds as locally accessible alternatives. Study materials were translated and culturally adapted, with additional support for participants with limited digital experience. “LatAm-FINGERS included significant racial and ethnic diversity, and a wide range in education and socioeconomic status (SES). The results demonstrate that brain health can be improved across diverse communities representing different cultures and with varying access to resources,” said Laura D. Baker, Ph.D., professor of gerontology and geriatrics, internal medicine, at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Advocate Health, and U.S. POINTER principal investigator. “We now have a second strong finding in a completely different part of the world, which suggests that the U.S. POINTER formula can be adapted for anybody.” “I am confident that we can successfully use the U.S. POINTER structured intervention to expand our tools and resources to further engage Latino and Hispanic communities in the U.S. — and beyond that to other communities — and the program will be equally effective,” Baker said. Because Alzheimer’s and other dementias are influenced by multiple health and lifestyle factors, researchers believe addressing several risk factors together may offer the greatest benefit for brain health. As dementia rates rise worldwide, the findings highlight the potential for practical risk reduction strategies with accessible and adaptable lifestyle-based programs, particularly in areas that include low- and middle-income countries. “The LatAm-FINGERS results add to U.S. POINTER findings by extending the evidence to Latin America and strengthening the case that these behavioral and lifestyle interventions can be adapted for diverse populations and communities worldwide,” said [Heather M. Snyder, Ph.D.](https://www.alz.org/press/spokespeople/heather_m_snyder_ph_d), Alzheimer’s Association senior vice president of medical and scientific relations. “A key message from this study is that structure and social support matter,” Snyder continued. “Addressing multiple lifestyle factors can positively impact brain health and may eventually be combined with emerging drug therapies to reduce cognitive decline and dementia risk.” The study analysis included 1,065 participants across 12 sites in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups, which differed in structure, intensity and level of support: - The 539 participants in the Systematic Lifestyle Intervention (SLI) group received ongoing coaching and support, including supervised exercise, nutrition counseling based on an adapted MIND diet, computerised cognitive training, cardiovascular risk monitoring and 38 group meetings for social connection and accountability. - The 526 participants in the Flexible Lifestyle Intervention (FLI) group received periodic health education and general lifestyle recommendations. Over the two-year period, they attended four group meetings where they received recommendations on diet, physical activity, cognitive and social engagement and vascular risk management without ongoing coaching or supervision. After two years, participants in the SLI group demonstrated significantly greater cognitive improvement than those in the FLI group. The SLI group showed a 55% greater improvement on a composite measure of global cognition than the FLI group. Participants in the SLI group also demonstrated significantly greater improvements in memory, executive function and processing speed. LatAm-FINGERS and U.S. POINTER are part of the [World-Wide FINGERS](https://www.alz.org/wwfingers) network, based on the original Finnish [FINGER trial](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)60461-5/abstract) showing that multidomain lifestyle interventions may help protect cognitive function in older adults at risk for decline. The Alzheimer’s Association has invested more than $81 million in LatAm-FINGERS and U.S. POINTER and recently launched several public brain health initiatives informed by these findings, including the [Brain Health Habit Builder assessment tool](https://www.alz.org/help-support/brain_health/brain-health-habit-builder), [Alzheimer’s Association Brain Health Roundtable](https://www.alz.org/help-support/brain_health/brain-health-habit-builder) and [Brain Health at Work](https://www.alz.org/professionals/brain-health-at-work). The recently launched [(re)think your brain™](https://www.alz.org/rethink-your-brain) initiative helps people move from brain health awareness to action and provides a “[recipe](https://www.alz.org/getmedia/5d1826c1-1ddd-49ca-badc-44deed8eee40/uspointerbrainhealthrecipe.pdf)” for healthy behaviours based on U.S. POINTER results. --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)** The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community. Alzheimer’s Association: [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) AAIC: [alz.org/aaic](https://aaic.alz.org/) AAIC newsroom: [alz.org/AAICpress](https://www.alz.org/aaicpress) AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26 --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association®** The [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/alzheimers-association-international-conference-2/) is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximising quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) or call +1 800.272.3900. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Fingers, LatAm-FINGERS, Lifestyle Factors, Prevention --- ### [PROTECT-Cog Tests Lifestyle and GLP-1 for Cognitive Decline](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/protect-cog-tests-lifestyle-and-glp-1-for-cognitive-decline/) **Published:** July 13, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** A new $100m global trial will test whether combining lifestyle support with GLP-1 or similar drugs can reduce cognitive decline and dementia risk. **Content:** **![Breaking news banner: Alzheimer’s Association launches PROTECT-Coa study to test POINTER lifestyle and GLP‑1 or similar drug to cut cognitive decline risk.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Alzheimers-Association-Launches-PROTECT-Cog-Study-to-Test-US-POINTER-Lifestyle-and-GLP-1-or-Similar-Drug-to-Cut-Risk-of-Cognitive-Decline-300x229.png "Alzheimers Association Launches PROTECT-Cog Study to Test US POINTER Lifestyle and GLP-1 or Similar Drug to Cut Risk of Cognitive Decline")** **LONDON, July 13, 2026** — The Alzheimer’s Association today announced the launch of the PROTECT-Cog Study (**P**revention of **R**isk f**O**r cogni**T**ive d**E**cline through **C**ombined **T**herapy), a first-of-its-kind global clinical trial designed to evaluate whether combining a proven multidomain lifestyle intervention with a metabolism-targeting drug, such as a GLP-1 agonist, can further reduce the risk of cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia in at-risk older adults. The $100 million effort was announced today for the first time at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference](https://aaic.alz.org/overview.asp)® (AAIC®) 2026 in London. Building on the success of the Alzheimer’s Association-led [U.S. POINTER](https://www.alz.org/us-pointer), and LatAm FINGERS studies, PROTECT-Cog represents the next phase in advancing research focused on risk reduction/prevention strategies for Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia. “PROTECT-Cog builds directly on what we learned from U.S. POINTER and takes the next critical step in prevention science,” said [Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D.](https://www.alz.org/press/spokespeople/maria_c_carrillo_ph_d), chief science officer and medical affairs lead at the Alzheimer’s Association, and principal investigator of the study. “By testing a combined approach that targets both lifestyle and biology, we have the opportunity to better understand how to meaningfully reduce the risk of cognitive decline before symptoms begin.” “Now is the time to accelerate bold, science-driven strategies to prevent or delay dementia,” said [Joanne Pike, DrPH](https://www.alz.org/about/leadership/senior_management/joanne_pike_dr_p_h), president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association. “The PROTECT-Cog Study reflects our commitment to leading large-scale, rigorous research that explores and expands urgently needed treatment options, including how combining interventions may deliver even greater benefit for those at highest risk.” A growing body of research demonstrates that modifiable lifestyle factors — including physical activity, nutrition, cardiovascular health, sleep, and social engagement — play a critical role in brain health and dementia risk. The [U.S. POINTER study showed](https://www.alz.org/us-pointer/study-results) that a highly representative population of at-risk older Americans who followed a structured, multidomain lifestyle intervention experienced significantly greater cognitive benefits compared with those using a self-guided approach. These improvements were equivalent to approximately one to two years of cognitive advantage, along with additional benefits in reducing frailty and sleep apnea, and improving blood pressure regulation. At the same time, emerging evidence from large real-world healthcare datasets suggests that GLP‑1 receptor agonists may reduce dementia risk by 40–70% compared with other diabetes medications. Other studies suggest that they are most protective against dementia in patients with obesity or a high BMI. This is further supported by numerous mechanistic studies suggesting GLP-1 agonists play a role in brain inflammation and metabolism, and vascular health. There is clearly a need to better understand the timing and use of these therapies in prevention. The PROTECT-Cog Study will enrol older adults who are at increased risk for cognitive decline and compare two lifestyle intervention approaches—a structured program with intensive coaching and support and a structured-lite program with the same core content but fewer participant touch points—to evaluate their effects on cognitive health. The study will also assess the impact of adding a drug that supports healthier metabolism and immune function to identify which intervention combination is most effective at delaying mild cognitive impairment while evaluating effects on frailty, quality of life, and overall health. Participants will be followed for three years, with comprehensive cognitive and health evaluations conducted every six months. “The Alzheimer’s Association is uniquely positioned to lead this next generation of dementia prevention research. Through our leadership of U.S. POINTER, LatAm FINGERS, and the World Wide FINGERS Network, the Association has established the global infrastructure, scientific expertise and partnerships required to conduct a study of this scale,” said [Heather M. Snyder, Ph.D.](https://www.alz.org/press/spokespeople/heather_m_snyder_ph_d), senior vice president of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer’s Association, and staff lead on this project. --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)** The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community. Alzheimer’s Association: [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) AAIC: [alz.org/aaic](https://aaic.alz.org/) AAIC newsroom: [alz.org/AAICpress](https://www.alz.org/aaicpress) AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26 --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association®** The [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/alzheimers-association-international-conference-2/) is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximising quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) or call +1 800.272.3900. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, GLP 1, Lifestyle Factors, Prevention --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2026 - Day Two](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2026-day-two/) **Published:** July 13, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The second of our AAIC 2026 podcasts brings together Adam Smith, Nathania, Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh and Dr Suelyn Koerich, sharing highlights & takeaways **Content:** ##### In this episode, we share highlights from the second day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) chats with [Nathania](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-nathania-universitas-airlangga/) from Universitas Airlangga in Indonesia, [Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-arezoo-talebzadeh-ghent-university/) from Ghent University in Belgium, and [Dr Suelyn Koerich](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-suelyn-koerich-the-university-of-texas/) from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. **Key topics** - Anti-amyloid immunotherapies and personalised medicine - Cultural sensitivity in dementia assessment - The role of environment and architecture in dementia care - Neuroinflammation and neuroprotective factors - Biomarker validation and minimally invasive testing - Impact of social determinants on dementia risk - Soundscape and sensory health in dementia management --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Narrator:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers and research, sharing conference highlights, and so much more. **Adam Smith:** Hello and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. I'm Adam Smith, and this is the second of our daily highlight shows from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, or AAIC 2026, taking place in London and online. There's a tremendous amount happening across the conference, with presentations, posters, panels, and conversations all taking place at the same time, and none of us have time to see everything. So, throughout the week, we'll be bringing researchers together who have been attending online, to compare notes and share some of the work that's caught their attention. Joining me today to look back at the second day are Nathania from Universitas Airlangga in Indonesia, Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh from Ghent University in Belgium, and Dr Suelyn Koerich from the University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston. Hi, Nathania, Arezoo, and Suelyn. Thank you so much for joining the podcast. **Guests:** Thanks for inviting us, hi. **Adam Smith:** So, before we get into today's conference highlights, let's find out a little bit more about each of you. So, I'm going to ask you to each introduce yourselves and tell us a bit about where you work or study and give us a quick overview of your research interest. And Nathania, I'm going to come to you first. **Nathania:** Okay, so hi, Adam, and hi, everybody. My name is Nathania, and currently I'm a medical student on my third year and based in Indonesia. And I work a lot in neurology research, because that has been my main interest, especially with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, and also infectious disease. So, I'm very actually an early career researcher, and I hope to move forward, as well as joining AAIC is one of my goal to improve further. **Adam Smith:** That's exciting. So, what does a day look like for a third-year medical student? Are you in the classroom, or are you out in the hospital? **Nathania:** So, we had our classes in the hospital right now, but we're not in the clerkship yet. We're just studying in the hospital. **Adam Smith:** Wonderful. And is this your first AAIC? **Nathania:** Yeah, I had my previous ISTAART Conference, but it was the AAIC in neuroscience next. It was February this year. **Adam Smith:** Wonderful. Well, thank you so much again for joining us, and I'm going to come to Arezoo. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Hi, thank you again for inviting me. My name is Arezoo Talebzadeh. As you mentioned, I am an architect, but I did a PhD with Ghent University in Belgium on soundscape and dementia. The idea was that we can augment the auditory environment, and through that, we can lower behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in the people with dementia. So, I did this study in Ghent University, but I did my data collection in Toronto Rehabilitation in Canada. So that's why I have both side of the pond experience working with people living with dementia. **Adam Smith:** That's wonderful. This might be surprising as well, but you are not the first architect we've had on the podcast. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** That's good. **Adam Smith:** We had somebody called Andrew Lashley join us, who's Tammaryn Lashley's husband, but it wasn't about dementia. It was about, we had a show where we talked to the partners of dementia researchers to say what it's like to live with a dementia researcher, and he was an architect too. But it's been an interesting topic. I know I've seen lots of work come out of the University of Sterling looking at care environments, and how you build better environments that can facilitate and lend themselves to care in that out-of-home setting. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Yeah, exactly. In my everyday job, I designed long-term care. So, I've tried to bring this research and real-life implementation together, hopefully. **Adam Smith:** Is it the Netherlands as well that have put a lot of thought into care home settings and community spaces? **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Yes, the Netherlands very famous for. **Adam Smith:** Well, thank you very much again for joining us. And finally, Suelyn, thank you so much for waiting. **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you all. So, I'm joining from Houston, Texas. I am Suelyn Koerich. I am a postdoctoral research fellow at UT Health Houston. And my research focusses right now in Alzheimer's disease is mainly in autoinflammation, microglia, and therapeutic approach. So, I'm really excited to be here, and share of the highlights of the day with you all. **Adam Smith:** That's great. So, we've got some really broad perspectives. I don't think any of the three of you will have been to the same talk. So, we've got the clinical side, we've got the care and architecture, and then we've got the fundamental science covered as well, and me that knows nothing about any of them trying to float over the top of you. That's wonderful. Thank you so much all of you for joining. So, let's now turn to the conference programme. We're on day two, as I mentioned at the start there. And what was the first thing that you saw or heard today that really caught your attention? And I'm going to come back to you, Arezoo. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** So just going to mention that because I'm in Toronto, I'm a little behind timewise. So, I missed all of the early morning sessions, and I started in the afternoon sessions. I have to go back and watch them. But in this, and because I have an architecture background, I'm not a physician, so my interest is maybe a little different. There was a session this afternoon about designing for inclusion, and how to engage communities that usually not be involved in the data collection to come and have data collection, which is very interesting, because I always want to do that in my own research. And there was a couple of speakers that I find very interesting, Dr Luis Medina from University of Houston. And they look at how the presentation of Black communities and Hispanic communities is usually lacking in the data collection. And they had this idea of how we can bring communities to get involved. So, they have this initiative under the Alzheimer's Society called Brain Trust. So, they try to go into the community, make that connection with them, make the trust, because the data that they have showed that till now, most of their research, only 1.2% of the participants of our Black communities, and about 5.6% from Hispanic. So, they're trying to change that narrative, because as we all know that if you don't have everyone in that research, then there's just very biassed data. So, one things that I find it very interesting about their work is that they're co-designing with the community how to can make them to trust the researchers, and how to can bring them into this idea of the participant in the research. And they also, for Hispanic, for example, they use the Spanish language people to make that trust. So, I find it very interesting, and I really like to follow up with them and to see how they grow their research, bringing more people and making more inclusive. **Adam Smith:** Were there some kind of lessons that they've learned? Were there any kind of top tips from that study that would listen? **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** The most things that they learned that they have to make the trust. It's not that people don't want to participate, but because people, maybe Black people, because of the history of they have, or Hispanic people, because they cannot make the communication, they don't trust. And they find that the best way to make that trust to go with the community, make sure that they co-design the research with them and not for them, as we always say in inclusive design. So, they find that one of the tips that they said that it can work for everyone else, so they do that. And I find it very interesting, because usually when we talk about the research, researcher would say, "Well, I don't know how to find people "with diverse background." So, one way is that you have to go to the community and start a conversation. So that's one of the highlights of theirs. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, that's a kind of very clear message, isn't it, that's been coming out from all the public and patient involvement work, and co-design work for a long time now. You've got me thinking actually though that something I haven't seen talked about much before, and I though this is where you were going to go with this, is about the environment in which the research take place. So given that you've got that white coat syndrome that people either, you know, respect, and don't listen to everything you say, or they are scared of going into a healthcare setting, or have that fear and that stigma that can be associated with that, whether there's some research that could be done to look at the environment, particularly also as well, if you're going into a medical setting where it increases your anxiety, your stress levels, that the results you might get from the tests you apply in that environment will be very different to if you applied them in people's own homes, or if you created a setting where people felt more comfortable to do that. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** That's a very good point actually, because not for this specific talk, but for soundscape research that we do, we sometimes say that we want people who are like marginalised population. We want to design for them, but how we can, we have to go to their spaces to understand their soundscape. Or if people have dementia, we have to go to their spaces. If you sit in the lab and ask everyone to come, as you said, they may never come. **Adam Smith:** No. I mean, obviously not every kind of test you can do could be delivered in somebody's own home. Sometimes people, like it or not, are going to have to visit some kind of healthcare setting or someplace, but thinking about how- I mean, we do this really well for children, don't we? If you think about it, if you're going to a children's hospital, there's going to be murals on the wall. There are going to be toys there. It's going to feel soft, and warm, and comfortable environments. I think, I wonder if less has been done to consider how you might make an environment feel welcoming for older people. If you are aware of research into this and you're listening, do drop us a line and let us know in the comments, because I'd love to read more on that, because I just feel like it's perhaps an underexplored area. Something to look at, Arezoo. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Yes, exactly. Where are the architects who design these buildings? **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much for sharing your first highlight. And now I'm going to come to you, Suelyn. **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah, so one presentation that was interesting to me was by Dr Henne Holstege. I don't know if it is the right way to pronounce it. She's from Amsterdam. And she presented findings from the 100-plus Study. So, it's a longitudinal cohort, related to cognitively healthy centenarians, with some participants that donating their brains for neuropathological analysis after death. So, what I found especially interesting was that many of these individuals had amyloid pathology, but still maintain it like a normal cognition, because they accumulated very little tau pathology. So, I though that was fascinating statue of the amyloid hypothesis, because right now, the concept of cognitive resilience was in the simple disease resistance. And I found this particular inspiring, because as we understand these protective mechanisms, we could eventually help us develop therapies to promote resilience, not just reduce the pathology. We cannot just focus on the amyloid pathology as well. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. Did she have any theories on what might be those protective resilient factors? Or was this just, you know, was it good genes? **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah, they may show a good environment, share a good time with people that they must love, the health foods, exercise, all these things that we know is good for maintenance or brain resilience. **Adam Smith:** I've seen her present a few times now, I think from AAIC last year, and AD/PD the year before. And she gives a great talk. I love that slide that she often puts on at the start, showing you pictures of older people. If Arezoo and Nathania, if you haven't watched this talk yet, and it's online, go watch it, because it's always great. **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** She puts this slide up with lots of pictures of older people and then ask you to guess how old they are. And usually, you would guess that they're probably in their 80s, and they're not. They're all over, they're all centenarians. They're all over 100 years old. And what I've always find fascinating is as well that these aren't people who've lived healthy lifestyles their entire lives, that they are, you know, they've smoked, and they drank, and they've had children, and they've had stressful periods. And it's really interesting, that shows that that resilience is a complex thing, it's not just made up of, you know, it's not just to say, well, we know, don't we? Because some people who smoke, don't all go on to develop dementia. **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah. It's good, because this message gives us like, that not only the amyloid or tau pathology alone determined cognitive decline. It's umbrella factors. **Adam Smith:** It's super. Did you know, was there something particularly new? Because every time, I see if she's added something new on to, I often see the same data again, but then with something new. Was there a new addition to today's talk? **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah. She mentioned something about more preventing, which preventing or delaying the transition from amyloid to tau pathology. Something like that, that is newer, I think. I lost the word. So, it's more preventive, that like a late disease. **Adam Smith:** That's great. And I know that they've got a great website as well, and they're constantly kind of sharing their data from that 100-plus Study. So that's wonderful. Thank you, Suelyn, for your first highlight. And Nathania, I'll come to you now. **Nathania:** Yeah, so I think there's so many interesting sessions of AAIC this year, and as always, but I think that the plenary sessions really get me amazed, because it's one of my interests, which is the anti-amyloid immunotherapies. It's been very emerging this year. And we always understand that this is genuinely a new era for the Alzheimer's disease, because we finally have drugs, like lecanemab and donanemab that can slow the Alzheimer's disease by clearing the amyloid plaques. Although there has been a lot of like refuse and also responses that are like pros and cons about this therapy, we should like acknowledge again that this is a very emerging era of Alzheimer's disease. And I saw that Dr Schindler, that she mentioned a lot of amazing important things that I can get, especially as a medical student, is that we can see about the patient's symptoms and also the patients that are going to get the therapy. And the patient that walks into a real memory clinic is not like something that you can stereotype. And as her own experience, that she saw a lot of patients in the clinic every year using various subsets of tests, and to screen about their eligibility. There are actually so many things that we need to take care of, because that not everybody that are cognitive impaired are actually eligible for the treatment, and this is the thing that we should take in notice. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, I've just come off the back of watching that same talk too, and I really enjoyed it. I thought Suzanne Schindler did this great way of bringing storytelling. Anybody who gives you a real-life example, like this patient comes in, and this is what happened. It really helps me understand what she was talking about. She was focused on those real-world challenges of figuring out who should and shouldn't get these new anti-amyloid drugs. And to cut what was a really long talk, you've already summarised this really well, but the main message was very clearly that treatments exist, but there's this new diagnosis bottleneck, and that clinical assessments alone really miss a lot. And so, we really need those biomarkers. But those biomarkers need to sit in that. They need to be scalable, and they need to sit in that primary care setting focused on that p-tau217 as the most current reliable blood biomarker. But yeah, that take home message that this has got to sit in primary care, and I loved her storytelling. **Nathania:** Yeah, it was really brilliant and bring us a lot of perspectives. And that actually leads us into something that we can call as personalised medicine, where we can actually understand every single patient to give them the best care, especially for Alzheimer's disease. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. Thank you very much. So that gives us our first set of highlights, but there will have been plenty more happening across the conference. So, let's move to something different now. What did you see or hear today that you think is worth sharing with our listeners for your next highlight, Arezoo? **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** So, something that I want to mention, actually, I think it was yesterday's session, but I watched it today. So, it's on climate change, war, and migration. I want to talk about this because I find it very interesting. Dr Marco Canevelli from University of Rome, and he had a very nice presentation. So, if anyone interested, he explained it very well, much better than I wanted to say now. But they look at migration and refugees’ population in Europe, and the lack of cultural assessment for dementia. And I find it interesting, because, for example, Mini-Mental State Examination is what I even use in my research. And it's on English, and then you talk with people, maybe there's a translator in between, but sometimes when you translate these assessment, in the culture, it doesn't really work that way. So, we always have to find out the best way to actually can do these assessments. And then the cross-cultural cognitive assessment is very important. And it's also in the soundscape studies that I do, even if the people don't have dementia, the set of the assessment that we do is basically based on Western culture, and knowledge, and not around the world. And then just imagine that if people are refugees, or they're immigrant, and not the number of people with dementia in that group is going up because they're ageing. And the talk said that in 2019, half a million people in Europe, they have dementia between the immigrants only. And then you have to find the best way to go and assess them and how to actually communicate with them. And there is a lack of study in those specific group. I find it very interesting, especially if I want to use the soundscape for the people living with dementia in the long-term care home. For example, in Toronto, I know that the population that I have to design with or design for them, they're coming from all around the world. And how I can use this method that they are going to use to have the best result for my participants, or if I am designing for them. So, I find it very interesting. **Adam Smith:** Did they have some recommendations? Have they been designing some specific kind of cultural? **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** They are looking at countries that they already have some dementia strategy, and they said that there's just a very few. I think in Europe, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and maybe Sweden. Canada has one, I know. It's just in the progress of making it wide and accessible for everyone, but they are still looking at to making one that can work more for more people. **Adam Smith:** It's interesting, isn't it? Because I think quite often, we find that people will jump to creating their own thing. You know, I've seen this, you know, in the UK, where they want to have culturally sensitive assessments for, say, South Asian populations of people living in the UK. Whereas, of course, you'd imagine that the first thing we would do would be to go to South Asia and say, what assessments do you use? We'll adopt those. And I think often in countries where we live, we jump to making our own, rather than just looking to what already exists in the places where they are and adopting an existing. Now, I really appreciate that doesn't always work, because some of those places in the world might not even have their own assessments, but you'd imagine that that'd be the first thing you would try to do. More broadly, I do think, I do worry. We talked a lot about people living with dementia, and the impact of conflict and migration on them immediately after the, you know, the conflict, the war in Ukraine broke out. And there was a lot of concerns saying, hey, people can't get medication. They're trapped in these places. What do we do about that? But that war is still ongoing, and I don't remember hearing anything about that, you know, six months later. And I'd certainly like to see more of that. If there's some AAIC presentations talking about people with dementia in conflict zones, or difficult parts of the world, I'd love to hear more about what's being done to support that, because it seems to have gone quiet. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Yeah, effect of trauma actually. Do we have, like, war trauma, and any relation with dementia or area dementia? That would be interesting. Not interesting, but something that we need to do. **Adam Smith:** Well, access to carers, to safe environments, to medication, to whether this speeds progression, which you'd imagine it can do. Or does, you know, the whole issue of the conflict just become the most important thing that people living with dementia become so unimportant in the grand scheme of things, which you'd hope isn't the case, but, you know, you worry that that might be what happens. Thank you very much, Arezoo. That was a great second highlight. Nathania, I'll come back to you for your second update. **Nathania:** Yeah, I think I'd like to continue with the story of Dr Schindler. And we had Dr Acosta; she's also in the plenary session. I'm choosing these because they're both, I feel like, can be correlated in some part of way. And she is the investigator of the 10/66 Dementia Research Group in the Latin America. And in here, we get to know about the perspective that comes from Latin America. And that is very important. And it will be great if we can have perspective for every regions. And from her presentation and her talk, we can see how the prevalence and how the development has been going since the mid-2000s, to 2016 to 2019. And numbers are moving so fast. For every region, it differs. For example, like Dominican Republic, and then for Peru, and also Mexico and Cuba, there has been a lot of divergence in the story, and where it tracks into multifactorial analysis again. And we can see also about like education, cardiovascular risk management. And this, in a way, we can see granularity country per country, not just generalising as in one regional trend. And I felt this one really personally, because I think perspective from countries, like where I live in Indonesia are not often discussed as well. So, it might be great to work on this kind of thing in the future. **Adam Smith:** I watched that talk too, and I thought it was really interesting how she'd flagged that there were stable rates in Cuba and Dominican Republic, as you mentioned. But women were still more consistently affected, and that the differences that they were seeing though do seem to be driven by social and modifiable risk factors, and not genetics alone. So, yeah, I thought it was an interesting talk. And again, it was one of those big plenaries of the day, wasn't it? Could you see some similarities in that work? Is that the kind of work you'd like to see happening in Indonesia? **Nathania:** Yeah, of course. I think that maybe sometimes some countries might be recorded as not really in the urgency, or they don't have any high prevalence of Alzheimer's or dementia, but it could just be as underrepresented. For example, like the national survey lens that did not work really closely to survey the whole country. So, I think that should be more emphasised to every of the countries, and also everyone that's involved. So, I think that it doesn’t just involve in one sector, but everybody to work together to make this come true. **Adam Smith:** Thank you, Nathania. And Suelyn, very patiently waiting. Give us your second highlight. **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah, so regarding what Nathania said, one talk that caught my attention was from a Brazilian research group, was Dr Paradela, and she talk about the neighbourhood deprivation and cognitive decline in Brazil. So as someone from Brazil, I was happy to see research using Brazilian data, because we still need more studies from countries like Brazil. The researchers look at whether the neighbourhood, or where people live affect their cognitive declines. And they found that people living poor neighbourhoods had a faster decline in this active function, even after consider age, education, income. So, they did not find the same result for memory. And I think this study was very important because it reminds us that dementia is not only about biology. Where people live and the conditions are around them also is very important. This is especially important for countries like Brazil. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. It's really weird you pick on that, because I've highlighted three posters that I wanted to talk to. And I don't know if this is the same research. So, this was by Nubia Al-Santa Freitas, and it's called Education, Social Isolation, Homebound Status of Dimensions of Cognitive Vulnerability in Brazilian Primary Care. It's a mouthful. But I don't think it's the same study. This study looked at 139 older adults who were receiving community-based primary care in Brazil, and asked how education, social isolation, and how being home-bound related to their cognitive impairment. And the team classified participants through this multidisciplinary assessment, and then analysed whether each factor remained important, accounting for age and gender. And they found two kind of striking opposing effects that every additional year of education was linked to a 13% reduction in the odds of cognitive impairment, while social isolation in older adults had more than nine times as many odds of impairment. So, the more educated you become and less socially isolated was a massive difference to those that were in those other ways. And being home-bound showed a possible increased risk, but not statistically that important. And I really like that poster because it gave this kind of clear public health message that cognitive health is shaped across life course, that that education, even if earlier in life, and that loneliness and social disconnection in later life are important too. So, it's really interesting we both picked up on that research in Brazil, and you see so much of this research looking at dementia prevention and things coming from Brazil. Were there other studies and research you've picked up on coming out of Brazil in this same space? **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah, I think, first, this study you mentioned is a second study. They have two big studies in Brazil, because Brazil is very broad. So, we have many social and economic difference. So, they have these two studies trying to understand how this difference affects brain health and can support a better public health policies. So, I think in Brazil, we have a lot of problems relate to economy and also related to research. We have a lot of research going on, but we don't have a lot of resources to publish these studies, or to look around the country as well. This is one the main problem. We have a lot of things happens, but we cannot access this data or sharing this data. I think this is one big problem because we don't have enough resource. **Adam Smith:** Although I have to say, I think Alzheimer's Association have been a great champion for putting funding into across Latin American research, which has made such a huge difference, because so many of the big talks that I've seen already over the first two days, and that are coming up, is of research coming out of Latin America, which is amazing and really great to see. It's not amazing. It's not surprising. It just, why wouldn't it? But it's brilliant to see that that part of the world is getting the attention and delivering on some fantastic work. **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** Thank you, Suelyn. So, we have had two highlights from everybody. I am going to come round the table one more time and ask if there is maybe a smaller talk you picked up on, or one of the posters you have seen. Suelyn, I will come back to you to start this time around. **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yeah, I saw a small talk from a Dr Alexandra Gogola from the University of Pittsburgh, and she talk about the complex interplay between astrogliosis and Alzheimer's in non-dementia individuals. So, I think that was very new and exciting to me, because we are only mostly off 100% of the time, focusing AD individuals. So, she explored the complex between astrogliosis amyloid and tau pathology in people, health people and people living with mild cognitive impairment. So, what I found most interesting was that the data suggests that astrocytes may play both roles during Alzheimer's disease progression. Early reactive astrogliosis appear to reduce the relationship between amyloid accumulation, and downstream, the tau pathology. And, however, as the disease progress, astrogliosis also became associated with neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. So as someone working with neuroinflammation, I though that was very provoking, this study, because it reminds me that glial responses are not like simple. It's harmful, or it is beneficial. That may change during the disease progression. And I think we should talk more about that in your research. It's not only focus in one way. I thought that talk was very interesting. **Adam Smith:** Wonderful. How did you come across that talk? Was that one that you went out of your way to deliberately look for, or did you, how did you come across that one in the platform? **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** I searched for glia. **Adam Smith:** So that's just top tip for anybody who's watching. There are loads of different ways. You can search by author; you can look by topic type. You can also just do some keyword search and say, hey, show me some research on music, or on microglia, or on tau, or whatever it is. Thank you very much, Suelyn. Nathania, I'll come back to you. **Nathania:** Yeah, so I would love to talk about the featured research sessions. So, there are two sessions that really catch my eye. It's about the social determinants of health, and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. And also, the other one is to evaluate the national, such as social determinants of health in low- and middle-income countries. I think that this gives us a lot of new perspective. It's about to maximise, not just about preventing dementia, or looking at a better prognosis, but also to build a community that understands together, and that comes into maximising the biological, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes that I actually understand from the sessions. It actually sounds really broad, but it also bring us back that Alzheimer's is not about just getting the tau pathology or like the amyloid pathology, but there are a lot of different trajectories, and also multifactorial, like what I mentioned before, like education, income, occupation, health literacy, the pollutions, like climate changes, also food insecurity, and many more. It's really limitless when we talk about other factors that can influence about the disease, but that actually inspires me that this should be a movement of which we all be aware. It's like to evaluate the national brain health programmes across countries. And we hope that every country has these dedicated programmes, because I don't think that it is actually applied equally in the whole parts of the whole world. And also, we need to assess the implementation, and also to compare or maybe to discuss about the prevention strategies across countries, where there could be a dedicated prioritisation maybe in the future, and also to study how the healthcare infrastructure can actually affect all of this. And I think that kind of factors that seem so broad can actually transform about the care in Alzheimer's disease in overall. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, I think we often talk, don't we, about personalised medicine, but, you know, the same ought to apply for policies when it comes to looking. Not every country necessarily needs to put addressing dietary concerns at the top of the list, or climate. No, we all have to put climate change at the top of the list. That's just a fact. But were there any kind of social determinants there that you felt came out as being more urgent than others? **Nathania:** I think the most important thing might be education, and also about maybe people that has exposure to social isolation, or maybe other psychological factors. I think those both might be overlooked, at least in my country, but that should be worth to be looking out for. **Adam Smith:** Thank you, Nathania. Arezoo, we'll come to you for your next. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** So, you talk about how this conference makes it very easy for us to search words. So, of course, when I go to acoustic conferences, I always search for dementia to see if anyone else is interested. When I come to this, I search soundscape, and I find one poster actually that they did the soundscape evaluation. So, the poster name is Processing of Real-World Soundscape in Alzheimer's Disease and Primary Progressive Aphasia. And the number is 6437, if anyone wants to see it. It's from UCL. And I find it very interesting, because they look at effect of soundscape on people living with dementia and primary progressive aphasia. And when we talk about the soundscape is every sound that you hear in any environment, and the effect of sound on each person. So, for example, everyone has a different reaction to the sound of the cities, the car traffic, birds singing. So, they look at this, and they realise that. So even the people who have the hearing impairment, they don't have a hearing impairment. Because of the type of the disease that they have, their understanding of the soundscape goes down when they have Alzheimer's, especially when they have a logopenic variant of PPA. And this is very interesting because this is very close to research that I've done with people with dementia, because at the end of my research, I went through different type of dementia and look at how each type of the disease changed the auditory scene analysis in people living with dementia, which means the way that we understand the environment through listening and hearing. And this one actually was they went one step forward, and actually did the test with the people who have this type of dementia. And the understanding is that for these people, the scene, understanding of the scene through hearing is there's a deficit there, because there is an interference between perception, and semantic memory, and episodic memories. And then so if for someone like me who wants to design a soundscape, to augment the soundscape for people living with dementia, I have to look at this specific type of dementia to make sure that what I'm adding to the scenery is just actually work for the person with that specific dementia that- It's very related to my research, so I got very interested to going through the whole poster and reading through it. **Adam Smith:** And UCL, of course, is where I work too. And Anna Volkmer writes lots of blogs for us, who works in that primary progressive aphasia space. It's a hot area of research for UCL. But I haven't seen their work on soundscapes. That sounds fascinating. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Well, UCL has the largest soundscape study research team. You should go and meet them. **Adam Smith:** I absolutely will. And, well, after we did a relay podcast last week on sensory health as well, and looking at olfactory systems and things. This is my new thing. I think we should definitely be doing more to help people improve their senses if they're going to be living longer with dementia, rather than just using those as biomarkers or indicators of cognition that actually trying to help people improve their sense of smell, or with their hearing, or connecting hearing to help people live for longer in their own environment, sounds like. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Yeah, not all of us are physicians and we cannot cure, but we can do some other stuff. As a designer, for example, I can make sure that the space that I design, works well and help with the wellbeing of the person who has dementia. **Adam Smith:** Is there a lot of work going into that space? Because I'm a bit of an audiophile myself, and I do always kind of make sure I'm on top of what are the best new noise-cancelling headphones and understanding how they work. Has that kind of technology from noise-cancelling space been used in people with cognitive impairment to help them focus? Because we know that quite often, people with Alzheimer's specifically can start to become disconnected if they're in busy environments, so they'll zone out and sit back. But using technology to help people to focus in on single conversations, or pick out certain words, do you know of anything in that space? **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** You can use it in reducing reverberation in the room, for example. The same technique that you use in schools when we do it for younger children. So, make sure that they can understand when the teacher speaks. The same can be done for the dementia care, but there's lots of research on it. There's not that much implementation yet, but we always look at, make sure that the room is quiet at least. But usually because these are healthcare settings, there are lots of other sounds that happening. So, in my research, we always say that we have to first evaluate what is happening there. If we want to augment soundscape, we don't want to add to the chaos. Just make sure that that's not happening. **Adam Smith:** That's a great tip. I will go away and look at that poster. Thank you, Arezoo. So, we've heard about some of the work you've been watching, but, of course, I want to ask about your own involvement in the conference as well. And Arezoo, I'm going to pick on you first because I know you've been presenting. And when you said you looked up sound, and you mentioned soundscape, I was immediately about to say to you, is that your own poster? But it's not. But you've been presenting this week. Tell us about your presentation. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** So, yes, I have a poster, which has the word soundscape in it, if you search the word. So, the title of the poster is "Mapping Auditory Processing Heterogeneity in Dementia "to Target Soundscape Intervention". So, as I said, as part of my PhD, I look at auditory symptoms in different type of dementia and the auditory deficit. And then we brought them all together and then make sure that the sound characteristic that we want to put into our soundscape augmentation works with each different deficit. So if you look at the poster, I have the framework that I designed, and it can follow up from the type of the dementia, the type of the deficit, and comes all the way down to see what type of the soundscape can help in semantic masking, energetic masking, or in a spatial or temporal orientation, because that's the whole goal of soundscape augmentation that can help people to understand the time of the day that they are in, and the space, and they can navigate this space easily through the soundscape as a help. So, you can look at this poster and figure out which sound works best for which type of the dementia. **Adam Smith:** That's fascinating. So, can you then say artificially, create those soundscapes to encourage certain behaviours, like making bedtime noises at bedtime, or clanking plates at mealtimes, or things like that? **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** So, yep, that's what the research that we did. We did the RCT in Toronto when we have the set of the sound that we played for the people who participated. For example, we started early morning with bird sounds to activate. And then throughout the day, when it's the time to go for have a meal or a coffee, we started just playing the sound of the kitchen, or people eating, people talking in the restaurants outside. And then when it got to the night, the sounds that is more nature during the night, birds, but the nighttime calling, birds calling. And we saw that when we evaluated, we saw that in the morning, the bird sounds actually reduce resistance to care for the participants. **Adam Smith:** Wow. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** So, we wanted to lower the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in the people with dementia, but the most one with anxiety came down. But in this setting that we had, the anxiety was supposed to come down anyways. So, it was a more relationship, but resistant to care was very bent down because the soundscape played for them in the morning. And I think one of the things that we want to really work on is how we can reduce apathy with people with dementia, because apathy is very common with everyone with dementia, and through the soundscape. So how we can make them to have a more social connection with others or just activate their feelings. So that's other things that we want to do too. **Adam Smith:** That's really creative. And you can see how you could do that, even through music and things like that. But if you want. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** Yes, definitely. I mean, we didn't have music part of it, but music is, of course, its music therapy, and music is one thing. **Adam Smith:** Well, consider this an open invitation to come back and talk about that more on the podcast, because that's fascinating. I'm sure our audience would love to know more about that. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** I should also mention that I am a big fan of your podcast, and I listen to your podcast. **Adam Smith:** You're very kind. Thank you so much. So, just give us one last reminder, what was the poster called again so we can get a plug in for that? **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** It's Mapping Auditory Processing in Dementia to Target Soundscape Intervention. And the number is 2135. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much. So, we've managed to go through the whole podcast and haven't really talked a massive amount about biomarkers. So, I am going to pick up on one poster that I'm going to mention, which was, let me pull my notes over here. So, it's called "Analytical Validation "of Minimally Invasive Capillary Blood Micro sampling "Using Tasso+ for Multiplex Neurological Biomarkers". That's another mouthful. So, this was by Owen Swann, and I picked out on this one as well, because one of my colleagues, Amanda Heslegrave, who I worked with on AAIC Neuroscience Next, he's one of the senior authors on this paper. And this poster tested whether minimally invasive upper arm device called a Tasso+ could be used to collect blood samples suitable for neurological biomarker testing outside traditional clinics. So, this has come back in again. If you think about blood-based biomarkers coming a big thing now, there's been a lot of talk about how you collect the samples for that, and whether this is something that could be done in their own home. And this team compared capillary samples with normal blood samples collected in a clinic, with us building in a 72-hour delay from collecting the sample to getting it into clinic. And they found some strong agreement for brain injury markers in GFAP and NfL in both plasma and serum, although performance across wider multiplex protein panel varied depending on the individual biomarker. And that means that this approach is really promising, but it still needs further validation separately. And I like this because I've seen a few presentations in the last year about dried blood spot sampling, and different ways to collect blood at home. But this idea of collecting this through a capillary device that then people could send in, I think opens up this accessibility. And I'd really like to see this move into more into that preventative space, or if we offer more blood testing to middle-aged to assess buildup of amyloid over time, if we can start to look at that as a predictor. I think that's got potential, and this is going to be one of those key steps in getting there. So well done to Owen Swann and Amanda Heslegrave on that work, and a bunch of other co-authors. It's a very long list. But that's all we've got time for today. Before we finish though, I'm going to come to each of you and say if there's one last, we can't talk about the research, we haven't got time, but if there's one last talk you want to give a little plug to, you can tell us the name of the author and the title of the talk. I'll give you that chance. Suelyn, was there one last plug you want to make for something? **Dr Suelyn Koerich:** Yes, one study that I liked too much was The U.S. POINTER, How Much Is Enough, is from by Dr Rachel Whitmer, University of California. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. We haven't talked at all about the POINTER Study today, and that was one of the big, that's been their big press release. But if you look on the Dementia Researcher website, we've put that press release there with all their information. This is a new news from the LatAm. Was it the Latin American arm of the POINTER study? Oh, the FINGERS. Was it the FINGERS trial? I can't remember. The two were connected. I'll look that up while I'm asking Arezoo to answer that same question. **Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh:** I find it very interesting that there are so many session on ageing and women health. I am very interested in their relationship between women health, menopause, premenopausal, and dementia. So, if anyone interested, there are lots of talk about that this year. I want to invite them to go and watch them all. They are very interesting, as a woman, it's very interesting for me. Has nothing to do with my research, it's just with my own health. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. Sex and gender have been so much talked about. We did a relay podcast on that just last week as well, and had a chat, some really interesting chats in our BSides, which is our subscriber programme on YouTube and in Apple Podcasts, if you want to hear more about that. And I've just checked my facts, and it was the LatAm-FINGERS trial, which is kind of the sister, I think, isn't it, or the brother of the U.S. POINTER trial as well, which talked about that lifestyle programme, did boost brain health across Latin America. And that press release is on our website. And Nathania, any last plug for a talk you want to give? **Nathania:** Yeah, so you basically mentioned, and Suelyn already mentioned as well, it's about the U.S. POINTER and the LatAm FINGERS. It's really amazing. I hope to see a very good news from them later. **Adam Smith:** Well, thank you very much to all of you. I'm sure we could easily sit here and talk for another three hours, because there's just been so much to cover. Although we might have to let all of you go away and watch the morning sessions, which, of course, you've now got the pleasure of doing after we finish recording today. But Nathania, Arezoo, and Suelyn, thank you so much for joining us to share your highlights from the second day of AAIC 2026. We'll be back tomorrow with another group of researchers, more conference conversations, and more studies, posters, and presentations that have been attracting our attention. You can find profiles on all of our guests, along with other AAIC coverage on the Dementia Researcher website. And don't forget, there is still time to register as well for the AAIC For All Conference, which has a lay track and a clinical track, which is on Thursday, and is entirely free and online. And of course, you can find lots of updates on the conference on pretty much every social media platform looking for #AAIC26. But for now, I'm Adam Smith, and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Thank you very much, everybody. **Guests:** Thank you. **Guests:** Thank you, bye-bye. **Narrator:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London, with generous funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**AAIC Website**](https://aaic.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC For All**](https://www.alz.org/aaic-for-all) > > [**UCL Soundscapes**](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/environment-energy-resources/environmental-design/research-ucl-institute-environmental-design-and-engineering/acoustics-and-soundscapes) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC26, Adam Smith, Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh, Dr Suelyn Koerich, Nathania, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [LiBBY Trial: THC/CBD Reduces End-of-Life Agitation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/libby-trial-thc-cbd-reduces-end-of-life-agitation/) **Published:** July 14, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** Phase 2 LiBBY trial results suggest a THC/CBD combination rapidly and significantly reduces agitation in hospice-eligible people with dementia. #AAIC26 **Content:** **![Breaking News banner over a purple cityscape; headline says Libby trial shows THC/CBD reduces agitation in dementia patients at end of life.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/LiBBY-Trial-THCCBD-Reduces-End-of-Life-Agitation-300x229.png "LiBBY Trial THCCBD Reduces End-of-Life Agitation")** **LONDON, July 14, 2026** — A combination of [CBD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-cannabinoids-for-better-sleep/) and THC rapidly and significantly reduces agitation in hospice eligible people with dementia, suggest topline results from the Phase 2 LiBBY (Life’s End Benefits of cannaBidiol and tetrahYdrocannabinol) clinical trial. The findings were reported for the first time at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference](https://aaic.alz.org/overview.asp)® (AAIC®) 2026 in London. “This is a robustly positive, randomized, controlled trial that represents a major step forward in treatment for a population that has been historically overlooked in clinical research,” said lead investigator Jacobo Mintzer, M.D., psychiatrist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System and professor, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. “We now have evidence supporting a new and very effective treatment approach for agitation that may be appropriate for people in the final stages of dementia at the end of life, offering them grace and peace in what is often an extremely difficult time for patients and their families.” The multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated a novel oral formulation (2 mg THC/100 mg CBD dissolved in digestible oil, provided twice a day) in 120 participants with [dementia who were eligible or received hospice care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-dementia-care-pathway/) and were experiencing clinically significant agitation. The trial achieved its primary and key secondary endpoints. Key Findings - At Week 2, participants receiving THC/CBD showed a 6.27-point greater reduction in agitation scores than those receiving placebo, which was statistically significant, indicating rapid symptom relief. - Benefits were sustained through Week 12, with participants receiving THC/CBD experiencing an 8.23-point greater reduction in agitation scores than those receiving placebo. - Clinician-rated global improvement: - Week 2: 83.9% of treated participants improved vs. 30.5% on placebo. - Week 12: 87.2% of treated participants improved vs. 23.6% on placebo. Overall adverse event rates were similar between groups (46.7% vs. 42.4%). Over 12 weeks, 23.3% of participants in the treatment arm experienced serious adverse events, compared with 11.9% in the placebo arm. Investigators determined that none of the serious adverse events were related to the study medication. [Agitation](https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/stages-behaviors/anxiety-agitation) affects about half of people living with dementia near the end of life, and more than one-third continue to experience symptoms despite off-label treatment with benzodiazepines, opioids and antipsychotics — therapies that can be difficult to manage and carry significant risks. In severe dementia and in the late stages of life, agitation is a common neuropsychiatric symptom characterized by emotional distress, excessive motor activity and verbal or physical tension. Because individuals in the late stages of dementia, especially towards the end of life, often lose their ability to communicate effectively, agitation frequently serves as a direct behavioral signal of physical discomfort, fear or unmet needs. Symptoms, which may be distressing to patients, families and caregivers, may include: - Pacing or wandering - Fidgeting and repetitive movements - Loud, sudden vocal outbursts or calling out continuously - Repetitive phrases - Moaning or groaning - Verbal hostility - Hitting, kicking, scratching, biting or pushing others - Throwing or destroying property “The LiBBY study directly addresses one of the most challenging and under-discussed aspects of Alzheimer’s disease — end-of-life agitation,” said [Elizabeth Edgerly, Ph.D.](https://www.alz.org/press/spokespeople/elizabeth-edgerly), Alzheimer’s Association vice president, care and support. “These results not only highlight a promising therapeutic option, but also underscore the importance of prioritizing attention, care and research for individuals in mid- and late-stage Alzheimer’s and related dementias.” Brigid Reynolds, APRN, a LiBBY study co-principal investigator and nurse practitioner with the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., noted, “One of the most meaningful aspects of these findings is the potential to provide a more humane and dignified experience for patients and families. Reducing agitation can help restore a sense of calm and comfort in a very vulnerable time. Proving the clear benefit of THC/CBD over placebo can bring hope to millions of patients, their families, caregivers and loved ones.” The Alzheimer’s Association supports a careful, individualized [approach to managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/research-showcase-population-approaches-to-dementia-prevention/), and encourages patients, caregivers and clinicians to review the prescribing information carefully and engage in shared decision-making when considering treatment. Non-pharmacological strategies, including environmental modifications, structured routines and psychosocial interventions, are recommended as a first-line approach. LiBBY, which was conducted by the National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC), is among the first randomized, controlled trials in a hospice-eligible population with dementia. Paul Aisen, M.D., director of the Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute at the University of Southern California, San Diego, and one of the principal investigators of ACTC, noted, “The LiBBY study successfully demonstrated that it is feasible to recruit, enroll, and retain a representative cohort from this group, including individuals from historically underrepresented communities. The study introduced novel trial methods to address an essential therapeutic need.” “This trial shows that high-quality clinical research can and should be conducted in people with advanced dementia, including those receiving hospice-eligible care,” said Mintzer. “That is essential for achieving equitable and meaningful progress in Alzheimer’s treatment.” In LiBBY, the participants’ mean age was about 80 years; 55% were female; 58% from underrepresented ethnoracial groups; and 75% lived in community settings. The LiBBY trial was a 12-week, Phase 2 study conducted across multiple U.S. sites. Participants with Alzheimer’s or another disease that causes dementia and significant agitation were randomized to receive either the THC/CBD combination or placebo. - Primary endpoint: Change in agitation on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory at 2 weeks. - Key secondary endpoints: Sustained agitation reduction at 12 weeks and global clinical change at 2 weeks and 12 weeks. The study’s drug intervention, known as T2:C100, contained 2mg THC and 100mg CBD. From the start of the study through week 1, participants received a half dose (2mg THC and 100mg CBD, twice daily) or a placebo. During weeks 2–12, participants received the full intervention dose (4mg THC and 200mg CBD, twice daily) or a placebo. A 12-week open-label extension [phase has been completed and will also be reported](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/positive-results-on-donanemab-phase-3-trial-reported/) at AAIC 2026. The LiBBY trial and its open-label extension are primarily funded by the NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Alzheimer’s Association is a funder of the open-label extension phase. --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)** The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community. Alzheimer’s Association: [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) AAIC: [alz.org/aaic](https://aaic.alz.org/) AAIC newsroom: [alz.org/AAICpress](https://www.alz.org/aaicpress) AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26 --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association®** The [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/alzheimers-association-international-conference-2/) is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other [dementia — by accelerating global research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/communities-empty/), driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) or call +1 800.272.3900. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Agitation, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Cannabinoids, End of Life Care, Hospice, THC --- ### [Alzheimer’s Blood Test Could Transform Diagnosis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimers-blood-test-could-transform-diagnosis/) **Published:** July 14, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** New data suggest an Alzheimer’s blood test could help primary care doctors diagnose the disease with around 90% accuracy, matching specialists. #AAIC26 **Content:** **![Breaking News graphic: headline reads'Alzheimer's Blood Test Could Bring Highly Accurate Diagnosis into Everyday Clinical Care' with AAIC26 branding on a purple cityscape backdrop.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Alzheimers-Blood-Test-Could-Transform-Diagnosis-300x229.png "Alzheimers Blood Test Could Transform Diagnosis")** **LONDON, July 14, 2026** — Knowledge of blood test results enables primary care physicians to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with essentially the same accuracy as specialists, a major step toward expanding access to an accurate diagnosis for millions of patients, suggests new data reported for the first time at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference](https://aaic.alz.org/overview.asp)® (AAIC®) 2026 in London and online. In one of the first real-world studies of its kind — including more than 1,300 patients and 165 physicians — researchers found that a blood-based biomarker test significantly improved the accuracy of Alzheimer’s diagnosis in both primary and specialty care settings. The test measures [amyloid beta](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-whats-in-a-name-amyloid-amyloid-beta-beta-amyloid-amy-lloyd/) and phosphorylated tau, both of which are abnormal brain proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In a direct comparison among primary care patients, primary care physicians achieved nearly the same diagnostic accuracy as dementia specialists — around 90% for both. After seeing the blood test results, the physicians changed diagnoses in about one-third of the patients and changed their plans for future care and examinations for more than half of the patients. “We wanted to find out whether a simple blood test for Alzheimer’s changes how doctors actually diagnose and manage their patients in everyday clinical care,” said Sebastian Palmqvist, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study, neurologist and associate professor of neurology at Lund University, Sweden. “Accurate Alzheimer’s diagnosis has largely been limited to specialist settings. Our findings show that this blood test could bring that level of accuracy into primary care, where most patients are first seen, closing the gap between primary care and specialty care.” The blood test was most useful in primary care for ruling out Alzheimer’s, Dr. Palmqvist said. Primary care clinicians remained cautious about using it to diagnose the disease, preferring to send their patients to a specialist for confirmation, as is appropriate, he noted. Today, the standard of [care for confirming Alzheimer’s disease involves](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/people-with-dementia-need-more-involvement-in-decisions-about-their-long-term-care/) specialized tests such as PET scans (brain imaging) and spinal fluid analysis, tools that are often costly and not widely available outside of memory clinics. “This is hopeful news for patients, who often face delays, referrals and long wait times before receiving a clear diagnosis and treatment,” said [Sheena Aurora, M.D.](https://www.alz.org/press/spokespeople/sheena-aurora-m-d), Alzheimer’s Association vice president of medical affairs. “The results suggest highly [accurate blood tests can change — even improve — diagnosis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimers-society-report-timely-and-accurate-diagnosis/) and medical management in primary and secondary care, meaning doctors all along the care continuum may find them useful. This study strongly suggests there is great clinical utility for this test.” The interim results from the study included 1,310 patients with [mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/cognitive-rehabilitation-in-mild-to-moderate-dementia/) in Sweden, including 927 evaluated by specialists and 383 evaluated in primary care. The patients seen in primary [care were also independently assessed by dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-dementia-care-pathway/) specialists, enabling a head-to-head comparison of diagnostic accuracy between primary care physicians and specialists. To measure real-world impact on clinical decision-making, researchers compared physicians’ working diagnoses and management plans before and after receiving results from the PrecivityAD2™ blood test. The researchers used cerebrospinal fluid analysis, amyloid PET and a consensus diagnosis by [dementia experts to assess the accuracy of the diagnoses](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/uk-is-a-step-closer-to-blood-tests-for-diagnosing-dementia/). In the interim analysis, the specialists’ diagnostic accuracy rose from 74% before to 89% after receiving the blood test results. In the primary care group, primary care physicians’ diagnostic accuracy rose from 65% before to 93% after receiving blood test results. In a head-to-head comparison of those patients, specialists achieved 94% accuracy after receiving the blood test results. Additionally, primary care clinicians changed their diagnoses for 30% of patients, with the greatest impact seen in ruling out Alzheimer’s as the cause of the patients’ cognitive issues. Their willingness to rule out Alzheimer’s increased from 12.9% to 25% after a negative test result. Dementia experts changed their diagnosis in 21.6% of patients and were far more likely to make an immediate Alzheimer’s diagnosis without additional testing when the test was positive (1.9% to 55.4%). After receiving the blood test results, clinical management was revised in about half of the cases, both in primary and secondary care, including changes to referrals, additional testing and treatment decisions. “A negative result helped primary care physicians confidently rule out Alzheimer’s and look for other causes of the symptoms,” Dr. Palmqvist said. “It’s important to remember that these [blood tests are designed specifically to detect](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blood-test-set-to-transform-detection-of-brain-damage-and-poor-prognosis-after-head-injury/) Alzheimer’s, so patients with negative results may still have other neurological conditions and may still be suitable for referral to a specialist for further evaluation.” To guide primary care clinicians in the appropriate use of blood biomarker tests, the Alzheimer’s Association is preparing a concise decision-making tool to be posted on [ALZPro](https://www.alz.org/alz-pro)®, its central hub of professional resources. The Association has also published [Clinical Practice Guidelines](https://www.alz.org/alz-pro/hub/care-pathway/blood-based-biomarkers-guideline) that provide clear, evidence-based, brand-agnostic recommendations to support appropriate use of blood tests in specialty care in people experiencing dementia symptoms. “Because not all blood-based biomarker tests meet the same standards for accuracy, clear evidence-based guidance is essential,” Dr. Aurora said. “These tools help clinicians make informed decisions about using the right blood-based biomarker test for the right patient at the right time.” --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)** The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community. Alzheimer’s Association: [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) AAIC: [alz.org/aaic](https://aaic.alz.org/) AAIC newsroom: [alz.org/AAICpress](https://www.alz.org/aaicpress) AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26 --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association®** The [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/alzheimers-association-international-conference-2/) is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other [dementia — by accelerating global research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/communities-empty/), driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximising quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) or call +1 800.272.3900. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Agitation, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, blood biomarkers, Dementia Test, Diagnosis **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Biomarker Research --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2026 - Day Three](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2026-day-three/) **Published:** July 15, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The third of our AAIC 2026 podcasts brings together Adam Smith, Abrar AbuHamdia and Cari Randa-Beaulieu discussing the talks and posters they explored. **Content:** ##### In this episode, we share highlights from the third day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) chats with [Cari Randa-Beaulieu](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-cari-randa-beaulieu-alzheimer-society-of-bc-and-yukon/), Provincial Coordinator, Knowledge Mobilization at the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon; and [Abrar AbuHamdia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-abrar-abuhamdia-hamad-bin-khalifa-university/), a PhD candidate at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. **Key topics** - Alzheimer's disease subtypes and precision medicine - Biomarkers and diagnostic accuracy in dementia - Microglia and neuroinflammation therapies - Global efforts in brain health promotion - Co-design and lived experience in research --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** Voiceover: The "Dementia Researcher Podcast," talking careers and research, sharing conference highlights, and so much more. Adam Smith: Hello, and welcome to the "Dementia Researcher Podcast." I'm Adam Smith, and this is the third of our daily highlight shows from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, or AAIC 2026, taking place in London and online. It's day three, and the conference programme is still moving at full speed. There are major sessions, rapid presentations, posters, and conversations, all competing for attention, and every attendee follows a slightly different route through it, and that's why we hope these daily catchups are useful so we can compare notes and bring more of the conference into view. Joining me to look back on the third day are Cari Randa-Beaulieu, who is a provincial coordinator and knowledge mobilisation expert at the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon, and Abrar AbuHamdia, who is a PhD candidate at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. Hi. Both of you, thank you very much for joining. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Hello. So happy to be here. Abrar AbuHamdia: Thank you. Adam Smith: So, to begin, let's put some voices and research interests behind those introductions. Please could you tell me a little bit about yourself, where you work or study, and some of the research that you do? Cari, I'll come to you first. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Absolutely, so, I started out with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minored in early learning. And somehow, I ended up at the opposite end of the life course, really focusing on dementia and end-of-life care, so I worked in long-term care for several years, where I tailored my art therapy practise through cognitive and physical accessibility adaptations. And during the pandemic, I had the brilliant idea to go back for a master's in gerontology, because there wasn't enough going on in the world at that time, and that's how I really got introduced to knowledge mobilisation as well as community-engaged dementia-focused research. And over time, accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful engagement is really core to my work. So, at the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon we seek to change the future for people affected by dementia by championing dementia-inclusive research, investing in innovative research, and acting as a knowledge source and fostering relationships with researchers and the community, so we really want people living with dementia and caregivers to know about the abundant opportunities to engage in research, not just as research participants but also as advisors, consultants, and partners. Adam Smith: It makes it so much more rewarding, doesn't it, when you've got a direct line of sight between what you do and the kind of people you're trying to support? And I love all the movement we've had over the last couple of years to make sure that co-design, which I know is a bit of a buzzword right now but is at the heart of what you do. I am going to ask question about your deciding to do that during the pandemic, though. Does that mean that you studied during the pandemic, too? Was that. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Yes, I did, and that is part of what motivated my move from direct care to working in research. Because I had never worked in research before, I was really one of those undergraduate students who was like, "I'm going to volunteer, and I know I want to work in long-term care," and I never really saw research as a place for me. And throughout my graduate training, my supervisor presented me with the opportunity to work as a research project manager on a large, multisite interinstitutional dementia strategic-funded research project in Canada, called DemSCAPE, which looked at supportive features of the neighbourhood-built environment to support people living with dementia to age in place, in their communities. And it just really opened up a whole new world and career path for me. Adam Smith: That's brilliant, and I do think we need. We still need more research into those kind of arts and spaces because without that research it's still so hard to persuade policymakers and funders that that is a good investment, and I think the research that provides the evidence base for that and to show that it's cost-effective and welcomed is only. It's only by doing that that we're actually going to see more of those services that we know people value so much, so well done, thank you very much, Cari. And I'll come to you now, Abrar. Abrar AbuHamdia: I'm a PhD candidate in biopsychology and neuroscience at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. I'm also an ISTAART and a member of ISTAART's professional interest area Comorbidity and Multimorbidity in Dementia. I work for several years on patient case studies, which shaped my interest in neurological diseases. More recently, I transitioned into basic research as now I'm interested to learn about the mechanism of the diseases, learning about molecular, genetic, and cellular level, which led me to basic neuroscience research, where during my master's degree I develop a protocol for generating brain organoids with native microglia. And I'm now excited to build on this foundation by using these models to study neurological diseases. So, I think this combination shapes me as a person who is scientifically curious about the brain but always thinking about the patient at the other end of our research. Adam Smith: Yeah. That's great. And how are you finding being a member of ISTAART, 'cause it's a great kind of doorway into that wider community, isn't it? And being an ambassador, as well, is really exciting. I'm surprised you're not there in person. Abrar AbuHamdia: Actually, I joined ISTAART two years ago, and I attended AAIC 2012 in Philadelphia. It was my first time going abroad alone. And after that, actually, I pursued a master's degree in genomic and precision medicine, and I did this research in brain organoids. Adam Smith: Fantastic. Well, thank you so much, both of you, for being here. We did have a third guest, but unfortunately, we've had a few technical issues, so they've not been able to join us; however, I do feel that we've probably attended a lot of sessions between us today, so we're going to bring you all the highlights from day three. So now I'm going to ask Cari and Abrar to open their virtual notebooks and think back across the day, and I'm going to come to you, Cari, first for your first highlight of the day. What have you seen today that you most want to tell us about? Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Surprise, surprise. The social sciences qualitative researcher is really going to focus on the qualitative side of AAIC. So, the first session that really stood out to me was "Family and Social Impact of Dementia: Caregiving Work and Policy." And in summary, these presentations went deep into data, showing how caregiving for someone living with dementia impacts quality of life, economic stability, as well as sense of self. So, data tells the story of why supportive policies and workplaces matter for people in the sandwich generation. So, those are people around midlife who may have young children or are part of a community of care, which also includes either ageing parents or other older adults in their lives. And this especially affects women who face considerable long-term earning loss. The economic data is pretty sobering, making it compelling and clear that it's not just income. Reduced long-term earning and the challenges of juggling multiple roles during peak earning years influences many other facets of quality of life. The presentation that really stood out to me within this session was presented by Lycia Tramujas Vasconcellos Neumann, "Elevating Caregivers' Voices: The Lived Impacts on Caregivers along the Dementia Journey." This really resonated for me. So, lived experience voices inform everything we do at the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon, from our resource development to advocacy, education development, and, of course, research. We engage people living with dementia, but we also include caregivers or care partners or carers, depending on which country you're joining us from, as people with lived experience of dementia. So, what's behind the numbers? It's people. To be truly person-centred, lived experience panel reviews, focus groups, lived experience collaborators in research and so many other facets are essential throughout every phase of a research project or initiative. That's why our team at the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon, in collaboration with Emily Carr University's Health Design Lab and the University of Victoria, created "Collaborative Minds," a guide to meaningfully engaging people with lived experience of dementia in biomedical research. You can view our virtual poster, number 9355, in the digital portal and head to alzbc.org/collabminds to download the researcher guide, lived experience handbook, reflection questions, and practical tools and resources. This resource actually builds off a guide for qualitative researchers called "Collaborate Gather Share." And we've heard from lived experience partners that participating in research through sustained long-term engagements also bolster their confidence as participants in society and, like, maintaining a meaningful life as well as the honoraria can supplement their income if facing early retirement as well as the cost of care and planning for the future. Adam Smith: What were the big takeaways from that particular presentation? Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Well, like I said, the economic side presents really concrete data for something that can be brought to policymakers, like, "This is why supportive workplaces and broader policies matter, to help caregivers stay in the workforce in a way that can sustain their quality of life." Adam Smith: So, they were making the economic argument that we needed to change jobs to enable people to take on that caring responsibility. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Yeah, without being sort of financially squeezed out of the workforce to be either full-time caregivers or having to make really difficult choices. Adam Smith: Yeah, and that's difficult, isn't it, 'cause no two health systems across the world seem to be the same when it comes to this? Some are better than others at supporting that unpaid carer, although I don't think. I'm pretty sure I don't think anywhere in the world is really great at that. I think certainly where there's that more cultural element of people caring for older people, whether they do or don't have dementia, where older people go to live with family members and things, maybe in society it's slightly better there but also, as well, more likely to be a hidden issue, were. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Yeah, and a fairly new facet of benefits programmes and, like, workplace benefit systems, having flexible sick time. It's not just illness. It includes paid time off or secured time off to support with doctor's visits or any sort of caregiving needs that would pull someone out of work for a chunk of the day. Adam Smith: Yeah. Thank you very much. Abrar, I'm going to come to you for your first highlight now. Abrar AbuHamdia: Yeah, for me, it is a session that's titled "Developing Topics in Factors Affecting Fluid Biomarkers." For me, this was very interested to me because I did my bachelor's degree in medical laboratory science and I also work in clinical lab. And we often were thinking about pre-analytical variables: fasting status, timing of sample collection, medication, sample handling, and assay interference. And now as, you know, biomarkers are becoming more central in neurodegenerative diseases and have high potential in making diagnosis more accessible, less invasive, and potentially earlier, I sincerely appreciated that in this session the speakers ask, "Can this.” Like, instead of asking, "Can this biomarker detect Alzheimer's disease pathology?" they asked, "When might this biomarker mislead us?" And the part I found especially interesting was by Dr Hanna Huber, who discussed the effects of food intake on plasma phosphorylated tau-217. In this study, participants fasted for 12 hours. And then they had a sample collection, blood sample. After that, they had a meal and a follow-up, another blood-sample collection after three hours. And according to the presentation, she found that phosphorylated tau-217 level change after a meal in both healthy and Alzheimer's disease patients, and it showed that among 36 individuals with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment who were non-fasting, 24 patients should have had an altered probability category if they had been fasting. More specifically, 11% individuals tested from low probability category to an intermediate probability category and 13% tested from an intermediate probability category to a high probability category. And as you see here, it's really critical because, like, it leads to different clinical decisions. And I see that, as Alzheimer biomarkers become more widely used, it becomes very necessary to develop clear and standardised protocols for these biomarkers. Otherwise, we may end up building diagnosis and treatment on misleading results. There was also a question from the audience that I really liked. She asked whether food-related changes in plasma phosphorylated tau-217 could reflect a biological mechanism, and she mentioned the contribution of the autonomic nervous system. I found this question very interesting because it shifted the discussion from simply asking whether the meal interferes with the measurement — for example, through assay performance, antigen-antibody interaction, or changes in the plasma matrix — to asking whether food intake may actually trigger physiological changes that alter the biomarker level itself. Adam Smith: Do you know what? I think you're the first person I've heard talk, or that's the first time I've heard anybody talk, about the conditions under which the blood tests were taken, but it seems obvious when you say it. There are lots of tests where you're asked to do this fasted, aren't you? If you go for a cholesterol test, they prefer you to, you know, do that after you've fasted. It makes sense that they do this, so getting the guidance right to say, "Hey, you know, you need to do this consistently," that they should maybe run that test, not just, as you say, just rely upon one test, but actually you should do multiples over a week and average this out and take them at different times of day, perhaps. I don't know. I'd be interested to have a biomarker. I should contact. Amanda Heslegrave, if you're listening to this right now, message me, and tell me. Talk to me more about this 'cause it feels like we could do a whole separate podcast on that topic. Thank you so much. That was great. So, that's our first. I'm going to add in a highlight of my own, and hopefully, I'm not going to steal one of your highlights. I'm going to bring up Dr Betty Tijms' talk. This is one of the plenaries. Betty has been on the podcast before, one of our "Relay" shows quite a few years ago now and is from the Amsterdam UMC. And she gave a great talk that challenged the assumption that Alzheimer's disease is a single disease. And her team have used CSF to identify at least what they think are five separate biological subtypes of Alzheimer's disease with very distinct molecular mechanisms in the genetics and progression rates as well. And she showed evidence that these subtypes appear early, even before cognitive symptoms, and may explain why different drug trials fail and also kind of making the point that treatments aimed at one pathway alone might only work in one specific subtype, which brings back this thing that was talked about on the podcast yesterday, and it's been talked about lots, which is this idea of precision medicine and tailoring therapies to patients' very specific molecular subtypes rather than saying, "This is for Alzheimer's alone." Yeah, anybody who's listening should definitely go and watch her presentation 'cause she gave some great slides where she showed on the screen where you got really into the epigenetics and looking at this, where you have these little clusters to go, "That is these people. That is these." And there was the very distinct thing that these were different types. And so, you couldn't expect that one treatment would work on all of them, 'cause they all were very different. So, three key takeaways were that Alzheimer's is likely not a single disease; that heterogeneity may explain past trial failures as well, why it was working not in the whole cohorts; and precision medicine needs to become a realistic goal for addressing that. So that was a great talk. So, we're going to come round for our next round-the-table. A conference highlight doesn't always have to be one of the big headlines or one of the big plenaries, of course. So, what did you encounter today? Was there a new idea or something new or challenged an assumption? I'll come to you first this time around, Abrar. Abrar AbuHamdia: The next talk that really stuck with me was by Dr Marco Colonna, who discussed a very innovative CAR-based therapy approach. I am very interested in CAR therapy, which is usually used in cancer to target and kill cancer cells. In neurology, though, it is different. Here, the idea was built around designing an anti-amyloid chimeric antigen receptor that could be expressed in astrocytes and activate phagocytosis-related pathways. He reported that these CAR astrocytes reduced amyloid-associated pathology after plaques had already formed and also prevented early plaque deposition in vivo. In addition, they prevented microglial exhaustion. That was really interesting because astrocytes do not normally have that function; they are not phagocytic cells. It's a function of microglia, and because it's more abundant than microglia, they modulate the cells, like, to help microglia. I just like, like, the way because they thought different about therapy. I know this treatment is really early and preclinical and there are safe and delivery questions to solve, but conceptually, it opens a very interesting direction for neurodegenerative diseases treatment. Adam Smith: Absolutely. I feel like microglia was something we were talking, like, nonstop. It was, like, the whole theme of AAIC maybe three-four years ago. I'm sure it is now if you're picking out those sessions. So, it had an interesting delivery mechanism as well. Abrar AbuHamdia: Yes, and they actually use it now for multiple sclerosis. Adam Smith: Fantastic. Thank you very much. And Cari, I'll come to you for your next highlight now. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Yeah, thanks for the probe about challenging assumptions. I sometimes feel like I'm so focused on living well with dementia that I kind of forget about the role of general brain health, so my next session of interest was "Brain Health in Action: Organization-Led Efforts across the Globe." So, this session highlighted how organisations from the UK, Latin America, Australia, and the US are leveraging evidence to develop policies, programmes, and initiatives that promote and advance brain health across the life course. From the randomised controlled FINGER to POINTER and now the Latin American FINGERS trial, the presenters made it clear that there's no singular silver bullet intervention for brain health. Individual preferences and social determinants of health, cultural diversity, and regional infrastructure influenced the growing need to translate findings into real-world action to drive public health and public policy efforts to really zoom in on brain health for more of a preventative approach. Matthew Baumgart from the Alzheimer's Association really summed up the themes across all presentations in this session so well. He closed with "scientific findings are the starting point, not the finish line." Across all presentations from global researchers, I heard the importance of going to communities and centering interventions in the priorities of specific communities for maximum uptake and benefit. Especially from Ross Dunne in "From Prototype to Platform: Scaling a Brain Health Clinic.” He spoke to the role of stigma around where a clinic is located. To have an MRI machine on-site, the clinic was located in a mental health services building, which was incredibly unappealing to Manchester's large South Asian population, which is very similar to the population in Metro Vancouver. So, the choice of naming it a brain health clinic made it more appealing. And it can sound trite, but words really do matter. When we think about stigma, there are words and concepts that don't translate or reinforce negative connotations, so community consultation and collaboration ultimately help build more meaningful resources and services. Adam Smith: Yeah, I agree. I think I've often. So, if in the UK. Obviously, I'm from the UK, and I'm actually familiar with this memory clinic, well, this brain health clinic, in Manchester. In the UK, the traditional route you might see or that most people go through when they present with a memory problem is through primary care and then to a mental health service and a consultant old-age psychiatrist. And they are referred to psychiatry. Only a much smaller number of people will go to see a neurologist if they're presenting with one of the potentially rarer forms of dementia, you know, FTD or maybe Lewy body or one of those other dementias. And that is a problem because people are concerned. They don't want to be. They think of psychiatrists as being somebody you see if you're mentally unwell, and they don't feel, you know, mentally well. They think that there's something wrong with their brain. It's not. They don't associate that kind of same mental problem with a physical issue, so it's been a long-standing issue, I think, whereas in the US, of course, nearly everybody will see a neurologist. They work in different spaces, and I think that's a difficulty across the world. I don't know though. Do you. I am increasingly of the opinion; I don't know if you'd agree, both of you; that we now rapidly reaching a point where we know what good brain health looks like. The gap is doing something with all that information, like taking all that we've learnt from the "Lancet" report. I'm not saying that we don't know what causes dementia, but we know what kind of things you can do, the things that you need to do to potentially avoid it. And I'm not saying that we know everything. Clearly, there’s. You know, there's always more we can learn, but I think what we're seeing now is there's shift to lots of research which is testing out how we deliver what we know about brain health to different populations of people in different parts of the world and then what the impact of that is, like we've talked about, FINGERS trial, and we've talked about the POINTER study, which is all about taking information we already have and seeing if we can make that to make that sea change that we Cari Randa-Beaulieu: And Ross Dunne did mention that motivational interviewing is a large part of how their clinic interfaces with the public. And I think that that sort of strengths-based approach. We also know that's a really great way to ensure buy-in is "hey, you have so much agency, and you have so much power, and there's things that you can do today to make a difference." Adam Smith: Absolutely. I'm going to jump off the back here and pick up on one of my next. I'm going to pick on a. I've got a poster here. So, we did a podcast a little while ago on what it's like to be a researcher living with ADHD. So, I was kind of interested to. I just did the keyword search to see if anybody was looking at ADHD. And there was. I found one poster, which was called "Neuropsychological Profile of Adults with a History of ADHD in the Absence of a Neurocognitive Disorder." This was Waleska Berrios, who's from Buenos Aires in Argentina, and this poster looked at adults under 60 who'd reported a cognitive concern but did not meet the criteria for having a neurocognitive disorder, because we’re. I know that ADHD is now more. The symptoms of it are more widely acknowledged, and it's being diagnosed more, but you feel like the people who are developing dementia now would probably be unlikely to have ever gone through that ADHD-diagnosis process but might actually have it. And I'm interested to see how that might be impacting, you know, the dementia that they might be developing now. And these researchers compared people with and without probable history of childhood ADHD and found that the ADHD group had poorer verbal memory, slower processing speed, even after accounting for demographic factors and depressive symptoms, and they also reported that more symptoms of depression were independently affected performance. So, if you had ADHD when you were younger, if I'm reading this poster correctly, you were going to have worse symptoms if you got dementia later. And I like this poster 'cause it reminds us, if you like, that poor cognitive tests in older life can be based on lots of other things, not just that you've got dementia. You're testing everything else in that moment. You know, in that moment that you're doing the test, there could be so much more going on, but because they're there as suspected dementia, they don't necessarily look more holistically at everything that's going on. And we might have this group of people that have lived with ADHD, but they probably won't ask them those questions. But if you've been always disorganised and then suddenly you get older and you're more disorganised, it might not be that they say, "Oh, well, that's 'cause you had ADHD before it," so. I don't know. So, there's an interesting connection. And I think there's a lot more opportunity to look at older people who might have ADHD to see what that might be doing about their life in dementia. So, let's come back again. I've got. I think I've still got two more posters and one talk to talk to, so I'm going to come back to you, Cari, this time. Let's get your next highlight. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Absolutely. Surprise, surprise, the art therapist wants to talk about improving brain health and dementia care through art and technology. This session was chaired by Deanna Willis and Frank Lai. So, it's not just my bias as an art therapist talking. Creative expression is central to the human experience. Embodied movement, theatrical performance, experiential learning in virtual reality, building children's empathy for intergenerational families affected by dementia, these presentations highlighted the marriage of old and new ways of storytelling and sharing lived experience. So, I really want to focus on "Empathy Through Animation: Supporting Moral Development in Children of Dementia-Affected Families," presented by Frank Lai. So, in this presentation, it was really hit home that animation-based storytelling is a powerful psychosocial tool for promoting empathy and moral development in children impacted by dementia caregiving. This small-scale study was an exciting step to set the foundation for more cultural tailoring of the animations and potential integration into family-centred dementia-care programmes to strengthen resilience in caregiving households. So, I know at our organisation we're really seeing a hunger for more intergenerational supports, looking at younger caregivers especially as we have more people being diagnosed with younger-onset dementia. It may be a younger adult supporting a parent or intergenerational households, where youth have been left out of dementia support conversations. So, I'm noticing in my own work but also in these sessions this shift in focus towards bringing in bigger family structures and opening up who is supporting a person living with dementia. So, what I found particularly interesting or even sort of, like. If Frank Lai and that team happens to see this, I would encourage future iterations of the animation to be developed through a co-design approach. The downside of attending a conference virtually is you miss out on those opportunities to ask questions in the moment. So, in my experience and just sort of as an observer, it wasn't covered how the animations were produced, and I think co-design is such a great way to sort of walk the walk of nothing about us without us. Our collaborators at Emily Carr University's Health Design Lab, in a previous project, partnered with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services for a series of stigma-reduction animated shorts, where staff who had intersectional identities as service and care providers but also with mental-health-related lived experiences partnered with animation and design students. And they were able to create these shorts where there was sort of visual representations of some really challenging themes, but they're transformed through visual metaphors, and they create just enough abstraction to also protect the person's identity. While this example doesn't have a dementia focus, the co-design approach is totally applicable and further supports the high-level goal of intergenerational communities of support around people affected by dementia. And oftentimes, in these co-design projects. And I speak from my lived experience too that in working with people with lived experience in these sustained co-design projects you create and nurture really fulfilling relationships. Those relationships are where you get sort of the hard truths when trust is built. A person with lived experience will tell you how they really feel about something, and it amazingly shapes the research process for, like, "oh, I, as a researcher, have lots of biases and assumptions about the way methods need to be carried out" and for someone living with dementia to have the confidence and trust to say, "Ooh, I would not do it this way," and "This is how I would do it," shapes for much-more-meaningful respectful collaborative research. Adam Smith: Yeah, I completely agree, and what I really like as well is that that research has even been presented at AAIC, 'cause it's not that many years ago you would never have seen a poster like that at AAIC. And I love the idea that that's pinned up on a board in a poster hall somewhere now where we've got fundamental scientists and other people to kind of try and improve everybody's awareness of the different things that are going on across the research spectrum so we can all learn a little bit so that though researchers that can do that can learn a bit more about the biology and the biologists can come and learn a little bit more about what it means to do co-design, 'cause fundamentally. I know your poster talks to this, but there isn't a lot of co-design or patient or public involvement in that fundamental-science space. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: One of my favourite quotes from a lived experience partner has been, "I want to learn about rat brains!" So, the interest is there. Adam Smith: Yeah, I completely agree, and just a plug, we did a podcast a few months ago. There's a great piece of work going on with Hannah Gardner and Patricia Masterson-Algar, and they're from Dementia UK and Bangor University, who've got a new piece of research that just got funded looking at the impact on teenage carers and what it means to them and how they can create communities to support teenage carers and how they go through this when their families develop. We did a great podcast on that a few months ago now, so do look that. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Amazing, I'll have to check that out. Adam Smith: I'm going to give you a minute, Abrar, but I'm going to do one of mine first. I've got two here, and this is a plug for UCL study 'cause I work at UCL. This is called; we can't get through a podcast without mentioning AI at least once; "Explainable Artificial Intelligence for Automated Amyloid-PET Positivity Classification," and this is as you would. The title is very descriptive. So, this is Sophie Martin at UCL, and this study explores whether AI could accurately classify amyloid PET scans while also explaining why it reached the decision it did so not just, you know, "that one has amyloid. That one doesn't" but explaining why it came to that decision. And the team trained a deep learning model on 1,300 brain scans from AMYPAD, achieving an overall test accuracy of 93%. What I really liked about this is that the researchers weren't just satisfied with simply building a correct algorithm, but they also wanted it to explain why, as well, you know, so that it helps build trust between clinicians and the AI. So, the AI could say, "This one is positive, and here's why I think so." That's going to make a big difference when you're starting to ask clinical people to trust AI algorithms if it can explain its decision-making in with the process, so I really liked that poster. And yeah, that's Sophie Martin, UCL. Great. I'm going to give you a chance to come back on your next highlight, Abrar. Abrar AbuHamdia: Okay, for me, for the final highlight, I will be speaking on brain organoids because I worked on induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids and this area, like, naturally caught my attention because organoid is powerful. They allow us to model aspects of human brain development and disease in a patient's specific genetic background. They represent a transformative platform for modelling Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Especially, they can help address limitations of animal and 2D models. They not perfect, of course, but they give us a window into early biological events that are almost impossible to study directly in living humans. And for me, I will actually speak about a poster which titled "Human Cortical Organoids Recapitulate Early APOE4-Associated Immune Dysregulation" by Dr Katlin. They generated cortical organoids from APOE4 carriers and non-carrier controls and incorporated induced pluripotent stem cell microglia into the system. And what makes this really interesting, that they capture information and capture data at two time periods: early and late, and they found that at four weeks of maturation the organoid did not yet show amyloid-beta or phosphorylated tau-217 accumulation, which was detected later, at eight weeks of maturation. And this gave them a window to examine what happens before visible Alzheimer's disease pathology appears. They then used proteomic analysis to compare APOE4 and control organoid and found that immune-related changes were already present before amyloid and tau pathology became detectable. And for me, this is very important concept. So here we can answer whether immune dysregulation comes first, or maybe they develop secondary to Alzheimer's disease. Adam Smith: So, if you could've been in the audience; I don't know if you were watching that live or if you're watching that from catch-up; what questions would you have asked them? Was there any uncertainty in there? Or was that all very clear? Abrar AbuHamdia: What I may ask about is whether they think that these immune-related changes, they are responsible for the disease progression, or it are just inclusions, because, actually, we see, for many anti-amyloid, for example, treatment, they don't actually affect the progression of the disease. So, have they thought that maybe this underlying mechanism are responsible for the progression of the disease? And if we targeted them, we may actually. Let me say not prevent but slow the progression of the disease. Adam Smith: Yeah, I think that's a good question for all the anti-amyloid therapies. Oh, that's the elephant in the room, isn't it, now? We have the proven ability to clear amyloid, but it doesn't regrow the brain. It doesn't bring back what you've lost, so the target shifts to getting the amyloid out earlier and earlier. But it's interesting then to see how that gets deployed and the other treatments that might go alongside it, so. Abrar AbuHamdia: Yeah, we are looking about this underlying mechanism. We can target early stages, okay? And I think, actually, we may target disease in, like, reversible stage. so, we may actually prevent the development of the disease itself. But then after neurodegeneration, it is really difficult. So, currently, they are using stem cell therapy. They get induced pluripotent stem cell, and they differentiate them into neurons, and they implant them in the brain to replace neuronal loss. And they are actually. There are current trials going on Parkinson's disease. Adam Smith: That's amazing, and it'd be great 'cause that's going to be what it takes, isn't it? It's to go like HIV treatments and other things. It's not going to be a single drug that will fix everything. It's going to be a complement of different medications, potentially, alongside, you know, lifestyle, which we know works in cancer as well, but it's often that grouping of treatments alongside other things and personalised, as we've said a couple of times over the course of this week. Thank you very much, Abrar. I'm going to pick up on. I'm only going to pick up on one final thing, which we should've, of course, mentioned, the other plenary talk from today, which was Professor Takami Sato, who traced more than 30 years of research into amyloid and tau. To give a really nice picture of how current Alzheimer's disease treatments and models sit within that, he explained how his early work on pyroglutamate-modified amyloid contributed to the scientific foundation of donanemab. He also highlighted neprilysin, an enzyme that helps clear amyloid from the brain but appears to decline with age, making it a possible target for future prevention treatments. He spent a lot of time at the end talking about newer knock-in mouse models, which may reflect human disease more accurately, but finished with a big warning that licensing restrictions, and he singled out a particular university that we won't mention on the podcast — but go and watch the talk — could be severely limiting access to those mouse models and slowing therapeutic development. The key takeaways are that basic amyloid research helped pave the way for donanemab; neprilysin is an important target for preventing amyloid buildup; better disease models could improve understanding of the amyloid-to-tau transition; and we need to stop being so protective over mouse models. Share, because we all need them. I think that's all we've got time for today. I would like to thank Cari Randa-Beaulieu and Abrar AbuHamdia, who have both fought through technical problems today. Hopefully, I've edited this and it all comes across incredibly slick, but we have fought through guests not turning up, technical problems and microphone issues. We still powered through, and we hope you enjoy and appreciate this podcast, because it has taken effort this evening. I'm grateful to all of you for sticking with us and listening, and to my brilliant guests. Cari and Abrar, you've been amazing. Thank you both so much. Abrar AbuHamdia: Thank you so much for having me in this podcast. Cari Randa-Beaulieu: Yeah, thank you. It's always great to rattle the cage about qualitative research. (laughs) Adam Smith: So tomorrow, we'll be back with our fourth and final daily highlight show with another group of researchers and one last tour through the studies, posters, and conversations that've been attracting our attention. You can learn more about all of our guests on our website, where you'll find bios on them, and dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. We've also been putting more AAIC coverage on there, as well, on our website. And of course, you'll find all the full programme and lots more to catch up on at aaic.alz.org. And there is still time to register, as well, for the AAIC For All conference, which is on Thursday, which is designed for any audience of any level of understanding. There'll be something there for everybody, and that's going to be on Thursday. But for now, I'm Adam Smith, and you've been listening to the "Dementia Researcher Podcast." Thank you very much. Voiceover: The "Dementia Researcher Podcast" was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**AAIC Website**](https://aaic.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC For All**](https://www.alz.org/aaic-for-all) > > [**Collaborative Minds Guide**](https://alzheimer.ca/bc/en/collaborativeminds) > > **[Dr Betty Tijms](https://www.amsterdamumc.org/en/research/researchers/betty-tijms)** **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC26, Abrar AbuHamdia, Adam Smith, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, Brain Health, Cari Randa-Beaulieu, Co-production, Organoids, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blood Test May Predict Alzheimer’s Risk 10 Years Early](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blood-test-may-predict-alzheimers-risk-10-years-early/) **Published:** July 15, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** A blood test measuring p-tau217 may predict Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline up to a decade before symptoms appear, AAIC 2026 research finds. **Content:** **![Breaking News banner: blood test may predict Alzheimer's risk a decade before symptoms, with Alzheimer's Association AAIC 26 logos.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Blood-Test-May-Predict-Alzheimers-Risk-10-Years-Early-300x229.png "Blood Test May Predict Alzheimers Risk 10 Years Early")** **LONDON, July 15, 2026** — A blood test that detects a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease may help predict future cognitive impairment in older adults who are currently symptom-free, according to new research presented today at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference](https://aaic.alz.org/overview.asp)® (AAIC®) 2026 in London and online, and [simultaneously published in *JAMA*](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2026.12556?guestAccessKey=a8d06b6f-944f-4862-b6cf-7e8ccfa9cc89&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=071426) (The Journal of the American Medical Association). Researchers found that higher levels of the blood biomarker p-tau217 predicted faster cognitive decline, with the strongest effects in study participants with elevated amyloid beta based on a PET scan. Cognitively healthy older adults with very high p-tau217 had an approximately 78% risk of developing cognitive impairment (defined as mild cognitive impairment or MCI, dementia or a consecutive clinical dementia rating or CDR, of 0.5) over 10 years, and about a 1-in-3 chance within five years. Even in those with slightly elevated p-tau217 (just over the average), the absolute risk of cognitive impairment was 15% and 45% over 5 and 10 years, respectively. The results reported at AAIC 2026 add a new dimension to a test already known to reliably identify Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain. This study establishes the test’s prognostic value: p-tau217 levels in blood can be used to estimate a person’s risk of developing symptoms years later. This gives Alzheimer’s care a forward-looking risk measure of a type that clinicians already use in other conditions, for example a cholesterol or blood-pressure reading — used not only to diagnose disease, but also to gauge future risk and guide what to do about it. “Our findings provide some of the clearest evidence yet that elevated p-tau217 levels may help detect dementia risk years earlier — even in [adults with no noticeable memory or thinking problems,”](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/lead-pollution-linked-to-memory-problems-in-older-adults/) said Rachel F. Buckley, Ph.D., lead author and associate chair of research in the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, and associate professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston. “Once verified, these blood tests could be used to recruit patients for clinical [trials of treatments to prevent cognitive decline and dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-we-use-biomarkers-in-dementia-trials/). In the future, when treatments are approved for use early in the disease process, these tests could help guide monitoring, treatment decisions and counseling for patients and families.” P-tau217 is a measure of the concentration of that specific protein (phosphorylated tau 217 — a modified form of the tau protein) in blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Tangles of the tau protein in the brain are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and are closely associated with cognitive decline. But ptau217 is also strongly associated with levels of beta amyloid — another Alzheimer’s hallmark. “This is the future of Alzheimer’s care, targeting the earliest stages of the disease, including in its silent stage before memory issues arise. This is when treatments may have the greatest benefit — perhaps even keeping people from ever experiencing dementia symptoms,” said [Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D.](https://www.alz.org/press/spokespeople/maria_c_carrillo_ph_d), Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer and medical affairs lead. “Identifying people at risk earlier could fundamentally change how we diagnose, treat and prevent dementia, with far-reaching health, happiness and cost implications for patients, families, healthcare systems and society.” Researchers analyzed data from nearly 2,700 cognitively unimpaired adults, average age 70, from six major Alzheimer’s research groups and clinical trials, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive analyses to date examining the long-term prognostic value of p-tau217. The [patients were cognitively healthy when their blood was collected](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/faq/ipsc-collection-from-tauopathy-patients/) and were followed for an average of nearly five years, with some followed for more than a decade. Researchers tracked participants over time using standard cognitive assessments to measure memory, thinking and daily functioning, then applied statistical models based on those real-world outcomes to estimate the likelihood of cognitive decline over two, five and 10 years. The study found: - Adults with very high p-tau217 levels — more than twice as high as average levels in the study — had a 78% estimated likelihood of progressing to cognitive impairment within 10 years and roughly a 38% risk within five years. - People with moderately elevated levels had a lower but still significant risk, with approximately 15% risk over five years and 45% risk over 10 years. - In this study, blood test results provided important predictive information beyond brain scans and genetic testing results. Researchers cautioned that p-tau217 alone cannot fully predict an individual’s future risk — knowing someone’s ptau217 level alone can tell you something, but not everything. Factors including age, genetics, kidney function, obesity and racial and ethnic background can influence biomarker levels and dementia risk. The researchers also noted that more diverse study populations and longer follow-up will be needed to refine long-term estimates. “It is especially encouraging that the findings were so consistent across different groups and analyses, suggesting that we can now provide meaningful information to people about their future risk of developing impairment due to Alzheimer’s,” said Reisa Sperling, M.D., senior author, a neurologist at the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute and professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. “This information may become more relevant if current [trials provide clear evidence that we can prevent cognitive](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-normal-cognition-is-hindering-preclinical-alzheimers-trials/) decline with treatment if started before symptoms.” The Alzheimer’s Association is leading efforts to accelerate the development and responsible integration of blood-based biomarkers into Alzheimer’s research and care through research funding and scientific convenings such as the [Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable](https://www.alz.org/research/for_researchers/partnerships/research_roundtable) (AARR). A [report from this year’s AARR meeting](https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/trc2.70216), published in [*Alzheimer’s & Dementia: TRCI*](https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/23528737), outlines a roadmap for earlier intervention. That includes medications as well as lifestyle prevention strategies, like the [U.S. POINTER](https://www.alz.org/us-pointer/study-results) “[recipe](https://www.alz.org/getmedia/5d1826c1-1ddd-49ca-badc-44deed8eee40/uspointerbrainhealthrecipe.pdf),” which targets multiple risk factors. Additionally, policy solutions such as the [Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention](https://alzimpact.org/ASAP_Act) (ASAP) Act would help ensure healthcare systems keep pace with scientific advances. --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®)** The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community. Alzheimer’s Association: [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) AAIC: [alz.org/aaic](https://aaic.alz.org/) AAIC newsroom: [alz.org/AAICpress](https://www.alz.org/aaicpress) AAIC 2026 hashtag: #AAIC26 --- **About the Alzheimer’s Association®** The [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/alzheimers-association-international-conference-2/) is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit [alz.org](https://www.alz.org/) or call +1 800.272.3900. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Agitation, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, blood biomarkers, Dementia Test, Diagnosis --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2026 - Day Four](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2026-day-four/) **Published:** July 16, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The fourth and final of AAIC 2026 highlights podcasts brings together Adam Smith, Dr Niying Li, Dr Natasha Anita & Lillian Morgado sharing learning from the day **Content:** ##### In this episode, we share highlights from the fourth day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) chats with [Dr Niying Li](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-niying-li-university-of-georgia/), Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia; [Dr Natasha Anita](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-natasha-anita-harvard-medical-school/), a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital; and [Lillian Morgado](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-lillian-morgado-georgia-state-university/), Research Coordinator at Georgia State University. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. **Key topics** - The practical barriers to delivering new anti-amyloid treatments - Rural and international inequalities in access to diagnosis and care - What p-tau217 could tell us about future cognitive decline - Promising results from new tau-targeting therapies - Behavioural and personality changes as possible early signs of neurodegeneration - Women’s brain health, inflammation and Alzheimer’s risk - The ethical and legal questions surrounding biomarker disclosure - Why research must include more countries and underrepresented populations --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Narrator:** "The Dementia Researcher Podcast," talking careers and research, sharing conference highlights and so much more. **Adam Smith:** Hello and welcome to "The Dementia Researcher Podcast." I'm Adam Smith and this is the fourth and final of our daily highlight shows from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, or AAIC, 2026 taking place in London and online. After four packed days, the notebooks are full and the conference has covered an enormous range of work from biomarkers and clinical trials to care and policy and lived experience, and no one person could possibly take all of it in. So, for one final time, we've brought a group of researchers together who've been attending online to compare notes and connect some of the themes and share what deserves a place in our very final roundup of this year's Highlights Podcasts. Joining me to look back on the fourth day are Dr. Niying Li, Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia, Dr. Natasha Anita, who is a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, and Lillian Morgado, who is a Research Coordinator who you'll also know from our recent relay podcast series from Georgia State University. Niying, Natasha, Lillian, welcome to the podcast. **Dr Natasha Anita:** Thank you. **Dr Niying Li:** Thank you for having us. **Lillian Morgado:** Thank you for having us. **Adam Smith:** Before we look back over the conference, let's begin with the researchers behind today's recommendation. I'm going to come to you first of all, Natasha, to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your work. **Dr Natasha Anita:** Great. Well, hi everybody. Nice to meet you. My name is Natasha Anita. I completed my PhD at the University of Toronto, where my research focused on uncovering potential therapeutic targets for depressive and cognitive symptoms among older adults with type 2 diabetes. And this is an important topic because individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias or ADRD for short. And currently I'm a postdoc or Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School. And in this role, I study modifiable risk factors for ADRD. with a particular focus on cardiometabolic conditions as well as late-life depression. So, thank you again for having me. **Adam Smith:** Great. And y'all have had a busy conference this week 'cause so much, there's so much to cover in your field. Well, thank you very much for joining us. Niying? **Dr Niying Li:** My name is Niying. I'm an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. My research area is health services research. I'm particularly interested in the disparities in access to care for people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Particularly I'm interested in access to the new disease modifying therapies. And another piece of my research is, I'm interested in dementia family caregivers because I used to be my mom's only caregiver, so that topic is so dear to my heart. I'm very happy to be here. Thanks for having me. **Adam Smith:** That's great to have you join us. And again, access to treatments has been another topic that's been so covered, particularly in today. You must, you- **Dr Niying Li:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** In today's programme. But I'd say that the US seems to be ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to that particular challenge. **Dr Niying Li:** Yeah, and spoiler alerts, I have picked up a few posters on anti-amyloid therapy real-world implementation and caregiver perspectives that I'm ready to share later. **Adam Smith:** Great. Can't wait to hear those. And Lillian, let's come to you now. **Lillian Morgado:** My name's Lillian Morgado. Like Adam said, I am a Research Coordinator at Georgia State University. I right now am working on a lot of qualitative research, looking at data sharing between Alzheimer's researchers, as well as the ethics of disclosing biomarker research results to participants. **Adam Smith:** And of course, if you want to know more about Lillian, Lillian wasn't just in one podcast. Lillian was on two podcasts 'cause you were in one of our B-side shows as well where we got to talk a little bit about more about your career, and of course, on all your work on the peers. So, do go check those out. They're not far back in the stream. They're just a few clicks away. Thank you very much for joining us, Lillian. **Lillian Morgado:** Happy to be here. **Adam Smith:** So onward today four, and let's get around to talking about those highlights. I'm going to come to you first, Niying. You can give us your first highlight from today's programming. **Dr Niying Li:** Yep. I wanted to share first a poster from the Wednesday morning poster session titled "Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors." Dementia Care and Health Services Research because my background is also health services research, so I'm a little bit biassed. This poster is titled "Healthcare Providers Perspectives on Use of Amyloid Targeting Therapies for Alzheimer's Disease in a High Poverty US State." The presenting author is Maria Pisu from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. We know that for example, Lecanemab, the disease-modifying therapy drug was approved in 2023. Its uptake has been slowly increasing particularly in the US, but in a lower resource states like Alabama, which is a high poverty medical shortage state, the disease-modifying therapy use is lower. And this study explored providers in Alabama, their perspectives on the barriers to disease-modifying therapy use. And the researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 providers who care for people with Alzheimer's disease in Alabama. They include neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists, primary care providers, and 46.5% work in urban areas of Alabama. And the interviews came up with five themes. The first one is that challenges for early diagnosis, they mentioned that they are often seeing delays in recognising symptoms. The delays in seeking care so that the patients might miss that critical early-stage window, which is the indication for consideration for the disease-modifying therapy. So, the patient might come in too late. And the second theme is limited availability. That means access to specialist. Diagnostic and treatment centres are limited in Alabama. And one person mentioned that the wait time to memory clinic appointment could be 9 to 12 months. And the third theme that came up from the interview is the high economic burden, which include the high cost of the drugs and the limited insurance coverage for tests and diagnostic procedures. And the fourth theme that came up from the interviews was the high travel burden procedure. They mentioned that there's a large travel cost and burden, especially for patients living in rural areas. And the disease-modifying therapy, for example, Lecanemab, that's an infusion that you'll need every two weeks. And also associated MRI screening. That would incur high frequency of clinical visits. And the fifth challenge that came up from the interview was the unclear benefits of the disease-modifying therapies. The clinicians mentioned that they were unsure about the benefits on important outcomes such as preservation of independence and memory. And I particularly like this study because last year I published a similar one focusing on the state of Georgia. And Alabama is just located to the left of Georgia. Georgia is a bit similar. Georgia has 150 counties. Out of 150, 129 counties are rural counties with limited supply of physicians of all kinds. Primary care physicians, neurologists, and so forth. And rural Georgia also has disproportionately higher AD burden. So, we looked at the locations of amyloid PET scan centres in the state of Georgia. We also look at the locations of Lecanemab infusion centres in the state of Georgia. And we mapped the distance from people in each of the 155 counties in Georgia to the nearest amyloid PET scan centre and to the nearest Lecanemab infusion centres. And guess what? There was only six at the time of our publication, there were only six Lecanemab, oh, sorry, six amyloid PET scan centres in Georgia and none of them was located in the rural county. And there was only one Lecanemab infusion centre located in the rural county. And most of these facilities clustered around Atlanta. So, we only touched on one aspect of access, which is transportation or distance to care. And from this study I saw from Alabama, they also pointed to a very similar issue, which is transportation burden and similar issues with the shortage of the medical professionals because they only, mostly they cluster at urban medical research centres. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, so there's nothing surprising there, is there? Were any of you shocked by those findings? I don't think, I don't find them shocking, but what they do is absolutely confirm what is the reality on the ground with this. And of course, singling out a single US state. But as you already highlighted, other states are in the same position. And I mean, other countries are even worse, aren't they? I mean, of course, these anti-amyloid therapies aren't actually licenced everywhere, but I know in the UK where I am, there's an, all the discussion about those right now is even if we got them tomorrow, we're not ready. The health system isn't geared up to deliver that regular scanning that's needed to get that earlier diagnosis that we also have really long delays on memory clinics from some, and that varies in different parts of the country. So, in some ways it's kind of good that we have time to prepare rather than failing people by giving them a treatment that they can't then access, which feels almost worse than, you know, I don't know if it is worse, probably not, but it feels slightly worse. Were they, did they present any solutions, Niying? **Dr Niying Li:** They did not in this poster, but I think that we are seeing more and more studies of this kind. I think that will be a very important research topic that I would like to see more in the future AAIC conferences. **Adam Smith:** So, I'm going to jump off the back of your highlight just to pick out on one of mine because it is absolutely connected. I don't know if any of you managed to attend the Donanemab session which was on today. No? Okay. So, Nick Fox, who's a neuroimaging world leading expert at UCL gave a plenary talk. He outlined how modified titration regimens were reducing ARIA events without compromising amyloid reduction for Donanemab. So, they've had a whole new look at titration. But he also presented some really fascinating work that they've done on ultra rapid, a new ultra rapid MRI protocol that shortened scan times that you needed while you were on Donanemab considerably. So, they went from, I think it was 30, usually 30 minutes scans to 7-minute scans with individual sequences taking only 90 to 100 seconds using 3D images. So, you could see a lot far more people in a much shorter space of time, which makes a massive difference. And this isn't fancy MRI kit. This is fairly normal certainly in the UK, NHS MRI scanners that were able to do this. But this is a new protocol that they'd done. And they'd done quite a few things. They presented a lot of the work that they've been wrapping around Donanemab to see if they, so Syrup Neeri discussed Corticosteroid pretreatment, Corticosteroid pretreatment and found that it didn't reduce clearance, but it did lower infusion reactions. So, they couldn't, they weren't going to recommend it, but it did, you know, again, something that sat alongside that anti-amyloid. And then Dr. Hong Wang shared a three-year follow-up data showing durable clinical benefits after treatment stopped which supported that early intervention that that really did matter. And so, I've written down here what the takeaway is. So, starting Donanemab early reduced the risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease by 27%. Amyloid stayed low in 75% of participants, remained below amyloid clearance threshold if they caught that early enough. So, it's all kind of good news, if you like, to help regulators and to make, hopefully do some of the things that are going to be needed to make that more open and accessible in healthcare. Thank you very much, Niying. And I hope you didn't mind me jumping off the back of yours. I'll come to you next, Lillian, for your first highlight. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay, so one of the luxuries that I love about attending online is you don't have to worry about what day a poster is up. You could see it all week. So, there were actually a few posters that I have some highlights for that I really enjoyed. One was "Empowering Voices, Enhancing Outcomes: Co-creating an Open-Source Health Economic Model for National Decisions on Care in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia in Ireland." And that basically is what it says on the tin. The presenter was Rukhsana Pwankim, I think. And this was from the Royal College of Surgeons in London. And this is just them rolling out and letting everybody know that they're working on this economic model for Alzheimer's disease to make national decisions in Ireland. I found this really exciting because the University of Southern California announced a similar project last year. And I'm going to be really interested to see how those calculations for economic models are weighted and what the results are differently across the two models 'cause they're obviously very different healthcare systems and there's different resources and incentives available. But we really need to see which levers are important in both, which ones are more important in others, all that stuff. **Adam Smith:** I think the charities in the past have really led that charge, haven't they? On making the economic case to talk about the economic burden of Alzheimer's disease, how it takes all that carer time and what that really costs and taking away people out of the workforce early and you know, to make an argument for saying that the treatments you think are expensive would actually pay for themselves if we address this. Never mind trying to then put a cost on the awfulness of disease or the cost of suffering, which they, I know economists do still try to quantify. That's really good. And so, I guess were they, they hadn't moved to implementation yet. They were still just working on the policy. **Lillian Morgado:** No, they're still working on it. So, that's the sort of thing I'm going to set up a Google alert for, and I'll be nosy and poke in every so often. See where it's at. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much. Natasha, let's come to you for your first highlight. **Dr Natasha Anita:** Sure, thank you. So, I think you know, my highlight might kind of connect with Niying's highlight about kind of rural communities and kind of access, but so my first highlight was, it was during a session called "Dementia Diagnosis and Interventions at the Primary Care Level and Among Underrepresented Populations." And if you look on the programme, I believe it's under Dr. Nicholas Farina, however the person who actually gave the talk was Dr. Victoria Mutiso, so on behalf of Dr. Farina. And so, Dr. Victoria Mutiso was from the Africa Institute of Mental and Brain Health. And title of her specific talk was "Dementia Knowledge and Attitudes in Makueni County, Kenya: Regional Gaps in the Need for Comprehensive Education." And so, I always love attending talks that are not really related to the work that I'm doing directly. I don't really work in Kenya. I work in the United States and have previously worked in Canada, but it's nice to kind of see, you know, how the field is in other places around the world. And so, her work was really talking about the misconceptions that people have of dementia. And so, the idea that a lot of people think that dementia is something that's just a normal part of ageing. And so, we know as researchers that it is not. It's really something that we are trying to work towards to prevent and slow. But when you have misconceptions like this, it can lead to fear, to blame, and particularly to community exclusion, which I found particularly interesting just because social isolation is a risk factor for ADRD. And so, if you have these misconceptions, then it can kind of lead someone who may have been okay or at least been able to prevent some of the symptoms. If they're socially excluded early on, that might kind of exacerbate how they're doing. And another thing was that the, you know, when you have these misconceptions, it's also a barrier to timely diagnosis. And so, if you're excluding them kind of early on, maybe few people are interacting with someone who's experiencing these symptoms. It might lead to kind of delays in timely diagnosis and access to support in care. And so, to really look at this, Dr. Mutiso was talking about basically doing a cross-sectional study. So, that's what the bulk of the work focused on. So, essentially doing a survey on 630 individuals from that specific area in Kenya and to really understand how specific factors like sociodemographic religious factors might relate to dementia stigma and outcomes. And so, they used the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale as well as the Dementia Attitude Scale to kind of get an idea of this. And so, what they actually found was that there was actually evidence of positive associations with religious and spiritual practises in dementia attitudes. So, meaning, that you can actually incorporate a lot of, you know, their beliefs kind of into the care system and actually make use of them. And I think it's particularly important because I believe there's been a lot of work with the idea of spirituality being tied to better outcomes in the ADRD space. And so, when we think about maximising the benefit of some of the work that we're doing, I think it's nice to kind of integrate it with this specific community, and so that they're more willing to kind of, you know, listen to the research that's out there and also be more comfortable actually receiving that care because it is kind of, you know, a lot of the work in the ADRD space is kind of, you know, in the Western world? It's been focused that way for a long time. And so, a lot of people think it's not really applicable to their own situation. And so, if your kind of, you know, incorporate parts of their culture and their religion, then it's, it can increase uptake. So, it was more of a work in progress. And Dr. Mutiso was saying it was, you know, it was cross-sectional, so there's a need to kind of look at it in more detail, but I was particularly intrigued by it because, again, I don't do work in this space, but I love seeing it done. And so, it's really nice to see. **Adam Smith:** So, were they kind of thinking about empowering faith? Was that this idea that you could? 'Cause we know that people have used religion and faith for their own purposes or to get their own messages across for centuries. Is that the idea is to make some of those more connections? **Dr Natasha Anita:** I think it's more of, you know, because within the community, it seems like there's still that, you know, kind of misconception towards ageing. And so, if you can kind of incorporate, for example, things like prayer, that's already happening anyway within the community, but kind of tie that in with things in the ADRD space, so making them more aware. So, there's a lot of tie-up community events that I've also seen just within my community. So, I am South Asian and I see a lot of, like, we've got a lot of diabetes in our community, and so a lot of tie-ups between the diabetes associations like Diabetes Canada, for example, or the American Diabetes Association will do events with pre-existing South Asian kind of communities. And that way it's not kind of foreign to the community. It helps with uptake. It helps kind of drive the conversation. And so, I think that's kind of what they're going for here. It was more of just look, you know, doing a, just a cross-sectional survey to see what's going on, and then kind of building off of that to see if you can kind of increase the knowledge and kind of make it a little bit easier for people to access care as well. **Adam Smith:** And the AAIC is that great opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and to go look at some posters to absorb some talks that aren't the usual thing that you would go to. Thank you very much, Natasha. So, speaking of lanes, we're going to go round the room again to capture some next round of highlights. And Lillian, I'm going to come back to you. Did you step out of your lane today and absorb something new? **Lillian Morgado:** I did, but I don't know if it counts because it was the plenary session. For the purposes of this podcast, yes. **Adam Smith:** Okay, great. So, which one was it? Was that Doug Osland or was it Zahinoor Ismail? **Lillian Morgado:** It was Zahinoor Ismail where he was discussing the reasoning behind looking at changes in behaviour or personality that are persistent in older adults as potentially, and this is one thing where he was going really technical and it was really cool. So, I don't remember all the exact details, but about how that's very important to look at, and behavioural change is, and behavioural impairment is just as important to look at as cognitive impairment and cognitive change. This was fascinating to me because one of the things he brought up was that in a lot of clinical trials, they use the geriatric depression scale to potentially exclude people from participating. And the time period that they used for that is one week, which is crazy because that means if you're otherwise a fine, perfectly happy person, but I don't know, a tree fell on your house last week? Then, you don't get to participate in research. That doesn't seem logical. So, that is an interesting thing to both look at a new measure to consider when you're looking at a lot of longitudinal things. And then, also new processes potentially for enrolling people in clinical trials and research. So that is really cool to me. **Adam Smith:** I saw the same one. I made a point. I always make a point of at least watching the plenaries. And I've written down some notes here that were new behavioural and personality changes in later life can be signs of neurodegeneration. Mild behavioural impairment can incur in cognitively normal people, but those with subjective decline are more likely to go on to get mild cognitive impairment. And if you saw that change for more than six months, it was significantly likely that they were going to go on to have some kind of neurodegenerative condition. I think I've said that correctly. **Lillian Morgado:** That sounds about right to me. So, I will say yes. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much, Lillian. That's good. Niying, I'm going to come back to you for your second highlight. **Dr Niying Li:** My second highlight is another poster called "Health System Readiness for Anti-Amyloid Therapies in Alzheimer's Disease: A South American Physician Survey." The presenting author's name is Belén Custodio from Peruvian Institute of Neurosciences in Lima, Peru. And this is a very interesting study because I have seen most of the real-world implementations of studies coming from the US, coming from Western Europe or Japan, and I rarely see studies coming from low middle income countries. And the authors stated that the introduction of these drugs will pose substantial challenges in low middle income countries where the health system face structural workforce and diagnostic constraints. So, they administered a cross-sectional survey of physicians who participated in the clinical management of Alzheimer's Disease in South America. They were identified through professionals’ networks, and a total of 74 respondents answered the survey, and over 80% anticipated changes in diagnostic practises with increased indications for MRI and biomarker testing. And a large majority, 89% agreed that neurology services would require additional resources due to both increased follow-up visit frequency and longer consultation times. And also, a large majority agreed that the neurology departments should incorporate clinical guidelines specific to the use of these drugs into their treatment protocols. And as we know, we have the Lecanemab best use recommendations and the Donanemab best use recommendations. They are published and widely used in the US context. And I am aware that some countries in Western Europe, they have also published their own best use recommendations with regards to these drugs. But from this study, they indicated a need for their own guideline in South America, which I think is very important. And maybe the next AAIC or maybe down the road, we will see something like this that is being presented at the conference. So, I think it's very nice to see that AAIC is giving the stage for a lot of the researchers, clinicians from low middle income countries to present their challenges and their needs. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much, Niying. And Natasha, let's come to you for your second. **Dr Natasha Anita:** Yes, so I did have my highlight, but before I go into that, I appreciated Lillian's point on the plenary just because the GDS and I did a lot of work with the depressive symptoms, and so we always had our favourite scale among, you know, within the lab. And so, there's like the BDI, which is the Beck Depression Inventory, which does capture two weeks instead of the one week. There's also CES-D, so the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, which also is a two-week frame. So, you know, it's nice to have that, like that length instead of the one week. And then we would also do the SCID, which is a Structured Clinical Interview. But that doesn't give you, like, the depressive symptom burden. It just tells you whether you're depressed or not. So, there's, we would use all of them to kind of capture, but I think they probably lean towards the GDS just because it's quick and easy. But it is one week, so you kind of have to wait this. But anyway, so that was the point that I wanted to make. But from my highlight, you asked about, you know, getting out of your comfort zone. And so, I went to a Developing Topics talk for disease. So, it was developing topics in disease continuum and staging. This is a talk by Dr. Julie Wisch from Washington University. And she's a neuroimaging engineer. So, I'm not an engineer. I've never taken an engineering course. But she was looking at an amyloid time model. And so, essentially the idea of, we hear a lot about amyloid positivity, so whether or not someone's positive or negative, but her work was kind of delving into can we look at and estimate how long someone has been amyloid positive for? Because that might tell you how long they've had the disease and that might inform prevention as well as treatment strategies. And it again comes back to my thinking about diabetes because when we think about diabetes, again, it's more progressed in terms of what biomarkers and medications we have, but the one thing we think about is high blood sugar and diabetes duration. And so, not just whether you have high blood sugar, but how long have you been that way? And that could really inform, are you given metformin? Are you given something that's further down the line? And so again, that was really interesting to me. Again, some of it you know, didn't make sense to me 100%, but what I appreciated about Dr. Wisch's talk was, it was an early morning session and she made a point of even explaining accuracy versus precision, like that concept just because I think at AAIC you get a lot of researchers who know that already and don't need that introduction. But you also get a lot of students who are attending for the first time, or even researchers from outside the field. And so, that was nice to see. So, it was a developing topic, so it's not something that's kind of ready to be used in clinic just yet, but I love the idea of really trying to capture not just amyloid positivity, but really how you're doing and how long have you been that way, and that might really inform things- down the road. **Adam Smith:** Yeah. And that really ties in. Did you see the, and this got released as a press release today as well, so it must have been one of the big new stories was the Rachel Buckley study that got a press release today. **Dr Natasha Anita:** Yes, yes, yes. Yes, I actually got to see the preview, the practise session last week. So, it was wonderful to see in real time, but yes. **Adam Smith:** But that ties in nicely. So, that study found that again, I'm going to read verbatim from my notes, so I get this correct. Adults with very high p-tau217 levels were more than twice or more than twice as high as average levels in the study. It had a 78% estimated likelihood of progressing to cognitive impairment within 10 years and roughly a 38% risk within 5 years. So, I'm assuming that this, that means that that test had, you know, I don't know, did they, they can't have done that in real people 'cause it's not been 10 years since, unless they've been able to do a retrospective? **Dr Natasha Anita:** Yes, so, I mean like Rachel Buckley says she uses a lot of pre-existing data. Over at Harvard you've got a lot of cohorts you can pull from. And so that's- **Adam Smith:** Yeah. **Dr Natasha Anita:** How we've benefited from looking at data. But it's wonderful work because really, you're, you know, taking markers that you can just measure just now and then you can kind of predict that way. And so, I think she probably would love this work and I'm sure she's looked at it already. So, I'll speak to her when I get back. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. So, and it kind of went on to say that people with moderately elevated levels had a lower but significant risk with approximately 15% risk over 5 years and 45% risk over 10 years, which really kind of sets us up for this idea. And I was asking my colleague Amanda a couple of years ago now saying, "Well, surely if we start to put this in as a, to like a public health test when you turn 40 years old as part of your kind of turning midlife MOT, can we just test people every couple of years to look at amyloid?" And then, surely within so much time you'd be able to say, "Okay, you're at higher risk, here are," you know? Which might, even if it can't fix it, it might force people to do some of those lifestyle factors. That we want people- **Dr Natasha Anita:** And there's no negative, like, thing that comes out of like, you know, having a healthy lifestyle, right? So even if, you know, it's with ADRD, again, it's, there's so many things that can contribute to that. But if you're living a healthy life, you're staving off, you're slowing things like diabetes, heart disease, et cetera. So, there's nothing bad that can come out of having a healthy lifestyle. **Adam Smith:** No but, and also as well, I think when people... I think it's very hard to MOT people in middle age to say, "Hey, you need to be healthier, to not have-" **Dr Natasha Anita:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** "Alzheimer's disease in 35 years time." However, if you can say, "Ooh, look, we've got this, this is your risk now, and we can, we've got a test that proves this." I don't know, if I got that information, I think I'd be more likely to act upon that than- **Dr Natasha Anita:** For sure. **Adam Smith:** Perhaps. **Dr Natasha Anita:** I think a lot of, you know, science studies, I think, and Rachel was kind of highlighting in her talk where you always talk, like, hear about relative risk. So, it's very specific. It'll be like you compared to this specific scenario, you're likely to get Alzheimer's in five years, but that makes no sense to the public and it really, it has to make sense to the public for them to act. And so, I think Rachel's work will be a great way to kind of get people moving. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. Thank you very much, Natasha. So, I'm going to come back around for another round of highlights, and I'm going to come to you first, Niying. **Dr Niying Li:** Sure, this is another poster titled "Deciding About Anti-Amyloid Drugs: A Qualitative Study of Prescribers, Patients, and Caregivers." The presenting author is Justin Clapp from the University of Pennsylvania. They have a very clear research question. They wanted to know how caregivers, patients, and clinicians determine whether a patient should receive anti-amyloid treatment. They interviewed 38 patients and caregivers considering anti-amyloid drugs and also interviewed 10 physicians who prescribed them. And they found that the patients and caregivers who declined treatment, they reasoned that the burdens and the risks of side effects were the main reasons to decline the treatment. And the patients and caregivers who decided to undergo the treatment said there was no choice than to do something. And they think that receiving treatment as contributing to medical research progress. And the clinicians, their perspectives are, they are weighing the clinical judgement against appropriate use guidelines. And they're also deciding which aspects of treatment they should issue judgement on, and which should be left to patients and their families. And I think it's a very interesting study because they interviewed all the stakeholders, the patients themselves, the family caregivers, and the physicians who actually prescribed the drugs. And I'm very surprised to hear the caregiver saying, the caregivers are being very altruistic. They're saying that they want to contribute to medical research progress. And something also very interesting is that the physicians mentioned that they are weighing the realities versus the best use recommendations. And this study reminds me of some of the previous real world implementation studies using the claims, insurance claims data that indicated that even though the best use recommendations recommended against using these drugs on people with a history of stroke, against people who are on antiplatelet drugs, but using the real world insurance claims data, we can still see some patients who actually had a previous stroke, but also get on these drugs. But they're very, very small. The number is very small. And I remember- **Adam Smith:** Was that because of like, not following the guidance or because the patients really pushed to access them or? **Dr Niying Li:** That is a really good question, and I don't know the answer to it. But the paper mentioned that they were being very closely monitored by the physicians. So, I would imagine this is a very complex decision-making. And from the study, I can see that the caregivers, particularly from the patient's family side, they're seeing a lot of hope. They wanted to do something better than not to do anything even though they're aware of the side effects and the risks. So, maybe the patients and the caregivers, they kind of pushed to give it a try. And yeah, it's so the physicians, they're making some hard decisions now. **Adam Smith:** I think it's quiet, it must be quite hard to say no, wasn't it? When it's not like you've got an alternative. It's not like you can say, you know, with, I guess in cancer, there's usually more than, there's more than a plan A. There are a plan A, B, C, and D. In Alzheimer's at the moment there, I mean, it's, there is no plan A, B, C, and D. So, if somebody's really sat in front of you desperate for help, what? I think that it's more likely to say, "On the balance of risk, we'll try it." Is it possibly going to make things worse? I guess for some people, it might. But for others, as far as they're concerned, life's as bad as it's going to get. And it's worth the risk of whatever the negative reaction of that treatment might be. **Dr Niying Li:** Yeah, and if they're being closely monitored by physicians, maybe after several doses, they will stop the treatment. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, absolutely. Thank you very much. Natasha, I'll come to you for your fourth, third highlight. **Dr Natasha Anita:** Third highlight. But I mean, I would like to highlight the full session, honestly. It's called "Inflammatory and Reproductive Health Pathways: Contributing to Women's Higher Risk of Alzheimer's Disease." So, it was chaired by Dr. Jennifer Rabin or Jenny, as we call her. She was at Sunnybrook when I trained there at the University of Toronto, so know each other well. But one talk that stood out though was Dr. Erin Sundermann of UCSD, and I did spend a little bit of time there as well. And she spoke about neuroinflammatory correlates of tau PET burden in APOE4 status of older females at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Again, the whole session, I think the theme was a lot of, you know, just the idea that women have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease. And we hear this a lot now, but you know, why might that be? What are the potential mechanisms? And so, her work or Dr. Sundermann's work was kind of looking at females having a high tau burden and then what might be driving that. And so, neuroinflammation has been kind of thrown around as a potential mechanism. And so, this was, I have to find the actual acronym, but it was WTIS, women something study that you could do your research and figure it out. But Dr. Sarah Banks from UCSC is also on that. And so, hopefully that'll help listeners figure out which study that was. But essentially, it's a study of older females over the age of 65 who've got no kind of cognitive issues, but they're kind of tracking them over time. And so basically, you know, to summarise the findings on a higher level, a lot of neuroinflammation was associated with kind of these cognitive issues, but I think the overlying theme or overarching theme was we think about neuroinflammation as being kind of bad sometimes, but it's not, I'm going to go back to diabetes, but it's not like, you know, high blood sugar is bad for you, period. It's more of these biomarkers go up and down. And I think she highlighted TREM1 as like a state-specific immune response. So, you really have to watch if it's low or high, but that alone doesn't tell you what's going on. You have to figure like it can be good in certain situations and not. And so, there's a lot of nuances and I found that fascinating because the story's not that simple. And so that just means, you know, it warrants further research. **Adam Smith:** And I have to excuse my naivety in this. Were women more likely to have neuroinflammation as a result of some of the hormone and sex differences that we see in women? **Dr Natasha Anita:** Yeah, so they were kind of talking about the bias. So, the female bias and the male bias in terms of your immune system. And so, there's a lot of diseases, autoimmune diseases that tend to skew towards females. And so, kind of pointing towards that perhaps women have more inflammation and that might tie into the increased risk. And so, kind of looking at that. And so, there's a nice chart that they had or Dr. Sundermann had about what specific diseases. So again, looking at other diseases for ideas, right? So, a lot of these women, you're looking at older women, so likely they'll have other comorbidities to think about menopause as well. And so, this, again, it's still, it was a smaller study, so I don't know if it was 50 or 60 people, but again, it's just kind of hypothesis generating in terms of you should kind of look into this. And when we look at data that not just controlling for sex, but really trying to stratify different groups because you can't just look at males versus females, you also have to consider life stage because these markers they were showing did differ depending on where you were at. **Adam Smith:** It's been wonderful to see that all that work that going on to look at sex differences in gender, which is, there's been, I mean, multiple sessions on that specific topic haven't there? Across the, I mean, every day there's been something on that. You must have had a busy week if that's your area. And of course, I should put a plugin for our "XXplored Women's Brain Health Podcast," which we have the very next episode to come out after this show will be one that looks at menopause and women's brain health. And that show's going to be out in two weeks time. So, do check that out. Thank you very much, Natasha. Actually, that, I'm going to jump on the back of you 'cause you mentioned tau briefly there. And so, I'm quite surprised, and this is because, of course, we have a real variety of guests that tau has been discussed very little in any of our podcasts over the last few years, but it's been a super hot topic actually at the conference. So, I hope you don't think that tau's not being explored here because it absolutely has. And one of the studies that's been presented this week was, I don't think it was necessarily today, so I'm breaking my own rules, but Cath Mummery, Professor Cath Mummery from UCL presented results from a phase 2 Biogen drug trial called Diranersen. And the strongest results compared to placebo were seen in the 60 mg dose, which slowed cognitive decline across different methods of measuring disease progression. 42% Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale and 50% on the MMSE. It slowed cognitive decline. And 26% on the clinical dementia rating. So, the CELIA data provided some of the clearest evidence that reducing tau pathology, this was a tau drug, but the CELIA data provided some of the clearest evidence that reducing tau pathology can translate into clinically meaningful benefit. The magnitude of tau reaction and cognitive benefit of CELIA is amongst some of the more compelling reported to date in Alzheimer's disease drug development. So, super exciting results from this phase 2 Diranersen drug trial that they're going to progress into phase 3, and that's an anti-tau therapy. Did anybody else see that results? Niying, I feel like you're all over the drug trials. **Dr Niying Li:** I feel like yeah, I'm so sorry, I missed that. Yeah, that will be interesting to see if that becomes a real drug marketed in the world. How that compares- **Adam Smith:** Yeah. **Dr Niying Li:** To the current drugs that we have. **Adam Smith:** Well, a 50% slowing on MMSE seems significant. **Dr Niying Li:** And did the, did any of the presentations mention anything like ARIA that we have in the disease-modifying therapy so far? **Adam Smith:** So, the study also found that Diranersen reduced CSF tau levels by 50 to 65% a year. No mention of ARIA in the news item. We might want to go check out the talk again, see if that question came up. But I think on the recorded talks, I don't think we always get the Q&A at the end, do we? **Dr Niying Li:** Oh, I don't think so. **Adam Smith:** So, if it wasn't presented, you wouldn't necessarily have the Q&A at the end where inevitably somebody probably asked that question. But yeah, that study found that reduced CSF tau levels by 50 to 65% and it's the first of its kind of trial, and that'll go on to phase 3 hopefully soon. Thank you very much. So, Lillian, you've been very patient in waiting, so why don't you give us your final highlight? **Lillian Morgado:** Yeah, my final highlight would probably be the panel that was considerations for the progression of Alzheimer's disease from cognitively unimpaired to cognitive impairment, weighing on the risks. And I am a little biassed because Jalayne Arias is the PI that I work under and she was on this panel. What really interested me in this one was looking for a lot at the influence of p-tau217 at the progress of the disease. The Mayo Clinic put together a really cool presentation, and they had an awesome study where they confirmed that there's a very strong link between p-tau17 disease progression and are working on a model that they can provide to researchers. The other thing that was really cool about their study is that they were able to capture outcomes that happened after people left the study. And one of the things they found was two-thirds of incident dementia happened after those people left the study. So, I'm definitely going to be looking a little more into that and seeing how they capture that 'cause that's very exciting information. **Adam Smith:** That is really good. And we saw that in one of our podcasts earlier in the week. We were talking about how the FINGERS trial had that alumni programme to try and keep, stay connected to former participants, which I think is always beneficial. Thank you very much, Lillian. I'm not going to follow up on that 'cause we are getting super tight on time, and I'm very conscious as well that you've all been, had some posters this week. So, I do want to give you just one minute each to put a plugin for your own posters while the online platform is there. People are still going to have 30 days to go away and look these up. So, Lillian, I'll stick with you. Give us a plug for your poster. **Lillian Morgado:** So, I don't have a poster, but I did help Professor Arias with her part of the presentation for considerations for the progress of Alzheimer's disease panel. So, please feel free to check that out. She's looking into the ethical implications of sharing biomarker information. There's a lot, folks assume that there are a lot more legal protections than there are for this type of information and the sort of implications and vulnerabilities that people have if they receive this information. **Adam Smith:** Wonderful. Does that touch on genetic counselling and things like that as well? Is that? **Lillian Morgado:** Not on genetic counselling. So, genetic information is more protected than things like blood-based biomarkers. And that's one of the issues is folks assume that all of the protections that are in place for genetic things are in place for these blood-based biomarkers and they're not. **Adam Smith:** Oh, interesting. Fascinating. So, go look that up. Niying, why don't we look for your poster? **Dr Niying Li:** Well, thank you. My poster is a virtual one titled "Racial and Regional Disparities in Mortality from Alzheimer's and Related Dementias in the United States 2013 to 2023." This is a collaboration between Emory University and me. The presenting author's name is Tej Shah. We used the mortality data from CDC Wonder from the US Centres for Disease Control. We look at the racial and regional disparities in ADRD mortality across the US over the last decade from 2013 to 2023. And we are also particularly interested in the mortality by dementia type. AD, Alzheimer's disease versus vascular dementia. A few things that stood out from this one is that the south of the US, they had higher ADRD mortality, but only in 2023 they were overtaken by New England which is a little bit interesting because in the south, the southern part of the US is also located on the area which we call the Stroke Belt where a lot of people have stroke and it also have the, the southern US also has higher diabetes prevalence. So, I'm not surprised to see, historically, the south had higher ADRD mortality. But what's happening in New England, that's something we are not sure about. So, that is an interesting poster. **Adam Smith:** Fascinating. Definitely worth a look. We have a similar thing in the UK. There's this kind of belt that starts from around Newcastle and goes across the north of England where mortality is, you know, like five years less than other parts of the country is. **Dr Niying Li:** That area's an industrial area, right? **Adam Smith:** Yeah. Traditionally, yeah. Same kind of heartland. Thank you very much Niying. And Natasha? **Dr Natasha Anita:** By poster. Yes. So, it's number 2,500, if I recall correctly. And it's on underrepresented groups. So, it's using the SOL-INCA dataset. SOL-INCA stands for the Study of Latinos - Investigation of Neurocognitive Ageing. Essentially, it's the largest cognitive ageing study of Latinos living in the US. So, it's the largest minority group in the US, but there's not much research done in this population despite the fact that they are at the highest risk of developing ADRD by the year of 2016. So, we took a look at metformin use in cognitive decline over time. And so, if you're interested, please check out my poster. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. Thank you so much. So, we really are out of time. But I do want to, because this is the last show, I think it's important that we reflect a little bit because by the last day of the conference, kind of individual presentations start to kind of merge into one and present a slightly bigger picture, don't they? And I'm interested, I'll stick with you, Natasha. Do you get a sense after the four days of the conference that, what's the kind of emerging themes and what's the big picture, do you think? **Dr Natasha Anita:** The big picture for me definitely that there is a lot of cool tools out there to kind of, you know, whether it's biomarkers or neuroimaging, or even things like digital assessments that are coming up as well. So, I think you get the idea that there's a lot of people trying to tackle this problem and from very different angles and they're all equally important, and we all need to work together. So, that's the overarching theme. But the thing that I've loved about this year's AAIC is that there's a huge focus on understudy populations, whether that be underrepresented in terms of, for example, like my work on Latinos in the US, but also just other countries that haven't been represented very well in the ADRD space. I'm seeing specific sessions for just that. And also, I think I kind of alluded to earlier, but the importance of looking at women in particular and really diving deep. And so, those are the themes that I've caught on. **Adam Smith:** And it's great to have Alzheimer's Association who are such a great international supporter of that research, not just in providing a platform for it to be presented but funding it as well. I mean, a lot of, you know, funding internationally in the way that they do. They're such a unique charity and funder in that way that we, you know, they're one of our funders as well at Dementia Researcher. You know, I'm really grateful for that leadership that they provide in that space. And Niying, what about you? Go ahead. **Dr Niying Li:** I agree. I agree with everything that Natasha just mentioned and I'm going to add a few more things. I see a lot of emphasis on early diagnosis or how to facilitate early diagnosis using all these emerging tools, and how can we empower primary care physicians to be comfortable using these new technologies and also legal ethical implications of like p-tau217. So, I think this is a really promising area because this early stage, early diagnosis window will potentially make you eligible for the current medications and be able to participate in clinical trials and getting diagnosed early, help you and your family plan ahead, think about what to do next. So, I think this is a really good constructive collaboration that we are all looking at how can we better get more people diagnosed early. And another interesting thing that I found even though I didn't find a lot of sessions on this, but I identify a group of posters on the potential use of shingles vaccines to prevent Alzheimer's disease in the future. I'm seeing a clinical trial protocol in Finland. They wanted to do something with the shingles vaccine. And if that becomes a viable path, that means we can prevent the disease with low, very low cost, which is something I'm very much looking forward to. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much. And what about you, Lillian? **Lillian Morgado:** I feel like Niying and Natasha really hit the nail on the head, but I feel like the theme of this year was kind of refinement. We have good measures. We have good tools. Now, what do we do to make sure we figure out the proper situations and how to use them right. And I think that's a really exciting stage for all this research to be in. **Adam Smith:** That was perfect. Succinct and a great reflection. I completely agree. I think for me, I agree with everything you've said, of course. I think there's been so much talk about biomarkers, drugs and anti-amyloid is still up there. I think artificial intelligence; we haven't mentioned that today. I can't get through podcast without mentioning AI, but it's been really exciting to see some of the practical ways that this is potentially getting used. I just like to see, I've seen a lot of discoveries and a lot of cool research presented this week across posters and some of the smaller talks and the big ones. I think we just got to crack on and put it into use. It feels we're still a little bit risk averse, but I think if I was a person living with dementia watching this at home right now, I would be sat there banging saying, "Yeah, this is great. Let's use it." You know, all these new cognitive measures, the digital tools, the drugs, the therapies, the improved health systems, you know, let's get this all into use, I think, and try and close that gap between discovery and implementation. Niying, Natasha, Lillian, thank you so much for joining me and helping to bring the fourth day and final day of AAIC 2026 into focus. I say final day, of course, but there is the AAIC for all conference, which is going to be happening tomorrow. It is still free. There are still some amazing presentations planned as part of that programme. So, do check that out as well. But that brings our AAIC Highlights podcast for this year to a close. Across the week, our guests have guided us through major findings, overlooked posters, and emerging questions across the whole of AAIC. And you can find profiles on all of today's guests and all of this week's guests, and all the highlights and much more on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Look for @AAIC26 in pretty much every social media platform I've been to this week. And of course, I think all the talks are going to be available for the next 28 days on the Alzheimer's Association platform, which is aaic.alz.org. So, do check those out for the next 28 days. Thank you all of you for joining us. **Dr Natasha Anita:** Thank you for having me. **Dr Niying Li:** Thank you for having us. **Lillian Morgado:** Thank you for having us. **Adam Smith:** I'm Adam Smith and you've been listening to "The Dementia Researcher Podcast." Goodbye. **Narrator:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**AAIC Website**](https://aaic.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC For All**](https://www.alz.org/aaic-for-all) > > [**Celia Trial Results**](https://www.alz.org/news/2026/phase-2-results-celia-clinical-trial-tau-targeting-therapy-diranersen) > > **[Prognostic Value of P-Tau217](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2851720?guestAccessKey=a8d06b6f-944f-4862-b6cf-7e8ccfa9cc89&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=071426)** **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC26, Adam Smith, ARIA, Diranersen, donanemab, Dr Natasha Anita, Dr Niying Li, Lillian Morgado, Mild Behavioral Impairment, Neuroimaging, Organoids, Podcast, Professor Zahinoor Ismail, Tau **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Wellcome Moves Major Funding Schemes to Rolling Applications](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wellcome-moves-major-funding-schemes-to-rolling-applications/) **Published:** July 20, 2026 **Author:** Wellcome Trust **Excerpt:** Wellcome is removing fixed deadlines from three major funding schemes, allowing researchers to submit applications whenever they are ready. **Content:** **![Banner announcing Wellcome moves major funding schemes to rolling applications; features the Wellcome logo and a large arrow-shaped shadow over a maze.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Wellcome-Funding-Changes-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Wellcome Funding Changes 680 x 520 px")Wellcome has announced changes to three of its major Discovery Research funding schemes, replacing fixed application deadlines with an ‘always-open’ model.** The change will apply to Wellcome Early-Career Awards, Career Development Awards and Discovery Awards. Once each scheme reopens, researchers will be able to submit applications whenever they are ready, rather than working towards one of several fixed deadlines during the year. Wellcome says the move is designed to manage rising demand for research funding while reducing the pressure created by application deadlines. Concentrated submission periods can place significant strain on researchers, university research offices, reviewers and funding panels, particularly when large numbers of applications arrive at the same time. Under the new system, applications will be accepted continuously but will continue to be considered at scheduled shortlisting and interview meetings during the year. Applicants should therefore check the published assessment timetable if the timing of a decision is important to them. ### When will the changes take effect? The final deadlines under the existing system are: - Wellcome Early-Career Awards: 21 July 2026 - Wellcome Career Development Awards: 28 July 2026 - [Wellcome Discovery Awards](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/funding/wellcome-discovery-awards/): 22 September 2026 Early-Career Awards and Career Development Awards will reopen without deadlines on 25 August 2026. Discovery Awards will become always open when the next application period begins on 23 September 2026. Applicants will then be able to submit at any time, although Wellcome advises researchers to allow enough time for their administering organisation to review and approve the application. ### Responding to growing demand Wellcome says rising application numbers reflect wider pressures across research funding. More researchers are competing for limited resources, creating additional work for applicants and reviewers while reducing funding success rates. Although increasing demand demonstrates considerable interest in Wellcome’s schemes, preparing unsuccessful applications carries a substantial cost for researchers and their institutions. The funder hopes that removing deadlines will spread applications more evenly across the year and allow researchers to submit proposals when they are genuinely ready. The change is part of a wider review of how Wellcome manages demand. The organisation has been working with other research funders to examine approaches including application caps, two-stage processes, tighter eligibility requirements, partial lotteries and continuously open schemes. Wellcome says it will monitor the effects of the new approach and continue discussing demand management with researchers, institutions and other funders. Researchers planning an application should consult the relevant scheme page for the latest eligibility criteria, assessment dates and application guidance. [Read the original announcement and full details on the Wellcome website](https://wellcome.org/insights/articles/rethinking-future-research-funding?utm_source=chatgpt.com). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Wellcome --- ### [Brain’s Immune Cells Rein in Alzheimer’s Brain Circuits](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/brains-immune-cells-rein-in-alzheimers-brain-circuits/) **Published:** July 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Suppressing microglia worsened abnormal brain activity and seizures in an Alzheimer’s mouse model, revealing their role in keeping neural circuits stable. **Content:** **![Blue-toned brain image with Trinity College Dublin logo and the headline about brain immune cells slowing Alzheimer’s-like circuits in mice.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Brains-immune-cells-put-the-brakes-on-out-of-control-circuits-in-mouse-model-of-Alzheimers-disease-Trinity-College-Dublin-300x229.png "Brains immune cells put the brakes on out-of-control circuits in mouse model of Alzheimers disease - Trinity College Dublin")Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have discovered that [microglia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-50-shades-of-microglia/) – the main immune cells of the brain – play a critical role in maintaining the stability of neuronal networks in Alzheimer’s disease. Crucially, this suggests treatments that indiscriminately suppress these cells could be counterproductive \[Wednesday 15th July 2026\].** Microglia, by [driving brain inflammation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/midday-lecture-webinar-catch-up-microglia-a-double-edged-sword-neuroinflammation-and-new-routes-for-drug-discovery/), are generally considered to accelerate Alzheimer’s disease. But the study, published in leading neurology journal *Brain*, found that reducing the number and activity of these cells unexpectedly worsened abnormal electrical activity in the brain and increased seizure-like events. Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 55 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of dementia. While memory loss is its best-known symptom, scientists increasingly recognise that the disease also disrupts the brain’s electrical activity, affecting how networks of neurons communicate with one another. In the new study, researchers from Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, and School of Medicine, examined these changes in a [widely used mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/improving-animal-models-for-the-study-of-alzheimers/). The research, driven by PhD student **Dr Hugh Delaney**, revealed that normal patterns of brain activity associated with learning and memory became weaker, while abnormal electrical activity became more common. Some of these changes resembled [the excessive activity seen in epilepsy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/does-a-breached-blood-brain-barrier-cause-seizures-in-ad/), which is increasingly recognised as an underappreciated feature of Alzheimer’s disease and may contribute to cognitive decline. To test whether reducing microglial activity might improve brain function, the team treated mice with a drug that blocks “Colony Stimulating Factor 1 Receptor (CSF1R)”, [a target currently being explored in experimental treatments for neurodegenerative disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-neuroinflammation-drug-discovery-in-stem-cell-derived-microglia/). The results were unexpected. Although the treatment reduced the number of microglial cells and partially protected connections between neurons, it did not improve memory performance. Instead, it led to a marked increase in abnormal electrical activity within brain networks, including more severe seizure-like events. The researchers also found evidence that the treatment reduced the ability of microglia to [remove potentially problematic synaptic connections](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/benzodiazepines-coax-microglia-to-prune-synapses-impair-cognition/) between neurons, suggesting that these immune cells may be working to keep brain circuits stable and to limit excessive neuronal activity during disease progression. > **Professor Mark Cunningham**, Professor of Physiology in Trinity’s School of Medicine and senior author of the study, said: “We expected that reducing microglial activation might improve the function of brain networks affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Instead, we found the opposite. When microglia were suppressed, the brain became more electrically unstable and more prone to abnormal activity.” > > **Professor Colm Cunningham**, Professor of Neuroscience in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology and co-senior author, added: “Microglia have often been viewed as drivers of harmful inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease. Our findings indicate that the story is more complex. These cells are also performing important housekeeping functions that help maintain healthy brain activity. If we interfere with those functions, there may be unintended consequences.” **What is the potential impact of this research?** The study is particularly significant because therapies designed to alter microglial activity are currently being investigated as potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers say their findings do not rule out microglia as a therapeutic target, however. Instead, they suggest that future treatments will need to distinguish between harmful inflammatory processes and the beneficial roles microglia play in maintaining healthy brain function. The work also strengthens growing evidence that abnormal electrical activity in the brain is an important feature of Alzheimer’s disease and may represent an important target for future therapies. The published journal article is at: [https://academic.oup.com/brain/advance-article/doi/10.1093/brain/awag147/8733843?searchresult=1&login=true](https://r.email.brevo.mediahq.com/tr/cl/oXsaetufJ_5SzsXw_i05VztSpO-9-6jtEDu7GzxE44GJJuxgiMmNsBtsi9kBQk1fqD8kQUCKC115rbMES1I8epg292uMffQz1Q7Z7i8k4ZvuOB6rQbmefiCGsuJB7aXXHU_evKibN_3Y78_Bm6aIYu-ohmMBIlqsuqiwBzgZ3KjlUjPjiC1i7sYvvwseshkCZnS-3PueH_UF5mqjvN82HqdBocaf4wVKOgjE56fob38yWZMUXTIvHR49a5Y425LgBE_T1a34gmICe261Ny4pydmt1O-NWKDKqBQJfueRu8Yg2ALdIk6vMYGx4ZMM447rBwXlANi_6rSB4_kZy4MaafC6mFROxywmklWkZFG0EOdX81PnQ1Su4jCFNIzGDOHoHAVgh-X1XoOt7q9b4Gf568NH_n2yJetd). A PDF is available on request. It was supported by funding from Research Ireland, a John Scott Studentship, a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship, and the National Institutes of Health. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** CSF1R, Microglia, Neuroinflammation, Trinity College Dublin --- ### [AAIC 2026 London: Podcast Conference Highlights](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/aaic-2026-london-podcast-conference-highlights/) **Published:** July 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Catch up on AAIC 2026 with four daily podcasts featuring 10 guests sharing the research, conversations and conference moments that caught their attention. **Content:** **Four days. Four podcasts. One very busy week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC 2026).** Throughout the [Alzheimer’s Association®](https://www.linkedin.com/company/alzheimer%27s-association/) International Conference, we were joined by researchers and dementia professionals from around the world to share the science, conversations and moments that caught their attention each day. Across our four daily highlights podcasts, [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) hosted: 🎙️ [Dr Sarah Graef](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-graef-rush-university/) and [Dr Muthia Huda Islami](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-muthia-huda-islami-nbch/) 🎙️ [Nathania Nathania](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-nathania-universitas-airlangga/), [Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-arezoo-talebzadeh-ghent-university/) and [Dr Suelyn Koerich](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-suelyn-koerich-the-university-of-texas/) 🎙️ [Cari Randa-Beaulieu](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-cari-randa-beaulieu-alzheimer-society-of-bc-and-yukon/) and [Abrar AbuHamdia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alana-brown-baycrest-academy-for-research-and-education/ "Profile – Dr Alana Brown, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education") 🎙️ [Dr Niying Li](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-niying-li-university-of-georgia/), [Dr Natasha Anita](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-natasha-anita-harvard-medical-school/) and [Lillian Morgado](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-lillian-morgado-georgia-state-university/) Together, we covered major research announcements, new approaches to diagnosis and treatment, emerging researchers and the experience of attending one of the world’s largest dementia research conferences. If you could not attend AAIC, or simply couldn’t keep up with everything happening across the programme these four episodes will help you catch up. A huge thank you to all 10 guests for sharing their time, perspectives and conference highlights with us. For more on where the field goes next, including blood biomarkers and p-tau217, hear four specialists debate [what will change the course of dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-changing-the-course-of-dementia/). 🎧 Watch or listen to all four episodes: --- [ ![In this episode, we share highlights from the fourth day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Dr Niying Li, Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia; Dr Natasha Anita, a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital; and Lillian Morgado, Research Coordinator at Georgia State University. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics - The practical barriers to delivering new anti-amyloid treatments - Rural and international inequalities in access to diagnosis and care - What p-tau217 could tell us about future cognitive decline - Promising results from new tau-targeting therapies - Behavioural and personality changes as possible early signs of neurodegeneration - Women’s brain health, inflammation and Alzheimer’s risk - The ethical and legal questions surrounding biomarker disclosure - Why research must include more countries and underrepresented populations Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 @alzassociation Note: We apologise for issues with the sound quality in the first part of this recording. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AIC 2026 and Conference Overview 01:17 Meet the Researchers: Highlights from Day 4 04:42 Barriers to Anti-Amyloid Therapy in High-Poverty States 10:12 Advances in MRI Protocols for Donanemab 15:02 Economic Models for Alzheimer's Care in Ireland and US 17:00 Dementia Knowledge and Attitudes in Kenya 23:09 Emerging Research on Behavioral Changes in Aging 25:37 Neuroinflammation and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's 32:44 PTau Levels and Risk Prediction for Cognitive Decline 33:00 Success in Tau Drug Trials 40:03 Ethical Considerations in Biomarker Disclosure 47:37 Disparities in Mortality and Regional Differences 53:21 Research on Underrepresented Groups and Minority Populations 55:10 Conference Themes: Innovation, Equity, and Future Directions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)In this episode, we share highlights from the fourth day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Dr Niying Li, Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia; Dr Natasha Anita, a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital; and Lillian Morgado, Research Coordinator at Georgia State University. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics – The practical barriers to delivering new anti-amyloid treatments – Rural and international inequalities in access to diagnosis and care – What p-tau217 could tell us about future cognitive decline – Promising results from new tau-targeting therapies – Behavioural and personality changes as possible early signs of neurodegeneration – Women’s brain health, inflammation and Alzheimer’s risk – The ethical and legal questions surrounding biomarker disclosure – Why research must include more countries and underrepresented populations Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 @alzassociation Note: We apologise for issues with the sound quality in the first part of this recording. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AIC 2026 and Conference Overview 01:17 Meet the Researchers: Highlights from Day 4 04:42 Barriers to Anti-Amyloid Therapy in High-Poverty States 10:12 Advances in MRI Protocols for Donanemab 15:02 Economic Models for Alzheimer's Care in Ireland and US 17:00 Dementia Knowledge and Attitudes in Kenya 23:09 Emerging Research on Behavioral Changes in Aging 25:37 Neuroinflammation and Gender Differences in Alzheimer's 32:44 PTau Levels and Risk Prediction for Cognitive Decline 33:00 Success in Tau Drug Trials 40:03 Ethical Considerations in Biomarker Disclosure 47:37 Disparities in Mortality and Regional Differences 53:21 Research on Underrepresented Groups and Minority Populations 55:10 Conference Themes: Innovation, Equity, and Future Directions 7 0 Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day Four 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxQ19c8E2rE) Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day Four 2026 [ ![In this episode, we share highlights from the third day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Cari Randa-Beaulieu, Provincial Coordinator, Knowledge Mobilization at the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon; and Abrar AbuHamdia, a PhD candidate at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics - Alzheimer's disease subtypes and precision medicine - Biomarkers and diagnostic accuracy in dementia - Microglia and neuroinflammation therapies - Global efforts in brain health promotion - Co-design and lived experience in research Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 Note: We apologise for issues with the sound quality in the first part of this recording. -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support -- Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the conference and speakers 01:21 Researcher backgrounds and motivations 06:50 Caregiving, policy, and economic impacts 12:15 Advances in neurobiological research and biomarkers 16:52 Understanding Alzheimer's subtypes and heterogeneity 19:10 Innovative therapies and microglia research 21:12 Global efforts in brain health promotion 26:51 ADHD and cognitive aging 29:34 Art, storytelling, and intergenerational support 36:27 AI in amyloid scan classification 38:31 Brain organoids and early disease mechanisms 40:25 Future directions and closing remarks](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)In this episode, we share highlights from the third day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Cari Randa-Beaulieu, Provincial Coordinator, Knowledge Mobilization at the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon; and Abrar AbuHamdia, a PhD candidate at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics – Alzheimer's disease subtypes and precision medicine – Biomarkers and diagnostic accuracy in dementia – Microglia and neuroinflammation therapies – Global efforts in brain health promotion – Co-design and lived experience in research Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 Note: We apologise for issues with the sound quality in the first part of this recording. — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support — Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the conference and speakers 01:21 Researcher backgrounds and motivations 06:50 Caregiving, policy, and economic impacts 12:15 Advances in neurobiological research and biomarkers 16:52 Understanding Alzheimer's subtypes and heterogeneity 19:10 Innovative therapies and microglia research 21:12 Global efforts in brain health promotion 26:51 ADHD and cognitive aging 29:34 Art, storytelling, and intergenerational support 36:27 AI in amyloid scan classification 38:31 Brain organoids and early disease mechanisms 40:25 Future directions and closing remarks 5 3 Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day Three 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_uCJq6DrEg) Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day Three 2026 [ ![In this episode, we share highlights from the second day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Nathania from Universitas Airlangga in Indonesia, Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh from Ghent University in Belgium, and Dr Suelyn Koerich from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics - Anti-amyloid immunotherapies and personalised medicine - Cultural sensitivity in dementia assessment - The role of environment and architecture in dementia care - Neuroinflammation and neuroprotective factors - Biomarker validation and minimally invasive testing - Impact of social determinants on dementia risk - Soundscape and sensory health in dementia management Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 @alzassociation A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profile on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support -- Chapters 0:00 Intro to the AAIC 2026 daily highlights 1:05 Introductions: Nathanya, Arezoo, and Su Lin 5:05 Designing for inclusion and community trust in research 10:49 Centenarians, cognitive resilience, and protective factors 15:05 Anti-amyloid therapies and eligibility challenges 18:19 Climate change, war, migration, and dementia assessment 23:18 Latin American perspectives on dementia prevalence 31:34 Astrogliosis, amyloid, and cognitive decline 34:15 Social determinants of health and national brain health programs 37:12 Soundscape research and dementia care 42:57 Mapping auditory processing to target soundscape intervention 46:52 Capillary blood sampling and neurological biomarkers 49:27 US POINTER and lifestyle interventions for brain health 52:29 Closing remarks and conference wrap-up](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)In this episode, we share highlights from the second day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Nathania from Universitas Airlangga in Indonesia, Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh from Ghent University in Belgium, and Dr Suelyn Koerich from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics – Anti-amyloid immunotherapies and personalised medicine – Cultural sensitivity in dementia assessment – The role of environment and architecture in dementia care – Neuroinflammation and neuroprotective factors – Biomarker validation and minimally invasive testing – Impact of social determinants on dementia risk – Soundscape and sensory health in dementia management Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 @alzassociation A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profile on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support — Chapters 0:00 Intro to the AAIC 2026 daily highlights 1:05 Introductions: Nathanya, Arezoo, and Su Lin 5:05 Designing for inclusion and community trust in research 10:49 Centenarians, cognitive resilience, and protective factors 15:05 Anti-amyloid therapies and eligibility challenges 18:19 Climate change, war, migration, and dementia assessment 23:18 Latin American perspectives on dementia prevalence 31:34 Astrogliosis, amyloid, and cognitive decline 34:15 Social determinants of health and national brain health programs 37:12 Soundscape research and dementia care 42:57 Mapping auditory processing to target soundscape intervention 46:52 Capillary blood sampling and neurological biomarkers 49:27 US POINTER and lifestyle interventions for brain health 52:29 Closing remarks and conference wrap-up 5 1 Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day Two 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmmXwD0dnKM) Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day Two 2026 [ ![In this episode, we share highlights from the first day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Sarah Graef from Rush University Medical Center and Muthia Huda Islami from the National Brain Centre Hospital Mahar Mardjono in Jakarta. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics - Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease - Genetic epidemiology in diverse populations - Lifestyle interventions and dementia prevention - Innovative drug delivery methods for neurodegenerative diseases - Global research collaborations and underrepresented populations Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 @alzassociation A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profile on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social -- Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support -- Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AAIC 2026 and Conference Highlights 07:19 Biomarkers and Trajectories in Alzheimer's Disease 12:23 Brain Aging and Environmental Exposures 24:18 Genetic Diversity and Disparities in Dementia Risk 33:44 Innovative Research and Future Directions in Dementia Treatment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)In this episode, we share highlights from the first day of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Adam Smith chats with Sarah Graef from Rush University Medical Center and Muthia Huda Islami from the National Brain Centre Hospital Mahar Mardjono in Jakarta. The AAIC brings together researchers from all areas of research to share their work, theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. Key topics – Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease – Genetic epidemiology in diverse populations – Lifestyle interventions and dementia prevention – Innovative drug delivery methods for neurodegenerative diseases – Global research collaborations and underrepresented populations Find out more about the conference at https://aaic.alz.org/ and on social media with #AAIC26 @alzassociation A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profile on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk — Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dementia\_researcher/ https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://www.bsky.app/profile/dementiare…archer.bsky.social — Download and Register with our Community App: https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher Leave us a tip: https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support — Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AAIC 2026 and Conference Highlights 07:19 Biomarkers and Trajectories in Alzheimer's Disease 12:23 Brain Aging and Environmental Exposures 24:18 Genetic Diversity and Disparities in Dementia Risk 33:44 Innovative Research and Future Directions in Dementia Treatment 4 3 Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day One 2026 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWJasKMQabI) Highlights from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference AAIC – Day One 2026 [ Subscribe ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1qv0E1UzNPtGhz2nQaoig/) --- [Listen on Captivate](https://feeds.captivate.fm/dementia-researcher/relay-podcast/), on [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-vodcast/id1350258595), on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=b6d6438ea8f24c86) --- **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, Abrar AbuHamdia, Adam Smith, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Cari Randa-Beaulieu, Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh, Dr Natasha Anita, Dr Niying Li, Dr Sarah Graef, Dr Suelyn Koerich, Lillian Morgado, Muthia Huda Islami, Nathania --- ### [Can You Do a PhD Alongside a Full-Time Job?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/can-you-do-a-phd-alongside-a-full-time-job/) **Published:** July 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Can you do a PhD without giving up your job? In this Solutions Lab we look at part-time study, workplace PhDs and fellowships that pay your salary. **Content:** > Hi, I hope you’re well! I have a question I wonder if you can help me with ‘how tricky is it to do a PhD and work?’ > > I saw a really interesting PhD but I can’t give up work to do it. How do people manage this? > > I’m grateful for any insight. Thank you! **Categories:** Solutions Lab **Tags:** Adam Smith, Solutions Lab, Work and Study **Target Audiences:** Undergraduates --- ### [Three tips to avoid AI image mistakes in science](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/three-tips-to-avoid-ai-image-mistakes-in-science/) **Published:** July 22, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** AI tools can be useful for brainstorming and creating graphics, but they can introduce errors. If you’re going to use them, here’s how to avoid problems. **Content:** ![Illustration of a neuron with labeled parts (dendrites, nucleus, soma, axon, myelin) and the bold title'Three tips to avoid AI image mistakes in science' with a Nature Careers logo on the left.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Three-tips-to-avoid-AI-image-mistakes-in-science-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Three tips to avoid AI image mistakes in science - Nature 680 x 520 px")Artificial-intelligence tools can be useful for brainstorming and creating graphics, but they can introduce errors. If you’re going to use them, here’s how to avoid problems. **In early 2024, a startling illustration in a published paper sparked spirited debate on social media. The image showed a rat endowed with a penis and testicles that were bigger than the rest of the animal’s body. The authors noted that the illustration was generated by an artificial-intelligence model called Midjourney, but it was obviously inaccurate, depicting four testes and including strange, misspelt text such as ‘sserotgomar cells’. Somehow, it passed peer review.** “This was the first mainstream example of where an [AI-generated image](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dont-let-your-students-use-ai-as-a-ghostwriter/) made it into a scientific paper — and it shouldn’t have been published,” says Elisabeth Bik, a science-integrity consultant in San Francisco, California, who [wrote about the incident on her blog](https://scienceintegritydigest.com/2024/02/15/the-rat-with-the-big-balls-and-enormous-penis-how-frontiers-published-a-paper-with-botched-ai-generated-images/). AI tools at the time were not good enough to create credible user-prompted illustrations, as the rat figure showed — but that was then. Two years later, “AI is much better and continuously improving, and we’re at a point where we can no longer distinguish fake from real,” says Bik. Still, errors continue to crop up. In April, a study by researchers in China was retracted by the *New England Journal of Medicine* because of image manipulation. The numbers on a tape measure, displayed at the top of the figure, were incorrect, exposing the use of an AI tool. In a comment on the post-publication discussion forum, PubPeer, one of the authors notes that they had used an AI tool to adjust the placement of the tape measure, which had been improperly positioned during an emergency medical procedure. “The irregular numbering is an unintended artefact from this adjustment,” they wrote. Graphics, which include schematics, data figures and diagrams, are a crucial part of scientific publishing. And they can substantially affect an article’s influence: an analysis of eight million graphics published in scientific papers found “a significant correlation between scientific impact and the use of visual information, where higher impact papers tend to include more diagrams” ([P.-S. Lee *et al.* *IEEE Trans. Big Data* **4**, 117–129; 2018](https://doi.org/10.1109/TBDATA.2017.2689038)). However, many researchers have neither the resources nor the skills to create aesthetically pleasing and informative images themselves. The potential for modern AI systems to assist researchers in generating graphics is “huge”, says Sebastian Porsdam Mann, an ethicist at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Bioscience Innovation Law at the University of Copenhagen. AI tools can make scientific illustration accessible to everyone, allowing researchers to better communicate their science in a fraction of the time and at a lower cost than ever before, he says. And it is in researchers’ interests to have good papers that explain complex topics, with good data visualizations and graphical abstracts, he adds. But, as with text, AI image generators such as Midjourney and OpenAI’s DALL-E still make mistakes — the effects of which can range from personal embarrassment to professional censure. “It’s still early days and these are still largely untested waters,” says Mann. But if there’s the slightest hint that you’ve done something wrong while using AI tools, “journals will probably take that very seriously right now”. Here are some guidelines to help researchers navigate this rapidly changing landscape. ## Check the publisher’s rules The first step for anyone wanting to use AI tools in their scientific articles is to check the policies of your preferred journals. There is little agreement around the use of AI tools among academic-journal publishers, with some allowing AI-generated images as long as AI use is disclosed and others forbidding them entirely. The publisher PLOS, for example, allows the use of AI tools, but authors must report how they used them (including the names of any tools used, how they were used, how their output was evaluated and what sections of the article they were used in). Other publishers have a more restrictive stance. *Cell Reports* (published by Cell Press) prohibits any use of AI-created graphical abstracts and places restrictions on AI use in data visualizations. Springer Nature (which publishes *Nature*) prohibits the use of generative AI for images but makes exceptions for AI-generated images and videos in articles that are “specifically about AI”, adding that “such cases will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis”. The policy also allows researchers to use AI image-generation tools “developed with specific sets of underlying scientific data that can be attributed, checked and verified for accuracy, provided that ethics, copyright and terms of use restrictions are adhered to”. (*Nature*’s editorial team is independent of its publisher.) But guidance from journals on the use of AI is rarely specific, says Mann, who investigates AI policies in academic publishing. When talking about AI-generated images, people usually think of art and illustrations. But scientific graphics can also include schematics, visual abstracts, figures that depict a study’s data and images used as evidence. “The ethical issues are very different, if you’re using images as evidence or using them to explain things,” he says. ## Don’t manipulate original data In April, biologist Mikael Elias at the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul, posted a series of convincing western blots to the social-media site X. Western blotting detects specific proteins in complex mixtures after they have been separated on a gel. But these images had been created by entering a single prompt into ChatGPT: “generate western blots that represent an experiment in a nature journal article”. “While making up data always existed, this is making it unprecedently \[*sic*\] easy and accessible,” Elias wrote on the blogging platform Substack (see [go.nature.com/4wacqm9](https://mikhoelias.substack.com/p/how-ai-breakthrough-could-shake-the?)). “I am fearing an avalanche of fabricated pieces, with very little ways to distinguish them from legit work. Not tomorrow, but soon.” Bik agrees. She says that although there are clues in Elias’s images that the blots are fake, it would be easy to miss them. And she struggled to suggest any instance in which it would be acceptable to generate images that are provided as primary evidence using AI tools. Rules around plots depicting data trends, however, are more fluid. For instance, when creating graphs, Marc-Oliver Gewaltig, co-founder of the academic-writing consultancy Thesify in Lausanne, Switzerland, suggests that researchers plot their data themselves first, and then ask AI to make their figures more aesthetically pleasing — a step that can be time consuming to do manually. “Pre-AI, that would have taken you days.” Now, you can do it in minutes, and validation is easier because you know what the figure should look like, he says. “That’s a very different situation from these image generators that just fabricate things out of the blue.” He recommends using the time saved to check the generated figures and graphs. However, he cautions against visualization technologies that can remove defects and enhance images — even ones built into commonly used tools such as Adobe Photoshop. “The temptation is just too big” to do more than the bare minimum, he explains. If you do use such tools, he adds, it is crucial to document exactly how and why the image was altered — such as to remove blemishes — because that decreases the likelihood that a researcher will over-edit their images. Other researchers find it useful to brainstorm what their illustrations should look like using an AI model. For instance, Amir Syafrudin, a PhD candidate at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, has detailed on his blog how he uses the online collaborative workspace Miro to generate diagrams from written descriptions of the processes he wishes to visualize (see [go.nature.com/3sd5gkb](https://asyafrudin.medium.com/ai-in-my-phd-workflow-c9046ad67e40)). “The main benefit was avoiding a blank-canvas problem and sparking ideas for visual representation,” he wrote. “I share my thoughts and data, of course,” Syafrudin tells *Nature*. He asks the AI tool to “share its opinion, and it just flows from there.” Graphics require more detailed prompts than does text generation, and researchers might need to “allocate more time and effort” to going back and forth with the AI model to get things right, he adds. ## Take responsibility Ultimately, all work should be the creative work of a person, not a machine, says Paul Graham Fisher, a paediatric neurologist at Stanford University in California and a council member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which is based in Eastleigh, UK. “AI is meant to be a cognitive extender, not a cognitive offloader,” he says. According to COPE guidelines, AI tools cannot be co-authors on academic papers. Similarly, “AI cannot be a graphic designer,” says Fisher. But it can be a useful assistant. “The bottom line: make sure it’s your original work, even with the assistance of AI,” says Fisher. You need to ensure that it “reflects the integrity of your data and that it’s not encroaching on anyone else’s data, work or property rights”. Gewaltig says that he has three rules when it comes to using AI tools for image generation. First, “if you don’t understand what a tool is doing to your data or what it is doing to your image, don’t use it”, he says. Second, the burden of proof and validation sits with the author. And third, be transparent. “The purpose of scholarly publishing is to explicitly detail, as closely as possible, everything that was done in communicating your results, from methodologies to sample selection,” says Todd Carpenter, executive director of the National Information Standards Organization, a US non-profit group that develops technical standards for managing information. The same is true of graphic design for scientific papers. “Rigour is going to be domain-specific, but we all know what transparency looks like,” he says. Meanwhile, the technology continues to evolve — and so do attitudes. Bik says that three years ago, even before she first saw the graphic of the improbably endowed rat, she would have refused to use any form of AI tool. But since then, her position has become more nuanced. “We’re pushing the boundaries of what we feel is ethically responsible,” she says. “Our thoughts about what is ethical are continuously changing.” --- *Find the original and more great content on the Nature Careers Website Nature* **655**, 1093-1094 (2026) *doi: * **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** AI, Artificial Intelligence, Poster Design, Sarah Wild **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Methods --- ### [ISTAART Launches Two New Professional Interest Areas](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-launches-two-new-professional-interest-areas/) **Published:** July 27, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Association **Excerpt:** ISTAART launches two new PIAs on physical activity and post-traumatic neurodegeneration. Join now to connect, collaborate and shape dementia research. **Content:** [ISTAART](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-researcher-x-istaart-relay-2026-complete-series/) has launched two new Professional Interest Areas (PIAs), creating more opportunities for researchers to connect, collaborate and help shape the future of dementia research. ##### Physical Activity and Exercise PIA The Physical Activity and Exercise PIA brings together researchers working across basic, clinical and applied research. The group will explore how physical activity and exercise can inform preventive and therapeutic approaches to dementia. ##### Post-Traumatic Neurodegeneration PIA The Post-Traumatic Neurodegeneration PIA aims to advance understanding of the relationship between brain trauma and neurodegenerative diseases that cause dementia. Members will have opportunities to share knowledge, develop collaborations and contribute to research focused on the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury. ##### How to join [ISTAART members](https://istaart.alz.org/home) can join one or both PIAs by logging into the ISTAART website and browsing or searching the available PIA groups. Once you have opened the relevant group page, click the **‘Join’** button on the right-hand side, beneath the purple banner image. By joining, you will connect with researchers working in your field and receive updates about forthcoming activities, initiatives, events and collaboration opportunities. --- [Click Here](https://istaart.alz.org/home) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, ISTAART, Physical Activity and Exercise PIA, Post-Traumatic Neurodegeneration PIA --- ### [Blog - Weightlifting and Creatine on Brain Health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-weightlifting-and-creatine-on-brain-health/) **Published:** July 28, 2026 **Author:** Rahul Sidhu **Excerpt:** Rahul Sidhu weighs up whether lifting weights and taking creatine actually protect the brain, and what the dementia evidence really supports. **Content:** --- **My last blog, on how [sleep impacts brain health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-sleep-and-dementia-should-we-worry/), sparked a lot of interest. Since then, more people have asked me about how [different everyday lifestyle factors can influence brain health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/food-for-thought-health-and-nutrition-with-dr-michael-klaper/). So, my next few blogs will look at other lifestyle factors, what the evidence actually says about them, and what I think in my own scientific opinion as a dementia researcher.** This is one for gym goers and those who do resistance training and weightlifting. Whether resistance training and weightlifting benefits the brain, and if it can reduce the risk of developing dementia. Alongside weightlifting, many people use workout supplements to enhance their training. One example is creatine, which is the most popular supplement in the fitness community, used to boost training and recovery. As well as helping with strength and physical performance, creatine might also support brain health and protect against cognitive decline. This has caused a lot of controversy about whether it is good to take supplements like creatine on a regular basis, for the brain at least. It is important to remember I am not a dietician or clinician, and I am looking at research studies and my own scientific knowledge of the brain to form the basis of this discussion. This part of the blog will focus on weightlifting and resistance training. Over the past decade, many studies have explored how lifting weights can influence cognitive function, reduce the risk of dementia, and support healthy brain ageing. Dementia has many risk factors and comorbidities that significantly enhance the disease progression. The [lancet stated that addressing modifiable lifestyle risk factors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-lancet-commission-2024/) can **prevent or delay 45% of dementia cases worldwide**. That is almost half of all dementia cases globally. These include diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. People living with these conditions are more likely to develop cognitive problems and dementia later in life, as they have been associated with increased inflammation, damage to blood vessels supplying energy the brain and greater build up of the toxic dementia causing proteins amyloid-beta and tau. Weight lifting and resistance training help to alleviate these risk factors, benefiting the brain in several ways. One of the ways weightlifting may benefit the brain is by **improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic health**. The question is, how does weightlifting specifically target this insulin pathway. The obvious answer is that it increases muscle mass, which is the body’s main site for glucose uptake. The more muscle you have, the more glucose can be removed from the bloodstream and stored, keeping blood sugar levels stable. Resistance training also decreases visceral fat, which is the fat stored around vital organs. High levels of [visceral fat are strongly linked to insulin resistance, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-the-link-between-obesity-dementia-is-good-news/). Weightlifting can also mitigate dementia risk by **reducing inflammation**. Neuroinflammation creates a harmful environment in the brain, where the brain’s immune cells, called astrocytes and microglia, become overactive and release toxic proteins that destroy neurons. This creates major tissue damage, resulting in the cognitive decline seen in dementia. Evidence has shown that weight lifting lowers this chronic inflammation in the body, as your working muscles release anti-inflammatory chemicals called myokines. So people who regularly exercise and lift weights often have lower levels of inflammatory markers in their blood, creating a healthier environment for the brain and lowering the risk of dementia. > Another way weightlifting can improve brain health and reduce dementia risk is by increasing blood flow. If I’m being honest, I am very biased on this point. My entire 4-year PhD has primarily focused on why blood flow is important in dementia, and how reduced blood flow may be a key marker in neurodegenerative disease. This is especially true in comorbidities like heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. If there has been evidence that weightlifting increases blood flow to the brain, I would subjectively agree that this is an amazing way to reduce dementia progression. It so happens that evidence does show that weightlifting increases blood flow throughout the body, including the brain. This increased blood flow raises the energy supply to the brain, meaning that neurons are nourished with the oxygen, glucose and nutrients needed to function. To highlight this importance, the brain is only 2% of your body weight, but it constantly uses 80% of your total blood supply. I’ve actually covered this topic in much more detail in a previous blog, where I explain why healthy blood flow is important for brain function and how [reduced blood flow can contribute to dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-my-phd-neurovascular-effects-of-heart-disease-in-alzheimers/). Overall evidence has shown that [regular resistance training can improve executive function](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/us-pointer-study-lifestyle-program-boosts-cognition-in-at-risk-adults/), memory, and cognitive performance in older adults, and may even help slow cognitive decline. Rather than working through a single pathway, weightlifting appears to benefit the brain in several ways. It improves metabolic health, reduces inflammation, lowers blood sugar, reduces insulin resistance, increases muscle mass, reduces visceral fat and most importantly in my eyes, increases blood flow. Let’s now move on to the effect of gym supplements such as creatine. Most gym goers out there will know exactly what creatine monohydrate is and most people I know who do weightlifting use this supplement, and have asked me how it may affect the brain. A [popular BBC article was published last year](https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250523-the-surprising-health-benefits-of-taking-creatine-powder) on this topic which arose a lot of interest, linked in the blog. > Creatine monohydrate is the most heavily researched and legal supplement on the market. Research into creatine began in the 1970s with Professor Harris at Aberystwyth University. Decades of research since then have proven its benefits in building muscle mass, boosting strength, and reducing physical fatigue. Our bodies naturally produce small amounts of creatine in organs like the liver and kidneys. We can also get it from foods like red meat and oily fish. The biology behind how creatine works in the body is important to understand, so let’s rewind a few years, or 10 years in my case, to some A-level biology. ![Regular exercise is linked to up to a 20 lower risk of developing dementia Alzheimers Society pooling 58 studies](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Regular-exercise-is-linked-to-up-to-a-20-lower-risk-of-developing-dementia-Alzheimers-Society-pooling-58-studies.png "Regular exercise is linked to up to a 20 lower risk of developing dementia Alzheimers Society pooling 58 studies")During weight training, your muscles rapidly burn through their primary energy source, called ATP. Once the ATP has been used up, it breaks down into a temporary byproduct called ADP. This causes your muscles to become more fatigued and tired. This is where creatine acts as an energy reserve. It is stored in the body as phosphocreatine, and provides a molecule to turn that used up ADP back into usable ATP. This gives your muscles the rapid and immediate energy needed to lift that extra weight and to push harder in your workout. This is why people regularly take the supplement creatine monohydrate. As we know, the brain relies so heavily on a constant energy supply; there is a genuine biological reason to think creatine could help our brains by instantly making more energy when it is depleted. Limited research has shown that using creatine to refill these emptied energy sources can actually provide cognitive benefits. A recent meta-analysis found modest improvements in memory, attention, and processing speed. It looks at a deeper mechanism called neurogenesis, which is the regeneration of new neurons. This means creatine can help the brain repair itself, which is useful as dementia and neurodegeneration is caused by the death of neurons. > Scientists are also now investigating whether creatine can help with mood disorders, by helping clear stress induced brain fog, fight fatigue, and sharpen memory. However, we should not get carried away with these modest results. The effects of creatine on the brain are small, and the data is inconsistent. These cognitive improvements are short-term and are only noticeable when the brain is actively under stress, such as from sleep deprivation or age-related fatigue. Furthermore, although creatine has been proven to be incredibly safe, it still comes with mild side effects. The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation also mentioned that these benefits haven’t translated into real disease prevention in human trials. While preclinical experiments show that creatine can protect cells and boost cognitive function, the results in humans are small and highly variable. It just hasn’t been shown to reverse or prevent neurodegeneration. In my opinion, creatine is best viewed as a potential tool for increasing short-term brain power, through increasing your body’s overall energy reserve, instead of directly affecting the brain. In short, weightlifting has strong evidence for helping long-term brain health and for reducing your dementia risk. For gym supplements like creatine, there is some hopeful evidence for improving cognition but the evidence that it reduces dementia risk is very minimal. Currently, it shouldn’t be considered as a cure or preventative supplement against dementia. I should now take my own advice and finally start lifting some weights in the gym. --- ![Rahul Sidhu Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Rahul-Sidhu-1.jpg "Rahul Sidhu")Rahul Sidhu #### Author [**Rahul Sidhu**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rahul-sidhu-the-university-of-sheffield/) is a PhD student at The University of Sheffield, focusing on the effects of heart disease on dementia in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease. His research aims to uncover how cardiovascular health influences neurodegenerative conditions, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies.​ [Follow @rahulsidhu\_](https://twitter.com/rahulsidhu_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Rahul on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul-sidhu-39a463202/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Brain Health, Creatine, exercise, Rahul Sidhu, The University of Sheffield, Weightlifting **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Dementia Prevention Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Rejection in academia is structural not personal](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/rejection-in-academia-is-structural-not-personal/) **Published:** July 28, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Academic rejection often reflects scarcity, chance and structural pressures—not personal failure. It’s time to change how academia talks about it. **Content:** ***![Hands holding torn documents with a red'REJECTED' stamp; LSE logo shown, conveying that academic rejection is structural, not personal.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/LSE-Impact-Blog-Rejection-in-academia-is-structural-not-personal-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "LSE Impact Blog - Rejection in academia is structural not personal 680 x 520 px")From student assessments, peer review reports to funding and job applications, rejection is an increasingly common feature of academic life. Tara-Lyn Camilleri and Ed Ivimey-Cook argue that unlike other high-profile professions with limited positions, academia treats rejection as personal judgement and has failed to create ways of talking about rejection that takes into account its structural nature.*** *This article is shared from the LSE Impact blog the a*rticle gives the views and opinions of the authors and does not reflect the views and opinions of the Impact of Social Science blog (the blog), nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science or Dementia Researcher. Shared under the [Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) the orginal publication can be found at ** --- Rejection is now sufficiently routine in academic life that it has acquired the status of a rite of passage: the rejected manuscript, [the near-miss grant](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-grant-rejections-the-norm-in-academia/), the job application that disappears into the ether. It is therefore unsurprising that much of the counsel offered to academics has become psychological in tone. We are taught to endure rejection with composure, to [build resilience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-failing-forward-what-my-grant-rejection-taught-me/), and to use the disappointment to shape disciplined habits of revision and reapplication. Advice about coping treats rejection as an individual experience to be managed; but we are interested in why the system produces such intense rejection, and why we keep interpreting it as a signal of intellectual merit. Incentive structures in academia keep steering attention back to personal self-correction. Even when many participants privately recognise the [structural nature of the problem](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2023/02/17/what-are-social-structural-explanations/). Our argument is descriptive rather than accusatory: a system can generate predictable harms through incentive structures, even without intending to do so. > ***Academia is different from other prestige-bottleneck professions*** It helps to situate academia in a wider class of labour markets that might be called prestige-bottleneck professions. The arts, law, professional sport, journalism and politics: these fields share a common architecture. They recruit [more aspirants than they can possibly sustain](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-73565-3) in the current funding and economic landscape. They offer a small number of stable, high-status positions at the top; and they depend on a long period of apprenticeship in which large numbers compete for a future that only a minority can attain. The key features are oversupply, scarcity, and funnelling. By “funnelling” we mean a system that draws in far more people at early stages than it can retain at later ones. This means that rejection and exit are bound to happen. Once we see academia in this light, then rejection is not, in the first instance, a judgement on a person’s merit. In an oversubscribed system, it is often mathematically inevitable. If the number of qualified applicants for grants or jobs exceeds the available slots by a large margin, then many capable people must be rejected regardless of effort or talent. This framing also prevents a familiar form of academic exceptionalism. Academia is not uniquely afflicted by scarcity, nor uniquely populated by people pursuing highly competitive prestige under uncertain odds. What is distinctive is the stories we tell about rejection and scarcity. In many prestige-bottleneck fields, there is at least a language for luck. A sportsperson can lose “on the day” without denying that they belong at the top level; artists and writers can speak, sometimes ruefully, of taste, or timing. Those stories can be hard, but they at least acknowledge limited spaces as part of the explanation. Academia, by contrast, has a strong tendency to frame rejection as a judgement: the work is not good enough, the argument is not rigorous enough, the proposal is not compelling enough, the candidate is not sufficiently excellent. Outcomes are treated, implicitly and sometimes explicitly, as signals of intellectual merit, and therefore as evidence about the person’s capabilities. This cultural pattern is reinforced by the incentives, and it persists even when people consciously know better. Many academics will say, in conversation, that [grant panels disagree](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/inside-the-aruk-grant-review-board/), and that hiring pools are impossibly large. But often rejection is then turned back into a lesson for the individual: try harder, publish more, and demonstrate grit. In that sense academia lacks a settled language for contingency. It possesses, instead, a very powerful language for deficiency. > ***When there are more qualified people than places*** Funding bodies, faced with scarcity, are often required to make fine distinctions between proposals that are all plausible, well-crafted, and above a reasonable quality threshold. Panels must rank, score and create cut-offs, even when the difference between success and rejection may depend on timing, topical fit, [reviewer disagreement](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-a-few-thoughts-on-peer-review/) or panel composition. This matters because rejection becomes less informative as success rates fall. If many applicants meet the relevant standard, but only a small proportion can be funded, then many qualified candidates must be rejected. Selection is still applying standards, but it is also rationing scarcity. Grant outcomes for example begin to resemble a lottery (or in some cases even are [lotteries](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2025/04/16/how-randomisation-has-changed-the-british-academys-approach-to-research-funding/)), even as they continue to be framed as judgements of quality. We attach moral meaning to rejection that becomes conflated: we are expecting signals of quality that the current acceptance rates make almost impossible. The same incentives shape individuals’ behaviour. Because academic careers are built around repeated selection, academics often adopt the language of resilience and pushing themselves harder, even when they know the problem is structural. These pressures can also shape the research itself. In a publish-or-perish system, academics may be rewarded for producing work that is fast, fundable and visible, rather than slow, risky or carefully cumulative. For early-career researchers especially, questioning that script can be risky. It can make someone seem bitter or unwilling to perform. The result is a culture that encourages people to endure conditions that can [lead to burnout](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-at-breaking-point-burnout-in-academia/), all the while treating that endurance as evidence of commitment to the profession. This helps explain why the meritocratic story persists even when it is difficult to sustain empirically. A prestige-bottleneck profession depends on people continuing to believe that effort will eventually be recognised. If academia admitted how much rejection depends on chance and scarcity, rejection would become harder to treat as a personal lesson. Resilience language helps turn a structural problem into something individuals are expected to manage. > ***What does being more honest about rejection look like?*** Being more honest about rejection does not mean lowering standards or abandoning selection. It means communicating reasons for rejection more accurately. First, institutions should name scarcity plainly. There is a difference between failing to meet a quality threshold and losing out because there are too few places. When success rates are very low, rejection should be explained as part of a scarcity problem, not simply as a judgement of merit. Acceptance rates, reviewer disagreement and decision noise should be made more visible. Second, we should reduce the damage caused by single outcomes. One rejected grant should not be able to jeopardise an entire career. That means more baseline funding, longer funding cycles and fewer repeated choke points where individuals are forced to keep staking their livelihoods on low-probability wins. Third, we should stop moralising persistence. Survival in academia’s funnel is shaped by privilege, wealth, health, caregiving responsibilities and timing. It is not a clean proxy for superiority. It is often [a proxy for who has enough support, security and luck](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02634-z) to remain in the funnel. Finally, exit should be treated as normal. [Movement into non-academic roles](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/leaving-the-lab-but-not-the-field-research-related-careers-in-dementia/) should be understood as an expected outcome of an oversubscribed system, not as failure. A system that routinely produces exit but speaks of it as defeat will predictably generate shame. Often, rejection it is simply evidence that there were more qualified people than places. What needs to change is the language around rejection: less automatic talk of deficiency, grit and personal improvement, and more honest recognition of scarcity, contingency and limited space. ![📨](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/svg/1f4e8.svg)*Enjoying this blog post? Sign up to our [mailing list](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/subscribe-via-email/) and receive all the latest LSE Impact Blog news direct to your inbox* ![📨](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/svg/1f4e8.svg) ![Infographic: Rejection in academia is structural, not personal, showing a funnel of applicants and a path forward.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Academic_Rejection__Structural_Not_Personal-1024x572.png "Academic_Rejection__Structural_Not_Personal") --- ### About the authors **[Tara-Lyn Camilleri](https://taralyncamilleri.com/)** is a writer and researcher working at the intersection of biology, psychology and the social sciences. She holds a PhD in evolutionary biology and has ongoing research affiliations with the University of Oxford and Monash University. Her work examines how belief and behaviour are shaped by biological, historical, and social constraints. **[Ed Ivimey-Cook](https://research-portal.uea.ac.uk/en/persons/ed-ivimey-cook/)** is a lecturer in The School of Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia. His research interests include the evolution of ageing, life histories, and the inter- and transgenerational effect of diet and age. He is also a committed open science advocate and past president of the Society for Open, Reliable, and Transparent Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (SORTEE). **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Careers, Dealing with rejection, Ed Ivimey-Cook, LSE Impact Blog, Resilience, Tara-Lyn Camilleri **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Blog - What Sport Can Teach Science](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-sport-can-teach-science/) **Published:** July 29, 2026 **Author:** Dr Lindsey Sinclair **Excerpt:** Dr Lindsey Sinclair on what sport can teach science, from rowing races to research projects, teamwork, marginal gains, goal setting and losing gracefully. **Content:** --- **As I write this, we are in the middle of a summer of sport: Wimbledon, the World Cup and of course a myriad of other sporting events. I know absolutely nothing about football, other than that [heading the ball is a bad idea](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-football-cte-and-the-science-protecting-future-players/) and the offside rule is difficult to explain. I do however, know quite a lot about some other sports and I’m actually a qualified coach for one.** If you had told teenage me that I would love sport one day, choose to do it regularly and even train as a coach, I would have laughed in your face. I absolutely loathed school sport, I suspect like many of you. Freezing cold hockey practice, the trauma of gymnastics…. Ugh. What did it for me was finding a sport that, first and foremost, was really social, helped me establish a friendship group at university, and then I got more and more involved. Oh, and not a ball in sight. Lovely! Last weekend I went to watch the sporting event that is the pinnacle of my chosen sport and got thinking about what being involved in it had done for me, apart from giving me callouses and a dodgy shoulder. This was partly influenced by hearing about someone at the event who berated a coach for their child “wasting a whole year of their life” because they hadn’t won their event. **Is time invested in something really time wasted if you don’t win?** How do we measure success, and what do we value? > Personally I think that there is much to learn from sport that is translatable into scientific careers. [Race Against Dementia](https://www.raceagainstdementia.com/formula-1) is a prominent example of bringing a sports mentality into science, with their focus on teamwork, [resilience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-resilience/), attention to detail, innovation and resilience. There is much to gain from applying a sporting mentality, I believe from any sport, to science, starting, of course, with teamwork. The **“marginal gains”** now prominent in sport, were popularised by a well-known Tour de France cycling team who paid attention to seemingly bizarre things like re-cleaning athletes’ hotel rooms and providing their own yellow jerseys. This concept is now somewhat tarnished by subsequent scandals ([Golden aura around marginal gains is beginning to look a little tarnished | Cycling | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2019/oct/20/marginal-gains-tarnished-bradley-wiggins-dave-brailsford)). One could gain a willingness to persist and persevere, or an understanding that it takes time to reach goals. Perhaps being used to following training programmes, usually written backwards from the chosen target event, feeds into an instinctive understanding of GANTT charts. A familiarity with goal setting could also be useful. Speaking personally, I think that the translatable things that I gained from sport were; what is now known as a growth mindset ([The Power Five: Growth Mindset – Premier Sport Psychology](https://premiersportpsychology.com/2022/08/01/the-power-five-growth-mindset/)); many hours of teamwork experience; an ability to set SMART goals, plus the knowledge of how to work towards those goals; time management and [how to set tight work/life boundaries](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/managing-family-life-and-research-career/). The latter two were really important when I was training for a national-level event whilst working full-time as a resident doctor. I didn’t win, but I absolutely loved being part of it. Another way of looking at what sport has to offer science is to move away from the RAD pillars and to think about scientific projects using a race analogy. In my favourite sport, rowing, this is a 2000m head-to-head grudge match but feel free to insert your own sporting analogy of choice here. Even before the start of the race, crew selection has to have taken place, as well as many hours of gruelling training. Then the rowers have to get themselves and their equipment to the right place at the right time, usually involving heavy persuasion to someone to drive the trailer. Likewise, before the start of a scientific project, there is the [long grant writing process](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/grant-writing/). If successful, there is a lot of setting up to do: ethics, recruitment sites, model selection, other regulatory permissions and you need the right people for the project with the right skills, or at least with a training plan of how to acquire those skills. Setting off from the landing stage to go up to the start the rowers will be feeling a heady mix of excitement and fear. Actually sitting on the start line however, these thoughts have to fade and be replaced by focus on getting the job done. At the start of a project, there will be a similar excitement about finally getting going started with work that could have been in the making for many months if not years. When the umpire drops their flag the rowers start their start sequence. This well-choreographed series of short strokes then lengthens into longer strokes before entering “the wind (up)”. At the end of the wind the rowers will be going flat out, possibly rating as high as 50 strokes a minute. Similarly, there is a flurry of activity at the start of the project: meetings, paperwork, project sites, recruitment and generally getting ducks in a row… At the end of the wind the rowers then do a single stroke change called the stride. In one single stroke there is a dramatic rhythm shift from the frenetic pace of the wind to a pace that the rowers can sustain for the rest of the race. This is equally true of scientific projects where **the flurry of activity at the beginning is simply not sustainable,** and you have to find a way of working that works for the whole team and gets the project done. This is where well written GANTT charts and teamwork really come into their own. Hopefully at this stage of the race, your crew is ahead. During the race, the rowers may need to do “pushes” if the opposition start trying to come back at them, or worse overtake. A famous scientific example of this is the discovery of the structure of DNA, as described in the book The Double Helix. Don’t get me started about the recognition of women in science at that time though…. Then, with about 200m to go, the rowers start thinking about the end of the race and going all out to push for the finish. This is, I think, probably more common in scientific projects than we would care to admit. Who amongst us has not a tricky bit of analysis that they really have to push to finish, or a last few participants to recruit? This last push can make all the difference to a project. Scientists don’t usually push themselves to the point of vomiting into a river at the end of a project though, which is probably a good thing! Finally there is a lovely tradition in rowing that the losers cheer the winners just after the finish. > Being able to fail, or lose gracefully is, in my view, [just as important as winning](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsampl.2024.100054). We will all have had grants that we really believed in that didn’t get funded, or [trials that just didn’t give the results that we hoped for.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-when-experiments-fail-staying-positive-in-research/) In sport, as in science, being able to celebrate other people’s successes whilst inwardly processing the devastation, then picking up the pieces and getting ready to go again, is an important skill. Of course, all sports people reach a point where they decide to retire and focus on other endeavours and all scientists do too. When you love what you do, deciding when to stop can be very hard, but that’s a whole different story. --- ![Dr Lindsey Sinclair Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Dr-Lindsey-Sinclair-1.jpg "Dr Lindsey Sinclair")Dr Lindsey Sinclair #### Author **[Dr Lindsey Sinclair](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-lindsey-sinclair/)** is an Associate Professor and Clinical Academic in Old Age Psychiatry at the University of Southampton. Her research explores the relationship between depression and dementia, combining lab work with epidemiology and genetics. Clinically, she works with older adults experiencing a wide range of mental health problems. Outside of work, she’s a keen baker and runner, and has a particular talent for creating ambitious birthday cakes. [Find Lindsey on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-sinclair-18952b364/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Coaching, Dr Lindsey Sinclair, Mental Health, Performance Coaching, Research Culture **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Industry applications are going nowhere. How do I stand out?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/industry-applications-are-going-nowhere-how-do-i-stand-out/) **Published:** July 29, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** From Nature Careers - A postdoc researcher trying to move into an industry role wants help gaining traction and making it past the first interview stage. **Content:** Dear *Nature*, I am currently in my second postdoctoral position, and I am looking for a new job, preferably in the health-science, data-analytics or health-care-analytics industries. I have been applying for positions for eight months and I am worried that I am doing something wrong. I have responded to more than 500 job advertisements and have had more than 20 interviews, but none of them has led to a job offer. Often, I don’t progress past the first round of interviews. Most of my colleagues are in academia and no one knows much about how multistage interviews for industry positions work. It’s a bit of mystery as to why there are so many interviews for one job. Each stage involves different interviewers, and I don’t know how they fit into the process. I talk about my previous research and my skills, but I get the sense that those topics are not what they are interested in — or that I’m approaching the interviews incorrectly. I know that [job hunting](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/jobs/) is a marathon, not a sprint, but I feel like I’m not moving at all. I would like some guidance on how to approach multistage interviews. How do I prepare for these interviews and present my skills appropriately at each stage? **— A struggling job hunter** ## **![Nature Careers logo with a'HIRED' handshake icon; caption asks how to stand out in industry interviews.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/My-job-interviews-for-industry-positions-are-going-nowhere-Nature-Careers-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "My job interviews for industry positions are going nowhere - Nature Careers 680 x 520 px")The advice** Multistage interviews are common at [scientific companies](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/moving-from-academia-to-industry-the-great-resignation/). Even if you have all of the necessary qualifications, it is easy to be unsuccessful during the interview process if you do not know how to prepare properly for each stage and showcase your abilities. In a [2024 global survey](https://www.nature.com/collections/bcbcigeaia), *Nature* asked more than 1,100 hiring managers from academia, industry and other sectors across 77 nations what they were looking for in candidates. The survey found that ‘soft skills’, such as communication and interpersonal skills, collaboration and how well people fit in with the team, were [high up on the list of priorities for people looking to hire](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03343-z). But listing these skills on a [CV or job application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-how-to-create-a-narrative-cv/) is not the same as convincing interviewers that you have them. *Nature*’s Careers team spoke to recruiters, career coaches and hiring managers, as well as people who have experienced multistage interviews in the past year, to find out what to expect and how to shine throughout the hiring process. ## **What to expect** A recruiter or talent-acquisition specialist is usually the first point of contact in the hiring process. They have selected you on the basis of your CV and will decide whether you get through to the next round of interviews. They are the gatekeeper, but they are also your friend, says Alona Bärtschi, head of the career centre at the Paul Scherrer Institute, a natural and engineering sciences research organization in Villigen, Switzerland. “You need to try to get as much information from them as you can.” Companies have diverse hiring processes; some might have four rounds of interviews, and some might hold more or fewer. These details are sometimes posted on their websites. If not, recruiters are the best person to ask about the organization’s selection process and who you will be speaking to at each stage. These screening interviews generally last around 30 minutes. The first interview, the one with the recruiter, is crucial because it is where you can gather important information: who you will be speaking to at each stage, why the company is hiring someone and what elements of your CV are relevant to the job. In all interview rounds, “it’s all about being concise in your communication”, says Hoffer. She warns candidates against rambling. “It’s not about fancy language, and it’s not about sounding smart. It’s about being clear,” she says. You also need to remember that you are having a conversation with another person. Biologist Sophia Parks, who is based in Dalzell, South Carolina, spent months trying to find a job after her second postdoc position. Now, she is a [project manager](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/leaving-the-lab-but-not-the-field-research-related-careers-in-dementia/) at the medical-analytics company Health Catalyst in South Jordan, Utah. She says that industry interviews are difficult for people [coming from academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/i-want-to-leave-academia-whats-next/) because “in academia, a question is an attack on your knowledge. But an industry interview is not like that”. She says that her job hunt became easier when she started “having conversations with people instead of lecturing them”. ## **Structure your answers** To showcase your skills, you need to be able to create an engaging narrative about yourself and your accomplishments. “It’s all about storytelling,” says Susan DiClemente, a communications and career coach based in Westborough, Massachusetts, who has spent 20 or so years working at a large pharmaceutical company. It can be difficult to come up with a story about yourself on the spur of the moment, so you should prepare a handful of anecdotes beforehand. DiClemente recommends looking at the job description and role responsibilities and thinking of times when you displayed that ability or shouldered a similar responsibility. Bärtschi and Weber suggest that you draw up a list of common interview requests — such as ‘tell me about yourself’, ‘discuss a time when you failed’ and ‘give me an example of a moment when you resolved a conflict’ — and prepare stories for each. Importantly, be able to back up your CV with real events. Weber remembers an interviewee who stated that they were resilient on their CV but, when pressed, was unable to give an example of their [resilience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-resilience/). The hiring managers and recruiters that *Nature* spoke to recommended using the STAR method as a framework for your responses, which stands for situation, task, action and result. The method encourages people to explain a scenario that they have encountered in their career so far and describe a task that they were asked to take on at the time. Then, they should discuss what actions they took to tackle the objective or problem and what the result of those actions was, as well as what they learnt from the experience. Interview questions, especially behavioural ones asked by hiring managers, are often used to assess several things at once, Hoffer notes. For example, if an interviewer says ‘tell me about a time when you received negative feedback’, they will be on the lookout for whether you blame others or take responsibility. “It’s a way of understanding who you are and how you’ll fit in with the team,” she says. Likewise, when an interviewer says ‘tell me about yourself’, Hoffer notes that “they don’t want your entire life story”. Instead, tell them what achievements make you a good fit for the position and the company. It is also becoming common for organizations to ask candidates to prepare case studies — that is, asking them to prepare examples of how they would tackle specific tasks. For example, you might be given materials in advance that outline a problem or a project and asked to prepare a presentation on how to solve the problem or design and run the project. Finally, you deliver your talk and field questions from a group of interviewers. Case studies exhibit how you think and respond to real-world situations, says Bärtschi. They reveal whether your vision for the role aligns with the company’s, even though they can be time consuming to prepare. Although daunting, multistage interviews are ultimately trying to make sure that you are the right person for the job. Bärtschi and other hiring specialists emphasize that you should be authentic in your responses, and be your best professional self, because you do not want to be hired for a role that you do not belong in. “If you’re in the wrong position,” Hoffer says, “it’s not going to be good for you, and it’s not going to be good for the company”. --- *Nature* **655**, 1091-1092 (2026) *For the original and more great content visit the Nature Careers Website – doi: * **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Industry, Job Interviews, Nature Careers, Sarah Wild **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Charting Tau Modifications as Alzheimer’s Advances](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/charting-tau-modifications-as-alzheimers-advances/) **Published:** July 29, 2026 **Author:** Alz Forum **Excerpt:** New research maps how tau changes as Alzheimer’s progresses, identifying soluble tau modifications that could offer new biomarkers of tangle burden. **Content:** **![ALZFORUM logo with the slogan'Networking for a Cure' in the top-left on a light blue background, and a large orange pi symbol on the right.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Alz-Forum-Scientists-Chart-Tau-Modifications-as-Alzheimers-Advances-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Alz Forum - Scientists Chart Tau Modifications as Alzheimers Advances 680 x 520 px")Tau’s villain arc in Alzheimer’s—from soluble protein to tangle—is marked by a succession of post-translational modifications (PTMs). At this year’s [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/aaic-2026-london-podcast-conference-highlights/), held July 12–15 in London, Axelle Vanparys, working with Bernard Hanseeuw and Pascal Kienlen-Campard at the University of Louvain in Brussels, updated the story of where and when tau acquires which PTMs over the course of the disease. Unlike previous studies, this work also charts modifications to soluble tau—the species most readily detected in [cerebrospinal fluid](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/research-from-the-aruk-thames-valley-conference/) (CSF) and blood—and identifies which PTMs track most closely with tangle burden.** The best-known tau PTMs are phosphorylations at its serine and threonine residues, namely S202/T205, T212/S214, T231, and S396/S404, which, for more than 30 years, have served as markers of tangle pathology in Alzheimer’s brains. More recently, immunoassays that can detect [tau phosphorylated at T181 and T217 in CSF and blood](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/uk-is-a-step-closer-to-blood-tests-for-diagnosing-dementia/) have given clinicians a way to identify early pathological changes before memory and thinking begin to lapse ([Jul 2020 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/plasma-p-tau217-set-transform-alzheimers-diagnostics); [Jul 2026 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/can-p-tau217-predict-alzheimers-symptoms-healthy-people)). Researchers are also investigating whether these biomarkers, alongside others, can determine a person’s stage of AD ([May 2026 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/staging-alzheimers-now-blood-tests)). But besides phosphorylation, tau also picks up a variety of other PTMs, including acetylation, ubiquitination, and methylation. In 2020, researchers led by **Judith Steen** at Boston Children’s Hospital published the first comprehensive map of tau PTMs in AD ([Dec 2020 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/mounting-modifications-move-tau-toward-aggregation-alzheimers-brain)). Using [mass spectrometry](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-opening-notes-dr-becky-carlyles-journey/), they analyzed insoluble fractions of postmortem cortical tissue from 49 cases and 42 controls. Altogether, they identified 95 distinct PTMs at 88 amino acid residues. Using hierarchical clustering, Steen and colleagues found that the samples fell into four distinct groups based on their combinations of tau PTMs ([Dec 2020 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/mounting-modifications-move-tau-toward-aggregation-alzheimers-brain)). The first consisted predominantly of asymptomatic controls with Braak stages 0–III, whose tau carried only a smattering of phosphorylations in the proline-rich region. The second included cases with advanced Braak stage tauopathy as well as controls, with tau bearing a broader array of phosphorylations extending into the C-terminal region. Within this second group, a subset also had ubiquitination within the microtubule-binding region (MTBR), and all of them had died with dementia. The remaining two groups comprised people with Braak stage V or VI pathology and dementia; their tau carried extensive phosphorylation, MTBR ubiquitination, acetylation. In London, Vanparys presented her work mapping the PTMs that glom onto both soluble and insoluble tau in people with different stages of Alzheimer’s pathology. To do so, she used mass spectrometry to analyze brain fractions from the hippocampi, inferior temporal gyri, and inferior frontal gyri of [16 brain donors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/faq/uk-brain-bank/). These regions become progressively affected as [tangles spread through the brain](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/tau/). Cases were classified according to the ABC neuropathological staging system, which integrates Thal amyloid phase, Braak neurofibrillary stage, and the CERAD neuritic plaque score. Five donors, who were around 90, none of whom had been diagnosed with AD, were classified as having low pathology. Seven, average age 93, had intermediate pathology; three had an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The remaining four, mean age 72, had high pathology, and all had been diagnosed with AD. In the insoluble fractions of these brains, Vanparys identified 48 individual tau PTMs, 41 of which differed between pathological stages. Between those with low and intermediate pathology, phosphorylation at T212, S214, T217, S235, S237, S238, S262, S400, T404, and S416 ramped up in at least one brain region; so did acetylation at K311 and K369, and ubiquitination at K267, K311, and K317. From intermediate to high pathology, tau got hit with a second wave of modifications, including phosphorylation at S113, T181, S184, S185, S191, S199, S202, T205, S356, S409, S412, and S413; acetylation at K317, K353, K375, and K385; and ubiquitination at K234, K240, K254, K274, and K281. On the flip side, phosphorylation at S305 and T386, acetylation at K343, and ubiquitination at K385 declined with advancing Alzheimer’s pathology. Though there were some differences in individual sites, the sequence largely mirrored the one originally proposed by Steen and colleagues, in which phosphorylation preceded acetylation and ubiquitination. In the soluble fraction, after immunoprecipitating tau, Vanparys identified 42 individual tau PTMs, only 22 of which varied from one pathological stage to another. As in the insoluble fraction, the biggest changes were in phosphorylation. From low to intermediate pathology, phosphorylation at T181, S202, T217, S235, S262, and S396 increased. From intermediate to high pathology, still more phosphorylations piled on at T153, S199, T212, T231, S237, S238, S400, S412, S416, and S422, while phosphorylation at S46 and S214 waned. Ubiquitination increased at just one site, K311. No changes in acetylation were detected on soluble tau, but methylation entered the picture. Methylation at K150, K258, and K267 dwindled as pathology advanced. These data, along with the full map showing where these changes occur in the tau protein (see below), were posted to bioRxiv on April 10. ![Schematic diagram comparing soluble and insoluble protein modifications across disease progression stages (low, intermediate, high). Shows phosphorylation (pink circles), methylation (orange), acetylation (green), and ubiquitination (blue) mapped to protein regions (N1–N2, R1–R4) with progression from 1 to 441, highlighting how modification patterns differ between soluble and insoluble forms.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/0728_Tau_PTM_1.jpg "0728_Tau_PTM_1")Modifications Map. Phosphorylation (pink) increased during both early and late stages on soluble and insoluble tau. In later stages, acetylation (green) and ubiquitination (blue) accumulated on insoluble tau, while methylation (yellow) on soluble tau gradually vanished. Larger circles indicate increases; smaller circles, decreases. \[Courtesy of Vanparys et al., 2026.\] Scientists are particularly interested in PTMs on soluble tau because these modifications can be detected in biofluids. To see if any soluble tau PTMs could serve as potential biomarkers, Vanparys correlated each with the total amount of tau in the insoluble fraction. Sure enough, all four methylation sites were inversely correlated with insoluble tau levels, whereas numerous phosphorylation sites were positively correlated. Among them, pS262 tracked insoluble tau most reliably, performing slightly better than the [more established biomarkers pT181 and pT217](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blood-test-could-improve-alzheimers-diagnosis-in-primary-care/) (image below). ![Scatter plot of Spearman rho values for multiple items. Negative correlations (teal points) cluster around -1 to -0.6 on the left, while positive correlations (pink to red points) rise from about 0.5 up to 1 on the right. A dashed line at 0 marks no correlation; x-axis lists item codes.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/0728_Tau_PTM_2-1.jpg "0728_Tau_PTM_2 1")PTMs and Aggregation? Correlations between individual soluble tau PTMs and insoluble tau burden. PTMs associated with higher levels of insoluble tau are shown on the right, while those associated with lower levels of insoluble tau are shown on the left. \[Courtesy of Vanparys et al., 2026). In Belgium, the team is now analyzing CSF samples from these 16 individuals to see whether their PTMs track disease pathology, Vanparys and Kienlen-Campard told Alzforum. Curiously, unlike p-tau217, pS262, which lies within the microtubule-binding region, was recently reported to decrease in the CSF of people with Alzheimer’s disease who have rapid cognitive decline ([Apr 2026 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/la-av42-p-tau262-falls-csf-alzheimers-disease-worsens)).—George Heaton **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alz Forum, Tau --- ### [Blog - From postdoc to lecturer, my first six months](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-from-postdoc-to-lecturer-my-first-six-months/) **Published:** September 15, 2022 **Author:** Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali **Excerpt:** Six months ago Kamar started a new position as lecturer in biomedical science in this blog, she shares her experience of the first six months of lectureship. **Content:** --- **In February 2022 I started a new academic position as a lecturer in biomedical science at [Teesside University](https://www.tees.ac.uk/). I was under no illusion that this would be a significant step up for me in terms of both the opportunities it would present, and the new challenges I would face. In this blog, I will be sharing my experience of the first six months of my lectureship.** Before I started my lectureship, I tried to prepare myself for the transition of reducing my time from 100% research (albeit with additional admin and teaching duties here and there), to around a third, with the rest of my time spent on teaching and admin. How would I keep up the momentum of my research when facing the challenges of shifting towards independence and taking on various responsibilities which were new to me? It’s worth noting that not every lectureship is the same and will vary depending on contract type, the subject you’re teaching, and the institution you work for. Kamar returns to this in the podcast [Fellowship vs Lectureship: Which Is Right for You?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/), comparing her workload with a colleague on a teaching and scholarship contract. What I am sharing here is my experience which might differ from others but will give you a flavour of the transition from postdoc to lecturer. My lectureship is in biomedical science which means I teach on various undergraduate and postgraduate courses related to biosciences. This involves lecturing, running lab classes, and supervising dissertation projects. Not long after I started, I was given lab classes to run at quite short notice. This typically wouldn’t be an issue, but for the last seven years I have dealt with chronic illness which is well-managed and hasn’t required any time off work except for GP and hospital appointments, and when I had surgery. It was just my luck that a number of these lab classes clashed with six doctor appointments I had scheduled over a two-week period, so I unfortunately had to turn some of this teaching down. Going forward, I now have my teaching schedule well in advance which helps with planning appointments. In addition to these lab classes, I was also given project students to supervise and was assigned tutees, which really encouraged me to get to grips with how things worked at Teesside so I could provide the best support for my students. Although I wasn’t given any lectures to deliver, there were a few other new lecturers who were. One thing we all agreed on was how it would have been helpful for us to have been given some kind of induction session which instructed us on how to do certain tasks which are essential to our jobs. For example, it is only through word of mouth that I know next semester when I deliver my lectures, I have to give them face-to-face, record them using a particular software, and upload them on to the university learning platform. Some new starters failed to do this because they were never told they had to. This is a problem I’ve encountered previously when moving between universities, where there is a certain expectation of ‘learning on the job’, or an over-reliance on current members of staff to share knowledge. There is also an expectation for new staff to ask for help if they don’t know something, but you can’t ask how to do something if you don’t know what that something is in the first place. I feel I’m now prepared for the next semester, but I worry there could be any number of things I will fail to do because I simply don’t know I’m meant to be doing them. Universities can make this easier for new staff by having an induction session which covers, for example, everything you need to know about delivering a lecture, running a lab class, keeping records of student meetings, which software/platform to use for particular tasks, and so on. One of the most important new things I have learnt in the last six months is the meaning of Workload. That’s Workload with a capital ‘W’ because it doesn’t just refer to job-related tasks, but it is the official term for the responsibilities you’ve been given which come with a set number of hours. It’s a way of ensuring balance between teaching, research, and admin. Now some people don’t like Workload because they feel the hours don’t reflect the actual amount of time certain tasks take. However, I like having a formal structure to how my time is balanced, and I’ve certainly found it helpful considering I have come from solely spending my time on research. My Workload particularly helps manage my expectations for how long new tasks should take. Since the last semester ended, my time has been focused on preparing my teaching and the modules I will be leading next year. I’ve also tried to use this time to push forward on my research, conscious that things will be busy when semester starts at the end of September. With grant deadlines fixed throughout the year, I don’t want to waste any opportunities to apply for funding. The transition to research independence has to be one of the most challenging aspects of being a new lecturer, but also the most rewarding. I’m enjoying the creativity and freedom to pursue my own research interests, whilst also maintaining strong collaborations with my previous labs. It’s both terrifying and thrilling, but I’m pleased to say my first project grant application as PI has just been internally approved by my department and will be submitted by the time you read this. I’m fully aware the odds are against me, and it is likely to be rejected, but I’ve learnt a lot from the process which will benefit my next application. So if I was to summarise these past six months in my new role I would say that I’ve been very lucky that I’ve been eased into teaching because it has given me space to settle in and figure out how everything works. It’s easy to lose the momentum of your research when you transition from postdoc to lecturer, so it’s important to maintain connections and a strong network and keep publishing papers you have sitting in your drafts. Try to get that first grant application out of the way but manage your expectations and try to see each step, no matter how small, as progress. --- ![Dr Kamar Ameen-Al Profile Picture. Kam has long straight black hair with a centre parting, she is stilling in a lab, wearing glasses and a blue jumper](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dr-Kamar-Ameen-Al.png "Dr Kamar Ameen-Al")Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali #### Author **[Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kamar-ameen-ali/)** is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University. In addition to teaching, Kamar is exploring how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Having first pursued a career as an NHS Psychologist, Kamar went back to University in Durham to look at rodent behavioural tasks to completed her PhD, and then worked as a regional Programme Manager for NC3Rs. [Follow @Kamar\_Ameen\_Ali](https://twitter.com/Kamar_Ameen_Ali?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Careers, Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Life as a Lecturer, Perpetual Postdoc, Teesside University **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Postdoc Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Am I Ready? Knowing When to Apply for Your First Research Fellowship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/) **Published:** April 20, 2026 **Author:** Dr Sam Moxon **Excerpt:** Dr Sam Moxon shares how to judge when to apply for your first research fellowship, from finding your question to proving independence and readiness. **Content:** --- **Every academic can probably tell you about their first fellowship application. For some, it will be a story of success. For others, it’s a story of disappointment. For all of them it will be a story with dashes of hope, stress and a sprinkle of self-doubt. The latter is because it can be really hard to tell if it is the right time to apply for your first fellowship. How are you supposed to know when the time is right? This was a question I asked myself constantly, especially when I applied for my first fellowship.** I fall into the camp of researchers who’s first application was unsuccessful. I was four years into my postdoc career and the opportunity arose to apply for a competitive, tenure-tracked, internally funded fellowship. I spent a long time putting together something that, to me, seemed absolutely watertight. I spoke with senior colleagues in the department, previous winners, took all the advice I could and landed on an idea that I felt had real merit. Looking back, however, I realised that my application probably failed because I didn’t meet the first criteria on today’s checklist. **![Number one](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1.png "1")Do you have a clear research question or direction?** When you do a PhD, it quickly becomes clear that it is a training programme. You are learning how to be a researcher. For the most part, your early days require a significant amount of guidance. As the project goes on you start to contribute more actively with ideas and potential branch points to the work. By the end of the project, you are probably a lot more independent than you were at the start but it’s rare to be in a position of really knowing with true conviction what **your** research specialty will be. This is what postdocs are for. Further opportunities to refine your research theme and ‘learn the trade’ so to speak. So how do you know when it’s time for that first fellowship? It’s when you can think of a question that is constantly tugging at your curiosity. Something you keep wondering and can’t get out of your mind. That is a clear indicator that you could be ready to carve out your own research path. **![Number two](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2.png "2")Are you ready to be independent and deliver on what you promise?** The second part of that is – what if you are successful? Now you have to actually do the thing you said you were going to do in your proposal. Do you have a clear idea of how you are going to go about this? What experiments you will run, what equipment you will need and what it could cost. A successful application isn’t just a CV bumper, it is a commitment to a piece of work. This doesn’t mean you need to have absolutely every detail set in stone. Part of the fellowship is to explore ideas and alternative ways of investigating them. You do, however, need a strong idea of how the work will be shaped practically. Would you give half a million quid to someone with an idea but no clue of how to explore it? Probably not. **![Number three](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/3.png "3")Do mentors think you are ready?** Another good barometer for your readiness is the reactions of those who know you and your work the best. **It can be hard for you personally to look at this with total objectivity**. Mentors, supervisors, senior colleagues etc. can approach your progress with far more objectivity and distance. Ask them and listen to their answers. If they are saying things like ‘that could be a great project’ or ‘you are more independent now’ or if you find yourself needing their guidance far less, you could be in the right place. Conversely, if mentors think you could benefit from building a little more experience or refining your research direction, take that on board. Their role is to support you in applying when the time is right. **![Number four](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/4.png "4")Do you have somewhere to do the work?** Back to the practical side now. Many fellowship applications are rejected because there isn’t a clear plan of where the work will be carried out. This is critical. Settling into a lab can take a few months. This is why most early career fellowships require you to have a host institution. Can you think of a department or lab (or even group) where your idea can be practically explored? It doesn’t matter how strong your proposal is. Without somewhere to work, someone to advise you and equipment to run your experiments, your application will fall apart. Your fellowship is a significant commitment for the host. If you find a lab or department is enthusiastic about hosting you, it’s a sign that you are proposing something that is exciting and doable. **![Number five](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/5.png "5")Are you eligible?** The last one is really obvious but so easily overlooked. Every fellowship has eligibility criteria and they can be surprisingly specific: career stage, years since your PhD, citizenship, research area, host institution, even the type of contract you hold. Before you get swept up in the excitement of your idea, make sure you are eligible. It is the worst way to fail after all of that hard work. It is also worth weighing a fellowship against the alternative route, which three researchers do in the podcast [Fellowship vs Lectureship: Which Is Right for You?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/). If you are saying yes to most of these questions you are probably more ready than you think. **Nobody ever feels 100% ready for that first application but readiness is about trajectory, not certainty**. You may already be standing at the threshold and all you need to do now is step forward. --- ![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Dr-Sam-Moxon.jpg "Dr Sam Moxon")Dr Sam Moxon #### Author **[Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-moxon/)** is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney. [Follow @DrSamMoxon](https://twitter.com/DrSamMoxon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Sam Moxon, Fellowship Application **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Postdoc Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Should you apply for a Lectureship?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-should-you-apply-for-a-lectureship/) **Published:** May 17, 2023 **Author:** Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali **Excerpt:** Transitioning from a postdoc to Lectureship: Lessons learned and advice for aspiring academics on obtaining a permanent position. By Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali. **Content:** --- **Last year, after a period of successive postdoctoral positions on temporary contracts, I obtained my first permanent academic position as a lecturer in biomedical science at Teesside University. Since starting my role, I have a better understanding of what lecturers actually do, and it’s a lot more than teaching and research. In this blog, I will be sharing what I wish I knew when I was applying for lectureships and asking whether you should be applying for one too.** When you approach the end of your PhD you face a crossroads; you either pursue a career in academia, or you move outside of academia usually into a position that allows you to utilise skills you have developed during your PhD. Even if you decide on a postdoc position, you face the same crossroads every time your contract ends if there is no funding to keep you in your current position. If you make the decision to pursue an [academic career](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/clinical-academics-career-framework/), there are a number of different routes you can follow to try and obtain what can often feel like a non-existent entity; that elusive permanent position, or tenure as it’s also known. For the rest of this blog, please keep in mind that my perspective is primarily from experience of academia in the UK, and systems are likely to vary slightly depending on country and region. One way to try and break free from the perpetual postdoc cycle is to obtain a fellowship. Kamar discusses this choice in more depth alongside Dr Warren Donnellan and Dr Sarah-Naomi James in the podcast [Fellowship vs Lectureship: Which Is Right for You?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/). These can be teaching or research based but can be just as competitive as obtaining a permanent position, and you don’t get the job security because they’re typically based on fixed-term contracts. However, they are excellent stepping stones towards a permanent position, giving you an opportunity to demonstrate independence, project leadership, and budget management, which will be appealing to a hiring committee. A fellowship should put you in a good position to get either a permanent research position (rare, but some research-intensive institutions do have them), or a permanent lectureship, which can either be fully teaching based, or teaching and research. To be clear, having a fellowship may in some instances be a prerequisite for a permanent research position, but it certainly isn’t for lectureships. If it was, we would have hardly any academics! So how do you know when in your career to apply for a lectureship? As I said earlier, when each successive postdoc contract comes to an end, you face a crossroads where you must ask yourself whether you want to apply for another postdoc position, a lectureship, or a position outside of academia. At this stage, applying for one of the fellowships I’ve just mentioned wouldn’t be an option unless you’re able to endure a period of unemployment whilst you wait months for the outcome. Fellowships are best applied for whilst you’re still in a [contract with the research support and financial security](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/beating-the-odds-to-secure-a-permanent-contract/) that brings. The requirement to balance fellowship applications whilst managing your contracted workload reflects how institutions and organisations perpetuate excessive work practices, whilst virtue signalling about healthy work-life balance and mental wellbeing. But that’s a discussion for another day. Facing that crossroads, if you’ve had one [postdoc position,](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/midday-lecture-webinar-catch-up-pursuing-a-postdoc-how-to-ensure-the-perfect-fit-for-your-post-phd-position/) or even two, you may want to consider another one, depending on whether or not you think it will advance your career. However, you might find yourself ready for the next stage, perhaps recognising the lack of progression a lateral move to another postdoc might bring. With fellowships not an option due to time constraints, this might be a good time to consider lectureships. ![People in a lecture theatre](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lecture.jpg "Lecture")At senior lecturer level, you’ll typically earn between £39,152 and £59,135, depending on the university and your experience. In the UK, there are some fixed-term temporary lectureships, often to cover teaching due to staff absence, for example. However, most lectureships are permanent positions. This is roughly equivalent to having tenure in places like the USA, although you do still have a probation period. When applying for lectureships it is important to be aware of the different terminology which is used to describe essentially the same thing. For example, some positions are advertised as “lecturer”, whilst others are advertised as “assistant professor”. As previously mentioned, lectureships will typically be advertised as being teaching based (as in there will be no research hours allocated into the workload) or teaching and research (where time is divided between these activities). This allows academics the flexibility to decide what type of lecturer they want to be, and what they want to focus on. With only a small amount of teaching experience, and a strong interest in my research area, I knew a teaching and research contract would be better suited for me. Being interviewed for a lectureship is not comparable to any other interview you may have had earlier in your career, such as for PhD or postdoc positions. In those [interviews you are generally questioned](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-big-list-of-academic-job-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them/) on your knowledge, research interests, and skills. The same applies when being interviewed for a lectureship except you might also have to put those things into the context of current issues in Higher Education to demonstrate your knowledge of structures and potential ongoing challenges. It is also beneficial to demonstrate understanding of the student body of that particular institution. For example, at my current institution there is a high proportion of local students, many who are balancing working and/or carer commitments alongside their studies. This is different to the university 30 miles up the road where I studied, and which has a high proportion of privately educated students (I wasn’t one of them). These things I was prepared for when applying for my lectureship, and my experience as a lecturer over the past 12 months has been a good one on balance. However, there are three key things in hindsight I wish I had known when applying for my lectureship, and they might be things you also want to consider when applying for yours. The first one is workload. This is an official system which allocates hours based on all the activities you are contracted to do, such as teaching, supervision, admin, marking, research and so on. I didn’t even know such a thing existed, and workload systems can be a point of contention in academia, with hours allocated for each task varying across institutions. It is important to ask questions about the workload system so you can determine whether or not you consider it reasonable. The second thing I wish I had known, or rather in hindsight wish I’d asked about, was the structure of the academic timetable. We have three-hour long classes which is longer than other places I have worked where classes have been 1-2 hours. This has been a particular challenge for me due to autoimmune disease-related chronic fatigue, so if you have health-related things which may need to be accommodated for, it’s important to ask. Finally, despite having research hours allocated into my contract I get no start up fund as a new academic. This means that I have no lab, no consumables, and no equipment in which to do my research, which had to effectively stop until I obtained a small grant. Other institutions offer new academics not just start up funds but also a research allocation cost which rolls over annually. It is important to ask how each institution approaches internal research funding, including for internally funded PhDs. New academics can only be competitive for external grants if they are initially supported by internal funds to get their research started and generate pilot data. Without this, [grant applications](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/faq/how-to-write-a-successful-grant-or-fellowship-application/) will continue to fail. My perspective is UK-centric and bioscience-focused. Other countries and areas of academia do vary, some for the better, some not. I was reluctant to apply for anything that involved teaching because I didn’t think I would be any good at it, but then I realised how much I valued job security, and my lectureship has given me that. Now, teaching is one of the favourite things I enjoy about my job. So if you want to pursue a career in academia and find yourself at a crossroads, consider applying for a lectureship. See if there is a Lecturship position for you in the [Dementia Researcher job listings](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/jobs/). --- ![Dr Kamar Ameen-Al Profile Picture. Kam has long straight black hair with a centre parting, she is stilling in a lab, wearing glasses and a blue jumper](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dr-Kamar-Ameen-Al.png "Dr Kamar Ameen-Al")Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali #### Author **[Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kamar-ameen-ali/)** is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University. In addition to teaching, Kamar is exploring how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Having first pursued a career as an NHS Psychologist, Kamar went back to University in Durham to look at rodent behavioural tasks to completed her PhD, and then worked as a regional Programme Manager for NC3Rs. [Follow @Kamar\_Ameen\_Ali](https://twitter.com/Kamar_Ameen_Ali?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Careers, Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Career, Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Job Applications, Lectureships, Teesside University **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Postdoc Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Profile - Dr Sarah-Naomi James, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-naomi-james-university-college-london/) **Published:** August 1, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sarah-Naomi James is a UCL neuroepidemiologist researching life-course influences on dementia risk, focusing on women’s health and prevention. **Content:** ![Dr Sarah-Naomi James Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Dr-Sarah-Naomi-James.png "Dr Sarah Naomi James")Dr Sarah-Naomi James ##### Name: Dr Sarah-Naomi James ##### Job title: Senior Research Fellow and [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/) Dementia Research Leader ##### Place of work / study: University College London ##### Area of Research: Risk and preventative factors of brain health; epidemiology; life course; women’s health; cognitive reserve; brain imaging; cohort studies; causal inference. ##### How is your work funded? Alzheimer’s Society (past: Alzheimer’s Research UK, MRC) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an neuroepidemiologist, my research interests centre on population approaches to understanding cognitive ageing and dementia risk across the life course. I am particularly interested in women’s health, cardiovascular health and health inequalities, using longitudinal cohort studies and causal inference methods to identify modifiable risk factors and opportunities for prevention. I have two young children and love music, reading and long walks. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I love to do public engagement work and have led lots of initiatives to share our work at festivals up and down the country, including creating a mini golf course, themed around life course influences on health. ##### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I have always been interested in how the brain works, but my interest became much more personal after seeing my relatives live with dementia. I was initially hesitant about getting involved in dementia research as I thought it may feel discouraging, with progress seeming difficult to achieve. However, I quickly came to see a different side of it – a field that that was supportive, collaborative, and hopeful. It is inspiring to see so many talented researchers working together to build momentum in our understanding of these diseases and drive progress towards new treatments. These inspiring research experiences, alongside my personal motivation, fuel my daily determination to contribute to advances in dementia research that will make meaningful differences for patients and their families. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Be authentic, stay curious and don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” Being open to new ideas, questions and collaborations often leads to the most rewarding opportunities. ##### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [The Classic Adventures of Paddington](https://amzn.to/45V1bYM) Bear (with my son!) ##### Favourite film of all time? The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. As a Welsh person, I may be slightly biased, but I’ve always loved its humour, sense of community and beautiful Welsh scenery. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Hanging out with my young children – they’re a constant reminder to see the world with curiosity, fun and enthusiasm. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To always keep trying, despite setbacks ##### Favourite vacation spot? Mountains and sea ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @Sarah\_naomi\_1](https://twitter.com/Sarah_naomi_1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ##### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dementia Prevention, Dr Sarah-Naomi James, Epidemiology, Neuroepidemiologist, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Data Analysis, Epidemiology, Public Health --- ### [Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Teesside University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kamar-ameen-ali/) **Published:** July 25, 2021 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Researching how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. **Content:** ![Dr Kamar Ameen-Al Profile Picture. Kam has long straight black hair with a centre parting, she is stilling in a lab, wearing glasses and a blue jumper](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dr-Kamar-Ameen-Al.png "Dr Kamar Ameen-Al")Dr Kamar Ameen-Al #### Name: Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali #### Job title: Lecturer in Biomedical Science #### Place of work / study: Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University #### Area of Research: How neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s disease) that lead to dementia. I use human post-mortem brain tissue to understand how microglial function is altered following traumatic brain injury, and whether these changes are associated with the neuropathological hallmarks we typically see in diseases that lead to dementia. #### How is your work funded? National Institutes of Health (NIH) #### Tell us a little about yourself: Outside of work I enjoy running and swimming long distances, and I aspire to write a novel one day. Although I have no idea what it will be about! #### Tell us about your career path. I completed my undergraduate degree in Applied Psychology followed by a Masters in Cognitive Neuroscience, both at Durham University. I then worked for the NHS in various roles across both community and inpatient [mental health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/faq/mental-health-foundation-podcast-series/) services. I went back to Durham University for my PhD, which involved refining rodent behavioural tasks which are used to assess recognition memory. It was during my PhD that I became interesting in understanding the processes of memory function, and what happens to these processes in dementia. After my PhD I took up a [postdoc position](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/midday-lecture-webinar-catch-up-pursuing-a-postdoc-how-to-ensure-the-perfect-fit-for-your-post-phd-position/) at the University of Sheffield where I worked with a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease to assess the time course of cognitive impairment and corresponding neuropathology. Through this work I became interested in the function of immune cells in the brain called microglia, and how their function is altered in Alzheimer’ disease. For my next role I decided to gain experience of academia from another perspective and worked as a regional programme manager for the research funder NC3Rs. I returned to research at Newcastle University, where I used human post-mortem brain tissue to investigate microglial function in post-stroke dementia. My interest in neuropathology, and particularly microglia, led to my current position at the University of Glasgow where I have been investigating how altered microglial function might contribute to the increased risk of developing dementia following traumatic brain injury. #### Do you have any advice for someone looking to embark on a career in dementia research? The career advice I always give my students is to follow what you’re interested in and you can’t go wrong. Dementia research is such a broad field so there are many different ways research can help us to understand more about the diseases which cause dementia, or enhance the lives of those living with dementia. I started with a degree in psychology and now work in neuropathology, so follow what you’re interested in even if it takes you down a different route. #### What are the best bits about being an ECR? I enjoy the varied nature of the role from working in the lab, writing, and data analysis, to going to conferences in exciting parts of the world. Having a wide array of tasks to engage in really keeps me motivated, as I think I would struggle with a repetitive workload. #### What do you see as the main challenges? The biggest challenge has to be the lack of job stability. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find posts that last longer than 24 months which for many people means having to move across the country, or even to other countries to find jobs. Many of us are not in one post long enough to build up the network and establish the foundations required to apply for fellowships. I have moved three times in the six years since completing my PhD, and I am now lucky enough to have a longish contract which will help me to advance my career. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have two guinea pigs: Phantom, who is very flamboyant, and Notorious, who is more laid back. Both have featured on TikTok. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I became interested in dementia during my PhD while I was researching mechanisms of memory function. Through trying to understand how our memory works, I also became interested in diseases which impair our memory from working as it should. #### What do you write about? I write about my experiences working in the NHS, for a research funder, and in academia. I also write about my area of research and give my perspective of what it is like working in a neuropathology lab. #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Follow @Kamar\_Ameen\_Ali](https://twitter.com/Kamar_Ameen_Ali?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @kamarameenali.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/kamarameenali.bsky.social) ### Kamar's most recent posts [ ![Podcast – Fellowship vs Lectureship: Which Is Right for You?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Fellowship-vs-Lectureship-Which-Is-Right-for-You-web-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/) ###### [Podcast – Fellowship vs Lectureship: Which Is Right for You?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/) [ 04/09/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-fellowship-vs-lectureship-which-is-right-for-you/) [![Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-150x150.png "Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter") Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/ecr-editor/) [ ![Blog – Supervision vs Mentorship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Supervision-vs-mentorship-blog-by-Dr-Kamar-Ameen-Ali-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-supervision-vs-mentorship/) ###### [Blog – Supervision vs Mentorship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-supervision-vs-mentorship/) [ 25/02/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-supervision-vs-mentorship/) [![Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/9-150x150.png "Dr Kamar Ameen-Al Profile Picture") Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/dr-kamar-ameen-ali/) [ ![Blog – Protecting your Intellectual Property](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Protecting-your-intellectual-property-blog-by-Dr-Kamar-Ameen-Ali-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-protecting-your-intellectual-property/) ###### [Blog – Protecting your Intellectual Property](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-protecting-your-intellectual-property/) [ 16/01/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-protecting-your-intellectual-property/) [![Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/9-150x150.png "Dr Kamar Ameen-Al Profile Picture") Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/dr-kamar-ameen-ali/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Neuroinflammation, Regular Contributor, Teesside University, University of Glasgow **Organisations for Bios:** Teesside University, University of Glasgow **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Warren Donnellan, University of Liverpool](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-warren-donnellan-university-of-liverpool/) **Published:** July 12, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Podcast enthusiast, cake baker and Senior Lecturer at University of Liverpool exploring Resilience, (un)paid caregiving, dementia. **Content:** ![Dr Warren Donnellan profile picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Dr-Warren-Donnellan.jpg "Dr Warren Donnellan")Dr Warren Donnellan #### **Name:** Dr Warren Donnellan #### **Job Title:** Senior Lecturer #### **Place of work / study:** University of Liverpool #### **Area of Research:** Resilience, [(un)paid caregiving](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-an-incoherent-blurb-from-an-unpaid-family-care-worker/), dementia #### How is your research funded: University of Liverpool #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m a keen meditator, runner, and reader. I’m also a podcast enthusiast. One of my favourite things to do is walk around my local park drinking coffee and occasionally stopping to feed the birds and squirrels. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I made the cake for my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia research? Seeing my Gran living with dementia and my Grandad looking after her. I remember being fascinated by the ‘hidden strength’ that people describe when they encounter adversity. I really wanted to explore this mysterious quality which I now know as resilience. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, know when to say no, and prioritise self-care and self-compassion. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I tend to have a few books on the go at once. Currently I’m reading: [Anxiety Rx](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55682556-anxiety-rx) by Russell Kennedy, [The Comfort Book](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55825273-the-comfort-book) by Matt Haig, and [When the Body Says No](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/450534.When_the_Body_Says_No) by Gabor Mate. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Meditation, reading and walking #### Favourite film of all time? Not sure. #### Can we find you on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn? [Follow @DrWizWaz](https://twitter.com/DrWizWaz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow Warren Donnellan on LinkedIn](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dr-warren-donnellan-b70aa74a) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dementia Care, Dr Warren Donnellan, University of Liverpool **Organisations for Bios:** University of Liverpool **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Professor Michele Hu, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-michele-hu-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** July 21, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Michele Hu studies biomarkers for early and prodromal Parkinson’s, focusing on sleep, brain imaging and wearable technology at Oxford. **Content:** ![Woman in a burgundy blazer smiling at the camera in an office or lab workspace behind her shelves and supplies.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Professor-Michele-Hu.jpg "Professor Michele Hu")Professor Michele Hu ##### Name: Professor Michele Hu ##### Job title: Professor of Clinical Neurosciences and Consultant Neurologist ##### Place of work/study: University of Oxford ##### Area of Research: [Biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-clinical-opportunity-for-blood-based-biomarkers/) for prodromal and early Parkinson’s ##### How is your work funded: Parkinson’s UK, Oxford BRC, Cure Parkinson’s Trust, MJFF grants ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a clinician neuroscientist working in the field of longitudinal cohort studies and biomarkers for early and prodromal Parkinson’s disease, with particular focus on REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and how sleep affects neurodegeneration. My interests include the delivery of tractable, low cost, wearable technology that has a real impact on patient’s daily lives, alongside imaging the human brain from prodromal to established Parkinson’s. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love gardening and hiking out doors. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Because of the impact dementia has on patients and their families ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Get a great mentor and champion. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Light Between Oceans](https://amzn.to/4ffBVlP) by ML Stedman- highly recommend ##### Favourite film of all time? American Fiction ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Running, playing piano, being outdoors and gardening ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To get married! ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Languedoc-Rouissilion, France ##### Do you collect anything? No, life is too short and you can’t take it with you ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Michele on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-hu-b32355149/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Biomarkers, Parkinson’s Disease, Professor Michele Hu, University of Oxford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Clinical --- ### [Profile - Nisha Ramjuttun, UK Dementia Research Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-nisha-ramjuttun-uk-dementia-research-institute/) **Published:** July 28, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Nisha Ramjuttun is a Research Assistant developing inclusive digital health technology to help people with dementia live independently for longer. **Content:** ![Portrait of a young woman with long dark wavy hair wearing a mustard yellow blouse, looking at the camera.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Nisha-Ramjuttun.jpg "Nisha Ramjuttun")Nisha Ramjuttun ##### Name: Nisha Ramjuttun ##### Job title: Research Assistant ##### Place of work/study: UKDRI, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust ##### Area of Research: [Digital Health Technology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-technology-dementia-pia/) and EDI/PPIE ##### How is your work funded: UK Dementia Research Institute ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a research assistant working on digital health technology for dementia, with the aim of supporting people with dementia to remain independent in their own homes for longer. Through this work, I have developed a strong interest in improving outcomes for people living with dementia. It has also made me aware that dementia is not a single experience; within this already under-represented community, some groups face additional barriers and inequalities. This includes people from Global Majority communities, LGBTQ+ communities, and others whose experiences of dementia may be shaped by cultural, social, or structural challenges. Recognising these differences has strengthened my interest in ensuring research and healthcare services are inclusive, equitable, and representative of the diverse populations they aim to serve. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have been a Bollywood dancer since the age of 6! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? We have a family business in Manchester for dementia and elderly care homes. I have worked with people living with dementia from a young age and believe they are misunderstood and overlooked in society, and I want to help them live with dignity and independence. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Always remember why you went into research in the first place! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [An ember in the ashes – Sabaa Tahir](https://amzn.to/4xc2TRw). It’s a fantasy series and it is great so far!! ##### Favourite film of all time? Om Shanti Om – Bollywood film ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Reading and dancing ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Not sure ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Mauritius ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Nisha on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nisha-r-490380207/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Nisha Ramjuttun, Patient and Public Involvement, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK Dementia Research Institute, UK Minder Project **Organisations for Bios:** NHS, UK Dementia Research Institute **Themes for Bios:** Technology --- ### [10 tips for image acquisition](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/quantifying-microscopy-images/) **Published:** December 21, 2017 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Not every image you capture on your microscope is suited for quantification, no matter how nice they may look - Anne Carpenter can help **Content:** **Not every image you capture on your microscope is suited for quantification, no matter how nice they may look so we’re looking at image acquisition. Even though you might not notice any problems by eye, the tips outlined here for acquiring and storing images can improve the quality of data derived from digital image analysis. These tips are a bit CellProfiler-centric but generally applicable to any quantification you might do.** --- **![Multicoloured MRI Image of brain scans](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Molecular-Neurodegeneration-460x460-300x300.jpg "Molecular-Neurodegeneration-460x460")1. Lossless file formats: please, no JPG!** - Some methods of file compression sacrifice [image quality](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-social-activities-are-key-to-a-good-quality-of-life/) (“lossy”) and should be avoided for automated image analysis if at all possible (e.g., JPG/JPEG). Other file compression formats retain exactly the original image information but in a smaller file (“lossless”) so they are perfectly acceptable for image analysis (e.g., PNG, TIFF, GIF). Uncompressed file formats are also fine for image analysis (e.g., BMP). [Wikipedia: Image file formats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_file_formats) can tell you more. - Already saved your images in a lossy format? Sorry, but there is no salvaging the loss of data; converting them to a lossless format now provides no benefit. **2. Proper exposure time: avoid saturation and lack of dynamic range** - Typically, you want to keep image acquisition conditions constant across an experiment. For example, don’t use automatic exposure times or change the lamp or filter settings part way through collecting a large image set if you aim to quantitatively compare signals across the set of images. - Be aware that microscope lamps often take time to warm up, so that a 1 second exposure is not guaranteed to yield the same response, depending on how long it has been since the lamp turned on, or how long it has been since the bulb was changed. LED light sources tend to be more consistent and are preferred. - Set the exposure time such that the resulting images use as much of the dynamic range of the camera as possible, but without saturating any images. Aiming for your image maximum to be ~50-75% of the dynamic range is a safe bet, allowing for some images in the set being brighter than average without becoming saturated. If you expect one sample in your experiment may be brighter than others (a positive control for example), you may want to use it to determine your exposure settings to decrease the likelihood of ending up with saturated images. Most microscope software allows you to see a histogram of pixel intensities – you want the histogram to fill most of the available pixel intensities (along the X-axis, usually: see Figure), but you do not want any pixels to reside at the highest intensity value of the camera – you do not want a spike at the right-hand side of the histogram. This awesome article will tell you more about dynamic range and image saturation: [Fluorescence microscopy – avoiding the pitfalls](https://jcs.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/120/10/1703) Claire M. Brown, J. Cell Sci. 120:1703-1705. *When viewing a typical test image’s histogram, the maximum pixel intensity should use ~50-75% of the range (left), leaving a bit of room if some of your samples or fields of view are brighter. You should NOT see any pixels piled up on the right, at the maximum of the range – the intensity of pixels there will not be accurately recorded* **3. Bit depth: Be sure your image file’s bit depth suits the camera’s pixel intensity range** - Bit depth describes the number of data bits available to represent the intensity value of a single pixel. It is also known as bits per pixel (bpp). In other words, a file format’s bit depth tells you the number of separate grayscale intensity values (graylevels) that are allowable by the file format: - 8-bit images have 2^8 available pixel intensities, with a range of 0-255 - 12-bit images have 2^12 available pixel intensities, with a range of 0-4095 - 16-bit images have 2^16 available pixel intensities, with a range of 0-65535 - Many microscope cameras capture 8-bit images and store them in an 8-bit file format. All image-viewing software can display 8-bit images. - However, many microscope cameras capture 12-bit images, which contain finer detail (in terms of graylevels) than 8-bit images. 12-bit file formats are rare and incompatible with most software, so the two options are usually to save the image in a 16-bit format or an 8-bit format. - Saving 12-bit image data in a 16-bit file format is generally preferred because it has the advantage of not losing any fine detail in your image data. However, it can be inconvenient because most image-viewing software on your computer will display such images as very dark (or they might fail to recognize or open 16-bit format at all). Don’t worry: all the information in the image is actually there! You will just need to choose particular software to view the images instead of your operating system’s default viewer (FIJI/ImageJ is a great choice for this). Alternately, you can contrast-stretch the images (just for viewing purposes! Do not save them after doing so). - Saving 12-bit image data in an 8-bit format causes some of the fine detail in the image data to be lost and is thus usually unsuitable for quantifying experiments requiring sensitivity. However, it does allow you to readily open the images in all image-viewing applications. - By default, for viewing, CellProfiler contrast-stretches images (switching the “Normalized” dropdown menu of an image to “Raw” will show you the raw images instead). This is because the 12-bit saved in 16-bit situation is so common; plus, if you’ve followed the rule of only using ~50% of the dynamic range (see tip #2!) your images will appear a bit dark if presented raw. But do not worry! CellProfiler analysis uses the actual intensity values, not the stretched ones. For image analysis of 12-bit images stored in a 16-bit image file format, use the Rescale Intensity module according to the instructions in its help. **4. Grayscale vs. color images: save whatever you like!** - Most microscope cameras capture [grayscale images](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grayscale). First, a definition: grayscale images have many shades of gray. Although in plain English we often call such images “black-and-white” images, that term can be confusing so you might like to avoid it. Here is why: in the context of image analysis, there is a thing called binary images that literally have only two colors: black and white (represented as pixels with values 0 and 1 respectively). - Typically microscopes image each channel (wavelength) as a separate grayscale image, although sometimes the software combines channels to create a pseudo-colored image (for example, displaying three channels as “RGB”: red, green, blue). - Save your images however you like! CellProfiler has modules (Gray To Color, and Color To Gray) that can combine and separate the individual channels as needed for an analysis, so you need not manipulate your images to combine or separate channels before running a CellProfiler image analysis pipeline. You can also use the Align module if the separate channels of an image do not align well with each other. (Note: this only applies to experiments with 3 channels or fewer. If you have more than 3 channels, you should save each channel separately!) - But please, do not save images with scale bars (rulers) or other annotations on top if you intend to quantify the images. **5. Magnification/resolution/binning: make good choices** - In general, choosing a higher-magnification lens produces higher-resolution images that yield better-quality image analysis results. However, choosing a lower-magnification lens offers a larger field of view so that you can image more cells per image, which can improve the statistical robustness of your results. You should balance these competing demands to suit your biological assay system. - Binning is an important setting on the microscope’s camera that can impact image analysis. Binning essentially decreases the resolution of the images but increases the signal to noise ratio and speed of image acquisition. It does this by combining light from several nearby pixels (often 2×2 = 4) into a single pixel. Binning therefore can be helpful if you have dim samples, but you may want to avoid it if the objects you care about are very small (only a few pixels across) since you could lose important information about their size and shape. **6. Illumination/background variation: correct if you can** - Although illumination sources that use fiber optics are more spatially consistent than lamps, images from both can nonetheless be subject to uneven illumination (e.g. more bright in the middle and darker towards the edges, known as vignetting). - Many microscopes have an option to correct for uneven illumination in the field of view by a method called white-referencing (or white-shading, or background correction). In brief, an image of a “blank” field of view is collected at the time of the experiment (no biological sample is present, but instead, ideally, a uniformly fluorescent sample using the same dyes as in the assay). You would hope that such an image would have precisely the same intensity values across the entire field of view, but often there is a spatial pattern. To correct each image of biological samples in the experiment, the pattern seen in this white-referencing image is subtracted from each image. This is described as a priori illumination correction in this [tutorial on the ImageJ website](https://imagejdocu.tudor.lu/doku.php?id=howto:working:how_to_correct_background_illumination_in_brightfield_microscopy). - Even if you carry out white-referencing, illumination correction may still be necessary – particularly if you are doing a large-scale experiment where precise quantification is needed. CellProfiler has many retrospective methods of illumination correction for this purpose. See the help for the Correct Illumination Calculate module for more information, as well as our paper on the topic. - Molecular Probes/Invitrogen sells a 96-well microplate coated with fluorescent beads ([TetraSpeck Beads](https://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/References/Molecular-Probes-The-Handbook/Tools-for-Fluorescence-Applications-Including-Reference-Standards-and-Optical-Filters/Fluorescence-Microscopy-Reference-Standards-and-Antifade-Reagents.html#head2)) for spot QC checks and to check the x and y registration of different wavelengths. **7. Plate types for imaging** - If you are doing a high-throughput experiment in a multi-well plate, be sure the plates are compatible with microscopy per the vendor. - For fluorescence microscopy, black plates are typically used. Clear plates can cause problems with laser focusing mechanisms of the microscope (per Meg Bliss-Moreau at Broad’s screening facility). - Here are some plates we commonly use at Broad: ProductBottom ThicknessVendor Order NumberFisher Order Number[Corning 384-Well Clear Bottom Black or White Polystyrene microplastics](https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/corning-384-well-tc-treated-polystyrene-microplates-white-clear-bottom/07200650)0.64371207-200-650[Corning CellBIND™ 384 Well Flat Clear Bottom Polystyrene microplastics, with lid, sterile, 10/bag](https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/cellbind-384-well-flat-clear-bottom-polystyrene-microplates-lid-sterile-2/07201015#)0.64368307-201-015[Corning™ 96-Well Clear Bottom Black or White Polystyrene microplastics](https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/costar-96-well-black-white-clear-bottom-plates-7/07200565)–360307-200-565**8. Brightfield/histology images** - While for most fluorescence markers the amount of fluorescence is linearly related to the amount of material present, this is not true for absorbance-based stains such as hemotoxin/eosin (H&E). Whenever possible, avoid absorbance-based stains and use fluorescence markers instead, if you aim to quantify the amount of stain present. It may be possible to obtain accurate metrics such as cell counts, though. - Sometimes “defocusing” (taking images a few microns up or down from the ideal focal plane) in brightfield enables better identification of cells. For details, see Naoghare, Kim & Song, Anal. Chem. 80(14):5407-17, [Uniform threshold intensity distribution-based quantitative multivariate imaging cytometry](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=18512945). - In fact, it is possible to collect a z-stack of brightfield images and by measuring the intensity variations of this stack across the z-dimension, create an improved-contrast image that is easier to segment using classical image processing techniques. Learn more about this Ilya Shmulevich lab tip in their 2009 [PLOS ONE paper](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0007497). - Many high-throughput microscopes are fluorescence-only and lack brightfield capability. To image H & E and other types of histology stains using a fluorescence microscope, see Weber & Menko, Biotechniques 38:52-56, [Color image acquisition using a monochrome camera and standard fluorescence filter cubes](https://www.biotechniques.com/default.asp?page=article_archive&subsection=article_display&year=2005&issue=1/1/2005&display=full&id=11200511) **9. Selection of stains** - A nice interactive graph and table giving the properties of many of the fluorescent proteins currently available is [here](https://nic.ucsf.edu/FPvisualization/) (developed and maintained by UCSF) - Carolina Wahlby of Uppsala University reports that when staining for DNA, using red wavelength dyes (e.g., PI) is really helpful for 3D analysis vs. blue wavelength dyes (e.g., DAPI) possibly because of tissue penetration; red light is not scattered as much as blue/UV, leading to better data quality for z-slizes deep in the sample.\* - For information on quantum dots for fluorescence staining, see this [article](https://intranet.broadinstitute.org/imaging/privatewiki/images/0/05/ReschGenger.pdf) by Resch-Genger. **10. Live cell imaging** - For a review article on the practical aspects of live cell imaging, see [Live-cell microscopy – tips and tools — Frigault et al. 122, 753-767 (2009)](https://intranet.broadinstitute.org/imaging/privatewiki/images/2/20/Frigault_JCS_2009.pdf) as well as the live cell imaging [page](https://www.microscopyu.com/articles/livecellimaging/) at Microscopy U. Happy quantifying. Please share any other tips you recommend! #### Further resources - For more on proper image acquisition and improper image manipulation, see two great articles by Helen Pearson: - CSI: cell biology, [Nature 434:952-953](https://intranet.broadinstitute.org/imaging/privatewiki/images/d/d6/Pearson_Nature_2005.pdf) - The good, the bad and the ugly, [Nature 447:138-140](https://intranet.broadinstitute.org/imaging/privatewiki/images/a/a1/PearsonNature2007.pdf) - [Olympus](https://www.olympusmicro.com/) and [Nikon](https://www.microscopyu.com/) offer helpful educational websites. \*Editor’s note: This line has been updated. **Categories:** Partner Blogs, Top tips **Tags:** Anne Carpenter, Neuroimaging --- ### [Profile - Dr Marcella Montagnese, University of Cambridge](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-marcella-montagnese-university-of-cambridge/) **Published:** June 19, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Marcella Montagnese develops AI neuroimaging tools at Cambridge to map brain ageing and detect changes linked to cognitive decline and dementia earlier. **Content:** ![Dr Marcella Montagnese Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Marcella-Montagnese.jpg "Dr Marcella Montagnese")Dr Marcella Montagnese ##### Name: Dr Marcella Montagnese ##### Job title: Research Fellow in Neuroinformatics ##### Place of work / study: University of Cambridge and Christ’s College Cambridge ##### Area of Research: I develop computational and AI methods for [neuroimaging](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/neuroimaging-toolkit/) to map how the brain changes with age, with the goal of detecting the structural changes that signal cognitive decline and dementia earlier. ##### How is your work funded: My research is funded by the Alzheimer’s Society and by a Wellcome Early Career Award. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a Research Fellow in Biological and Medical Sciences at Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, a Senior Research Fellow in Neuroinformatics at the Department of Psychology, and an affiliate of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences. My primary research involves analysing neuroimaging and clinical data from cohorts around the globe, as well as from NHS trusts across the UK, with a particular focus on brain ageing and neurodegeneration. I use artificial intelligence (AI) and normative models (BrainCharts; Bethlehem et al., Nature, 2022) to develop individualised tools for patient stratification and prognostication. I also apply cutting-edge AI techniques to complex healthcare challenges, such as implementing federated learning within the NHS. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: When I’m not looking at brains on a screen, I’m an avid photographer and cinephile – and I never miss a chance to say hello to a dog. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Dementia is one of the defining health challenges of our time, and yet so much of what we know comes from group averages that don’t translate to the person in the clinic. I wanted to work on closing that gap – building tools that turn population-scale data into something useful for a single patient. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Surround yourself with mentors and collaborators who support you as a person, not just as a researcher. That’s what actually sustains a career. And hold onto both your scepticism and your curiosity: never stop being genuinely curious about why things work the way they do. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m re-reading [When Breath Becomes Air](https://amzn.to/3R1u81x) by Paul Kalanithi – and yes, I’d recommend it to anyone. It’s a neurosurgeon’s memoir written as he faced his own terminal diagnosis, and it’s quietly devastating in the best way. Worth every reread. ##### Favourite film of all time? This is a tough one. At the moment, probably “2001: A Space Odyssey”. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Photography walks with no particular destination, a good film, and matcha somewhere quiet. Bonus points if there’s a dog to befriend along the way. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Not sure ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Anywhere ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [@mmontagnese.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/mmontagnese.bsky.social) [Follow @m\_montagnese](https://x.com/m_montagnese?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Marcella on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcella-montagnese/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Artificial Intelligence, computational modelling, Dr Marcella Montagnese, Neuroimaging, University of Cambridge **Organisations for Bios:** University of Cambridge **Themes for Bios:** Computational Biology, Imaging, Technology --- ### [Profile - Brandon Newman, Graphnet Health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-brandon-newman/) **Published:** June 23, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Brandon Newman is a paramedic and Clinical Workflow Lead at Graphnet Health, bringing frontline experience to improve elderly care and support families. **Content:** ![Brandon Newman Prrofile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Brandon-Newman.jpg "Brandon Newman")Brandon Newman ##### Name: Brandon Newman ##### Job title: Paramedic and Clinical Workflow Lead ##### Place of work/study: Graphnet Health ##### Area of Research: Paramedic and [elderly care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-a-career-from-nursing-to-research/) ##### How is your work funded: Graphnet Health ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I joined Graphnet after 16 years serving as a paramedic, a profession I am immensely proud of. With the support of the company, I remain operational on the frontline to this day. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? It’s a privilege to be able to walk into a stranger’s life and be trusted to look after their loved one, whether it be a child, parent, partner or friend, with the aim to get them through this traumatic time. I am very proud to say that I have made a real difference, and families still have their loved ones because of the decisions taken at the time. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @NWAmb\_Brandon](https://x.com/NWAmb_Brandon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Brandon Newman, Graphnet Health **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Joseph Kwon, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-joseph-kwon-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** June 24, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Joseph Kwon is an Oxford health economist evaluating dementia interventions and blood biomarkers to improve Alzheimer’s diagnosis and care. **Content:** ![Dr Joseph Kwon Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Joseph-Kwon.jpg "Dr Joseph Kwon")Dr Joseph Kwon ##### Name: Dr Joseph Kwon ##### Job title: Senior Researcher in Health Economics ##### Place of work / study: Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford ##### Area of Research: I am a health economist who specialises in dementia research by evaluating the cost-effectiveness of dementia interventions. I am particularly interested in novel blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease and how they may improve dementia diagnosis. ##### How is your work funded: From September 2026, my research is fully funded by [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/) through its postdoctoral fellowship. Prior to this, my dementia research was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration (NIHR ARC) and Alzheimer’s Society. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m originally from South Korea and came to the UK when I was 10 years old. I was schooled in Sussex and London, then did my undergraduate degree in Economics at University of Cambridge. Like a lot of Economics students, I wanted to go into finance or consulting, but I changed my mind while doing my mandatory military service in Korea. I got very interested in healthcare system financing and decided to train as a health economist. I did that through a Master’s at University of York and a Wellcome Trust-funded PhD at University of Sheffield. My PhD topic was in frailty and falls prevention, and that’s when I came to appreciate the scale of challenge presented by dementia. After my PhD, I was fortunate to enter dementia research through NIHR ARC Dementia Research Fellowship, co-funded by Alzheimer’s Society. I’m currently completing my secondment at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as part of the Mental Health Mission. I also hold a Master’s in Theology from University of Oxford, where I focused on the ethics of healthcare allocation; in one essay, I argued against bioethicists who deny that people with severe cognitive impairment are full human persons. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I know how to drive a tank (my job during military service) but still don’t know how to drive a car! I also had to learn how to cut fruit into interesting shapes for the military commander I served as assistant (as his post-nap snack) – but was pretty terrible at it…. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I decided to become a health economist to help support a compassionate health and social care system that makes the most of its finite resources to address important needs. Dementia is one of the most significant needs such a system faces, and that’s why I’m excited to tackle it head-on! I really believe that the effort we make to improve the lives of persons affected by dementia says much about our society – about how humane it is. And I’d like to contribute to that effort. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? All the effort that goes into failed grant and fellowship applications is never wasted – the ideas and networks built are ingredients for that successful bid around the corner. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Karamazov Brothers](https://amzn.to/4evig0U) by Fyodor Dostoevsky – it’s gripping right from the start ##### Favourite film of all time? Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Rises ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Observing trains with my toddler son, who is a big fan of trains. Hiking in the Peak District and in Palgong Mountain in Korea. Going for a morning jog. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Taking two years out after my undergraduate degree to do my mandatory military service gave me really vital time to think about life and what I want to do. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Castleton in Peak District; Palgong mountain in Korea. Peppa Pig World is currently really great too. ##### Do you collect anything? Not particularly. I used to buy quite a lot of books on all sorts of topics but don’t have much time to read nowadays. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Joseph on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-kwon-5a0a2837/?skipRedirect=true) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Joseph Kwon, Health Economics, University of Oxford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Cambridge **Themes for Bios:** Computational Biology, Imaging, Technology --- ### [Profile - Dr Patrick Lao, Columbia University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-patrick-lao-columbia-university/) **Published:** June 26, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Patrick Lao is Assistant Professor at Columbia University, using multimodal neuroimaging to map Alzheimer’s and related dementia pathways. **Content:** ![Dr Patrick Lao Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Patrick-Lao.jpg "Dr Patrick Lao")Dr Patrick Lao ##### Name: Dr Patrick Lao ##### Job title: Assistant Professor ##### Place of work/study: Columbia University ##### Area of Research: Multimodal [neuroimaging](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/relay-podcast-neuroimaging-pia/) in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias ##### How is your work funded: National Institute on Ageing ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I received my PhD in Medical Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed my postdoctoral training in the Division of Cognitive Neuroscience at Columbia University. My work incorporates inflammatory and vascular pathways with amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration. By studying Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, we can discover common or unique pathways that can be targeted with generalizable or personalised therapeutic approaches. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My best ideas come to me on my commute to work ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I started working in neuroimaging methodology, which I applied in studies of dementia. It was fascinating to use these emerging techniques to map the spatial and temporal progression of brain changes along with clinical presentations. Building our basic understanding of the disease course can ultimately lead to prevention strategies for a condition that impacts so many people. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Use your network, meet with your mentors, troubleshoot with your colleagues. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Patrick on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lao/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Columbia University, Dr Patrick Lao, ISTAART, Neuroimaging **Organisations for Bios:** Columbia University **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Imaging --- ### [Profile - Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan, Karolinska Institutet](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sindhuja-t-govindarajan-karolinska-institutet/) **Published:** June 26, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan uses neuroimaging and machine learning to study cardiovascular risk, brain ageing and dementia. **Content:** ![Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Sindhuja-Tirumalai-Govindarajan.jpg "Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan")Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan ##### Name: Dr Sindhuja T Govindarajan ##### Job title: Assistant Professor ##### Place of work / study: University of Pennsylvania / Karolinska Institutet ##### Area of Research: Neuroimaging; Cardiovascular risk factors to accelerated aging and dementia ##### How is your work funded: National Institute on Aging; Alzheimer’s Association ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellow and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, where I develop machine learning methods to analyse brain images and detect early signs of neurodegeneration, with a particular focus on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. In Autumn 2026, I will take up a new position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet. There, my work will use population data, ultra-high-field 7 Tesla MRI, and advanced neuroimaging techniques to study neurodegeneration. Beyond my research, I am a dedicated mentor and advocate for underrepresented early-career researchers. I am the outgoing Chair of the Professional Interest Area for Elevating Early Career Researchers, [PEERs PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-istaart-pia-to-elevate-early-career-researchers/), within ISTAART, and I also serve the broader scientific community as Program Committee Chair and proceedings editor for the Machine Learning in Clinical Neuroimaging, MLCN, workshop at MICCAI. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am currently preparing for a massive transatlantic move from the US to Sweden. This means my current ‘hobby’ involves playing a high-stakes, real-life game of Tetris trying to fit my life into a specific number of suitcases (and trying to figure out how early is too early to start buying heavier winter coats). ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? We are living longer than ever before, and we’ve made such incredible medical advances against so many other diseases. But when it comes to the brain, it feels like we are always playing catch-up. That is exactly what drew me to dementia research. We know the brain begins changing decades before symptoms appear. The idea that we can use machine learning to catch those incredibly subtle, early whispers of neurodegeneration and give people a chance to intervene through modifiable risk factors is incredibly motivating. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t isolate yourself in your specific sub-field or lab. Science is inherently collaborative, but as an early-career researcher, it’s easy to get tunnel vision. Without exposure to diverse perspectives, it is incredibly easy to get swept up in that momentum and funneled down a research path or lifestyle that doesn’t actually work for you. Build a community early on – whether that’s joining international interest groups, finding peer mentors, or just talking to people outside your domain. Your peers are the ones who will celebrate your breakthroughs, normalize the rejections, and eventually become your collaborators. Finding your community can make the academic journey more sustainable. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Nothing right now ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Getting out in the nature with friends and family; Sunday brunch; Watercoloring; Reading, or more recently listening to audiobooks. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? The best decision I’ve ever made was refusing to isolate myself when things got tough. Instead of giving up when I felt cornered, I chose to reach out to my friends and community to help find a way forward. Every single time I’ve leaned on my network during a challenging pivot, I’ve come out the other side stronger, wiser, and better for it. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? The best vacation spot is wherever matches your exact state of mind. For me, it’s about the experience rather than a specific destination: somewhere that brings you absolute peace when you need to recharge, but serves up pure excitement when you’re in the mood for an adventure. ##### Do you collect anything? Coins from different parts of the world; Good notebooks and pens. ##### Can we find you on social media? [@sindhujatg.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/sindhujatg.bsky.social) [Find Sindhuja on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sindhuja-tg/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan, Karolinska Institutet, Neuroimaging, University of Pennsylvania **Organisations for Bios:** Karolinska Institutet **Themes for Bios:** Imaging --- ### [Profile - Dr Sam Lockhart, Wake Forest School of Medicine](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-lockhart-wake-forest-school-of-medicine/) **Published:** June 29, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sam Lockhart is a neuroscientist and neuroimaging expert advancing brain imaging biomarkers in ageing, dementia and CNS clinical trials. **Content:** ![Dr Sam Lockhart Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Sam-Lockhart.jpg "Dr Sam Lockhart")Dr Sam Lockhart ##### Name: Dr Sam Lockhart ##### Job title: Senior Scientific Director (Perceptive); Adjunct Associate Professor (Wake Forest School of Medicine) ##### Place of work / study: Perceptive / Wake Forest School of Medicine ##### Area of Research: Neuroscientist with 20+ years’ experience investigating brain health using imaging, cognitive, and biomarker data. Have led imaging biomarker efforts in NIH ADRCs and both academic and industry clinical trials, have 90+ publications in aging and neurodegenerative disease, and am Programs Chair of the ISTAART Neuroimaging PIA. At Perceptive, I drive scientific strategy for imaging biomarkers in CNS clinical trials. ##### How is your work funded: Primarily work at an Imaging CRO running the (neuro)imaging aspects of sponsored clinical trials funded by pharma/biotech. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: Neuroscientist and neuroimager who spent a long time in academia at the imaging cores of NIH-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers before moving to industry to help run neuroimaging in clinical trials of CNS therapeutics. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Once fell off a bike and had to get stiches and thought to myself of the hospital I was in – I want to get a job here. A few months later, was hired as a clinical research coordinator in neurology clinical trials, which led me down the path I’ve taken to get involved in neurotherapeutics trials with brain imaging. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? First, I saw brain health as the “moonshot” of our time — something critically important that many people needed to dedicate much effort to in order for the benefit to society to happen. Also, I was fascinated by the ability of imaging tools to look under the hood at the “cognitive engine” to help us understand what might be working and not working in the brain. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Be proactive: build your network and advocate for your work; visibility drives opportunity. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Oh let’s be honest, I rarely read on my own outside the whole-lot I read at work. I do enjoy a podcast here and there during a school carpool or dog walk: [The Lonely Island & Seth Meyers podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/2jKBZHnSn6wLezZjggpKHy), [The West Wing Weekly](http://thewestwingweekly.com/), and science and industry update podcasts ([Biospace](https://www.biospace.com/podcasts), [Dementia Matters](https://adrc.wisc.edu/dementia-matters), [Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-life-as-a-researcher-with-adhd/), [The Top Line](https://open.spotify.com/show/1rzqIp4I75kiIEbRIkC52e) are among my recent downloads). ##### Favourite film of all time? I am known for saying after family dinner at the end of a long weekend: “So which Star Wars movie are we watching tonight?” ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Dog walks, playing catch with kids, playing guitar while my spouse plays violin ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Honestly, deciding to take a break from science after college to see if I wanted to get back to it. That’s how I moved to the random job where I met my future spouse, and set me on the course to (see above) fall off my bike and get into neuroimaging research! ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Every summer we spend a few weeks or more at the family’s house in Upstate NY near one of the Finger Lakes. But only between June and August! ##### Do you collect anything? Baseball hats. I probably have a hundred or more. Major leagues, minor leagues, senior citizen leagues, teams that haven’t existed for years. ##### Can we find you on social media? [@snlockhart.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/snlockhart.bsky.social) [Find Sam on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-lockhart/) [Follow @lockhartbrains](https://x.com/lockhartbrains?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Sam Lockhart, Neuroimaging, Neuroimaging PIA, Perceptive, Wake Forest School of Medicine **Organisations for Bios:** Industry, Wake Forest School of Medicine **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Imaging --- ### [Profile - Favour Edward, University of Ibadan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-edward-favour-university-of-ibadan/) **Published:** July 6, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Edward Favour is a medical student at the University of Ibadan researching tPBM and Alzheimer’s disease, with a focus on neurodegeneration and neuropathology. **Content:** ![Edward Favour Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Edward-Favour.jpg "Edward Favour")Edward Favour ##### Name: Favour Edward ##### Job title: Medical Student ##### Place of work / study: University of Ibadan ##### Area of Research: My primary research interest lies in neuroscience and neurodegeneration. My current work evaluates how Transcranial Photobiomodulation affects neuropathological [biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-we-use-biomarkers-in-dementia-trials/) in Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease ##### How is your work funded: My current project is an independent, unfunded systematic review supported through university infrastructure and database access. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: ​I am a third-year medical student and FATE Scholar at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, with a goal of becoming a neuropathologist. My academic journey is driven by a fascination with neurodegenerative diseases and policy change. I am an active member of several collaborative research programs and currently have a co-authored manuscript on neuroplasticity under review. Additionally, I serve as the Principal Investigator for a student-led systematic review investigating the impact of Transcranial Photobiomodulation (tPBM) on neuropathological biomarkers in Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Beyond medicine, I am an Aspire Leaders Program alumnus and enjoy exploring the intersection of technology and healthcare. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: To survive medical school, I invented an elaborate study method called the ‘Pulse Study Technique’ that even incorporated a rhythmic breathing style for reading. The best part is, I stopped using it after a day. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Dementia represents one of the most pressing global healthcare challenges, which is exactly why I chose to work in this field. By focusing my early research on Alzheimer’s disease, I hope to uncover how neurodegenerative conditions alter the brain and advocate for both innovative treatments and the broader policy changes needed to support those affected. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Since I am very much an early career researcher myself, the best advice I can give to my peers is to not be intimidated by the fact that you are still learning. Pitch your ideas, reach out to mentors, you will figure the rest out as you go. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading [The Believer’s Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin](https://amzn.to/4f5YY0P). It’s been a great way to stay spiritually grounded outside of medicine, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to deepen their faith and broaden their personal perspective. ##### Favourite film of all time? If I had to pick just one, I would definitely go with Sherlock Holmes. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? ​I usually unwind by journaling, working on some non-fiction writing, or watching a great movie. Whenever I have enough free time, I always try to squeeze in a game of lawn tennis. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Deciding to dive into the research field early in my medical training. It transformed how I view medicine, from studying diseases to active contribution. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? In my room, watching a movie. ##### Do you collect anything? Strictly speaking, no. Unless you count lecture notes and flashcards. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @Faved000](https://x.com/Faved000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@edwardfavour.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/edwardfavour.bsky.social) [Find Edward on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-favour/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Edward Favour, Favour Edward, University of Ibadan **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Professor Frank Gunn-Moore, University of St Andrews](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-frank-gunn-moore-university-of-st-andrews/) **Published:** July 6, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Frank Gunn-Moore is Professor of Molecular Neurobiology at the University of St Andrews, researching Alzheimer’s disease and neuronal survival. **Content:** ![Professor Frank Gunn-Moore Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Professor-Frank-Gunn-Moore.jpg "Professor Frank Gunn-Moore")Professor Frank Gunn-Moore ##### Name: Professor Frank Gunn-Moore ##### Job title: Professor of Molecular Neurobiology ##### Place of work / study: University of St Andrews ##### Area of Research: I am known as a molecular neurobiologist who studies the cellular and biochemical development and survival of the mammalian nervous system. My approach to achieve this has been one of combining all three science disciplines. ##### How is your work funded: Research Councils and Charities ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am known as a molecular neurobiologist who studies the cellular and biochemical development and survival of the mammalian nervous system. My approach to achieve this has been one of combining all three science disciplines. My group has made major discoveries in understanding the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, where we have pioneered new models (including the discovery that cetaceans have similar pathology) and identified potential therapeutic targets for the early stages of this disease (filed patents). Using both molecular and novel biophysical techniques, we have also discovered novel [signalling pathways](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-neuroinflammation-drug-discovery-in-stem-cell-derived-microglia/) (including the gene Willin/FRMD6) that are involved in the growth and development of mammalian neurons, but also are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer and dementia. In addition, to overcome inherent problems with the manipulation of cells of the nervous system, in collaboration with Physicists, we helped to develop novel technology that allows the controlled poration of cell-impermeant biological material into any required cell type; the controlled growth and sorting of cells by use of light; and the development of novel imaging technologies (licensed patents). My current projects are centred on developing a new concept of how Willin/FRMD6 and the hippo signalling pathway are involved in the pathogenesis in neurodegenerative diseases, but also, we are developing novel inhibitors to a mitochondrial drug target in Alzheimer’s disease. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I support Cambridge United ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I did a Friday afternoon experiment that changed my career. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Don’t limit yourself to one discipline ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold](https://amzn.to/4y2SIQg). Yes I would recommend it, its very different. ##### Favourite film of all time? Too many to choose from ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Marrying my wife Danielle ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? West Coast of Scotland ##### Do you collect anything? Memories ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Frank on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-gunn-moore-frsb-frse-21786b2b/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Professor Frank Gunn-Moore, University of St Andrews **Organisations for Bios:** University of St Andrews **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Natasha Anita, Harvard Medical School](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-natasha-anita-harvard-medical-school/) **Published:** July 7, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Natasha Anita is a Research Fellow at Harvard/MGH studying cardiometabolic risk, depression and biomarkers in cognitive ageing and dementia. **Content:** ![Dr Natasha Anita Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dr-Natasha-Anita.jpg "Dr Natasha Anita")Dr Natasha Anita ##### Name: Dr Natasha Anita ##### Job title: Research Fellow ##### Place of work / study: Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital ##### Area of Research: I study risk factors for cognitive ageing and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, with a focus on how cardiometabolic conditions and late-life [depression](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/depression-later-in-life-may-signal-parkinsons-or-lewy-body-dementia/). ##### How is your work funded: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship ##### Tell us a little about yourself: My scientific training began as an undergraduate student in Dr. Walter Swardfager’s lab at the University of Toronto. I later pursued my PhD in the Swardfager lab, where I investigated the role of circulating lipid mediator species—known as “oxylipins”—in depressive and cognitive symptoms among older adults with type 2 diabetes. Individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD), yet targeted therapies remain lacking. My PhD research advanced the field beyond preclinical models by identifying oxylipins as potential neuropsychiatric biomarkers for the first time in humans with diabetes. In 2025, I was awarded a CIHR Fellowship to pursue my postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. At Harvard, I will gain deeper insight into the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of late-life neuropsychiatric symptoms, and to strengthen my ability to integrate phenotyping with biomarkers of cognitive aging and ADRD. Outside of the lab, I am passionate about scientific communication and helping the public understand what we do and why it matters. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have taught Japanese at the university level! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I credit the University of Toronto with first sparking my interest in pharmacology as an undergraduate student and later shaping my research skills throughout my graduate training. During my PhD, I became increasingly interested in how chronic conditions such as diabetes contribute to cognitive decline and dementia risk. Many dementia risk factors are potentially modifiable. By better understanding how these factors influence brain health, we can identify opportunities for prevention and early intervention. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Be comfortable with not knowing things – that’s what research is for! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom](https://amzn.to/3QZdYG0). I was first introduced to this book by my Grade 8 teacher – it definitely hits harder when you’re older! ##### Favourite film of all time? Gladiator, Alien and Men in Black 3 ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Natasha on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-anita/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Natasha Anita, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital **Organisations for Bios:** Harvard Medical School **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Sarah Graef, Rush University Medical Centre](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-graef-rush-university/) **Published:** July 8, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Sarah Graef is a Research Dietitian at Rush University, studying nutrition and lifestyle interventions to protect cognitive function and prevent dementia. **Content:** ![Dr Sarah Graef Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dr-Sarah-Graef.jpg "Dr Sarah Graef")Dr Sarah Graef ##### Name: Sarah Graef ##### Job title: Manager, Research Dietitian ##### Place of work / study: Rush University Medical Center ##### Area of Research: I’m interested in lifestyle medicine with a focus on [nutrition](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/relay-podcast-sensory-health-and-cognition-pia-copy/) within primary and tertiary prevention. As a PhD candidate, I’m working in a multidomain lifestyle intervention to protect cognitive function. ##### How is your work funded: The main grant is funded by the Alzheimer’s Association. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m a Registered Dietitian and chiropractor that started seeing patients in 2011. While I thoroughly enjoyed seeing patients, I took a research position at Rush University in 2019 to further understand and conduct research. I don’t think people have to choose lifestyle or convention medicine, but likely combinations of both will result in optimal outcomes. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I fly stunt kites which is more fun than it might sound. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I helped a couple of family friends as they navigated dementia. It made me realise the prevalence and need to talk about all the facets and different types of needs. Their relatives were also desperate for prevention tips and came to me because they knew about my lifestyle medicine interests. I didn’t know a lot then, but I had heard of the MIND diet. Soon after, I saw a position opening at Rush to work in research with the MIND diet. I was already considering a career shift into research, and it felt like everything aligned for me to take the next step. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Find people that have the time and desire to answer questions to form a supportive network. Time is precious, but there are people willing to guide you on your journey. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Heartbreaker: A Memoir by Mike Campbell with Ari Surdoval](https://amzn.to/4gnfIDe). I recommend it only if you like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and the earlier rock and roll that helped shape them. ##### Favourite film of all time? Currently: A Face in the Crowd (1957) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking, skiing, or riding my bike through forest preserves. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Made a conscious decision to stay open to new ideas, conversations, and activities. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada ##### Do you collect anything? Too many things! Video game consoles and games, bells, and I suppose textbooks at this point. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Sarah on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-graef-96a76450/) [Follow @C0nstantStudent](https://x.com/C0nstantStudent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Diet, Dietitian, Nutrition, Rush University, Sarah Graef **Organisations for Bios:** Rush University **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Muthia Huda Islami, NBCH](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-muthia-huda-islami-nbch/) **Published:** July 9, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Muthia Huda Islami is a Research Fellow in Jakarta, coordinating Alzheimer’s and dementia studies, with interests in genetics, epidemiology and baking. **Content:** ![Close-up portrait of a smiling woman wearing a pink hijab and white shirt against a light background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Muthia-Huda-Islami.jpg "Muthia Huda Islami")Muthia Huda Islami ##### Name: Muthia Huda Islami ##### Job title: Research Fellow ##### Place of work / study: National Brain Center Hospital Mahar Mardjono Jakarta ##### Area of Research: I mainly lead the design and coordinate the conduct of research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias at the center, while also contributing to studies in related neurological conditions — including a clinical trial in [stroke](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-rebooting-the-brain-life-research-after-a-stroke/) and a genetic study in Parkinson’s disease. ##### How is your work funded: Funding varies by study. Some studies do not require any fund, others are backed by international research partnerships, and a few are still progressing through grant review. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: After completing my MSc in Epidemiology at Imperial College London, I’ve been working since 2025 as a Research Fellow at Indonesia’s National Brain Center Hospital, the country’s national referral center for neurology under the Ministry of Health. My work focuses on designing and coordinating studies on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including building the center’s Alzheimer’s disease registry. I’m particularly drawn to research that combines advanced regression methods with molecular and genetic epidemiology — this is what first pulled me toward Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, which offer rich, open questions around detection and treatment. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Outside of work, I’m basically a poet and a baker at heart. I’ve self-published two poetry collections and post other pieces on my blog. When I don’t have anything to write, I like experimenting with my matcha powders in the kitchen. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Dementia draws my curiosity. It is a field full of unanswered questions and uncertain answers. And like many people in this field, my motivation is also personal: I had a close friend who developed cognitive impairment, and eventually dementia, following a traumatic brain injury. Having witnessed that firsthand, I understand the pain behind the statistics. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Honestly, I’m still a super early-career researcher myself, so I don’t feel qualified to give advice. I’m still figuring a lot of this out too. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading a lot of books, alternating between multiple ‘universes’. The books I’m reading are [Moby Dick by Herman Melville](https://amzn.to/4p9DDZ4) and [The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides](https://amzn.to/4goPEro). But if you ask one book for a recommendation, I’d recommend my most favourite book, [A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara](https://amzn.to/4f4xtVx). ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Baking ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Honestly, it was deciding to keep going through the hardest period of my life, which happened to be during my time in London. Choosing not to give up then shaped a lot of who I am now ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Not sure ##### Do you collect anything? Not right now ##### Can we find you on social media? [@muthiahuda](https://www.instagram.com/muthiahuda/) [Find Muthia on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/muthiahuda/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Clinical trials, Muthia Huda Islami, National Brain Center Hospital Mahar Mardjono Jakarta **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Niying Li, University of Georgia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-niying-li-university-of-georgia/) **Published:** July 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Niying Li is an Assistant Professor at University of Georgia researching disparities in dementia care, access to treatments & family support **Content:** ![Professional headshot of a woman with short black hair and glasses, wearing a white blazer against a blue backdrop.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dr-Niying-Li.jpg "Dr Niying Li")Dr Niying Li ##### Name: Dr Niying Li ##### Job title: Assistant Professor ##### Place of work / study: University of Georgia ##### Area of Research: I am a health services researcher interested in disparities in access to care, particulaly access to Alzheimer’s disease-modifying therapies. I am also interested in supporting dementia family caregivers. ##### How is your work funded: Funded by the NIH ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a health services researcher specialising in disparities in access to care and healthcare use among older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Before joining UGA, I received my PhD in Health Services Research in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Health Economics and Outcomes Research at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am a big Oasis fan. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I actually came into dementia research through caregiving. While I was pursuing my PhD, I became my mother’s only caregiver, and that experience made me realize how demanding family caregiving can be. It sparked my interest in studying [family caregivers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-coping-with-distress-the-strength-of-caregivers/), and because dementia caregiving represents such a large and important part of family caregiving research, I gradually became involved in dementia research. Since then, I’ve been committed to improving care for people living with dementia and supporting the families who care for them. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Believe in yourself. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? The book I’m reading is called [Already Toast by Kate Washington](https://amzn.to/453sRu6). It is a memoir about a woman caring for her husband through blood cancer treatment, during which he survived multiple life threatening events. It is a scary and deeply moving read that powerfully captures the heavy lifting family caregivers do to keep their loved ones alive. ##### Favourite film of all time? One of my favourite movies is When a Woman Ascends the Stairs. It’s a Japanese film from 1960 directed by Mikio Naruse. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Go for a walk in the park. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Come to the US to pursue my PhD. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Shenzhen or Shanghai. ##### Do you collect anything? No, I don’t. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Niying on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/niying-li-b115b379/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Niying Li, University of Georgia **Organisations for Bios:** University of Georgia **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Nathania, Universitas Airlangga](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-nathania-universitas-airlangga/) **Published:** July 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Nathania is a medical student at Universitas Airlangga researching Alzheimer’s disease, evidence synthesis and clinical neurology. **Content:** ![Nathania Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Nathania.jpg "Nathania")Nathania ##### Name: Nathania ##### Job title: Medical Student ##### Place of work / study: Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga ##### Area of Research: Neurology and Neuroscience, with a research focus on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. ##### How is your work funded: Institutional funding (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga) and the Ministry of Education. My projects still has not received full funding support. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a third-year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia, with a strong interest in Neurology and Neuroscience, particularly neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. My research focuses on systematic reviews and meta-analyses, clinical neurology, and evidence synthesis, with additional interests in neuroinfectious diseases and brain–computer interface applications. I have had the privilege of presenting my work at several international conferences, including the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting and the World Congress of Neurology. I am passionate about advancing neurological research through global collaboration and translating high-quality evidence into meaningful improvements in patient care. I am excited to attend [AAIC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/aaic-neuroscience-next-manchester-2026-session-recordings/), learn from experts in the field, and connect with researchers who share the goal of improving outcomes for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love art and enjoy painting and sketching in my free time. It’s one of my favorite ways to relax and recharge outside of research. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I chose to work in dementia because it is one of the greatest healthcare challenges of our time, affecting not only individuals but also their families and communities. Alzheimer’s disease is a field where there is still so much to discover, and I was drawn to the opportunity to contribute to research that could improve diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for patients. As a medical student, I find it incredibly rewarding to be part of a collaborative research community working toward meaningful advances in dementia care, and I hope to continue contributing to this field throughout my career. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Just start. It’s easy to wait until you feel experienced enough or until everything is perfect, but none of us would have begun our research journey if we had waited for the “right” moment. Every project, every question, and every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently revisiting [When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi](https://amzn.to/4ft3esJ), and it’s one of my all-time favorite books. I also love [Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom](https://amzn.to/4wBDT5K). Both books offer beautiful reflections on life, purpose, and what it means to care for others. I would definitely recommend them to anyone, whether you’re in medicine or simply looking for a thoughtful and inspiring read. ##### Favourite film of all time? I’m a big movie fan and enjoy watching almost any genre! If I had to pick a few favorites, I’d say Top Gun: Maverick, Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, and pretty much anything directed by Christopher Nolan. I love movies that combine great storytelling with memorable visuals and keep you thinking long after they’re over. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Lately, I haven’t had much time to properly unplug because of medical school and research. But whenever I do get the chance, I love catching up and having long conversations with family and friends, as well as exploring new cafés and trying different foods. Those little moments help me recharge. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? I think the best decision I’ve ever made was choosing to focus on myself and learning to enjoy every little moment in life. It’s taught me to appreciate the journey, celebrate small wins, and find balance between pursuing my goals and being present with the people and experiences that matter most. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? I love traveling and am always excited to explore new places. One of my favorite recent destinations was Portofino with its blend of it’s absolutely beautiful, with stunning coastal views, colorful buildings, and such a relaxing atmosphere. It’s definitely a place I’d love to visit again ##### Do you collect anything? Blind boxes, but not much. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@naatvly.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/naatvly.bsky.social) [Find Nathania on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathania-nathania-7b917428a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Nathania, Universitas Airlangga **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Abrar AbuHamdia, Hamad Bin Khalifa University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-abrar-abuhamdia-hamad-bin-khalifa-university/) **Published:** July 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Abrar AbuHamdia is a PhD candidate developing brain organoid models and reviewing treatments and surgery for neurological disorders. **Content:** ![Smiling woman in a black hijab, beige blazer, and layered necklaces against a white background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Abrar-AbuHamdia.jpg "Abrar AbuHamdia")Abrar AbuHamdia ##### Name: Abrar AbuHamdia ##### Job title: PhD Candidate ##### Place of work / study: Hamad Bin Khalifa University ##### Area of Research: I work on two areas: (1) Lab based research: Developing brain organoid models to feature brain development and facilitate studying neurological diseases at earliest stages;(2) [Systematic review](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-to-prepare-a-search-strategy-for-your-systematic-review/) and meta-analysis: Investigating the efficacy, safety and mechanisms of pharmaceutical agents, such as ravulisumab and efgartigimod, and surgical interventons for neurological disorders. ##### How is your work funded: It is funded by Qatar Foundation ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a highly motivated researcher with five years of experience in multidisciplinary research, teaching, and mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students. My background includes cadaveric, clinical, and laboratory-based research, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses. I have a strong record of providing high-quality mentorship, with my mentees achieving first and second place in the clinical research category at the International Youth Neuroscience Association’s 2024 Ideathon. I am also an experienced peer reviewer, having reviewed ten studies for neurology journals, and I was named Best Research Reviewer at Al-Quds University during the 5th Palestinian Undergraduate Research Conference. I have extensive experience in the development, review, and submission of research proposals, having contributed to more than 20 projects. I have also written and reviewed grant applications for international funding bodies, working in accordance with funding policies and deadlines, with two proposals successfully awarded funding. My experience across research, education, mentorship, peer review, and grant development positions me well to contribute to major advances and increasing collaboration across disciplines. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I don’t have one ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have engaged with patients with dementia and their families in Palestine, and the compassion I experienced has left a lasting impact. By listening to them and providing education, I found the experience rewarding and gained a profound sense of purpose. Dementia research is crucial for advancing our understanding of the disease, which directly enhances my ability to improve the lives of patients and their families. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Challenge conventional assumptions and recognize patients and caregivers as co-experts who can actively guide and shape your research. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Pharmageddon by David Healy](https://amzn.to/4fy6S4y). I have recently started reading it, yet to reach the stage to decide on whether to recommend it ##### Favourite film of all time? TV show Friends ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Drawing and writing ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? The bravery to take the risk to go and study abroad ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? I’m still an explorer. ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Abrar on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrar-abuhamdia-6aa3861b8/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Abrar AbuHamdia, Hamad Bin Khalifa University **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Cari Randa-Beaulieu, Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-cari-randa-beaulieu-alzheimer-society-of-bc-and-yukon/) **Published:** July 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Cari Randa-Beaulieu leads knowledge mobilization at the Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon, advancing accessible, co-designed dementia research. **Content:** ![Cari Randa-Beaulieu Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Cari-Randa-Beaulieu.jpg "Cari Randa-Beaulieu")Cari Randa-Beaulieu ##### Name: Cari Randa-Beaulieu ##### Job title: Provincial Coordinator, Knowledge Mobilization ##### Place of work / study: Alzheimer Society of British Columbia and Yukon ##### Area of Research: Collaborative and co-design approaches for the meaningful inclusion of people affected by dementia in qualitative and biomedical dementia-focused research. ##### How is your work funded: The Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon conducts and champions dementia-inclusive research. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m Cari Randa-Beaulieu, I am Provincial Coordinator, Knowledge Mobilization at the Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon. Before moving into research-focused roles in 2021, I worked as an [art therapist](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/research-showcase-creative-participatory-research-in-advanced-dementia/) across long-term care, assisted living and community settings. I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Simon Fraser University before training at the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute, where I adapted my practice to support older adults living with dementia in long-term care through accessible artmaking methods. My direct care experiences during the pandemic sparked an interest in policy analysis, programme design and evaluation, motivating me to return to Simon Fraser University to complete a Master of Arts in Gerontology. My approach to knowledge mobilization is grounded in accessibility, dementia-inclusive design, co-creation and community-engaged research. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I’m fascinated by rituals and rites of passage in modern life. I’ve also trained as an end-of-life doula and my graduate research explored staff grief rituals in long-term care! At the opposite end of the life course, I am a board director for Flourish Education and Mentorship Society, a nature-based rites of passage and empowerment program for girls and gender-diverse youth as they navigate the transition of adolescence. I believe creativity and person-centred storytelling can make a difference by addressing stigma and encouraging engagement with tough topics for more compassionate communities and health systems. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My personal connection with dementia has evolved over the years, but it started with my maternal grandparents. My Grandad was living with vascular dementia and my Nan, a retired nurse, was very opposed to long-term care. It sparked my curiosity about non-pharmacological supports for people living with dementia and I began volunteering in the art room for an adult day program (undoubtedly influential for a future art therapist). For more than a decade, my Mum was heavily involved in service of her parents’ wish to age in place, presenting a gamut of intergenerational challenges and lessons. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Make the things you wish existed! Ask yourself, “why not me?” If you’re excited and passionate about whatever you’re creating and playing to your unique strengths, you will make a stronger, more compelling knowledge product. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster](https://amzn.to/4vrY2dB). \*I am not a parent, but have a lot of babies and first-time parents in my life! This New York Times Bestseller is a masterclass in digestible science communication interwoven with lived experience. ##### Favourite film of all time? The Silence of the Lambs (1991) made me want to study psychology and Jodie Foster is absolutely iconic as Clarice Starling. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I love cycling! There is nothing better than a bike ride on a summer night. I’ve put over 1500km on my bike this year so far. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? The best decision I ever made was to redownload Bumble in early 2019. The next day I matched with my now husband, an animation and art director, who I never would have met otherwise. He’s been instrumental in video projects and we’re always collaborating on something creative. He’s very generous with his expertise as a visual storyteller and it’s pushed me to grow and try other mediums as an artist and knowledge mobilizer. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Any of BC’s Gulf Islands ##### Do you collect anything? I am a total clotheshorse: Every time I travel, I try to thrift something I can wear to remember that place. Two of my favourite examples are Dr. Martens from Portland, OR and a few vintage silk scarves from Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Cari on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/caralyn-randa/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer Society of BC and Yukon, Cari Randa-Beaulieu, Knowledge mobilisation **Organisations for Bios:** Alzheimer's Society **Themes for Bios:** Charity --- ### [Profile - Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh, Ghent University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-arezoo-talebzadeh-ghent-university/) **Published:** July 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh is an architect and researcher using soundscape design to improve wellbeing, personal agency and dementia care. **Content:** ![Woman with short gray hair wearing sunglasses and a white jacket outdoors.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Arezoo-Talebzadeh.jpg "Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh")Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh ##### Name: Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh ##### Job title: Architect and Researcher ##### Place of work / study: Ghent University Belgium ##### Area of Research: My research explores how the acoustic environment in dementia care settings can be designed and augmented to support the [wellbeing of people with dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/resources/measuring-mood-and-wellbeing-in-people-living-at-risk-of-genetic-frontotemporal-dementia/) and reduce behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, combining my background as a practicing architect with a PhD in soundscape research. ##### How is your work funded: My research is currently self-supported, without external grant funding ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I hold a PhD in Architectural Science and Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium, where my research examined how soundscape design can help people living with dementia sense time and space, supporting quality of life and personal agency in care settings. My current work investigates differences in auditory processing among people living with dementia, recognising that hearing abilities, auditory scene analysis and sound preferences vary widely across individuals, dementia types and stages of the condition. I explore how this variation can inform targeted, personalised soundscape interventions. My recent work also applies large language models to optimise sound selection for dementia care environments. As a senior architect with 20 years of experience in institutional and long-term care design, I work at the intersection of the built environment, soundscape science and clinical research, translating soundscape evidence into environments and interventions that better serve people living with dementia. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I’m a runner and get around cities by bike or on foot, so I experience the city’s soundscape at street level every day. I stayed in Ghent, Belgium for the last two years of my PhD while practicing architecture (full-time) in Toronto, Canada, so I’ve become very good at time zones and very reliant on good coffee. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? As an architect, I’ve always been fascinated by the perception of space (and soundscape, the perception of the sonic environment), which is a dimension architects often neglect. I was also drawn to questions of aging in architecture and urban design, and that’s where I came to understand that dementia can profoundly alter how a person perceives their environment. As architects, we design assuming we know how people experience space, but for someone living with cognitive impairment, that experience can be very different, and our assumptions quietly leave them out. That’s what I decided to focus my research and career on. I can’t cure dementia as an architect, but I can design interventions that help people with dementia and their caregivers navigate space and time more easily, and ease some of the anxiety and stress the disease brings. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? My biggest advice is: don’t be afraid of the unconventional path. I did my PhD while practicing architecture full-time, on a topic that sits between disciplines: architecture, acoustics, gerontology, clinical research. That in-between space can feel lonely and illegible at first; there’s no ready-made community or career track for it. But the questions that fall between disciplines are often the ones most worth asking, precisely because no one owns them. So find your question first, and let it pull you across boundaries. Second: work with the people your research is for. Some of the most important things I learned didn’t come from the literature, but from spending time in care homes, listening to residents, families, and care staff. Real-world settings are messy and humbling, and that’s exactly why they matter. And finally, be patient with yourself. Research in real care environments moves slowly; things go wrong, recruitment stalls, equipment fails. We did an RCT during the pandemic at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and you can imagine how hard and slow the process was, but even small movement is better than staying still. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m never reading just one book — I always have a few going at once across formats. Right now I’m listening to [Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff](https://amzn.to/44reDmM) through the Toronto Public Library app, reading [Build the Damn Thing by Kathryn Finney](https://amzn.to/4wFBbwa) as an e-book, and working through [Living Disability by Emily Macrae](https://amzn.to/4wCmwBH) with my book club at work. And on my bedside table there’s [Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi](https://amzn.to/3RBxCIl). I like the mix — something for the mind, something for the venture, something for the heart — and I hold myself to at least thirty minutes of non-research reading every day. ##### Favourite film of all time? Melancholia by Lars von Trier ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Going for a long run without headphones ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? The best decision I’ve made (so far) was starting a PhD in my forties, while practicing architecture full-time. It changed not just what I know, but how I see: it gave my curiosity a structure and my career a mission. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? I can’t pick just one, so I’ll cheat: Berlin for its energy, that raw, creative vibe you can’t find anywhere else; Ghent for being, honestly, the perfect city; medieval beauty at a human scale, and a place close to my heart from my PhD years; and northern Ontario for pure, untouched beauty, lakes, rock, and silence that resets your soul. ##### Do you collect anything? Honestly, I’m a minimalist; the only thing I collect is books. ##### Can we find you on social media? [@arezoonia.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/arezoonia.bsky.social) [Find Arezoo on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/arezoonia/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Architecture, Building Design, Design, Dr Arezoo Talebzadeh, Ghent University **Organisations for Bios:** Ghent University **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Dr Suelyn Koerich, The University of Texas](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-suelyn-koerich-the-university-of-texas/) **Published:** July 11, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Suelyn Koerich is a postdoctoral fellow at UTHealth Houston studying neuroinflammation, microglia and brain–periphery interactions in Alzheimer’s disease. **Content:** ![Portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair, black-framed glasses, wearing a black top.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dr-Suelyn-Koerich.jpg "Dr Suelyn Koerich")Dr Suelyn Koerich ##### Name: Dr Suelyn Koerich ##### Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow ##### Place of work / study: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School ##### Area of Research: I study the biological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease, with a focus on [neuroinflammation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/collections/5-people-getting-to-grips-with-neuroinflammation/), microglia, and brain–periphery interactions. ##### How is your work funded: My research is supported by the Alzheimer’s Association through the AARF-D (Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity). ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a Brazilian neuroscientist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UTHealth Houston, where I study the biological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. My research focuses on neuroinflammation, microglial biology, brain–periphery interactions, and the development of biomarkers and therapeutic strategies that could ultimately improve the lives of people living with dementia. Before moving to the United States, I completed my Pharm.D., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Brazil. My background in pharmacology and physiology sparked my interest in understanding the complex mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and translating basic science discoveries into meaningful clinical advances. I enjoy working in collaborative, multidisciplinary teams and have been fortunate to contribute to international research projects. I am also passionate about mentoring, supporting early-career researchers, and communicating science in ways that make it more accessible to both researchers and the public. I believe that collaboration, curiosity, and open scientific dialogue are essential for accelerating progress in dementia research. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I’m currently preparing for one of the biggest adventures of my life—becoming a first-time mom while continuing my journey in neuroscience. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have always wanted to study the brain, but my motivation became deeply personal after watching my grandmother live with Alzheimer’s disease for many years. Seeing how the disease gradually changed her inspired me to dedicate my career to dementia research. I hope my work can contribute, even in a small way, to preventing or slowing this disease for future generations. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Find mentors who genuinely support your growth, and don’t be afraid to build collaborations outside your own lab. The people you meet can shape your career as much as the science you do. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading two very different books: a book about motherhood, as I’m preparing to become a first-time mom, and [Death Is a Day Worth Living](https://amzn.to/4f5JF8r) by Brazilian palliative care physician Ana Claudia Quintana Arantes. I highly recommend it. It’s a beautiful reminder that reflecting on death can help us live more meaningful lives. ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? My favourite way to unwind is spending time with my family in Brazil. I also love travelling with my husband, especially on road trips with no set destination, where we can discover new places and enjoy local food along the way. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Leaving my hometown to pursue my education. It was the first step toward opportunities I never imagined and shaped the person I am today. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? A quiet beach with natural shade, fresh, crystal-clear water, and amazing local food. The simpler, the better! ##### Do you collect anything? No, I don’t collect anything. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @koerichsu](https://x.com/koerichsu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Suelyn on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelynkoerich/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Suelyn Koerich, Neuroinflammation, The University of Texas **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Texas **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Alana Brown, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alana-brown-baycrest-academy-for-research-and-education/) **Published:** July 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Alana Brown is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Baycrest, studying how sex and gender shape brain ageing, cognitive health and dementia risk. **Content:** ![Portrait of a smiling young woman with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing a dark jacket, outdoors with green foliage behind.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dr-Alana-Brown.jpg "Dr Alana Brown")Dr Alana Brown ##### Name: Dr Alana Brown ##### Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow ##### Place of work/study: Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education ##### Area of Research: I study brain aging and cognitive health, with a focus on understanding how biological and social factors related to [sex and gender](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-midlife-transition-menopause-and-the-brain/) shape aging trajectories. My goal is to help develop more accurate and inclusive models of brain health. ##### How is your work funded: I am a member of Team 10 (Cognitive Intervention, Reserve, and Brain Plasticity) within the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Ageing (CCNA). The CCNA is supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), with funding from several partners. My postdoctoral work is also supported by the Alzheimer Society Research Program and a CIHR Travel Award from the Institute of Gender and Health. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Rotman Research Institute, part of the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education. I earned my PhD in Psychology from the University of Toronto in 2024. My interdisciplinary expertise spans Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (SGBA+), statistics, memory, neuroimaging, sleep science and neuroendocrinology. My research brings these areas together to examine sex-specific trajectories of brain ageing. By applying SGBA+ frameworks alongside advanced neurocognitive analysis methods, I aim to develop more precise and equitable models of brain health across the lifespan. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Outside research I enjoy movies, pottery, travelling, camping, and spending time with my pug named Pepperoni. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My path into dementia research began during my PhD, when I investigated the cognitive, brain, and sleep-related effects of surgical ovarian removal. I was motivated by the realisation that many aspects of women’s brain health remain underexplored, even though women represent approximately two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding and addressing these disparities inspired me to focus my research on sex differences in brain ageing and dementia risk, with the goal of helping create more equitable and precise approaches to brain health. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Do not be afraid to pursue research questions that challenge existing assumptions. Some of the most meaningful discoveries come from investigating gaps in our knowledge, especially in areas that have historically been overlooked. Research advances when scientists are willing to explore these gaps and persist even when the answers are not immediately clear. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am currently reading [The Bee Sting by Paul Murray](https://amzn.to/4hrV6tQ) and would definitely recommend it. Its shifting points of view offer a fascinating exploration of how difficult it is to truly know about other people’s thoughts and experiences.. ##### Favourite film of all time? Blade Runner ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I unwind through doing pottery, watching movies, and camping. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? One of the best decisions I have made was pursuing research in women’s brain health during my MA, PhD, and postdoctoral research. That experience shaped my career path and drew me into dementia research, where I focus on addressing important gaps in how we understand brain aging. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? In terms of best vacation spots, I have really enjoyed Hawaii and Ireland. Anywhere near ocean is ideal for me! ##### Do you collect anything? Cameras ##### Can we find you on social media? [@alanabrown.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/alanabrown.bsky.social) [Follow @4alanabrown](https://x.com/4alanabrown?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Alan on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-brown4/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Dr Alana Brown, Sex and gender, Sex Differences **Organisations for Bios:** Baycrest Academy for Research and Education **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Behavioural Neuroscience --- ### [Profile - Peter Johnson, Age UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-peter-johnson-age-uk/) **Published:** July 26, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Peter Johnson is Head of Service at Age UK Oxfordshire, leading support for people living with dementia and their families across Oxfordshire. **Content:** ![Portrait of a smiling man in a dark blazer and light blue shirt against a beige brick background, a professional headshot.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Peter-Johnson.jpg "Peter Johnson")Peter Johnson ##### Name: Peter Johnson ##### Job title: Head of Service ##### Place of work/study: Age UK Oxfordshire ##### Area of Research: Responsible for delivering the Dementia Oxfordshire service, the support service for people with a [diagnosis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimers-blood-test-could-transform-diagnosis/) and their families living in Oxfordshire ##### How is your work funded: The service is funded by Oxfordshire County Council ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I began leading Dementia Oxfordshire service in 2018, growing the service to include an embedded Admiral Nurse, support for people with memory concerns and building a strong educational and awareness offer. We now support approaching 8000 people each year. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: In a previous life I was a scuba diving instructor. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Supporting families on their dementia journey feels important, for those it directly effects it can often feel desperate and lonely. I think Dementia Oxfordshire makes the journey a little easier to travel. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Finding a cure might be the single biggest medical impact of our generation. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Unruly by David Mitchell](https://amzn.to/3TVly5n). Very light-hearted ##### Favourite film of all time? Went the day well ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking and being outdoors ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Asking my partner on a first date ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Anywhere rural ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Peter on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-johnson-8b603b65/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Age UK, Patient and Public Involvement, Peter Johnson **Organisations for Bios:** Charity **Themes for Bios:** Charity --- ### [Profile - Dr Esra Demir Ünal, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-esra-demir-unal-ankara-yildirim-beyazit-university/) **Published:** July 29, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Esra Demir Ünal is an associate professor studying Parkinson’s, dementia and movement disorders using EEG, digital biomarkers and AI. **Content:** ![Surgeon or medical professional in blue scrubs, cap, and mask in an operating room.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dr-Esra-Demir-Unal.jpg "Dr Esra Demir Ünal")Dr Esra Demir Ünal ##### Name: Dr Esra Demir Ünal ##### Job title: Associate Professor ##### Place of work/study: Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Medical Faculty Department of Neurology ##### Area of Research: Parkinson’s Disease; Movement Disorders; Dementia; Neurodegenerative Disorders; Clinical Neuroscience; Clinical Neurophysiology; Quantitative [EEG](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-smart-new-ways-to-diagnose-dementia/); Cognitive Neuroscience; Pareidolia; Visual Perception; Cognitive Dysfunction; Biomarkers; Artificial Intelligence in Neurology; Translational Neuroscience; Brain Health; Digital Health. ##### How is your work funded: Not applicable ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an Associate Professor of Neurology at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University and Head of the Movement Disorders Clinic at Ankara City Hospital, one of the largest tertiary neurology centres in Türkiye. My clinical expertise encompasses Parkinson’s disease, dementia, movement disorders and other neurodegenerative conditions, with a particular focus on advanced therapies, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), infusion therapies and botulinum toxin treatment. My research aims to improve the early diagnosis, phenotyping and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases by integrating quantitative EEG, cognitive neuroscience, digital biomarkers and artificial intelligence-based approaches. I have a particular interest in cognitive impairment and dementia in Parkinson’s disease, as well as perceptual and cognitive phenomena such as pareidolia as potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration. I have authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and actively lead translational neuroscience projects that bridge clinical neurology, neurophysiology and computational methods. My work has been recognised by national and international neurological societies and contributes to the development of precision medicine approaches in neurology. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: A fun irony of my work is that I study pareidolia—the tendency to see faces in random patterns—so spotting “hidden faces” in everyday objects has become something of an occupational habit. Outside academia, I enjoy traveling and discovering new places with my young daughter. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My interest in dementia stems from my broader commitment to understanding neurodegenerative diseases and improving patient outcomes through early diagnosis and personalized care. Dementia represents one of the greatest challenges in contemporary neurology, affecting cognition, behavior, independence, and quality of life on a global scale. I am particularly motivated by the opportunity to identify objective biomarkers and develop innovative approaches that enable earlier detection and more accurate disease characterization. By integrating quantitative neurophysiology, cognitive neuroscience, and emerging technologies, my goal is to contribute to a more precise and patient-centered approach to dementia care and research. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Focus early on developing strong methodological rigor and a clear scientific question rather than chasing publication quantity. A well-defined research niche, combined with consistency in skills such as study design, statistics, and critical thinking, will have a far greater long-term impact than fragmented outputs. At the same time, actively seek interdisciplinary collaboration and mentorship, as high-quality research in neuroscience increasingly depends on integrating clinical insight, computational methods, and translational perspectives. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am currently reading [“Ending Parkinson’s Disease” by Michael S. Okun and Ray Dorsey](https://amzn.to/4h4Ufzf). I would highly recommend it—it offers a compelling and accessible perspective on Parkinson’s disease, combining clinical insight with public health strategy and highlighting both current challenges and future opportunities in neurology. ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Travelling and parenting ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? One of the best decisions I have made was to dedicate my career to clinical neuroscience with a strong focus on movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. This choice allowed me to integrate clinical practice with research, particularly in areas where translational approaches can directly influence patient care. It has also enabled me to contribute to the development of advanced therapeutic strategies such as deep brain stimulation and biomarker-driven diagnostics, while remaining closely connected to patients and their families. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Still searching ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Esra on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/esra-demir-%C3%BCnal-8231a018a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Dr Esra Demir Unal, Movement Disorders **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Laura Pritschet, University of Pennsylvania](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-pritschet-university-of-pennsylvania/) **Published:** May 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Laura Pritschet, NIH funded postdoctoral scholar at Penn studying hormones, womens brain health, cognition, and Alzheimer’s risk through life. **Content:** ![Dr Laura Pritschet Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dr-Laura-Pritschet.jpg "Dr Laura Pritschet")Dr Laura Pritschet ##### Name: Dr Laura Pritschet ##### Job title: Postdoctoral Scholar ##### Place of work / study: University of Pennsylvania ##### Area of Research: Neuroscience / Neuroendocrinology / Women’s Health ##### How is your work funded: National Institutes of Health ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an NIH funded postdoctoral scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, where my research bridges neuroscience, endocrinology, and women’s health. I study how fluctuations in sex hormones shape the brain, cognition, and behaviour across the lifespan, with the goal of identifying endocrine drivers of women’s health and wellbeing. In 2023, I earned my PhD in Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, under the mentorship of [Emily Jacobs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-midlife-transition-menopause-and-the-brain/). My doctoral work combined cohort studies with innovative dense sampling approaches to capture dynamic hormonal influences on the brain. In my landmark “28andMe” study, I underwent daily MRI scans and blood draws across two menstrual cycles, generating an unprecedented dataset linking endocrine rhythms to brain network dynamics. At Penn, I now lead the Maternal Brain Mapping Project, which aims to generate comprehensive brain charts of neuroanatomy across the perinatal period in large, diverse clinical populations. I also remain a fellow of the Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative, where I contribute as a project lead for the Longitudinal Menopause Project. Beyond my research, I am equally dedicated to advancing equality and inclusion in STEM through outreach and mentorship across campuses and within my communities. Through these efforts, I aim to help build a more representative scientific community, one in which broader perspectives drive stronger, more innovative science. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have an 80 lb chocolate Labrador named Ruby who we have trained to give human-like hugs 🙂 ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? While I do not study dementia explicitly, I am very passionate about understanding how the brain changes over the menopause transition and exploring whether and how this may be a period of vulnerability (e.g., emergence of AD risk) for a subset of women. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Challenge dogmas & do not be scared to reinvent the wheel if what was done before isn’t giving you what you are looking for ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Most of the books I am reading these days are about raising babies, but the one I always recommend is [Estrogen Matters by Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oestrogen-Matters-Revised-Menopause-Well-Being/dp/0349443475?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kUvbZRpPZBUiZ5WuuXK0eh7CF_uYMsFomwn0uz-TwenVd834uRnK_69nhCBlqpfQZSaEA1NppWVzH8VFm3KtmOL_8FIZ8W7G52DNVhST1gw.s9mcuBRPSi30FRqvS31Q2auNx5GYEjYqP0gVH6sj-o8&dib_tag=se&keywords=Estrogen+Matters+by+Avrum+Bluming+and+Carol+Tavris&qid=1779307253&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll2&tag=dementiaresea-21&linkId=dff168706dc7f7032f4546dc990ced40&ref_=as_li_ss_tl). I encourage everyone, especially those in midlife, to read this! ##### Favourite film of all time? Little Miss Sunshine ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Take my dog on a walk and leave my phone behind! ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Moving to California to pursue my PhD with Dr. Emily Jacobs at UCSB. This solidified my love for all things women’s brain health. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Wherever you are vacationing with your best friends ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Laura on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-pritschet/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Laura Pritschet, University of Pennsylvania **Organisations for Bios:** University of Pennsylvania **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Blog - PhD Application Advice: Assessing & Approaching a New Lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-phd-application-advice-assessing-approaching-a-new-lab/) **Published:** April 22, 2026 **Author:** Dr Ajantha Abey **Excerpt:** Choosing a PhD lab matters as much as the topic. Dr Ajantha Abey shares how to assess supervisors, vet labs, and approach academics with confidence. **Content:** --- **This is the second in my series of PhD application advice articles. In my [previous article](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-mastering-the-phd-journey-key-application-insights/), I discussed the important aspects of laying the groundwork before you start applying for PhDs. Specifically, how to figure out what you actually want to do, and how to set yourself up well to be a competitive candidate. You might therefore think the next step would be to apply for a programme. In fact, the most important next step – finding an appropriate lab and supervisor – is arguably the most important part of applying for a PhD, and still comes before actually applying for anything.** While there are some PhD programmes such as 1+3, masters programmes that can convert into PhDs, and others for which the sequencing here might not be quite the same, the advice contained below about how to approach and assess potential labs and supervisors should be more or less universal. If you are still weighing up whether to do a masters at all before applying, our guide to [whether a masters in dementia is worth it](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/should-you-do-a-masters-in-dementia/) covers the costs, the funded routes and whether you need one. Assuming that you now know the topics or questions you want to focus on in your PhD, the process of initially searching for a lab and supervisor largely consists of a lot of…searching. Whether by looking at who has written the papers you’ve found interesting, or by searching department websites for people working on your chosen field or technique, or by using some kind of AI search tool, or by asking for advice from colleagues or at conferences, there are myriad ways of going about this. Once you have a list of potential options, then comes the vetting process. There are many important things to consider when it comes to picking a supervisor and picking a lab, and this is arguably even more important than picking the topic. **You are going to be working in this environment for at least the next 3-4 years**, forming one of the most pivotal periods of your scientific training. Furthermore, your supervisor, in the best cases, will remain a mentor and reference for you for years and decades even to come. So how do you pick? **![Your PhD isn’t just a project, it’s people, culture, and support. This guide helps you get that right.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Finding-a-PhD-Quote-One.png "Finding a PhD Quote One")** First, considerations for supervisors. The classic conundrum is where you want them to be on the spectrum from someone who is a big name and at the peak of the field, or someone who is just starting out as a group leader. Both can have their pros and cons. Big names bring prestige, money, and experience. You may have better opportunities with their access to funds and resources, and may have an easier time publishing with their name. They know exactly how to navigate the system and have supervised plenty of students before you, so you can be reasonably confident of success. However, they are also likely to be very busy, with limited contact or time for you. You may be just yet another student for the vast engine of their lab, and you will have to show a lot of initiative and independence from the beginning, and are unlikely to get as thorough training. More junior PIs, on the other hand, will ideally have more time to be hands on with you, and may even still be in the lab themselves. They’ll be closer to the experimental data and methodology and you’ll likely have more of their attention, which can make up for the lack of experience they’ll have in supervising students. While a newer supervisor may not have the resources (in terms of equipment or funding) that a larger lab might have, they are likely still striving hard to push big and innovative new research to further their own careers, rather than resting on their laurels as a tenured professor. They need big opportunities and high impact papers in a way that the less precarious PIs don’t, so can be more invested in your project being successful. Your success will have a bigger impact on their career than it will on the career of the tenured PI. These are, of course, huge generalisations, and both can be right for different people. There are plenty of seasoned professors who deeply care for and prioritise their students, and there are plenty of striving new lab heads who will put themselves first. Older supervisors may be more set in their ways and unable to adapt to new trends or ideas, or may just as easily be in a position where they are happy taking big risks on innovative projects that a junior PI can’t afford. A huge amount also rides simply on the personality of the supervisor and how it mixes and matches with your own. You may want a supervisor who gives you lots of attention and guidance, or you may hate being micromanaged, and prefer greater independence. > Few things matter more than whether you and your mentor get along well together. These are things, therefore, that you need to suss out before you apply. The easiest and really only way to do this is to try and meet ideally in person but at the very least over video beforehand. This can happen at a conference but is usually easier done in a pre-arranged meeting, for which you will need to do some cold-emailing. **Many people are afraid to send [cold emails](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-what-do-you-want-how-to-write-successful-cold-emails/) but rest assured it is extremely normal** and often well looked upon to show the initiative to reach out to a professor yourself, and ask for a meeting, even for busy and big name ones. **The trick is to do it well.** There are four key components to these emails. First is an explanation of who you are – this is where you list a couple of credentials and your background, and gives them a reason to be interested in you. Maybe you’ve done well in exams or won a prize or written a paper – anything that makes you seem legit, and worth their time. You should also explain here what your career context is – that you’re looking for PhD projects. Second key component is why you’re interested in talking to them. What was it that led you to email them? This needs to be specific and highly tailored. You should refer to specific papers that they have written and research that they have done which you have found interesting and/or inspiring. If it relates to your own work, so much the better. This should be easy to write, because, well, there should be a good reason you’re emailing them in the first place, but you don’t need to be overly effusive. They key is to show them that you’ve done your homework and are serious about this, and this email isn’t one of 100s of AI generated generic emails that you’ve sent to everyone in the department. Third key component is a plan of what it is you would like to do with them. This is probably shorter than the previous two and probably simply says something like ‘therefore your research aligns well with my interests and I would love to explore project options with you’. You might suggest specific ideas that you have here (in general terms) for projects or topics that you’d like to investigate. The fourth and final, but also really first, is to have a call to action that is clear, succinct, and contains all of these together at the very start of the email. 2-3 lines that clearly say who you are, why you’re worth meeting, why you’re interested in their research and working with them, and that you want to meet in time period X. In my experience, cold emails can be surprisingly long and still successful. I’ve had good results with emails 4-5 paragraphs long, and when I receive these emails, I personally prefer getting more information about the person I’m deciding whether to meet in the email, rather than having to search for it myself. However, crucially, this only works if there is a very clear and succinct opening line which means a busy PI doesn’t have to read any of the rest of the email; and if the rest of the email is very clearly laid out. \[In the past, I have had paragraphs that start with the bold text “1. Who am I?”, “2. Why I’m Interested in your Research:” and “3. What I would like to do:”\]. ![What matters most when choosing a supervisor? reputation, personality, or lab culture?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Finding-a-PhD-Quote-Two.png "Finding a PhD Quote Two")It is also good and useful to attach an academic CV along with the text of the email. In this sense, you are treating the email like a cover letter that goes along with your CV and introduces yourself. If you don’t get a reply quickly, don’t be disheartened. People are often busy, and their inboxes are often very full. It’s perfectly acceptable and often appreciated if you send a follow up email in case your email was missed or slipped through the cracks or if they have been busy or away. I often use this phrasing in follow up emails, and it’s fine to do this 2-3 times. More than that might get excessive, though there can be something to admire in the persistent student, and you have nothing to lose. Persistent lack of response may also be a red flag though. If you get rejected at this stage, don’t take it personally, it’s more than likely that the person is simply too busy or doesn’t have the room or funding for a new student in their lab at the present time. > If you are successful in arranging a meeting, that’s great! Treat this like a formal interview. They might treat it as a casual and friendly conversation to get to know you and your ideas and intentions, or they might rigorously grill you hard-core interview style, but either way, what is going on is the same: you are being assessed on your knowledge, your personality, and your ideas, as how good a fit you will be for the lab. Make sure you come prepared, but also remember that it’s a two-way street. You should also be treating this as your best opportunity to get a feel for the supervisor, their personality, their ideas, how they run their lab, and how you get along. Therefore, your preparation should include two things. Firstly, of course, know their research well. Make sure you have read several of their key papers, and are across the key themes of their research, and have some level of understanding of their field. Often times they will actually assume you aren’t so familiar with this, but it’s much more impressive if you can appear informed. You are, after all, applying to be a researcher. It’s good to show that you can do your research. Crucially, you should be interested in their work – hopefully this is easy. Have questions about their papers and ideas and what direction they’re taking their research in, to demonstrate this. You should also be well prepared to talk about your own work – details about what you’ve done, how it worked, implications of the research, etc, and your own ideas about what you want to do. The more concrete you can be about your ideas, the better. Second though, is a list of questions you should have about the lab itself. **It’s a huge red flag if you get to the end of an interview, they ask if you have anything you want to ask, and you come up short.** There are endless things you should want to know and now is the opportunity, so don’t give it up. Some of these you can get from the supervisor, but many of these you can and should get by talking to other members of the lab. If your initial interview goes well and you continue to be interested in joining the lab, this is an absolute must. Don’t take the PI’s word for it, talk to their current and previous students without the PI in the room. A good group leader will offer this for you; if you ask and they refuse, that should be a huge red flag. > **Here are the things you should be considering as you make your decision and some of the things you might ask:** 1. > How many students have they supervised in the past and what are those students doing now? Do students usually finish on time? 2. > What are their career plans? Can you expect them to stay around for the next 4-5 years, or are they about to retire/consider moving institutions? 3. > What direction is their research heading in / what ideas and trends are they most interested in? \[published papers give you a good idea about what the lab was focused on doing years ago, you need to know where they are headed in the coming years\]. 4. > What are their views on key topics or ideas in the field/related to your ideas? 5. > How is the lab funded and how will your work be funded? Does the lab have sufficient funding for consumables and equipment? \[You can learn a lot from working in a lab with limited resources but it is also a pretty dire experience\]. 6. > What equipment will you have access to in the lab and through core services? Who will provide training on those? 7. > Especially if your project depends on access to particular materials, equipment, or datasets, how secure is the lab’s access to this? How reliable is the method? 8. > Who will be involved primarily in your training, other than the PI? How long will they be around for? Can you meet with them? 9. > Who do they collaborate with, and what opportunities might you have for working with other labs as well? 10. > How do they run their lab? How many people are there and is there a dedicated lab manager? \[there is not necessarily any one best system for how to run a lab, but a lack of any system would be a clear red flag. Similarly, a lack of lab manager means that you will be taking on a substantial amount of admin yourself, most likely\]. 11. > What is their supervision style? How often do they meet with their students? What is their availability like? 12. > How much freedom will you have over the project to shape its direction? 13. > What are their expectations in terms of working hours, working from home, work-life balance in general? 14. > What is the culture of the lab like? Is it competitive or collaborative? Social and supportive? 15. > How are authorship decisions made in the lab? Do people collaborate on each other’s projects? How often do students publish papers? 16. > Are students supported and encouraged to attend conferences, workshops, training courses, etc.? 17. > If the opportunity arose, would you be allowed to take time out for internships in industry, or similar? 18. > Will you have any administrative or teaching load? 19. > How are conflicts dealt with if they arise? What department resources exist for things like mediation, mental health support, accessibility services, etc. 20. > Does the supervisor advocate for their students and support them beyond their lab work in applying for funding, jobs, etc.? 21. > What do people like/not like about working in the lab? There are many more you could ask, and some tailoring of these to the particular person you are talking to that you could do, but either way, between talking to the PI and to other members of the lab, it is essential that you gain an understanding of the personality and supervision style of the PI, and the culture and technical operations of the lab. **You need to know that you will be supported not just in your research but in your career at large**, and allowed to live your life as well. As a third level of due diligence, you may also consider asking collaborators or other people in the same institution what they think of the PI and what reputation the lab has – do they produce good work? Are they well regarded? Are they collaborative? Are they known for being a bully? Once you are confident that you have found a lab environment and a supervisor that matches your personality and research goals, then the time comes to actually apply for a programme. Helpfully and hopefully now, you can do so with the full assistance and backing of the PI, which will likely make your application all the more likely to be successful. There are many other things you might consider like what the university / institution / city the lab is based in is like, and these will all of course also affect your experience. However, few things are more important than the supervisor who will be your boss for the next several years and mentor and advocate for many more, and the colleagues who will be your friends, collaborators, trainers, trainees, and supporters in the years ahead as well. It is important that you do your due diligence and choose wisely. --- ![Ajantha Abey Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Ajantha-Abey.jpg "Ajantha Abey")Ajantha Abey #### Author [**Dr Ajantha Abey** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ajantha-abey-university-of-oxford/ "Ajantha Abey")is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Kavli Institute at University of Oxford. He is interested in the cellular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other diseases of the ageing brain. He previously explored neuropathology in dogs with dementia and potential stem cell replacement therapies. He now uses induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons to try and model selective neuronal vulnerability: the phenomenon where some cells die but others remain resilient to neurodegenerative diseases. [Follow @ajanthaabey](https://twitter.com/ajanthaabey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Choosing a Lab, Dr Ajantha Abey, PhD Applications, PhD Life **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Blog - Is a masters the right choice?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-is-a-masters-the-right-choice/) **Published:** March 4, 2021 **Author:** Morgan Daniel **Excerpt:** If you're just graduating or thinking of re-entering education, or looking to study to improve your skills for your job a Masters could be a good choice, but there are other options. Morgan Daniel discusses MSc programmes and if they might be right for you. **Content:** --- **Hi everyone, it’s me again, back and ready to discuss a topic that has become particularly popular amongst 2020 and 2021 graduates – is a Master’s degree the right choice?** With a job market slump following the pandemic and very few jobs available, many people in my graduating class of 2020 chose to do a Master’s degree in order to further their knowledge and expertise and give themselves an edge in applying to jobs next year. While this option seems to have been popular during the pandemic, it does not mean that it is the right choice for everyone and choosing to do a masters is not an easy decision to make. ![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Studying-Graphic.png "Studying Graphic")There are different types of Master’s degree options available, most notably a taught vs a research masters. First of all, Master’s degrees can be extremely expensive. With most in the UK costing thousands of pounds, it is not always an affordable option, particularly if your area of interest is in a more expensive field – for example business or finance. Student funding for postgraduate degrees can be insufficient depending on where in the UK you want to study and where you are from – for example, coming from Scotland, I was only entitled to £5,500 in a tuition fee loan despite most courses in the country costing much more than this. It is always worth checking the fees and finance options for the course as some may offer some form of support, but for UK students, scholarships and bursaries can be few and far between. That being said, reaching out and using your presence on social media such as twitter can be a great way of finding funding opportunities and it is well worth searching for your different options if a Master’s does interest you. It is also important to note that while the concept of taking out a loan for further study may be daunting, it is very much an investment in yourself and your future and in my opinion is worth every penny. There are different types of Master’s degree options available, most notably a taught vs a research masters. I am currently studying for a taught degree as I wanted to learn more about dementia research and I didn’t feel I had enough experience or knowledge to enter the field of research yet. Others may choose an MRes as they have a particular research topic that they are interested in and want to carry out their own piece of research before moving into further work such as a PhD or a research assistant role. To move straight into a PhD can be overwhelming and many want to gain more experience before doing so, but if you feel that you know what exactly you want to research and where you would like to do so, or if you identify an advertised project that you like, it could be worth grasping the opportunity as the cost of a Master’s degree can be so high. It is also possible to work in the field of research through roles like a research assistant or research technician first before applying to a PhD. Working in the field will give you a good background when it comes to the application process and can be great for meeting potential supervisors. Research jobs can be great for networking but the same can also be said for a Master’s degree. I know from personal experience that learning from some of the world leading researchers in the field at UCL has been invaluable and that I have made great connections that I otherwise would have missed out on. I have been given research and job opportunities through making the most of the networking experience that is available. While working in the field may offer equally valuable experience, a Master’s degree, particularly a taught degree, may allow for you to meet more people in a shorter space of time and to interact with them more through lectures and tutorials. > **There are many pro’s and con’s to undertaking a Master’s degree, and it really depends on who you are and what you hope to gain from it.** *For the practical side of this decision, including what a course costs, which funded routes exist and how to judge a course, see our guide to [whether a masters in dementia is worth it](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/should-you-do-a-masters-in-dementia/).* [![Should I do a masters?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Should-I-do-a-Masters.gif "Should I do a Masters")](https://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/masters-degrees/should-i-do-a-masters)It tends to be a large financial commitment and isn’t always an accessible option and if this is the case for you, then please know that there is not one correct path. Each individual will have different needs and while I felt a taught Master’s was the best option for me, many of my peers went straight into PhD’s or jobs and are equally thriving. My advice would be to do your research into what options are available to you, and what you think will best fit your future goals. Regardless of whether you are an undergraduate student, working in the field or looking to make a career change, there are many options available and something to suit everyone. Please tune in to the rest of the careers week festival from the 1st-6th of March to hear more about how to enter a career in dementia research. Best wishes and thanks for tuning in, **Morgan.** --- #### Author ![Morgan Daniel Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/morgan-daniel-300x300.jpg "morgan-daniel")Morgan Daniel **[Morgan Daniel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-daniel-morgan/)** is an MSc Student at University College London, studying the along the ‘Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Neuroscience)’ track, Originally from Loch Lomond, Morgan completed her BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Glasgow in 2019, and she hates all forms of potato! Morgan is sharing her MSc journey during 2020 / 2021 with NIHR Dementia Researcher. [Follow @MorganDaniel99](https://twitter.com/MorganDaniel99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > ***Got a question for Morgan? Ask away in the box below*** **Categories:** Careers, Careers Week, Guest blog **Tags:** Morgan Daniel, Morgan MSc Story, Study, University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Undergraduate Essentials --- ### [Blog - Should I (meaning you) do a Masters?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-should-i-meaning-you-do-a-masters/) **Published:** October 20, 2020 **Author:** Adam Smith **Excerpt:** Today, Morgan Daniel takes (or took, depending on when you're reading this) over the Dementia Researcher Twitter account. Sharing her day to inspire others thinking of following this path, and taking your questions. Could that also be the right path for you? **Content:** --- **Studying for a Dementia or Neuroscience related Master’s degree in is an exciting prospect and there are many reasons to consider taking this postgraduate course.** *Since writing this we have published a fuller guide covering costs, funding and how to choose a course: [Masters in Dementia: Is It Worth It, and How to Choose One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/should-you-do-a-masters-in-dementia/).* After talking to a number of Masters graduates, there are many reasons they followed this course, including: - progressing a current clinical career path - developing a personal interest - as a stepping stone to progressing to a higher level qualification e.g. PhD However, Masters study is intense and the courses can be expenses. You will also likely need relevant work experience for entry onto a programme. In order to make the most of postgraduate study it’s vital to have a solid reason for committing to a course. Knowing why you are studying is incredibly helpful when it comes to staying motivated, and seeing the course through. #### **Will I have time to do a Masters?** Masters study must fit around your lifestyle, so identifying the mode of study that’s right for you is essential. Full-time study is the most common, and suits continuing students. You’ll work intensively for the duration of the programme, achieving your qualification as quickly as possible. Contact hours vary from course to course, but full-time study involves several lectures and seminars each week (many of those may not be in the classroom right now). Alternatively, it could require you to attend university from 9am to 5pm every weekday. Many courses will also give you an opportunity to do a work / project placement in the University you work at, assisting with research studies, or assisting in a Care Home or similar. Part-time study, meanwhile, is primarily aimed at students with family commitments and/or in full-time employment (perhaps if you’re a Nurse or Healthcare Professional). You’ll usually study for around 20 hours every week. While qualification takes longer – often two to four years – teaching is flexible, and lectures and seminars take place during the daytime or evening. Sessions are commonly hosted during the weekends or even recorded for students to access online. Full-time work and part-time study is particularly popular with those who are self-funding their course. Other modes of study worth considering include: **Blended learning** – combines face-to-face classroom time with online learning. You can interact with lecturers, tutors and fellow students, while also working from home. **Block mode learning** – involves intense face-to-face study over a fixed period, often weekends or consecutive days allowing students to book time off work in advance. **Distance learning –** entails learning from home in your own time. You’ll get resources and support from a personal tutor, and can take as long as you need to complete the course. #### **Can I do a PhD without a Masters?** To be accepted onto a PhD, which is the highest qualification that a student can achieve, students will usually have a relevant Masters degree. This is because students cannot attain the requisite level of in-depth knowledge about a particular area without Masters study. Those looking to progress onto a PhD from Masters study can benefit from making contacts for future reference, and surrounding themselves with students and colleagues who share their aims and interests. However, the minimum entry requirement for most PhDs is an upper second class Bachelors degree, so it’s possible for those without a Masters to gain entry onto a Doctoral programme. It’s more common for science students to progress directly to a PhD from an undergraduate course, while those studying the arts and humanities will generally need a Masters. #### **Am I ready to do a Masters? (Thanks to Prospects.ac.uk for this list)** Before committing to a Masters degree, ask yourself: - Am I fully aware of the level of commitment required to undertake Masters study? - Am I prepared to do more studying and less partying than at undergraduate level? - Am I excited by the opportunity to write another, even longer dissertation or research project? - Can I afford Masters study, in terms of tuition fees and living costs? - Am I willing to accrue more graduate debt, or alternatively make potentially lengthy applications for funding? - Am I willing to live on a budget in order to cover living expenses, while my friends are in full-time employment? - Will the postgraduate qualification improve my career prospects? - Is the qualification rated highly by employers within my ideal industry? - Will the qualification equip me with the specific skills needed for my ideal career? - Will my studies allow me to qualify as a professional? - Am I genuinely passionate about the qualification and subject? - Am I certain that the courses that I’m looking at are right for me? #### **What Dementia / Neuroscience related courses are out there?** We maintain a searchable directory of dementia and neurodegeneration relevant postgraduate courses. [**Browse the higher education courses directory**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/), or go straight to [the MSc listings](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/?fwp_he_level=msc). #### **What will doing a Masters really be like?** Well, I have to be honest and admit, that I haven’t personally done one – so what would I know! I wrote this blog having spoken with many Masters Students, and after undertaking some online research. Over the coming year we are following [Morgan Daniel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-daniel-morgan/), a [Dementia and Neuroscience Masters Student at University College London](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/study/postgraduate-taught-degrees/dementia-causes-treatments-and-research-neuroscience-msc) – [Morgan is blogging for Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/morgan-msc-story/), and I highly recommend anyone you take a look at her blogs to get the inside track on what doing a Masters will be like. If you have questions, [Morgan will doing regular Twitter takeovers to share her typical days, and will be taking your questions. **Follow our twitter feed on the 20th October, to find out more, and please put your questions to her.**](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher) --- #### Author![Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Adam-Smith-300x300.jpg "Adam Smith") [**Adam Smith** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/)was born in the north, a long time ago. He wanted to write books, but ended up working in the NHS, and at the Department of Health. He is now a Programme Director in the Office of the NIHR National Director for Dementia Research (which probably sounds more important than it is) at University College London. He has led a number of initiatives to improve dementia research (which happens to include creating this website, Join Dementia Research and ENRICH), as well as pursuing his own research interests. In his spare time, he grows vegetables, builds Lego and spends most of his time drinking too much coffee and squeezing technology into his house. [Follow @betterresearch](https://twitter.com/betterresearch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Careers, Guest blog **Tags:** Adam Smith, Masters, Morgan MSc Story **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Undergraduate Essentials --- ### [NIHR Research Workforce Update: What It Means](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/nihr-research-workforce-update-england-2026/) **Published:** August 25, 2026 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** The NIHR research workforce update for England sets out plans for careers, protected time, inclusion and research across health, public health and social care. **Content:** ![NIHR Research Workforce Update](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/How-to-write-a-plain-English-summary-300x229.jpg "NIHR Research Workforce Update")The NIHR research workforce update for England sets out plans for careers, protected time, inclusion and research across health, public health and social care. ***The NIHR Research Workforce Update shares a new plan for developing England’s health, public health and social care research workforce. Here is what it could mean for researchers, research careers and organisations.*** Research should be part of the everyday work of health and care services, not something fitted around service delivery when time and money allow. That is the central message of the new [Research workforce update for England](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/research-workforce-update-england), published by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) on 16 July 2026. The report brings together planned and existing work by the Department of Health and Social Care, NIHR, NHS England and other organisations. Its aim is to help more people across health, public health and social care engage with, deliver, use and lead research. Although this is not a dementia-specific report, it has direct relevance to dementia researchers. Dementia research depends on hospitals, memory services, primary care, care homes, community organisations, local authorities and universities working together. It also depends on staff having the time, training and career support required to contribute. ## Four priorities for England’s research workforce The NIHR research workforce update is organised around four priorities: - maximising the impact of research by making it part of routine service delivery and decision-making - helping the workforce evaluate, use and adopt innovations, including data-driven technologies - building a more inclusive and diverse research workforce across professions, settings and regions - increasing the health, social and economic return generated by investment in research These are broad ambitions, but the report also contains actions, deadlines and measures against which progress can be judged. Among the commitments are twice-yearly NHS Trust board reviews of research activity, new expectations for organisations hosting NIHR awards and clearer routes between service and research roles. There are also plans to strengthen research in neighbourhood services, adult social care, public health, local authorities and voluntary organisations. ## Career pathways remain a major concern The NIHR Research Workforce Update acknowledges many of the problems researchers already know well: [insecure careers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-perpetual-postdoc-its-broke-so-lets-fix-it-a-discussion-important-people-need-to-hear/), unclear progression routes, inconsistent access to protected research time and [difficulty combining academic and service roles](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-clinical-academics-in-clinical-practice/). These barriers are not evenly distributed. Opportunities differ between professions, employers, regions and research settings. Staff working outside large teaching hospitals and research-intensive universities can find it particularly difficult to access training, mentorship and funding. NIHR says it will strengthen [research career pathways](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-disrupting-dementia-research-careers/) from undergraduate level through to research leadership. The recently launched Clinical Fellowships Leadership Programme is intended to help more postdoctoral [clinical academics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/council-calls-to-boost-clinical-academic-roles/) move into open-ended contracts, working alongside UKRI, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation. The report also commits NIHR to making implementation of the Follett Principles a condition of funding across all its awards by 2027. These principles are intended to support the fair appraisal and management of clinical academics whose work is shared between universities and health services. By 2027/28, the report expects to see evidence that research is embedded within NHS career structures, including the availability of hybrid service and research pathways. These are welcome commitments, but they do not amount to an immediate guarantee of protected time or a secure contract. Researchers should watch how the principles are translated into employment practices, workload decisions and promotion criteria within individual organisations. ## Research must extend beyond hospitals One of the strongest parts of the update is its recognition that research cannot remain concentrated in hospitals and universities. As more care moves into communities, research capacity will need to move with it. That means creating opportunities within general practice, neighbourhood health services, [care homes](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-no-care-homes-left-out-in-dementia-research/), social care, public health teams, local authorities and voluntary organisations. This is especially important for dementia research. People living with dementia often receive support across several parts of the system, yet some of those settings have had [fewer opportunities to host studies](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-care-home-communities-deserve-a-place-in-research/) or employ research-active staff. The report points to the contribution already being made by primary care. During 2025/26, research-active GP practices recruited 88,625 people in England to studies supported by the NIHR Research Delivery Network. NIHR and its partners now plan to develop defined approaches to research within neighbourhood services between 2026 and 2029. Research awareness and capability are also expected to be included in the adult social care workforce pathway by 2028/29. The Care Quality Commission will develop guidance on how research should be recognised and assessed across hospitals, primary and community care, mental health services, adult social care and local authorities. This could give organisations another reason to demonstrate that they support research properly rather than simply describing themselves as research active. ## Preparing researchers for data and technology The government’s 10-Year Health Plan identifies [AI](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/improving-care-for-care-home-residents-through-data-linkage/), data, genomics, robotics and wearable technologies as five major areas for innovation. The workforce update argues that these technologies will only improve care if staff can test, evaluate and implement them properly. NIHR therefore plans to increase data science capacity across its research infrastructure and Academy programmes. It will also develop the skills of research delivery and R&D staff, particularly in services and organisations that are newer to research. For dementia researchers, this could support work involving health records, digital biomarkers, remote assessment, genomics, imaging and wearable devices. It should also reinforce an important point: introducing technology is not the same as demonstrating that it works. Researchers will be needed to examine accuracy, accessibility, acceptability, cost and real-world effects, including whether a technology reduces or increases existing inequalities. ## A more inclusive research workforce The update recognises that research opportunities remain unevenly distributed across professions, demographic groups, sectors and regions. NIHR intends to provide targeted training and early-career support in public health, [social care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/nihr-launches-10m-funding-programme-for-social-care-research/), local authorities and the voluntary and community sector. It will also publish a Research Inclusion data progress report by September 2027, examining career journeys through NIHR Academy programmes and the effectiveness of work intended to widen the talent pipeline. Building a more representative workforce is not simply a staffing exercise. Who is able to become a researcher can influence which questions are asked, where studies are conducted and which communities are included. This has clear implications for dementia research, where some ethnic communities, socioeconomic groups, LGBT+ people, people with learning disabilities and those living in [rural or underserved areas](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-dementia-research-in-rural-areas/) remain poorly represented in research. ## The scale of existing investment The report includes several figures demonstrating the scale and claimed value of current research workforce investment. The NIHR Academy invests more than £230 million of government funding each year in research training programmes. During 2025/26, it funded more than 4,000 career development awards. The Department of Health and Social Care has also provided £37 million to 89 medical research charities, supporting more than 800 early-career researcher posts. According to the report, every £1 invested in NIHR generates more than £13 in benefits for the economy and society. NIHR Academy awards have generated £1.4 billion in commercial income since 2014. The report argues that investment in research also benefits services by supporting staff development, satisfaction and retention. NHS organisations are expected to reinvest income from commercial research in local research capacity and delivery. ## What should researchers watch next? The NIHR Research Workforce Update provides several points against which researchers can monitor delivery: - whether NHS boards begin reporting openly on research capacity, funding and activity twice a year - whether NIHR-funded organisations implement the Follett Principles meaningfully by 2027 - whether genuine hybrid service and research careers become available by 2027/28 - what the Research Inclusion data progress report reveals in September 2027 - whether research opportunities expand across community, primary care and social care settings - whether staff receive protected time, mentorship and recognition alongside new expectations to support research The NIHR Research Workforce Update does not immediately solve the problems facing England’s research workforce. It does, however, put several long-standing concerns into a national policy document with named actions, measures and deadlines. That gives researchers something concrete to use when discussing workloads, career pathways, training and organisational support with employers and research leaders. The real test will be whether research becomes part of workforce planning and service delivery on the ground. If that happens, the benefits should extend beyond research teams to patients, carers, communities and the staff delivering health and social care. Read the full \[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Research-workforce-update-for-England.pdf” title=”Research workforce update for England”\]. **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** National Insititute for Health and Care Research, NHS Research, Workforce **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Policy --- ### [Blog - More Research Habits I Wish I'd Started Earlier in My PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-more-research-habits-i-wish-id-started-earlier-in-my-phd/) **Published:** August 26, 2026 **Author:** Dr Ajantha Abey **Excerpt:** Dr Ajantha Abey shares six more PhD habits worth starting early, covering notes, ideas, networks, conferences, side projects and life after the PhD. **Content:** --- **In [my last blog](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-research-habits-i-wish-id-started-earlier-in-my-phd/), I wrote about concrete ‘lab-hacks’: PhD habits and systems I implemented (or wish I had implemented) that make doing major projects like a PhD, (especially wet lab projects, and especially those involving cells) much easier to manage. I discussed experiment numbering, the best way to use reference managers, file naming, consistent terminology use, and the beauty of a good spreadsheet, and more (scintillating topics, all).** In part 2, there are yet more basic PhD habits you can adopt, and more bigger picture practices, not necessarily related to your experimental work, but in some cases more about your attitude and mindsets to adopt from the outset. These continue to be of the genre of things that take time and effort but will pay off in the end, or you will come to wish you had done if neglected. ## **Document your thought processes, not just your results** **Most lab books and research notes are good at recording what happened in an experiment, but few are good at recording why they happened**, or what happened in between all the different experiments. This is a problem because the “why” is often what you need later. Why did you change the protocol? Why did you exclude that sample? Why did you choose that concentration? Why did you stop pursuing that aim? Why did you switch tack and go in a different direction? What evidence did you rely on to make particular choices? Why did you believe this experiment answered the question? **At the time, these decisions feel obvious. Later, they do not.** Later, you may find yourself staring at an old dataset wondering why you even did this. Document the reasoning. Not in huge essays, necessarily. Just short notes: “Using 10µM because pilot EXP017 showed toxicity at 20µM.” “Excluding sample B3 because cell count was unusually low after replating and imaging showed widespread debris.” “Switching antibody lot after high background in EXP028 and EXP029.” “Decided not to pursue this analysis further because effect disappears after normalisation to cell number.” “Based on Tennant 2010, Smith 2011, and Capaldi 2012, decided to stimulate cells using TARDIS rather than DALEK” These notes are invaluable because they help with writing methods and results, they help with troubleshooting, they help when supervisors ask why something was done, and they help when it’s 3 years down the track and you’re trying to work out why you did something the way you did it. ## **Keep a list of ideas in one place** This is related to documenting thought processes, but slightly different. I wish I had kept a more centralised running log of ideas, project directions, and unanswered questions from the start. A PhD generates a lot of ideas, and ideally a lot of data, and can never answer all the questions it comes up with. Some are good. Some are bad. Some are good but impractical. Some are suggested by supervisors, some by lab mates, some by conference talks, some by papers, some by staring into the middle distance while waiting for a centrifuge. **Write them all down!** Saving a list of ideas for later will be super helpful if the opportunity ever comes to write a pilot grant, supervise a student, or become a postdoc, or you just hit a dead end in your research and need to go back to a saved checkpoint. Also include decisions not to do things. ## **Build relationships before you need them** Not everything useful in a PhD looks productive in the narrow sense. Getting coffee with someone, chatting after a seminar, going to departmental events, asking a postdoc about their project, or having lunch with people from another lab can feel like time away from “real work”. This pays off in the long run though. [Research is social](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-stronger-together-peer-support-and-community/). Ideas, opportunities, collaborations, jobs, references, troubleshooting advice, and emotional survival all depend on relationships. > You do not want the first time you talk to someone to be when you desperately need their protocol, equipment, letter of support, or career advice. Spend time getting to know people. Not in a cynical networking way, where every interaction becomes a LinkedIn transaction, but in an earnest, generous, and curious way. Ask people what they work on. Ask how they got there. Ask what they wish they had known. Ask for advice before you need urgent help. This is particularly valuable early in a PhD, when you may feel like you do not have much to offer yet. In reality, you do. You have enthusiasm, curiosity, time, and a fresh perspective. You are also building the relationships that will make the rest of the PhD easier and more enjoyable. The person you chat to at a seminar might later help with a method. The postdoc you ask for advice might later tell you about a job. The student you meet at a local conference might become a collaborator. The technician you take the time to know properly may save you from making an expensive mistake. These connections can help you write grants that need collaborators, write reference letters for jobs, become mentors, etc. ## **Go to conferences from the start, especially small local ones** [Big international conferences are exciting](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-ultimate-guide-to-making-the-most-of-the-aaic/), overwhelming, expensive, and definitely worth going to, but small local meetings are also underrated. Even if you do not have much to present, small meetings can be good to go to simply for experience, practice, and ideas. Small meetings are generally lower stakes. You can present plans, early data, half-formed ideas, pilot experiments, or method development work. You can get used to explaining your project, answering questions, and seeing which parts people understand or find interesting. You can also learn what other people nearby are doing, which is often surprisingly useful. At the start of a PhD, it is easy to think that conferences are only for people with polished results. This is not true. Conferences are also for getting ideas, understanding the field, meeting people, finding out what techniques exist, and discovering that everyone else’s projects are also messier than their abstracts suggest. **Small meetings are particularly good for building confidence.** Asking a question in a room of 40 people is less intimidating than asking one in a room of 400. [Presenting a poster to local researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-to-sell-your-conference-poster/) is good preparation for presenting to international experts. It also gives you something to put on your CV, which is not the main reason to do it, but is not nothing either. Don’t make your first conference be a high-stakes meeting with thousands of people which you’re not prepared for. [![Poster header reading'RESEARCH HABITS' with subtitle 'I Wish I'd Started Earlier in My PhD' and a yellow underline.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Research-Habits-I-Wish-Id-Started-Earlier-in-My-PhD-blog-by-Dr-Ajantha-Abey-3000-x-3000-px-300x300.jpg "Research Habits I Wish Id Started Earlier in My PhD blog by Dr Ajantha Abey 3000 x 3000 px")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-research-habits-i-wish-id-started-earlier-in-my-phd/)Read Ajantha’s first blog packed with top tips and PhD habits you will want to adopt. ## **Say yes and do the random side things** During a PhD, there will be opportunities to do things that are not directly your project: teaching, public engagement, departmental committees, student societies, outreach events, writing, peer mentoring, organising seminars, helping with conferences, sitting on panels, and so on. It is easy to dismiss these as distractions. Sometimes they are. You should not say yes to everything, and **you should not let side quests consume the main quest**. But I think it is worth doing some, or really a lot of them, especially early on. First, they help you develop skills that your project may not. Teaching improves your ability to explain ideas. [Public engagement helps you communicate clearly](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/public-engagement-and-academia-some-things-to-consider/) and remember why the work matters. Committees teach you how institutions function, and help you meet people. Organising events gives you project management experience. Writing helps you think. Mentoring helps you become a better colleague. Second, they give you exposure and help you network. People get to know you and your work, you get to know them and the environment around you. Endless opportunities, in the forms of jobs, collaborations, or otherwise, can arise from these. You also find out what you enjoy and what you absolutely do not, which can help in settling your thinking about your longer-term career path. I know a student who got a position from chatting to someone who asked a good question after a seminar. Third, they help your CV. If you apply for postdocs, fellowships, teaching roles, funding, or jobs outside academia, it helps to have evidence that you can do more than your narrow experimental project. A PhD can go by quickly, and by the end you may not have the time or energy to suddenly build a record of teaching, outreach, leadership, and engagement from scratch. Being able to evidence your ability to communicate, to engage with the public, to work with other people, is essential in all manner of professional domains. Finally, these things can make the PhD more enjoyable. Research can be slow and frustrating. Side activities often provide more immediate forms of meaning, feedback, and human interaction. Sometimes helping a student understand something, talking to the public about dementia research, or organising an event can be exactly the thing that reminds you why you like science in the first place. ## **Think about life after the PhD from the beginning** This is very much related to the above, but involves more concrete strategic thinking. This does not mean you need to have a 10-year plan in first year. In fact, having a rigid 10-year plan may be actively unhelpful, because you will change, and the field will change. But you should start paying attention early. What do people from your lab go on to do? [What does a postdoc actually involve?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-to-find-a-postdoc-job/) What skills are needed in industry? What does a fellowship application look like? [Do you enjoy teaching?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-teaching-while-going-after-the-sword-phd-in-the-stone/) Do you like coding? Do you like writing? Do you like managing projects? Do you like the bench? Do you like data analysis? Do you like talking to patients or the public? Do you want to stay in academia at all? These questions do not need immediate answers, but you should try and find ways to explore them along the way. > Thinking about life after the PhD early helps you make better decisions during it. If you might want to apply for fellowships, you may need evidence of independence, publications, collaborations, and funding. If you might want to teach, get teaching experience. If you might want to move into industry, learn what skills are valued there. If you might want to leave research, talk to people who have done so and find out what helped them transition. **It is much easier to explore possibilities in first or second year than in the final months**, when you are writing your thesis, applying for jobs, worrying about money, and wondering whether “transferable skills” includes the ability to troubleshoot why your cells keep dying without spiralling out. It also gives you a lot more time to dabble and then build up the track record that you will need for jobs after your PhD. ## **Final thoughts** When it comes to PhD habits, I will reiterate what I said at the end of part 1. Most of this advice is not super exciting (unless, like me, you really like spreadsheets). It does take a bunch of time and effort, and won’t save you from failed experiments. However, **good systems make life easier in the long run, and PhDs are a marathon**. They protect you from your own forgetfulness, make your work more reproducible, your writing easier, your planning more realistic, and your future self less lost and confused. [The beginning of a PhD is the best time to put these systems in place](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/phd-essentials-podcast-playlist/) because you have the time to be able to be consistent from the beginning. Everything is still relatively clean. The folders are empty. The samples do not yet exist. The lab book is not yet a dense forest of abbreviations. Set up the numbering system. Use the reference manager. Make the spreadsheets. Write the templates. Keep the notes. Track the samples. Back up the files. Go to the small meetings. Get to know people. Say yes to a few useful side quests. Think a little about the future. Taking the time is worth it! The work now when time is cheap will save you effort when time is short and you’re scrambling to finish. The person you will be three or four years from now, trying to write a thesis, finish a paper, respond to reviewers, apply for jobs, and work out what on earth happened in experiment 17 will thank you. Make current you the sort of person that future you will be grateful for. --- ![Ajantha Abey Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Ajantha-Abey.jpg "Ajantha Abey")Dr Ajantha Abey #### Author [**Dr Ajantha Abey** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ajantha-abey-university-of-oxford/ "Ajantha Abey")is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Kavli Institute at University of Oxford. He is interested in the cellular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other diseases of the ageing brain. He previously explored neuropathology in dogs with dementia and potential stem cell replacement therapies. He now uses induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons to try and model selective neuronal vulnerability: the phenomenon where some cells die but others remain resilient to neurodegenerative diseases. [Find Ajantha on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajantha-abey/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Ajantha Abey, PhD Life, PhD Study **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - Research Habits I Wish I’d Started Earlier in My PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-research-habits-i-wish-id-started-earlier-in-my-phd/) **Published:** July 26, 2026 **Author:** Dr Ajantha Abey **Excerpt:** Dr Ajantha Abey shares the PhD lab hacks he wishes he had started earlier: experiment numbering, file naming, notes, references and figures **Content:** --- **There are about 1001 articles and blogs out there about all the things people wish they had known about doing a PhD before they started. These are filled with advice like pacing yourself, embracing failure, dealing with perfectionism, managing the ups and downs, etc. These are good and useful, but they have been written plenty of times, so this is NOT one of those articles.** My goal here is to list several practical, “lab hack” ideas and productivity pointers that are mostly systems that you can and should implement from [the very start of your PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-starting-a-phd-how-to-know-nothing/) (or whatever [other major research project you are embarking on](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-mastering-the-phd-journey-key-application-insights/), e.g. a postdoc or master’s research project) that will make your life way easier along the way. A lot of these are data management and record-keeping tips, since a PhD is likely be far the longest project you will have embarked on, and you will need to have a good system that takes you through the whole thing and is useful to you at the end when you can’t easily remember what you did 2-3 years ago. There are also some mindsets that I think are worth implementing as early as possible, which will constitute [part 2 of this blog](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-more-research-habits-i-wish-id-started-earlier-in-my-phd/). Some of these things I wish I had done from the start, some of these things I managed to do and remain incredibly grateful to my past self for. Let me know what you think! I include some cell culture specific advice at the end since this was the bulk of my actual work, but the rest of the advice is highly generalisable I think. These systems are worth spending the time putting in place from the beginning – they will save you time and stress as you go and by the end they’ll be habitual. 1. **Have a consistent experiment numbering system that you also use for your file numbering system** This is extremely boring advice, but it is by far the best decision I made early in my PhD and the most frequently envied. It does not really matter what the system is, as long as it is simple, chronological, and used consistently. For my purposes, this meant that every experiment I did, I numbered, and labelled all associated files starting with that number, going chronologically, starting with 001. What you define as a discrete experiment is mostly up to you; for me, it was typically a coherent idea that I was testing from a given differentiation of cells, or single thing that I was making. For example, using a single differentiation of neurons to do some calcium assays, neurite outgrowth, and lysosomal assays would have constituted three different experiments, or expanding a cell line to generate new stocks would have constituted one experiment. ![Keep a wins file. Every talk, poster, student, review. Ten seconds to add, saves a day every time you write a CV.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Keep-a-wins-file.png "Keep a wins file")Many people start their file numbering with a Year\_Month\_Date format, but this can be annoying for two reasons – firstly, it doesn’t differentiate your files from everyone else’s in big communal databases (like all the files on a common piece of lab equipment), and it doesn’t nicely separate experiments that you might be running simultaneously. You might put your initials at the start of your file numbering to make sure that your files are distinct from anyone else sharing equipment, and you can and should incorporate a date into the file name, too, but starting with a chronologically applied number (or number following consistent initials) will make finding and sorting everything vastly easier. Every experiment gets a unique identifier and this identifier follows the experiment everywhere: on your samples and culture plates, your lab book, your raw data folder, your analysis files, your images, your spreadsheets, etc. The benefit of this is that everything stays findable and searchable. If you are looking at a graph two years later and want to know where the raw data came from, the experiment number should lead you back to the lab book entry, the protocol, the sample details, the analysis, and any notes you made at the time. If your experiment numbers are chronological, they also become a rough timeline of your PhD. It also means it’s easy to put all the files related to an experiment in the same place. This sounds easy until you realise how easily things drift. You run a quick pilot experiment and do not give it a number because it is “not important”. But then, of course, it becomes important. Slowly, chaos enters the system. **Take the time to maintain the system. Do not let chaos in. Number things**. And of course, create an index somewhere obvious and easy to find so someone later (yourself or others) can come in and see what each experimental number means. 2. **Use consistent file names and terminology** This sounds like the same advice from the previous point, but it is not. A good experiment numbering system should be paired with a consistent file naming system. A useful file name should tell you, at minimum, what the file is, when it was made, and what experiment or project it belongs to. This may look excessive, but there are few things more satisfying than opening a folder and having the files automatically appear in chronological order, with their contents reasonably intelligible. By contrast, there are few things more demoralising than finding 12 files called some variation of: new analysis analysis final analysis final final analysis final use this analysis final use this 2 analysis final actually use this one Consider also the following example – when doing a Western blot and stripping the membrane to re-blot the same or a different protein on the blot, have you done Blot 2? Round 2? Reblot 1? Stain2? And if you run a new gel from the same sample is that Blot 2 as well? It doesn’t really matter what term you use, but you should define and stick with a specific language from the beginning. ![Keep a failure log. Write down what did not work and why. Otherwise you will do it again in year three.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Keep-a-failure-log.png "Keep a failure log")In each of my western blot experiment folders, ideally what you’ll find the protein quantification file (“002\_Example Name\_BCA Quantification”), which I know also contains the gel maps, then folders for all the images (one folder for 002\_Example Name\_Blot 1, with sub folders for 002\_Expeirment Name\_Blot 1\_Round 1/2/3/etc for stripped and reblotted membranes, and a new folder for 002\_Blot 2 from the same sample run on a new gel), then a file for the quantification output (“002\_Experiment Name\_Image Lab Quantification”) then a file for the graphs (“002\_Experiment Name\_Analysis”) and a powerpoint file to summarise everything (“002\_Experiment name\_Results Summary”). And in every other experiment that involves western blots, you’ll find files labelled the same way with the same type/stage of data in each. *(Ideally. I’m not perfect. But it’s pretty good).* This is about readability as much as it is about tidiness. It is about being able to go from a final figure back to the raw data without needing to rely on memory or vibes or lots of guessing and checking. 3. **Keep all your notes in one place** At the start of a PhD, it is easy to scatter notes and ideas everywhere. Some in a physical notebook. Some in Word documents. Some in the margins of PDFs. Some in emails to yourself. Some in random Google Docs. Some in the notes app on your phone. Some, tragically, only in your brain. This is a mistake. **Your brain is not a good long term storage environment.** Have one central place where your research notes live. This might be OneNote, Notion, Obsidian, Evernote, a carefully organised folder of Word documents. The specific tool matters less than the principle: your notes should be searchable, organised, backed up, and in the one place. It’s really annoying to have to search across multiple different apps and formats of files to be able to find the thing you were looking for. I used OneNote extensively and found it especially useful because it allowed me to organise notes into sections, paste in images, annotate freely, and search text across notebooks. One particularly useful feature is optical character recognition, or OCR, which means that text in images can become searchable. This is surprisingly helpful because so much research documentation happens by hand: whiteboards, handwritten notes, microscope settings, protocol scribbles, posters, slides, reagent labels, plate maps, etc. All my handwritten lab notes, plates, important reagent labels, etc. all get photographed and imported into OneNote, and become searchable with all of my other notes (the Apple iPhotos OCR is also, incidentally, extremely good, even with my questionable handwriting). This note system is by no means neat and tidy, but it is organised and searchable so that years later when you need to find something, you can (and, if you followed step 2, you know what it should be called). 4. **Use a reference manager properly from day one** Your life will be made 1000x times better if you use a reference manager consistently from day one, with a good tagging system. [Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, Paperpile](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-ai-and-bluesky-embracing-the-everyday-tech-of-academia/) — choose your fighter. I personally like Zotero because it is free, open-source, and has a tagging system I found extremely useful. But the important thing is not which reference manager you use. **The important thing is that you use one consistently.** A reference manager is not just for inserting citations into papers and generating bibliographies, though this alone is enough reason to use one. It is also a memory system. Over the course of a PhD, you may read hundreds or thousands of papers. You will not remember them all. You will remember that there was “that paper about microglia and complement” or “that study with the weird tau result” or “that one review with the useful diagram”. Tags, folders, and notes make these papers findable again. My recommendation is to tag papers by topic, method, model, disease, and possible future use. For example: Diseases: AD, PD, FTD, etc. Topic: autophagy, mitochondria, lysosomes, mitochondrial stress, heterogeneity, etc. Model: human brain tissue, iPSCs, Cortical Neurons, Rodent Models, Primary Cells, etc. Methods used: PFFs, IHC, scRNAseq, Key Genes Mentioned: SNCA, BIN1, TOM20, etc. Utility: Methodology, Introduction, Background, Discussion Type of Paper: primary paper / review paper Other Notes: Supports Hypothesis / Contradicts Hypothesis The most useful thing about the tagging system is that when you search, you can combine them. Now you can search through all your saved papers and find all the ones that do scRNAseq in iPSC models; or all the review papers on PFFs related to Parkinson’s Disease; or all the papers that look at autophagy in human brain tissue in AD and mention BIN1. Having tags for things that will be useful when you’re writing your introduction/methods/discussion/etc is also super useful. A future thesis-writing version of yourself will be immensely grateful if you can open your reference manager and immediately pull up the papers relevant to a chapter, argument, technique, or caveat. It’s also useful if you’re planning an experiment and looking for other papers who have used the same technique. 5. **![Write your methods as you go. The actual concentrations, on the day. Not from memory eighteen months later.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Write-your-methods-as-you-go.png "Write your methods as you go")Make figures as you go** Everyone says this. Everyone is right. Almost everyone ignores it anyway. Make figures as you go. Not necessarily perfect publication-ready figures, but clean, labelled, interpretative figures that summarise what you did and what you found. Having them for lab meetings and conferences and such is useful but actually what is even more useful is the underlying clean datafile which combines all your different replicate etc. and has some stats properly done on it, that you can come back to later to make your final versions easily. [Figure-making takes a shocking amount of time](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-tackling-the-phd-thesis-through-planning/). The graph itself takes plenty of time to format, let alone the surrounding work: cleaning data, choosing representative images, arranging panels, writing legends, checking labels, making sure colours and fonts are consistent, finding the right statistical annotations, and then trying to figure out how to export everything at 300 DPI. Making figures as you go also helps you think. A figure is not just a visual output; it is an distillation of all the work you’ve done so far, and pushes you towards key decision points. Even if the figures later change, you will have a visual record of the project developing over time, and the underlying data will be tidy and ready for use. When it comes to writing reports, papers, talks, or your thesis, this is priceless. 6. **Have a centralised spreadsheet for everything** This brings me to the cell culture-specific section, though honestly the principle applies much more widely: spreadsheets are your friend. You don’t have to make an overly elaborate, colour-coded monument to procrastination like I have. But having a centralised document to coordinate what you have, where it is, what condition it is in, what has been done to it, and what can still be done with it, and when you want to do things, makes life a lot easier. My spreadsheet includes 1. A freezer stock spreadsheet with a line for every vial of cells I have ever frozen down, and further information on when I thawed them and how they turned out (this also means you can keep a running tally of how many vials of cells you’ve made, you know, for fun). 2. A log of cell passaging, i.e. notes on how many cells I had every time I have passaged and counted cells, which makes it easier to predict in the future how fast certain lines grow and how many cells you can expect to yield after X days in culture. 3. [A huge calendar spreadsheet with days of the year going left to right](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-using-time-tracking-for-time-management/) and cell differentiations on each row. I can mark important dates on the calendar at the top (conferences, friends visiting, trips away, major events, etc.) and then time experiments to ideally avoid these, and not overlap too much with eachother too. Especially when working with differentiation protocols that are months long and predictable, knowing when your big treatment or harvesting or replating days are going to be weeks in advance can help you plan the rest of your life, or vice versa. 4. A log of all my protein and RNA samples and cell lysates (which I did not do in my PhD but now do religiously). This makes it vastly easier to remember all the samples you have available, how much there is left of each, how well each sample turned out, and if you need some spare to do an extra experiment, what sample is going to be best to use. This requires a lot of upkeep but is extremely helpful. 5. A page of all my plate maps for every plate of cells I grow, across all my experiments, which helps a lot in planning experiments and remembering later when sorting through microscopy files. 6. A list of every experiment (numerical and chronological, of course) and what plates, lysates, samples, etc. are associated with each, and what stage each one is at (kind of like a massive Gantt chart), with a brief note about what the main outcomes of each experiment was. There are many more possibilities (e.g. pages for calculating how to make up different kinds of media, lists of antibodies and other reagents and their catalogue numbers for easy reordering, but those are the main ones).**Interim Thoughts** At this point this blog is ballooning out so I will take a pause after these practical notes and curtail the useful mindsets and practices into [a part 2](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-more-research-habits-i-wish-id-started-earlier-in-my-phd/). Most of this advice is not super exciting (unless, like me, you really like spreadsheets). It does take a bunch of time and effort and won’t save you from failed experiments. > However, good systems make life easier in the long run, and PhDs are a marathon. They protect you from your own forgetfulness, make your work more reproducible, your writing easier, your planning more realistic, and your future self less lost and confused. Set up systems. Use a reference manager and actually curate your collection. Make the spreadsheets. Write the templates. Track your samples. Back up your files. Taking the time is worth it! The work now when time is cheap will save you effort when time is short and you’re scrambling to finish. The person you will be three or four years from now, trying to write a thesis, finish a paper, respond to reviewers, apply for jobs, and work out what on earth happened in experiment 17 will thank you. Make current you the sort of person that future you will be grateful for. --- ![Ajantha Abey Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Ajantha-Abey.jpg "Ajantha Abey")Ajantha Abey #### Author [**Dr Ajantha Abey** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ajantha-abey-university-of-oxford/ "Ajantha Abey")is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Kavli Institute at University of Oxford. He is interested in the cellular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other diseases of the ageing brain. He previously explored neuropathology in dogs with dementia and potential stem cell replacement therapies. He now uses induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons to try and model selective neuronal vulnerability: the phenomenon where some cells die but others remain resilient to neurodegenerative diseases. [Follow @ajanthaabey](https://twitter.com/ajanthaabey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Ajantha Abey, PhD Life, PhD Study **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [A guide to securing your first research fellowship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-guide-to-securing-your-first-research-fellowship/) **Published:** August 26, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Learn how early-career researchers can strengthen their track record, boost their research proposal and assess institutional fit for a first research fellowship **Content:** ![A guide to securing your first research fellowship - Nature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/A-guide-to-securing-your-first-research-fellowship-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.jpg "A guide to securing your first research fellowship - Nature 680 x 520 px")How early-career researchers can strengthen their track record, boost their research proposal and assess institutional fit. **An Early-career research fellowship plays a key part in helping researchers to move from supervised work to greater independence. [The intense competition, however, can make the application process daunting](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-getting-a-fellowship/) for early-career researchers (ECRs). Based on our experience of running a successful fellowship support structure in the chemistry department at University College London (UCL), through which we have supported more than 40 ECRs, this guide offers practical advice to help you to strengthen your application at every stage.** Our programme at UCL combines clear online guidance for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with tailored advice from experienced colleagues. It is designed to help applicants to assess their readiness, refine their proposals and understand how their work would sit within a wider research community. Although the scheme is based at our department, the principles behind it are broadly applicable to ECRs applying for fellowships at other institutions. Drawing on the lessons from this support structure, our guidelines aim to help you by tackling three questions. How can you determine whether your track record is suitable for your chosen fellowship? How can you develop and formulate a winning research programme for your application? And how can you select the most appropriate university to host you as a future fellow? By answering these questions, we hope to give you the tools to see your application through the eyes of a reviewer. This, together with your enthusiasm for your research, is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen your application. ## Get started early Early planning for a fellowship application is hugely important. Thinking about your application throughout your PhD and early postdoctoral studies enables you to develop your research activities and CV, and to tailor them to strengthen your future application. Map out key milestones that you want to achieve and include in applications, such as publication submissions, conference presentations, preliminary data generation and funding applications, and create your own deadlines for these ahead of the real fellowship deadlines. ## Evaluate your track record Research fellows are expected to conduct independent scientific research and break new ground. Reviewers therefore look for evidence of emerging leadership and independence. **Leadership.** Reviewers often assess leadership through conventional quantitative indicators, such as first-author journal publications in leading journals of your field or in book chapters. Co-corresponding, last-author or single-author publications can also be strong signals of independence and leadership, although these are not common at the PhD stage. When publication is restricted by confidentiality, alternative evidence might come from patents, patent applications and demonstrable leadership in running research projects. Increasingly, funders also use [narrative CVs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-how-to-create-a-narrative-cv/), which enable applicants to highlight broader qualitative contributions beyond publication metrics. These might include mentoring, open science, outreach, team-building, contributions to research culture and service to the wider community. Reviewers should also take context into account, including justified personal leave, career breaks and differences in the level of support available to ECRs at previous institutions. **Independence.** Independence will be judged by your ability to secure small grants for research or travel, conference attendance, corresponding or last authorship and outreach activities. Other indicators are a move to a different university from where you did your PhD or the development of research collaborations. Although methodological overlap with previous supervisors is inevitable, your proposed research should clearly establish your own unique direction. **Tailored benchmarking.** To tailor your proposal to a specific fellowship and assess your competitiveness, examine the profiles of previous fellowship winners, which can often be found on the funders’ websites. Review their publication records and CVs at the time of applying and use them to infer what the funder values most, and match this to your application. ## Develop your winning research proposal The quality and novelty of your proposed research is crucial for securing a fellowship. Successful proposals score highly on significance, novelty and impact, as well as feasibility and your network of productive collaborations. **Significance, novelty and impact.** Significant research addresses an important gap in scientific knowledge, and novelty overcomes this barrier in a substantively different way, for example, with a new theoretical model, approach or methodology. Impact refers to the changes that successful research can bring about in science and the benefits it can deliver for society. But how does this apply to your research idea? What is regarded as significant and novel depends strongly on the specific scientific field. As you develop as a scientist, use your fact-finding mindset to spot gaps in knowledge in the research field. Read reviews in top journals and discuss your ideas with research leaders. In particular, ask where they see the most important unresolved questions; which approaches are considered high risk or transformative; and what distinguishes incremental from field-changing work. Judge the significance of your research idea by discussing with your mentor whether it unlocks a new scientific direction and produces more questions. [Use the abstracts of previously successful fellows](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-writing-the-best-fellowship-application/) to assess whether your proposal falls in the funder’s remit and matches their ‘risk appetite’ and taste for societal impact. A funder’s risk appetite refers to how bold or exploratory proposals can be: some favour highly innovative, high-risk ideas, whereas others prioritize more-incremental but reliable advances. By analysing successful abstracts, you can identify patterns in the level of ambition expected and how winning applicants frame impact. **Feasibility and network.** Although it is all very well proposing something new, the reviewer needs to be convinced that you can deliver your research aims. You can achieve this by establishing that your approach is the best one to solve the problem. Critically compare your approach with alternative methods, considering its ease of use, potential risks, likely insights and overall scope. For example, if your proposal depends on a new experimental method, compare it directly with established approaches: explain what it adds, where it might fail and what alternative routes would enable the project to continue. This reassures reviewers that the proposal is ambitious but deliverable. You need to prove that you are the best person to develop and execute the approach by arguing that it requires your specific skill set, using your track record as evidence. Science is rarely done alone, so it’s also important to explain how your collaborations will help you to achieve your research aims. Mention the key researchers you plan to work with, both at your host institution and elsewhere. At the same time, make sure it’s clear that you are leading the project, not just taking part in someone else’s. You should also include a work plan for future group members, to show that the project is set up for a team rather than just for you. ## Pitch your proposal idea Your proposal’s abstract should be clear and engaging. A strong abstract should first address five points, each described in a single sentence: the importance of the topic; a key barrier that prevents the field from progressing; your solution to the problem; details of how you will address this; and its impact for science and society. Abstracts from articles in *Nature* or *Science* often follow this format. After writing a draft, ask for critical feedback from colleagues inside and outside your discipline. The latter’s comments are key for making the abstract accessible for a non-specialist reader. Make sure to read the abstracts of successful projects on the funder’s website. It might also help to read your abstract with fresh eyes, by setting it aside for a week before coming back to it. The finalized abstract should be accessible to readers without specialist knowledge of the field. Finally, include a figure to convey the core scientific concept and hint at its significance and impact. A good figure should be self-explanatory and take only a few seconds to understand. For inspiration, look closely at the figures used in major journals and think about the aesthetic of your image — often, less is more. ## Pick and work with your host university [Choosing the host for your fellowship application depends on several factors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-postdocs-guide-to-choosing-the-right-lab/). These include the standing of the department and the university, research facilities, opportunities for collaboration and, of course, its potential for enabling you to conduct your research and to develop as an independent researcher. Keep an eye out for any ‘expression of interest’ deadlines that your chosen host organization might have. The institution will ideally have a support structure for ECRs and fellowship applicants. Once the host’s shortlisting is complete, whether or not you are selected, the local fellowship-support lead should provide feedback on how to strengthen your proposal and CV. [Universities usually offer generic guidance and constructive criticism](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-grant-writing-tips-from-awardees-reviewers/) through one-to-one support for proposal writing. Finish your proposal draft two months in advance of the final submission deadline to be able to revise the application on the basis of feedback from the host organization. You also need time to work through key details in the application, such as fellowship costings, supporting studentships and access to required infrastructure. Do not expect anyone to rewrite your proposal. Too much help is not to your advantage — successful early-career fellows must ultimately carry the project by themselves. After being invited for an interview, the fellowship lead might also organize [mock interviews to help you to practise your presentation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-fellowship-writing-interview-tips/) and become familiar with typical interview questions to ultimately secure your hard-earned fellowship. --- *doi: * [Subscribe to Nature Briefing: Careers, an unmissable free weekly round-up of help and advice for working scientists.](https://www.nature.com/briefing/careers) **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Christoph Salzmann, Fellowship Application, Grant Review, Nature Careers, Stefan Howorka **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - We’re Still Not Counting LGBT People in Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-were-still-not-counting-lgbt-people-in-dementia-research/) **Published:** August 26, 2026 **Author:** Dr Connor Richardson **Excerpt:** Dr Connor Richardson looks at what we know about dementia risk in LGBT people, why the evidence is so thin, and what LGBT dementia research needs next. **Content:** --- **Pride season is coming to an end. I have wanted to write this blog for a while, but I kept stalling because I wasn’t sure I would find enough evidence in LGBT dementia research to fill it. That turned out to be the point. The question I started with seems simple enough: do LGBT people face a higher risk of dementia?** [I work in dementia epidemiology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-getting-involved-in-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-leadership/), I’m part of this community, and I assumed a reasonable answer would be sitting in a paper somewhere. It mostly isn’t. Once you understand why, it is hard to look at our data infrastructure in quite the same way again. ## **Why we might expect a difference** Minority stress theory suggests that living with stigma, discrimination and constant low-grade vigilance takes a cumulative toll. Chronic stress has measurable effects on the ageing brain. LGBT people also experience higher rates of several risk factors we already know matter, including depression, smoking and cardiovascular disease. The hypothesis is sound. Testing it is the hard part. ## **What the LGBT dementia research shows** The largest study so far [appeared in *Neurology* in 2024](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209863). Huo and colleagues analysed nearly 400,000 adults enrolled in the US *All of Us Research Program*, roughly one in ten of whom belonged to a sexual or gender minority group. They found 15% higher odds of a composite brain health outcome covering stroke, dementia and late-life depression. For dementia alone, the odds ratio was 1.14, with a confidence interval scraping 1.00. **It is a possible signal, but a marginal one.** The subgroup findings were more striking. Gender-diverse participants had roughly double the odds of dementia, while [transgender women](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/transgender-adults-more-likely-to-experience-subjective-cognitive-decline-depression/) had elevated odds of stroke. Both estimates were based on small numbers and wide confidence intervals, so I would treat them as leads worth following rather than settled findings. A [second study used data from the *Nurses’ Health Study II*](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1089/lgbt.2024.0183), which included more than 70,000 women. Sexual minority women reported 29% more symptoms of subjective cognitive decline than completely heterosexual women, with the largest disparity found among bisexual women. Then there is the counterweight. [Perales-Puchalt and colleagues](https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5092) compared older adults in same-sex and opposite-sex relationships and found no difference in dementia or mild cognitive impairment. [A UK study complicated the picture further](https://bjgpopen.org/content/5/5/BJGPO.2021.0067), suggesting that any excess risk may be concentrated among people under the age of 55. The picture is mixed. Mixed evidence is normal, and I do not find that troubling in itself. What concerns me is the reason behind it. ## **Reading the methods carefully** The *All of Us* study was cross-sectional. It captured identity and diagnosis at a single point in time, so it could not establish which came first. Causal claims are therefore off the table. It is also a volunteer cohort. The people who enrol differ systematically from the wider population, which limits how far the estimates can travel. The *Nurses’ Health Study II* has the opposite profile: a strong longitudinal design and well-characterised participants, but an outcome based on subjective cognitive decline rather than diagnosed dementia. Subjective decline predicts dementia imperfectly. There is also a question I have not seen anyone resolve. If you experience greater psychological distress, are you more likely to notice and report memory lapses, independently of any underlying pathology? If so, that could inflate the disparity without there being an equivalent difference in brain health. > The cohort is also made up almost entirely of white female nurses, which tells us little about gay men or transgender people. The Perales-Puchalt study inferred sexual minority status from participants being in a same-sex relationship. Consider who that misses: single people, widowed people and anyone who is not openly partnered. ## **The underlying problem** Most health datasets never asked. That single fact shapes almost everything about LGBT dementia research. The UK Census included a question about sexual orientation for the first time in 2021. Decades of otherwise excellent cohort data are silent on this, and you cannot retrospectively add the question to a cohort recruited 20 years ago. The consequences run deep. We have no population-level neuropathology data for LGBT people, so we do not know whether the underlying brain changes differ. We have almost nothing on cognitive ageing among transgender people, despite the *All of Us* signal and genuine unanswered questions about long-term hormone therapy. Nearly every quantitative study comes from the US, UK or Canada and uses predominantly white samples. [Intersections with race, class and disability](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-who-gets-left-out-of-dementia-prevention/) have barely been examined. [LGBT people living with dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-where-lgbtqia-identities-intersect-with-dementia/) are also largely absent from the literature in their own voices. I do not think any of this warrants pessimism. **The remedy is unglamorous but clear.** [Ask about sexual orientation and gender identity](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/increasing-diversity-in-research-participation/) in censuses, cohort studies and clinical records. Fund longitudinal research designed around these populations instead of adapting existing studies to include them as an afterthought. Recruit LGBT people inclusively into [brain donation programmes](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-does-a-brain-bank-work/). We did not understand vascular dementia until we built studies capable of seeing it. The same holds here. As Pride season ends, the most useful thing our field can do is start counting properly. --- ![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson.png "Dr Connor Richardson")Dr Connor Richardson #### Author [**Dr Connor Richardson** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/ "Profile – Dr Connor Richardson, The University of Edinburgh")is a Neuro-epidemiology Research Associate at The University of Edinburgh. His research interests lie in using advanced statistical modelling and machine learning to measure dementia risk. Connor blogs about his research, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and sometimes his Pomapoo’s. [Follow @connorrichards2](https://twitter.com/connorrichards2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Dr Connor Richardson, LGBTQ+, Underrepresented Groups, Underserved Communities **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research, Equity, Patient and Public Involvement --- ### [Dr Connor Richardson, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/) **Published:** August 1, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Connor Richardson is a neuro-epidemiology Research Associate at The University of Edinburgh, using statistics and machine learning to study dementia risk. **Content:** ![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson.png "Dr Connor Richardson")Dr Connor Richardson #### Name: Dr Connor Richardson #### Job title: Neuro-epidemiology Research Associate #### Place of work / study: The University of Edinburgh #### Area of Research: I am the research statistician for the Cognitive Function and Ageing studies (CFAS) multi-centre population cohort. My main interest is in risk of dementia and cognitive impairment in the population. Now I am interested in using advanced statistical modelling and machine learning to measure dementia risk in the CFAS Neuropathology brain cohort. #### How is your work funded? [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/discover-the-alzheimers-research-uk-corner/ "Discover the Alzheimer’s Research UK Corner") #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am local of northeast England, growing up in Ashington an old mining town in Northumberland. I was the first in my family to study for a degree, I studied Biomedical Sciences at Newcastle University. After a brief stint in London, I returned to Newcastle to study for an MSc in public health research and went on to study for my PhD in Epidemiology. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I am a dog obsessive and live with my two Pomapoo’s Bailey and Lyra. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I was first drawn to dementia research as it is often the disease people “fear” the most, with the biggest risk factor, age, increasing for all of us every day! I love how dementia research is fascinating across multiple disciplines from biology, data science, social science as well as political and economics in the context of population ageing. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Working in research can be overwhelming at times, take time to take care of yourself, and prevent burn out. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** Currently re-reading [The Expanse](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collection-Leviathan-Calibans-Abaddons-Persepolis/dp/0678452547/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3PUGKSX7PDM9L&keywords=The+Expanse+books&qid=1659483791&sprefix=the+expanse+bo%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-2) series by James S. A. Corey Absolutely recommend! #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @connorrichards2](https://twitter.com/connorrichards2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? ### Connor's most recent posts [ ![Blog – We’re Still Not Counting LGBT People in Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Were-Still-Not-Counting-LGBT-People-in-Dementia-Research-blog-by-Dr-Connor-Richardson-680-x-520-px-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-were-still-not-counting-lgbt-people-in-dementia-research/) ###### [Blog – We’re Still Not Counting LGBT People in Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-were-still-not-counting-lgbt-people-in-dementia-research/) [ 26/08/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-were-still-not-counting-lgbt-people-in-dementia-research/) [![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson-24x24.png "Dr Connor Richardson") Dr Connor Richardson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/crich/) [ ![Blog – Small Vessel Disease: A Quiet Driver of Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Small-Vessel-Disease-A-Quiet-Driver-of-Dementia-blog-by-Dr-Connor-Richardson-680-x-520-px-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-small-vessel-disease-a-quiet-driver-of-dementia/) ###### [Blog – Small Vessel Disease: A Quiet Driver of Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-small-vessel-disease-a-quiet-driver-of-dementia/) [ 22/07/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-small-vessel-disease-a-quiet-driver-of-dementia/) [![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson-24x24.png "Dr Connor Richardson") Dr Connor Richardson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/crich/) [ ![Blog – Learning to Belong Somewhere New](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Starting-a-New-Role-blog-by-Dr-Connor-Richardson-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-learning-to-belong-somewhere-new/) ###### [Blog – Learning to Belong Somewhere New](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-learning-to-belong-somewhere-new/) [ 09/06/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-learning-to-belong-somewhere-new/) [![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson-24x24.png "Dr Connor Richardson") Dr Connor Richardson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/crich/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Big Data, Data, Dr Connor Richardson, Epidemiology, Newcastle University, NIHR Dem Comm Fellow, Regular Contributor, The University of Edinburgh **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Edinburgh **Themes for Bios:** Data Analysis, Epidemiology, Technology --- ### [Digital Technologies for Cognitive Assessment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/digital-technologies-for-the-assessment-of-cognition-a-clinical-review-2/) **Published:** June 20, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Academic panel review: digital technologies, smartphones, wearables, smart homes, for cognitive assessment in elderly and prodromal populations. **Content:** **Catch up on last week’s Cognitive Assessment discussion livestream discussion with panellists** [**Ivan Koychev**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ppodcast-profile-dr-ivan-koychev/) **(University of Oxford, UK), Lisa Marzano (Middlesex University, UK), John Torous (Harvard University, USA), Andrea Cipriani (University of Oxford, UK) and Michael Ostacher (Stanford University, USA).** Digital technologies are advancing rapidly and creating new opportunities to address some of the challenges faced by clinicians, researchers and people affected by dementia. Smartphones, smartwatches, wearable sensors and smart-home systems can gather information continuously and unobtrusively, potentially offering a richer picture of an individual’s cognition and everyday functioning than assessments conducted during occasional clinical appointments. These technologies could support the assessment and monitoring of people living with dementia, those experiencing early or prodromal symptoms, and individuals who may be at increased risk of developing cognitive impairment. Digital tools may also make it possible to identify changes earlier, monitor symptoms remotely and collect information about behaviour and functioning in real-world settings. However, introducing digital technology into dementia research and clinical practice also raises important questions. How reliable and clinically meaningful are the data collected? Can digital assessments produce consistent results across different devices and populations? How should researchers manage privacy, consent and data security? There are also concerns about accessibility, particularly for people who have limited experience of digital technology or who may not have access to suitable devices and internet services. During this livestream, the panel discussed the clinical review: Chinner A, Blane J, [Lancaster C](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-claire-lancaster/), et al. *Digital technologies for the assessment of cognition: a clinical review*. Evidence-Based Mental Health. 2018;21:67–71. [Read the paper](https://ebmh.bmj.com/content/21/2/67). Using the review as a starting point, the panellists considered the technologies available for assessing cognition, their possible applications and the evidence needed before they can become a routine part of research or clinical care. They also explored the practical and ethical challenges involved in collecting sensitive information through everyday devices. Watch the recording to hear perspectives from experts based at Oxford, Middlesex, Harvard and Stanford, and to consider how digital assessment could contribute to the future of dementia research, diagnosis and care. **Categories:** Dissemination, Science **Tags:** Andrea Cipriani, Cognition Test, Cognitive assessment, Digital Technologies, Ivan Koychev, John Torous, Lisa Marzano, University of Oxford --- ### [Outputs from the UK DRI Meet The Funders Workshop](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/outputs-from-the-uk-dri-meet-the-funders-workshop/) **Published:** January 20, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Representatives from the MRC, Wellcome, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society describing support schemes suitable for early career researchers **Content:** **The event, ‘[Meet the Funders](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyI2GqMENuk)’ from the UKDRI saw representatives from major UK dementia Funders (MRC, Wellcome, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society) describing support schemes suitable for early career researchers and a presentation of the Dementia Researcher website from NIHR.** To conclude the afternoon, [Professor Nick Fox](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-nick-fox-university-college-london/) and Giampietro Schiavo (UK DRI@UCL) provided insights on their experience as grant reviewers and some precious grantsmanship tips. Thanks to them, to all the Funders and to those who attended the event in person and online (we had a full house in the seminar room and over 130 online contacts during the live stream) Hope you will find this information helpful, we are always happy to hear your feedback, so please get in touch! Best of luck with writing your next grant. For more information please contact: Giovanna Lalli, UK DRI Director of Scientific Affairs () --- - **Meet the Funders event overview:** UK DRI’s Meet the Funders featured representatives from MRC, Wellcome, Alzheimer’s Research UK, and Alzheimer’s Society describing support schemes for early career researchers and highlighting the NIHR Dementia Researcher website. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Funding, Grant Writing, UK Dementia Research Institute **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Grant Writing, PhD Essentials, Postdoc Essentials --- ### [Blog - From Living Labs to Apps: A Dementia Co-Design Case Study](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-dementia-co-design-case-study/) **Published:** June 26, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Practical implications for nurses and healthcare professionals on engaging patients in co-creating effective digital health interventions. **Content:** **Over the last few years there has been an explosion of technology in healthcare and in Dementia [Co-Design](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-more-than-a-paper-co-designing-a-board-game/). Ever since personal computing evolved in the 1980’s, followed by the Internet (or World Wide Web), patients and families can access health information faster than ever before and connect with others worldwide for advice and support. Mobile devices and later on smartphones began to arrive and since then millions of apps have been created to help people gather, share and understand all sorts of data about their health. A lot of the current devices and apps on the market are driven by commercial interests and engineers, both software and hardware, who love [creating tech](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-navigating-digital-fatigue-and-techno-resistance/). “*There’s an app for that*” slogan was even trademarked by Apple creating the illusion that mobile apps are going to solve all our problems.** ![Mobile Phone](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/App-for-health-300x169.jpg "App for health") However, having worked in the IT industry before becoming a nurse I appreciate that a lot of the technology we currently have is mass produced for generic audiences and not very tailored to the needs of individual patients or people with specific problems. When I started looking after people with dementia, they would tell me how they were struggling with remembering simple everyday things or their families would mention the difficulties they were having at home trying to cope caring for their loved one. This got me thinking about what mobile apps are available specifically to help people with dementia and their carers and I realised there weren’t very many good ones you can download online. So, when I heard about the “*My House of Memories*” app in Liverpool I was really excited and wanted to see how this mobile app was being co-designing with people with dementia and their carers. I had just started my PhD at the time, which very broadly looked at patient and public engagement and enrolment in digital health interventions. Interestingly, co-design had come up in the literature as one way to get people interested in technology for their health, so I wanted to look at this in more detail. I was put in touch with National Museums Liverpool who were leading the “My House of Memories” project and working with a local group of people with dementia and their carers through a Service User Reference Group (SURF – ). The idea for the app came from a European funded study called Innovate Dementia () that had run a series of ‘Living Labs’ across several European countries including the UK. These are open innovation platforms where multiple stakeholders are invited to come together to brainstorm ideas and come up with novel solutions for people with dementia – what a great idea!! The concept for the app was to use digital objects about the city of Liverpool that the museum already had curated in-house for a previous exhibit. They wanted to re-use these and work with people with dementia and their carers to co-create a reminiscence app so they could share memories together. This could aid patients’ memory and facilitate communication between them, their families and wider care network. The development of the app was already underway when I heard about the My House of Memories project and a local software company called Damibu () was working with the dementia SURF group to design the content and functionality of the app. I was keen to understand how this process worked, how it might affect the design of the app and whether people with dementia and their carers benefited in any way from being involved in co-creating the technology. I was lucky enough to be able to interview several people who were taking part in the project including some patient-carer dyads, the main software engineer and project manager. They also shared high level analytics data with me after the app had been launched so you could see where across the world it had been download, how many times and what parts of the app people with dementia were using. It was amazing to see the metrics stack up so quickly and drill down into how the app was being utilised day-by-day. There were some nice visualisations on the Google analytics platform used which allowed for the app data to be easily interpreted. The most interesting aspect was digging down into the qualitative data that I had collected and seeing key themes emerge across the different people interviewed. The results showed that being involved in co-producing the mobile app had numerous benefits for people with dementia and their carers. They gained new knowledge and skills, friendships and a sense of achievement in creating a unique app that would help others with dementia. They also found the app useful in stimulating memory as images and music could be combined into a digital story tree representing their life and this helped people with dementia connect with and communicate better with their families. Using mobile technology also provided a sense of normalcy for them, away from being labelled as someone with “dementia”. Not surprisingly the app has been hugely successful, has won lots of national and international awards and gotten great reviews online from people with dementia who have downloaded and used it: Although I did not get to observe the co-design process as it happened, it seemed to improve how the app worked and the people with dementia and their carers who took part appeared to benefit hugely from creating technology specific to their needs. I think this is so important going forward that nurses and other healthcare professionals encourage patients and families and support them to create all kinds of technologies from mobile apps, to wearable devices and online services – whatever they need. This is something I am really passionate about and am going to continue to work on in the future. --- #### Author ![Siobhán O’Connor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Siobhan-OConnor-230x300.jpg "Siobhan O'Connor")Siobhán O’Connor **Siobhán O’Connor** is a Nursing Academic working in the School of Health and Social Care at Edinburgh Napier University. She is researching how the co-design process works with people with dementia and their carers and whether involving them in co-creating technology results in better digital products and services that meet their needs. **Categories:** Guest blog, My Research, Science **Tags:** Co-production, Digital Technologies, My House of Memories, Patient and Public Involvement, Siobhan O’Connor, Technology **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Patient and Public Involvement, Research Methods --- ### [Blog - Arts and health archives at the Wellcome Library](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-pencils-at-the-ready-exploring-the-arts-and-health-archives-at-the-wellcome-library/) **Published:** August 24, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Discover how a day at the Wellcome Library unites archival artefacts, arts therapies, and conversations that inform dementia research and teaching. **Content:** **I recently visited the Wellcome Library and in this blog I talk about what I discovered.** The humble pencil is an often-forgotten piece of stationary, left blunt and unsharpened on many researchers’ desks. I had the joy of being reacquainted with this simple, yet essential device at the Wellcome Library in central London. An “Arts and Health” archives workshop was run by the Wellcome Collection team, where pens and other inked based tools were downed and HB pencils became our arsenal. ![Palm painting from a creative arts workshop run by Keith Kennedy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Pic-One-Hand-225x300.jpg "Pic One Hand")Figure 1: Palm painting from a creative arts workshop run by Keith Kennedy The Wellcome Library () has an amazing collection of books, papers, drawings, photographs and other artefacts related to medical history. It is free for the public to use and is a great resource for researchers. Being invited to this workshop, allowed me to explore recently catalogued materials related to arts and health. As part of a small group of researchers from across the UK (and even one very keen PhD student all the way from Greece!), we were allowed to delve into a series of archives from the Arts for Health () initiative at a day long workshop. I was particularly drawn to a few collections I felt I could utilise in my research with people with dementia and there were endless possibilities to incorporate them into teaching, which would benefit my nursing students. The first collection was by Keith Kennedy who used photography and other creative methods as a form of arts therapy with people with disabilities. His practices often involved group therapeutic workshops to allow people to express their lived experiences. These took place in Middlesex Hospital and Henderson Psychiatric Hospital from the 1960s to 1980s. We could see some of the material he had collected such as photographs patients had taken and old notebooks with entries from both Keith and those who took part (some quite explicit!!). A series of intricate palm paintings (Figure 1) were particularly intriguing, as you could see different themes being explored. I furiously scribbled down points to pick up at a later date, as this might be a great way to help people with dementia and their families examine the impact the disease has on their life. A useful element of the workshop was having the Wellcome Collection team and archivists on hand all day, as they could answer any questions we had about the artists and their work such as that by Audrey Amis. She was an artist who suffered from bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia. ![Photographs of art from Michele Angelo Petrone](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Pic-Two-Art-300x225.jpg "Pic Two Art")Figure 2: Photographs of art from Michele Angelo Petrone Having kept detailed scrapbooks about every aspect of her life for many decades, including her mental illnesses, we started to get some insights into her thoughts and daily routines. Browsing through packets of food and notes she had made about her experiences with psychiatric institutions and doctors she began to come to life from the pages in front of us. After some frank discussions about using this sensitive material in research, it became clear that the process itself could benefit people with dementia and their carers. Documenting the everyday in such a detailed way could help stimulate memory and conversations about coping with this debilitating neurological condition. My pencil had become decimated by the afternoon as my notepad overflowed with bullet points, hasty diagrams and nearly illegible notes. Once a replacement was at hand we continued looking at the collections, which are only a snippet of the rich resources the Wellcome Library have been gathering on the arts and health. Archived material from Michele Angelo Petrone (Figure 2) an artist with Hodgkin’s Disease, was followed by work from Rita Simon a leading arts therapist in the NHS. These captured the changing landscape in which the arts and health movement developed in the UK. ![Some of the zines collected by the Wellcome Library](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Pic-Three-Zines-300x225.jpg "Pic Three Zines")Figure 3: Some of the zines collected by the Wellcome Library My favourite by far was the colourful and diverse ‘zine’ collection, which are self-published works of original text and images that have a small circulation (Figure 3). They can be produced by anyone, on any printed material and contain the voices of people discussing everything from infertility to mental health, sexuality and alternative therapies. What an amazing way to capture the mood and dynamism of the issues patients and carers have to deal with. Having been immersed in these art and health collections and having time to reflect on their applicability was akin to a [therapy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-speech-and-language-therapy-in-primary-progressive-aphasia/) in itself. I realised researchers need this time and space to observe and consider the wisdom that such art interventions and archives have, as they could hold the keys to enriching the lives of people with dementia. I would strongly recommend any researcher to visit the Wellcome Library in person or you can search their extensive archives online. And don’t forget that pencils should be at the ready! --- #### Author ![Siobhán O’Connor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Siobhan-OConnor-230x300.jpg "Siobhan O'Connor")Siobhán O’Connor **Siobhán O’Connor** is a Nursing Academic working in the School of Health and Social Care at Edinburgh Napier University. She is researching how the co-design process works with people with dementia and their carers and whether involving them in co-creating technology results in better digital products and services that meet their needs. **Categories:** Guest blog, My Research, Science **Tags:** Edinburgh Napier University, Siobhan O’Connor, Wellcome Trust **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Arts Research --- ### [What counts as data in qualitative research?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/what-counts-as-data-in-qualitative-research/) **Published:** August 25, 2026 **Author:** LSE Impact Blog **Excerpt:** Qualitative data is more than transcripts. Explore how silence, setting and fieldnotes become evidence, and what AI may miss when research is reduced to text. **Content:** ***In research articles and reports qualitative research is often reduced to text, which is in turn analysed by human and increasingly machine readers. However, original qualitative analyses depend on a far wider range of observations and impressions. Sezai Doruk Soyata considers how qualitative research becomes data and whether researchers can do more to represent these influences in their work.*** *This article is shared from the LSE Impact blog the a*article gives the views and opinions of the authors and does not reflect the views and opinions of the Impact of Social Science blog (the blog), nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science or Dementia Researcher. Shared under the [Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) the original publication can be found at ** --- When people hear the word “data”, they often think of numbers, survey results, interview transcripts or documents that can be stored, searched and quoted. These are all important forms of evidence. But in [qualitative research](https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-sage-handbook-of-qualitative-research/book242504), data can also include [silences and absences](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/16094069251343844), hesitations, [spatial arrangements](https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794108093899), [informal conversations](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/16094069221085056), [fieldnotes](https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo12182616.html) and [sensitive or difficult topics](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/16094069261455129) that participants may approach indirectly. This does not mean that anything can count as data. A silence during an interview is not automatically meaningful, and an absence in a field site is not automatically a finding. But when such details are systematically recorded, compared and interpreted, they can help us understand social life in ways that a transcript alone may not capture. This broader understanding of data matters because qualitative research is often asked to justify what makes its evidence rigorous. Its value does not lie only in collecting what people say, but in interpreting how speech, silence and setting come together. Yet, as artificial intelligence tools come to shape how researchers collect, process and analyse textual material, this point becomes harder to ignore. ## Interviews are more than answers Interviews are often treated as a central source of qualitative data because they generate recordings, transcripts and quotations. [But an interview is not simply a container for answers. It is also a social encounter.](https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-active-interview/book4946) Participants may [pause, hesitate to answer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-qualitative-research-methods-in-dementia-how-does-conversation-analysis-help/), answer indirectly, laugh, lower their voice, change the subject or speak in unusually general terms. These moments are not distractions from the “real” data. They can be part of the data, especially when they appear repeatedly across interviews or connect to wider patterns in the field. A participant’s reluctance to speak about a topic, for example, may point to embarrassment, fear, moral discomfort or the limits of what can be said in that relationship. The point is not to turn such moments into dramatic interpretations, but to ask careful questions: Why and when did they occur? Were they repeated? How did they relate to what was said around them? This is where fieldnotes become important. Many of these details are easy to lose when qualitative data is treated as transcripts alone. ## Fieldnotes turn context into evidence Fieldnotes are sometimes misunderstood as private impressions or background material. In practice, they are an important tool through which qualitative researchers transform experience into evidence. As classic work on [writing ethnographic fieldnotes](https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo12182616.html) shows, note-taking is not a mechanical act, but a craft through which researchers record what happened, who was present, how people interacted, what the space looked like and what they noticed after leaving the scene. This matters because the most useful notes are not always the most obvious ones. They may describe a joke made after the recorder is turned off, the atmosphere of a room, a shift in tone, or the difference between what people say in an interview and what appears ordinary in practice. Such notes do not simply mirror reality; [they reflect what the researcher noticed and recorded](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-positionality-and-reflexivity-and-why-its-not-just-for-qualitative-research/). But when they are detailed, consistent and revisited during analysis, they allow researchers to compare situations and trace patterns over time. This became clear in my own ethnographic research in Turkey, where I studied how devout upper-middle-class Muslims live and express their religiosity, including how they navigate leisure spaces such as restaurants and cafés. Interviews were important, but the spaces themselves also mattered. In some venues, prayer rooms existed but were hidden in peripheral corridors. In others, alcohol was absent, but the menu offered colourful mocktails that looked much like alcoholic cocktails. Décor, music, menu design, what was absent, and the visibility or invisibility of religious markers all helped communicate what kind of piety, class position and lifestyle the venue made possible. These details showed how religion could be made present without always being made explicit. Religious atmosphere was not produced only through direct labels, statements or visible symbols; it also emerged through repeated patterns across different sites. When compared across venues, interviews and fieldnotes, such details became more than impressions; they became part of the evidence. ## Why this matters in the age of AI As [AI tools become more common in research](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/16094069251354863), qualitative data is increasingly discussed in terms of transcription, coding, summaries and large collections of text. These uses can make parts of qualitative research faster and more manageable. But they also raise a central question: what is lost when qualitative data is treated mainly as text? A transcript can tell us what was said, but it rarely captures the full situation in which something was said. The meaning of an interview answer may depend on details that are not easily captured as text, but become clearer through observation, fieldnotes and comparison across cases. This does not make AI irrelevant to qualitative research. AI tools are most useful when they are situated within a broader understanding of how qualitative evidence is produced. They may [help with transcription](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ai-can-carry-out-qualitative-research-at-unprecedented-scale/), organisation and coding, but they cannot, on their own, reliably determine how contextual details become analytically meaningful. That judgement still depends on methodological transparency and the researcher’s knowledge of the field. ## From observations to evidence Qualitative data can be a transcript, a quotation or a document. But it can also be a pause, an absence, a spatial arrangement, an informal conversation or a fieldnote written after an ordinary encounter. The challenge is not simply to notice these materials, but to make their movement into evidence more visible. Researchers can do this by [keeping clearer audit trails](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/qualitative-data-analysis-for-phd-research/), recording how fieldnotes were produced and used, explaining why certain absences or silences became analytically significant, and showing how contextual observations were compared with interviews, documents or other forms of material. In some cases, open research practices and carefully anonymised data sharing may also help. But in sensitive qualitative research, transparency does not always mean making everything public. It can also mean being clearer about what cannot be shared, why not, and how claims were developed despite those limits. This is the central point in asking what counts as data in qualitative research. The answer is not that everything does, nor that only transcripts, quotations and documents do. Rather, qualitative research broadens what can count as data, while also requiring researchers to show more clearly how such material becomes evidence. --- ### About the author [Dr Sezai Doruk Soyata](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sezai-Doruk-Soyata) is a sociologist of religion and a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Koç University. His research focuses on secularisation, class, religious change, qualitative methods and contemporary Turkey. His work examines how religion is lived, negotiated and transformed in everyday social life, with particular attention to ethnographic methods and everyday religious practice. **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Dr Sezai Doruk Soyata, LSE Impact Blog, Qualitative data analysis, Qualitative Research --- ### [Work-life balance.. or should that be life-work balance?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/achieving-a-good-work-life-balance-or-should-that-be-life-work-balance/) **Published:** September 19, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Alexandra Olaya-Castro & Geraint Rees discuss the challenges and turning points as they maintain the balance between success in academia and personal life. **Content:** **In this [UCL News podcast](https://soundcloud.com/uclsound/the-ucl-news-podcast-achieving-a-good-work-life-balance-or-should-that-be-life-work-balance), host Kate Corry speaks with Professor Geraint Rees and Professor Alexandra Olaya-Castro about balancing academic success with life beyond work, or [work-life balance](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-has-2020-changed-dementia-research-and-the-research-work-life-balance/). Both reject the idea that balance is a stable end point. Rees describes it as a verb: something continually practised, reviewed and adjusted as careers, families and circumstances change. Olaya-Castro prefers “life-work dynamics”, placing life first and considering how work fits within it.** Rees recalls choosing his young daughter’s first flute concert over a prestigious UCL lecture. A colleague replaced him, teaching him that he was not indispensable at work but that his presence as a parent mattered and was remembered. Olaya-Castro describes realising, while working alone at 3am during her PhD, that academic pressure would never disappear. She needed to manage it, set priorities and accept that career progress might sometimes be slower while still moving forwards. The discussion recognises the mental load of managing competing responsibilities and the guilt people can feel when work and home demand attention simultaneously. Exercise, reflection and time alone can build resilience. Gender also shapes this experience: despite progress, women often continue to carry more caring and organisational responsibility. The speakers argue that supportive systems, shared care and flexible working are therefore important for equality. However, balance should be normalised for everyone, including people without children or formal caring roles. Senior staff have a particular responsibility to model healthy behaviour. Rees uses out-of-office messages to show that he takes holidays and values family life. Olaya-Castro openly shares occasions when caring for her children must take priority over deadlines. This visibility reassures early-career researchers that successful academics also face disruption, make compromises and experience failure. Long hours do not automatically produce better work. Firm time constraints can improve focus, while breaks, walking, running or sitting in a café may create the conditions for new ideas. Their practical advice is to lead by example, take annual leave, communicate openly within teams and develop a deliberate strategy for email. Ultimately, work is one part of life, and balance requires continuing choices rather than a perfect formula that applies equally to everyone. **Categories:** Careers, Dissemination **Tags:** Family, Professor Alexandra Olaya-Castro, Professor Geraint Rees, University College London, Work Life Balance **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - Navigating challenging conversations in academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-navigating-challenging-conversations-in-academia/) **Published:** July 29, 2024 **Author:** Dr Jodi Watt **Excerpt:** Dr Jodi Watt discusses effective communication in academia. Learn to support colleagues with empathy—read the latest blog for practical tips! **Content:** --- **Hello everyone, it’s me, back again to try and change the academia and research culture, one blog post at a time. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you might know that a lot of the things I write about in academia broadly are from what some may consider a pessimistic viewpoint, and often focus on how to navigate challenges of the academic landscape. They also often focus on how to navigate things and academia on a personal level, but something I haven’t spoken about much (if at all) is how to help others navigate their own challenges as a friend or colleague, and how to respond in a manner that is helpful and appropriate.** A [recent article in Time](https://time.com/6979567/what-to-say-to-bad-news/) which was circulated on our academia blogger chat got me to thinking about how I aim to go about doing these things, and equally, witness many people in the scientific community making a bit of a mess out of it. For many of you, what I am going to say will be obvious. But how many of us have thought “I don’t know the right thing to say” when people we know experience something challenging? I’d bet it would be most, if not all of us. Heck, when I would vent about my PhD-related issues during my studies, more often than not I was met with someone turning round to me as they typed without looking at the keyboard, saying “oh that’s too bad” and then going back to work. And yes, I had asked them if they had time to talk, and that was their ”coffee break” in which they apparently had time. I’m not blaming them, but I am blaming the ideas of community, or lack thereof, that we perpetuate in our culture of academic overwork. So, with no patronising tone meant, and with genuine desire to try and make the academic culture a little bit better, let us all take a deep breath and learn about how we might better respond to the trials and tribulations of our colleagues, and hopefully learn something about the impact of what we do and say beyond the scientific progress that we make. For many of us, academia is what we live and breathe, and for the most part, that’s fine if that’s something you can maintain in a healthy way. However, the problem with living and breathing one singular thing is that when life happens external to that one thing, it will affect your academic life. For me, the death of my father during my PhD was a prime example; I was having to live and breathe my academic life, and then suddenly he died and it felt like the world stopped, academic machine be damned. External things like this can be tricky, but where we all share in our emotions and bad news is where empathy and lab camaraderie can be more easily fostered – and to be honest, maybe you’re missing a trick if you don’t recognise this, we all know lab cohesion helps improve our research outputs. Think, paper rejections, hatred of reviewer two, grant rejection, fellowship rejection, unsuccessful job application or interview, and then think about the fact that we might be talking about repeat failures before success. Few of us have the level of resilience required for this on our own, we need our colleagues and they need us. Before we get into this properly, I want to acknowledge that it takes practice. But something that many in academia find very useful as a basis for responding to any such situation is the VASE (is it vase or vase, who knows?) method. It stands for validate, acknowledge, support, and express. Or, in other words, recognise their experience is real, show that you understand that they are going through a challenging situation, offer tangible help in addressing the issue where possible, and then tell them how you feel about the situation. I’ll use a real-life example from my PhD experience – yes, this is real, I wish it wasn’t. > **Someone in the academic world, upon finding out I’d just come back after my dad’s death:** > > *“Well, glad you’re back after that distracting stuff with your dad, we’ve got a lot to do, you missed a fair bit.”* > > **Someone using the VASE structure of response:** > > *“I’d heard, I am so sorry. Grief can be really tricky and I can’t imagine the challenge of going through that during your PhD. I hope you managed to properly log off from work and spend time with your family. There have been a few group meetings whilst you’ve been away, but don’t worry about that at all, I can loop you into those whenever you’re ready. Also, I just want you to know that I am also here for you outside of work, if ever you need or want to talk about anything.”* I use this example because the contrast is so stark, and if you imagine yourself being on the receiving end of both of these in academia, my point becomes very clear. The first one is bad, but it isn’t incorrect – the use of “distracting” isn’t great, but everything they list is all fact – my dad was terminally ill which was a huge distraction, we did have a lot to do, and I had missed a month of my PhD with little warning beforehand. It just isn’t in any way empathetic to the emotions I was feeling. On the other hand, the second one works so well because it hits a lot of key points – a gentle mention of prior knowledge helps someone not feel like they have to explain something difficult yet again, validation puts us on the same page and is particularly useful here when getting away from work is mentioned (particularly when there’s a culture of overwork in your workplace). They mention concerns that might have also worried you – what you’ve missed – but immediately provide solutions for these, and further to that they offer a listening ear. These things are also all facts, and much the same as the real example, they just also happen to be empathetic. Of course, I recognise this is easier for some people than others, but the crux of this is listening to the individual, *hearing what they are saying*, and taking time to have a more considered response, which includes ways in which you can lighten the load (where possible). The words themselves take practice and aren’t always perfect, but context can go a long way here – don’t be that person who just turns round at their desk, one eye on their work. Allocate proper time for a fruitful conversation, or discuss when you can do so. We race so hard and so fast to these numerical metrics of success, that we sometimes forget the people we work around, and the hurdles they may have had to pass in order to contribute to academia and the work environment on any given day. Being mindful of how we converse around these topics can make all the difference in the world. --- ![Jodi Watt Profile academia Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Jodi-Watt.jpg "Jodi Watt")Dr Jodi Watt #### Author [**Dr Jodi Watt**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jodi-watt-university-of-glasgow/) is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Glasgow. Jodi’s academic interests are in both healthy ageing and neurodegenerative diseases of older age, and they are currently working on drug repurposing for dementia. Previously they worked on understanding structural, metabolic and physiological brain changes with age, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. As a queer and neurodiverse person, Jodi is also incredibly interested in improving diversity and inclusion practices both within and outside of the academic context.[](https://goodpods.com/podcasts/dementia-researcher-blogs-152322) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Challenging Conversations, Dr Jodi Watt, End of Life Care, Qualitative Interviews, University of Glasgow **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Navigating challenging conversations in academia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-navigating-challenging-conversations-in-academia/) **Published:** July 29, 2024 **Author:** Dr Jodi Watt **Excerpt:** Dr Jodi Watt discusses effective communication in academia. Learn to support colleagues with empathy—read the latest blog for practical tips! **Content:** --- **Hello everyone, it’s me, back again to try and change the academia and research culture, one blog post at a time. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you might know that a lot of the things I write about in academia broadly are from what some may consider a pessimistic viewpoint, and often focus on how to navigate challenges of the academic landscape. They also often focus on how to navigate things and academia on a personal level, but something I haven’t spoken about much (if at all) is how to help others navigate their own challenges as a friend or colleague, and how to respond in a manner that is helpful and appropriate.** A [recent article in Time](https://time.com/6979567/what-to-say-to-bad-news/) which was circulated on our academia blogger chat got me to thinking about how I aim to go about doing these things, and equally, witness many people in the scientific community making a bit of a mess out of it. For many of you, what I am going to say will be obvious. But how many of us have thought “I don’t know the right thing to say” when people we know experience something challenging? I’d bet it would be most, if not all of us. Heck, when I would vent about my PhD-related issues during my studies, more often than not I was met with someone turning round to me as they typed without looking at the keyboard, saying “oh that’s too bad” and then going back to work. And yes, I had asked them if they had time to talk, and that was their ”coffee break” in which they apparently had time. I’m not blaming them, but I am blaming the ideas of community, or lack thereof, that we perpetuate in our culture of academic overwork. So, with no patronising tone meant, and with genuine desire to try and make the academic culture a little bit better, let us all take a deep breath and learn about how we might better respond to the trials and tribulations of our colleagues, and hopefully learn something about the impact of what we do and say beyond the scientific progress that we make. For many of us, academia is what we live and breathe, and for the most part, that’s fine if that’s something you can maintain in a healthy way. However, the problem with living and breathing one singular thing is that when life happens external to that one thing, it will affect your academic life. For me, the death of my father during my PhD was a prime example; I was having to live and breathe my academic life, and then suddenly he died and it felt like the world stopped, academic machine be damned. External things like this can be tricky, but where we all share in our emotions and bad news is where empathy and lab camaraderie can be more easily fostered – and to be honest, maybe you’re missing a trick if you don’t recognise this, we all know lab cohesion helps improve our research outputs. Think, paper rejections, hatred of reviewer two, grant rejection, fellowship rejection, unsuccessful job application or interview, and then think about the fact that we might be talking about repeat failures before success. Few of us have the level of resilience required for this on our own, we need our colleagues and they need us. Before we get into this properly, I want to acknowledge that it takes practice. But something that many in academia find very useful as a basis for responding to any such situation is the VASE (is it vase or vase, who knows?) method. It stands for validate, acknowledge, support, and express. Or, in other words, recognise their experience is real, show that you understand that they are going through a challenging situation, offer tangible help in addressing the issue where possible, and then tell them how you feel about the situation. I’ll use a real-life example from my PhD experience – yes, this is real, I wish it wasn’t. > **Someone in the academic world, upon finding out I’d just come back after my dad’s death:** > > *“Well, glad you’re back after that distracting stuff with your dad, we’ve got a lot to do, you missed a fair bit.”* > > **Someone using the VASE structure of response:** > > *“I’d heard, I am so sorry. Grief can be really tricky and I can’t imagine the challenge of going through that during your PhD. I hope you managed to properly log off from work and spend time with your family. There have been a few group meetings whilst you’ve been away, but don’t worry about that at all, I can loop you into those whenever you’re ready. Also, I just want you to know that I am also here for you outside of work, if ever you need or want to talk about anything.”* I use this example because the contrast is so stark, and if you imagine yourself being on the receiving end of both of these in academia, my point becomes very clear. The first one is bad, but it isn’t incorrect – the use of “distracting” isn’t great, but everything they list is all fact – my dad was terminally ill which was a huge distraction, we did have a lot to do, and I had missed a month of my PhD with little warning beforehand. It just isn’t in any way empathetic to the emotions I was feeling. On the other hand, the second one works so well because it hits a lot of key points – a gentle mention of prior knowledge helps someone not feel like they have to explain something difficult yet again, validation puts us on the same page and is particularly useful here when getting away from work is mentioned (particularly when there’s a culture of overwork in your workplace). They mention concerns that might have also worried you – what you’ve missed – but immediately provide solutions for these, and further to that they offer a listening ear. These things are also all facts, and much the same as the real example, they just also happen to be empathetic. Of course, I recognise this is easier for some people than others, but the crux of this is listening to the individual, *hearing what they are saying*, and taking time to have a more considered response, which includes ways in which you can lighten the load (where possible). The words themselves take practice and aren’t always perfect, but context can go a long way here – don’t be that person who just turns round at their desk, one eye on their work. Allocate proper time for a fruitful conversation, or discuss when you can do so. We race so hard and so fast to these numerical metrics of success, that we sometimes forget the people we work around, and the hurdles they may have had to pass in order to contribute to academia and the work environment on any given day. Being mindful of how we converse around these topics can make all the difference in the world. --- ![Jodi Watt Profile academia Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Jodi-Watt.jpg "Jodi Watt")Dr Jodi Watt #### Author [**Dr Jodi Watt**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jodi-watt-university-of-glasgow/) is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Glasgow. Jodi’s academic interests are in both healthy ageing and neurodegenerative diseases of older age, and they are currently working on drug repurposing for dementia. Previously they worked on understanding structural, metabolic and physiological brain changes with age, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. As a queer and neurodiverse person, Jodi is also incredibly interested in improving diversity and inclusion practices both within and outside of the academic context.[](https://goodpods.com/podcasts/dementia-researcher-blogs-152322) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Challenging Conversations, Dr Jodi Watt, End of Life Care, Qualitative Interviews, University of Glasgow **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Getting a Grant Funded: A View from the Panel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-getting-a-grant-funded-a-view-from-the-panel/) **Published:** August 24, 2026 **Author:** Professor Louise Serpell **Excerpt:** Getting a grant funded starts with knowing what the panel wants. Louise Serpell shares advice from the review board, summary to interview. **Content:** --- **You have a great idea for a grant, and you know it can work. You’ve done your background work — now you just need to convince someone to “[give you the money!](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-fellowship-writing-interview-tips/)” Getting a grant funded is a daunting task. The key point is that you need to communicate what you want to do and convince at least two people who will read your grant that it is a great idea, that you are the right person to do it. You’re the person with the right expertise and the best environment to carry it out. So how will you convince them? And who are you convincing?** ## **Who will read your grant?** Most grant panels will have two, or possibly three, Independent Members or “IMs” (IMs). In a panel of perhaps 100+ grants, a couple of individuals, selected for their expertise in a particular field, will read your grant in detail. They will need to do this relatively quickly, depending on how many others they must also read. Some panels use a whole-panel scoring system, while others take scores only from your two or three expert readers. Some panels will also have expert reviewers who have examined the grants carefully and written detailed feedback, which you may get the chance to respond to. This feedback informs the final scores of the IMs and potentially the rest of the panel. So, imagine you are [a grant panel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-tips-from-inside-the-aruk-grant-review-board/) member. You are trying to finish a paper and respond to a reviewer’s critical comments on another. You have just finished teaching, and you have two students in the lab and a master’s student needing help. You find a few days to focus on your panel materials. What are you looking for? What will stand out? **Dense blocks of text are hard to read quickly and even harder to skim back through later**, so use clear headers, short paragraphs, and white space generously. Bold or highlight your key points where the format allows it. A grant that is easy to navigate signals clarity of thought, and a panel member who can find what they need quickly is more likely to represent your case well to the rest of the panel. ### **Short summary** **Arguably, the *short summary* (around 500 words) is the most important**. This should explain exactly what you plan to do and how. What is your overall research question? Within this there can be a hypothesis to be tested, but most important is what you aim to find out, and what impact this might have in the field. Does the proposed work aim to explain a key mechanism, or fill a gap in knowledge? Might your work use cutting-edge methodology or techniques to do something no one has been able to do before? This is perhaps the section most worth perfecting. It is the one the whole panel will read, and the one the IMs will return to later when presenting your grant to the panel, to explain why it deserves funding. Your aims and objectives should be clear and grounded in what you intend to find out and investigate. Here the reader should understand what the potential outputs will be. You may also choose to include, briefly, how you intend to tackle the aims. ### **Lay Summary** Some grant applications include a *Lay summary,* which may be read and assessed by a lay panel and/or used later to share your grant approaches with the general public. Think carefully about how you communicate this section, avoiding technical language and using plain English to explain any complex terms. Make sure it is clear how you expect your work to result in tangible impact, perhaps for patients, or driving research forward. ![Grant applications that were revised and resubmitted after reviewer feedback were funded at roughly 23%, almost double the ~12% rate for new applications.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Grant-Stats.jpg "Getting a grant funded")Getting a grant funded – Source: retrospective study of over 20,000 applications to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), published in FACETS ### **Case for Support** The *case for support* requires you to read the guidelines carefully to make sure you include everything required. Some grants, for example, will ask for a case for impact, benefit to patients, or plans for management, and so on. This is an essential section in which you set out the previous work leading up to the proposal and explain why you are best placed to carry it out, particularly for a fellowship. Preliminary work is often genuinely important (except where early-career fellowships state otherwise), so include as much as you can to demonstrate your expertise in the field and the strength of your approach. You may also want to include collaborators and explain the value they add. Be clear about your timelines and how each part of the proposal, or work package, complements the next. Avoid linear plans in which the first part must succeed before the second can begin, particularly where that first part is risky. Be ambitious, but not overly so. You need to explain how you will complete the work within the timeframe, and make it believable and sensible. Do you have the expertise for all of it? If not, make sure you have support from others, including your collaborators. This section will be read carefully by your IMs and, where relevant, by expert reviewers, so make sure every claim is supported by literature (yours and others’), that caveats are acknowledged, and that mitigation plans are included (e.g.”if this doesn’t work, we will try this…”). Think about who might be asked to act as your expert reviewer, since you will probably need to suggest names, and what questions they might raise given your knowledge of the competition and the wider field. Give enough detail about your approach to demonstrate that you know what you are doing, and to avoid the kind of major omission that invites a reviewer to question your proposal. This is hard within tight word limits, so take time to work out what is genuinely needed to show your expertise and the likely success of your approach. Make sure you summarise, ideally at the end of each work package and certainly at the end of the proposal, carefully connecting back to your original aims and objectives to show the outputs your approach will deliver. ### **Justification of Resources** A word on *costing:* **justify, justify, justify**. Why do you need that new, expensive rheometer? What will you do with it, what will it add, and why is it needed? Who will do the day-to-day work, and at what level are you asking for support? Contact your institutional finance team early, and consider meeting with them to go through costings and check they fit the advertised budget. Costs are often higher than expected, particularly for UKRI grants, which require overheads. ### **Gather feedback** Once you have a reasonable draft, ask people for feedback. Find colleagues and senior colleagues who will give you useful, honest criticism. Seek out people with grant panel experience who can guide you, and find someone close to your field to sense-check anything you are unsure about. A logical flow and clear communication are essential. Have a final and careful read through. Make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors. Find and read [the funders scoring criteria](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/grant-writing/). This is what the panel members are scoring against and this will give you excellent insight into what is needed to increase your chances for funding. ### **Reviewers comments** [Once it is submitted, for some grants you will receive reviewers’ comments to respond to](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-failing-forward-what-my-grant-rejection-taught-me). This matters, and it requires careful, dispassionate reading. Address each comment thoroughly, politely, and with adequate evidence if you want to argue and defend your position. Provide further preliminary data to support your view if you can. If a suggestion is useful, acknowledge it and explain how you might incorporate it into your proposal. In my experience, responding to comments can be difficult emotionally. This is your work, something you may have spent weeks perfecting and years building toward. The comments can be upsetting or even feel unfair. Even so, responding well matters: the panel needs to hear your response and understand your perspective. ### **Interview** [Now, the final hurdle: the interview](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-writing-your-first-fellowship/). Exciting, daunting, maybe even scary. This is your work, and you are the expert on your proposal. You know what you want to do. Go in with confidence, but listen carefully to each question. Pause, consider what is being asked, and respond as clearly as you can. Good luck. **Getting a grant funded** isn’t easy, but [a positive outcome is a genuinely great feeling](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-resilience/). And if you aren’t successful this time? **Allow yourself to mourn for a day or two, then get back on the horse.** --- ![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px")Professor Louise Serpell #### Author **[Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/)** is an Emerita Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Sussex. Her research focuses on how proteins misfold and form amyloid structures linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, using approaches from structural biology and molecular biophysics. Louise completed her DPhil at the University of Oxford and later established her own research group in the UK. Alongside her research career, she has been active in mentoring, public engagement, and supporting early career researchers. [**Find Louise on LinkedIn**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseserpell/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Grant Applications, Grant Review, Grant Writing, Professor Louise Serpell, University of Sussex **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Podcast - Changing the Course of Dementia: Four Expert Views](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-changing-the-course-of-dementia/) **Published:** August 21, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Emma Mead hosts Sanjay Manohar, Michele Hu, Laura Winchester and Peter Johnson on what will actually change the course of dementia and Parkinson's **Content:** **Changing the course of dementia depends entirely on where you are standing, and this panel is standing in four different places.** Recorded in front of a live audience at the [Alzheimer's Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/ "Alzheimer’s Research UK Corner") Thames Valley Network Dementia Research Day 2026, [Professor Emma Mead](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-mead/), Chief Scientific Officer at the ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, puts the question to four people who see the problem from very different ends: Associate Professor [Sanjay Manohar](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sanjay-manohar-university-of-oxford/), computational neuroscientist and lead of the Cognitive Disorders Clinic at the John Radcliffe; [Professor Michele Hu](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-michele-hu-university-of-oxford/), consultant neurologist at Oxford, who runs the 1,600 person Oxford Discovery Parkinson's cohort; Associate Professor [Laura Winchester](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-winchester-university-of-oxford/), bioinformatician in Oxford's Department of Psychiatry; and [Peter Johnson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-peter-johnson-age-uk/), head of service at Dementia Oxfordshire. They cover precision diagnosis, adaptive trial design, blood biomarkers, exercise and diet, digital monitoring at home, and what patients say frightens them most, plus audience questions on genetic testing and the biomarker gap. It closes with a quick fire round where four specialists name four different priorities, and not one of them is a drug. ## What the panel said would change the course of dementia - Of roughly 500 patients seen with Alzheimer's, only about 10 have typical Alzheimer's and nothing else. Everyone else carries a different combination, and that fingerprint matters now that treatments target specific molecules. - Until this year, getting a biological diagnosis meant a lumbar puncture, so around 70% of patients never had one. Blood markers change who gets tested, and raise the harder question of what you tell people afterwards. - Multi-arm multi-stage designs, borrowed from prostate cancer, run several treatment arms against one placebo group and force go or no go calls at 6 to 12 months. ACT-PD is doing it for Parkinson's. - In the exenatide trial the placebo group improved over two years simply from being in a trial. Regular contact and something to aim at has a measurable effect you have to design around. - Once the survival figure and the monitoring burden are explained, most patients conclude the new Alzheimer's therapies are not yet for them. What they ask for is quality of life, not longer decline. - Asked what would make the biggest impact, the panel chose home digital monitoring, opening up trial data after studies close, AI as a support for thinking, and joined up hospital and community care. Not one of them named a drug. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Announcer:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast talking careers and research, sharing conference highlights, and so much more. **Emma Mead:** Hello and welcome. I'm Emma Mead. And what you're about to hear was recorded at the Alzheimer's Research UK Thames Valley Network Dementia Research Day 2026. We spent the day hearing from great speakers, sharing their research, and looking at where science is heading. And we closed with a panel on the question that the whole field keeps coming back to: What's actually going to make the biggest difference changing the course of disease? I was joined by four people who come at this from very different angles. Professor Sanjay Manohar, Professor Michele Hu, Peter Johnson, and Associate Professor Laura Winchester. Here's the conversation. Hey, good afternoon, everybody, and I'd like to extend a warm welcome to everybody who's listening on the Dementia Researcher Podcast this afternoon. Today, we have a panel, and we are going to discuss changing the course of dementia and what will make the biggest difference. And I'm delighted to be joined here by an expert panel. And I'd like to hand over and allow our panel to introduce themselves. We'll start with Michele at the end, please. **Michele Hu:** Thank you. My name's Michele Hu. I'm a neurology consultant of nearly 20 years, over 20 years experience, and I focus on Parkinson's and atypical Parkinson's and therapies for this. But I'm also on a dual role of professor of clinical neuroscience in Oxford University, Nuffield Department. **Peter Johnson:** Hello, I'm Peter Johnson. I'm head of service for Dementia Oxfordshire. That's a service delivered by Age UK Oxfordshire. And we support everybody in the community living with the dementia diagnosis and their families across Oxfordshire. **Laura Winchester:** Hi, I'm Laura Winchester. I'm based in the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford. My interest is in bioinformatics and looking at data to understand Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. **Sanjay Manohar:** Hi, I'm Sanjay Manohar. I'm a computational neuroscientist, but I also run the Cognitive Disorders Clinic at the John Radcliffe, which sees a variety of dementia patients. So, unlike the psychiatrist who see the older age patients, we see all the younger people with dementia with Alzheimer's and slightly unusual dementias as well. And my area of interest is kind of more neuropsychiatric and cognitive features of this disease and how we explain them. **Emma Mead:** Thank you. It's great to have such a range of perspectives here on the panel today, so I think we're going to have a great discussion. So, before we look ahead, to what we think will make the biggest difference to people living with dementia, I'd like to kind of take a step back and let us think about what the current challenges are in the field. So, I'd maybe like to start with Peter, if I could, and hear from your perspective from the Dementia Oxfordshire community and think about what the people that you interact with really see as some of the biggest challenges at the moment. **Peter Johnson:** So, dealing with the dementia diagnosis is a hard and often desperate journey, both for the person with the diagnosis and their families. And probably one of the biggest challenges they face is dealing with the stigma. I mean, we've heard it alluded to earlier today that you could suffer. You get socially isolated very easily that some communities have no words for dementia. So having the conversation with your community can be very difficult and you can be inadvertently isolated and made very lonely. And I think that culturally, we inadvertently isolate and disempower the people by, for instance, if when you get a diagnosis. For the person with the diagnosis, the message sometimes they take out of the room is my life is over. I need to prepare for the end. And for the partner, they will go into the room as their spouse and leave as the carer. They're told that they're a carer and they're expected to care for this person they've lived with as a partner for 30 years. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, I can see that that could be very distressing and difficult. I mean, Michele, is that something that you see in the clinical setting as well, or are there any other challenges that you come across? **Michele Hu:** So yes, so when you're giving somebody a diagnosis of early Parkinson's, often what people most fear is what will be my risk of developing future dementia? And also, it's increasingly a condition of ageing, both dementia and Parkinson's. So, because there are populations across the western world are globally increasing in terms of how people are living longer, we are getting really a pandemic of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. So, one of my concerns is, are we going to have enough people to diagnose these conditions and also to effectively treat and support in the community? **Emma Mead:** Yeah, it's really important. Sanjay, maybe from your perspective, it sounds like you interact with younger people who are given sort of diagnoses. Do you see similar challenges or are there differences between sort of older populations and younger individuals? **Sanjay Manohar:** Yeah, I think the challenges are very similar. There's a massive shortage of community care for these people. And I mean, Dementia Oxfordshire did a massively important job in this where the NHS and social services can't quite stretch that far. One thing I'd say about this, this carer business is really critical. And half of the patients with Alzheimer's who we send out of the room promptly forget they've got Alzheimer's. And the other half, you know, they're very distressed by it. But in all cases, the carer is the one who bears the responsibility. There are always a proportion of people who don't have a carer and or are already kind of you know, being cared for in some way. And they're a difficult population too. Yeah. **Emma Mead:** I mean, Peter, maybe, do you have any perspective on that where Sanjay says there are some people that don't have carers, you know? Is that something that you come across often in the Dementia Oxfordshire group? **Peter Johnson:** I think it's surprising the number of [people that are living alone with dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/improving-dementia-care-through-community-based-support/), either because they have no family or because their family lives a long way away, often out of county. And that can be very challenging and make it much harder to support that person. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, I can imagine that would be really difficult. And it's good that there are organisations like yourselves to provide that support and groups that can really kind of help people who might be feeling isolated and alone. So, it's wonderful to see that. I wondered maybe if we can move a bit towards that more sort of clinical perspective and think about sort of gaps and challenges in terms of how we are treating dementias and other sort of neurodegenerative conditions. And maybe, Michele, if I could come to you first, what do you see as the major challenges in the clinical space at the moment? **Michele Hu:** I think who diagnoses dementia, whether it should be, for example, a neurologist, a general physician, or a psychiatrist, is something that we haven't really coordinated very well. I personally don't think it matters as long as you actually have a good understanding and a good rapport with the patient. So, I think we need to work better with our community services in a more joined up way. So, for example, we've recently met with our community psychiatry team. Our older age psychiatrist said, and they've actually said, "We think you neurologists are better at diagnosing Parkinson's dementia, but we're better at supporting in the community. So, could you do that front aspect and initiate treatment? And we're happy to continue it and provide community support." I think that actually is a way going forward that optimistically may make a better use of our resources and be more effective. **Emma Mead:** That's great. Thank you. And sort of thinking also about how we understand disease, and maybe I'll turn to Laura and ask, you know, what are the main challenges when we think about, you know... So, bringing together our disease understanding and combining that with our clinical practise, you know, to me, that feels like there's a bit of a gap there. I don't know if you have any thoughts about what the challenges are that we can, you know, overcome to address that question. **Laura Winchester:** So, I think there's lots of gaps there, and I think there's lots of people in the room are probably working on different bits of those gaps. I think there is a lot of work now going into not just looking at maybe cohort, but real-world data as well. So, there is people researching both. And I think it's all about what data is available and as people maybe thinking about people coming to clinics and collecting data from those people. So that's available for us to look at in addition to what we are looking at sort of collecting and designing. So, I think it's joining up those different groups and collecting as much information as possible so that we can continue to study that as well. **Emma Mead:** That sounds like a very important step. I mean is that feasible in a clinical setting? I don't know if, Sanjay, I can come to you and, you know, think about how we can tie up, you know, get collecting the right data for researchers like Laura to use it going forward to address some of these key questions. **Sanjay Manohar:** Yeah, and I think coming to a day like this, you see so much great research, and then maybe something that will surprise quite a few people is that out of, let's say the 500 patients with dementia, you know, several years with Alzheimer's disease, about 10 of them are typical Alzheimer's. The rest all have something else as well. We've heard a little bit about copathology, and you know, how you might have amyloid, how you might have Lewy body pathology, corticobasal pathology, all these other things. But also, they have vascular disease, they have epilepsy, they have head injuries, they have, you know, everything else, they have comorbidities elsewhere in their body, diabetes, and so on. So, each patient we see has kind of a unique fingerprint profile in a very high dimensional space. And each one is unique, right? Each patient. That's the key. And when you see research that you know, ultimately, it's like labels people with having Alzheimer's or not, well, we give Alzheimer's labels on a whim, let's say. The process of diagnosing the disease is partially biological, partially social. It's partly to do with what's important and needed by that patient at the moment. And that's a bit old-fashioned, right? Because this was conceived in a day where we didn't have any disease modifying therapies. Now if you say we're going to give treatments that target a molecule, and it becomes so much more important to get precision diagnosis to fingerprint each patient with exactly what's going on biologically. And then we've made very early steps into this by now having biomarkers that we can test promptly and quickly. Until a few years ago, until like this year, in fact, we had to get cerebral spinal fluid with a lumbar puncture on every patient if we really wanted to know the biological diagnosis, which meant that about 70% of patients we didn't bother to get the biological diagnosis, right? It's expensive, painful, and inconvenient. But I think that is the challenge I would highlight is that everyone needs to understand the precision with which we know these labels and also think of them as inhabiting this high-dimensional space. And I think that once that challenge is addressed, we'll have much better avenues into treating this disease. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, that's so interesting. I'd like to maybe pick up at the point you made about the different sort of samples that we can gather from the clinic now, and maybe ask Laura sort of, you know, have you got some examples of how that, you know, huge amount of data now that we can gather from patients clinically can be used? You know, are there any examples from the work that you're doing for that? **Laura Winchester:** So, I think, actually, you touched on a couple of things that we're thinking about. So, looking at those datasets and pulling out... So, there is a biomarker that's working from blood now, but that's one, and maybe there are more out there. So, p-tau is looking for amyloid. We might be interested in markers for some of the other pathologies that we're thinking about. So, when you're thinking about dementia, it's a complex set of pathologies in there and we can use the datasets that we have too perhaps... Now we have the bigger datasets, you might have power to pull apart these complex problems. So, thinking about the pathology level, but also thinking about at the clinical level and looking to see whether there's a lineup there. In some cases, there isn't, and there's a very interesting question with sort of resilience. So, whether you have a buildup of amyloid, but these patients are not showing the clinical symptoms yet. And so that group are interesting to study. And so, as we get more data on these patients, we'll be able to pull out more information about that. And it's about understanding, getting a bigger picture. And I think these datasets, as they build, become really important. **Emma Mead:** That's really interesting. Thank you. And I mean, obviously, to do these analysis, [we need people to donate samples](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-the-study-recruitment-puzzle/). And maybe, Peter, from your experience, you know, is there a great sort of appetite in the dementia research or the dementia community to support dementia research? And do people really know very much about how they can go about donating blood or any other sort of samples? **Peter Johnson:** I think the reality is that people with carers and people with a diagnosis are time poor. So, the difficulty is finding a way to engage with people that are overwhelmed by caring and the condition they're managing. So, I do think that they do want to engage, it's the practicalities of how you engage. And you kind of need, I mean we've talked about this previously, but you kind of need to meet them where they're at. So, if you engage with them, so we have an experts’ group that's often used to engage with people, but any of our groups that meet regularly, you'll be able to engage in a space where they feel comfortable and they'll be able to contribute. And that kind of works. Researchers are very keen to come along and just chat to our clients. And I don't really understand how they use the information they get, but clearly, they keep coming back, so it has value. And I would say from the people that are living with a diagnosis and their carers, there's a therapeutic value of just being involved. It's giving their life meaning. That gives them a purpose. And that can make a really big difference. It's that sense of what is the point of me. It helps them retain that focus of who they are, for both the carer and the person with the diagnosis. It's a way of them contributing. So, they are keen to engage, but often it's hard for them to do so because they're being overwhelmed by the rest of their lives. **Emma Mead:** That's really an important point. Michele, you had something. **Michele Hu:** I was saying I run the Oxford Discovery Parkinson's Cohort, which has 1,600 individuals now since 2010. And people find it really reassuring to be in an observational cohort because they're seeing often the same staff. Perhaps every year or year and a half, they're being fed back if there's anything that needs clinical care. You know, general health improved because we're measuring things like high blood pressure, et cetera, you know, as part of that assessment. And we find that people are quite willing to do procedural tests like a skin biopsy, blood tests, and lumbar puncture. And I just want to take issue. It's not painful when we do them, Sanjay. \[Group laughing\] It's no more painful than when you go to the dentist and have a local anaesthetic which stings. But after that, and I've just done one about two hours ago, so we do them roughly every week for about three or four individuals and they are often very surprised at how straightforward it is. And certainly, for Parkinson's, it's becoming actually a prerequisite that you have the misfolded protein alpha-synuclein identified before you're eligible for a trial entry. **Emma Mead:** No, that's really interesting. **Sanjay Manohar:** Thank you. You're absolutely correct. \[Group laughing\] **Emma Mead:** Staying with clinical trials perhaps, you know, I'm interested to hear, we've obviously had quite a few clinical trials, clinical successes in the space of Alzheimer's disease in particular. And you know, we're moving to a place now where we're hoping to have more therapies in the clinic. But maybe from a clinician's perspective, how do you think we can go about improving trial designs so that we can more rapidly get the right therapies to the right patients at the right time? I don't know if, Michele, do you want to answer first? **Michele Hu:** So, one way to do it is to use a different, more adaptive trial design. And in the UK for Parkinson's, [we now have the Edmund J Safra Accelerating Clinical Trials to Parkinson's](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/include-innovation-in-clinical-trial-design-and-delivery-for-the-underserved/) or the ACT-PD. And this uses a model called MAMS, multi-arm, multi-stage. And it was adapted originally from trials that were done in prostate cancer. What's unique about this is you, for example, can have three or four different treatment trial arms going on simultaneously, which in the case of ACT-PD will be three oral medications all with different evidence for slowing down Parkinson's progression and one placebo group. So fewer people will need the placebo, and you also have much quicker go- or no-go decisions at 6 to 12 and 18 months if you are not seeing any signal of improvement benefit within 6 to 12 months. So, I think this is now also being adopted by Michael J. Fox Foundation for their P2P or Path to Prevention trial. And I think it's going to be the way forward. We also need better ways of mitigating against things that can mess up trials. For example, placebo effect and expectation bias and learning effects. So, if patients are really desperate that they want something to work, in fact, in the exenatide trial people, the placebo group just got better over time over the two years simply by taking part in a trial, having something to aim for, regular visits with allied health professionals and doctors, and just feeling that they were being better cared for. **Emma Mead:** That's really interesting. I mean, Peter, is that something that you've come across in sort of talking with people with lived experience? **Peter Johnson:** I would say giving people hope is a very strong therapeutic effect you absolutely see in people. It is coming back to the point I made before. It gives them purpose. They've got a reason to focus on something in a world that can otherwise feel very dark. It's not dissimilar to the importance of socialisation. It's keeping your mind active, keeping socially active. This all contributes to that and that I think that has a big effect. **Emma Mead:** That's really interesting. And I mean, thinking about the patients that we put onto these trials, obviously a really important perspective in drug discovery is that we have to have the right patients to make sure that we see a clinical effect. So, I don't know, Laura, if you've got any thoughts about that from the sort of more biomarker discovery and clinical understanding and a cohort understanding. **Laura Winchester:** Well, I was sort of thinking about this, and I guess, there is, obviously, there's an amyloid-targeted treatment. And we can now measure amyloid and we can point people to that trial or drug. And so, I guess you are thinking about now about picking out cohorts in that same way. So, making them eligible for something. I'm thinking about other therapies. Maybe when you're thinking about designing a target, you might also think about a biomarker that goes alongside it. So, if you're thinking about tau then maybe you want the tau markers. If you're thinking about an inflammatory drug, then maybe you want to be thinking about inflammatory markers that go along to check progression or to think about end decision points as well. And so, I think there's probably parallel streams of work to be done as you think about the drug targets, what else are you thinking about in that particular cohort? So yeah, there's a lot with that understanding. **Emma Mead:** That's such an important point. I mean, do you have any thoughts about how we can create that environment to make sure we are pairing up people with that sort of expertise and understanding what the biomarkers should be and how we should go about doing them and getting the drug discovery scientists having those conversations early? **Laura Winchester:** I mean, I think just having these people. Panels like this really enable us to chat to each other. So, I myself as a data science talking to yourself as somebody from the Drug Discovery Institute, and the clinicians as well. So, it's just having joined up conversations with people who are working in this field and making sure that everybody is working towards the same thing, I think. And so, we sort of have the environment. We just have to make sure we're using it. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, it's so important. And you know, I think that that is really the only way we begin to see success, isn't it? Making sure that our data scientists, our drug discovery scientists, and our clinicians are having that good communication and obviously making sure we're involving people with lived experience to know exactly what we should be doing to inform our strategy. **Michele Hu:** I think what's really unique about ACT-PD is it's had [a very active patient engagement group](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-prioritising-people-in-co-produced-research/). And as a result, we're not doing things like asking patients to come in following overnight withdrawal of medication 'cause that's actually really distressing. People often get a lot worse, particularly if they've had PD for a number of years. Also, the main outcomes are actually not the ones that are in clinic. And there's a heavier reliance on other remote assessments that can be done at home and digital outcomes, which I think will be very important, particularly for phase three trials. **Emma Mead:** That sounds really kind of game changing actually, you know, thinking that we can have people in the comfort of their own homes still kind of reporting on the endpoints of studies. I think that that will be fantastic. I mean, again, sort of thinking about some of the clinical trials that have been ongoing and that have been in the clinic and have maybe had mixed success. And we've had some successes in the Alzheimer's field with [lecanemab and donanemab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/why-some-alzheimers-drugs-work-better-than-others/), and obviously that's a little bit mixed, but I would really like first to ask maybe Peter and our clinical colleagues, you know, what the perspective of those are and then think about sort of what's next. So, Peter, you know, what do the dementia community think about the current Alzheimer's therapies that are available to some individuals? **Peter Johnson:** No, and I think, it's quite a mix for people actually living with the condition at the moment. I mean it's hope on the horizon, but for most of them, it's very difficult for them to engage even with trials. The criteria are quite strict. And it can be challenging with the press raising everybody's hopes with these big announcements and then shooting them down with sensational follow up. And they don't know what to think and we have to be very careful about what we say. The reality is that it requires a relatively early, I'll be corrected, but it requires an early diagnosis. You've got to manage the side effects, which are exclusionary for a lot of people, et cetera. So, we have to manage expectations and say that like you can apply for the trials, but it might actually not be good for you to engage. **Emma Mead:** Yeah. And it's so difficult to manage those expectations, isn't it? I think, in a clinical setting I mean. Sanjay, you know, in your experience, are patients excited about these sorts of developments or is it, as Peter mentioned, a bit of a mixed reception? **Sanjay Manohar**: So, with most patients who we diagnose with Alzheimer's, I would talk to 'em about these therapies, mainly because they're in the news and everyone has questions about them. But in pretty much all the cases, now, of course, it depends on what you tell them, doesn't it? But in most cases, when I give an honest description of the findings, they all come out thinking, "No, it's not ready for consumption yet," particularly when you describe, you know, the profile of the care they would need, the effects that could happen. And in particular when you tell them that the statistic that it prolongs life by four months- **Peter Johnson:** But not improving the quality of their life. **Sanjay Manohar:** And this is the thing. What patients are most afraid of when they come out clinic is being a burden. Can you imagine? This is actually what a lot of them say to you is that "The other thing I'm most terrified about is being a burden," to their partner, to society. It must be a terrible feeling to have actually. What we need to strive towards is therapies that improve the quality of life that people have, right? That's what's needed. And when a therapy is touted as prolonging life, yeah, I think they all know what that means actually. **Emma Mead:** I think you've raised a really important point there about improving quality of life. And I wonder, you know, we have so many different types of therapies now entering the clinic. There's been a bit of a focus on disease modifying and that being a bit of the sort of the thing that everybody's striving for. But actually, I wonder if symptomatic treatments might be something that patients are, you know, have more appetite for. Is that sort of your perspective there, Sanjay? **Sanjay Manohar:** That would be my intuition in talking to a lot of them. It's something that can make them feel better, even if it's short term. Exactly of as much benefit, if not more than, something that really attracts things on, which is, you know, that's how they feel about it. Of course, in reality, there will be two months of better-quality life too. And is the, you know, the amount of treatment they have worth that? That's a second question. That's a nice start question, you know? That will be addressed and will improve as well. **Emma Mead:** And Michele, what's your thoughts on that? Are your patients looking for symptomatic relief or disease modifying therapies? I mean there is scope for both, but... **Michele Hu:** Yeah, well, we're quite lucky in Parkinson's 'cause you know we have a lot more symptomatic drugs that are really quite effective. We can replace the levodopa. We can give dopamine agonists. We can use enzymes to make it hang around for longer. Then we also have things like deep brain stimulation, and we can give pump therapies. So, you know, I think, less than 5% of all of our patients with Parkinson's will be suitable for these device therapies or DBS in any case. And I would posit, probably, similar or even less will be suitable for the current disease modifying therapies that we have. I think there are also lots of other potentially more effective, low-cost pragmatic solutions. And in Parkinson's, the evidence that [regular high-intensity exercise three times a week](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/us-pointer-study-lifestyle-program-boosts-cognition-in-at-risk-adults/), and a diet, a change in diet away from processed foods to more, you know, less animal-based proteins, less fried food, sort of African heritage diet, really slows down progression. But we haven't got enough data to look at it beyond 12-month duration. And that's one of the studies that I would love to do. And I don't see why that wouldn't also be the case actually in Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. **Emma Mead:** That's really interesting, and you know, maybe something for the data scientists to collaborate with the clinicians on to try and understand that. I mean, Laura, is there anything that you are doing in that field to understand sort of prevention versus treatment? Or do you know of any research going on around that? **Laura Winchester:** So, I was immediately drawn. There's quite a lot of work done. I think there's probably quite a few diets, but I know [the Mediterranean diet](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-food-for-thought-food-and-lifestyle-to-preventing-cognitive-decline-with-dr-dean-sherzai/) is one that people have been working with and there's some data there. I've been doing a little bit of work with looking at iron and looking at whether low or high iron might be of interest. But there's lots of different things that we might be able to do that might be disease modifying. And I think there's a quite a bit of work to be done with prevention that might be useful. I think Sana was sharing stuff earlier about multi-morbidities and thinking about maybe not just dementia but thinking about all the other things that might be going in parallel. And she was using, well, UK Biobank, a very big dataset. So, there's a lot of work to be done in that area, not just with diets, but thinking about other things that might be prevention as well. **Michele Hu:** UK Biobank have used wrist-worn accelerometers and measured continuous sort of home living activity and shown that if you've got higher levels, you've got a reduced risk of future dementia. **Emma Mead:** That's great. Thank you. Peter, maybe just to sort of turn to you and ask what the dementia community are looking for in terms of treatment. Obviously, this might differ depending on whether you ask somebody with a diagnosis of dementia compared to their carer. But are patients looking for something that's going to, you know, change the course of their disease, suppress the symptoms, or as you know, we've just discussed, you know, potentially use a lifestyle intervention to slow progression? **Peter Johnson:** I mean I think it's very hard to give in a generic answer to that because there's different types of dementia and their personality overlap with that so much. They're all different. And you alluded to earlier, Sanjay, that you've got to tailor what you say to the individual. Some people want to work towards a cure. That's just what they desire. Other people are much more pragmatic, and they just might want to, "I want to lead a high-quality life for as long as I can and what can help with that?" It's very varied. Whether there's a difference between the person with the diagnosis and the carer, I find it very hard to sort of see the answer to that because the reality is as the condition progresses, the carer becomes the advocate for the person with the diagnosis. They're speaking for them because they even know that person best and they're struggling to articulate the views themselves. So, I think separating those two things, I'm not sure I can give an answer to that. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, I can see it can be very sort of situation and patient-dependent and it's, yeah. But I can really see a place for everything that we've discussed in, you know, trying to tackle this really challenging, these challenging set of diseases and conditions. I would maybe like to sort of go out to the audience and ask if there are any questions. So, we have a few questions on Slido already, but please do keep them coming if you would like to pose any questions to our panel. So, the first question is for Sanjay, and this is, what role does genetic testing play in assessing younger dementia patients? And how does this fit with established disease paradigms? **Sanjay Manohar:** So, we would tend only to test genetically in clinic on the NHS if a patient is diagnosed under the age of 50, or if they have a first degree relative, and usually, first degree relative with early onset as well. Because it's very common to have a parent with Alzheimer's and then have a diagnosed with Alzheimer's just by chance. In terms of who wants genetic testing, seems to be about 50/50 if you ask patients whether they want to be genetically tested, but half of them don't 'cause of the implications for their family usually. And we will do the testing on clinically necessary grounds when it provides some kind of diagnostic and treatment implication. So, for, you know, certain types of frontotemporal dementia, it's typical we would convince the patient that they need that test. We can't convince everyone, but most of them will agree to having the test. But it's not normally done. I'm talking about these kind of monogenic genes. [APOE is not tested on the NHS at the moment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-behind-the-approval-research-ethics-and-consent/). Again, this ties into the, you know, donanemab, lecanemab question. And at some point, it might be. But again, the difficulty is what do you tell someone. You've got a risk of getting Alzheimer's. It's increased by a certain proportion. Yeah, so at the moment, there's resource limitations as well on genetic tests. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, that's interesting. And maybe, actually, just a follow-up question to Laura. How useful and how informative do you find that kind of the data from genetic testing in driving our understanding of the mechanisms and of disease? **Laura Winchester:** Well, I think APOE is extremely important in driving a lot of different parts of disease in Alzheimer's. It's got an impact. In many of the research studies I do, I'm always correcting for APOE, so we consider it wherever we go. So yes, that test is very useful to us as data scientists. But actually, having the whole genome is extremely useful as well. So, to have a look at the other genes, we can look at genetic risk scores as well. So obviously, there are genes that we already know are associated to Alzheimer's disease, but potentially there are others out there that we haven't found yet. So, I would say that yeah, genetics is a very important study of. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, and I guess having that sort of APOE biology on the background of all of the other sort of changes that occur in the genome is vital to aid our understanding. Great, thank you. So, we have a couple of other questions. This one is directed to Michele, but also everybody. So, I'll give Michele the opportunity to answer first. What do you think causes the research gap in finding biomarkers for earlier and more precise medicine? And how can we bridge this gap from basic research? **Michele Hu:** Yeah, so that's something I've thought a lot about over the 20 years I've been doing biomarker research. I think the basic problem is we're dealing with a problem in the brain. And you know, we're not dealing with a kidney or a liver or skin problem where we can easily access diagnostic tissue, and we can use that not just for diagnosis, for stratification. And the second main problem is we have no way of direct imaging at alpha-synuclein and its deposition in pathological forms, both in the brain and in the extra central regions where we know it happens. For example, the peripheral nervous system, the gut, the skin, the heart. So those are the two key issues. So how do we start to bridge that gap? And really there's not much. We're starting to think about this, I would say, in the last decade. So, we can measure spinal fluid, and within that, we can look at cells that have obviously come from areas of the brain as well as across the blood-brain barrier from periphery. We can then try and link that to what's happening in peripheral blood cells, PBMCs. We can look at proteomic, epigenomic signatures across both. In terms of brain imaging, we can measure dopamine deficit. That's helpful, but not that helpful. And we can use perhaps more advanced sequences, which we're developing and others are, to look more at where the pathology is in particular the substantia nigra and the locus coeruleus and using MRI, try and directly correlate the signal change to pathological changes at post-mortem brain MRI at high resolution. So that's another kind of general approach. And then we are doing more peripheral skin biopsies and tissue biopsies to sort of start to understand more about things like the gut-brain axis, the role of the microbiome, and how inflammation might be triggered by something totally peripheral but then be recapitulated in the brain. **Emma Mead:** Yeah, no that's really interesting. And you know, going back to something you say about the sort of brain region-specific changes, something that I often kind of think about because you know, pathology doesn't happen broadly everywhere, does it? And there's a lot of heterogeneity in the way that cells respond to the pathology. So, I think that's such an inclusive point. **Michele Hu:** And lastly, I don't think we've had animal models that have particularly recapitulated either. The clinical phenotype or the pathology that we see in humans. And some of the human pre-formed fibril models of injecting alpha-synuclein into the salivary gland where it goes straight up into the brain that I've recently seen presented, I think, are very exciting. **Emma Mead:** That sounds fascinating. **Sanjay Manohar:** I was just saying that this is very exciting, but Alzheimer's disease is quite a long way behind in all of this in terms of peripheral markers. So, we don't have that gut and all these synuclein markers. **Michele Hu:** You've got amyloid and tau PET. **Sanjay Manohar:** We do. So, the thing is, amyloid and tau PET are really difficult to access. We don't have it in Oxford. We don't have it in Oxford. Where do we have it? We have to send all our patients to London for this. And the ligand's really difficult to make. So yeah, we do not have that signature yet until we had the blood markers, which obviously, looking very promising. But I think other types of marker are also looking very promising. And by that, I mean things like behavioural, cognitive, and measures that we can do in clinic, looking at how the brain is functioning. I always say to the patients that we can take pictures of your brain, but the problem with your memory is not structural necessarily. It's to do with the way the brain is working, the computations and the neurons firing. And if the problem is at that scale, and it's certainly early in the disease, it's at that scale, right? We see atrophy in the hippocampus many years into the disease usually. So, the first biomarker is probably going to be a functional-type biomarker using behavioural and cognitive probes, I think. **Emma Mead:** Oh, that's, yeah, very, very interesting. Laura, I don't know if you want to comment about sort of finding biomarkers from a more basic research perspective or data science perspective. **Laura Winchester:** Well, I guess, I was going to conflict a little bit and say that maybe I'm still searching for the elusive fluid biomarkers, so. CSF when we have it. But also, I think the idea of finding a blood biomarker that enables a clinician to do a blood test at the GP level is really useful. And we have brilliant progression with that. Yeah, with [p-tau217](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/aaic-2026-london-podcast-conference-highlights/). I think there are trials going on where this would be moved to clinic. The question is now actually with this one is when do we use it? Because of course, you might be able to tell a patient that they have the amyloid, but what do we do next? So, I think there is, potentially, there is that diagnostic marker with AD, but maybe we want to be thinking about other biomarkers for tracking maybe progression or back again to the drug trial. And thinking about whether we can use that to tell us more about the disease and maybe subtypes of the disease as well. **Emma Mead:** That links back nicely to what we were talking about earlier about different branches of research needing to communicate well with each other. **Sanjay Manohar:** And just in response, if I may. \[Group laughing\] Actually, you know, we see about 10% of our patients who are amyloid-positive either in CSF, plasma or in PET, they don't progress to get Alzheimer's disease. So, there's a, I don't know if you want to call that a protective factor or some kind of resilience component, but yes, you can tell someone they've got the pathology but not have the progressive disease or the dementia. And we do that sometimes, for a few patients who we'll tell that to. **Emma Mead:** Thank you. So, I think we've got time for one more question before we sort of close out, but I will maybe swipe one from the audience. As Sanjay mentioned, there's a great variety of Alzheimer's diseases and heterogeneity. So, are current efforts in therapeutic development too broad? And how should the community approach this efficiently? I'm not sure who wants to take that first. **Michele Hu:** Sanjay. \[Group laughing\] **Sanjay Manohar:** I do think that people often talk about a lot of researchers working on prognosis and what's the value of this? Yes, we can tell patients how long they're going to survive, but the real benefit of knowing prognosis is in doing clinical trials. If you know, for a particular person tailored to their genes, biology, and other pathologies they have, if you know what the trajectory of their disease ought to be, then that makes all these clinical trials much more efficient, much, much more efficient. I can't really explain how much variability there is in this condition. There are some patients who've gone for 10 years after diagnosis. Others for two. And if your measure is how long people go on for when you give them a treatment, you're going to need an enormous sample size. But as soon as we're able to pin them down to a particular trajectory based on maybe their premorbid MRI, their cognitive function, their particular profile of deficits, and some biomarkers and so on, then we can then use this sort of residualized benefit in the trial. And I think that that's something that is underexplored and people don't like putting into trials really very much. Right? That's my feeling. **Michele Hu:** Yeah, I think we don't... I mean Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s; they're complex neurodegenerative conditions. They progress quite slowly over decades in general. And there are these extremes of phenotype and heterogeneity. But I think we've been too simplistic thinking that we just do a drug trial of one drug versus placebo. 'Cause for cancer, we never do that. Usually, you're needing two or three different medications and then over a period of time, there'll be a repeat staging, scans, and different therapeutic regimes. I think that's the first thing. And I think the individualised trajectory can be best achieved through assessing the patient in their own home and much more frequent granularity of measures over time, which we can achieve at low cost with digital data. So, I think that and maybe having a trial design where you have a six-month run in where you then establish that patient's baseline before then randomising might make a really big difference. And you also want to know that there is going to be some patient that respond very well and others that don't, and how are you going to then look back to see what best predicted that response. So, target engagement biomarkers, I guess. **Emma Mead:** Thank you very much. We are coming up to time now, and there are still lots of questions, so thank you so much to everybody for sending in questions and hopefully there can be some more discussion a bit later. But I would really like to finish up by a little quick-fire question to everybody. What do you think will create the biggest impact in the way we treat and manage dementia? So, I'd like to go to Peter first. **Peter Johnson:** So, I'm really interested in what you were saying about the digital era and the ability to support people in their own home. I think that would really make a difference. Certainly, in terms of like as these disease progresses, you've got the issue with any change of routine. Anything that's unusual is really distressing and can actually have a very negative effect. The idea of having digital tracking that monitors them, that gives you the ability to make some sort of decision about treatment without drawing them into hospital, drawing them into clinic I think would be very helpful. **Emma Mead:** Thank you very much. Laura, we'll turn to you next. **Laura Winchester:** It's a really big question. I was hoping you would come to me last. \[Laughs\] So I don't know. I think 'cause we were thinking about trials, and I think in terms of just my particular field, I think everyone will have their own answer on this. And I was thinking about data accessibility. And I think there's a really important thing now where we are thinking we have these trials, we have things ongoing, but then the data is locked away afterwards. And I think it would be really useful for onward if we were able to access and work with that data in the community. So that's my one thing, but I think there are others. **Emma Mead:** Thank you very much, Laura. Sanjay, we'll turn to you. **Sanjay Manohar:** So, it's a controversial answer. If you break your leg, you can fix it, get a new one. Your brain is you. It's your personality. And until now, there's been nothing in the universe that can do the same thing. But now, assistive technology and things that can supplant, you know, help you with your memory, on the horizon with AI. And although you can't replace a person, the identity, these devices, these algorithms are quite good at emulating particular people given the amount of training data you give them. And there may be ways in which AI cannot be a brain replacement but can kind of facilitate thought. **Emma Mead:** Fascinating. Thank you very much. Michele. **Michele Hu:** Just very practical. I think we may need collaboration, real collaboration between hospital care and community care and the patient. And I think community care could be better streamlined. And we would save so many blocked patient bed days if we had a way to discharge patients that needed it sooner into the community, into the appropriate places with support. **Emma Mead:** Wonderful. Thank you so much. Lots of different perspectives, and it's been wonderful to hear your thoughts and comments. So, thank you so much. And I'd like to thank the audience for all the questions that you've submitted and thank everybody on the podcast for listening. And please join me in thanking the panel members. \[Audience applauding\] That's where we'll leave it. My thanks to Sanjay, Michele, Peter, and Laura, and to everyone who was there on the day. You can find more conversations like this one at Dementia Researcher wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening. **Announcer:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**Alzheimer's Research UK TV**](https://www.neuroscience.ox.ac.uk/alzheimer2019s-research-uk-thames-valley) > > [**Dementia Oxfordshire**](https://www.dementiaoxfordshire.org.uk/) > > [**EJS ACT-PD**](https://cureparkinsons.org.uk/research/research-projects/ejs-act-pd/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer’s Research UK Resources, Biomarkers, Carers, Clinical trials, Dementia Care, Diagnosis, donanemab, Dr Laura Winchester, Dr Sanjay Manohar, Genetics, Lecanemab, Parkinson’s Disease, Patient and Public Involvement, Peter Johnson, Podcast, Professor Emma Mead, Professor Michele Hu, Quality of Life, treatment **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Biomarker Research, Clinical Research, Conference Roundup **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher, PhD Students, Postdocs, Undergraduates --- ### [Profile - Harriet Greene, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-harriet-greene-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** April 27, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Harriet Greene, PhD student at Oxford, studies dementia prevention and vascular risk. Neurovascular modeller, scuba instructor, biotech and collaboration. **Content:** ![Harriet Greene Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Harriet-Greene.jpg "Harriet Greene")Harriet Greene ##### Name: Harriet Greene ##### Job title: PhD Student ##### Place of work / study: University of Oxford ##### Area of Research: My research focuses on dementia, particularly dementia prevention by studying the effect of vacsular [risk factors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/population-level-policies-on-risk-factors-for-dementia-could-reduce-costs/) such as hypertension on the brain. ##### How is your work funded: British Heart Foundation (BHF) covers all consumables. Student Finance England loan tuition fees. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a second-year PhD researcher, and I absolutely love my project working on modelling the neurovascular unit in vitro. This research allows me to be creative, to think of new ways to approach biological mechanisms and to collaborate across departments and diseases. Beyond science and academia, I am really interested in biotech start-ups and how to translate science in the lab to a product that will make a tangible difference for patients globally. I try to make the most of what Oxford offers students, from seminars to networking events and career development. My grounding ethos is to always pay kindness foward, so that we can build a supportive, collaborative research community where people feel valued, encouraged, and able to thrive. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am a scuba diving instructor! The coolest thing I have seen underwater is a humpback whale! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Dementia is an unsolved, incredibly complex puzzle. I was 16 when I first met a patient with Alzheimer’s, and I couldn’t understand why there were no effective drugs for AD. I have been researching ever since then, trying to build a small piece of the puzzle so that one day, we might find a solution. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Do not sleep on your transferable skills. From barista to babysitter, there are so many valuable skills to be gained from disciplines removed from academia that complement your research. Learning how to draw these skills out and apply them can be just as important as learning research techniques. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am currently reading the [Romantic by William Boyd](https://amzn.to/4h0unV3). I am actually re-reading this, as I find when you re read books at different times in your lives you discover a new side to the story! I would reccomend anything by William Boyd. ##### Favourite film of all time? The Little Mermaid, ridiculous for a 25 year old but my all time favourite and inspired by love of the sea as a child! ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Podcasts on walk, nature walks with my dog, walks to a coffee shop. Any time outside essentially! I really love cooking on the weekends when I have time whilst listening to country music. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Taking a shot at Oxford, I was convinced I wouldn’t get in. It changed my life. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Corfu, Greece. I did my summer season diving here! ##### Do you collect anything? Shells from all over the world. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@harrietaegreene.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/harrietaegreene.bsky.social) [Find Harriet on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-greene-87433b191/) --- ### Harriet's most recent posts [ ![Blog – The PhD Comfort Zone](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/The-PhD-Comfort-Zone-blog-by-Harriet-Green-680-x-520-px-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-phd-comfort-zone/) ###### [Blog – The PhD Comfort Zone](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-phd-comfort-zone/) [ 18/08/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-phd-comfort-zone/) [![Harriet Greene Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Harriet-Greene-24x24.jpg "Harriet Greene") Harriet Greene](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/harriet-greene/) [ ![Blog – How I Found My Way into Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/How-I-Found-My-Way-into-Dementia-Research-Give-to-Gain-blog-by-Harriet-Greene-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-found-my-way-into-dementia-research/) ###### [Blog – How I Found My Way into Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-found-my-way-into-dementia-research/) [ 09/07/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-found-my-way-into-dementia-research/) [![Harriet Greene Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Harriet-Greene-24x24.jpg "Harriet Greene") Harriet Greene](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/harriet-greene/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Harriet Greene, Regular Contributor, University of Oxford, Vascular Pathology **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Professor Louise Serpell, University of Sussex](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/) **Published:** January 18, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Louise Serpell, Emeritas Professor of Biochemistry & Director of Sussex Neuroscience at University of Sussex researching proteins & how they fold and misfold **Content:** ![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px")Professor Louise Serpell ##### Name: Professor Louise Serpell ##### Job title: Emeritas Professor of Biochemistry ##### Place of work / study: University of Sussex ##### Area of Research: Protein [misfolding](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-reshaping-misfolding-enzymes/), aggregation and cellular toxicity ##### How is your work funded: ARUK, Alzheimer’s Society, BBSRC, MRC, Royal Society, EPSRC, Wellcome Trust ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I started as a structural biologist, working on the structure of amyloid and finished with iPSCs. Focussing on Alzheimer’s disease mainly, we worked on Amyloid-beta and Tau to understand how amino acid sequence leads to aggregation and how amyloid structure results in toxic cellular effects. I believe in a world where academic science has space for creativity and compassion. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Cat lady ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I was always interested in how the brain works ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Treat others well, seek out good, supportive people and surround yourself with them. ##### What book are you reading right now, and would you recommend it? I’m reading Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare. I love it. ##### Favourite film of all time? Cinema Paradiso ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Running ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Louise on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseserpell/) --- ### Louise's most recent posts [ ![Blog – Getting a Grant Funded: A View from the Panel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Getting-a-Grant-Funded_-A-View-from-the-Panel-blog-by-Professor-Louise-Serpell-680-x-520-px-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-getting-a-grant-funded-a-view-from-the-panel/) ###### [Blog – Getting a Grant Funded: A View from the Panel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-getting-a-grant-funded-a-view-from-the-panel/) [ 24/08/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-getting-a-grant-funded-a-view-from-the-panel/) [![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px-24x24.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px") Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/l-c-serpellsussex-ac-uk/) [ ![Blog – Football, CTE & the Science Protecting Future Players](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Football-CTE-and-the-Science-Protecting-Future-Players-blog-by-Louise-Serpell-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-football-cte-and-the-science-protecting-future-players/) ###### [Blog – Football, CTE & the Science Protecting Future Players](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-football-cte-and-the-science-protecting-future-players/) [ 19/07/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-football-cte-and-the-science-protecting-future-players/) [![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px-24x24.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px") Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/l-c-serpellsussex-ac-uk/) [ ![Blog – What’s in a name? Amyloid, Amyloid-beta, Beta Amyloid, Amy-Lloyd](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Whats-in-a-name-Amyloid-Amyloid-beta-Beta-Amyloid-Amy-Lloyd-blog-by-Professor-Louise-Serpell-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-whats-in-a-name-amyloid-amyloid-beta-beta-amyloid-amy-lloyd/) ###### [Blog – What’s in a name? Amyloid, Amyloid-beta, Beta Amyloid, Amy-Lloyd](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-whats-in-a-name-amyloid-amyloid-beta-beta-amyloid-amy-lloyd/) [ 15/06/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-whats-in-a-name-amyloid-amyloid-beta-beta-amyloid-amy-lloyd/) [![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px-24x24.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px") Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/l-c-serpellsussex-ac-uk/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Biochemistry, Professor Louise Serpell, protein folding, Proteins, Regular Contributor, University of Sussex **Organisations for Bios:** University of Sussex **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Gemma Lace, University of Salford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dr-gemma-lace-costigan/) **Published:** June 5, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Gemma Lace is Associate Dean Academic & Lead of the Molecular Biology Dementia Group exploring mechanisms underlying abnormal protein accumulation **Content:** ![Dr Gemma Lace Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Dr-Gemma-Lace.jpg "Dr Gemma Lace")Dr Gemma Lace ##### **Name:** Dr Gemma Lace ##### **Job Title:** Associate Dean Academic (Student Experience) & Lead of the Molecular Biology Dementia Group at the University of Salford ##### **Place of work / study:** University of Salford ##### **Area of Research:** Our group focusses on the mechanisms underlying abnormal protein accumulation in neurodegeneratives diseases and the role of small extracellular vesicles in the spread of disease pathogenesis and the source of early disease biomarkers. ##### How is your work funded? Our work is and has been funded by [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/discover-the-alzheimers-research-uk-corner/) and the Alzheimer’s Society ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a passionate researcher of neurodegeneration and have dedicated much of my career to raising dementia awareness and supporting the next generation of talented dementia researchers. I graduated from the University of Leeds with a BSc(Hons) in Neuroscience, the completed a PhD in Genomic Medicine. I then undertook Post-Docs and Fellowships focussed on Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington’s Disease before taking on a Teaching Fellowship at the University of Salford. At Salford, I started my own lab group alongside teaching on a range of both undergraduate and postgraduate biomedicine programmes. I was promoted to lecturer, then senior lecturer, then to Associate Dean Academic (Student Experience) where I lead a portfolio of strategic projects aiming to enhance the student experience across the School of Science, Engineering and Environment and wider HE sector. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’m also a life coach, martial artist, red cross volunteer, Yogii and mother of 3 fabulous children, as well as a daft, grumpy German Shepherd-Husky. ##### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** Like many families, mine has been impacted by dementia. People are my passion, and the scientific curiosity combined with the countless devastating stories of families impacted by dementia made me determined to be part of the solution. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t compare yourself to others- find your own path that aligns with your own passions. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? An Unremarkable Body- Elisa Lodato. It is outstanding……a beautiful and haunting tale! ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @GemmaLace](https://twitter.com/GemmaLace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Gemma on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-lace-4b054875/) --- ### Gemma's most recent posts [ ![Podcast – Life As A Researcher Living With ADHD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Life-As-A-Researcher-With-ADHD-Web-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-life-as-a-researcher-with-adhd/) ###### [Podcast – Life As A Researcher Living With ADHD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-life-as-a-researcher-with-adhd/) [ 23/02/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-life-as-a-researcher-with-adhd/) [![Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-150x150.png "Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter") Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/ecr-editor/) [ ![Balancing a PhD, Two Young Kids, and Everything Else](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Solutions-Lab-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/balancing-a-phd-two-young-kids-and-everything-else/) ###### [Balancing a PhD, Two Young Kids, and Everything Else](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/balancing-a-phd-two-young-kids-and-everything-else/) [ 17/02/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/balancing-a-phd-two-young-kids-and-everything-else/) [![Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-150x150.png "Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter") Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/ecr-editor/) [ ![Blog – An Introverts Survival Guide to Conferences](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/An-Introverts-Survival-Guide-to-Conferences-by-Gemma-Lace-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-an-introverts-survival-guide-to-conferences/) ###### [Blog – An Introverts Survival Guide to Conferences](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-an-introverts-survival-guide-to-conferences/) [ 16/02/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-an-introverts-survival-guide-to-conferences/) [![Dr Gemma Lace Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Dr-Gemma-Lace-2-24x24.jpg "Dr Gemma Lace") Dr Gemma Lace](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/adam-smith_gemmanihr-ac-uk/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Gemma Lace, molecular biology, Protein degradation, protein folding, University of Salford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Salford **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Blog - Football, CTE & the Science Protecting Future Players](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-football-cte-and-the-science-protecting-future-players/) **Published:** July 19, 2026 **Author:** Professor Louise Serpell **Excerpt:** On World Cup final day, Louise Serpell explores football’s links to CTE—and how research, safer rules and better awareness could protect future players. **Content:** --- **As I write this, excitement is building around the world ahead of today’s 2026 World Cup final. Over the past few weeks, we have shared in the joy, drama and unpredictability of the beautiful game. Yet football’s history also has a darker side – and one that we, as dementia researchers, are uniquely placed to address.** Several members of England’s celebrated 1966 World Cup-winning squad died from dementia, these include Nobby Stiles, Martin Peters and Ray Wilson. It is believed that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) or other dementia are likely to have resulted from [repetitive head trauma](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-why-does-brain-injury-increase-the-risk-of-dementia/) sustained during play. Among the most poignant cases is that of Jeff Astle, the West Bromwich Albion striker renowned for his heading ability, who died aged 59 from a neurodegenerative disease subsequently attributed to CTE. A coroner recorded a verdict of industrial disease. CTE was brought to wider scientific prominence by Nigerian-American pathologist Dr Bennet Omalu, whose landmark 2005 paper described the condition in a former NFL player, a story later dramatised in the film *Concussion*, with Will Smith in the lead role. CTE has since been confirmed at post-mortem in individuals across [a wide range of sports including association football, rugby, boxing and wrestling](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-are-sportspeople-more-prone-to-mnd/), all of which carry the potential for repetitive head injury, as well as in[ military veterans and survivors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/poster-talks-from-adpd-2026-watch-the-playlist/) of domestic abuse. In a landmark 2023 case, Australian rules footballer Heather Anderson became the first professional sportswoman to receive a confirmed CTE diagnosis. She was 28 when she died and had endured one recorded head injury. > CTE is now understood to be a condition distinct from Alzheimer’s disease, though the two share important pathological features. It is classified primarily as a tauopathy, in which both 3-repeat and 4-repeat isoforms of tau protein are deposited initially in the cerebral cortex, characteristically at the depths of the sulci in the superficial neocortical layers II and III. This perivascular pattern is not seen in Alzheimer’s disease. Following brain injury, particularly diffuse axonal injury, tau aggregation progresses rapidly and spreads unevenly across the cortex. [Amyloid-beta deposition is usually less prominent or absent in CTE](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-whats-in-a-name-amyloid-amyloid-beta-beta-amyloid-amy-lloyd/), further distinguishing it from Alzheimer’s pathology, while TDP-43 inclusions are more frequently observed in CTE brains than in Alzheimer’s disease. Cryo-electron microscopy has revealed that tau filaments extracted from CTE and Alzheimer’s brains share similar but non-identical conformations, with overlapping hyperphosphorylation patterns. At a neuroimaging level, CTE is associated with atrophy of the cavum septum pellucidum and enlargement of the lateral and third ventricles, a pattern that differs from the medial temporal lobe atrophy more typically observed in Alzheimer’s disease. Early diagnosis is essential if emerging therapies are to have any meaningful impact. **As with other neurodegenerative diseases, however, prevention remains the most powerful tool available.** The concept of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) offers a clinical framework for identifying individuals at risk for CTE during life. Diagnostic criteria include a history of repetitive head injury with persistent symptoms lasting over a year, alongside progressive mood impairment and cognitive decline. Since CTE has historically been diagnosable only at post-mortem, [the search for distinctive in-life biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blood-test-may-predict-alzheimers-risk-10-years-early/) has become a research priority. In 2025, the Leon Thal Summit *convened an international panel of clinicians, neuroscientists*, to evaluate the current state of biomarkers for CTE. Advances in tau-specific PET imaging are increasing the potential for ante-mortem diagnosis, enabling the characteristic CTE pattern of tau deposition to be visualised in living individuals. Studies have shown that total tau rises in the serum following head trauma and returns towards baseline in those who recover well. Crucially, recent work has identified p-tau231 as a promising marker capable of distinguishing CTE from Alzheimer’s disease, a distinction that could be used alongside brain imaging and longitudinal monitoring of TES progression to support diagnosis during life. On the therapeutic front, progress made against other tauopathies is increasingly relevant to CTE. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), which have already transformed treatment in CAG-repeat diseases such as Huntington’s disease, are now being tested for their ability to silence MAPT mRNA and reduce tau expression in Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, with potential applicability to CTE. Monoclonal antibodies targeting tau through both active and passive immunotherapy approaches are yielding encouraging results in Phase 2 clinical trials, while tau aggregation inhibitors represent a further strategy for slowing pathological deposition, reducing brain atrophy and preserving cognitive function. Given that CTE frequently occurs alongside other co-pathologies, these multi-target approaches may prove particularly relevant. Ultimately, prevention is the most transformative strategy available. **[Rule changes in sport](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/study-explores-links-between-sports-brain-injury-dementia/) may hold the greatest promise for protecting the brains of future generations**. In the UK, a phased ban on heading the ball in youth football matches is being introduced between 2024 and 2027, while the United States banned heading for players under 11 as long ago as 2015. In rugby, World Rugby’s lower tackle height trials, now adopted by over ten nations at community level, have produced concussion reductions of up to 30% in some settings. In the NFL, the redesigned Dynamic Kick-off rule reduced concussions on kick-offs by 43% in its first season. More broadly, a joint concussion awareness campaign launched in 2024 by the World Health Organisation and FIFA is helping to embed a culture in which full recovery before return to play is treated as non-negotiable. As we enjoy the beautiful game, let us commit to looking after those beautiful brains. --- ![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px")Professor Louise Serpell #### Author **[Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/)** is an Emerita Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Sussex. Her research focuses on how proteins misfold and form amyloid structures linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, using approaches from structural biology and molecular biophysics. Louise completed her DPhil at the University of Oxford and later established her own research group in the UK. Alongside her research career, she has been active in mentoring, public engagement, and supporting early career researchers. [**Find Louise on LinkedIn**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseserpell/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** chronic traumatic encephalopathy, CTE, Football, Professor Louise Serpell, Sports, TBI, traumatic brain injury, University of Sussex **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Profile - Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode, University of Surrey](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ayokunmi-ojebode-university-of-surrey/) **Published:** August 23, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode is a lecturer and dementia researcher specialising in ageing, arts, co-production, health humanities and culturally responsive care. **Content:** ![Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode Profile PIcture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Dr-Ayokunmi-Ojebode.jpg "Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode")Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode #### **Name:** Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode #### **Job Title:** Lecturer / Honorary Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** University of Surrey / University of Bradford #### **Area of Research:** Ageing, Arts, [Co-production](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-neighbourhoods-dementia-co-creation-to-put-research-into-action/), Dementia Studies and Health Humanities #### How is your research funded: Self-funded #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** My research interests include ageing, culturally responsive dementia care, co-production methods and improving outcomes for ethnically diverse communities in the UK. Combining professional experience as a dementia adviser with academic research, I am currently a Lecturer at UK Management College (UKMC) and an Honorary Research Fellow and Visiting Lecturer at the University of Surrey, where I teach on the MSc Clinical Psychology and Mental Health programmes. Through these roles, I work to connect community-based practice, policy and academic research. I maintain strategic partnerships with third-sector organisations including Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Disease International, as well as the NHS. Recently, I led an NIHR-funded, co-designed reminiscence project for African Caribbean older people, *Touching the Past: Reliving Core Memories through Cultural Headwear*. The project culminated in a [short documentary film and public panel discussion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRA6Zxi_Iog) and received [regional media coverage from That’s TV South Yorkshire](https://fb.watch/EqvWxbweir/). I have also contributed to collaborative research projects, including an article featured in the May/June issue of the *[Journal of Dementia Care](https://journalofdementiacare.co.uk/current-issue)*. I support the wider research community as an Editorial Board Member and reviewer for *Dementia* (SAGE), and as a member of the Steering Group and Grants Board for the EMPOWER Dementia Network+. My aim is to develop research that improves dementia care, advances health equity, supports inclusive practice and creates meaningful change within communities. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love ice-creams. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia research? My fulfilment comes from seeing the immediate impact of my care on people with dementia and the joy of putting smiles on their faces and their families, knowing that I made a difference in their lives. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Keep your eyes on your target and don’t get discouraged until you achieve it. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Poetry and Dementia: A Practical Guide](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35232855-poetry-and-dementia) by John Killick. Absolutely. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Watching Films, travelling, reading and spending time with family #### Favourite film of all time? Still Alice #### What’s the best decision you ever made? Marrying my wife and best friend. #### What’s the best vacation spot? Wales #### Do you collect anything? Maps #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @ojebodeayokunmi on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ojebodeayokunmi/) [Find Ayokunmi Ojebode on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayokunmi-ojebode-phd-fhea-66b03855/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Arts and Dementia, Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode, Poetry, University of Bradford, University of Surrey **Organisations for Bios:** University of Bradford, University of Surrey **Themes for Bios:** Arts --- ### [Catch-up on the BSMS Dementia Research Conference 2023](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/catch-up-on-the-bsms-dementia-research-conference-2023/) **Published:** May 22, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Recordings from the Brighton & Sussex Medical School 2023 Dementia Research Conference, with national leaders and local experts talking about their research. **Content:** **![BSMS Dementia Conference 2023](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/BSMS-Dementia-Conference-2023.jpg "BSMS Dementia Conference 2023")** **The Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) 2023 Dementia Research Conference was held on the 29 – 30th March 2023, hosted by [Dr Dorina Cadar](https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/contact-us/staff/dr-dorina-cadar.aspx), Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Epidemiology and Dementia, Centre for Dementia Studies, BSMS.** The event focused on advancing our understanding of dementia and exploring innovative approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and care. This conference brings together renowned experts, researchers, clinicians from both BSMS and from around the world to share their insights, latest research findings, and best practices in the field of dementia. The recordings below cover a wide array of topics include breakthroughs in dementia genetics, novel imaging techniques for early diagnosis, emerging therapeutic interventions, innovative care models, and strategies for supporting individuals with dementia and their families. The conference also addresses the social, ethical, and policy implications of dementia research, providing a comprehensive and holistic approach to the topic. The [Brighton and Sussex Medical School](https://www.bsms.ac.uk/research/neuroscience/cds/index.aspx) is known for its strong focus on dementia research and its commitment to improving the lives of individuals affected by this condition. The school’s expertise, combined with the collective knowledge and experience of the conference speakers and attendees, makes this event a valuable platform for sharing insights, fostering collaborations, and inspiring innovation in the field of dementia research. --- BSMS Dementia Research Conference 2023 [ Prof Malcolm Reed – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ![Professor Malcolm Reed, Dean, BSMS, provides the introductions and overview for the virtual Dementia Research Conference 2023. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/a9_2_4fHVEw/maxresdefault.jpg) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9_2_4fHVEw) [ Subscribe](http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1qv0E1UzNPtGhz2nQaoig?sub_confirmation=1&feature=subscribe-embed-click) ##### Prof Malcolm Reed – Dementia Research Conference 2023 27/04/2023 11:47 am [ ![Professor Malcolm Reed, Dean, BSMS, provides the introductions and overview for the virtual Dementia Research Conference 2023. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Malcolm Reed, Dean, BSMS, provides the introductions and overview for the virtual Dementia Research Conference 2023. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Prof Malcolm Reed – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9_2_4fHVEw) Prof Malcolm Reed – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 11:47 am [ ![Professor Andrew Dilley, Head of Neuroscience Department, BSMS, provides an introduction and overview for the virtual Dementia Research Conference 2023. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Andrew Dilley, Head of Neuroscience Department, BSMS, provides an introduction and overview for the virtual Dementia Research Conference 2023. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Prof Andrew Dilley – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypu7FIWeg1U) Prof Andrew Dilley – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 5:20 pm [ ![Elise Armsby and Katy Seedhouse from the Dementia Research Unit present a talk titled 'Delivering Clinical Research – An Overview of Studies from the Dementia Research Unit (DRU)'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Elise Armsby and Katy Seedhouse from the Dementia Research Unit present a talk titled 'Delivering Clinical Research – An Overview of Studies from the Dementia Research Unit (DRU)'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Elise Armsby and Katy Seedhouse – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB9fdyidwKE) Elise Armsby and Katy Seedhouse – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 10:54 am [ ![Katherine Sykes, Applied Research Collaboration Implementation Lead and Azeezat Aminu, Implementation Research Assistant, present a talk titled 'My choice’- a myth-busting, evidence-based resource that aims to enable people with dementia to make decisions that support them to live well'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Katherine Sykes, Applied Research Collaboration Implementation Lead and Azeezat Aminu, Implementation Research Assistant, present a talk titled 'My choice’- a myth-busting, evidence-based resource that aims to enable people with dementia to make decisions that support them to live well'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Katherine Sykes and Azeezat Aminu – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzLLvZM2z58) Katherine Sykes and Azeezat Aminu – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 11:45 am [ ![Dr Rebecca Atkinson, Research Fellow at BSMS, presents a talk titled 'Developing digital tools to support people diagnosed with dementia or mild cognitive impairment'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Rebecca Atkinson, Research Fellow at BSMS, presents a talk titled 'Developing digital tools to support people diagnosed with dementia or mild cognitive impairment'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Rebecca Atkinson – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrsscPx9ucw) Rebecca Atkinson – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 11:49 am [ ![Professor Gill Livingstone gives a keynote talk titled 'Dementia – who is most at risk and what should we do to reduce the risk?' This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Gill Livingstone gives a keynote talk titled 'Dementia – who is most at risk and what should we do to reduce the risk?' This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Prof Gill Livingston – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPdeC3dqBE0) Prof Gill Livingston – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 25/04/2023 7:38 am [ ![Professor Carol Holland, Lancaster University, gives a talk titled 'Cognitive Frailty – an overview of concept and evidence'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Carol Holland, Lancaster University, gives a talk titled 'Cognitive Frailty – an overview of concept and evidence'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Carol Holland – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMdEeaFLSMs) Professor Carol Holland – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 5:22 pm [ ![Dr Nourah Alruwais, Assistant Professor in Neuroimaging (MRI) and Diagnostic Radiology, Health Science Department, presents a talk titled 'Evidence of emerging BBB changes in mid-age apolipoprotein E epsilon-4'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Nourah Alruwais, Assistant Professor in Neuroimaging (MRI) and Diagnostic Radiology, Health Science Department, presents a talk titled 'Evidence of emerging BBB changes in mid-age apolipoprotein E epsilon-4'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Nourah Alruwais – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyCSn-g38Dg) Dr Nourah Alruwais – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 10:54 am [ ![Dr Faith Matcham, University of Sussex, presents a talk titled 'Design for Healthy Ageing: A Smart System to Decrease Loneliness'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Faith Matcham, University of Sussex, presents a talk titled 'Design for Healthy Ageing: A Smart System to Decrease Loneliness'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Faith Matcham – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4DkUokWE0M) Faith Matcham – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 10:55 am [ ![Julia Fountain, Dementia Consultation Group, Sussex, presents a talk titled 'Lived Experience in Dementia Research'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Julia Fountain, Dementia Consultation Group, Sussex, presents a talk titled 'Lived Experience in Dementia Research'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Julia Fountain – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLP2wD1VTmo) Julia Fountain – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 11:44 am [ ![Professor John Gallacher gives a talk titled 'An Overview of Dementia Research: Dementia Platform UK'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor John Gallacher gives a talk titled 'An Overview of Dementia Research: Dementia Platform UK'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor John Gallacher – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBfwHmPnBOY) Professor John Gallacher – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 26/04/2023 7:02 am [ ![Dr Dorina Cadar gives a talk titled 'Cognitive Reserve and Dementia'. This talk was part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Dorina Cadar gives a talk titled 'Cognitive Reserve and Dementia'. This talk was part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Dorina Cadar, Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvRM474nhjo) Dr Dorina Cadar, Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 03/05/2023 10:58 am [ ![Dr Jorge Magenti, Alzheimer Research UK, gives a talk titled 'Gender and ethnic disparities in dementia research'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Jorge Magenti, Alzheimer Research UK, gives a talk titled 'Gender and ethnic disparities in dementia research'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Jorge Magenti – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRaCDj4z5pw) Dr Jorge Magenti – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 27/04/2023 5:33 pm [ ![Sebastian Köhler, Associate Professor Neuroepidemiology, Alzheimer Center Limburg and the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands, gives a talk titled 'Dementia risk and prevention: from epidemiology to public health'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Sebastian Köhler, Associate Professor Neuroepidemiology, Alzheimer Center Limburg and the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands, gives a talk titled 'Dementia risk and prevention: from epidemiology to public health'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Sebastian Köhler – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91DyAI-kmt4) Sebastian Köhler – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 28/04/2023 8:41 am [ ![Professor Hiroyasu Iso gives a talk titled 'Cardiovascular and Dementia Risk Factors: Evidence from Japan'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Hiroyasu Iso gives a talk titled 'Cardiovascular and Dementia Risk Factors: Evidence from Japan'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Hiroyasu Iso – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REmqihiSMcI) Professor Hiroyasu Iso – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 1:35 pm [ ![Dr Dalia Tsimpida gives a talk titled 'The connection between hearing loss and dementia: Is one predicting the other?' his video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Dalia Tsimpida gives a talk titled 'The connection between hearing loss and dementia: Is one predicting the other?' his video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Dalia Tsimpida – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTxJPwnhckU) Dr Dalia Tsimpida – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 25/04/2023 4:39 pm [ ![Professor Rob Stewart gives a keynote talk titled 'Dementia diagnosis and what happens afterwards – could we be doing more?’ This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Rob Stewart gives a keynote talk titled 'Dementia diagnosis and what happens afterwards – could we be doing more?’ This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Rob Stewart – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHWuC00H8OU) Professor Rob Stewart – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 12:21 pm [ ![Dr Stephanie Daley gives a talk titled 'New perspectives on undergraduate education'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Stephanie Daley gives a talk titled 'New perspectives on undergraduate education'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Stephanie Daley – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hErSOPkutMw) Dr Stephanie Daley – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 12:15 pm [ ![Dr Ben Hicks gives a talk titled 'Interviewing people with dementia: lessons from the DETERMIND study team'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Ben Hicks gives a talk titled 'Interviewing people with dementia: lessons from the DETERMIND study team'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Ben Hicks – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua9DUV1dZgQ) Dr Ben Hicks – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 10:55 am [ ![Dr Elizabeth Ford gives a talk titled 'Using artificial intelligence to detect dementia'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Elizabeth Ford gives a talk titled 'Using artificial intelligence to detect dementia'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Elizabeth Ford – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn11ED2DFM4) Dr Elizabeth Ford – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 10:56 am [ ![Professor Eddy Davelaar gives a talk titled 'Cognitive profiles and dementia progression'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Eddy Davelaar gives a talk titled 'Cognitive profiles and dementia progression'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Eddy Davelaar – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrhWhCfeFwY) Professor Eddy Davelaar – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 1:39 pm [ ![Professor Esme Fuller Thomson gives a talk titled 'Creative Knowledge Mobilization Strategies to Disseminate Research Findings: From Press Releases to TikTok Videos'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Esme Fuller Thomson gives a talk titled 'Creative Knowledge Mobilization Strategies to Disseminate Research Findings: From Press Releases to TikTok Videos'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQJi1oqa_fk) Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 1:27 pm [ ![Carmen Natalie Monique Colclough gives a talk titled 'Emotion-focused dyadic coping styles used by family carers of people with dementia'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Carmen Natalie Monique Colclough gives a talk titled 'Emotion-focused dyadic coping styles used by family carers of people with dementia'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Carmen Natalie Monique Colclough – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GySxSThYCyo) Carmen Natalie Monique Colclough – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 10:55 am [ ![Professor Itamar Ronen gives a talk titled 'New MRI developments for monitoring people with dementia. The utility of low-field MRI'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Itamar Ronen gives a talk titled 'New MRI developments for monitoring people with dementia. The utility of low-field MRI'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Itamar Ronen – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMboAdd5KFU) Professor Itamar Ronen – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 12:16 pm [ ![Professor Ramin Nilforooshan gives a talk titled 'An overview of current treatments for dementia'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Ramin Nilforooshan gives a talk titled 'An overview of current treatments for dementia'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Ramin Nilforooshan – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yotIOnqCLPM) Professor Ramin Nilforooshan – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 1:38 pm [ ![Dr Gosia Raczek gives a talk titled 'Brain imaging and neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Dr Gosia Raczek gives a talk titled 'Brain imaging and neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Dr Gosia Raczek – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWNC0UvHY-M) Dr Gosia Raczek – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 12/05/2023 12:15 pm [ ![Professor Alan Gow gives a talk titled 'Exploring brain health: from observation and intervention to what people think'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Professor Alan Gow gives a talk titled 'Exploring brain health: from observation and intervention to what people think'. This video is part of the Dementia Research Conference 2023. 0 0 Professor Alan Gow – Dementia Research Conference 2023 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH-CKvfCVPo) Professor Alan Gow – Dementia Research Conference 2023 Dementia Researcher 16/05/2023 12:09 pm --- ### Speaker Biographies **Dr Dorina Cadar, Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Epidemiology and Dementia, BSMS** – Dr Cadar is the director of the Cognitive Epidemiology, Dementia, and Ageing Research (CEDAR) lab. She is the Principal Investigator of several grants, including ‘Cognitive reserve and dementia’, funded by Alzheimer’s Society, and ‘Social determinants of dementia in the UK and Japan, funded by the UKRI. Dr Cadar is a Co-Investigator of international grants funded by the ESRC, the National Institute on Aging, the Canadian Institute of Ageing Research and the Japanese Institute of Health. Dr Cadar’s research interests and expertise are in the field of cognitive epidemiology and dementia, including immunology, biomarkers, socioeconomic inequalities, psychosocial factors, and other modifiable risk factors, such as lifestyle behaviours, social isolation, cognitive and social resilience. **Professor Naji Tabet, Professor in Dementia and Old Age Psychiatry and Director of the Centre for Dementia Studies (CDS), BSMS** – Professor Tabet also leads the Dementia Theme at the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) KSS, and the CDS research is closely aligned with ARC KSS Dementia Sub-themes. Prof Tabet is also the Dementia Speciality Co-Lead for NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) KSS. A major interest for the Centre for Dementia and its research staff is the investigation of quality of life and non-pharmacological interventions in the field of dementia. Prof Tabet has also been the Principal and UK Chief Investigator on over 35 Phase II-IV therapeutic and diagnostic clinical trials in dementia. The CDS involvement in clinical randomised trials is carried out through the Dementia Research Unit at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, supported by a dedicated clinical research team working with Prof Tabet. **Professor Malcolm Reed, Dean, BSMS –** Professor Malcolm Reed attended school in Birmingham and subsequently qualified in medicine from the University of Sheffield in 1981. He then underwent surgical training in Birmingham, Derby and Bristol before moving to the University of Louisville in the United States to undertake a research MD. He returned to Sheffield and undertook higher surgical training before becoming appointed a Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in 1992. He was then appointed to the Foundation Chair in Surgical Oncology at the University of Sheffield, taking up the post in 2000. Subsequent roles included Head of Academic Surgery and Head of the University Department of Oncology. Professor Reed was appointed Dean of Brighton and Sussex Medical School in 2014. **Professor Andrew Dilley, Head of Neuroscience Department, BSMS** – Andrew Dilley is Professor in Neuroanatomy and Head of the Department of Neuroscience at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS). He completed a BSc in Anatomy and Development Biology at University College London (UCL) and went on to undertake a PhD in neurophysiology at Kings College London, focussing on the mechanisms underlying the peripheral neuropathy, Guillain-Barré syndrome. Following completion of his PhD, Andrew returned to UCL as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Department of Physiology. At UCL, he established his interest in peripheral neuropathic pain mechanisms. Following this post, he took a position at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, as an Instructor in Anesthesia. During his time at Harvard, he continued his laboratory research into the role of peripheral neuroinflammation in chronic musculoskeletal pain. Andrew joined BSMS in 2007, where he now leads a research team studying the role of peripheral neuroinflammation in chronic musculoskeletal pain. Previous roles at BSMS include leading years 1 and 2 (Phase 1) of the undergraduate medical programme. **Elise Armsby, Dementia Research Unit** – Elise Armsby graduated from the University of Essex in 2015 with a BSc in Psychology and most recently in 2022 with a PGCERT in Dementia Studies from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School. She was first introduced to working with people living with dementia through caring roles and a healthcare assistant role on Brunswick Ward at Millview hospital before her Research Assistant role at the Dementia Research Unit in 2019. Elise has since worked towards her current Clinical Research Coordinator role and both coordinates the smooth running of and supports the various studies running at the Dementia Research Unit. **Katy Seedhouse, Dementia Research Unit –** Katy Seedhouse is a registered adult nurse who has enjoyed a wide variety of experiences over recent years, through which she has developed a keen interest for dementia. Katy has recently joined the research team at the Dementia Research Unit and is passionate about recognising and celebrating individuality and supporting those living with dementia to live life to the full. In her role as Clinical Research Coordinator, Katy is involved with various tasks relating to commercial and non-commercial clinical research trials. **Katherine Sykes, Applied Research Collaboration Implementation Lead** – Kath Sykes is a nurse by background, and has worked in the NHS in London and Sussex for over 25 years, leading clinical teams, services, and clinical research activity. Across the wider system Kath has worked in quality and patient safety and supporting spread and adoption of innovation through the AHSN. Kath works with all stakeholders (workforce and service users) across Kent, Surrey and Sussex as well as nationally, to ensure that their needs and their voice are integral to the research the ARC does and the solutions they seek to implement. **Azeezat Aminu, Implementation Research Assistant** – Azeezat Aminut is an Implementation Research Assistant for the Living Well with Dementia theme (ARCKSS). Azeezat has a passion for research in cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, immunopsychiatry, and psychology, and has been co developing the my choice booklet to support people live well with dementia. **Gill Livingston, Professor of Psychiatry and Older People, University College London** – Professor Gill Livingston is a clinical academic, working with people with suspected or confirmed dementia and their families. Her work is interdisciplinary and considers mechanisms through epidemiological and biopsychosocial enquiry, using them to co-design evidence-based interventions and test them. She led the Lancet Standing Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care, 2017 and 2020. These produced new research and meta-analyses of life-course risk and an overview of current knowledge on interventions. The findings have substantial implications in preventing and delaying a significant proportion of dementia. They have resulted in changes in UK and US policy which aim to reduce dementia risk. She also researches interventions to improve the lives of people with dementia and their families and staff caring for them and particularly consider underserved and minority communities. START for family carers has long-lasting effects on depression and anxiety symptoms, increases quality of life, is cost-effective and might save money. **Professor Carol Holland, Lancaster University** – Professor Carol Holland, PI of the Cognitive Frailty Interdisciplinary Network is Professor in Ageing in the Division of Health Research at Lancaster University, Director of the Centre for Ageing Research (C4AR) and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University. Her previous roles include Director of Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing (ARCHA) and academic roles at Aston, Manchester, Warwick and Leeds Universities. She is currently President of the British Society of Gerontology, the national learned society representing researchers in ageing across disciplines. Carol is a psychologist whose research focuses on applied impacts of cognitive and health psychology of ageing and multidimensional models of frailty. **Dr Nourah Alruwais, Assistant Professor in Neuroimaging (MRI) and Diagnostic Radiology, Health Science Department** – Dr Nourah Alruwais is an Assistant Professor in Neuroimaging (MRI) and Diagnostic Radiology, King Saud University. Her areas of expertise include Neuroimaging, Diagnostic Radiology, and Medical Imaging. Before completing her PhD, she was a lecturer at King Saud university since 2008. **Dr Faith Matcham, University of Sussex** – Dr Faith Matcham is a Health Psychologist and digital mental health researcher with a specialist interest in digital technologies, mental health and comorbidities. Her main area of interest is using commercially available technologies to improve measurement and management of long-term illnesses, and provide targeted, tailored interventions. She has published extensively, and presented at international conferences throughout her career, as well as delivering workshops and training to clinicians and early career researchers in the use of digital technologies to improve research protocols and clinical practice. **Julia Fountain, Dementia Consultation Group, Sussex** – Julia Fountain co-ordinates Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Dementia Consultation Group – a group of people with experience of living with dementia. Some of the group members have a diagnosis of dementia and some have experience through caring for a partner or family member who has dementia. The group’s role is to talk to researchers about their research and to advise them from a lived experience perspective. **John Gallacher, Professor of Cognitive Health, Director Dementias Platform UK, University of Oxford** – John Gallacher is Professor of Cognitive Health at Oxford University and Director of Dementias Platform UK (DPUK), a MRC-funded public-private partnership focused on accelerating research into the early detection and treatment of dementia. An expert on the determinants of mental and cognitive wellbeing, and the use of data at-scale, Professor Gallacher holds a visiting professorship at Imperial College London and an honorary professorship at the University of Hong Kong. He is the Principal Investigator for the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS) and the BrainWaves study of adolescent mental health. He is a member of the SAIL Scientific Advisory Board and the KREMBIL Research Institute Scientific Advisory Board, and was a member of the UK Biobank steering group between 2010 and 2022. **Dr Jorge Magenti, Alzheimer Research UK** – Dr Jorge Gomez Magenti graduated in Chemistry at the University of Valencia (Spain) before coming to the UK for a PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. After some time in science innovation consulting, now Jorge now does (responsible) research impact evaluation at Alzheimer’s Research UK, working to communicate the value of the research they fund to their supporters and the public. Having experienced research culture first-hand for years, Jorge’s dream is to improve the work environment and quality of life of the next generation of scientific leaders, at the same time that they continue to fund the best science possible to deliver much-needed treatments to dementia patients. **Sebastian Köhler, Associate Professor Neuroepidemiology, Alzheimer Center Limburg and the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands** – Sebastian Köhler co-leads the research line Neuroepidemiology, where they conduct population-based and clinical research into the aetiology and course of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Most studies focus on dementia, stroke and depression. Their aim is to understand heterogeneity among individuals and population mixtures in order to develop new (primary, secondary, tertiary) prevention strategies and help people grow old with good mental and [brain health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-inside-the-global-brain-health-institute/). Sebastian teaches at FHML in the Bachelors/Masters Medicine, Health Sciences, Movement Sciences and Biomedical Sciences and at FPN in the Research Masters (A, B and C roles) and supervises Master and PhD students. In addition, Sebastian teaches Epidemiology in the Distance Learning program of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. **Professor Hiroyasu Iso, Director of Institute for Global Health Policy Research (iGHP), Tokyo, Japan –** Professor Hiroyasu Iso, received his doctoral degree in Medical Science (corresponding to PhD) from the University of Tsukuba in 1986 and the Master of Science degree in Epidemiology and Public Health (corresponding to MPH) from the University of Minnesota in 1988. He was fellow researcher at the University of Minnesota (1988-1988), physician at Osaka Medical Center (1988-1990), Assistant Professor (1990-1993) and Associate Professor (1993-2002) at the University of Tsukuba, visiting Associate Professor at Harvard University (1996-1997), Professor at the University of Tsukuba (2002-2004), the Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tsukuba (2004-2005) and Professor of Public health, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka university in July 2005, and the current position of iGHP. Professor. Iso served as Vice Dean at the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University (2013-2015). His international activities include the position of a WHO scientific adviser for non-communicable diseases. His research field has been epidemiology and prevention of lifestyle-related disease (hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease as well as dementia). **Dr Dalia Tsimpida, Lecturer in Public Health, University of Liverpool** – Dr Dalia Tsimpida holds the position of Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Liverpool and is an Associate Fellow and Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society as well as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Over the past decade, her research has focused on the social epidemiology and public health aspects of hearing loss, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between socioeconomic inequality and hearing loss, as well as the impact of hearing loss on mental health in older adults and on accessing healthcare services. Dr Tsimpida has received recognition for her pioneering research, including the International Society of Audiology Scholarship 2020 and the Scientific Award 2021 in Computational Audiology. **Professor Robert Stewart, King’s College London** – Rob Stewart is Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Clinical Informatics, and is Theme Deputy Lead of Informatics in the Maudsley NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. He has been Academic Lead for the Maudsley’s Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) platform since its development in 2007/8. CRIS is an internationally unique data resource comprising de-identified full electronic mental health records from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (over 500,000 patients) with extensive enhancement through multiple data linkages and natural language processing (‘text-mining’) algorithms. CRIS has been used extensively for research to improve the understanding of mental health conditions and mental healthcare services, and has supported over 250 peer-reviewed publications. Rob Stewart joined the Institute of Psychiatry as a junior researcher in 1996 and has worked on the epidemiology of dementia and other late-life mental disorders and on a range of International Mental Health initiatives, as well as his more recent activity in Clinical Informatics. He is a practising Consultant in Liaison Old Age Psychiatry. **[Dr Stephanie Daley](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-stephanie-daley/), Time for Dementia, BSMS** – Dr Stephanie Daley is the Operational Director for the Time for Dementia, and is the programme lead for the Time for Autism educational programme. Stephanie completed her PhD at Kings College London in 2014, and is an Occupational Therapist by background. In October 2022, Stephanie took on the role of Reader in Mental Health and Dementia at BSMS. **[Dr Ben Hicks](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-ben-hicks/), DETERMIND Study Team, BSMS** – Dr Ben Hicks is a Research Fellow and the Co-ordinator of the ESRC/NIHR funded [**DETERMIND**](https://determind.org.uk/ "Click here to learn more") research programme. This is a 5-year longitudinal study, led by BSMS, that seeks to examine and address the inequalities and inequities in the post-diagnostic care pathway for newly diagnosed people with dementia and their care partners. The research is based across 3 NHS sites within the UK (Sussex, South London and Gateshead) and is a collaboration of multiple academic partners including University of Sussex, London School of Economics, Kings College London, University of York, Newcastle University and the University of Cambridge. Prior to joining the Centre for Dementia Studies at BSMS, Ben was a Psychology Lecturer at Bournemouth University, where he also studied for his PhD. **Dr Elizabeth Ford, Primary Care and Public Health, BSMS** – Dr Elizabeth Ford is Reader in Health Data Science at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Lead for Data Science in the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. She has more than 10 years’ experience analysing primary care and mental health patient data and linked routinely collected health data, with extensive experience in public engagement and understanding health data governance risks and solutions. She has led projects developing risk prediction and early disease detection models in mental health and dementia; current projects include developing methods to examine health inequalities, multi-morbidity and frailty as risks for late diagnosis and poor outcomes in cancer, dementia and cardiovascular disease, using linked patient data. **Professor Eddy Davelaar, Birkbeck College, University of London** – Professor Eddy Davelaar (Ph.D. 2003, Birkbeck) is a Professor at Birkbeck College, University of London. He runs the Dynamic Memory and Cognition Laboratory that focuses on human memory and its interactions with other cognitive domains. The work involves mostly computational methods and behavioural experimentation. He is a member of the Cognitive Science Society. **Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Canada** – Esme Fuller-Thomson is Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging at the University of Toronto. She is cross appointed to the Faculties of Social Work, Medicine, and Nursing at the University of Toronto. Her research on dementia has focused on temporal trends in the prevalence of serious cognitive impairment and the link between sensory impairment and dementia. She has published more than 180 articles on social determinants of later life health including publications in *The Lancet* and *New England Journal of Medicine*. Her research has been widely cited in the media including the *New York Times*, *Times of London*, *Forbes*, and *Time Magazine*. **Carmen Natalie Monique Colclough, University of Sussex** – Carmen Colclough is a doctoral researcher at the University of Sussex, funded by the DETERMIND project. Her work primarily focuses on how people with dementia and informal carers cope together as a dyad. She is interested in the coping strategies used by dyads and how they may be associated with wellbeing outcomes for both people with dementia and their carers. Her research aims to identify ways we can support dyads to ‘live well’ together in the community. **Professor Itamar Ronen, Director Clinical Imaging Science Centre, BSMS** – Itamar obtained his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the School of Chemistry in Tel Aviv University, where he worked with Prof. Gil Navon on developing a method for indirect NMR detection of 17O. Following a post-doctoral fellowship at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research at the University of Minnesota with Dr. Seong-Gi Kim and Dr. Dae-Shik Kim, he obtained his first academic position at the Boston University School of Medicine, and there, together with Dr. Dae-Shik Kim, he co-founded the Center for Biomedical Imaging and a secured a Master’s degree in Bioimaging. In 2009 Itamar moved to the Netherlands, where he joined the C. J. Gorter Center for MRI at the Leiden University Medical Center as PI and Associate Professor, focusing mostly on developing methods for diffusion of intracellular metabolites in humans at ultrahigh field, and recently on developing spectroscopic techniques suitable for low field MR (0.05T). Since October 2021 he holds the positions of Academic Director of the Clinical Imaging Science Centre and Chair in Medical Physics at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School in Brighton, UK. **Professor Ramin Nilforooshan, Consultant Psychiatrist, NHS Foundation Trust** – Professor Ramin Nilforooshan is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS FT and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Surrey. He is the Director for Research and Development in his organisation; a role which involves the safety and accuracy of clinical trials. He is the Principal Investigator and Chief Investigator for a number of national and international clinical trials and has considerable experience running clinical trials. His main research is on using IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology for dementia care. **Dr Malgorzata (Gosia) Raczek, Old Age Psychiatrist, NHS Foundation Trust** – Dr Raczek is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at Centre for Dementia Studies (CDS) and a module leader for the MSc in Dementia Studies. She is also a clinical academic consultant in Old Age Psychiatry at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, where she works in Memory Assessment Service in North West Sussex and Dementia Research Unit (DRU) in Crowborough. Gosia is a PhD student at the Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre working on a study of brain structure and connectivity in neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and an investigator on studies run by DRU and CDS. **Professor Alan Gow, Heriot-Watt University –** Alan Gow is a Professor of Psychology at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. He leads the [Ageing Lab](https://healthyageing.hw.ac.uk/ "Click here to learn more") exploring lifestyle factors that protect or harm the ageing brain. He is interested in modifiable factors including activity participation and social networks, as these provide targets for intervention. Ensuring research has impact is a priority, and he contributed to SAPEA’s “Transforming the Future of Ageing” report and the Global Council on Brain Health. Alongside his research, Alan leads various outreach activities sharing what we think benefits brain health, ranging from talks with older people’s groups, performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and media contributions. Those activities have been recognised by the British Psychological Society Public Engagement and Media Award in 2016, and as one of two runners-up in the 2019 Nature Research Awards for Driving Global Impact. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Artificial Intelligence, Azeezat Aminu, Brain Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Carmen Natalie Monique Colclough, Dementia Drugs, Determind Study, Dissemination, Dr Ben Hicks, Dr Dalia Tsimpida, Dr Dorina Cadar, Dr Elizabeth Ford, Dr Faith Matcham, Dr Gosia Raczek, Dr Jorge Magenti, Dr Nourah Alruwais, Dr Sebastian Köhler, Dr Stephanie Daley, Elise Armsby, Julia Fountain, Katherine Sykes, Katy Seedhouse, MRI, Professor Alan Gow, Professor Andrew Dilley, Professor Carol Holland, Professor Eddy Davelaar, Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson, Professor Gill Livingston, Professor Hiroyasu Iso, Professor Itamar Ronen, Professor John Gallacher, Professor Malcolm Reed, Professor Naji Tabet, Professor Ramin Nilforooshan, Professor Robert Stewart, Rebecca Atkinson, Time for Dementia --- ### [12 top tips for writing a grant application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/12-top-tips-for-writing-a-grant-application/) **Published:** August 1, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr David Crosby, Programme Manager for Methodology and Experimental Medicine, has a pretty good idea what a grant board is looking for. **Content:** **![Calculator with a sticky note on it saying grants](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Grants.png "Grants")Sitting down to write a [grant application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-building-a-successful-grant-application/)? Recently submitted a proposal or been successful in the last MRC board round? Building grant writing skills is a great way to help secure funding. With experience of working with various MRC boards and panels, Dr David Crosby, Programme Manager for Methodology and Experimental Medicine, has a pretty good idea of what they’re looking for. Here he describes how to master the application process and make your grant stand out from the rest.** #### 1. Allow plenty of time Everything takes longer than you think it will. No matter how simple it may seem to pull together a project there are lot of different steps, some more time-consuming than others, involved in submitting a proposal. #### 2. Choose your funder and scheme carefully It’s good to talk! Speak to the funders – we’re here to help. Ask us questions to get an insight into what we’re interested in. Sign up for information feeds, find out what kind of research is in a funder’s remit and read through guidance and eligibility criteria carefully. We don’t want you wasting your time – or ours – applying for an inappropriate scheme. #### 3. Get advice at an early stage and from a range of sources Create a collaborative network within your establishment and beyond. Speak with your grants office, mentors and colleagues who have served on funding panels. Getting involved in grant writing at an early stage is a good idea, if only as an observer. Find out how senior colleagues get ideas together, assemble teams and put an application together. #### 4. Plan, plan and plan some more Plan your application and take your time, don’t rush it. Go out and look for inspiration to help pull together an idea that’s worthy of being funded. The wider the range of ideas you can expose yourself to, the more interesting concepts you’ll come up with. #### 5. Get the right partners The people involved are just as important as the project you’re proposing. Provide evidence that the team is capable of delivering the work and a return on the MRC’s investment. Do you have the right people and representatives from the appropriate research communities? #### 6. Have well-defined objectives What does success look like? And how will you know when you’ve got there? Create specific aims and well-defined criteria to quantify success, and keep it concise. What is each experiment going to deliver to help you address that grand challenge? *Watch our video on generating ideas for your research, selecting the right funder, and application process tips.* #### 7. Make your hypothesis clear What are you doing and why are you doing it? Provide a clear rationale. Feel free to show a little ambition and take on a problem – but make sure you can explain why and then convince us you’ve got a fair chance of doing it. Present the knowledge gap that needs addressing and show the uniqueness of your approach. #### 8. Consider the impact of the research So what? Explain the intended consequences of your work. Who could benefit in the long term? How can you increase the chances of reaching those beneficiaries? Even if your proposal doesn’t directly address economic or societal impact you should be able to explain the pathway that links your work to improving human health. #### 9. Include relevant preliminary data Provide enough preliminary data to validate the approach you’ve selected and reassure the panel you’ve identified a signal that’s worth pursuing. #### 10. Tell a compelling story Be focused. You’re selling an idea to an audience – make sure it’s an exciting idea taking on a serious challenge. Identify a hook, the key feature that your proposal hangs off, and then tell a convincing narrative linking each experiment to your main aims. #### 11. Justify your methods Get your sums right! Why have you chosen the sample size? Justify sample sizes with power calculations. Relate the methods to the aims and the deliverables. Use the right tools in the right way. #### 12. Get your proposal reviewed internally Get a second opinion from a mentor or a senior colleague. Proofread, spell check and stick to specified formats – remember the little things count! Presentation, punctuation and grammar set the tone for how people feel about your work – they really do matter. --- [**Thanks to David Crosby who wrote the original of this guidance for the Medical Research Council**](https://www.insight.mrc.ac.uk/2015/10/05/12-top-tips-for-writing-a-grant-application/) *The MRC has published refreshed* [*guidance for applicants*](https://www.mrc.ac.uk/funding/guidance-for-applicants) *in a new format on our website to help improve navigation of the MRC funding application process.* **Categories:** Careers, Partner Blogs **Tags:** Grant, Grant Writing **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Grant Writing --- ### [Is Alcohol Abuse a Bigger Dementia Risk Than We Thought?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/is-alcohol-abuse-a-bigger-dementia-risk-than-we-thought/) **Published:** March 3, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** A study of 30.5 million people links alcohol use disorders to triple the risk of dementia and more than half of cases diagnosed before age 65. **Content:** **Scientists have long known that too much alcohol can do a number on cognition, but the evidence was spotty and the magnitude of the problem unclear. Now, a massive study of hospital patients in France finds that heavy drinking triples the risk of dementia and leads to more than half of earlier-onset cases. Reporting in the February 20 Lancet Public Health, scientists led by Michaël Schwarzinger, Translational Health Economics Network (THEN), Paris, and Jürgen Rehm, University of Toronto, suggest alcohol abuse should be added to the list of major risk factors for dementia about which people can do something. They argue for more diligent screening and treatment.** “This study is immensely important and highlights the potential of alcohol use disorders, and possibly alcohol consumption, as modifiable risk factors for dementia prevention,” wrote Clive Ballard and Iain Lang, both at the University of Exeter Medical School, U.K., in a Lancet commentary. Many studies on [alcohol ](http://www.alzrisk.org/riskfactorview.aspx?rfid=12)use and dementia have focused on the health benefits of moderate drinking. Few have examined if heavy use hastens disease, and only some have made a connection to dementia (for a review, see [Ridley et al., 2013](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/alcohol-related-dementia-update-evidence); [Topiwala et al., 2017](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/moderate-alcohol-consumption-risk-factor-adverse-brain-outcomes-and-cognitive-decline)). Alcohol use is not one of the nine modifiable risk factors included in “Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care,” a report commissioned by The Lancet, or as one of the modifiable risk factors suggested by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in its report last June ([Aug 2017 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/lancet-commission-claims-third-dementia-cases-are-preventable) on[ Livingston et al., 2017](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/dementia-prevention-intervention-and-care); [Jun 2017 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/preventing-dementia-getting-closer-recommendations)). Gill Livingston, University College London, who led the Lancet commission, told Alzforum they recognized that alcohol consumption could be important but lacked the data to include it in risk calculations. However, more evidence has become available recently and will appear in the commission’s newest assessment, which is in preparation, she added. ![Graph](https://www.alzforum.org/sites/default/files/styles/media_large/public/02.26_Alcohol_and_dementia_large.jpg?itok=TsAfz-45)Not a Martini Glass. Alcohol-related brain damage (red) and alcohol use disorders (yellow) correlate with more than half the cases of dementia that occur before the age of 65. \[Schwarzinger et al., Lancet Public Health.\] To get a handle on the population-wide link between alcohol abuse and dementia, Schwarzinger and colleagues turned to a database of medical records for 31.6 million people older than 20 who were discharged from French hospitals between 2008 and 2013. The database included patient demographics such as age and sex, plus discharge diagnosis codes, which cover various forms of dementia and alcohol use disorders. Since France provides universal health care, this study captured half of all French adults younger than 65 and 80 percent of people over 65 who were hospitalized in this period for any reason. The researchers excluded anyone who might have had a known type of cognitive decline, for example from HIV/AIDS or Huntington’s disease. They also controlled for vascular risk factors, cerebrovascular disease, educational level, depression, and hearing or visual impairment. Of the 30.5 million people who were included in the final analysis, 1,109,343 had dementia—57,353 of them before age 65. Of the same 30.5 million, 945,512 people had an alcohol use disorder, and in 87,659 cases, the two diagnoses overlapped. For both women and men, alcohol abuse more than tripled the risk for dementia, and emerged as the strongest modifiable risk factor for the disease, beating out smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In addition, the authors estimated that 56 percent of early onset sporadic dementia cases were a direct result of, or co-diagnosed with, alcohol use disorders (see image above). The results suggest heavy drinking has strong links to dementia, especially cases that occur before age 65, wrote the authors. Interestingly, while abstaining from alcohol after a period of abuse reduced a patient’s odds of dying in the hospital, it had no impact on risk for dementia onset. “This study supports that heavy drinking incurs lifelong brain damage,” Schwarzinger wrote to Alzforum. “This is a very large nationwide sample over a five-year period, and adds to the evidence that alcohol use disorders can increase risks of dementia,” wrote Brian Draper, University of New South Wales, Sydney, to Alzforum. A general decline in drinking has been seen since 1960, and further modeling will be required to determine if that explains falling dementia trends in developed countries, Schwarzinger added ([Sep 2017 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/more-evidence-dementia-case-numbers-are-falling); [Nov 2016 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/us-dementia-rates-fall)). Meanwhile, health care providers should be alert to the association between excessive alcohol consumption and cognitive decline. They could employ earlier and more aggressive screening and interventions to reduce its burden in the population, he said. Ballard noted that alcohol consumption is often accompanied by poor diet and lifestyle, smoking, cardiovascular disease, depression, failure to comply with medical treatments, and social isolation. “Understanding the pathways of risk in people with alcohol use disorders will help us to model the attributable risk more accurately and to develop better prevention strategies,” he wrote.—Gwyneth Dickey Zakaib **Categories:** Science **Tags:** Alcohol, Alz Forum --- ### [Aβ, Then Metabolism, Then Atrophy: In Familial AD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/aβ-then-metabolism-then-atrophy-in-familial-ad-cascade-is-definitive/) **Published:** March 13, 2018 **Author:** Alz Forum **Excerpt:** Brain imaging reveals how inherited Alzheimer’s unfolds decades before symptoms, beginning with amyloid build-up, followed by metabolic decline and atrophy. **Content:** **In the brains of carriers of familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations, Aβ starts accumulating in some regions more than two decades before symptoms appear, metabolism wanes six years later, and the brain begins to shrink about 10 years after that, or about five years prior to onset. This pattern plays out in many regions of the brain, according to the largest longitudinal neuroimaging study to date of people in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN). Brian Gordon, Tyler Blazey, and colleagues at Washington University in St. Louis reported that this cascade emanated from the precuneus. However, some regions of the brain sidestepped this order. For example, their metabolism stayed normal despite Aβ build-up, or they shrank without accumulating plaques. Published in the March Lancet Neurology with dramatic videos of growing pathology, the findings paint a complex regional picture of neuropathological changes in preclinical AD.** “The authors present some of the most reliable evidence to date for early biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease more than 20 years before dementia onset,” wrote Arthur Toga of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in a comment to Alzforum. “This study supports the evidence that amyloid pathology drives neurodegenerative processes in early onset AD, observations that we have also reported in preclinical late-onset AD,” commented Heidi Jacobs of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “\[It\] challenges us to look more closely at regional differences in the temporal time line of biomarkers,” she added. In people with AD, memory problems reflect decades of pathological change brewing in the brain. DIAN comprises families who carry autosomal-dominant mutations in the PSEN1, PSEN2, or APP genes. Affected members develop early onset AD at an age researchers can predict based on family history and mutation. With the exception of small longitudinal studies, most published data on autosomal-dominant AD have been cross-sectional thus far, and support the idea that AD pathology initiates decades prior to estimated symptom onset and spreads from region to region throughout the brain ([Jul 2012 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/paper-alert-dian-biomarker-data-show-changes-decades-ad); [Benzinger et al., 2013](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/regional-variability-imaging-biomarkers-autosomal-dominant-alzheimers-disease); [Fleisher et al., 2015](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/associations-between-biomarkers-and-age-presenilin-1-e280a-autosomal-dominant-alzheimer)). Working with Tammie Benzinger at WashU, Gordon, Blazey, and colleagues tapped into the ever-growing cache of longitudinal, neuroimaging data from DIAN to track pathological changes both regionally and temporally. They analyzed data from 229 mutation carriers and 148 noncarriers, whose age ranged from 29 years younger than expected age of onset to 10 years older. So far, more than half of these participants have been scanned at least twice, enabling longitudinal analysis. Those with serial data were scanned up to six times, averaging 2.4 scans per person. The researchers used PiB-PET to measure Aβ accumulation, FDG-PET to assess glucose metabolism, and structural MRI to measure thinning in 41 regions of the brain, 34 cortical and seven subcortical. The researchers fed both serial and cross-sectional data into a Bayesian statistical model to calculate annual rates of change for each marker. For each region, the researchers estimated the earliest time in the disease course when rates of change for each imaging marker in carriers diverged from those in age-matched noncarriers. ![Brains](https://www.alzforum.org/sites/default/files/styles/media_large/public/02.24_DIAN_longitudinal_0.jpg?itok=Q5B54bD7)Amyloid to Atrophy. The first signs of amyloid, hypometabolism, and cortical thinning by marker and by brain region. \[Courtesy of Gordon et al., Lancet Neurology, 2018.\] “This study provides convincing evidence that the pattern of functional decline in autosomal-dominant Alzheimer’s disease begins with Aβ deposition, progresses to metabolic decline, and ultimately culminates with structural decline before dementia symptoms arise—consistent with previous cross-sectional studies,” Toga wrote. Aβ accumulation was the first of the three imaging measures to accelerate relative to noncarriers. This happened broadly across the brain. In 32 of 34 cortical regions, and in three of the subcortical regions, the annual change in PiB-PET uptake started to ramp up in mutation carriers 18.9 years before symptom onset on average. This acceleration occurred in the precuneus first, 22 years before onset. The posterior cingulate gyrus and medial orbital frontal cortex followed soon after, at 21 years. In the precuneus, and in the majority of other regions that developed Aβ pathology, the rate of deposition accelerated rapidly at first, then peaked but remained positive even after symptom onset. In a few regions of the brain, including the hippocampus and thalamus, the rate of PiB uptake never deviated significantly from that in noncarriers. At an average of 14.1 years before symptom onset, neuronal activity as measured by brain glucose metabolism started to slow down in carriers. This was much more focal than Aβ deposition, occurring in only eight cortical regions and no subcortical ones. Again, the precuneus was the canary in the coalmine, plunging into a metabolic downturn 18 years prior to symptoms. Glucose metabolism continued to plummet in this region until stabilizing about five years prior to clinical disease. Finally, at an average of 4.7 years prior to onset, parts of the brain started shriveling. Atrophy was widespread, ultimately affecting 24 of 34 cortical and all seven subcortical regions. The precuneus caved first, about 13 years prior to onset, while a few regions, such as the medial orbital frontal and superior frontal, evaded this structural expression of neurodegeneration until after clinical disease manifested. For investigators who study biomarker changes in specific brain regions, the researchers created an online interface that displays the data and can be filtered in various ways (see [DIAN longitudinal data](https://dianspatial.shinyapps.io/dian_longitudinal_neuroimaging/)). Toga also drew attention to the significant regional and temporal differences in the cascade across the brain. “The considerable heterogeneity observed across regions suggests that vulnerability evolves both spatially and temporally as the disease progresses. This will be useful in guiding future biomarker research and in designing clinical trials.” The picture will become clearer as more longitudinal data roll in, Gordon said, as more participants have three or more visits. One obvious missing piece of the puzzle is tau pathology. Many studies tie tau more closely to neurodegeneration than they do Aβ. A recent cross-sectional tau PET imaging study in carriers of the [PSEN1 E280A](https://www.alzforum.org/mutation/psen1-e280a-paisa) mutation saw tau accumulate in the medial temporal lobe a few years prior to symptom onset and spread into the cortex as memory problems began ([Feb 2018 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/familial-alzheimers-tau-creeps-cortex-symptoms-show)). Preliminary tau PET data from the DIAN cohort largely agrees. Gordon told Alzforum that longitudinal tau imaging data from the cohort will soon be published, along with cognitive findings to tie the entire cascade together ([Aug 2017 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/data-dian-revise-familiar-biomarker-trajectories)). Weaving tau PET into the picture could shed light on the regional heterogeneity in the pathological cascade reported here. For example, the hippocampus shrank despite evading Aβ pathology and metabolic dysfunction; this region is known to develop tau pathology early in AD. Gordon proposed that the hippocampus may actually harbor very low amounts of Aβ aggregates that are sufficient to stoke tau pathology and atrophy in the region. Jacobs from MGH pointed out that the medial temporal lobe, which includes the hippocampus, is tightly connected to the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), two regions bearing the earliest burden of Aβ accumulation in the DIAN cohort. Jacobs recently reported that the erosion of white-matter tracts connecting the hippocampus to the PCC correlated with elevated tau pathology in the PCC and with memory problems ([Feb 2018 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/imaging-clinches-causal-connections-between-av-tau-circuitry-and-cognition)). “These connections may be related to the mechanisms underlying the interaction between amyloid and tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease,” she wrote. In a commentary accompanying Gordon’s paper, Betty Tijms and Pieter Jelle Visser and of VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam also proposed that Aβ aggregation might interact with tau via these same connections. Importantly, tau PET imaging in PSEN1 E280A carriers also showed early tau accumulation in the precuneus ([Quiroz et al., 2018](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/association-between-amyloid-and-tau-accumulation-young-adults-autosomal-dominant-alzheimer)). What renders the precuneus vulnerable to Aβ, and potentially tau, accumulation? Some researchers, most notably co-author Marcus Raichle of Washington University, favor the idea that its susceptibility stems from its unique metabolic characteristics, including a dependence on aerobic glycolysis, a glucose-burning pathway that plummets in the region with aging ([Aug 2017 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/youth-fades-so-does-fire-glycolysis-brain); [Sep 2010 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/brain-av-patterns-linked-brain-energy-metabolism)). Though Aβ deposition appeared long before the drop in glucose uptake in Gordon’s study, the researchers did not assess aerobic glycolysis specifically. Whether the brain changes similarly in late-onset AD (LOAD) remains to be seen. Gordon pointed out that compared with the relatively young DIAN cohort, people with LOAD are likely to have additional metabolic, neuroinflammatory, and vascular confounders that could influence the temporal and regional progression of pathology in the brain. Tijms and Visser noted that in most brain regions affected by hypometabolism in the DIAN cohort, this dysfunction closely trailed Aβ accumulation, and both occurred long before atrophy. However, in sporadic AD, hypometabolism has been more closely tied to atrophy ([Nov 2017 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/daydreaming-network-serves-ground-zero-av-deposition)). “Hypometabolism in mutation carriers might result from mitochondrial dysfunction caused by specific mutations in APP and PSEN1, and in sporadic AD, hypometabolism might be more closely related to atrophy,” they proposed. Yakeel Quiroz of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who recently reported Aβ and tau accumulation in the precunei of PSEN1 E280A carriers, commended the authors. “They did an amazing job describing the temporal and spatial patterns of biomarker changes in preclinical AD, which has great relevance for clinical practice and clinical trials,” she wrote.—Jessica Shugart **Categories:** Science **Tags:** Alz Forum, amyloid cascade hypothesis, Familial Alzheimer’s Disease --- ### [Writing for Impact: Making it meaningful](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/writing-for-impact-how-can-we-write-about-our-research-in-a-way-that-leads-to-meaningful-change/) **Published:** March 21, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** How can research writing create real impact? Ninna Meier explores how lived experience, memorable detail and resonance can move readers towards change. **Content:** ***Academic work may have impact in a variety of ways, depending on purpose, [audience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-good-research-still-needs-an-audience/) and field, but this is most likely to happen when your work resonates in meaningful ways with people.* [Ninna Meier](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2016/04/18/writing-for-impact-how-can-we-write-about-our-research-in-a-way-that-leads-to-meaningful-change/#author) *encourages a more systematic investigation of the role of writing in achieving impact. Impact through writing means getting your readers to understand and remember your message and leave the reading experience changed. The challenge is to make what you write resonate with an audience’s reservoir of experiential knowledge. If the words do not connect to anything tangible, interest can be quickly lost.*** I am currently finishing a three-year impact study and I have so many things I want to share from this and other projects: in short, I am an impact geek. But whenever I started writing this text, I stopped; I wasn’t satisfied with what I wrote, it never came out right, and I didn’t know quite why. Why is *writing* about impact hard, while *researching* it or *talking about* it comes much more natural to me? Could it be something in the nature of the concept or phenomenon itself? Or is it just me? Once I start reflecting on the impact of my work, my usual academic language does not suffice. Sure, I can write the academic paper presenting the theoretical framework, the method and data analysis and share the results, but the really interesting questions of impact escapes this kind of writing to some degree. And I think *writing as a way of impacting* holds some of the answers. I first started thinking about this back when I was ‘writing up’ the results of my PhD and I had what I then thought of as surplus material in the lots and lots of field notes and my interview material from the study of clinical managers in different types of bed units. ‘My’ managers were often not involved in the clinical work with patients, but they were managers of people, who diagnosed, treated, cared for and comforted very sick people. And although the relational nature of clinical managerial work made it in to the PhD as an important result, I was never completely happy with the way I wrote about it. A crucial link was not unfolded sufficiently explaining the potential effects of how a certain local context could impact work and vice versa. In short, what impact a certain place and practice had on the work and people who performed it and how I managed to convey this in order to impact research and practice. One of my units was a stroke unit and I was dissatisfied with the way I wrote about the connections between this unit as a place, the type of patients that were there, the rehabilitation and care they needed, the way work was organized and politically governed, and the kind of clinical managerial work that was practiced there. The texts always seemed devoid of the life, the physical bodies, the complexity and pace of work, the *urgency* felt when an alarm rang, or the genuine welcoming atmosphere the place had. I started experimenting with how to write as to include the messy world of context, an advice one of my committee members gave me at my defence. I wrote to let readers experience the impact of *being there*, detailed sensory laden accounts of the sights, smells, noises and impressions I had experienced. But these kinds of text were not entirely right either. What is it, then? In my current project, I use drawings, I experiment with composite characters, and I build stories in which the small, almost unnoticeable, yet immensely important details can be included, because I can show them as *possible* experiences: ‘this is how it *could* happen’, as examples of experiential knowledge for the reader to relate to. But I still struggle, even with writing this text. It is as if the words themselves, for writing about this in an academic text, are not there; as if the vocabulary belongs to real life and seemingly small lived experiences and not academia. It is the language of *particulars,* of everyday life with patients and colleagues, where impact might mean you help someone regain the ability to speak or shower. And then again; although these are important aspects, they cannot stand alone in our world: for academic work to have impact, we usually aim to reach people *beyond* the particular setting and share the results much more broadly. Impact through writing means getting your readers to understand and remember your message and leave the reading experience changed. *Real* impact, the kind we academics dream about, means that other people take your work/message/results and change something because of this. And one of the main points arising from my work is that this is most likely to happen when your work resonates in meaningful ways with people. This leaves the challenge of making *what* you write resonate with them through how it connects to their reservoir of experiential knowledge (which you cannot know in advance, only offer the possibilities for). As [Wikan (2012)](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2013/05/29/book-review-resonance-beyond-the-words/) points out, this kind of writing is connected to your methods and the things you’ve seen, learned and engaged in during your research. For me, being there in person is an indispensable part of the process and it is tied to *how* you write and which possible connections you offer your reader to latch on and relate their own experience to. Writing that is too ‘far’ from life makes it difficult for me to ‘see’ what this means in practice. Papers can be abstract, philosophical or theoretical in nature, and remain ‘attached’ to the concept or phenomenon they are about. But if the words do not connect to anything I can picture and understand, I quickly lose interest and have a hard time remembering the paper. I am not done thinking about and writing about impact in practice, but it all comes down to this important part of the process: what happens *after* the reader puts down the paper or leaves the auditorium? Does she use your work in her own research? Does he tell his colleagues about it over lunch or share it on social media? Will it become part of the theoretical foundation on which future impact studies build? Our work may have impact in a variety of ways, depending on purpose, audience and field, but I would like to encourage a more systematic investigation of and attention to the role of writing in achieving this! *Note: This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of the LSE Impact blog, nor of the London School of Economics. Please review our [Comments Policy](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/about-the-blog/comments-policy/) if you have any concerns on posting a comment below.* **About the Author** [**Ninna Meier**](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2016/04/18/writing-for-impact-how-can-we-write-about-our-research-in-a-way-that-leads-to-meaningful-change/) is a postdoctoral fellow at Department of organization, at Copenhagen Business School. She has researched organization and management practices in health care work since 2009, currently exploring what it takes to achieve coherency in patient pathways. How to impact in practice, specifically the role of writing in this, is one of her main interests **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** London School of Economics, Ninna Meier, Writing --- ### [A simple foolproof research proposal template](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-simple-foolproof-research-proposal-template/) **Published:** April 19, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** A practical template for building a persuasive research proposal, from the big question and evidence gap to your methods, timeline, budget and conclusion. **Content:** **NOTE: An expanded and updated version of this post can now be found in Chapter 51 of my new book, [The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your Ph.D. Into a Job.](http://theprofessorisin.com/?p=6032) I am keeping a shortened version here, but for the complete discussion including the visual model of the Foolproof [Grant Template](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-failing-forward-what-my-grant-rejection-taught-me/), please do purchase the book, which compiles all my major job market posts along with 50% entirely new material.** Unveiled here: **Karen’s Famous and Foolproof Research Proposal Template.** This Research Proposal Template has won hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money for multiple graduate students and scholars in the social sciences and humanities over the past 15 years. You may share, but please credit Dr. Karen Kelsky of The Professor Is In, http://theprofessorisin.com). ![Flowchart titled ‘The Foolproof Research Proposal Template’, moving from a broad topic and two brief literature summaries to a knowledge gap, urgency, research question, project details, literature review, methodology, timeline and budget, ending with a strong conclusion.](http://projectgraduateschool.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/research-proposal-flowchart.jpg)Table [We love editing grant proposals and are here to edit yours. Drop us a line.]() --- Let’s walk through this step by step. The first step is to identify what **large general topic of wide interest** that your specific project relates to. These are topics that anyone, including your grandmother or someone sitting next to you on a plane, would say, “oh, yes, that’s an important topic.” Obvious Examples include: immigration, sustainable energy, changes in the family, curing cancer, new social technologies, environmental degradation, global warming, etc. Until you can identify a really broadly interesting theme that your project relates to, you will never be successful in applying for grants. If you work on arcane topics or in a small field (ie, medieval French literature), don’t despair. You don’t have to relate to current events or go all presentist. You just need to find the way in to your topic that starts at its widest possible relevance or interest, as appropriate for your field. Don’t start at your topical micro-niche, even when you know you’re writing for others in or near that niche. You always must show a wider import/context to your topic. This is because your application must \*excite\* the readers, and the readers are likely from a range of different disciplines. They will not all be interested in your discipline’s narrow debates. They want to know that your work and your intellectual and scholarly vision are wide, and broad, and encompassing. Once you have established your wide, much debated, topic, you then identify **two bodies of literature** relevant to your own training that dealt with this topic. If you are an anthropologist, and your research is on Haitian communities in New York City, for example, you will start by pointing to the wide debates on immigration in America. Then you will write, “scholars in many fields have addressed these important questions. Within cultural anthropology, scholars such as xxx, xxx, and xxx have all explored the role of cultural beliefs in shaping immigrant communities. Within Caribbean Studies, meanwhile, scholars such as xxx, xxx, and xxx have focused on the specific demographic and economic trends which have fueled outward migration.” **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** **This brief survey will be no more than 3 sentences long. And indeed all of the above must be done in two paragraphs and no more. Because it is only the Introduction to the “Kicker” Sentence, the axis on which your entire appeal for funding rests. And the Kicker Sentence must be on the first page.** **The Kicker is your “HOWEVER” sentence**. **The “however” sentence is the crux and the anchor of your entire proposal.** **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** It reads like this: **“However, none of these works have addressed the central question of XXXXXXXX.”** XXXXXXX in this case is YOUR view of what is most essential to an accurate understanding of the big topic, but which has never to date been studied by anyone else. This brings you to the **GAP IN KNOWLEDGE**: “Despite much excellent work on themes such as XXX and XXX, scholars examining the transformations in immigration in America have not yet fully explored the importance of XXXX in creating and sustaining these communities.” Now for the **URGENCY**: \[… Please refer to Chapter 51 of my book!\] Now for the **HERO NARRATIVE**. \[….\] The rest of the essay then provides **substantiating evidence**. In other words, concrete evidence that the project is doable, by you, according to reasonable and well thought out disciplinary methods and timeline. **SPECIFICS**: \[….\] **LITERATURE REVIEW**: \[…\] **METHODOLOGY**: \[…\] **TIMELINE**: \[…\] **BUDGET**: \[…\] All of this substantiating evidence is meant to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you will CORRECTLY UTILIZE the grant money once you receive it. Finally, you cannot finish without a **STRONG CONCLUSION**. Even one sentence suffices, but do NOT neglect to include it. It may read like this: \[…\] Do all of this, my friends, and you will walk away with generous, abundant funding for your every project. You will have the leisure to do the best work, and the best work will in turn legitimize you for the next major grant for which you apply. You will be on the “**GRANT GRAVY TRAIN**“, and that is the key to the most successful academic careers. **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Grant Writing **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Move Over, Flortaucipir? New Tau Tracers Tested in People](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/move-over-flortaucipir-new-tau-tracers-tested-in-people/) **Published:** May 8, 2018 **Author:** Alz Forum **Excerpt:** Two next-generation tau PET tracers, MK-6240 and RO-948, show promise for mapping Alzheimer’s pathology with clearer signals and less off-target binding. **Content:** **bioRχiv hosts two much-awaited manuscripts characterizing new tau PET tracers in people with Alzheimer’s disease. One study, led by Tobey Betthauser of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine, tested Merck’s candidate, MK-6240. The other, co-led by Dean Wong of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Edilio Borroni at Hoffman-La Roche in Basel, Switzerland, compared three Roche contenders, ultimately zeroing in on one—RO-948—as the best choice. This paper was published May 4 by the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.** Both manuscripts report that the tracers efficiently entered the brain and, in people with AD, labeled regions known to accumulate neurofibrillary tangles. They report no off-target binding of their respective tracers in the choroid plexus, a region where nonspecific uptake of Avid’s AV1451/flortaucipir has been said to potentially obscure signals from nascent tau pathology in the nearby hippocampus. However, both companies’ tracers still bound where tau aggregates feared to tread, namely in the meninges. Whether either of the new tracers will supplant flortaucipir, or simply enlarge the pool of available options, is uncertain. “The importance of tau imaging coupled with the shortcomings of first-generation tau agents, particularly with respect to off-target binding and subcortical uptake, has led to the generation of new imaging agents,” commented Andrew Stephens of Piramal in Berlin. “Undoubtedly these new noninvasive imaging biomarkers will help us to understand the underlying mechanism of dementia and identify disease-modifying treatments.” Piramal is developing its own tau tracer, and Stephens wrote that larger clinical studies will be needed to compare tracers. Postmortem pathology studies have shown that neurofibrillary tangles spread throughout the brain in a characteristic pattern in people with AD, starting in the medial temporal lobe and eventually fanning out across the neocortex ([Braak and Braak, 1991](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/neuropathological-stageing-alzheimer-related-changes)). The advent of tau PET tracers has allowed researchers to track this in living people. Flortaucipir was the first to be widely used. While it robustly labels regions of the brain riddled with tau pathology in people with AD, it also binds other areas, notably the choroid plexus and substantia nigra ([Feb 2015 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/tau-tracer-t807av1451-tracks-neurodegenerative-progression); [Feb 2016 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/shaky-specificity-tau-pet-ligands-stokes-debate-hai)), where neuropathology says there are no tangles in AD. Binding in the choroid plexus can spill over into the nearby medial temporal lobe, complicating efforts to pick up the first inklings of tau pathology in affected individuals. The tracer also doesn’t effectively label [tau](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-rainwater-prize-winners-advancing-tau-research/) isoforms in tauopathies other than AD ([Feb 2016 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/hai-researchers-explore-diagnostic-potential-tau-tracer)). Will second-generation tracers fare better? A handful are wending their way through development, Merck’s MK-6240 being a frontrunner ([Apr 2017 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/next-generation-tau-pet-tracers-strut-their-stuff); [Dec 2017 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/ctad-tau-pet-emerges-favored-outcome-biomarker-trials)). It has high affinity for neurofibrillary tangles, and preclinical studies in nonhuman primates as well as a small [Phase 1 trial](https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02562989) in people, revealed no off-target binding in worrisome regions including the choroid plexus ([Hostetler et al., 2016](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/preclinical-characterization-18f-mk-6240-promising-pet-tracer-vivo-quantification-human); [Apr 2016 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/improving-tau-pet-search-sharper-signals#Some); [Apr 2017 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/next-generation-tau-pet-tracers-strut-their-stuff)). For the current study, posted on bioRχiv March 28, Betthauser and colleagues tested MK-6240 in 51 people recruited from the Wisconsin-Madison AD Research Center or the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention. The cohort included three young controls from 27 to 45 years old, 33 controls between 56 and 77, two people with mild cognitive impairment, and seven with a clinical diagnosis of probable AD. The group also included six “cognitive decliners,” people who were initially cognitively normal, but whose memory slipped between multiple clinical visits. All participants, except the young controls, also had PiB-PET scans to assess Aβ accumulation. Twenty-two people carried the ApoE4 allele. ![PET Scan](https://www.alzforum.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_1000x/public/betthauser_pg6.jpg?itok=a9PhLLbB)New Tau Tracers Tested in People The researchers acquired MK-6240 from Cerveau Technologies, a Boston-based company licensed by Merck to manufacture and sell the tracer. Cerveau has been forging agreements with numerous PET groups across the AD field to evaluate MK-6240, most recently with MGH and the University of Pittsburgh ([Dec 2017 conference news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/ctad-tau-pet-emerges-favored-outcome-biomarker-trials#commercial) and [company press releases](http://cerveautechnologies.com/28-2-2-4/)). To narrow down an optimal time window to image brain uptake, the researchers dynamically scanned 19 of the participants for an extended duration of 1.5 to two hours after injecting MK-6240, tracking its rise and fall throughout the brain and other tissues of the body. Using the cerebellum as a reference region, they found that the standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) peaked between 70 and 90 minutes for most regions known to harbor tau pathology. In contrast, in regions with off-target binding, including bone marrow and meninges, uptake continued to rise throughout the two-hour scan. Based on this and further analyses, the researchers settled on the 70-90 minute time window as the best to catch the strongest, most specific signal for this tracer. During this timeframe, the researchers compared SUVRs across multiple regions. Except for one person who had an unusual distribution of tracer uptake, everyone who tested negative for Aβ via PiB-PET also took up no MK6240 in Braak regions, according to Betthauser. Among Aβ-positive people, the researchers observed tau distributions that spanned the entirety of Braak staging: Some people had tracer uptake confined to the medial temporal lobe (Braak stage I), while in others, uptake extended into the inferior temporal cortex and beyond. Ligand binding to non-tau areas varied in magnitude across participants. The ligand bound the bone marrow, ethmoid sinus, pineal gland, substantia nigra, superior anterior vermis, superior cerebellum, and the meninges. In six extreme cases, uptake in the meninges appeared to spill over into nearby cortical regions. No binding was observed in the basal ganglia; one person had weak binding in their choroid plexus. The authors concluded that MK-6240 kinetics were similar to flortaucipir’s. Unlike flortaucipir, MK-6240 had no off-target binding in regions near the entorhinal cortex or hippocampus, thus theoretically allowing for detection of emerging tau pathology in those important bellwether regions. Betthauser and co-author Sterling Johnson told Alzforum that the findings so far support the idea that Aβ accumulation precedes tau deposition, as all participants with MK-6240 uptake in Braak regions were also Aβ-positive, but not vice versa. The scientists are expanding their studies to include more participants and to run longitudinal scans, they said. **Roche Enters the Ring** The Roche paper posted on bioRχiv on April 11. Co-first authors Wong and Robert Comley, previously at Hoffman-La Roche and now at AbbVie, compared the pharmacokinetic properties of RO-963, RO-643, and RO-948. Previously, these chemically similar compounds were shown to bind neurofibrillary tangles in postmortem brain slices, and to have suitable pharmacokinetic properties in mice and nonhuman primates ([Feb 2015 news](https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/human-amyloid-imaging-meeting-was-abuzz-talk-tau); [Gobbi et al., 2017](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/identification-three-novel-radiotracers-imaging-aggregated-tau-alzheimers-disease-positron); [Honer et al., 2017](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/preclinical-evaluation-of18-f-ro695894811-c-ro6931643-and11-c-ro6924963-novel-radiotracers)). For the current study, Wong and colleagues injected the tracers into seven healthy controls aged 25 to 40, and seven older people with AD. To avoid the confounds of potentially uneven distribution of brain tau among such a small cohort, each participant received two tracers, with a washout of one to two weeks between scans. In the young controls, all three ligands entered the brain quickly, but RO-948 was taken up the most. While RO-643 and RO-948 quickly washed out of the brain in the controls, RO-963 lingered, suggesting non-specific binding. In people with AD, RO-948 signals in predicted tau-rich regions better contrasted those in tau-poor regions than did RO-643 signals. RO-948 also better distinguished between people with AD and young controls, hence RO-948 made the cut. The researchers collected arterial blood from a subset of 11 controls and 11 AD patients for a distrubution volume ratio (DVR) calculation, i.e., the tracer amount in any region of interest compared to that in the blood at a given time after injection. This measurement is the gold standard for PET studies, but it requires long scan times, and an invasive procedure to sample blood repeatedly over time. The researchers found that SUVR measurements taken between 60 and 90 minutes after injection aligned closely with DVR measures and selected that as the sweet spot to measure SUVR. RO-948 aligned most closely with the DVR measurements during this timeframe. They next compared RO-948 uptake among 22 regions of the brain, including regions implicated in Braak staging. SUVRs from five controls who averaged 62 years old and 11 people with AD who averaged 64 years old indicated that the AD patients had more tau in 13 regions, including five in which the lowest values in people with AD exceeded the highest values from controls: the right entorhinal cortex, left and right parahippocampi, left fusiform gyrus, and left middle temporal cortex. Using the uptake patterns, the researchers classified three of the people with AD as Braak stage IV, two as stage V, and six as stage VI, but this in vivo staging did not correlate with MMSE in this small cohort. In four of these people, the researchers did a follow-up scan between six months and 21 months later, finding that tau deposition had markedly increased in some regions in three of them. The researchers also saw RO-948 bound the substantia nigra, the cerebellar vermis, and the meninges but not in the choroid plexus or striatum. While the lack of off-target labeling in these latter two regions is welcome, Wong told Alzforum that future studies in larger cohorts will be needed to fully rule out nonspecific binding there. Overall, the researchers contend that its high specificity for tau pathology, absent off-target labeling in the choroid plexus, and potential for reliable and consistent production of the tracer make RO-948 a good candidate for longitudinal, multicenter studies; however at this time it is only being used academically. Similar to claims made by Betthauser and colleagues about MK-6240, Wong and colleagues proposed that RO-948 might pick up early changes in tau pathology in the medial temporal lobe, although further longitudinal studies, particularly in people in earlier stages of the disease, will need to be conducted to find out. **Categories:** Science **Tags:** Alz Forum, Flortaucipir, Tau --- ### [Matrescence: How Pregnancy Changes the Brain – XXplored Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-neuroscience-of-motherhood/) **Published:** August 7, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Magdalena Martínez-García & Dr Laura Pritschet on matrescence, how pregnancy rewires the brain, whether baby brain is real, and what it means for later life **Content:** **Matrescence brain changes, around 80% of women worldwide will become mothers, and pregnancy triggers the largest hormonal shift the body will ever experience. So what does it do to the brain, and does any of it last?** In this episode of XXplored, host [Dr Laura Stankeviciute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-stankeviciute-university-of-gothenburg/), University of Gothenburg is joined by [Dr Magdalena Martínez-García](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-magdalena-martinez-garcia-university-of-california-santa-barbara/), Scientific Director of Maternal Health at the Ann S. Bowers Women's Brain Health Initiative, University of California Santa Barbara, and [Dr Laura Pritschet](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-pritschet-university-of-pennsylvania/), an NIH funded postdoctoral scholar at the University of Pennsylvania who leads the Maternal Brain Mapping Project. They get into the hormonal cascade that drives the whole process, what those widely reported grey matter reductions actually mean, and how one volunteer scanned 26 times from IVF to two years postpartum filled in the gap between before and after. They also take on baby brain, whether repeat pregnancies stack up in the brain, what the UK Biobank data hints at for later life dementia risk, the near total absence of miscarriage and stillbirth from this research, and where postpartum care falls short. Both guests are living through matrescence themselves while studying it, and they talk openly about what that has been like. **Key takeaways** - Pregnancy brings hormone surges into the hundreds and thousandfold, far beyond anything seen across the menstrual cycle, and sensitivity to those shifts matters more than the absolute levels. - Grey matter reductions across pregnancy are among the most replicable findings in neuroscience, and larger reductions are linked to stronger postpartum bonding rather than damage. - Follow-up work found some of those changes still present six years after birth, suggesting they may be long lasting or permanent. - A second pregnancy produces the same pattern of change but less pronounced, and UK Biobank data suggests a trace of parity in the brain that levels off around four or five births. - Baby brain gets reframed rather than dismissed: subjective reports are real, objective differences are slight and temporary, and increased cognitive load may carry later advantages. - Miscarriage, stillbirth and abortion are almost entirely missing from maternal brain research, and both guests believe those women would be among the most motivated participants. - Research now treats the perinatal period as a neurological transition, but healthcare has not caught up, with a single six week check standing in for what should be ongoing postpartum care. Ask the researchers ## Matrescence and the maternal brain Seven short answers from this episode, with Dr Magdalena Martínez-García and Dr Laura Pritschet. ### 01What is matrescence? Matrescence is the transition to motherhood — the hormonal, physical, psychological and social shift that comes with becoming a mother. The term was coined in the 1970s by anthropologist Dana Raphael and is now used by neuroscientists to describe the perinatal period as a distinct neurological transition, comparable in scale to adolescence. Around 80% of women worldwide will go through it at least once. ### 02Is baby brain real? Yes, although researchers prefer to reframe it rather than dismiss it. Dr Laura Pritschet points out that subjective reports of change are consistent and real: women describe stretched attention and shakier memory. Objective testing shows only slight differences at certain points in the perinatal period, and those differences are not long lasting. The likelier explanation is a sharp rise in cognitive load — which may bring cognitive advantages later in life. ### 03Does pregnancy shrink your brain? Pregnancy does reduce grey matter volume, and it is one of the most replicable findings in neuroscience — first shown in 2017 by Elseline Hoekzema and Susana Carmona. It does not appear to be damage. Larger reductions are linked to stronger mother–infant bonding after birth, which suggests the change is adaptive: a refinement that supports caregiving, not a loss of ability. ### 04How long do pregnancy brain changes last? Longer than the postpartum period. A follow-up study of first-time mothers found some of the changes still present six years after birth, suggesting they may be long lasting or even permanent. Dr Magdalena Martínez-García is clear that these results are preliminary and need replicating in larger samples, but the pattern points well beyond the first few months. ### 05Does a second pregnancy change the brain again? Yes, but less dramatically. A recent study that scanned women across both a first and a second pregnancy found the same pattern of grey matter reduction the second time, but less pronounced — the first pregnancy produces the biggest change. UK Biobank data points the same way, with a trace of each birth visible in midlife brains that appears to level off at around four or five. ### 06Do fathers' brains change too? Yes, though to a much smaller degree. Studies that scanned fathers alongside mothers found measurable brain changes in partners, but far less pronounced than in the women who had been pregnant. That suggests pregnancy itself drives most of the effect, with the caregiving environment contributing a smaller share of its own. Fathers can also experience postpartum depression. ### 07Does having children affect dementia risk? Possibly, but the evidence is not yet strong enough to act on. UK Biobank data hints at a relationship between the number of births and brain measures in midlife, and other studies have suggested a protective effect — but findings conflict, and pregnancy also carries its own risks, such as hypertensive and metabolic disorders. As both guests stress, no one can currently prescribe a number of children for better brain health. **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Narrator:**Welcome to "XXplored: Women's Brain Health," a Dementia Researcher podcast exploring the many factors that shape women's brain health across the lifespan.**Narrator:**Welcome to "XXplored: Women's Brain Health," a Dementia Researcher podcast exploring the many factors that shape women's brain health across the lifespan. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Welcome to another episode of "XXplored: Women's Brain Health." And today, we're going to be discussing the transition to motherhood, the neuroscience of matrescence, becoming a mother, and what it means for long-term brain health. Around 80% of women worldwide will experience this biopsychosocial transition at least once in their lives. We know that pregnancy incredibly changes the woman's physiological body. And in concert with these bodily changes, women experience psychological alterations, but also motherhood leaves a remarkable imprint on the brain and literally brain starts rewiring during pregnancy through its structural changes, but also it has a huge impact on its function. So today, we will try to dissect these changes and follow the story from the very beginning of those hormonal changes to the brain changes and what it means for the mothers to feel it and for the symptoms, cognition, and also the superpowers that maternity comes with. So I've been really, really looking forward to this episode and recording it today. It's a huge pleasure because I'm joined by two incredible scientists that are really leading the charge of maternal brain research in the neuroscience field. And not only are scientists themselves, but they are also at the moment navigating what it means to be a mother, what it takes for the brain to change, and what it takes for the brain and the body and the new baby to bond all together. So, I'm really excited for this conversation and a very warm welcome for Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia and Dr Laura Pritschet. Thank you so much for taking the time of your [busy scientist and mother schedules](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-life-after-maternity-leave-planning-a-return-to-work/) to join me today. So usually, I start by describing our guests, but your biographies are so rich and so full of achievements that I would rather pass the microphone to both of you and actually give you a little bit of a moment to describe what you do, what's your research about. And what is mostly for me and for some of our listeners interesting is what brought you to this field. What was that thing that really motivated you to study women's health and specifically maternal brain health? So, I would like to start with Dr Magdalena. I know that you are a scientist and scientific director of the Maternal Health in the Ann S. Bowers Women's Brain Health Initiative at the University of California Santa Barbara. So, what does this role mean? What do you do? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** Hello, thank you for having me. Yes, I recently joined the Ann S. Bowers Women's Brain Health Initiative as Scientific Director of Maternal Health. And it means that I have this incredible opportunity to think about the research programme dedicated to study the human maternal brain. So basically, we have different studies, mostly longitudinal studies, to track how the maternal brain changes during the perinatal period. So before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and then the postpartum period. And we also try to identify collaborators worldwide to leverage these unique data sets and advance maternal health. What brought me to this field, it was actually, it was just chance. I was a neuroscientist. I was studying neuroscience in the University of Barcelona, and then I met my previous supervisor, Dr Susana Carmona, and she was, she really launched this field of the human maternal brain. And at that time, 2016, she was wrapping up this paper that was going to be published in Nature Neuroscience discovering for the first time how pregnancy profoundly changes a woman's brain. And I joined her lab as a PhD student and that's how my journey started. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Wow, this is so beautiful to just see how one moment in your life can bring you to building such a big career out of it. And I obviously like know of Susana Carmona herself and she's a great pioneer of the field and obviously a great mentor to people like you who then followed her footsteps. So what about you, Laura? Did you also have a similar kind of fall into the rabbit hole? **Dr Laura Pritschet:** Yeah, so I got interested in women's brain health because as an undergrad, I was surrounded just by the timing of life, menopausal women. So women going through menopause, experiencing fog and hot flashes, simultaneously training in psychology to study cognition and neuroscience. So, it was sort of a merge of those two interests. And I found Emily Jacobs at the University of California Santa Barbara. Magda and I are linked there, who was kind of at the forefront of studying the neural underpinnings of menopause fog and other aspects of women's health. And I thought, this is all I want to do ever. I want to understand and get answers for these women and help improve their lives. So, I'm a traditionally trained cognitive neuroscientist. I'm a postdoctoral scholar now at the University of Pennsylvania. And I am exploring many different parts of the female reproductive lifespan. I, you know, still very interested and involved in menopause research, but in order to understand [menopause and how it influences brain ageing](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-midlife-transition-menopause-and-the-brain/), I think we have to go back a bit. And I think we have to look at accumulation of reproductive events. So, I'm really knee-deep in pregnancy research right now, and I'm sure we'll talk about the various studies Magda and I have done. But I'm just trying to chart what normal brain trajectories look like over the perinatal period and then later link all of those events together. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, this is very interesting and I love that you are kind of zooming out from that one event being a menopause and actually asking questions what is happening before and whether things that are happening early in the reproductive lifespan actually has to do something with menopause or the risk of Alzheimer's disease that we all have already talked about this podcast, but obviously there is never enough research, but never enough time to discuss the research. And it's beautiful to see how these long-term effects can potentially impact the brain health in later life. So before anything starts to change, the first changes, the first incipient blocks that start to alter are our hormones. That then lead to changes in the brain, and then the whole cascade what is happening in the postpartum. So, they are the real chemical architects of pregnancy, if I may say. So, I'd really like to unpack what kind of hormones are kind of, you know, orchestrating the whole cascade of the pregnancy and postpartum, the whole perinatal process. And I think it's very interesting for our listeners to understand that apart from these traditional sex hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone and testosterone that we've talked already quite a lot on this podcast, there are other very important players, especially prolactin and oxytocin in the bonding between the mother and the child. So, I would really like to ask Laura, what is really happening? **Dr Laura Pritschet:** Yes, exactly. Pregnancy in the perinatal period is marked by massive changes in hormones. The biggest degree of change you're going to experience in your life. So, I like to benchmark it really against the fluctuations that are occurring across the menstrual cycle. So across the menstrual cycle, typically we see about a 12-fold rise in oestrogen that falls right around the ovulatory window, and then about an 80-fold rise in progesterone in that second half of the cycle, the luteal phase. Now when we think about pregnancy, we're seeing surges into the hundreds to thousandfold increase in hormones. So, let's walk through it. So when pregnancy begins, we start to see this dramatic rise of oestrogen, progesterone, these sex steroid hormones peaking in the third trimester. Again, they're going to be the highest levels of hormones you're going to have in your lifespan. Other hormones like cortisol, prolactin, they're going to show more of a gradual increase over that period. Then when we talk about labour and delivery right around birth, we're going to see this big peak in oxytocin. And then, what's really interesting and very important is what happens in the postpartum period, especially immediately postpartum. You're going to see a precipitous drop in oestrogen and progesterone. Again, the highest drop that you're going to experience in your life. So it's very, very critical window. Followed by a gradual decrease in those other hormones, like prolactin and oxytocin, depending on certain lifestyle and behavioural factors like breastfeeding and stress, sleep disruption, eating patterns, things like that. So, what we like to always say when we're exploring the effects of hormones on the brain, especially when it comes to mood and behaviour, is that it's not necessarily about the absolute concentrations themselves because those will range from person to person, but it's pretty textbook. You're going to see a, you know, linear rise in these hormones. But what matters a lot is your sensitivity to those changes. Those can trigger an onset of affective dysregulation and are implicated a lot in these mood disorders and perhaps cognitive fog that we're seeing. So, it's a very important and complex hormonal transition period. And just to set the stage, sex hormones are neuromodulators. So ask yourselves the question, what does it mean for the brain when I have a hundred thousand fold rise in oestrogen? Obviously, it's going to play a role and help shape the brain. It's there for a reason. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, well, that was such a great introduction and kind of a run through what is happening throughout the whole gestational period and postpartum. And I think what is interesting, do hear a lot of talk about oestrogen and progesterone kind of peaking and being very important in the first trimester that is being the most kind of vulnerable. But then, I feel like oxytocin in the societies kind of still talks as only the hormone of love or kind of relationship. But I do think that being a scientist is probably a bit of an oversimplification if we can say it. So could maybe you, Magdalena, explain a little bit more the importance of oxytocin in pregnancy and specifically obviously in the postpartum after giving birth, what it means, what does this hormone and neuromodulator do for the brain of the mother, but also for the infant itself. **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** Yeah, oxytocin is a really interesting. Neuropeptide hormone, I know it's known as the love hormone, but it does many other things. It's very interesting. It's a very interesting hormone because it's produced in the brain in these really like subcortical areas within the brain. And it can be released to the brain and also in the periphery. So, one of the main things that oxytocin does at late pregnancy, and we know this from rodent studies is it participates in the activation of maternal behaviour. So, it reaches specific receptors in the brain and it switches like switches on this neural circuit that makes the mother to behave maternally with the pups. And probably this is also true in humans, also it's a little bit more difficult to quantify. Then when it's released in the periphery, it can it's part of the hormone cascade that stimulates uterine contractions for childbirth. And then immediately after childbirth, it is also responsible for the letdown of breastfeeding, so like milk ejection. So, I would say those are the three main things that oxytocin does across the perinatal period. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** That's great to know that. And also understand that this is not what the kind of the popular science only tells us, but there are different pathways, as you said, express in the brain, then it has a target in the brain, but also in the periphery. So, that is very important to distinguish. And now we have covered the ebbs and flows of these hormones through pregnancy and postpartum. So, I think it's the perfect time to now segue into the actual science of matrescence and what is happening in the brain during this. And obviously, Magdalena, you have really done a lot of work in this area. You came from the lab of one and only Susana Carmona leading the first steps, the first building stones of the science. So, you have found a lot of very fascinating discoveries about pregnant brain actually shrinking in a way that is obviously put very, very simply, but we are observing very strong structural changes across different areas of the brain. And I feel like a lot of women, when they hear that, oh, my brain is shrinking. I'm losing grey matter volume or cortical thickness. Is it a sign of the neuronal loss that is actually disadvantages, that is bad simply put for the brain or is it actually having a different mechanism? So, could you explain what's what this volumetric or volume loss really means? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** So, this all started a decade ago now in Spain. I think I was at the right time in the right place when I met Susana Carmona and I joined her lab. And she was she had done this really like beautiful type study following first-time mothers before pregnancy, and then after pregnancy. So two time points, they were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging also known as MRI. And Susana and her collaborator, Elseline Hoekzema, they discovered for the first time that pregnancy led to these really pronounced grey matter reductions. So when we were comparing before pregnancy and after pregnancy, we observed, as you were saying, grey matter reductions. Now, what does this mean? We actually, one decade ago, we can't answer that question. We don't know what does it mean in terms of like the, you know, like the cellular mechanism behind this. We need more research. But what we know is that these patterns of grey matter change that, grey matter reductions that then recover, they are really consistent. We observe them with cohorts of over 100 women, but we have also seen this in one individual woman tracked at many time points. Laura will talk more about this. They are very consistent. And then, the other thing we know is that they are associated with postpartum maternal bonding. So the more the grey matter is reduced across pregnancy, the more attachment the mother feels with her infant. So, that association suggests that these grey matter changes are adaptive for motherhood. Now, this doesn't mean that they make you a better caregiver. Caregiving is a learning process. It means that it allows you perhaps to better bond with that baby, to have that motivation to care for the baby. And then you were also asking about if these changes are transient or we see them long-term. We did a follow-up study of these first-time mothers and we followed them through the years up to six years postpartum. And we saw that these brain changes or part of these brain changes persisted up to six years postpartum. So, way longer than the immediate postpartum. So these results, even they are preliminary, we need to replicate them with higher sample sizes, but they suggest that these pregnancy-induced brain changes may be long-lasting and even permanent. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Wow. This is fascinating. And just knowing that these hormonal changes in preparation for giving birth and in preparation for the bonding leads to this pronounced alteration and neuroplasticity in the brain that are just beautiful to witness from the science perspective. And another follow-up to this question would be more about that specific reductions in the areas such as the theory of mind, obviously related to the bonding, important for the maternal and child relationship in the future. We see those in mothers who were the first time mothers, first-time mothers initially in the studies, but what about the cumulative effect? Do we have any research on whether a mother has gone through pregnancy twice or three times? Do these effects kind of stack up or there's no change between the one-time pregnancy and more pregnancies? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** So for many years, we have been studying first-time mothers because we really wanted to characterise the impact of that first pregnancy. But actually recently, I think this year, Elseline Hoekzema just published a study where she scanned women before and after pregnancy in a first pregnancy, and then a second pregnancy, and then compare those changes. And the team found that a second pregnancy also induces these grey matter reductions, but they are less pronounced. So there seems to be a cumulative cumulative effect, but the first pregnancy is kind of the most pronounced change, and then following ones may induce just more nuanced changes. We are now leading a couple of studies to really characterise these trajectories across the second pregnancy, both at the individual level and at the cohort level, tracking women also during pregnancy. So just stay tuned for those results in a couple of years. And then, we also have evidence from the UK Biobank. So, this is a large scale data set in the UK + where many people, including women, are scanned in their midlife just once. So, they are cross-sectional studies. And then, they also have information about how many children they have. So, these dataset has led to a couple of studies that suggest that the more children you have, up to four, the more brain changes you have in your brain. Like there's a trace of having children in your brain long-term. So we now need, you know, to complete the dots and have longitudinal studies that follow women across a full reproductive period, ideally. That would be a dream project to really see if these long-term changes are due to pregnancy or just lifestyle associated with being a parent or caregiving them so. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, you are touching on so many interesting points that I would like to really kind of unpack in the next 20 or so minutes. But now, I'd like to actually bring Laura into the conversation because you, Magdalena, were talking about these changes where you measured the brain before pregnancy and after pregnancy. And I know that both of you were involved in the study. And Laura, you are the first author of this fascinating publication where from 2019 to 2022, you were following one person, a single subject, and that subject has been scanned 26 times throughout the whole pregnancy period. So, that is a truly what we call in the field precision medicine and precision imaging study, right? So could you explain to our listeners, what does it mean if that the study can be called precision imaging? And what did you do during that work? Because obviously, scanning was one big part of it, but definitely not the full iceberg. **Dr Laura Pritschet:** So, we were extremely motivated by work out of the Carmona lab looking at how the brain changes from before pregnancy to after pregnancy. At the same time, our lab at the Jacobs Lab at UCSB was trying to kind of push the envelope of studying hormones in the brain via this sort of precision imaging approach, where we're kind of flipping that cross-sectional model where you may get data from a lot of people, but only at a couple time points or one time point typically. And then saying, "What if we take a smaller set of people but we scan them or study them over, you know, several days, several weeks, several months to explore how hormonal fluctuations influence the brain?" And so that together kind of came, we kind of came up with this idea to say, "Okay, we know, you know, pretty replicably, it's one of the most consistent findings in neuroscience now that grey matter volume is going to change in the perinatal period. But how do we get from point A to point B?" And you know, until a few years ago, we really hadn't explored that period at all and what I mean is pregnancy gestation for a variety of reasons. But that's when a lot of the interesting things are happening. You know, how do we again get from point A to point B? Is it linear? Is it not? Do all of those changes in the brain happen in the second trimester, the third trimester, or in the first week postpartum? We just didn't know. And, so we had a wonderful volunteer, Liz Krastel, who was professor at the time who self-disclosed that she was going to go through this process starting with IVF and said, and volunteered as the superwoman she is, "Why don't we just start with one person and scan my brain as I go through this through pregnancy?" So, every few weeks from preconception through IVF, through every couple weeks of her pregnancy into two years postpartum, we would scan her brain. We would get structural sequences to look at anatomy. We'd get functional sequences and diffusion sequences to look at white matter, paired that with hormone measurements and cognitive testing to just ask for the first time, what does the brain do over this whole period? And the results are really interesting but it really compliments the approach, the sparser sampling or cross-sectional approach, yeah. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Wow, this definitely sounds like a huge work, not only for the scientists, but for Liz herself who volunteered her brain and the body and the child to be born for the science. And one thing you already kind of mentioned that I wanted also to ask Laura is that Liz was going through the IVF, which stands for the in vitro fertilisation. So I wanted to ask, do we have any evidence of whether natural kind of pregnancy or IVF pregnancy does have different effects on the brain whilst it's going through the gestational period and after pregnancy? **Dr Laura Pritschet:** In a zoomed out way, this is work that was in the original Nature Neuroscience piece from the Carmona lab, where they explored spontaneous conception versus those with IVF. They show largely the same degree of magnitude of change, if I'm right in characterising that Magda. So, there's not this massive difference between them. If we were to study this acutely where we looked at someone deeply as they go through the IVF process versus compared to say just a menstrual cycle, we may see subtle differences there. But as I like to show in the figure where we have her hormonal levels during IVF, it's a blip compared to the hormonal change that happens over pregnancy. So you can assume, yes, you could isolate that effect and maybe see some subtle differences, but really what's happening over pregnancy itself, there isn't much of a difference between the ways in which you conceive. So not a tonne of difference there, but it's an interesting question. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much for delineating this because obviously, we are seeing a huge increase nowadays in IVF pregnancy. So, I think a lot of audience may want to ask questions like that. And now, I'd like to move a little bit to a perhaps more vulnerable territory and discuss something that is a bit less discussed in science, but also in the general public when it comes to the conversations about the maternal health. Because mostly when we talk about the maternal health, we assume that it ends in a living birth, right? But it's not always for all women. And some women definitely experience pregnancy that doesn't end that way. We have a lot of people who actually have abortions, who have stillbirths and miscarriages. So does the brain, by that point, has that changed enough? Obviously, there are like different trimesters, but do we have any evidence on these difficult type of pregnancies that don't end up in living births? Magdalena, what can you comment on that? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** First of all, I would like to point out that we should start appreciating more those stories and listening to women that have gone through miscarriages, stillbirths, or abortions. Let them tell their stories and don't diminish their experiences, because it's really therapeutic for women to talk about their experiences. And sometimes, these kind of experiences are very silent. So, I just wanted to mention that. I wish one day we could, you know, talk freely about this and not having to listen something like, "Oh, you know, you'll get pregnant again," or, "That's okay, that was not meant to be," because that really hurts. For the science we, I mean, we know from the data sets that we have in Spain and the ones in California that the brain starts changing already in the first trimester. So technically, yes, if you have a miscarriage, that late first pregnant, late first trimester or second trimester, third trimester, your brain technically, yes, has started to change. But I have to say that we haven't included those women and those experiences in our research so far. But hopefully, we have a dedicated study in the future just with just perinatal loss, so we can understand how these interruptions of pregnancy, you know, result in different brain trajectories. And if those brain changes revert, if they revert, the same as healthy pregnancy after, you know, in the postpartum period. Those are really interesting questions. And I think in the beginning, we always think that maybe those women, they don't want to participate in science, but I think that's not true. I think women that have bad experiences across a reproductive lifespan, I think that they are the most motivated participants, so yeah just. I just wish that, you know, researchers that are listening are motivated to also start these kind of studies. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, thank you so much. And I think what you said at the end, that women who had difficult reproductive experiences, they definitely don't want to be silenced, but I think sometimes the society pushes them to be, but they have strong voices. And women have been deprived for so many years of answers that they are very keen and very eager to understand what is happening to the body. So with that, I would actually like to pivot to not only mothers, but also other caregivers, such as fathers, potentially grandmothers, and any other people who not necessarily have gone through the process of giving birth themselves. But what is what do we know about these changes? Is it just specific to mothers themselves who have given birth or also caregivers like fathers or other people responsible for child rearing also express some changes in the brain or if not in the brain in different psychological adaptations? I know that Magdalena probably knows a little bit on this, and then if Laura can add some comments, that would be great. **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** Yeah, so we know from rodent studies that just the experience of taking care of a baby, of your offspring induces neuroplasticity. In our studies, we not only scanned mothers, we also scan their partners. So, we scanned fathers as well to be able to disentangle or differentiate between the effects of pregnancy, and then the rest of caregiving and kind of social factors of becoming parent. And we found that fathers also experience a degree, some certain degree of brain changes, but it's not as pronounced as the mothers. So basically, our studies suggest that pregnancy factors are the main contributors to the really pronounced brain changes that we are observing. But you know, the caregiving environment also produces some changes that are worth studying and exploring. We also know that fathers can also experience postpartum depression as mums. So yeah, it's worth exploring. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, thank you so much. It seems that there's not only the hormones, the endogenous drivers that are inflicting those huge changes in the brain of mothers, but there's also this environmental effect and the actual bonding with the child itself that can lead to some neuroplasticity in father's brain. And obviously, we have been talking a lot about the brain, the changes, the different areas of the brain. We definitely see these changes in amygdala, in the hippocampus that are very important for emotional regulation, for the memory. But when I hear about maternal brain in the kind of social media, there is this huge discourse, huge noise about the baby brain or sometimes we also hear terms like mumnesia basically kind of being very forgetful, having lapses and attention, being very easily distractable. So, is this baby brain like a cliche? Is it just a stereotype or does it have like real grounding when we talk about the cognitive functioning? Not just like the structure, which obviously is very closely related, but does it actually lead to pronounced memory difficulties such as subjective cognitive decline or memory issues? So Laura, what what can you tell about this? Can you bust the myth or are you going to back it up with some science? **Dr Laura Pritschet:** So this is a really important topic, something that Magda and I are asked probably every day, "Can you lay claim to mummy brain?" There's two really important things here to note. One is I think generally researchers in our field want to reframe it a little bit, but at the same time, and we'll talk about our own experiences with this, there are subjective reports of change. I'm feeling different than I was preconception. Postpartum, I'm feeling like my memory is not the same or my attention is stretched. So I don't want to ever just say, "Oh, that doesn't exist. There's no evidence for it, " because women are telling us constantly that they're feeling differently. And I think that's important to acknowledge. There is a slew of research to suggest that, yes, subjective reports of cognitive change are occurring. And in various stages of the perinatal period, we see slight objective differences, but that isn't long-lasting. And in fact, we have evidence that increased cognitive load, which is what we think is kind of happening there, can be advantageous later on in life. So it's not all bad, but how I like to think about it and frame it is that anytime your brain is changing, it's a period of opportunity for plasticity and a period of vulnerability, whether it's neurological or psychological. And so much is happening when you're pregnant and in the postpartum. And your attention, it can be all over the place. Your sleep is disrupted. You're thinking about new things. Your theory of mind is evolving. And so yes, you may have pregnancy brain if I dare say the term, but I like to always say the anecdote of yes, you may have forgotten where your keys were or texting someone else back and that may be really pervasive and feel very different than how it was in pregnancy. But at the same time, you should acknowledge, address, and take comfort in the fact that you are also exerting a lot more memory capacity. You're remembering how often that child ate when they slept, feeding yourselves, feeding your partner, and maybe thinking going back to work and having to do that too. So you'll have an increased cognitive load, but that also means increased demand. So, things are going to feel a little bit different and it's not forever. And in fact, we can say and suggest that it's going to be perhaps advantageous because if you even look at studies of retirement, right, they take care of a plant or a dog or they're doing word puzzles or something, the outcome is better. The cognitive outcome is better. You can think of that in terms of caregiving and parenting as well. But I never want to mitigate the fact that women are telling us that this is what's happening. Even if it doesn't show up in a standard scale as this big significant effect of change, that matters. My perception of how I'm feeling and how I am, even if it's not a, you know, it's not out of the realm of like a clinical, you know, or it's not a clinical diagnostic level still matters and I want to study it a lot more. And certainly, there's a subgroup of people who have more extreme say cognitive change, cognitive dysfunction that we should explore, but it's normal and it's happening for a reason and be nice to yourselves because it's very hard. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, thank you so much. I do feel that this is going to be very comforting for a lot of women who are just entering pregnancy and having to deal with these huge changes in what they were before conception to who they are now and God knows what's going to happen to them when they going to give birth to the baby. And I think this very nice parallel of like cognitive demands obviously are going to be way bigger than before pregnancy with all the things related to the baby, but also the self. And I know there are other superpowers that recently, recent mums do report. So maybe Magdalena, you can share a little bit of that as well. I've heard from so many colleagues and friends of mine that new mums have this certain perception or a sixth sense or the intuition about their baby even after giving birth that some of them report that they feel the physical connection even though the baby's not in the womb. So, what is it all about? Like is it just the sense that we can't quantify or there's some evidence? Have you experienced something like this or still are experiencing something like this yourselves, Magdalena? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** Yes, I think we have superpowers as mums, and it's not- I like to say that it's not magic. It's rooted in biology. So during late pregnancy, different hormones bind to this small region in the brain, the hypothalamus. And this region acts as the gateway of the maternal behaviour circuit. So, I like to think of it as a key opening to a door. And then when that door is open, so when the hypothalamus is active, it reaches to other regions in the brain and two things happen. First if we are talking about rodents again, pups become extremely rewarding for the mum, but also all their senses become hyper-tuned. So this heightened perception that you were mentioning. And the same is happening in human mothers. So for instance, I can recognise my daughter's cry and distinguish it from any other cry. This is really incredible for me. And I also feel like this need to hug her and to be close to her. It's really weird because it's like at the same time, I want my space. But if I see her, I kind of want to hold onto her. It's really weird, but really magical. And yeah, so this is my maternal brain circuit working and it's really specialised for my baby. So, that's the superpower that we have. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** This is beautiful. It's beautiful how biology for women has done such an incredible thing that we can sense and feel even kind of this paranormal above any senses experience. And obviously, I'm not yet pregnant, but even just listening to you gives me this kind of shivers of how beautiful women's bodies. So, thank you so much for sharing this. So now, I would like to take a little bit of a step back from the mother's brain topic itself and zoom a little bit to the later life. And Magdalena, you've already alluded initially when you were talking about the brain changes and them being not just transient, but actually permanent to a certain extent. And you've mentioned UK Biobank studies that have showed interesting insights about the number of pregnancies and what it does for the risk of Alzheimer's disease, for [the risk of dementia and cognitive health later in life](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-impact-of-dementia-on-women/). So I'd like to unpack this a little bit because this is something that I'm very interested about. I studied the midlife brain and the risk factors that lead to the higher vulnerability for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. And what I read and came across this publication, I was really fascinating by this protective effect of pregnancies. And in the field, there's still, I wouldn't say like one specific number because there's one study that says one number, another study says the other. But it seems to be this kind of dose-dependent effect between the number of pregnancies and the risk or protection against the disease. So, can you comment on that? **Dr Laura Pritschet:** Yeah, so I will start by saying this is an incredibly nascent area of research. So us trying to understand the effects of pregnancy or even menopause on risk factor later in life, as you know, Laura, is very new. In that paper that Magda was referencing about brain protection or brain age estimates in response to parity or the number of births that you've had, they didn't see the sort of linear as more and more childbirths occurred. You see the same degree. It kind of levelled off around four or five. However, it's important to note that there are just fewer numbers of people who have experienced up to five childbirths. But it's true, I mean, you got the protective effects of pregnancy in terms of its, you know, not only the hormonal landscape, but the cognitive and behavioural changes that accompany pregnancy, parenting, and caregiving at large over many decades. But you also, anytime you're pregnant, it's a period of risk. So, that's when we see a lot of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy or metabolic issues. And so as you have more and more pregnancies, there's a likelier chance maybe that you can experience that just by the numbers game, which can then play a role in midlife health and later ageing health. But we don't yet have those studies that have really linked that super well. A lot of the ageing research, we're looking retrospectively, right? So, we're asking people about their menopausal experiences from, you know, two decades ago and especially their pregnancy experiences from decades prior to that. So, we need to do a lot of research on the ground and build these cohort studies of studying women and their brains and their health outcomes during pregnancy through menopause. That intersection is still also an area that's, you know, not well developed. And then, see how that changes perhaps risk profile or not. See if we can cluster women into their various experiences and see if maybe there's a more susceptible group and whether, you know, having, whether there is this optimal cognitive balance of I have, you know, this amount of kids and that's my cognitive max or my financial max, my resource max, or maybe not. And how, what that looks like in the decades to follow, but still very new. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, for sure. From this very little research that we have, regardless of how fascinating it is, we can't prescribe women to have X amount of children as a recipe for, you know, dementia-free life later on. But it's definitely fascinating and interesting just to see how events that happen so far earlier in the lifespan, in like lifespan actually still carry impact later on. So I feel like, as you said, we need to really think about the approaches, how we can study brain health at the larger scale, at the lifespan approach, rather than kind of this snippet of time where we freeze and we look, and then we correlate to our outcomes. Kind of paying attention to the clock and I know that there's so many questions that I want to ask, especially about the specific parts of the brain like (indistinct) MTL that are so relevant in my research, but I think that may necessitate another episode. And I just want to move to the last part of the conversation, which is probably the most fascinating for a lot of people who are listening, because it's all about the personal experiences. And we really have a very rare moment to talk to scientists who do the maternal brain research, but are also experiencing the data that they have looked into, but now being the data points themselves. So, I would like to start with Magdalena. How does it feel to be a neuroscientist, but also a recent mother? Has the neuroscience career that you have been working in for a long time in this field prepared you for what is going to happen or what happened throughout the pregnancy and the first months postpartum? Can you share a bit? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** I think that for many neuroscientists in this field, it's actually like the other way. Like they are first mums and then they are, they become interested in the maternal brain field. For me and I think for Laura too was the other way around. [We were interested in the research first and now we are mums](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-illusion-of-choice-when-starting-a-family/). And it's a really unique experience to feel that you know things. But at the same time when you become pregnant, I think you are... I felt very humble in how much I didn't know. So, that's the first thing I want to say that I think no matter how much you know, how many books you read, then your experience is always something new. You always feel different than what you expected. Personally, I think one thing that I was not prepared for is how conflicted you can be during the perinatal period. I have never felt more secure in my life in one way. Like I know 100% that I'm the best mum for my baby. But at the same time, especially the first months postpartum, I felt very conflicted about many things, breastfeeding and just putting my baby to sleep, just many things. I was like, "Oh, am I doing this correctly or if I, you know, choose this, why am I feeling so guilty?" And I think I was not prepared for that. I felt that I had all the tools to be prepared and secure throughout the immediate postpartum. And then, here I was struggling to make the decision of just switching to formula. And I just... Yeah, I remember I was feeling really conflicted. I knew Fely's best. And at the same time, I was feeling like I was going to miss something important by not breastfeeding. So yeah, I think that would be my one part of my experience. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much. This is very interesting and it's definitely something very vulnerable and very personal. And I really appreciate you sharing this. And in preparation to this podcast, I was reading the book by Lucy Jones on the matrescence and she was telling a lot about her own experience and the same things that you also mentioned and alluded to about kind of the breastfeeding, the formula, different people giving different opinions. But what you said as well at the end of the day, you are the mother of your child and you know the best and you will take care of your child the best. So Laura, you are in it. You are actually now experiencing all these brain changes and all of these different ideas of how to prepare your body, how to prepare your brain for the best motherhood. How does that feel and how being a scientist helps you to actually distil what is the real thing, what is the real advice, or what is probably something that you should just like scroll down to? **Dr Laura Pritschet:** Yeah, it's a massive... So, I'm halfway through my pregnancy and I've learned from the guidance of other women and I lean on Magda a lot for this. I'm following her footsteps and bothering her all the time. Especially as scientists in this space, there's such thing as too much information. So, the best advice I've received from the women around me is find your bubble of women who you trust, who can be vulnerable and can be honest and give guidance without judgement. And go to them and stay off of Reddit and other sorts of sources. And that has, you know, I've tried to stay even keeled in that front. But I find it really interesting because yes, I'd also joined this space and this research topic prior to this experience. And I see already myself and my ideas and my questions evolving because of my experiences. And I do, I want to echo something that was brought up before, which is this idea of disclosing and making it so much more normal to talk about the experience of becoming, of getting pregnant and going through pregnancy. And I had experienced miscarriages and I did not understand, even though I'm steeped in this space, the emotional and cognitive toll that that would take. It took over my mental space. And I also at the same time said, you know, back from 2018, the minute I get pregnant, I'm scanning my brain. So I'm still every two weeks scanning my brain, taking my blood, doing the assessments, and I had to do that through this whole process. And in some ways, that can feel a bit overwhelming and very vulnerable, but in other ways, it's incredibly empowering. And the questions I want to ask now, which I'm a little bit behind on, because I didn't incorporate them into the protocol and that's the scientist hat I'm wearing. But in my future lab is I want to understand the just what is going on in the mind as pregnancy advances in this extensive data way. I want to probe women's minds throughout the day and say, "What are you thinking about right now?" And looking at how that might evolve or might expand over pregnancy and into the postpartum. And what I don't know, I don't know. So, I'm waiting to see what that experience is like. But it is a lot of what I've been reading and listening to women about is true. I find my attention is, you know, evolved, I'll say it in a very positive way, which some of my working memory feels a little bit like it's taken a hit. But I'm trying to say a lot of the same mantras as I had said before, which is you're going through something, you're good. You spent three months just trying not to throw up and you're doing the best you can. And this is actually just evolving who I am. And I'm excited to see how it goes further and hopefully, it goes well. But it's all data points into this scientific experiment. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much for sharing this, Laura. And I think it's very important that obviously you can talk about this freely and more women can hear these stories that not always it is very linear, and successful, and easy from the first time, but now it's beautiful that you are pregnant and even more so you are going through the experiment yourselves. You are being a volunteer for science, for obviously for your own research, but in order to help and understand women's brain for the future mothers who are going to be giving birth as well. So, we have been talking a lot about neuroplasticity and science and the great discoveries, but what do you think is society doing for the woman's brain health in this transition? Has the society already recognised that this is a fascinating renaissance rewiring of the brain? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** When you talk about society, to me, research is absolutely acknowledging the perinatal period as a neurological transition. So as scientists, we are already using the term matrescence in our papers, in conferences, in how we think about this period and how we frame our studies. Now, the healthcare system is not catching up and I've experienced this in my own transition to motherhood and I'm sure most of women will relate. I think we have a close like care during pregnancy because we have a baby inside. As you say, it's a very baby-centric view. But then postpartum, we have one visit, six weeks postpartum, and that's all. I think the next one I'm going to have is one-year postpartum. That to me is crazy. And if there's one thing that I want to see in my life is more support during postpartum. And we always talk about that, like more support, more support. What does that mean? To me it means if like we have 10 visits to our OB during pregnancy, let's have 10 more with... It can be OB. It can be a reproductive psychiatrist, psychological like a perinatal psychologist. Included in our healthcare systems, covered by insurance here in the US. In Europe, you know, we have other systems, but let's make that a routine. That would be a dream, and it needs to be something easy. It can be like routine calls to the mums because in the postpartum period, you're very busy. So actually if you have to go, let's say once a month to your doctor in person, that could be like a disadvantage for many. So just having a call that checks on the important things and then if there's anything that needs more attention, then you can be referred to a doctor, you can be prescribed things and delivered to your home. I think that's what we need at postpartum. And I think, yeah, to me, that would mean that society and that the healthcare system understands that this is a neurological transition, including pregnancy and postpartum. Yeah, That's just my dream. - Thank you so much. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** That was a very big dream, but it also sounded like a very firm call to action. And I really hope that whether this conversation or more conversations like this actually move the needle, not only in the field of science, but actually in the practical applications in the clinics for the postpartum. So we talked about the society, but what about our many societies, our many families? There were some questions from the audience in kind of expectation of this episode. Some of the people asked me, what do actually dads, what do actually men can do practically? How can they step in and help the mothers through this process? **Dr Laura Pritschet:** Yeah, I think it's a really important question to ask and discussion to have with supportive partners. To me, you know, I'll say this word, this phrase one more time, cognitive load. It needs to be dispersed. I think not having to tell someone what you need and having them take care of it so that you have less on your plate and less on your mind is incredibly important and very helpful, whether that is your husband, your wife, your parents, your network, your community who can come in and just take care of things. So you don't have to have those extra steps to say, "I actually need you to go do this and I need this from you." Of course, it's never going to be a perfect system because sometimes you don't know what you need. But just having people in there to help anticipate needs and take care of things on their own I think will be really helpful. And I also just want to say that I do see obviously a spotlight on women's brain health, not only in the research space, the foundation space, and kind of in society among women themselves. I've seen, I think there's been a big evolution of change in the last five years even. But something else that really matters, especially when it comes to the United States is leave and having [protected time and a protected bubble for both parents](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-motherhood-phds-and-the-funding-gap/) and the caregivers. This is a neurological transition that does not stop when you give a birth and in fact, ramps up. And we need to have that sort of protected time legally, federally mandated. Other countries do it a lot better. But that and having care and seeing your doctors in a routine way can help catch some of those really subtle or very obvious risk factors and changes in mood and symptomology that can help people. Maternal health and mental health is really important. It's often a leading cause of morbidity, mortality in women. And so just adding those protective barriers to this period is going to be incredibly important. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much. So, I hope those who are listening and if you're not a mother yourselves, but you're going to be a partner, a father, or a caregiver, please do take care of the cognitive load throughout and especially after. And I do feel like me being from Europe, I have this privilege of this protected time window when women give birth. Obviously, it varies by countries, but we do have that. Whereas in the States, it's not the case. Magdalena and Laura, that has been a truly fascinating conversation. I wish we could talk for more hours because I think there's so many questions that can be teased and followed up upon. But I know that you have important responsibilities to take care of yourselves and also Magdalena to take care of your baby. So I would like to just ask one final question, which has become a little bit of a tradition on our podcast. So I would like to finish today's conversation by asking you, Laura, what does women's brain health mean to you? Briefly in one sentence. **Dr Laura Pritschet:** I can do it in one word. It's everything. Both in my research and my personal life, studying and understanding women's brains and women's minds and their health is incredibly important. It's not only important for making lives better for women, but the entirety of society. I'm really driven and motivated to understand what the mind looks like over the lifespan with all of these hormonal changes and sex and gender experiences that we have. I think there's a lot of burden, mental burden, cognitive burden, physical burden placed on women and we owe it to them to really provide answers. And we are playing catch up from a history of biomedical sciences that have [excluded females from research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-why-sex-matters-what-weve-ignored-in-brain-ageing/), important research. And so to me, it's the goal to provide answers for people now and into the future so they can live healthier, better, longer lives. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much. So women's brain health, it's all encompassing thing to you, Laura. And what about Magdalena? **Dr Magdalena Martinez-Garcia:** So for me, I hope that our research in the maternal brain translates into a better care for women across the perinatal period. That would be the dream to me. So we characterise this matrescence neurological transition, and then healthcare systems and politicians, they take action to better care of women. And I'll say it again, we need better postpartum care. We need postpartum regular visits. We need a healthcare system that advocates for us instead of the other way. We don't have to advocate for ourselves. That's a lot of cognitive load as Laura was saying. We need providers that advocate for ourselves. We need parental leave for both parents. We need subsidised childcare. And when we have all this support, then women's brain health is going to thrive and we are going to be healthy to be part of this society in a better way. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much. I think we really started from those tiny molecules of hormones and how they lead to these incredible changes to the brain, what we see on cognition. But I think what you really well summed up is that science only thrives and only progresses if we have a good system that then allows that science to be implemented, those discoveries to be implemented to support the brain health of women throughout the life, either it's pregnancy but also later on. And I think my mind is really buzzing with a lot of ideas and a lot of questions. It's already quite late for me in my hemisphere and my time zone, but it's going to be keeping me awake for sure. So, that is it for today's "XXplored: Women's Brain Health." A huge thank you immensely. Thank you so much, Dr Magdalena and Dr Laura, for such open conversations, for being vulnerable and not being afraid of sharing your personal experience and obviously bringing all it to the science that you are doing through which you are advancing the field. And thank you for our listeners to tuning in. We'll see you next time on the "XXplored," where we will be continuing to uncover the many other areas of women's brain health that need deeper understanding, louder conversations, and more calls to action. I'm Dr Laura Stankeviciute and you've been listening to "XXplored: Women's Brain Health," on Dementia Researcher podcast. **Narrator:** Thank you for listening to "XXplored: Women's Brain Health," podcast from Dementia Researcher, with generous support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, and Race Against Dementia. From hormones to cognition, from risk to prevention, we feature conversations with researchers, clinicians, and changemakers working to challenge assumptions and close the gaps in how we understand and support the female brain. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > **[Hoekzema Lab, Pregnancy and the Brain](https://www.pregnancyandthebrain.com/research/)** > > [**Ann S. Bowers Women's Brain Health Initiative**](https://wbhi.ucsb.edu/) > > **[Lucy Jones - Matrescence: On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood](https://amzn.to/4wpMB7k)** **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** baby brain, Brain Health, Dementia and Women, Dr Laura Pritschet, Dr Laura Stankeviciute, Dr Magdalena Martínez-García, Hormones, Matrescence, Motherhood, Podcast, Pregnancy, women's brain health, XXplored **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research, Clinical Research, XXplored Women’s Brain Health --- ### [Schilling Research Award 2027: €20,000 Neuroscience Prize](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/schilling-research-award-2027-e20000-neuroscience-prize/) **Published:** August 21, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The German Neuroscience Society is accepting applications for the 2027 Schilling Research Award, a €20,000 prize for outstanding early-career brain research **Content:** ![Schilling Research Award 2027 announcement with €20,000 for early-career neuroscientists and the apply-by date (15 October 2026), beside a glowing brain graphic.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Schilling-Research-Award-2027_-E20000-Neuroscience-Prize.jpg "Schilling Research Award 2027_ €20000 Neuroscience Prize") **The [German Neuroscience Society](https://www.nwg-info.de/en) (Neurowissenschaftliche Gesellschaft, NWG) has opened applications for the 2027 [Schilling Research Award](https://nwg-info.de/en/careers/awards/schilling), a €20,000 prize recognising outstanding achievements in brain research by early-career scientists. Nominations and self-nominations are being accepted now, with a submission deadline of 15 October 2026.** Awarded biennially in odd years, the Schilling Research Award is one of the NWG’s flagship honors, presented since 2005 to researchers whose work has meaningfully advanced the understanding of the nervous system. The 2027 recipient will be announced and will deliver a lecture at the 17th Göttingen Meeting of the NWG, held 17–19 March 2027. ## What the Schilling Research Award recognises The award targets scientists within five years of completing their doctoral thesis (individual circumstances are considered in line with DFG — German Research Foundation — regulations), whose research is documented by strong publications. Applicants do not need to be NWG members, and the call is open to all areas of neuroscience — from molecular and cellular research through to cognitive and clinical neuroscience. Candidates should either work in a German laboratory or be a German researcher based abroad. ## Meet the 2025 Laureates The most recent award, presented in 2025, went to two researchers whose work illustrates the breadth of neuroscience the prize celebrates: **Diane Rekow**, a post-doctoral researcher and Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Hamburg’s Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology lab, was recognized for her work in developmental cognitive neuroscience. Her research showed that maternal body odor enhances face-selective visual responses in infants and shapes early visual development — with the olfactory-visual interaction for faces found to weaken as children age. **Lukas Kunz**, Junior Professor and Research Group Leader in the Department of Epileptology at University Hospital Bonn, was honored for his work in spatial navigation and memory. Using single-neuron recordings in epilepsy patients, Kunz’s research revealed how neurons encode spatial information and identified links between [Alzheimer’s disease risk](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/research-showcase-investigating-white-matter-hyperintensities-in-people-at-risk-of-alzheimers/) and altered brain activity during spatial navigation tasks. ## Eligibility and Application Requirements Applicants — or those nominating a candidate — must submit a single PDF containing: - A CV, no longer than one page - A full list of publications - A summary of the research and its impact, no longer than two pages - A list of potential recommenders Complete applications should be sent to by 15 October 2026. Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome. ## About the NWG The German Neuroscience Society is one of Germany’s leading professional bodies for brain research, spanning basic, translational, and clinical neuroscience. Alongside the Schilling Research Award, the NWG organizes the biennial Göttingen Meeting and takes part in the FENS Forum, runs a youth division (Young GNS / jNWG) for emerging researchers, and supports the field through grants, workshops, and professional development programs. Its stated aim is to foster innovation, inspire the next generation of neuroscientists, and strengthen the wider neuroscience community. ## Further Reading - [Schilling Research Award — official award page](https://nwg-info.de/en/careers/awards/schilling) - [2025 Laureates — Diane Rekow and Lukas Kunz](https://nwg-info.de/en/careers/awards/schilling/2025/laureate) - [German Neuroscience Society (NWG)](https://www.nwg-info.de/en) --- *Sources: nwg-info.de (Schilling Research Award page and 2025 laureates page), nwg-info.de/en (NWG homepage). Figures and dates verified against the official NWG website as of 21 August 2026 — reconfirm before publishing, as deadlines and details can change.* **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** German Neuroscience Society, Research Awards **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Building Labs Where It's Safe to Fail](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-building-labs-where-its-safe-to-fail/) **Published:** August 11, 2026 **Author:** Dr Becky Carlyle **Excerpt:** Dr Becky Carlyle on what happens in a lab after something goes badly wrong, and why the group leader's reaction matters more than the mistake. **Content:** --- **Academic failure has been at the forefront of my mind in the last couple of weeks. I failed big time in a communication matter in my lab, and it has been the cause of a couple of sleepless nights and a big bout of self-reflection. I was a co-PI on an unsuccessful Dementia Frontiers Fund bid, and was therefore lucky to be spared the awful experience of the lead PIs of having to attend an event designed around announcing winners.** Failure is a difficult thing to talk about in academia, and not for the reasons usually given. It needs to be acknowledged, particularly when talking from a point of privilege such as mine, that academia is one of the few career situations outside of competitive sport and elite creative careers where not too many failures genuinely can result in the loss of a job, the end to a career trajectory, and huge disruptions to a person’s sense of self and worth. In the increasingly zero-sum funding and employment environment that we find ourselves in, with salary support for early independence harder and harder to come by, the very real risks of failure must not be trivialised. So while this article is going to talk about academic failure, some of the things you can encourage in yourself and your staff to build their resilience, please also note that I recognise that **the biggest failure is that we are working in an environment that systematically amplifies the emotional impact of what should be ordinary professional setbacks**. > This is a systemic failure, not a personal one. To get the stuff you have to say out of the way, failure is an inevitable feature of science. The very fact that we have to state a hypothesis, our best guess of the way the world works from the data we have, and then test it, means that a decent amount of the time, we’re going to be wrong. Failure, and failing well, is therefore an essential feature of science. This sets up the first piece of advice that you find throughout the literature on failure – it’s not how you fail, [it’s how you respond to failure](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-failing-forward-what-my-grant-rejection-taught-me) that is the best indicator of future success. [As Group Leaders,](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-things-you-need-to-know-when-starting-your-own-lab/) we can encourage a positive attitude to failure in our labs in a number of ways. ### Mistakes happen, and everyone should be able to say so The first is to be open and non-judgmental about the fact that mistakes happen. [Controls are missed, tubes are dropped, code will have errors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-twelve-research-fails-of-christmas-%f0%9f%92%a5%f0%9f%a7%aa/). Everyone in a molecular biology lab has run a DNA gel in the wrong direction, contaminated our cells with some funky fungus, or used the wrong statistic to report our results at some points in our early careers. What is important is that your team members feel they can be open about the nitty-gritty of this work so that mistakes are noted, discussed neutrally, and mechanisms introduced to prevent similar mistakes in future. Junior team members should receive good day-to-day training in their basic techniques and feel able to ask “stupid” questions to other team members. Most of these mistakes are trivial and easily addressed. ### When the mistake is an expensive one ![19% UKRI's overall award rate in 2024–25, down from 36% in 2017–18. Four out of five applications now fail.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Failure-rates.png "Failure rates")Occasionally, a mistake will be made that will cost you a lot of money. This mistake is almost certainly an accident, but the outcome for your lab may be severe to devastating. Keeping this purposefully vague, two of my past colleagues, both in successful careers now, made serious mistakes in the lab. The first dropped a stack of well plates full of expensive samples that were not individually labelled, and the whole experiment had to be abandoned as we had no idea what samples were what. The second had some problems balancing an ultracentrifuge rotor, and the rotor and spindle ended up so severely damaged that the ultra had to be decommissioned. **The response of the group leaders to these extremely serious mistakes was very different**. While I’m sure both were cursing (and panicking) in private, the first reacted with anger and frustration in public, and that caused big problems throughout the lab for months to follow. The second reacted calmly, got to the bottom of the problem, ensured that the team member was reassured and fully trained to prevent this from happening again, and the atmosphere across the lab remained collaborative and productive. I can only hope that when the same thing happens to me, as it inevitably will, that I can muster the grace and compassion of this second group leader. Outside of these anecdotes, there is evidence (discussed [here](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-management-and-organization/article/emotions-and-failure-in-academic-life-normalising-the-experience-and-building-resilience/91FD71A50A32404D8EDFFB7886FF3521)) that this type of leadership is critical to encouraging innovation and success, decreases toxic competition between employees, and is an important step towards changing the conversation around failure in academia. ### Talking about your own academic failure Being open about your own failures with your team and the wider academic environment will also contribute to improving our understanding of, and responses to failure. My wonderful colleagues “Up the Hill” in Oxford, [Sana Suri](https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/sana-suri) and [Ludovica Griffanti](https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/ludovica-griffanti), have a shared “Not Yet” board. The board has a few categories, including research papers, fellowship and grant applications, and whenever a team member gets a rejection, they stick a star on the board. At twenty stars, everyone gets to go out for dinner. This is a fabulous idea, bringing the idea of failing out into the open, accepting that it is a part of academic life, and giving a good excuse to get people together to celebrate both the ups and downs of this strange career path. Other researchers are publishing their “[CVs of Failures](https://www.nature.com/articles/nj7322-467a)” to normalise the idea that even careers that seem like a simple string of successes have a lot of rejections and tough moments hidden beneath them. [The introduction of the narrative CV to grant applications](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-how-to-create-a-narrative-cv/) gives more bandwidth for exploring mitigating circumstances, attempting to go beyond simple characterisation of success as peer-reviewed papers, and acknowledging other metrics of success such as community service, public engagement and resource generation. A final note – please don’t take this to mean that you should share your rant about the unfairness of it all and every twist and turn that led to the failure with your junior team members. They are uniquely dependent on you, and this may lead to substantial stress for them. > Save the rant for people in your [network of mentors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-choose-your-mentors/). ### Supporting people at the start of their careers Team members at the very start of their careers are at particular risk from negative responses to failure. Without years of accrued experience, and let’s face it, practice, every failure can seem like a dream ending disaster. The [paper I linked above](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-management-and-organization/article/emotions-and-failure-in-academic-life-normalising-the-experience-and-building-resilience/91FD71A50A32404D8EDFFB7886FF3521) suggests that [fear of failure can lead to imposter syndrome](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-dealing-with-failure-and-imposter-syndrome/), self-sabotage and further problems, including, at worst, unethical research practices. It’s important, therefore, to leverage your experience to help them contextualise failure, but not to dismiss it. The Oxford Careers Service (who are about to reorganise, so I hope that this link doesn’t disappear immediately) have published the “Overcoming a Sense of Academic Failure” [workbook](https://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/sitefiles/overcoming-a-sense-of-academic-failure-workbook-june-2023.pdf) that might be helpful in these situations, both to help you tailor your support and help them work through these critical feelings. The workbook highlights that **a failure is an event, not part of your identity**, and acknowledges that failure causes all kinds of negative emotions because it threatens things that are important to us. It encourages researchers to accept and sit with these emotions before getting on with the “productive failure” piece of work. This is important because there’s good evidence (again, discussed in the [Edwards paper](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-management-and-organization/article/emotions-and-failure-in-academic-life-normalising-the-experience-and-building-resilience/91FD71A50A32404D8EDFFB7886FF3521)) that putting on a brave face in response to failure (called “surface acting”) may be at least one reason for the high rates of mental illness and burnout in academia, particularly in women. The workbook encourages researchers to work out what they can control and use these as internal measures of success, as opposed to relying solely on those outside their control, such as grant funding lines and snarky reviewer comments. As a group leader, you can help with this, breaking down what you see as real successes of their work and attitude, and making it clear that this is what you value about your team. There’s no neat end to this, and speaking as the person who still hasn’t opened their reviewer comments from their rejected MRC Career Development Award application four years ago, **I’m equally no expert**. Having real interests outside the lab is certainly of help, and you should make sure that your staff aren’t working so hard that they are neglecting the other aspects of their lives. The final thing to be aware of is taking too much of this burden on yourself. It is okay, even better, to direct your team to support if you don’t feel up to the task. In addition to the resources I’ve linked throughout this article, Nature have a Career Guide collection of articles on “[How Failure Benefits Science](https://www.nature.com/collections/iihihcfghe),” and there are loads of practical suggestions and specific examples there of how people have moved past some significant obstacles towards success of all kinds. It’s obvious from reading some of these that each individual failure is different, the feelings each engenders will vary widely, but if we are all more open and a little kinder, we can start to build a research environment where it feels safer to fail. --- ![Dr Becky Carlyle profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dr-Becky-Carlyle.jpg "Dr Becky Carlyle")Dr Becky Carlyle #### Author **[Dr Becky Carlyle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-becky-carlyle-university-of-oxford/)** is an Alzheimer’s Research UK Senior Research Fellow at University of Oxford, and has previously worked in the USA. Becky writes about her experiences of starting up a research lab and progressing into a more senior research role. Becky’s research uses mass-spectrometry to quantify thousands of proteins in the brains and biofluids of people with dementia. Her lab is working on various projects, including work to compare brain tissue from people with dementia from Alzheimer’s Disease, to tissue from people who have similar levels of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology but no memory problems. Becky is also a mum, she runs, drinks herbal tea’s and reads lots of books. **[Find Becky on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-carlyle-bb399118/)** **[@bcarlylegroup.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/bcarlylegroup.bsky.social)** **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Being a PI, Dr Becky Carlyle, Failure, Lab Group, Leadership, Research Culture, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Culture **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - An Academic career, then and now](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-an-academic-career-then-and-now/) **Published:** August 12, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Frank Gunn-Moore on 40 years in research, the three gambles that shaped his career, and why collaboration and early career researchers matter most. **Content:** --- **Forty years into an academic career, I feel like a dinosaur these days, not helped by a recent comment where I was referred to as *a Grandfather in the field of Dementia research.* Though it wasn’t always the case: one fact I always like to tell folk is that though I am known for my dementia research, I don’t have a single qualification in it…** I started as a general biologist when I went to the University of Edinburgh. The Scottish system has always had the advantage of being a 4 year degree, so in my first year I did Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. In that first year, I learnt a wide range of science, which unknown to me at the time, was to later help my career. As I progressed through the years, I became increasingly interested in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (purists would say these are different subjects but they are not: it’s just Chemistry on different types of molecules), this led me into the Microbiology world because even then, I was interested in research that could be translated (something that I got from my Father’s side of the family who were farmers). After Edinburgh off I went to Cambridge for my PhD in Biochemistry to study the structure of a sugar/proton pump in *E. coli* (I’m old enough that I still put the organism’s name in *italics*). This time was where I learnt my underpinning skills, **no kits, no pre-bought material, everything made from scratch, and first principles**. Even though this was the late 1980s – early 1990s I probably made ~200 different cloned plasmids in my PhD. ### Three gambles that shaped an academic career **Next was my first gamble**. I decided to move fields, because I realised I could apply my skills to a different and newly developing field. I applied for my first postdoctoral in Bristol to work on identifying the modification of a receptor for a neurotrophic factor, which causes nerve cells to grow and keep them alive. This was a bold move and the reason why I was given the job was, though I knew nothing about the subject, I had skills on how to handle and manipulate DNA. Cue 6 years where we discovered how this receptor worked and kept nerve cells alive. Then came gamble number two. My wife, Danielle (now a rather famous vet), was asked to set up the new Feline Medicine clinic in Edinburgh (her dream job). Therefore, I took another postdoctoral position in Edinburgh where the group worked on how myelin sticks to nerve cells. The text-book findings from this two year postdoctoral position led to my own independent position here in St Andrews. When you start as an independent investigator, after the initial excitement, there comes that moment of realisation of well I better get some money. So in those early years I just wrote, and wrote, and wrote grants, whilst trying to also teach on subjects that I knew nothing about. I was lucky as I was supported by collaborators who only would work with me. Early success was great and my ideas in the dementia world started to take shape. Then cue gamble number three: an email was sent from one of our physicists which essentially said: ***I can do weird things with lasers, is anyone interested?*** That single email led to a 20-year collaboration working with a range of photonics experts, where we learnt to bend and shape light; making new ways to optically put genes into cells; and even the development of commercially available microscopes. In all this time, my own group developed more insights into Alzheimer’s disease: biochemically linking mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction; the discovery of a new gene (which I named after a place I met Danielle); the development of new potential drugs; through to [looking at dementia in other non-human species](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-do-cats-dogs-and-dolphins-get-dementia-too/). ### What forty years in an academic career taught me **So that is a summary of an ongoing 40 year career, but here are things I have learnt, and not in any particular order:** 1\) Novel opportunities. When I started, the advice I was given by my bosses was focus on one area, don’t spread yourself too thinly. I disagree, explore all science and the unexpected. We can now see [the rise of AI in research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-agentic-ai-and-the-future-of-dementia-research/), is starting to lead to a homogenisation of the types of research that are being performed. Sadly, many papers are becoming inter-changeable with each other, the same technique, the same approach. You may have to do this sort of science to pay the bills but **always make space for the left-field experiment**. 2\) Collaborations. [Both partners need to be comfortable in their own subject](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-navigating-collaborative-science/) and don’t enter it worrying who is working for who. There will be times one side leads, but that is OK. If someone starts off the conversation with essentially the premise of what’s in it for them, then walk away. **Science is bigger than one person’s ego**. 3\) Pooling initiatives in Scotland have been an incredible success. **The premise of one University helping another** is one of the reasons why this small country punches above its weight in science. I was lucky to be involved in such enterprises such as being the Deputy Director of the [Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance](https://sulsa.ac.uk/) which in its time helped to set up the £150M investment into the [European Lead Factory](https://www.europeanleadfactory.eu/) and the £15M [National Phenotypic Screening Centre](https://www.dundee.ac.uk/npsc). I also have been involved in [the Alzheimer Scotland backed Scottish Dementia Research Consortium](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/scottish-dementia-research-consortium-sdrc-publishes-annual-report/), and the Scottish Funding Council backed [Brain Health-Alliance Research Challenge](https://www.brainhealtharc.com/) which are pools that have been more challenge led (rather than discipline led), trying to tackle dementia whether that be fundamental, clinical or community based research. These pools are a great way of getting involved in big science and have helped to change national policies. 4\) **You must not see Early Career Researcher as stepping stones**. Legacy is about helping the next generation. So far, [I have now had 35 PhD students come through my labs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-supervising-phd-students-blog/), and they have gone onto all sorts of careers. This is important, [not all go into science, but they are contributing to Society as a whole](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-lab-leaders-can-support-students-non-academic-career-plans/). Also remember what it was like to be an ECR, one of the aspects that I have been most proud of is that with fellow like-minded colleagues, we have managed to develop funds of >£1M which we have given away to the next generation of ECRs. **That first left field grant can sometimes be the catalyst.** Lastly, you must enjoy science. In your time you may discover something that is truly ground-breaking. This is hard and rare, and many who think they have discovered something fall foul of the Bill Bryson quote: > *There are three stages in a scientific discovery: first, people deny that it is true; then they deny that it is important; finally they credit the wrong person. **(Bill Bryson & Others)*** --- ![Professor Frank Gunn-Moore, Professor of Molecular Neurobiology at the University of St Andrews. Head and shoulders portrait of a smiling man with grey hair and a beard, wearing a white shirt against a pale background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Professor-Frank-Gunn-Moore.jpg "Professor Frank Gunn-Moore")Professor Frank Gunn-Moore #### Author **[Professor Frank Gunn-Moore](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-frank-gunn-moore-university-of-st-andrews/)** is an academic and researcher in neurodegeneration and dementia research at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. His group has advanced understanding of the early cellular and biochemical mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease, including links between mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction, and has pioneered new models including the identification of Alzheimer’s-like pathology in cetaceans. His research has also identified potential therapeutic targets, novel signalling pathways such as FRMD6/Willin in the Hippo pathway, and contributed to patented optical technologies developed with industry. He has published over 150 research papers across biology, chemistry and physics, reflecting the interdisciplinary breadth of his work. [Find Frank on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-gunn-moore-frsb-frse-21786b2b/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Career Journey, Collaboration, photonics, Professor Frank Gunn-Moore **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs, Undergraduates --- ### [Blog - An Alzheimer’s Cabaret](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-an-alzheimers-cabaret/) **Published:** July 22, 2026 **Author:** Dr Clíona Farrell **Excerpt:** Dr Clíona Farrell reviews Unforgettable, a funny, sad cabaret about familial Alzheimer's, and what it taught her about listening to families. **Content:** --- **As the last day of AAIC drew to a close, and most people headed home with tired heads and a sigh of relief after an incredibly busy week, I headed to Bloomsbury theatre for the [final Alzheimer’s related event of my week](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2026-day-four/). This time not a talk, or a networking reception, but a night at the cabaret. I had been lucky to grab the final ticket to that night’s performance of [“Unforgettable”, an Alzheimer’s Cabaret](https://www.psychedelight.org/unforgettable).** Ten years ago, Tamara lost her father to [familial young-onset Alzheimer’s diseas](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-genetically-determined-alzheimers-adad-dsad-recap/)e. He was diagnosed at just 45 years of age. She and her siblings have a 50% chance of carrying the same disease-causing mutation. For [carriers of familial autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease mutations](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2026-day-one/), the age at which cognitive decline will begin is similar from parent to child. Not the most traditional topic for a one-woman cabaret show – but one of the most authentic, relatable, comedic and moving shows I have seen. The story and experiences are told through performing an interwoven cast of characters that surrounded her father’s dementia journey. A care home nurse, her father, her mother, herself as a child and now, a care home resident, and even her beloved family horse. > What I didn’t expect going in, with tissues in my bag in preparation for tears, was how funny the cabaret would be. Some of the best stand-up shows I have seen are centred around a tragic event, and this was no different. The observations and depictions of the characters she embodied reflected a dark humour and sometimes out and out comedy; like the well-meaning but ill-timed comments from care home staff – “any issue, Jane’s got a tissue”. The cabaret was dynamic too, involving audience members and using a simple set and home-style pyrotechnics (think bubble machine, and a lit up hula hoop) to explore the characters and their feelings of desperation, grief and an unknown future. Beautiful vocals and music carried the story to each new destination. And of course, the piece was, at times, incredibly sad. The light joyful moments were shrouded with a sense of knowing that in a short while, we would once again be faced with the heartbreak of watching a loved one decline and forget who you are. And the burden of caring for someone with dementia and the difficult feelings from devastation and anxiety to bitterness and resentment, and the guilt that comes hand in hand with those feelings. I hadn’t expected to relate so much to the cabaret beyond my role as an Alzheimer’s researcher. But my family too carries a mutation for an autosomal dominant syndrome with no cure. Despite working with brain tissue from people with familial Alzheimer’s disease, I’d never really stopped to compare my personal experience to these families. As Tamara performed the internal debate surrounding [whether or not to get genetic testing](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/landmark-study-reveals-42-new-genes-associated-with-increased-risk-of-alzheimers-disease/) and find out if you carry the same mutation as your parent, she beautifully described the conflicting emotions and rationale. On one hand, does knowing you carry the disease allow you to live your life in the now more fully. Or does knowing mean you’ll constantly be waiting; every time you forget where you put your phone, do you think the disease has caught up with you. But on the other hand, if you don’t know, can you really live fully, or are you just assuming you are a carrier the whole time. And finding out that you do not carry the mutation is not itself without a toll. I myself am a non-carrier in my family, and what spoke to me most was the depiction of the irrational guilt when your sibling has the disease and how you manage in that situation. Tamara beautifully performed the weight of the decision of genetic testing, again finding the comedy in that darkness. I cannot stress the importance and value of [listening to people whose experiences](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ecr-ppi-reflections-on-working-together-in-co-production/) so closely align with your research topic. It’s not just for inspiration to keep going, but to form a true meaningful, even soulful, connection to why you do what you do. I am a big advocate for [public engagement](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/practical-approaches-to-patient-public-involvement-in-research/) and telling the public about my research. But I, like others, often forget that it is a two-way street. You cannot dictate to someone what you are doing without hearing their story, their why. After a week of getting into the nitty gritty of new discoveries at AAIC, and focusing deeply on the minutia, this performance brought me back to the reality. It reminded me of the weight of responsibility that lies on the shoulders of researchers. Although we know all the statistics, it can be uncomfortable to be faced with the personal tragedy of someone with an Alzheimer’s story. Ultimately, we are in this field because we inherently want to help people. To do that we must be uncomfortable and we must listen and engage in two-way conversation. As the cabaret came to an end, and we stood there as a crowd, singing together the final lines of the last song of the cabaret “Non, je ne regrette rien”, I felt an immense sense of connection and reinvigoration at the end of a long conference week. Without a doubt, I would highly recommend following the Unforgettable team and try to catch this beautiful cabaret the next time it is performed. --- ![Clíona Farrell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Cliona-Farrell-280x280-1.png "Clíona Farrell (280x280)")Dr Clíona Farrell #### Author [**Dr Clíona Farrell**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-cliona-farrell-university-college-london/) is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scoping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone. [Follow @ClionaFarrell\_](https://twitter.com/ClionaFarrell_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Alzheimer's Cabaret, Arts and Dementia, Blog, Dr Clíona Farrell, Public Engagement **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Arts Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - The Trials and Tribulations of Electrophysiology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-electrophysiology/) **Published:** May 27, 2026 **Author:** Beccy Owen **Excerpt:** Beccy Owen blogs on a year spent learning patch-clamp electrophysiology, the broken pipettes, the phantom noise, and the cells worth waiting for. **Content:** --- **Seeing as electrophysiology has taken up around 80% of my thoughts this past year, I thought it was only fitting to write a blog about it. In this blog, I am going to take you through what electrophysiology is, why it is such a powerful tool in neuroscience, and how I use it day-to-day during my PhD.** First off, what is electrophysiology and how does it work? Electrophysiology is a laboratory technique used to measure the electrical properties of cells and tissues. It allows us to detect how cells generate and respond to electrical signals by reading voltage changes in cell membrane and to measure current that flows through it. Electrophysiology approaches can help us to understand how excitable a cell is, how strongly it communicates with neighbouring cells, and how it’s activity changes in response to drugs, or in disease. In neuroscience, these recordings provide an insight into how neurons process information, both on their own and as a part of a network, and also how their function may become altered in disease. As a part of my PhD, I do both whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, and extracellular field recordings. I use electrophysiology to study Alzheimer’s Disease, specifically how tau modulates ion channel dysfunction. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings allow me to study this at the level of an individual neuron. In this technique, a very fine glass microelectrode is bought into contact with the cell membrane and forms a high resistance seal. Once this seal is established, gentle suction is then applied to rupture the patch of membrane beneath the pipette tip, allowing us access to inside of the cell. In the lab, we call this “breaking through”. This configuration, known as the ‘whole cell mode’ allows us to directly measure the membrane voltage and ionic currents that flow across the neuronal membrane. It now becomes possible to measure how the neuron responds to electrical signals, how easily it fires action potentials, and how its membrane properties may change in health and disease. I also use extracellular field recordings to look at this at a network level. I do these recordings in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory. In these recordings, I induce Long Term Potentiation, which is a form of synaptic plasticity involved in learning and memory – this is how we make long-term memories! To do this, I use one electrode to stimulate the Schaffer collateral pathway originating in the neurons in the CA3 region of the hippocampus, and a second electrode recording the response in the CA1 region. This allows me to assess how tau affects synaptic plasticity and how it may disrupt neuronal networks in a brain region critical for learning and memory. For the purpose of this blog, I am going to focus primarily on whole-cell patch-clamp recording – the most technically difficult between these two techniques – and the first technique I learnt during my PhD. > I still remember the first time I successfully patched a cell. After weeks of broken pipettes and failed seals, I actually cried tears of joy when I saw that first stable recording appear on the screen. It sounds dramatic, but anyone who has learned patch clamp will probably understand exactly why. Before any recording can begin, we have to run distilled water through the rig to make sure any residual salts have been removed from the tubing. Most of the time, the distilled water just flows in through the inflow tube, around the bath, out through the outflow tube, and into the waste. If there is a blockage – this is where the first hurdle of the day begins. Typically, you have to dismantle the tubing bit by bit until you find the source of the blockage, blast water through to unblock it, and then put everything back together again! So now you have the inflow and outflow working, it’s time to turn the rig on. There are two types of recordings you can make, using voltage clamp and current clamp. In voltage clamp, you hold the cell at a particular voltage and record the current. In current clamp, you hold the cell at a particular current and record the voltage. Sounds simple, right? Well sometimes, the rig can ‘overload’, and it will be stuck in the wrong clamp. This can be for a number of reasons, usually because a tiny wire has gotten wet that’s not meant to! Once you have made sure: you’re in the right clamp, and you’ve got heated artificial cerebrospinal fluid (which we call aCSF) flowing through your rig, and nothings blocked – it’s time to get your tissue! Something that every whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiologist can relate to is learning how to find the pipette. The objective is submerged in aCSF, and you need to move the pipette into the liquid and focus on the tip of the pipette underneath the objective. I can safely say it took me and my friend and extremely long time, and countless broken pipette tips to successfully achieve this. Not that I’ve ever admitted this to anyone – but at the time I was learning, I actually had dreams about the pipette tip! **Every new whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiologist I meet, we always laugh and say, “do you remember how long it took to learn to find the pipette?”** and compare times. In fact, my friend turned to me when we were learning, not joking, and said “Beccy, if I can never find the pipette, am I going to have to change PhD projects?”. We laugh about this now, and it’s on our ‘lab howlers’ list, and it seems like so long ago we were just starting out! Everyone takes to whole-cell patch-clamp differently, and you have to have certain amount of resilience to master the technique. Me and my housemate learnt at the same time. At the time, it’s so hard not to compare yourself to others when you’re learning the same skill. It took me a little longer to get the hang of it than my housemate, and to be honest it was quite disheartening. Looking back on this now, you definitely shouldn’t compare yourself to others. We are all on our own individual journeys, and I am so glad I persevered – it was so worth it! Recently, teaching a new PhD student how to patch has reminded me exactly how steep that learning curve really is! Now, being able to sit in a row with my lab mates all patching side by side is one of my favourite parts of my PhD. I’d say **the bane of every electrophysiologist’s life is electrical noise.** You can have your rig working perfectly one day, not move anything, and the next day you’re faced with so much electrical noise that you can’t record anything! You then put your hand on every single crocodile clip you can see to try and find the source of the noise. Sometimes, the noise just goes completely on its own – I think it is a phantom force! > My PhD supervisor always says that electrophysiology rigs are sent to test us – and I truly believe that! Even when you finally spend what seems like the whole day troubleshooting the rig, and get everything working again, the next problem can be something as simple as discovering that the micropipette has been pulled just slightly too thick or thin and is the wrong shape to seal onto to the cell! Something that I was really shocked over when I started electrophysiology was just how long you can record form a cell. Just a few days ago, my lab mate said she had been recording from a singular neuron for a whole hour. My supervisor always says, “every cell is a golden nugget”, and when a beautifully healthy neuron comes into view, says “that’s a beautiful one that is” – which has quickly caught on with all of us in the lab! I’m lucky enough to have two amazing supervisors. They both make the lab environment such an enjoyable one to be in – that even if we’re having rubbish patching days and nothing is working as it should, we all still manage to have a laugh! Like many lab techniques, it can be so easy sometimes to get carried away being sat on the rig in the ‘lab bubble’ and forget the bigger picture. In my opinion, being able to record individual neurons firing, and the electrical activity of a singular cell is one of the coolest things I have ever done. To think it will ultimately contribute to finding a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is something that I feel so incredibly honoured to be able to do. I will leave you with a photo of me and the whole-cell patch-clamp rig! --- ![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen.jpg "Beccy Owen")Beccy Owen #### Author [Beccy Owen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beccy-owen-university-of-warwick/) is a PhD Researcher at the University of Warwick, exploring how tau pathology disrupts neuronal ion channels and brain network activity in Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Programme, her work uses electrophysiology to better understand the molecular drivers of neurodegeneration. Originally from the Welsh countryside, Beccy’s passion for dementia research was shaped during her postgraduate studies and through personal experience with a family member living with the condition. She will be sharing her journey, insights, and lessons learned throughout her PhD here on the blog. [Find Beccy on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccyowen/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Beccy Owen, Blog, Electrophysiology **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Blog - The Long Way Round to a PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-long-way-round-to-a-phd/) **Published:** April 20, 2026 **Author:** Beccy Owen **Excerpt:** Beccy Owen shares her path to a PhD, from doubt and detours to finding her place in dementia research, and what the journey has really felt like. **Content:** --- **Hello! As this is my first official blog, let me introduce myself! I’m Beccy, a first year PhD student at the University of Warwick, and I am excited to start sharing my journey in dementia research. In this first blog, I wanted to introduce myself and reflect on the path that led me here – because it definitely wasn’t the most straightforward one.** I remember being on my year 6 open day for secondary school and being so excited after seeing the lab benches for the first time – I knew I would be really interested in science. Biology was my favourite subject in school, and I went on to study biology, chemistry, and maths for my A levels. I knew throughout school that I wanted a career in science which helped people – but for a long time, I wasn’t sure what that would look like. At first, I accepted a place to study Paramedic Science in Stafford. However, as university approached, something didn’t feel quite right. I made the decision to take a gap year instead – and, in hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. During that year, I travelled Southeast Asia, and some of Europe before the pandemic cut my trip short. It was really during lockdown that I really started to think about what I want to do for my career. It was in the height of lockdown, around April 2020, that I decided I wanted to study Biomedical Science and sent off my UCAS application. I was very excited when I got into Nottingham Trent University, I couldn’t wait to be back studying science again. My university experience was certainly a unique one. The second lockdown begun shortly after I moved into halls, and we were all confined to our flats with online lectures. It was certainly a very strange university experience – one I will never forget! It was so strange when in-person lectures begun in our second year, and none of us had actually met each other! Due to my degree being IMBS accredited, the content was extremely broad – which gave me a great insight into many career paths I could take. At the time, I wasn’t sure exactly which part of science I wanted a career in, until we had a neuroinflammation module in second year, which I absolutely loved. It was then that I knew I really wanted to study neuroscience. I got onto the MRes Neuropharmacology course staying at the same university, which was absolutely amazing because I got to see first-hand what a career in neuroscience research would look like for me. I remember the feeling of when I opened my first MRes essay grade and saw that I’d received an exceptional distinction (which is the highest grade I have ever received), and thinking that **I’d found my passion, and what I was good at!** I’d definitely say I hit the jackpot with my MRes supervisor. He was an amazing researcher – and I was really lucky to receive many great opportunities working in his lab. Towards the end of my MRes, I presented my research at the Annual Pain Discovery Platform conference. I was stood by my poster, which was next to posters from PhD students and postdocs from across the country, it was just to surreal that I could do this too! To top that year off, I won an award for the highest achieving student on my course, and was incredibly proud to give the student vote of thanks at my graduation. > Something that isn’t talked about enough is just how hard it is to get a PhD position. I applied for quite a few PhD positions with no joy, and I felt quite disheartened. Feelings of self-doubt and that voice in my head thinking **“Am I good enough?”** certainly started to creep in. After a few months, I got an interview offer for the university that I was currently in. I had my heart set on it, and when I got that rejection through, I was so upset. My supervisor at the time told me it would be good for me and my career to experience new labs and universities – and at the time, I did not believe him (spoiler – he was proved to be right!). When I got my offer for a PhD position at the University of Warwick, I was on a packed train and cried on the phone to my Mum – **I got a few funny looks and even a couple of congratulations!** I was so excited to start my journey at the University of Warwick, and to contribute to dementia research. So, then I moved to Warwick! I didn’t really know too much about electrophysiology before I started here, I am lucky enough to say it’s something I do every day! I’d say **whole-cell patch-clamp is the hardest, but most rewarding lab technique I’ve ever had to learn**, by far – and something I will definitely be blogging about in the near future. My PhD focuses on the mechanisms by which tau induces ion channel dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. We can see the effects of tau aggregates on neuronal function, making the neurons go ‘haywire’, but we don’t know the exact molecular mechanisms by which tau does this. I am currently in my first year of PhD after completing my training year as part of MIBTP, and I feel so honoured and lucky to have the opportunity to contribute to dementia research. Up until staring my PhD, I have always worked alongside my studies, right from the age I was legally able to work. I think now in particular a work-life balance is very important to me. Before my PhD, I would work in the evenings and weekends, whether that was my job, or on university work. Whilst doing a PhD, that definitely isn’t feasible! I try to make sure I have a good, productive work-day and keep most of my evenings and weekends free to do things I enjoy outside of my PhD. I love playing my cornet in local brass bands in the evenings mid-week. It’s so different to my science in the daytime, and it requires me to focus on the music I am playing, so there is little room for me to focus on anything else. It is a great way for me to wind down from the day and helps me cope a lot better with everyday stress! So yeah, in a nutshell, that’s me! I am so excited to start blogging for the Dementia Researcher, and to share my journey with you. Whether that is writing about the trials and tribulations of electrophysiology (which is definitely coming soon – **electrophysiology rigs are sent to test us!**) or overcoming nerves to present at a conference – I’m excited to share it all! Thank you so much for reading – I hope you enjoyed it and will come back for the next one! --- ![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen.jpg "Beccy Owen")Beccy Owen #### Author [Beccy Owen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beccy-owen-university-of-warwick/) is a PhD Researcher at the University of Warwick, exploring how tau pathology disrupts neuronal ion channels and brain network activity in Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Programme, her work uses electrophysiology to better understand the molecular drivers of neurodegeneration. Originally from the Welsh countryside, Beccy’s passion for dementia research was shaped during her postgraduate studies and through personal experience with a family member living with the condition. She will be sharing her journey, insights, and lessons learned throughout her PhD here on the blog. [Find Beccy on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccyowen/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Beccy Owen, Blog, Find a PhD, PhD Applications, PhD Life **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Blog - When Experiments Fail: Staying Positive in Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-when-experiments-fail-staying-positive-in-research/) **Published:** July 9, 2026 **Author:** Beccy Owen **Excerpt:** Beccy Owen on why a failed experiment does not make you a bad scientist, and how to keep a positive mindset when the work refuses to cooperate. **Content:** --- **We all know that sinking feeling when an experiment we’ve put days, weeks, or even months of effort into doesn’t work. Whether it’s a failed staining protocol, troubleshooting western blots, or [electrophysiology recording setups](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-electrophysiology/) which refuse to cooperate, disappointment is an unavoidable part of research. In this blog, I am going to share how I have learnt to overcome that feeling, and how you can keep a positive mindset towards your work.** My take-home message from this blog is that **failed experiments do not make you a bad scientist!** All scientists, at any of their career, have experiments which don’t work the way they’d hoped. As researchers, our role is to discover NEW things, so it’s actually really common for experiments to fail. As scientists, we spend a lot of time celebrating successful experiments and exciting results, but the reality is that a lot of science involves things going wrong. As an electrophysiologist, I have had to learn to adapt quickly. Whole-cell patch-clamp can sometimes feel like a huge amount of effort for very little reward. There are countless variables that can affect an experiment, and troubleshooting often becomes a significant part of the job. **Yet everything that ‘goes wrong’ teaches you something.** When an experiment fails, you have usually learned something about what doesn’t work, which can be just as valuable as learning what does work. Over time, I have tried not to let my experiments dictate my mood. That’s easier said than done, of course. In the moment, it’s completely normal to be annoyed when something doesn’t work. We’re human, and we care about our work and take pride in it. The best piece of advice I have been given about failed experiments was from my lab manager during my MRes degree, he said; “A lot of people’s moods are determined by whether their experiment has gone well or not, and then they’re in that mindset for the rest of the day, even after work. Try not to let it affect you in that way”. I have really taken that advice on board, and when I can feel myself getting into that well-known ‘rut’, I pull myself out of that and remind myself of that great piece of advice. Some major breakthroughs in medicine were discovered by accident, which at the time, could easily have been viewed as a failed experiment. For example, X-rays, which are widely used in medicine today, were discovered by accident when Wilhelm Conrad Rontagen was experimenting on a cathode ray tube and noticed a glow from a nearby screen. When he put his hand in front of the glow, he noticed that the bones of his hand were actually projected onto the screen. Another famous example which led to a Nobel prize, penicillin was discovered by accident by Sir Alexander Flemming. The fact that he had mould growing on his petri dishes could have easily been viewed as a failure. > I’m not saying every time an experiment doesn’t go to plan, that it can be a major discovery, but rather it’s all about the mindset you have towards your work moving forward. One thing that’s helped me is maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Unless I genuinely need to work in the evenings or on weekends – for example, preparing a presentation or finishing off a report – I try to leave my work in the lab when I go home. It’s easier said than done, but having that separation can be extremely helpful, especially when your experiments haven’t gone the way you hoped. Often, after having a good evening away from the lab, I return with a much clearer head and a better approach. Especially during the initial stages of a PhD, failed experiments really do remind us of the qualities needed to be a researcher. Not only understanding the science, but also being able to [persevere and to be resilient](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-failing-forward-what-my-grant-rejection-taught-me/). Research rarely progresses in a straight line. Progress comes with many setbacks, troubleshooting sessions, and repeated attempts. The ability to keep going and try again when things don’t work, and to take a step back and think about what went wrong with a clear head, is just as important as technical skill. **Know when to take a step back and re-evaluate** Another great piece of advice I have received is to; **“know when to stop”**. It can have a real impact on your mental state after weeks or even months of failed attempts of the same experiment. While troubleshooting is invaluable, it’s also very important to know when to stop, take a step back, and re-evaluate your approach. Taking a step back and having a re-think can be really helpful to stop yourself getting into a rut, trying to do something which is unlikely to work. For example, I spent a few months working quite long hours trying to clone a plasmid which I designed to optimise my transient transfections. However, due to reasons I wasn’t aware of at the time, this was quite unlikely to work. Alongside this, I was working on optimising the transfections with the plasmids I already had. When I took a step back, spoke to some colleagues and re-evaluated, I realised that it would be a much more productive use of my time to continue optimising the transfections and bench the molecular cloning experiments for the time being. In hindsight, this turned out to be the right call. Now my transfections are working well, consistently every week. I may not have been at this stage if I had carried on down the molecular cloning rabbit hole. I have found that speaking to colleagues and getting advice on your work can really help me to recognise when to try again, or when to take a step back and re-evaluate. We are a community as researchers, and it often takes more than one person to identify where to troubleshoot a protocol, or why things aren’t working as they should. **Asking for help and advice doesn’t make you a bad scientist.** Really, it’s the complete opposite! Good scientists know when to take other people’s ideas on board and recognise that science is a team effort. Especially [when starting a PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-5-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-starting-my-phd/), it can be very easy to compare yourself to others. Sometimes, your colleagues’ experiments going really well can coincide with a time when yours aren’t going as you’d hoped. But, the point of doing a PhD is that every thesis will be something new, and something unique. Since all PhD’s are different, it’s futile comparing yourself to anyone else, because it’s only you who is working on your project. It’s important not to compare yourself to your peers, and to be confident in your work. The reality is that experiments will continue to fail from time to time, and that’s the same for all scientists. The key is not avoiding failure – but rather learning how to respond to it, adapt, and keep moving forward in a positive mindset. In research, **success isn’t about never encountering problems**. It’s about having the resilience to overcome them. Next time you’re staring at a [failed experiment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-dealing-with-failure-and-imposter-syndrome/), remember it does not mean you are a bad scientist. Instead, see it for what it really is; a normal part of research. Research is challenging because were trying to answer questions nobody has answered before. If everything worked perfectly every time, it just wouldn’t be research. So keep a positive mindset, stay resilient, and keep going! --- ![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen.jpg "Beccy Owen")Beccy Owen #### Author [Beccy Owen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beccy-owen-university-of-warwick/) is a PhD Researcher at the University of Warwick, exploring how tau pathology disrupts neuronal ion channels and brain network activity in Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Programme, her work uses electrophysiology to better understand the molecular drivers of neurodegeneration. Originally from the Welsh countryside, Beccy’s passion for dementia research was shaped during her postgraduate studies and through personal experience with a family member living with the condition. She will be sharing her journey, insights, and lessons learned throughout her PhD here on the blog. [Find Beccy on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccyowen/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Beccy Owen, Blog, Managing Failure, Resilience **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Profile - Beccy Owen, University of Warwick](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beccy-owen-university-of-warwick/) **Published:** March 13, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Beccy Owen is a PhD researcher at the University of Warwick studying how tau pathology disrupts neuronal ion channels and brain activity in Alzheimer’s disease. **Content:** ![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen.jpg "Beccy Owen")Beccy Owen ##### Name: Beccy Owen ##### Job title: PhD Researcher ##### Place of work / study: University of Warwick ##### Area of Research: My research uses electrophysiology to investigate the molecular mechanisms of pathological [tau accumulation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-rainwater-prize-winners-advancing-tau-research/) in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease. I am particularly interested in how this accumulation disrupts neuronal ion channel function, and in turn, alters neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity, and hippocampal network activity. ##### How is your work funded: URKI ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a first-year PhD student at the University of Warwick, and part of the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Programme (MIBTP). I grew up in the Welsh countryside and moved to Nottingham for my undergraduate degree, and this is where my interest in neuroscience began. I stayed on to complete my MRes, and this is where my passion for dementia research really started. I then moved to the University of Warwick to start my PhD, where I use electrophysiology to investigate the effects of tau pathology on neuronal ion channel function in Alzheimer’s Disease. Outside of the lab, I love to do lots of outdoorsy things like hiking, climbing, and kayaking. I also really enjoy regularly playing and performing in brass bands! ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have a very cute tortoise named Alex. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Although I have always been fascinated with neuroscience, it wasn’t until my MRes in neuropharmacology that I truly fell in love with neuroscience. I remember absolutely loving the content, alongside the lab research, particularly around dementia, and thinking to myself for the first time; “Wow. I really want a career in this. This is me”. It is safe to say I haven’t looked back since! My lovely Nain was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago and now lives on a dementia ward in a great care home. I have experienced first-hand the devastating effects of dementia on both the individual and their family and making a difference in the dementia field is something I have always wanted to do. This became a reality when I started my PhD. I feel extremely honoured to study dementia, I am so excited to see where my PhD research takes me – and to share my journey along the way. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? I am an early career researcher myself, and I think the biggest thing for me has been learning to cope with setbacks. It can be challenging sometimes to keep a positive mindset during setbacks both with experiments and in our careers – and that’s okay! The one important thing is to keep going, and it will come! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? One thing about me is that I absolutely love romance novels! I am currently working my way through books my Colleen Hoover, and I have just finished ‘[Verity](https://amzn.to/4gZm0Jt)’. Although this isn’t a classic romance novel, I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t put the book down – I would highly recommend it! ##### Favourite film of all time? The Harry Potter franchise. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I have played the cornet (which is essentially a small trumpet) in a brass band since I can remember. I love to go to band in the evenings and play my favourite music! ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Although I absolutely love my seaside hometown in Wales, deciding to move to Nottingham opened so many doors for me. I was absolutely blown away by the amount of opportunities there were for me not only for my career, but for my hobbies as well! Moving away from my hometown during the height of the pandemic was a big step outside of my comfort zone, but it ultimately allowed me to experience new challenges, meet new people, and grow both personally and professionally into the person I am today. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? For me, the best vacation spot is anywhere by the sea. I love being outdoors and doing lots of activities – so any holiday like that is perfect! ##### Do you collect anything? The only thing I’d say I really collect is fun ornaments from every new destination I go abroad. I love bringing ball a small souvenir as a reminder of the trip. So far, I have little windmill from the Netherlands, a tiny house from Belgium, a mini Eiffel tower from Paris, and a few more from other travels. I think it is a nice way to look back on the places I’ve been! ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Beccy on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccyowen/) --- ### Beccy's most recent posts [ ![Blog – Giving Your First Seminar: What I Learned](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Giving-Your-First-Seminar-What-I-Learned-blog-by-Beccy-Owen-680-x-520-px-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-giving-your-first-seminar/) ###### [Blog – Giving Your First Seminar: What I Learned](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-giving-your-first-seminar/) [ 20/08/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-giving-your-first-seminar/) [![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen-24x24.jpg "Beccy Owen") Beccy Owen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/beccyowen/) [ ![Blog – When Experiments Fail: Staying Positive in Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/When-Experiments-Fail-Staying-Positive-in-Research-blog-by-Beccy-Owen-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-when-experiments-fail-staying-positive-in-research/) ###### [Blog – When Experiments Fail: Staying Positive in Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-when-experiments-fail-staying-positive-in-research/) [ 09/07/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-when-experiments-fail-staying-positive-in-research/) [![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen-24x24.jpg "Beccy Owen") Beccy Owen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/beccyowen/) [ ![Blog – The Trials and Tribulations of Electrophysiology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Trials-and-Tribulations-of-Electrophysiology-blog-by-Beccy-Owen-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-electrophysiology/) ###### [Blog – The Trials and Tribulations of Electrophysiology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-electrophysiology/) [ 27/05/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-electrophysiology/) [![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen-24x24.jpg "Beccy Owen") Beccy Owen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/beccyowen/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Beccy Owen, Regular Contributor, Tau, University of Warwick **Organisations for Bios:** University of Warwick **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Blog - Giving Your First Seminar: What I Learned](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-giving-your-first-seminar/) **Published:** August 20, 2026 **Author:** Beccy Owen **Excerpt:** Beccy Owen spent months dreading her first seminar. Preparing for it turned out to be the most useful thing she did all year. Here's what she learned. **Content:** --- **Giving my first seminar was something I have been nervous about since before I even started my PhD. But by the time I stood up to present, I realised that good preparation had [transformed those nerves into excitement](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-overcoming-academic-conference-presentation-anxiety/). Here are a few things that helped me prepare and, ultimately, enjoy the experience. If you’re preparing to give your first seminar, I hope some of the things that helped me will help you too.** When I was asked to give a seminar, my immediate reaction wasn’t excitement – **it was panic**. I wasn’t worried about [standing up in front of people](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-came-to-enjoy-public-speaking-as-an-introvert/) so much as the thought that someone would ask me a question I couldn’t answer, or that I’d discover I didn’t know my own project as well as I thought I did. Looking back now, after giving my first seminar, I realised I’d got it completely the wrong way round. **The seminar wasn’t a test of how much I knew**. Instead, it became one of the best opportunities I’d had to really understand my results. I want to say that **nerves are not necessarily a bad thing**. > It’s completely normal to have some nerves – it shows that you really care about your work! At the point I gave my seminar, I was around a year into my PhD. Like many first-year PhD students, I’d been working on multiple aspects of my project at the same time. Although I knew each experiment well, **I’d rarely stopped to look at everything altogether**. Preparing my seminar forced me to do exactly that. The first thing I did was bring all of my data so far together, and get all of my figures in the same place. At first, I thought this was just another job on my to-do list. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most useful parts of the whole process. Seeing all of my results together helped me appreciate how much progress I’d actually made in a year. More importantly, it made me ask questions about the mechanisms underlying my results, and then reading papers to find the answers really deepened my understanding around my data. As an unexpected bonus, it also gave me a real head start on writing my first-year report, which was due a couple of months later. By organising the figures, reviewing the literature, and also thinking about the narrative of my project, I’d already done much of the groundwork needed for writing it. ## Work out the story first The idea of telling a story was probably the biggest skill I learnt. Research rarely happens in a neat, logical order. We repeat experiments, troubleshoot protocols, and sometimes spend weeks on something that doesn’t work. **Giving a seminar isn’t a chronological order of your PhD**. It’s an opportunity to guide your audience through a scientific question, explain why it matters, and show how each experiment helps to answer it. Before I even opened PowerPoint, I spent time [thinking about the story](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-storytelling-in-academia/). I wrote down the background to my project, the gaps in current knowledge, and how each experiment contributed to answering those questions. Once I knew the story I wanted to tell, building the presentation became much easier. Researchers in our neuroscience department use a huge range of techniques. It was important for me to take into consideration that not everyone in the audience will have carried out extracellular field recordings or [whole cell patch clamp recordings](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-electrophysiology/). Explaining complicated lab techniques I feel is an important part of being a researcher, and I found that being able to talk through how I take electrophysiological recordings and what they allowed me to investigate incredibly helpful for my own understanding. One thing I also learnt was that **the less text I included on my slides, the more naturally I spoke**. Rather than writing a script, like I’d done in my undergraduate degree, or using presenter mode, I became familiar with [talking through my figures](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-presenting-your-data-like-a-pro/). When it came to giving the seminar, this allowed me to look around the room and to speak to the audience directly, in a more engaging way. ## Practise, then practise again Of course, none of this happens without practise. This might sound obvious, but **[practise really is key](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-conference-lightning-talks-preparation-to-performance/)!** Practising out loud as much as I could was the most valuable thing I did. My mum acts in pantomimes, and she always tells me to practise these things until I’m sick of them, and that’s exactly what I did. By the time the seminar came around, I knew my slides and figures so well that I could focus on speaking to the audience instead of worrying about what came next. Presenting to friends and also to my lab group was a great way to build my confidence, and to get really helpful feedback on my presentation before the seminar. I think it’s a common view when starting your journey in academia, one that I certainly had, is that receiving questions at the end of a seminar can often mean criticism. It is important to learn that **questions don’t necessarily mean criticism**. On the contrary, it means that people are interested in your work! The questions weren’t there to catch me out. They were great opportunities to discuss my results, and some of the questions I received gave me a new perspective on my own experiments, and made me think of things I haven’t thought of before. I left the seminar with great ideas for future work. So, if you’re about to give your first seminar, remember this: **you don’t need to know everything**. None of us do. But if you’ve taken the time to understand your own work, think carefully about the story you’re telling, and prepare well, you’ll probably discover what I did, that giving your first seminar is actually an enjoyable experience! --- ![Beccy Owen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Beccy-Owen.jpg "Beccy Owen")Beccy Owen #### Author [Beccy Owen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beccy-owen-university-of-warwick/) is a PhD Researcher at the University of Warwick, exploring how tau pathology disrupts neuronal ion channels and brain network activity in Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Programme, her work uses electrophysiology to better understand the molecular drivers of neurodegeneration. Originally from the Welsh countryside, Beccy’s passion for dementia research was shaped during her postgraduate studies and through personal experience with a family member living with the condition. She will be sharing her journey, insights, and lessons learned throughout her PhD here on the blog. [Find Beccy on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccyowen/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Beccy Owen, Blog, Conference Guide, Presentations, Presenting Skills **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [The role of integrated care in improving dementia diagnosis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-role-of-integrated-care-in-improving-dementia-diagnosis/) **Published:** April 18, 2024 **Author:** The King's Fund **Excerpt:** New report from The King's Fund presents the findings of their work on "The role of integrated care systems in improving dementia diagnosis" **Content:** ***![Alzheimers Society Logo](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Alzheimers-Society-Logo.png "Alzheimers Society Logo")The work for this project was funded by Alzheimer’s Society. This output was independently developed, researched and written by The King’s Fund. All views are the authors’ own.*** [**Find the Report on the King’s Fund Website**](https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/role-integrated-care-systems-improving-dementia-diagnosis?utm_term=thekingsfund) ## Key messages - High-quality dementia diagnosis and care involves many different parts of the health and social care system working together effectively. Integrated care systems (ICSs) were created to achieve this kind of whole-system approach. - Early and accurate diagnosis means people living with dementia can access support that can help to improve their quality of life, and potentially treatments that can help with managing symptoms. Diagnosis also enables people and their families to plan ahead. - Improvements in dementia diagnosis in the three case study sites involved in our research are the result of several years’ work and are not attributable to the introduction of statutory ICSs in 2022. However, their broad emphasis on working together as a system over the past decade has helped to create positive conditions for improvement. - Key enablers of improvement in the sites we examined included efforts to strengthen relationships between primary care, memory clinics and other services; public awareness-raising activities; and the introduction of new extended roles for GPs (for example, to improve diagnosis in care homes). - ICSs can contribute to improved dementia diagnosis by: - ensuring all partner organisations have shared priorities and an agreed plan for delivering improvement - providing visible cross-system leadership and effective governance arrangements for overseeing the delivery of the plan - connecting people working in different parts of the system, building mutual understanding and reinforcing a culture of collaboration - sharing learning and spreading good practice - supporting action at scale across larger geographies - addressing inequalities by ensuring sufficient attention is paid to improving diagnosis rates in underserved communities. - In the longer term, ICSs need to build the capabilities and processes required to support testing new approaches, learning, and scaling and spreading successful innovations. This will need support from the government, NHS England and other national bodies. --- **[Integrated care systems (ICSs](https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/integrated-care-systems-explained)) were introduced in England to achieve two main goals: to ensure that people using health and social care services experience better, more co-ordinated care; and to bring about the long-called-for shift towards a greater focus on prevention and early intervention. These two goals – care co-ordination and prevention/earlier intervention – are both highly pertinent for people living with dementia.** Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms that increasingly affect a person’s memory, language, problem-solving capabilities and behaviour. These symptoms usually become progressively worse and there is currently no known cure for dementia. It can be caused by a range of diseases that damage the nerve cells in the brain. There are several types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common. Alzheimer’s Society estimates that there are currently around [900,000 people living with dementia in the UK](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/news-and-media/facts-media). Unlike other major conditions, there is no national clinical pathway for dementia, and despite there being a national target, there is wide variation in dementia diagnosis rates across England. In Autumn 2023, Alzheimer’s Society commissioned The King’s Fund to explore the development of ICSs through the lens of dementia diagnosis: to consider what opportunities ICSs present to approach dementia differently and to improve diagnosis rates by doing so. We explored the enablers and barriers to improving dementia diagnosis through interviews with stakeholders and people affected by dementia in three case study ICSs. --- ## Why is timely and accurate diagnosis important? Although there is currently no known cure for dementia, receiving a diagnosis is key to enabling people living with dementia to access care and support. While it can feel daunting or frightening for some, getting a diagnosis can help individuals and families to better understand the condition and to plan for the future – which is particularly important given that many people need to draw on their own resources to help cover [social care costs.](https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/social-care-360) Receiving a diagnosis soon after symptoms of the disease (eg, short-term memory loss or changes in behaviour) develop can be beneficial for several reasons. - It allows individuals to access support, and potentially treatments, that can [help to manage symptoms, maintain independence for longer, and improve quality of life](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/about-dementia/treatment/). - It enables individuals and families to plan ahead and [make decisions about the care and support](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/care-and-support/help-and-support/) they might need in the future. Accurate diagnosis also helps to support improved services. ICSs and national bodies can use diagnostic data to identify targets for improvement, plan investment in additional advanced diagnostic services to reduce regional inequalities, and enhance understanding of the links between population risk factors and specific types of dementia. There is also increasing evidence that earlier diagnosis can lead to savings on long-term care costs, for example, where [people are supported to continue to live independently](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chief-medical-officers-annual-report-2023-health-in-an-ageing-society). However, it can be difficult to accurately diagnose dementia. In part, this is because the symptoms of dementia can often be mistaken for other conditions, such as depression, stress and menopause. In addition, there are many different types of dementia (eg, vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies), all of which present with different symptoms, are diagnosed differently and require different treatment. --- ## Our research The aim of this project was to explore the opportunities ICSs have to improve dementia diagnosis. The research primarily involved three case study ICSs: - Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS, which reports some of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in England - Cornwall ICS, which has recently demonstrated improvements in dementia diagnosis rates - North East London ICS, which has focused on improving dementia diagnosis rates within communities that are underserved. Our research methods included in-depth interviews in each of these sites, visits to dementia support services to understand lived experiences, and a roundtable discussion with a range of local and national stakeholders. The box below provides further details on methods. **Methods** **Stakeholder interviews** Within each case study ICS, we completed semi-structured, qualitative interviews with individuals working for the integrated care board (ICB), in primary care, memory clinics and local authorities. In each interview, we explored barriers to, and enablers of, best practice in dementia diagnosis. In total, we completed 12 interviews. **Dementia support service visits** We also visited two dementia support services for people affected by dementia, including people living with dementia and carers. These were based in North East London and Cornwall. We took an ethnographic approach to these visits, observing the interactions between group members and staff, and engaging individuals informally while they were participating in group activities. These visits helped to inform our understanding of what it is like to live with, or care for someone with, dementia. These visits resulted in three short informal interviews: one with a group organiser and two with carers of people living with dementia. **Roundtable discussion** The roundtable brought together stakeholders with different perspectives and experiences related to dementia diagnosis. Participants reflected on the key findings from the interviews, challenged our thinking, and helped us refine our recommendations for policy-makers. In attendance were: - representatives from national bodies - representatives from six ICSs (including the three case study sites) - individuals with professional and personal experience in caring for people living with dementia. **Analysis** Our approach to the data analysis was iterative and inductive. Interviews were recorded and summarised in an Excel framework to aid thematic analysis. We held a series of internal analysis sessions to draw together findings from the different activities. --- ## What are the challenges? Through our research we explored the challenges that integrated care systems (ICSs) can face in improving [dementia diagnosis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tackling-regional-variation-in-dementia-diagnosis-in-england/). This identified three main themes: - awareness and stigma - linkages across the system - prioritisation and investment. These themes broadly echo other findings around potential barriers to improving diagnosis rates, including those highlighted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia in its [Raising the barriers](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/policy-and-influencing/all-party-parliamentary-group-dementia) report. ### Awareness and stigma Societal stigma around dementia is a longstanding challenge and continues to have an impact on diagnosis rates in local systems. We heard this is often a result of poor understanding and awareness, from both clinicians and the public, of the support options available once someone has received a diagnosis. ### Links across the system Supporting individuals during the diagnosis process and subsequent care involves people, professionals and organisations from across the health and care system – from unpaid carers and primary care to more specialist services, social care and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. There can be poor links between these various parts of the system, which impact people’s experiences as they and their family navigate getting a diagnosis and finding out about support available. In some places, these poor links can contribute to inappropriate referrals to memory services (for example, when people’s risk of having dementia is very low). This can be detrimental to both individuals and services, especially with services already experiencing high demand. Given the number of people and organisations involved, this also means there can be variation in ownership, leadership and prioritisation at place and system level – with people not always understanding others’ respective roles, and ambiguity over which organisations are leading which elements of work. This ambiguity can sometimes lead to an absence of overall leadership for the management and improvement of dementia services, and a lack of cohesion among system partners. > ‘Sometimes I think the system partners expect the ICB to do everything around dementia, and clearly a lot of factors aren’t in our control and a lot of other things need to be commissioned to support people… Happy to work in partnership to make things happen, but there’s a limit to what our remit is and those remits aren’t necessarily fully understood.’ > **Commissioner, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS** ### Prioritisation and investment Despite the inclusion of a dementia diagnosis target in the [NHS’s national priorities for 2023/24](https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/2023-24-priorities-and-operational-planning-guidance/), the extent to which improving dementia diagnosis is prioritised within ICSs varies. In some ICSs, dementia is actively prioritised across the system, with strategies developed by all relevant partners. In other ICSs, dementia prioritisation is closely linked to historical commissioning decisions in each of the places that make up the ICS, leading to local variation in service provision. This variation in prioritisation can also directly link to variation in investment decisions across services amid the array of competing pressures locally. This challenge can be compounded by the fact that funding for dementia is split across many organisations within a system. > ‘One of the things about dementia funding is that it’s not in one place. It’s partly in the local authorities, partly in physical health, and partly in mental health. In mental health we have the responsibility for the diagnostic target but that’s just the tip of the iceberg and we don’t actually have the majority of the funding for dementia.’ > **Commissioner, North East London ICS** Variation in prioritisation and investment can also contribute to different clinical pathways for people living with dementia, for example, with some areas providing more rapid access to specialist services or diagnostics than others. This challenge in accessing some services could become more pronounced if the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) [approves disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease](https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-gets-ready-to-assess-new-dementia-treatments) requiring specialist diagnostic tests. Advances in diagnostics currently in the research stages, such as blood tests, could also fundamentally change future pathways for dementia diagnosis. --- ## What does ‘good’ dementia diagnosis look like? Addressing these challenges requires improved collaboration across the health and care system, and a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention. Through our interviews with stakeholders and people with lived experience, we identified several examples of good practice in dementia diagnosis, as well as ideas for how it could be improved further. ### Working collaboratively Working in a joined-up way across sectors and organisations is key to enabling good practice at a clinical level. In the ICSs included in our research, efforts to support good links between different parts of the clinical pathway have helped to minimise inappropriate referrals and facilitate accurate and timely diagnoses. Often this took the form of individual service managers or clinicians demonstrating system leadership by making concerted efforts to build relationships and mutual understanding across service boundaries, for example, between memory clinics and primary care. Although stakeholders felt that the introduction of statutory ICSs had not yet had a significant impact on dementia diagnosis pathways or ways of working at the clinical level, the broader emphasis on working together as a system over the past decade has helped to create the conditions for change. For example, in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, there is a legacy of this way of working due to previous joint commissioning arrangements as well as key individuals investing their time in building stronger relationships across boundaries over several years. > ‘I think we’ve got here because of the 10 years of other people’s work essentially… \[it’s been\] a sustained effort \[to work in a joined-up way\].’ > **Commissioner, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS** Stakeholders also saw the introduction of new roles designed to facilitate more joined-up ways of working and to improve diagnosis rates as being another important mechanism that had helped support improvement in the three case study. **Extended GP role in City and Hackney** One area of North East London has established an extended GP role to help facilitate more joined-up ways of working and improve diagnosis rates by bridging the interface between primary and secondary care. In practice, this involves a GP working several sessions a week in the memory clinic while continuing to practise as a GP the rest of the week. This has helped to foster relationships and share learnings between sites and improve the quality of referrals. Stakeholders spoke positively about the opportunities this has created for engaging with clinicians to better understand the barriers they face in relation to dementia diagnosis, and for facilitating peer-to-peer learning (eg, around home visits for people living with dementia). Better understanding of the different roles and pressures within key services has also led to relatively simple interventions being made, such as a revised referral form that helps to ensure the right people are being referred into secondary care. > ‘Bringing GPs under the umbrella of the dementia service has been quite successful for the team, and successful for \[taking\] learning back into primary care… We’ve noticed a real improvement in the quality of referrals received \[into the dementia service\] and an improvement in understanding in the dementia team of the limitations of primary care.’ > **Clinician, North East London ICS** **GP support to care homes in Cornwall** In Cornwall, three new extended GP roles were introduced to improve diagnosis rates in residential and nursing homes. These GPs scan patient records provided by local GP practices to identify at-risk individuals who have not had a formal dementia diagnosis. They use the DiADeM ([Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate](https://diadem.apperta.org/)) tool to diagnose people with relatively straightforward or advanced cases of dementia, avoiding the need to refer people to memory clinic services. A diagnosis in this setting can help to ensure that all those caring for an individual have a shared understanding of the person’s condition and how best to support them. Stakeholders suggested that these new roles, alongside the increased availability of specialist diagnostic services (eg, MRI scanners), have been a key driver behind recent improvements in diagnosis rates in Cornwall. > ‘I knew something was wrong a year before we got the diagnosis… but the length of time between appointments really dragged out the whole process.’ > **Carer, Cornwall** --- ### Prevention and early intervention #### Awareness-raising activities Meaningful and regular engagement with patients and the public provides opportunities for health and care system leaders and clinicians to raise awareness about dementia and destigmatise the condition among their local communities. As a result of greater awareness, people are better equipped to identify signs and symptoms of the condition early, which can help to facilitate a timely diagnosis. Informal carers can, and in many cases do, play a key role in this by spotting changes in the person they care for and enabling an early discussion with a GP. > ‘I knew something was wrong a year before we got the diagnosis… but the length of time between appointments really dragged out the whole process.’ > **Carer, Cornwall** **Raising public awareness in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent** In Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, commissioning managers have been working with primary care networks (PCNs) to host events that bring together many different local services to offer people information about dementia services. There has been good attendance at these events, in part due to the GP practices involved proactively inviting people via text message and promoting the events on social media. > ‘\[These events\] are going from strength to strength. I think the first one they did… they were getting over 200 people… to ask questions that they perhaps wouldn’t ask the GP or don’t feel they’ve got time to.’ > **Commissioner, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS** Alongside regular community engagement events, national campaigns can help to raise awareness among the public of the early signs and symptoms of dementia. Roundtable participants suggested that there are valuable lessons to be learnt from the success of the [FAST campaign](https://www.england.nhs.uk/actfast/) for stroke awareness that could be used to develop a national campaign on dementia awareness. #### Engaging with underserved communities Dementia diagnosis rates vary significantly between communities. For example, [people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities often face delays in diagnosis and barriers](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/for-researchers/black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-communities-and-dementia-research) accessing services. Addressing these inequalities means engaging with underserved communities and ensuring that all groups experience improvements in diagnosis rates and pathways. System leaders and clinicians need to work with local communities to understand the barriers that prevent specific groups from accessing a dementia diagnosis. ICSs can use insights gained through such engagement to design accessible and inclusive dementia services, supporting the wider national focus on reducing health inequalities. Using data to identify underserved communities and engaging proactively with these communities has been a key component of the approach to improving dementia diagnosis in all three case study sites. For example, in one area of North East London, a local mental health team has adopted a participatory action research approach. This team also commissioned a researcher to work with the local Turkish, Vietnamese and Orthodox Jewish populations to understand their specific barriers to accessing dementia services. This work enabled the team to secure funding to train dementia champions in these communities. #### Proactive risk profiling In Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, some GP practices are proactively scanning their patient records to identify at-risk patients and inviting them to discuss potential memory issues or signposting them to an engagement day to learn more about dementia diagnosis and support. ### Post-diagnosis support Alongside improving diagnosis rates, ensuring dementia support services are adequately resourced and funded across the ICS is crucial to ensuring those services can support people living with dementia to live as well as possible and to manage their condition. Interviewees acknowledged that efforts to increase diagnosis rates, which uncover additional health and care needs in the population, must be balanced with an increase in the availability of quality support, and investment in services, for those in need. > ‘When people aren’t diagnosed that’s a hidden problem, but now we’re uncovering it and can’t ignore it. There will need to be more investment.’ > **Commissioner, Cornwall ICS** Ensuring that high-quality support services are well publicised and readily accessible for people living with dementia also plays an important role in reducing stigma and improving diagnosis rates. In our research, we heard that being unaware of, or unable to access, good support services adds to people’s reticence to come forward for diagnosis. For people living with dementia and carers, knowing what the diagnosis pathway looks like, and being able to make appointments in a timely manner, is also key to minimising the stress of diagnosis. Equally important is the role that GPs and other professionals can play in offering information and signposting to support at the point of diagnosis and beyond. This can help to ensure people living with dementia and their families do not feel alone in navigating life post-diagnosis. > ‘We were out on a limb. It was unclear who we should go to for advice… we need more access to centres like Citizens Advice, and GPs need to signpost to support…’ > **Carer, Cornwall** In some parts of North East London, named ‘dementia navigators’ provide essential post-diagnosis support, helping people living with dementia and their families navigate the numerous health and care services, as well as other services, they may benefit from. **Dementia navigators in City and Hackney** In some parts of North East London, mental health teams have embedded dementia navigator roles into services to help people and carers access the services they need. The navigators support people throughout their dementia journey, from diagnosis to end of life. They work closely with nurses and other health and care professionals to facilitate people’s smooth transitions between different parts of the clinical pathway. Throughout, they proactively stay in regular contact with people living with dementia and carers, providing advice, information and signposting to support, including referring people on to other services (eg, housing, welfare and social care services), where appropriate. These types of roles are recommended by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia in its [Raising the barriers](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/policy-and-influencing/all-party-parliamentary-group-dementia) report. --- ## What role should ICSs play in improving dementia diagnosis? While improvements have been made in some parts of England, there is still more work to be done to ensure everyone has access to timely and accurate dementia diagnosis. By bringing together partners from across the health and social care system, integrated care systems (ICSs) can play a central role in driving this improvement. ### Visible prioritisation With the number of people living with dementia in the UK expected [to rise from 900,000 to 1.6 million by 2040](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/policy-and-influencing/local-dementia-statistics), improving dementia diagnosis and care requires visible prioritisation across local systems, and ICSs create a mechanism through which all partner organisations can come together to do this. For example, Cornwall ICB identified dementia as a priority in the integrated care strategy and organisations across the ICS have focused on improving diagnosis rates. Working together through ICSs could also help partner organisations to agree more granular priorities for improvement and to develop a single delivery plan for acting on these. In Cornwall, partners in the ICS have developed a system-wide dementia strategy that describes a set of ambitions and how each organisation will contribute to meeting them. Elsewhere, other system-wide strategies, such as older people’s strategies, may play a similar role. > ‘We’ve got a really clearly set out plan of action that involves lots of different organisations working together, which I think is really positive. I think if we didn’t have that, we would just continue in a situation where we’ve got piecemeal bits of work happening in different places… But now we’ve got something that’s really robust, that will be properly managed.’ > **Social care commissioner, Cornwall ICS** ### Leadership and governance Having clear arrangements for leadership of system-wide change is essential to make progress. This leadership may come from a dementia programme board with cross-system membership and/or through a designated dementia lead in the ICB. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS is creating a dementia programme board to help enable system-wide discussion and effective decision-making in the future. In Cornwall, interviewees stressed the importance of having a robust system-wide governance structure to oversee the single delivery plan for implementation of the dementia strategy. Interviewees from the Cornwell ICS saw the appointment of a clinical lead for dementia for the ICS in Cornwall as highly impactful. > ‘\[The\] clinical lead for the ICS is really passionate about supporting people with dementia and has given us some really strong leadership \[in terms of\] what the needs of people with dementia are, what her expectations for people with dementia are, and \[how\] to raise the agenda of dementia in Cornwall.’ > **Commissioner, Cornwall ICS** ### Facilitating collaboration and partnership As stressed in the previous sections, improving dementia diagnosis requires effective collaboration between the NHS, local government, VCSE sector organisations and other partners. Many interviewees felt ICSs can play a valuable role by facilitating that collaboration, helping to connect people working in different parts of the system, building mutual understanding and reinforcing ways of working that underpin a culture of collaboration. > ‘Because sometimes there are people out there that you don’t know exist and \[the ICS\] can be that central point to signpost you to different people… they’re that central conduit of knowledge.’ > **Clinician, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS** > > ‘You need someone like a conduit to bring these systems together, because it feels very much like us and them at times and it shouldn’t be that way.’ > **Service manager, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent** Alongside this role as a convener and facilitator, some interviewees said they would like to see the ICB playing a more assertive role in relation to providers, pushing for closer collaboration and improvement where this is not already happening. The direct involvement of senior leaders from provider organisations in ICBs and ICSs is one of the key features that distinguishes these from previous bodies; interviewees saw this as potentially helpful in terms of driving change in those organisations involved in delivering dementia care. > ‘One of the difficulties with dementia is you need an organisation that isn’t one of the providers, but sits between the providers, to ‘bang heads’ together.’ > **Commissioner, North East London ICS** ### Sharing learning and spreading good practice ICSs cover large populations (between 500,000 and three million people) and within a single system there can be considerable variation in terms of the approach taken to dementia diagnosis and care (reflecting the different histories and investment patterns referred to above). One way in which ICSs can add value is to support learning between the local places within their footprint. For example, in North East London the ICS has recently established a dementia improvement network, bringing together professionals from across the seven places that make up the ICS, as well as carers of people living with dementia . Interviewees in this system and elsewhere were clear that the purpose of coming together at ICS level should not be to prescribe standardised service models or pathways for dementia diagnosis – as these can vary for clinically appropriate reasons – but rather to stimulate conversations about what learning could be usefully shared and, where appropriate, to help spread approaches that are working well more widely. > ‘The dementia improvement network \[at the ICS level\] will be a helpful mechanism for sharing best practice and formalising relationships that already exist.’ > **Commissioner, North-East London ICS** ### Using resources differently Part of the rationale for creating ICSs was to make better use of the collective funding and staff available across an ICS. This is particularly relevant for dementia and other conditions where the resources in question are split across multiple organisations in the NHS, local government and VCSE sector. In our research sites, there had not yet been any significant shifts in spending patterns since ICSs took on their statutory form in 2022, but some interviewees did see the ICS as providing a structure that could enable this to happen in future. For example, this could involve ICS partner organisations making a collective strategic choice to shift resources upstream, placing greater emphasis on prevention and early diagnosis of dementia. Pooling resources across organisations can help to underpin a collaborative approach to dementia diagnosis and care. In some sites, the transition to statutory ICSs has caused some disruption to existing joint commissioning arrangements between the NHS and councils. Re-establishing mechanisms for resource pooling will be important as systems mature. ### Supporting action at scale Some of the work that needs to be done to improve dementia diagnosis can potentially be done once (at system level) rather than multiple times (at place level), delivering economies of scale. Similarly, initiatives being led by individual organisations or places may achieve wider impact through ICSs providing leadership or practical support. For example, in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, the ICS had played a role in supporting events promoting public awareness of dementia (described in ‘What does good dementia diagnosis look like’, above). Other interviewees felt ICSs could help to co-ordinate training and education opportunities aimed at GPs and other clinicians, or provide support to make it easier for clinicians to take part in these. ### Tackling health inequalities Reducing health inequalities is one of the four core purposes of ICSs described by NHS England; as such, a key role for ICSs in relation to dementia diagnosis should be to support partner organisations to identify communities (defined by geography or other characteristics) where the diagnosis rate is lower than expected and to improve the accessibility of services to these groups. Improving diagnostic rates in underserved communities needs to involve local engagement to understand the barriers experienced by specific communities. This is often best led at place rather than system level. For example, in North East London, the work on improving dementia diagnosis among underserved communities described above has been led largely at borough level. However, the provision of funding and other forms of support by the ICS can help local work like this to have greater impact. --- ## What needs to happen now? The extent to which ICSs make progress in delivering improvements for people living with dementia can be seen as a litmus test of their ability to fulfil their original purpose – to address system-wide challenges that cannot be solved by one organisation, sector or profession alone. Dementia poses exactly this kind of challenge for the health and care system as well as being a major health concern for the population. Progress so far has been mixed. The two years since ICSs took on their current statutory form have been among the most challenging for health and care services since the NHS was founded. In this context, it is unsurprising that the examples of improvement we looked at in this research tended to have longer roots, pre-dating the formal existence of ICSs. However, the underlying shift towards system working over the past decade has been part of the improvement journey and ICSs are now the vehicle for taking this forward. In the short term, ICSs can play a crucial role by helping local organisations agree shared priorities for dementia and a plan for delivering improvement, and then providing visible cross-system leadership and effective governance for overseeing the delivery of this plan. In the longer term, ICSs need to be systematically building capacity across the system for testing new approaches, learning, and scaling and spreading successful innovations and ways of working. The possibilities regarding dementia diagnosis and care may change significantly over the coming years, and ICSs need to have the infrastructure in place to support ongoing adaptation and improvement as changes occur. To make the most of their potential, ICSs need to be supported and permitted to work differently. Government and NHS England have an important role to play here – ensuring that national accountability and policy helps rather than hinders collaboration and partnership working in local systems. Doing so will give ICSs the best chance of delivering meaningful improvements for people with dementia and other long-term conditions. --- ## Authors **Leila Morris** – Leila joined The King’s Fund in September 2023 as a researcher in the Policy team. She is particularly interested in the social determinants of health and how working with people with lived experience during the research process can improve policy and practice. Previously, Leila worked at IFF Research where she contributed to large-scale evaluations of health programmes and policies, for example, evaluating the process of setting up partnerships between health and welfare organisations, the potential impacts of these joined-up services for patients, and the wider health and justice systems. Before this, Leila was part of the health and social care team at Ipsos MORI, where she worked on patient and public perception and behavioural research. In 2020 Leila completed an MSc in cultural and social anthropology at the University of Amsterdam. **Chris Naylor** – Chris conducts research and policy analysis and acts as a spokesperson for The King’s Fund on a range of topics. He contributes to The King’s Fund’s work on integrated care and health system reform, and has particular interests in mental health and the relationships between community, health and place. He is a coach and an experienced facilitator, and works with leaders in the health system to support practical change. Before joining The King’s Fund in 2007, Chris worked in research teams in a number of organisations including the Institute of Psychiatry and the Public Health Foundation of India in Delhi. He has an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and a BA in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge. **Kate Livesey** **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Diagnosis, Integrated Care, The King's Fund --- ### [European consensus for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/european-consensus-for-the-diagnosis-of-alzheimers/) **Published:** February 15, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** A working group, has defined recommendations for the effective & individualised use of biomarkers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in memory clinics. **Content:** ![EU Flag](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Diagnosis-in-Europe-300x238.jpg "Consensus on Diagnosis") **The recent commercialisation of the first disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer’s disease emphasises the need for consensus recommendations on the rational use of biomarkers to diagnose people with suspected neurocognitive disorders in memory clinics.** Most available recommendations and guidelines are either disease-centred or biomarker-centred. A European multidisciplinary task force consisting of 22 experts from 11 European scientific societies set out to define the first patient-centred diagnostic workflow that aims to prioritise testing for available biomarkers in individuals attending memory clinics. After an extensive literature review, we used a Delphi consensus procedure to identify 11 clinical syndromes, based on clinical history and examination, neuropsychology, blood tests, structural imaging, and, in some cases, EEG. We recommend first-line and, if needed, second-line testing for biomarkers according to the patient’s clinical profile and the results of previous biomarker findings. This diagnostic workflow will promote consistency in the diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders across European countries. --- International societies and associations advocate for the early, timely, and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions,1, 2, 3 and indeed biomarkers are available that will help to achieve this goal.4 The advent of expensive disease modifiers for Alzheimer’s disease will require increasingly accurate diagnosis so that they can be targeted to those who will benefit the most.5, 6 A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be ascertained through either lumbar puncture and measurement of CSF biomarkers (ie, phosphorylated tau \[p-tau\] or total tau \[t-tau\], amyloid Aβ42, and Aβ42**–**to-Aβ40 ratio \[Aβ42/40\]), or amyloid-PET. However, these biomarkers are not always the most informative in individuals attending memory clinics. 2-\[18F\]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (\[18F\]FDG) PET gives information on patterns of cortical hypometabolism that are indicative of neurodegenerative diseases (eg, Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body disease, motor tauopathies). Brain SPECT with \[123I\] N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)nortropane (\[123I\]FP-CIT) reveals impairment of the nigrostriatal pathway, and cardiac \[123I\]-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (\[123I\]MIBG) scintigraphy reveals impairment of the postganglionic sympathetic heart terminals, both of which characterise Lewy body disease. Additionally, EEG can show electrical abnormalities of the cortex in prion diseases, encephalopathies from several causes, Lewy body disease, and late-onset epilepsy. Polysomnography can detect the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder that is common in Lewy body disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Tau-PET with \[18F\]flortaucipir can consistently detect and quantify tauopathy of Alzheimer’s disease.4 Guidelines and recommendations have been developed to help clinicians use diagnostic biomarkers rationally and effectively.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 However, these guidelines are only partly helpful in everyday clinical practice, as most of them are either biomarker-centred7, 8, 15, 16, 17 or disease-centred,9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 22 and do not account for multiple diagnostic options and the availability of multiple biomarkers for sequential or parallel use.18 Those guidelines that do account for these factors either reflect only national expertise,19 or have been developed by non-representative groups of experts.15 As a result, the choice of biomarker is often influenced more by organisational and logistical factors than by clinical and patient-related factors.19, 20 With an aim to overcome these described limitations, delegates from 11 European scientific societies and organisations, and a patient advocacy association (Alzheimer Europe), have united efforts to define a patient-centred biomarker-based diagnostic workflow to be used in memory clinics. Delegates used their own expertise and a review of recent literature to reach consensus on numerous specific questions defined by an independent steering committee. A Delphi voting procedure was followed, from November 2020 to June 2022, to reach consensus. The methodology and theoretical foundations of this exercise have been detailed in a previous paper.24 In the present Personal View, we report the diagnostic workflow. We also describe the six Delphi rounds that generated the workflow in the appendix (pp 2–11). Biomarkers of interest included traditional CSF biomarkers (Aβ42, Aβ42/40, p-tau, and t-tau), \[18F\]FDG PET, amyloid-PET, \[123I\]FP-CIT SPECT, cardiac \[123I\]MIBG scintigraphy, tau-PET with flortaucipir (the only commercially available tau tracer), polysomnography, and resting-state EEG according to the principal diagnostic criteria for neurocognitive diseases and guidelines.24 --- [Read the Paper in Full](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract) **[Article from Alzheimer Europe](https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/news/european-consensus-diagnosis-alzheimers-disease-published-lancet-neurology-working-group?language_content_entity=en)** --- ## European intersocietal recommendations for the biomarker-based diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders - [Prof Giovanni B Frisoni, MD ](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Giovanni B Frisoni, MD ") - [Cristina Festari, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Cristina Festari, PhD ") - [Federico Massa, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Federico Massa, PhD ") - [Matteo Cotta Ramusino, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Matteo Cotta Ramusino, PhD ") - [Stefania Orini, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Stefania Orini, MD ") - [Prof Dag Aarsland, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Dag Aarsland, PhD ") - [Federica Agosta, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Federica Agosta, PhD ") - [Prof Claudio Babiloni, PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-claudio-babiloni/) - [Barbara Borroni, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Barbara Borroni, MD ") - [Prof Stefano F Cappa, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Stefano F Cappa, MD ") - [Kristian S Frederiksen, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Kristian S Frederiksen, PhD ") - [Prof Lutz Froelich, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Lutz Froelich, PhD ") - [Valentina Garibotto, PhD MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Valentina Garibotto, PhD MD ") - [Alexander Haliassos, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Alexander Haliassos, PhD ") - [Prof Frank Jessen, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Frank Jessen, MD ") - [Prof Anita Kamondi, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Anita Kamondi, MD ") - [Prof Roy PC Kessels, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Roy PC Kessels, PhD ") - [Silvia D Morbelli, PhD MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Silvia D Morbelli, PhD MD ") - [Prof John T O’Brien, FRCP](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof John T O'Brien, FRCP ") - [Prof Markus Otto, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Markus Otto, MD ") - [Armand Perret-Liaudet, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Armand Perret-Liaudet, MD ") - [Francesca B Pizzini, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Francesca B Pizzini, MD ") - [Prof Mathieu Vandenbulcke, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Mathieu Vandenbulcke, PhD ") - [Prof Ritva Vanninen, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Ritva Vanninen, MD ") - [Prof Frans Verhey, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Frans Verhey, PhD ") - [Prof Meike W Vernooij](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Meike W Vernooij") - [Prof Tarek Yousry, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Tarek Yousry, MD ") - [Mercè Boada Rovira, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Mercè Boada Rovira, MD ") - [Prof Bruno Dubois, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Bruno Dubois, MD ") - [Jean Georges, BA](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Jean Georges, BA ") - [Prof Oskar Hansson, PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-oskar-hansson-lund-university/) - [Craig W Ritchie, MD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/professor-craig-ritchie-the-university-of-edinburgh/) - [Prof Philip Scheltens, MD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-philip-scheltens-amsterdam-university-medical-centre/) - [Prof Wiesje M van der Flier, PhD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Prof Wiesje M van der Flier, PhD ") - [Flavio Nobili, MD](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00447-7/abstract# "Correspondence information about the author Flavio Nobili, MD ") Published:March, 2024 DOI: **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer Europe, Diagnosis --- ### [Dr Sam Moxon, University of Birmingham](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-moxon/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sam Moxon is a University of Birmingham Research Fellow using biomaterials and 3D bioprinting to model blood vessels and advance dementia research. **Content:** ![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Dr-Sam-Moxon.jpg "Dr Sam Moxon")Dr Sam Moxon #### Name: Dr Sam Moxon #### Job title: Research Fellow #### Place of work / study: [University of Birmingham](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=university-of-birmingham) #### Area of Research: Bioprinting of Blood Vasculature #### How is your work funded? Medical Research Council and the Doctor Donald Dean fund in dementia research. #### **Tell us about your career path to becoming an early career researcher.** Before I even considered science, I thought I wanted to study medicine and was accepted into Durham medical school. One week of work experience in a hospital was all it took to make me realise medicine was not for me. I knew I still had an interest in the medical field but realised I was more intrigued by the development of therapies for diseases rather than their actual diagnoses and treatments. On A level results day I scrambled for a last minute change of career and was accepted to study Medical Genetics at the University of Huddersfield. During a 4 year degree I gained a lot more insight into how the body works on a molecular and cellular level and spent a sandwich year working in vaccine development. After my degree I knew I wanted to pursue a research career and received PhD offers from the University of Liverpool and the University of Huddersfield; accepting the latter. During my PhD I worked on developing new platforms for creating better models of human tissues and diseases *in vitro* by focussing on combining cells with biomaterials and 3D bioprinting. At the end of my PhD it was time to move on to somewhere new and I accepted a post with Prof Nigel Hooper at the University of Manchester. I now apply the same principles developed in my PhD to the generation of 3D “mini brains” from human cells so we can try and pick apart the underlying mechanisms of dementia. #### **What does your research focus on?** My current work is centred around taking human neuronal cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and embedding them within 3D structures that resemble the extracellular matrix in the brain. By doing so we are giving the cells an environment that is more akin to the *in vivo* setting without having to take samples of human tissue. When cultured in such a setting, the cells often present behaviours that are characteristic of those seen in the brains of dementia patients. This allows us to try and pick apart those behaviours and analyse the molecular pathways that underlie them. The hope is that this will one day lead to methods by which dementia-causing diseases such as Alzheimer’s can be diagnosed and halted before any real damage is done to the brain. #### **Do you have any advice for someone looking to embark on a career in dementia research?** My main advice is to constantly speak to people across as many scientific disciplines as possible. Dementia is an extremely complex problem and it will take collaboration across many scientific, clinical and engineering disciplines to create real progress. If you want to succeed in dementia research, you cannot do it alone. #### **What are the best bits about being an ECR?** The ultimate upside to research is the fact you are working on something you are genuinely interested in. Normally, it is an issue that you care about and that gives the work genuine meaning. It is a very rewarding job despite of how challenging it can be. #### **What do you see as the main challenges?** The main challenge is a practical one. Dementia is not a simple problem and you are normally one of the first people to conduct your type of research. You often have to try and figure out stuff for yourself and that can take time but it is ultimately very satisfying when you find solutions. #### What do you write about? I enjoy writing about my research and the latest breakthroughs from other groups as well. I also like to write about the general “state of play” in the field, covering advice on finding that next position to how to deal with negative results. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Over lockdown I have translated my passion for Italian food into becoming an accomplished pasta and pizza chef. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? A lot of biomaterials research focusses on regenerating tissues like bone, cartilage or muscle. I believe this powerful tool is currently under-utilised in dementia research and it has the potential to make a huge difference in the fight against neurodegeneration. #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Follow @DrSamMoxon](https://twitter.com/DrSamMoxon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ### Sam's most recent posts [ ![Blog – Why Some Ideas Never Get a Chance](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Why-Some-Ideas-Never-Get-a-Chance-blog-by-Dr-Sam-Moxon-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-some-ideas-never-get-a-chance/) ###### [Blog – Why Some Ideas Never Get a Chance](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-some-ideas-never-get-a-chance/) [ 06/07/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-some-ideas-never-get-a-chance/) [![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/7-1-150x150.png "Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture") Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/srmoxon/) [ ![Blog – Unexpected Things Dementia Teaches us About Time](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Unexpected-Things-Dementia-Teaches-us-About-Time-blog-by-Dr-Sam-Moxon-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-unexpected-things-dementia-teaches-us-about-time/) ###### [Blog – Unexpected Things Dementia Teaches us About Time](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-unexpected-things-dementia-teaches-us-about-time/) [ 26/05/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-unexpected-things-dementia-teaches-us-about-time/) [![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/7-1-150x150.png "Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture") Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/srmoxon/) [ ![Blog – Am I Ready? Knowing When to Apply for Your First Research Fellowship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Am-I-Ready-Knowing-When-to-Apply-for-Your-First-Research-Fellowship-blog-by-Dr-Sam-Moxon-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/) ###### [Blog – Am I Ready? Knowing When to Apply for Your First Research Fellowship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/) [ 20/04/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/) [![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/7-1-150x150.png "Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture") Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/srmoxon/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** 3D Bio Printing, Dr Sam Moxon, iPSC, Regular Contributor, The University of Manchester, University of Birmingham **Organisations for Bios:** University of Birmingham **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [How to get the most out of an informational interview](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-an-informational-interview/) **Published:** August 20, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Informal meetings can help you to explore new career opportunities, but there is a knack to getting them right. Shared from Nature Careers **Content:** ![Illustration of a man in a beige suit reading a yellow folder beside a potted plant, with the Nature Careers logo and the title about informational interviews.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/How-to-get-the-most-out-of-an-informational-interview-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.jpg "How to get the most out of an informational interview - Nature 680 x 520 px")These informal meetings can help you to explore new career opportunities, but there is a knack to getting them right. **Informational interviews are informal opportunities to share or seek information. These chats can cover all sorts of topics, from switching disciplines or moving countries to potential job openings and collaborations. Most importantly, they are the mechanism that makes [networking — the building of mutually beneficial working relationships](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-to-network-and-advice-for-making-the-first-move/) — so powerful.** When you chat to s[someone who could later become your supervisor, employer or collaborator](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-supervision-vs-mentorship/), you gain insights into what is driving the field and which pain points exist. As the other party shares challenges that they’ve encountered, you can articulate how your expertise, skills and knowledge might help them to overcome these roadblocks. What’s invaluable about these conversations is that they also provide a full, multidimensional picture of your personality and what it’s like to work with you that cannot be articulated through social-media profiles and job applications. After all, as the conversation unfolds, both of you are demonstrating how you identify and solve problems, your collegiality and, perhaps most interestingly, the chemistry that you have with one another. Once that connection is established, it creates a trust and a bond, and the other person might even come to see you as someone who can add value to their work or team. Although an informational interview is usually a privilege that someone has granted you to provide insight into a career path, the best interviewers will do what they can to make it a two-way networking opportunity, during which your positivity and collaborative nature can be experienced at first hand. The ultimate goal is for you both to find new career and research opportunities that can be explored together, now or in the future. You might feel awkward and weird when you begin engaging in these chats but, as I tell my career-coaching clients, and explain in my book *Create Your Unicorn Career*, the more informational interviews you do, the less uncomfortable they will feel — and the better you will get at building meaningful relationships. ## How to land an informational interview Before you can talk to a leader, you first have to identify who you want to talk to. You might do this by reviewing the membership directory of a professional society, as well as its board of directors, committee chairs and staff lists. Similarly, [conference apps and programmes allow you to pick out speakers, poster presenters, exhibitors and attendees](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-an-introverts-survival-guide-to-conferences/). Publications can be used to identify authors, as well as people who are quoted or cited. Unsurprisingly, [social media, especially LinkedIn, is another useful tool](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-to-build-your-academic-network/). I call any channel that brings like-minded parties together a networking node. These nodes provide a long list of people with whom you can network, as well as high-quality leads, such as people with whom you have something in common. After establishing your nodes, keep in mind that [most of your networking will take place not in person, but by virtual means](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/building-a-network-when-youre-the-only-dementia-researcher/). This might mean finding someone online, e-mailing them to ask for the conversation and using a Zoom or WhatsApp call to conduct the interview. In *Create Your Unicorn Career*, I provide a template of the first correspondence you should send to organize an informational interview. Here are a few things to include: - Introduce yourself, your educational background and your current role (such as pursuing your PhD). - Mention how you found them and reference something about their CV or qualifications. - Ask for only 15 minutes, and stick to it! You don’t want them to think that the conversation will be time-intensive. - Refer to the meeting as ‘informal’. You are setting the expectation that this is an opportunity to chat and get to know each other, rather than a formal interview. - Make it incredibly easy for them to book a meeting with you. Give them a few date and time options in their time zone (or even a calendar booking link). The key here is to encourage them to meet with you; it is not enough just to message them directly. The goal is to book that discussion, because that is where the magic will happen, your mutual chemistry will be explored and they will get a more comprehensive sense of your abilities and personality. Don’t forget to express an interest in helping in some way, such as sharing laboratory techniques that have worked well for you. You want them to know that you aren’t just looking to get something out of them. Although you might not be fully clear what you, as an early-career researcher, can provide to an established leader, the genuine act of offering will be incredibly well received and set the stage for exploring what you could contribute. It could even be as simple as introducing them to someone in your network. ## What do you say? An informational interview shouldn’t feel like a job interview; instead, think of it as an exchange that allows you to learn about each other. Because it is informal, share information about yourself as you ask questions of the other person. This isn’t bragging — it’s smart conversation that initiates opportunities for everyone. For example, you could say: “I am curious about what experiences you had beyond the lab during your postdoctoral studies that set you up for success? I write a Substack on science communication and I was wondering how this might help me in pursuing a career in this area.” An important tip: tailor the conversation using information that you have gleaned from their CV or LinkedIn profile. If you have anything in common (perhaps you attended the same university), say so. If you see that they mentored undergraduates, ask them about that learning experience. In *Create Your Unicorn Career*, I have a long list of questions that are useful in informational interviews. Here are a few of my favourites, with explanations as to why they work: - “What is the best part of your job?” This gets them talking about something that brings them joy and reminds them why they pursued this discipline. - “How did you find your way into this career, subfield or institution?” This helps you to understand the routes that you might have to take. - “What are some of the interesting challenges that you are working on?” This shows your natural curiosity and provides clues as to how you might be able to help them overcome obstacles. - “How has your job/field/organization changed in the past few years?” This illuminates outside pressures that you want to be aware of before launching a career. - “What conferences, associations and publications are important in this field?” This enables you to understand the network and resources that are crucial to career growth. - “What experiences, knowledge areas and leadership capabilities have helped you to progress?” This outlines a road map to acquiring coveted skills beyond the lab. ## Ask for what you want When you ask for help in an informational interview, it sends the message that you are being honest about your motivations. And make no mistake — this type of networking works because it serves both people. However, don’t ask for a job or something similarly specific. That suggests that you view the meeting as a transactional one-off as opposed to the dawn of a collaborative relationship and career connection. So, how should you communicate requests? The key is in the delicate balance of delivery and timing — ensure that the other person comprehends that your key interest is to gain information that will allow you to grow. Here are some of my favourite ways to articulate a request. You will typically ask these questions towards the end of the first conversation: - • “If I wanted to join your organization/industry/sector, what should be my first steps?” or “How can I position myself for success here?” These questions elicit specific tips that can be used to advance your career. They also plant the seed that you might be interested in seeking employment at their organization, fuelling the idea of you working together in the future. - • “Is there anyone in your organization/department/field that you would feel comfortable introducing me to?” This is one of the most important questions, because it allows you to grow your network immediately. From the other party’s point of view, you are legitimately aiming to get to know their community. And the beauty of this question’s structure is that it is incredibly respectful. You are not demanding that they give you a referral — rather, you are respecting their boundaries and giving them permission to decline without any concern for hurt feelings. - • “How can we collaborate?” Don’t be shy! If you see alignment between your interests, skills and personalities, say so. When you ask to serve, you uncover hidden career opportunities. ## Always add value Don’t forget to consider what you can provide and then offer to assist. Even if you are unsure of what value you can add at the moment, the act of conveying that you have their interests in mind goes a long way to solidifying the mutually beneficial nature of the partnership. I almost always suggest wrapping up informational interviews with prompts such as: - “Is there anyone in my network that I can introduce you to?” - “How can I help you?” - “What can I do to support your efforts?” ## End with a call to action Given that you are aiming to cultivate a relationship over time and not just have a one-and-done dialogue, [always end with an action item that ensures that the momentum doesn’t fizzle out](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ghosted-how-to-move-a-collaborator-stops-responding/). An easy one is to suggest a follow-up meeting in the next few weeks or months to continue the conversation. You also have several immediate items on your to-do list — sending a thank-you e-mail, adding a reminder if something specific is requested (they might ask you to send them your new *Nature* paper, or your CV when you finish your postdoctoral fellowship), and creating a calendar entry to engage again in the future. This last task can be tied to a milestone date when there is a natural reason to reach out, such as a conference that you are both going to. Around one month before, you can e-mail them, enquire if they will be attending and suggest that you meet for lunch while you’re both in the same city. Remember: the informational interview is just a single conversation in what will hopefully be a long-term association. It sets the tone for the relationship and can even blossom into a friendship. When you network with honour and authenticity, everyone wins. --- *This article is shared from Nature Careers, for the original and more great content visit doi: * **Categories:** Careers, Partner Blogs **Tags:** Alaina Levine, Cold Emails, Interview, Job Interviews, Nature Careers, Networking **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs, Undergraduates --- ### [Profile - Dr Sam Washer, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-washer-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** August 19, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sam Washer is an ARUK-funded Oxford researcher using CRISPR, cell models and AI to study microglia and develop new dementia treatments. **Content:** ![Dr Sam Washer Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Dr-Sam-Washer.jpg "Dr Sam Washer")Dr Sam Washer #### **Name:** Dr Sam Washer #### **Job Title:** Postdoctoral Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford #### **Area of Research:** Functional (Epi)Genetics, cell modelling, and [CRISPR](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/crispr-gene-editing-creates-new-treatment-possibilities/) screening. #### How is your research funded: Alzheimer’s Research UK #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** During my undergraduate (and A level studies) I took a particular interest in genetics and neuroscience, specifically functional genetics, and how genes link to cellular function and can result in disease. As a result, I studied for my undergraduate in Medical Sciences at the University of Exeter, specializing in genomics, bioinformatics, and neuroscience. During this time, I undertook a placement year at Newcastle University where I was using the new technology (at the time) CRISPR, to edit zebrafish to understand cardiac development. This placement cemented my interest in the power of genetic editing to understand the fundamentals of biology and an insight into the potential therapeutic use of these techniques. Upon my return to Exeter I completed my studies and stayed in the city, undertaking a PhD with Dr Emma Dempster and Prof. Jonathan Mill in the complex disease epigenetics group. My work involved developing methods for functional validation of Schizophrenia risk genetic and epigenetic risk loci using novel genetic and epigenetic editing techniques in cellular models. Following my PhD I moved to the University of Oxford to work on a collaborative project with the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Open Targets. There I developed a novel assay for measuring phagocytosis of dead neurons and implemented CRISPR screens for microglia function in Alzheimer’s Disease. While in Oxford I worked with Dr Sally Cowley at the James and Lillian Martin Centre for Stem Cell Research, developing novel methods of generating microglia from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), and novel cellular assays for examining microglial function. I then moved to the lab of Prof. Daniel Ebner at the Target Discovery Institute where I undertook pooled CRISPR screens for microglial function. I then moved to the Cellular Gene Editing Research and Development team headed by Dr Andrew Bassett at Wellcome Sanger Institute. Here I validated my CRISPR screen findings using arrayed CRISPR screening, high content microscopy, and the newest cutting-edge technologies in genomics and genetic engineering. After this post-doc I returned to the lab of Daniel Ebner in Oxford to undertake my ARUK Research Fellowship developing further CRISPR screens in Alzheimer’s Disease pathologies. My Fellowship explores microglial motility and migration by utilizing live-cell microscopy and cutting-edge machine learning/artificial intelligence models. Working in conjunction with the Oxford Drug Discovery Institute I aim to take my findings and translate these into next generation therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I moonlight at a semi-professional musician! I play the tenor saxophone and can usually be found playing gigs in and around Cambridge and Oxford, either at pubs, weddings, or the odd College ball. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia research? When I was studying for my A levels I took a part time job at a nursing home back in Somerset which specialized in dementia care. I used to run activities and games for the residents to try and keep them active and to give them some fun. This job still has a fond place in my heart as it was my first experience of people living with dementia and other psychiatric disorders, and I think this is what stemmed my interest in neuroscience. I kept this job up until I was 18, when I moved onto personal care as a health care assistant within the same home. This gave me the insight of the disease itself and the difficulties which the people, and also their families, go through in their every day lives. Something which interested me is that within the home two residents could present with different forms of dementia (be that Alzheimer’s or Dementia with Lewy Bodies) and have similar but subtlety different presentations. During one summer I can distinctly remember a son of one of the residents developing dementia in real time, this honed in to me the speed at which the disease works, and how we should be doing everything we can to stop this from happening. I stayed working at the nursing home every Christmas and Summer until I finished my undergraduate degree. The work was incredibly hard but also rewarding, and I strongly believe that the care sector in the UK deserves more funding. I worked with some of the best people who would go above and beyond to care for these individuals 24/7, 365 days of the year, and they deserved more recognition. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Failure is a big part of science. You’re working at the forefront of science, you’re writing the textbooks for the next generation, nobody knows what you’ll find that’s the point of doing research and that’s what keeps it exciting! Also some advice I was given for when you think research is too hard; if it was easy, everybody would be doing it. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth](https://www.kateraworth.com/), not sciency at all but incredibly interesting on how we should be changing our economic model to live within the “Doughnut”, you don’t need any economics background either so thoroughly recommend it! #### Can we find you on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn? [Follow @SamWasher2](https://twitter.com/SamWasher2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Sam Washer on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-washer-38b064a7/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** CRISPR, Dr Sam Washer, Epidemiology, Epigenetics, Epigenomics, Gene Editing, University of Oxford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Epigenetics --- ### [Alzheimer's Research UK Network Funding Call: Questions Answered](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/aruk-network-funding-call-questions-answered/) **Published:** August 12, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Jacqui Hanley explains Alzheimer's Research UK's new research network funding call, what replaces the Network Centres, and how to apply before 1 September. **Content:** Alzheimer’s Research UK is changing how it funds research networks, and expressions of interest close on 1 September. That leaves about two and a half weeks, so we asked **Dr Jackie Hanley**, Head of Research Funding at Alzheimer’s Research UK, to join us live, explain what is changing, and take questions from the community. The Network Centres started in 1998. Twelve centres, a hub and spoke model, nearly three decades of pump priming grants, travel awards, PPIE and EDI activity, and a great deal of early career support. Most people watching will have benefited from them in some way, and you can get a sense of what they delivered in our recording of [talks from the ARUK Northern Networks Meeting](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/talks-from-alzheimers-research-uk-northern-networks-meeting/). But researchers inside and outside the centres had been telling ARUK the same thing: the structure that once enabled collaboration had started to limit it. Small sums were difficult to move between institutions, every centre was running similar activities in parallel, and geography was quietly deciding who could work with whom. ## What the new model funds The replacement funds networks rather than centres. A network here means a researcher led community built around a shared theme, focus or scientific area. It might be a disease area, a technique, a capability, or an aspect of research culture. Geography can still be the theme if that makes sense, but it is no longer the boundary. Networks must be led from the UK, can include international collaborators, and need a leadership team with named PPIE and EDI leads. If you are pulling a leadership team together from scratch, our guests have plenty to say about [how good researchers actually build their networks](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-scientists-whove-cracked-professional-networking/). Grants run for up to five years, and shorter applications are welcome if that suits where your collaboration is. The indicative figure is up to £200,000 a year, and Jackie was clear that this is guidance for budgeting rather than a ceiling, so a well justified case for more can be made. Funds cover activities and events, [travel to support them](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-value-of-academic-travel-and-face-to-face-networking/), infrastructure the network needs, and salary costs including an administrator. It does not fund research itself. ## The part worth reading twice [Travel grants, pump priming grants and equipment grants](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-every-penny-counts-small-grant-applications/) come out of the networks entirely and will be administered centrally by Alzheimer’s Research UK. That budget sits separately, so it does not come out of your £200,000. Jackie promised a streamlined process with money reaching people quickly, opportunities throughout the year rather than one annual window, and a commitment to keep the [early career review and committee experience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-peer-reviewing-grant-applications/) that the centres were good at providing. With [application volumes rising everywhere](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/my-funding-applications-are-taking-up-too-much-time/), she was asked directly whether ARUK can absorb that workload, and pointed to proportionate review as the answer. ## How to apply Applications run in two stages. The expression of interest is light touch and asks for the theme, the rationale, the connections it would create, the proposed activity and impact, and the leadership team. Partners do not need to be confirmed at this point, public co-applicants are not required though they are welcomed, and detailed budgets can wait for the full application. Successful EOIs will be invited to submit in full, with outcomes expected late September into October and funding anticipated early in 2027, though Jackie was careful not to promise January. If you have not written this kind of application before, start with our [12 top tips for writing a grant application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/12-top-tips-for-writing-a-grant-application/) and this blog on [building a successful grant application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-building-a-successful-grant-application/). Two answers stood out. First, if you already run a successful network, apply. Jackie’s words were not to be put off by having succeeded in the current model. Second, the two stage process exists partly so that five separate applications for something like a biomarkers network can be looked at together and, where appropriate, brought together rather than simply rejected. A few things were left open. Whether academic leadership time can be costed, what the full application form looks like, how success will ultimately be measured, and how existing network members and data will transition all need confirming. On the named leads, Jackie pointed people towards existing good practice rather than starting from nothing, so our resources on [practical approaches to patient and public involvement](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/practical-approaches-to-patient-public-involvement-in-research/) and [building accessible and inclusive research environments](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-building-accessible-inclusive-research-environments/) are a reasonable place to start. She also hinted more than once at an announcement to come about connecting the networks to each other under a wider “one connected community” ambition, so watch for that. If you have an idea but not yet a team, get in touch with us at Dementia Researcher and we will try to connect you with others thinking along similar lines. There is not much time, but the EOI stage is deliberately light, and this is expected to be the first of several calls rather than the only chance. ## Five things to do next 1. 1Read the guidance and download the EOI form at [alzheimersresearchuk.org/grants](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/grants). 2. 2Start your institutional approval process now, since some universities treat an EOI like a full application. 3. 3Email with anything specific to your circumstances. Jackie repeatedly invited direct conversations. 4. 4Sound out potential collaborators this week, even informally, because the EOI only asks where those conversations have got to. 5. 5Get your EOI submitted before 1 September. ## Frequently asked questions Answers taken from the session. Where Jackie flagged something as still to be confirmed, we have said so. What is replacing the Alzheimer’s Research UK Network Centres?Funding for researcher led networks built around a shared theme, focus or scientific area rather than a geographical hub and spoke. Networks are led from the UK, can include international collaborators, and set their own activities. How much can a network apply for?Up to £200,000 a year is the indicative figure. Jackie Hanley was clear this is guidance to help with budgeting rather than a hard cap, so applications above it are possible where the activities justify it. Final budgets are confirmed at the end of the review process. How long do the grants run?Up to five years. Shorter applications are welcome. Newer collaborations might ask for two years to establish themselves, while established networks might need the full five. What can the funding be spent on?Network activities and events, travel to support those activities, the infrastructure the network needs, and salary costs including an administrator. It does not fund research directly. Do pump priming and travel grants come out of the £200,000?No. Development grants, including travel, pump priming and equipment, will be administered centrally by Alzheimer’s Research UK from a separate budget. Researchers apply to ARUK directly rather than through their network. Will the review process for pump priming grants be slow?Jackie gave a clear commitment that it will not be a lengthy application with a six month wait. The intention is a streamlined process, quick payment, and opportunities running throughout the year rather than a single annual window. When is the deadline?Expressions of interest close on 1 September 2026. The date was moved back to sit after the August bank holiday. Outcomes and invitations to full application are expected late September into October, with funding anticipated early in 2027. Do partners and co-applicants need to be confirmed at the EOI stage?No. The EOI asks who you have approached and where those conversations have got to. Public co-applicants are not required, though public contributors are welcomed. Things need firming up as the full application progresses. Can the budget be split across institutions?Yes. Detailed breakdowns are not needed at EOI, just an indicative amount and any obvious splits. Full justification comes at the full application stage, and money can be moved during the award through normal post award management. We already run a successful network. Should we apply?Yes. Jackie’s advice was not to be put off by having succeeded in the current model. Describe that success and its impact when you write about your theme and leadership team. What if several groups apply for a network on the same theme?The two stage process is designed to catch this. ARUK will look across the EOIs and consider whether similar proposals should be brought together, or whether they are genuinely distinct and complementary. Overlap will not automatically mean rejection. Will there be more calls after this one?More calls are anticipated. Jackie described this as the first rather than the only opportunity, with future rounds likely as gaps emerge and new collaborations mature. Who do I contact with questions?Email . Jackie repeatedly encouraged people to get in touch with specific circumstances, particularly around contracts, timings and institutional approvals. Looking for collaborators? If you have an idea for a network but no team yet, drop us a line. We have spent eight years building community across dementia research and we are happy to make introductions or talk an idea through before you write your EOI. Key details and deadlines EOI deadline1 September 2026Award sizeUp to £200,000 a year (indicative, not a hard cap)DurationUp to five years, shorter applications welcomeProcessTwo stage: expression of interest, then full applicationGuidance[alzheimersresearchuk.org/grants](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/grants)Questions to --- **Categories:** Funding **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK Resources, Funding --- ### [Might AI Help Sharpen Dementia Diagnosis?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/might-ai-help-sharpen-dementia-diagnosis/) **Published:** August 13, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Could AI sharpen dementia diagnosis? Research presented at AAIC shows how medical records might help GPs identify who needs specialist testing. **Content:** **![Alz Forum - Might AI Help Sharpen Dementia Diagnosis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Alz-Forum-Might-AI-Help-Sharpen-Dementia-Diagnosis-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Alz Forum - Might AI Help Sharpen Dementia Diagnosis 680 x 520 px")When a person arrives at their doctor’s office having trouble thinking clearly or remembering things, one or a combination of several neurodegenerative diseases could be to blame. At this year’s [AAIC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/aaic-2026-london-podcast-conference-highlights/), held July 12–15 in London, Daisuke Ono, working in Dennis Dickson’s lab at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, presented an AI model that might help point clinicians to the correct diagnosis. Using medical records from people who had undergone autopsy, the model achieved an AUC around 0.95 for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple system atrophy; for Alzheimer’s, it was 0.83. The AI might eventually help primary care physicians identify people to refer for further testing.** - AI compared medical records with autopsy data to develop prediction models. - The best-performing model posted an AUC of 0.83 for Alzheimer’s disease - Scientists are developing an iPad app for use in primary care. In primary and secondary care, [biomarker tests](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/clinical-practice-guideline-for-blood-based-biomarker-tests/), such as PET scans or immunoassays of blood or CSF, have proved invaluable for helping clinicians distinguish among different causes of cognitive dysfunction, but they can be costly, time-consuming, and are not available in every clinic. Previously, scientists led by **Nima Aghaeepour** and **Thomas Montine** at Stanford University in California developed an AI model to predict specific neuropathologies from longitudinal clinical data, such as cognitive test scores and symptoms, collected in research cohorts contributing to the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) database ([Phongpreecha et al., 2023](https://www.alzforum.org/papers/prediction-neuropathologic-lesions-clinical-data)). Ono and colleagues developed a similar model but based on routine medical records. The records came from people who had died with a neurodegenerative disease confirmed by autopsy. While alive, they had developed cognitive dysfunction—such as memory problems, changes in behavior or personality, and speech and language difficulties. Ono included people whose cognitive issues were their first symptom or who had initially developed other symptoms, such as hallucinations, REM sleep behavior disorder, or motor symptoms, and then developed cognitive problems within three years. Their final cohort, of 2,785 people, included 870 people who had had Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 538 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), 506 with AD plus [Lewy body disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-alzheimers-to-lewy-body-disease-expanding-our-research-horizons/) (LBD), 194 with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), 178 with corticobasal degeneration (CBD), 164 with LBD, 121 with PSP plus AD, 118 with multiple system atrophy (MSA), and 96 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Ono then tweaked ChatGPT-4 to comb through clinical notes in their health records and pick out 197 neurological symptoms. Then, using age at onset of cognitive dysfunction, along with when each symptom first occurred, sex, and family history, Ono trained six machine-learning models—CatBoost, LightGBM, XGBoost, Random Forest, a multilayer perceptron (MLP), and a stacked ensemble—to learn which clinical patterns corresponded to each diagnosis. These models differ in how they learn patterns from data: Some build and combine decision trees, while others use neural networks. To see how each model stacked up, Ono used fivefold cross-validation, training each model on 80 percent of the cases and testing it on the remaining 20 percent until every case had served as a test case. He first did this using clinical data available through one year after the onset of cognitive dysfunction, then repeated the process, adding progressively more data from the following years. CatBoost performed the best, with an overall AUC of 0.77 across all disease diagnoses using data up to one year after the onset of cognitive symptoms. With two additional years of clinical data, that climbed to 0.82. It found some diseases easier to identify than others. For ALS, MSA, and PSP, AUCs were 0.96, 0.95, and 0.88, respectively. For AD alone, the AUC was 0.83. Mixed pathologies proved more challenging. AUCs for LBD-AD and PSP-AD were 0.74 and 0.73, respectively. Looking at which features the model weighed most heavily revealed that disorientation and memory loss, as well as the absence of swallowing difficulties, slurred speech, and other parkinsonian features, steered it toward and AD diagnosis. Male sex, tremor, and hallucinations were among the strongest indicators for LBD. The next step, Ono told the audience, is to develop an iPad-based application where someone concerned about their health, or a caregiver, could enter their clinical symptoms. Their primary care physician would then receive a notification listing the probabilities of different diagnoses and could order follow-up blood tests or PET scans. “I think it’s in the near future,” he said.—George Heaton --- Find this and more great content on Alz Forum – **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** AAIC26, AI, Alz Forum, Artificial Intelligence, Diagnosis --- ### [Blog - GCP Training: Do We Really Need Regular Refreshers?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-gcp-training-do-we-really-need-regular-refreshers/) **Published:** August 13, 2026 **Author:** Dr Emma Law **Excerpt:** Dr Emma Law does her GCP update every two years and wondered why. She traces the rules back to 1947, and shares what changed in her latest refresher **Content:** --- **This blog explains why Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Training is so important, what went wrong in the past and why this matters for people living with dementia and other neuroprogressive conditions today.** In my role as strategic manager with both [**ENRICH Scotland**](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-in-scotland/facilities/enrich) and the [**Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network (NDN),**](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas/dementia-and-neurodegenerative-disease) I still require to have GCP updates on a two yearly basis. **This is something which I can’t say I look forward to** and wonder if I really need to do this – so I decided to look into why this is necessary, a bit more deeply. We all appreciate that when people take part in research—whether that’s [a clinical trial for a new dementia treatment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/clinical-trials-toolkit/) or helping us understand how conditions progress—they are doing something incredibly important. Unfortunately, history has shown that research can go badly wrong if it is not done ethically and carefully. That is why we now have **GCP**, which is **a set of rules designed to protect people, especially those who may be vulnerable**. In simple terms, **GCP** is [a set of international standards that make sure research is safe, ethical, respectful and trustworthy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/updated-uk-hra-good-clinical-practice-guideline/). It ensures that people understand what they are agreeing to, risks are carefully managed, participants are treated with dignity and the results of research are reliable. For us as researchers and clinicians, **GCP training** and ongoing updates are how we learn to do this properly. ### Why does GCP training matter for people with dementia? People with dementia or neuroprogressive conditions may find it harder to process complex information, rely on carers or family for support and may be more vulnerable to pressure or misunderstanding. Because of this we have to take extra care to communicate slowly and clearly, check the person’s understanding of what is being asked of them, **respect their choices even when it means they decide to not go ahead in the research offered** and involve carers, nearest relatives or even welfare guardians where appropriate. GCP training helps us to do all of this in a structured, consistent way. ### Where the rules came from Modern research rules did not appear overnight. They were created because of serious failures—some of the worst during World War II. During the 1930s and 1940s, doctors working under Nazi rule carried out **cruel and dangerous experiments** on prisoners without their consent. People were forced into studies and exposed to extreme conditions, disease and harm. These prisoners were treated as objects rather than human beings. **There was no choice, protection or rules and no respect for life or dignity**. These events showed what can happen when science is allowed to override basic human rights. The key lessons from the failures are that the world recognised several fundamental problems. 1. People must be able to choose: No-one should ever be forced into research and [today, we call this Informed Consent](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-consenting-research-participants/). 2. Peoples’ wellbeing must come first: Research should never deliberately harm people or ignore their suffering. 3. Vulnerable groups need extra protection: people who are ill, disabled or dependent on others must be safeguarded. 4. There must be clear rules and oversight: at the time there were no global standards – researchers could act without accountability. After these horrific events, [the **Nuremberg Code (1947)**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_Code) was created. It set out essential rules, including: Consent must be voluntary, research must minimise harm, participants can withdraw at any time. Over time, these ideas developed into modern systems like GCP. ### What GCP training covers today Our modern version of GCP training ensures that lessons from the past are not forgotten. It teaches us how to put people first, not the study; explain research clearly and honestly; respect participants’ wishes at all times; [monitor safety and respond quickly to concerns](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-we-ensure-safety-in-dementia-drug-trials/); keep data accurate and trustworthy. It also helps build **public trust** so people feel confident taking part in research. For research in dementia or any of the Neuroprogressive conditions and for [people living within a care home](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/enrich-scotland-conference-talks/) research GCP has real, practical benefits such as: - **Clear communication.** Information is presented in ways that are easier to understand. - **Respect for changing capacity.** If someone’s ability to consent changes, their wishes are continually reviewed. - **Involvement of carers and families.** Support networks are recognised as part of ethical decision-making. - **Ongoing consent.** It’s not just a one-off signature—people can leave a study at any time. - **Focus on dignity and quality of life.** Research is designed to minimise distress and maximise benefit. GCP exists because history showed us what can happen when research is done without ethics. Today, thanks to these lessons: - People are protected - Rights are respected - Research is safer and more meaningful For the dementia and neuroprogressive community, this is especially important. Taking part in research should always feel like a choice—and a positive contribution—not something that puts your safety or dignity at risk. ### What changed in my latest GCP training update Back to why bother with GCP updates here are some of the things I learned on my latest update. There has been a change in terminology: - Subjects become participants - Trial site becomes trial location - Essential documents become essential records - Amendment becomes a modification Source data documents have been updated to reflect the digital world we live in and we can now include all of the data detailed below: - Participant Health records - Data entered by participants - Imaging data and scan reports - Lab test results - Digital data from wearables or sensors - Participant questionnaires - Record of drug administration - Real world data – data collected from health care sources outwith the study. And where data can be compromised: - Sample integrity – Sample collection SOPs – all staff to know what they are - Incorrect labelling – Using handwritten details rather than barcode - Not having a record of time of collection - Deviation from shipping temperature instructions - Failure to log chain of custody information - PI is responsible for all data collected but it is the team’s individual responsibility for delegated duties And this acronym helps to remember some of the important points with all data sources wherever they come from: ALCOA+ Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, Accurate plus complete, secure and reliable So back to my original question – Do we really need this training including the updates? A resounding Yes: - **Because real people are involved, not just spreadsheets.** GCP helps keep participants safe and ensures the data actually means something. - **Because trials have changed a lot.** We’ve moved from paper-based, clinic-only studies to remote monitoring, wearables, and people taking part from home. - **Because new technology brings new risks.** We now need clear guidance on who is responsible for remote data and how it’s managed. - **Because ‘good enough’ data isn’t good enough.** Updates help ensure results are reliable, meaningful, and built on quality from the start. - **Because research keeps moving.** Guidance needs to keep pace with innovation so new treatments can reach people efficiently. - **And because your old training is out of date.** New expectations and responsibilities mean refreshers are genuinely needed. So are training and updates necessary? Absolutely. They help protect participants, improve research, and maintain trust. Next time someone asks if you’ve done your GCP or your refresher, show them your certificate and smile! --- ![Dr Emma Law Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dr-Emma-Law.jpg "Dr Emma Law")Dr Emma Law #### Author [**Dr Emma Law** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-law-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/)is Strategic Manager for the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network in Scotland. Emma has 13 years experience as a Clinical Trials Network Manager and over 35 years experience as a Nurse, many of which were spent in the delivery of Clinical Research Trials. Emma completed her PhD and is passionate about giving people living with dementia and their carers access to participate in research. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Clinical Research, Dr Emma Law, Drug Trials, GCP Training, Good Clinical Practice Training, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, Trial Delivery **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher, PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Survey: How Hot Weather Affects Research in the UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/feeling-the-heat-hot-weather-research-survey/) **Published:** August 17, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Take part in a new UCL survey on how hot weather affects research in the UK. Anonymous, 8 to 15 minutes, open to all career stages until late September. **Content:** ![Cover graphic for a survey on how hot weather affects research activities in UK labs and institutions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Feeling-the-heat-new-survey-on-how-hot-weather-affects-research-300x229.png "Feeling the heat new survey on how hot weather affects research") Hot weather is no longer an occasional British novelty. Labs overheat, freezers and imaging equipment fail, animal facilities need extra management, participants cancel appointments, and writing anything sensible in a stuffy office becomes a struggle. Most people in research have a heatwave story, and we have covered plenty of ground on what rising temperatures mean for people living with dementia, from the [climate crisis & brain health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-its-getting-too-hot-in-here-the-climate-crisis-brain-health/) to [how climate change affects brain health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-climate-change-and-the-brain/) and the evidence on [global warming and the human brain](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-climate-change-could-be-affecting-your-brain/). What the sector does not have is data on what hot weather does to the research itself. [Simonas Griesius](https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/87820-simonas-griesius), a postdoctoral researcher at UCL working mainly in wet-lab neuroscience, is running a survey to fill that gap. **Feeling the Heat: impact of hot weather on research activities in the United Kingdom** is open now and takes about 8 to 15 minutes to complete. ## What the survey covers Four areas in particular: - Human participant issues - Equipment failures, the sort that turn into [experiments that went wrong](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-twelve-research-fails-of-christmas-%f0%9f%92%a5%f0%9f%a7%aa/) - Staff productivity, and the [boundaries, wellbeing and work-life balance](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-rethinking-balance-in-research/) that go with it - Animal welfare, which matters given how much preclinical work depends on [animal models in dementia research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/has-a-reliance-on-animal-models-delayed-progress-in-dementia-research/) ## Who should take part Anyone working in UK research, at any career stage, at any UK research institution, in any subject. PhD students, technicians, research nurses, postdoctoral researchers, group leaders, facility managers and professional services staff are all welcome. Responses from dementia and neurodegeneration researchers would be particularly useful, given how much of the work relies on animal facilities, cold chain storage, imaging suites and in-person visits from participants and their carers. It is a fully anonymous survey. ## Why it matters Nobody has a clear picture of how much hot weather affects research across UK research institutions, which makes it hard to plan, budget, or build sensible contingency into protocols. Better data gives people something to point at when asking for air conditioning, backup cooling, or flexible working during a heatwave. ## Take part The survey runs until at least late September 2026, so there is time to complete it after the summer break. Please pass it on to colleagues, technicians and students in your department. The more responses, the better the picture of how hot weather affects research across the UK. 👉 [Take the survey: Feeling the Heat](https://qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_b94yAqupbQmnoZo) **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** Animal Care, Climate Change, Research Culture, Survey, UCL Neuroscience, Wellbeing --- ### [Blog - The PhD Comfort Zone](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-phd-comfort-zone/) **Published:** August 18, 2026 **Author:** Harriet Greene **Excerpt:** Harriet Greene was comfortable in her Oxford lab, so she spent 3 weeks in a Spanish one instead, this is her blog on why the PhD comfort zone is worth leaving. **Content:** --- **I have now been in Oxford working on my PhD for 18 months, a year and a half. [I am well into my second year](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-i-found-my-way-into-dementia-research/), and the word thesis has been thrown around a couple of times, which is terrifying. I start each day with my 30-minute walk to work and reward myself with a cappuccino from my favourite coffee stand outside the lab. I comfortably run my experiments mostly independently, spend some time teaching, plan more experiments, write up my progress, and apart from a stressful day here and there, I am really happy! I love my PhD project. I struggled with the learning curve at times in my first year, and now I feel like everything is coming together.** However, the last few months have quite literally flown past me. As a scientist, I am aware that this is the phenomenon of neural repetition suppression, modulating my time perception. I am happy, I am in a routine, I am comfortable, and as a result, my brain is mostly on autopilot. My first year feels 10 times longer, as my neurons were working extremely hard to assimilate all the new information. Now that I have climbed that steep learning curve, my neurons appear to be a bit lazier. **I am deep in my PhD comfort zone**. Enter the FENS forum 2026, I read about the Early-Career Training Programme, an opportunity for students from around the world to [undertake an internship at a host lab in Spain or Portugal](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-a-guide-to-moving-abroad-as-a-phd-student/) for 2/3 weeks preceding the FENS conference. This excellent scheme provides short and focused research projects and provides training and networking opportunities for career progression. Most importantly for me, it provided the opportunity to see how another lab operates. My lab is brilliant, and I feel very lucky to be there, but [there is something to be said for experiencing a different work environment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-visiting-other-research-labs-a-personal-reflection/). I read through the project list, and I found one that aligned perfectly with what I am currently doing in my PhD, just in the context of a different disease, Glioblastoma. It was based at the University of Salamanca; a quick Google search revealed that this “Golden City” was Spain’s equivalent of Oxford. I was sold. I told my supervisor, submitted my application and met with the host lab on Teams, who I thought were brilliant and I really wanted to work with. FENS later informed me that I had been successful, and I set off for Salamanca in early June. I packed my bags for a month in Spain, three weeks in Salamanca and one week in Barcelona for the conference, and now I am writing this blog, sitting in the beautiful city, offering you my reflections on getting out of your comfort zone. I was the only student in Salamanca on this internship, as each host lab only took one student. I quickly learned that **my beginner-level Spanish would not do in the lab** where everyone was a native speaker, and I set to reading a dictionary over and over again, also practising my Spanish at every given moment. The lab was extremely kind, patient and supportive during my internship; it was quite honestly the best work environment I have witnessed, full of collaboration, support, work-life balance and encouragement. Although it was intimidating at first, particularly speaking Spanish at every instance when navigating this new city, the experience was fantastic. I learned new skills in tissue culture, made new friends, listened to defence presentations in Spanish, immersed myself in glioblastoma research and brought some of my skills and projects to share with the lab. Most importantly, this was my first experience of [building my own cross-disease collaboration](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-overseas-collaborations/), not handling a collaboration that my supervisor had set up. This increased my confidence in [networking with senior professionals](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-experience-from-a-collaborative-research-trip/) and communicating across disciplines with a shared goal of advancing research in respective fields. I am extremely grateful to Professor Arantxa Tabernero, Myriam Jaraíz Rodríguez and the whole Tabernero Lab for making my experience so fantastic. It was truly so rewarding because it was so far out of my comfort zone and so removed from Oxford (apart from the beautiful buildings). > This enabled me to think more creatively about my project; to change up a routine and explore [a more balanced approach to work and life](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-rethinking-balance-in-research/), which has admittedly been difficult to establish in Oxford. As a PhD early-career researcher, it is incredibly important to explore all of your opportunities post-PhD, to invest some time (**the most precious resource we have as researchers**) into your career progression and career options. I spent my first year of my PhD completely neglecting this, staying in my research comfort zone at the bench and in a bubble of research. Some of the most brilliant experiences I have had are because I chose to dedicate time to exploring different opportunities that a PhD can open up; I would encourage others to do the same. Please do look at the FENS ECTP programme; it was truly excellent. This was reflected at the closing party at the start of FENS when all the awardees from around the world gathered to share their experience across Spain and Portugal in host labs, and we all converged on the theme that the people in the labs made our experiences so excellent. This is a reminder to get out of your research and PhD comfort zone. --- ![Harriet Greene Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Harriet-Greene.jpg "Harriet Greene")Harriet Greene #### Author [**Harriet Greene**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-harriet-greene-university-of-oxford/) is a PhD student at the University of Oxford researching dementia prevention, with a focus on how vascular risk factors such as hypertension affect the brain. Her project models the neurovascular unit in vitro, allowing her to explore biological mechanisms creatively and collaborate across departments and disease areas. Supported by the British Heart Foundation for research consumables, Harriet is also interested in biotech start-ups and translating lab discoveries into patient benefit. Outside academia, she is a scuba diving instructor, shell collector and lover of the sea, with a strong belief in paying kindness forward within the research community. [Find Harriet on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-greene-87433b191/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Careers, Comfort Zone, Harriet Greene, Wellbeing **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Profile - Fiona Hartley, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-fiona-hartley-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/) **Published:** August 18, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Fiona Hartley is a retired physiotherapist and PiR member with Scotland’s Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, drawing on clinical and caring experience. **Content:** ![Fiona Hartley Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Fiona-Hartley.jpg "Fiona Hartley")Fiona Hartley ##### Name: Fiona Hartley ##### Job title: Retired physiotherapist ##### Place of work / study: Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network ##### Area of Research: I am a Patient and Public Involevement and PiR member of Scottish Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network ##### How is your work funded: Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network ##### Tell us a little about yourself: My name is Fiona and I am a retired physiotherapist who specialised in care of the elderly and neurological conditions. During this time I signed up for SHARE and subsequently took part in research studies into Alzheimer’s Disease. I also joined the [Patient and Public Involvement](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-is-a-public-advisor-researcher/) group. Around 2020, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and as her disease progressed, my caring role increased until her passing in October 2024. In July 2021 I was contacted by Rosie and asked if I would like to be involved in the Partners in Research group which was part of the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network. My wish to be involved in the group has been on many levels. Firstly as an advocate for my mum and the issues she and my family encountered during her diagnosis, disease progression and finally her end of life care. Personally, the experience of being a carer and the barriers I faced to access information, support and self-care. Professionally I still have an interest in research and evidence based practice not just for dementia but for all neuroprogressive conditions that I encountered in my working life. I am enjoying the experience of working with others who have great passion for what we do, the feeling we can make a difference and facilitate change in the lives of those diagnosed with these conditions and their carers either by reviewing research proposals for academics, co-research or working on projects with researches from out with this group. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I live in an old Farmhouse in Angus with my husband and beautiful Leonberger dog called Tilly. She is 18 months old and a giant breed with a very gentle and loving nature. She frequently makes an appearance at our Teams meetings and “dressed” as a reindeer for out Christmas event! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Caring for my mother with dementia and seeing someone go from being a sweet, loving, caring mother, to a scared, aggressive shell of her former self was heartbreaking. If I can help even in some small way, to facilitate change, input into research and help stop others losing their loved ones in this way, I will. It’s what my mum would have done. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early-career researcher? Listen and speak to people with lived experience. Make your research relatable to the real issues people with dementia face, not what you think they may be! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Nothing right now ##### Favourite film of all time? Notting Hill ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I love to craft! Paper craft, making cards and shadow boxes. I have also dabbled in stained glass and fused glass. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Moving to the farmhouse. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Pittenweem in Fife. ##### Do you collect anything? Craft items. I have more than I’ll ever use, but have to get more, just in case……. ##### Can we find you on social media? No but the [Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network is on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/neuroprogressive-dementia-network-3a4502384/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Co-production, Fiona Hartley, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, Patient and Public Involvement **Organisations for Bios:** Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network **Themes for Bios:** Patient & Public Involvement --- ### [Profile - Dr Megan O’Hare](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/megan-ohare/) **Published:** March 29, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Regular Podcast Host and one of the Dementia Researcher website leads **Content:** #### **Name:[![N/A](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Megan-225x300.jpg "Megan")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Megan.jpg)** Dr Megan O’Hare #### **Job Title:** Research Associate #### **Place of work / study:** Office of the NIHR National Director for Dementia Research University College London #### **Area of Research:** Dementia #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I have a background in basic neurobiology, having completed my PhD at KCL in a rare inherited childhood neurodegenerative disorder. I modelled the disorder in fruit flies and learnt to dissect very small brains. My first post-doc was on human post-mortem tissue, where I learnt to section larger brains! I am also one of the people leading the development and management of the Dementia Researcher website. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have visited 6 out of the 7 continents. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** Personal experience **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dementia Researcher Staff, Dr Megan O’Hare, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Neurobiology, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** Dementia Researcher, National Institute for Health Research **Themes for Bios:** Other --- ### [Profile - Dr Lauren Walker, Teeside University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-lauren-walker-teeside-university/) **Published:** August 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Lauren Walker is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University, researching the neuropathology of Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. **Content:** ![Dr Lauren Walker Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Dr-Lauren-Walker.jpg "Dr Lauren Walker")Dr Lauren Walker #### **Name:** Dr Lauren Walker #### **Job Title:** Lecturer in Biomedical Science #### **Place of work / study:** Teeside University #### **Area of Research:** Neuropathology of [Lewy body dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-lewy-body-dementias-pia-2/) and Alzheimer’s disease. #### How is your research funded: Teeside University #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** After completing my undergraduate degree in Physiological Sciences and an MRes in Medical and Molecular Biosciences I took time away from studying and gained experience in technical roles, 7 years in total. The first role on a project investigating neurogenesis in the age brain, then moving to the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource. It was here after reading the exciting proposals and requests for brain tissue to be used in experiments and working with the brain tissue myself that I realised dementia research was something I wanted to pursue further. A PhD followed, then a post-doc and I finished as a Research Fellow in 2026 but remain associated with Newcastle as an Associate Lecturer. In am not at Teeside University working as a Lecturer in Biomedical Science. In this role I am the Module lead for Pathobiology of Neurological Disease, Diagnostic and Experimental Pathology and a lecturer in Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics, I also provide supervision and training of undergraduate and masters students in the laboratory #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am an avid and long suffering Sunderland AFC fan, although I feel the tide is turning for us! Also I am still trying to think of ways to convince the BBC to let me compete on Strictly Come Dancing after giving up dancing at 18 after 10 years! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I have always had an interest in neuroscience and have tried to be involved in projects relating to this. However after working in the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource I realised there is so much we don’t know about the neurodegenerative diseases that cause dementia and being able to work with donated brain tissue from individuals that has dementia during life and those without neurodegenerative disease is an absolute privilege. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Try and surround yourself with good people who will help celebrate your successes and listen to you vent your frustrations and support you in the inevitable times of paper/grant rejections. A chat with peers, supervisors and mentors over coffee can help you put things into perspective, refine future ideas and help work though experimental challenges. Team work makes the dream work. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Count of Monte Cristo](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7126.The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo) for the 3rd time I think (the front cover has fallen off and is currently stuck back on with sellotape). #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @Lauren\_C\_Walker](https://twitter.com/Lauren_C_Walker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Lauren Walker, Lewy body dementia, Neuropathology, Teeside University **Organisations for Bios:** Teesside University **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Christopher Madan, University of Nottginham](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/christopher-madan/) **Published:** April 14, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Christopher Madan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham, researching memory, ageing, and brain structure and function using MRI. **Content:** #### **Name:** ![Christopher Madan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Christopher-Madan.jpg "Christopher Madan")Christopher Madan Christopher Madan #### **Job Title:** Assistant Professor #### **Place of work / study:** University of Nottingham #### **Area of Research:** Memory, ageing, brain structure and function (using MRI) #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Having grown up in and studied in Canada, been a visiting scientist in Germany, worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the USA, and now hold a faculty position in the UK—I’ve seen how academia can differ between countries. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I used to be a[ website designer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/three-tips-to-avoid-ai-image-mistakes-in-science/)/programmer before became a researcher, and I try to use my graphics designing and programming background in my research (writing analysis toolboxes, designing posters, etc.). #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** My main interest is in understanding how memory works—as our memories of the past are so fundamental to who we are and how we will act in the future. My primary training is in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, studying how memory relates to brain structure and function. One of the most evident changes with aging and dementia is changes in memory ability and I hope that a better understanding of how memory functions can inform our understanding of aging and dementia as well as support the development of deliberate memory strategies that can make older adults more resilient to memory deficits. [Follow @cMadan](https://twitter.com/cMadan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Christopher Madan, University of Nottingham **Organisations for Bios:** University of Nottingham **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience --- ### [Profile - Gina Martin, Bob and Diane Fund](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-gina-martin/) **Published:** November 20, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Gina Martin is Founder and Director of the Bob and Diane Fund, supporting photographers who tell visual stories about Alzheimer’s and other dementias. **Content:** ![Gina Martin](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Gina-Martin.jpg "Gina Martin")Gina Martin #### Name: Gina Martin #### Job title: Founder and Director #### Place of work / study: [Bob and Diane Fund](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/webinar-catch-up-bob-and-diane-fund-and-visual-story-telling-in-dementia-by-gina-martin/) #### What does your work involve? I run the non-profit and give financial grants to photographers working on visual storytelling related to Alzheimer’s and all forms of dementia. #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a daughter of Alzheimer’s, I have been working at National Geographic for 20 years and love photography and advocate for dementia research. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My twin sister and I were born on our brothers 2nd Birthday, so we share the same Birthday – good thing is that I don’t need a diary to remind me of the dates. #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Follow @bobanddianefund](https://twitter.com/bobanddianefund?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Art, Bob and Diane Fund, Gina Martin, Visual Story Telling **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Arts --- ### [Dr Yvonne Couch, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-yvonne-couch/) **Published:** March 25, 2021 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** ARUK Research Fellow studying extracellular vesicles and how they change vasculature after stroke. Driven by a passion for new discovery and problem solving **Content:** ![Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Dr-Yvonne-Couch-Profile.png "Dr Yvonne Couch Profile")Dr Yvonne Couch #### Name: Dr Yvonne Couch #### Job title: ARUK Research Fellow #### Place of work / study: University of Oxford #### Area of Research: Stroke, vascular dementia and extracellular vesicles #### How is your work funded? Gates Cambridge Scholarship / [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/ "Alzheimer’s Research UK Corner") #### **Tell us about your career path to becoming an early career researcher.** I did my undergrad in Neuroscience at Manchester, where I did a year in industry working at Boehringer Ingelheim in Germany on a project about inflammation. When I returned for my final year I combined this interest with my original degree in neuroscience by working with Stuart Allan on a project in neuroinflammation. From there I worked as a research assistant in Oxford on a project about Parkinson’s but wrote a PhD proposal which sadly didn’t get funded but did provide the basis for my masters project which I started in 2008. I did a masters and then a PhD in the Department of Pharmacology at Oxford, studying the role of systemic inflammation on behaviour and the serotonergic system. From there I went on to a post-doc at the University of Southern Denmark, working with Kate Lambertsen on stroke. After a year I returned to Oxford to work with Alastair Buchan, developing my own interests alongside working on some of his projects. I was on rolling contracts for around 4-5 years before I finally managed to get a fellowship with Alzheimer’s Research UK which I was awarded last February but which I delayed because of COVID. #### **What does your research focus on?** My interest is in extracellular vesicles and their role in communicating brain injury, both to other parts of the brain and to the rest of the body. Stroke causes an increase in the number of extracellular vesicles in the circulation and we’ve found that these are pro-inflammatory. My current working hypothesis is that these vesicles are involved in modifying the function of the vasculature after a stroke, potentially leading to the development of vascular dementia. #### **Do you have any advice for someone looking to embark on a career in dementia research?** Find a great mentor and a project you love and you can’t go wrong. #### **What are the best bits about being an ECR?** I am in charge of my own work and how I spend my time and where my research goes. So if I have a really long day, or have to work both days at the weekend, I can choose to take it slightly easier a couple of days during the week. I love the interactive aspect of science, chatting through ideas and plans with other researchers is one of my favourite things to do. #### **What do you see as the main challenges?** Lack of support from Universities. ECRs are often encouraged to have many strings to their bows; research, teaching, outreach, public engagement, conference organization, supervision, and sometimes there simply aren’t enough hours in the day and the lack of job stability within Universities makes this extremely challenging. #### What do you write about? I write about everything from the scientific aspects of working in stroke and vascular dementia, to funding, to mental health, to techniques. I hope to mix it up each month so that there’s a bit of variety for people to read and listen to. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have a 5 year old adopted black Labrador called Ovie who sleeps more than any other creature I have ever met. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? The prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average and we still don’t understand why. I find this kind of knowledge gap fascinating, the potential for new discoveries is huge and the potential to have a meaningful impact on the field is wonderful. I love problem solving, it’s one of the reasons I got into science, and so when we have major health problems like this which can potentially be solved by making small steps in advancing our knowledge I get to really enjoy my work. #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Find Yvonne on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-yvonne-couch-07414527/) [@dryvonnecouch.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/dryvonnecouch.bsky.social) ### Yvonne's most recent posts [ ![Blog – Brain Drain: The Controversy Around Glymphatics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Brain-Drain-The-Controversy-Around-Glymphatics-blog-by-Dr-Yvonne-Couch-680-x-520-px-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/) ###### [Blog – Brain Drain: The Controversy Around Glymphatics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/) [ 03/09/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-brain-drain-the-controversy-around-glymphatics/) [![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3-150x150.png "Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture") Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/yvonnecouch/) [ ![Blog – Pedagogy For Gen Z](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Pedagogy-For-Gen-Z-blog-by-Dr-Yvonne-Couch-680-x-520-px-150x150.jpg) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-pedagogy-for-gen-z/) ###### [Blog – Pedagogy For Gen Z](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-pedagogy-for-gen-z/) [ 30/07/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-pedagogy-for-gen-z/) [![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3-150x150.png "Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture") Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/yvonnecouch/) [ ![Blog – Academia and the Sense of Self](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Academia-and-the-Sense-of-Self-blog-by-Dr-Yvonne-Couch-680-x-520-px-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academia-and-the-sense-of-self/) ###### [Blog – Academia and the Sense of Self](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academia-and-the-sense-of-self/) [ 18/06/2026](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-academia-and-the-sense-of-self/) [![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3-150x150.png "Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture") Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/yvonnecouch/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Dr Yvonne Couch, Regular Contributor, Stroke, University of Oxford, Vascular Dementia, Vascular Pathology **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Researchfish Closure: What Researchers Need to Know](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/researchfish-closure-2027/) **Published:** August 7, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Researchfish is closing in July 2027. Here’s what NIHR and UKRI-funded researchers need to know about reporting, deadlines and what happens next. **Content:** **![Researchfish is Closing](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Researchfish-is-Closing-300x229.png "Researchfish is Closing")Researchfish will close permanently on 31 July 2027, bringing an end to the research outcomes reporting platform used by NIHR, UKRI and many other research funders. However, researchers should continue using Researchfish and completing required submissions until told otherwise by their funder.** Elsevier, which owns Researchfish, has announced that the platform will be discontinued from **31 July 2027**. For researchers with current or previous [NIHR](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-my-first-major-nihr-award-taught-me/), UKRI and other funded awards, the important message for now is simple: **nothing changes immediately**. Researchfish will remain operational and supported until its closure, and existing reporting requirements and submission periods will continue. ## What does the Researchfish closure mean for NIHR researchers? The **National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)** has confirmed that it intends to continue using Researchfish until the platform closes in July 2027. NIHR uses Researchfish to collect information about the outputs, outcomes and [impact arising from the research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/a-brief-history-of-research-impact-how-has-impact-assessment-evolved-in-the-uk-and-australia/) it funds. Researchers are normally asked to provide information while an award is active and for at least five years after it has ended. The 2026 NIHR annual submission window has already closed. NIHR says its **2027 submission window will run for six weeks between early February and mid-March 2027**. Researchers who are required to report should therefore expect to complete their 2027 submission as normal. NIHR is now working with the **Department of Health and Social Care and other research funders** to consider how research outputs, outcomes and impact will be collected after Researchfish closes. Further guidance will be provided when those arrangements have been agreed. ## What about UKRI-funded researchers? UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is also continuing to use Researchfish. UKRI currently states that its next submission period will run from **1 February until 11 March 2027 at 4pm UK time**. Researchers receiving UKRI funding are generally required to provide annual updates about the outcomes of their projects, normally continuing for at least five years after an award has finished. The closure of Researchfish does **not** remove those reporting obligations. ## What should researchers do now? There is no need to take any immediate action specifically because Researchfish is closing. Researchers should: - continue adding and updating research outputs and outcomes in Researchfish - complete any submission requested by their funder - keep publication information and persistent identifiers such as DOIs up to date - connect Researchfish with ORCID where appropriate to make transferring publication information easier - watch for communications from individual funders about arrangements after July 2027. If you hold awards from several organisations, remember that each funder may make its own arrangements for replacing Researchfish. ## What happens after Researchfish closes? This is the big unanswered question. Researchfish has been used for many years to collect information including publications, collaborations, further funding, engagement activities, intellectual property and other research outcomes. Funders will still need this information after the platform disappears. NIHR has confirmed that it is considering its longer-term approach, while other funders will also need to establish replacement reporting arrangements. Researchers should therefore **not assume that the Researchfish closure means the end of research outcome reporting**. It means the system used to collect that information is changing. We’ll share further information when NIHR, UKRI and other major research funders confirm what will replace Researchfish. **Researchfish closes:** 31 July 2027 **NIHR 2027 reporting:** Early February to mid-March 2027 **UKRI 2027 reporting:** 1 February – 11 March 2027, 4pm UK time [Read the Researchfish announcement](https://help.researchfish.com/en_US/researchers/information-for-researchers-regarding-researchfish-sunsetting) [Read the latest NIHR Researchfish guidance](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/nihr-researchfish-guidance?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Read the latest UKRI reporting guidance](https://www.ukri.org/manage-your-award/reporting-your-projects-outcomes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Researchfish --- ### [Twenty things I wish I’d known when I started my PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/twenty-things-i-wish-id-known-when-i-started-my-phd/) **Published:** November 20, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** PhD students and postdoctoral researchers at Oxford share practical advice and the things they wish they had known before starting doctoral study. **Content:** ![Lucy Taylor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lucy-Taylor-300x200.jpg "Lucy Taylor")**Starting a PhD can be tough. Looking back, there are many things I wish I’d known at the beginning. Here, I have curated a list of advice from current PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from the Department of Zoology at my institution, the University of Oxford, UK, to aid new graduate students.** [Click here to see Lucy's top 20 tips](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07332-x) **You can also hear our podcast on this topic using the link below** **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Lucy A. Taylor, Nature Blogs, PhD, PhD Life, Study, Supervisor **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials, Undergraduate Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - Presenting to clinicians versus academics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-presenting-to-clinicians-versus-academics/) **Published:** February 7, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Anna Volkmer shares practical advice for effective presentations, from tailoring slides to your audience to creating a clear and engaging story. **Content:** **As a clinical speech and language therapist I regularly spoke to patients, their families and other professionals. I might present in ward round meetings, or even larger groups, providing training sessions on topics such as basic dysphagia awareness, communication skills and the role of the SLT. Although I did use PowerPoint slides I used it to catch people’s attention – using pictures and key words were the most helpful. PowerPoint was generally considered a bit flashy and I only used tables and charts on the rare occasions that I presented to commissioners.** Then I transitioned to academia and it all got serious. I had my first taste of this when I had to present at my [NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/our-research-community/NIHR-academy/nihr-training-programmes/fellowship-programme.htm) interview four years ago. Five minutes to communicate the project, convey my enthusiasm and passion, and demonstrate myself to be a critical thinker. No brightly coloured pictures. The slides needed to include the key points, so that I could elaborate on them. The narrative had to be tightly planned and practised. Then, when I started my PhD I realised I would need to present a lot more; at serious scientific conferences, to service users and the public. Alongside the teaching of student SLTs and other professionals that I had (excitingly) been invited to do, this seemed like a lot of presenting. I felt I needed advice and help on how to do this properly. Training in the art of presenting. So I went on a couple of in-house courses on how to present. I watched what others did to better understand what I wanted to do more of and what I wanted to avoid. I asked the experts in my department for advice and I asked the same experts to give me feedback about my slides and my presentation style. I also asked my peers – I practised with them and anyone at all who would listen. This is what I know so far (stressing ‘so far’ – I still feel I have much to learn about this specific skill): Plan your slides with your audience in mind. Find out exactly what is required for the talk you are giving. What is the time limit for your talk versus questions, do they ask for a certain number of slides, what is it they want you to talk about? If you are presenting at a scientific conference they may say you have a 10 minute window, but if you look closely 2 of those minutes may be for questions. If you have been asked to speak to a group they often have an agenda in mind- and a specific audience to please. Are they students (who know nothing about the background to your work and are used to longer lectures but benefit from activities to support their learning), are they health professionals (if so what kind- they may only really be interested in what your research means for the people they are working with, and I find many health professionals benefit from time to consolidate knowledge by discussing case studies plus they often have lots of questions), are they academics (who may like to hear more about your research methods and results- this audience may expect a more traditional presentation) or are they members of the public (which is tricky but again think about what they want to know- are they service users and family members finding out cutting edge information, getting an overview of your discipline or just gathering tips and hints for their own lives?) **How many slides?** Less is generally better. I tend to opt for approximately 1 per minute or two, depending on the content of the slide. 20-30 slides for a 40 minute presentation seems about right. **Can I use images?** Well consider your audience again. I would suggest that less academic audiences benefit from more pictures that drive a point home and help them remember things, whilst academic audiences benefit from less pictures. **How much writing per slides?** Less is better (as a general rule). Remember that your audience are trying to listen AND read at the same time. I tend to aim to use no more than 6 bullet points at a time, and try to ensure the text spans no more than a line or so (maybe a line and half) per bullet. And apply this to both academic and non-academic audiences. For service users and families I would reduce this further, and perhaps highlight key words. **What about style and font?** I would generally suggest to stay fairly serious with the slide formatting – use your university or organisation header, or use a plain white background. Maybe use some small key images to guide the reader through topics. As a general rule I would stick with white background with black or blue font. Dark coloured background and fancy slides can be distracting. Stick with a clear accessible font style- use it consistently (generally Calibri or Arial or Times) and use a large enough font to read. It can be worth putting quotes from device users or families in speech bubbles but make it simple- not silly. Tables, graphs, flow charts and diagrams… Make sure they are as big as possible to ensure they can be read. Consider circling what you want to draw attention to, and if necessary spend time explaining how to read a complex graph eg along the x axis is … and along the y axis is…. flow charts and diagrams can simplify a block of text and make it accessible, eg presenting qualitative data such as themes and sub themes like this can be useful. Use key slides – make sure you have a cover slide with your name, affiliation, contact details and title and perhaps another reminder of contact details at the end (including professional blogs and twitter handles). Make sure you include acknowledgments. You can present references in the text as you go along eg (Smith; 2018, Brain; 28(2) 119-219) or as a list at the end in which case you might like to use (Smith, 2018) in the text. Think about your audience – are you giving out handouts? Then perhaps just put all the references at the end. Consider your audience again- do service users need a lot of references? **You need a story!** The slides should have a narrative. Start with a background or introduction to the topic. Not everyone will know what you are talking about. You may need to set the scene by explaining and reminding listeners of the type of dementia you are working with, or what speech and language therapists do, or which aspect of a dementia you are looking at and what else has been done in this field. Give the context. Why is what you are going to say important? Then tell them the main story- what did you do and what did you find and what does this mean!? Or what do you want them to know and why. Finish with a summary of the implications- make sure it’s relevant to them. Summarise the moral or key point of your narrative. Every presentation needs a narrative – no matter how academic. Talking to your slides. Let’s be honest here- I have a massively loud voice. It is embarrassing. But I still use a microphone in large spaces. It is important to the audience that you do not shout, do not whisper, do not read from your slides either, but DO try to have a conversation. Introduce yourself. Smile. Somewhat script or plan your first and last slide – always. These are perhaps the most important. You may wish to plan and script all slides. But when you do talk to the slides don’t let it sound like a script. Practise it. Make it sound conversational. Your introduction should be in plain English- does your mum, your husband, your friend or your neighbour understand it? Ask them to listen. Be enthusiastic. There is nothing worse than listening to someone who seems super bored. Passion and enthusiasm is infectious and interesting. A joke can be helpful, or a hindrance. Pick a joke carefully. **You will be nervous. That is useful. I would worry if I didn’t get nervous, or didn’t reflect afterwards that I could have done it better. It could always have gone better. I put on my presenting hat and act the part.** --- If you enjoyed reading this blog, you might also find this [podcast we published last year](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-looking-back-and-learning-from-the-phd-years/) of interest: --- #### Author ![Dr Anna Volkmer Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/anna-268x300.jpg "Anna Volkmer")Dr Anna Volkmer **Anna Volkmer** is a Speech and Language Therapist and NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow working in Language and Cognition, Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London. Anna is researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language led dementia. You can follow Anna on Twitter [Follow @volkmer\_anna](https://twitter.com/volkmer_anna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Anna Volkmer, Presentation, Presenting Skills, University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials, Postdoc Essentials, Undergraduate Essentials --- ### [Blog - Early career reflections on writing grant applications](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-early-career-reflections-on-writing-grant-applications/) **Published:** March 22, 2019 **Author:** Holly Walton **Excerpt:** Dr Holly Walton shares ten practical lessons for first-time grant writers, from finding the right funder to planning clearly and allowing time for feedback. **Content:** **After starting my first postdoctoral research position in August 2018, I felt that there was no time like the present to start thinking about developing my skills to write a grant application! As this is a daunting prospect for someone who has little experience in writing grant proposals (PhD application aside), I was delighted to find a course at my university which focused on writing your first grant proposal which was specifically aimed at early career researchers.** First of all, I would first like to say a huge thank you to UCL’s collaborative social science domain ([@UCL\_Social\_Sci](https://twitter.com/ucl_social_sci)) for hosting the course on grant writing and to ThinkWrite ([@ThinkWrite](https://twitter.com/thinkwrite?lang=en) | [www.thinkwrite.biz](https://www.thinkwrite.biz)) for facilitating the course. I have attended many of the ThinkWrite courses throughout my PhD and they have always provide a really helpful insight into writing and in particular how to structure your writing. This course was no different. I found it really helpful and it helped me to see that by planning efficiently and by breaking the grant writing process into targeted chunks, the process may not be as daunting as it first seemed. At the start of the day we were given an introduction to grant applications but the main part of the day was spent thinking about an idea for a grant application. Before the course, we were asked to take along an idea for a grant application along with any information provided by our chosen funder. We then worked in our tables (groups of four) to develop one of our team member’s ideas further and put together a mock grant presentation. I am still a while away from submitting a grant application but I felt that this process was really helpful in prompting me to think about the type of research that I might like to pursue in future and getting some feedback on initial ideas. Helping another team member to develop their ideas also helped me to realise that whilst grant writing would take a long time, it was certainly manageable! I learnt many handy tips for writing grant proposals throughout the day and so I wanted to share the ones that I found most helpful in this blog: 1. There are **many different funders** (e.g. research councils, charities, private sector) and so it is really important to do your research and to find the one that **most closely aligns with your research interests and goals.** 2. Make sure that your research proposal focuses on **SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) actionable activities** rather than ideas 3. Take time to look at the funding call in more detail and break it down into the **exact items that they require** (e.g. a plain English summary – xx characters). This will give you a sense of how much space you have for different parts of the grant application and exactly what they are looking for. 4. **Plan and structure** your grant application before writing it to make sure that you are prioritising the key aspects of your application, giving them the information that they need and avoiding unnecessary repetition 5. Think about the **benefits** of your research for both **yourself** and knowledge but also for the **funder** 6. Make sure that **costs are realistic**, are based on funding guidelines and meet the requirements of the funder 7. Write in a **clear and understandable way** 8. Pay attention to the **small details** (e.g. margin sizes, spellings and word count) and make sure that you meet these requirements! 9. Ask for **feedback from colleagues and people not involved in the grant** to make sure that it all makes sense and that your ideas are fully developed. 10. Perhaps most importantly, give yourself **plenty of time** so that your application is not rushed and so that the funders will see that you have put a lot of care into your application. I think the main thing that the course made me realise though is that it is never too early to start thinking about your grant application as good ideas take time to develop. I would highly recommend everyone to check if their university offers similar courses for early career researchers (and if they don’t – why not suggest it!). Attending this course definitely helped me to swap my worries about writing grants for keenness to give it a go! #### Editors Note: We collate and share all the funding opportunities on our website, to see them all click here. We also recorded a podcast on this topic, which you can listen to below: --- #### Author ![N/A](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/HollyWalton_2016.jpg "Dr Holly Walton")Dr Holly Walton **[Dr Holly Walton](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-holly-walton/)** is a Research Fellow in the Department of Applied Health Research at University College London. Holly currently works on the Coordinated Care of Rare diseases study. Holly completed her Economic and Social Research council funded PhD in December 2018. Holly’s PhD research focused on evaluating the implementation of social interventions to improve independence in dementia. You can follow Holly on Twitter [Follow @HollyWalton15](https://twitter.com/HollyWalton15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog, Top tips **Tags:** Blog, Dr Holly Walton, Funding, Grant Writing, University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Grant Writing, PhD Essentials, Postdoc Essentials --- ### [Blog - Thoughts on the The Australian Dementia Forum](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-thoughts-on-the-the-australian-dementia-forum-adf/) **Published:** June 20, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Katherine Lawler reflects on her first conference as an academic, the voices of people with dementia and overcoming impostor syndrome. **Content:** ![Hobart Waterfront](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Hobart-waterfront-300x188.jpg "Hobart waterfront")Hobart Waterfront **I’ve attended conferences as a clinician, but last week was my first experience attending as an academic in my newly-adopted home town.** How amazing and yet overwhelming! The Australian Dementia Forum (ADF) is an annual event run by the National Health and Medical Research Council’s National Institute for Dementia Research. This year it was held in Hobart, Tasmania, with just over 400 delegates. I’m terrible at reading blogs all the way to the end. So, though I was super-excited to meet the magnificent Professor Carol Brayne and loved the roundtable discussion on the right of people with dementia to rehabilitation, I’ve chosen two main things to share. See if you can stay with me! **Hearing the voices of people living with dementia** The biggest, most wonderful highlight was the contribution made by people living with dementia. I’ve worked in a hospital for most of my career and have had the awful experience of being on committees with token ‘consumers’ who are not given adequate respect or the opportunity to contribute meaningfully. Thankfully, the ADF was different. From plenary speeches to panel discussions to presentations in concurrent sessions, the voices of people with dementia and their families were strong. One presentation that continues to sit heavily with me was by Eileen and Dubhglas Taylor. They reflected on the experience of being a participant in clinical trials and particularly the sense of loss at the end. Although the particular trial was a drug trial, which may carry expectations beyond those in basic clinical care research, it has made me contemplate how I can soften the end point of contact after a study is finished. I can do better. **A touch of imposter syndrome** The overwhelming part was hearing presentation after presentation from highly intelligent, passionate, engaging researchers. As an experienced physiotherapist but newer researcher I found myself worrying about whether I will ever know as much as everyone else! Should I really be working as an academic where everything still feels so new? Should I have stayed in my hospital job where I felt so much more confident? Or should I focus more on the teaching component of my role, which is more familiar, more defined and has clearer pathways to developing expertise? Having had a few days to marinate, the imposter syndrome has settled a little and I am back to feeling inspired. The forum was full of lovely, supportive people. To truly make a difference in dementia research, all kinds of us with all kinds of experience and expertise, are needed. So, if you find yourself in Australia next year, you may like to consider visiting Adelaide for the Australian Dementia Forum. Or if you are feeling like an imposter at times, know that you are not alone! ***Ed: Congratulations on your first blog Katherine – could be the perfect excuse for a trip to Adelaide next year. We recorded a podcast on Impostor Syndrome, have a listen:*** --- #### Author![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190607_080305-e1561027007471-225x300.jpg "Katherine Lawler") **Katherine Lawler** is a Lecturer in Dementia Studies at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Australia. Katherine has 20 years experience as a physiotherapist working in the public hospital sector, and has recently come to academic life researching Knowledge and attitudes of allied health clinicians regarding dementia care, family-assisted therapy and modifiable risk factors for dementia. You can follow Katherine on Twitter [Follow @KateLawlerPT](https://twitter.com/KateLawlerPT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Australian Dementia Forum, Blog, Katherine Lawler, University of Tasmania **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Infrastructure --- ### [Blog - Meeting of minds: Qualitative Research in Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-meeting-of-minds-qualitative-research-in-dementia/) **Published:** September 30, 2019 **Author:** Dr Anna Volkmer **Excerpt:** Researchers unite to improve qualitative research with people with dementia and communication difficulties, sharing methods, ethical ideas and support. **Content:** **![N/A](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/IMG_4316-300x225.jpg "Dementia Research Collaborations")Last week was the first ever meeting of a group of researchers all interested in using qualitative research methods with people with communication difficulties and dementia. The meeting arose from a series of blogs, tweets and chats between Anna Volkmer, Sarah Griffiths and Jemima Dooley and evolved into an idea to bring together more like-minded researchers to start a twice annual meeting of minds, ideas and creative discussion. In true qualitative research fashion this was a rather iterative process and will likely continue to evolve over time.** The meeting was posted on twitter and we were rather overwhelmed with the responses- we couldn’t believe how many people were interested (with so little notice) and the interest that the tweet drew. Jemima hosted the inaugural meeting in Bristol and nine people attended (Anna attended via video conferencing- oh the beauty of modern technology). We had a really interesting and engaging discussion about the pitfalls and wonders of trying to do research in this area. This touched on many associated areas including ethics and co-production. It seems so important to ensure that people with dementia really understand what they are consenting too, that we modify the way we present the information we give to people to ensure they can make an informed decision. Even using innovative methods such as video to convey information can be helpful. People with dementia often report that they trust us as researchers, and we discussed the need to meet this challenge. Co-producing, co-researching and involving people with dementia in developing and conducting research is one way of meeting this need. Despite there being little guidance on how to do this we started sharing our experiences of putting together research ideas, of modifying research methods and analysing data. We started putting our minds together and have generated a list of aims for our group including: - Sharing – current and past work, what works/what doesn’t/ sharing literature / developing future collaborations and networks of support - Innovating– in different stages of dementia. How we adapt traditional methods and evaluate - Including PwD – co-production/engagement and trust/acknowledgement that good Qualitative research with PwD is time consuming - Increasing awareness – of qualitative dementia research - Exploring ethical issues around qualitative dementia research - Supporting wellbeing – of participants and researchers We are hoping to host our next meeting in March at UCL, details to follow. If you would like to get in touch and stay informed please get in touch with us via You can also find out more from last weeks podcast featured below: --- #### Author[![Dr Anna Volkmer Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/anna-268x300.jpg "Anna Volkmer")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/anna.jpg) **Anna Volkmer** is a Speech and Language Therapist and NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow working in Language and Cognition, Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London. Anna is researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language led dementia. [Follow @volkmer\_anna](https://twitter.com/volkmer_anna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog, My Research **Tags:** Blog, Collaboration, Dr Anna Volkmer, Dr Jemima Dooley, Dr Sarah Griffiths, Qualitative Research, University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research, Research Methods --- ### [Blog - Creating Zines for the Neighbourhoods: Our People, Our Places Study](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-creating-zines-for-the-neighbourhoods-our-people-our-places-study/) **Published:** December 2, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Domenique Brouwers shares how visual metaphors & co-creation with people living with dementia brought research stories to life in the Neighbourhoods study **Content:** **![Illustrated cover of a publication titled "Dementia and Everyday Life #1: The Newspaper." It shows a person with short hair and a hoodie standing in a maze-like landscape of large, cracked blocks in shades of red and white. The logos of “Improving Dementia Care” and another circular emblem appear at the bottom right.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Dementia-Zine-1-217x300.png "Dementia Zine 1")Three years ago, I moved from Belgium where I was born, to the UK to live with my (UK native) girlfriend in Hebden Bridge. It was through her I met Dr. Campbell. She had seen some of my work on Instagram and thought I would be a good fit to bring the stories of the Neighbourhoods: Our People, Our Places participants to life. In Belgium I studied Illustration and focused on comics.** In my work with comics, I love finding new ways of placing the reader in the protagonist’s shoes, and allowing the experiences of the protagonists to be felt by the reader. Depicting a medical condition like dementia is always very challenging. Either experiences cannot be brought into the visual realm or doing so makes the profoundness of those experiences fall flat. One way around this was the use of what I call a visual metaphor. Trying to find a depiction that brings us to the same emotional experience a person with dementia might feel when dealing with their symptoms and surroundings. When you try to depict loneliness, one could draw a person being lonely, however choosing to depict what loneliness feels like is more effective. For instance, in one of the comics, I’ve let the protagonist’s surroundings fade away, making it seem like they lived in an empty box, only for the details to flood back into the picture after they feel a sense of belonging. The depictions I used could be described as surreal in some instances, but they always stemmed directly from the emotions involved in the story. ![Illustration of an older man kneeling by a door, gently petting a dog. A doormat lies near the door, and coats hang on hooks above a pair of boots on the floor. The setting appears to be a hallway or entryway.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Dementia-Zine-2.png "Dementia Zine 2") It was important however that I didn’t wander off into fantasy and kept true to the experiences of the people living with dementia and specifically those of the study. Every now and then we got together a panel of participants to whom I could show my drawings and interpretations. They gave critique and suggestions on what they liked or didn’t like and offered overall valuable insight. I would go back and work on them and repeat this process. A few challenges arose as well. It was important to have everyone’s voices heard, and to find a balance of what would be put into the final product. For example sometimes the panel tried to add too many things to expand on an idea or to solve a minor problem but we always found a way to bring the focus back to the essence of the story. Overall, working with them was a gratifying experience. Seeing their reactions was empowering and touching, there was a real sense of co-operation. All of us were working in service of these important stories. It sharpened my understanding of all the different ways we as humans go through life. Often, I noticed, it was the offhand remarks that were the most helpful. One person would bring something up and someone else would expand on it or would word it differently. Another instance for example are the experiences of the care partner. They are the closest to the people living with dementia but often overlooked. Having their voices come through the project was important. These moments allowed me to gain a lot of insight and were the key to the success of this project. ![Cartoon of a woman sitting at a table, writing on a notepad, facing two people across from her. On the wall behind are two posters: one reads “Dementia Meeting Today” with an illustration of a brain, and the other says “Keeping Fit” with a drawing of flexed arms. A bowl of sweets and several papers or cards are on the table.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Dementia-Zine-3.png "Dementia Zine 3")Going forward, there’s a lot of experience gathered here I can take to future projects. Right now I am working on visual contracts for a social care co-operative. There’s a great need for empathy, inclusivity and accessibility in this work. Working with ideas and stories that directly deal with people’s lives. Again, working with abstract and sometimes personal ideas, the visual techniques I’ve been able to develop carry over to this line of work. I successfully suggested to be allowed to work with a similar panel, to review and help develop these drawings. It is made up of people the contracts are intended for, so once again, we will use direct experiences to help shape this work. I can honestly say this project changed me for the better and I hope the work I have created can help people be understood and bring more awareness to the lives people so close to us live. [You can find out about this study and all the outcomes on their website.](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/neighbourhoods-and-dementia/?ID=3314) ***Find out more about this study and how they used zines to share the research in this podcast:*** --- #### Author ![Domenique Brouwers Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Domenique-Brouwers-300x300.jpg "Domenique Brouwers")Domenique Brouwers [Domenique Brouwers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-domenique-brouwers/) is a self-employed freelance illustrator. Originally from Limburg in Belgium, he moved to the UK three years ago. Through his work he tries to have positive impact on the world around him, trying to go beyond what might be called normal measures of success. Domenique’s work on the Neighbours and Dementia study helped people be understood and bring more awareness to the lives people so close to us live. Website: Instagram: **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Art and Dementia, Blog, Co-production, Domenique Brouwers, Implementation, Neighbourhoods, NIHR Neighbourhoods: Our People, Patient and Public Involvement, Zines **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Arts Research, Care Research --- ### [Blog - Preventative Neurology Unit Symposium, QMUL](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-preventative-neurology-unit-symposium-queen-mary-university-of-london/) **Published:** December 16, 2019 **Author:** Phazha Bothongo **Excerpt:** Phazha Bothongo shares a highlights, news and updates from the Queen Mary University of London Preventative Neurology Unit Symposium **Content:** **There are currently over 46 million people living with dementia worldwide, which is expected to increase to 131 million by 2050 \[1\]. As of 2011, dementia is costing the United Kingdom economy more than £27 billion per a year, which is believed to starkly increase due to people living longer, and age being the main risk factor for dementia \[2\]. In 2012, The World Health Organisation and Alzheimer’s Disease International declared dementia as a ‘public health priority’\[3\].** However, to date there are no disease-modifying drugs available for treatment of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia \[4\]. In recent months there has been clashing responses to the alleged successful clinical trial results from the EMERGE study on aducanumab, which promises to reduce cognitive decline in patients by removing amyloid plaques \[5\]. Despite the hype concerning the drug, the concern still remains that we may be starting treatments far too late along the course of the disease: where cognitive decline and neurodegeneration are irreversible. This past week I had the honour of listening to world-class speakers and researchers at the ‘Prediction and Prevention in Neurodegenerative Disease’ symposium held by the Preventative Neurology Unit, the School of Medicine & Dentistry at Queen Mary University. This group has been funded by Bart’s Charity and strives to carry out groundbreaking novel research concerning the prevention and prediction of diseases affecting the nervous system, such as: Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), and dementia. Throughout the day, the Derek Willoughby lecture theatre echoed urgent concerns in improving research approaches towards predicting and preventing sporadic forms of dementia, by: 1. **Efficiently identify those at risk of developing sporadic forms of dementia, using sensitive screening devices that are cross-cultural and affordable.** 2. **Identify modifiable lifestyle risk factors across the life span (e.g. hearing loss at midlife, smoking at later life).** 3. **Predict when symptoms will develop.** 4. **Anticipate the progression of the disease with disease modifying drugs present.** 5. **Enhance the current performance of secondary services (e.g. memory clinics).** #### **Using Vision to Predict Dementia** Some of exciting findings presented at the symposium include the use of visual tests to predict dementia risk in those with Parkinson’s disease. It is estimated that 50% of PD patients go on to develop dementia within 10 years of diagnosis \[6\]. Dr Rimona Weil’s team based in UCL found that those at risk did worse in multiple tests measuring visual processing, and displayed a thinner retina layer in areas containing dopaminergic cells (ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer) \[7\]. Despite deficits in visual processing and structural changes in the retina, patients did not report visual impairments. #### **Modifiable Lifestyle Factors** Dr Sebastian Köhler and his team from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, presented the ‘Lifestyle for Brain Health’ (LIBRA) score, which has been developed in order predict future risk of dementia as well as cognitive impairment \[8\]. A one-point increase in risk represents a 9% higher risk for cognitive impairment, and 19% risk for dementia. High LIBRA scores have also been associated with MRI based brain volumes. ![A table summarising modifiable risk factors for a health outcome, showing the Relative Risk (RR), natural log of RR (Ln(RR))/beta weight, score, and whether each factor is available in the MAAS dataset (indicated by “+”). Columns: Modifiable risk factor Relative risk (RR) Ln(RR)/beta weight Score Available in MAAS Rows: Low/moderate alcohol consumption: RR = 0.74, Ln(RR) = -0.30 (reference), Score = -1.0, Available = + Coronary heart disease: RR = 1.36, Ln(RR) = 0.31, Score = +1.0, Available = + Physical inactivity: RR = 1.39, Ln(RR) = 0.33, Score = +1.1, Available = + Renal dysfunction: RR = 1.39, Ln(RR) = 0.33, Score = +1.1, Available = + Diabetes: RR = 1.47, Ln(RR) = 0.39, Score = +1.3, Available = + High cholesterol: RR = 1.54, Ln(RR) = 0.43, Score = +1.4, Available = + Smoking: RR = 1.59, Ln(RR) = 0.46, Score = +1.5, Available = + Obesity: RR = 1.60, Ln(RR) = 0.47, Score = +1.6, Available = + Hypertension: RR = 1.61, Ln(RR) = 0.48, Score = +1.6, Available = + Mediterranean diet: RR = 1.66, Ln(RR) = 0.51, Score = +1.7, Available = + Depression: RR = 1.85, Ln(RR) = 0.62, Score = +2.1, Available = + High cognitive activity: RR = 0.38, Ln(RR) = -0.97, Score = -3.2, Available = + Low unsaturated fat intake: No data (—) in all columns. The table indicates that depression, hypertension, and low cognitive activity have some of the highest impact scores.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Picture1.png "Picture1") ‘Algorithm for calculating individual Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA) score’ \[8\]. #### **Virtual Reality (VR) Tests in Prodromal AD** Dr Dennis Chan and his group at the University of Cambridge have focused on designing sensitive and affordable screening methods that detect the early progression of AD, by focusing on spatial neurons in the entorhinal-hippocampal circuit. The entorhinal cortex is the first region to exhibit neurodegeneration in AD, and is involved in spatial navigation, which is reflected by the firing of spatially modulated neurons \[8\]. The study findings highlighted that the biomarker positive patients presented larger errors in VR path integration tests, whereas biomarker negative patients and non-patients presented with similar navigation performance. VR performances correlated with MRI measures of the entorhinal cortex and AD molecular pathology, and was found to have higher diagnostic sensitivity and specificity than neuropsychological tests currently used in early detection and diagnosis of AD (e.g MMSE, ACE-R etc.) ![A multi-panel figure showing a virtual reality (VR) spatial navigation experiment. Panel A: Cartoon illustration of a triangular navigation task in a grassy virtual environment. Three cones numbered 1 to 3 are placed in a triangle. A cartoon figure starts at cone 1 and navigates a path marked by arrows: red arrows for the instructed route (1 to 2 to 3) and a yellow arrow for the return path from 3 to 1. Panel B: Photograph of a participant wearing a VR headset and a backpack computer, standing in a room. Panel C: Screenshot from the VR environment, showing grassy terrain, mountains in the distance, and cone 1 labelled in blue. A VR controller is visible in the user's virtual hand. Panel D: Nighttime VR environment with mountain background, moonlight, and grass with directional arrows on the ground indicating navigation cues. A VR controller is visible. Panel E: Similar to panel D but with a starry sky and slightly different arrow orientations. Panel F: Same terrain as D and E, but without arrows on the grass, possibly representing a test phase without cues. The VR controller remains visible. The panels illustrate the setup and environment used for testing spatial memory and navigation using immersive VR.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Mountains.png "Mountains") ‘**Path integration task** (**A**) Illustration of the path integration task. Each numbered inverted blue cone is a location marker. Only one cone was visible at a time; upon reaching a blue cone it disappeared and the next one in the sequence appeared. Red arrows indicate the guided sequence along two sides of the triangle. The yellow arrow, the last side of the triangle, signifies the assessed return path, performed in the absence of any cones. (**B**) Demonstration of VR equipment on a participant during the task, used with permission. (**C**) Example environment from the head mounted display with textural and boundary cues present, with cone 1 and the controller shown. Texture and boundary cues are present in all trials when navigating between cones. (**D**–**F**) Return conditions applied when attempting to return to the location of cone 1 only (yellow arrow, **A**) and included no change (**D**), removal of environment boundaries (**E**) and removal of surface detail (**F**)’\[9\]. #### **Take Away Message Dementia may be incurable at this current moment in time, but it is never too late to prioritise brain health and empower members of the public in being proactive in delaying the onset of cognitive decline. #### **Acknowledgement** Many thanks to Dr Charles Marshall and staff from the PNU group for organising this event, and the delightful speakers for sharing their groundbreaking research. #### **List of Speakers And Their Topics Of Discussion** - Anette Schrag (UCL): Detecting prodromal Parkinson’s disease. - Rimona Well (UCL): Using vision to predict dementia in Parkinson’s disease. - Seb Köhler (Maastricht University): Risk and prevention of dementia: the Dutch MijnBreincoach project. - Vanessa Raymount (University of Oxford); Recent advances in the prevention of dementia, update from the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia study. - Jonathan Schott (UCL): Exploring the prevalence, Causes and consequences of Alzheimer’s and cerebrovascular pathology in the 1946 birth cohort. - Dennis Chan (University of Cambridge): VR tests of entorhinal cortex function in prodromal Alzheimer’s disease. - Carol Brayne (University of Cambridge): Population studies of brain ageing in context. - Richard Milne (University of Cambridge): Ethical challenges associated with the prediction and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. - Alastair Noyce (QMUL): Time matters, A call to priorities brain health. --- Phazha and a few others recorded a podcast for the Dementia Researcher website, to discuss the presentations at this symposium. Download now on your favourite podcast app, just search for Dementia Researcher – or stream directly from our website using the link below --- #### Author ![Phazha Bothongo](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Phazha-Bothongo-photo-230x300.jpg "Phazha Bothongo photo")Phazha Bothongo [Phazha Bothongo](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-phazha-bothongo/) is a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London and originally from South Africa. Her research interests focus on the effects of socio-economic deprivation and ethnicity on the prevalence of dementia in Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups, in comparison to the white population. In her spare time she can often be found at the Tate Modern, and in the cafe reading about spirituality and enlightenment. --- #### **References** 1. Mukadam, N., Lewis, G., Mueller, C., Werbeloff, N., Stewart, R. and Livingston, G. (2019) ‘Ethnic differences in cognition and age in people diagnosed with dementia: A study of electronic health records in two large mental healthcare providers’. *International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.* 34 (3), pp. 504-520. doi: 10.1002/gps.5046 2. Moriarty, J., Sharif, N. and Robinson, J. (2011) ‘Black and minority ethnic people with dementia and their access to support and services’. Social Care Institute for Excellence. pp. 1-20. Available at:https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a0ff/ 9a8105c4ef6f136ed62dc59875a6eaa36e64.pdf 3. World Health Organization and Alzheimer’s Disease International (2012) ‘Dementia: a public health priority World Health organizations. 4. Mehta, D., Jackson, R., Paul, G., Shi, J. and Sabbagh, M. (2017) ‘Why do trails for Alzheimer’s disease drugs keep failing? A discontinued drug perspective for 2010-2015’. *Expert Opin Investig Drugs.* 26 (6), pp. 735-739. Doi: 10.1080/13543784.2017.1323868 5. Alzforum (2019) ‘Therapeutics: Aducanumab). Available at: 6. Lanskey, J. H., McColgan, P., Schrag, A. E., Acosta-Cabronero, J., Rees, G., Morris, H. R. and Weil, R. S. (2018) ‘Can neuroimaging predict dementia in Parkinson’s disease?’. *Brain.* 141 (9), pp. 2545-2560. Doi: 10.1093/brain/awy211 7. Leyland, L.-A., Bremner, F. D., Mahmood., R., Hewitt, S., Durteste, M., Cartlidge, M. R. E., Lai, M. M.-M., Miller, L. E., Saygin, A. P., Keane, P. A., Schrag, A. E. and Weil, R. S. (2019) ‘visual tests predict dementia risk in Parkinson’s disease’. *Neurology: Clinical Practice.* (2019), pp. 1-11. Doi: 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000719 8. Schiepers, O. J. G., Köhler, S., Deckers, K., Irving, K., O’Donnel, C. A., van den Akker, M., Verhey, F. R. J., Vos, S. J. B., de Vugt, M. E. and van Boxtel, M. P. J. (2017) ‘Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA): A new model for dementia prevention’. *International Journal of* *Geriatric Psychiatry.* 2018 (33), pp. 167-175. Doi: 10.1002/gps.4700 9. Howett, D., Castegnaro, A., Krzywicka, K., Hagman, J., Marchment, D., Henson, R., Rio, M., King, J. A., Burgess, N. and Chan, D. (2019) differentiable of mild cognitive impairment using an entorhinal cortex-based test of virtual reality navigation’. *Brain.* 142 (6), pp. 1751-1766. Doi: 10.1093/brain/awz116 **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Alastair Noyce, Anette Schrag, Blog, Dementia Prevention, Dennis Chan, Jonathan Schott, Phazha Bothongo, Professor Carol Brayne, Queen Mary University, Richard Milne, Rimona Well, Seb Köhler, Vanessa Raymount **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research --- ### [Blog - Preparing for a virtual viva](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-preparing-for-a-virtual-viva/) **Published:** April 9, 2020 **Author:** Dr Anna Volkmer **Excerpt:** At this slightly strange time, Anna Volkmer shares (from experience) her top tips for preparing for the virtual viva, as she prepares for her own this week. **Content:** **As a clinical academic it has been an epic journey for me from working as a speech and language therapist to submitting my PhD just 3 months ago.** I was working with people with language led dementia, called primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and their families. Looking to the research literature to ensure I was delivering evidence based practice I found that the word retrieval therapies that dominated this tiny pool of research literature didn’t meet the needs of people with PPA and their families. I found myself looking to the stroke aphasia literature, to the social approaches and communication partner interventions that I felt did meet the needs of the people I was working with. These were interventions that improved the quality of life and relationships of people with stroke aphasia and that I believe could have the same impact, and additionally maximise independence in people with PPA. This inspired me to pursue an application to the NIHR for a Doctoral Research Fellowship to undertake a PhD to develop and pilot a communication partner training programme for people with PPA and their families entitled Better Conversations with PPA. I segued from my clinical role as a clinical specialist speech and language therapist into my PhD at UCL, where I studied for 4 years. My PhD comprised 3 stages over 4 years. In line with the Medical Research Council guidelines on developing complex interventions these stages constituted phase I work to develop and refine the intervention and phase II exploratory work in the form of a randomised controlled pilot-feasibility study across 11 NHS. I have already published 4 peer reviewed journal articles from my PhD on a UK wide survey of speech and language therapy practices in PPA, a systematic review of the functional communication focused literature in this area and the protocol for my pilot-feasibility study. Another is I preparation, describing the development and co-production of the intervention itself. When the funding for the PhD finished (last September) I commenced two new roles as a senior lecturer at UCL and a brand new position as a senior speech and language therapist in the Cognitive Disorders Service, aligned with the Dementia Research Centre at UCLH, in the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. These roles allow me to both teach student speech and language therapists on their role in dementia, and on qualitative research methods, but also to provide a clinical hub and spoke service, whereby I contribute to the diagnosis and management of people with PPA. In this role I see people with PPA as well as advising local Speech and Language Therapy Services on their role. These roles allowed me the time and space to also complete the writing for my thesis, which I submitted in December. I have, over the last 3 months of so, alternately looked forward to and alternately dreaded my viva. My viva was scheduled for the 8th April and it symbolised both the potential to move to the next stage of my clinical academic career- the gateway to applying for more funding to do further research in this area. The viva also represented the dreaded conversation, where I would be questioned in great detail on what I have actually done. When Covid-19 hit the UK, we identified our patients with dementia as being in a potential risk category. Given their language difficulties, people with PPA in particular, may need additional accessible advice and guidance to understand the concept of COVID-19 and to follow the guidance given. At present I continue to see patients virtually, or on the telephone. I am giving direct guidance, forwarding accessible written materials to family members. I have problem solved with family members how to manage the decision-making of their loved ones, I have made wallet cards for people to carry with information on their diagnosis and communication difficulties. I have problem-solved access to food shopping and prescriptions. I have delivered a lot of remote therapy for people who’s PPA continues to deteriorate and who have limited windows to make the most of language rehabilitation. I have supported families, developed strategies and delivered communication partner training remotely to maintain relationships between people in social isolation. When COVID-19 hit, I was also advised that my viva had been postponed, to the Autumn. I was terribly disappointed. Given everything else going on I was keen for some normality, and to get the viva done. Revising for the viva had already taken up a significant portion of my time, and I was planning a grant application, that somewhat depended on me having submitted my PhD. Within a week the viva was back on. Now scheduled as a virtual viva. I feel relived but equally rather exhausted simply by the idea of this virtual viva. I have found it quite hard to knuckle down and concentrate on the viva, when I have continued to spend 3 days of my week supporting people with dementia to get through this pandemic, when I am supporting my speech and language therapy colleagues on wards where people with COVDI-19 are fighting for their lives. That said I have also found it a great anecdote. In the scheme of things my viva is only a viva. I will just get it done and out of the way, and then I can focus more on the issues at hand (oh and home schooling the kids). So my tips for preparing for the virtual viva at this slightly strange time are thus: 1. Remember: the viva is still important, people are and will still have dementia after the pandemic and they still need interventions to support them to live well, perhaps now more so than ever. 2. On the up side a virtual viva means you don’t have to worry about the your entire outfit quite so much. I am going with a collared top, but Ill probably wear my slippers with this. 3. Running a mock viva, in the spot in the house where you plan to have the viva is handy. Making sure the technology works, making sure the screen background is appropriate and the sound and picture work is valuable. 4. Running a mock viva is a good way of making things real, it focuses the mind and doesn’t allow you to get distracted. 5. Also you can video record your mock viva and go over every minor detail, the wording of every answer etc. 6. Do connect with other people doing their viva. Just because you are not in the office with them, doesn’t mean they are not around. Discuss strategies, potential questions and stupid issues (such as how to hold your thesis, whether having a coffee or water is more appropriate etc). 7. Take a look at the guidelines for virtual vivas and run over this with your supervisor- I recommend staying in touch, even the odd call to help you focus and bring you back to the task at hand. 8. Schedule a virtual debrief/glass of wine for after the event. You will still need it and your supervisory team and peers will still want to support you. 9. Tell you clinical colleagues- they will still be supportive! As will the patients/research participants. The work is still important. 10. Maybe consider enjoying it? Maybe. **Ill let you know how I get on with mine. 4 days to go from writing this (with 2 clinical days in there for good measure) !?!?** --- ***Ed: Here is a podcast you might also find useful.*** --- #### Author ![Dr Anna Volkmer Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/anna-268x300.jpg "Anna Volkmer")Dr Anna Volkmer **[Anna Volkmer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/)** is a Speech and Language Therapist and NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow working in Language and Cognition, Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, [University College London](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/). Anna is researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language led dementia and was once voted scariest speech and language therapist (even her children agree). [Follow @volkmer\_anna](https://twitter.com/volkmer_anna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Careers, Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Careers, Dr Anna Volkmer, Viva, Working from home **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials --- ### [Guest Blog - More research should take place in areas with most disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-more-health-research-should-take-place-in-the-areas-and-populations-with-most-disease/) **Published:** September 21, 2020 **Author:** Adam Smith **Excerpt:** Research shows research participation is on the increase, however health research does not take place in areas where the burden of disease is highest **Content:** ![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/luke-thornton-_OoduqcpSjM-unsplash-300x225.jpg "luke-thornton-_OoduqcpSjM-unsplash")Thanks to Luke Thornton for sharing their work on Unsplash. **The numbers of patients who take part in health research varies across England. But overall, health research does not take place in areas where the burden of disease is highest.** [A new study](https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/more-health-research-should-take-place-in-the-areas-and-populations-with-most-disease/?source=chainmail) from NIHR Evidence found that areas with the highest burden of disease have the lowest numbers of patients taking part in research. This means that diseases which are more common among deprived communities are being studied in healthier populations. This matters because findings from healthier populations may not hold true in communities which face greater challenges to health and well-being. It is also unjust as publicly-funded research should be accessible to all. **[Read the full NIHR EVIDENCE Study Report](https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/more-health-research-should-take-place-in-the-areas-and-populations-with-most-disease)** #### What’s next? The data suggest that researchers need to think more closely about where they conduct their studies. The study will allow research leaders and policy makers to monitor any changes over time and assess whether progress is being made in aligning research activity to disease burden. There is more work to do in engaging with people most in need of health research. We do not know enough about how recruitment methods could be improved to reach new populations and there is a need to explore this further. The NIHR has projects underway that aim to improve our recruitment methods. [Follow @NIHRevidence](https://twitter.com/NIHRevidence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) --- **Adam Smith:** *Join Dementia Research is a nationwide service which enables anyone over 18 years of age, with or without dementia, and careers, to volunteers to take part in research studies. As part of a volunteers registration, they are asked to provide information that allows the system to ‘match’ them to potentially appropriate research. While the main objectives of the service are obvious i.e. a) support volunteers to have opportunities to participate in research they may not otherwise discover b) help researchers to rapidly and effectively recruit to studies. [Join Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-using-join-dementia-research/) has a long-term ambition to steer and encourage researchers to undertake research in the geographical areas where there are people wanting to participate. Using volunteer registration data, the service hopes to demonstrate to researchers places and populations that are under-researched.* *If you are currently performing a study feasibility review, or starting to recruit to a study, contact the Join Dementia Research team, who can perform a free feasibility reviews to advise on locations and populations that have less opportunities to join studies (giving you less competition, and a larger pool of people).* [www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk](https://www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk) **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Adam Smith, Community, Join Dementia Research, NIHR Evidence, Recruitment, Rural Communities, Study Design --- ### [How to handle a supervisor’s sudden departure](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-handle-a-supervisors-sudden-departure/) **Published:** April 27, 2022 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** PIs change institutions, take sabbaticals, retire & sometimes depart academia altogether — leaving their teams to wonder what’s next **Content:** **![Empty Science Lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Empty-Science-Lab-300x238.png "Empty Science Lab")“I don’t want to be here, and I can’t get out,” says a geosciences student who started her PhD programme in 2015 and has no clear end in sight. “I want to find a postdoc and get the mentorship experience I’m not getting currently, but I can’t finish my dissertation.”** During her first year, she found out from several graduate students that her adviser had taken a position at a new university. When she asked him about the transition, she says, he assured her that everything would be fine and that she could either change institutions with him or be mentored from afar. She was in the process of buying a home with her partner, so she decided to stay and be advised remotely. Now, seven years later, she is still struggling to find the support that she needs to complete her dissertation and secure a job — nearly two years after she should have graduated. [Principal investigators](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-the-career-path-to-principal-investigator-is-narrowing/) (PIs) can depart their institutions for many reasons while they are actively advising PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Students must then work out whether they can move with their PIs, switch advisers or transition to remote supervision, or devise another solution to complete their degrees. “We want PIs to be able to move,” says Jennifer Polk, a career coach for PhD students, based in Toronto, Canada. “But the impacts of that move on PhD students can range from none at all to them not finishing their degrees, depending on what happens next.” According to Polk, PIs need to tell their students about their plans as soon as possible and be transparent about what their students’ options are. *Nature* spoke to junior researchers, a PI, a career consultant and a dean about the impacts of an absent PI and what PhD students and postdocs can do to stay on track. Three interviewees, including the geoscientist mentioned above, requested anonymity owing to concerns that sharing their experiences could harm their careers. --- **Read the full article on the Nature Careers Website – ** If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy this podcast: **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Nature Careers, Nikki Forrester, Supervisor --- ### [How to set up your new lab space](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-set-up-your-new-lab-space/) **Published:** May 21, 2024 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** An empty room can be intimidating. But with some thoughtful planning, you can create a thriving scientific community - shared from Nature Careers **Content:** **![How to set up your new lab space](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/How-to-set-up-your-new-lab-space-300x238.png "How to set up your new lab space")The first time that J.W.T. flew to California to check out her [new laboratory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-things-you-need-to-know-when-starting-your-own-lab/ "Podcast – Things you NEED to know when starting your own lab"), she looked around with astonishment. “Oh gosh,” she thought, “now I have to figure out how to fill this space!”** A recently hired faculty member has several challenges to face. They have to find a place to live, and perhaps schools for their children. They need to arrange for their research materials and personal belongings to be shipped to their new home. And they have to make an empty lab space their own. Planning the layout is more than simply an exercise in ‘lab Tetris’: a well-organized workspace frees lab members to focus on science. And when everyone is fully invested in their work, a thriving scientific community can grow. J.W.T. spent a lot of time thinking about what was most important for her lab space — even before accepting the position. Her priorities included functionality and flexibility; yours might be different. Being cost-conscious, she also wanted to avoid purchasing equipment or supplies that were already shared among labs in her department or were otherwise available. M.C., a research specialist, was J.W.T.’s first lab member. Together, we shaped the space to our needs — here’s how we did it. ## Planning Our first task was to think about the kinds of experiment that we would be doing. Our lab studies the genomic drivers of paediatric brain tumors, and our experiments fall into four main categories: bacterial, plasmid-free, tissue culture and western blotting. We created a spreadsheet with four tabs, one for each category. In each tab, we drew up an exhaustive list of items that we would need, including equipment and consumables. For example, in the tissue-culture tab, we added everything from biosafety cabinets to pipette tips. Pro tip number 1: send your spreadsheet to the operations or administrative team at your new institution to find out whether anything on your list is available as shared equipment. Using shared equipment saved us a lot of start-up money and space, and helped us to avoid future maintenance expenses. ## Design Our lab consists of one main room with five benches and a small side room. To visualize the space, we drew a floor plan, which we edited as we made decisions about where to place things. The backbone of our work is tissue culture, so we dedicated the side room to it. Tissue culture requires many pieces of equipment — including biosafety cabinets, incubators, a centrifuge, a microscope and a cell counter — that we couldn’t put elsewhere. Moreover, culturing cells and maintaining sterility in a biosafety cabinet require focus, and we felt that a separate space would minimize distractions. Next, we determined which benches we would use for our other experiments. Bacteria can be a source of contamination, so we assigned bacterial work to Bench 5, which was located farthest from the tissue-culture area. We also wanted to separate the bacterial workbench from the plasmid-free area, because bacteria are used to generate plasmids. The plasmid-free area is where we perform DNA- and RNA-extraction experiments, which can yield false results if they are contaminated by plasmids. So, we assigned the plasmid-free workspace to Benches 1 and 2. That left Benches 3 and 4 for western blotting. This arrangement might seem obvious in hindsight, but designing our layout step by step allowed us to think about how the physical space could help or hinder our experiments and avoid future contamination problems. ## Equipment installation Our next task was to decide where to put our two biggest pieces of equipment, a refrigerator and a −20 °C freezer. We had originally planned to put them next to each other — but that would have meant that they could not be opened at the same time. We also wanted the exit doors and high-traffic areas to be free of large obstacles. After trying out several arrangements, we decided to place the refrigerator and freezer on opposite sides of the entrance, with clearance on either side. Almost immediately, our plans were muddied. Days after finalizing the refrigerator and freezer locations, our department offered us another refrigerator. We had been planning to purchase a mini-fridge to place beneath the bench for bacterial work, but could not turn down the chance to save money by taking free equipment — even if it was too large for its intended location. We ultimately decided that the new fridge would fit perfectly next to the freezer, a placement that would free up space under the bacterial bench for extra consumables. Pro tip number 2: try several set-ups for equipment and supplies. Your final configuration will probably be the result of a number of iterations, and that’s OK. ## Storing supplies Once our equipment had been placed, we realized that we had a lot of empty wall space. We asked the carpentry team to add rows of open shelving wherever they could, effectively tripling our storage space. Our last organizational hurdle was deciding how to fill the space with consumables and supplies. We started in the tissue-culture room, because a lot of plasticware is needed to grow brain tumour cells. We use two kinds of culture plate, ultra-low attachment and adherent, which look identical but have very different functions and prices. Our priority in the tissue-culture room was to separate these plastics, so people wouldn’t accidentally grab the wrong type of plate — avoiding confusion and failed experiments. We also needed to allocate space for other supplies. So we grabbed a pack of sticky notes and used our supply spreadsheet to label drawers and shelves with tentative locations for items. We then tested out working in the space, to see whether our system made sense. Often, it didn’t. For example, we originally labelled some shelves as storage for serological pipettes. But we quickly realized that these could be kept in large drawers, and that the shelves would be better for storing bulkier items. We used the same approach to organize the remaining lab benches. Finally, we replaced the sticky notes with large adhesive labels with removable inserts, so we could easily change how things were organized. Clear labelling means there is a place for everything, and everything has its place. ## Let the science begin Lab organization can seem intimidating, or even boring — but it’s neither. For one thing, it gave us the opportunity to meet people in our neighbouring labs: when we needed inspiration, we checked out how their spaces were organized. These steps were not completed in a day, but took months. And although we are satisfied with our current layout, it could change as the lab grows. Let’s face it: research is difficult. Taking the time to mindfully set up a new space, with organization as a top priority, is an investment in efficiency. Most importantly, your team will be able to work together cohesively, tackling tough scientific questions with minimal friction. Your future self — and lab members — will thank you. --- Shared from the Nature Careers website – for the original post and more great content visit: *doi: * --- **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** In the Lab, Jessica W. Tsai, Marissa Coppola, Nature Careers, Setting up a Lab --- ### [European Medicines Agency changes opinion on Lecanemab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/european-medicines-agency-changes-opinion-on-lecanemab/) **Published:** November 14, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Following a re-examination of its initial opinion, EMA issues a positive opinion on authorisation of Lecanemab / Leqembi for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s **Content:** **![European Medicines Agency opinion on lecanemab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/European-Medicines-Agency-opinion-on-lecanemab-300x238.png "European Medicines Agency opinion on lecanemab")After re-examining its initial opinion, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended granting a marketing authorisation to Leqembi ([lecanemab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/lecanemab-recieves-nice-rejection/)) for treating mild cognitive impairment (memory and thinking problems) or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (early Alzheimer’s disease) in patients who have only one or no copy of *ApoE4*, a certain form of the gene for the protein apolipoprotein E.** Patients with only one or no copy of *ApoE4* are less likely to experience amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) than people with two *ApoE4* copies. ARIA is a recognised serious side effect with Leqembi that involves swelling and potential bleeding in the brain. The CHMP concluded that, in the restricted population assessed in the re-examination, the benefits of Leqembi in slowing down progression of symptoms of the disease are greater than its risks. In July 2024, the Committee had issued a negative opinion on the use of Leqembi in a broader population of all patients with early Alzheimer’s disease. ### Data show lower risk of ARIA in some patients ARIA manifests in two forms: ARIA-E (oedema) involving the accumulation of fluid in the brain and ARIA-H (haemorrhage) involving small bleeds in the brain. It can occur naturally in all patients with Alzheimer’s disease, but it is exacerbated by taking medicines such as Leqembi, i.e., antibodies targeting amyloid beta. In the re-examination requested by the company, the CHMP considered subgroup analyses which excluded data from patients who carried 2 copies of the *ApoE4* gene and were therefore at highest risk of ARIA. The results of these analyses showed that among patients treated with Leqembi, 8.9% of those with only one or no copy of *ApoE4* experienced ARIA-E, compared with 12.6% of all patients; similarly, 12.9% of patients in the restricted population experienced ARIA-H compared with 16.9% of the broader population. Among patients treated with placebo (a dummy treatment), the figures were 1.3% and 6.8% for ARIA-E and ARIA-H, respectively, in the restricted population. > *Alzheimer Europe welcomes the positive decision by the CHMP, which addresses many of the concerns highlighted in Alzheimer Europe’s official response to the initial CHMP decision, enabling patients to engage in discussions with their physicians and make informed decisions based on their individual circumstances, preferences and values, including the acceptability of risk and anticipated benefits.* > > *Alzheimer Europe appreciates and supports the considered approach that the EMA has taken to identify patients likely to benefit from treatment and exclude those at greatest risk of harmful side-effects. During the re-examination, the CHMP focused on participants with only one or no copies of the ApoE4 gene, assessing data from a subgroup of 1,521 individuals out of the 1,795 participants in the Clarity-AD trial of lecanemab. In this group, the risk of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) was generally lower than in the full trial population, which included people with two copies of the ApoE4 gene.* ### Data on benefits in the restricted population In terms of effectiveness, the benefits of Leqembi in the restricted population are in line with those seen in the broader population. For the re-examination, the company provided a subgroup analysis of data from the main study which included 1,521 patients who have one or no *ApoE4* copy out of total of 1,795 patients. The main measure of effectiveness was a change in cognitive and functional symptoms after 18 months, as measured using a dementia rating scale known as CDR-SB. The scale ranges from 0 to 18, with higher scores indicating greater impairment. After 18 months of treatment, patients treated with Leqembi had a smaller increase in CDR-SB score than those who received placebo (1.22 versus 1.75), indicating slower cognitive decline. The results of other key measures were similar to those seen with the CDR-SB scale. ### Additional safety measures The CHMP concluded that the benefits of Leqembi outweigh the risks in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease with one or no copy of *ApoE4*, provided that risk minimisation measures are in place to reduce the risk of severe and symptomatic ARIA and monitor its consequences in the long term. Leqembi will be available through a controlled access programme to ensure that the medicine is only used in the recommended patient population. Patients will need to have MRI scans to monitor for ARIA before initiation of treatment and before the 5th, 7th and 14th dose of Leqembi. Additional MRI scans may be needed at any time during treatment if patients develop symptoms of ARIA (such as headache, confusion, visual changes, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty walking). To increase awareness of ARIA and ensure early detection and treatment, the company will provide a guide and checklist for healthcare professionals, an alert card for patients and training programmes on ARIA for healthcare professionals. In addition, it must carry out a post-authorisation safety study to further characterise ARIA-E and ARIA-H and assess the effectiveness of the risk minimisation measures. The company will set up an EU-wide registry study with patients treated with Leqembi that can be used to estimate the incidence of side effects, including ARIA, and to determine how severe they are. The registry study can also be used to collect information about patients’ progression to the next stages of Alzheimer’s disease and the possible long-term consequences of ARIA. As for all assessments, during the re-examination the CHMP also considered submissions from patients, carers, clinicians and organisations, who shared their perspectives on the unmet needs of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and the data on cognitive decline and risks. The CHMP’s opinion is an intermediary step on Leqembi’s path to patient access. The opinion will now be sent to the European Commission for the adoption of a decision on an EU-wide marketing authorisation. Once a marketing authorisation has been granted, decisions about pricing and reimbursement will take place at the level of each Member State, taking into account the potential role and use of this medicine in the context of its national health system. ### More about Leqembi and Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and behaviour. Leqembi contains the active substance lecanemab and is to be given as an infusion (drip) into a vein once every two weeks. The active substance in Leqembi, lecanemab, is a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein) that attaches to a substance called amyloid beta, which forms plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. By attaching to amyloid beta, Leqembi reduces the amyloid plaques in the brain. The most common side effects with Leqembi include infusion-related reactions, ARIA-H, ARIA-E, and headache. Leqembi must not be used by people receiving anticoagulant treatment as this could increase the risk of developing ARIA-H and bleedings in the brain. ### Related content [Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 22-25 July 2024](https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/meeting-highlights-committee-medicinal-products-human-use-chmp-22-25-july-2024) --- ##### Find out more about the latest drugs for dementias: **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer Europe, ARIA, European Medicines Agency, Lecanemab, Leqembi --- ### [Understanding Focus Groups](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/understanding-focus-groups/) **Published:** June 4, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Learn how to design, run, and analyse focus groups effectively, online or in person, with thisl NCRM guide for qualitative researchers and social scientists. **Content:** *This post is shared from the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM), who offer a wealth of excellent resources for researchers. You can explore more at .* --- **As a qualitative method, [focus groups](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/methods-matter-podcast-focus-groups/) are used to obtain a range of views or opinions in social research from social actors including, for example, citizens, community members and groups, customers, policymakers, politicians, business leaders and experts. Participants are selected based on their knowledge or experience of the topic to be explored. The interactions which participants have during a focus group are crucial for providing insights into their different perspectives.** ##### **Designing your focus group/s** Focus groups typically involve between 4 and 12 participants. Participants are usually strangers, but there can be instances in which they know each other (i.e. employees at the same organisation). Focus groups can be a singular data collection event, or conducted in a series over time. Participants will often be paid or incentivised. Additionally, focus groups can function as an open and supportive space in which participants can talk about sensitive issues. The number of focus groups conducted in a project will depend on many factors including, research question, scale, resources, and access to participants. For example, one focus group could be conducted for a pilot study or for dissemination of research results to stakeholders, and larger number of (i.e. 10-20 focus groups) could be conducted in a project in which there are multiple factors determining comparison both across, and potentially within, each focus group. Group composition means ensuring that participants have enough in common with each other to engage in discussion, but also have varied perspectives to allow for debate or differences of opinion. ##### **The focus group agenda, focusing activities and questions** Focus groups are conducted in a semi-structured manner. They involve delivery of open and exploratory questions via a focus group agenda. Ice-breaker activities can be used to encourage discussion. The focus group agenda typically consists of: engagement questions, exploration questions, and exit questions. Moderators can also draw on focusing exercises or stimuli to help concentrate the group’s attention on a particular topic. Examples include: ranking exercises, workshop-style approaches (i.e. designing material, coming to a consensus, debating, or solving a problem), vignettes, card-sorting, timelines, mind-maps and voting activities. ##### **Moderating focus groups** Effective moderation is key to a successful focus group. The moderator needs to build rapport amongst participants, be encouraging of group interactions, ensure participants talk amongst themselves, and keep the discussion on track. Moderating styles can vary considerably and range from passive and removed, to engaged and interactive. The different dynamics of each focus group will necessitate different levels of involvement from the moderator as they manage different types of participant. Larger focus groups may necessitate more than one moderator. A note-taker may also be useful to record observations which accompany the audio-recording of the discussion. They might take notes on: group dynamics, participants’ responses to questions, body language, analytical insights, and/or feedback on moderation skills. ##### **Online focus groups** Focus groups can be delivered online rather than in person. This widens the pool of potential participants; however we need to be aware of the risk of selection bias as not everyone will have access to audio-visual conferencing technology. The principles and purposes of online focus groups remain the same as in person focus groups. However we cannot directly transfer what we do in in-person focus groups to the online context. We must consider the methodological, practical and ethical issues of online focus groups. There are additional ethical concerns with regards to data privacy and confidentiality online. Online focus groups can be asynchronous or synchronous. Examples of asynchronous focus groups include text-based discussions on chat forums or WhatsApp. Synchronous online focus groups are facilitated via audio-visual conferencing technologies such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. When moderating online focus groups, the moderator has more work to do to foster group interactions, as these can be disrupted by the detached and remote nature of online communication. ##### **Analysing focus group data** The analysis and interpretation of focus group data requires care because focus groups generate data which is different from individual interview data. The researcher must ensure that they analyse data within the context of each focus group discussion, and avoid separating out individual statements or views from the focus group. The focus group as a unit of data has to be analysed in a way which recognises the context in which perspectives are shared and generated. ##### **Reflexivity and ethics** It is important for researchers to reflect on the context and means of data creation and construction in focus groups. ‘Reflexivity’ is a key principle in qualitative research. We should consider the influence of moderators on the focus group, their positionality and how the focus group discussion was created and shaped. When designing our focus groups, we also must be mindful of key ethical considerations including, for example, consent, anonymity, confidentiality, privacy, and right to withdraw. When conducting focus group research on sensitive topics or experiences, or where there are vulnerabilities or potential distress, additional mitigations must be taken to ensure safety and wellbeing of participants. > [Download a worksheet.](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/resources/online/focus_group_introduction/downloads/Focus%20Group%20-%20Worksheet.docx) ##### **Summary** Overall, the rich insights from focus groups will help to uncover a variety of questions and insights in social research including, for example, the views of marginalized groups or citizens, people’s lived experiences, expert knowledge, community membership, or the dynamics of political processes and decision-making. Their utility goes beyond merely exploring ‘what’ people think to also giving us insight into ‘why’ they think as they do. They provide a unique insight in social research, which goes beyond insights provided by other qualitative methods such as individual interviews. ##### **Key terms** 1. **Focus Groups** – A qualitative research method used to gather diverse opinions from selected participants through group discussions. 2. **Qualitative Method** – A research approach that explores subjective experiences, meanings, and social phenomena through non-numerical data. 3. **Open Questions** – Broad and exploratory questions used in focus groups to encourage discussion and detailed responses. 4. **Semi-Structured** – A research approach that follows a flexible agenda with key topics but allows for spontaneous discussion. 5. **Engagement Questions** – Initial questions designed to make participants comfortable and encourage participation. 6. **Exploration Questions** – In-depth questions aimed at uncovering detailed insights into participants’ views. 7. **Exit Questions** – Concluding questions that allow participants to reflect on the discussion and provide final thoughts. 8. **Moderation** – The process of facilitating a focus group discussion while ensuring engagement and staying on topic. 9. **Moderator** – The person who leads and facilitates the focus group, encouraging discussion while keeping the conversation structured and inclusive. 10. **Rapport** – A sense of trust and comfort established between the moderator and participants to encourage open discussion. 11. **Focusing Exercises** – Activities used in focus groups to keep discussions centered, such as ranking exercises and debates. 12. **Stimuli** – Materials or prompts, like vignettes or mind maps, used to trigger discussion in focus groups. 13. **Note-Taker** – A person who records observations, group dynamics, and non-verbal cues during a focus group. 14. **Online Focus Groups** – Digital focus groups conducted synchronously (via video calls) or asynchronously (via text-based discussions). 15. **Selection Bias** – A risk in online focus groups where participation is limited by access to technology. 16. **Reflexivity** – The practice of critically examining how the researcher’s role influences the focus group discussion and results. 17. **Positionality** – The researcher’s background, identity, and perspective, which can shape the focus group process. 18. **Ethics in Focus Groups** – Considerations such as consent, anonymity, privacy, and participants’ right to withdraw from the study. 19. **Data Analysis in Focus Groups** – The process of interpreting group discussions while maintaining the context of interactions. 20. **Asynchronous Focus Groups** – Discussions that occur over time using text-based platforms like forums or WhatsApp. 21. **Synchronous Focus Groups** – Live discussions facilitated through video conferencing tools such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. 22. **Confidentiality** – Ensuring that participants’ identities and responses remain protected in the research process. [Supporting Materials](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/resources/online/all/?materials&id=20852) --- [Dementia Researcher](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher "Dementia Researcher") · [Methods Matter – Focus Groups](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher/methods-matter-focus-groups "Methods Matter - Focus Groups") --- #### About the author Dr Karen Lumsden is a qualitative trainer, consultant and coach with over 20 years’ experience delivering training and courses to academics, doctoral students, social researchers and practitioners. As a Sociologist and Criminologist her expertise lies in policing, cybercrime, death work, autoethnography and reflexivity. She has held a number of academic posts including Associate Professor at University of Leicester and Senior Lecturer at University of Aberdeen. Recent books on research methods include: *Crafting Autoethnography* (2023) and *Reflexivity: Theory, Method, Practice* (2019). [Primary author profile page](https://www.qualitativetraining.com/) - Published on: 18 February 2025 - Event hosted by: University of Southampton - Keywords: [Exploratory Research](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=Exploratory%20Research "Exploratory Research") | [Qualitative Interviewing – Focus Groups](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20Qualitative%20Interviewing%20-%20Focus%20Groups " Qualitative Interviewing - Focus Groups") | [Participant Recruitment](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20Participant%20Recruitment " Participant Recruitment") | [Qualitative Data Handling and Data Analysis](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20Qualitative%20Data%20Handling%20and%20Data%20Analysis " Qualitative Data Handling and Data Analysis") | [Online Data Collection](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20Online%20Data%20Collection " Online Data Collection") | [Ethnographic Research](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20Ethnographic%20Research " Ethnographic Research") | [Facilitation](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20Facilitation " Facilitation") | [focus group](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20focus%20group " focus group") | [workshop](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20workshop " workshop") | [qualitative](https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=%20qualitative " qualitative") | - **To cite this resource:** > Karen Lumsden. (2025). *Focus Group – Introduction*. National Centre for Research Methods online learning resource. Available at \[accessed: 4 June 2025\] **Categories:** Research Methods **Tags:** Dr Karen Lumsden, Focus Groups, Research Methods --- ### [Profile - Professor Emma Mead, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-mead/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Emma Mead leads the neuroinflammation team at ARUK’s Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, developing cell-based assays for new dementia treatments. **Content:** ![Professor Emma Mead](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Emma_Mead_Photo-300x300.jpg "Professor Emma Mead")Professor Emma Mead #### Name: Professor Emma Mead #### Job title: Senior Neurobiologist and Team Leader #### Place of work / study: [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/) Oxford Drug Discovery Institute #### Area of Research: Neuroinflammation #### How is your work funded: Fully funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK #### Tell us a little about yourself: I received my PhD in Neuroscience from University College London, with a focus on neuroinflammation and the role of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease. After gaining a real interest in inflammation and immunology, I undertook post-doctoral research position at Cardiff University, where I studied the mechanism of action of naturally occurring anti-inflammatory compounds in a variety of inflammatory diseases. I had developed a real interest in translational research during my degree and post-doc, so I decided to move into industry, and subsequently joined [Eli Lilly](https://www.lilly.com/) as a senior scientist and team co-ordinator after my post-doc. There, I worked in target validation and early drug discovery for neurodegeneration, and established an *in vitro* neuroinflammation assay platform. I now lead the neuroinflammation team at the ODDI. We utilise human iPSC macrophage and primary microglial cultures for target validation, and develop cell based screening assays for progression of neuroinflammatory projects. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have an allotment and love being creative in the kitchen with the produce – this often benefits the team when cakes are involved! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have always been fascinated by the brain, and what makes us unique individuals. During dementia, people lose a huge part of themselves in the form of the memories and experiences that have shaped their lives, which takes them away from their loved ones. Having seen the effect of dementia on individuals as well as their families through volunteering at Dementia Cafes, I am passionate about trying to understand how to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, to help both people living with these conditions and their family and friends. **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Drug Discovery Institute, Neuroinflammation, Professor Emma Mead **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Podcast - The Study Recruitment Puzzle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-the-study-recruitment-puzzle/) **Published:** October 2, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Adam Smith talks to Dr Anna Volkmer, Ellice Parkinson & Dr Megan Rose readman discussing study recruitment. The challenges, and strategies for success. **Content:** **In this podcast we explore the intricacies of dementia research study recruitment. Our host [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) and his three expert guests talk about why study recruitment is hard, the challenges they have faced in their own work, and unlock the secrets they have learned to crack the problem, and recruit on-time and on-target.** This weeks guests are: **[Dr Anna Volkmer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/)**, Senior Research Fellow, University College London. Anna is a Speech and Language Therapy clinician, [researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/venue/institute-of-modern-languages-research/) led dementia. **[Ellice Parkinson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ellice-parkinson-university-of-east-anglia/)**, PhD Student and former Trial Co-ordinator, University of East Anglia. With a background in clinical psychology and working in Huntington’s disease now focussed on Hydration care of older people, and people living with dementia. **[Dr Megan Rose Readman](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-megan-rose-readman-the-university-of-liverpool/)**, Demm Comm Research Fellow, The University of Liverpool. Megan’s current research, working alongside Dr Clarissa Giebel, Dr Dalia Tsimpida and Professor Chris Plack, focuses on the relationship between [hearing loss and atypical types of dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/understanding-hearing-loss-and-dementia-risk/), specifically Parkinson’s Disease Dementia and Lewy Body Dementia. #### **What to Expect:** - Gain insights into why recruitment is difficult. - Learn effective strategies to overcome communication challenges between researchers and participants. - Uncover novel approaches to streamline the recruitment process and reduce attrition rates. - Discover top-tips to help you find the participants you need. **Websites mentioned in this show:** [www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk](https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk&token=cdef37-1-1695930886608 "https://www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk") [www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia…l-trials/trialmatch](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alz.org%2Falzheimers-dementia%2Fresearch_progress%2Fclinical-trials%2Ftrialmatch&token=93e388-1-1695930886608 "https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/research_progress/clinical-trials/trialmatch") [www.stepupfordementiaresearch.org.au/](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stepupfordementiaresearch.org.au%2F&token=1526bc-1-1695930886608 "https://www.stepupfordementiaresearch.org.au/") [www.scie.org.uk/dementia/after-di…/conversation.asp](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scie.org.uk%2Fdementia%2Fafter-diagnosis%2Fcommunication%2Fconversation.asp&token=4cb4dc-1-1695930886608 "https://www.scie.org.uk/dementia/after-diagnosis/communication/conversation.asp") [www.rcslt.org/wp-content/uploads…ntia-factsheet.pdf](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rcslt.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fmedia%2FProject%2FRCSLT%2Frcslt-dementia-factsheet.pdf&token=89cb67-1-1695930886608 "https://www.rcslt.org/wp-content/uploads/media/Project/RCSLT/rcslt-dementia-factsheet.pdf") --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Adam Smith:** Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast. I’m your host Adam Smith, and I’m thrilled to have you join us for today’s discussion, which we’ve titled The Recruitment Puzzle. Recruiting participants for dementia research studies is often a complex and nuanced endeavour. From ethical considerations to logistical hurdles, researchers face numerous challenges that can significantly impede the progress of valuable studies. Not only costing money, but also meaning that studies sometimes don’t get the numbers of people they need to ensure they’re valid or at best are delayed, which means we often don’t get to benefit from the results as quickly as we should. Our guests today come from diverse backgrounds and specialisations, but they all share a dedication to advancing our understanding and treatment of dementia. They’ve all faced the challenges of study recruitment, and so they’re going to share their top tips and provide insights that could be game changers for new and seasoned researchers alike. Study recruitment is a challenge I’ve personally worked on for a number of years, so I’m delighted to be joined by these three researchers who will shed light on their own barriers and discuss how they’ve navigated the challenges in their own work. So, whether you’re a PhD student, clinical researcher, or working in any other area that needs the involvement of people with lived experience, this show is for you. So, let’s meet our guests. It’s my pleasure to introduce Ellice Parkinson, Dr. Anna Volkmer, and Dr. Megan Rose Readman. Hello. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Hello. **Ellice Parkinson:** Hi. **Adam Smith:** What you didn’t hear or see if you’re watching or listening is that they’ve just had to sit through me reading that introduction about four times to get it right. You could see them reading along my script as I did it, willing me on to succeed. Thank you all for bearing with me. Why don’t you all introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about yourselves? Ellice, why don’t you go first? **Ellice Parkinson:** So, I’m Ellice Parkinson. I’m a fourth year PhD researcher, but also a Research Associate at the University of East Anglia. And my research interests are hydration care of people living with dementia. **Adam Smith:** And if you are a few episodes behind, what you do need to do is of course jump back a couple of episodes ago to catch up on Ellice’s brilliant podcast she did with us, hosted by our other guest, Anna, that talks about their work on hydration. Thank you very much for joining us, Ellice. Anna, why don’t you go next. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Thank you so much, Adam. So hi, everybody. My name is Anna Volkmer. I’m a senior research fellow at University College London and a speech and language therapist. I am actually an NIHR funded advanced fellowship holder, which I should mention. And my research focuses on interventions for people mainly with language-led speech language and communication difficulties in dementia. **Adam Smith:** And of course, Anna is one of our regular bloggers. So if you’d like to know more about not only about her work, but Anna’s blogged for us for a number of years now and has done an amazing job at documenting her career journey from probably about your first year or secondary of your PhD through the PhD years, through that first postdoc, through the viva during the pandemic right up to now and is an inspirational figure in her field. So do go ahead and have a look at some of Anna’s blogs. There’ll be a link to her bio and some of the stuff she’s written for us in the show notes. And last but not least is the incredible Dr. Megan Rose Readman. Hello, Megan. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Hello. Thank you so much, Adam. Hi. I’m Megan. I’m a postdoc research fellow at the University of Liverpool and I’m funded by the NIHR, but also the Alzheimer’s Society. So, my research interest lies in the relationship between hearing loss and Lewy pathology dementia, so Parkinson’s, dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies. So, thank you. **Adam Smith:** I can’t help but feel that all your work is so interconnected between the swallowing and hydration and language and then your work on hearing as well, because if you don’t hear right, you don’t communicate properly. We could do a separate show just on your research topics alone. But thank you very much all of you for joining us today. We’ll stick with recruitment for now. Let’s get through this. Well, this is such a big topic and there are so many different ways we could approach it, but what I thought I’d like to do is maybe start by talking about why recruitment is difficult. Because in the UK alone, we know we have 800, I don’t know what the latest status is. Is it 850,000 or is it a million? We said 850,000 for a very long time and I feel like the latest figure is a million if you want to go to the charity, quote the charities. But there’s a million people living with dementia just in the UK alone. And of course, around 100,000 new people diagnosed each year. So, you would imagine that’s a lot of people to participate in research studies. Yet we know from Join Dementia Research, one of the services in the UK that less than 1% of people living with dementia were signed up for their register. So, what you would think might be easy, clearly isn’t. So, let’s first of all just talk about what we think some of the barriers are. Why don’t people want to participate in research? Anna, why don’t they? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** It’s a great question. Clinically, I work in a diagnostic centre, and I have to say, I think when people are being diagnosed, they’ve got so much on their plate. Often that’s the first point. We say, “Blah, blah, blah, you’ve got dementia. Here’s a bit of speech therapy, maybe OT or blah, blah, blah, oh, and research.” And people say, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Actually, do you know what? I need to take one thing at a time.” So, I think actually sometimes we bombard people with research, and it doesn’t necessarily mean they want to sign up. And the other thing I personally have found is that perhaps people are particularly interested in signing up for research focused on a cure, but maybe the idea of searching or signing up for research that isn’t focused on cure, that may be on care more is a bit trickier. And then of course, I should say one more thing and that is that I have particularly found people don’t want to sign up because perhaps they’ve got so many other things going on in their life they’re juggling. These are adults who’ve got lots of things to do often that they don’t necessarily have, even if they want to, time can be, it can be tricky. **Adam Smith:** I should say, one of the reasons why I know so much about this topic is because one of the first things I worked on when I joined UCL and the NIHR was on addressing this exact question about study recruitment problems. And we created something called Join Dementia Research, which is a register. In doing that we had lots of conversations to understand why people don’t sign up and what they did. And there was a lot of discussion at that time about at what point should you have a conversation about research. And so many views that it should this be as early on as possible at the point of diagnosis, or should it be later? One of the problems of course, is that post-diagnosis, it’s not like they’re coming back to hospital for regular visits and follow-ups. The dementia care pathway in the UK is a discharge post-diagnostic back into the care of your GP until things get worse or until things change. So, it’s not like there are many other touch points with healthcare specifically about your dementia to move that conversation too. So, I can see that. What about from your perspective, Megan? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** I think one thing that I’ve picked up on is a lot of individual, particularly young onset, have a bit of difficulty coming to terms with the diagnosis in the first instance. So, like you’re saying, what Anna was saying, that you’re giving a diagnosis and throwing research straight at that time. Sometimes I’ve noticed in the people I’ve worked with, they’ve wanted to take a hot second to actually process what has just been told, what they’ve just been through before being like, “Okay, now I’m ready. I accept what I’m going through. Now I’ll consider research. I think that’s one of the biggest things I’ve noticed, particularly in younger onset or people who weren’t necessarily, it was a bit of a curveball when they found out. **Adam Smith:** Do you think also as well it’s something at that time anyway, maybe slightly changing now, but also as well the nature of the research that was taking place, because you can’t talk about this and not talk about cancer, where clinical trials aren’t almost thought of as a separate study to recruit to. They’re part of the care pathway. When you’re offered a treatment, it’s like, would you like this mainstream treatment or would you like this experimental treatment? Not as a fine, it’s a clinical trial but it’s not even presented like it’s a separate trial. It’s like these are your participants in this trial or getting this treatment are your options. I suppose we haven’t had the luxury in dementia in the past to say, “Would you like the regulatory treatment or the experimental treatment?” Of course, that might be changing now. Well, it won’t change because we haven’t got a regular treatment right now, have we? We’ve got the, would you like the Cholinesterase inhibitor and if you’re lucky the behavioural CBT or something like that, whatever else you are offered. But I guess that could be one of the reasons why not treated in the same way. Ellice? **Ellice Parkinson:** It’s interesting listening to that because I don’t think it’s like a one size fits all answer. So, in Huntington’s disease, when someone is diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, so it’s genetic, there’s a familial inheritance with the Huntington genes. So generally, families are aware of this, and generations go by and they’re something that the family are well aware of. And in the care for people living with Huntington’s disease, they are seen in clinic mostly, not everyone, some people may choose not to, mostly once a year. So, there is that follow up. And so, I’m listening to you all with maybe that’s the missing link. Maybe that is a missing link because in Huntington’s there’s quite a lot of investment from the Huntington’s disease community in research. It is a big part of that community whether or not that’s because Huntington’s is specific in the fact that they’ve already identified the genes, so they know there’s the problem, let’s work on it. Whereas obviously with hundreds of dementias we’re still trying to understand, aren’t we? A very long-winded way of saying is actually there is, for that specific type of dementia, there is a want from the community to mostly take part in research. **Adam Smith:** I think maybe as well we need to think differently between the difference between clinical research, drug trials, and some of the qualitative research that takes place. I suppose in Huntington’s for example, I guess somebody with Huntington’s would usually be diagnosed in a neurology service of which there are now specially centres for neurology, aren’t there? There are fewer neurology specialist centres than there are the 200 memory clinics that are- **Ellice Parkinson:** Both. So, neurology and neuropsychiatry. So, I was based in a mental health hospital and that was where we saw people with their diagnoses. **Adam Smith:** I know from talking, so your average memory clinic, so this is talking specifically about the UK. So, if you’re listening overseas, we’ll try and broaden this out to make sure it’s relevant to you as well. But in the National Health Service in the UK, the traditional pathway for dementia diagnosis is you have mental health trusts. They have community mental health teams and specialist memory services. Each trust might have three, four, five, six of these services that cover the region that they are. That their GPs will refer to one of them and there are about 200 of these services across the UK. People turn up, they do their tests, and they have maybe one to three visits. There may or may not be a scan, there may or may not be some further testing. There’d probably usually been some testing before they get referred there to discount other potential neurological problems. And that’s where research is often discussed at that point there. But of course, the people working there might not be aware of the research that’s going on in their trust or at best they’ll only be aware of the research that’s going on in their trust. They might not even be aware of the research that’s going on across all of their trust, but just the bit of their trust that they’re involved with or the people they work for maybe. So, you can see how that’s a barrier as well. If the people who have the interaction with the people don’t even know there’s a study going on, of course, that’s going to be an issue, isn’t it? And how likely is it, Anna, that researchers have direct interaction with patients during that care pathway too? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Well, it’s a really good question. I have to say I think we are still with health professional, and I am a health professional as a speech and language therapist, I think we take a really paternalistic view when we’re working with dementia clients. People living with dementia, we’re much more worried about them being vulnerable, maybe lacking capacity, maybe not being the right time, maybe that they’ve got too much on their plate. So, we often gatekeep, I think professionals will gatekeep even if they know about stuff. So, I think that’s almost an initial boundary or we think, oh, English isn’t their first language or oh, there’s something that we do where we think, oh, this isn’t a good option. I’m not even going to burden them with this decision. So, we are already taking a paternalistic view. And then there’s that second layer which is like you say, I don’t think we’re that used to because there’s not been lots of trials in dementia then we are not used to offering this type of research. So, I suspect that when we are offering research, if we were offering research that was trial based like the cancer stuff to people with capacity, we might find that it would be a more fluent pathway. But we are offering people often things that are, like you say, qualitative. We want to hear about your opinions and your experiences, or we might be offering them something slightly more investigative where we put them through this rigorous battery of assessments and make them sit in an MRI machine for hours. And that doesn’t sound particularly inviting. **Adam Smith:** Not very attractive, is it? Before we started, I wrote out what I thought was a bit of a long list and tell me if you think I’ve missed anything. I think we’ve touched on all of these actually. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I think we have. **Adam Smith:** Tell me if you think I’ve missed anything. So, lack of awareness. I guess you don’t know what you don’t know. And if you turn up, get your diagnosis if nobody mentions it to you. I know from talking to some previous guests like Chris Roberts and others, the only way they ever found out is they went home and started to Google and that’s what they found. So, a lack of awareness. People genuinely might be nervous or worried. There is still this kind of, I think it’s improving, but there is still this fear of being treated a bit like some kind of lab rabbit, a Guinea pig, that’s the word I’m looking for. Lab rat, Guinea pig that you don’t want experiments done to you and maybe a misconception that all research trials are drug studies. I think people are one way or the other, either person sign up and say, “Give me the drugs. I want the drug studies.” Because they believe that’s what will really help them. Or people are scared and don’t want drug studies, but they’d be happy to chat about their experiences. So nervous or worried about the research. Too much trouble. I mean, I agree with this. I think if your dementia has progressed by the time you’re even getting out of the house, going to the supermarket, doing day-to-day normal activities is tricky. Let alone then trying to make multiple special visits to a local hospital going through invasive procedures, I can see that being something you’d be wary of. And so, you might never go to research at all. So that’s about the too much trouble study activity might be too hard. They want too much. There are 10 visits over two years or lots of things you have to do. Gatekeepers. I think we touched on there as well, didn’t we? So, one of my other projects has been care home research and I remember then often we talked about the care homes actually didn’t want their residents to participate in studies. It was just too much trouble. They just wanted everybody to nicely have a routine. And when you started to mix up that routine by saying, right, we are going to have a nurse come into the hospital, it also felt they were a bit nervous about inviting external people who might judge them in some way. So, care homes often were barriers. Clinicians themselves, because if it’s not a trial they’re doing, why would I go to the trouble of promoting a trial for somebody else? Sorry, Anna, you were going to add to that. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I want to add ethics boards. **Adam Smith:** I haven’t got it on this list. You’re right. Let me get through this and you can come back to that. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Sorry. Sorry. **Adam Smith:** No, no, no, you’re absolutely right though. And of course, PhD students. So, if you’re a qualitative PhD student, so say Ellice, if you’d done your hydration project as a University of East Anglia PhD student based in the university, you just wouldn’t have any day-to-day interaction with recruit people. Would you? So, when recruitment starts, it’s like, okay, now I’ve got to go find, I’m not situated in a place or interact with people, so I’ve got to go find them. **Ellice Parkinson:** That’s exactly what happened. **Adam Smith:** I think also as well, we’re a bit over reliant on digital technologies. I think we’ve all just become a bit of a used to, I’m going to tweet this and wait for replies, or I think we’ve moved away from good old, there’s a place for good old-fashioned newsletters and snail mail and posters. I’m going to say that Ellice has done some amazing posters for hydration recently. Language barriers as I think Anna touched on as well. I mean we constantly highlight the fact that we have a terrible lack of diversity in our research study recruitment, and we keep saying we’ll do something about it and then we keep doing everything in English and trying to recruit in the same way. So, language barriers. And then increasingly this need for very specific people, which I think is also if you are looking for somebody who’s very specific or for example doesn’t even have symptoms yet because your trial is on prevention or diet or exercise in somebody who’s at high risk of dementia. They’re probably not even interacting with healthcare. How do you find them? And in the states or in other countries, you can advertise, you can put TV adverts on there. In the UK, we don’t have television adverts for clinical trials. We don’t have radio adverts or posters on buses to say come and do this trial. Maybe we should, but ethics might be an issue for that. Anna, you were going to add to our list. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Sorry. I came in vigorously with ethics, didn’t I? I’ve had these experiences. I do a lot of video recording even in intervention trials and I do it in almost all the studies I do. Videoing people and ethics boards, they’re always horrified. You couldn’t possibly video somebody with dementia. How horrific. And then that results in a very long discussion or the other side of the coin I often have because working with people with speech language and communication difficulties, it’s a bit like going back to those language barriers. They say, “Well, people can’t possibly understand what you want them to do.” And I think that happens at the ethics board stage, but also happens probably at many stages. In fact, I think a lot of people get excluded from studies just in case they have a speech language or communication difficulty. So, consent, I wanted to add consent to that list because that can be a real barrier. **Adam Smith:** So, my next question in this list was what are the common misconceptions or fears that potential participants have? But I can’t help but think that we’ve actually already answered that question. So, what I will ask, and I’m going to come to you, Ellice, how does recruitment differ when you’re looking for people living with dementia or care home residents or people at risk of dementia? How does it differ depending on those different people you’re looking for? **Ellice Parkinson:** It’s such a big question. I think it comes to where you, I don’t know if look is the right word, but where you look for those people. So going back to the ethics thing, I had pushback from the Research Ethics Committee about my care home ethnography and even though I use a lot of public partner involvement in designing my care home ethnography. And they said, “Well, why didn’t you get residents with dementia for your public partner involvement designing the study?” At the time it was during COVID, it was so difficult. It comes back to that gatekeeper access. It was so difficult to even get access into a care home, let alone get it for PPR. I could barely get it for my actual study. So, it comes back to where you’re looking for people. So, I’ve used the Alzheimer’s Research Network previously for public partner involvement. They’re amazing. **Adam Smith:** That’s the Alzheimer’s society one. **Ellice Parkinson:** Sorry, outside Society Research Network, but that was family caregivers. So even though I put the answer out to anyone who’s been affected by dementia and people can be affected in lots of different ways, it was family caregivers who came forward for that. I’ve opened up public partner involvement for other things and it’s always been people who have not had dementia themselves. Now that’s my problem, isn’t it? That I’m not finding those people. So, Twitter adverts may or may not be working and although I did have people who had a diagnosis of dementia interested in that in terms of following that up, maybe my workshops weren’t accessible enough. Having said that- **Adam Smith:** Can I interrupt you and ask you a question there, Ellice? At the point when you were study design, because I’ve spoken to a lot of people over the years who’ve been telling me the study they’re going to do and then they’ve told me how many people they’re looking for and where they’re going to get them from and I’ve immediately gone, “Really? You think? Wow, that’s a high number and you’re going to get those in six months. Oh, wow. Well, good luck with that.” I couldn’t help but think who gave that advice that that was going to be feasible. Where do you get your number? I mean, I can understand you’ve got what you think is the right number to power your study or what would be a good number, but who gives you advice on recruitment. **Ellice Parkinson:** So once again, it comes to that quantitative versus qualitative, doesn’t it? Because in qualitative we don’t really worry as much about numbers, but still the ethics boards, they still like, even a qualitative protocol, they still want you to tell them how many people you’re going to recruit. So, I ended up for my care home ethnography, I had five care home residents who each had a diagnosis of dementia involved in my ethnography and then 17 staff in varying roles. That was incredible. That was amazing because there was a point, certainly within the first couple of months I thought I’m probably not going to have any participants. **Adam Smith:** So, did you decide on that number? **Ellice Parkinson:** No. I didn’t decide on a number. I fed the rec a number that looked lovely, which is probably about 20. **Adam Smith:** And they said OKAY. What about you Megan? How do you come up with the numbers when you into recruitment? Do you get any advice? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Yeah. It’s very much what Ellice said. Coming more from a comp background. It’s power analyses galore like G power statistics hardcore. But for my current sort of interview based, I entirely gave everything and relied upon my team, people who’ve been like Clarissa specifically, I went off what she thought was feasible. **Adam Smith:** So, getting advice from seasoned researchers who’ve worked in the field who said, “Right, that’s a realistic number. This is how long it’ll take.” **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** Anna. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Exactly. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I was just going to add to that. My PhD work was a pilot study, so we didn’t know how many people we needed for a power calculation. So, the other thing we did, which I think maybe is the pre-step, is that we actually said how many people with dementia does this clinic get referred? Okay. So, I was talking to speech therapists, I was saying, “How many high speech therapists, how many people with dementia do you get in your caseload?” And then there’s actually data in the research about previous speech that I actually looked at speech therapy studies to see how many people within of an average caseload, what percentage would they recruit. So that’s how I made my very pragmatic decisions. **Adam Smith:** That’s good. But you can see all this thinking behind that, how many referrals do we get? What percentage of people are likely to say yes? How many can we do each month? And so, this is how many we’ll get over time. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** But it is dependent. Then of course if you’re gathering data in a clinical setting on that clinic remaining as it is. So, for example, if unfortunately, the staff leave or there’s another issue that’s out of your control and that clinic somehow doesn’t continue recruiting people, your numbers are due. **Adam Smith:** And this is where I think Ellice, you made the point about the Alzheimer’s Society’s Research Network. I think having that, we’ll put this plug in, it’s essential. Most funders fundamentally require this anyway, which is that patient and public involvement in study design and that the expertise you’ll get from that won’t just be that you should change the phrasing of this or the colour of that or the intervention you’re planning needs a tweak. They can also, they’ve got a lot of experience in that network. The people who are going to give you advice are also going to say, that’s a lot of people or you could get more. I think it’s so important to design your study from the outset in a way that’s deliverable I think is important. And of course, your university should have an office, a research design service, an office that’ll give advice on that. Okay, but that’s enough. We’ve talked about the problems. We know what the problems are now. We’ve talked about the barriers, and I think in this next segment we’re going to move on to talk about solutions. Okay, we’re back and we’re going to talk about solutions in this section. So how do you initially identify the approach for potential recruitment? All three of you have recruited to trials recently. Megan, I know you are in the middle of recruitment right now, so I’m going to come to you first. How do you initially identify how you’re going to recruit? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** It might not necessarily be the best way. I’m not going to lie. **Adam Smith:** Well, give us an overview. Let’s talk about real life now unless you can’t. So, what’s the study? What kind of people are you looking for right now? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** So, I’m currently looking for people living with either Parkinson’s, dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies who also have hearing loss or people who care for people who have Parkinson’s or Lewy body dementia who has hearing loss. So immediately like you were saying before \[inaudible 00:29:21\]. **Adam Smith:** And you’re university-based? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** You’re not in a clinical setting, so university-based and what do you need those people to do? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** It’s an interview study, so it’s just a short interview about their experiences of hearing loss and how it may be affecting their dementia. **Adam Smith:** What did you put in your plan for how are you going to find those people? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** So I went for a multipronged approach, shall we say. So, I’m using the Join Dementia Research platform as one method. I have admittedly done what you have said, slightly over relied on technology like online adverts and things, but I think for me personally, my most successful line of recruitment is I have spent quite a few years now going to support cafes for people with Parkinson’s, so they know me really well. We just have a general chit-chat and we’ve got rid of all those barriers that you’ve spoke about before. So, when I go and chat to them and mention the studies straight away, all those barriers don’t exist. It’s just like two friends. So that has definitely been my most lucrative. **Adam Smith:** So local support groups. You mentioned the Join Dementia. So joindementia.research.nihr.ac.uk is a service free for all UK researchers that will allow you to recruit to any ethically approved study, even if you’re a PhD student or you’re a drug trial. So, you can go have a look at that. If you’re in the states, there’s something equivalent, which is called Trial Match. If you’re in Australia, they’ve got step up for dementia research. There’s one in Ireland as well, and different countries have their versions of this. But essentially one of the great things about that is essentially is anybody can sign up to it at any time and say I’m available for research. So back to the point earlier about when to talk about research or if people go away and Google it, that you can sign up to that later. It takes away that urgency. So that’s that. Social, you said digital products as well. So, was that Twitter, Instagram, Facebook? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Twitter, and then some support groups that I’m part of on Facebook. **Adam Smith:** And then the face-to-face groups. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Yeah. By far the face-to-face is definitely the best way because you’re reaching people that you might not necessarily reach online, and it is just you can get a general feel for the what’s actually going to happen. **Adam Smith:** So plain sailing then. You’ve got everybody. No? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** It’s no. No. It’s not easy. It’s not easy at all and it is very time-consuming, but I do strongly think that one interview that you do makes up for all of the aggro. **Adam Smith:** I can understand. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** But I just have to keep trying. I’m not going to stop. **Adam Smith:** That’s okay. Well, let’s go around and look at the most recent study you’ve worked on, everybody’s approaches and then we’ll pick up on where we think the gaps were. Oh, I’ll tell you what as the recruitment, no, I’m not an expert, but Ellice, why don’t you come next? **Ellice Parkinson:** I think once again, it’s interesting because of study design. So, each of these is so different depending on what kind of study you’re working on. But my most recent was care home ethnography, in which case I had to have gatekeeper access before I could get in, which relied on me putting an advert out to Norfolk & Suffolk Care E-Bulletin to see if anyone wanted to host and also me contacting lots of care homes saying, do you want to host this research? **Adam Smith:** So, you had to go to care homes to get their permission to approach their residents? **Ellice Parkinson:** To even, yeah, I had to then get a site agreement in place with the university and what ended up being a single care home before I could even get to residents. And then I had posters up in the care home. I asked the care home manager to send out information to all the families to make them aware that one, I’m going to be in the home anyway, but two, if they wanted to take part in the research and I wouldn’t be obviously recording their data unless they provided consent. I didn’t have to. I chose to go to staff meetings, family meetings, resident meetings to make them aware of my research. I did that before data collection started as just an introduction. I dropped into their empty meetings online as well and then I had what’s called a hanging out period in ethnographies. It’s like a familiarisation period of a few weeks. So, people just get to know me, get to know who I am, my faces around the care home at this point. And then even after that then we start having a conversation about giving information sheets out, leaving a pile by staff paperwork and let families have information sheets and then recruitment could even possibly begin. **Adam Smith:** Do you feel like a bit of a salesperson? **Ellice Parkinson:** I try not to think of myself as selling myself or my research. **Adam Smith:** Canvassing for double glazing or you’re trying to sell insurance or something like that. It feels a bit like sales, doesn’t it? It’s a bit like marketing. You’ve got to market yourself, the value importance of the study, why people should do it, how it’s going to help. **Ellice Parkinson:** Thankfully, as you know, a lot of people do see a lot of importance in hydration care for people with dementia. People do see, and that was one thing that came up in my public partner involvement work before the study even began, people see this as really crucially needed research. So, it was never really the case that I didn’t have buy-in from people. I had the buy-in. It was more, so residents were easier to recruit into the study than staff. That was very difficult and there was a tiered process. So, management gave the consent eventually first. And then once the rest of the staff gauged, okay, this might be safe now, then the less risky staff got involved. Maybe activity staff, domestic staff, maintenance staff, people who weren’t directly relating to hydration care. And then the last buy-in I got was from care staff themselves and that was interesting just on its own. **Adam Smith:** So, there is that element that we come back to where we mentioned before about study design that if your study is something that people will feel is valuable and worthwhile and important, it’s certainly going to help, particularly if you have gatekeepers who might present barriers or anybody actually. Because if you go to a GP or a community centre and say, “I want to come and talk to your residents about this study,” and they go, “Well what’s the point? Yeah, that’s not interesting.” They’re probably less likely to help you than if it’s something that they really see as valuable. Anna, what’s your most recent experience? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, I think my most recent experiences built on my initial experiences. So, I was describing earlier about the pilot study I did, which is an NHS-based pilot study I had initially developed a study for my PhD based on three sites, having collected numbers and we made this pragmatic decision and then it didn’t happen. I learned that I had to add sites and I did that through networking. I really enjoyed that Ellice’s comment about the tiered networking with people. And actually, I was really networking with speech and language therapists to add sites. What I’m now doing, my current study, I’m coming towards the end of, we are developing a core outcome set for people, so to measure outcomes in primary progressive aphasia intervention research. And we’ve managed to recruit 19 sites around the world and it’s through networking essentially. In all of these instances, I really realised very quickly in my PhD work that I needed to sell it a bit, not necessarily to the people but to the professionals. So, we are coming back to what we were actually talking to before we started recording, which is that GPs often they do a lot of recruiting, it’s quite burdensome. I had the same with speech therapists. They were saying it’s really burdensome. So, I was trading a bit. So, I realised actually trading is quite helpful even for professionals. So, I was saying, “If you recruit people for me, I’ll train you up in this therapy. It’s really helpful, you can use it. We are not just with these clients but with others, I can be a sounding board.” And so, with the international study, I had to think in advance, what can I trade? I actually offered everybody who was involved, so I had to get all these different sites around the world to run focus groups for me and I’ve offered everyone to be a co-author on the study. So, we are going to have a really exciting collaboration, but that really was something that people were really excited about. **Adam Smith:** And I hadn’t thought about that because it’s normal, it’s more normal in clinical studies, isn’t it? To have multiple sites. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** It is. **Adam Smith:** That fundamentally it’s one study, but it’s multiple sites and it’s great if you can afford it. Of course, depending on if your study’s eligible in the UK it’s the NIHR portfolio, which means they’ll cover some of the costs and you can set up multi-centre studies, less so in university research. But again, unless you’ve got collaborators who want to do that. Megan and Ellice, have you managed through networking, get collaborators who will do your work as well elsewhere? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Yeah. So, I was actually really quite fortunate in my PhD. All my PhD work, I collected the data at Preston Royal Hospital in the clinical research facility there. So, I was working with people living with Parkinson’s and the research nurses within that facility. Actually, did all the recruitment for me. So, they contacted the people living with Parkinson’s. But that was a very fortunate situation and it coincided with the fact that the facility was very new when we went to them, and they really wanted to get themselves established and get off the ground and get up and running. So, they were happy to take on the study and what Anna was saying, the trade-off was I got shipped off to road shows to do little demos of what the research that is going on at Preston was and talk to people about the facilities at Preston. And there was always this underlying, if we go further in this research, if we apply for grants, we’ll put money in for you. And it was like, it is like what Anna was saying, there had to be something that they were going to get from it almost. **Adam Smith:** So again, it’s important. Again, it’s coming back to that design stage, isn’t it? That from the outset if you design that you could build into your study design that it’s going to be multi-centre, which is great if you’re writing a bid specifically for this and its recruitment. A little bit harder if you’re a PhD student and you’re given something ready-made project where your recruitment budget is 500 pounds, it’s not quite the same thing, but multicentre. So multicentre and collaborations are great anyway because even if the more people you know who support you and your work, even if it’s not a multicentre study, if you’re looking for somebody who’s going to share it amongst their patients or their community or take it to their dementia cafe locally or if you’re trying to reach carers, the more friends and people you’ve got, don’t be shy about just sending an email to those people you met at the conferences and said, “Hey, we’re all in the same boat. I’m getting into this study right now, it’s a survey, it’s online, anybody could do it or it’s a piece of paper, could you share this for me?” I don’t imagine people would say no. They go, “Okay.” We all have this struggle. Let’s move on quickly, innovative methods. So, I’m going to start this to talk about innovative methods you’ve found to come over recruitment. So, my top tip, I’ll get one of these in now, if you are looking for people living with dementia or you’re looking for carers, don’t waste your time with X, formerly known as Twitter or even Instagram. Don’t go anywhere near it. You’re wasting your time. I mean, by all means, if it’s a 30-second job to just do a tweet and then forget about it, then by all means do it. You’ve got nothing to lose. But if you really want to embrace digital communities, Facebook is the way to go. Facebook, if you go into the group’s function on Facebook, Facebook is filled with thousands of groups and there are hundreds and hundreds of them that are dementia-specific support groups. These come on some big national ones like there’s a dementia support group that covers all of India and has thousands of people in it. There is also one for a tiny little Oxford village down the road from me that’s got about 40 people in it, and it’s called Dementia Friendly Rossendale, or I know the 3 Nations Dementia Working Group that Chris is involved in and things like that. They have a Facebook group and what you find in there is passionate local people that have been affected by dementia using a platform that they’ve become familiar with, and they feel a bit safe with. I think I have seen statistics that say older people are far more likely to use Facebook than they are other forms of social media. You can join those groups, they’re all free. Sometimes you might have to message the administrator to show them that you’re legit, you’re not trying to sell something. It’s not inappropriate. But they will often just say, “Okay,” if you ask first to post your poster, your banner, your information in there. And I found that to be so effective. When we’ve promoted the \[inaudible 00:43:52\] and things like that in the past, so many of people with lived experience came from Facebook and nowhere else. So, my top tip is Facebook. Ellice, what’s your innovative method? **Ellice Parkinson:** Mine is another plug for Alzheimer’s Society actually. **Adam Smith:** Which is great if you’re in the UK. I don’t know if they do that elsewhere. **Ellice Parkinson:** Well, yeah. So, the Dementia Talking Point forum is a public discussion forum. It’s online and anyone can internationally post on there. And I did an analysis as a third PhD study of the public discourse. So did a search on there of drinking terms, so drinking, dehydration, tea, coffee, water, whole host of search terms for people living with dementia in care homes downloaded all the online posts. You are only allowed to do that if you get permission from the moderators on there. So, I managed to get permission. I got NHS ethical approval as the wider drink study anyway of which that was encompassed. But did an analysis of the thematic discourse analysis of all of those to triangulate against my care home ethnography. So actually, I would say that that’s a really nice approach. That’s data that’s already out there of people who have lived experience. These are their real unfiltered, anonymized posts. **Adam Smith:** So, Alzheimer’s Society’s Talking Point Forum. I think you do have to have to ask, you do have to ask permission for. Nobody can just go on there and post any old thing, but they will- **Ellice Parkinson:** You create a profile. **Adam Smith:** Yeah. Megan. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** I don’t think it’s particularly innovative but- **Adam Smith:** Effective is nobody cares about innovation. Getting the job done is the main thing. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Yeah. I honestly strongly believe in going to support groups, local community, but the way that you do it, you don’t want to just march in like this is my study. Just go, take in the atmosphere just lovely environments, and become in that atmosphere and talk to the people and then slowly but surely you can potentially introduce your research if it feels appropriate. But I really do. Call me old-fashioned, but there’s nothing quite like face-to-face. Just meeting the people. **Adam Smith:** I 100% agree. So, in my work over the years, one of the problems Join Dementia Research has been that out of those 200 memory clinics we talked about, of course, you’d like every one of those to be referring everybody in to Join Dementia Research, but they don’t because they forget they’re busy or they don’t like it, but there are lots of reasons why not. And the top way we found that you could not get over the fact that you just needed to go meet the memory clinic staff, have a chat to them. Explain what it was all about and not just once, you had to go back time and time again, you had to repeat this staff change, things change. I don’t think you can beat that face-to-face interaction, particularly in this community. You going as Megan, the nice young doctor from the university who cares, she’s passionate. You want to do your work and you can stand there and explain why it’s important and what you want I think is compelling. Far more compelling than a flyer to be quite honest. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** I really think one word you just said that really sums it up nicely, Adam, is its passion. When you go and you talk to people and they see how very passionate you are about your research, then all the things that you were saying before, they won’t feel like a Guinea pig or a lab rat or whatever because they see your passion and understand your story as well a bit. It just gets rid of this whole power thing. **Adam Smith:** And do you know what? You can do that. So, you can bring that digital together because if you really don’t have the time, you can’t go out in the face-to-face. What you can do is pick up, for the sake of those on audio I’m picking up my mobile phone now and I’m going to look at it and go, you can sit there and record yourself talking into your phone for three minutes and what you’re going to post onto YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook even isn’t a two-paragraph summary. It’s a little video of you talking about why you want people important. That is going to get you far more success than you are copying and pasting something that you’ve put in your ethics form into a Facebook post is a video. Video yourself doing it. People will watch that and go, “Oh, yeah.” I think that’s my theory. Anna. Thank you, Megan. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I think you can also do the same for consent forms. You can do video recorded consent forms now and I think what something I’ve really noticed people value in the trials that I’ve done is the accessible consent forms themselves. So, making a consent form, but using images or checking the kind of language you’re using to make it sure that you don’t need a PhD to understand it is actually something I think that gets very forgotten and it’s really, really, it comes back to that advertising. If at the very point of advertisement, can you make it accessible, then you’re going to get more uptake because people understand what you’re asking from them. And that kind of links in with the passion. They’re not going to say yes if they don’t understand what you’re asking from them. But I also agree with that idea of it’s not only being making it accessible for the people living with dementia and their family members, but also for the health professionals. Because health professionals in every country in the world are overburdened and I think also they forget and they’re also, I think making the decision about whether somebody is eligible for a trial, can often be another burden. Do they really fit the criteria? And actually, I think we can often help by doing things like offering to come and go through their caseload and check which ones are, which people will be eligible. That’s been a massive advantage in my study is actually saying, come on, I’ll come to you, but I’ll also come to you and go through and let’s talk about the eligibility criteria. **Adam Smith:** I mean, if you can afford it, I guess there is the option because GPs can write to people. They have automated electronic systems for doing this certainly in the UK and they can write to anybody as their patients. I think if you’ve got ethically approved. So, if you can find a way to connect with your local, is it LMC, your local medical committees and things like that the GPs are involved with and partnering up that they could potentially write to patients for you. They might pass their cost on to you, so if your study can involve it, but again, if you can build that into your project costs, people like a good old-fashioned letter. And so, our most successful ever promotion of Join Dementia Research was with Lancashire Care Trust. There were two things that they did that got them to something like 25% of everybody signed up, which is they gave everybody an application form in the memory clinic even if they hadn’t yet had their diagnosis. But a form you can fill in. People are quite good at filling in forms. If you give them a form in amongst lots of other forms and say fill in that form, people will fill that in and then collect it back. Don’t wait for people to post it themselves. Take it back and post it for them. And then following up with a letter within three months to say, “Here’s what we’re looking for” People sign up to that. And between the combination of the letter and the form, they got the best signup rates in the country. So old-fashioned snail mail is a good one as well. We’ve spent quite a long time already looking at the clock as ever with my podcast, they’re never short. I did have a whole section in here on the role that ethics committees play in shaping recruitment strategy. I know members on ethics committees that would say, I think there’s good, bad, and ugly in amongst ethics committees. I’m going to be honest. I think sometimes they can be remarkable and give you true advice that is incredibly helpful that you wouldn’t have thought of. Other times I’ve come across them and they’re incredibly finickity. That’s a UK word. Anybody listening outside, finickity, I can’t even say it again now, finicky, where they’ll pick you up on slightest little word changes because it almost feels like they feel the need to make some change even though it’s not going to add value just because we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t make you change something. I apologise to ethics committees everywhere for saying that. That’s just my personal view, but it feels like that sometimes. And then other times they’ve completely said, “Oh, you can’t do something,” and just gives a lack of understanding. I mean, you’ve all got your own personal experiences. I was going to say hands up if it’s been good and hands down if it’s been bad, but that won’t work for audio only. The video version. Anna, just say good or bad. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** In the middle. **Adam Smith:** Megan. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I’d say in the middle too. **Adam Smith:** Ellice. **Ellice Parkinson:** For my ethnography it was different. **Adam Smith:** Oh, yes. Anyway, I was going to wait for somebody to actually come out and be honest. It was hard. Can anybody give me an example of, give me one example of something where they’ve genuinely given you advice that was helpful and then one that was just completely unhelpful. **Ellice Parkinson:** Can I say unhelpful? **Adam Smith:** Yeah, go on, Ellice. **Ellice Parkinson:** An ethnography one was the wording. So, they specifically wanted me to use the word dementia in all of my recruitment materials, and that was one thing that was so strongly opposed in all of the public partner engagement. So, I stood firm on that and pushed back. But an ethnography is supposed to be observing people in a naturalistic environment. So, you are not supposed to be experimental in any way. The research ethics committee members were really concerned that my presence was going to really have a negative impact on the care home and that they were concerned that I was going to be recording information or people who did not give consent. So, they proposed a solution that half of my care home would be segmented, not my care home. The care home would be segmented off to consenting people and the other half would be segmented off to non-consenting people. So, there’s moral implications here. I would suggest ethical implications, but on a study design basis that is an experiment that is not an ethnography. That was the biggest. **Adam Smith:** Happened impractical. You never recruited to that when it came to actually doing it. **Ellice Parkinson:** It’s totally, for me, totally unethical. You cannot ask people for when you … or the reason I chose an ethnography is to try and be as least burdensome on, I specifically wanted people living with dementia who may or may not have the mental capacity to provide informed consent. I didn’t want there to be restrictions on who could be involved in the study. So, an ethnography is quite burdensome, that I just sit in a corner and don’t have an impact in anyone. If I’m going in tearing up the care home, you over there, you are over there. That is so unethical. **Adam Smith:** I can understand that. Anna, Megan, good tips you’ve had from ethics committees? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I would actually say I was invited to bring a PPI participant to the ethics meeting, and that was probably a good tip because I was able to- **Adam Smith:** Quite hard to argue with somebody who sitting there with lived experience. Yeah. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Exactly. Yeah. So that was it for me, yeah. **Adam Smith:** Megan. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** I don’t think I have anything as good as \[inaudible 00:56:20\]- **Adam Smith:** Nothing positive. **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** … Anna’s just said. **Adam Smith:** No, it’s entirely reasonable. I think the important thing here is to plan ahead as well. I mean, if you can talk to colleagues and if they’re willing to share their ethics applications to talk to them about what their experience is, particularly with an individual ethics and ethics panel, approach them in advance to ask if that you can approach them in advance. They might not answer your questions, but you can go ask and say, “Hey, I’m going to be doing this. Do you have any particular tips?” You could approach the chair and ask for any recommendations, what they’ve seen. You can have a look at are these all published and available? You can see ethics approvals that they’ve previously given to get any sense of what they’ve done. So, getting it through first time, but they are supposed to be there to help. So, I mean, also ask their advice. I don’t think it’s all ethics is an important role to play, and it is there for a good reason. I had a whole section on dropout risk, but I don’t think we can have a lot of time to talk about this now, to be honest. But dropout risk is an issue. I mean, there’s nothing more frustrating than recruiting all your people in and then having to start all over again because I mean, we all experienced that during COVID when things had to change. We’re not going to talk about COVID, let’s not talk about the pandemic. But how do you address any top tips on addressing dropouts? I mean, I guess with your interviews it’s less of an issue, so quick after, but follow-ups and things like that can be different. What about you, Anna? You’ve probably had the- **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Do you know what? Other than COVID I’ve never had any dropouts. **Adam Smith:** Well, lucky for you. I guess it’s different for the longitudinal studies in clinical drug trials and things like that. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Well, I would say the studies I’ve done, the longest study I did involve people for about eight weeks and people didn’t drop out. **Adam Smith:** Go on Ellice. **Ellice Parkinson:** So, for enrolled Huntington’s disease, observational studies, so that’s longitudinal. That just carries on and on and on. It’s been going for years. We used to, at Birmingham, we used to always give out biannual newsletters to keep people very aware. So literally mailing out newsletters so people are aware of what we’re doing. Touch base, because like I said, they have the annual clinic visit, but also, we would do an annual follow-up research visit. But also, we would put on a research party. So once a year, put on a free party for participants to come have fun. Everything was catered for and just as a big thank you to them for their involvement in research. But Huntington’s Disease Association, but also really involved with the site and they’re amazing. So, I think lots of different ways of connecting the community to the research. **Adam Smith:** Every time you read on this topic, that’s the top tip that comes through is remaining connected, staying relevant, keeping in touch with people, picking up the phone. Birthday cards, I’ve heard people sending cards, seasonal cards, Christmas cards to people, research updates, video updates, inviting people to regular meetings, sharing progress. All of those help you keep in touch with the people, don’t they? And also as well, even in your short six-week things, I think listening to people is so important because if the intervention you’re planning is too hard to undertake, listening to people so that, if you can, you can adapt and improve the study maybe for the next cohort or even change the ethics, change the intervention if you need to. It’s better to get it right than to have a study that goes through where everybody says, “No, it was no good.” Anna is nodding for those who are listening and not watching. Do you know what? I’m afraid this is probably all we’ve got time for, but we’re going to have a couple of last recap and top tips before we finish. Okay. So, before we finish, we’re going to have one more question and I’m going to try and recap on what we’ve taken away. So, everybody agrees. Recruiting to studies is tricky. No matter where in the world you are, no matter what type of research it is, whether this is a drug trial or whether it’s a small qualitative study that needs five people, that it can be a challenge as well. We know that some of the barriers, we talked about those extensively at the start of the show. We know the reasons why, but when you need to try and recruit people, there are hopefully some top tips in there you can do, which is of course there are still digital methods face-to-face, getting in front of people and talking to them, reaching out to their communities, collaborating, finding partners to work with, whether that’s charities, institutions, your local dementia cafes, HUK networks, or different places where older people that you are looking for to participate in your studies. Or not necessarily older people. If it’s prevention trials, younger people. But go to wherever those people are and use the methods they’re using to communicate to try and encourage them. Be passionate about your work. Make sure your study is designed well from the outset that you’ve thought hard about how many people you need, what you need them to do, whether it’s appealing for them and if not, how you can make it appealing. Bring other people on board to help you with delivering that study as well. And I don’t know, is there anything else I’ve missed? I miss things. Anna. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I was just thinking about underserved communities. I think that’s probably something we haven’t discovered. **Adam Smith:** We haven’t. You’re absolutely right. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** And actually, I think that’s something I’m trying to do a bit more now. So, reaching out to local church communities or cultural communities just to make connections with them so that they could perhaps reach people who I might not be able to reach as a white female speech and language researcher. I think that’s something I’ve been thinking a lot more about but doing that with a smile on my face and passionately and accessibly. But yeah, I thought I’d just mention that before I forgot. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. So, I can’t remember. One of the conferences I’ve been to recently, that awful term that’s so often used is these hard-to-reach communities. And you constantly push back saying there are no hard-to-reach communities. You’re just not doing a good enough job at reaching them. I think that’s an important topic we could do. I think we should do an entire separate podcast on how to reach people who traditionally don’t have access to research, haven’t talked to. But again, it comes back to every time when you hear and listen to people who’ve been successful at that, every time it comes down to that relationships, face-to-face contact. Don’t be afraid to go to the places where those people are living to talk to the community leaders, talk in the places there to meet people. Because if you’re sitting on the outside sending letters or messaging at them or asking somebody to do something for you, it’s not going to work. You’ve just got to go and talk to people, I think. And also as well, I think if you can bring people on board to support you in that work, it’s important because people like to see somebody like them who is involved in the research. So, as you mentioned, being a middle-class white woman, it helps if the person that’s talking to them about the research looks and is from that community as well, that same place. So, if you have the opportunity to bring on partners and help others to get involved in your studies, do it. That’s the way to get involved. And I think also set some expectations. I mean, go out there from the outset. Don’t just say, oh, we’ll try or we’re looking for this many people. Actually, write down, “We will find this many people from this community or from the Muslim community or from the kind of South Asian community.” Actually, set yourself a target for how many people you’re going to do. Because if you don’t, if you just drift into it and go, “Oh, well we tried and we may be found one person.” Actually, be ambitious and make it a point to do it. Plan to do it from the outset. Don’t make it an afterthought. Does anybody else, I don’t know, do you agree? **Ellice Parkinson:** Yeah, no, I do. **Adam Smith:** Because not everybody watches on video. **Ellice Parkinson:** We haven’t also covered the role of an advisory group. So, although we have public partner involvement, the role of an advisory group can serve that role in a way and meet people halfway. If you have a great diverse advisory group for your study or co-applicants for the study from the offset, that’s already the relationships to communities are already there. We should be seeing that more often. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. And there’s nothing to stop you doing that. I mean, anybody can do that. A PhD student. You could set up an advisory group anytime. \[inaudible 01:05:27\] you might need to check with your supervisor. They agree. But get an advisory group together and draw on the communities to bring those people because they’ll give you advice from the outset and they’ll help, they’ll part of this to be part of that study team doing that job. Right. Very last question. I think that’s enough recapping. We’re definitely at an hour now. So, for those who are listening to this who are fairly new PhDs, there’ll be some people out there who are fresh out of undergrad, maybe just under a master’s now doing their PhD for the first time. They’re on a dementia study, they care about dementia. The only person with dementia they’ve ever met is like their granddad or maybe a neighbour. Have never actually face-to-face interacted with somebody living with dementia. I could see that being quite nerve wracking. You’ve watched a lot of YouTube tutorial; you’ve watched Alzheimer’s Society and AIUK’s new videos and you know what to expect. But what’s it like face-to-face for the first time? So, I’m going to go to, Megan, first of all. What advice would you have for a new PhD student that finds themselves having to talk to somebody living with dementia and their carer for the first time? And you are going in there with a message, you want them to do your research, but how do you approach that with that person? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** I think the first thing is to acknowledge it’s okay to be nervous the first time. I know the first time that I ever, from a research perspective, spoke to anybody living with dementia, living with Parkinson’s, I was petrified, absolutely petrified that I was going to say something wrong, do something wrong. The first thing is acknowledged that it’s okay. That you’re a little bit nervous and your nerves just mean it matters to you. That you want to do well sort of thing. It’s not wrong to be nervous. And I guess the top tip would be try not to overthink it and be too prescriptive and formal. Don’t have a script and just come and be like, “My name is blah, blah, blah, this is my study.” Just be natural. Don’t have your script. Just go in there engage in just a normal conversation. Don’t go with your cue cards would be much. **Adam Smith:** I think empathy is important there, isn’t it? **Dr Megan Rose Readman:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** And no one person is the same. I think I’ve met so many people, we had somebody on the podcast recently who acknowledged that they didn’t always speak as concisely as they would like, but they also made the point that, we could edit that. We could make them in the editing of that podcast, we could make them clearly understood and edit out the silencers, edit out the mistakes and the misspeaking. But they asked us specifically not to. And so, we left them in. For other people, they wouldn’t have taken that approach though. They’d have said, “Oh, God, I don’t want to sound like I don’t know what I’m talking about. Can you fix all that?” And I think having those conversations, treating each person like an individual and being honest, having an honest conversation about some of those things is important because not everybody would like you to edit them. And some people absolutely would want you to. Anna. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** As a speech and language therapist, I would say that there is actually research on what to do. And one of my colleagues is very straightforward. She was doing a big piece of work and the majority of people just want you to smile at them. So, you meet somebody, and you smile. And it’s often the thing, even if you look at all the top tips on how to communicate with people with dementia, smiling is often not on that list. So, smile, I think is a really important point. **Adam Smith:** That is so cool. Absolutely. Do you know what, and that’s my default usually because it’s my nervous face. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Me too. **Adam Smith:** A smile. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** It’s absolutely my default. I think I’ve been like that since I was 12 and now, I realise it’s a great advantage. I thought I was just a bit over enthusiastic in life, but now I realise it’s really helpful and it is what people are saying they want. They want you to smile. But then I guess I would say smile and then speak plainly. Don’t use technical language at all if you can help it. **Adam Smith:** And I think asking questions as well, not assuming. I think it’s important as well if you ask. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Absolutely. And check. Part of asking questions can be giving people the opportunity saying, “Am I making sense? Are you following me? Which bit did you not follow?” **Adam Smith:** The active listening. I mean, quite often people living with this in real life, I mean, don’t be afraid to talk a little bit about their realities of living with dementia. I think they quite like the idea that you really understand the realities. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Absolutely. **Adam Smith:** Ellice. **Ellice Parkinson:** I would just echo everything that everyone said. Although I would say the mask wearing in care homes and trying to smile very difficult, very, very difficult. I would say just treat them like human beings. I think we put this label of dementia on, which can make things look very scary sometimes. And actually, we just need to treat people like human beings. What I did also find is wearing a kind of yellow name badge saying, “Hello, I’m a researcher, Ellice,” was quite useful, particularly in the care home for me to just point to if there was hearing impairment or communication difficulties for me to just remind people of that. But I naturally talk with my hands. I do a lot of gesturing, body language cues you can pick up on. **Adam Smith:** Anna, you touched on just thinking what Ellice mentioned there, you mentioned \[inaudible 01:11:31\]. Is there something somebody should go away and read from the Better Conversations work and the things you’ve had? Is there some guide to this that exists online somewhere that people could go away? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** There is actually a guide that we co-produced with people with speech language and communication difficulties with dementia. And we actually co-produced it with them and people with stroke aphasia. And it was the same top tips and it’s on the Royal College Speech and Language Therapy website, RCSLT website, is top tips on communicating with people and smile was at the top. **Adam Smith:** That is a perfect list and I think a perfect way to end today’s podcast. I’d like to thank our incredible guest, Dr. Anna Volkmer, Ellice Parkinson, and Dr. Megan Rose Readman. Thank you so much everybody for joining us. You’ll find more top tips and any links that we’ve mentioned in the show, on the website or in the show notes to go with this podcast. There you’ll also find a full transcript. If you are listening to this, you’ll find a full transcript of the text there as well. And in YouTube you’ll find that we have captions available, and biographies, as I said, on all of our guests where you can read more about their work. Links to Anna’s brilliant blogs to read more about Megan’s work up there in Liverpool. Megan’s going to be presenting at a conference in Liverpool as well in a couple of weeks’ time, and we’re going to record some of that as well, I believe, which we’ll put onto our YouTube channel. Ellice has already been in an amazing podcast talking about her work on Hydration as well, which is our top podcast of the year so far. So, if you haven’t listened to that yet, do go away and have a listen in your favourite podcast app or on our YouTube channel. Thank you very much everybody. I’m Adam Smith and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Bye **Ellice Parkinson:** Bye. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources, dementiaresearchernihr.ac.uk. **END** --- For a more recent take on recruitment, trial design and getting people involved in research, listen to our panel on [changing the course of dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-changing-the-course-of-dementia/). **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL or Dementia Researcher [![goodpods top 100 science indie podcasts](https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/leaderboard_badges/science_all-science_top1_week.png)](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/all-science?indie=true&period=week#22573808) [Goodpods Top 100 Science Indie Podcasts](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/all-science) [Listen now to Dementia Researcher podcast](https://goodpods.com/podcasts/dementia-researcher-152321) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Adam Smith, Dr Anna Volkmer, Dr Ellice Parkinson, Dr Megan Rose Readman, Join Dementia Research, Podcast, Study Recruitment **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, Clinical Research, Other, Patient and Public Involvement --- ### [Why Some Alzheimer’s Drugs Work Better Than Others](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/why-some-alzheimers-drugs-work-better-than-others/) **Published:** April 16, 2025 **Author:** UK DRI **Excerpt:** New research reveals why some Alzheimer’s drugs are more effective—lecanemab binds better to toxic proteins in early-stage disease, offering key insight. **Content:** **![UKDRI Scientists find clues as to why new drugs are effective for Alzheimers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/UKDRI-Scientists-find-clues-as-to-why-new-drugs-are-effective-for-Alzheimers-300x229.png "UKDRI Scientists find clues as to why new drugs are effective for Alzheimers")A team of UK scientists has uncovered new clues about how four Alzheimer’s drugs interact with the toxic protein amyloid beta—insights that could help explain why some treatments work better than others and when they are likely to be most effective.** In a study [published today in *Alzheimer’s & Dementia*](https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.70086), researchers from the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at the University of Cambridge, UCL, and the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research used highly sensitive techniques to see exactly how the drugs lecanemab, donanemab, gantenerumab, and aducanumab bind to the amyloid beta protein. Amyloid beta is known to accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, forming clumps or plaques that interfere with normal brain function. The drugs are all antibodies designed to attach to the protein and help the body clear it away—but the details of how this works haven’t been fully understood. Using a pioneering method developed at Cambridge, the researchers were able to see how well each drug bound to different forms of the protein, from small early-stage clumps to larger plaques that form later in the disease. Lecanemab stood out for its strong ability to bind to small, soluble aggregates of amyloid beta—suggesting it’s best suited for use in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. > “Of the four drugs, lecanemab was the best at binding to small, soluble aggregates – the kind found in the brains of people with early-stage Alzheimer’s,” explained [Emre Fertan](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/emre-fertan-951315164), co-first author and PhD student at UK DRI, Cambridge. “From this, we can conclude that lecanemab is most effective when used at the earliest possible stage of disease.” The study also found that [lecanemab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/lecanemab-recieves-nice-rejection/) binds to more sites per aggregate than the other drugs, potentially making it more efficient at tagging the toxic proteins for removal. By contrast, aducanumab and gantenerumab showed a preference for binding to larger aggregates. Donanemab showed little to no binding to the smaller forms, suggesting it targets the more established plaques instead. These findings help explain why clinical trials have produced mixed results for these drugs. Lecanemab and donanemab, both approved by the UK’s MHRA in 2024, have shown promise in slowing cognitive decline by around 30%, but neither is yet available on the NHS. Aducanumab, initially approved in the US in 2021, was withdrawn in 2024 due to limited effectiveness, while gantenerumab failed in late-stage trials and is now being reformulated under the name trontinemab. > “Until now, we haven’t really understood exactly how anti-amyloid drugs work, or why some have been more successful than others in testing and clinical trials,” said Professor Sir David Klenerman, co-lead of the study. “With this research, we have been able to start to explain the differences we see when people are treated with these different Alzheimer’s drugs.” > [Professor Bart De Strooper](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-bart-de-strooper/), co-leader of the study and Group Leader at the UK DRI at UCL and VIB-KU Leuven, added: “Additional work in my lab shows that lecanemab also binds well to plaques, which is important for their removal. At that level, both lecanemab and donanemab act similarly. We still need to understand which is more important—binding to plaques or to oligomers—if we want to truly understand the benefits of these drugs.” As well as providing crucial insights into how current drugs work, the researchers hope this method can be used to test future treatments before they reach clinical trials—potentially streamlining development and improving success rates. For a clinical perspective on how patients themselves weigh up these therapies, listen to our panel on [changing the course of dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-changing-the-course-of-dementia/), recorded at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Dementia Research Day. • Scientists tested four anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s therapeutics: lecanemab, donanemab, gantenerumab and aducanumab, to find out how the drugs bind to toxic amyloid beta protein. • Using new highly sensitive methods, the researchers detected and visualised amyloid beta protein bound to the different therapeutics. • They found that lecanemab performed the best at binding a small, soluble form of amyloid beta. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer's Drugs, Amyloid, donanemab, Emre Fertan, Lecanemab, Professor Sir David Klenerman, UK Dementia Research Institute --- ### [Dementia Researcher Solutions Lab - Here to Help!](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/introducing-the-dementia-researcher-solutions-lab/) **Published:** August 13, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Welcome to the Solutions Lab, a place where you can submit your questions or dilemmas anonymously for thoughtful, experience-based advice **Content:** **Welcome to the [*Solutions Lab*](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/qVUh0tVB), a place where you can submit your questions or dilemmas anonymously and receive thoughtful, experience-based advice from our panel of mentors and researchers. Whether you’re tackling career crossroads, ethical challenges, or research roadblocks, our panel is here to lend a listening ear and offer guidance.** Here’s how it works: - **Submit Your Question**: Share your query, concern, or challenge – no question is too big or too small! You can choose if you share your name or remain anonymous. - **Expert Advice**: Our panel will consider your submission and provide a reply, offering insights based on their knowledge and personal experiences. - **Community Support**: Questions and responses will be posted on the Dementia Researcher website, helping others who may be facing similar challenges. Got a question? Submit it and let our supportive community of experts help you find a way forward. If you prefer to talk things through, you should also consider joining the [Dementia Researcher Community](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/introducing-the-dementia-researcher-community-and-app/). At the moment this is just a pilot, but if you find it helpful we may make it a permanent feature. --- --- ###### The Dementia Researcher Solutions Lab offers general advice drawn from the experiences of our panel. This advice is intended as one of many resources and should not replace professional, legal, or medical guidance. Dementia Researcher and our panel members assume no responsibility for actions taken based on this advice and cannot guarantee specific outcomes. **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Solutions Lab --- ### [Blog - Managing patient expectations (without overpromising)](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-managing-patient-expectations-without-overpromising/) **Published:** March 18, 2026 **Author:** Dr Emma Law **Excerpt:** Dr Emma Law explores how researchers manage patient expectations in research while being clear about uncertainty, consent, and the realities of clinical trials. **Content:** --- **One of the most difficult aspects of clinical research is getting people to actually sign up to it! The initiatives such as Join Dementia Research, Be part of research and in Scotland, Permission to Contact are all testimony to this. If recruitment were easy we would not need to have research registers to keep a steady flow of willing participants.** This is where managing expectations about what research is and how it may involve people, begins. If someone puts their name on a research interest register, there comes with that an expectation that there will be a research study or programme available to that person. The potential participant needs to be contacted at time of sign up, to explain that there may not be a clinical research programme study that is suitable for them at the time of sign up, but that signing up is a great start. We have found that explaining other potential ways of being part of research are available and it may be that the prospective research participant may never be suitable for one of the clinical trials due to the long list of exclusion criteria: it may be because of the medication they are on; it may be a previous or current illness; they may be out with the age range; they may have the ‘wrong’ type of dementia; or be too early in their diagnosis path; or too late. At this point alternative ways of being involved in research can be discussed: Anyone willing, including the patient themselves or their carer, can become a candidate for a patient and public expertise group – giving valuable insight into their perspective on being a person with a memory loss or being a carer for someone with memory loss or dementia. If the person has a confirmed diagnosis of dementia they may wish to consider **brain tissue donation**, another route to be included in research albeit after death, but a very valuable contribution to research, nonetheless. There are many non clinical trials or social research involving people with dementia and carers which they may be suitable for and can be as simple as filling in a questionnaire, being part of a focus group or joining a longitudinal study – **not all research are clinical trials and each contribution is valuable.** If the person is included in a clinical trial again expectations must be managed. There are very detailed and usually lengthy consent forms to be digested prior to participation and the medical and nursing staff have a duty to ensure the potential participant understands what they are signing up to. This includes ensuring the person is sent the consent forms and any other study details before attendance at the research clinic to allow time for questions to be formulated. We ask that they highlight any areas they don’t understand and then the study doctor will go through the forms with that person to answer any queries. It is also explained to them at this point that they can leave the study at any time without any recourse to their day to day treatment via the NHS. Explanations of involvement in a Clinical Trial of an Investigational Medicinal Product ([CTIMP](https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/policies-standards-legislation/clinical-trials-investigational-medicinal-products-ctimps/)) does not mean that they will get the active treatment and that they may be in the placebo arm of the trial. No-one knows, neither medical staff, research staff nor participant, which treatment ie active or placebo, they will receive which is all part of a double-blinded clinical trial. The only way a study can be ‘unblinded’ is if the person experiences a medical emergency and requires urgent treatment in a general hospital. The trial will not cure anyone of dementia but that the person is willing to take part ensures that the body of knowledge is increased even if the trial has a negative outcome. They may also get a chance to be on ‘open label’ at the end of the trial period, whereby everyone on the trial – active or placebo, gets access to the trial medicine for a further period of time. **Negative trials also need to be explained – that sometimes a trial can have no effect at all and may be halted mid trial.** This doesn’t mean that the participants time has been wasted, as negative trials are useful to find out what doesn’t work and again add to the body of knowledge around potential treatments in Dementia. The amount of time the person will be required to attend the research clinic must be discussed at the beginning of the trial. The time required for both the person with dementia and their carer can be onerous particularly at the beginning of a trial and this must be made very clear. They may be required to come in weekly or even more often at the beginning and this is usually to ensure their safety, while being part of the trial. There may be financial assistance from the trial sponsor to assist travel. As they may not have their own transport or transport may be an issue. Means to assist such as taxis, parking spaces booked, reimbursement of travel can usually be arranged. If they have holidays booked then this is not usually an issue but the trial has to be planned around any holidays they may wish to take. Treatment doesn’t stop during a holiday. Also travel insurance can sometimes be an issue although there are certain travel insurance companies who will insure people in clinical trials. This must be made explicit to the participants prior to starting the trial re holidays and insurance. The trial participant may be asked to arrive fasted, meaning nothing to eat or drink after an appointed time the previous evening, prior to arrival at the research clinic the following day. The reasons for this and that they will be provided food as soon as the fasting bloods are taken, are to be explained in detail and we have found that a reminder the day before about fasting helps to ensure this is followed. The whole experience and what to expect must be explained to the potential participant and their carer prior to signing the consent forms but also reiterated during the study as it is a lot of information to ask anyone to retain at the beginning of the study, especially for someone with memory loss. It helps if it is the same staff on hand during the visit as this goes a long way to making the experience more pleasant – a well known face and a smile can be very reassuring. Many factors contribute to giving the potential participants and their carers in a research study realistic expectations. All are important and together enhance their overall experience – leading to better retention for the duration of the study. --- ![Dr Emma Law Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dr-Emma-Law.jpg "Dr Emma Law")Dr Emma Law #### Author [**Dr Emma Law** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-law-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/)is Strategic Manager for the The Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network in Scotland. Emma has 13 years experience as a Clinical Trails Network Manager and over 35 years experience as a Nurse, many of which were spent in the delivery of Clinical Research Trials. Emma completed her PhD and is passionate about giving people living with dementia and their carers access to participate in research. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Clinical Research, Dr Emma Law, Drug Trials, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, Trial Delivery **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher --- ### [Lived Experience Survey Design](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/lived-experience-survey-design/) **Published:** August 12, 2026 **Author:** National Centre for Research Methods **Excerpt:** Learn how to design ethical, accessible surveys with people with lived experience, from co-production and consent to sensitive questions, testing and support. **Content:** > **Surveys are often an overlooked research method in Lived Experience Research due to its reputation as a quantitative research method. However, [surveys](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/methods-matter-podcast-surveys-and-questionnaires/) can be particularly useful in lived experience research and can be used in different ways to gather information and insights from people with lived experience.** ## How can surveys be used in Lived Experience Research? There are three different approaches to designing surveys in lived experience research. 1. **Designing a research survey** ***for*** **people / participants with lived experience** – this involves the researcher leading on all aspects of the survey, including designing, building, disseminating, and analysing the findings. The survey will be distributed to people with lived experience, *e.g. sending a survey to people with lived experience of coeliac disease to better understand their experiences of living with the condition.* 2. **Designing a research survey** ***with*** **people with lived experience** – this involves people with lived experience working alongside the researcher, working together collaboratively to produce a survey which can be distributed to people who may not have lived experience, but are involved with the community, *e.g. people with lived experience of coeliac disease sending a survey to restaurant owners to better understand concerns about providing gluten free menu choices.* 3. **Designing a research survey** ***with*** **people with lived experience** ***for*** **people with lived experience –** this involves the researcher working alongside people with lived experience who will share their experiences to shape and develop the survey, build the survey, work with their networks and communities to disseminate the survey, and have the opportunity to analyse survey findings with the lead researcher’s support. The survey will be distributed to people with lived experience, *e.g. people with coeliac disease designing and sending a survey to other people with coeliac disease to better understand their experiences of dining in restaurants.* --- --- ## How to design a survey that can be used in Lived Experience Research? Begin by defining the **purpose** of the survey. Ask yourself what insights you are seeking and how the survey will benefit the community. Is the goal to gather feedback, shape a service, or provide a platform for sharing experiences? Your answer will influence not only what questions you ask, but also how they are framed. **Involve people with lived experience early**—ideally from the design stage. Their input ensures that the language used is sensitive, the topics covered are relevant, and the tone of the survey is appropriate. Co-producing the survey with lived experience contributors can also build trust and make the project more inclusive. When **building the survey**, avoid lengthy or mandatory questions that may burden participants. Use a combination of closed and open text questions, allowing participants to skip questions or explain their answers in their own words. Design the survey so that it can be paused and resumed later—particularly important if the content is emotionally demanding. Ethical design is central. Include **trigger warnings**, **informed consent statements**, and **signposting to support services** at multiple stages—such as in the welcome message and before sensitive questions. Also consider whether any **exclusion criteria** apply (e.g., recency of experience) and be transparent about this from the start. Before launch, **test the survey** with a small group, including people with lived experience. Check for usability across devices, clarity of questions, and the emotional tone. Ensure that accessibility tools—like screen readers or larger text options—are compatible with the survey platform. In terms of **language**, avoid jargon and ensure terminology resonates with the community involved. Offering respondents a chance to remain anonymous or use pseudonyms encourages openness, while giving participants the opportunity to provide final comments ensures no important insight is missed. ## Further Ethical Considerations in Survey Design It is important to consider whether a survey is the appropriate method when engaging people with lived experience. This resource has highlighted examples where a survey can be beneficial in lived experience research, however, it is important to consider ethical risk and the mitigations prior to conducting surveys with a lived experience community. Consider the purpose of your engagement with the lived experience community or group, ensuring that the reason for the research is ethical. The subject matter is likely to be sensitive and the survey will ask people to reflect and share their personal experiences. It is important to ensure that questions are asked sensitively, and the purpose of the question is clear. Include any relevant signposting information if applicable. > For example, > > *Q. ‘Have you ever visited A&E to seek mental health support?’* > > Vs. > > *Q. ‘If you feel comfortable sharing, please tell us about any relevant experiences you may have had attending A&E to seek mental health support?* > > *This information will help us to better understand people’s experiences when visiting A&E and our findings will be developed into a best practice guide for medical staff. Please note that if you require support, please contact XXX.’* Consider the layout of the questions asked. For example, avoid placing too many open text questions on the same page. We suggest one or two open text questions per page. Mix open and closed text questions to encourage engagement and interest. Be clear about whether or how survey responses will be attributed. Some participants may wish to remain anonymous; others may use a pseudonym. However, it is important to ensure that any personal or identifying information within the stories or narratives is removed, whilst maintaining the authenticity of the voices telling the story or experience. It may be possible to merge or weave stories together, so that participants cannot be identified. However, it is important to be transparent when stories have been weaved together so that the participants understand why this approach has been taken and that their story has not been exaggerated or become fictitious. Ensure that those with lived experience are compensated for their time spent involved in supporting the research project; this includes those involved in the research design as well as participants in the project. --- > [Download a worksheet (with a checklist of considerations when designing surveys).](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/resources/online/lived_experience_survey_design/downloads/Survey%20Design%20worksheet%20Lived%20Experience.docx) > [Supporting materials](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/resources/online/all/lived_experience_survey_design?materials=1) --- ### About the author ![NCRM Logo](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/NCRM.png "NCRM") Michelle Jones completed her ESRC funded doctorate at Aberystwyth University in 2016. Since then, Michelle has worked in both the academic and charity sectors advocating for the involvement of people with lived experience in research and supporting organisations to better understand the benefit of lived experience involvement. Michelle has worked across numerous projects alongside people with lived experience of military trauma, childhood sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and mental health concerns. [Primary author profile page](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejones03/) - Published on: 9 June 2025 - Event hosted by: Samaritans - Keywords: [Survey Research](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=Survey+Research "Survey Research") | [Participatory Research](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=Participatory+Research "Participatory Research") | [Survey and Questionnaire Design](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=Survey+and+Questionnaire+Design "Survey and Questionnaire Design") | [Research Ethics](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=Research+Ethics "Research Ethics") | [User Engagement](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/search?q=User+Engagement "User Engagement") | - **To cite this resource:** > Michelle Jones. (2025). *Lived Experience Survey Design*. National Centre for Research Methods online learning resource. Available at [https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/resources/online/all/lived\_experience\_survey\_design](https://repository.ncrm.ac.uk/resources/online/all/lived_experience_survey_design) **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Lived Experience, Michelle Jones, National Centre for Research Methods, Survey, Surveys and Questionnaires **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Methods --- ### [Seven tips for a graceful lab exit](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/seven-tips-for-a-graceful-lab-exit/) **Published:** August 11, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Leaving the lab? 7 tips to organise samples, secure data, share knowledge and make your move smoother for everyone. Shared from Nature Careers **Content:** **![Seven tips for a graceful lab exit - Nature Careers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Seven-tips-for-a-graceful-lab-exit-Nature-Careers-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Seven tips for a graceful lab exit - Nature Careers 680 x 520 px")Leaving the laboratory to take up a position elsewhere is an exciting milestone for many young scientists. But sorting through years’ worth of samples and data while preparing for your next career stage — and often a move to a different city or even a different country — can be overwhelming.** Here are seven tips to smooth the transition and make future lab members’ lives easier. ## **Communicate early** Pip Coen, a neuroscientist at University College London, established his lab in 2023. Although he hopes that none of his four PhD students and postdocs leaves any time soon, he already has a plan for when they do. Coen is one of the founding members of the SAFE Labs initiative, which has [compiled a handbook](https://safelabs.info/handbook/) to help scientists to create [more-positive lab spaces](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00390-6). It includes a commitment to clearly [document and communicate expectations for someone leaving the lab](https://safelabs.info/handbook-examples/30/), so that everyone is on the same page. No matter the reason for the person’s departure, Coen says, “I’d still much rather \[they\] told me as soon as possible, so we can prepare.” For postdocs preparing to launch an independent research career, it’s especially important to know well in advance which ideas, materials and data you can take with you, so that you have time to propose a solid research plan and secure funding before applying for faculty positions, says Walter Chen, a neonatologist at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. Begin this conversation when you start your postdoc, he suggests, and revisit it when submitting your first major paper. Otherwise, there can be “unpleasant surprises” — such as learning that your principal investigator (PI) plans to continue the project you thought you were taking with you. ## **Document as you go** In the technology world, rigorous and consistent documentation is part of the job. But in academia it can slip through the cracks, with people sometimes feeling that they must choose between staying organized and doing another experiment, says Stefanie Seltmann, who is head of research data management at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin. Finding this balance is tough but can “save a lot of headaches for you in the future”, says Maria Akopyan, an evolutionary genomics researcher who will be starting her own lab at Rice University in Houston, Texas, this year. Akopyan’s philosophy is to “document things as if someone’s always watching” — that is, so that anybody could look at her lab notebook at any time and understand what was going on. For those whose documentation practices are less rigorous, Seltmann recommends starting at least six weeks before the move to get your records in order. But many people need considerably more time than that, she warns. ## **Clean up** Before leaving, Chen recommends a bit of spring cleaning to clear out expired reagents and samples that are no longer worth keeping. If you have chemicals that are unidentified or that you don’t know how to deal with, get your institution’s environmental health and safety department involved, says Craig Merlic, executive director of the University of California Center for Laboratory Safety in Los Angeles. That can “help properly manage things so that you don’t have accidents”. When in doubt, he says, always treat [unknown chemicals as hazardous](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01775-9). Merlic recalls one incident in which a new graduate student was clearing out chemicals left behind by a previous lab member. As the student emptied a small, unlabelled tube of grey powder, it burst into flames, burnt through their flame-resistant lab coat and caused serious injury. The powder turned out to be lithium aluminium hydride, a highly reactive material. And don’t neglect radioactive and biohazardous reagents. Create a plan to safely store or dispose of those, too, Merlic says. Your lab manager will thank you for it. ## **Label and organize** For samples and reagents that are staying in the lab, [proper storage, labelling and documentation](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02037-2) of their location can save your PI the time and cost of replacing them — and could prevent someone’s work from being thrown off course in the future. Christina Termini, a cell biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, recalls the fate of poorly labelled reagents in her previous labs. “People would leave and there would be entire boxes of antibodies that nobody used,” she says, because nobody knew what they were or where they had come from. With a single tube of antibody costing at least US$200, such practices can mean thousands of wasted dollars, she says. Plasmids, cell lines and transgenic animal lines you develop should almost always stay in the lab, says Chen. Animal lines can be maintained long-term by freezing embryos or sperm, he notes, but this requires coordination with the institution’s vivarium staff. Whenever practical, says Chen, outsource your materials to companies that specialize in reagent storage and management, to save your colleagues the trouble of fielding requests from other researchers. Popular options that operate internationally include Addgene (for plasmids), ATCC (cell lines) and Jackson Labs (transgenic mice). ## **Sort your data** Seltmann has co-authored a [data-management checklist](https://zenodo.org/records/19351936) for researchers to work through as they prepare to leave the lab. Start by transferring all project data from personal devices into a centralized, institutional storage location and transferring access rights to the PI, she says. Then, for particularly thorny data needs, consult resources and experts at your institution, such as data stewards and [data librarians](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00568-y). Whatever your field of study, one general principle that Seltmann suggests is to save everything in open file formats rather than proprietary ones — as comma-separated values (CSV) rather than Microsoft Excel files, for instance. Open-source formats make your data accessible to all future users, no matter what software they have. Termini asks her lab members to make separate folders for each project, with subfolders for each type of experiment, such as flow cytometry or quantitative PCR. Nested in those are individual experiment folders that contain the protocol, raw data, analysed data and any visualizations. She suggests labelling each experiment folder with the date, the type of experiment and a brief description of its purpose. For computational work, Jay Goldberg, an evolutionary geneticist at Arizona State University in Tempe, reminds researchers always to annotate their code and make note of version numbers, so that someone will be able to understand what you did and reproduce it. Goldberg also recommends providing comprehensive notes in a README file that is stored alongside your program files. ## **Preserve institutional knowledge** Before leaving, make sure you pass on any lab-specific knowledge that only you have, such as login credentials, specialized techniques or how to get that impossibly old centrifuge to behave. Shumpei Maruyama, a cell biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, who is starting his own lab in January, plans to adopt some of his current lab’s information-sharing strategies. These include maintaining a Google Drive in which lab members share resources, such as protocols, presentation slides and poster templates. He’s been training colleagues to handle his lab chores such as managing accounts with service providers, so that the lab isn’t left in the lurch when he leaves. “I already know that the lab is going to be all right without me,” he says. And if you have been mentoring someone, Rodrigo Figueroa, a comparative zoologist at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, recommends clearly communicating the timeline for your departure to them and, if necessary, arranging for someone else to train them after you leave. Otherwise, the trainee might get stuck in the distressing position of not knowing how or when their hard work will pay off in a finished project. ## **Maintain access** Papers don’t always wrap up nicely when your time as a PhD student or a postdoc ends, so you might need access to materials from your old lab while getting set up in your new one. Akopyan says that during the first few months of her postdoc, she spent nights and weekends completing projects she started as a graduate student. This meant that her PhD supervisor had to grant her guest access to certain systems so that she could finish that work. If you must physically move samples across borders, start your planning early. Figueroa says he spent more than a year preparing the customs documentation to transport museum fossils that he worked on as a master’s student in Brazil to his US graduate programme. Museum staff members can help to coordinate the process, but he recommends doing your own research as well as consulting local authorities. For samples or specimens that you can’t keep, Figueroa recommends gathering as many data on them as possible while you can. Before returning his fossils to their permanent collections in Brazil at the end of his PhD, he took as many different types of scans and images as he was allowed, so that he could continue his analyses. ## **Bonus tip for PIs** PIs should note that the way in which someone leaves a lab sets the tone for those who stay behind, says Coen. Although it’s common to have a celebration when someone finishes their PhD or is offered a faculty position, not all lab departures are met with the same kind of fanfare — but generally, they should be. “There’s something to be celebrated about anyone’s presence in the lab,” Coen says, even if they are about to leave academia. Graciously acknowledging a departure shows that the PI values everyone’s contributions, and can prevent the unease that could arise if lab members quietly disappear, he says. A well-done lab exit takes time, says Chen. But the person leaving owes it to themselves to preserve “the clarity and the record of the work that \[they\] did so that other people can appreciate it, too”. --- *Shared from Nature Careers, for this and more great content head to Nature* **656**, 528-529 (2026) *doi: * **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Changing Jobs, Leaving Academia, Nature Careers, New Job, Stephanie Melchor **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Profile - Dr Laura Winchester, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-winchester-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** July 27, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Laura Winchester is an Oxford Associate Professor using genomics, proteomics and machine learning to uncover disease mechanisms and biomarkers in dementia. **Content:** ![Portrait of a smiling woman with short light brown hair, wearing a black blouse with small white dots, in front of a stone wall.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dr-Laura-Winchester.jpg "Dr Laura Winchester")Dr Laura Winchester ##### Name: Dr Laura Winchester ##### Job title: Associate Professor ##### Place of work/study: University of Oxford ##### Area of Research: My main research focus is on using genomic and [proteomic data](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-the-epigenetic-equation/) analysis from Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and healthy population cohorts to develop new biomarkers and understand disease mechanisms by applying integrative and machine learning methodologies. ##### How is your work funded: Alzheimer’s Research UK ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an Alzheimer’s Research UK Senior Research Fellow leading a bioinformatics team focused on the integrative analysis of diverse data types, including proteomics, genomics, epidemiology, patient cohorts, biobank resources, experimentally derived datasets, and real-world data. My research aims to leverage these approaches to advance our understanding of disease heterogeneity and identify novel therapeutic opportunities for age-related diseases. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have a minor Lego addiction and may have had a couple of children to help hide it. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Watching my grandmother live with dementia showed me how devastating these diseases can be for individuals and their families. That personal experience, combined with the recognition that dementia is one of the greatest health challenges facing an ageing population, inspired me to work in a field where new discoveries have the potential to improve the lives of other people and their families. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? I don’t think there a single piece of advice, early career paths can vary so much but this one of the good things about being a researcher. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am mostly an audiobook listener these days, either running or commuting. Top of the pile is currently [Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin](https://amzn.to/4hxAksT). ##### Favourite film of all time? My Neighbour Totoro ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Running ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Happy exploring hills or sleeping by a pool but it does need to be sunny ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [@winchesterl.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/winchesterl.bsky.social) [Find Laura on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-winchester-ox/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Data Analysis, Dr Laura Winchester, Genomics, proteomics, University of Oxford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Epigenetics --- ### [Profile - Dr Martina Bocchetta, Brunel University London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-martina-bocchetta/) **Published:** June 5, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Lecturer interested in investigating brain measures on MRI and how subcortical structures are structurally and functionally connected to frontotemporal dementia **Content:** ![Dr Martina Bocchetta Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Dr-Martina-Bocchetta-280-×-280px.png "Dr Martina Bocchetta (280 × 280px)")Dr Martina Bocchetta #### Name: Dr Martina Bocchetta #### Job title: Lecturer and Honorary Senior Research Fellow #### Place of work / study: Brunel University London and University College London #### Area of Research: I am interested in investigating brain measures on MRI and particularly how subcortical structures are structurally and functionally connected in the different forms of frontotemporal dementia. My final goal is to improve our understanding of this heterogenous disease, by measuring when frontotemporal dementia starts in the brain and how it progresses over time. This will be crucial to help in developing a cure, by measuring whether new drugs are effective in slowing down the progression of dementia. #### How is your work funded: I am currently funded by a Alzheimer’s Society Research Fellowship #### Tell us a little about yourself: My background is in neuroimaging and neuroanatomy, applied first in Alzheimer’s disease and then in [frontotemporal dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-international-frontotemporal-dementia-genomics-consortium/). I studied biological psychology and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Padua (Italy). After my PhD in Neuroscience in Brescia (Italy), I moved to UCL to work with Prof. Rohrer with whom I currently collaborate as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow. Previously I worked as a Research Assistant at the Fatebenefratelli Institute in Brescia (Italy) with Prof. Frisoni. I am now a lecturer at Brunel University London, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I am passionate about public engagement in my role as STEM Ambassador. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My life is centred around islands: my family is from Sardinia, I moved to Great Britain and I married a Maltese! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I was first exposed to dementia during an internship whist I was still an undergraduate student. This experience in a neuroimaging research laboratory, working closely with a memory clinic, was truly inspiring for me, as I witnessed the impact of this terrible disease on patients and their families. I have since never left this field as I realised the potential of research to better understand the different forms of dementia, and improve the lives of so many people affected by it. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Find a good mentor and a good supervisor to support you, and don’t be discouraged by unsuccessful experiences: we all have many of them! #### Can we find you on Twitter or Instagram? [Follow @BocchettaM](https://twitter.com/BocchettaM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Brunel University London, Dr Martina Bocchetta, Frontotemporal Dementia, University College London, volumetry of subcortical structures **Organisations for Bios:** Brunel University London, University College London **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Victoria Shepherd, Cardiff University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-victoria-shepherd/) **Published:** January 6, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** NIHR Senior Research Fellow with a background in Nursing, undertaking clinical trials, care home research, and research involving adults who lack capacity. **Content:** ![Dr Victoria Shepherd Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Dr-Victoria-Shepherd.png "Dr Victoria Shepherd")Dr Victoria Shepherd #### **Name:** Victoria Shepherd #### **Job Title:** Senior Research Fellow (Nurse) #### **Place of work / study:** Centre for Trials Research, [Cardiff University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=cardiff-university) #### **Area of research:** Clinical trials, care home research, inclusivity in research, research involving adults with impaired capacity to consent. #### **How is your work funded?** Research grants as PI and Co-I and an NIHR Advanced Fellowship funded by Health and Care Research Wales #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a registered nurse and Senior Research Fellow based at the Centre for Trials Research (CTR) where I have a special interest in research involving under-served populations with a particular focus on people with cognitive impairment. I lead a programme of methodological research exploring the ethical, legal and practical issues around research involving adults who lack capacity consent. This research programme includes the development of complex interventions to address the ethical and methodological barriers to conducting trials with adults who lack capacity. I also Chair the ENRICH Cymru Advisory Group and am involved in a number of national and international care home studies and am an expert member of an NHS REC. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have a passion for cocktail making (which I perfected during COVID lockdowns!) #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My research exploring the ethical and practical challenges around capacity and consent to research includes people living with more advanced dementia who are often excluded from research. Addressing their exclusion is essential in order to ensure these groups receive evidence-based care, and that they have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from research at all stages of dementia. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an Early Career Researcher? Build inter-disciplinary networks – the greatest and most exciting insights often come from outside of your own area of work and existing collaborations. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [‘Spider Woman’](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59235446) about the life of Baroness Hale who was President of the Supreme Court – an interesting read for anyone interested the law and inspirational female role models [Follow @VickyLShepherd](https://twitter.com/VickyLShepherd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @consult\_consent](https://twitter.com/consult_consent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Cardiff University, Care Home, Care Research, Consent, Dr Victoria Shepherd **Organisations for Bios:** Cardiff University **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Dr Sarah Griffiths, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blogger-profile-dr-sarah-griffiths/) **Published:** May 20, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** With a background in Speech and Language Therapy as a clinician and lecturer, Sarah is now a Senior Research Fellow at the University College London **Content:** ![Dr Sarah Griffiths Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Dr-Sarah-Griffiths-e1610124719198.jpg "Dr Sarah Griffiths")Dr Sarah Griffiths #### **Name:** Dr Sarah Griffiths #### **Job Title:** Senior Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** University College London #### **Area of research:** Primary care based dementia support #### **How is your work currently funded:** Alzheimer’s Society #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a dementia researcher with experience in study management, and qualitative research methodologies. My career has encompassed clinical practice (as a speech and language therapist), research and teaching in higher education. I was senior lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy at Plymouth Marjon University for 14 years. I am currently based at UCL and was study manager for the feasibility and implementation phase of PriDem (2021-2023), a project developing evidence-based and sustainable approaches to primary care led post-diagnostic dementia support. I am now an [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/ "Alzheimer’s Society Corner") fellow and Principal Investigator on ‘Communication Aspects of Personalised care Planning in Dementia: the CAPPD study. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have a cockapoo called Albie. He’s the world champion at fetching a ball. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante](https://amzn.to/45yxAEJ) – Yes I would recommend it. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking or running with a good podcast. ‘The Trawl’ and ‘The Rest is Politics’ are current favourites. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Find a topic that motivates you. Build relationships with researchers you like to work with, who generously support you. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I had been working with people who have Parkinson’s for a number of years and had become very interested in cognitive difficulties associated with the condition and how they impact on communication. My PhD was a conversation analytic study of everyday conversation management in Parkinson’s. I was part of the team delivering the dementia content on the BSc SLT programme and to prep for this, visited the amazing and inspiring Gloucestershire SLT dementia service. When a Research Fellow post opened up in Plymouth, I knew it was time to follow this developing interest and go for a dementia research focussed post. #### Can we find you on Social Media? [Follow @sgriffiths\_6](https://twitter.com/sgriffiths_6?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **[Follow Dr Sarah Griffiths on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-griffiths-70b5411b0/)** [Follow @sgriffiths-6.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/sgriffiths-6.bsky.social) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Sarah Griffiths, Speech and Language Therapy, University College London, University of Plymouth **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Dr Marianne Coleman, University of Melbourne](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-marianne-coleman/) **Published:** May 9, 2019 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Clinical Eyecare Research Fellow, Marianne's research aims to break down barriers to accessing routine eyecare experienced by people with dementia & carers. **Content:** ![Dr Marianne Coleman Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Dr-Marianne-Coleman-280-x-280-px.jpg "Dr Marianne Coleman 280 x 280 px")Dr Marianne Coleman #### **Name:** Dr Marianne Coleman #### **Job Title:** Clinical Eyecare Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** University of Melbourne & Australian College of Optometry (National Vision Research Institute) #### **Area of research:** Visual function and access to [eyecare](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-smart-new-ways-to-diagnose-dementia/) for people living with dementia **How is your work currently funded:** Dementia Australia Research Foundation; Victorian Optometrists Training and Education Trust #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m an orthoptist (it means “straight eyes” in Latin) – you can call me an optimist if you like! I’m the eyecare professional you’ve probably never heard of. We are based in hospitals and specialise in diagnosing and treating problems with moving the eyes around and using them together as a pair to judge distances. We support people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, who may develop double vision or problems with reading. My research aims to break down barriers to accessing routine eyecare experienced by people with dementia and their carers/supporters. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I moved to the UK when I was 13 and lost my Australian accent very quickly. I thought it would come back strongly when I moved to Melbourne, but it didn’t, so everyone is shocked when I tell them I was born in Perth! #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** When I worked in the NHS, I saw many older adults, yet rarely people living with dementia. I wondered why, so I started looking things up. That was how I found out about the huge access inequalities people with dementia experience when accessing eyecare. My first project looked at depth perception, but when doing home visits for this, people with dementia shared with me their experiences of going to the optometrist or the hospital eye service. These stories inspired my current work. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I just bought the [Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes](https://amzn.to/4qo9FBv) by Suzanne Collins. I’m only a few pages in so I’ll have to get back to you on that recommendation, but I did have it recommended to me! #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Art or some other craft project #### Can we find you on X, Instagram or LinkedIn? [Follow @MPOrthoptics](https://twitter.com/MPOrthoptics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Marianne Coleman, Eyes, University of Melbourne, Vision **Organisations for Bios:** University of Melbourne **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Ahmad Khundakar, Teesside University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ahmad-khundakar-teesside-university/) **Published:** June 2, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Ahmad Khundakar is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Teeside University exploring dementia and delirium in care home settings. **Content:** ![Dr Ahmad Khundakar Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dr-Ahmad-Khundakar.jpg "Dr Ahmad Khundakar")Dr Ahmad Khundakar #### **Name:** Dr Ahmad Khundakar #### **Job Title:** Associate Professor of Pharmacy #### **Place of work / study:** Teesside University #### **Area of Research:** My background is in neuropathology and neuropharmacology, with a focus on the molecular and pathological basis of dementia-causing illnesses. I lead projects using Raman spectroscopy and machine learning to develop diagnostic tools for Lewy body dementia. In public health, I investigate the impact of dementia and delirium in care home settings. #### **How is your work funded:** Mainly through charities (e.g. ARUK) #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m a neuroscientist with a background in biomedical science, neuropharmacology, and neuropathology. My research focuses on understanding the pathological basis and wider societal impact of dementia-causing illnesses. I’m currently lead projects that use Raman spectroscopy and [machine learning](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/salon-exploring-image-based-machine-learning/) to develop diagnostic tools for Lewy body dementia. Alongside this, I work in public health, investigating how delirium affects dementia progression in care home settings. I also co-lead the Dementia Research Partnership Network, which brings together researchers, clinicians, and people affected by dementia to ensure our work is relevant and impactful. My earlier research has explored the brain mechanisms behind hallucinations, depression, and executive dysfunction in dementia, as well as molecular changes in late-life depression that may signal early cognitive decline. My PhD focused on neurotrophic factors and their role in depression treatment, particularly the effects of antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy on BDNF levels in the hippocampus. I’m driven by a desire to bridge lab-based research with real-world applications that improve diagnosis, care, and outcomes for people living with dementia. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’ve had a parallel existence as a DJ for over 30 years. If you like noisy (or sometimes) quiet electronic music, please have a listen… #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I’ve always been fascinated by the complexity and wonder of the human brain. My interest in dementia and delirium deepened on a personal level when my mother developed Lewy body dementia and experienced frequent episodes of delirium. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Surround yourself with people who genuinely care for you and make it a priority to do the same for others. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker](https://amzn.to/4vlH5l1) – Absolutely! A bit technical in parts but some really illuminating information #### Favourite film of all time? The Third Man #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Cooking, music and sport (cricket and football) #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Ahmad on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmad-khundakar-282726281/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Delirium, Dr Ahmad Khundakar, Lewy body dementia, Machine Learning, Raman spectroscopy, Teesside University **Organisations for Bios:** Teesside University **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Public Health --- ### [Profile - Dr Mizuki Morisaki, University of Bristol](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-mizuki-morisaki-university-of-st-andrews/) **Published:** March 7, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Interview & Bio for Dr Mizuki Morisaki focused on how “stress” affects ageing in the brain particularly in the hippocampus using in vitro/in vivo models **Content:** ![N/A](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Dr-Mizuki-Morisaki-680-×-540px-300x238.png "Dr Mizuki Morisaki (680 × 540px)")Dr Mizuki Morisaki #### Name: Dr Mizuki Morisaki #### Job title: Research Fellow #### Place of work / study: [University of Bristol](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=university-of-bristol) #### Area of Research: My PhD focused on how “stress” affects ageing in the brain particularly in the hippocampus using *in vitro/in vivo* models. I worked with neurons on the dish as well as birds flying in the aviary! Now my research is more focusing on the *in vitro* model using neurons as well as microglia. #### How is your work funded? My work is currently funded by Scottish Neurological Research Fund. #### Tell us a little about yourself: I graduated from the University of St Andrews this summer with a PhD in Neuroscience and now working in the same school as a Research Fellow. My main research interest is ageing in the brain, and particularly I’m interested in investigating how “healthy” ageing differ from “pathological” ageing. During the pandemic, my best hobby outside of academia became taking a walk in the beautiful (but bit wet) beach facing North Sea and making bread. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I can sleep anywhere – one time I woke up in a half-flooded tent (there was heavy rain during the night which I did not wake up). #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I grew up in a very small village in Japan where my father who is in 60s is considered to be “young”. I think my case is bit of extreme case, but the world population is rapidly ageing, and I do feel healthy ageing is very important. Ageing is the biggest risk factor for dementia, but it is very different from healthy ageing, and yet we do not know its exact mechanism or have effective cure. This is how I became interested in this field of research. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? This is something I would love to hear from others as I desperately need one! #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://amzn.to/4z6ZXqV) #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @m\_morisaki](https://twitter.com/m_morisaki?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Mizuki Morisaki, in vitro cellular model, Neurons, Stress, University of Bristol, University of St Andrews **Organisations for Bios:** University of Bristol **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Donncha Mullin, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-donncha-mullin-the-university-of-edinburgh/) **Published:** September 7, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Physiotherapist Clinical Research Fellow using data science and epidemiological approaches to explore Motoric Cognitive Risk and its associated factors **Content:** ![Dr Donncha Mullin Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Dr-Donncha-Mullin-280x280-1.png "Dr Donncha Mullin (280x280)")Dr Donncha Mullin #### Name: Dr Donncha Mullin #### Job title: Clinical Research Fellow and Honorary Specialty Registrar, NHS Lothian #### Place of work / study: University of Edinburgh and Royal Edinburgh Hospital #### Area of Research: Motoric Cognitive Risk is a recently defined syndrome combining walking speed and self-reported cognitive complaint that helps predict which individuals are at high risk of developing dementia later in life. My work so far has shown that it is not just prognostic of dementia, but also falls and increased mortality. I am currently using data science and epidemiological approaches in large UK datasets to explore the prevalence of Motoric Cognitive Risk and its associated factors. The plan is to also use genomics and imaging data to further investigate this important gait-based syndrome. #### How is your work funded? A generous Clinical Research Fellowship from the Masonic Charitable Foundation and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. #### Tell us a little about yourself: I qualified as a physiotherapist before doing medicine and I have had the chance to work as either a physiotherapist or a doctor in Zambia, New Zealand, Malawi, Ireland, England and Scotland, and spent medical student placements in Colombia and the USA! Fair to say that’s all my flight allowance used up for… well, forever probably! I have recently become a dad to a very lovely wee girl called Maya. She’s not ready for runs just yet but Sonny the dog certainly is and comes with me into the hills around Edinburgh most days. I’m also delighted to be hosting season two of the [Dementia Researcher Methods Matter Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/podcasts/). #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Donncha is the Irish for ‘brown-haired chief’ and Mullin means ‘son of bald John’. Despite this, my hair plays only a very small role in my life. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** Clinically, my main interest is working with older adults so a natural area for me to research was the interplay between motor (think walking speed, grip strength, balance) and cognitive deficits. I knew that by researching dementia in Edinburgh I would have a good community around me and awesome supervisors. #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Recognise each work-related (however loosely defined that is for you!) task you do each day and make a note of it. Not only will this give you a real and deserved sense of achievement when you finish up each day, it’s also a great record of all the work you’ve done when it comes to reviews and reports. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** A gift from my wife, I’ve just finished reading [Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club](https://www.goodreads.com/series/299267-thursday-murder-club) (hilarious, highly recommended, especially for those of us who love older people) and I’m currently listening to [Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54120408-klara-and-the-sun) (not sure if I’d recommend it yet, but my guess is that it will creep up on me like so many of his others and leave me raving about it!) #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @doctormullin](https://twitter.com/doctormullin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Donncha Mullin, Methods Matter Podcast, Physiotherapy, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, The University of Edinburgh **Organisations for Bios:** NHS, The University of Edinburgh **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Jacqueline Cannon, The Lewy Body Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jacqueline-cannon/) **Published:** February 4, 2021 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Jacqueline Cannon is CEO of The Lewy Body Society, managing every aspect of business that goes a small charity. Passionate about public engagement & research **Content:** ![Jacqueline Cannon Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Jacqueline-Cannon.jpg "Jacqueline Cannon")Jacqueline Cannon ##### Name: Jacqueline Cannon ##### Job title: Chief Executive ##### Place of work / study: [The Lewy Body Society](https://www.lewybody.org/) ##### What does your role involve? As the CEO of a small charity my role is varied and involves but not limited to : Book keeping; website updates; fulfilment of orders from the society’s online shop; social media updates; taking calls from carers; responding to emails; sending out information packs; managing research grant applications; arranging and taking part in zoom events. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: An IT professional with over 25 years’ experience working as a Senior Business Analyst. Worked at RSA, one of the world’s leading multinational quoted insurance groups. This experience was extended in recent years whilst working Accenture, a global management consulting, technology, and outsourcing company. My dad lived with a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. During the last 4 years I have concentrated on working with [The Lewy Body Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/dementia-research-charity-chatathon-live/). ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am a founding member of a Sorportomist International Group (SI Swallows). Soroptimist International is a network of 65,000 club members in 118 countries, advocating for human rights and gender equality at the UN and on the ground. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My dad lived with a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. My background is in business analysis and project management, specficially finacial services ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Specialise ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? LBS Patron’s book (Rob Rinder) – The Protest. I would recommend it. ##### Favourite film of all time? Love Actually ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Cooking ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Leaving corporate business ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Canary Islands ##### Can we find you on Social Media? [Follow @jc\_cannon13](https://twitter.com/jc_cannon13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Jacqueline Cannon, The Lewy Body Society **Organisations for Bios:** Charity **Themes for Bios:** Charity, Patient & Public Involvement --- ### [Profile - Holly Marland, So Many Beauties](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-holly-marland-so-many-beauties/) **Published:** December 7, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Freelance Musician and Music Therapist working across the North West, working co-creatively with people living with dementia and their ensemble of care. **Content:** ![Holly Marland Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Holly-Marland-280x280-1.jpg "Holly Marland 280x280")Holly Marland #### **Name:** Holly Marland #### **Job Title:** Musician #### **Place of work / study:** Freelance across the North West #### **Area of Research:** I work co-creatively with people living with dementia and their ensemble of care. We write new music which is performed at large scale public events which we develop together. I work freelance for a number of organisations including Create, Lime, Music in Hospitals and Care, BBC. I also run my own Arts Council England funded project called [So Many Beauties](https://somanybeauties.org/) which involves over 18 stakeholder organisations and is currently working on a day long dementia friendly music festival at the Bridgewater Hall Manchster on Friday 20 Sep 2024. I am a qualified [music therapist](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-music-and-dementia/) but would identify my role in health and social care as a musician. #### How is your research funded: Freelance work and Arts Council England funding. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I play the Kora which is a West African harp and I travel to the Gambia for lessons with my teacher – Muhammed Saho. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I collect hats. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: My Nanna had dementia and I could see how music gave her a sense of orientation through singing familiar songs. I love working with people living with a dementia diagnosis and am always amazed at the creativity, wit and wisdom they share with me. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Keep going, it will all be worth it! #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Thich Nhat Hanh Peace is Every Step](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14572.Peace_Is_Every_Step). Definitely a handy book to have with you for moments of mindfulness in this hectic world. #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @Somanybeauties](https://twitter.com/Somanybeauties?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @somanybeautiesmusic on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/somanybeautiesmusic/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Holly Marland, Music and Dementia, So Many Beauties **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Arts --- ### [Profile - Dr Melissa Salazar, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-melissa-salazar-university-college-london/) **Published:** April 21, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Postdoc Research Fellow specialising in sequencing methods and data analysis to study the genetics of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. **Content:** ![Dr Melissa Salazar Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Dr-Melissa-Salazar.jpg "Dr Melissa Salazar")Dr Melissa Salazar #### Name: Dr Melissa Salazar #### Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow #### Place of work / study: UK Dementia Research Institute at [University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=university-college-london) #### Area of Research: Genetics #### How is your work funded? Medical Research Council and Alzheimer’s Society #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am scientist with +10 years of research experience, who is specialised in sequencing methods and data analysis to study the genetics of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I like pets, specially dogs! #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I have been always fascinated by the way the human brain works, but I am particularly keen to understand better how does Dementia arise and progresses throughout years until symptoms start to show. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Make the most of your research projects by constantly learning new skills and knowledge. During early stages this is as important as publications, etc. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [The Picture of Dorian Gray](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5297.The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray), Oscar Wilde. It’s a classic but it’s too early for me to say whether I’d recommend it! #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @Mel\_Salazar\_PD](https://twitter.com/Mel_Salazar_PD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Melissa Salazar, Genetics, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Epidemiology --- ### [Profile - Vyshnavy Balendra, Saint James School of Medicine](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-vee-balendra/) **Published:** July 14, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Med Student at Saint James School of Medicine interested in Oxidative stress/ free radical damage/ therapeutic potential of nutraceuticals in Alzheimer’s **Content:** ![Vyshnavy Balendra Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Vyshnavy-Balendra-280-×-280px.jpg "Vyshnavy Balendra (280 × 280px)")Vyshnavy Balendra #### Name: Vyshnavy Balendra #### Job title: MD Candidate #### Place of work / study: Saint James School of Medicine #### Area of Research: Oxidative stress/ free radicals, antioxidants, nutrition/diet , gut-brain axis #### How is your work funded? N/A #### Tell us a little about yourself: Originally from Toronto, Canada, I have completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto with a Specialist in Human Biology. Currently, I am pursuing my medical degree in Chicago USA. My interest in dementia science has resulted in scientific publications and book chapters, relating to cognitive aging and nutritional approaches in delaying the progression of AD. I have also presented my findings at international conferences such as Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2021 and 2022, AAIC NeuroNext 2022, as well as The Brain Conference 2021 and was selected to deliver a short presentation at the Mild Cognitive Impairment Symposium 2021. This year I was the Student Spotlight Award Recipient with the Alzheimer’s Association : Nutrition, Metabolism Dementia Chapter. Within the [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-association/ "Alzheimer’s Association Corner") itself, I have been elected consecutively to serve my second term as the student representative with the Alzheimer’s Nutrition Metabolism Interest Group as well as the Clinical Trials where I’ve organized webinars and workshops to bring forth the work of international dementia researchers to the forefront. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am a lyrics enthusiast! You name the song and I will be able to recite the lyrics within seconds. Must be 90s pop and boybands, though 🙂 Not the most skilled singer, unfortunately. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My clinical training as a medical student has shown me, first-hand, the toll that Alzheimer’s disease has on its patients. This experience has paved the road to my keen interest in studying metabolic mechanisms helpful in the prevention of dementia. My motivation to pursue this work also stemmed from my volunteer experience at nursing homes as a teenager, as well as my first – hand experiences with loved ones. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Take that first step towards making connections! Embarking upon research can be overwhelming, but there are may senior researchers who are more than happy to guide, mentor, and provide academic advice. Feeling alone initially, is part of the process, but remember everyone started where you are right now- uncertain, confused, overwhelmed. It is a feeling of discomfort but there are many individuals in the field who are willing to help. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Think Again by Adam Grant](https://adamgrant.net/book/think-again/). I would highly recommend this book! It discusses the value of rethinking in our personal lives, our interpersonal interactions, and our collective actions. The books emphasizes the value of thinking like a scientist and re-examining what we know as a pathway and expanding our minds through question and curiosity. #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Follow @Vee\_0111](https://twitter.com/Vee_0111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Nutraceuticals, Oxidative stress, Saint James School of Medicine, Vee Balendra **Organisations for Bios:** Saint James School of Medicine **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Byron Creese, Brunel University of London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-byron-creese/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Byron Creese Director of Research at Brunel University London UK. Researcher on neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia and late life mental health in ageing. **Content:** ![Dr Byron Creese Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Dr-Byron-Creese-280x280-1.png "Dr Byron Creese (280x280)")Dr Byron Creese ##### Name: Dr Byron Creese ##### Job title: Senior Lecturer ##### Place of work / study: Brunel University of London ##### Area of Research: Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Dementia ##### How is your work funded: In the past three years I have received funding from Innovate UK and NIHR. I am currently funded by NIHR. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I research symptoms like depression, apathy, agitation and psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease. I’m interested in all things in this space from bench to bedside but but my primary interest is [applied health research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-course/applied-health-research/). I am interested in how best to manage these symptoms in dementia and also how better recognition in the early stages of disease my help with diagnosis. I did my PhD at King’s College London and held post-doctoral positions there and at University of Exeter. I moved to the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Brunel University of London in 2023. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My first name is actually Amory (Byron is my middle name) ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Like many researchers, I have the ambition that my work will make a difference in the future, but that’s not the whole story if I’m honest; practical reasons had a lot to do with it! I worked in the oil industry for 3 years after my degree. I quit without having anything lined up because I always wanted to do a PhD, went abroad for a few months, came back, still nothing had lined up, worked back in the oil industry for another few months, got offered the PhD (after applying to a few) and started a few months later. I had a preference for something dementia-related because of a relative with a diagnosis so I lucked out basically. I continue to work in dementia because the work is varied, I have a lot of freedom, and it is a complicated condition. I also like the wider community of dementia researchers that I’m a part of both in the UK and overseas. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Always say yes to invitations to present. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? The Age of Diagnosis by Suzanne O’Sullivan and Yes! ##### Favourite film of all time? Raider’s of the Lost Ark ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Cycling! Especially gravel biking. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Quitting my job in the oil industry to do my PhD ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Anywhere in Italy ##### Do you collect anything? Not currently but I did used to collect small glasses when I was a kid. I think my mum probably still has them somewhere. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Byron on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/byron-creese-96b377195/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app) [@byroncreese.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/byroncreese.bsky.social) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Brunel University London, Dr Byron Creese, Neuropsychiatric symptoms, University of Exeter **Organisations for Bios:** Brunel University London **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Profile - Amber Sewell-Green, University of Queensland](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-amber-sewell-green-university-of-queensland/) **Published:** December 11, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** PhD Candidate and Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) working on new Nutrition Care Guidelines for MND: Energy balance and the role of lipids in ALS. **Content:** ![Amber Sewell-Green Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Amber-Sewell-Green-280-x-280-px.jpg "Amber Sewell-Green 280 x 280 px")Amber Sewell-Green #### **Name:** Amber Sewell-Green #### **Job Title:** PhD Candidate, Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) #### **Place of work / study:** University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Australia #### **Area of Research:** Improve Nutrition Care Guidelines for [MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/unlocking-the-future-of-mnd-a-journey-of-discovery-and-hope/): Energy balance and the role of lipids in ALS. #### How is your research funded: Fight MND and MND Research Australia Grants for EATMND #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I always knew you cannot treat the body without the mind. So in 2016 I completed my bachelor and masters in Dietetics with first class honours so I was equipped to use food as my medicine. Then I worked as a dietitian for 7 years in medical centres, private practice and teaching nutrition at community college. Then in 2020, I studied a diploma of neuroscience with a minor in psychopathology with the hope to begin my journey as an expert in nutrition and psychology for the brain and habit change. I also opened my online nutrition and mental health clinic “The Green Mind Co” in September 2022, shortly before commencing my PhD in improved nutrition care guidelines for MND in January 2023. My project is called MINDE in MND: Metabolism, Individualised Nutrition and Daily Eating In MND, under the MEND MND umbrella at the University of Queensland School of Biomedical Science. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have been salsa dancing for 7 years, and competed on stage. It’s my joy and passion. #### Why did you choose to work in Dementia? Not dementia per although there is an MND-FTD spectrum. There is a lot of research around the MIND diet and Mediterranean for Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimers Dementia showing that diet can improve functional outcomes and slow disease progression. We also know that the brain is one of the most energy intensive organs in the body comprising of just 2% of the body but using a massive 20% of daily energy needs. So I learnt that I’m in a unique position as a dietitian to determine the nutrition needed to ensure the health of mitochondria in the neurons of the brain to optimise energy and protect again neurodegeneration in diseases of ageing such as Dementia and Motor Neurone Disease #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Work as a team because collective intelligence, synergy and resources will get you further than protecting your intelligence with arrogance. Finally, focus on your values and the WHY you are doing the research rather than the end outcome, as being process focused rather than outcome focused will lead to greater resilience and satisfaction. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40534545) by Hector Garcia & Francis Miralles. It’s a nice reminder and compact book so great for travel! #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @AmberGreen67157otor](https://twitter.com/AmberGreen67157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Follow @[@thegreenmindcommunity](https://www.instagram.com/thegreenmindcommunity/) on Instagram #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Amber Sewell-Green, Dietitian, Motor Neurone Disease, University of Queensland **Organisations for Bios:** University of Queensland **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Kasey Belanger-Mayer, Albany Medical College](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kasey-belanger-mayer-albany-medical-college/) **Published:** September 20, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Postdoctoral Researcher investigating the functional impact of Alzheimer’s Disease risk genes on neuro-vascular interactions. **Content:** ![Dr Kasey Belanger-Mayer Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Dr-Kasey-Belanger-Mayer-280x280-1.png "Dr Kasey Belanger-Mayer 280x280")Dr Kasey Belanger-Mayer #### Name: Dr Kasey Belanger-Mayer #### Job title: Postdoctoral Researcher #### Place of work / study: Albany Medical College #### Area of Research: Neuroscience – Genetic factors of Alzheimer’s Disease #### How is your work funded? I am currently working as a postdoc under a multiple PI UO1 grant funded by The national institute of aging (NIA) #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an Army brat who moved around different states and countries every 2 years and love continuing to learn about new cultures, especially how to cook different cuisine! I received my PhD in [Physiology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/?s=Physiology) from The Medical College of Georgia where I studied sex differences in the immune cell profile in hypertensive rats. I decided to switch fields after graduation, back to my first passion of neuroscience. I started a new postdoc position in January 2022 at Albany Medical College investigating the functional impact of Alzheimer’s Disease risk genes on neuro-vascular interactions. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I foster medical case dogs to nurse them back to health and find them amazing adoptive families. Over the last 4 years, I have found 62 dogs’ homes (and have only kept 3 😊)! #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I have always been intrigued by how complex the brain is. I quickly realized that I could bring a new perspective to the field with my experience in sex differences, immune cell profiles, and hypertension. I just loved how all-inclusive and varietal this field was and how many different avenues could be explored through a vast range of techniques all under one disease. #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Network and collaborate outside your lab / department / field! Do not get stuck in a box where you only read about things or attend seminars related to your project. The best project ideas I have come up have been after talking with professionals in different fields who have offered intriguing explanation or asked questions that I hadn’t thought of that pushed my project to novel places I never imagined. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** Honestly, I am expecting my first child in December, so am reading the [Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mayo-Clinic-Guide-Healthy-Pregnancy/dp/1561487171). Its great if you are planning a family or are currently expecting though! Other than that, I just finished [Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of the Office](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Welcome-Dunder-Mifflin-Ultimate-History/dp/0063082195). If you love that show as much as me, it’s a great short read! #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @BelangerKasey](https://twitter.com/BelangerKasey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Albany Medical College, Dr Kasey Belanger-Mayer, Genetics, Risk Factors **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Natalia Chemas, Queen Mary University of London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-natalia-chemas-queen-mary-university-of-london/) **Published:** February 16, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Natalia Chemas is a Doctoral Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London studying equitable blood biomarker testing for Alzheimer’s. **Content:** ![Natalia Chemas Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Natalia-Chemas.jpg "Natalia Chemas")Natalia Chemas ##### Name: Natalia Chemas ##### Job title: Doctoral Research Fellow ##### Place of work / study: Queen Mary University of London ##### Area of Research: Alzheimer’s disease – [blood biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-clinical-opportunity-for-blood-based-biomarkers/) validity and applicability ##### How is your work funded: NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship grant ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a second-year NIHR-funded PhD student researching equitable approaches to AD diagnosis in diverse populations. My work focuses on evaluating the blood biomarker pTau217 as a non-invasive and cost-effective diagnostic tool, examining whether abnormality thresholds are transferable across ethnic groups and acceptable within minoritised ethnic communities in the UK. Using mixed methods—including systematic review, clinical data analysis, and qualitative research with patients and stakeholders—I aim to contribute to improving the diagnostic accuracy and acceptability of biomarker testing across diverse populations. Ultimately, I hope my research will help patients make informed decisions about testing and support NHS memory clinics serving diverse communities. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My surname, Chemas, comes from the Hebrew Shemesh, meaning “sun.” My grandfather always told us that we had an ancestor who fled the Ottoman Empire and migrated to Colombia (where I’m from). We used to think he was lying—until I moved here and people from the region recognised the surname – sorry, grandpa. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I was drawn to dementia because of my close relationship with my grandparents growing up, which gave me a deep affection for older adults. Seeing how central memory and identity are at that stage of life made the impact of dementia feel especially profound and unfair. I was also aware that women are disproportionately affected, both as those living with dementia and as caregivers. Working in this field feels meaningful because it focuses on supporting people at a vulnerable stage of life and feels like an investment in our future selves. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t be afraid to ask for help—people are often kinder and more willing than you expect. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Menopause Brain – Lisa Mosconi](https://amzn.to/4gqdtiA) ##### Favourite film of all time? Avatar (first one) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Running! I am training for a marathon and I am also a pacer at the RunClub ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? I don’t think there’s a single “best” decision, but I’ve consistently chosen the more challenging path. So far, those choices have led me to growth, opportunities, and outcomes I’m proud of ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? There is one for every occasion/mood 😀 ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Natalia on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-c-ba73b63a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Biomarkers, Natalia Chemas, Queen Mary University of London **Organisations for Bios:** Queen Mary University **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Andrew Arnott, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-andrew-arnott-the-university-of-edinburgh/) **Published:** January 21, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Andrew Arnott works at The University of Edinburgh as the Climate, Biodiversity & Sustainability Manager, working to embed new practices across the University. **Content:** ![Andrew Arnott Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Andrew-Arnott.jpg "Andrew Arnott")Andrew Arnott #### **Name:** Andrew Arnott #### **Job Title:** Climate, Biodiversity and [Sustainability](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/sustainability-in-the-lab-how-to-make-your-science-greener/) Manager #### **Place of work / study:** The University of Edinburgh #### **Area of Research:** Climate and sustainability in higher education **How is your work funded:** Central funding #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I have been helping organisations implement impactful sustainability projects and culture shifts for nearly 20 years. After completing my undergrad in Geography at Aberdeen, I have worked across various sectors including industrial, public sector, charities, and, for the past decade, the University of Edinburgh. I led the University’s sustainable lab programme for 7 years from 2015 to 2022 and now work on the University’s climate strategy. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’ve broken my left wrist twice, once while rock climbing and once while mountain biking. Well, it was mainly the falling and landing that did it, but those were the activities happening immediately beforehand. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: N/A #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Think about the environment and sustainability #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Prisoners of Geography](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25135194-prisoners-of-geography) by Tim Marshall – yes, would recommend. Very interesting and easy to read. #### Favourite film of all time? Not sure #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Riding bikes, mostly mountain biking, ideally with friends and/or family. #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Andrew on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewgarnott) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Andrew Arnott, Climate Change, Sustainability, The University of Edinburgh **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Edinburgh **Themes for Bios:** Other --- ### [Profile - Dr Sarah Kate Smith, The University of Manchester](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-kate-smith-sheffield-hallam-university/) **Published:** November 28, 2021 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sarah Kate Smith is a NIHR / Alzheimer's Society Dem Comm Fellow at The University of Manchester working on Brain Health & Dementia Prevention **Content:** ![Dr Sarah Kate Smith Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Dr-Sarah-Kate-Smith.jpg "Dr Sarah Kate Smith")Dr Sarah Kate Smith #### Name: Dr Sarah Kate Smith #### Job title: NIHR / Alzheimer’s Society Dem Comm Fellow #### Place of work / study: The University of Manchester #### Area of Research: Brain Health & Dementia Prevention #### How is your work funded? Alzheimer’s Society / NIHR #### Tell us a little about yourself: I was a manager at the John Lewis Partnership for almost 15 years but decided to change career by undertaking a BSc Psychology part-time with the Open University when my youngest son was 6 months old. I achieved a 1st Class Honours in Psychology and then a Scholarship with the ESRC White Rose DTC to study my PhD in the School of Health & Related Research at the University of Sheffield. I completed my PhD in Health Services Research in 2015 and since then have worked as a post-doc on a multitude of programmes at the Universities of Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Salford and Manchester. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have duel citizenship British/Irish so still consider myself European #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I spent some years volunteering as a Samaritan and was so saddened to receive so many calls from older adults living with dementia. Not necessarily because they had dementia, but many were lonely and socially isolated and the only regular contact that they had was calling a suicide helpline. #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Grab every opportunity that presents itself and run with it, network network network. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [One Last Thing by Wendy Mitchell](https://amzn.to/4fJSTsJ). Emotional, thought provoking and brilliantly written. #### Favourite Film of all time? Legends of the Fall #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Music, reading, friends #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @SarahKateSmith7](https://twitter.com/SarahKateSmith7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Sarah on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sarah-kate-smith-6b6949118) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dementia Care, Dr Sarah Kate Smith, NIHR Dem Comm Fellow, Perpetual Postdoc, Sheffield Hallam University, Technology, Wearable technology **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Manchester **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care, Technology --- ### [Profile - Emily Fisher, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-fisher-university-college-london/) **Published:** March 25, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** CST-International Programme Manager and part-time PhD Student at University College London supporting research and delivery in Brazil, India and Tanzania **Content:** ![N/A](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Emily-Fisher-280x280-1.png "Emily Fisher (280x280)")Emily Fisher #### Name: Emily Fisher #### Job title: CST-International Programme Manager and part-time PhD Student #### Place of work / study: [University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=university-college-london) #### Area of Research: I am currently the programme manager for an implementation study of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) in Brazil, India and Tanzania. I also recently started a part-time PhD, which will explore implementation of psychosocial interventions for dementia in the UK. #### How is your work funded? CST-International is MRC-funded. #### Tell us a little about yourself: I completed my MSc in Dementia at UCL in 2019, and prior to that I worked in the Dementia Friends team at Alzheimer’s Society and in information and advice content at Age UK. After nearly 10 years in London, I recently moved to the countryside and can often be found cycling up hills or walking on wild and windy moors. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’m a Bananagrams super fan. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** Like many others working in dementia research, I have a personal connection with dementia which initially led me to work in dementia and ageing organisations in the third sector, before winding my way into dementia research. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Celebrate the small achievements and build a network of supportive peers. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** I have just finished reading [And Away by Bob Mortimer](https://amzn.to/4wMI5QD)*.* I would wholeheartedly recommend it! #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @CST\_Intl](https://twitter.com/CST_Intl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** CST-International, Emily Fisher, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Dr Megan Fowler, Flinders University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-megan-fowler-flinders-university/) **Published:** December 13, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Megan Fowler is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Flinders University investigating endogenous retroviruses and their role in Motor Neuron Disease **Content:** ![Dr Megan Fowler Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Megan-Fowler.jpg "Dr Megan Fowler")Dr Megan Fowler #### **Name:** Dr Megan Fowler #### **Job Title:** Postdoctoral Research Associate #### **Place of work / study:** Flinders University #### Area of research? Investigation of endogenous retroviruses and their role in the cause and progression of [Motor Neuron Disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-quest-to-understand-motor-neuron-disease/) #### How is your research funded: FightMND Discovery Project #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a research associate at Flinders University in the Motor Neuron Disease and Neurotrophic Research laboratory, in Adelaide, South Australia. I originally started my tertiary studies in the area of psychology but realised pretty quickly that I wanted to know more about how the brain worked on a molecular level and moved into medical science for my Honours degree. I have been working in the MND space since completing my Honours degree and continued with MND research for my PhD. I am grateful to be continuing in this area for my postdoctoral research. Outside of research, I love spending time outside, hiking, running, paddle boarding and I’m a sucker for a DIY project. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I like to keep busy and struggle to slow down – I de-stress the best by filling my time with lots of projects! During my PhD, I renovated a house, sewed my own clothes and competed in triathlons #### Why did you choose to work in dementia research? I have always had a interest in the complexities of the brain. I heard a talk about Motor Neuron Disease and how relentless the disease is and was motivated to join the group of passionate researchers to find treatments and a cure. Meeting people with lived experience with MND has been my motivation to keep going – if my research can help a single person living with the devastating disease, I will feel accomplished. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? All your feelings about a career in scientific research are valid – most people have probably felt the same things you’re feeling so don’t be afraid to reach out and talk through things with people who have gone through it all before! #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading the second book of the [ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas](https://amzn.to/4bwQuiE) – highly recommend! #### Favourite film of all time? I don’t think I could even pick my favourite genre, I like so many! #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Anything outdoors or keeping my hands busy with DIY projects! #### Can we find you on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn? [Find Megan on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-fowler-012168233/) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Megan Fowler, Flinders University, Motor Neuron Disease, Motor Neurone Disease **Organisations for Bios:** Flinders University **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Heather Marriott, King's College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-heather-marriott-kings-college-london/) **Published:** December 9, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** PhD Student undertaking analysis of next-gen sequencing data using bioinformatics and machine learning to advance personalised medicine approaches in ALS / MND. **Content:** ![Heather Marriott Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Heather-Marriott.jpg "Heather Marriott")Heather Marriott #### **Name:** Heather Marriott #### **Job Title:** PhD Student #### **Place of work / study:** King’s College London #### **Area of Research:** Analysis of next-generation sequencing data using bioinformatics and machine learning to advance personalised medicine approaches in ALS/MND #### How is your research funded: Co-funded by MND Association and GlaxoSmithKline. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I was born and grew up in Sheffield. I studied Neuroscience at the University of Nottingham for my undergraduate degree, before moving to King’s College London for my Master’s degree in Clinical Neuroscience, and have stayed there ever since. In my spare time, I love to make tapestries and do embroidery – working in computational genomics means I constantly have to be doing something with my hands! #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I adore any food that’s pickled #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? If you’re suffering from imposter syndrome, allow yourself to acknowledge it. Don’t suffer in silence – it will become more manageable to deal with over time. #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @HevMarriott](https://twitter.com/HevMarriott?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Bioinformatics, Heather Marriott, King's College London, Motor Neurone Disease **Organisations for Bios:** King’s College London **Themes for Bios:** Data Analysis, Imaging --- ### [Profile - Professor Sir John Hardy, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-sir-john-hardy-university-college-london/) **Published:** November 3, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Breakthrough & Brain Prize holder, and World-leading neurogeneticist and one of the leading people behind the highly influential 'amyloid-cascade' hypothesis. **Content:** ![Professor Sir John Hardy Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Professor-Sir-John-Hardy.jpg "Professor Sir John Hardy")Professor Sir John Hardy #### **Name:** Professor Sir John Hardy #### **Job Title:** Professor and UK DRI Group Leader. #### **Place of work / study:** UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurolgy #### **Area of Research:** Neurogeneticist in the field of neurodegenerative diseases #### How is your research funded: Grants from various charities/enterprise’s. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Sir John is a human geneticist and molecular biologist at the Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies at University College London. Sir John attended St Ambrose College in the late 1960s, where his interest in biochemistry was encouraged by his Biology teacher, Mrs Cox. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Leeds in 1976 and his PhD from Imperial College London in 1981 for research on dopamine and amino acid neuropharmacology. Following his PhD, Sir John did postdoctoral research at the MRC Neuropathogenesis Unit in Newcastle upon Tyne, England and then further postdoctoral work at the Swedish Brain Bank in Umeå, Sweden where he started to work on Alzheimer’s disease. He became Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at St. Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College London in 1985 and initiated genetic studies of Alzheimer’s disease. He became Associate Professor in 1989 and then took the Pfeiffer Endowed Chair of Alzheimer’s Research at the University of South Florida, in Tampa in 1992. In 1996 he moved to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, as Consultant and Professor of Neuroscience. He became Chair of Neuroscience in 2000 and moved to National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Maryland, as Chief of the Laboratory of Neurogenetics in 2001. In 2007 he took up the Chair of Molecular Biology of Neurological Disease at the Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies, University College London. In November 2015, he was awarded the Breakthrough Prize, and in 2018, Sir John, along with Christian Haass, [Bart De Strooper](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-bart-de-strooper/) and Michel Goedert, received the Brain Prize for “groundbreaking research on the genetic and molecular basis of Alzheimer’s disease.” He was knighted in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to “human health in improving our understanding of dementia and neurodegenerative diseases”. In 1991, Sir John’s team uncovered the first mutation directly implicated in Alzheimer’s disease leading to the formulation of the highly influential [‘amyloid-cascade’ hypothesis](https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.1072994). #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I enjoy trying street food all around the world. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I always wanted to work on the brain. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Stephen Hawkings [Brief answers to the big questions](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40277241-brief-answers-to-the-big-questions) – yes recommend #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? No Sorry **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Amyloid, Professor Sir John Hardy, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Victor Ekuta, Massachusetts Institute of Tech](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-victor-ekuta-massachusetts-institute-of-technology/) **Published:** February 8, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** MIT linQ Catalyst Fellow/ MD Candidate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology researching Alzheimer's Disease biomarkers and member of Black in Neuro. **Content:** ![Victor Ekuta](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Victor-Ekuta-280-×-280px.png "Victor Ekuta (280 × 280px)")Victor Ekuta #### Name: Victor Ekuta #### Job title: MIT linQ Catalyst Fellow/ MD Candidate #### Place of work / study: Massachusetts Institute of Technology #### Area of Research: Alzheimer’s Disease biomarkers #### How is your work funded? My work was previously funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation #### Tell us a little about yourself: Victor an MIT linQ Catalyst Fellow, MIT Office of Engineering Outreach Programs Instructor, M.D. Candidate, and member of [Black in Neuro](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/studies-of-blackness-and-being-black-in-academia/). He has conducted several innovative neuroscience research projects and led multiple outreach programs and neuroscience courses for underrepresented students. In the future, he plans to specialize in academic neurology as a physician-scientist-advocate, mploying novel approaches to treat human brain disease, combat health disparities and boost diversity in STEM #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** To blow off steam, I love to dance: Hip hop, popping, and shuffling, in particular. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I find dementia fascinating because it uniquely affects the core of what makes a person who they are. In addition, dementia has a disproportionate impact on African American and other populations. As a result, the field of dementia is one where even small discoveries can have a profound impact. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Keep going. #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @victorekuta](https://twitter.com/victorekuta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @victorekuta on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/victorekuta/) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Victor Ekuta **Organisations for Bios:** Massachusetts Institute of Technology **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Dr Daniel Gibbs, Alzheimer's Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-daniel-gibbs-alzheimers-association/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Retired Neurologist and Neuroscientist living with Mild Cognitive Impairment, study participant and blogger tattooonmybrain.com **Content:** ![Dr Daniel Gibbs Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Dr-Daniel-Gibbs-280x280-1.png "Dr Daniel Gibbs 280x280")Dr Daniel Gibbs #### Name: Dr Daniel Gibbs #### Job title: Retired Neurologist #### Place of work / study: Previously at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a retired general neurologist and former neuroscientist. I retired in 2013 due to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease. Since then I have been studying and writing about my own brain and disease in a book, A Tattoo on my Brain: A Neurologist’s Personal Battle against Alzheimer’s Disease, in several journal papers and a blog, #### **What book are you reading right now?** [A Tattoo on my Brain: A Neurologist’s Personal Battle against Alzheimer’s Disease](https://amzn.to/4vffMbM) #### **Relevant references:** - Gibbs, DM (1992) Hyperventilation-induced cerebral ischemia in panic disorder and effects of nimodipine. *Amer J Psychiatry* 149: 1589-1591. - Gibbs, DM (2019) Early awareness of Alzheimer’s disease: a neurologist’s personal perspective. *JAMA Neurol.* 76(3):249. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.4910 - VandeVrede L, Gibbs DM, Koestler M, et al. (2020) Symptomatic amyloid-related imaging abnormalities in an APOE *ε*4/*ε*4 patient treated with aducanumab. *Alzheimer’s Dement*. 12:e12101. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12101 - Gibbs, D (2021) What it’s like to have face blindness during the pandemic. *Scientific American Mind & Brain*, April 21, 2021. Listen to Daniel in our [ISTAART Research Perspectives Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/podcasts/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Diet, Dr Daniel Gibbs, Oregon Health & Science University, Plant based diet **Organisations for Bios:** Charity **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Patient & Public Involvement --- ### [Building a culture of research impact](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/building-a-culture-of-research-impact/) **Published:** January 21, 2019 **Author:** LSE Impact Blog **Excerpt:** Louise Shaxson writes for the LSE Impact Blog suggesting developing a culture of engagement and collaboration, is just as important to achieving research impact. **Content:** ![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Building-Culture-300x200.jpg "Building Culture") Drawing on case study evidence from the DFID-ESRC Growth Research Programme, **Louise Shaxson** suggests that developing a culture of engagement and collaboration is just as important to achieving research impact as following best practice, and presents five principles that underpin an effective research impact culture. To read this blog in full visit the LSE Impact Blog – **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Louise Shaxson, LSE Impact Blog --- ### [Blog - Mental Health Awareness Week and Me](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-mental-health-awareness-and-me/) **Published:** May 14, 2021 **Author:** Adam Smith **Excerpt:** Mental Health Awareness Week, aims to reducing stigma, and raise awareness. Adam Smith wrote about his own experience and how it has affected him **Content:** --- **This week is [Mental Health Awareness Week (10 – 16th May](https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week)). It provides an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. The Mental Health Foundation started the event 21 years ago, and each year the Foundation continues to set the theme, organise and host the Week. The event has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally.** Mental Health Awareness Week is fantastic because it provides everyone with a chance to highlight their particular problems, (and I doubt I would have written this blog had it not been for Mental Health Awareness Week), it helps reducing the stigma, and highlights that the problems and things you can do to help are the same whether you work academia, healthcare or something completely different. It’s all about starting conversations about mental health, and the things in our daily lives that can affect it. This year the Mental Health Foundation want us to think about connecting with nature and how nature can improve our mental health. **So to play my part, I thought I would share my own short story.** As my bio says, I was born in the North, a long time ago – a child of the 70’s, brought up in a time, and place, and in a family that didn’t much talk about Mental Health. Mental Illness was something concealed and only ever discussed in hushed terms, and there was no real discussion at all about how to maintain good mental health or to recognise when you might have a problem. Thankfully, times have changed. However, despite my being better informed about how to ensure good mental health and what the opposite might look like, I don’t think I really had a real appreciation of what a problem might feel like. ![Mental Health Awareness Week](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Mental-Health-Awareness-Week.png "Mental Health Awareness Week") Looking back, I can identify times in my life when I have been low, anxious, depressed – but somehow I always just shrugged this off, or found it easy overcome (thankfully). So, in January this year, at 1.00 am when I suddenly, and for no apparent reason, starting to feel ill – I was convinced I was on the verge of a heart attack or stroke. I am not as fit or healthy as I could be – and the more I thought about this, the more my brain worked against me, symptoms worsened, and I called 999. I went to A&E waited, had a few tests… and then slowly over the next hour, I felt back to my normal self. The amazingly kind doctor diagnosed an anxiety attack. Which immediately resulted in my feeling rather silly, ashamed and embarrassed – I apologised a lot, for wasting his time, and I came home… (now I realise that I probably didn’t need to feel this way, but hey, I’m just being honest) and slept… for almost 24 hours straight. It happened again the next day, this time I didn’t call 999. However, I realised that the more I thought this would happen, the more likely it became, to the point where my brain was hyper focussed on my breathing, my heart beat, every twinge – I knew it was probably another anxiety attack, but my brain said ‘what if it isn’t this time… what if you’re ignoring this and its bad’, thinking ‘what if my brain was the boy who cried wolf?’. The things you’re told to do in this situation didn’t help. Thinking of something else, walking, focussing on breathing, all the things the internet will tell you to do, just didn’t work. But eventually I had to just trust that the feelings would subside – and they did. Five months later, and it has happened a few times since, and it has genuinely scared me. All those symptoms you hear about – spinning out of control, palpitations, feeling hot, heart racing, they are very real! So for someone who had never really thought about mental health, it took sometime for me to accept that I have an issue. I’ve been looking at why this might have suddenly happened, and I realise now, that all the signs were there – working long hours, getting less fresh air, some depression, oh and a pandemic with a 24 hour news cycle of worldwide death and despair! > So, now I accept that I have a problem, but the good thing is, that I know how to treat it and that is thanks things like Mental Health Awareness Week. My problem wasn’t brought on because of some unique issue relevant to academia, I can’t blame my job or work, it is simply because of life in 2020 and my own lack of self-care and awareness. **My regime to get better is one that could be found on pretty much every mental health guide you will ever have read:** - **Time away from screens** - **Getting sleep** - **Not working too much** - **Better diet** - **Exercise** - **Finding time to relax** - **Tending my allotment** All very obvious and things, which I could easily have listed before I felt like I needed them. The challenge is to now follow that guidance, and sustain it. There are a few days of Mental Health Awareness week left, so use that time to get outside this weekend, connect with nature – and if you related to anything in this blog, **[drop me a line](https://twitter.com/BetterResearch)**, talking is good. **Thank you** --- #### Author![Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Adam-Smith-300x300.jpg "Adam Smith") [**Adam Smith** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/)was born in the north, a long time ago. He wanted to write books, but ended up working in the NHS, and at the Department of Health. He is now Programme Director in the Office of the NIHR National Director for Dementia Research (which probably sounds more important than it is) at University College London. He has led a number of initiatives to improve dementia research (including this website, Join Dementia Research & ENRICH), as well as pursuing his own research interests. In his spare time, he grows vegetables, builds Lego & spends most of his time drinking too much coffee and squeezing technology into his house. [Follow @betterresearch](https://twitter.com/betterresearch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > ***What are you doing for #MentalHealthAwarnessWeek? Reply in the box below*** **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Adam Smith, Blog, Mental Health **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Health and Wellbeing --- ### [Blog - What have I learned on my MSc so far?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-what-have-i-learned-on-my-msc-so-far/) **Published:** May 12, 2021 **Author:** Morgan Daniel **Excerpt:** Morgan Daniel reflects on what she has learned so far, as the 'taught' part of her MSc comes to an end, highlighting everything learned in a short time **Content:** --- **Time has really flown by quickly this year, despite several lockdowns and all of the restrictions in place, and all of my teaching on my [Master’s degree](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-is-a-masters-the-right-choice/) is now finished. I still have a few final pieces of coursework to complete and my thesis to hand in but I thought it would be worth looking back on what I have had the opportunity to study and learn about throughout my degree so far.** I remember starting this degree with a background in psychology and neuroscience and feeling pretty informed about dementia and the fields of neuroscience and psychology. It’s therefore come as a bit of a shock to see the sheer amount that I have learned in a relatively short space of time. I knew that Masters study was intense but I wasn’t prepared for how much I would learn and how enjoyable the process would be. On the MSc Dementia, we have compulsory core modules and the opportunity to study a few optional modules. Core modules included two of our biggest courses this year which were clinical and practical neuroscience of dementia. Both courses are well linked, with clinical neuroscience of dementia providing us with a good grounding and background in dementia and the different neurodegenerative diseases, and practical neuroscience of dementia then following on from this to teach us more about how this looks in practice and the different considerations that come with a diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease. Neurobiology of degeneration and repair was another compulsory module and gave us a deeper insight into molecular and cellular neuroscience and the actual mechanisms behind the diseases we had learned about so far. This was really useful in understanding each disease and type of dementia and making sense of the symptoms we had learned about. [![](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Learn-lightbulb.png "Learn lightbulb")](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-courses/)With face to face teaching set to return, now is a great time to apply for for 2021/22 MSc Courses – see our directory Current research in dementia was a compulsory module that provided a great opportunity to learn about the research currently taking place throughout Queen Square and beyond and to keep us up to date with the most recent and impactful research in the field. This is really important in academia and this course provided the opportunity to speak to world leading experts about their research and similar work taking place. Higher functions of the brain taught us about cognitive functions within the brain and how they can be affected by dementia and neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. This was really interesting as it showed us the impact that these conditions can have upon normal functioning. Optional modules gave us the opportunity to tailor our studying to our own interests. I personally chose to study Advanced Treatment and Management of Dementia, and Neurorehabilitation. Advanced Treatment almost followed on from Current Research and gave us a really in-depth understanding of the current issues facing management and treatment of dementia. My neurorehabilitation module was focused on stroke rehabilitation and covered and was taught by a range of staff with different expertise. Both of my optional modules were well suited to me but there is plenty more to choose from if you have other interests. Other students on my course have taken a wide variety of modules from different fields within neuroscience and biosciences. This freedom to choose some of our learning has been really important in applying to jobs and PhD’s in order to gain experience and knowledge in the area we would like to specialise in. While I do not have medical training, this degree does take a very clinical focus so the content was difficult to keep up with at first while I got used to the different terms used and a totally new way of learning. Teaching staff encouraged us to be interactive and engaged with the content and I think this helped to soak up the information and think more deeply about what we were learning. Yes, this degree has taught me about dementia, but it has also taught me about how to be a good researcher and has shown me that there are many different routes and paths taken within dementia research. I have been taught by a multi-disciplinary team this year including psychologists, neurologists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, researchers and PhD students. Each of these professions contribute to dementia care and research in their own way and are all so valuable to the field. I feel extremely grateful to have been taught by such a wonderful group of people who are really leading the field in dementia research. Thanks for listening, **Morgan.** --- ![Morgan Daniel Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/morgan-daniel-300x300.jpg "morgan-daniel")Morgan Daniel #### Author **[Morgan Daniel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-daniel-morgan/)** is an MSc Student at University College London, studying the along the ‘Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Neuroscience)’ track, Originally from Loch Lomond, Morgan completed her BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Glasgow in 2019, and she hates all forms of potato! Morgan is sharing her MSc journey during 2020 / 2021 with NIHR Dementia Researcher. [Follow @MorganDaniel99](https://twitter.com/MorganDaniel99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Careers, Guest blog **Tags:** Morgan Daniel, Morgan MSc Story, Study, University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Undergraduate Essentials **Target Audiences:** Undergraduates --- ### [NIA - National Summit on Dementia Care Research PT1](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/us-national-institute-on-ageing-part-1-2020-national-research-summit-on-care-services-and-supports-for-persons-with-dementia/) **Published:** August 3, 2020 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Sharing the recordings from the US NIA Summit Virtual Meeting Series: 2020 Care, Services, and Supports for Persons with Dementia and their Caregivers **Content:** **The first virtual meeting held on July 10, 2020 included a welcome, setting the stage, Impact of Dementia (Theme 1), and Participation of Persons with Dementia and their [Caregivers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-where-lgbtqia-identities-intersect-with-dementia/) in Research (Theme 4).** See agenda and other related materials at . **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Care, NIA --- ### [More useful & interesting podcasts which you may have missed](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/more-useful-interesting-podcasts-which-you-may-have-missed/) **Published:** February 19, 2021 **Author:** Adam Smith **Excerpt:** Podcasts from some of our new Instagram friends, neuroscience, careers and more. Here are some of the shows we have been listening to this week **Content:** > **What are you listening to? Let us know and reply below** **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Podcast --- ### [A what? A Public Advisor Researcher? You may well ask…](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-is-a-public-advisor-researcher/) **Published:** August 6, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Emma and Sue Williams are Public Advisor Researchers at the University of Liverpool. Two years in, they explain a job nobody could describe to them. **Content:** --- ### **What on earth is a Public Advisor Researcher?!** Well, that would be us, Emma and Sue, and it has taken us a while to get to grips with what it is, too. The “public advisor” part is sort of straightforward – to [provide a lived experience perspective](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-importance-of-lived-experience-in-research/) of the reality of navigating health and social care services and dementia support. It was the “researcher” element that was the bigger learning curve. We work alongside the academic team to shape topic guides and questionnaires for research projects, help recruit appropriate participants, carry out interviews and assist with data analysis. ##### **You both work in the NIHR Policy Research Unit for Dementia and Neurodegeneration at Queen Mary University of London. What made you a good fit for a PAR role in this team?** *Emma* – I was a science teacher at a sixth form college in Liverpool when I noticed changes in my Mam’s behaviour. She was struggling to find words, which wasn’t immediately alarming, as she was living comfortably on her own with her labrador and a nice circle of friends. She then started struggling with mobility, too. It was a long road from there, starting with trying to get a diagnosis. Dementia hadn’t really crossed my mind as I only really knew about Alzheimer’s and Mam didn’t seem to have any problems with her memory. Mam was eventually diagnosed with [frontotemporal dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-frontotemporal-dementia-pia/) (FTD) and within 18 months had very limited mobility and became non-verbal, dying 12 months after that. We encountered lots of inequalities: Mam lived alone in a small village in Yorkshire where very few health and social care workers had encountered someone with FTD. I learnt a lot during that time about the difficulties not only in getting a diagnosis but also finding the right care. I really wanted to use the knowledge I’d gained to try and make a difference. *Sue* – My background is in the arts. I ran a theatre for many years, producing shows and mentoring the upcoming generations of theatre makers. I’m also a trained Family Celebrant. My Dad had Alzheimer’s and caring for him was difficult, complex and heartbreaking. Eventually, there was no choice but full-time residential care, which brings a different but equally challenging set of barriers. I also had power of attorney for one of my best friends who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Some of my previous caring skills helped with this, but it also took me way beyond what I thought I knew and how I thought I could help him. Most of the time it was just terrifying! Like so many carers, it’s been a painful journey of discovery, one I have found challenging but couldn’t not do. Now I find that stands me in good stead for my current role. ##### **What are some common misconceptions about your role?** We had no idea what a Public Advisor Researcher (PAR) was or what the job would entail. All we knew (or hoped) was that we could use our lived experience to have an influence on future care for people in similar situations to us. We think of it as [a bridge between public advisors and researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ecr-ppi-reflections-on-working-together-in-co-production/) and attend events as both! However, we often find that other public advisors see us as only researchers. They seem to forget that we are still caring for people and feel that we are no longer able to give the lived experience perspective. We’ve gone to the dark side! But we definitely don’t see ourselves as academics. We are still being trained as researchers and the process of learning is ongoing and eye-opening. ##### **What can Public Advisor Researchers bring to a research team?** A complementary perspective, we hope. We want to focus on the realities of accessing services and ask questions about how the research is going to make a difference. We can also [identify jargon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/practical-approaches-to-patient-public-involvement-in-research/) and ensure that we’re asking questions in a way that makes sense to people who aren’t specialists. We can empathise with the anxiety, frustrations and anger that come with illness and trying to find the right support. Sometimes it’s about considering what the researcher is looking to achieve with a piece of work and how we can support this. In every project, our lived experience is vital and central to what we can contribute. ##### **What have been some of the challenges of the role?** Not having an academic background is tricky – like any workplace, universities have their own acronyms, language and computer systems. We’ve often questioned how we can fit in, be relevant and make a genuine contribution whilst still being carers. How can we stay confident enough to speak up when we don’t understand something or disagree with a point being made? We only work one day a week, so it took time to get to know the team and feel like one of them. Arranging interviews can also be difficult as not everyone is available on your one day, and taking a day’s holiday means you are away for almost two weeks. The emotional rollercoaster of being a carer hasn’t stopped, either. During our first two years in the role, we have both lost loved ones and had to step up as situations have got progressively worse. When doing interviews, we’ve found that other people’s stories can resonate in unexpected ways. We might share their experience, but we need to be the professional in that moment and not intervene or fall apart – just ask the questions and listen. ##### **What has been your proudest moment so far?** *Sue –* There have been a few. A real milestone for me was the first time I felt that I had properly contributed to a meeting. I saw that what I was saying led to changes in how a project was shaping up, and one of the team came to tell me how useful my suggestions had been. It was like the public advisor and researcher had come together and suddenly made sense to me. It’s also pretty cool to be named as a contributor on a paper. *Emma* – For me, it was speaking at the [6th Annual Liverpool Dementia & Ageing Research Conference](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/liverpool-dementia-ageing-research-conference-talks/) about our experience as PARs. We were quite nervous about speaking to a room full of academics and health care professionals, but the response was very positive. People wanted to hear our stories! ##### **How can early career researchers support PARs working in their teams?** Making them feel welcome and valued is a good start, and it’s important to be clear on the specific input you are looking for. Try and recognise what practical or professional skills they already have and [identify where some training might prove useful](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-embed-lived-experience-at-every-stage-in-a-research-project/). These probably sound pretty basic but, in any new job, you can feel out of your comfort zone, so the basics can matter quite a bit. An early career researcher and a PAR can form a great partnership, both bringing their unique skills and insights to enhance a research project. --- ![Smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a black top, indoors with daylight behind her.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Emma-Williams-150x150.jpg "Emma Williams")Emma Williams ![Portrait of a smiling woman with gray curly hair and red-framed glasses, wearing a dark floral-patterned top.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Sue-Williams-150x150.jpg "Sue Williams")Sue Williams ##### Authors [Emma Williams](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emma-williams-university-of-liverpool/) and [Sue Williams](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-sue-williams-the-university-of-liverpool/) are Public Advisor Researchers at the University of Liverpool. Both came to dementia research through their personal experiences of supporting family members living with dementia and related conditions. They now use that lived experience alongside their growing research expertise to help shape dementia research, contributing to study design, recruitment, interviews and data analysis. [@denpru-qm.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/denpru-qm.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Co-production, Emma Williams, Patient and Public Involvement, Public Advisor Researcher, Sue Williams, University of Liverpool **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Patient and Public Involvement **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher, PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Profile - Emma Williams, University of Liverpool](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emma-williams-university-of-liverpool/) **Published:** July 31, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Emma Williams is a Public Advisor Researcher at the University of Liverpool, using her experience caring for her Mam with FTD to help improve dementia research. **Content:** ![Smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a black top, indoors with daylight behind her.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Emma-Williams.jpg "Emma Williams")Emma Williams ##### Name: Emma Williams ##### Job title: Public Advisor Researcher ##### Place of work/study: University of Liverpool / NIHR Policy Research Unit at Queen Mary University of London ##### Area of Research: Research on [prevention](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/research-showcase-population-approaches-to-dementia-prevention/), diagnosis and treatment, care service, and workforce needs in dementia and neurodegenerative diseases. ##### How is your work funded: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I became a Public Advisor Researcher after caring for my Mam who had Frontotemporal Dementia ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I learnt a lot in the short time I had with my mam, following her diagnosis, about the inequalities and difficulties those living with dementia and their families face. I had left my job as a biology teacher to try and help her and I wanted to make use of everything I’d experienced in dementia diagnosis and care, hoping to make a difference. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Make use of the knowledge and experience of public advisors! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Just finished [‘Everyone here is Lying’ by Shari Lapena](https://amzn.to/4fGTonr) ##### Favourite film of all time? Shawshank Redemption ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking the dog, chilling with my family ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Getting married ##### Can we find you on social media? No sorry **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Emma Williams, Patient and Public Involvement, University of Liverpool **Organisations for Bios:** University of Liverpool **Themes for Bios:** Patient & Public Involvement --- ### [Profile - Sue Williams, The University of Liverpool](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-sue-williams-the-university-of-liverpool/) **Published:** August 5, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Sue Williams is a Public Advisor Researcher at the University of Liverpool, using lived experience to help improve dementia care and address inequalities. **Content:** ![Portrait of a smiling woman with gray curly hair and red-framed glasses, wearing a dark floral-patterned top.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Sue-Williams.jpg "Sue Williams")Sue Williams ##### Name: Sue Williams ##### Job title: Public Advisor Researcher ##### Place of work/study: University of Liverpool / NIHR Policy Research Unit at Queen Mary University of London ##### Area of Research: Inequality in [Dementia Care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/research-showcase-how-art-can-support-brain-health-in-dementia-care/) ##### How is your work funded: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I spent over 30 years working in the arts, running a theatre and producing shows. I am also a trained Celebrant, supporting families with funerals, weddings & baby naming ceremonies. I came to dementia research through my lived experience, having looked after my Dad when he had Alzheimer’s and being Power of Attorney for a long time friend who had Parkinson’s with Lewy Body. Realising that I could use this knowledge to help support and influence research in dementia made me want to have something positive come out of their situations. Now I have had the opportunity to take part in several studies, contributing insights from the points of view of patients and carers. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I once took part in a fire walk. The hot coals had been smouldering for hours and were glowing. I was terrified, but it was exhilarating, and no, I didn’t burn my feet and there were no blisters. Amazing! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Seeing what my Dad and my friend went through was tough. Finding that joined up care did not exist and was fragmented. Trying to support and speak for them was difficult, upsetting, frustrating and heart breaking. Being a carer was exhausting, isolating and confusing. When I got the opportunity to put all these experiences to a more positive use, I knew I wanted to do it. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Public Advisors want to be involved and to share their experiences, so make good use of what they can offer. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Love Lane by Patrick Gale](https://amzn.to/4hR67oR) – he’s an author I enjoy ##### Favourite film of all time? Impossible question….The Godfather 1 & 2 ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Travelling with family, friends or just solo, always makes me happy ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Getting married to my lovely man ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? New York, New York ##### Do you collect anything? Memories…… ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? No sorry **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Patient and Public Involvement, Sue Williams, University of Liverpool **Organisations for Bios:** University of Liverpool **Themes for Bios:** Patient & Public Involvement --- ### [How to Write a Literature Review](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-write-a-literature-review/) **Published:** August 5, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Struggling to make your literature review analytical? Dr Elizabeth Yardley shares a simple three-step structure to help you write with clarity and focus. **Content:** **If you’re wondering how to write a [literature review](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-tops-tips-for-your-first-literature-review/), one of the biggest challenges is knowing what to write once you’ve identified your themes.** [Dr Elizabeth Yardley](https://www.youtube.com/@DegreeDoctor), a social sciences professor with over 20 years’ experience supporting doctoral researchers. Many PhD students struggle with qualitative research not because they’re doing it wrong, but because they’re using the wrong standards to judge it. In this video, Elizabeth shares a simple three-step structure to help you write a literature review that is analytical rather than descriptive. You’ll learn how to introduce each theme, synthesise the literature, and connect it back to your own research so your writing becomes clearer, more critical, and easier to follow. She also explains why every section of your literature review should begin with a roadmap sentence that tells your reader what to expect and why the theme matters. This simple technique can make your literature review much more coherent and focused. If you liked this video and fancy making PhD life slightly less chaotic, check out **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Dr Elizabeth Yardley, Literature Review **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Methods **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Free Dementia Courses: Six Wicking MOOCs Worth Your Time](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/free-dementia-courses-wicking-moocs/) **Published:** August 5, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Six free dementia courses from the Wicking Dementia Centre — including the Understanding Dementia MOOC. What each covers, and why researchers should bother. **Content:** **There is a version of this article that just says “free dementia courses, go and enrol”, and you would nod, close the tab, and never think about it again. So let’s start somewhere more useful.** Your expertise is narrow. It has to be. If you spend four years on tau propagation in mouse models, or on the economics of respite provision, or on the electrophysiology of sleep in Lewy body disease, that is where your depth goes. Everything adjacent — the clinical picture, the care pathway, the lived reality, the neighbouring conditions your work keeps bumping into — you pick up in fragments. Conference sessions. A colleague’s talk. Whatever the reviewer made you read. Even those of us who work in genuinely [interdisciplinary neuroscience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/what-its-like-to-do-interdisciplinary-neuroscience/) tend to have one deep well and a lot of shallow puddles. The [Wicking Dementia Centre](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/organisation/3/The_Wicking_Dementia_Centre.html) at the University of Tasmania has spent over a decade building something that fills exactly that gap, and giving it away. ## What free dementia courses does the Wicking Dementia Centre offer? Six of them. Every one is genuinely free, self-paced, delivered entirely online, and carries a certificate of completion. No fees, no entry requirements, no final exam. CourseHoursStatus[Understanding Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20281/Understanding_Dementia__2026.html)21Always open[Preventing Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20282/Preventing_Dementia__2026.html)8Always open[Understanding Childhood Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20482/Understanding_Childhood_Dementia__2026.html)17Open now[Parkinson’s MOOC](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20392/Parkinson_s_MOOC.html)14Always open[Motor Neurone Disease MOOC](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20389/Motor_Neurone_Disease_MOOC__2025-09.html)8Always open[Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20524/Understanding_Traumatic_Brain_Injury__2026-08.html)10Opens Aug 2026, enrol by 15 Oct--- ### Understanding Dementia — 21 hours The flagship, and the reason most people have heard of the centre. It launched in 2013 and has run continuously since — [we first pointed readers at it back in 2020](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/understanding-dementia-mooc-enrol-now-you-might-learn-something/), when enrolments stood at 220,000. They have since passed 750,000 across the Wicking courses as a whole. The course takes you through the brain, the diseases that cause dementia, and the person living with the condition. A refreshed version landed in late 2025. [→ Enrol in Understanding Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20281/Understanding_Dementia__2026.html) ### Preventing Dementia — 8 hours Risk reduction: cardiovascular health, diet, exercise, cognitive activity, and the modifiable factors that keep reappearing in the [Lancet Commission updates](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-lancet-commission-2024/). This is the one Wicking are quietly proudest of — it recorded a 53% completion rate, against a MOOC sector average typically below 15%. [→ Enrol in Preventing Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20282/Preventing_Dementia__2026.html) ### Understanding Childhood Dementia — 17 hours Seventeen hours on a group of conditions most dementia researchers could not name three of. Built for families, educators, support workers and health professionals, covering how childhood dementia affects the developing brain, early indicators, and the care that best supports children and their families. Draws on lived experience accounts throughout. [→ Enrol in Understanding Childhood Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20482/Understanding_Childhood_Dementia__2026.html) ### Parkinson’s MOOC — 14 hours Developed with the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, with support from the Parkinson’s Research Foundation. Given how much of our field now works across the neurodegeneration spectrum rather than dementia alone — and given how starkly the [research gaps in Parkinson’s have been exposed](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/parkinsons-research-gaps-exposed/) — this one earns its place on a lot of reading lists. [→ Enrol in the Parkinson’s MOOC](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20392/Parkinson_s_MOOC.html) ### Motor Neurone Disease MOOC — 8 hours Produced with MS Queensland, covering MND from neuroscience principles through to care approaches. If you want a lighter way in first, our [podcast playlist on understanding and researching MND](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-playlist-understanding-researching-mnd/) covers a lot of the same territory in audio. [→ Enrol in the MND MOOC](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20389/Motor_Neurone_Disease_MOOC__2025-09.html) ### Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury — 10 hours The newest addition, developed with Connectivity, and the only one of the six running to a fixed timetable. It opens in August 2026, enrolments close on 15 October 2026, and the course itself closes on 2 November 2026. Diarise this one rather than bookmarking it. [→ Enrol in Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20524/Understanding_Traumatic_Brain_Injury__2026-08.html) --- ## Why early career researchers should take a free online dementia course **Because your grant application has a gap in it.** If you are writing about repurposing a cardiovascular drug, or modelling care costs, and your understanding of the clinical progression is honestly a bit thin, a weekend on the Understanding Dementia MOOC will do more for that section than another hour of literature searching. **Because the neighbouring conditions keep turning up.** Differential diagnosis, mixed pathology, shared mechanisms, overlapping care needs. If your work touches Parkinson’s or MND at the edges and you have never had structured teaching on either, here it is, for nothing. **Because you will be asked to explain your work to people who are not you.** Wicking designed this online dementia training for a broad audience, including adult learners without a science background. Watching how they pitch complex neuropathology to a mixed cohort is a masterclass in [presenting your research to a lay audience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-presenting-your-research-to-a-lay-audience/), which is the thing most of us are worst at. Steal the framing. **Because it is a legitimate CPD line.** Clinicians, allied health professionals, charity staff and industry colleagues can all count a completion certificate towards professional development — and given the [dementia training gap exposed across care in England](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-training-gap-exposed-in-england-care/), there is a decent argument for pointing colleagues at it too. Be clear-eyed about what it is, though. Wicking’s terms state explicitly that the certificate carries no academic credit and does not indicate an accredited award. It is evidence you did the learning, not a qualification. If you are building out a CPD list, we have also rounded up [free online Stanford University courses for researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/stanford-university-courses-you-can-take-online-for-free/). **Because you might be new here.** If you have just moved into dementia from another field — and plenty of people do, often mid-career — this is the fastest structured route from “I know the biology” to “I understand the condition”. **Because of the people in the forums.** Cohorts include family carers, care home staff, people living with a diagnosis, nurses, students and researchers, from a very large number of countries. Reading what a care worker in Manila or a daughter in Manchester makes of the same material you are reading is not a side benefit. For a lot of researchers, it is the most valuable part. ## Are the Wicking dementia MOOCs worth it? The honest caveats If you are three years into a PhD on a specific mechanism, the module covering that mechanism will feel introductory. That is by design and it is not a flaw — but do not expect to be challenged everywhere. Twenty-one hours is twenty-one hours. Self-paced does not mean effortless, and Wicking’s completion statistics are impressive precisely because most MOOCs get abandoned. Decide before you start whether you are doing the whole thing or cherry-picking the units you need. Both are reasonable. Only one of them ends with a certificate. Worth knowing too that the free certificate is not the only certificate. On some courses Wicking offer paid enhanced certificate options alongside it. No course content sits behind that paywall and the free route is the one described here, but the site does not lead with the distinction. The curriculum draws on neuroscientists, clinicians and care researchers, and the courses have been [the subject of published research](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6185100/) in their own right — including [work on whether the material lands equally well for non-native English speakers](https://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/download/5380/5560), which is a question most educational providers never think to ask about themselves. ## Which free dementia course should you start with? **If you have never done one:** [Understanding Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20281/Understanding_Dementia__2026.html), and give yourself six weeks rather than a heroic weekend. **If you want the highest return on the smallest time investment:** [Preventing Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20282/Preventing_Dementia__2026.html) at eight hours, which is also the most useful for public engagement work, because [brain health and dementia prevention](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-dr-sarah-kate-smith-brain-health-dementia-prevention/) is what people actually ask you about at parties. **If you want to genuinely learn something new:** [Understanding Childhood Dementia](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20482/Understanding_Childhood_Dementia__2026.html), unless you already work in it, in which case swap in [Parkinson’s](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20392/Parkinson_s_MOOC.html) or [MND](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/course/20389/Motor_Neurone_Disease_MOOC__2025-09.html). ## Frequently asked questions Can I put this on my CV, and where?Yes, but put it under continuing professional development or training, never under qualifications. Name the course, the provider (Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania), the hours and the year. Reviewers spot inflated CVs quickly, and a MOOC listed honestly reads better than one dressed up. Will it count towards my professional revalidation?Not automatically, because the courses are not accredited by any UK regulator. But the NMC, HCPC and GMC frameworks all let you choose your own CPD activities and justify them with a reflective account, so in practice most people can log a Wicking MOOC as self-directed learning. Check your own framework before you rely on it, and write the reflection while the content is fresh. Is there an exam, and can you fail?There is no final exam. Progress is checked through quizzes and activities as you work through the units, and the certificate is issued on satisfactory completion of those, judged by the course team. In practice the barrier is finishing, not passing. It is an Australian course. Does it translate to UK practice?The neuroscience, the disease processes and the principles of person-centred care travel without any trouble. What does not travel is the service furniture: how care is commissioned and funded, which professionals hold which responsibilities, terminology, and the legal framework around capacity and consent. Read those sections as a comparator rather than a guide, which is arguably more useful anyway. Can I reuse the material in my own teaching or PPI work?Not by default. The content is University of Tasmania copyright. Normal academic referencing with proper acknowledgement is fine, and some individual items carry a Creative Commons licence, but any other non-commercial reuse needs written consent from the academic lead for that course. Worth asking rather than assuming, and they are approachable. Can I point participants and family carers at it?Yes, and a lot of people do. The courses were built for a mixed audience, and family carers make up a large share of every cohort. Preventing Dementia is the gentler starting point at eight hours. Do flag that some content covers progression and end of life, which can land hard for someone caring for a person right now. Six courses. All free. All open to anyone. [Browse the Wicking MOOCs](https://mooc.utas.edu.au/) If you have taken one of the Wicking MOOCs, we would like to hear how you found it — and whether it changed anything about how you work. Drop a comment below. **Categories:** Dissemination, Opportunities **Tags:** Childhood Dementia, Dementia Prevention, free dementia courses, Motor Neurone Disease, Online Learning, Parkinson’s Disease, Training --- ### [Blog - Overcoming Academic Conference Presentation Anxiety](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-overcoming-academic-conference-presentation-anxiety/) **Published:** August 5, 2026 **Author:** Emily Spencer **Excerpt:** Emily Spencer on conference presentation anxiety, returning to conference season after maternity leave, and why the talk she dreaded went better than expected. **Content:** --- **I’ll start with saying I get conference presentation anxiety, but I will get around to that. At the time of writing, I am in the middle of a busy summer. With a date for my viva, and thus [a submission date locked in](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-life-after-the-phd-my-fellowship-application/), my day-to-day is pretty monotonous: each and every hour of the working day is spent writing my thesis. That’s been the case for the past couple of months now, and thankfully a full draft is drawing ever closer. Next week, I will be heading off once again to attend a writing retreat, during which I intend to make a good start on my discussion – the final chapter I need to write.** While the thesis is the main item on my agenda, that’s not to say it’s the only thing I’ve been doing recently. For me, it has also been conference season – the two I’ve attended in July, being [my first since before I went on maternity leave in 2023](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-unexpected-snags-and-small-wins-as-a-phd-mum/). At the first of the two conferences, the International Psychogeriatric Association Congress, which took place in the Netherlands, I had the opportunity to give an oral presentation about some of my PhD work. As I’ve mentioned before, I have been undertaking a conversation analytic study of advance care planning conversations between GPs, people with dementia, and their carers. Conversation analysis is pretty niche, and probably isn’t the most immediately accessible of qualitative methods for a general audience. As such, [I was feeling apprehensive in the lead-up to the conference](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1hfNNLJFfk). It was hard for me to gauge how to hit the right balance: I wanted my findings to be intelligible to those unfamiliar with the methods, without becoming so pedestrian that I could be called out on it if someone *did* happen to have expertise in the field. One of the great things about conversation analysis is its reliance on naturalistic data. In the case of my PhD, I have made [video recordings of actual GP consultations](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-exhausting-reality-of-data-collection), in which advance care planning is discussed. I have permission from my participants to show (pseudonymised) clips of these recordings as part of my dissemination. This means that rather than relying on me to describe what’s happening, an audience can see for themselves. This was, though, a second source of anxiety. Being able to demonstrate your findings through video is great, but it does somewhat rely on the room being set up for it, and the tech doing what it’s supposed to – which we all know isn’t always the case. A final source of angst was – obviously – [the presentation itself](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqqQnRaXN2M). It’s been almost three years since I last presented at a conference, and I can’t say I’m a huge fan of public speaking at the best of times. Part of the anxiety here is that my eyesight is pretty poor (even with corrective lenses), such that I can’t fall back on the safety net of speaker notes if I forget where I am in a presentation. As such, **I really have to know what I intend to say**. I’m also not a huge fan of the unknown quantity of dealing with audience questions: I can’t think of anything worse than not understanding the question, not being able to follow it if the question is unreasonably long (as is often the case), having no idea of the answer, and essentially having to fumble around in the dark to avoid sounding incompetent. Alas, [with my viva fast approaching](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/collections/getting-through-your-phd-viva/), that’s a fear I probably need to overcome…! Despite my numerous concerns – with the additional alarming element of my primary supervisor being present to (potentially) witness my undoing – I can honestly say that the presentation was an enjoyable experience! The tech side of things went without a glitch, I successfully remembered what I intended to say, and **the talk generated some really good discussion**. It’s easy to compare others’ work to your own, and come to the conclusion that yours is [too niche, or too obvious](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-overcoming-the-fear-of-public-speaking/), and won’t be of interest to anyone else. By contrast, **there were so many questions from the audience that showed real interest**, such that I was able to talk about some of the other findings that fell outside of the scope of the presentation. All in all, it was a really positive experience – and will hopefully give me a bit more confidence for dealing with future conference presentations, but also for defending my thesis during my viva. Putting the presentation to one side, attending the conference was in itself a success. Despite some last-minute panic thanks to the Eurostar being down, I really enjoyed my time in the Netherlands. The town was lovely, it was great to build relationships with colleagues old and new, and we even managed to find a table at a pub showing the England-DR Congo match (which was a vital priority for me). And the biggest success of all? My toddler actually survived without me for four days – which also bodes well for my writing retreat next week. What more could I ask for? --- ![Emily Spencer Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Emily-Spencer-280-x-280-px.jpg "Emily Spencer 280 x 280 px")Emily Spencer #### Author **[Emily Spencer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-spencer-university-college-london/)** is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previously had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a parent, and writes about her experiences balancing family life with a research career. [Follow @ejmspencer](https://twitter.com/ejmspencer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@ejmspencer.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/ejmspencer.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Anxiety, Conference, Conversation Analysis, Emily Spencer, Presenting Skills, Viva **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Why More Women Get Alzheimer's – XXplored Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-why-sex-matters-what-weve-ignored-in-brain-ageing/) **Published:** October 16, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Liisa Galea and Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti on why women face higher Alzheimer's risk, why they were left out of clinical trials, and what neurosexism costs. **Content:** **In our first episode of the XXplored Women's Brain Health podcast, our resident expert and host [Dr Laura Stankeviciute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-stankeviciute-university-of-gothenburg/) from University of Gothenburg engages with leading neuroscientists [Professor Liisa Galea](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-liisa-galea-university-of-toronto/) from University of Toronto and [Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-maria-teresa-ferretti-karolinska-institutet/) from Karolinska Institutet to explore the critical intersection of sex, gender, and brain health.** Together our guests discuss their personal journeys into neuroscience, the biological differences in brain health, the impact of hormonal changes, and the vulnerability of women to Alzheimer's disease. The conversation also addresses the barriers to inclusion in clinical research, the implications of neurosexism, and the importance of precision medicine. The episode emphasises the need for early diagnosis and the societal stigma surrounding women's health issues, while advocating for a more inclusive and evidence-based approach to brain health research and treatment. This first show sets the scene for what will be an ongoing series of shows, delivered within the Dementia Researcher podcast. **Highlights and takeaways:** Released during Menopause Awareness Month — and ahead of [World Menopause Day on 18 October](https://www.imsociety.org/education/world-menopause-day-2025/) — this episode shines a light on how menopause shapes women’s brain health and why it matters for ageing and dementia research. - Sex differences shape the brain at every level – structure, hormones, immunity, and function. - Menopause is a key vulnerability window for women’s brain ageing and Alzheimer’s risk. - Women face higher Alzheimer’s prevalence, not just because they live longer. - Women were excluded from trials for decades, leaving dangerous gaps in knowledge. - Fear of neurosexism and misunderstandings of feminism slowed progress. - Precision medicine must include sex and gender or risk missing early diagnoses. - Research funding and clinical guidelines lag far behind need. - Momentum is building: younger researchers and public interest are pushing change. - Core message: Different ≠ inferior. Diversity drives discovery. Ask the researchers ## Sex differences in brain ageing Seven short answers from this episode, with Professor Liisa Galea and Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti. ### 01Why do more women get Alzheimer's disease? Living longer is true but does not explain it. Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti points to several strands: the [menopausal transition](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-midlife-transition-menopause-and-the-brain/) as a window of vulnerability, where fluctuating hormones appear to open the door to tau deposition in some women; the selective survival hypothesis, since men more often die earlier of cardiovascular disease; and modifiable risk factors that fall differently, with lower education and [depression](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-women-hormones-mental-health-rethinking-psychiatric-disorders/) affecting more women, and midlife hypertension conferring greater risk in women than men. ### 02Do men's and women's brains actually differ? Yes, at every level Professor Liisa Galea can name: structure and regional volumes, white matter, receptors, and the immune cells within the brain. Chromosomes, hormones and lived experience all shape those differences. Men's brains are larger on average because head size is larger, but even correcting for that, some regions are larger in each sex. Her key qualifier is that neither sex has broadly larger brain areas — and that dramatic hormonal transitions, from puberty through [pregnancy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-neuroscience-of-motherhood/) to menopause, bring brain changes as well as bodily ones. ### 03What is neurosexism? It is the use of brain-difference findings to argue that one sex is inferior. Dr Ferretti describes it as a live blocker on the field: say a woman's heart differs from a man's and people accept the evidence, but say the brain differs and the conversation turns political, so many scientists avoid the area entirely. Professor Galea's response is that a difference need not imply inferiority in either direction, and that the useful question is how differences shape vulnerability and treatment. ### 04Why were women excluded from clinical trials? Two beliefs held for decades: that participation threatened women's reproductive capacity, and that male and female physiology did not differ beyond the reproductive tract. The NIH introduced a requirement in 1993 to include women and racial and ethnic minorities — but Professor Galea notes it applies only to NIH-funded trials, a small share of the total, and that countries such as Canada have no equivalent mandate. She also points out that under-representation persists among women past reproductive age, which the original rationale cannot explain. ### 05Are women being diagnosed with Alzheimer's too late? Often, yes, and the cause is measurement. Women score higher on average on verbal memory, global cognition and executive function — the tests used to identify mild cognitive impairment. Without sex-specific norms, women in the prodromal stage fall above the threshold and are missed. Erin Sundermann's work showed that applying sex as a factor to retrospective data corrected classification by around 20%, identifying 10% more women and 10% fewer men. That matters more now that amyloid-targeting treatments work best early. ### 06What does precision medicine mean in dementia? Dr Ferretti defines it as the right treatment for the right patient at the right time — not genetics alone, which is how the term is often narrowed. She contrasts dementia with her own experience of breast cancer, where a biopsy produced a tumour type within two weeks and an agreed treatment plan within roughly a month, against a literature average of around two years to an Alzheimer's diagnosis. Her argument is that biological definitions, biomarkers and disease-modifying treatments now make the same approach possible. ### 07How much neuroscience research focuses on women? Very little. Professor Galea cites a study she was involved in a few years ago which found that only around 3% of papers across a range of neuroscience and psychiatry journals asked questions about women's brain health across the lifespan. Her point in the episode is not only that the volume is low, but that the gap compounds: without that evidence base, sex-specific norms, thresholds and treatment timings cannot be established, and the resulting errors are invisible. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to XXplored Women's Brain Health, a Dementia Researcher podcast exploring the many factors that shape women's brain health across the lifespan. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Hello, I'm Dr. Laura Stankeviciute, your host for the series XXplored Women's Brain Health, where we unpack how sex and gender shape the brain and why women's brain health deserves a conversation of its own. My research focuses on the role of sleep and healthy ageing and Alzheimer's disease, and I'm particularly interested also in how sex differences including hormonal fluctuations during the perimenopause, influence sleep patterns and interact with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers to shape disease progression. That's why I'm really excited today to be launching this podcast and doing so during the Menopause Awareness Month. Today it's the beginning of the podcast and we're going to lay the foundation for the whole series, asking why sex matters in brain health, and why that question has been overlooked for too many years. We'll start with a dive into the biology of what science now tell us about how biological sex and gender shape the brain across the lifespan. But we'll then move on to the historical blind spots in biomedical research, including how and why women were often considered or [labelled too complex to study](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-lets-talk-about-sex/). And finally, we will explore where science, care, and the opportunities for change stand today. So, joining me today are two extraordinary researchers who have been leading the charge in this field. It is real pleasure to introduce Professor Liisa Galea, who is a leading neuroscientist whose work has really fundamentally advanced our understanding how sex hormones influence brain plasticity, cognition, mood, and vulnerability to disease across the female lifespan. She's a tri-living family chair in women's mental health at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, where she also leads the Women's Health Research Cluster. And the other speaker who's my pleasure to introduce is Dr. Maria Teresa Ferretti. She is a Neuroscientist by background and also a co-founder of the Woman's Brain Project. She's a passionate advocate for sex aware precision medicine in brain health. You may have seen her as a TED speaker, a book author, and driving force behind efforts to make neuroscience more inclusive. So welcome both of you. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Thank you so much for having us. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** Thank you. And hi, everybody. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** So, before we actually move to the questions around this topic, I would love to actually hear a bit about your personal stories, and what were the first questions that sparked your interest and laid the foundation to come into this topic of research? **Professor Liisa Galea:** I guess I would say that I describe myself as a neuroscientist by training, but a women's health advocate by need, by desire, by calling, I guess. And I think I first started getting interested in this because I was told at a really young age I couldn't do something because I was a girl. And I remember being really incensed by that and wondering why that possibly could be. And my parents, bless them, were very much like, "You can do whatever you want." And that sort of gave me the courage to question it when people told me I couldn't do something. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** That's a very strong message. And it's beautiful that you had those support figures in your life that made you where you are actually right now. So, thanks to your parents. And what about you, Maria? **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** So, I'm also a neuroscientist by training. So that part, and if I think how I got into this line of research and then advocacy and then it became really a passion of mine. I was doing basic research. I was working with my mice, doing my PhD, my postdoc, so lab coat, pipette, mouse, and I was using both male and female mice, full disclosure, but never occurred to me the idea of stratifying by sex. And I think I would've blissfully continued like that if I hadn't started during my postdoc to do a little bit of clinical research to collaborate with a memory clinic in Zurich and to start having access to clinical samples. And that's where the heterogeneity of the samples and the data really hit me compared to mouse model, always field of Alzheimer's, right? So, these samples were so heterogeneous, much more obviously these are human beings, and one of the things that was driving this variability was obviously sex. We had a lot more samples from women than men. And that's when it hit me the first time, why are there more women? What is behind this? What is the reason? And I would start asking around, and nobody really knew, and nobody care. And because I'm a little bit of a stubborn person, I was like, "No, this is unacceptable. We must find an answer." This is so interesting biologically, there must be a reason, and we might find something just insightful and might lead to some discovery. So, this is really how it started for me as an intellectual curiosity. And then working in it, like Liisa said, this really became a passion because I realised how much we were missing, how much this is a gap, and how much integrating the sex and gender insights can actually have an impact in the life of patients with dementia and with a number of other diseases. So, I hope some of the people listening to this podcast will have a similar trajectory. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, it probably is. And obviously we see that sometimes out of the lack of something because we don't have something, we then push ourselves, dive into that area and actually create the amazing science and insights that you have both been doing because we did not have many answers before. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Yeah, I will just say also, Maria Teresa, like I had the same kind of experience on almost exactly the same as you described, although I actually started in human research first. But for me it was also going to the literature and just asking, "Well, what do we know about what happens in females or women compared to what happens in men and males?" It still to this day isn't enough research when you go and look at, it's troubling. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** So, to really ground maybe our conversation and for why are we even talking about sex difference in brain health and in ageing and in other different neurological and immune conditions, why do we have to talk about this? Well, I would really like to start with that and ask where do you think in terms of biological underpinnings, females and males differ? What does science tell us about that? So, Liisa, maybe you could take that? **Professor Liisa Galea:** Say it's at every single level. If you're talking about what the biological differences we might see in the brain, for example, we see it on a structural level. So that just means how many particular brain cells are packed into a certain area. So sometimes people will talk about the volumes of different structures. We see it in that, we see it in the white matter, which is just the highways between these, the way that the neurons communicate through these highways, white matter, and we see it in the tiny little receptors. We see it in the immune cells that are in the brain. We see it in virtually everything. We see that hormones themselves can influence all of these. We see that chromosomes can influence all of these. So, whether you're an XX or an XY or an X-naught or an XXY, there are just so many differences. It's hard to sort of summarise them all. Although I would say that there is not one sex that has many more brain areas that are larger than another sex. It's true that men's head sizes are bigger, so in general, their brains are bigger. But even when you compensate for that, you still see certain areas that are larger in females and males, for example. And hormones influence it, I think I said that already. Hormones influence, genetics influence, experience influence these structures and connectivity as well. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah. So, we obviously mentioned a constellation of factors and changes that are different between the sexes. And you just dropped the word that I wanted to pull out, which is hormones. So how do the reproductive hormones then shape women's brain across the lifespan? Could you just walk us through this period from the beginning to our old age? **Professor Liisa Galea:** Yes. Well, how don't they shape it, I guess let's say. Honestly, again, we don't have, I think we did a study a few years ago that suggested only 3% of studies have actually looked at females only, asked the questions on women's brain health across the lifespan. That was a number of different journals in neuroscience and psychiatry. So, we don't have enough information, but our hormones are shaping our brains throughout life. There was sort of this old idea that it was only early on and when you went through puberty, which was sort of the end of it all. But I would say that that's not really quite true. We know that these hormonal transitions that females in particular have. I mean, I know males and females both go through puberty, but puberty, the menstrual cycle, [pregnancy, postpartum](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-neuroscience-of-motherhood/), and perimenopause and menopause, there are very dramatic fluctuations in hormones. And I don't want to say that men don't have these. They also have these; it's in different sort of absolute values. Even with pregnancy, obviously they're not getting pregnant, but when they become a father, they're actually, testosterone levels change as well. So does prolactin, so does these other hormones like oxytocin. So, I don't want to get too technical, but just to say that these, anytime you see a dramatic hormonal fluctuation throughout the lifespan, you can expect to see not just body changes, but also brain changes as well. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, and I also like that you mentioned males because sometimes I feel like we are obviously advocating for the woman's research because it has been on the sidelines for a long time, but male's biology is also important in their own cognitive ageing trajectories. So, I love that you also acknowledge that part. And given that we've talked a little bit about the differences and obviously what the biology means for different infliction points in terms of vulnerabilities, I would like to bring attention to the topic that brings us all together, which is ageing research and Alzheimer's risk for women. So, I would like to now give a question and time for Maria Teresa, and actually explain a little bit why do we think that sex differences are explaining this higher vulnerability for females? **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** Yeah, this is still an open question, and even what we mean by vulnerability to females is an open point. So, we always talk about higher prevalence,[ more women than men are affected by Alzheimer's](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-impact-of-dementia-on-women/). When we measure risk is a higher lifetime risk over the entire lifetime. And the reasons for that are for sure multiple. And I don't think we have a definitive answer. When I first asked this question as I told you, the answer was that women live longer, and so that's why they get more dementia. So, let's clear that out of the way because yes, indeed it's true that women live a little bit longer, but that cannot explain the higher incidence and especially prevalence. So, there must be something else. There are a number of directions that research has taken that maybe I can highlight. For sure, we have seen, we know now thanks to the research in the past 10 years, that menopause, since we are talking about this now. So, the ageing process in women and even before ageing, the menopausal transition is [a window of vulnerability](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-midlife-transition-menopause-and-the-brain/) for women to develop, especially Alzheimer's type of dementia. So biologically, we are starting to understand that not in all women, but in some women, in many of them, when our hormonal levels are starting to fluctuate and change, this opens a vulnerability to the deposition of tau especially. So, one of these toxic proteins that accumulates in Alzheimer's, and this makes these brains then more vulnerable also to amyloid pathology and then cognitive decline. So, there is definitely something that happens biologically that is linked to our hormones, unfortunately is not an easy correlation because it's not just the drop of oestrogen. We have tested this hypothesis; it doesn't exactly work like that. So, we are just starting to understand what is happening precisely at the molecular level. But for sure there is a biological component. And then of course, I mean there are a number of things that we could mention. There is the selective survival hypothesis. So, the idea that men tend to die earlier, especially of cardiovascular diseases. Women tend to survive two cardiovascular events but then carry on in later years a higher risk for dementia. And I think we should just not forget the fact that there are a number of lifestyle-related risk factors that are different between men and women. This is one of the topics I'm most passionate about, the prevention of dementia, the possibility to actually reduce our risk just[ changing our lifestyle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-who-gets-left-out-of-dementia-prevention/). And this modifiable risk factors for dementia are so different among men and women, and many of them affect more women than men if I think about lower education or depression. But some of them just affect differently. So, for instance, again, cardiovascular hypertension, risk factors in midlife, there are risk factors for both men and women, but confer a higher risk to women. So, there is also this, and then women have sex-specific risk factor, like early menopause. So, there is all in all a number of, I think biological reason and then also gender-related reasons. So, the whole socioeconomic environment in which women age, we have to remember that women tend to live more years in poverty after pension. So, it's not just biology. There are also societal aspects, but there are different, definitely many, many areas that we still need to explore to understand why we have these differences at the level of number of patients. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much for this great overview and actually just highlighting how complex it all is. And then when we see these differences both in terms of brain structural and functional changes between men and women, and then obviously we see how that is translated into increased risks for different diseases. But then I would like to now maybe shift gears and go into the history and have a bit of a lesson, why. Why has it been that even though we have these really staggering numbers in terms of the prevalence for Alzheimer's disease, in terms of different risk profiles and how they manifest, but what is the actual root of the problem? Where do you think the issue has begun, and what was potentially the helping role of this act, which was published in 1993 by National Institute of Health, that kind of revitalised the research? So, could we revisit that time? **Professor Liisa Galea:** Well, first of all, I'd say that that National Institute of Health, 1993, that was just to [include women in clinical trials](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/strategies-for-equal-participation-in-clinical-trials/) as well as racial ethnic minorities because they noticed that there wasn't enough. The other thing about that that I think is really important that's often missed is that that's just for NIH funded clinical trials. Which it's about something, I can't quite remember if it's five or 15, but it's a pretty small proportion of clinical trials that are funded by NIH specifically. So, the rest of the clinical trials do not have that mandate or law, depends on the country of which they are funded. So that's really important. Say for example, in Canada, we don't have that mandate. There's no mandate that you must add to clinical trials. There was a longstanding idea that maybe likely because we are thought of as baby making machines, our reproductive capabilities, that it was dangerous for us to be in clinical trials or for women to be in clinical trials, and we must preserve our reproduction. But what's interesting about that is we still don't see a lack of women in clinical trials past reproductive age. So, I can't account for all of it, but that was sort of this idea. And then there was another idea that men and women, males and females don't really differ that much. Our physiology isn't very different except for our reproductive tracts, like our ovaries and our mammillary glands are a little bigger, but that's really the only difference. So, it didn't really matter. We didn't have to study females, because whatever we found in males is going to be exactly the same. And maybe to a certain extent that's true. We know we both have two arms and two legs, two eyes for the most part. But we have to remember that biologically, I can speak more to the biology side, but certainly environment really matters as well. But our XX, XY, whatever sex hormone complement we have, is at every single cell in every single organ of our body, at least every nucleated cell. So those matter, and we're going to have different hormone receptors, particularly on those different organs. But I think it was just sort of a lack of thinking deeply about the fact that female physiology could be different. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** But if I may interject, Liisa, I think it's that, but I've been thinking a lot about this, what has been blocking us, why we haven't done more. And in my experience at least, I have encountered two blockers, something that maybe we can discuss together. One is the risk of something that is called neuro-sexism. You can't just say that the heart of a woman is different from the heart of a man, and most people will be okay with that when you present the evidence and the story ends there. But if you say that the brain of a woman is different from the brain of men- **Professor Liisa Galea:** I know people get mad. People get mad. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** Exactly. And the conversation becomes political, and you are manipulated, and these scientific evidence is used to support a neuro-sexist type of agenda. So, I feel many scientists just to avoid that. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Yes, they want to avoid it. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** Yeah, I think you have to- **Professor Liisa Galea:** What's the other barrier? I'm going to talk about that in a second. Yeah. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** The other one that I, again, by direct experience because it was actually a pushback that I personally received is related to feminism. So, the whole idea is that if you say that people are different, you are somehow detracting from the idea that we are equal and that we have equal rights. So, then you are not a real feminist if you're saying that people are different, and you're going against women's rights. And I've been spending a lot of time trying to convince people that if you really want to achieve... We have the same right, but it doesn't mean that we are the same. And to achieve the same right, we need to consider that we are different. So, it's the whole difference between equity and equality. So, I actually personally think that it's just only considering the differences between sexes and genders. We can truly implement health equity and really address the rights of women. But I have personally experienced this as a blocker. How about you? **Professor Liisa Galea:** I would just say, in fact, I kind of lumped those two together, neuro-sexism but I'm a feminist. But feminist means that you want equality and equity. It doesn't mean that you don't acknowledge that there might be some differences. What I find really interesting is from a neuro-sexism perspective, and it is absolutely out there, is that somehow a difference in the brain means that female brains are inferior. I don't see it that way. Why doesn't it mean that male brains are inferior? And actually, why is it inferiority, superiority question at all? It's about there are some differences, let's figure out how that might contribute to either effective treatments or vulnerability to disease. And when we don't explore these, we are missing a huge part of the solution, and we can talk about that. I'd say even in heart health, I would say there is still [an under-representation of women in clinical trials](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/recommendations-to-make-dementia-studies-more-inclusive/). So even there where we don't have a neuro-sexism, we still have that problem. So, I do also think there's a little bit of the patriarchy \[inaudible 00:20:32\] we don't know, but there's a reluctance I think to include, and maybe people think that it's adding a complication rather than cleaning up the data, if I may. There have been a number of studies now looking at things like schizophrenia and asthma and looking at the genetic contributions of those and Alzheimer's disease as well, and when you add sex or gender as a factor, you actually could clean up the results quite a bit. And that might sound bad, but actually it's really fantastic to be able to say, just by including one variable in your analysis that you can make it clearer, how the disease might be progressing differently between these individuals. Because that's going to tell us, "Hey, we might need to intervene sooner or we need to intervene with this drug earlier," in one sex versus the other. As simple as just looking at whether sex makes a difference. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** I really love how this discussion is shaping itself as we go and just bringing also these political or more nuanced things that are not just the biology, but yeah, also if you're studying sex differences and advocating for women's health, you are like a feminist, and what do you feel like you are better or more superior? And feminism in itself, it's not superiority versus inferiority, but it is, as you said, it's about equality, and then women's health having its own right. And then to be diagnosed by the symptoms that women express, not by the symptoms that the textbook were written for, which were written for male symptomatology, and then obviously getting the required treatment. And that kind of also leads me to this other topic where I think it has become really, really big in the past few years in our field, all the concept about personalised medicine and sex specific medicine. And sometimes I do feel like it has become a bit of a buzzword and maybe has lost a bit of a meaning because everything is now tagged as personalised for, but to whom? And what does it actually mean for the personalised medicine to be specific? And I know that Maria Teresa is your kind of forte. So, could you just give your perspective on what it is, and why do we hear this so much all the time from research to social media? **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** No, Laura, I agree with you that this has become a buzzword, and we tend to use precision medicine, personalised medicine interchangeably. And the concepts are a little bit confused. When I started, and we were talking about precision medicine, everybody would just think about genetics. So, tailoring a treatment or care based on the genetic characteristics of a patient. And this is just one part of the story. So, I still think even though it's a buzzword, I still think it's super important, and I'm super passionate about it. The definition that I give of precision medicine is the approach that allows us to give the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. So really tailoring whatever we are doing if it's a treatment, a prevention, whatever operation we're doing, but tailoring it on the characteristic of that specific patient, which is crucially important, especially in a disease that is so heterogeneous like Alzheimer's. I really do think that a lot of delays have happened in the past because we have just put in the same pot population of patients that actually are different from a biological point of view. And for sure sex and gender are some of the drivers of all these differences and heterogeneity that we see. So, for me, precision medicine is really the future of medicine in general. And just to share something personal, I became even more convinced about this when I had a personal experience with breast cancer. That's for me the gold standard of precision medicine because they really have very specific biomarkers. They took a biopsy. In two weeks, they knew exactly what type of tumour I was having in a matter of few more weeks. Like a month maybe, we had decided together based on all my imaging and blood biomarkers, what was the appropriate course of treatment. And in a couple of months, I had my surgery, and everything was done and it worked. It literally saved my life. So why we can't have that in dementia myself, after going through all this, I reflected back and I said, "This, this, we should have this." Why patients still wait sometimes on average. In the literature it says, "Two years," to get a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. In my personal experience more than that. Why it takes so long? Why with treatments in neurology and psychiatry, we still go with trial and error. We try something, we see how it goes, and then if it doesn't work, then we move to something else. This is for me, after seeing what precision medicine can deliver, this is just unacceptable. We must be able to do better. So, we must find ways to be more precise, to tailor treatments. And I think right now is the moment that this will become possible in neurology and in Alzheimer's because we're starting to have a biological definition of the disease, biomarkers for early diagnosis, new disease modifying treatment. So, I think now is the moment that we're starting to have the elements, the tools that then we will be able to organise according to a precision model approach. So maybe it wasn't so easy in the past years, but I think now we really have to push for it because we can definitely have tailored prevention, diagnosis and treatment based on individual characteristic. And sex and gender are basically the foundation of this. If you want to give the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, if the patient is a man or a woman, it does make a huge difference, as Liisa said, for both biological and socioeconomic reasons. So, for me, it's just a given that this will need to be integrated in a precision medicine approach in Alzheimer's. I don't know if I'm too optimistic. I don't know. Liisa, what do you think? **Professor Liisa Galea:** I was going to say that I think that's spot on. I think that for breast cancer and prostate cancer, they've done really great stuff in the field. Breast cancer can occur in men, of course, but the majority of cases are in women. And I think maybe we're so far ahead in those fields and have great survival rates because of the fact that people had to include sex as a factor by necessity, they had to do it. I would also say, as you said, "There's a delay in diagnosis." Erin Sundermann, who's a researcher in the US, has done some really fantastic work because women in general score higher on a variety of memory tests, of verbal memory, global cognition, executive function. That's partly how Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, a prodromal state to Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed. And if people aren't using sex-specific norms, we're going to be missing women that are scoring higher. And we might be over diagnosing men that are scoring lower, but they're just lower in general. And that's exactly what she found. She found that just by using sex as a factor, in retrospective data, she could clean up the data, clean up, and properly diagnose people in that prodromal state to Alzheimer's disease by 20%. She found 10% more females, 10% fewer males that were sort of incorrectly categorised. That's really important. And that if we don't include sex as a factor, we're going to miss those early biomarkers. The people that are looking at, there are some [blood-based biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimers-blood-test-could-transform-diagnosis/) right now that it shows some really fantastic promise, but if we're not using sex as a factor, we're going to miss the threshold. And one other little thing I'll say is, "I've had some pushback about using sex as a part of precision medicine and personalised medicine because it is genetics," which I find funny because we still have XX and XY as part of it. But the other part is that these, we have to also consider within sex differences and within gender differences as well. So, we talked already about menopause, earlier age of menopause. Not all of us go through the same kinds of menopause. We have different kinds of menopause symptoms, age, symptoms, whether or not we're taking menopausal hormone therapy, what type we're taking in, when. All of this will shape probably our therapeutics; it shapes our brain specifically and needs to be considered in terms of precision medicine. So, I do agree we'll get there. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** Because you mentioned the early diagnosis piece, which I love, and I always quote Erin Sundermann work because I think it's really showing the potential and the next step. So, it's not just the diagnosis that we might be missing women in very early stages of and diagnosing them later. This is going to have a huge impact now that we're starting to have disease modifying treatment. Especially the amyloid based ones work better in the early stages. If we miss women in the early stages, these treatments are not going to work because we diagnose them too late. So, I really, really think that these are not just theoretical cases, these are differences that will impact the possibility of people to receive the proper treatment, at the proper time in their disease journey. So very, very important. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Yeah, and I would also just add the amyloid treatment. So there's also data that suggests that an amyloid is another one of the neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease that it looks like, again, very little work, but there's some work from [Jessica Caldwell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jessica-z-k-caldwell-cleveland-clinic/) showing, and also in some animal models we've looked at that females have more resilience in the face of a lot of amyloid. So, they might not be showing the same kind of brain changes than a male will show, decreased hippocampal volume, for example, which is just a specific area in the brain. So, you might again be missing females at that stage because they're actually showing resilience. They might need a different kind of treatment at that time period. And that's stuff we're missing right now because we just don't have all the information we need. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Yeah, I think that's really correct on your last point. And also, when we look at these clinical trials, we also see some differences in the way, like in the efficacy obviously of the drug for males and females. So, when we diagnose women earlier, we then also potentially need to work on slightly better dosages, different maybe paradigms as well. And just before we kind of move to another topic, I really appreciate Maria Teresa, your personal story. And obviously it's a different field, but I think we as Alzheimer's researchers, we have a lot to learn from others. So sometimes maybe it's not necessary to completely reinvent the wheel but actually base the practises from what's working. And obviously this biological staging is definitely going to help us a lot. And thank you so much for being so open and sharing your personal lived experiences. And obviously we're now on the topic of Alzheimer's disease, but we know there are more differences when it comes to women's health in terms of autoimmune, psychiatric diseases, sleeve differences. And we as researchers, we sometimes live in this tiny bubble where we feel that we know the numbers, but actually when we go out of the streets, outside laboratories and conferences, I still get so surprised, but that people don't understand of how big is this issue, and why do you think this is so, and what do we need to do in order to take the knowledge to the public and also to the clinical care because that's what we want at the end of the day. The personalised treatment should be provided for women, but what if the government doesn't know about it? And it just stays in our meetings and our conversations and our podcasts. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** First of all, Laura, something like this that we're doing today, a podcast, I think this is a huge contribution. I think more of this, please, we need this type of communication among experts and scientists, but also with the lay public and the policymakers. The more the better. It's highly needed. But in general, in brain health, I find. I have two answers to your question. So why we have these numbers that are so impressive, why nobody's paying attention? One suspect that I have is that a lot of these diseases, we can mention migraine, there is depression. These are diseases that are highly stigmatised in general. So, I feel they overwhelmingly affect women, but they're also highly stigmatised. So, I think there is some resistance in the society to just talk about these diseases in general, and they're sometimes seen as weakness. There are some societal issues I find in just talking about these diseases in general and dementia, we don't even go there. I mean the [humongous amount of stigma](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/world-alzheimer-report-2024-highlights-continued-stigma-and-urgency-for-action/) that we have. So, it just sums on the fact that people are not paying attention to this sex and gender differences. But something that I'm very, very interested right now, and I'm trying to actively contribute, is the second part of your question. So, what can we do? Why is this not really translating into something at the clinical level that patients can benefit from? I'm also asking myself that because I feel like there is a lot of evidence right now. In some fields it's actually really substantial evidence. The example that I give all the time is actually from Parkinson's because I think the case there is even clearer of, for instance, side effects, way more side effects in dyskinesias with levodopa in women than men. And this is something that not all doctors know, and the doctors that are aware about it, they just kind of do trial and error, adjusting the dosing, right? There are no guidelines. And this is something that is very well established in the literature. So, I asked myself why? Where is the problem? And I concluded that we are missing, there is this gap between the scientific evidence and the clinical implementation, and we need guidelines. So, we need to involve professional organisations, neurologists, and psychiatrists, to have them on board and to release guidelines so that doctors actually know what to do. They have not a script, but something to follow, right? An algorithm to follow. So, something that I'm trying to contribute right now, I'm working with the European Academy of Neurology, and we have a [coordinating panel on diversity, equity, and inclusion](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-exploring-equality-diversity-inclusion/). So, this is the organisation of neurologists in Europe, and they're really interested in gender differences. So, we are starting this type of work in mapping how much sex and gender are already integrated in clinical guidelines and trying to understand why we don't have it more. And the answer that I'm receiving right now is that, yeah, everything Alzheimer, that the evidence that we have, yes, it's very strong, but it's not enough. You need higher quality evidence. You need randomised clinical trials; you need meta-analysis. So, I think at some point we just have to sit all together and just say, "What is the evidence that we need? What is a study that would convince you?" And we just run the study. That's what we need to do. I don't think it's impossible. We just need to do it. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Can I add to that and say, "I don't agree with what Maria Teresa said a hundred percent." I will also say, "We just don't have the study." So, there's two parts of the equation. We have the research, and we have the clinical, and I think in Canada we call that a second valley of death. So, it takes about 17 years to go from research to clinical practise and closing that gap is really important. But the research itself, hardly anyone's doing it. So, we just looked at 15 years of research in Canada, the major funding agency, they are called Canadian Institute for Health and Sciences. And we looked at the top 10, 11 actually, burdens of disease for women including [migraines, headache disorders, depression, anxiety](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-women-hormones-mental-health-rethinking-psychiatric-disorders/), Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease, and a number of others, musculoskeletal disorders. Two, well, it was 4% of research went over 15 years to studying specifically women or females with the top 11 \[inaudible 00:36:28\] So, we just don't have, to your point about we need mice control trials and better ever, we just don't have the research. I don't think it's valid. I don't know. And this is part of my speculation, but it's not valued as much as it should be. And so, what I do think we need for change, is for governments and funders to actually specifically fund this type of research, because if it isn't specifically funded, people just don't do it on their own. And researchers are like everyone else; we go to where the money is. And a very good success story for this I would say is HIV AIDS. Billions of dollars went into it from number of different countries, and it went from being a death sentence to being able to live with the disease and pretty much a full life now. It's a very complicated virus, but that's where we got by pouring research money into it. And that's what we're going to need for sex and gender science and women's health in general. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much for sharing this perspectives. And also, Maria Teresa, it's great that there are these efforts in Europe that are trying to move the needle and actually push for more sex-inclusive and gender-inclusive medicine. And I think what is also very interesting when we talk about obviously funding, and as an early career researcher, I face that on daily basis, and [it is really difficult to write a grant](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-fellowship-writing-interview-tips/). And when you're writing a grant that is not on, let's say, "Maybe the sexiest topics in the field," it just becomes pushed towards the bottom. But I do still feel like if we are really passionate and we see that this is the topic that requires a lot of attention and research interest, we have to just push. And obviously that's not the topic of today, but I think researchers like you and a lot of younger researchers like me are looking up to you because of your careers. But I'm sure you had to fight a lot for the funding until you got where you are today. So maybe it's kind of a message- **Professor Liisa Galea:** Still fighting. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** ... for all of us. Exactly. And maybe just kind of finishing up a little bit on more of the positive note in terms of what gives you hope in this field that we see still is not being researched enough, not enough of money are being poured in, but what gives you hope? What really helps you to get out of the bed in the morning and go and be super shining in the field with what you're doing? So, for both of you, maybe we can now switch the mic, so, Liisa, what is that thing that really sparks your hope? **Professor Liisa Galea:** It gives me hope is actually the conversation that's opening up to the public and early career researchers like you, people care. I was just at two things in Germany. It took me 12 days away from my bed and my home and my pets and my family, which was sometimes it's hard for us to do that, but it was gaining a lot of hope because they were both run by the younger generation. And one was about de-tabooing women's health, and how we can promote more women's and brain health in the future. And the other one was, there was a summer school, but there were so many great young researchers that really cared and were really passionate about it. And so, I think it is really important for people like Maria Teresa and I, to still be standing here saying, "This is really important." I see- **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** We need you standing all the time there. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Yes, we do. I know. It's true. The enthusiasm from the younger generation is great. And so, I do see the public opening up. It could just be my algorithm on my phone showing me what I want to see, but I think that does give me hope. I hope it translates into policy and guidelines. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** Yeah, Liisa, absolutely, a hundred percent. This is also my answer. I'm very busy, like everybody is. But whenever I'm invited to give a lecture or a workshop or anything with young researchers, early career residents, young doctors, I find the time, because first of all, because it's really worth it. And second, because it's so inspiring to interact with this new generation. Just to add on what you said, Liisa, thanks to the European Academy of Neurology, I had a few opportunities to work with residents. So, neurologists training, and these guys and girls are absolutely amazing. And you know, Liisa, how the old guard, let's say that under the older generation of neurologists, they can be a little bit resistant to all this concept. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Yes, I know. **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** But the young ones are really, really open, attentive, they are very sensitive to issues related to gender equity, health equity. They're really passionate about these things. Whenever I give lectures, I always have a couple of students come in later and asking me and really proposing projects or wanting to help. So, there is a genuine, of course, it might be in our bubbles for sure, but I do see that there is a genuine interest in early career researchers and in neurologists and psychiatrists in training. And this gives me a lot of hope for the future because there are a big push and a genuine push of people that really believe this is important. And I think this is going to create a critical mass for change to happen. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Well, I'm really hopeful that if this is coming from you and that the upcoming generation is going to continue and run with the torch that you have been leading for us for so many years. And I'm just checking the time, and I think it's ticking out. Before we wrap up, I think it would be really nice to have a little bit of a tradition on this podcast so that we can remember and reflect a bit more on the personal level. So, I would like to start this from episode one with both of you, and I'll leave this just a very brief answer from both of you. So, what does woman's brain health mean to you? And if you can do it in one sentence, that would be fantastic. **Professor Liisa Galea:** I think it's going to be a long sentence. Maria Teresa, do you want to go first? **Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti:** Maybe if I can switch a little bit the question, Laura, I've been thinking about what I would really like people to understand about sex differences in the brain. If I had to think of one sentence, actually is quoting Liisa what she said earlier, but I really believe in it, that when we're talking about sex differences, different does not mean inferior. I really hope this message will stay with the audience. So, we shouldn't be afraid of studying differences. Actually, we should dig into them because by study them, that's exactly the way that we can implement health equity, gender equity, and by precision medicine. So different does not mean inferior. **Professor Liisa Galea:** Yeah, I was going to say something else, but maybe I'll jump off on that point and just say, "Diversity breeds discovery." So, we can learn a lot. That's true for your saving money for your pension. It's true for your workforce. That's true in research and understanding that there's diversity by sex and gender and within sexes and within genders. And that beautiful diversity brings beautiful discoveries, and that's the way forward. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** This was beautiful, both poetic, but also very, very strong message. So that's it for today's episode of XXplored. A huge thank you to both of the incredible speakers. It was such a pleasure to dive into these topics and try to explore a little bit together on this. And I'm sure there is much more coming out of your research, of your labs, but also from your advocacy roles that we will see in the upcoming years. And it's been me, Dr. Laura Stankeviciute, and you have been listening to XXplored Women's Brain Health on the Dementia Researcher podcast. **Voice Over:** Thank you for listening to XXplored Women's Brain Health podcast from Dementia Researcher. With generous support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, and Race Against Dementia. From hormones to cognition, from risk to prevention, we feature conversations with researchers, clinicians, and change makers, working to challenge assumptions and close the gaps in how we understand and support the female brain. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of Alzheimer's Association, UCL or Dementia Researcher ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > **[Womens Brain Ageing Project](https://www.womensbrainproject.com/)** > > **[Women’s Health Research Cluster (Canada)](https://womenshealthresearchcluster.com/)** > > **[NIH Policy on Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV)](https://orwh.od.nih.gov/sex-as-biological-variable)** > > **[TEDx Talk - Listen to one patient to help a million](https://youtu.be/-RNtmkYIQkU?si=SlG1mwGEJep1ZWft)** **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Brain Health, Dementia and Women, Dr Laura Stankeviciute, Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti, Podcast, Professor Liisa Galea, Sex and gender, Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease PIA, Sex Differences, XXplored **Podcast/Blog Topics :** XXplored Women’s Brain Health --- ### [Hormones and Women's Mental Health – XXplored Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-women-hormones-mental-health-rethinking-psychiatric-disorders/) **Published:** May 22, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Vibe Frøkjær and Franziska Weinmar on why women face double the depression risk, how oestrogen shapes serotonin, and whether the pill affects mood. **Content:** **Globally, women are twice as likely as men to experience depression and anxiety, and the risk peaks at moments of hormonal change: postpartum, the luteal phase, perimenopause. Why?** In this episode of XXplored, host [Dr Laura Stankeviciute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-stankeviciute-university-of-gothenburg/) (University of Gothenburg) is joined by [Professor Vibe Gedsø Frøkjær](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-vibe-g-frokjaer-university-of-copenhagen/), a leading researcher on serotonin and sex hormones at the University of Copenhagen, and [Franziska Weinmar](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-franziska-weinmar-university-of-tubingen/), a psychoneuroendocrinology PhD researcher at the University of Tübingen and host of the Let's Talk About Women podcast. They get into the biology behind hormone shift sensitivity, what oestrogen actually does to the serotonin system, and why the gut-brain axis might matter more for women's mental health than most clinicians appreciate. They also tackle hormonal contraception and depression risk, why suicide statistics look so different by gender, and where the field still has big gaps to close. A lot to chew on, with practical implications for counselling and care. **Key takeaways:** - Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression and anxiety, with risk clustering around hormonal transitions. - The serotonin system is built to respond to sex hormones, which makes it a likely route by which hormonal shifts affect mood. - Women differ in how sensitive their brains are to hormone shifts, and that sensitivity helps explain why some experience mood symptoms and others don't. - The gut-brain axis is a real frontier for women's mental health, and may open up new treatment options through drug repurposing. - Hormonal contraception works well for most women but carries a small heightened risk of depression that clinicians should counsel on more openly. - Emotion regulation is a trainable skill and a useful clinical target across hormonal transitions. - Gender differences in suicide reflect both how distress is expressed and how the care system recognises and responds to it. Ask the researchers ## Hormones, serotonin and women's mental health Seven short answers from this episode, with Professor Vibe Gedsø Frøkjær and Franziska Weinmar. ### 01Why are women twice as likely to experience depression? Globally, women are around twice as likely as men to experience depression and anxiety, and the risk clusters around hormonal transitions — postpartum, the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and the perimenopause. That pattern points to biology as well as social factors. Serotonin cells carry receptors for oestrogen and progesterone, so they are built to respond to hormonal change, which makes them a plausible route by which those shifts affect mood. ### 02Does hormonal contraception cause depression? For most women it does not, but there is a small heightened risk of a depressive episode for some. Professor Frøkjær notes that the risk appears largely independent of the type of contraceptive and the route it is delivered by, and that registry data show a dose-dependent risk with hormonal IUDs. Around 80% of women with access will use hormonal contraception at some point, so the priority is better counselling and monitoring rather than avoidance. ### 03What is hormone shift sensitivity? It describes how strongly an individual brain reacts to a change in sex hormone levels, rather than to the absolute levels themselves. Women are not equally sensitive. In Professor Frøkjær's model, those who developed mild depressive symptoms after a short-term oestrogen manipulation also showed larger shifts in their serotonin transporter levels. Women can report this sensitivity themselves, and those who describe mood instability when starting contraception show a higher risk of perinatal depression later. ### 04How does oestrogen affect serotonin? Serotonin cells sit in the brainstem and project across the whole brain, and they carry receptors for oestrogen and progesterone. When oestrogen rises and then falls, sensitive brains appear to raise their serotonin transporter levels, which dampens serotonergic signalling. Separately, women using combined oral contraceptives show lower levels of the serotonin 4 receptor — a pattern also seen in unmedicated depression, and one that may reduce the brain's buffer against future risk. ### 05Can gut health affect women's mental health? Most of the body's serotonin is found in the gut, and the serotonin 4 receptor sits in high density in both gut and brain. Drugs developed to treat irritable bowel syndrome and chronic constipation by stimulating that receptor also appear to have procognitive, fast-acting anti-anxiety and possibly antidepressant effects, and are now being investigated for repurposing. Evidence on probiotics and supplements lags well behind what is already on sale. ### 06Can you train emotion regulation? Yes. Franziska Weinmar defines emotion regulation not as suppressing feelings but as monitoring, recognising, understanding and responding to them, then flexibly adjusting to what a situation requires. Difficulties with it are transdiagnostic — involved in the onset and the maintenance of conditions including depression and anxiety. Because it can be trained and improved, it is a useful therapeutic target across the perinatal period and the menopausal transition. ### 07Why do suicide statistics differ between women and men? Women are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and to attempt suicide, yet across the Western world more men die. Franziska Weinmar suggests distress is often expressed differently: more internalising in women, which is more visible to the care system and prompts help-seeking, and more externalising in men, alongside masculinity norms that delay it. She cautions that this does not mean the system serves women well — faster diagnosis can bring its own risk of medicalisation and overlooked conditions. **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over** Welcome to "XXplored: Women's Brain Health," a Dementia Researcher podcast exploring the many factors that shape women's brain health across the lifespan. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Welcome to another episode of "XXplored," and today we'll be talking about the biological model, hormones, serotonin system, and how that intersect with women's brain health. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** My name is Dr. Laura Stankeviciute and I'm a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Gothenburg, where my research focuses on understanding sleep role in preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease and also specifically looking into female vulnerabilities across the lifespan and how they intersect together with sleep to augments women's vulnerabilities for Alzheimer's disease. We know that globally women are twice as likely as men to experience depression and anxiety. And what makes this particularly interesting is that many mood disorders actually cluster around periods of hormonal change. So, for instance, during pregnancy or postpartum, we have disorders like postpartum depression, but also even around the menstrual cycle, especially in the latest stages of the menstrual cycle around the luteal phase, we have premenstrual dysphoric disorder and also some more disturbances raising prevalence during the perimenopausal transition. So those patterns may raise a few very important questions. What is the reason behind these sex differences in prevalence? Are these specifically related to psychological and social constructs, or potentially is there any biological meaning behind it? Are the brain systems that regulate mood, stress, and emotions different between males and females? So, to help unpack these questions, I'm joined today by two great researchers working at the intersection of women's brain biology and mental health, Professor Vibe Frokjaer and Franziska Weinmar. Professor Vibe Frokjaer is a professor at the Department of Neurology and Neurobiology Research Unit at the University of Copenhagen Hospital. And Franziska Weinmar is a PhD researcher at the University of Tuebingen in Germany. She's also part of the Women's Mental Health Across the Reproductive Years group, which is a collaboration between Tuebingen University and Uppsala University in Sweden. And she's also hosting her own podcast dedicated to women's brain health and mental health specifically, "Let's Talk About Women." So welcome to the episode of "XXplored." It's my great pleasure to have you both. **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Thank you very much. **Franziska Weinmar** Yes, thank you, Laura. I'm very excited for the recording. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** So, before we actually go into the topic, I would like to ask a little bit more about your background and what drew you to dedicate your life's work for women's brain health, specifically for the mental health and the vulnerabilities that women face. So maybe, Franziska, you can start with this one. **Franziska Weinmar** Yes, as you nicely introduced, I am an early-career PhD researcher in psychoneuroendocrinology. So that's really intersection of the mental health, the hormones, and the brain. And my work focuses on women's mental health, specifically on emotion regulation during hormonal transition, specifically the perinatal period and the menopausal transition. And here I'm also, of course, more curious about the whole range of social-effective functions in these periods, especially as I have been fascinated quite early on, as I said, by the interactions between brain, hormones, and behaviour. But beyond these personal interests, what also drives me as a researcher quite much is the striking gap. So, we know, of course, that women are half of the population, but only about 0.5% of neuroscience research focuses on women's mental health. So, my motivation is to close that gap at least a little bit and understand the vulnerability and resilience to mental health changes across these transition periods. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** That is a very beautiful motivation, and I feel like obviously when we look at the statistics, especially in the neuroimaging research and showing those, like, less than what percent prevalence of the publications, that really serves as a great motivator. And how is it for you, Vibe? Obviously, you are, like, an expert and one of the pioneers in this field, were the motivation's similar to the younger generation like us or did you have different stories that brought you to the field? **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Yeah, I think I have maybe, yeah, some of the same motivation but also my own entrance into the field. So, I come from being really driven by curiosity towards risk and resilience mechanisms in order to understand better direct ways by which we can hope to prevent and also create more robustness to protect brain health. So, I've worked actually with different models, so familial risk, personality risk factors for developing depression and also kind of biological phenomena, vulnerability to seasonal shifts between winter and summer. And at some point I got super curious about, you know, how we could try to translate the epidemiological evidence as you nicely presented, that there's a huge difference in risk for developing depression between women and men, particularly pronounced in the reproductive years and also coming seemingly quite closely related to hormonal transition. So, my curiosity came from simply thinking of this as a real window of opportunity to model and understand very, very basic and very important mechanisms by which the brain integrates hormone information and how that may be critical for brain health and disease and maybe also even treatment mechanisms. So, I was just... Yeah, my drive came from thinking about the female brain as a fantastic model to study really important mechanisms that may make a difference, and then also keep insisting on trying to translate this to patient care, but very mechanistic, curiosity driven. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** I think there's such a huge interest in the mechanistic studies, specifically lately, what we are seeing with hormonal therapy for menopause. And I feel like we are definitely lacking those models, whether it comes from, like, animal, but actually even in vivo in humans. And I feel like we should definitely shift from those epidemiological studies that do provide us more of kind of a bigger picture, but the granular research that you are doing is very, very important. So, thank you so much for joining this field and having that motivation to translate the science from epidemiology to the actual mechanisms. So, let's start with the biology. We often hear about serotonin being quite oversimplified as a feel-good chemical of the brain, but it's really kind of the main central motivator that regulates mood, stress, responsiveness, and also emotional processing among other functions of serotonin. And its relationship with sex hormones is probably one of the most fascinating, but yet, not always that much appreciated piece of women's mental health puzzle. So, I know that you, Vibe, have dedicated a lot of work to serotonergic system and it's signalling. So, could you explain why serotonin plays such a huge role in regulating mood and emotional resilience? **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Yeah, so, you know, the brain is a super complex organ and has to integrate a lot of information from the environment and from the body to work in healthy manners and organise well. Give an angle to this, we have around 100 billion cells that has to organise and work to maintain brain function and health. And one of these internal organisation systems or communication systems is this set of specialised cells that we call the serotonin cells. So, they sit with their core neuronal bodies in the brain stem, and they project and help organise and internally communicate with actually the whole brain. So, we have a variety of functions that the serotonergic system can modulate and also be responsible for. And as you said, many of the domains where we know that serotonin play an important role are exactly domains that are heavily affected in depression. So, for any mechanisms by which depression can be triggered, we would always be very interested in whether it affects or works via the serotonin system. And also, the serotonergic cells, they express or they equip themselves with receptors, so they are built to be sensitive to, for instance, estrogens and progesterone. So, it's an obvious area of interest, and has been for me, to try to understand mechanisms by which sex steroid hormone changes or shifts can affect brain function in a way that could be a plausible link to increased risk for depression. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Yeah, so you mentioned already that serotonin and oestrogen specifically are coupled quite closely together. And obviously from your research, could you tell us a little bit more about how this oestrogen and serotonin communication may influence how in the brain that translates to the psychiatric vulnerability such as depression and anxiety? **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Yes. So, I've been developing a kind of preclinical human model where I use some pharmacological tools to make a transient short-term manipulation with, in particular, oestrogen. So, you know, with these pharmacological tools what we can do is to isolate oestrogen contributions to some brain functions or brain signatures of oestrogen shifts. And I mean natural oestrogen. And what I observed in that model, which was a very clean model where I had manipulation or placebo-controlled, and I had women characterise before and after the intervention, I could see that women who actually developed some degree of subclinical depressive symptoms, they also seem to have more changes in a feature of the serotonin system called the serotonin transporter, which is a regulatory feature in the system. So, if you shift from low levels of serotonin transporter in the synapse, where neuronal cells communicate, to higher levels, then you'll kind of have a more break or compromise a little bit the serotonergic signalling. And that's exactly what I saw. So, I had women who were actually not super tolerant to the sex hormone manipulation. And in that group, compared to the placebo group, they seemed to kind of, by the oestrogen intervention, raise their serotonin transporter levels. And we think that might have to do with direct, because it's a model that first increases oestrogen and then it drops. So, we think there's some maybe induction of gene transcription of serotonin transporters and that aligns with what others have seen in preclinical models, in, you know, rodent studies and then maybe that carry over to also the withdrawal phase. So that's kind of one way that a brain can be more sensitive or get slightly out of balance serotonergically for a bit longer time than other brains. So, we think of this little bit as kind of estrogen-shift sensitivity because seemingly we're not all equally sensitive to such a push in sex hormone fluctuations. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Very interesting. And does this oestrogen sensitivity shift also happens across different stages of the menstrual cycle or different stages across the lifespan for females? Do you see any evidence when it comes to, like, specific periods: pregnancy, postpartum or what could you talk about this? **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Yeah, I did not myself model it exactly in, you know, natural existing models of pregnancy to postpartum for, yeah, a lot of reasons. But a similar pattern has actually been observed in women who are more vulnerable to react with effective symptoms across the menstrual cycle. So, we see also some difference in women who have kind of some degree of what we call PMDD symptoms, which is this short, pretty intense depressive-like symptoms in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. So, they also seem more vivid in their serotonin transporter patterns than women who are more tolerating their own cycles better, so to speak. We have also another very interesting serotonergic observation, which comes from comparing women who start on a combined oral contraceptive with women who are natural cycling. So, when you start on a combined oral contraceptive, what you actually do is really to suppress the natural HPG axis or the natural rhythm of maturing eggs and ovulating and that's why you cannot get pregnant. So that's the purpose of it. So, you have this state where you actually suppress quite heavily natural oestrogen and then you add some synthetic oestrogen and also some synthetic progestogen back, but it does not necessarily have the same effect in the brain. So, what we see in the combined oral contraceptive suppression is also lowering of some of the features of the serotonin system, which is on the receptor side. So, all the cells that has to receive serotonergic information have actually quite a lower level of a special receptor called the serotonin 4 receptor. If you are in this kind of suppressed phase or low-estrogen state of using a low-dose estradiol phase of using oral contraceptives. And we have actually seen that in depressed group, unmedicated depressed groups compared to other controls, we also see a lower serotonin 4 receptor. So we think it's not necessarily an advantage to be running low on serotonin 4 if you want to have a resilient brain, which is, you know, far away, you have a good buffer zone until bumping into maybe a depressed state, even though it does not explain all, it's probably some important resilience feature not to run really low on serotonin 4. So that's another actually quite striking observation. And one thing which is striking about is that all these women that we have data from, you know, they're perfectly healthy, so they have some way of tolerating even a pretty low level of serotonin 4 receptors similar to other people who are actually in a depressed state. So, this also talks about, you know, the big buffer zone and the female brain being actually able to adapt to quite a lot of things, which I think is also a very good reason to study, you know, female brains in themselves. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Yeah. **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** But then yet again, we need to be curious about it because what if then later in life we bump into other risk factors that then altogether unfortunately can trigger depressed episode, then maybe it matters still that you have been actually, you know, that factor of serotonergic surplus is maybe lowered. So, I think we need to think about these things also in terms of developing optimization of precision medicine treatment for depressed state in any case. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Yeah, I think this is very, very interesting observation and perhaps, like, if we kind of zoom out of, like, one period of life and we consider the whole lifespan, as you mentioned correctly, that could be this kind of, like, two phases where at one part in the lifespan it is kind of more of a resilient and a buffer, but maybe later on it can actually retaliate back and as a boomerang effect can actually bring more adverse effects. And this is actually where I would like to bring Franziska to the conversation 'cause we have been now talking more about the kind of biology, even like touched upon specific serotonin receptors and also the genetic factors, but the other very important layer is obviously the behaviour. So how does brain regulate emotions during these transitions of females lives, such as pregnancy, menopause and also around the menstrual cycle. And specifically, you have done quite a lot of research on the concept of emotion regulation, which could sound relatively simple, but once you dig into it, I think it becomes a bit more complex. So, to those listeners who have not been familiar with the concept, how could you define emotion regulation and why do you think it's so important for mental health? **Franziska Weinmar** It's always good to start with the definition, I guess. And here I think we can define emotion regulation as the ability how we manage or deal with our emotions. And that does not mean suppressing only just very many emotions, but really about how we monitor, how we recognise, how we understand and respond, then, to our emotions and eventually, then, also if we can or how we can change our emotional reactions. So again, it's not about suppressing the feelings but really about flexibly adjusting emotions to what a certain situation requires. And of course, as you can imagine maybe that emotional regulation is then an ability which is quite crucial for coping with stress, with relationships or everyday challenges. And when people have difficulties now in emotion regulation, they might be more vulnerable to many mental health problems, which is why emotional regulation is also considered a transdiagnostic factor across disorders like depression or anxiety. And also, more and more research actually recognises that this might be quite relevant during major hormonal transitions, such as pregnancy or menopause when there are not only physiological but also psychosocial changes and adaptations. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Okay, so very interesting. You mentioned this word transdiagnostic. So, what does that actually mean to be a transdiagnostic feature? **Franziska Weinmar** So, what we observe is that emotion regulation as a symptom or as a factor when someone has difficulties with that is involved in many different kind of disorders. So, what we say transdiagnostic over different disorders that we can recognise that there. And really what the research also shows here is that they're not only involved in the onset but also in the maintenance of the different disorders. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Okay. Now, I get the clearer picture. And then how do the patterns of emotion regulation differ between early life, midlife, and perimenopause transition? Do we see any differences or the emotion regulation seem to be quite the same and is it more like intra-individual variability rather than across the life periods? **Franziska Weinmar** That's a very interesting question. I am not aware of studies that follow emotion regulation now across the whole lifespan. We investigated emotion regulation now in distinct periods in the female lifespan, the perinatal period, and then a menopausal transition. I would say, of course, there might be inter-individual differences in emotion regulation from what your trait level is, how good are you in emotional regulation. But the good thing about emotional regulation is also that you can train it and that you can improve it, if you want to say so. And that makes it also a strong factor also in therapy for example, to really work on that. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** This is very interesting. I like that obviously these innate factors and abilities such as emotion regulation can still be trained and they're malleable and they're possibly improved. So I was thinking about kind of the complex interplay in between the emotion regulation and the serotonin system and I would like to actually circle back to the serotonin system because even though we kind of think of serotonin as a brain neurotransmitter, we know that the majority of serotonin is actually found in the gut. So, I was quite curious about where does the gut-brain access fit into the story of serotonin and women's mental health. What do we see in research currently? And I would like to now pass on to Vibe for this question to begin. **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Yeah, I mentioned before the serotonin 4 receptor and that is actually a good anchor to try to talk about the gut-brain axis, yeah and how the serotonin system is also involved in brain-body connections that are important for whole-health perspectives. So, the serotonin 4 receptor sits in high density in the gut but also in the brain. And we know that certain drugs that are actually developed to help, for instance, irritable bowel syndrome or chronic constipation by actually increasing the motility of the intestinal system also has apparently a brain-related effect. So, for instance, those same drugs, if you give them as a pharmacological tool, they have procognitive properties, also fast-acting anxiolytic properties and perhaps also antidepressant properties. So, we are actually now embarking, and we have financing for finding out whether those serotonin 4 receptor stimulators, that we can repurpose drugs that I just mentioned, to understand whether they also would maybe matter to optimise antidepressant treatment maybe in subgroups of women. So, we think there's some female-specific factors that is shared between depression risk and risk for gut problems that may be quite important to also understand sex difference in such mechanisms. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** This is very interesting and I love kind of the drug-repurposing angle because we are definitely seeing that across the board of different conditions from Alzheimer's to women's health. And you mentioned, obviously, the kind of the microbiome, the gut, and apart from the drugs, the therapeutics, there's a huge field of probiotics, prebiotics, supplements, and all of these talks about gut health in terms of how we can enrich our ecosystem of good bacteria. But is there, like, any research on how those elements could actually help or impact mental well-being? Is there something happening in this field? I see, like, Franziska nodding, so maybe you have some thoughts. **Franziska Weinmar** I was just having the same question. I think there's a lot of things that I think that sometimes the field around us is emerging faster than research can come back with it. So, there is a lot of things going that you can buy that you can take. And also, probably a lot of frustration from the side of the women that have symptoms or are suffering and there's not maybe no treatment. So, they're looking out for supplements, for probiotics, for prebiotics, and then research is just lagging behind and to investigate what is actually going on and is it helpful and what is the mechanism behind it. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Vibe, are you aware of anything or is it more of a kind of **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Yeah, I'm aware of different initiatives. So, we have some suggestions and proposals pending on also looking into dietary factors of healthy menopausal transitions and not so much probiotics but more simply healthy diets that are kind of, yeah, some of our gut bacteria thrive better on than others, et cetera. So, I think we should think of any way to support resilience, and I think making gut systems function better, I would be super surprised, if it would not also translate into positive effects for brain health. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Yeah, I feel like it's very interesting because the gut is kind of becoming another cool organ that people are now diverting a lot of attention and research and we have different diets changing from week to week. But I would also like to kind of come back to one of the topics that we have mentioned at the beginning of this podcast, which is the contraception because this is such an important part of women's reproductive life and a lot of women worldwide are using oral contraception, but there's still, like, quite a lot of unknowns obviously and there are a lot of side effects that are associated with contraception use. So I would like to start this theme with asking you, Franziska, what your research and the research you have seen on contraception use talking about these adverse symptoms such as depression, and do you know what could be the potential mechanisms that such vulnerabilities are expressed in some women but not in others? 'Cause not all of the women that are on oral contraception will experience adverse symptoms. **Franziska Weinmar** Yeah, I think that's a very important point to make and that is that hormonal responses or responses to hormonal contraceptives can vary very widely because the women as Vibe nicely also lined out is that they differ in hormonal sensitivity and also personal health history and that might make some women just more vulnerable to mood-related side effects than others. And definitely we should not forget that there are other factors that influence whether or how a woman will react to hormonal contraceptives differently. For example, what is the type of contraceptive that is used, what is the dosage someone is using? What are individual factors such as age or metabolism, body weight, lifestyle, or the relationship that that person is. And then of course also other physical and mental health factors. And I would really hope that at some point we in research, but then also clinical practise, we have the ability to identify these factors early on so we can provide a more personalised counselling and contraceptive choice. But of course, we need more research to pinpoint that. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** I would like to continue on the personalised part of what you commented. We are also seeing now some companies and some medical institutes that are developing or working towards developing personalised hormonal contraceptives in order to prevent those adverse side effects. So, I would actually like to ask Vibe now, do you know of such initiatives and what are potential kind of mechanisms by which they try to inhibit the result or the effect that is unwanted on women's brain health? **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Well, I don't know the exact companies and what strategies they develop. I know of just one strategy which has been a combined oral contraceptive, so kind of what we call the pill, but a type that actually has natural oestrogen in it instead of synthetic oestrogen that probably is not, you know, it's not taking care of the loss of the natural oestrogen in terms of brain function. And seemingly I think, yeah, the results I've seen so far is probably pointing towards that that can be maybe fewer side effects. But we have seen, for instance, in... Well, first I want to say that I totally agree with all that has been said, that we need to secure access to safe hormonal contraceptives because hormonal contraceptives are very important for many of us in at least some periods of our life. And that is illustrated simply by the fact that if you have an economy and access to it, around 80% of women will use it at some point in their life. So, we have to be super interested in how they're used safe and safely, and we have had tradition for that because we know how to individualise counselling in terms of advising women who have a high risk of embolias and coagulation of the blood. We know who should maybe not use them and we should also be better at understanding in terms of the safety concerning not developing a depressive episode. And what we've seen is that, as Franziska also said, that probably different types of progestogen also play a role. So, we actually have really large dataset on population level from, for instance, Swedish health registers and also Danish health registers where we can study these rare phenomena, right? So, we can also get an impression about which are types and combinations of combined oral contraceptives we should maybe try to move towards. Also, we've seen that there's actually a dose-dependent risk for depressive symptoms associated with hormonal IUDs. And that's quite interesting because these are compounds actually delivered locally. And it's interesting that there's this dose-dependent risk. So again, there can also be something about dosages, but what is a little bit annoying in a way is that it's seemingly independent on route of administration and independent on type of hormonal contraceptive there is some heightened risk of developing a depressive episode at least for some women. So, what we also need to understand is more like who might those women be and could we use their experience and self-reported capacity on their, yeah, experience with sex hormone shift, like periods in their own life. Could we use that to inform our counselling? I'm very interested in that, and Franziska did a great paper actually along those lines showing that women can self-report, in a way, hormone shift sensitivity even retrospectively. So, if you ask women like, "What are your experiences "with starting a hormone contraceptive?" If they say, "Well, "I did actually experience some mood instability," they also show to have a higher risk of developing, for instance, a perinatal depression. So that's like a natural horal shift. So, I think an important lesson learned is that women can actually self-report on these issues. So, we should be more curious to use that in our work and our clinical care, I think. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** This is a very, very important point. I think the counselling and actually listening to women, 'cause I do feel like being a woman in the healthcare system, sometimes the, let's say, how to put it nicely, sometimes you just don't get the time to be heard. And I feel like sometimes the physicians simply have a very short time to dedicate to you and they just have this template whereby they just provide you some treatment options. But actually, listening in and specifically what you mentioned about the potential pre-screening framework, even where we ask retrospectively on sensitivities and on experiences to hormonal contraception could actually help to rule out certain women for certain types of medication so that they don't experience those adverse side effects. So that is I think a very important aspect for also this translation to the clinic from the research that both of you are doing. **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** But I don't think we yet know how to exactly say you should never try this or that, but we can psychoeducate and we can make sure that we help them to monitor potential side effects, and if you know about them it's easier, right? And you can also book patients who starts for extra monitoring, et cetera. So, I think, yeah, maybe that should be that way around, I suggest. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Definitely. And before we close, I would actually like to address one more topic, which I think the conversation about gender and mental health should include, and it's a must one, which is about suicide. Because the statistics are quite different from what we see in mood disorders, anxiety, and depression specifically whereby despite women being more likely to experiencing suicidal ideation and trying to attempt more suicides still in Western world we see that the males are presenting with higher rates of committed suicide. So, from both of your perspectives, as researchers working in the field of mental health, emotion regulation, what are the biological and obviously, the psychological drivers that could explain this paradox in psychiatry when it comes to suicide? So, Franziska, what do you think could lead to those disparities? **Franziska Weinmar** I think that's a very interesting question and just me reflecting about that question also, when we talked earlier about it and you pinpointed at this direction, I think that really we have to think about how also the symptoms are sometimes displayed and what the gender aspect is that you also mentioned is that often we would say that women with, for example now, depression have really more this, quote, unquote, "typical internalising distress" that we see so that that shows in sadness and worry and that make it maybe more visible also to the care system so that they also search for the help and that they look out for the help. And I guess that maybe for men it's more that the distress is showing differently and shows up more as externalising distress, irritability, substance use, anger, risk-taking, and then maybe also the suicidal behaviour. And I guess that also the traditional masculinity norms that we have, like self-reliance, emotional control, and these kind of things lead also the system or the men to delay-help seeking in a way, and so the men may enter the care later or too late, but at the same time, I wouldn't necessarily say that then the system works better for women because I guess that also women receive diagnosis of depression, anxiety more quicker and that can also come with a known bias, like they're medicalized very quickly or sometimes too quickly if conditions are overlooked. So, I guess that we have to move a little bit away and have to think about how we regard mental illnesses and maybe have a more biopsychosocial approach and being more gender sensitive. So really differentiating what are the gender norms, the social roles, and what are help-seeking patterns to really look at not only how we recognise the disorders, what are the patterns behind it and how can we treat, then, these individuals better. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** From your answer, it definitely seems way more complex than just, you know, the simple numbers. And I agree that the way men or older generations of men are educated in terms of their emotional responsiveness, emotion regulation is very different from how women express their emotions. And we are seeing that the healthcare systems potentially are kind of using the textbooks, the tables for diagnosing disorders, but not looking into the actual gender biases, which I do believe is where the future should be, kind of stepping back from this traditional approach and looking at individual patients in the health system. But actually, when I'm thinking about, obviously, the suicide, it's kind of, you know, the last resort in individuals who have these mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, PTSD. I was wondering is there any research looking into the differences in the brain mechanisms between females and males that could explain certain behavioural differences that we see in those disorders? Maybe Vibe has any thoughts on this? **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** Yeah, my first thought is that there's some interesting studies on, you know, how men and women manage aggressive impulses, and you know, impulsive-aggressive behaviour, which can also kind of maybe have some similarities with also self-harm behaviour. So, I think there could be some interesting differences there in men and women. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** But there is still kind of no concrete mapping of the brain on those behavioural patterns. **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** It might be some research that I'm not aware of, but I agree it's an interesting way of thinking about how to personalise and tailor preventive activities and also psychoeducation and also education of our healthcare professionals in terms of picking up, you know, the more at-risk persons that we should provide better care for, right? **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Yeah, I feel like psychoeducation is definitely a cornerstone of everything and also counselling when it comes to oral contraception. And I am very, very positive and hopeful because now we are seeing kind of a convergence between the drug, the pharmaceutical treatments and also the psychological therapies like CBT, how they help together for both males and for females to navigate those difficult life moments. So, Vibe and Franziska, this has been a truly amazing conversation and I really like that we touched upon the biology, but also the real kind of applications of what is happening in the brain, how our serotonin system, how our receptors, not only in the brain but also in the gut may affect the mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, but also we touched upon more of kind of silent and taboo topics such as suicide and that there's still so much to be done and understood and how we should probably move from one-size-fits-all approach when we are diagnosing to including more gender-specific approaches. And before I wrap up this episode, I would actually like to ask one question both of you, which kind of has become a bit of a tradition in this episode series. So, the question is about what does women's brain health mean to you personally? So, Franziska, I think you have one. **Franziska Weinmar** Yes, so to me women's brain health is really to understand how the brain and the hormones and of course, now as we talked about the environment interact across the lifespan and that also shaping the brain in a way that it adapts to this hormonal transitions. And ultimately how these transitions then shape resilience or vulnerability to mental health. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Well, that was a bit more than one sentence, but definitely very, very- **Franziska Weinmar** With a lot of commas maybe. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** A lot of commas and very, very profound answer because obviously it's so complex and it's difficult to put it in one, but what it is for you, Vibe, what is woman's brain health? **Professor Vibe Frokjaer** For me, it's actually very much about really insisting on staying curious and having the courage to ask complex questions because there's so much gold-kind-of knowledge to be learned that we can use to move forward brain health for all genders actually, I think. **Dr. Laura Stankeviciute** Thank you. So that's it for today's episode "XXplored." A huge thank you to Dr. Vibe and Franziska, not only for your insights, but also for helping us navigate these complex questions and moving the field forward for better mental health for both women and men. And thank you for our listeners to tuning in again. We'll see you next time at "XXplored." **Voice Over** Thank you for listening to "XXplored: Women's Brain Health" podcast from Dementia Researcher, with generous support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, and Race Against Dementia. From hormones to cognition, from risk to prevention, we feature conversations with researchers, clinicians, and changemakers working to challenge assumptions and close the gaps in how we understand and support the female brain. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > **[Women's brain health and brain capital](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-025-00406-6)** > > **[Pharmacological sex hormone manipulation as a risk model for depression](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7383584/)** > > **[Let's Talk About Women Podcast](https://shows.acast.com/lets-talk-about-women)** **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Brain Health, Dementia and Women, Dementia Prevention, Dr Laura Stankeviciute, Franziska Weinmar, Hormones, Matrescence, Oestrogen, Podcast, Professor Vibe G. Frokjaer, Serotonin, women's brain health, XXplored **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research, XXplored Women’s Brain Health --- ### [Menopause, the Brain & Alzheimer's Risk – XXplored Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-midlife-transition-menopause-and-the-brain/) **Published:** November 24, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Claudia Barth and Dr Gillian Coughlan on what perimenopause does to the brain, why early menopause raises Alzheimer's risk, and the gaps in the data. **Content:** **In this episode of the Dementia Researcher - Xxplored Women’s Brain Health podcast, host [Dr Laura Stankeviciute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-stankeviciute-university-of-gothenburg/) speaks with [Professor Claudia Barth](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-claudia-barth-charite-universitatsmedizin-berlin/) from Charite University and [Dr Gillian Coughlan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-gillian-coughlan-harvard-medical-school/) from Harvard Medical School to examine the midlife transition, menopause and its significance for women’s brain health.** Together they outline what the menopause truly involves across the early, late, and post stages, and explain how hormonal change affects brain structure, energy use, mood, and cognition. They also explore why this period may coincide with greater vulnerability to later Alzheimer’s disease and discuss the role of early or surgical menopause, symptom severity, and gaps in existing research cohorts. The episode highlights the need for richer reproductive data, real time biomarker studies, and closer collaboration with digital health tools to better capture women’s lived experiences. It reflects a growing wave of research and public interest aimed at improving understanding, support, and evidence based care during this important life stage. **Takeaways** - Menopause is a long transition shaped by fluctuating hormones. - Cognitive and mood symptoms reflect changes in brain networks. - Earlier menopause is linked with increased later Alzheimer’s risk. - Major research cohorts lack detailed reproductive data. - New real time studies are beginning to track symptoms and biomarkers. - Digital tools will be key for future research. - Better global representation is needed across studies. - Momentum is building to close long standing gaps in women’s health. Ask the researchers ## Menopause, the brain and Alzheimer's risk Seven short answers from this episode, with Professor Claudia Barth and Dr Gillian Coughlan. ### 01What is the difference between perimenopause and menopause? Menopause is a single point in time — twelve consecutive months without a period — and can only be identified looking back. Perimenopause is the years leading up to it. Early perimenopause brings more variation in cycle length, often shorter cycles, and few symptoms. Late perimenopause, defined under the STRAW criteria by going 60 or more days without a cycle, typically lasts one to three years and is when most women start to notice symptoms. Professor Claudia Barth describes it as the reproductive system going gradually offline rather than switching off. ### 02Does menopause cause brain fog? Cognitive and mood symptoms are real, but far less studied than hot flushes and night sweats, which are better understood as changes in the hypothalamus affecting thermoregulation. Oestrogen does not decline in a straight line during perimenopause; it fluctuates erratically, and it is a potent modulator of the neurotransmitter systems that underpin mood and cognition. Professor Barth points to a combination of structural change, functional change and altered neurotransmitter signalling, with symptoms typically emerging in late perimenopause. ### 03Does menopause increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease? Women make up roughly two thirds of Alzheimer's cases, and longevity does not explain that on its own. The clearest signal so far is menopause timing: women who reach menopause before 40, or between 40 and 45, show higher later deposition of amyloid and tau. That link appears in both neuroimaging and epidemiological work. What is not yet established is the biology connecting hormonal fluctuation to protein deposition, largely because most studies look back from women already in their mid-seventies. ### 04Does early or surgical menopause affect brain health? Dr Gillian Coughlan says the data point to earliness rather than surgery itself. The original hypothesis was that surgically induced menopause carried the risk, but what her datasets show is that the earlier-than-expected loss of circulating oestrogens appears to be the driver. Surgical menopause matters largely because it usually happens well before the average age of 50, often before 45 and sometimes before 40. Her practical point is that women should understand why a surgical menopause is being proposed. ### 05What does falling oestrogen do to the brain? Oestrogen modulates neurotransmitter systems and is neuroprotective, so as levels fall that protection may be lifted in some women, contributing to accelerated ageing and structural change in grey and white matter. Roberta Brinton also proposed a bioenergetic shift — the brain moving away from glucose metabolism towards metabolising ketone bodies, which form part of white matter. Much of this comes from animal work, with supporting hints from human studies rather than settled evidence. ### 06Why don't major Alzheimer's studies capture menopause data? Most ageing cohorts begin recruiting at 65, a threshold rooted in retirement age, so they miss the transition entirely. UK Biobank does span it, recruiting from 40, but carries surprisingly few relevant variables and none at all on symptoms — researchers have struggled even to classify participants as perimenopausal. That matters because symptom severity, the number of co-occurring symptoms and how long they last may all shape later brain ageing. Emily Jacobs is developing a standardised questionnaire for the field. ### 07Can symptom-tracking apps help menopause research? Professor Barth's ERC-funded perimenopause study partners with Clue, a Berlin-based cycle-tracking app, so participants can record symptoms and experiences daily. That addresses the sparse-sampling problem in existing cohorts, which often capture only one to three time points across a transition lasting years. She notes the app already asks users about research participation and operates under GDPR, which made the data protection side straightforward for a European study. **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to Xxplored, Women's Brain Health, a Dementia Researcher Podcast exploring the many factors that shape women's brain health across the lifespan. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Hello, and welcome to another episode of Xxplored, Women's Brain Health. Today, we're diving into very important, yet often misunderstood reproductive stage in women's life, which is the midlife transition, also known as the menopause. I'm your host, [Dr. Laura Stankeviciute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-stankeviciute-university-of-gothenburg/), and today, we are talking about menopause. In the world, over one billion women are going through the stage are already postmenopausal. And this number is expected to rise up to 1.2 billion in five years' time. There was a recent study conducted in the UK, which found that nearly one in four women aged 40 to 60, covering this postmenopausal and perimenopausal period that are considering to quit the work due to their menopausal symptoms, and there are 14% of those who are actually considering to do so, if not have done yet. So, women make up nearly half of the global workforce population, and many will spend a huge amount of time in the post-reproductive years. Yet, our research support systems and clinical care still remain patchy, but perhaps it's not all that grey. And in the past years indeed, we have seen a huge proliferation and a boom towards the topic of menopause, both in research, but also in the societal campaigns such as Let's Talk About Menopause, to global celebrities sharing their navigation through this difficult and sometimes daunting period. But menopause is still only framed around the topics of vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats, hormonal therapy, or also sometimes mentioned as the reproductive ageing, while the brain is still left out of the picture. That's why today's episode will explore how menopause might act not as merely as an endocrine transition, but rather a neuroendocrine tipping point and will help us understand through this conversation and move menopause from the sidelines, into the scientific and societal spotlight. And I'm joined today by two great researchers in this field of women's brain health, but also specifically working on the menopause transition. So, they're going to help and unpack these questions. So, it's my honour to introduce [Dr. Claudia Barth](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-claudia-barth-charite-universitatsmedizin-berlin/), who holds a professorship for the Neurobiology of Hormonal Transitions at the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences and the research unit gender in medicine at Charité University of Berlin in Germany. She's a biologist and also a neuroscientist by training, with a strong background in Neuroendocrinology. And another speaker of today, our guest in the series is [Dr. Gillian Coughlan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-gillian-coughlan-harvard-medical-school/). She's a junior researcher faculty at Harvard Medical School MGH. And her research project is focused on elucidated personalised risk factors associated with the changes in Alzheimer's disease biomarkers. But also, she's extremely interested in understanding [how factors such as sex differences may shape different trajectories](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-sex-gender-differences-in-alzheimers-pia/) in a deep pathophysiology and cognitive decline. So welcome. **Professor Claudia Barth:** Thank you very much for the invitation. I'm very happy to be here. **Dr Gillian Coughlan:** Thank you for that introduction, Laura. That was great. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** So just before we are diving into our main themes of today, I would like to ask just a very simple question. Can you tell in a few sentences what are you actually doing? Because obviously, your biographies are so, so rich, but if you can distil it very, very shortly for our listeners. Claudia, maybe you can go first. You've been thinking for some time. **Professor Claudia Barth:** If you want, I go first. My research as the title of professor where I was luckily just got two months ago, kind of covers it really how hormonal transition periods impact the brain with relevance to health and disease. We broadly focus on [depression and Alzheimer's disease risk](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-women-hormones-mental-health-rethinking-psychiatric-disorders/). Thereby, we focus on diverse hormonal transitions if it's just menstrual cycle, but also pregnancy and menopause. In the last years, the focus has been very much shifted towards menopause and perimenopause specifically. I recently got a grant from the European Research Council to really tap into what's happening during perimenopause transition. So that's what I am doing as I just started in a new position two months ago. What I'm actually doing right now is setting up a big study. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Congratulations. **Professor Claudia Barth:** Thank you. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** This is amazing. And thank you so much for doing the work that you're doing specifically in this area that we know have been historically really difficult to get funding. So, kudos definitely for this huge grant. **Professor Claudia Barth:** Thank you very much. **Dr Gillian Coughlan:** Hi. So, I'm Gillian Coughlan. I'm junior research faculty at Harvard Medical School. And I'm part of a grant that kind of sets me up to start off a lab, start of 2026 actually. So pretty soon. I'm mostly interested in preclinical Alzheimer's disease, and I look specifically at sex differences in order to understand disease processes to a greater degree. So, coming at it from more of this kind of personalised medicine approach, and then to understand why women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's disease. I also look at things like age at menopause, specifically premature and early menopause, and the use of hormone therapy. And I kind of investigate how those two things are associated with AD biomarkers, primarily amyloid and Tau PET, but also [plasma biomarkers like p-tau217](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/sex-differences-in-alzheimers-parkinsons-blood/), et cetera. So, we have a number of different grants now both from the NIH and different foundation entities, as well as private funding to look at women's brain health and how it can potentially increase risk for Alzheimer's disease in that postmenopausal stage. So, I think at the moment, there's actually so much interest it seems, on a global level, in terms of women's brain health and Alzheimer's disease risk. And there's a lot of research being done, but I'm sure as we'll discuss today, there's a lot of research that we can also do, I think, over the next three to five years. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Well, this is a very rich portfolio of topics that you are covering, Gillian. I think there's so much research that's going to come up in the upcoming years from both of your labs. And congratulations to both of you. So, to start, I would like to go actually into the very, very basics of the question of, what is actually menopause? Because sometimes I feel like it's a very confusing topic in terms of its terminology, because sometimes we may think or we can hear menopause being described as this one point in women's reproductive life when a woman hasn't had her menstrual period for 12 consecutive months. But of course, that's more of an oversimplification than the reality because rather, it's not just one point but a culmination of biological changes that have been preceding over the years. So, Claudia, could you clarify to us what menopause really is? And then obviously, you have mentioned already the terminology of perimenopause. So, can you also touch upon that and let us clarify these two concepts? **Professor Claudia Barth:** Of course. You already hinted towards this. So, it's kind of actually a lengthy endocrine transition period, which starts with the progressive failure of ovarian function. So, I like to compare it, or I always like to say it to students, so adolescence is when the hormonal systems go online after they already went online once during foetal development and mini puberty. But then menopause is kind of the delayed stage where systems slowly go offline, but it's not that you turn the switch and everything is offline and you stop having cycles. The system goes slightly offline because it's regulated via the HPG access. I hope I don't mix up the German and the English abbreviation. But basically, the brain regulates the ovaries, and this little dance gets interrupted more and more and more, which leads to erratic hormonal fluctuations, which then eventually cease, and that's the end of the menopausal transition. And as you nicely said, menopause by definition is actually just one time point after you haven't had a menstrual cycle for 12 months. But preceding that, that's what we call perimenopause, which are years of increasing levels of erratic fluctuation. Normally in the early perimenopausal stages, you get slightly more variations in menstrual cycle length and tentatively more towards shorter cycles. You don't really have symptoms yet, but your menstrual cycle length varies and there are some hormonal markers which slightly start changing. Then in the late perimenopausal stage, which just tends to on average, be between one to three years, but there are varying accounts when it comes to the actual length of that, that's where the cycle variations become much more pronounced, late perimenopause after the STRAW criteria are defined by not having a cycle for 60 plus days. And then that's when also symptoms start to emerge in the majority of women. And that can be sleep disturbances, night sweats, hot flashes, but also cognitive disturbances and depressive symptoms. And then menopause again, is this one day, and then post menopause kind of starts after one year of not having had a menstrual cycle for 12 months. So actually, there's one point of menopause which is often used to name the whole transition, is really assess retrospectively when you can say, "Okay, now I haven't had a cycle for 12 months." But also again, for a lot of women, this might not be textbook. They might not have a cycle for one year, but then it comes back. So, this system kind of trying to compensate just having another cycle and eventually, it stops, and then hormonal fluctuations stabilise and are stably low. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Well, I hope our listeners can appreciate just how complex this whole continuum of pre, peri and post menopause is. And obviously, each stage is accompanied by different symptoms. And you mentioned obviously, the vasomotor symptoms, which are those that are related to hot flashes, night sweats. But also, you didn't leave outside these cognitive symptoms that sometimes are pushed under the rug. And I would actually like to go a little bit into those ones. So, what is the actual neurobiological explanation behind those symptoms? Because obviously, it varies. We have different centres in the brain that orchestrate different functions. So, we have the hypothalamus perhaps more related to this thermoregulation, so vasomotor symptoms. But what about these cognitive symptoms? And also, we hear that a lot of women are experiencing really huge differences in their mood from what they used to be, to how their mood or even their personality changes. So, what do we know about that, Claudia, in terms of the brain specifics? **Professor Claudia Barth:** What we know the most, you already kind of hinted at, is changes in thermoregulation due to changes in the hypothalamus. So that's also the most studied symptoms. When it comes to the cognitive symptoms and the repressive symptoms, we don't know that much yet. We know that declining and especially volatility, this volatile decline in oestrogen, it's not just linearly declining. It's really fluctuating erratically. And oestrogen has multiple functions in the brain, but it's also a very potent modulator of neurotransmitter systems, which are very important for your mood, but also your cognitive function. So that would be one potential mechanism which could explain disturbances. Then also, this oestrogen is neuroprotective and with its declining level, this neuroprotection might be lifted in some women, which then also can contribute to more accelerated ageing, but also neurological decline due to structural changes mainly from animal work, but also for some human studies. And I think Gillian might say more about that later, but there are hints towards like grey matter, white matter changes that... And Brinton, Roberta Brinton was the first one postulating there might be this bio-energetic shift in the brain that what the brain uses as an energy source might shift. And because glucose metabolism changes, then there's this theory that away from glucose metabolism, it shifts to metabolising ketone bodies which are part of the white matter. And so, it's a very complex system which is likely very tightly interlinked. And then any of these changes might then contribute to mood disturbance and cognitive changes, especially if you already are potentially, genetically at risk, if you have a certain lifestyle which might not provide resilience against these shifts. And especially also, when you already have a history of depressive disorders, depression has been postulated as a very well-established risk factor of Alzheimer's disease later in life. So, it's very much tightly connected. But my main statement in this regard would be really, structural changes, functional changes, and particularly, also changes in neurotransmitter functioning. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Wow. So, all of these changes obviously, expose then women's brain to be more vulnerable to later life conditions and your degenerative diseases, because of these fluctuations in hormones that you mentioned, and obviously, the critical glucose consumption hypothesis that has been presented by Brinton. So now, I'd like to shift the microphone and give the floor to Gillian, because I would like to talk about probably the research area that we work in and the research area that has been receiving so much interest in the greatest scheme of menopause, which is Alzheimer's disease. So obviously, we know that [women make roughly two thirds of all Alzheimer's disease cases](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-impact-of-dementia-on-women/), but obviously, it's not just the longevity that explains all of these staggering numbers, but it's actually the underlying biology and also, cognitive trajectories that we see in women. And in the past decades, we have had this hypothesis of menopause really breaching through and suggesting that this is due to the menopausal hormonal fluctuations, specifically due to the decrease in oestrogen levels. So, I would like to ask Gillian if you could share some evidence specifically advocated for menopause being this critical infliction point in women's life that exposes her to increased susceptibility for Alzheimer's disease? **Dr Gillian Coughlan:** Yeah. So just as Claudia had beautifully taken us too there, we have this whole flurry of events that happen around menopause. And then we as Alzheimer's disease researchers, we're studying women usually in their mid-70s and looking at levels of these neurotoxic proteins that cause Alzheimer's disease essentially. And so, what we do is we look at these women, we image them for these neurotoxic proteins, and then we look back to see how they experience menopause basically. Now, typically, we don't have data sets that can look at the fluctuations in the hormones around menopause and link them to later AD biomarkers, like these neurotoxic proteins. But what we can do is we can look at how women experience menopause in terms of their menopausal symptoms, which will be a proxy for those hormonal fluctuations. We can also ask them, when did they have their last period, which would be their say, age of menopause. And then we can also ask them whether or not they were treated for menopausal symptoms with HRT. And so I guess one of the things we learned so far is that if women move into this kind of menopausal or perimenopausal state earlier than expected, so particularly before the age of 40 or maybe between 40 and 45, those women seem to be at a higher risk for depositing these neurotoxic proteins, amyloid and tau, later in life. So that association has been shown in our neuroimaging studies but also shown in these epidemiological studies that show that the age of menopause is associated with Alzheimer's disease prevalence. Right? So then, we look at the biology of what that link could be. In terms of hormonal fluctuations, we are writing grants at the moment, and I do know a couple of other scientists in the US who are writing grants to look at how all of those events during perimenopause change the women's brain structure and function in real time. So not necessarily looking at women's brain down the line like we currently are doing, but in real time as the fluctuations in the hormones are occurring. So, some of the leading scientists in that area right now would be Roberta Brinton, but also, Emily Jacobs. They have a grant basically looking at exactly these questions. Also, Caitlin Costello, she's another scientist who's very prominent in this area, and then ourselves. So, me and Rachel Buckley, we're also proposing a grant to look at perimenopausal effects and how that implicates the brain. In terms of what we look at in the brain in menopausal women, we don't look for the proteins of Alzheimer's disease because it's very unlikely that they exist at that stage. Right? So typically, if menopause is going to increase women's risk of Alzheimer's disease, we won't know that will have officially happened until they are at the age where they can actually start depositing these proteins. So, what we instead look at, is these other risk factors that might suggest that women are on the road to preclinical Alzheimer's disease. And so, some of those things would be more the plasma biomarkers. Also, things like inflammatory pathways, vascular pathways, looking at brain structure and function of course, and brain structure, particularly in some fields of the hippocampus, like the CA3. That would be a region we'd be particularly interested in, in these menopausal women. And then looking at the structural integrity of white matter tracts, those kinds of things. So those biomarkers are more likely to change due to menopausal changes. And then if they do change, that puts the brain in a more vulnerable state to deposit these neurotoxic proteins later down the line. And it's really the proteins that underlie the actual onset of symptoms related to Alzheimer's disease, at least. Of course, there are other dementias, but we focus mostly on Alzheimer's. So, there's a lot to unpack. Basically, the way we're doing at the moment is, as I said, we had this big space of time between when women report menopause, menopausal symptoms, and their menopausal age, and then we get PET scans on them 15 years later. Whereas the way the field is moving, is to actually do those imaging studies as women are actually going through menopause. And that will tell us a lot more basically, about how menopause leaves women at risk, potentially could leave women at risk of cognitive decline later in life. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** So we're seeing that definitely, a lot of retrospective studies have laid this foundation where we are now knowing or learning about how menopausal or menopause related factors are associated with later accumulation of these toxic proteins, but also of structural changes that then also, as you said, kind of lead the brain to become more vulnerable later on. And you mentioned one of the risk factors that you have done in your research, is actually the earlier age of menopause. And most of the people probably think of menopause as a natural process as it comes to ageing, but obviously, we have different types of menopause, such as surgical menopause. So, could you maybe comment a bit on that? **Dr Gillian Coughlan:** Yeah. So, I think the original hypothesis was that it was probably surgical menopause that would be women at risk. And we're seeing in our data, or at least the data sets we work with, not so much the fact that it was a surgically induced menopause. It's more just that the menopause was early. Right? So, you get this earlier than expected deprivation in circulating estrogens, et cetera. And then the fact that this happens earlier than it should, is kind of having the detrimental effect, as opposed to it being surgically induced as such. At least that's what we're seeing in the data we look at from the Alzheimer's disease perspective. But just by nature of having a surgically induced menopause, then that is likely happening earlier than the average age of menopause, which is 50. Right? It's probably happening before the age of 45, if not before the age of 40. So, I think when we do interviews, we also say it is important for women to always know what's happening with their reproductive health and know if they're getting surgically induced menopause, that that is happening for the right reasons, or at least it's really necessary in their case. Because it can have implications for women's brain health, and then the brain health later down the line. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Okay. So obviously, that becomes less clear then. It's not just again, the type, but maybe the age. But then again, maybe there is something behind that that we don't know yet, and probably, we don't know how to quantify. Because historically, the data sets that we are working on, they don't collect that data, or if they collect it, it's not to the extent that we would like to. So, I would like to now move a little bit from what we know, to what we will know based on both of the work that you are doing. And specifically, maybe talking a little bit about the historical blind spots in terms of the methodologies that these ageing cohorts or Alzheimer's disease cohorts have been using. So obviously, we know like ADNI, which is Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, but we also have more huge data sets that are looking specifically into how individuals develop Alzheimer's disease from preclinical. So, this asymptomatic stage where the proteins start to accumulate, but yet, in the absence of any cognitive symptoms. But none of these data sets have [considered sex specific variables](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-lets-talk-about-sex/) or perhaps to a very, very brief extent. And why do you think that was the case potentially? And then the follow-up question, what would be your kind of perfect list of reproductive variables that you would like to include in your studies? Because I know both of you are spinning big brands now. So, let's start with Claudia, and then go to you, Gillian, with your wish lists. **Professor Claudia Barth:** So yeah, that's a good question. Because I've in the past, mainly used [UK Biobank](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/enabling-dementia-research-using-uk-biobank/), which is a big UK-based population sample covering 500,000 individuals. And the nice thing with UK Biobank, it's started collecting... So, age inclusion ranges between 40 and 70, which again, is already actually a bit younger than the most ageing cohorts, which normally starts at the age of 65, historically rooted into based on the retirement age in most countries. And UK Biobank actually does cover the menopause transition, but it has surprisingly little variables on this particular aspect and has no variables about symptoms. We tried multiple times to varying degrees of success, to really establish a woman in this cohort, perimenopausal. So yeah, simply knowing if women have symptoms, if they had symptoms, as Gillian said, and that they ask retrospectively, how did your experience? The menopause transition is super important because that varies a lot. And there is more and more indication that [the severity of symptoms, the number of co-occurring symptoms](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/more-menopausal-symptoms-linked-to-poorer-brain-function-in-later-life/), what kind of co-occurring symptoms, how long they last, might really be critical for how women might age later in life. So, questions around that are really, really important. Then past reproductive history, we have found associations between [a number of live births and the ageing brain later in life](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-neuroscience-of-motherhood/). So, these kinds of variables are really important if women have used hormonal contraception. It can be very insightful to know for later, brain ageing. Yeah. Now that I'm starting acquiring data across perimenopause, I'm setting up this massive baseline questionnaire about reproductive factors and past histories and age at menarche, and trying to really map out all the reproductive years as comprehensively as possible to really kind of see what we found in the UK Biobank if that replicates, but also, how that informs how women's actively life, as Gillian said earlier, experience perimenopause. So, my grant also has a strong focus on symptom mapping. So, [we are using an industry partnership](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-which-hat-to-wear-navigating-industry-academic-partnerships/) to have an app really for the participants to be able to on a daily basis, record their symptoms and their experiences. Because I think that's a really big, big missing part in all of these cohorts. It's first of all, that symptoms are not really acknowledged, but also, it's mainly you have one, two, three, maybe time points. So having also more densely sample data across these critical inflexion points is really, really needed. And I'm really happy to see this trend towards focusing on perimenopause and then focusing on longitudinal studies during perimenopause. Because I got money to do my part, but we need comparable samples globally, so we can really look for robustness of effects and generalizability of effects. And also, to be able to tap into biopsychosocial aspects. Does it differ between countries? Does it differ between healthcare systems how the experience of perimenopause and the menopause transition impacts ageing later in life? And there is already some indication not from imaging studies, but more also from when it comes to attitudes towards menopause and mental health. Because of attitude too, it might differ between societies and between societal structures and between potentially, the western and the global north and the global south, and all these differentiations. So, it's nice we are going in this direction of having more varied approaches, although it is still kind of clustered to the global north, I have to admit. But yeah, that's more symptoms, more dense sampling. And ideally in the long run, also much more diverse samples, which is not just white women. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much for sharing your study as well, and what you're going to be doing with this highly phenotype cohort. And you were obviously saying that this is the global north, but since we're talking about Germany and European perspectives because of your study, my curiosity is, what is the situation on the other side of that Atlantic Ocean and how are you going to measure and quantify your participants, Gillian? **Dr Gillian Coughlan:** Yeah. So where to start really? So, I think, well, when it comes to what we would ask women, Emily Jacobs is actually putting together this standardised questionnaire. You know about it. It's where all researchers in women's health can basically use the standardised questionnaire, which really covers the scope of things related to menopause timing, symptoms, et cetera, but also hormone therapy, type of hormone therapy dosage, et cetera. So, I think that will probably be incredibly valuable to the field at large, and probably also used in a global scale, not just necessarily in North America, I wouldn't think. And so the interesting thing about women's health is that in maybe 10 minutes, we can acquire a huge amount of data on women's reproductive health, at least by participant self-report, which has some limitations, but it still would be an awful lot better than the relatively sparse amount of data we have on women's health from these big data sets that we work on at the moment. So, there's been a big push for studies like the Wisconsin Registry of Alzheimer's Prevention, the Harvard \[inaudible 00:33:33\]. So, all of these open access data sets to start including these questionnaires as part of their screening processes. And so, I think there is a shift towards that now. So, in the next five years in particular, I think we'll have a whole host of new data that we can work with from those data sets. In terms of new studies that we're doing, a lot of it is collecting blood samples from the women as they go through perimenopause. So, these are more focused studies on menopause, AD link. And then also using those blood samples to run ELISA, which can basically allow us to capture all of these kinds of inflammatory and vascular pathways, and potentially copathologies too, like \[inaudible 00:34:20\] and eosinophilia, and things beyond just Alzheimer's disease. So, I think the studies that we're designing now, specifically to look at menopause, will be relying heavily on blood samples and looking at hormone levels and all of these other biomarkers. But when we think about these current big scale data sets that are out there, just bringing in these women's questionnaires will also open us up to a whole new field of data analysis. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you so much. And obviously, your Wishlist allows all of our listeners who are also potentially thinking about conducting such studies, pay attention to variables that you have mentioned today. I also thought about something that Claudia, you mentioned about the industry collaboration. This is not still a common practise in research environments. Could you tell us how was your journey with that, establishing that collaboration, and how does that collaboration will help you and how you're using those industry supports? **Professor Claudia Barth:** I used to say when people ask me about that, that I'm just lazy because I don't need to reinvent the wheel if there are much smarter people out there already doing the work. Because for my study, we have repeated imaging, we have repeated blood samples, and we have all the standards we've done in previous studies. But then I was like, "Okay, how do we actually really tap into symptom and experiences?" And there were already apps out there doing that. And so, I reached out to Clue, which is a Berlin-based menstrual cycle tracking app startup. And finally, when I wrote my grant in 2023, they just released a perimenopause mode in September, and my deadline was in November. And then I just texted them and said, "I'm preparing this grant. I just saw you release this mode. I would love to use that in my participants. Are you interested in collaborating?" And so on and so forth. And they were super open. So, it was very easy and gave me a letter of support. I budgeted for that, and so it was a nice story. And now, we are kind of going back and forth also on how we could use already acquired data and other angles to really using the data. These digital FemTech startups are already collecting based on their user base. And Clue has a very nice setup where in app, you also already used, like already asked if you want to participate in scientific research studies. So that was really reassuring, so that they already have very strict pipelines for research. And also, very pragmatically for my context being in Europe, because it's Europe-based and startup, it also follows all the GDPR, which is like privacy law regulations in the EU. So that was also very attractive for me personally, knowing that they would follow the data protection standards we would need for research. So, for me, that was a win-win. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** That's really inspiring to hear, that you have had a really positive experience. And obviously, since we are talking about really highly dense sampling methodologies for our symptoms and potentially, biomarkers, I also think the future of research, and especially women's health research, should move from just laboratory-based studies to more remote settings. And these platforms, these collaborations would allow us to collect the data, whether it's symptoms, whether it's some type of sleep measures from the wearable device or even blood-based biomarkers that obviously, could be done through the health providers. And then they could put the information related to the sampling time on their application. So, I think there's definitely way more bridges that need to be built between industry and research, in order to propel what we are doing and maybe fast track a little bit more in the future. So, our time is running away today, but it's been a really rich and great conversation about the menopause and why this midlife transition has been really important. Before we close, I would really like to just bring one personal question to each of our speakers. What does women's brain health mean to you briefly in one sentence, personal? Claudia? **Professor Claudia Barth:** It means, ageing gracefully and as best as possible. And by more research, we can do that. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Beautiful. Gillian? **Dr Gillian Coughlan:** I think women's brain health for me, means sort of the forefront of research and really coming out of the rug and understanding everything there is to understand about women's brains. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** Thank you. So that's it for the second episode of Xxplored. A huge thank you to both Dr. Claudia and Dr. Gillian, for your insights and really taking us through this difficult period in women's life. But hopefully, it has just brought a bit lighter and a little bit more understanding. And as I reflect on the things that we have discussed today, there are a few points that kind of really stroke a chord in me. And one of them is both your research and what you're doing on opposite sides of the world, trying to bring the women's brain health and specifically, during that critical vulnerable period where it coincides with Alzheimer's preclinical stages of the disease and the multitude of methodologies that you're using, and trying to navigate the questions that you're posing from multiple angles. And I think that just highlights how still under-researched this area is. But with having such work coming up in the future, I'm definitely feeling a bit more assured about my own brain health, and also the health of our parents hopefully. And then another also aspect that's probably also our listeners are going to leave with, is that it's not just that one time during the woman's reproductive phase, and it's not just the menopause, it's not just the stop in the menstrual cycle. It's not just the drop in oestrogen, but it's actually the lifetime exposure of oestrogen through variables, such as number of children, also the age at menarche, different pregnancy complications, as well as other risk factors that happen during the whole life that all kind of shape a woman's brain and may increase one's risk. So, thank you once again for this great conversation. I really hope that both of you can reconnect in conferences. And also, we can bring more research from these great ideas. **Professor Claudia Barth:** Thank you very much for this nice conversation. Thank you, Laura. **Dr Laura Stankeviciute:** I'm Dr. Dr Laura Stankeviciute, and you have been listening to Xxplored, Women's Brain Health on the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Voice Over:** Thank you for listening to Xxplored, Women's Brain Health Podcast from Dementia Researcher, with generous support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, and Race Against Dementia. From hormones to cognition, from risk to prevention, we feature conversations with researchers, clinicians, and change makers working to challenge assumptions and close the gaps in how we understand and support the female brain. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**The Menopause Society**](https://menopause.org/) > > [**The Menopause Charity**](https://themenopausecharity.org/) > > [**Clauda Barth Papers**](https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=iIhsTXYAAAAJ) > > [**Gillian Coughlan Papers**](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=mSQs4_UAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Brain Health, Dementia and Women, Dr Gillian Coughlan, Dr Laura Stankeviciute, Matrescence, Menopause, Podcast, Professor Claudia Barth, Sex and gender, Sex Differences, XXplored **Podcast/Blog Topics :** XXplored Women’s Brain Health --- ### [Blog - Time, Work, and a Two-Year-Old](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-time-work-and-a-two-year-old/) **Published:** October 29, 2025 **Author:** Emily Spencer **Excerpt:** Juggling a PhD, new job, and parenting a fearless toddler, Emily Spencer reflects on time, balance, and how motherhood shapes her life and work. **Content:** --- **I’ve now been back from maternity leave for over a year, with my son’s second birthday not too far off. Over that year, there have been so many challenges to navigate that you can easily trick yourself into thinking that you’re heading into a period of plain sailing. Daily, it appears, I learn that that isn’t the case. In this month’s blog, the latest in my regular series on parenting and academia, I will be thinking about some of those new challenges – both at work and at home.** Starting with the latter, at home our main challenge right now is the pure physicality of our child. A few weeks ago, we had a near miss where he almost threw himself out of the cot, but was caught just in time. Given that it gave him a bit of a scare, we hoped it would put an end to any further testing of his physical limits. This morning, we weren’t so lucky, when we awoke to a thud at 5am, accompanied by a shout of **“CUDDLE MAMA!”**. We had been trying to avoid moving our 21-month-old to a proper bed, but it seems like now is the time if we want him to survive unscathed. My mornings will instead have to take the hit, when he inevitably turns up in my bed in the early hours to request that cuddle. When I arrived at the childminder’s this morning, she remarked on how physical he is, and how he can access climbing equipment far beyond his age. This is something I’d experienced myself at the weekend, with him somehow scaling a massive rope ladder and ending up 6ft in the air. As much as the childminder thought that it’s amazing he’s such an adrenaline junkie, I wasn’t so sure. At work, new challenges have likewise been presenting themselves. I have recently started in a new role, which I am undertaking alongside the final year of my PhD, which will provide an excellent opportunity to expand my skillset, navigate a slightly different area of dementia research, as well as build my network. While I’m pleased to say that things have been going well thus far, I have noticed that having a child does impact how I approach a new job. I just don’t have the flexibility that I used to have – particularly on days where I need to be responsible for both drop-off and pick-up, so have to keep to a strict schedule. Where I would love to accept invitations to have lunch with new colleagues, for example, sometimes this doesn’t feel feasible when I need to make sure **I’m back on the other side of town by 5pm**. To be fair, the same is true for my PhD, even though on paper that does afford me more flexibility. However, I feel constantly aware of the need to make the best use of my time, which means my tolerance for activities I deem to be extracurricular can be quite low (and my definition of extracurricular quite wide-ranging). It feels difficult to attend a seminar when I could be completing a specific task, knowing that I only have a year left of funding, my hours can easily be encroached upon by my home life, not to mention additional responsibilities like tutoring or acting as a student rep. I just hate the idea of time that is so precious being wasted. > Alongside this, sometimes I do feel that having a very young child does set me apart from my peers. Unlike the other students in my cohort, I don’t have the ability to spontaneously go for a drink after work, and evening socials can feel quite costly. Attending a conference isn’t impossible, but it certainly takes a lot more planning and involves some degree of negotiation within our family. Thinking about it now, I can absolutely see how those with children – particularly women or those with primary responsibility – would end up being disadvantaged in the workplace. It’s hard to put yourself forward for opportunities, or to make sure you’re building the networks or connections you need to when you have those extra plates to keep spinning. I would love to give an enthusiastic ‘yes’ when others make a request of my time, but sometimes that just isn’t possible. **At this stage, I don’t know what the answer is** – how to make my commitment to my work clear when I am not able to take up every opportunity afforded me, or to accept every invitation. For now, I have to hope that my work can speak for itself – even when I might not always have the freedom to be there to speak for it. --- ![Emily Spencer Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Emily-Spencer-280-x-280-px.jpg "Emily Spencer 280 x 280 px")Emily Spencer #### Author **[Emily Spencer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-spencer-university-college-london/)** is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career. [Follow @ejmspencer](https://twitter.com/ejmspencer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@ejmspencer.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/ejmspencer.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Childcare, Emily Spencer, Matrescence, Parenting, Parenting and Careers, PhD Life, Work Life Balance **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Health and Wellbeing, Wellbeing **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - Battling Disconnection](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-battling-disconnection/) **Published:** January 6, 2026 **Author:** Emily Spencer **Excerpt:** Doing a PhD can feel lonely, especially alongside parenting and pressure. Emily Spencer shares how disconnection crept in and what helped her feel less alone. **Content:** --- **No one has ever claimed that doing a PhD is easy. Even the most capable candidate will have days or weeks or months where they question their ability, second guess decisions that they have made, or feel like they are battling to achieve the things that they need to. Since I started my PhD in 2022, I’ve looked on as friends and colleagues have had to dig deep – particularly in their final year when their thesis is occupying every waking moment. In today’s blog, I will be considering my own response to that pressure, particularly when it’s accompanied by a feeling of disconnection.** I would love to say that I am approaching crunch time in my own PhD journey, but in reality it still feels very far off. With 10 months left on the clock, I have *finally* finished collecting the video data I need for my primary study, but still have huge question marks looming overhead about the focus of my analysis, and how those findings will then inform the final phase of my research. Crunch time for many means the time spent translating all of their work into the final thesis, but that feels like miles off for me. > I still have an incredible amount to achieve in 10 months – without even considering the two-thirds of my thesis remaining unwritten. In general, I’ve been feeling relatively relaxed about things. I know that I am hard-working, that I respond well to deadlines, and that even under pressure I can produce high quality outputs. Inexplicably, though, I am fully aware that in my last couple of supervision meetings I have come across as frazzled, overwhelmed and increasingly uncertain. It’s something I find extremely frustrating; it’s important to me that I present myself as together, as capable – and certainly not as an emotional wreck who can’t handle their workload. Yesterday, one of my supervisors – very kindly – asked whether I am taking too much on. It was hard to know how to respond. Because yes, I am trying to manage a lot. I’m currently splitting my time between two different institutions and four different projects. I have a young child, and without any family nearby there are limited options in terms of taking some of that pressure off. In an ideal world I probably wouldn’t need to work alongside my PhD, but the reality is that’s not financially viable for us. I imagine that all of the things I’m juggling would feel a lot more manageable on a full night’s sleep – but in recent months those have been extremely hard to come by. I absolutely love being a parent – I tell my son all the time that he is my best thing (a reference to one of the Mog books that he loves). **But I’ve also found it to be lonely, at times**. It isn’t as easy for me to do the things I used to do, whether that be in my personal life or professional life. A big part of my social life has always come from my church community, but going along to a service on a Sunday can now feel really isolating. Running around after my toddler trying to stop him climbing onto the stage or running into a pillar or throwing his stuffed cat at the vicar mid-sermon (all things that happened this weekend) does make me question the value of being there. As far as work is concerned, going for a drink at the end of the day would be lovely, but if it’s a day where I need to pick my son up from childcare then it just isn’t feasible. I was recently meant to submit an abstract to a European conference, but kept putting it off as I just couldn’t see how I could make it work. Even with the girls I play football with, I’ve made my excuses for almost every social that has been planned. In all of these contexts, I just feel like my personal situation is too different, too anomalous, and it’s easier to keep a distance. Doing a PhD in and of itself can also be quite an isolating experience. **For some, their PhD may form part of a larger, collaborative project, but for many of us, we are effectively on our own – save for fortnightly or monthly meetings with supervisors**. I think in recent weeks that cumulative feeling of isolation or of difference has tipped over into the tangible, and made everything seem a bit more overwhelming than it needs to be. Going back to yesterday’s disastrous supervision, my first instinct was frankly to go home and get some much-needed rest. Against my better judgment (and after a bit of a cry), I stayed in the office, and later in the day ran into a fellow student who I hadn’t seen for a while. While we were catching up, she was joking about how she has been super emotional in every supervision recently – at which point I told her I had been the same that very day. I was so grateful for that moment of connection, for the reminder that even if I *can* feel that my circumstances are very different to that of my peers, that there is also so much that we share – if only I keep myself out of self-imposed exile long enough to see it. When feeling disconnected it’s very easy for me to shut down and become more insular, but clearly that isn’t a good response. As crunch time approaches, it will be ever more important to be emotionally present, looking for those points of connection and fraternity. Supposedly a burden shared is a burden halved, after all. --- ![Emily Spencer Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Emily-Spencer-280-x-280-px.jpg "Emily Spencer 280 x 280 px")Emily Spencer #### Author **[Emily Spencer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-spencer-university-college-london/)** is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career. [Follow @ejmspencer](https://twitter.com/ejmspencer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@ejmspencer.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/ejmspencer.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Childcare, Emily Spencer, Matrescence, Parenting, Parenting and Careers, PhD Life, Work Life Balance **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Health and Wellbeing, Wellbeing **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Profile - Dr Magdalena Martínez-García, University of California Santa Barbara](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-magdalena-martinez-garcia-university-of-california-santa-barbara/) **Published:** June 1, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Magdalena Martínez García is a neuroscientist at UC Santa Barbara studying how pregnancy and motherhood reshape women’s brains. **Content:** ![Portrait of a woman with long light brown hair wearing a green sleeveless top, against a dark colorful backdrop.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Magdalena-Martinez-Garcia.jpg "Dr Magdalena Martínez-García")Dr Magdalena Martínez-García ##### Name: Dr Magdalena Martínez-García ##### Job title: Scientific Director of Maternal Health, Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative ##### Place of work / study: University of California Santa Barbara ##### Area of Research: Neuroscience of human pregnancy and [motherhood](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-motherhood-penalty-and-career-progression/) ##### How is your work funded: In recognition of my academic record, I have received a Fulbright graduate fellowship, a BBRF Young Investigator Grant, a Ramon Areces scholarship for international postdoctoral studies, and a Seal of Excellence by the Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am the Scientific Director of Maternal Health in the Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative at the University of California Santa Barbara, a University of California-wide brain imaging consortium designed to accelerate the pace of discovery for women’s health. I have a degree in Biotechnology from the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (2015), a master’s degree in Neuroscience from the Universitat de Barcelona (2016), and a PhD in Biomedical Science and Technology from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. As a neuroscientist, I specialize in the impact of hormonal transitions on the structure and functioning of women’s brains. I have 9 years of experience applying neuroimaging techniques to characterize the brain remodeling and neuroplasticity in women during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods. This journey has equipped me with the skills to effectively recruit and work with expectant mothers, a special group that presents unique challenges and requires precise timings due to the sensitive nature of pregnancy. I also serve as a co-chair of the Pregnancy and Motherhood working group within the ENIGMA Neuroendocrinology initiative, which aims to aggregate neuroimaging data from mothers around the globe to create longitudinal, large-scale databases of pregnancy and the postpartum periods. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am originally from Valencia, Spain, the land of paella, and now based in Santa Barbara, California. The two places share a similar weather and landscape, but very different cultures. I am the mother of an 8-month-old baby girl, Celia. Becoming a mother has deepened my awareness of how essential social, medical, and caregiving support is during the postpartum period. My motto is: Let’s value maternal health as much as we value infant health. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? N/A ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Try to choose supervisors who want to see you thrive and who believe in work-life balance. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am reading [Matrescence by Lucy Jones](https://amzn.to/4v1rnMF). Absolutely recommended. ##### Favourite film of all time? Honestly… The Parent Trap (don’t judge) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Discovering new walk paths around my city. Stretching. Watching a good show. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Starting a family with my husband. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Las Negras, Almeria, Spain ##### Do you collect anything? Not really. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@magdamartinezga.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/magdamartinezga.bsky.social) [Follow @MagdaMartinezGa](https://x.com/MagdaMartinezGa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Magdalena on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/magdalenamartinezgarcia/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Magdalena Martínez-García, Matrescence, University of California Santa Barbara, Women **Organisations for Bios:** University of California **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Blog - Motherhood, PhDs, and the Funding Gap](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-motherhood-phds-and-the-funding-gap/) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Emily Spencer **Excerpt:** Emily Spencer reflects on motherhood during a PhD, exposing funding gaps, maternity pay uncertainty, and why research systems must better support parents. **Content:** **It’s now been a good couple of years since I started blogging for Dementia Researcher, with the majority of my posts laying out my own experiences of juggling new parenthood and academia. Perhaps it’s unusual to be so candid about such things, but I certainly felt like there was value in offering an authentic account. I don’t feel like I ever sought to undersell the difficulties, but at the same time always wanted to communicate that it could, or should, be possible to manage both roles.** At the time of writing, it is the end of February. A couple of weeks ago, it was the International Day for Women and Girls in Science. Soon, it will be International Women’s Day. Partly because of the blog that I have (somehow, to a tiny degree) become known for, I had been invited to contribute to a couple of bits (events, communications) marking these two occasions. This is always the sort of thing I’m happy to do, for the very reason that – although it has been hard at times – I have had such a positive experience of pursuing my PhD at the same time as starting a family. Despite the expectations from some quarters in my personal life that becoming a parent would necessitate abandoning my academic pursuits, I continue to believe that you can do both, and am more than happy to talk about it. Possibly because of that slight negativity I encountered, **I can almost feel like it’s my responsibility to let others in my situation know that it can and will be okay.** That being said, I’ve come to suspect that I may have been slightly naïve. I didn’t think twice about starting a family during my PhD. This was in part due to a seminar I’d attended when I first started as a Research Assistant at my institution a couple of years earlier. The seminar had been arranged as a lunchtime event for an informal network of RAs in my institute. While not the focus of the event, per se, the speaker recounted her experience of going on mat leave during her PhD. The advice she gave was that, where possible, it’s good to work alongside your PhD, so that you’re in the best possible financial position, receiving both your stipend and maternity pay during whatever leave you take. When I became pregnant, then, I felt reassured that things would be okay. I felt reassured that I could take maternity leave, and I would continue to receive my stipend for a generous proportion of that time. I knew it, not because I had checked for myself, but because someone had spoken about it in broad terms and I had assumed that what was true for one would be true for all. For me, thankfully, it was. I headed to the relevant page on my institution’s website, which informed me that they would cover maternity pay where it was not otherwise available via the funder. My funder, for their part, is very transparent about their policies; a quick Google search directed me to their guidance, which answered all of my questions straight away and gave me any additional reassurances that I required. It was covered. > As PhD students (in the UK), we are so often given the message that we are viewed as equivalent to staff. The reality, though, can be quite different. Fine, perhaps there are the same expectations placed upon us in terms of attendance at departmental meetings, or completion of mandatory training. But there are also huge differences. Some of those have benefitted me: In my case, I can be more flexible with my hours, for example, so if like this week my child is sick and I have to stay home, it doesn’t cause any major drama. Some of the differences, though, are distinctly non-beneficial. For example, the fact that one’s institution, like my own, could change their policy and decide to stop offering pay for parental leave partway through your PhD. Or the fact that funders are under no obligation whatsoever to provide it, and there’s not really a lot you can do or say about it. And not being directly employed, one cannot even fall back on statutory maternity pay. I recently Googled a few different funding streams out of interest, and some of them are **alarmingly opaque**. I say ‘alarmingly’, because I do not believe one should have to email their funder or their potential funder to understand their entitlements when it comes to something as profoundly personal as parental leave. Maternity in the UK is a legally protected characteristic, and yet it is something one might have to expose in order to learn about their future financial security before the point of even applying for a PhD. **I recently saw an advert for a PhD that made it explicit that candidates would not be entitled to pay for any parental leave taken.** While I do applaud the transparency, I found it frankly depressing. The message I receive from that is that if you are of a certain gender, and of a certain age, this is not the place for you. As someone who started their PhD in their mid-30s, that would absolutely not have been the place for me. Maybe some see pursuing a PhD as something of a frivolity; an optional extra, so not something *deserving* of those additional benefits. But if you are serious about a career in research this really isn’t the case. Usually, even where my blogs have discussed something a little harder, I like to end on a hopeful note. **Today, I can’t seem to bring myself to it.** Sandwiched between those two days celebrating women, all I feel is frustration – part of that being directed at myself for assuming that what applied to me applied to all, and that just isn’t the case. So instead, **I’ll end by saying that we must do better**. If we truly care about addressing gender imbalance, if we truly care about elevating women to positions of authority, it’s time for funders and educational institutions to put their money where their mouth is, rather than taking the easy way out. --- ![Emily Spencer Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Emily-Spencer-280-x-280-px.jpg "Emily Spencer 280 x 280 px")Emily Spencer #### Author **[Emily Spencer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-spencer-university-college-london/)** is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career. [Follow @ejmspencer](https://twitter.com/ejmspencer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@ejmspencer.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/ejmspencer.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Academic Life, Emily Spencer, Matrescence, Motherhood, Parenting, PhD, PhD Life, Policy **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Podcast - Careers & Cradles: Balancing Motherhood & Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-careers-cradles-balancing-motherhood-and-dementia-research/) **Published:** March 4, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Join Emily Spencer, Dr Laura Prato & Dr Aisling McFall in a candid chat about working during pregnancy, contracts, maternity leave, & navigating return to work **Content:** **In this episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast, host [Emily Spencer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-spencer-university-college-london/), a PhD student at University College London, discusses the challenges and triumphs of balancing a demanding career in academia with motherhood.** Guests [Dr Laura Prato](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-laura-prato-university-of-liverpool/) and [Dr Aisling McFall](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-aisling-mcfall-university-of-glasgow/) share their experiences of working during pregnancy, maternity leave, and returning to work. They discuss the unique challenges of short-term contracts in academia and the societal guilt associated with returning to work after having a child. They also highlight the importance of supportive teams and flexible working arrangements in facilitating a successful return to work. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Emily Spencer:** Hello and welcome to another episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast. In this show, we are exploring the unique challenges and triumphs of juggling a demanding career in academia with the equally demanding role of motherhood. But rather than the usual discussion around school runs, runny noses, and late-night working, in this show, we're backing up a bit and we're going to be talking about working during pregnancy, about maternity leave and about returning to work. And I'd like to think that this isn't just a message for the ladies, so men don't switch off just yet. So, if this resonates with you, stay tuned. Hello, I am Emily Spencer. I'm a PhD student at University College London, and on the 10th of November I went on maternity leave. And yes, I am still on maternity leave, but I am somehow convincing myself that hosting today's podcast doesn't actually count as work. One of the reasons I agreed to host this show is that today’s incredible guests and I are uniquely qualified to discuss this important topic because whilst my child is now 11 weeks old, my guests are only a few months behind me and will themselves be going on maternity leave very soon. But that's enough from me. Let's meet the guests and get the news from them. So, I'd like to welcome Dr Laura Prato and Dr. Aisling McFall. Hi guys. **Dr Aisling McFall:** Hi. Dr Laura Prato: Hello. **Dr Aisling McFall:** Hi. **Emily Spencer:** And let's do some proper introductions. So, Aisling, why don't we start with you. So why don't you tell us a bit about where you work, what you do, and a little bit about your family situation. **Dr Aisling McFall:** Thanks very much for having me today. So, as you said, my name is Aisling McFall. I'm a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Glasgow. I currently work on Ischemic Stroke Project. I've only been in the post for about three months, but my PhD was actually in preclinical stroke. And before this I spent two and a half years researching neurodegeneration and \[inaudible 00:02:18\] before coming back to stroke. In terms of my family, so I have a daughter and she is three and a half years old. She was born in 2020 and right now I am 35 weeks pregnant with baby number two. So baby is due in the middle of March and I'm on the countdown. I think I have 20 days that I have to work for, I finish the last day of February. **Emily Spencer:** Do you know what you're having for your second baby? **Dr Aisling McFall:** I don't know actually. I didn't know with the first, so I decided to try and keep it the same. So resisted the strong, strong temptation and didn't find out what it is. **Emily Spencer:** Excellent. And Laura, it's great to meet you as well. Could you tell me a bit about yourself as well? Dr Laura Prato: Great to meet you as well, Emily and Aisling and lovely to be here today. So, my name's Laura Prato. I work at the University of Liverpool and I'm a post-doctoral research fellow funded by the NIHR and the Alzheimer's Society. And my main research at the minute is looking at dementia care navigation services in the community and looking at whether they help people access further services, whether they improve wellbeing and what kind of populations they're reaching. And I've been there about 18 months now, but I've worked on a variety of different projects in that time, and I have a four-and-a-half-year-old little boy and I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant with my second baby. And I also don't know what I'm having, but I'm due at the end of May. **Emily Spencer:** You both have amazing self-control there. There was absolutely no way I was not going to find out, I just felt like don't double your workload. I wasn't going to plan names for boys and girls, there was no way. But yeah, thank you guys so much. I don't know if you know each other, I haven't met either of you before, so it's good to meet you both and to share a little about me. So, as I said earlier, I'm a PhD student based at UCL in London. So, I've actually been at UCL for around three years now. So, I started firstly as a research assistant on an Alzheimer's Society Project looking at post diagnostic care. And my PhD is looking at communication between GPs, people with dementia and their carers around advanced care planning and planning for the end of life in general. I am a new parent, so my son arrived on his due date, which I was very appreciative of back in November, so he's 11 weeks old. So yeah, it's all very new for me I would say. And yes, I did not have the self-control, I had to find out, 20-week scan, first question, what we're looking at here? So that's the introductions done and let's get on with the show. So to help set the scene a little, previous shows have talked about the practicalities of managing family life and a research career, whereas today we're going to come at this from a bit of a different angle and consider how you actually get through working during pregnancy, the effects on your career life after maternity leave as well as the eventual return to work or not as the case may be. So what we hope to do is bring to the surface some of those seldom discussed issues in the hope that that will help others realise that they're not alone and maybe even provide some advice for those who are about to go through the same thing, who might be planning on going through the same thing at some point in the future. So, to start with, I would love to hear about what you experiences have been of working while pregnant. So maybe starting right at the beginning, how did you decide when to tell your team or your supervisor or how did they react when you told them? I don't know if either of you want to go first. Maybe Aisling? **Dr Aisling McFall:** I suppose first time around was a little different as I was three days into a new post. So, I was writing up my PhD thesis at the time and I'd secured a research assistant post, and I started it on the Monday, and I think I had my 12-week scan on the Wednesday. And so, after I did that scan, I thought, okay, I think I need to tell this new boss. So that was a little bit scary, but I knew I needed to tell her for health and safety reasons, and she was fantastic about it. She was so supportive of it even though she'd only known me a few days and she actually even extended my short-term post to give me a bit more maternity pay, which was great. This time around I had a little of a different situation in that I was working in one job about to leave to then go to a new job. So, I had two bosses basically to go and tell. So, I needed to tell my current boss. I told him really early for again health and safety reasons and there are lots of things when... I work in a lab and so there's certain risks, so it's important that the manager knows early on. But I was due to start a new position in November and so I felt I needed to go and inform my new PI so that we could make plans for how we would want to manage that, manage only coming to the job for a short period of time before stopping. And what was great was then we organised a meeting with the collaborators on the project and so everybody knew what was going on and we had a plan for realistically what can you achieve in three or four months before you go. I suppose both occasions were not exactly textbook in terms of me trying to tell, having to tell my employer. **Emily Spencer:** How about for you Laura? Was it a bit more straightforward or a similar situation? Dr Laura Prato: So, the first time around I was about four months into the PhD, so I just had to tell my supervisors really and that's fine. The PhD programme that I was on paid enhanced maternity leave as part of the programme. So, all that happened was I had to apply to have my submission data, it was called end date extended by the time I took off. And there were no problems around that. So that was really good, and everybody was really supportive, and it was fine. I mean what happened to was in the middle of, well the very end of that maternity leave coincided with when COVID started, and we went into lockdown. So, I returned to work in May 2020, and I think the COVID lockdown was March 2020. So, it was a very strange time to be returning from maternity leave because it was a case of everybody was working from home and everybody was kind of adjusting to that new schedule. And so that was quite unusual. And then this time around, I told my line manager after my 12-week scan and I'm very lucky that my contract end date has been extended since then and I think it's going to be extended again from what they were saying. So that's quite lucky in that the \[inaudible 00:09:58\] fell out, so there's funding there available for me to be able to take maternity leave and then return and continue with the project. So, I've been very lucky in that sense. So, there's been an impact on my work and since it's been delayed, but they've extended the term again so that I can finish the work when I return. So yeah, that's quite lucky. **Emily Spencer:** No, that's good. I was just thinking about how I told my line manager as well, obviously last year. I was terrible when I was pregnant, I just didn't tell people for as long as I could get away with it, not necessarily at work, but in my personal life. So, there are friends that I have who don't live nearby who possibly don't know that I have a child because I just never mentioned that I was pregnant. It seems a bit too late now to mention it, which is terrible. I think there's something wrong with me. And I was wondering how long I could get away without telling work. Because I was just like, oh, this is such an awkward conversation for some reason. And then I found out that I had an abstract accepted for a conference for the Alzheimer Europe Conference in Helsinki and that would've been when I was 35 weeks pregnant, but I really wanted to go and it was literally like we found out, well I had my 12-week scan and then it was like the next day I had the abstract accepted and I was like, oh, I'm going to have to say because I can't be like, oh yeah, I'm booking on and then find out later you are heavily pregnant. But it was fine. Both of you touched on something there that I think is really important to talk about, which is the research environment I think is quite a unique environment when it comes to having a family and taking time off because of the nature of contracts being quite short term or doing a PhD or what have you. And I wonder, I mean this might be a bit of a personal question, but to what extent or did it to any extent, the nature of those short-term contract’s kind of impact at all on your decision to start a family or on timing of those things, for example? Aisling, I see your kind of nodding. **Dr Aisling McFall:** Yeah, it definitely did. I mean, me and my husband both, we knew we wanted to have kids and we both actually did PhDs quite close together in terms of time and we knew it was going to be a challenge to try and work out a good time. So, first time around we thought that a really good time to have a baby was just after you finished your thesis or while you're writing your thesis. In hindsight, probably not such a good idea because it meant that my mat leave was spent having to do thesis corrections, which I didn't have time to do because baby came sooner than I thought. And then job hunted to get a job, didn't have much. And then second time around, by the time I felt ready, so by the time my daughter was old enough for me to think, "Yeah, okay, I could do this again." I think at that point I had a year and a half or so left on my contract, maybe a year left on my contract and I thought it just won't work because I promised myself after having to spend a lot of the first mat leave job hunting and the stress that that, it was really, really stressful. I was like, I promised myself that I wouldn't do that again and so I would make sure that I had a job to come back to. So, I definitely think that at least second time around it caused a delay that wouldn't necessarily have happened if I had been in a different kind of career where it just is a permanent contract. So yeah, I definitely do think it played a big role in terms of getting the timing and I think I was incredibly lucky to have secured a position just as that previous post finished. And now here I am, about to go on maternity leave and I'm coming back to nearly two years of a post. So, it's a huge, huge weight off my shoulders and it just makes it much easier. But I do find it almost quite frustrating that I had to think of that, I couldn't just... You maybe have friends who decided to have family and they just go, yeah, I want to have family. And they just do it, and they don't really have to think about it. I mean, you could, and you always work things out and things pan out eventually, but I just feel like with this kind of job, there needs to be a lot of planning for something that is difficult to plan. **Emily Spencer:** Definitely. And I mean there's the idea of timing, you can plan for when you want things to happen that doesn't necessarily mean that they will happen then. So, you might think, "Oh, I've got two years left on this contract." And two years can easily become, I don't know, a year or five months or- **Dr Aisling McFall:** Precisely. Precisely. **Emily Spencer:** Is there anything you want to say about that, Laura? Dr Laura Prato: Yeah, I mean I agree with Aisling. So there'll be five years by the time this baby's born between my son and baby and it wouldn't have been so long if I hadn't have been on a PhD because I wanted to get the \[inaudible 00:15:30\] out of the way before getting pregnant because I'd already, as I said, I was in the very beginning of the first year, really, when I got pregnant. In fact, I must have been about a month into my PhD when I got pregnant first time around. So, I basically spent the entirety of the PhD either pregnant or with a very small baby. And that's obviously very challenging, especially around writing your thesis and things like that. And then this is obviously only related to the UK context, but once your child reaches three, you're entitled to funded childcare but not if you're a PhD student. So that adds another level of complexity where you've got to be in a funded position by the time, you're through to get that childcare. So, I definitely didn't want to have a second child before I was in a position that was a PAYE, as in a job so that I wouldn't have to go through that again. And I wanted the \[inaudible 00:16:36\] out of the way without having to be pregnant during the \[inaudible 00:16:41\] or anything like that. So, it definitely does have an impact because you do have to think around those practicalities and how that's going to work for you. And I think I was fairly lucky first time around to be a PhD student so early on because I wasn't into the thick of the research. I was still basically carrying out the \[inaudible 00:17:02\] review, so it was very flexible work, and it was desk-based work and I think I was applying for ethical approvals and things like that and then there was kind of a natural stop for me. So, I had submitted the application and then I went on maternity leave, so I wasn't stopping a project in the middle or anything like that. And I think I've been quite lucky again this time in the sense it's a similar scenario in that again, I'm currently applied for ethical approvals and hopefully those will be in place when I take maternity leave and then when I return I can stop the data collection part of the project. But it is complicated because it's about trying to get that balance in the timing and like you said, it's not that straightforward because you're not really in control of your own fertility. So, you try and plan as much as possible, but what happens, and you just have to react as best you can. **Emily Spencer:** It is just such a unique kind of environment to work in I think and does add this extra pressure. So, as I mentioned, I'm a PhD student. I've done one year, so I've got to that stage where I'm kind of finishing up my systematic review, I've got my ethical approval in place so when I go back, I'll be data collecting. But something that you kind of mentioned as well, Laura, about, so in the UK context, the government have announced extending that free childcare. So, by the time my child is nine months old, there will be 15 hours of free childcare for nine-month-old babies as long as you're working. And so, there's provision for people who are working, there's provision for undergraduate students and then there's this gaping hole for PhD students, which man, when you're already on a low income, it is just this horrible thing to think about. It so outraged me this week that I sent just an email of anger to \[inaudible 00:19:09\] as my local MP to tell him what I thought about it. So that's been on my mind. My next blog post, anyone who's been following those will each of that. So that's something to look forward to. And then going back to something you were saying earlier, Aisling, as well, so thinking about working during pregnancy, you mentioned both times telling your employees in terms of a health and safety thing or health and safety perspective and obviously your work very much being lab-based and there being implications there. So, I wondered in what way being pregnant has kind of changed your day-to-day working life in terms of what you're actually doing. **Dr Aisling McFall:** So, there's just a few chemicals and things that I can't really, I shouldn't be around. And so, there's just a few processes where I can't do. One of the main things in my current role is I can't be near anaesthetic. So, if you're doing any animal procedures that involve anaesthetic, I can't do them. So that entire part portion of my project has just had to be put on hold until I return back. But other than that, the changes are just quite subtle. For example, asking a PhD student, could you do this particular process for me because I'm not touching it? And actually, what's quite interesting this time is, so the last time when I was pregnant, my little girl was born in July 2020, so most of my pregnancy was lockdown. I think I had 12 weeks in the lab before going into lockdown. So, I didn't really know what it was like to work in a lab pregnant because at that point I must have reached my 20 weeks or something at that point, and you don't have a big belly or anything, so you're not hindered. Whereas this time, I very much and so I'm noticing why I can't quite get to the lab bench completely. If you think about when you're trying to wash dishes and your belly gets in the way, well now that's a lab bench and I can't quite reach it and thankfully the students in the lab are really kind and that if something goes on the floor or goes underneath something and I'm like, "Guys, please, this can fell." They'll help me out with that. And I had to get a massive lab coat as well because my lab coat started to not fit and obviously it's there for a reason, it's a health and safety thing and there's no point in you walking around with a lab coat with a belly stick \[inaudible 00:21:46\]. So, I got this giant lab coat to try and accommodate the bump. But it is definitely quite interesting to be in the lab now that I'm pregnant this time and just realise just how, I don't know, how agile you almost need to be to work in the lab or how agile I would work in my lab, darting bite and now I am a little bit slower and I need a bit more space. **Emily Spencer:** Has there been any differences for you Laura? Because obviously the type of research you do is quite different to Aisling. Has it had any implications for how you do your job or any things that you'd usually be doing and not now? Dr Laura Prato: Not really in the attempts that I'm largely still a qualitative researcher. So the biggest challenges I suppose are around things like, if you have nausea during the early stages and you have events or presentations to give or that's obviously complicated, but I suppose that's true of anybody when you're in a, it's difficult to perform when you're not feeling very well. I think probably more something that you touched on Emily, about conferences and about having restrictions around travel. So, because I'll be on maternity leave over the summer, which is obviously when quite a few conferences were organised, I won't be able to travel to present my research findings and that's quite frustrating. And I think last time I think I did present when I was on maternity leave, but they became more hybrid during the pandemic and now a lot of conferences have gone back to more face-to-face formats because they're recognising the value of networking and of not watching remote presentations, which is understandable and people being there for questions. So, I think that's probably the biggest impact that I've seen in that I'm not able to attend those conferences and that is a limiting factor because I'll have to wait until I return from maternity leave, so I'll be a year behind. **Emily Spencer:** Yeah, I definitely see that as, I mean it is quite difficult, isn't it? I mean I was very fortunate I think that the conference was just literally just within that window of opportunity for me. I think the original due date they'd given me; it would've been a week over and then at my first scan they were like, "Oh no, we think that your due date's out by two weeks." And I was like, "Thank goodness. I really wanted to go to Helsinki." But then all my colleagues were like, "Are you sure that you're going to want to go when you're 35 weeks?" And I being me was just like, "How dare you limit me. I definitely want to go." And I was completely fine. So that's good. But I appreciate that not everyone is feeling absolutely fine at 35 weeks. Moving forward a bit I guess to thinking about actually preparing for your maternity leave. So, Aisling, you are obviously really close to going on two going on. So how have you planned for your leave in terms of handing over responsibilities or do you feel like you've been able to wind down a bit? How's that planning going for you at the moment? **Dr Aisling McFall:** What's winding down? No. So every time I take any leave be it like a holiday or whatever, there's always, always chaos. So, as I mentioned earlier on, we had a meeting with the collaborators on the project before I started, and we did plan of these are the things to achieve before I finish up. So, I've been working through getting those parts done. So basically, I'm banking up sales and things that I've freeze down that are then going to be ready for me coming back and things like that. So, in terms of preparing the project for me finishing, that was sort of planned before I actually started, which was good. But of course, things don't always go to plan. So, I've got my own sort of deadlines, my own things that I want to have achieved before I finished that are just going to probably make this month a little bit chaotic. But in terms of other things, so other responsibilities. So, I had a student that I was supervising for a dissertation that she was writing up and I'm supposed to give feedback, formal feedback to it in March or I think this mission date for is the end of March. And I really wanted to take on the student and have that experience that was at supervision, and I wasn't sure if I could because this was a hard deadline, I couldn't change it. So thankfully I was able to arrange with my PI and she's happy to support me. So even though I'll be off, I'll be able to potentially either still do the marking or chat to her on the phone about getting through the marking and stuff. So that's another sort of handover responsibility that I've done. I think I'm still supposed to try and arrange, I'm an ECR rep for our Alzheimer's research UK Scotland network. I think I'm supposed to try and find somebody to cover me with my \[inaudible 00:27:32\], but that bit I was kind of falling behind so I might just have to dip back into that instead of finding somebody else. But no, I think I'm pretty well-prepared. It is kind of strange this time to know I'm coming back to something, whereas last time I felt very much, I mean obviously it was a research system post, it was fixed term, and it would've ended when I was on mat leave and things. So, it was very much clear your decks, everything needs to be done. Whereas this time I feel like, oh, anything that isn't finished, that's 2025's problem. **Emily Spencer:** So obviously the three of us are all based in the UK where maternity policies are relatively generous compared to a lot of other places in the world, especially places like the states where you're lucky to get more than a few weeks I know in a lot of jobs. So how long are each of you planning on taking in terms of maternity leave, I guess in terms of your entitlement but also what you have decided on and whether that's kind of a movable feast as well. So, Laura, how about you? Dr Laura Prato: So those time I took nine months and I think I'm going to take nine months again. Large part of that is to do with finance and that's what's funded. So that's what I'm able to take. And it worked quite well for me last time because by nine months obviously the baby's approaching one, they're a bit lots stable in terms of the sleep, their sleep patterns are a little bit more predictable and halfway through \[inaudible 00:29:17\] out, so it's not that younger baby. And that worked quite well for me because it gave me nine months to kind of enjoy being a mom, going to baby classes, that kind of thing. I didn't feel like it was too big of a gap for the research. I didn't feel like I was parking the research project for too long. It felt like a good time to come back. It was complicated for me by the fact that COVID happened right in the middle. So, when I did come back, I had to make a lot of adjustments to my work around the impact of lockdowns and things like that. But for me that was about the right amount time. **Emily Spencer:** And how about you Aisling? **Dr Aisling McFall:** Yeah, so I took nine months the last time for the exact same reason as Laura and that is what you're paid for in the UK. The statute \[inaudible 00:30:12\] to pay only goes to 39 weeks. This time around I'm quite keen to take a little bit longer, but most of that is going to be driven by finance I suppose because although you can get the payment up to nine months of statutory pay, statutory pay is not very much money at all. So, what's quite nice in my university at least is that while I'm off, I'm going to accrue all of my holidays and all the bank holidays and all these things. So, it actually means that on the back end of mat leave I can take a bit of time off on full pay because it'll be holidays if I try and use all of \[inaudible 00:30:59\] up. So, my current plan which could change is to have nine months fully off and then start dipping my toe back in. So maybe one day a week until I've said go back full-time once baby's born, that's my goal. But whether that remains full time or whether I drop down to four days or something, my line manager and I have already openly discussed that. Just, let's see how things go at that point because that only we once, so I might end up reduce my work time just so I get a bit more time with \[inaudible 00:31:41\]. **Emily Spencer:** I've ended up being really fortunate actually in some ways because when I started my PhD, I was still working on the project I was on before and that project finished at the end of September after which I went full-time on the PhD. But it meant that even though I'd left that job, it was so close to my due date that I still got statutory maternity pay for the entire nine-month period. And then with my PhD I get a full stipend for six months. So actually, that nine months of statutory that I'm accruing pays for a full extra three months for me. So, I can take nine months without any concerns, which is literally like man, from heaven, when you're on a PhD's stipend. But yeah, knowing some of my friends for example, who live in the states and seeing, I mean one of my friends, I remember with her first, she was entitled to two months from her employer and just think, man, the idea that I would be back at work already seems really hard. So, I guess to some extent I need to be grateful for the provision we do have here, but it's easier said than done, perhaps. In terms of your maternity leave, I don't know how much you've thought about what you plan on doing with that time other than maybe the baby gloss and that sort of thing, but how much are you guys planning on still being involved to any extent with work, engaging with that? I don't know if you've got keeping in touch days or whether you want kind of a clean break for a while. I don't know if either of you want to talk about that a bit, what your plans are. **Dr Aisling McFall:** So, I'm trying to have the big things finished. So, papers and things, hopefully they will only be revisions and I maybe need to dip back in and look at. I'm ignoring any grant deadlines that I see right now and saying no, have a look at this again in January and start paying attention to those emails again. So, I'm mostly going to try to not work and enjoy time with the baby, also time with my daughter and not being in lockdown and actually being able to go out and do things. But my university of likes to have 10 keeping in touch days and I'm very much going to make use of those I think near the tail end of the year just to pick up on some things like some teaching and just starting to get, getting things organised. But I say that, I don't know what might happen in the summer. I definitely remember the last time getting very set up of babies, but maybe it was because I was just in lockdown on my own in the house with the baby all day. I think I spent four months rolling out the floor trying to teach my daughter how to roll because she just would not do it. And my husband's buying me books, going maybe you want to read to try and keep your brain alive. So, I don't know, I've got all these good intentions of saying, no, no work, but I imagine I'm not going to be able to resist and I'm going to end up dipping back in in the summer or just after. **Emily Spencer:** I think before I went on maternity leave, I'd said, because this project that I was working had come to an end, but obviously the end of a project doesn't mean the end of dissemination. It means the beginning of dissemination a lot of the time. And so, we were kind of getting into that phase of writing papers. So remember on my last day before mat leave, I submitted to a journal one paper I've been working on and then a first draught of another and my colleagues were like, you're not going to want to look at this, you're going to want time with your baby, and I was like, I know myself, I know that I need to keep my brain going in a different way. So, I mean I'm only three months into mat leave and I'm already just, I mean I've been into the office twice with baby in tow, everyone likes a baby, so that's fine. People will hold it for you while you do some work, but not that this is a model that other people should necessarily be following. But for me, I really enjoy work. I like going in and seeing people. I like feeling like I'm contributing to life in a way that's not just the life of this one tiny human. So yeah, I understand the draw to work. How about you Laura? Oh, sorry. **Dr Aisling McFall:** When you love your job, I think it is hard to completely detach yourself that way. Dr Laura Prato: Sorry, I think I checked my emails once a month. Last time I was on maternity leave, I didn't work at all. I thought I would. And I think I was lucky though in that my maternity was pre lockdown or at least the bulk of it was. And I spent quite a lot of time building networks for when I'd be off, I'd have other people with babies the same age. So, I spent a lot of time attending baby classes and socialising with my NCT circle. And I was also just very tired. For the first six months, my son didn't really nap other than contact napping. And he also, he did sleep, but he would wake every three hours and I exclusively breastfed. So, I spent a lot of time just doing that really and spending time with other mums and kind of, I suppose just getting to know him, which was a surprise to me because I expected to be more interested in work than I would be. But I don't know, I think this time I'm going to try and stick to a similar model as much as possible. Although possibly because I've had the experience before, I think I'll probably spend, I'll probably be more open to maybe looking at a bit more work when baby's gone to sleep. Whereas last time I spent a lot of it either googling various habits that they were developing and trying to work out whether they were developing it the way that they should. And then later on I spent a lot of it doing things like baking homemade pinwheels for weaning and making homemade purees and that kind of thing whenever he was asleep. Yeah, so I don't know, I think I might be more open this time. **Emily Spencer:** You are putting me to shame, Laura. I feel like that's what I'm meant to do or be like. So, I went to one of these, it was like a baby music class thing a couple of weeks ago. Never again, I just can't, I couldn't cope with it, it was too much. And then I concluded I'm an adult, I'm actually an adult. I don't have to do things that I don't want to do. And so, the one thing I do every single week, the one routine I have, which I would highly recommend to everyone is baby cinema. So good. I've gone and seen all of the Oscar best picture nominees, cinema down the road, five pounds, just so low hassle. You're there with a bunch of other parents and babies. Love it. Alas, the baby sensory classes, I don't know, for me it's just not the one, but there's so much of it and people get so much from it. So, I think I am the anomaly, which is how I end up doing work, which is quite sad. But then I think my baby is quite good. The minute I put him in his pram, he will immediately fall asleep. So, there's like a coffee shop down the road. If I just wheel him that five minutes, then I know that I can get an hour and a half at my laptop, which is very sad. But I don't know, we're all different. So, I know that we don't have that much time left, so I thought we'd move on to returning to work. And so, I know that in a previous podcast on this platform, Gemma Lace talked about how other moms sometimes judged her or she felt judged for going back to work. So, what are your thoughts on returning to work? I know Aisling, you said that you are going to go in a stepped way perhaps, or what will returning to work look like for you? Or how do you feel about it? **Dr Aisling McFall:** Since I've already done it once, I know a bit more what to expect. So, I think the biggest shock for me, I don't know Laura if this was the same for you. The biggest shock for me when I went back to work was that I put my child into childcare and then she could never go to childcare because she was sick. She would go into childcare and get sick and then spend all her time at home and me having to be at home and my husband having to be at home because she was sick. So, I guess maybe that's my reason for thinking about going back and sort of phase one day a week or something. Let her get all the bad illnesses, I say her, might be he, I don't know, let them get all the illnesses out of their system and then I'll be going full time in summertime maybe when they're not so sick. But that didn't quite pan out the last time. But yeah, you kind of touched on the, I suppose the mom guilt. Are people judging you for working? And I certainly never feel like anybody in my workplace, so anybody within academia, within the university or anything would put any judgement to me working. But I definitely feel just more general society, I definitely get that kind of vibe that I shouldn't be working, or I shouldn't be as invested in my career. Or for example, when I work late and things, maybe people are thinking, why is she working late? I'm doing it because I love it. Like, give me a break. But then the mom guilt also was like, "Oh, should I be doing this? Should I not be at home?" But I know that my little girl absolutely adores her nursery. Our nursery's been fantastic. She's been in the same nursery since she's been nine months old. And the experiences that she's had in there have been just amazing and she's developed into this amazing little person. And I know that that's not just me and my husband doing that. I know that the nursery is also contributing to this amazing love personality that she's developing. So that helps get rid of the mom guilt for sure. And yeah, just got to ignore society I suppose. Don't listen to them. **Emily Spencer:** And because there's not the dad guilt, right? No one's being like, why is this dad gone back full time? What is he doing? Whereas the expectation is so much, your primary responsibility or your primary role now is a mom. I was chatting to a friend recently who doesn't work in our field, but she was saying when her daughter was in, I think she was in reception year one or something, and then there was a school trip and all of the parents were invited, "We need volunteers. If you want to come on the school trip, you can." And she loves her job. She was like, "I'm not going to take a day of annual leave to go on the school trip, it's fine." She went to pick up her daughter at the end of the day and out of the 30 kids, 28 moms had gone. And so, it was only hers and one other child who didn't have their mom with them. And she was like, oh my gosh, I just felt so judged for being at work and coming to pick her up. So yeah, there is a special societal place for that judgement, I'm sure. **Dr Aisling McFall:** When she went on a school trip the last year, me and my husband were fighting over who got to go actually. He was like, "Yeah, so I'm just going to go." And I went, "Hey, \[inaudible 00:44:14\], why do you get to go? Why don't I get to go." We were like, "Should we both go?" And then that seemed about the \[inaudible 00:44:19\], first to both take a day off and go. So, in the end I won. I got to go. **Emily Spencer:** I was going to say it probably depends on where the trips to. I think this friend, it was like a trip to the local village, and she was just like, I don't need to that, I don't need to take a day off to walk to the co-op and look at the local church. Do you have any thoughts, Laura, about how you're planning on going back or is that still open-ended at the moment? Dr Laura Prato: No, I've chosen the nursery that we're going to use this time. I think I'm quite lucky in that I don't know anybody who doesn't work, who has kids. So, it would be far more unusual where I lived that somebody didn't work and go back to work. And I think one of the things I've found really great about working from home is that because we can work flexibly, what I have been able to do is if there's been a nativity production, which they try and put at nine in the morning, I can attend that till 10 and then just work till six at night. So, I'm still working the hours, but more flexible, so that's been really good. And I think, Aisling was kind of talking about those illnesses as well in the early days when you first, they start attending nursery. Again, I had a bit of a strange experience because it was the beginning of lockdown. It was very strict bubbles at nurseries. So, my son was actually really well for a really long time because nobody mixed with each other. And then it sorts of all happened later on when they sort of started being a bit more flexible about people mixing and children mixing a bit more. But the specific nursery that we had was actually really strict for quite a long time for probably a good two years. So, I think it delayed some of those illnesses and they're kind of happening now. But yeah, like I said, last time was a very odd experience because at the beginning of the lockdown periods, nobody, as you were saying yesterday about the labs not being open and people weren't working in that way anyway. So, I think it's going to be a bit of a different experience for me this time around because it's more business as usual when I'm returning. But yeah, I think probably because I've had the experience of balancing the two previously, I think it is fine and I still haven't really thought through whether I'm going to go back full time or whether I'm going to go back four days. But I think as you're saying, going to nursery can be a very positive experience and can really help developmentally. So, it's about making sure that you're balancing your needs as a mom with the needs of the child and getting that balance right and what works for you works for them. **Emily Spencer:** No, that's so true. Yeah, I think we're kind of coming to an end now, so I'll just summarise what we've talked about. So I mean, I think we're all agreed that there are unique challenges with becoming a mom when you're working in a research environment, particularly when it comes to the nature of the shorter term contracts or trying to plan when you're going on leave and not really being in control of that as much as we'd like to be. And the fact that being moms is associated with this kind of societal guilt and that can factor into how you go back to work. But I guess academia does afford some flexibility as well in terms of going back and it sounds like people who have got some really good teams behind them who are willing to support that return and be it a direct return back into five days or four days or a phased return. So yeah, it seems like people have got some good plans and some exciting times coming up. So, before we go, I just have one last question. Well, it's kind of a two-part question. So firstly, I'd like to ask both of you, what changes would you like to see in the academic community to better support pregnant academics and those on maternity leave in the future? And then also what advice do you have for anyone listening who is planning to start a family but who might not want to compromise their career? So, if I go to you first, Laura. Dr Laura Prato: I think it's difficult to say so much what the academic community can do because it's, as we sort of mentioned earlier, academia does tend to be structured around projects, project deadlines and dissemination work. And it's difficult for that to shift, especially with the funders and the way various pieces of researchers. I think for me it's more about governments within countries providing the correct support so that academic context can do things like extend your contact that bit further so that you're able to meet the needs of the project. I'm not sure that that's necessarily something that academia itself can do because it has got those structures around funding. And I think I'm very lucky, the university that I'm at, I think it is really supportive around academics taking maternity leave and does provide quite a good, enhanced package. And I think in terms of returning to work and making sure that you're able to support your own career, I think some of that is around planning what works best for you. So, looking at what would you like to do? And it might be that while you have small children, you decide to focus on one aspect of your career over another. Maybe an aspect that is more family friendly, that is more flexible if that's something you need or looking at childcare provision so that you can take on that next PI role that you really want. And just about being pragmatic around what will work for you and what will work for your children and your family. **Emily Spencer:** And how about you, Aisling? **Dr Aisling McFall:** Yeah, so I feel like as you've sort of said, the UK maternity provisions are obviously a lot better than maybe in other countries, but I guess it's more just in agreement with what Laura said in terms of the funding of subcontracts. My particular funder has agreed to pause my grant so that there's no time lost on it. So, the entire period of mat leave will just be paused and start again after. But I know that not every funder does that. So that's definitely a change that I think it's ridiculous that some funders don't pause the grant, but they just continue to run, and you lose nine months or a whole year of your job. I guess the key thing would be, I suppose to end all big term contracts. Wouldn't that be great? Because then you wouldn't have to worry about trying to plan and make sure that you've got enough time left on your contract and all those kinds of things. But that's a work in progress, that's something that we've all wanted for years and years and probably not quite sure if that's ever going to pan out. But one key thing that I think would really be helpful would be to provide childcare conferences. So, there's been a few conferences I've went to and there's been, people have had their children there or there's been an option at registration, \[inaudible 00:52:16\] if you'd want to have childcare. But any of the conferences, that only seemed to be conferences that were actually in Glasgow. So, I was like, don't need you. And then the conferences where I was going away to, they didn't have that option. So, for a couple of us, I was going down to England, it wasn't even a choice. So, I think that could be a change that could be brought. And then your second part of your question, was what was it just advice for people who didn't want to stall their career? So, I guess if you just look around the number of people who are in this career who have children, so there's absolutely no reason why you should feel that you're going to lose your career. But I think what's really important, and I think Emily, you actually wrote up a blog post on this, it's like the importance of not losing yourself. I think most academics do feel very much that their career is part of them, they're very passionate. Some days you say, oh yeah, it's just a job, but it is actually a career and it's a passion and that's how you get there. So, I guess it's a benefit almost like can you have that career to drive you forward that you don't lose yourself because you still have that bit? And then also just embrace it. It's like chaos at the beginning between sleepless nights or not being able to take the baby off you or then going back to work and trying to juggle everything and sicknesses here, there and everywhere. But I think you can make yourself a better researcher because of it. I've had more senior academics tell me that they find mothers that worked for them were much more efficient than the staff that they had that were not mothers. And you definitely do, you find a way to, you start to rearrange your priorities and do the things that are important, and you do become more efficient. So just embrace the lovely chaos of it all and just go for it. **Emily Spencer:** That's awesome. Yeah, I was just thinking about what you were saying there as well about kind of the childcare provision at conferences. I think the same could be said for in terms of how universities could support people coming back as helping with that provision themselves. I know some universities will provide or subsidise childcare within their own nurseries for students. Some don't. It would be great if that was more of a universal thing, particularly when all of these in the UK, these government policies are working their way down the ages now so that more people are going to have access to free childcare hours. And when that isn't relevant to students, it'll be good for universities to maybe have an equivalent provision or an equivalent discount or something is what I selfishly would love to see in the academic world. But no, it has been really great to hear a bit about you experiences and just for me as well to see that actually you can go on maternity leave on your PhD and still get your PhD at the end of it, which is great. I believe that. I've seen it for myself and that it doesn't mean having to shift everything of who you are, but actually you can still go back into that research world, still have that passion for that and kind of work things out as you go along. So, I am afraid that is all we have time for today, but if you can't get enough of this topic, you can visit the Dementia Researcher website where you'll find a full transcript, biographies on our guest, blogs and other podcasts that are on this important topic as well. And as I've already shamelessly plugged, you can also read my blogs where I'm kind of talking more about my own experiences of becoming a parent in real time. So, there'll be monthly over the coming months. And just to let you know as well, so if you have had a career gap to start a family and would like to get back into research, and if you're based in the UK, sorry for our international listeners, the Daphne Jackson Alzheimer's Society Fellowships a really great way to return. And they're currently accepting applications, which I believe close on the 8th of May. And so, details of that call and an online seminar with all of the information are going to be included in the show notes. So do check that out. So, I would love to thank our incredible guests, Dr Laura Prato, and Dr Aisling McFall. And I'm Emily Spencer, and you have been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Bye. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. **END** --- --- **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL or Dementia Researcher [![goodpods top 100 science indie podcasts](https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/leaderboard_badges/science_all-science_top1_week.png)](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/all-science?indie=true&period=week#22573808) [Goodpods Top 100 Science Indie Podcasts](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/all-science) [Listen now to Dementia Researcher podcast](https://goodpods.com/podcasts/dementia-researcher-152321) ###### Meet the contributors ###### Resources mentioned in the show: > [Daphne Jackson x Alzheimer's Society Fellowship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/funding-calls/?fwp_funders_facet=the-daphne-jackson-trust) > > [Daphne Jackson Trust Webinar](https://youtu.be/9TjRTtI1Z44) > > [Reframing Motherhood Letter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Alzheimer-s-Dementia-2024-Janus-Reframing-motherhood-in-dementia-research-A-call-for-action.pdf) > > [Maternity Action UK](https://maternityaction.org.uk/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Dr Aisling McFall, Emily Spencer, Family, Laura Prato, Maternity Leave, Matrescence, Motherhood, Parenting, Parenting and Careers, Podcast, Pregnancy **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Profile - Dr Sanjay Manohar, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sanjay-manohar-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** August 4, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sanjay Manohar is an Associate Professor in Computational Neurology studying how brain activity shapes memory, motivation and thought. **Content:** ![Smiling portrait of Dr. Sanjay Manohar with a muted brown background and the Dementia Researcher logo in the top right.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Dr-Sanjay-Manohar.jpg "Dr Sanjay Manohar")Dr Sanjay Manohar ##### Name: Dr Sanjay Manohar ##### Job title: Associate Professor in Computational Neurology ##### Place of work/study: China Medical University (CMU) Taiwan, and CMU Beigang Hospital ##### Area of Research: I study how neurons in the brain give rise to thoughts, memory and motivation. ##### How is your work funded: MRC and NIHR ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I read medicine at Cambridge, where I completed a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Physiology. I trained as a neurologist at UCL and Imperial, completed my PhD at Queen Square, and started a lab in Oxford in 2018. My group studies the neural computations underlying motivation and working memory, and how [dopamine](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/demon-webinar-recording-chromatin-in-parkinsons/) and acetylcholine modulate them. I am also the author of a children’s comic book about the brain and *Good Coding Practice*, a manual for improving computer code. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Not sure I have one ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? To help people ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Do not be afraid to change track, follow trends, spot what’s new and learn new methods. ##### Can we find you on social media? [@braininthemind.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/braininthemind.bsky.social) [Find Sanjay on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgmanohar/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Computational Neurology, Dr Sanjay Manohar, Memory, University of Oxford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Ta-Wei Guu, China Medical University Taiwan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ta-wei-guu-china-medical-university-taiwan/) **Published:** July 31, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Ta-Wei Guu is a consultant psychiatrist and assistant professor researching dementia, depression, sleep, wearable technology and photobiomodulation. **Content:** ![Portrait of a man with short black hair and glasses, wearing a dark blue shirt and pink lanyard, smiling at the camera?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Dr-Ta-Wei-Guu.jpg "Dr Ta-Wei Guu")Dr Ta-Wei Guu ##### Name: Dr Ta-Wei Guu ##### Job title: Consultant psychiatrist and assistant professor ##### Place of work/study: China Medical University (CMU) Taiwan, and CMU Beigang Hospital ##### Area of Research: Dementia, depression, sleep, wearable technology, photobiomodulation ##### How is your work funded: My current projects are mainly funded by the Taiwanese National Health Research Institute (NHRI) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a Taiwanese psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist. I obtained my medical degree (equivalent to an MBBS) in Taiwan in 2011 and completed my PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, in 2024. My research focuses on the use of [wearable technologies](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wearables-dementia-research-challenges-and-opportunities/) to characterise sleep, circadian rhythms, and psychiatric symptoms in both the general adult population and people living with dementia. I am particularly interested in understanding how environmental and lifestyle factors, including light exposure, physical activity, and diet, influence mood, sleep, and cognitive function across the lifespan. I currently serve as an Assistant Professor at China Medical University (CMU) in Taiwan, and as a Consultant Psychiatrist and Sleep Medicine Specialist at CMU Beigang Hospital, Taiwan. Outside academia and clinical practice, I enjoy swimming and cycling with my family and have practised Zen meditation for more than 30 years. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: As a cycling lover, I try to bring my foldable bike wherever I go. The same Giant bike has been with me for nearly 20 years (since I was doing my clerkship in medical school), which really saves me a lot of money (especially when I was doing my PhD in London), and helps me stay fit. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? As a psychiatrist, I like to talk to elderly people more than to general adults and to children. Also I know my parents are getting old and I really wish I can support them in their later life. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Try to find resources as hard as possible, and try to secure the resources even harder. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am reading [Die Kunst über Geld nachzudenken](https://amzn.to/4h6ra6A), it’s highly recommended. ##### Favourite film of all time? Definitely The Shawshank Redemption. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Swimming and cycling, especially with my children. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Decided to major in medicine and not dentistry. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Taiwan (my home country). ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @TW\_Guu](https://x.com/TW_Guu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Ta-Wei on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ta-wei-guu-md-phd-8b62a2107/?locale=en) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** China Medical University Taiwan, Dr Ta-Wei Guu **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Science-backed tips on how to avoid distractions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/science-backed-tips-on-how-to-avoid-distractions/) **Published:** August 3, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Struggling to stay focused in the lab? Attention researchers offer some advice in this article shared from the Nature Careers Blog. **Content:** ![Illustration of a person at a desk with a laptop, a pencil in their mouth, and a speech bubble reading'Science-backed tips on how to avoid distractions,' with a Nature Careers logo in the corner.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Science-backed-tips-on-how-to-avoid-distractions-Nature-Careers-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Science-backed tips on how to avoid distractions - Nature Careers 680 x 520 px")Struggling to stay focused in the lab? Attention researchers offer some advice. **Smartphones and other digital technologies are a constant potential source of distraction. According to a 2025 survey by Reviews.org, an online resource that reviews mobile services and Internet providers, on average, US adults check their phones 186 times per day, or roughly once every five minutes (see [go.nature.com/4b4zgje](https://go.nature.com/4b4zgje)). They also spend 5 hours each day using smartphones, which amounts to 76 days of screen time per year, with Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) and Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) spending the most time scrolling on their phones.** Over the past two decades, these has been increased interest in whether people’s [ability to focus on a single task has deteriorated](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-procrastination-the-thief-of-time/). People often report that they think their attention span has shortened (see [go.nature.com/4dfz8yc](http://go.nature.com/4dfz8yc)). But data that [definitively show a drop in attention are sparse](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01407-w). “Every year that passed, things that are so important to me, like reading books, having proper long conversations, even watching films, were getting harder and harder to do,” says Johann Hari, whose 2022 book *Stolen Focus*, outlines 12 reasons why people’s attention spans have declined, and offers tips to help people regain their focus. “I felt like I was running up a down escalator that was going faster and faster every year,” adds Hari about his declining ability to pay attention. Staying focused is crucial for short-term memory, problem solving and creativity, whereas frequent distractions lead to more errors and higher levels of stress and frustration. “Attention is at the heart of all human achievement,” says Hari, who lives in London and Los Angeles, California. “Anything you’ve ever achieved in your life that you’re proud of, whether it’s starting a business, getting a PhD, being a good parent or learning to play the guitar, required a huge amount of sustained focus and attention.” *Nature*’s careers team asked six attention researchers and educators for tips on how to mitigate disruptions and improve concentration. ## **Defining attention** “There are two rather separate attention systems,” says Michael Posner, a psychologist at the University of Oregon in Eugene, whose research career of more than 50 years led to the discovery that there are different forms of attention that are associated with different regions of the brain. One form is called executive attention, which describes the ability to focus on one thing. The other is the orienting system, which is guided by disruptions, including changes in lighting, unexpected sounds and other environmental influences. “Powerful external stimuli are pretty hard to resist,” Posner says. “That’s because orienting is important for being aware of potential predators.” If someone is deeply involved in a task, he says, it’s nevertheless helpful to know if a tiger is sneaking up on them. Today, distractions often come in the form of interruptions such as text messages, e-mails, in-person requests, meetings and sudden noises. But people also actively and frequently interrupt themselves. “The problem is not that we get distracted,” says Gloria Mark, a psychologist and attention researcher at the University of California, Irvine. “The problem is: what do we do about it?” The human brain isn’t able to consciously pay attention to more than one thing at a time, says Mark. Instead, it switches rapidly between tasks, which comes at a cost. “A lot of people think that multitasking is this badge of honour — it’s not,” says Mark. Generally, people who multitask make more errors and take longer to complete a single task because they have to reformulate a mental plan for completing that task every time their attention switches. ## **Cultivating focus** Individuals have their own peaks and valleys for when they focus best, says Mark. These personal rhythms vary depending on factors such as a person’s natural tendency to sleep and wake at certain times and how much sleep they get. In general, people have a period of peak focus mid-morning, then a dip around lunchtime and a second peak in the afternoon. “That’s on average,” Marks adds, noting that some people have focus peaks early in the morning, whereas others focus best later in the day or during the evening. “For scientists, it’s really important for them to understand that they have these limited cognitive resources,” says Mark. “They should understand when their peak periods are and use those times to do their most important work.” For instance, instead of a researcher using their peak focus times to check their e-mail or attend meetings, they can allot that time to analysing data or writing a grant proposal. If someone isn’t aware of their personal rhythm of attention, Mark recommends [keeping a diary and taking notes every half an hour](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-using-time-tracking-for-time-management/) or hour, to record how focused they feel. [One of the most effective ways to stay focused](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tips-from-neuroscience-to-keep-you-focused-on-hard-tasks/) during peak periods is by putting away the major source of distraction — the mobile phone. On average, people in the United States spend 10 seconds looking at their phone each of the 200 or so times they check it daily[1](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01850-9#ref-CR1). Every interruption breaks focus and can make it harder to complete a task. “People find it difficult to work with their smartphone sitting next to them,” says Stefan van der Stigchel, a cognitive psychologist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. “You won’t go on a diet with a pack of cookies next to your laptop, right? There’s one moment where you’re bored or when your will is not as strong, and all of the sudden you’re picking up your phone or you’re eating that cookie.” Researchers can try putting their phones in a drawer, in another room or in a safe with a timer to keep it locked away for a set time. They can also set digital well-being limits on the phone itself. Apps such as Freedom and Cold Turkey Blocker can be used to block specific websites, apps or Internet access. Nova Corciega, a science instructor and education researcher at Negros Oriental State University Mabinay Campus in the Philippines, uses the digital well-being settings on her phone to limit her use of the social-media site Instagram to 35 minutes per day and the platform YouTube to one hour per day. “This gets me to think that I only have 35 minutes for this application per day, so I need to use it wisely,” she says. In the moment, it’s easy to press ‘ignore’ on a timer, but over a longer period, setting digital limits can help researchers to establish mental routines that support their ability to focus and become more introspective about their attention. “We do so many things automatically and unconsciously, like picking up our phones, swiping them open, going to check e-mail,” Mark says. If researchers recognise when they feel an urge to check their phone or their e-mail inbox, they can then ask themselves whether they really need to. “It’s a way of counteracting habits and being intentional about what we do,” she adds. When scientists start to feel their attention spans waning, [it’s time to take a break](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-jump-off-sciences-productivity-treadmill/). “We prefer not to have lunch meetings because those are times when you can recharge your battery,” says van der Stigchel, who often takes walks outside (without his phone) during the working day. It can be difficult to take breaks, especially if someone pops into the laboratory to ask a question, but van der Stigchel says that it’s important to be strict about taking time to recharge. “I always say I’m never late for a meeting, including a meeting with myself,” he says. “Not working is part of what allows me to focus and be productive.” Goal setting is another way that researchers can improve their attention spans. According to a 2023 study[2](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01850-9#ref-CR2) of 108 university students in the United States, those who set specific and difficult but achievable goals had [shorter lapses in attention](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-procrastination-the-thief-of-time/) and stayed engaged with a task longer than did those who set vague goals. However, goal setting improves attention only when a person is already committed to that goal: you can’t just write something down and expect that to be enough. Mark recommends that researchers write down their goals the night before work and reaffirm them the next morning. “Create a visualisation of where you want to be at the end of the day,” she says. “I want to be sitting on my couch. I want to be reading. I want to be relaxing. I don’t want to be working on that paper.” ## **Creating spaces for attention** Individuals and lab leaders can make changes to their environment and communication styles to foster concentration. For example, many labs have open office spaces, which can be loud and visually distracting. To minimise visual distractions, van der Stigchel recommends closing the window shades and filling the lab with plants, or getting out of the lab entirely and heading to the library. “One of the most effective ways to enhance attention is exposure to green environments,” says Sin-Ae Park, a plant-therapy researcher at Konkuk University in Seoul. Park and her colleagues found[3](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01850-9#ref-CR3) that the presence of real foliage improved concentration among 23 elementary-school students (aged 11–13 years) in Seoul. If taking a walk in a park or garden isn’t feasible, placing live plants around the office can help to support concentration. “Taking a short break in a green space, placing a small plant on a desk or spending a few minutes caring for plants each day can all contribute to restoring and strengthening attention,” Park adds. E-mail and communication platforms, such as Teams and Slack, are also major sources of distractions, but some researchers feel pressured to keep them open throughout the day. “There’s all kinds of social dynamics that are wrapped up in these systems,” says Mark. Mark and her colleagues found that workers in the United States who used e-mail each day felt less productive and more stressed than did those who had no e-mail access[4](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01850-9#ref-CR4). The workers who had e-mail cut off for five days multi tasked less and could focus for longer periods of time. Instead of keeping e-mail open throughout the day, Mark recommends that researchers check it once in the morning, maybe once before lunch and once at the end of the workday, but not in the evening. “Create a convention with your colleagues and get your manager to buy in,” she says. ## **It’s not your fault** The world is full of constant and compelling distractions, and people often blame themselves for getting side-tracked too easily and losing their ability to focus. “The truth is this crisis did not happen because you had bad habits and I had bad habits,” says Hari. “We need to stop blaming ourselves and our children and start blaming the people who did this to us.” Social media, e-mail, video games, apps and other aspects of digital technologies are designed to grab and keep attention. “I think we’re all in this mode now where we can feel our attention is getting worse. We hate it, but we think, well, this is just the way the world is,” says Hari. “And I need to tell you, yes, you should hate it, and no, this is not the way the world has to be.” Addressing systemic issues with the attention economy — a system in which attention is a finite resource and a scarce commodity that has economic value — involves a wide swath of solutions. These range from regulating social-media companies and banning surveillance capitalism (the collection and monetisation of personal data) to improving food systems and reducing environmental pollutants. For instance, one study of 175 women in South Africa, found that obesity is associated with poor performance on tasks related to memory, attention and executive function[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01850-9#ref-CR5). Furthermore, in a study of 282 nine- and ten-year-old school students in China, exposure to traffic-related air pollution was associated with reduced attention span[6](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01850-9#ref-CR6). But countries around the world are already making changes. Italy, France and Australia implemented [right-to-disconnect laws](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/achieving-a-good-work-life-balance-or-should-that-be-life-work-balance/) that ensure employees don’t have to check e-mail or work-related communications outside work hours. In March 2024, the European Parliament approved the Artificial Intelligence Act to limit the mechanisms used by AI companies to capture and keep user attention. In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban social-media platforms for people under 16 years old. Now, at least 18 countries have done the same or are considering implementing regulations on social-media use for children. In her hometown in the Visayas, Philippines, Corciega doesn’t always have phone reception or access to the Internet, the lack of which, she says, encourages her to go hiking and fishing with her partner and friends. She finds spending time with people in the real world more fulfilling and rewarding. “I feel like I’m living intentionally and purposely in this world, not drifting away with a single cell phone on a single screen.” --- *Shared from Nature Careers this the original and more great content head to Nature* **656**, 261-263 (2026) – *doi: * **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** academic focus, Nature Careers, Nikki Forrester **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Blog - Good Research Still Needs an Audience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-good-research-still-needs-an-audience/) **Published:** July 31, 2026 **Author:** Adam Smith **Excerpt:** Adam Smith on why good research does not speak for itself, and how science communication and visibility help findings get used and careers get noticed. **Content:** --- **Researchers can be a bit sniffy about attention. There is an understandable belief that good work should speak for itself: do the research properly, publish it in the right journal and the people who need to know about it will find it.** Sometimes they will, but quite often they will not. There is an enormous amount of research being published, alongside reports, conferences, newsletters, webinars and podcasts. Everyone is competing for a limited amount of attention, including people whose work is not especially good but who are much better at telling you about it. That may be unfair, but it is also the situation we are in. I spend much of my working life trying to get people to notice research, and more importantly the people doing it. Dementia Researcher publishes [blogs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/blogs/), [records podcasts](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/podcasts/), runs events and promotes jobs and funding calls. When all that is done, I look at the figures to see whether any of it worked. Sometimes a podcast that took days to prepare attracts almost no interest, while something fairly simple takes off for reasons I simply can’t explain (I still don’t know why our [Eye as a Biomarker Podcast](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-the-eye-as-a-biomarker-for-ad-pia/) got 17,000 plays in a single month, almost a year after it was first published. However, I can probably guess why our recent show “[Relay LIVE: Sex, Gender and FTD in Focus](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/relay-podcast-live-sex-gender-and-ftd-in-focus/)” did so well). It just goes to show that **attention does not always go where it’s deserved**. Because of all that, I can understand why some researchers would rather keep their distance from the whole business. They do not want to chase likes or turn themselves into a personal brand. They want to get on with the research. Fair enough, but avoiding the ‘attention economy sadly doesn’t make it disappear. It just leaves other people (who might not be the best people) to occupy the space. > Remember, research only has value beyond the research team when somebody else knows it exists. That might be another academic, a clinician, a policymaker, a charity or someone directly affected by the issue being studied. All of them are busy, and very few are just sitting around waiting for your latest paper to appear. You have to give them a reason to notice it. I am not suggesting that this means dancing on TikTok beside a graph of your results (although I know people who do this). It means accepting that communication is part of the research process. > Publishing the paper is not the end of the job. It is the point where the work of getting the findings read and used begins. Believe it or not, most people do not care about a study simply because it has been published (who knew). Researchers care about the method, sample and analysis. Everybody else usually starts somewhere more basic. They want to know why it matters? Who it affects? What might change because of it? Those are not silly questions, or evidence that people need the research dumbed down. They are how people decide whether to keep reading. And I think academic communication often gets the order wrong. It begins with the full project title, the funder, the institutions involved and a lengthy explanation of the method (or even worse… yet another definition of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia). The reason anybody should care appears somewhere around paragraph eight. You see the same thing at conferences, where somebody has ten minutes to explain three years of work and spends the first four describing the structure of the presentation. By the time they reach the interesting part, half the room is checking email. What works better is to start with why the work matters, then explain how you did it. That does not mean exaggerating the findings or pretending an association is a cure (there is already enough of that about). It means making the value of the work easier to see while being clear about what the study can and cannot tell us. Trust me, try it… next time your presenting start with the headlines, and work backwards – don’t save the results for the end. That brings me to the next important point. To do the comms right, researchers also need to become more comfortable with repetition. I know that, by the time a paper is published, the research team may have been discussing it for years. They have rewritten the abstract, argued about the figures, and they are probably thoroughly sick of it. But it’s important to remember that everybody else is seeing it for the first time. **Posting about a paper once on LinkedIn is not much of a communications plan.** It is placing one message into a very fast-moving stream and hoping the right person happens to be looking at that exact moment you hit send. Believe it or not… you can talk about the same work more than once without becoming tedious. You can explain the main finding, discuss something unexpected, or focus on what the results mean for a particular group. It may feel repetitive to you, but most of the people you are trying to reach probably missed it the first time. It’s also important to consider that ‘the paper’ shouldn’t also be the only version of the research. Sure, it’s there for people who need the full detail, but others may need a short explanation, an info-graphic (Notebook LM does great ones) a presentation, a podcast or a conversation. Now I know that some academics will worry that simplifying research removes the complexity. It can, if it is done badly, but complexity should not become an excuse for being impossible to understand. Good communication can include uncertainty. You can say that the sample was small, the findings are early or more work is needed. People can cope with uncertainty when it is explained properly. What they struggle with is being asked to decode a paragraph written for three reviewers and nobody else. It’s also important to remember that **people respond to people**. Academic writing removes most signs of the person behind the work, which is appropriate for a paper but does not need to carry over into everything else. In other communications, outside the paper you can take time to explain why you became interested in the question or what surprised you. None of that makes the research less serious. It makes it easier to understand and remember. It builds the story and this matters for careers as well as research impact. Bear with me while I explain. People often talk about networking as though it means standing at a conference reception trying to join a circle of senior academics who have arranged themselves so there is no obvious way in. But it really can be much simpler – someone reads a post you wrote, listened to a podcast you recorded about your work, and remembers your name. Months later, they are putting together a project and, hey, maybe they think of you. (I can prove this, but you will have to watch this space for a paper I am working on, where we looked at how researchers have benefited from writing blogs, joining our podcast or presenting in the salon.) Of course… writing a blog, isn’t a guaranteed route to a job or grant, and anyone promising that ten LinkedIn posts will transform your career is talking rubbish. But visibility helps people understand what you do, and that matters when collaborations and opportunities are being discussed. The aim is not to become generally well known. Academic fame is a fairly disappointing sort of fame anyway. But I think being known for something specific is a good thing. Think for a moment, what do you want to be known for? e.g. tell the truth when you think of centenarian studies. which is the name that immediately comes to mind, I bet is a certain person from UMC Amsterdam. When somebody needs a particular skill, perspective or bit of knowledge, they should have some chance of thinking of you. That usually comes from talking consistently about the work you are already doing, rather than inventing an online personality. You can have several interests, but it helps to give people a clear starting point. There are limits to all this. Researchers can spend so much time talking about their work that they have very little time left to do it. Universities can also confuse visibility with impact because attention is easy to count. A post with 50,000 views looks impressive in a report. A conversation with the right group of clinicians may change practice and leave no useful figure behind. So remember **sometimes reaching the right 20 people may matter more than 20,000 random views** (I tell myself this when I look at some of the attendance numbers for our webinars). It all depends on what you were trying to achieve. I want to wrap up with some basic guidance… The most useful question to ask before posting anything: **what do I want to happen because somebody sees this?** Do you want researchers to read the paper, participants to join a study, clinicians to use a resource or potential collaborators to get in touch? If your answer is “Raising awareness”, it probably means you just haven’t worked out the answer. So, once you know what you want to happen, the rest becomes easier. You know who you need to reach and what they need from you. You may discover that social media is not the answer at all. A direct email or a conversation with the right organisation might do far more. Tapping into the ‘attention economy does not mean doing whatever the algorithm rewards that week. It means understanding that attention is usually the first step towards somebody reading, listening, responding or acting. Researchers are trained to produce knowledge. They receive far less help with getting that knowledge beyond the people who already agree it is interesting. So remember, you do not need to become an influencer, buy a ring light or develop a personal logo. You do need to make it possible for people to find your work, understand why it matters and remember who did it. Good research does not always speak for itself. Sometimes it needs a bit of help, and getting that out there might help your career too. --- ![Adam Smith Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Adam-Smith-UCL-April-2025.jpg "Adam Smith UCL April 2025")Adam Smith #### Author [**Adam Smith** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/)was born in the north, a long time ago. He wanted to write books, but ended up working in the NHS, and at the Department of Health. He is now Programme Director at University College London (which probably sounds more important than it is – his words). He has led a number of initiatives to improve dementia research (including this website, Join Dementia Research & ENRICH), as well as pursuing his own research interests. In his spare time, he grows vegetables, builds Lego, likes rockets & spends most of his time drinking too much coffee and squeezing technology into his house. [Follow @betterresearch](https://twitter.com/betterresearch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @betterresearch.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/betterresearch.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Adam Smith, Attention economy, Blog, Podcasting, Science Communication, Social Media, University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Do you need research funding?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-do-you-need-research-funding/) **Published:** July 15, 2022 **Author:** Adam Smith **Excerpt:** Do you need a grant or a funded job? Adam Smith explains the difference, where to find opportunities and why the key is to keep applying. **Content:** **There is a question worth asking before you start filling in application forms, and almost nobody asks it. Do you need a grant, or do you need a job that comes with money attached? They are not the same thing, and confusing them costs people months.** Funding goes in cycles. Some years the calls are everywhere and charities are opening schemes faster than anyone can apply to them. Other years budgets tighten, studentships get paused, and everyone you speak to at a conference has the same worried look. I have watched both happen more than once now. The reflex when things tighten is to stop applying. That is almost always the wrong reflex. The pipeline for most schemes runs a year or more ahead, so what looks like a drought is usually a gap between rounds rather than a door closing. Meanwhile the number of people applying drops, because everyone else had the same reflex you did. So the first thing to say is: check before you assume. [The funding directory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/find/jobs/) on this website exists for exactly this reason, and the team keep it current. It leans UK-heavy, though we work at that, and there is usually more open at any given moment than people expect. **Your own money, or somebody else’s** Applying for your own funding means you become the person responsible for the idea, the budget, the reporting and the team. It buys independence. It also takes months, has a low success rate, and is a bad use of your time if what you actually want is to keep doing good work in a decent lab without running the thing. Applying for a funded post means somebody else has already done that. The money exists, the project has a shape, and you are joining it. Less independence. Considerably less admin. Available now rather than in eighteen months. Plenty of good researchers spend a year chasing their own grant when what they wanted was the second option and had not stopped to work out the difference. Equally, plenty of people take post after post because applying feels frightening, and find at forty that nobody will take them seriously as a lead applicant because they have never been one. Neither route is the right answer. But you should know which one you are on, and why. **If you want your own funding** A few things hold true across schemes and across years. Career development awards, fellowships and small project grants tend to run on annual or twice-yearly cycles, so if you have just missed one, find out when it comes round again and work backwards from that date. The application you start six months out is a different animal from the one you start six weeks out. Look wider than the obvious funders. The big dementia charities are the ones everyone thinks of, but there are regional networks, applied research collaborations, disease-specific foundations, university internal schemes, small travel and pump-priming pots, and a substantial amount of money outside the UK that British applicants can access more often than they think. Small grants are underrated. A few thousand pounds for a pilot study is easier to win, faster to write, and gives you something to point at next time. Nobody’s first application should be a five-year fellowship. Also think of charties that are ‘dementia adjacent’ , The British Heart Association, Stroke Association, Parkinson’s UK, MND Association (to mention just a few) often fund studies that are in the dementia space). And for clinicians and healthcare professionals of any kind, from physiotherapists to neurologists: you are in demand. There is a sustained effort across the sector to get you into research, and schemes exist specifically to bridge people from clinical practice into research careers, including routes that do not require a PhD first. If you are clinically trained and think research is closed to you, you are working from outdated information. Many of the clinical research career funding schemes are being changed to run year-round on a rolling basis to ensure you can apply at any time. **If you want a funded post** Three things, none of them complicated. **1. Watch where jobs get trailed before they get advertised.** Group leaders regularly mention upcoming posts on social media weeks before anything goes near a formal jobs board. Which platform this happens on has changed several times and will change again, so the useful version of this advice is: work out where the people in your field actually talk to each other, and be there. You can also bring yourself to someone’s attention that way. Not by sending a message out of nowhere, but by engaging with what they post for a few weeks first. Ask questions. Say something useful about their paper. People check who is doing that. When you do eventually get in touch, or when you sit down opposite them in an interview, you are not a stranger. Some people find this idea faintly grim. I understand that. It is also how a considerable number of posts get filled. **2. Register for the alerts.** Both here and anywhere else that aggregates. Our team scan the main jobs boards, individual universities, social media and Alz Forum, and pull it into one place so you do not have to check nine sites on a Friday afternoon. That is free, and it takes a minute. If you download the Dementia Researcher App you can also get real-time push notifications when new jobs are added. **3. Send the cold email.** Everybody dreads this and it works more often than it has any right to. [There is a separate blog](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-what-do-you-want-how-to-write-successful-cold-emails/) on how to structure one, so I will not repeat it here, except to say that the version that works is short, specific about why them, and asks for something small. **The bit I actually want you to take away – APPLY FOR THINGS!** I mean this slightly more literally than it sounds. The gap between researchers who get funded and researchers who do not is partly quality, and it is also partly volume. The people who succeed have usually been turned down considerably more often than you would guess from their CV, because rejections do not appear on CVs. Dementia research remains a priority for funders across the UK, Europe and the US, and the support around early career researchers has improved a great deal over the last decade: mentoring schemes, better fellowship terms, longer awards, salary included where it once was not. It is not perfect and the job market is still hard. But the direction of travel has been the right one for a while now. And the people who stand to benefit from your work need you to stay in it. --- #### Author![Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Adam-Smith-300x300.jpg "Adam Smith") [**Adam Smith** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/)was born in the north, a long time ago. He wanted to write books, but ended up working in the NHS, and at the Department of Health. He is now Programme Director at University College London (which probably sounds more important than it is – his words). He has led a number of initiatives to improve dementia research (including this website, Join Dementia Research & ENRICH), as well as pursuing his own research interests. In his spare time, he grows vegetables, builds Lego, likes rockets & spends most of his time drinking too much coffee and squeezing technology into his house. [Follow @betterresearch](https://twitter.com/betterresearch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Adam Smith, Blog, Funding, Grant Writing, University College London **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Profile - Dr Charlotte Stoner, University of Greenwich](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/charlotte-stoner/) **Published:** April 13, 2018 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Senior Lecturer in Psychology at University of Greenwich and UCL alumni. Research interests in dementia, psychometrics and positive psychology **Content:** ![Dr Charlotte R. Stoner Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Charlotte-e1691412682134.jpg "Dr Charlotte R. Stoner")Dr Charlotte R. Stoner #### **Name:** Dr Charlotte Stoner #### **Job Title:** Senior Lecturer #### **Place of work / study:** University of Greenwich #### **Area of Research:** I am a Research Psychologist specialising in positive psychology approaches to dementia. What I mean by this is that I use research to understand and support people to live well with a diagnosis of dementia. I’m particularly interested in fostering resilience and understanding how social connections can be drawn upon to improve wellbeing or happiness. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I did my undergraduate degree in psychology and clinical psychology at the University of Kent and then worked as a support worker in Kentish Town. I moved into research following that and completed my PhD at UCL. My PhD involved developing and evaluating outcome measures to be used in dementia research, from a strengths/ capabilities or positive psychology standpoint. I also worked on the [Cognitive Footprint](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-the-concept-of-a-cognitive-footprint/) Project before finding a position at University of Greenwich. Find out more on my website #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I once won a gold medal at a Dance Festival for a dance to ‘everybody wants to be a cat’ from the Aristocats. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** When I finished my undergraduate degree and was looking for jobs, I applied for anything and everything psychology related. The job I got was as a support worker in a day centre for people with dementia. I was supported by a fantastic retired nurse and really enjoyed my time there. After that, I decided it was the area I wanted to work in. #### Can we find you on Twitter? [Follow @CharlotteSt0ner](https://twitter.com/CharlotteSt0ner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Cognitive Footprint, Dementia Researcher Staff, Dr Charlotte Stoner, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University of Greenwich **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Podcast - Supporting Dementia at Home: Insights from PALLDEM](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-supporting-dementia-at-home-insights-from-palldem/) **Published:** June 26, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** How can home care better support people with dementia at home? Hear about PALLDEM insights on care, IPOS Dem, lived experience and end of life support. **Content:** **Most people with dementia live, and many die, at home. The person who knows them best in those final months is often not a clinician but a home care worker coming through the door several times a day, doing some of the hardest work in the dementia pathway with little training and almost no research behind them. This episode asks what good home care actually looks like, why it is so hard to deliver, and what one study is doing about it.** Host [Dr Alice Carstairs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alice-carstairs-alzheimers-society/) is joined by the PALLDEM Homecare team from the Cicely Saunders Institute at King's College London: [Dr Lesley Williamson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-lesley-williamson-kings-college-london/), who co-leads the study; research assistant [Annika Dhawan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-annika-dhawan-kings-college-london/), who runs the engagement work; and [Dr Clare Ellis-Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-clare-ellis-smith/), who developed the IPOS Dem outcome measure. They are joined by lived experience expert [Alan Richardson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-alan-richardson-alzheimers-society/), who cared for his mother for 15 years, and [Tony O'Flaherty](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-tony-oflaherty-home-instead-care/), director at Home Instead Wandsworth, Lambeth and Dulwich. Together they cover what IPOS Dem is, why home care gets so little attention, what it really takes to get a tool used on the ground, and why recognition for this workforce is overdue. **Key topics:** - Role of home care workers in dementia support - Implementation of iPOSDEM in home care settings - Challenges and solutions in home care for dementia - Research and innovation in community dementia care --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Narrator:** The Dementia Researcher podcast, talking careers and research, sharing conference highlights, and so much more. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Hello, and welcome to the Dementia Researcher podcast. Today, we're talking about the role of home care workers in supporting people with dementia at home, particularly as needs become more complex towards the end of life. This episode is brought to you by Famileo. For families living with dementia, staying connected with their loved one can become more difficult over time. Famileo helps families stay close by automatically turning photos and messages into a personalised printed magazine, delivered straight to their loved ones' homes monthly. It's a simple way to spark memories, create conversation, and remind them they're loved. More than a quarter of a million families are already using Famileo to stay close. And listeners of Dementia Researcher can get their first month free with the code DR26 at famileo.com, Hello, I'm Dr Alice Carstairs. I'm part of the research communications team at Alzheimer's Society, and we focus on the full spectrum of dementia research, including dementia care and applied research. So, this is a topic close to home for me. Most people with dementia in this country live at home, and many will die at home. Beyond family members and close friends, the person who knows them best in their final months is often not the clinician. It's a home care worker, who comes through the front door several times a day. Today, we're asking what good home care looks like in that context, why it's so hard to deliver, and what one research team is doing about it. I'm joined by a panel of five who bring together research leadership, fieldwork, tool development, the operational reality of running a home care service, and the lived experience perspective. First, we have Dr Lesley Williamson, who co leads the PALLDEM Homecare Study at the Cicely Saunders Institute at King's College London, which has been funded by Alzheimer's Society and Marie Curie as part of a joint funding call. We're also joined by Annika Dhawan, who is a research assistant on the study and the one engaging directly with home care workers and lived experts as part of that work. Next, Dr Clare Ellis Smith, also from King's, who led the development of IPOS Dem, the outcome measure that PALLDEM Homecare is implementing. And we'll explain what that means properly in a moment. Then Alan Richardson, who's worked with the team as a lived expert, bringing the perspective of people affected by dementia into the design of the study. And finally, Tony O'Flaherty, director at Home Instead, Wandsworth, Lambeth and Dulwich, and a collaborator on the study, who brings the view from inside a home care service. Thank you all for joining me. Hello, Lesley, Annika, Clare, Alan and Tony. **Panel:** Hello. **Panel:** Hi there. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** So, to start us off, could I ask each of you to introduce yourselves briefly? Lesley, let's start with you. **Dr Lesley Williamson:** Sure, yeah. Thanks, Alice. Hi, everyone. So, as you heard, I'm Dr Lesley Williamson. I'm a postdoctoral researcher at the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, which is based at King's. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** And Annika. **Annika Dhawan:** Thanks, Alice. Hi, everyone. I'm Annika, and I work at the Cicely Saunders Institute as the research assistant on the PALLDEM Homecare project. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Clare. **Clare Ellis Smith:** Hello, everyone. I'm an occupational therapist, and I'm a senior lecturer in palliative care, also at the Cicely Saunders Institute. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fab. Alan. **Alan Richardson:** Yeah, hello, everybody. I'm Alan, and I'm a former carer, and I've been involved with patient and public involvement for 17 years. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** And last but not least, Tony. **Tony O'Flaherty:** Hi there, Alice, I'm Tony. I'm the director of Home Instead, which is a care company providing home care to people in South London. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fantastic. Thank you all for joining me. So, before we get into PALLDEM Homecare itself, I want to spend a few minutes on the picture as it stands. Home care is everywhere in the dementia pathway and almost nowhere in the research literature. The people doing the work are doing it under time pressure, on low pay, often with little training in dementia or palliative care. And nonetheless, they're the ones holding much of this together. And I want to understand that gap, but before we talk about how to close it. Lesley, I'd like to start with you. When we talk about people with dementia being supported at home, what role do home care workers actually play, and why has this part of the dementia care system been so under researched? **Dr Lesley Williamson:** Yeah, thanks, Alice. I mean, there are different roles in terms of home care workers. They vary across the world in terms of the roles that they do, but primarily in the UK, home care workers support people to continue living safely in their own homes and as independently as possible, but it also includes supporting people towards the end of life if they're able to stay at home. So that support, it could be with personal care and comfort, it can be practical and emotional support. And I think they also play a key role in social support as well. For some people, it might be the only person that they see in a day or the week, particularly if that person doesn't have family or have people popping around. But I think home care workers, as well, they could be the first person to identify if there's an issue, if there's any particular concern, if that person might be deteriorating in some way. So, they're the ones who would kind of escalate concern and, in that way, kind of be a link for that person with the wider health and social care system. So, I think, in that sense, home care workers do play a massive role in supporting people, but also kind of supporting the wider health system as well. But as you say, they tend to be a sector that aren't particularly researched in relation, perhaps, to some other areas of social care and particularly in relation to health care. I don't know why exactly. Like, I don't know, but I'm assuming, and I suspect, there's probably a lot of different factors that are at play. I certainly think there's a lot of stigma surrounding home care and a lot of misunderstanding more generally in the public about that, and potentially some bias towards the workforce. But I think that stigma is probably perpetuated by the fact that people don't tend to have much experience of home care. So, I think probably everybody on the call and everyone who's listening would be able to say that they've got experience of interacting with healthcare at least once in their life. You know, it's something that they are familiar with that whether it be going to visit the local family doctor or whether it going to the emergency department for whatever reason. So, we've all kind of got a good sense of healthcare. But I think few people can say that they have experience of home care. They may have a relative who's had home care before, but that direct experience, I think, probably is quite minimal. So, I think on that front, it's probably not on people's radar so much. And I think what compounds that is the fact that it happens behind closed doors. You know, home care is obviously in people's homes, it's in that kind of closed environment. So, while all this work is happening, we're not necessarily seeing it. So, I think there's an issue of visibility there. And I think that might be contributing to why it's not so readily researched as some of the other sectors. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah, what an important role to be playing in somebody's life. And it sounds really kind of, you know, specific to the person affected by dementia. Are there things that we can be doing to increase the visibility of home care workers? **Dr Lesley Williamson:** Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think just by having this podcast, for example, these kind of activities talking about it, and I think it is about just getting people having that conversation and just starting to kind of just broaden people's awareness and just allow people to see that when they are kind of perhaps researching health and social care across the dementia kind of spectrum then to actually be thinking about home care. Because I think a lot of people are thinking about the hospitals. Obviously, there's a lot of kind of key strong policy agenda and the priorities about reducing secondary care use and have it in the community. But even when we're thinking about the community, home care doesn't really quite get a mention, or perhaps not a strong mention. So, I think actually bringing it to the forefront of people's minds and actually talking about it more, having these broad discussions, I think, will go some way to kind of increasing that visibility. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fantastic. And for, I guess, for people that might not know exactly what home care looks like, I'm going to bring Tony into the conversation, because you will have obviously a lot of experience of describing this and increasing visibility for our listeners. So, bringing this into kind of practise, what does a typical week look like for a home care worker supporting someone with dementia at home? **Tony O'Flaherty:** Hi there, Alice. Yeah, it can vary. So typically, we have the usual sort of task-based activities. So that's providing medication, providing food, drink, and providing personal care. But, you know, people with dementia have quite a wide range of requirements. So, for example, we have a chap who's got dementia, but his carer, he likes travelling and apparently, he's in Vienna with his carer, okay? Because people ultimately want to carry on living the lives they used to live. And that's where the carers come in. Yes, we can do the task-based stuff, which keeps people alive, but what adds value is actually helping people carry on living as they used to live. And so, if that be going on holiday with them or taking them for a drink in the local cafe or going for a walk in the park or going to the cinema. You know, whatever the person is able to do is what we try to maintain for as long as possible. So, a typical week, as I say, it depends on the client. Sometimes it's going to be very routine. And you'll have clients who've got very used to living a very sort of, you know, dynamic life, the carer's going to have a very dynamic time. We had a carer and the person who was looked after with was an ex-army, very, very fit, and was very bored at home. And the carer's job was to take him around Clapham Common three times a day. And, you know, he wore the carer out and the carer was exhausted. So, it really does depend on the person you're looking after. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fantastic. I sort of asked for a typical week. Sounds like there really isn't a typical week for a home care worker. **Tony O'Flaherty:** No, no. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** How would those visits change? You said you know how important it is to kind of keep sort of the person's life as they would like to be living, but how would that change as someone's dementia progresses? **Tony O'Flaherty:** It changes, because obviously the person's, you know, it is progressive. So clearly, as time goes by, they may be able to do less over a course of months or years, whatever it's going to be. So clearly, it might be very sociable and let's go out and do lots of things, but as time carries on, maybe the person is less able and more housebound, so then becomes more routine. So, it then would be a question of sort of stopping social isolation. Really, just talking to people, watching television with them. For example, we had one of our clients was very much into opera, and he and the carer listened to opera music. He couldn't go out to the opera anymore, but they could talk about it. So that was the value. Yes, we can provide the companionship and the food and the meds and the personal care. And that's great. As I say, that's baseline. That keeps people where they need to be. But the value comes from, actually, as I say, it's the social side, it's talking to people. 'Cause people may be at home for a long time. They can become socially isolated; they can become lonely. And we always say, you know, to our carers, "If you leave the client with a smile on the face, you've done a good job. And if they're looking forward to seeing you again, that's great." So, you know, that's what good looks like to us. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** That's a wonderful ethos. Alan, I'm going to bring in your perspective here as one of our lived experience experts. We've heard a little bit from Tony about sort of what home care can do well and what that looks like, but could you talk a little bit more about from your experience what good home care would look like, and when it's not done so well, what tends to be missing? **Alan Richardson:** Yeah, thank you very much. Yeah, I mean our experience, my late mother had dementia and have care for her at home for 15 years, right through from start right through to end of life. So, home care became a bit different for us because we hadn't really experienced it, because as a family were caring. And then, must have been about nine years into the journey, my late father passed away. So, there was just me sort of doing the caring, and that's when we got involved with home care that was actually provided through the local authority. That started with companionship, which I mean became very, very important, because that companionship meant that I could have a little bit of a break. And when I had that break, the care person that came in wanted to know the interests of my late mother, and she loved cats. And on the second visit that that person did, that home care worker, she brought in some books on cats, which she actually got from the library for her. So, when she came in, that new person that was coming in to be part of our life made that an effort. Being something really important for her. And, I mean, it gave me a lot of peace of mind as well. During the journey, and I tend to call it a journey, I mean, a lot of people don't really recognise that dementia is end of life at the start. It's not like other conditions. Because you haven't necessarily got a terminal time or something like that. And so, when we had a home care package put in when she had a major stroke, that became a whole new experience. And we were assessed; someone came in to do it. I'd like to think I'd found out a bit more about home care as well. I'd like to know what to expect, basically. And I think that's one of the things that I'm so passionate about being involved on this PALLDEM project as well, because palliative and dementia coming together. It's understanding, and a compassion that comes into the home as well. And people have different things, as well, that they're carrying out, as our previous speaker Tony was saying, because we have lots of specialised equipment brought into the home, and we used to have three visits a day, and they were double ups. So consequently, during that week, seven six was a 42. We had 42 individuals coming in to provide that care. And over the 2.5-year period, we had 85 different carers came in. Once again, projects like this and the way they're understanding what families would like are very good, because I used to explain to my late mother who was coming in so that when they came in, she was partially prepared for it. And I was fortunate enough to meet someone who was a home care researcher back in 2017. And I've been connected ever since. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** No, fantastic. And thank you for sharing some very good examples from your experience there. It is so valuable to be kind of hearing what that experience is like. If you had kind of a message to researchers that are kind of looking into home care workers or home care workers themselves that you wish they understood better, is there something kind of along those lines you'd wish for them to understand? **Alan Richardson:** Yeah, I think, ironically, when I first became involved and getting involved with research as well, I was sat around the table with some early career researchers when I was a guest somewhere. And it really inspired me, the people that were coming in. And I think the fact for it to be person centred, and it would be \[indistinct\], so it was part of the... It's a person as well as the people that are coming in, and they're your new family. It's like two people, because it's a person that you knew before and it's the person, whoever your relative is, is now the new person, and they are your new family. And when it becomes part of that new family, it can make so much difference with the experience. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Absolutely. And that sounds like it would be much harder if you have the sheer number of carers that coming in that you did. Thank you. So, as we've heard, we have a workforce doing some of the most important work in the dementia pathway, and often that's invisible, and there's a research base that just hasn't kept up. PALLDEM Homecare is one attempt to address part of that gap. Lesley, this is your study, so let's start with you again, and then I'll bring in Clare on some more of the specifics about IPOS Dem and Annika on the engagement work. But Lesley, what is PALLDEM Homecare actually trying to do, and how did you come to design it the way that you have? **Dr Lesley Williamson:** Yeah, thanks, Alice. So PALLDEM Homecare is a two-year project and, as you mentioned, it's funded by Marie Curie and the Alzheimer's Society. And with this project, we're aiming to explore, as a proof of concept, the implementation of IPOS Dem in home care. IPOS Dem stands for Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale in Dementia. And I'm not going to say too much more about that, because obviously, Clare, you'll be able to speak to this more. But just to say that it facilitates holistic assessment and person-centred care. So, it's been implemented in different settings, but not in home care before. So, we're looking to understand how it could be best implemented in home care. And the reason for this is because we know from the growing evidence base that home care workers can often feel unprepared and unsupported to provide end of life care for people with dementia. But we also have a growing evidence base looking at people with dementia who stay at home towards the end of life. They can sometimes have a more turbulent time, back and forth into hospital, compared to those who might be in a care home, for example. So, we wanted to see how we could best implement this tool to help with that. So, because we're looking at the implementation, it's obviously an implementation study, and we are very much informed by implementation science. So, the theory that's kind of underpinning our approach is called the Normalisation Process Theory. And just in essence, that basically looks to explain the work that people do, both individually but also collectively, to try and embed innovations into routine practise, which is obviously what we're trying to do. But we are also using co design principles in the design. Obviously, we don't want to impose our own assumptions and ideas about how home care should implement IPOS Dem. As we've heard from Tony, it varies so much across day to day and for each worker. But I think we also, just again, drawing on what Alan was saying as well, the importance of involving the home care workers, the home care managers, but also people with lived experience, so people living with dementia and people with experience of supporting loved ones with dementia. We wanted to kind of get people in a room and kind of explore this all together. And I think it's particularly important for studies like this just because we know that, as we've said, you know, home care doesn't typically get a lot of visibility. You know, dementia itself, like the condition, compared to other conditions, doesn't really get as much attention. So, I think it's really important when we're looking at topics like this, where people can feel unheard, that it's just really important that we listen. And so that's kind of some of the reasons that have influenced how we've gone about designing the project. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** No, fantastic. And can I bring it back just sort of the motivation behind the work? If there's one thing you could achieve coming out of this project, what would you like that to be? **Dr Lesley Williamson:** One thing? **Dr Alice Carstairs:** One thing. I mean, I can expand it to two if you would like, but maybe more than that might be difficult. **Dr Lesley Williamson:** Well, I mean, ultimately, we would like to understand how we can implement IPOS Dem, how we can actually implement a tool that's going to be helpful for home care workers, for home care managers, for the people in receipt of home care, but also family. But I think at very least, what I would love to have achieved is what we were talking about before, is just getting people aware of home care and the role that it's played in the dementia care journey, and just to try and shine a spotlight on that, really, and hopefully maybe mobilise a bit more kind of research, a bit more policy attention, maybe. So yeah, that would be the ultimate goal. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** So, helping to raise that visibility a little bit more as well. **Dr Lesley Williamson:** Absolutely, yeah. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Brilliant. So, I'm going to move to Clare to ask you a little bit more about IPOS Dem. So, we know the study builds on this tool, but could you tell us a little bit more about what it is and what problem it's been built to solve? **Clare Ellis Smith:** Thanks, Alice. I think it's about 10 years ago now that we did a fairly large review of what was out there to support the workforce, and particularly the care workforce and not the clinical workforce, but the care workforce, to identify and assess symptoms and concerns affecting people with dementia. And there were lots out there, but what was striking was there not really any holistic measure that sought to assess all the symptoms and concerns, or the main symptoms and concerns, that affect individuals with dementia, and one that could be used in routine care. And that's why we developed the IPOS Dem. And we work quite closely with people with lived experience of dementia and, at the time, care home workers who provided day to day care to individuals to develop the IPOS Dem, to understand what needed to be included, and also how it should be used in care provision. And so subsequently, we've continued to develop the work over the last 10 years, evaluating it in different settings with different practitioners, both in health and social care, not just in the UK, but in a number of countries throughout the world. It's now been translated into six or seven languages. And we're continuing to learn from all these new projects and how it should be used and implemented. So, we've got a lot of learning, and we know a lot of what it does do. The intention is to support person centred assessments, identifying what's affecting individuals most, identifying what their priorities and needs are to inform care. And we know that the best way it's used is not just to use it, but to work with individuals, so talk to them, chat to them, and complete it with individuals. We also know that the care workforce, those who providing the day-to-day personal care, are often best placed to complete the IPOS Dem, because they see changes and they see the person. So when providing care, you can quite easily start to see if somebody's uncomfortable or they're in pain, or whether they're starting to have a little bit more problems with mobility and walking around, or they might be more at risk of falls, or whether their mood's starting to dip and they actually just don't seem quite as, they're not enjoying things as much as they used to be. So, we know the care workforce are great, really well placed to do this, but this more formalises their assessment. It provides a way of recording it, documenting it, and then escalating it to perhaps their seniors, to perhaps their managers, and perhaps referring to other services. So, what care practitioners have really told us over and over again is they feel really empowered by using the IPOS Dem, because it transforms their observations and what they do in routine care into something that they can clearly document and escalate more easily. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** What a wonderful tool and a wonderful project to be working on for 10 years. So, you've talked a little bit about kind of to some of the things that it can do, but I wonder if you could give it some of the advantages of using this over, say, other tools or kind of things that might be out there? **Clare Ellis Smith:** I mean, it's quite difficult. There are other tools, but there's not quite anything that does what the IPOS Dem does. Otherwise, we wouldn't have developed it. So, there are lots of outcome measures of that. I think it's important to note that the IPOS Dem is an outcome measure, not just an assessment tool. And so, it certainly does support assessment, but one of the really valuable things about an outcome measure is that it also documents and measures change. So, care workers can see if they've changed care because of something that they've done, you know, it might be quite simple in terms of changing the food that people are offered or changing the choice of diets, to having some medication prescribed, to some kind of painkillers prescribed, or something like that. It can measure whether there's been any response to that intervention. But also, because if it's used systematically over time, it can also start to detect deterioration more quickly. So, you can start seeing where people are getting increasing needs that might indicate that something's going on and maybe they need a review. So, it's not just a one-off assessment. Used routinely, it can be a really valuable tool to support care and understand what's working and when more services might be needed as well. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fabulous. And how did you have to go about translating this tool from working with clinicians to working with it in a home care setting and with home care workers? **Clare Ellis Smith:** We haven't done many changes to the tool in terms of from the measurement side's point of view. The content validity to assess symptoms and concerns is there, and we haven't really changed many of the questions over the years we've been working on it. Sometimes we've changed it slightly in terms of making sure it's a little bit more understandable. What's crucial is much more about how it's used, so how it should be implemented into different care settings in different contexts. So, for example, it's all very well doing the IPOS Dem, but how does it fit in with the workflows? Who does it? How often do they do it? In an acute hospital, people might be fluctuating and deteriorating or changing quite quickly. You might need to use it more often. Whereas in the community settings, people might be quite stable over a long period of time. You don't need to use it that often. So, it's a lot about who does it, how often it's used, and then what happens next. How is it escalated? How does it fit in with routine practise so that it actually streamlines care, and it doesn't add additional work? Because that's the important thing, isn't it? There's not resource for additional work, so it's got to fit in with the existing processes. And then, importantly, certainly as more and more services are using electronic health records, how it integrates with health systems as well. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah, super important in a place where time pressure and time is so limited that we're not adding things, we're streamlining, as you say. This seems like a good time to pause for a moment to thank Famileo for supporting this episode. For families living with dementia, regular connections and familiar faces can make a real difference. Famileo turns everyday photos, messages, and family updates into a personalised printed magazine that's delivered directly to their loved one's home monthly. Many families use it to share moments that might otherwise be missed and to help loved ones living with dementia feel connected, included, and remembered. Today, more than a quarter of a million families use Famileo to bring generations closer together. Dementia Researcher listeners can enjoy their first month free using the code DR26 at famileo.com. That's F A M I L E O.com. Annika, I'm going to come to you now because you're the one in the room most weeks with the people that PALLDEM Homecare is designed for and with. So, how's the team going about that engagement work practically? **Annika Dhawan:** Thanks, Alice. I think a really important part of the study has been trying to make sure the work we are developing is with the people who would actually be using it and would be affected by it, rather than trying to design something in isolation and then expecting it to sort of fit afterwards. And from the beginning, we worked really closely with both a lived expert advisory board as well as a home care managers advisory board to sort of make sure that those voices were shaping the project throughout. And our lived expert advisors include people living with dementia as well as sort of former family caregivers, which was really important in grounding the work in sort of real experience. Alongside that, we also run workshops with home care workers and managers where we've tried to introduce the IPOS Dem and explored how it could work within home care settings specifically. And a big focus of those sessions was developing resources and getting feedback on things like training and communication, as well as what the implementation would realistically look like in practise. Afterwards, the participants have sort of told us indirectly, fed back into the development of the study and the resources. So, I think the fact that we have had all those voices of the lived experts and the managers, as well as home care workers involved throughout the process has really reinforced how important it is to develop research along with people who understand the realities of dementia care most closely. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah, that's so valuable, hearing all of those voices, as you say. I mean, who better to be including in these conversations? For people listening that might be interested in doing something similar, bringing those voices into their research, how did you go about kind of recruiting home care workers and lived experts into the work? **Annika Dhawan:** So, we recruited through a mix of routes, and we worked very closely with many people, including our home care managers advisory board, who were very helpful and they shared the study through their own personal networks. But besides that, we also recruited through other networks such as the Relic Home Care Voices, the Home Care Association, as well as the NIHR, which is the National Institute for Health and Care Research Agile Team, to sort of help reach home care workers directly who would be interested in contributing to this work. And for our lived experts, we invited members of our lived expert advisory board to sort of take part in the workshops and the wider discussion throughout the study. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Sounds like really using those networks, kind of reaching out to people who might be interested. Do you find you have good pickup? Are people interested and wanting to come and work with you on these things? **Annika Dhawan:** I think we do. I think we had a lot of interest for the workshops till the very last minute. So, I think there's a lot of home care workers after seeing the value that the IPOS Dem could bring to their day-to-day work. So, we've had a lot of interest, and I think moving forward to the implementation trial, we're really sort of excited to open recruitment for that. And sort of that, I think, would just give us a lot more interest in the project. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** And what sort of conversations do you find that you're having with these people in these workshops? **Annika Dhawan:** I think what participants have told us has sort of directly fed back into the studies. For instance, we tend to sort of discuss how the IPOS Dem can be used in their day-to-day practise, as well as the challenges that they see that could sort of come up when using the IPOS Dem in different agencies. And what we've done is we've sort of analysed the anonymised workshop transcripts in detail to make sure that we've captured the full nuance of the conversations. And I think that was really important, because a lot of the discussions were really rich and led particularly around sort of the practical and emotional realities of delivering dementia and end of life care in home care settings. So, I think being able to identify the concerns and where we can support people, I think those are a couple of the things that we've drawn from these workshops. *\[Music\]* **Dr Alice Carstairs:** So far, we've covered the problem and the shape of the study, and I want to turn now what it's actually been like to do this work. So, studies obviously look very tidy on paper. We all know that they're not really always tidy in practise, and the bits that don't make it into a published paper are kind of often the most useful bits for other researchers to hear. So, Annika, as we've mentioned, you're in the room most week, so I'll start with you. What did you expect kind of going into those workshops, and has any of that expectation shifted? **Annika Dhawan:** I think going into the workshops, I expected that there would be some difference across home care services and agencies, but I probably didn't anticipate how much heterogeneity there is between agencies in terms of their structure, staffing, visit lengths, communication systems, as well as the general support that's available to workers in every agency. So, I think that's been really essential when trying to understand how to implement the IPOS Dem if each agency is very different. That's really highlighted that the implementation can't really be approached as a one size fits all process and that we might need to be a bit more flexible depending on the agency and depending on sort of their structure. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Sounds like some really good learnings. Are there things that you'd do differently if you were to start again? **Annika Dhawan:** So, we have only started the project in October last year, so we are currently towards the end of Workstream 1, where we've completed the workshops and are in the middle of the analysis process. So, I think it's a bit early for me to fully reflect on what I would do differently at this stage, but I think we're still very much learning throughout the process as this study develops. And I think one thing the workshops has reinforced was the importance of remaining flexible and responsive to the participants, because I think some of the most valuable insights have come from the conversations and issues that we hadn't necessarily anticipated as part of the project. For instance, we probably didn't anticipate how different each agency might function from one another. Yeah, that would be one of the things. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** That's really good. And, Tony, as somebody working in one of these agencies, one of these home care services, what does it take from your side to be involved in a study like this, and what makes it worth your team's time? **Tony O'Flaherty:** It really is working with the likes of Lesley and Annika, because I've worked with a number of similar sort of academic researchers, and one of the things I was keen was that quite often they can cover the same grounds and end up sort of reinventing the wheel. And from an owner's perspective, I've got 100 carers looking after people with dementia, and they're down to time pressure, and obviously, if I introduce anything into them, it's got to add value to them, okay? Because, you know, people with dementia, they take a lot of time, right? So, their attention's at the first tools. And if I introduce something else like, say, "Can you fill out this form? Their going to say, well, "One, do I understand it? Two, does it do anything for me? Does it make my job easier or better?" And if it doesn't, then they're not going to engage with it. So, it's good working with the team, because they are obviously clearly the approach has to be such that these things will only work if the senior management will drive the change through. Because, as we said, the carers are the guys who know the client best. They are seeing the changes. And, you know, I, as an owner, and my care team need to know what's going on, and that information needs to be sent up. And if the IPOS Dem captures that, that's great. It also is good for the carer, because it means that they feel like they're adding value to their clients and they're being listened to, and there's recognition, and they feel valued. Because obviously in the care sector, people think, you know, carers, I think, are much undervalued, and they do a great job. They really make a material difference to people's lives. Not just the client with dementia, but the families. And quite often, we have families coming to the carers and asking for advice. "What do we do next? What's going on?" And the carer can, one, help reassure them and, two, then signpost them to the relevant resources. So, they do play a key role. And obviously sort of sharing that with the team to say, you know, "That's how it works." But it doesn't work the same for all care companies. Home Instead is a care company, so we specialise in dementia, so we put a lot of time and effort into training our carers. But that isn't the same for all care companies. They may have different objectives, okay? And so there may be carers out there who don't have that sort of resource behind them, and this, IPOS Dem, it's going to be very useful to them, because it says, "I've got something that can help me understand what's going on with my client." And I can take that information and ask, you know, it's the management above me or whoever, "This happened, can I have the resources or the support to help me look after this client better." Anything that helps the client or the person with dementia is a good thing. And also, it helps with governance, you know? So, from the point of view, I think I said, you know, about CQC like things like this. The local authority who employ a lot of care companies, if they can see and be reassured that the person with dementia is being looked after in this systematic way and the care is being managed and delivered accordingly, that gives a lot of reassurance to everybody involved in the ecosystem of care, and the family, ultimately, and obviously the client. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah, of course. It sounds like, as you say, that buy in is so important. And reflecting on what Annika was saying about every kind of place is different, needs different things. What sort of things could researchers be bringing to you to kind of make that evidence much clearer? You were saying it's an important decision for you as to what to bring in and what not. What sort of information could researchers bring to you to showcase why you should be working with them over others? **Tony O'Flaherty:** Well, I guess ultimately anything that comes in and says, "Right, Tony, client A has started, is on this journey, and these are the material changes that are happening." And as a response, you need, for example, the client's condition may change. They may have diabetes. They might need oxygen. Now, the carer might know that, but I don't, and the care team needs to know. So, if the IPOS Dem captures that and then the carer can say, "Actually, I need training in diabetes. I need training in oxygen administration." We need to get the multidisciplinary team involved because of the change, that clearly is going to help the client. It certainly helps us, because we know we're looking after the client. It also means that I know my care team are trained accordingly and are now very best. Because there's nothing worse than knowing I've got 100 care clients out there and carers, but not being quite sure what their medical condition is and what changes are going ahead, and am I looking after them in the best possible way, and have I trained the carers accordingly? And if there's a tool that says, "By the way, Tony, this is the training that you need because \[indistinct\] has now developed these conditions," and I can put that in place, clearly from a safety point of view and from a CQC point of view, that is really important, because it shows that I'm being effective and providing leadership, the service is safe because we're capturing the changing dynamic requirements of the client and responding accordingly. And those are the things that are great for the client, but they're also very good for the business, because we're all regulated by the CQC. They want to make sure that we're doing the best, and this tool enables me to demonstrate, you know, we're following the rules, it is systematic, and it's measurable, okay? And they can then say, "Right, okay, you've got the tick in the box." So from an owner's point of view, or anybody who's running a care business, it provides reassurance that you are doing the right thing, but also, importantly, to the people that we answer to, whether it be the local authority or the CQC, that we can actually evidence that we are doing the very, very best. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** You've mentioned the CQC a couple of times. Would you be able to just expand on that, on what CQC means, for our listeners? **Tony O'Flaherty:** Yeah, the CQC is the Care Quality Commission. So, they come in and they evaluate hospitals, home care companies, anybody who's providing care, what they call a regulated service, the inspectors will come in and check that you are providing care to the required standards. And then they have five metrics, which is: How caring is you? How safe is your service? How effective are you being looking after the clients? Is there leadership? I mean, are your carers being trained? Are you doing the right thing? And ultimately, how safe are you? Because ultimately, if you're looking after somebody's mum and dad, they want peace of mind. They want to know that Mum and Dad are going to get the very best treatment and they're going to be safe, and they're going to be looked after, and there won't be any safeguarding issues. And Mum, she won't be socially isolated and forgotten, there won't be any form of abuse or negligence. So that's what the CQC is there to do, to make sure that everybody is operating at the same high standards. And if they're not, they can see where you've dropped off and then tell you the measures you need to take to be where you need to be. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Support you in that measure. No, that's really good. Coming back to you, Alan, we've obviously talked a little bit about how important lived experience is and how valuable kind of those voices are. Could you describe a little bit more about what it's like being part of this study as a lived expert? **Alan Richardson:** Yeah. I was delighted to have the opportunity to be part of it. Yes, there was a gap between the years when I was part of that, when we had the services for my late mother, and then there's a time in between, and then there's the volunteering time. And, in fact, one of the organisations that provided care for us, I actually became a volunteer there. And when they used to recruit staff, they used to like to include someone with experience of the condition that the person they were taking on was going to be supporting. And dementia, I mean, it's quite wide sort of thing. It's talked about a lot more now than it really used to be. I do refer to Journey. I make no hesitation of that. But IPOS Dem and that is like a living diary. I used to keep calendars with notes on all the condition all the way through. And now I've been able to take through the research. And I think the IPOS Dem, as well. Something like that being available for care workers at the start, or people coming in, it's going to help them. There's no doubt about it. If something like that had been about, I can see that we would have, in the organisation that I was with at the time, we would have given a copy of that to every one of our people and discussed it, because it's there to help them along the way. And home care, I mean, as you can probably tell, it's always been a passion of mine. There's a world called qualms, which is no hesitation about. I'm sorry I've used that particular word, but when people start talking home care to me, I'm afraid they've got me going for quite a few minutes. And being involved in, as you say, and being able to change things, I think one of the things that was highlighted and came into some of the meetings that we had was that a private care package and a local authority care package can be quite different. And I know people that, like me, had something provided by the local authority. They had their rules. And I know people that have had private care. And when you're talking to them now, you need something that's going to assist both of those avenues as well. So, it's like a sport quotation, "An equal playing field." So, everybody's on the same playing field. And I think that's one of the things that the IPOS Dem can do. Thinking about patient public involvement as well, it's felt like being part of a team on this. And I think that's the thing. And having attended meetings online and then in person, it's been like a natural thing to happen, and no discussion has been limited. We've been able to discuss things. And it helps to bring from the lived experience person, we need to understand their point of view, the same as they're understanding our point of view. And I think there was about seven or eight people in one of the meetings. And what was the thing was they were all from different parts, whether they were large organisations, smaller organisations, and that's one of the other things. And if something like the IPOS Dem, as well, is it made for people that are starting to enter health and social care, the new breed that are coming in? This could happen, where people could be given something like this at the start is going to help them on their journey as well. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fantastic. And what a fantastic sort of thing for the team to be hearing about, you know, kind of the value of, what kind of bits, contributions, and listening in there. I want to move now from process to substance. We know the study's still live, so we're definitely not asking anybody to kind of pre-empt the formal write up later on. But there are observations emerging that the researchers, clinicians, and home care leads listening today want to hear now. So, Lesley, I'm going to come back to you again. What are the things that you're finding do you think the audience should know now? **Dr Lesley Williamson:** Yeah, thanks, Alice. I mean, there are lots of things coming through. I think Annika was saying that there's been so much rich discussion. And, Alan, as you were saying, we've had so many different people around the table, hearing all different perspectives. So, there's been so much that's come through from some of the preliminary analyses that we've been doing. I think one of the things for me, which feels really important, particularly for this type of work, is really just the degree of isolation that some home care workers can be experiencing in day-to-day work. And I don't just mean the physical isolation of being in somebody's home and they're not having that close, direct contact with health and social care colleagues. But I think also more the kind of sociocultural isolation, just with regards to the general misunderstanding around home care and some of the preconceptions around it. But I also think, as well, just some of the emotional isolation that we've heard from people just through the nature of doing the job. And of course, as Annika said, it is so variable, and people will obviously have different experiences. But this was something that really kind of has come through that I've been kind of reflecting on quite a bit. And I think because of the isolation, what is, I think, going to be helpful is more of a collective effort to try and support and implement IPOS Dem. So, we must be speaking to recipients of home care. We must be speaking to family members who've been involved in that care, as well as the home care workers and the managers. But I think we also need to go a bit broader as well, to be focusing on the local health and social care teams, the local social workers and community nursing teams, and general practitioners, or, you know, family doctors. And then even, again, we've heard about the role that the local authority or local government plays in commissioning some of the home care services. So, it's about involving them as well. So, I think because of the isolation that's kind of coming through on multiple layers, it does make me a bit think that we actually need more of a collective and systems approach to targeting this. And the other thing that's come through that is kind of, again, making me reflect quite a bit is about the language. So, the tool obviously is about palliative care, and we're suggesting adopting a palliative care approach. But I feel maybe that term probably doesn't necessarily always resonate in the home care sector. It's necessarily through a lack of understanding, but I just don't think that term resonates. It isn't particularly meaningful because, obviously, in home care it's not about somebody's prognosis, it's not about labelling their management plan and where they are in that kind of pathway. It's about responding to the person in front of them and their needs. And as Tony was saying early on about providing that value for somebody. And while IPOS Dem is all about that, that kind of is supporting that, and a systematic way of being able to do that and to, as Clare was saying, to kind of monitor over time to make sure things are tailored to individual needs. I think maybe the language around it is just something that we need to be thinking about. And I think when you are trying to implement tools like this into the home care sector, just thinking about the language, I think it matters, and I think it will help to think about what's going to resonate and what's going to feel like it's going to be valuable for the workforce, and what's going to feel like, perhaps, I doesn't feel very relevant, even though it may be. Yeah, just thinking about that language. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fantastic. We're talking about sort of language of the home care worker. Annika, I'm going to bring you in with kind of your working with this on the ground level. Is there anything from the home care worker side specifically you think kind of gets missed in the way that this workforce is usually talked about, thinking about that language? **Annika Dhawan:** Thanks, Alice. I think one of the things that often gets missed is how much complex relational and sort of coordination work home care workers are doing sort of alongside the practical aspects of care. People often talk about home care in terms of tasks, but through the workshops, I think it's become really clear that home care workers are constantly sort of observing changes, it's building relationships with not only the person that they're caring for, but also the family, for supporting the family as well. They're communicating concerns and trying to navigate different parts of the care system around the person that they're caring for. So, I think that their knowledge of the person can sometimes be underestimated, as Alan, Tony, and Lesley have sort of touched upon, because they're seeing the person regularly within their everyday home environment, and they're often noticing very subtle changes in a person's behaviour, mood, or well being very early on. And quite often then sometimes the only person who are meeting them on sort of that week or that day. So, I think a lot of the discussions really highlighted that home care workers are holding a huge amount of responsibility, particularly with dementia end of life care. And I think that role is far more emotionally demanding and sort of skilled than people might initially realise. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** No, absolutely. I mean, to be going in, as we say, to people's homes, giving them that person centred care, it takes a certain type of person. Tony, I'm going to bring your thoughts in here about, you know, we've talked a lot about the tool and kind of how important it is to get buy in from the owners and the home care workers. But if this tool kind of landed on your desk tomorrow, what do you think companies and individuals would need to be doing to make this work in practise? **Tony O'Flaherty:** I think, first and foremost, it has to be adopted by the management, because without their buy in, it won't happen. So, the value has to be demonstrated to the management team. What's it going to do for them? How is it going to improve care for their clients? How is it going to improve life for the carer? And then, once its value is demonstrated, it then has to be communicated down through the management chain, the carers have to be introduced, they have to be trained. The benefit has to be very obvious to the carer, because at the end of the day, they can do the job at the moment without the tool, right? And then I know some of my carers will say, you know, I've got carers who know when people are at end of life. They can come to me and say, "I think they've got X number of days left," and they're very precise because they've done it so many times. So, a tool to them, it doesn't add any value, okay? But that's not the same for all carers. And some people don't know that. And if it can be shown that this is going to help you, and develop, because obviously, you know, carers want... There are a lot, in our career, carers. They want to get better. They want to do a better job. They want to know, "I'm here now, what do I need to do?" And quite often people come to me and say, "Yes, I'd like training in end of life, I'd like training in palliative care. I'm looking after people, and I'd like to make sure I'm doing the best I possibly can." And if there's a tool that says, "By the way, this is what's happening," you can go to your boss or whoever and say, "Right, this is what's happened to my client, and I need X, Y, and Z training, or I need X, Y, and Z resource." Because ultimately, you know, it's a skill that they're developing. It's a transferable skill. And there's a lot of movement in the end of care industry, as you know, but there's also not very much recognition. So, if that tool says, "By the way, I've gone through a process, and I've got training or whatever at the end of it, the IPOS Dem has helped me," then there's value to the carer. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah, fabulous. So, we've heard a little bit of kind of what it takes from the home care worker side. Clare, I'm going to bring you in and sort of ask you what it takes from the researcher side, kind of thinking about IPOS Dem and PALLDEM Homecare. What does it actually take for researchers developing a research tool? What do they need to be thinking about to actually get these used in healthcare settings? **Clare Ellis Smith:** Just continue learning. Continue learning from the teams who are using it. Continue asking questions and to continue working together. I do co design work that this project is doing. From an IPOS Dem point of view, you know, there are a few things we know have to happen for it to work, but it's not that much. It has to be used regularly. It has to be used systematically. And there has to be some means of actioning what happens next. And we know from the work that we've done, it needs to support work, it needs to fit in with care processes, it needs to streamline and not cause additional burden. We know that leaders need buy in, but actually we know that every level needs buy in as well. And it's really, really interesting. In different settings, it works quite differently. So sometimes the workforce, the people doing the day-to-day care, are totally bought in, but without leadership support, they can't implement it. So, each setting and context work slightly differently. And our job really is to learn how we can make sure that it works within that system and context to improve everybody's experience. Yeah, so go in with an open mind and ask questions. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** We're always learning as researchers, aren't we? No matter what project we're on, we're always got something to learn. We're almost out of time, but before we wrap up, I do want to give each of you the chance to leave the audience with one thing, something you wish people working in or around this part of the system understood differently. We'll have to keep answers short so that we make sure that we hear from everybody. And I'll come to you in turn. So I'll go to Tony, and then Alan, Annika, Clare, and then, Lesley, you can bring us home. But we'll start off with Tony. **Tony O'Flaherty:** I guess that one thing I'd like to say is that carers have the clients' best interests at heart. They turn up at work to do the very, very best job possible. If things don't go quite right, it is not the carers. Quite often, it is the companies or the structure supporting them. But, you know, carers are there because they're, on the whole, good people who want to do a good job for the people they're looking after. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fantastic. Alan. **Alan Richardson:** Yeah, thank you. I'd like to think about using the four initials of IPOS. It's about involvement. It's about pausing to complete. It's about observing what's happening. And it's also about supporting the client so that we all come together as one team. Thank you. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Amazing using the initials. I really, really like that. Annika. **Annika Dhawan:** I wish I'd said what Alan said, but I think the biggest thing I'd want people to take home is that care workers are carrying such a huge responsibility in dementia and end of life care. And I think sort of just giving them the recognition that reflects the responsibility that we carry. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Fantastic. Clare. **Clare Ellis Smith:** Hard to beat, all that. \[laughs\] We don't have much opportunity to get it right. People live with dementia, and we've got to make sure that quality of life is enhanced throughout. And the fact that there are many people living with dementia with distressing unmet need, which causes suffering, is really distressing and wilful. And I think we need to keep apart what this work intends to do, to reduce suffering and improve quality of life. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** And finally, Lesley. **Dr Lesley Williamson:** No pressure. \[laughs\] **Dr Alice Carstairs:** If there's anything more to say. \[laughs\] **Dr Lesley Williamson:** I was just going to say, I think it comes back to what we were having, like the earlier discussions about home care being a relatively under researched area. I think we've heard that, you know, home care supports a lot of people with dementia, and in doing so they're kind of supporting the wider system. And while I know that there's some fantastic research being done in home care, I think we can do a lot more to see how we can best support them as well. For us, our experience so far, it has felt like pushing against an open door to some extent. So, I feel like there is a need and there is an appetite within the sector, and we just need to see it, we need to be looking forward to that. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Amazing. Yeah, it's been fascinating to hear about this sort of underrepresented area within research, but sort of being able to reflect on how important home care workers are, how they are kind of leading the front, really, for person centred care for people affected by dementia. And there's so much more we could be doing to work with this kind of area and how much more we could be doing in this space and research. It's been great to hear about kind of this team's sort of contributions to that through IPOS Dem and PALLDEM Homecare. So, this just leaves me to say thank you so much to Dr Lesley Williamson, Annika Dhawan, Dr Clare Ellis Smith, Alan Richardson, and Tony O'Flaherty for sharing the work and their perspectives today. Links to the PALLDEM Homecare Study, IPOS Dem, and everything we've talked about today can be found in the show notes. You can find more information and links to resources on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Do also visit our community app, where we continue these conversations, share new events, blogs, and podcasts. I'm Dr Alice Carstairs, and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher podcast. Goodbye. **Panel:** \[In Unison\] Bye. **Narrator:** This episode was sponsored by Famileo, the family newspaper loved by grandparents. The Dementia Researcher podcast was brought to you by University College London, with generous funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- [![This episode is sponsored by Famileo. Helping families living with dementia stay close with a personalised printed magazine, delivered monthly. Over a quarter of a million families already use Famileo to stay connected. First month free with code DR26. https://bit.ly/FamileoDR26](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/This-episode-is-sponsored-by-Famileo-1024x274.png "This episode is sponsored by Famileo")](https://bit.ly/FamileoDR26) If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. This podcast is sponsored by Famileo. The sponsor had no involvement in the planning, production, editorial decisions, or content of this episode. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**Famileo**](https://bit.ly/FamileoDR26) > > [**PALLDEM-Homecare**](https://bit.ly/4e6bdvd) > > **[IPOS-Dem](https://bit.ly/4vJgkaA)** > > [**Salon PALLDEM Event**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/research-showcase-improving-palliative-dementia-care-at-home/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alan Richardson, Annika Dhawan, Dementia Care, Dr Alice Carstairs, Dr Clare Ellis-Smith, Dr Lesley Williamson, End of Life Care, IPOS-DEM, King's College London, PALL-DEM, Palliative Care, Podcast, Tony O'Flaherty **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Technology Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [DEMON Webinar Recording: Chromatin in Parkinson's](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/demon-webinar-recording-chromatin-in-parkinsons/) **Published:** June 16, 2026 **Author:** DEMON Network **Excerpt:** Dr Sophie Farrow's DEMON Network talk on using chromatin interactions to find cell-specific drug targets in Parkinson's disease. Watch the full session now. **Content:** **This talk by Dr Sophie Farrow was recorded on st April 2026 by the [DEMON Network](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-alzheimers-research-uk-demon-network/) Biomarkers Working Group.** Dr Sophie Farrow is a Parkinson’s UK Senior Fellow at the Oxford Parkinson’s Disease Centre (OPDC), within the Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics at the University of Oxford. Her work focuses on sporadic Parkinson’s, the common form with no single known cause, using genetics to understand what drives the wide variation seen from one person to the next. In this session, hosted by Dr Laura Winchester for the DEMON Network Biomarkers Working Group, Sophie sets out a chromatin-based framework for prioritising drug targets in Parkinson’s. She explains why genetic signals from genome-wide association studies are so hard to translate into biology: most sit in non-coding regions, the nearest gene is often not the one that matters, and the effects shift from one cell type to another. To get around this, Sophie uses chromatin conformation data to capture the physical 3D contacts between variants and genes as the genome folds, rather than assuming the closest gene is responsible. She has built cell-type-specific maps in stem-cell-derived dopamine neurons and microglia from OPDC patient lines, then layered on expression data to find which links are likely to be functional. A central finding is that the same genetic risk points to different biology depending on the cell type, with pathways tied to neuronal connectivity in dopamine neurons and to vesicle trafficking and immune processing in microglia. The longer aim is molecular stratification: grouping people by the mechanisms driving their disease, rather than the shared end point of dopamine neuron loss, so treatment can begin earlier and trials can be better targeted. Sophie is open about where the work still stands, the limits of stem cell models, and the analysis still to come. The talk gives a clear view of how chromatin biology and functional genomics can move the field from a list of genetic signals towards cell-specific mechanisms, and from there towards earlier, more targeted treatment. --- **Find out more about Sophie and her work:** **Find out more about the DEMON Network and how you can get involved in their work:** **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Chromatin Interactions, DEMON Network, Dr Sophie Farrow, Genetics, GWAS, Parkinson’s Disease, proteomics --- ### [Profile - Dr Anna Mallach, Imperial College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-anna-mallach-imperial-college-london/) **Published:** April 7, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Reserach Fellow, working on using spatial transcriptomics to resolve cellular interactions and how they are disrupted in the presence of pathology. **Content:** ![Dr Anna Mallach Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Dr-Anna-Mallach.png "Dr Anna Mallach")Dr Anna Mallach #### Name: Dr Anna Mallach #### Job title: Reserach Fellow #### Place of work / study: [Imperial College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=imperial-college-london) #### Area of Research: I am interested in understanding how cellular interactions can drive the cell death we see in Alzheimer’s disease. No cell in the brain exists in isolation, but we are just starting to appreciate how different cell types interact with each other and how these interactions change with Alzheimer’s pathology. In my current project, I use spatial transcriptomics to resolve cellular interactions and how they are disrupted in the presence of pathology. #### How is your work funded? My work at the DRI is funded by core-funding, from consortia and the BBSRC. #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a postdoc working at the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL with Bart de Strooper and Lorena Arancibia. After discovering my love for dementia research during my Masters at Imperial, I went to UCL to study how iPS-microglia can interact with neurons. Here I specifically focussed on extracellular vesicles that are secreted from microglia and can influence neuronal functions. Using iPS-cells has a great potential to study specific microglial functions, but after finishing my PhD in early 2021, I was left with the feeling that we still don’t know what specific microglia functions are most important in Alzheimer’s disease, so I decided to take a more systematic approach to answer that question. I joined the lab of Bart de Strooper and Lorena Arancibia to use spatial transcriptomics to hone in on what cellular functions and interactions are indeed disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I used to perform on a unicycle whilst in school. Nowadays I have slowed down a bit and knit, amongst other things, octopi for babies of friends. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I think the main thing that attracted me to dementia research are the many unanswered questions. It’s fascinating to think about all the different processes that co-occur in order to drive neuronal cell death. I think dementia is such an important puzzle that desperately needs to be solved and it gives me a lot of joy to be part of such an effort. #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Trust your gut feeling and find good mentors! And enjoy what you’re doing, otherwise research is too hard. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh](https://amzn.to/4wryyxA) #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @AnnaMallach](https://twitter.com/AnnaMallach?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@annamallach.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/annamallach.bsky.social) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Cellular interactions, Dr Anna Mallach, Imperial College London, Spatial Transcriptomics, UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** Imperial College London **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Michael Greger, NutritionFacts.org](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-michael-greger/) **Published:** December 6, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Michael Greger, clinician, nutrition expert and author of How Not to Die, The How Not to Die Cookbook, and How Not to Diet  **Content:** ![Dr Michael Greger Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dr-Michael-Greger.png "Dr Michael Greger")Dr Michael Greger #### Name: Dr Michael Greger, M.D**.** #### Job title: Founder #### Place of work / study: [NutritionFacts.org](https://nutritionfacts.org/) #### Area of Research: [Nutrition](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-diet-and-alzheimers-disease-istaart-research-perspectives/ "Podcast – Diet and Alzheimer’s Disease, ISTAART Research Perspectives") and Lifestyle Medicine #### How is your work funded? [NutritionFacts.org](https://nutritionfacts.org/) is a strictly non-commercial public service health charity. Everything on the NutritionFacts.org website is free. There are no ads. There are no corporate sponsorships. To remain free of conflicts of interest, we chose to adopt a Wikipedia-type model where users make donations to support the public service we provide. NutritionFacts.org is a labor of love—a tribute to Dr. Greger’s grandmother whose own life was saved by improving her diet.NutritionFacts.org was started with seed money and support by the[ Jesse & Julie Rasch Foundation](https://www.raschfoundation.org/). Incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit charity, NutritionFacts.org now relies on individual donors to keep the site alive and thriving. #### Tell us a little about yourself: A founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Michael Greger, M.D., is a physician and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition. His science-based nonprofit, [NutritionFacts.org](https://nutritionfacts.org/), offers a free online portal hosting more than 2,000 videos and articles on myriad health topics. Dr. Greger is a sought-after lecturer and has presented at the Conference on World Affairs and the World Bank, testified before Congress, and was invited as an expert witness in Oprah Winfrey’s defense in the infamous “meat defamation” trial. A graduate of Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Greger is also an acclaimed author. *How Not to Die*, *The How Not to Die Cookbook*, and *How Not to Diet* became instant *New York Times* Best Sellers. More than a million copies of *How Not to Die* have been sold. All proceeds Dr. Greger receives from the sales of his books and speaking honoraria are donated directly to charity. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have eight rescued companion animals: four dogs and four guinea pigs. #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Reach out to the leaders in your field of interest. I did a summer in undergrad researching with the lead investigator in my research interest at the time that started with a cold-call email out of the blue. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [Science Fictions: How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine the Search for Truth](https://amzn.to/4bok3T9). I’ll let you know once I finish it! #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @nutrition\_facts](https://twitter.com/nutrition_facts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @Nutrition\_facts\_org on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nutrition_facts_org/) [Follow NutritionaFactsOrg on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/NutritionFactsOrg) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Brain Health, Diet, Dr Michael Greger, Food, NutritionFacts.org, Plant based diet **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Public Health **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research --- ### [Profile - Dr Alex Tsui, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alex-tsui-university-college-london/) **Published:** September 27, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Academic Geriatrician and NHS doctor researching delirium through population epidemiology, machine learning and deep phenotyping. **Content:** ![Dr Alex Tsui Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Dr-Alex-Tsui-280x280-1.png "Dr Alex Tsui (280x280)")Dr Alex Tsui #### Name: Dr Alex Tsui #### Job title: Consultant academic geriatrician, honorary clinical research fellow #### Place of work / study: University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at [University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/community/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=university-college-london) #### Area of Research: I research population epidemiology of acute illness decompensation in older people, primarily delirium, use machine learning prediction of older patients’ outcomes after acute illness and explore multimodal deep phenotyping of delirium recovery. #### How is your work funded? Alzheimer’s Society #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a consultant academic geriatrician, completing my specialist clinical training in London Northwest deanery following medical school at the University of Oxford. I completed two research fellowships, with a one-year clinical research fellowship and a three year Alzheimer’s Society PhD clinical research fellowship at the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing in UCL. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I am a sneakerhead #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** Dementia and cognitive impairment are huge unsolved issues within society, in the context of an ageing population. The heterogeneity of the problem itself encourages a breadth of approaches – there is no single “correct” route towards enhancing our knowledge of dementia. #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Be imaginative, aim high while being realistic, find yourself a good/ several mentors! #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [Venice by Peter Ackroyd](https://amzn.to/4vL9KRr) #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @alextsui\_1](https://twitter.com/alextsui_1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @alextsui86 on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/alextsui86/) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Delirium, Dr Alex Tsui, Epidemiology, Machine Learning, University College London, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust **Organisations for Bios:** NHS, University College London **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Epidemiology --- ### [Profile - Dr Nicholas Ashton, Banner Health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-nicholas-ashton-banner-health/) **Published:** January 16, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Associate Professor of Neurochemistry, with over a decade of experience in biofluid analysis and assay development for Alzheimer’s Disease. **Content:** ![Dr Nicholas Ashton Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Dr-Nicholas-Ashton-280-×-280px.png "Dr Nicholas Ashton (280 × 280px)")Dr Nicholas Ashton #### Name: Dr Nicholas Ashton #### Job title: Associate Professor of Neurochemistry #### Place of work / study: Banner Health #### Area of Research: Biomarkers in Neurology #### How is your work funded? Various charitable foundations across Europe (mainly UK and Sweden) & Banner Health in Arizona, USA #### Tell us a little about yourself: I am Associate Professor of Neurochemistry at Banner Health in Arizona, and in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry at the University Gothenburg in the group of Professor’s Henrik Zetterberg and Kaj Blennow. I also hold a senior researcher position at the department of Old Age Psychiatry, King’s College London, and Stavanger University in Norway. I received my PhD in 2017 from King’s College London in the group of Sir Professor Simon Lovestone. I have more than a decade of experience in biofluid analysis and assay development for Alzheimer’s disease, which ranges from discovery mass spectrometry methods to ultra-sensitive immunoassays. Recently this has produced ultra-sensitive single molecular array (Simoa) assays for phosphorylated tau in blood, which are now widely used in research settings, therapeutics trials and being validated for clinical use. Current research now focuses on understanding different tau and synaptic forms in biofluids and how they may contribute to the knowledge of disease pathogenesis and ultimately clinical use. I have published >150 original research articles in field of fluid biomarkers and in 2021. In 2021, it was an honour to receive the Queen of Sweden Prize to a Young Alzheimer Researcher for his contribution dementia research and 2022 received the Viola Bergqvist award for mentorship. Other than this, I avidly follow Football and support Everton (for my sins), try to play squash, golf and Padel (sports you play when you hit >35). I have a Bernese Mountain Dog called Albert, who is our lab mascot. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I spent 2010-2011 travelling around southern Africa performing Cataract surgery in very remote areas. Coincidentally, it matched with the World Cup in South Africa… #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** I first got into Dementia research through my Masters project – where a challenge of diagnosing Brain disorders in novel ways was presented in a fun, exciting and engaging way. This important style of mentorship continued with Dr. Abdul Hye and Professor Simon Lovestone at King’s College London. #### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Develop a niche in Science but do not isolate yourself. Be open to new projects, new ideas, and new skills, you do not know where they may lead. It is important to develop bioinformatics skills to the point where you can independently analysis your own data. Do this now and not when “you have more time” because that never arrives – I have learnt this the hard way! #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [Peter Crouch – How to Be a Footballer](https://amzn.to/44NTB1A). I don’t recommend it. #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @NicholasAshton](https://twitter.com/NicholasAshton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Banner Health, Dr Nicholas Ashton, Fluid biomarkers, University of Gothenburg **Organisations for Bios:** Other, University of Gothenburg **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Dr Dean Sherzai, Loma Linda University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-dean-sherzai-loma-linda-university/) **Published:** May 20, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Dean Sherzai, Director, Alzheimer’s Prevention Program, Loma Linda University & author of The 30-Day Alzheimer's Solution, Food & Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline **Content:** #### ![Dr Dean Sherzai](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dr-Dean-Sherzai.png "Dr Dean Sherzai") #### Name: Dr Dean Sherzai #### Job title: Consultant Neurologist #### Place of work / study: Loma Linda University #### Area of Research: Comprehensive Lifestyle medicine and prevention of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. #### How is your work funded? Our work is funded through grants, and philanthropy. #### Tell us a little about yourself: We are a husband and wife team focused on prevention of Alzheimer’s, other dementias, and vascular cognitive diseases like stroke. We have been working in this field for the last fifteen years and now work in translating the science to different communities. I am co-director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University. Dean trained in Neurology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and completed fellowships in neurodegenerative diseases and dementia at the National Institutes of Health and UC San Diego. He also holds a PhD in Healthcare Leadership with a focus on community health from Andrews University. My wife and I have co-authored a book [‘The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution” – The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0062996959?tag=hcg0b-21) WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER •USA TODAY BESTSELLER The most scientifically rigorous, results-driven cookbook and nutrition program on the planet, featuring over 75 recipes designed specifically to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, and protect and enhance your amazing brain. Awarding-winning neurologists Dean Sherzai, MD and Ayesha Sherzai, MD have spent decades studying neuro-degenerative disease as Co-Directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Hospital. Together, they created a targeted nutrition program with one goal in mind: to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and cognitive decline in their patients. The results have been astounding. It starts by implementing their “Neuro Nine” foods into your diet every single day. In just thirty days, and with the help of clear guidelines and 75+ easy and delicious meals you’ll find in this book, The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution, you can boost the power of your brain, protect it from illness, and jumpstart total body health, including weight loss and improved sensory ability and mobility. The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solutionis the first action-oriented cookbook for preventing Alzheimer’s disease and delivering results like improved mental agility, short- and long-term memory, sharpness, and attention. Let this be the first 30 days of the rest of your life. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** The two of us met eighteen years ago in Afghanistan when we were both gone to the country after the fall of the Taliban and were hoping to help in the rebuilding process. Dean had initially been hired as a consultant for the world bank and then asked by the president of the country to lead the ministry of health in rebuilding the health care system. Ayesha had joined Doctors without borders and was helping bring health care to the women and children in the rural countryside. They met in an expat party and their first conversation was about their grandfathers who had died of Alzheimer’s disease. A year later they got married and dedicated their life to helping find a cure for this terrible disease. #### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** We both saw what this disease did to our grandparents and, from a very early age, decided to work towards finding a cure to the disease. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Find your passion and invest and sacrifice in that path. It is only then that it is no longer a job but a joy, a passion, and a purpose. #### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** [The book is Sapiens, and I would definitely recommend it.](https://amzn.to/4p4d7jL) #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @theneurodocs](https://twitter.com/theneurodocs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dementia Prevention, Dr Dean Sherzai, Food, Loma Linda University, Plant based diet **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Cath Mummery, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-cath-mummery-university-college-london/) **Published:** November 3, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Consultant Neurologist & Head of clinical trials at the UCL / UCLH Dementia Research Centre enabling the delivery of early phase clinical trials. **Content:** ![Dr Cath Mummery Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Dr-Cath-Mummery.jpg "Dr Cath Mummery")Dr Cath Mummery #### **Name:** Dr Cath Mummery #### **Job Title:** Consultant Neurologist, Head of clinical trials Dementia Research Centre #### **Place of work / study:** National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery #### **Area of Research:** Dementia and early phase clinical trials #### How is your research funded: NHS / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. I am chair of the NIHR Dementia Translational Research Collaboration, building a national unified trials network for early phase clinical trials and working with the Dementia Mission to accelerate and enhance dementia translational research in novel treatments. I am Head of Clinical Trials at the Dementia Research Centre, University College London. Over the past 17 years, I have been chief investigator on over 20 early phase drug trials of potential disease modifying agents in [sporadic Alzheimer’s disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-a-longitudinal-research-study-of-familial-alzheimers-disease/) (AD) and genetic forms of AD and frontotemporal dementia, including immunotherapies against amyloid and tau, and novel mechanisms in first-in-human trials including checkpoint inhibitors, gene silencing and AAV genetic therapies. As clinical lead for the UCL Neurogenetic Therapies Programme, I lead a programme of innovative collaboration between industry and academia to accelerate progress in genetic therapies in dementia. My driving ambition is to ensure we not only have treatments that can alter the course of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, but that we can deliver them promptly, safely and equitably. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I was a dancing nurse in the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I was always fascinated by psychology, and wanted to combine an interest in medicine and the brain with detectiver work. My work on the brain led me to understanding more about dementia and to a career trying to understand the causes better adn therefore treatments that migth help the patients we see in clinic every day. #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? A career is a marathon with many turns along the way; keep your mind open and walk through open door opportunities, though with your eyes open #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy](https://amzn.to/4eSJKfy). Yes; a beautifully written description of the challenges of being a new parent. #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @cathmummery](https://twitter.com/cathmummery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Cath Mummery, Drug Trials, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** NHS, University College London **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Delivery of Drug Trials --- ### [Profile - Millennium Soibifaa Lyobuchiebomie, Sheffield Hallam University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-millennium-soibifaa-lyobuchiebomie-sheffield-hallam-university/) **Published:** May 5, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Millennium Soibifaa Lyobuchiebomie is a PhD student at Sheffield Hallam University researching language measures for early detection of MCI. **Content:** ![Millennium Soibifaa Lyobuchiebomie Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Millennium-Soibifaa-Lyobuchiebomie.jpg "Millennium Soibifaa Lyobuchiebomie")Millennium Soibifaa Lyobuchiebomie ##### Name: Millennium Soibifaa Lyobuchiebomie ##### Job title: PhD Student ##### Place of work / study: Sheffield Hallam University ##### Area of Research: Language-related deficits are among the early signs of decline in [mild cognitive impairment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/resources/sensitivity-of-cognitive-outcome-measures-to-plasma-p-tau217-in-mild-cognitive-impairment-in-the-ai-mind-study/) (MCI) – an at-risk stage of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. My research is exploring a potential sensitive language measure for the early detection of MCI ##### How is your work funded: Sheffield Hallam University ##### Tell us a little about yourself: My background sits within the social sciences. I hold a BSc in Sociology and a Master’s in Psychology. As a social scientist, my motivation is solving and/or elevating social problems with a special interest in older adults, which is informing my present research in investigating sensitive measures of early detection of MCI towards timely intervention, better quality of life among this group and their families and a reduction in burden on the health and social care system. My research interests are around MCI, Alzheimer’s disease/dementia, neuropsychology and brain health. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love good music, singing and spending time with great friends. I also enjoy helping people learn about the Bible and its practical value. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? It is a major cause of death in the UK, impacting the lives of those affected and their family in unprecedented ways. It will bring great satisfaction to contribute towards better outcomes for the populace in this regard, and also for myself and generations to come. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Start early by searching, connecting, and networking with people who share your interests. Discuss your work with them as much as you can. You will gain knowledge and focus, and have a community that will support you in your career. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Psychology Book](https://amzn.to/4p4bm69). I would recommend an introductory overview. ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Sleep, eat, exercise and get about! ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Getting to know God through the Bible and having faith and a promising hope for the future. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Not sure ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Millenium on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/millennium-soibifaa-iyobuchiebomie-gmbpss-7095b624a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Millennium Soibifaa Lyobuchiebomie, Sheffield Hallam University **Organisations for Bios:** Sheffield Hallam University **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Psychology --- ### [Profile - Franziska Weinmar, University of Tübingen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-franziska-weinmar-university-of-tubingen/) **Published:** April 14, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Franziska Weinmar is a PhD researcher at University of Tübingen studying how hormones shape women’s mental health, and hosts the Let’s Talk About Women podcast. **Content:** ![Franziska Weinmar Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Franziska-Weinmar.jpg "Franziska Weinmar")Franziska Weinmar ##### Name: Franziska Weinmar ##### Job title: PhD Researcher ##### Place of work / study: University of Tübingen ##### Area of Research: Psychoneuroendocrinology of [women’s mental health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/help-and-resources-for-student-health-and-wellbeing/) ##### How is your work funded: German Research Foundation (DFG, IRTG2804); Hans und Ria Messer Stiftung ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a PhD researcher in psychoneuroendocrinology studying how hormonal changes shape women’s mental health across major hormonal transitions in the female lifespan. My work focuses on the complex interplay between hormones, the brain, and emotional functioning, and how these changes can influence vulnerability to mental health disorders. In particular, I investigate emotion regulation during the perinatal and perimenopausal periods – two key phases of profound hormonal, neural and psychosocial adaptation. Alongside my research, I am passionate about science communication. I am the initiator and host of the podcast “Let’s Talk About Women,” where I speak with international researchers from neuroscience, psychology, and medicine about women’s mental health and the brain, with the goal of making scientific insights accessible to a broader audience. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love analogue photography and often surprise friends and family weeks later with photos from moments they had already forgotten about – like little time capsules that bring those memories, and smiles, back to life. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Personal reasons ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Research is a long journey, and the people who accompany you along the way shape your growth, curiosity, and resilience as much as the research itself. That’s why choosing a supportive and inspiring research environment or peer group early on can make all the difference. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading [Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano](https://amzn.to/4fl8HSq). I would absolutely recommend it. A beautiful and deeply moving story about family, love, and the complicated ways our lives become intertwined. ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Yoga, meeting friends over coffee, going for a run or walk, long phone calls with family. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Starting my PhD in Tübingen on women’s mental health. It has been an incredibly enriching journey of learning, growth, and meeting amazing people along the way. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Not sure ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Franziska on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/franziskaweinmar/) [Let’s Talk About Women Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/4J1aVwiIQoNXua73v8vjjO?si=ff3134a57f2f4a98) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Franziska Weinmar, University of Tübingen **Organisations for Bios:** University of Tübingen **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Profile - Dr Andrew Kiselica, University of Georgia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-andrew-kiselica-university-of-georgia/) **Published:** April 9, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Andrew Kiselica is an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia studying early Alzheimer’s detection, rural screening and dementia risk. **Content:** ![Dr Andrew Kiselica Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Andrew-Kiselica.jpg "Dr Andrew Kiselica")Dr Andrew Kiselica ##### Name: Dr Andrew Kiselica ##### Job title: Associate Professor ##### Place of work / study: University of Georgia ##### Area of Research: Detecting cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease ##### How is your work funded: I have had research funding from the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the Alzheimer’s Association, the NIH, and Gates Ventures ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an Associate Professor in the Institute of Gerontology and a board certified clinical neuropsychologist in the Cognitive Aging Research and Education Centre at the University of Georgia. I also serve as Co Chair of the International Neuropsychological Society Dementia Special Interest Group, where I lead an international working group on objective subtle cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. Since 2019, I have maintained continuous research funding from the NIH, the [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-association/), and Gates Ventures, contributing to over 80 publications focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. My research interests include expanding screening for dementia in rural communities, improving the assessment of cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, and exploring the relationship between technology use and dementia risk. Alongside my research, I provide clinical services, education, and outreach to older adults through the CARE Centre. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: To my knowledge, my wife and I are the only the people to have been married in the Redbud Atrium in the Grand Canyon. Our ceremony was done by a river guide on a rafting trip 🙂 ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? While I was in my PhD program in clinical psychology, both my grandfathers developed dementia. Watching their declines and the difficulties my family had in caring for them inspired me to become a clinical neuropsychology focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? One thing that has helped me feel much more comfortable in my career has been taking time to learn personal finance. After reading several books on this topic, I felt better prepared to enter job negotiations, deal with professional changes, and handle geopolitical uncertainty. It also helped me with many aspects of my job, like handling grant budgets. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I just finished [The Will of the Many](https://amzn.to/4yqtDiD) and would highly recommend it! ##### Favourite film of all time? Hell or High Water ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Hiking ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Having children ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Stockholm, Sweden ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@andrewk-phd.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/andrewk-phd.bsky.social) [Find Andrew on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kiselica-5a1729179/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Andrew Kiselica, University of Georgia **Organisations for Bios:** University of Georgia **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Profile - Dr Marieta Vassileva, UCL ARUK Drug Discovery Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-marieta-vassileva-ucl-aruk-drug-discovery-institute/) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Marieta Vassileva is a Research Fellow at UCL ARUK Drug Discovery Institute studying microglia in neurodegeneration to develop new dementia therapies. **Content:** ![Dr Marieta Vassileva Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dr-Marieta-Vassileva-280-x-280-px.jpg "Dr Marieta Vassileva 280 x 280 px")Dr Marieta Vassileva ##### Name: Dr Marieta Vassileva ##### Job title: Research Fellow ##### Place of work / study: UCL ARUK Drug Discovery Institute ##### Area of Research: The role of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases and how to target them effectively with novel therapeutics ##### How is your work funded: [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a Research Fellow at the ARUK Drug Discovery Institute (DDI) within UCL, where our multidisciplinary team integrates biology, pharmacology and chemistry to develop novel therapeutics for dementia. My interest in dementia research began early during my undergraduate and I went on to complete my PhD at the Cardiff Dementia Research Institute, focusing on the microglial risk genes PILRa and Syk and their roles in modulating microglial function, using both cellular and animal models. I joined UCL as a postdoctoral researcher in 2023, and now, as a project lead at the DDI, I apply my expertise in neuroimmunology to translate emerging immune‑related targets into potential therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and continue to pursue strategies that bridge fundamental biology with translational drug discovery. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love cooking and everything food related 🙂 ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My interest in the field began during my undergraduate when at the time as part of an assignment I had to complete a systematic review on the current treatments for Alzheimer’s disease which highlighted to me the unmet treatment needs in the field. I have always found the CNS field and the complexity of neurodegenerative diseases fascinating. During this time I was mentored by a fantastic lecturer of mine who worked in the field of neuroscience and had a strong impact on my development. They actively encouraged me to find a lab focused on Alzheimer’s disease research for my final year project and the rest is history. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t be scared to try new things! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://amzn.to/4wy5Mvy) and YES! ##### Favourite film of all time? Too hard to pick one, depends on my mood 🙂 ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Yoga ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Moving away from home to study ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? I’m biased by Sozopol (Bulgaria) ##### Do you collect anything? Not really ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Marieta on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marieta-vassileva-904a6413b/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Marieta Vassileva, UCL ARUK Drug Discovery Institute **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Drug Development --- ### [Profile - Dr Sofie Let Frandsen, Vesper Bio](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sofie-let-frandsen-vesper-bio/) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sofie Let Frandsen is a Senior Research Scientist at Vesper Bio studying neurodegeneration, with a focus on FTD GRN and a passion for preclinical research. **Content:** ![Dr Sofie Let Frandsen Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dr-Sofie-Let-Frandsen-280-x-280-px.jpg "Dr Sofie Let Frandsen 280 x 280 px")Dr Sofie Let Frandsen ##### Name: Dr Sofie Let Frandsen ##### Job title: Senior Research Scientist ##### Place of work / study: Vesper Bio ##### Area of Research: Neurodegeneration ##### How is your work funded: The Lundbeck Foundation ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a pharmacist by training and hold a PhD in neuroscience, where I focused on Parkinson’s disease and mood disorders, particularly the role of inflammation. I currently work at Vesper Bio, with a primary focus on [FTD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/perspectives-on-ftd-and-care-in-india/)-GRN. I am deeply motivated by scientific discovery and driven by preclinical research. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I play the piano. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have always been fascinated by the brain and motivated by how much remains unknown about these diseases. The fact that current treatments are primarily symptomatic, rather than disease-modifying, has driven my interest in contributing to research that can lead to a deeper understanding and ultimately better therapeutic approaches. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Stay curious and love the science, even when experiments fail. Research is full of setbacks, but small differences and insights can ultimately drive significant change. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [It Ends With Us – Colleen Hoover](https://amzn.to/4vjV0bk) ##### Favourite film of all time? The Notebook ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? A good movie and snacks with friends. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Going into science research. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Canada – love the mountains ##### Do you collect anything? Nothing weird ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Sofie on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofie-let-frandsen/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Sofie Let Frandsen, Vesper Bio **Organisations for Bios:** Industry **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Lauren O'Neill, University of Dundee](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-lauren-oneill-university-of-dundee/) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Lauren O’Neill is a postdoc researcher at Dundee studying alpha synuclein in DLB, inspired by personal loss and focused on mitochondrial links and genomics **Content:** ![Dr Lauren ONeill Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dr-Lauren-ONeill-280-x-280-px.jpg "Dr Lauren ONeill 280 x 280 px")Dr Lauren ONeill ##### Name: Dr Lauren O’Neill ##### Job title: Post-doctoral researcher ##### Place of work / study: University of Dundee ##### Area of Research: Molecular mechanisms underlying dementia with Lewy bodies ##### How is your work funded: [Lewy body society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jacqueline-cannon/) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: Currently, I’m a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Dundee working with Dr David Koss. My project aims to elucidate specifically where on the human genome alpha synuclein binds in patients who have suffered with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), using a technique known as ChIP-Seq. Having completed my PhD at Newcastle University where I largely investigated the presence of pre-symptomatic mitochondrial changes in a mouse model of alpha synucleinopathy, I aim to combine my knowledge of mitochondrial involvement in my current project, such as investigating whether alpha synuclein also binds mitochondrial DNA. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Not sure ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Dementia lies very close to home, as it will be for many people. My late Nana sadly passed away from Alzheimer’s disease, which inspired me to pursue a scientific career in delineating the mechanisms behind such an awful disease and diseases alike, with the overarching aim of furthering our current understanding so that preventative therapies can be developed. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Try not to doubt yourself, you’ll be surprised what you can achieve when you believe in yourself. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The vital question – Nick Lane](https://amzn.to/4gla7gL) – tries to answer the fundamental questions surrounding the origin of life. ##### Favourite film of all time? The Craft ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Drawing, Reading, Yoga or Pilates ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Applying for a PhD ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Madeira ##### Do you collect anything? Magnets and keyrings from different countries – it’s the simple things 🙂 ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Lauren on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-o%E2%80%99neill-04966a23a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Lauren O'Neill, Lewy body dementia, University of Dundee **Organisations for Bios:** University of Dundee **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Alice Carstairs, Alzheimer's Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alice-carstairs-alzheimers-society/) **Published:** March 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Alice Carstairs is a Research Communications Officer at Alzheimer's Society, sharing dementia research and engaging audiences across web, media and socials **Content:** ![Dr Alice Carstairs Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Alice-Carstairs-280-x-280-px.jpg "Alice Carstairs 280 x 280 px")Dr Alice Carstairs ##### Name: Dr Alice Carstairs ##### Job title: Research Communications Officer ##### Place of work / study: [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/) ##### Area of Research: My main role involves communicating dementia research to a wide range of audiences, primarily helping to disseminate the outcomes of Alzheimer’s Society-funded research. This includes a range of formats, including web, social media and working with the media when big dementia research stories hit the news. ##### How is your work funded: Alzheimer’s Society ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m a cell biologist by background. My PhD focused on musculoskeletal stem cells and using CRISPR/Cas9 to genetically modify immortalised cells to mimic cells from patients. I then moved to work at the NC3Rs, working across the funding and comms teams. I love telling the stories behind research, so moved to Alzheimer’s Society to work on research comms full time. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I got my black belt in karate during the first year of my PhD, although I’ve not trained in a long time ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My grandmother was diagnosed with vascular dementia when I was a teenager. As I moved to become a PhD student, she’d remember I was working in research but not what I was doing, so she used to ask a lot if I could work on something to fix her memory. I knew if there was ever a chance I could work in dementia research, I’d want to take it. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Ask questions. Even if you think they’re daft! It’s often much faster to ask, and you never know someone else might have been thinking the same thing. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher ](https://amzn.to/4aZiuv5)– I’m rereading them all, so yes I’d recommend them! I love sci-fi and fantasy books ##### Favourite film of all time? Disney’s Robin Hood – I love the music and the old style animation ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Dungeons and Dragons, playing or running games, I just really enjoy telling stories with friends ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Alice on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-carstairs-ab886341/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society, Dr Alice Carstairs **Organisations for Bios:** Alzheimer's Society, Charity **Themes for Bios:** Charity --- ### [Profile - Professor Marc Aurel Busche, UKDRI](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-marc-aurel-busche-ukdri/) **Published:** March 5, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Marc Aurel Busche studies how amyloid and tau disrupt brain circuits in Alzheimer’s disease, linking neuroscience research with patient care. **Content:** ![Professor Marc Aurel Busche Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Professor-Marc-Aurel-Busche.jpg "Professor Marc Aurel Busche")Professor Marc Aurel Busche ##### Name: Professor Marc Aurel Busche ##### Job title: Professor in Dementia and Neurodegeneration ##### Place of work / study: University of Basel & UK Dementia Research Institute ##### Area of Research: Neurodegenerative disorders and dementias ##### How is your work funded: UK Dementia Research Institute, UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, LifeArc, CureAlz, Alzheimer’s Association, Synapsis ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a clinical academic who works at the interface of patient care and neuroscience. I currently serve as Chief Physician and clinical professor in Basel, where I lead a Memory Clinic and Old Age Psychiatry service and help build modern pathways for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Alongside my clinical role in Switzerland, I maintain an active research programme at the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. My work focuses on why Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies disrupt brain function long before severe atrophy is visible, and how those early circuit changes translate into symptoms that patients and families recognise. In the laboratory, my team studies how disease-associated proteins such as amyloid beta and tau alter neuronal communication, from synapses and single neurons to large scale networks. We use a combination of in vivo physiology, imaging, human cell models and translational neuropathology to identify the most vulnerable cell types and mechanisms, with the goal of developing more mechanism-based therapies and biomarkers. What motivates me is the gap I see every week in the clinic: people are often diagnosed too late, prognostic tools are still limited, and treatment options have historically been largely symptomatic. I am committed to changing that by bringing molecular diagnostics, earlier detection and new disease-modifying approaches into real world care. My broader aim is to strengthen brain health services so that advances in science translate ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Not sure ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I chose dementia because it sits at the crossroads of medicine, neuroscience, and what matters most to people. As a clinician, I met patients whose lives were changing in ways that were frightening and often poorly explained, and I saw how heavily dementia falls on families and carers. For a long time, we had little to offer beyond support and symptomatic treatment, which was deeply unsatisfying. At the same time, the biology fascinated me. Dementia is not only about cell loss, it is about circuits failing, years before severe atrophy. That insight pulled me towards research, because it suggested that understanding early dysfunction could lead to earlier diagnosis, better prediction, and treatments that target mechanisms rather than symptoms. I stayed in the field because we are finally entering an era where molecular diagnostics and disease-modifying therapies are becoming real, and I want to help translate those advances into safe, practical care that genuinely improves patients’ lives. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Pick a question that you genuinely care about, then design the simplest, most decisive experiment you can to test it, and do that early. Protect time for deep work, seek mentors who tell you the truth rather than what is comfortable, and build collaborations with people who are better than you at the methods you need. Keep your standards high, but do not wait for the “perfect” project or dataset before you put work into the world. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am currently reading [Our Brains, Our Selves by Masud Husain](https://amzn.to/4bsXCw6). It is a fascinating, very readable collection of patient stories that makes you think about how the brain shapes personality, memory, and identity. I would definitely recommend it. ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Time with my daughter, anything that involves laughing and no screens ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Not sure ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Too many to choose from ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Marc on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-aurel-busche-573081171/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Professor Marc Aurel Busche, Tau, UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** UK Dementia Research Institute, Unversity College London **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Clinical --- ### [Profile - Professor Jason Warren, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-jason-warren-university-college-london/) **Published:** March 9, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Jason Warren, neurologist at UCL Dementia Research Centre, studies hearing, language and primary progressive aphasia to understand dementia. **Content:** ![Professor Jason Warren Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Professor-Jason-Warren.jpg "Professor Jason Warren")Professor Jason Warren ##### Name: Professor Jason Warren ##### Job title: Professor of Neurology ##### Place of work / study: Dementia Research Centre, University College London ##### Area of Research: Cognitive and physiological phenotyping and biomarkers of dementia, focusing on [primary progressive aphasia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-primary-progressive-aphasia-keeping-connections-alive/) and brain hearing in dementia ##### How is your work funded: Current major funders are Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK, RNID, NIHR, EPSRC, National Brain Appeal ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a native of Adelaide, Australia where I completed my early medical training. I moved to the UK in 1999 as the Australasian Fellow to the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, training in cognitive neurology and completing a PhD in the physiology of human auditory cortex. Since 2005, I have been a consultant neurologist to the National Hospital (Specialist Cognitive Disorders Clinic) and led the Brain Behaviour Group within UCL Dementia Research Centre, principally to study the interface of hearing, language and dementia. All of my work is clinically oriented and directly informed by meeting and caring for people living with dementia. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I find that life goes better with Schubert ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Clinical importance, human impact and scientific fascination ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t forget that there is much more to living well (and happily) than doing good research ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Homer and his Iliad, by Robin Lane Fox](https://amzn.to/4p4lxHQ) (yes) ##### Favourite film of all time? I can’t decide! Train Dreams recently made me cry ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Music. Then music. After that, music ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To have children (not made unilaterally!) ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? That really depends – I’m partial to both mountains and art galleries ##### Do you collect anything? Unwritten papers! ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [UCL Bio](https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/9248-jason-warren) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Primary Progressive Aphasia, Professor Jason Warren, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** Unversity College London **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Professor Melissa E. Murray, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-melissa-e-murray-mayo-clinic-jacksonville/) **Published:** March 3, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Melissa E. Murray is a neuropathologist at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville studying tau, biomarkers and AI to improve dementia diagnosis and prevention. **Content:** ![Professor Melissa Murray Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Professor-Melissa-Murray.jpg "Professor Melissa Murray")Professor Melissa Murray ##### Name: Professor Melissa E. Murray ##### Job title: Professor in the Department of Neuroscience with a joint Consultant appointment in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology ##### Place of work / study: Mayo Clinic Jacksonville ##### Area of Research: My research centers on uncovering why changes in the tau protein look differently from person to person. I study brain tissue and biological markers (biomarkers) to better understand disease mechanisms and to advance more precise diagnosis toward ultimately preventing these devastating diseases. ##### How is your work funded: My research on MAPT mutation carriers is funded by Rainwater Charitable Foundation for innovative, data-driven approaches to studying tau pathology. Modernization efforts for the brain bank is funded through the Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast Chapter. My research focused on Alzheimer’s disease is funded by the National Institute on Aging through multiple R01, RF1, U01, P30, and U19 grants. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a translational neuropathologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, where I lead a lab dedicated to preventing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and serve as Co Director of the Mayo Clinic [brain bank](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/south-west-dementia-brain-bank-40th-anniversary/). My research focuses on understanding why tau mediated diseases affect individuals differently, with particular emphasis on where disease occurs in the brain and why young onset forms often follow a more aggressive course. My work integrates digital pathology, neuroimaging, and blood based biomarkers to better define the variability in tau changes in Alzheimer’s disease and primary tauopathy brains. I am especially passionate about transformative neuropathology that combines descriptive studies with artificial intelligence to make disease measurement more objective, scalable, and clinically meaningful. I am committed to bridging rigorous brain based science with clinical care so that discoveries at the microscope translate into real impact for patients and families. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I had barely even sent an email before entering college and now am advancing science using fancy computational approaches alongside my incredible team. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My grandmother’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease profoundly shaped my path. I had already begun studying neurodegeneration when she started to decline, but helping care for her and later losing her during graduate school transformed my academic interest into a life mission. Through brain donation, she became part of our research program and has been included in nearly every study I’ve conducted. In many ways, she remains one of my greatest inspirations and a constant reminder of why this work matters. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Anchor yourself to your “why.” Science is demanding, and there will be seasons that test your confidence. When your motivation is deeply personal and values-driven, it sustains you through those moments. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Black Witch by Laurie Forest](https://amzn.to/4yefHIq) ##### Favourite film of all time? Ever After ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Audio books, movies, lovely glass of red wine with friends ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To switch from sculpting to Biology 2 in my first year of university ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Staycation, I forget that weekends are meant for relaxing ##### Do you collect anything? Not anymore, I used to love collecting magnets on my adventures ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Melissa on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-e-murray-012a919/) [@drneurochic.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/drneurochic.bsky.social) [Follow @DrNeuroChic](https://twitter.com/DrNeuroChic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Mayo Clinic, Neuropathology, Professor Melissa E. Murray, Tau **Organisations for Bios:** Mayo Clinic **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Natalie Wickett, Simon Fraser University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-natalie-wickett-simon-fraser-university/) **Published:** February 13, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Natalie Wickett is a graduate student at Simon Fraser University researching Alzheimer’s, physical activity and sex differences, exploring hormones and ageing. **Content:** ![Natalie Wickett Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Natalie-Wickett.jpg "Natalie Wickett")Natalie Wickett ##### Name: Natalie Wickett ##### Job title: Graduate student ##### Place of work/study: Simon Fraser University ##### Area of Research: Alzheimer’s and physical activity/ sex differences in AD ##### How is your work funded: Simon Fraser University/ McIntosh Lab Dr Anthony McIntosh ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’ve always been interested in the human body, our nervous system, why we are how we are, and how to improve health, function, and longevity. Particularly, I’ve been interested in muscle mass and resistance training as I’m an ex-powerlifter and generally enjoy training in the gym myself. I’m also interested in the menstrual cycle, [menopause](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-the-midlife-transition-menopause-and-the-brain/), and female hormones. I aim to tie both of these into the ageing process, both healthy ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I don’t know if I have any! Maybe a boring fact? I hate mayonnaise. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I’m interested in prevention and how to be healthier/more agile. I used to help care for some old friends with dementia, and seeing how it affects people’s lives and families is heartbreaking. I’d love to work towards a future where it can be prevented or cured. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? I am the early career researcher! The passion/knowledge isn’t the problem, for me (especially with ADHD), navigating the world of applications, funding, etc is quite challenging ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Music as medicine](https://amzn.to/3T2FBys). It explores music in movement disorders, stutters, tourette’s, parkinson’s. It’s super interesting! ##### Favourite film of all time? I’m not a film person – I like shows, and my all-time favourite is Gossip Girl ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Recently, it’s been running, and I’ve signed up for a half-marathon ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Probably to study neuroscience at Exeter University. I met amazing people and learnt so much. Opened the door to find a path I’m super passionate about ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Barcelona in October/November as it’s less busy and just as beautiful ##### Do you collect anything? Perfumes ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Natalie on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-wickett-502303212/?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Natalie Wickett, Simon Fraser University **Organisations for Bios:** Simon Fraser University **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Profile - Dr Emma Hock, The University of Sheffield](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-hock-the-university-of-sheffield/) **Published:** February 4, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Emma Hock is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield specialising in evidence synthesis in social care, leading NIHR funded review research. **Content:** ![Dr Emma Hock Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Dr-Emma-Hock.jpg "Dr Emma Hock")Dr Emma Hock ##### Name: Dr Emma Hock ##### Job title: Senior Lecturer ##### Place of work / study: The University of Sheffield ##### Area of Research: Evidence synthesis in public health, health care and social care ##### How is your work funded: Grants, mainly from government bodies. This particular research was funded by the NIHR and most of my research is NIHR-funded. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I have worked in [evidence synthesis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/literature-review-resources/) at the University of Sheffield for 17 years, focusing mainly on systematic reviews and realist synthesis. I have worked on syntheses in the fields of public health, health technology assessment, and health and social care. This involves bringing together research evidence published by others that answers the same question, to get an overall answer. I teach on the Master of Public Health face-to-face and online degrees, and also on the Medical undergraduate degree. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I like football, and used to be a referee at grassroots and non-league level. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I was involved in the project by colleagues, in my capacity as a reviewer, however it sounded like a very interesting field with the potential for the research to make a difference to people’s lives. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Seek support from colleagues and seek out opportunities. No question is too small or too silly to ask. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Midnight Library](https://amzn.to/4y9uHXE) – yes definitely. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Going for a run or a walk ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Having my children ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Weymouth ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @EmmaEversonHock](https://twitter.com/EmmaEversonHock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Emma on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-hock-41695715/) [@dremmahock.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/dremmahock.bsky.social) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Emma Hock, National Institute for Health and Care Research, The University of Sheffield **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Sheffield **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care, Policy --- ### [Profile - Tom Adam, Imperial College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-tom-adam-imperial-college-london/) **Published:** December 17, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Tom Adam is a Research Assistant at the UK Dementia Research Institute Imperial College London, developing home UTI diagnostics to support people with dementia. **Content:** ![Thomas Adam Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Thonmas-Adam-280-x-280-px.jpg "Thomas Adam 280 x 280 px")Thomas Adam ##### Name: Tom Adam ##### Job title: Research Assistant ##### Place of work / study: UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London ##### Area of Research: UTI home diagnostics for people living with dementia ##### How is your work funded: UK DRI ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I studied mechanical engineering and then biomedical engineering. I started working at Imperial during Covid to help establish the Lighthouse Lab for Covid testing, where I was in charge of the liquid handling robots. As time went on, I was able to take on more projects, one of which was developing this [UTI](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/salon-debate-should-genetic-testing-for-dementia-be-routine/) testing device. It suited me well, since I wanted to move into the design and development space of medical devices. In this project, I work with a team of biologists to build a device which uses a DNA amplification process to detect the presence of bacteria relating to UTIs. We worked with the Helix Centre to conduct workshops with those affected by dementia to steer the features of the device. More recently, we are taking our first steps in translating our research into a real-world environment; specifically, we are planning an experiment to test urine samples in GP practices to collect further data on the device’s accuracy. Our aim with this is to mitigate the need for symptom recognition for those living with dementia, and instead detect these infections in the comfort of their home, thereby reducing hospitalisation. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have 6 nephews – yes no nieces at all. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Because engineering can really help to improve the lives of people living with dementia. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Present your work as much as you can – feedback is a very efficient way to learn. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Behold the dreamers](https://amzn.to/4gTOjcg). Yes, don’t judge it by its cover. ##### Favourite film of all time? Fantastic Mr. Fox ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Thomas on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-adam-3079161a3/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** health technologies, innovation, Tom Adam, UK Dementia Research Institute, UTI **Organisations for Bios:** Imperial College London, UK Dementia Research Institute **Themes for Bios:** Innovation, Technology --- ### [Profile - David de Jong-Bambagioni, Global Brain Health Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-david-de-jong-bambagioni-global-brain-health-institute/) **Published:** December 2, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** David de Jong Bambagioni is a social entrepreneur at GBHI who applies XR and spatial computing to improve care and widen access for all. **Content:** ![David de Jong - Bambagioni Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/David-de-Jong-Bambagioni.jpg "David de Jong - Bambagioni")David de Jong – Bambagioni ##### Name: David de Jong – Bambagioni ##### Job title: Social entrepeneur ##### Place of work / study: [Global Brain Health Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-inside-the-global-brain-health-institute/) ##### Area of Research: XR and Spatial Computing ##### How is your work funded: Global Brain Health Institute ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I help healthcare organisations tackle efficiency challenges using best practices, data driven care, and innovative solutions. I translate extended reality and spatial computing from gaming and entertainment to bring these advancements to healthcare. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Not sure I have one ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? As an Atlantic Fellow, David aims to raise awareness and digital literacy in extended reality and spatial computing. His goal is to enhance well-being and ensure equal access to these technologies, creating a level playing field for all. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Always involve the end-user ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [It Didn’t Start with You](https://amzn.to/4aCMvR3) ##### Favourite film of all time? Bambi ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walk my dog ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Start a social enterprise to make impact in healthcare ##### What’s the best vacation spot? In my daydreams ##### Do you collect anything? Memories ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find David on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-de-jong-bambagioni-%F0%9F%94%9C-unitedxr-690b2065/) [Follow @daviddejong90](https://twitter.com/daviddejong90?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** David de Jong-Bambagioni, Digital Technologies, Global Brain Health Institute, XR and Spatial Computing **Organisations for Bios:** Global Brain Health Institute **Themes for Bios:** Technology --- ### [Profile - Dr Elizabeth Rhodus, University of Kentucky](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-elizabeth-rhodus-university-of-kentucky/) **Published:** November 18, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Elizabeth Rhodus is an Assistant Professor at Kentucky who studies behavioural support for neurological conditions and helps families with care. **Content:** ![Dr Elizabeth Rhodus Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Dr-Elizabeth-Rhodus.jpg "Dr Elizabeth Rhodus")Dr Elizabeth Rhodus ##### Name: Dr Elizabeth Rhodus ##### Job title: Assistant Professor ##### Place of work / study: University of Kentucky ##### Area of Research: Behavioral interventions for neurological conditions and caregiver trainings. ##### How is your work funded: Grants-NIH / NIA ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I have a clinical background as an [occupational therapist](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/what-is-a-clinical-research-fellow-chris-lovegrove-explains/) and a passion for supporting individuals to thrive in daily activities while living at home. My research is focused on developing evidence for multi-component non-pharmacological interventions to prolong aging in place. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: The beach with my kiddos is my favorite place to be. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have a younger brother with Down Syndrome, and I am fueled to create a better world for him as he ages. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Growth can be painful because learning requires failure. Create strong strategies to protect your well-being and forge ahead! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading [‘Age in Place or Find a New Space’ by Carol Chiang](https://amzn.to/4y8wc8A) and [‘Labwork to Leadership’ by Jen Heemstra](https://amzn.to/4f0EKFJ). I just finished [‘Dopamine Nation’ by Anna Lembke](https://amzn.to/4bd1GR7). I’d recommend all of them for the particular audiences they target (i.e., 1) aging adults, 2) postdocs/early career folks, and 3) anyone interested in behavioral science). ##### Favourite film of all time? The Notebook ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Doing anything outdoors with my kiddos. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Drinking more water. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Cayman Islands ##### Do you collect anything? Photos ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Elizabeth on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-k-rhodus-phd-ms-otr-l-faota-2b251297/) [Follow @DrERhodus](https://twitter.com/DrERhodus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Elizabeth Rhodus, ISTAART, Occupational Therapy, University of Kentucky **Organisations for Bios:** University of Kentucky **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Inga Antonsdottir, Johns Hopkins University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-inga-antonsdottir-johns-hopkins-university/) **Published:** November 10, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Inga Antonsdottir is a Nurse Practitioner and Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins researching sleep, circadian rhythms, and Alzheimer’s prevention. **Content:** ![Dr Inga Antonsdottir Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Dr-Inga-Antonsdottir.jpg "Dr Inga Antonsdottir")Dr Inga Antonsdottir ##### Name: Dr Inga Antonsdottir ##### Job title: Nurse Practitioner & Postdoctoral Fellow ##### Place of work / study: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine ##### Area of Research: My research interests are in the study and treatment of [sleep and circadian rhythm](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/sleep-problems-could-double-risk-of-dementia-in-later-life/) disturbances, as well as the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias through behavioral and pharmacological interventions. ##### How is your work funded: NIH grants ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I earned my PhD and DNP at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. During my doctoral studies, I worked on community-based clinical trials aimed at reducing symptom burden and caregiver stress associated with memory disease progression. I currently work as a nurse practitioner in the Johns Hopkins Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center and serve as a postdoctoral fellow on the Translational Aging Research T32 funded by the NIA. My research focuses on sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances in people with cognitive impairments and their care partners, as well as the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias through behavioural and pharmacological interventions. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Not sure ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I work in dementia to help maximize the autonomy a person and their family has moving forward, and help families navigate the changes that may lie ahead. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Ask questions to understand, not to respond. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Ideological Brain: The Radical Science of Flexible Thinking](https://amzn.to/4p9CTDm) ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I like to go on a hike with my dog. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Getting my dog 🙂 ##### What’s the best vacation spot? A mountain with snow and ski trails. ##### Do you collect anything? No, not really. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Inga on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/inga-greta-antonsdottir-dnp-phd-718468172/) [Follow @Antonsdottir\_RN](https://twitter.com/Antonsdottir_RN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Inga Antonsdottir, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Sleep, sleep and circadian biology **Organisations for Bios:** Johns Hopkins University **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Tom Russ, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-tom-russ-the-university-of-edinburgh/) **Published:** October 30, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Tom Russ, Reader in Old Age Psychiatry at The University of Edinburgh, researches clinical and interdisciplinary dementia. Loves Esperanto. **Content:** ![Dr Tom Russ Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Tom-Russ.jpg "Dr Tom Russ")Dr Tom Russ ##### **Name:** Dr Tom Russ ##### **Job Title:** Reader in Old Age Psychiatry ##### **Place of work / study:** The University of Edinburgh ##### **Area of Research:** Clinical and interdisciplinary dementia research ##### **How is your work funded:** CSO, Race Against Dementia, Blood Biomarker Challenge, NIH ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I trained in medicine and psychiatry in Edinburgh, the Highlands and London and work clinically with older people with dementia. My PhD was in dementia epidemiology. I am a Reader in Old Age Psychiatry in the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh and an honorary Consultant Psychiatrist in NHS Lothian. I am [NHS Research Scotland](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-patients-practice-and-the-research-mindset/) Clinical Lead for Neuroprogressive and Dementia Research, an NIHR Senior Investigator, and Director of the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre (University of Edinburgh). ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’m barely fluent in but enjoy Esperanto ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I chose old age psychiatry because of the focus on the person and their family. I chose research because it is an important way to make things better tomorrow than they are today. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Keep at it – what you are doing is important! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’ve just finished [‘Memoir from Antproof Case’ by Mark Helprin](https://amzn.to/44hDjhl) which was excellent ##### Favourite film of all time? It’s got to be the Blues Brothers ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I enjoy reading or even just staring into space… ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Moving back to Edinburgh in 2007 ##### What’s the best vacation spot? You can’t beat a British beach holiday ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Tom on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-russ/) [Follow @AlzScotDRC](https://twitter.com/AlzScotDRC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Tom Russ, The University of Edinburgh **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Edinburgh **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Esther Whittlesea Reed](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-esther-whittlesea-reed/) **Published:** October 29, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Esther Whittlesea Reed, carer and Alzheimer’s Society funded lived experience contributor, shares insights from supporting a young family through dementia. **Content:** ![Esther Whittlesea Reed Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Esther-Whittlesea-Reed.jpg "Esther Whittlesea Reed")Esther Whittlesea Reed ##### **Name:** Esther Whittlesea Reed ##### **Job Title:** Carer and person with lived experience ##### **Place of work / study:** Person with lived experience in research studies ##### **Area of Research:** Supporting insight into lived experience of those with dementia, [young onset dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-shaping-young-onset-dementia-support-by-involving-the-public/) and also impact on young families of a parent with dementia . The role of psychotherapy in supporting this with and impacted by dementia ##### **How is your work funded:** Alzheimers Society ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Dementia has now been part of my family life for about 10 years. My wife was diagnosed in 2018 at the point our children were just over 18 months and 6 years old. It was very difficult for her to be diagnosed and to find psychological and practical tailored support that met our family’s needs. It was a significant trauma in all our life and we worked hard together to not allow dementia to rupture our marriage and blow our family apart. Along this journey many professionals have not only been involved but also ‘learnt ‘ from us. We continue to ‘be family’ even as my wife’s dementia has accelerated and progressed. If I/we can in anyway help others to navigate this with more support and less fight than we have had to turn this will only be a positive outcome. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’ve understood that love and courage take many forms and that all need to keep an open mind – my wife and my children continue to teach me something new everyday. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: It has impacted my life , my wife’s and my Childrens directly and this has motivated me to share for others what I have learnt on this eventful part of my life journey ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Never assume you know how it is – be curious , allow others to open up and break open their experiences and learn from this. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The salt road](https://amzn.to/4vRZjeY) – about determination and carrying on against the odds ##### Favourite film of all time? The Rocky Horror Picture Show ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I enjoying grabbing what the diverse melting pot of London has to offer from festivals to world music cuisine and art – to celebrate diversity and to feel thankful for it. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Following my own path and supporting those around me to do the same . To live life with courage compassion and optimism ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Always the last one! However a family trip to Colombia with us all including my wife with dementia celebrating my 50th birthday will always be special. ##### Do you collect anything? Art and literature from around the world. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? No sorry **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Esther Whittlesea Reed **Organisations for Bios:** Alzheimer's Society, Charity **Themes for Bios:** Patient & Public Involvement --- ### [Profile - Dr Gillian Coughlan, Harvard Medical School](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-gillian-coughlan-harvard-medical-school/) **Published:** October 28, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Gillian Coughlan is an Instructor at Harvard MGH studying preclinical Alzheimer disease, focusing on personalised risk factors and brain changes in ageing. **Content:** ![Dr Gillian Coughlan Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Gillian-Coughlan.jpg "Dr Gillian Coughlan")Dr Gillian Coughlan ##### **Name:** Dr Gillian Coughlan ##### **Job Title:** Instructor ##### **Place of work / study:** Harvard/MGH ##### **Area of Research:** Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease ##### **How is your work funded:** NIH and Alzheimer’s Association ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** My early interest in ageing, particularly pathological ageing, led me to undertake a PhD at the University of Norwich Medical School, during which I also held a visiting researcher affiliation at the University of Cambridge. During my doctoral work, I used innovative digital technologies to identify personalised cognitive markers associated with genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Building on this foundation, I expanded my research into multi-modal neuroimaging during my postdoctoral training, applying advanced imaging approaches to study Alzheimer’s disease pathology in greater depth. Before leaving Canada, where I completed my first postdoctoral fellowship, I was awarded a competitive two-year fellowship from the Alzheimer Society of Canada. I continued this fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital under the mentorship of [Rachel Buckley](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2022-day-one/) and Reisa Sperling. In 2024, I received the NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Grant and an Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship, supporting my promotion to Instructor at Harvard Medical School and MGH in January 2025. Alzheimer’s disease disproportionately affects women, and my current research focuses on identifying personalised risk factors associated with changes in Alzheimer’s biomarkers. A key contribution of my work has shown how menopausal hormone therapy influences regional tau accumulation, a finding with the potential to inform prevention strategies in postmenopausal individuals. I now lead multi-cohort and meta-analytic studies to better understand brain changes in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease. I welcome enquiries from prospective doctoral fellowship applicants. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** My interest in sex differences extends way beyond the neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I was always interested in the process of aging, and then naturally fell in the “dementia” field of research. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Publish! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Diane von Furstenberg – the women I wanted to be](https://amzn.to/4ePRpww) ##### Favourite film of all time? I love films! Maybe “You’ve got mail” ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Reading usually ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To prioritise family ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Can’t pick one favorite, somewhere in Europe ##### Do you collect anything? Picture frames ##### Would you like to share your playlist? Not today ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @gilliano122](https://twitter.com/gilliano122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Gillian Coughlan, Harvard Medical School, Menopause, Neuroimaging, Sex Differences **Organisations for Bios:** Harvard Medical School **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Aygun Badalova, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-aygun-badalova-university-college-london/) **Published:** October 17, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Aygun Badalova is a PhD student at UCL’s Institute of Neurology researching digital interventions for dementia and Alzheimer’s, funded by NIHR. **Content:** ![Aygun Badalova Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Aygun-Badalova.jpg "Aygun Badalova")Aygun Badalova ##### **Name:** Aygun Badalova ##### **Job Title:** PhD Student ##### **Place of work / study:** Institute of Neurology, University College London ##### **Area of Research:** Dementia ##### **How is your work funded:** NIHR ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a PhD candidate with a background in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. My current research focuses on developing [Digital Interventions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-nonpharmacological-interventions-pia/) in Neuro-Rehabilitation (DINR) for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. I have joined the lab where I work on the Gotcha! name retrieval therapy app, which aims to help people with dementia remember the names of familiar people. I am also involved in clinical work at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN). ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I will need to think of one ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: It always made me think, why some people forget and why some don’t. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Do what you love,otherwise you will suffer ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? The book by [The Fountainhead is a 1943 novel by Russian-American author Ayn Rand](https://amzn.to/4guXG25), ##### Favourite film of all time? The pursuit of happiness ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Meditation ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Moving to the UK to study ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Greece ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Would you like to share your playlist? No thank you ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @aygunbadal](https://twitter.com/aygunbadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Aygun on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aygun-badalova-02717812a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Aygun Badalova, Digital Health, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Profile - Dr Patricia Masterson-Algar, Bangor University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-patricia-masterson-algar-bangor-university/) **Published:** October 14, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Patricia Masterson Algar, Lecturer at Bangor University. Researches psychosocial support for young dementia carers. Funded by Health and Care Research Wales. **Content:** ![Dr Patricia Masterson Algar Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Patricia-Masterson-Algar.jpg "Dr Patricia Masterson Algar")Dr Patricia Masterson Algar ##### **Name:** Dr Patricia Masterson-Algar ##### **Job Title:** Lecturer in Health Sciences ##### **Place of work / study:** Bangor University ##### **Area of Research:** Psychosocial interventions – support for family carers with a focus on [young dementia carers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-understanding-inequalities-in-dementia/). ##### **How is your work funded:** Health and Care Research Wales ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I completed a BSc and a Research Master’s degree in Marine Sciences before making a career change and training as an Occupational Therapist in 2009. My interest in the evaluation and implementation of complex rehabilitation interventions led me to a PhD that investigated the impact of a targeted course of occupational therapy on people living in nursing and residential homes after suffering from a stroke. Following on from that I continued to do research focussed on improving the lives of families affected by a neurological condition such as dementia. My research explores the impact that these conditions can have not only on the lives of those affected by them but also on the family as a whole. For the past five years my work has focussed on the young members of families affected by dementia, young dementia carers. I have worked with these young people on the development of the first online support programme tailored to their needs, iSupport for Young People. Following on from that work I have secured funding from Health and Care Research Wales to co-design an online peer support programme that will help these young people have their voices heard and feel less alone. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** My first two degrees were in Marine Sciences Research and after that, for a few years I worked as a marine research technician on fishing trawlers ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I chose work with dementia because of a series of personal and professional experiences. The more families I speak to the more motivated I am to support them and to listen to them, what they want and what they need. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Remember that you are developing a series of transferable skills and you can take these skills in the direction you want! You don’t need to follow a set path! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Hallmarked Man (Cormoran Strike series) by R. Galbraith](https://amzn.to/4p4Kpzk). Yes, defenitely recommend it! ##### Favourite film of all time? Out of Africa (with the wonderful Meryl Streep and Robert Redford) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? If raining, listen to a current affairs podcast whilst making an apple crumble. If sunny, a bit of doubles tennis. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To change career path ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Malaga – having some sardines sitting by the ocean ##### Do you collect anything? No, I don’t like accumulating stuff! ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Patricia on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-masterson-algar-66439038a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Bangor University, Dementia Care, Dr Patricia Masterson-Algar, Young Carers **Organisations for Bios:** Bangor University **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Dr Darragh O'Brien, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-darragh-obrien-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** October 7, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Darragh O’Brien, University of Oxford researcher funded by ARUK and industry, studies tauopathies using proteomics to explore protein function and disease. **Content:** ![Dr Darragh OBrien Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Darragh-OBrien.jpg "Dr Darragh OBrien")Dr Darragh OBrien ##### **Name:** Dr Darragh O’Brien ##### **Job Title:** Researcher in Neurodegenerative Disease ##### **Place of work / study:** University of Oxford ##### **Area of Research:** My research interests lie in how protein intrinsic disorder and post-translational modifications contribute to protein function and disease, with a focus on the [tauopathies](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/are-tauopathies-caused-by-neuronal-and-glial-senescence/) Alzheimer’s Disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. ##### **How is your work funded:** Alzheimer’s Research UK and industry partners ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m a senior researcher in Translational Proteomics and Neurodegenerative Disease at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, where I utilise biological mass spectrometry to decipher mechanisms of human disease. My scientific journey began with an Honours Degree in Biochemistry from University College Dublin, where my undergraduate thesis explored mechanisms of amyloid processing in AD, under the guidance of Professor Dominic Walsh. I subsequently undertook PhD studies in Neuroscience in the group of Professor Sir Simon Lovestone at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. This was followed by research positions at University College London and Institut Pasteur in Paris. I am also a Research Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Not sure ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I was originally intrigued by the concept that protein misfolding could have such severe outcomes in the brain and wanted to explore more. Since I started off as an undergraduate student working on Alzheimer’s Disease, several close family members have been diagnosed with dementia, including my father in 2021. This has given me even more motivation in the lab to develop better treatments and help find a cure. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Find a good mentor to help guide you during this crucial career stage! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna](https://amzn.to/4h4HKn8) – a love letter to London life ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I love to run along the River Thames in Oxford, which is a great way to keep fit and de-stress. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Not sure. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? I was in South Korea a couple of years ago and would happily go back tomorrow! ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @darraghpobrien](https://twitter.com/darraghpobrien?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@darraghobrien.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/darraghobrien.bsky.social) [Find Darragh on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/darragh-o-brien-902300a4/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Darragh O'Brien, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, University of Oxford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Professor Liisa Galea, University of Toronto](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-liisa-galea-university-of-toronto/) **Published:** October 6, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Liisa Galea, Treliving Family Chair at CAMH Toronto, researches how sex and hormones shape brain health, neuroplasticity, and dementia risk. **Content:** ![Professor Liisa Galea Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Professor-Liisa-Galea.jpg "Professor Liisa Galea")Professor Liisa Galea ##### **Name:** Professor Liisa Galea ##### **Job Title:** Professor and Treliving Family Chair in Women’s Mental Health ##### **Place of work / study:** Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto ##### **Area of Research:** Although sex differences exist in many brain diseases, research targeting sex as a factor in brain health has been scarce. Dr. Galea’s research is vital in filling this knowledge gap, specifically in understanding how [sex and hormones](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-sex-gender-differences-in-alzheimers-pia/) influence neuroplasticity in females as too often women’s health is ignored in research. ##### **How is your work funded:** Federal Funds and Philanthropic support: CIHR, NSERC, Wellcome Leap, Brain Canada, Cure for Alzheimer’s Fund ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am the Treliving Family Chair in Women’s Mental Health at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. I lead the Women’s Health Research Cluster, which has more than 900 members worldwide. My expertise is in sex and sex hormone influences on the brain in both health and disease states, with a particular focus on stress-related psychiatric disorders and dementia. Although sex differences exist in many brain diseases, research targeting sex as a factor in brain health has been limited. My work aims to fill this knowledge gap by investigating how hormones influence neuroplasticity and risk for diseases in females, as women’s health is too often overlooked in research. By understanding how neuroplasticity is regulated, we may be able to develop new therapeutic treatments for diseases involving neuronal loss, which are more prevalent in women, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression. More than 20 years ago, I developed the first rodent models for perinatal depression, and my research continues to uncover how pregnancy and motherhood affect the risk for psychiatric disorders in the short term and shape the trajectory of cognitive ageing in the long term. To date, I have published over 210 scientific papers, edited a book, and I am a Fellow of both the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society. I have been honoured with numerous awards, including the Mortyn Jones Medal and the Vancouver YMCA Women of Distinction Award (2015). I have served on peer review committees for Canadian, American and British federal funding agencies (NSERC, CIHR, NIH, Wellcome Trust) and on advisory boards at provincial, national, and international levels, including the Steroids and Nervous System meeting in Italy, the Ludeman Centre for Women’s Health, and the Sex and Gender Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease initiative with the Alzheimer’s Association in the US. I am the Principal Editor of *Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology* and serve on the editorial boards of several leading journals in the field, including *Hormones and Behavior, Endocrinology, Psychoneuroendocrinology, Neurobiology of Stress, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Neuroendocrinology, Neuroscience,* and *eNeuro*. I am ranked in the top 1% of cited researchers worldwide. Above all, I am a tireless advocate for women’s health research and for incorporating sex and gender-based analyses to improve health for all people. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I am very proud of my Estonian and Maltese heritage and I love baking Estonian Kringle. My greatest accomplishments are my two wonderful ‘adult’ children, who have inherited my love of science and cookie dough. I live in Toronto and enjoy trail hiking with my very badly behaved dog. Most weekends, you’ll find me exploring new hiking trails in and around the city. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: My mother. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Believe in yourself, develop thick skin and persist ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Slow Horses: The bestselling thrillers that inspired the hit Apple TV+ show](https://amzn.to/44bOpob) ##### Favourite film of all time? Elf, Megamind, It’s a Wonderful Life, Guardians of the Galaxy ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Hiking, nature walks ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Having my children ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Italy ##### Do you collect anything? No – just regrets ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @LiisaGalea](https://twitter.com/LiisaGalea?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@liisagalea.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/liisagalea.bsky.social) [Find Liisa on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/liisa-galea-14479814/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Professor Liisa Galea, Sex Differences, University of Toronto **Organisations for Bios:** University of Toronto **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti, Karolinska Institutet](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-maria-teresa-ferretti-karolinska-institutet/) **Published:** October 2, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti, Clinical Ops & Partnerships Manager at Syntropic Medical, neuroscientist with 20+ yrs in Alzheimer’s, expert on sex & gender. **Content:** ![Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Maria-Teresa-Ferretti.jpg "Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti")Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti ##### **Name:** Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti ##### **Job Title:** Clinical Operations and Partnership Manager, Syntropic Medical, Austria ##### **Place of work / study:** Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska (affiliated researcher) ##### **Area of Research:** I am a neuroscientist with 20-year experience in the field of brain research and in particular Alzheimer’s disease research. One aspect I am particularly interested about is sex and gender differences. ##### **How is your work funded:** N/A ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a neuroscientist and science advocate with over 20 years of international experience in brain research, and a unique expertise in Alzheimer and sex and gender differences. I earned my Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Cagliari, Italy, in 2005, followed by an internship at GlaxoSmith&Kline’s Center of Excellence for Drug Discovery in Harlow, England. In 2011 I completed my PhD in Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University in Montreal, Canada and joined the Nitsch lab at University of Zurich’s (the lab that discovered aducanumab), first as postdoc and then as group leader at the Zurich Neuroscience Center (Switzerland). In 2016, I co-founded the non-profit ‘Women’s Brain Project,’ dedicated to exploring sex and gender impacts on brain and mental health for precision medicine, where I served as Chief Scientific Officer for several years. I led international projects with organizations like the WHO, ADI, EAN, EFNA, and EBC. I have published numerous peer-reviewed papers as well as special issues and books, including the first textbook on [sex and gender differences](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/relay-podcast-diversity-and-disparities-pia/) in Alzheimer’s disease, with Elsevier, in 2021. My passion for scientific communication led to numerous keynote lectures as well as frequent appearances in media interviews, podcasts, and documentaries, including the BBC. For the lay public I delivered two TED-x talks and authored two books: ‘Una bambina senza testa’ and ‘Alzheimer Revolution’ (Ed. Mondo Nuovo, 2021 and 2022). Currently, I am the Clinical Operations and Partnerships manager at the Austrian startup Syntropic Medical, in Vienna, where I live. In Vienna I am also an External Teacher (Privat Dozent) at the Medical University. I continue teaching and doing research in the field of brain health as a faculty member of the Certificate for Advanced Studies (CAS) in Gender Medicine at the University of Zurich, and as an affiliated researcher at the Center for Alzheimer Research (CAR) at Karolinska. A passionate science advocate, capable of building new platforms for inclusive discussions between scientists, clinicians and public, I work probono in several organizations. I am a member of the management group of the Coordinating Panel for Diversity Equity and Inclusion at the European Academy of Neurology (of which I am also fellow), the cofounder and Stakeholder Engagement Lead at Walking The Talk For Dementia, and the co-founder and Secretary of ASSAI, the association for the promotion of scientific exchanges between Italy and Austria supported by the Italian Embassy in Vienna. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I am a very curious person who likes to try things out and challenge myself out of my comfort zone. That’s how I find myself doing things like horseback riding, giving talks in German or walking a segment of the Camino de Santiago. No regrets ;). ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I was Initially fascinated by the intellectual challenge – such a devastating disease and nobody had figured out yet exactly how it works. I fell in love with dementia research when I realized its actual impact – improving the lives of so many patients and carers with early diagnosis and new treatment. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? You are good enough, go for it! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Re-reading for the gazillionth time ‘[The unbearable lightness of being’ by Milan Kundera](https://amzn.to/4vl7eQW). Absolute masterpiece, highly recommend – a book that has accompanied me over the years never losing its charme. ##### Favourite film of all time? Recently, I absolutely loved Poor Things ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking. I love wandering in a new city or just in a corner of my hometown that I don’t know. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Choosing an unconventional career path that has allowed me to follow my passions and grow as a person. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? By the sea at my homeplace, Sardinia, Italy 😉 ##### Do you collect anything? Fridge magnets from my trips ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @mateferretti](https://twitter.com/mateferretti?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Maria on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-teresa-ferretti-241849115/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti, Karolinska Institutet, Sex Differences **Organisations for Bios:** Karolinska Institutet **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Professor Claudia Barth, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-claudia-barth-charite-universitatsmedizin-berlin/) **Published:** September 29, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Prof Claudia Barth, Charité Berlin & Diakonhjemmet Oslo, studies hormonal transitions and their impact on the female brain, depression and Alzheimer’s. **Content:** ![Professor Claudia Barth Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Professor-Claudia-Barth.jpg "Professor Claudia Barth")Professor Claudia Barth ##### **Name:** Professor Claudia Barth ##### **Job Title:** Head of Research Division Neurobiology of Hormonal Transitions ##### **Place of work / study:** Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany & Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway ##### **Area of Research:** My research focuses on how hormonal transition periods impact the female brain with relevance to [depression and Alzheimer’s disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/relay-podcast-sensory-health-and-cognition-pia/) ##### **How is your work funded:** My research is funded by the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, HORIZON Europe (i.e., European Research Council Starting Grant & MSCA Doctoral Network Grants), and Wellcome Care Leap. ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I hold a professorship for the neurobiology of hormonal transitions at the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences (CCM) & the Research Unit of Gender in Medicine (GiM) at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. I am a biologist and neuroscientist by training with a strong background in neuroendocrinology. My work integrates preclinical and clinical perspectives as well as computational approaches to study hormonal transition periods and their impact on brain health and psychiatric disorders. I further serve as Chair of the ENIGMA Neuroendocrinology Working Group – Menopause Subgroup and Co-Chair of the ENIGMA Early Onset Psychosis Working Group, to foster global research collaborations on these topics. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have a stack of coasters which are 3D printed slices of my brain. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: It was more or less coincidental after starting my academic career with a focus on menstrual cycle effects on the female brain and slowing transitioning to other major hormonal transitions across the female lifespan. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Network and collaborate with people you like and respect and who treat you with kindness and respect in return ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am currently reading [Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson](https://amzn.to/4faqEC6) and I can recommend it so far – but I am only halfway in. ##### Favourite film of all time? The Lord of The Rings Movies – hands down the best ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Submerging my body in warm water, preferably in the (sub)tropics ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Getting a light and foldable camping chair ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Costa Rica ##### Do you collect anything? Books and Plants ##### Would you like to share your playlist? Not sure ##### Can we find you on social media? [@nifti12.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/nifti12.bsky.social) [Follow @nifti12](https://twitter.com/nifti12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Claudia on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-barth-phd/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Professor Claudia Barth, Sex Differences **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Mosi Li, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-mosi-li-the-university-of-edinburgh/) **Published:** September 24, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Mosi Li is a Research Fellow in Molecular Neuroscience in the UK Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh **Content:** ![Dr Mosi Li Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dr-Mosi-Li.jpg "Dr Mosi Li")Dr Mosi Li ##### **Name:** Dr Mosi Li #### **Job Title:** Research Fellow in Molecular Neuroscience ##### **Place of work / study:** UK Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh ##### **Area of Research:** I work on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases ##### **How is your work funded:** UK Dementia Research Institute ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a dementia researcher studying the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on neuron–glial interactions in Alzheimer’s disease. I use transgenic models and genomic approaches such as single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, I investigate how microglia and astrocytes contribute to neuroinflammation and disease progression. My goal is to uncover [therapeutic targets](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/2025-alzheimers-drug-pipeline-shows-growth-and-diversity/) and contribute to more effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I love trying out new recipes and getting lost in a good comic book. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I chose to work in dementia because it is a complex and urgent health challenge. A family member’s experience with dementia motivated me to focus on studying its mechanisms and contributing to better treatments. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Stay curious and resilient. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Three-body problem](https://amzn.to/4gqxFRu) ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Cooking and reading comic books ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Pursuing research in dementia has been the best decision I’ve ever made ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Maldives ##### Do you collect anything? Shells, volcanic stones and comic books ##### Would you like to share your playlist? Not sure ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Mosi on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosi-li-122547a8/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Mosi Li, The University of Edinburgh, UK Dementia Research Institute **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Edinburgh, UK Dementia Research Institute **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Professor Naaheed Mukadam, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-naaheed-mukadam-university-college-london/) **Published:** September 18, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Naaheed Mukadam, UCL, studies inequalities in dementia, focusing on diagnosis pathways, epidemiology, and dementia prevention, diagnosis and care. **Content:** ![Professor Naaheed Mukadam Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Professor-Naaheed-Mukadam.jpg "Professor Naaheed Mukadam")Professor Naaheed Mukadam ##### **Name:** Professor Naaheed Mukadam #### **Job Title:** Professor of Psychiatry ##### **Place of work / study:** University College London ##### **Area of Research:** [Inequalities in dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-researching-inequalities-in-dementia-care/), epidemiology of dementia ##### **How is your work funded:** NIHR and UCL ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a Professor of Psychiatry and Consultant Psychiatrist. I have always been interested in inequalities in dementia, initially in pathways to diagnosis and more recently in the epidemiology of dementia as well as prevention, diagnosis and care ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I enjoy singing and performing to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I found it interesting because of the complexity of the condition and its aetiology. It also has a huge impact on people living with it, and the more people researching how to improve things, the better ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? Find mentors who support and encourage you ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Euphoria by Lily King](https://amzn.to/4bwvwAb) – an interesting and engaging book, I recommend it ##### Favourite film of all time? I struggle to choose favourites ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Reading ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Doing a Master’s degree – it set me on the path to an academic career ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Anywhere warm and by the water ##### Do you collect anything? Books ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @Naaheed\_Mukadam](https://twitter.com/Naaheed_Mukadam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** dementia inequalities, Professor Naaheed Mukadam, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care, Psychology --- ### [Profile - Dr Rhian Convery, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-rhian-convery-university-college-london/) **Published:** September 15, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Rhian Convery is a Research Fellow at University College London researching the use of Digital Biomarker for Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) **Content:** ![Rhian Convery Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Rhian-Convery-e1757950289865.jpg "Rhian Convery")Rhian Convery ##### **Name:** Dr Rhian Convery #### **Job Title:** Research Fellow ##### **Place of work / study:** University College London ##### **Area of Research:** Digital biomarkers for the early detection of [Frontotemporal dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-frontotemporal-dementia-pia/) (FTD) ##### **How is your work funded:** My research is funded through a Rosetrees research fellowship ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** My research focuses on investigating biomarkers of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) for the detection of presymptomatic impairment. I have over six years’ experience working in the field, initially as a research assistant for the GENetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative (GENFI) study. In 2019, I started a PhD investigating digital biomarkers for the early detection of cognitive impairment in FTD, with a purpose of developing reliable outcome measures for upcoming clinical trials. I have since taken on the coordination of the Early Detection of Frontotemporal dementia (EDoF) initiative, managing several studies of digital and/or portable methods of assessing speech, activity levels, motor function, and cognition in FTD. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** When I am not reading journal articles, you will usually find me lost in a novel, modern or classic, I don’t discriminate. Like many mid-30-somethings, I have also entered my ‘running era’… though who knows how long it will last! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I have always been fascinated by the brain and how it works, and when I began my research journey in FTD, I was deeply struck by the condition and its impact on individuals and their families. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek mentorship, nobody expects you to know everything at the start! The best researchers grow by learning from others and building strong collaborations. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Audition by Katie Kitamura](https://amzn.to/4ePR90w) – it is a beautifully written novel about memory and the stories we tell about ourselves. I would recommend it for the way it stays with you long after you have put it down! ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Reading ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Moving to London! ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Anywhere outside of London! ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @rhianconvery](https://twitter.com/rhianconvery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Rhian on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhian-convery-7a8629129/) [Follow Rhian Convery on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/rhianconvery/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Digital biomarkers, Dr Rhian Convery, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** University College London **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Technology --- ### [Profile - Dr Michael Stringer, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-michael-stringer-the-university-of-edinburgh/) **Published:** September 12, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Michael Stringer is a MVLS Futures Fellow at University of Edinburgh & University of Glasgow working with the latest MRI methods to assess vascular damage **Content:** ![Dr Michael Stringer Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dr-Michael-Stringer.jpg "Dr Michael Stringer")Dr Michael Stringer ##### **Name:** Dr Michael Stringer #### **Job Title:** MVLS Futures Fellow ##### **Place of work / study:** The University of Edinburgh & University of Glasgow ##### **Area of Research:** My research works to understand uses state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging methods to assess how [vascular damage](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-my-phd-neurovascular-effects-of-heart-disease-in-alzheimers/) via impaired brain waste clearance and other problems causes dementias and strokes ##### **How is your work funded:** College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences (UoG); Stroke Association / Dementia Research Institute (UoE) ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Currently I am making a phased transition to a new tenure-track fellowship at the University of Glasgow while finalising work on my Stroke Association-funded fellowship at the University of Edinburgh. During my time in Edinburgh, I have worked across several international and local studies, using advanced quantitative MRI methods to better understand how vascular dysfunction contributes to brain damage in people with small vessel disease, which causes many strokes (c.20%) and dementias (c.40%). In my MVLS Futures fellowship at Glasgow, I am very excited to be able to extend my work – developing novel imaging methods and leveraging the existing expertise in stroke, cardiovascular and imaging to understand the role of brain waste clearance in causing vascular damage, impacting on brain health. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** During my PhD, I almost appeared on University Challenge ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: Having seen the devastating harm dementias causes – to those affected, their friends and family – I think it is incredibly important to apply interdisciplinary approaches to better understand the causes of dementia and hopefully develop novel therapeutic approaches. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Develop your professional and support networks early, and keep going – it is what will help sustain you when run in to challenges ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Currently I am reading [Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson](https://amzn.to/3QU64xF), one of the first 20th Century dystopian novels. It is an interesting read, quite challenging in places – would definitely recommend it. ##### Favourite film of all time? The Way ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Music and reading ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Time will tell ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Somewhere new with good company and museums / historic sites ##### Do you collect anything? Not overly intentionally, though I do try to get a wee souvenir from places I visit. For example, my house keys are on a key ring from my first international conference. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@mssmri](https://x.com/mssmri) [Find Michael on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/msstringer/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Michael Stringer, The University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow **Themes for Bios:** Imaging --- ### [Profile - Kalliopi Mavromati, University of Glasgow](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-kalliopi-mavromati-university-of-glasgow/) **Published:** September 10, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Kalliopi Mavromati, Research Assistant at University of Glasgow, studies patient reported outcomes in stroke survivors and mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s disease **Content:** ![Kalliopi Mavromati Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Kalliopi-Mavromati.jpg "Kalliopi Mavromati")Kalliopi Mavromati ##### **Name:** Kalliopi Mavromati #### **Job Title:** Research Assistant ##### **Place of work / study:** University of Glasgow ##### **Area of Research:** I research ways to improve patient reported outcome measure for stroke survivors and the pathogenic mechanism behind Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias before the onset of cognitive symptoms. ##### **How is your work funded:** My psychometric research is supported by the EU-funded Registry for Stroke Care Pus (RESQ+). ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** My favourite thing to do is to think about the way we do science. With a background in psychology and neuroscience and professional experience in statistics, I am interested in improving operational validity in research practice. In the past, I focused on [clinical outcome measures for stroke](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-rebooting-the-brain-life-research-after-a-stroke/) and I am now investigating risk and resilience to Alzheimer’s Disease before cognitive symptom onset. In the future, I want to improve interdisciplinary collaborative research practice in secondary analytical investigations using existing datasets because I believe this is necessary for us to better understand presymptomatic pathogenesis an explore possible earlier interventions. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I used to be a musician, dancer, volleyball player, and I dreamt of becoming an astrophysicist. If other parallel universes exist, these are probably my professions in other realities. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I lost my maternal grandmother to Lewy Body dementia when I was a teenager. I vividly remember what the last years of her life looked like for her and how that impacted my mother, which motivates me to help prevent this from happening to others if I can. To allow our field to explore possible interventions earlier on, I want to improve our field’s ability to know what early stages look like before cognitive symptoms begin. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Embrace feeling like an imposter – it just means you earned your spot in the room and have the opportunity to learn from others around you. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am reading (and really enjoying) [“What a way to go” by Bella Mackie](https://amzn.to/3SPo5h5). ##### Favourite film of all time? Spiderman: No Way Home ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Long gym sessions with both strength and cardio training always do the trick. If I’m tired, then comfort series and colouring books on school nights or a 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle over a weekend. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Moving from Thessaloniki in Greece to Glasgow when I had just turned 18. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? I would not be a good reviewer here – the type of vacation I want varies by the time of year. Scottish natural landscapes are reliably peaceful destinations, though. ##### Do you collect anything? I used to collect pens, highlighters, stickers when I was a kid, but in recent years I have only collected wee rocks from hikes with my friends. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@kalliverse.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/kalliverse.bsky.social) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Kalliopi Mavromati, Stroke, University of Glasgow **Organisations for Bios:** University of Glasgow **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Computational Biology, Epidemiology --- ### [Profile - Tricia Nicholson, Alzheimer's Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-tricia-nicholson-alzheimers-association/) **Published:** September 10, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Tricia Nicholson is a Senior Specialist, Scientific Conference Programming at the Alzheimer's Association responsible for the development of scientific programming **Content:** ![Tricia Nicholson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Tricia-Nicholson-Profile-Picture.jpg "Tricia Nicholson Profile Picture")Tricia Nicholson ##### **Name:** Tricia Nicholson #### **Job Title:** Senior Specialist, Scientific Conference Programming, Alzheimer’s Association ##### **Place of work / study:** [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-association/) ##### **Area of Research:** At the Alzheimer’s Association, I support the leaders of our Medical and Scientific Relations team in the development of scientific programming across a variety of in-person, virtual, and hybrid scientific meetings. I support the development of each meeting’s invited program and submitted program, with particular focus on abstract submission and review. ##### **How is your work funded:** Alzheimer’s Association ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I have a passion for moving scientific discovery forward by creating productive spaces where scientists can connect. I have leveraged my experience working in neuroscience labs at the University of Chicago to bring fresh insights into the world of scientific conference programming at the Alzheimer’s Association. When I am not attending scientific meetings, I find joy in painting, karaoke, and Dungeons & Dragons. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Not sure ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: Almost everyone has a personal connection to Alzheimer’s and other dementia. And as the average age of many populations continues to rise, it is important to work together to share knowledge and develop creative interventions. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Take a leap of faith and do not wait for permission to take big swings in your career. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am just finishing [“Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk](https://amzn.to/4b7IjJe) and I highly recommend it! It’s zany, abstract, and fun. ##### Favourite film of all time? Good Will Hunting, or Arrival ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Painting, Karaoke, and Dungeons & Dragons. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Florence, Italy ##### Do you collect anything? Vinyl records and postcards ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Tricia on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tricia-nicholson-53b553155/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Tricia Nicholson **Organisations for Bios:** Alzheimer's Research UK **Themes for Bios:** Charity --- ### [Profile - Dr Eleftheria Kodosaki, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-eleftheria-kodosaki-university-college-london/) **Published:** September 9, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Eleftheria (Ria) Kodosaki is a Research Fellow in Neuroimmunology in the UKDRI at University College London working on Biomarkers of CNS diseases **Content:** ![Dr Eleftheria (Ria) Kodosaki Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dr-Eleftheria-Ria-Kodosaki.jpg "Dr Eleftheria Ria Kodosaki")Dr Eleftheria (Ria) Kodosaki ##### **Name:** Dr Eleftheria (Ria) Kodosaki #### **Job Title:** Research Fellow in Neuroimmunology ##### **Place of work / study:** UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London ##### **Area of Research:** Biomarkers of CNS diseases ##### **How is your work funded:** UK DRI, LifeArc ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a neuroimmunologist with experience in a variety of CNS conditions and utilising biomarkers for their diagnosis, prognosis, and characterisation. My motivation is using biomarkers to better understand the development and progression of such disorders, and using the information we get from these [biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/salon-the-role-of-biomarkers-in-neurodegeneration-trials-2/) to develop better tools and treatments. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I currently have 35 tabs open on my browser, and it’s not the most I’ve had. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I don’t want to see anyone else lose themselves because of it. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Grow your network and your skillset. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently switching between 2 audiobooks and 3 book-books, and from them I’d recommend the audiobook for [Sherlock Holmes narrated by Stephen Fry](https://amzn.to/4p78oxG), and the book [Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao](https://amzn.to/44bOath). ##### Favourite film of all time? Third Star ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Books, films, walks with my dog ##### What’s the best decision you’ve ever made? Joining my current lab ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Anywhere with sea and friends ##### Do you collect anything? Snowglobes ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @micro\_glia](https://twitter.com/micro_glia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Ria on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleftheria-kodosaki-5a05074b/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Biomarkers, Dr Eleftheria Kodosaki, Neuroimmunology, UK Dementia Research Institute **Organisations for Bios:** UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Dr Sofia Marcolini, University Medical Center Groningen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sofia-marcolini-university-medical-center-groningen/) **Published:** May 12, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sofia Marcolini is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University Medical Center Groningen exploring risk factors & biomarkers of cognitive decline. **Content:** ![Dr Sofia Marcolini Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dr-Sofia-Marcolini.jpg "Dr Sofia Marcolini")Dr Sofia Marcolini #### **Name:** Dr Sofia Marcolini #### **Job Title:** Postdoctoral researcher #### **Place of work / study:** University Medical Center Groningen #### **Area of Research:** Risk factors and biomarkers of cognitive decline. Special focus on [vascular factors](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-my-phd-neurovascular-effects-of-heart-disease-in-alzheimers/) and psychological trauma. #### **How is your work funded:** Alzheimer Nederland #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience. My primary interest lies in the study of cognitive aging, with a focus on preventing cognitive decline and identifying neuropsychiatric predictors. My goal is to contribute to a deeper understanding of cognitive decline and to the development of tools and biomarkers for early detection. My research has primarily employed neuropsychological and neuroimaging techniques. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Approach with caution if I haven’t eaten #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I have always been fascinated by the symptoms of dementia, and the vast gaps in our understanding of this condition have only deepened my desire to contribute to research in this field. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Really work on a topic you are passionate about and become proficient in one or two (data analysis) techniques. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Health & Healing in a Toxic Culture](https://amzn.to/44KUlEO), highly recommended #### Favourite film of all time? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Sport (volleyball, race biking, running, tennis,.. you name it) #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @SofiaMarcolini\_](https://twitter.com/SofiaMarcolini_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @sofiamarcolini.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/sofiamarcolini.bsky.social) [Find Sofia on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofia-marcolini/) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Biomarkers, Dr Sofia Marcolini, University Medical Center Groningen, Vascular Pathology **Organisations for Bios:** University Medical Center Groningen **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Dr Colin Groot, Amsterdam University Medical Centre](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-colin-groot-amsterdam-university-medical-centre/) **Published:** June 16, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Colin Groot is an Assistant Professor at Amsterdam University Medical Centre focussing on tau-PET and structural MRI in Alzheimer's disease **Content:** ![Dr Colin Groot Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dr-Colin-Groot.jpg "Dr Colin Groot")Dr Colin Groot #### **Name:** Dr Colin Groot #### **Job Title:** Assistant Professor #### **Place of work / study:** Amsterdam University Medical Center #### **Area of Research:** I primarily focus on tau-PET and structural MRI in Alzheimer’s disease #### **How is your work funded:** By Dutch non-profit organisations #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I have an educational background in both neuropsychology and neuroscience and my PhD focused on consolidating findings concerning clinical differences between individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with variations in the neurobiological manifestation of the disease, captured with neuroimaging. A primary focus herein has been the assessment of state-of-the-art neuroimaging methods, and combining cross-sectional and longitudinal voxel-based morphometry on structural MRI, FDG-PET and tau-PET. In my postdoctoral work, I have combined CSF and PET measures of tau to capture the earliest phases of tau pathology, and I performed head-to-head comparisons between novel and established measures of hyperphosphorylated tau. Furthermore, I investigate the relative merits of neuroimaging modalities to predict future clinical progression, and I am currently working on the largest subject-level meta-analysis of tau-PET positivity, including ~30 centers from across the globe in order to attain prevalence estimates of tau-PET positivity and the effects of common covariates on this prevalence. In other lines of research, I have also focused on integrating cognitive measures with neuroimaging and genetics in the context of cognitive reserve and other protective factors against dementia (e.g. APOEe2). This research was mainly focused on assessing how certain individuals are able to resist more pathology than others, and what the role of genetic protective factors could be in providing resilience. I also serve on the committee of the ISTAART [Atypical Alzheimer’s Disease PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-atypical-alzheimers-disease-pia-2/). #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** My home office is also my wardrobe #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: In the first place, the complexity of the pathology that underly dementia intrigued me. Over the the years, the devastating impact dementia has on my own family and the patients that visit our memory clinic has cemented my motivation to work in this field #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Try to enjoy writing papers as much as possible, further on in your career you have less and less time to write yourself #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [A place beyond courage – Elizabeth Chadwick](https://amzn.to/3QU5WhF). I can certainly recommend it to anyone interested in the middle ages #### Favourite film of all time? Lord of the Rings #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Sitting by a campfire #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Colin on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-groot-1a49b7b9/?originalSubdomain=nl) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Amsterdam UMC, Amyloid-PET, ATypical Alzheimer's PIA, Biomarkers, Dr Colin Groot, Neuroimaging **Organisations for Bios:** Amsterdam University Medical Centre **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Dr Marta del Campo Milan, BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-marta-del-campo-milan-barcelonabeta-brain-research-center/) **Published:** June 17, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Marta del Campo Milan, Head Fluid Biomarker Facility; Ramón y Cajal Research fellow at the BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center **Content:** ![Dr Marta del Campo Milan Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dr-Marta-del-Campo-Milan.jpg "Dr Marta del Campo Milan")Dr Marta del Campo Milan #### **Name:** Dr Marta del Campo Milan #### **Job Title:** Head Fluid Biomarker Facility; Ramón y Cajal Research fellow #### **Place of work / study:** BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center #### **Area of Research:** Fluid biomarkers for neurodegenerative disorders #### **How is your work funded:** By different public and private funding agencies and foundations #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a translational neurobiologist. My main scientific interest is to understand the biological changes that underlie the different dementia types and translate this knowledge into applicable diagnostic tests and potential therapeutic targets. The complexity of dementia has prompted me to initiate and co-lead highly collaborative studies that analyze the proteome in different biofluids from patients with different dementia types at different stages; and identify, develop, and validate biomarker panels that might be useful in clinical settings and trials. By combining -omics data and using different experimental models, I aim also to identify pathways and molecules that might involve in the pathogenesis of the different dementia types. I also serve on the committee of the ISTAART [Biofluid Based Biomarkers PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-biofluid-based-biomarkers-pia/). #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I speak way too slow… #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I am really curious about how brain works, and more specifically, about understanding the biology behind memory loss, and thus the experiences that makes us what we are #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Don´t rush, I know is difficult in academia, but just try to get the max out of each step #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Very little time to read right now….but two books hang on my desk for some time now, [El gran libro de Lucia mi pediatra](https://amzn.to/4aEqFww) (very good if you have kids!) and [El año sin verano](https://amzn.to/4eWHzry) (nice and confi reading) #### Favourite film of all time? Dont know really, many to choose from depending on context and mood… #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Running and when possible, hiking #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Marta on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-del-campo-milan-0417282a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center, Biofluid Based Biomarkers PIA, Biomarkers, Dr Marta del Campo Milan **Organisations for Bios:** BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Ishita Virmani, Medical University Innsbruck](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ishita-virmani-medical-university-innsbruck/) **Published:** June 20, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Ishita Virmani is a Researcher at Medical University of Innsbruck working on bridging the gaps between science and regulations. **Content:** ![Ishita Virmani Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ishita-Virmani.jpg "Ishita Virmani")Ishita Virmani #### **Name:** Ishita Virmani #### **Job Title:** Researcher #### **Place of work / study:** Medical University Innsbruck #### **Area of Research:** Regulatory Science #### **How is your work funded:** By EFSA and EU #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am currently working in the regulatory science group at the Medical University of Innsbruck, where our group focuses on bridging the gaps between science and regulations. I am doing so by participating in various European projects and contributing with my background in [Toxicology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-of-mice-and-men-toxins-the-environmental-link-to-dementia/). #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Network, Network and Network really well #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Dairy of a CEO](https://amzn.to/4aGsF7t) #### Can we find you on social media? No sorry **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Ishita Virmani, Medical University Innsbruck, Toxicology **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Policy --- ### [Profile - Dr Evelina Valionyte, University of Plymouth](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-evelina-valionyte-university-of-plymouth/) **Published:** June 27, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Evelina Valionyte, Alzheimer's Society Fellow at University of Plymouth researching mechanisms of selective autophagy and its role in neuronal health **Content:** ![Dr Evelina Valionyte Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Evelina-Valionyte.jpg "Dr Evelina Valionyte")Dr Evelina Valionyte #### **Name:** Dr Evelina Valionyte #### **Job Title:** Alzheimer’s Society Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** University of Plymouth #### **Area of Research:** My research focuses on the cell biology of neurodegeneration, with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms of selective autophagy and its role in maintaining neuronal health #### **How is your work funded:** I was recently awarded an Alzheimer’s Society Fellowship, which will commence in November 2025. My current project is supported by funding from the [Motor Neurone Disease Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/learn-how-the-mnd-association-is-fighting-mnd/). #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I completed my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Bath, which included a placement year at Cardiff University investigating potential therapies for Niemann-Pick type C, a rare lysosomal storage disorder. This experience sparked my interest in the cellular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases and led me to pursue a PhD focused on selective autophagy and neurodegeneration, which I completed in 2023. Since then, I’ve been working as a postdoctoral researcher, developing my research ideas into projects as I take the next steps toward establishing myself as an independent investigator. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’m happiest outdoors—whether it’s hiking scenic trails, kayaking challenging rivers, or camping under the stars. I’m especially fond of exploring the beautiful beaches of Devon and Cornwall, and the South West Coastal Path. When I’m not outside, you’ll find me in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes, baking sweet treats, or tending to my garden. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: Our brains are a remarkable mystery—home to our memories, experiences, and the essence of who we are. They make us us. That’s why it’s so devastating to witness our loved ones losing pieces of themselves to diseases like dementia. I have a passion and a talent for science, particularly for understanding how our cells function. I’ve chosen to dedicate that talent to tackling one of the greatest challenges of our time: unraveling the biology behind neurodegeneration to help find solutions for dementia and related disorders. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? When things get tough, take a moment to pause and reflect on how far you’ve already come. Uncertainty is a natural part of research—try to see it not as a setback, but as a space where new opportunities can emerge. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [“Atomic Habits” by James Clear](https://amzn.to/4eOMWdC) is full of thought-provoking concepts and has been a source of motivation for me. It’s helped me reflect on how small changes can lead to meaningful progress. #### Favourite film of all time? Gladiator #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? One of my favourite ways to unwind is going on a long hike and capturing the scenery with plenty of photos. #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Evelina on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelina-valionyte/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Evelina Valionyte, Neurons, University of Plymouth **Organisations for Bios:** University of Plymouth **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Professor Natalie Phillips, Concordia University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-natalie-phillips-concordia-university/) **Published:** June 30, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Natalie Phillips is a Professor of Psychology at Concordia University a neuropsychologist who is interested in sensory health and cognition. **Content:** ![Professor Natalie Phillips Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Professor-Natalie-Phillips.jpg "Professor Natalie Phillips")Professor Natalie Phillips #### **Name:** Professor Natalie Phillips #### **Job Title:** Professor of Psychology; person with lived experience of dementia #### **Place of work / study:** Concordia University #### **Area of Research:** I am a research neuropsychologist who is interested in sensory health and cognition. #### **How is your work funded:** Canadian federal and provincial funding agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a Professor in the Department of Psychology, Concordia University, and I hold the Concordia University Research Chair in Sensory-Cognitive Health in Aging and Dementia. I’m a licensed clinical neuropsychologist and I study the neuropsychology of healthy aging and Alzheimer disease. I examine the relationship between our senses, our cognitive abilities, and language processing in older adults, with a special interest in those who are bilingual. My work involves beingone of the principal developers of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a cognitive screening instrument used globally for the assessment of mild cognitive impairment. I am the Associate Scientific Director of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA, ), which is Canada’s national research consortium on dementia. I am currently the Chair of the Alzheimer Association ISTAART [Sensory Health and Cognition Professional Interest Area](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/new-istaart-pia-sensory-health-cognition/). #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I am currently collecting fur from my Finnish Lapphund which I hope to spin into fibre one day. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I come from a large extended family and have always been interested in the lives of older people. At university, I became interested in understanding the brain and behaviour. These two broad interests have been woven together in my career as a dementia researcher. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Build a good network of trusted collaborators who support you and make you laugh. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [“I Am a Cat” by Soseki Natsume](https://amzn.to/4wu7oq2), but I just started it so I can’t recommended it just yet! But, one of my favorite non-fiction books is [“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot](https://amzn.to/4aAGWmi) #### Favourite film of all time? It is impossible to pick just one but a few are: “Withnail and I”, “The Princess Bride”, “Cool Hand Luke”, and “The Lion in Winter”. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I walk my dog in the woods, I have wonderful friends and family who make me laugh, and I just started to learn how to weave. I love live music and I am a huge Radiohead fan. I’m waiting for them to tour again. I’m not opposed to drinking wine, either. #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @nphillipsca](https://twitter.com/nphillipsca?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@nphillipsca.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/nphillipsca.bsky.social) [Find Natalie on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-phillips-a337ab19/) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Concordia University, Neuropsychology, Professor Natalie Phillips, Sensory Health and Cognition PIA **Organisations for Bios:** Concordia University **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Profile - Dr Anshua Ghosh, King's College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-anshua-ghosh-kings-college-london/) **Published:** June 30, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Anshua Ghosh, Alzheimer's Society Fellow at King's College London researching how connections between brain cells are lost in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's **Content:** ![Dr Anshua Ghosh Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Anshua-Ghosh.jpg "Dr Anshua Ghosh")Dr Anshua Ghosh #### **Name:** Dr Anshua Ghosh #### **Job Title:** Alzheimer’s Society Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** King’s College London #### **Area of Research:** I research how connections between brain cells are lost in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s #### **How is your work funded:** [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/) #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I always had a passion for science and problem-solving, but never thought I would be a lab-based researcher. After my undergraduate degree in human genetics I tried alternative career paths, but realised there were few careers that truly gave you the creative freedom to think independently. So I returned full circle to studying neuroscience and thankfully I am still here and loving it. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** N/A #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I originally felt inspired to enter neuroscience research because I liked learning how the brain worked, and eventually became preoccupied with studying synaptic function, both in memory and dementia, which has ultimately led me here. Over the years, my connection to it has become more personal. The sad reality is it seems rarer not to know someone affected by dementia these days. Hearing others’ stories and directly watching both my grandmother and father succumb to it, has changed my perspective on why we are here doing what we do. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? If you want it, don’t give up (until you absolutely have to) #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m very into audiobooks at the moment- I like a lot of genres depending on my mood. I just finished [Butter by Asako Yuzuki](https://amzn.to/4baa97E) and now [The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan](https://amzn.to/4vOleU5). #### Favourite film of all time? Not sure #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I love almost anything relating to performance arts, but also, cooking, gardening, swimming, kickboxing, sewing, to name a few. #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Anshua on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshua-ghosh-8243612b4/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Anshua Ghosh, King's College London **Organisations for Bios:** King’s College London **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Professor Owen Carmichael, Pennington Biomedical Research Center](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-owen-carmichael-pennington-biomedical-research-center/) **Published:** July 1, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Owen Carmichael is a Professor and Director of Biomedical Imaging at Pennington Biomedical Research Center developing new biomedical imaging techniques. **Content:** ![Professor Owen Carmichael Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Professor-Owen-Carmichael.jpg "Professor Owen Carmichael")Professor Owen Carmichael #### **Name:** Professor Owen Carmichael #### **Job Title:** Professor and Director of Biomedical Imaging #### **Place of work / study:** Pennington Biomedical Research Center #### **Area of Research:** Through my research, I work to develop new biomedical imaging techniques that can be applied to study Alzheimer’s disease, brain aging, [metabolic disorders](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-episode-3-istaart-pia-relay-podcast-prashanthi-vemuri-cecilia-samieri/), and exercise, with an emphasis on the effects of lifestyle factors on the aging brain. #### **How is your work funded:** My work is mainly funded by the US National Institutes of Health. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am Professor and Director of Biomedical Imaging at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As Director of Biomedical Imaging, I oversee MRI, DXA, and ultrasound data collection and analysis at Pennington Biomedical. My laboratory works to develop new biomedical imaging techniques that can be applied to study Alzheimer’s disease, brain aging, metabolic disorders, and exercise, with an emphasis on the effects of lifestyle factors on the aging brain. I am a Principal Investigator of National Institutes of Health-funded research studies that assess brain aging in the Bogalusa Heart Study, effects of exercise on brain health among older African Americans, and effects of exercise on skeletal muscle characteristics. He has also led or contributed to clinical trials assessing effects of pharmaceuticals and food products on the brain, using functional MRI as an outcome measure. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Since moving to Louisiana I have taken to cooking Cajun and Creole delicacies, including crawfish, macque choux, and shrimp and merliton dressing. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: My father and grandfather both died of dementia. Observing their slow and steady decline had a major impact on me. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Beware of imposter syndrome! Even if you believe that you are not as smart or not as creative as your peers, chances are this is not true. You deserve to be in the research business and your contributions are likely to be valuable regardless of how you see yourself. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am reading the [Dune series](https://amzn.to/3T5cmuR) of science fiction novels. I recommend them because one premise is that computational machines (“thinking machines”) have been outlawed. It is a very different perspective compared to our current AI-predominated landscape. #### Favourite film of all time? There are far too many to select just one! I can say that I am extremely fond of films by Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, Billy Wilder, and others. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I like to exercise: running, swimming, lifting weights, etc. #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Owen on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/owen-carmichael-8b302280/) #### Would you like to share your playlist? Like movies, there are far too many genres and artists to select just one musical playlist! On different days I listen to rock, jazz, blues, techno… **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Imaging, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Professor Owen Carmichael **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Imaging --- ### [Profile - Dr Sasha Philbert, The University of Manchester](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sasha-philbert-the-university-of-manchester/) **Published:** July 3, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sasha Philbert, Alzheimer's Society Fellow at The University of Manchester using imaging and molecular markers to improve the diagnosis of vascular dementia **Content:** ![Dr Sasha Philbert Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Sasha-Philbert.jpg "Dr Sasha Philbert")Dr Sasha Philbert #### **Name:** Dr Sasha Philbert #### **Job Title:** Alzheimer’s Society Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** The University of Manchester #### **Area of Research:** Biomarkers in dementia #### **How is your work funded:** Through an Alzheimer’s Society Postdoctoral Fellowship #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** During my MSc in Neuroscience at King’s College London, I got hooked on biomarker research. I worked on a small project that involved studying blood-brain barrier plasma biomarkers in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease under [Dr Nicholas Ashton](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-nicholas-ashton-banner-health/) and Dr Abdul Hye. This experience led me to pursue a PhD and a postdoc at the University of Manchester, where I explored molecular biomarkers in different age-related dementias using mass spectrometry-based techniques. Now, my current research focuses on using novel imaging and molecular markers to improve the diagnosis of individuals living with vascular dementia. When I’m not working, you can find me playing aggressively average padel, a new sport that combines squash and tennis. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I can ride a unicycle. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: My passion for neuroscience led me to research dementia, but my main motivation for staying is because of my grandmother’s diagnosis of vascular dementia. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Say YES more often early in your research career! This will open you up to more ideas and projects, and it’ll help you establish your research niche. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir](https://amzn.to/4aGsucj). I just found out that it’s being adapted into a movie, so I’m reading it again for the 5th time. If you’re into sci-fi, I can’t recommend this book enough. #### Favourite film of all time? Coach Carter. The best sports movie of all time! #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Hiking, reading, and padel (or any sport that involves a racket). #### Can we find you on social media? [@sashaphilbert.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/sashaphilbert.bsky.social) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Biomarkers, Dr Sasha Philbert, The University of Manchester **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Manchester **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Dr Paula Beltran Lobo, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-paula-beltran-lobo-the-university-of-edinburgh/) **Published:** July 4, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Paula Beltran Lobo, Alzheimer's Society Fellow at The University of Edinburgh working on interactions between astrocytes & vasculature in FTD & Alzheimer's **Content:** ![Dr Paula Beltran Lobo Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Paula-Beltran-Lobo-1.jpg "Dr Paula Beltran Lobo")Dr Paula Beltran Lobo #### **Name:** Dr Paula Beltran Lobo #### **Job Title:** Alzheimer’s Society Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** The University of Edinburgh #### **Area of Research:** My research focuses on understanding the interactions between astrocytes and the vasculature in Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease #### **How is your work funded:** My research was first funded by ARUK through an Early Career Bridge Fund and is currently funded an Alzheimer’s Society Postdoctoral Research Fellowship #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Originally from Barcelona (Spain), I studied a BSc in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Barcelona. Driven by a deep interest in how the brain works, I moved to London in 2017 to complete an MSc in Translational Neuroscience at Imperial College London. I was then determined to focus my career on dementia research. I was awarded a PhD from King’s College London (KCL) in 2022, where I investigated how brain cells – astrocyte and microglial – contribute to inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease. During my postdoctoral research at KCL, I built on this work by exploring how astrocyte interact with neurons in tauopathies and the role of extracellular chaperones mediating this cell-to-cell communication. In 2025, I joined the Diaz Castro and Bowles labs at the University of Edinburgh – UK DRI, funded by an [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, to study astrocyte-vasculature interactions in tauopathies. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I have a soft spot for anything and everything cat-related. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: It was a combination of factors that led me to this field. On one hand, I’ve always been fascinated by how the brain works—its complexity and how it shapes who we are. During a high school awareness session on dementia, I was struck by how profoundly this disease can take away a person’s essence. In 2017, a close relative was diagnosed with dementia. Experiencing firsthand how difficult it is for families—not only to get a diagnosis but also to navigate the emotional and practical challenges that follow—had an impact on me. Altogether, I think it was the merging of scientific curiosity and personal experience that truly solidified my determination to contribute to dementia research through my work in the lab. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Surround yourself with mentors who challenge your thinking, celebrate your wins, and help you grow—science is a team effort, and you don’t have to figure it all out alone. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I am currently reading [A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini](https://amzn.to/4gpZIR0) #### Favourite film of all time? It is difficult to say, but perhaps the french film “Intouchables” #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I love unwinding by listening to music, traveling to new spots, and just getting creative with some painting. #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @PaulaBeltranLo1](https://twitter.com/PaulaBeltranLo1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@pbeltran-lobo.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/pbeltran-lobo.bsky.social) [Find Paula on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-beltran-lobo-4745b1166) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Astrocytes, Dr Paula Beltran-Lobo, Frontotemporal Dementia, Neurovascular pathology, The University of Edinburgh **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Edinburgh **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu, Edo State University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-adejoke-elizabeth-memudu-edo-state-university/) **Published:** July 10, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu is a Lecturer at Edo State University Iyamho, Nigeria exploring neuroprotective effects of natural products & their components **Content:** ![Dr Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Adejoke-Elizabeth-Memudu.jpg "Dr Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu")Dr Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu #### **Name:** Dr Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu #### **Job Title:** Lecturer / Researcher / Academic Administrator #### **Place of work / study:** Edo State University Iyamho, Edo State Nigeria #### **Area of Research:** My research focuses on investigating the neuroprotective effects of natural products (adaptogens) and their bioactive components (such as Alpha Lipoic acid or Lutein-20) in [animal models](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/improving-animal-models-for-the-study-of-alzheimers/) of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. I aim to explore their potential in mitigating cognitive decline and neuropathological changes #### **How is your work funded:** Most of the research I carried out is self funded. I have limited access to Institutional Grants based to limited funds available to my institution. So currently I self fund most of my research. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am an early career neuroscientist based in Nigeria, with a strong research focus on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. My work centres on exploring the therapeutic potential of natural products and their bioactive compounds using animal models of neurodegeneration. With a background in anatomy and neurobiology, I am passionate about understanding how plant-based interventions can protect the brain, improve cognition, and reduce neuropathological changes associated with dementia. My motivation stems from the growing burden of dementia in ageing populations, particularly in under-resourced settings, where access to conventional treatments is limited and often unaffordable. Driven by both scientific curiosity and a desire to contribute to affordable, accessible therapies, I investigate how locally sourced medicinal plants can modulate the molecular pathways involved in neurodegeneration. My research combines neuroscience and ethnopharmacology to drive innovation in dementia care. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I love to travel and discover new things, people see me as an introvert but Adejoke is a globe-trotting neuroscientist who loves meeting new people and exploring cultures #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I chose to focus on dementia research because of my interest, commitment to contribute to knowledge and scientific curiosity through addressing one of the most pressing neurological challenges that affects the global aging population. I was inspired to understand how the brain changes with age and due to environmental pollutants that are toxic to the brain which can lead to memory loss, cognitive decline, and loss of identity. The clinical approved drugs are reported to be slow, expensive and with side effects hence the need to explore affordable, accessible therapeutic options, particularly in low-resource settings. Being raised in Africa bless with rich herbal plants traditionally applied to treat some disease illness, I chose to explore the use of natural products and bioactive compounds in animal models of dementia. I believe that many traditional medicinal plants hold untapped potential for neuroprotection, and her research aims to bridge traditional knowledge with modern neuroscience to find new solutions. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? I will advice the early career researchers to continually feed their curiosity, stay focus and build genuine connections or network through mentorship that will challenge and support their careers in science #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Ben Carson’s Gifted Hands](https://amzn.to/4f0DqTj) and [Think Big](https://amzn.to/4aARqSz) #### Favourite film of all time? All the Worlds in 80 days and The Accountant #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking in the garden to admire the beauty of Nature, Mediating or listening to soft music #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @Lizzydrealme](https://twitter.com/Lizzydrealme?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@jokeneuro.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/jokeneuro.bsky.social) [Find Adejoke on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adejoke-elizabeth-memudu-a626164b/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Adaptogens, Dementia Prevention, Dr Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu, Edo State University **Organisations for Bios:** Edo State University **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr Harriet Demnitz-King, Queen Mary University of London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-harriet-demnitz-king-queen-mary-university-of-london/) **Published:** July 18, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Harriet Demnitz-King is a Postdoc Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London working on dementia risk reduction & translation of evidence into policy **Content:** ![Dr Harriet Demnitz-King Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Harriet-Demnitz-King.png "Dr Harriet Demnitz-King")Dr Harriet Demnitz-King #### **Name:** Dr Harriet Demnitz-King #### **Job Title:** Post-doctoral Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** Queen Mary University of London #### **Area of Research:** My research focuses on dementia risk reduction, emphasising equality and the effective translation of evidence into policy. I also investigate non-pharmacological interventions aimed at lowering [dementia risk](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-lgbtq-and-higher-dementia-risk/) #### **How is your work funded:** My research is funded by a LISS fellowship and through the NIHR Dementia and Neurodegeneration Policy Research Unit at Queen Mary University of London #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a postdoctoral research fellow at Queen Mary University of London. I work across a number of projects including my own fellowship, a Dementia and Neurodegeneration Policy Research Unit, and the APPLE-Tree clinical trial #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I won a goldfish playing hook-a-duck at a fair and it lived for 17 years! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: My interest in dementia began when my grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which shaped both my personal and professional journey and sparked my passion for research that can truly make a difference #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Surround yourself with people who support and champion you – and don’t forget to support others too. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo](https://amzn.to/4gZD3uU) #### Favourite film of all time? Any romcom — but really I’m more of a fan of binging TV series, from crime and drama to reality shows and pretty much anything in between #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Travelling! #### Can we find you on social media? [@hdemnitzking.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/hdemnitzking.bsky.social) [Find Harriet on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-demnitz-king-202a41370/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dementia Risk, Dr Harriet Demnitz-King, Queen Mary University of London **Organisations for Bios:** Queen Mary University **Themes for Bios:** Policy --- ### [Profile - Joseph Russell, Northumbria University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-joseph-russell-northumbria-university/) **Published:** July 18, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Joseph Russell is an NIHR Research Assistant at Northumbria University working with Dr Watermeyer on dementia diagnosis in global majority communities **Content:** ![Joseph Russell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Joseph-Russell.jpg "Joseph Russell")Joseph Russell #### **Name:** Joseph Russell #### **Job Title:** NIHR Research Assistant #### **Place of work / study:** Northumbria University #### **Area of Research:** Clinical Neurology and Neuropsychology #### **How is your work funded:** I am funded by the NIHR through [Dr Watermeyer’s](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-tamlyn-watermeyer-northumbria-university/) fellowship focused on Dementia diagnosis in global majority communities. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Coming out of my BSc in Clinical Psychology, I’m fascinated by how much we still don’t know about the brain. It feels like we’ve only just completed the borders of the puzzle – the outline is there, but the real picture is still missing – and I want to help fill in those gaps and contribute to a more complete understanding, particularly around how dementia develops and how we might one day prevent it. Biological and developmental factors currently hold my attention, but as an early-career researcher, I’m an open book and flexible about where future opportunities might lead. Still, the goal remains the same: to help prevent the development of dementia and deepen our understanding of the brain along the way. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’m finishing up year 4 as a Waterfront Director at a US summer camp in the Berkshires! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: From being elected the ‘mental health liaison’ for my rugby team at 11, to being raised in a career-oriented family working in mental health, academia, and child development, it’s fair to say the biopsychosocial model had something to do with me pursuing a psychology degree. In a second-year lecture, Dr. Watermeyer shared how underlying brain changes begin many years before the cognitive symptoms of dementia become visible. That fact really shocked me; it was both fascinating and unsettling, and led me down a rabbit hole of my own research and reading. From that moment, I realised how I could contribute to the field through university projects focused on early detection and intervention. Since then, I’ve been committed to deepening my understanding of neurodegeneration through research internships and by working closely with vulnerable communities, including individuals with Down Syndrome and veterans, in both community and research settings. This journey has now brought me to SITraN, where I’ll be studying for an MSc in Clinical Neurology and preparing to apply for a PhD in 2026. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? As one myself, I’d say opportunities are out there; but you often have to dig for them. Whether it’s building networks, finding collaborators, or securing funding, the first step can feel hidden. But once you take it, a domino effect often follows. For me, it started when I replied to the footer of an email that said, “Email me if you’re interested in the brain.” I haven’t looked back since. So stay curious, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to put yourself forward. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller](https://amzn.to/4p5dXwV) #### Favourite film of all time? Shutter Island #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Open water swimming, running, reading, or going on long walks with friends…and my bonkers Irish Red Setter who keeps things lively! #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @jjrussell142](https://twitter.com/jjrussell142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Joseph on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephrussellneuro/) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Joseph Russell, Northumbria University **Organisations for Bios:** Northumbria University **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care, Policy --- ### [Profile - Dr Tatiana A. Giovannucci, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-tatiana-a-giovannucci-university-college-london/) **Published:** July 18, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Tatiana A. Giovannucci is an Alzheimer's Association Research Fellow in the UKDRI at University College London studying protein degradation mechanisms **Content:** ![Dr Tatiana A Giovannucci Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Tatiana-A-Giovannucci.jpg "Dr Tatiana A Giovannucci")Dr Tatiana A Giovannucci #### **Name:** Dr Tatiana A. Giovannucci #### **Job Title:** Postdoctoral Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** UCL Institute of Neurology, Dementia Research Centre and UK Dementia Research Institute #### **Area of Research:** I would say I have my fingers in many pies! I am interested in the turnover of proteins relevant to neurodegeneration. I study this subject using isotope labelling and targeted mass spectrometry in induced-pluripotent stem cell ([iPSC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-pros-and-cons-of-using-ipscs-in-dementia-research/)) neuronal models. I am a scientific member of the Neurofilament Light consortium between four pharma companies, UCL and Washington University in St Louis. In 2023, I was awarded a research fellowship (Alzheimer’s Association) to support a project on the influence of the brain’s immune cells on neuronal protein dynamics. Since 2024, I am also part of a Race Against Dementia Team studying protein turnover in humans. #### **How is your work funded:** I am funded by an Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship to promote Diversity (AARF-D) and as Co-PI of a Race Against Dementia Teams fellowship. I am also partly funded by the Neurofilament Light Consortium. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** Being a researcher and an immigrant, telling a bit about myself is always linked to places. I am made from all, and none, of these: I am originally a paisa from Medellín in Colombia. I grew up in Tarragona, a beautiful sea town close to Barcelona. I studied BSc and MSc degrees in Biomedicine at Universitat de Barcelona. I was done with comfortable temperatures and decided to look up North, completing my PhD at Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden). Since 2022 I am working as a postdoctoral researcher at UCL. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** When not in the lab, you are likely to find me upside down (search: ‘acroyoga’) #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I was studying protein degradation mechanisms during my PhD, in a context related to cancer research. I was more interested in the work being done in this field in dementia, particularly in Alzheimer disease. Towards the end of my PhD, an interesting case-study was published. It was about the possible mechanisms of resilience to AD from a Colombian woman carrying the ‘paisa mutation’, a cause of familial Alzheimer disease. The more I read, the more I wanted to be in the field! #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? I think it would be useful to not think of ourselves as finished products, but as permanent works in progress. To be creative with your projects (both in and outside the lab) you will need to protect your time, so be mindful of the importance of time management and find what works for you. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I just finished two short novels: an old story,[ ‘O Pioneers!’ from Willa Cather,](https://amzn.to/4p4hn2G) and a story that thinks of the future [‘Ofert a les mans, el paradís crema’ from Pol Guasch](https://amzn.to/44NLDWe). Would recommend them both. #### Favourite film of all time? Not sure #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Acroyoga #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Tatiana on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-alvarez-giovannucci/) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Tatiana Giovannucci, Protein, Protein degradation, UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London **Organisations for Bios:** UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [Profile - Dr James Brady, University of Tasmania](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-james-brady-university-of-tasmania/) **Published:** July 22, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr James Brady, Post Doctoral Research Fellow at University of Tasmania researching across a broad range of areas relating to brain health **Content:** ![Dr James Brady Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-James-Brady.jpg "Dr James Brady")Dr James Brady #### **Name:** Dr James Brady #### **Job Title:** Post Doctoral Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** University of Tasmania #### **Area of Research:** I work across a broad range of areas relating to brain health, including psychological and biological stress (hair-based glucocorticoids/endocannabinoids), [blood-based biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-clinical-opportunity-for-blood-based-biomarkers/), social isolation, physical activity, nutrition, and genetics. I am currently working on projects focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; or Lou Gehrig’s disease). #### **How is your work funded:** My research is funded by the Australian Disaster Resilience Fund (Dr Duncan Sinclair), the National Health and Medical Research Council (Dr William Reay), and supported by the Dementia Australia Research Foundation. #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I started my academic journey with an interest in psychology and mental health, which quickly shifted to a greater and greater interest in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. I studied neural correlates of attention (EEG/ERPs) for my honors project, which led to the dementia field – an area where cognitive and behavior intersected. In 2024, I completed my PhD with the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre in Hobart. My studies focused on the contributions of anxiety, stress, and glucocorticoids (cortisol, cortisone) to dementia risk and risk behavior. My work is increasingly based on navigating large, complexly mixed datasets, to answer questions related to the prevention, or slowing, of neurodegenerative conditions and associated psychiatric symptoms. I am passionate about science outreach and apply knowledge from my experience as a print and digital journalist to engage in public speaking opportunities, and to mentor and train other up-and-coming researchers across all fields of science. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Before I began my career in journalism, I was touring as a guitarist in a heavy metal band. I have a growing collection of quite large cacti, enjoy competing in trail-based ultramarathon events, and presented a [TEDx talk on stress](https://youtu.be/haTe83WjUqI?si=11AeFl5yAE2zXefA) in 2023! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I have a deep interest in complex systems and brain health. The dementia field offers a beautiful synergy between these, with outcomes that are (hopefully) beneficial for vulnerable members of society. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Knowledge is power – stay hungry, keep reading new (and old) research with a view to connect the dots between them. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’ve just started reading [Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks](https://amzn.to/44NSS0n) – it’s a bit early to recommend it, but so far it seems interesting! #### Favourite film of all time? I love Stanley Kubrick movies, especially The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut. As many times as I’ve watched them before, there are somehow still new things to notice with each re-visit. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I like getting into nature, it lets me slow down and reconnect with my thoughts. The further out of mobile phone reception, the better. #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @JJRBrady](https://twitter.com/JJRBrady?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find James on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjrbrady/) #### Would you like to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** blood biomarkers, Dr James Brady, Stress, University of Tasmania **Organisations for Bios:** University of Tasmania **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Biomarkers --- ### [Profile - Dr Laura Stankeviciute, University of Gothenburg](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-laura-stankeviciute-university-of-gothenburg/) **Published:** July 23, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Laura Stankeviciute is a Postdoc Researcher at University of Gothenburg exploring sleep and its role in brain ageing and Alzheimer’s **Content:** ![Dr Laura Stankeviciute Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Laura-Stankeviciute.jpg "Dr Laura Stankeviciute")Dr Laura Stankeviciute #### **Name:** Dr Laura Stankeviciute #### **Job Title:** Postdoctoral Research Fellow #### **Place of work / study:** Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg #### **Area of Research:** My work focuses on sleep and its role in brain ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. I am particularly interested in understanding sex differences, and how they intersect with sleep and Alzheimer’s pathology to influence women’s vulnerability to developing the disease. #### **How is your work funded:** REAL AD study #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** My research focuses on sleep and its role in brain ageing and Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular interest in sex differences and how hormonal changes during menopause may influence women’s vulnerability to the disease. I use a multi-modal approach combining neuroimaging, fluid biomarkers, digital cognition and physiological sleep measures. I also hold a strong interest in health technology, particularly in digital biomarkers and wearable devices for early diagnostics and continuous monitoring to capture subtle changes in sleep and other physiological markers and assess their impact on brain ageing, AD biomarkers and cognitive performance. Outside the typical academic workday, I dedicate time to [science communication](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/collections/eureka-moments-excellence-in-science-communications/) and public engagement. I believe that research should not end with the publication of academic papers, but must be translated into accessible knowledge for the wider public and policymakers. Only then can it move beyond academic recognition to help improve healthcare decisions and promote better health outcomes. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** During one of my travels, I unexpectedly ended up on Bangladeshi national television, which had become a memorable highlight of the trip! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I became a dementia researcher almost by chance, after doing my Master’s internship in an ageing and dementia unit investigating sleep. But from that moment on, I was drawn in by the curiosity to understand what drives neurodegeneration and the loss of cognitive abilities beyond ageing itself. I became especially interested in risk factors like sleep alterations and sex differences, and how they might interact in the earliest, preclinical stages of the disease. What motivates me now is the opportunity to identify risk early, support prevention, and ultimately foster healthier ageing. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Be brave enough to trust your instincts, bold enough to share your ideas openly, and resilient enough to ride the ever-changing waves of academic life. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton.](https://amzn.to/4fkqI3c) #### Favourite film of all time? Not sure #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Going for a run or a hike in nature. Having a slow morning on the weekend in my favourite cafe reading and people spotting. #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @Laura\_Sofia\_S](https://twitter.com/Laura_Sofia_S?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Laura on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurasophiastankeviciute/) [@laura-sofia-s.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/laura-sofia-s.bsky.social) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Laura Stankeviciute, Sex Differences, Sleep, University of Gothenburg **Organisations for Bios:** University of Gothenburg **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Clinical --- ### [Profile - Felix Wittmann, Leipzig University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-felix-wittmann-leipzig-university/) **Published:** July 24, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Feliz Wittmann is a Research Associate & PhD Student at Leipzig University researching dementia risk factors and prevention & serving the INTERDEM Academy **Content:** ![Felix Wittmann Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Felix-Wittmann.jpg "Felix Wittmann")Felix Wittmann #### **Name:** Felix Wittmann #### **Job Title:** Research fellow / PhD candidate #### **Place of work / study:** Leipzig University, Germany / Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health #### **Area of Research:** Prevention / risk reduction and specific groups of risk #### **How is your work funded:** Mainly by Hans and Ilse Breuer-foundation, partwise projects by German federal ministries #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m a research assistant and PhD candidate at Leipzig University. My research focuses on the prevention of dementia with a particular focus on specific risk groups, clustering methods and the role of migration and migrant background on risk and prevention. Focusing inequalities in dementia research is a motivation for my work. Further, I’m Junior Representative of the [INTERDEM Academy](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/join-the-interdem-academy/). #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I often get funny word twists without realizing it, especially with proverbs 🙂 #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I believe that preventing or delaying the onset of dementia is one of the most urgent and meaningful challenges in public health. As a young researcher, I’m particularly drawn to questions around risk reduction and how we can empower individuals and communities through early interventions – not only on individual but also on policy level facing non-modifiable factors leading to inequality. Dementia doesn’t just affect individuals – it touches families, health systems, and society as a whole. Contributing to solutions in this field feels both scientifically exciting and purposeful. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Just stay relaxed (howsoever)! #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading [“Stay true”](https://amzn.to/4aGrPaP) – a story about a special friendship. I highly recommend the book as it contains many beautiful passages about friendship, about growing up, about life in young naive years with beautiful recognitions. From the perspective of a dementia researcher, I recommend [“All right good night” by Helgard Haug](https://amzn.to/3TkJVcs), a touching book about the loss of a person with dementia. #### Favourite film of all time? It’s hard to pick one. Lately: Perfect Days and No Other Land. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Not sure #### Can we find you on social media? [‪@felixwittmann.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/felixwittmann.bsky.social) [Find Felix on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-wittmann-9886b01a3/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dementia Prevention, Felix Wittmann, Leipzig University, risk reduction **Organisations for Bios:** Leipzig University **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Julie Scott, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-julie-scott-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/) **Published:** July 31, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Julie Scott is a Research Nurse & Clinical Studies Officer in the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, working at NHS Grampian - delivering clinical trials **Content:** ![Julie Scott Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Julie-Scott.jpg "Julie Scott")Julie Scott #### **Name:** Julie Scott #### **Job Title:** Research Nurse / Clinical Studies Officer #### **Place of work / study:** [Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/meet-the-researchers/?fwp_prf_organisation=neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network) / NHS Grampian #### **Area of Research:** Clinical Trials and Healthcare Delivery #### **How is your work funded:** Commerial studies and Non-Commercial #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a Registered Mental Health Nurse/ Research Nurse, I work as part of a small team of three . We are situated in Aberdeen and work between 2 hospitals and in the community. I have worked for the NHS for over 35 years. I studied Nursing first at Aberdeen then Paisley University. I have been closely involved with Dementia related nursing ,professionally and personally too, supporting patients, family and friends. I joined the Neuro-progressive and Dementia Network in 2018 as a Clinical Studies Officer, but prefer the title research nurse because people generally understand what that means when working in a hospital setting. #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Not sure #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: To try and understand the frustrations and dispair people go through on the lead up to and during their disease and now, as a resaerch Nurse, wanting to help find a solution or ways to eleviate their distress. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Always think of the participant and be an advocate for them if needed #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Harry Bakers-Wonderful](https://amzn.to/4bwu8NZ)– highly recommend if you like poetry. #### Favourite film of all time? Not sure #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Being out doors, walking ,Gardening. socialising, watching a good a good film, especially at the cinema. Spending time with my family. #### Can we find you on social media? No sorry **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Clinical trials, Julie Scott, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network **Organisations for Bios:** Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, NHS **Themes for Bios:** Clinical, Delivery of Drug Trials --- ### [Profile - Dr Chloe Fawns-Ritchie, University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-chloe-fawns-ritchie-university-of-edinburgh/) **Published:** August 4, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Lecturer at The University of Edinburgh investigating health factors to explain why some people’s cognitive function declines faster than others **Content:** ![Dr Chloe Fawns-Ritchie Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Dr-Chloe-Fawns-Ritchie.jpg "Dr Chloe Fawns-Ritchie")Dr Chloe Fawns-Ritchie #### **Name:** Dr Chloe Fawns-Ritchie #### **Job Title:** Lecturer in Psychology #### **Place of work / study:** The University of Edinburgh #### **Area of Research:** Psychology / Cognitive Ageing / Cognitive Assessment #### How is your research funded: N/A #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m a psychologist by training, with an MA in Psychology, an MSc in Human Cognitive Neuropsychology, and a PhD in Psychology, all from the University of Edinburgh. While completing my PhD, I worked as a psychometric officer at the Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology and the [Dementias Platform UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-dementias-platform-uk-supporting-researchers-worldwide/). Both these roles involved developing cognitive assessments for large-scale ageing studies. Following my PhD, I worked a Postdoc on the Generation Scotland study—a large family-health cohort—where I led the design and implementation of their online questionnaires. I am currently a Psychology lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, where my teaching covers cognitive ageing, psychometrics, and related topics. My research investigates the bidirectional relationship between cognitive function and health across the lifespan. I study why some people experience faster cognitive decline than others, how this decline affects the ability to manage health and disease in older adulthood, and how it impacts everyday tasks, such as managing finances. I am particularly interested in how chronic pain and the long-term use of pain medications and other centrally acting drugs may influence cognitive trajectories. I also have expertise in longitudinal cohort study design, and particularly the design and evaluation of cognitive and other psychological assessments. With the growing use of online and remote cognitive assessments, a key focus of my current work involves understanding how cognitive test scores may be influenced by mode of administration. #### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: When I was a child, I wanted to be a motorbiker with pink hair and an Egyptologist! So far, I have achieved neither, but I guess there’s still time! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia research? I first became interested in dementia research during my undergrad, driven by a desire to understand why some people are able to maintain sharp cognitive capabilities into very old age, while others experience early and rapid cognitive decline. More recently, a close family member of mine was diagnosed with young-onset dementia, suddenly making my work feel deeply personal. This has certainly increased my motivation to keep working in dementia research… #### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Find (and cherish) great mentors! I’ve been lucky to have several wonderful mentors supporting me at every stage of my career so far, and I wouldn’t be where I am now without their support. Some have even become close friends. And be sure to pay it forward – mentoring others is incredibly rewarding and is one of the best parts of my job 🙂 #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’ve just started [Extinctions by Michael J Benton](https://amzn.to/4f16Bpg) — it’s about the five mass extinction events in Earth’s history. Too early to say if I’d recommend it, but it’s certainly an interesting topic! A book I do recommend is [Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe](https://amzn.to/4f0zNN9). It’s a thoroughly researched and well-written account of the Sackler family, Purdue Pharma (the company behind the prescription opioid OxyContin), and their role fueling the US opioid crisis. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Music and running are my two biggest hobbies. Few things clear my head like going for a run with my wee dog, Bonny. Even better if it’s a trail run in the middle of nowhere. I’m attempting to learn piano – but I’m pretty terrible at it. Thankfully, there are many musicians out there who are much more talented than me. I love going to gigs and I spend literally hours and hours each day listening to music. Nothing brings me more joy than discovering a new band or artist I really like, especially if they have a massive back catalogue to binge-listen to! #### Favourite film of all time? Jurassic Park! Also a big fan of Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows. #### Can we find you on Social Media? [Follow @cfawnsritchie](https://twitter.com/cfawnsritchie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow Chloe Fawns-Ritchie on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-fawns-ritchie-5625918a/) **[@cfawnsritchie.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/cfawnsritchie.bsky.social)** #### Would you like to share your playlist? Well, this was hard! I mostly went with songs I’ve had on repeat lately, plus a couple of long-time favourites. **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Cognition, Dr Chloe Fawns-Ritchie, The University of Edinburgh **Organisations for Bios:** The University of Edinburgh **Themes for Bios:** Data Analysis, Psychology --- ### [Profile - Xue-Rui Peng, Southwest University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-xue-rui-peng-southwest-university/) **Published:** August 12, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Xue-Rui Peng is a PhD Student & Research Assistant at Southwest University, China and TU Dresden working on the cognitive neuroscience of ageing **Content:** ![Xue-Rui Peng Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Xue-Rui-Peng.jpg "Xue-Rui Peng")Xue-Rui Peng #### **Name:** Xue-Rui Peng #### **Job Title:** PhD Student / Research Assistant #### **Place of work / study:** Southwest University and TU Dresden #### **Area of Research:** Cognitive neuroscience of aging #### **How is your work funded:** German Research Foundation (DFG, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a research assistant at Southwest University in China while also a PhD candidate and IMPRS CoNI fellow at TU Dresden and Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany. My research interests lie in the [cognitive neuroscience](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/mobile-toolbox-expand-your-cognitive-assessment-reach/) of aging. I am experienced in working with neuroimaging techniques including MEG, fMRI, and fNIRS. My doctoral project focuses on how aging affects information processing under uncertainty. I’m also particularly interested in identifying neuropsychological markers of preclinical dementia and hope to focus more on this area in my future research. I am also an ISTAART Ambassador for 2025/2026 #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I used to be a 10-meter air rifle shooter – so I’m pretty good at staying incredibly still and focused, which comes in handy when I’m sitting through long neuroimaging sessions! #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: My grandmother developed Alzheimer’s disease 8 years ago. In retrospect, I noticed that early signs had been present for years before her diagnosis, but we didn’t recognize them at the time. This personal experience drives my motivation for identifying neuropsychological markers of preclinical dementia. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Don’t underestimate yourself. Your ideas and contributions matter more than you think, even early in your career. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading ‘[The Answer is No’](https://amzn.to/4yd0aIQ). And yes, I absolutely recommend it #### Favourite film of all time? Not technically a film, but I’m obsessed with the musical ‘Elisabeth’! Saw it live last month and have been listening to the soundtrack almost daily since. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? 1\. Spending time with my two beautiful British Longhair cats, Unii and Pupu. 2. Finding a nice hotel by the sea where I can just relax and watch the waves. #### What’s the best decision you ever made? I have to say, choosing Prof. Shu-Chen Li as my PhD supervisor was hands down the best decision I’ve ever made. #### What’s the best vacation spot? Ibiza in the off-season! And you absolutely MUST go to Formentera. #### Do you collect anything? This is probably the most stereotypical tourist thing ever, but I collect fridge magnets from everywhere I travel – been doing it for the past 3 years. #### Would you like to share your playlist? #### Can we find you on social media? **[‪@xrpeng.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/xrpeng.bsky.social)** [Find Xue-Rui on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/xue-rui-peng-a3ab80243/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Cognitive Neuroscience, MEG, Southwest University, TU Dresden, Xue-Rui Peng **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Imaging --- ### [Profile - Jinhak Kim, Yonsei University, South Korea](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jinhak-kim-yonsei-university-south-korea/) **Published:** August 14, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Jinhak Kim is a Graduate Student at Yonsei University connecting clinical care with preclinical research to better understand and treat dementia. **Content:** ![Jinhak Kim Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jinhak-Kim.jpg "Jinhak Kim")Jinhak Kim #### **Name:** Jinhak Kim #### **Job Title:** Graduate Student #### **Place of work / study:** Yonsei University #### **Area of Research:** Psychiatry, Neuroscience #### **How is your work funded:** Ministry of Science and ICT, Korea #### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m a psychiatrist and researcher at Yonsei University, passionate about connecting clinical care with preclinical research to better understand and treat dementia. My background in psychology and medicine helps me see both the human and scientific sides of mental health. I work on projects combining [patient data](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-patients-practice-and-the-research-mindset/), brain imaging, biomarkers, and animal models to explore Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms and develop new treatments. My goal is to translate research findings into clinically applicable solutions that advance dementia diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. I am also an ISTAART Ambassador for 2025/2026 #### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I enjoy combining conference trips with local explorations, from visiting museums to attending local orchestra performances near research sites. #### Why did you choose to work in dementia: I chose to work in dementia because it is a condition that profoundly affects not only patients, but also their families and communities. The complexity of its causes and progression demands both scientific precision and compassionate care. My goal is to bridge clinical insight and research innovation to improve early detection, treatment, and quality of life for those affected. #### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Try to experience and learn a variety of techniques early in your career. Broad exposure will not only strengthen your skill set but also help you discover unique approaches and perspectives for your research. #### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? The most recent book I read was [Human Acts by Han Kang](https://amzn.to/4f1sOUp). It’s a powerful exploration of humanity, resilience, and memory, set against the backdrop of a historical tragedy. I would recommend it for its lyrical writing and deep emotional impact. #### Favourite film of all time? Inception — I loved the concept of dreaming within a dream, and the way the film blended complex ideas with stunning visuals kept me captivated from start to finish. #### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Going to the orchestra and enjoying live performances. #### What’s the best decision you ever made? Doing research — I love the satisfaction that comes when a problem I’ve been working through finally falls into place. #### What’s the best vacation spot? Anywhere with a beach. I enjoy relaxing by the water. #### Do you collect anything? I collect concert tickets, but now that most are digital, I keep screenshots instead. #### Would you like to share your playlist? #### Can we find you on social media? [Find Jinhak on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jinhakkim/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Jinhak Kim, Yonsei University **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Clinical --- ### [Profile - Alex Kornhuber, Global Brain Health Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-alex-kornhuber-global-brain-health-institute/) **Published:** August 24, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Alex Kornhuber is a Photographer, Carer and Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health telling meaningful stories through his photography **Content:** ![Alex Kornhuber Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Alex-Kornhuber-280-x-280-px.jpg "Alex Kornhuber 280 x 280 px")Alex Kornhuber ##### **Name:** Alex Kornhuber ##### **Job Title:** Photographer, Carer and Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health ##### **Place of work / study:** [Global Brain Health Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-inside-the-global-brain-health-institute/) ##### **Area of Research:** Peruvian-German photographer ([www.alex-kornhuber.com](https://www.alex-kornhuber.com/)): I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio University and have worked as a photojournalist in Kosovo, Uganda and Latin America. ##### **How is your work funded:** With grants from Alzheimer’s Association and Atlantic Institute. ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I was born in 1967 and am a Peruvian-German photographer. I grew up in Rio de Janeiro and Lima and graduated in Fine Arts from Ohio University. From 1998 to 2004 I lived in Zurich and worked as a photojournalist in Kosovo, Uganda and Latin America, with my work appearing in publications such as Der Spiegel, Das Magazin, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Du Magazin, Tages-Anzeiger and Die Weltwoche. In 2004 I returned to Peru and focused on corporate, editorial and architectural photography. My work has been exhibited in Zurich, Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, San Francisco and Washington DC. I have also taught visual journalism at the Centro de la Imagen in Lima, where I directed the didactics and workshops of the main photodocumentary course. During that time I taught around 150 students and directly mentored 25 on their individual projects. Many of them are now accomplished professional photographers working in Peru and abroad. I am a Global Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute at UCSF and Trinity College Dublin. Through this fellowship I have developed photo-documentaries depicting the lives of ageing populations in Peru, New Zealand, Nepal, the Philippines, Ireland, Japan, Brazil and the USA. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I learned to surf at age 8 and have been passionately riding waves ever since. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: By chance. An ex photography student of mine became a neurologist and staff at GBHI. He thought his old photo teacher might be a good choice to become a fellow at GBHI. Now, Dr. Serggio Lanata is my mentor. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Think interdisciplinary. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [“Contarlo Todo” from Jeremias Gamboa](https://amzn.to/4pa9s46). A great coming-of-age novel, a moving story that shows us how to find our place in the world and build our own identity. ##### Favourite film of all time? Blade Runner ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Surf, music, walk, swim ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Becoming a fellow at GBHI ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? North coast of Spain ##### Do you collect anything? Pictures and stories ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@AlexKornhuber](https://www.instagram.com/alexkornhuber) [Find Alex on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-kornhuber-a46465330/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alex Kornhuber, Global Brain Health Institute **Organisations for Bios:** Global Brain Health Institute **Themes for Bios:** Arts --- ### [Profile - Dr Elisa Di Rosa, University of Padova](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-elisa-di-rosa-university-of-padova/) **Published:** August 26, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Elisa Di Rosa is an Associate Professor at University of Padova, Italy researching Cognitive and Affective disorders in aging and neurodegenerative disorders **Content:** ![Dr Elisa Di Rosa Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Dr-Elisa-Di-Rosa.jpg "Dr Elisa Di Rosa")Dr Elisa Di Rosa ##### **Name:** Dr Elisa Di Rosa ##### **Job Title:** Associate Professor ##### **Place of work / study:** Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy ##### **Area of Research:** Cognitive and Affective disorders in aging and neurodegenerative disorders ##### **How is your work funded:** My research has been funded by national (Italy) and international grants (EU) ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I graduated in Psychology in 2010 at the University of Padova (Italy), where I also did my PhD in 2014. After few years as post doc in Italy and, as visitor, abroad (Ireland, Belgium, Canada) I moved in the USA as [Marie Curie](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/funders-pledge-to-include-more-older-adults-in-research/) fellow. I came back to Padova in 2020 as a tenure track Assistant Professor and from 2023 I am an Associate Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology. In am interested in dementia risk and protective factors, and in the interaction between cognitive and affective processes in aging and neurodegenerative disorders. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I love music and from 2023 I direct the “Psicoro”, the choir of the Psychology Departments of the University of Padova. [You can find us on Instagram.](https://www.instagram.com/psicoro.unipd/) ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: Because is a very complex illness that still needs to be fully understood, and I would like to make a contribution with my work. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Be curious, always. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Elogio dell’ignoranza e dell’errore](https://amzn.to/4p48JRS) (G. Carofiglio). I highly recommend it! ##### Favourite film of all time? Shine (1996, Scott Hicks) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Play the piano and sing with my friends, or walk by the sea listening my favourite music. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To study what I like (music, psychology, neuroscience) ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Dolomites ##### Do you collect anything? Travel pictures ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @dirosaelisa](https://twitter.com/dirosaelisa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Elisa Di Rosa, Neuropsychology, University of Padova **Organisations for Bios:** University of Padova **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [Profile - Michelle Memran, Global Brain Health Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-michelle-memran-global-brain-health-institute/) **Published:** August 28, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Michelle Memran is a Documentary Filmmaker, Advocate and Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health working to share stories and improbe brain health **Content:** ![Michelle Memran Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Michelle-Memran.jpg "Michelle Memran")Michelle Memran ##### **Name:** Michelle Memran #### **Job Title:** Documentary Filmmaker, Advocate and Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health ##### **Place of work / study:** [Global Brain Health Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-inside-the-global-brain-health-institute/) ##### **Area of Research:** I co-create films and projects with individuals living with various forms of dementia ##### **How is your work funded:** Individuals, Grants, Arts and Advocacy organizations, Chance ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I am a documentary filmmaker, journalist, care partner, and dementia advocate whose work threads collaborative storytelling with social change. As a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at UCSF’s Global Brain Health Institute, I am dedicated to challenging society’s reductive dementia narratives by amplifying the voices of those living with these varied conditions. My debut documentary, The Rest I Make Up, chronicles a decade-long creative collaboration and friendship with visionary playwright María Irene Fornés, who had stopped writing due to Alzheimer’s. Together, we discovered that a camera could extend Fornés’s creative process and initiate a vital new artistic practice for us both. Our film premiered at the Museum of Modern Art and was named one of “The Best Movies of 2018” by Richard Brody in The New Yorker. It continues to screen worldwide. I am currently working on several independent documentary film projects and a dementia awareness media campaign. I also recently began a year-long artist’s residency at the UCSF Library in San Francisco, where I’ll be exploring how the visual language and community-led messaging of early HIV/AIDS activism can inspire more humanizing, solutions-based narratives around Alzheimer’s and related dementias today. I divide my time between New York and San Francisco. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** My wife and I often post humorous stories about our travels as #marriedmiddleagedlesbians ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: It happened by accident. Many years ago, I interviewed my favorite playwright, María Irene Fornés, and we became good friends. When I discovered she’d stopped writing, likely due to Alzheimer’s, I tried to find ways to continue creating. I had an old Hi-8 camera on a beach one day, and she began reciting these stunning monologues. So we kept going. I became a filmmaker and an advocate through our collaborative process, and now that’s what I do. So in many ways, it chose me. I’m also a care partner for my mom, who is living with Alzheimer’s; recently, she’s discovered a newfound love for the poems of Rainer Maria Rilke, and today we’re filming her reading “Let This Darkness Be a Bell Tower.” I just follow where my collaborators take me. It’s the best underfunded job in the world. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Everything is a creative process. Collaborate. Co-create. Learn from those who are living it. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [“AIDS and Its Metaphors” by Susan Sontag](https://amzn.to/3SOVXL5) — and yes! ##### Favourite film of all time? First Cousin Once Removed by Alan Berliner ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Movies! Hikes! Travel! Making ridiculous music videos with my wife!! ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To pick up a camera and trust the process. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? I just visited Ireland for the first time and fell in love. ##### Do you collect anything? Stories. Footage. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@memranny](https://www.instagram.com/memranny/) [Find Michelle on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-memran/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Global Brain Health Institute, Michelle Memran **Organisations for Bios:** Global Brain Health Institute **Themes for Bios:** Arts --- ### [Profile - Viktorija Smith, University of Cambridge](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-viktorija-smith-university-of-cambridge/) **Published:** September 3, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Viktorija Smith is a PhD Student & Speech and Language Therapist at University of Cambridge researching cognitive and language changes across Alzheimer's & FTD **Content:** ![Viktorija Smith Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Viktorija-Smith.jpg "Viktorija Smith")Viktorija Smith ##### **Name:** Viktorija Smith #### **Job Title:** PhD Candidate and Speech and Language Therapist ##### **Place of work / study:** University of Cambridge ##### **Area of Research:** My research focuses on cognitive and language changes across Alzheimer’s disease and Frontotemporal dementia, using [neuroimaging](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/relay-podcast-neuroimaging-pia/), biomarkers, and neuropathology to explore underlying mechanisms. ##### **How is your work funded:** Wellcome Trust ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m PhD student and speech and language therapist with a research focus on the neural correlates of linguistic variation in dementia. I trained as a speech and language therapist in London, working across acute, rehabilitation, and outpatient settings, with a specialism in adult neurology. Later I gained experience as a data analyst in the Mormino and Poston labs at Stanford University, developing expertise in large multi-cohort datasets and PET imaging, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease pathology. My research aims to characterise cognitive-linguistic profiles across Alzheimer’s disease and Frontotemporal dementia as a continuum, integrating multimodal neuroimaging, biomarkers, and neuropathology to uncover the mechanisms driving heterogeneity in these conditions. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** During my undergraduate days working as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant, I once took a phone order for sweet and sour chicken. When the customer asked how long it would take, I accidentally said, ‘Let me check with the chicken’, meaning to say kitchen. They burst out laughing on the other end of the line. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: As a speech and language therapist, I’ve always been struck by how something so widely experienced can have such a devastating effect on everything that makes us who we are — our identity, relationships, and daily lives. At the same time, I’ve noticed that because dementia is so common, society has grown a little loose with the term, treating it as inevitable rather than deeply personal. I believe that could not be further from the truth, each person is unique, and their experiences and lives must sit at the heart of everything we do, both in care and in research for the future. It’s also an incredibly exciting time to work in dementia, with new technologies and treatments opening up possibilities we could only imagine a few years ago. I’ve loved being part of a research community that is not only innovative but also close-knit and collaborative, all working toward the same goal of improving life for those affected. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Go for all opportunities that come your way, even if self-doubt tries to creep in; you never know what this next step might bring! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m currently reading [‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow’ by Gabrielle Zevin](https://amzn.to/4gq6ZQF). I’ve only just started, but I’m already hooked. I love books that dig into what makes people tick, how our conversations, choices, and emotions shape the way we connect with one another. ##### Favourite film of all time? From a serious standpoint – The Fountain (2006), just such an artistic representation of key life topics: love, death, grief, and the meaning of life. More light-hearted ‘Amelie’ – love a good french movie ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? All day hike in the mountains with family and our dog Alfie. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Not sure ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Too many to choose from ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [@viktorijasmith.bsky.social‬](https://bsky.app/profile/viktorijasmith.bsky.social) [Find Viktorija on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktorija-smith/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** University of Cambridge, Viktorija Smith **Organisations for Bios:** University of Cambridge **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Speech and Language Therapy --- ### [Profile - Dr Natalie Duggett, UK Dementia Research Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-natalie-duggett-uk-dementia-research-institute/) **Published:** September 5, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Natalie Duggett works at the UK Dementia Research Institute as a Science Programme Manager for ECRs leading on the research skills and training strategy. **Content:** ![Dr Natalie Duggett Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dr-Natalie-Duggett.jpg "Dr Natalie Duggett")Dr Natalie Duggett ##### **Name:** Dr Natalie Duggett #### **Job Title:** Science Programme Manager – early career researchers ##### **Place of work / study:** [UK Dementia Research Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-uk-dementia-research-institute-has-a-new-director/) ##### **Area of Research:** I lead on the research skills and training strategy across the UK DRI. As part of the Scientific Affairs Team, Natalie also leads on the development and coordination of intramural and extramural UK DRI funding programmes. ##### **How is your work funded:** UK Dementia Research Institute ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I joined the UK DRI in October 2024 after five years working at the NC3Rs. There, I led on the PhD studentship and Training Fellowship funding schemes, providing guidance to the research community, managing the application process, and offering post award support. I also coordinated wraparound training and support for students, Training Fellows, and postdoctoral researchers funded by the NC3Rs, and managed the International 3Rs Prize. I hold a PhD from Durham University, where my research focused on mitochondria and chaperone proteins in models of ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. My interest in mitochondria then took me to King’s College London, where I spent over five years researching chemotherapy induced neuropathy before moving to the NC3Rs. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** Not sure ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: Family – I’ve had family members impacted by Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and so it’s a cause incredibly close to my heart. ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Learn every technique/technology or approach available when given the opportunity. You never know the path it may open up for you. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The Wintringham Mystery, by Anthony Berkeley](https://amzn.to/44OfePr). I love a classic crime/murder mystery novel. I’d recommend it for anyone who likes a ‘Golden age’ mystery – a rambling country house, a séance, a murder, a room locked on the inside, with servants, suspects and alibis, a romance – and an ingenious puzzle. ##### Favourite film of all time? Not sure ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? I have two young children, and I enjoy playing and making up games with them to unwind. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Deciding to do my PhD – it’s given me my husband, family, and a career I enjoy. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Not sure ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Natalie on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-duggett-7385b15b/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Natalie Duggett, UK Dementia Research Institute **Organisations for Bios:** UK Dementia Research Institute **Themes for Bios:** Other --- ### [Profile - Dr Jacqui Hanley, Alzheimer's Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jacqui-hanley-alzheimers-research-uk/) **Published:** September 5, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Jacqui Hanley is Head of Research Funding for Alzheimer's Research UK implementing and delivering the organisation’s research strategy and supporting ECRs **Content:** ![Dr Jacqui Hanley Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dr-Jacqui-Hanley.jpg "Dr Jacqui Hanley")Dr Jacqui Hanley ##### **Name:** Dr Jacqui Hanley #### **Job Title:** Head of Research Funding ##### **Place of work / study:** Alzheimer’s Research UK ##### **Area of Research:** Dementia ##### **How is your work funded:** Alzheimer’s Research UK ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** I’m Head of Research Funding at [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/). I play a key role in implementing and delivering the organisation’s research strategy and response mode funding, with a particular focus on research culture, engagement, and early career researchers. I have a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Physiology from the University of Liverpool and have since built a career in research funding and grants managements, having previously working at the MS Society, Alzheimer’s Society, and the University of Liverpool. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** When not at work, you’ll find me outside walking somewhere with Magnus, my dog. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: Dementia will affect 1 in 2 of us in our lifetime so I’m passionate about making a difference. I’m also nerdy and I love research grants management! ##### What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Go for all opportunities that come your way, even if self-doubt tries to creep in; you never know what this next step might bring! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Stephen Fry’s Odyssey ](https://amzn.to/4gTMagI)– I know nothing about Greek mythology but this makes it more accessible! ##### Favourite film of all time? You’ve Got Mail ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking the dog ##### Can we find you on social media? [@alzheimersresearchuk.org](https://bsky.app/profile/alzheimersresearchuk.org) [Find Jacqui on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-ann-hanley-a891a88a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK Resources, Dr Jacqui Hanley **Organisations for Bios:** Alzheimer's Research UK **Themes for Bios:** Charity --- ### [Blog - Getting Involved in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Leadership](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-getting-involved-in-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-leadership/) **Published:** April 18, 2023 **Author:** Dr Connor Richardson **Excerpt:** Dr Connor Richardson writes a personal and practical account of what working in EDI means, why he got involved and what they do. **Content:** --- **I first got involved with EDI in 2021. In this blog I wanted to give a personal and practical account of what working in EDI means, why I got involved with it, the practicalities of what we do, the benefits and challenges for both research and in a research career. I hope this might inspire you to consider doing the same, because… it’s important.** **What is EDI?** EDI can mean many things to different people. In simple terms I see it as promoting an environment of fairness and equal opportunity whatever your background or circumstances. Helping to empower people from diverse mind-sets and cultures getting involved in both research and research careers. Finally, making everyone feel welcome in research and removing barriers and biases that get in peoples way. The core of our EDI work is working to reduce discrimination of those of protected characteristics under The Equality Act 2010: - Age - Disability - Gender reassignment - Marriage and civil partnership - Pregnancy and maternity - Race - Religion or belief - Sex - Sexual orientation > For me personally I see my role as an EDI leader simply in making working in research a happier environment for everyone, whoever you are. **Why I got involved** There are 3 main reasons why I got involved in EDI. If I’m really honest I wanted to get some experience to put on my CV, secondly it was clear during the pandemic that when we did return to working on campus it would be a very different workplace and in some ways it was the best time to get involved as there was an opportunity to make real impact. The third reason is my personal experiences of discrimination. As a gay man I fall into one of those protected characteristics. I have also experienced difficulty over the years in higher education and working in research as someone coming from a very deprived area in the north east and having struggles with mental health issues. Research can be quite a nebulous and highly competitive career. I’ve found it can be difficult to chart a path for yourself, especially if you have no experience from family or your community working in a relatable field. I have found this can be disconcerting, especially in the early years. The path into research itself can be very demanding and having support is essential. Although my family have always been supportive of me it was always difficult when no one in my family really knew what a PhD was, let alone what doing epidemiology research day to day practically looked like. **Until about 2 years into my PhD I found out most of my family thought I was training to be a dementia nurse!** This has always solidified in my mind that the way we do research needs to be more supportive of making people from all backgrounds feel welcome and supported. Being gay I’ve also had my fair share of discrimination. For many years the way I’ve dealt with this by pretending homophobia or discrimination occurs. However, in recent years I have come to realise that although discrimination is rarely as acute as school yard homophobic bullying, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t persist in more subtle ways. Similar to this the more I’ve worked in research the more I’ve come to realise that many of my fellow LGBT researchers carry that discrimination from the high school, college, undergraduate into work life whether facing direct homophobia in work or not. Indeed in many ways my personal view is that the world is becoming a less welcoming place for many people of protected characteristics. Constant toxic discourse around race and immigration, heated arguments around gender and LGBT+ rights and EDI priorities disregarded as “woke” can be frankly scary. Although we can’t control this in our workplaces, I think we have to be aware that we don’t work in a vacuum. I had a very real experience of this where I was assaulted while walking down the street for being gay, and to say that didn’t have a profound effect on me at work would be disingenuous. I write these things because I think we have to be aware of these issues, and it’s these issues which make EDI fundamental to how we work and do research. What I don’t want is to say that you can only get involved if you have faced discrimination, or that you won’t gain anything. The other reason I joined was for quite selfish reasons, I knew it was an issue becoming more important to research funding and I wanted to get experience of leadership in something that would look good on my CV. ![EDI](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Statue.png "Statue")A study of 600 business decisions made by 200 teams found that when diverse teams made a business decision, they outperformed individuals 87% of the time and were shown to make decisions faster than individuals. **What we actually do in our EDI group.** No doubt EDI groups do things very differently across research institutes. In my case I am a deputy leader of an EDI committee representing staff and post-graduate students within the Newcastle University Population Health Sciences Institute. I have been involved with the committee since it was set up, and in the early days our main objectives were to identify areas where as an institute we could be more inclusive and to promote to work of our committee. Some of these are long term objectives, for example we attend regular meetings with our research executive meetings to make sure EDI is included in strategic decision making in institute policy. One way we were able to make an impact in this was organising an event where research could tell their “COVID-19 stories”, taking what we learned about how they were affected by the pandemic and anxieties about returning to campus. We were then able to make sure these views were taken into account when return to campus planning was being made, making adjustments for example parents who had changed their child care arrangements, vulnerable staff who rely on public transport, and on the flip side often younger ECR’s who were more keen to return and felt they were missing out on the face-to-face engagement at work. We have also been able to run a number of successful campaigns. Something I have taken a personal lead one through my love of books has been to develop a EDI book club, reviewing and suggesting novels, memoirs, non-fiction and children books covering topics such as race, LGBT issues, black history and religion to share the values of and ideas of EDI in a more interesting way than reading research articles. We are currently engaged in the de-colonising the curriculum campaign to make our taught courses more inclusive of non-white perspectives. Our most recent project has been to help with period poverty during the cost of living crisis, getting funds to stock free sanitary products for anyone who needs them in all of our work and teaching spaces. And finally we run a EDI blog giving researchers the opportunity to share their methods of incorporating EDI into their research or their perspectives of working in research from the point of people with protected characteristics. **Benefits for Research and Researchers** In some cases it is clearer cut why there are benefits to research from a population health perspective. As a dementia epidemiologist it is fundamental to my research of population level dementia risk that the populations we study should be truly representative and we know that those with protected characteristics among other things are the least likely to participate in research. I believe having a thoughtful approach to EDI has a benefit to all our research in dementia whether clinical or biomedical. It can help us write and disseminate our research in a way that reaches people it may not have before and gives our research the benefit of perspective, it is easy to slip into thinking about people with dementia as a homogenous group especially if the majority of people participating are white middle class. **I think taking part in EDI has huge benefits as a researcher.** It has helped me become more aware of the people I work with and the different challenges we all face. I have also been forced to confront some of my own thinking. A diverse workforce of researchers inevitably leads to a more diverse range of perspective making research a more creative space. I would argue although academia can be welcoming in many ways, there remains a big class and culture divide for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. There are also benefits in terms of your career. EDI is becoming an ever bigger priority for research bodies, having practical experience of working on EDI is a huge benefit. When I was asked to play a leadership role I was terrified! In hindsight EDI is a perfect area to gain experience of leadership, again something at looks good on your CV. Working with colleagues in executive roles has also help me make more connections with senior staff around the university, it’s always good to have more people know who you are. Finally the greatest benefit in my opinion is the opportunity to be more creative and get instant gratification! One of the challenges I find with research is we are always thinking in the long term, working months and years gathering data for papers, long drawn out peer review. I have highly valued being able to identify a project and get something done that makes a real change for people straight away, the period poverty work we have done being a great example. **Challenges** It would be a lie to say that everything about doing EDI work is perfect. The most significant is time pressure. Ask anyone in academia and they will tell you they have a full diary, and honestly there are times I struggle with juggling my own research with other commitments such as EDI. I would say if you really don’t have any flexibility to do it, don’t overload yourself! For me I am lucky that we I have a great Co-deputy. Inevitably with EDI work every now and then you may have to work on issues that are highly sensitive and that can be difficult, especially when it’s something that you can’t fully relate to. For me I can talk a lot about LGBT issues, however often when talking about race, disability or issues faced by women I can sometimes feel like I have little to offer. Saying that though the ability to know what you don’t know and being confident to listen and learn is a valuable skill in itself! **Final thoughts** Although their challenges my view remains unchanged that being involved in EDI makes for better research and better researchers, whether that be in dementia or otherwise. It’s a great for your CV and really gives you a chance to be creative in problem solving and make things better for people in real time. I want to acknowledge the excellent work of Dr Nicola Heslehurst our committee leader and Fiona Graham my Co-deputy leader and all who have worked on the NUPSHI EDI committee. --- ![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Dr-Connor-Stephenson.png "Dr Connor Richardson")Dr Connor Richardson #### Author [**Dr Connor Richardson** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/ "Profile – Dr Connor Richardson, Newcastle University")is a Neuro-epidemiology Research Associate in the Newcastle University Population Health Sciences Institute. Connor is the research statistician for the Cognitive Function and Ageing studies (CFAS) multi-centre population cohort. His research interest lies in using advanced statistical modelling and machine learning to measure dementia risk. Connor blogs about his research, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and sometimes his Pomapoo’s. [Follow @connorrichards2](https://twitter.com/connorrichards2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Careers, Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Diversity and Inclusion, Dr Connor Richardson, Equality Diversity and Inclusivity, Newcastle University **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Health and Wellbeing, Policy **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Postdocs --- ### [Blog - My experience as an LGBTQIA+ postgraduate & PhD student](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-my-experience-as-an-lgbtqia-postgraduate-phd-student/) **Published:** June 29, 2023 **Author:** Dr Jodi Watt **Excerpt:** As Pride Month comes to a close, Dr Jodi Watt shares some key key takeaways based on personal experience as a queer postgraduate student in science. **Content:** --- **It probably helps to give you all some backstory on me. In terms of my own identity, I like to identify in ways that are purposefully ambiguous, because whilst I know my [LGBTQIA+ identity](https://www.stonewall.org.uk/list-lgbtq-terms) shouldn’t matter, for a lot of people it does and I find myself uncomfortable with that. That’s why I call myself queer (a word I use very positively but recognise that it also has extensive history as a slur and will still be considered as such by some people) and refer to my partner as my partner. If you know me, you’ll probably know more specific answers to how I identify, and if you don’t? Well maybe that doesn’t really matter. Also, I’m working as a postdoc now, in a group where I feel valued and respected for everything that I am, but that has not always been the case.** I am aware that to some people, there might be questions – Why does this relate to science? How does this relate to science? Do we even really need to discuss this? This has mattered for every day of my scientific career, from my day-to-day treatment to the use of my diversity as a selling point for grant applications. Sometimes, I have been a hinderance. Others, I have been hugely advantageous to my colleagues. At times, it has sometimes felt like walking along a knife edge. Whilst this is a topic I could talk about at great lengths, I wanted to share some of my key takeaways regarding my experience as a queer postgraduate student. 1. **The day-to-day PhD experience as someone who is ‘out’ and queer can be really variable.** Don’t get me wrong, in the grand scheme of circumstances I have been in in my life, academia is one of the more accepting. In the right lab or group, science can be one of the best spaces to be LGBTQIA+. The vast majority of my colleagues have been supportive and kind, however the experiences around those who were not will always be carried with me. I think it is also critically important to not underestimate the mental, emotional and physical burdens of basic existence for many LGBTQIA+ people in a heteronormative world, which can’t always be left outside of the lab, much as we may want it to be. During my PhD I was regularly exposed to homophobia in the city where I studied. The homophobia I experienced from a few individuals in the institution itself was far quieter, but still there. I remember one year during Pride, a good friend of mine had a quiet word with me about how my tiny Pride flag on my desk (literally so small the flagpole was a cocktail stick) was upsetting to a colleague of mine due to their religious beliefs. Both of us are supposed to be protected under the The Equality Act 2010, and yet I was seen as being in the wrong, not just according to that colleague, but to everyone who had discussed it before speaking with me and concluded amongst themselves that I should just remove it to avoid the situation escalating. There’s no satisfying way to round this example off, no comeuppance for the injustice I felt, or a solution that worked for us both, and that was frustratingly often the way with such events. 2. **It can feel very solitary.** I always longed for a role model professor who identified in exactly the same way I did. I knew plenty of allies and advocates, but I still haven’t found someone senior to me in academia who identifies as I do. I recognise this is a big ask – coming out is such a personal thing, and it’s not something anyone should ever feel forced into doing. Nevertheless, for me this is the single biggest external factor that would contribute to me leaving academia, à la the so-called ‘leaky pipeline.’ When you have an abundance of representation – for example as a white man in my PhD field of magnetic resonance imaging – it can be hard to recognise how your academic experience might feel without this. These are the reasons I am a huge advocate for the use of LGBTQIA+ lanyards or badges and the use of pronouns in email signatures, even if as an ally and not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community yourself – it is amazing to know which of your colleagues are vocally standing alongside you in that way. As someone who, at 30 years old, is currently experimenting with the use of she/they as my pronouns, there’s always a definite physical feeling of comfort for me when I see that someone uses their pronouns in their online academic spaces, including when these are more standard pronouns, for example he/him, or she/her. If you take one thing from this blog post, I would hope that it would be how useful these can be for your non-cisgender colleagues and consider whether this is something you feel you could adopt, if you don’t already. 3. **There will be opportunities for involvement in extra-curricular experiences that will enrich your CV.** Lived experience as a person who doesn’t fit the cisgender, heterosexual societal norm can be hugely valuable, and there may be opportunities during your postgraduate studies to formalise this experience for both the betterment of your academic environment, and your own growth, personally and academically. I have had some amazing opportunities which resulted from being an openly queer person, as an LGBTQIA+ representative on various national and international committees, which has opened further doors to paid consultancy opportunities. 4. **There is legislation to protect you.** LGBTQIA+ identities are one of the characteristics protected by [The Equality Act 2010 in the UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance#:~:text=The%20Equality%20Act%202010%20legally,strengthening%20protection%20in%20some%20situations.) (where I live and work), which acts as legal framework to protect against unfair treatment on the basis of such characteristics and provide reasonable adjustments for those who need them. Universities and other institutions are required to adhere to this, and there should be contacts within academic institutions who you can turn to if you feel as though your rights are being infringed. Like the example I provided earlier, the practicalities of addressing the rights of two people with conflicting views who are both protected in different ways under the Act can be challenging. However, that is not your responsibility, and there are people in universities who have the responsibility to navigate this. 5. **It is ok to occupy the scientific space in this way.** Even now, I always second-guess myself before I write about my queerness. This blog post was no exception. But it is so important to remind ourselves that not only are we ‘allowed’ to take up this space (although I hate that wording – why do we need permission??), but that we deserve to feel comfortable and valued in the space that we occupy. --- ![Jodi Watt Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Jodi-Watt.jpg "Jodi Watt")Jodi Watt #### Author [**Dr Jodi Watt**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jodi-watt-university-of-glasgow/) is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Glasgow. Jodi’s academic interests are in both healthy ageing and neurodegenerative diseases of older age, and they are currently working on drug repurposing for dementia. Previously they worked on understanding structural, metabolic and physiological brain changes with age, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. As a queer and neurodiverse person, Jodi is also incredibly interested in improving diversity and inclusion practices both within and outside of the academic context. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Jodi Watt, LGBTQIA+, Pride, University of Glasgow **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Podcast - Exploring Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-exploring-equality-diversity-inclusion/) **Published:** April 22, 2024 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Discover insights on equity, diversity, and inclusion with Dr. Jodi Watt, Dr. Hamied Haroon, and Dr. Nikou Damestani. Transformative talks on academia's future. **Content:** **In this podcast, [Dr Jodi Watt](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jodi-watt-university-of-glasgow/), a postdoc at the University of Glasgow, discusses the importance of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in research and academia with [Dr Hamied Haroon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-hamied-haroon-the-university-of-manchester/) and [Dr Nikou Damestani](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-nikou-damestani-sanofi/).** They explore the challenges faced by individuals from diverse backgrounds in academia, the importance of allyship, and the need for more representation in research. They also highlight the impact of EDI on patients and the importance of considering diverse populations in research studies. A key feature… the need for kindness and empathy in the scientific community and the importance of creating safe spaces for open discussions about EDI. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher podcast, talking careers, research conference highlights, and so much more. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Hello and welcome to the Dementia Researcher podcast. Today we explore a crucial, yet often under-discussed aspect of research and related environments, navigating the world of EDI or equity, diversity, and inclusion. Hello, I'm Dr Jodi Watt, a postdoc at the University of Glasgow. And in my day-to-day job, I currently look at drug repurposing for dementia. However, I'm also incredibly interested in equity, diversity, and inclusion in the research world, both from a professional and personal perspective as a queer and neurodiverse person. I wanted to speak with some other people who are just as interested as I am and discuss the current landscape. So, without further ado, I'm delighted to introduce two experts on the topic, Dr Hamied Haroon, and Dr Nikou Damestani. Hi, everyone. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Hello. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** Hello. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Hello. Okay, so I don't think our listeners have met either of you before. Nikou, why don't you go first and introduce yourself? **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Sure. So, hi, I'm Nikou. I am formerly a postdoc and I currently just keep chugging along with all the different EDI work and initiatives that I got involved in through my academic career. I also worked in Ageing research when I was working in academia. So, I'm just so happy to be here and to also to see Jodi and Hamied because we've worked very closely together over the years in this space. So, I'm excited to dig into the topic. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Sweet. Yeah, it's great to see you both as well. Hamied, do you want to tell us a bit about yourself just now? **Dr Hamied Haroon:** Hello everyone. So yeah, I'm Hamied Haroon. I'm a research scientist at the University of Manchester. I also chair the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks. And yeah, we're doing some great work in the sector and hoping to change experiences. But yeah, it's such a privilege to work with Jodi and Nikou in the ISMRM and all the inclusion work we've been up to. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Thank you. Before we get started, I should acknowledge that we're all based in the UK, and we may not reflect the sort of global EDI situation in our discussions. However, a lot of the issues are fairly universal and hopefully some of the things we discuss will be more broadly applicable. I also want to note, before we really get into things, that the discussions that we have here are reflective of our own opinions and don't necessarily reflect the institutions or organisations for whom we currently work or have previously worked. So just to get that wee disclaimer out the way. Okay. So, I have to confess that I haven't always been as knowledgeable as I am today. My initial interest in EDI was definitely self-motivated to better understand myself and why I didn't fit into a norm. But such a big topic that the more I learned, the more I wanted to know. I'm a bit of a hothead and the injustices that we often see in the treatment of minority individuals are something that I personally I can't ignore or keep quiet about. So, I just wondered, you've touched on it a little bit with the introduction, but if any of you wanted to share a bit more about your own personal journeys as to how you got involved in EDI, if you're comfortable to do so. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** So, I definitely resonate with what you said about not always being super impassioned or an expert on the topic. I think that's a very natural level of progression as we work through, especially the different privileges that we have and the different experiences in the world that we have. And I think definitely by the time I got to my PhD, I'd experienced enough of very different interactions, let's say, compared to what I was used to growing up. And I realised that maybe the problem wasn't me and actually the things that were happening around me and the kind of pervasive cultural expectations from academia in general. So yeah, my journey into it, again, same as you, were very personal. Very much to do with how I see my identity, identify as mixed race. I know in some places that's not appropriate terminology, but for me that's how I choose to identify. And I have always assumed that because I'm white appearing that some of the experiences I've had have led to that being a benefit. However, when people have then learned about my actual identity, that then comes with different stigma too. So, it's been a really interesting journey for me personally as someone who has reached some of the benefits but equally experienced then stigmas in different spheres. And that's been definitely a journey for me in EDI and led me to being very passionate about understanding why it is that I've had certain benefits that others haven't, and equally what can I do with my voice to help change that essentially. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Hamied, anything you want to add to Nikou's very impassioned introduction? **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Sorry. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** Was amazing. That was fantastic. So, I've been a disabled person all my life. I don't know anything different, but I'm treated differently by "normal people" and expected to just fit in the way people do things and with places and equipment that are not accessible to me. So, when I was little, I had to go to a special school for my primary school years and there was no science. It was just like we had English and maths and we had lots of physiotherapy and medical appointments and wheelchair dancing and sports competitions, which were great. But science and the more academic type of things weren't there at the school I went to. So, I was really lucky actually that in Manchester when I got to high school years. Manchester at that time just started to integrate disabled children into mainstream school. So, I got to go to a mainstream high school, probably one of the roughest in Manchester, but that's where I kind of got exposure to science, to labs, to and TV programmes at the time. You guys are way too young for this, but tomorrow's world, oh my God, and Star Trek and things like that, just they just blew my mind, what we could achieve if we opened our imaginations. And science has always played a part in my life in understanding the condition I have, which is a genetic condition. So, like I said, I've been disabled all my life and there is no cure for the condition I have. But you can't make me normal. And all through my childhood being disabled was a huge stigma, something that I felt really ashamed of, really bad about that I was disabled, and it was kind of used as a bit of a taunt against me. But then when I found out about the social model of disability and that actually were not the problem, the problem are the barriers in society, those attitudes and those stereotypes in society that actually are the barriers. They make us disabled. But in that way, I definitely identify with being a disabled person rather than a person with disabilities. And being in Manchester is amazing. Then I learn about the history of the whole for the disability rights movement. Manchester was one of the hotbeds for that in the good old days. So yeah, I'm very proud to be in Mancunian and be disabled and to be a Pakistani heritage as well. The curries are just great, especially in Manchester. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Thank you both for sharing such insightful introductions to yourself. That was very nice to hear. Although obviously circumstantially not the greatest, but I think that's something that we should definitely explore a bit further and discuss a bit further later on, particularly within the context of academia. But I wondered before we did that, because obviously I'm using the word equity rather than equality, and that might be something that our listeners really notice as a difference compared to what they might have heard before. So, I just wondered, Nikou, if you could give us an introduction as to the concept of equality, sorry, equity, diversity, and inclusion and why we're seeing equity instead of seeing equality people might be expecting us to. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Absolutely. Yeah. It's a very subtle but very important difference. And the analogy I've always seen, and I wish I had the citation for the person who first put it out there, but I think I've seen it so much now that I don't know that I could trace it down. But if I do find it, I will share it as a resource. Is that you see three people trying to reach for an apple from the tree and they're of different heights. So, someone who's taller naturally is able to reach the apple more easily. So, equality would be giving everyone the same booster step so that everyone has a better chance of reaching that apple on the tree, whereas equity is adjusting the size of that step so that everyone has an equal chance at actually reaching it in the first place. So, it's acknowledging people's initial circumstances and accepting that some people naturally have a leg up in life, so other people in order to make that goal achievable for other people, some people need additional provisions. It's not just that you can give everyone the same thing and say, well, everyone had a chance at it. It's no, some people naturally start further back or lower down away from the tree. And that's a product of societies that differs in different societies as well, which is very important to acknowledge at a global scale. We're coming from a UK mindset, so there's definitely institutional factors, systemic factors that are specific to the UK. But in other places it might be, it could be anything from ethnicity, sexuality, ability, it can be anything that is the reason you are set back, and some things will be advantages in other places compared to here. So that's my understanding of equity versus equality. And I always like that visual of the apple because it makes it so clear that it's about getting that chance and really getting that opportunity. **Dr Jodi Watt:** I think that's a great explanation and I think it's also important to realise that particularly a lot of our listeners are going to be from an academic perspective and academia particularly for me at least, is where the difference is really key. And obviously within the UK we're covered and supposed to be protected by the Equality Act and there is nuance to that that falls more in line with equity than it does equality when it comes to actually acting on the act and following along with the guidance given. So, in that sort of regard, I just wondered what you both think EDI looks like in academia right now. Do you think it's doing good, bad, could do better? Do you think it's improved over the past few years, maybe like five years or so? **Dr Hamied Haroon:** Sure. Yeah. So also, just going back to the last bit on equity. I feel like equity also has that connotation of justice about it as well. So, you're trying to be just about the inclusion of people in society. And I love that. So, when it comes to EDI, equity, equality, diversity, inclusion, something for me that goes on in that area within academia and research more generally is that there's much around gender equality. And now race equality is also quite a big thing with the chart marks that are out there as well in the sector. But disability is something that kind of goes under the radar a lot of the time and feels like the poor cousin compared to other aspects of the EDI a lot of the time. And so much of the work that we're doing on the national level is trying to raise that voice and make sure disabled people are included in academia too. In terms of change, I think there's been a lot of talk and a lot of maybe data collecting and studies going on over the last 10, 20 years, but I feel like we're still at the same point we were all that time ago. There are still issues people face on a day-to-day basis. Institutions are getting awards, they're given accolades. When it comes to EDI, being the cynic I am, why then are people still struggling? Why are people still feeling those injustices and feeling the kind of barriers and discrimination we still do in the workplace. Still around gender, still around race, individual people are not experiencing a great time. So, I believe academia still has a way to go. And there's this whole notion of what you have to be to be a perfect academic, like you got to be on the go 24 hours, you can't eat, you can't go to the toilet, you can't have caring responsibilities. So, I think there's a lot of work to do to break that down. I'm sorry, I'm going on. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Yeah, I mean we're still seeing situations, aren't we? Where more men called, I think John than any women have Nobel prizes. That's wild. And also, I think that paints a really intense picture for although there has been improvement, and I definitely agree with what you're saying about disability being like a poorer cousin of the situation, which is in so many ways, so awful and terrible. And I think that it's such a difficult thing to navigate, isn't it? And that's not an excuse, but it's like for every move that we seem to make to bring things forwards, there seems to be another area that's rejected or has a lower improvement in it. Even for me, as someone who has a lot of privilege in a lot of ways, as someone who doesn't conform to gender but uses, they and she as pronouns, a lot of people take she because it's the path of least resistance, even though that's not my personal preference. So, in certain circumstances I feel like I have to use they even if I wouldn't want to, so that my decision and my identity is respected. And that's something so simple. So then when we start getting into the massively complex things, it just becomes so much more. I feel often told; it becomes so much more difficult. I don't think it is a naturality a lot of the time, but it's just, yeah, I feel sometimes very dejected by the fact that people can't even get pronouns right. And that's a word, it's not even an action, it's not a physical change in an environment, it's nothing like that. And everything should be equal in that regard. My pronouns should be just as important as someone getting a specialist bit of equipment and vice versa. But just to me, in my cynical brain, doesn't feel like that's the way that things have gone thus far. So yeah, I don't know if you want to share anything or. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** I guess I think you've both covered definitely the question, but I have to because it's important to stress the most beautiful word in EDI, which is intersectionality devised by Kimberly Crenshaw. So, you've both kind of touched on it where there is this sort of prioritisation system that takes place in academia where you have to have one ambassador of one particular topic that then pushes the initiative forward. And in reality, we all have so many different identities within ourselves. How can we expect to just push forward one thing to promote one group? And even within that group, people are struggling in different ways. And I think academia though I'm no longer working in academia, I was working in it for what? Eight years, I think. And in some ways EDI is and isn't the reason I decided to take a different path. I did see changes in my case studies, my day-to-day, but I think a lot of it was I was seeing changes not in terms of actually improvements, but more just vocal advocates. I was starting to see those people, for example, meeting you two, if I hadn't met you two, I think I would've felt incredibly isolated still within the community. And I think that says a lot is that okay, the actual physical, systemic, systematic changes are not necessarily happening yet, but we're talking about them. And in a way that is a change and that is something, I don't think a podcast like this would've necessarily happened five to 10 years ago because there would've been so much fear about, but what could we say and are we allowed to talk about this topic and so on. So, I think the change is low level, is grassroots, but I feel it coming. I feel the tiptoeing is there. It's just a case of is it ever going to go from rain to a thunderstorm? That's what I'm hoping to see anyway. **Dr Jodi Watt:** It's maybe also important at this juncture to mention tokenism and how academia often does tokenism because I think that's kind of a rock in a hard place situation for academia sometimes. So, for people who don't know, a simplistic explanation of tokenism is where you essentially have a vocal person, say for example me with regards to gender and your diversity, who is willing to speak on the topic, who then ends up speaking on the topic all the time because they are vocal about their identity. And it's great that the representation is happening, but if you are the person or the token, it is exhausting. And I think what you're saying is definitely right. We're definitely in a grassroots scenario, but I'm excited for the rain when I'm not the only person who's talking about non-gender conforming identities. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Yeah, I think a lot of people don't realise because I've been that person too and I still am. And I think a lot of it comes from the fact that that I am relatively confident at public speaking. I would not say I'm very comfortable with being as vulnerable as I have had to be with myself and my experiences in public. I hate that process, frankly. But I, again, it's one of those things where it's I want to see the people who are rallying behind me and wanting me and to support me as well in that process. And I think we've been able to do it for each other here in this group. And I'm sure we're going to talk about the organisation that we work in a bit later on in the podcast. But without that, it's incredibly isolating being the token, incredibly isolating and incredibly hard and very emotional. I don't think a lot of people really appreciate how hard it is to be the one who speaks. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Yeah, for sure. I mean even with bringing it back to Dementia Researcher briefly, even with my blog posts there, I think I've maybe written 10 now and every time I'm like, oh boy. Like I'm releasing this. And this has parts of me in it that some other people who focus quite rightly more on methods or whatever, don't quite have the same parts of them in those posts. And yeah, it's my choice, but I do it because I'm stubborn. I don't do it because I like it. I do it because I want to make it better for the people that follow behind us, as I'm sure is a component of it for both of you as well. But my gosh, is it tiring? **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Yeah, it really is. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** I think one thing that helps with this tokenism or kind of acts against that, that tokenism is to be part of a network, to be part of a group of people who you share your identities with. So, for example, at the university, having a disabled staff network, being able to sit with people who you can be open with, who understand you and you understand them kind of thing. And you can share that identity around being disabled or being Black or being trans or whatever it is but having that kind of community and that backing. And sometimes when I'm invited to do whole load of talks, I don't know why, but when I kind of feel like I'm representing my colleagues in that way and speaking out, making sure that we kind of make sure people know that we're there. But that thing of allyship is so really important as well. Getting allies on board who maybe don't identify with us, but they want to learn. They want to learn about our lived experience and what it's like for us on a day-to-day basis. We want to go into situations where we're not there and nobody really cares that we're not there and shout about it and say, why are these people not being represented here? Why are these people not being invited into the party? Because that's what kind of EDI is about as well, is that you are being invited to a party by you being asked to dance on the floor. So that kind of thing. And I think allies can play a great role in that. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Yeah. Just to follow up on what you've touched on a little bit there, Hamied, you've skipped ahead a little in line. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** Oh, I'm sorry. **Dr Jodi Watt:** You're fine. But I think this is a good juncture to talk about it. So Hamied, you launched the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks. Do you want to tell us a little bit about that, because I think that's quite a big deal. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** Well, thank you for letting me talk about it. So yeah, back in 2007 when I was early on in being a member of staff at the university, I'd finished my PhD and got my research post. As a student the university was brilliant at supporting me as a disabled student, I could go to the disability services and I could ask for advice and support, but as soon as I became a member of staff, all of that disappeared. There was nothing available to disabled staff at the university, even though I was still disabled. Still needed the same support, the same access. But yeah, there was nothing at the university in that way. So, the university had to actually publish, I think a disability equality scheme or something, and members of staff who had disclosed, I hate that word, but who had disclosed that they were disabled, they were invited to come together as a group and help the university put the scheme together. So, from that, we established our Disabled Staff Network. One of the first things we did was to get the university to provide support to disabled staff alongside what was already there for disabled students. Just made sense. And for it not to be in occupational health, oh my god, or in HR or anywhere else, but to have a dedicated support service for disabled staff. And that was the first thing we did. I had to have a one-to-one meeting with the Vice Chancellor of the university at that time. I was breaking it, completely breaking it, but it was brilliant. The outcome was we got those services in place. So that was a great achievement, and we went on to do other brilliant things. But then disabled staff networks were starting to emerge in other universities and NHS trusts. And so, everyone wanted to know what we were doing, how we were doing it, how we were moving forward with things. So, we decided let's do a national conference and bring disabled staff together. And we had a hundred people come from all of the country on the only sunny day in Manchester that year in 2014 was. And it was great. We had sessions all about invisible disabilities and hidden impairments like ADHD and HIV and mental health conditions and stuff like that. It was just brilliant. And that's where we launched the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks. So that's been going for the last 10 years. This year is our 10th birthday. So yeah, we are really proud of being a really strong community of impassioned disabled people, but we're doing it for ourselves where we're leading ourselves and we are a community of disabled people. So again, it's such a beautiful space where we can just be ourselves, be so open about the good things we experience are also those barriers that we all face on a similar level across the whole sector. It's not just one university where disabled staff are struggling, it's all across the board. But to be able to come like that on a national level and share that is a great thing. And then we've got projects and things going on as well where we're trying to change things, hopefully, for the better, talking to the research councils and Wellcome Trust and others to make some change. But we've had interest from Canada and Norway as well. So, we're kind of branching out, and I'm going for global domination, global domination, definitely. We're going to have one of those kind of Star Trek style global. We're going to have one of those Star Trek style federation type things. **Dr Jodi Watt:** I think that's amazing and I'm very excited for your global domination. As Nikou said, I think you're the exact right person for the role. Nikou, you were also pivotal in the setup of a very important EDI thing, entity, the inclusion working group within the International Society for Magnetic, Resonance and Medicine or ISMRM. Do you want to tell us a bit about that? **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Yeah, absolutely. So, I've been part of the ISMRM community since the beginning. I want to say towards the end of my master's beginning my PhD. And I, how do I phrase this? I loved the sense of community I had from within my institution. I had fantastic PhD colleagues and a wonderful supervisor, two wonderful supervisors I should say. But when I went to my first conference, I was terrified. Terrified. And I felt that a lot of the interactions I had, be it things like people not being comfortable shaking my hand for whatever reason, maybe I don't know why that was. Honestly, in hindsight, I cannot for the life of me figure out why that happened. Whether it was standing with someone at my poster and the man next to me being asked the questions and not me. I couldn't have been the one who did the work, things like that. I wanted to talk to someone about it, basically. I just really wanted to find someone who I could talk to and feel safe doing so because when you're in the beginning of your PhD, you're not really that confident in the sense that you for some reason, are convinced that someone could kick you off the programme or not let you get the qualification. It is scary because it feels like employment. It feels like you're employed when actually you are working on a training degree. You are fully entitled to be there. At least that's how it feels in the UK. And not feeling like I had a sense of community beyond the people that I worked with was really, really tough on an international scale. And essentially, I started pushing for some EDI related initiatives at ISMRM basically to empower trainees. That was my whole thing. Was if you identify as someone who is a trainee, and the word trainee is really broadly used in that organisation where you could be an undergraduate or you could be a 10-year postdoc essentially. It's a very strange phrasing. I thought maybe it's post five years; I can't remember something like that. It's a very broad range. And the more trainees I started to meet or fellow trainees I started to meet, the more I realised I wasn't alone in how I was feeling. And that not only that, but meeting people on a global scale, you then realise. For me, I'm a British citizen, I'm born and raised in London, I feel very entitled and empowered to be from my country, living in my country, doing my PhD in my country. You start talking to people who are doing PhDs abroad, visas can then be used as a method of getting them to do things that they don't necessarily want to do, holding onto them as PhD students for longer than they need to be because they're free, well, cheap labour. You start realising that actually there's so many things happening globally that no one is talking about. And then you meet people at conferences who are just burnt out, exhausted, emotional, having terrible interactions regularly for seven days at least if normal. And I wanted to provide a space for people to find people who think like them and share those experiences and then find ways to come up with initiatives that can be a regular mainstay of the conference, and also in the wider community in general. So, I ran for trainee representative for one of, they're, they're called study groups, so like a smaller group that's focused on a particular field of MRI research. I got that position I think in my third year. I was a student representative in our local chapter, so our local group, so the British and Irish group. And then I suppose I just started talking to more and more people who I realised had aligned values and started, they do these sort of mini sessions that they open up to members to pitch ideas. And I pitched a few on inclusivity and they got selected. So, I started to meet more people through that and eventually I basically garnered this network of individuals who I knew I could rely on. And then eventually just got the confidence to talk to leadership and said, "Look, I'm going to set up this initiative called the Inclusion Working Group and did it with Jodi and Hamied." And we very much were, this is what we want to achieve. We want a place where everyone can get together and virtually obviously because global and just share how they feel about the conference, share ideas, feel like they're actually being heard, especially the trainees. But everyone is welcome to join of course. And really just let people know that someone is listening, and someone wants to do something about it for you. And okay, it might not happen next year, but it will definitely be on their agenda at least for that year, for the following year, for the following year. And that was pretty much where it came from. I've been EDI rep in my department in my PhD. I just very much put myself out there, which I know is not very easy for a lot of people to do. But with the kind of things that I was seeing and experiencing, I know I'm being very vague about some of the things, but for my own sake, vulnerability is hard. It was so worth it. The first few times I had people come up to me and say, I'm so glad this exists, or I'm so glad we had the opportunity to talk about this with the president of the conference, or I'm so glad that you are doing this work. I don't have the courage to do it myself, but I know I can always come to you. And I somehow became a point of call for a lot of people when they wanted to talk about these things. And I don't know, I think it just came from openness, it came from interest, it came from passion, and it came from honestly just being really tired of seeing a lot of bad things happen to people who frankly were so incredibly talented and so under-appreciated that it just was upsetting. So, the inclusion working group is essentially just a community that I wanted to build. And off the back of that, I am now an EDI representative of ISMRM for the trainees as well. So Hamied actually nominated me, so thank you for that Hamied. And yeah, now I get to sit with the presidents and chair and board and stuff, and I actually get to pass on all those amazing thoughts and feelings and ideas that the community have, and I get to try and make those changes. And I'm really happy that a lot of them are happening this year. We have a fantastic chair of the committee, and he is just absolutely so empowered and in passion to make the changes that everyone wants to see at the conferences. So, it's just been a really lovely space to be in. So, to be able to have my foot in both has been fantastic. Yeah, and obviously none of it could have been possible without Jodi and Hamied both of your support because as founders brainstorming and trying to figure out how we want this thing to look has been amazing. And I know you both had to take a step back eventually, but it couldn't have happened without either of you. So, I can't take all the credit for it really. But yeah, I'm obviously happy to keep pushing it with your support. Sorry, that was long. **Dr Jodi Watt:** That's all good. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** That was amazing, Nikou. **Dr Jodi Watt:** I think it's really important because it highlights, yes, we've talked about the exhaustion that comes from being othered the world of academia, but I think it's also really important as well to highlight what you can do within that space if you put your mind to it. I mean you both know, but for the intention, for the purpose of the audience knowing, my two massive passion projects within ISMRM were get rainbow pride ribbons, get people who are senior to use their pronouns. And I've done both of those things. And comparatively they are small, but I am so proud of myself. Because I think as well with the pronoun’s thing, just to not flock a dead horse as it were with you guys having listened to me vent about this often. But I think it's so important, even if you don't use unusual or unexpected pronouns, it's amazing as someone who does to see those on people's email footers. And it was incredible at one ISMRM to have a lot of senior people contact me afterwards and be like, "Oh, it hadn't crossed my mind, but I'm doing it now." It's amazing. And it's little changes like that I think that build up and when they keep building up, they end up being what you guys have both created in your respective scenarios. So yeah, I think one thing I do want to hit on just briefly as well is, I mean if they were listening, I'm not sure they will be anymore, but if we have any sceptics listening to this, they might not fall under any of these sort of protected characteristics as it were in the UK. And they might wonder, what's this got to do with science? They're two different things. I mean this affects, and I'm sure the same is true for both of you, this affects every day of my scientific life. But I just wondered if you wanted to comment on that. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Yeah. Do you mind go first? **Dr Jodi Watt:** The sceptic. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Do you mind if I go first on that one? **Dr Jodi Watt:** Yeah, sure. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Because I have an anecdote on that, which is, so we have the suggestions box at the conference this year so that people could write anonymously what they wanted to see at the conference. And it was actually fantastic. I had over 200 to go through and I was just carrying them in my suitcase, reading through these suggestions and compiling them. But one of them was, I don't see the point in this. EDI has nothing to do with science. Someone had not only the courage to believe it, but also to write it down and put it in a box that was for EDI. So, I think that was a real moment for me at least to go, if that one person exists, that one person who happen to walk past the booth and did that, then more do and more are feeling it internally and maybe not expressing it. That's all it takes is just one person. And that was really disheartening. But at the same time, very much a wake-up call that not everyone sees it the way we do. And a lot of that comes from privilege. A huge amount of that comes from privilege. Because I don't know that someone like that would necessarily know how it feels to have, for example, your supervisors or your lab group sit in an office or building or meeting with you and listen to everyone else's thoughts but not listen to yours or systematically target you for bullying, harassment because that is what is happening to minority groups in academia. So, to say that they're not tied is naive, is ignorant, frankly. And the outcome of that is people being less productive, less happy achieving less doing studies worse. Even if you want to take it away from the emotional perspective, if you are mistreating your employees, they will not perform as well. Simple. And there's hundreds of studies that have shown this that have shown that so many talented people are not performing at their best because of their circumstances or the environment they're in. So, for sceptics who are like science in this, don't relate, they do because then you are not going to get the best individuals in your lab, you're not going to build the best lab, you're not going to have good work, there's way more likelihood of issues with scientific integrity and so on. If someone is believing in your vision and not believing, you'll support. So, I'm very tired of the EDI doesn't count in science argument. Because I've seen it in my day to day. I have seen people come out of meetings with their boss and go, oh, I can't think straight and I don't know how to do my job and I'm anxious and I feel like I can't perform well and I'm an idiot and people with the most amazing backgrounds and the highest amount of talent, and they're sitting there saying, I'm not good at my job and I'm making mistakes. And it manifests so obviously when you see it and then when you realise that a lot of that is tied to their identity. It's frustrating when sceptics still exist. So that's my message for sceptics, is that it exists and just like that, please. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Wholeheartedly as well. I think you're bang on there personally because I think as you said, if you must, you can take the emotion out of it and you can see that there is a wealth of evidence that suggests what you absolutely do not want in science is an echo chamber of the stereotypical white male scientists talking to a bunch of other white male scientists. That's not where we break boundaries, that's not where we make progress. And I think as well, I think this is a great point to mention as well, we care about our patients irrespective of what we look like as scientists and how we get on or don't get on or all the related politics with each other. We ultimately care about our patients. We're trying to work to better their lives. But also, EDI affects our patients. We see constantly that we're doing research in predominantly white populations. There are certain contexts where people recruit non-white populations and then take those populations out of a final analysis because there aren't enough people that fulfil that criteria. But they will still, and again my opinion, but they will still pat themselves on the back for their diverse recruitment. And the two things don't hold together. You might have recruited diversely, but you haven't then followed it by doing the science diversely. And I think our common area together is MRI. And I think a fantastic example of how we let down our patients is I think the paper came out in 2004. It's quite old, but it was like a 15-year-old boy who had twists in his hair, which are stereotypically not a white hairstyle. And they had an artefact that people hadn't really seen before and they were like, what is happening? And it was because the way that his hair was twisted was using black beeswax. Now black beeswax contains iron oxide and iron, and MRI is a chaotic time if you don't control for it, or you don't know that it's going to happen. So, I think something like that is just really important. That person was a patient, that person needed an MRI scan, but have we thought fully about that person's identity when they're going into a scanner? I don't personally think we have. I think as well with MRI, we have a lot of brain templates, but all of these brain templates are based on white populations. I mean there's even in CT who's a man called Colin, who's been scanned 27 times, which is mind blowing to think about. But it's still used in CT even though the templates that we use in MRI are more like, oh, we scanned 152 people. They're still okay. But the research is showing that they don't stand on Asian populations, they don't stand on African American populations. They don't stand on essentially any non-white population. So, we also owe it to our patients as well to think more diversely about our research that we're doing and how we actually approach our research because you can also have the greatest piece of research in the world, but how good is it for your patient if your patient is not white, cis, able-bodied? It might not be good. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** I mean, even to this day, people exclude if left-handed versus right-handed. So, it's, yeah, it's outrageous. And the thing is, I get it to an extent in the sense that we want to be able to make generalisations so people go, let's find the most homogenous group so we can make a generalisation about that homogenous group. But then whereas the clinical utility in that, whereas the day-to-day general population utility in that it there just isn’t any is the answer to that question that nothing that you are doing is useful if it is not representative. Simple. And then you can't make generalisations to help people in the long run. Sorry, Hamied, go ahead. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** It's okay. Yeah, so just very quickly back to that point on EDI in science, what came in my head is what right do white male, rich, cisgender, straight men, what right do they have to own Science? Science is part of humanity and on the global scale, the white male is a very small population compared to the rest of the world and the populations out there. And where science has come from. Science has come from distant places like China and India and the Arab world and over in South America even and Australian places. Science come from so many backgrounds. We wouldn't have the science we have today if it didn't come from those heritages if it didn't come from that diversity. The European white man has only been doing science for the last, I don't know, was it a couple of hundred years or something? Science has been going but so much longer before that. So, what do white men have to own it? And as well, we have so many problems globally in the world. We have so many, what call it health issues? We have so many natural phenomenon going on the climate and stuff like that, that science needs diversity in order to look at those problems in different perspectives in different ways. Exactly as you said before, Jodi, about that echo chamber. And that's not going to get us anywhere. If you just have these white men in a room talking to each other. Things will stagnate. We won't make the discoveries we need to make and push things forward. Only when you have that diversity and that richness of perspectives and understandings of the world and of humanity will we be able to make those great discoveries and get forward. And it shows when EDI is taken seriously in science, how much things can move forward. So yeah, that's my little rant on that. Then about having EDI amongst the participants in our studies. This is so important right now in the UK we have the UK Biobank study going on and we've got MRI scanners all over the UK right now. And people just go to those centres and volunteer to be scanned and we've got thousands of images from the population. But most of the people who are going to those centres are white people who are being scanned there. So again, we're missing that diversity, that richness in our population. And again, those findings will only, if it carries on the way it's going, then it's only going to be applicable to the white people who are taking part in the study. So, more needs to be done consciously, more needs to be done to diversify those participants. I was talking to a colleague earlier today and they were talking about how people with learning disabilities, for example, are well, any kind of disabilities actually, and many conditions are excluded from participating in research studies to begin with. So, they're not even part of the research going on. They're never invited in, they're always in the exclusion criteria. These people can't take part. So out you go, and again, that raises so many issues, so many concerns about the applicability of that research. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** I mean to bring it to dementia research as well, given the relevance to this podcast, we know that dementia manifests differently in different races, for example. Now race is a social construct. It's not biological as we know, at least I hope we all know that by now. But it just goes to show how much of that social impact that deprivation, that certain groups experience ultimately has an impact on health. So, if you are then not engaging with those communities for something like dementia, we saw it with COVID as well that it manifested differently in different groups. So, if we're not willing to make changes to our science to better understand what it is exactly that's going on now because it's not biological, it's got to be something else, then we're really not doing the right kind of science to be honest. That can actually help. Then it becomes about something other than helping. It becomes about ease and science is not supposed to be easy. **Dr Jodi Watt:** I mean, we even see that sort of thing in maternal mortality. So that's how- **Dr Nikou Damestani:** It's everywhere. It's everywhere. **Dr Jodi Watt:** ... simplistic this can be sometimes. Like birthing children is a workhorse of society, and yet if you are Black, your risk of dying doing it's so much higher than if you're white. So, it is even just these wee things. And then they also, I mean it's not a wee thing, but it should be a simple thing. It's something that happens day in, day out, right? It's a common thing I guess is more accurate. But the impact of that is also a distrust as well. So, we have to a distrust in healthcare, and we are obligated alongside entities like the NHS and stuff. I personally feel that we're obligated to try and make that better and try and heal that distrust, but it is a sort of systemic change that needs to be made. We're focusing with a lens on academia, but actually there's quite a lot of responsibility for society as a whole to try and sort of address these inequalities that we see on such a granular scale. When it comes down to it, we don't know why that is other than that, seemingly, it's just race. A similar thing as well, just to bring it more locally to me, not to make this about me, but the Glasgow effect as it were. People in Glasgow die far younger, and if you control for all of the obvious things, it's still a thing that happens, and we don't know why. So are we going to find out or are we going to leave it because Glasgow is considered to be more of a poor city or an unsafe city. People are entitled to have answers to this and not just go, that's an interesting thing and then never investigate it again. And I'm not saying people aren't investigating it, but I think there's a lot of- **Dr Nikou Damestani:** But a lot of people are as well. That's the problem. I mean, I worked in menopause research, and I remember looking up, I was lucky to work with some absolute powerhouses in the field, but now I see studies going out where they're talking about ageing and dementia, not a single word about menopause or the impacts that it can have. This massive change that happens in women's lives and in anyone who has the necessary biology even, I don't even want to say women, but anyone who has the biology that then experiences the menopause will experience it. It's inevitable. And yet no one's studying it. We're talking about, **Dr Jodi Watt:** Yeah, we're talking about essentially half the global population. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Basically. **Dr Jodi Watt:** It's like that big invisible women. Where they were like, I don't know why seatbelts aren't saving as much as many women as they are men. Oh wait, we didn't test seatbelts on any women, and we forgot about breast. But some of it is you not a laugh or you cry. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Yeah, truly. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** During the COVID pandemic as well, disabled people and black people were disproportionately so many more Black people and disabled people lost their lives during the pandemic because of COVID. My sister was amongst those who lost their lives as well. So yeah, there's big questions that need to be answered with the science we have around these issues. They are real issues, and they need to be taken very seriously. I mean, are we ready for the next pandemic? **Dr Nikou Damestani:** That's a big question. I don't want to dig into that one. **Dr Jodi Watt:** A very valid point, and again, I don't want to just put all the pressure on academia here because it is a societal thing that needs to happen, but academia has its role in society, so we can't ignore that. So yeah, just to sort of move slightly on a wee tangent now. Nikou, you've had some experience of working in academia on both the UK and the US. Have you noticed any particular differences between the countries? **Dr Nikou Damestani:** I have, yes. In general, I have to say I'm more comfortable talking about the UK because I was born and raised here, and the US my experience living there was in Boston, it was an east coast city. It was only for two years. So, I didn't get to explore the whole range of EDI opportunities there. I was very fortunate to be part of a group of individuals at my institution called Women in Science, and they tackled a lot of intersectional topics and we very much felt empowered to do so in the environment that we were in. But there was still, at least from my experience, again, completely personal, there was still a lot of resistance to have the conversation, sometimes. Maybe some of that was because I was a newcomer coming into the group and coming into the institution and maybe my approach was a little different than what's expected in the US in terms of talking about EDI. I'm a lot more direct blunt, let's get to the point, let's make some changes. And I think that was a lot for some people. Generally, though, the legislation is different for sure. The approach is different. I think the intention is the same. I think at least from my experience, there was definitely vocal discussions and such, but bear in mind my location. It may not be the same everywhere in the US to compare that would be comparing us to Europe, like the size-wise and population-wise, I think they're roughly equivalent. So different areas have very different approaches, and you have to be very mindful of that in the US. In the UK, maybe some of that is because I'm empowered, being British, I'm like, okay, I can talk about this because this is my belief and my country. And although there's in both countries, I feel a lot more empowered to talk about it here. But that was the general vibe I got. People are a little bit more reserved with the approach, but the intention is still there, at least where I was. But yeah, it's just more mindful, I guess. And it's just a very different cultural approach and it was something I struggled with frankly. There were some moments where I was thinking, I want to make these big waves because I'm only here for two years and I just want to, or just under two years, and I want to make my impact and keep doing the EDI and bring it to the states. But it wasn't necessarily as easy as it was for me here. But why? I don't know. But yes, the biggest thing is the legislation is different in general talking about identity and so on. And that then trickles into a lot of other aspects of academia and research. Yeah, sorry for the long answer, but it's a very big and very tough question because so many elements to it. But yeah, overall, my experience was positive in having the support, but I wish I had been able to do more. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Okay, so I think that's us coming up to the close of the podcast. I would say we've been chatting a wee while and I think we've had a really valuable discussion and I hope the listeners have found it valuable as well. I just wondered if either of you, if both of you had any sort of comments on what you think the most important takeaways from the discussion are today. I think if both of you want to contribute, that would be really helpful. Obviously, you're coming from different perspectives. So, I don't know, Hamied, if you want to take the wheel first. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** Yeah, I guess, giving support, being there for each other really. I guess what I am trying to get at here. In your institution trying to find those networks, those groups, those communities that you can belong to within your network and beyond as well that you can belong to and share those identities with and can be open and yourself in as well. Safe spaces where you can talk about the things you're going through and share them with others and know that you're not alone is such a big thing, especially if you're from a minoritised background and identity. Then having that space, that community gives you a lot of power, a lot of strength behind you. And if you do not identify with any of those kind of minoritised groups, then come forward and be an ally. Try and understand some of the issues that others are going through. Empathy is such a powerful thing. If you can understand the stories of others and the lived experience is so, so important. Don't assume things about people. Don't assume when you see somebody that they are disabled or not disabled or what their background is or what their race is or what their heritage is, or if they're gay or they're straight or whatever. Don't assume these things about people and help to make the environment more open, more fitting for everybody that we don't have to fit into this mould of being this stupid idea of an ideal academic. We can all be ourselves and bring what we have, our talents and our experiences to the table. **Dr Jodi Watt:** I mean that was very insightful, so thank you for that. I think you also touch or sort of went nearby a comment that I want to say as well. I think with regards to allyship as well, I think it's important to not, although we all are exhausted when we are sort of doing our respective aspects of intersectionality day in, day out, I think it's also important to remember that even if we are not, we do not fall under a certain aspect of the umbrella of EDI. We can also be allies to other groups. And I think as well for me, I often have historically got upset or got a bit in the weeds about my own identity because I mean, sorry if you exist, but whereas my gender nonconforming, queer, neurodiverse role model who's 10, 15 years ahead of me in academia and also works very specifically in drug repurposing. I can get quite lost in the weeds of where is my exact counterpart. And I think that sometimes that isn't helpful. I think it's important to remember that even though we all represent slightly different aspects of EDI, we have a commonality with each other. And I think that commonality can be really valuable even if you can't find a direct match to your identity as well, which is something I wish I'd realised earlier on in my academic journey for sure. So, Nikou, did you have anything you wanted to add? **Dr Nikou Damestani:** I think you've both said it really beautifully to be honest, but what I will say is if there's anything you could aspire to be, especially if you made it to the end of this podcast, in which case I'm assuming you're already, very much on your way there. If there's anything, just be a kind scientist, be an empathetic one, be there for your community however that manifests us. I just don't think there's enough pressure put on people to be kind, to be honest. We're so obsessed as academics, to be critical and to question everything all the time and to be the right one that actually, if you just approach your science approach, your community approach, your patients’ participants with just an ounce more kindness than you would regularly. You're way more likely to just surround yourself with the right people and really see great things both in and outside your lab. So yeah, that's my two cents. **Dr Hamied Haroon:** I couldn't agree with you more, Nikou. That was beautifully put. I think kindness is so important. It's so vital in what we do. Absolutely. **Dr Jodi Watt:** Yeah. Yeah. I would love it if not to add to perfection and ruin a little bit, but I would love it if we focused a little less on things like concepts that are quite brutal, like publish and perish, publish, or perish and that sort of thing. And a little bit more on, actually, could we maybe have some kindness here? Because science as a whole is humans investigating humans or investigating human behaviour, or investigating the world which surrounds humans. We are all humans. We are not robots. We deserve compassion and we deserve kindness and every single day of what we do, even if you don't understand their identities, you don't know much about them, we're still people ultimately, and yeah, every scientist, even the stereotypical scientists, deserve all of our kindness. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Yeah, life's hard, life's too hard to not be kind. **Dr Jodi Watt:** And science is a hard thing to do. It's a hard world under a lot of pressure. So yeah, I think, yeah, 100%. Just a little bit more kindness and science I think would be a very different environment. Totally. Yeah, totally. But yeah, I really want to thank you both for the discussion today. It's been great and really insightful. And I feel like I learned a lot and I'm the person chairing the discussion. So, yeah, thank you so much. Okay, I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. If you just can't get enough of this topic, visit the Dementia Researcher online where you'll find a fill transcript linked to the resources we mentioned and the biographies of our guests. If you have any questions for our panel or reflections you'd like to share, please post them in the comment section below the show. I would like to thank our incredible guests, Dr Hamied Haroon, and Dr Nikou Damestani. I am Dr Jodi Watt, and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher podcast. Bye. **Dr Nikou Damestani:** Bye. Voice Over: The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London, with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our online for full access to all our great resources, dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- **Enjoyed the podcast? Please review, like, and share - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL or Dementia Researcher [![goodpods top 100 science indie podcasts](https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/leaderboard_badges/science_all-science_top1_week.png)](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/all-science?indie=true&period=week#22573808) [Goodpods Top 100 Science Indie Podcasts](https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/science/all-science) [Listen now to Dementia Researcher podcast](https://goodpods.com/podcasts/dementia-researcher-152321) ###### Meet the contributors ###### Resources mentioned in the show: > [National Association of Disabled Staff Networks](https://www.nadsn-uk.org/) > > [ISMRM EDI Work](https://www.ismrm.org/edi/) > > [AMRC EDI Resource Hub](https://www.amrc.org.uk/pages/category/edi-resource-hub?Take=20) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Abelism, Disability, Dr Hamied Haroon, Dr Jodi Watt, Dr Nikou Damestani, Equality Diversity and Inclusivity, LGBTQ+, Podcast, Racism, Sexism **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Policy, Research Culture, Wellbeing --- ### [Blog - LGBTQ+ and higher dementia risk](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-lgbtq-and-higher-dementia-risk/) **Published:** April 10, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Bernie McInally explores why LGBTQ+ individuals face higher dementia risks—and what care homes and research need to do better. **Content:** --- **In my [previous blog](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-lgbtq-in-care-home-research/), I explored the underrepresentation of the LGBTQ+ community in care home research and examined the possible reasons for their exclusion. On exploring this further I became aware of the specific challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals with dementia, and that this group had in fact a higher risk of developing dementia due to several increased risk factors. Since a significant proportion of care home residents live with dementia, I felt this topic warranted further exploration and, from a personal perspective, possible awareness raising through my ENRICH Scotland and the NDN research network role.** **Increased Health Risks.** A brief review of the literature confirms that research consistently shows that **LGBTQ+ individuals experience heightened risk factors for dementia.** There is certainly a growing interest in this field confirming that health disparities play a major role (Ref4). It is recognised LGBTQ+ individuals face higher rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes—both well-documented risk factors for dementia. These disparities are often linked and heightened by barriers to healthcare access, lifelong experiences of discrimination, stigma, and a deep-seated mistrust of healthcare professionals. **Minority Stress and depression.** Another key factor contributing to cognitive decline within the LGBTQ+ community is “minority stress”—the chronic stress caused by discrimination, societal stigma, and the need to conceal one’s identity (Ref1). As with all individuals increased stress and often resulting depression presents as a significant increased dementia risk factor and the further vulnerabilities among LGBTQ+ older adults compound these risks. **Isolation.** Social isolation is another well-recognized contributor to cognitive decline. LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to live alone, have fewer familial support structures, and often lack children who might otherwise serve as caregivers. These circumstances make them particularly susceptible to the negative effects of isolation, further increasing their risk of cognitive impairment (ref 3). Additionally, dementia research often requires a study partner as part of inclusion criteria—an aspect that can inadvertently exclude LGBTQ+ individuals, reinforcing their underrepresentation in research. If we accept my previous estimate that up to 5% of Scottish care home residents are likely to be in the LGBTQ+ group and acknowledge these well-documented dementia risk factors, it becomes increasingly concerning that they remain so underrecognized in care settings and underrepresented in research. **ENRICH Survey 2024.** This concern was reinforced by the 2024 biennial survey conducted by [ENRICH Scotland](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-in-scotland/facilities/enrich), which targeted over 400 registered care homes. Originally designed to gather insights into care homes’ perspectives on research topics and evolving attitudes, the survey, for the first time, included a question about LGBTQ+ support, prompted by the growing recognition of a knowledge gap in this area. Care homes were asked whether they had an LGBTQ+ champion or designated support worker. The responses clearly highlighted a significant lack of structured support as can be seen from the summary below. - **79%** of care homes either explicitly stated “no,” marked the question as “not applicable,” or left the response blank. - **6%** responded “no” but expressed openness to the idea. - **Only 2.5%** acknowledged having a designated LGBTQ+ support staff member. While unsurprising, these findings reinforce the gap in LGBTQ+ representation and support within care settings. This is not intended in any way as a criticism of care homes—after all, I initially dismissed the possibility of recruiting from this cohort in an ENRICH-supported study, and as a retired CPN of 25 years working in older adult mental health, was not aware of this groups increased dementia risk. This has certainly prompted some self-reflection possibly driving me to explore this issue and clearly reflects a broader systemic issue. The key question is how to bridge this knowledge gap and ensure that care homes are better equipped to support LGBTQ+ residents, particularly those living with dementia. While attitudes toward gender and sexual identity are evolving, progress takes time. Just over 40 years ago, same-sex relationships were still illegal in Scotland and hopefully, in another 40 years, all care homes will fully support LGBTQ+ individuals. In the meantime, addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach: - **Dedicated Support Roles:** Encouraging care homes to appoint LGBTQ+ champions or support workers can provide residents with a trusted point of contact and foster a more inclusive environment. - **Targeted Training and Education:** Care home staff need comprehensive training on LGBTQ+ issues, particularly the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ residents with dementia. - **Inclusive Research Practices:** Dementia studies should reevaluate exclusionary criteria and actively recruit LGBTQ+ participants to ensure research findings are representative of diverse populations, taking into account the issues of study partners. - **Community Engagement:** Collaboration between care homes, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, and healthcare organizations can help create a more supportive and informed care environment. **Raising Awareness**. While these needs extend beyond the direct responsibility of ENRICH Scotland, raising awareness and highlighting these issues as “research necessary” is well within its remit. > Supporting structures for LGBTQ+ individuals in care homes is not just a matter of equity—it is essential for delivering compassionate, person-centered care. Moving forward, there is an urgent need for research supported “evidence-based” policies, that prioritize inclusivity and the well-being of LGBTQ+ older adults, ensuring they receive the dignity, respect, and support they deserve. --- ![Bernie McInally Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bernie-McInally.jpg "Bernie McInally")Bernie McInally #### Author **[Bernie McInally](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-bernie-mcinally-nhs-lothian/)** is a Clinical Studies Officer at NHS Lothian and the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network. Bernie’s background is in Nursing, working in Mental Health and with Older People. He retired from full time NHS clinical work, and is now back working in Clinical Research supporting delivery of the Enabling Research in Care Homes (ENRICH) Scotland. He is passionate about research delivery, and opening access to people in all communities. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Bernie McInally, Blog, Care Home, Dementia Risk, ENRICH Scotland, LGBTQ+, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher --- ### [Dr Ajantha Abey, University of Oxford](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ajantha-abey-university-of-oxford/) **Published:** May 12, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Ajantha Abey studies stem cell models of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to explore why some neurons are vulnerable while others resist disease. **Content:** ![Ajantha Abey Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Ajantha-Abey.jpg "Ajantha Abey")Ajantha Abey ##### Name: Dr Ajantha Abey ##### Job title: Postdoctoral Researcher / Lecturer in Biomedical Science ##### Place of work / study: University of Oxford, Kavli Institute / Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics ##### Area of Research: I’m interested in the cellular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative and neurological disorders. Previously, I looked at neuropathology in dogs with dementia and potential stem cell replacement therapies. I now use [induced pluripotent stem cell derived](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-pros-and-cons-of-using-ipscs-in-dementia-research/) neurons to try and model selective neuronal vulnerability: the phenomenon where some cells die but others remain resilient to neurodegenerative diseases. I am also working on developing new stem cell models to better understand these conditions. ##### How is your work funded? I am funded by an Oxford Clarendon Scholarship and departmental studentship. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney. I did a combined Bachelor of Science and Arts, majoring in Neuroscience, Latin, and Ancient History. (I always wanted to do science or engineering, and the fact that I could combine Latin and Science at Sydney Uni sealed the deal for me!). I thought after high school that I quite liked chemistry but that didn’t survive thermodynamics in first year. I had taken psychology on a whim, though, and really enjoyed the neurobiology lectures in human biology, so I went down that rabbit hole and ended up majoring in neuroscience, with Honours in Anatomy and Histology. For my honours year, I found myself in the Regenerative Neuroscience Group at the Brain and Mind Centre, looking at neuropathology and cell therapy in canine dementia, and I stayed on afterwards as an RA. These projects found that dogs have tau pathology bearing many similarities to human Alzheimer’s disease, and that they can be successfully treated with a stem cell replacement therapy! Some of this research led me to the idea of selective neuronal vulnerability – why some cells and brain regions are affected by pathology early in disease but not others. I pursued this idea further as part of my PhD at the University of Oxford, which I started in 2020. This involved developing stem cell-derived models of cortical and dopaminergic neurons and comparing their differential vulnerability to alpha synuclein and tau pathology. After finishing in 2024, I have stayed on in the Wade-Martins lab as a postdoc, continuing some of this selective vulnerability work and understanding the role of the autophagy pathway in driving cell-autonomous vulnerability, as well as working on developing novel stem cell models of striatal neurons for PD research. Outside of research, I also do a lot of teaching! I loved neuroanatomy as an undergraduate and still demonstrate in the dissection rooms, as well as teaching tutorials here at Oxford. I’m also passionate about diversity and have participated in a number of committees/rep roles to that end, and am part of the Alzheimer’s Research UK Thames Valley Network Early Career Researcher Committee, where we run lots of events and programs to help develop researchers. Otherwise, I also do a lot of photography, listen to more podcasts than I can count, and probably follow US/world politics too closely for my own good. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I’m really involved in quadball! (and have been for over 10 years now). I’ve been president, captain, and coach of a club, once was a board member for Quadball Australia, and even have my own quadball photography page. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? Part of what I found fascinating about neuroscience at university was not just how the brain worked but how it changed throughout ageing – and why it can be so different across the population. I had a particular fascination for memory and cognitive abilities which led me into Alzheimer’s, and I felt like dementia research could be a good and productive use of my general interest in how the brain works. The diseases of ageing, more broadly – from neurodegenerative disease to cancers and cardiovascular diseases – feel like the next big frontier in medicine that we are starting to get a handle on and going to be faced with in the coming decades with ageing populations. We need all hands on deck to help tackle what are extremely complicated and closely interlinked conditions and help everyone live better and healthier lives for longer, which to me is what medicine and medical research is all about. ##### **What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?** Say yes to opportunities – you miss every shot you don’t take. I think this is broadly true, but especially if you have the chance to teach, do it! You learn the most from teaching others, it’s very rewarding, and well worth it. ##### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** In Science – “[The Idea of the Brain](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/51719771)” by Matthew Cobb was a great read about the history of neuroscience and how technology has shaped our conception of how the brain works. In Fiction – I just finished the [Mistborn Triology](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6604209-mistborn-trilogy-boxed-set?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=xMDpPq1FAf&rank=1) by Brandon Sanderson which was a really fun fantasy series with a cool and well developed magic system! ##### Favourite film of all time? Hard to go past Star Wars or Lord of the Rings ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Running, Photography, or the boardgame Wingspan! #### Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram? [Follow @ajanthaabey](https://twitter.com/ajanthaabey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @neuron.to.something on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/neuron.to.something/) [@ajanthaabey.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/ajanthaabey.bsky.social) [Fina Ajantha on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajantha-abey/) #### Want to share your playlist? ### Ajantha's most recent posts **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Ajantha Abey, iPSC, Kavli Institute, Stem cells, University of Oxford **Organisations for Bios:** University of Oxford **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis --- ### [ISTAART RELAY Podcast - Technology & Dementia PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-technology-dementia-pia/) **Published:** June 29, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Sleep, wearables and the rise of 'nearables': Vanessa Young on digital biomarkers, with host Carla Abdelnour. The ISTAART Technology and Dementia PIA on Relay. **Content:** **Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC.** Sleep might be one of the earliest windows we have into brain health, and [Dr Vanessa Young](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-vanessa-young-ut-health-san-antonio/) thinks the way we measure it is about to change. Fresh from finishing her PhD in May, Vanessa is a postdoc at the Glenn Biggs Institute and Communications Chair of the Technology and Dementia PIA. She studies sleep and the ageing brain, where the relationship seems to run both ways: as dementia develops, sleep gets worse, and poor sleep may feed back into the disease. With host [Dr Carla Abdelnour](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-carla-abdelnour-hospital-de-la-santa-creu-i-sant-pau/), she gets into digital biomarkers, why wearables let you capture sleep continuously at home rather than in a one-off sleep study, and the move from wearables to "nearables", bed sensors and room radar that ask nothing of the participant at all. They also cover the analysis headache that comes with years of continuous data, the equity problem when a study needs home Wi-Fi, and what the PIA has planned for its full-day AAIC preconference on AI. **Takeaways** - Sleep and dementia feed each other, so sleep is worth studying as somewhere we might • actually step in and help. - Wearables capture sleep night after night at home, which reaches people who live nowhere near a big sleep centre. - The field is shifting from wearables to "nearables", sensors in the mattress or radar in the room, to cut burden and bias. - Years of continuous data brings its own problem: telling meaningful signal apart from background noise. - If a study needs Wi-Fi to send its data, it quietly excludes people, so digital equity has to be designed in. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Narrator** Hello, and welcome to Season 7 of the Dementia Researcher ISTAART Relay Podcast. In this series, members of the ISTAART Professional Interest Areas interview each other about their PIAs and the hot topics in their fields. Each guest then becomes the next episode's host, passing the conversation along from one researcher to the next. We're releasing one episode a day in the run up to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference this year in London and online, showcasing the work of the ISTAART PIAs. Thank you for listening. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Hello, and thanks for tuning in. I'm Dr Carla Abdelnour, and I'm a clinician scientist. I work at the Memory Unit of the Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona in Spain. I also work on the Clinical Trials Advancement and Methods PIA as Vice Chair, and I will start my role as Chair after AAIC this year. Today, I'm delighted to be talking with Dr Vanessa Young from the Technology and Dementia PIA. Hi, Vanessa, how are you? **Dr Vanessa Young** Hi, Carla, thank you. It's lovely meeting you, and congratulations. My name, again, as you mentioned, is **Dr Vanessa Young**. I am a postdoc at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, United States, working under the mentorship of Dr Sudha Seshadri. And a fun fact, I just finished my PhD in May in Translational Science, so this is a really fun moment for me. And I also serve as the Communications Chair for the Technology and Dementia PIA, which is the group I am representing today. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Well, congratulations on finishing your PhD. That is always a milestone, and I'm sure you have done an amazing job. And actually, before we start talking about your PIA, I was wondering if you can talk to us a little bit more about your research. **Dr Vanessa Young** So, I study sleep and the ageing brain, of course. And what pulled me into it is that the relationship seems to go both ways. And when I started studying sleep, I didn't know, but it's actually very complicated and complex to study sleep. We have known for a long time that as dementia develops, people's sleep gets worse, but it looks like it runs in the other direction too, that poor sleep might actually feed back into that disease itself. So, there is this idea, and we are still researching it, that sleep is when the brain sort of cleans the house, clearing out the waste, including some of those proteins that are linked to Alzheimer's disease. And I always like to make the analogies, like a dishwasher that removes all the debris from the dirty dishes. So, you can kind of picture a bit of a loop where bad sleep and brain changes feed each other over time. And so that's why it's complicated, but also, from my side, very exciting to study. And honestly, either way you look at it, it tells you the same thing, that sleep is worth exploring and studying well because it might be somewhere that we can actually sleep in and step in and help for intervention, for example. And so, the frustration, I think, sometime is that what we know about sleep and dementia, especially at the population level, is often through subjective measurements because of the cost. Sometimes, we ask about, the questions are limited to, for example, sleep durations. Not that that is not important, but it is also one variable of sleep. But sleep, again, has many other features that needs to be studied that contribute to that complexity. And for my development as a career progression, I am incorporating that digital measurement, and that's why I am part of the Tech and Dementia PIA. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** That's so cool. I think researching about sleep is super important. We spend a lot of our lifetime sleeping, so it must be a very important process, right? Can you tell us a little bit more about how did you get interested in studying sleep? How did you arrive to that particular field? **Dr Vanessa Young** I think it was a little bit from being here at the Glenn Biggs Institute because one of my coworkers was doing a study on sleep with respect to Parkinson's disease, which that population usually develops REM sleep disorder and other sleep disturbances decades before their motor disturbances. And in addition, there is some of the personal side. So, when I was myself young, I was myself developed with a neurological disorder that is very much sensitive to sleep. And so back then, I learned that sleep is very important. So that's my personal side. And then, as I became involved within the research, and I think it was in 2019, I started working with the military population and TBI, traumatic brain injury. I also observed that they also experienced a lot of trouble sleeping and also that those who did not sleep well had a very hard time recovering from their brain injury and experienced more cognitive issue. And so, I think then I started thinking, okay, I think sleep has a very important role besides, you know, helping us feel refreshed in the morning, and that's why I wanted to delve more into that sleep research. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Sounds super interesting. And yes, because it also could be an intervention, as you mentioned. And I was also thinking about, because you mentioned that you just completed your PhD, and I would like to learn more about that. So, can you summarise what were the main findings of your PhD? **Dr Vanessa Young** So, for my PhD, I basically delved a little bit more in the realm of sleep duration and blood-based biomarkers. And we looked at p tau 181, NfL, GFAP. And what we explored is that there was a correlation, this is cross sectional analysis. And what we explored is that there was a U-shaped relationship between p tau 181, like long sleep, especially after 8.5 hours, and p tau 181 specific. But that relationship did not really hold for the other biomarkers. And specific, for example, NfL was very sensitive to kidney function. So, we had two models. In the first model, it was not adjusted for kidney function, but the second model was. And so, we lost that significance in the second model. And so that was very exciting to see. And prior doing this first analysis, we also had done a systematic review to see what was already done, what was already there. And something that I have observed is that a lot of the studies, as a community, we are using a lot of, the scales are different sometimes. Some people may be using the MOS, some people may be using the PSQI, or within the realm of sleep duration, the cutoffs are different. And when we're looking at the blood-based biomarkers, it's also the way the variable is treated is different. That makes it a little bit difficult then to run a meta-analysis. So that was the part of my PhD and the primary findings. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Great, and what do you think will be the next steps after these findings? What would you like to see in the field in the upcoming years? **Dr Vanessa Young** What I would like to personally see, or what I'm working on, is including more, doing more mixed methods studies where we are including more of the subjective measurements but also pairing more with objective measurements. Like, for example, these digital measurements that right now we have available. And these digital measurements, such as wearables, could be an example, but there are also sleeping mats that could be used. Are important because they are passive, and they allow you to measure the sleep of each individuals in a more continuous way throughout the week. And you can also assess the variabilities between one night and other. You can also check for that sleep fragmentation that is very important, and it also becomes a little bit more accessible for those individuals that don't really live near big centres. Like, we work a lot with people who are in the border regions of Texas, but I have colleagues, for example, who live in the UK, and they have similar instances where, if you are near UCL, for example, you have access to big hospitals and institutions, (indistinct), might be a little bit harder to have access to big centres and go and perform a sleep study. So having these new devices that could be shipped, and then we get the data here, is both, I think, great from a research perspective but as well as from a clinical perspective, because then the providers could email, mail, not email, could mail these devices for capturing their sleep and be used for diagnostic purposes. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Yes, I think that's a very good point. With digital biomarkers, you can reach different populations that cannot access in person, and you can get very good quality information or data. Just I think it's super interesting. I also think that digital biomarkers give us so much information, and I was wondering if you can tell us a little bit more on, because I come from the CTAM PIA and we think about methodology, so how do you analyse that volume of data? I think you get so much data, and how can you maybe disentangle what might be meaningful data from the background noise that might not be clinically meaningful? **Dr Vanessa Young** Are you talking about, for example, if from the wearable device, we have a lot of data that we are capturing, and then how you would be measuring all that data? **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Yes, yes, because you get a lot of variables that you can measure, right? It's the duration, the variability. There are so many variables. So how do you manage that? **Dr Vanessa Young** That's a very great question, and right now, we are entering the stage with one of our study where we are starting to measure the first cross-sectional data that we collected. And what I can tell you at the moment, what we are trying to understand, what we measure, and what we might not be measuring, is the first months, for example, we usually do not include because there might be noise. And then we try to align and harmonise for everybody what is their baseline because not the entire cohort started at the same time. So, some people started in October, some people started in November. And then what you can do, based on other study, for example, we collaborate with Oregon Health & Science University, who had other and wider experience with the wearable devices. You can estimate their sleep stages, for example. So, you have the continuation, but you can also estimate their sleep stage, which is very important because we know that with the ageing process, these sleep stages tend to decrease. Some people do not enter in deep sleep, which becomes a problem, and then see if that sleep is fragmented. That is also something that we want to see. But what the wearables also provide is their heart rate variability. That helps you estimate the sleep stages, and also their breathing. That's something else is also, I don't know if that answers your question fully, but it's something that is exciting and complex. And I'm also honest, like, I'm learning right now on how to really analyse all the big data. We have more than 100 participants. And, yes, with like four years of data. And it's scary. (laughs) Exciting and scary at the same time, but I know it will be worthwhile, and it will provide a lot of insight. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Yes, that sounds super exciting, although complex for sure. But I think that's a very good way to get to personalise medicine, right? 'Cause it's the measure for that person at that time, and we can actually monitor people. It's not that you come to one visit, and I see you in three months or six months. So, its daily changes, and I think that's very exciting. Although, of course, the amount of data might be very complex. And actually, I think that's a really good segue to my next question because I would like to know, Vanessa, what are the really hot topics and exciting areas in your field at this moment? **Dr Vanessa Young** That's a great question. I think that there is so much happening right now. I think that one absolutely that excites me the most is that, as we discussed, that sleep is one of the, obviously, the earliest windows into that brain health, because we know that when we don't sleep well, we don't feel ourselves, and we are slower, or we are not able to pay attention ourselves, even if we don't necessarily have cognitive decline. And with these wearables, we can finally capture it at home and, like you said, in a continuous way so that we don't have any missed data when these changes are actually occurring with relation to other symptoms. And so that's definitely exciting. What is also important is that these measurements are occurring at their homes and not in an artificial environment. And that is important. That's why we also remove those first months sometimes because, otherwise, they might be biassed because they know they're wearing a wearable now. And so, we want them to kind of forget. Like we don't want them to know. And after a while, you get used it, and you don't think anymore that you are wearing, that they're bias, and it becomes part of you. And again, we are also able to measure other components like the breathing, the heart patterns, and the movements, the physical activities that are so much related to brain health, and long ago, I think that would be almost like fiction. And the other big shift to me is that, and I'm not an expert by any mean, I just learned about this through a colleague, there is a shift going from wearables to something called nearables. And it's basically adding sensors in the mattress or radars in the room so that the participants are not wearing anything at all. And that is important for two things, because you forget at a faster rate that you are part of a research study, so it removes that bias. But it also removes the burden to the participants. So, you don't need to charge the devices. You don't need to remember that, oh, I need to put my watch on this charger because the data needs to be deployed to the platform that the researchers are using. And especially for our populations, who might be having memory problems, releasing that task for them is very important. Now, on the other hand, the question I have, and I want to learn more is, is this feasible? Is this accepted? Because I don't know what it entails to have a radar in the home or (laughs), are people happy to have these kinds of devices at home? Does it mean I need to put a nail in the walls? Are there any damages? I don't know. (laughs) So that's the part that I'm curious. But I learned recently, and I think that's a very hot topic. And I think it will be able to collect more quality data because if I don't forget to charge my phone, when I forget to charge the wearable, then I don't get data. But if that is continuous, then it's more on the researcher than on the participant. There is no interruption. And then definitely, there is a lot of talk on the digital equity because oftentimes, when we work with wearables, the participant needs Wi-Fi, for example. Otherwise, you can't receive the data. And so how can we make these study where technology is involved, more open to everyone so that if you don't have Wi-Fi, what can I do as a researcher to ensure that those who may have financial restraints or other issues because of their location, and maybe internet is not there anymore, can be still part of this study? So those are, I think, the hot topics, because then, otherwise, we have sampling convenience bias in research. Yeah. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** That sounds super interesting. Thank you very much. I also was wondering if there is anything about using AI for analysing the data or trying to capture what might be meaningful data. Do you know of anything that might be doing, somebody or a group that is using AI or a type of agent for studying sleep? **Dr Vanessa Young** So, I'm not yet, although I know with the Technology and Dementia PIA, this year, we are really focusing on AI. And a lot of my coworkers, especially within the clinical field, are looking into AI, for example, on how to score the PET, for example. That's one of the parts. And creating learning models or estimating who might be at higher risk of dementia based on the data that has been captured. However, that's the extent on the knowledge I have right now is AI is definitely an area that I plan on growing, and that's why I'm excited to be part of the PIA. But I don't have a lot of expertise in that area. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** I think that's the perfect segue for my next question, because I think you're maybe in the best PIA, right, in the Technology PIA, because you're interested in digital biomarkers but also AI. So, I want to know, Vanessa, how does the work of your PIA support your field of research right now? **Dr Vanessa Young** I think, in a way, my field just is like technology and dementia. The two, the two. So, this PIA is where everything is basically happening. That's the way I see it. It's where the methods, people and the research people, the statisticians, and the clinicians, as well as industry people are meeting and are having big conversations on how we can further the field. And that matters because the hard problems sometimes are the validation, the algorithms, the equity of access, as we mentioned, the data standards. And I don't think that we can solve these problems if we work in isolation. So, we need really to work as a group together. And there is something personal in this for me as well because the Technology and Dementia PIA grew out, is actually the kind of in-home sensing research I now do. So, in a real sense, if you like, that community really helped build the field I'm working in right now. So, this PIA was founded by Dr. Jeffrey Kaye and is the one who started first deploying all these CART platform with all the at-home sensors and the devices and the wearables, and with whom I now collaborate from Texas and his group is in Oregon. So, it's been great. It has been definitely doing a lot for the work I do here. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Definitely. I think you mentioned that it has helped you network with other people, and also, it seems like a very collaborative environment. We do need different people with different perspective to tackle these questions. And to dig a little bit more about yourself, I would like to know what brought you to the Technology PIA. How did you get involved? **Dr Vanessa Young** So, I think it started with, again, the people that I mentioned. So, it was back in 2022 when I started working here at the Glenn Biggs Institute. And we launched what we call the COMPADRE study, which is home based technology study where we have sensors and clinical measurements. And this study was initiated by Dr. Gonzalez in collaboration with ORCATECH at Oregon Health & Science University. And that's where I became very acquainted with, and now I call them family and friends, with Dr. Jeffrey Kaye and also Alison, Linda. And two years later, then I attended my first Alzheimer's Association International Conference. And I saw when you registered that there was a preconference, and I was like, okay, I guess I will attend. This seems relevant to me. I will go. And I remember I was terrified (laughs) because, again, I didn't know anybody. I was very new to the field. And then when I enter, I was like, oh, I know a couple of faces. And then I became more involved, and we continued to work with Jeff. And then last year, they told me, "Hey, just so you know, the elections are coming up. If you'd like to nominate yourself, I think you would be a good candidate for the Communications Chair. Why don't you give it a try?" And I was like, oh, there is no way that anybody's going to vote me, but here I am. (laughs) So that's how I became more involved with the Tech and Dementia PIA. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** That sounds amazing. Yes, I think what we have discussed previously also is that the PIAs give you the opportunity to meet people and to collaborate with different people. So, it's a great platform to do your research. So, if you have a particular interest, just join one of the groups. There are a lot of opportunities and different groups, and the Technology PIA is one of them. I think I'm a member, but my calendar is too busy. But definitely, I will check out what you will be doing, Vanessa, because I love tech stuff. It is just that, yeah, I have very different interests. So, I'll try to make some room in my schedule to follow you guys also. And on that note, yes, on that note, I want to know, what are the plans that the Technology PIA has for AAIC in London? **Dr Vanessa Young** We actually have a very busy schedule in London. So again, I think the Technology and Dementia PIA and the Neuroimaging are the only two PIAs that have a full day preconference. Don't quote me on that, but I think the others have like more PIA Day or things, so that excited. So, our flagship is the preconference that is Saturday, July 11, which is the day before AAIC opens. And again, it's a full day. And the theme this year involves AI, as I mentioned earlier. And we open with a keynote using AI and the smartwatch data to see if we can detect Parkinson's disease earlier. And then following that series, we have data blitz. So, when people submit their abstracts to AAIC, then they can select whether or not they want their poster, their abstract to be considered for the Tech and Dementia preconference. So, they will present twice. So, we have selected, I think, 76 for the preconference. And from those, then we select a few for a data blitz, which is a rapid-fire talks, and it's specifically for early-career researchers and also includes PhD students. And then we select a winner. So, for anyone who is listening for the next one, so be sure that you select that preconference if your topic is relevant to the Tech and Dementia sphere. So, after that, we have a scientific session on wearables in the wild, sleep activity, and multimodal sensing, which is very much the corner of my world. So, I'm very excited to meet other scientists. And then I also get to moderate a panel right before the lunchtime on skills and dementia technologies, bringing industry and academic voices together, which is also very important because I think we need both together. And then the other part that is very new and exciting is that it's new for this year. We wanted to involve more attendees. So, the whole afternoon is on AI, again, and dementia research. And instead of just having expert talks, we built in small-group interactive breakout sessions so that the attendees are not just listening, especially after lunch and then you kind of fall asleep. So, they actually were collaborative throughout with questions on things like harmonisation and AI-enabled trial design. And then the groups report back, and we pull out the takeaways as a room. So again, we designed that within purpose to involve the audience more. And I just wanted also to highlight that the preconference is in-person only, and it requires a separate registration from the regular AAIC conference. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Well, you will be super busy then, right, Vanessa? There are a lot of things happening during AAIC, all of which sound super exciting. So, I will definitely check out some of those. I think you mentioned that you will be talking about trials and AI. Since I'm from the Trials PIA, we need to talk offline for sure. I'm definitely interested in learning more about that. **Dr Vanessa Young** Yeah, I wanted to mention, wearables and devices can be included in clinical trials because you can assess continuously other kind of outcomes in addition to pharmaceutical outcomes related to the drugs. There are more outcomes that could be assessed. So definitely, we should chat. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Listen, thank you very much. So, it's time to start finishing our podcast today, but before I go, I do have a final question for you, Vanessa. I want to know, what advice do you have for someone who is just learning about ISTAART, and how has been involved helped you? **Dr Vanessa Young** I will say, so I want to link back to that first feeling that I had when I first attended AAIC. And I know that a lot of people probably share that feeling of being scared and a little bit lost. AAIC is very big, but after you join the conference, after a while, you see that it's always the same people, it's the same community, and everybody's very friendly. But everybody thinks, who am I? And they will not want me because I'm not experienced. And often, that's exactly the thing that I want people not to think of, because you do not get involved in the PIA because you already belong, but you belong because you get involved in the PIA. So, my advice is really simple. Just start with one PIA that is of the most interest and then go to one online seminar and then say hi if you go in person. And then you start building your network. And I will say this, I guess, personally. For somebody that, you know, I'm not a traditional student. I started earlier, and it was very difficult to channel at the beginning, but again, I do strongly believe that this entire community provides a lot of opportunities, including being here today. When I first joined, I was like, wow, these people are so amazing. There is no way I'm going to be here. And today, I was invited. I thank you, Dementia Researcher for their trust and their patience, and I get to meet you. And so, I think it's wonderful. And just provide your inputs. And you might not be the super expert with 40 years of experience, but you do have some expertise and can give something to the community. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Oh, well, thank you very much, Vanessa. I think you're an amazing person, and I congratulate you for all the work that you're doing. I think that's an amazing advice for people that want to join. I think you're a testament to what you can build by joining a PIA and work on your network. It can really help you to move your research forward. So, I thank you for your time today. So, this is the end of our podcast today. Thank you very much to the listeners and see you at AAIC in London. **Dr Vanessa Young** See you, Carla. Thank you so much for having me and being a wonderful host. I look forward to meeting you in person. **Dr Carla Abdelnour** Me too. **Narrator** You have been listening to the Relay Podcast, delivered as a collaboration between Dementia Researcher and ISTAART. This podcast is made at University College London with generous funding from the NIHR, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Society. Please like and subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links/resources mentioned in the show: > [**ISTAART Website**](https://istaart.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC 2026**](https://aaic.alz.org/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Carla Abdelnour, Dr Vanessa Young, ISTAART, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series, Sleep, Technology, Technology and Dementia PIA **Podcast/Blog Topics :** ISTAART Relay, Technology Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [ISTAART RELAY Podcast - Health Policy PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-health-policy-pia/) **Published:** June 30, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Why policy is the bridge from lab to patient: Lillian Morgado on dementia, law and access, with host Vanessa Young. The ISTAART Health Policy PIA on Relay. **Content:** **Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC.** If we cured Alzheimer's tomorrow but did no work on cost, distribution or access, we would have cured it only for the richest people in the world. That line from [Lillian Morgado](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-lillian-morgado-georgia-state-university/) sits at the centre of this episode. Lillian is a research coordinator at Georgia State University and Communications Chair of the ISTAART Health Policy PIA, working mainly in qualitative research and legal epidemiology. With host [Dr Vanessa Young](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-vanessa-young-ut-health-san-antonio/), she talks through what qualitative work actually involves, her research on caregivers and people with dementia in the justice system, and the question that opened up next: what happens to someone with no caregiver to advocate for them. They get into why AI and blood-based biomarkers are as much policy problems as scientific ones, how regulation differs across borders, and why policy is the bridge that decides whether science reaches the people it was meant for. Lillian also runs through the Health Policy PIA's busy week at AAIC, from PIA Day to a featured research session on dementia care across countries. **Takeaways** - Policy is the bridge from the lab to the patient; without it, a breakthrough only reaches the few who can already afford care. - Qualitative interviews and coding surface the right questions before the big quantitative money goes in. - Caregivers matter enormously when someone with dementia meets the justice system, which raises the question of those who have none. - AI and blood-based biomarkers carry legal and access questions, and the rules differ between, say, the US and Europe under GDPR. - You do not join a PIA because you already belong; you belong because you get involved, and you need not be an expert to contribute. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voiceover:** Hello, and welcome to season seven of the Dementia Researcher "ISTAART Relay Podcast." In this series, members of the ISTAART professional interest areas interview each other about their PIAs and the hot topics in their fields. Each guest then becomes the next episode's host, passing the conversation along from one researcher to the next. We're releasing one episode a day in the run up to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference this year in London and online, showcasing the work of the ISTAART PIAs. Thank you for listening. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Hello, everyone, and thank you for joining us. My name is Dr Vanessa Young, and I am a postdoc at the Glenn Biggs Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, USA. I am also the communications chair of the Technology and Dementia PIA. Today, I'm delighted to be talking with Lillian Morgado from the Health Policy PIA. Hi, Lillian. Welcome. Can I start by asking you to introduce yourself? **Lillian Morgado:** Sure. I'm Lillian Morgado. I'm a research coordinator at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and I am the communications chair on the Health Policy PIA. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Very nice meeting you, Lillian. And I think this is the beauty of being part of the PIA, since this is the first time that I'm meeting you and so it's nice to actually meet people from all over the places. So, before we actually start talking about your work within the PIA, can you talk to us about your own research? So, what do you do? **Lillian Morgado:** Sure, so I'm a research coordinator, which means I kind of get my hands in everything. I'm very fortunate that I work under a primary investigator, or PI, who allows me to be pretty involved with paper writing and idea generation of that sort of stuff. So, what we do mostly in our lab is we do qualitative research. That includes things like interviews with people and then qualitatively coding that. We've also done some work on legal epidemiology, and the subjects we look at are mostly having to do with things like ageing, bioethics, and sort of the intersection of that with dementia and the best practices to move forward and make sure that science works for people the way that scientists want it to. **Dr Vanessa Young:** So, can you tell me more about that qualitative aspect of research? So, I work more with the quantitative aspect. I did very little with the qualitative component, and it's very fascinating. I know there is some coding that you need to do. Can you tell us more or how you are able to embed that qualitative aspect within the dementia research? **Lillian Morgado:** Sure. So, a lot of it has to do with sort of guiding questions and providing a basis that we're looking for the quantitative research. So, we are getting the qualitative data to make sure that when we put all the money in to do large quantitative projects, then we are asking the right questions in the right directions with the right tools. One of the things we like to do is interviews where we are interviewing groups of people. These can be stakeholders, like researchers or people who are participating in venture research. I recently had a paper that is just about to be published where I was interviewing lawyers and caregivers to people with dementia on their experiences with the legal system and people living with dementia. So you take these questions and you take the answers that people give to you and you try to look through them for common themes, and from that you're able to figure out sort of the overarching discussion and what is coming out in a way that you can't and with a richness that you can't always find with quantitative data. So, it's really rewarding when you're able to find an answer to a question you were asking or an answer to a question you didn't even know you needed to be asking. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Absolutely. I think that is very fascinating and it really speaks on that ability to then really tailor the future research on that co-design. You're really working with the people for the people and not just with what we have in mind, so that we can better help the community that we serve. In during these qualitative designs, studies that you had, has been any specific themes that you would like to share with us that maybe come out a little bit more, for example, here in South Texas we have been focusing a little bit in the past years on that socioeconomic status that might be related to also increase health disease burden is something that you have noticed in your community, for example. **Lillian Morgado:** So, we're not focused as much on the local community in our research. Depending on our project, sometimes it's national scale, and we've actually got an international project going on right now where we're speaking with international communities, and one of the things that was really interesting to me in my research with the attorneys and the caregivers was seeing just exactly how important of a role caregivers played when a person with dementia is in a position where they might be arrested or could have to interact with the justice system and how important that caregiver is to making sure that there is an okay outcome, and even just making sure that people are aware this person has dementia. So that's led me to a new line of research where I'm thinking about, what do we do if someone doesn't have that caregiver? How do we make sure that they don't get caught up in the justice system? That sort of thing. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Absolutely. And that is indeed an important work because not everybody has a caregiver who is available or can be available 24 hours, seven days a week. Thinking more broadly of your research within your sphere, what are the really hot topics or exciting area in your field at the moment? **Lillian Morgado:** I would say the two biggest ones we're looking at are probably going to be AI or artificial intelligence. So, everybody wants to talk all about that. And then also blood-based biomarkers are a really exciting topic because while the science, the bench science is really cool on that side, but then you have to talk about, how do we get this information to people? What tests are used for what? How do we communicate what these mean to patients and research participants in ways that make sure that it's given to them in the most useful way possible? That sort of stuff. I think AI and the blood-based biomarkers are probably the two hottest things that I'm aware of right now. *\[Mellow music.\]* **Dr Vanessa Young:** That sounds great, Lillian, and it really relates to me, speaks to me because within my half first year, I work within the sphere of sleep and wearable, and I want to really concentrate on improving diagnostic tools, including AI. And for my dissertation, my effort was more within fluid biomarker, blood-based biomarkers. But I really hear your voice, and I generally wanted to ask you from your expertise, what can we do to get better at speaking that health policy language? **Lillian Morgado:** I think in some ways it is not necessarily scientists' job to be able to communicate that directly, but I do think it's important to be aware of the potential benefits and misuses, as well as a little bit or have a friend who knows what the legal landscape is for what you are trying to do. So, if you are trying to implement something, what legal protections are there in place if it goes wrong? How could bad actors use it? And also, what is the emerging legislation or things that policymakers are looking at doing to put these things into place? These are all things that are good to either keep in the back of your mind or have someone on hand who has a good sense of those things, and knowing those things on the front end can help you design better trials and studies to help more people more effectively. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Absolutely, and I agree. I think probably one of the aspect that I've seen through my past year and our institution is that involvement with some of the members of the community, there are stakeholders, in improving what they really need that that can be better translated in that health policy in a more linear fashion because there is a direct need, although it doesn't necessarily mean that it's always faster. Have you had, I know you mentioned how you work more with international groups at the moment, and since this is an international platform, I do wonder how that can be different. There are different needs, like in the U. S., even for what is covered, we are talking about blood-based biomarkers, for example. Here we need to go through insurance process. When you go an international level, there might be other aspects. For example, I'm originally from Italy. I know that the healthcare system there works differently. Is there something that you would like to add for that aspect since you had that international experience right now? **Lillian Morgado:** Sure, so just to be 100% clear, I didn't speak a little bit at first. When I'm saying international communities, we have a project that involves us speaking to international researchers. But as far as the international component, that really is another important thing to keep in mind about policy, particularly with things like blood-based biomarkers and AI. So, with AI of course you have different regulations for what data can be collected and how it can be used generally, in the United States versus Europe, which is covered by the GDPR, which I can't remember what that stands for at this moment. Apologies. **Dr Vanessa Young:** It's okay. **Lillian Morgado:** The other thing to keep in mind with blood-based biomarkers and frankly any intervention for Alzheimer's disease is that the policy component is vital to make sure that those improvements reach the people they need. If we create a pill today that cures Alzheimer's disease and don't do any researcher work on how much it's going to cost, how it gets distributed, how it gets shipped, all we have done is we have cured Alzheimer's disease for the richest people in the world and no one else. So, I think it's really important to remember that policy is really the bridge to making sure that the science achieves its grander goal beyond that thing you were funded for, for your grant, beyond what you just need to publish your paper. Policy is what makes it happen. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Absolutely. I agree and thank you so much. That is a very difficult question. I think you did a fantastic job answering. **Dr Vanessa Young:** With respect to all the wonderful job that you are doing, how does the work of your PIA is able to support your field of research? **Lillian Morgado:** I would say our PIA is a really great opportunity to talk to people internationally. We've got some folks who've worked in Asia, in Australia, in Europe, all who are involved in the PIA. And as you can imagine, those policy contexts and the history and the risk profiles of everyone in all those regions is wildly different. So, knowing those other perspectives and being able to communicate with people is a really cool opportunity to be able to learn without having to do things yourself. The other really great thing I love about the PIA is it does offer some really great opportunities for publication. We had a working group that published something earlier this year on bridging research policy and practice, which was really exciting. I was not a part of it, but I was able to listen in on some of the meetings, and it was really cool to hear everyone going through all these international plans for Alzheimer's disease and seeing how different countries are approaching things for dementia care. That was a really cool experience. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Is there something that really stayed with you from that meeting on how each country is approaching that dementia care part? Since we were talking about that aspect, the question prior, is there something you would like to share with our audience with that regard? **Lillian Morgado:** Nothing super specific, but just that it was very heartening to see how many different people in different places are working hard on such an important issue and who recognise that this is not something that is contained by borders. This is something that affects people all over the world and it requires an international approach to tackle it. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Absolutely. And so, I know that if you go through all the podcasts that we have available, each one of us is a different story on how they joined their PIA. So, what brought you to the PIA? How did you get involved? **Lillian Morgado:** When I was working under my PI as a graduate research assistant, she had mentioned that they were looking for some more members and some folks to be the early career researcher on the executive committee. And I thought, "Well, I'm pretty early," which, very early considering I still didn't have my MPH, but I was really grateful to join and really see the decision-making process and be able to contribute to putting on things like events for AAIC as a member of the executive committee. Because the other thing that I understand, this is mostly aimed at early career researchers, the secret is that you don't have to be an expert to be a contributing member to a PIA. You just have to be willing to put the time and energy in, and you can make a huge difference. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Absolutely. And with you, I agree. I think having that effort, that energy, and I would like to add creativity, it's really what can help the PIA succeed and also share what we are doing with the community. I think that's what I have observed being part with our tech and dementia PIA for example, what I've seen from others, just being committed to the work and to the effort. I don't know if you have seen the same experience with your health policy, with other collaborators there. **Lillian Morgado:** I feel like I really have, and one of the really cool things that I've experienced, particularly when going to in-person meetings is speaking with people who do not necessarily work in policy but are interested and want to keep abreast of what's going on with it. And that's always really nice because, you know, the policy people, we know what's going on with the policy, but we don't always know what's going on directly with the very sciencey, the bench research sort of stuff. So, it's cool to have someone to anchor us in that information. **Dr Vanessa Young:** No, absolutely. And that's why it's wonderful to meet and collaborate. I think these collaboration now are growing, and for example, I think our two PIAs should do something together, a session on the policy and the implication of the digital biomarkers, for example, because the people building these tools and the people thinking about access and insurance almost never shared the same rooms, and the PIAs provide that opportunity, that space, and it's very unique to Alzheimer's Association. So, it's very exciting. So, thinking about Alzheimer's Association and the big Alzheimer's Association International Conference coming up, what does your PIA have planned, and what are the aims for the upcoming year as a start? Will your PIA be doing anything at this year's AAIC? And will you be presenting, attending? Will I see you in person? (laughs) **Lillian Morgado:** Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it in person, but I'm excited for everyone who is. Our PIA though is doing a lot of really cool stuff. So, pull out your pencil and your notepad because we've got a lot to list off. On Saturday, July 11th, we will be out there for PIA Day in the morning. On Sunday, July 12th, we will be doing an electronic guided poster session. We're titling it Context Matters: Rethinking Dementia Risk Reduction Beyond Individual Behaviours. On Monday, July 13th, we are going to be doing an intermission, which, that I was involved in ours last year. That was probably my favourite one because it's very free form and it's just a way for people to sit around and really talk about what they're interested in in policy and what background they're bringing to it. Or people from all over the world last year. And I'm really sad I'm going to miss it, but I'm excited for the people who can make it to see what they'll be able to do. On Tuesday, July 14th, we have a featured research session that's titled Health and Dementia Care Field Gaps, Priorities, and Promising Initiatives Across Countries. And then on Wednesday, we will go ahead and collapse from exhaustion. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Excellent. That sounds like (Lillian laughs) a very, very busy time. **Lillian Morgado:** Yes. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Yeah, so I will definitely check this out. Can you tell me more about what usually your PIA does during the year beyond, like, the Alzheimer's Association International Conference? What do you do? I'm curious to see what you do differently from our PIA, for example, to be engaged with the community. How do you communicate with the community, your audience? For example, do you have any newsletter? Do you have any journal clubs? So, what do you do? Anything new this year? **Lillian Morgado:** Yeah, we actually did a journal club earlier this month where we did a little meet the authors, which was very cool. Usually how we handle things is after AAIC, we all get together and we think about what was great, what were we so excited to talk about, and what did people seem interested in doing for the coming year. And then we take that and sort of roll that into our goals. So far, we've done a few webinars on different topics. Those are recorded and available on the ISTAART website. We did the journal club. We are preparing for our existing AAIC events, and then we also usually do a working group or try to aim towards a publication. We're a newer PIA, so we are trying to sort of get our feet over what we want to do as our routines, but we are always really passionate about the things that we do go forward with. **Dr Vanessa Young:** So, you say you're new. How many, do you know how many members you have at the moment? No? Oh, tough question. It's okay. **Lillian Morgado:** I don't off the top of my head, I'm sorry. **Dr Vanessa Young:** No, it's okay. It was a tough question and I was like, "I'll try and ask." So, if I wanted to join your PIA, so what shall I do, and is there any way for me to get involved at this time? **Lillian Morgado:** So, at this time in the year, the best thing you're going to want to do is just keep your eyes open for what we're doing at AAIC. And if you want to join and you are interested in pursuing any research or doing any publications with the group, let us know and we can roll those into our goals for the next year and then we'll send out communication. Also, I apologise, one of the things you mentioned on your previous question was how we communicate with people. Our LinkedIn is the main one, our LinkedIn, and then also we make sure to include our events in the weekly ISTAART newsletter. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Excellent. Thank you. No, thank you so much. That was wonderful to hear. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Thank you. It's time to end today's podcast. Before we go, I do have a final question though. What advice do you have for someone who is just learning about ISTAART, and how has it helped you and your career be involved in this, ISTAART? **Lillian Morgado:** Say, my advice for anyone who is just learning about ISTAART is to join a PIA. Anything you are tangentially interested in. You do not have to be an expert. And then also watch as many recordings as you can. They're right there. You can speed them up if you're pressed for time. And also see how you can contribute. You can even try and see if they need any executive committee members. So once again, you do not need the research experience to join an executive committee. Just a willingness to organise, be involved, and work towards those goals for the group, and being in there, in the sauce, in the environment, is a really great way to meet new researchers, learn what the terrain of a field is, and the best ways that you can really move for your career to advance. **Dr Vanessa Young:** If you can think of two to three skills that you have learned from this experience of just being part of the Health Policy PIA that you didn't have before or that you think that just by being at, you know, university or working in the lab, you will not be getting, what are those skills? **Lillian Morgado:** Don't know if it would be a specific skill, but it absolutely would be the knowledge of what the international policy situation looks like. That's something that obviously most researchers are focusing locally on what's going on in their country or with their populations they're working with. And that was the case with me before the policy PIA. And since joining I've become a lot more aware of how these things differ in, you know, Australia, how data sharing and that stuff is different versus if you are looking at plans and research from China, how those things work. And that's been really helpful. It's also been cooled to connect with senior researchers and get a better idea of how to interact appropriately with folks as a researcher and put a little bit of extra polish on that. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Absolutely. And I think for me, it's been beautiful, because you're always a little bit afraid of engaging with senior scientists, but the ISTAART and the PIAs create that environment where you're really able to meet people from all over the countries and in a more relaxed way and you really feel part of the community. So, based on what you just said, that being in the PIAs really allow you to learn more about international policy, shall we say that then be part of the PIA? It is relevant from everybody, regardless of whether you are from the US, or you are from a country in Europe or Africa. **Lillian Morgado:** Absolutely. So, in a lot of the work we do, even if it doesn't apply to absolutely every country, we do try to be aware of the importance of context and not assuming that one particular policy is the default policy. And we also try to make sure that what we're doing is we're looking at comparative things, so that way we can take those findings from different environments and apply them to new ones. I would say that yes, it's relevant whether you're in the U. S. or you're in South Africa or wherever you are in the world because everybody's doing things differently and everybody has great lessons to teach everyone. **Dr Vanessa Young:** Excellent. I couldn't agree more. Thank you so much, Lillian, for taking the time to join us today. And thank you everybody else for tuning in and listening. You can find profiles on myself and my brilliant guest and information on how to become involved in the ISTAART on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk and also at alz.org/istaart. There is a link in the show notes. I am Dr Vanessa Young, and you have been listening to the "Relay Podcast" from Dementia Researcher and Alzheimer's Association. Hit subscribe on YouTube, on your favourite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode. Thank you. Bye. **Voiceover:** You have been listening to the "Relay Podcast," delivered as a collaboration between Dementia Researcher and ISTAART. This podcast is made at University College London with generous funding from the NIHR, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Society. Please like and subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links/resources mentioned in the show: > [**ISTAART Website**](https://istaart.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC 2026**](https://aaic.alz.org/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, Clinical trials, Dr Vanessa Young, Health Policy, Health Policy PIA, ISTAART, Lillian Morgado, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** ISTAART Relay, Policy **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [ISTAART RELAY Podcast - PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-pia-to-elevate-early-career-researchers/) **Published:** July 3, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Spotting brain change years early, and levelling the field for ECRs. Sindhuja Govindarajan with host Joe Kane. The ISTAART PEERs PIA on Relay. **Content:** **Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC.** Most people with hypertension after 50 never develop dementia, so what separates those who do? That is the question driving [Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sindhuja-t-govindarajan-karolinska-institutet/), a neuroimaging researcher and outgoing Chair of the ISTAART PEERs PIA, recorded as she moves from a postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania to an assistant professorship at the Karolinska Institute. With host [Dr Joe Kane](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-joe-kane/) she explains how machine learning on tens of thousands of MRI scans can pick up subtle brain changes years before symptoms, and why scans from different scanners have to be harmonised first. The conversation then turns to PEERs itself, a PIA built not around one research area but around early career researchers everywhere, and the work of levelling opportunity across borders through local routes like Neuroscience Next, WYLD and INTERDEM Academy. Sindhuja runs through the PIA's AAIC workshops, from narrative CVs to social bingo for ECRs, and closes with practical advice on getting people involved: make the ask specific. **Takeaways** - Machine learning on large MRI datasets can detect brain changes years before any cognitive symptoms show. - Scans from different scanners must be harmonised first, stripping out machine noise so only the biology remains. - PEERs exists to level opportunity for early career researchers wherever they are, across every research area. - Local routes such as Neuroscience Next, WYLD and INTERDEM Academy widen access for those who cannot get to the big conference. - Interest among ECRs is common but clarity often is not, so make the ask specific and people will step up. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** Narrator: Hello, and welcome to season seven of the Dementia Researcher "ISTAART Relay" podcast. In this series, members of the ISTAART professional interest areas interview each other about their PIAs and the hot topics in their fields. Each guest then becomes the next episode's host, passing the conversation along from one researcher to the next. We're releasing one episode a day in the lead up to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference this year in London and online, showcasing the work of the ISTAART PIAs. Thank you for listening. Dr Joe Kane: Hello, everybody. Thank you very much for tuning in. I'm Dr Joe Kane. I'm a geriatric psychiatrist and a researcher, and I work at Queen's University in Belfast in Northern Ireland. I am the chair of the Lewy body dementias PIA, which is the best PIA. Today, I'm delighted to be speaking with Sindhuja Govindarajan from the PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers, or PEERs. Sindhuja, you're very welcome. I'm really excited to be speaking with you today. Could I please start by asking you just to tell us a bit about yourself please? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: Happy to. Thank you, Joe, for that introduction. My name is Sindhuja. I was until recently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. As of the recording time, I'm transitioning to an assistant professor role at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. I am the outgoing chair of PEERs PIA, which is decidedly the better PIA for sure. Dr Joe Kane: Well, agree to disagree on that I think, Sindhuja. Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: Fair. Dr Joe Kane: But it's really exciting, it's really exciting that you're making such a big move over to Europe, and I'm really excited to hear about your journey there today. Before we talk about your work with the PIA, could you tell us a little bit about your own research? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: Sure, happy to. I work primarily with neuroimaging. I'm looking at the brain from outside using in vivo scans, and that's because I told myself at a very young age I'm scared of cutting open things. And so, it's been looking at what's happening in the brain inside the head with advanced neuroimaging scanners. In the field of dementia research, I'm pretty new. I started in '21. In the field of dementia research, I've been interested in looking at what are the patterns of brain changes that happen years before people have cognitive symptoms. So, we hear so much about modifiable risk factors, midlife cardiovascular risk factors, and nearly half the human population has hypertension or something else beyond the age of 50. But not everybody ends up with neurological challenges that come from that. So, my interest is in finding out what exactly happens when people have some systemic risk factors and how can we measure the severity of it within an individual brain. And so, for that, we do machine learning, which is just looking at large quantities of data. I'm talking tens of thousands of brain MRI scans and looking at subtle patterns that can be detected years before even, you know, when they present no cognitive challenges. Yeah. And the hope for that is to potentially identify participants or people who may be at increased risk as opposed to tolerating their risk factor well. Dr Joe Kane: Great, and what type of imaging modalities are we talking about? You mentioned MRI. Is it all structural imaging? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: That's great, so I do have experience in MRI with structural functional diffusion. I've done other studies in neurodegeneration before, worked with PET in the past as well. But for my work in dementia, thus far it's been primarily structural imaging and looking at vascular integrity markers using FLAIR MRI and things like that. So far in the area of dementia research, I've been focusing primarily on structural MRI, that's T1 and FLAIR imaging for who's aware of those modalities. And the primary reason for that is that with machine learning and AI, what you need are really large quantities of data that are easy to acquire. So, you are able to scan it in pretty much any clinical scanner without necessarily going for specific, like, special sensors or specific processing paradigms. So, we've amassed a lot of structural imaging data, and it lends itself to a lot of investigations of highly specific hypotheses, I guess. Dr Joe Kane: That's great, so you're talking about really big datasets. Can you give us an idea of how many scans we're talking about? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: Sure. Currently, we're looking at a dataset which has around 65,000 participants in total with longitudinal scans. So, I think it's close to 90,000 total MRI scans. And at the University of Pennsylvania, we work on a way to harmonise images, which means different scanners are collecting different sequences. Even though they're the same label, the way they're collected may be different. So, we need to find a way to make them comparable across different locations. And so, we have data predominantly from the US, of course the UK Biobank, some from Australia, some from Germany, some from South Korea. So, we need to, we have a way of harmonising them, which is taking out the scanner noise and retaining only what's relevant, which is biological contributions to the imaging measures. Dr Joe Kane: It's really interesting that, you know, you're talking about harmonisation and standardisation after the scans have been taken, which is really exciting and gives us, it always makes us think of the clinical scans and all those scans that are right there that aren't necessarily yet being leveraged in the way we could. There is a lot of buzz about AI and machine learning, and I wonder, do you engage with your participants on that? Are they able to understand the difference between, you know, machine learning that you do and the machine learning that they hear about in the news and they talk about what their relatives? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: That's a fantastic question. I've had an interesting background. So, I started my research into brain imaging sitting hands down at the scanner, modifying the pulse sequences, and trying to get the best picture that's robust, reproducible, and provides meaningful measures. So, I've interacted with participants of, you know, different clinical backgrounds, and I'm also aware of the different challenges that come with scanners of different types. So I feel like I take a very cautious approach to machine learning and AI in the sense that we're not promising the world everything, a tool that fixes all, but instead I've so far been very focused on a clear clinical question and a very easy to interpret, easy to understand type of measurement that comes out of it, more interpretable than, let's say a black box, which just says, "Hey, you're going to have this in 15 years," or something like that. As far as engaging with participants now, I don't do a lot of that. I did not do a lot of that during my postdoctoral fellowship, but when my new job, in the next role that I take on, I foresee there will be some, you know, more hands on talking to people, getting more scans, things like that. Dr Joe Kane: Great, that sounds really exciting. And we look forward to following up on your work. Thinking more broadly about the field in general, what's really exciting you about dementia research or neuroimaging at the minute? What's really making you develop ideas and get excited about your work? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: I like that it's a very personal question, so I can tell you what excites me rather than what I've heard people are excited about. Personally, I believe we're starting to leverage the power of, you know, larger models. There are very phenomenal studies coming out of many labs across the world with large data. What interests the most is, or what excites me the most is we've moved kind of beyond looking at, "Hey, this is dementia, this is hippocampus that's shrinking," and going to addressing polypathology, like, different forms of dementia. And we're trying to see; can we measure this in vivo? Can we find ways to relate what we see in structural MRI or different types of, you know, PET imaging with the different tracers? Can we look at what are the different ways in which the disease or the pathology develops over time? So, what I'm talking, in essence, it would be considered subtyping and staging kind of algorithms, which have come from the UK as well. I think that's very interesting because at the end of the day, the brain is the same. Everybody has hippocampus for the most part. But the way people are at increased risk or increased resilience, how education provides some kind of reserve in developing dementia symptoms in how the modifiable risk factors we have every few years we're adding a couple more based on research, how the effects seem to have specific patterns. They have a specific imprint in the brain and we're able to now start mapping the trajectory of it and have these, like, diverging paths saying, "You start here, you go over there," and then start developing a core pathology and things like that. I think that's the part that excites me, which is learning as a community about how the brain is affected with different vulnerable factors as well as different progression pathologies. Yeah. Dr Joe Kane: There's something so cool about neuroimaging that, you know, the prospect of being able to show our patients and the public, "This is what it looks like when you've got, you know, cognitive resilience. This is what it looks like if you go down one of those paths compared to the other," and all the statistics in the world and all the encouragement and public health initiatives in the world aren't really as good as being able to show something to somebody on a brain. So that sounds really cool. Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: I agree with the public health aspect of it. That's another thing that I'm very interested in following, which is all the lifestyle intervention trials that have been coming out recently, looking at modifications over decades if possible and seeing how ageing is so heterogeneous and how with certain checks and balances along the way, we can potentially have people have long, fulfilling lives. Dr Joe Kane: It's amazing. And you're here, I suppose, not because of your neuroimaging expertise, but because of your role in PEERs. What are your colleagues and what are your PEERs talking about in your PEER? What's the big issue and what are the big challenges that face them at the moment? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: That's great. I think before getting to that question, I will give you an overview of what PEERs PIA does. As the name suggests, it's for elevating early career researchers and that's our entire paradigm, which is offering programming support, professional development opportunities for early career researchers. Not only from a specific area of research, but across the board of dementia research. That's our primary goal. So that includes advocacy programmes. We can talk more about the specific programming that we do, but the biggest challenges we would like to address are how unequal opportunities are, depending on where you are from, depending on what area of research you are from and whether you have the mobility to be able to reach across borders. So, we try to bridge some of these through virtual programming. But Alzheimer's Association also has some ways of having local programming, like the Neuroscience Next Conference that happens that's free for online registration that happens in different locations. So, people who are not generally attending the annual international conference either through funding reasons, visa concerns, any number of possible reasons that could be preventing them from travelling, they're able to go to a local conference and present, participate, and learn more. I mean, and we try our best to interface with the local communities and promote them as well as offer programming from behind the Zoom camera. Dr Joe Kane: And do you get the sense that's something that's, you mentioned borders as being really significant and very significant obstacle. Do you think that's something that's becoming better or worse or staying the same in terms of how we look at research globally? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: I think it is improving across many places, but there is still work to do everywhere except Antarctica, and that is our whole goal. So, the working groups, we have them across the different continents, and we have representatives from these continents that could be senior or mid career researchers who are offering the mentorship. And we have junior researchers taking on the role of the committee lead or the special interest group chair, and they bring us this kind of concerns that are most prevalent in their location. How can we bridge, how can we tap into resources that are available in the Western world and how can we pass this on as mentorship meetings or as grants related programming? That's what we do. With that, what we've observed is in some of the continents, there already exist a good network. There is already a critical mass of researchers pursuing this and awareness of dementia research as a career possibility. But in a couple of places, it's not very common. So, finding members interested in a working group and sustaining them through leadership transitions has been a challenge that we face. But on the bright side, the kind of things we do is we leverage our working group members and connect people to local organisations. I'll give you an example. So, in South America there is an organisation coming up as the World Young Leaders in Dementia or WYLD. It's led by people from there. And so, PEERs PIA interfaces with them quite a bit to offer programming that promotes funding opportunities or mentorship opportunities to people who may need it. In Europe, we interface with what's called the INTERDEM Academy. And our working group members from PEERs PIA also have a working role there. And so, we're able to offer more programming to that. But in some other continents, for example, as you can imagine, I'm from India and Asia is a huge continent and we try to have one representative, but that doesn't cover the breadth of opportunities that may be available. So, what we end up having is a rotation of people from different countries within the continent, and being able to offer programming for the duration of their tenure, offer programming relevant to the country they are in. That's how we operate. Dr Joe Kane: That's really cool, 'cause it sounds like a really democratic, inclusive process that really makes sure you reach all four corners of the globe. And what's really interesting as well is that I find that working with PIA to be a good kind of primer in the leadership anyway, so not only are you directing people towards leadership things, but being involved in the PIA itself is nurturing leadership skills. That's really clear. That's been really helpful to set the scene for what I want to talk about next, which is get into a little bit more detail about the work of the PIA itself. Could you give me some specific examples of how the PIA has supported the field that you work in? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: Sure. As with other PIAs, we have specific types of programming that I briefly glossed on. We have webinars where we try to partner with individual scientific PIAs. As I mentioned before, our PIA doesn't have strict borders on what area of research people are from. This is for all early career researchers, all parts of the world. So, we have interfaces with specific research areas where we provide webinars that are geared towards ECRs. We promote, like, we promote the PIA that we are collaborating with along with promoting the ECR within the PIA. So, we provide opportunities for early career researchers to present their work in a global stage. So that's one way we've connected with the science. Another way we do that is also what we call neuroscience mentoring clubs. These are off the record, not recorded meetings where a more senior person, either could be from a continental group representative or it could be someone very general, will share their career trajectory, including what kind of tools and resources they couldn't find earlier, but what they would be able to support new researchers with. And that's where ECRs from other parts of the world could join in, ask questions that could be related to, "How do I find grants?" or it could be related to, "How do I train on this specific skill, this specific technical component?" And they have been very fruitful. We've had closed room discussions like that. In addition, we also collaborate with the ISTAART ambassadors to provide programming in person at AAIC, and this could be workshops on specific skills, like, how do you use AI in research kind of a thing. Or we also do regular workshops on how to build your writing portfolio, how to manage, how to do project management, or in this upcoming year, I'm sure we'll have some time to go over specific programmes, but we have how to give an elevator pitch, so we kind of get people ready for the conference and ready for their career. And somehow that translates back into how they're able to advocate for themselves and move up in dementia science. Dr Joe Kane: That sounds really great, sounds really practically focused. And also, it's great to see you shout out some of the ambassadors, the ISTAART ambassadors who just bring a real enthusiasm, and it's great that you're providing them with a platform to look at their next steps and to bring them into the community. So that sounds really exciting. Our next question I want to ask you about your own journey. So how did you end up getting involved in this PIA? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: I think I have to give credit to the PIA itself and Adam Smith, our host. My first in person AAIC was in 2022 and I was checking out these lunchtime skills workshops. I think that's what they're called now, but they had different names in the past. I was mind blown. I was mind blown at how it was organised and how it removed the frills of having a fantastic research idea, hypothesis, the funds to do the science and then present it and have strong results. No, this was all about learning how to be a scientist or how to be a researcher more generally. I remember one of the first workshops I went to was, what does neuroimaging actually tell you? Like, what does the different fields actually tell you? And we had these live demonstrations and people had a chance to do a trivia quiz kind of a thing. It was a learning journey packed into a very tight workshop that had practical, practical messages. That's when I decided, "I'm joining this PIA." That's how I got involved. And I was very fortunate that the position was open for an election during the off season, not during the cyclical season. And I put my hat in the ring and I got elected. I think that's how I got into it. It's been very rewarding. I get to move across research areas. It feels like I have a ticket to go to any field I want and I get to hear about the different research topics that our members work on, as well as how science is done in different institutions, in different countries and things like that. It feels like I have a full access pass, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity. Dr Joe Kane: Your enthusiasm really, really comes through, and for anyone who's listening to this, you're just beaming talking about being involved in the PIA, so that's fantastic. So, given everything you've said and the great ideas and the great mechanisms that brought you into the PIA, could you tell us a bit about what you've got planned for AAIC? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: Absolutely. The first thing I've got planned is I am not going, unfortunately. I will be moving between countries, and hopping onto a third country was not in my agenda for this summer, but we have some great programming. Our executive committee is made of phenomenal, phenomenally talented, and motivated members, and we have several programming opportunities. Let me open up that so I can give you the exact details. So, we have, before the conference starts on Friday, there are two workshops. One is on leadership skills and development workshop for emerging scientists, which we partnered with AWARE, which is Alliance for Women Researchers in Dementia. So, we partnered with them for a leadership workshop. And in the afternoon on Friday, July 10th, we have a workshop on engaging people with lived experience in dementia research. Again, this is a collaboration with the partnering PIA who primarily work on how to engage with the caregivers and partners who make dementia research possible. On Saturday, which is considered PIA Day, at very early in the morning at 8:30 we have a skills kind of conversation about how to identify your 60 second research story, how you can own your expertise. And this is great because you go there and prepare, practise your research speech, your elevator pitch, and you're prepared for the rest of the conference. And on Sunday, which is the first day of the conference, we have social support and bingo, social bingo, for early and mid career researchers. These are easy ways to get to know people in your own career stage and, you know, perhaps mid career as well, build your network that's outside of your usual pathways of finding network, and sometimes we get great topics that are challenges among different groups of people and we bring that back to PIA and discuss how we can offer programming in the future. So that's a great place to meet with our executive committee as well as meet new people and form your own circle of friends for this conference. And then during the conference, Monday through Wednesday, every afternoon at lunchtime, there are skills workshops, and PEERs PIA is partnering and collaborating with other PIAs for at least one workshop every day. So, on Monday at lunchtime, we have collaborating with people with lived experience in dementia research, again, with partnering PIA. On Tuesday we have a workshop on crafting your narrative CV. And this I thought was very important because a lot of the institutions funding partners are moving away from a written CV which just lists your accomplishments and your papers into a more narrative one where you highlight how this contributes to science in general. So, we have that workshop on Tuesday in partnership with the neuroimaging PIA. And on Wednesday we have a PEERs PIA only skills workshop on how to establish an effective writing routine. And to me, one of the highlights for all these workshops is how collaborative they are, not only with ECs and other groups, but some of these are being led by our members. So, people who are interested in gaining leadership experience or expanding their skill on a specific topic of interest could absolutely get involved and build on their leadership skills. Dr Joe Kane: That all sounds really interesting. You've produced some really exciting, engaging ideas as a means of engaging with your PIA. From the perspective of someone who, both in PIA and locally, trying to engage early career researchers, what do you think is the most common pitfall that organisations fall into when they're trying to go about engaging that group? Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: That's a great question. I can speak of an example that we've frequently faced in the last few years of my time here. I would say a lot of the times, organising groups like the executive committee, including our own, we've shouldered all of the organisational duties on ourselves, thinking, "We wanted to be part of this group, so it's up to us to make it happen." But in the more recent years what I've noticed is that our members are very interested, they're interested in participating, they're interested in contributing and organising things as well. But often, more often than not, what we hear is that you're not sure how to get started, where to get involved. Some of the options we've tried are having specific examples of the kind of support we need. We could say, "Hello, we're planning this event, we're looking for people who can host and looking for people who can monitor chats on the Zoom question and answers, Q&A," and if we have some specific requests and we are able to provide the time, that's easy. That's an easy way to ask people to join because the asks are clear and they're able to contribute. And another way we've done, especially some of the skills workshops we've done recently with collaborative mindset, is reaching out, reaching out to our network. Like I said, I'm very fortunate that my area of research has perhaps one of the largest PIAs, neuroimaging PIA, and I have this full access pass to other PIAs as well. So, I'm able to, say, call out a friend of mine or a colleague of mine or someone whose paper I really admire, call them, and say, "Hey, we're interested in putting this together. Would you like to contribute? These are the expectations," or "These are some of the ideas we have," and then they bring own ideas. So, I think in my experience, the quickest answer would be reach out. A lot of the times there is interest, but not clarity, and sometimes there are pitfalls as well. In some cases, with our continental groups, we found that we operate on a timescale, not just a time zone, but a timescale that cannot be met by people in a different environment. And so, we've had to take on the lead, if necessary, but more than anything, we've specifically tried to involve members and provide support behind the scenes in how they can organise the different events. Yeah. Dr Joe Kane: Thank you. That sounds like great advice. So being really specific about what you're asking people to do is definitely something I'm going to reflect on. Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: If I may add one more thing to that, recently, because AAIC is in London and over the last few months, I believe perhaps February or March, we requested that ISTAART reach out to all PEERs members in UK and ask if they're definitely attending the conference, can they participate, can they help us organise? I believe it was UK and Europe, and we did have a lot of members contributing ideas and how they would, how they feel prepared to be part of a programme that we plan to have. And it was so good that we received perhaps more than a dozen responses and we've had to turn some of them, like, turn some of them away or ask if they would do an online seminar instead. So that's definitely been successful in our current, like, or immediate AAIC programming. Dr Joe Kane: Great, so there's loads of interesting things you guys have lined up at AAIC and beyond, so it's really exciting to hear about both your work and the work of the PIA. We would love to keep chatting, but we're constrained by time. So, it's time to end today's podcast. I want to thank you, Sindhuja, and I want to welcome you to Europe. I want to wish you the very best for what I know is a big move ahead for you. So, thank you very much for joining us. Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan: Thank you, Joe. I'm very glad to be here. And for anyone interested, please look up PEERs PIA on the ISTAART website and you'll be able to find us and reach out to all of EC. You're also able to email istaart@alz.org. You can find information of all of this on the Alzheimer's Association website. Thank you. Dr Joe Kane: Thank you. Narrator: You have been listening to the "Relay" podcast, delivered as a collaboration between Dementia Researcher and ISTAART. This podcast is made at University College London with generous funding from the NIHR, Race against Dementia, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Society. Please like and subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links/resources mentioned in the show: > [**ISTAART Website**](https://istaart.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC 2026**](https://aaic.alz.org/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, Careers, Dr Joe Kane, Dr Sindhuja Tirumalai Govindarajan, ISTAART, PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research, ISTAART Relay **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [When a colleague dies: exploring academia's ‘death-denying’ culture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/when-a-colleague-dies-exploring-academias-death-denying-culture/) **Published:** February 16, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Nature Off Limits explores grief in academia, as researchers share loss, institutional responses and why compassion and perspective matter at work and beyond. **Content:** **In the sixth episode of *Off Limits*, a podcast series exploring topics that are often perceived as taboo in the academic workplace, three researchers describe their personal experiences of loss and how their respective institutions handled it, both practically and emotionally.** Krista Harrison, a geriatrics researcher at University of California, San Francisco, recalls colleagues being very supportive when she suffered a spate of deaths in her family. But overall she needed advice, direction and resources and, ideally, a year off from having to think about writing grants. She set up a grief group and wrote [articles](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2783417) calling for academia to shift norms and expectations around loss and bereavement leave. In 2023 a colleague of Katie Derington, a cardiovascular researcher at University of Colorado Anschutz in Aurora, died of a chronic illness after being hospitalized for around a month. At the time of her death she was co-author on a series of papers with Derington and other colleagues. Derington describes having to contact her colleague’s grieving widower to complete documentation related to the team’s soon-to-be-published article. This experience also prompted her to write an article [calling for academic publishers to show more compassion to bereaved authors](https://www.annfammed.org/content/23/2/168/). But how do you juggle mourning a colleague with a lengthy to-do list at work? Putting off an administrative task for a couple of months is okay, Derington says. There’s very, very few things in academia that are truly the fire is on the house.” Shannon Bros, an emeritus ecologist at San Jose State University in California, says support from counselling team colleagues would have helped when her department chair died of cancer. But seeing people having a good time on campus provided an epiphany. I looked around and went, ‘How many times have I walked anywhere and not seen people in pain? It changed me.’” --- *Shared from Nature Careers – doi: * **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Adam Levy, Nature Careers **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Culture --- ### [ISTAART RELAY Podcast - Down Syndrome & Alzheimer's Disease PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-down-syndrome-alzheimers-disease-pia/) **Published:** July 1, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** How studying Down syndrome reveals Alzheimer's earliest steps. Dr Patrick Lao with host Lillian Morgado. The ISTAART Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's PIA on Relay. **Content:** **Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC.** Almost everyone born with Down syndrome overproduces the amyloid precursor protein from birth, which makes it one of the clearest natural windows we have into how Alzheimer's begins. [Dr Patrick Lao](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-patrick-lao-columbia-university/), Assistant Professor at Columbia and Programmes Chair of the ISTAART Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA, comes from a medical physics background and uses multimodal neuroimaging to map the disease across its genetic and sporadic forms. With host [Lillian Morgado](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-lillian-morgado-georgia-state-university/), he explains amyloid and tau PET, Thal phases and Braak staging, and how chronological age can stand in for disease stage in this population, with a typical symptom onset around 54. They talk about why people with Down syndrome were long left out of anti-amyloid trials and how that is now changing, and the risk and resilience research asking why some people fall off the expected timeline. Patrick also previews the PIA's AAIC PIA Day session on returning results, plus the separate DSAD/ADAD conference coming to London next year. **Takeaways** - Genetic forms of Alzheimer's, including Down syndrome, let researchers study the earliest disease pathways before symptoms appear. - In Down syndrome, chronological age can approximate disease stage, with symptoms typically expected around age 54. - Imaging shows where amyloid and tau sit in the brain, the spatial detail a blood test cannot give. - People with Down syndrome were historically excluded from anti-amyloid trials; that is shifting, with a lecanemab safety extension now underway. - Not everyone follows the population timeline, and risk and resilience work asks what pushes onset earlier or later. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Narrator:** Hello and welcome to season seven of the Dementia Researcher ISTAART Relay Podcast. In this series, members of the ISTAART's Professional Interest Areas interview each other about their PIAs and the hot topics in their fields. Each guest then becomes the next episode's host, passing the conversation along from one researcher to the next. We are releasing one episode a day in the run up to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference this year in London and online, showcasing the work of the ISTAART PIAs. Thank you for listening. **Lillian Morgado:** Hello and thanks for tuning in. I'm Lillian Morgado, a research coordinator at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. I'm also the social media and Communications Chair for the Health Policy PIA. Today, I'm delighted to be talking with Dr Patrick Lao from the Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA. Hello, Patrick. Can I start by asking you to introduce yourself? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Hi, Lillian. Yeah, so I'm Dr Patrick Lao. I'm an assistant professor at Columbia University. I'm the current Programmes Chair for the Down Syndrome Associated Alzheimer's Disease PIA and the incoming Vice Chair. **Lillian Morgado:** Congratulations on your vice chair role. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Thank you. **Lillian Morgado:** And then before we talk about your work with the PIA, can you tell me a little bit about your own research? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Sure. So, my background is in medical physics, and I do a lot of neuroimaging. Yep, so I use multimodal biomarkers to look at the disease course across different forms of Alzheimer's disease. So that includes genetic forms like Down syndrome associated Alzheimer's disease or autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease, as well as sporadic forms, so like late onset Alzheimer's disease. And even within the different clinical presentations of Alzheimer's disease, there are certain subgroups like posterior cortical atrophy, where there's more visuospatial impairment and more posterior involvement of brain regions, or logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia, where there's left temporal involvement that leads to language impairments. And so, looking across all these different forms of Alzheimer's disease allows us to compare and contrast, see what pathways might be generalizable and essentially a target for therapy for everyone, or which pathways are specific to specific subtypes where more of a personalised approach might be warranted. And so, by doing this work, we can use the unique aspects of each form of Alzheimer's disease to kind of gain new insight. So, for example, adults with Down syndrome, they have trisomy 21, which is the triplication of chromosome 21, and that's where the amyloid precursor protein gene is encoded. So, from birth, they're overproducing the amyloid precursor protein. And this is happening in every person with Down syndrome. And a lot of our work has shown, we've mapped out the amyloid cascade in these individuals, so starting from amyloid, going to tau, going to neurodegeneration, and finally, cognitive impairment. And since I do a lot of multimodal work, I've been really interested in incorporating vascular and inflammatory pathways into these cascades. And by doing so, several groups across the world working with cohorts of adults with Down syndrome have put out a lot of cross sectional work and, more recently, longitudinal work, essentially showing that this happens in a very stereotypical pattern and we can use chronological age to essentially approximate disease progression in this population. And so now we're starting to characterise the timeline of the natural history of disease, and this will really help inform clinical trial design. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay, that is really interesting. And I have some questions because this is, I mostly do qualitative research, so some of this is outside of my normal stuff. You had mentioned that you work in medical physics, I believe. Is that correct? **Dr Patrick Lao:** That's correct. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay. That sounds like a very niche field. Which side did you start on, the physics or the medicine? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Well, I did a dual degree in biology and physics in undergrad. And so, they always kind of came hand in hand for me. I was originally thinking about going to medical school, and then I had heard about medical physics as an option, so then I ended up going that route. So yeah, I think it's simultaneous in this case. (chuckles) But yeah, it's essentially leveraging kind of the properties of radiation and how they interact with human tissue to generate either meaningful images or to treat things like cancer with radiation therapy. **Lillian Morgado:** Actually, leads to my follow up question. You had mentioned doing multimodal imaging, and I was curious what that means. Are we talking about looking at brain scans or tissue samples? What sort of images are you comparing? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Right, yeah, I guess multimodal could mean a whole host of different things depending on what type of biomarker. But since I normally do neuroimaging, I'm just talking about different brain scans. And so, some of the ones that we use are amyloid PET scans. And this will show you how much amyloid is in your brain. And these are really useful for clinical trials right now that target amyloid. So, all the anti amyloid antibodies, to show eligibility for the study, a participant has to be amyloid positive, and so they'll get a scan or a blood test prior to enrolment. And then after treatment with the drug, they're going to scan them again to see if there was treatment related amyloid clearance. And so, imaging is the gold standard for this type of stuff just because we can get that spatial information that we're used to getting from autopsy. Whereas a blood measure will kind of just tell you a global burden of amyloid. And so, in the amyloid cascade, after amyloid comes tau pathology. And so, we have these tau PET scans. Only one of these tracers is FDA approved. The rest are still only for research. And so, these methods are still being developed in terms of visual reads and quantification and harmonisation across tracers. But tau PET is really, really useful in showing how the tau pathology spreads across the brain. So, for amyloid, it's more important how much you have in these Thal phase regions, which is kind of a global phenomenon. But for the Braak staging, it's really the tau spreading across the brain that gives you information about the progression of the disease. **Lillian Morgado:** What is Braak staging? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Sure, so I mentioned that PET imaging is sort of the gold standard because it relates to autopsy. And so, autopsy is how we kind of definitively show pathology at end of life. And so, while a person is alive, we can't do that. And so, we have to use imaging biomarkers to kind of get a sense of that. And with the spatial information from imaging, it sorts of maps onto autopsy best. And for amyloid, the spatiotemporal progression of amyloid plaques across the brain was first characterised by Dietmar Thal. And so, we call those the Thal phases. And so those go from one to six. And then for tau tangle pathology across the brain, that was first characterised by Dr. Braak. And Braak, I think, is a husband wife pair. And so, Braak staging essentially describes the progression of tau across the brain from stages one to six. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay, thank you so much for clarifying that, because I was like, ooh, which sounds really important. So, it sounds like imaging is really cool because it tells you where the biomarkers are deposited, whereas if you do a blood draw, it just says if they're there or not. And another thing you had mentioned was that through using this imaging technology, you're able to figure out the Alzheimer's disease staging for people with Down syndrome based on chronological age. So, does that mean you can say, all right, when someone who has Down syndrome is, I don't know, 40 years old, we can expect this level of accumulation, and they may need this level of support? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Right, I think that's the ultimate goal, to be able to place them on the disease timeline based on something as simple as chronological age in order to give guidelines to these individuals, their families, their caregivers, their clinicians, to know what to screen for at a particular stage of life. And when we start to look at these different genetic forms of Alzheimer's disease, I think it's been more widely studied in autosomal dominant AD, where there are mutations in the amyloid precursor protein, Presenilin 1 or Presenilin 2. But essentially, what comes out of that is a concept called estimated years to onset, or EYO. And this is how predictable their clinical symptom onset is based on their parent's symptom onset if they had that mutation. So, for example, if someone has autosomal dominant AD and they're 45 years old, and their parent with the mutation got symptoms at 55, they would be negative 10 on EYO, or essentially 10 years away from their clinical onset. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay, so it's like a countdown clock. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Mm hmm. And yeah, and that differed across the different mutation types. But here for trisomy 21, we tend to use a single age for symptom onset. **Lillian Morgado:** And another thing, and I apologise because you may have already answered this, but you do such cool work, I want to learn more about it. One of the things that I do know about folks with Down syndrome is that people with Down syndrome are living longer than ever due to a lot of really cool medical advances and additional supports that people are able to offer. Does that mean that Alzheimer's disease for these folks is a growing concern? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, absolutely. So, the life expectancy in the 1960s was around 10 years old, and that was limited by the high incidence of congenital heart disease in this population. And it wasn't till the '80s or so where the surgeries were developed to fix these congenital defects, and even later for being offered to the Down syndrome population because they were concerned about how they would tolerate surgery. And so, with that, life expectancy is now in the '60s to '70s, depending on what country you're looking at. And now Alzheimer's disease represents sort of the upper limit on people's lifespan. The single age of onset that I referred to earlier is 54 years old. So that's when you can typically expect symptoms. Yeah, that's rough because it's early. But I think it's really important that you're able to figure out a typical age of onset because that probably allows people and their families to better plan for what they'll need to support themselves and have the best quality of life. Thank you for doing that work. Yeah, and something else that we're looking into is, I am kind of talking about this in terms of like stereotyped process or what happens on the overall population level. But we do see individuals that might show some resilience, and there's actually a range around that 54 years. Some people can get it as late as their '60s or '70s. And on the flip side of that, there might be some individuals showing increased risk where they could get it as early as 30. And so, we're trying to look at those extreme cases and see what's different about them to see what kind of pathways we can target for therapy. And so, while there is this population level progression, there is still some inter individual variability that we're hoping to leverage, yeah. **Lillian Morgado:** Didn't the Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA publish something about resilience research? I think it was in 2024 or 2023. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, it might've been 2024. Yeah, that was a product of one of our working groups. And so that working group is still active. There's a paper investigating risk and resilience mechanisms in Down syndrome associated Alzheimer's disease, because for a lot of our early work, we were focused on developing these timelines that apply to the population overall to sort of inform clinical guidelines and clinical trials. But as we're doing more and more work, we're realising that not every individual falls onto these timelines perfectly. And so, some people will get it much later, and maybe they're doing different things like in terms of lifestyle, or maybe they have some other protective factors in terms of comorbid co occurring conditions, or maybe their overall morbidity rate is lower. And so, we're trying to figure out what factors, even in a genetically determined form of Alzheimer's disease, might push these timelines apart for individuals. **Lillian Morgado:** That is really interesting. And are there any other really hot topics or exciting things in your field right now that you want to talk about? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, so I've been talking about sort of these timelines and all of this data coming out to really support clinical trials. And so, we're really now just at the start of that. So, there are three in the pipeline that are going to be including individuals with Down syndrome. So even though they're at this ultra high risk for Alzheimer's disease, they've been excluded from all of the previous anti amyloid therapies due to safety concerns or protections for individuals with intellectual disability. But because these people are at such high risk and there is no other way to treat it, we've been advocating a lot through our work in the PIA for individuals to be included in these trials so that we can get the safety information necessary for them to enrol. And so, one of these trials, for example, is using Lecanemab, which is an FDA approved anti amyloid that was evaluated in the non-Down syndrome population. And so, they're doing a phase IV sort of safety extension trial in adults with Down syndrome. So, we already know it works. We have a general sense of the safety. We have additional safety guards for the participants with Down syndrome, like stricter inclusion criteria, but we are allowing them to take the drug. And so, we'll see what other special considerations we need to make for people with Down syndrome when we're providing these treatments. And so, I think that's a really critical step forward. **Lillian Morgado:** That is really interesting. And another follow up question. I know one of the issues with clinical trials is getting enough people of certain populations in it, and people with Down syndrome are a pretty small portion of the population. Were you involved, or do you have any knowledge of the recruiting process that was used to get those folks into the clinical trial or any of that part? **Dr Patrick Lao:** I'm not super familiar with the entirety of it, but there are clinical trial ready cohorts that are being established to where we do this multimodal characterization over time. So, we essentially have all their baseline characteristics, and we can use themselves at baseline compared to them after treatment as the comparison group. And so, one study that I'm involved in called the Alzheimer's Biomarker Consortium Down Syndrome, or the ABC DS study, is one of those clinical trial ready cohorts. And so, a lot of our participants co enrol into this TRC DS, and then they can be recruited through that mechanism into these ongoing clinical trials based on what they want to do. **Lillian Morgado:** That is so exciting, and I'm so glad that you're able to use that information you're getting all the imaging and being able to do the stereotyping, to moving it to seeing the specific situations and how things can be done to make it better. That's got to be really satisfying. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, it's been a really influential time in the field to see how much has changed in the last 10, 15 years, especially even with the most recent revised criteria for the diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer's disease that came out. Previously, this was essentially to establish a way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease with biomarkers and not have to wait the 20 years until cognitive symptoms appear. And so, they established this amyloid tau neurodegeneration framework in order to stage individuals. But still, the starting point was someone had to be amyloid positive. And if we really want to know what's driving amyloid in the first place, we have to look earlier than that. And so, in these genetic forms of Alzheimer's disease, like autosomal dominant AD or Down syndrome associated AD, they have now been included as stage zero in this framework. And so, we can study the earliest pathways in the disease because we know that they will eventually develop it. And so that was a huge change in the field as well. So, both on the research and clinical trial areas, I think, there's been a lot of progress. **Lillian Morgado:** That is really interesting. That's really helpful to set the scene for what I want to talk about next, which is the work of your PIA. So how does the work of your PIA really support your field of research? And I know we talked about you guys had that workgroup that had that impressive publication. I'm sure you're doing other cool stuff too. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, so in addition to the risk and resilience working group, we have another working group in development where we're expanding to other forms of intellectual disability and autism. And so, we had a all members meeting about a month ago to engage sort of all the members, not just our executive committee, in these regular meetings. And we broke out into working groups, and this allowed for smaller interactions. And each of the breakout rooms was tasked with talking about where we want to go with this PIA, what kind of new working groups do we want, what would they like to see us do? And so, one of those was about the broader umbrella of intellectual disabilities. And someone had been working, Eric Rubenstein had been working with electronic health record data, and they started noticing that a dementia diagnosis, dementia, all cause, as in sort of an umbrella term in the health record, was maybe being overused in certain cases. For example, in individuals that were too young for that to be a possibility. And now we're developing a survey to send out to clinicians to get a sense of what their level of experience with people with intellectual disabilities is and whether any additional clinical training or guidelines would be more helpful in terms of understanding when to use that diagnosis or when to use that code. And similarly, for our first working group for the Risk and Resilience, Dr. Lydia Vasquez and Sigan Hartley, they have been developing this survey to send out to get a better sense of the risk and resilience factors in Down syndrome. So, following up on that first paper. **Lillian Morgado:** That is really interesting. Two questions about the new working group. So, the first one is you're saying that the code for dementia is being used potentially more liberally than it should by healthcare practitioners on folks with autism specifically, is that correct? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities, yeah. **Lillian Morgado:** And I understand that this still needs to be researched, but is the hypothesis or the suspicion that the healthcare providers are doing this because they don't know what the appropriate baseline is for these folks? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, I think that would feed into it. Or there are things like regression disorder in adults with Down syndrome where it's kind of like a very sharp decline and they might mistake that for dementia. And so, it's really getting a sense of how many patients have they seen with these baseline conditions and how did they sort of handle it when they suspected dementia. Right. That's really cool, because then you guys can, like you said, we can see, all right, do these folks need extra training? What else can we do to help these people? So, who are you looking to join that group? 'Cause you said it was still being formed. Are you looking for members still, or is it closed? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it's still in its very early stages, and we're actually still developing that survey. The target audience for that survey would be clinicians only since we're interested in sort of getting at that diagnosis. **Lillian Morgado:** And then the other one you're working on is the group that did that great publication on resilience. And now you're working on another survey where you're looking at the resilience factors. Correct? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, I believe so, yeah. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay, that is so exciting. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, I think it really helped shape the message that we can provide back to the participants in the community when we can start to focus on these resilience factors and what people can do about it. Like for example, in relation to enrolment in clinical trials rather than just sort of this inevitable progression, yeah. **Lillian Morgado:** What initially brought you to join the PIA? **Dr Patrick Lao:** A colleague reached out and asked if I wanted to join. And at the time, I wasn't doing any networking at all. I was pretty shy, but they just told me about it. I figured why not? So, I joined as a student member. And then from there, it just turned into a really great opportunity for engaging with more senior scientists and really hearing the way people think about certain topics or how they sort of plan or organise different events. And so, after that, I signed up to be programmes chair and then will be the new vice chair. So, it's been a really helpful, successful collaboration. And then I'm in it for the long term. **Lillian Morgado:** I love that, and I cannot overstate, as someone who also joined as a student member, the importance of just being in the room and listening to the people who have been in it for longer, their thought processes and what their thoughts are on the trajectory of things. I feel like I should say that there's something more structured about the PIAs that is useful, but I think that is one of the most useful experiences, because, you know, different places do webinars, but to get actual time with senior people that's unstructured is really valuable. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, absolutely. **Lillian Morgado:** What does your PIA have planned for the coming year? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, so earlier this year, I guess I forgot to mention how this would be another way that the PIA contributes to, I guess, the field of research is that through our ISTAART, we applied for funding from the Alzheimer's Association and we got funding for a conference. And so, this conference is called the Down Syndrome Associated Alzheimer's Disease/Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease Conference, or essentially the DSAD/ADAD Conference. And it's essentially to bring together researchers from different fields, studying these different kinds of genetic forms of Alzheimer's disease. And we just had our third meeting, third annual meeting earlier this year. And the fourth one has been announced for London in next fall. So, if anyone's interested in attending that, that one's a really great small format conference that engages the audience a lot. And so, conference planning for that will be ongoing this year. We're also going to have a PIA Day event on July 11th, I believe. And there, we're going to be talking about the return of results for observational research studies as well as some of these clinical trials. And what's the best way of doing it? Are the participants able to understand this scientific information because it's a risk, not really a diagnosis? And is there any sort of like psychosocial factors that we need to consider in how we relay this information? So, there'll be pre disclosure and post disclosure surveys, interviews, and engagement with MDs throughout the process. And so that'll be a really interesting topic. That's already a big topic in the non-Down syndrome field on how to do that best. And so, it'll be very interesting to see that panel discussion. And we have two featured research sessions for the conference. One will be on these general timelines, and the other one will be on the risk and resilience factors that pull individuals off of those general timelines. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay, so your PIA Day, you're doing return of results, and is that focused just on the Down syndrome community, or is that in general? **Dr Patrick Lao:** We're going to be bringing experts in general to help inform how we're going to do it for Down syndrome specifically. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay, that is so exciting. I know that's a big new thing everybody wants to make sure they're doing it correctly. So, I'm really excited you guys are looking at that. And then you also said you guys have a featured research session. Do you know what day that's going to be? **Dr Patrick Lao:** I believe they're both on the first day of the conference. First or second day, yeah. **Lillian Morgado:** Okay. You're opening things up, and then you have your whole own conference happening separately. I don't think you're as excited as you really should be about that. Like that's a big deal. (laughs) **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, it has been super successful. That is the brainchild of Dr. Juan Fortea in Barcelona, and he's hosted it there the first three years. **Lillian Morgado:** What a lovely venue. And if somebody wants to learn more about that conference you guys are planning, what should they do or who should they reach out to? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, they can reach out to anyone in the Down Syndrome Associated Alzheimer's Disease PIA, or they can do a Google search with that great acronym, DSAD/ADAD. (laughs) And then we have a dedicated conference website where they can find more information. **Lillian Morgado:** Before we go, I have one final question. What advice do you have for someone who's just learning about ISTAART and how has it helped you with being involved? **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, that's a great question. I think, because I was so shy at the beginning, just getting involved. So, reaching out to people. They are way nicer than I ever expected, especially with the sort of professional stage difference. But everyone was willing to help answer questions, respond to emails and just, like we said earlier, just being in the room with them. It's just getting involved early, and that really accelerated my career path. **Lillian Morgado:** Thank you so much, **Dr Patrick Lao**, for taking the time to join us today. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Yeah, thank you. **Lillian Morgado:** Thank you for listening. You can find profiles on myself and my wonderful guest and information on how to become involved in ISTAART on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, and also at alz.org/istaart. There's a link in the show notes. I'm Lillian Morgado, and you've been listening to the Relay Podcast from Dementia Researcher and the Alzheimer's Association. Hit subscribe on YouTube or in your favourite podcast app to ensure you don't miss an episode. Thank you so much. Goodbye. **Dr Patrick Lao:** Bye. **Narrator:** You have been listening to the Relay Podcast, delivered as a collaboration between Dementia Researcher and ISTAART. This podcast is made at University College London with generous funding from the NIHR, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Society. Please like and subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links/resources mentioned in the show: > [**ISTAART Website**](https://istaart.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC 2026**](https://aaic.alz.org/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, Down syndrome, Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease PIA, ISTAART, Lillian Morgado, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Biomarker Research, ISTAART Relay **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [ISTAART RELAY Podcast - Lewy Body Dementias PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-lewy-body-dementias-pia-2/) **Published:** July 2, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Why Lewy body dementia is so often missed, and what's changing. Joe Kane with host Patrick Lao. The ISTAART Lewy Body Dementias PIA on Relay. **Content:** **Welcome to the seventh season of the Dementia Researcher X ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast. Across six episodes, leading early career and senior researchers hand the mic from one ISTAART PIA to the next, giving you an honest, peer-to-peer tour of where dementia research is actually heading, from wearables and biomarkers to policy and trial design, in the run-up to AAIC.** Lewy body pathology shows up in roughly 30% of the brains of people who had dementia, yet it gets diagnosed in only about 5% of cases. Closing that gap has shaped much of Dr [Joe Kane](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-joe-kane/)'s career. Joe is a geriatric psychiatrist at Queen's University Belfast and outgoing Chair of the ISTAART Lewy Body Dementias PIA, and with host [Dr Patrick Lao](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-patrick-lao-columbia-university/) he traces his work from the Diamond Lewy programme to consensus diagnostic guidelines built by Delphi process. They discuss the symptoms clinicians often miss because they don't think to ask, from constipation to loss of smell, the cardiac scans and seed amplification assays now detecting pathology in CSF and even skin, and the TOP HAT trial repurposing an anti-sickness drug for hallucinations. Joe makes the case for a Lewy body specific rating scale, explains why the prodrome may be psychiatric or delirium rather than cognitive, and runs through the PIA's biggest AAIC programme in years, including a PIA Day panel on seed amplification assays. **Takeaways** - Genetic forms of Alzheimer's, including Down syndrome, let researchers study the earliest disease pathways before symptoms appear. - In Down syndrome, chronological age can approximate disease stage, with symptoms typically expected around age 54. - Imaging shows where amyloid and tau sit in the brain, the spatial detail a blood test cannot give. - People with Down syndrome were historically excluded from anti-amyloid trials; that is shifting, with a lecanemab safety extension now underway. - Not everyone follows the population timeline, and risk and resilience work asks what pushes onset earlier or later. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** Narrator: Hello, and welcome to season seven of the Dementia Researcher ISTAART Relay podcast. In this series, members of the ISTAART's professional interest areas interview each other about their PIAs and the hot topics in their fields. Each guest then becomes the next episode's host, passing the conversation along from one researcher to the next. We’re releasing one episode a day in the run up to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, this year in London and online, showcasing the work of the ISTAART PIAs. Thank you for listening. Dr Patrick Lao: Hi, and thanks for tuning in. I’m Dr Patrick Lao, and I’m an assistant professor at Columbia University, and I work on the Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease Professional Interest Area. I’m the current programme chair and the incoming vice chair. So today I’m excited to be talking with Joe from the Lewy Body Dementias Professional Interest Area. So hi, Joe. Could we start with you introducing yourself? Dr Joe Kane: Sure. My name is Dr Joe Kane. I’m a geriatric psychiatrist and a researcher from Queen's University, Belfast in Northern Ireland. And I am the chair of the PIA. I will be handing over the reins to our incoming chair, Federico Rodriguez Porcel at AAAIC this summer. So, it’s been really exciting. It's been really fun, but it’s time to hand it over. Dr Patrick Lao: That’s great. So, before we talk about your work with the PIA, could you tell us about your own work? Dr Joe Kane: Sure. I’ve been working in Lewy body dementia for about 10 years. And one of the things about working in this disease area is that you really do get to experience the whole breadth of the topics that make up Lewy body dementia. And you get to bring all those strands together. So, I started off with a very clinical angle. I worked on a programme called Diamond Lewy, which was a kind of multi step programme to look at how Lewy body dementia was diagnosed and treated within the UK National Health Service. That was my introduction to Lewy body dementia. And one of the things we did was we did a large epidemiological study of clinical diagnosis of LBD. Even though we see pathological evidence in about 20 to 30% of brains of people with dementia, really, it’s diagnosed in what we find was around about 5%. So, we then kind of set out to try and see what we could do about that. We did, amongst other things, we developed a consensus around how to best diagnose and treat Lewy body dementia. And we did a cluster-randomized trial where we introduced these toolkits, these consensus advice pieces in the different services and saw if they helped people. And we did find that there were some improvements in people's lives there. And then I complemented that with a bit of work with biomarkers. I used a scan, a cardiac scan, called MIPG, and we used that to differentiate Lewy body dementia from Alzheimer's disease. And that was pretty cool, that was pretty exciting. And it’s something I’ve continued on as well, some of that type of work. And then once I returned to Belfast and returned to clinical work, I found myself doing a lot of clinical trials. And that’s what I’ve been doing a lot of locally, as well as doing a bit of biomarker work and as well as doing the work with the PIA. So, I’m a local lead for a few different trials in Lewy body dementia. I recruit patients from my clinic, and both organise and collect the data. And it’s really great because I get to see where research sits in the life cycle of someone coming into a service, understanding their diagnosis, maybe doing a bit of patient public information work with us or advisory work with us, and then maybe coming into a trial. So, it’s great for me because it’s also clinically aligned. And although I can do, try to collaborate with scientists that really help develop my understanding in other areas, I really find that the patient and their care partners are at the middle of what I try to do. And what we see when we go to conferences like this, like AAIC, is that we benefit from people with loads of different expertise that maybe they brought from the likes of the Alzheimer's world, but maybe they've brought from completely different places. We collaborate closely with them to try and develop new projects and new angles on this. So, it’s a really exciting field to be in. I’ve been very fortunate to work on it over the last 10 years and I’m really excited to see how things develop in the future. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, that’s great. That’s an incredible range of different types of studies, doing clinical to clinical work, to clinical trials and epidemiological studies. So, when you mentioned that there was about 30% of brains, or was it 30% of individuals diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, but only 5% of them had a pathology identified clinically? Dr Joe Kane: So, when we do autopsy studies of people with dementia, we find Lewy body pathology in about 30% of those brains. Now, in a good percentage of those brains, there’s also a good amount of Alzheimer's pathology there. And we know that Alzheimer's pathology interacts with Lewy body pathology and in different ways that we’re only just really starting to understand. But it’s such a big jump from that huge proportion of people who have that pathology to the clinic whereby, 5% in a Lewy body dementia research clinic. You know, in other services, you know, there are some services that might not see people with Lewy body dementia for months at a time. And our argument has always been that a big part of that is, yes, starting to co-morbid pathology and how it influences the expression of that pathology, but also the fact that there are symptoms there that not everybody is accustomed to looking for. And, you know, these are symptoms like REM sleep behaviour disorder, in which someone acts out their dreams. And we keep telling people that if they're not comfortable asking about these symptoms, you won't detect it. And if you don’t detect the symptoms, you're not going to make the diagnosis. So, we feel that even though the pathology is a big part of it, we feel that the detection is also a really significant part of it. So, we need to approach it from both angles, really. Dr Patrick Lao: And you mentioned that the guidelines that you published, they helped, the clinical guidelines that you published really helped sort of fix that gap. Dr Joe Kane: Yeah, I mean, it’s great when there’s a huge body of evidence on which you can draw in a clinic and when you can rely on really good randomised controlled trial data and, you know, phase 4 studies. But the reality is for a lot of the less common dementias and for lots of different conditions in general, you're relying on different study designs. You’re relying on a little bit of expert opinion. You’re relying on some anecdotal data as well. So that was where that came about, how that came about. Rather than just do a systematic review and dredge the really, really good quality, robust data there, we were able to go out into our Lewy body dementia community. We were able to gain consensus through this process that we call a Delphi, where everyone or a good proportion of people needs to agree with a certain statement before it gets accepted into the guidelines. And whilst it’s not perfect by any means, and even just today, I shared those guidelines with colleagues that were approaching me and asking me for advice. So yes, you can throw somebody a really good journal article which tells you about this or tells you about that, but to be able to say to somebody, here are consensus guidelines on how you should diagnose and treat this condition, it’s just so invaluable for busy clinical staff. So that’s been really rewarding, and we’re actually in the process of updating those. Dr Patrick Lao: Oh, that’s great. Yeah, and I think that’s where biomarkers can really come in handy if the clinical diagnosis is tricky. So, you mentioned using cardiac scans to differentiate between Lewy body disease and Alzheimer's disease. Could you tell me more about that? Dr Joe Kane: Sure, one of the things that has always struck us about Lewy body dementia is that we see in the patient's symptoms evidence of pathology, not just in the brain, but throughout the body. A large proportion of people with Parkinson's disease and a large proportion of people with Lewy body dementia will not necessarily describe cognitive problems as their first problem. And what you see is a lot of constipation. You see a lot of autonomic dysfunction. And there is some good autopsy data to suggest that in a fair proportion of people with Parkinson's disease and other Lewy body diseases, that there is some degree of spread from lower down in the peripheral nervous system up in eventually to the central nervous system. So, the idea behind the cardiac scans is that we leverage that fundamental difference between Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's disease and try to identify pathology in the peripheral nervous system. And theoretically as well, doing that at a very early stage. And the cool thing about this scan is that, you know, in Japan, for example, nearly everybody suspected of having Lewy body dementia gets this as one of their first scans. So, there’s really good data out there. And what we did back in my PhD work was we compared this cardiac scan, which demonstrates adrenergic dysfunction. Due to Lewy body pathology. And we compared that with the other famous biomarker we have, which is the dopamine DAT scan. So, which does look at the dopamine uptake in the striatum. And we find that even though it was very good biomarker in the UK population, wasn't quite as effective as the DAT scan. But there’s been a lot that has changed in the Lewy body dementia sphere since then. And that we’re now looking at disease earlier and earlier and earlier. What we are starting to think of is these cardiac scans and these DAT scans, dopamine scans, as being complementary rather than head-to-head biomarkers. And we also think that, you know, certain phenotypes may demonstrate that the biomarker may be more effective in certain phenotypes. So, it’s still very much there. It's still part of our diagnostic criteria. It's something that we’re learning a bit more about, but it’s always been a cool angle. I find that not only researchers and clinicians, but patients really buy into that because they, as soon as they hear that constipation is a symptom or urinary incontinence or heat or cold intolerance is a symptom, they will inevitably say, "Oh yeah, I had that. "I’ve had that for a few years." And it’s crazy once you start going and systematically asking people about their bowels or systematically asking them about their sense of smell. There’s a huge proportion of older people that are affected by that. While they're not necessarily the best means of discriminating Lewy body dementia from Alzheimer's disease, it does show us that there’s different pathological processes, and we need to somehow leverage those. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, I’ve heard about some alpha synuclein biomarkers, maybe some PET tracers at an early development, as well as the seed amplification assay. And that seems to only work in CSF right now, but not necessarily plasma. How would those change the field? Dr Joe Kane: Well, the seed amplification assays have really sparked so much interest in the field. They have been really useful in CSF, and the USDLB Consortium and some of our colleagues in the likes of Newcastle upon Tyne and Amsterdam, they've really lent into the CSF analysis. But what’s also interesting is that you can use the seed amplification assays on other tissues. My understanding is that in blood it’s quite difficult because it’s quite easy to get false positives because of the clumping together. But what a lot of my colleagues in the States have been using, and something that we’re really looking forward to talking about on our PIA Day, is the use of skin biopsy. So, with a very small punch biopsy in the skin, we can put them into these seed amplification assays. For those that don’t understand, it’s basically a mechanism of growing the alpha-signed eukaryotic fibrils until they're detectable. And even in very, very small quantities in the skin, they can be grown and detected, and they can indicate that there’s evidence of this pathology. And you're right, although there is promising data around markers that we can use in neuroimaging, those aren't scalable yet, they have their issues. The idea of a skin biomarker or a CSF biomarker is just so much more seemingly within reach to clinical practise, and it’s something we’re finding out more and more data about. And until we get that really good PET tracer that’s really stable and really scalable, I think we’re going to continue looking into this evidence of pathology through places like the skin, but also CSF and elsewhere. Dr Patrick Lao: And you mentioned with clinical trials, what are the targets for those? Dr Joe Kane: And there’s different targets for them. They're not necessarily the places where you expect to look for. So, one of the trials that we’re looking at led by University College London is called the TOPHAT trial. So, it is using ondansetron, which is widely used as an anti sickness, anti emetic drug in cancer and oncology practise in particular. Although we have long thought of the Lewy body dementia as a disruption of dopaminergic systems, and then later on, cholinergic systems, and the likes of the use of ondansetron, it’s actually serotonergic. So, it’s looking at the upstream effects of the dopamine degradation that causes hallucinations that we see in Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia. So, in some of the other studies, they're looking at different targets as well. And it’s a really exciting time in Lewy body dementia research because these targets are emerging and because they are quite diverse. And that’s before we even get to that idea that we hope is coming later on down the line of somehow modifying that Alzheimer's pathology in people with Lewy body pathology. So, range of targets, all it takes is one of them to work for it to transform the field, but there’s certainly plenty in the pipeline and plenty of because for optimism as a consequence. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, that’s great to hear, especially because you mentioned the different clinical subtypes and so there might be different strategies for different groups. Dr Joe Kane: It's no secret in Parkinson's in particular; there’s different clinical phenotypes represent very different symptom groups, prognoses, and different responses to medication. We’re fairly confident it’s going to be the same in Lewy body dementia, but we need the big sample sizes and the big studies to do that. Dr Patrick Lao: Great, so thinking more broadly, are there any emerging topics at the field that you want to highlight? Dr Joe Kane: Sure, I mean, the real thing that’s on everyone's lips from my perspective is the trials and because so many of us are working in clinics, we’re working closely with participants, working closely with advocacy groups and charities and it just totally transforms the conversation when you can talk about interventional trials and not just observational ones. Obviously, we've still got a lot to learn from observational trials, but it really transforms the dynamic in the clinic when you talk about, there are new treatments on that, that might be on the horizon, do you want to be a part of that? The thing is with the trials becoming more and more of an issue is that they really made us reflect on the trial environment and their trial design. One of the things that PEA has done really well has been to examine trial design. So, we've always relied very heavily on things like outcome measures for things like Parkinson's, for things like Alzheimer's disease. We use the likes of the CDR, for example, which are designed for Alzheimer's disease and don’t always necessarily reflect the experience of the patient. And we were also conscious that some trials might be failing because their outcome measures aren't specific to Lewy body dementia. So, it’s really made us think very hard about trial design. It's made us think about how we leverage biomarkers in trial design, how we look towards the start of kind of stratified medicine process of maybe using some of the Alzheimer's biomarkers to work out when someone's got mixed pathology. And the other thing that we really identified as a very significant need has been a DLB or Lewy body dementia specific rating scale. And that’s what we've been working on over the past few years. I’ll be presenting at AAAIC some of our work with that. It's been really exciting because it’s allowed us to engage the Lewy body dementia community. All of us working together on this one question with many kind of sub questions to it. And we've made really good progress, but we do have some way to go. So that’s been something which has really captured people's imagination in the field. And I think it’s brought us together as a community. And we’re hopeful that if we develop the right tool that it will actually catalyse trials and encourage some of these novel targets to be investigated. And for the regulatory authorities, people like the FDA, for example, to buy in to these treatments if they do appear to be effective. So obviously I’m biassed because it’s something I’ve been working very heavily in, but I do think that’s generated a lot of interest. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, totally agree. When you can start talking about interventions to patients and participants, it really changes the entire conversation. So that’s been really helpful to set the scene for what I want to talk about next, which is the work of your PIA. So, you mentioned a little bit of how you’ve been reevaluating the design of clinical trials. But are there some other examples of how the work of your PIA supports research? Dr Joe Kane: Sure. Sure. In the PIA, we in the PIA have had a quite diverse approach to our work groups. And we've got four different work groups and one of them is really heavily invested in trial design. We also have work groups on biomarkers, on developing research consortia, and also on prodromal Lewy body disease, which is, I suppose, analogous somewhat to mild cognitive impairment. And Alzheimer's disease. And one thing that these things, one thing that these working groups have all done is they've functioned as a lightning rod for the international Lewy body community. And it has provided such a great vehicle and such great exposure. And it’s allowed us to move beyond the three or four or five traditional giants in Lewy body dementia research, to diversify, to democratise our community, and to bring more and more people into the community. And we have had people that have started off doing some of these projects, like a publication for the trial methods group, for example. And in the case of my colleague, Dr. Rodriguez Purcell, he started off doing a systematic review on trial methods and now he's about to lead the PIA. And then in other working groups, we've got really experienced colleagues working on biomarkers and really forwarding the conversation there. And again, what they've done really well is just energised the broader community. So, where you previously looked at some of these great reviews, you had maybe four or five people from the same groups, same centres, contributing to them. And you look at some of our PA papers, and there’s loads of authors from all over the world. And the people that have worked on these projects have stayed in Lewy body dementia, stayed in the PIA, and they developed projects of their own. So, the exposure and the ability to grow our network has been something quite different from anything we've been able to do in the Lewy body dementia community. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, I’ve always appreciated the ability to participate in working groups generated by the PIAs. And exactly what you're saying, bringing groups together from all over the world, giving early career researchers a chance to sort of contribute and work with some of the giants in the field. You mentioned a prodromal working group, and I’m interested about that. How long is the disease force in the prodromal stage? Dr Joe Kane: Great question, and the answer is we don’t know. One of the things that we've been really lacking has been longitudinal Lewy body dementia data. And again, there’s been a few well-resourced centres that have really got their act together and put really cool longitudinal projects in place. But the fact of the matter is that we don’t fully understand conversion from prodromal disease to full blown Lewy body dementia. We don’t fully understand the role that the biomarkers have to play in that. We don’t fully understand what things like Alzheimer's pathology has to play in that. And then the other big, huge thing is that we believe that the prodromal phase of Lewy body dementia isn’t just a cognitive one. And although we think of MCI in the context of AD to be very much driven by the cognitive symptoms, we also believe that there are significant groups of people out there ticking along without much in the way of cognitive symptoms. And the first evidence of their disease is psychiatric disease. So, the first time somebody has to ask the question is this Lewy body dementia could be their first depressive symptom, could be that they get psychosis or new hallucinations. And then there’s also another group whereby we think that people get delirium. We know that people with Lewy body dementia, for example, get delirium more frequently in the lead up to diagnosis than people with Alzheimer's disease. So, we also don’t know how that delirium onset prodromal disease then interacts with the full-blown dementia diagnosis. And it’s a little easier and we've got a little bit more data. And in the PIA, we've produced a couple of really nice systematic reviews on the conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia and the neuropsychological characteristics of those patients. But huge, huge gaps remain around the psychiatric and delirium prodromes. And that’s something which is something we've got to really work on as a community and get the data and that’s not that easy. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, and I think that really highlights the need for early intervention if those are some of the earliest signs. Those are really impactful on patients' lives. Dr Joe Kane: Yeah, I mean, different clinicians have different blind spots. And I’m a psychiatrist and if I see somebody with psychiatric symptoms, focus on the psychiatric symptoms and I’m maybe not always looking as closely as I could do about the likes of cognitive symptoms, even with disease progression. So, we need to work out how this changes the behaviour of clinicians in different services with their different blind spots. And we've achieved so much in the realm of dream enactment behaviour, REM sleep behaviour disorder, kind of sleep physicians are now really, really good at identifying people at a high risk of the Lewy body dementia. And we could probably do better when it comes to psychiatrists, old age psychiatrists, neurologists, and geriatricians, maybe asking a bit more systematically about some of these psychiatric symptoms and scrutinising for delirium a bit more closely. But we need the data, we need the studies and we can’t really move forward until we've done those. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, and I think that’s why these focus areas are so important, bringing together different scientists with different backgrounds to cover those blind spots. So, what brought you to the PIA and how did you get first involved? Dr Joe Kane: I had to rack my brain about this because I’ve been involved in the PIA for many years now. And I first got involved with one of the PIA working groups just after the pandemic. And I had paused my research work. I had moved from Newcastle, which is one of those traditional giants in the field, and moved back to Belfast, didn't have the same and doesn’t have the same pedigree for Lewy body dementia research. And I really wanted to continue the work that I'd done in my PhD. And this call went out saying, do you want to work on a paper about international consortia? I co-led that with Fabrizio D’Antonio, and we worked really closely with Dag Arsland and Jim Nevins, who are some of the absolute giants in the field. And it was so much fun putting that together. It was hard work, but as part of that project, we basically had to reach out to all Lewy body consortia that were occurring throughout the world. And it really gave me an idea of what the network looked like and really put me in contact with people I would never have had contact with either. Shortly after that, I was asked to be communications chair. And at the time I was tweeting a lot and that worked really well with tweeting about some of my favourite subjects. And it was a really nice way and a really exciting time to get people that were interested in Lewy body dementia interacting. And we ended up going out for drinks at AAIC and social media and getting out there has become a big, big part of who we are as a PA. Definitely not because of me, but because of my successors. And then it was shortly after that that I became vice chair and then chair. So, it’s been absolutely transformative for me as someone who, although I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the real luminaries in the field, I am a little bit isolated, it could be argued. And the PIA just changes that, the PIA just put me in the middle of these networks. And it gave me the opportunity to work on some really exciting grants, to collaborate with people I would never have collaborated with before. And sounds trite, but they're all my friends now. We go to AAIC, we look for each other, and we have fun together. And yeah, it’s been such a privilege and such a boon for my career and for my life. So, I’m very, very grateful. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, speaking of AAIC, you mentioned you have one presentation. Does the PIA have any other activities going on? Dr Joe Kane: Yeah, we’re really excited that this is maybe our biggest AAIC for many, many years in the PIA. We have lots of activities going on. We were in PIA Day after a brief hiatus last year. We’re back to PIA Day and we’re really happy with the programme we've got lined up. We've got a kind of a panel discussion that’s going to look at not only the data around the seed amplification assays, but also how they might start to influence our decisions in the clinic and how you might start figuring out clinical dilemmas using those biomarkers. We also, as part of that PIA Day, are really looking forward to awarding our first PA publication of the year award, which is an amazing paper. I’m not going to let the cat out of the bag, but we’re really excited that it’s such a quality paper for our first award. Then straight up after that, we always really engage enthusiastically in the postdoc and student prizes. Probably one of my highlights of AAIC every year is visiting the Lewy body posters and seeing the early career researchers and the great work that they're doing and sharing it far and wide. So, there’s that. And then I think we've got three featured research sessions. I’m in one of them. And one small part of a really exciting session that’s going to talk about the integration of some of the new biological frameworks that have been developed in Lewy body disease and in Parkinson's disease and how it might relate to not only trials but also practise and our cohorts as well. Then the last thing I’m really excited about attending is a clinical toolbox session, which I think is on the last day. As a clinician, you're looking every bit as much for some really good clinical presentations as much as breaking research. And our PM members, Bhavna Patel and Kate Wyman are going to be sharing a really broad multidisciplinary look at how to manage some of the more troublesome symptoms in Lewy Body dementia. So, I’m really looking forward to that. And I’m really looking forward to seeing everybody and being face-to-face. And I’m really looking forward to seeing what my colleague Federico has in store for the next few years of the PM. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, congrats. That sounds like a really productive programme at AAAIC. And I’ll have to stop by and check some of those out. Dr Joe Kane: Please do, please do. You'd be very welcome. Dr Patrick Lao: All right, well, thank you so much for your time. I think it’s time to end today's podcast. Before we go, I do have a final question. So, what advice do you have for someone who's just learning about ISTAART and how has it helped you being involved? Dr Joe Kane: I think one of the things that ISTAART has helped with is to provide, we talk about providing a platform, but it’s actually a bit of a pedestal. It kind of raises you up. It's really levelling and it really puts you at the same level of some amazingly talented and experienced people. So, my advice is to take that opportunity with both hands. And what always surprised me earlier in my career is that when I went up, I’m usually quite nervous in doing so and kind of gingerly approaching really experienced, really important researcher in the field. How keen they were to speak with just about anybody on our topic. How keen they were to provide people with opportunities. And how keen they were to, especially with ISTAART, involve people as much as possible. So, my advice would be, it’s such a great opportunity. Use it, try and set your shyness to the side and ask that question because I guarantee it’s not a stupid question. Dr Patrick Lao: Yeah, completely agree. So, thank you, Joe, for taking time to join us today. Dr Joe Kane: Thank you, Patrick. Really nice to speak with you. Dr Patrick Lao: So, thank you for listening. You can find profiles of myself and my brilliant guest and information on how to become involved in ISTAART on our website. There’s a link below in the show notes. So, I’ve been Dr Patrick Lao, and you’ve been listening to the Relay podcast from Dementia Researcher and Alzheimer's Association. Hit subscribe on YouTube or in your favourite podcast app to ensure you don’t miss an episode. Thank you. Goodbye. Narrator: You have been listening to the Relay podcast delivered as a collaboration between Dementia Researcher and ISTAART. This podcast is made at University College London with generous funding from the NIHR, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Society. Please like and subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. 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Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links/resources mentioned in the show: > [**ISTAART Website**](https://istaart.alz.org/) > > [**AAIC 2026**](https://aaic.alz.org/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Joe Kane, Dr Patrick Lao, ISTAART, Lewy body dementia, Lewy Body Dementias PIA, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research, ISTAART Relay **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Profile - Dr Sarah Gregory, University of St Andrews](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-sarah-gregory/) **Published:** July 15, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Sarah Gregory is a Lecturer and Head of IONA at the University of St Andrews, studying dementia risk and resilience, with focus on women's health and diet. **Content:** ![Sarah Gregory Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sarah-Gregory.jpg "Sarah Gregory")Sarah Gregory ##### **Name:** Dr Sarah Gregory ##### **Job Title:** Lecturer & Head of IONA ##### **Place of work/study:** University of St Andrews & Scottish Brain Sciences ##### **Area of Research:** My work focuses on understanding more about risk and resilience factors for the diseases that cause dementia across the life course. Right now my two main risk & resilience interest areas are [women’s health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/xxplored-podcast-women-hormones-mental-health-rethinking-psychiatric-disorders/) and diet. ##### How is your research funded: University of St Andrews: Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK; Scottish Brain Sciences is a commercial organisation. ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** During my psychology degree, I had the opportunity to complete a placement year in an older adults’ mental health service. It was here that I first discovered my passion for working in this area. Since 2010, I have been involved in research with people living with, and at risk of, dementia—initially working on clinical trials and, more recently, on cohort studies. I completed both my MSc at UCL and my PhD at the University of Edinburgh part-time while working as a study coordinator. Following this, I undertook a couple of great postdoctoral projects at the University of Edinburgh. In 2026, I joined the University of St Andrews as a Lecturer. Alongside my academic role, I have also been leading a cohort study at Scottish Brain Sciences, an independent research organisation, since 2023. Outside of work, I enjoy walking my dog, working my way through my ever-growing reading list, and staying active—anything from yoga and spinning to weight training. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My claim to fame is that I was a waitress in the final episode of Great British Menu in 2010 and got to serve the now King and Queen- I’m sure you can find evidence in the BBC iPlayer Archives! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: As mentioned, it was my placement year back in my undergraduate studies that was really instrumental in this decision. Getting to spend time working with people living with dementia and their families was so interesting and rewarding that I knew that was where I wanted to take my career, and I’ve been luckily enough to get to do that as my job since graduating! ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher? The best piece of advice I ever got was to do what interests you, and you’ll always enjoy your job! ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’ve just finished [The Heart’s Invisible Furies](https://amzn.to/4bbyNET) by John Boyne, and I’ve been recommending it to all of my friends. ##### Favourite film of all time? I’m terrible at watching new films. I think my most watched film of all time is Mean Girls, an iconic millennial film! ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Doing something active to get moving – even a quick walk around the block works wonders as a reset after a tricky piece of work. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Going to the University of Bath for my undergraduate studies. They were one of the few places offering placement years for Psychology students at the time and I wouldn’t have my career today without that year to show me what I wanted to do. I also met my husband and our best friends there. Thanks to my dad for driving me to so many campuses, generally in the pouring rain, to help me decide! ##### What’s the best vacation spot? I do love a holiday and exploring different cultures, but I think we also have so many brilliant places in the UK to explore, from the Highlands and Islands in Scotland to the beautiful beaches of Cornwall, a UK break can be so much fun! ##### Do you collect anything? Too many books?! ##### Can we find you on Social Media? [Find Sarah on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-gregory-40455023/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Cohorts, Dementia Prevention, Diet, Dr Sarah Gregory, EPAD, HPA axis, PREVENT, Risk Factors, Sarah Gregory, Stress, The University of Edinburgh **Organisations for Bios:** Industry, University of St Andrews **Themes for Bios:** Psychology --- ### [How should I respond to race-based exclusion in my lab?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-should-i-respond-to-race-based-exclusion-in-my-lab/) **Published:** June 23, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** A researcher feels left out of their team & held to different standards from their colleagues. How can they challenge exclusion without risking their position? **Content:** ![How should I respond to race-based exclusion in my lab - Nature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-should-I-respond-to-race-based-exclusion-in-my-lab-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "How should I respond to race-based exclusion in my lab - Nature 680 x 520 px") *Dear Nature,* *I am an early-career researcher of Asian heritage working in an engineering research group in western Europe.* *Some laboratory members who grew up in Western Europe, including ones in senior positions, seem to have higher expectations of me and my Asian colleagues than they have of others. We’re expected to perform better academically and we have to follow strict rules to receive the same level of respect as other team members. The general sense is that we should clean the lab more, and achieve more, than others.* *International lab members are routinely referred to as “a problem”. For instance, when I make a mistake, it’s common to hear someone say that people from my country “don’t understand the rules”. I find that occasional comments such as these have now become normalized. And the people making these comments don’t seem to see the problem.* *More subtly, informal lab communication, chitchat and support tend to be conducted in the local language, rather than in English, which makes it difficult for international researchers to participate in conversations and access information. I feel separated and distant from those on the team who speak the local language.* *This has been happening for years; it’s not a few isolated incidents. Inclusion policies exist at the university, but in practice, they are not always followed. Unequal treatment and race-based comments feel like needles. I’ve been experiencing these things for years and it makes me want to leave the lab, and maybe also the country.* *How should international early-career researchers respond when exclusion and racialized behaviour persist in academic environments? I want to speak up for my community, but what options exist when speaking out feels unsafe, even years into a career? **— An international early-career researcher*** --- ## The advice “A lot of the negative experiences that come from [race-based inequalities](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/nihr-race-equality-framework/) are the more subtle forms,” notes Billy Wong, a higher-education researcher at the University of Reading, UK. Wong suggests finding allies as a first priority. “When you look for people who share similar experiences, you create a network of peer support,” he says. Joelyn de Lima, who advises the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne (EPFL) on pedagogy matters, recommends that you and the other people affected start documenting every relevant incident. Log what happens, when, where, who else was present and what impact it had. She adds that it might be worth taking note of whether you are excluded from any research papers or projects, and whether there is a lack of opportunities for researchers of particular nationalities. Documenting events is helpful because “if at some point you want to escalate”, you have proof of a pattern of behaviour that’s difficult to argue against, de Lima points out. “Data talk. If I show you an established pattern that has occurred across people and across time, that then helps you to make informed decisions in the future,” she adds. A collection of evidence can thus help to deter gaslighting — when someone suggests that you’re being oversensitive or misinterpreting the situation. Jan Van Maele, a language and communications researcher at the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium, also suggests that you try to find some allies in your lab. Some of your colleagues might be able to “challenge instances of race-based comments and speak up against unequal treatment with less risk”. Van Maele also notes that, often, people who make insensitive comments are unaware of the hurt that they are causing. One way to encourage them to change their behaviour is to talk to them about the effect that their actions are having on you, if you feel comfortable doing so. De Lima says that a mismatch of expectations could be caused by the ‘model minority’ label, which portrays people from some Asian nations as especially competent and successful. The stereotype persists that “as a culture, you’re supposed to be high performing, so you should be performing more now”. She points out that a sense of “psychological safety” has been shown to improve aspects of group performance[1](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01130-6#ref-CR1), and that reminding colleagues of this could motivate them to be kinder at work. De Lima also suggests implementing a code of conduct in the lab. Ideally, this would be your principal investigator’s responsibility, but anyone can initiate the creation of one. A code of conduct means that expectations can be set without needing to single out individual team members who have engaged in harmful behaviour, and could include clear standards for behaviour, tackling favouritism and any unequal expectations that you’ve identified. ## Find a common language Language-based exclusion is common, but often unintentional and difficult to police in informal groups. De Lima admits that she sometimes slips into her own first language of Konkani when she’s with other people who are also from the Indian state of Goa, even in mixed-language groups. But that doesn’t mean that this is always harmless in a work setting. “Vital pieces of information are sometimes passed in informal conversation, and then you tend to miss those,” de Lima comments. “But you also miss out on feeling like a part of the group.” A lab code of conduct could contain a clause about speaking in a shared language wherever possible. Including that as an expectation might be a way to challenge accidental exclusion. However, she acknowledges, “you can’t really have a code of conduct for informal spaces”. The line between social chatter and work-relevant conversation is blurry. In-group socialising is a difficult thing to change, Wong warns; you might need to pick your battles. It could also be helpful to show that you’re making an effort to learn the local language or languages. ## Escalate or exit if needed The advice-givers don’t recommend escalating the matter as a first step. Ideally, the suggestions above would be enough to address the problem. But if discriminatory behaviour persists, it might not be safe to go to your principal investigator. Instead, Wong says, you and your affected colleagues could approach someone at your institution in your subfield, or — if necessary — outside the institution. “Within European universities, there are often ombudspeople or persons of trust,” de Lima explains. They are required to keep details confidential, and they will have useful information about the university context. At a minimum, Van Maele advises, you could look into alternatives to your current job. “The better your alternatives, the stronger you can feel in addressing the actions you perceive as exclusive and unjust in your current work environment.” Leaving would not be a failure, Wong emphasises. “If the environment is really toxic, then I think looking after your well-being is important in the long term.” De Lima agrees: “Nobody will raise statues to us because we thrived in a situation that was hostile.” Although you might feel justifiably angry, it’s best not to exit with a shower of recriminations. Given the close academic networks in many science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, “you don’t want to leave a sour taste behind because there could be repercussions”, Wong warns. This situation isn’t fair to you. But de Lima hopes that these suggestions for countering the harms you’re experiencing will help you to move towards the overall goal: “to remain whole while building a career in which you can thrive”. --- *Shared from Nature Careers for this and more great content visit doi: * **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Christine Ro, Nature Careers, Racism --- ### [Podcast - Agentic AI and the Future of Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-agentic-ai-and-the-future-of-dementia-research/) **Published:** June 12, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** In this podcast, Dr Niranjan Bose, Jonathan Hoover and Dr Kexin Huang on the Alzheimer's Insights AI Prize and what agentic AI means for dementia research. **Content:** **In this episode, [Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/) brings together [Dr Niranjan Bose](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-niranjan-bose/) from the Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative, [Jonathan Hoover](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jonathan-hoover-prima-mente/) from the AI company Prima Mente, and [Dr Kexin Huang](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kexin-huang-biomni-ad/) from Stanford University and Biomni AD. They discuss the Alzheimer’s Insights AI Prize and what agentic AI could mean for the future of dementia research.** We hear about the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative and AD Workbench, and their role in making research data more accessible, usable and secure. The conversation also looks at how the Alzheimer’s Insights AI Prize could help researchers make better use of that data, turning complex resources into practical tools for discovery. Kexin introduces Biomni AD, an AI research assistant designed to help scientists develop questions, bring data together and move from ideas to results more efficiently. Jonathan introduces Parthenon and Athena, a virtual wet lab system that helps researchers model cell states, test perturbations and plan experiments. Together, the guests consider how AI can support researchers without replacing human judgement, and why confidence in using these tools is likely to become an important skill for dementia researchers. **In this episode:** - AI can support researchers by helping with data, workflows and experimental planning, but it still needs human judgement, review and validation. - AD Workbench from Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative is helping make dementia research data more accessible, usable and secure, giving researchers better ways to work across complex datasets. - Agentic AI could help researchers move more quickly from a research question to an analysis plan, useful evidence or a possible experiment. - Biomni AD, Parthenon and Athena show how AI tools are becoming more specialised, from research assistants to virtual wet lab systems. - AI literacy is likely to become an important skill for dementia researchers, including those without coding or data science backgrounds. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voiceover** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Professor Louise Serpell** Hello and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Today we have the man behind the Alzheimer's Insights AI Prize and the two teams who won it. We are talking artificial intelligence, agentic AI, and what they really mean for dementia research. Hello, I'm Professor Louise Serpell from the University of Sussex in the UK and I'm delighted to be hosting this week's show, where we're going to be exploring something that has been generating quite a bit of conversation across the field, which is the role that AI and in particular what is now being called agentic AI may play in dementia research. So to set the scene, back in March, the Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative announced the winners of its Alzheimer's Insights AI Prize. It was originally designed as a single $1 million prize, but the quality of the proposals were so high that the judges ended up naming two winners and doubling the pot. With me, I have three people in the room who can tell the story and tell us how AI can make a difference. Dr. Niranjan Bose, Interim Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative and Managing Director for Health and Life Sciences at Gates Ventures. Niranjan, welcome. Or Bose, welcome. **Dr Niranjan Bose** Thank you, Louise. Thank you for having me here. **Professor Louise Serpell** I am also joined by Jonathan Hoover from Prima Mente, one of the winning teams with their platform Parthenon. Jonathan, hello. **Jonathan Hoover** Hi Louise. Thanks for having me. **Professor Louise Serpell** And finally, Kexin Huang representing Biomni AD, the other winning team, which is a collaboration between Stanford University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Kexin, welcome. **Kexin Huang** Thank you, Louise. Excited to be here. **Professor Louise Serpell** We're going to start with Bose to set the scene. Then we will hear from each one of our winners about what they're actually building and we'll finish with some broader reflections on AI in this field and some tips for any ECRs listening who fancy putting themselves forward for something like this in the future. Bose before we get into the prize itself, I think it's worth setting the scene. The AD Data Initiative is one of those organisations that people in the field have probably come across, but not everyone will know exactly what it does or how it came about. Can you start us there? **Dr Niranjan Bose** Absolutely, Louise. The Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative as a journey for us started seven, eight years ago and driven fundamentally by the question that the field of Alzheimer's and related dementias has had some challenges. Late stage clinical failures, difficulty to diagnose the disease in a non invasive, scalable manner. So our principal Bill Gates asked the question, what if we were able to make the historical or the retrospective data sets more available, accessible and analyzable to the global community without really defining who that community is. It could be anyone from any walk of life who might have an idea because maybe a family member, maybe a friend was affected by the disease and they wanna give back to society. So that was our fundamental premise. And five years ago, we launched this as a standalone nonprofit organisation with the one mission of making data more broadly available, accessible to researchers globally in the neurodegeneration field. **Professor Louise Serpell** Well that sounds fantastic and I just wonder if I can ask you a little bit about yourself and how you got to be in the position that you are now in. You told me earlier that you are not an AI person by training. **Dr Niranjan Bose** Yes, and I'll tell you one more thing. I'm not a neuroscience researcher either. So combine that and you may wonder why I am sitting here talking to you. I'm a microbiologist by training. I joined the Gates Foundation about 20 years ago and most of my work at the Gates Foundation was on vaccines, primarily paediatric, diarrheal and respiratory vaccines. Joined Gates Ventures, which is Bill Gates' private office, about a dozen years ago. And the primary role was and continues to be, to serve as a scientific advisor to Bill on healthcare and life sciences topics. One of the topics that sparked Bill's curiosity and interest was Alzheimer's disease. So we embarked on a learning journey and built the learning agenda for him to understand the challenges, the bottlenecks, and perhaps the reasons why that might have led to late stage failures in the field. And long story short, here we are about eight years ago, Bill made his first philanthropic investment in Alzheimer's disease through Gates Ventures. And as I indicated earlier, five years ago we launched the Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative. And because of my role at Gates Ventures, I get to serve as the interim executive director currently. **Professor Louise Serpell** That sounds really interesting. So I've heard of the AD Workbench and I wondered if you could tell us a little bit about what that is and how people can use it. **Dr Niranjan Bose** Absolutely. If you think of making data sets available, you also need to make sure that you embrace interoperability and secure workspaces. Let me break both of those down. There are a lot of rich data sets that reside in global data platforms such as Dementia Platforms UK, Vivli, the Global Alzheimer's Association Interactive Network or GAAIN. How do you build on that rather than saying, "Hey, we're going to build the next best centralised data repository" and we didn't wanna do that. That's why we picked interoperability. It's our number one technical objective. And AD Workbench is that interoperability layer that stitches together nearly dozen global platforms that house rich data sets from various geographies including US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America and the likes. The second part on secure workspaces is making data sets available is a great thing. It's a starting point. You need to get on "first base" to get their home plate. Secure workspaces are the next part of that journey. For people who don't have access to compute or tools that allow them to combine these data sets to analyse these data sets in a secure manner while still adhering to the privacy and governance and permissioning rules of the data contributors, these workspaces are cloud based environments that are built within AD Workbench that democratise access to cloud, to data sets and compute. **Professor Louise Serpell** That sounds really exciting. And from my point of view as a dementia scientist, I think that's a really exciting perspective on how collaboration can actually be conducted in a really diverse way so that you get, give access to everybody, I suppose, who has computer access. So that sounds fantastic. **Dr Niranjan Bose** Absolutely. I'm reading the Infinity Machine now, so if I want a six year old player, chess player to really go ahead and build a model, we need to make sure we democratise access to the high school student, to the middle school student, to the college student. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, and from whatever country. So that sounds fantastic. Thank you. So how did this all end up with AI? in a way it makes sense. You've got a huge amount of data, from all of these different platforms. And can you tell our listeners exactly what agentic AI is? **Dr Niranjan Bose** Great question. I will attempt to answer that question for you. We are joined by two experts who perhaps are more adept at giving us a very clear answer. But as I understand it, and let me break it down into maybe a real life analogy here. We all use automation. We automate things, let's say a Google search to book an airline ticket. We are automating tasks. But when you think about an AI agent, think about it as having a little bit more autonomy. It can think for itself and it can give you answers that might go beyond do step one and step two. But when you think about agentic AI, and let's say I want to plan a birthday party for my son, I can say plan a birthday party for me and he loves Premier League. The agentic AI solution should be able to look at my calendar, the dates the family's free, prepare an invitation list, find a venue, order the themes, order the napkins, order the cake that's all themed in his favourite thing, send it out and comes back to me and says, "Okay, all of that's done. Here's the number RSVPs you've received." So it's going beyond automation, it is going beyond one independent task. It's about thinking it through end to end. **Professor Louise Serpell** Thank you that was really helpful for me 'cause I did look it up and your explanation was perfect. So if I'm right in understanding this, if I compare it to say the usual AI chatbots that people are used to using now, presumably this goes beyond one question or one sentence and continues that to its ultimate conclusion in actually completing the task. **Dr Niranjan Bose** It absolutely does. In the realm of data sets, now that we have about 350 or so data sets across these dozen interoperable platforms, if I'm a researcher and I come in and I don't know how to code, but I have a very, very good question to ask. And let's say the question is why do women get more Alzheimer's than men? And if I go to an agentic AI tool and I write it down and say, "I'm trying to answer this question, can you help me using the AD Workbench, find out how I should go about answering it? Even better, why don't you put in requests for all those data sets, put it in my secure workspace, run your agents that can do the regression analysis and just give me the charts with five hypothesis that I could test in my lab? That is what we want these agentic AI solutions to do. **Professor Louise Serpell** Well, I would love to know the answer to that. I have a student who's actually working on that particular problem and that will be fantastic to know the answer that AI would come up with. So I understand that from what you've said and I'm just wondering why do you think data has been such a difficult problem specifically for Alzheimer's and dementia research specifically because it sounds the Gates Ventures have identified that particularly when obviously there are lots of other conditions and diseases that it could have been used for. **Dr Niranjan Bose** Another fantastic question. Everybody who funds, participates and conducts studies wants to make that data available for novel insights to be generated. So the coalition that came together of funders, academic researchers, industry partners to get the Alzheimer's disease data initiative started, realised that there are perhaps three key barriers that we'd have to overcome. The first one I spoke to is interoperability. When data sits in siloed environments, it's really hard to bring them together and do the combined analysis. The question on why do women get more Alzheimer's than men, you might have to bring, let's say 10 data sets that live in four different platforms together. And that ability to do the combined analysis has been a challenge in the past. And I believe we built necessary bridges so we can still build more bridges. But I believe we have a good quorum on interoperability now. The second aspect is permissioning and governance. We need to absolutely make sure we are adhering to the consent forms, the nature of the data sharing that was agreed upon when the study was conducted. If we could build agents that understood every aspect of what went into the consent form. And when I'm a user who's requesting a data set, can the agent actually do the review of my application and make it easier for the permissioning person to say, yeah, this person checks all your boxes. You can go ahead and greenlight this approval without waiting three weeks or three months in a matter of maybe a day or two days. You reduce the friction on access. The third aspect I would say is some of these studies perhaps where data was collected in a pen and paper format, I'm talking studies maybe that were done 50 years ago, 60 years ago and they've not been digitised or they've not been harmonised. For all of those, we need to bring in additional resources, move them into a digital format to help them with the curation or the harmonisation. And some of them may not have robust data dictionaries. I mean those are the gaps that we want to fill, whether manually or using tools, automation and agents. So we can reduce the friction on data sharing. Data is an extremely valuable asset if used appropriately, if the right questions are posed to it. And that's the journey we're on. **Professor Louise Serpell** And presumably you are updating the data all the time. So if somebody, for example, had cohort data on Alzheimer's disease, would they contact you or to upload that or to to contribute that? **Dr Niranjan Bose** Absolutely, and it's a two way street. We reach out to cohorts and data contributors and principal investigators and many times they reach out to us as well because the intent and the wish to share the data to make it available is there. Many times it's understanding the constraints, the barriers and those legal considerations that sometime have to be unblocked or unpacked so that we could make it a lot easier for the data contributors to share the data and data does get updated, and that's why I think having the right version and having the right data dictionaries that go with the updated data sets are critically important as well. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, I was thinking of an example where at the ADPD meeting, Nova Nordisk gave several talks about their GLP1 trials and talked about how they were going to share the data, which I thought was fantastic because it feels quite new to me that researchers or companies would be sharing their data with everybody to have others analyse it. So that's presumably the thing that would be shared on your platform. **Dr Niranjan Bose** Absolutely. And even if it's shared on a different platform, we will strive to build the interoperability bridge. So for our user, the ability to access the data is as minimally frictionful as possible. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yeah. Wonderful. So we should turn to the prize. We have two winners here. Congratulations, Jonathan and Kexin. So I just wonder before we move on both, if we can talk about the Alzheimer's Insights AI prize, which was launched in August, 2025 and what the original intention behind it was and why did you feel that the competition was the right mechanism? **Dr Niranjan Bose** Another great question. The prize was thought about as an idea at the Alzheimer's Association's International Conference a year ago in 2025. And we were faced with two choices. One, we could commission our own set of AI agents in agentic AI solutions through a selection process of partners, maybe companies that could build it for us. And the other choice was to put out a million dollar prize and see what ideas came from the global community. And we were quickly convinced that option, the second option was the better way to go because what if we failed to think about the best idea or the better idea in our whiteboarding exercise? So why narrow it down to just our conference room and our ideas? And that's why we chose to go with the prize. Now we were still faced with some critique in that when have ever prizes solved problems and it's a fair critique, but in this case we were able to overcome some of those critiques by saying we're not looking to solve the problem. We're building tools that will enable users and other researchers to come in and solve some problems and ask them questions. So if we were to do it again, I think we'd do the prize all over again. It was a excellent experience. We got it done in about eight, nine months. The diversity, the ideas was striking. And we have two fantastic winners, thanks to our jury and the applicants. **Professor Louise Serpell** Were you surprised when you got 180 submissions? **Dr Niranjan Bose** I was surprised that it was not more than 180. The speed at which the field is moving, I would've expected to see a lot more. I'd have expected to see 500, and I think my team informed me nearly 500 folks registered on the portal to submit an application and we did that so we could gauge how many judges we need. And of the 500, only about 180 or 200 ended up finishing the application. **Professor Louise Serpell** That's an interesting statistic that probably reflects most grants and applications and prizes. I would think so. Although I might think that in the AI field, a million dollars is perhaps very little money. Ah, well we'll talk to the others about that. Thank you so much Bose. That was really useful grounding. Let's bring in one of the winning teams now. Kexin, your team's solution has been described as an AI co scientist for Alzheimer's research. So I'd to start with what that actually means in practise, because co scientist is a phrase that gets used a lot at the moment. Can you walk us through what Biomni AD does and the language you'd use with a colleague who works on dementia but isn't an AI specialist? **Kexin Huang** Yes, thanks for the question. So I think a useful context is actually to look at how scientists or dementia researcher has been doing biomedical research today 'cause if we really look at the day to day life, a typical researcher will need to navigate through many different tools and software databases, literature, and then even working with other scientists from different expertise to get work done. So it's a very manual complex process. So what the Biomni AD does, it's really think about how do we automate, how do we scale up this process from the question to result? So Biomni AD intrinsically is a, you can think of it as a virtual research intern. So instead of the scientists handle, perform all the tasks, now it's the agent to perform all the tasks. And the scientists just need to take the steering wheel and ask the question, take the ideas, and then Biomni AD will handle all the taskss. So the key idea of Biomni, which is a precursor of the Biomni AD project, is a general purpose biomedical agent that can do all kinds of different biomedical research tasks ranging from ideations, design molecules, experiment protocols, and then even doing the data analysis and so on. So our goal is really want to make a platform that is specialised for Alzheimer's disease and then it can help scientists to perform all kinds of day to day tasks in a more autonomous way so that it can save a lot of time. So scientists can also focus more on the discoveries in contrast to handle all the executions. **Professor Louise Serpell** It sounds amazing and transformative for the scientist's workload. Do you think that scientists will embrace it or do you think that they might feel that their autonomy or their work is being taken from them? **Kexin Huang** Yes, I think there's definitely will be a transition period, but I would say all the scientists have been experimenting with the platform. They all end up liking it because it just saves so much of their time so they can focus more on the ideas and the discovery, which is the fun part of the science in contrast to the more tedious part of the science. Yes, so I can imagine this is a great amplifier for the scientists in contrast to a replacement of a scientist. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, absolutely. And just from a personal point of view of having used AI and then decided, "Oh no, I don't the way that AI has done this." I'm wondering if you have the opportunity to change the pathway and put in your own input and say, "Oh no, I don't want to do the experiment this, I want to do it slightly differently." Do you have a interactive platform that allows you to do that? **Kexin Huang** Exactly so the interaction and the collaboration is the key features of Biomni AD because we understand scientists when they work day to day, it's also a iterative process. It's never one step and then they have result. Yes, so that's why we actually design the agent to encourage to proactively collaborate with the scientists, by asking the right questions, before you launch the task and make a plan to work with the scientist to align with the plan. So it's almost your real research interns, right, before it goes out for a task, it align with you first and then really iterate together to get work done. So that's a key feature that we are emphasising and pushing forward a lot on. **Professor Louise Serpell** Fantastic. So it looks the Biomni platform was developed initially with Stanford and Mount Sinai, and I wonder if you can tell us a bit about that partnership? **Kexin Huang** Yes, exactly; so initially Biomni AD is a project through my PhD at Stanford. So it's an open source project and allow anyone is can contribute to it and initially Biomni is designed to be general purpose, so it can do across disease areas. And after the open sourcing, we have interest from the community to contribute and to specialise in different disease areas. So that's where Qwan from Mount Sinai who's a very experienced and well established researcher in Alzheimer's disease. He's also excited about the future of agents in Alzheimer's disease and he reached out to us to say if we can partner together to specialise Biomni to Biomni AD. So he's going to still having the specialisation effort. And then we have been working together for a few months trying to bring Biomni to the Alzheimer's disease researchers system. **Professor Louise Serpell** I'm slightly intrigued about your background. So where have you come from to get to this stage? And in terms of whether you are a computer scientist or a biologist or what was your intention when you first started working on this project? **Kexin Huang** Yes, so I'm a computer scientist by training. So I've been working on this AI and biomedicine research for almost a decade. So I was intrigued by biology during my junior year in college, which is almost 10 years ago. And since then had just been working on AI and biomedicine yeah, ever since, working on all kinds of different problems in drug discovery from target discovery, human genetics, and all the way to molecule design, even clinical trial design and so on. So definitely the AD is also very personal for me. I actually have, I think 10 years ago I did a 23andMe test. I also have the APOE variant. So that's why I'm also very passionate about this as well. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, many of us do. Yes. So can you tell me a little, just to maybe give an example of what a typical task looks when a researcher uses the tool? **Kexin Huang** Yes, so there's all kinds of tasks that a platform can enable. Maybe I can give an example on the data analysis side. So traditionally for example, you have a single cell RNA sequencing data set. You want to really understand what are the cell types annotated it. It often involves a very long process of, proper process data set through the quality control, through the PCA and through the UMAP. And also do a lot of literature research and manually look at each clusters and then try to identify what's marker gene and so on. So traditionally, if the data set is very large, it can take a team of scientists to several months to get work done. But right now you can, in our platform, you can just upload the account matrix data set and then let the agent know I want to do cell annotation for this single cell RNA sequencing data sets. And then the agent will ask you some clarification questions or make a plan. And then after that, it will just going to do everything when I just mentioned autonomously and then return a report that talk about all the cell type annotations and also interpreted the data as well. And then you can iterate with the agent to ask follow up questions and then to make real interesting hypothesis and discoveries. **Professor Louise Serpell** It really sounds that one might not need to think very much. Is that true, do you think? **Kexin Huang** Yes, I still think human is still under control. So how do you come up with the right question? How do you give feedback to the scientists, to the agent? It's still dependent on the thinking of the human scientist, especially the space of hypothesis is just so large and the humans still need to think about it and then pick the one that they want to pursue. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, so a young student perhaps couldn't say, "Oh, well I don't need to read any of the literature because the AI will just do it for me." I perhaps hope. **Kexin Huang** Yes, AI will help you summarise and then can make it faster. But I think every young student still need to have a solid and fundamental knowledge about a space because AI is also going to generate a lot of traces and tags and output. But at the end of the day, if you want to make this high stakes hypothesis and send it to the web lab for example, you still need humans to review and then the review process still requires fundamental knowledge understanding about this task. So I definitely will still argue that yeah, my scientist knowledge and the job is still very well retained. **Professor Louise Serpell** So the judges highlighted multimodal data spanning omic single cell biomarkers and clinical domains. So what's really strikes me about that is how much of that data is easily accessible, presumably that's from the database AD data initiatives and what does that mean for the kinds of questions that researchers can ask? **Kexin Huang** Yes, I think this is where the AD Workbench platform really shines because Biomni only without the AD data set, is a general purpose agent. So without this data set, I actually cannot ask, answer many meaningful questions for the AD researchers. So that's why our main effort is actually trying to integrate these AD Workbench data sets in a very native fashion to the Biomni platform such that agent can utilise the right data set with, or a combination of data set with any question. And that's relevant for the AD research. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay, and I was also thinking that that must mean that, that there's much less overlap in terms of experimental work. So people aren't needing to do the same experiment more than once that they're just accessing the data that's already been uploaded rather than having to do that, that experiment work themselves. **Kexin Huang** Right, yeah, I think definitely it's a a tremendous resource of experiments and if it's already covered in the existing data set, it definitely does not need to be redone. But I'll also argue that there's still a tremendous amount of missing experimental data out there. Maybe the agent, the role is actually it can looking at the existing data set and come identify the gaps and identify the risk and also suggest what experiments are needed to answer the questions. Yeah but I'll still think experiment is extremely valuable to improve the Biomni AD platform. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay, thank you very much. So what were the difficulties that you needed to overcome? You've been working on this a long time. What did you have to do to make sure that this actually works for its intended use? **Kexin Huang** Yes, I think there's definitely many challenges. I think right now building a prototype is relatively easy with the AD coding agent has been getting very popular. Yes, but when we really letting the platform to be used by scientists, just identify so much gaps, the agent need to be, have as close to zero hallucinations as possible. Agent had, needs to be scalable too, so a lot on the infrastructures as well. And they also integrated natively with the AD Workbench and with the right UI and UX. So all of these are challenges. Yeah. And I usually make an analogy it's almost building a laptop right now. There's multiple different components working together, very organic fashion and then you want to make it a, almost a, a native orchestration of all kinds of different components to make it work magically for the scientist. **Professor Louise Serpell** That sounds great. So I guess accuracy is one of the questions that people often ask about AI that sometimes it certainly when I've tried things, I noticed that there are some things are incorrect. How do you ensure that there aren't inaccuracies or errors in the output? **Kexin Huang** Right, yeah, so there's definitely ways to, improve the accuracy of the agents and I would say it's not, still not 100 percent fully accurate across the entire space of the tasks. So that's why the review is still very important. But this indeed recipes to improve it, basically we can usually for a task that's not performing too well, we can just work with the expert that know how to get a task done and we can learn, the agent can basically codify the knowledges of that expert and then the agent basically can imitate the behaviour or the thinking process of experts to get the work done. And once it's codified, then anyone can basically benefit from it as well. So it's also a democratisation tool where we can codify the best knowledge from the best expert and then distribute it to every AD researchers. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay. What's your personal hope that somebody will find the answer to? **Kexin Huang** Yes, definitely, I think AD is still, there is still also open question about mechanism about even the cures or treatments. So hopefully this process can at least accelerate the drug discovery process for the AD. Yes, maybe a treatment could be coming from sessions from the Biomni AD that would be the most impactful thing we can ever do yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell** Thank you so much Kexin. So I'm going to turn to Jonathan now. Your team came at this from a different angle. Parthenon has been described as a virtual wet lab with AI co scientist called Athena. That's quite a vivid image for anyone who spent any time at a bench. So let's start with what's under the hood? How does it work exactly and where did the idea of a virtual wet lab come from? **Jonathan Hoover** Yes, great question. So I think there are are two layers to this. There's the models that power the system, and then there's the virtual wet lab piece of it itself. I'll break them down for us, but at a high level, our goal here with these models is to essentially enable researchers to ask if I have cells in a specific cell type and I want to move them to another cell type, what are the perturbations or stimulations or anything you would add to the experiment that would cause that shift? I think therapeutically this seems is, it tends to map to, if I have cells in a disease state and I want to make them look less diseased, what is the perturbation or sets of perturbations or therapeutic target that could drive that shift? Our models aim to answer that question. So they are built, there's two layers of these models. There's a cell state model that understands the cell state representation of the cells that we're looking at. And then there is the perturbation model that understands how each of these cells responds to perturbation cell. And so together these help you ask what list of perturbation experiments can I run? What drugs can we use to cause the shift of interest? So that's what the modelling itself does within Parthenon. The virtual wet lab system makes this model accessible to people who don't necessarily have bioinformatics or model training experience. It includes a discovery engine that allows for analyses and you can ask okay, I want to move cells from a disease associated microglia state to an antigen presenting state. What are the list of perturbations or the set of perturbations that might cause the shift? And it'll pull up a bunch of plots and graphs that make this a lot easier to understand. Additionally, you can ask if I have a cell in a starting state that is again, let's say go with a disease associated microglia and I add this perturbation to it, what are the differentially expressed genes that I expect to occur that are predicted to occur from this? So it is an analysis tool. On top of that it allows for, we've built in capabilities for generative combinatorial perturbations, essentially can we combine any known set of perturbations? This could be a gene or a CRISPR knockout, it could be a drug, et cetera, in a way that moves my cells in a direction that wouldn't be possible with one by itself. And this allows for experimental planning. So functionally what we are doing with this system is making it easier for wet lab researchers to shortlist the experiments that would be used to ask their question of interest. We also have combined it with a system that allows plugging in these agentic AI co scientists by Biomni or other ones out there that can pull on that power that Kexin just described about coming up with or searching literature, coming up with hypotheses about the gene pathways that are involved to also augment what our model is currently capable of doing. And we've built into, with this virtual wet lab, the ability to do model training and searching through the AD Workbench system to find data sets that may have relevant perturbation data sets or relevant cell type data sets to improve the model before you do your experimentation. So this all creates this loop where an individual researcher can do their, ask their questions, generate data based off of the experimental plan that comes up, put it back into the system, and that will improve the model and kick off this flywheel that provides information back to the community. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay, so it's not actually replacing the scientists necessarily or the experimental detail, but it's predicting what might happen to allow them to decide exactly what they will refine their experiments to do? **Jonathan Hoover** Yes, exactly. So a lot of these experiments are prohibitively expensive with the CRISPR screens, large scale drug screens. And so shortlisting those candidates better understanding which ones will drive cells to a state of interest that is therapeutically relevant, saves money and increases the return on investment. There are also non therapeutic utilities here, for example, a lot of cell models don't accurately, they're great cell models than the model, the Alzheimer's disease, but they don't perfectly recapture what is happening in the brain. And with this tool you can start to shift, you can ask what are the perturbations, what are the functionally Yamanaka factors within the context of what we're looking at that would move the cell models to look and more accurately recapitulate human biology. So yeah, it's a partner for a scientist, not a replacement. **Professor Louise Serpell** So before I ask you a load of biology questions, maybe I could just ask you, Jonathan, what your background is and where you came from, how you got to being in this position with Parthenon? **Jonathan Hoover** So I have a winding path. I started in a biology undergrad, then switched to a neuro major, graduated with neuro, did a couple of years in lung transplant immunology lab, then a cancer immunology lab. From there I was "Okay, I don't love being in the wet lab, but I love science." Went and got a master's in statistics at the University of Edinburgh. From there I moved to Genentech, where I was doing single cell RNA sequencing work and comparing a bunch of different technologies. And I have since, for about eight or nine months now, been at Prima Mente working with them on cell state, these virtual cell models, how to build them to accurately allow us to predict changes in cell state with perturbation data. **Professor Louise Serpell** Good, well then I have permission I think to ask you biology questions. **Jonathan Hoover** I'll do my best. It's been a while since I've been in the lab, but yes. **Professor Louise Serpell** Well it's more about the cell models and I'm trying to think about the sorts of experiments we might do in the lab. For example, we might want to use iPSC that have been created from a donor who has a particular mutation. And then to try and examine what changes there are in the pathological proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease, maybe Alzheimer's, maybe amyloid beta and tau. But then to question what perturbations we could make to those cells. And I'm wondering if that's the experiment you are thinking about being able to predict and then guide. **Jonathan Hoover** Yes, 100%. So the way that we define cell state currently is with transcriptomics. We intend to expand this to epigenomics and other functional readouts as well. But in the case of what you're talking, we work a lot with iPSC cell lines, particularly in microglial astrocytes. We are expanding into cultures and tricultures with neurons as well to see how they interact under varied cellular context and perturbation to change there. But yes, you can ask the question, given a genetic background and a perturbation that I want to apply to it, what is the expected change that I would have in the state right now that's transcriptomics, but that could be as we, it increase the data sets that move into this that could be epigenetics, could be proteomics, et cetera. And this will help one, understand how that perturbation in itself is driving the change. But as you partner with these AI co scientists, maybe that gene is within a pathway that would expand that you can find other targets that you could perturb as well that would have a similar function and that could expand the understanding of the gene regulatory networks that are involved with causing the cell state to change of interest. **Professor Louise Serpell** So in terms of the types of cells that you are using, would you, I remember seeing that it's mostly astrocytes and microglia that are mentioned. But you are including neurons and other cell types in your data set. **Jonathan Hoover** Yes, so the proof of concept that came out at the time of the competition was microglia and astrocytes. But we are designing experiments right now that are all three cells, both monocultures and tri cultures across all three of them. So that we can expand that, yeah, that data corpus. **Professor Louise Serpell** Organoids and mini brains and. .. **Jonathan Hoover** Yes, we are not sure yet if we want to do organoids. They're a very difficult system to get consistent data out of. But it is something that is 100 percent under consideration. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, and then we're extrapolating to human networks. **Jonathan Hoover** Yeah we're also very interested in xenograft data as well. So you culture the iPSC cells, do the perturbation of interest and then transplant those into mice with a disease background, et cetera. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, that's been very useful I think hasn't it? I want to ask you one more biology question, which is I've understood then from what you've said, that it's mostly about the omics data that you've got in. So the sorts of experiments we would do would be asking questions about the effects on particular parts of the cells, particular organelles mitochondria and lysosomes. So at this point it sounds you are not at that stage yet where you can consider what might happen in a particular part of the cell. It's more of a whole cell question. **Jonathan Hoover** Yeah at the moment, if we move into more spatial imaging, that will be within the realm of what we can look into. We don't have that data at the moment, but it is of interest to us. We can ask at a high level, what is the phagocytic activity that's involved? Like you could do those types of assays and take those readouts from and include them in our representation of cell state. And that is on our path for what we're intending to do. **Professor Louise Serpell** And from the data you'd get out from the omics data, the proteomics or genomics, you might expect to see particular organelles being highlighted in terms of the pathway. **Jonathan Hoover** I must admit this part of the biology I'm not quite as familiar with, but from my understanding, at a high level, yes you could pick out markers that would be indicated in those specific pieces of the biology. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, I think that's right. That they would be pointing towards a particular pathway within the cell that might trigger the scientists to think, well we'll go and focus on the mitochondria or focus on the nucleus or nucleolus or something. Thank you. Really helpful. So the judges singled out your platform for being deeply foundational and for letting researchers test therapeutic hypotheses in silico. For someone who designs experiments for a living, what does that change about how they would plan their next project? **Jonathan Hoover** I think that there, this is a tool that powers discovery. So I think really what is changing here is how to come to a hypothesis. This is a hypothesis generation tool. And then with the Athena harness that connects to these AI co scientists, it helps narrow down the exact experimental plan, but it's in a conversation. It's not the scientist is oh, my hands, hands off, see what happens here. It is refining the potential experiments that can be done generating new hypotheses that would not have been thought of because either the data was not clear in the literature or there's just a small piece of the literature that just they hadn't seen. So it essentially expands where they can look and then narrows down on which ones are more likely to generate an output or have a higher return on investment for them. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay, and Athena is a co scientist, so it's similar to what Biomni does, you know? **Jonathan Hoover** So Athena is our system to connect co scientists. We are developing our own internal things, but you could plug and play whichever works best for you. For example, you could plug and play Biomni in, you could plug and play NVIDIA's models. You could put in yeah, whatever, whoever we end up partnering with for this. And for any open source models that are out there, those could be included. So it would be powered by the models themselves and then connecting them to our system so that it, so that our models on cell state and perturbation embedding can inform those LLM based models and connect to get a better understanding of what's happening in the field. **Professor Louise Serpell** So before I move on, I'll ask you a similar question to what I asked Kexin. What would you hope to see with the use of this model personally? **Jonathan Hoover** I think there are two things that I would to see out of this. One is more research. I would love if people could make better cell models that accurately represent microglia in the brain. I think that would be phenomenal for everyone. I think the other piece is it would be incredibly exciting to find a perturbation or a small, a CRISPR perturbation or a small molecule that is acting in these pathways that genuinely does shift cells from a more disease state to a less disease state, preferably one that has already been shown to work in the clinic, so that it could be tested more easily. But yeah, that would be great. Obviously the post discovery piece of all of this, the clinical trials is very difficult and, but it would be great to to see a translation there. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay. Thank you very much Jonathan. So question for both Jonathan and Kexin. Both of you have built tools that are pitched as collaborators rather than replacements, which comes as a huge relief as a scientist and probably for most of our listeners who are pursuing this career. Where do you think the line genuinely sits between a useful AI partner and overreach, and what do you think a researcher should absolutely not delegate? So maybe I'll go back to you first Kexin. **Kexin Huang** Yes, I think this is a great question. So I'll say it's definitely AI, right now's more a research assistant in contrast to research overlord. As we design a platform humans still need to provide the prompt to that agent to perform a task. So with all the prompt, it cannot do too much, right? So that's why we always design a platform and make it an AI partner instead of an overreach. Yes, and for the task, that researcher absolutely not delegate, I would say actually I think it's okay to delegate as much as possible, but it's just researchers need to review the answers and the traces because indeed the agent is an extremely useful platform. It can dramatically increase the productivity and they can do all kinds of different tasks that scientists is performing day to day. But the answer still requires review and validation from the humans as well. **Professor Louise Serpell** Thank you very much. And Jonathan? **Jonathan Hoover** Yes, I think I'm aligned with Kexin here. AI is incredibly useful. I think as every day the line for where you would not delegate shifts and changes as the hallucination guardrails get better and the models get better, you can delegate more or okay, maybe delegate is not the right word, but you can trust the outcomes more. I will say there are a lot of things that you can and should delegate. It is useful tool that essentially allows you to free up your own thinking space. But that means that you have to use that space, your own, your own reasoning in the right places. So I will let these agents do simple math for me, write code for me that is fairly simple implementation, but high level systems, I'm the one who's reviewing all of these things. So yeah, it depends on the scale that you are doing this work. But at the end of the day, a human should currently still be in the loop for review for all of these things. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay, thank you very much. We are nearly out of time, but before we wrap up, I'd to ask a final question. So what would you to see happen, perhaps an action that each dementia researcher might take after listening to this podcast today? And I'll start with Kexin first. **Kexin Huang** Yes, I think so agent is definitely going to be the new way how scientists are going to work in, in a couple of years. So I'll definitely encourage scientists and researchers to start experimenting and then also embrace the technology and then also try all kinds of different tasks in the platform while looking at the result closely and validate and review it as well. **Professor Louise Serpell** Okay that sounds brilliant. And Jonathan? **Jonathan Hoover** Take a look at the AD Workbench. I think there's a lot on there that is helpful and useful. And then also understanding the gaps for all of us of what is missing is also very, very helpful for all of us. For anyone, I think it's very important to become literate in AI tools at the moment. I think we're at a place where it's similar to the early two thousands where you need to learn how to use Google. This is how research is going to be done. And it does not have to just be for programmers, you can build an agent as a wet lab scientist that does research for you, that will help you send emails, all of these things. It's a useful tool to learn and understand. And I think that if it is not done now, it is easy to fall behind. And so that's something that I would suggest people get on now. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, I definitely feel excited to try it out myself now. So yes, to become much more literate with it. Thank you. And Bose, what do you think you'd really to see happen from the launch and from this prize now? **Dr Niranjan Bose** Join us on this journey. I think we need ideas from all different disciplines. We need feedback on the tools and the data sets. And by joining us on this journey, you're going to make the global research ecosystem a lot stronger, a lot better. And I'm optimistic we will shorten the time it takes from studies to data to insights. **Professor Louise Serpell** Yes, it's fantastic. It sounds so collaborative and really exciting. I guess one of the things that maybe the field is going to have to think about is exactly how people are judged in terms of their outputs and the success in the field because we all want to collaborate and share our knowledge. And what we all want really in the end is a treatment and diagnosis, early diagnosis, being able to identify the right people and treat them in using personal medicine. And the problem at the moment that I see in terms of the scientific field is that we are all judged by our papers and our research grants. And if we are all going to collaborate, this will make for a better world, but perhaps a more complicated way of ranking and judging people. So that would be a very interesting future for us all I think. Everyone will have to embrace that perhaps. So thank you all so much. I wanted to just reflect a little bit here that from this conversation it sounds that the dementia research bottleneck is really shifting, but we used to talk about not having enough data and now we have loads of data and we're really moving towards knowing how to actually treat that data and make real strides forward in terms of understanding how to use it and how to then iteratively plan our new experiments and ask questions about it. I think that the tools are very clearly being provided to not replace researchers, but to work with them and help them with their research. So that's really exciting and I think there's been some real insights into how somebody who might want to contribute to this whole endeavour might be able to put forward their ideas, contribute data, and ask the questions that really need to be asked to understand Alzheimer's disease and dementia. So finally, I'd just to thank you very much both Jonathan and Kexin for joining me today. You can find out more about the Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative, AD Workbench and the prize at the AD Data Initiative website. And as always, you'll find all of the resources we've mentioned on the show notes for this episode at dementiaresearcher. nihr. ac. uk. Until next time, I'm Louise Serpell and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Thank you very much. Thank you. **Kexin Huang** Thank you. **Jonathan Hoover** Thank you, Louise. **Narrator** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementiaresearcher. nihr. ac. uk. --- --- If you would like to join a panel or record a podcast on your own area of research, [complete our show form](https://8k3qel8nuxc.typeform.com/to/Z4QBdLDs). You can subscribe to our podcasts through your favourite podcast app, just search for 'Dementia Researcher' or follow the links in the footer of this page. Did you know... all of our blogs are also available as podcasts? Find them here on [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher-blogs/id1524855620), and here on [Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG) > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. Join our Supporter Programme and subscribe to our channel in YouTube or in Apple Podcasts for exclusive access to bonus shows, and to gain early access to our recordings. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**AD Workbench**](https://bit.ly/ADWB-DRP) > > [**AD Data Initiative**](https://www.alzheimersdata.org/) > > [**Alzheimer's AI Insights Prize**](https://bit.ly/AI_DRP) > > [**Prima Mente**](https://www.primamente.com/) > > [**Biomni-AD**](https://biomni.stanford.edu/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Agentic AI, Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Dr Kexin Huang, Dr Niranjan Bose, Jonathan Hoover, Podcast, Professor Louise Serpell **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Technology Research **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [In the field & in the lab - sometimes the simplest tool is best](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/in-the-field-in-the-lab-sometimes-the-simplest-tool-is-best/) **Published:** June 17, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Technology has led to unprecedented innovation, but common household items can help make research more reproducible — and accessible. From Nature Careers **Content:** ![Toolbox](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sometimes-the-simplest-tool-is-best-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "sometimes the simplest tool is best - Nature 680 x 520 px")\#image\_title **For David Thomas, a walk to the kitchen for coffee is a trip down memory lane. Standing amid the spoons, pans and pantry goods of his home, Thomas — an Arctic researcher at the University of Helsinki in Finland — is reminded of days spent on the ice, swaddled in layers of clothing that keep him alive at temperatures as low as −40 °C. That’s because when some of these kitchen staples are not being used for their usual duties, Thomas brings them on expeditions as crucial components of his field kit.** Thomas studies the biogeochemistry of aquatic systems, including the role of microscopic algae and bacteria in the carbon cycle of sea ice. To investigate this, he and his team collect ice cores and samples of the salty brine that sits between the individual ice crystals. The brine collects at the bottom of the hole from which the core is taken, about half a metre down, and it can be difficult to retrieve. The hole is too deep to stick an arm down, and when the team tried using syringes, they clogged and broke in the extreme cold. “We’ve found over the years that a soup ladle attached to a pole is the ideal thing,” Thomas says, adding that once the brine is collected, another kitchen tool — a strainer — helps to remove lingering ice crystals that would otherwise dilute the sample. “You can get very technical sieves, of course, but the one in my kitchen is perfect in that it’s robust, cheap and easy to sterilize.” At a time when there seems to be a niche scientific ‘unitasker’ for every process, getting back to basics and repurposing, or even developing, simple tools offers a sense of freedom. With a little creativity, scientists are building surprisingly robust kits to aid tasks in fields from microscopy to oceanography. Their experiences highlight what research do-it-yourself enthusiasts have long understood: that compelling science doesn’t always require the most-complex equipment, or the most expensive. ## **A spirit of improvisation** Thomas’s work in polar systems is an extreme example, but the fact remains that fieldwork demands a certain level of thinking on your feet, particularly when working in remote areas with little support. “When something breaks, you usually have to make do with what you have on hand,” Thomas says. “A spirit of improvisation is essential in a good field scientist.” As a result, field researchers often travel with essentials such as bundles of zip ties and rolls of duct tape for on-the-fly repairs. But beyond these universal items, some researchers have developed or adopted common, low-tech solutions that are tailored to the specifics of their work. ## **Creative workarounds** Kristina Young, an ecologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, studies the soil of dryland ecosystems, which cover 40% of Earth’s land area, excluding Antarctica. With little plant cover to break wind and water flow, the microtopography in these areas — or how bumpy the surface is — can be an important driver of processes such as dust deposition, seed sprouting and erosion. Young says that she’s used a handful of seemingly strange tools in her work, including a BB gun and a jewellery chain. Shooting a pellet into the ground helps her to gauge the susceptibility of the soil to wind erosion, and draping a chain over the ground’s surface and measuring its length provides an estimate of soil roughness. “These are pretty crude estimates,” Young admits, “but they still tell us a surprising amount about the ecosystem.” Modern tools, such as drones, can make the same measurements, sometimes with greater precision, but the chain is much cheaper and easier to travel with. Getting permission to fly a drone is often difficult, or even impossible in some countries, Young says. And drones can complicate reproducibility if collaborators don’t have access to the same tools. Young is part of an international effort called CrustNet, in which researchers use shared protocols to study drylands, and the chain method is one of several simple metrics that have helped the project to expand. “We’ve been able to launch a global collaboration purely by basing protocols around things that most people can access and learn to use quickly,” Young says, adding: “We’d love to study every site in really deep detail, but the reality is that we have to be practical about what works. For this project, the jewellery chain is the correct tool for the job.” Accessibility and reproducibility also form the foundation of Saša Iskrić’s work as part of KAP Jasa, a non-profit kite organization in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The group isn’t focused on science, but Iskrić says that they have sometimes assisted on research projects, such as an aerial survey of a newly discovered Roman villa, imaging remnants of medieval agriculture and assessing water pollution in the Ljubljanica River. The group’s most common kite for these studies is a rokkaku dako, a six-sided structure of Japanese design. Around 1.8 metres tall and 1.5 metres wide, these large kites can carry more than one kilogram, and Iskrić predicts that people will send microphones, meteorological equipment or even Geiger counters aloft to help answer research questions. Kites offer several benefits compared with drones, Iskrić says. “A kite can stay aloft for hours, while a simple drone flies for half an hour before its batteries get depleted,” he says, adding that this problem is greatly exacerbated once you start adding weight. “Also, one can’t fly \[drones\] in urban areas, in national parks or over heritage or archaeological sites. But, one can fly a kite pretty much anywhere.” ## **Simplicity in the lab** Turning to simpler tools has also been a boon in the laboratory, particularly at a time when funding for science has dipped and every penny counts. “Getting away from what the usual suppliers offer you can be freeing,” says Marie Held, a microscopy image analyst at the University of Liverpool, UK. “I’ve been able to create new things that match the specifics of the work I’m doing, things I could never buy out of a catalogue.” As a postdoc at the University of Southampton, UK, Held had access to a 3D printer, and although the machine itself is not simple, her creations were. For her research, Held was imaging tiny spheres made up of mouse kidney cells using a fluorescent dye that bleaches when it is exposed to light. Rather than work in a dark room all day, she printed her own, bespoke holder for her sample tubes. As well as keeping the tubes in darkness, the lidded container stopped them from drying out, and she designed it in a grid that matched her experimental protocol. Held says that she got hooked on finding new uses for the printer. Rather than buying a new pipette rack — “they are so expensive, and all they do is suspend a pipette on the desk!” — she used online resources, such as Thingiverse, MakerWorld and Yeggi, to find free files to print her own. And once she became more comfortable with the software, she was also able to design more of her own, tailor-made tools. When she struggled to reach a knob in the microscopy lab, for example, Held designed a gripper on a stick that she could use to turn it without leaving her seat. “None of it was groundbreaking, but it made my life a little easier,” she says. David Ho, a chemical oceanographer at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, has similarly relied on out-of-the-box thinking to develop something useful for his work. Ho studies the processes that influence how carbon dioxide from the atmosphere gets into the ocean, which absorbs roughly 30% of atmospheric CO2. Oceanographers use a device called an equilibrator to measure the CO2 in seawater, and, somewhat paradoxically, they do so by sampling the air above the water after it’s had a chance to equilibrate in the device. Almost all equilibrators are large, homemade devices built from acrylic sheet and polycarbonate. More than two decades ago, Ho approached his friend, Tim Newberger, at the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado, about crafting an equilibrator that was compact enough to put aboard a research vessel. It needed to be able to withstand the ship’s motion and be insulated so that the water temperature remained steady. Newberger strapped together two commercial water flasks — a 1.5-litre ‘keg’ and a 1-litre tumbler designed for everyday hydration — and incorporated an infrared CO2 detector. The final design looks more like a bomb than a scientific instrument, but it has joined Ho on expeditions to every ocean basin on the planet. “Before he worked in science, this guy was a violin-maker, and he was a genius who could make a US$100 solution for your $100,000 problem,” Ho says of Newberger, adding that if you’re not the creative type yourself, it’s definitely fair game to lean on people who are. “Most places have a shop team that will work with you to build something, and my experiences have taught me it can be a fun challenge to work with them through the puzzle of making what you need.” --- *Nature* **654**, 830-831 (2026) *Shared from the Natuer Careers website for this and more great content visit doi: * **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Nature Careers, Research Methods --- ### [Profile - Dr Vanessa Young, UT Health San Antonio](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-vanessa-young-ut-health-san-antonio/) **Published:** June 16, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Vanessa Young is a postdoctoral fellow at UT Health San Antonio, studying sleep, stress biology and Alzheimer's risk in underserved communities. **Content:** ![Dr Vanessa Young Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Vanessa-Young.jpg "Dr Vanessa Young")Dr Vanessa Young ##### Name: Dr Vanessa Young ##### Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow ##### Place of work / study: UT Health San Antonio ##### Area of Research: My research focuses on the intersection of [sleep](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/sleep-problems-could-double-risk-of-dementia-in-later-life/) health, stress biology, and Alzheimer’s disease risk in the context of health disparities and social determinants of health. I examine how biological stress pathways and sleep disturbances contribute to neurodegeneration in underserved communities, with an interest in digital biomarkers as tools for early detection and monitoring. ##### How is your work funded: My research is currently supported through my mentor’s sponsorhip as a newly minted PhD. I have recently applied for a T32 training fellowship and am preparing an F32 individual fellowship application to support my independent research training. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a postdoctoral research fellow at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. My work sits at the intersection of sleep health, stress biology, and Alzheimer’s disease risk, with a particular interest in health disparities and what digital biomarkers and passive monitoring technologies can reveal about early disease processes in real-world settings. I came to research through a non-traditional path, with prior experience working in clinical settings including with military populations, and that shapes how I approach my work. I have spent a lot of time doing community outreach across South Texas and the US-Mexico border region, and that experience keeps me grounded in why any of this matters beyond the lab. Outside of research, I serve as Communications Chair for the ISTAART Technology and Dementia Professional Interest Area and teach undergraduate psychology at Arizona State University. I genuinely love finding ways to make science land with different audiences, which is what drew me to this podcast. When I am not doing any of that, you will probably find me with a camera in hand or a cat in my lap. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My husband and I lived in Kenya for 2 years and adopted a baby elephant. Her name is Kamok, and about 12 years old. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I actually set out to become an early childhood developmental specialist during my undergraduate program. But during my clinical work with patients with traumatic brain injury, I became increasingly fascinated by a question I could not let go of: why does the brain degenerate, and what sets that process in motion in some individuals? Sleep kept emerging as a thread I could not ignore, this seemingly simple behavior with profound consequences for neurological health, and that intersection pulled me in a direction I had never anticipated. The shift became permanent when I joined the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases under Dr. Sudha Seshadri. The Glenn Biggs gave me the scientific home, the mentorship, and the connection to a community that carries a disproportionate burden of this disease. Turning those early questions into research that could actually matter for the people around me made everything click into place. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Do not compare yourself to others, especially on social media. What you see online is a highlight reel, the acceptances, the grants, the celebrations. You rarely see the rejections, the years of struggle, or the self-doubt that came before. Everyone’s path looks different, and most of the messy middle is invisible. Run your own race. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Lessons in Chemistry](https://amzn.to/4xxrmS7) by Bonnie Garmus ##### Favourite film of all time? Can’t decide ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Zumba, yoga, and time with family and friends! ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Marrying my husband and deciding to chase my dreams, turns out the two go hand in hand. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Italy! ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @Vanessa\_M\_Young](https://x.com/Vanessa_M_Young?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Vanessa on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-young1/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Vanessa Young, ISTAART, UT Health San Antonio **Organisations for Bios:** University of Texas **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Technology --- ### [Blog - What's in a name? Amyloid, Amyloid-beta, Beta Amyloid, Amy-Lloyd](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-whats-in-a-name-amyloid-amyloid-beta-beta-amyloid-amy-lloyd/) **Published:** June 15, 2026 **Author:** Professor Louise Serpell **Excerpt:** Professor Louise Serpell on why 'amyloid' and 'amyloid-beta' are not the same word, and why the difference matters for Alzheimer's research. **Content:** --- **When I was a PhD student, I attended a conference where a very senior colleague, Prof. Mark Pepys, spoke about the definition of amyloid and his words stayed with me. He was adamant about the importance of precise language in describing science. Since then, the amyloid nomenclature committee has worked through several iterations, updating the definition to incorporate intracellular and functional amyloid. The number of officially recognised amyloid precursor proteins now stands at 42 — and is still growing.** The amyloid nomenclature committee (2022) agreed that “the term ‘amyloid fibril’ should be used for any cross β-sheet fibril”, and that the precursor protein and its origin should always be named. [Reference](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13506129.2022.2147636?journalCode=iamy20#d1e274) Given how broad the definition of amyloid has become — encompassing many different protein compositions — why do we still use the word “amyloid” alone when referring to amyloid-beta protein, its fibrils, and the plaques deposited in Alzheimer’s brains? Amyloid describes a structure: a self-assembled protein. It covers multiple proteins that misfold and form fibrils and filaments. Tau forms amyloid – Paired helical filaments are amyloid. Insulin can form amyloid at high concentrations. Antibodies — immunoglobulin light and heavy chains — can form amyloid and deposit in the heart and skin. These are all diseases of protein misfolding, each characterised by a specific protein (or proteins), and each sharing the defining feature of a beta-sheet-rich fibril structure. Historically, diagnostic criteria included Congo red staining, which highlights amyloid deposits in blood vessels and organs with a distinctive green colour under a cross-polarising microscope. Perhaps even more striking is that amyloid can be functional. Bacteria such as *E. coli* use amyloid fibrils — assembled from a family of related proteins called curli (CSGs) — for adhesion and protection. Amyloid fibrils are also found in sperm, play roles in viral infection and immune response, and even form the structural basis of lacewing egg silk stalks. This last example underlines the inherent stability and strength of the amyloid structure. **Why does the word matter? Surely, we all know what we mean?** I would argue that words matter enormously. Precision in language is critical — especially when we are communicating with the public, with those developing new therapies, or with those who fund our research. Consider an analogy: imagine using the word “people” to describe the actions of a specific world leader. “People have passed a law giving everyone the freedom to fly.” The name of the leader matters. Their country matters. Their specific characteristics matter. In the same way, the amino acid sequence of amyloid-beta is precisely what gives it its name. Its chemical characteristics determine its structure, its function, and its biological behaviour — including how it folds, or misfolds. We cannot use a word that groups everything together, any more than we should generalise across all humans or entire populations. **So here is my plea.** Please use the term *amyloid-beta* when describing Alzheimer’s disease and its pathologies. Using “amyloid” alone risks confuses those we communicate with — and, in doing so, risks confusing ourselves. --- ![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px")Professor Louise Serpell #### Author **[Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/)** is an Emerita Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Sussex. Her research focuses on how proteins misfold and form amyloid structures linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, using approaches from structural biology and molecular biophysics. Louise completed her DPhil at the University of Oxford and later established her own research group in the UK. Alongside her research career, she has been active in mentoring, public engagement, and supporting early career researchers. [**Find Louise on LinkedIn**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseserpell/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Amyloid, Amyloid Plaque, Beta Amyloid, Biomarkers, Misfolded proteins, Professor Louise Serpell, University of Sussex **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Profile - Professor Carmela Tartaglia, University of Toronto](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-carmela-tartaglia-university-of-toronto/) **Published:** June 15, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Carmela Tartaglia is a Toronto neurologist researching neurodegeneration and biomarkers to improve diagnosis and precision care. **Content:** ![Portrait of a smiling woman with short dark hair wearing a blue shirt, in a blurred lab/office setting.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Professor-Carmela-Tartaglia.jpg "Professor Carmela Tartaglia")Professor Carmela Tartaglia ##### Name: Professor Carmela Tartaglia ##### Job title: Professor / MD ##### Place of work / study: University of Toronto / University Health Network ##### Area of Research: Neurodegeneration / [Biomarkers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-we-use-biomarkers-in-dementia-trials/) ##### How is your work funded: Grants (NIH, WSIB, TISS, Weston Brain Foundation, Brain Canada) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a Professor at the University of Toronto and a cognitive-behavioral neurologist at the UHN Memory Clinic where I see patients with neurodegenerative diseases. I employ a multi-modal approach, integrating imaging and biofluid biomarkers with genetics, and clinical data to improve diagnosis and understand the underlying causes of cognitive, behavioral, and motor impairments. I investigate the role of co-pathology across neurodegenerative diseases with the aim of advancing precision medicine and enabling targeted, early interventions. I also see patients with repetitive head impacts at risk of neurodegeneration including CTE. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: “Ask me about my dog” is the sign in my office ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? When the brain changes you change. That is what neurodegenerative diseases do, they change the brain and thus who we are. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? If it feels like work, look for something else. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Covenant of Water](https://amzn.to/4uM3Oqc) by Abraham Verghese ##### Favourite film of all time? Down By Law ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Watching a movie ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Getting a dog ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Too many to list ##### Do you collect anything? Not really. ##### Can we find you on social media? [@carmelat.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/carmelat.bsky.social) [Find Carmela on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmela-tartaglia-37612a15/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Biomarkers, ISTAART, Professor Carmela Tartaglia, University of Toronto **Organisations for Bios:** University of Toronto **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers --- ### [When drug discovery fails: scientists share their frustrations with the process](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/when-drug-discovery-fails-scientists-share-their-frustrations-with-the-process/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** In clinical trials, there are many times (and ways) a therapeutic can come up short. Tammy Worth writes for the Nature Careers blog. **Content:** ![When drug discovery fails scientists share their frustrations with the process - Nature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/When-drug-discovery-fails-scientists-share-their-frustrations-with-the-process-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "When drug discovery fails scientists share their frustrations with the process - Nature 680 x 520 px") **For scientists who are involved in [drug discovery](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/catch-up-11th-aging-research-and-drug-discovery-meeting/), failure is part of the job. Less than 15% of drug candidates make it to market from the laboratory. Most drugs don’t get through clinical trials because they aren’t effective enough or have unmanageable side effects.** Each step in drug development typically takes one to three years and has a high risk of failure[1](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01797-x#ref-CR1). The probability of moving on from phase I trials, which are often the first test of a substance’s effect on humans, is about 64%. Phase II tests safety, dose and efficacy; just over half of candidates don’t make it past this stage. Phase III, the largest of the three, aims to obtain enough data for drugs to be approved by review boards such as the European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration. More than 40% of candidates that reach this stage come to the end of the road here. These failure rates also don’t take preclinical work into account. Before a drug makes it into trials, scientists can spend a good five years identifying and validating its mechanism of action, as well as testing its toxicity, activity and solubility. Most therapeutics don’t clear those hurdles, and even those that make it all the way through the clinical-trial process can still fail because they are too expensive or toxic for real-world use. Three scientists who have faced obstacles during the various clinical-trial phases reflect on the implications of failure and how they have moved forwards. #### **Failing phase I** As someone who works on a type of motor neuron disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), neurologist Jeffrey Rothstein has seen his share of missteps. He chairs the scientific advisory board of the Network of Excellence for ALS, an international group comprised of 160 medical institutions, and provides advice to companies that are developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. He has therefore come across firms that don’t have the money to do sufficient research ahead of phase I trials, and others that don’t know whether their drugs will reach their intended targets in the brain. In 2021, when Rothstein became principal investigator of a trial for a gene therapy called BIIB078, he felt prepared. The therapy was created by biotechnology company Ionis Pharmaceuticals and licensed to another biotech firm, Biogen, both based in Carlsbad, California, for clinical trials. Several genetic and environmental risk factors have been linked to ALS, and BIIB078, a short, synthetic, single-stranded nucleic acid, was designed to target one such factor, a mutation in a gene called *C9orf72*. “We had a really complete data package,” Rothstein says. “It was safe in mice; it was not toxic to human brain cells. It did what it’s supposed to do and everything about it was working.” To his surprise, BIIB078 failed in a phase I clinical trial. It increased blood levels of a protein associated with neurodegeneration compared with placebo, and there was no improvement in clinical outcomes such as muscle strength or respiratory and physical function[2](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01797-x#ref-CR2). “This was 180 degrees opposite of all the preclinical research we had done, and we had not predicted this at all,” Rothstein says. After the trial’s failure was published in 2024, Rothstein was questioned by colleagues about how the drug could fail when all the science was right. He had to tell them that he didn’t know. His only hypothesis was that they had targeted RNA transcripts generated from only one of the two strands of DNA containing the mutation, which had worked well in mice, and “everyone thought that was the right strand to turn off”, he says. Rothstein has learnt to accept failure and not allow his ego to run the show, a sentiment he imparts to his PhD students at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. “That’s part of what I teach,” he says. “If you’re studying a mechanism of disease, there’s a high likelihood that ten years later, you’ll be wrong about what you think was causing the disease.” Although BIIB078 didn’t make it over the clinical-trial hump, Rothstein is clear-eyed about the drug-discovery process. When he talks to participants at the start of a clinical trial, he tells them there are three possible outcomes. “What you and I want is that it’s going to work,” he tells them. “Second, which is the most common among all drug therapies, is it just fails to do anything. It’s the third option that most participants don’t embrace. They don’t realize that it can actually make things worse.” The failure of BIIB078 hasn’t deterred Rothstein from moving forwards with his research. His team is currently working on suppressing RNA transcripts from the other strand of DNA in the mutation. He wants to know if it has toxic effects and, if so, whether it was somehow activated when the number of RNA transcripts from the original strand was reduced. “We don’t know yet,” he said. “But we do know a lot more now because we ran that trial and collected data.” #### **Failing after phase II** Yelena Janjigian, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, experienced failure between phase II and phase III trials. A specialist in gastrointestinal conditions, she was working on ‘anti-PD-1’ drugs, a type of immunotherapy used to prevent tumour progression and lengthen survival, often in combination with other therapies. A 2024 study[3](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01797-x#ref-CR3) found that after 3 years of follow-up, the median survival time for patients who had received the anti-PD-1 therapy nivolumab together with chemotherapy was 14 months, compared with 11 months for those receiving chemotherapy alone. It also found that twice as many participants who received the combination were alive as were those who got just chemotherapy. At the time, Janjigian was developing a therapeutic to be used alongside anti-PD-1 drugs to increase their efficacy. “We have that sweet spot where anti-PD-1 therapy works, but not well enough to build on it,” she says. She was focusing on ways to block the TIGIT receptor, a protein on the surface of some white blood cells that is activated by cancer cells and leads to a decreased immune response. She was therefore pleased to be approached by drug developers at Arcus Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company based in Hayward, California, who wanted to work on a combination trial. She was asked to conduct phase II testing of domvanalimab, an anti-TIGIT therapy, with zimberelimab, an anti-PD-1 therapy, in 41 people with gastro-oesophageal cancer who were receiving chemotherapy. While she was working on her trials, Janjigian heard that other anti-TIGIT combination therapies had been unsuccessful. Tiragolumab, for instance, failed to improve outcomes in SKYSCRAPER-06, a phase III trial of late-stage small-cell lung cancer[4](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01797-x#ref-CR4). But Janjigian and her colleagues remained optimistic. Unlike tiragolumab, domvanalimab showed “encouraging efficacy”, boosting the median survival time to 26.7 months (patients typically live just over one year from diagnosis with chemotherapy and anti-PD-1 therapy alone)[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01797-x#ref-CR5). “Even when the negative data were coming out from SKYSCRAPER, we were still holding out hope,” Janjigian says. But the phase III trial was halted when early results showed that the combination failed to improve survival rates over the usual treatment of an anti-PD-1 drug with chemotherapy. Janjigian says that the experience had her “reflecting on the resilience of science”, not least because the data from the phase II trial were clean and encouraging. “It makes us realize that we really need to figure out better ways to streamline clinical development,” she says. According to a 2025 article published in *Med*[6](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01797-x#ref-CR6), the anti-TIGIT therapies were unsuccessful because researchers don’t have a complete understanding of the drugs’ mechanism of action, making it difficult to determine which patients will respond well. Domvanalimab is still being studied, however, now in people with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, for which it has shown some promise in early-stage trials. Phase II trials can cost millions of dollars and have the lowest success rate of all the stages of drug development, partly because of their design. They typically have a small number of participants and it’s challenging to gauge efficacy and long-term side effects when the trials only last for a couple of years[7](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01797-x#ref-CR7). In the case of domvanalimab, Janjigian doesn’t know why the phase II study was so positive, only to be followed by negative results in phase III. “It’s a reminder that we have to be more strategic about the design of trials and bringing more diverse assets.” She suggests that larger phase III studies or skipping phase II could be a solution — but these would expose more participants to a drug before it’s been found out to be safe and effective. Janjigian is focusing on drugs for early-stage tumours as well as for peri-operative (the time before, during and after surgery) use. “One little bump is not going to deter us,” she says. #### **Failing after phase III** For any scientist, perhaps the biggest affront is to spend so much time creating a lifesaving drug and moving it through the arduous approval process, only to see it fail after passing all trials. This was the case with alipogene tiparvovec (Glybera), a drug to treat a rare, sometimes fatal, genetic condition known as familial lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD), which causes chronic high cholesterol and severe pancreatitis. Michael Hayden, a physician at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, first came across LPLD in 1986 when a patient at the hospital he worked at developed pancreatitis during pregnancy. The woman lost her child and nearly died. At the time, the only treatments were lipid-lowering drugs and severe dietary restriction, particularly of fats and carbohydrates. These weren’t effective and left people sick or dying from pancreatitis. Hayden and his colleagues began studying the disease, the incidence of which was unusually high in a small part of the Canadian province of Quebec. They quickly found mutations, called G188E and P207L, that caused dysfunction in the lipoprotein lipase gene *LPL*. The team began looking for ways to fix the faulty gene, starting in cats. By using a viral vector to deliver a functional copy of the *LPL* gene to target cells, the researchers were able eliminate symptoms. They began phase I trials in humans in the Netherlands and Quebec in 2005. “The trials were quite dramatic in terms of reducing the frequency of pancreatitis and hospitalization,” Hayden says. “And more importantly, these patients could now eat whatever they wanted, where before they had no way to metabolize any carbohydrate.” After 3 clinical trials involving a total of 27 participants showed improvements in triglyceride levels in the blood and reductions in episodes of acute pancreatitis — the single-injection drug was finally approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2012, becoming Europe’s first gene therapy. However, the treatment was priced at upwards of €1.1 million (US$1 million). This was not covered by insurance companies in Europe, so very few people were able to receive it. The manufacturer — uniQure in Amsterdam, the Netherlands — applied for authorization to market the drug. “I wasn’t part of the company, so I had nothing to do with pricing,” Hayden says. “And $1 million was a lot in 2012. Today, gene therapies cost more than $3 million and people accept it.” Glybera initially received authorization to market the drug for five years in the European Union. When it came up for reauthorization in 2017, uniQure didn’t reapply, blaming limited demand. Without reauthorization, Glybera was no longer available. Knowing that the drug worked — and that it was the only treatment — was maddening, says Hayden. “I was very disappointed that this was taken off the market,” he adds. That experience led him to realize that he wanted to help to determine, and limit, treatment costs. He has since founded five biotech companies and lives what he calls “a double life”, trying to balance the creation of new drugs and making them affordable. “People on the commercial side take their rewards from how much revenue they get. I try to influence them to also have the impact on lives as a clear goal,” he says. Hayden is on the medical advisory board of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, which makes another gene therapy, known as olezarsen (Tryngolza), which received US approval in 2024 to treat LPLD. The drug inhibits production of the protein APOC3, which allows the body to break down fats and lowers levels of circulating triglycerides. The drug initially cost nearly $600,000 a year, but Ionis has reduced that to $40,000. This is mainly because olezarsen was found also to benefit some people with high cholesterol, even without LPLD, so demand grew to millions of people, Hayden says. In contrast to the one-off dose offered by Glybera, olezarsen needs monthly injections, probably for life. The fact that it took 12 years, from the false dawn of Glybera until 2024, to get an affordable treatment into the hands of those that need it is “profoundly distressing”, Hayden says. “We’ve been working as quickly as we can, but patients are waiting,” he says. “And while they’re waiting, some of them are dying. The delay in getting anything to patients is shocking, terrible, but we just have to focus on the fact that we are there now.” --- *Nature* **654**, S1-S3 (2026) *Find the original and more great content on the Nature Careers website doi: * **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Drug Discovery, Managing Failure, Tammy Worth --- ### [Blog - Not a good advert for Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-not-a-good-advert-for-dementia/) **Published:** June 8, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Bernie McInally reflects on brain donation calls, dementia identity and the sharp humour that reminds us every person remains individual. **Content:** --- **Although my substantive role is with [ENRICH Scotland](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-in-scotland/facilities/enrich), I still retain a few hours within the [Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas/dementia-and-neurodegenerative-disease) (NDN) in Scotland, which occasionally involves supporting the [Scottish Dementia Brain Tissue Bank](https://www.alzscotdrc.ed.ac.uk/news/scottish-dementia-brain-tissue-bank-relaunched). This is a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh’s Alzheimer’s Scotland Dementia Research Centre and the NDN. I tend to think of my role, and those like me, as the foot soldiers.** We are the ones who actually turn up at front doors armed with paperwork, consent forms and gratitude that sat nav works in rural Scotland. I will not go into huge detail about the Brain Tissue Bank itself as the information is readily available online, but once someone has expressed an interest, had the process explained and discussed consent, they may then have the pleasure of a visit from a Clinical Study Officer like myself. During these visits, and hopefully after the tea and biscuits, we establish capacity, obtain the appropriate consent and carry out a range of assessments. The outcomes are then registered and later become available to researchers when the brain tissue donation occurs post mortem. It is serious and important work, and heavily reliant on the goodwill of participants and family considering and agreeing to hand over their body when the time comes. Alongside the original face-to-face visit, annual follow-ups are carried out using a telephone-based cognitive assessment called the Free-Cog. Ideally the same assessor carries these out each year to provide continuity, as people tend to respond better when they are speaking to someone vaguely familiar rather than a random stranger suddenly asking them to remember words and dates out of nowhere. The assessment itself is designed to be telephone-friendly and covers several areas intended to record any cognitive deterioration over time. It was during one of these calls that I began wondering whether all people with dementia actually see themselves as belonging to one collective group in the way researchers, healthcare staff and policymakers often do. The trigger came during the very first question of a recent assessment. “Can you tell me anything that has been in the news recently?” I asked. After a couple of seconds, the lady, who had relatively mild Alzheimer’s disease, replied: > “There’s not much good happening in the world just now, but I’ll tell you, he’s not a very good advert for dementia is he?” I shall leave folks to decide for themselves who she may have been referring to; suffice to say it I didn’t think it was about the latest “Bake Off” finalist. What struck me afterwards was not simply the humour or sharpness of the comment, but the assumption sitting underneath it. Her remark suggested she did not simply see herself as part of some broad, undifferentiated “dementia community.” Instead she appeared to view another’s in exactly the same way the rest of us might view anybody else in public life — with judgement, opinion, criticism and perhaps a touch of exasperation. It made me wonder whether we in research, healthcare and policy-making are often more invested in the idea of “the dementia community” than many people actually living with dementia are themselves. Healthcare systems have always naturally grouped people together because systems more or less depend upon categories. We discuss cohorts, pathways, interventions and lived experience groups. These are useful and necessary concepts, but they are not always how individuals see themselves. Despite extensive research into person-centred care, the old “appendix in bed 4” mentality can still occasionally linger in healthcare. [Scott (2022)](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14713012211047351) concluded that “a one-size-fits-all approach to helping people navigate their lives following a diagnosis of dementia does not comport,” and perhaps, even though we all know that, we need to be reminded on occasion. Most people do not abandon the identity they have built over seven or eight decades because of a diagnosis. They remain the retired joiner from Galashiels, the former Church of Scotland Minister from Dunbar or the woman still convinced nobody else in Scotland can make soup like she does. Dementia may become part of their life, but not necessarily the defining membership card of some collective movement. In truth, people with dementia probably view others with dementia in much the same way the rest of us view each other. Some they warm to instantly, others perhaps less so. A diagnosis does not suddenly create automatic solidarity any more than owning a Labrador or supporting Scotland at football creates universal harmony. If anything, the latter generally creates collective disappointment interspersed with brief optimism every 28 years. Working in research you occasionally catch yourself unconsciously speaking about “people with dementia” as though they represent one unified voice, when in reality they remain gloriously individual. Some become passionate advocates for research and awareness campaigns, as we now frequently see through their involvement in conferences and research events. Others prefer privacy and quietly get on with life, with the diagnosis just being another thing they have to deal with day to day like arthritis. Some want to discuss clinical trials and policy reform while others would much rather discuss horse racing, grandchildren or why the council no longer empties bins properly, a favourite topic regardless of cognitive state. Something that still surprises me after many years is how humour survives. Not universally, of course, but often far longer than society expects. Likewise personality, political opinion and the ability to deliver a devastating one-liner at precisely the moment healthcare professionals ask daft questions. Anyone who has spent time working around dementia will know that cognitive impairment does not necessarily diminish someone’s capacity to hold very firm views on politicians, football referees or the price of a bacon roll at a garden centre. Perhaps that is actually reassuring. Dementia may alter cognition, memory and function over time, but individuality often remains remarkably intact. Beneath the diagnosis there is still a person with their own preferences, prejudices, humour and worldview. Sometimes healthcare remembers that well and sometimes, if we are honest, systems unintentionally smooth people into categories because categories are easier to manage on spreadsheets and meeting agendas. Yet every so often a supposedly routine telephone cognitive assessment reminds you otherwise. Usually with one perfectly timed sentence. --- ![Bernie McInally Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bernie-McInally.jpg "Bernie McInally")Bernie McInally #### Author **[Bernie McInally](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-bernie-mcinally-nhs-lothian/)** is a Clinical Studies Officer at NHS Lothian and the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network. Bernie’s background is in Nursing, working in Mental Health and with Older People. He retired from full time NHS clinical work, and is now back working in Clinical Research supporting delivery of the [Enabling Research in Care Homes](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-in-scotland/facilities/enrich) (ENRICH) Scotland. He is passionate about research delivery, and opening access to people in all communities. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Ageing Research, Bernie McInally, Blog, ENRICH Scotland, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher --- ### [Blog - The Hidden Work of Finishing a PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-hidden-work-of-finishing-a-phd/) **Published:** June 11, 2026 **Author:** Emily Spencer **Excerpt:** Emily Spencer reflects on the final PhD stretch, hidden thesis tasks, conference pressure, rejected funding, and finding focus before submission **Content:** --- **If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you will likely realise that I am in the final stages of (hopefully!) completing my PhD. I am now around four months from my planned submission date, and doing everything I can to stay on track. In this month’s blog, I’ll be thinking about the preparations I’ve made, the hidden tasks to accommodate, and bad news that might end up being a blessing in disguise.** I’ve mentioned before that the analysis I’m undertaking for my thesis has been time-consuming to say the least. For the last seven months, I have effectively done nothing aside from analyse my data. Not all PhDs are created equal, and I happen to have undertaken one in which I was completely naïve to the methodology employed. Thankfully, I am finally at the stage where I feel like I have a reasonable handle on what’s going on – and just in the nick of time! Suffice it to say that I grossly underestimated how long that analysis would take. The delay to my timelines being what it is, I decided that timely submission would only now be feasible if I set myself **regular and rigid deadlines** for writing up the rest of my thesis. I’m proud to say I now have a (beautiful) Gantt chart specifying activities by the week, including drafting bullet-pointed chapter outlines, initial drafts, time for supervisor feedback and integration of comments. I am even *prouder* to say that I have managed to adhere to these self-imposed timelines – meaning that my first results chapter has both been drafted and commented on according to schedule! This was achieved in no small part thanks to attending a three-day writing retreat – something I would recommend without hesitation. With a cumulative 12 hours of silent, group writing, I managed to produce just over 5,000 words of my chapter, which was then built upon and polished into the final draft the following week. In less than two working weeks, I had the 6,500-word chapter submitted (and feedback received, thanks to an incredibly fast turnaround by my supervisory team!). With this success under my belt, I concluded I should just book onto a further 3 writing retreats, and my whole thesis could be finished before the summer! Alas, glancing at my diary this week has suggested that might not be achievable after all. Somehow, **conference season seems to have crept up upon me**, and with it the realisation that I have both an oral and a poster presentation to prepare within the next three weeks. The weeks I had set aside to write my second results chapter look like they might need to be – in part – reappropriated. The same goes for the third chapter – for two of the four I had set aside, I’ll be at two different conferences. There’s a third conference a month or two later that I still need to make a decision on, as to whether I can justify taking the time to attend. One might argue that trying to squeeze in so many conferences at this ‘writing up’ stage of my PhD seems like overkill – or at least, adding unnecessary pressure to what is already a pressurised time. I would be inclined to agree, were it not for the fact that I haven’t attended or presented at a conference since 2023, and never with my own PhD work. Going on maternity leave a year into my PhD, and then returning to my studies before my son even turned nine months old meant that travel had to take something of a back seat. Where peers presented the findings of their systematic reviews in this format, I prioritised writing it up as a journal article – something that didn’t require me to leave London, or my flat if need be. Now, however, I do feel that I need to make up for lost time and take whatever opportunities I can to share the results of my research. Although I do have the publication of my review under my belt, a couple of weeks ago I was advised that publishing findings from my main study would put me in an advantageous position prior to my viva – which evidently is good advice. At a minimum, submitting a paper and receiving peer review comments would be helpful in terms of identifying areas of weakness that I may not have seen. Having received that advice, I looked at my Gantt chart in a panic: given that I hadn’t factored in preparing presentations, where was I supposed to squeeze in writing up a journal article? At the same time, I had just submitted a round 1 fellowship application, and knew that proceeding to the next round would also mean adding massively to my workload. Repeatedly waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it alerted me to the fact I was *possibly* becoming overwhelmed. > How can you prioritise effectively when everything seems essential?? This week, I received an email to say that my fellowship application had been unsuccessful. It’s probably a slightly unusual thing to reveal on this platform – people tend to share their successes, rather than their failures. I should probably feel disappointed, or perhaps aggrieved: I wholeheartedly believed in my proposed project, and would have been so excited to take it on. But I can’t help but think it’s a blessing in disguise. Right now, what matters is seeing my current project through to completion, making good on my existing commitments, and hopefully coming out the other end a newly-minted ‘doctor’. There will be other opportunities in the future – by which time, I will be in a stronger position to compete for them – and in the meantime, I’ll be grateful not to have an additional deadline to add to my overflowing Gantt chart. --- ![Emily Spencer Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Emily-Spencer-280-x-280-px.jpg "Emily Spencer 280 x 280 px")Emily Spencer #### Author **[Emily Spencer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-spencer-university-college-london/)** is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career. [Follow @ejmspencer](https://twitter.com/ejmspencer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@ejmspencer.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/ejmspencer.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Academic Life, Emily Spencer, PhD, PhD Life, PhD to Postdoc **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Alzheimer Europe - Data Sharing in Dementia Care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimer-europe-data-sharing-in-dementia-care/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Alzheimer Europe Research Insights, webinar recordings on data sharing, collaboration and key dementia research developments across Europe. **Content:** **Research Insights is a new public webinar series from Alzheimer Europe focused on current developments and cross-cutting topics in research. The series brings together academic and industry researchers, clinicians, national Alzheimer organisations, policymakers and the wider dementia community to exchange knowledge and raise awareness of research developments across Europe.** The first session focussed on the what, why and how of [data sharing](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimer-europe-sets-out-recommendations-to-improve-data-sharing-in-dementia-research/) in dementia research, looking at practical approaches, platforms and use cases alongside perspectives from lived experience. Data sharing can support better use of existing datasets, strengthen collaboration across disciplines and countries and help accelerate progress in dementia research. At the same time, it raises important questions around data protection, technical barriers and differences in data management practices. The session included short presentations, a panel discussion and audience Q&A. --- Alzheimer Europe on YouTube: **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer Europe, Angela Bradshaw, Data Sharing, Dr Lukas Duffner --- ### [Profile - Professor Christian Benedict, Uppsala University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-professor-christian-benedict-uppsala-university/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Professor Christian Benedict is Professor of Pharmacology at Uppsala University, researching how sleep affects the brain and dementia risk. **Content:** ![Professor Christian Benedict Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Professor-Christian-Benedict.jpg "Professor Christian Benedict")Professor Christian Benedict ##### Name: Professor Christian Benedict ##### Job title: Professor of Pharmacology ##### Place of work / study: Uppsala University ##### Area of Research: [Sleep](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-sleep-cognition-dementia-istaart-research-perspectives/) researcher ##### How is your work funded: Novo Nordisk Foundation ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I was born in Hamburg, Germany, and studied Human Nutrition at the University of Kiel. Driven by a strong interest in research, I obtained a PhD in Human Biology at the Medical Faculty in Lübeck and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at Uppsala University. I later became an Associate Professor (Docent) in Neuroscience at Uppsala University. Since June 2025, I am a Professor of Pharmacology at Uppsala University. I also serve as the scientific spokesperson for the Swedish Sleep Research Society. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: As a father of four and someone presently sleeping in the kitchen, I have firsthand experience with sleep deprivation. Sleep—or the lack thereof—is a daily topic for me. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? One of my scientific interests is understanding how sleep affects the brain. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Academic life is like a roller coaster—it has its ups and downs, but overall, it’s a lot of fun. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Nothing right now ##### Favourite film of all time? All of the Star Wars movies ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Walking my dog ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Parenthood ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Stockholm, Sweden ##### Do you collect anything? Nothing except for deposit bottles ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Benedict on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-benedict-a25b1615a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Professor Christian Benedict, Sleep, Uppsala University **Organisations for Bios:** Uppsala University **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Clinical --- ### [Profile - Dr Clare Ellis-Smith, King's College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-clare-ellis-smith/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Clare Ellis Smith is a Senior Lecturer at King's College London researching dementia palliative care and person centred outcomes for families and carers. **Content:** ![Portrait of a smiling woman with long brown hair in a blue patterned sweater against a light background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Clare-Ellis-Smith.jpg "Dr Clare Ellis-Smith")Dr Clare Ellis-Smith ##### Name: Dr Clare Ellis-Smith ##### Job title: Senior Lecturer in Palliative Care ##### Place of work / study: King’s College London ##### Area of Research: My main research focus is access to [palliative care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-minds-in-motion-dr-pippa-collins-frailty-dementia-and-end-of-life-care/) for people with dementia. In particular, my research focuses on how person-centred outcome measures may improve care provision and outcomes for people with dementia and family carers. ##### How is your work funded: My research has been funded through grants from multiple funders over the years, mostly NIHR and ESRC. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an occupational therapist with a background in older adult mental health and dementia care, and am deeply motivated to improve care provision for people with dementia. In particular, my focus is on systematic use of person-centred outcome measures to ensure timely detection and treatment of distressing symptoms and concerns experienced by those living with dementia and their family carers. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: If I am not working, there is a good chance that I am out running. Long distances, hills and sore legs is my idea of fun! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I had a student placement working with people with dementia, which really exposed me to critical role that allied health professionals can play in dementia care, and how occupational therapy could benefit people with dementia. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Follow your passions and interests, and enjoy your work. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [The island of missing trees](https://amzn.to/440TVtu) by Elif Shafak ##### Favourite film of all time? I can’t choose one, it depends on my mood. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Running, definitely running. Also, listening to music and reading. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Studying occupational therapy. It has provided me with so much opportunity for a rich and fulfilling career. ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Cape Town, I am a little biased as that’s where I am from, but its hard to beat for magnificent scenery, great food and outdoor activities like mountain runs and sea swimming. ##### Do you collect anything? Not really. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @ClareEllisSmith](https://x.com/ClareEllisSmith?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Clare Ellis-Smith, King's College London, Palliative Care **Organisations for Bios:** King’s College London **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Introducing the new Alzheimer’s Society awardees](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/introducing-the-new-alzheimers-society-awardees/) **Published:** June 9, 2026 **Author:** Alzheimer's Society **Excerpt:** Alzheimer’s Society funds 17 new dementia research awards, supporting early career researchers across diagnosis, care, prevention and disease biology. **Content:** **Early career researchers are leading 17 new awards through Alzheimer’s Society funding across the spectrum of dementia research.** Alzheimer’s Society is delighted to announce £5.45m through the 2025/26 funding call to support ground-breaking research. Awards have been made which advancing personalised approaches across the dementia spectrum from deeper disease understanding and molecular insights to person-centred experiences. This year we have funded five new Dementia Research Leader (DRL) Fellows, including our first researchers focusing on care projects. Alzheimer’s Society DRL Fellows are experienced dementia researchers who have built on several successful years of research and are ready to begin fully independent careers. Five new Postdoctoral Fellowships have also been awarded to researchers beginning to build their independent portfolio and three Career Development grants, which offer researchers one year of funding to gather data and build their CV in preparation for the next stage of their career. You can learn more about our awardees below and through their Dementia Researcher profiles, and about all the awards in this funded call on Alzheimer’s Society’s website. --- #### **Meet our 25/26 DRL Fellows!** The Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Research Leader Fellowship is a five-year award designed to support researchers as they establish independent dementia research programmes, including the potential for funding for a PhD student to embed supervision and mentorship into the programme. As ambassadors for Alzheimer’s Society, they work with policymakers, funders and the public to raise the profile of dementia research. [Dr Charlie Arber, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-charlie-arber/) – *ITM2B as a mediator of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease: opportunities through the study of rare dementias* ITM2B is highly expressed in microglia and has a role in disease-associated microglial responses with mutations causing a rare form of familial dementia. Charlie has identified that ITM2B function is also altered in Alzheimer’s disease and will generate ITM2B reporter lines to monitor how ITM2B impacts microglial cells. Dr Ruxandra Dafinca, University of Oxford*– Identifying key subcellular protein dynamics that drive synaptic dysfunction in FTD neurons* Ruxandra will use her Fellowship to identify the key protein dynamics that drive synaptic dysfunction in frontotemporal dementia pathology. Using novel proteomeic techniques, she will spatially map protein organisation and distribution to understand which pathways are disrupted by TDP-43 aggregation. [Dr Ríona McArdle, Newcastle University](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-riona-mcardle/) – *Move Well: Empowering people living with dementia and their carers to manage their mobility* Ríona aims to co-create digital and mobility-focused solutions to improve independence and wellbeing for people living with dementia. A linked PhD project will also look at how to make digital tools more accessible for people from underserved communities and diverse backgrounds. [Dr Aida Suarez-Gonzalez, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blogger-profile-aida-suarez-gonzalez/) – *Reducing Cognitive Disability in Rare Dementia* Aida will support the development and feasibility testing of an intervention designed to reduce the impact of cognitive disability in people with atypical forms of Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. She will develop adaptable resources for clinical practice and replicable individual-level protocols for future clinical trials. As part of the project, she will assess the feasibility of this approach through a pilot clinical trial, laying the groundwork for a future randomised clinical trial. [Dr Sarah Naomi James, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-naomi-james-university-college-london/) – *A life course perspective on women’s higher risk of dementia: a multicohort causal inference approach* Sarah-Naomi aims to understand why women have a higher risk of dementia. She will use causal interference epidemiological tools to analyse large UK multimodal dementia metrics and develop more effective guidelines for gender-specific dementia prevention, diagnosis and care. --- #### **Meet our 25/26 Postdoctoral fellows!** The Alzheimer’s Society Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme allows exceptional early career researchers and final-year PhD students to apply for research funding to pursue a novel research idea and build their independent research portfolio, supported by a senior research supervisor in the same institution. Dr Yazead Buhidma, University College London *– Can astrocytes be targeted to treat Frontotemporal lobar degeneration?* Yazead will characterise astrocytes in post-mortem brain tissues in both sporadic and familial frontotemporal dementias to increase understanding of disease-specific astrocyte dysfunction in frontotemporal dementia. Dr Daniel Maddison, University of Cambridge *– Harnessing intracellular protein handling machinery to fight neurodegeneration-causing aggregates* Daniel will develop a live-neuron reporter system to observe proteostasis using high-resolution lifetime microscopy, to understand whether this system could be targeted to increase tau clearance in early Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Joseph Kwon, University of Oxford *– Blood and Digital Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration for Dementia Diagnosis: UK Pilot Implementation, Choice Experiment, and Health Economic Modelling (BINDING)* Joseph’s Fellowship focuses on understanding how a triage system using digital tools and blood tests could be implemented to improve dementia diagnosis. Dr Miguel Ramirez Moreno, University of Southampton *– Accelerating the discovery of overlooked disease mechanisms in dementia* In this fellowship, Miguel will expand on his work as a postdoctoral researcher and demonstrate the potential of *Drosophila* to characterise new disease mechanisms by screening proteins thought to drive neurodegeneration. [Dr Lesley Williamson, King’s College London ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-lesley-williamson-kings-college-london/) *– Palliative dementia care from diagnosis to end of life* Lesley will evaluate how a tool, Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale for Dementia (IPOS-DEM), currently used to assess palliative care could be used to improve access to person-centred care in primary care, such as GP surgeries. --- #### **Meet our 25/26 Career development grant awardees!** Alzheimer’s Society Career Development Grants give promising post-doctoral researchers and fellows dedicated time needed to gather data for their independent research. Dr Emma Elliott, University of Manchester *– Inequalities in Cognitive Screening in Primary Care* Emma will examine the short cognitive tests used by GPs to assess for dementia and how they could be improved for people with different educational backgrounds or from ethnic minority groups for who these tests are not always accurate. [Dr Sarah Gregory, University of St Andrews](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-sarah-gregory/) *– Are modifiable risk factors for dementia associated with oestradiol, estrone and estriol in an at-risk for dementia European cohort study* Sarah will analyse whether modifiable risk factors for dementia are statistically linked with any of the three main types of oestrogen, which may help explain why women are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Marcella Montagnese, University of Cambridge *– Extending Population Brain Charts for Stratifying Dementia Subtypes and Predicting Outcomes in Diverse Real-World Cohorts* Marcella will use population modelling tools and machine learning to examine interactions between risk factors and neural changes working towards personalised risk profiles that can identify early deviations from healthy brain ageing. --- [**Join us live at 11am BST on Thursday 25 June**](https://youtube.com/live/JBs86tQchzA?feature=share) as Dementia Researcher hosts Dr [Alice Carstairs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alice-carstairs-alzheimers-society/) from Alzheimer’s Society to introduce the new 2025 26 awardees. We’ll hear about the £5.45m funding call, what it aims to support, and from several funded researchers sharing short talks on their new projects across dementia science, diagnosis, care and prevention. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society Resources, Dr Aida Suarez-Gonzalez, Dr Alice Carstairs, Dr Charlie Arber, Dr Daniel Maddison, Dr Emma Elliott, Dr Joseph Kwon, Dr Lesley Williamson, Dr Marcella Montagnese, Dr Miguel Ramirez Moreno, Dr Ríona McArdle, Dr Ruxandra Dafinca, Dr Sarah Gregory, Dr Sarah-Naomi James, Dr Yazead Buhidma --- ### [Alzheimer’s Research UK invests £9.5m in research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/alzheimers-research-uk-invests-9-5m-in-research/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Alzheimer’s Research UK invests a record £9.5m in 25 dementia research projects, supporting new ideas, better diagnosis and future treatments. **Content:** **![ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH UK Logo](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/ALZHEIMERS-RESEARCH-UK-Logo.png "ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH UK Logo")Alzheimer’s Research UK [has announced](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/record-9-5m-investment-announced-for-dementia-research-projects/) its largest ever investment in dementia research, with £9.5m awarded to support 25 new projects across the UK. The funding will support work aimed at improving understanding, diagnosis and treatment of the diseases that cause dementia.** The charity said the newly funded projects span the full research pathway, from early ideas to clinical research that could help bring potential treatments closer to people affected by dementia. The projects were selected through a review process involving the charity’s Research Committee and Clinical Committee, bringing together scientists, clinicians and people with lived experience of dementia. The latest awards take Alzheimer’s Research UK’s total investment in dementia research to more than £270m since its first grant award in 1998. The charity has now supported more than 1,450 research projects and worked with over 3,400 researchers collaborating across more than 110 countries. ### Supporting new ideas As part of the funding round, Alzheimer’s Research UK has invested more than £680,000 in 10 Pilot Projects. These shorter studies are designed to help researchers test new ideas and generate the evidence needed to support larger studies in future. One of these projects is led by Scott Miners at the University of Bristol. His team will use advanced 3D imaging to study how blood vessels in the brain change in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, comparing these changes with healthy brains. The work aims to improve understanding of how blood vessel damage contributes to dementia, with possible benefits for future treatment and prevention approaches. ### Backing larger research projects More than £4m has also been awarded through the charity’s Major Project scheme. These awards are designed to support larger studies that need more time, scale and resources to address complex questions in dementia research. One Major Project is led by Anto Praveen Rajkumar Rajamani at the University of Nottingham. The team is working to improve a blood test that can distinguish dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer’s disease. By using blood biomarkers and artificial intelligence, the researchers hope to refine the test and validate it in NHS patients, helping to reduce misdiagnosis and support more appropriate care. ### Building clinical research capacity [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/) has also awarded £2.6m to support six new Clinical Fellowships. These awards are intended to invest in future dementia clinical research leaders and help promising ideas move closer to testing in real world settings. The charity said further details about these Clinical Fellowships will be shared in a separate announcement. The announcement reflects continued investment across the dementia research pipeline, from discovery science and new diagnostic approaches to clinical research and researcher development. For the dementia research community, the scale of this funding represents a significant boost for projects seeking to improve how dementia is understood, diagnosed and treated. --- > [Record £9.5m investment announced for dementia research projects](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/record-9-5m-investment-announced-for-dementia-research-projects/) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer’s Research UK Resources --- ### [The Hidden REF 26 is open & dementia research belongs in it](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-hidden-ref-26-is-open-dementia-research-belongs-in-it/) **Published:** June 9, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The Hidden REF 2026 is open. It celebrates the data, tools and people dementia research relies on but the REF overlooks. Entries close 13 Sept. **Content:** **Think about the last study you were part of. Behind the paper there was probably a research nurse who kept participants coming back, a data manager who cleaned years of cohort records, a brain bank technician, a PPI coordinator who made the work make sense to the people it was for, or a piece of analysis code that someone built and maintained without ever getting a line on a grant. None of that shows up in the Research Excellence Framework. The Hidden REF exists to change that, and the 2026 competition is now open for submissions.** The Hidden REF celebrates the full range of outputs and people that move research forward but get overlooked by traditional assessment. That covers data, software, protocols and infrastructure, and it covers the roles research depends on but rarely names: technical specialists, research managers, facility staff and the many professionals without whom the work would not happen. It started as a one-off competition in 2020 and has since grown into a national campaign, now backed by Research England through the Embedding Trust in Evaluation project. This is its fourth outing, following 2020, 2021 and 2024. Across 25 categories, anyone affiliated with a UK research organisation can submit, whatever their role and whatever their REF history. You do not need a track record of [REF submissions](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-write-a-good-ref-environment-statement/), and it does not matter if your organisation is not returnable to the REF. ##### Why this matters for our field Dementia and neurodegeneration research is exactly the kind of work where these contributions are easy to lose. It runs on long cohort studies, biobanks and brain banks, imaging facilities, biomarker pipelines, training resources, and the trust built over years with people living with dementia and their families. Those things often decide whether the science works at all, and almost none of them are captured by conventional metrics. The Hidden REF is one of the few national mechanisms actively trying to fix that. There is a practical reason to take part too. New for 2026, the judging panels will assess entries using the REF’s own guidance on originality, significance and rigour. That makes an entry genuinely useful practice for writing non-traditional output (NTO) submissions ahead of REF 2029, which is something a lot of early career researchers have never had a reason to do. Writing up a dataset, a piece of software or a training course against those criteria is good preparation whether or not you win. ##### The categories The 25 categories cover a lot of ground, and several map straight onto dementia research. Among them are Hidden Role, for nominating a colleague whose work has been instrumental, alongside Research Infrastructure, Research Datasets and Databases, Software, Training Materials and Courses, Public Engagement, Citizen Science and Community Building. New this year is a category for Environmental Sustainability Research. The full list, which has been built up from community suggestions since 2020, is on the Hidden REF site. ##### What an entry involves Entries are short. For the Hidden Role category you write a description of the person and their contribution to research, up to 900 words, and it is worth talking to them first so you describe their work accurately. For an output, you provide a 300 word summary plus a description of how it meets each of the three criteria, up to 300 words for each. There is a submission template on the site to help you structure it. ##### Key dates Submissions are open now and close on **13 September**. Results are announced at an awards ceremony in **November**. If you have questions, there is a drop-in session on **23 June, 11.00 to 12.00 BST**, on Zoom, where you can ask the team anything about entering, or about the Hidden REF more broadly. ##### Get involved If your own work fits one of the categories, put it forward. Know a colleague whose contribution has been instrumental? The Hidden Role category exists for exactly that, just check they are happy with how you have described their work first. And even if you are not entering this time, sharing the competition with your networks helps make the wider case that this work counts. Full details, all 25 categories and the submission portal are at [hidden-ref.org/hidden-ref-competition](https://hidden-ref.org/hidden-ref-competition/), and the drop-in session details are at [hidden-ref.org/resources/community-calls](https://hidden-ref.org/resources/community-calls/). **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** Hidden Ref, REF --- ### [Blog - Learning to Belong Somewhere New](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-learning-to-belong-somewhere-new/) **Published:** June 9, 2026 **Author:** Dr Connor Richardson **Excerpt:** Dr Connor Richardson swapped Newcastle for Edinburgh after almost ten years. He reflects on the excitement, the fear and learning to belong somewhere new. **Content:** --- **In December 2025 I started a new role at the University of Edinburgh. It was the first time in my career I had moved to a new job at a new university. After nearly a decade at Newcastle, where I did my undergraduate, masters, PhD and postdoc, leaving was a big deal. I wrote about the process of leaving in an earlier blog, but now I wanted to reflect on the other side of it. What it is actually like starting somewhere new.** I want to say two things upfront, and they are both equally true. **Starting somewhere completely new where nobody knows you is genuinely exciting**. It is also absolutely terrifying. A mix of the two is totally fine. I am the kind of person who can be buzzing with excitement one minute, let a flash of anxiety creep in, and then beat myself up for no longer feeling excited. Life is complicated enough without letting yourself spiral like that. So my first piece of advice is simple. Enjoy the excitement and do not let the little peaks of fear get in the way. ##### **Meeting New People** One thing about being somewhere for a long time is that **you become part of the furniture**. Not in a bad way, but everyone knows who you are, what you do and what makes you tick. You can easily be taken for granted. Starting fresh, I really enjoyed meeting people who were interested in getting to know me and vice versa. There is something energising about introducing yourself and your research with fresh eyes looking back at you. ##### **The Mundane Stuff** There are mundane problems that will follow you from one university to the next. Your laptop probably will not have arrived yet. Your smart card to access buildings definitely will not be set up. Your email address will not be ready to go. And you will absolutely have hours of fire safety, data protection and diversity training ahead of you. Although this is frustrating, I have come to see it differently. Those first few days are probably the least busy you will be for the rest of your time in the role. > So relish the joy of the mundane admin while it lasts. It will not last long. ##### **The Imposter Syndrome Risk Zone** On a more serious note, starting a new role brings you perilously close to the imposter syndrome zone. And that makes sense. Most of the techniques I have learned for tackling imposter syndrome rely on using your track record as evidence that you belong where you are. When you start somewhere new, that evidence base is not there yet. Your old support structures are gone and you have to build them from scratch. I will be honest. There have been days in my new role where I thought I was completely out of my depth and did not know what I was doing. And to a point that was probably true. But it is important to remember that when you start a new position, **you are not expected to know what you are doing straight away**. It reminds me of my PhD. When you are in the eye of the storm it feels like a PhD is all about producing things, when really it is about learning how to produce things. Starting a new role is much the same. The expectation at the start is to engage and learn, not necessarily to deliver. My advice on this, like so many things, is to **communicate early**. And I say that because I did not take my own advice. I spent far too long worried about what everyone was thinking about me. When I eventually sat down with my new line manager and mentioned I was feeling a bit lost and that my confidence had taken a knock, I was immediately reassured. They got me involved in work quicker than originally planned, and that made all the difference. ##### **The Good Parts** I have probably made the whole experience sound scary, so let me end with the good parts. Now that I am more settled, there are more good days than difficult ones. I remember sitting in a meeting where a project was being discussed. I asked a question that I assumed everyone would think was obvious, but it turned out nobody had thought of it. Nobody else had the exact expertise I had to think about the problem in that way. That is the thing about being a new researcher in a new environment. **Nobody has the unique combination of experience that you bring**. It is what makes research both exciting and terrifying at the same time. I have also had the experience of being at the beginning of a study for the first time in my career, recruiting real people into a project. I was terrified at first because I knew nothing about the process. But now that the study is finding its pace, I am finding it genuinely exciting to be part of something from the ground up. ##### **Slow Down** Moving to a new job is exciting. You wanted to do it for a reason, whether out of necessity or opportunity. There is no point pretending it is not scary too, and there will be hard days. But my biggest piece of advice is to **remember to slow down**. Do not put pressure on yourself to hit the ground at anyone else’s pace. On the tough days I would tell myself in the morning that I was going to turn up, do the best I could and go home. When you take the pressure off and slow down, you give yourself the space to appreciate the new and exciting things happening around you. --- ![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson.png "Dr Connor Richardson")Dr Connor Richardson #### Author [**Dr Connor Richardson** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/ "Profile – Dr Connor Richardson, Newcastle University")is a Neuro-epidemiology Research Associatea at The University of Edinburgh. His research interest lie in using advanced statistical modelling and machine learning to measure dementia risk. Connor blogs about his research, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and sometimes his Pomapoo’s. [Follow @connorrichards2](https://twitter.com/connorrichards2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Academic Life, Changing Jobs, Dr Connor Richardson **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Profile - Dr Ingrid Ekström, Karolinska institutet](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ingrid-ekstrom-karolinska-institutet/) **Published:** June 8, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Ingrid Ekström is Assistant Professor at Karolinska Institutet researching smell loss, brain health, dementia risk and cognitive ageing. **Content:** ![Dr Ingrid Ekström Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Ingrid-Ekstrom.jpg "Dr Ingrid Ekström")Dr Ingrid Ekström ##### Name: Dr Ingrid Ekström ##### Job title: Assistant Professor ##### Place of work / study: Karolinska institutet ##### Area of Research: I am a researcher at Karolinska Institutet studying [olfactory dysfunction](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/covid-19-associated-with-long-term-cognitive-dysfunction-acceleration-of-alzheimers-symptoms/) as an early marker of neurodegenerative disease. My work focuses on how smell loss develops over time and how it relates to dementia risk, cognitive decline, frailty, and other health outcomes in older adults. ##### How is your work funded: My research is funded by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet, VR), Sweden’s main governmental research funding agency; the Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, RJ), an independent non-profit research foundation; and the Swedish Dementia Foundation (Demensfonden), a non-profit organization supporting dementia research and care. ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an Assistant Professor in Developmental Psychology at the Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. My research focuses on understanding how olfactory function reflects, influences, and changes alongside brain health across the lifespan. Because olfaction is closely linked to memory, emotion, social behavior, and brain development, it offers a unique window into both normal and pathological processes affecting the brain. My work combines psychology, epidemiology, and neuroscience and is guided by three overarching questions: (1) why olfactory function serves as a marker of brain health and disease, and how this knowledge can be used to improve early detection, risk stratification, and prevention efforts; (2) how and why olfactory function changes during key developmental and aging-related processes, including the impact of common diseases, lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures; and (3) what consequences smell loss may have for cognition, emotional well-being, social relationships, nutrition, quality of life, and long-term health outcomes. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: As a teenager, I was fascinated by a scene in an Agatha Christie novel where Hercule Poirot uses a smell to unlock a forgotten memory. Years later, I realized that I had made the link between smell and memory the focus of my research. I have a habit of enjoying things I’m not really good at. As a child I was probably the worst swimmer in my class and hopeless at both racket sports and handicrafts. Today, some of my favorite hobbies are swimming, tennis, and knitting. And I am still not especially good at any of them. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? To be honest, largely by coincidence. As a student, I was interested in cognitive neuroscience and happened to take a course on aging and cognition, where I met my future supervisor. What began as a chance encounter eventually led me into dementia research. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? As someone who still considers herself relatively early in her career, my advice would be to be curious and talk to people. The most important ideas, collaborations, and opportunities in my career can be traced back to conversations I almost didn’t have. I would also encourage early career researchers to seek out people they genuinely enjoy working with and can learn from. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Right now, I’m reading Florian Illies’ book on Caspar David Friedrich, the German Romantic painter. Think of the famous painting with a man standing with his back to the viewer on a cliff, looking out over a sea of fog, that’s Friedrich. I would definitely recommend the book. Friedrich was a genius, of course, but for much of his life, and even long after his death, he seems to have been completely misunderstood. Goethe only reluctantly replied to his letters. A relatable tale? ##### Favourite film of all time? Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Swimming is probably my favorite way to unwind, especially in the Swedish archipelago. If there is open water nearby, I’m usually happy. ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Every decision that ultimately led to my two children. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? The Swedish archipelago in July and August, the Italian Riviera in June, and the Transylvanian countryside in September (I was born there and spent my childhood summers there, so I am heavily biased, of course.) ##### Do you collect anything? Not intentionally. But a lady at the Swedish Migration Agency once asked if I collect citizenships. ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Ingrid on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingrid-ekstr%C3%B6m-a3340333a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Ingrid Ekström, Karolinska Institutet, Olfactory System, Sensory Health and Cognition PIA **Organisations for Bios:** Karolinska Institutet **Themes for Bios:** Biomarkers, Clinical --- ### [‘Virtual cells’ aim to turn raw data into predictive models of biology](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/virtual-cells-aim-to-turn-raw-data-into-predictive-models-of-biology/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Simulations of biological systems could transform biomedical research, but researchers are still learning how to reproduce life’s complexity without drowning in data. **Content:** **As every gamer knows, computers can plausibly simulate just about anything from the routine concerns of a household to the crises confronting a multiplanetary civilization. Simulating the fundamental unit of life — the cell — should be a walk in the park. But it’s not.** Each cell is a complex ecosystem of biomolecules that interact with one another and react to external cues in ways that remain poorly understood. And what’s true of one cell type isn’t necessarily true of another. But there is an order to the chaos. “The cell is a complex system, and a highly robust and resilient system,” says Emma Lundberg, a bioengineer at Stanford University in California. “But it’s also a highly structured system — the cell has an architecture.” Over the past few years, researchers have begun reverse-engineering that architecture to convert vast repositories of molecular data into ‘virtual cells’ — models that simulate the internal environment of cells both at rest and when responding to external triggers. Several teams are now tapping into deep reservoirs of transcriptomic (gene expression) and other data sets to build models that could reveal the underlying biological bases of disease and possible angles for therapeutic intervention. “We have to think about virtual cells as a means of getting towards a specific goal, and for me, that goal is to be able to accelerate the hypothesis search process,” says Yusuf Roohani, a machine-learning researcher at the Arc Institute in Palo Alto, California. The field remains far short of a fully functional virtual cell, however. “I don’t think people would sensibly want to claim that they have built a virtual cell unless they need to sell a start-up,” says Fabian Theis, a computational biologist at Helmholtz Centre Munich in Germany. Current models can capture static cell states but struggle to accurately predict dynamic changes. Reaching higher levels of *in silico* evolution will require ever-greater volumes of diverse data and smart strategies for combining them. ## **A strong foundation** The artificial-intelligence revolution has been a potent accelerant for enthusiasm around virtual cells, but scientists have grappled with how to build computational cell models for decades. “Even 20-something years ago, we had ‘virtual cell 1.0’, where people were trying to use differential equations to describe systems biology,” says Bo Wang, an AI specialist at the University of Toronto in Canada. Such models have the advantage of being grounded in measurable, well-understood biochemical and biophysical principles — threading together equations that describe cellular functions including metabolism, communication and movement. “You actually have mechanistic understanding — you can interpret them correctly, and that is very attractive,” says Lundberg. A sophisticated mathematical model announced in March by a team led by Zaida Luthey-Schulten at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, for instance, [realistically replicated cell division](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00786-4) in a highly modified version of *Mycoplasma* bacteria[1](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR1). And Paul Macklin, an engineer at Indiana University in Bloomington, and his team have spent more than a decade developing a framework called [PhysiCell](https://physicell.org/) to simulate how human cells and tissues respond to diverse environmental stimuli. This simulator has proved useful for modelling cancer biology, including factors driving progression or response to immunotherapy, Macklin says. These successes notwithstanding, mathematical models are inherently limited by researchers’ understanding of cell biology. Initiatives such as the Human Cell Atlas have produced vast amounts of gene-expression and other data, including proteomics and epigenetics, but it’s extremely difficult to extract biological meaning from thousands upon thousands of molecular interactions. This is when AI models shine, says Maria Brbić, an AI researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne: “They’re really good at exploring combinatorial space.” Opinions vary about which capabilities would define a true virtual cell, but any meaningful simulation should at least be able to represent the baseline state of a given cell type, and then project how a particular perturbation alters that state. Many attempts have relied on deep-learning-based ‘foundation models’, in which AI algorithms identify patterns in vast collections of unlabelled experimental data. Roohani draws a parallel with ChatGPT, a chatbot powered by a foundation model that uses patterns gleaned from Internet text to produce coherent responses to almost any user query. “You can create more general-purpose representations across a broader range of cellular and biological contexts,” he says. In a best-case scenario, a biological foundation model would be able to extrapolate how various cell types will respond to conditions that are not included in the original training set, and even make meaningful predictions for cell types that it hasn’t encountered before. Single-cell gene-expression data are currently the preferred way of educating biological foundation models about different cell types, and such data are readily available. Roohani and his colleagues have developed a database called [scBaseCount](https://github.com/ArcInstitute/arc-virtual-cell-atlas/blob/main/scBaseCount), which uses AI to continually collect and uniformly process transcriptomic data for model-training purposes. The collection includes around half a billion cells, and counting. “That’s a few times more than the next-largest single-cell data repository,” says Roohani. But one cannot simply build a representation based solely on a cell’s defining features — known in the context of AI models as an embedding. A virtual cell must also learn how different perturbations affect the cellular environment. Fleshing out these details requires experiments in which researchers systematically inactivate different genes or expose the cells to a diverse range of drugs. “We should have causal data to build causal models,” says Wang. One such collection is the X-Atlas/Pisces data set, compiled by Xaira Therapeutics, a drug company in South San Francisco, California. Available on the open-source AI platform HuggingFace, [Pisces](https://huggingface.co/datasets/Xaira-Therapeutics/X-Atlas-Pisces) comprises gene-expression data from 25.6 million cells of various lineages that had undergone targeted gene disruption. ## ![Infographic about AI-driven virtual cell models transforming biology research, with scenes of cells, data networks, and layered'world models'.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/The_Rise_of_Virtual_Cells-1024x572.png "The_Rise_of_Virtual_Cells") ## **The pitfalls of perturbation** In theory, the resulting models could help users to infer which genetic abnormalities drive the growth of a particular tumour type or to pinpoint drug categories that stabilize metabolic issues in diseased cells, and some foundation models are on the cusp of achieving such capabilities. In January, for example, Roohani and his colleagues described Stack[2](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR2), a model trained on the scBaseCount data set. The researchers were able to use these data to produce a ‘perturbation atlas’ that predicted the effects of different drug treatments in 28 distinct human tissues. And in March, Xaira announced its X-Cell model[3](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR3), trained on the company’s Pisces data set. According to Wang, who is also head of biomedical AI at Xaira, X-Cell was able to predict changes in gene expression underlying the activation of immune T cells even though it had not been trained on that process. This allowed the company’s scientists to predict mechanisms for switching off that activation — a potentially useful intervention in inflammatory disorders or other immune conditions. “We not only confirmed known inactivators, such as CD3 and its family, we also found a few putative T-cell inactivators,” says Wang. Predicting the effects of cellular perturbation remains challenging, however, and Wang cautions that these models are only early steps in that direction. “So far, everybody’s just focusing on cell lines, which are relatively simple biological systems,” he says. These models might not accurately map to actual organs and tissues, and collecting training data from primary cell types — those taken directly from human samples — at a meaningful scale is daunting. Researchers have also struggled to demonstrate clear performance gains from transcriptome-based foundation models relative to simpler mathematical methods. In 2025, the Arc Institute hosted the Virtual Cell Challenge, giving teams an opportunity to test the predictive performance of their models head-to-head. Although a success in terms of enthusiasm and engagement — Roohani says the event attracted some 5,000 participants from more than 100 countries — none of the pure AI models prevailed over those that incorporated conventional statistical methods. Brbić has dealt with similar issues in assessing the robustness of deep-learning models. One problem, in her view, is that conventional performance metrics focus on capturing broad transcriptomic differences between perturbed and unperturbed cells. This means that small but biologically meaningful changes might be drowned out by irrelevant background variation between samples, confounding AI analysis. “Single-cell RNA sequencing data is noisy,” says Brbić. “The kind of differences that we observe may be true biological differences but might also be caused by experimental artefacts or other sources of variation.” In 2025, Brbić and her colleagues released a benchmarking tool called Systema, which allows users to eliminate noise and home in on perturbation-specific changes in gene expression[4](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR4). Roohani’s team’s perturbation-prediction model, called State, which is trained to recognize the inherent variability in cell populations[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR5) — also addresses this problem. By combining this approach with a performance metric that, like Systema, zooms in on perturbation-specific effects rather than overall gene expression, State was able to accurately predict about one-third of the genes most strongly affected by a given perturbation in a test data set. That’s a big improvement on the 7% achieved using conventional methods. ## **Completing the picture** Although AI models have yet to deliver a decisive advance in predicting cell behaviour, they can go beyond data they’ve already encountered to make generalizations about new cells, tissues and even species. That’s something that conventional computational methods are unable to achieve, says Wang. “We cannot expect a linear model to construct this kind of virtual cell,” he says. “Having the right data with the right model is probably a better approach.” Emphasis on right data. “It’s not really about the number of cells,” Lundberg says. “Are we capturing different disease states? Are we capturing different tissues?” Greater diversity also means moving beyond the transcriptome and towards a ‘multimodal’ approach that layers on biological information such as chromatin states, cell shape and protein expression and localization. Several groups have already demonstrated the potential of models trained on data other than transcriptomes. Last October, Lundberg and colleagues unveiled SubCell, a model trained on microscopic images of human cells and the distribution of their protein contents[6](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR6). “We’ve used it to predict mechanism of action in drug-perturbed cells,” she says. SubCell draws on Lundberg’s work with the Human Protein Atlas project, which systematically mapped the subcellular localization of every human protein inside various cells and tissues. SubCell was trained on these maps, and the resulting embeddings were coupled to those generated by a foundation model called ESM2. Developed by Meta AI’s Fundamental AI Research Team, ESM2 was trained on protein sequences and can model structural features and evolutionary relatedness. The two sets of embeddings combined to yield a model that is greater than the sum of its parts, Lundberg says. “It’s so much better at predicting protein function, predicting protein–protein interactions — many of these relevant tasks to understand biology.” SubCell can also complete tasks such as analysing images of yeast cells and determining their cell-cycle state despite being trained entirely on human cell data. At GenBio in Palo Alto, chief scientist Eric Xing is working with ‘[world models](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00820-5)’ — an alternative to conventional foundation models. These representations are trained on various data types — including structures, sequences, images and text — and produce multimodal *in silico* systems that attempt to replicate the internal environment and biological activity of a living cell. “A foundation model is kind of focused on the representation learning of the cell, while a world model should be more focused on the dynamic behaviour modelling of the cell,” says Qi Liu, a computational biologist at Tongji University in Shanghai, China, who has been leading the development of a world model called AlphaCell[7](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR7). Xing proposes that the ‘AI-driven digital organism’ (AIDO) world model being developed at GenBio will be able to replicate diverse biomedically relevant behaviours of healthy and diseased cells. “We are soon going to release our first prototype, which starts from 20 finite and explicit prompts that include gene editing, for example, or small-molecule interventions,” he says. “And on the other side, we specify a finite number of outputs we want to see, including morphology, localization and other things.” That said, no cell is an island. Attempts to model the individual building blocks of a tissue will inevitably miss outcomes arising from communication in and across organ systems. Xing is optimistic that GenBio’s AIDO framework will be capable of such scaling, but that is years away. For now, mathematical models such as Macklin’s PhysiCell offer a powerful solution. His team has used this framework to simulate processes ranging from immune-cell infiltration of tumour micro-environments to the early development of the cerebral cortex. Last August, Macklin and his colleagues, including Elana Fertig at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Genevieve Stein-O’Brien at Johns Hopkins University, both in Baltimore, published an upgrade to PhysiCell that allows users to specify biological scenarios using simple, declarative sentences[8](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01731-1#ref-CR8). A user might, for instance, state that a particular drug increases cell-cycle activity, or that a signalling factor activates a specific subset of immune cells. These statements are then converted into machine-interpretable rules, offering a user-friendly tool for tissue and organ modelling. But Macklin also sees opportunities to introduce AI. He notes that PhysiCell is ill-suited for capturing molecular-scale detail, whereas foundation models currently run into trouble moving to cellular scale and beyond. “If we put these together, it’s going to be fantastic,” he says. ## **A hard cell** Though a far cry from a true virtual cell, developers are finding utility in their models. “Internally at Xaira, we have already started to use X-Cell to do things like target identification,” says Wang. Perturbation models could also accelerate hypothesis generation and testing, sparing researchers the need for massive high-throughput screens. This would allow them to focus on validating computationally generated hits. “I think we’re going to see a shift towards simulating first, doing experiments later,” says Lundberg. Because these simulations evolve to capture more detail about the cellular environment and its surroundings, they could help to reduce reliance on animal models for drug development and testing, yielding human-centric predictions that reduce the risk of toxicity and failure in clinical trials. But researchers will also need to overcome the well-known limitations of generative AI. Chatbots routinely fabricate ‘facts’ and even actively mislead users, and image-generation algorithms are prone to hallucinatory flights of fancy. Xing cautions that early-generation models will fundamentally be simulations of biology rather than true replicas of cellular reality. Accordingly, he and others in the field favour early release and public testing of models, and the data sets used to train them, so that users can uncover the models’ strengths and limitations. “Once our virtual cell is there, we are going to make it public for people to play with,” says Xing. “It may embarrass us to have very bad results, but I think that’s a journey that we have to work through.” *Nature* **654**, 286-288 (2026) --- *Find the original and more great content on the Nature Careers Website – doi: * **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Michael Eisenstein, Nature Careers **Themes for Bios:** Technology --- ### [Profile - Dr Kexin Huang, Biomni-AD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kexin-huang-biomni-ad/) **Published:** May 22, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Kexin Huang is co founder and CEO at Phylo, using AI to support biologists and advance biomedical discovery, following a Stanford CS PhD. **Content:** ![Dr Kexin Huang Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dr-Kexin-Huang-280-x-280-px.jpg "Dr Kexin Huang 280 x 280 px")Dr Kexin Huang ##### Name: Dr Kexin Huang ##### Job title: Co-founder and CEO at Phylo. ex-Stanford CS PhD ##### Place of work / study: Stanford AI Lab ##### Area of Research: Building AI for biologists ##### How is your work funded: Gates Ventures ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I completed my PhD at Stanford Computer Science, advised by Prof. [Jure Leskovec](https://cs.stanford.edu/~jure/) and affiliated with Stanford AI Lab. My research is supported by [Stanford Bio-X fellowship](https://biox.stanford.edu/research/phd-fellows). I work on enabling [AI](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/istaart-synth-tools-for-highly-generalizable-ai/) to produce novel, deployable, and interpretable biomedical and therapeutic discoveries. Questions that I am excited about: - How to model across massive, diverse, multi-modal, and multi-scale biological experiments to generate novel hypotheses and discoveries? - How to make these discoveries reliable, trustworthy, and overall aligned with what scientists truly value? - How to automate day-to-day biological tasks? What does it take to build a fully autonomous AI biologist? I answer these questions on diverse and difficult biomedical problems throughout the therapeutics discovery and development pipeline. I also address core AI challenges raised by these problems – multi-modal modeling, agentic reasoning, uncertainty quantification, etc. Previously, I worked with Prof. [Marinka Zitnik](https://zitniklab.hms.harvard.edu/), Dr. [Cao Xiao](https://sites.google.com/view/danicaxiao/home?authuser=0), Prof. [Jimeng Sun](http://sunlab.org/), and Prof. [Rajesh Ranganath](https://cims.nyu.edu/~rajeshr/). I have spent time researching at Genentech, GSK, Pfizer, IQVIA, Dana-Farber, Flatiron Health, and Rockefeller University. I did my undergrad at NYU in math & CS & studio art, and master at Harvard in health data science in the biostatistics department. ##### Can we find you on social media? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Artificial Intelligence, Biomni-AD, Dr Kexin Huang **Organisations for Bios:** University of Stamford **Themes for Bios:** Technology --- ### [Blog - What My First Major NIHR Award Taught Me](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-my-first-major-nihr-award-taught-me/) **Published:** June 4, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Maria Drummond got her first major NIHR award at a farm park, inbox in hand. Then came the conditions, and five months of not knowing. **Content:** --- **It was late on a Friday afternoon last July, and I was at a farm park with my two young children. They were playing in a bus converted into a soft play (who knew such a thing existed!) and I was mindlessly refreshing my inbox on my phone like I’d done far too many times that month… When suddenly \*the\* email was there…** Amongst the chaos, noise and smells, with my hands shaking, I clicked the PDF attachment, which was a letter confirming that my NIHR funding application had been successful. I felt completely overwhelmed with an enormous sense of relief, pride and a good bit of disbelief. I discovered I was pregnant three months into my PhD. So, this was a milestone I had been working towards for my seven-year-olds entire existence. It was pretty perfect to be able to share the moment with him when the news arrived, getting covered in his excited kisses and cuddles. I was finally going to be a truly independent researcher. But quickly, those feelings were followed by confusion. **The award letter came with conditions**, and I didn’t really understand what that meant. Was the funding secure? Had I misunderstood the decision? Was this a polite way of saying almost, rather than yes? Over the next five months, there were several rounds of committee feedback to respond to, clarifications to make, and revisions required. Each time, members of the wider research team wished me good luck with the submission… But good luck with what, if the outcome was already positive? **Feeling unsure and alone** What struck me most during the months following the positive outcome letter was **how little information there was online about this stage of the process**. Like many early career researchers, I had read blogs, papers and presentations about how to write a successful application (and it paid off because along with the favourable outcome, the NIHR had asked if they could use the application in future training as an example of a well-written application!). However, much less is said about what happens after a positive funding decision when that decision is conditional. At the time, I was juggling multiple roles: leading research on bereavement in care homes and co-ordinating collaborations through my role with ENRICH Scotland. I was used to complexity, but managing the committee feedback felt different. It was opaque yet procedural, and hard to interpret without prior experience. During that time, I was worried that asking too many questions would reflect badly on me since I’m meant to be the captain steering the ship. I also worried that not responding quickly or confidently enough might put the award at risk. And I felt like I couldn’t truly take time off because what happens if an email lingers too long in my inbox? Will the NIHR think I’m not serious enough about a project that still has unanswered questions? **Learning that this is normal** The turning point came when I spoke to another Primary Investigator on an NIHR-funded clinical trial through my ENRICH Scotland role. There was a relaxed mention about the “million years” that has passed since their positive outcome and getting started, partly due to committee queries. I took the opportunity to ask them more and what I learned was reassuring: They explained that **conditional awards, committee feedback, and iterative clarification are entirely normal**. For many NIHR programmes, a positive funding decision is the start of a structured negotiation process rather than the end of the journey. Committees want projects to be deliverable, proportionate, and robust. Their feedback is part of strengthening that, not undermining it. **Why I’m writing this** I’m sharing this experience because I suspect many others feel the same initial uncertainty. I think this might be particularly relevant to nurse researchers, allied health professionals, and those coming into research through applied or practice-based routes. The challenge isn’t individual capability. Instead, it’s that academic culture operates on conventions that aren’t intrinsic to many practice-based professions. Feeling uncertain is less a deficit and more a sign that we’re navigating a system that often seems like it wasn’t designed with our pathways in mind. My work through ENRICH Scotland has shown me how important transparency and peer support are, whether you’re a care home staff member taking part in research for the first time or a researcher leading a national study. The same principle applies to funding journeys. Although my application was ultimately successful, the process challenged my assumptions about what “funding success” looks like and reminded me that it is often iterative, negotiated, and collaborative. Most of my exposure to successful funding applications comes from funding announcements on social media. They appear to be posted within hours of the outcome letter; Polished celebrations that suggest a clean, decisive win. They’re not entirely dissimilar to PhD viva posts: smiling photos, prosecco with the supervisors and examiners, always the “minor corrections,” relief distilled into a single triumphant moment. But these snapshots flatten a much more complicated reality. Behind many of these announcements sits a long trail of revisions, uncertainty, negotiation, and near misses that rarely make it into the caption. > If you receive a positive decision with conditions and you’re confused about what the feedback means, you’re not alone. And if you’re an early career researcher wondering whether everyone else understands this better than you, they almost definitely don’t. I hope this blog helps to make that hidden part of the process a little more visible, and a little less daunting, for those coming next. --- ![Dr Maria Drummond Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Maria-Drummond.jpg "Dr Maria Drummond")Dr Maria Drummond #### Author [**Dr Maria Drummond**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-maria-drummond-university-of-glasgow/) is Team Leader at ENRICH Scotland, based at the University of Glasgow. A registered nurse and district nurse by background, Maria spent ten years working in the Glasgow City District Nursing service before moving into research in 2021. She also has five years of experience working in older adult care homes, including with people living with dementia. Her research focuses on care homes and is motivated by the priorities of staff, residents and people with lived experience. Funded through the NIHR Research Programme for Social Care, Maria is passionate about improving access to research involvement, evidence based practice and better outcomes for people living and working in care home settings. [Find Maria on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-hdrumm/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Dr Maria Drummond, Grant Management, National Institute for Health and Care Research, NIHR funding, Research Funding **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher --- ### [Blog - Alzheimer's Disease Takes a Lifetime](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-alzheimers-disease-takes-a-lifetime/) **Published:** May 7, 2026 **Author:** Professor Louise Serpell **Excerpt:** Professor Louise Serpell explores why Alzheimer’s disease may begin long before symptoms, and why models, biomarkers and collaboration now matter. **Content:** --- **We all know that Alzheimer’s disease is complex. Despite being described over 120 years ago, the cause of Alzheimer’s disease remains unclear and often courts controversy. The amyloid cascade hypothesis arose from the observation that Alzheimer’s cases, whether obviously inherited or sporadic, universally showed amyloid-beta deposition in plaques. Genome-wide association studies showed us that the autosomal dominant genes were Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and the presenilins, which were then shown to be involved in APP processing — producing amyloid-beta, more so in its aggregation-prone form (Aβ42). Tau deposition intracellularly adds to the complexity, being also associated in tauopathies in the absence of amyloid-beta— and so the controversy was fuelled.** Studies that revealed amyloid-beta deposits did not correlate well with disease severity highlighted a significant role for tau. Updates to the amyloid cascade hypothesis pointed to oligomeric species of amyloid-beta, providing some explanation for the lack of amyloid plaque correlation and the poor efficacy of trials of amyloid-beta-removing drugs. More recently, neuroinflammation, synaptic loss, lysosomal impairment, oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier leakiness, herpes virus, and the gut-brain axis are among the ideas put forward to explain disease initiation and progression, and to provide new targets for therapy. **Why has this disease proven so difficult to understand, with each group of scientists focusing on different avenues of research?** I suggest that we are hampered by our strategic directions, with our preferred methodologies, and disease models. As a structural and cell biologist focusing on the roles of protein misfolding in disease, our models were necessarily reductionist. To gain insights into amyloid structures, we focussed on *in vitro* proteins, sometimes comparing findings to post-mortem brain imaging at the electron microscopy level. Cellular assays require higher concentrations for observations within suitably short timeframes, whether in immortalised cell cultures, animal model neurons, or differentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells. Organoids, tissue slices, and post-mortem tissue may provide more physiological relevance, but remain fundamentally model systems. Animal models offer living systems yet miss the human aspect, while intervention in living humans is clearly limited by ethics and practical considerations. The uniqueness of a person cannot be captured by these models — their diverse genetics and epigenetics; the unique experiences accumulated over a lifetime as they age, within changing environments, with differing nutrition, hormonal changes, comorbidities, life experiences, learning, and exposure to toxins, pollutants, and infections. Within each individual, the vulnerability of the brain is shaped by the individuals genetics, thus influencing chaperone system, the immune response, and the diversity of brain cells, from neuronal types to glia. On top of this, we now know **we must consider the microbiome**, and probably many other factors not covered here. So, I suppose this explains why it is so difficult to solve the puzzle that is Alzheimer’s — but what can we do, and why does it really matter? **A Critical Moment in Research** In order to address the complexity of the human brain, we are increasingly expanding the complexity of our model systems — from dissociated cells to mixed models and mini-brains. We now know that there is heterogeneity in protein pathology in neurodegenerative diseases. Only recently have efforts stepped up to consider the contributions of hormonal changes. Ageing must also be considered, since we know this is a very slowly progressing disease. The likelihood is that the cascade begins long before symptoms appear, and before MRIs or PET scans can detect the diagnostic changes. Biomarkers are being discovered that point to earlier diagnostic timepoints, while personalised medicine is being pioneered to account for a person’s genetics and proteome. Studies are broadening to expand beyond traditionally studied Western populations into Africa and Asia, promising a far clearer picture of the diversity of human genetics and environments. We are truly at a critical point in research, with real advances in therapy and diagnosis. The collaboration of researchers with diverse areas of focus and expertise will be key to understanding Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding this extended timeline — and the factors that shape it — is essential to any meaningful advance in prevention and treatment. --- ![Professor Louise Serpell Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Professor-Louise-Serpell-280-x-280-px.jpg "Professor Louise Serpell 280 x 280 px")Professor Louise Serpell #### Author **[Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/)** is an Emerita Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Sussex. Her research focuses on how proteins misfold and form amyloid structures linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, using approaches from structural biology and molecular biophysics. Louise completed her DPhil at the University of Oxford and later established her own research group in the UK. Alongside her research career, she has been active in mentoring, public engagement, and supporting early career researchers. [**Find Louise on LinkedIn**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseserpell/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** amyloid cascade hypothesis, Amyloid Plaque, Biomarkers, Misfolded proteins, Professor Louise Serpell, Tau, University of Sussex **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Building accessible & inclusive research environments](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-building-accessible-inclusive-research-environments/) **Published:** May 7, 2026 **Author:** Dr Becky Carlyle **Excerpt:** Becky Carlyle on what disabled researchers need from PIs, why flexible working matters, and how accessible labs make better science for all. **Content:** --- **I had the opportunity yesterday to attend a panel event organized by my Department’s Disability Working Group called “Disabled Researchers in Conversation.” The panel was beautifully chaired by Katy Willard, a PhD student, and featured panel organizer and Oxford Post Doc Hadas Sloin, Associate Professor and Director of Jolly Vision Science Jasleen Jolly, and Brennan Wiffen, a Research Assistant at Evotec. The panel members spoke with passion and humour about some of the barriers they have faced as disabled researchers, and offered some really important ideas for how Managers and PIs can improve their working environment, wellbeing and ability to thrive.** I am still learning about many of these issues, and so for those more well versed, the things I’m about to discuss might seem like common sense. I think it’s easy as a new PI to be looking at your limited start up budget and worry how you might provide accommodations for a new team member. Katy Willard, the PhD student who moderated this session, has some encouraging words here; “*To manage lab work, I found it wasn’t one big, obvious adaptation that I needed to thrive. It was lots of little and often trivial changes to my daily routine that made the difference. The lab supported me in identifying and implementing these over the first few months of work, with help from the wider department. It’s this kind of open and continuous support that I think is key.”* Many of the problems that disabled researchers face are systemic, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do as individual managers. If you want to read much more deeply into best practices for support at all levels, then the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks has written an excellent white paper that can be found [here](https://www.nadsn-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NADSN_STEMM_White_Paper_090425-v0.3.pdf). As the report suggests, improving workplaces for disabled people is an urgent and essential need; the proportion of working age people thought to have a condition that would be recognised as a disability under the 2010 Equality Act is approximately 30%. Yet disabled people are severely under-represented in STEMM careers, making up approximately 6.4% of the workforce, and less than 1% of UKRI applicants disclose a disability. 62% of disabled people report bullying and harassment in the workplace, compared to 43% of all other scientists. This is quite simply, not good enough. ***Flexible Working*** The one thing that came across loud and clear from all panel members was that **flexible working is absolutely essential.** With many disabilities the ability to be productive can wax and wane, and there may be times of day, or particular situations which are particularly optimal for each individual. **Trusting that your team member understands themselves and their needs better than anyone else**, and providing a target driven workplace environment without day-to-day micromanagement was the number one thing suggested. For scientists early in their careers, or who have experienced changes in their health and circumstances, they may need space to figure these things out – opportunities to experiment with structuring their time and their days, and to work out what works for them. Providing an environment that feels safe for them to do this is vital. It is also important to know that **difficult conversations are okay**. If someone isn’t meeting their targets, it’s important to be able to have respectful and constructive conversations about whether more support might be needed, accommodations changed, or whether the team member is underperforming for any number of reasons. On this topic, Hadas has shared that “*The best way my supervisor supported me is by trusting me and being patient. I wasn’t treated differently in any way but was also not reprimanded or commented on taking more sick days or saying I am unable to perform certain procedures in the lab.When I once apologised to my supervisor that I took some days off, he told me that I have nothing to apologise for, as he knows that even if I have periods off, when I’m working, my work is great. This made me feel truly appreciated, and like I had the space to contribute to the lab in the way I could, without feeling bad about the ways I couldn’t.*” ***Good communication*** It’s extremely important to be able to have these frank conversations, but to come to them with an attitude of discovering how you might be able to support them, as opposed to expecting to know everything about a particular team member’s disability. **Repeatedly having to explain the details of a disability can be burdensome, and at worst can be retraumatising**. It’s fine to engage with information that is freely given, but i**t is not your right to receive it**. Remember that any information shared with you is not necessarily public, and be sure that when you think you are helping, you don’t accidentally “out” someone or share information they may not want publicized. For example, “we’ve all been sitting in this meeting a long time, how about we have a short biobreak?” is a much better way to support someone who may need a break, than asking them if they need one in front of everyone, or expecting them to just leave an important meeting. ***Securing accommodations*** And with that, we come to accommodations. Accessing programs for accommodations is probably not something you’ll do many times in your career, and the panel made it very clear that it can be difficult. In a university setting, different team members will have access to different programs. Post Docs and other staff are usually covered through the government [Access to Work](https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/resources/access-work?srsltid=AfmBOopwMjdi_KQFXh9IdLzXBnyfTzkNCMKA9KOs7wNVXoZ6D2QNqTWY) programme, although unfortunately non-UK citizens new to the country may not yet be eligible. Students are often covered through student support schemes, which can be over-subscribed and limited in budget. Departments may be able to help with small accommodations along the way. You can be an excellent extra support for your team member by helping them navigate and pushing through these processes if they are happy for you to do so. Encourage your HR teams to have a specific staff member who can act as the point person for disabled staff and students, and begin the process of connecting them with the right route for support. Consider making notes as you go through the process, and if there are obvious places that things can be connected and streamlined within your department, feed them back constructively. Securing accommodations can be an exhausting process, and places a high burden on the disabled team member to continually advocate for themselves. There is an alternative – that we **push for better accessibility everywhere**. If you are starting your own lab and getting to remodel your lab space, ensure you have as many spaces as possible in your lab with flexible bench heights and flexible seating arrangements. Try to purchase large equipment with front-mounted controls, and think about how you can locate frequently used items within 40-50 cm of the bench edge. It’s great to have adjustable lighting for different tasks, and try not to store important things on high shelves and cupboards (I’m just starting to understand how inaccessible my very much not remodelled lab is at the moment). Provide trolleys for moving large and bulky items, and work to keep your floor space free of clutter. Hang on a minute, you’re saying, **isn’t this better for everybody in the lab? Well yes, yes it is**. These kinds of set ups allow for better ergonomic control for all staff, and a healthier, happier workplace from the get go. When you find yourself in a position of influence, and you sit on the kind of panels where new buildings are being designed, make sure they are done so with accessibility front and centre. ***There is no single science career*** And a final point made by the panel, which is more directed at those who may be finding their current environment or role difficult. Not managing to cope with the job in a specific lab or a specific course, does not mean that a scientific career is not for you. There is no single science career, and no single science lab. Every Department, every building, every lab is different, and just because one might be a bad fit, doesn’t mean they all will be. On the panel we heard stories of a range of experiences, including challenges, persistence, and different forms of success. As managers, it’s important that we realise that **accessibility isn’t a niche concern – it’s a core part of building better science for all.** **Some additional resources on this topic can be found below (thanks to Hadas for these):** - [Lab Access Guidelines](https://www.uea.ac.uk/groups-and-centres/projects/access-all-areas-in-labs/access-guidelines) Created by University of East Anglia as a result of a research project [Access All Areas in Labs.](https://www.uea.ac.uk/groups-and-centres/projects/access-all-areas-in-labs) - [University of Oxford annual Disability Lectures archive](https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/series/disability-lectures) - [Realising Disability Inclusion for PGRs and ECRs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sedVZgddsqA):a short video (6mins) introducing a project at University of Manchester undertaking research on how to support disabled researchers through the early career stages. - [ALBA disability working group inclusivity and accessibility tips](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lQlM4M4H08E):a series of short videos offering tips for increasing accessibility in labs. - [UKRI may offer support for reasonable adjustments when the need increases as a direct result of working on the project.](https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/disability-and-accessibility-support-for-ukri-applicants-and-grant-holders/) The [Wellcome Trust](https://wellcome.org/research-funding/guidance/managing-grant/disability-related-support-for-grantholders) may support requests for cost to staff to help with day-today activities related to a Wellcome funded project. --- ![Dr Becky Carlyle profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dr-Becky-Carlyle.jpg "Dr Becky Carlyle")Dr Becky Carlyle #### Author **[Dr Becky Carlyle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-becky-carlyle-university-of-oxford/)** is an Alzheimer’s Research UK Senior Research Fellow at University of Oxford, and has previously worked in the USA. Becky writes about her experiences of starting up a research lab and progressing into a more senior research role. Becky’s research uses mass-spectrometry to quantify thousands of proteins in the brains and biofluids of people with dementia. Her lab is working on various projects, including work to compare brain tissue from people with dementia from Alzheimer’s Disease, to tissue from people who have similar levels of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology but no memory problems. Becky is also a mum, she runs, drinks herbal tea’s and reads lots of books. **[Find Becky on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-carlyle-bb399118/)** **[@bcarlylegroup.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/bcarlylegroup.bsky.social)** **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Accessibility, Blog, Dr Becky Carlyle, Research Culture, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Research Culture, Research Infrastructure **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - The Contradictions & Challenges of the Junior PI](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-contradictions-challenges-of-the-junior-pi/) **Published:** May 14, 2026 **Author:** Dr Yvonne Couch **Excerpt:** Dr Yvonne Couch on the junior PI trap: you train people up, lose them to bigger labs, and try to define a job nobody else has defined for you. **Content:** --- **It’s Friday afternoon. My last ever fellowship application is ready to go. I have five papers in various stages of review and acceptance so I feel like some work-based down time is in order. Not a holiday, I had one of those last week, just some reflecting and thinking time. Two posts are going to come out of this post-biscuit cogitation, one with today’s title, and one on the sense of self in academia which will either have already come out by the time you read this one, or is waiting in the wings. We are at the mercy of the dragon overlord on this one I’m afraid.** It’s actually hard to know where to start today because I know what I want to talk about, but getting it into some sense of a narrative arc is challenging so I’ll apologise now because this might get a bit waffly. We’ll start where the inspiration came from. It came from a friend of mine, who shall remain nameless but they’ll know who they are. This person is a wonderful human being and is absolutely my role model when it comes to being a good academic. This inspiration came during a chat on our semi-regular coffee stroll through the park. I was lamenting that my RA is leaving this week and she has been an absolute godsend for the past year. She has allowed me to sit at my desk for hours at a time and argue with grant forms, to nag collaborators about rebuttals, to write papers, to do grant math. Because she’s been in the lab doing all the actual hard work, cutting tissue, running Western blots, helping with imaging. She’s been amazing. But I can’t keep her because I have no money. This got us talking about various people over the years we had wanted to keep but couldn’t because of circumstances beyond our control and the consequences of that not only for the person in question, but for us. Because the contradiction of being a junior PI is that you are expected to be both a mentor and a manager, but it’s a challenge to play either role to its fullest. I was very worried when all the grants I put in to keep my RA failed to get funded. I was very open with her from the start of the project, I told her we would absolutely try but we might not be successful. Then when the last one failed at about 6 months before she was due to finish, I let her know she should absolutely start job hunting. She fortunately got something in January and has now started, it’s a good solid three-year contract and she’ll still be in Oxford so I’m very pleased for her. So as a junior PI one of the things you have to worry about is other people. **Your success depends on them, but their lives depend on your success.** When they leave, all the stuff they were doing for you either has to be done by someone else if you’re lucky enough, or it has to be done by you if you’re unlucky (like me). PhD students are a good example of this. In an ideal world, a PhD student comes to me to do a very specific project I have in mind. If I’m a good PI, I have made the project so that it’s probably 60% very achievable and 40% ‘needs optimizing/we don’t know if this will even work’ which means they will get stuff done and also learn to troubleshoot. But for someone junior like me, the 60% absolutely HAS to be done. If it does not get done then I, by association, look unproductive. Because the PhD student is currently my spare pair of hands. For a senior PI, someone with a permanent job and stacks of spare cash stuffed down the sofa, the PhD student *almost* doesn’t really matter as much. That’s not to say that the majority of senior PIs aren’t amazing but for them, if the whole PhD fails to produce anything quote-unquote ‘interesting’ because it was all optimization which didn’t really work, it does not really matter. They’ll get another one next year and the year after, new people will show up and after all, the student learned a lot from the experience. > Junior PIs cannot afford this luxury, we need the project to work because we need to publish the data because we need to get the next grant in order to remain employed. There are aspects of the job of being a PI which I enjoy and I think I do quite well which, if I were senior and permanent would absolutely make me a great boss. But because I’m junior and expendable I think might just make me a pushover. And this is where I struggle to define my job. If I were a senior PI, I would say that my job is to do science, and to mentor and lead the researchers who choose to come and work for me. As a junior PI, because I don’t have the financial runway or stability of a senior PI, I can mentor and lead all I like but I run the risk that the people I am choosing to help will just take that advice and run away with it to a more senior PI with a permanent job and pots of cash. At that point it feels like my efforts have been wasted. **The better I am at helping people, the faster they leave to go somewhere bigger and better.** And at that point it’s hard not to feel that part of your role is to help people become strong enough to leave you for something shinier. !["Junior PIs are expected to behave like long-term leaders in a system that only gives them short-term survival conditions."](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Yvonne-Couch-Junior-PI-Troubles.png "Yvonne Couch - Junior PI Troubles")And to make this not sound like one long personal complaint let’s highlight how this is a structural problem. Because sometimes it feels like the system is set up so that junior PIs do all the early investment, the training, the mentoring, the confidence building, only for more established labs to reap the rewards. We take people when they are uncertain, when they need time, when they need someone to sit with them and go through things properly. We teach them how to think, how to troubleshoot, how to recover when experiments fail. We absorb the inefficiency that comes with learning. But just as these people become productive, just as they become confident, independent, and genuinely excellent, they become competitive for positions in bigger, more stable, better-resourced labs. And they absolutely should take those opportunities. I would never tell someone not to. Of course one way to respond to this would be to reduce the personal investment. I don’t have to be like this. I could treat people primarily as a means of producing data, to micromanage them into submission, giving them less time to spend on things that don’t immediately translate into outputs. Essentially to use them as tools. That approach is often more efficient, and in many cases, it is what the system rewards. But it is not how I want to run a lab. The time spent teaching, mentoring, and allowing people space to grow is a choice. It just happens to be a choice that comes with a cost. The system quietly relies on junior PIs to take on the risk and the labour of training, while the rewards of productivity, publications, grants and continuity often accrues with others. > Junior PIs are expected to behave like long-term leaders in a system that only gives them short-term survival conditions. And that is where I get stuck. Because none of this really helps me understand what my job is. Is it to produce? To generate data, write papers, bring in money, and prove that I deserve to still be here next year? Or is it to train people properly? To give them time, attention, and space to become good scientists, whilst quietly accepting that doing so might look, from the outside, like failure? I need the answers to these questions because if I cannot define my role, I cannot figure out whether I am doing it ‘well’ or not. If I were in real estate, my job would be to sell houses. If I spent 12 months not selling a house in a year when lots of people were buying houses then by the normal standards of that job, I am not very good. But academia, such as it is, does not have such defined standards. They vary by institution, by discipline, by department and even by PI in some cases. Given it’s unlikely that anyone will come up with a sensible set of criteria on ‘how to be an academic’ any time soon I am going to follow my lovely friend Lorraine’s advice. Lorraine is another wonderful human being and absolutely a role model for me and she was given an exercise on a leadership course once. She said they were asked to write their own eulogy, and that it forced them to really think about what they wanted people to remember them for. And she said **she realised she wanted people to have had a good time in her lab and to think she was kind.** And I’m with her. The fact that I recently published my 50th paper sort of passed me by. I’m just ticking the boxes there. But I do like to keep a stack of all the really nice thank you cards all the students who’ve been through my lab leave for me. They have words like ‘fun’ and ‘inspirational’ and ‘patience’ in them. I have no idea whether that will make me a successful academic, I somewhat suspect not, but I hope it makes me a successful human. --- ![Dr Yvonne Couch Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dr-Yvonne-Couch.jpg "Dr Yvonne Couch")Dr Yvonne Couch #### Author **[Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-yvonne-couch/)** is an Associate Professor of Neuroimmunology at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne shares her opinions, talks about science and explores different [careers topics in her monthly blogs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-disrupting-dementia-research-careers/) – she does a great job of narrating too. [@dryvonnecouch.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/dryvonnecouch.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Being a PI, Blog, Dr Yvonne Couch, Lab Skills, Leadership, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Postdoc Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Profile - Dr Niranjan Bose, Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-niranjan-bose/) **Published:** May 25, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Niranjan Bose leads ADDI, advancing global data sharing for dementia research, and brings deep experience in health, philanthropy and biotechnology. **Content:** ![Dr Niranjan Bose Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dr-Niranjan-Bose.jpg "Dr Niranjan Bose")Dr Niranjan Bose ##### Name: Dr Niranjan Bose ##### Job title: Interim Executive Director ##### Place of work / study: Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative ##### Area of Research: The Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative is on a mission to fundamentally transform Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research. We offer researchers around the world secure [data sharing](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-big-data/) and analytics tools and collaboration resources, all available to users at no cost. ##### How is your work funded: Gates Ventures ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am currently the Managing Director, Health & Life Sciences at Gates Ventures, LLC, where I serve as Science Advisor to Mr Bill Gates and oversee a portfolio of philanthropic investments in global health, Alzheimer’s disease and US healthcare. Before joining Gates Ventures in August 2014, I was Chief of Staff to the President of the Global Health Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. During my time at the Gates Foundation, I was responsible for managing the enteric vaccines portfolio, including rotavirus, cholera, enterotoxigenic E coli and shigella, as well as the clinical stage pneumococcal vaccine portfolio. Before joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, I worked with Strategic Decisions Group and SDG Life Sciences as a Senior Consultant, supporting clients in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries with strategy development, company valuations, portfolio management frameworks, revenue forecasting and competitive assessments. I currently serve on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative and Global Health Labs, a non profit organisation advancing innovations for primary healthcare settings in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. Since 2022, I have also been a member of the Board of Directors at Inventprise, a biotech company focused on advancing novel vaccines using proprietary technology, with the aim of providing life saving interventions globally. I hold a PhD in Biochemistry from Dartmouth College, an MS in Biological Sciences and a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India. I also received a Business Bridge Diploma from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @x](https://twitter.com/x?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Niranjan on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/niranjanbose/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative, Dr Niranjan Bose **Organisations for Bios:** Charity **Themes for Bios:** Data Analysis --- ### [Pride Month: a few free courses, and a note on our own field](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/pride-month-a-few-free-courses-and-a-note-on-our-own-field/) **Published:** June 3, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** It's Pride Month. Free OpenLearn courses on allyship and LGBTQ+ history, plus resources on LGBTQ+ people, dementia, and being out in research. **Content:** ![Pride Month 2026 banner with pastel chevron arrows and headline about free courses and open field study in a light background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/pride-month-header-1024x576.png "pride-month-header") It’s Pride Month. Rather than post a flag and leave it there, we thought we would point you towards some free learning that is worth the few minutes it takes. The Open University’s OpenLearn platform has a small set of free, short resources on [LGBTQ+ allyship](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-exploring-equality-diversity-inclusion/) and history. They are open to anyone, no sign-up needed, and well put together. ## Free courses from OpenLearn ### How To Be A Better LGBTQI+ Ally A 20-minute interactive built around real stories from LGBTQI+ young people. It tests how you would respond in practice rather than just describing allyship. Content warning: depicts mistreatment [Open the course →](https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/young-peoples-health/how-be-better-lgbtqi-ally) ### How to be a great trans ally A short interactive on what trans allyship looks like in practice, starting from the sensible point that it looks different for different people. [Open the course →](https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/how-be-great-trans-ally) ### Timeline: LGBTQ History Snapshots from across LGBTQ history, useful if you want the broad picture rather than a single anniversary. [Open the course →](https://www.open.edu/openlearn/society-politics-law/timeline-lgbtq-history) ### Key historic LGBTQI+ figures A look at significant LGBTQI+ figures, with a focus on Black and minority ethnic figures too often left out of the standard accounts. [Open the course →](https://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/key-historic-lgbtqi-figures) ## Closer to our own field There is a reason this sits comfortably on a dementia research site. LGBTQ+ people remain an under-researched and frequently overlooked group in dementia, both in care and in the evidence base. Around 5 to 7% of the population is LGBT, yet many are not out within dementia services, and the specific barriers they face, from reminiscence work that assumes a heterosexual life history to the risk of being inadvertently outed as cognition changes, rarely make it into mainstream research questions. ### Alzheimer’s Society: LGBTQ+ and dementia Practical guidance and lived experience accounts on supporting LGBTQ+ people with dementia, informed by their LGBTQ+ Dementia Advisory Group. A good orientation if this is newer ground for your work. [Visit the hub →](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/categories/support/lgbtq) ### Pride in STEM For those of us who are LGBTQ+ in research, or who want to back colleagues who are. A UK charity supporting LGBTQ+ people across science, founded by researchers, and the group behind the International Day of LGBTQ+ People in STEM. [Find out more →](https://prideinstem.org) If you have ten minutes, start with the ally interactives. If you have a research interest in health inequalities, the gap in LGBTQ+ dementia evidence is a *genuinely open one*. Free resources via The Open University’s OpenLearn, Alzheimer’s Society, and Pride in STEM. All links open in a new tab. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** LGBTQ+, Pride --- ### [Profile - Dr Maria Drummond, University of Glasgow](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-maria-drummond-university-of-glasgow/) **Published:** May 29, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Maria Drummond is Team Leader at ENRICH Scotland, supporting care home research shaped by staff, residents and people living with dementia. **Content:** ![Dr Maria Drummond Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Dr-Maria-Drummond.jpg "Dr Maria Drummond")Dr Maria Drummond ##### Name: Dr Maria Drummond ##### Job title: Team Leader at ENRICH Scotland ##### Place of work / study: [ENRICH Scotland](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/enrich-scotland-conference-talks/) and University of Glasgow ##### Area of Research: Anything to do with care homes, primarily older adult care homes. ##### How is your work funded: NIHR Research Programme for Social Care ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m a registered nurse and district nurse with ten years experience working in the Glasgow City District Nursing service before moving into research full-time in 2021 when I joined ENRICH Scotland. I have also spent five years working in older adult care homes primarily working with people living with dementia. I’m motivated by the priorities of care home staff and residents. I believe in improving access to the benefits and better outcomes that research involvement and evidence-based practice supports. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I’m obsessed with knitting ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My first experience of working with people living with dementia was as a domestic assistant at 16 years old. That job was a truly transformative experience that changed the direction of my life and I’m so thankful for what it offered me. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Get people with lived experience involved as early as possible because then you know your research is addressing a priority in a meaningful way. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Bat Eater by Kylie Lee Baker](https://amzn.to/4vqWfpu). Yes it’s brilliant so far ##### Favourite film of all time? [Ghost World](https://amzn.to/3PEOoFL) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Spending time with my two wee boys, it’s chaos but in a fun way ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To set up a book club with my best friends ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Berlin ##### Do you collect anything? Yarn! ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Maria on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-hdrumm/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Maria Drummond, ENRICH Scotland, University of Glasgow **Organisations for Bios:** Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, University of Glasgow **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Profile - Annika Dhawan, King's College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-annika-dhawan-kings-college-london/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Annika Dhawan is a Research Assistant at King’s College London researching dementia, palliative care, caregiver wellbeing and support at home. **Content:** ![Annika Dhawan Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Annika-Dhawan.jpg "Annika Dhawan")Annika Dhawan ##### Name: Annika Dhawan ##### Job title: Research Assistant ##### Place of work / study: King’s College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation ##### Area of Research: Dementia and palliative care ##### How is your work funded: The PALLDEM-Homecare project is funded by Marie Curie and [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/) ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am a Researcher in Clinical Mental Health Sciences with a focus on dementia and palliative care. I hold an MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences from University College London, and a BSc (Hons) in Psychology with a focus on Neuroscience from the University of St Andrews. My research interests include dementia care, caregiver wellbeing, and the development of evidence based psychological interventions for individuals affected by neurodegenerative and affective disorders. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Can’t think of one right now ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I chose to work in dementia research because of the profound impact it has not only on people living with the condition, but also on families and those providing care. I’m particularly interested in how research can translate into practical, day‑to‑day support that improves quality of life and wellbeing. Working in dementia allows me to contribute to work that is both clinically meaningful and grounded in real‑world experiences, especially in community and home‑based care settings. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Ask questions, seek feedback early, and build relationships with people who challenge and support you ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Annika on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/annika-dhawan-2532791b2) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Annika Dhawan, King's College London, Palliative Care **Organisations for Bios:** King’s College London **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Exploring Ageing through National Datasets](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/exploring-ageing-through-national-datasets/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** National Centre for Research Methods **Excerpt:** NCRM webinar recording shares three researchers on ageing, using national datasets to examine healthy ageing, pension protection and subjective age. **Content:** **This National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) webinar recording features presentations from three researchers on ways of exploring ageing using [secondary quantitative data](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/methods-matter-podcast-qualitative-secondary-analysis/) from national datasets.** 1. George B. Ploubidis considers a cross-generational life-course approach to healthy ageing in the 21st century. 2. Athina Vlachantoni explores pension protection among minority ethnic communities in the UK. 3. Bram Vanhoutte examines the gap between subjective and chronological age, the role of functional health, and differences between birth cohorts. The presentations were recorded for a webinar hosted by the Data Resources Training Network, titled Exploring Ageing through National Datasets. --- Find more on the NCRM YouTube Channel – **Categories:** Research Methods **Tags:** datasets, National Centre for Research Methods, Qualitative Secondary Analysis --- ### [🎅 Should Santa be Running a Research Lab? Find out Now](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/🎅-should-santa-be-running-a-research-lab-find-out-now/) **Published:** December 18, 2025 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Festive charity debate asks an unexpected question Would Santa make a good principal investigator Humour and sharp thinking on leadership and academia **Content:** **This festive charity debate asks a question nobody saw coming but everyone had an opinion on. Would Santa Claus make a good principal investigator?** Recorded live in the [Dementia Researcher Community](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/introducing-the-dementia-researcher-community-and-app/), this Christmas special brings humour, sharp thinking, and real reflections on leadership, research culture, ethics, and academia. The debate is hosted by [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) and [Dr Anna Volkmer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/). Speaking for the motion is [Rebecca Williams](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rebecca-williams-university-of-cambridge/), PhD researcher exploring FTD and apathy. Speaking against the motion is [Dr Connor Richardson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/), Research Fellow working in data science, epidemiology, and machine learning in dementia research. Through opening statements, rebuttals, and audience questions, the discussion ranges from logistics and mentorship to ethics, transparency, wellbeing, and what good leadership really looks like in research. While lighthearted on the surface, the debate reveals some very familiar academic tensions beneath the tinsel. This episode was recorded as a charity event in support of Dementia UK and their Admiral Nurses, who provide vital support to people living with dementia and their families, especially during the Christmas period. Thank you for listening, watching, and supporting dementia research and care. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Adam Smith:** Hello and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. The show you're about to hear was recorded as a livestream in the Dementia Researcher community. It was a charity event to raise money for Dementia UK and Admiral nurses. We enjoyed making it so much that I've decided to share it with you, our podcast audience. If you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it, please consider donating using the link in the show notes. Thank you. Hello and welcome everybody to today's Dementia Researcher Christmas Special Debate. I'm Adam Smith and thank you for joining us for what is probably the most festive and possibly unrealistic debate of the year. Today, we're setting aside grant deadlines, ethics forms, and reviewer comments to ask genuinely important question disguised as a silly one. This house believes that Santa would make an excellent principal investigator. On the surface, this sounds absurd, but when you think about it, Santa runs a global operation, manages a highly specialist workforce, hits a fixed deadline every single year, and somehow delivers outputs at skill under intense time pressure. Supporters will argue that this is exactly the kind of leadership academia needs. Critics may wonder about transparency, sustainability, work-life balance, and whether a once-a-year delivery model would really survive reviewer number two. This is a light-hearted debate, but like all good festive arguments, it tells us something about how we really think leadership works in research. And speaking this afternoon, we have arguing for the motion, Rebecca Williams, PhD researcher exploring FTD and apathy. Hello, Rebecca. **Rebecca Williams:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** And our grinch is Connor Richardson, Dr. Connor Richardson, who is speaking against the motion. He's a research fellow working in data science, epidemiology, and machine learning applied to dementia research. Hi, Connor. I'm sorry for calling you the Grinch. You're not the Grinch at all. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I mean, it's fairly accurate. I'm fine with that. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much for both joining us in the spirit of the season and joining me as co-host for this debate. We have regular podcast host and former Dementia Researcher blogger, the incredible Dr. Anna Volkmer. Hi, Anna. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Hi, Adam. **Adam Smith:** Thank you all for getting in the spirit of this. So, if you've not joined any of our livestream bits so far, let me just explain the format. Each speaker is given 10 minutes to give an opening statement, and then we move into our moderated discussion led by our brilliant co-host, Anna Volkmer. And then we're going to have audience questions and a chance to chat this out a little bit. And before we start, we have a pre-debate poll to ask you what your views are on this topic at the start, and then we're going to pull you all again at the very end after the show to see if your opinions have changed. So, a hundred percent of our audience, not many voters though, agree that Santa would make a good PI. So, Connor, all to play for as we go into the debate. But before we get to you, Rebecca, you're going to speak first for the House. **Rebecca Williams:** Yes. Well, I've based my argument on four key tenets that I think make an excellent programme leader, and they are organisation, collaboration, communication, and imagination. Now, organisation, I think this needs little introduction. Santa pulls off one of the most logistically complex projects in probably the history of the world. Now, according to an article that I found called The Science Behind Santa Claus, Santa delivers an estimated 595,980,000 toys on Christmas Eve alone. Now, let's compare that to one of the biggest companies currently delivering in the world. Even the global conglomerate Amazon, according to a 2024 article, only delivers an estimated 24 million parcels worldwide per day of December, meaning across the whole month leading up to Christmas, Amazon just about matches Santa's 600 million delivered in a single night. Also, Amazon has approximately 1.6 million employees globally with Santa's elves, even by a generous estimate, only ranging in the tens to maybe hundreds of thousands. We rarely see Santa's workshops in all the documentaries I've watched scaling to nearly the level of millions of elves. And the logistics to get this done in one night is frankly insane. And we know from the film After Christmas, sorry, the documentary Arthur Christmas, that all this is done in one night with precisely no margin of error. Not a single child can be missed. And this is in comparison to Amazon's less than stellar track record where they estimated that one in 10 people have a lost or stolen parcel in the last year. And let me ask you, wouldn't you want the man in charge of that global operation running your lab? Hell, wouldn't you want him running your department? All of that delivered at pace with not a single child left behind. A margin of error of precisely zero is incredibly impressive. Now, moving on to tenant number two, collaboration. Santa has international collaborations with legendary figures across the globe, as seen in both the Santa Claus documentary and in Rise of the Guardians, in which Santa is in close conversation with the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost, Mother Nature, Father Time, the Sandman, and many more, who are all it seems part of some kind of community or collaborative attempt, maybe a cohort consortium to bring joy to the children of the world. This is further aided by Santa's international heritage. And as of 2008, he was granted Canadian citizenship whilst also modern day US claims he lives in Alaska. The general consensus seems to be that he has his base somewhere in the North Pole. Finland, while on the other hand, claims is in left land, and he was perhaps born as St. Nicholas in what is modern day Turkey. And he even collaborates outside of the legendary figures with government agencies. That's right. Santa has an interest in policy. For example, the North American Aerospace Defence Command tracks Santa each year through NORAD track Santa. You can access this on Christmas Eve. I did it every year as a child to see where Santa was up to in travelling the world. It was great fun. And the Federal Aviation Administration on a similar front apparently grants Santa Claus special flight and launch permissions each year to make sure he can enter US airspace and also space. Now, three, this is an important one to me, very near and dear to my heart. Communication. Santa has frankly outstanding public engagement. Representatives in shopping centres, Christmas fairs and parades around the world ensure he stays in touch with what the children want. That is textbook, participant and mission involvement and engagement on a mass scale. Okay. Santa would not only build a lab, but Santa would also build a better research community around it. Have you seen the cues for Santa? Imagine cues of participants waiting to join your latest study and you can't make it to them in person? Don't worry. As there's also a longstanding tradition of sending letters to Santa, arguably starting in a small town called Smeerenburg some years ago, and most every one of them is read and the content's noted. In fact, in the documentary After Christmas, we even see that Santa's own son is responding to these letters. Santa is multimodal with his communication to make sure that no one is left out. And he's even experienced with the press. He has a history of bringing in money through various documentaries about his life and his ethical work practises. But communication isn't just external, we know this. And communication is key to a good research environment, to good research culture. And we've seen that Santa works closely with the elves and the reindeer. We see lovely examples of this in the Santa Claus documentary with Santa collaborating closely with elves to problem solve new toys, not only being a great collaborator, but also an excellent mentor as concretely demonstrated by the loyalty shown to him by his employees. And when they want to branch out into different careers, he's equally as supportive as this. As we see in the Clay Nation Rudolph movie, Hermey wants to be a dentist, and he is told that he can go be a dentist. And as we all know, the best way to get an indication of whether a lab is excellent is to ask a former member of that lab. There are very few of them because of how amazing the lab is, but Hermey is one and Hermey stands by Santa. We similarly see this with Buddy the Elf from the movie Elf. This demonstrates clear fairness and respect needed to be a good programme leader. And on the subject of fostering a positive research culture, need, I remind you that when Santa learned of bullying in the workplace, he stepped in and led by example, giving his employees the opportunity to shine. Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won't you fly in isolate tonight? That is leading by example. That is teaching your employees to embrace their differences and taking a harsh stance on harassment in the workplace. And on the one reported occasion we have of a human being working at the poll, buddy in the movie Elf, not only were the elves universally supportive despite him being unable to meet their quotas, they said, and I quote, "We all have different talents, buddy, and then actively find him a job in which he can excel." People might add far more less accommodating when he leaves the poll, everyone in New York's terror. And finally, the fourth tenant of an excellent programme leader, imagination. You want the most creative ideas for your future research proposals with the most ingenious use of novel methodologies that most of the world isn't even using yet? Look no further. He's been adapting to the latest demands of children the world over four centuries. Think of all the upskilling those elves had to do in complex computing and electronics over the last hundred years. And he also inspires creativity and imagination in others with a research article, a real research article of Breen et al in 2004, reporting that a belief in Santa fosters imaginative thinking, purposeful play, and concrete development. And so, I shall leave you there with the argument that I think Santa Claus would make an excellent PI, working on these four tenants of organisation, collaboration, communication, and imagination to build a lab that is not only at the forefront of research, but also that builds a good research community and an excellent research culture. Thank you very much. That's all. **Adam Smith:** Wow. Thank you very much for your very passionate arguments there, speaking for making Santa a good PI. Connor. **Dr Connor Richardson:** At this time of year, I'm sure like me, you're feeling exhaustive, hopeful, or just a little bit dazed. Which is fitting because today we are asked a question that sounds charming, feels seasonal and is unfortunately on closer inspection, completely unhinged. Would Santa Claus make a good principal investigator? Now, before anyone accuses me of being unfair, humourless, all perish the thought and joy, let me say this clearly. I have nothing against Santa Claus. He is efficient. He is famous. He has excellent branding and quite frankly, Andres Sense alone, I hope I see him at AAIC next year. However, a principal investigator is not a mascot. They are not a myth. They are not a morale boosting presence once a year. A principal investigator is a job, a punishing, bureaucratic, ethically constrained paperwork heavy job, and Santa Claus are catastrophically unsuited to this. But let us be fair. Let us begin with the case for Santa, because it is, at first glance, very seductive. So, why do people fall for this? We are told that Santa has a proven track record of delivering enormous projects on fixed annual deadline. That's true. However, it's once a year. With no interim reporting, no progress meetings, and no requirements to explain any methodology. We are told he manages a vast international workforce with no HR complaints on record. Also, could be very true, though I would gently suggest that the absence of complaints may simply reflect the absence of HR. We are told his logistics are unparalleled, global distribution, extreme time pressure, and flawless execution. Indeed, this is a triumph of supply chains. Jeff Bezos would be envious. We are told he believes in open data. Everyone knows who's naughty or nice. Open, yes. Ethical, I'll return to that later. We are told that his funding models are impeccable. He has unlimited resources and apparently zero grant rejections, a dream of perhaps a literal fantasy. We are told he has an extraordinary public engagement. He has instant name recognition, centuries of leadership experience, and an intensely loyal mentoring culture. All of this sounds impressive, and all of it collapses the moment Santa enters research reality, because being a PI is not about scale. It's about scrutiny. So, let's go through these strengths and see why each of them is actually a liability. Deadlines are not leadership. Santa delivers but once a year. Dementia research does not operate on this festive cycle. It requires continuous oversight throughout the year. Daily decision making, rapid responses to failure, and long stretches where nothing works, and everyone is quietly panicking. A seasonal productivity spike followed by 11 months of silence is not a resilient workforce. It's abandonment. Secondly, managing a workforce isn't mentorship. Santa's workforce might be vast, loyal, but most importantly, it's silent, which is delightful in folklore and disastrous in academia. Where are the first author elves? Where are the independent health investigators? Where is the succession plan? A PI's role is to train people to leave. Santa's system trains them to stay forever. That is not mentorship. That is career stagnation with jingle bells. Thirdly, logistics is not governance. Yes, Santa moves objects efficiently, but dementia research does not fail because parcels arrive late. It fails because ethics approvals lapse. Consent is mishandled. Data governance is sloppy and adverse events are poorly managed. Santa's operational model, lifelong surveillance based on hearsay, gossip, and quite frankly, manipulative parents would not survive the first ethics committee. It would not only be rejected, but it would also be archived as a warning. So, let's talk about ethics because when it comes to the North Pole, someone has to. Santa observes participants from birth to adulthood. With, as dementia researchers, I must say, a negligible interest in the older population. He does this without consent, without transparency, and without opt-out. This is not open data, this is surveillance. And for what? A binary data set of naughty or nice? That's right. There's no multi-level analysis in Santa's lab. And what Santa calls the naughty list are called confounding variables, or quite frankly, just being a free thinking, independent person. He relies on animal labour with no published welfare protocol and a completely unknown carbon footprint. Dementia research must be ethically exemplary. Santa is festive and festivity does not pass audits. And let's talk about credit. We might not like it, but in science, authorship matters. Careers are built or destroyed by it. Santa's operation has run for centuries, and yet elves never appear as authors. There's no independent labs emerge, and no career trajectories are visible. A PI must share credit generously and transparently. Santa shares gifts, not authorship. And innovation. Santa's greatest strength is not innovation, its tradition, and that is fatal. Modern research demands innovation, methodological risk, willingness to abandon tradition when it fails. Santa does not abandon tradition. Santa is tradition, and tradition does not cure neurodegeneration. And research culture. We're told Santa works one night a year with no complaints. That's not resilience. This is just theatre. A PI sets the cultural tone of a lab. A culture built on extreme seasonal overwork followed by prolonged absence would destroy any student, collapse projects, and end careers. Santa's model is unsustainable and dangerously romanticised. And in the end, what is a PI really? What does a PI actually do? A PI writes, endlessly writes. Grants, ethic forms, budgets, SOPs, recruitment documents, reference letters, manuscript provisions, and those really polite responses to reviewer too. A PI is present, visible, and accountable. Santa is mythical, remote, and seasonal. Lovely qualities to have, just not the right ones for a PI. So, finally, yes, Santa's famous. Yes, Santa's efficient. Yes, Santa has excellent PR and an enviable code. But dementia research does not need magic. It needs good governance, outstanding ethics, consistency, and leadership that survives scrutiny. Santa Claus for all his charms cannot provide these things. And so, I say to everyone here. Santa would make a terrible PI, especially in dementia research. So, let's keep him in the North Pole. Thank you. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much. I'd love to have both of your personalities came through there as well. The very enthusiastic Rebecca speaking for Santa Claus and of course a very sober Connor being the realist. That was honestly genius. Anna, we usually have a rebuttal phrase here, but I feel like you both made your arguments. Rebecca, would you like to respond to Connor's arguments? **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah, I have a couple of rebuttals. One being around the research culture, this idea that we never hear of unhappy elves, and this is actually just patently not true. In an article from 2016 written by Thompson's solicitors, we saw reports that Santa's elves had gone on strike and after return to work after concessions had been made, included instituting and updating the living wage, showing again that Santa is not stuck in the past, he's adaptable. And also, there was a further strike in 2023 in which the elves were also given additional cocoa breaks as well as necessitating, I can't say that word, that there'd be no mandatory overtime except on Christmas Eve itself, which also suggests that they are working throughout the year. And when it comes to that spike, do we really want to look at just what a lab produces, just the outputs of a lab? That seems like the wrong way to look at the success of a PI to me. The rest of the year is not silence, but rest and diligent work. So, yeah, I think we also see, let's say, from all these documentaries, the elves that are just having a great time. When it comes to the naughty and nice list, I would argue it's not based on myths, but as seen in Santa Claus and clouds, information on the behaviour of children is determined not through some omniscient CCTV, but rather through sound making trips out into the real world to see how they're acting in public. In public, public spaces likes parks, or in the case of Klaus, he seems to make use of an extensive network of postmen, well-trained postmen who can observe children's behaviours by posting letters. And in terms of the binarization of the naughty nice, that's not binarization, that's GDPR compliance. It's called data minimization, and it's crucial to ensure that for research practises are maintained. We also see transparency, hence the number of songs written on the subject of the Naughty and Nice List. Everyone knows it exists, and it's confidential. Only Santa sees the list, even though he has to check twice. It's a lot of work. And we see in Mickey's twice upon a Christmas that the list is actually locked away in a separate room from the rest of Santa's workshop. In terms of the animals and eco-friendliness of the lab, these are working reindeer. Just like sheet dogs and guard geese, they are well taken care of in their own stables and previous incidents of bullying, as I previously mentioned, have been dealt with swiftly. And we see in movies when they leave the North Pole and eat a bunch of junk food that they actually get really upset really quickly. So, I think that they're in one of the best places for them. And again, we see that actually Santa is very cognizant of his carbon footprint. In Arthur Christmas, we see that his sleigh is covered by potash of \[inaudible 00:00:00\] and amiloride citrate, AKA Magic dust, which is harvested from the \[inaudible 00:22:59\] b Aurora Borealis. In alternative accounts, we see it's powered by the reindeer, by Christmas spirit, and even the new S1 slay, which is basically a spaceship, seems to be powered by biofuel made from carrots and mints pies. So, I would argue that Santa is not just a face. He has pragmatic concerns. He has dealt with ethics; he has dealt with governance. He has, as far as I can tell, good relations with the entire world as he's able to pass through their airspace at all times. So, those would be my main rebuttals to Connor's otherwise fantastic argument. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** May I raise the topic of grants and monetary underpinning? I wonder how you would consider the philanthropic donations made by parents to Santa's grant funding. Would anybody like to start that discussion? **Rebecca Williams:** I mean, I'm all for collaboration. I think that Santa has done an amazing job providing presence for the children of the world throughout history. Now, I'm not going to lie where exactly all the money comes from. I assume it's a self-sustained system, but through a mix of having to sign an NDA, I'm afraid I can't disclose much more about the Inner Workings Centre’s workshop, but yeah, it seems to be entirely self-sustained. So, while donations from parents are always appreciated, greatly appreciated, as with any grant funding, I think it's also nice that there does seem to be a self-sustaining system at the poll that can at minimum produce many presence for the children of the world. **Adam Smith:** We should let Connor do a rebuttal as well, of course. I forgot. **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah. Yes, true. Sorry. Yeah. **Dr Connor Richardson:** So, I'll touch on the parents because it touches on some of our rebuttals, is that I feel like we're again, relying on not a lot of transparency. We're asking a lot of questions. Where is the information upfront? And what I seem to say is very much like the elves' situation, Santa forced into given information through a legal framework. And when we all do find out information about the supposed first ever strike of the elves, just the first one we know about, I would argue, the conclusion that seems to be they get COGO and they get the minimum wage. And after thousands of elves, centuries of work, that to me sounds like a race to the bottom. What about middle management elves? Is there a middle management? We don't know. And very much like the parents, all Santa seems to give is platitudes. In fact, parents' names don't end up on the tickets, no responsibility. But once a child stops believing, stops believing in Santa, they're left to fend for themselves, which doesn't sound fair to me. And if I may come back on a few of Rebecca's points, I would argue that not all collaborations are great ones. We've all been in; we've all found ourselves in quite dicey collaborations that we've wanted to get ourselves out of. And I would argue that Santa, although collects a lot of data, which I don't remember giving them consent for, who gave me permission to collaborate with these people? Concerning ones like Rebecca mentioned, governments, government agencies, the US Air Force. Is your child's information being used by the US Air Force? What has it been used for? Who knows? I'm not sure I feel comfortable about my information being used by them. And again, we rely on a lot of these, or the only information we have about Santa, which yes, Rebecca brings up are marvellous things to watch and are very great. They do tend to show Santa in a very nice light. Where is Santa showing up on independent broadcasters? Where is the Emily Maitlis's interview of Santa? Where's Lily Taurau's podcast on Santa? I would even settle for Ross Kemp on Lapland to get some real information. And yes, imagination is great. And yes, he may steal a lot of imagination on children, but you know what? There's a lot more psychological papers on? Trauma. The trauma of getting cool in your stocking. And for what? For what behaviours? What behaviours 20 years ago did children get called for, which you would now call ADHD? These could be lifelong traumas. We learn as we get older, but does Santa's list learn? Not fast enough. **Adam Smith:** Wow. Thank you very much. Rebecca, how do you respond to Connor's very correct highlighting that Santa is a little bit ageist, that as running a lab, he would focus really just on young people and not the older people. And of course, we're particularly interested in those with dementia. It does seem that he does have a bit of a fender when he comes to that. How would you respond to that? **Rebecca Williams:** Would you look to every developmental psychology lab and accuse them of ageism because they're choosing to study those under 16? This isn't ageism. This is a research specialty. We can't be specialists and generalists. Okay? So, maybe Santa's lab would focus on developmental psychology. To me, that's fine. It might not be that he's a great dementia research PA. Maybe that's not the area that he would like to go into, but I don't think that we should just throw the baby out of the bathroom to water and claim that he's ageist because he's not choosing to study the population over the age of 65. That is just a choice. **Adam Smith:** Well, picking up on the house sectors because the house motion is that Santa would make a good PI, not necessarily a good dementia researcher. So, we'll point out. Anna, I'll leave it to you. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Connor, go on. You put your hand up. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I would argue that a good PI knows where they're missing research. So, rather than Santa's collaborations with PR, maybe we do have lifelong epidemiology, lifespan research. Santa does none of this. Yes, he is a specialist, but good specialists know when to bring on other specialists to create multidisciplinary teams. And where is Santa's multidisciplinary teams? He's had long enough to do it. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Really, all very good points. And I guess I'd like to start the discussion with a question mark about equipoise. We've talked about ethics and my feeling is if Santa Claus ran a randomised controlled trial, he could do so. He has naughty and he has nice, but I wonder if you could speak to how he maintains equipoise, how does he reduce bias in his randomization? Either of you like to start. **Rebecca Williams:** I mean, like I say, I think that we've yet to see examples of Santa's research practises in practise. But taking from the work that he's already done, we see that he is remarkably, it seems impartial when it comes to the naughty and nice list, as evidenced by the fact that his own son in the Santa Claus 2 is placed on the naughty list. So, whilst I can't speak to specific research protocols such as randomization, I am certainly confident that they would be able to run a lab which is impartial and which is able to engage in these kind of practises without bias. Connor? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, I think there are some very interesting questions, and I think Santa has a lot of questions to answer on this. I think yes, Santa does have an amazing global brand, but let's be honest, where is he strongest in Western cultures? He isn't big in the global South. And again, we come to age ranges. The naughty and nice list is fine, but Santa seems to be the final orbiter on this. Do we have any expertise from other experts? Does anybody get to weigh in? I think these are all things that deserve committees and a broader range of expertise, which Santa seems unwilling to bend to. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Good point. Can I just ask, have either of you ever met somebody who's on the naughty list and got coal in their stocking, or perhaps from St. Nicholas, I know in some of the European countries, you might place something similar to a baseball bat and a slipper. For St. Nicholas, if you're naughty, has anyone actually met anybody? Do you have any actual single case studies, qualitative experiences or perspectives on this kind of issue? **Rebecca Williams:** No. And again, obviously I can't speak to knowing everybody in the world, but I think it is incredibly rare the experience of receiving of being even on the naughty list. And I think from the examples we've seen from the documentaries I've previously mentioned, the children seem to be exceedingly naughty to be placed on the naughty list. So, I think they're much more in theory than it is in practise. I think what we see in practise is the nice list being used much, much more. And the naughty list is very sparingly used. If at all, I certainly have no examples of children being on the naughty list. And this is from personal experience for two years, I was in fact a member of Santa's workforce as Candy Sprinkles, The Christmas Elf. And I can attest that Santa was not only lovely to work with, but he also played a killer ukulele, and I didn't see him hand out a single piece of call. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Connor, do you have any evidence, any case studies, case series that speak to this? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, I hear from older generations that children who definitely got call in their stockings. Although I did grow up in the Northeast, so there was a lot of call about. But I would say that this is just evidence that Santa's criteria change with the whims of the times. And imagine turn up to any of your grant panels and being asked and having to show who's on the naughty list, and there's actually no one. This is Santa's problem. It's not forthcoming with information. We don't get to see the reasoning. We don't get to see the criteria where it's Satya having to rely on case studies and past knowledge. This should be upfront and any PI would definitely have to be upfront about giving this kind of criteria before beginning any kind of project. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Rebecca, did you want to say... **Rebecca Williams:** Can I say we're suddenly now accusing Santa of changing with a whim. When we were simply accusing him of being stuck in tradition mere moments ago, I mean, which is it? Would you rather have a panel with the same criterion over the hundreds of years or a panel that updates to reflect the times? I mean, you can have tradition or you can have innovation, but I would argue you can't have both simultaneously. And I will absolutely concede that there have historically been some transparency issues with Santa's regime. But I'm not being funny, have you looked at academia? The open science framework, reproducibility has really only started coming in the last 10 to 20 years. So, as much as we can accuse Santa that he's had plenty of time to do it, we've had plenty of time to do it as researchers, and it's only recently that we've started engaging in much better scientific practises. And I do think we'll start seeing that trickle through to the North Pole over the couple years. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, unfortunately, I think Rebecca has just answered the big question here is that as soon as Santa is faced with hard questions, we enter a race to the bottom, whether it's the elves fight for the minimum wage or now we're arguing that the standards for Santa with all of his resources should be the worst of our scientific practises. We should be aiming for better. Santa should be better than us. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, that's interesting. So, in terms of patient and public involvement, if Santa is better than us, should he be doing research to us or should he be doing research with us? Connor. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Actually, it should 100% be doing research with us. And part of that is all of us having a say in the decision-making process and co-designed projects. I don't feel like I have any involvement in Santa's projects. **Rebecca Williams:** Let me ask you this, Connor. Did you ever ask Santa for something for Christmas? **Dr Connor Richardson:** I did. **Rebecca Williams:** Did you get that thing for Christmas? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Sometimes, not always. **Rebecca Williams:** Co-design. This is exactly what we're talking about. You say you've never had any design impact on Santa's practises, but children across the world yearly have impact on the design process in terms of what toys get made, what toys get delivered through letters, through PPIEs, such as Santas at malls. So, I would argue that there is already a lovely cyclical route to Santa both being doing research with and for the children of the world. He is ultimately employed and working for the children of the world as much as he is an authority figure. And I think that is a sign of an excellent PI, someone who can acknowledge that they are both in a figure of authority and that they should take that seriously, but also constantly being reminded that they are also ultimately working for and on behalf of the populations that they set up. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Can I ask you then, so we spoke earlier about, you mentioned the postman workforce who do observations on behalf of Santa, could we consider that unobtrusive if people don't know that the postmen are making these observations? We know from dementia research, for example, if we're using video cameras, that can be very invasive. Whereas if we have devices that aren't intrusive, it can be less. So, perhaps postmen are less invasive in terms of observation, or would we consider this to be unethical observations where people are being perhaps observed without their knowledge? Which side do you fall on in that respect? **Rebecca Williams:** Well, I think this is why all of these documentaries are so important. And I think that is Santa's primary route of getting information about his scientific practises out into the world. This is why we have movies like Klaus so that children can see, ooh, maybe the postmen are in on it, or explicitly so. In fact, the postmen are in on it. I know that's a hot take, but I'll say it here. I think it's backed by data. And I think that I completely agree that there is an element to which, oh, we don't like the idea of being observed, especially in our own homes. But that's where I say, in fact, all of the evidence we have seems to suggest that these empirical observations of children's behaviour happen in public spaces by postmen, by Santa's representatives, by Santa himself, just in them running past him and this thing. So, I agree that it can be seen as inclusive, especially if it was done in the home, in a private setting. But I think the fact that these observations are done in public and with the knowledge of the children of the world, hence all the songs about it, they've been around for ages, we're aware of the situation, I think that does mitigate a lot of those risks. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Connor, do you have a response? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Where's the consent? Where is the consent? These are arguments that just would not pass a basic PhD viva. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I mean, is it possible that people don't have capacity and consent below the age and maybe they're being asked in their best interests. Was that what you were going to say, Rebecca? **Rebecca Williams:** So, as someone who has been photographed without her knowledge or consent in public and then plastered on the front page of a newspaper, I can tell you that you don't actually need people's consent when they're in a public space. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** True. And you're not profiting off it. I hear that. Yes. **Rebecca Williams:** And we're not profiting off it. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, yeah. **Rebecca Williams:** And so traumatised. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** What about implementation? So, going back, circling back to parents, as a parent myself, I have both, I can see both sides of the coin in terms of implementing Santa's research model. So, I am able to use the naughty and nice methodology at home, but equally I'm mindful it doesn't work consistently as a parent. Do you think that Santa, is that a problem that implementation is difficult for parents using that kind of model that Santa's created? Anyone like to speak to that? **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah, I mean, I think it's always tricky. The minute that you let your methodology go out to the world, an example of transparency, by the way, it's an issue that you can't necessarily have it reliably implemented in every lab that it goes out to. And I think this is a classic give and take of research, transparency, collaboration, that when we do make our methodologies open and we do allow others to use our methodologies, we can't then necessarily be held solely responsible for how well they are administered. And I think it's nice that this has been such a widely used methodology. It shows real promise for Santa's open Santa framework, the OSF, in future years. But yeah, again, I think it's not necessarily the responsibility of the person who initially designed the method, though they should absolutely be updating it and be working hard to ensure that relevant literature is sent around the users, not necessarily that initial person's job to maintain standards across such a vast range. As much as it would be nice to hold maybe parents on to conferences, maybe that's something we could see in future years to standardise the approach. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I think some of this leans into the worst biases that we see in Santa's methodology. I mean, we've talked about case studies and what happens in public spaces. We see that there's huge inequalities in Santa's outputs. We clearly see huge socioeconomic differences and Santa's crude binary methodology puts the worst pressures on particularly parents who don't earn as much money, parents who work in key jobs who can't always just be around over that one time of year due to his inflexible practises. So, my mom, in fact, as a nurse, I've spent many Christmases with no mom in my house for the majority of the day, and that to me just speaks to poor core design. Santa does not consider the majority of the people, and he does not represent a fair spread of the people who were affected most by his research, or is it research? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I'm going to take some questions from the audience, actually. There's a really valuable comment being made around... We've talked a lot about people, but what about sustainability in the environment and the animals, animal welfare? One of our guests is concerned about animal welfare. Why has Santa not yet replaced or decreased the number of reindeer in his reindeer team? **Rebecca Williams:** So, I think this depends on which documentary you refer to as. In some cases, he very much has. So, in Arthur Christmas, we see the S1 slayer in fact has no reindeer at all, but by the end, we see that actually it has many and that this is a good thing that the reindeer are allowed to work again. Again, I think these are working reindeer, much like, as I mentioned, sheep dogs and guard geese. I think they're at the best at their bet when they are taken care of, when they're provided at home and when they are provided with work. And as long as they are not overworked, I think that can be a really positive symbiotic relationship between Santa and the reindeer. And I think it's also helpful to remember that there all are, again, environmentally sustainable alternative to the reindeers like Christmas spirit, like magic dust mine from the Aurora Borealis, which can help to reduce the work and load needed by the reindeers if that is necessary to make sure that they are not overstrained. And those do seem to be Christmas brew does seem to be a renewable source of energy. I'm surprised we're not seeing that rolled out, I think, more broadly across the world, but Christmas spirit and magic duct seem to be pretty good for the environment, maybe rivalling nuclear, but that's speculation. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I mean, either one, I'm just going to make a point of order to the speaker of this debate that we are playing fast and loose with the term documentary. And I have major, major concerns for these reindeer because yet again, my arguments keep coming back to this. We always end up on consent and transparency. There seems to be no annual audits of how these animals are doing. There seem to be no independent bodies who check on them. Santa just assumes that we're all fine going along with it, and I've got major questions. For one, Rudolph seems really ill. There's something wrong with that reindeer's nose and nobody's talking about it. And quite frankly, he needs help. And as far as his carbon footprint goes, there's flying, which we assume works on some magical process. Again, we can't seem to verify this scientifically. I know there's a problem with a scientific replication crisis, but we should at least be able to try. And you can't on the one hand say he can have this amazing global distribution network and these toys that are made in their millions. Where's the energy being provided from this? I'm just saying it seems awfully convenient that in the North Pole, he's around a lot of urban oil fields. I'm just asking the questions. **Rebecca Williams:** Can I make the point that also in terms of jurisdiction, I don't think this is centre avoiding jurisdiction. As you mentioned, he lives in the North Pole, which is not really under the jurisdiction of any one nation. So, I think this is much more an issue of who would you like to provide the jurisdiction, rather than him avoiding it? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I'm going to move us onto another question. So, you mentioned the North Pole and I guess that they'll be on several different time zones potentially, depending on where Santa is, where he's working, although Rudolph may be part of his workforce. But I wonder if someone that was having lab meetings, if Santa were holding lab meetings, one of the audience members had asked, would they happen once a year? Would they happen at midnight? What would the timing be of these regular or irregular lab meetings? **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah, as I say, I think it's fair to assume from the data that Santa does work and his workforce does work throughout the year, though it does seem to take a break as shown in the 1991 short film Father Christmas, but they do seem to work throughout the year. So, I think it's safe to say that they choose lab meetings in a similar way to other international lands, maybe varying times meetings to work with different strategies and work with different collaborators. And they say because Santa is so used to working in so many different time zones, I'd argue he's actually better placed to organise those international meetings than most other PIs. He has the experience. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I mean, we heard a lot of the word seems and assumes there. Has anyone actually tried to get hold of Santa recently? The last time I had conversations with Santa, it was through a letter, which I put up much in me, and I still haven't received a reply. And we say that we need to move with the times, and apparently Santa is moving with the times. He's paying his stuff, minimum wage. **Rebecca Williams:** Living wage. **Dr Connor Richardson:** We have teams. Where's the evidence of Santa being involved? That's what we should be here talking about as scientists, evidence, not assumptions. **Rebecca Williams:** I mean, I think that's fair. And like I say, this is why I'm so for the idea is that I have personally met Santa on many occasions. I suppose I don't experience the same thing of feeling like he's some far away mystical figure. To me, Santa is very much someone that I have seen in my school, in my local community, being a figurehead and engaging actively. So, I suppose perhaps the lettering system, maybe that is old hat, maybe we need to get updated to email or zoom. Maybe that would be an interesting way of reaching out further. But I'm not saying that Santa has all the answers here, just to be clear. I'm not saying he would be the perfect PI because that's not the question. No one can be a perfect PI, but I do think he has all the skills that would make him an excellent PI. And one of them is his community outreach. **Dr Connor Richardson:** But let me ask you this. When you met Santa, was it in December? Was it in Any other month? **Rebecca Williams:** No, I think no, it's a fair point. I think we could maybe branch out slightly more to the rest of the year. Like I say, and I think this is all part of the PPIE. We need to hear more from people and what they want from Santa. But as far as I understand, some people, they associate him at the moment because he's associated very much with the holidays. People don't necessarily like seeing him the rest of the year. And so, maybe what we need is a slight change in how Christmases and Santa are thought of. Maybe if he makes that change over the researcher, we can see him represented more consistently throughout the calendar. **Adam Smith:** That is fair. We do get very upset if they start seeing Santa in October and November. **Rebecca Williams:** Well, just listening to the people. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Is Santa your PI or want to see him outside of December? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I have seen him in Christmas in July in the Southern Hemisphere. I think we're a bit biassed. We are representing really only the UK, but I lived in five years, and we did see him at Christmas in July, which was a novel event, I guess. I'm mindful of time, and we are talking about communication. Perhaps one more question. Would Santa make you sit on his lap during appraisals? I mean, Rebecca, you mentioned you were employed by Santa for two years. **Rebecca Williams:** I can confirm all communication was done off lap. I think context is king here and I think, as we've said, consent is incredibly important. And so, we see the children, they might enjoy that. That's a good bit of tradition that maybe is kept through and that children enjoy making their wishes for Santa whilst in his lap. But as a child who was, I will admit, slightly dubious of Santa Claus, I certainly didn't sit on his lap, and I was still able to get my wishes across. And as a grown woman dressed up as Candy Sprinkles, The Christmas El, again, all of the communication was done decidedly off that. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Do you believe? **Rebecca Williams:** Of course. I think there's undeniable evidence. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, do you believe that believing in Santa is a prerequisite for joining his lab? Would it have to be? **Rebecca Williams:** I think it would be very difficult to join the lab of some of a PI whose work you don't believe in. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I hear you. **Rebecca Williams:** Connor, do you believe? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, I do believe, but I also believe that Santa's attitude changes to become quite cold once you stop believing. And I don't think that's a healthy research environment to be working in. Your PI should be independent at all times, and it shouldn't be a cult of personality in a lab. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, we have a question from Ria, who is a member of our audience who has experience as working with a PI who is a Mr. Worldwide or wizard. They're doing great with meetings and scheduling them around his schedule, which is wonderful evidence to have from one of our audience members. Thank you ever so much. **Adam Smith:** I know that PI and a wizard is a pretty good description, actually. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Beautiful, isn't it? **Adam Smith:** Wow. Well, I'm impressed by Connor's ability to argue a really good argument against such a popular figure and Rebecca's encyclopaedic knowledge of Christmas film documentaries. And to be able to just quote them so easily, clearly, you've done your background research. I'm interested to know if you did this specifically for the debate or whether this is just you have a big love of Christmas movies in general. So, we've had audio questions, we've had our opening statements, we can now go to our final closing statements. And then after that, we'll have our closing poll to see if a hundred percent of our audience started out today by saying that they think he would make a good PI, but Connor's made some excellent arguments this afternoon. Let's see if the audience folks changed. But before we get to that, let's have our closing statements. Rebecca, you are first. **Rebecca Williams:** As I said in my opening statement, and I think it holds true, that Santa's logistical press, his ability to collaborate with people across the world, his ability to communicate well both to external audiences, including copious amounts of engagement from his target study cohort, leading to co-design of what his processes look like year-on-year, and also internal communication to foster a positive research culture, which takes a strong stance against bullying, which updates its practises based on the times and the needs of its workers, and which from all representations is just a really jolly place to be mixed with his amazing imagination, I think are all signs that Santa would make an excellent programme leader. As much as we've heard some arguments that his practises may not be as transparent as they need to be, I think that Santa, as I said, it's not perfect. And we have seen lots of development in transparency and reproducibility over the last 10, 20 years in research. And I hope that if Santa were to come into this space, he would quickly take on some of those practises. But I would also say that we already know quite a lot about Santa and his practises from various movies, from talking to the big guy himself at events. And so, as much as we might criticise him on transparency, there has also been some really great attempts to make his practise transparent, such as the naughty and nice list, which is mentioned in many songs. We know that he's environmentally sustainable and making efforts to adapt to the times. He has, like I say, collaborations across the globe, and I think that he would just make a fantastic programme leader. I personally would want a programme leader that I believe in, that I can communicate with and that I know would put me on a good track to, as I said, a jolly good time. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much, Rebecca. And Connor, your closing statement. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well then, there is an impressive catalogue of reasons why Santa Claus might at first glance appear to be an excellent PI. He delivers big projects on time. He manages a global workforce. He never seems to run out of funding, and he has unmatched public engagement. All true, but none of those things answer the only question that matters. A principal investigator is not a symbol, not a tradition, and not a seasonal morale boost. A PI is a person who shows up every single day and leads from the front. When the excitement of science is faded and the paperwork begins. They write the grants, they answer the emails, they submit the ethics amendments, they mentor the students whose careers depend on them. They take responsibility when things go wrong. Santa does not do this. He arrives once a year, he judges silently, he leaves a gift, and then he disappears. Dementia research especially cannot run on goodwill and mythology. It requires presence, accountability, and leadership that survives scrutiny. So, yes, let Santa keep Christmas. Let him keep the slay, the bells, and even the applause if he wants them. But for the sake of science and the sake of people whose lives depend on it, keep him out of the PI role. And finally, in the spirit of Dr. Zeus, you can't run a lab with a list and a slay or pass ethics checks in a trust me way. You can't train up science this year after year if your PI vanishes till Christmas is here. So, keep the beard, keep the cheer, keep the myth if you must, but science needs leadership, not magic and dust and you. **Adam Smith:** Wow. Ending on a wee poem, verse. Thank you very much, Connor. Well, we've heard two very passionate arguments for and again, Santa as a PI. I'm going to share my view and Anna, you're welcome to share your view at the end. Let's just remind everybody that we've got our closing vote now. It started off with everybody thinking that Santa would make a good PI. The link is in the chat for those that are watching live. If you are watching this back or listening to this back from recorded, we're going to keep this poll going. We're going to add a poll in there. So, we're going to poll our live audience today, but we're going to give you a chance as well to share your view because we'd love to get a wider opinion, a wider data set on this to see if you agree with Connor and Rebecca. And I'll tell you what, if you've got until New Year's Day to vote in that poll and I'll give a prize to whoever's won this evening's debate. What we haven't really talked about so far is that this fun debate, as much it is great for Christmas, and it's a fun thing to do, there is a series side, which is today's debate. We're trying to raise money for Dementia UK and their admiral nurses who provide really fantastic, much needed support to people living with dementia and families and carers, particularly during Christmas when we know that times are tough. So, I really would encourage you to donate, if you can, with tickets today for this event were five pounds. So, that's our recommended donation amount. If you are listening to this in the format of a podcast over Christmas or on YouTube, we're going to put a donation link in the comments. Sorry you couldn't be with us live today, but we hope you will still consider giving some money because it is a much-needed course and a great... The work they do is really fantastic. So, let's go back to our closing poll. So, remind you of the motion again, this House believes Santa would make an excellent PI. It started off with 100% of our audience thinking that Santa would make an excellent PI. Connor has clearly done a stellar job because our closing poll results show that 40% agree that Santa would make a great PI, 40% disagree I think Santa wouldn't make a good PI, and 20% of audience are completely undecided. You've baffled them all, which I think actually is a great way to end this because I think you both made such brilliant arguments for and against that I would've felt slightly sad at the end of today to have to say that one of you had won and one of you had lost because you both did so well and embraced the topic with the spirit it deserved. Thank you so much. Anna, do you have any closing reflections before I get to my last statement? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** No, I'm just glad I went with a bit of heading perhaps, perhaps, perhaps that I think the outcome is just right. **Adam Smith:** It's very, very relevant. Well, here we are again. We began by asking whether Santa should be running a research lab and somehow ended up with a very familiar picture of academia, impossible deadlines, unclear data practises, a highly committed workforce, and a vague sense that magic is doing more of the work than in the system. Some of us saw a logistical genius, a leader who delivers every year without fail and never misses a deadline, and others saw red flags, a once-a-year output cycle, questionable transparency and a wellbeing strategy that appears to involve biscuits, mince pies, carrots, and belief. And perhaps that's the point, as a serious point to this, which is good leadership is rarely perfect. It's a mix of planning and panic and vision and improvisation, spreadsheets, and sheer willpower. It works not because it's flawless, but because people keep turning up and caring enough to make it work. So, thank you to our speakers for embracing the fun and revealing a few uncomfortable truths along the way. Thank you to all of you for voting and laughing with us. Honestly, this has been the funniest hour of my Christmas so far. And thank you to all of you in the audience for supporting Dementia UK, because behind those jokes and Tinsel are the real families who need support, especially at this time of the year. Take care of yourselves, be kind to each other. And if Santa is running a lab anywhere, I hope he has a good lab manager, and we'll see you all soon. Thank you, very much and Merry Christmas. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of The North Pole, UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**Facts you didn't know about Santa**](https://youtu.be/K2vKCdz5-Sw?si=bOECq7PyXPcVwSyT) > > [**Why Santa Claus is not a god**](https://brill.com/view/journals/jocc/8/1-2/article-p149_8.xml) > > [**Dispelling the nice or naughty myth**](https://www.bmj.com/content/355/bmj.i6355.abstract) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Adam Smith, Dr Anna Volkmer, Dr Connor Richardson, Leadership, Podcast, Rebecca Williams **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research --- ### [Blog - If I Fall Behind, I'll Fall Into Torpor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-if-i-fall-behind-ill-fall-into-torpor/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Tatiana A. Giovannucci imagines a world where researchers must justify their work or face enforced hibernation. It is, quietly, about burnout. **Content:** --- **Reading [a recent Dementia Researcher blog](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-returning-to-work-after-a-travel-filled-career-break/) reflecting on the benefits of taking a proper break after a PhD made me realise how differently my own transition unfolded. I moved directly from finishing my thesis into a postdoc abroad, carrying momentum and excitement with me, but also exhaustion. Somewhere along the way, rest began to feel less like a choice and more like a luxury in my twisted perception of academic performance. The fictional essay below emerged from that tension: a dystopian thought experiment imagining a world in which the only acceptable break is enforced through human hibernation; a speculative reflection on the limits of productivity.** **Title: *‘If I fall behind I’ll fall into torpor’*** *How have we ended up here?* Increasing demand for electricity, driven by the mainstream adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and the rise of corporate-owned predictive AIs, accelerated the arrival at the point of no return. Boiling data centres released heat into an atmosphere already climbing toward unprecedented temperature highs. Lecturers discussed the effects of climate change on human physiology. Policymakers issued recommendations and executive summaries for governments to swiftly address the energy crisis. The first step was rationing energy supplies, with only a few selected industries permitted to operate at full capacity. Corporate AIs continued relentlessly running their predictions, and research-intensive universities were deemed essential in addressing climate change and thus exempt from cuts. I was finishing my PhD at the time—fortunate enough to work in a field aligned with these urgent societal challenges, I continued my career as a research fellow. It felt alienating to be in London back then. Though rationing provided some respite, it was far from enough. We all knew the government’s hardest decision was imminent: that is, heating would also be rationed. Households in Zones 1 and 2 were guaranteed just one hour of heating daily, with no official decrees issued for other zones. Once lively with lights and buzzing with after-work gatherings at pubs, the streets fell into stark darkness. Candlelight flickered from windows, while the bright, fluorescent bulbs from research labs exuberantly glowed—a distant flare of hope that, to me, felt like a tunnel of shame. Failed experiments and flawed hypotheses haunted me: how could I justify the resources, the energy, the waste? In such dire conditions, science was expected to deliver answers, to offer certainty. But against such unrealistic standards, science, as a discipline of ‘truths until proven otherwise’ offered something else: a diversion. Human hibernation was a niche subject in neurobiology research back in the 2020s. Neuroscientists, funded by space agencies, had begun questioning the notion that the capacity to hibernate had been evolutionarily lost in humans. If possible to be safely induced, it could sustain human life during extended space missions, and have a myriad of clinical applications. The breakthrough in induced hibernation came with the discovery that combining a reduced room temperature of 29 degrees Celsius with digitally guided intrathecal injections of the psychoactive muscimol, an agonist of GABAA receptors in neurons, effectively inhibited thermoregulatory and metabolic centres in the hypothalamus, inducing a torpor-like state in humans. Torpor, a temporary and reversible state of hypometabolism and deep hypothermia, slows physiological functions. Colloquially termed “the long sleep”, synthetic torpor could be induced safely for several months in healthy individuals. For everyone except astronauts, the idea of hibernating was previously reserved for bears. But with the shutdown of heating, large-scale synthetic torpor emerged as a viable solution to the energy crisis, providing a reversible pause in energy demands that would also reduce the generation of waste. Like other mammals, humans could exploit torpor as a survival mechanism in response to external conditions. It was elegant, refined, and, above all, ethical. How strange to remember that we once believed we had the right to overproduce for survival in extreme conditions—as soon as someone challenged this belief, it quickly showed its flaws. Yet, while ethical for the planet, was it ethical for the population? A couple of years into my postdoc, it became exceedingly difficult for research universities to justify the high energy demands of -70°C freezers and sequencers while households remained cold. Academics were soon classified as holding non-essential jobs, becoming eligible for synthetic torpor. Complaints poured in from academics arguing that their work, a necessary investment, should not be treated as a waste. Funding agencies, however, were adamant: very few outstanding projects would receive further funding. Researchers could only hope to qualify for an exemption based on academic excellence, enabling them to avoid “the long sleep”. > *Niña, is this long sleep thing safe? They say is like a drug inducing dementia in the brain. I saw in the news a story from a woman who couldn’t remember some things when she woke up!* > > *I am not sure mum.* > > *Well, you have worked very hard to be there, you shouldn’t be put at risk of losing capabilities. Me? It does not matter.* I sought advice from experienced mentors, colleagues, and friends. Laid out informally, advisers were mostly unaware of how long the echo of five simple words can linger. > *How are your manuscripts progressing?* > > *Focus on top-quartile journals* > > *Don’t surrender into forced rest!* > > *Are you preparing your fellowship?* > > *Several months off right now?* Was I “there” yet? Uncertain whether my research project would lead to a promotion later on, whether my record sufficed, or whether such a promotion was the path to stability, I filed for an exemption with my department head. Now, just hours from the interview to plead my case, my thoughts spiral unproductively. Am I “there” yet? The noise is overwhelming. I feel like a machine in need of tuning to increase my signal-to-noise ratio, to focus on what’s important. I turn to a simple, grounding task at the lab bench. Noise-cancelling headphones on, I log into the electronic lab book. Approved. The glass door slides open to my cubicle, projecting my latest experimental protocol on the wall. > *Day 3. Please load protocol for protein assay.* > > *Protocol loaded.* ![A muted classical painting showing groups of people asleep outdoors beside the sea at dusk or dawn. A pale sun or moon sits low on the horizon, casting soft light across the water. On the right, several figures rest close together beside a thatched shelter under dark trees, including older adults, a child, and younger people. On the left, more figures sleep on the ground in the open air. The scene feels calm, still, and dreamlike, with subdued colours and a quiet sense of shared rest.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/The-Sleep-300x189.jpg "The Sleep")Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Sleep, 1867. A quiet vision of rest, vulnerability, and human closeness beneath the fading light. I retrieve my samples from the ice machine and sit down. I breathe into the certainty of the humble protein assay. In grant applications, I ambitiously formulate hypotheses to explain pathological mechanisms. Here, I only set myself to measure the protein concentration in these samples. Nothing else, no grand visions. The automated pipetting system could handle this task within the slightest margin of error. But, nervous, I insist on doing it manually as a grounding exercise. Falling into the rhythm of the task, I feel the embodiment of my work. My hands, *skilled worker* hands, move convinced yet shaky. I am exchanging energy for labour in a contest for accuracy I know that, as a human, I cannot win. It is frustrating and soothing at the same time. An allowance to my vulnerability as a sentient being—a status that often clashes with the productivity of my research lines. As I scrutinise my samples for protein content, I think of the scrutiny I am going to face by the interview panel and wonder if they also have some sort of colorimetric assay to analyse the levels of research ambition in a candidate. Am I “there” yet? The penny drops. Isn’t it ironic that, amid a climate collapse brought on by endless questioning to an AI, I might be driving myself to oblivion by continuously asking that question? Perhaps it’s time to save some energy. It remains uncertain where “there” is, while it is quite clear that I am *here* – that liminal space where intentions, efforts, and I can coexist. ***(PS. In hindsight, I suspect I was a bit too close to burnout and I wasn’t willing to admit it. Please do take that break.)*** --- ![Dr Tatiana A Giovannucci Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Tatiana-A-Giovannucci.jpg "Dr Tatiana A Giovannucci")Dr Tatiana A Giovannucci #### Author **[Dr Tatiana A. Giovannucci](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-tatiana-a-giovannucci-university-college-london/)** is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute of Neurology, Dementia Research Centre and UK Dementia Research Institute, studying the turnover of proteins relevant to neurodegeneration. She holds an Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship and is part of a Race Against Dementia team, having completed her PhD at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm before joining UCL in 2022. Originally from Medellín, Colombia, she can usually be found upside down doing acroyoga when not in the lab. [Find Tatiana on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-alvarez-giovannucci/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Burnout, Dr Tatiana Giovannucci, Research Culture **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Podcast - Leaving Academia, Staying in Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-leaving-academia-staying-in-research/) **Published:** May 29, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** In this podcast, Dr Ellice Parkinson, Dr Alice Carstairs and Lizzie English on leaving academia without leaving research behind, and why they don't regret it. **Content:** **What happens when academia no longer feels like the right fit, but research still does?** **In this episode, [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) is joined by [Dr Ellice Parkinson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ellice-parkinson-university-of-east-anglia/) from Health Innovation East, [Elizabeth 'Lizzie' English](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-elizabeth-english-university-of-cambridge/) from the British Heart Foundation, and [Dr Alice Carstairs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alice-carstairs-alzheimers-society/) from Alzheimer’s Society to talk about leaving academia while staying connected to research.** Together, they explore the career turns that took them from PhDs and lab work into roles in health innovation, charity, policy, evaluation, public engagement and research communications. They discuss what helped them make the move, what felt difficult, and how skills built in academia can be used in many different settings. The conversation covers identity, confidence, networking, mentoring, transferable skills, and the quiet pressure many researchers feel to stay on a traditional academic path. It also challenges the idea that leaving academia means leaving research behind. For PhD students, early career researchers, and anyone wondering what else might be possible, this episode offers practical advice, reassurance, and examples of careers where research still sits at the centre of meaningful work. In this episode: - Explore how researchers transition from academia to impactful roles in health innovation, research impact analysis, and science communication. - Discover the metaphor of "doors" in academic careers and how choosing different paths can sustain meaningful research. - Hear personal stories from former PhD students who found success and fulfillment outside traditional university settings. - Learn about the transferable skills that ease the transition into non-academic roles and how to leverage them. - Gain insights into the importance of networking, mentorship, and aligning career choices with personal passions and societal needs. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over** “The Dementia Researcher Podcast.” Talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Adam Smith** Hello and welcome to “The Dementia Researcher Podcast.” Today we’re talking about leaving academia but staying in research: what it actually looks like, why people make the move, and how they did it. I’m Adam Smith, Programme Director for Dementia Researcher, and I’m delighted to be hosting today. For a lot of people, the choice when finishing a PhD isn’t really between research and not research. It’s between doing research inside a university and doing something research-shaped somewhere else. Today I’m joined by three guests who’ve all walked through different doors. They finished their PhD, looked at the academic path, and chose something else. They’re still working with researchers, still working with evidence, still working on problems that matter, just from a different seat. I’m delighted to welcome Dr Ellice Parkinson from Health Innovation East, where she works at the meeting point of research, the NHS, and the wider health innovation system. Hi, Ellice. **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Hello. **Adam Smith** We also have Dr Alice Carstairs from Alzheimer’s Society, one of the UK’s largest dementia charities, where she works in a wide-ranging research communications role. Hello, Alice. **Dr Alice Carstairs** Hi. **Adam Smith** And finally, we have Elizabeth English, or Lizzie for short, who is with the British Heart Foundation, one of the country’s biggest medical research funders, where she analyses and evaluates the impact of their research. Hi, Lizzie. **Lizzie English** Hi, Adam. **Adam Smith** To start us off, could I ask each of you to introduce yourselves properly? Ellice, why don’t you go first? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Hi, yes. So, I’m Ellice Parkinson and I work at Health Innovation East. My role is senior advisor in the real-world evaluation team, which means I work with our NHS partners and other stakeholders to evaluate how well innovations or technologies fare in real-world settings. Health Innovation East is part of the National Health Innovation Network, a group of 15 regional networks commissioned by NHS England and the Office for Life Sciences as the experts in delivering health innovation. **Adam Smith** Fantastic. And when did you finish your PhD? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** I finished my PhD about a year ago. Let’s go for a ballpark of 12 to 18 months ago. **Adam Smith** And this was the first thing you went straight off to when you finished. **Dr Ellice Parkinson** It was, yeah. In my fourth year I was at that stage of writing up and doing multiple fixed-term contracts, and then I got a permanent role at Health Innovation East. **Adam Smith** So, there was a little bit of overlap. Thank you, Ellice. And next let’s go to Lizzie. Hi, Lizzie. **Lizzie English** Hello. So, I’m Lizzie English and I’m the Research Impact and Evaluation Analyst. I realise that’s a long title, so we’ll get into it later, but that’s me at the British Heart Foundation. I’ve only been there since August, so less than a year, and it was my first role post-PhD. Again, there was quite a lot of overlap. I literally got my corrections in last week, so I still need to graduate. I’m still not officially a doctor, but I’m so close now. Alongside the British Heart Foundation job, I’m also the founder of Women in Neuroscience UK, so I’m still keeping that neuroscience side going. I’ve been doing that alongside my PhD for the past four years. **Adam Smith** That’s brilliant. Are you excited? Has it been hard to get those corrections done while starting your new job as well? **Lizzie English** Yeah, it’s been a lot, doing the nine to five plus basically two other full-time jobs alongside that. So, I’m relieved to have some evening time back, and I’m choosing to spend it with you. **Adam Smith** Well, thank you so much for being here. I do have one question. Were those corrections just on paper, or did you actually have to go back into your lab? **Lizzie English** Good question. My corrections were minor, thankfully. If you do get major corrections, sometimes there are lab things to do, but luckily mine were all on the computer, so I didn’t have to go back into the lab. **Adam Smith** Fantastic, thank you. And Alice? **Dr Alice Carstairs** Hi, everyone. My name’s Alice Carstairs. I did my PhD many years ago at the University of York, specifically looking at bone marrow stem cells. I’ve now moved into dementia research, and I’ve been at Alzheimer’s Society for about a year. Before that I worked at the NC3Rs, the UK’s National Centre for the Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of Animal Research, in a role that sat across the funding and comms teams. At Alzheimer’s Society I’ve made the shift to work in research comms full-time and dedicate all of my time to telling the wonderful stories behind the dementia research and the researchers that we fund. **Adam Smith** Brilliant. So, you haven’t just had one role since you left academia, you’ve actually had two. We’ll have to make sure we ask you some questions about the NC3Rs as well, because one of our regular bloggers, Kamar Ameen-Ali — wait a second, Lizzie knows Kam too, doesn’t she? Wasn’t she your mentor? **Lizzie English** Yeah. That’s another podcast I was in, there we go. **Dr Alice Carstairs** Yeah, it’s a very small world. I used to work with Kam. **Lizzie English** We love Kam. **Dr Alice Carstairs** She’s brilliant. Shout out to Kam. **Adam Smith** Do scroll back through our archives and you’ll find quite a few podcasts with Kam in there as well. Thank you very much for joining us, Alice. Before we get into the journeys and how you got there, I want listeners to get a feel for what these jobs are actually like, because I think a lot of people inside academia only have a hazy idea of what working in a charity, a funder, or an innovation network might look like on your average Tuesday morning. So, Ellice, let’s start with you. Could you walk us through what a typical week at Health Innovation East looks like, and where research fits into that? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Yeah. At Health Innovation East we do a huge range of activities, from our industry partnerships team, who work with innovators and support them with scaling up innovation in the NHS, to our comms and engagement team, our health informatics team with its secure data environment, our consulting team, and the wider delivery team. My role in the real-world evaluation team is quite specific, focused on evaluating innovations in real-world settings. Each week is really varied, which suits me because I need variety and for things not to be the same. Typically, I oversee five or six projects. Most of them are evaluation projects, sometimes they’re evidence reviews, and on occasion they’re research studies. On top of that, I’m also overseeing several potential opportunities that may come to our team, whether those are competitive funding opportunities or direct requests for our services. I work externally with charities, the third sector, academia, NHS partners, and public health to scope their evaluations or requests, and then I design and deliver those projects and see them through. So, it’s a lot of report writing, a lot of working on funding applications, and lots of meetings, but lots of variety. **Adam Smith** So, do you get to play a kind of facilitation role between the research and the innovation? Or are you more of a reviewer who has to step back? How involved do you get to be day to day? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** All of it, really. Although I’m not usually doing research day to day, I’m still using those critical appraisal skills, still using qualitative and quantitative research methods, and still doing the project management. At the moment I’m seeing all sides of that and obviously developing funding applications as well. I still have a really small academic role at the University of East Anglia, which I do in my spare time for fun. What’s lovely is that, although I’m not doing my hydration research full-time, I can do it and merge it in with my current role at Health Innovation East. Within Health Innovation East we also have our collaboration with the ARC East of England. The NIHR, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, has those applied research collaborations, and we’re aligned with the East of England for the implementation and impact fellows. So, there are really nice collaborations there around implementation and impact work, particularly for my hydration work and trying to make sure it reaches the right people in NHS England, but also for a whole range of other research and evaluation projects that we work on. **Adam Smith** And the reports and evaluations you write — are they published, or are they all internal? How much scrutiny is on those? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** That’s a really good point. A lot of the work we do is for NHS commissioners, so it may inform their business case, whether that’s to decommission something, recommission it, or do something differently. It informs how the NHS is functioning for our regional partners. For example, I’m working on an SBRI project at the moment, which is NHS England funding specifically for innovators, so I’m authoring a full report for the funder but also working on publications for the innovator. A lot of it is report writing that goes directly to the commissioner for the purpose they need, but I’m also working on publications, submitting conference abstracts, and still occasionally doing poster presentations. So, our dissemination is perhaps slightly more holistic than what you traditionally get in academia, which is really focused on publications and conference abstracts. We make sure we go to the boards. I’ll be going to the cancer board for one of my projects next month and presenting the findings to a charity. **Adam Smith** That’s brilliant. It sounds like — and this is something we’ve talked about before, maybe even in a podcast with you on one of our other shows — it addresses the gap on implementation. We talked about how, in your old role, you make these great discoveries but then seeing them implemented can be a problem, because they don’t always get picked up. Whereas now you get this exciting opportunity to help others bring those great innovations forward and realise their potential, which must be very rewarding. **Dr Ellice Parkinson** I absolutely see it from idea generation all the way through to implementation, and then evaluation of that impact. It’s a really lovely position to be in, to see the whole trajectory. And that, as a researcher, is what you want to see. **Adam Smith** So, a typical day is really varied. You’re interacting with researchers, the NHS, industry, clinicians, and third sector organisations, doing lots of things your PhD clearly prepared you really well for. **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Absolutely. **Adam Smith** Fantastic, thank you. Alice, let’s come to you. Alzheimer’s Society is a name everybody who listens to this podcast will be familiar with. What’s your role, and what kind of work are you actually doing? **Dr Alice Carstairs** Yeah, so I’m an officer in the research communications team. The team is specialised to do, I guess, what it says on the tin: communicate research to a wide range of audiences. My role specifically focuses on our researcher-facing audiences, so talking about upcoming funding schemes and opportunities for our researchers but also disseminating the outcomes and impacts of Alzheimer’s Society funded research across a lot of different channels, whether that’s our website, our social media platforms, or through Dementia Researcher. Alongside that, I work with our media team on comments for the press, looking for briefings to give to spokespeople about research. I might also support big announcements, like drug trial results, and help disseminate those. I get to go to conferences and feed that back to teams internally. I’m one part of the team, and the team also focuses on our internal audiences, so that other teams across Alzheimer’s Society are really aware of all the exciting things happening in dementia research. To go back to what Ellice said, in my role no two days are the same, and that’s something I really enjoy: the variety. **Adam Smith** So, it’s about liaising between researchers and getting those stories out there. These days we come across lots of sessions, and we’ve done them ourselves, about how PhD students can translate what they’ve learned and done in their PhD into an industry or other setting. What didn’t you have for a comms role that you felt your PhD hadn’t prepared you for? Or was everything there? Because quite often people doing a PhD think, “Oh, comms, yeah, I can go do comms,” and then arrive and realise, “Wait a second, people do comms degrees, there’s a whole world to this.” Was there anything you didn’t have? **Dr Alice Carstairs** Yeah, for sure. One of the things you really have to learn in comms, versus the comms you do as a PhD student, is levels of technicality. As researchers, we’re all very used to communicating with each other in quite specific language. Academic publications are written in a very specific way, and there’s nothing else like them. So, there was a level of unlearning that way of communicating and really bringing things back to either key messages or specific stories, which might not always be the first thing you think of when you look at your research. I’ll give you an example. For my PhD in bone marrow stem cells, I was specifically looking at genetically modifying those cells, and I can talk about all the technicalities of that. But my PhD was actually funded by the people I went on to work for, the NC3Rs, so there was a whole element of replacing the use of mice with human stem cells. That’s a whole other story, and it might actually be what I want to lead with when I’m talking about the research. So, something I had to learn very quickly was: who am I talking to, and what do they want to know? What do they need to know? Because if I’m not giving them those messages, they’re going to switch off. We’re in a world where you can scroll on your phone and find something different within seconds. So, learning who your audience is, not making assumptions, and working out what your key messages are and the story you want to tell, are super important for a comms role. **Adam Smith** Fantastic. The advantage you have over, say, a comms graduate is that you’ve got this expert scientific knowledge that they haven’t got. Do many of your colleagues come from a comms background or a science background? Are they more science than comms? **Dr Alice Carstairs** In research comms, I’d say we all come from a research background. Some of us have PhDs, some of us don’t, so it’s a mix. In other comms teams within Alzheimer’s Society, the background varies more widely and you’re more likely to see people with a comms background. What’s really helpful, having done the PhD, is being able to relate to our researchers in even just a small way. I’ve been through that process, I understand the funding side from that perspective, and that really helps. Being able to pick out what’s important from a funding scheme for a researcher to know is really helpful for me. So, depending on which part of comms you want to go into, a PhD is more useful in some elements. If you want to be in research comms, I found it super helpful. **Adam Smith** You can see that, can’t you? The people who work in comms around fundraising might be more likely to come from a comms background, whereas people in research comms are going to come from a research background. Fantastic, thank you very much. And sorry for keeping you waiting, Lizzie, but you’re at the British Heart Foundation. What does a day-to-day look like for you there, and how close are you to the actual research that you fund? **Lizzie English** So, my role is in research impact. We have a whole team dedicated to research grants that we’re adjacent to — they handle the researcher applications and organise the committees who allocate the funding. I’m on the other side of things, analysing the impact of that research when it’s complete or in progress, looking at who we fund, where those projects are based, and the kind of innovations that come out of it, whether that’s implementation in healthcare or developing new technologies. It’s a really exciting role. I like that it combines some of the data analysis skills I developed in my PhD. I source the research data from internal spreadsheets, but also from annual researcher reports that we ask them to submit, as well as collecting information from news articles and publications online. Then there’s presenting that impact in data dashboards, which is quite fun and something new that I’ve picked up post-PhD. There’s also the communication side of it, whether that’s writing those graphs and statistics into public-facing reports or longer case studies on the impactful research we do through BHF funding. I get to collaborate a lot with different staff across BHF, which I really enjoy: the research grants team, but also social media to promote the research impact, and equality, diversity and inclusion work as well. **Adam Smith** We know the British Heart Foundation is obviously involved in dementia research, particularly vascular research, so I can understand how your dementia background still helped you. Did you find you had gaps in your knowledge moving between diseases? I know it’s not entirely moving diseases, but you must work with research now that has nothing at all to do with dementia. Has that been challenging? **Lizzie English** That’s a good question. Every day’s a school day, and I kind of love it. I’m still reading papers in my role, which has pros and cons — trying to get through the jargon, especially in a topic I’m not as familiar with as dementia. But it’s quite fun getting to learn about new diseases and translate that into something public facing. As Alice said, that can be quite challenging. So, it’s a good challenge each day. **Adam Smith** And was there a part of the job you didn’t expect to enjoy but have turned out to really like? **Lizzie English** I guess all of us doing a PhD are nerds, but when you’re surrounded by other PhD nerds, you forget it sometimes. I knew there’d be quite a bit of data in this role, and I wondered, “Oh, am I going to like it or not?” Of course, I’m really enjoying it. Translating things into interactive graphs has been great fun. I like that there’s a mix between data and comms because I was looking at purely science communications jobs as well, so I’m glad there’s still that bit of a mixture in there. **Adam Smith** Great, and you’ve just given me a perfect segue into the next section. I want to spend a bit of time here, because I think this is the part that researchers listening really want to hear about: the decision itself, the doubt, the point at which you decided, “This is for me,” or “Academia isn’t for me.” Alice, can I start with you this time? When did you first realise that staying in academia might not be the right path for you? Was it a particular moment, or a bit of a slow drift? **Dr Alice Carstairs** A bit of both. The seeds were sown quite early on in my PhD. I had some really exciting opportunities in my first year to write a review for one of the current opinion journals, and pretty soon after, the Biochemical Society wanted to do a feature on my PhD topic in their magazine. So, I had these really nice opportunities to start doing some scientific writing early on, and I’ve always loved words and writing. Those opportunities clued me in to the idea that I could be telling the stories behind the research without necessarily having to do it. I’d always wanted to do a PhD — I’d known that for some years — and I knew that having a PhD would, for me, be really helpful to tell those stories a little more easily, with that understanding of the research process. From those moments, going on through my PhD, the idea really only cemented for me: yes, this was the right decision, to do my PhD and then look for opportunities in the comms world. That early recognition of the different roles I could take meant I could choose to do writing competitions, speaking competitions, and public engagement opportunities, all of which contributed to that line of thinking. But that first seed, I’ll admit, was really quite early on in my PhD. **Adam Smith** So, at that point you weren’t running away from academia? **Dr Alice Carstairs** No. **Adam Smith** It hadn’t put you off. It’s that you were running towards the role you really wanted. **Dr Alice Carstairs** Yeah, for sure. I really did consider whether doing one or two postdocs would be nice, to get a bit more experience. I’d been fortunate to have a year in industry during my undergraduate degree, so I’d had experience of a few different ways of using research. The bit that really caught my heart was, “Ooh, I could tell the stories.” So that was the bit I followed. **Adam Smith** I love that, it’s a really nice way to put it. Ellice, how about you? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** My story is perhaps slightly different to Alice’s. Some people may know I worked in dementia research as a research fellow, working on Huntington’s disease research before my PhD, for quite a number of years, which I loved. So, it’s not necessarily that academia’s not for me; maybe it’s just not right for me right now. I still have a small academic role at the University of East Anglia, and I really love academia. For me it was structural issues, which I think a lot of people can relate to. The higher education landscape is really uncertain. As I mentioned, I was in my fourth year, and I’m a lone parent to two little people. When you go to the career’s fairs or careers discussions and there’s a fellowship, they encourage you to go to a different institution as part of your application. For people like me, that’s just not very feasible. The same goes for the fixed-term contracts, and the pay isn’t very good. So, unfortunately, academia just isn’t set up for people in my situation. Health Innovation East offered much better terms and conditions than I had at the time, so I feel really fortunate that that was an option for me, and I really enjoy it, which is more of a benefit. But that’s not to say I wouldn’t explore what academia might look like in the future. It’s a moving picture all the time. **Adam Smith** You make an important point, which is that as much as you’ve walked away from it now, that door isn’t closed — you can still go back through it. That’s really important, because there’ll be a lot of PhD students listening or watching at home in exactly that same situation. They haven’t got the flexibility to just move to another part of the country, or they have families or children. And even if they’re not in that lone parent situation, there’s the instability of saying, “Oh, well, I’ll take a six-month job.” You can’t always do it. So, it makes sense why that worked for you at the time. And Lizzie, how about you? **Lizzie English** I think Alice and Ellice picked up on great points there, and my experience was a mixture of the two: feeling like I didn’t fully fit in academia and finding other things slightly more interesting at the same time. As I mentioned, I set up Women in Neuroscience UK all the way back in the first year of my PhD, and it wasn’t because I was loving being a woman in neuroscience, surprisingly. There are lots of issues: underrepresentation, and a lack of support that I was feeling personally but also seeing more widely. I saw postdocs in my lab really struggling, always thinking about the next funding and the next job. It’s sad, because there are some people who are really suited to academia and should be able to thrive there. But reflecting on it myself, I thought, “Am I enjoying the lab as much as I should be, as much as these other people? Maybe not.” I don’t think I was a natural academic fit anyway, even without all those additional pressures. I was much more enjoying the science communication side from very early on in my PhD, getting involved with Women in Neuroscience UK, but also things like Cambridge Neuroscience. Basically, any opportunity to get out of the lab and do something different, I’d be there — always getting involved with networking and gently scoping out career options without even realising it. **Adam Smith** That’s interesting, isn’t it? Other people I’ve spoken to have had similar stories, where during your PhD you realise there’s one particular part of it you really like, and, lucky enough for you, that’s something you can then go off and explore. It’s a little harder if you find you just like one really niche bit of the lab work, because there’s no — we talked about this in our Perpetual Postdoc show a long time ago — there’s no job of “general scientist.” You just want the job of scientist: “I don’t want to be a postdoc research fellow; I just want to be the person who comes in and works in the lab.” That job doesn’t really exist. You’re either on that academic treadmill or you’re not. So, for you, Lizzie, it was that combination of finding another part of your job you enjoyed more and not wanting that pressure. I can understand that. So, open question to all of you: has any of you regretted it? Has anyone thought, “Oh goodness, I wish I’d stayed”? **Dr Alice Carstairs** I’m nearly 10 years out of academia, and there are definitely times where I think, “What could have been?” I enjoyed the lab work of my PhD, I enjoyed bits and pieces of it, and I enjoyed the work that I did. It just didn’t fit for me long term. You make the point about the job of scientist, and that’s a conversation I had with my supervisor, who was asking me what I was interested in doing. I said, “Well, if somebody would pay me just to be in the lab and do that, I’d probably consider it more.” But that doesn’t exist. So yes, we all have those “what could have been” moments, but I don’t regret the decision I made. I’m very happy doing what I get to do, and very happy that I still get a foot in the door for research and get to champion it, because it’s cool and exciting. I just don’t want to be in the lab doing it anymore. **Adam Smith** What about you, Lizzie? You’ve been away from the lab for the best part of a year now. Is there a particular thing you miss? **Lizzie English** I definitely don’t miss the long lab days; I can tell you that. Doing 12-plus hours in the lab, no. I did think about whether to try out a postdoc and give it a bit more time, try a different lab, and see if I enjoyed it better there. And there will always be the “what if?” — maybe one day something will strike me and I’ll think, “Oh, I’ll try it again.” But for now, I’m quite happy with the gentler nine-to-five pace, not feeling stressed all the time and swimming against the tide to get things done. So, for now, I’m very happy with my decision. **Adam Smith** I was going to ask you, Ellice, but to be fair, it sounds like you’re mostly still doing your old job and your new job. You’ve just reduced your old job to a sustainable side hustle while doing your new job, with a view that maybe one day you can go back to it if you can find the funding. **Dr Ellice Parkinson** It’s funny you say that, because I was reflecting on it while Alice and Lizzie were speaking. Last summer I developed an application for a hydration intervention in care homes because I can do that in my role. As part of my role at Health Innovation East, I wear a hat to identify external income-generating opportunities and collaborations, so I have my network of social care, ICB, and academic colleagues — all the people I could bring together for the most amazing funding collaboration. Unfortunately, it wasn’t successful, but it’s absolutely on my to-do list to do again. I feel really fortunate that I can bring in some of those great parts, including hydration innovations. There are academics who work in hydration and are developing innovations, and they’ll come my way for me to advise on them or put together funding applications to evaluate them. So, I feel really lucky that I can combine all of my interests. My biggest fear was that I was going to drop out of the dementia area or the hydration area — that was a real concern of mine — so I feel really lucky that, in the work I do, I can still try to stay active and present in those areas, because it’s what I feel really passionate about. **Adam Smith** Well, don’t jump ahead, because you’re going to answer my next-but-one question before I get there. I’m going to come back to you now, Lizzie. You had this great experience with Women in Neuroscience during your PhD, and we should add that it wasn’t something you did before — you’re still doing it now, alongside your full-time job. What roles did you consider? Were you only looking at comms roles? What were you looking at, and what was pulling you towards those different roles? **Lizzie English** It’s a good question. Honestly, it was quite a stressful time, because it was about March and my funding was ending in June. This is similar for a lot of PhDs, where there’s a lot of uncertainty towards the end, and everyone does it a different way. There’s no good or best way of doing it. For me it was dawning on me that the end was coming. I was still writing up and trying to gently apply for things, but I wasn’t doing it very strategically, in all honesty. I’d see notifications pop up on LinkedIn and think, “Ooh, which looks interesting.” I was applying for a mixture of things: science communication, research engagement, and research impact, even though I’d maybe never heard of research impact before. But it was largely in research charities, because I felt that fitted with my values and the skills I’d built through Women in Neuroscience UK. A few biotech’s also have science communication type roles, so I applied for some of those too. I’m very pleased to have stumbled into this BHF role without reaching the stage of really needing a job. It all fell into place without me being too stressed about it, which was nice. **Adam Smith** I don’t think you’ve stumbled into it — that makes it sound like an accident. You were brilliant. I’m sure what they saw was somebody who’s done brilliantly well and deserved this great new job. So, you mentioned LinkedIn — you were looking on LinkedIn? **Lizzie English** Yes. **Adam Smith** So, you decided, right, comms, impact. Were you looking at project management and other things like that as well? **Lizzie English** I don’t think I applied to anything like that, but I hadn’t ruled it out either. Honestly, it was just what was popping up at the time. **Adam Smith** So where do jobs like that even get advertised, beyond LinkedIn? Where do you look? **Lizzie English** Great question — maybe one for the others. **Adam Smith** Have I put you on the spot there? Guardian Jobs, if you’re in the UK. **Lizzie English** Yeah, and I assume Indeed. There will be more places, but I didn’t get to that stage of panic, so I wouldn’t be able to say. **Adam Smith** Let me jump in on Ellice and Alice. Where have you come across places where jobs like that are advertised? Charity Jobs in the UK, I guess? **Dr Alice Carstairs** Charity Jobs in the UK was one I was looking at. Also, if there are specific organisations you’re interested in, I’d keep an eye on their vacancies. That’s certainly something I was doing, because, similar to Lizzie, when I was looking for a role to move to Alzheimer’s Society, I wanted to move into the charity sector and get behind a cause I believed in. So, it was picking out the charities I was interested in, where I felt I could fit, and keeping an eye on their vacancy’s pages. There are a few sites specific to jobs in the UK, but if there’s somewhere in particular, you’re interested in, keeping an eye on their site can be really helpful. **Adam Smith** That’s important, isn’t it? Lizzie, did you get any feedback on how many people were applying for those comms jobs you were going for? **Lizzie English** Yeah. I don’t want to scare people, but it’s in the range of hundreds, so it is a scary time. **Adam Smith** So, stiff competition. One of the consequences is that they don’t necessarily advertise those roles widely, because they know they’ll get lots of applications. So, your suggestion there, Alice, of finding the charities you’re interested in, going to their website, and signing up to their specific job sections, is a good one, because that might be the only place they ever get put. They might never make it through to wider advertising, because, as you say, they get triple-digit applications for some of these roles. **Lizzie English** Yeah. **Adam Smith** What other roles did you consider, Alice, when you moved? **Dr Alice Carstairs** A little bit like Lizzie, I sort of fell into my job. At the end of my PhD the funder, the NC3Rs, do visits, and the team came round and asked, “Are you interested in fellowships?” I said no. I’d done quite well in my PhD, but I’d not expressed to them before where my career was heading, so it was just natural conversation, and I said, “No, I want to move into this sort of role.” They had an opening coming up within the next few months. What was interesting is that, although the role had a lot of comms to it, the job title wouldn’t suggest it did. In my previous role I was the science manager in the research funding team. That’s a really important thing to note for comms jobs: you can be doing comms in a lot of different spaces without comms being in your job title. So that’s always something to keep an eye on — read the job descriptions and see what you’ll actually be doing. **Adam Smith** How important was your passion for the topic area? When we did our big ISTAART ECR survey a few years ago, we asked people why they came to dementia research in the first place and what made them pick their topic. Quite often it was a family connection, or a real sense that this disease was important to them. Was it that for you? And how important has it been to keep that through into the things you’ve done post-PhD? Lizzie? **Lizzie English** Let’s address the elephant in the room: I’m no longer in dementia research. It’s crazy, isn’t it? **Adam Smith** Well, you can say you are, can’t you? Because BHF has just got that huge new collaboration with the UK Dementia Research Institute. **Lizzie English** It is true, it’s great, there are still some links there. I went to a BHF Women in Science event recently, and there were some Dementia Research Institute people there. I said, “Ah, hello,” and they said, “Why are you here?” “My job’s here now.” So, there’s always going to be paths crossing. In terms of passion for the subject, I’ll be honest, I don’t have anyone in my family with heart conditions for now, touch wood. But I was looking widely at research charity jobs, because sometimes they are few and far between, and I was happy to get one at quite a well-renowned charity with large teams where I can gain a lot of knowledge and experience from the people I work with. So that was more my priority with this one. That’s not to say I won’t move back into a dementia research charity in the future, because I definitely had that personal link going into dementia research, and that was a good motivator day to day. **Adam Smith** What about you, Alice? **Dr Alice Carstairs** I started in bone marrow stem cells, so something completely different. I just really enjoyed cell biology and stem cells. But my grandmother had dementia, and one of the things she hooked onto was that, although she didn’t remember my research background, she knew I worked in research. So, she kept repeating to me, “Well, will you research some things to fix my brain?” That was quite a hard conversation to have. Some days I’d explain what I did because she was interested, and other days I’d just say, “Yes, I will,” because that brought her some comfort in the moment. It was one of those things that sowed a seed of the idea: “Oh, well, one day I could work in dementia research, and that would feel like a really nice nod — I might not be doing the research, but at least I’m supporting the people who could fix my grandmother’s brain,” in her words. So, it wasn’t something I went into straight away, but when the job opportunity came up, it was the one I looked at and thought, “Yes, that’s the move I really want to make.” **Adam Smith** I guess, whilst priorities can change, as long as you still have that direct line of sight between you and benefiting people, that’s important to latch onto. It’s different if you go to industry and you’re making profit for somebody, and I can see why someone might say, “Well, that’s not what I want to do.” But even then, it’s still with a view that this is helping people at the end of the day. Ellice, I want to give you a chance to answer that question too. What roles were you looking at? You needed to stay nearby — I’m guessing the children are in school. What were you looking for, and how far afield? You haven’t gone really far, and you weren’t looking entirely outside of research by that point either. **Dr Ellice Parkinson** No, but it’s interesting you touched on industry and pharma. When I worked in the NHS, I worked on the Enrol-HD study — I was the study coordinator and delivered the Enrol-HD longitudinal registry study for Birmingham. We were a really big site, and I grew the site a lot. It received funding from a pharmaceutical company and had incredible programme management, literally internationally. That was one of the roles I looked into. They come to your site and check that you’ve recorded everything appropriately and signed things off. Everything was paper and pen back then, so they were checking all your paper files. After COVID, a lot of that went remote, because things could be done electronically. That was one avenue where I thought I could stay in research, doing something familiar that I could do at home around my commitments with the children. For me, I couldn’t imagine going into a totally different area. I certainly couldn’t go into pharmaceutical sales — that’s not where my skill set lies. But if I’m doing something where I feel I’m working with evidence and with research, very much what Alice was saying, I’m still hearing research and hearing evidence. I’m maybe more similar to Lizzie, in that my day to day isn’t working on dementia evaluations. I work on stroke evaluations, cancer evaluations, and public health evaluations, so I now have a really diverse portfolio of programmes. I’m quite fortunate that I can pull in some of those dementia projects — I get pulled in to advise on the dementia applications, for example. So as long as I’m around it, still exposed to it, still feel I’m having some influence, still learning, and aware of what’s going on in the dementia landscape, then I’m quite happy. **Adam Smith** Was there a point where you felt you were leaving something behind, or letting somebody down — your supervisors, for instance? That transition from finishing your PhD, or leaving one job to the next, is never easy, and it’s messy as well. Particularly in research, you’ve got these fridges full of stuff, half-written papers, experiments. Do you feel like you can just say, “Right, that’s it, I’m going now, I start my new job on Monday”? It’s that messy transition. **Dr Ellice Parkinson** I’ve just published a systematic review that I designed the protocol for in my first year of my PhD. I’m so lucky, Adam, that I still get to write all of these papers in my spare time. There’s no clear cutoff when it comes to research — these things take years. Did I feel like I was letting someone down? Personally, I felt it, and I don’t know if it’s fair for me to say that. My supervisors were just incredible, absolutely inspiring, the most amazing people I could have wished for, and I have a very good relationship with them. But two of them were hydration experts, and one has since retired while the other has reduced their hours. If I don’t take on that work at UEA, it isn’t done to the extent it was before. So yes, I did feel some responsibility to carry the work on, and it’s about trying to balance that. In an ideal world, I would have gone on to do a fellowship. It’s something I certainly explored, but I would have had a funding gap of six months even if I’d been successful, and I just wasn’t in a position to do that — it wasn’t realistic. So, if I can stay involved, particularly around raising awareness of hydration — I literally did a teaching session this morning on hydration — then wherever possible I’m waving the flag for it. I’ll do what I possibly can within the spheres that I have. But it is difficult, because there’s this ideal, and, unfortunately, the higher education landscape just isn’t the ideal at times. **Adam Smith** I can see how, in those particular circumstances, you might feel like you were the protégé, brought on to carry on the legacy of this work, carrying down the family name. But the great thing is that you have carried on with it. What about you, Lizzie? How did you feel when you walked away from that — not that you have, because, as you said, you’ve still got your PhD to show for it? **Lizzie English** Mixed emotions, honestly. I’m still quite young, but I was in science for at least eight years, and you do build that up as an identity for yourself. Realising that you’re at your last conferences, at least in that topic, is hard. Seeing other people continuing, still being in the same lab or in the same topics, and realising you’re doing something a bit different, does feel a bit weird. I never really dreamed of being a professor, though. As a first-generation student, I didn’t know a PhD even existed until my undergraduate degree, so I was just following the stepping stones. It was never a big dream of mine, so at least that wasn’t crushed. But there was a bit of reshaping of my identity and a lot of self-reflection, to accept that making that change for myself was okay and the best step for me. Having that personal connection with dementia, I realised I’m not letting down my grandparents, who had dementia. If they could see me now, I think they’d be quite pleased, honestly, that I’m not working 24/7 and am actually having quite a pleasant day-to-day experience. **Adam Smith** I’m sure they’d be incredibly proud of you, as must all your family. Your parents must be so proud of their daughter, the doctor, who’s gone on to do these things. We’ve already talked a little about the practical bits, like where the jobs were advertised. Let’s get a bit more into the mechanics. Ellice, walk us through how you actually ended up at Health Innovation East. Was the role advertised? Was it through a contact, or did you go looking? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** I was looking broadly at the time, but very similar to Lizzie, I wasn’t in a position where I had to look very hard at that point. Someone who had been a reviewer on my systematic review during my PhD, who worked at Health Innovation East and had set the evaluation team up, reached out and said there was a newly developed team and it would be great to have my skills, if it was something I’d be open to. So, when it came out, I thought, “Okay, I’ll have a look at the job description.” There was a lot of crossover with what I’d been doing in my PhD, so I applied for it. **Adam Smith** So that network connection was important there. You already knew this was potentially going to happen. And, Alice, you already touched on the evaluation at the end of your study — so was that through a connection as well? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Yeah, that was through a connection. They let me know the job was coming up, and it was the only job I applied to at the end of my PhD, and I was fortunate enough to get it. **Adam Smith** Lizzie, we’ve already talked about you looking around at charities in particular. How did you position yourself for a role like that, coming straight from your PhD background? **Lizzie English** Without realising it, I’d built a lot of different skills in my PhD that were suitable for research charities. I keep going on about it — broken record — but Women in Neuroscience UK gave me so many skills, from science communication to impact evaluation, organising events, doing partnerships, and even strategy and the business side. So, when thinking about the interview questions, I could pull in lots of examples from those, which I think really helped to set me apart. **Adam Smith** And did all three of you — because, as we’ve touched on, we see a lot of sessions about how you translate managing experiments into project management, or managing a budget in your PhD into similar skills — did any of you make specific changes to your CV to apply to these jobs? I guess you had to. Lizzie, I’ll come back to you first on that one. **Lizzie English** Yeah. I think the main difference was moving those publications from the first page all the way down to the bottom, which feels a bit sad. I still kept the lines about my education at the top. But the things research charities and other organisations outside academia might want to look at are more general: your technical skills, being able to do data analysis more generally, project management, and communications experience. So, I put all of those things above the publication links, which got hidden at the bottom. **Adam Smith** Were there any parts of your PhD — and I’m guessing this is a silly question to ask you, because you’re not in a lab anymore — that were completely not useful at all? **Lizzie English** I’m not in a lab. I’m not dealing with human brain samples day to day. **Adam Smith** No, there are no Western blots, no looking down a microscope. **Lizzie English** No pipetting clear liquids, which sometimes you miss, but most days you don’t. What about you, Ellice? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Kind of the same, to be honest. A lot of the research roles I did at the University of East Anglia were still along the same trajectory as what I then went for. But what Health Innovation East were really interested in at my interviews was that implementation and impact piece. They were less concerned about what I did in my research itself. I did hydration impact posters to raise awareness that one in four older people are dehydrated, based on my systematic review, and they were really interested in that: the fact that I got the funding and managed to disseminate it across all the GP surgeries, care homes, and acute settings across Norfolk and Waveney. That’s essentially what a large part of the delivery team does, so it’s what they were really interested to see. How am I disseminating findings? How am I making sure the research or evidence gets to the places it needs to get? That’s what we do at Health Innovation East. **Adam Smith** It sounds like all of you enjoyed those parts of your PhD, and they’re the bits that have carried through into your next roles. So, building a CV around them, or being able to talk to them when you’re applying, came slightly easier than it might for some of the people listening at home. That’s a good takeaway. If you’re doing your PhD right now and thinking, “Oh, I’d really like to go and work for a charity after this,” or, “I’d really like to go and work in industry,” it’s really important that, while you’re doing your PhD, you take the opportunities that come along to do that kind of comms work, to write for a different audience, and to present. It’s almost “dress for the job you want,” isn’t it? You start doing the job you want to do during your PhD. **Lizzie English** Yeah. **Adam Smith** That will gear you up for when you apply for that job afterwards. Would you agree? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Totally. Take all those opportunities, network, and build those connections. My supervisors were huge advocates of that for me — from day one, start writing blogs, start taking those opportunities. It was the most fun part of the PhD for me. I was so ridiculously busy, and continue to be really busy, but it’s the bit that gives me so much enjoyment. **Adam Smith** Was there something you all had to learn from scratch? Lizzie, I’m going to come back to you on this particularly, because you jumped quite quickly from being in a lab to a completely different role. How did that first week feel? **Lizzie English** The first week felt good, I’ll be honest. But when you actually get into the work after that first week, it was an adjustment. Alice touched on this earlier, but lay writing for the public can be trickier than you expect — translating those complicated journals into something that’s actually exciting and readable for the public. That’s something I’m working on every day, as we put out those impact reviews in brochure format, really thinking about how to write things clearly. I’ve already touched on it, but interactive dashboarding is super fun. I’m a big advocate for that — it’s a bit more fun than Excel and coding, being able to present the graphs nicely as well. So that’s a mix of analysis and communications in there too. **Adam Smith** Was there anything academia had prepared you badly for outside? We’re constantly telling PhDs — and it’s slightly different for the three of you, because you all moved straight after your PhD, whereas some people listening might have done a postdoc and had a job — but you all moved from essentially being students to being employees with a job. I know a PhD is a job, I don’t mean it isn’t, but we also like to say, “Hey, it’s a learning role, you are there to learn.” Whereas in your new roles, you’re not there to learn anymore, you’re there to do a job. Did that change of mindset take any getting used to? Or did you all think of yourselves as employees anyway, so it didn’t really make any difference? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** I don’t know, maybe it was because I had children and still had to work around childcare, so I very much saw my PhD as a full-time-plus job. But you touch on a really important point about that learning. Sometimes, when you enjoy a PhD, or you have that kind of brain, you need that constant learning, stimulation, and development. So, Lizzie’s gone on to do a data apprenticeship, and I’ve gone on to do a senior leader’s apprenticeship, because I just don’t stop. So, although we say that after the PhD your learning’s done and now, you’re doing nine to five just doing a job, it doesn’t have to look like that. You can carve out what works for you, and apprenticeships are an amazing way of learning on the job, if that’s the way your brain needs that stimulation. **Adam Smith** Okay, so we’re nearly out of time for today, but I’ve got a couple of questions to finish up with. Alice, I’m going to come to you first. If someone listening to this is in the middle of their PhD or their first postdoc and is quietly wondering whether to stay in academia, what would you say to them? **Dr Alice Carstairs** I’d say do give it some serious consideration. You started your PhD for a reason — you were interested in research and, potentially, that academic career — and that’s obviously still something that’s exciting and might well be of interest to you. But I’d also say it’s okay to explore the idea of leaving, and to know that if you do leave research — or, I should say, leave academia — there are ways back in. If, a couple of years down the line, you decide that actually you do miss the lab, you miss your microscopes, and you miss the cells you were growing, there are routes back. **Adam Smith** And, as it happens, Alzheimer’s Society has a funding scheme that could help with that. **Dr Alice Carstairs** Yes, we have a wonderful collaboration with the Daphne Jackson Trust, a fantastic organisation that helps people who have left research academic careers — for care reasons or personal reasons, I should specifically say — to get back into the lab. So, there are absolutely ways back into the lab, if you make the decision that you’d rather go back in. **Adam Smith** What would you say to that postdoc or PhD student, Ellice? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** I’d say you know your circumstances better than anyone else, and I don’t think it’s a decision anyone takes lightly. Do your research — excuse the pun. Really speak to careers advice, speak to mentors, get mentorship. I’m a huge advocate for people getting mentorship. We don’t normally put ourselves in positions where we try to get support from others; quite often, people will freely give support to others but not receive it. So, consult, and speak to different people, but ultimately you have to do what aligns with your lifestyle and your circumstances. And, echoing what Alice said, you can absolutely come back into academia. It doesn’t mean it’s a dead end. **Adam Smith** Absolutely. And Lizzie? **Lizzie English** Not much to add to those brilliant answers, really. But it’s absolutely a personal choice. Try not to be swayed by the people around you. Try to put yourself first, for maybe the first time in a while. I know that, as researchers, we work so hard, but think about what feels best for you, your skills, and your values, and try not to compare yourself to others, because it really is such a different time for everyone. **Adam Smith** Absolutely. Just out of interest, were your mentors particularly helpful in that decision? I guess we tend to pick academic mentors, not necessarily people in the jobs we want, but people in the jobs you’re currently doing. Did you seek out mentors in the space you wanted to move into? **Lizzie English** Yeah, I did a little bit. As we’ve touched on, I had Kam, my academic mentor, and she was involved in the NC3Rs, so she had a bit of outside-of-academia experience, which was valuable. But through networking on LinkedIn and Twitter, I’d made quite a lot of connections in research charities, which became useful. Someone in research impact very kindly had a video call with me before my interview with BHF, to go through my presentation slides and the questions. If nothing else, that was a fantastic confidence boost before going into the interview. And one of the things about research charities is that everyone working there is super friendly. So, if you’re looking in that area and you reach out to someone, I’m sure they’d be happy to give a bit of mentorship. **Adam Smith** Brilliant. So that’s another top tip: if you’re coming to the end of a PhD or in a postdoc and you think, “I’d like to go into research comms,” go and get yourself a mentor in advance who already works in that space, who can talk to you about what it’s really like and give you some tips on the things that might come up in interviews. And luckily for us, of course, we have Alice and Lizzie here, who’ve gone through that process recently — and if you’re listening, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind you reaching out. Just volunteering you both there. Okay, very last question. Short answer: if you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice before you left, what would it be? Alice? **Dr Alice Carstairs** It’ll all be all right in the end. **Adam Smith** Great. Lizzie? **Lizzie English** Your skills are valuable, acknowledge them. Be kind to yourself. It’s all going to be fine. **Adam Smith** Great. And Ellice? **Dr Ellice Parkinson** Trust the process. I echo what Lizzie and Alice said. It does work out. **Adam Smith** Okay, we’re done for today. There’s a particular kind of building you sometimes see on a university campus: tall, square, a little weather-stained, with a name carved above the door from a benefactor nobody under 50 quite remembers. Inside, generations of people have spent their best thinking years trying to make something that lasts — a paper, a finding, a small, careful piece of truth. It’s a remarkable thing when you think about it. For a long time, the story we told ourselves about a research career was that having your name over the building was the destination — that the professorship at the end of the corridor was where you wanted to be, or a lab with your name on it. Although particularly now that everybody puts their name in front of a lab, did you really want the English lab? Actually, maybe not — that would have sounded like a whole different kind of lab. But what I think we’ve heard today is that there’s a different story to be had. Three people who looked at that building, understood what was good about it, and then quietly walked back out of that door and into something else. Not away from research, but into rooms where research meets the rest of the world: an innovation network, research funders, charities — places where the question is not only what is true, but what we do about it. What strikes me, listening back to all three of you today, is that none of this was a retreat. This wasn’t running away from research. It was a redirection: the same curiosity, the same rigour, that same stubborn refusal to just accept answers, but pointed at a slightly different horizon. Ellice, Alice, and Lizzie haven’t stopped being researchers. They’ve chosen the room they want to do it in, and I think that’s rather wonderful. If you’re listening to this and you’re wondering whether the corridor you’re walking down right now is the right one, I hope today has given you permission to look up and look around. The building is beautiful, but the view from outside is too. Thank you so much, Ellice, Alice, and Lizzie, for sharing your experiences and perspectives with us today. Links, as ever, to all the resources will be included in the show notes, along with a full transcript, at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. Don’t forget, we also have the Dementia Research Community app, where you can share your own experiences on this, and we have weekly webinars, where this topic has come up before as well. Thank you so much for listening. I’m Adam Smith, and you’ve been listening to “The Dementia Researcher Podcast.” Thank you. Bye-bye. **Voice Over** “The Dementia Researcher Podcast” was brought to you by University College London, with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > **[Women in Neuroscience UK](https://www.womeninneuroscienceuk.org)** > > **[Daphne Jackson Trust](https://daphnejackson.org)** > > **[Health Innovation East](https://healthinnovationeast.co.uk)** > > **[Alzheimer's Society](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk)** > > **[British Heart Foundation](https://www.bhf.org.uk)** > > **[Charity Jobs](https://www.charityjob.co.uk/)** **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Adam Smith, Alternative Careers, career pathways, Careers, Dr Alice Carstairs, Dr Ellice Parkinson, Elizabeth English, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Qualitative Data Analysis for PhD Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/qualitative-data-analysis-for-phd-research/) **Published:** May 27, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Elizabeth Yardley explains how PhD researchers can judge qualitative analysis with clearer criteria, stronger themes, and less self doubt. **Content:** **[Dr Elizabeth Yardley](https://www.youtube.com/@DegreeDoctor), a social sciences professor with over 20 years’ experience supporting doctoral researchers. Many PhD students struggle with qualitative research not because they’re doing it wrong, but because they’re using the wrong standards to judge it.** If your qualitative data analysis feels messy, vague, or like you’re just guessing, this video is for you. Most PhD researchers lack clear criteria for judging the quality of their research. In this video, Elizabeth looks at how to evaluate [qualitative data analysis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/5-things-that-confuse-phd-students-about-qualitative-research/) in a much more structured and defensible way. Instead of asking “Is this the correct theme?”, we explore a far more useful question: “Is this a credible, thoughtful, well-supported interpretation?” If you’re in the middle or later stages of your PhD and your analysis feels harder than it should be, this will help you understand why that happens and what to do next. You’ll come away with a clearer framework for evaluating your themes, interpretations, and overall analysis – without relying purely on vague feelings or constant self-doubt. **What we’ll cover:** - Why qualitative analysis often feels uncertain - The mistake many PhD researchers make when judging their themes - 5 criteria to evaluate the quality of your analysis - How to move beyond descriptive summary into interpretation - Why disagreement can actually strengthen your analysis - Questions to ask yourself when your themes feel weak or unclear If you liked this video and fancy making PhD life slightly less chaotic, check out **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Dr Elizabeth Yardley, Qualitative Methods, Qualitative Research --- ### [Profile - Tony O'Flaherty, Home Instead Care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-tony-oflaherty-home-instead-care/) **Published:** May 27, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Tony O'Flaherty: Director of Home Instead, Wandsworth, leading outstanding home care, 85 carers, 82 clients and three dementia cafes. **Content:** ![Tony O'Flaherty Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Tony-OFlaherty.jpg "Tony OFlaherty")Tony O’Flaherty ##### Name: Tony O’Flaherty ##### Job title: Director of Home Instead ##### Place of work / study: Home Instead ##### Area of Research: I run and own a [home care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-making-care-home-research-visible/) provider ##### How is your work funded: Home Instead ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I set up the Homeinstead office in Wandsworth 15 years ago, we have 85 carers and 82 clients, and are rated Outstanding by the CQC. I also run and fund 3 dementia cafes. Previously I worked in telecommunications sales for 25 years, with Cable and Wireless and BT. I decided to enter the care industry as a result of the mixed quality of care I experienced after a long hospitalisation ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I did 227 skydives in my 20’s then broke my back and retired from sport until I was 55 when I ran the Sahara Desert ultra marathon comprised of 6 marathons in 6 days (Marathan de Sables) ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? My mum was a nurse and ran a nursing home caring for the elderly ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Keep an open mind ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [War of the Worlds by HG Wells](https://amzn.to/4vhiVbK) ##### Favourite film of all time? [Pulp Fiction](https://amzn.to/4wUB5Bu) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Hill walking ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? To change careers ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? The Alps or the Himalayas ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Would you like to share your playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Home Instead, Tony O'Flaherty **Organisations for Bios:** Industry **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Improving dementia care through community-based support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/improving-dementia-care-through-community-based-support/) **Published:** May 27, 2026 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** DePEC is improving dementia prevention, diagnosis and care in low resource settings, building tools, training and evidence to support communities worldwide. **Content:** **![Improving dementia care through community-based support](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Improving-dementia-care-through-community-based-support-300x229.png "Improving dementia care through community-based support")The NIHR Global Health Research Group on Dementia Prevention and Enhanced Care (DePEC) is improving dementia prevention, diagnosis and management in low-resource settings with limited access to specialist services. Working across South Asia, Malaysia and Tanzania, the group has generated scalable evidence that is shaping global policy, developed practical tools to support earlier identification and strengthened community-based care.** Its work has informed international guidance and UK practice, built lasting local research capacity and extended dementia care skills beyond specialist clinics to families and frontline health and social care workers. --- ## Impact at a glance ### Creating a lasting global impact DePEC has contributed evidence directly informing the [World Health Organisation’s Alzheimer’s Disease International Global Action Plan](https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/global-action-plan-on-the-public-health-response-to-dementia-2017---2025) and [Alzheimer’s Disease International’s World Alzheimer Report (.PDF)](https://www.alzint.org/u/World-Alzheimer-Report-2022.pdf). This has strengthened global guidance on dementia care models, particularly in low-resource settings. ### Enabling earlier identification and support The group developed and tested practical diagnostic tools that help non-specialist health workers identify people at risk of dementia earlier. This enables faster access to advice, care planning and support for individuals and families. ### Secondary benefits for the UK and building local capacity DePEC supported the creation of the first dementia-focused patient and public involvement initiative in Tanzania. This has helped build sustainable support beyond the life of the project. Their findings have also informed UK practice, contributing to the development of the [PriDem programme](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/what-we-do/our-research/research-projects/pri-dem-project), funded by the Alzheimer’s Society to develop and test a ‘good practice’ model of primary care led, post diagnostic dementia care. ### Supporting research careers and leadership The group has provided opportunities for researcher career development. For example, [Dr Ríona Mc Ardle’s](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-riona-mcardle/) secondment with DePEC strengthened her insight into the lived experience of dementia and led to a strong collaboration with DePEC’s Director, Professor Dame Louise Robinson. This led to her securing an NIHR Advanced Fellowship and an NIHR Three Schools Dementia Career Development Award. ## The global challenge Dementia is one of the fastest-growing global health challenges. It is a leading cause of disability and dependency in later life. It has major and rising health, social and economic impacts worldwide. [Over 60% of people living with dementia](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia) are in low and middle income countries (LMICs), where healthcare systems are often not equipped to meet the growing demand as populations age. DePEC has responded to this challenge by improving dementia prevention, diagnosis and care in settings with limited access to specialist services. It develops practical approaches that can be delivered through existing health and social care systems. DePEC’s research tested existing dementia prediction models. They found that those developed and tested in high income countries may not translate to LMIC settings. DePEC has addressed this gap by generating evidence in LMICs facing these challenges now. This is helping to shape models that work in LMICs. Understanding who is at risk of dementia is essential to develop effective prevention strategies. A qualitative study by the group found that dementia care and support services in Malaysia are not fully utilised due to regional differences in infrastructure and available facilities. They identified barriers to access and gaps in current services. This includes a public perception that dementia symptoms are normal signs of ageing and a limited knowledge of diagnosis guidelines in some clinics. These findings have given policymakers clearer evidence on where improvements are most needed, including facilitating patient referral between primary, secondary and social care. ## Developing effective tools and interventions The team developed the IDEA Screening App to help non-specialist health workers identify older people at risk of dementia in community settings. The tool was tested in Tanzania and later adapted and further tested in Kerala, with more than 3,000 people screened. This has expanded access to earlier identification and referral, helping reach people who may otherwise go undiagnosed. Key findings from the group’s work were presented at the 2024 World Dementia Council summit. The IDEA tool is currently being used and tested more widely in 6 African countries, as part of the [NIHR Global Health Research Group on Transforming Parkinson’s Care in Africa (TraPCAf)](https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR133391), showing great potential for scale up. ## Capacity strengthening, community engagement and innovation The team developed 2 free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for families and health and social care professionals supporting people living with dementia. These courses help people accessing a diagnosis and early support, as well as living with advanced dementia and planning for end of life. From 2025, the courses became freely available on the [Newcastle University website](https://cpd.ncl.ac.uk/courses/). This practical training has built confidence and skills among carers and frontline staff. This is particularly crucial where specialist training opportunities are limited. Over 4,000 people have taken part, from 140 countries. These resources won the Outstanding Educational Resource category at the 2019 UK National Dementia Care Awards. The group helped to build long-term regional capacity. It brought together established LMIC networks and new partners from Southeast Asia and Tanzania. This has created a global, multi-disciplinary translational research group. This supports knowledge-sharing between countries facing similar challenges and helps successful approaches to be adapted for use in different settings. > “The NIHR DePEC programme explored the potential of a task-shifted, primary care-based model of dementia care for LMICs. This work directly led to further national research funding, 1 of 3 Alzheimer Society Centres of Excellence in Dementia Care Research, to co-develop, pilot and test such a model in the NHS. Key findings of this work have also been submitted as evidence to the new NHS Modern Service Framework for Dementia and Frailty.” The NIHR Global Health Research Group on Dementia Prevention and Enhanced Care (DePEC) ## Looking ahead DePEC has shown that effective dementia prevention and care does not need to depend solely on specialist services. With the right tools, training and partnerships, earlier identification and better ongoing support can be delivered through community and primary care systems. This work benefits people living with dementia, their families, healthcare workers and over-stretched health systems. It also demonstrates how sustained research investment can generate practical solutions for countries where the future burden of dementia will be greatest. --- Find the original post and more at: **Categories:** Research News --- ### [Profile - Jonathan Hoover, Prima Mente](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jonathan-hoover-prima-mente/) **Published:** May 26, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Jonathan Hoover is a bioinformatics research scientist at Prima Mente, building AI models to explore how brain diseases emerge and progress in cells. **Content:** ![Jonathan Hoover Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Jonathan-Hoover.jpg "Jonathan Hoover")Jonathan Hoover ##### Name: Jonathan Hoover ##### Job title: Bioinformatics Research Scientist ##### Place of work / study: Prima Mente ##### Area of Research: Building AI models for cellular biology, to help determine how disease emerges and progresses in cells of the brain ##### How is your work funded: Venture capital ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m a [bioinformatics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/train-the-trainer-design-genomics-bioinformatics-training/) researcher at Prima Mente, where I work on our virtual cell and perturbation modeling efforts. My role is to help define the biological questions we want to ask, and to curate the datasets and pipelines that enable our modeling team to answer them. Previously, I was at Genentech evaluating single-cell RNA sequencing technologies. I hold a master’s in Statistics, and before that spent several years doing experimental work in immunology labs. This mix of backgrounds has been useful for bridging biology and ML teams. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am a big fan of the outdoors! Most of my free time is spent climbing, cycling, hiking, or really anything that gets me outside. When i’m too tired for this, I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I did my undergrad in neuroscience because my family has a history of AD, so I was curious about the science behind what was happening. I moved out of the field for a while, but I came back because the progress in AD has been relatively slow compared to other fields like cancer, and I want to contribute to how the field moves forward ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Explore. There are so many fields and domains and tools out there that are not immediately obvious until you dig around more. Your interests early in your career will likely change dramatically and the more you explore, the better off you’ll be as you move forward. Also don’t be afraid of failure. It sucks, but it’s also when you tend to learn the most ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I’m reading a book called [dungeon crawler carl](https://amzn.to/3PtBKcy). It’s a progression fantasy book that is fairly witty. I’d recommend if you don’t mind a bit of gratuitous violence, but it’s not for everyone ##### Favourite film of all time? I actually don’t have a favorite film. I don’t watch a ton of movies, but my favorite book is Red Rising by Pierce Brown ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Big fan of getting outside and moving! Ideal day is a few hours in the sun climbing with my friends ##### What’s the best decision you ever made? Not sure ##### What’s your favourite vacation spot? Still searching ##### Do you collect anything? No ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Jonathan on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-r-hoover/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Artificial Intelligence, Jonathan Hoover, Prima Mente **Organisations for Bios:** Industry **Themes for Bios:** Technology --- ### [Profile - Elizabeth English, British Heart Foundation](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-elizabeth-english-university-of-cambridge/) **Published:** March 5, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ English is a research impact analyst and WiNUK founder, working to share research impact and build fairer neuroscience spaces. **Content:** ![Elizabeth Lizzie English Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Elizabeth-Lizzie-English.jpg "Elizabeth Lizzie English")Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ English ##### Name: Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ English ##### Job title: Research Impact and Evaluation Analyst / Founder and CEO ##### Place of work / study: British Heart Foundation / Women in Neuroscience UK ##### Area of Research: My day job involves analysing and communicating the impact of research funded by British Heart Foundation. I also lead Women in Neuroscience UK, supporting a team of volunteers to produce events and digital content, tackling sexism and gender bias towards more inclusive neuroscience. I recently completed my PhD at the University of Cambridge, “Single-molecule characterisation of tau aggregates in Alzheimer’s disease progression”. I have also published work on sexism in dementia research careers. ##### How is your work funded? British Heart Foundation ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I’m Lizzie, based in London and originally from the North Notts-South Yorkshire border (I like to identify as a Northerner but sometimes get called out as being a Midlander). I studied an Integrated Masters in Biosciences (MBiol) for four years at Durham University for my undergraduate degree. I chose modules and projects aligning with my interest in neurobiology, including my literature review on autism and gut microbiota, a six-week funded studentship on retinoid treatment with ALS cell culture, and my masters project on sports post-concussion syndrome in fruit flies. When my academic advisor at Durham asked if I wanted to do a PhD, I didn’t know what PhD meant, but just a few years on, there I was doing it! My PhD project aimed to characterise disease-associated protein aggregates throughout the time-course of Alzheimer’s disease, using human post-mortem brain samples and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to measure [tau aggregate](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-rainwater-prize-winners-advancing-tau-research/) size, shape, number and brain region localisation. Now I work in research impact in the charity sector: my day job involves analysing and communicating the exciting outcomes of research funded by British Heart Foundation. In my spare time, I continue to lead [Women in Neuroscience UK (WiNUK)](https://www.womeninneuroscienceuk.org/), an initiative I began in February 2022. My fantastic volunteer team produce digital content and events designed to inspire, connect and advocate for female-identifying neuroscientists, with a goal to tackle sexism and gender bias towards more inclusive neuroscience. It’s been amazing to bring to life original events across England, including WiNUK Awards, WiNUK Day and Unconscious Gender Bias in Neuroscience Workshops, helping to build honest spaces for women and allies to share, learn and grow. ##### **Tell us a fun fact about yourself:** I was invited to be an ISTAART Ambassador but the invitation ended up in my junk inbox so I nearly missed the opportunity (and I didn’t believe it was genuine with being in the first year of my PhD)! Helping behind the scenes at AAIC 2022 in San Diego and Neuroscience Next 2023 in London was amazing for meeting dementia researchers from around the world, learning about the research charity sector and building my confidence. ##### **Why did you choose to work in dementia?** My interest in neuroscience sparked from going to the Cambridge Science Festival in 2016; listening to lectures about the brain I became fascinated by its complexity and how much we are still yet to understand. My nanna suffered with dementia for several years, whilst I was in secondary school and sixth form. This encouraged me to understand how dementia arises and whether we can develop more effective treatments. With dementia being England’s leading cause of death, and cases continually rising, this was a huge motivator behind my research. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Push yourself out of your comfort zone and talk to new people. Whether that’s asking to meet with people who inspire you, introducing yourself at academic conferences, talking to the public about your research, or trying a new extracurricular. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but putting yourself out there and reaching out to others will form connections that can benefit you in so many ways. ##### **What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?** I’m currently reading [White Teeth by Zadie Smith](https://amzn.to/4dRfT6R) and [Foxes Unearthed by Lucy Jones](https://amzn.to/4vf5rNJ). I also recently got [The Lost Girl’s of Autism by Gina Rippon](https://amzn.to/4vbHKWq) signed at WiNUK Day! Enjoying having more time for hobbies like reading post-PhD. ##### Favourite film of all time? I’m a sucker for a wholesome animated film, like Coco. ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? Hyperfixating on an art project, going for a nature walk, or letting loose at Zumba class. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? I love a European city break and was lucky to visit Vienna, Lisbon and Gothenburg for conferences during my PhD. #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @e\_a\_english](https://twitter.com/e_a_english?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Follow @neuron\_all on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/neuron_all/) [Find Lizzie on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzie-english-758693174/) #### Want to share your playlist? **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Elizabeth English, protein identification, University of Cambridge, Women in Neuroscience UK **Organisations for Bios:** Charity **Themes for Bios:** Basic Science and Pathogenesis, Charity --- ### [Thinking about your thesis title](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/thinking-about-your-thesis-title/) **Published:** May 26, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Frances Brodsky shows how fiction writing can sharpen scientific writing, using mystery novels to build narrative, focus and perseverance. **Content:** --- **Frances Brodsky believes that writing her three mystery novels set in the world of bench science has improved her scientific writing. “I love making up titles for my books and chapters,” she says. “One of the best ways to train someone in the lab to focus on their project is for them to come up with the title of a paper that they want to write. That tells them where they’re going. Also, when I interview people, I ask them: ‘What is the title of the thesis you plan to write?’”** Frances, a cell biologist at University College London, writes under the pseudonym B. B. Jordan. Her books feature Celeste Braun, a virologist in San Francisco, California, who uses her scientific expertise to solve mysteries and fight crime. “Sitting down to write these novels, my scientific writing became markedly better,” she says. “The exercise of fiction writing helped me put my work into a [narrative](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-building-positive-narratives-about-dementia/).” In the penultimate episode of this six-part podcast series on creativity in science, Brodsky says the discipline of writing a novel has also taught her perseverance, adding: “When you start a writing project, you have to stick with it to get it to the end. Sticking with something and having faith that it will work out is a really good quality to have.” Previous episodes in this series featured a researcher who [draws parallels between her research and sewing](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01388-w), another whose [pursuit of baking and fermentation revealed fresh career opportunities](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01390-2), and an HIV researcher [who sees parallels between life as an academic and tending a citrus grove](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01391-1) following his move to the country. *Find more from the Working Scientist Podcast – doi: * **Categories:** Partner Blogs **Tags:** Dom Byrne, Nature Careers, PhD Study, Thesis, Thesis Writing **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - Unexpected Things Dementia Teaches us About Time](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-unexpected-things-dementia-teaches-us-about-time/) **Published:** May 26, 2026 **Author:** Dr Sam Moxon **Excerpt:** Dr Sam Moxon on what watching his grandfather live with dementia taught him about time, and why our most important moments rarely fit on a trend line. **Content:** --- **We often think about dementia as a slow burn. A disease that develops over decades rather than weeks. It’s the gradual decline of a loved one from noticing the first symptoms to the loss of another small piece of them every time you see them.** Clinically, we track progression in months and years. We monitor cognitive scores, longitudinal data and look for any gradual changes in how the patient behaves. The goal is to see differences that are statistically significant. That’s all very valid but here’s the issue. As someone who has watched multiple relatives suffer through dementia there is one thing I now for sure. From a family perspective, dementia is not experienced as a trend on a graph. It unfolds in a series of key, heartbreaking moments. They don’t follow trendlines or timelines. I think this is one of the things that surprised me when I went through this process. Dementia teaches you that time does not always move forwards in one single direction. My grandfather was a good example of this. I would see him fairly regularly and it was impossible to predict how he would be each time I saw him. Sometimes we could have a full conversation. Other times he had no idea who I was. **It leaves you existing in two versions of time at once**. In one version you are the grandson he watched grow up, go to university, get a PhD, start a life of his own… in another version you are a total stranger. Somebody he never met. It’s a really strange experience and one that you cannot describe but if you have experienced it, you know. Time seems to behave totally differently when you are going through this. Take repetition for example. He could ask me a simple question and I would find us returning to it 5 minutes later because that part of the conversation had been forgotten. For my grandfather, it was his first time asking it and hearing my reply. For me and everyone else in the room it wasn’t. Yet you have to try and answer it as if it’s the first so as not to distress them. > It feels like time is folding back in on itself. Immediately after that feeling of time folding over, it can switch to feeling stretched. Our conversations would slow right down while he tried to think, often looking visibly frustrated. He would pause and process what we were talking about and fairly simple and routine conversations would take much longer than usual. Or it would feel like time collapsed fully. After a period of stability where he showed a much more gradual decline that I could predict and plan for, I would come in and find him dramatically changed. Sometimes that was in a good way with us recounting all the dogs he judged at Crufts, thus giving me false hope of improvement. Other times he would be totally unrecognisable. **The only thing that was consistent was inconsistency. I could never know what to expect.** There were no averages to judge him by. Just a collection of moments that defined where he was at any given time. What makes this difficult is that these moments don’t translate easily into how we measure dementia. As researchers, we are reliant on observing change over time. We look at biological changes in cells, study cognitive scores, look at behavioural changes or alterations in functionality. This gives us a very clear and rigid structure by which we can perform statistical analyses and tease out our findings. It is an essential structure that is core to our research and is the best way we have to record progress. But, it simplifies a very complex issue. A small change in a cognitive score, for example, could translate to something much more profound and noticeable in real life. A single misfired neural circuit that could be so easily disregarded as an outlier in the lab could have been the reason my grandfather couldn’t remember his old address. Equally, those moments of clarity in him. The moments that meant so much to us as a family. They aren’t moments that can easily be captured in a dataset. This raises an important question. When we look at a potential new therapy and we say things like ‘this can slow the progression of dementia’, what are we actually saying? And what does that look like from a human perspective? Do we get more time with our loved one? Can they remember who we are 75% of the time rather than 25%? Or does it simply mean that the graph looks better? This is the main thing I learned from watching a loved one go through dementia. Time isn’t always a linear progression. It can stretch, loop, fall apart and be totally unpredictable and immeasurable. Some of our most important moments will never fit on a trend line. Our challenge as dementia researchers is to remember this. We cannot abandon the structured tools we rely on to do our work but we need to remember that behind every data point there is an experience. And it might look nothing like the trend we are writing about in our papers. Because until we better understand how dementia is actually lived, not just how it is measured, we risk missing something fundamental about the disease itself. --- ![Dr Sam Moxon Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Dr-Sam-Moxon.jpg "Dr Sam Moxon")Dr Sam Moxon #### Author **[Dr Sam Moxon](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sam-moxon/)** is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney. [Follow @DrSamMoxon](https://twitter.com/DrSamMoxon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Sam Moxon, Patient and Public Involvement, Story Telling **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Blog - Life After the PhD: My Fellowship Application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-life-after-the-phd-my-fellowship-application/) **Published:** May 6, 2026 **Author:** Emily Spencer **Excerpt:** Emily Spencer on the strange clarity that arrived when her PhD funding clock started ticking, and why a fellowship application suddenly made sense to her. **Content:** --- **Out of nowhere, it has come to my attention that I have less than six months of funding remaining on my PhD studentship. In fact, having consulted my Gantt chart yesterday, it would appear that I have four and a half months remaining, which hasn’t exactly been music to my ears. As a result, my already divided attention has been further fractured, as I’ve had to look to the future, making plans for post-PhD.** I must preface this by saying that I am in an advantageous position. In recent months, I have been working (very) part-time alongside my PhD, with the assurance that my hours can increase upon its completion. To some extent, then, there hasn’t been the need to worry about my future or how my rent will be paid once I submit my thesis. For others I have known, this has been a very real concern, meaning an extremely stressful balancing act between applying for jobs and trying to pull together all the strands of the thesis, ready for submission. People I know outside of academia have struggled to understand this; I suppose **they see the PhD as a training opportunity that naturally and seamlessly leads into a full-time (and permanent, ha!) position within your department.** I can only assume that for the overwhelming majority of people, this is not the case. With my future somewhat secure, the logical thing would have been to focus my attention entirely on the current – extremely laborious – phase of my analysis. > Alas, I thrive on making life harder for myself, so instead have spent the last two months putting together an application for a postdoctoral fellowship. This has kind of come out of nowhere. I can’t say that I’ve historically had the most concrete ideas as to what my career will look like, and have always dreaded the inevitable “where do you see yourself in five years?” question that arises at every interview. I can guarantee I was asked that question when I interviewed for my PhD, and I can likewise guarantee that I would have garbled some vague response about continuing to work in my field, in whatever guise. I’ve always found the question of my career intentions difficult to answer, as I know I should be demonstrating my ambition and outlining the steps to get there, but in reality **the end goal has always felt slightly out of focus**. With no effort on my part, that lack of focus really seems to have shifted recently. For the last six months, **making progress with my PhD has felt a bit like wading through treacle**, with my analysis being in a less advanced stage than I would have hoped by this point. Unlike some of my peers (of whom I am frequently envious), embarking on the PhD involved starting from scratch with an analytic method with which I was entirely unfamiliar. I am a broadly qualitative researcher by trade, and while I’m comfortable with a range of methods for collecting or generating data, projects I’ve worked on have always analytically fallen back on old faithful, thematic analysis. For my PhD, on the other hand, I am using conversation analysis, which considers the features of communication in extremely fine detail. Such fine detail, in fact, that the data I have collected – video recordings of GP consultations including people with dementia and their family/friends – could never realistically all be considered in the course of my analysis. Month by month, without fail, my supervisors have advised me to pare back the scope of my analysis, to become increasingly focused, or risk losing my handle on the data altogether. Finally, this week, I seem to have made progress, with the three foci of my analysis finally (for now, at least) determined. What this does mean, though, is that **there is a wealth of video data left on the cutting room floor**. A couple of months ago I had to let go of one of my intended areas of interest, and I realised I couldn’t do it. **I am just too attached to this data**. There are so many interesting phenomena within those videos, and the subject matter (conversations about future care and end-of-life) is so incredibly important. Although I still feel like a complete novice, I have also become increasingly attached to conversation analysis as a method. The focus on tiny, seemingly inconsequential details really appeals to my nature, and likely plays to my strengths. The idea of abandoning my data come the end of my PhD just seemed impossible. With this came the revelation that although I *can* continue working on others’ projects, that can’t be my end goal. My participants allowed me to effectively eavesdrop on some extremely sensitive conversations, with a view to providing guidance for healthcare professionals on how communication can be tailored for people with dementia. Finishing my PhD would feel like leaving this work incomplete. In light of this, the last two months have been spent preparing a fellowship application, in the hope that I can extend and build upon the work undertaken as part of my PhD. Rather than groping around in a fog, I finally feel like I can see a clear direction of travel, and part of that has to involve building my own portfolio of research based upon ideas that excite me. So while my time has been further divided, and even if that application comes to nothing, it won’t have been in vain. **Now feeling more confident as to the destination, I can start picking out the journey.** --- ![Emily Spencer Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Emily-Spencer-280-x-280-px.jpg "Emily Spencer 280 x 280 px")Emily Spencer #### Author **[Emily Spencer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-emily-spencer-university-college-london/)** is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career. [Follow @ejmspencer](https://twitter.com/ejmspencer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@ejmspencer.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/ejmspencer.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Academic Life, Emily Spencer, Fellowship, PhD, PhD Funding, PhD Life, PhD to Postdoc **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - Why "Normal" Cognition Is Hindering Preclinical Alzheimer’s Trials](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-normal-cognition-is-hindering-preclinical-alzheimers-trials/) **Published:** April 15, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** “Normal” cognition may be masking treatment effects in Alzheimer’s trials. Andrew Kiselica explores how subtle decline could change everything. **Content:** --- **The Great White Whale in Alzheimer’s disease research is a drug that prevents cognitively unimpaired people with elevated levels of amyloid from developing frank cognitive impairment or dementia. In [2025](https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/trc2.70098), there were 72 clinical trials that had at least some participants in this preclinical phase. Preceding these ongoing trials were a number of disappointments.** The most well-known of these was the A4 trial of solanezumab in preclinical Alzheimer’s, which targeted amyloid with the aim of slowing cognitive decline. Results showed that the medication was no more efficacious than a placebo over a period of 240 weeks. Other trials targeting inflammation and oxidative stress, like the ADAPT and GEM studies, have been similarly discouraging. This lack of progress raises an inevitable question: Why are such diverse trials in preclinical Alzheimer’s not producing positive results? In this post, we argue that “cognitively normal” trial samples have unmeasured phenotypic heterogeneity that has masked the ability to detect treatment effects. Before unpacking this argument and highlighting some of our work addressing unmeasured phenotypic heterogeneity in preclinical AD, it is important for us to acknowledge that there are many factors that could have contributed to lackluster preclinical AD trial results. First, it is possible that existing drugs don’t have the right biological target. Second, it may be that drugs are not being delivered at the correct window of biological or clinical disease progression to have an effect; that is, they are either delivered too late or too early. Third, it could be that the time window of trials is simply too short to identify treatment effects in a preclinical phase characterized by slow decline over many years. Fourth, it’s possible that outcome measures in preclinical Alzheimer’s trials are not sensitive enough to detect the subtle declines that emerge in this stage. Finally, it may be that there is unmeasured biological heterogeneity in preclinical Alzheimer’s samples, such as comorbid neuropathologies, that hinders the effectiveness of drugs targeting Alzheimer’s biology. As we await the results of trials with different biological targets, improved outcome measures, longer time windows, and better measurement of comorbid neuropathologies, there is another barrier to trial success that we can address with existing techniques right now. Specifically, we can better account for phenotypic heterogeneity in preclinical Alzheimer’s that has historically masked our ability to detect treatment effects. In past trials, anyone who did not have a diagnosable clinical condition of mild cognitive impairment or dementia was lumped into a catchall category of “cognitively normal”, “cognitively unimpaired”, or “preclinical Alzheimer’s”. Over the past decade, there has been increasing recognition that the preclinical phase of Alzheimer’s disease is actually highly heterogeneous both in the presence and type of subtle symptoms that emerge. One [study](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8819647/) using data from 285 amyloid positive, cognitively unimpaired older adults from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) found that just over half of participants (56%) had no detectable symptoms. Of the remaining sample, 10% had subjective cognitive symptoms, 14% had subtle patterns of low scores on objective cognitive tests, 6% had neurobehavioral symptoms, like depression, anxiety, or apathy, and 13% had some combination of the three symptom types. > This analysis demonstrated that pooling all amyloid positive, cognitively unimpaired individuals into one catchall preclinical group is an oversimplified way to study such a phenotypically diverse set of individuals. Failing to account for this preclinical phenotypic diversity in Alzheimer’s trials has hindered the ability to detect treatment effects. This point was further illustrated by [research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31888974/) conducted in a sample of 747 participants across the spectrum of pre-dementia stages. The authors reported that **46% of cognitively unimpaired participants with objectively defined subtle cognitive difficulties progressed to mild cognitive impairment by four years of follow up**, compared with only 17% of cognitively unimpaired individuals with normal neuropsychological test performance. The group with objective subtle cognitive decline also demonstrated more rapid accumulation of amyloid and more pronounced degeneration of the entorhinal cortex and the hippocampus over those 4 years. These results suggest strongly that an intervention targeting the preclinical phase of Alzheimer’s would be more likely to detect a treatment effect if only individuals with subtle symptoms were selected for participation. An anti-amyloid drug, for example, would not accomplish much in the cognitively unimpaired, completely asymptomatic individuals, who accumulate little amyloid because the drug has limited available target. And at a clinical level, there is much less risk of decline in this group for the drug to protect against. Excluding participants who are completely asymptomatic, whilst selecting participants who are subtly symptomatic could yield an immense biological and clinical advantage for Alzheimer’s trials. ![Around 1 in 3 people with Alzheimers disease pathology have no noticeable symptoms in the early stages](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Around-1-in-3-people-with-Alzheimers-disease-pathology-have-no-noticeable-symptoms-in-the-early-stages.png "Around 1 in 3 people with Alzheimers disease pathology have no noticeable symptoms in the early stages")Putting this plan into action would involve clearly operationalizing objective subtle cognitive decline, defined conceptually as a transitional state of reduced cognitive performance that follows “normal cognition” and precedes mild cognitive impairment. A recent [review](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40198863/) suggested that there are at least six broad approaches for empirically measuring objective subtle cognitive decline, including methods based on patterns of low scores or change in scores across repeated neuropsychological assessments. It remains to be seen which method is preferred, and we are currently in the process of conducting a [Delphi consensus study](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12741732/) on this very topic. However, one promising method may involve deployment of digital cognitive assessments. [Research](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-neuropsychological-society/article/abs/unsupervised-highfrequency-smartphonebased-cognitive-assessments-are-reliable-valid-and-feasible-in-older-adults-at-risk-for-alzheimers-disease/161D0EC163DAB5643B073166BAC1B96E) has shown that scores from high frequency smartphone-based cognitive tests are correlated with amyloid pathology. Moreover, the [absence of practice effects](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/ana.26833?utm_source=consensus) across these repeated mobile cognitive tests appears to be a particularly sensitive marker of preclinical cognitive decline and amyloid deposition. Such tests can be administered to large numbers of potential participants at relatively low expense, enabling rapid selection of cognitively unimpaired individuals with objective subtle cognitive decline for clinical research. Complementary to this approach are methods using [item-based](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13803395.2023.2240060) and [process-scores](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3233/JAD-220096). These techniques break down the test into components to reveal underlying neurocognitive mechanisms, such as forgetting, serial memory, and lexical ability. Using these approaches to uncover mechanistic problems can increase sensitivity to Alzheimer’s pathology without necessarily requiring new tests or test re-design. In some cases, these mechanisms may also be universal and apply across languages and cultures. And importantly, they are suitable to [low tech](https://jogh.org/2024/jogh-14-03035) medicine solutions available in areas that face health and digital inequalities. **Starting today, we can harness digital technologies and novel psychometric approaches to identify the individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s who are most at risk** for biological and clinical disease progression—those with more advanced subtle symptoms. If successful, we’ll maximize the ability to detect treatment effects, and we may just catch that Great White Whale, landing a drug that can slow or even halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease before dementia sets in. --- ![Dr Andrew Kiselica Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Andrew-Kiselica.jpg "Dr Andrew Kiselica")Dr Andrew Kiselica #### Author [**Dr Andrew M. Kiselica**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-andrew-kiselica-university-of-georgia/) is an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia and a board certified clinical neuropsychologist. His research focuses on detecting early cognitive changes in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, improving assessment methods, and expanding screening in underserved populations. He works closely with the Working Group on Objective Subtle Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease, contributing to efforts to better define and measure early cognitive changes that could improve clinical trials.​ [@andrewk-phd.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/andrewk-phd.bsky.social) [Find Andrew on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kiselica-5a1729179/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Clinical trials, Cognition, Dr Andrew Kiselica, ISTAART **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research --- ### [Ask Your Mentor Podcast Series Returns This Summer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ask-your-mentor-podcast-series-returns-this-summer/) **Published:** April 15, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Our Ask Your Mentor podcast returns this summer. Mentor and mentee pairs share career journeys with full support. No experience needed. Join us! **Content:** **Our “[Ask Your Mentor](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ask-your-mentor-podcast/)” podcast series is coming back this summer and we are inviting members of our community to take part.** This series brings together mentor and mentee pairs for structured conversations about careers in research. Each episode is led by the mentee, asking the questions that matter most to them, and exploring the experiences, decisions, and lessons that have shaped their mentor’s journey. While the recordings are a little more formal than a casual chat, there is no expectation of previous podcast or interview experience. We fully support everyone involved and will guide you through the process from start to finish. ### What We Are Looking For We are seeking mentor and mentee pairs who would like to take part in a recorded conversation. You might already have an established mentoring relationship, or be working together in a more informal way. ### Why Take Part Taking part is an opportunity to: - Share your experiences with a global research community - Support others navigating similar career paths - Reflect on your own journey and what you have learned - Be featured in a podcast series shared across our platforms ### How It Works Each recording is supported by the Dementia Researcher team. We will help you prepare, provide guidance ahead of the session, and handle all editing and production. ### Get Involved If you are interested in taking part, speak to your mentor / mentee and get in touch, we would love to hear from you. [dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk ](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) --- ### [Catch up on the last series….](https://open.spotify.com/show/6T2NlM08acrw7F4s8E1hEC?si=98a7733ca68c4b94) [ ![Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast Research Assistant Shania Ibarra from University of Oxford, interviews her mentor Dr Aitana Sogorb-Esteve, Race Against Dementia / ARUK Research Fellow from University College London. Shania is currently a Research Assistant in the Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, however she will soon be started a PhD. Her current work focusses on a project that aims to discover small molecules that modulate the neuroinflammatory pathway. Prior to this, she graduated from the University of Bath with a BSc in Biomedical Sciences. As part of her degree, she completed a year in industry at the UCL Drug Discovery Institute where she helped to develop a triculture model using primary rat neurons, astrocytes and microglia. Aitana is a UK Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI) Emerging Leader with a Race Against Dementia (RAD) Fellowship – jointly sponsored by Prof Jonathan Rohrer and Professor Henrik Zetterberg. Her work has mainly focused on the study of novel fluid biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease, such as those related to pathology or neuroinflammation. Most recently she has been working as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof Jonathan Rohrer's lab at the Dementia Research Centre at UCL studying fluid biomarkers in Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) as part of the Genetic FTD Initiative (GENFI). This is the last show in series one. Find out more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Titles 00:19 Introductions 02:03 A run through Aitana's CV 08:17 A new chapter FTD Research 09:51 What attracted you to Neuroscience? 13:27 Moving from Spain to the UK 21:49 Intro to FTD and the Research 24:10 The Race Against Dementia Fellowship 31:33 Collaborations 34:44 Being at UCL 36:17 Leadership skills 38:51 Careers quiz and tips 47:31 Thinking about mentoring 52:11 Roundup and goodbyes -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast Research Assistant Shania Ibarra from University of Oxford, interviews her mentor Dr Aitana Sogorb-Esteve, Race Against Dementia / ARUK Research Fellow from University College London. Shania is currently a Research Assistant in the Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, however she will soon be started a PhD. Her current work focusses on a project that aims to discover small molecules that modulate the neuroinflammatory pathway. Prior to this, she graduated from the University of Bath with a BSc in Biomedical Sciences. As part of her degree, she completed a year in industry at the UCL Drug Discovery Institute where she helped to develop a triculture model using primary rat neurons, astrocytes and microglia. Aitana is a UK Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI) Emerging Leader with a Race Against Dementia (RAD) Fellowship – jointly sponsored by Prof Jonathan Rohrer and Professor Henrik Zetterberg. Her work has mainly focused on the study of novel fluid biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease, such as those related to pathology or neuroinflammation. Most recently she has been working as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof Jonathan Rohrer's lab at the Dementia Research Centre at UCL studying fluid biomarkers in Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) as part of the Genetic FTD Initiative (GENFI). Find out more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Titles 00:19 Introductions 02:03 A run through Aitana's CV 08:17 A new chapter FTD Research 09:51 What attracted you to Neuroscience? 13:27 Moving from Spain to the UK 21:49 Intro to FTD and the Research 24:10 The Race Against Dementia Fellowship 31:33 Collaborations 34:44 Being at UCL 36:17 Leadership skills 38:51 Careers quiz and tips 47:31 Thinking about mentoring 52:11 Roundup and goodbyes 5 1 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Aitana Sogorb-Esteve ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OIn9bgfCF8) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Aitana Sogorb-Esteve Dementia Researcher 133 views 01/08/2023 4:40 pm [ ![Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast we welcome back Dr Josie Fullerton from University of Glasgow, this time as a mentee, proving that even mentors need mentors. Josie chats with Dr Ian Harrison, Senior Research Fellow from University College London. Josie works on understanding the role of extracellular vesicles in stroke and hypertension. She is particularly passionate about the progression of Early Career Researchers, helping others to achieve their full potential and horse riding! Ian looks at the function of the glymphatic system in the brain, responsible for the clearance of protein solutes from the brain parenchyma. His lab is investigating the role of this system in neurodegenerative disease, to see if it is responsible for the accumulation of misfolded protein in disease like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and test whether we can alter its function as a therapy in these disorders. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Introduction 01:43 Walk through Ian's Career 07:50 Cake Club 08:56 Doing a Masters 11:09 Taking the Viva 12:16 Dealing with rejection 13:31 Short-term contracts and job security 16:00 Pressure to change institutions 17:19 Applying for Fellowships 24:39 Building a new lab team 26:39 Ian's research and the glymphatic system 29:38 Managing the lab work 31:42 Worklife balance 34:58 Career Top Tips 41:01 Mentoring 45:31 Round-up and goodbyes -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast we welcome back Dr Josie Fullerton from University of Glasgow, this time as a mentee, proving that even mentors need mentors. Josie chats with Dr Ian Harrison, Senior Research Fellow from University College London. Josie works on understanding the role of extracellular vesicles in stroke and hypertension. She is particularly passionate about the progression of Early Career Researchers, helping others to achieve their full potential and horse riding! Ian looks at the function of the glymphatic system in the brain, responsible for the clearance of protein solutes from the brain parenchyma. His lab is investigating the role of this system in neurodegenerative disease, to see if it is responsible for the accumulation of misfolded protein in disease like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and test whether we can alter its function as a therapy in these disorders. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Introduction 01:43 Walk through Ian's Career 07:50 Cake Club 08:56 Doing a Masters 11:09 Taking the Viva 12:16 Dealing with rejection 13:31 Short-term contracts and job security 16:00 Pressure to change institutions 17:19 Applying for Fellowships 24:39 Building a new lab team 26:39 Ian's research and the glymphatic system 29:38 Managing the lab work 31:42 Worklife balance 34:58 Career Top Tips 41:01 Mentoring 45:31 Round-up and goodbyes 0 0 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Ian Harrison ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qwk-DGl5ZU) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Ian Harrison Dementia Researcher 76 views 14/07/2023 9:56 am [ ![Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast experienced postdoc researcher Dr Aisling McFall, Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Glasgow interviews her mentor Dr Julie Simpson, Senior Lecturer at The University of Sheffield. Aisling works on a group of receptors called muscarinic receptors which are the target of one of the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, she studies the M1 muscarinic receptor because this subtype is highly expressed in the brain and has been shown to be involved in cognition. The overall aim being to design better drugs for Alzheimer’s disease with fewer side effects. Julie's main research interests are identifying and understanding neuroinflammatory contributions to ageing and dementia, particularly age-associated white matter pathology. Her research primarily focusses on the detailed immunohistological characterisation and gene expression profiling of specific cell populations in the ageing brain. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Intro Credits 00:17 Introductions 02:31 Walk Julie's CV and Career 32:51 Speedy Career Tips 34:04 Tips for dealing with busy collaborators 35:10 How importance is science communications 36:14 How to balance home and work life 39:49 Finding inspiration 41:20 How to approach grant writing 44:30 Recap on the main takeaways 45:56 Mentoring 50:52 Thankyou's and round-up -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast experienced postdoc researcher Dr Aisling McFall, Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Glasgow interviews her mentor Dr Julie Simpson, Senior Lecturer at The University of Sheffield. Aisling works on a group of receptors called muscarinic receptors which are the target of one of the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, she studies the M1 muscarinic receptor because this subtype is highly expressed in the brain and has been shown to be involved in cognition. The overall aim being to design better drugs for Alzheimer’s disease with fewer side effects. Julie's main research interests are identifying and understanding neuroinflammatory contributions to ageing and dementia, particularly age-associated white matter pathology. Her research primarily focusses on the detailed immunohistological characterisation and gene expression profiling of specific cell populations in the ageing brain. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Intro Credits 00:17 Introductions 02:31 Walk Julie's CV and Career 32:51 Speedy Career Tips 34:04 Tips for dealing with busy collaborators 35:10 How importance is science communications 36:14 How to balance home and work life 39:49 Finding inspiration 41:20 How to approach grant writing 44:30 Recap on the main takeaways 45:56 Mentoring 50:52 Thankyou's and round-up 0 0 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Julie Simpson ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLM3Cp3vFr8) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Julie Simpson Dementia Researcher 55 views 29/06/2023 9:02 pm [ ![Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast experienced postdoc researcher Dr Nikoleta Daskoulidou from the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University interviews her mentor Heather Mortiboys, Professor of Cellular Neuroscience and Metabolism at The University of Sheffield. Nikoleta's research interests include the role of innate immunity and neuroinflammation in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. She is fascinated by the complement system and its critical role in AD pathogenesis that makes it a potential therapeutic target. She also tells us that she drinks way too much coffee, collects old stuf, and raising money for dementia charties (this include a planned skydive). Heather studies Mitochondria and associated pathways in patient derived cells from patients with neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and Motor Neuron Disease. Understanding phenotypes, the mechanisms leading to them and how they can be rescued for therapeutic effect. Outside work she is a mum of 2 boys, she loves long walks and a pub lunches, as well as watching sports. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Introduction 00:21 Meet the guests 02:17 Run through Heather's CV and Career 41:28 Speedy Career & Life Tips 45:20 Throughs on Mentoring & Roundup -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast experienced postdoc researcher Dr Nikoleta Daskoulidou from the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University interviews her mentor Heather Mortiboys, Professor of Cellular Neuroscience and Metabolism at The University of Sheffield. Nikoleta's research interests include the role of innate immunity and neuroinflammation in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. She is fascinated by the complement system and its critical role in AD pathogenesis that makes it a potential therapeutic target. She also tells us that she drinks way too much coffee, collects old stuf, and raising money for dementia charties (this include a planned skydive). Heather studies Mitochondria and associated pathways in patient derived cells from patients with neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and Motor Neuron Disease. Understanding phenotypes, the mechanisms leading to them and how they can be rescued for therapeutic effect. Outside work she is a mum of 2 boys, she loves long walks and a pub lunches, as well as watching sports. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Introduction 00:21 Meet the guests 02:17 Run through Heather's CV and Career 41:28 Speedy Career & Life Tips 45:20 Throughs on Mentoring & Roundup 2 2 Ask Your Mentor – Professor Heather Mortiboys ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNvajnp0r94) Ask Your Mentor – Professor Heather Mortiboys Dementia Researcher 109 views 08/06/2023 6:17 pm [ ![Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast ⁠Dr Melissa Salazar⁠ from University College London interviews Dr Steven Quinn, Senior Lecturer & Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow from University of York. Melissa is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow based in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. She is a scientist with +10 years of research experience, who is specialised in sequencing methods and data analysis to study the genetics of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Steve is a Senior Lecturer & Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow at University of York. Steve obtained his MPhys in Physics from the University of St. Andrews and an MSc in Radiation, Oncology and Biology from the University of Oxford. After his PhD (St Andrews) and a postdoctoral position at the University of Glasgow, he took up a Lindemann Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA and in 2017, he was appointed to a Lectureship at the University of York and was awarded an Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellowship in 2019. Steve is now a Senior Lecturer, and his group uses microscopy techniques to interrogate the structure, dynamics and function of single biomolecules implicated in dementia. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠⁠⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠⁠⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠⁠⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at ⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor⁠⁠ This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast ⁠Dr Melissa Salazar⁠ from University College London interviews Dr Steven Quinn, Senior Lecturer & Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow from University of York. Melissa is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow based in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. She is a scientist with +10 years of research experience, who is specialised in sequencing methods and data analysis to study the genetics of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Steve is a Senior Lecturer & Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow at University of York. Steve obtained his MPhys in Physics from the University of St. Andrews and an MSc in Radiation, Oncology and Biology from the University of Oxford. After his PhD (St Andrews) and a postdoctoral position at the University of Glasgow, he took up a Lindemann Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA and in 2017, he was appointed to a Lectureship at the University of York and was awarded an Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellowship in 2019. Steve is now a Senior Lecturer, and his group uses microscopy techniques to interrogate the structure, dynamics and function of single biomolecules implicated in dementia. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠⁠⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠⁠⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠⁠⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at ⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor⁠⁠ This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 0 0 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Steven Quinn ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVs1R6MHlgk) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Steven Quinn Dementia Researcher 93 views 15/05/2023 7:00 am [ ![Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast PhD Student Elizabeth (Lizzie) English from University of Cambridge interviews her mentor (and regular Dementia Researcher Blogger) ⁠Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Lecturer at Teeside University. Lizzie is a PhD candidate at University of Cambridge and a proud first-generation student. Her PhD project is attempting to characterise disease-associated protein aggregates throughout the time-course of Alzheimer’s Disease, in terms of aggregate size, shape, number and brain region localisation, through single-molecule fluorescence microscopy methods. I hope to investigate the potential toxicity mechanisms of these aggregates, to aid understanding of the causes of AD onset and progression. Kamar is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University. In addition to teaching, Kamar is exploring how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Having first pursued a career as an NHS Psychologist, Kamar went back to University in Durham to look at rodent behavioural tasks to completed her PhD, and then worked as a regional Programme Manager for NC3Rs. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Introduction 02:57 A Run Though Kamar's CV an Career 39:09 Quick Career Questions with Top Tips for Success 45:38 Mentoring 51:34 Final Thoughts -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor Podcast, from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast PhD Student Elizabeth (Lizzie) English from University of Cambridge interviews her mentor (and regular Dementia Researcher Blogger) ⁠Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Lecturer at Teeside University. Lizzie is a PhD candidate at University of Cambridge and a proud first-generation student. Her PhD project is attempting to characterise disease-associated protein aggregates throughout the time-course of Alzheimer’s Disease, in terms of aggregate size, shape, number and brain region localisation, through single-molecule fluorescence microscopy methods. I hope to investigate the potential toxicity mechanisms of these aggregates, to aid understanding of the causes of AD onset and progression. Kamar is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University. In addition to teaching, Kamar is exploring how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Having first pursued a career as an NHS Psychologist, Kamar went back to University in Durham to look at rodent behavioural tasks to completed her PhD, and then worked as a regional Programme Manager for NC3Rs. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 00:00 Introduction 02:57 A Run Though Kamar's CV an Career 39:09 Quick Career Questions with Top Tips for Success 45:38 Mentoring 51:34 Final Thoughts 2 0 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoLq3UUaFwc) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali Dementia Researcher 107 views 28/04/2023 12:01 am [ ![Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast PhD Student Alex Mellor from University of Plymouth interviews his mentor ⁠Dr Josie Fullerton⁠, Postdoctoral Research Associate from University of Glasgow. Alex is a second year PhD candidate in the Fern lab at the University of Plymouth. He completed his masters at the Univeristy of Southampton, looking at spinal cord injury, before moving down to Plymouth to start his PhD looking at the link between chronic inflammation and ischaemic brain injury, particularly looking at the effects of inflammation on white matter. Josie works on understanding the role of extracellular vesicles in stroke and hypertension. She is particularly passionate about the progression of Early Career Researchers, helping others to achieve their full potential and horse riding! Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast PhD Student Alex Mellor from University of Plymouth interviews his mentor ⁠Dr Josie Fullerton⁠, Postdoctoral Research Associate from University of Glasgow. Alex is a second year PhD candidate in the Fern lab at the University of Plymouth. He completed his masters at the Univeristy of Southampton, looking at spinal cord injury, before moving down to Plymouth to start his PhD looking at the link between chronic inflammation and ischaemic brain injury, particularly looking at the effects of inflammation on white matter. Josie works on understanding the role of extracellular vesicles in stroke and hypertension. She is particularly passionate about the progression of Early Career Researchers, helping others to achieve their full potential and horse riding! Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website ⁠https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk⁠ Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: ⁠https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/⁠ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 2 0 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Josie Fullerton ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0SOJcfL460) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Josie Fullerton Dementia Researcher 67 views 14/04/2023 12:00 am [ ![Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast Dr Chris Henstridge, Principle Investigator from University of Dundee interviews his mentor Patrick Lewis, Professor of Neuroscience at the Royal Veterinary College at University of London. Chris grew up on the far north coast of Scotland and this beautiful location instilled his interest in nature and biology. He completed his PhD in Dundee and the city has been an important part of his life ever since, and in 2020 he established his lab there. Chris has always enjoyed travelling and spent 4 years living and working in Budapest, as a PostDoc. He has a very supportive wife and two young kids and they're soon to add a dog to the mix. If his daughter gets her way, the dog will be named after her favourite kids TV character, Makka Pakka! Chris enjoys the challenges of an academic career, and he tries hard to ensure that my career runs on his terms. Patrick moved around in neurodegeneration research quite a bit, starting off investigating Alzheimer’s disease before doing a PhD on prion diseases, then moving into Parkinson’s research (which is where most, but not all, of his current interests lie). And now he is based at a veterinary college, which has provided him with a very different perspective on looking at neurodegeneration. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast Dr Chris Henstridge, Principle Investigator from University of Dundee interviews his mentor Patrick Lewis, Professor of Neuroscience at the Royal Veterinary College at University of London. Chris grew up on the far north coast of Scotland and this beautiful location instilled his interest in nature and biology. He completed his PhD in Dundee and the city has been an important part of his life ever since, and in 2020 he established his lab there. Chris has always enjoyed travelling and spent 4 years living and working in Budapest, as a PostDoc. He has a very supportive wife and two young kids and they're soon to add a dog to the mix. If his daughter gets her way, the dog will be named after her favourite kids TV character, Makka Pakka! Chris enjoys the challenges of an academic career, and he tries hard to ensure that my career runs on his terms. Patrick moved around in neurodegeneration research quite a bit, starting off investigating Alzheimer’s disease before doing a PhD on prion diseases, then moving into Parkinson’s research (which is where most, but not all, of his current interests lie). And now he is based at a veterinary college, which has provided him with a very different perspective on looking at neurodegeneration. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 1 0 Ask Your Mentor – Professor Patrick Lewis ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM1ppnue8pk) Ask Your Mentor – Professor Patrick Lewis Dementia Researcher 136 views 07/04/2023 11:52 am [ ![Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast Cambridge PhD Student, Rebecca Williams interviews her mentor Dr Martina Bocchetta, Lecturer at Brunel University London and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at University College London Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In this podcast Cambridge PhD Student, Rebecca Williams interviews her mentor Dr Martina Bocchetta, Lecturer at Brunel University London and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at University College London Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 1 0 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Martina Bocchetta ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQvmumdeXc) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Martina Bocchetta Dementia Researcher 91 views 24/03/2023 10:04 pm [ ![Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In the first podcast of this new limited series, Dr Fiona McLean, ARUK Research Fellow from University of Dundee interviews her mentor Dr Yvonne Couch, Associate Professor and ARUK Research Fellow from University of Oxford. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn more about the new drugs coming to treat Alzheimer's Disea with this video podcast - "A Closer Look at Lecanemab, Donanemab and Amyloid" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8rzDSIwxM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/plugins/youtube-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)Ask Your Mentor, a new podcast from Dementia Researcher, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Mentees interviewing their mentors, talking careers, lessons learned and what they’ve discovered, that could help you forge a successful career in dementia research. In the first podcast of this new limited series, Dr Fiona McLean, ARUK Research Fellow from University of Dundee interviews her mentor Dr Yvonne Couch, Associate Professor and ARUK Research Fellow from University of Oxford. Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk Find our more about Alzheimer's Research UK and how they support early career researchers on their website: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/supporting-your-career/ Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than watch, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast at https://podfollow.com/ask-your-mentor This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. 2 0 Ask Your Mentor – Dr Yvonne Couch ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abMfy-UQJyY) Ask Your Mentor – Dr Yvonne Couch Dementia Researcher 96 views 15/03/2023 3:12 am Load More… [ Subscribe ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1qv0E1UzNPtGhz2nQaoig/) **Categories:** Opportunities **Tags:** Ask Your Mentor --- ### [Podcast - Reimagining Dementia with XR & Digital Therapeutics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-reimagining-dementia-with-xr-digital-therapeutics/) **Published:** May 1, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Byron Creese hosts XR in dementia care. Hear how VR & spatial tech support empathy & assessment with Alice Wroe, Emilie Brotherhood and David De Jong-Bambagioni **Content:** **Extended reality is starting to find a real place in dementia research and care. In this episode, host [Dr Byron Creese](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-byron-creese/) is joined by [David de Jong-Bambagioni](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-david-de-jong-bambagioni-global-brain-health-institute/), [Dr Emilie Brotherhood](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-emilie-brotherhood/), and [Alice Rowe](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-wroe-218140178/) to explore how virtual, augmented, and mixed reality tools are being used in practice.** Together, they discuss how XR is helping to standardise cognitive assessments, simulate clinical environments, and support earlier and more accurate diagnosis. The conversation also looks at how immersive tools are being used to build empathy, giving clinicians and carers a better sense of what it might feel like to live with dementia. The panel share examples from their own work, including virtual simulations to distinguish delirium from dementia, and digital environments designed to capture subtle behavioural changes in conditions like frontotemporal dementia. These approaches are opening up new ways to study cognition, behaviour, and patient experience in more realistic and scalable settings. Alongside the opportunities, the discussion also addresses the challenges. From safeguarding wellbeing to avoiding bias in digital tools, the group reflects on what responsible use looks like, and why co design and inclusive development matter. This episode offers a practical look at where XR is already making a difference, and where it might go next. **In this episode:** - How XR is being used in dementia research and care - Using immersive environments for assessment and empathy - Why co design and lived experience matter - Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality explained simply - Ethical risks and safeguards in vulnerable groups - How researchers are moving into digital health - Getting started with XR and finding collaborators - Inclusion, global perspectives, and reducing bias --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over** The Dementia Researcher podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Byron Creese** Hello and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Today we are exploring XR, spatial computing and digital approaches to understanding life beyond memory in dementia. My name is Dr. Byron Creese, I'm a senior lecturer in psychology at Brunell University of London, and I'm delighted to be hosting today's show. Extended reality, spatial computing and sensor-based systems are moving from gaming, creative practise, and industry into health and care settings. These tools allow researchers to study how people interact with environments, objects, and routines in a more natural and responsive way than traditional clinic rooms. With us today are three people working at the forefront of this area. We've got David De Jong-Bambagioni, who works with healthcare organisations to tackle efficiency challenges and bring insights from gaming, spatial computing and XR into clinical practise. Dr. Emilie Brotherhood, who explores psychophysiological responses captured through sensor platforms and investigates health spatial computing can support digital markers, and assessment for people with non-memory led dementias. And Alice Wroe, XR lead at the Atlantic Institute where she supports a global fellowship, and explores how extended realities can advance social equity and what it means to be human in digital spaces. Hello everyone. It's great to have you with us. To start us off, can I ask each of you to introduce yourselves? Let's start with Emilie. **Emilie Brotherhood** Hi, thank you. So I'm Emilie. I'm a senior research fellow in Neuropsychology, and I'm based at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square University College of London. **Byron Creese** Thank you. And Alice? **Alice Wroe** Hello. I'm delighted to be here. Yeah, my name's Alice Wroe, and I'm the extended realities lead at the Atlantic Institute. And so we think about how emerging technologies can enable our community of fellows, and our partners to be on the front foot with emerging technologies. So it's not something that happens to us, but it's something that we can kind of engage with to think about how we can build fairer, more inclusive societies using this sort of emerging tech. David is a fellow actually. **Byron Creese** Nicely to David. Yeah. Brilliant. So you're teeing up David. **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Yeah, so David De Jong-Bambagioni from the Netherlands and I'm a social entrepreneur in the Netherlands, and we work with XR to improve process in hospital care, and dementia care, psychiatric care. So very broad, but we use the technology, how can we improve healthcare yesterday. **Byron Creese** Brilliant. Thank you all. So I've actually work in dementia care, but much more on, I guess more typical psychology background. So this is really exciting for me. Let's get going. So let's begin with your individual work. David, could you tell us about the work you're doing with extended reality and spatial computing, and what you're trying to understand or change through it? **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Yeah, so my company, they're health and facing in the Netherlands, we work on , educational technology and MedTech and medical technology. And what we do with the part is change the way we train nurses, caregivers, give them information in a different way. We use 360 video for that. And what we do is like empathy VR, so you can experience how it is to go through the four phases of dementia, or how it is to have a psychosis, just to step in somebody else's shoes to empathise with the other person. We also do virtual excursion. So if you are living with dementia, or laying in the hospital and you can travel around anymore, we have beautiful beaches, forests, even train stations. Some people like to be on a train station. And also we do social skills training, so improve the way you interact with medical staff, patients, that kind of stuff. And also like movements, so like body movement in 360 and with a med tech, what we do is we optimise processes around medical devices. Think about track and tracing like your Apple Air tag that you know, where your bag is, where your bike, but then in a medical setting, in a hospital, we do warehouse management. So where are all these devices? It's a big challenge, like where are the medical devices and dashboarding with AI agents. So that's like smart assistance that can help you to find the right medical device. So you go to a patient, what does the patient need? And in that way you find the right medical device, and the information part for the carrier like is done with augmented reality. So you can see the medical device in the space. So if you want to troubleshoot, then you can see the medical device in front of you on your desk and then you can say, oh, how does this button work? Or that kind of thing. So that's what we do with XR. **Byron Creese** Great, thank you. And Emilie, your research spans spatial computing, digital signals and psychophysiology. So could you briefly describe what projects you've worked with in this area? What questions are you hoping to answer? **Emilie Brotherhood** Yeah, sure. So my PhD was looking at the sort of in the digital signal space in a more dementia care context. So Byron kind of aligning with your work. And that was really about using kind of infrared cameras to pick up signals, like changes in pupil responses as people listen to familiar and unfamiliar music, and those populations and people with different types of Alzheimer's disease. And that was really to answer research questions like how can we augment and improve personalised interventions in dementia care? But while that was going on, I was also collecting pilot data that was looking at innovative ways that we could use extended reality in the field of dementia assessments. So moving sort of from a care to actually diagnostic capacity. And this would particularly address things like how we detect changes in competitive domains aside from the memory challenges that we tend to see in more typical forms of Alzheimer's disease are moving towards detecting subtle behaviour and social personality changes in the, for example, the ability to exhibit empathy that are often observed in people with frontotemporal dementia. **Byron Creese** Great, thank you. So you're working in, I guess the less common dementias then. So taking in FTD as well as Alzheimer's. Great. Alice, you approach XR from a creative and equity centred perspective, could you share what you are working on at the moment and how you think extended realities will help people and society? **Alice Wroe** Yeah, and it's so brilliant to hear David and Emilie's work because with extended realities, the vast majority of this tech is used for military, and for gaming and it's just like mega dominated. It's then when you hear about work like this, it's just twinkling for this new kind of thoughtful future with this technology, that's so exciting. Yeah, so I work, as I've mentioned at the Atlantic Institute and we believe that this type of technology is gonna change the way that we all navigate our futures in terms of our work lives, our professional lives, and we wanna make sure that our fellows, our partners, our community at large are people that feel confident and safe to be critical to champion this tech, to kind of creating it, collaborate through it. So we put a real strategic focus on this particular area, and so we've been working in three main areas. So we're thinking about co-presence, how can our global and growing community be together whilst we're physically apart? We've been thinking about how can this technology lift the equity work of the fellows? So projects like Emilie's and David's, it just kind of sings to our hymn sheet. It's about taking people that may not ordinarily have access to this sort of tech, bring their expertise and just lift it into their work and raise their equity work. And then the third one is around thought leadership. So this tech space is so often dominated by the same voices with the same kind of backgrounds. And we actually think that through interdisciplinary engagement, that is how we're gonna make progress, social beautiful progress in this space. So it's bringing fellows together, our partners together, our communities together to gather around this technology and dream with it fundamentally. And so we are raising the tech literacy as well. And so finally, I'll just give you one example of an actual piece that we're working on. So one of our fellows at the moment is creating a piece with our lab in Oxford, in Rhodes house. We've got a brilliant XR specialist, Richard Smith, and they're making a 360 film about climate anxiety called "Living in Water" in collaboration with the equity initiative in Southeast Asia. So we're thinking about climate anxiety globally, and how it lives differently depending on where you are. And so we're making work like that, but for me it's the tech literacy and the raising of who is in the room talking about this stuff that really makes me sing. **Byron Creese** That's great. Thank you. Such enthusiasm from all three of you. Can I ask about your backgrounds. Are you a health scientist, psychologist who've moved into tech? Or are you tech people who've moved into applying your skills to healthcare? **Emilie Brotherhood** I've lived in academia for a decade as a neuropsychology researcher. That's very much where I've stayed. Yeah. **David De Jong-Bambagioni** By origin, I'm a social worker, so I rolled into this technology. **Byron Creese** Oh great. **Alice Wroe** Oh, I love that. Rolled into technology. There's an artist called Stephanie Dinkins who works a lot in tech, and she calls herself an accidental technologist, which is what I relate to as well. So my background was in creative direction and then I was kind of picked out of it by an amazing CEO of a spatial computing company, Magic Leap. And he just knew that if you get people whose background isn't tech, actually, that's where you can kind of dream the biggest things when you bring them together with tech people. And we all kind of merge and become one. So I ascribe to the accidental technologists. **Byron Creese** Let's move on then to, I guess talk about that tech, XR, an immersive environment. So extended reality would include things like virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. And these tools can produce naturalistic, and responsive environments for assessment and support. I mean, that's as far as my understanding would go. So what I need is for you to help me out a bit. So perhaps Alice, can I start with you? For those unfamiliar, can I ask you to tell us the difference between extended reality, virtual reality, augmented and mixed reality? **Alice Wroe** It would be my pleasure, Byron. So fundamentally, XR is this kind of big umbrella term that encompasses a load of different immersive technologies. So please don't feel intimidated by that term. If it seems interchangeable, or there's lots of different things, it's because there are loads of words that kind of mean similar things. So VR as you said, virtual reality as if you put a headset on, all you will see is the digital world in front of you. So if you're wearing a virtual reality headset, you might actually just like walk into a chair, or like stub your toe 'cause all you can see is that virtual world. And then you've got augmented reality, and mixed reality where the digital and the physical worlds come together as one. So actually as you put those sort of headsets on or you kind of bring them up using your phone, you'll see your world around you, but you'll have digital content that is kind of engaging with quite poetically that the worlds that you have around you. So I think those are the two big ones to understand. Some people call it spatial computing or the metaverse, the embodied internet, all these different terms. But fundamentally it's everything that like bursts out of your screen and into your environment in different ways. **Byron Creese** Great. And David then, how do you see XR helping clinicians understand the day-to-day challenges and other things that might be missed in clinics, specifically as it pertains to dementia would be really interesting? **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Because of what we do is like... So what we do is community driven VR. So together with like clinicians, we try to figure out what are the challenges clinicians are facing in the day-to-day clinic that they could miss. And then you just like, you kind of create like a sandbox, like a safe space where people can experiment. So like for example, we have one training, and it's regarding seeing the difference between a delirium or like symptoms of dementia. So we try to like simulate environments where like you can make decisions and choices that maybe you would not do in a clinical setting to like empathise, look at the... Like how do you communicate, what is the workflow, what are the processes, how can we optimise those to train in a safe environment? And what I said before, I think the empathy part, like the empathy trainings we create I think are very powerful, even though you're a clinician, even though you study the subject or a certain disease, like the moment a patient's sitting in front of you , how do you know how their world is? How do they view you sitting on the other side of the table, you know, with the white coat effect, of course. So stepping in the other person's shoes and experience from the other way is really helpful. So, and that's the kind of sense we try to optimise the day-to-day clinic to, you know, step in somebody else's shoes and just get out of your own bubble. **Byron Creese** Yeah. Does it extend as well to, like the room I'm sitting in right now is work you can see 'cause it's really bland. **Alice Wroe** I thought that was just your taste, Byron, minimal man. **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Your virtual backgrounds, we thought you're in a metaverse. **Byron Creese** Yeah. But so would it extend to like doctors, or other healthcare professionals consulting in a very sterile environment, does it extend to helping them understand how someone operates in the real world at home? So almost simulating if you were to go, and watch someone in their own house and draw insights that way. **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. **Byron Creese** Oh, brilliant. And Emilie, how does spatial computing use these realities then and what do they offer when measuring subtle changes in how people interact with their surroundings? **Emilie Brotherhood** So it's really interesting, David to, you know, hear about your work using VR as a, or XR as a vehicle for empathy because this is exactly the reason for a very different motivation. But it's exactly the reason I want to incorporate it in my research in the pilot data we collected. And that's because in the diagnostic criteria for a particular type of this sort of frontotemporal dementia that I'm interested in, one of the diagnostic criteria is a mark change in empathy. And for a clinician and for a caregiver, that can be incredibly obvious when you're sitting in the room and a carer is relaying a story, for example, about how some, you know, they injure themselves. And it was so strange the reaction of the patient because they thought it was hilarious, which obviously isn't a normal response and very different usually from hopefully what their kind of pre dementia empathic response would be. So I'm taking sort of the same, a principle that VR could be used for empathy and trying to use that in an assessment capacity. But the beauty of these, all of these environments and in a virtual world is that for a researcher and scientist, I want to be able to standardise that experience and exposure, and create a virtual environment that would be almost impossible to replicate in a standardised way in any clinical setting, unless you had at your disposal these technologies. **Byron Creese** Are you designing the technologies Emilie, or someone else? That is somebody else. So you're deploying them? **Emilie Brotherhood** Yeah, so it would be sort of co-developing and perhaps we move on this later, but you know, the kind of co-design process with people with lived experiences, so central in order to kind of hear the stories of what sounded like an empathy change for their loved one from a carer's perspective, you know, those kind of, we use for the pilot work that we've done, they have helped develop and develop the story that then when we've collaborated with engineers, and computer scientists to develop these virtual worlds, they're the stories that we've taken. And then really I'm looking at the kind of clinical angles of how good this assessment could be. **Byron Creese** Yeah, yeah. So co-design is a part of the front end of it. So the sort of, yeah. Okay. Yeah. And then so you are involved in that and then Alice, and I think David, I'll bring you in on this as well. I guess that leads in nicely to how we ensure that these various tools are shaped by the people that they're supposed to serve. Emilie's just given an example there, is there anything that further back in the process, I dunno what the tech term is for earlier in the development that... **Alice Wroe** Yeah. That we need to think about? I mean, I think Emilie is just completely nailed it in that, that is how... If we are gonna create meaningful experiences that will create impactful change, they have to be designed by the people that they seek to serve, and kind of have that lived experience embedded into it. We have a fellow, Miriam Hernandez that has written a really brilliant paper on community led storytelling in VR because even more so than other media, virtual reality, you know, it takes everything and particularly 360 films, it can be extremely exposing. And so the risk to... There's all sorts of risks in terms of telling other people's stories using this technology. And so I think that absolutely what Emilie said is the way forward and the only way actually to create these ethical kind of pieces. In terms of, I think your question around the actual of technical development of it, I mean that is always a win if you can bring people into the process as much as possible. So Richard Smith, the Excel specialist that we have at the lab, well when he's doing 360 filming, he is always explaining to the community exactly this is what the camera's doing, this is why I'm putting it here, do you want to, you know, press this button, where do you want to place the camera? It's about always asking those questions. And then certain people might just rise to the occasion, and want to do more training themselves and we would love to support 'em to do that. But it's about bringing people in, and demystifying this process that can often feel exceptionally kind of dense and just kind of making clear, this is what we're doing, this is why we're doing it, how do you wanna do it differently or with us. **Byron Creese** And David, have you got some examples from your work to add? **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Yeah, no, I would say, this is a bit weird saying that XR tech... XR is not about the tech, it's about the people. So, and that's like, we started already with... We talked about gaming. So even in gaming, if you don't make a game for the gamers, still not gonna play the game. So if you don't make experiences or XR applications that like really solve real world problems for clinicians or people living with dementia, then you're doing the wrong thing, I think. So I would say like... And it never starts with the tech, so that's I think also the big challenge in the field we're in. So like there every few months now, luckily new spatial computers and headsets are coming out, which is amazing, but never start, like, I never start with a tech. In general, when we have co-creation sessions, we never bring the tech in the space, we bring pencils, we draw, we start in a creative setting to understand like what is it, like, peel off the onion, what is the real challenge you're facing? And then maybe the tech can be a solution. So sometimes we do a session, and then the XR is not a solution and something completely out. So never start with the tech, start with like the problem, the challenge that people are facing and then you can build up towards XR. So I think that's how you should look at this technology. **Byron Creese** And so in the... So thinking about dementia specifically, then it's sort of the... If we're extending what you said into dementia, you'd be thinking about what problems are people with dementia facing? What do they tell us that they need? And then is this type of tech a solution? Or even carers **Alice Wroe** Right. I've seen an amazing piece in terms of the people that are living with, caring for, and exactly what both Emilie and David said, that XR is an empathy machine. You know, if you can experience something of what it might be like to live with dementia through the headset, you can then care from a completely different angle than you would if you're living with your own kind of biases, frustrations, overwhelm. It can kind of take you into a different space to love and care for somebody that has dementia as well. **Byron Creese** That's a great point, yeah. I think we never mustn't forget carers. Do people like it this technology, people with dementia, carers, what's the uptake like? **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Yeah, so the experience of caregivers, like we have a lot of like, so these 360 experience, we have like very emotional sessions sometimes with family members that as Alice said, like you're in your day-to-day, you're caring for your partner, you have to get your kids from school at four, you know, there's a lot going on in your life. And then like you get to the , especially caregivers, a lot of burden on caregivers and things in global north and the south. And we're facing in the global north a specific challenge with ageing population. And so there's a lot of burden on caregivers and like sometimes we forget, so like, but to understand like a grandson, so my grandmother has dementia, doesn't really understand what that is. And when we give them this experience, like they're really like that in a sense. Like to understand like, what is it then? And of course it's not perfect, you know, I'm not gonna say our training is perfect, but we try to get as close to reality as possible. And people living with dementia, like, yeah, surprisingly, like there's like... Some people like to watch , some people don't like it, some people like to read newspapers, so it's not for everybody, but the people who are into it. I had like 102 year old ladies that like were in a rollercoaster and said like, give me another spin. But the thing is like if I give a first demo to somebody, I would never give a rollercoaster experience as it's like really can make you really sick. But she always went with her kids to a theme park, but now being in a wheelchair, half paralysed, living with dementia, like, I can't go anymore. So for her it was like, it was perfect. So it's not for everybody, but I think sometimes people are very hesitant to offer XR to people living with dementia. And of course there's like some design principles and you have to do an ethical way. So like, I'm not saying like give them any experience, but people are open to it, they really love it and they like the renascence, like going back in their childhood for example, had one lady base jump in VR, so base jumping and like afterwards, like if you looked at experience, the gaming experience, like we said, wow, I don't know. But then the things she came out, so like to... With my husband when we were together, we'd go on a holiday to this island. We saw people jump out there. So like she started about her husband, her family, her past. So it's like, it's also this reminiscence therapy, like it brings like emotions up that like are so hidden, but a moment you're like, you have an embodied experience like you're sharing that and then yeah, these memories pop up and then you have really beautiful experiences. And then nurse is saying like normally she never speaks, and now she has this whole conversation of 20 minutes about her past, so yeah. **Alice Wroe** And that's... I think David's touched on something beautiful there because so often people think with this technology it isolates us, it takes us away from each other. It's all about being on your own with a computer screen. But like David, you lit up when you talked about what she said, the story she was telling, it's a conversation starter doesn't quite do it justice, but it enables people to tap into something that a part of themselves that they want to share, which is really special. So I think David, what you were saying just now, I think reminds us as well that we shouldn't ever forget those basic person centred principles that we, you know, we're all used to whatever part of research or dementia care we're into, it's really important. The content you deliver is relevant to the person. I mean that be fair. **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Yeah. That's for sure. And especially in, I think especially in the technology space, I think it's very important. It doesn't matter if it's XR or it's smartphones, whatever it is. **Byron Creese** And Emilie, how do your participants like the technology or perhaps more interestingly or as relevant, have you had any experiences where people just hate it and what have you done then, and? **Emilie Brotherhood** So, no, it's a great question and I think it... You know, we had, as with every research approach, we went through a very stringent ethical review, rightly so. It was, you know, our protocol for this essentially what was a feasibility in pilot study in this area, 'cause it was very novel, was, you know, obviously very heavily scrutinised and you know, a lot of... We answered lots of the ethics committees queries, which really centred around an interesting philosophical discussion around the almost philosophical in itself of immersing people, you know, vulnerable older adults who perhaps potentially are unsure of what reality is, or unscented in reality as it is. How ethical is that to centre somebody in essentially something that we all know is virtual or essentially fake. And so I think it was for our populations that we were interested in, it was really... It was very important that we kind of emphasise that this isn't the type of confusion that tends to be seen in these patients. It's not really challenges with memory, it was more to do with these kind of behavioural changes, which many of these individuals don't have a lot of insight into having and that's why this tool is so important. So we were able to sort of navigate that ethical process, which obviously had to be, you know, completely rightly done. And when we sort of got to the other side, and started looking and collecting the data, you know, people tolerated it really well. We made sure we had pre and post kind of sickness simulation questionnaires to establish how they were feeling, if they were dizzy, if they, you know, had any kind of adverse physical effects and we were videoing the whole interaction, so we could really hear obviously, and I was observing the whole time and we had lots of kind of safeguarding things in place if anyone did struggle or were distressed by the environment. But we didn't in my experience, no we didn't encounter any of those, which was encouraging. **Byron Creese** Yeah, that's great. But you obviously went through a really thorough process to ensure that the technology would suitable for people, and that obviously operating in sort of proper ethical frameworks. **Emilie Brotherhood** Of course. **Byron Creese** Which is good, yeah. Or important. So I guess, yes, thinking about ethics, thinking about research, then there's probably a lot of researchers listening, they might be thinking this is great, this is super interesting. I'm not a coder or a tech designer, or have a computing background at all, how do I begin? How would you answer that question? What advice would you have? Alice? **Alice Wroe** Yeah, I mean it links back, doesn't it to what we're talking about earlier in terms of how we all came into this space with the accidental technologist thing. The brilliant thing about the Atlantic Fellowship for me is the interdisciplinary nest of it. You bring together poets, doctors, activists, community leaders. And when I spoke earlier about raising that tech literacy, all I'm really saying is about raising the confidence, so that when you are in a space that is discussing this type of technology, you feel able to bring your own real life expertise, your own lived experience into that space to have an opinion. So for me, I think what I would say to people that are interested in this space is trust your interest and start being interested and talking about it, and having opinions on things and researching and thinking. And then in terms of if you actually want to create a piece, then there's all sorts of quite interesting grants where you can be paired with somebody with a more kind of tech technical specialism as Emilie was mentioning. And there are loads of brilliant technologists who are excited to collaborate with organisation, and institutes and bring those expertise into the technical space. So for me it's around confidence, and it's not actually only for the benefit of that person, this is for the benefit, without sounding too overblown of humanity, like technology is how we are all moving forward in terms of navigating our lives. It is absolutely imperative that we are all invested, and all feel able to be part of it. So it's a kind of political act I think. So if you feel interested or completely scared about where the world is going with tech, listen, pay attention and bring your beliefs and what you have expertise in to that table. **Byron Creese** So that applies not just to end users of the technology people... **Alice Wroe** No. **Byron Creese** With mentoring carers, but actually as researchers, people who... **Alice Wroe** Absolutely, yeah... **Byron Creese** Moving into that. **Alice Wroe** I mean, to be honest, like exactly what Emilie has done, you know, like Emilie was saying, her background has been in academia the whole way through and she works with teams to kind of lift up her work into this space. Like that's what we should all be doing with tech. It's like thinking about how we can weave it into our own lives so that we can build just kind technology that creates just kind futures fundamentally. So I think Emilie's a great example as is David actually, in terms of social workers. So what a brilliant group of people you have here in terms of showcasing, you don't need to go to kind of MIT and have a hundred degrees, you bring what you have and it meets you where you are and that's vital. **Byron Creese** So on that then, David and Emilie, can I ask how you ended up in this field then from your respective earlier disciplines, perhaps David. **David De Jong-Bambagioni** So in 2013, my brother and I, especially my brother, he backed the Oculus DK1. So was like long time ago, and he started to make YouTube videos with that. And I can tell you the first experience I had was like in a little rollercoaster with a ball rolling behind me. And then you... So anyway, not great experiences in the beginning. And in the beginning I didn't think it would revolutionise healthcare in a different way. But then exposed therapy came from the U.S. and then I did... During my bachelor's, I did some research like, oh, and then it clicked for me when I saw the effect of it was really simple with like 3D spider on a table. It was like really simple, but effect it had on people how realistic it was for somebody with a phobia and how you could trick somebody with a spider not having a real spider. So that really clicked for me. And then yeah, it kind of snowballed from there. And everything I did in my social work career, every time I linked it on VR, what can the stack do? How can we change? And then in 2018 when the Oculus Go came, so it's like a standalone headset. That was a moment I was like, oh, now we can implement this in healthcare and have it in a scalable way before you were connected to computer and cables, and it's great for research and really like point solutions, but like scalable, training people, taking people. That was a moment I was like, okay, now we can do it at scale. So yeah, and he has a very successful YouTube channel now where he reviews VR headsets and XR experiences. So yeah, so it came in from the gaming entertainment side and now we're here. **Byron Creese** Great. That's amazing. Emilie. **Emilie Brotherhood** So my, I mean to all credit to the PI I've worked with for many years, so professor at UCL, this was really a grant that I joined as a junior researcher. And this pilot, this was sort of more the very kind of... As part of a programme grant, this was the kind of high risk but high impact bit which was a bit lot more exploratory. And so that's... I mean, I was very lucky to have joined somebody who had the vision to incorporate this, but this was a number of years ago. And I think for us, while the pilot data was really exciting, the kind of barriers at the time was that it wasn't going to be as accessible as, you know, the tech kind of almost hadn't caught up to the idea of, oh this has to be deployable in clinical settings. And you know, at UCL we were very lucky to have a very high resourced virtual reality environment that just wasn't going to be accessible in clinical context. So it kind of you know... And then other research projects came up and I continued in a sort of digital signals avenue, but then I was reinvigorated by this actually, Alice to say about, you know, be a part of the story is from lived experience of a close family member who they didn't have FTD but after stroke had exhibited like these March behavioural changes that were very similar and luckily for that family member that was transient. But for me it was very frustrating that even at that point and knowing that this, you know, this is kind of down to a neurological change, There was no standardised assessment that could show a clinician or that they could track if he was getting better, or he was getting worse or that, that was different to what was expected and that he had been his whole life prior. And I think for me it really... That lived experience kind of reinvigorated the interest and made me wanna pick this back up and extend that pilot work. And that's kind of why I am talking about this again now after all these years. **Byron Creese** Fantastic, thank you. I think that you've all spoken constantly about keeping the human experience central, without, I don't want to sound too cynical, but you could envisage a way, a scenario in a particular situation where it might be really tempting to just pop a headset on someone and leave them to it. And as the technology becomes more advanced, it might be easy to lose sight of the person at the centre. So to all of you, where do we really need to be careful and reflective as we develop and deploy these technologies? Perhaps I'll start with Alice. **Alice Wroe** Yeah, absolutely, everywhere. We need to be keeping our eyes open at all points. With this technology, with all emerging technology, there is exceptional potential, which we have beautifully revelled in today. But there is as critical risk, there is so much risk with this technologies. It's also a kind of perpetuation of the world we live in. Like technology is not this separate thing happening over there. The biases, the prejudices, the kind of entrenched racism, sexism, homophobia that kind of lives through our society is replicated in lots of these digital spaces. So it's about recognising that we are at a really exciting moment, especially when you think about kind of artificial intelligence and immersive environments and kind of the co-presence that I mentioned. But we are also at a tipping point where we've got an opportunity here not to perpetuate the pains and the harms of the past, and the present into the future. And actually I'm fearful, definitely fearful that, that is exactly what we're doing. That they're baked into the new systems that are gonna kind of affect all of our futures. So I think it's vital that we talk about this more widely than just in tech spaces at this tipping point that we are in. So that we can be very deliberate about the spaces, about the data, about the kind of ways in which we are deciding to commune with each other in these new spaces. Because deliberation, we have to be deliberate, or we're just gonna end up with an even worse situation than we have now. **Byron Creese** Thank you. And then Emilie and David, just specifics about your areas where you are most reflective and careful in your particular cases. Emilie. **Emilie Brotherhood** I think it always comes down to patient safety and I know that's sort of a kind of nuts and bolts answer, but to speak to any other parts I'd just be repeating Alice's very sentiments, which I really echo strongly. So for me in a clinical research setting, it has to be about that kind of more... Sure. You know, a very kind of pragmatic answer to keep it short... **Byron Creese** No, that is, yeah, important though. And David, anything specific from your area? **David De Jong-Bambagioni** I think most have been said, but I think especially like incorporating because like this technology is like, I don't wanna say it's a global north technology, but it is like predominantly in a certain field, certain people, can all think who those kinds of people are. And I think like the challenges we've been facing now that have happened a hundred years ago, which like inequalities we're still facing, I think with technology, for me being in the space, looking around who's in the space, being in the tech space with XR, like seeing like the digital literacy, like if we don't design the right way and we don't incorporate the global south, I think we're gonna have a big challenge of like in a hundred years from now, looking back at this time that we didn't incorporate the global south or certain people with certain backgrounds to make this an inclusive technology. And then a hundred years from now, we'll just like try to solve the problems that we start here. So like looking at the past, looking into future, then that's something that I think we should be really aware of. **Byron Creese** Thank you. Thank you very much. Really important point everyone. So we're almost out of time, but before we finish, I'd like to end on something a bit fun. A lot of what we've talked about today would've seemed like science fiction just a few years ago. So I'd like you to tell me, if you could bring one thing from science fiction into reality, what would it be? David. **David De Jong-Bambagioni** Something from science into reality. I feel like we could have a time machine. **Byron Creese** Time machine... Would be great. Alice. **Alice Wroe** Oh, I've seen it happen too many times. People are looking through science fiction and making it real. So I would just say I would like those tech bros to start reading rather than the other science fiction that they seem too well versed in. **Byron Creese** And Emilie. **Emilie Brotherhood** I'd go for the Star Trek universal translator and if I could extend it to animals as well, I think that would just... **Byron Creese** Oh. Fascinating. **Alice Wroe** That's so nice. **Byron Creese** So if you're listening to this, we'd love to hear your own science fiction wishes. You can add that to the comments. I'd really like to thank David, Emilie, and Alice so much for joining me today. And thank you very much for listening. You can find out more information and links to resources at our website, which is DementiaResearcher.NIHR.AC.UK, and do also visit our community app where we continue these conversations and share new events, blogs, and podcasts. So my name is Byron, and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher podcast and from all of our guests, goodbye. **Voice Over** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. DementiaResearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**Global Brain Health Institute**](https://www.gbhi.org/) > > [**Dare Health Innovation**](https://darehealthinnovation.nl/) > > [**Rare Dementia Support**](https://www.raredementiasupport.org/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alice Wroe, David de Jong-Bambagioni, Digital Technologies, Dr Byron Creese, Emilie Brotherhood, Extended Reality, Podcast, Virtual Reality, XR and Spatial Computing **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research --- ### [Have I Over Specialised My PhD?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/have-i-over-specialised-my-phd/) **Published:** May 22, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Solutions Lab: Worried your PhD has become too niche? Professor Louise Serpell shares advice on specialist research, transferable skills, and career options. **Content:** > Dear Solutions Lab, > > My PhD is on a fairly niche aspect of tau biology and I’m starting to worry I’ve over-specialised. > > When I look at postdoc adverts, almost nothing fits. Did I make my project too narrow, and is there anything I can do in my final year to widen things back out? > > I would welcome your thoughts. **Categories:** Solutions Lab **Tags:** PhD Life, PhD to Postdoc, Professor Louise Serpell, Solutions Lab, Tau **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Scientists & journalists must work together to protect research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/scientists-journalists-must-work-together-to-protect-research/) **Published:** May 18, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Science sleuth Lonni Besançon realizes that he has sometimes misunderstood what the media want from him and his researcher colleagues. **Content:** **![A conference taught me that scientists and journalists must work together to protect research - Nature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/A-conference-taught-me-that-scientists-and-journalists-must-work-together-to-protect-research-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "A conference taught me that scientists and journalists must work together to protect research - Nature 680 x 520 px")Last December, I participated in a plenary session at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Pretoria, called ‘Cheats, sleuths, and journalists: How to cover misconduct in science’.** My invitation to the four-day event came about as a result of my sleuthing work: I’ve[ used my scientific background to ](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01920-4)investigate problematic [COVID-19](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/persistent-loss-of-smell-due-to-covid-19-closely-connected-to-long-lasting-cognitive-problems/) papers and misconduct in peer review, mostly in my free time. The conference was aimed at investigative reporters, editors, data journalists and press officers, and was unlike any I’ve ever attended. I thought that I knew all that there was to know about the intricacies of scrutinizing and correcting science, but there was still much to learn at the event. Seeing the ‘other side’ of reporting on issues in academia — such as fraud and misconduct — was eye-opening. I realized that many of the things that we scientists complain about in media coverage are problems that we have helped to create. I have, for instance, often complained that the authors of some early COVID-19 papers that I identified problems with had an easy ride in the media[1](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00824-1#ref-CR1). But I learnt that one reason this happens is because too few scientists answer journalists directly or, in my case, take the initiative to contact them and explain the problems with such papers. Often this is because we do not understand how good journalism works. The conference made me reflect on how stronger collaboration with science journalists could have helped in some of my own sleuthing work. ## Science journalists need our time — not just our quotes One recurring message from journalists was strikingly simple: they need scientists to be available. Many explained how difficult it can be to get researchers to answer questions. In many cases, a journalist needs a lot more than a quick quote for an article that is more or less already written. Instead, they need involvement, critical feedback, context, suggestions of other papers to look at, deep analysis and more. To draw a comparison with academic publishing, they need us to be active co-authors and investigators, rather than a researcher who came to a single meeting and now wants their name on the final paper. Too often, however, scientists decline to answer press questions: we’re busy, answer weeks late or redirect journalists to press releases rather than engaging with them. And then some of us complain when the coverage lacks nuance. And although it is true that scientists and sleuths are busy and our universities might not value us spending time with journalists, we owe it to the public — those funding a lot of our research — to devote time to help science journalists. ## Good investigative journalism is not fully transparent Several journalists described investigations that looked eerily similar to those of scientists and sleuths: involving document analysis, interviews with many specialists, and months — or even years — of work and verification. The uncomfortable part for someone like me, who advocates strongly for open science, is that good investigative journalism is not fully transparent in real time. Sources must be protected. Findings cannot always be disclosed immediately. And of course, as is the case for scientists, exclusivity matters. A premature disclosure can kill an investigation, robbing a story of the exclusivity that sells newspapers or the possibility of discovering more evidence. I’ve had exchanges in which journalists told me they were unlikely to report on issues I had raised because they had already been made public. In our session, the investigative journalist Charles Piller, who is based in Oakland, California, explained that his investigation of fraudulent research into Alzheimer’s disease was possible only because sleuths agreed to cooperate and withhold posting their concerns publicly. This sums up a difficult trade-off: the transparency of immediate post-publication peer review on platforms such as PubPeer is useful for sleuths and scientists, but it might ruin an investigative journalist’s work. I think it is important for sleuths and scientists to consider this trade-off seriously. ## Good journalism takes time — just like good science Another parallel between scientists and science journalists became impossible to ignore: journalists face a lot of the same structural pressures as scientists do. They are often expected to produce fast, impactful, visible outputs. They compete for attention. They operate under shrinking budgets and constant deadlines. Speed also seems to be rewarded more constantly than robustness in many cases, which will be familiar to scientists who feel pressure to ‘publish or perish’. And we know where this can lead: irreproducible research, misconduct, errors and, eventually, loss of public trust in research institutions and scientific findings, which can have catastrophic repercussions. If we care about trustworthy science in the public sphere, scientists and journalists need each other. Science journalists do more than communicate research to the public: they also play a crucial part in post-publication peer review by investigating questionable claims, connecting scattered evidence and helping to bring important concerns into public view. Building a better understanding in universities of the role of science journalists as well as forging better relationships with them, with more patience, responsiveness and mutual understanding, could strengthen the self-correcting processes on which good science depends. Good science takes time. Good journalism does, too. If we continue to rush one while undermining the importance of the other, we should not be surprised by the resulting failures. --- *Shared from Nature Careers, for this and more great content visit doi: * **Categories:** Careers, Partner Blogs **Tags:** Journalism, Lonni Besançon, Nature Careers --- ### [Blog - Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-overcoming-the-fear-of-public-speaking/) **Published:** May 21, 2026 **Author:** Rahul Sidhu **Excerpt:** Rahul Sidhu on turning public speaking from his greatest fear into something he genuinely enjoys, with seven tips he picked up along the way. **Content:** --- **Today, I will tell you tips I have learnt for overcoming public speaking, which was once my greatest enemy in life. If public speaking currently makes you want to disappear into the floor, this one is for you.** If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be giving talks to full audiences, chairing sessions at international conferences, or organising large scale dementia related events, I would have laughed. Then, probably panicked. This is because for a long time, public speaking was something I feared most. Not data analysis, not academic scrutiny, but public speaking. That moment before you begin: standing at the front of the room, suddenly hyper-aware of your hands, your stance, your voice and your breathing. This is the moment when your brain decides now is the perfect time to forget every word you’ve ever known. I know that feeling too well. Now, public speaking has become a huge part of my life. I’ve given research talks to neuroscience-heavy audiences, and I’ve also spoken at public-facing events. I’ve chaired sessions at major international conferences in Toronto and Washington DC. Being a Global Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Association has also pushed me to become a much better speaker across very different settings and audiences. Somewhere between all of that, public speaking became something I genuinely enjoy. Not because the nerves disappeared (they didn’t), but because I learnt how to work with them. Here are some tips I’ve learnt along the way. 1. **Nobody starts good at this** Some people are naturally more comfortable being seen and heard. However, strong public speaking is a trainable skill. The biggest shift for me was realising that **good speakers are rarely “naturals”. They’re usually just well-practised**. They’ve learnt how to structure a talk, how to read a room, how to pause, how to recover, and how to sound confident even when they don’t entirely feel it. That’s not talent, it’s just practice and experience. 2. **Be creative. Most talks are forgettable.** This is the easiest way to make your talk better, and what most people overlook. A lot of academic talks blur into one. This is not because the science is bad, but because they are delivered in such a similar way that very little stands out. **People do not just remember what was said; they remember how it was said.** They remember the talks that felt engaging, clear, and enjoyable to follow. Most people focus entirely on what they need to say and not enough on how they are saying it. But delivery is very important. A good talk is not just good content. It is good communication and that means thinking beyond simply explaining what you did. Focus on what makes the work interesting. Make the audience feel like they are being guided through a story, and not talked at for fifteen minutes. It is knowing what to emphasise, what to leave out, and how to make something complex feel engaging without losing the science. People are far more likely to remember your work if they enjoy listening to you explain it. Your audience should immediately understand why they should listen. The first minute matters more than most people realise. People decide very quickly whether they’re paying attention, so give them a reason to care. 3. **Don’t just show tables and graphs** I love a graph, as all scientists do. However, so many talks are just data thrown at people in different formats. A graph is not automatically a good slide. A table is not automatically useful. Slides should support what you’re saying. If your audience must choose between listening to you and decoding your figure, they will lose concentration on both. Use fewer panels and highlight the one data point that matters. Build your figure so the audience knows exactly where to look, and if a graph needs two minutes of explanation just to understand the axes, it probably needs redesigning for the talk. If a table has several numbers with different stats and a plethora of P values, the audience won’t read them. **A good slide makes your point faster and bad slide makes your audience tired.** 4. **Less writing** If your slide is a long paragraph of text, no one is listening to you, as they’re busy reading. A slide should not be your script, as it should only be a prompt. Think about the following: one message per slide; short phrases, not sentences and clean visuals. When you’re not reading walls of text, you sound more natural, more conversational and more in control. 5. **Speak with confidence** I am still working on this one myself. One of the easiest habits to underestimate is simply speaking loudly and clearly. If people can hear you properly, they are much more likely to stay with you. It is the small things that help such as good stance, taking a breath before you start, speaking into the microphone properly, and not rushing your sentences. These small tips make you sound more settled. I still get very nervous before speaking, but I have learnt that **sounding more confident helps you feel more confident**. 6. **Don’t talk too slowly, talk with energy** People often get told to slow down. Although this is useful advice for some people who naturally speed talk when they are nervous, the goal is not to slow down, it is to sound clear. It is important to speak with energy and with variation. It is good to change your pace and change your tone. Let important points land better. A flat, overly careful delivery can make even brilliant work sound lifeless. Energy is contagious; if you sound engaged, your audience is far more likely to be engaged too. 7. **Practice, practice and more practice** It is important to practise your talk out loud and not just in your head. This is where you catch awkward phrasing and strange pacing. Practising aloud also makes the real thing feel familiar, and familiarity is one of the best antidotes to panic. Audiences do not need perfection. There is no pressure to deliver the most technically immaculate talk of all time. You should keep it simple and aim to be clear and useful with your words and slides. That’s what people remember. Finally, **if public speaking makes you nervous, that only means you care.** The trick is not to eliminate nerves, its just to not let them take over. --- ![Rahul Sidhu Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Rahul-Sidhu-1.jpg "Rahul Sidhu")Rahul Sidhu #### Author [**Rahul Sidhu**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rahul-sidhu-the-university-of-sheffield/) is a PhD student at The University of Sheffield, focusing on the effects of heart disease on dementia in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease. His research aims to uncover how cardiovascular health influences neurodegenerative conditions, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies.​ [Follow @rahulsidhu\_](https://twitter.com/rahulsidhu_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Rahul on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul-sidhu-39a463202/) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Fear, Presenting Skills, Rahul Sidhu, The University of Sheffield **Podcast/Blog Topics :** PhD Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students, Undergraduates --- ### [Only One in Four Governments Has a Dementia Plan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/only-one-in-four-governments-has-a-dementia-plan/) **Published:** May 21, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Only 1 in 4 governments has a national dementia plan — yet 139 million people will be affected by 2050. Read the new ADI report: From Plan to Impact 2026. **Content:** ***![Cover of a report titled 'From Plan to Impact' by Alzheimer's Disease International, with a red logo block and curved blue background, May 2026 mentioned on the page side.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/From-Plan-to-IMPACT-Alzheimers-Disease-International-300x229.jpg "From Plan to IMPACT Alzheimers Disease International")Alzheimer’s Disease International’s latest annual report reveals slow progress on national dementia planning one year after the Global Action Plan was extended — with Africa still recording zero plans and funding failing to keep pace with commitments.*** A landmark new report from [Alzheimer’s Disease International](https://www.alzint.org/) (ADI) has found that just 24% of the world’s governments have adopted a national dementia plan, despite a renewed global commitment to tackle the condition that is on course to affect 139 million people worldwide by 2050. *From Plan to Impact 2026*, published this month, provides ADI’s annual assessment of progress by World Health Organization Member States against the [Global Action Plan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/event/from-plan-to-impact-2025-report-launch/) on the Public Health Response to Dementia. The report arrives one year after the World Health Assembly voted in May 2025 to extend the plan through to 2031, giving governments six additional years to fulfil the actions originally agreed in 2017. **Progress Too Slow** The figures make for sobering reading. As of May 2026, just 47 WHO Member States have implemented a national dementia plan (NDP) — a rise of only two since last year’s report. That represents 32.2% of the plan’s target of 146 countries, and just 24.2% of all 194 Member States that agreed to act nearly a decade ago. Including non-WHO Member States and territories, the total number of plans worldwide stands at 56. Chris Lynch, ADI’s acting CEO, did not mince words: “One year into the extension to the Global Action Plan on dementia, just 24% of governments have so far developed national plans. It is essential that we galvanise all stakeholders to ensure that this hard-fought-for extension results in robust and funded plans from every government around the world.” **A Stark Regional Divide** The geographic spread of existing plans reveals a profound imbalance. Europe leads with 23 plans among WHO Member States, followed by the Americas with ten, the Western Pacific with seven, the Eastern Mediterranean with four, and Southeast Asia with three. Africa, a continent home to hundreds of millions of people, has not a single national dementia plan in place. Twenty countries are currently in the process of developing an NDP or integrating dementia into a broader health strategy — a pipeline that offers some cause for optimism, but one that must be converted into fully adopted and funded plans if it is to make a real difference. **The Scale of the Challenge** The urgency behind ADI’s call to action is underlined by the scale of the dementia challenge. The condition currently affects tens of millions of people globally and is forecast to reach 78 million by 2030, rising to 139 million by 2050. The economic costs are equally staggering: from US$1.3 trillion per year in 2019, the financial burden of dementia is projected to more than double to US$2.8 trillion annually by 2030 — costs that span healthcare, social care, and unpaid family caring. **Recognition Where It Is Due** The report does acknowledge meaningful progress. Five countries — the Maldives, Ukraine, Poland, Argentina, and Peru — have each adopted their first national dementia plan since May 2025. ADI highlights the significance of this group: spanning vast differences in geography, economic capacity, and social structure, these five nations demonstrate that dementia planning is achievable across all contexts. **What Needs to Happen Next** ADI sets out clear recommendations for governments and international bodies. Member States are urged to treat the 2031 deadline as a genuine target, not a distant horizon, and to accelerate the development of funded, comprehensive plans. The report is explicit that plans without money are plans without impact: funding for implementation has not kept pace with the growth in the number of plans. ADI also calls on governments to formally recognise national Alzheimer’s and dementia associations as key partners in the design and delivery of plans, drawing on their direct expertise and community connections. And with the United Nations set to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in forthcoming global commitments, ADI urges Member States to ensure dementia is fully embedded within those frameworks, given the significant overlap in risk factors between dementia and other major NCDs. The full *From Plan to Impact 2026* report is available at [www.alzint.org](https://www.alzint.org/). --- \[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/From-Plan-to-Impact-2026.pdf”\] --- [Download the Report](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/From-Plan-to-Impact-2026.pdf) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer's Disease International, Global Action Plan --- ### [When Peer Review Feels Personal](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/when-peer-review-feels-personal/) **Published:** May 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** In this Solutions Lab, two researchers share how they cope when peer review feels personal, unfair, and difficult to shake off after rejection. **Content:** > Dear Solutions Lab, > > I had a paper rejected last week with reviewer comments that felt personal rather than scientific — one reviewer questioned whether I understood my own field. I know everyone says to ignore it but I can’t stop thinking about it. What worries me more is that I suggested the people who they should approach to review the paper… so the the reviewer may actually be something I thought was good and who I respect (or used to anyway). > > How do other people actually move on from this kind of thing? **Categories:** Solutions Lab **Tags:** Careers, Peer Review, PhD Life, Solutions Lab **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Profile - Dr Ellice Parkinson, Health Innovation East](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-ellice-parkinson-university-of-east-anglia/) **Published:** August 18, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Ellice Parkinson, Senior Advisor at Health Innovation East and UEA, researches hydration care for older people and people living with dementia. **Content:** ![Dr Ellice Parkinson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Dr-Ellice-Parkinson.jpg "Dr Ellice Parkinson")Dr Ellice Parkinson ##### **Name:** Dr Ellice Parkinson ##### **Job Title:** Senior Advisor – Real World Evaluation team ##### **Place of work / study:** Health Innovation East & University of East Anglia ##### **Area of Research:** [Hydration](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-thirst-for-knowledge-hydration-dementia/) care of older people, and people living with dementia. ##### How is your research funded: PhD research was co-funded by NIHR ARC East of England, South Norfolk and Suffolk CCG and UEA ##### **Tell us a little about yourself:** My educational background is in clinical psychology. I have worked in various care and support roles across social care, but for the majority of my career I have worked as a dementia care researcher. I am passionate about people living with dementia receiving excellent evidence-based care and support. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have an identical twin! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia: Ever since studying Psychology at University, I’ve been interested in how the brain works. Shortly after graduating, I was fortunate enough to be offered a Neuropsychiatric Research Fellow job in the NHS, specialising in Huntington’s Disease, and fell in love with the field of research. Dementia affects so many lives, and there is so much that we can do to try improve the lives of people living with dementia, and those affected by dementia. It’s very rewarding to work in this field. ##### What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher? Network and make connections. A good support network is crucial for shaping both personal and professional development. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? Maurice Punch’s ‘[The politics and ethics of fieldwork](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Politics-Ethics-Fieldwork-Qualitative-Research/dp/080392562X)‘ – I would highly recommend it to any ethnographer, or aspiring ethnographer! ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? When I am not working or working on publications, I find peace in running or paddle boarding. I am also a big fan of saunas and ice baths. ##### What’s th ebest decision you ever made? Applying for my PhD! It was the best experience of my life and continues to be amazing for me. #### Can we find you on social media? [Follow @ElliceParkinson](https://twitter.com/ElliceParkinson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Ellice on LinkedIn](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dr-ellice-parkinson-6b17801a3) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Ellice Parkinson, Health Innovation East, University of East Anglia **Organisations for Bios:** University of East Anglia **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Blog - It’s getting (too) hot in here; the climate crisis & brain health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-its-getting-too-hot-in-here-the-climate-crisis-brain-health/) **Published:** May 19, 2026 **Author:** Dr Clíona Farrell **Excerpt:** Dr Clíona Farrell on what the Hot Brain conference revealed about heatwaves, air pollution and the brain health of people with dementia. **Content:** --- **This year marked the fourth instalment of the Hot Brain conference, an annual event which aims to draw attention to the effects of the climate crisis on brain health and neurological disorders. As scientists and healthcare professionals, we often talk about environmental influences on health, thinking about diet, stress or education. But our physical environment is rapidly changing, and it can feel like there’s not much we can do to stop it. So how does an ever-changing global environment affect our brains?** Although not my area of research, I am someone who spends a lot of time thinking (and despairing) about the climate crisis. With global leaders withdrawing their net zero pledges and expanding oil extractions left, right and centre, it feels like we are well beyond the tipping point into climate catastrophe. > And with climate change happening all around us, we need to think about how it will affect the most vulnerable, including those with neurological diseases. Hosted by UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The Lancet Neurology, the Hot Brain conference aims to tackle this exact question, drawing attention to this very-understudied area. It became clear to me during the meeting, that **the impact of increasing temperatures and humidity on neurological health remains broadly unknown**. In some disorders, there is strong evidence of an increased burden during heatwaves. Individuals with some epilepsies, including Dravet syndrome, and people with Myasthenia gravis experience significantly worse symptoms during periods of high heat. At the conference, we heard from lived experience speakers about how extreme heat can significantly impact them, from putting people at higher risk to have a seizure, to significantly slowing down the recovery from routine surgery. Beyond these specific conditions, and although the Hot Brain meeting is already in its fourth year, there is still very limited data on the intersection of dementia-causing diseases and climate change. We do know from epidemiological research that air pollutants, such as particulate matter, are associated with an increased risk to develop dementia. In 2020, The Lancet Commission’s [Risk Factors for Dementia](https://www.thelancet.com/infographics-do/dementia-risk) report was updated to include air pollution as a late-life modifiable risk factor for dementia. But beyond air pollution, what about the most common outcomes of climate change, increasing temperature and humidity? How do they impact people with dementia? Data presented at this meeting suggests that people with dementia-causing or neurodegenerative diseases were more likely to suffer from heat illness or heat stroke during heatwaves, putting them at increased risk for hospitalisation. And data showed that **deaths related to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia were a leading cause of excess deaths seen during the 2022 heatwave in the UK**. Temperatures recorded at Heathrow airport surpassed 40 °C that summer, and heatwaves like that are becoming more and more frequent! The increasing incidence and intensity of heatwaves are a direct result of climate change, and thus a direct cause of heat related illness during. This is incredibly scary, especially for these vulnerable populations. Clearly much more research is needed to understand if the effects of climate change could actively contribute to dementia-causing diseases. Another big focus of the conference was adaptation to increased heat through thermoregulation (how the body maintains a safe core temperature). Data presented by Dr Anthony Shephard showed that individuals with a higher tolerance for extreme heat, such as those who frequently use saunas, have reduced all-cause mortality during heatwaves. Moreover, their studies on repeated hot water immersion, like in a hot-tub, show improved memory and logic performance. Dr Hannah Pallubinsky expanded on this, speaking about her research into the use of wearable technologies to study thermoregulation. Her group are examining if exposure to heat during days of gradually rising temperatures in the lead up to the peak days of a heatwave, will better protect vulnerable people. She highlighted how governmental advice is to ensure you are prepared with resources for a heatwave, but she asks what if we can prepare our actual physiology in advance. It will be really interesting to understand if these strategies could also help to prevent heat illness in people with neurodegenerative diseases. A final important message from the Hot Brain conference that I think is highly relevant to dementia researchers is examining how we report our study results. Reproducibility is an important element of sustainability in and of itself. But multiple speakers at the conference pointed out how often the temperature at which studies are conducted is omitted from papers. Or researchers report that room temperature is used, which is vague and unscientific. From my experience, labs I have worked in that were in old buildings have dropped as low as 16°C in winter and had highs of 28°C in the summer. **In an ever-changing climate, it is no longer good enough to report “room temperature” in the methods**, particularly for any experiments involving physiology, mouse work, or even temperature sensitive reagents. This is something we can all do to improve our science. Overall, this conference sadly reminded me that climate change is already impacting every aspect of our life, and we should not disregard what this means for our health. I hope that in the coming years, more research into the effects of climate change on dementia will emerge. And importantly, I hope that world leaders and corporations will start to act like this is an emergency! --- ![Clíona Farrell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Cliona-Farrell-280x280-1.png "Clíona Farrell (280x280)")Dr Clíona Farrell #### Author [**Dr Clíona Farrell**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-cliona-farrell-university-college-london/) is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scopping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone. [Follow @ClionaFarrell\_](https://twitter.com/ClionaFarrell_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Brain Health, Climate, Climate Change, Dr Clíona Farrell, The Hot Brain **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Profile - Dr Lesley Williamson, King's College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-lesley-williamson-kings-college-london/) **Published:** May 18, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Lesley Williamson is a postdoctoral researcher at King’s College London, improving integrated palliative dementia care from diagnosis to end of life. **Content:** ![Dr Lesley Williamson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dr-Lesley-Williamson.jpg "Dr Lesley Williamson")Dr Lesley Williamson ##### Name: Dr Lesley Williamson ##### Job title: Postdoctoral researcher ##### Place of work / study: King’s College London ##### Area of Research: My primary area of research is integrated palliative dementia care, from diagnosis to end of life. I am also interested in evidence use in policy and practice. ##### How is your work funded: Marie Curie and Alzheimer’s Society ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I work as a postdoctoral researcher at the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King’s College London. Over the past 20 years, I have worked across the voluntary and statutory sectors, in commissioning and provider arms, and supported people affected by dementia across different clinical settings as an NHS doctor. More recently, alongside my ongoing work in dementia research, I serve as a trustee of the charity Arts for Dementia and support their research and evaluation activities. I always aim for my research to have the potential to make a difference in the real-world, so prioritise principles of [co-production](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-empower-dementia-network-co-production-toolkit/) and implementation science, and draw on insights from clinical practice, medical leadership, and experience as a National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow and UK Parliamentary research intern. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I used to be the proud owner of a blue and white Mini Mayfair. Loved that car! ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I have a longstanding and deep-rooted commitment to improving dementia care. After several years’ working as a doctor and supporting people affected by dementia, I pursued a PhD in palliative dementia care at King’s College London. During this time, I completed a 10-month Parliamentary research internship, reporting to a Peer in the House of Lords. From this experience, it became clear to me that I could improve dementia care as a researcher generating evidence to influence the system, rather than as a practitioner working within the limits of the system. This inspired me to pursue a career in dementia research. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Meaningfully engage your stakeholders and adopt a systems approach to help improve the impact potential of your work. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? I recently finished [The Secret Scriptures](https://amzn.to/4eTmW1c) by Sebastian Barry, which was a good read. ##### Favourite film of all time? [Terminator 2: Judgement Day](https://amzn.to/3RNpnZi) ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? If I’m not walking around the nearest woodland or national park, I’m spending time with my family. I’d also say listening to music, but I listen to music all the time! ##### What’s the best decision you’ve ever made? Marrying my best friend. ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Anywhere, it’s a vacation! ##### Do you collect anything? No. ##### Would you like to share your spotify playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Lesley on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyewilliamson/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Lesley Williamson **Organisations for Bios:** King’s College London **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [I’m burnt out and leaving academia. How do I finish my PhD?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/im-burnt-out-and-leaving-academia-how-do-i-finish-my-phd/) **Published:** May 14, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Burnout is a systemic problem, but individuals can take steps to cope with it and pave a path forward. Shared from Nature Careers **Content:** *![Im burnt out and leaving academia How do I finish my PhD](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Im-burnt-out-and-leaving-academia-How-do-I-finish-my-PhD-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Im burnt out and leaving academia How do I finish my PhD - Nature 680 x 520 px")Dear Nature,* *I’m a particle physicist in the third year of my PhD programme in Central Europe. When I began working in academia, I was really motivated, interested and passionate about doing research. I wanted to become a professor and build a successful career in my field. Over the past few years, I’ve pushed myself hard, sometimes working 10 or 11 hours a day, five or six days a week.* *For months, I didn’t realize that I was burnt out, but looking back, the signals were there. I felt physically exhausted and I knew that I needed a holiday. While I was working, thoughts would pop up such as “maybe this isn’t for me” or “I don’t belong here”. I kept ignoring the signs until eventually, about eight months ago, I broke down. I had very limited mental energy to perform my research. Eventually, I couldn’t even enjoy activities outside research, such as watching a film, or concentrate on simple things, including taking out the rubbish. My girlfriend and some of my friends even pointed out that something needed to change because I wasn’t able to function properly in daily life any more.* *I reached a point of severe burnout, which led me to question the academic system and my own goals in it. Since then, I’ve made the decision to let go of my dream of becoming an academic and look for careers in industry instead. But I still have a year to go in my PhD programme and I don’t know how to find the motivation to continue. How do I regain focus, cope with my burnout and finish my degree? **— A fatigued physicist*** --- ## The advice Burnout is everywhere. Nearly half (48%) of workers from eight countries reported feeling burnt out in a [2023 survey](https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/four-keys-to-boosting-inclusion-and-beating-burnout) by the Boston Consulting Group in Massachusetts. According to the 2026 State of the Workplace Report by the analytics and advisory company Gallup in Washington DC, 64% of employees are not engaged in their work and 40% reported feeling stressed daily. Burnout can be particularly pervasive in academic settings, in which researchers often feel intense pressure to perform. *Nature*’s careers team sought advice from two psychology researchers and a workplace strategist about how to cope with burnout while pursuing a PhD. ## Acknowledge the signs The World Health Organization defines [burnout](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-at-breaking-point-burnout-in-academia/) as an occupational phenomenon that results from chronic workplace stress and is characterized by three dimensions: feeling exhausted, increased mental distance from one’s job and reduced professional efficacy. Simply acknowledging the problem is key, says Amir Kabunga, a psychologist at Lira University in Uganda. “Thank you for acknowledging that you are burnt out,” Kabunga says. “That is the first step.” “The enthusiasm and intense commitment that often characterize the early stages of an academic or professional path are natural expressions of youthful idealism — a sense of boundless possibility,” says Beata Mańkowska, an occupational burnout researcher at the University of Gdańsk in Poland. “Importantly, you have engaged in deep and honest self-reflection. You have begun to see your situation clearly, moving from idealism towards realism and sound judgement.” Along with recognizing your own symptoms of burnout and the impacts that they are having on your professional and personal life, you critically analysed the limitations of pursuing an academic career. This is something to be proud of, Mańkowska says. ## Take time to recover The next step is to take some time away from the academic environment. “The only way to treat burnout is to interrupt the stress cycle,” says Jennifer Moss, author of the 2021 book *The Burnout Epidemic*, who is based in Kitchener, Canada. “You have to take a meaningful break in which you’re just focusing on rest and recovery.” Because you’ve been exposed to high levels of stress for quite some time, there’s no way to power through or work harder to overcome burnout, Moss says. The best thing to do is to pause, rest, then reassess how you feel about your PhD and career path from a place of clarity. But Moss acknowledges that taking long periods of time away from your laboratory is a privilege that not everyone can afford. Financial constraints can make it difficult to prioritize personal well-being over income. Talk to your academic advisor and friends to discuss what opportunities are available for supporting a prolonged break. “Make it clear that if you got this space, you could come back in a way that’s much more engaged, clear-minded and productive; it’s better for the research and it’s better for the team,” she says. If financial resources aren’t available through your university, another option is to get a part-time job that can keep you afloat but not ask too much of you while you recover before returning to the PhD. This sounds counter-intuitive, but can help you to “feel like you’re still being productive” while switching the focus of your work, says Moss. “For someone who needs a high level of productivity and has a perfectionist tendency, sometimes, that’s a good solution.” As well as a long period of time off, Mańkowska recommends treating daily rest as an investment in restoring your personal resources. “A practical starting framework is the 8:8:8 principle within a 24-hour cycle: eight hours of work, eight hours of restorative leisure and eight hours of sleep.” Engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a balanced diet and prioritizing high-quality sleep are all key for developing your resilience moving forwards. She also suggests that you establish firm boundaries between work and home, which can help to sustain your personal relationships and protect you from chronic stress. Perhaps most importantly, it’s crucial to recognize that it’s not your fault you feel burnt out. “Everyone feels like it’s their lack of grit or their lack of ambition,” says Moss. “But it’s the workplace conditions that cause burnout.” Many narratives around toxic productivity are baked into academia and workplace culture. These narratives can be detrimental to a person’s health and well-being, but overcoming them requires change at an organizational level. “Burnout is not going to be solved just by taking a bath,” she adds. ## Forging a different path All of the specialists warned that if you hop back into the academic grind, but the workplace situation hasn’t changed, then you’re bound to repeat the cycle of stress. “I have seen individuals return to full vitality — but never by resuming the same patterns,” says Mańkowska. “Those who recover and remain well make a decisive shift: they no longer place professional achievement above health and personal well-being.” Prioritizing well-being can take many forms, such as no longer working 11-hour days and implementing a self-reflection strategy. For instance, Moss suggests doing a burnout inventory each week to see whether or how your symptoms return. You can also ask yourself whether you’re feeling a false sense of urgency in terms of completing specific tasks, such as entering data or writing a portion of a manuscript. One way to assess whether a task is truly urgent is by having conversations with your supervisor about what your top three priorities should be for the week, so that you can stay focused and not overload your workday. After recovering from burnout, the next big step is to decide whether finishing your PhD is the best path forward. All three specialists described how making it this far but not finishing can feel like a waste of time or a failure. This feeling aligns with the sunk-cost fallacy — in which, for example, a person feels they’ve already invested so much time in their PhD that they have to finish it. But past time investment shouldn’t influence future decisions when it comes to your career. This dangerous narrative can keep people stuck. “You can finish, but at what cost? It shouldn’t cost you your happiness,” says Kabunga. “What comes first is your life. Period.” --- *Find the original and more great content on the Nature Careers Website doi: * **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Burnout, Nature Careers **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [£10m centre to transform search for Parkinson's treatments](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/10m-centre-to-transform-search-for-parkinsons-treatments/) **Published:** May 14, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** UK DRI launches £10m Parkinson's Research Centre with Edinburgh, Oxford and UCL, aiming to find treatments that slow, stop or prevent the condition. **Content:** **![UK Dementia Research Institute announces a £10m centre to transform search for Parkinson's treatments.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/UKDRI-Parkinsons-Centre-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "UKDRI Parkinsons Centre 680 x 520 px")Scientists and people with Parkinson’s are joining forces at a new £10 million research centre, in a push to turn decades of discovery into treatments that could change lives.** The **[UK Dementia Research Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-uk-dementia-research-institute-has-a-new-director/) Parkinson’s Research Centre**, jointly funded with Parkinson’s UK, launches today and connects research teams at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Oxford and University College London. Its goal is to tackle one of medicine’s most stubborn challenges: why, despite years of scientific progress, there is still no treatment that can slow or stop Parkinson’s progressing. Together, the teams will investigate why Parkinson’s develops, why it progresses, and how cutting-edge science can deliver better diagnosis and treatment. Parkinson’s affects around 166,000 people in the UK, with someone diagnosed every 20 minutes. The centre is led by **Professor Miratul Muqit**, a practising neurologist and internationally recognised Parkinson’s researcher based at the University of Edinburgh. His work has helped reveal how changes in key genes affect the health of brain cells, with discoveries from this field now paving the way for targeted therapies being tested in early-stage clinical trials. Speaking about the launch, Professor Muqit said: > “We know more about Parkinson’s than ever before, but people living with the condition are still waiting for effective treatments that can slow, stop or prevent it. This centre is built to change the pace of progress. By connecting leading teams across Edinburgh, Oxford and London, we can bring different parts of the Parkinson’s puzzle together, from genes and brain cells to brain circuits and symptoms. Our ambition is to make this centre a beacon for open, collaborative science.” **Professor David Dexter, Director of Research at Parkinson’s UK**, added: > “For people living with Parkinson’s, better treatments cannot come soon enough. That is why this centre, and the collaborative philosophy at its heart, is so important. It puts people with Parkinson’s alongside world-class researchers, helping make sure the science is focused on the questions and symptoms that could make the biggest difference to everyday life.” People with Parkinson’s have helped shape the centre’s direction from the very beginning, including sitting on the interview panels that appointed its first research leaders. **Shafaq Hussain-Ali**, who has Parkinson’s, was part of the panel that selected the centre’s Group Leaders: > “It was a privilege to be involved. The new centre recognises that Parkinson’s research cannot happen without the involvement and participation of the Parkinson’s community. Hearing from the researchers about their passion for transformative science has filled me with hope about what is to come.” #### What this means for early career researchers For ECRs working in Parkinson’s, neurodegeneration and related fields, the launch of a centre at this scale is worth paying attention to. A few reasons why: **New training environments.** Three-site centres like this one typically open up rotation opportunities, joint supervision arrangements and exchange placements between Edinburgh, Oxford and UCL. For PhD students and postdocs, that means access to techniques, cohorts and equipment that no single lab could offer alone. **A collaborative model worth watching.** Professor Muqit has been explicit about wanting the centre to be “a beacon for open, collaborative science”. Open science practices, data sharing and team science are increasingly what funders expect, and ECRs who build careers inside cultures like this tend to be better placed when they apply for their own fellowships. **Patient involvement embedded from day one.** People with Parkinson’s helped appoint the Group Leaders. If you are an ECR designing studies, writing fellowships, or thinking about lived-experience involvement, this is a centre worth following for how to do PPIE well in practice. **Funding signals.** A £10m joint investment from UK DRI and a major charity sends a clear message about where Parkinson’s research is heading: mechanistic discovery linked tightly to translation. Aligning your work, or your next application, to that direction is sensible career strategy. Posts for research leaders have been filled, but with a centre of this size there will be PhD studentships, postdoc positions and project opportunities coming through over the next year or two. Keep an eye on the UK DRI and Parkinson’s UK websites for vacancies as they are advertised. You can read more about the centre at the [UK Dementia Research Institute](https://ukdri.ac.uk) and [Parkinson’s UK](https://www.parkinsons.org.uk). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** UK Dementia Research Institute --- ### [Profile - Dr Toby Williamson, Journal of Dementia Care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-toby-williamson-journal-of-dementia-care/) **Published:** May 8, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Toby Williamson is Editor of the Journal of Dementia Care, with expertise in values, rights, lived experience, inclusion and dementia. **Content:** ![Dr Toby Williamson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dr-Toby-Williamson.jpg "Dr Toby Williamson")Dr Toby Williamson ##### Name: Dr Toby Williamson ##### Job title: Editor – Journal of Dementia Care ##### Place of work / study: Dementia Community / Journal of Dementia Care ##### Area of Research: Values, rights, lived experience, inclusion and dementia ##### How is your work funded: N/A ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am an independent health and social care consultant working in adult and older people’s mental health, dementia, and mental capacity. I have over 30 years’ experience working in and managing frontline services, as well as undertaking social research and evaluation projects, training and education, including teaching on the University of West London’s MSc in dementia, service development, and national policy work. From 2002 to 2016, I worked at the Mental Health Foundation, a UK social research, development, policy and public affairs charity, where I led its programme of work on mental health in later life, dementia and mental capacity. I have extensive experience of equality, diversity and inclusion work, including being part of Dementia Community’s [EDI](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-which-medical-specialty-should-treat-and-research-dementia/) advisory group, the involvement of people with lived experience, human rights and legal frameworks, and arts, heritage and wellbeing initiatives. I am a published author, with over 60 articles and book chapters. In 2019, I co authored *The Dementia Manifesto*, a book about values based practice and dementia care, published by Cambridge University Press. In 2025, I was awarded a PhD by Publication for my thesis on dementia and values based practice. In the same year, I also became editor of the *Journal of Dementia Care*. I live in London and have personal experience as a carer for my Mum, who has dementia and mental health issues. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: Apart from my PhD, the other significant qualification I hold is a lorry driver’s licence. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? As a result of leading the successful campaign in support of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Decision-making is a fundamental part of who we are and the campaign gave me much more insight, and interest, into how dementia affects people. Having previously worked with people with severe and enduring mental health problems, being interested in how they perceived the world but also were affected by social injustice, it seemed a very natural step to move into the field of dementia and consider it in a similar light ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? Research into conditions like dementia is a messy activity involving human beings. Try and embrace the untidiness and uncertainty that this brings, especially the opportunity to interact with people living with dementia. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? [Collected short stories by William Trevor](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/493311.The_Collected_Stories). Maybe a bit dated, but a master of pathos, dry humour, frustrated human desire, and interactions involving class, gender, and religion. ##### Favourite film of all time? Festen (The Celebration) – Thomas Vinterberg (1998). ##### Favourite ways to unplug and unwind? In addition to reading and films, listening to music, walking, non-expert gardening, and the occasional drink ##### What’s the best decision you’ve ever made? Asking my wife to marry me ##### What’s the best vacation spot? Pretty much anywhere in Italy, or Dorset’s Isle of Purbeck ##### Do you collect anything? Old communist bric-a-brac from eastern European countries ##### Would you like to share your spotify playlist? ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Toby on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/toby-williamson-5a4716a/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Dr Toby Williamson, Journal of Dementia Care **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Dementia Care --- ### [Advances in Mitochondrial Medicine](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/advances-in-mitochondrial-medicine/) **Published:** May 11, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Full recording from the UCL Queen Square Advances in Mitochondrial Medicine symposium 2026. Twenty years of the NHS HSS, from base editing to patient voice. **Content:** **Mitochondrial dysfunction sits at the edge of a lot of neurodegeneration research, even when it isn’t the headline. This full-day symposium from UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, marking twenty years of the NHS England Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, is worth a watch for anyone whose work touches on energy metabolism, neuronal vulnerability, or rare disease diagnostics.** Professor Mike Hanna opens the day, with the morning session chaired by Professor Robert Pitceathly covering the science. Robert introduces primary mitochondrial diseases, heteroplasmy, and the bottleneck effect. Dr Micol Falabella walks through experimental models and where each one earns its keep, from patient fibroblasts to zebrafish and mice. Professor Carlo Viscomi presents preclinical therapy work on stimulating mitophagy with urolithin A and on AAV-based gene therapy. Professor Michal Minczuk covers mitochondrial genome engineering using base editors and the new mouse models this is making possible. Professor Sara Wells closes the morning with a session on the use of animals in research. The afternoon turns to diagnostics and counselling, chaired by Dr Chiara Pizzamiglio: Dr Áine Moylett on NHS genetic testing pathways, Dr Amanda Lam on biochemical diagnostics, and Dr Will Macken on prenatal testing and genetic counselling. Professor Bobby McFarland then delivers a feature talk on mitochondrial donation from conception to delivery. The final session covers the future of genetic diagnostics with Dr Renata Kabiljo, biomarkers and clinical trials with Dr Chiara Pizzamiglio, and a patient-centred approach to diagnostics from Mrs Katie Waller of the Lily Foundation. Hosted by the [London Mitochondrial Centre](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-sciences/ion/research/research-centres/queen-square-centre-neuromuscular-diseases/patient-services/london-mitochondrial-centre) at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, with sponsorship from UCB and support from the Lily Foundation. **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** mitochondria, University College London --- ### [Blog - Finding values in research and dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-finding-values-in-research-and-dementia/) **Published:** May 13, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Toby Williamson on values, evidence and dementia research, plus an invitation from the new editor of the Journal of Dementia Care. **Content:** --- **Research is about collecting and analysing evidence in an unbiased way, isn’t it? Surely therefore it’s values’ free. But in reality, what evidence you aim to collect, and how you aim to collect and analyse it, is likely to be influenced by values that relate to your understanding of a condition like dementia. Research can also contribute to an evidence base indicating effective care and treatment interventions, but compared to other major health conditions, developing this evidence base for dementia has been challenging. What do frontline practitioners do when the evidence base is limited in this way, and what role do values play?** This blog reflects on the interaction between values and evidence, not only in research, but in the lives of people with dementia and those who support them. The blog also invites readers to think about contributing (and subscribing) to a Journal where they can disseminate their work to dementia practitioners, regardless of the question about values. ***Dementia, values and research*** Dementia can easily be placed in different models of disease and disability, including biomedical and biopsychosocial disease models, or the social model of disability. The models are not necessarily incompatible, but are based on quite different values. These values influence what one focuses research on, and to some extent, how one does the research as well. Crudely put, biomedical and biopsychosocial models locate dementia as a problem for the individual with the condition, and they are the focus for research and interventions, whether pharmacological or non-pharmacological. The social model of disability locates the problem of dementia primarily as a societal one. Rather than trying to ‘fix’ the individual, the social model emphasises how evidence and interventions should focus on changing attitudes, behaviours and barriers in wider society that exclude or discriminate against people with dementia. Research methods involving things like brain scans or blood tests aren’t the main focus in the social model of disability (although that doesn’t mean research into cures and treatments shouldn’t continue). The evidence base for the social model of disability is also more limited. Research that might demonstrate ways of changing community or population-wide social behaviours is difficult to do in terms of methodology, resources and providing evidence of effect or causation. Yet the social model of disability has been very influential, partly as a result of activism by disability rights campaigners, particularly against institutional forms of care such as the old asylums. Legislation such as the UK’s Equality Act 2010 are based on the social model of disability, and it has led to very practical changes such as wheelchair access. But it was political campaigning driven by values rather than research evidence which led to these changes in law and practice. So, although good research should be impartial and free from bias, decisions about research questions and topics may well reflect the values of researchers and research teams. Qualitative research is sometimes unfavourably compared with quantitative research because systematic, impartial analysis of interviews and focus groups, for example, is seen to be harder to do than that involving numerical data sets collected through laboratory testing. The latter can also be seen to be more reliable because sample sizes tend to be much bigger than with the former. Yet the publication of the book *Doctored*, in 2025, with the subtitle of *Fraud, Arrogance and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s*, is a reminder that ‘hard science’ dementia research isn’t necessarily immune to dubious, if not devious values motivating some people working in the field. Written by a well-respected, investigative journalist from *Science* magazine, Charles Piller, the book tells the story of a much-cited 2006 research paper identifying how a sub-type of amyloid led to memory impairments associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The paper was subsequently retracted, as have others based around the same findings, after it was suggested that key images on which the research was based might have been Photoshopped. However, the retraction took place after millions had already been spent on research based on the evidence the paper cited. I’m a social researcher and profess no expertise in biomedical science, though somewhat ironically, in 2025 I successfully completed my PhD, based at the [Geller Institute for Ageing and Memory](https://www.uwl.ac.uk/research/research-centres-and-groups/geller-institute-ageing-and-memory) which is part of the University of West London’s School of Medicine and Biosciences. Values and dementia were the focus of my PhD, although I’m confident that the values I based it on were not the same as those identified by Charles Piller. ***Evidence-based frameworks and values-based frameworks*** Biomedical and pharmacological research into dementia, which tends to use quantitative methods, absorbs a much bigger proportion of research funding than more psychosocial and qualitative research into the condition. This is partly because of the complexities around implementing and measuring the impact of psychosocial interventions on a large scale. As I’ve already said, it’s also because qualitative research isn’t always considered to have the same status, in terms of significance for evidence-based medicine / practice (EBM / EBP), as studies involving quantitative methods. For example, the term “robust” is usually twinned with the phrase “gold standard” to describe high quality research, but are usually applied to research involving large, double blind, quantitative, randomised controlled trials involving pharmacological treatments. --- ![Smiling older man with gray hair wearing a dark shirt, looking at the camera against a light neutral background.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Dr-Toby-Williamson.jpg "Dr Toby Williamson")Dr Toby Williamson #### Author [Dr Toby Williamson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-toby-williamson-journal-of-dementia-care/) is Editor of the *Journal of Dementia Care* and an independent health and social care consultant. He has over 30 years’ experience in adult and older people’s mental health, dementia and mental capacity, with a particular interest in values, rights, lived experience and inclusion. He is a published author and co authored *The Dementia Manifesto*. **[Find Toby on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/toby-williamson-5a4716a/)** **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Toby Williamson, Journal of Dementia Care **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Characteristics of a great Postdoctoral Award application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/characteristics-of-a-great-postdoctoral-award-application/) **Published:** May 11, 2026 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** NIHR postdoctoral award applicants can learn what reviewers look for, from career plans and mentoring to training, research vision and public involvement. **Content:** **![Characteristics of a great Postdoctoral Award application](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Characteristics-of-a-great-Postdoctoral-Award-application-300x229.png "Characteristics of a great Postdoctoral Award application")Eileen Kaner, Professor of Public Health & Primary Care Research and Director of the [Applied Research Collaboration for the North East and North Cumbria (ARC NENC)](https://arc-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/), and Umesh Kadam, Professor of General Practice and [Public Health](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/pathways-for-research-within-public-health/) Research, are co-chairs of the [Postdoctoral funding committee](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/postdoctoral/postdoctoral-award/committees "Postdoctoral Award funding committees"). Here, they share what the committee looks for when shortlisting applications.** Successful Postdoctoral Award applicants present a clear career plan, original research ideas, and a well-structured project. They also build a strong support network by selecting diverse mentors and supervisors and securing backing from their contracting organisation, and partner organisation, if applicable. This combination is what we call ‘Person, project, place (mentors and environment)’ and ‘Training and development’. Strong applications integrate these elements effectively while demonstrating a commitment to working with people and communities. Below, we summarise the key principles of writing an excellent application for a Postdoctoral Award. #### Good applications have common characteristics The Postdoctoral Award supports researchers from various disciplines and career stages, from early-career statisticians to senior sociologists and clinical trialists. While applications may look different at first glance, successful ones share key traits: - a clear research vision and career trajectory - distinctive ideas with an independent direction - a well-justified training plan - strong mentorship and institutional support These qualities help applicants stand out during the shortlisting process. #### Tell us why you need this award A strong application explains why this award is the right next step in your career, rather than simply another project grant. We want to know: - what difference would securing an award make to your career, and why now? - how will an award build on your existing experience and what new skills will it enable you to gain? - how will it develop your research partnerships within the NHS, public health or social care, charity organisations, industry or other organisations? #### The training plan is important; get it right A thorough training and development plan is central to your application. It should consider the range of skills you need to gain to progress to the next stage of your academic career. Not just the technical know-how to complete your project. We want to see evidence that you have assessed the gaps in your skillset, and what your needs are in further developing your abilities to build capacity, lead a team, communicate with a range of audiences using different media, or build up aspects linked to working with diverse people and communities in research. #### Supervisors and mentors Your choice of supervisors and mentors should align with your career stage. We have no view on whether an applicant should continue to work in the same institution with the same research team and supervisors, or whether an applicant should move to gain new experiences. What matters is your justification, why you are working with these individuals, and how they will support your career development beyond the project itself. #### What we look for in organisational statements of support The institution you apply to does not determine the strength of your application. We often see applicants from the same institution have near-identical ‘cut-and-paste’ statements of support. These generic statements are not helpful to you. We want to know more about the specific support your institution will give you, such as: - is there an offer of funding or support for a PhD studentship? - is there an explicit commitment that your award-funded research and training time will be protected? - at the end of the award, what is the likelihood of you being offered a substantive post? The committee is aware that not all organisations can similarly afford additional funding, therefore, it’s important to note that this support is considered in context and in relation to each applicant. #### Your research project Your project forms the foundation of your training and career development. NIHR funds research in all aspects of applied health and care research, so ensure your proposal aligns with our [remit for personal awards](https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/nihr-academy/remit-personal-awards "NIHR Academy remit for personal awards") when writing your application. We look for applicants who base their project within the existing evidence-base and who can justify why the work will add to knowledge and benefit patients and the public. For most applications, this means you will have undertaken a detailed literature review. Your project does not need to be directly based on your doctoral or other recent work. However, we do expect you to demonstrate some degree of continuity with your existing research experience or justify clearly why you are opting for a change in direction. #### Your CV The committee looks for researchers who show clear career progression and leadership potential. We understand that people can have pauses in their research careers, work part-time due to caring responsibilities or have less time for research in practitioner-based roles. Some may have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’ve had career breaks or non-traditional research roles, highlight these rather than seeing them as a weakness. The committee assesses your achievements within the time and opportunities available to you. Rather than comparing applicants with 10 years of postdoctoral experience to those just starting, we evaluate your trajectory within your field. We consider your publications, grants, impact, and academic contributions in the context of your discipline and experience. #### Working with people and communities Finally, engaging with diverse people and communities is essential in all health and social care research. This should not be an afterthought but an integral part of shaping your research from the outset. Strong applications show: - how lived experience has informed the research design - a diverse and inclusive research team - a commitment to maximising public and patient benefit A well-prepared application demonstrates a clear research vision, career progression, and strong mentorship and institutional support. It also shows a genuine commitment to working with people and communities. By focusing on these elements, you’ll create a compelling case for why this award is the right next step in your research journey. **Categories:** Dissemination **Tags:** Grant Writing, National Institute for Health and Care Research **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [At-home blood test shows promise for dementia screening](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/at-home-blood-test-shows-promise-for-dementia-screening/) **Published:** May 8, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Exeter researchers find a finger prick blood test posted from home, paired with online brain tests, could help identify people at higher risk of dementia. **Content:** **![Could a home blood test spot early dementia risk](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Could-a-home-blood-test-spot-early-dementia-risk-300x229.png "Could a home blood test spot early dementia risk")A finger prick blood test taken at home, paired with online cognitive testing, could one day help identify people at higher risk of developing dementia, according to new research from the University of Exeter.** The study, published in Nature Communications and funded by the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre, found that levels of two blood proteins linked to dementia correlated with how participants performed on a series of brain tests. Both the blood sample and the cognitive tests were completed by participants in their own homes. The team measured Ptau 217, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and Gfap, linked to broader brain decline. Tau showed the strongest links to cognitive performance. Together, the two markers allowed researchers to sort participants into low, medium and high risk categories. The 174 participants involved were drawn from the wider [PROTECT study](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/study-explores-links-between-sports-brain-injury-dementia/), an online research platform that follows more than 30,000 UK adults aged 40 and over. Participants take regular cognitive tests covering memory, attention and executive function. For this study, they were posted a finger prick kit, took the sample themselves, and returned it by post. Professor Anne Corbett, of the University of Exeter Medical School, led the work. She said: “Our previous research has shown that a finger-prick blood test can effectively be taken at home and posted to labs, and that we can identify the biomarkers in blood linked to dementia. This new study builds on that to show that we can link these biomarkers with performance on brain tests, giving us a potential way to predict risk of dementia. > “This work raises the potential for screening people for their risk without the need for clinic visits or complex clinical assessments. It would ensure the people at highest risk could be prioritised for monitoring and diagnosis, unlocking the best support and treatment for those that need it most.” The wider context matters here. Almost a million people in the UK are estimated to have dementia, but only one in a thousand people showing the earliest signs of brain decline currently receives a specialist evaluation. Co-author Professor Clive Ballard said the combination of cognitive testing and postal blood sampling could offer an efficient way to reach people in the community who would not otherwise be prioritised for further assessment. Professor Marian Knight, NIHR Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said the approach could reduce the burden on the NHS by moving early screening out of hospitals and clinics, while helping identify people earlier and tailoring treatment more effectively. The research team note that further validation work is needed before this kind of testing could be rolled out more widely. The study was also supported by the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Health and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West (PenARC). The paper, [*Alzheimer’s Disease blood biomarkers measured through remote capillary sampling correlate with cognition in older adults*](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-71448-2), is published in Nature Communications. **Get involved:** The PROTECT study is open to anyone aged 40 or over living in the UK. You can sign up at [protectstudy.org.uk](https://www.protectstudy.org.uk). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** blood biomarkers, Professor Anne Corbett, Professor Marian Knight, PROTECT project --- ### [How to write a plain English summary](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/how-to-write-a-plain-english-summary/) **Published:** May 7, 2026 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** NIHR researchers can watch this 60 minute webinar to learn how plain English summaries improve public involvement, applications and research impact. **Content:** **An integral part of research that is funded by NIHR is to ensure that patients, carers, service users and the public have the opportunity to shape and influence the relevance, quality and impact of our health and care research.** A [plain English summary](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-early-career-reflections-on-writing-grant-applications/) is a clear, brief summary of the research, written for members of the public rather than researchers or professionals. This webinar will be relevant to you if you are an NIHR-funded researcher or a researcher applying for an NIHR career development award. **The webinar covers:** - NIHR’s Strategic Commitments for Public Partnerships - explanation of plain English summaries and their importance - how to write one and what to include - what support is available through the Research Support Service (RSS) - signposting to useful resources **By watching this webinar, you will discover:** - an in-depth understanding of plain English summaries and how to write an effective one - insights from a public contributor that you can apply to your research application The 60-minute webinar was facilitated by [Linda Onerhime-Prince](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/practical-approaches-to-patient-public-involvement-in-research/), Senior NIHR PPI Manager and [Dr Jo Lally](https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/joannelally.html), Strategic Lead for Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, NIHR RSS. **Categories:** Dissemination --- ### [Podcast - Rethinking Wandering in Care Homes](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-rethinking-wandering-in-care-homes/) **Published:** April 17, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** In this podcast we're 'Rethinking wandering in care homes'. New research shows walking is meaningful, not a problem & shares practical ways to support it safely **Content:** **In this episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast [Dr Anna Volkmer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/) hosts a discussion exploring the complexities of wandering in dementia care.** [Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-bryony-waters-harvey-the-university-of-sheffield/) and [Dr Emma Hock](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-emma-hock-the-university-of-sheffield/) from The University of Sheffield and [Conny McGowan](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-conny-mcgowan-the-orders-of-st-john-care-trust/) from The Orders of St John Care Trust discuss their research and outcomes of the NIHR funded "FREEDEM study" - Reframing 'wandering' as a meaningful activity using realist synthesis and qualitative exploration. This episode explores how “wandering” in dementia care is often misunderstood. Rather than being a behaviour to control, walking is reframed as meaningful, purposeful, and deeply human. Drawing on NIHR funded research, the discussion highlights practical strategies that help care homes support movement safely while protecting dignity and independence. With insights from research, evidence synthesis, and frontline care, the conversation challenges assumptions and offers a more compassionate, realistic approach to supporting people living with dementia. **Takeaways** - Wandering is often a meaningful activity for residents. - Individualised care plans are crucial for supporting residents. - Language matters in how we perceive wandering. - Positive risk-taking can enhance residents' quality of life. - Hydration and nutrition are important for wandering residents. - Research should focus on the positive aspects of wandering. - Care staff need training to support safe wandering. - Environmental factors significantly impact wandering behavior. - Residents should have access to outdoor spaces. - Future research should involve residents and their families --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Hello, and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Today we're talking about wandering in care homes, drawing on a National Institute for Health Research-funded study, reframing wandering as a meaningful activity. Wandering is a term that is used widely in care homes and in dementia care. It is often associated with risk, safeguarding concerns, and anxiety for staff and families. At the same time, many people walk for meaningful reasons, whether that is habit, comfort, restlessness, or a need that is difficult to express in other ways. This episode looks at how research is challenging the idea that wandering is simply a problem to manage and instead asks how care homes can support walking in ways that protect safety while also respecting autonomy and quality of life. Now I'm joined by three guests who bring together research, evidence synthesis, and frontline care experience. First, Dr. Bryony Waters-Harvey, who is a researcher involved in National Institute for Health Research through NIHR-funded work, exploring how care homes understand and respond to wandering, including the research for social care study that sits behind today's discussion. We're also joined by Emma Hock, who is also from the University of Sheffield, whose work focuses on evidence synthesis and understanding how complex interventions work in real-world settings. And finally, we're joined by Conny McGowan, head of care at Hartsholme House and Orders of St. John's Care Trust care home. Conny began her career as a carer and now leads care practise within a home rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. She brings invaluable insights from day-to-day dementia care. Now, before I welcome our guests, I should also mention who I am. My name is Dr. Anna Volkmer. I am a speech and language therapist with 25 years of clinical experience, often working in care homes and meeting people who are wandering and talking to staff who are having difficulties managing this. So, I'm really excited to host this podcast today. Thank you all for joining me. Hi, Bryony. Hi, Emma. Hi, Conny. **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Hi. **Conny McGowan:** Hello. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, to start us off, could I ask each of you to introduce yourselves, please? How about Bryony? Do you want to go first? **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Yeah. So hi, I am a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sheffield, and I've got several years of working on care home research. And a lot of my research came out of what I learned while I was a wellbeing therapist at a care home. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Fantastic. I think that often happens, doesn't it? A lot of my research came out of my clinical experience, which I think is why I love these kinds of podcasts because we talk about clinical experience and how that influences research. And perhaps we could come to Conny next. Could you introduce yourself, Conny? **Conny McGowan:** Yes. So, I've worked with the Orders of St. John Care Trust for about 20 years now. I've been at Hartsholme House for about 13 years as head of care. We are a 43-bedded care home. We have residents living with dementia and also residents who are residential. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Wowza, that's huge. And Emma, an introduction from you. **Dr Emma Hock:** Yes. Hi, I'm Dr. Emma Hock. I'm a senior lecturer in public health at the University of Sheffield, and my research work focuses pretty much entirely on evidence synthesis methods, and I also teach on the Master of Public Health Course. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Wonderful. Welcome. So why wandering is such a difficult issue, that's what we're here to discuss. As we've already touched on during the introduction, wandering, it's often an issue for people who reside in care homes, but can also be an issue for people living at home still. I should make that really clear. So perhaps, Bryony, we can start with you. Could you tell us what is wandering in care homes and what made it feel like an important issue to focus on? **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Yeah. So, I guess the official terminology of what wandering is, is that it's a meaningless act of movement for people with dementia. But for us, actually, we see wandering just as any form of walking in the home. And as you've mentioned, that's not always aimless. There's also a lot of positive reasons for that. So, for us it was just about, actually, people that like to walk frequently. And this research really came from actual care staff. So, we have our principal investigator, Alys Griffiths, was a researcher in a care home. So, she was working in one specific care home. And the staff said that they really wanted to support people to walk safely, but actually, they didn't really know how to do that. So, they would normally go to the strategies of telling people to sit down and try moving people away from unsafe areas. So, they wanted us to create some sort of guideline to actually help people be able to allow people to walk and stop saying, "Sit down." **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Fascinating. Thank you. It's such a challenge. I know as a clinician, I've experienced people being at the door of a care home and even struggling to get into a care home. And then when people are trying to leave, it can be difficult if people are just right there, wandering out to the door. So, I can see there's lots of challenges. So, Emma, is there already a lot of research on this topic out there? **Dr Emma Hock:** Yes, there is quite a bit of research. As we found, it focuses more on certain areas than others. And there were some aspects that we were actually focusing on where we found very little research. For example, there isn't much research on helping to support residents with hydration and nutrition while they're walking. However, there was a lot of research on strategies to, as Bryony mentioned, prevent people from wandering or limit their wandering. And there is quite a bit of research on strategies that could potentially support wandering, but it could also be used to limit wandering, depending on how they're implemented. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah. That makes total sense to me. I have a vivid memory of working with a family, because as a speech therapist, we do a lot of swallowing work, and we had a lady who was very, very thin and nobody could work out how to maintain her weight. And she was wandering. She was burning so many calories and wouldn't sit down. It's a real challenge. I can see that. And we've already started talking about practise, but Conny, could you tell us, bringing this into practise, what does wandering tend to represent in a day-to-day setting within a care home? Tell us about that. **Conny McGowan:** So, when you come into the care home, you'll always find a couple of lounges, and you'll see that majority of the residents are sat down and engaging in conversations amongst themselves, doing activities, but you will always have a small number of individuals that just like to walk around. They're either along the corridors, they'll either be at the front door, they'll either be at the garden door, they might follow staff members into the kitchen or the laundry, or they'll go into other people's bedrooms. So, it's really these individuals that we, as a team, have to keep an eye on. And really, the main thing is always keeping everyone safe. So, a lot of residents as well that do like to walk around a lot are actually high risk of falls. So, you have that constantly on your mind. Are they going to be falling? Are they safe just walking around? So it is that kind of pressure that you feel. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** We haven't really talked about the risks yet, but yeah, the risk of falling. What about the risk of absconding? I guess we used to call it, but it's perhaps a bit ... Sounds very harsh. But them getting out and wandering off. **Conny McGowan:** Absolutely. I mean, I do always feel that we are very high security here. All our doors have got codes, so residents can't just leave, but that doesn't stop them from asking to leave. And we now have a very quick response. Rather than saying, "No, no, you can't," someone will put a coat on, take their mobile phone, and we will just go for a walk with them. And usually, by the time you get to the end of the drive, they realise that they haven't really thought this through very well. And usually, I go for a little walk with them, and I always suggest, "Shall we not go back and maybe plan a bit about where we're actually going? And seeing you haven't got a bus pass; you haven't got any money." And then they say, "All right." Then we'll go back. And sometimes it's that feeling of ... They want to really get out. And now that's out of their system, they do become a bit more settled. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So interesting. I can imagine that working well in certain environments and not others. So, wards where you perhaps are embedded in a bigger building, it's such a tricky thing, isn't it, managing that. But also, do you find that people get distressed if you can't deal with ... If they're wanting to get out? **Conny McGowan:** Absolutely. Absolutely. They do get very distressed. And sometimes, that's the whole point, that we invest those 10, 15 minutes, even 20 minutes. Take that resident out, and then the rest of the shift will be a lot more smoothly. So, it's always thinking about, "How can I use my time wisely?" And usually, it works. It doesn't always work, but it's worth just investing that bit of time for that resident because in the long run, it'll pay off. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** It's interesting how we talk about it with our medical hats on. It's all about risk and the negative consequences and the challenges, but I can see, actually, that wandering can also ... If we can reinterpret it in a different light, then we could maybe think about it differently. Thank you for that, Conny. Now that we understand what wandering is, I'd like to get into thinking a little bit about our understanding of this. Bryony, your work challenges the idea that wandering is meaningless. Why does language matter so much in this space? **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** So again, we were very much guided by the care homes over the last two years, and even before that, since this project's been developed. We've had a lot of debates with academics, with care staff, with just the general public about this term, wandering. It seems to be ... If you're a younger person and you're using this term about, I don't know, going for a wander on a Sunday afternoon, it's seen as that leisurely activity where you haven't really got any direction or purpose, but that's okay, you're doing it for the enjoyment of walking. But when it comes to dementia and care homes, it automatically has this negative connotation that is a symptom of the dementia or it needs to be stopped, where for us, actually, when we are walking with these people that we've been working with, a lot of the time it's not part of their dementia. It's just their life, that they're potentially bored or they always walked. They've grown up. We've had people that have grown up as postmen or as nurses who are used to walking, and now we're putting them into a care home where they have a lot of their independence taken away because of needing supportive care and also trying to take away their walking. So, for us, it was very much making sure that every staff member in every care home was happy with the terminology. So actually, as the project has developed, we do still use wandering, but we've actually moved away from wandering at the same time, to use other words. And so, a lot of the time on all of our documents now, we just use walking because that is what, at the end of the day, these people are doing. But we've also had care homes that like walking with purpose or exploring or venturing. So, for us, it was really important to make sure that language mattered because it was what people felt comfortable with. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, absolutely. I think that I've had that experience. I used to work on a ward in South London, and I vividly remember this guy. And they kept saying, "He's absconding, he's absconding. He needs to get out of the ward." And he'd run. He wasn't wandering. He wasn't walking. He was running. And it took a couple of weeks, but everyone was really stressed about it. And then suddenly, his daughter arrived and said, "Yeah, no, he was an award-winning boxer," and he'd had this lifelong exercise routine. And then she put all these pictures up on his wall. And suddenly, that narrative then became much easier to talk about. And actually, the ward managed to get some funding for an exercise physiologist to go for a run with him because there weren't enough runners on the team to go running with him. But it's so important, isn't it? Thank you, Bryony. That was a really great, useful description. Emma, let's think about the evidence. So, I believe you reviewed the evidence on this topic. Did you find much about the kinds of assumptions? Or maybe I should rephrase that. What kinds of assumptions did you notice in how wandering was framed in the research studies? **Dr Emma Hock:** Yeah. So as Bryony mentioned, the overwhelming majority of research framed it as negative. And we actually didn't focus on that research so much because we were interested in research that looked at how wandering could be supported. But even so, in a lot of that evidence, wandering was often framed as a negative thing. And we did manage to draw out some evidence relating to approaches that can help people to wander safely, such as, for example, controlling entrances and exits to enable people to wander freely within a space without entering a space that might be dangerous. However, a lot of the language within the studies would still be talking about limiting people's wandering behaviour and so on. And it's very interesting, talking about the example of the boxer that you just mentioned, because a lot of the literature, actually, we looked at was what we call qualitative evidence, so very rich descriptions of people's experiences and accounts. And there were loads of stories like that in the evidence, such as people whose everyday lives involve wandering. So, it was framed as fairly normatively in terms of that, and how staff can help this by doing that very process of understanding exactly what walking means in that person's life, or any kind of movement, really. It's funny. We did look at mostly academic literature, journal articles, and so on, but we also included what we call grey literature, which is stuff that the everyday person might access on the internet. So, we had a few blog posts which were posted by care agencies, and the language in those was a lot more positive around wandering. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** That's fascinating. So that's really interesting, isn't it, that just a different type of literature described it quite differently. How interesting. Thank you. Conny, if you have staff members, particularly newer staff members, do staff make assumptions about people's walking that are negative? Or do they tend to make positive assumptions? Tell us a bit more about that. **Conny McGowan:** I think if you have new carers, there is definitely that assumption as to ... Are they safe to walk around? Should I tell them to sit down? But I would say that we are in a quite fortunate position, that we have got a very experienced team here at the care home. So as a team, as a whole, housekeepers, they may see someone and then ask them if they want a cloth and wipe down the handrails, give them something to do because, like Bryony said as well, it is often that they want to be helpful. They want to be doing something. A lot of people have had very busy lives. So, for them to just suddenly stop and just unwind, it's difficult. So, it's involving residents. Even the carers, I see them asking the resident to push the trolley around, to collecting cups, and things like that. So, I think we are very fortunate here, that we see residents walking about that ... What can we do with them? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah. Be purposeful, yeah. Do you think the number of staff matter? Do you think if you have a day when you're a bit understaffed, does that make it all harder? **Conny McGowan:** It does. It does. And again, as I mentioned before, sometimes you have to just think about the situation. If you have a resident that ... He is very unsettled. He's very high at risk of falls. So personally, if I was leading the shift, I would allocate one carer to keep an eye on that resident because he might be the one triggering everyone else to be unsettled. So, I would say, "Can you take this gentleman down to the lounge?" And that way, I think everyone's time is spent better, if that makes sense. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, really useful. Okay, thank you. Well, next, let's move on to talk more about your research. So, this study was funded through the NIHR Research for Social Care programme. Bryony, obviously, we know this study is not about wandering, but could you talk us through that in more detail? What the study set out to explore, and why this focus felt important? **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Yeah. So, our main goal was to develop some form of guidance to support care staff, to be able to support people to walk safely in the care home without having to restrict them. And we felt it was really, really important because at the end of the day, our research team is very much about wanting to improve the lives of people with dementia and allowing them to continue to be able to be independent and have a fulfilled life while they're in their care homes. And we felt that this was one topic that really needed to be focused on. And as Emma has mentioned, a lot of the research that was out there was more towards that negative, trying to restrict people than support them. So, we had three phases of the overall project. So, we had the realist review that I'll leave for Emma to explain us. I am definitely not an expert on that methodology, but then we had our observation studies. So, we got to go into six care homes and just spend ... I think it was about two months across about 14 hours with each resident, and just getting to walk around with them, seeing where they went, if they shared why they were walking, see how staff supported them, and looking at how different care homes are able to support people or maybe those areas where staff struggles. All staff don't want to restrict residents. As Conny was saying, that fear of the falling or leaving the care home or the other risks that are associated, they don't know how they can manage that with giving people independence. And then our final phase was actually co-developing that guidance booklet. So, we worked with staff and managers in care homes to create some form of booklet that took all of the work from the review and the observation studies to be able to provide people with those strategies and a bit more understanding of how they could support people safely. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** It's really interesting. Bryony, you're right. People don't want to restrict people, do they? And I think sometimes when I've been in clinical settings and people have ... It does happen very occasionally. People get out of a ward unsupervised. And in settings I've worked in, we once or twice have had to call the police. And the way the staff treat it is often ... We need another study. Let's do another study. The conversations I've had, people are like, "Oh, this is an awful thing." But also, it's not only awful. I remember this gentleman, he ended up ... He was found, but he'd been fishing, and he'd been fishing in a suit. It was a very amazing story, but he'd obviously had a wonderful time. There'd obviously been heaps of risks, but then the narrative in the staff, we didn't want to restrict him, but it was a conflict. I feel like there's a whole other study there, as you're talking. And speaking of studies, Emma, your study used a realist approach. I've heard a lot about realist approaches. I've not used it. I'd love to use it. For me and the listeners who are unfamiliar with this methodology, could you tell us what does a realist study help us understand that other methodologies might miss? **Dr Emma Hock:** Okay. So, it is quite complex, but in a nutshell, a realist approach helps you to work out what's actually going on. It focuses on the mechanisms behind what's happening. So, in this case, how and why are the strategies that have been described in the literature to help people to wander safely were actually improving people's wellbeing and enabling them to walk and also remain safe. And also, there's a better focus on the context. So, what is it about the environment or the person or the situation, the staff, the culture of the care home, the physical environment in the care home, that would then activate the mechanisms, which is the underlying ... What's going on, how is this working, in order to be able to lead to, say, a resident being happy, satisfied, not agitated, the staff being not anxious about their wellbeing, and the resident being kept safe. So essentially, it's in synthesis, which is what we did for the first part of the study. In synthesis, this looks like gathering lots of evidence, but you are not just looking at what's happening, which you might do in, say, a systematic review. You're not looking at, say, which strategies are effective for helping people to wander safely. You're looking at how, why, for whom, and in which circumstances. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Does it go to the granular level or can it capture some of the granular stuff that ... I'm thinking about a conversation analytics study that I'm quite familiar with, where they did look at wandering or people walking around and how the staff assigned to that person verbally interacted, and what was said that perhaps made the situation more difficult and what was said that perhaps made that situation easier. Can it capture that kind of granular level as well? Or is it perhaps a bit more umbrella-y? I'm just pondering. **Dr Emma Hock:** Yeah. So, this was a challenge that we had, actually, because we ended up looking at quite a few different strategies and the mechanisms behind them. And we did this with perhaps ... Maybe we looked at too many for the scope the project, but we did cover a lot of evidence. So, we began to look at everything in detail. So, I, Bryony, and a few others, we pulled out the rich data from the papers. As I mentioned, actually all of the evidence was qualitative in the end. That wasn't by design. It was the way it worked out. But actually, as you said, qualitative evidence, evidence where the data is people's descriptions, experiences, accounts, and so on, does give a lot of detail, which helps to explain some of the how’s and whys. And so, we spent a lot of time, didn't we, Bryony, getting all this data out of the papers and into a format that we could then use. And then all of this data was looked through in detail and how it related to the context and mechanism was pulled out of it. So we did begin with a lot of detail, but we realised that to produce something that would fit the work out of a journal, we had to reduce some of that detail and try and obviously make some recommendations as well that could be implemented in care homes, and it could carry forward to the next stage of the research, the actual getting into the care homes and watching what was going on, speaking to people. So, we did have to remove quite a bit of the detail from the actual writeup in the end, but it all went in there. So yes, to answer your question, we did go into the granularity of it, although some of that may eventually have been unfortunately lost in the writeup. But in realist approaches, you could look at, say, a small number of questions and then explore those in greater detail. So, it's not a function of the method, it's just the size of the evidence that we were looking at. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I hear what you're saying. So did the second stage, the observational stage that you described, Bryony, also use realist methods? And did you use realist methods to join that together, or how did that work? **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Yeah. So, the realist review informed our second part of the study. So as Emma mentioned, we reduced all that information down and came up with five main areas that we focused on, which was personal care, monitoring, access to spaces, food and drink, and safety and comfortability, if I remember rightly. What we took for that, that was our basis. So, we looked at, okay, are these things really being translated into practise? And yeah, still following that ... When do these strategies work and for who? We did ethnography methods for this, but very much was informed by the realist approach. In another part of the study, we completed an environmental mapping. We had an occupational therapist that joined our research team at the start of the project, and she was really interested in how the environment of the care homes could impact on the behaviour of wandering. So as part of her role within the project, she developed the wayfinding tool, which is an 80-item tool that describes the environment relating to the act of orientation and wayfinding. And this looked across 11 different areas of the care home, such as exits, corridors, fire safety, and the various different rooms that you might find in a care home, such as bedrooms. And this tool used quantitative and qualitative methods to look at how that environment was set up. So, we looked at the layout of the care home, where the corridors were, visual access, looking at ... Was there visual access from the bedroom to the toilet, to help with wayfinding. She also used measurements. So, she measured the width of the corridors to see if they were suitable for how people could pass in the corridors or people in wheelchairs. We used a tape measure to measure the length, to find out what the longest route was in each care home, from the bedroom to the communal areas. There was also measurement of chairs and tables to see if they're suitable for residents to be able to independently sit and stand themselves. And in each care home, we went round and completed this 80-item tool to get an overview of what that care home's environment looked like. And from what we found in that part of the study, actually, this was really important because each care home was so different that it really helped to contextualise the observation results in the context of each care home. So, we're really hoping that by developing this tool, we're going to make it available to other researchers that are interested in using it. And we hope that in future studies, people may consider creating a conceptual environmental mapping of care homes when looking at a behaviour, to see how the environment interacts with that behaviour that's being studied. And we also hope that this tool could be used by care homes to audit their care homes, to see what areas of the environment could be changed to improve wandering and wayfinding. And we found that this wasn't about saying what was wrong or what wasn't. It was to really just look at that conceptual idea and how that interacted with the behaviour. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Okay. And then out of those packages came a set of recommendations. Is that what- **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Yes. Yeah. So, we took all of the findings from the first phase, all of the findings from the second phase, and we took them to the staff and managers that signed up to the co-production workshops, and said, "This is what we've found. These seem to be strategies that are possible." So obviously, we had very different care homes. So, some care homes were like, "Nope, those strategies would never work in our care homes." We had others that were very much more accessible. We had some places where the whole care home was accessible to everyone and people were allowed a lot more freedom because of the format of where it was in the buildings. Obviously, a lot of these are not purpose-built buildings, so are very restricted. So, we took everything we had and said, "Look, what do you think out of these are doable, are safe, and are most possible?" And as a group of 30 staff, we were able to actually come up with three or four strategies for each of those elements that could be practically inputted into care homes. I should probably talk about the strategies that have come out of this research that have been included in the booklets. So, we found seven areas of residents' needs that we wanted to look at. And within each of those areas, we asked care staff to pick their top two to three most important strategies. So, some that were quite important to us in area one is knowing each resident as an individual. So, we feel it's really important to understand each resident and what strategies they need for that individual, based on their life history, their abilities, their needs, and anything that the staff learn about residents during that time. So, two strategies that were quite important in this area was creating individualised care plans. And as part of that, we've developed care plan prompts to make sure that staff are covering all areas when it comes to supporting people to wander. So this is looking at life history and understanding how that could influence how people decide to walk, why they walk, looking at walking preferences, looking at if there's any triggers to understand when a resident is wanting to walk for enjoyment rather than when maybe they're walking due to an unmet need or due to anxiety, and looking at what support they need. So, whether they need tailored walking aids, if they need someone to walk with them. And as part of that as well, it's looking at reporting incidences and near misses to make sure that you can support residents to continue to walk safely. So, if there's residents in certain areas that don't get on, how that can be supported to make sure that all residents can walk in the same space. Another really important strategy for us is residents taking part in meaningful activities. So, we found that a lot of residents walk because they want to find something meaningful to do. So being able to offer even meaningful activities, such as music, exercise, dance, baking, can be really helpful. Also, allowing residents to take part in household tasks that they enjoy is a really great way to allow people to walk meaningfully and allow them to have that purpose. So, some of these household tasks can be such as setting and cleaning tables, dusting, folding laundry, things that are very regular for people to do while walking. Another area that was important to us was safe and comfortable movement. And so, the main strategy for this is providing physical and emotional support. So, while some residents may be able to walk independently without any assistance, it is important to offer physical support for residents that maybe need that additional help to be able to move around the care home, but also handholding and guiding. Hands on backs can also be a reassurance for residents, especially for those that maybe have a fear of falling. And similarly with the emotional support, offering verbal directions on bending your knees or turning this way, you can provide that reassurance to residents that they're safe and supported. Another strategy is using tailored walking aids. So, with the support of healthcare professionals, working out when mobility changes, whether tailored walking aids can allow residents to continue to have that independence. And then those that do have walking aids, it's about making sure that residents are using them and providing calm and positive communication to support them to use those aids. And we found in many care homes that personalization was really important to make sure that residents are using the correct walking aids. So, this could be having their name put on the front, having a picture that's associated with that resident or having different colours to help them identify them easily. Not only were we interested in wandering, but we were also interested in wayfinding or navigating the care homes. And there was a number of strategies for this, such as using appropriate lighting to making sure that areas are well lit, and that it's natural light rather than harsh lighting that can cause glare or discomfort, making sure that there is an elimination of dark shadows or confusing glares off of different materials that could cause trips and falls, and looking at whether lighting needs to be changed, depending on the time of day. So gently dimming the lights as the night goes on to stimulate the difference between day and night. Managing access was a big, big area for us. So this was about keeping spaces clean, arranging furniture that gives wide, clear walking paths, and making sure that those walking paths are kept clear of any equipment or furniture, making sure that flooring is even and dry, with no loose mats or cables, and making sure that staff report to management and maintenance when there is potential hazards within the space. There was also looking at restricting access to unsafe areas. So, by locking areas to unsafe areas, this actually can support more wandering in the areas that are safe. So, this was about running risk assessments on the residents that are in the care home; to look at what areas can safely be left unlocked and what areas need locking. And this could be through pin codes or gates on stairwells. And this really looked at the needs of the residents at that time, and reassessing when residents need to change to make sure that it is always the least restrictive environment. And when you do have areas that are locked, looking at redirecting residents. So, trying to acknowledge their feelings, but then use that information that you know about the residents to guide them to a safe alternative activity or area. The final area that I want to discuss is food and drink. So, residents that walk frequently can experience a large amount of weight loss due to not getting enough nutrition and hydration. So, we found it was really important that snacks are available all day and night and making sure that staff are regularly encouraging residents to drink and eat. And we found one way that this could be done is through hydration stations. So, placing visually appealing hydration stations in key communal areas can help residents to access that drink on their own. And in terms of snack, offering finger foods and grazing menus that residents can take on the go can be really helpful, as it means that they can walk and eat at the same time. So, some of these foods could be sandwiches, cheese sticks, or sliced fruit. And we found it was really about being creative. So, choosing ways to serve food that's easy to eat on the go, such as soup in takeaway cups or using snack belts that staff wear to easily distribute those snacks. So, we're hoping to have our final output ready in the next couple of weeks. It is currently just with our graphic designer, making it look nice. So, we've ended up with two booklets. We've got one for care staff and one for managers that explains those strategies. So, each page is a separate one of those themes, and then they've got several strategies that explains what could be implemented. And then alongside those booklets, we've got a resource pack that's going to have a number of practical support tools for staff. So, we've got a checklist, we've got training prompts, we've got little stories of different characters that we've created that can allow care homes to discuss these strategies and just wandering in a wider concept. We've got care plan prompts to help make sure that, actually, staff know these strategies and know what works for each resident. And then we've also got a poster to advertise it. We've also been really lucky as well, that we got some extra funding to work with another one of our projects to create a comic book. And one of the stories within our comic book is exploring how to give people the independence to wander and focusing on some of those strategies. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Conny, from your perspective, you were involved in all of this. What did it mean to be involved in research like this? **Conny McGowan:** I thought it was a fantastic opportunity, especially because we have quite a few residents that do like to walk around. And for us as a home, we just needed to know, really, whether we're doing things right, how we can do things better. We're always looking to improve ourselves, and how this research can benefit our residents. Whichever research we do, we always think, "How will the residents benefit from this?" So yes, it was a great opportunity. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Well, I'm going to move on to talk about ... I mean, we've already jumped ahead and talked about the outputs from the findings, but I want to focus on that in a bit more detail. I expect a strong message from this study is going to be that walking is often meaningful. So, Emma and Bryony, I wonder, how do you envisage that your research will change how wandering is understood in care homes? **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** I guess for us, it's just raising that awareness. We had six amazing care homes that were all very much wanting to support wandering, but unfortunately there are many care homes out there that aren't aware of the positives of walking. And unfortunately, in a care home I used to work in, it was a lot more restrictive. So, we're really hoping to push these outcomes out as far as possible to try and reach as many people as possible, to get the message out and just show that people can continue to walk. And there is a number of strategies. I think it's amazing as well, something that I think none of us in the team really thought about, was actually wandering doesn't need to be someone walking around on their feet. We had many residents that actually are in wheelchairs and still continue to wander. And staff have found ways to allow those residents to independently take themselves around the care home in their wheelchair, and I think that was something we never envisioned would come out of this research. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Amazing. Conny, do you feel that the research itself and the findings match up with what you see in your own care home? **Conny McGowan:** Yes, I'd like to think so. When we went through the booklets, or the booklet at the time, it was confirming that what we are doing is pretty close to what is in the booklet, just the sessions we had as well, with meeting other care home managers and carers. I certainly learned a few things just talking to others and finding out how they manage this behaviour. So yes, it was confirming that we are doing things right, but like I said, always room for improvement. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** It's interesting you talk about confirmatory. I think with my behaviour change hat on, we know that, actually, if you name a behaviour or a strategy, then you know what it is and you can do more of it. So actually, I can see that even that is valuable for some of the homes perhaps where things are happening well. But supporting walking, it does raise ethical issues. I think it's interesting you talk about wheelchair access because that's kind of an ethical issue. And I've been talking about this idea of people getting out. It's tricky in care homes to balance safety with dignity and autonomy, often when there are really limited resources, aren't there? Conny, how do you tackle this? And can research like this help others and be translated into supporting autonomy and being ethical? **Conny McGowan:** So, over the last few years, I think we've really changed our approach to something called positive risk-taking. So, residents are living with dementia, but that doesn't mean we need to restrict things. And we have to, rather than just keep thinking about things that can go wrong, think about the person and think about ... If they didn't have dementia, would they still be able to drink a bottle of wine or something like that? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Exactly. **Conny McGowan:** So it is about just changing our approach and really thinking about that person because sometimes residents do come to us that have previously been in a care home where the care home couldn't manage, and yet we find them a pleasure to be around and, really, they're lovely to have in the home and part of our community. So other homes can definitely take a lot from this research. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Thank you. I like the phrase positive risk-taking. It's a great way of describing things because we all take risks all the time. Why should a diagnosis stop you? I think you're absolutely right. It's really a brilliant summary, but there's lots more research that needs to be done. So, Emma, what needs to happen next in terms of evidence and guidance? **Dr Emma Hock:** Well, so I'll invite Bryony to jump in afterwards because she was much more involved in the ethnography study and the care home side of things. But in terms of evidence gaps that we've identified, certainly there needs to be more research on how relatives of residency care homes, how they're involved in supporting their resident in the care home to wander safely. And also, there didn't seem to be much research on how strategies work to enable residents to wander safely when there are several different residents in the care home all at the same time, with different needs, walking around. There also needs to be some more longitudinal research, which is a research that's taken over a long time period, looking at how everything works over the longer term, how residents and staff and relatives negotiate some of these issues of safety and care preferences and preferences for walking. And also, there could be some more research on staffing and shift patterns in terms of how that affects the support that residents are able to receive, which I know was mentioned quite early on in this podcast. And there could also be ... I know there's a lot of qualitative evidence and it's extremely useful for understanding exactly what's going on. There could be also some more quantitative evidence looking at the effectiveness of some of these strategies, which we didn't find an awful lot of, just to complement the qualitative evidence. Bryony, it'd be really useful to have your insights from the ethnography, as to what research needs to be taking place. **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Yeah. I think I completely agree with Emma. Relatives would be really interesting. So, we did plan on recruiting relatives, but this was the only participant type that we really struggled to recruit. So, it would be really interesting to see more about relatives and how they can support, but also their beliefs on allowing people to wander. We had many people say that sometimes there is this challenge between what the care home wants to implement because they know it's what's best for the resident, but then that relative having that fear of not wanting their relative to fool or escape or be harmed. So, I think that would be something that's really interesting. And I think the quantitative is definitely something that needs ... So, we were fully qualitative as well. So, we were able to suggest these strategies, but actually how much they relate to reducing anxiety and distress and how much does giving that independence stop people from leaving would be really interesting. I think my final point would be about access to gardens. So, we had some care homes that very much did give free access to residents, and they could go into that garden at any time of the day without any supervision. But then we have other care homes that were very restricted and either let no one into the garden at all or it had to be supervised. And there's other research out on this that, actually, a lot of care homes do go more towards that restriction of access. And I think it'd be really interesting to explore that further. And actually, if some of the strategies that we've seen in these care homes that are freely open, can they be implemented everywhere and allow that freedom to everyone? Because I think that was something that really struck me during the research, that actually some of these residents, they might never get to go outside again. I guess we take it for granted that we can feel rain, or we can feel the sun, but actually some of these residents never get to experience that again once they go into a care home. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, we're almost out of time, but to finish, I would like to ask each of you one final question. So, the question is, what is one common myth about wandering that you would like people to stop repeating? Bryony, do you want to go first? Should we go alphabetically? **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** I guess the biggest thing for me is that it isn't a meaningless activity. For these people, they have a purpose while they're walking, and it is beneficial for them. And we shouldn't just be saying, "Sit down, sit down. It's not safe." We should be supporting them to walk safely. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Conny? **Conny McGowan:** Yes. Very similar to Bryony's answer. And she mentioned something in the beginning as well. I think that wandering in a care home has got that negative connotation, but I think we should see this wandering, walking around, as an opportunity to have that moment with the resident, to engage them in a conversation, to interact with them on a one-to-one basis. So really, it can be something very positive as well. **Dr Emma Hock:** Just from looking at the evidence, allowing people to wander takes up more staff time and convenience because the evidence suggested that actually allowing people to wander safely can actually take up a bit less time than constantly having to, say, redirect somebody or something like that. But I don't if that's your experience, Conny. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Well, this has been such a wonderful discussion. Thank you. Just to summarise, I think what I'm hearing is that we're talking about wandering or walking being a meaningful activity that makes people human and that actually could, if we had the right strategies in place, could reduce resource use, improve quality of care, and allow people positive risk-taking, which is something human we all do. Thank you so much to Dr. Bryony Waters-Harvey, Dr. Emma Hock, and Conny McGowan for sharing their experience and perspectives today. And listening to some of mine. I'm sorry. I've been inserting mine in there too. Links to the NIHR Research for Social Care study and related resources will be included in the show notes. Thank you all for listening. I'm Anna Volkmer, and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Bye, everybody. **Dr Emma Hock:** Bye. **Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey:** Bye. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources, dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**Freedem Toolkit**](https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/freedem/home) > > [**Realist Review Research Publication**](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748926000192) > > [**The Orders of St John Care Trust**](https://www.osjct.co.uk/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Care Home Research, Care Research, Conny McGowan, Dr Anna Volkmer, Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey, Dr Emma Hock, Podcast, The University of Sheffield, Wandering **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Care Research --- ### [Blog - Optimise, troubleshoot, repeat - Beginning a new project](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-optimise-troubleshoot-repeat-beginning-a-new-project/) **Published:** April 9, 2026 **Author:** Dr Clíona Farrell **Excerpt:** Dr Clíona Farrell reflects on starting a new postdoc, sharing how planning, troubleshooting, and perseverance shape early project progress in the lab. **Content:** --- **I’m three months into my new postdoc position, and it’s been a long time since I’ve started completely fresh in a new environment and on a new topic. I think no matter how experienced you are, or how well detailed a project proposal is, the start of a project never goes as smoothly as you imagined. So right now, I’m in the throes of troubleshooting, and this blog is all about planning, adapting and persevering.** Have you ever tried an experiment once, twice, or even three times, only to be met with failure? This is an almost universal experience in research and feels especially prevalent in the wet lab. Be it an antibody not giving bands (or worse giving phantom bands) on a western blot, a cell treatment that doesn’t behave as expected, or adapting a well working protocol to a new piece of equipment, almost every new experiment needs some optimisation and troubleshooting. For me, I’m adapting my old PCR protocol to a new machine, trialling the use of new siRNAs on my cells, all while trying to future proof what I’m doing so that I get the most out of every sample I create. Sometimes it feels a bit like mental acrobatics. But how can we optimise the optimisation process? The good thing that comes with experience, especially having completed a PhD, is that you get better at planning, and more comfortable with asking for help. I used to rush into the lab, throw everything at a mega experiment with countless conditions, and try it again straight away if it didn’t work, without necessarily thinking deeply about needed to change. Although I still like to jump in and give it a try, I think that I’ve gained a bit more patience, and a stronger ability to reflect. With a step back and some consultation with others, I have a clearer vision of what the next best steps are. Ultimately this saves more time in the long run anyways. It’s easy to realise something isn’t working, but recognising WHY it isn’t working requires some patience, and detective skills. That’s where decent controls come in. Everyone knows to include a negative control (an untreated condition, a wildtype mouse, a no-antibody control), but the inclusion of a good positive control can significantly improve an experiment, especially during the troubleshooting process. A positive control is a condition known to produce the desired response. For example, if you are trying to measure cell toxicity, you want a condition which is definitely toxic, so that you know your assay read out works. Or if you’re using a treatment to lower the expression of a protein, you should use a knock-out model of that protein alongside your samples of interest. The reasons for not including a positive control are many, including added cost or limited access to good positive control for your paradigm. But without it, you could spend a lot of time and money troubleshooting a sub-optimal experiment. Even with good experimental design, things will go wrong and you question if you are using the right antibody, or machine settings. Another good way to make progress during the optimisation process is to talk to people. As well as consulting your supervisor, simple casual conversations with colleagues in your lab, floor or building can give you tid bits of information, or names of people they know who have tried something similar. These small nuggets can help you to progress. Often just verbalising the problem can spark new ideas and help solidify your understanding of the problem. But even still sometimes we design a great experiment, and still a compound or reagent isn’t working. Another option is to go back to the company. Scientific consumables supply companies almost always have highly qualified teams of experts who know their products inside and out. Although it can be frustrating to receive email after email from sales reps looking to talk about their latest products, getting a good contact in a company from who you get key reagents can be exceptionally helpful, particularly someone within the technical team. Sharing the data you’ve generated and asking how they suggest you proceed can give good insights (or worst case, tell you when to give up). There might be some small change you’ve made to a recommended protocol that can dramatically change an experiment outcome. And of course, the most important part is to be able to persevere when things aren’t working. Not rushing things, acknowledging that you are trying your best, working level-headedly and following sensible steps to resolve the problem, are all important steps to persevere through the long troubleshooting road. Optimisation is a continual and integral part of the scientific journey, so you need to gain the skills to bring you through it. For me, celebrating every small win when lots of new things are coming at me is what carries me through. Now, wish me luck as I continue to optimise, troubleshoot, repeat! --- ![Clíona Farrell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Cliona-Farrell-280x280-1.png "Clíona Farrell (280x280)")Dr Clíona Farrell #### Author [**Dr Clíona Farrell**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-cliona-farrell-university-college-london/) is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scopping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone. [Follow @ClionaFarrell\_](https://twitter.com/ClionaFarrell_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Clíona Farrell, Getting started, New Projects, Project Management **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Blog - How Site Initiation Visits work and why they matter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-site-initiation-visits-work-and-why-they-matter/) **Published:** April 8, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Jacqui Kerr explains how Site Initiation Visits prepare research teams, ensure compliance, and set the foundation for safe, high quality clinical trials. **Content:** --- **When a clinical study finally receives that long‑awaited approval and the research site transitions from planning into real‑world delivery, one of the most critical milestones is the Site Initiation Visit (SIV). This visit acts as the launch point for the entire study, ensuring the site is fully prepared for activation and marking the moment when the participant journey truly begins.** This blog explores the purpose of an SIV, what typically occurs during one, why it matters, and how it strengthens research integrity and safeguards participants. Understanding the SIV is essential for anyone involved in delivering clinical trials, from principal investigators to research nurses, coordinators, and sponsors. Having attended many SIVs throughout my research career, I understand why they are sometimes viewed as just another meeting or a tick‑box step in the long study‑setup process. However, the SIV plays a crucial role: it ensures that each research site, every member of the study team, and all protocol‑driven activities are fully prepared to deliver the trial safely, consistently, and in complete alignment with Good Clinical Practice (GCP). ##### *What Exactly Is a Site Initiation Visit?* A Site Initiation Visit (SIV), often referred to as a study start‑up visit, can only take place once the site has been formally selected and all essential regulatory and organisational agreements have been fully executed. The purpose of the SIV is to ensure that the site is fully prepared before any participants are approached, screened, or enrolled. Led by the study sponsor, a Clinical Research Associate (CRA), or a designated study monitor, the visit covers all critical components of the study, including a detailed review of the protocol and any required training for the research team. ##### *What Happens During an SIV?* Although SIVs can vary depending on the sponsor, the complexity of the study, and the organisational structure of the site, they typically follow a common framework. Most include several core components that together create a thorough assessment and training session for the research team. The following paragraphs provide a brief description of the key elements covered at an SIV. ##### *Protocol Training* At the heart of every SIV is the comprehensive review of the study protocol. The CRA guides the team through the key elements, including inclusion and exclusion criteria, visit schedules, assessments, endpoints, and safety monitoring requirements. The protocol provides the foundational framework for how the trial must be carried out, and the SIV ensures that every member of the team, from the Principal Investigator to administrative staff understands how it should be implemented. It is also an opportunity for staff to ask questions and raise practical issues. ##### *Roles, Delegation, and Responsibilities* Clear responsibilities are key to successful study delivery. During the SIV, the delegation log is reviewed, and each task is assigned to appropriately qualified members of the research team. Clarification on delegated responsibilities such as who will obtain informed consent, enter data, complete case report forms and who will report adverse events will be clearly identified. By the end of the SIV, every team member should understand not only their own responsibilities but also the responsibilities of others, reducing confusion and promoting accountability. ##### *Regulatory and Documentation Review* The CRA checks that all Ethics and R&D approvals are in place and that the Investigator Site File (ISF) contains all required essential documents. This includes approvals, CVs, training records, signed protocols, delegation logs, and other study‑critical documentation. Any gaps are addressed during the SIV to ensure that the site is fully compliant before recruitment begins. ##### *Data Management and Recording* Accurate and high‑quality data collection is central to research validity. During the SIV, the CRA reviews how source data should be documented, how data should be entered into the study database, and what procedures should be followed if errors or deviations occur. The monitoring plan is also discussed so that the site understands how and when data will be reviewed throughout the trial. ##### *Pharmacy and IMP Processes* In studies involving an investigational medicinal product (IMP), the SIV includes dedicated discussions with the pharmacy team. This covers storage conditions, temperature monitoring, drug accountability, dispensing procedures, and how unused medication should be returned or destroyed. Pharmacy staff play a critical role in ensuring drug safety and compliance, making this a key focus area. As you will have read, a Site Initiation Visit is far more than a routine administrative step. It requires collaboration, communication and an understanding of what’s expected from the sponsor and the research site. The SIV equips the research team with a deeper understanding of the study protocol and introduces the strategies and tools needed for successful study delivery. By confirming that the team is fully prepared and trained, documentation is complete, and all procedures are clearly defined, the SIV lays the groundwork for reliable results. Ultimately, it creates the foundation for a compliant, safe, and high‑quality clinical trial before the first participant is ever approached. --- ![Jacqueline Kerr Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacqueline-Kerr.jpg "Jacqueline Kerr")Jacqueline Kerr #### Author **[Jacqueline Kerr](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jacqueline-kerr-neuroprogressive-dementia-network/)** is the Network Manager for the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network in Scotland. With a background in research management and public engagement, she is dedicated to supporting clinical trials and improving access to research across the country. Jacqueline works closely with clinicians, researchers, and the public to raise awareness of dementia studies and encourage participation. [Follow @jacqui29NDN](https://twitter.com/jacqui29NDN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [Find Jacqueline on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-kerr-m-s-c-5b814857/) [Follow @jacqui297.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/jacqui297.bsky.social) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Clinical trials, Drug Trials, Jacqui Kerr, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, Nursing **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research --- ### [Parkinson’s Research Gaps Exposed](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/parkinsons-research-gaps-exposed/) **Published:** April 1, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** New report finds Parkinson’s research overlooks prevention and care. Explore where funding goes, what is missing, and why it matters. **Content:** ![Parkinsons disease mapping the research and funding landscape](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Parkinsons-disease-mapping-the-research-and-funding-landscape-300x229.png "Parkinsons disease mapping the research and funding landscape")Parkinson’s Research: What’s Being Missed **A major new report from the [NIHR Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration](https://denpruexeter.nihr.ac.uk/projects/parkinsons-disease-mapping-the-research-and-funding-landscape/) at the University of Exeter has revealed a striking imbalance in how Parkinson’s research is funded and conducted in the UK, raising questions about whether current efforts are truly aligned with the needs of people living with the condition.** The report, [*Applied research in Parkinson’s disease and related conditions*](https://hdl.handle.net/10779/exe.31812838), examines more than a decade of funding alongside thousands of research papers to map where attention, and investment, is being directed. Its conclusion is clear: while scientific progress continues, the areas that matter most to patients, prevention, care, and everyday quality of life, remain underexplored. Parkinson’s and related conditions affect a growing number of people, driven in part by an ageing population. Yet despite decades of research, treatments remain largely focused on managing symptoms rather than altering the course of disease. Many people continue to face delays in diagnosis, limited support, and unmet care needs across the trajectory of their condition. What makes this report particularly compelling is its scale. Researchers analysed 670 UK research grants, representing around £280 million in funding, alongside more than 9,000 international studies published between 2019 and 2024. And what they found is not so much a lack of activity, but a mismatch. Nearly two thirds of funding is directed towards understanding disease mechanisms and preclinical science. That work is essential, but only around one quarter of investment supports applied research, the kind that directly improves diagnosis, treatment, and care. Within that smaller slice, the imbalance becomes even sharper. Treatment dominates, accounting for the majority of applied research funding and studies. By contrast, prevention receives almost no attention, and care research, particularly around palliative support and lived experience, remains limited. The evidence base mirrors this pattern. Most studies focus on drug therapies and motor symptoms, while issues such as mental health, fatigue, communication, and the realities of daily living are comparatively neglected. Perhaps most striking is what is missing. There is very little research testing how to prevent Parkinson’s or delay its onset. Care research is often descriptive rather than interventional, meaning there is limited evidence to guide how services should be designed or delivered. The report also highlights persistent inequalities. Research funding is concentrated in a small number of institutions, particularly in London and Oxford and Cambridge, and very few studies explicitly address differences in outcomes related to socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or geography. > Taken together, these findings suggest a system that is productive but not yet fully aligned with real world need. The authors argue for a shift in emphasis. More investment in prevention, care, and non motor symptoms. Greater involvement of people with lived experience in setting research priorities. And a stronger focus on translating discoveries into practical improvements in services and support. It is not a call to abandon fundamental science, but to rebalance the portfolio so that research delivers both long term breakthroughs and immediate benefits. For researchers, funders, and policymakers, the message is hard to ignore. The question is no longer whether more research is needed, but whether it is being directed to the right places. 👉 [**Read the full report to explore the data, gaps, and recommendations in detail.**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DeNPRU-Exeter-Parkinsons-Disease-and-Related-Conditions-Report-2026.pdf) **Categories:** Policy, Research News **Tags:** NIHR Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration, Parkinson’s Disease --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2022 Day One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2022-day-one/) **Published:** August 2, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Bringing you highlights from the pre-conference and 1st day of the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in San Diego **Content:** **For the first time since 2019, we’re back at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in-person – which means we can bring together attendees to chat over coffee, and share their highlights.** In todays show, long-time listener and contributor, **[Sarah Gregory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-sarah-gregory/ "Profile – Sarah Gregory")** from the University of Edinburgh is our guest host, talking with **[Dr Ríona McArdle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-riona-mcardle/ "Profile – Dr Ríona McArdle")**, from Newcastle University, **[Dr Lillian Hung](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-lillian-hung/ "Profile – Dr Lillian Hung")** from University of British Columbia and **[Dr Sarah-Naomi James](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sarah-naomi-james-university-college-london/ "Profile – Dr Sarah-Naomi James, University College London")** from University College London. Sharing highlights from the Tech and Dementia Preconference session and the first day, with a focus on equality, diversity and inclusion, and co-production. Follow the conference live at [\#AAIC22](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AAIC22&src=typeahead_click&f=live) --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** Voice Over: Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher Podcast brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. Sarah Gregory: Hello, and thank you for tuning into the Dementia Researcher Podcast on location from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego. I’m Sarah Gregory and today I’m guest hosting the first of four shows being recorded each day at the conference, sharing highlights with three fantastic guests each day. So today is all about the pre-conference and day one, but before we start, let’s make some introductions. Sarah Gregory: For those who don’t know me, I’m a part-time PhD student and a research fellow at the University of Edinburgh. My research is in the field of dementia prevention with my PhD focusing on stress and my research fellow work focusing on diet as potentially important risk factors for brain health. This is my fourth time to the AAIC conference in person, sixth if we include the last two years of virtual, and I’ve always had a great time. So I’m really excited to be hosting today for the first time and hearing about our guests’ highlights of the last two days. But that’s enough about me. I’m delighted to introduce the wonderful Dr. Lillian Hung, the amazing Dr. Riona McArdle, and the incredible Dr. Sarah-Naomi James. Hi, everyone. So Lillian, why don’t you go first and tell us about yourself. Dr Lillian Hung: Well, it’s really a fun time to be here with you all. I am Lillian, assistant professor in the School of Nursing at the UBC, University of British Columbia in Canada. My research looks at technology and a lot of implementations how we could use technology to support dementia care, mostly in long-term care and hospital. I have a lab. In the lab and we have a lot of fun. I bring a team of some of the young researchers here as well in the program. The lab, we have a lot of patient partners. We do co-research. So it’s a lot of fun. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. That sounds so interesting. And I think you’re going to tell us a little bit about the Technology PIA Day as well later. Dr Lillian Hung: Yes, it was a great day. Sarah Gregory: Brilliant. And Riona, you’ve been on the podcast a few times. What’s new? Dr Ríona McArdle: Yes. So my name is Riona McArdle. I am an NIHR advanced fellow now, which is a bit different than the last time I did this podcast, and my research really focuses on improving diagnosis and care of people living with dementia through novel applications of digital mobility assessment. I work quite a lot with technology, similarly to Lillian, and was also at the Tech Day. I’m also really, really interested in co-design and working and partnering with patients as well to create my research. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. Thank you. So we’ve got some really interesting similar themes coming through. Sarah, it’s your first time on the podcast. Can you introduce yourself? Dr Sarah-Naomi James: Yeah, it’s great to be here. I listen, but I haven’t been on it before, so this is exciting. I’m a research fellow at UCL funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK and my research looks at risk and protective factors on brain health, particularly earlier in midlife as well. I’ve been to a couple of pre-conference workshops here, which were around more of the risk factor side, so I’ve got some interesting insights to share there. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. Thanks, everyone. And so I think you probably all arrived before me, if you went to the pre-conferences. So when did you all get here? Are we all over the jet lag? Have you been able to do any sight seeing yet? Dr Ríona McArdle: I’m not over the PTSD of traveling, I have to say, but I have been on a boat to Coronado Island. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. Dr Ríona McArdle: That’s been quite nice. Where Marilyn Monroe shot a film, so that was quite good. That was my sightseeing experience. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. How about you guys? Dr Sarah-Naomi James: I flew. Actually, had quite a good experience. I feel quite lucky compared to everybody else. For jet lag, I’ve got a one-year-old son, so I’ve just come back from maternity leave. And so, actually, I feel like I’ve been good, like training for ages to go to sleep when I can. So, actually, I’m not too jet-lagged. I’m just able to sleep pretty well. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. So you’re just having a great time sleeping. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: Yes, having such a good time. I’m learning. I’m sleeping. Yeah. Sarah Gregory: Great. And how about you, Lillian? When did you arrive? Dr Lillian Hung: Because I’m not too far from Canada, so it was quite smooth. I came Friday and we had a lot of fun because the team came together. We are a bit of foodies, so we have been eating Mexican food. We went to the Little Italy, Italian food, and it was just the food that we had yesterday was just fantastic. Sarah Gregory: Seafood is- Dr Lillian Hung: The coconut margarita, I recommend it. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. I feel like I need to go out and get some sightseeing done, because I arrived late on Saturday night, so I haven’t been able to do much yet. But tonight onwards I’ll be able to explore. Have any of you been presenting at the conference yet? I think some of you have presented at the… Or maybe all of you have presented at the PIA Days, maybe? Should we go Lillian first? You want to say what you’ve been presenting? Dr Lillian Hung: Sure. We have a few projects, because we brought the team. We presented posters. We presented a telepresence robot project that we use in long-term care to support people who do virtual care. We also presented a talkie, which is a smart audio device that people used during the COVID outbreak for their family to stay connected with their loved ones in long-term care. Was a lot of fun. Sarah Gregory: Fantastic. Have you got kind of junior researchers from your group been able to present here as well? Dr Lillian Hung: Yeah. We also had other students that they presented. Actually, they presented a virtual format and they had those TVs in the exhibition hall. It was kind of, for us, it was like hybrid because some of the student went in person and then introduced some of the people on hybrid. We also have some poster today as well that we present the Overcoming Loneliness Project that we used telepresence robot to do interview with the residents in long-term care home, because we were not able to get in. So we had some of the older people that being the interviewer and the peer support person and interview the residents in the long-term care home. So that’s today. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. Busy time for your \[inaudible 00:06:30\]. Sarah Naomi, what have you been presenting or will be presenting? Dr Sarah-Naomi James: Sure. I presented at the Reserve and Resilience PIA Day on Saturday. And so I’ve been doing some work looking at some factors in the life, things like education, social class, childhood cognitive ability and how that can kind of buffer the effect or the cognitive expression of certain pathology. This is quite an active area of research and it’s been great to work with other collaborators across the world on this. I think what is novel about what we were showing is that we’re doing it in a sample of 70-year-olds, so they’re still not really showing severe signs of dementia. So we’re seeing a fairly cognitively normal sample that you can buffer the effects of things like amyloid hippocampal volume due to some of these kind of things that you can do in your life. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. Ri, what have you been presenting? Dr Ríona McArdle: I was presenting a poster at the Tech Day and I’m presenting on the same topic tomorrow on the Virtual Dementia Care Session. I was looking at the effect of local area deprivation on physical activity participation in people with dementia. We were essentially kind of interested in why do people stay physically active with dementia or why do they lose their physical activity? Most of the research has looked at cognition or disease-related factors, like movement problems. People haven’t really thought about those socioecological factors, like how does the environment someone lives in dictate if they can be physically active, but interestingly actually found that the more deprived areas that people live in, if you’re an old adult without dementia, that means that you are less physically active, the better… The less deprived areas that someone lives in, then you’re more physically active. But for people with dementia, there was no difference across those deprivation levels. Dr Ríona McArdle: So it’s nearly like the cognitive impairment itself might be a barrier or maybe all the other things that come with cognitive impairment, like carers might be worried about you leaving the house, you might be worried about getting lost if you leave the house, those kind of things probably have a big impact on your physical activity. It was a really interesting piece of work that I did with Dr. Calum Hamilton at Newcastle University and I’ll be presenting on that again tomorrow. And then I also, of course, with you have a workshop on Wednesday, which is partnering with patients and talking about research co-design and implementing PPI into your research. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: And is it my understanding that you won something? Dr Ríona McArdle: I did win the Best Poster for Post-doc, yes. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: \[inaudible 00:09:13\]. Sarah Gregory: Congratulations. Dr Ríona McArdle: And a big surprise to me. Sarah Gregory: Amazing. That’s great news. So we’re going to jump into some of the topics that you’ve all been listening to over the last few days. The conference has been going on for a few days, if we include all the pre-conference sessions. We had the professional interest area days on Saturday. Should we start with those in terms of what you found interesting in addition to what you were all presenting, if there were key takeaways from it? We’ll go around in the same order. So, Lillian, what was the standout things that you saw on the Technology Day? What do you want to share with everyone? Dr Lillian Hung: The EDI, the equity and equality, that really struck me about the biases that how underrepresented the population, so often they are not included in the research and how it might impact decision making and how… Because we always talk about evidence inform practice and how people policy are being made. But if it’s only based on a small percentage of populations, it’s so unfair and so much needs to be done. So that really struck me, the \[inaudible 00:10:33\] phenomenon. Dr Ríona McArdle: I think there was a really great quote from \[inaudible 00:10:37\] that, actually, I think, to paraphrase it, it was something like the bias in your data set from recruiting participants leads to bias in your algorithms and that leads to bias in your clinical decision making. I think it really highlighted that even when we do try to recruit underserved groups, we actually end up with a biased sample of them as well. There was a talk by Heroko Dodge, where she talked about they’d actively tried to recruit African Americans into the study, but they found that the African Americans were less sad and less socially isolated than the rest of the sample. And they were like, “That’s probably not because that’s the situation.” It’s probably that they got some very, very keen beans who really like research and that kind of thing and actually we’re not getting very diverse group of minority groups when we do recruit. Dr Ríona McArdle: So it’s quite an interesting thing, because I think we’ve seen this all over this conference now, a lot of talk about diversity. But I thought it really highlighted that no matter if you’re trying to get your sample to be diverse, are you actually getting a diverse sample at the end of the day? Really interesting. Dr Lillian Hung: I was also very inspired about the assumption that people often made about because they can’t afford the device and we cannot include them in the sample. And they talked about that there are other ways, that you can find… To be creative, like repurpose some of the older device that people don’t use and think about if they have to work and think about other ways, like using maybe phones and other smart technology to help data collection. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: That’s really interesting. I went to a different workshop to you guys, but the theme was very similar, and it keeps coming up. I think, actually, across the conference this aspect of diversity affects all aspects of research, so what we were talking about. I actually started my conference on Friday. I went to Social Determinants of Health Workshop and there we were talking very much about not taking… So when we’re looking at risk factors we know there’s still lots of research to do, of course, looking at risk factors of dementia, thinking about how, what dose, that kind of thing. But we know enough now to know actually what’s good for brain health, diet, exercise, these kinds of things. And so we need to start working to promote these health behaviors, but we have to take into account where they’re living and try to really think about the communities that people are in and try to remove barriers that mean that they can’t do these things to reduce their dementia risk. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: And again and again, it kept coming up about the aspect of bringing in more diverse people. And what we need to do is start building communities of public health, researchers, community groups, and really try to find out why, what needs to be done, where people live, to mean that they can then make decisions and more of a individual choice to do things to improve their health. But for that to happen, we need the diverse groups and we need to have these conversations as well. Dr Ríona McArdle: Yeah. Really interesting area that keeps getting built on now. It’s really, really great to see. Dr Lillian Hung: Yeah. It could turn out to be quite not respectful and you trying to impose recommendations based on maybe very \[inaudible 00:13:59\] type of research. I’m thinking about there’s a project that we are doing on a smart TV at home that a lot of the program was created based on very white populations. And when we took it to the nursing home, the carer, staff, and the resident was saying that, “Uh-uh, we don’t want to watch this. This has no relevance to us.” So we ended up having our patient partners to make new videos saying they need to be talking about their language, taking their cultural context into considerations. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: That’s a great example. Sarah Gregory: Yeah. Really highlights the benefit of doing that co-design work. Dr Lillian Hung: Yes. Sarah Gregory: Definitely. And so the Alzheimer’s Association are clearly very invested in including people and improving access. How easy do you think that is to translate to Canada and the UK in terms of, is that as important to our funders? Is that as central, do you think? Do you include these issues in your research? Dr Ríona McArdle: I think it’s becoming more important. You certainly need to add EDI statements into your grants now. The NIHR have got the INCLUDE Campaign. That’s what it’s called. NIHR have the INCLUDE campaign, which is about representing underserved populations in your research and trying to create a framework of how you might be able to include them. It starts from the very top. You have to co-design with them, ask them, how would you like to be included in the research, what research is meaningful to you, and try and highlight that kind of research that is useful for underserved groups. Dr Ríona McArdle: It’s important also to think about who is an underserved person, because I think it was highlighted really well yesterday that often when we think about being inclusive, we think about minority groups, but actually it was mentioned at the Tech Day that it could be carers who just have to work and they just cannot get a person to an appointment, because they can’t leave their job. And so it’s really thinking about, basically, I think we think a lot of the time about retired white people, who’ve got the privilege of being able to move around. What about someone who can’t drive? What about someone who can’t afford a car? So I think it is becoming more of interest, but, I guess, I don’t know if researchers necessarily in the UK have that framework that’s very easy for them to adopt and try to include people or have those lessons that have been taught to them. Dr Lillian Hung: I think in Canada we are trying to follow the footstep \[inaudible 00:16:32\], but there’s still a lot work need to be done in the infrastructure to support. In Canada, we call it patient-oriented research. A lot of times the patients’ partners cannot be co-investigators or lead of the research. You guys have the patient lead research. We don’t have that. So there’s still a lot of things need to be done to promote that. But it’s really, really important work. And I think there’s a lot of interest and we have people living with dementia are very interested in co-leading research to be more actively involved in research. Sarah Gregory: Great. And coming to Sarah-Naomi, what did you find out from the Reserve and Resilience Day that you wanted to share with us or anything else in the Social Determinants of Health Day as well? Dr Sarah-Naomi James: I actually wrote on my notes that I wanted to raise the issue of diversity. We’ve already covered that. A very interesting session I went to around sex and gender issues in the PIA Day. And so the background to that is that we know that women have got an increased risk of developing dementia, above and beyond the fact that they are more likely to survive into older age. And so there’s lots of discussion around why is that. Is that to do with sex hormones? Is that to do with genetic factors and the downstream proteomics? Is it to do with the kind of social constructs? Especially thinking about women who are in older age now, they had different educational opportunities, like lack of educational opportunities. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: It was a really interesting topic about that. But the two people who were leading the session turned it into a debate and they concluded their remarks into song, which was very interesting. Dr. Rachel Buckley ended in singing a song about estrogen to the tune of Yesterday by the Beatles, which was… I think there’s a video of it somewhere on Twitter. And so it was really nice because it made the debate very lively. It’s definitely one that I’m going to remember. But there is obviously a serious undertone to the research and it was really great to collaborate, to network and bond over this very unique experience that we all saw. Sarah Gregory: I’ve seen the video on Twitter and it’s definitely worth watching. It is amazing. Brilliant. Ri, was there anything else from the Technology Day that you wanted to bring up and highlight? Dr Ríona McArdle: I think there was a real highlight talk was Arlene \[inaudible 00:19:11\]’s talk that she gave. It was looking at use of technology around cognition, really. She had different components that she’s talking about. One of them was she has got some work where they’ve done some technology-led reminiscence therapy, which was really interesting, songs or videos that people enjoyed and things. I learned so much from that. Things like general photos of a time period are actually really good, whereas personal photos can be quite confusing for a person with dementia. They might feel expected to remember something that they just don’t remember. But if you put a picture of Elvis up, they’ll have a lot of things to say about that. She said that basically when she’d started that reminiscence research, she thought this would probably be helpful to quality of life, that kind of thing, but it probably won’t be that helpful to cognition. And I believe that she found that actually did improve cognition and over 12 weeks it improved cognition again. So there’s this kind of aspect. Dr Ríona McArdle: Lillian, correct me on this, but I think she kind of thought it was to do with that interaction they were also having with the care staff in care homes and things, that they were working with them more, speaking to them more, having more conversations with them, and that was improving their cognition. Also, she did this great part around maintaining cognition and how we might use prompts to do that and use technology to lead the prompt. This is something that is very close to my heart and very interested in. It’s the kind of idea around helping people maintain their instrumental activities of daily living rather than them beginning to make mistakes and someone taking it off them. Dr Ríona McArdle: She used the example of someone mashing potatoes. She said that they did co-production research and they asked this woman, “What is it that you want to do?” And she said, “I want to be able to maintain making a Sunday dinner.” And they said, “That’s probably too difficult to do for a research project, so we’re going to go with mashed potatoes. We’re going to make sure you can mash potatoes.” It was quite cool the way that she did it, because she put up pictures of the woman going through all the steps of mashing potatoes. She peeled the potatoes. She put the potatoes into a pot and poured boiling water in. She cooked them, drained them and mashed them. In the pictures it looks like the woman can do that, absolutely no problem. But in reality, when they were watching her do it, at one point she lost the pot lid, couldn’t find the pot lid, couldn’t figure out where it was, found another pot lid that wasn’t correct and was too small for it, pulled out all of her saucepans to figure out what she should do. Eventually, the researcher prompted her and said, “The pot is there,” and she was able to maintain doing the task. Dr Ríona McArdle: And so what they were talking about was trying to, instead of a researcher being there, have a piece of technology that would say, “Oh, it’s just there,” and that might allow people to maintain that independence for longer. I thought that was just a really, really interesting piece, because we see that with people with dementia. They might start to be unable to do something and it might just be easier for a carer to do it for them. I’ve definitely spoken to my PPI contributors where they’ve said, “Oh, he’s not great at doing it, but I still want him to do it, because it’s important that he feels that he is contributing to the household in some way.” So I just thought that was absolutely fabulous talk, to be honest, and I got so much out of it. I’m going to stop gushing now. Dr Lillian Hung: I like what you said about that piece, that it was important to him. Like Arlene talk about it’s important to focus in on everyday things that matter to the person, right? Dr Ríona McArdle: Yeah. Dr Lillian Hung: Like there’s a lot of stigma, stereotyping in thinking about the people in long-term care and it’s the length of stay is short, then they don’t think about they want the fun things that will improve or maintain their conditions. And it’s not true. People get used to technology and that it can improve their quality of life and improve their condition, or at least maintain it. It’s worth it. Dr Ríona McArdle: Yeah, definitely. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: And so to what extent do they kind of want to personalize tech? Because it feels like that’s probably quite specific example that will only help a small amount of people. So what’s the idea around that? Dr Ríona McArdle: Honestly, I can’t remember what she said about that part. I was still on the mashed potatoes part, I think. So I’m not sure. Lillian might remember about that. But I think that they were kind of thinking about co-production with people with dementia to see where they would go with that kind of next step. But it was more that there is an opportunity that technology could address it and we need to think about what is important to people with dementia. This always comes up, especially in consensus reviews, Delphi consensus, maintaining independence and being able to do things that matter to a person are the most important things for them and the kind of way that we set things up don’t really look at that. You know what I mean? So I think it’s quite novel and interesting if we can get something that would help, but not sure. Dr Lillian Hung: And I think with tech, there’s a lot of opportunity to do that personalization work. For example, the \[inaudible 00:24:03\] that Arlene does that you can personalize the content, right? Dr Ríona McArdle: \[inaudible 00:24:07\]- Dr Lillian Hung: It’s the family videos and it’s photographs of the family, of the pet, or something like that. I went to one of the exhibition hall. It was so much fun. One of the vendor had a program. It’s a very simple program that you can just go to the iPad and you can voice record simple questions, like what are some of the things that I really enjoy in my life, and then they could turn into kind of like a care plan and that makes it really easy. It’s that piece that you talked about, like helping people to have relationship. When they talk about the reminisce, then you get to know the person and that’s really key to person-centered care, right? Dr Ríona McArdle: Yeah. Dr Lillian Hung: Yeah. Sarah Gregory: It sounds so interesting. The Technology Day just sounds great, as do all of the pre-conference PIAs. Dr Ríona McArdle: The best pre-conference, really. Sarah Gregory: Did anyone have anything from the first official day of the conference that they wanted to talk about? Any sessions that you went to that were standouts or really interesting that you wanted to share? Dr Ríona McArdle: I guess, I went to one on… I’m not going to say this correctly… nomenclature. I think that’s what it was called. But it was kind of they had done some co-production work with patient groups around the term dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. I thought it was really interesting, actually, because they talked about how patients were very confused about terminology. They were confused about Alzheimer’s. They thought that might be separate to dementia. Mild cognitive impairment, they felt that was a strange diagnosis to get, because it doesn’t seem that bad. It’s only mild. We’ve seen this come up in some of our PPI work as well and actually it’s come up systematic review that I’ve got an undergraduate student presenting on the Dementia Care Session tomorrow about the impact of mild cognitive impairment, where they were just very confused by that term but very worried about dementia. Dr Ríona McArdle: In the session they were talking about there’s a lot of ways that we talk about Alzheimer’s disease. We might talk about Alzheimer’s as Alzheimer’s disease, but we might also talk about instead of saying the word dementia people say Alzheimer’s or they say Alzheimer’s dementia and related disorders, which is very confusing for people. Or we talk about it in a pathology kind of sense. And people think that if you’ve got MCI that you’re going to progress to Alzheimer’s instead of dementia or any form of dementia that you might get. So they were talking about maybe changing that term and changing it to, I think it was like older adult neurocognitive disorders or something like that, and trying to co-produce with people to make sure it was less stigmatizing, that it was more understandable, that clinicians could explain what it was instead of always falling back into that lump of Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s-related disorders. I thought that was actually quite interesting. Dr Ríona McArdle: I have a caveat in where I think if it is used in diagnosis, it probably will just become stigmatizing again later on, because I feel like that’s what always ends up happening. But I certainly see that, even when I talk to my parents. They really mix up the Alzheimer’s and dementia thing and they’re not sure what they’re talking to me about and things like that. So I think raising more awareness around the kind of terminology is really important. Sarah Gregory: Really interesting, especially when the term Alzheimer’s is used in branding for charities, conferences. Dr Ríona McArdle: Yes. Sarah Gregory: It’s kind of used very publicly, but it is a bit of a kind of, what is it? What does it mean? Even within us, we might all have a different way that we use these terms and things. That sounds fascinating. Sarah-Naomi, did you have any sessions you wanted to talk about \[inaudible 00:27:41\]? Dr Sarah-Naomi James: Yeah. I went to a couple of the epidemiology sessions yesterday. And again, they’re kind of just building on our knowledge. There were a couple of sessions looking at cardiovascular risk factors, but now in more diverse populations. There’s some really great work going on in Brazil and there’s some cohorts in more of the Latino countries. But just showing, actually, that the cardiovascular risk is increased anyway, so we of course would then expect the disparity in the outcome if there’s going to be disparity in the exposure. So just emphasizing the point that it’s really important to look at these communities and I feel like the take-home message is definitely we know enough now, I think, about some things we can do and we need to… There’s lots more research around the mechanisms, but we definitely need to make things happen a bit more more easily for people to take risk reduction measures. Sarah Gregory: Yeah, great. Lillian, was there anything from yesterday that you wanted to highlight or any posters at all? Dr Lillian Hung: Yesterday, I actually went to the beach. Sarah Gregory: Lovely. That sounds like a great choice. Dr Lillian Hung: In the morning, I did look at some of the poster and there was one poster from Australia that looked at dementia-friendly communities. That was very interesting. Then she interviewed some of the community planner to see how, what can be done to better support people living in the community. Dr Ríona McArdle: Was that the poster to do with dementia-friendly communities and government where they were trying to get government to push them? Dr Lillian Hung: Yeah. Dr Ríona McArdle: I thought that was really interesting, actually. I thought that one as well. Dr Lillian Hung: I’m always interested in how, as like the question they asked on the Tech Day about as a scientist, how could we better work with policymakers and governments to make a biggest impact, because I encountered a lot of difficulties that I want to include people that they don’t have access to wifi. It makes it very challenging to do. Even in the nursing home that you can have certain areas that have really good wifi and across the next room that has no wifi, then that person could not put the telepresence robot there because there’s no wifi. Dr Ríona McArdle: It’s such an important thing, isn’t it? Because I think that we don’t think about that very often, that a lot of people don’t have access to wifi, because it’s such an \[inaudible 00:30:15\]. Like in the UK, there’s an Ofcom report that says that 40% of people over, I think it’s 65, don’t have a smartphone, so they couldn’t possibly use it when we design these apps for smartphones and all those kind of things. So it’s really interesting, because that is something that’s a government push of free, accessible wifi to everyone of at least a basic standard. I thought that was a really good question and there wasn’t really an answer for it. But I think it would be so interesting to have a session at something like AAIC about working with policymakers, because we do this at Newcastle University. We’ve got a Policy Academy, which I was part of, and you do nine months of training of how to interact with policy. So either- Dr Lillian Hung: So wonderful. Dr Ríona McArdle: It was amazing. So either the government, the local community, the NHS, and they bring in professors and researchers who have worked with policy and have successfully implemented things in. They all have different stories about how they did it, but kind of the main thing that I noticed coming out of those for medical research was the patient voice and getting the patients to advocate for you. I’ve gone off on a bit of a tangent \[inaudible 00:31:22\]. But they had Professor Roy Taylor talking about his diabetes work and his diabetes intervention, which reduces your, I think it’s type 2 diabetes, to a point actually where it’s gone, you don’t have it anymore. But it was very hard for them to push that through and what he did was he wrote a book on it. Dr Ríona McArdle: He got patients to talk about it. They went into their doctors and they said, “I could have this intervention while you’re not offering me this intervention.” And now it is an intervention in the NHS because of that. So I think it would be great to see people who have changed policy for dementia and hear their stories at a day like an Alzheimer’s Association Day. Dr Lillian Hung: Policy Academy? Dr Ríona McArdle: Yeah. Dr Lillian Hung: That’s what we need. Dr Ríona McArdle: Policy Academy. Sarah Gregory: Yeah, it sounds so interesting. Dr Ríona McArdle: It’s so cool, honestly. It’s such a cool little thing Newcastle University do. And you learn so much about government structures, things that I would just never know, like how the UK government actually influence policy, how you can speak to them, the ways that you can address them and that kind of thing. And it will be completely different internationally for different places, but it would be really, really cool to see how people do it. Dr Sarah-Naomi James: That’s so important. It feels like we need to be doing that work in parallel, doesn’t it? Alongside developing our work. We talked a lot about this in the Social Determinants of Health Workshop. We were talking particularly, one of the risk factors with the most evidence of risk reduction is hypertension and we know enough now to know that we need to start doing more to reduce hypertension in the community. We have the medication for it. So why aren’t we doing it? Why aren’t we getting better? I feel like that’s a very clear example where actually we know what we need to do as scientists, but then we need other people to help implement it. We need the targets, we need the clinicians to even get that message, we need people of course then to hopefully take a bit of the responsibility and ask them for that as well. The science is there now. And so we need to build on that with other people to make it into practice. Dr Ríona McArdle: Yeah. Sarah Gregory: Brilliant. Well, that’s all we have time for today. I think it’s been really interesting that the same themes have basically come up across all days, equality, diversity, inclusion, and co-design being at the center of what we do. It’s really nice to see those themes going throughout the whole conference. So as ever, you can find Twitter links and bios for today’s guests on the Dementia Researcher website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.acuk. So it’s time to end today’s podcast recording. I’d like to thank our guests, Dr. Lillian Hung, Dr. Riona McArdle and Dr. Sarah-Naomi James. Please remember to subscribe and come back tomorrow for more reflections from day two of the conference. You’ll find a massive amount of information on social media using the hashtag #AAIC2022 or #AAIC22. You can also go to alz.org/aaic for more information and potentially watch a 360 video version of this podcast on YouTube. Thank you, everyone. Voice Over: Brought you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast on **[iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher)** and **[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A)** (and most podcast apps) – **[our narrated blogs are now also available as a podcast.](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG?si=g0m9zgctTAmAfEmAavmmng)** This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC22, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Lillian Hung, Dr Ríona McArdle, Dr Sarah-Naomi James, Podcast, Sarah Gregory **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2022 Day Two](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2022-day-two/) **Published:** August 3, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Isabel Castanho guest hosts the second highlight podcast covering day two of the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in San Diego **Content:** **Coverage from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) bringing together four attendees to chat over coffee, and share their highlights.** In todays show, we welcome back **[Dr Isabel Castanho](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-isabel-castanho/ "Profile – Dr Isabel Castanho, Harvard Medical School")** to take her first turn in the hosts chair, with special guests and show newcomers **[Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-annalise-rahman-filipiak-university-of-michigan/ "Profile – Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak, University of Michigan")** from University of Michigan, **[Dr Connor Richardson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/ "Profile – Dr Connor Richardson, Newcastle University")** from Newcastle University and **[Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-bhargav-teja-nallapu-albert-einstein-college-of-medicine/ "Profile – Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu, Albert Einstein College of Medicine")** from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Sharing highlights from the second day of the worlds largest dementia conference. Follow the conference live at [\#AAIC22](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AAIC22&src=typeahead_click&f=live) --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** Voice Over: Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. Dr Isabel Castanho: Hello, welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast on location from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, or AAIC, in sunny San Diego. I’m Dr. Isabel Castanho, and today I have the pleasure of guest hosting the second of four show series being recorded each day at AAIC. As part of this series, we’re sharing highlights with fantastic early career researcher guests. Today, we’re going to cover the second day, although with so much pre-conference activity, you could argue this is day four. But to clarify, I’m talking about Monday. Before we start, let’s make some introductions. For those who don’t know me, I’m a research fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, or BIDMC Harvard Medical School in Boston, working with Dr. Winston Hyatt. In my current position, I’m investigating protective mechanisms to Alzheimer’s disease with a special interest in single cell and spatial transcriptomics. I am thrilled to be at AAIC in person this year for lots of reasons. Dr Isabel Castanho: One of them being because it always have a special place in my heart really after being an ISTAART student volunteer, now called ambassador, twice during my PhD. If you’re a student listening to this podcast, make sure to check how you can apply to become an ISTAART student ambassador next year. I guarantee that it is lots of fun and absolutely amazing for networking and for making friends for life. Let’s move on to our brilliant guests. I’m delighted to introduce three people who are entirely new to the show, Dr. Annalise Rahman-Filipiak, Dr. Bhargav Nallapu, and Dr. Connor Richardson. Hello, everyone. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: Hi. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Hello. Dr Isabel Castanho: Welcome. Annalise, tell us about yourself please. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: Well, first, thanks so much for inviting me. This is really exciting. So I am a clinical neuropsychologist and I work over at the University of Michigan with the research program on cognition and neuromodulation based interventions. I’m also an assistant professor with the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and most of my work focuses on culturally informed biomarker disclosure practices, so basically thinking about how we communicate about biomarker results to diverse populations. Dr Isabel Castanho: Wow. That’s really interesting. Thank you. Bhargav, go ahead and introduce yourself please. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Yes. To begin with, thank you for having me here, and I’m really glad to be here. I’m Bhargav Nallapu and I’m post-doctoral researcher with Albert Einstein College of Medicine in department of neurology. I work with Dr. Rezarti and Dr. Lipton, and our team uses machine learning to understand the predictive power of biomarkers in terms of disease progression, or prognostic of NAD. And yes, I’m really excited to be in this conference and to be talking with you all. Dr Isabel Castanho: Thank you. Connor, let’s come to you. Dr Connor Richardson: Hi, I’m Connor. Again, thank you for having me. This is really exciting. I’m a post-doc at the University of Newcastle in the UK, and I work on the cognitive function and aging studies, which is a very large, multi-center population representative cohort of older people in the UK. I work with professor Fiona Matthews and we primarily look at modeling longitudinal risk of dementia across time in the UK at a population level. But we don’t just work with dementia. We look at a whole range of health outcomes for older people at the moment, as well as dementia. I’m also looking at loneliness and depression caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Dr Isabel Castanho: Wow. This is really interesting. I’m surrounded by brilliant scientists. So I’m actually going to break the ice for a little bit now by starting with asking you about Sunday’s welcome reception. This is a little bit of cheating because it’s not about Monday, but I had so much fun and I would like to hear if you guys had fun. For our listeners that were not there or here, the reception was California themed with several cities represented in different areas of the venue, and there were live statues that were absolutely incredible. I was particularly fascinated by the lady dressed as a water fountain who never lost character by one moment. And I think my actual favorite part of the night was the Hollywood area that had a red carpet with paparazzi taking photos of you and asking you questions about your new movie while you walked down the red carpet. That was so much fun. What about our guests? Did you enjoy Sunday’s reception? Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: It was something else for sure. Not a reception that I’ve seen at some of the conferences I traditionally attended. This is my first AAIC in person. Nothing says Alzheimer’s disease research like a lady fanning herself in a cocktail glass. But yeah, it was amazing to see just the entertainment and the interactions. People really got into it. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Yes, it was really amazing. And I agree with you. One of my favorite parts was the paparazzi taking photos, and I’m glad that I got my niece excited. When I shared that, she thought, “Okay, this is how scientists are received.” So that’s great. So I got her excited to get \[inaudible 00:05:25\]. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: Good PR for us. Dr Connor Richardson: Yeah, it was excellent. It was definitely the first kind of reception that I’ve ever been to at a conference. And it was awesome because you met people that very first day and then by the nighttime you’re dancing away with them, which was just excellent. Dr Isabel Castanho: Yeah. I’ve seen quite a few reception from AAIC. AAIC, I guess, goes a bit overboard with that, but it’s fun because it actually makes us interact with each other, meet other people, network. So it’s really, really fun. Okay. So back to work. All of today’s guests are presenting this year at AAIC. Connor, you presented on using machine learning for future ranking and classification. Do you want to tell us more about it? Dr Connor Richardson: Yeah. So what I presented today is really the first stages in following up a paper that myself and a group at Newcastle and Sheffield University collaborated with University of College, London. And I mentioned before where I work with the cognitive function aging studies. So as well as being a large population cohort that collects a lot of demographic data or in health data about participants. It also has quite a sizable brand bank. So we have about 600 brands in the \[inaudible 00:06:43\] brand bank. And what we published last year was updating our dementia risk models for new neuropathologies, which we’ve, over recent years, been able to stand in for which we couldn’t previously. We also identified a brand new pathology caused by serum amyloid protein, serum amyloid component P. So we wanted to try and again update our methodologies and try and move into this machine learning space. Dr Connor Richardson: So we tried to go a little bit against the grain of how machine learning’s normally done. So we took a different approach from trying to model as many different neuropathology variables as we can and see what happens. We took what we’d been working on from our classical epidemiological model into things that we knew had a robust risk profile for dementia and tried to put those six variables which we knew about, including the new one for SAP, into a machine learning model, and to really see whether this kind of machine learning approach tells us anything different or anything more than what our classical epidemiological models did. We found a couple of pretty cool findings. So we found that using things like decision trees, you get an idea of at what points certain neuro pathologies become more important than each other. Dr Connor Richardson: So we found that serum amyloid component P was quite important in differentiating dementia risk in people who had quite low \[inaudible 00:08:16\] staging, but we also found quite a few issues with it. We found that in comparison to using the epidemiological modeling we did before, just your normal logistic regression models, the machine learning didn’t really add a huge amount of information to what we had before. And actually, in certain neuropathologies where you have quite low numbers in the cohort, like Lewy bodies, it actually throws out some quite strange results. So it told us that Lewy bodies had the least importance of determining dementia risk, which is obviously not right if you have Lewy body dementia. I’ve had a lot of interesting discussions about whether people approach this kind of determining dementia risk from a statistical epidemiological point of view or a data science point of view, and both camps seem to have quite differing opinions on how these models work. But yeah, it’s been really interesting. Dr Isabel Castanho: Oh, interesting. Bhargav, I know you also do machine learning and you presented a poster on plasma based biomarkers and you’re also giving a lightning presentation on Wednesday. Want to tell us more about that work? Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Yes. Sure. And actually, to start with, Connor gave a very good overview of the trade offs and the benefits of using machine learning in this field. And I, for myself, we focus on AD pathology and the data from biomarkers and cognitive assessments and we try to use machine learning to understand the progression or the predictive power of these biomarkers. But with keeping in mind that we are not looking for some best performing models with complicated machine learning behind them. At the end of the day, it’s the clinical relevance that we are looking at, especially when you talk about biomarkers and the different kind of complexities involved in plasma or CSF or MRI. So that’s what we are trying to understand what each of these contribute to our ability to understand the progression of disease. So that’s actually kind of work that I presented related to plasma based biomarkers. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: And on the other hand, the lightning presentation is going to be on understanding the effect of alcohol on cognition. And why that is something that we felt was important to understand is because alcohol is one of the biggest modifiable risks in dementia. And moreover, we were actually observing the differences of effects probably in sex is differently or in the status of Abeta in their brain, different effects. So that’s one of the reasons we were interested in understanding these effects of alcohol consumption on cognition and in different sexes. So that’s the lightning presentation on Wednesday. So yes, it’d be great if you could attend that. Dr Isabel Castanho: Thank you for sharing. And before we started recording, you actually shared something on when you think about the best biomarkers, you actually take into consideration how easy it is for the participants or for people that you’re trying to use them on. Do you want to tell more about that? Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Exactly. Thank you for raising the point, because that’s exactly our goal in this endeavor is not to come up with a complicated model that achieves some best performance. In fact, I started this work with a simple table that gives you an idea of, what is the ease of acquiring this biomarker data and what is the cost involved in it and what is the discomfort involved in it for a patient? And I’m trying to understand, how does this map to their contribution in our analysis and in models? How far is plasma getting compared to a neuropsych assessment or an MRI? We all know that PET scans can be very powerful to understand or MRI can be powerful, but the question is, okay, but how far can plasma get? When is it good enough? Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: What’s the incremental predictive validity of that information over stuff we can acquire precisely easily? Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Precisely. Yes. So that’s one of the important lines we are taking in doing this modeling work. Dr Isabel Castanho: I love that. Thank you. Thank you for going through that. Annalise, you are giving a presentation on Thursday. Want to share some more details with us and why our listeners should not miss it? Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: Sure. So I am co-chairing and presenting in a session that will bring together some researchers from University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh and University of Wisconsin, almost all of whom are early careers, so shout out to all of them, but we’re going to be talking broadly about considerations for PET biomarker disclosure. We all work together to some extent in the Advisory Group for Risk Evidence Education in Dementia, or AGREED, which is an international work group that incorporates stakeholders, patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, others, all who care about communication of results back to research participants or patients. And so we’re going to be talking a little bit about the steps that need to be taken for ethical and safe biomarker disclosure, the potential impact of that information in folks’ lives, how to incorporate diversity factors in the way that you do this. I know it is the last session of the conference, but change your travel plans, y’all. And come to it. That would be great. Dr Isabel Castanho: Thank you. That’s really interesting. Okay. Let’s get down to business on highlights from Monday. For those who are new to the format of these shows, we really just go around and talk about our favorite bits from the conference. As I’m hosting, I thought of starting by sharing one of mine first when I was preparing for this podcast. Unfortunately, I did not have much room to breathe yesterday because I stayed by my poster all day that turned out to be very popular, much more than I was expecting. Dr Isabel Castanho: So my highlight is going to be a bit biased since I did not get the chance to see many of the presentations I planned to see. I really enjoyed The Plenary, by Dr. Thomas Beach, who called our attention into the importance of definitions and classifications in neurodegenerative diseases and gave us a beautiful overview of neuropathologists throughout history, comorbidities, highlighted the good and bad sides of reductionisms. I really recommend his talk if you haven’t seen it yet. I know that I will re-watch it by taking advantage of the fact that it was recorded and it’s a hybrid format. What about our guests? What are your highlights from yesterday, Annalise? Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: In line with what we’ve been talking about, I think a lot of these complex modeling and computational modeling, machine learning approaches have the opportunity to use large data sets. I think a problem of some of those large data sets is a lack of representation from underserved and underrepresented communities. So I was really excited to attend the featured research symposium that talked about the crisis of under-representation in ADRD studies. Just such a rich, amazing presentation. And I think they balanced contextual information, historical information with really tangible current recommendations very well. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: So some of the folks that I want to highlight from there, Kylie Smith is a historian in nursing, I think, at Emory, and she started that featured research symposium really highlighting the historical context. I think many of us know about some of the more obvious and egregious ethical atrocities that have been enacted upon the Black community, things like Tuskegee, but she presented some really nice data that was drawn from primary data, historical data from asylums in the South, the American South, just showing racialized diagnostic procedures and how that really colors the data that we have today, the way we diagnose different individuals and what we quote unquote know about race differences in different diagnostic categories within dementia. So I think she presented that information beautifully. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: And then within that presentation as well, there were some really great tangible recommendations from people like Dr. Jackson, so Jonathan Jackson, from Jen Langer, who is at U Pitt, and from a few other folks there about really empirically supported strategies for engaging underserved communities. So they presented relational organizing strategy, which really comes from the political space, and just reflecting on how that is such an important, but time consuming and effort consuming practice and how really, what that points to is that we need to be budgeting that time and energy and effort into our timelines, into our grants, into our tenure plans, all of those things, if we really want to do this well. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: There were some other speakers, so Jason Flatt and Crystal Kittle, who were from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and they presented some really great data and suggestions about sexual and gender minority populations, and really thinking about how intersectional identities can influence your cumulative risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but also the way that you experience that diagnosis, the way you provide care, the burden. So one take home that I thought was really powerful from Crystal’s presentation was this idea that caregivers who are sexual and gender minorities are, over time, navigating their own identities and maybe the conflicts that they might have had with their parents that they’re now taking care of, and at the same time, experiencing the well known discrimination, implicit and explicit, around healthcare for those individuals. So I just thought it was an incredibly comprehensive and powerful set of talks. I really appreciated it. Dr Isabel Castanho: Wow. Thank you for giving us so many details. Hopefully our listeners will check all those talks. What about you, Bhargav? Anything that you found particularly fascinating yesterday? Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Definitely a bunch of them. Actually, before that, I really would like to thank Annalise for highlighting those talks and the work. Because on one side, we are aware that one of the underlying themes of this conference, we have been hearing about more diversity that is needed in this research, but what Annalise highlighted just now is not only the diversity in the clinical research we are doing, but the importance of educating these demographics. And I think that’s one of the crucial things that you also pointed out that was there in many of these talks. So I find it really amazing. And then for myself, I found a couple of them really interesting at a high level, particularly the research on plasma biomarkers. There was a hybrid symposium that was in the morning, which was titled The Road to Clinical Implementation of Plasma Biomarkers, which I believe all of us are really excited and interested to know more about. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: And all four of them, there was Dr. Charlotte Tenneson and Dr. Oscar Hansen, and one of the very interesting studies actually involving Colombian cohorts that was presented by Dr. Yaki Kiros. And then finally, it was Douglas Glasco, Dr. Douglas Glasco who highlighted the standardization, even in the process of taking plasma research and plasma biomarkers on the way to clinical applications, Dr. Douglas Glasco highlighted the importance of standardizing these and importance of having some risk score predictions. I thought the whole session was amazing to begin with. And then on the other side, since my background is machine learning, I was also looking out for different exciting works on that front. What I found interesting was a round of oral sessions where it was mostly concentrating on identifying subtypes within the AD pathologists, which I found interesting because we all know how heterogeneous AD pathology is. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: And then when you’re using these methods to identify these subtypes and understand how they’re differing in terms of progression or in terms of their imaging atrophy in the brain, that I found to be a very promising direction. Because like I mentioned before, one of the challenges of using machine learning is the explainability of it. That is the most important thing we need to concentrate on when we are trying to apply that in a clinical context. And when I saw this set of talks, in fact, one of my colleagues, Dr. Kellen Peterson, presented one of the methods on that and researchers from the Amsterdam Alzheimer’s Department, I think it was led by Dr. \[inaudible 00:21:07\]. And I also heard actually, she gave a very great talk on digital biomarkers and my supervisor pointed out, Mr. Darko Azati, pointed out that he was really impressed by the pipeline of digital biomarkers they have. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: So this whole field is super exciting for me, one, because I’m from that background. And two, I also think if it’s done in the right way with the correct clinical implications and relevance \[inaudible 00:21:35\] into it, I think it’s a very promising method that’s going to come out for the field. And last, I would like to highlight one other interesting thing I saw in the poster sessions, which I did not think of before coming to the conference, is the care side of this. So we are all talking about the scientific research side of this, but I found it really interesting that there was a section of posters which were concentrating on the patient care after diagnosis and I found it really pleasing to see that, okay, this is also a very crucial aspect, and I was happy to see many posters on that front. Dr Isabel Castanho: Right. Yeah. Actually, on the first day on Sunday at lunch, I ended up sitting in the same table as a participant from ADNE, and that was fascinating to hear about her side. So different to care, but even it was so nice for me to see participants here with us and sharing their concerns and their feedback. That was really amazing. So thank you. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Exactly. That’s what we want, right? A patient-centric research that ultimately, it’s them that we want to benefit from. Dr Isabel Castanho: Exactly. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: Yeah. It keeps us very grounded in aligning our priorities with those of patients, of caregivers, of others in the community. Dr Connor Richardson: Yeah. When I studied for my PhD actually, I was funded by the Alzheimer Society in the UK, and they do a similar, a much smaller scale conference to this, but it’s quite unique in that half the people they invite are researchers. The other half of people they invite are their volunteer teams. So you go to the conference, you meet all the volunteers who raised the money and it’s an amazing experience because you realize how close it is to the people, how much it matters to people.T he first few times I went, it was actually a little bit emotional because you meet people and they’re thanking you and they’re like, “Thank you so much for what you do.” And like you say, it’s totally grounding and you think, “Oh my goodness, what I do is nothing compared to the things you’ve been through.” Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: I also think it sometimes highlights for me how our training really lacks communication to the lay community and training in that aspect. I think we’re really good at giving scientific talks and writing academic papers and that kind of thing but we often don’t take the time to train effectively on lay communication. One of the reasons why podcasts like this are so important, but it’s great to go out there and do some of these community talks or just interact with your participants to share your results and find out that the real question is, how does this impact my life on a day to day or the lives of those in my community? So I think that’s really pushed me to think more critically about how to do that. Dr Isabel Castanho: I agree. And I share your thoughts, Connor. My PhD was also funded by the Alzheimer’s Society. I did it at the University of Exeter. And I actually share shared in the past with the Alzheimer’s Association, how even Alzheimer’s Research UK also usually does this at the conference. And for me, that’s such a big highlight of the conference when I hear someone that experienced dementia at some level, either them personally or someone close to them. And I agree, Annalise, that actually I keep saying it actually takes us out of our day to day challenges with experiments and grants and papers and reminds us why we’re doing this, and it’s so great. Dr Connor Richardson: Yeah. Well, I think if I could just jump at one of my highlights from yesterday, I completely agree with Annalise. I thought the under-representation in dementia research was just an outstanding symposium. And there was something Jonathan Jackson said that really stood out to me and it adds to what we’re taught about now is that as researchers, we know so much about this one niche thing that we study and sometimes you lose sight of the broader aspect of it. As a biostatistician myself and working on these large population cohorts, we say all the time, “This cohort’s representative.” And in some ways, in a lot of ways, it is. In other ways, it’s probably not. And I think sometimes, you feel, as a biostatistician, that you’ve got to take account of everything. Dr Connor Richardson: And what Jonathan said was, “Well, you don’t because you’re trained as a statistician. You’re not trained in the historical perspectives of why there’s so many inequities, why these inequities exist, and you shouldn’t be expected to know all that.” And I think one of the important things he said was that we really need to broaden the team and you shouldn’t be a biostatistician that has an expertise in how to approach ethnic minorities. We should be broadened how to say, “Well, we need someone who is an expert in these things and bring them into the team and they can advise on these things.” There shouldn’t be an expectation of, well, you need to understand everything, because we can’t understand everything. You need people to advise on these things. But I thought that symposium on the whole was just fantastic. Dr Connor Richardson: And Jason Flatt’s from the University of Nevada, I thought’s, talk was amazing. And I just thought it was so refreshing because he spent a long time talking about the terminology that we use for sexual and gender minorities. I’m a gay man myself and I just thought, “Oh my God, I am so uneducated.” This is the community that I’m a part of. I never think about these things. And there’s so much that you don’t think about. And I just thought it was so refreshing to hear someone explain things like terminology and how we talk about these groups in such a calm and reflective way because it’s all over the media at the moment. These discussions get so hot and it can cause so much hurt to people and it was just so refreshing to hear someone describe it in such a calm, collected way. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: Can I add a comment to that? Dr Connor Richardson: Yeah. Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak: I think what you’re saying is so important, because even in reflecting in my own journey in research, language is so important and I think it’s also a huge barrier for people. Not knowing the correct terminology in this space where it is really hot and it’s a tough climate, some people just avoid it. They avoid studying those populations, talking about those populations because they don’t know how to talk about it effectively. I think, as you said, Jason’s presentation and others were so great at taking the time to go through that. I think he actually has a… There’s a follow up symposium. I think it’s 14.6A. If I’m remembering correctly, it’s tomorrow afternoon, where they said they’d be going through some of that in more detail. So preview for tomorrow. Dr Connor Richardson: Yeah. Even just the science behind it was just stuff that I didn’t even know. I had no idea how much higher prevalence of dementia is in LGBT and transgender communities. You think of it in the abstract of, all minorities have issues in the specific issues in how they approach care and being underrepresented by health services, but I’ve never really thought about in the specifics. It was really eye opening, and like I said, just something I’d never thought of. And I think that’s what it’s all about really is you come here expecting to sit in something about plasma based biomarkers and you get your mind completely opened up to whole broader issues and it’s just fantastic. Dr Isabel Castanho: Thank you, Connor. Okay. That is all we have time for today unfortunately. This has been a blast. It was a real pleasure to host these brilliant scientists. You can find bios and Twitter links for today’s guests, including myself, on the dementia researcher website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. I would like to thank our guests, Dr. Annalise Rahman-Filipiak, Dr. Bhargav Nallapu, and Dr. Connor Richardson. Thank you so much for being here today with you. Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu: Thank you. Dr Isabel Castanho: And I would like to thank Dementia Researcher for inviting me to host today’s podcast episode. Thank you for the opportunity. It was a real pleasure to have a chat with our fabulous guests today. To our listeners, please remember to subscribe and come back tomorrow for more reflections from day three of the conference. You will also find a massive amount of information on social media using #AAIC22. So A-I-C-C two, and you can also go to alz.org/aaic for more information. Thank you, and see you around. Voice Over: Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast on **[iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher)** and **[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A)** (and most podcast apps) – **[our narrated blogs are now also available as a podcast.](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG?si=g0m9zgctTAmAfEmAavmmng)** This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC22, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Annalise Rahman-Filipiak, Dr Bhargav Teja Nallapu, Dr Connor Richardson, Dr Isabel Castanho, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2022 Day Three](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2022-day-three/) **Published:** August 4, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Early Career Researchers sharing highlights from the third day of the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in San Diego, **Content:** **Coverage from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) bringing together early career researchers to share their conference highlights.** In today’s show, [**Dr Sarah Bauermeister**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-sarah-bauermeister/ "Profile – Dr Sarah Bauermeister") from University of Oxford hosts, with guests **[Dr Claire Lancaster](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-claire-lancaster/ "Profile – Dr Claire Lancaster")** from University of Sussex, [**Esther Hui**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-esther-hui-university-college-london/ "Profile – Esther Hui, University College London") from University College London and and [**Dr Darina Petrovsky**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-darina-petrovsky-rutgers-university/ "Profile – Dr Darina Petrovsky, Rutgers University"), Rutgers University Sharing highlights from the third day of the world’s largest dementia conference. Follow the conference live at [\#AAIC22](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AAIC22&src=typeahead_click&f=live) --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** Voice Over: Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Hello and welcome to the Dementia Research podcast, on location from Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego. So I’m Dr. Sarah Bauermeister. And today I have the pleasure of guest hosting the third of these special podcasts, sharing highlights with three fantastic early career research guests. So today, we’re going to cover the third day of the conference, but before we start, let me make some introductions. So those who don’t know me, I am Dr. Sarah Bauermeister, I’m a senior scientist at the University of Oxford, where I run a program looking at early adversity and dementia, and I’m also senior data manager for Dementias Platform UK. So let’s move on to our brilliant guests. I’m delighted to introduce Esther Hui, Dr. Claire Lancaster and Dr. Darina Petrovsky. Hi everybody. Dr Claire Lancaster: Hello. Esther Hui: Hi. Dr Darina Petrovsky: Hi. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Okay, so let’s get on with your introductions. So Esther, tell us a little bit about yourself. Esther Hui: Hi everyone. So I’m Esther and I’m a final year PhD candidate at University College London. I make and test psychosocial interventions for people with dementia. So for my PhD, I developed a virtual individual cognitive simulation therapy, which is a facilitator delivered and 14th version of ICSC that’s virtual. And I kind of tested it in Hong Kong as well as the UK. And I’m submitting my thesis in a month. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Well, congratulations on the pending submission and thank you. It’s really interesting field. So Claire, I know you’re a regular on these Roundup shows. So any tips you can offer, do let me know. You go ahead and introduce yourself, please. Dr Claire Lancaster: So I’m an Alzheimer’s Society research fellow working at the University of Sussex. I’m interested in the kind of cognitive consequences of functional hyperactivity or aberrant hyperactivity in carriers of a genetic risk variant. I mainly focus on people who are healthy and in midlife because I’m really interested in preventative strategies and I’m currently looking at an anti epileptic to see if taking a very low dose of it can actually improve cognition in people who are at risk. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Ah, nice. Very, very interesting. I must talk to you about our neuro deficit poster that we had up the other day and see what overlap we have with your work. So Darina, can I come to you now? And maybe you can also tell us about your new role in iStart. Dr Darina Petrovsky: Sure. So thank you so much for having me on here. My name is Darina Petrovsky. I’m an assistant professor and nurse scientist at Rutgers University School of Nursing and the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research at Rutgers. I just finished my first year as a faculty member, so very exciting. And prior to that, I was a postdoc at the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S., as well as NYU on New York University. My work center is around music based interventions for older adults, living with dementia and their caregivers. Right now, in my current project, I’m testing and developing mobile based application, music based application for this population. And this is actually my first time attending AIC in person, although you would think that I should have been here all these years since this is my area of work, but I’m really excited to attend. Dr Darina Petrovsky: And then to answer your second part of the question. Yes, so I started as a programs chair under the PEERs PIA with iStart. So my responsibilities are going to be primarily on organizing webinars and other events related to promote careers of early career researchers. So glad to be here. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Oh, well, welcome. And fantastic news on your faculty position. Well done for that, and it looks like you’re going to have a really busy time ahead of you with the iStart work as well. So let’s get down to business. What I’m going to ask you a little bit about is what do you think of San Diego? Any comments from any of you? Dr Claire Lancaster: I absolutely love it. It’s really relaxed, it’s really fun, it’s really beautiful. Yeah. Big fan. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Great. Any other comments? Dr Darina Petrovsky: I’m amazed by how many steps I’m able to get in everyday. And I was just talking with somebody at breakfast that they’re averaging about 10,000 steps and I think given maybe it was strategic in terms of the planning committee organized it. So I really like the open space here and obviously I love the water and the boats and everything. So that’s been really exciting. I’m staying about a mile away from the convention center, so actually, I’m glad I did that because I’m kind of exploring more of San Diego outside of what’s on the waterfront. So this is my second time in the city and it’s very exciting. It’s beautiful. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Lovely. I can attest to the steps. I think I did 29,000 the other day looking for a T-shirt because I didn’t bring enough clothes. I packed a bit too light. Dr Darina Petrovsky: Says no one ever. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Yes. So Esther, what do you think is San Diego? Esther Hui: Yeah. It’s really nice. I like that we are by the water always. Because I’m from Hong Kong I love water. So it was nice that we’re close by. I really like this venue as well, it is quite spacious. So if we want to have meetings with other people, during the conference, it’s very easy to find a spot. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Yeah. I must say the venue has been fantastic and I think I’ve been spoiled with the morning runs along the seafront. I don’t know how I’m going to get back used to running in Oxford again. So right, this is a question to all of you actually, and feel free to speak about your presentations. Have any of you presented at the conference and would you like to tell me a little bit about your presentation? Esther Hui: Yeah. So I presented on my main PhD study yesterday as opposed to presentation and I think it should be still online. So I ran a feasibility randomized control trial in the UK for the virtual individual chronic to simulation therapy. So the presentation is on that. So we found that it’s feasible and also acceptable to run the study, so if you are interested to know more, you can find it on the AIC website. So my intervention is essentially a hybrid of CST and also iCST and then merge it together and put in a virtual platform unlike before. Because the original iCST was \[inaudible 00:08:07\] delivered, but this one is different because it’s facilitated delivered and we do see effect size and quality function that’s similar to the original CST, but I can’t really say too much because it’s obviously very underpowered, so we need a larger trial to find out more. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Oh well fantastic. And has the response to your research been very positive in general? Esther Hui: Yeah, so far. I’m amazed at the amount of people that actually came up to me and wanted to talk about it. So I’m glad I printed out four pieces of versions of it so I can just hand out. Dr Darina Petrovsky: I commend you for whipping out poster upon command. When I met you yesterday evening, you just said, “Oh well here’s my poster, here you go.” More information, so take note, anybody who is listening to have your business card and perhaps a copy of your poster nearby. Good job. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Yeah. Well done on that. Anyone else wants to tell the listeners about a presentation they’ve given here or a talk or even a conversation? Dr Claire Lancaster: I presented on Sunday and again, it was a poster. I was presenting the results of a web based cognitive study. So we were looking at mnemonic discrimination performance in about 400 middle aged people grouped by APOE genotype. So I was really interested in this because mnemonic discrimination reliably correlates with patterns of functional hyperactivity in the hippocampus and counter to my hypotheses that E force would show impairments in mnemonic discrimination. Their performance was remarkably similar to the \[inaudible 00:09:56\] and it was really large sample size. So I was quite surprised, but probably suggest there’s no effect in midlife, which in itself is very interesting. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: That’s really interesting. And so possibly do you think if you just go up and into older age, you might find those facts? Dr Claire Lancaster: I would think so. So my next step is to do a larger lifespan study because I mainly focus on kind of young adults and mid-age adults, but definitely extending it to a wider population and kind of looking at how different kind of lifestyle characteristics exacerbate kind of detrimental effects of the gene is what I’m really interested in doing next. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Fantastic. Really interesting. Anyone else, wants to tell us about before we start going over some of the highlights of the conference? Dr Darina Petrovsky: I have not presented this time. I really wanted to see sort of what the conference is about first. But I definitely, I was really impressed by… I have been impressed by all the posters and the presentations. So now I’m definitely excited to submit some of my work next year and the following year. So, since I’m not presenting, I try to maximize my time here and really use it for networking and meeting individuals because that is something that I’ve been deprived of given the pandemic. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: It’s incredibly valuable to do that. So as you said, even if you’re not presenting, the networking, the collaborative talks that you have with each other. And also I think sometimes if you’re not presenting, just attending frees you up to pick and choose your talks, the posters you want to look at without thinking, “Oh, I’ve got to present.” So I think I’d really want to encourage listeners to attend the conference irrespective of whether they’re presenting or not, especially early career researchers and students. Dr Darina Petrovsky: Yeah. I was going to add, I’m pretty fortunate that I have the funds to attend here even if I’m not presenting. But I understand that for some students, as a… In my case, when I was a PhD student, sometimes you had to present in order to receive funding to attend the conference. So this is, I’m very fortunate to have the funding, but absolutely, you have to take it all in. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Yeah. Make the most of a rich and diverse conference. So now I’m going to go around the table and I’m going to go first with Esther. And I’m going to ask each of you just to share a couple of highlights from the conference that really struck out to you as being exciting or special. So for example, I saw a poster, I actually tweeted the poster, looking at ethnic diversity and I’m running workshops this year funded by AR UK in the black, African and Caribbean community, trying to engage this population in dementia research. So I was really excited to see this poster, recognizing that we really need to address ethnic diversity, both in cohort populations, but also in our research. So that was my highlight, I think so far. So Esther, do you have a couple of highlights that you might want to talk about? Esther Hui: Yeah. So I am an ethnic minority. So things about that always stand out to me. So I think there was, plenary talk on homelessness and also aging and homelessness. And I think what shocked me about that whole… There are a lot of really good highlights from that presentation. But I think one statement really stood out to me was housing is medicine and it was shocking to me that minorities were affected. I think the figures were like three to four fold more than others. So that really like stood out to me. And yeah. So that was one of the highlights from that particular presentation. And I also went to the presentation on dementia care research interventions in dementia. So I was just quite amazed at the different types of nonpharmacological interventions that were included from like TDCS different telehealth interventions, VR. Yeah. And it’s also what I guess, something that stood out to me was a lot of these were actually feasible and acceptable. Like the VR was quite skeptical about VR therapy for people dementia initially. Dr Darina Petrovsky: Do you mean a virtual reality? Esther Hui: Yeah. Virtual reality. Sorry. A virtual reality therapy, but I was like, “Oh, like this actually seems to be working.” So yeah. That stood out to me. And also the though there was one presentation on preventing loss of independence through exercise. I think it was a from UCSF. I think what they had a clinical meaningful results for wellbeing, mobility, caregiver isolation, caregiver self-regulation, which was quite positive. And that they also found that there are like new benefits to actually moving the intervention from in person to online. I think they… I don’t remember very clearly, but I think they started out probably in person and then switch it to online. And that was quite encouraging too, that there are new benefits from moving an intervention online because I do like virtual intervention. So that also stood out to me. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Fantastic. I think that if we can move interventions to online, we suddenly can reach such a wider audience, I think. And it’s just so much easier because if we think of people who are cognitively impaired, it’s really difficult for them to travel and to get to places. So suddenly I think the use of virtual reality and online interventions is really, really important. And it’s very exciting to see that this is no longer just, “Oh, we are not sure if it’s the same.” But moving forward is a positive impact. Yeah. Dr Darina Petrovsky: For sure. There was a presentation, I think on Monday I want to say the days have blurred together, but a presentation from the fingers network. Right. I don’t know if you’ve attended that. But one of the speakers presented adherence rates to the intervention sort of pre COVID when they were in person transitioning to virtual and they’ve shown from the figures that he’s shown. I think that the adherence was actually very comparable to in person. This is I believe an individual’s with cognitive impairment and in one of the, I think adherence to… I forget whether it was physical exercise or one of the interventions was actually higher, a sort of virtually wise. And so they’ve concluded that even though pandemic has caused a lot of the sort of natural experiments to occur in this space, that there were still encouraging findings, that there were still able to adhere and fidelity was still high in when moving to an online format. So yeah. I wonder if there’s going to be a lot of reviews and systematic reviews published on this topic as this sort of natural experiment unfolded in front of us. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: It’s interesting because I think, I wonder if simply that… We became an online world didn’t we? During the pandemic. And so that perhaps looking at virtual reality as an intervention and online assessment and interventions, it’s much more readily accessible now simply because of, “Oh, it’s easy to go online or it’s acceptable to go online.” And I think that’s interesting to look at in itself. I don’t know how you would look at that. Don’t want to bring back another pandemic just to test it out. But any other highlights from the conference that really struck you? Dr Darina Petrovsky: Sure. I mean, I did also enjoy the homelessness and dementia talk yesterday. Just when the speaker opened up about just by going outside of the convention hall, not too far from here, this problem obviously exists. The session that I went to yesterday so was outside of the scientific sessions, but it was, I think we were both at, with Esther. It was organized by the aware \[inaudible 00:18:38\]. So the women in science, in this space and we had breakfast, I think a day before. And yesterday, there was a panel of three very distinguished women scientists. And they talked about sort of their windy roads of their careers. And they’ve shared some of the challenges and some of the highlights, some of the good things that happened. And we really had… Even though the room was very big and there was a lot of attendees, it did feel more intimate. Dr Darina Petrovsky: And you really had a chance to ask a lot of questions that you otherwise would not be able to ask. And so that was really truly highlight because I joined obviously the PEERs PIA and I’m very passionate about early… Promoting career researchers, but obviously, women in science is another topic that I’m really passionate about. So I really, really enjoyed those events. And obviously, that’s not sort of a content expertise, but I think navigating academia or industry as a women’s scientist, I think is really worth a thought. And I’m really glad that Alzheimer’s station leadership, Dr. Heather Snyder, Dr. Murray \[inaudible 00:19:57\], they’re very passionate about this topic and I’m glad to see several events dedicated to that. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Yes. So I think it’s very welcome to see that. And I think anyone missed some of those sessions. It’s very worth looking online to catch up on those. So Claire, tell us about any highlights, which struck you over the conference. Dr Claire Lancaster: So I went to a talk yesterday by our \[inaudible 00:20:24\] from the University of Oxford on the early results from the ILiAD trial. So this was a trial looking at the effect of Levetiracetam, which is an antiepileptic drug on cognition in people with Alzheimer’s disease. And it was super, super interesting to hear more about kind of the speaker’s thoughts on the connection between Alzheimer’s and epilepsy. I think it’s a huge area for kind of future research and has a lot of potential for new treatments. And obviously, the trial was hit really badly by COVID. So they only ended up recruiting about nine people. But even with these nine people, they could say, there was very few side effects of the drug. So it was really well tolerated and there was a small non-significant, but they only had about nine people effect of the drug and cognition. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: That’s really positive. Dr Claire Lancaster: The other thing which absolutely blew my mind was the homelessness talk by Margo \[inaudible 00:21:34\]. Yeah. I just never thought about it before. And I see always has these plenaries, which I’ve just blown my mind because I’ve just never considered it before. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Yeah. So I think across all of you, you’ve all mentioned the homelessness talk. And I think there’s definitely, I don’t know if you all agree, there’s more awareness now of people who are sidelined from mainstream research, such as their LGBTQ populations, such as the homelessness population. And I think it’s really refreshing to come to such a large international conference to see these issues, women in science as well, being addressed as key talks. So I’m really encouraged that these are starting to headline research. So before I wrap up, is there anyone else who would like to say anything about something which has really stood out this conference or actually, whether you’ve… Something you’ve really enjoyed, whether it was in the conference or outside of the conference. Baseball game, did anyone go to a baseball game? Dr Claire Lancaster: Did I go to a baseline game? AIC \[inaudible 00:22:56\] some very good parties. I’ve enjoyed the dancers with flashing lights. They’ve been good. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: I think that’s great. I think it’s all part of the conference experience that we can at least let our hair down and enjoy ourselves a little bit. Dr Darina Petrovsky: Yeah. There’ve been a couple of breakfast events organized by different peers. And I know I’ve heard really great things about the student and the postdoc luncheon experiences of any of you attended that, I have not. But I heard really, there was great attendance and I’ve just been trying to attend sessions this time around that are really outside of my conference zone. So for example, in yesterday’s session, I think that was intentional of the planning committee to pair up, the homelessness talk with the second talk, talked about the different genes in autosomal dominant. I don’t think I would’ve listened to the talk otherwise, but that is something that kind of, and I tried my best sort of to follow it and understand that the person who presented, he’s really well known in that part of the world and he’s done amazing things. And then I’ve been involved in some conversations that talks about the amyloid and the \[inaudible 00:24:16\]. And I’m like, “Okay, well, I’m following enough to at least have a very general sense of sort of what’s going on and kind of take it all in”. Dr Darina Petrovsky: And I’ve also had a chance to connect with our local chapter of the Alzheimer’s association. So right before leaving to go to this conference, I did a community education event there. And I saw that the executive director of our New Jersey chapter was going to be here as well. And I have never met her in person, even though we’re both live in the same state and well, because since most of the programming has been virtual, so I did connect with her and I feel like, okay, now, going back, I feel like, she knows who I am and I know who she is. And perhaps there would be something new and exciting coming out of it. So I would say those have been the highlights and it’s been amazing to… One other, I’m sorry, session. I do want to bring up was the research perspectives, the conversations with the award winners recipients. I thought that was so excellent. And I wish more of sort of the senior folks have visited the student and in post lounge because the programming has been excellent. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: I think that’s very encouraging feedback for AIC to hear this. Esther, any final comments? Esther Hui: Yeah. I really enjoyed the eventful women that we both went to yesterday. I think that was probably the highlight of AIC for me. Because they shared a lot of struggles and personal struggles that I could really relate to. And yeah. I think I thought it was very empowering and I’m looking forward to one of the speakers talk actually today on Delirium. So yeah. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Fantastic. So, well I think that’s all we have time for today and what are you all… So Esther’s just mentioned what she’s looking forward to today and what are you all looking forward to in today’s schedule? Dr Claire Lancaster: I think there’s a symposium on digital cognitive markers, which I’m quite excited for. Dr Darina Petrovsky: Yeah. I saw that. That’s pretty interesting. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Yeah. Okay. So maybe that’s where I head today. Dr Darina Petrovsky: And then of course I think the iStart reception I think is tonight. So that’s evening seems very appropriate to kind of end, almost end the conference. So I’m looking, of course, looking forward to that. And also the plenary talk of Dr. Sharon in OE is going to be very exciting. Dr Sarah Bauermeister: Okay. Well thank you so much. All three of you. So as ever you can find Twitter links and the bio for today’s guests on the dementia research website @dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. It’s time to end today’s podcast recording. And I’d like to thank our guests, the outstanding Esther Hui, the awesome Dr. Claire Lancaster and the brilliant Dr. Darina Petrovsky. Thank you very much and goodbye from me and from these wonderful guests. Voice Over: Brought to you by dementia researcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast on **[iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher)** and **[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A)** (and most podcast apps) – **[our narrated blogs are now also available as a podcast.](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG?si=g0m9zgctTAmAfEmAavmmng)** This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC22, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Claire Lancaster, Dr Darina Petrovsky, Dr Sarah Bauermeister, Esther Hui, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2022 Day Four](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2022-day-four/) **Published:** August 5, 2022 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Our last AAIC 2022 highlights podcast hosted by Dr Natasha Clarke with guests Dr Richard Lofthouse, Dr Diana Karamacoska and Anqesha Murray **Content:** **Coverage from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) bringing together early career researchers to share their conference highlights.** In the last of this weeks special shows, **[Dr Natasha Clarke](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-natasha-clarke-universitaire-de-geriatrie-de-montreal/ "Profile – Dr Natasha Clarke, Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal")** from Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal chairs the discussion with **[Dr Richard Lofthouse](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-richard-lofthouse-university-of-aberdeen/ "Profile – Dr Richard Lofthouse, University of Aberdeen")** from University of Aberdeen, **[Dr Diana Karamacoska](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-diana-karamacoska-western-sydney-university/ "Profile – Dr Diana Karamacoska, Western Sydney University")** from Western Sydney University and **[Anqesha Murray](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-anqesha-murray-rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/ "Profile – Anqesha Murray, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute")**, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York. Sharing highlights from the third day of the world’s largest dementia conference. Follow the conference live at [\#AAIC22](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AAIC22&src=typeahead_click&f=live) --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the NIHR Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by Dementia Researcher.NIHR.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Hello, welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast, on location from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in sunny San Diego. I’m Dr. Natasha Clarke and I will be your host for the last of these special recordings, sharing our conference highlights with three fantastic early career researchers. Today, we’re going to cover the fourth day of the conference, but before we start, let’s make some introductions. For those who don’t know me, I’m a postdoc SIMEXP Lab at the Institut Universitaire de Geriatrie de Montreal, where I research functional connectivity as a biomarker in Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders, as well as work on my French accent. My background is in psychology and machine learning, and so let’s move on to a brilliant guest. I’m delighted to introduce Dr. Diana Karamacoska, Anqesha Murray and Dr. Richard Lofthouse. Hi everyone. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Hi. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Diana, tell us about yourself. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Hello, hello. I’m Diana Karamacoska from Western Sydney University in Australia. I’m also a postdoc. I’m actually the first person in my family to go to university, so it’s a huge achievement for the Karamacoskas, and I am a cognitive neuroscientist by trade. That’s what I did my PhD studies in, and now my postdoc work focuses more on public health initiatives to raise awareness about dementia and how to look after your brain as you get older. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Fantastic. Anqesha, how about you? **Anqesha Murray:** Hi, my name’s Anqesha Murray. I’m a third year PhD student in biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. My background is in microbiology and immunology, but I actually joined a biophysics biochemistry lab. Not quite sure how that happened, but I’m looking at protein-protein interactions in Alzheimer’s disease, and neuroinflammation. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Cool. And I think you also have a role in ISTAART? **Anqesha Murray:** Yes, I am also the communications chair for the ISTAART PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Awesome. Richard? Last but not least? **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Sure. Hi, I’m Richie Lofthouse. I just finished my PhD up in the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. I’m researching biomarkers, specifically looking at Tau protein, and I’ve escaped the cold Northeast of Scotland to come to sunny San Diego for the week. Really enjoying it. So far, it’s been amazing. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Fantastic. We were saying earlier, we’ve got a nice array of accents around the table today. As we recall, this is almost the end of day on Wednesday and we’ve only got tomorrow morning left to go, so are you all sticking around until then? Are you conferenced out? It’s been quite an intense week. **Anqesha Murray:** Yes, it has been very eventful though. I’m leaving tomorrow at about 1:00, after checking out some museums and listening to a few of the sessions online. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Sounds good. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Yeah. I’ve been here, I came from the pre-conference as well, so I’ve been here, it’ll be eight days in total, so it’s been a total whirlwind, but going to stick around for tomorrow as well, and then as Anqesha said, check out some of the museums and then head on home. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah, likewise with Richard and Anqesha here. I’ll be leaving on Friday and I’m sticking around for a session tomorrow, looking at patient and public involvement in research. That’ll be really exciting. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Interesting. Yeah, I’m really excited for the session tomorrow on psychosis and neurology, but like Anqesha, you were saying, I’m also going to look back at some of the talks online, I think next week once I’ve caught up on sleep a bit. Actually, it’s really cool that we have access to those. And have any of you been presenting today, or at the confidence, and how did that go? **Anqesha Murray:** Do you want to go first, Diana? **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Oh yeah, sure, thank you. I presented a poster just the other day, and I was presenting on some work we’ve been doing with local governments in Western Sydney, looking at the challenges and opportunities that they face in designing supportive and physically enabling environments for people with dementia. I don’t know how into detail you want me to go with this, but- **Dr Natasha Clarke:** What are some of these challenges? Yeah, that sounds fascinating. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah, absolutely. At this stage, we don’t really have any state level policies that encourage designs for dementia. That refers to being conscious of what kind of cognitive or sensory issues can impact people’s functioning mobility and their engagement with their environments. Because of that, we’ve got a lack of action happening at the local level, in our cities, and so I’ve come in to address those issues. We’ve got a lot of people who are interested in finding out how they can better support and plan for the amount of people that live with dementia in the region. What we’ve heard from our workshop participants is that they need more education and training on what kind of resources, what kind of actions need to be put into place. They lack collaborating with the universities on that kind of information and services, and they really need the academic institutions to advocate to the state governments or federal governments to actually put into action or place these policies that are going to support them. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Wow. And so, what’s the next step for that piece of work, do you think? **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Great question. We are already talking about setting up an education program that’s going to touch on all levels of government and community, including businesses. Any touch point for people with dementia, we are trying to encourage people to be more aware and be more inclusive of people with dementia, their needs, as well as their careers and families, who may find it hard to go out and about with them. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** It sounds a bit like… There’s something in the UK called the Dementia Friends Program. I don’t know if you’ve heard of that, where- **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** We have it. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Oh, brilliant. Okay, yeah. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah, we are basing our education initiatives on the Dementia Friends Program, and we are delivering it in multiple languages. We’re going to be touching on a lot of English and non-English speaking communities, who are quite disadvantaged in our area. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** But yeah, that’s particularly impressive, because I went to a few sessions today on cross-cultural limitations and language particularly being a real issue. Yeah, that’s \[inaudible 00:06:52\]- **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah, absolutely. Just on that as well, I did see a lot of posters, not enough sessions, I’m going to put this out there, a lot of posters talking about recruitment challenges, but also strategies to boost recruitment with minoritized populations or people from diverse backgrounds, and it’s so fantastic to see the incredible work that’s being done on the ground to foster those relationships. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Maybe next year we’ll see some more talks on those as well. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** That would be great. And Anqesha, how was your poster? **Anqesha Murray:** Yeah, I also presented a poster on my project, titled A Structural Basis in Mechanism of Cyclophilin A, Tau Interactions and Alzheimer’s Disease and Neuroinflammation, and it was great to present. It was definitely good practice for me, being that I’m just now entering my third year of my PhD studies and being able to talk about my project and communicate it with people that have come from diverse educational backgrounds, so some are more familiar with neuroinflammation and some, I really had to break it down, which was a good exercise for me. I think being on the floor and seeing other posters were useful as well, because the talks are great, but they’re 10 minutes and it’s a lot of information in that 10 minutes, so I’m very happy they’re recorded, but with the posters, you’re able to just walk around and talk to the people that have their posters up and ask questions, just one-on-one, and it was a nice learning experience. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** That’s so true. I think I get some of the best interactions from people at their posters, actually being able to really ask in depth questions and understand. Yeah, that’s really great. And how about you, Richard? **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** I wasn’t actually presenting this week. This is my first big, international conference, so I’ve just been here to soak it all up and experience it. It’s been, as I said before, just an absolute whirlwind. Took a few days to get used to, but I think, so I’m a bench scientist by trade, so my favorite thing throughout the conference has been speaking to people who are patient facing. As a bench scientist, it’s really easy to, you sit there, and you have a group of plasma samples. They’re all numbered. You know nothing about the people who have provided these samples, which we’re so grateful for, but to see and discuss with people who are at the forefront of the patient interaction thing, it really reframes why this work is so important, and that’s been absolutely one of the best things about it so far, definitely. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Totally. Yeah, I love the connections between the different disciplines. You really get to see what’s happening from bench to the real-world application- **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Bench to bedside, yeah, for sure. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah, Fantastic. Okay, next order of business; for those who are new to the format of these shows, we really just go around and talk about our best bits of the day. As I’m hosting, I’ll share one of mine first. I attended the Ask Q and A today, with Margot Kushel and Francisco Lapera, who both presented fantastic plenaries yesterday, but I really like these Ask sessions, because I think you just get a much more intimate exposure to people’s research, and some of the questions that come up are really fascinating. But today someone asked about careers advice, and I really loved Dr. Kushel’s answer. I thought I’d just share that, which was that ECR should try and work on what keeps them up at night, so the problems that they’re concerned about. And she said that was because days are long and research is hard, so you need that motivation, but also, if you are concerned about it, it’s probably important. And even if other people haven’t thought of it or they might not necessarily agree with you, the fact that you think it is means that you should try and work on that. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** That’s wonderful advice. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** I thought so, yeah. I thought I’d just share that nugget. What’s been everyone’s highlights today? Diana, should we start with you? **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Sure. I was at the Popup Academy, which is a workshop that we host for early career researchers, and also graduate students. We had a session on career transitions, and it was set up in a really cool way. We had one table that was looking at transitioning between institutions, particularly when you are traveling across countries, and we had another table looking at the transition between academia and industry, and then the third table was talking about the art of negotiation, so when you’re transitioning between those pay scales, it was fascinating. I particularly like the art of negotiation, because I feel like I’ve learned a lot of insider secrets. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** That is not usually something that we are taught about in academia, so I think that’s really great. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Absolutely. **Anqesha Murray:** Especially teaching women the art of negotiation, and to be confident enough to really vouch for themselves and make those arguments and understand their value and worth that they’ll bring to the company. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Absolutely, yeah. And we really had that from the two mentors who were at this table. One of them was explaining how she felt really nervous and to the point where she felt sick, asking for what she was asking, and the other one had a different experience. She recognized her value and her contribution to that particular institution, so she was able to argue… Both of them argued very well to get what they deserved and were after, but it was fascinating to hear about how they had to navigate that system. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah, and serendipitously, myself and Anqesha were also at that event today, and one of the things I really took away from that was that it’s not necessarily a case of leaving academia for industry anymore, because that’s something you hear a lot. You see people on Twitter announcing that they’re leaving academia and things, but actually we were talking about the fact that you can more easily go between the two, you can go to industry, you can come back to academia, and you will always take different skills from both that will make you valuable in both of those capacities. That was really, really great to talk about. **Anqesha Murray:** Yeah, and that’s not something I think I realized you could do. I always thought once you left academia for industry, you just stayed in that workspace, and you wouldn’t necessarily go back, or even want to go back. But to know that her experience in particular was very fluid, and she was able to take the skills she learned in industry and bring it back to academia, have a different mindset when it was talking about attacking a project or even her mentoring strategy, it was very interesting to hear. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** That is really great. I think we have a different take on it in Australia. We tend to hear that once you leave academia, coming back is just not an option, but I’m sure we’ll catch up. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Richard, what was your highlight from today? **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Well, just that conversation you were having there. I sort of alluded to my highlight before, in the previous conversation, but I was just thinking there, how many inspirational women leading sessions as role models for have been… I don’t want to comment too much as a male, but from the outside looking in, there’s been some amazing talks that even I have found really inspiring, and just the number of younger, female ECRs I’ve seen giving amazing talks, rocking it at the posters, has been a highlight that just popped into my mind just there. It’s been really, really great. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** I’ve really noticed that as well, and think, yeah, comment on it as a man, definitely. There’s no reason that you shouldn’t. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** It’s one of those things you never… You don’t know if you should comment or not, but no, represent, definitely. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** No, lift us up. We need it. We want to. **Anqesha Murray:** Absolutely. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah, I’ve noticed, I’ve been in quite a few talks that are… I don’t know if people have heard the term manel, like a panel made up of all men, which used to be the norm, and I’ve seen a lot of the opposite of manels, a fanel, I don’t Know. But yeah, any other highlights? Any talks? **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** I went to a session today. There’s been so much great biomarker research on show at the conference that I’ve been biomarkered out almost. I’ve been trying to diversify and go to some other talks. There’s one really interesting one, looking at polygenic risk scores for Alzheimer’s disease, so rather than the key risk factors, so age or genetics, such as APOE, looking at combined risk factors of other smaller things that accumulate together to make a risk score on their own, and there’s some amazing work going on in that. And combining that with the biomarker research that is going along onside, and they seem to be really synergistic. Again, just looking, its interdisciplinary combinations have been really good. Also, one just there on TBI, so traumatic brain injury. As an ex-rugby player, it’s something that has been eye-opening, certainly. That was something I found really interesting too. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah, fantastic. Yeah, I think there’s been a lot of more collaborative research- **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Exactly. That’s the word I was looking for. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** … that you can see whole sessions on new imaging and genetics, which is really, really interesting. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** I love that we’re moving towards this in dementia research. I’ve seen a lot of stuff on precision medicine and really looking at the individual and how we can tailor medicines or therapeutics or interventions to meet their needs. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Mm-hmm, yeah, for sure. Anqesha, what’s been your highlights? **Anqesha Murray:** I think my highlight had to actually be the student and postdoc workshops. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of leading the How to Run an Eco-Friendly Lab Workshop, and that was a great experience, and then returning today for Diana’s session that she led was great, because being at the industry table, I feel like it’s great to have the conversation. Sometimes an institution, your PI, or other leaders in the lab may not want to talk to you about industry or ‘alternative careers’. Being in a safe space to openly talk about it and just discuss the differences, what can potentially be the pro, what can potentially be a con, was very insightful. **Anqesha Murray:** And also, there was a few sessions that I attended online that I was able to listen to, and although they’re 10-minute sessions and it’s very hard to follow all of it, as an early career researcher and being new in the lab, it did open my mind up to certain avenues I can start looking into, specifically for Tau-mediated pathologies, and then they also had one that altered glial function, and it was very insightful to see, okay, maybe I can move my project in this direction or use this new technique to do imaging and to look at a neuroinflammation. Just all in all, the sessions for today were pretty great. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Awesome. And just because I saw in the program about the eco-friendly lab, and could you just say a bit more about what that really means? **Anqesha Murray:** Yeah, absolutely. Actually, I’m not a climate change expert enough that in… To my presentation at the beginning, don’t go back to your lab and say, “This is all Anqesha said I needed to do to be up to date.” And I don’t have all the answers, but it was a very diverse group in terms of the knowledge that we were bringing to it. And one thing that was brought up, running the eco-friendly lab, the context of it basically was, what can we do in order to minimize plastic waste, conserve energy, and reduce water use? Those were the key things, and then in doing so, how can we hold labs responsible to maintain this and be consistent and be transparent? What systems can we put in place to help labs that maybe are more progressed in being eco-friendly or have a climate change action plan, versus other institutions that are further behind, or maybe don’t have the funding to necessarily upgrade all of their systems. **Anqesha Murray:** It was an insightful session, and one difference that was brought up that I didn’t previously think about, is the fact that I work in a wet lab. What it may look like for me to be more eco-friendly is very easy. Maybe order from different suppliers that have sustainable packaging or making sure the faucet is turned off. Can we reuse that plastic tip box every time we need tips again? But then other people in the group, they were in more… It was exercise imaging. If you’re listening to this, I hope I didn’t say that wrong, and they were like, “I’m not sure what we can do to be more eco-friendly, because we use the same equipment, we sterilize it and that’s it, so how could we necessarily play a part in this movement?” But one thing they did mention was that the labs upstairs from them are wet labs. Bringing what they learned from the session back to those labs and seeing if they can educate them and potentially get them in a program to run a more sustainable, eco-friendly lab. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** That’s fascinating. And my field is more computer science, and I know there’s a lot of concern and discussion about the impact of that on the environment, in terms of energy consumption for deep learning models and things like that, and so I didn’t know that wet labs had their own issues, and sounds like solutions as well, that people are coming up with. **Anqesha Murray:** Yeah, and that was definitely something I didn’t think about, just coming from a wet lab background. I’m like, “I throw away a lot of tips every day. I use a lot of gloves every day.” **Anqesha Murray:** And they were like, “What do you mean? That sounds great that you’re doing that, but we’re not sure how we can help.” And that was another question, is if you are in a computational lab, is there really anything you can do to minimize that energy use? Maybe not, because you need it to graduate. It was just a lot of questions that were left unanswered, but at least we got the conversation started, which was great. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** It’s definitely something I need to learn more about, that I’m interested in. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** You could follow up on that at next year’s conference. **Anqesha Murray:** This is true. That’s a good idea. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah. I think that one of the things that struck me about AIC this year, I don’t know if you’ve all been before, but there have been so many great sessions outside of the talks and the plenaries. Obviously, they’re fantastic, but the careers advice, these kind of workshops and things, really valuable for ECRs in particular. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Yeah. Just networking in general has been amazing. I’m the only person from my lab here, so I came, first AAC, not knowing anybody at all. I’ve made so many new connections. I’ve got so many new ideas and potential collaborations already off the back. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** That’s great. Do you have any tips for anyone else? Because it’s quite intimidating coming to… It’s a huge conference for people that haven’t been here, and it can be quite intimidating knowing how to meet people and network and things. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Yeah, certainly even I was… It’s scary putting yourself out there, but I think just go for it would be my number one tip. If you’ve followed someone, so I’ve been speaking to people who I’ve cited multiple times in my thesis that I wrote, and it’s a really easy icebreaker to be, “Oh I cited your umpteen times in my thesis.” Nobody’s going to be sad that you’ve done that, so that’s a really great icebreaker, but check all the abstracts go out beforehand, so you can look through and find where people’s posters are going to be. You have to just go for it, would be my advice. It’s scary, but every time you do it, it gets easier. **Anqesha Murray:** Yeah. And I’m in the same boat. This is my first conference, or AIC conference I should say, and I came here by myself. I learned a lot, being that it was my first ice break. One is, even with presenting a poster, I presented my poster and walking around to the other posters and hearing how they present theirs, I was like, “I really like that. I’m going to do that next year.” It was a good learning experience for things I can change, and also, I realized for the next time I attend the AIC conference, looking at those abstracts, as you mentioned, beforehand, so then when I’m here and I have a chance to talk to these people, I have a game plan and I already have that conversation starter. And also, there’s a lot of events that goes on in one day, and I didn’t realize that maybe the night before, I should plan out the day, so I know I’m making it to everything I want to make it to. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah. I felt like Sunday, which was the first day, it was my first in-person conference since COVID, which in itself was quite strange, and I’d forgotten how you do it. I just didn’t plan, and I wandered around and I felt really overwhelmed and things. And then Monday I was like, “Okay, I need a plan.” And it was much more fruitful. We’ve covered some of this, but does anyone have any other highlights from the whole conference that they wanted to share? **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Oh yeah. This is so off topic, but I got really excited about the 3D printing that was happening around the coffee machines. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Oh my gosh, me too. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Can we just address the fact that we have pharmaceutical companies who’ve come up with these amazing advertising techniques to really pull people in? You go in, you order your coffee, and you can get your picture or photo 3D printed onto your coffee. I got my dog, but it’s such a good way to strike up conversations, even with people who were in the line. Yeah, just- **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** The technology life science didn’t know it needed, right? **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah, exactly. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** I got Ada Lovelace printed on mine, who, for the people who don’t know, was the first woman to invent the computer program. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Nice. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Any other highlights anyone wanted to mention? **Anqesha Murray:** The receptions have been nice. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Oh, there’s been so much dancing. **Anqesha Murray:** Yeah, so much dancing and socializing, and I consider myself to be an introvert and a naturally shy person, and just being in a let loose and build on the connections you made earlier in the day was really nice. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** There’s nothing quite like seeing a very important professor dancing, to really break the ice, I think. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Yeah, absolutely. I think, as well, it’s been so refreshing or, I don’t know, exciting just to be face-to-face with people that you’ve been working with online for the last two, three years. It completely changes the nature of the relationship. You do become more like friends. I would consider us all friends after that experience, but yeah, it’s very different to when you are sitting behind a screen. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Yeah. There’s so much interaction and networking that happens out with the sessions, whilst the sessions are really great and really important, I think I’ve learned more in discussions out with those sessions. And yeah, another highlight has just been how great everyone has been. You come to this, you’re not really sure what to expect, but I think we’re all… Especially in this industry, we’re all kindred spirits to a certain degree. We’re all working towards the same goal. And yeah, everyone’s just been… The whole vibe of the whole week’s been really great. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Great. And we’ve got a little bit of time left, so we’ll just do maybe our one takeaway for your research, or something you think you’ll remember when you go back and you’re working on your projects and things. I think one thing for me, there’s been so many, but really, the importance of looking at sex differences. And that’s been quite strong this year, which is fantastic to see, because it’s something that we’ve been talking about for a while, but there’s a whole session on it today. There’s been various talks, lots of posters, so thinking more about the importance of studying men and women in Alzheimer’s disease, and why we might be seeing those differences there, so different mechanisms, and not just assuming that those differences don’t matter. I’m definitely going to be paying more attention to that in my research. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Absolutely. Yeah, that’s something we are very conscious of as well in the laboratories that I’m part of, with the neuroscience studies that we run. Adding to that, I would say we really need to think more inclusively about how we’re researching with our participants, what demographics we’re missing from our data sets, how we can include them, how we can better research with them, but also within our teams, you need to have that diversity in order to promote that kind of research on the ground. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Yeah, I think I’m just going to echo exactly that again, and more from the scientific standpoint as well. There’s been a real emphasis this week on increasing diversity within sample groups for looking at biomarkers, for example. I think current studies are very much weighted towards older, white people, who maybe have the time that they’re not… They have the time and the availability to go to give a blood sample or whatever, and other people may struggle. They don’t have the time to do so or it’s not an environment that they’re aware of. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Increasing awareness and increasing the diversity of these groups is really important. And alongside that, I work with bits of kit that are really expensive and hard to get ahold of, so improving access to these bits of kit in lower middle-income countries, but then also thinking, biomarker research, a lot of our samples get stored at minus 80 degrees. Whilst we have lots of minus 80 freezers in our lab, other labs may struggle to get this sort of thing, so thinking about ways to diversify the methodologies needed that is going to work to improve the research in countries with less access. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah, that’s so important. And on the diversity in participant samples as well, I’ve had some really great conversations with machine learning people here, because that’s really important for those, when we’re training algorithms, are they actually going to tell us about the more general population if we’re only training them on a very narrow sample of people? That’s a discussion that’s quite hot in those areas, so it’s great to see that that’s really being- **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** That’s something that my eyes have been open this week, definitely. It’s been really good. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah, brilliant. And Anqesha, what will you be taking back with you, or thinking about? **Anqesha Murray:** Yeah, I think one big thing for me was the benefit of collaboration. And I think as a student, you may get tunnel vision and feel like you need to do everything on your own, and I’ve noticed here through the talks that a lot of scientists collaborate, and it brings something new to the story that they’re telling when educating people about their research. It gave me a few ideas of how I can collaborate with other scientists, even within my lab, and how that can benefit me and benefit my research. That’s definitely something that was a big takeaway for me. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** That’s a great takeaway. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** I’ll do a quick summary as to what I’m hearing here. Invest in your people. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Love it. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** The teams, your participants, communities, that’s where we’re at right now. **Dr Natasha Clarke:** Yeah. Okay, that’s all we’ve got time for today, unfortunately. As ever, you can find Twitter links and bios for today’s guests on the Dementia Researcher website, at dementiaresearcher.NIHR.ac.uk. It’s time to end today’s podcast recording. I’d like to thank our guests, Diana, Anqesha and Richard, thank you so much. I’d also like to thank all of you for tuning into these special podcasts this week. Remember, you’ll also find a massive amount of information on social media, using the hashtag AAIC22. Thank you all for listening and thanks again to our wonderful guests. **Dr Diana Karamacoska:** Thanks for having us. **Dr Richard Lofthouse:** Thank you. That was great. **Anqesha Murray:** Thanks for having us. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by Dementiaresearcher.NIHR.ac.uk., in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast on **[iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dementia-researcher/id1350258595?mt=2), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/dementia-researcher)** and **[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6YDh6m1R8JwIYCvsAOLBRM?si=jtQBokhTRAuCCYZBCqai1A)** (and most podcast apps) – **[our narrated blogs are now also available as a podcast.](https://open.spotify.com/show/153NUaBnqZ4FTFIiLcAHEG?si=g0m9zgctTAmAfEmAavmmng)** This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC22, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Anqesha Murray, Dr Diana Karamacoska, Dr Natasha Clarke, Dr Richard Lofthouse, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [New tool helps people with dementia transition from hospital to community](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/new-tool-helps-people-with-dementia-transition-from-hospital-to-community/) **Published:** May 6, 2026 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** SAFER Dem, a new University of Manchester tool, helps improve discharge planning for people with dementia leaving mental health hospitals. **Content:** ##### NIHR-supported researchers at The University of Manchester have developed and evaluated a new tool to help people with [dementia transition](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/transitioning-from-teaching-and-physiotherapy-to-dementia-research/) more safely and smoothly from mental health hospitals back to their communities. The project, called SAFER-Dem, has been shown to improve the discharge process, align care with best practice guidance and address the specific needs of people with dementia. The study, published in [BMJ Open](https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/16/3/e109677), is funded by the NIHR Three Schools Dementia Career Development Award and the [NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration](https://www.psrc-gm.nihr.ac.uk/) (GM PSRC). #### **The problem** Many patients with dementia find leaving the hospital confusing and stressful, and feel they aren’t involved in the decisions being made about their care. Patients and their families often report: - Poor communication: not understanding the next steps or how to manage new medications. - Feeling ignored: patients feeling like they don’t have a say in their own recovery plan. - Overwhelming environments: busy hospital wards making it hard to process important information. #### **SAFER-Dem** To solve this, researchers teamed up with people living with dementia, their unpaid carers, and hospital staff. Together, they co-designed a simplified checklist and guide specifically for dementia patients. This new SAFER-Dem “care bundle” was developed in response to already-existing tools that seek to improve the quality and safety of care for patients in the NHS. 1. The NHS Improvement SAFER patient flow “bundle” was designed to reduce delays and improve patient safety in adult inpatient wards. 2. Following this, the research team developed a care bundle called SAFER Mental Health (SAFER-MH), which tailored the NHS SAFER bundle to the specific needs of mental health settings. 3. SAFER-Dem is the next step: a co-designed version of SAFER-MH that is clearer, simpler and dementia-inclusive. **Dr Natasha Tyler**, Research Fellow at the University of Manchester who led the study, said: > “People with dementia often have difficult experiences when discharged from mental health hospitals. Many feel confused, unheard, or not involved in decisions about their own care. Staff also report challenges, such as lack of time, unclear communication and busy ward environments. > > “We worked directly with people living with dementia, unpaid carers, and healthcare professionals to help improve the discharge process from hospital to community for people with dementia. Our study participants took part in workshops and interviews, where they tried out early versions of the SAFER Dem materials and gave feedback.” #### **The results** Overall, participants felt that SAFER-Dem could: - help improve conversations - support shared decision making - make the discharge process feel more person centred However, they also noted that people with more severe dementia may need more support or may not always be able to use the materials independently. Co-author **Professor Maria Panagioti** from The University of Manchester said: > “Our study shows that by improving the quality and consistency of discharge planning, SAFER-Dem has the potential to enhance patient safety, strengthen system resilience and support more timely discharges where appropriate. It may also help reduce avoidable readmissions by ensuring that patients leave hospital with the right support in place. > > “The SAFER-Dem intervention is not just about speeding up discharge, but about improving how discharge is delivered – making it safer, more personalised, and more effective for both patients and the wider health system.” Further evaluation and testing will help determine how SAFER-Dem can be scaled across mental health services. [Find out more about the Three Schools Dementia Research Programme](https://www.spcr.nihr.ac.uk/research/three-NIHR-research-schools-dementia-programme). **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Dr Natasha Tyler, National Institute of Health and Care Research, Professor Maria Panagioti, SAFER-Dem --- ### [New NIHR Translational Research Collaboration launched in Parkinson's](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/new-nihr-translational-research-collaboration-launched-in-parkinsons/) **Published:** April 24, 2026 **Author:** NIHR **Excerpt:** NIHR launches a new Parkinson’s TRC to connect UK expertise, expand early trials and speed progress on disease modifying therapies and diagnostics. **Content:** **The NIHR is expanding its Translational Research Collaboration (TRC) portfolio to include Parkinson’s disease. This is the eighth TRC, with 2 launched in the past year.** Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder. It affects over 166,000 people in the UK. There are major gaps in UK PD research, especially in experimental medicine and early clinical trials. Progress is also slowed by fragmented, siloed work across basic science, experimental medicine and clinical research. The [NIHR PD-TRC](https://xn--parkinsons%20disease%20translational%20research%20collaboration-uv63b/) will bring together national expertise and infrastructure. It aims to speed up translation of disease-modifying therapies and precision diagnostics in PD and related disorders. The collaboration will coordinate centres of excellence across academia and the NHS. The PD-TRC will drive collaborations with industry and charities in PD. This will widen access to research and help reduce inequalities across the UK. The NIHR PD-TRC aims to: - coordinate patient-centred experimental medicine research nationally - improve access to expertise and infrastructure - build long-term capacity in translational research - embed Patient and Public Involvement throughout ## Joining up research to speed up progress The NIHR PD-TRC is led by Professor Oliver Bandmann, from NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). He is supported by Professor Camille Carroll, from NIHR Newcastle BRC, and Professor Alistair Noyce at Queen Mary University of London. Professor Oliver Bandmann, Chair of the NIHR Parkinson’s Disease Translational Research Collaboration, said: “The NIHR-PD-TRC represents a unique opportunity to transform early-phase clinical research in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders in the UK. It aims to bridge the gap between promising preclinical discoveries and clinical trials.” The PD-TRC brings together 16 centres, including 8 NIHR BRCs. It is funded by the NIHR and 4 charity partners: - Cure Parkinson’s - the Multiple System Atrophy Trust (MSA Trust) - Parkinson’s UK - the PSP Association (PSPA) Karen Walker, Chief Executive, Multiple System Atrophy Trust, said: > “The MSA Trust is proud to support the NIHR PD-TRC and looks forward to collaborating with the teams around the country engaged in this unique partnership. We appreciate only too well the anguish felt by our MSA community when a preclinical discovery that has held lots of promise, fails to reach the clinical trial stage and we hope to contribute positively to the efforts to move the early phase research forward.” Megan Hodgson, Research Coordinator, PSPA said: > “PSPA is delighted to be supporting the PD-TRC and its inclusion of both PSP and CBD. We hope this TRC will raise both awareness of these poorly understood conditions and bridge the gaps in research that are desperately needed in both diagnosis and treatments for PSP and CBD. We look forward to seeing the progress of the PD-TRC and how it shapes the future of healthcare.” Dr Simon Stott, Director of Research, Cure Parkinson’s, said: > “As a charity solely focused on slowing, stopping or reversing the condition, Cure Parkinson’s is very excited to be supporting this new Translational Research Collaboration for Parkinson’s. We look forward to future developments coming from this new UK-wide endeavour.” Professor David Dexter, Research Director, Parkinson’s UK said: > “Parkinson’s UK is honoured to support the NIHR-PD-TRC which will coordinate patient-centred research, improve access to expertise and infrastructure and foster translation of new medicines to patients. Importantly patients will be at the heart of the TRC, which will also break down silos and foster collaborations across the whole research ecosystem. Ultimately this will result in people with Parkinson’s getting new treatments faster.” ## What are NIHR TRCs? NIHR TRCs are UK-wide groups of experts formed via NIHR Biomedical Research Centres. They act as hubs, bringing together research communities. They combine expertise to tackle shared challenges. The PD-TRC will launch with 4 workstreams: - Clinical cohorts - Stratification and outcome measures - Experimental therapies - Capacity building Each will be co-led by experts from leading UK centres. --- **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** National Institute of Health and Care Research, Parkinson’s Disease --- ### [Don’t let your students use AI as a ghostwriter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dont-let-your-students-use-ai-as-a-ghostwriter/) **Published:** April 30, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Nature Careers - How a research proposal generated by artificial intelligence transformed my approach to teaching and supervision. **Content:** ##### ![Don’t let your students use AI as a ghostwriter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dont-let-your-students-use-AI-as-a-ghostwriter-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "Dont let your students use AI as a ghostwriter - Nature 680 x 520 px")Last May, I received a PhD research proposal that, on the surface, seemed flawless: the prose flowed effortlessly, the logic was airtight and the citations were meticulously organized and arranged. As an interdisciplinary researcher in geology and ecology investigating the relationships between rocks, soil, water and vegetation, my laboratory is usually a place of physical observations and complex modelling. The proposal suggested a project looking at how often roots form in various kinds of rock. However, my good impression of the proposal was shattered when I asked the prospective student about a specific detail about how the experiment would work, to assess their understanding of the underlying science. Their eyes darted away and silence filled the room. I came to the sobering realization that this polished document was not the result of deep critical thinking and a solid understanding of the subject matter, but rather the articulate, yet ultimately mediocre, output of an artificial-intelligence model. After some of my own prompting, the student confessed they had used AI tools to put together the research proposal, and that they hadn’t thought deeply about the topic or taken on a literature review. Instead, the observations they had made during earlier fieldwork, together with research objectives and working hypotheses, were simply fed into an AI model to generate the proposal. The student argued that AI tools could greatly improve their efficiency and help them to discover concepts that they were unfamiliar with. They saw absolutely no issue with what they had done. To them, the [AI model](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-using-artificial-intelligence-data-to-fight-dementia/) was an available and powerful tool. They thought that the AI-generated version of the proposal that they submitted to me was “flawless”. My role as the associate dean for graduate education at Chang’an University in Xi’an, China, gives me a bird’s-eye view of the situation that many universities and educators face now that AI use is commonplace. My sense, based on my own experiences and those of colleagues, is that many academics now spend more time attempting to identify when and how their students have used AI than they do teaching. The illusion of competence in students has become an epidemic — a universal challenge that is reshaping the global higher-education and research landscape. My field of ecological geology demands a meticulous understanding of physical mechanisms. Relying on ‘fast-food’ knowledge — the kind of superficial information that generative-AI chatbots generally provide — can be fatal to a career. My fear is that students are losing the patience required to track the evolution of an academic idea and to verify the physical consistency of a claim. For example, the proposal I received drew the generic conclusion that a higher density of fractures in the rock would boost water uptake in roots, but it overlooked the complexity associated with distinct soil types and landscapes. These are crucial lithological differences that I stress in my teaching. Such complexities shouldn’t be ignored or glossed over — they are the reason that research in my field fills a lifelong career, not just a topic that could be covered in one lecture. I teach students to ground all of their claims in field observations and to find out how academic theories have evolved over time. The information delivered by AI tools fails to incorporate the specific, context-dependent rules of ecological geology. ## Guiding independent thinking The exchange I had with this student changed how I think about my teaching and mentoring. AI technology is now widely adopted across many sectors. In my view, those of us engaged in scientific research have moved past learning how to use the tools and are now falling into a period of over-reliance on them. As a mentor, I cannot simply ban AI systems. Instead, I can encourage my students to use them less as a ghostwriter and more as a critical-thinking partner. I’ve started implementing a practice that I’ve named the reverse cognitive reconstruction protocol (RCRP) to guide students to think independently. The RCRP has two key steps: a collaborative debate between a student and an AI chatbot, and a process-based review conducted by their mentor. In the first step, I ask my students to do a background search of the literature and form some preliminary hypotheses about their research topic on their own, with no help from AI tools. Once they have developed a clear hypothesis, they have an in-depth discussion with a chatbot: they ask the AI model to use basic geological concepts to refute the theories that they have come up with, and then evaluate its answers using real empirical data. Finally, they test the AI tool’s reliability by putting forward counter-intuitive hypotheses and examining how effectively they can identify the tool’s errors. In other words, they see how much they can prove it wrong. To fix the problem of students not doing an in-depth reading of the scientific literature, I ask them to work out how ideas the AI model presents evolved over time. This is a part of the student–AI interaction stage of the RCRP and it forces the students to find the original papers that proposed the idea and identify important academic milestones in the field. AI tools are good only for outlining the broad strokes of a concept; sorting out the logical links between ideas and building an understanding of how the research field has developed must be done by the students themselves. I no longer check students’ first drafts. Instead, I follow the second step of the RCRP: the process-based review. I ask my students to share the logs from their interactions with AI tools and then evaluate them to get an idea of the struggles that the students experienced during the research process. How many rounds of talking with an AI chatbot did it take for them to spot the model’s logical mistakes? Which of their key insights went beyond the ideas produced by the AI tool? How much of their research was driven by their independent thinking and not just the model’s responses? I then have thorough discussions about these questions with my students. These talks allow me to judge the depth of students’ understanding. This entire process allows me to gauge whether a student has truly engaged with my lab’s complex research topics. Asking students to determine the boundaries at which AI models fail because they lack field-based intuition has led to genuine innovation. Over the past six months, this adversarial approach between AI agents and students in my group has led to several fresh research findings that an AI system could never have synthesized on its own. Ironically, the inspiration for the RCRP emerged from several rounds of my own in-depth conversations with AI chatbots. Working scientists must reaffirm that the human brain is still much better at innovation than AI is. The process of searching and reading the scientific literature, as well as drafting and revising manuscripts, might be painful, but it is essential for developing scientific-reasoning skills. If we prioritize efficiency over cognitive sovereignty when teaching the next generation of scientists, we will populate the scientific community with nothing more than porters of AI thinking. --- ***Shared from Nature Careers for this and more great content head to doi: *** **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Artificial Intelligence, Nature Careers, Yanjun Shen --- ### [Blog - Leaving Your University After 10 Years](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-leaving-your-university-after-10-years/) **Published:** April 29, 2026 **Author:** Dr Connor Richardson **Excerpt:** Dr Connor Richardson reflects on leaving Newcastle after ten years, sharing lessons on motivation, data handover, priorities and the emotional side of moving on **Content:** --- **I started at Newcastle University when I was 18 years old. Did my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences, left for a year in London, then came back to do an MSc in Public Health. It was during my masters that I met my future PhD supervisor, moved into a PhD in dementia epidemiology, and that became the foundation of my career for the following six years. All told, nearly a decade of my life was shaped by one place.** When you have been somewhere that long, it is hard to describe what leaving feels like. **The Limbo** For a long time it did not feel real. I was offered a new job in Edinburgh in June but did not start until December. That meant six months in a kind of limbo. In the early weeks it was all very exciting. Telling colleagues about a new opportunity, receiving congratulations and support from friends and people I had worked alongside for years. But there were a few challenges I was not expecting about leaving somewhere after such a long time. **The Motivation Problem** Academic work comes with a lot of flexibility, but I find that flexibility also demands a large amount of self motivation. Some days were much harder than others when I knew I was leaving and that certain work would not be continued after I was gone. That is a strange headspace to work in. You are still employed, still have responsibilities, but there is something about knowing the finish line is coming that makes it harder to push through on the stuff that feels like it will not matter in a few months. This was made worse by the sheer volume of admin involved in leaving after a long time. When you have been embedded in multiple projects, a lot of open ended work suddenly needs a hard deadline. Things that had been ticking along at their own pace now needed wrapping up, and the to do list felt like it was growing rather than shrinking. **Prioritising What Matters** I found the best thing I could do for myself was stop and think about what work I could prioritise that would have the most benefit for me and my research going forward. This can be difficult, especially if there is pressure from others to prioritise their interests. Maintaining relationships is important, but at the end of the day it is your career that you are responsible for. I made a list of all the work that was realistically possible to finish. Papers I could get written before I left, or at least analyses I could complete so that only the writing remained once I was gone. I focused purely on those. Everything else, no matter how interesting or how much someone wanted it done, had to be parked. That was not easy, but it was necessary. **Data and Housekeeping** There is also the matter of archiving and housekeeping all of your work and data before leaving. This was especially important for me as an epidemiologist. Data is everything. I was also acting as data manager for a large cohort study, which meant the study data had to be prepared and passed on to the next person responsible. That was not only a lot of work but came with a lot of pressure to get things right. I did not want to be the one responsible for data being missing or unusable for future studies. If you are in a similar position, give yourself more time than you think you need for this. It always takes longer than you expect. **The Emotional Side** Finally there is the emotional side of leaving. This crept up on me more than I anticipated. As the months turned to weeks and the final weeks to days, I found myself getting really sad about it. The conversations about leaving suddenly felt more real. On my final day, packing a small cardboard box and emptying a desk that had accumulated the better part of ten years worth of work was pretty emotional. There were definitely a few tears shed after the leaving party. I think what caught me off guard was the realisation that it was not just a workplace I was leaving. It was where I grew up academically and personally. The person who walked into that building at 18 is not the person who walked out a decade later. That place and those people shaped me in ways I probably still do not fully appreciate. **Moving Forward** Overall though, the people who have been friends and mentors have not gone anywhere. I am still close with them, still meet up, and am always interested to hear what is going on and how things are changing. And likewise I have new stories to tell from a new perspective. Edinburgh has brought new challenges, new colleagues and new research questions that I am genuinely excited about. If you are thinking about leaving somewhere you have been for a long time, my advice is simple. Be deliberate about what you prioritise. Give yourself grace on the days motivation is hard to find. Leave your data in a state you would be proud of. And do not be surprised if you get more emotional than you expected. That just means it mattered. --- ![Dr Connor Richardson Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dr-Connor-Richardson.png "Dr Connor Richardson")Dr Connor Richardson #### Author [**Dr Connor Richardson** ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/ "Profile – Dr Connor Richardson, Newcastle University")is a Neuro-epidemiology Research Associatea at The University of Edinburgh. His research interest lie in using advanced statistical modelling and machine learning to measure dementia risk. Connor blogs about his research, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and sometimes his Pomapoo’s. [Follow @connorrichards2](https://twitter.com/connorrichards2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Academic Life, Changing Jobs, Dr Connor Richardson **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials --- ### [Profile - Alice Wroe, The Atlantic Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-alice-wroe-the-atlantic-institute/) **Published:** April 28, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Alice Wroe is XR Lead at Atlantic Institute exploring immersive tech for social equity, blending creativity, ethics and AI to shape engagement. **Content:** ![Alice Wroe profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Alice-Wroe.jpg "Alice Wroe")Alice Wroe ##### Name: Alice Wroe ##### Job title: XR Lead ##### Place of work / study: The Atlantic Institute ##### Area of Research: Immersive Technologies ##### How is your work funded: Atlantic Institute ##### Tell us a little about yourself: I am XR Lead for the Atlantic Institute, where I serve a global fellowship of leaders committed to accelerating the eradication of global inequities. I explore how emerging technology can further social equity. Previously, I was Creative Director of Magic Leap’s digital human, overseeing its creative and ethical direction. Through art and culture, I helped shape more positive ways for society to relate to embodied AI. I am a futures thinker who drives critical conversations, and I have spoken at events including the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything, the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing, Sundance New Frontiers, and UNESCO. As Founder of Herstory, I have brought [women’s history](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-gender-equity-in-science-celebrating-womens-achievements/) to life for leading brands and institutions. Highlights include work with Penguin Books, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the BBC, and U2. For the Joshua Tree tours in 2017 and 2019, I curated digital content championing country specific women’s history across 21 countries, reaching over 3 million people. I also write fiction, and earlier in my career I worked at Tate as an Assistant Curator. I believe that when creativity and innovation come together, we can begin to make sense of the future. ##### Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I have two children named after birds. ##### Why did you choose to work in dementia? I chose to work in emmerging technologies, and it is interesting how often my path leads to dementia and the incredible people working in and around dementia care. ##### What single piece of advise would you give to an early career researcher? As far as emerging tech is concerned, lean into it! There is a place for you there, even if you don’t have a traditional tech background. ##### What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it? My book recomendations is always the one my Mum wrote – [A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe.](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57809127-a-terrible-kindness) So proud of her. ##### Can we find you on social media? [Find Alice on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-wroe-218140178/) **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Alice Wroe, Immersive Technologies, Technology, The Atlantic Institute, Virtual Reality **Organisations for Bios:** Other **Themes for Bios:** Technology --- ### [Blog - The Motherhood Penalty and Career Progression](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-motherhood-penalty-and-career-progression/) **Published:** April 1, 2026 **Author:** Dr Becky Carlyle **Excerpt:** Dr Becky Carlyle reflects on motherhood, academia, and career impact, exploring real challenges and small changes that could support working parents. **Content:** **Those of you who read my last blog post will remember that I’ve gone through a recent period of overwhelm. My new job is a hugely positive career development that I’m extremely excited about, and yet this has been one of the toughest years of my working life. As the academic term has ended, the relentless nature of the job has let up a little. Two weeks ago in fact, I made the mistake of saying out loud that I was “almost back on top of things.”** Like clockwork, two hours later, my phone rings, it’s an Oxford number, and a big weight suddenly settles in my stomach. It’s the school office, and I need to come and pick up my child, because he has a rash and his tummy hurts. The immediate relief I felt on picking him up and finding that the most important person in my life seems to be just fine, turns to frustration one hour later when he is bouncing off the walls of the living room and thoughts of tummy aches are banished to the distant past. I was almost on top of things! As the beautiful open afternoon I had ahead of me is swallowed by episode after episode of Pokémon, I cycle through all the emotions. Relief that he is fine, frustration that I’ve lost a workday, guilt for the frustration that I’ve lost a workday when this most precious person could have been unwell. I get nothing done other than answering a couple of e mails. Now, two weeks later, I’m just about caught up again (touch wood), and a new article has been released that has had me reflecting on the Motherhood Penalty, what is has meant for me personally, and whether there are in fact small things we can do at work to address it. I’m choosing to specifically talk about Motherhood here because it is still true that in most heterosexual relationships the mother is the primary parent, and that childcare organisations often assume that that’s the case even if it isn’t. A [new report](https://cep.lse.ac.uk/_new/publications/abstract.asp?index=12087) [summarized in Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00981-3) this week that shows that even in Denmark, a country with excellent childcare subsidies and dual parental leave policies, woman are 29% less likely to still employed in academia eight years after their first child, and suffer a 12% drop in earning compared to women who don’t have children. Men with children are also less likely to be employed in academia (14% less likely), but they do not suffer any loss of earnings, suggesting they may be transitioning to alternate workplaces such as the pharmaceutical industry, whereas women are cutting back their careers. > When the authors dive into the reasons behind these numbers, they alight on a survey of 3,400 researchers that suggests that women in academia take on substantially more of the childcare than men. Women report taking a much larger share of night-time and sick care and the accompanying doctors’ visits. The most interesting category for me was drop offs, as this matches with my own experience. Men and women dropped their children off at nursery at much the same rates, but women were more responsible for picking their child up. This affects my productivity in two ways; first, I can’t just work a bit longer to finish a task I’m halfway through. Whatever is currently underway has to be immediately put on hold as you rush to pick up, and then if you’re lucky, picked up first thing the next day. If you’re unlucky, a whole bunch of emails came in in the interim, something went wrong in the lab, and maybe you’ll finish whatever you were doing next Thursday. ![Women academics consistently report taking on a larger share of childcare, especially night care and sick care, which directly impacts working time](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Women-Academic-Facts.png "Women Academic Facts") Second, for me, doing pick up also means I’m responsible for the evening cooking and managing the mental load of what we have in the fridge, what nutrients my somewhat fussy child might be missing out on this week, use by dates and planning the shopping. I find this mental load utterly draining, and no amount of organization or preparation seems to remove it. I hope my husband forgives me for saying he exists completely unbothered by this, and it means that past bedtime, he has the energy to get his laptop out and finish things up, whereas I am desperately trying to stay awake for half an hour of adult unwinding time before going to bed. We’ve talked a lot about this and just haven’t come to a better solution – there’s just too much to do in the day. **He does all laundry, breakfast and drop off every day, which gives me two extremely valuable quiet hours at work in the morning** when my brain is functioning at its best. I don’t think there is a better solution for us, but I am certainly more worn down by the everyday of family life than he is. And I don’t think our experience is unique. The thing you notice the most on becoming a parent is that your time is no longer your own. I now giggle about how busy I thought I was as a Post Doc, when I was working much longer hours without the constant task switching required from being a more senior academic. I can no longer choose to give up a weekend to finish up a grant, or to stay at work till 10pm to wrap up rebuttal edits to a paper. Everything must be done at 5am before anyone wakes up, or during working hours. The lack of flexibility in the working day provided by childcare constraints, and poor after school care options, followed by an evening of childcare and housework often described as “The Second Shift,” leads to what the original coiners of the phrase describe as a “Leisure Gap” between men and women, with women being too busy / exhausted to attend to their own health and interests. This loss of “me time” affected me in ways that I couldn’t imagine before becoming a parent, and I’ve spent much of the last 4 years of parenthood trying to regain some level of balance here. **I now treat my daily run as part of my workday, which is sometimes when I do my best thinking, and sometimes just when I get 43 beautiful minutes of my mind going blank.** So what do we do about it? I was at a whole day workshop last week that was supposed to focus on turning Motherhood into a superpower and improving life for us all, but was mostly just re-hashing the problem. And part of that is because personally of course, there isn’t much you can do. It is 100% true that my focus and productivity during working hours is through the roof, and I think I’m mostly a more understanding boss since having a child – I just have very limited time to do it compared to someone without children. When you’re planning children with a partner, you must be open about your career goals and how you will approach parenting as a team. Try to divide tasks clearly rather than leaving them for someone to do, which leaves you open to resentment when one party doesn’t do it (ie. me never taking out the bins). Outsource some of the daily grind if you can afford it – we pay for four hours of cleaning a week and it is worth every penny of freed up time. When it comes to work, get involved in meaningful collaborations wherever possible, meaning that you are not the sole person responsible for writing the grants, progress reports and the papers. > In the last six months a male colleague and I have taken it in turns to lead on submitting a collaborative grant to different agencies, and it has been such a relief to work with someone else equally driven to do exciting science and not have to drive the grant across the line myself every single time. My biggest advice for individuals may be somewhat controversial, but I do wish I hadn’t waited till I was 37 to have a child. The fatigue from sleepless nights is so much worse as you lope towards 40, and my ability to think on 2 solid hours plus bits of sleep was hugely reduced. Even more importantly, my career was no more secure at 37 than it was at 27. You can’t predict how your career will evolve, and under current conditions, there is no good time, or even better time, to take an academic career break to have kids. So doing it when you have more energy, and only have to worry about your own job and not the jobs of all of your team members, may be a choice I’d taken with hindsight. Finally, I’d suggest you don’t have a child with a partner if you’ve never seen them clean a toilet unbidden. ![The motherhood penalty is not just about pay, it includes recruitment bias, promotion delays, and expectations around availability and commitment](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Women-Academic-Facts-Two.png "Women Academic Facts Two")When we come to how to change the system and the embedded social attitudes that leads to the Motherhood Gap in academia in the first place, bizarrely it seems that much of our focus should be placed on making things better for men. [Working families](https://workingfamilies.org.uk/research-publications/barriers-to-equal-parenting/) has a great summary of the barriers to equal parenting, and how improving the share of work done by fathers has positive effects on both members of the partnership. Studies in Sweden have shown that for each month of parental leave taken by a father, there was a 7% increase in the mother’s earnings. Mothers are more likely to be in work when their child is three if the father is more involved in childcare nine months post-birth. The big answer therefore, is campaigning for improved paternity leave, and encouraging male staff members at all levels to use it. Men consistently report feeling that they suffer at work if they ask to leave to pick up an ill child, or have to walk out of a meeting that is running late due to their childcare responsibilities, whereas most would think twice before bringing this up with a woman. Having a father take paternity leave where it’s just them and the child alone makes it less likely that the woman will be the sole primary carer for the child in future. If you are the boss therefore, encourage your new fathers to take their paternity leave, and help everyone out by not having important meetings during time when childcare responsibilities might butt into work hours (before 9.30, after 4pm). Most of us at this career stage will not yet be on evaluation panels for tenure and promotions, but will hopefully be getting there in the next few years. The full report documents a [drop in publication rate of approximately three publications](https://cep.lse.ac.uk/_new/publications/abstract.asp?index=12087) per year for women in the eight years after the birth of a child, with no discernible drop for men. These panels must account for the difference in productivity that results from Motherhood, and also recognize that the lack of women in senior positions means our mothers are doing more committee work, at the cost of their scientific productivity. In many departments time-swallowing committee work by women is seen as the price of entry, not positively valued, and this must change. Not only do we have less time available than non-parents, but more of our time is taken up by these roles. Don’t get me wrong, this committee work can also be a superpower, and learning how to navigate the relationships between the department and the university can ultimately be beneficial for your career in the long-run, but there is no denying that it is time away from research at a time when you are expected to be productive. It’s important to recognize that in current conditions you are making your career more difficult by choosing to have a child. But I am convinced that we are improving the systems in small ways, and that by building the right support systems, you can have a fighting chance. And the more we talk about these issues, the more we refuse for them to be swept under the carpet, the more likely it is that we will get to transformative changes. --- ![Dr Becky Carlyle profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dr-Becky-Carlyle.jpg "Dr Becky Carlyle")Dr Becky Carlyle #### Author **[Dr Becky Carlyle](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-becky-carlyle-university-of-oxford/)** is an Alzheimer’s Research UK Senior Research Fellow at University of Oxford, and has previously worked in the USA. Becky writes about her experiences of starting up a research lab and progressing into a more senior research role. Becky’s research uses mass-spectrometry to quantify thousands of proteins in the brains and biofluids of people with dementia. Her lab is working on various projects, including work to compare brain tissue from people with dementia from Alzheimer’s Disease, to tissue from people who have similar levels of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology but no memory problems. Becky is also a mum, she runs, drinks herbal tea’s and reads lots of books. **[Find Becky on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-carlyle-bb399118/)** **[@bcarlylegroup.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/bcarlylegroup.bsky.social)** **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Dr Becky Carlyle, Research Culture, University of Oxford **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials **Target Audiences:** Postdocs --- ### [Podcast - ADPD 2026 Conference Highlights - Part Two](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-adpd-2026-conference-highlights-part-two/) **Published:** March 30, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** AD/PD 2026 reflections continue with new insights on biomarkers, personalised medicine, and future treatments shaping dementia research. **Content:** **This episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast continues our coverage from the AD PD Conference 2026 in Copenhagen, one of the largest international meetings focused on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.** Hosted by [Professor Louise Serpell](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-professor-louise-serpell/), the conversation brings together [Athina Grigoriou](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-athina-grigoriou-university-of-dundee/), [Dr Lauren O’Neill](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-lauren-oneill-university-of-dundee/), and [Dr Sofie Let Frandsen](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sofie-let-frandsen-vesper-bio/), each sharing highlights from across the conference. The discussion spans a wide range of topics, from the biological role of alpha synuclein and mitochondrial dysfunction, through to emerging therapeutic targets and the growing importance of biomarkers. There is a strong focus on how diseases are more complex and varied than once thought, with increasing attention on stratification, personalised medicine, and early detection. Alongside the science, the episode also reflects on the importance of patient voices, collaboration across disciplines, and the value of sharing both positive and negative research findings. This is Part Two of our AD PD 2026 reflections, offering a thoughtful look at where the field is heading next. ##### Key Takeaways - Alpha synuclein may have a normal physiological role, not just a pathological one - Mitochondrial dysfunction remains central in Parkinson’s mechanisms - Biomarkers are key for both early detection and patient stratification - Diseases like Parkinson’s and dementia are highly heterogeneous - Personalised medicine is becoming a realistic goal, not just an idea - New therapeutic targets beyond dopamine are emerging - Early stage and presymptomatic intervention is a major focus - Patient and carer perspectives remain underrepresented but essential - Collaboration and openness, including sharing negative results, are vital - More diverse populations are needed to validate biomarkers globally --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast. Talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Hello, and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Today's episode is coming to you from ADPD Conference in Copenhagen, where researchers from around the world have gathered to share new findings on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other related neurodegenerative conditions. I'm Louise Serpell, a professor of biochemistry from the University of Sussex, and I'm delighted to be hosting today's show. This week, the ADPD conference has brought together scientists working across the full spectrum of neurodegenerative research, from molecular mechanisms to biomarkers and clinical trials. Across the few days, there have been hundreds of talks and posters. So rather than trying to summarise everything, today we're going to focus on a few highlights that really stood out to our guests during the meeting. Joining me are three people who have been exploring this conference, Athina, Lauren, and Sofie. And I'm going to ask them each to introduce themselves and tell you a little bit about their background. Before we begin, could I ask each of you to briefly introduce yourselves and tell listeners what area of research or work you're involved in? Athina. **Athina Grigoriou:** Hello. I'm Athina Grigoriou, and I'm a second year PhD student in Dr. David Koss's lab at the University of Dundee in Scotland. So, we're working on DNA damage. So basically, understanding the role of DNA damage in dementia with the Lewy bodies, and then compare it with other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. And specifically, I'm looking into the role of alpha-synuclein in DNA damaged repair pathways and what comes first, basically. Yeah, that's me. Thank you. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Thank you. And Lauren? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Okay. So hi, I'm Lauren O'Neill. I'm also working at the University of Dundee alongside Athina in Dr. David Koss's lab. So, my project is looking at elucidating the mechanisms, or specifically where alpha-synuclein is going to bind on the human genome in dementia with Lewy bodies. And my background in mitochondrial biology, and also my interest in DNA damage, I kind of want to, for my project, shape these two together to look at mitochondrial DNA damage specifically. And see if there's also, and you can also bind it in the mitochondrial genome. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Oh, fantastic. Sounds really interesting. And lastly, but not least, Sofie? **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yeah. Hi, everyone. I am Dr. Sofie Frandsen, and I am a senior research scientist at a small biotech company called Vesper Bio, which is actually based here in Copenhagen, so this year's ADPD conference is in my hometown. So that's very nice. So, I am a pharmacist by training and have done a PhD focusing on Parkinson's disease. And right now, I am working at Vesper, who are developing small molecules, a sortilin inhibitor, to increase the important protein in the brain called progranulin, which is decreased in a lot of neurodegenerative diseases such as FTD, Parkinson's disease, and also in mood disorders. So yeah, very nice to be here. **Professor Louise Serpell:** All right. Thank you very much, Sofie. So welcome, everybody. So how have you found the conference so far? Enjoyable? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Very. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yes. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Really. A lot of talks, a lot of good posters. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah, it is very big. I think it's one of the biggest conferences we've been to, but. Talking for myself, yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Well, just to give the listeners a bit of a flavour for it, it's I think five or six parallel sessions, hundreds and hundreds of posters, loads of exhibitors. It's just... It's a lot. It's a lot, to try and cover it all. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. I think there was over 700 posters per shift, and there's two shifts. So, there's a lot to go around. Yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** So, you have to pick carefully- **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** ... don't you? So **Athina Grigoriou:** And the parallel sessions were that there's one in the morning, there's two of them in the afternoon. So, I don't know, it was like eight talks per session, per parallel session. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** I think the app helps a lot as well, because then you can get an overview of which talks, you can highlight them as your favourites. Because otherwise there's so many, you... **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. They had an AI summary as well, so you could go back and get the report of what the main findings of the research was from each talk. That was really good. It was really helpful. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah. Yeah. That's good. So, let's start with Athina. I would like to know what you found most interesting. I think you've picked out one particular topic you're particularly interested in. **Athina Grigoriou:** Sure. I'll go on. So, I really liked this talk, it was by an associate professor named Ulf Dettmer, and that's also the professor, like I said, at Harvard Medical School, in the States. And what he presented is, because it's relevant to my work, that's why I really liked it. But what he presented is that he argued that the phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein at serine-129, which we all know is the pathological protein found in Lewy bodies, in dementia with Lewy bodies, may actually have a normal, reversible, physiological role during synaptic activity. So, he showed a number of, well, a lot of figures, a lot of data. And one of the things, what they use and is published now, is in cortical neurons they showed they're increasing the network activity using picrotoxin. It raised this phosphorylation at serine-129 without changing the total protein, total alpha-synuclein levels. Then they showed this, they've done this in vivo, and what they've shown again is that under environmental enrichment also increased phosphorylation of the alpha-synuclein again at serine-129. And that, in a way, concluded that there is a physiological role of the phosphorylation. It doesn't mean it doesn't play any role in disease, but it shows that there is normal activity. Then they went and tried knock-ins, knockdowns, and mutations. And what they showed is that in a knock-in mice model, where it prevented the phosphorylation, it showed that there was a reduction in an impaired hippocampal plasticity and cognitive deficit, again suggesting this physiological phosphorylation, it contributes to the normal synaptic transmission and plasticity. Then he also showed some very new and published data, which was really interesting to see. And what they did is that they introduced a phospho mimic, so it was mimicking phosphorylation. And again, they could see all these impairments in the hippocampal and the long-term potentiation, and the Y-maze performance. So, this, he said that it raises two interpretations. One, that there is a dynamic reversibility of phosphorylation that is required, or whether the mimic that they use, it does not function as a true phospho mimic in cells, and it behaves more like a loss of function. And then, I'll keep on going about that. There's a few... Some last things I want to say about it is that then they used the PLK2 inhibitor, which we know that is an inhibitor that it could inhibit the phosphorylation of serine-129 to alpha-synuclein. And again, they showed that when they did this, they actually restored the function and the neural network and everything, which was really cool. So overall, what they concluded is that alpha-synuclein, serine-129 phosphorylation has an important physiological, activity-dependent role at the synapses, and it's distinct from its pathological accumulation in Lewy bodies. **Professor Louise Serpell:** That's so interesting. **Athina Grigoriou:** It was amazing. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And it's really interesting to think that the proteins that misfold in neurodegenerative diseases also have an important function, and perhaps this hyper-phosphorylation, or phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein and tau, that actually it's part of a functional role, and then somehow that regulation goes wrong. And that's maybe what leads to the pathology. So, it's fascinating. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah, exactly. That's why we liked it because it compared the pathological role and the physiological role. So, it actually shows that we may be looking... It will be good to look into another way, like we just look at things in a different perspective when we're doing this, not think that this is just pathology, there might be something else there that we don't know. So, it would be good to be looking both the positive, I think, and the negatives, the same way. If that makes sense. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And it's going to be so important, of course, when we go to therapeutics, if you're just going to clear out this particular phospho type of alpha-synuclein, then actually it's really important, it sounds like. And it sounds like they did some really robust experiments to show that that actually has a really functional role. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah, exactly. And he was just saying that this is just preliminary, but just preliminary data, and population preliminary data showing this, it means that there is more to come. You can see that. There is a trajectory there. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Thank you, Athina. That really came across how excited you were about it. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah, that was fantastic. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Thank you. So, Lauren, do you want to tell us a bit about what you found really interesting at the meeting? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah, of course. So, as I mentioned before, I come from a mitochondrial background. So, one of the symposiums was looking at mitochondrial pathways, so I was instantly drawn towards that session. One talk in particular who was by Professor Sara Berman. She's an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh. She was looking at, essentially, this complex I PET binding protein. It binds to complex I in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, so the first complex of oxidative phosphorylation. And essentially, using this radio ligand that binds to complex I, they're able to see the relative abundance of complex I in Parkinson's disease patients, and people who have dementia with Lewy bodies. So, this was answering the research question of disease stratification. So, I think typically, I mean, I definitely thought this years ago prior to my PhD, Parkinson's disease is Parkinson's disease. But it seems that you have these different phenotypes that are all very... There are all different types, but under the same umbrella of Parkinson's disease, of the shared pathology. So, this talk was quite interesting because it really questioned that narrative of different types of Parkinson's disease with different specific phenotypes. So, the approach that they used was using this 18F-BC-PPEF, I know, the radioligand, so I'll just say that. And it was the binding is relative to the abundance of complex I. And what they found is, as the disease duration of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies ensued in these patients, the binding of complex I actually reduced. So that's kind of supporting a lot of the literature that we've known for many years now, know that we have complex I dysfunction in these alpha-synucleinopathies. It was interesting that it was dependent on disease duration. And it was also particularly interesting that they found that those that were actually complex I deficient were less likely to be tremor heavy for their phenotype, whereas those who weren't deficient in complex I were more tremor heavy in their phenotype. So, it's two kind of distinct phenotypes based on their complex I pathology, which I found particularly interesting. And something that I found that really, it struck me quite strongly because it does kind of relate to some of the things that I did for my PhD project as well, is that in the earlier stages, they found that there was actually an initial increase, and a peak, in complex I binding. So, it's telling us that there could be an initial compensatory mechanism going on first, and then as pathology ensues, the mitochondria become overwhelmed. And as we get an increase in reactive oxygen species, and a lot of stress, it just starts to downfall as pathology progresses. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Really interesting. So, what I remember, and Parkinson's disease is not my area of expertise, but the complex I was highlighted particularly because of the drug related induced Parkinson's disease, wasn't it? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yes. So, I think they found that in human, I think it was like an accidental sort of thing. So, there were these people who had been taking this, it was like an opioid, it was the MPTP, and then the metabolite MPP+, was actually a complex I inhibitor. And it mimicked, created these Parkinsonian phenotypes in the people who had taken this drug. And we also know that from animal models and cellular models that adding rotenone, which is a complex I inhibitor, also induces this mitochondrial phenotype associated with Parkinson's disease, but also the motor symptoms in these animal models as well. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And so, are they motor dysfunction heavy, tremor heavy, those particular models? Or less so? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** I don't actually know. So, this is something that I found really interesting from this talk, because I hadn't come across that before. Just the case of something so small is a mitochondrial complex, the deficiency in that, can cause just such a difference in the phenotypic presentation. Yeah, I thought that was amazing. **Professor Louise Serpell:** It's really fascinating, isn't it? And I think what you said at the beginning, about Parkinson's disease not really just being one condition, is so important at the moment. Because I think there's been a lot of publicity about understanding these neurodegenerative diseases as heterogeneous conditions, with different protein misfolding, and different mechanisms within them that we really need to try and pinpoint. So personal medicine is going to be so important- **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** \[inaudible 00:14:34\] on the person, yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** ... to work out and stratify people into the right categories. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** And just to add on that, I think that's also a very general theme at ADPD, is these biomarkers. That is advancing a lot, but it's both to stratify the patients and to identify them early, but also to understand the complexity of the Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. And there are actually a lot more comorbidity as well across these disorders, and also just with neuropsychiatry, and so on. So, I really think it's important that we understand. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. I was just about to say that there's a lot of co-pathologies, and that every single protein, for example, after alpha-synuclein, you can have the alpha-synuclein in how it forms, and aggregates within dementia with Lewy bodies is different, and Parkinson's is different in AD. So, there's actually understanding the different co-pathologies and those proteins, will be really important for future treatments, I guess. Yeah? **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** And as you mentioned, I think the way forward is personalised medicine- **Professor Louise Serpell:** Personalised medicine. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** ... so hopefully, someday, yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yes. Maybe in time for you, young people. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** We hope. We really, really hope. Yeah. So Sofie, would you like to tell us what you really enjoyed? **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yes. So, as I mentioned, I really have always been into Parkinson's disease, and that's been my PhD focus and so on. So, I would just take a step back and first talk about a talk by Daniel Kremens, who is a co-director of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Centre. And he talked about the clinical needs in Parkinson's disease, and how many unmet needs there are, and we're not really treating everything. And especially he talked about these non-motor symptoms that are not treated in patients, and mentioned the cognitive impairment, and a lot of patients, they also hallucinate and so on. And this is just not treated. Right now, levodopa is still the golden standard and has been that for 50 years. And it works good initially, but it doesn't with time, and may also be related to gut dysfunction, which is very common in Parkinson's disease patients. So, I really think he put a good perspective, that we need some disease modifying treatments, and we need to understand the treatment better. And we need new targets. And we need to treat symptomatic. And in that regards, I also found both a poster and also a talk on a non-dopaminergic target called the p75 receptor, which is also a target we are looking at Vesper Bio. So maybe I'm also biassed about this, but the question is that targeting this neurotrophic or death receptor, signalling improved neurodegenerative diseases. And I was very glad and happy to see that it actually has some positive outcomes. So, there was a talk from a lab in Montreal, so in Canada, and then there was also a talk by Frank Longo, who works at Stanford University. And as I recall it, I hope it's correct, but he's developed small molecules to this target himself, and he has shown very positive signals on cognition and motor behaviour in mice but also saw some reduced tau pathology. So also has some good indications in both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and also some good effects on synaptic proteins. So, I think it just really gives us some good... That we can find some new mechanisms, and some hope that we can treat more disease, modifying and also in the progression stage, and not just symptomatically. **Professor Louise Serpell:** It makes me wonder if you know what p75... Is it p75? **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yes. **Professor Louise Serpell:** What it does, because is it something like p62, or...? **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** It actually is a... You can call it a death complex. It actually sits in a complex with sortilin, which is our target. So, it actually causes apoptosis, so if you go and inhibit it, you of course reduce the apoptosis, and then you mature the proneurotrophins, or neurotrophins, and then you induce the cell survival. So, it can be an indication of both FTD, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and so on. So again, this very broad target for neurodegenerative disorders. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And do you know what triggers that pathway that goes through sortilin and p75 yet? I mean, is it the protein misfolding, which is what I go to, or something else? **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** It could be, yes. Yeah, yeah. So, it's proneurotrophins that bind to this sortilin p75 complex. So yeah, yes. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Really interesting. So, you're basically rescuing the cell, survivally. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Exactly. Yeah. So, you're reducing the apoptosis, but you're also inducing the cell survival. So, I think that's a good way to go. **Professor Louise Serpell:** That sounds like a really interesting strategy. Completely different, maybe, from some of the other ones. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Exactly. But I think that's very promising to see, that there are all these very new promising mechanisms and targets to help these diseases. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah. So, I was thinking that one of the things that struck me at this meeting has been the emphasis on biomarkers. Been fascinating. And there were a few talks where they talked about diversity, and whether those biomarkers... I mean, the one that's been very publicised is Tau p217 and whether those are suitable for biomarkers in other populations, because there is an emphasis on Western populations, generally. And I just wondered if any of you picked up anything about that, in terms of other cohort studies where they're looking at that? **Athina Grigoriou:** I think we've been to- **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** We've been to a couple of- **Athina Grigoriou:** ... talks, so yeah, like you just said. They focus on p-t217, but there was another talk on the same... It was on the same biomarker’s session, but they picked up on other phosphorylation sites on the tau protein, that they say that could be used as a biomarker. So, I think the other one was p264 if I'm not mistaken. I don't know if you remember. I can't remember exactly which one it was. I think it was 264, I'm not mistaken. **Professor Louise Serpell:** That sounds familiar. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. Well, it's on a different side of the protein, but they showed... They used a number of techniques, I can't recall all of them right now, but they showed that that could also be used as the biomarker, and that it comes early in disease too. So, it considers a lot of people are shifting, and trying to find other biomarkers, or use other different experiments that can understand any way, always. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah. So that's going to really help us with this personalised medicine, isn't it? **Athina Grigoriou:** Correct. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** But we're really at an early point in biomarkers, but it's quite exciting, that they found this particular one that seems to work really well. For at least Western populations. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** A very important point that you did raise though, that we're looking at just at the West right now. It's very important to make sure that this is kind of an overarching thing that could help everyone around the world. And if it isn't, then we need to work harder for this personalised medicine, to really make sure that it's not prioritising the people that, we've just focused on this particular mutation and modification. It needs to be, we need to be helping everyone who's suffering. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And from a mechanistic point of view, it's actually really interesting because if you've got a biomarker that seems to work in one population and not in another, then it's really surprising, isn't it? Because then you think, "Well, actually maybe that isn't the mechanism of the disease," and you need to open your mind a little bit more, like you were saying about these other targets, where you can think about upstream targets that are really important. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yeah. And I think it's hopeful to see that the techniques are also evolving in biomarkers, there's a lot of multiomics posters out there, a lot of talks on fluid biomarkers. So, I think the field is also evolving, which is great, because it really gives us a better understanding of the disease. And also, just identifying the patients early. And we need to do that, because right now we identify them very too late, when they have already evolved the motor symptoms, for example, in Parkinson's disease. But we know they actually evolve, or the disease occurs initially 10 years, or approximately, before they have most of the symptoms. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. It was also just to kind of build upon the point that you'd mentioned before, how we were talking about, there's not always just kind of one type of disease, we have different types. So, I wonder if that kind of comes into, maybe it's not... It could be that the, say, p-Tau217 is kind of a common in the West, for say like GWAS studies of what we see, but then it could be that there's another particular phenotype, or like sub-Parkinson's disease, or DLB, that is more associated with other genes that are seen in other parts of the world as well. So really highlighting that, yeah. It's very different, but very important, to address all. **Athina Grigoriou:** And just to add on that, there were actually some talks, obviously there were a lot to go to. But I've seen the titles, and there were a lot of studies that were based, for example, on the East. So also, there was specific Chinese studies, or like Amsterdam or... Well, Amsterdam is still West, but there were in Africa, and all this. So, there are initiatives now, that they're making all these studies in other populations, to try and understand what we see in the West or where the research is, basically. Whether that relates back to those populations. So, there is stuff going out there, but yeah, it's just bringing it all together. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And then that also makes me think about, there were a few talks focusing on women, in terms of particularly Alzheimer's disease. I'm not sure if there's a change in preference, in terms of Parkinson's disease. And I wonder if you found that there were any talks on that, because it seems really important that we're focusing on sort of classifying people and stratifying the data, to try and work out that hormones may have an effect. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. So, we know from... I mean, not that I actually saw, I mean, probably there was for dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease, but in dementia with Lewy bodies there's an increased prevalence in the male population. So even just... I think there was one talk actually, I can't remember specifically what it was, but it kind of raised the idea that there could actually just be sex differences in synaptic activity, which could then predispose to different pathologies. Because we know that there's links between hyperexcitability, neuroinflammation, and downstream mitochondrial dysfunction, that can then be this vicious cycle. So, it's really, I think, very, very interesting, especially because a lot of the work that has probably been done years and years ago would have been on male mice, and it wouldn't have been fully representative of the female population. Obviously, Alzheimer's disease being most prevalent in women, is very- **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** I think that's still the case. I think still, I think you are more aware of it, but it's mostly male mice that are used in research. And I think we really need to shift and have- **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Definitely. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** ... both female and male, because as you mentioned, more females, they get Alzheimer's disease. But also talking about patients and so on, just taking a step back, what I've thought a lot about during this conference is that there's a lot of cool science and advanced techniques and so on, but we're not really thinking about the patient perspective. And I actually came across a poster yesterday by Jacquelyn Shapiro from something called CureGRN, which is a patient advocacy organisation who raises focus on FTD patients with the GRN mutation. And she actually had a poster where she told her family story, and had a lot of photos with her family, and who had unfortunately had FTD. Also, because it's a very genetic disease. And I think it was so strong, and it was a very personal storytelling. And I just think we need to remember that without the patient voices, they really drive the awareness, but also the research. Because we need them to donate a lot. And I think sometimes, I talked to her and she was like, "I just feel like a number sometimes." And I really think we need to focus or just remember why are we doing what we're doing because. Of course, we know it's important, but just to... I think that she had a very important point. **Professor Louise Serpell:** That is a really excellent point. I was going to ask you about Programme Lynn, because you mentioned it, didn't you? And I know, yes, that there's a variant form that causes FTD. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Exactly. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And yeah, I'm surprised that there aren't more patients or carers sort of involved in this meeting, but then it is quite sort of in-depth, high-level science. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. It is, but I think it's important to be, because there were sessions that were spread out, or there were others that you had. Obviously, we had some breaks, so it would be really nice if on those breaks, we had carers talking, or even patients being around. I think that will make everyone understand, and basically recall why I'm doing this, why I'm doing research. And yeah, it's really nice because we've seen thousands of exhibitors, there were a lot of exhibitions that we went to during the breaks. But it would be really good if you had one stand, if it's just one stand there, where people are talking about their experience. Especially their carers, I guess it's really hard for them, let's just not forget them. It's not just the patients, the carers, as well. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** I think it's important that they have a voice, especially for public engagement and patient engagement, letting them have a say in... You don't want them to feel like a number or a statistic. We want to keep them updated with where the research is going. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And the genetic forms are obviously incredibly difficult because people actually follow their parent being ill and declining but then know that they have the gene too. So, it's really shocking to have to live with that. I can't even imagine. And that makes it so important then, doesn't it? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah, 100%. And I think you also mentioned this, Sofie, about catching, well, not catching, but determined presymptomatic ally, that is the most important part to look at. And it is interesting that even for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, dementia with Lewy bodies, you see these changes that go unnoticed decades before. And even, especially when you were talking about the gut and the microbiome, how that can actually have a big role in actually the onset of Parkinson's disease, especially. I just think it's considering how many years it is prior, I think it's very important to really home in on these presymptomatic and prodromal diseases. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Absolutely. And then we might be able to identify people we can treat early enough. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah, that's the goal. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. There was a striking code, I actually took Lauren a photo in front of... It was the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and they had Michael J. Fox on the poster. And he said, "We're going to find the Parkinson's disease, cure a brain in order to do that, and it's because we're all going to work together." So, he said, "The reason why we're going to find the cure is because we're all working together." And that strikes me. I was like, "Okay, this is really nice." So, I guess this could actually, that actually made us think that we need to publish what we're publishing. We need to tell other scientists, and scientists need to talk with each other, in order to share their insights and share their thoughts, on how we can go forward with this so we can get closer to trust. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** I think that's very important. And also, just to communicate the negative data, as well. **Athina Grigoriou:** Exactly. Yes. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** I think that's also been a problem in the field. And I think in regard to that, I think the Novo Nordisk, the EVOKE talks, they were also very good. I think it was very inspiring, and very clear communicated, but also very transparent how they communicated negative results, and were just very honest. And I think that's so important for the field as well, because we also learn a lot from negative results. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah, exactly. I've also been to a talk yesterday, it was not my area, but it was about how Aβ42 and Aβ40, they get degraded in the liver. And the first slide the girl had on, it was all the studies and all the papers that came out, some of them were saying, "Oh yes, that is true." And then it was like, "Oh no, it's not." And then, "Oh, yes." So, you could see the different papers. And then she went on to talk about her research, and how she found that Aβ42 gets degraded faster in the liver compared to Aβ40 and all this, but she showed that there's still this debate out there. Which is really good, because this is how we're going to address the questions, I guess. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Yeah, so that openness. I was really, really informed by the EVOKE study on the GLP-1 inhibitors. I just thought that the way that, it was a real exemplar of how a company, who presumably have put an enormous amount of money into these trials, have actually offered to share the data, to publicise exactly what they've done. And perhaps this will lead to something in the future, we don't know, but for them to have really talked about it, I think it's fascinating. I mean, it seems sort of plausible that it might be a good target, but obviously not in that trial. And so, interesting to see what will happen next in that area. **Athina Grigoriou:** I just hope that they keep being open. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yeah. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yes. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** I agree. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. I mean, the best thing would be repurposing a drug that already exists, I suppose. And there's actually evidence for, I think it's metformin, the diabetes drug, and it's actually reduced incident. Those who have diabetes and that are on metformin, there's a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease. So, I think, even if it's not just neuroscience, but everyone collaborating on everything that we know. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. So, the talk we went this morning by Dag Aarsland, stating- **Professor Louise Serpell:** Who was it, Athina? **Athina Grigoriou:** Dag Aarsland, I think. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Oh, \[inaudible 00:33:56\]? **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. I think... Yeah, that's also there. Yeah. I've seen his talk before, once in another conference, and was really interested. So, we just rushed this morning to get here, to see his talk, but he was talking about the new perspectives in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease, and all the clinical trials that is happening. And I think they've also used, was it metformin they're using? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. I think so. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah, so they're using this drug also for DLB, and they show some cognitive advances, and that is great. So, it just said that there are clinical trials coming out for these diseases, that is dementia with Lewy bodies, but we need more. Yeah. So, it was really good. It was really, really good. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Really exciting meeting. So, we probably should be wrapping up. So, I'm just thinking, was there any particular research area that any of you just think is the future, where this field should be really focusing their ideas, and where you think we should all be going next? **Athina Grigoriou:** Big question. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** That's a tricky one. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah, yeah. I think we all have our own preferences and bias. **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Our backgrounds. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** I think the biomarker is a very, theme that goes again, along in many talks. And many, I think, yeah, understanding. But for just a researcher as we are, I think just coming to these conferences and getting inspired on what's moving in the field, and which models to use to be more translatable, for example, to the diseases. And I've learned a lot on which in vivo models, also, to use in the field. And they get more and more specific, also to, for example, if you have lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease, you can actually create a mouse model that is linked to a GBA mutation and so on. And also, just to see that a lot of complex cell models also evolving and being validated well. And I think that's really a good way to go in the research field, to have these complex models that really represent the human body and the disease the best way. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. Yeah. Good point. I agree. I suppose I would kind of come from the, I thought maybe you meant in terms of the theme of where research is mainly going. I'd say there was a lot of focus on neuroinflammation a few years ago, but I'd say, I think because of the link between, we're talking about metformin and how... I think there's a lot to speak about when it comes to hormonal changes, and if you have diabetes, all these different other factors, like epigenetic modifications. I just think it's really important that it's kind of seen more as kind of a whole. I know it's easy to really home in on just one particular thing, especially when we're researchers, and we're looking at it literally like a molecular basis. But yeah, I think maybe if there's more collaboration between clinicians and the researchers, to kind of have more of those discussions, I think that would help the way forward. **Professor Louise Serpell:** And that reminds us about being patient centred, doesn't it? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Because one of the things that I've talked about is that Alzheimer's disease, for example, takes your whole life to develop. And it's about the experiences, and the genetics, and the environment of the person, and what leads to that outcome. And presumably, the same for Parkinson's disease. So just thinking about, exactly, the hormones and the effects. One thing that I thought was missing actually, which I was a bit surprised about, was there was nothing about infection. So, I think a few years ago, there was no idea that if you are protected against herpes virus, that you would have a resilience to Alzheimer's disease. And I didn't see anything about that this time. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** I didn't really catch anything like that. **Professor Louise Serpell:** No, no. So, I mean- **Athina Grigoriou:** That's quite- **Professor Louise Serpell:** ... interesting. Because I do think that if you are to get a severe infection, then it sort of makes sense, doesn't it? That it could trigger changes and dysfunction. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Yeah, 100%. **Professor Louise Serpell:** So, it's quite interesting that that didn't come off. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Well, that's true. And it's actually also true with the neuroinflammation. I think there's been a lot of talks focusing on the lipids and the lysosomes, especially in both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. **Professor Louise Serpell:** So, it's been a really fantastic conversation, I've really enjoyed talking to you all. And I just wondered if any of you presented posters or talks at this meeting, and whether you wanted to say a little bit about what you did? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** No. **Athina Grigoriou:** I can go on. Yeah, yeah. I did have a poster. I was on the first shift, because of there was two shifts for the whole conference, and my poster focused more on the cytoplasmic to nuclear translocation that I see in dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease cases. So, I am using postmortem brain tissue as well as brain slides from the frontal cortex of patients from the control cases, prodromal, Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. And specifically for the postmortem brain tissue, what I do is, I fractionate the tissue into the nucleus and the cytoplasmic fractions. And what I saw, which is really interesting, we still don't understand it, but we're still in the process of increasing our end numbers, is that we do see these differences in the cytoplasmic and the nuclear fractions on dementia... Sorry, in DNA damage repair proteins. Because like I said before, I'm interested in the role of these proteins in disease. And we do see that there is a down regulation of these proteins, of the Ku70 and the APEX1 protein in the cytoplasmic fraction, and there is a potential upregulation in the nuclear fraction. We're still trying to understand, there's a lot of variability, especially in dementia with Lewy bodies, which brings back to the question actually, and this disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, might not be pure. That all these co-pathologies that we were talking before might actually contribute to all the changes that we observe, and this variability that we observe. But then I've also used brain tissue slides to stain for Ku70 and APEX1 proteins. And again, I do see this shift from the cytoplasm into the nucleus in Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies cases, which is really striking. So then, something else that I'm working on is cellular model. So, we trying to have a shift, and get a step back, to understand the mechanism of why we're seeing what we're seeing. So, I am using the SH-SY5Y cells, some differentiate the known to neuron-like phenotypes. And in order to induce DNA damage, I use a TOPO-SAT, which is a topoisomerase II inhibitor. And something that's really striking, what we observe, is that when we induce DNA damage using this chemotherapeutic dry etoposide, I see that there is an increase of phosphorylation, UKN, with increasing concentrations of the drug without any changes in the total levels of A-synuclein and the total levels of tau. And I don't see any phosphorylation of tau. That's why I really loved that talk as well because they do see similar things. And also, so we're in the process of doing further experiments on this, and like splitting into the nuclear-cytoplasmic fractions. And we've also produced, generated some preform fibrils from alpha-synuclein, using the Michael J Fox Foundation protocol, and we want to use these preexisting pathology, the preform fibrils, with and without the DNA damage inducing agent and TOPO-SAT to see what comes first. So, trying to understand, basically, the basics behind what we see. So, it's an exciting work, but yeah, that is only, that's what my poster was about. **Professor Louise Serpell:** Well, that sounds really interesting- **Athina Grigoriou:** Yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** ... so, I really look forward to hearing what happens in the end, of your \[inaudible 00:42:11\]- **Athina Grigoriou:** Thank you very much. Yeah, yeah. **Professor Louise Serpell:** How exciting. **Athina Grigoriou:** Thank you. **Professor Louise Serpell:** What about you, Lauren? **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** So, I also had a poster. So, I actually have only recently started my postdoctoral position at the University of Dundee, but I have my finalised work for my PhD at Newcastle University, so that's what I presented in the poster. So, what I've shown, using a transgenic mouse model of alpha-synucleinopathies, A30P mouse, I looked at a presymptomatic age range between two and four months, and I specifically wanted to look at the hippocampus and the hippocampal neurons. And it was actually kind of like an accident as to how I found this, is when I zoomed in on the images in the parameter layer, I saw that there was kind of differential expression of alpha-synuclein in the A30P mouse, between cells of the same mouse. And I thought it was quite strange. I did a frequency distribution, and I categorised these cells. And I have a low, medium, high levels of alpha-synuclein. And I want to look at how the mitochondrial respiratory chain subunits are impacted when there is either low, medium, or high levels of alpha-synuclein. And interestingly, we found that in the cells that had the very high levels of alpha-synuclein, there was a significant increase in mitochondrial complex I subunit, and also mitochondrial complex IV, which is interesting because from what Sara Berman shown in patient data, that there was actually an initial increase. So, I thought it was quite nice to, it kind of linked very nicely with some of the ... I know that I was using a mouse model, but it's reassuring that it's actually seen in some patient data as well. It might be a commonality of this compensatory response, initially. **Professor Louise Serpell:** That's what conferences are for really, isn't it? When you really get some sort of backup on what you think, and you start thinking about how that compares to other people. That sounds fantastic, really exciting stuff. Thanks. What about you, Sofie? **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yes. **Professor Louise Serpell:** You gave a talk for a YouTube video? **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Yes, that's true. Yes, I actually... So, I did present a poster as well, and that was for Vesper Bio, which I just mentioned before. We developed small molecule sortilin inhibitors, and we actually have one called VES001, which has just finalised, or completed, a Phase 1b/2a trial. And we have a talk later today on the safety and the efficacy of that, and I can, spoiler alert, it's good. But I did present more the preclinical stuff. So, as I mentioned, we increase by blocking the sortilin receptor, we increased the very important progranulin protein in the brain, and we do it both extracellularly, but also intracellularly. So, by that, we improve the lysosomal function. It's neuroprotective, but also anti-inflammatory. So that's very good. And then, I talked a lot about the potential we have in Parkinson's disease, because that we are in a very preclinical stage. And that's especially with the death complex I mentioned before, so the sortilin p75 death complex, which especially is on the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, so very important for Parkinson's disease patients. So, when we block that, we increase the cell survival. And right now, we're in a very beginning stage. So, we've actually tried with the AAV, the viral alpha-synuclein mouse model. Unfortunately, it was a very harsh model, so we saw 90% loss of the dopaminergic cells, which is a lot. So unfortunately, we couldn't really rescue anything that wasn't there. So, I mean, we've also really learned a lot from this conference, and got a lot of good feedback on what the next steps are. And we're very lucky to have a funding from the Michael J. Fox as well, which are really incredible to work with. And have also had a lot of good talks with them here at the conference. **Professor Louise Serpell:** So that brings us to the end of our ADP conference reflections from Copenhagen. Thank you all so much for your fantastic input and discussion. I really enjoyed it, I hope you did too. Good luck on going home, although some don't have to go too far. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Not so far. **Professor Louise Serpell:** If you want to learn more about the research we discussed today, you can find links and further information in the show notes. On our YouTube channel, you'll find many of the posters' short recordings. I've listened to them, and watched them, and they are really fantastic. I'm so impressed with the way that people are able to communicate their research, as you've seen today. So, the researchers will share short summaries of their work presented at the conference. But for now, I'm Professor Louise Serpell, and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Goodbye. **Dr Sofie Let Frandsen:** Bye. **Athina Grigoriou:** Bye. **Dr Lauren O’Neill:** Bye. Thank you. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe or leave us a review and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**AD/PD Conference**](https://adpd.kenes.com/) > > [**AD/PD Posters in Shorts**](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeUI1GHB4EvTvMGqYBYl37ptBxWPDIcqf) > > [**Vesper Bio**](https://www.vesperbio.com/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AD/PD, Athina Grigoriou, Dr Lauren O'Neill, Dr Sofie Let Frandsen, Podcast, Professor Louise Serpell **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - ADPD 2026 Conference Highlights - Part One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-adpd-2026-conference-highlights-part-one/) **Published:** March 29, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Conference highlights from AD/PD 2026 in Copenhagen, exploring biomarkers, AI, co pathology, and future treatments in dementia research. **Content:** **This episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast comes from the AD PD Conference 2026 in Copenhagen, bringing together global researchers to share the latest in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease research.** Hosted by [Professor David Cash](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-david-cash-university-college-london/), the episode features [Grace Thompson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-grace-thomson-university-of-exeter/), [Dr Marieta Vassileva](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-marieta-vassileva-ucl-aruk-drug-discovery-institute/), and [Dr Alice Carstairs](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-alice-carstairs-alzheimers-society/), each offering their own highlights from across the conference. Rather than trying to cover everything, the conversation focuses on standout talks and emerging themes. These include advances in biomarkers, growing interest in co pathology, the role of neuroinflammation, and how new tools like AI and multiomics are changing how we understand disease. Across the discussion, the group reflects on what new findings might mean for diagnosis, treatment, and the future direction of dementia research. There is also a strong sense of optimism, with the field moving towards combination therapies and earlier intervention. This is Part One of a two part series capturing reflections from the conference. ##### Key Takeaways - Biomarkers are now central across diagnosis, prediction, and trials - Co pathology is a major theme, with diseases rarely existing in isolation - Tau is emerging as a key driver of cognitive decline - Microglia and neuroinflammation offer new therapeutic targets - Multiomics is helping uncover detailed disease mechanisms - AI is becoming essential for handling complex datasets - Early career researchers are playing a visible role at major conferences - Synaptic loss is strongly linked to cognitive decline - Combination therapies are increasingly seen as the future - The field feels more optimistic than in previous years --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Professor David Cash:** Hello, and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Today's episode is coming to you from the AD/PD conference here in the beautiful city of Copenhagen, where researchers from around the world have gathered to share new findings on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other related neurodegenerative conditions. Hello, I'm Professor Dave Cash from the University College of London, and I'm delighted to be hosting today's show. AD/PD is one of the major international meetings in our field, bringing together researchers working on everything from basic molecular mechanisms to clinical trials, neuroimaging, and new diagnostic approaches. Over the past couple of days, there have been hundreds of talks and posters. So rather than trying to summarise everything, today we're going to focus on a few highlights that really stood out. Joining me are three people who have been exploring the conference, Grace Thompson, a PhD student from the University of Exeter, Dr. Marieta Vassileva from the University of College of London, and Alice Carstairs from the Alzheimer's Society. Hello, everybody. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Hi. **Grace Thomson:** Hello. **Professor David Cash:** Before we begin, could I ask each of you to briefly introduce yourself, and tell listeners what areas of research and work you're in? We'll start with you, Grace. **Grace Thomson:** Hello, I'm Grace Thompson. I'm a PhD student at the University of Exeter. I primarily research the role of microRNAs and small non-coding RNAs in Lewy body dementias. **Professor David Cash:** Great. Thank you. And Marieta. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Hello. Thanks for having me today. I'm Marieta, and I'm a research fellow at the UCL Alzheimer's Research UK Drug Discovery Institute. And my background is focusing on microglia and their role in dementia neuroinflammation in general. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Hiya, I'm Alice. I am not a researcher, but I work in the research communications team at Alzheimer's Society. So, I get to talk about all of the great, kind of research that our funded researchers are doing and disseminate the outcomes and impacts from that work. **Professor David Cash:** For listeners who have not joined us for one of these conference reflection episodes before, here's how it works. Each of our guests will take a turn sharing a talk, a poster, or a session that stood out to them from the conference so far. And then, when describing the work, we are asking them to summarise what the research was about, what the key findings were, and why they think it matters. After each summary, we'll have a short discussion before moving on to the next highlight. And we'll go around the room several times, depending on time. So, Grace, let's start with you. What's one talk or poster that's really stood out for you for the conference so far? **Grace Thomson:** I really enjoyed yesterday there was a number of talks that focused on single-cell RNA sequencing. And being in epigenetics myself, it's very interesting to see. But one of the talks that really stood out was a talk from Melissa Graham Peters at University of Cambridge, where she was looking at the molecular and cellular differences in Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's disease dementia. And its really important work, because approximately 40% of patients develop dementia when they have Parkinson's disease. Her work used single-cell RNA sequencing to look at the different transcript usage in Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's disease dementia. And they actually found quite a difference in Parkinson's and Parkinson's disease dementia, which I found really interesting with my work being quite similar as well. It's quite nice to have that overlay and touching on work that's not been done before. **Professor David Cash:** Okay. And for those simpler neuroimaging folk of us, give us a little bit more about why you think epigenetics is so important in different forms of dementia. **Grace Thomson:** It's because I think a lot of the literature highlights that there's a role of dysregulation in genes. And I think with the technologies developing, like RNA sequencing, small RNA sequencing, we can really capture why certain cell types are more vulnerable than others. And we can really highlight some of the pathways that have been affected that may not have been done traditionally. And I think, with some of these new technologies, we're really pushing them to be able to achieve quite a lot of information about what's happening on a cellular and molecular level. And I think that's really important when we go and design future therapeutics or biomarkers. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** I think, yeah, I agree. And I think yesterday for me also, one of the highlights was that there was a lot of omics work in general. It seems to be something that is still very highly explored in the field. I do remember that talk, and it was very cool. It's very outside of my area of expertise, but I still thought it was really nice talk. Yeah, very interesting. **Grace Thomson:** Yeah. Like the layers of omics, I think it really highlights the information that we can gauge from different technologies. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** I was just going to say that I missed this talk, and now I'm gutted. I'm going to have to go and watch it back because that's super interesting. **Professor David Cash:** That is one of the real benefits now of hybrid conferences nowadays. There's always so much FOMO. I want to go to this talk, and this talk are occurring at the same time. And now at least with on demand and streaming, you can kind of catch up a little bit. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Four or five concurrency. **Professor David Cash:** Exactly. So just going back to that, what were some of the pathways that might've been different between Parkinson's and Parkinson's disease dementia? **Grace Thomson:** So, from what she said, it was that there was a differential usage of APP and SNCA transcripts, particularly within excitational neurons. But it was almost that the Lewy body pathology was actually the driver of the differential transcript usage, which is quite interesting because it's still quite underexplored. So yeah, I think there's still got a lot of work to do, but I think when you add all these layers of transcriptomics, various multiomics, it really does build up a big picture of the pathways that we could target. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. And it gets to the point of, are we looking at subtypes, different diseases, a spectrum that we're along, and especially when you're mentioning APP instantly, sort of the Alzheimer's disease person in me, that rings a bell. So, it's interesting that, how we frame these things around co-pathologies or spectrums, is more of a construct that's helpful for us rather than maybe... **Grace Thomson:** She did mention that, in their findings, they were actually seeing that PD and Parkinson's disease dementia are actually more distinct than they were similar, which does vary across the literature in the field. So, it's quite nice to be able to actually see some evidence that they might be distinct as well. **Professor David Cash:** Okay, great. Anybody else have any more comments on that talk? **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** No, I think just highlighting what you said, just using these technologies to start dividing, more specifically the diseases, not just generalising and saying PD, AD, because now we know it's not really that simple and usually there are core pathologies at the same time. And I think that came a little bit from, I think, one of the plenary lectures in the afternoon from Leah Grinberg, like the pathology where they look at the different subtypes. And that was really interesting. Yeah. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah, absolutely. Co-pathology seems to have been a real theme this year. It's come up in a lot of the sessions and the talks that I've been to. The plenary speaker, as you said, Leah yesterday was absolutely fantastic looking at the neuropathology and the autopsy and tracking back the kind of different co-pathologies. So yeah, it seems. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** And I think it was beautiful work where you can see, because she obviously showed some of their research and how they're looking at brain slices. And it's kind of highlighting, I think she said it in her talk as well, that I think histology has been discarded for a while, because now we have these new techniques called the omics, but it still has a place and we have to in a way integrate them all to get the best. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** For sure. And then what she was saying about relating it back to biomarkers was super interesting to me as well, that actually some of the biomarkers we have can only identify things into the intermediate and late stages. But when you're looking at brain autopsy, there's obviously all of these stages before that, that we can track with biomarkers. So yeah, it was a super, super interesting talk. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. Leah Grinberg has been, such a fantastic career and just an enthusiastic champion of science and research and a good mentor, I think. I think it really shows the power of neuropathology. We were talking about, exactly what you were saying before. People went away from pathology for a little while, and now a lot of the imagers are coming back because they want to know what does this really do. What does this really measure? And we're beginning to see the power that these things are not competitors, they're things that help each other out. And I found it fascinating that a lot of her work was based on the Sao Paulo Brain Bank, which was like the largest population... I never even knew there was a thing of a population brain bank before, but this whole idea of a population brain bank and the ability to then bring in epidemiology into pathology. But we kind of digressed. We kind of had a group highlight there on Leah Grinberg's plenary, which I think I've heard from lots of people was really important. And things like the locus coeruleus and the denti raphe nucleus identified from her pathology work is now an area actively imagers are targeting is, can we make some measures there? What connections are there? How is it being affected during the disease? So, it just shows that virtuous cycle in that regards. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Yeah, because I think it's always nice to see the functional outcome from... Obviously the omics tells us a lot about pathways, but it's hard, I think, especially from our perspective as drug discovery researchers, you want to be more specific. If you have to identify a drug target, I think genomics informs us only so far, and then you have to have something to be able to look at. **Professor David Cash:** That's really important. Yeah, definitely. So Marieta, I'll turn to you now. What presentation caught your eye or poster or talk that you've seen so far, these first two days? **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** I think for me, I'm going to highlight the whole session, that I think I'm very biassed towards. So, I thought that the session which was focused on microglia astroglia from mechanisms to potential treatments was very good. And there were a few talks there that I think were a big highlight. Peter George-Hyslop, Mathew Blurton-Jones, Soyon Hong from UCL, also pretty interesting. And I think I personally found them very interesting because they relate a lot to my work, but also the kind of range of techniques that were showed there. There was everything from omics to biochemistry, kind of like classic IP pulldowns in cells, different models like IPSCs, integrating IPSCs with mouse models, which is something that I think we're definitely moving towards in the field. So, I thought it was such a wide range of technologies, and then showing very mechanistically, I think each of the speakers in their respective protein of interest, how they've mechanistically looked at the pathway, and tried to figure out what specific proteins play part in what mechanisms in microglia. And I thought that was really interesting to look at. **Professor David Cash:** And if you had to kind of, say, two or three takeaways from the session, seeing how all those talks kind of fit together, what were the big takeaways that we're getting from the research and the microglia in the field right now in dementia? **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** I think we're definitely moving, we're gaining more and more insight into how these pathways work, because I think we've known for years now that there is genetic risk associated with microglia. We know that there's key receptors like TREM2. But I think for a while we haven't had that super specific mechanistic understanding of how the pathways work, what protein interacts with what protein downstream, like that sort of thing. And I think now through these researchers and their brilliant work, we're starting to understand a lot more about the specific proteins that we can target. For example, in Soyon's talk, we heard about MFG8, which is a factor that is involved in how ostracised communicate with microglia, and she's demonstrating that that can be a mechanism through which synapses are engulfed, which we know is a key thing that's happening in AD. So, I think definitely more and more drug targets. **Professor David Cash:** Well, excellent. I mean, and from an imaging perspective, neuroinflammation is fascinating because we really feel that we don't have yet a good tool. So, we have some various PET tracers, but it's such a complicated, fascinating sort of reactive process that your brain is doing when it's being triggered. And in some cases, it can be beneficial. In some cases, it could be worse. And our tools right now are quite blunt in that regard. And we can only see it's happening. We don't know if it's a good happening or if it's a bad happening. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Yeah. And I think the timing is very key. And I think that came through this morning, Bart De Strooper plenary talk, where he very nicely highlighted the different, kind of like stages of Alzheimer's. He broke it down to six different stages starting really early on from the initial A-beta oligomeric accumulation, all the way down to tau aggregation and cell death. And I think it was really nice how he almost put different time points across it saying, "If you want to treat here, you have to look at this. If you want to treat here, you have to look at this." And I think that's really important. I think overall for treatments moving forward in the field and how we even design trials and what biomarkers we look at, because I think now, we know that it's really complex, it's really longitudinal, and I think you can't just measure a beta and say, "Oh, this is enough." **Professor David Cash:** Curious, did other people attend this session? If you did, what did you think of it? **Grace Thomson:** I didn't, but it sounds really interesting. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Sorry, I've outed everyone. **Professor David Cash:** Well, that's good. That way we're providing complimentary information, so that's helpful in that regards. All right. Well, great. Alice, I'll turn to you. Yeah, you have an interesting perspective being a communications officer, thinking about what's important for patients, their families. What kind of research, from your perspective sitting on a funder, really rang out to you as this is something that's important for us to communicate to? **Dr Alice Carstairs:** So, I think there's been an awful lot of different research that's kind of been highlighted. And I kind of feel like that's one of the nice things about this conference is we almost feel like we've started out in that biomarker and causes a mechanism space. And then later on in the conference, we're moving more towards the kind of treatment space and hearing a little bit more about clinical trials. So, really enjoying the range of research that we're getting at AD/PD. And I think that's really important for dementia research is that we continue across that full spectrum. One of the talks that I picked out as particularly interesting came from a PhD student actually. And that was something I was also really encouraged to hear and see, is how many early career researchers are getting the space to be able to talk and present at these events, which I think is so important. But yeah, this was a first year PhD student called Lauren Young, and she's from Torres Spire Jones' lab. And she was presenting her work on looking at a biomarker for synapses, which I know that the reduction in synapses is one of the better, kind of linkages to cognitive function. So how great would it be if we had a biomarker to be able to link to that? And she just presented just some really elegant work looking at SB2A, and kind of tracking that and determining that yes, the changes that you can see in PET imaging with SV2A aren't then linked to changes in protein content, but actually changes in levels, the numbers of synapses. And that was doing some really elegant work with brain tissue cell slices, and sort of reconstructing them in a 3D space for microscopy and overcoming some of the technical difficulties with light microscopy and synapses. So yeah, I think it's super important that we've got work like Lawrence, which is kind of that early stage, looking at how can we do this, all the way through to the later parts in the week when hopefully we're going to hear a little bit more of a deep dive into some of these clinical trial results. **Professor David Cash:** Did anybody else see that or do you guys tend to work on synapse density or synaptic proteins at all in your work? **Grace Thomson:** We tend to, but some of my results are leaning towards that. So, it's quite nice to hear that. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. So, I actually, I saw that talk on Amanda actually this morning, and I agree. It was a great talk and a great example again of the pathology working with imaging and really a clear answer to the question. She was really wondering, is it that we're seeing less synapses, or we're seeing less proteins in the same number of synapses? And her conclusion from what she showed seemed to be the former, that we're losing less synapses. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah. And I think it's being able to take that yes/no question and give a definitive answer is, I mean, it's rare in research, let's be honest, but being able to do that and sort of answer those questions so succinctly, she did a fabulous job. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. And yeah, especially it must be daunting as a first year PhD student. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** I couldn't have done it. That was a lot of people in that room. **Professor David Cash:** So that's interesting. You mentioned some of this might be related to your work. How so? **Grace Thomson:** So, my wife looks at microRNAs, and some of the results that we're finding is that there's a link with some of the microRNAs that are affected in late-stage Lewy body pathology to synaptic dysfunction. We're still unpicking it. MicroRNAs are pretty tough to work with, but we're hoping to actually implement some more new techniques. So, microRNA scope. So, this would be probing the microRNAs with an oligo. So, you can look at the in-situ locations of these. So hopefully, potentially it might produce synapses, we'll never know, but well, in a few months, but yeah, it's good to hear that it's kind of leaning towards that in terms of the research as well. **Professor David Cash:** Great. Great. Well, I think if I'm going to take the prerogative of being the host and offer one of my personal highlights, you may be surprised, it's about imaging. And one of the things I'm really interested is, I work a lot in the at-risk of the preclinical stage of AD and thinking about when we can start seeing individuals transitioning from one state to the other. So, I think there's a fair amount of evidence from recent papers now that if there's both amyloid and tau present in individuals, the time to cognitive impairment is relatively short. And Stamakara Yani, who is at the University of Gothenburg, was looking at that. So, she works with Michael Scholl and Alexis Moscoso there, and they've collected a lot of amyloid and tau PET data. And she was particularly looking at three large cohorts, ADNI, the Harvard Ageing Brain Study, and the A4 sort of presymptomatic trial using solanezumab. All these are publicly available datasets that are great researchers for tools for researchers like me. And what she looked at was particularly cognitively unimpaired people, about three, 400-ish people, who had amyloid and longitudinal tau. And she found that... So, one of the things that I've been most curious about is what is that transition from Tau negative to Tau positive? When does that happen? And with that data, she was able to show roughly about a third of individuals transition, over a six-year process, to go from amyloid positive, tau negative to Tau positive. And then once they're at that stage, there's actually quite a fair amount of risk involved. But going a little bit forward, who are those people? And we're still looking at that, but she found that older individuals and E4A carriers were... So, things that we wouldn't be surprised by are driving some of that transition. The other thing she looked at is that Tau positivity is really that driver to cognitive impairment. So, the number of individuals who went to cognitive impairment were predominantly people who were Tau-positive. And if you're Tau-negative, it was some other source. So, the amyloid negative and amyloid positive individuals didn't go jump right to cognitive impairment, and they did a relatively equal amount. So, it was really helpful for us to kind of get better timings, get better windows for when we could potentially treat people in the disease. So that was one I really liked. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Yeah, I think definitely. I think there's more highlight on Tau, although I think there is a lot of sessions still on APOE and things like that. But I think definitely I saw a lot of stuff yesterday about Tau developing models to look at Tau, because I think that has been a problem in the field for a while and we don't have anything that mimics Tau pathology in humans very well in animal models. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. So, we have good animal models for amyloid, say. Yeah. Okay. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** No, I saw that talk. It was super interesting. And that Tau kind of story has come up a few times, and I think has also come up in the treatment world where people are saying, well, is it that we're going to need multimodal treatments that hit the sort of different parts? And obviously it's fantastic. We're starting somewhere with our amyloid treatment, but are we going to need those amyloid treatments and those Tau treatments to be having such an impact in people living with dementia? **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. And I think in some ways the fact that we now have amyloid disease modifying therapies allows us to dare to dream about something like a combination therapy. It's hard to talk about that when you don't even have a first step working in individuals. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah. And we wouldn't have been having this conversation however many years ago. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** No, and I think some of those combination therapies and things are definitely coming up. I was, just before coming here, I was at the session where both Sanofi and therapeutics were talking about their TREM2 small molecules and the developments on that, which are moving forward and they've both did in vivo proof concept studies. So that's really cooled to see. So, I think hopefully soon we're going to see some other treatments coming in as well. **Grace Thomson:** And I liked how in the debate yesterday, it was almost proposed that we should look at how the Canterfield do it and whether we have several lines of treatment. I think that's really powerful and I think that'll probably be the way that it might go. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. So just to fill in for the people, they tried to frame it as a debate late in the afternoon, but really it was, I love it, it was sort of the interface, I guess, between industry and academia, how they could work together, what frustrations there were there. And I didn't really feel like a tension between the different groups, but they had some really important academics like Cynthia Lomare. They also had Mark Minton from Eli Lilly. So, they had Jeff Kircher from Roche. They had the head of the ADDI, Nirojan Bose. So, they had a good mix of people who were all coming at it from different perspectives. And you're right, they did mention this idea of like, we need to up our vernacular game, I guess. Yeah. **Grace Thomson:** Those exciting times, you kind of know that we're on the cusp of getting that. It's just, yeah, hopefully. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah, no, absolutely. And then hopefully other forms of dementia will follow suit. Any other highlights that people wanted to raise? Any other things, talks that we haven't touched on already? **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** I think we kind of briefly touched on it, but definitely biomarkers. Biomarkers are everywhere. Don't think I've been in a talk where they haven't mentioned biomarkers, since yesterday. And I've seen all ranges of people doing CSF, blood. I think I saw urine biomarkers in one of the talks, which is very cool. **Grace Thomson:** And then the integration of AI with them as well, that's been a big theme as well, which has been great. It's exciting to know that that could make such a big difference. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. Going back to the biomarkers, I saw a talk on a Singapore cohort. I believe that the author's name was Joyce Tang, and it was interesting. So, she had your MRI markers, your white matter hyperintensity, your hippocampal volumes. She had a whole panel of both the new NULISA, and to look at brain-derived P-tau, which I know a lot of people are really interested in at the moment. And she was like, "Well, what's the most parsimonious model to predict cognitive decline?" And in fact, it didn't involve any PET at all. It involved P-Tau-217 to give you the sort of amyloid, a white matter hyperintensity marker to give you some of the vascular elements, and hippocampal volume for neurodegeneration. And when you think about a blood test and an MRI, MRI is still, well, far more accessible than PET, not super accessible, but it still is something that sounds like it could be a really beneficial element in terms of diagnosis and predicting where people are going. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Yeah, because I think that it's basically two sides of the story. One is to do it diagnosis, prediction, maybe what we were saying about the different types of dementia actually properly diagnosing people. And then, I think the second from drug discovery perspective, is something that gives us a better readout in trials, where you know that you are actually modulating the pathology in a meaningful way. I think that's something quite important. **Professor David Cash:** And it highlights the fact that different tools, whether they're blood, CSF, or imaging, might be more appropriate in different settings like that. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Yeah, exactly. Depending on what your target is doing and what you're expecting to see. And I think again, going back to what stage you're actually targeting, obviously if you're looking at P-Tau 217 quite late, maybe earlier on, you want to measure different things that more linked to the neuroinflammatory aspect. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** I think it's been really interesting as well hearing so many people talk about how we use biomarkers as well. There was a, I think they called it a forum chat, with quite a number of people working in the field who were just discussing, are we at a stage yet where biomarkers can be used as a confirmatory test? There we go. Is it enough on their own? And just hearing that sort of clinician side and how primary care practitioners are using them compared to how we as researchers are using them, I think that conversation has been really interesting to listen to, and hearing the different kind of viewpoints about, yes, perhaps we could use them at this point. And other people saying, "Well, no, that's not how they're being used at the moment. We do need the imaging, the MRI, the PET at the moment, but wouldn't it be good if?" And so yeah, I've really valued hearing all of those discussions and conversations as well. **Professor David Cash:** And I guess going more to that level, we're very biomarker and omics heavy in this group, but I was curious if anybody saw some of the session on the first day led by Jill Livingston and Mia Kivapelto about modifiable risk factors with a very provocative title, Is Dementia Preventable? **Dr Alice Carstairs:** No, I missed that one. I know Jill Livingston's work and with the Lancet kind of report, obviously Alzheimer's Society have helped fund kind of part of that, but no, it wasn't at the session. Were there some key takeaways and stuff to come away with? **Professor David Cash:** Well, I think so. So, they showed the FINGER study originally, done in Finland showed that this very carefully, very tailored, very intense multi-domain intervention is something that will really slow down cognitive decline in individuals. And then, Jill Livingston talked about the 14 modifiable risk factors as part of the land It's a commission. And also highlighted a thing that we throw around the number 45% of things that could... If we could somehow magically wipe out all the risk factors, that's how many cases we could prevent. And what was interesting is, there's this acknowledgement that it's different in different countries. It's changed over time. We've seen a drop in age-related prevalence in Alzheimer's disease, but because the age population is going up, we are still seeing increase in cases. And in some countries, we're seeing an increase in prevalence. We may see that reversed, with its obesity or depression or social isolation creeps back into society. So, it was an interesting talk about that element of what is preventable, how is that changing? What evidence do we have of trials working? So, there's some evidence that providing hearing aids in certain cases can be really beneficial for cognitive intervention. And there was the recent US Pointer study where they did either a self-guided intervention or a more intense one. Not much difference between the two, but both groups benefited from doing that. So, what I find, to link it back to what we all tend to do, can we start to find biological bases of what these things are doing and why they're benefiting people, in terms of dementia? **Dr Alice Carstairs:** That's fascinating. Did they look into the genetic status of any of these people and whether those people with the APOE4 genotype, was there any sort of indication whether it might work well for them or not work so well for them? **Professor David Cash:** I believe they did. I believe they found it actually benefited the homozygotes more than it did at anybody else. I feel like I have to check my notes really quick to make sure I got that right. And again, they also had a fair amount of proteomics. So, they were looking at what proteins are potentially being affected by these modifiable risk factors, a lot of synaptic stuff, a lot of inflammation stuff. So, kind of lends to that sort of missing piece where we don't really have a good handle on... **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** I think it is really interesting because you know that all these things contribute, on top of the genetic risk. And we already know the genetic risk of Alzheimer's is so complicated anyway with polygenic risk. And then on top of that, that you have things like sleep and your diet and exercise and all that feeds into the story, but I don't think we have a good handle on how exactly it fits into the story yet. Yeah. **Professor David Cash:** We've talked about some of the big research areas that we've seen themes in terms of co-pathology, and biomarkers, and things like that, and AI. Just curious, did you find any new technologies or methods that you hadn't seen before that really interested you? **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** I think you already mentioned it, but I think the NUNULISA technology coming in, I put it across a few talks. So, I think that will definitely be something we'll probably keep seeing, and more people will use it, because I think they have a few human panels and a mouse panel, which is very good for translational research. **Grace Thomson:** For me, I think it was the new AI co-scientists. I think they're really going to be really exciting. And it was great to learn a bit more about how they've been used. And it's going to be interesting to see how we can apply it to the dementia field as well. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah, I agree. I think that's a great point. The AI co-scientists, the creators, both the Google and the C-Brain are very key on this being scientist-led and not just free to let it run amuck as it does, which I think is good. And as we get more comfortable and familiar with these AI tools, it is incredible how fast the pace they are going, and how we are going to have a tough time keeping up. We thought the blood biomarker pace was fast. This may be even quicker. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Yeah, but I think it's really good to integrate with all the omics, because I think the omics datasets are so hard to analyse and it takes so much time. And I think you can definitely use AI to integrate a lot more data than I think humanly you would be able to. **Grace Thomson:** Yeah, I agree, because I feel like in my own data, I've got loads that I want to do, but timewise, so it's going to be great to know. I can do that. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** And I think picking out patterns that I think you just won't be able to, whereas it can look through, exactly the way publicly available datasets and then just identify things that I think will be really interesting for us. **Professor David Cash:** Yeah. I think overall, the idea of we're getting a little bit more comfortable and transparent with using AI and not feeling like we're cheating somehow. As I think some of the things that they've highlighted is there are 200,000 papers on Alzheimer's disease. And I don't know about you guys, but I feel like every week, the pile of papers that I want to read that I can't get to be just really difficult. So, figuring out a way to kind of direct some method to kind of handle just the overwhelming amount of scientific literature that's being produced out there. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Because where I think coming to conferences like this is great because you almost get a quick update on everything that's happening. **Professor David Cash:** Absolutely. Before we finish, I'd like to ask, Grace, you and Marieta are both presenting here at AD/PD. Do you want to just say a little bit about what you're doing and when and... **Grace Thomson:** Yeah, I'm presenting on Saturday afternoon, and I'm presenting my PhD work on profiling microRNAs in Lewy body dementias. So, this is from a cohort where we've extracted brain, extracted microRNAs from the brain from a range of DLB, PDD, PD, and controls, and I'll be sharing my results then. **Professor David Cash:** Oh, excellent. I hope that goes well. Excellent. And Marieta? **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** That sounds very cool. So, I'll definitely come by. Yes, I am presenting, I have a poster which is going up I think tomorrow at lunch, and we'll be there until Saturday. And this is sharing a project that we work collaboratively with, between our site in UCL and one of the other LDK Drug Discovery Institutes in Cambridge. So, it's a collaboration we've had for a couple of years now, and is looking at one of our GPCR targets, or microglia, and how we're basically trying to identify small molecules to target that. So, if anyone's interested, they should come by. **Professor David Cash:** Excellent. All right, that sounds really interesting. I'll try and stop by myself. Alice, anything from the Alzheimer's Society that you wanted to point out's going on while we're here at AD/PD? **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah, we've got some of our funded researchers speaking. I believe one of our dementia research leader fellows, Kara Kroft, is speaking on Saturday, speaking about some of her research into Tau. So yeah, I'm really excited to catch up with our funded researchers and see what they're presenting. **Professor David Cash:** Well, excellent. Thank you guys so much. Any Copenhagen tips so far? Have you enjoyed the city at all? What have you found interesting about Copenhagen? **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** I think that the food is quite cool. I've been to a few food markets, so that's definitely been a highlight. Yeah, I feel like I've had a lot of pastries. **Grace Thomson:** Yeah. **Professor David Cash:** Nice. **Grace Thomson:** Just carbohydrates for like three days straight. **Dr Alice Carstairs:** Yeah. I had a really nice walk down by the river on the first day. I'm not going to lie, it was a bit grey and rainy, but really nice to walk down the different areas and see some of the architecture. So yeah, that was a bit of a highlight. **Professor David Cash:** And I think this is an important tip for people who are going to their conference the first time. Don't necessarily sit in the auditorium all the time because you feel obligated to take a mental health break, go out and see the town that you're out, experience some new things. Interact with researchers as much as hear the research but actually talk to people and get a camaraderie. Before we go, I guess based on the first couple of days, any themes, or ideas you think really are the fields, is shaping the field right now? Anything that you think is really just a big drumbeat in terms of the conference? **Dr Alice Carstairs:** I think we've already mentioned it, but the co-pathologies I think keeps coming up, keeps coming up. But also, I guess the heterogeneity of both disease, but also people. We quite often put people into people with dementia and people without, and actually both of those cohorts of people are so different. So, I think that's been a real kind of theme and recognition for me. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** And I think I'm going to mention it again, but biomarkers, I think that's just everywhere, but I think there's a really good sense of... I think the whole field is very positive because I think the breakthrough with the antiamyloid antibodies, I think that's really changed the way we think about things now. And we're like, okay, now we're in an era where there is some sort of a disease modified therapy. So yeah, how can we make this better? How can we move forward, make combination therapies? What are the things that we should be targeting that we're not already? So, I think definitely a very hopeful kind of sense around the whole conference. **Grace Thomson:** Yeah, I think everyone seems really excited in the fields, which is really nice to see. **Professor David Cash:** And definitely a positive sea change from maybe where we were about three or four years ago in that regard. So, I think it's a good infectious that enthusiasm. **Dr Marieta Vassileva:** Yeah, because I think you see that things are moving forward and it's not just like negative trial after negative trial after negative trial. **Professor David Cash:** Okay. That brings us to the end of our first AD/PD conference Reflections episode. Thanks so much, Grace, Marietta, Alice. Thank you for sharing your highlights and insights for the meeting. Really, really interesting conversation that we just had. We'll be recording another episode later at the conference to capture more reflections and emerging themes. There's still, what, two, three more days left of the conference, so lots more research for people to see. And if you want to learn more about the research we discussed today, you can find links and further information to show notes. On our YouTube channel. You'll also find lots of our posters in a short recordings, in which researchers talk about their posters. But for now, I'm Professor Dave Cash and you've been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London, with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources, dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**AD/PD Conference**](https://adpd.kenes.com/) > > [**AD/PD Posters in Shorts**](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeUI1GHB4EvTvMGqYBYl37ptBxWPDIcqf) > > [**Single Cell Sequencing**](https://nanoporetech.com/) **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AD/PD, Dr Alice Carstairs, Dr Marieta Vassileva, Grace Thomson, Podcast, Professor David Cash **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [DEMON Webinar Recording: Decoding Neurodegeneration with Proteomics](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/demon-webinar-recording-decoding-neurodegeneration-with-proteomics/) **Published:** March 26, 2026 **Author:** DEMON Network **Excerpt:** Dr Jacob Vogel explores how proteomics is revealing new insights into Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, linking biology, biomarkers, and clinical prediction. **Content:** **This talk by Dr Jacob Vogel was recorded on 26th March 2026 by the [DEMON Network](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-alzheimers-research-uk-demon-network/) Biomarkers Working Group.** Dr Jacob Vogel is a researcher at Lund University in Sweden, within the Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, and a fellow of SciLifeLab. He leads the Dementia, Multiomics and Neuroimaging Lab, where his work focuses on applying data science approaches to clinical datasets, including neuroimaging, biofluids, and multiomic data, to better understand neurodegenerative diseases and develop clinically useful tools. In this session, hosted by Dr Laura Winchester, Jacob explores how high throughput proteomics is opening up new ways to understand neurodegenerative disease biology. He discusses how analysing proteins in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma can reveal previously hidden disease pathways, track progression, and support the development of biomarkers with real world clinical potential. The talk highlights key findings from recent studies in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cerebrovascular disease, including the identification of novel protein signatures linked to disease stages, subtypes, and progression. Jacob also introduces approaches using AI and data science to translate complex proteomic data into predictive models, while addressing challenges such as variability across datasets and methodological pitfalls like data leakage. A central theme of the discussion is the balance between biological insight and clinical application. While cerebrospinal fluid proteomics provides detailed and precise information about brain processes, plasma proteomics offers a scalable route toward accessible diagnostics. Together, these approaches present opportunities for earlier detection, improved stratification of patients, and more targeted therapeutic development. This conversation offers a clear overview of how proteomics is reshaping the study of neurodegenerative diseases, while also acknowledging the work still needed before these tools can be fully integrated into clinical practice. --- **Find out more about Jacob and his work:** **Find out more about the DEMON Network and how you can get involved in their work:** **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** DEMON Network, Dr Jacob Vogel, proteomics --- ### [Blog - Making Care Home Research Visible](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-making-care-home-research-visible/) **Published:** April 27, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Bernie McInally reflects on how ENRICH Scotland built a clear gateway to care home research, making it easier to find, connect and collaborate. **Content:** --- **When I started nursing there were probably half a dozen computers in the entire hospital. They were accessed by a few chosen admin staff and the only thing they were connected to was the 240-volt wall socket. I’m now into my fifth “nursing” decade since those less enlightened days and, as we all know, connectivity is now the word, not only socially but in “organisational visibility”, the first buzzwords!** Now before I go any further, I should apologise for the rest of the buzzwords that are about to uncomfortably no doubt, trip off my lips. But trying to make this point without using them would be a bit like writing an ethics proposal without using vowels, so here goes. For a bit of context, [ENRICH Scotland](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-in-scotland/facilities/enrich/about-enrich-scotland) supports and promotes research within care homes across Scotland. The aim is straightforward: to help research become part of everyday care home practice so that evidence can improve treatment, care and quality of life for residents. When ENRICH Scotland first received funding in 2022 from the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government, the main priority was raising the profile of ENRICH Scotland and the reason was fairly simple. One of the realities of modern research is that if people cannot easily find you, they are unlikely to engage with you. So, this is where what people now call “digital visibility” comes in. As it was explained to me, it is not marketing in the commercial sense and it certainly is not about collecting followers, friends, thumbs up or smiley faces to pat you on the back about your online popularity. In practical terms it simply means making sure that when someone goes looking online for information about care home research, they can quickly find a clear and credible place to begin. It’s important to remember that care home research spans a wide range of topics. Studies ENRICH Scotland support may look at clinical care, service organisation, workforce development, quality improvement or the lived experiences of residents, families and staff. An important point for readers on the “dementia researcher” site is that while only a few studies focuses specifically on dementia, the demographics of care home residents mean that many live with this disease or significant cognitive impairment. That inevitably means most care home research needs to consider dementia within its design, otherwise the majority of the intended population may be unintentionally excluded, hence creating bias. Getting back to our “online presence”, what links all studies is the need to work with care homes as genuine partners in research rather than simply as places where research happens. Achieving that consistently across a diverse and busy sector is not always straightforward. Over the past five years, ENRICH Scotland has addressed, and arguably surpassed, this challenge by providing a clear gateway into care home research. A simple way to see this is to type the phrase *“care home research Scotland”* into a search engine. What you will increasingly find is that ENRICH Scotland does not just appear as the first result, it fills much of the entire first page. Now I am told that securing that number one spot is something of a digital holy grail, and leaving Indiana Jones aside for a moment, what it really means in practice is that anyone looking for care home research in Scotland is now quickly directed to the same coordinated starting point. Importantly, this visibility reflects something deeper about how ENRICH Scotland tends to operate. One of their many strengths is that it operates as one team covering the whole country, **“Team Scotland” if you like**. Yes, it is true we are a relatively small country but perhaps because of that collaboration often comes more naturally than competition. That spirit is particularly valuable in care home research. Behind the now highly visible visible front door provided by ENRICH Scotland sits a wider network of universities, researchers, care providers and policy colleagues working together. The result is not a single organisation claiming ownership of the research landscape but a coordinated approach that makes participation easier for everyone involved. For care homes, that means a clearer route to explore research opportunities and access support if they wish to take part. For researchers, it offers a more organised way of engaging with the sector and helps avoid the situation where individual homes receive multiple unconnected approaches from different studies. Looking back over the past five years, it is encouraging to see how this approach has developed. Networks have grown, relationships between researchers and care providers have strengthened and there is increasing recognition that care homes themselves are important partners in generating knowledge that can improve care. If the first five years of ENRICH Scotland have been about building that visible gateway, which I must say we have achieved beyond our expectations, then the next five years may be about strengthening what sits behind it. Continued collaboration, deeper engagement with care providers and maintaining that coordinated “Team Scotland” approach will all be important parts of the journey. Perhaps most importantly, the principle should remain simple. In a connected world, research should be easy to find, easy to understand and easy to engage with. If someone searching for care home research in Scotland quickly discovers a clear route through ENRICH Scotland, then that visibility is doing exactly what good research infrastructure should do. And if we occasionally have to use a few awkward buzzwords to describe it, I suppose that is a small price to pay. After all, it does mean research is a little more connected than it was back in the days when the only thing a computer was connected to was the wall. --- ![Bernie McInally Profile Picture.](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bernie-McInally.jpg "Bernie McInally")Bernie McInally #### Author **[Bernie McInally](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-bernie-mcinally-nhs-lothian/)** is a Clinical Studies Officer at NHS Lothian and the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network. Bernie’s background is in Nursing, working in Mental Health and with Older People. He retired from full time NHS clinical work, and is now back working in Clinical Research supporting delivery of the [Enabling Research in Care Homes](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-in-scotland/facilities/enrich) (ENRICH) Scotland. He is passionate about research delivery, and opening access to people in all communities. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Ageing Research, Bernie McInally, Blog, ENRICH Scotland, Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Clinical Research **Target Audiences:** Clinical Researcher --- ### [Could a One-Time Brain Injection Replace a Lifetime of Medication?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/could-a-one-time-brain-injection-replace-a-lifetime-of-medication/) **Published:** April 28, 2026 **Author:** UK DRI **Excerpt:** Can a single brain injection replace lifelong medication? In this UKDRI Podcast Chris Shaw explores gene therapy, MND genetics, and the future of treating neurodegenerative disease. **Content:** **In this episode, [Dr Sarah Mazelinska](https://www.ukdri.ac.uk/team/sarah-mizielinska) speaks with Professor Chris Shaw about his work on the genetics of [motor neurone disease](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-quest-to-understand-motor-neuron-disease/) and how those discoveries are now being turned into treatments.** They discuss how early clinical experiences shaped his research, the discovery of key genes, and what those findings reveal about how neurodegenerative diseases develop. The conversation focuses on gene therapy, including the idea of delivering a missing gene directly into the brain using a modified virus. The aim is a one time treatment that could replace long term medication. They also explore the challenges, including safe delivery, reaching the right cells, and how to control these therapies once given. The episode closes with a look at where the field is heading, including smarter treatments, combination approaches, and the growing possibility of slowing or stopping disease progression. #### Key Points - MND and frontotemporal dementia share genetic and biological pathways - Gene therapy can deliver treatment directly into the brain - The thalamus may act as a central distribution point for therapies - One time treatments could provide long lasting effects - Future approaches may combine gene therapy with other treatments #### About the Guest [Professor Chris Shaw](https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/christopher-shaw) is a neurologist and researcher at the UK Dementia Research Institute, specialising in the genetics of motor neurone disease and the development of gene therapies. **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Dr Sarah Mizielinska, Motor Neuron Disease, Professor Chris Shaw, UK Dementia Research Institute --- ### [Europe dementia research faces participation gap](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/europe-dementia-research-faces-participation-gap/) **Published:** April 22, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Alzheimer Europe report finds strong support for dementia research and data sharing across Europe, but low awareness, barriers and trust issues limit participation. **Content:** **![Dementia research in Europe held back by low participation and data barriers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dementia-research-in-Europe-held-back-by-low-participation-and-data-barriers-300x229.png "Dementia research in Europe held back by low participation and data barriers")A [major new report](https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/news/new-report-alzheimer-europe-highlights-opportunities-improve-participation-dementia-research?language_content_entity=en) has highlighted a growing mismatch between public support for dementia research in Europe and the reality of low participation and fragmented data sharing systems.** The study, , published by Alzheimer Europe, brings together evidence from scientific literature, public surveys and stakeholder insights to examine why more people are not taking part in research, and why valuable data is not being shared more effectively. ##### Strong support, but limited involvement Despite widespread recognition of the importance of dementia research, participation remains low. Just 14.4 per cent of respondents to a large European survey reported ever taking part in a dementia study, even though most who had participated described their experience as positive. Across Europe, attitudes towards research are generally favourable. Many people are motivated by a desire to help future generations, contribute to scientific progress, and improve diagnosis, treatment and care. However, this goodwill is not translating into widespread engagement. ##### Awareness and access are key barriers The report identifies a lack of awareness as one of the most significant obstacles. Many people simply do not know how or where to take part in research, with some saying they had “never thought about participating” at all. Opportunities are also unevenly distributed across Europe, with access often limited to urban centres or individuals already connected to healthcare systems or Alzheimer’s organisations. Practical challenges such as time commitments, travel, and the burden of participation further reduce involvement. More invasive studies, including those involving medication or lumbar punctures, are significantly less likely to attract participants. ##### Trust and communication shape decisions Trust emerges as a central factor in whether people choose to take part. Clear communication, respectful engagement, and transparency about risks and benefits are essential to building confidence. Participants stressed the importance of being treated as partners in research rather than subjects, and highlighted the need for better feedback after studies conclude. A lack of follow up or communication was seen as damaging to trust. Healthcare professionals were also identified as critical gatekeepers, with recommendations from trusted clinicians strongly influencing decisions to participate. ##### Data sharing widely supported, but difficult in practice The report finds strong backing for data sharing as a way to accelerate progress. Around 88 per cent of survey respondents agreed that sharing research data is important for advancing dementia research, and most were comfortable with their data being shared if their identity is protected. However, this support comes with conditions. People want clarity on how their data will be used, who will access it, and how privacy will be safeguarded. There is also less willingness to share data with certain groups, particularly organisations outside Europe or the pharmaceutical industry. From a research perspective, practical barriers remain significant. Fragmented systems, complex approval processes and inconsistent interpretation of data protection rules continue to limit data sharing across countries. ##### A need for more inclusive and coordinated research The report highlights concerns that dementia research does not fully reflect the diversity of those affected. People from minority backgrounds, rural areas, and later stages of dementia are often underrepresented. Improving participation will require more proactive outreach, better communication, and support tailored to different communities. At the same time, the authors call for stronger international collaboration and more coordinated data sharing systems to reduce duplication, improve efficiency, and maximise the impact of research. ##### A growing urgency With dementia rates rising across Europe, the need to strengthen research participation and data sharing is becoming more pressing. The report concludes that progress will depend not only on scientific advances, but on building trust, improving access, and ensuring that research is shaped by the voices and experiences of those most affected. Without these changes, the gap between potential and progress in dementia research is likely to persist. --- \[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/381651\_alzheimer\_europe\_data\_sharing\_report\_final.pdf”\] [Download the Report](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/381651_alzheimer_europe_data_sharing_report_final.pdf) **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Alzheimer Europe, Data, Policy --- ### [Blog - No Care Homes Left Out in Dementia Research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-no-care-homes-left-out-in-dementia-research/) **Published:** April 18, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Kirsty Hynes explores why rural and island care homes must be included in dementia research, highlighting barriers, insights, and opportunities. **Content:** --- **ENRICH ([ENabling Research in Care Homes](https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-in-scotland/facilities/enrich)) Scotland works to ensure that care home residents, relatives and staff across Scotland have the opportunity to take part in research, regardless of where they live. As a Clinical Studies Officer with ENRICH, my role is to support care homes to become ‘research ready’ and to act as a bridge between researchers and care homes interested in participating in studies.** Alongside covering Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, I also work with care homes in the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland. Initially, I had concerns that engaging with island communities might be difficult. However, post-COVID ways of working have shown that meaningful engagement does not always require face-to-face contact. With the right technology and a willingness to connect, distance quickly becomes less of a barrier. What has stood out most is how enthusiastic island care home managers are about research. They are keen to be involved, motivated to improve care for residents, and determined not to be left behind. With the right technology and a decent internet connection, all it really takes is someone willing to talk to you while sitting at their desk! The key word there is ‘willing’, and I have found the managers of the Island care homes to be very willing to not only hear about research but to actually participate in it! I have been inspired by the commitment these care home managers have to their residents and staff to ensure that quality improvement is ongoing, and that these homes are not left behind the times. There is recognition of the challenges faced such as connectivity issues, travel issues, recruiting and retaining staff, and a limited pool of people meaning people can be teachers by day, carers by night and firefighters when needed! However, this does not seem to deter staff in care homes from wanting to go the extra mile for their residents. In late 2024, a care home in the Western Isles took part in a research project on music provision in Scottish care homes. Senior Social Care Worker, Marina Macleod said “Being able to be part of research programme in our remote care home was of great benefit and interest to not only our staff group but our residents thoroughly enjoyed taking part. The outcome of this research has helped to shape the current activity package, which in turn has enhanced social interactions for our residents. It was lovely to see both residents and staff working together in this project, with staff learning from resident experiences and insights to have an active role in shaping their activity programme” It is clear from this summary that the time invested in this project, was indeed time well spent. To use another example, ENRICH and some island care homes, have recently undertaken a dementia training board game via Teams – An unusual experience from my point of view, to be part of a board game taking place in care homes on the Western Isles and Orkney while I am sat at my desk in Aberdeen. But it worked and saved us having to exclude sections of the population based on geographical location. **This takes more organisation and collaboration than a face-to-face game, but thankfully we ensured the homes had copies of the correct paperwork and a copy of the game prior to the arranged date.** We gleaned some valuable insights from working with the island care homes on the game; For example, the game highlights that people living with dementia who live in rural areas can have difficulty accessing care. The staff reflected that people on the islands can face a delay in diagnosis, (Indeed, the community in Shetland even raised money to buy a CT scanner in an attempt to overcome delays in diagnosis) and that there is a lack of healthcare teams available, including psychiatrists and community psychiatric nurses. This echoes thoughts of an island care home manager had previously voiced to me in that care staff are on the islands are forced to have a wider knowledge base as they don’t always have quick access to specialists. Importantly, this engagement also highlighted how rural and island communities can experience a more covert form of exclusion from research. While they are rarely excluded through formal eligibility or “exclusion criteria”, practical barriers such as travel feasibility, cost, and limited time allowances can make it difficult for researchers to justify or fund work in remote locations. As a result, the voices of care staff and people living with dementia in these settings are often absent from research. This is despite the fact that staff bring wide-ranging expertise and first-hand insight shaped by limited access to specialist services and delayed diagnoses. These perspectives are not less relevant, but they are far easier to overlook when research designs prioritise convenience over inclusion. Island care homes also face unique practical challenges, such as staff shortages linked to travel disruption during adverse weather. Nevertheless, staff remain highly engaged, travelling to attend events such as the most recent ENRICH conference, research workshops and actively contributing to research discussions. For early career researchers in particular, there is an important lesson here. Rural and island care homes are not “hard to reach” because they lack interest or capacity, rather, they require more flexible and creative research approaches. Virtual methods, hybrid designs and collaborative planning can make inclusion possible and rewarding. By broadening how we design and deliver research, we can ensure **that dementia research reflects the experiences of all communities, not just those that are easiest to access.** The willingness, insight and readiness of rural and island care homes make them invaluable, and well worth the extra effort if you engage them as research partners at the earliest opportunity. To conclude, I would like to thank our homes on the islands for being such willing participants in research. Thanks in particular to Amanda and Marina who willingly gave up their time to speak to me regarding this article. I am grateful that the opportunity to work with the islands has arisen and this has allowed me to glean pockets of knowledge that I would otherwise have been unaware of. If you would like help finding care homes in more remote and rural areas to support Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement work in your research, get in touch with ENRICH Scotland. --- ![Kirsty Hynes Profile Picture](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Kirsty-Hynes.png "Kirsty Hynes")Kirsty Hynes #### Author [**Kirsty Hynes**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-kirsty-hynes-neuroprogressive-and-dementia-network/) is a Clinical Studies Officer with ENRICH, part of the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, supporting care homes to take part in research. She trained as a mental health nurse at Robert Gordon University and spent nine years working in a secure unit before moving into research. Her work focuses on neurodegeneration and improving access to meaningful research opportunities for care home residents and staff. Kirsty is passionate about making research inclusive and practical, and enjoys running and home projects in her spare time. **Categories:** Guest blog **Tags:** Blog, Care Home Research, Clinical trials, Kirsty Hynes, Patient and Public Involvement, Rural Communities **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Career Essentials, PhD Essentials --- ### [Dementia training gap exposed in England care](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-training-gap-exposed-in-england-care/) **Published:** April 22, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Report finds most dementia training in England is basic and too short, leaving many care staff unprepared to deliver quality, person centred support. **Content:** ![Dementia care training in England](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Dementia-care-training-in-England-300x229.png "Dementia care training in England") **A new national report has exposed widespread gaps in dementia training across England’s social care workforce, raising concerns that thousands of staff are not equipped to provide safe, person-centred care.** The study, commissioned by [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/) and led by Leeds Beckett University, describes the situation as a “hidden injustice” affecting people living with dementia and their families. ##### Training often limited to basic awareness Despite longstanding policy commitments, the report finds that most dementia training offered to care staff remains at a basic awareness level, rather than providing the practical skills needed for day to day care. More than half of training packages analysed focused only on introductory awareness, while just 39 per cent were designed for staff who regularly work with people living with dementia. Survey data revealed a similar picture on the frontline. Only 55 per cent of care staff reported receiving dementia specific training, even though 95 per cent said they had received some form of dementia related content. Researchers warn that this reliance on general or minimal training leaves many workers without the depth of knowledge required to support complex needs. ##### Heavy reliance on short, online courses The report highlights serious concerns about how training is delivered. Around half of all programmes rely primarily on e learning, often completed independently without interaction or facilitation. In many cases, training is brief. Half of all courses offer just one to two hours of dementia specific content, far below the eight hours recommended for meaningful learning. “This approach is unlikely to equip staff with the knowledge and confidence needed to deliver high quality care,” the authors conclude. ##### Key topics overlooked Critical areas of dementia care are also being neglected. Fewer than half of training packages cover working with families, equality and diversity, or end of life care, with the latter included in just 23 per cent of programmes. The report also finds that less than half of care staff receive any dementia training during their induction, meaning many begin work without even basic preparation. ##### Knowledge gaps persist among staff Even where training is provided, its impact appears limited. Around one third of staff did not demonstrate consistent basic knowledge of dementia in standardised assessments. Only just over half said they felt highly competent in the care they provide, while most expressed a desire for further training. ##### Calls for mandatory training standards In response, the report calls for a legal requirement that all social care staff undertake structured dementia training aligned to national standards. It recommends a minimum of eight hours of evidence based training for staff working directly with people living with dementia, supported by clearer regulatory guidance and stronger leadership within care organisations. ##### A growing challenge The findings come as dementia rates continue to rise. There are currently around 826,000 people living with dementia in England, a figure expected to reach 1.2 million by 2040. With an estimated 70 per cent of care home residents affected by dementia, the report argues that improving workforce training is essential to meet growing demand and ensure quality of care. ##### “No professional should care without training” The report concludes with a stark warning: dementia is a complex condition, and care staff must have the right skills to respond. > “No professional should be allowed to care for a person living with dementia without adequate training,” the authors state. For policymakers, providers and regulators, the message is clear. Without urgent action, the gap between what people with dementia need and what the workforce can deliver will continue to widen. --- \[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Training-Gap-England-Long-read.pdf”\] [Download the Report](https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-04/The-Training-Gap-England-Long-read.pdf?_gl=1*4p57cw*_up*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsb3Jx8r-kwMV3JVQBh3y9hPREAAYASAAEgJpJfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&gbraid=0AAAAA-zI8Qk6ZKYvG0vy-rbZ7VdUnIX-g) **Categories:** Policy **Tags:** Alzheimer's Society Resources, Dementia Care, Leeds Beckett University, Professor Claire Surr --- ### [The nine-to-five PhD: mere myth or an achievable goal?](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/the-nine-to-five-phd-mere-myth-or-an-achievable-goal/) **Published:** April 21, 2026 **Author:** Nature Careers Blog **Excerpt:** Can you squeeze your graduate programme into a 40-hour working week? These 13 current and former PhD candidates reveal their top time-management tips. **Content:** **![The nine-to-five PhD mere myth or an achievable goal - Nature](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-nine-to-five-PhD-mere-myth-or-an-achievable-goal-Nature-680-x-520-px-300x229.png "The nine-to-five PhD mere myth or an achievable goal - Nature 680 x 520 px")The nine-to-five PhD is an ever-elusive goal: many candidates aspire to it but few end up achieving such an impressive work–life balance. [*Nature*](https://www.nature.com/collections/fbhgjhaife)[’s 2025 global PhD survey](https://www.nature.com/collections/fbhgjhaife) found that 50% of respondents, who were self-selecting, identified a culture of long work hours at their university. This fuels dissatisfaction, and those who spent more than 60 hours a week on their PhDs were significantly more likely to report that they felt dissatisfied with their doctorates (21%) than were those who spent 30 hours or less (16%).** An analysis of more than 26,000 PhD candidates from 14 universities across the United Kingdom between 2006 and 2017, by online PhD information platform DiscoverPhDs.com*,* found that [one in five fail to get their PhD](https://www.discoverphds.com/advice/doing/phd-failure-rate#:~:text=Summary%20of%20Findings,university%20before%20taking%20any%20action), mostly owing to candidates leaving their programmes early. Another [longitudinal study](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0158037X.2024.2314694#abstract) showed that time pressure was correlated with dropout rates[1](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00509-9#ref-CR1). It is not just the candidates who would benefit from making PhD study more sustainable. [According to a review published in 2024](https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/en/publications/a-review-of-the-economic-and-social-value-produced-through-fundin/), [PhD holders](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-bringing-project-management-into-your-phd/) are more likely to be employed in high-skilled jobs than are undergraduates, and having people with PhDs in teams boosts the productivity of their colleagues who do not have PhDs. PhD holders in industry also help to foster collaboration with academia and investment in research and development, particularly for smaller businesses[2](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00509-9#ref-CR2). Here, 13 past and current full-time PhD candidates, who say they spent or are spending an average of 40 hours a week or less on their doctorates, share their advice and observations. ## You’re in charge, revel in the flexibility “Be sure to take time off to make up for overtime: you often don’t have to work the same hours every day or the same hours as other people. And when you’re waiting for feedback from someone, take that as time off! Don’t be afraid to have a flexible schedule.” — **Victoria Crozier, a fourth-year ecology PhD candidate at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada** “Avoid working long hours continuously. My research project in health informatics involves structured phases — particularly during field data collection — which makes time planning more manageable. During proposal writing, I typically worked for three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening. During fieldwork, I usually spend seven hours per day at a health facility, conducting interviews and observating how people use health-management information systems. After each site visit, I spend an extra one to two hours reviewing notes and audio recordings. Although these periods are intensive, they are bounded in time and predictable, which helps prevent work from expanding uncontrollably.” — **Bigten Kikoba, a fourth-year health-informatics PhD candidate at the University of Dodoma in Tanzania** “I typically work Monday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m., but I take half a day off every week (typically on Wednesday morning). This way, I can work the whole week and not reach the weekend exhausted. I am able to organize my work better, because I can concentrate for longer and make sure to finish during my full days. I can also be more relaxed during my time off.” — **Claudia Pisanti, a second-year physics PhD candidate at the University of Bologna in Italy.** “The type of research I do — on a branch of functional analysis known as operator theory — greatly favours flexibility, so it’s easier for me to maintain a nine-to-five schedule than for people in a lot of other fields of study, in particular those that involve being in the laboratory. The only equipment I need are my computer plus some pens and paper or chalk and a board, so I can do research basically anywhere. In fact, I often work from home if I can’t go into the office.” — **Julio Enciso, a second-year mathematics PhD candidate at the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City.** “Many of my experiments span two weeks, so I plan exactly which days and times I will be in the lab before starting. This helps me work out the rest of my schedule, such as slots for meetings, without overstretching myself. The same principle applies to computer-based work: if I have multiple experiments planned, I intentionally lighten the load of tasks such as writing. Conversely, if I have a major deadline approaching, I avoid scheduling experiments during that period. There will be occasions when you need to push yourself hard, and others when things slow down and you have more time to breathe.” — **Sarah McPhedran, a third-year immunology PhD candidate at the Deeley Research Centre in Victoria, Canada** ## You might work 40 hours a week, but not necessarily nine-to-five “The eight-hour day and 40-hour week was created for factory work in which every day was the same, not academic work, for which each day can look wildly different. I don’t even remotely keep to a nine-to-five schedule. I’ve never been a morning person; my body prefers getting up later and working later. During my master’s, I tried to work nine-to-five, but I found myself wasting time and sitting at my desk pretending to work because I was always so tired.” — **Victoria Crozier** “Fieldwork tends to defy normal working hours, especially when it comes to multi-day trips that you want to make as cost-effective as possible. Also, the conferences and science fairs at which you present your work do not always follow a standard schedule. Sometimes working outside the nine-to-five routine is a positive thing, especially when researching a fresh, interesting topic: I read paper upon paper out of sheer curiosity late into the night.” — **Kateřina Bezányiová, a second-year zoology PhD candidate at Charles University in Prague** ## Know your limits. “Know when to stop working: avoid answering non-emergency e-mails late in the evening or at weekends. Instead, set aside dedicated time for these admin tasks. However, if there is something with a distant deadline and you have energy to spare, then you might as well start working on it. Making use of the half hour it takes to get the result of a PCR experiment in the lab can save you sleepless nights of feverish work before a deadline.” — **Kateřina Bezányiová** “I like referring to my department’s policies regarding working hours. My department has explicit statements recommending a 40-hour work week. So, even if my peers are working more hours, I know that I am performing according to the department’s expectations.” — **Karen Arevalo, a fifth-year kidney-cancer-biology PhD candidate at the University of Toronto in Canada** “Developing the ability to say no is an essential skill in graduate school. Setting firm boundaries not only protects your time and mental health, but also often earns respect from others. Consistently saying yes can lead to being overextended or taken advantage of.” — **Sarah McPhedran** ## Be organized “It all boils down to time management. If you walk into the lab without a plan, you will procrastinate and eventually find yourself working overtime to catch up. If you know something will take you the whole week to finish, plan accordingly. I use a [Gantt chart](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-04364-2) to, as accurately as possible, plan out my PhD and give myself realistic deadlines. It helps me maintain progress by feeling like I’m ticking achievable things off a list.” — **Luke Nel, a second-year palaeoecology candidate at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, South Africa** “Set small milestones throughout your project. Finding a dedicated place at the university to carry out non-experimental tasks, such as writing and reviewing, helped me to cut down my hours. It also helped me to avoid taking work home.” — **Leo Maia do Amaral, who holds a PhD in engineering and materials science from the University of São Paulo, Brazil** “Plan right from the start. Look at your submission deadlines and plan backwards from those. Every day, plan to write a certain amount of words, and try to stick to that figure.” — **Sandra Kiessling, who holds a PhD in engineering from the University of Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent, UK.** “Know your priorities and how long it takes, realistically, for you to finish your tasks. I often work with samples that easily degrade or get contaminated and so I need to carefully plan my work beforehand. I know what my top priority is and what it would be great to get done. But I’m prepared to wait if something takes longer than expected.” — **Kateřina Bezányiová** “It might take time to optimize, but figure out what schedule works best for you. I do my most intensive work in the morning and early afternoon. After about 2 p.m., when I start to feel burnt out, I rest. I often return to work in the evening and use those evenings when I’m tired for mindless administrative work or routine data analysis.” — **Sarah McPhedran** ## Find the right supervisor and lab “I have a great supervisor who cares about my well-being, acknowledges the work I put in and reminds me that I should rest from time to time.” — **Kateřina Bezányiová** “My supervisor is very supportive of any hours we choose to work, as long as we are making good progress and meeting deadlines. Based on the times of day when I’ve received e-mails from him, he clearly doesn’t constrain his own work to nine-to-five!” — **Victoria Crozier** “My lab is quite flexible about working from home. I’ll often leave an hour or so early, or come in a little late, and make up for the missed time at home. Personally, I’m very productive at home, and this is a huge help if I have a lot of reading or computational work, because I don’t have to be in the lab for those things.” — **Paige Henderson, a second-year neuroscience PhD candidate at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York** ## Look after yourself “Leisure and rest shouldn’t be disregarded. It is easy to think that the more hours one spends on research, the better and the larger the amount of research one can produce. This is true, in part. But most people reach a point of diminishing returns. Diligence is a wonderful virtue that helps a lot when doing research, but so is patience.” — **Julio Enciso** “After losing my father, I faced many practical and emotional hurdles to completing my PhD, leading me to pause my studies. Based on this experience, my advice is not only to manage your working hours, but also to protect your personal life and emotional well-being. Passion for research is a powerful driving force, but it should not come at the expense of one’s personal life, relationships or mental health. A PhD is important, but it should not replace normal life itself.” — **Hafida Ayada, a molecular-biology and bioinformatics PhD candidate at Moulay Ismail University in Meknès, Morocco** “Imposter syndrome is extremely common in graduate school and can create constant pressure. Although a small amount of pressure can be motivating, it is crucial to recognize when it becomes unhealthy, take a step back and remind yourself that you should work in the way that best serves both you and your project.” — **Sarah McPhedran** “A PhD often requires maximum mental clarity. If one is sick or has temporary mental fog, it is often better not to work and recover than to lose the next few days to poor-quality work.” — **Thomas Beretti, a fourth-year mathematics PhD candidate at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy** ## Communicate effectively “Constructive communication with my supervisor has been key to me staying on track, and leaning on their expertise has helped me tremendously. Speaking to other PhD candidates in my faculty has also helped: some had to apply for extensions because they took on extra work in their department and it altered their planning. So communicating with other PhD candidates who are further along than I am has helped a lot.” — **Luke Nel**“Working reasonable hours is not something I explicitly sat down with my supervisor to discuss, because I never had to. But I always made it clear in our conversations that having a good work–life balance was a priority for me and there was never pushback from his side.” — **Sarah McPhedran**--- *Find the original and more great content on the Nature Careers website doi: * **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Nature Careers, Organising, PhD Life, PhD Study **Target Audiences:** PhD Students --- ### [Rebecca Williams, University of Cambridge](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rebecca-williams-university-of-cambridge/) **Published:** March 24, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Bioethics Training Programme Coordinator, driven by a family connection to dementia and researching ethics in Alzheimer's: How can we do better research? **Content:** **This festive charity debate asks a question nobody saw coming but everyone had an opinion on. Would Santa Claus make a good principal investigator?** Recorded live in the [Dementia Researcher Community](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/introducing-the-dementia-researcher-community-and-app/), this Christmas special brings humour, sharp thinking, and real reflections on leadership, research culture, ethics, and academia. The debate is hosted by [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) and [Dr Anna Volkmer](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/). Speaking for the motion is [Rebecca Williams](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rebecca-williams-university-of-cambridge/), PhD researcher exploring FTD and apathy. Speaking against the motion is [Dr Connor Richardson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/), Research Fellow working in data science, epidemiology, and machine learning in dementia research. Through opening statements, rebuttals, and audience questions, the discussion ranges from logistics and mentorship to ethics, transparency, wellbeing, and what good leadership really looks like in research. While lighthearted on the surface, the debate reveals some very familiar academic tensions beneath the tinsel. This episode was recorded as a charity event in support of Dementia UK and their Admiral Nurses, who provide vital support to people living with dementia and their families, especially during the Christmas period. Thank you for listening, watching, and supporting dementia research and care. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Adam Smith:** Hello and welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. The show you're about to hear was recorded as a livestream in the Dementia Researcher community. It was a charity event to raise money for Dementia UK and Admiral nurses. We enjoyed making it so much that I've decided to share it with you, our podcast audience. If you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it, please consider donating using the link in the show notes. Thank you. Hello and welcome everybody to today's Dementia Researcher Christmas Special Debate. I'm Adam Smith and thank you for joining us for what is probably the most festive and possibly unrealistic debate of the year. Today, we're setting aside grant deadlines, ethics forms, and reviewer comments to ask genuinely important question disguised as a silly one. This house believes that Santa would make an excellent principal investigator. On the surface, this sounds absurd, but when you think about it, Santa runs a global operation, manages a highly specialist workforce, hits a fixed deadline every single year, and somehow delivers outputs at skill under intense time pressure. Supporters will argue that this is exactly the kind of leadership academia needs. Critics may wonder about transparency, sustainability, work-life balance, and whether a once-a-year delivery model would really survive reviewer number two. This is a light-hearted debate, but like all good festive arguments, it tells us something about how we really think leadership works in research. And speaking this afternoon, we have arguing for the motion, Rebecca Williams, PhD researcher exploring FTD and apathy. Hello, Rebecca. **Rebecca Williams:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** And our grinch is Connor Richardson, Dr. Connor Richardson, who is speaking against the motion. He's a research fellow working in data science, epidemiology, and machine learning applied to dementia research. Hi, Connor. I'm sorry for calling you the Grinch. You're not the Grinch at all. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I mean, it's fairly accurate. I'm fine with that. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much for both joining us in the spirit of the season and joining me as co-host for this debate. We have regular podcast host and former Dementia Researcher blogger, the incredible Dr. Anna Volkmer. Hi, Anna. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Hi, Adam. **Adam Smith:** Thank you all for getting in the spirit of this. So, if you've not joined any of our livestream bits so far, let me just explain the format. Each speaker is given 10 minutes to give an opening statement, and then we move into our moderated discussion led by our brilliant co-host, Anna Volkmer. And then we're going to have audience questions and a chance to chat this out a little bit. And before we start, we have a pre-debate poll to ask you what your views are on this topic at the start, and then we're going to pull you all again at the very end after the show to see if your opinions have changed. So, a hundred percent of our audience, not many voters though, agree that Santa would make a good PI. So, Connor, all to play for as we go into the debate. But before we get to you, Rebecca, you're going to speak first for the House. **Rebecca Williams:** Yes. Well, I've based my argument on four key tenets that I think make an excellent programme leader, and they are organisation, collaboration, communication, and imagination. Now, organisation, I think this needs little introduction. Santa pulls off one of the most logistically complex projects in probably the history of the world. Now, according to an article that I found called The Science Behind Santa Claus, Santa delivers an estimated 595,980,000 toys on Christmas Eve alone. Now, let's compare that to one of the biggest companies currently delivering in the world. Even the global conglomerate Amazon, according to a 2024 article, only delivers an estimated 24 million parcels worldwide per day of December, meaning across the whole month leading up to Christmas, Amazon just about matches Santa's 600 million delivered in a single night. Also, Amazon has approximately 1.6 million employees globally with Santa's elves, even by a generous estimate, only ranging in the tens to maybe hundreds of thousands. We rarely see Santa's workshops in all the documentaries I've watched scaling to nearly the level of millions of elves. And the logistics to get this done in one night is frankly insane. And we know from the film After Christmas, sorry, the documentary Arthur Christmas, that all this is done in one night with precisely no margin of error. Not a single child can be missed. And this is in comparison to Amazon's less than stellar track record where they estimated that one in 10 people have a lost or stolen parcel in the last year. And let me ask you, wouldn't you want the man in charge of that global operation running your lab? Hell, wouldn't you want him running your department? All of that delivered at pace with not a single child left behind. A margin of error of precisely zero is incredibly impressive. Now, moving on to tenant number two, collaboration. Santa has international collaborations with legendary figures across the globe, as seen in both the Santa Claus documentary and in Rise of the Guardians, in which Santa is in close conversation with the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost, Mother Nature, Father Time, the Sandman, and many more, who are all it seems part of some kind of community or collaborative attempt, maybe a cohort consortium to bring joy to the children of the world. This is further aided by Santa's international heritage. And as of 2008, he was granted Canadian citizenship whilst also modern day US claims he lives in Alaska. The general consensus seems to be that he has his base somewhere in the North Pole. Finland, while on the other hand, claims is in left land, and he was perhaps born as St. Nicholas in what is modern day Turkey. And he even collaborates outside of the legendary figures with government agencies. That's right. Santa has an interest in policy. For example, the North American Aerospace Defence Command tracks Santa each year through NORAD track Santa. You can access this on Christmas Eve. I did it every year as a child to see where Santa was up to in travelling the world. It was great fun. And the Federal Aviation Administration on a similar front apparently grants Santa Claus special flight and launch permissions each year to make sure he can enter US airspace and also space. Now, three, this is an important one to me, very near and dear to my heart. Communication. Santa has frankly outstanding public engagement. Representatives in shopping centres, Christmas fairs and parades around the world ensure he stays in touch with what the children want. That is textbook, participant and mission involvement and engagement on a mass scale. Okay. Santa would not only build a lab, but Santa would also build a better research community around it. Have you seen the cues for Santa? Imagine cues of participants waiting to join your latest study and you can't make it to them in person? Don't worry. As there's also a longstanding tradition of sending letters to Santa, arguably starting in a small town called Smeerenburg some years ago, and most every one of them is read and the content's noted. In fact, in the documentary After Christmas, we even see that Santa's own son is responding to these letters. Santa is multimodal with his communication to make sure that no one is left out. And he's even experienced with the press. He has a history of bringing in money through various documentaries about his life and his ethical work practises. But communication isn't just external, we know this. And communication is key to a good research environment, to good research culture. And we've seen that Santa works closely with the elves and the reindeer. We see lovely examples of this in the Santa Claus documentary with Santa collaborating closely with elves to problem solve new toys, not only being a great collaborator, but also an excellent mentor as concretely demonstrated by the loyalty shown to him by his employees. And when they want to branch out into different careers, he's equally as supportive as this. As we see in the Clay Nation Rudolph movie, Hermey wants to be a dentist, and he is told that he can go be a dentist. And as we all know, the best way to get an indication of whether a lab is excellent is to ask a former member of that lab. There are very few of them because of how amazing the lab is, but Hermey is one and Hermey stands by Santa. We similarly see this with Buddy the Elf from the movie Elf. This demonstrates clear fairness and respect needed to be a good programme leader. And on the subject of fostering a positive research culture, need, I remind you that when Santa learned of bullying in the workplace, he stepped in and led by example, giving his employees the opportunity to shine. Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won't you fly in isolate tonight? That is leading by example. That is teaching your employees to embrace their differences and taking a harsh stance on harassment in the workplace. And on the one reported occasion we have of a human being working at the poll, buddy in the movie Elf, not only were the elves universally supportive despite him being unable to meet their quotas, they said, and I quote, "We all have different talents, buddy, and then actively find him a job in which he can excel." People might add far more less accommodating when he leaves the poll, everyone in New York's terror. And finally, the fourth tenant of an excellent programme leader, imagination. You want the most creative ideas for your future research proposals with the most ingenious use of novel methodologies that most of the world isn't even using yet? Look no further. He's been adapting to the latest demands of children the world over four centuries. Think of all the upskilling those elves had to do in complex computing and electronics over the last hundred years. And he also inspires creativity and imagination in others with a research article, a real research article of Breen et al in 2004, reporting that a belief in Santa fosters imaginative thinking, purposeful play, and concrete development. And so, I shall leave you there with the argument that I think Santa Claus would make an excellent PI, working on these four tenants of organisation, collaboration, communication, and imagination to build a lab that is not only at the forefront of research, but also that builds a good research community and an excellent research culture. Thank you very much. That's all. **Adam Smith:** Wow. Thank you very much for your very passionate arguments there, speaking for making Santa a good PI. Connor. **Dr Connor Richardson:** At this time of year, I'm sure like me, you're feeling exhaustive, hopeful, or just a little bit dazed. Which is fitting because today we are asked a question that sounds charming, feels seasonal and is unfortunately on closer inspection, completely unhinged. Would Santa Claus make a good principal investigator? Now, before anyone accuses me of being unfair, humourless, all perish the thought and joy, let me say this clearly. I have nothing against Santa Claus. He is efficient. He is famous. He has excellent branding and quite frankly, Andres Sense alone, I hope I see him at AAIC next year. However, a principal investigator is not a mascot. They are not a myth. They are not a morale boosting presence once a year. A principal investigator is a job, a punishing, bureaucratic, ethically constrained paperwork heavy job, and Santa Claus are catastrophically unsuited to this. But let us be fair. Let us begin with the case for Santa, because it is, at first glance, very seductive. So, why do people fall for this? We are told that Santa has a proven track record of delivering enormous projects on fixed annual deadline. That's true. However, it's once a year. With no interim reporting, no progress meetings, and no requirements to explain any methodology. We are told he manages a vast international workforce with no HR complaints on record. Also, could be very true, though I would gently suggest that the absence of complaints may simply reflect the absence of HR. We are told his logistics are unparalleled, global distribution, extreme time pressure, and flawless execution. Indeed, this is a triumph of supply chains. Jeff Bezos would be envious. We are told he believes in open data. Everyone knows who's naughty or nice. Open, yes. Ethical, I'll return to that later. We are told that his funding models are impeccable. He has unlimited resources and apparently zero grant rejections, a dream of perhaps a literal fantasy. We are told he has an extraordinary public engagement. He has instant name recognition, centuries of leadership experience, and an intensely loyal mentoring culture. All of this sounds impressive, and all of it collapses the moment Santa enters research reality, because being a PI is not about scale. It's about scrutiny. So, let's go through these strengths and see why each of them is actually a liability. Deadlines are not leadership. Santa delivers but once a year. Dementia research does not operate on this festive cycle. It requires continuous oversight throughout the year. Daily decision making, rapid responses to failure, and long stretches where nothing works, and everyone is quietly panicking. A seasonal productivity spike followed by 11 months of silence is not a resilient workforce. It's abandonment. Secondly, managing a workforce isn't mentorship. Santa's workforce might be vast, loyal, but most importantly, it's silent, which is delightful in folklore and disastrous in academia. Where are the first author elves? Where are the independent health investigators? Where is the succession plan? A PI's role is to train people to leave. Santa's system trains them to stay forever. That is not mentorship. That is career stagnation with jingle bells. Thirdly, logistics is not governance. Yes, Santa moves objects efficiently, but dementia research does not fail because parcels arrive late. It fails because ethics approvals lapse. Consent is mishandled. Data governance is sloppy and adverse events are poorly managed. Santa's operational model, lifelong surveillance based on hearsay, gossip, and quite frankly, manipulative parents would not survive the first ethics committee. It would not only be rejected, but it would also be archived as a warning. So, let's talk about ethics because when it comes to the North Pole, someone has to. Santa observes participants from birth to adulthood. With, as dementia researchers, I must say, a negligible interest in the older population. He does this without consent, without transparency, and without opt-out. This is not open data, this is surveillance. And for what? A binary data set of naughty or nice? That's right. There's no multi-level analysis in Santa's lab. And what Santa calls the naughty list are called confounding variables, or quite frankly, just being a free thinking, independent person. He relies on animal labour with no published welfare protocol and a completely unknown carbon footprint. Dementia research must be ethically exemplary. Santa is festive and festivity does not pass audits. And let's talk about credit. We might not like it, but in science, authorship matters. Careers are built or destroyed by it. Santa's operation has run for centuries, and yet elves never appear as authors. There's no independent labs emerge, and no career trajectories are visible. A PI must share credit generously and transparently. Santa shares gifts, not authorship. And innovation. Santa's greatest strength is not innovation, its tradition, and that is fatal. Modern research demands innovation, methodological risk, willingness to abandon tradition when it fails. Santa does not abandon tradition. Santa is tradition, and tradition does not cure neurodegeneration. And research culture. We're told Santa works one night a year with no complaints. That's not resilience. This is just theatre. A PI sets the cultural tone of a lab. A culture built on extreme seasonal overwork followed by prolonged absence would destroy any student, collapse projects, and end careers. Santa's model is unsustainable and dangerously romanticised. And in the end, what is a PI really? What does a PI actually do? A PI writes, endlessly writes. Grants, ethic forms, budgets, SOPs, recruitment documents, reference letters, manuscript provisions, and those really polite responses to reviewer too. A PI is present, visible, and accountable. Santa is mythical, remote, and seasonal. Lovely qualities to have, just not the right ones for a PI. So, finally, yes, Santa's famous. Yes, Santa's efficient. Yes, Santa has excellent PR and an enviable code. But dementia research does not need magic. It needs good governance, outstanding ethics, consistency, and leadership that survives scrutiny. Santa Claus for all his charms cannot provide these things. And so, I say to everyone here. Santa would make a terrible PI, especially in dementia research. So, let's keep him in the North Pole. Thank you. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much. I'd love to have both of your personalities came through there as well. The very enthusiastic Rebecca speaking for Santa Claus and of course a very sober Connor being the realist. That was honestly genius. Anna, we usually have a rebuttal phrase here, but I feel like you both made your arguments. Rebecca, would you like to respond to Connor's arguments? **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah, I have a couple of rebuttals. One being around the research culture, this idea that we never hear of unhappy elves, and this is actually just patently not true. In an article from 2016 written by Thompson's solicitors, we saw reports that Santa's elves had gone on strike and after return to work after concessions had been made, included instituting and updating the living wage, showing again that Santa is not stuck in the past, he's adaptable. And also, there was a further strike in 2023 in which the elves were also given additional cocoa breaks as well as necessitating, I can't say that word, that there'd be no mandatory overtime except on Christmas Eve itself, which also suggests that they are working throughout the year. And when it comes to that spike, do we really want to look at just what a lab produces, just the outputs of a lab? That seems like the wrong way to look at the success of a PI to me. The rest of the year is not silence, but rest and diligent work. So, yeah, I think we also see, let's say, from all these documentaries, the elves that are just having a great time. When it comes to the naughty and nice list, I would argue it's not based on myths, but as seen in Santa Claus and clouds, information on the behaviour of children is determined not through some omniscient CCTV, but rather through sound making trips out into the real world to see how they're acting in public. In public, public spaces likes parks, or in the case of Klaus, he seems to make use of an extensive network of postmen, well-trained postmen who can observe children's behaviours by posting letters. And in terms of the binarization of the naughty nice, that's not binarization, that's GDPR compliance. It's called data minimization, and it's crucial to ensure that for research practises are maintained. We also see transparency, hence the number of songs written on the subject of the Naughty and Nice List. Everyone knows it exists, and it's confidential. Only Santa sees the list, even though he has to check twice. It's a lot of work. And we see in Mickey's twice upon a Christmas that the list is actually locked away in a separate room from the rest of Santa's workshop. In terms of the animals and eco-friendliness of the lab, these are working reindeer. Just like sheet dogs and guard geese, they are well taken care of in their own stables and previous incidents of bullying, as I previously mentioned, have been dealt with swiftly. And we see in movies when they leave the North Pole and eat a bunch of junk food that they actually get really upset really quickly. So, I think that they're in one of the best places for them. And again, we see that actually Santa is very cognizant of his carbon footprint. In Arthur Christmas, we see that his sleigh is covered by potash of \[inaudible 00:00:00\] and amiloride citrate, AKA Magic dust, which is harvested from the \[inaudible 00:22:59\] b Aurora Borealis. In alternative accounts, we see it's powered by the reindeer, by Christmas spirit, and even the new S1 slay, which is basically a spaceship, seems to be powered by biofuel made from carrots and mints pies. So, I would argue that Santa is not just a face. He has pragmatic concerns. He has dealt with ethics; he has dealt with governance. He has, as far as I can tell, good relations with the entire world as he's able to pass through their airspace at all times. So, those would be my main rebuttals to Connor's otherwise fantastic argument. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** May I raise the topic of grants and monetary underpinning? I wonder how you would consider the philanthropic donations made by parents to Santa's grant funding. Would anybody like to start that discussion? **Rebecca Williams:** I mean, I'm all for collaboration. I think that Santa has done an amazing job providing presence for the children of the world throughout history. Now, I'm not going to lie where exactly all the money comes from. I assume it's a self-sustained system, but through a mix of having to sign an NDA, I'm afraid I can't disclose much more about the Inner Workings Centre’s workshop, but yeah, it seems to be entirely self-sustained. So, while donations from parents are always appreciated, greatly appreciated, as with any grant funding, I think it's also nice that there does seem to be a self-sustaining system at the poll that can at minimum produce many presence for the children of the world. **Adam Smith:** We should let Connor do a rebuttal as well, of course. I forgot. **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah. Yes, true. Sorry. Yeah. **Dr Connor Richardson:** So, I'll touch on the parents because it touches on some of our rebuttals, is that I feel like we're again, relying on not a lot of transparency. We're asking a lot of questions. Where is the information upfront? And what I seem to say is very much like the elves' situation, Santa forced into given information through a legal framework. And when we all do find out information about the supposed first ever strike of the elves, just the first one we know about, I would argue, the conclusion that seems to be they get COGO and they get the minimum wage. And after thousands of elves, centuries of work, that to me sounds like a race to the bottom. What about middle management elves? Is there a middle management? We don't know. And very much like the parents, all Santa seems to give is platitudes. In fact, parents' names don't end up on the tickets, no responsibility. But once a child stops believing, stops believing in Santa, they're left to fend for themselves, which doesn't sound fair to me. And if I may come back on a few of Rebecca's points, I would argue that not all collaborations are great ones. We've all been in; we've all found ourselves in quite dicey collaborations that we've wanted to get ourselves out of. And I would argue that Santa, although collects a lot of data, which I don't remember giving them consent for, who gave me permission to collaborate with these people? Concerning ones like Rebecca mentioned, governments, government agencies, the US Air Force. Is your child's information being used by the US Air Force? What has it been used for? Who knows? I'm not sure I feel comfortable about my information being used by them. And again, we rely on a lot of these, or the only information we have about Santa, which yes, Rebecca brings up are marvellous things to watch and are very great. They do tend to show Santa in a very nice light. Where is Santa showing up on independent broadcasters? Where is the Emily Maitlis's interview of Santa? Where's Lily Taurau's podcast on Santa? I would even settle for Ross Kemp on Lapland to get some real information. And yes, imagination is great. And yes, he may steal a lot of imagination on children, but you know what? There's a lot more psychological papers on? Trauma. The trauma of getting cool in your stocking. And for what? For what behaviours? What behaviours 20 years ago did children get called for, which you would now call ADHD? These could be lifelong traumas. We learn as we get older, but does Santa's list learn? Not fast enough. **Adam Smith:** Wow. Thank you very much. Rebecca, how do you respond to Connor's very correct highlighting that Santa is a little bit ageist, that as running a lab, he would focus really just on young people and not the older people. And of course, we're particularly interested in those with dementia. It does seem that he does have a bit of a fender when he comes to that. How would you respond to that? **Rebecca Williams:** Would you look to every developmental psychology lab and accuse them of ageism because they're choosing to study those under 16? This isn't ageism. This is a research specialty. We can't be specialists and generalists. Okay? So, maybe Santa's lab would focus on developmental psychology. To me, that's fine. It might not be that he's a great dementia research PA. Maybe that's not the area that he would like to go into, but I don't think that we should just throw the baby out of the bathroom to water and claim that he's ageist because he's not choosing to study the population over the age of 65. That is just a choice. **Adam Smith:** Well, picking up on the house sectors because the house motion is that Santa would make a good PI, not necessarily a good dementia researcher. So, we'll point out. Anna, I'll leave it to you. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Connor, go on. You put your hand up. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I would argue that a good PI knows where they're missing research. So, rather than Santa's collaborations with PR, maybe we do have lifelong epidemiology, lifespan research. Santa does none of this. Yes, he is a specialist, but good specialists know when to bring on other specialists to create multidisciplinary teams. And where is Santa's multidisciplinary teams? He's had long enough to do it. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Really, all very good points. And I guess I'd like to start the discussion with a question mark about equipoise. We've talked about ethics and my feeling is if Santa Claus ran a randomised controlled trial, he could do so. He has naughty and he has nice, but I wonder if you could speak to how he maintains equipoise, how does he reduce bias in his randomization? Either of you like to start. **Rebecca Williams:** I mean, like I say, I think that we've yet to see examples of Santa's research practises in practise. But taking from the work that he's already done, we see that he is remarkably, it seems impartial when it comes to the naughty and nice list, as evidenced by the fact that his own son in the Santa Claus 2 is placed on the naughty list. So, whilst I can't speak to specific research protocols such as randomization, I am certainly confident that they would be able to run a lab which is impartial and which is able to engage in these kind of practises without bias. Connor? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, I think there are some very interesting questions, and I think Santa has a lot of questions to answer on this. I think yes, Santa does have an amazing global brand, but let's be honest, where is he strongest in Western cultures? He isn't big in the global South. And again, we come to age ranges. The naughty and nice list is fine, but Santa seems to be the final orbiter on this. Do we have any expertise from other experts? Does anybody get to weigh in? I think these are all things that deserve committees and a broader range of expertise, which Santa seems unwilling to bend to. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Good point. Can I just ask, have either of you ever met somebody who's on the naughty list and got coal in their stocking, or perhaps from St. Nicholas, I know in some of the European countries, you might place something similar to a baseball bat and a slipper. For St. Nicholas, if you're naughty, has anyone actually met anybody? Do you have any actual single case studies, qualitative experiences or perspectives on this kind of issue? **Rebecca Williams:** No. And again, obviously I can't speak to knowing everybody in the world, but I think it is incredibly rare the experience of receiving of being even on the naughty list. And I think from the examples we've seen from the documentaries I've previously mentioned, the children seem to be exceedingly naughty to be placed on the naughty list. So, I think they're much more in theory than it is in practise. I think what we see in practise is the nice list being used much, much more. And the naughty list is very sparingly used. If at all, I certainly have no examples of children being on the naughty list. And this is from personal experience for two years, I was in fact a member of Santa's workforce as Candy Sprinkles, The Christmas Elf. And I can attest that Santa was not only lovely to work with, but he also played a killer ukulele, and I didn't see him hand out a single piece of call. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Connor, do you have any evidence, any case studies, case series that speak to this? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, I hear from older generations that children who definitely got call in their stockings. Although I did grow up in the Northeast, so there was a lot of call about. But I would say that this is just evidence that Santa's criteria change with the whims of the times. And imagine turn up to any of your grant panels and being asked and having to show who's on the naughty list, and there's actually no one. This is Santa's problem. It's not forthcoming with information. We don't get to see the reasoning. We don't get to see the criteria where it's Satya having to rely on case studies and past knowledge. This should be upfront and any PI would definitely have to be upfront about giving this kind of criteria before beginning any kind of project. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Rebecca, did you want to say... **Rebecca Williams:** Can I say we're suddenly now accusing Santa of changing with a whim. When we were simply accusing him of being stuck in tradition mere moments ago, I mean, which is it? Would you rather have a panel with the same criterion over the hundreds of years or a panel that updates to reflect the times? I mean, you can have tradition or you can have innovation, but I would argue you can't have both simultaneously. And I will absolutely concede that there have historically been some transparency issues with Santa's regime. But I'm not being funny, have you looked at academia? The open science framework, reproducibility has really only started coming in the last 10 to 20 years. So, as much as we can accuse Santa that he's had plenty of time to do it, we've had plenty of time to do it as researchers, and it's only recently that we've started engaging in much better scientific practises. And I do think we'll start seeing that trickle through to the North Pole over the couple years. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, unfortunately, I think Rebecca has just answered the big question here is that as soon as Santa is faced with hard questions, we enter a race to the bottom, whether it's the elves fight for the minimum wage or now we're arguing that the standards for Santa with all of his resources should be the worst of our scientific practises. We should be aiming for better. Santa should be better than us. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, that's interesting. So, in terms of patient and public involvement, if Santa is better than us, should he be doing research to us or should he be doing research with us? Connor. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Actually, it should 100% be doing research with us. And part of that is all of us having a say in the decision-making process and co-designed projects. I don't feel like I have any involvement in Santa's projects. **Rebecca Williams:** Let me ask you this, Connor. Did you ever ask Santa for something for Christmas? **Dr Connor Richardson:** I did. **Rebecca Williams:** Did you get that thing for Christmas? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Sometimes, not always. **Rebecca Williams:** Co-design. This is exactly what we're talking about. You say you've never had any design impact on Santa's practises, but children across the world yearly have impact on the design process in terms of what toys get made, what toys get delivered through letters, through PPIEs, such as Santas at malls. So, I would argue that there is already a lovely cyclical route to Santa both being doing research with and for the children of the world. He is ultimately employed and working for the children of the world as much as he is an authority figure. And I think that is a sign of an excellent PI, someone who can acknowledge that they are both in a figure of authority and that they should take that seriously, but also constantly being reminded that they are also ultimately working for and on behalf of the populations that they set up. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Can I ask you then, so we spoke earlier about, you mentioned the postman workforce who do observations on behalf of Santa, could we consider that unobtrusive if people don't know that the postmen are making these observations? We know from dementia research, for example, if we're using video cameras, that can be very invasive. Whereas if we have devices that aren't intrusive, it can be less. So, perhaps postmen are less invasive in terms of observation, or would we consider this to be unethical observations where people are being perhaps observed without their knowledge? Which side do you fall on in that respect? **Rebecca Williams:** Well, I think this is why all of these documentaries are so important. And I think that is Santa's primary route of getting information about his scientific practises out into the world. This is why we have movies like Klaus so that children can see, ooh, maybe the postmen are in on it, or explicitly so. In fact, the postmen are in on it. I know that's a hot take, but I'll say it here. I think it's backed by data. And I think that I completely agree that there is an element to which, oh, we don't like the idea of being observed, especially in our own homes. But that's where I say, in fact, all of the evidence we have seems to suggest that these empirical observations of children's behaviour happen in public spaces by postmen, by Santa's representatives, by Santa himself, just in them running past him and this thing. So, I agree that it can be seen as inclusive, especially if it was done in the home, in a private setting. But I think the fact that these observations are done in public and with the knowledge of the children of the world, hence all the songs about it, they've been around for ages, we're aware of the situation, I think that does mitigate a lot of those risks. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Connor, do you have a response? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Where's the consent? Where is the consent? These are arguments that just would not pass a basic PhD viva. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I mean, is it possible that people don't have capacity and consent below the age and maybe they're being asked in their best interests. Was that what you were going to say, Rebecca? **Rebecca Williams:** So, as someone who has been photographed without her knowledge or consent in public and then plastered on the front page of a newspaper, I can tell you that you don't actually need people's consent when they're in a public space. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** True. And you're not profiting off it. I hear that. Yes. **Rebecca Williams:** And we're not profiting off it. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Yeah, yeah. **Rebecca Williams:** And so traumatised. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** What about implementation? So, going back, circling back to parents, as a parent myself, I have both, I can see both sides of the coin in terms of implementing Santa's research model. So, I am able to use the naughty and nice methodology at home, but equally I'm mindful it doesn't work consistently as a parent. Do you think that Santa, is that a problem that implementation is difficult for parents using that kind of model that Santa's created? Anyone like to speak to that? **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah, I mean, I think it's always tricky. The minute that you let your methodology go out to the world, an example of transparency, by the way, it's an issue that you can't necessarily have it reliably implemented in every lab that it goes out to. And I think this is a classic give and take of research, transparency, collaboration, that when we do make our methodologies open and we do allow others to use our methodologies, we can't then necessarily be held solely responsible for how well they are administered. And I think it's nice that this has been such a widely used methodology. It shows real promise for Santa's open Santa framework, the OSF, in future years. But yeah, again, I think it's not necessarily the responsibility of the person who initially designed the method, though they should absolutely be updating it and be working hard to ensure that relevant literature is sent around the users, not necessarily that initial person's job to maintain standards across such a vast range. As much as it would be nice to hold maybe parents on to conferences, maybe that's something we could see in future years to standardise the approach. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I think some of this leans into the worst biases that we see in Santa's methodology. I mean, we've talked about case studies and what happens in public spaces. We see that there's huge inequalities in Santa's outputs. We clearly see huge socioeconomic differences and Santa's crude binary methodology puts the worst pressures on particularly parents who don't earn as much money, parents who work in key jobs who can't always just be around over that one time of year due to his inflexible practises. So, my mom, in fact, as a nurse, I've spent many Christmases with no mom in my house for the majority of the day, and that to me just speaks to poor core design. Santa does not consider the majority of the people, and he does not represent a fair spread of the people who were affected most by his research, or is it research? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I'm going to take some questions from the audience, actually. There's a really valuable comment being made around... We've talked a lot about people, but what about sustainability in the environment and the animals, animal welfare? One of our guests is concerned about animal welfare. Why has Santa not yet replaced or decreased the number of reindeer in his reindeer team? **Rebecca Williams:** So, I think this depends on which documentary you refer to as. In some cases, he very much has. So, in Arthur Christmas, we see the S1 slayer in fact has no reindeer at all, but by the end, we see that actually it has many and that this is a good thing that the reindeer are allowed to work again. Again, I think these are working reindeer, much like, as I mentioned, sheep dogs and guard geese. I think they're at the best at their bet when they are taken care of, when they're provided at home and when they are provided with work. And as long as they are not overworked, I think that can be a really positive symbiotic relationship between Santa and the reindeer. And I think it's also helpful to remember that there all are, again, environmentally sustainable alternative to the reindeers like Christmas spirit, like magic dust mine from the Aurora Borealis, which can help to reduce the work and load needed by the reindeers if that is necessary to make sure that they are not overstrained. And those do seem to be Christmas brew does seem to be a renewable source of energy. I'm surprised we're not seeing that rolled out, I think, more broadly across the world, but Christmas spirit and magic duct seem to be pretty good for the environment, maybe rivalling nuclear, but that's speculation. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I mean, either one, I'm just going to make a point of order to the speaker of this debate that we are playing fast and loose with the term documentary. And I have major, major concerns for these reindeer because yet again, my arguments keep coming back to this. We always end up on consent and transparency. There seems to be no annual audits of how these animals are doing. There seem to be no independent bodies who check on them. Santa just assumes that we're all fine going along with it, and I've got major questions. For one, Rudolph seems really ill. There's something wrong with that reindeer's nose and nobody's talking about it. And quite frankly, he needs help. And as far as his carbon footprint goes, there's flying, which we assume works on some magical process. Again, we can't seem to verify this scientifically. I know there's a problem with a scientific replication crisis, but we should at least be able to try. And you can't on the one hand say he can have this amazing global distribution network and these toys that are made in their millions. Where's the energy being provided from this? I'm just saying it seems awfully convenient that in the North Pole, he's around a lot of urban oil fields. I'm just asking the questions. **Rebecca Williams:** Can I make the point that also in terms of jurisdiction, I don't think this is centre avoiding jurisdiction. As you mentioned, he lives in the North Pole, which is not really under the jurisdiction of any one nation. So, I think this is much more an issue of who would you like to provide the jurisdiction, rather than him avoiding it? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I'm going to move us onto another question. So, you mentioned the North Pole and I guess that they'll be on several different time zones potentially, depending on where Santa is, where he's working, although Rudolph may be part of his workforce. But I wonder if someone that was having lab meetings, if Santa were holding lab meetings, one of the audience members had asked, would they happen once a year? Would they happen at midnight? What would the timing be of these regular or irregular lab meetings? **Rebecca Williams:** Yeah, as I say, I think it's fair to assume from the data that Santa does work and his workforce does work throughout the year, though it does seem to take a break as shown in the 1991 short film Father Christmas, but they do seem to work throughout the year. So, I think it's safe to say that they choose lab meetings in a similar way to other international lands, maybe varying times meetings to work with different strategies and work with different collaborators. And they say because Santa is so used to working in so many different time zones, I'd argue he's actually better placed to organise those international meetings than most other PIs. He has the experience. **Dr Connor Richardson:** I mean, we heard a lot of the word seems and assumes there. Has anyone actually tried to get hold of Santa recently? The last time I had conversations with Santa, it was through a letter, which I put up much in me, and I still haven't received a reply. And we say that we need to move with the times, and apparently Santa is moving with the times. He's paying his stuff, minimum wage. **Rebecca Williams:** Living wage. **Dr Connor Richardson:** We have teams. Where's the evidence of Santa being involved? That's what we should be here talking about as scientists, evidence, not assumptions. **Rebecca Williams:** I mean, I think that's fair. And like I say, this is why I'm so for the idea is that I have personally met Santa on many occasions. I suppose I don't experience the same thing of feeling like he's some far away mystical figure. To me, Santa is very much someone that I have seen in my school, in my local community, being a figurehead and engaging actively. So, I suppose perhaps the lettering system, maybe that is old hat, maybe we need to get updated to email or zoom. Maybe that would be an interesting way of reaching out further. But I'm not saying that Santa has all the answers here, just to be clear. I'm not saying he would be the perfect PI because that's not the question. No one can be a perfect PI, but I do think he has all the skills that would make him an excellent PI. And one of them is his community outreach. **Dr Connor Richardson:** But let me ask you this. When you met Santa, was it in December? Was it in Any other month? **Rebecca Williams:** No, I think no, it's a fair point. I think we could maybe branch out slightly more to the rest of the year. Like I say, and I think this is all part of the PPIE. We need to hear more from people and what they want from Santa. But as far as I understand, some people, they associate him at the moment because he's associated very much with the holidays. People don't necessarily like seeing him the rest of the year. And so, maybe what we need is a slight change in how Christmases and Santa are thought of. Maybe if he makes that change over the researcher, we can see him represented more consistently throughout the calendar. **Adam Smith:** That is fair. We do get very upset if they start seeing Santa in October and November. **Rebecca Williams:** Well, just listening to the people. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Is Santa your PI or want to see him outside of December? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I have seen him in Christmas in July in the Southern Hemisphere. I think we're a bit biassed. We are representing really only the UK, but I lived in five years, and we did see him at Christmas in July, which was a novel event, I guess. I'm mindful of time, and we are talking about communication. Perhaps one more question. Would Santa make you sit on his lap during appraisals? I mean, Rebecca, you mentioned you were employed by Santa for two years. **Rebecca Williams:** I can confirm all communication was done off lap. I think context is king here and I think, as we've said, consent is incredibly important. And so, we see the children, they might enjoy that. That's a good bit of tradition that maybe is kept through and that children enjoy making their wishes for Santa whilst in his lap. But as a child who was, I will admit, slightly dubious of Santa Claus, I certainly didn't sit on his lap, and I was still able to get my wishes across. And as a grown woman dressed up as Candy Sprinkles, The Christmas El, again, all of the communication was done decidedly off that. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Do you believe? **Rebecca Williams:** Of course. I think there's undeniable evidence. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, do you believe that believing in Santa is a prerequisite for joining his lab? Would it have to be? **Rebecca Williams:** I think it would be very difficult to join the lab of some of a PI whose work you don't believe in. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** I hear you. **Rebecca Williams:** Connor, do you believe? **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well, I do believe, but I also believe that Santa's attitude changes to become quite cold once you stop believing. And I don't think that's a healthy research environment to be working in. Your PI should be independent at all times, and it shouldn't be a cult of personality in a lab. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** So, we have a question from Ria, who is a member of our audience who has experience as working with a PI who is a Mr. Worldwide or wizard. They're doing great with meetings and scheduling them around his schedule, which is wonderful evidence to have from one of our audience members. Thank you ever so much. **Adam Smith:** I know that PI and a wizard is a pretty good description, actually. **Dr Anna Volkmer:** Beautiful, isn't it? **Adam Smith:** Wow. Well, I'm impressed by Connor's ability to argue a really good argument against such a popular figure and Rebecca's encyclopaedic knowledge of Christmas film documentaries. And to be able to just quote them so easily, clearly, you've done your background research. I'm interested to know if you did this specifically for the debate or whether this is just you have a big love of Christmas movies in general. So, we've had audio questions, we've had our opening statements, we can now go to our final closing statements. And then after that, we'll have our closing poll to see if a hundred percent of our audience started out today by saying that they think he would make a good PI, but Connor's made some excellent arguments this afternoon. Let's see if the audience folks changed. But before we get to that, let's have our closing statements. Rebecca, you are first. **Rebecca Williams:** As I said in my opening statement, and I think it holds true, that Santa's logistical press, his ability to collaborate with people across the world, his ability to communicate well both to external audiences, including copious amounts of engagement from his target study cohort, leading to co-design of what his processes look like year-on-year, and also internal communication to foster a positive research culture, which takes a strong stance against bullying, which updates its practises based on the times and the needs of its workers, and which from all representations is just a really jolly place to be mixed with his amazing imagination, I think are all signs that Santa would make an excellent programme leader. As much as we've heard some arguments that his practises may not be as transparent as they need to be, I think that Santa, as I said, it's not perfect. And we have seen lots of development in transparency and reproducibility over the last 10, 20 years in research. And I hope that if Santa were to come into this space, he would quickly take on some of those practises. But I would also say that we already know quite a lot about Santa and his practises from various movies, from talking to the big guy himself at events. And so, as much as we might criticise him on transparency, there has also been some really great attempts to make his practise transparent, such as the naughty and nice list, which is mentioned in many songs. We know that he's environmentally sustainable and making efforts to adapt to the times. He has, like I say, collaborations across the globe, and I think that he would just make a fantastic programme leader. I personally would want a programme leader that I believe in, that I can communicate with and that I know would put me on a good track to, as I said, a jolly good time. **Adam Smith:** Thank you very much, Rebecca. And Connor, your closing statement. **Dr Connor Richardson:** Well then, there is an impressive catalogue of reasons why Santa Claus might at first glance appear to be an excellent PI. He delivers big projects on time. He manages a global workforce. He never seems to run out of funding, and he has unmatched public engagement. All true, but none of those things answer the only question that matters. A principal investigator is not a symbol, not a tradition, and not a seasonal morale boost. A PI is a person who shows up every single day and leads from the front. When the excitement of science is faded and the paperwork begins. They write the grants, they answer the emails, they submit the ethics amendments, they mentor the students whose careers depend on them. They take responsibility when things go wrong. Santa does not do this. He arrives once a year, he judges silently, he leaves a gift, and then he disappears. Dementia research especially cannot run on goodwill and mythology. It requires presence, accountability, and leadership that survives scrutiny. So, yes, let Santa keep Christmas. Let him keep the slay, the bells, and even the applause if he wants them. But for the sake of science and the sake of people whose lives depend on it, keep him out of the PI role. And finally, in the spirit of Dr. Zeus, you can't run a lab with a list and a slay or pass ethics checks in a trust me way. You can't train up science this year after year if your PI vanishes till Christmas is here. So, keep the beard, keep the cheer, keep the myth if you must, but science needs leadership, not magic and dust and you. **Adam Smith:** Wow. Ending on a wee poem, verse. Thank you very much, Connor. Well, we've heard two very passionate arguments for and again, Santa as a PI. I'm going to share my view and Anna, you're welcome to share your view at the end. Let's just remind everybody that we've got our closing vote now. It started off with everybody thinking that Santa would make a good PI. The link is in the chat for those that are watching live. If you are watching this back or listening to this back from recorded, we're going to keep this poll going. We're going to add a poll in there. So, we're going to poll our live audience today, but we're going to give you a chance as well to share your view because we'd love to get a wider opinion, a wider data set on this to see if you agree with Connor and Rebecca. And I'll tell you what, if you've got until New Year's Day to vote in that poll and I'll give a prize to whoever's won this evening's debate. What we haven't really talked about so far is that this fun debate, as much it is great for Christmas, and it's a fun thing to do, there is a series side, which is today's debate. We're trying to raise money for Dementia UK and their admiral nurses who provide really fantastic, much needed support to people living with dementia and families and carers, particularly during Christmas when we know that times are tough. So, I really would encourage you to donate, if you can, with tickets today for this event were five pounds. So, that's our recommended donation amount. If you are listening to this in the format of a podcast over Christmas or on YouTube, we're going to put a donation link in the comments. Sorry you couldn't be with us live today, but we hope you will still consider giving some money because it is a much-needed course and a great... The work they do is really fantastic. So, let's go back to our closing poll. So, remind you of the motion again, this House believes Santa would make an excellent PI. It started off with 100% of our audience thinking that Santa would make an excellent PI. Connor has clearly done a stellar job because our closing poll results show that 40% agree that Santa would make a great PI, 40% disagree I think Santa wouldn't make a good PI, and 20% of audience are completely undecided. You've baffled them all, which I think actually is a great way to end this because I think you both made such brilliant arguments for and against that I would've felt slightly sad at the end of today to have to say that one of you had won and one of you had lost because you both did so well and embraced the topic with the spirit it deserved. Thank you so much. Anna, do you have any closing reflections before I get to my last statement? **Dr Anna Volkmer:** No, I'm just glad I went with a bit of heading perhaps, perhaps, perhaps that I think the outcome is just right. **Adam Smith:** It's very, very relevant. Well, here we are again. We began by asking whether Santa should be running a research lab and somehow ended up with a very familiar picture of academia, impossible deadlines, unclear data practises, a highly committed workforce, and a vague sense that magic is doing more of the work than in the system. Some of us saw a logistical genius, a leader who delivers every year without fail and never misses a deadline, and others saw red flags, a once-a-year output cycle, questionable transparency and a wellbeing strategy that appears to involve biscuits, mince pies, carrots, and belief. And perhaps that's the point, as a serious point to this, which is good leadership is rarely perfect. It's a mix of planning and panic and vision and improvisation, spreadsheets, and sheer willpower. It works not because it's flawless, but because people keep turning up and caring enough to make it work. So, thank you to our speakers for embracing the fun and revealing a few uncomfortable truths along the way. Thank you to all of you for voting and laughing with us. Honestly, this has been the funniest hour of my Christmas so far. And thank you to all of you in the audience for supporting Dementia UK, because behind those jokes and Tinsel are the real families who need support, especially at this time of the year. Take care of yourselves, be kind to each other. And if Santa is running a lab anywhere, I hope he has a good lab manager, and we'll see you all soon. Thank you, very much and Merry Christmas. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk --- --- If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to [**dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk**](mailto:dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk) Did you know... you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). > The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of The North Pole, UCL, Dementia Researcher or its funders. ***Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.*** ###### Meet the contributors [ ![Dr Anna Volkmer, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/11-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/) ###### [Dr Anna Volkmer, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/) [ 18/04/2018](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/anna_volkmer/) [![Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-150x150.png "Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter") Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/ecr-editor/) [ ![Adam Smith, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Adam-Smith-2-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) ###### [Adam Smith, University College London](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) [ 21/07/2018](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/) [![Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-150x150.png "Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter") Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/ecr-editor/) [ ![Dr Connor Richardson, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/13-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/) ###### [Dr Connor Richardson, The University of Edinburgh](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/) [ 01/08/2022](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-connor-richardson-newcastle-university/) [![Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-150x150.png "Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter") Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/ecr-editor/) [ ![Rebecca Williams, University of Cambridge](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Rebecca-Williams-150x150.png) ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rebecca-williams-university-of-cambridge/) ###### [Rebecca Williams, University of Cambridge](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rebecca-williams-university-of-cambridge/) [ 24/03/2023](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-rebecca-williams-university-of-cambridge/) [![Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-150x150.png "Dementia Researcher Logo Twitter") Dementia Researcher](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/author/ecr-editor/) ###### Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: > [**Facts you didn't know about Santa**](https://youtu.be/K2vKCdz5-Sw?si=bOECq7PyXPcVwSyT) > > [**Why Santa Claus is not a god**](https://brill.com/view/journals/jocc/8/1-2/article-p149_8.xml) > > [**Dispelling the nice or naughty myth**](https://www.bmj.com/content/355/bmj.i6355.abstract) ### Related content [ ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/ask-your-mentor-podcast-professor-patrick-lewis/) ## Ask Your Mentor Podcast – Professor Patrick Lewis ![Ask your mentor with Professor Patrick Lewis](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Ask-your-mentor-with-Professor-Patrick-Lewis-680-×-540px.png "Ask your mentor with Professor Patrick Lewis (680 × 540px)") [ ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-why-ecrs-need-good-mentors/) ## Blog – Why ECRs need Good Mentors ![Why ECRs need good mentors Blog](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Why-ECRs-need-good-mentors-680-×-540px.png "Why ECRs need good mentors (680 × 540px)") [ ](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-is-leadership-important-in-science/) ## Blog – Is Leadership Important In Science? ![Is Leadership Important In Science blog by Dr Yvonne Couch](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Is-Leadership-Important-In-Science-680-×-540px.png "Is Leadership Important In Science (680 × 540px)") **Categories:** Profile **Tags:** Frontotemporal Dementia, Rebecca Williams, University of Cambridge **Organisations for Bios:** University of Cambridge **Themes for Bios:** Behavioural Neuroscience, Psychology --- ### [5 things that confuse PhD students about qualitative research](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/5-things-that-confuse-phd-students-about-qualitative-research/) **Published:** April 20, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Elizabeth Yardley explains why qualitative PhD research feels hard, unpacking common struggles around rigour, analysis, interviews and making sense of data. **Content:** **[Dr Elizabeth Yardley](https://www.youtube.com/@DegreeDoctor), a social sciences professor with over 20 years’ experience supporting doctoral researchers. Many PhD students struggle with qualitative research not because they’re doing it wrong, but because they’re using the wrong standards to judge it.** In this video, Elizabeth breaks down the real reasons qualitative research feels difficult during a PhD, and what these struggles reveal about how qualitative PhD research actually works. Qualitative research is often described through abstract concepts – reflexivity, interpretation, saturation – but rarely explained in a way that connects to the actual experience of doing a PhD. **This video focuses on 5 of the most common problems [qualitative](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/determining-sample-size-in-qualitative-research/) PhD students face, including:** - Feeling like qualitative research is less rigorous than quantitative research - Doubting whether your analysis or themes are “correct” - Worrying about how many interviews are “enough” - Feeling overwhelmed by the volume of qualitative data We then unpack what these concerns actually reveal about the interpretive nature of qualitative research. If you liked this video and fancy making PhD life slightly less chaotic, check out **Categories:** Careers **Tags:** Dr Elizabeth Yardley, Qualitative Methods, Qualitative Research --- ### [Mental Health Challenges in Dementia Researchers](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/mental-health-challenges-in-dementia-researchers/) **Published:** April 16, 2026 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** New study by Waters Harvey et al reveals high mental health challenges in early career dementia researchers highlighting imposter syndrome and financial strain **Content:** A new international study led by [**Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-bryony-waters-harvey-the-university-of-sheffield/), alongside **[Dr Pascale Heins](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-pascale-heins-maastricht-university/), Dr Eithne Heffenan, [Dr Anika Wuestefeld](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-building-a-successful-grant-application/), [Dr.C. Elizabeth Shaaban](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-beth-shaaban/), [Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-adam-smith/), [Dr Royhaan Folarin](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-royhaan-folarin-olabisi-onabanjo-university/), and [Dr Sara Laureen Bartels](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sara-laureen-bartels/)**, has explored the mental health of early career dementia researchers. This is the third paper to be published, drawing on [survey data collected](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/survey/) through a collaboration between Dementia Researcher and ISTAART. The study provides one of the first detailed analyses of wellbeing in this global research community. The paper, [*“Factors associated with the mental health of early career dementia researchers: An international cross sectional survey,”*](https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.71364) analysed responses from 283 researchers across 31 countries. ### A clear signal from the data The findings show that nearly 60 percent of respondents reported experiencing a mental health condition, with anxiety and depression among the most common. This reinforces wider concerns about academic working environments, while highlighting pressures specific to dementia research. ### What is driving these challenges The study identifies several key factors associated with poorer mental health: - **Imposter syndrome**, which showed the strongest association - **Financial problems**, linked to funding instability and short term roles - **Age**, with those aged 25 to 34 at greater risk - **Sexual orientation**, with LGBTQAI plus researchers reporting higher vulnerability Together, these findings point to a mix of structural pressures and personal experiences shaping wellbeing. ### More than an individual issue While many researchers rely on support from peers, mentors, friends, and family, formal institutional support was often seen as limited. The study highlights how academic culture including long hours, job insecurity, and competition for funding continues to contribute to stress and burnout. ### Supporting the future workforce Early career researchers play a central role in driving dementia research forward. The authors highlight the need for targeted action, including: - Improved financial security and funding pathways - Support to address imposter syndrome - Stronger mentoring and peer networks - Greater inclusion and support for underrepresented groups These changes will be essential to sustain the workforce needed to tackle one of the biggest global health challenges. --- [Read the Paper](https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.71364) Waters-Harvey B, Heins P, Heffenan E, et al. Factors associated with the mental health of early-career dementia researchers: An international cross-sectional survey. Alzheimer’s Dement. 2026;22:e71364. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71364 **Categories:** Research News **Tags:** Dr Bryony Waters-Harvey, Mental Health --- ### [Podcast - Smart New Ways To Diagnose Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-smart-new-ways-to-diagnose-dementia/) **Published:** March 6, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Amanda Heslegrave, Dr Catherine Bornbaum & Dr George Stothart talk smart new imaging tech, artificial intelligence & Fastball EEG to find dementia biomarkers **Content:** **Great progress has been made over the past decade in the development of blood based bio-markers to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. However, other areas have been quietly working away, and have also made significant progress.** In this podcast we explore two of the newest and most innovative technologies being applied to detect biomarkers for dementia – looking at the retina and brainwaves. **[Dr Amanda Heslegrave](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-amanda-heslegrave/)**, Senior Research Fellow at the UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London and one of the people behind the progress being made in blood-based biomarker field is out guest host. This weeks guests are: **[Dr Catherine Bornbaum](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-catherine-bornbaum-retispec/)**, Head of Clinical Operations and Partnerships at Retispec. Catherine, uses innovative imaging technology combined with robust machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect biomarkers of neurodegenerative disease throughout the eye. The eye provides a simple and non-invasive way to measure the central nervous system; it is also the only organ where both neurons and blood vessels can be directly visualized at micron-level resolution. **[Dr George Stothart](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-george-stothart-university-of-bath/ "Profile – Dr George Stothart, University of Bath")**, Senior Lecturer at University of Bath. George is a cognitive neuroscientist who translates the findings of cognitive neuroscience into useful tools for clinicians and the wider world. His primary research focus is the development of a new EEG technique, known as Fastball, for the assessment of cognitive deficits in dementia. Fastball EEG is a completely passive test which measures brain waves the patient looks at a series of images on a computer screen over two minutes – a completely new assessment technique. **For more information go to:** --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by University College London, and the NIHR and Association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. I’m Dr. Amanda Heslegrave, and I’m a senior researcher at University College London. It’s my pleasure to be guest hosting this week’s show. Normally, I can be found at the UK Dementia Research Institute, biomarker Factory, and I work out how best to accurately identify dementia biomarkers from blood samples. But today I’ll be doing something a little different. I’m going to be joined by two people who’ve got new and clever ways to look at the challenge of biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. And they’re both probably trying to put me out of work, although I think that’s not going to happen. My wonderful guests have got some high tech, amazing new approaches to diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. So, in this show, we’re going to discuss these approaches, their work and how they might be applied. So, let’s meet the guests. I’m delighted to welcome Dr. Catherine Bornbaum and Dr. George Stothard. Did I say that correctly, George? **Dr George Stothart:** You did. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Oh, perfect. Okay. So, let’s do some introductions. And Catherine, would you like to go first, please? Just tell us a bit about yourself. **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** Sure. Thank you. So, I’m really fortunate to serve as the Head of Clinical Operations and Partnerships at a company called RetiSpec. So, the company’s headquartered in Toronto, Canada. And the company is an AI medical imaging company where we’re developing algorithms for the detection of neurodegenerative diseases, specifically Alzheimer’s, based on a very simple eye exam that leverages existing imaging infrastructure in eyecare settings. And so the focus of my work is on the clinical validation of this technology, where we compare it to clinical gold standards. So things like PET scans or lumbar puncture, cerebral spinal fluid analysis. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay, thank you very much for that. And then George, can I come to you? **Dr George Stothart:** Yeah. Hi, I’m George Stothard. I’m a cognitive neuroscientist. I work at the University of Bath, and my research is on developing functional biomarkers of dementia. So primarily using EEG to try and improve the sensitivity of our measures of brain function. And so, I’ve been working on a technique known as Fast Pull for a few years now, which is a passive and implicit measure of cognitive function. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay. No, that’s perfect. Because we’re going to come onto that in a bit more detail very soon. But first of all, I guess, we’ve been talking about biomarkers. I need to set the scene really for why this is important. Now, in previous times, even now, if people have problems or worries, suspicions that they might be getting some kind of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, normally they’ll see their GP. Or perhaps they’ll try and ignore it, because we all know that actually there are still currently no really tried and tested cures for the disease. So there’s always been a bit of a stigma with being diagnosed with dementia, and people are quite worried about that. So the person finally decides they’re going to go to their GP and then they will get, hopefully, passed on to a secondary medical care like a neurologist or a psychiatrist, for further tests. And these tests, they might be brain scans, they might be cognitive testing, or they could be something like a lumbar puncture. We do use lumbar punctures to look for biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. But this, very much, I think, depends probably on where you live and the access to healthcare. It’s not always equitable. But also the diagnosis isn’t that accurate. It doesn’t, for example, diagnose between different types of dementia. That’s not something that’s readily done or easily done. And also, by the time someone actually goes to their care provider with symptoms of a neurodegenerative disease such as a dementia, they’ve already got that disease, and it’s not likely that you’ll be able to have much effect on its progression. So what we need are different biomarkers, earlier biomarkers, and more accurate biomarkers able to differentiate between the different dementias. I think that that’s really important. And so, we need lots of people coming at this from many different angles. And I think that a small example of that is what we’ve got here today. And so, I think now we’ll move to Catherine, who’s going to tell us a bit more in detail about your research, and how this fits in. **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** Sure. Thank you. So the work that’s being done by RetiSpec to bring this type of technology to the market, and by that I mean our retinol scan for detection of early Alzheimer’s disease, is actually technology that has a deep history of development that started more than a decade ago at the Center for Drug Design at the University of Minnesota. And so, the researchers there, Dr. Robert Vince and Swati More, developed an earlier version of this retinal hyperspectral imaging, which is what we use. And this was to measure early changes in soluble amyloid, for an amyloid target therapeutic that they were actually trying to develop. So they were trying to see if there were ways that they could measure the change of the therapeutic. And they invented this approach, for diagnostic purposes, out of necessity for evaluating their therapeutic. And so at RetiSpec, we licensed that initial technology, and have gone on to further develop it and incorporate the machine learning and artificial intelligence methodologies as well. And so what we essentially do is, combine retinal imaging with novel tissue spectroscopy methods, in order to identify the optical signature of Alzheimer’s disease. And these are the specific changes that are measurable through the eye. And so, because the eye can be imaged at micron level resolution, our hyperspectral imaging enables measurement of many biophysical, biochemical properties such as specific proteins, so things like amyloid and tau. We can see signatures of cell degeneration, microvascular changes, and other spectral and spatial biomarkers of the eye, that we can see in individuals who have been confirmed to have the pathologic signs of Alzheimer’s disease. So we compare these against clinical gold standards of amyloid PET or CSF, or cerebral spinal fluid. And we use these gold standards to ensure that when we’re validating this technology, we can have a high degree of confidence that what we’re detecting is sound. And what we do through this analysis is, we really take these incredibly rich images and we apply our machine learning and AI driven techniques to classify the raw data that we capture into broad categories. And so these are then used to perform the detection of the specific retinal biomarkers. So in essence, from a patient perspective, you come into an eye clinic or a clinic where this; it’s called a fundus camera, is, you sit down, you have a couple images of your eye taken, similar to what you would have in your eye doctor’s office. But what’s different is that we have software that’s working in the backend to capture this additional data. We replace the normal sensor in a fundus camera. So normally you would have three color channels, red, green, and blue, and we capture those plus over a hundred additional channels. So the patient experience isn’t any different, but we capture this extra information, and apply the software that allows us to compute a score and to indicate whether or not that person is likely to have the same sort of protein composition as someone who has Alzheimer’s disease. And the reason we’re able to do this is because the retina, which is the back of the eye, is directly connected to the central nervous system and shares nervous tissues and vasculature with the brain. So it’s a really wonderful way to be able to understand what’s happening in the brain, in a very non-invasive and simple way. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay. So that gives me a question. The first one would be, is this something that is already in the; you call it eye doctor offices, I would say opticians, but would it be something that they already have today? Be there? **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** Yeah, that’s a great question. So, the cameras that we use, the fundus cameras, yes, absolutely. What’s different about what we do is there’s a different sensor, so the hyperspectral sensor. So we work with a wonderful company called Topcon, and they have a very, very significant footprint in optician clinics, eye doctor clinics. Here in Canada, we have optometrists and ophthalmologists. And so we’re able to leverage that existing footprint. So doctors don’t necessarily have to buy a whole new camera, we just add on our \[inaudible 00:10:15\] and software. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** And then does this technology allow you to pick up an Alzheimer’s signature before anything else? Or would you suddenly pick up this on someone, and then have to tell them? **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** There’s great, great questions there. So, I’ll answer the first one first and then we can chat about disclosure in just a moment. So relative to the early detection, yes. So we have completed some work just very recently that was supported by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. And we were looking at whether or not we could detect the signature of the proteins of Alzheimer’s disease were specific to amyloid, prior to symptom onset. And we both, in clinical validation, and in tissue samples of matched retina and brain tissues from those throughout the continuum of the disease. And I’m very pleased to say that yes, we were able to detect it before symptom onset in both instances. So it does have very promising capabilities for future screening purposes on a wide scale. And you asked a very important question also about disclosure. And what does this mean if we’re detecting this in eyecare settings where folks don’t normally have complex brain health discussions? And so that’s something that we’re exploring right now through another project that’s supported by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, where we actually have a system deployed here in Toronto at an optometry clinic. And essentially folks who are 65 and older, which is the age here in Canada where routine screening is recommended and covered by the government, when folks come in, they’re asked an extra screening question during the history taking process about whether they’ve noticed significant changes in their memory. And if so, then they’re invited to have a scan. So we’re actually testing this in the real world, in eyecare settings. For now, we’re not having the optometrist provide the results, but we are referring to primary care for that discussion. And so we’re not trying to completely disrupt, but we are using it as a way to facilitate the measurement. And then the conversations happen with someone’s general practitioner afterwards. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** I suppose when you ask that question, this is just me and a bug bear I have, about significant memory problems. That’s too late, isn’t it? In my opinion, which is already too late. But that’s unimportant. That’s what makes, I think, the neurodegenerative diseases so difficult, is that they’re there, and then you can’t do anything about them. So I guess what will make it easier is when drugs like Lecanemab are proved to be useful and safe, and you can take them from a younger age. That would be the key. Sorry, I realize I’ve like hijacked that with my ideas. And I feel like we need to bring George in now, so he can explain a bit about his technology and how that would make things different. **Dr George Stothart:** Can I just ask Catherine a question first? So, if there’s a cascade, or a definite process of amyloid accumulation through the brain, it doesn’t arrive equally across the brain on any particular day, right? We have areas of the brain unknown to aggregate amyloid early. Where does the \[inaudible 00:14:06\] in that process? **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** No, it’s a great question. And so, what we’re seeing, at least from the results of the work that was supported by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, is that we see an increase in the soluble amyloid up to the; I’ll call it intermediate stage, of what we would see in brain amyloid aggregation. So, it’s certainly in the earlier to mid-phases of that buildup. And that also is likely because we’re looking into the soluble versus the plaques. Yeah. **Dr George Stothart:** Okay. Is it as good at detecting tau and other markers as well? Or is it better at picking up amyloid? **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** That’s a great question. So, we don’t have the results public yet, but our team has been working very, very diligently on both total tau and phosphoryl-related tau comparators. And while I can’t share the sensitivity and specificity, though I do know them, they’re very, very promising. So I will say amyloid is certainly not a catchall, it’s not the only measure we need. What we’re building towards is even beyond amyloid and tau, looking at things like TDP and other types of markers that we know are important in neurodegenerative diseases. And we’re looking to really develop a single user experience, where we can provide a profile of scores for each of these markers. So certainly not limited to amyloid. And the hyperspectral retinal imaging is really quiet a powerful tool for elucidating optical signatures of various proteins and underlying biological processes within the eye, which give us an indication of what’s happening in the brain. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** That could be amazing for differentiation, if that could work for things like TDP, that could be- **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** That’s our goal. So far, the evidence is indicating that we may have some promising options here. We’re starting with amyloid, but that’s certainly what we’re looking towards in the future. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay. So now, George, you can’t get away with it any longer. You have to tell us about your research. **Dr George Stothart:** Yeah, that’s one thing researchers’ always very good at, right, talking about their own research. Yeah. So, as I said at the top, I’m psychologist. I’m within psychology. I specialize in cognitive neuroscience side of psychology, and I spent my PhD using EEG to try and look at non-memory-related signatures of dementia. So my supervisor at the time was looking at vision and visual attention. And so I was trained to use EEG in traditional ways, things like event related potentials. These are measures that we can take, and they reflect the brain’s responses to particular stimuli and events in time. And I spent four or five years testing dementia patients with these techniques to try and see whether EEG could be a more sensitive marker of certain cognitive deficits than; and it’s always weird comparing to something else, more sensitive than pen and paper tests. So, our traditional neuropsych measures of cognitive function. And I learned a lot and hit a lot of barriers. And by the time I finished my PhD, I couldn’t see the way in which I’d been trained to use EEG ever translating through to being a clinical tool. The sensitivity of these measures was just, it was never there. And while you could learn interesting things about groups of patients versus controls, for example, the reliability of these measures on an individual subject level were always terrible. You always had to record for up to an hour worth of stimulation. You then had to go through lots of reductive averaging processes, and so on. So, there’s lots in the signal processing that just didn’t really add up. And I’m not a great theorist. I’m not smart enough to be that type of academic. I always wanted to translate what more intelligent people than me discovered, into viable clinical tools. And that’s definitely what I got sense of in my PhD. I saw this huge gap between the way we used EEG in the lab, and with the way it was being used in hospitals. So, the way EEG is used diagnostically, doesn’t look an awful lot different from the 1970s, I don’t think, in most neurology clinics at the moment. There is this massive chasm between experimental EEG and clinical EEG. So I saw that as a gap. And I finished my PhD thinking, “Well, there’s all these barriers to conventional approaches.” And so I spent a few years as a postdoc trying different ways, different techniques. And then in 2015, I went to a conference in \[inaudible 00:19:38\], and a very, end of the day, poorly attended poster session. I came across this poster by an academic, a French or Belgium academic, called Bruno Rossion. And he was presenting this technique called Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation. And it was a way of using EEG, and specifically a way of presenting stimuli with EEG, that seemed to solve all of the problems that I’d been hitting in the lab. And what these fast periodic visual stimulation experiments had shown, was that if you presented stimuli in a very specific way; so a fixed periodic rates of flashing images of stimuli, and you embedded rare novel images or different images, within that stimulus training, and recorded EEG at the same time, using that technique and working purely in the frequency domain as opposed to the time domain, so it’s a technical difference in the way you’re using the EEG data, but it made a fundamental difference to how quickly you could get reliable measures. He was claiming that using this technique, you could get significantly stable responses from individual subjects in minutes, in completely passive tasks, that reflected, in his case, it was reflecting face processing. That was the particular cognitive function that he was working on. So to me, as an experimental EEG person, this was a method that could give us a measure of how well a brain was doing a task. But it could do it quickly, it could do it passively, and it could do it with all the signal to \[inaudible 00:21:24\] ratio benefits that you would need, if you were ever going to use something like that in clinic. So that really caught my attention, but at the time it was, he had about two or three papers and they were all on face processing. Now, face processing isn’t really a cognitive function that drops off too badly in dementia. So it’s a neat tool, but it’s not right for dementia. That’s not a cognitive function we need to measure, in the early stages. So I came back to the UK from that conference and thought, can I adapt this to measure any cognitive function that might be useful for dementia? And so that’s what I’ve spent… Since 2015, that’s what I’ve been doing. So, I started small, I started with semantic memory, and I’ve built up over time, a battery of tests that all use the same approach, but to measure different cognitive functions. And my ultimate end goal is an equivalent battery that covers the same cognitive bases as something like the Mini Mental State Exam or the Adam Brooks Cognitive Exam, these general capsule cognitive neuropsych exams. But that we could do in minutes, and passively. And so the most success I’ve had, or the thing that’s probably the most developed, is a recognition memory version of this task, called Fastball. And the way Fastball works is, you see up to eight images presented on screen. You don’t do anything, you simply watch the images. And then they are embedded in an image stream that subsequently appears, where lots of images flash up very quickly on screen, nearly all of them you haven’t seen before, but occasionally these previously seen images pop up. And hopefully, if your medial temporal lobe is working as it should, you’ll get a little recognition flash to those images. Your brain will implicitly, quickly go, “I’ve seen that before.” And it’s that function that drops out in early Alzheimer’s disease. And so what we’ve been able to show is, using that technique, in two minutes, in a completely passive task where the subject gets no task construction, provides no response, either behaviorally or verbally, we can measure their recognition memory. And we’ve shown this response drops right out in Alzheimer’s disease patients, and more recently in mild cognitive impairment patients as well. So yeah, so that’s the core of it. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** With that recognition one, do you think that you could define an AD and a MCI, you’ve got a clear enough cut off to do that? **Dr George Stothart:** We can, with our current Alzheimer’s disease data, and there is small sample sizes, so there’s a heavy caveat on it. But with our pilot Alzheimer’s data, comparing Alzheimer’s patients versus controls, we can get a classification accuracy of 92% using that recognition. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay. And how long does it take to put the head on? You know what I mean. **Dr George Stothart:** Depends how fancy your EEG equipment is? And so, there’s a really broad range these days. When I did my PhD, there wasn’t. There was lab-based EEG, very expensive to buy, took a long time to put on, got great data, but was not a easily usable tool. In the last 10 years, the more mobile, simpler systems have come through, and we are on the verge now of really wearable EEG. That’s where a lot of the product development, and a lot of companies are moving towards, is really simple, low level wearable EEG that you could pop in your ear or wear on a headband. So really low profile you can wear while you sleep or whatever. So there’s a real range, and if you use one of those low-burden simple headsets, it is minutes. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** And so I know that you are kicking off this study in a few weeks. I know this, because I’m going to come. Can we try it out when we come? Will you have it there? **Dr George Stothart:** Yeah. So, what you are talking about is, well, the contracts aren’t signed yet. I can’t actually say who’s funding it, and who’s involved, but that’s okay. I can say something’s going to happen. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay. **Dr George Stothart:** So yeah, we’re on the cusp of starting a really large-scale clinical validation of Fastball using exactly one of these low burden, easy to use headsets. Yeah. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** That’s great. So, you’ve got the recognition here. There are going to be other aspects. Cognition that you’re developing tests for at the moment, I guess. **Dr George Stothart:** Yeah, absolutely. So, it’s very well set up, obviously, to measure vision and visual attention. So those are two bases that we’re trying to cover quite comprehensively, because there are also a lot of use for other neurological diseases as well. So there could be opportunities to use those in other degenerative disorders. Memory, language, vision, and attention. We have versions of the task for. The only one that is not very well suited to, is anything that requires, what psychologists call executive function. And so that means doing a task, so remembering instructions, or providing a response, or decision-making. Because the nature of the task means stimuli have to be presented very quickly, multiple images per second. And so, you don’t have the time in that to discriminate, say between two stimuli, or decide on the new stimuli. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay. So this is something that would work alongside other tests, but potentially making those tests quicker and easier. Because I know that cognitive testing can be quite lengthy, or that the people I know who do research, call them in for a whole day of tests and it sounds like- **Dr George Stothart:** Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it does take a long time. I don’t anticipate this ever being… I think it’s very unlikely that any biomarker will be the silver bullet and there will just be one. It will be a combination of the best things that make it through this, the next 10 years’ worth of research and development. But my hope for this is that it could, to some extent, replace lengthy neuropsychological testing in situations and environments where you don’t have the time or resources to do it. And because it requires no comprehension of the task or response, it means it’s completely independent. No language, education, and culture. That could be really useful. So, if you wanted to test in countries with less well-funded healthcare systems, EEG is cheap. And you could use this test equitably across populations, in theory. Haven’t tested that yet. But in theory. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** How easy is it to interpret the results from it? Or do you need to be, I don’t know, what do you need to be, to interpret the results? **Dr George Stothart:** You need to be a neurophysiologist really, to take the raw data. But what we hope to do in the project that’s coming up, by working with a tech company that does a similar thing to what Catherine’s company do, is put a lot of smart processing and AI behind the tech, so that you remove the need for someone like me in the room. And instead, you just provide a clinician or a healthcare technician with a score. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Oh. So, I feel like I’m the only person here who’s not using AI or out to… **Dr George Stothart:** Well, I don’t know the first thing about me. Again, people cleverer than me do. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** I feel I might become defunct soon, except that you guys all keep asking us to come and validate your work. So, we’re okay for a while. You’re Not just going to take my job away immediately. Yeah? **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** No, no, no. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Yeah. Okay. So that was all really, really interesting and it’s good to hear about the different strands that go up to make all of what we do good. But I suppose we should now ask just a few nice questions such as, what inspired you to the work in the dementia field that you do? Catherine, first. **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** Thank you. So, on a personal level, I really appreciate a very complex problem, just it’s what drove me as a scientist back when I focused exclusively on that. And it still motivates me here. I do have some personal connections with loved ones, so I’ve seen what the disease can look like. And even I’m seeing people that seem younger and younger, and maybe that’s just because I’m getting older and older, but the number of folks that I know and love that are impacted by this disease, both with a diagnosis and as a caregiver, it really motivates me to wake up every day, very early, start very long days, and remain focused on bringing accessible, scalable, accurate, easy diagnostics to the market. And to support other champions who are working on therapeutics. So, it’s deeply personal for me. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Okay. Thank you very much. And George? **Dr George Stothart:** Yeah, I think initially my inspiration were my two PhD supervisors. So, I didn’t come to them with a predisposition to what to work in dementia. It was my supervisor, a lady called Andrea Tales, who’s now professor in Swanzi, and she was just explaining her EG work with Alzheimer’s patients, and it seemed fascinating. I was always interested in biological psychology and neurodegenerative disease, and that just seemed like a really worthwhile thing to be spending my working time on. And the other supervisor was a lady called Dr Nina Kazanina, who taught me how to use EG and is just incredibly smart. And very lucky with my two supervisors, they really inspired me, but then as I spent more time in the dementia research field, it just reinforced that desire to keep working in here. And then as time progresses, nearly everybody, eventually someone in your family develops it. So yeah, I’ve seen close family members develop and die from different forms of dementia and that certainly motivates you, but so does working face to face with patients as well. The one upside to working with what can be a very devastating disease is, you do see, or I certainly saw some very, very heartwarming size of human partnerships, I suppose. So whenever I would test people, they would nearly always come with their partners. And you would see, for somebody who had real short-term memory problems and would repeat themselves endlessly and get stuck in verbal repetition loops, ask the same question 30 times in five minutes, you would see their partners demonstrate just the patience of saints. And that was really, really lovely to see. You see these couples that have been together for 50, 60 years and the patients and the tolerance they have, they never lost their temper. There was never a cross word. They always just answered the same question again, even though they’ve just been asked it 29 times previously. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Oh, I think sometimes actually, I like to remember that the samples that we get are from people, because sometimes it is a step away from it. And so, whenever I go to a conference and there’s a real life; so someone will come in who is living with dementia and speak, it’s always like, “Yep, yep. That’s why we do what we do. That is why we’re here.” So, it’s- **Dr George Stothart:** Absolutely. Otherwise, it would just become acronyms, isn’t it? It’s AD and RB and- **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Yeah, AD, CSF, and yeah, exactly. Well, I just want you to just consider the ECRs, or Early Career Researchers, who are listening to this podcast and what advice would you give to them? Very brief piece of advice, you’d go into them if they were coming into the field today? Catherine, first. **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** Sure. That’s a great question. So, I think a few things, perhaps. So first, to identify a problem that you feel very strongly that there’s a solution there for. And by that, whether it’s a specific protein or a mechanism or an implementation challenge, whatever your area of expertise is, to really target that problem. And also to ensure that you’re working with great mentors who can advise you, give you feedback on your grant proposals, things like that. People who’ve been very successful in hitting the milestones that are important for an early career researcher. I think it’s also really important, aside from the sort of academic or the scientific focus, to make sure that you maintain a part of your life that is separate from your work. I think it can be very all-consuming at times, especially in those early career years where you might be working towards tenure, or really ambitious aims, or trying to carve out your first big projects that you’re running independently. It is important to make some time for life in there as well, whether it be with family or friends or just something for yourself. I think a lot of early career researchers can get lost in that. So trying to target something specific that’s just yours, above and beyond. So hopefully that’s helpful. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Oh no. And especially the bit about work-life balance. Honestly, some people really do need to hear that. Look after themselves. And George, your advice? **Dr George Stothart:** Yeah. Well, just to continue the work-life balance theme. I always got, especially as a PhD student, I often saw an example of reinforcing attitudes that academia required total and absolute dedication. That if you weren’t working weekends and evenings, you weren’t doing it right. That’s rubbish, and it’s just not true. And don’t get drawn down that path, because it’s not healthy, it’s not productive, and it’s not needed. I think if you are organized enough with your time, it shouldn’t be this life consuming career. It doesn’t have to be at all. And Catherine’s absolutely right to make sure that work-life balance is maintained. I think, just for my field, just for ECRs and cognitive neuroscience, I think you’re lucky, because I think the employment opportunities you have in 10 years’ time or five years’ time are going to be very different and broader perhaps than when I finished my PhD. I think the role of industry and health technology companies in employing PhD students and furthering research, I’ve seen that really start to explode in cognitive neuroscience. And I don’t think that was really there 10 years ago, or it was just starting. And I find that exciting. I like that. I think it’s good that you can potentially finish your PhD and have a range of different places to go and work. And you don’t have to just stay in academia necessarily if you want an exciting career in research. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** Yeah. Okay. Well, this has been a really interesting conversation, but I think we’re going to start to wrap it up now. But I need to say, if anyone’s watching or listening, and they feel like they would like to host a podcast in whatever area of neuroscience they want, then that’s fine. Or dementia that they want, that’s fine. Or if they want to be a guest. So please contact dementia researcher. Also, I’m looking here, there’s also plans for a new series where mentees interview their very inspiring mentors. And so, if that’s something that you’d want to be involved with, have a think about whose inspired you or who continues to inspire you, and who would agree, obviously, to be interviewed by you as well. That’s got to happen. So yes, in the meantime, I’d like to thank both my guests, Catherine Bornbaum and George Stothart, who’ve been absolutely amazing. And it’s been really, really fun to hear about your research, and I’ve really enjoyed hosting today. So, thank you very much. **Dr George Stothart:** Cheers. Thank you, Amanda. **Dr Catherine Bornbaum:** Thank you. **Dr Amanda Heslegrave:** I’m Amanda Heslegrave and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Research Podcast. Please remember, leave us a review and let us know what you thought about the show. Thank you. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Bringing you research, news, career tips, and support. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) – **our narrated blogs are now [also available as a podcast.](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs)** This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Biomarkers, blood biomarkers, Dr Amanda Heslegrave, Dr Catherine Bornbaum, Dr George Stothart, EEG, Eyes, Fastball EEG, Podcast, RetiSpec, UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, University of Bath **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Biomarker Research --- ### [Podcast - ARUK Conference Roundup 2023, Part One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aruk-conference-roundup-2023-part-one/) **Published:** March 20, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The 1st of our 2-part special podcast recorded on location at the ARUK Conference in Aberdeen, in this show our four special guests discuss the ECR day. **Content:** **Last week we were in Aberdeen for the [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/) Conference 2023 to hear the latest findings in dementia research.** In the first of our two-part special we focus on sharing highlights from the ECR day. Guest host [Dr Fiona McLean](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blogger-profile-dr-fiona-mclean/) from University of Dundee talks with [Dr Claire Durrant](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-claire-durrant/) and [Dr Soraya Meftah](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-soraya-meftah-the-university-of-edinburgh/) from The University of Edinburgh, [Dr Ian Harrison](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ian-harrison-university-college-london/) from University College London. For more information on ARUK and their ECR support work, take a look at the [ARUK ECR Portal](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/). --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher podcast, brought to you by the University College London, and the NIHR, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Hello, and thank you for tuning into the Dementia Researcher podcast. I’m Dr. Fiona McLean and I’m delighted to be hosting this special episode recorded on location from the Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference in amazing Aberdeen. We’re sitting with our coats on, not because it’s cold outside, because Adam switched off the heating in this room. This is a first show in a two-part special bringing you all the news and highlights from one of my favorite events in the calendar. Today, we’re focusing on the Early Career Researcher Day, which is a fantastic combination of career talks and ECR flash presentations. Joining me to share their best bits and takeaways, I have the brilliant Dr. Claire Durrant, the amazing Dr. Ian Harrison, and the incredible Dr. Soraya Meftah. Hello everyone. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Hi. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Hi there. **Dr Soraya Meftah:** Hello. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So, what we’re going to do is go around the table and do some proper introductions. We will kick off with Claire. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Hi, I’m Dr. Claire Durrant, and I’m a Race against Dementia Dyson Fellow working at the University of Edinburgh. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Fantastic. Soraya? **Dr Soraya Meftah:** Hello, I’m Soraya Meftah, and I’m a Post-doctoral Research Fellow, also at the University of Edinburgh. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And Ian. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Hi, so my name’s Ian Harrison. I’m an Alzheimer’s Research UK and Parkinson’s UK Senior Research Fellow at UCL. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Thanks, everyone. Before we get into your highlights, I just want to ask, is anyone presenting this week? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yes, I have a 10-minute presentation in the Scottish Research Highlights on the Wednesday, so very excited to be showcasing some of the work we’re doing in Edinburgh. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Fantastic. I will also be joining you in that session, Claire, as well, and I will be talking about some of my work with type two diabetes and the links with Alzheimer’s and what we think is happening in the blood brain barrier. So, let’s get to the highlights. Claire, would you like to go first? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah, so I’m perhaps a little biased because I chaired one of the sessions today, but it was a session all about building independence. So, three fantastic early to mid-career PIs all talking about the challenges, pitfalls and highs of starting your own lab and how to manage that. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Who was in that session? **Dr Claire Durrant:** So it was Dr. Petra Proitsi, from Kings College London, I think, Dr. Greg Finley from Dundee, and Daniel Erskine from Newcastle. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Amazing, and what was the main takeaways from that panel that you chaired? **Dr Claire Durrant:** I think a lot of it was that no one has the same path, and finding your own way in science, be that through finding the right mentors, finding the right question, but then also when you get that initial funding really to try and capitalize on it. So, making sure you’re negotiating for things like extra space, getting more grant funding, and getting the right people into your lab, and also planning your life around it. Have kids, and that you can do things like have kids and look after family members, and be a PI, and be successful. So it was really fantastic to have some very open and honest conversations about balancing different challenges with the science, but also the home life balance as well. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. I was in that session, and I completely agree with you. It was great to hear about people who have had challenges but have gone on and been extremely successful and have also managed to have that work-life balance, which is essential to any researcher to be a healthy person and the best person they can be, and therefore the best scientist they can be. So, I thought it was an excellent panel and you chaired it so well. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Oh, thank you. I think we try to see it as a bit of a rallying cry, if you like, to put a bit of change into the field as well because a lot of us have come up against some barriers in our career, but we sense that it’s getting better, and if we can keep pushing things in the right way and make it better for the people coming up after us, and for ourselves as we continue to work through this field, I think that would be fantastic. So, a huge thing came up was the role in men in parental leave as well, that it’s not just going to be a female problem, the idea of having children in science and how we can support people with children working in the lab, and just making it a bit more common and chatting about it so that it’s not some deep dark secret, that funnily enough people have lives outside of science, that’s actually a part of what makes us good at the jobs that we do. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And I think having these panels normalizes these conversations for the next generation of researchers coming through, because we’re sitting here as post-doc level and fellows, but we have a lot of PhD students here, so I think it’s really great for them to hear those conversations early on in their academic careers as well. Soraya, what was your favorite panel or highlight from today? **Dr Soraya Meftah:** So, I always really like the ECR days because I think PhD students are the best presenters of the work. I always enjoy watching them present more than senior PIs that maybe are a little bit less in love with the science. Whereas, whenever I watch PhD students presenting their work, they’re so excited and so invested, and we’ve had a very good selection of just 15, or 10, 15 minute talks, and then we also had quite a nice array of flash talks as well. I think flash talks are also very difficult to get in a lot of information in two, three minutes, and all of them did such a fabulous job. I was trying to read my notes to figure out if I could pick out one or two names that were really highlighted for me, but I think all of them were just so amazing, so, go PhDs. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I also thought from watching the PhD talks that the slides are so clear, the illustrations the PhD students are using are just so sharp, and sometimes you get a professor when they give a talk, it’ll have about 50 different graphs on it. **Dr Ian Harrison:** And none of them match, they’re all \[inaudible 00:05:54\]. **Dr Fiona McLean:** They’re all snipped out papers, and they rush through them. But these PhD students, they were so clear and concise, and it really is a credit to them how good that was. That’s such an important skill for being able to communicate your research, so I agree, it was excellent. **Dr Claire Durrant:** I thought one thing that was really nice that they started to do this year was have a lay slide at the end, and that was something that all the PhD students I thought did really well. To really convey it in a way that, if you had to take this away and just portray it to any member of the public on the street, that’s what you would say. And I think that was a really nice thing they’ve added for this particular conference. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, I think so as well. And I think with the lay slide, it’s also very good for scientists, because sometimes someone can present quite a lot of research and just having that last slide where it’s all summarized, you go, oh yeah. **Dr Claire Durrant:** I see the whole picture **Dr Ian Harrison:** Really kind of distills it down to the main points. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. So Ian, what was your favorite thing or highlight from today? **Dr Ian Harrison:** So, at the same time as Claire was in her session, which I would’ve wanted to go to actually, but I was a panel member on the panel discussion about mentoring. So, we were discussing a pilot project that was rolled out a couple years ago now. It was a mentoring pairing scheme between Scotland and UCL. So I was on there as the mentor, in my mentor-mentee pair, with Josie Fullerton. We were talking about the kind of impact that this network scheme has had, and Nathan presented some of the data showing how this has positively affected the careers and progressions of the people that have been involved, and what our interests were, if we’d got what we wanted out of the scheme and that sort of thing. Me and Josie gave a bit of background about how we were paired, how we mentor, so how often we meet, just to give ECR’s an idea of what mentoring could be if you get involved in one of these schemes. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Sounds fantastic, so just a little bit more on the mentoring. So it’s an Alzheimer’s Research UK scheme now, because after the pilot between UCL and Scotland Networks, it was deemed so successful that ARUK decided to roll it out. So if you want any more information you’ll be able to find that on their website. But, back to your peer, so you and Josie were set up during the pilot scheme? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Mm-hmm. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And have continued to? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Mentoring? **Dr Ian Harrison:** We highlighted, actually, in our slides that we presented today, when we were initially paired, it said there was a sentence in the kind of blurb that we got sent that the initial pilot was supposed to be for six months, but we’re two years, and we still meet each month. We were initially paired as part of the pilot scheme, and we’ve just kind of continued to meet. I mean, things have changed a bit since we started meeting, and the roles of the things that we focus on, and the things that we discuss on a month-to-month basis have changed and evolved over time, but I think we’re both keen to keep that going as long as we can. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s fantastic, and hopefully from doing the session at the conference, more of the ECRs will be aware of the scheme and then hopefully more people will sign up as well next year because everyone I speak to said that it’s been such a fantastic scheme and it’s really worked well. So that sounds like it’d be a really great panel. I also wasn’t at that one, but well, it’s good to catch up with you. You know all about it. So back to you, Claire, was there anything else apart from chairing the panel, what else have you really enjoyed from this day? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Well, there was a fantastic PhD talk. So for me, I’m all about organic brain slices, and Emily Groves, from Kings College of London, I thought did a really good tour de force, really interesting data about \[inaudible 00:09:54\] Three, and tau pathology and slices. She just did a fantastic job of presenting it in a really engaging way, so no doubt some of my team will be running through the conference center trying to find her to have a chat. It’s things like that, just getting a flavor for what people are working on, it just really inspires you and to make connections and things, and yeah, just like Soraya, was really overwhelmed by how fantastic people are at presenting their work. And the ECR day gives that kind of environment, that you can see people feel a bit more relaxed, and the level of questions that we were getting after these talks. Each talk probably had 20 really good questions, people could vote up and down, so we’re getting really relevant questions asked and answered as well. The engagement with the science is just always so impressive. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. I completely agree. I thought that talk was a standout for myself as well, and I thought the one thing that she spoke about was actually how she had moved to the slices from originally planning to have done this in vivo, in mouse models, and how COVID had actually disrupted that, and she’d moved to the slices instead. So I thought, now hearing as we move away from that initial COVID interruption in our working and research lives, it’s really great to see how she’s managed that, adapted it, and has still got this fantastic data using a technique that she hadn’t originally planned on doing. And obviously, is a technique that lots of people can use, and like you said, your team will be running after her to find out how she’s getting on with it. So that’s really, really great. Soraya, apart from the PhD talks, was there anything that you really enjoyed hearing about today? **Dr Soraya Meftah:** So, I actually don’t know how this slipped my mind as not being my first thing, and so what I really like about Alzheimer’s Research UK is they always tend to start the conference off with framing it back into the actual disease. So, today we had Kath Baxter talking to us at the start of the day about her experience with her mom and how she had frontotemporal dementia, and how that had affected her life, her dad’s life, and then how she’d channeled that into fundraising. So actually I’ve kind of written down a few notes from that. She’s raised over 80,000 pounds, which I think is a ridiculous amount of money. And actually, I didn’t realize that AIUK itself, 73 P from each pound goes to research, which I think is a really high amount compared to other charities. So that was something I’d pulled separately apart from the fact that I think we can always get quite bogged down in our research and the day-to-day kind of things in the lab and you just forget about the actual disease that you’re studying or the diseases let’s say that we’re studying. So it was really nice to have Kath bring it back to being like, this is the patient, this is why we, everyone appreciates the work that you do and how great it is, and so I always find it quite a motivating, powerful moment in the conferences whenever they have the volunteers come in, or people with lived experiences, that they then share it with us and it’s a really nice moment for me always. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. Kath actually spoke up at one of our Scotland Network ECR days before the pandemic, so probably about five years ago now. And it’s absolutely incredible, I mean, it was incredible then what she was doing with her fundraising and her story about her mom. But it’s really incredible now to see her back, still fundraising, and still spreading that message about why we need to do dementia research, and her work and, yeah, she’s just a fantastic person to hear speak. And these lived experiences, they always really get me, I’m sitting there sort of welling up, and it does put into perspective your research. Sometimes you can get really stressed out, and you get a bit fed up with the lab if things aren’t going as you want them to, but then you hear these people speaking, it’s like a reset for me, personally. It’s like a reset to be like, okay, maybe there’s some struggles but actually what the bigger picture here is we’re really trying to solve this disease, and these are the people that are behind us when we feel alone in the lab. These are the people who are sitting at home absolutely rooting for us. So, oh, you can hear it in my voice. I’m getting a bit emotional again. **Dr Ian Harrison:** It’s why we’re here, right? It’s nice to have that at the beginning of the confidence, it brings everyone onto the same level, and it’s like, right, we are here to talk about the science that we’ve been doing. We are together in this problem. **Dr Fiona McLean:** It sets the tone, I think. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah. **Dr Fiona McLean:** It sets from the very \[inaudible 00:14:25\]. Big thanks to Kath for sharing her story because it’s not easy for her either to stand up in front of so many people and talk about that. So, thank you, Kath. Ian, what was another takeaway from today that you enjoyed? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah, so I was going to highlight a talk from a PhD student I saw that I really liked. It was by Alex Miller from Plymouth, and he presented this work with this really cool prep that I hadn’t come across before, called Compound Action Potential Recordings, he was looking at white matter and white matter’s generation. So, they were exposing an optic nerve, and then by bathing it in CSF and then recording directly from it, to get EFIS recordings. He was doing some really cool work where they were looking at the effects of LPS on that, with or without a reduced oxygen in the CSF. It was just a really interesting preparation that I’d never really come across before where it’s ex vivo, but it’s still has real in vivo applications. It was nice then he followed it on with some kind of nice myelin imaging that kind of went the same way, that the hypoxia had a response in terms of the response that they were seeing in both myelin imaging and also the cap recordings, which wasn’t there with LPS, but LPS exacerbated the effects of hypoxia in this setting. It was one of those presentations where you can tell that he thought a lot about the slide setup, and he described each of the experiments that he’d done well, so that even though it was a technique that I’d never come across before and that is outside of my field of research, it was quite an informative talk, that I got a lot from it. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. I think one of the best things about these conferences is actually not just learning about the science itself, but also the techniques that people are using. I think it’s a real opportunity, especially in person, to be able to find those people and say, oh, that was such a cool technique you use. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah. **Dr Fiona McLean:** How can I use it? Can I use it? How do I do it? Are there any nuances that I need to know about? What I liked about his technique was he was using the eye, and I think the eye is actually underrated and under researched in Alzheimer’s research. And maybe this is bit biased from my perspective, but I’m interested in the blood brain barrier, and one of the only other places where there’s a similar type of barrier is actually in the retina. So I think for me, it’s really good to see that other people are recognizing the eye as a way to research the brain, especially because in people, we can actually look at the eye a lot more easier than the brain. So for me, I also really enjoyed that talk as well. So, does anyone else have any last highlights that they would like to point out? **Dr Soraya Meftah:** Actually, I have one last word, and it’s something I’ve written down, it was a quote that came out of the career session. And it was, I forget who said it now, Chris Mofatt said it, and he said that if science is your passion, and it’s something that’s keeping you up at night, and you manage to have a career in it, it’s one of the best careers you could ever have. And I thought that was quite a nice little line and I wrote it down because it was just one of those things that I hadn’t really thought about. Again, when you get narrowed down, but actually if you really enjoy it, and you’re really passionate about it, and you can make it work, then it is actually a very privileged career that we’re all in. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. That was in the session that we’d just come out of, which was the careers panel. And Chris, who was a post-doc at Dundee, he also said something, another quote that I really liked, which was, sometimes you think the grass is greener on the other side, but it’s not, it’s just a different shade of green. And he was talking about his experience moving from academia to industry. I think that was actually, for me, I took that away because sometimes when things get tough you think, oh, is there another job out there that would be better? But actually, I think as you said, I mean, I love science, and we really are quite privileged to be able to think about these questions and be able to design experiments and try and answer them. I mean it’s such a fun thing actually, as well as, hopefully, solving some of the biggest problems that we face in the world. So, yeah, I thought the careers panel was really fantastic as well. And Chris, especially him, he had some excellent quotes there. Another thing I know about Chris is, which he didn’t mention, which I’m quite disappointed about, is that actually he got stung when he was at Dundee by radioactive bee. **Dr Ian Harrison:** He’s got superpowers now. **Dr Fiona McLean:** He doesn’t have superpowers, but he did have to go to A&E, and they had to phone a specialist in Edinburgh to ask what to do. **Dr Ian Harrison:** I can imagine that. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And what they came to the conclusion was, I guess we’ll just wait and see. **Dr Ian Harrison:** It can’t be a very common presentation at clinic, right? **Dr Fiona McLean:** No, absolutely not. He’s definitely a case study somewhere. So yeah, he used to work with bees, and that’s his story. We’ll see him flying off to the poster conference drinks later, as he can now fly. Before we wrap up, as this has been the ECR day, I want to ask you all what advice you might have for any ECRs listening, based on what you’ve heard today and your own experiences. So, let’s start with Ian. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Thanks. I would say, this might may seem obvious, but for ECRs, talk to people, mingle, talk to people at posters. I know because I’m a terrified introvert to talk to people at posters, but to find, and even at the rest of the sessions for the rest of the week, go and find that PI that you’ve read their work, go and find the post-docs and talk to them. Just introduce yourself, what interests you about their work, because it’s only things like this, that when we’ve come out, personally I’ve found, that we’ve come out of the pandemic coming back into in-person meetings, that’s the thing that I miss about in-person meetings. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. **Dr Ian Harrison:** You just don’t get that from the virtual meetings that we’ve had. So, network. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Network. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Advice. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Network. I think just to add on a little tip onto the end of that, someone once told me that if you are struggling to be able to talk to a PI, find their post-doc or the PhD student and speak to them, and get them to introduce you. That’s your in. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s a great tip. And Soraya? **Dr Soraya Meftah:** I’ve got a different one, but I want to reiterate networking as well because I actually have friends at this conference now that I first started talking to them at a poster. I was like, “You do the same thing as me.” And then next year I’d see them, I’d be like, “Hey, we’re still doing the same things, how’s it going?” So, I would, especially at conferences, even just talking to someone at a poster, then it moves out of that space to being like, “Oh hey, actually now what are you doing?” But my tip from today, and I mean, it’s already been highlighted, is to try and get a mentor. I’m very privileged to have Ian as one of mine from the program. I also have Fiona Care, who’s been also really lovely. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I love Fiona Care. **Dr Soraya Meftah:** Yeah, she’s so nice. And I think actually they’re opening the scheme again up soon, I think they mentioned at the start of the day. So, as long as you’re signed up to the ARUK network, you should get an email or something about it, or it’ll be on the portal, and I think it’s a really good scheme. So, yeah, that would be my top tip. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I think it’s important to mention that it’s free to join the ARUK networks, so there’s absolutely no excuse to not be part of them. Yeah, those are great tips as well. Thank you, Soraya. And yourself, Claire, what’s your advice? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Well, my two were kind of already stolen, but I have a third one, which is good. I think just use it to find your spark. And I’d say, I remember sitting here as a first year PhD student feeling quite overwhelmed at the, why am I here? I don’t know anything about Alzheimer’s Disease. I’m a first year, I have no clue what’s going on. But just know that you belong here and know that there is a place for you in research, and if you can’t see someone like you, be that person. So I think just make sure that you really feel you belong and carve your way, because we need you in Alzheimer’s disease research, so don’t doubt yourself. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh, I love that, Claire. I think it’s really important as well, is we really need diversity in research because it’s such a big problem. In Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia related diseases, we really need people who think in different ways to be able to solve this problem, and it’s the only way we’re going to get there is by lots of different people thinking about this problem in different ways. So, I completely think what you’ve said is great. So, thank you for that as well, Claire. I also just realized, that I’m pretty sure, I met all three of you online during the pandemic at some point. And this is potentially the first time I’ve met you in person. **Dr Ian Harrison:** First time in a room together. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s lovely. Because I felt like I knew you when I walked in because we’d been on so many online things, but now we’re in a room together. Oh, that’s lovely. That’s all we have time for today. We’re going to all go to the post-conference event for ECRs, but please stay tuned for the part two of the podcast, which is hosted by the amazing Dr. Zara Franklin, and her and guests will bring you the highlights from the rest of the conference. So thank you to my brilliant guest Dr. Claire Durrant, the amazing Ian Harrison, and incredible Dr. Soraya Meftah. And I’m Fiona McLean, and you have been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Bringing you research, news, career tips, and support. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) – **our narrated blogs are now [also available as a podcast.](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs)** This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK Resources, Careers, Dr Claire Durrant, Dr Fiona McLean, Dr Ian Harrison, Dr Soraya Meftah, Podcast, The University of Edinburgh, University College London, University of Dundee **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - ARUK Conference Roundup 2023, Part Two](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aruk-conference-roundup-2023-part-two/) **Published:** March 20, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** In part-two of our ARUK Highlights Podcast it's all about the science. Dr Zara Franklin hosts with Dr Steven Quinn, Dr Szu-Han Wang & Dr Natalie Connor-Robson **Content:** **Last week we were in Aberdeen for the Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference 2023 to hear the latest findings in dementia research.** In the second of our two-part special we focus on sharing highlights from the main conference, which featured two days of brilliant scientific programming. Guest host [Dr Zara Franklin](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-zara-franklin-university-of-aberdeen/) from University of Aberdeen talks with [Dr Natalie Connor-Robson](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-natalie-connor-robson-cardiff-university/) from the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, [Dr Szu-Han Wang](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-szu-han-wang-university-of-edinburgh/) from The University of Edinburgh and [Dr Steven Quinn](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-steven-quinn-university-of-york/) from University of York. For more information on ARUK and their ECR support work, take a look at the [ARUK ECR Portal](https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/ecr/). --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by the University College London and the NIHR, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Thank you for tuning into the Dementia Researcher Podcast. I’m Dr. Zara Franklin and it’s my pleasure to be hosting this special episode recorded on location from the Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference in Aberdeen. This is the second of a two-part special bringing you all the news and highlights from the UK’s largest dementia researcher conference with over 500 researchers joining in person and online. Today, we’re going to reflect on the scientific program and talk about some of the great research that’s been presented over the past few days. Joining me to share their highlights are Dr. Natalie Connor-Robson, Dr. Szu-Han Wang, and Dr. Steven Quinn. Hello everyone. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Hello. **Dr Steven Quinn:** Hi. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Hello. **Dr Zara Franklin:** So, I’d like to start, so let’s go around the table and do some proper introductions. I will start with Natalie. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Okay. So, I’m Natalie Connor-Robson. I’m an ARUK Research Fellow and UK DRI emerging leader. I’m based down on Cardiff DRI. My work centers on understanding some of the endocytic risk genes and kind of looking at what they do in our cells, so we use a lot of IPSC models, make those into neurons, make those into microglia, and try and understand what these genetic changes do to the cells. So yeah, that’s me briefly. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Oh, brilliant. Thank you. And Steve? **Dr Steven Quinn:** Yeah, so I’m Steve Quinn from the University of York. I’m also an Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow and a senior lecturer at the university and my group specializes in single molecule biophysics. So I like to think of myself as a physicist. I’m an optical engineer. I build microscopes. We detect single molecules and we’re specifically interested in detecting and understanding amyloid and really trying to understand and investigate how amyloids clusters together and why that could be important in the context of membrane damage. So, our group’s quite interdisciplinary. We use a variety of biophysics, chemistry, engineering-based approaches to really try and understand the fundamentals of Alzheimer’s Disease. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Amazing. Thank you. And Szu-Han. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Yes. Hi, my name is Szu-Han Wang. I’m also a ARUK Research Fellow. I’m a senior research fellow affiliate with the Center of Clinical Brain Science in University of Edinburgh and my lab is specializing in understanding the learning and memory process related to the brain mechanisms and really applying to dementia research is to understand the wealth of knowledge that we built from this dissection of the memory process, how it’s encoded, it’s consolidated, its retrieval, and its reconsolidation again that then this process, how they’re affected in aging as well as in dementia models and as well as \[inaudible 00:03:29\] the novel discovery of optogenetics in understanding the brain circuits affected in familial Alzheimer’s Disease models as well as how we can tag the memory cells to retrieve and reactivate, can recover the memory function. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Amazing. Thank you. They were all brilliant introductions. So just before we get into your highlights, I’d like to ask, did any of you present this week? **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** My group? Not myself. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Okay, cool. Do you want to tell us a little bit about that? **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Yes, so I think it’s actually tagged a long theme that’s probably not such clear as an organized theme as a session but becomes spread out through different materials through the conference. For example, probably not everyone flipped through the kind of pamphlet or brochures of a conference, but there’s one page dedicated for so-called \[inaudible 00:04:34\] trials lab from Cambridge is about early detection. And so that’s obviously from kind of a human research perspective and for our presentations, poster presentations throughout this conference is exactly but from a preclinical point of view in the sense that the classic curve would say that by the time you see memory impairment, that’s already very late stage. That symptomatic stage while much earlier you can see other kind of biomarker change. However was probably less recognized and it’s picking up is that there are different cognitive functions that could potentially be affected years before the severe memory impairment so we are really looking into that. They are subtle so-called kind of cognitive functions that’s actually affecting a very early stage and those is not something very apparently. You need certain behavior models or human cognitive test to reveal that subtle change and those changes can be actually as early as onset of the brain pathology that initially so be years before the symptoms. So our posters show that in two different familial \[inaudible 00:06:00\] models on that prospect. **Dr Zara Franklin:** That’s amazing. I think looking at kind of the earlier processes is really important in the understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease. Thank you so much for talking about that. So now let’s go to the highlights. Steve, would you like to go first? **Dr Steven Quinn:** Yeah, I mean I think overall the conference has just been a great opportunity for scientists to come together, highlight new tools and techniques, highlight emerging highlights, and hear from folks with Alzheimer’s Disease. So one of the early talks from Olive, who’s a supporter of Alzheimer’s Research UK and dementia research more generally, was really a good reminder that we’re all fighting this fight to help people with Alzheimer’s Disease, be it through treatments, diagnosis, therapies and so I thought her talk at the very start was a really powerful opener to the conference. It was a good reminder for what we’re all trying to achieve in our dementia-related research activities. And I think it’s set the scene for all of the amazing talks that subsequently followed it. It’s been a great opportunity, as I say, for scientists to come together to interact, to produce new ideas, to stimulate new collaborations, to meet other researchers working in similar areas and to generally try and push the fields forward. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Thank you. I completely agree. All of talk completely set the tone for the conference and just bringing that humanizing our research is something that we need to do quite a lot ’cause it’s something that we sometimes get lost in a signal and pathway and you forget so bringing things really back to perspective is wonderful in this conference. So, I’ll go to Natalie now if you want to talk about your highlights. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, I mean there’s lots of highlights. It’s been a really great conference. I think there’s been lots of things that I don’t necessarily think about in my own research, so I think one of the sessions that I particularly enjoyed was the dementia risk factors session, whereas there was a lot of environmental risk factors. I mean the work that I do concentrates more on the genetics, so I really enjoyed the talk by Louise Kelly from the University of Southampton. So, she was looking at the interplay between pollution and dementia and exploring that link and trying to understand how being exposed to higher levels of pollution can increase your risk of dementia, which I thought was really fascinating. So, she was talking to us about the animal models that she was using and exposing those mice to some of the diesel fumes and then being able to collect and harvest the brains afterwards and then really get into looking and seeing what was happening there. So, I thought that was really fascinating and she was telling us about some very cool techniques where they are able to inject some dextran into the brain and then they can look at the clearance mechanisms across the blood brain barrier. So, it sounded like a really exciting, bit of work that she’d started and it sounded like they were going to be doing some more with some different mouse models, some \[inaudible 00:09:22\], so something that already has some Alzheimer’s pathology. So, I think it’ll be a really exciting thing to hear maybe next year when we’re back. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Yeah, hopefully. Her talk was fantastic and bringing in the risk factors, particularly the environment because it’s so important to- **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah. **Dr Zara Franklin:** … everybody and it’s necessary to discuss these things at conferences as well. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah. **Dr Zara Franklin:** And it’s good to see that that that’s kind of coming out and it’s becoming more explored as such. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, and I think it’s a thing other people can explore in their genetic models, it’s also combining that with some of these environmental factors as well. **Dr Steven Quinn:** I think that the reason you come to a conference is to learn new science as well. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, exactly. **Dr Steven Quinn:** And for me that was a completely novel and new piece of science that emerged in the follow up talk, which was discussing in the impact of noise and how noise pollution could be related to dementia was also for me, again as a single molecule, spectroscopist really new, really novel and I think as you say, it opens up exciting doors for- **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** It makes you think. **Dr Steven Quinn:** … more research and it makes you think and if we can evaluate those risk factors, then we can begin to think about how do we minimize them and if we can minimize them, then perhaps that has a knock-on effect in reducing the number of people who eventually become symptomatic. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Yeah, definitely. And Szu-Han, what were your highlights of the conference? **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Right, so I think one of the highlights is really, again, it’s not like one particular… There are many sessions that contribute to this really interesting kind of a coherent theme that I’m sure Natalie will probably talk about this, and Steven will talk about this EDI session, this diversity and inclusivity session is that this gender issue in research career development, and not just that career development but also even at the basic research side, we also talk about the sex difference in preclinical studies. And then in today’s session it’s really interesting and then this came up again even with stem cell research, is sex a bias factor in that as Well? **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, that’s amazing that people still think it’s okay to do studies where they’re only using male mice. You know, there’s a lot of work to disprove that the perceived problem with having female mice in studies, but their estro cycle has kind of been disproved now, right? So yeah. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Yes. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** I guess time to move on. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Exactly. I was actually educated at that era. So yeah, I was thinking, yes, if you want a proper control without that confounding because at that time that was still as a confounding factor. So obviously that thinking has changed. And then echo that, of course I want to cite the study that Tara, Professor Tara Spires-Jones mentioned in the session that there has been an eLife paper looking at this sex… Male animals, female animals, and whether it’s genuine sex or actually it’s a deeper reason behind it, it’s the trade difference potentially that’s something to look out for as well. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, I agree. I think the inclusivity and research culture panel that was done was absolutely fantastic and I think it was really good that it was given a prime-time session within the conference as a really important topic to be thinking about, not in just terms of the science, but also we need to have a more inclusive environment. And it was great to see that being discussed, whether that’s in terms of the disparity between female PIs, but obviously it also of course people of different ethnicities and yeah, there was lots of really shocking stats that went around on that. So, I noted one down, so the UK RI, in the last five years of their awards, 71% went to men and only 27 to women so yeah, I thought that was quite stark. There was lots of other stark figures there that maybe you other guys remember too but yeah; I think it’s definitely something that still needs to be addressed. **Dr Steven Quinn:** Yeah, no, I completely agree. I mean highlighting EDI issues at a major national conference is A, really important, and B, that conversation needs to be continued. The completely agree, having the platform at primetime during the conference to discuss EDI issues is something that I haven’t ever experienced before at any conference I’ve been to and you’re absolutely right, EDI issues relate to not just the scientists but the science and it’s really important to discuss all of the issues and to come up with strategies to mitigate against them. I thought some of the interesting parts of that discussion for me were the use of networks that I hadn’t been already familiar with. And so now I’ve been exposed to those networks. I can direct our students at the University of York and far beyond to help them in their careers. So yeah, I think we need to continue the EDI conversation. It’s really important and we must all do better. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, I guess it’s important to put some solid milestones in place that we cannot just continue the talk but actually making some progress. So yeah, good to see at the conference. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Yeah, I totally agree. It was amazing. And to gain some knowledge of the platforms that are available to people. I wasn’t aware of a lot of those things and I think it’s something I’ll bring back from the conference that there are things set in place that can help people out or find a place to talk and things like that but also we need to keep moving forward with that. And that’s something I’m really, really passionate about actually. **Dr Steven Quinn:** That’s right. **Dr Zara Franklin:** So, it was great to see this at the conference. **Dr Steven Quinn:** We need to have measurable deliverables. So yes, the conversation is important but arguably the actions that arise are even more so. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah. I think talking to others around the conference as well. Yeah, I think everyone was very pleased to see that that had been given a really good amount of time. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Yeah, definitely. There was so much positive feedback about that session. So, it was really great just from talking to other people around, it just seems to be, seems to have been a really, well, what’s the word? Well taken. I don’t know how to say this \[inaudible 00:15:48\] taking sessions. So, I’m really pleased that it happened. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Just tag along the same line of a discussion that I was really impressed with Tommy’s initiative with this- **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** … Black woman in science. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Really fantastic. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Yes, it’s impressive so it’s not just top-down kind of a discussion or some policy et cetera, but you see this kind of a, how you call it? Kind of bottom up, so from the \[inaudible 00:16:16\] there are people actually initiate this in this platforms where they are all kinds of resources with podcast events, days where they set up to meet with data scientists, et cetera so different research tools that probably cross discipline. So then it’s really helpful to, while that gap is hopefully will be narrowed down in the coming years, but also there are these activities from bottom up to really push that. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, and really thinking about how to encourage people at kind of school level into thinking this career is for me, it’s something I can see myself doing and I can see others that look the same as me doing that. That was also discussed and I think that was really great. **Dr Steven Quinn:** Yep. Black Women in Science Network, go check it out. But I think it’s also important for folks who are not scientists but who perhaps work in a science institute to also check out that network. So, if you’re an administrator working in a science facility, if you’re a technician as well as a researcher or potential scientist, go check it out, get involved with the network because it just sounds like it’s really helping promote EDI issues throughout, not just the UK but hopefully beyond. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Definitely. Okay, so there were also a lot of sessions on microglia. Would anybody like to discuss that? **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Yes. So, microglia has been a strong theme throughout the conference and so yesterday we heard about Professor Marco \[inaudible 00:17:56\] of course talk about histories of the amazing discovery in his lab and then completing in his \[inaudible 00:18:03\] paper and then, so that really bring us through the various kind of aspects of microglia that has been discovered in his lab. And then we also move on to Sally \[inaudible 00:18:16\] talk, is a friend of foe and then maybe initial stage where it’s clearances friend and later on, put out these seating elements that can be a foe. And that’s of course a really simplified summary and for me really the highlight is at the prize giving, Dr. \[inaudible 00:18:35\] talk, she’s from New Zealand, it’s really impressive how she can quickly moving on from knowing this very important synaptic loss as a very important biomarkers that’s really strongly correlated with the functional function loss in AD. And then move on to understanding the role of microglial phagocytosis and complement activation now process. And then leading to how she managed to pull all the resources from UK, Europe, and North America, put together toward deeper understanding of the mechanism and of course the findings has been showing in her recent publication Science and Nature Neuroscience. I think that’s really impressive work. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, I guess just to pick up on another thing that we heard about microglia, I mean for someone like me who does the IPSC models for microglia, understanding how similar they are to the actual microglia in the brain is really important, right? So, there was a talk by Amy Lloyd who is looking at doing deep proteomics across various different microglial models, whether they were in vitro or in vivo, whether they were from human or mice and then also being able to have those in vitro ones and then implanting those into the mice and then having a look at the protium there. And I thought it was really fascinating, all the changes. So yeah, one of the things that was really striking actually was those that were in vitro had a much bigger protein mass overall, which was quite crazy actually but also I think thinking about the profile in vitro microglia as well was much more similar to the disease associated microglia. So I don’t know if that’s something that comes with your stresses of culturing maybe but I think something to keep in mind and think about. She said that all of her proteomics data would be available soon on a website so I guess if others are interested in that, that’ll be really helpful I think and a really good resource to have. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** And also beyond the context of Alzheimer’s Disease, also of implication of vascular dementia or actually in stroke. There is a talk currently given by Dr. Jill Fowler from Edinburgh will be looking to this microglia and stroke as well. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Would you like to go round the table again or are there any other highlights anybody would like to comment on? **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, I mean I had another talk that I really enjoyed. So, this was from this morning’s session, so from Marta del Campo who was at the University of Amsterdam, we believe. So really nice talk, really took us through how kind of the process of identifying new biomarkers, which obviously there’s a real big need for. So yeah, I thought that was a really fascinating talk. So she was discussing how they’re doing that with CSF samples and how not only just picking out Alzheimer’s Disease, but actually being able to differentiate the different types of dementia as well ’cause obviously that’s really important and especially going forward while we think of treatment strategies that will become ever more important I think. So yeah, she was taking us through, going from the big picture mass spec type of work, then kind of focusing down on particular panels. So I think she was talking about the PRIDE Initiative, which is the Protein Identification for Discrimination of Dementias which has a whole load of different groups that they’re able to look in, kind of look between so it controls people with mild cognitive impairment but positive for amyloid beta pathology, those with Alzheimer’s Disease and those importantly with non-Alzheimer’s dementia as well. And then being able to identify some particular biomarkers for all those groups. And it sounded like it had been really successful so far. So yeah, I think some of the follow up work that they were doing with that was going to be trying to do the same in bloods, which would obviously be a lot better for the patients. I can’t imagine everyone wants to be able to give a CSF sample, I wouldn’t. People are very crazy. **Dr Steven Quinn:** Yeah, I think the field seems to be moving towards blood-based biomarkers. I think they’re emerging. I think that from what we’ve seen, there is stronger evidence that blood-based biomarkers are on the horizon. There seems to be very strong links between some blood-based biomarkers and the cerebral spinal fluids and links to pathology so I think we can be optimistic that a simple blood test and hopefully a cheap blood test is very much on the horizon. And look, if we can democratize testing, we can catch people at the earliest stages of disease. And at that point, when there’s most brain matter to save, then perhaps we’ve got an opportunity to really allow those drugs to be even more effective. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** I thought it was really interesting actually, sorry, I just looking back at my notes, some of the things that they had found as biomarkers, it’s kind of interesting that they’re getting pulled out as well because they’re things that we know already in the Alzheimer’s field. So, things like protein clearances being a problem, lipid metabolism, these are all kind of things that we look at in the lab as molecular mechanisms. So yeah, interesting to see the same sort of things are being pulled out as biomarkers, maybe not that surprising. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** And I saw, just along the similar, I saw it’s a really well organized session where they look at biomarkers from fluid all the way to functions and started with a proteomics data you mentioned by Dr. Marta del Campo and then followed by professor, Associate Professor Michael Scholl’s talk where he nicely put these, what he thinks the current status of these different biomarker, whether it’s pTau, whether it’s PAT imaging, and how he sees these in terms of their implementability and how kind of accurate they will be. And also, he then add on to not just the biomarker, but also functional marker where \[inaudible 00:24:37\], they are going to launch a bigger research adding the digital technology in detecting different function change. And again, it’s echoing this initiative, early detection of new degeneration disease and I think that’s really a kind of nice session bring us through from not just biology, but also the function side as well. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Yeah, definitely. So could we go, well maybe quickly go around the table once more if anybody has any other comments or… **Dr Steven Quinn:** Well, we started off with Olive, as I say, fantastic talk. And we ended I think with a really nice single molecule spectroscopy talk by Juan Varela at the University of St. Andrews. And he highlighted some really nice approaches where he can detect single protein aggregates in solution, can track those single protein aggregates as a function of time with a time resolution that is on the millisecond time scale. And he showed, I think really elegantly, that some of those species that are formed can not only interact with biological membrane receptors, but can also damage the membrane. And I think that those tools and techniques that were presented open up opportunities for us to interrogate which of the aggregates, if any, are most toxic. And if we can identify which of the aggregates are most toxic, then perhaps we might be in a far better position to develop targeted therapeutics. So I thought that that single molecule spectroscopy talk, and I’m a little bit biased because I’m a single molecule spectroscopist, was really quite interesting but the tools and techniques there that were presented I think are very adaptable to other proteins. So those same tools could be used to, for example, monitor tau, phosphorylated tau, neurofilament light chain and so we should start to think about how those methodologies can be adapted to quite literally, no pun intended, shed light on the biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Yes. And one thing I really enjoy about this conference is we really see research from all different levels because Steven, you have a poster on this single molecule \[inaudible 00:27:07\]. I wonder if you want to kind of add a little bit more on your discovery. **Dr Steven Quinn:** Yeah, so as I say, we do a lot of single molecule detection. We develop microscopy and optical-based systems to detect single molecules. And as part of our microscopy development, we realize that many of the tools and techniques could be used for the detection of biomarkers. So, we’re very good at mobilizing proteins to surfaces and detecting them. And we thought, well, hang on a minute, couldn’t those same tools and techniques also be used potentially to discriminate between and detect proteins in the blood? And so we started now to develop essentially grating-like structures that we call guided mode resonances in order to differentiate and detect proteins mobilizing onto those structures based on a refractive index change that they produce at the sensor surface. So it’s preliminary data at the moment, but we’ve got an ability to detect beta amyloids, 42 proteins, immobilizing onto our surface unlabeled proteins with a concentration of about a picogram per mil, sorry, a nanogram per mil. So that’s really promising. It bodes, I think, well for the future and the downstream development of a blood test. It’s early days yet, but our single molecule spectroscopy instruments, if you like, have been adapted for hopefully downstream clinical implementation. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Amazing. Thank you. Natalie, would you like to tell us a bit about your poster because Szu’s had a talk about hers? **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, sure. So, the person that I had here is exploring, so as I said, we look at different endocytic risk genes and think about endocytic dysfunction in terms of late onset Alzheimer’s Disease. The reason for that is we know from the genetics there is a cluster of endocytic genes that are continually pulled out. We know that there are some rare coating mutations in some of those genes as well. And the other thing that we know is one of the really early pathological features of Alzheimer’s Disease, it’s not just amyloid, beta and tau, but actually we see these enlarged early endosomal structures so endocytic dysfunction does seem to be quite important for the disease. And it’s early, it happens early. So that’s really key, right? Because if you can highlight, as you were saying, something that happens early in disease, it’s a good potential therapeutic avenue. So, the work that I was looking at on the poster that I had was looking at one of these genes is called \[inaudible 00:29:47\]. And it is a protein that’s required to bring clathrin and AP2, which is a clathrin-adaptor protein to the membrane and then initiate the whole cycle of clathrin-mediated cytosis, so it’s a pretty key protein, but no one’s really been looking at it in terms of its functioning microglia. Microglia obviously have quite some specialized roles for endocytosis, so a really specialized role is phagocytosis, which is one of the main things they do, and being able to clear and keep the environment healthier around them. But also actually endocytosis is even quite important for things like motility, which people don’t always think of. So yeah, so we’ve been using, we’ve developed some CRISPR lines, that are knockouts, and then we’ve been characterizing those by doing the IPSC derived microglial cultures and we can do all kinds of assays. So we can do lots of live imaging assays, lots of nice biochem assays and some immuno cytochemistry as well. And so we see all kinds of changes in the endocytic pathway in terms of the endocytic, the early endosomal size, and also in terms of being able to carry out clathrin-mediated endocytosis, not surprisingly, but also impacts on things like phagocytosis and amyloid beta clearance. So that’s really exciting. We’ve got lots more to do on that, that’s still quite early days and we’re also looking in neurons as well to see if there’s any cell type vulnerability. So yeah, so hopefully I’ll tell you more next year. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Amazing. Thank you. Szu, would you like to quickly go over your poster? I know you covered your- **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** \[inaudible 00:31:20\]. **Dr Zara Franklin:** … general group’s poster, but I hope you covered yours as well. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Yes. **Dr Zara Franklin:** ‘Cause it was a really, really nice overview of- **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Absolutely. **Dr Zara Franklin:** … your work. Thank you. So just before we wrap up, as you’ve all made it to a great stage in your careers and ARUK are really keen to support ECRs and have piloted a cross network mentoring scheme and ECR training and networking opportunities among other schemes that can be found on their ECR portal. So I was just wondering if I could ask you all to share just one career tip. So, I’ll start with Szu-Han. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Right? Oh. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Quick firing right straight at ya. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Right. Find a support of network, a network of support, whether it’s mentor or from your internal institute or external institute, give you different perspective. And also, very important to understand what support you can get locally from your department or from your center that help you through a lot of, I mean research or administration hurdles and I think that would help. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** That was also going to be mine. I think it’s really important to have a good mentor. But if I was to give you another one, I think it’s always take up any opportunities that you are given to present your work or go and talk to others about your work. Really get out there and promote what you’re doing and tell people why it’s important. I think that’s also something that’s very good to do. **Dr Steven Quinn:** And don’t give up. Don’t give up. If you’re writing a fellowship application or a paper or another grant application and that paper or grant application gets rejected, don’t give up. Use reviewer comments to your advantage. Take them seriously and help… Use them to help you modify your texts, modify your grant application, modify your paper, and make it even better because the next time you submit it, it’s got an even better chance of success. So don’t give up and use, as you say, opportunities I think. Take them. And that also includes, if there’s any internal pots of money at your university, it might only be for a few hundred pounds worth of consumables, apply for it. There’s loads of opportunities to get an undergraduate summer student funded. There’s many interdisciplinary opportunities to learn new skills, loads of courses to develop your translational and your professional skills so yeah, don’t give up and go for the opportunities when they arise. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Yeah, and I think just another thing to add to that, I guess is just if you think you’ve got an idea, but you’re a bit nervous about maybe emailing or talking to someone, just go and do it because the worst that they’ll do is maybe ignore your email, which is fine, right? You can always email them again. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Yeah, that’s completely true. As an ECR, I’ve really been thrown into this conference at the deep end between public outreach, organizing, doing a podcast. I’ve never, never done this before and given a talk and being around my poster, I have met hundreds more people than I ever thought I would. And coming just as a scientist, as an ECR to this day and having a poster, it’s such a contrast. So my advice from one ECR to another would be say yes when it comes to conferences, because that is where you build your network. That’s where you meet people, that’s where you make the connections and build your confidence, get this introvert outside of you. So that’s my little snippet from me. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** I think that’s really good advice. **Dr Zara Franklin:** Thank you. Okay, so that’s all we have time for today. We’re all going to rush away and hope the weather doesn’t disrupt our trips home. I hope you’ve enjoyed listening and if you want to find out more about any of the research we’ve discussed, head over to the ARUK website and the online portal is open for another 30 days. Thank you to my fabulous guests, Dr. Natalie Connor-Robson, Dr. Szu-Han Wang, and Dr. Steven Quinn. I’m Dr. Zara Franklin, and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Dr Szu-Han Wang:** Thank you. **Dr Steven Quinn:** Thanks guys. **Dr Natalie Connor-Robson:** Thank you. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Bringing new research, news, career tips and support. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) – **our narrated blogs are now [also available as a podcast.](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs)** This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK Resources, Cardiff University, Dr Natalie Connor-Robson, Dr Szu-Han Wang, Dr Zara Franklin, Podcast, The University of Edinburgh, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Aberdeen, University of York **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - Things you NEED to know when starting your own lab](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-things-you-need-to-know-when-starting-your-own-lab/) **Published:** April 24, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Dr Fiona McLean hosts a discussion with Dr Claire Durrant, Dr Ian Harrison & Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly, providing a 101 guide to setting up your first lab. **Content:** **Consider this podcast as a ‘Lab Setup 101”, we’ve brought together three newly minted principle investigators to talk about the highs, lows and practical things you need to consider when setting up a new lab – learning from their first-hand experience.** [Dr Fiona McLean](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blogger-profile-dr-fiona-mclean/), ARUK Fellow from University of Dundee talks with [Dr Claire Durrant](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-claire-durrant/ "Profile – Dr Claire Durrant, University of Edinburgh"), RAD Fellow from The University of Edinburgh, [Dr Ian Harrison](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ian-harrison-university-college-london/), Senior Research Fellow from University College London and [Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-dayne-beccano-kelly-cardiff-university/), Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University. Together our guests will guide you through the important things you need to know before embarking on this journey. Everything from locations and space to purchasing equipment, and hiring staff, we’ll cover everything you need to get started. Our expert guests will also share their experiences and provide valuable insights to help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful lab setup. So, join us as we explore the essentials of setting up your own lab. **Meet the guests:** [Dr Fiona McLean](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blogger-profile-dr-fiona-mclean/) is an Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow at University of Dundee. She is fascinated by the brain and has always been curious about how it works and what keeps it healthy. Her research focuses on the links between obesity, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. [Dr Claire Durrant](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-claire-durrant/) is a Race Aganinst Dementia / Dyson Foundation Fellow in the UK Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh. Her work focuses on understanding the causes and consequences of synapse loss in dementia causing disease such as Alzheimer’s disease. She is currently developing living human brain slices as a translational research tool. [Dr Ian Harrison](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-ian-harrison-university-college-london/) is a Senior Research Fellow at University College London. His work looks at the function of the glymphatic system in the brain, responsible for the clearance of protein solutes from the brain parenchyma. [Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-dayne-beccano-kelly-cardiff-university/) is UKRI Future Leader Fellow and UK Dementia Research Institute Group Leader at Cardiff University. He is working on neurodegeneration focussing on Parkinson’s disease and looking at both the temporality of the disorder as well as the role synaptic dysfunction plays. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast, brought to you by University College London and the NIHR, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association, supporting early career dementia researchers across the world. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast, bringing together early career researchers and leaders within the field to discuss their research hot topics and to share career tips. I’m Dr. Fiona McClain, and I am an Alzheimer’s research UK fellow at the University of Dundee, and I’m delighted to be hosting today’s recording talking to three amazing colleagues who have all recently embarked on setting up their own labs. So today that’s what we’re going to focus on. Learning how they got into their positions of leading their own groups, what they have learned in the process of setting up their labs, and what tips and lessons they might have for anyone about to do this for themselves. So get your notepads ready. Today I’m joined by Dr. Claire Durrant from the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Ian Harrison from University College London, and Dr. Dayne Beccano-Kelly from Cardiff University. Hello. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Hi. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Hello. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So, I thought we’d kick it off with actually just getting a bit of a background on you three. So, could you describe your journeys to starting up your own independent labs? So, we’ll kick it off with Claire. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah. Hi. So really fantastic to be here, Fiona. Really great to talk about all of this stuff as well. So, for me it was a really organic process. A lot of people apply for a position as a new lab leader, get that position and then have a very clear start date of, this is the day that the Durrant Lab started. That is not how it has worked for me. So, I got a Race Against Dementia fellowship, which started in 2019. And this is a weird in-between fellowship, where it’s not quite a junior fellowship, not quite a senior fellowship, it gives you five years of funding to do some quite out-of-the-box science with lots of international connections. And effectively, I was initially treated as an independent fellow within Professor Tara Spires-Jones’ group here at the University of Edinburgh. But it very quickly got the attention of the bosses here at Edinburgh that it was a five year fellowship, which would mean, I technically qualify for tenure track. I qualified for a higher salary than they’d initially put me on. And then from that I’ve used it as a bargaining chip to allow me to apply for extra grants. And over the last couple of years I’ve gone from just a single person working in a lab to suddenly, oh, there’s three or four people working for me. And I guess that means I must be a lab leader now. But if I had to say, the day that I started as a lab leader, couldn’t tell you. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Who knows. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Exactly. **Dr Fiona McLean:** You mentioned some really interesting things there, and we’ll actually maybe come back to bargaining in a little bit, because I think that’s something that people don’t really talk about very often. So we will come back to that once we have introduced our other two researchers. So Dayne, why don’t you give us a brief background on how you’ve ended up where you are. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** So I think I have a specific date, completely the opposite. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Do you celebrate every year? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I do. I do. It passed by this year, just because I’m getting old. No, seriously. I have done a series of postdocs moving around the country, and the world, until I found myself in a position where I had a career development fellowship at University of Oxford. And during that time I’d come to give a talk here at Cardiff, where I am now and got to chatting and they put me onto the fact that there was a number of different fellowships that would lead to group positions here, and they would like to have me here. And actually one of the ones that they had pointed out was that of the UK Research and Innovations Future Leader fellowships. And this was a set of fellowships that cover a lot of the bandwidth of the different councils, as is the purview of the UK, and are a four plus three set up, so this means that you get four years worth of funding, and then towards the end of that you can reapply, and then get a further three years worth of funding. And again, like Claire was saying, because of the duration of that, and I suppose the strength of a fellowship that long, it would become tenure tracked. And it was one of the cruxes of getting the award in the first place, is that your host institution has to give the backing of that. And obviously that’s a pretty huge draw, as all of us will know and probably most of us listening will know. Having that idea of a tenure track, which is quite rare in the UK. It was quite alluring. When for that obtained that, came here, it is tenure tracked, but I have moved over to becoming a permanent member of staff at Cardiff University, because of the fact that there were other UK, and people that had arrived here. And because of the different schools, some had been instantaneously given a position, and some had to work a little bit more for it. But we moved towards a parity, shall we say, across the world. So we all now have it. So that’s how I managed to get mine. So I guess there is a bit of a wishy-washy period in there where I did become group leader, and then became a permanent member of staff. But I suppose 1st of February is when I celebrate, so that’s when I got mine. **Dr Fiona McLean:** When you celebrate. That’s great. Thank you so much for sharing that. And Ian, why don’t you give us a rundown of how you’ve ended up in your position. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Sure. So I’m a bit of mix of both of your stories, I guess. I’ve not moved very far, so I’m still based in the same department, in the same institution that I did my postdoc projects in. So I did my PhD, I’ve moved from Imperial. I really haven’t moved that far. Moved from Imperial to UCL to postdoc. And there it just became a natural progression in my work that I… And my funding was importantly, my postdoc job was coming to an end. So I started thinking about how I wanted to take my research forward, and started applying for fellowships. So I applied for a couple of different fellowships. I applied for the Alzheimer’s Research UK fellowship, and I also applied for the Parkinson’s UK City fellowship as well. I was in the very fortunate position, that I was offered both of them at the same time, which left me with a bit of a quandary as to… I did my PhD in Parkinson’s research, and then I did my postdoc in Alzheimer’s research, so hence why I applied for both. But anyway, I was very fortunate to be able to talk to both of the charities, and work out some kind of deal where I’d be able to take on both of these fellowships, split 50/50 between the two, and then recruit a postdoc to be able to split 50/50 between the two as well. So I guess, there was a day when I was the first day of my group, but I was sat in the exact same desk that I’d sat for the last four or five years for my postdoc. But it’s been quite a weird transition, because suddenly on day one it was… Right, I was a PI, I had a postdoc, I had a master’s student starting in a few weeks time, it was like, right now go, now you’re a PI and get to work. But I’m now coming to the end of that funding stream. So then starting to apply again, when I’m not at that stage yet within my institution at least. It’s quite difficult to secure a permanent position, so you have to bring in a long length of time of independent fellowships before you are eligible for that proleptic appointment. But I’m hopefully on that track. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Interesting. So Dayne, you’ve ticked the boxes for tenure track. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yes. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So they’ve said, you’ve got that big fellowship, long fellowship in, you’ve got money in, you’re publishing. So are you tenured, or in theory, are you permanent position now? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** So I’m permanent position now. Yeah. **Dr Fiona McLean:** You’re permanent. So in theory, tenured? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yes, yes. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And Claire you are? **Dr Claire Durrant:** I’m on the tenure track at the moment. So they’ll give me a review in a couple of years. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So you’re on the tenure track. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah, I’ve got goals I have to meet within that timeframe, one of which is a certain amount of money I have to bring into university. Others are publication goals and things as well. And I’m in the weird position that actually the money I’ve got sorted, which is usually the harder one to come. And it’s just getting those outputs now that I’m hoping the next couple of years we’ll smash. **Dr Fiona McLean:** You’re in the process of ticking the boxes. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yes. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And Ian, you’re trying to get onto that opportunity for ticking the boxes- **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah, I guess it makes it quite obvious when we speak to other colleagues like this. It’s quite different at different university. So at UCL- **Dr Fiona McLean:** And that’s why it’s confusing, right? Because people move around. So they’re trying to work out what is the best strategy, how do I get a permanent position, and what does that look like? Because sometimes you get offered a position, but it’s tenure track, that’s still not permanent, and people don’t always realize that. So you’re in that position of, you’re trying to get the opportunity to start ticking the boxes? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Exactly. So my next step would be to get a larger, longer term independent fellowship. And off the back of that, the university then supports me with a proleptic appointment afterwards. So after the end of that next fellowship, I’ll go onto a permanent position. At least from my understanding, at UCL at least, there’s not a internal tenure track career path. It’s very much, you bring in two fellowships and then onward from there. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Interesting. Because I also guess the money thing, I feel there’s a lot of confusion in the field of science at the moment, around what is enough to bring in terms of money. Because there’s definitely a lot of conflicting opinions around whether you need a fellowship. And for our listeners, a fellowship usually tends to cover your salary as well as some project costs, consumables, et cetera. Or a big project grant, which usually doesn’t cover your salary, but is probably more valuable to the university in some ways, because a lot of time it covers more consumables, but also covers a thing called, overheads. And that is things like electricity for the building, those kind of costs, which a lot of the charity fellowships, which there are quite a few of don’t usually cover. So I guess, have any of you been told what to target, to really put your energy into, is it project grants, or is it fellowships? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Either is okay. I’ve heard that obviously things like government funded projects are great, because of the overheads. Edinburgh gave me a figure, they said a 100,000 pounds of grant income per year, is the level that they’re looking for. So over a four or five year tenure track, if you bring in one, half a million pound grant, that should be okay. But obviously if you can go over and above that, that’s good. They look at you as a whole. So if you bring in 3 million pounds of funding, and have one fairly average paper, they’ll probably love you. If you bring in 500,000 pounds of funding and have three fantastic papers, they’ll love you. If you bring in 600, but have no papers. So it’s a little bit cloak and daggers, they’re trying to be a little bit more explicit- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** \[inaudible 00:12:19\] pounds and a Nature paper. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah, exactly. But I think, from what I’ve heard, evidence that you are productive in some way, they’re not asking for Nature and science papers, they’re just wanting you to get decent quality work which is cited, which is well done. And also showing evidence that you can bring in money to the institution, because unfortunately that’s how universities work. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah. It was interesting, I once got told by a very wise professor, he said, “Just get it out there.” Just get the science out there. If Nature or big journal are going to hold onto your paper for a year, it’s not worth it. Just get out there. Because now with tools like Google Scholar and the search engines like, PubMed and Scopus, if you type the terms in, you’ll find the paper. It’s not like it used to be, where you had to get a physical journal through the door, so yeah, definitely. So I guess, this brings us a little bit onto our next question, just some of the things we’re talking about. Which is, how do you negotiate a startup package? And when we talk about a startup package, we’re talking about space, equipment, and the thing that people don’t seem to really want to talk about, which is salary. How do you negotiate those things? And can each of you share your own experiences? For those of you who can’t see, we’ve got people laughing. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Oh, smiling. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Smiling. I think people are going back to moments. Let’s kick off with Claire. **Dr Claire Durrant:** I would say for me, professor Tara Spires-Jones has been more than an academic sponsor to me, she has been an advocate. And having an advocate on your side who knows the university, who knows the system, who knows where you can and can’t push is so much more valuable than any kind of Googling, or whatever. You need to get inside the system. **Dr Fiona McLean:** You need a champion. **Dr Claire Durrant:** You do need a champion. And she was the one who said to me, you’re currently on grade seven, this fellowship is big, you should be on grade eight. And then she initiated that process, and then obviously I did all the paperwork and the negotiations, but she was the one to send the original email to HR going, for these reasons, I believe she’s been graded wrong on her pay. And then similarly, we had then, discussions about going onto the tenure track, and she put me in touch with the tenure track committee and I was able then to argue my case and then they agreed to put me on. But it was very much from someone else going, hang on a second, you’re being undervalued for what you’ve brought into the university here. And I think to be honest with other stuff, it’s been a little bit of a case of, well, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. So as all women do, I’m quite good at being slightly cheeky and very friendly and asking for things. And it seems less aggressive than… Perhaps I’m very worried about coming across as bossy. But you can say things with a smile going, “Oh, wouldn’t it be lovely? I’ve noticed that lab is really empty, so perhaps that would be a great space for me to take over.” And actually, for me, that’s worked quite well in the sense that, I’m always the type to strike a friendly tone, but I’m really not afraid to be a bit cheeky when it matters. And people have said no to things before, but that’s how I negotiated getting this lab space. The lab space actually came off the back of, just before I went on maternity leave, I got a really big donation from one of my funders to bring in an extra million pounds to the group. So effectively he’d funded a part my fellowship. He really liked some of the work we were doing. He asked me to write another proposal, and then he wanted to fund the highest level of proposal that I wrote. And I basically went to- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Is this Mr. Dyson? **Dr Claire Durrant:** It is Mr. Dyson. It is Sir James Dyson. I would say. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Mr. Dyson, keep buying your fancy hair driers. It’s funding dimension research. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. It really is. So he visited the laboratory, and he was so excited by some of the work we’ve been doing with human brain tissue. And he just said, “So what’s your current limiting factor?” And I was like, “Well, people and resources.” And he was like, “Well, right. Write me how I could make this go faster.” So I wrote three very cheeky proposals as to what he might like to do, and he just got really captivated by it. But the immediate thing I did, as soon as I got that money was went straight to my head of department and said, “So James Dyson has just given us a million pounds to start a lab. Where are you going to let me put it?” And at that point, suddenly they were listening on that. But I very much came with, I’m bringing money, what can you provide me in order to house that? And they were absolutely delighted to do that, but you do have to ask. It’s not a case of, that they will come and do for you. You have to ask. And it’s hard to. It’s really hard to ask. **Dr Fiona McLean:** It’s one of those uncomfortable things, right? And one of my friends, she always says, you need to get comfortable feeling uncomfortable. And I think that was a good bit of advice. And I think that’s probably a good example of that, where you need to go and ask for those things, rather than waiting for them to come to you. That’s a great story, Claire. So now, we’ll give Dayne a chance. So tell us your very boring story- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** No. It’s effectively, and I had a mentor that once told me, “you don’t ask, don’t get.” **Dr Fiona McLean:** My gran said that. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Your gran is a very wise woman. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Was my gran your mentor? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Maybe. I feel like spiritually maybe, possibly. No. Yeah. But it was actually my old supervisor, Matt Farrar, who has been a tremendous supporter of mine. And he once sat me down. You don’t ask, you don’t get. And he was very good at asking and very good at getting. But he was one of the instrumental reasons I moved back to the UK, because he helped me seek out good positions that would help further my career. So I’m always very grateful to him. But in coming here, I suppose the reason that the mine is a little bit different, and perhaps boring is, because I was didn’t… The way that I moved from one institution to another was on the basis of obtaining this fellowship. There wasn’t a lot of wiggle room to negotiate anything extra. And I think maybe perhaps we coming back to talking about this later on, about things we’d do differently, or things I wish I would’ve known. The way it was, I was so enamored with getting a position and having this startup package that was part of this very large fellowship that I was getting, that I maybe didn’t see that there was the possibility of having some wiggle room, which would’ve allowed me to go, well, I could do with a little bit more help here. Or Cardiff could you do this for me? And I find myself in a position also that I’m very much happily part of the Dementia Research Institute, which is a number of centers across the UK that are focused on battling dementia. And that’s situated here. I’m both part of that, and also part of Cardiff University. When I came in, I had a startup package that I brought with me. And so there was no negotiation that could be rendered as such. It was, this is what I’ve got from my funders, this is what I can utilize to start on my package. I can hire people from this, I can use it to buy the equipment. So really what I needed was space. So I needed space. So space was very forthcoming. Like I said, resources here at the Dementia Research Institute is great. There’s lots of collaborative atmosphere at Cardiff as well. So there is space. We already need more space because we’re rapidly expanding. So I’ve come in, and my group’s moved from being one postdoc to five people within the space of 12 months. And we need space, so we always need space. But it was having a bay, and then a whole room for the electrophysiological rig and that was there. And so I kind of stated the needs and the necessity, but the way I suppose I did it was stating what I was bringing to the institute. So there wasn’t any electrophysiology in the Dementia Research Institute here at Cardiff. And so as a result, I was saying, well, I’m bringing these expertise and I’m bringing this capability here, so therefore to have that we need this. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, and they make that happen. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** So it was like, without it, I can’t do my work, thus where do we put it? So I guess I stated it in terms of, the need and desire and what I was bringing, and thus selling points of what I was doing. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah. That was your negotiation I guess. As you said, well, I’m about to arrive with all this stuff, so here’s what I need to- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** It was very much that. Yeah, I suppose that the negotiation wasn’t so much for salary, it wasn’t so much for startup package for equipment. It was much more, how can I find and utilize the space? And they were forthcoming with that. And that was useful. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I guess, you were coming in at a certain level, whereas Claire had to try and upgrade within the same institute. And what about yourself, Ian? So where are you at with lab space, and that jump from postdoc to the next level? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah, likewise. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Have you had any conversations? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah, so I was in that similar position where I kind of upgraded from postdoc to PI as soon as my funding kicked in. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So, more like Claire? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah. And again, this highlights the differences between institutions. So at UCL, everything in terms of salaries and stuff is very formulaic. So what happened with me, so I was on grade seven, and when I wrote my fellowship application, got the costings through, the finance division sorted out the costings and put me on grade… Calculated the costs for me to be funded at grade eight. So when my funding kicked in, I was like, okay, right, so I’m on grade eight now. They’re like, no, no, no, no, you have to apply to go onto grade eight. And I was like, but I’ve brought this funding. Surely that’s my money, why can’t I access it? So then it’s, understanding the bureaucracy and how things work within your institution. So then, I had to apply for my own promotion saying, “I’ve got this funding, the money is sat there, it’s mine, can I have it please?” But again, it was understanding, and not really knowing how the system works in your university, until you get to that stage where you’re interacting with these people and talking more extensively to them. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And that’s where, I guess what Claire was highlighting, a mentor becomes a really useful thing, is that person who understands the system that you’re in, and the boxes you need to take, or the paperwork or the people you need to speak to, to be able to level up, I guess. I think that’s really important. So just touching a bit more on that part of, you’ve got your startup package. So how do you then go on to build your team? What’s the first type of person you look for? Is it a PhD student, is a master student? Or is it research assistant? Is it a postdoc? How did you all approach it, and what do you think is the best way to build that team? **Dr Ian Harrison:** I was in quite a unusual… Because of the two fellowships thing. It was, day one, first job was to recruit a postdoc. So it then became, looking at the work that I planned to do over however many years. It was figuring out, what skills I needed that person to have. Rather than splitting up parts of the project for the postdoc to do, and parts for myself to do it was, how am I going to manage these fellowships? How am I going to manage the lab effectively from the beginning? So it became evident quite quickly that I needed a very, very specific type of person that had the specific skills, to do the experiments that I wanted. But again, that kind of stuff of which I wasn’t aware. Of how do you put a job advert out within the university? Where do you have to send it to, so that the right people can see it? **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s a process as well. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Exactly. And the time scales of these things. I had no idea when I had to get the grant code into a certain part of HR, and how long the advert had to be out for, how long I needed to leave notice between asking somebody to interview, and actually interviewing them. And then all of those things, and then you offer the person the job, and then they have to give notice if they’re currently in employment. Things like that, which you don’t really think about if you think, well, my grant starts in say January, therefore I want them to start, but it takes six months to- **Dr Fiona McLean:** How long did it take you to find a postdoc? **Dr Ian Harrison:** My fellowship kicked in at the beginning of November. And because the grant code was there, it just wasn’t active yet, I was like, right, how do I do this? In late summer September, I wrote the job advert, and then I was told, stand down, you can’t do anything until your grant’s active. So I was kind of waiting for the grant to start, until I was a able to, because they weren’t allowed to advertise the post until the money was being used. So then by the time… So then I interviewed in January the candidates, offered the person the job. Then they had to give notice, so they started at the beginning of March, and then we had a lockdown. So that was fun. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh, worse. Oh my goodness. **Dr Ian Harrison:** So my postdoc started, he was here for two weeks, and then we went into lockdown. So yeah, it was great timing. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh my goodness. **Dr Ian Harrison:** But it takes longer than I thought it would. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah, much longer. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah. It took a long \[inaudible 00:26:11\]. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So Claire, you said, you now have quite a few people under you. So who did you think, I need to hire that person first? **Dr Claire Durrant:** So again, it grew very organically. So when I first turned up at the university, I was in a weird chicken and egg scenario. It’s like, well, you have to supervise a PhD student to qualify to supervise a PhD student. So you can’t supervise a student until you supervise a student. So I had this really weird thing where I had to work out how on earth I got around this. And the answer is, co-supervision. So I have a couple of students who I co-supervise with, one who I share with Professor Tara Spires-Jones, another who I share with Professor Veronique Miron. And they’re their primary supervisors, but they do work in my lab. So that gave me a little bit of an in. Now I qualify for being a primary supervisor because I have that experience of being a secondary supervisor, because I’ve now done internal \[inaudible 00:27:05\]. There’s a few hoops you have to jump through. So now, I’m very much, I’ve got a joint PhD project as co-supervisor with another person of similar level to me. We’re both on tenure track, which we’re advertising for currently. But students are a great way to start if you’re particularly… If you’re not yet officially in capacity to hire other people, co-supervising students is so important for getting your foot in the door for that. And then really, I got a couple of grants that also came in at the same time. So I applied for an Alzheimer’s Society project grant, which gave me a postdoc. So that was someone who was continuing from Tara’s group who then switched into my group to start. And then the James Dyson- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Quite good then because it’s someone that- **Dr Claire Durrant:** It was a continuation- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Already new the environment. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Exactly. So it worked really well as a first project grant, that one. And then also the James Dyson Foundation donation that provides money for a research assistant and a postdoc. And they both started in January this year. But it was a long road, because I officially got notification that I was getting the money November ’21. I then went on maternity leave between January ’22 to July ’22. And even though the money was there and now in a bank account, HR were very much like, oh, we can’t talk to you while you’re on maternity leave. So you can’t write job descriptions because otherwise you’d have to put it as, your keeping in touch days. And then we’d get in trouble because you’re on maternity leave. So day one of being back from maternity leave, I start submitting all of this. But you’ve got to have pay grade reviews. They’ve got to go through checking all of their internal candidates before you’re even allowed to advertise. So I advertised, and I got people interviewed in October and then with notifications and all of that, they started in January. So we’re talking about, obviously there’s a whole human has been born and everything in between that. But yeah. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s a lot of work. That goes on the CV. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Grew whole human, kept it alive. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. Absolutely. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Add that to the ref. **Dr Claire Durrant:** But yeah, it was hard, because I was just desperate to hit the ground running when I got back. And I can see their point, because I don’t want to be that person who goes on maternity leave, and makes it such that any other woman who wants to go on maternity leave feels they have to work throughout the entire time. But I was like, “Can I at least get a job description in?” And it’s like, well that kind of goes against the fact we’re supposed to leave you alone. So it was a little bit tricky with aspects of that. **Dr Fiona McLean:** It was challenging. We’ll come back to trying to do that personal life work balance. And before we move on, it’d just be good to hear from Dayne. So how did you build your team? Because you came in with a package that had some money for people. So how did you choose what kind of people you wanted to hire first? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Schadenfreude, listening to the other two stories, because it’s one of those things where it takes… I think this is one of the things we need to let people know when they’re making the transition, or even just during their learning curve of their scientific career is, the amount of time things take is just so mind numbingly dull, let you do- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Grants are Lord. Grants, getting papers out there- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I think everything. So it was very similar to you two. I started in the middle of lockdown. So I’ve come across… And I’ve thought, I know what I’m going to write for my… The job description, how it’s going to be. Because I had already got unnamed postdocs on the award. So I know what the positions are going to entail. How long are they’re going to last- **Dr Fiona McLean:** You knew the experiments that would be done. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Exactly. Oh, yeah. I can see it all happening laid out in front of me like a roadmap map. It was great. Oh yeah, it was going to be fun. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Working perfectly. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** But at least I knew exactly that, there were two postdocs associated with my post, and with the fellowship itself. So it came in, nothing was moving as quickly as you would expect during lockdown, because it just wasn’t obviously. And getting things in, getting it submitted, getting it approved, getting the clearance, interviewing people, possibly finding out that that person then can’t move across. Having to readvertise, all these things. Man, I didn’t get anybody in post until November of that same year. So it took basically almost a year, before I got anybody in post. So it sounds like it was very similar to the other two. What I actually ended up doing in the end, because we were trying to get everything set up, like buying and tendering a rig, electrophysiological rig to make the recordings, because it’s such a large piece of equipment, you have to go through tender process. Tender process takes quite a long time in itself. So I actually couldn’t get the rig in, as quickly as I wanted to. **Dr Fiona McLean:** For people who don’t know, tender is where you have to basically look across, even if you want to go to a company and you know that you need a specific bit of equipment, they don’t allow you to go straight to that company. You have to look across all companies to see the cheapest one. **Dr Claire Durrant:** It’s basically to protect them from you and your mate, setting up an electrophysiology company- **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s the one. **Dr Claire Durrant:** And center in a bit of plastic, and getting a hundred K- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Stop nepotism effectively. So it’s a good plan, it’s just that it can… And some of the hoops that you may have to go through sometimes feel more arduous than they ought to be. However, doing that process meant that I… What I actually ended up doing meant that, there was a whole year of funding for a post that had gone unspent. So what I actually did was carve off that year and create a new post, and somebody said earlier, but it sounds like taken, I needed somebody with a particular set of skills to come into the lab. So I carved it off and I was supposed to have a behavioral postdoc. Somebody who looked at animal work, and looked at the behavioral effects of Parkinson’s mutations, and then somebody to look at how neurons communicate with one another. But what I was missing was a molecular sector, which I always wanted to have, but couldn’t really work in. But I turned it to an advantage by carving it off and having somebody in the lab that was molecular. So we got that person in, she was absolutely fantastic. She got everything working, we got lots of molecular work in the laboratory. And then we’ve added two other fantastic postdocs to the team. And so getting them out there was hard, getting them in… And I’m slowly learning the process and now I’ve got… I did it the opposite way around. So I suppose I got postdocs before PhDs. I’ve now got three PhDs on the way. Actually we’re interviewing for one in two days time. And then that way, the team will be a set of five people. But we went postdoc and then PhD. Just because of the way it worked because the package was already existed. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So that was kind of- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah. I thought it would be… Because of what we were driving towards as well. I think it would require a skilled set of hands in the first instance to get everything running smoothly. And that’s happened. So that’s good. I think, for me, it worked slightly better. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Excellent. So just to go back actually to what Claire was kind of talking around, maternity leave is… Actually, all of you have young families, so how have you managed to have a young family and start up a lab? And I feel like Claire’s smiling there. So we’ll go back to her, because obviously it’s kind of different for Claire, because she’s had the baby and had maternity leave. First it’s Dayne, and Ian, who I guess had paternity leave. But we’ll come on to that. So Claire, do you want to talk first? How did you manage to start a lab and create a whole new human? **Dr Claire Durrant:** I feel manage, is a strong word. Survive I think is about where I can go. But for me, I guess as the only person who’s been pregnant on this panel, I was very fortunate and I had a really easy pregnancy. I was so lucky with that. Because I know some women are just absolutely incapacitated with morning sickness, get really uncomfortable. So actually in the lab, apart from having to avoid certain chemicals and things, I was able to be me pretty much up until maybe two, three weeks before the baby was born. So that was amazing. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s fantastic. So basically you need a bit of luck. **Dr Claire Durrant:** You need a lot of luck. And I think I really don’t underestimate that because I was so lucky. And I have so many friends who from pretty much day one were throwing up for five months, and I can’t understand how on earth these women can cope in a laboratory, and hats off to them. And I don’t want to pretend that I was enduring that. I was lucky, I felt fine. So for me that was really hugely helpful, because it meant, actually my time off, off-off, was only the six months that I took for maternity leave. Whereas if you include feeling terrible, that could potentially extend that as well. So it was very, very scary telling people that I was pregnant, because obviously I have funders who I’ve just been given a load of money by people and I go, oh right, I’m off for a little bit. But communication was absolutely key. Communication with my lab, communication with the funders. And basically just saying, look, I believe that I can cope with this, and I’m going to prove to you that I can. It’s a bit sad that in ’22 you still feel that pressure on you to be like, don’t worry, I’m not going to run off and just become a mom and leave science. But you feel those eyes on you. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Let’s face it, six months. I’ve had sequencing that’s taken longer. I’ve had animals trying to get into the lab that have taken longer than that. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I think sometimes people are still looking at maternity leave is a huge amount of time off. But in science we’ve just talked about how long- **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. And it was quite- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** \[inaudible 00:37:01\] in the space of time it took me to recruit one, who already existed in the world. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah. **Dr Ian Harrison:** To work out. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So I think there’s a perception that has to change. **Dr Claire Durrant:** There is. And obviously people are entitled to take up to a year. It’s weird that, I don’t know if Dayne and Ian feel the same thing, but for me I feel quite a strong sense of responsibility towards other women in science who want to start a family. And I feel quite a strong sense of responsibility to A, show that you can do it, but B, not make it such that people feel they have to do it my way. And I know that six months for a lot of people is a very short maternity leave. It worked for me and I absolutely want to support other people who want to take longer time. Again, some people don’t feel well in pregnancy. I did. I was able to work. But I’m very cautious that, I don’t want to set expectations on other women just because of how things worked for me. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And sometimes people have complications after they’ve given birth. Health complications they need to recover from. And also sometimes sadly, children, if you have a premature baby, you need to dedicate more time to them. **Dr Claire Durrant:** And I will say- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Can I ask you, why six months? What was it? Did you just feel that you really wanted to get back? **Dr Claire Durrant:** It was a balance for me. Because I always knew that I wanted to come back and I wanted to be back into the science. For me, six months felt the right balance of my baby would be old enough that they’d be… They’d had a lot of time to bond with me, but also then old enough to benefit from nursery. So I don’t feel like I was dropping off a complete baby with strangers. That would feel quite strange. But equally there was some science around it. I read that separation anxiety starts at nine months. So if you can get them into nursery before then, you actually have an easier time of moving that around. So for me it was really a balance of, okay, I want to have enough time with my son, but also don’t want to be out of the lab for such a huge time, because things move on so fast. They move on really fast. **Dr Fiona McLean:** They do. **Dr Claire Durrant:** But that was very much my own- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Change is both fast and slow. **Dr Claire Durrant:** But I think that was very much my own pressure on myself. I didn’t have that pressure from anyone else. The pressure all came from my perception of what other people would be thinking, or my own pressure on myself. But I did try and do some work on maternity leave, and it was not going to happen. I had such grand plans, I was going to learn to code on maternity leave because babies are easy, right? Babies are easy. **Dr Fiona McLean:** They sleep all day, right? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh wow. **Dr Claire Durrant:** So I was writing a review with some colleagues, and honestly it was the most garbage piece of writing I’ve ever put out. I read it back three weeks later after sending the first draft, and they sent some really polite comments back of like, oh, maybe we need to revise. And then I’d had some sleep. **Dr Fiona McLean:** So maybe you need to sleep some more- **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah. I had some sleep, reread it and there was like, I was repeating at the same sentence multiple times. So I was like, right. So you get through it and you do it, but I think massively lower your expectations about what you would achieve on maternity leave. It’s amazing to keep a human alive. And then actually once I was back- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. Including yourself as well. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. But once I was back, having him in nursery, I could actually have time to think at work, because I wasn’t constantly working out what I was going to have to do with him. But my working days are very strict now, in terms of, I can’t be in work before 8:30. I can’t leave work after 4:45. And then it’s very much balancing around him, and then catching up in the evening. So it’s flexible. Academia’s great for that, but I can’t stay if a brain case lasts longer, someone else will have to pick that up, and it’s a different balance for sure. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Do you think you’re more productive though because you have those hours? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yes and no. I was saying, as I was alluding to when we were chatting before, the month of January has been just an absolute mental case of disease after disease, after disease of viruses. And there hasn’t been a single week since Christmas- **Dr Fiona McLean:** In the family, not in the lad. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Oh yeah. There hasn’t been a week since Christmas where I haven’t had at least one day disrupted by either, him being ill, me being ill, him having his vaccinations, and there’s something… And you do just have to be kind to yourself, and go, do you know what? Yep, I have to skip out in the lab today because I’ve got to go pick up my son. But you catch up and you think… And you’re just running really fast to stay in the same place some days. But when do you look on, on that scale of weeks to months, you realize you are making progress? **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s a good way to look at it. So Dayne, you also have young kids. And you were saying actually, you needed a coffee for this podcast. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I have small boys climb on top of my head in the middle of the night, which is just now a regular case. It’s amazing what you now think of as being normal when you become a parent. You’re just like, oh, okay, that’s cool. My daughter used to come into the room and open my eyes for me, that was… Just daddy, and just open my eyes. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh that’s nice of her. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** And I was like, oh my God. I don’t know if nice was ever the word. It was very jarring. I was awake very rapidly afterwards. So she knew what she was doing. And I’ve got a six year old and eight year old. My two came during my postdoctoral years, I suppose. I very much like, Claire started working in a way that became regimented, more fixed. I don’t know about you guys, but when it comes to patching, when you’ve got a good patching day, you should stay at the rig and you should just stay there and patch away, so you can get all of the data in. And so I used to, when I was young and carefree, used to patch away for hours on end, and just be there and it wouldn’t matter, right? Now I got to get home for stories and catch-ups, and all the things I really want to do, which is obviously fine, but it meant that I have to compress and condense and work more efficiently. I found, I was working much more efficiently. But it does depend on what it is. And obviously with meetings and such, it affects your day and your plans and so perhaps you can rattle through all of the experiments in a week that you might want to do again, but you could do those experiments that you did want to do very efficiently and well, if that makes sense. So organization was part of it. It might not seem like it when you’ve got kids, because organization seems to be chaotic. But it was very much like that. Underneath, it was all organized and well thought out I think. But I too, am very much like, this is how I operate and this is how I operated. It’s going to be very different from families to family and person to person. So I totally agree with that. I think it’s an incredible thing to do. To create a miniature human, I think you’ve done spectacularly well, to come back after six months and only repeat yourself three times. I remember being out and about in my slippers when I was in Canada, and I was just like, what am I doing here? I don’t really remember. Yeah, this is weird. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Who am I? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** But yeah, I always say, you could probably sacrifice the science, or you could sacrifice the kids, or you could sacrifice your sleep, and this is why I’m drinking coffee. Yeah, that’s definitely- **Dr Fiona McLean:** So the sleep was the one that went to do… And so Ian, you also have small children? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah, so I’ve got a, well nearly three year old, and a four year old. So, my eldest came when I was towards the end of my postdoc project, and I remember we were doing sleep training whilst I was trying to write my fellowship applications. So that was particularly fun, kind of not getting- **Dr Fiona McLean:** This means that you can write all night, right? **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah, well not getting more than 45 minutes of unbroken sleep. 45 minutes, and then up again all night and then going to work and trying to figure out costings for your grant that you’ve… That was fun. But anyway. And then my youngest came, so I’d started my fellowship at the end of 2019. I was talking earlier about recruiting my postdoc, and one of the reasons I wanted to get him in the lab as soon as I could, was because baby number two was on her way. So my post- **Dr Fiona McLean:** This time you knew what was coming. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Exactly. So I kind of could prepare myself, and figure out how I was going to do this, and I knew the ins and outs of how paternity leave worked at the university. And I didn’t consider that there might be a global pandemic to deal with, with having a newborn at home. So that’s a- **Dr Fiona McLean:** That too us all a bit by surprise. **Dr Ian Harrison:** … That’s a different podcast. So my postdoc started at the beginning of March, so he was with us for a week and a half, and then I went on paternity leave, and then lockdown happened. So yeah, it **Dr Fiona McLean:** For you postdoc. **Dr Ian Harrison:** It was tricky. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Let’s just give a brief shout out to your postdoc who managed and he did really crazy time. **Dr Ian Harrison:** And he did it fantastically well. Because my thought was, I’ll go on pat leave. He can be in the lab, he can get settled in, meet everyone. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And you’ll be back in a couple of weeks. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah, exactly. Then we can get going with experiments. But he did fantastically well. In lockdown, I was dealing with a newborn at home, and a toddler who wasn’t allowed to go to nursery anymore, whilst trying to… And then we wrote a review, which I think most people did in lockdown, or at least tried to. But in terms of how my work life balance works now, I guess I’d agree with both of you guys that running very fast to stay still definitely resonates. That’s basically my life at the moment. Again, I think, since having kids, it’s made me a lot more efficient at work, because you know the hours that you’re in, and you know, have to leave at a certain time to make school pick up, or nursery pick up. So it does make you incredibly efficient in the hours that you are in. And I would raise, I definitely think that being a parent, and being a scientist, they both make you better at the other role as well. Even though some of the time I definitely think, you have a really bad week, and you think, I’m being a really bad dad this week, or I’m being a really bad scientist this week. I’m not getting that data done. But you have to take stock sometimes and think, each of my roles within my life makes me better at the other one. And you do have to remind yourself of that regularly, I think. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And think of it, once you’re old enough you can just get them to work in the lab for free. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Just make your own lab. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Just make your own lab. You don’t need to hire. No project grant, don’t worry, just make a human. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I like that idea. **Dr Fiona McLean:** \[inaudible 00:48:37\] some rules again that. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** They’re teaching you the other way, I have certainly found that when I’ve- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, it’s a really nice idea. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** … With kids, you might have to try and… If they’ve asked you a question, you have to repeat it, and if they don’t understand the explanation, you have to find a new way of doing it. That is actually quite useful for when you’re trying to convey information to somebody who’s maybe outside your field. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Definitely. Yeah. **Dr Fiona McLean:** You’re using your children for training for public engagement. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** They get it far better than some of my peers. No I’m joking. So it is quite good, because you have to learn, one subject, but say it in multiple different ways, so that somebody can maybe understand it a little bit better. Whether that be a member of public, or indeed fellow scientists, or outside of your remit of work. It’s quite useful. So actually, I compliment my kids all the time. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah. That’s a great point as well. I love that. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah. Thanks, Dayne’s kids. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Thanks Dayne’s kids. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Thank you. **Dr Claire Durrant:** And I would say, I think it’s getting so much better, in terms of, you talk to people who had kids 10 years ago, and people almost just didn’t mention their kids, or people tried to hide it on their CVS, and things like that. And one thing I’ve really noticed is that, once you have a kid, there’s this whole secret club of amazing people who then, you have something to talk about. Who are like, “Oh, you’re knackered too, that’s fantastic. We can talk about this. And there’s this amazing club of people who are all just really willing to help each other out, and discuss different things, who really understand you at a different level. And it’s been one of the most… Not to get too philosophical, it’s really opened my eyes into how much love there is in the world, because you know how much love you have for your son, and then you look around and you go, every single parent feels that way about their kid, and you just see this whole different thing. And you just look at your colleagues, who have kids in a very different way. And there’s just something I find, it’s quite nice when you think of the work we’re doing, we’re trying to build a better future, and then you can actually imagine that future, particularly when you have kids or your friends have kids and things. And I find that quite motivating. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s so lovely, Claire. You’re so inspirational. I did not expect this podcast to get so emotional. That’s absolutely lovely. **Dr Claire Durrant:** It’s the sleep deprivation, it does things to you. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh no, I think that’s a really lovely observation actually. It’s really lovely. One thing I was going to ask actually is, through all of this, through having kids, and setting up your lab and this huge journey you’ve all been on, what have you found to be helpful? Are there any resources or things that you’ve really found helpful that we can help point other people towards? Any podcasts? Or online resources that anyone- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Human resources. **Dr Fiona McLean:** … Went to find help? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah. No, specifically mentors. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Human resources, HR. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I think you should talk to… Not literal HR. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh, not literal HR, like actual people. I was like, because HR actually could maybe help you with your contracts, your pay. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** No. The resource, the human beings, I should say. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Guys, this is so deep. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Your fellow man human. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Do you mean, your fellow man? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Or anybody else. Exactly. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Or women. Sorry, I meant man, in the sense of- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** No, I think it’s really good. I don’t think you should ever have one mentor. I think having multiple people you can turn to is really useful. I’ve talked to, and turned to many people who have been there, and done it, and they are at various stages of their career as well. Yeah, it’s good. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s what this podcast is. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** It’s good. We are the resource. **Dr Fiona McLean:** We are the resource. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** We are the resource. That would be a good name for the podcast. But I find that people have got really great insight. Those common threads that they all say, you know that that’s really important. That’s always really good to have. At the beginning, I knew it was going to take a while. I’ve done a few postdocs, and I knew it might take a little time to get set up. And I’d done a tender process, for instance, once before. So I knew it was going to take a little bit of time. So I had in my head a period of the time where it would be… A lag period at the beginning, in my head. And then I was like, but I’ll have this bit done by this stage, and I’ll have this bit done by this stage. And I said this to one or two mentors. I have a mentor here, Professor Anne Rosser, he’s fantastic as well. And she was just like, no. Just maybe walk that back a little bit. I’m not sure that that’s going… She was really lovely about it. But in hindsight, I went back to her and was like, “Yeah, you were right, that was unrealistic.” And she was like, “Yeah, I didn’t want to tell you at the time, but yeah.” They’ve even given me their indication about certain aspects about… Like, as we were saying before, you don’t ask, you don’t get. Negotiation skills about who you might want as your first person in the lab, there’s often that thing that we talk about where you can have different people in the laboratory, that might be good at different things or have different specialties and, they’ve each given me fantastic feedback, that I think is far more valuable, especially because I can interact with them, and be like, oh, what do you mean by that? Let’s have a little bit more about this area of what you meant. And I think that, you just can’t undervalue it at all. Just experience, I suppose. **Dr Fiona McLean:** I think going back to mentorship, sometimes people feel a bit stuck in how to find a mentor. And my bit of advice is one, when you take that first PhD or postdoc position is, make it really clear in that interview that you’re looking for a mentor. And also go to the lab that you are potentially going to go into and ask the people who are there, preferably with the PI not there, how is the lab run? Is it a supportive environment? And make sure that that is a good environment for you to be going into. And then there’s also a lot of mentorship schemes out there. The one that springs to my mind at the moment is, Alzheimer’s Research UK Mentorship Scheme, which has only been fully up and running I think about a year and a bit now. And that’s a really excellent one, because you can actually specify what kind of mentorship you’re looking for. Are you looking for someone who’s had kids? Are you looking for someone who is more senior? Or are you looking for someone who’s just managed to get the first fellowship and you want to learn from them and how they did that. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Definitely. Sorry, I also just really quickly think that, it’s also important to… You don’t have to formally find a mentor, just maybe somebody who- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah, sometimes you just happen organically. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah. So that’s also… I just wanted to mention that. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah. Just to watch out for that as well. Absolutely. So Claire and Ian, is there any resources you can think of? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. So I would say we’ve talked quite a lot about scientific mentors, and people maybe higher up the chain than you. The biggest resource I’ve ever found is people. People just at every level. So HR, finance, the people who run reception on my building, people in stores, the people in the animal units. I’ve made a real effort to personally get to know all of them. The procurement team for example. Have a phone call or a Zoom call where you discuss, this is what my plans are for the next X, Y, Z, this is probably what I’m going to need. I’m tapping into your expertise here, how can you help me navigate? And then, I’ve just found people are so willing to help, and there is such a wealth of expertise. Like our procurement guys have been fantastic. Huge forms from the University of Edinburgh to order equipment over certain values. And I set up a call with them, and they just had it live and they were just filling it in as I was talking to them, telling me how to do everything. And you just have to make use of these people. And I think there can be a little bit in academia this snobbery of like, oh, well all the people, admin people are here to stop us doing our jobs, and it makes it really difficult. But if you find the right people, they can make your life so much easier. And hats off to the finance team, the procurement team and stuff we have here in Edinburgh, because honestly they do a really good job with hard stuff. And it’s who you know. **Dr Fiona McLean:** We also have a research and innovation services, is what we call it here. But all your universities will probably have some form of that. These are people who can help me find grants, or coming up, they’ll read your grant proposals even though they might not be in your scientific area. But it’s great to have someone who isn’t in your area read through it, to make sure that it can be understood. You’re right, there’s so many resources within the university and I think that’s where networking really comes in. And actually just being nice and asking the person in the coffee room, like how are you? And getting you know people. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Absolutely. Simple things like, I personally go and collect a lot of my deliveries from stores because case in point, we had this massive delivery of this huge piece of equipment for a microscope that arrived. It’s massive. It’s filling up their entire store’s thing. Normally they’d get a bit annoyed about this, but they know me, they’ve got my number, they can text me and we can chat about it, and we can sort it out together. But if you have this wall up between you and the people who make the university work, you’re probably going to find that they go, if you don’t move this by tomorrow, we are going to escalate this or we’re going to put it in the bin. But if they know you, there’s a little bit more of that kind of leeway. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah. A bit leeway. Human contact. **Dr Claire Durrant:** It makes such a difference. **Dr Fiona McLean:** It’s important. It does. That’s great. That’s such an important message, such an important bit of advice as well. So I think moving on, I think it’d be great to have a bit of a summary. And one of the things I’d love to ask you all is, what has your single biggest challenge been, in setting up your lab? If there’s one thing you think, oh my goodness, that was the one thing that was the biggest barrier that I had to overcome, what would it be? And start with Ian, what was your biggest barrier or your biggest challenge? **Dr Ian Harrison:** I think just the timing of things, COVID, was not the best. But I think that. Getting rid of that from my head. So I think a lot of it has been just learning about how, the ins and outs of the university, how it works. So a lot of the things, you don’t know how the finance division works, because you’ve never had to write your own… May have written small internal… For me anyway, I’ve wrote small internal grants, but I’d never written anything that big that needs to be improved internally, and then escalated to the right people. And again, going on what Claire was saying about getting to know people. So, finding that person in finance that you know can get a relationship with, and be able to message them and just be like, right, this is what I need to do. Who do I need to contact for that? **Dr Fiona McLean:** And who aren’t going to yell at you when you find a grant a few days before it’s due, and you’re like, “I really want to put money for this.” **Dr Ian Harrison:** Exactly. Can I do this? Is this a possibility? Can you say yes? But yeah, learning how things work as a PI. And I think one of the things that comes with, is the amount of time. We’ve talked a lot about time so far, but the amount of time in my day that isn’t just doing science. So a lot of… Before when you’re a postdoc, you can get completely absorbed in what you’re doing, and all of your working day is about the experiments, but then it comes to being a PI, and then it’s about, oh, I need to sort out the colonies of my mice or I need to arrange for that bit of kit to be serviced, or I need to review some CVs. There’s always other things to pull you away, but I didn’t really appreciate how much time- **Dr Fiona McLean:** So your priorities change, I guess. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Exactly. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And as a postdoc there and as a PhD student especially, you’re allowed to immerse yourself in the science experiments and it’s so lovely. But yeah, sad when the paperwork gets in the way. I actually think it’s one of the things that we haven’t learned from COVID is that, if you remove all this, we call it red tape, but what it actually is admin that we have to do, as you become a more senior scientist. If you take that away, you get so much more science done. But I wish that that were a lesson that we’d kept from COVID, but oh well anyway. And Dayne, what was your biggest challenge? If you could pinpoint one thing? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I think it might have been that transition from doing science, and reading papers, and then eventually writing fellowships such that it was, I think then to being more of, managing grants and people, and making sure that write-ups are in, in time, and milestones, and doing far less of the sciencey things. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Fun things. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** The fun things. **Dr Fiona McLean:** The reasons you became a scientist. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah, exactly. I still get to do the cool sit down chats about where we’re going to take data next, but then immediately what that follows is then, how do we get the money in for funding then? Where do we go? Let’s start writing up this whole report, but then all of the administrative that comes with that, can I just do it? No, I need to go through this and jump this hoop and do this step and- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Get all these other people to do- **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah. And so I talked to people before transitioning, and both people that were there doing that role, and then people who were about to make that transition, and the level of knowledge about how much that switched, was so poor. Because I think there were people like, oh no, I know how much admin there is involved in it, and I’ll just do this, and that and the other end. And people that are at the other end of the spectrum are like, no, you have no idea. Again, not to take it back to parenting too much, but it’s like when people tell you, “Oh, you’re going to have sleep deprivation.” And there’s no way of explaining how much sleep- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Oh, I’ve been tired before, it’ll be fine. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah. That’s always what you get. And it’s just like, no, you just don’t know. And I don’t know how to explain it to you, but it’s just on another level. It’s very much the same. It’s just on another level. Yes, you do lots of admin work when you’re moving through towards more senior levels of postdoc, but it’s just not that. You’re now doing that, for four, five people because you’ve got people within your lab, so you’re looking after you, and your lab and then looking up and helping out with the department. So it’s just- **Dr Fiona McLean:** Yeah. That’s one thing we haven’t really spoken about is, as you progress, you also take on more senior roles, you sit on committees. It’s how it helps you progress as well, because that’s another box you need to tick is that, you’re contributing to your school, to your department, to your university as well. So it’s admin that comes with that as well. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** That’s been the biggest challenge I suppose. Is more it’s been the transition to what it is and that’s fine, but it was jarring, I suppose. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Claire is it similar? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah, I think for me, it’s very similar, and I think because I’m probably slightly earlier in the transition than both Dayne and Ian. I think at the moment I’ve got that feeling where I just have all the hats on. So I have everything… At the moment, I’m the person who is lugging incubators around to move them into position, but also the person writing grants. And I’m the person who’s doing the interviews for new jobs, but also the person who’s doing the dissection of the brain case that’s coming in on Mondays. So it’s very much, I’m all levels at the moment, and trying to train people up to get to the point where I can pass on some tasks to them and then I take over more others. It’s a very much in that transition phase. And yeah, some days are just, you are really jumping from one end of the spectrum to the other, and it’s quite hard to keep yourself balanced when you go from scrubbing the floors to then sitting on a grant review board. It’s quite a different kind of thing. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Keeps you humble. **Dr Claire Durrant:** It certainly does. And it’s great because I have a pulse on what’s going on in the lab, but it does mean that- **Dr Fiona McLean:** That is true. **Dr Claire Durrant:** … I’m basically doing four people’s jobs, in terms of, I’m a PI, I’m a postdoc, I’m a research assistant, all of those things at the moment, while we’re getting set up. But the team around me is fantastic. I’m really enjoying setting that up. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And that’s great. **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah, definitely. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s really good. And looking back, is there anything that you’d do differently? And if there was, what would you be? If there’s anything you thought, I wish I could go back and change that. **Dr Claire Durrant:** I think to be honest, the power of hindsight is a fantastic one. I’d say apply to anything you are remotely eligible for, as early as possible. Just go for it. Getting money into the laboratory, as soon as you have people, things happen twice as fast. That’s the really interesting thing. And I didn’t really consider it when I got my fellowship. I was like, oh, I’ve got five years. I don’t need to think about money for a while. So I probably delayed the process of actually applying for more money, until a couple of years in. And actually I think almost day one, send some grant applications. Because if you can double your team, you can double your output. And I think that’s a really good use of your time. But also knowing when to stop and make sure you’re back in the lab as well. It’s all about the balance. For me, I felt like I had a triple whammy of disruptions. So I moved from Cambridge to Edinburgh to do my fellowship. So moving labs. Three months after that we had- **Dr Fiona McLean:** And countries. **Dr Claire Durrant:** … We had COVID hit, so then lockdown of COVID. And then I had a baby. And then, so it was all lovely sequential, every year or so having one massive hammer to your productivity. So I think just being really resilient as well, and being kind to yourself in that. And I know that everyone of our career stage has gone through that, and you’ve got to remember that. You’re not comparing yourself having had a COVID pandemic, with everyone else, not having a pandemic. We’ve all had it. So just know that it’s disrupted people in different ways. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Absolutely. And Ian, is there anything that you’d change looking back, if you could do something different? **Dr Ian Harrison:** I was going to say exactly the same thing as Claire, to be honest. One of those things is when you have this grant and then you’re like, right, so I’m sorted now, I can just get on with it. But some of the grants that I was looking at, you need to be in contract for a certain period of time to be eligible. And you’ve got the longest contract ahead of you when you start your fellowship. So it sounds counterintuitive to, as soon as you get going, start applying again. Because you’ve just come out of that writing phase, you’ve just come through it. So it then makes sense to start sending off these applications as early as you can. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And it can take a year, 18 months before that money can be confirmed or not. And so if you have a three year fellowship that’s kind of over. That’s halfway into it potentially. So, absolutely. And Dayne, is there anything different? Or do you agree with Claire and Ian on that one? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I think, it comes almost full circle back to the beginning in that, I would’ve negotiated more. Specifically, I would’ve talked more to people in the institution to find out the needs and musts, and how to, so that I could have maybe got things going slightly faster than I did. I’m still hung up on the idea of that timeline thing that I had in my head. And I’m always thinking, could I have got that done faster if I had done X, Y, and Z? And I suppose the only thing I could have done would be to interact even more with this institution that was far away in another country, such as it was. But it would’ve been good to be infusing myself of how the administrative and the bureaucracy levels work in the whole new institution, so that I could maybe get it up to speed a little bit faster, because I was learning whilst doing. But perhaps that’s a hindsight thing in all our cases, it’s a 2020, it’s great. We can think back, but I’m not sure if we would’ve ever executed. **Dr Fiona McLean:** You wouldn’t have learned the same lessons though, so that’s quite good. Nobody has anything massive though. That’s pretty good. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** \[inaudible 01:08:17\]. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Yeah. We’ve definitely not done it completely right though. **Dr Fiona McLean:** Is there a right way though? Who knows? I think you’ve all done incredible, absolutely incredible. Especially that you think all the challenges that there’s been over the last few years. And I guess that brings me to my last question, which is a nice one I think. Which is, what has been your favorite thing about setting up your own labs? Oh, lots of thinking faces. Ian, on your go. **Dr Ian Harrison:** One of the big things for me, was seeing people within my group present the work at conferences. So it’s something, when it’s your own work and you put the talk together, or you put the poster together, but seeing your initial seed idea that you got the money for, seeing members of your group take that project forward, present it, and get feedback on it. That was one of those moments where you kind of big, proud, smiley face. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s lovely, Ian. You’re like Proud PI. **Dr Ian Harrison:** Exactly. Exactly. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s really nice. That’s a really good one. Claire, you were going to say? **Dr Claire Durrant:** Yeah, it’s all about the people for me, in terms of, I feel really lucky with the people I’ve been able to crew. I’ve got the smartest, most driven, nicest people you could hope to meet. And I use those three words as, I have a criteria whenever I recruit, they have to be all three. They can’t lose any one of them. You can have the smartest and most driven person in the world, but if they’re not particularly pleasant to work with, or not honest, or not have good integrity, they’re not on my team. And likewise- **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s what sets the lab culture. **Dr Claire Durrant:** It really does. **Dr Fiona McLean:** And you need a nice- **Dr Claire Durrant:** And I think lab culture is really important, and any type of individual can do well in science. But I do think there are core characteristics that you have to be… And when I say driven, I mean curious. You want to answer questions about research. You don’t have to want to be a PI, but you want to come and do a good job every day. That’s what I class is driven. Smart, I don’t necessarily mean book smart. I mean, can you fix a piece of equipment? Can you work out what controls are good in an experiment? Can you assess what you’re going to do in a day and how you prioritize it? And obviously for some roles, can you think of an amazing idea that we can then go and test? And then nice. Can you work with people? Are you the kind of person that’s going to be really honest in your interpretation of data? Are you going to be collegiate and things? And if you lack any one of those three, you’re not coming on my team, is basically the way… And because I’ve been quite rigorous with that, I feel like I just have the best colleagues. I just have people who are just fascinating and just so much fun to be around, and they teach me stuff every day, and I absolutely love that. It just gives me such a buzz to know that, we are all working towards something together as part of a team, which I adore. **Dr Fiona McLean:** That’s fantastic. I love that as well. I can’t wait for Claire’s podcast series, which is going to be on inspirational talks, as a dementia researcher. And lastly, Dayne, what’s been your favorite thing about setting up your lab? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I think it’s the people as well. I can’t look beyond that. It’s seeing the enthusiasm that they can bring, and the energy that they can bring to the work that perhaps you’ve envisaged, but you can also see the evolution of it as they work on it, which is, it’s quite gratifying to see your story progress and somebody taking it on and helping to shape it. It’s this to and fro that you can have in the lab, which again, it’s really important to have a good lab culture. It’s good to have people with which you can work. My team and I can go down rabbit holes of talking about and discussing things. And then you look at your watch and it’s been an hour and a half, and you’re like, “Okay, so we have to end this lab meeting soon.” But it’s because you’re having such joy in talking about the science and getting it up to speed and getting it really working. And at the end of the day, that’s what we want to do, is get that science done, find the best ways of doing it, and the best ways of doing it is through a synergistic effort. So you can do that by recruiting the right people. And as I’m seeing the lab build and evolve, I’m seeing the fruition of that. Like Ian said, seeing the work presented. But I suppose the bit that I see, slightly to the left is that, I can see them executing the work and coming back and saying, oh, this thing worked, and I did this extra thing. And so I’m like, yeah, I knew it was going to work. We discussed it, and you were doing it, so you’re great at it, so this is great. And then that extra thing you did, that was fantastic. And so how do we work that out? Let’s sit down, let’s mold that over and how is that going to help us to progress it? So it’s enjoyable to be able to have people that are enthusiastic about that science, who have that drive to help people. Because we are working on Parkinson’s, and we really want to help people, and really get towards that goal of finding therapeutics. And it’s just great to have a team that loves doing that. And so it’s a joy. It’s a joy to come in and- **Dr Fiona McLean:** It’s a joy. Oh, this has been so fantastic. And we were saying before the podcast started recording, I was so excited about hosting this one, because I’m at this weird in between career stage where I’ve got a junior fellowship, and I kind of like… Yeah, I’m what Claire was describing at the beginning of this independent fellow, but in someone’s laboratory, and that transition, how do you transition? And I just want to say thank you so much for all your input today. It’s been so great to talk to you all. The insight’s been fantastic. And to be honest, I could do a part two of this because I think there’s still so much to discuss. But I’m afraid that’s all that we have time for today. I’m just putting it out there. I think we should do our revisiting podcast in a couple of years’ time, or a year’s time, and see where you all are then. Because I think you’re all in such amazing trajectories, and your work that you do for dementia research is fantastic as well. So, as I said, I’m afraid that’s all we have time for today. But if you can’t get enough of this topic, then you can visit Dementia Researcher website, and take a look at the show notes. And there you’ll be able to find a full transcript, biographies of our guests, blogs, and links to resources that we’ve discussed. I’d like to thank our incredible guests, Dr. Claire Durrant, Ian Harrison, and Dayne Beccano-Kelly. I’m Dr. Fiona McLean and you’ve been listening or watching the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing you research, news, career tips and support. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) – **our narrated blogs are now [also available as a podcast.](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs)** This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Choosing a Lab, Dr Claire Durrant, Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly, Dr Fiona McLean, Dr Ian Harrison, New Lab, Podcast, Setting up a Lab **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Basic Science Research, Research Infrastructure --- ### [Podcast - BNA 2023 - Festival of Neuroscience Highlights](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-bna-2023-festival-of-neuroscience-highlights/) **Published:** May 8, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** In this podcast, we bring you highlights from the BNA 2023 - Festival of Neuroscience, joined by 5 brilliant researchers to hear their highlights and insights. **Content:** **Welcome to another captivating episode of Dementia Researcher, the podcast that delves into the fascinating world of dementia research. In this special edition, we bring you highlights from the renowned BNA 2023 – Festival of Neuroscience, as we sit down with five brilliant researchers to hear their personal experiences and insights.** Our guest host this week is **[Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-kamar-ameen-ali/)**, she is joined by **[Dr Charlie Arber](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-dr-charlie-arber/)** from UCL, **[Dr Dorothy Tse](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-dorothy-tse-edge-hill-university/)** from Edge Hill University, **[Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-nora-bengoa-vergniory-abcn/)** from Anchucarro, Basque Center for Neuroscience and [**Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly**](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-dayne-beccano-kelly-cardiff-university/) from the [UK Dementia Research Institute](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/what-research-is-taking-place-in-the-uk-dementia-research-institute/) at Cardiff University. Join us as we embark on a riveting journey through the festival, where our guests share their best moments, favourite research presentations, and the exciting events that explored academic and research careers. Our guests, as experts in their respective fields, paint a vivid picture of the festival, offering glimpses into the cutting-edge research that caught their attention and ignited their curiosity. They share their thoughts on the emerging trends, innovative methodologies, and potential breakthroughs that could revolutionize our [understanding and treatment of dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/higher-education-course/dementia-understanding-key-concepts/). But it’s not just about the science. Our guests also shine a light on the various events that focused on academic and research careers. From panels and workshops to networking sessions, they discuss the invaluable opportunities the festival provided to connect with fellow researchers, forge collaborations, and learn from the brightest minds in the field. Whether you’re an aspiring researcher, a healthcare professional, or someone affected by dementia, this episode offers a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration. So, join us as we dive into the enriching world of the BNA 2023 – Festival of Neuroscience through the eyes of these remarkable researchers. Get ready to be inspired, informed, and captivated by the incredible discoveries and the unwavering dedication that [fuels the fight against dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/race-against-dementia-fuels-new-australian-research/). For more information on the event visit: [meetings.bna.org.uk/bna2023/](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmeetings.bna.org.uk%2Fbna2023%2F&token=72968a-1-1683384501562 "https://meetings.bna.org.uk/bna2023/") --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society & Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing you research, news, career tips, and support. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. I’m Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, senior lecturer in biomedical science at Teesside University and regular Dementia Researcher blogger. Today we’ve got an episode that’s going to stimulate your neurons because we are going to be talking about the recent British Neuroscience Association Festival or BNA for short, and we’re going to be bringing you some of the most exciting and thought-provoking highlights from this incredible event. We’ve got a fantastic lineup of special guests joining us, each with their own unique perspective on the latest trends and breakthroughs in their fields of discovery from cutting edge science to inspiring stories of perseverance and discovery. This episode is packed with insights and inspiration for anyone that’s interested in the field of neuroscience. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to have your mind blown as we reminisce on our week in Brighton. So, let’s meet our guests. First, we have the incredible Dr. Charlie Arber. Next, we have the brilliant Dr. Dorothy Tse, also the fabulous Dr. Dayne Beccano-Kelly. And last but not least, the awesome Dr. Nora Bengoa. Welcome everyone. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Hey. **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Hey. **Dr Charlie Arber:** Hey. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Thanks for having us. **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** Hello. **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Hey. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** So why don’t you all introduce yourselves properly? So, let’s start with Charlie. **Dr Charlie Arber:** Okay. Hi everyone. My name’s Charlie Arber. I’m a senior research fellow at the Institute of Neurology here at UCL, and my work focuses on stem cell models of familial Alzheimer’s disease. So, I am trying to understand the early mechanisms of disease with a view to trying to reverse Alzheimer’s disease. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Thanks, Charlie. And Dorothy. **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Hi everyone, my name is Dorothy. I’m a senior lecturer at Edge Hill University, also an honorary fellow at the University of Edinburgh. I’m a neuroscientist and I’m interested in memory and learning, healthy aging, and Alzheimer’s disease. So currently I’m working to develop a behavioral paradigm in spatial navigation that has a better translation between animals and human studies. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Thanks Dorothy. And over to Dayne. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Hi, I’m Dayne Beccano-Kelly. I am a group leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute here at Cardiff University. My work focuses on Parkinson’s and looks at trying to mimic the longitudinal timeline of the disorder to really understand how and what changes over time at the synaptic level. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Welcome, Dayne. And over to Nora. **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** Hi, I’m Nora. I work at ABCN or Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience here in the sunny northern Spain. I am a principal investigator and I lead the lab of aggregation and glial response. We’re really interested in looking at how proteins like synuclein or tau can aggregate and elicit glial responses in both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Welcome everyone to the podcast. So, for those listeners outside the UK or for those who don’t work in neuroscience, let me set the scene for you and please stick with us because I promise you’ll still find this show interesting even if you’re not in the world of fundamental science. Now, the BNA International Festival of Neuroscience is a unique dynamic and inclusive meeting. As you would expect, it has an incredible scientific program, but also a real festival feels with fringe and community engagement events across the city, career development talks, workshops, symposia, a silent theater, rapid fire porter talks, and much, much more. Now, the format for these types of chores is simple. So, we’re going to go around the studio, the virtual studio we’ve got today a few times sharing our highlights, summarizing any talks, postures, any sessions, sharing our takeaways, not literally our food takeaways, but our takeaways from the festival of course, and generally helping anyone who could attend to feel as if they were there. So, I know we were all involved in sessions and events during the meeting, so why don’t we start by sharing how these went? So, Charlie, let’s start with you. So, if I’m right, you spoke and you co-chaired a session, so how was that? **Dr Charlie Arber:** It was great. I suppose it was the first time that I’ve been involved in sharing a session at quite a large meeting like this. So, I did a little bit of preparation in advance, and we had two speakers online and two speakers in person. And I suppose the biggest challenge was that we had someone speaking from Uganda and we either had their voice or their video and never both at the same time. So, we had to quickly think on our feet and reshuffle the order of speakers. And then thankfully the audio-visual team were brilliant and sorted it for them afterwards and it was really well worth it because it was a disease that I knew nothing about, nodding syndrome, which has something to do with tau in African population. So, it was fascinating and well worth sticking with it in the end. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** So, what was the session on? **Dr Charlie Arber:** It was translational advances. It was a bit of a mix. So, I spoke about stem cell models, someone else spoke about astrocytes. We had nodding syndrome and then we had antibodies as well. So, it was about fundamental advances, and it was great. It was nice to see a mix of topics all sorts aiming towards the same thing. So, it was great. Yeah, I enjoyed it a lot. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** I think that’s one of the benefits of one of these kind of broader neuroscience meetings because you do get to mix with scientists that are working on different things compared to what your personal topic might be and it’s kind of almost broadens the work that maybe you are going to be involved in. And you can speak with other people that you might not normally speak with because they’re not in your direct area of work. Dorothy, I know that you were also involved in speaking and co-chairing a session as well. Am I right? **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Yeah, so the session that I chaired is about spatial memory. So, it’s a behavioral insight into the nature of spatial memory and it’s convened by European Brain and Behavior Society. So, it’s linked between behavioral and also cognitive processes of neuromechanisms. And so, there are four speakers. Like Charlie’s session, we have two speakers online and two speakers in person. And so, we’ve got one speaker who’s from Dartmouth University in the USA. So, time zone-wise, we got to liaise about that. And then the symposium itself is about recent studies in the area of spatial memory. For example, there are recent studies in place cells. And for those of you who don’t know what place cells are, place cells or neurons in the hippocampus that fire when the animal visits specific regions. So, we call that place cells and place fields. So, it’s the lots of animal studies and also one of the speakers talked about humans’ life studies cognitive navigation too. So, it’s very interesting and I like it because there is a mixture of animal studies and also human studies. So, it’s a good multidisciplinary session looking into both the animals and humans and in spatial navigation. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** I think it’s one of those areas of fundamental science where you can see the direct implications. I mean, this is Dementia Researcher Podcast, but think looking at fundamental science in terms of spatial memory, episodic memory, looking at animal models to determine what those fundamental processes are can have translation over to trying to understand then in disease models and then in human disease, especially relating to dementia where we know that some of those early cognitive changes that we see are to do with spatial navigation, to do with episodic memory. So yeah, definitely I can see how a session like that would appeal to people that are both working with animal models and doing human studies as well. Sounds really exciting. Nora, you were also involved in the session as well. Do you want to tell us a little bit about that? **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** Sure. I was co-chair to the session on techniques and technologies for the study of Parkinson’s disease, which was sponsored by Parkinson’s UK or PD UK. And I think we had a fantastic mix of different topics there because we had a talk by Caleb Webber exploring the heterogeneity in iPSC models, which was radically different, for example, to that of Jado \[inaudible 00:09:59\], who was talking on how we can use perhaps exosomes or ectosomes, which I did not know existed until this very talk. Well, he presented a biochemical study, but I think the further ahead route of research would be to use these and harness the potential between the different sorts of these \[inaudible 00:10:22\] in order to use them as biomarkers. And then we had a fantastic talk by Amanda Lewis on the classification of Lewy bodies, and so a bit of what Dayne’s lab explores, but at the Lewy body level. If we start with a pale body, which is the very early lesion in Parkinson’s where synuclein seems to start to accumulate, how does that then mature let’s say into a Lewy body? And she just does beautiful CLEM studies that just blew me away to be honest. It’s just so nice and such a very fantastic continuation to the early field shocking \[inaudible 00:11:04\] paper a few years back that it was such a privilege to co-host really. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** And how did you get involved with that, Nora, in terms of the organization of that session? **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** Well, I feel like the credit is for Dayne and David Dexter because I simply laid back and got an email from David Dexter, but I feel like he may have gotten some poking from Dayne. You might have to ask Dayne actually, because I was just delighted to receive the invitation and it was a wonderful experience and the BNA as a whole was a wonderful experience. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Well, shall we naturally hand over to Dayne then? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** No, no, you’ve got it all entirely on your own merit. Don’t try and push and deflect this away, Nora. You know you were there on your merit and that was really good. I was actually at that session. It was a wonderful session, and I can fully concur all of the talks within that session, including your own. It was really good and really refreshing. I did a few things at the BNA; it was quite busy. Full disclosure, I’m co-chair for the BNA 2023 program organizing committee and a joint meeting secretary. So, I had a hand in setting everything up I suppose, although actually full credit, which needs to really go to the team, the real people that were doing the work. So, Sophie and Joe and Louise and Danny and Sophie Grange. So, they were really the ones that put everything together. But I did end up running around a little bit. I chaired a couple of plenary sessions, one for Joanna Wardlaw who has done some fantastic work across the course of her career. So, she was rewarded with the John Wollstonevraft lecture, which celebrates leaders in the field of neuroscience and neurotransmission. And she was talking about her work involving Lackey too. So, she was looking at the translation of the work that she’s done into clinical trials, looking at how to help with lacunar infarct and the vasculature within the brain and how this can then have a knock-on effect to improving cognition, which really spoke to me. Way back when I did my PhD, I used to work on stroke on the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, so I really liked that talk a lot. And I also got to equally have another chair of another plenary session, which was Dimitri Kullmann, which is another honor. He’s done some great work on electrophysiology, excitability, is a neurologist and he was talking about some of the work that he’s going on to do to make trials using really, really fascinating stuff with driving or silencing the activity of neurons based on an activity dependent manner. So, using potassium channels to drive silencing in those neurons, which then actually increases an activity at the time. And then I’m sure we’re going to get onto it later, but I was at some of the other satellite areas, so some of the speed dating and the careers talks and sessions and I thought it was really good. It was really fun. It was great to interact with lots of people. As a lot of people said, it was great to see people in 3D. I know we’re doing this online, it’s a necessity here, but it’s great to meet and chat with people in real life and remember how short and tall everybody is in real life. So that’s always good. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** It does make a difference, doesn’t it? And I’m quite a short person and it’s the first time that I have met some people in real life as well. But I can always assume people are going to be taller than me. But I think maybe they get shocked with how I’m only 5’1, so I’m quite short. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I think I imagine myself taller than everybody else and I get the shock of my life when everybody’s towering over me, and I prefer it online now. It’s better for \[inaudible 00:15:06\]. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** I also want to mention, Dorothy and I were also involved in a session that was organized by the BNA and also the ALBA Network, which is an organization that promotes diversity and equity in neuroscience. And it involved us and others kind of running round table discussions on topics such as careers, work-life balance, reducing unconscious bias, things like that. And then co-producing solutions with those who attended. ‘Cause I think a lot of the time when we talk about these issues that, not necessarily specific to neuroscience, but more to academia more broadly, we’re highlighting what the problems are, but not very forthcoming with how we solve these problems. And actually, if there are any solutions, it tends to come top down. So, the idea of actually co-producing solutions I thought was really innovative and exciting. So, Dorothy and I were involved in this session with those who attended. So, Dorothy, why don’t you tell us how you found that session went for you? **Dr Dorothy Tse:** I found it great because it’s a workshop too. So, we were divided into eight tables, round tables. So, we discuss different topics and then we share and then rotate and then discuss further of these topics. So as Kamar mentioned, the topics are about work-life balance and career paths and job security, which I think is important especially for early career researchers, and definition of excellence and mobility and unconscious bias. So, there are lots of diverse topics we discussed. And Kamar, I think you hosted the career paths session? Yes. So, with me I did on the work-life balance. I found it’s hard also. I did some homework before I chaired this session. So, I think it’s important to find out what are the core things that you like to do in life and then you make sure you do them first before you have these other small tasks occupy you. And I think we had a really good discussion, and everybody just joined in and worked on some solutions for that. And I remember one of the researchers talking about work-life balance, so we have to manage our time and prioritize things. And we also have some practical solutions for that, for example, zero inbox when you do your emails. So, make sure you clear it as soon as possible. So just again, prioritize. So, I think it’s good that some practical solutions come out. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** As you said, Dorothy, my table, we were looking at career paths. So, we rotated the tables three times, so I had three groups and what really shocked me was the same things produced in each group. So, they were sharing that within their institutions, careers outside of academia aren’t really promoted within their departments, within their universities. And I was quite surprised by that because sometimes you see things advertised about things like medical writing or working in industry, but either it’s not getting to postdocs and PhD students, it’s not advertised as well, or they’re just not frequently organized enough. They’re kind of sporadic, they’re not kind of there enough or promoted enough. I feel some people said that they couldn’t talk about careers outside of academia within their group because it was almost seen as failing or not pursuing what maybe their PI wanted. And it’s just a shame that people might want to explore but don’t feel like they can explore options outside of their PhD. And I think we need to think of PhDs and postdocs as training for a multitude of different career options. And I’ve written about that a lot for Dementia Researcher. So, it was a shame that these same problems were coming up, so it’s obviously something that’s quite prevalent. But then we also produced some really, really great solutions. So we know that some funders as part of their PhDs, they have these almost internships I guess you could call them that are kind of built into the PhD studentships where they can go and spend some time in a career outside of academia, whether that’s spending some time working with a medical writing company or working with industry so they can actually have some exposure to these different options, not just academia. And I think one thing that came back was actually that should be more widely available to students but also to postdocs because I think it is only a select few funders that do offer that at the moment. So, we did produce some good solutions, but it’ll be interesting to see now how we move forward in potentially trying to implement some of those solutions. I don’t know what any of the rest of the panel think about that. **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** I think it’s definitely a worry that people are not comfortable sharing that they’re wanting to explore things outside of academia. I think from a language perspective as well as a community, we should strive to stop calling them alternative careers. I think it just ingrains that concept that the way is academia and anything else is just the other stuff. And it’s not. These are careers, all of them are careers. And with my team for example, I ask them not on a daily basis, but every so often, maybe they think I act too much. But I do ask them quite regularly, what do you think it is that you want to do later? And I do explore a lot of the different options with them, and I do try to give them SPIs. What I mean is we can give them our contacts. I’m sure everyone or almost everyone who has gone to industry or to academic writing or to medical writing or to any type of career option that is not academia is more than happy to spare some minutes and even just have a conversation. Because the placements seem like a fantastic opportunity, but I can see how that is difficult to make widely available to everyone. But just to have a conversation over Zoom, these days everyone will engage in that. And just for us as PIs to promote that as much as possible and to try to convince early career researchers or ECRs to just really don’t be afraid to ask because well, if you don’t ask, you don’t get, but also you really shouldn’t be afraid to ask. And if you feel like you’re not comfortable with your PI, we’re all online. I’m sure this panel here is more than happy to help. So just reach out and we’ll be happy to help. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Absolutely. I completely agree, Nora. I think that what you said there, you shouldn’t be calling them sort of alternative careers. They are just careers. They’re all careers. And another point is when we send off PhDs and postdocs to another lab and we see it as growth for a network, we can now have ties to another network. The same can be held true for moving into different areas. So, if I have friends that have moved into the GO-Science or the Government Office for Science in the UK and that have ties to politics and government and policy design is very vital for a lot of the stuff we do and that’s very useful as well. I have friends and colleagues that have moved into IP and ideas development. And this is also really useful if we have patents or if we have other things coming out. So, we shouldn’t be so narrow-minded as just to think that the ties that we can form only consist of other academic institutions. I mean, I’ve put people into contact with these people before at PhD level, at postdoc level even. When we were at Oxford, Nora, I ran a program where we did talks from these external sources so that you could show that it’s not only academia robust, but there are also other ways and means of doing things. So, I’m really interested to know, Kamar and Dorothy, the people that were at your table, was it one particular age profile or demographic? Was it only PhDs or was its PhDs and postdocs, or were there occasionally some PIs there as well? **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** There were predominantly PhD students on my tables and postdocs, but interestingly we did have a few people that worked outside of academia already. So, it was really good to get their perspective on what their experience was like moving outside of academia and how they transitioned. So yeah, it was a bit of a mix, but I don’t think I had any PIs on my table. I don’t know about you Dorothy. **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Yeah, so in my table, so three rounds, there are some PIs, not majority and there are some students, PhD students, but they have prior experience in working in industry before they go to PhDs. Which is very interesting because it’s given a different perspective because we talk about long hours and working long hours in academic again, because it’s linked to work-life balance so one of the key themes we talk about is long hours do not equal to productive hours. So, I think that’s hitting a lot of people with the work long hours in the lab, but sometimes taking a break and setting boundaries are also important. And I also would like to echo what Nora and Dayne mentioned, I think it’s important also for the PI to actually encourage or support the students to look into different career options. I found that during this discussion some of the PhD students mentioned that again, they were worried to spend time outside whether they’re doing experiments, to look into different career options. So, I think it’s important maybe as a role model or support your lab to grow in that way. **Dr Charlie Arber:** Can I just pick up on that? I think it’s just amazing that we’re talking about the career development, and it was my first time going to BNA and I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it was one of the massive highlights that there was so much thought and community spirit behind it as well as career development. For example, I went to a CV clinic because I never knew six-page CVs were normal in science, so it was good to know, but as well as that there’s the open access with the BNA’s own journal, there’s credibility and reproducibility and there was a whole plenary session on a credibility and reproducibility that was amazing. For example, what represents an N number in reproducibility between experiments? Which was really interesting to discuss. And even pre-registration, which I hadn’t really considered, but for all topics. Pre-registration for even a basic science experiment, what are you expecting? What are you hoping to get out of it? I think was really interesting to hear because sometimes looking back after an experiment, oh I did actually do what I said I was going to do, and you might have more positivity after an experiment than you thought. But I think it was just amazing to see the BNA as a society, sort of all these extra things outside the academia which I was really impressed by, and I loved. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** I agree Charlie, they’re definitely pushing forward on a lot of those different agendas and their leaders in a lot of those things definitely. Since we’re talking about careers, Dayne, can I come back to you? ‘Cause I know that you were involved in the work in the career zone and in the career speed dating as well. Am I right? If so, how did that go for you? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Those were excellent. It was my first-time speed dating, and it was an excellent experience. I really enjoyed myself. Now I met some fantastic PhDs and postdocs at the speed dating session, sat at the table and obviously the idea is you rotate rounds and have quick chats with everybody. It was really good to see a breadth of idea sets and questions and really get to chat with a wide variety of people. That’s another bonus of the BNA, I really think is that you get to talk to neuroscientists not just from Parkinson’s and not just even more niche from the synaptic or electrophysiological angle which sometimes is the realms that I walk in. But to talk to structural protein biologists and just fundamental mechanisms of science and it was really, really refreshing, and interesting to hear the same sorts of questions coming from them as the students and postdocs that I usually see. How do you progress on the career ladder? What would you look for in a postdoc? What would be the next step for me? How do I approach and apply for fellowships and funding, et cetera. But there was an energy, there was a really nice energy about it. Everybody was enjoying themselves; they were eager to talk, eager to ask questions. Nobody felt, I feel over awed by talking to anybody. In fact, what I heard back from a few of them at the speed dating was that they couldn’t believe there were people at higher up levels like Patrik Brundin or David Dexter walking around and just engaging and interacting with them. And I think they were a bit starstruck in some cases, which was great to hear because that’s good that they were having such good interactions. And then the career clinic was similar, it was people coming up and talking about what they were trying to do, what they were trying to achieve. We were next to the CV clinic Charlie, and there was lots of people there also and yeah, it was good to see that there was, at least from my perspective, a lot of engagement with what could possibly be considered the sort of more satellite things at the meeting. Not just the talks but these extra bits, and there was a lot of engagement with that which I think was really, really, really good. It’s exactly what we would have wanted. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Sounds fantastic. So, what I would like to ask you about now is any other sessions, any other posters, events that were a particular highlight for you? So, let’s start with Charlie. So, anything that your kind of experienced during the meeting that was a particular highlight for you could be a particular session, any particular postures or any of these kind of satellite events that we’ve just mentioned? **Dr Charlie Arber:** So, I think one of the talks I wanted to see the most was probably the first talk on the first day, Sunday. So, I caught the very first train from my station at home and only missed the first five minutes of the first talk, but it was around immunotherapy and Alzheimer’s disease and other diseases. And James Nickel from Southampton was presenting data on some of the older trials with immunotherapy and Alzheimer’s disease where the drug was AB1792. And what they did was inject amyloid into people, evoke an immune response and that then clears plaques from the brain. And those trials were 10, 20 years ago now. So, some people have passed away since then and he’s looked at the pathology in those brains. And what’s interesting is obviously the plaques are cleared away, but also some of the microglial activation is reduced and the pathology seems like there’s been a positive effect of some of these drugs. And the reason this was such a highlight now especially is because of the news at the time of recording just yesterday, but when this goes out last week around donanemab as the second passive immunotherapy I suppose. So, this is giving antibodies rather than the antigen. Donanemab is the second antibody, two and a half I’d say after aducanumab, but we now have three antibodies that can effectively clear away plaques and two that effectively showed slowing of cognitive decline, which I think is really exciting and it’s taken 20 even 30 years since the discovery of amyloid. But we’re really on the cusp of something exciting now and I think looking at some of these pathologies and some of the results from the trials 10, 20 years ago is really fascinating about how it works and what we need to do to take this forward. So, I think that’s really one of the highlights, was to see the state of the art and where we are with new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** So, a highlight at the very beginning pretty much of the meeting sounds really interesting. So, Nora, what about you? What was a particular highlight that stuck out for you? **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** I think one of the highlights that I’d like to mention, which has tangentially already been mentioned is basically just the diversity in the program. So, it is very easy to just talk about the neuron and just have neuron-centric talks. And when I talk about diversity, people naturally go to EDI and inclusivity, but I also think about it in the topics that are covered. And just to have so much glial research in the program to acknowledge that these cells are really important in neuroscience that we just should not be focusing on a subset of them and to explore all that is just absolutely fantastic. And there was PD UK session where Hazel Hall-Roberts and Julia TZW and Emma Mead amongst others were really not only looking at the biology of microglia, but also using these cells for screening assays because again, we’ve been focusing on the neuron a lot and we’ve just not paid attention to the glia. And to just be using them now in functional studies and to look at drug discovery I think is fantastic, but I also think it speaks to the organizing and the building the program because if you don’t plan these sessions, we’d simply miss out on these talks and we don’t get that diversity in the cellular context of the brain. **Dr Charlie Arber:** I’d just like to agree wholeheartedly. That was a fantastic session and hammering your point home, I think Julia TCW’s results show that you only see phenotypes when you co-culture the glia with neurons and you don’t see them when you grow these cells on their own. I think really supports what you’re saying. **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** Exactly. Great. For example, Alzheimer’s, they’re multifactorial diseases. If it were a Mendelian P if you will, if it were just down to one gene, we would already have cracked it and we haven’t. So, we just need to build in that diversity into the programs of the scientific meetings, our models, everything. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Yeah, really good point. I think one of the challenges with a broad neuroscience meeting is having these parallel sessions and covering all these things. ‘Cause I certainly found that there were several different sessions that were happening at the same time and found it really difficult to pick the ones that I wanted to go to ’cause there was several happening at the same time that were really relevant for what I’m interested in. So, Dorothy, what about you? What was a particular highlight? **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Would like to echo with Nora and Charlie. So, I think when talking about diversity apart from topics, I think it’s the elements also with diversity. So, I think one of my highlights is the last talk on Colin Blakemore. I found it quite moving. Not only talk about how amazing Colin’s work was, the importance of the plasticity in the brain and focusing on postnatal plasticity of visual system because he’s amazing in doing that. Also, you can see people who previously worked from his lab actually presenting a lot about his work and also, he was a great mentor. So, I think that elements moved me a lot because Tara Spires-Jones’s sources talk about that. So, I think it was great. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Thanks Dorothy. And Dayne, what kind of stuck out as a highlight for you? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** So just to complete the set, I’m really pleased to hear that everybody really enjoyed the breadth of the types of sessions that were held and the different platforms with which that was given. So, the posters and the talks and the parallel sessions and then things like the speed dating. So that’s really good to hear. One of the things behind the scenes that we, just to give you a little insight, Kamar, that’s exactly what we wanted to hear, is that you couldn’t pick because some of the parallel sessions were so good rather than, well none of them were that good so I went for a walk down the beach and went to getting some fish and chips alongside the pier just for this particular session. It’s good that there’s so much to see and to do. That’s right. And I’m glad that it was like that. And I felt like that. At one point I was jumping between parallel sessions, which was hard. I’m trying to gauge it and write all these notes down, which was really good. But one of the real highlights for me was watching Patrik Brundin Brendan talk, not just because of the science that he was doing, so he was talking about synuclein apathy and synuclein based models, but he was very balanced about the idea of synuclein and its impact in Parkinson’s, of its input, but not that it’s solely to do with only synuclein. And sometimes things can become fairly dogmatic in the field and it’s really nice to hear from somebody so eminent as himself that there are other ways and means. And these possibly could be modifiers of the disorder as well as driving forces. There’s a spectrum as there is across all neurological conditions. And it affects people differently and we see different outcomes when we look at the pathology and therefore it can’t be as Nora just put it, that Mendelian P. It can’t be just that one thing that’s causing the same thing because we get such breadth of symptoms and histological pathology. So, it was really nice to hear somebody like that say it on stage whilst talking about his model system, which is heavily based on synuclein, which just provided a nice perspective. The other great thing was as well as I say, as well as the data that he was doing and showing, which was really interesting with the infections and bladder infections, UTI maybe, being one of the places where things like MSA could be stemming from, et cetera, was his as assertions on two fronts. The first is we don’t want to just drive towards the end point of histopathology all the time. Sometimes progression is the key and coming in and looking at my particular work and angles, perhaps I’m biased, but trying to look at progression and progressive models and trying to mimic the disorder in general rather than just to hurry to the end point is quite nice to hear because he had a model which needed a lot of time before it developed any sort of histological pathology. And the journals were perhaps a little hasty to reject work or to question his work, which brings me onto my second point in that he was quite clear with his viewpoints on keeping postdocs waiting for 18, 20 months on decision makings of journals just because somebody wanted to do everything slightly to the right again in a mouse model and correct it. Having seen that this already took a long time and perhaps not trying to look for a paper that explains everything in one foul swoop and instead maybe perhaps allowing people to break up their data and seeing it for the merit of what is being presented at the time. And I thought that was brave and it was also something that people wanted to or needed to hear. So, his talk, to me spoke on multiple different levels, not just on data, but about how the concept and the culture of science should perhaps be being changed. So, it was really lovely just to hear that plenary talk. It was great. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** It’s always great when you come away from a talk or a session not just taking away the scientific content, but these are the things that you can then take away and apply in your work life as well. I think for me, one of the sessions that I really enjoyed was the one on neurovascular contributions to dementia. So, understanding how changes to blood flow in the brain might have a role in the onset of and progression of certain neurogen diseases like Alzheimer’s and how that can then have particular implications for potential treatments. And I found that what really stuck out for me in that session was how we had early career researchers speaking alongside really eminent distinguished professors and them sharing a platform. I thought that that was really nice to see. And also bringing early career researchers on to co-chair these sessions as well and co-organize them. I thought that was really nice to see. So, it was really exciting to see Bertha, who’s also one of our Dementia Researcher bloggers and she was talking about her PhD research. But we in the same session had Professor Edith Hamel from McGill University and I just thought it was really nice to see them sharing a platform together and talking about the same topic. And I think it was the first time I’d ever seen anybody get a round of applause at the start of their talk because Professor Hamel is so distinguished in her area and she had a round of applause at the start of her talk, which I thought was quite funny. I was like, imagine if I get there in my career where I’m applauded just by existing. That was quite exciting to see. **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** Coming on stage like a rock star. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Exactly. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Yeah, that’s amazing. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** It’s what we all strive for, right? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Exactly. We can only dream. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** But then I think as well, something aside from the scientific content that stuck out for me, did anybody go to the peer review section? And when I said pier, for anyone that’s listening, it was spelled P-I-E-R because obviously we were at the seaside. So, did anybody go to that session? Because I remember walking past the conference the day before it opened and seeing these kinds of fairground tents through the window and I was thinking, what are they doing in there? So, did anybody attend that and want to explain to our listeners what that was? Dorothy, did you go to the peer review? **Dr Dorothy Tse:** I did. It was great fun. So first of all, it’s very colorful. I’m just trying to describe it, it’s very colorful. It’s like in a circus, I don’t know, is it the word, right? Yes. Yeah. And I found it amazing. So, you did it with Susanna Walker who’s deliverable neuroscience group lead. So first of all, we need to hook a duck. And at the bottom of the duck, there are different topics, there’s important topics in the neuroscience field. So, let’s just say for example, the topic I did was how do we actually inference the policy about neuroscience? Or let’s just say if there’s not enough funding, what can we do about it? So, there are different topics, important topics. And then we have to do some activities, like throw a ball towards some coconuts. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** I think it’s called a coconut shy. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Coconut shy, yeah. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** Yeah. **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Yes, that’s probably it. And it’s great. It’s great fun. So, we done a lot of activities and in the end, I found it nice that we got to add some water to a tank. So, every neuroscientist takes a small step, and we’ll make a bigger step. So, the idea is that we got to make the floating brain out from the spec tank. So, each of us contributed a little bit of a small step and then together we took a big step. What about for those of you who went there? Do you feel this similar thing? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I briefly went there and engaged in the end, like you said, you explained it wonderfully. It was just really good to have a bit of fun and stimulate talking points and defunding the NHS on how the NHS and more interaction with it would be good for neuroscience and neuroscientific research. And I think you did a wonderful do job, Dorothy, of describing it. It was a bit of fun, but a way of stimulating some very real topics and real conversations that should be being had by neuroscientists on a regular basis. Just not ominous at all, but did you hear that giant tank at the very end, it shattered, and all the water came out? So, there was a mad dash to try and sort that out literally just before the last session, I think. And it just shattered, and all the water started spilling out. That’s nothing to say that we are not to get stronger together and we’re not doing… It’s not going to come crashing too well, but it was a bit of fun ’cause it was literally all hands to the pump. But it was interesting. **Dr Charlie Arber:** We can break down barriers together, right? **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** There you go. Brilliant, Charlie. Nice one. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** It’s just how we frame it. It just shows the power of neuroscientists when we come together to solve these issues. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** I like that. We’ll feed that back. **Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory:** Well said. Well done. Nicely put. **Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali:** It’s kind of a good way to end this podcast on, I think. And it was a lot of fun. I’ve never seen anything like that at any conference that I’ve been to, and it was a really good way to stimulate discussion because people were just naturally drawn to see what’s this big circus tent is and for what are all these games here? And it was a lot of fun and a really great way to have those discussions on various topics. So, I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got time for today. However, if you want to continue to catch up or if you’re interested in knowing more about the events or watching some of the recorded sessions, head to bna.org.uk. The next event will be in April 2025 and is heading to Liverpool. So, we hope to see you there. I would like to thank our incredible guests. So, we’ve got Dr. Charlie Arber, Dr. Dorothy Tse, Dr. Dayne Beccano-Kelly, and Dr. Nora Bengoa. I’m Dr. Kamar Ameen-Ali, and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Researcher podcast. Bye everyone. **Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly:** Bye. Thanks. Bye. **Dr Charlie Arber:** Thanks a lot. Bye. **Dr Dorothy Tse:** Bye. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society & Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing you research, news, career tips, and support. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) – **our narrated blogs are now [also available as a podcast.](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs)** This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** BNA Festival, British Neuroscience Association, Dr Charlie Arber, Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly, Dr Dorothy Tse, Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Dr Nora Bengoa-Vergniory, Podcast, UK Dementia Research Institute **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC Preview 2023](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-preview-2023/) **Published:** June 26, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Adam Smith chats with Dr Claire Sexton, Snr Director of Scientific Programs & Outreach from the Alzheimer’s Association to get the lowdown on the upcoming AAIC **Content:** **[Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/careers/regular-contributor-adam-smith/) chats with [Dr Claire Sexton](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-claire-sexton/), Senior Director, Scientific Programs and Outreach from the Alzheimer’s Association. Discussing this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 16 – 20 July.** Taking place in-person in Amsterdam and online – the world’s leading basic scientists, clinical researchers, early career investigators, clinicians and the care research community will share breaking research discoveries that will lead to methods of prevention and treatment and improvements in diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease. In this exciting edition, we will be giving you an exclusive sneak peek into one of the most highly anticipated events in dementia research conference calendar. Join us as we delve into how you can attend, the scientific programme, extra events and just what the AAIC will deliver this year. With leading experts, visionary thinkers, and research pioneers gathering under one roof, this conference promises to not only showcase groundbreaking discoveries, but also be a place where you will get careers support, and unrivalled networking opportunities. - **To book your place visit – ** - **Join ISTAART to get a free online ticket – ** **Note:** Students worldwide and researchers from Low- and Middle-Income Countries are now eligible for free ISTAART Membership (and ISTAART members can attend the AAIC Online for Free) – Become a member, then register for the conference if you can’t make it in-person. --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and The Alzheimer’s Association, bringing you research, news, career tips, and support. **Adam Smith:** Welcome to the Dementia Researcher Podcast, the show that brings you the latest insights and conversations from the world of dementia research. I’m Adam Smith, and today we have a special episode as we dive into previewing one of the most anticipated events in the dementia research calendar, the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, or AAIC. Joining me from the Alzheimer’s Association to give us the complete lowdown is the amazing Dr. Claire Sexton, Senior Director of Scientific Programs and Outreach, and importantly, one of the great people behind making the event happen. Hello, Claire. Thank you for joining us. **Dr Claire Sexton:** Hi. Delighted to be here. **Adam Smith:** Could you tell I was reading and not just, that wasn’t spontaneous memorized narration. Well, we’re back for the third, is this our third time of doing this each year? And every year you have something new to add to this, so I’m really excited. But for those guests that don’t already know you, why don’t we start by asking you to properly introduce yourself? **Dr Claire Sexton:** So, I work on the Med Sci team at the Alzheimer’s Association leading our team of volunteers and our staff working on our scientific programming for our conferences and also ISTAART and our peers. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. Well, thank you. I mean, the AAIC almost needs no introduction. It’s the largest, most influential international meeting dedicated to the advancement of dementia science. And each year the AAIC convenes the world’s leading basic scientists, clinical researchers and early investigators, clinicians, and the care research community to share their groundbreaking discoveries. But these days it’s much more than that, isn’t it? It’s an event where people come together to network, to collaborate, to get careers advice and support. But enough of that introduction, let’s get into it and hear more about it from you. Great. So, could we start with the basics, Claire, and tell us where and when is the event actually taking place this year? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yes, the conference is from July 16th through to the 20th in Amsterdam, but it is also online as well. So, wherever you are, if you’re not able to travel, you’re still able to access all of the plenary sessions and all of the scientific sessions, all of the posters as well, **Adam Smith:** 16th to the 20th does that include… Because you have that whole pre-conference thing as well? **Dr Claire Sexton:** So, the pre-conferences start a couple of days before, so on Friday, then we have hands-on workshops. So, Ozzie Ismail on our team has been leading these and working with several of our professional interest areas through ISTAART. So, we’ve got ones on hands-on getting started with neuroimaging analysis. We have another one, cognitive assessments in low- and middle-income countries. We have others on using the AD knowledge portal ecosystem and using our so many different types of workshops. And again, wanting to kind of vary it, not just these being more didactics, but then these being more hands-on, smaller groups learning. And it’s something that we are looking to expand next year. So then if you come, please let us know your experience of these and if you’ve got ideas, if you run sessions locally that you’d love to share with a global audience through AAIC, again, reach out to us and we’ll be in Philadelphia next year. So, we’re already thinking about what we’ll be doing there. **Adam Smith:** That’s important to note the early start because I remember that always confused me until you became familiar with the AAIC, is that you get those dates and I remember putting those dates in my diary saying, that’s when I’ve got to be there. And then as you started to look nearer the time you went, hold on a second. This is a whole extra program of brilliant activity that just starts a bit earlier. I’ve got to reorganize things to be there. So, if this is your first AAIC, don’t be tricked by those main dates there’s this massive really engaging program of pre-activity that is optional, I guess. **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah. So, then it’s Friday is the workshops, and you have to register for those. Several of those workshops are already sold out, but you can check on our registration site and see if there’s more space. And then on Saturday we have the two pre-conferences. We have the Alzheimer’s Imaging Consortium. We also have technology and dementia, and we have peer day. So, there we have sessions throughout the day from all of the different peers being represented. And again, this is a nice way of if somebody’s attending AAIC for the first time to kind of ease into the program so it’s not going straight in into thousands of people. You can have smaller discussions with people with a similar focus and then get to know people through peer day and then be seeing those familiar faces throughout the week. **Adam Smith:** So, if you arrive in Amsterdam on the 14th, don’t worry, you won’t be alone. There’s going to be a whole bunch of other people. And so, you said some of those are going to be booked up now, but I’m guessing that means that some are still available and can still register to attend in person as well as… When do you think that will get full? Does online ever get full? Can you just register right up to the day if you go online? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, you can keep registering. You can turn up in Amsterdam and you can register online. So yeah, there’s still ample opportunity to register if you haven’t already done so. **Adam Smith:** Great. And just thinking about registration online, how does that work for ISTAART members? Is that something you pay for or is there a cost associated with that…? **Dr Claire Sexton:** No, it’s- **Adam Smith:** I can’t remember. It used to be free, right? **Dr Claire Sexton:** And it’s stayed free. So, it’s still free for ISTAART members and joining ISTAART is free for students and also for anybody based in a low- and middle-income country. **Adam Smith:** There really is no excuse not to attend. And I’m assuming that online is just the main conference, not those pre-conference things about which we were talking. **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, it’s not the pre-conferences, but as part of the main conference, it’s plenary sessions or the scientific sessions, it’s the posters. And in all the scientific sessions it’s not just watching, you can still be submitting your questions, getting your questions answered by the presenters. So, it can still be that you are interacting with the content. **Adam Smith:** So, I mean that’s perfect. I think even if you are kind of squeezing this in alongside work or you can still register for free as a ISTAART member and still at least then play catch up because you can go back and the sessions are all recorded, aren’t they? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, all recorded and available for 30 days. So, we see that it’s not just the people who are attending virtually, log into the virtual platform, it’s also people who are there and there’s often seven different parallel sessions. So, if there’s two things that you want to go to, then you can pick one and you can catch up on the other afterwards. **Adam Smith:** Most of our audience, most of our listeners are early career researchers themselves, but of course we do occasionally have somebody living with dementia or carers and people with lived experience listening as well. Is this a conference that’s got something for them in here? Can they attend online? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yes. And actually, people living with dementia are able to register for free. So, there’s information on that, whether it be the virtual or even the in-person. **Adam Smith:** Oh wow, really? **Dr Claire Sexton:** We do have then sessions, for example, we’ve got a session on the Monday on patient and public involvement in dementia research, global perspectives on that. So, then we either have other sessions which are exploring novel approaches to caregiver burden and stress. So, there are sessions that are more applicable and understandable for a general audience. And if anybody is listening in the Netherlands, then we are also having a summary session on the final day in partnership with Alzheimer’s Netherlands, which is then going to be the key take homes of the conference. It will be in Dutch. So that is again open to the public to attend that final session. **Adam Smith:** That’s brilliant. And so, if you register somebody, do you only have access to those understandable sessions, or does it just give you access to the full program like others? **Dr Claire Sexton:** It gives you access to the full program. And then also we have a PDF, which is recommended sessions. That’s for a general audience so then you don’t have to try and wade through everything, but they can look at these highlights and decide from them. **Adam Smith:** I’m always really conscious because there’s always that risk isn’t there, that you kind of point people towards the easy sessions and assume that they couldn’t absorb the more technical sessions, but then you’ll always get somebody along who says, “No, no, no, let me see it.” So, if you are listening and you’re somebody living with dementia or you’re a carer or family member or just passionate and interested in dementia, why not register to attend? It sounds like there’s going to be lots of interesting sessions in here that are perfect and will help you come away with a bigger feel as to some of the work, the amazing work, that’s going on across the world. Thank you, Claire. So, I think we’ve sold them. You can still register, just to recap, free registration for online for students who are members of ISTAART, and you can join ISTAART for free as well if you’re in a lower middle-income country or you’re a student and you can attend online for free. You can still pay to attend in-person, still lots of places, or you can even just turn up in Amsterdam and buy your ticket on the day as well if you need to. And of course, all the sessions are going to be recorded and you can watch them online. You can only attend pre-conference if you’re attending in person, but there are still places at many of those sessions. And I’ve seen that each individual peer these days has their own Twitter accounts, don’t they? And they’ve been Tweeting. So go follow @ISTAART I-S-T-A-A-R-T on Twitter and social media because they’re tweeting lots about the different sessions, which is a great way to keep up to date if you’ve not seeing what’s going on. So that’s enough of that. So, we’ve talked about the pre-conference, I think. Yeah, I already asked you the second question before we’d ask the first that’s on my agenda. But moving on to the big event, can you give us a rundown of the scientific program? What’s covered and what do you think are going to be the main highlights this year? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, we have lots. So, we have over six hundred talks this year and there’s also over 3,500 posters in person and another thousand or so online. So, everything is covered really in some way, shape or form we hope. And there’s a few key areas where I think a lot of eyes will be on. One is the latest with anti-amyloid therapies. So then on Monday we do have trailblazer ALS2 session on the donanemab results, which will be the first time that that’s being heard. We also have deeper dives into graduate studies into the A4 and learn studies. And on Wednesday we have a plenary session, which is then four presentations on amyloid reduction and what evidence there is of downstream biomarker modification. So that will be I think a very interesting plenary session and we’re taking a different approach to our plenary session that day just because of the interest in activity in that area. But it would be wrong to construe it as there being an amyloid focus because then we have other sessions on TAU therapeutics, on therapeutics targeting the immune system and then also non-pharmacological approaches. So, we’ll have the first results of the aging and cognitive health evaluation in elders randomized trial, the Achieve trial. So then that’s a study looking at hearing aids. So again, that will be in our developing topics. So, it’s a mix of all different approaches that we’ll be seeing there. **Adam Smith:** That’s good. And biomarkers, I mean that that’s an inevitability, right? At any conference at the moment, I imagine there’s a hot topic on biomarkers and when they’re going to be clinically meaningful, are we going to see them come through. Just for anybody who’s not attended before, do you organize it so that different days look at different things or is it just a mixed program throughout the week? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, so just firstly with regards to the biomarkers, again, this was the largest theme in terms of submissions, and we have our opening plenary is Rik Ossenkoppele talking about TauPET in clinical trials and practice. We also have during the week updated appropriate use criteria for amyloid and pet. We have a session on the NIAAA revised clinical criteria for Alzheimer’s. We have sessions on implementation of plasma biomarkers within community settings. So, there’s a lot on that. And because we have so many people attending in person again now this is going to be our largest in person gathering for AAIC, we try and spread this out so that if people are coming for the week, we don’t want it to be that people have to be choosing between two sessions that they want to go to both of them too often. So, for this year then we try and have themes going through, there’s a kind of focus on TAU on the kind of Sunday and the Monday, and we think through how these findings can build upon one another and develop discussions through the week. So, there’s a lot of planning that goes into the placement of the sessions. **Adam Smith:** That makes complete sense, doesn’t it? Because if you put all your say biomarker things in on a Monday, that’s great, but then that would just be too much to absorb in one day. You would find yourself missing so much that you want if you had 20 parallel sessions going on biomarkers. So, spreading it throughout the week in that way is quite clever, although it does make for long days. What time is the first session each day? **Dr Claire Sexton:** So, the first scientific session is at 8:00 AM and then it finishes, the last scientific session’s at 5:30 PM but then we also have our- **Adam Smith:** We’re going to come to that. And you have special breakfast sessions as well. **Dr Claire Sexton:** We have breakfast networking sessions. So, we have the AWARE peer for women researchers \[inaudible 00:16:12\]. **Adam Smith:** Well, this is my next question. So AAIC these days, I mean it’s not just a conference where people come and present science anymore, is it? It’s become so much more than that with this rich kind of program of training and networking and career stuff and mentoring as you say. So, talk to us through what’s going on in that kind of extracurricular space. **Dr Claire Sexton:** So, if you like getting up early for a nice breakfast, then 6:45- **Adam Smith:** 6:45? **Dr Claire Sexton:** -6:45 till 7:30 we have networking breakfasts led by the AWARE peer and the diversity and disparities peer. And we also have one which is aimed for clinicians and that includes clinicians in training, but just more for people can be discussing the content that they’ve seen and how it applies then to their work. And we have key mentors and leaders at these sessions. So, it’s just a different type of networking and more informal conversations through those breakfasts. And then at lunches, we also have lunch tables in the exhibit hall next to the posters. And we have meetups there, for example, for Brazilian researchers, for African networks, there’s funders there you can meet including the NIA. And also, at the same time at lunch then there’s the interactive sessions looking at publishing skills, inclusive peer review, communication skills, partnering with research participants. So, all of that happens at lunch times. And then in the evenings we have the opening reception. We also have the ISTAART reception on Wednesday night and at the ISTAART reception we’re going to have tables where you can be meeting with the peer executive committees as well. So again, there’s just lots of opportunities to meet people. **Adam Smith:** So, breakfast sessions, are they every day from Sunday? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Not every day. So, they’re Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. And we do ask if you can RSVP. So, if you are an ISTAART member you should be getting our Sunday emails. If you’re not, please just drop us an email at istaart@als.org and we can make sure that you’re added to that. But they have links to RSVP for these events. **Adam Smith:** So, anybody who’s new to the event and has not yet necessarily become a member of ISTAART, definitely sign up to ISTAART now. It’s not too late if you go to the website. There’s a charge obviously if you are at a later career stage or in a wealthier part of the world, but if you are not, it’s free as we mentioned earlier, but it’s through that you can join these professional interest days, sorry, professional interest areas, which is the peers we’ve mentioned. And you don’t have to be working. So, one of those, for example, is called the eye as a biomarker. That doesn’t mean you have to be an optometrist or something to join that peer. As long as you’re interested in that field, you can join that. And then some aren’t disease specific, are they? Some of them are career stage specific, like the AWARE peer you mentioned. Remind us of what AWARE stands for **Dr Claire Sexton:** The Alliance of Women Alzheimer’s Researchers? **Adam Smith:** I put you on the spot there. You looked like… **Dr Claire Sexton:** I surprised myself. **Adam Smith:** If you didn’t see you have to go to YouTube to see the visual reaction to that one for the podcast. So, they’re the ones that organize these breakfasts and you don’t have to be a woman to join that one either. **Dr Claire Sexton:** No. **Adam Smith:** So, you don’t have to be anything to join any of these. You can just join them. But by being involved in those peers, this is where you’ll receive these emails. Which I know I’ve been receiving them this week to highlight all the different activities these professional interest areas are doing throughout the week, their focus research sessions, their lunchtime sessions, these extra training things that they’re doing, the breakfasts. And if you sign up to those emails, you won’t miss out. I’m guessing they’re also all listed in the program because you have a wonderful event app. **Dr Claire Sexton:** So, we have the meeting notebook if it’s somebody’s in person and as well as the app as well. So then that can keep you up to date and you can save a program and refer back to it. **Adam Smith:** Did I see as well, there was one session that caught my eye that’s been mentioned about dealing with the media. That one particularly looked interesting about how to handle media or communications. **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah. And that’s on Friday, Saturday as well. So then again, the link goes out to that just exclusively for our ISTAART members, but at the time of this recording, there were still a few spaces available in that one. **Adam Smith:** It might have gone by the time this comes out. This is going to come out in about three days after we’ve recorded it. But what an amazing full program again and you said six hundred in-person talks? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** Wow. It just as ever continues to impress. There’s nothing else on that kind of scale. I wonder how does that sit with other disease areas? Are there bigger conferences in other or the same? Do we know? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Uh, I… **Adam Smith:** No. Why would you? Well, I think that’s the content covered, but before we finish, let’s move on and talk a little bit about how to get the most out of the event. We’ve already talked about the app a bit. Let’s move on and talk a little bit about how to get the most out of the event. Okay, we’re back. So, Claire, what advice do you have for anybody who’s attending the AAIC for the first time? Because I know from experience, I mean it’s overwhelming, right? With six hundred in-person talks and three thousand posters, did you say? Thousands of posters and all the extra sessions as well, and imagine you’re a first, second year PhD student going to your first scientific conference, it can be pretty overwhelming. So, what advice do you have for anybody who’s attending for the first time? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, and I think exactly right, it can be overwhelming. So, I think the first thing is to think about what you want to get out of the conference. Is it that you want to increase your knowledge, in particular about your research field? So, the work that you’re doing for your PhD, do you want to concentrate on learning more about that and networking or is it that you want to come, and you want to be learning about a new field? So then if you’re working in public health that you want to be learning more about biomarkers or more about the basic science. And also, to be thinking about who do you want to be spending time with? Do you want to be taking this opportunity to socialize with people that you work with, enjoying their company in a different setting? Do you want to catch up with old friends or do you want to meet new people and spark new collaborations? Do you want to make sure that you build in time to see Amsterdam, or do you have other deadlines that you’re going to have to be meeting during the same time? So, to be thinking of, okay, this is what I want to get out of the week, these are my priorities. And then to review it and see is that realistic? Am I going to be able to get all of these things done? Because you want to pace yourself and produce a plan of like, okay, I want to do X, Y, and Z this week and this is then how I can do it. So then to be looking at the conference program, looking at the app in advance, looking at what presentations you are most keen to go to. We’ve tried to change some of the session naming to make it easier to navigate this year. So, you’ve got the plenary sessions, which are big picture. There’s only that session on at that time, so it’s bringing the whole AAIC audience together. Then we have perspective sessions and then these are also supposed to be big picture. So, if you are looking for an entryway into a different subject, then these would be more accessible. And then we have the featured research sessions, and these are ones where you can dive a bit more into the details. So, for example, if you’re looking at biomarkers, then you might get the big picture with the plenary and the perspectives and then with the FRSs then you can be getting more into the details of what individual studies are finding. I think we’ve already spoken about the extra things. There’s also morning yoga and so to be building in those types of things and to be building in what you find helpful if you need to have a bit of time, there’s a Zen den if things are getting a bit too much. So, I think they’re the kind of things just to be thinking about and it is really thinking in advance of what you want to get out of the conference and then what you can be doing to meet those aims by the end of it. **Adam Smith:** And I think that’s where the app can be particularly useful at that. How far in advance can you actually put the app on your phone and register with your details? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, it’s a couple of weeks before the conference, then you can start seeing everything. **Adam Smith:** I love the way that it allows you to look at that by presenter or by topic and then you can click and build yourself a unique planner. It has that kind of diary function. I’m saying that this is what it’s been like in previous years. I’m assuming it’s not changed, that you can still build yourself a kind of bespoke planner for the week. Because that was really helpful, you lose track of time, you’re sat in one session and then it’s great though because it’ll beep and go, oh, there’s another one starting somewhere. Particularly if you’re not staying for an entire session, you’re going to leave one after you get past speaker number three to run across the conference center to go to another session and catch speaker number five. I think that’s where it can be particularly useful. But also, as well as you said, these are all being recorded anyway, so even if you find yourself sat there in front of something interesting, you can stick around and catch it later on. You mentioned Zen den, do you also have the student lounge this year? Because there were some really cool things going on in there last year that I missed. You were doing photography and things like that. Is that in there? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, there’s usually head shots and refreshments in there and then the ask session will be on there on the Thursday as well. **Adam Smith:** What’s the ask session? **Dr Claire Sexton:** So, the ask sessions are throughout the week and these are in the exhibit hall and then in the student and postdoc lounge and it’s with plenary speakers and also award winners. So, then it’s an opportunity to ask them questions about the plenary session, which doesn’t have Q&A, but also about their careers and career advice and anything that you would like to ask, then you’re able to ask in that session. **Adam Smith:** And if you get lost, there’s a bunch of people in purple T-shirts, right? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yes, thank you for mentioning our ambassadors who are volunteering at the conference and they’re integral to the smooth running of the conference. They’re in every single session. They’re working with the chairs, with the presenters. If you’re lost or you have any questions, then you can see our ambassadors in purple shirts. So please do go and say hi to them and ask them any questions that you may have. **Adam Smith:** And they themselves are researchers. So, this isn’t a professional signpost, these are researchers themselves that will actually have an understanding. They’ve been primed and previewed and aware of everything that’s going on. So, they’re really helpful in guiding you when you can’t find the room or the sessions you’re looking for or knowing what’s going on at any one time. I know that from experience. So top tips are plan ahead then, make sure you’ve looked at the program in advance, worked out the talks you’d like to see. I think social media can be quite useful there as well because if you’re a social media user, it’s a great place to meet the people that you’ve only ever engaged with online. And if you find out in advance who’s going, if you’re going on your own and there’s nobody else from your lab going, that can be a great way to immediately make a friend I think and not feel quite so nervous that you are kind of lost. Or even if you’re looking for somebody just to go for a walk with and you’re a bit worried about being out and about on your own. So many of the early career researchers I’ve spoken to in the first, this might sound ridiculous, but so many of the ECLS I spoke to last year particularly this was their first time going abroad on their own as well, not necessarily just going to a conference on their own. And so, it can become kind of daunting to do that, I think. So, lots of great opportunities to network as well. And networking is brilliant because of course I know from talking to some ECRs as well, they’ve made friends for life through this and also future collaborators. And if you are looking for a job right now or a funding call, I don’t think it can hurt to print off some business cards that you make up for yourself on Word, shove a copy of your CV in your bag. I think it’s always quite handy to have that potential around. And everybody always talks about, what do you think about if you are wanting to ask questions for the first time? Do you think they can do that? \[inaudible 00:30:36\]. **Dr Claire Sexton:** This year as well, you can ask questions through the app. So, if you are nervous about going up to the mic, but you have a question, you can send it through the app, you can send it through the online program. But we also want AAIC to be inclusive, to be supportive. So, if you have a question and want to go up to the mic, please do. We have a prep session for our chairs, which is then reinforcing that we want it to be an environment where everybody is comfortable and that you can go, and you can ask your questions and you can get those questions answered. So, you can ask during the session in a variety of ways, you can hang around at the end and try and grab a speaker. And you can also see if somebody’s got time scheduled at their posters, which is another nice way where there’s kind of time for one-on-one interactions as well through the post sessions. **Adam Smith:** And I guess quite a lot of people who are going to listen to this might actually be presenting themselves. I wonder, I haven’t put this into my questions, I’m putting you on the spot here, but I wonder if you’ve got any tips for somebody who’s maybe presenting for the first time. **Dr Claire Sexton:** There’s several and we actually have webinars coming up on this topic. We have one for poster presenters and we have one for podium presenters. So, if you are presenting, you should have received the details about that. So, I think please do join those and the recordings will be available afterwards, so we’ll be able to give all the pointers there. **Adam Smith:** That’s brilliant. Anybody would think I’d kind of worked this out and I knew what to ask. I’m just giving you the perfect questions and you’ve done everything. This is the great thing. I’ve never been to one of these things and said, “What about that?” And you go, “Oh yeah, we hadn’t thought of that,” because you truly have thought of everything with this particular conference. And I’ve just keep talking about presenting for a minute there as well, I think posters, I love posters. I think posters are a great first way to present because it gives you a chance to talk about, and even I think the most introverted of people who are there on their own shouldn’t be afraid to go and talk to some of the poster presenters because that’s a great way to get a conversation going and not have that pressure of being in a big room full of people and worried that you’re going to ask a question that’s a dumb question. Because that’s what people are worried about, right? They’re worried about looking silly when they speak into the microphone. But don’t, just go for it. Go and ask those questions. We’ve also got podcasts on these topics as well. They’re a little bit old now, but we’ve got topics on how to give a great presentation, how to deliver a great poster, how to get over some of your anxiety around attending a conference for the first time. And we’ve got a bunch of blogs and content on the website to talk about how to prepare for that. Great. And do you know, is there anything else you’d like to add, Claire? Is there anything you’d like to tell us that I haven’t asked you? **Dr Claire Sexton:** No, I think we’ve covered a lot. I think we’ve gone over time again. **Adam Smith:** We have. Well, in that case, I’m going to read again, that’s all we have time for today. But before we go, I just want to highlight that we will be recording podcasts each day during the AAIC using our virtual recording studio. So, if you are attending, whether that’s in person or online, we’re always really interested to have you come and join us on the podcast, which we’ll record after each day session. So, we’ll record on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. We’ll record four podcasts that week at the end of each day. And we’d love for you too, if you’re attending, to join us and to share your highlights, talk about what you’ve seen and heard, what the good bits were, and we’ll be putting those out each day during the conference as well as a little bit of a roundup. And it doesn’t matter, even if you’re not attending in person, we’re going to be recording these online. So, we’d love for you to join us. You can reach out at dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk. Drop us a line, and we’d love to have you join. And commenting on the podcast is a great way as well to raise your own profile and to join our illustrious gallery of research contributors, which everybody tells us they like. So oh, also as well, if you’re attending in person, the Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, UK Dementia Research Institute and Dementia’s Platform UK are hosting a networking event on the 18th of July. And I know they’d love to make sure that this is well attended. We’ll pop a link in the show notes should you be interested in registering, going, and learning more about some research opportunities to come and work in the UK and what some of those funders and things are doing right now. Because it’s an exciting time to work in research and of course I’ve got to wave the flag for the UK as a great place to work. Claire, thank you so much again for taking the time for us to join us. Is there anything else coming up beyond the… I mean you are always two steps ahead. What’s coming up for you after the AAIC? **Dr Claire Sexton:** Yeah, in October, then we have an AAIC advancements conference towards health equity in ADRD that’s going to be in San Antonio with focus on social determinants of health. And then, yeah, we’re already planning TAU 2024 Neuroscience Next for 2024, other things. So, lots are still in the works. And yeah, thank you so much to Dementia Researcher for your continued support. **Adam Smith:** No, that’s as ever- **Dr Claire Sexton:** I appreciate it. **Adam Smith:** -it’s always a pleasure and our third year of doing this. And also, I should flag that we’ve been recording right now our fourth series of the Relay podcast, which is going to come out every day the week before AAIC. So, if I’ve got my calendar, which means from the 10th to the 14th of July, there’ll be an episode of our Relay podcast coming out every day. And this is where the interviewer goes on to be the interviewee of the next one. And we have five professional interest areas. I think this year they’re coming from health disparities, neuroimaging, I shouldn’t have started this, the eye as a biomarker and a vascular one and another one. They’ll all be joining us that week to talk about their own peers, the things they’re doing at the AAIC, but also the hot topics in their research field. So do tune in. These will be starting in the week before the AAIC to the Relay podcast and they’ll all be available on YouTube and on here. Thank you very much, Claire. I’m always in awe of the amazing work you and your team do to innovate and make the event bigger and better every time. I’m sure it’s going to be amazing. So, everybody, don’t forget it’s not too late to register. And even if you can’t get there in person, go to aaic.als.org to register. I’d like to thank my incredible guest, Dr. Claire Sexton. **Dr Claire Sexton:** Thank you. **Adam Smith:** I’m Adam Smith and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe and never miss an episode. And leave us a review. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing new research, news, career tips, and support. **END** --- Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** or find us on twitter **[@dem\_researcher](https://twitter.com/dem_researcher?lang=en)** You can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) – **our narrated blogs are now [also available as a podcast.](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs)** This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with [Alzheimer’s Association](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-association/), [Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/ "Alzheimer’s Research UK Corner"), [Alzheimer’s Society](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-society-corner/ "Alzheimer’s Society Corner") and [Race Against Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/race-against-dementia/) who we thank for their ongoing support. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC23, Adam Smith, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Claire Sexton, ISTAART, Podcast **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Other --- ### [ISTAART Relay Podcast - Frontotemporal Dementia PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-frontotemporal-dementia-pia/) **Published:** July 10, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The Dementia Researcher / ISTAART Relay Podcast is back. In this show Dr Imre Lengyel interviews Dr Maura Malpetti, representing the Frontotemporal Dementia PIA **Content:** **The Dementia Researcher, ISTAART Relay Podcast is back for a fourth series. Five leading researchers discussing their research, their field, and the work of the Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART Professional Interest Area they represent.** ##### EP1 – [Dr Imre Lengyel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-imre-lengyel-queens-university-belfast/) interviews [Dr Maura Malpetti](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dr-maura-malpetti-university-of-cambridge-profile/), representing the Frontotemporal Dementia PIA. Imre Lengyel is a Reader (Associate professor) at Queen’s University Belfast. Imre is researching how we could use the eye as a less expensive, better tolerated, and faster marker to monitor the progression of neurodegeneration. He undertakes clinical eye imaging and use postmortem tissues to generate molecular and high-resolution anatomical confirmation for the changes we see in eye images. Imre is representing the ISTAART The Eye as a Biomarker for AD PIA. Maura Malpetti is a Race Against Dementia Fellow at University of Cambridge. Maura focusses on multimodal imaging techniques (multi-tracer PET and MRI) integrated with fluid markers, post-mortem validation, and prognostic modelling approaches in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Maura is representing the ISTAART Frontotemporal Dementia PIA. The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 29 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from the PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers to Biofluid Based Biomarkers and everything in between. To sign-up to ISTAART and a PIA visit: *Note: ISTAART Membership is free for students worldwide, and for researchers of all levels based in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.* To book your place at [this year’s AAIC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-preview-2023/) (In-person and online) visit: --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Hello, and thank you for listening to the fourth season of the ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast, brought to you by Dementia Researcher. ISTAART is a professional society and part of the Alzheimer’s Association representing scientists, physicians, and other dementia professionals active in researching and understanding the causes and potential treatments of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. In this five-part series, we’ve asked members of the ISTAART Professional Interest Areas to take turns interviewing their colleagues and being interviewed themselves, with the interviewee going on to be the next episode’s interviewer. We’re sure you’ve listened to these before, so you’ll know what to expect. We’ll be releasing one of these podcasts each day in the buildup to the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, which this year takes place online and in Amsterdam. So, sit back, turn up the volume, and be ready to hear about these individuals’ amazing research fields, the work of their peers, and just what you can expect at this year’s conference. Thank you for listening. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Hello and thanks for tuning in. I’m Imre Lengyel, an associate professor at Queen’s University Belfast in the United Kingdom, and I’m the communication chair of The Eye as a Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease Professional Interest Area or PIA. Today, I’m delighted to be talking with Dr. Maura Malpetti from Cambridge, also from the UK just as myself. Hi, Maura. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Hi Imre. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Maura, can I start by asking you to tell us in which professional interest group you are involved? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Well, first of all, thank you so much for interviewing me. It is great to be here and be interviewed by you. I’m the program chair of the Frontotemporal Dementia Related Disorder PIA, and today I think there will be the opportunity to speak a bit more about this particular PIA. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Fantastic. Before we do that, Maura, I would love to hear a little bit about your own research. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** I am a Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer Research UK fellow at the University of Cambridge. And for my research, I focus on biomarkers in frontotemporal dementia and related disorders. And when we speak about related disorders, we refer very often to conditions like progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome or degeneration. These conditions are a bit different from Alzheimer disease. Some of them tend to appear a bit younger and they impact very different aspects. Memory can be part of the symptoms, but they mainly involve personality changes, behavioral changes, language difficulties, and also motor symptoms. In comparison to Alzheimer disease, we still have very few biomarkers that are useful and very efficient in these conditions. For example, we cannot use much tax PET. There are only new tracers that seem to be working a bit better. But for example, amyloid PET can be used to differentiate these conditions from Alzheimer disease. But what we are really relying on is still MRI and FDG PET. And in Cambridge, we are looking at two aspects in particular, inflammation and synaptic loss, which seems to be present across all the spectrum independently from the clinical manifestation and the pathology underpinning these conditions. And we look at that with PET imaging, positron emission tomography, but also with fluid markers to see how these biomarkers can predict clinical outcomes in people with these conditions. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** This is very interesting. But I’m wondering, what brought you to dementia research? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** That’s a very interesting question. I was a very science-y kid. I really loved everything that was nature, like animals, and the body. And during high school, I really got fascinated about how the human body, and in particular, the brain, was working in biology class. And so, I started psychology. I studied bachelor in psychology to study more the interaction between mind and the brain. And during my study in psychology and neuropsychology, I discovered research, scientific research, and in particular, dementia. Basically, I got very fascinated by the brain and when the brain doesn’t work well. And it was very devastating seeing all these cases of people with dementia, how they were losing everything that they learned during life, changing personality, losing memory, or losing the capacity of speaking. So, during my bachelor’s, I was very attracted to these aspects and then I continued my studies with a master’s in cognitive neurosciences. And I did my project for my master’s in nuclear medicine because I discovered neuroimaging during bachelor and master’s. And I was very fascinated that finally, you could look into the brain of people living with these conditions. So then after that, I moved to Cambridge for my PhD in clinical neurosciences because I really wanted to get deeper in the understanding of what was going wrong in the brain, and also to find potential good markers for clinical trials and new treatments for dementia. So yeah, I started from psychology and then I moved more on to molecular imaging. And now, I’m also introducing a bit of biology in my studies with fluid markers, postmortem studies. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** That’s very interesting to have such a comprehensive understanding of a particular disease. Maura, I was wondering, what is this Race Against Dementia fellowship? Would you tell us just a little bit about that? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Race Against Dementia is quite unique because it gives good stability over five years for early-career researchers trying new ideas. It’s a great support in terms of both stability of salary and the project, and really pushes you to try new things, try to make mistakes, change direction. And the idea is to install Formula One mindset into research, and in particular, in dementia research. The founder is Sir Jackie Stewart, three-time world champion of Formula One, and he really cares, and he feels the urgency of finding a cure for dementia as his wife, Lady Helen, has a diagnosis of dementia. And so, we all feel the urgency. We share this urgency of accelerating dementia research, and Race Against Dementia has been absolutely fantastic in doing that and also creating opportunities for other career researchers. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Does that mean that you are racing together with Sir Jackie Stewart in his cars? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** I would wish, I would wish. I think I cannot stand the chance. But yeah, I think we are racing together against dementia, and that is I think the most important race also for him at the moment. He’s very good and I think he always says that in his lifetime, he really wants to see the solution for dementia. So, we are really pushing harder to see that finishing line together. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Fantastic. Now, Maura, as with many peers, we have this year’s Year in Review, and I was listening recently to your summary of the previous year, which was really fascinating and exciting. Obviously, it seems to me that there is a lot of development going on in frontotemporal dementia. In your view, what is the most exciting area that you believe is going to blossom in the near future? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Well, for sure, I am a bit biased because my main focus is inflammation. I think inflammation has been overlooked for many years, and there has been an explosion in the last few years of potential new targets, new drugs, new biomarkers to measure inflammation and how inflammation can really accelerate the clinical decline of people with frontotemporal dementia. But I think in general, the most exciting part of this field is that a lot of disciplines are getting together to find a solution. We have biologists interacting with psychologists, with medical doctors, with engineers, to find the best biomarkers and developing new drugs. There are a lot of clinical trials ongoing, especially in genetic FTD, genetic frontotemporal dementia. So, I think we are very close to solving maybe genetic frontotemporal dementia, and from there, probably to learn something to expand in the sporadic cases. So yeah, I think the development of biomarkers and the new drugs that we can test with these biomarkers is the most exciting part of this particular period of the research field. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** There are a lot of excitement about the new clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease as well, and some of the drugs are now being trialed. In your view for frontotemporal dementia, what is the timescale that you would hope to see some treatment on the market? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** It’s always tricky. It’s always difficult to answer a question about timeframe. Timeline is very difficult to say. The hope is always as soon as possible, especially because some of this condition progresses very quickly so people don’t survive very long. So, every year that we waste in not finding a cure or a treatment, it is one year less for them out of few years that they have left. There is no specific timeline, but we have a lot of exciting clinical trials ongoing, as I said, in genetic FTD. And we also have a lot to learn from other diseases. Like of course Alzheimer disease, we cannot apply amyloid drugs, but we can learn from the clinical trials design of Alzheimer disease. And also, in motor neuron disorders. There are a lot of good clinical trials that we can learn from to apply in frontotemporal dementia. Or other conditions like multiple sclerosis for example, if we, for example, look at inflammation. So, I think it’s a very exciting period, and I hope very soon we’ll have good treatments to offer to people with dementia. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** That’s very interesting, and obviously there is a need for international collaboration. I presume that’s something that brought you to this particular professional interest area. Can you tell us a little bit about the discussions, if they’re not confidential, to our audience? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yes, absolutely. I think collaboration is really key in all dementia fields, but especially in conditions that are less common than, for example, family diseases like frontotemporal dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome. We really need to put all forces together across the world. There is a very big consortium out there that is trying to put together forces in genetic FTD, in progressive supranuclear palsy. For example, genetic FTD initiative is an example which is GENFI, the name, or ALLFTD is another example. And I think the FTD PIA really cares about this collaborative effort and this collaboration. And from some of the members, then we can learn a bit more about the members and how this is structured. But basically, they are a leading part of these worldwide initiatives. And we also collaborate quite closely with the International Society for Frontotemporal Dementia to bring together even more forces. So, there are lots of discussions on how we can bring together even more possible opportunities to collaborate. Discussion also with other PIAs like the Diversity and Disparities PIA. This is very important because in frontotemporal dementia, we really don’t know how diversity impacts on the clinical outcomes. So, we are trying to put together some ideas on projects or potential reviews and discussions on how we can explore diversity in different countries. For example, considering different ethnicities, backgrounds, et cetera. And also, there has been some discussion with the PIA for clinical trials, advanced meta methods, to try to come together with new ideas on how we can accelerate the clinical trials in frontotemporal dementia. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Okay. So, is this collaboration with the other PIAs you consider as an important part of the whole? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yeah. And I think also it’s very important because the FTD PIA is a platform. It’s where we can really bring together people from different fields and different disciplines. So even with webinars or discussions or the member meeting, that is twice a year we have member meetings, these are all opportunities to have conversations and discussion and potential new collaborations. And also, we really care about highlighting early-career researchers and their work. We have few initiatives about that, especially later this year because we really care about also the new generation of dementia researchers. And given that this Frontotemporal Dementia and Related Condition PIA is so young and is expanding so fast, we are already over 650 members, and we are really trying to bring everyone together and highlight in the new generation that maybe we find a cure. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Oh, that sounds really exciting. And it’s fantastic to hear that you have such a dynamic group with I presume lots of early-career scientists joining. That brings me to the question, is that okay that you would tell us a little bit about the structure? Who else is involved in the PIA? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yes. This committee is composed of the PIA. I’m the programs chair, so I’m looking at contents, webinar, et cetera. Then we have the chair who is Jon Rohrer from UCL in the UK. We have a vice chair who is Vicky Fernandez Hernandez who was based in US and she’s moving very soon to Spain. Then we have a communication chair who is Carmela Tartagilia from Canada, and she’s also the communication chair of International Society Frontotemporal Dementia. So, we are collaborating very closely on that. And also, we have a postdoc member representative who is Lucy Chisman-Russell from London as well. So, I think in comparison to other PIAs, our committee is very fluid. We don’t assign. There is a communication chair, of course, that has a specific task. I have a different task. But we really come together to bring all ideas. And some of them, for example, the postdoc member can create the contents of the webinar as much as the program chair. And as a programs chair, I can suggest things for Twitter or email as much as the communication chair. So, it’s very collaborative and all on the same level and floor. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** That’s really exciting. And I think you mentioned that you have a very dynamic group, so that means that you probably have lots of ideas. Would you tell us what you are planning to do in the coming year within your PIA? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yeah, of course. This year, this committee started last summer, the end of the summer, so in September. And this year, we already put together a few things. We hosted for example a journal club in October. It was meeting the authors. So, there were two early-career searchers, Siddharth Ramanan from Cambridge and Adit Friedberg from UCSF, who presented two very interesting papers published the year before. And they also moderated the chat and discussion with the authors and the audience. It was very interesting to hear. And then we had in February Year in Review with Jackie Poos to basically revise all the FTD and Related Disorders papers of the previous year. We also had webinar about FTD basics in April with Carmela Tartagilia, which I suggest everyone to listen to and every student out there to look in on the ISTAART website because it was an absolutely outstanding lecture. And then we also had this webinar about Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Not Just Richardson’s Syndrome with six early-career researchers speaking and three more senior moderators. It was excellent. So, our promise is to this is just the basis and the basically next year we will propose very similar activities like the journal club, educational webinar, probably again something related to PSP and CBS, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome. But yeah, we also have something coming up very soon that is in the conference, at the Association international conference. So, you should stay tuned. And if you have ideas, you are part of this PIA and you have ideas, just write to us. You are very welcome. You are very welcome to suggest anything, and we are always very happy to implement new ideas. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, Maura, not all of the listeners are necessarily members of any of these PIAs. You mentioned that these talks are available. Would you tell just a little bit of information to others that had to access these recorded presentations? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yes. On the ISTAART website, there is a long list of recorded webinars and events. And in general, they are uploaded around two weeks after the event itself. So, for example mid-April, you will have at the beginning of May available online. And you just need to click. For example, ISTAART PIA, frontotemporal dementia webinar, and you should find it. But you can also register for these webinars. They’re always online, live on Zoom in general. They’re free and everyone around the world can sign up, and they can just click if they are member or not at the moment of the webinars. It’s very good because we can reach all corners of the world because it’s online. We are always trying to be very fair with time zones. Sometimes, Australia is left out in terms of time zone. But for that reason, there is the recording and people can always catch up. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Great. Now, you were very mysterious about what you are planning for the AAIC. Any hints that you could give us? Why would people look out specifically for the Frontotemporal Dementia PIA activities? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yeah, absolutely. We are starting actually before the conference itself on the day that precedes the conference. That is called the PIA Day, and we are participating. If you are around, that Saturday is the 15th of July, and our session will start at 2:45 PM local time. And it is very exciting because for the first time as PIA, we are presenting the Publication of the Year Award. It is the first time that we have done that. I will not tell you who won, but basically, we will have one of the authors presenting the work. And it was voted as best publication of the year related to some of that have been submitted for this award. Then we will also have six talks from early-career researchers, a very competitive selection. We received a lot of submissions, and it was very good to see so much nice work out there. And we will also have a brief networking session. This is just before AAIC. But during the conference, we will also vote. For the first time, we will have a postdoc and student poster award. And so, we will have one for the postdoc and one for the students, and this will be announced after the conference. But we will come. If you see Carmela Tartagilia and me going around the posters, it’s because we are evaluating posters. There have been a lot of submissions as well. I would remind everyone next year when you submit the abstract for AAIC, you can click ISTAART FTD as a keyword, I believe, to be selected as part of this kind of awards and also for the first day, pre-conference day. So yeah, a lot of exciting things and very early career centric. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Fantastic. Now, you talk a lot about what you are going to do at AAIC, but will you be presenting at the conference? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yes. I will present two abstracts, actually. One will be a poster and it will be my work in blood markers in frontotemporal dementia and related disorders and how this relates to PET with a focus on inflammation. And then I will also be part of FRS, which I believe is a future research session about inflammation. So about microglial activation, astrocytes. There will be four or five talks with very senior, other senior speakers. So, it will be very exciting. And I believe it’s on Monday. I’m very much looking forward to the discussion about inflammation, actually. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** If you don’t mind, it’s really a personal question because I’d like to understand a little bit more about your views on inflammation. We know that microglia are very much in focus at the moment on all diseases, but it’s somewhat more difficult to target a cell. Are there particular inflammatory processes, molecular processes that you think are very promising? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** There’s an excellent question. There are so many different aspects that we need to consider. We just started microglia activation, but there are also astrocytes ongoing. There are complement markers now that they are exploring as well. We are very interested to look at the storm of cytokines and chemokines, for example, and how the periphery interacts with the central inflammation. And it is a bidirectional talk. And for these we really need different types of biomarkers like PET that are super powerful and can measure one target with something that is a bit less specific, like blood markers or CSF markers, but can measure a lot of targets at the same time. I think it’s a very dynamic process. We need so much information. And also very recently, we are starting a new network in the UK which is Open Network for Inflammation Research in Frontotemporal Dementia. We’re involving many centers across the UK, and the idea is looking at the immune system in people with frontotemporal dementia and how different background information and factors can influence these, and also in some way mediating the clinical outcomes. So, I think there is much more research coming in the next few years and exciting stuff. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Very excited about your PIA’s work in general. Although I work on the eye and our PIA is using the eye as a biomarker, I have veered into frontotemporal dementia and the connection with the eye. And I think it’s going to be very exciting if these PIAs can start talking together to use each other’s expertise, especially since we are sharing so many similarities like the complement system’s role in all of them and other things. So, it’s a very exciting field and I must say the whole dementia research is a very exciting territory right now. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** And also, you mentioned AI, and I completely agree with you because now we are basically starting to have very big data in frontotemporal dementia as well. So of course, AI plays a crucial role in defining data-driven staging, data-driven approaches, and selection. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** I was wondering about that because obviously what you were telling so far, there are a lot of multi-modalities in researching the frontotemporal dementia. So, is there a particular grouping within your PIA or anywhere where you would be working with people in this domain? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** There are a few people that I know who are working on that. For example, Tim Rittman in Cambridge working on AI and how this can be applied to progressive supranuclear palsy, for example, detecting brain changes. In GENFI, there are many people looking at the pre-symptomatic phase of frontotemporal dementia. So, trying to identify with some data-driven approach the staging and the progression even before symptoms appear. And also, Jake Vogel for example, recently published some papers on these sustained approaches to see how we can stage based on MRI or the markers frontotemporal dementia progression. And these are just a few examples in the world that there are so many people, clever people, applying AIC and machine learning into these conditions. And I think it is very interesting. Of course, we would never try to replace a neurologist out there, but I think- **Dr Imre Lengyel:** That’s a political spin. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** But I think AI can be very good support. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** No, this is a very interesting topic. I often get this question that can we detect Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in the eye? And I keep telling them that even neurologists have a problem identifying disease when they study the brain, let alone when you are doing something different. So no, I agree with you. Probably we are not there yet, although the challenges with AI have been highlighted recently. So, it’s an interesting domain to watch. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yeah, absolutely. I agree. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** This was a very, very exciting discussion, Maura. And before I let you go, I wanted to ask a final question. If you asked that question why someone should sign up to your professional interest area, what would you tell them? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Well, I hope that tonight, I convinced you how exciting is the field and also the FTD PIA group and how we are trying really to push on collaborations and new ideas, bringing together people, different disciplines, and also highlighting early-career researchers. So I really hope that everyone out there who has even just an interest about frontotemporal dementia, not necessarily working on frontotemporal dementia but wants to learn more with our educational webinars, or being part of the discussion with the member meetings beyond, well, member meetings, or even just being part of suggesting what we should focus on, I think you should just sign up and be part of the discussion. And they have new ideas out there. And if you have those ideas on potential collaborations with different centers or you know that maybe someone is in the FTD PIA and they have interest in data that you may look want to look at, we should just get together and have a chat. And if we can facilitate that, that is also part of the MO of this platform. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Thank you very much. I must say the Year in Review of all these PIAs is actually fantastic. I don’t have to read all those papers. Someone else digested it for me, but it really gives a fantastic overview. Well, thank you very much and I wish you all the best and enjoy Amsterdam. And I’d like to say to the audience that I’d like to thank Dr. Maura Malpetti for her time to join us today. And thank you all for tuning in. You can find profiles of myself and my brilliant guest and information on how to become involved in the ISTAART on our website at dementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk, and also at www.alz.org/ISTAART. These links of course can be found in the notes below. I’m Imre Lengyel and you’ve been listening to the Relay Podcast from Dementia Research and the Alzheimer’s Association. We will be back tomorrow. So hit Subscribe on YouTube or in your favorite podcast app to ensure you don’t miss an episode. Thank you. And thank you, Maura. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Thank you so much. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing new research, news, career tips, and support. **END** --- #### Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of PIA membership, ISTAART or the Alzheimer’s Association. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Imre Lengyel, Dr Maura Malpetti, Frontotemporal Dementia PIA, ISTAART, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** ISTAART Relay --- ### [ISTAART Relay Podcast - Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-vascular-cognitive-disorders-pia/) **Published:** July 11, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The Dementia Researcher / ISTAART Relay Podcast with Dr Maura Malpetti interviewing Beth Eyre, representing the Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA **Content:** **The Dementia Researcher, ISTAART Relay Podcast is back for a fourth series. Five leading researchers discussing their research, their field, and the work of the Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART Professional Interest Area they represent.** ##### EP2 – [Dr Maura Malpetti](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/dr-maura-malpetti-university-of-cambridge-profile/) interviews [Beth Eyre](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beth-eyre/), representing the Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA. Maura Malpetti is a [Race Against Dementia](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/race-against-dementia/) Fellow at University of Cambridge. Maura focusses on multimodal imaging techniques (multi-tracer PET and MRI) integrated with fluid markers, post-mortem validation, and prognostic modelling approaches in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Maura is representing the ISTAART Frontotemporal Dementia PIA. Beth Eyre is a PhD Student (although she recently submitted her [thesis and will be defending](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/defending-your-doctoral-thesis-the-phd-viva/) very soon) at The University of Sheffield. Beth is investigating cognitive and neurovascular function in pre-clinical models of Alzheimer’s disease and in a mixed model of Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis. Beth is representing the ISTAART Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA. The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 29 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from the PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers to Biofluid Based Biomarkers and everything in between. To sign-up to ISTAART and a PIA visit: *Note: ISTAART Membership is free for students worldwide, and for researchers of all levels based in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.* To book your place at [this year’s AAIC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-preview-2023/) (In-person and online) visit: --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Hello and thank you for listening to the fourth season of the ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast brought to you by Dementia Researcher. ISTAART is a professional society and part of the Alzheimer’s Association representing scientists, physicians, and other dementia professionals active in researching and understanding the causes and potential treatments of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. In this five-part series, we’ve asked members of the ISTAART professional interest areas to take turns interviewing their colleagues and being interviewed themselves with the interviewee going on to be the next episode’s interviewer. We’re sure you’ve listened to these before, so you’ll know what to expect. We’ll be releasing one of these podcasts each day in the buildup to the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, which this year takes place online and in Amsterdam. So, sit back, turn up the volume and be ready to hear about these individuals’ amazing research fields, the work of their PIAs and just what you can expect at this year’s conference. Thank you for listening. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Hello, everyone and thanks for tuning in. I’m Maura Malpetti. I am a Race Against Dementia Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow and I work at the University of Cambridge. I am the program chair of the Frontotemporal and Related Disorders PIA and today I’m delighted to be talking with Beth Eyre. Hi, Beth. **Beth Eyre:** Hi, Maura. How are you? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Fine. Very excited to be here and interviewing you. Can I start by asking you to introduce yourself and tell us with which PIA you are involved? **Beth Eyre:** As you said, I’m Beth and I am actually kind of associated with the Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA. I’m a researcher at the University of Sheffield. I’m kind of between things at the moment because I have just submitted my PhD thesis. Yay! **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Oh, congratulations. **Beth Eyre:** Thank you. I’m waiting to defend, but I have started a post-doc position, so I’m staying in the same area but learning some new methods and still staying in the vascular contributions to dementia region, which is really exciting. Yes, so I came across the vascular PIA, over a year ago now, I think. I’ve done a couple of things with the Alzheimer’s Association and ISTAART. They have a conference called Neuroscience Next. I got involved with that. I went on their committee and that was super exciting and lots of opportunities for early-career researchers there. Then I was also super lucky to be selected as an ISTAART ambassador last year, so that gave me a really good insight into all the different PIAs. I got to go to the PIA Day and be a volunteer there, which was great. I went to some of the vascular sessions, and I thought, “Oh, this is really exciting stuff. I’m really interested in this area.” Obviously, I’ve been researching it for a little bit, but I’m definitely not an expert yet. I think it’s really cool that you can join even when you don’t feel like you’re an expert and you can have opportunities to get involved. Then this year I was selected onto the executive committee as the student post-doc representative. That’s why I’m here to chat with you. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Oh, that’s excellent. Maybe before going into a bit more into your research and what your PIA is doing, maybe you can just mention for who is listening to how people can apply for this ambassador scheme, because I think it’s a very interesting one and maybe people are not aware of that. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, so the ambassador scheme, I think it started a couple of years ago, but over the past years, it’s really developed into this whole year-long program. To apply, I think the application’s usually open. I don’t know about the date, but it’s usually February time, I think. Then they open and, on the questions, they might ask you why you want to be an ambassador, what you think you can bring to the role. They might want you to give some examples of things you’ve done, but they really just want people to show their enthusiasm for ISTAART and their research area. It’s not about how many papers you’ve got or all the science. It’s about you and what you can bring to the role, which I think is really nice, because a lot of the things sometimes in academia are all about what’s your h index, but this is actually about you and you get to be you, which is fantastic. Then as part of the program you get to go to the main Alzheimer’s Association conference, the AAIC and yearly conference, annual conference and you get to wear your purple shirt and be in the face of the role and help out in sessions, meet people from all around the world. So, you get to meet all their ambassadors from around the world, which is super exciting. I met some people last year and we’ve all stayed in contact. I’ve visited some of them in their countries, which has been great. And then throughout the year, there’s also other opportunities for you to do all the conferences and just network with people who are either at your level or above. And I think it opens the doors to give you the confidence to apply for certain things because I don’t think I’d have applied for the executive committee role if I’d not been exposed, I guess to the association, to ISTAART. So, I think it’s a great steppingstone. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Oh, this sounds like an excellent community. So, all students out their post-docs please look at the ISTAART website to hear more about these. Excellent, thank you. So perhaps we can start a bit more by going back to the research and you can tell us a bit more about your own research and how it came about when you became a dementia researcher. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, thank you. So, I started my PhD back in 2019, so a couple years ago now. It feels like a very long time ago. A lot has happened since then. And my project is looking at blood flow changes in Alzheimer’s disease and I’m quite interested in how blood flow may change in Alzheimer’s disease. And I’m specifically interested in how specific proteins that build up in the brain in Alzheimer’s such as amyloid beta, and how that can impact brain blood flow. And another avenue of my work has been looking at comorbidities. So, when people have more than one kind of illness or disease at the same time. So, I’ve been quite interested in how heart disease and how that can impact the vasculature brain, blood vessels and blood flow and also how Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis or heart disease can interact. So that’s been really exciting to research. And I came to dementia research because I’ve always been quite interested in the brain, and I think as most people probably do know or know of someone who has been impacted by a brain disease that can lead to dementia. And I think there’s just so much more research that is needed in the area. We still don’t have any treatments that can stop or stop the progression or just hold the disease in its tracks. Obviously, we’ve had some exciting stuff this year with some potential new treatments. Obviously, we still need a lot more research into those and are they going to be available for people? Are they going to be expensive and things like that? So, I’m in an area where we’re looking to see if increasing blood flow can potentially aid the clearance of the proteins, which can lead to these symptoms of dementia. So, I think it’s a really exciting, interesting area to be in and hopefully, ’cause it’s quite a big area at the moment, which is really exciting. There seems to be lots of things going on, lots of new research outgoings and things. So hopefully in the near future, we’ll have some more treatments available for people. ‘Cause obviously at the moment there doesn’t seem to be that yet. But I think everyone’s quite hopeful. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Oh, excellent. Super interesting area. So could I ask you if there are some people in the audience who are more curious about this topic, how can we improve our blood flow for example, there are some aspects that people could take care of their lifestyle that you would suggest for example. I think it’s a big factor maybe in … **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, so I think, I don’t know when the paper came out, but it was something like, I think it was in the Lancet and it was like 40% of dementia can be preventable. And a lot of these factors that were preventable were lifestyle factors so healthy diets, exercising, keeping the lower blood pressure, limiting your drinking. Having hearing checks was actually found to be really important because of the links between limited hearing and resulting in late dementia. Sleep was a massive one. I love to sleep so I find sleep research super interesting. So yeah, that was another big one. Air pollution and things like that. And I think a lot of the charities as well are really starting to talk about those things and just inform people because a lot of people aren’t aware and you can’t be aware if you’re not told, right, if we are not getting the science and promoting that, promoting the research that we all do. It’s really important that we do communicate that to people because it is really important and you can’t make a change unless you know, right? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yeah, absolutely. And related to that, I don’t know if this is the right term, but you are a good influencer in that term. So, you are involved with a lot of public engagements. How is this work also related to the PIA? Are you active in the communication part of your PIA or is it more something that you do as hobby and raising awareness about dementia? **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, so in the PIA, I’m not actually the communications person but that would probably be something I’d be looking at into the future because you don’t just have to do one position. I’ll talk about that a bit more in the podcast. You can do multiple positions, which is really good. But I do, they have vascular cognitive disorders and have a Twitter account. So, I’m always retweeting from that. I’m always retweeting from ISTAART. I know there’s a couple of ISTAART alumni who do a lot of tweeting and Instagram posts about ISTAART, which is great because we want to be attracting early career researchers in, and there’s a lot of early career researchers who have science accounts on Instagram who they’re kind of for fun. They do a lot of communication about that work and what they’re involved in, which is great. But yeah, maybe the communications thing will be in a couple of years’ time. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Well, we’ll be here to see your next steps. So, going back to research, what do you think are the hot topics, the exciting areas of your field at the moment and how do you think your PIA can contribute to this hot topic or also developing the field? **Beth Eyre:** I guess who you’re asking for the hot topic just depends what they’re interested in, and these are what I’m interested in, but I know the PIA as a whole are interested in them ’cause we do have things going on which relate to them. So, for me, the first thing is comorbidities, as I mentioned it is part of my own research area, but I think especially when we’re thinking about the models of Alzheimer’s research or the brain diseases that cause dementia, a lot of the preclinical, really early research was done in these really pure models. So, it was just genetic Alzheimer’s disease and things like that. But when you think of Alzheimer’s in life, I like to say it doesn’t really happen in a vacuum. People usually don’t just have Alzheimer’s. They have maybe high blood pressure or heart disease or other comorbidities. And lots of the comorbidities that people do have are related to vasculature. And so, with the vascular PIA, I think it’s super important that we look at those comorbidities. And in our research when we’re doing the research is maybe including those comorbidities. ‘Cause I mean I’m from a psychology background and a lot of the studies are very specific subject groups and I think it’s really important that we’re opening that out, I guess, to make sure that we are including all these comorbidities if that’s going to be more relatable and translatable to when we hopefully find treatments. So that’s the comorbidities aspect and what the PIA is doing with that is we have a number of working groups, and our working groups have, we work to make papers sort of thing. So, anyone can join the working group who’s a part of the PIA. So, you can have an early career, you can be more senior and it’s a really good way to get people with different expertise, different career stages together working on one document where there’s a gap in the research. So, I am currently in one with a number of people from our PIA and it’s about models and mechanisms of vascular cognitive disorders and we talk about brain vasculature all the way to omics methods to comorbidities. And we’re always thinking about how we can translate all of our different models. So, it’s a work group to get together, learning about all the models, what we know from all these models and how we can then try and translate things. And so that’s a really cool working group that’s fun at the moment. And in that I mentioned omics. I am not an omics researcher, I must say, and I’m just kind of getting interested in it, but I will definitely leave that to the experts. It’s very complicated. But another hot topic in our area is the methods we can use to research vasculature. So there’s transcriptomics, things like that, genomics and lots of studies this year have come out looking at, I think it’s RNA sequencing of the specific cells of the vasculature because the vasculature is super complex, lots of different cell types and in order for us to treat disorders of the vessels, we need to understand the vessels. So, I think those research methods are really exciting and they can just kind of give us a molecular understanding of the vessels, can hopefully give us ideas of where to target treatments and things like that. And then also my final hot topic for me and definitely the PIA, ’cause this is again another working group is clearance mechanisms of the brain. So, in Alzheimer’s disease, we do think that the clearance of the proteins that build up is impacted. So, we can get more proteins accumulating in the brain and we also have issues with getting rid of those proteins. And so, a lot of research areas are looking at how can we get rid of these proteins, how can we wash away these proteins from the brain and by washing away these proteins, can we increase cognitive scores? Can we reduce the amyloid plaque? Will it protect our vasculature? So, I think that’s another really interesting area. It’s also very interesting because nobody’s decided which clearance pathway is the right one. There are loads of debates about it, which I find really interesting. But we have another working group which is all about clearance pathways and they are working on a manuscript at the moment, and I think if I’m correct, I think they’re wanting to submit it very soon. So very exciting. Yeah, we do have manuscripts coming out quite a lot. I know we’ve just had one acceptable publication about a clinical trial and hypertension, I think if I’m correct in saying. So yes, very exciting PIA, loads of working groups to join whatever your interests are. You can join more than one if you want. You can go off to join any, you can just see what comes out of them and maybe decide to join things in the future. I think that’s what’s really nice about the PIA, it’s definitely there’s a lot going on in it. I think I would say I was really surprised when I joined and how many options there were for me to get involved, which is nice. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yeah, it sounds like a very interesting PIA and very active PIA with a lot of working groups, a lot of interests. So maybe you can mention a bit more, how is the structure of this PIA, if there is a committee, because you mentioned this working group, but there is a committee that overlooks the working groups, there are leaders in the working groups. How is this structured? **Beth Eyre:** So, I think as most PIAs have, there’s an executive committee to oversee the PIA as a whole and all the operations. And on that executive committee you have a chair, a vice chair, then a programs chair. I think you said you were programs chair. There’s a communications chair who does all the talking about it on social media and just talks to everyone about what’s going on in the PIA. And then you have executive committee members at different career stages. Then you have the student and post-doc trainee members, one of those is where I am. And then what I think is really good about the organization, the PIAs, is that you also have the past chairs as part of the executive committee. So, it’s a really good way to make sure the rollover happens quite well so people know what’s going on. And then with these working groups, I think how they run is they get an idea of they think this is a new hot topic, let’s look into that. And then people volunteer to be on that working group and then within that, people decide to take up another role on that. So, there might be someone who does the minutes, there might be a leader of that, and the leaders of these working groups can be early career researchers. I know I think it was last year it was published, but there was an early career perspective from a vascular cognitive disorders PIA, all about the early career perspective on vascular cognitive disorders. And that was led by an early career researcher. So, it’s great not only for more for people who’ve been around in the field for longer, but it’s great for incoming people who want to develop their networks and see how it works working with people from all around the world on a paper because that’s really exciting. It’s something you probably wouldn’t get to do if you weren’t a part of a PIA. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** That’s a very good opportunity for all early career researchers out there interested in this topic. Very excellent. So, it seems that you have been quite productive as a PIA in the last year with all these working group papers coming out as well. What are the main plans for next year if you can reveal some of them? **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, so like I say I’m quite new. So, I only started joining the executive committee meetings back in, I think it was May. So, I’ve got a bit of an insight into what happened in the past year and some of our ideas for the future. But I think the main thing is just to keep the momentum going ’cause they seem like the group has great momentum. Like you said, it’s super active. We’ve got loads of different working groups and I think the hope is that the models and mechanisms working group that we can start writing our paper and hopefully get that out maybe next year, I think we said and then, yeah, and maybe keep applying for when it comes onto to AAIC, applying for focus sessions and things like that. We constantly put on webinars. I think even just this year, just as an example of a couple, we had webinars about white matter hyperintensities, what causes them and then we had sessions, a deeper dive into those. We also had sessions about clearance and how clearance pathways are in the brain. So, there’s constantly things going on throughout the year. So, I think the hope is that we continue to do webinars and make sure that everyone can get those, especially through ISTAART and just to continue to work on those working groups and get our PIA out there at the annual conference. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yeah, and you mentioned webinars where people can sign up for these and if there are recordings, I think there is a pre-established method for PIAs, but maybe you can tell us a bit more. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, so with the webinars, so you usually get, if you join the PIA, you can join the PIA, go onto the ISTAART website, which has been newly renovated. Lovely. So, if you go onto the website, you can get access to all the PIAs, but obviously you want to go all the way to the bottom, to the vascular cognitive disorders PIA and join ours. And then through that, once you’ve joined those, you’ll start to get information from the PIA about maybe webinars that are happening or even the weekly newsletters you get from ISTAART will have information about grants, webinars that are happening and you can click on those, you can register for them and then you’ll be sent the links and they’re all free. They’re also shown on Twitter. So, when they’re happening, you can again register for them using the links on Twitter and I’m pretty sure that the videos for those stay up and you can access those after the webinar. So, we do have educational ones and we all have them about journals. So, I think that’s a great tool. I think for anyone who’s either new to the area or just wants to solidify their knowledge a bit more. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Yes, yeah, I agree. It’s a fantastic resource. So that is online and open to everyone. And also, now membership for students is free. So, I mean, it’s excellent. But you mentioned the hot word AAIC, which stands for the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. So, are you going to the conference? Are you presenting, your PIA is organizing something? **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, so excitingly, the PIA has a lot going on at the conference this year, but very sadly I can’t go. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Oh. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah. So, because my viva is very soon after. I’m defending my PhD, so it’s a very good reason for me not to go. But it’s a massive shame because I loved the conference last year. It was a great way to meet lots of different people and really diversify my network, which is great for all researchers, but especially early career researchers. I think it’s really important. But yeah, so the PIAs have quite a lot going on. So, they have an ISTAART immersive session titled Evaluating the Human Vasculature for Vascular Cognitive in Terms of Dementia. So that’s on Friday. It’s a whole session on the 14th of July. So, it’s before the main conference. So yeah, if you’re interested in vasculature and vascular cognitive disorders, I think that’s a really exciting one for you to go to. We also have the PIA Day, I mentioned that I think it’s the day before the conference starts, so it’s the whole day just for the professional interest areas and you get to see what’s going on in the PIAs and meet people from the PIAs who you might have been working with for the whole year and not met them in person or just from other PIAs too because everyone’s in the same area. So that’s always on the Saturday before, so they’ve got a session of that. So, you’ll be able to see some of the work and I think it’s a panel discussion. So that’s going to be exciting. Also, the PIA was successful in getting a focused research session and I’m pretty sure this is on the actual day, at the actual conference, main conference. And this I think is about the incidence, pathogenesis, and clinical implications of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, so ARIA, and then there was also a successful perspective session, and this was about closing the sex agenda gap in dementia and then homing in on the vasculature, really focusing on that. So, there’s some really exciting things going on at the conference. Very sad that I won’t be able to attend, but I’ll be able to catch up. ‘Cause if you’re an ISTAART member, I think you can get access to quite a lot of things online. So even if people aren’t able to go, they should be able to have access to some of these things, which is very exciting for everyone. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Well, it’s very sad that you will not be there, but we look forward to seeing you next year as a doctor. Yeah, good luck with viva. So, I guess a lot of people that are listening to this podcast, maybe they are considering joining the PIA and all the PIAs and maybe they’re interested in this field. Maybe you could mention, give an example, especially for people that are not involved in this field of your daily work and daily job, how your day as dementia research in this field looks like. **Beth Eyre:** So, kind of what I do on a daily basis and how that maybe relates to the PIA? **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Mm-hmm. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, so like I said I do lots of research in Alzheimer’s disease and looking at clearance and blood flow. So how my research relates to the PIA is that I’m quite directly related to it I would say. Obviously, I’m quite interested in the vascular and things like that, but when I first started, I definitely didn’t really have much of an understanding. I was very new to the area, and I think actually starting to join the PIA early would’ve been really good for me because I would’ve been able to look at the webinars, get the educational videos, and see how that relates to my work. And I think also by starting your network early you can maybe think about future careers and things like that. And by joining the PIA you, like I said, because there’s on the committee or just within the whole PIA, there’s it bringing together really similar focused people who everyone’s got some interest. You don’t have to be an expert. You just might be interested in vasculature, or you might be part of another PIA or another research area, but you might be thinking, oh I think vasculature could be an interesting topic to maybe go into. And I think by joining the PIA you can see some of the main work that goes on and you might be able to create your own collaborations from it. And I know there’s definitely people within our PIA who have started collaborations. The networking is great for early career researchers and like I say, you get the opportunity to work if you want to on a committee with people who are maybe professors, they might head of a school or something like that and you wouldn’t really have that opportunity without the PIA I would say. I don’t think there’s another society or group where you can do that working on such close levels and you’re getting as much out of it as other people are. And I think that’s what’s really exciting and yeah, just massive opportunities for career development, especially with those working groups. If you have the time, obviously I know everyone’s time is quite limited, but if you do have the time, you can really take a massive role in those working groups and if you’re getting a paper out of it that’s really exciting. But it’s not just a paper, it’s getting that network out of it and working globally as well. I think that is the point of ISTAART and that’s the point of the PIAs. We want to bring together people who are interested in vasculature, whatever your interest is. Maybe you might be a preclinical researcher, maybe you work in models of Alzheimer’s disease, maybe you work in clinical trials. The point is that we are wanting to, or maybe you want to do all these things, right? By getting everyone together with the vascular cognitive disorders here, it allows that opportunity to happen. And I think that’s what’s really exciting about vascular PIA. And I was told today it’s the best PIA, but it is the best yeah. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** Well on that we can debate. No, but I think you already answered my next question why some of the listeners should join the PIA and you gave an excellent example of how this can be a very productive part of your life in terms of networking, building career, et cetera. But maybe you also mentioned all these working groups and there is a lot of interest in different fields, are you considering collaborating in the future with all their PIAs? For example, I’m the program’s chair of the frontotemporal dementia and related disorders and I think always the vascular aspect is overlooked in other conditions that is not Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia of course. So, what can we do as different PIAs to work together in this field? **Beth Eyre:** That’s a really good question. I think I’m not sure if our PIA has collaborated with other PIAs previously. I think they may have, but yeah, you’re right. The only way we can figure new things out is by working with people who aren’t in your research area. And I think the way that other groups could work together is just bringing the different expertise like for you guys, you’re imaging and things like that. Or people in the vasculature may not know about specific imaging methods. And it’s using our understanding of the vasculature and how you can you image it and things like that. I think that’s really exciting. But if nobody wants to collaborate, we could chat about collaborating. ‘Cause I think yeah, our group is very collaborative, and I think there’s definitely scoped to collaborate with many different PIAs, especially with imaging and vasculature. It makes sense. We want to see what’s happening on those vessels. It’s just figuring out the specific methods that may be the best for that or the best for the specific vessels you’re looking at. ‘Cause obviously different vessels in the body might be harder to see. The surface vessels might be super easy to image, whereas some of those really small capillaries might be a bit harder to image. And it’s making sure that the different expertise from the different groups and the different PIAs can talk to each other and can help maybe do that, I guess. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** And maybe following on that, if someone is listening and would like to look at data out there, of course now there are also, everyone is interested in big data. There are some networks that you would suggest they look at also beyond the PIA like some big studies that people can access, apply for data and collaborations. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, I mean unfortunately I don’t actually know any major big ones off the top of my head, but I do know that there’s definitely, I know a lot of people who do the sort of big data research. They do put it into open repositories. So maybe going on open science framework, they might have some information on things like that because yeah, the point of doing the big data is you want people to use the data. I know about the Brain Biobank and things like that, and they don’t just collect information about the brain, they have lots of other different things that they’ve collected, and people are able to correlate with that. They have imaging, I think they have imaging and there’s a lot for imaging and I think maybe, I’m pretty sure there are some sort of vasculature and like I said, I’m not sure of them off the top of my head, but within the big ones are probably, they probably have information on the vasculature. They might do heart scans because I know, ’cause I’m interested in heart disease and atherosclerosis. I know a lot of these different big data, big data things, don’t know the word for them. They do maybe scan of the heart. So, you can look at plaque load and things like that and you’re able to correlate that with blood pressure or do people take hypertensive medication and things like that. So, there’s these massive data sets. There’s a lot that can be done with them and I think we’re only just looking at the tip of the iceberg with them. So, there’s definitely loads more we can do with them, which is really exciting. I think as an early career researcher, it makes it a more of an exciting field. **Dr Maura Malpetti:** And there could be another collaboration with one of the interviewees of this series from the artificial intelligence PIA. So, there is a lot of cross-matching between PIAs. Well, excellent. I think we are reaching the end of these podcasts. Thank you so much to Beth for taking the time to join us today and good luck with your viva. You will be brilliant, I’m sure. And thank you everyone for listening. You can find profiles of myself and my brilliant guest and information on how to become involved in ISTAART on our website@dementiasearch.nihr.ac.uk and also at www.alz.org/ISTAART. There is a link in the show notes here. And I’m Maura and you have been listening to the Relay podcast from Dementia Researcher and the Alzheimer’s Association. We’ll be back tomorrow. So hit the subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app to ensure you don’t miss any of the episodes. Thank you so much, Beth. Thank you everyone. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing you research, news, career tips and support. **END** --- #### Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of PIA membership, ISTAART or the Alzheimer’s Association. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Beth Eyre, Dr Maura Malpetti, ISTAART, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series, Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA, Vascular Dementia **Podcast/Blog Topics :** ISTAART Relay --- ### [ISTAART Relay Podcast - Neuroimaging PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-neuroimaging-pia/) **Published:** July 12, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The Dementia Researcher / ISTAART Relay Podcast with Beth Eyre interviewing Dr David Cash, talking research, imaging + more, representing the Neuroimaging PIA. **Content:** **The Dementia Researcher, ISTAART Relay Podcast is back for a fourth series. Five leading researchers discussing their research, their field, and the work of the Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART Professional Interest Area they represent.** ##### EP3 – [Beth Eyre](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-beth-eyre/) interviews [Dr David Cash](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-david-cash-university-college-london/) representing the Neuroimaging PIA. Beth Eyre is a PhD Student (although she recently submitted her thesis and will be defending very soon) at The University of Sheffield. Beth is investigating cognitive and neurovascular function in pre-clinical models of Alzheimer’s disease and in a mixed model of Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis. Beth is representing the ISTAART Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA. Dave Cash is a Principal Research Fellow at University College London. Dave is a biomedical engineer that has worked predominantly in imaging (never let him near your wet lab if you like your glassware). His PhD involved image guided liver surgery at Vanderbilt University, and in 2005, he picked up and moved from the southern United States to London to do a post-doc. That led him to an opportunity to get involved in Alzheimer’s disease trials. Dave is representing the ISTAART Neuroimaging PIA. The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 29 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from the PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers to Biofluid Based Biomarkers and everything in between. To sign-up to ISTAART and a PIA visit: *Note: ISTAART Membership is free for students worldwide, and for researchers of all levels based in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.* To book your place at [this year’s AAIC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-preview-2023/) (In-person and online) visit: --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Hello and thank you for listening to the fourth season of the ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast brought to you by Dementia Researcher. ISTAART is a professional society and part of the Alzheimer’s Association representing scientists, physicians, and other dementia professionals active in researching and understanding the causes and potential treatments of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. In this five-part series, we’ve asked members of the ISTAART professional interest areas to take turns interviewing their colleagues and being interviewed themselves with the interviewee going on to be the next episode’s interviewer. We’re sure you’ve listened to these before, so you’ll know what to expect. We’ll be releasing one of these podcasts each day in the buildup to the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference which, this year, takes place online and in Amsterdam. So, sit back, turn up the volume and be ready to hear about these individuals’ amazing research fields, the work of your peers and just what you can expect at this year’s conference. Thank you for listening. **Beth Eyre:** So, hi, everyone, and thanks for tuning in. I’m Beth Eyre and I’m a PhD researcher at the University of Sheffield. I’m the student postdoc executive committee member of the Vascular Cognitive Disorders PIA and, today, I’m delighted to be talking with Dr. Dave Cash. Hi, Dave. **Dr Dave Cash:** Hello. **Beth Eyre:** So, welcome, very excited to have you here. **Dr Dave Cash:** Thank you very much. Great to be here. **Beth Eyre:** Thank you. So, could I start by asking you to introduce yourself and tell us with which PIA you are involved? **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, my name’s Dave Cash, as we’ve just discussed, I’m at the UCL Dementia Research Center at the Queen Square Institute of Neurology and I’ve been involved with the neuroimaging PIA for a little over two years now. So, I started as education chair and, this year, I am vice chair and, as we flip through AAIC, I’ll become the chair of the neuroimaging PIA just after AAIC ends. **Beth Eyre:** It’s exciting to be talking with the incoming Chair. **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah. Well, I have to admit, there were many years when I would attend the neuroimaging PIA meeting and it seemed like there were so many rock stars who were leading the committee and doing all this and I’m like, “How in the world will I ever make it in there?” In fact, I put my name forth one time, and I looked at the list of competitors for the position I put myself, no chance. But the second time around, it worked, and I got voted education chair, it’s been a lot of fun the last two years, met a lot of great people and made a lot of new friends. **Beth Eyre:** It’s really cool that you’ve done a number of roles within the executive committee. Something must be good for you to stick around, right? **Dr Dave Cash:** Well, yes, but. The way that the Neuroimaging PIA Committee works is, if you go to education, you go to vice chair and then Chair and then past Chair. So, I won one election, but I don’t know if I would’ve won three more if that was the case. But I really think it’s a good idea, I know a lot of PIAs do this where they have people looped in as a progression to keep handover and continuity really good and it definitely has worked in our case. I’ve really learned a lot from the two Chairs, the past Chairs, I’ve been interacting with. Well, three. So, Betty Tijms was the past Chair when I came in and I’ve got to work with Renaud La Joie for a couple years and that’s been a lot of fun. And Laura Wisse, who’s now at Lund University, has just been such a great help. She’s put so much really nice structure down that I just take a lot of what she does and do it again and I look like I’m doing something rather competent when it’s really a lot of it’s been down to Laura’s excellent organization and set up. **Beth Eyre:** That’s awesome. It’s really exciting to hear a little bit about the PIA but I’d like to, and I’m sure the listeners would also, let us know a little bit about yourself and your research. So, what is your research area and then how did you come into dementia research, I guess? **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, so my research primarily centers around imaging biomarkers, mainly structural MR, diffusion weighted MRI and various forms of PET and particularly in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease where there are no obvious or apparent symptoms but there is evidence of underlying pathology and, here at UCL, we use a few studies for that. So, we work a lot with the worldwide Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network where UCL is both the site, and we also do various research and analysis with the data collected across the entire world. John Rohrer here at UCL runs a similar study called the Genetic FTD Initiative or GENFI and that’s a similar cohort involving genetic forms of frontotemporal dementia and that has sites all across Europe and Canada. And finally, more on the sporadic, late onset form of disease, another neurologist here at UCL, John Schott, has worked closely with the National Survey on Health and Development to do the first neuroimaging study of this 1946 birth cohort. So, this is a really exciting cohort to work with, it’s all individuals born from all over Great Britain within one week of each other in March 1946. So, our standard deviations of our age demographics are remarkably low in that study, and we’ve now scanned well over 600 non-impaired participants as part of this study, we have lots of different MRI modalities and PET modalities. And amongst those studies, what I particularly focus on is longitudinal changes, tracking longitudinal changes within a patient over time, particularly how we can use that information from these studies to think about how we can design clinical trials better, use them as endpoints in clinical trials because, if we can make clinical trials as efficient as possible, we can make decisions quicker. If the drug’s clearly not going to work, we can stop putting all that time and investment into that and all the disappointment that will lead to it. But also, when we find drugs that are successful, like we’ve had with recent therapies, maybe we can get these drugs through the approval process with the same robust statistical evidence but get them to patients sooner. As for how I got into dementia research, actually, my first foray into it, really, I would say, was a bit of a failure. I came from the States to do a postdoc and it was far more about novel image processing methods for segmentation and analysis and it just wasn’t a good fit for my skills. Fortunately, I had two supervisors at the time who were founding a company on how to provide imaging analysis for clinical trials so they spun this company out and I moved over there and worked at that company for about five years and there’s where I really found my love for dementia research and what I wanted to do. So, I was setting up imaging trials with AD trials in particular, understanding all the issues about what evidence was going to be needed to gain approval for a drug, the challenges with running multi-site AD trials that involved imaging and just think the incredible massive impact a successful drug was going to have. So, I realized that, yeah, this is the area I want to work in, this space. And I was really fortunate that, as part of my first postdoc and at the company, I had a lot of time to interact with Nick Fox and Sebastien Ourselin and there’s an opportunity to come back and work between the dementia research center and a group of computer scientists and medical physicists at UCL called the Center for Medical Image Computing trying to work about how we could get these really great discoveries and machine learning algorithms for imaging implemented over into clinical research. So, that was my journey. It’s not the conventional postdoc to investigator route that tends to be the story. **Beth Eyre:** I think it’s interesting because I think a lot of people now just don’t have that conventional route in and I think it’s important for people to hear that, anyone who’s interested in your PIA or the PIA that I’m part of, you don’t have to have that straight linear direct route and there’s lots of different ways you can get into and get to the stage that you’re at. So, that’s super exciting. So, just to follow that, you sound that you’ve worked on lots of different studies. Do you have a favorite study? And if you do have a favorite, can you tell me why? **Dr Dave Cash:** Oh, my goodness, it’s like asking to pick between children. Just with children, I can pick out particular things that I like best about them. So, I was involved on the ground floor with GENFI and ’46. So, the GENFI study, I made a lot of effort really setting up both the data capture and the data collection. With the ’46 study, we use a combined PET/MR scanner which is a very interesting device, but it comes with its own logistical challenges and things like that. So, it’s been really fun figuring out how we can make the most use of that scanner and the data we’re collecting on it. And DIAN was the first study that I came back to the DRC to work on, and I’ve been involved with that one pretty much since I began here. So, I guess you could say that’s the oldest child in the analogy. So, I would say that those three are probably my favorite studies because I work the most with those day in and day out. But yeah, there have been other studies along the way that I’ve had time, those are other people’s kids. Nice enough, just not mine. **Beth Eyre:** So, I know you’ve already mentioned some of the work that you’ve done but, in your research field, what are some of the hot topics and most exciting areas in the field at the moment? **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, that’s a great question. And because we have so many tools to work with, we have a lot going on with imaging. I think, first off, I’d talk about, since we’re able to capture a three-dimensional image of the brain at various stages of the disease, it’s being really investigated, lots of different modalities at the same time, to understand spatial heterogeneity, vulnerability of the disease process, which brain barriers are more vulnerable than areas. And we have a lot of data-driven disease progression modeling techniques available now like the sustained model created here at UCL by Alex Young and Neil Oxtoby and what that does is it can identify separate clusters of how the disease progression looks. So, some people may have a, to take your PIA, may have a vascular element early on in the disease, other people may have more medial temporal involvement, and this has really taken off the world to characterize heterogeneity of imaging patterns in lots of different populations and with lots of different modalities. Related to that is the ability to see these three-dimensional maps, look at how different brain regions are connected through functional connectivity or structural connectivity and see what that tells us and combining that with PET to see what that tells us about the start and the spread of pathology over time. I personally am really excited about all the work going on around novel PET tracers, what additional information they can provide on other aspects like neuroinflammation, synaptic density but, someday hopefully, other pathologies like TDP or alpha synuclein. Sometimes structural MRI gets put off to the side, we’ve been there, done that but I think, actually, there’s a whole lot of exciting work in structural MRI hitting it both on two fronts. So, on the one hand, we have a lot of new AI-driven methods to make imaging more accessible. So, we have these ultra-fast MRI scanning protocols that can give us a complete structural workup in about six to seven minutes rather than the conventional 30-minute protocol. And we also have these ultra-low field MRI machines being produced where we can get scanners to participants and locations all around the world, we’ve never had access to before. But if we go the other way and we look at some of the ultra-high field 7T MRI, we’re getting really lovely high-resolution quantitative imaging that allows us to better visualize cortical layers, substructures of the regions like the hippocampus, the thalamus, the amygdala, as well as really tiny structures like the locus coeruleus which has been a place that people have been investigating a lot recently. It’s such deep data that AI and deep learning are almost like an integral part now and where I feel like those things have had real success, particularly deep learning, is making processes that took a lot of time to run where we have a load of training data that we can really speed up the whole analysis pipelines much quicker. So, I think those are like a whistle-stop tour of the various things that I’m excited about in the imaging PIA. **Beth Eyre:** So, I heard you mentioned something to do with the vascular stuff, obviously, I love vasculature. So, what do you think, at the moment, is the best imaging modality to give us a bit more insight into vascular changes happening in preclinical stages or at least later on stages in Alzheimer’s disease? **Dr Dave Cash:** One of the first things, especially from a research perspective, is being able to have more volumetric measures so that we can see better resolve things like white matter or hyperintensities, the cues, perivascular spaces, things like that. But I think arterial spin labelings have come a long way recently. \[inaudible 00:14:58\] looking to roll out a multi label ASL so that we can actually get information about transit times and the flow there. I think, also, there’s been a fair amount of people looking at repurposing the early part of a fully dynamic PET scan. In some cases, like some of the amyloid tracers, you can get some really nice information about blood flow and blood perfusion from those things. And I think the other thing that I’ve really been interested in looking at is some of the 4D flow techniques that are coming out of Wisconsin and other places where we can get a bit more information about the blood flow itself rather than this secondary proxy information. So, with some of these things, they have a lot of promise but, when we’re talking about preclinical and the signal being so small, I’d probably err on the caution of something that may not pick up the earliest signs of things but also would have maybe less variability, intra person variability that makes you wonder, okay, am I really seeing this or is this just some unique signal. But that’s also with me with my longitudinal hat on where I’m always thinking about, with cross-sectional, it’s easier to see a big signal even with that variability. But with longitudinal, we’re talking about really small but sensitive changes in some of these measures and, as a result, I’m really worried about how much measurement from time point to time point are there so that we can pick up those changes reliably. **Beth Eyre:** I think talking about that variability, I remember, when I started collecting data, and I was so surprised how variable the data was from person to person and I don’t know why I didn’t expect that, but I found that really surprising, the differences in responses. And I think that variability is actually really interesting sometimes to look at the data because sometimes we average, don’t we, and we like to get rid of that variability but actually that’s … I think with neurodegenerative diseases, that variability could be really, really important to explain things and help us understand more what’s going on. So, that’s really interesting. So, obviously, you’ve already mentioned your PIA but how does the work of your specific PIA, the neuroimaging PIA, how does that support your whole field of research? **Dr Dave Cash:** So, I think, particularly since the pandemic, our PIA has focused a lot on education. So, we used to do a big tutorial at AAIC that covered the basics of what neuroimaging does and, when we weren’t meeting in person for those couple years, Renaud and some of the other PIA members said, “Well, let’s just turn these into webinars and start offering these as webinars,” and they were really, really successful. So, we have done a range of webinars over the years, I think we hit double digits most years. It’s been a lot recently even though, I’m sure, people are a little bit tired of Zoom and webinars at this point but they cover all the way from some of these more basic discussions on what structural or PET imaging is to more advanced research summary webinars on, say, on connectivity, on novel MRI sequences, novel PET tracers, big data, things like that. So, we try and run all across the gamut and we’ve also been trying our hardest to make sure other researchers around the world are included. So, we’ve had a couple imaging webinars in Spanish, really had a lot of help there from \[inaudible 00:18:53\] over in Harvard to help set that up. Eduardo Zimmer helped us set up a webinar in Portuguese, primarily aimed at Brazilian researchers and other Portuguese-speaking researchers and Maura Malpetti and Martina Bocchetta helped us set up an Italian one recently. So, we’re trying to make sure that we’re trying to get webinars in other languages and provide the educational aspect, not just in England, in English. Of course, we do a lot with our Alzheimer’s image consortium preconference, so we have over 500 people researched there. We’re trying to really differentiate that from the main AAIC session because there’s a lot of imaging just throughout the AAIC as well and what we’re trying to aim for is what are the new directions, where are we going with imaging, what’s new and different. It might not be so highlighted in the main session, might be a bit more technical, what are the new methods that are coming out and that people are using to analyze the data. And, in that, we really try and give preference to PhD early career researchers so that they have a platform to speak on this day. And besides that, I think we try our hardest to recognize the best papers in the field. So, we have the Mony de Leon prize for the best papers in neuroimaging, so those are really prestigious big money awards. We get about 15 to 20 nominations over the year, we have a whole panel look over them and try and decide which are the best senior scientists, junior scientists, and training papers. And I think those are really prestigious that people have really talked about how much of a milestone that was for them when they got those awards. So, continuing to just help encourage people to submit papers to that, solicit nominations, have a really good competitive process so that people can really feel that they’ve earned a well-deserved award when they get it. **Beth Eyre:** It sounds like you’re a very active PIA, it sounds like you do a lot of things and it’s really nice to hear about the education side because, I guess, neuroimaging can be quite hard to get into because the tools are so expensive. Your university may not have access to some of those tools and you may be analyzing data as part of your project and things like that. So, I think having those education webinars, explaining those fundamental building blocks of what you do is super exciting and then it’s nice to hear that you’re doing it in lots of different languages as well. **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, just to add onto that point, something else we’ve started beginning to do is, we know there’s a big gap between talking about what a neuroimaging analysis looks like and actually doing one, so, last year, we started an immersive workshop on the Friday before AAIC where we’re just giving people an opportunity to work with some of these imaging packages so it was a four-hour thing. And what we did was we didn’t want people … We wanted to be rather equitable of a process so that everybody felt that they were getting the same experience. So, we didn’t want somebody who may have come from a big university with a prestigious grant and some super powered desktop replacement to have a different experience than somebody who may have a six-year-old laptop. So, we put a bunch of virtual machines on the Cloud so that everybody accessed them through the internet, and we ran all the tutorials through that. So, nobody had to worry about, oh, how do I install SBM or Matlab or allowed to have Matlab on my machine, how do I do this free server thing and we gave a various \[inaudible 00:22:50\] recessions of structural MRI diffusion and functional. But you’re right, just getting involved with \[inaudible 00:22:58\] which is such an important part of neuroimaging analysis and how to find and install some of these novel packages that may not be expensive from a monetary perspective but expensive from a personal investment of time and learning how to do our Python stuff is an entry barrier and we’re trying to figure out how we can slowly make that barrier attack it in parts, if you will. **Beth Eyre:** It sounds like, as a PIA, you’re really trying to do that and that’s really exciting. And I think that’s really good for, obviously, with ISTAART and then where students get free registration to the PIAs, I think that’s really exciting because then, from an earlier stage, you can maybe start looking into these things that you’re interested in and it’s accessible from that earlier age which is nice. Because if you’re a first-year undergrad, that sounds accessible, at least to be interested in it and then start early on rather than it being at PhD level or master’s level so that’s really exciting. So, could you tell us a little bit about your committee and how it’s all organized? **Dr Dave Cash:** So, the PIA itself, I’m not sure exactly when the PIA itself was founded in the midst of times but it’s been going along for a pretty long time because the origins of the PIA come from the very first Alzheimer’s Imaging Consortium Say. So, they conceived it in 1996 and, the first one, the pre-conference happened in ’98 so this will be the 25th year of AAIC coming around. And, right now, the way we’re organized is we have a pretty dedicated group of executive committee members. So, first off, as we talked about before, we have a lot of educational content. So, we have not just one educational Chair but also the educational trainee who’s helping out. And last year, we had Tobey Betthauser running the education Chair and Katie Evans who is our trainee. And it was just so much work now, one person couldn’t have done it so they both did a great job helping to organize all the content we delivered. We have three at large members, so we have a senior scientist, a junior scientist, and a trainee committee member. And finally we have a community educations Chair and a vice chair, our actual Chair and our immediate past Chair. So, most of those terms are for one year but, as I mentioned earlier, when you’re elected the educational Chair, you move on to the vice chair next year, the Chair after that. And it seemed a little daunting at the beginning but it’s a really fun group to be around. We meet once a month, we get a lot done through the \[inaudible 00:25:40\], through AAIC, through our workshops and the webinars. It’s been one of the best parts of my job, but we wouldn’t get all of that done if it weren’t for the great people at ISTAART. So, we work with Jody a lot and Oz and they’ve just been so instrumental in helping us get all these big projects done that we wouldn’t be able to without their excellent support. **Beth Eyre:** I completely second that. I’m really new to the executive committee but it’s amazing how Jody and Oz are able to just split themselves between everything and they just seem to know everything that’s going on. I know they might come to the vascular cognitive disorders PIA meetings and have just been at the neuroimaging one and they’re just so, so on it and it’s so, so great. And I think, speaking of every PIA, I’m sure everyone is very thankful and appreciative of all the work that they do for all the PIAs. So, going to be bringing on to AAIC this year, so what does your PIA have planned? What are your aims for the year? Because I know we all have aims and things we want to achieve. Is the PIA doing anything at AAIC? **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, we have quite a lot planned at AAIC so much so that I’m very much looking forward to the vacation after AAIC is over that I have planned. So, starting off, we have the getting started with neuroimaging analysis immersive workshops that’s on Friday, the 14th of July. We’ve done that for 40 members this year, it’s very heavily interactive both with the computers and with the facilitators. So, we’d like to roll it out to more people but, in terms of the network that’s required and the human time that’s required, 40 is a really, I think, a good number. So, it’s sold out, we’ve got a waiting list so hopefully we’ll be able to do some similar activities like that in the future. And then, on Saturday, we have the big Alzheimer’s Imaging Consortium Preconference. So, we’ve thought a lot since restarting the AAIC, since the pandemic, how to make it worth people attending so that they feel like they’re getting something different than what they’re just going to see in AAIC. So, starting off, we have our traditional what have we learned, the year in review talk. So, that looks at all the neuroimaging papers in Alzheimer’s disease and related to dementia research over the past year. And this year, Indira Turney from Columbia is going to be giving that so we’re looking forward to that. It’s always the highlight, one of the highlights for me at the AAIC because everybody just does such an excellent job on it. And when you see the whole year put into the context of these big themes, you see just how many great discoveries have been made along the way. We’ll have one plenary given by Liana Apostolova this year, so she is going to tell us all about the progress that the ILEAD study has been making, this really large multi-site early onset AD and atypical AD study that’s going on. Similar in vibes to DIAN and ADNI and GENFI, these big multi-site initiatives to collect enough data to really make sure we can characterize these diseases well. We’ll have sessions on microstructural imaging, on imaging neuroinflammation, imaging genetics and we’ll also have a data blitz so that’s where our PhD students and early career researchers will be presenting. There’s a mentoring session at lunch, so we have some really excellent mentors in the field who are going to sit down with four or five people, just have a chat, talk about their careers, and help people who are newer in the field think about where they want to go in the near future. Since we’ve done that mentoring lunch session, I think we were all frustrated by how people would have to wolf down their lunch and then run to their poster to do a very quick poster session. So, we’ve given a really nice, expanded poster session in the afternoon, I think it’s about 75 minutes, so we have a bit more time for people to really investigate the posters and interact with people on their posters. Especially all those people who put all their hard time into making those posters, letting them really have a chance to present their findings and stuff is important. And then, at the end of the day, it’s going to be a really exciting panel discussion on the role of brain imaging in the era of disease modifying treatment. So, this is going to have Philip Scheltens, Tobey Betthauser and Michael Ewers being the moderators, but our panelists include Oscar Hansen, Gil Rabinovici, Reisa Sperling, Jonathan Schott. We have a really good group of people talking about just what it means, now that we have approved drugs, what is the role imaging is going to play, are we ready to deliver the imaging needed to deliver these therapies, things like that. So, all the imaging related aspects of the recent results with aducanumab and donanemab. And then finally, as I said, we’re going to be doing our Mony de Leon Award ceremony. So, for the best prize or the best papers, we’ll also be giving the best oral talk at AAIC, and the best poster talk, and we have a couple guest stars coming for that award ceremony which I’m excited about. And then, after we have a chance to breathe and get into the actual start of AAIC, we have a featured research session on the role of neuroimaging in the area of anti-amyloid therapy. So, again, talking about where imaging … So, expanding upon the panel discussion, what are the opportunities for imaging in research and clinical practice and that’s going to be happening on Wednesday, the 19th of July. So, have a couple of days when you can do some non-imaging stuff if you want to find out more about that and then come back to us for the FRS. **Beth Eyre:** Wow, you are definitely going to need a holiday after that. I was just like, “You just kept coming with it,” that’s so cool. I think it just shows what an active PIA you are so that’s super exciting. I’m really sad that I’m not going this year, I feel like I would’ve loved some of those things. **Dr Dave Cash:** Oh, no. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, I know it’s sad. **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah. **Beth Eyre:** But I’ve been to a couple conferences so I can’t complain. Will you be presenting anything at all? **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, so I’ll be presenting at the FRS. So, my remit was to talk about when trajectories are deviating from abnormal, so thinking about all the elements that go into that. If we’re talking about PET, obviously that deviates much earlier than some of the structural MRI measures but also the heterogeneity that can arise. And one thing in particular is, in preclinical AD, vascular factors are really interesting, half independent, half part of the disease process. So, you can’t really talk about deviating from normal unless you have a better understanding of what normal is and how variable normal is itself. So, thinking about what just we mean by trajectories deviating from a normal range. **Beth Eyre:** Well, everyone, if you’re listening, don’t forget to see Dave at the focus research session. So, unfortunately, it’s nearly time for the end but I do have one final question. So, why should all of our listeners sign up to your PIA? **Dr Dave Cash:** I would say that imaging’s been at the heart of many discoveries in dementia research over the past 20 years and it’s not slowing down because we have new techniques, new modalities, lots of new directions to explore, new populations to explore them in so that we’re finally getting data and people who have been overlooked in the past is really important. And so, as a result, I’d say, with virtually every other PIA or every other research that people are interested in, there’s some neuroimaging related aspect that would be interesting to explore as part of your research. And finally, something you mentioned earlier about summarizing these things and trying to mask out the variability. These are beautiful images, don’t just look at a number coming out of the spreadsheet or a report, just assume, oh, that’s free server, that’s just a number that I don’t need to understand. Look at these images, really see what they have to offer because there’s a lot more than just a single number. And so, I think understanding a bit more about what the images can and can’t do and what they’re really saying about the disease is important. **Beth Eyre:** And I’m an ECR so I guess I’m trying to see it from an ECR point of view, what do you think that ECRs can gain from joining your peers? **Dr Dave Cash:** Well, I think they can gain a lot of additional resources to find out how to do imaging. So, PhD students at big institutions probably have a lot of experts in the field that they can lean on, a whole lab infrastructure but we know that’s not the case for probably a majority of the institutions out there. And compounded by people who are postdocs who don’t have the traditional channels of learning that may be offered to PhD students, providing ways of getting into this data and not having to learn it all yourself is, I think, one area that we think is really useful and to access people who are doing this. The one thing I was really heartened by was, last year, when we restarted the AAIC, just how excited everybody was to see each other again and what a community. And I think, from my biased viewpoint, a rather tight-knit inclusive community so that people are really excited to see each other, talk about their research, talk about their findings, get along well with each other but you can pick up a lot of skills. So, even if it’s just learning how to interact with command line, that’s an important skill that can take you a lot of ways. But with the opportunity to do a lot of imaging now in Python and R, if you want to learn more about data science, learn more about statistical analysis and some of the interesting statistical challenges that imaging throws out at you, those skills can be applied in lots of different directions. So, we see a lot of genetic analysis come to imaging, a lot of imaging analysis go to other techniques and places there. So, you’re not just learning how to do one thing that puts you in a dead end, you’re opening up a whole new area of skills that can help you no matter if you stay in dementia research or you move on to other different fields. **Beth Eyre:** That sounds awesome. I think you really just showcased all the exciting things that your PIA are doing, how exciting it is for the ECRs and all the skills that they can gain from it. And I guess, these days in research, you can’t really just do one thing and I guess that’s what your PIA is looking into. You’re giving people the opportunities to be able to learn those really technical and really hard analysis pipelines so that’s super exciting. But thank you so much, Dave, for taking the time to join us today and thank you so much- **Dr Dave Cash:** It’s been an absolute pleasure, thanks so much. **Beth Eyre:** Yeah, no, I’ve really enjoyed it. And thank you, everyone, for listening. So, you can find profiles of myself, Beth, and my brilliant guest and information on how to become involved in ISTAART on our website at the dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk and also at the alzheimers.org ISTAART. So, again, I’m Beth and you’ve been listening to the Relay Podcast from Dementia Researcher and the Alzheimer’s Association. So, make sure you hit subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app to ensure you don’t miss any episodes. Thank you very much. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Association. Bringing you research, news, career tips and support. **END** --- #### Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of PIA membership, ISTAART or the Alzheimer’s Association. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Beth Eyre, Dr David Cash, ISTAART, MRI, Neuroimaging, Neuroimaging PIA, PET imaging, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** ISTAART Relay --- ### [ISTAART Relay Podcast - Diversity And Disparities PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-diversity-and-disparities-pia/) **Published:** July 13, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The Dementia Researcher / ISTAART Relay Podcast with Dr David Cash interviewing Dr Shana D Stites representing the Diversity & Disparities PIA. **Content:** **The Dementia Researcher, ISTAART Relay Podcast is back for a fourth series. Five leading researchers discussing their research, their field, and the work of the Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART Professional Interest Area they represent.** ##### EP4 – [Dr David Cash](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-david-cash-university-college-london/) interviews [Dr Shana D Stites](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-shana-d-stites-university-of-pennsylvania/) representing the Diversity & Disparities PIA. Dave Cash is a Principal Research Fellow at University College London. Dave is a biomedical engineer that has worked predominantly in imaging (never let him near your wet lab if you like your glassware). His PhD involved image guided liver surgery at Vanderbilt University, and in 2005, he picked up and moved from the southern United States to London to do a post-doc. That led him to an opportunity to get involved in Alzheimer’s disease trials. Dave is representing the ISTAART Neuroimaging PIA. Shana Stites is an Assistant Professor at University of Pennsylvania. As a clinical psychologist and researcher with the Penn Project on Precision Medicine for the Brain (P3MB), Shana’s research focuses on advancing diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s. The goal is to understand ways to promote quality of life and psychological wellbeing. This includes understanding the impacts of the disease on individuals who may be directly affected by pathology as well as their family members. As part of this work, Shana has a special focus on better understanding how aspects of identity, such as age, gender, and race, operate as determinants in the disease experience. Shana is representing the ISTAART Diversity & Disparities PIA. The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 29 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from the PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers to Biofluid Based Biomarkers and everything in between. To sign-up to ISTAART and a PIA visit: *Note: ISTAART Membership is free for students worldwide, and for researchers of all levels based in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.* To book your place at [this year’s AAIC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-preview-2023/ "Podcast – AAIC Preview 2023") (In-person and online) visit: --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voiceover:** Hello, and thank you for listening to the fourth season of the ISTAART PIA relay podcast brought to you by Dementia Researcher. ISTAART is a professional society and part of the Alzheimer’s Association representing scientists, physicians, and other dementia professionals active in researching and understanding the causes and potential treatments of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. In this five-pass series, we’ve asked members of the ISTAART professional interest areas to take turns interviewing their colleagues and being interviewed themselves with the interviewee going on to be the next episodes interviewer. We’re showing you’ve listened to these before, so you’ll know what to expect. We’ll be releasing one of these podcasts each day in the buildup to the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Which this year, takes place online and in Amsterdam. So, sit back, turn up the volume, and be ready to hear about these individuals, amazing research fields, the work of your peers, and just what you can expect at this year’s conference. Thank you for listening. **Dr Dave Cash:** Hello and thanks for tuning in. I’m Dr Dave Cash and I’m a research fellow at the Dementia Research Center in London at the UCL Queens Square Institute of Neurology. I’m also the incoming chair of the neuroimaging PIA. Today I’m delighted to be talking with Dr. Shana Stites, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. Hi Shana, thanks for taking time to be part of the relay podcast. Can I start by asking you to introduce yourself and tell us which PIA you’re involved with? **Dr Shana Stites:** Absolutely. It’s a pleasure to be here and it’s very nice to meet you. Like you said, I’m Shana Stites. I’m a clinical psychologist by training and I am currently co-chair of the Diversity and Disparities, PIA and then and incoming chair. **Dr Dave Cash:** And how long have you been involved with the diversity and disparities PIA? **Dr Shana Stites:** It’s been a few years. It was pre pandemic, so right as things started getting, I guess 2018. 2019. **Dr Dave Cash:** And perhaps you can start telling us a little about your own research and what brought you to dementia research. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, I investigate, or I study a preclinical experience of Alzheimer’s disease. And so, these are individuals who may have and may know they have biomarkers that signal a future risk of developing dementia. But at the current time, they’re mostly sort of cognitively typical. And I’m interested in that lived experience. What it’s like to learn you’re at risk, what it’s like to be at the early part of experiencing some of those declines. And how to help people optimize their quality of life and their wellbeing during that period. As well as how we detect some of those early changes in our subjective cognition. And what brought me to dementia research was the people and the large number of opportunities that have exploded in recent years. It’s very exciting work to be sort of on the precipice of these advances in diagnosis and treatment and helping people live better. And of course, recognizing some of the disparities that exist within dementia. Whether that’s sex-based, gender-based or race-based, really resonated with me in terms of seeing opportunities to help understand and mitigate those disparities. **Dr Dave Cash:** And imagine as trials are moving more towards the area of groups that you’re studying, this sort of discussion around disclosure and how to handle people being at risk is a really important one to be having. **Dr Shana Stites:** Yeah, I mean there’s multiple levels here. Like within the trials, what’s the proper best way to return this information? In terms of this information, the results from gene and biomarker testing to individuals. And then much of my work sort of starts to lean into what happens to individuals in preparing them to learn that information. When people come to the table before they even learn the result, what type of anticipations do they have? And how do those expectations and anticipations inform how they’re going to respond to that result? And there’s of course, sociocultural differences in how people approach just the entry into learning that information. And then post the disclosure, once people have that information, what do they do with it? Is it one and done and they move on to other things? Or who are the people that start to accommodate that information into their daily lives to make changes in financial planning or wellness activities or health related behaviors? **Dr Dave Cash:** Maybe you could talk a little bit about are their sort of some common effects that it might have on some of the batteries that you’re taking? Because I know when we’ve dealt with patients with autosomal dominant forms of dementia, we tend to see some problems with cognition or anxiety, or other things sort of masked even when they’re not carriers in the long run. **Dr Shana Stites:** Yeah, it’s so complicated. I mean, we have things called these mysterious age-related changes that are happening that can present differently for one group of people to another. And then we can have that multi-morbidity going on in which we can see changes in cognition that may be due to an Alzheimer’s specific pathology or may not be. Just to add further to that, there’s this curious finding that we don’t quite have a handle on what types of pathologies are causing or leading more directly to what types of symptoms. And we also don’t know when. People can be identified with biomarkers decades before or never start to show those symptoms. And so, from the lived experience end of it, it can leave people with a lot of ambiguity. They have a marker, they’re not sure what that marker indicates if anything. And how quickly they might need to make changes if changes can help them or maybe not at all. Maybe it’s not useful. We still have so many questions that are on the table. And I think in terms of diversity and disparities work, it’s understanding that picture overall in the context of all kinds of new biomarkers that are coming out. But then also increasing our representation and diversity and research to understand how those types of expectations, reactions and calculus might vary for different groups of people. **Dr Dave Cash:** And coming to that sociocultural element you were talking about; I imagine that there might be sort of different cultural expectations on the sort of external caregiving unit and what they’re required to do depending on cultural backgrounds and things like that. **Dr Shana Stites:** Yes. Actually, that’s a two-part sort of response to you. You started out asking about trials. We have this study partner requirement in our prevention trials. So, individuals who are interested in enrolling in the trial are asked to enroll with a knowledgeable informant who can report on their cognition and adherence to protocols and other parts of daily life. And right now, in our prevention trial, there’s a huge effort in the field, which is great, to increase the sociocultural diversity in those trials. But by and large, it’s a pretty homogeneous group. It’s mostly women, it’s mostly white. And then when we start to think about study partners, it’s mostly spouses. So, husbands of women. Or it’s daughters of women. And that’s pretty much who we get to study in terms of who’s enrolling in the prevention trials. There are some interesting studies that are coming out in looking at those dyads to see who you are and who’s rating you matters. How you report on somebody else’s memory, for example, can differ based on whether you’re a son, a daughter, or a spouse. And it can vary based on who you’re rating, whether that’s your mom or your wife or your husband or your son. Part two is to say that diversity is really limited. I can say it’s mostly women in the trials and mostly women reporting on women and mostly white and mostly older adult. When we actually look at the burden of Alzheimer’s disease more broadly, it’s a much more diverse community. It crosses sociocultural groups. African Americans are one of these subpopulations that experience the greatest burden from Alzheimer’s disease. And yet we understand that caregiving structures and then likely informant structures would also differ within that subculture, those subgroups. But we don’t know. There’s not a lot of research in that area to understand how to then change our research structures to get more diversity in research. And how that diversity in informants and participants or patients is going to change how people report on each other and how they view each other and understand cognition. Sorry, that was a lot to get out there. **Dr Dave Cash:** And I guess there’s the missing data question of, there’s people who are unable to find caregivers. What do they look like and what are the implications to diversity and disparity there? **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s right. So, from the little bit that we know about this in the research comes from some of our standing cohort studies like HRS. And if we look at HRS and who’s enrolling as an informant or acting as an informant in that study, what we find is that it’s the same similar structure, mostly spouses, mostly adult daughters. But then we actually see some sons that are stepping up. And then there’s this category that gets lumped into others. And we really need to learn more about that group. Because there we have aunts, uncles, grandkids, and neighbors. It’s more about who people have relationships with who are willing to step into this role when we stop viewing those relationships through well-defined social structures like children and spouses. There’s a lot of different people who might be willing to step up. But we may need to make changes to our research infrastructure to make that more possible for those individuals who would be considered non-traditional to step into those roles. **Dr Dave Cash:** One of the first steps I guess is sort of outreach or kind of making people understand who a caregiver in those sorts of things can be. **Dr Shana Stites:** A caregiver and what a family looks like, an informant. Because we have researchers, when I say we, have fairly rigid views of who we think informants can be or should be or are. We form those views based through our sociocultural understanding, perhaps who we see in clinic. Who is also a sort of a self-selected group who’s coming in. It’s a biased lens. And so, to your point, it would be expanding our understanding of who we think could fill that role. And what family systems and care networks and friend networks look like. It would also be challenging some of the attitudes within the field. There is some pressure in research to standardize, to put protocols in place, and diversity can be the antithesis to that. We can see it as a threat to that infrastructure. Well, you can see that within the informant literature. If we get all spouses or we get them between spouses and children, then we’re narrowing in, making it more homogeneous in ways that might protect or ensure the reliability and the validity of our research. And we really need to push back against those ideas because we’re trying to get towards diversity. And the minute we start to protect our research from diversity, we’re now working against ourselves. **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, it’s that problem of squeezing variability as much as you can, but at what cost in terms of reducing what it says about the overall population. So, what are the hot topics and exciting areas in your field at the moment? **Dr Shana Stites:** Well, some of it we’re already talking about in terms of diversity and inclusion and representation within research. That’s a very hot topic we’re very interested in. Because as we look around the field, no matter where you see, you see sort of the same storyline of our research samples. Our clinical populations are far too homogeneous. And we need to expand who is joining, who are asking to join and who are inadvertently keeping out. Hot topic. Another hot topic, and this might be coming up for AIC in particular that’s on our mind, are these emerging therapeutics and what that means for equity in Alzheimer’s disease research. There are some drugs that are now either coming positive in our prevention trials or even being approved by some of our federal agencies. And so, as those drugs start to come to market, there’s going to be a lot of decisions around what are the criteria for a patient to access them, for a clinician to prescribe them, and where they might be accessible. We’ll be having a panel at our PIA Day at AIC that will invite some experts to talk on those matters. **Dr Dave Cash:** Actually yeah, real interesting results according to sex in some of those trials, from what I remember. And that they were positive for one, but not for the other from what I remember, or very marginal. **Dr Shana Stites:** Yeah, are you talking about the Lecanemab trials, one of the ones that came out? Yeah, there definitely seems like there’s something there. I think this signal was attenuated where it just didn’t seem to perform quite as well across as many of the outcome measures, they were using in the study. Absolutely. And that brings us to issues around Apo-E and Apo-E 4 in particular, and how these drugs might perform differently based on the presence of alleles for individuals related to Apo-E. And for diversity and disparities focused researchers, we understand that Apo-E varies across our subpopulations, our sociocultural groups. And so, understanding how that interaction may occur between the efficacy of some treatments in various subgroups and how it could vary. **Dr Dave Cash:** I seem to remember you’ve just come out recently last year or so with a big review article. Is that right? Did you want to tell me a little bit about that? **Dr Shana Stites:** Thank you for that. **Dr Dave Cash:** It seems to highlight a lot of these. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, the one that came out most recently was a review of biomedical research. We went through the existing peer reviewed literature to understand how researchers in biomedicine. So, outside Alzheimer’s disease has been studying sex and gender. What are the measures they use basically? We didn’t get into definitions of those things, but just how are they measuring it. With the hopes that if we could understand some good examples of how these things are being measured in other areas of biomedical science, we could help inform our burgeoning studies in that area within Alzheimer’s disease. And so, that review came out in Alzheimer’s and dementia diagnosis and management, I believe, DADM. I’m trying to remember the rest of it. And it was quite interesting in terms of their being very… Even when you expand the lens out to biomedical science writ large, there’s not a lot of diversity in the types of measures. We found actually a sort of reiteration of a prior review we did that was specific to Alzheimer’s disease. Where in most cases, sex and gender are being measured by self-report. Where there’s individuals indicate whether they’re men or women. There’s a lack of protocols and a lack of clarity if we are going to try to differentiate between this construct called sex, then that’s usually more biologically informed. Or one that’s called gender that’s more socially informed. The measures aren’t doing that. So, how would we move measures forward that would allow us to try at discerning how people report their identity as being a biological identity or sociological identity? And there is some of that work going on. In fact, NAC has just updated version four of its battery, which NAC is the National Alzheimer’s Disease Coordinating Center. And it puts out the batteries that are collected throughout the Alzheimer’s disease research centers here within the US. And so, they’ve updated their battery to now be collecting sex as assigned at birth as well as current gender identity and sexual orientation. So, that new battery will be coming out. But as this review article that we put out also started to get to, is there weren’t any other types of measures or very few that were being used in terms of how we are discerning hormone profiles. The point being, how do we capture human variants? That’s the bottom line. And the fact is if we keep relying on self-report identity to do it, we’re missing hormones vary across groups, physical size, anatomical structures, the medical histories. All of these things vary across subgroups in our populations. And at this point, our review is showing that there’s maybe one or two measures out there. One or two studies where that’s been looked at across biomedical science. And we really need to get better at doing that. **Dr Dave Cash:** And I think also in that review, you talk about how sort of gender norms and identity change across generations in different cultures. And kind of getting back to a point you made earlier, how would you propose doing some things that might harmonize data so that you can work across studies versus embracing the diversity that’s going on there? **Dr Shana Stites:** So, I think we can do both where we can harmonize and appreciate diversity. We do have a big problem right now, two big ones just as a starting place. One of which is there’s an interest. I was just on a webinar yesterday from National Institute on aging that was looking at different data sources and harmonization. And in terms of sex and gender measures, it’s very risky as we start to harmonize across measures. Because the protocols have been really insufficient in at least documenting how those variables were collected. It’s so wide ranging that in some cohorts it was really a research coordinator looking at a person and deciding of what category they fall into. In other studies, they were asking about a sociologic identity. Where in other studies, they were asking about a biologic identity. So, when we start to think about trying to harmonize across all of these data sets, we’re taking a risk there. We don’t know if our variables are really in a position that what we’re assuming is static. And then secondly, the review article that we had come out earlier this year revealed that there are some measures of gender that were developed in our US-centric that are being picked up and used globally. And we really need to take a pause at that point. Gender varies over time and culture. And to be thinking that we can just pick up measures from one place and use them in another place. What we could be doing is actually enforcing our norms from one culture onto the norms of another culture. Which is, I’m not sure I can say actually pretty firmly. That’s not the intention or the purpose of our research. We want to go into a culture and understand the variance that’s happening, not necessarily transform it through our research into something else. **Dr Dave Cash:** And it seems like with the cognitive tests, there’s been a lot of translation into different languages and some thought about some of the cultural elements in those cognitive tests. So, why wouldn’t we be doing the same thing in these sorts of measures that you’re talking about? **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s an awesome point. I believe that we can do it. And I think that it’s the right thing to do. And I think that we as a community recognize that. We just haven’t gotten there. But it also means that understanding and studying sex and gender within Alzheimer’s disease is even farther behind where some of the other things that we’re studying cognition or such, are much more advanced. Which then raises another issue because those things aren’t separate. When we do our cognitive testing, we rely on our sex-based norms to adjust those tests. And the more we dig into the problems insufficiencies with how we’re studying and understanding sex and gender within our research, it cast out downstream effects on other parts of our research too. We have over 800 people in our diversity and disparities PIA, which is fairly large. But I feel like we could use several thousand more because there’s just so much work to be done. **Dr Dave Cash:** ISTAART is a great organization to go ahead and get started in. And it’s free to join the PIA once you’re a member of ISTAART. So, there’s no reason not to join in these sorts of things, different PIAs and hear more about it. Speaking of the PIA, maybe talk a little bit about how the work of your PIAs you believe supports your field of research. **Dr Shana Stites:** Yeah, absolutely. I can say from my work specifically as well as the broader Alzheimer’s disease community, our PIA has been doing great work. I feel like we’re getting better and better each year that passes in being a main function being. That we bring together people from a wide range of disciplines who all have a shared common interest in diversity and disparities work. And through bringing those folks together, they write review articles. And we also have workshops and meetings. We have special interest groups, which are smaller collections of the 800 people within our PIA get together and attend talks and share ideas. And actually, sometimes have quite robust conversations. So, that exchange of information and ideas, that’s absolutely crucial. That’s what happens within our PIA. Coming out of our PIA, some of these review articles that we write, I am synthesizing research from that otherwise I’m not sure would be getting out in the world quite the same way. And people are at least pointing to other articles through that research that the broader community can access and drill down on. **Dr Dave Cash:** You talked a bit about; I get how some of the research is a bit behind and there is sort of norms around gender that are kind of established. And I was just wondering how much pushback you get from both the participants and the researchers when talking about these different elements of diversity and disparity? And how much do you think the PIA can help break down some of that pushback? **Dr Shana Stites:** Oh, that’s a good question. I started looking at that question I think a year or so ago. The conversation was about introducing. So, what’s called SOGIE questions to NAC and other research cohorts. These are sexual orientation and gender identity. And so, it’s really about asking people the sex they were assigned at birth, what their gender identity is currently, and then their current sexual orientation. And there was a lot of concern within the field that those questions were going to be problematic. And in fact, cause participants to not want to be part of the research or to skip questions or just quit a questionnaire altogether. And I was curious about that. And that was how I sort of started looking into some of this. We started pilot testing some of these batteries. And for the most part, most people of our older adult participants don’t blink an eye. They just answer these questions. Occasionally, you might get somebody who has a question about them. But not even so much in the current version of the questions we’re using because they’re pretty clear. What sex were you assigned at birth? Most people were assigned a sex at birth. I think it actually even goes so far as to specify on your original birth certificate. So, there’s no ambiguity. People can understand how to answer those questions. Most people in the hundreds of people so far that I’ve seen the questionnaires be administered to, I think I had one person. And then I did an online survey of 3,500 people and I had one person who took issue with it. And so, I’d say the base rates there, at least for our participants having problems with these questions, are very low. Most people are fine. I’ve heard a lot of actual positive things from people who especially identify from sex and gender minoritized communities of being thrilled to see these questions. Because they feel like they’re being recognized and that it’s a safe space for them to participate. On the research end, it seems a little messier for researchers. There are some very legitimate concerns that have been expressed. There’s an element of redundancy in some of these questions. And so, in research cohorts where we’re jammed with questionnaires, we can’t afford a lot of redundancies. And so, some people are irritated by that. Other people are concerned that as we parse out these smaller and smaller groups, that our cell sizes might lead to some groups being excluded from research. Let’s say we can produce a pool of a specific type of minoritized gender community, but there’s only five people in that cell. What do we do with those individuals? And those questions haven’t been answered because there’s that few different options. But those conversations aren’t happening for what we do. So, in large, there’s a concern that our efforts to be more inclusive in our research may have downstream negative consequences leading people to be excluded. And then of course, there’s a group within the research community that’s sort of sees this as one more change. As researchers, we’re highly adaptive to change. We study science, we make discoveries, and then we change our science based on those discoveries. And they see the evolution of our studies and inclusion of sex and gender as being all of those other areas in research where discoveries are made, narratives change. And then our research is then changed in reaction to that. **Dr Dave Cash:** A lot to consider even when the motives are good, and the pushback is not as bad as one might think. So, regarding the PIA, maybe you could tell us a little bit more about the committee itself, how you guys organize your group. You mentioned a little bit about some of the subgroups, but a little bit more. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, we have an executive committee that has a chair, a co-chair, and a program’s chair. I think most of the PIAs are structured sort of the same way. Chair, co-chair, program’s chair. We have a graduate student or student liaison. I feel like there’s someone else I’m missing in there. And the communications chair necessarily makes up the executive committee. And then we have special interest groups and working groups. And really, I’d say the difference between them is really only structural in terms of the terminology that I started using at the time these groups were formed, I think is the bottom line of that. So, we have a special interest group that’s on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. We have one that’s on sex and gender from more of a social or sociological perspective. I want to discern that from the PIA that’s on sex and gender from more of a… Or sex differences that’s focused more on biological issues. And then we have some working groups on social and structural determinants of health and rural health. And low- and middle-income countries with a primary emphasis of that working group being, expanding some of our research infrastructure globally. And of course, diversifying participation in research. **Dr Dave Cash:** And those are the groups that are producing a lot of the white papers, it sounds like, in the review articles. Is that right? **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s correct, yeah. I think at this point, each one of those groups has either published or is in the process of writing a review paper. And that’s a great way for people who want to get involved to reach out to one of these groups to ask what sort of papers are underway. Those who already authored a paper, I think some of them are back actually looking at another one. Just because we have so much expertise within these special interest groups and working groups in the PIA at large that it makes sense for people to be getting together and being excited about ideas. And then turning those ideas into paper. **Dr Dave Cash:** And how long has the PIA been going? **Dr Shana Stites:** I’m going to say it’s eight years at this point. That might be a little long. So, I came in after it had been about a year or two in. So, doing math puts us around six or seven, I think. **Dr Dave Cash:** For some of the leadership staff, it’s two years, then two years, then two years as past chair. So, it’s kind of a six-year involvement with the PIA. **Dr Shana Stites:** Yeah, for some of the groups. I’m not sure if this is universal for all the PIAs. But for our SIGs and for our working groups, there’s a new policy that’s coming in that your part of that leadership for two years and then you rotate out. I imagine you could go on to leadership in another SIG or working group, or not at all if you wanted to transition out. And then within the executive committee for the PIA, there’s a two-year transition between the co-chair to the chair and then the past chair. So, that’s the six years you are getting to. But then for communications chair and program chair, it’s a two-year term, but I don’t think it’s an automatic transition to another position. Also, for our student liaison. **Dr Dave Cash:** Yeah, hopefully your students won’t be liaising for six years. **Dr Shana Stites:** Can I do something that’s sort of… **Dr Dave Cash:** Sure. **Dr Shana Stites:** Could I turn around to ask you a question? Just because I’m so happy to be meeting you. You’re such a celebrity in our world. **Dr Dave Cash:** I don’t know about that. But sure, go ahead. **Dr Shana Stites:** Could you help me understand how diversity and disparities work is relevant to your work? You may not engage with it directly, but how do you see it as being useful to the field and useful to what you’re trying to accomplish? **Dr Dave Cash:** Two things come out right off the bat. One is I work primarily in imaging biomarkers. So, understanding how the different imaging signatures look in terms of diversity and disparity is important to understand what’s changing, rates of change, characterizing heterogeneity. Especially if we’re thinking about how, you design clinical trials. Because a lot of what I want to look at is how we can design clinical trials better. Make them more efficient, get drugs that are actually working to market quicker. I think the second one that’s a big topic is around the role of artificial intelligence and imaging. And do we have training sets that are representative of a larger population? And are we much like a lot of genomics that are kind of limited to more of an affluent white European ancestry? Is there the potential risk that our artificial intelligence would misclassify things, not do as well on different groups as possible? And then I think just access to imaging. If I can add a third one here, which is a lot of these drugs are going to require a lot of active MRI scans to assess safety. Maybe some PET scans at some point to assess if people are showing PET scans pathology. Who has access to those scans? What makes them more or less likely to be willing to participate in a scan? Do they understand what a scan involves? I haven’t been looking at this directly. There are some really interesting diversities London cohorts that are beginning to come online. And I think we’re all interested to look more at the imaging that are coming from them. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s really exciting and certainly the top three I think, especially being on the fly that. I appreciate your willingness to just do it and do it well. Will you humor me for a follow-up? **Dr Dave Cash:** Sure. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, one of the things that is a topic in our PIA that comes and goes in terms of it’s always there, but sometimes it’s the chatter about it rises up to higher levels, is the difference between difference and disparity. Sometimes there are just differences. And sometimes those differences have negative effects on whatever is important to us. And we call those disparities. Something is not parallel that should be parallel. One of the challenges we face within the PIA is knowing when it’s a difference and an aspect of diversity just to embrace for being what it is. And when it’s something problematic that we need to lean in and say, “We need to do this differently.” And where this resonates with hearing you talk about the top three issues is that there’s so many ways in which we vary as humans’ diversity. Not disparities, but the diversity of the human experience in some ways we’re so homogeneous. But in other ways, when you start pushing into biomarkers and measurement, there are so many different ways that we have this natural variance. What are your thoughts on either diversity versus disparity? Or how you approach the wide number of ways in which we are diverse to figure out where you’re going to focus in terms of developing these biomarkers? **Dr Dave Cash:** Wow. One of the things that I’ve been fortunate to be involved with is some of these more data driven disease progression models that kind of don’t make a lot of assumptions about underlying labels of different people, but just try to cluster the heterogeneity a bit more. And I think that’s a helpful way of doing it in some regards provided that we have a diverse cohort underneath. Because then, what I like about these models is you don’t apply the labels ahead of time. But then when you look at the clusters, this subtype is this, this subtype is that. Then I think maybe we can look a little bit about disparities there. Because then we’re talking about increased atrophy rate or increased white matter hyper intensity or earlier onset of the disease or the biomarkers. And see if there is a bit more explanation of what heterogeneity we can see linking it to what could be diversity. And is that cluster itself somewhat of a disparity because it’s showing a more severe disease trajectory? Or is it showing more resilience? So, I think that’s one place where I’m coming in it. And the second element is the commonality is important as well in some respects. Because as you said, we can chop and change things quite a bit. But ultimately, we need a drug that works across as many population groups as possible. And this is one of the things that I always get a little bit frustrated about when people look at trial enrichment and they don’t realize that, okay, we’ve reduced our population to 10%. So, you’re going to have a super high screen failure rate. And you’re not going to be able to give the drug to a lot of people because it’s not on the label. But you’ve done a really good job dropping your variability down. Well done. Those are kind of the areas I’m thinking about. I like that we can go back and look at potential sources of these things. But also, we have to think about the big picture. Do we have drugs that are generally effective? And then we can drill down and see, okay, are these drugs more effective than others? Do they help predict response or adverse safety events more than others? **Dr Shana Stites:** I see. That makes a lot of sense. That’s so helpful to hear you sort of talk through your thinking and you’re reasoning on the matter. It also brings to bear just how important diversity and in inclusion is. That underlying sample is really the place where you’re starting. Because otherwise, you’re going to be identifying clusters in homogeneous groups. Or clusters that aren’t relevant to the outcome that you’re interested in. So, that definitely makes a lot of sense. **Dr Dave Cash:** And we can’t measure this heterogeneity if we’re missing 60 or 70% of the population in that regard. So, I’ll finish up. It’s been really great talking. I’ve had a really fun conversation hearing about your research and what your PIA does. Tell everybody what your PIA has planned, what its aims are for the coming year. And you mentioned a little bit already what you guys have planned for AIC. But are you presenting yourself as well or are other members of your PIA? **Dr Shana Stites:** Yeah, I think actually we have a lot of members of the PIA that will be presenting at AIC. I’ll have some work on social and structural determinants of health. We have a PIA Day that will be going on with this panel talking about the emerging therapies. We’d love everybody to come to that. We have multiple posters and talks that are going on. And I believe most of them are going to be tagged with the hashtag for the diversity and disparities PIA. So, when the program finally comes out, I would encourage people to follow that hashtag and then you’ll be able to find the listing. I think we have at least 20 posters out there from postdocs. We have 100 students. There’s a lot of work that’s going to be at AIC. And then for the next year moving forward, we are starting to think about what webinars we’re going to be doing. We’d be interested to hear from people that can always drop us an email on topics or in fact they’re done with webinars and don’t want to hear any more about them. And we’re also continuing to pull together these review papers and focused commentaries. Those are I think are our big steps for the upcoming year. Thank you for asking. And David, it’s been such a pleasure to get to talk with you. **Dr Dave Cash:** Likewise. It does sound like you have quite a lot planned for the next year. So, we all do it as PIAs. It is time to end today’s podcast. Thank you again for your time today and great conversation. One final question, just you mentioned how you’re at 800 members and you want to get to two to 3,000. So, here’s your opportunity to pitch to why listeners should sign up to your PIA. **Dr Shana Stites:** To be part of diversity and disparities work. We’re at this really exciting moment in Alzheimer’s disease. And we need to understand how to bring forward these advances in diagnostics and treatment in a way that’s, as you said, is going to optimize them for the most people and the people with the highest burden. And to do that, there’s so many things that we don’t know. And so, many people that we need to bring to the table that we need all hands on deck. And there’s plenty of roles to fill. Whether that’s an interest in helping diversify these research cohorts that we have going on, working on the design of clinical trials. Or whether that’s conducting the numerous studies of existing data that are out there to find out how do we set up protocols for study partners to make it as inclusive as possible. There’s so much work that needs to be done. We welcome everybody to join us. You can do that. You can find us on Twitter. We’re out there. You can go to the ISTAART website and look us up there. You can write to me personally and I’ll help you get mixed up with the group. And we will be at AIC at the PIA evening or the reception that’s going on at \[inaudible 00:42:25\]. We will be in one of those. **Dr Dave Cash:** It’s Thursday night, isn’t it? **Dr Shana Stites:** What was that? **Dr Dave Cash:** It’s Thursday night, is that right? **Dr Shana Stites:** I believe so. Please come and join us. We’ll be standing there lonely waiting, looking for conversation. So, come introduce yourself. **Dr Dave Cash:** Sounds great. Well, thank you very much, Shana, for taking the time to join us today. And to all the listeners, thank you for listening. You can find profiles of myself and my brilliant guest and information on how to become involved in the ISTAART on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk and also at www.alz.org/ISTAART. There is the link in the show notes. I’m Dr Dave Cash and you’ve been listening to the relay podcast from Dementia Researcher and the Alzheimer’s Association. We will be back tomorrow. So, hit subscribe on YouTube or in your favorite podcast app to ensure you don’t miss an episode. Thank you. **Voiceover:** Brought to you by dementia researcher.nihr.ac.uk in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing you research, news, career tips, and support. **END** --- #### Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of PIA membership, ISTAART or the Alzheimer’s Association. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Diversity, Diversity and Disparities PIA, Dr David Cash, Dr Shana Stites, Health Disparities, ISTAART, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series **Podcast/Blog Topics :** ISTAART Relay --- ### [ISTAART Relay Podcast - The Eye As A Biomarker For AD PIA](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/istaart-relay-podcast-the-eye-as-a-biomarker-for-ad-pia/) **Published:** July 14, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** The Dementia Researcher / ISTAART Relay Podcast with Dr Shana D Stites interviewing Dr Imre Lengyel representing The Eye as a Biomarker for AD PIA. **Content:** **The Dementia Researcher, ISTAART Relay Podcast is back for a fourth series. Five leading researchers discussing their research, their field, and the work of the Alzheimer’s Association ISTAART Professional Interest Area they represent.** EP5 – [Dr Shana D Stites](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-shana-d-stites-university-of-pennsylvania/) interviews [Dr Imre Lengyel](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-imre-lengyel-queens-university-belfast/) representing The Eye as a Biomarker for AD PIA. Shana Stites is an Assistant Professor at University of Pennsylvania. As a clinical psychologist and researcher with the Penn Project on Precision Medicine for the Brain (P3MB), Shana’s research focuses on advancing diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s. The goal is to understand ways to promote quality of life and psychological wellbeing. This includes understanding the impacts of the disease on individuals who may be directly affected by pathology as well as their family members. As part of this work, Shana has a special focus on better understanding how aspects of identity, such as age, gender, and race, operate as determinants in the disease experience. Shana is representing the ISTAART Diversity & Disparities PIA. Imre Lengyel is a Reader (Associate professor) at Queen’s University Belfast. Imre is researching how we could use the eye as a less expensive, better tolerated, and faster marker to monitor the progression of neurodegeneration. He undertakes clinical eye imaging and use postmortem tissues to generate molecular and high-resolution anatomical confirmation for the changes we see in eye images. Imre is representing the ISTAART The Eye as a Biomarker for AD PIA. The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) convenes the global Alzheimer’s and dementia science community. Members share knowledge, fuel collaboration and advance research to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional Interest Areas (PIA) are an assembly of ISTAART members with common subspecialties or interests. There are currently 29 PIAs covering a wide range of interests and fields, from the PIA to Elevate Early Career Researchers to Biofluid Based Biomarkers and everything in between. To sign-up to ISTAART and a PIA visit: *Note: ISTAART Membership is free for students worldwide, and for researchers of all levels based in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.* To book your place at [this year’s AAIC](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-preview-2023/ "Podcast – AAIC Preview 2023") (In-person and online) visit: --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Hello and thank you for listening to the fourth season of the ISTAART PIA Relay Podcast, brought to you by Dementia Researcher. ISTAART is a professional society and part of the Alzheimer’s Association representing scientists, physicians, and other dementia professionals active in researching and understanding the causes and potential treatments of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. In this five-part series, we’ve asked members of the ISTAART professional interest areas to take turns interviewing their colleagues and being interviewed themselves, with the interviewee going on to be the next episode’s interviewer. I’m sure you’ve listened to these before, so you’ll know what to expect. We’ll be releasing one of these podcasts each day in the buildup to the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, which this year takes place online and in Amsterdam. So, sit back, turn up the volume, and be ready to hear about these individuals’ amazing research fields, the work of their peers, and just what you can expect at this year’s conference. Thank you for listening. **Dr Shana Stites:** Hello and thanks for tuning in. I’m Shana Stites. I’m an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. I am co-chair of the Diversity and Disparities PIA. And today, I’m delighted to be talking with Dr. Imre Lengyel. The topic of our conversation will be The Eye as a Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease PIA. Hi Imre. Can you start by- **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Hi, Shana. **Dr Shana Stites:** Can you start by … I’m going to start by asking you to introduce yourself and tell us with which PIA you are involved. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Hi, Shana. Hi, everybody. My name is Imre Lengyel. I’m an associate professor at Queen’s University Belfast in the United Kingdom, and I am the communication chair for the Eye as a Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease Special Interest Group. And it’s a great pleasure to introduce or tell you a little bit more about what we are doing within this PIA. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s wonderful. Would you like to tell us a little bit about your own work, and then maybe how that connects over to what the PIA is up to? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, I’m originally started to work on the brain. And as a biochemist, I was interested in how learning and memory processes work. And it naturally segues me into how problems with learning and memory affect the biochemical and physiological processes in the brain. Then, suddenly, I made a change, and the change was to start looking at signs and similarities between what happens in the eye in Alzheimer’s disease. The reason this became quite interesting, because at that time, which was about 2002, 2004, that was the area when, suddenly, ideas started to emerge. There is a potential that the events taking place in the eye and the events taking place in the brain might be reflecting on each other in one way or the other. So, my background from Alzheimer’s disease in the brain, especially studying the hippocampus, led me to start investigating what we can see in the eye. And that basically why I joined the PIA. We had a few publications that were through the ISTAART, and the journal associated with it, so the Alzheimer’s Association papers. So that’s the reason why I joined the PIA. And it’s a great thing to do. The opportunity to exchange ideas with people who are interested in the eye, but they may not necessarily be working in the eye domain was a very exciting opportunity for me. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, you are in a … I want to make sure. So, this is a work involving the eye as a biomarker in Alzheimer’s disease. Sounds like it’s been being built for about a decade now. Maybe a little bit more? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** I agree with you. It’s probably a little bit more. We probably started to formulate ideas around this 20 years ago and we weren’t the first ones. There are many- **Dr Shana Stites:** So, over the \[inaudible 00:04:41\] about a decade ago. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Yeah. But it’s a very interesting transition from the brain to the eye and all that background. I have to say at the beginning, when we started to talk to neurologists about looking at the eye as a potential surrogate for the brain, we weren’t very popular. But of course, at that time we didn’t necessarily have the right methodologies and technologies available to make that transition quite smooth. As soon as imaging with the so-called optical coherence tomography, which can identify the different layers of the retina, we started to see atrophy happening in the eye, then the transitions became much easier. **Dr Shana Stites:** I actually have a bunch of questions. I’m very curious about the technology you’re using to study the eye and study this phenomenon. Before we get there, can I back you up a little bit to make sure I’m clear on how your working group that you’re a part of is part the PIA and what parts, whether it’s the PIA, the working group, are all studying the eye or how those organizations are positioned relative to the study of the eye as a biomarker. And then, of course, your position within the working group. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, it actually was a very interesting way the PIA came about. Femke Bouwman, who used to be our chair of this PIA, and some other colleagues organized a meeting in, I think it was in Washington, where they tried to pull together people who had some interest in the eye and brain connection. And I think everyone got very surprised how many people turned up at that meeting and not just from- **Dr Shana Stites:** What year? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** That’s a very good question. Probably I have Alzheimer’s disease myself, so I don’t necessarily remember. But it was like within the last 10 years. And when this meeting realized itself and we had a lot of discussion around the table and in the rows, some heated discussions and some disagreement, it was very clear that there is quite a need to bring together the different expertise from neuropathology to neuroimaging and neurology and try to understand really how we can link the different type of information together. So, that was a hotbed for our PIA. And I was lucky enough that I was invited to join this group first as a member and later on a steering committee member, and eventually, I took over the communication chair for the time being trying to disseminate some of these ideas that we are formulating. And the committee is actually made up of very different disciplines. So, our chair is interested in the brain but more on the basic science translational domain, Robert Rissman in San Diego. And then, our vice chair is a card-carrying pathologist. So, Dietmar Thal did a lot of very important work on how pathological information can be translated, especially in relationship to the eye. Our program chair is Jessica Alber. And we have a junior chair who is Lies De Groef. And another steering committee member is Maya Koronyo. And the people are coming from … some from the United States, some from Europe, so it’s a very nice mixture. And currently, we have 316 members. So, it’s a very good group which is trying to bring together the different ideas around eye and vision. **Dr Shana Stites:** If you could comment on what are the top two or three topics, like hot topics, in the PIA right now? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, what we are really doing quite a lot of work around is trying to discuss why some labs do not find exactly the same in pathological sections, for example, on clinical imaging. So, there is some disparity between the labs, but thankfully, all these labs are very, very willing to discuss how to harmonize these things. So, the whole topic, there are many, but really a very important topic that the PIA is making a lot of work on is trying to understand how we could use the histopathology that we can use on cadaver tissues, how can we harmonize that every lab will get the same results. The reason why this is important is because there are some disparities between detecting amyloid-beta or phospho-tau in the eye versus the brain. And it seems that there are some significant methodological diversities and that might explain why one lab finds something different than others. This harmonization is one of the hot topics which we are covering. There are regular pathological meetings where people from different labs share images, and then there is a very strong, very clean and open discussion about why you might have found this or is that feature which we identified on the image is the same or not. So, this is on the pathological side, but of course, with the ever-developing ophthalmic imaging technologies, there are better and better methods to find the fine details, to identify fine details on retinal images. And that is another area where we work a lot to try to harmonize how people in the different institutions would generate retinal images so we would be able to analyze those images in a very consistent way. So, with the different laboratories, we have different clinics because, really, this is now a clinical domain when we are imaging people directly with different imaging modalities that are actually used on a clinic on the everyday level because that’s a key element. And the two, of course, this harmonization of imaging technologies in vivo and in vitro comes together because the two, as we learn from ophthalmology, comes together very strongly. So, despite the fact that we have fantastic technologies like high resolution optical coherence tomography images, for example, we don’t necessarily know which layer is what. So, identifying these features from the clinic to the pathological sections is a very important element of it. And then on top of that, one of the things that we are identifying as a lot of discussion is going on that we have very good cross-sectional studies, but we don’t really have longitudinal studies. And the identification of the need for these longitudinal studies and thinking about what features one study find so we could actually, within this harmonization, make sure that these longitudinal images is generated in a way that it will enrich the rest of the community. That’s a very, very important direction we take. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s fabulous. So it sounds like the PIA is a working group that’s instrumental in facilitating harmonization across all of these groups that are interested in the topic, both for purposes of developing the methods that seem quite divergent in ways that might be even problematic, but then also it sounds like there’s resource or capacity building, and that you might be able to harmonize these various cohorts in order to develop longitudinal data. That’s absolutely outstanding. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Well, thank you very much. It’s a great group. We don’t always agree, but that’s science for you. But it’s a very important step forward. And of course, we pay a lot of attention to what else is going on in the world. So, for example, in the United Kingdom, they started the so-called DEMON Network, which is looking at how data science could be used for enhancing our capabilities. And there within the DEMON Network, we have an eye imaging network there as well. And some of the members are part of both groups. One is really thinking about the computational side, the other one is more the everyday life for the patient involvement. And the two work extremely well. Some common and some divergent reviews are being worked out, white papers that will actually help to build that kind of community that we’ll be able to share these images with each other, share the data with each other, and enhance the numbers that, of course, with dementia research, we don’t always have for clinical trial. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s fabulous. Moving over just a little bit, I’m curious to know how your work fits into the work that’s being done by the PIA and how the PIA is supporting your work as well as how you’re contributing within the PIA. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, for our work, I think we have a really fabulous synergy with what’s going on in the PIA and that helps a lot. So, when I started to work on the eye, everyone was concentrating on the central vision, so the so-called macula. This is what every optometrist and ophthalmologist look first, the side of central vision. But someone who is coming from not the ophthalmology field, like me, I immediately asked the question, hold on, that’s about 10, 15, 20%, maybe, the whole back of the eye. Is it possible that we are missing something? And so, my work started out to ask this question, what happens on the peripheral retina? And this is a very … It might sound a mundane thing that, well, peripheral retina is not that important, but of course, for patients who are losing some of their complexions, navigating your environment is very important. Seeing with your peripheral vision that there is not necessarily a lion coming from this side but could be a bus or there is a sofa, and you bump into that, making your life much more complicated is potentially a very important issue. And so, my group established a contact with a company, which was starting to make a camera called Optos PLC, who can image the whole back of the eye, or at least a much bigger version than what we could see before. That suddenly opened up the opportunity to look at what happens in the peripheral retina. And my research really in Alzheimer’s took off from there because we identified vascular changes that are more visible on the periphery than would be in the central areas of the retina. Also, we saw extracellular deficit formation, which, in the eye, they call drusen. They’re not identical but not dissimilar from amyloid plaques. You can see that more on the periphery. And how this came together with other members of the PIA, Maya Koronyo’s group was studying the whole back of the eye postmortem. And actually, they found also that it seems that the features they are identifying as amyloid deposition is actually more on those peripheral areas than necessarily in the central one. And given that now there is a camera that is proposed to be detecting amyloid-beta in a live patient, and there is a special technology but also a so-called hyperspectral imaging, now we have the opportunity to follow this up, these original observations pathologically as well as clinically that the peripheral retina might be a better indicator together with the macula, but the inclusion is an important part that is now bringing up new technologies and new ideas. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, it sounds like your science is an exemplar for the … you just don’t know until you look and that you were in the position to be able to look. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** I like that, I like that. And you are right, absolutely, that if we put a little blinker, we will see what we are allowed to see. If we are allowed to view with a wider scope, we might find things. Maybe we have no idea what we are seeing, but the appearance of features, but more importantly, the progression of these features is going to be very important indicators for the disease. And this is, actually, one of the strengths of using the eye as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease, because pharmaceutical companies “doomed” the idea that if you can generate an image in a couple of seconds for a few dollars or pounds as opposed to have a brain imaging for every single time point of a clinical trial and that could indicate the progression or regression of a disease, that is a very powerful tool for clinical studies and clinical trials. And then of course, which is, I think, quite important potentially for the research you are doing is that not only inexpensive and quick, but also extremely well tolerated by the patient. So, generating eye images, if we get to the point that the eye images could reflect disease progression and the efficacy of drugs, which will make all those clinical trials significantly simpler. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s wonderful in terms of being able to expand our clinical trials and make them better tolerated, hopefully, for those individuals who volunteer to be part. And I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself here or ahead of you, but as I understand it, another one of these big downstream markers that you might be heading for or outcomes would be that this is a technology that could roll out to the general public for widespread screening and identification of people who are at risk. Is that something you talk about in the PIA? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** That is absolutely the goal. So, by the time the current medications are used, patients are on their way developing or losing some of their cognitive abilities. If we could use the eye to actually capture a little bit earlier what might be happening and how that changes a little bit earlier, intervention could make a heap of difference not just for the patient but also for their care providers and, of course, society because it’s not really a cheap process to support people with declining cognitive function. **Dr Shana Stites:** Wonderful. All right. Let’s hope we get there and get there quickly, or we’ll probably get there. Just how fast, right? You picked it up when I did my introduction that I’m from the Diversity and Disparities PIA. And so, if I could just shift the conversation just a little bit to ask, sort of coming from that direct, ask a question that you may or may not have the answer to, but if you’d explore it with me, I’d appreciate it. As I understand it, there are sex and age and race differences in the eye, believe it or not. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Yes. **Dr Shana Stites:** And I’d like to hear if you are aware of anything that your PIA is doing to address those differences, that natural variation that occurs in the technology or in the methods and how that comes up in your PIA? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, it’s absolutely true. In many eye diseases, we know that there are sex imbalance and we definitely, with all these studies we are doing, including pathological studies, we are very consciously looking at male-female combination, because we don’t yet fully understand the ramification of sex differences, for example. So definitely, it’s a very important part of our harmonization that we try to encourage people to make sure that there is male-female comparison, for example. One of the difficulties which we find, and we generally find that with other eye diseases as well, is that racial differences are much more complex to capture. Whether that’s because of cultural differences or what drives that, it’s much more difficult to see people with color in these studies and trials and, especially, it’s much more difficult to capture postmortem material from these populations. So, we are very strongly … There’s a lot of discussion about whether anyone has access to material that has different genetics and factors that we could study. So, I think there are things that are easier to address like male-female, but- **Dr Shana Stites:** So, it does sound like a lot of your efforts around diversity and natural variance within the PIA is focused or counting on issues of representation. You need to have people in these studies that represent a very wide segment, if not as wide as possible, of the populations that these technologies and advances might be benefiting. Do you think with some of the advances in the retinal technologies that you’re talking about, you are going to make those technologies more accessible, they’ll become more accessible, to cohorts where there may be higher representation of sexual and gender minorities and racial minorities? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** One of the difficulties with high end technologies to detect changes is that the machinery is expensive. Very often used, very highly precision, engineered parts, and therefore, it’s more difficult to travel. But times are changing. Now, we have a lot of handheld cameras which we can take to the patients rather than asking the patients to come to us. And I think that is going to make a difference. Patients really like to see what the outcome of the procedure is. So, we had a feasibility study, this so-called Deep and Frequent Phenotyping study, which is running right now in the UK, and I lead the ophthalmology side of it, is that when patients came in, we generated the pictures, and they could come around and we could show them the different layers. They could understand what we were looking for. We could point out features like the optic nerve had, the vessels and maybe a deposit here, deposit there, which is not necessarily disease but just part of aging. So, this actually, I believe, will make a big difference. The patients did appreciate that and liked that. And I think that opens to … Sorry. **Dr Shana Stites:** Sorry. I’m just curious. Since you have this unique experience of being able to have shown people pictures of their eyes in the context of this study, what were some of the most common reactions you were hearing? And how do you think it facilitated their engagement in the study? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** I think they’re quite amazed how beautiful the back of the eye is. It’s extremely well organized. It’s very pretty. Lots of colors from red, orange, green, blue, all that comes together. So, it’s visually impressive. And when you look at some other modalities like the optical coherence tomography, which shows you every single layer, then people are developing an appreciation of the complexity we are faced with, but also, they understand how we … So, it’s relatively easy to make them understand how we analyze images. And I think that’s a great advantage to build trust and interest in participating in studies. **Dr Shana Stites:** Do you hear people react, sort of acknowledging, well, this was different than I thought it was, or confirming, this was exactly what I thought it was? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** No, I have to say we do hear that fairly often because, often, we still delete the eye, okay? Because you can generate much better images if your pupils are wide open. So, that’s not very comfortable, but it’s comfortable. And the fact that within, let’s say, half an hour, we can do a fairly thorough imaging of the patients with the inclusion of giving them a little tour of the back of their eye, that makes them quite positive about the experience, and the feedback was very, very positive. And I’m sure it’s not because we gave them a biscuit and a cup of tea, but because of what they went through. And there is one very important element of this is that because we have to delete their eyes, we have these absolutely amazing throwaway sunglasses which we give people because we want to make sure that the strong sunlight doesn’t bother them too much. And we keep telling them that now they can go out to the wide world and either the boys or the girls will be falling over to get their attention with this funky eyeglass. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, like a study giveaway if you will. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Yes. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s wonderful. Do you ever … One more question before we move on. I’m just curious, do you have any concerns with talking patients through their images or do you think it’s really been just all positives? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, we are not clinicians. So, I’m a basic scientist and most of my team are not basic scientists. So, we are not analyzing the images on the spot. So, we are not giving them any indication whether there is anything bad or wrong because we are just not qualified to do that. But of course, immediately, we have a clinician on board who is leading the clinical side of these studies, and we have an obligation to look at the images very quickly in case of incident of findings and we report that very quickly. So, unless we see something very, very obvious, none of these changes are jumping at you that, oh, there is something that is so obvious. But if there is a problem, we immediately alert the clinicians. So, for that reason, we haven’t had a negative experience so far. We have been in the situation where we found something that had to be reported and acted upon. In fact, it happened to one of the neurologists who were involved in this study that when we got together, this is just an interesting anecdote, how it works, we sat down around the table discussing this study and this clinician said to the ophthalmologist that “There is some funny feeling in the back of the eye. Maybe at lunch break, if you don’t mind, just having a look because I’m flying to the United States in the evening and just making sure that everything is fine.” And then an hour later, the ophthalmologist came back but not the neurologist because he was already in the operating theater with a retinal detachment which happened in the far periphery, which we could detect with our technologies. And basically, what it meant is that if he had flown to the United States, probably by the time he landed, he has lost the vision on that time. So, this kind of thing can happen, rarely happens, but we are prepared to do that. But we’re certainly not qualified to give a clinical diagnosis to the patient, so we would refer them straight away to their clinician. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, it sounds like you’ve put together these studies in a very thoughtful way, as I would expect, that you have protocols in place to deal with incidental findings or unexpected findings that might come up, and to even deal with what might be emergent situations. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Yes. Thankfully, eye is very, very, very rare as such an emergency. So, we don’t have bleeding eyes and that kind of thing. So, it is possible to do eye imaging in this way, so you don’t need to immediately react. But as I said, as soon as we identify some kind of abnormalities that requires a specialist’s idea or specialist’s review, we immediately refer them. **Dr Shana Stites:** I have to say I’m excited. I can’t wait to see some of these images about which you’ve been talking. Is there any chance these images or other work from your PIA is going to be at AAIC this year? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** There will be. So, we will have an eye PIA Day, where there will be reports. There are a number of talks as well as posters from the PIA. We are collating this information right now and we are very excited about that because it’s really going to be really the first sort of real presence of our PIA at the meeting. So, it’s going to be fantastic to hear and see what people who haven’t necessarily been engaged with eye imaging will think of these findings. **Dr Shana Stites:** Congratulations on the arrival of the PIA on the … for PIA for the first AAIC. Do you have a program planned for PIA Day that you’d want to share with the audience? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** We have a program. I think it’s just about to be populated on the ISTAART website. So, I would direct anyone to the ISTAART website and look for the eye PIA, The Eye as a Biomarker for AD PIA, to look for the most up to date one. We just recently had the steering committee meeting, and we were discussing this. So, this is definitely within days, it will be part of the website. **Dr Shana Stites:** You also said, I heard you sneak it in there, that you’re collating information for presentations and posters that will be happening at AAIC. Do you know where that information will be posted or how people can get a copy of it? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Yeah, again, we will be disseminating all that information through the different channels. We are present on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and every form which we can reach out to people. And again, this information will be on the ISTAART website very soon. But we will be continuously monitoring the program. And as the communication chair, I will be disseminating the idea how to gain the best access to it, and we will be alerting people regularly of any new information coming out. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s right. As communication chair, I couldn’t be asking for a better person. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Well, I’m not sure about that. You are the better judge than me that the information I’m giving is useful. **Dr Shana Stites:** It’s been fabulous. I am curious, you mentioned way back earlier, as we just started talking, that the PIA has about 300 people in it. Is that right? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Yes. We have 316 members right now and I imagine that this number will gradually increase because, as I said, ophthalmology is really coming of age and 20 years ago, it was difficult to have a conversation with a neurologist about the eye and the brain. Of course, we had the neuro-ophthalmologist for very specific conditions, but then with the new technologies, this conversation became very fluent. And thankfully, now we are the ones who are being asked to be part of clinical studies as a potential surrogate. Unfortunately, we are not yet at the point that we can, with absolute certainty, say what are the connections. But I think we are very close to that tipping point where the value of eye imaging and eye pathology for detecting and rather monitoring the progression of the disease is becoming reality. **Dr Shana Stites:** That’s so exciting. I have to, I’m going to guess here, so please correct me if I’m wrong, but within that group of PIA members, you probably have a fair amount of diversity in terms of you’ve got students, postdocs, senior scientists, is that right to be- **Dr Imre Lengyel:** That’s absolutely right. And we are very, very strongly encouraging everyone to join because I think it’s a new territory. Undoubtedly, there is an evolutionary similarity between the eye and the brain, so they are from the same embryonic origin. Same similar type of cells is forming both the retina and the brain structure. So, there is every reason to think that we can connect the two. And I’m not thinking about whether the eye happens first or the brain or the brain happens first and then the eye. It’s just the same things seem to happen. Whether there is a causality, that’s going to be an interesting question to examine in the future. So, I think there is a lot of interest in the younger people because it’s actually really beautiful to work on the retina. Obviously, I’m biased, but it’s such a nice structure when you are doing staining or trying to look for features, you can find them. **Dr Shana Stites:** So, I have two questions for you. As someone, you look at me, consider me somewhat interested in being part of your PIA, and before I get to the nuts and bolts of how could I reach out to become involved, but two questions is, as an individual who’s from outside of this work, very much from another area of a shared science, would there be a place to get involved? Or how, as a total newbie, could I get involved in the PIA? And would it be a safe and welcoming and okay place for me to do that? Or is really the level of sophistication that’s happening here, I’m going to get in the way, and it wouldn’t be as helpful? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** No, I’m very confident to say that anybody who has an interest in exploring what’s happening in the eye would be welcome. That’s absolutely certain. And joining is very simple. As an ISTAART member, you just navigate to our page, The Eye as a Biomarker for AD page, and there is a simple click on become a member and you sign up there and you will start automatically getting the basic information. We also organize regular meetings and that every year, basically, starts with a summary of what happened last year. Seminar, one of our young colleagues is tasked with the job of giving us an overview of what happened the year before. And that’s actually a wonderful place for people like yourself who don’t necessarily have the breadth of knowledge on ophthalmology because that’s where you can really learn how the field moves forward compared to the year before. So, you would be very, very welcome to join. And there are lots of interesting questions that, of course, come up about the vision or the eyesight is one of our most precious sensors for people and, therefore, losing sight is a very important issue financially, psychologically, and every other aspect of life. So, getting people involved from different areas and thinking together about what the ramification of a finding is we have is actually a very important aspect which we’d like to explore. **Dr Shana Stites:** Fabulous. I’d be happy to have those conversations. In our PIA, again, the Diversity and Disparities. PIA, we have representation in our membership from all over the world. And one of the things that I hear is that it’s hard for people to make meetings. If for no other reason than time zones alone, not to get to the busy schedules and all of the other work demands, but does your PIA, and it’s okay if not, I guess. Does your PIA have ways for people to participate if they can’t make the meetings? Or do you make any adjustments to your meetings to try to deal with that issue of time zones and schedules? **Dr Imre Lengyel:** So, we have some issues already, given that our chair is in San Diego. So, for him to wake up, we are ready to drink our first beer in the pub. So, we need to find time, but it’s basically almost impossible to cover all time zones. There is quite a bit of discussion amongst the steering committee, how could we cover this, and we try to record meetings. So, making it sure that those who are unable to participate, they can. So yes, absolutely, we are trying to find different days and times when it’s more suitable for people to join, and we are keeping a keen eye on the membership. So, the members who are signing up to PIA that so we understand what their geographical location is and how could we make inclusion as seamless as possible. **Dr Shana Stites:** Wonderful. So, it does sound like this is one of the challenges that we deal with in this field, especially as a global community. But the PIA is willing to … is welcome to everybody and there’s ways to get in touch and to have access to the content and maybe even contribute even with some of those challenges. And I have got to tell you, this is our first meeting and it’s been a pleasure to have this opportunity to sit and talk with you and get to know you a little bit. And thank you for sharing the work that’s going on in the PIA, that’s amazing and your own work. I’ve really appreciated it. **Dr Imre Lengyel:** Thank you very much, Shana. It’s always amazing to talk to people who are not immediately on the field because you asked some really interesting questions. And I hope that the listeners will enjoy a little bit of different insight than what we usually talk about, hardcore science for example. **Dr Shana Stites:** Thank you for listening over the past week. ISTAART PIAs are a great way to expand your network and find new collaborators. We hope these podcasts have inspired you to become involved. You can find profiles of myself and my wonderful guest and information on how to become involved in the ISTAART on our website at dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, and also at www.alz.org/istaart. We are looking forward to next week’s AAIC conference. So, if you haven’t already registered, visit alz.org for more information. Finally, please remember to like, subscribe, and leave a review of this podcast through our website, iTunes, Spotify, and SoundCloud, and all the other places you can find podcasts. I’m Shana Stites. Thank you so much for listening. **Voice Over:** Brought to you by dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk, in association with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Race Against Dementia, and the Alzheimer’s Association, bringing new research, news, career tips and support. **END** --- #### Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of PIA membership, ISTAART or the Alzheimer’s Association. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Imre Lengyel, Dr Shana Stites, Eyes, ISTAART, Podcast, Relay Podcast Series, The Eye as a Biomarker for AD PIA **Podcast/Blog Topics :** ISTAART Relay --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2023 - Day One](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2023-day-one/) **Published:** July 16, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Highlights from Day One of the AAIC 2023. Hosted by Adam Smith with special guests Dr Mizuki Morisaki, Sam Keat and Dr Arunima Sikdar **Content:** **In this podcast we share a few selected highlights from the first day of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) taking place in Amsterdam and Online, 16th – 20th July.** Adam Smith hosts the show with special guests **[Dr Mizuki Morisaki](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-mizuki-morisaki-university-of-st-andrews/)** from University of Bristol, **[Sam Keat](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-sam-keat-cardiff-university/)**, PhD Student in the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University and **[Dr Arunima Sikdar](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-arunima-sikdar-university-of-north-carolina/)** a Postdoc Research Associate from University of North Carolina. The AAIC brings together distinguished basic scientists, clinical researchers, early career investigators, clinicians and the care research community at the largest and most influential international conference on dementia science. They share theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. For more information visit: [aaic.alz.org](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faaic.alz.org&token=69221e-1-1689604922757 "https://aaic.alz.org") --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers, research conference highlights, and so much more. **Adam Smith:** Hello and thank you for tuning in. I’m Adam Smith, I’m the program director for Dementia Researcher, and it’s my pleasure to be hosting this show. For the next four days, we’ll be bringing you a new podcast each day to share highlights from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, which as you all know, is currently taking place in Amsterdam. Sadly, we’re not there in person. Well, we’re not, but some of our guests will be. However, thanks to the marvels of technology, we can enjoy most of the talks, but we will be missing getting our daily steps. But on the plus side, we can watch at home in our pajamas, which I know I did today, well until lunchtime anyway. With over 800 orals and thousands of posters, there’s no way we’ll be covering everything in these highlight shows. But instead, what we will do is bring together three people to talk about their best bits. So, let’s meet the guests. I’m delighted to welcome Sam Keat, who, as you can see is I’m guessing, you’re outside. Oh, well you can’t see if you are listening to this, but if you’re watching on YouTube, you can. We’ve got Sam Keat who is joining us live from Amsterdam. Hello Sam. **Voice Over:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** We also have Dr. Mizuki Morisaki, who is joining us from Bristol today. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** Oh, and do you know what? I’ve set myself up for failure here because I can’t quite remember. My third and final guest is Dr. Arunima Sikdar, who is in Oxford. **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** No, I am in North Carolina, USA. **Sam Keat:** You’re close. **Adam Smith:** You’re close. Not even slightly close. Somebody else is North Carolina. Well, I’m in Oxford, but I wish I were in North Carolina. I’m sure the weather is better there than it has been in Oxford today. Thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s start with some proper introductions. Arunima Sikdar, I got your location wrong. Why don’t you go first? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Yeah, sure. Yeah. Thank you, Adam, for such a nice introduction. Hello everyone. I’m Arunima and I’m a poster research associate working at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. And my expertise is molecular biology and biochemistry. So, my job is to design the assays and screen compounds for novel drug targets for therapeutics. And it involves different projects such as Alzheimer’s that I’m presenting in as a e-poster in this conference. And there are other projects such as antiviral projects also involved, yeah. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. Thank you very much. I was worried that we didn’t have any fundamental scientists joining today because we’ve had a last-minute change of guests and I thought, well, it’s always bad when you turn up and you’ve missed, nobody’s there to talk about some of the biggest talks because nobody else understands them. So, I’m really pleased you managed to join us. Thank you. Mizuki, why don’t you go next? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Right. Hello. I’m Mizuki, and I’m in University of Bristol working in health science, Bristol Medical School, Clinical Neuroscience, dementia research group. So, I work in a sort of medical school using the mainly postmortem brain tissue from the brain bank that is closely related to our group. And mainly I do research looking at the depression and dementia. And then now I do some in vitro work looking at the antidepressant. So that’s sort of, it’s not quite translational but not quite basic, somewhere in between. **Adam Smith:** Amazing. And I noticed that one of the hot sessions from today was new horizons on human postmortem neuropathology. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Yes, I did. **Adam Smith:** Which do I assume you attended? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** I did watch that. **Adam Smith:** So, if Melissa Murray is listening, you’re going to get a review of your session now. And last but not least, of course, super sub-Sam Keat, who didn’t even know he was joining this podcast until about seven minutes ago, who has done amazingly well to drop in. So, Sam, no pressure. You can introduce yourself too. **Sam Keat:** No pressure. I definitely won’t be a superstar, but my name’s Sam Keat and I’m a PhD student at Cardiff University, but I’m currently halfway through my PhD project, but I’m looking at the role of complementing Alzheimer’s Disease and I’m mostly a dietician and a geneticist, and I’m very lucky to be joining you live from Amsterdam today, so \[foreign language 00:04:33\], I probably butchered the Dutch there, but yeah, \[foreign language 00:04:38\] from Amsterdam. **Adam Smith:** No, that’s brilliant. And I think you’re also tethered to your phone as well, so we apologize now if we have any signal quality issues, but it is also a hot topic for you because I see the big announcement for today was about the new CRISPR work, but maybe you’ll talk to that. If not, I’ve got notes, so don’t worry. So, thank you very much everybody for joining us. Why don’t I give you a chance to talk about any work you’ve been presenting? Sam, are you presenting this week? **Sam Keat:** Unfortunately, not. No, I’m just an attendee this week, but. **Adam Smith:** That’s okay. **Sam Keat:** Regretting it, I’d love to have presented a poster. There are so many people there to talk to and network with, so I do feel the regret of not presenting a poster here. **Adam Smith:** No, and I’m sorry for asking you first. I should have asked in advance. Mizuki, what about you? Are you presenting? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** No, I’m not presenting. **Adam Smith:** Okay. But do we know that Arunima is, because you already said so at the start, you tell us about your poster? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** So, my poster number is 76479. If anyone is interested, please go ahead, and check it out. To summarize the story, I have been working with the kinase protein, and this is a kind of non-receptor kinase, and this protein is actually important for phagocytosis and the innate immune response in our body. So, this protein gets activated when it interacts with the particular motive of a receptor, immunoglobin. So, our target was to inhibit or prepare some compounds or screen some compounds, which can actually inhibit the interaction between that kinase protein and the immunoglobin, the receptor protein, to break the bridge with our compound. So, we have screened almost a thousand compounds and we have developed our own assay, TFR assay, and we have screened the compounds and we have done secondary assays such as SPR, ITC and GST pull-down assay. And we found that there are some particular thiouric acid compounds, which are interesting, and they show the inhibition of that particular kinase protein with that immunoglobin protein. So that is what I am presenting in the poster. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. So, what are the implications for that then? What and the next steps? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** So, the next step will be to check those compounds in the microglia cell. That will be kind of in vivo experiments to do so that we will look forward to do with our collaborators because we are not doing this in vivo experiments such as animal experiments in our facility, but our collaborator who in a different institute in US or Canada, even in UK, yeah, they can do that in future. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. Well, I gather Cardiff’s pretty good for collaborating. You’re in the DRI, I assume Sam? **Sam Keat:** Yes, I am. Yes. **Adam Smith:** So maybe you could reach out, Sam. Thank you very much for talking about that. So do go check out, what was that poster number again? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** 76479\. **Sam Keat:** 76479. I’ll visit. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. And the online, I mean that’s one thing of course to highlight to everybody is obviously the thousands of posters. I have to say, I think you have an advantage if you’ve actually watched this at home instead of in the conference whilst you might, because walking up and down the posters, I mean, given that they swap them every day as well, you don’t leave your poster up all week like you do with many conferences. You put them up, you take them down the same day, that it’s just impossible to digest that many. Whereas online I think, I know you can obviously look online even if you’re in person, but online at home you can search for the people, you can search by topic. I know that they’ve just revised how you find posters, which makes it a lot easier. And I assume you’ve then got to log in and check to see if you’ve had questions and queries from people? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Yeah, I have checked. Until now, I haven’t found any questions. **Adam Smith:** No. Well with 8,000 I think it was? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** I know, chances are slim. **Adam Smith:** But no, it might also not be the day, I guess because usually they vary by theme, don’t they, each day. So, it might be your theme or later in the week. Thank you very much. Okay, so let’s get into your highlights and to the main point, actually, do you know what I’m going to go first. I’m going to ease you all into it and give you a little break. The session I really enjoyed; Maria Carillo chaired a session on the work being done by the NIA to revise the clinical criteria for Alzheimer’s disease. This was very towards the end of the day, I think 15:15, if you’re watching on catch-up, you can go back and watch this. It included a panel discussion and a presentation from Jose Montminy from the Alzheimer’s Association and Clifford Jack from the Mayo Clinic. And there are three reasons why they’re updating this guidance. Firstly, in response to new treatments because the present guidance is really aimed towards being a framework for research where of course now with disease modifying therapies on the horizon, it’s intended to be updated for clinical use as well. Secondly, with so many new biomarkers being validated, the guidance needs to be updated to incorporate plasma biomarkers into the new criteria. And then thirdly, I’m reading from my notes here, research studies have demonstrated that imaging fluid biomarkers within the category are not equivalent for many uses. So, they’re updating biomarker classification criteria as well. This was clearly, I mean, I don’t think I fully understood everything that was discussed, but it was clearly a hot topic. It went on for 20 minutes longer than scheduled. You could see from home there were cues of people queuing at every microphone, generally not really to ask a question, but to make a point about something they seemed to disagree on or that was slightly controversial with the guidance that had been put forward. So obviously a hot topic, the main takeaway from that session was is that they’d love you to go away and read the draft guidance that they’ve produced, which they’ve published online, and it’s open for feedback. They’ve got a massive panel of the great and the good that have contributed to this. So, it’s a very esteemed panel of people. But if you go to aaic.als.org/nia-aa, that should take you to the guidance. We’ve also tweeted it from the Dementia Researcher account today. So, if you go to @dm\_researcher, you can have a look at what they’ve published and they’re welcoming feedback on that. I don’t know, did anybody else see that session? **Sam Keat:** No, I unfortunately didn’t. I think I was at another session in person. But yeah, I certainly heard a lot about it. **Adam Smith:** Clearly. I mean, I think it’s a hot topic, isn’t it? That definition, moving away from just the biological to incorporate that for clinical with neurologists now with this, to whom do we give these new amyloid therapies? Having that guidance and that clear definition of what constitutes disease is a hot topic. So go check that out. I think it’s worth watching. Arunima, why don’t you tell us your first highlight? What have you enjoyed today? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Well, I enjoyed first of all the awardees because many scientists, many professors, they received the lifetime achievement award today. That was pretty much interesting, such as Anne Fagan from Washington University in St. Louis for her research. And then Professor Philip Scheltens from University Medical Center in Amsterdam because of his research in dementia and also, he established the Alzheimer’s Center as a medical center there. And also, Bruce Miller from University of California. So, after that I enjoyed some of the sessions. And in the basic science and pathogenesis section, there was a topic on the Apo-E protein and there was a talk from five different people, so I forgot totally their name, but I remember for the first speaker, she was from Boston University, Professor Julia, she mentioned about how lipidosis is important in the Apo-3 and Apo-4 protein and how that impact in the Alzheimer disease and the dementia. So, she presented the transcripts and proteomics data very well to show how this different form of the Apo-E can actually help to understand the basics of Alzheimer disease and how it can be prevented. **Adam Smith:** Was that… Because I saw when the big announcements coming out of Alzheimer’s Association has been this Boris Kantor research from Duke University and Ornit Chiba-Fallek, who described this new therapy platform based on CRISPR and dCAs9 nine editing strategy to reduce Apo-E4. Is that the same talk, or is that a different one? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** It’s a different one. **Adam Smith:** It’s a different one. Okay. I’m going to bring that up later. Thank you very much. So, what did you particularly enjoy about it? Is there any relevance to your own work or does this just seem like an interesting area? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Yeah, it’s an interesting area. I haven’t found any interesting until… Because it is the first day, I’m looking forward to more for drug development because that is the area in which I am working. So yeah, I’m look forward to the next days in the conference. **Adam Smith:** Oh, I think, are we expecting some more big results from in the drug space? I think is that tomorrow? I think I want to say tomorrow. We did a podcast a few weeks ago with Claire Sexton who highlighted that. So, I’m going to have to check back and see when that was. What about you, Sam? Let’s come to you. What’s your first highlight from the day? **Sam Keat:** So, I suppose being in person, I think you are touched by it, is getting the chance to see some of the brilliant posters in person. And I think the kind of advantages you get being at an in-person conference is being able to chat directly to the researchers about their topics and asking questions about their research and bringing up ideas about your own research as well. And one of the first ones I actually went to, which really stood out for me, was from a person called Eloise Berson who was at Stanford University. And her poster was basically looking at whole genome deconvolution using ATAC-seq. So, looking at bulk ATAC-seq profiles and in tissue samples and basically using reference ATAC-seq profiles for single cells to basically try and deconvolute a bulk ATAC-seq sample, which I’d never heard of before. So, I’ve heard of deconvolution in the sense of cell deconvolution and looking at bulk RNA-Seq in using single cell reference profiles to be able to deconvolute those and look at populations of cells in a bulk sample. But I’ve never heard of it being done with ATAC-seq. So, it was a very new concept and a very insightful concept for me. Certainly, obviously gave me a chance to talk about my own project, which incorporates bits of ATAC-seq and I’m a bit of an epigenetics nerd, so they gave me the chance to talk about epigenetics as well. So having this conversation with Eloise and a couple of her other people in her team was a really insightful insight into, I suppose, the current technologies that are available and kind of gives me new ideas from my project as well. So that’s one of the kinds of first standouts I had was being able to have these conversations. I think the second kind of standout for me was the first plenary session of the day, so I’m going to absolutely butcher his name and I apologize. So, Rik Ossenkoppele, who was presenting about PET. So, tau PET. So, the neuroimaging technique to look at tau pathology in the brain and how you can use distinct signals from this tau PET to look at the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and look at the presence of tauopathies within the brain and the kind of diagnostic capabilities of this was really interesting to look at. I’m certainly a very kind of firm person when it comes to early diagnosis, being key in Alzheimer’s Disease. And I think the combination of blood-based biomarkers and neuroimaging would be one of these real kinds of big leaps forward in terms of getting this early and very accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. So that was a big standout, and it was a fantastic talk. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, I saw that one too. I completely agree. We’ve had, Rik was on the podcast with us last year as well talking about his work. So, it was brilliant to see him get the opportunity to present that work. And I mean I know that it’s so often we go to these conferences at the moment and it’s all about blood based and fluid biomarkers, but it’s great to see that that imaging isn’t going away and that it continues to advance just as rapidly. And at least we’re still looking at the combination of those biomarkers and throw in digital as well, that actually it’s not a case of should we use digital or fluid or imaging biomarkers. It’s moving towards using a combination of the three that I think is really exciting. **Sam Keat:** Exactly. I think the more we understand about Alzheimer’s as well, the more different we realize most Alzheimer’s cases are. So, some can be diagnosed using neuroimaging, but some are better diagnosed using blood-based biomarkers, for example. There are not all Alzheimer’s disease cases are the same and we need a rich array of ways of being able to diagnose it to be able to effectively diagnose it. So, the more research into both sides, the better it might be. **Adam Smith:** Absolutely. I think there’s a statistic that certainly that we’re using in the UK at the moment, which is about 30% of diagnosis are also misdiagnosed. And so, anything that also improves the accuracy of that, not just in terms of defining which type of dementia somebody has, but also not to exclude that there could… Because we know there are all kinds of reasons for memory problems that might not be dementia related. And if we can reduce misdiagnosis and potentially treat, particularly if what you discover is something that’s treatable, it is all the better for bringing this on. And that’s why I imagine the DRI is going to be one of the people bidding for this new, there’s a million pound blood-based biomarker challenge fund open in the UK at the moment between Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK, I think the postcode lottery and NIHR were on that as well to work out how we put, because one of the frustrating things is it’s great to go to AAIC and hear about all these lovely validated tau biomarkers now as well and all these biomarkers, but they’re not being used, not in clinical. There might be recruitment to check for recruitment to studies, but not as a real clinical diagnostic tool. So great to see that progressing. Thank you, Sam., Mizuki, it’s come to you. Sorry, jumping on you there suddenly, surprised you. Yeah, it’s your turn, go. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** My highlight was actually also the same as plenary lecture about the tau PET, but since you summarized everything. **Adam Smith:** No, you can add to that conversation. You might have a different spin. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** I could go to a different one. I had several, but I find it quite interesting. So, I would talk about something else. The talks that I watched were beyond the classics, so I can’t remember exact title. But basically, looking at the human neuropathology in the neurodegenerative disease in a kind of new perspective. So, a lot of the talks are basically looking at something slightly from a different perspective. For example, instead of looking at Amyloid-Beta and a tau pathology, they look at the strict disturbance happen in AD patient and they’re looking at the specific nuclei in the hypothalamus or looking at- **Adam Smith:** And the clearance system as well? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Yeah. Or things like what is, the most vulnerable population of the cells within the Alzheimer’s Disease or it’s not just everything, but specifically looking at this cell population is more vulnerable compared to AD and against aging. So yeah. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, because aging, I know it’s your particular, your interest in aging as a whole, aren’t you? That’s your… **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Yeah. So, I can’t quite remember the title or that I was watching online, but the reason why I was interested in the circadian rhythm was because I was looking at the stress system and the particular hormone, cortisol is related to circadian rhythm. So, I find it quite interesting because sleep disturbance in Alzheimer’s Disease is quite well known. **Adam Smith:** So, are there new findings emerging from that consideration of stress systems? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** They didn’t mention anything about stress, they just focused on circadian rhythm, but the fact that no one really looked at it despite the fact that 50% of neuronal loss happen in that small nucleus, I was like, oh that’s kind of interesting because why nobody has ever looked at it? **Adam Smith:** And that’s the great thing, isn’t it? I mean when you come to this, even yeah, sure you could spend all week going off and looking at talks in your field or you can also go look at other things that are brush up alongside and get those new ideas like you mentioned before, Sam, some new techniques and things. Thank you, Mizuki. So, before we move on and I come back to you all again, I’ll touch on that CRISPR one that we mentioned earlier. So, this was interesting enough to justify a press release from Alzheimer’s Association. So, I’m going to read some of this. Two new CRISPR based strategies offer hope for the next generation of Alzheimer’s treatments, was the headline from this. One of them seeks to dampen the impact of the most common Alzheimer’s risk gene, which we of course know is Apo-E4. And the other aims to decrease production of a toxin protein in the brain. So, Brent Aulston and his colleagues from University of California, San Diego have developed a gene editing strategy that targets the amyloid precursor protein, so APP, which Aulston calls a gene with a central and indisputable role. Depending on how it’s cooked by various enzymes in the brain, APP can create products that are either protective or pathologic. And this approach hopes to reduce the production of beta amyloid while increasing neuroprotective actions. Testing the process in Alzheimer’s Disease mouse models, the research has found that CRISPR treatment led to a reduction of beta amyloid plaques and associated markers in brain inflammation and an increase in neuroprotective APP products and the correction of brain behavioral and nervous system function deficits. So, this is interesting. In addition, the CRISPR editing did not lead to any undesirable effects in the normal mice. So that was interesting. And alongside that, the other story was around this Boris Kantor from Duke that I mentioned before, and Ornit Chiba-Falek described an epigenome therapy platform based on CRISPR and dCAs9 editing strategy intended to reduce Apo-E4. They found that their lead candidate can robustly reduce levels of Apo-E4 in both human and induce \[inaudible 00:25:17\] stem cells, derived miniature brains from an Alzheimer’s patient and humanized mouse models as well without changing levels of other Apo-E variants that are thought to be neutral or protective. So that sounds, quite a breakthrough. I hadn’t come across anything before in that space. So, what they think is they’ve now got proof of concept and evidence to support this approach as a potential new strategy to treat Alzheimer’s. So, reducing that Apo-E4 protein. Did any of you see the session on that? Have you got anything to add to that? **Sam Keat:** I unfortunately didn’t, but that’s definitely one of the ones I need to catch up on because I personally have a very firm interest in CRISPR-Cas9 because I think everyone knows about its potential and what it can do in treatment and gene editing, all this kind of stuff. So certainly, using it for Alzheimer’s Disease is a very promising concept. And I think the recent results and all the conversations that have been had at AAIC about the impact of this APP targeted CAS9, I think is hugely exciting. And another kind of direction in which CRISPR-Cas9 can head down in terms of a potential treatment and a potential gene therapy. **Adam Smith:** Which is kind of got to be a good way forward. Arunima, I’m going to come to you back next, have you got another highlight to share? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** For the highlights, yeah, as I mentioned earlier that I got that in the basic science and pathogenesis section, I found Professor Julia’s talk about the Apo-E in the glial cells. And there are other talks about the Apo-E4 from other professor, I forgot her name, but she mentioned that Apo-E4 can cause the menopause in females and that that can actually significantly increase the chances of Alzheimer’s in the female, in the woman. So that was kind of pretty much interesting. I didn’t know that before. So that was an interesting talk. I don’t know, have you heard of it or not? And also, there was another talk in the same section by a professor from Southern California. So, he mentioned that the intake of Omega-3, so actually in the earlier ages, in the fifties, if we take more of the Omega-3 protein in our diet, the chance of getting Alzheimer actually reduces when we get old. So that was cool. **Adam Smith:** Really? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** I don’t know, did they also have one after that that talks about red wine being a good protective factor as well? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Eating fish makes you healthy. Is that the message? Really? **Adam Smith:** I know. And I’ve read something recently that talked about plant-based diets, obviously having to say when Sam \[inaudible 00:28:17\]’s talked about that before as well. I think that when you get into those kinds of dietary things and those, there are so many other factors to play, aren’t there? That it’s so hard to really prove, other than say, do it anyway because it’s a good thing. I don’t know. Anybody, did anybody else see those? Have you got anything to add to that? Actually, that’s a good question. Have you seen anything today that you thought, I don’t believe that that’s just not right. Have you seen any, is there any snake or some kind of snake or presentation you went, yeah, I’m not sure I buy into that? Don’t say any names for goodness’ sake. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Do you mean in this conference like AAIC or any? **Adam Smith:** Oh no, today. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Today. **Adam Smith:** Let’s stick with today. Have you seen anything disbelieving? This is, not that we’re saying that Omega-3 isn’t a protective factor, I feel sure it is. I’m going to go back and backtrack slightly on that and so answer on a postcard if you have any strong views on whether Omega-3 is a good protective factor to reduce risks of Alzheimer’s Disease. And then if you take it, you won’t get it, do reply, and let us know. Sam, have you got anything else to highlight? **Sam Keat:** So, another poster that unfortunately I wasn’t able to catch up with, the amazing Fari \[inaudible 00:29:38\] who is part of the Christian Steger’s lab in Belgium. I unfortunately wasn’t able to catch up with Fari because he’s a very busy man because he’s been talking about his project all day. But his project which is looking at the integration of Alzheimer’s disease GWAS with molecular QTLs. So, I’m a big kind of GWAS person and a big geneticist and Fari’s a fantastic researcher and a fantastic person in kind of pushing forward this post-translational wealth, this post-GWAS translation, seeing exactly what the kind of GWAS low side translate to in terms of these molecular QTLs, which he refers to. And his kind of ways of being able to translate the findings that we get from GWAS and seeing exactly what these signals mean. And I’ve done, hopefully going to bump into him tomorrow to talk about his project a bit further and his kind of newest findings. But certainly, his poster was absolutely fantastic. I think it was just, as a bio-physician and a geneticist, it was just mind-blowing how much work Fari’s done and how incredible his work is as well. I think I was absolutely blown away by some of the work he’s done. So, it’s amazing to see it in person. **Adam Smith:** Great. Well, that should definitely be on everybody’s list to go look at. Mizuki any more from you? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** It’s again related to aging and neurodegeneration but- **Adam Smith:** Wait a second, what about the postmortem neuropathology one? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** I actually- **Adam Smith:** You’ve got to talk to both. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** No, I’m not going to talk about postmortem because I thought something else that’s more interesting. **Adam Smith:** Okay, wait a second. You’re not going to tell your boss that, are you? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** No. It’s like everything- **Adam Smith:** Lindsay, if you are listening, she didn’t mean that. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** No, I mean there’s another thing I was quite interested because we talked about the female having a higher risk of the Alzheimer’s Disease and then there was the talk in the defining frontiers of neuropathologic changes in aging and neurodegenerative disease. And then we actually talked about the sort of potential mechanism because the females are at the higher risk after the menopause. So basically, this was the second talk, talking about the pathways and enzymes. So, focusing on sort of mediator, because when you have Alzheimer’s Disease, it’s not just Alzheimer Disease, you get tau pathology and Amyloid beta. And also, there is overlap and comorbidity with other neurodegenerative diseases. And then they’re talking about, oh, there might be some mediator that increase the risk. So, looking back- **Adam Smith:** That is interesting and also great to see that gender-specific research is actually moving up in profile as well because we know that Alzheimer’s affects more women than it does men, yet all too often there isn’t that focus in on those areas of high concern. **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** But also, you can’t eliminate the fact that female live longer. So, the chances of getting Alzheimer’s Disease are higher because a male by that point, may not be around. So as much as we focus on hormone and female, but we have to think about those other factors. But it’s still interesting. **Adam Smith:** Of course. Well, do you know what? I think we’re kind of… I really am going to try and keep these down. I’m notorious for making all my podcasts an hour long and I’m determined to make these listenable so that wherever you’re staying in Amsterdam, you can listen to this while you’re walking to the conference or before you start the day to make sure that you can do. So, I’m going to try and keep control over it. There are a few other award winners, Arunima you mentioned, some of, you mentioned Philip and Anne and Bruce Miller earlier. Some other award winners we should mention were Soyoung Chan, who is from Washington University who won the early career researcher award. \[inaudible 00:33:50\], got an award for basic science and development disabilities. John Schott from UCL where I work, got an award for distinguished service to iISTAART. Cristian Lasagna Reeves from Indiana University won the Inge Grundke-Iqbal Award for Alzheimer’s, and Oscar Hanson, who’s also been on the podcast earlier this year to talk about his work on biomarkers, won the DeLeon prize in Neuroimaging. Really? Won the DeLeon prize in neuroimaging. Okay. But maybe I’ve got that the other way around. But yeah, Oscar Hanson won the award as well. And Michael Gruff and Alex from London University who were all award winners. And I think some of those have given talks and you can watch that award session as well. Before we wrap up, are there any final thoughts? Any last highlights or I’ll tell you what I will do, we’ll ask you what you’re most looking forward to over the rest of the week. Sam, why don’t you go first? **Sam Keat:** What I’m most looking forward to for the rest of the week is just the opportunity to bump into the 7,000 people that are here. Because I think on the first day, I think you realize how many people are here and there’s so many people you want to speak to that you find out are coming, but the chances of bumping into them are very slim. So, I think what I’m looking forward to is seeing the list of people that are here and being able to potentially have these conversations with some absolutely brilliant researchers at the AAIC. So, I think the kind of thing I’m looking forward to is doing a lot more networking and seeing a few more posters as well. **Adam Smith:** Well done. And you must go to that ECR student lounge. You can get headshots there at lunchtime and they’ve got some good talks going on. And of course, you’ve got the DRI AR UK Alzheimer’s Society reception, which is tomorrow night? Tomorrow night. **Sam Keat:** Tuesday night. **Adam Smith:** Tuesday evening. Yeah. And ISTAART Start reception as well, which is always worth a visit. Anything, what about you Mizuki? **Dr Mizuki Morisaki:** Like I’m looking forward to listening to the talks, of course. There are psychiatric talks as well as information. So, my plan is to get my colleagues to watch it with me in the presentation room. **Adam Smith:** What a great idea. Yeah, go take up a meeting room at work. I was going to say, are you still in the lab tomorrow? But yeah, go take over a meeting room and fill it on the screen. Thank you. And Arunima? **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Yeah, for me, I will check on those, the CRISPR based, I mean meet talk recording. So, I will go back- **Adam Smith:** And the drug ones for which we are waiting. Yeah, the drug discovery ones. **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Yeah, so I want to go back those and also special specifically for the clinical trials, some of the drugs from some companies they might present maybe tomorrow or day after tomorrow. I’m not sure. I haven’t checked the full agenda, but I think some of them will present tomorrow. So, we’ll go and check on those. And I will look forward to someone who has sent some questions for my poster. I can answer those. Yeah, interested. **Adam Smith:** Listen, anybody who’s listening, please go and ask Arunima, a question on her poster. Even if it’s just drop her a note and say, great poster, do that. No, don’t wait. Do that right now. Thank you very much, to all my brilliant guests. The incredible last-minute addition to the podcast, who did amazingly well do Sam Keat, nearly called you Dr. Soo. Dr. Mizuki Morisaki from Bristol and the incredible Arunima Sikdar, Doctor Arunima Sikdar, from Carolina. **Dr Arunima Sikdar:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** You’ve all been amazing. I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got time for today. You’ll find profiles on all of our brilliant guests and information on the conference on Twitter if you search hashtag AAIC23, there’s so much there. Of course, if you’ve not already registered, you can, and you’re an ISTAART member, you can still register for the conference even now, even though it’s already started. It’s free of charge for ISTAART members and you can watch it online. Everything that’s already been shown is immediately available like 10 minutes later as soon as it’s broadcast live for you to watch back. So, I hope you’ll do that and have a look at some of the things that our guests have talked about today. We’ll be back tomorrow with three more guests sharing their AAIC highlights. I’m Adam Smith and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. Thank you. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk. **END** --- **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of NIHR Dementia Researcher or the Alzheimer’s Association. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC23, Adam Smith, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Arunima Sikdar, Dr Mizuki Morisaki, Podcast, Sam Keat **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2023 - Day Two](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2023-day-two/) **Published:** July 18, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Highlights from Day Two of the AAIC 2023. Hosted by Adam Smith with special guests Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė, Sára Zsadányi and Dr Aoife Cosgrave. **Content:** **In this podcast we share a few selected highlights from the second day of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) taking place in Amsterdam and Online, 16th – 20th July.** **[Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/careers/regular-contributor-adam-smith/)** hosts the show with special guests **[Sára Zsadányi](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-sara-zsadanyi-universitat-autonoma-de-barcelona/)** from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, **[Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-sonata-maciulskyte-klaipeda-university/)** from Klaipeda University and **[Dr Aoife Cosgrave](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-aoife-cosgrave-alzheimers-research-uk/)** from **[Alzheimer’s Research UK](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/support-resources/alzheimers-research-uk-corner/)**. The AAIC brings together distinguished basic scientists, clinical researchers, early career investigators, clinicians and the care research community at the largest and most influential international conference on dementia science. They share theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. For more information visit: [aaic.alz.org](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faaic.alz.org&token=69221e-1-1689604922757 "https://aaic.alz.org") --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Adam Smith:** Hello and welcome to the second of our Alzheimer’s Association International Conference highlight shows. I’m Adam Smith and all this week I’m joined by different researchers each day who are going to share their best bits from the day’s events. With 100s of talks and 1000s of posters, these shows are far from comprehensive. However, what we hope is to provide a snapshot of what’s going on for those who aren’t attending, and perhaps inspire those who are to check out something that they might have missed. But that’s enough for me. Let’s meet today’s guests. I’m delighted to be joined by Sára Zsadányi and Dr. Aoife Cosgrave and Dr. Sonata Mačiulskytė. Hello, everybody. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Hi. **Sára Zsadányi:** Hi. **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** Everybody looks so nervous for if you’re watching audio, if you’re listening on audio, everybody looks a bit nervous. It’ll be fine. Before we get going, let’s do some introductions and because Sára looks the least nervous of all, I’m going to go to Sára first. Why don’t you introduce yourself, Sára, tell us about yourself. **Sára Zsadányi:** Great. Well, I’m Sára Zsadányi, I am originally from New Zealand, but currently working in Spain at the San Palm Memory Unit. And my PhD, which I’m having my first-year review for on Friday, is looking at small vessel disease in Down syndrome and I’m mostly looking at neuroimaging for this at the moment. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant, thank you Sára. So, did you do your undergrad in New Zealand? **Sára Zsadányi:** Yes, I did. I did my undergrad, my master’s degree over there. **Adam Smith:** So that’s a bit of a jump to go from New Zealand to Spain. I’m assuming you could have done it in New Zealand. What inspired you to move all the way to Spain? **Sára Zsadányi:** I was very excited to move to Europe. It was partially motive by love, but I have stayed now for the research part of it. **Adam Smith:** Oh, well done. We did an ask your mentor podcast recently with Yvonne Couch who told us how she moved countries as well to her. She followed her PhD to follow a boy but didn’t regret it at all. She said it worked out perfectly. So, I hope following for love has done the same for you. **Sára Zsadányi:** Absolutely. **Adam Smith:** Anyway, I moved on so quickly there just in case. Aoife, why don’t you go next? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Hi. So, I haven’t come from as far as New Zealand. So, you can hear by my accent that I’m Irish and I finished my PhD a few months ago. So, it was working between a lab in Dublin and a lab in London. And it was looking at Phytocannabinoid compounds derived from the cannabis plant to see if they had any anti-inflammatory effects in models of acute neuroinflammation. But then towards the end of my PhD, I realized I preferred to talk about my research and other people’s research than doing the research. And I really wanted to stay in the neuroscience area, that field. And then a job with Alzheimer’s Research UK came up and I started working with them two, three months ago now. And I’m a science communication officer for Alzheimer’s Research UK. Yeah, so I’m getting the taste of it now and I’m being at a conference. But on the other side. **Adam Smith:** We should say that, shouldn’t we? That, Sára and Aoife, you’re both actually in Amsterdam right now at the conference. **Sára Zsadányi:** Yes. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yes, we are. **Adam Smith:** And you disappeared up to your rooms and escaped from the social stuff to very kindly join us this evening to share your highlights. So, Aoife, that’s a big change. Oh, I am interested to know though, you said did cannabinoids have that? Did they work? Are we waiting for the publication? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Waiting for the publication, IP issues. And it was a screen of a few compounds and one in particular did show some nice effects. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. So, we should keep an eye out for that paper then. Thank you very much. Sonata, thank you for very patiently waiting. Why don’t you introduce yourself? **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** Okay. Hello, everybody. I have a little bit longer postdoctoral experience, not postdoctoral, but post PhD experience. I defended my PhD almost 10 years ago. I am staying in academia but I’m not doing research either. Actually, I’m from Lithuania, but I did my PhD in Finland. Differently than you both. So, I’m from social sciences so it’s a little bit different and the topics which I cover will be a little bit different. So, what I’m doing now, to make a long story short, I’m serving as a vice director for academic affairs at my university and also, I’m still lecturing. I hold the position of associate professor. And with my team of teaching assistants, I am running courses on social policy and social gerontology. And I still dream about returning back to research one day. **Adam Smith:** But you have another job as well, don’t you? But did I miss it there? But you also work with Alzheimer Europe. **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** It’s not a job, it’s volunteering. Yes, actually I’m a member of the PPI Panel, Patient Public Involvement Panel. And I’m also a chair of a newly established European dementia carers working group. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. So, everybody is ultimately qualified. And what I love is that we’ve got people working, all three of you working in so many different fields that you’ve all probably attended different sessions today. Which is great because the last thing we want is you all to go to the same thing. Well let’s get on with the highlights. So, Sára, I know you’ve been presenting this week. Why don’t you tell us, before we get onto everybody else’s highlights, tell us about your presentations, your posters. **Sára Zsadányi:** So, this is my first year, my very first conference and also my very first poster. **Adam Smith:** That’s brilliant though. Come on. To whom can remember actually presenting at the first conference they attended? Usually you go to a few, you get a feel for things. So, you’re in the first year of your PhD, you’ve just moved countries, and you’ve got two posters at the biggest conference. Well done. That’s amazing. **Sára Zsadányi:** Yes, I’m very blessed. So, I am presenting my own work, which is looking at microbleeds and Down syndrome, which is a neuroimaging manifestation of small vessel disease or cerebral amyloid angiopathy. So, I presented that yesterday, which was wonderful. Very great experience to have a lot of people who are actually leaders in the field come and ask me questions about my work. And then on Wednesday, I am also going to be presenting a colleague’s work. She works with white matter hyperintensities, her name is Alejandra \[inaudible 00:07:32\]. And she has also been looking at neuroimaging or a neuroradiological manifestation of small vessel disease, which is white matter hyperintensities in Down syndrome. And I’m very excited to see if I will have some more people asking questions on Wednesday. **Adam Smith:** So, I’m going to put you on the spot and say, do you remember the poster numbers? So, we can encourage everybody who’s listening or walking to go away and check those out. Well, they can just go by your name as well. **Sára Zsadányi:** Yes, I have a very unique name. Well, my one yesterday was number 19, but I’m afraid I do not know Alejandra’s. **Adam Smith:** That’s all right. If you’re watching online, if you go to the platform and click on posters, it now allows you to search by surname or by first name. So, if you search S-A-R-A for Sára, and then Z-S-A-D-A-N-Y-I, you’ll find Sára’s posters. Or poster the first one, certainly, the other one’s for your colleague. So, what were the main findings from your poster? **Sára Zsadányi:** So, the main finding is that people with Down syndrome have a much higher prevalence of microbleeds. And we were also looking at some associations with different AD Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers. We were looking at some neuroimaging biomarkers, the white matter hyperintensities that I will be presenting on Wednesday, and hippocampal volumes. And I was also looking at some CSF biomarkers and I was looking at a few cognitive tests as well. So, we saw a few associations between the microbleeds. So, with an increase of microbleeds, we had an increase in white matter hyperintensities, and we also had a decrease in the hippocampal volumes. So, this was all very exciting for me, and I went on to do some regression analysis and found that many of the associations stuck around. But surprisingly the white matter hyperintensity is not so much. So, I’m going to be very interested in carrying on doing this work and also to look at the regions where microbleeds appear in Down syndrome. **Adam Smith:** Great. So, we’ll see more when you come back to AAIC next year. Or ADPD, which of course will be before AAIC. Any thoughts on what causes the microbleed? Why do people living with Down syndrome experience more microbleeds in the first place? **Sára Zsadányi:** Very good question. So, people with Down syndrome, from a very young age, start to accumulate amyloid because of the triplication of the APPG on chromosome 21. So, amyloid builds up in small vessels and we call this cerebral amyloid angiopathy. And when this happens, it causes the vessel walls to become a little bit weaker and a little bit of blood to come out into the brain. **Adam Smith:** Fascinating. Well thank you so much for sharing that. So go check that poster out on the platform. Or you’ll also see Sára wandering around the conference if you’re there in person right now in a purple T-shirt. But we’re going to talk about that a little bit later. Thanks very much. Okay, so let’s get on with today’s highlights. Of course, the big news, the first big news which I’m going to introduce when we can all have a little bit of a chat about, was the report from Eli Lilly about the trailblazer owls to clinical trial of donanemab and how effective this is in early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. I’m going to read this just so I don’t make a mistake. The three main bullet points that they gave away on their press release was that the beneficial treatment effect continued to increase relative to placebo over the course of the trial, with the largest differences versus placebo seen at 18 months. They went on to say that study participants at the earliest stage of the disease had the greater benefit with 60% slowing of decline compared to placebo. And significant benefits were also seen in advanced patients. I don’t know if there were more details. Obviously, I have to confess, I haven’t watched all of this talk back, so I’m guessing that there’s more detail if you go back and watch this on what they mean by more advanced patients and at what point that kicked in. The third point that they made was nearly half, 47% of study participants at the earliest stage of the disease who received donanemab, had no clinical progression at one year. And the big difference on this drug compared to the other ones that the FDA have approved, is that it’s the treatment time. So, you only take this until amyloid is cleared and then you stop taking it. Whereas the other ones, that I think you continue to take it is my understanding of this. And 52% of people who took this drug only actually participated for a year. So, I’m guessing that it had cleared the amyloid within a year, 72% within 18 months, which of course means that this is potentially significantly cheaper and of course doesn’t have the same pressure. Aoife, you were there in person for some of this. Why don’t you tell us what were the nuances? I’ve given you the headlines that came out of the press release. What have you got to add to that? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** First off, it was just really exciting. I don’t think I’d ever been in a hall of that size before. And then when the first slide came up of all of the first top line data, everyone started applauding, which was very exciting. And what you said there about the coming off of the treatment, I think that’s really, really interesting. And so, they were monitoring the people, they continued to do so. And it was about, I think it was 47 weeks, people were able to come off because they had such a lowering of amyloid. They came off of donanemab and then they were monitored again, and it was 76 weeks later from beginning of the trial that they were still but now off of the drug. So about 26 weeks later, still had lowering. But then what’s going to be really interesting is to monitor these people long-term and see does amyloid creeps back up again? How often will these people need to be monitored to see will doses change? Or will you go back on the drug? But like you said, it could be cheaper for people then, doses could be changed. I think it does really highlight the importance of being able to measure. And we saw so much about biomarkers over the last two days, that if you were able to cheaply, actually measure these people that should go hand in hand with it. **Adam Smith:** That’s the tricky thing is that’s what makes some of these things so controversial is because whilst I think there’s general agreement that amyloid has no place there and having no amyloid is better than having it, you can also have it but not necessarily have Alzheimer’s. So, deciding when to treat is the tricky part, I guess, and seeing that clinically impactful differences. But I mean the results are amazing. I was interested in the bit about it, so 47% of study participants received no clinical progress. Does anybody have any sense of how that compares to other drugs? I mean 47%, because I don’t know if that meant that the other 53% did carry on or they just didn’t get as good an effect. And how does 47% effectiveness compare to? Is that good? I mean it’s great for this disease when there’s nothing at all, nothing else out there, but how does that compare to other treatments? Is that a good start? I don’t really get a sense clearly … I’m not making much sense, am I? But you know what I mean. Clearly, it’s good, but how good is it compared to other treatments for other diseases? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** I don’t know the answer exactly to that question, but I think when we see further trials that compare. So, these are comparing a new drug against a placebo arm, be fascinating to see the lecanemab the donanemab comparing the new drugs comparing to these ones. That will give us a better- **Adam Smith:** We’re not going to be too far away from each other, are you? Particularly if regulators want to decide which one is the most cost-effective, they’re going to start to compare. So, Sára and Sonata, have you got any thoughts on this? **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** No, except that it’s great news. **Adam Smith:** I think we can agree on that. **Sára Zsadányi:** It’s very good to see that I’ve come into this field at such a good time where all the science is doing exactly what it needs to be doing, working towards a cure. **Adam Smith:** Yep. I think that’s the general consensus, isn’t it? That this is good news. I think the challenge now, and we’ve seen this, I think there was a paper, an opinion piece in the, I want to say The Lancet, but it could have been Alzheimer’s dementia. I know John Shot and Nick Fox published a piece today from UCL talking about the practical implications now. I mean because it goes with this treatment there, it’s great, but we’ve potentially got to start using it. And how do we implement something like that? We’ve got lessons from other diseases. We know that these therapies are delivered in other places, but we’ve got to learn from that and work how we upscale that, which I know AR UK is also campaigning for right now. You published your report last year and I see you are working with the Royal College of Psychiatrists for a series of workshops on that challenge. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yes, and we have a speaker at the conference on Wednesday. So, Susan Mitchell, our head of policy, is going to be talking on a panel about system preparedness. But a couple of others, the names I’m not familiar with yet. But yeah, that’s one to look out for on Wednesday. So how these healthcare systems can get ready in different countries for these new drugs. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. Well, that’s the big headline takeaway. Congratulations to Eli Lilly for getting through that. And so now let’s move on and get some of your highlights. Sonata, why don’t you go first, tell us what you enjoyed most today? **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** As far as I’m biased with the public patient involvement. So, I joined the session on public and patient involvement in dementia research and I enjoyed it. So, there were six presentations. They can be grouped into three groups, I would say. So, one group was presenting national and very new patient public panels. So, there was a Project Netherlands, a Dutch Project abroad, which also launched BPI panel just a year ago. And the presenter explained all the process, how they recruited panelists, and how successful they assess this process as successful. So, they still have 55 panelists. And also, what is important about maybe to say about this session that it may be very different from the rest of the scientific sessions, from the other scientific sessions. Because each of these presentations were followed by people from these members of PPIs. So, it was very powerful, I would say. **Adam Smith:** So, this is the patient and public involvement global prospective session that Helen Bundy Medsger chaired. And I think the session you’re talking about is Tanya Dereiki, who’s at Amsterdam UMC. So, I didn’t realize though because I didn’t attend this session. So, after each of the kind of reasons for doing PPI, a patient or somebody living with a disease, spoke after each of them. **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** Or they were in-person participating, like Chris Roberts for example. For this aboard project, there also was a panel member who presented actually what they are doing there and how they find the results, how they find their impact on the project implementation, on the process of all research. And it could also be videos, short, very informative. But they all in general were like a part of panelists who expressed their thoughts, their experience in participating. And the importance of understanding and acknowledging their role in participation in these panels. **Adam Smith:** That is great to see. Because I think, I mean historically I don’t think AAIC had many people living with dementia or carers actually take to the stage. I mean they might have done at the start to kind of set the scene, or maybe at their closing parts or some of the fundraising. But to actually have people, multiple people in individual session I think might be the first time that that’s done. And whilst PPI is going up the agenda, particularly at this conference, I don’t think there’s been one that’s been given such a profile and such a platform on the big stage, which is brilliant. I think Anna Diaz from Alzheimer Europe was at that one. And Ira Leroy from GBHI Trinity. Dianne Gove is also from Alzheimer Europe. And Chris Roberts of course who’s a friend of the show, has been on here a few times before, gave a great tour. I have to say I did skip in and jumped just to watch Chris’s bit. So, if you haven’t seen that yet, do have a look. Although I’m a little bit sad to see that on the online platform, the people living with dementia who actually spoke, their names aren’t mentioned anywhere in there and they should be, I think. So go fix that. Well, is there anything else to add to that, Sonata, from that session? What were your main kind of takeaways? Other than clearly PPI is important. **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** The notes which I made for myself that the PPI involvement is very important for increasing participation in research, in increasing engagement and trust actually in researchers, in research of people from target groups and from general public. So, it’s very important. And also, what was mentioned by Chris, by the way, is that it’s beneficial for both. Their participation to the researchers and the input and insights they give, but also for those people to communicate with each other. They helped each other. And a very important message, which he said that actually when he was invited to participate in research, he actually had a lot of doubts. But when he started, he felt that he returned his confidence, he started to feel valued again. And that is very important. **Adam Smith:** And I think all too often we’ve thought of PPI as being something that’s exclusively important to qualitative researchers or clinical researchers, because they have to do study recruitment and having PPI will help study recruitment. And I think we’re moving away from that now to think about where the public and people with lived experience can contribute to that fundamental science space as well. Not just things about preventing falls or improving hydration in care homes. Watch this space for a podcast on that topic coming next month. So, I think it’s great and I really hope that that room wasn’t just full of all the care researchers that are attending an AAIC, that some of the basic scientists went and watched that as well. So, if you are listening to this now and you’re at the AAIC or you’re just watching online, please do take a moment to go watch the patient and public involvement dementia research, global perspectives’ session. Because it’s a great way, if nothing else, to remind you why this is important and why you go into the lab each day. And to have that direct line of sight between your work and the people that will benefit, I think is really important. And so don’t just kind of keep your head down in the lab, do look up once in a while and see the people that are living with dementia because I think it can be incredibly motivating. Thank you, Sonata. And that’s me off my high horse preaching of the values of PPI. Aoife, why don’t I come to you next? What have you seen today that you enjoyed? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** I think donanemab was such a big thing, but there was also so much other stuff happening at the conference. And I went to a neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration research session. And there were a few different speakers, and I think what kind of kept cropped up time and time again was just that treating your inflammation would be really important alongside as a co-treatment with some of these disease modifying drugs. And one area that I wasn’t very familiar with, but I just found it very interesting, is looking at fibrin or fibrin and it’s a protein that’s involved in coagulation cascades, blood clotting, in case I need to be corrected. But they’ve shown that this fibrin protein can build up around amyloid plaques like there’s a deposition of it. But this group are looking at immunotherapy to not target fibrin’s role in coagulation, but that it also activates its microglial receptor. And so, they’re looking at that pathway. I’m just kind of looking at my notes here. **Adam Smith:** That sounds like a smart solution to it. I think there’s a general agreement that the amyloid and anti-amyloid therapies alone aren’t going to solve this. Particularly if you stop and the amyloid comes back. But if you can put some immunotherapy on that as well. Although, because that means we need to understand the fundamental cause of what’s bringing them there in the first place. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yeah, exactly. And the idea is that you could neutralize fibrin as a selective target for regulating particular microglia function. **Adam Smith:** Is that in mouse models yet? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** So, this is actually one to look out for because it’s in phase one healthy volunteers to start with. **Adam Smith:** Wow. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** It’s called, I have the note, it’s a Therini Bio, the researcher’s name is Katerina Akassoglou. I’m definitely butchering the surname. But another interesting thing is that it’s this blood brain barrier and you have blood leaks that could activate microglia. So, they’re thinking that you could use this, it might increase efficacy and maybe decrease area pathology potentially. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, so it could be like an ant-side effect treatment for something else that’s going on. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yeah. Possibly. **Adam Smith:** As a bonus. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** This is all speculative and potential down the line, but they’ve definitely got the first stage. **Adam Smith:** Clearly progressed- **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Phase one. **Adam Smith:** If that’s onto phase one. So, I guess they’re only just starting that phase one trial. There’s no results from that yet. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** No. **Adam Smith:** No. Okay. So definitely want to keep an eye on it. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** Thank you, Aoife. Sára? **Sára Zsadányi:** Well, it’s quite difficult to pick a highlight because I am in that stage where everything is incredibly exciting. However, I have been to quite a few very interesting talks today. But one thing that really stood out to me was the ASK session actually with the lifetime achievement award winner, Bruce Miller. **Adam Smith:** Bruce is brilliant. He’s been on the podcast as well before. He’s the UCS F and also the lead for the GBHI. And we did a podcast on GBHI a few weeks ago. Tell us about that. **Sára Zsadányi:** Yes, so I mean, I do feel like I’m bringing a lot of things together and making some connections, at least in my brain, for how we move forward with Alzheimer’s disease. Bruce strikes me as a very big picture guy, I guess that’s in the job title of being part of GBHI and having so many years under his belt. There were quite a few questions that he got about all the comorbidities that can come along with Alzheimer’s disease. Because of course we are talking about people who are getting on in age and have lots of vascular contributions. They may have some Lewy body; they may have Parkinson’s. And I found that very interesting. And I really enjoyed it, he answered a few questions where he was talking a lot actually about sleep and about exercise and the importance of these two things in trying to mitigate Alzheimer’s disease potentially. So very, very interesting talk. And he seems like the sort of person who would be lovely to have a very long conversation with. **Adam Smith:** I think inspiration for anybody who’s thinking about applying for the GBHI fellowship program, which I think is still open right now, that you could find yourself next year at UCSF being taught by Bruce. I completely agree. I think he’s a really engaging speaker and I love that. I mean, the program is involved with GBHI in that they involve artists, musicians, and poetry. And he talks about this kind of bigger enrichment picture. And that he does talk about sleep and diet, which to hear from a neurologist at that kind of senior stage in their career, is quite unusual to have that big picture. And he’s a great speaker. I don’t think those are, the ASK sessions sadly aren’t available online, are they? So, you can’t go back and watch that. I’m going to bring up, now I’m going to jump ahead and bring up the other big news today, which is Alzheimer’s, the first ever county level estimates of Alzheimer’s dementia prevalence were published. Which covered all 3100 and some, 3142 United States counties finally had their prevalence data shared. And the study found that east and southeast regions of the US had higher prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease. And this is using cognitive data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project, the CHAP Project, and population estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics. They also picked particular counties and Miami-Dade County, Baltimore City, Bronx County came out as having the higher prevalence, which can probably be explained because specific demographic characteristics. I think in the UK, you’d think that it’d be the equivalent of Bournemouth and places where older people tended to live and retire too. But the older age and higher percentages also of Black and Hispanic residents in those places. Where Black and Hispanic residents lived, were twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s compared to older whites in those places. So that was particularly interesting. Of course, anybody who’s listening to the States, that all this data has been published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Today, so we’ll pop a link to that in the show notes. But this is particularly important. I think in the UK we’re quite lucky. There’s been prevalence data for quite some time, although more on prevalence rather than instance, which is really poor. We don’t report on incidents at all. You won’t get incidence rates in the UK. We don’t publish it. So, I think it’s a great first step, but moving on to incidence rates is going to be important, particularly when you’re starting to consider treatments and how many people are going to need this per year. And those estimates because those numbers just don’t exist. So that was a hot one today as well. And I’m going to go around again. We’ve got time. To you, Aoife, first of all. Aoife, what else do you want to share from today? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** I’m going to share something kind of short and sweet because it was a poster presentation that, pardon the pun, caught my eye when I was walking through. It came from a PhD student, and it was looking at tears, teardrops as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease. **Adam Smith:** Tears? No way. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yeah. **Adam Smith:** Tears? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yeah, this is really cool. **Adam Smith:** Wait, can you imagine the process though? You have to make somebody cry to get- **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** I know and this is a whole area of which I was not aware. There’s a tear research network looking at lots of different diseases. So, this student, she works in Maastricht University, so that would be in the Netherlands, and its pilot data. But they were able to detect A beta40, 42, tau, total tau, phospho-tau, in the teardrops. And then they looked at, and they found that the total tax, how I’m reading my notes here now, was significantly elevated or higher levels in dementia patients. **Adam Smith:** Stunned silence from the audience. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yeah, amazing. **Adam Smith:** Wow. So that’s even easier than blood. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** I know. **Adam Smith:** I mean, if that works, why are we bothered with pinpricks and blood? Let’s just a little sniff of some smelling salt and you could drop a tear onto a card and get a … Wow. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yeah, this would be amazing if it got, yeah, if it develops into something bigger. **Adam Smith:** Did they talk about, are there any other diseases we measure through tears? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** So, the are- **Adam Smith:** Is it already clinically, have we got efficacy somewhere else? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** No. Yeah, they were looking, so there’s other groups looking at different diseases, but they weren’t familiar with them. I’m going to have to do a bit of digging myself. **Adam Smith:** Okay. We need that poster. Everybody’s got to go look at this poster now. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** And actually, I bumped into their colleague, and he looked at thickness of the, it was the retinal nerve fiber, and that thickness can change. So, they’re showing it to be thinner in Alzheimer’s disease. **Adam Smith:** That’s really interesting. Can you remember the name of the presenter so people can look that up? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** I’ll tell you what, I’m going to move on. I’ll let Sára tell her highlights while you look that up and I’ll give you a minute. Sára, back to you. **Sára Zsadányi:** Well, first thing this morning, 8:00 AM, I was attending a talk about 7-Tesla MRI. Quite an interesting topic actually. Although there are not so many 7-Tesla MRI scanners in the world. But yes, as you can imagine, they’re very expensive. One thing that really stood out to me, there was a talk at the end about it, so they were mostly talking about COVID survivors when they were talking about the 7-T MRI that they were looking at. And there was one talk about white matter hyperintensities, which I’m a big fan of as you can probably tell, in COVID survivors. And something that stood out to me was that she was talking about how 7-T could be quite useful in being able to detect more subtle injury in the white matter. So, I’m very interested to see all these higher Tesla MRI scanners and all the research that’s coming out of it in the next few years. **Adam Smith:** Fantastic. Thank you. Yeah, I mean more MRI machines. I saw some stats this week that showed how many MRIs the UK had, when we were very behind in other parts of the world. Sonata, I’m going to come back to you. Oh wait, Aoife, did you find the name of that speaker? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** While we remember. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Ninka Van Dersandy is the name of the researcher. **Adam Smith:** Check that out about tears. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** PhD researcher. Yeah. **Adam Smith:** Sonata? **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** Okay. I attended one more session on sensory loss and sleep disturbances in persons with dementia and their care partners. Yeah, I’m interested in everything what is related to care partners as far as I, myself, care. There were two talks about sleep disturbances in care partners, both talks presented pilot projects. So, it’s a very initial stage of research. The samples also were very small, so it’s very difficult to do any generalized outcomes of it. One research had only 70 ads explored, the other one 30. But the first one didn’t have … This is very initial data. It was interesting to hear that sleep is bad for caregivers even if they are separated from their care recipients. So, it’s very interesting, but I think that still for me as a career, it’s not enough. I’m just looking for something what will be done with these results. Of course, there are needed much bigger and much longer researchers, but of course I’m always thinking what will be done with these results? **Adam Smith:** I think it’s an under-researched area, I would imagine. Because of course we look at sleep all too often in that preventative kind of brain health space, don’t we? As the importance of sleep for clearing the brain at the end of the day. And we know that that’s, in the last few years, that that’s been found to be more important than ever. And then looking at that. But I don’t think I’ve come across very much that really looks at the importance of sleep for carers. Because if you’ve got the full-time job of looking after somebody living with dementia, and you’re at home and you have poor sleep, your capabilities to actually care for that person effectively, and the risk of you then also going on to develop the disease, are particularly relevant. Is this the talk you’re talking about? Is this the Yuzu Song from VA Greater Los Angeles? **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** Yes, this is the second one. And there is Mike Quick, I guess. So also, from- **Adam Smith:** Mark Quake from University of Virginia. Quantifying Care or Sleep Disturbance Using Dynamic Models. **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** It was interesting. It was catching, but still very underdeveloped. But yeah, I can really confirm that it is a problem when you are an intensive carer. **Adam Smith:** So many carer issues are overlooked, aren’t there? Or dealt with in a separate space that doesn’t consider them to be dementia research. Whereas actually the impact on carers is probably more significant than the person living with dementia themselves at that stage. So, do more research on this please. We’ve burnt through our time. Are there any burning talks that you wanted to talk about that I didn’t give you a chance to? No? Good. In that case, there is one last one. I’m going to hold this up. For those who are watching on YouTube, you can see this, the poster I’m going to talk about next looks like this. And I’m going to measure this because I’m one of the co-authors on it. It’s Diana Karamacoska, who is a colleague of mine, who we both collaborated on the ISTAART PIA to elevate early career researchers. And there’s been a piece of work going on for quite some time now, but it’s finally got this poster, which compared the G 20 countries for how they support early career researchers. And how early career researchers are or are not mentioned in their particular dementia strategies. You’d be pleased to know the US and UK did particularly well, but it compares all the countries from G 20 to see what support they had for ECRs. Probably no surprise to see that there were lots of countries who didn’t have any mention whatsoever of support for ECRs. I mean they do provide funding for research, but they’re not specifically mentioned as a group of people that need extra support or mentoring. There’s certainly nothing in their national strategies, which I think is a real missed opportunity given that they’re the people that are driving these discoveries. So, if you don’t support the careers of researchers, how are they ever even going to be there to take advantage of the funding that you make available? So, it’s a great poster. Do have a look online. It’s Diana Karamacoska, who is K-A-R-A-M-A-S, no C-O-S-K-A. I think my name’s on there as well. So, you could look for Adam Smith. It might still bring it up. So yeah, a little plug for our poster there. And if you’re not already a member of the ISTAART PIA to elevate allegory researchers, goo joins because you get the opportunity to be involved in great work like that. Phew. Right. We’re going to have one last little segment where I’m going to talk to Sára about her work because I have no idea how she’s actually found time to talk about anything today because she’s also an ISTAART volunteer. So, let’s just ask a few questions about that. So sorry, you’re not still wearing your purple T-shirt, but you’re one of the people who’ve been running around at the conference wearing one because you’re an ISTAART ambassador. What is that? What does that mean? **Sára Zsadányi:** Well, it’s actually very exciting. I’m so, so happy to have been given this opportunity. So, I am currently working with a whole cohort of ambassadors from this year until mid-next year. And so mainly our roles here have been to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as it possibly can. So, if you’ve been at the conference, you’ve probably been able to see people in purple shirts running around quite a bit. And we’ve also been in all of the talks trying to make sure that the speakers know what they’re doing. And that we can help with the AV team to make sure that everything has been running as smoothly as possible. And yeah, it’s been wonderful. The other ambassadors have been so lovely to work with. **Adam Smith:** How many of you are there? **Sára Zsadányi:** I believe it’s 25. I could be wrong about that. **Adam Smith:** So, this is 25. Anybody can apply for this, and the application is usually open towards the start of the year. And then you get to go to AAIC, they cover all the costs of that, and it doesn’t preclude you from presenting either because as you say, you’ve got posters. I guess you don’t necessarily get to go to every session you might want to see because you go to wherever you go. **Sára Zsadányi:** So, for example, I was not able to attend in person the donanemab today because I had other things that I needed to get done. But we do get a choice to go to specific sessions. **Adam Smith:** Perfect. So, if there’s one that’s really for your research field, you could state a preference as well. **Sára Zsadányi:** Yes, absolutely. **Adam Smith:** Awesome. This of course is just the start because you have the whole year then where there are other events, and I know that they provide extra training and sessions for you all. And so, you’re going to find all that out over the coming year. **Sára Zsadányi:** Yes. And we’re very active on social media at the moment. Anywhere there is the hashtag AAIC23, you’ll be able to see somebody who is wearing a purple shirt. And yeah, I’m very excited to see where the rest of the year takes us. **Adam Smith:** Great. So, I’ve given Sára a chance to plug her thing. Aoife, is there anything going on at AI? You’ve got a big reception. I’m not sure when this podcast will come out. It’s either going to come out today or tomorrow morning, but which is still plenty of time to sign up if you’re in Amsterdam right now. Are there still places in your reception? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** The networking reception is with places, I think we’re at full capacity now. **Adam Smith:** Okay. I shouldn’t have mentioned that then, shouldn’t I? **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** But it’s- **Adam Smith:** Just turn up. Just turn up. Just go knock on the door, say you know Aoife and Aoife said it was okay and they’ll let you in. Is there free wine? I assume there’s wine. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yes. And nibbles and it’s with other, so it’s with the Alzheimer’s Society, the Dementia Research Institute, and the Dementia Platforms UK. So, we’re all co-hosting a networking event. But it’s actually- **Adam Smith:** It’s incredibly irresponsible of me to say go. But have a look on your Twitter, you can always fill in the form. You never know. There might be a wait list. **Dr Aoife Cosgrave:** Yes. Yeah, exactly. And I just yesterday seeing 1000s of people. I think if anyone gets the chance to go to one of these kinds of smaller offshoot events, it’s just that little bit of a smaller crowd. You might get to chat to more people and not as overwhelming as the big 1000s that arrived yesterday. **Adam Smith:** I completely agree. I think one of my best bits, obviously I’m not at the AAIC in person this year, but one of my favorite bits is the kind of socializing and networking. And that’s where so many of the connections and things that we’ve made. So many podcast guests and people who’ve contributed to dementia research over the years have come from chance conversations in a bar or at a reception after the AAIC. So do take the chance to go look at those. Sonata, have you got anything lined up for the rest of the week? Is there anything particular that you’re going to be looking forward to for the rest of the conference? **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** Yes. Tomorrow, I guess it’s more like a dementia care practice session. So, I will be tuned for half of the day at least and spend it next to my computer. **Adam Smith:** Brilliant. Well, do you know what? I also didn’t acknowledge, just I imagine it’s quite late in Lithuania right now, so I’m really sorry if I’ve kept you up. **Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė:** Yes. **Adam Smith:** And I know it’s getting past 10:00 o’clock in the night in Netherlands as well, and I’m keeping you both from the bar, I imagine. So, I’m going to wrap things up there. Thank you so much to my incredible guests, Sára Zsadányi, Dr. Aoife Cosgrave, and Dr. Sonata Mačiulskytė, for all your amazing contributions and for sharing your highlights with us today. We are going to be back tomorrow with day three and tune in. I’m Adam Smith and you’ve been listening to the Dementia Researcher Podcast. **Voice Over:** The Dementia Researcher Podcast was brought to you by University College London, with generous funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Association, and Race Against Dementia. Please subscribe, leave us a review, and register on our website for full access to all our great resources. Dementia Researcher.nihr.ac.uk. **END** --- **Like what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast – and don’t forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode.** If you would like to share your own experiences or discuss your research in a blog or on a podcast, drop us a line to **** Did you know… you can find our podcast in your [favourite podcast app](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher) on mobile devices, and our narrated blogs are [also available as a podcast](https://podfollow.com/dementia-researcher-blogs). This podcast is brought to you in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Race Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Society, who we thank for their ongoing support. > The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast represent those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of NIHR Dementia Researcher or the Alzheimer’s Association. **Categories:** Podcasts **Tags:** AAIC23, Adam Smith, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association Resources, Dr Aoife Cosgrave, Dr Sonata Mačiulskytė, Podcast, Sara Zsadanyi **Podcast/Blog Topics :** Conference Roundup --- ### [Podcast - AAIC 2023 - Day Three](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-aaic-2023-day-three/) **Published:** July 19, 2023 **Author:** Dementia Researcher **Excerpt:** Highlights from Day Three of the AAIC 2023. Hosted by Adam Smith with special guests Sarah Gregory, Dr Jayashree Dasgupta and Samita Kirve. **Content:** **In this podcast we share a few selected highlights from the third day of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) taking place in Amsterdam and Online, 16th – 20th July.** **[Adam Smith](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/careers/regular-contributor-adam-smith/ "Regular Contributor – Adam Smith")** hosts the show with special guests **[Dr Jayashree Dasgupta](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-jayashree-dasgupta-trinity-college-dublin/)** from GBHI Trinity College Dublin, **[Samita Kirve](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-samita-kirve-oxford-brookes-university/)** from Oxford Brookes University and **[Sarah Gregory](https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-profile-sarah-gregory/)** from The University of Edinburgh. The AAIC brings together distinguished basic scientists, clinical researchers, early career investigators, clinicians and the care research community at the largest and most influential international conference on dementia science. They share theories and breakthroughs while exploring opportunities to accelerate work and elevate careers. For more information visit: [aaic.alz.org](https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faaic.alz.org&token=69221e-1-1689604922757 "https://aaic.alz.org") --- **Click here to read a full transcript of this podcast** **Voice Over:** Dementia Researcher Podcast, talking careers, research, conference highlights, and so much more. **Adam Smith:** Hello, and thank you for joining us for day three of the AIC Highlights Podcasts. Sharing a snapshot of some of our best bits from the day’s presentations. I’m Adam Smith, and I’m delighted to be hosting this week’s shows. And today, I’m joined by three brilliant new guests. It’s a pleasure to welcome Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta, Samita Kirve, and Sarah Gregory. Hello, everybody. **Samita Kirve:** Hi. **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Hello. **Adam Smith:** Enthusiastic, and not nervous at all unlike yesterday’s, everybody here is smiling and confident. Thank you very much for all finding time to join us, and it’s easier for all of us because I know unlike previous days, you are all watching online at home like I am, aren’t you? So, we don’t have the same issue of rushing back to our hotels to try and connect to Wi-Fi, so thank you again. Let’s do some proper introductions though. Jayashree, why don’t you go first? **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Thanks a lot, Adam. I’m a neuropsychologist. And currently, I’m an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in brain health at the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College Dublin. And I’m also the co-founder and project director of Samvedna Care in India, which is an organization that provides services for people living with dementia and mental health issues. So, that’s about me. **Adam Smith:** And of course, you, this is your third appearance on the podcast now. Almost in as many months, you were on the GBHI special and then you gave your highlights from the satellite symposium, so welcome back. Thanks again. **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Thanks a lot. **Adam Smith:** Samita, why don’t you go next? **Samita Kirve:** Hi. Yeah. And thank you, Adam, for inviting me. I’m delighted to be here. So, my background is occupational therapist. I’m a senior occupational therapist and senior lecturer at Oxford Brooks University. And yeah, I’ve been working with people with dementia for a long time. I’ve been OT for the last 27 years now. So, yeah, my background is I’ve got my master’s degree from University of Bradford, and I’m starting my PhD in dementia study. So, I’m really enjoying this conference. Thank you. **Adam Smith:** That’s really exciting. And doing a PhD of course is a massive undertaking. How do you feel about that? **Samita Kirve:** Oh, I’m really excited. I’m looking forward to it. My topic is mainly about identifying gaps in dementia curriculum across higher education institutions in the UK because I believe that I think, if we teach our students how to care for people with dementia, they’ll be really excellent practitioners. So, I’m taking a step backward and creating that workforce who can provide person-centered dementia care. **Adam Smith:** I couldn’t agree more. It’s important, and so under looked as well. There are so few occupational therapy dementia researchers, I think. I can only think of a small number of people in that space compared to other areas. Well, thank you very much for joining us. And Sarah, but welcome back. Has it been a year since you were with us last? Do you always pop up on our AIC Highlight shows? **Sarah Gregory:** Yep, I come once a year. **Adam Smith:** Your annual contribution. Well, introduce yourselves to those that haven’t been listening for all of a year, and I’m sure things have moved on. **Sarah Gregory:** Yep. So, I’m now a postdoctoral research fellow rather than a predoctoral, so handed in my PhD and have my fiber and handed in my corrections, so that’s super exciting since last year. So, I work in the Edinburgh Dementia Prevention team at the University of Edinburgh. And so, my work focuses on understanding more about modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. And I’m particularly interested in diet and stress and steroid hormones. **Adam Smith:** Wow, congratulations. You must be so happy. **Sarah Gregory:** Yes. So happy. Doing it part-time is an interesting process. But yeah, it’s nice to have actually handed it in now and just get to focus on one job rather than a job and a PhD. **Adam Smith:** I think we could do a podcast all about just doing that PhD. And I think maybe Samita might want to catch up with you afterwards- **Sarah Gregory:** Yeah, sure. **Adam Smith:** … how you managed to do that. Well, congratulations. That’s brilliant news. Okay. Anyway, that’s enough of that. Let’s get on with today’s highlights. So, actually before we get into your highlights, I’m going to give you all a chance to talk to your own posters because I think you’ve all had a poster presentation this week. I’m going to do this in reverse order. I’m going to go back to Sarah first. Tell us about your presentation. **Sarah Gregory:** So, I have three posters that are online. I was supposed to be there in person, but I had to unfortunately put it out until the last minute. So, I’m not going to go through all of them, but I’m just going to highlight there’s two that are about patient and public involvement. And I know that that was the real focus of the podcast talk yesterday. So, I’m the student chair in the research participant peer. So, we’ve been really passionate about getting much more participant involvement talked about at AIC. So, one is talking about involving participants in the results analysis stage and how we’ve approached that. And then, the second is about co-production in our younger adults’ brain health studies. We’re looking at people aged 18 to 39, and we’re right at the start, so it’s all about how we’re co-producing it. And both of those are co-authored by research partners as well. So, yeah, I’ll highlight those two. There’s another one about diet and brain health that you can find with my surname on the online portal. **Adam Smith:** Great. Actually, for all the posters, anybody who’s not aware, if you go to the post section of the online platform and just type in the surname or Sarah Gregory, all your posters all pop up. The first one you mentioned there on… second one on co-production is interesting because I think there’s a lack of understanding about the difference between patient and public involvement in co-production. And I don’t think that gets talked about enough because so many people say that they do co-production, but actually, what they really do is patient and public involvement. What do you see? How do you go about co-production that’s different to PPI? **Sarah Gregory:** I suppose it is more involvement than involvement if that makes sense. I’m not sure that’s the best way to describe it. But trying to starting even earlier, trying to get our stakeholders involved in as much as possible, so we’re writing surveys at the moment and actually getting them to help us work out what the questions might look like, involving them on authors on literally all of the outputs we have, so the posters, but also, our peer reviewed manuscripts actually including in that stage. And when we get to the point of applying for grants, bringing in representatives there as well. So, more like a member of the research team. And obviously, reimbursing for time a little bit more at that level where we can as well. **Adam Smith:** So, rather than seeking feedback on something you’re already doing or getting input to something you’ve already made, it’s involving that from the outset. Well, that’s really exciting. Thank you, Sarah. So, have a look at those. What are yours about, Samita? **Samita Kirve:** Okay. So, mine is about investigating nursing students’ knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease. And this is the study I did at my last university, University of Bedfordshire. So, we collected a lot of data using Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale. So, this particular study is already published in singular people. So, I was going to present this in person, but like Sarah, I couldn’t go, so I presented this virtually. And the results are really impressive. And I think it was really stimulating for me in terms of understanding the nursing students’ knowledge. And I’m doing the same study now in Czech Republic with University of West Bohemia. And the plan is to compare those studies and maybe another couple of publications following that. So, I was really happy to have this opportunity at AIC to present that through poster. **Adam Smith:** That’s great. So, how well-informed were the nurses? **Samita Kirve:** It’s very interesting because they were informed more about how to look after people in terms of diagnosis management, but they didn’t understand the course of the disease. It’s more about I think the traditional nursing, how it is offered, so looking after people but really not understanding how the disease is progressed. So, they lack knowledge about that particular area. And the cohort that we evaluated or rather I evaluated, were 30-year nursing students with some kind of care experience. So, some of them were care assistants. Some of them were already kind of working in care homes. So, it was really interesting for me to see that although they had that knowledge, they still couldn’t explain that through the ADKS. I did a recent study at Oxford Brooks University with our OT students, and we didn’t use a particular scale, but we did qualitative study. So, I collected data, and then, we are going to evaluate that. So, that’s the next step. Looking at the OT students now, how much they get to know during their curriculum. **Adam Smith:** I suppose the challenge with addressing that question at the student stage is I guess, nursing education probably focuses so broadly on the generalist side of things, that when it looks at people living with dementia, or it’ll look more broadly in the elderly care and probably doesn’t get into the fundamentals of what causes the diseases in the first place. And so, deciding where to target education at what career stage or what point somebody’s decided to specialize, I suppose is the tricky bit of that. **Samita Kirve:** Yeah. It is quite tricky. And I think one of the recommendations from my study is to include a lot of virtual simulations, lots of role plays, case studies. And I think, when I was looking at the curriculum, the nursing curriculum, they just had one kind of module on dementia. It wasn’t even called dementia module, it was the long-term condition’s module, and dementia is just one part of it. So, you can imagine in the three years program, they just had this one part about people with dementia. So, my recommendation was to introduce something like a spiral curriculum, where they start knowing about dementia in the first year. They go through a little bit more about depths of dementia in second year and third year. They will be able to confidently look after people with dementia. So, I have recommended to introduce spiral curriculum. So, let’s see. I mean, I’ve had few- **Adam Smith:** Well, it’s good to self-. **Samita Kirve:** … feedback. Hopefully, they will change it. **Adam Smith:** I mean, because Health Education England has those tiered dementia training modules down there that all staff have to do. And then, all NHS have to do that kind of basic introduction, and then, gradually increase if you’re working. If you’re an old edge psychiatrist, you do more of that. I’ve got a funny feeling that Jayashree will be the perfect person to help you with develop that module if you wanted to because that’s a key component of the GBHI program, which we’ve talked about on the podcast recently. And I imagine you’ve recently had to go through. **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Absolutely, yes. I think the whole focus on training is something that we are really looking at quite a bit, and that’s actually something that I’ve got a poster on as well, so I can talk about that a bit later. **Adam Smith:** Great. Well, why don’t you tell us about that? **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** Okay. So, one of the posters that I have is on a caregiver enablement training that we’ve developed for caregivers in India to basically upskill them and help them understand how to provide home-based care. And we’ve piloted this now with 10 families to see how this training program, how does it impact their daily lives, how does it reduce their caregiver burden. And it was quite interesting because all these families showed a reduction in caregiver experience, caregiver burden with the training that we provide them. And the qualitative data showed that they felt that they were able to provide better care because they were given more information about dementia. They were given more tailored information about how to deal with challenging behaviors, how to manage things like issues around bathing, feeding, toileting, things that are often not addressed in a clinic when you just meet a physician. They have a diagnosis that they’re given medication. There isn’t really that much time that they spend with a professional to understand how to provide care at home. And home care is the prevalent model of dementia care in India and many low middle income countries. So, that’s something. The training aspect of it is again something that I’m really, really interested in. **Adam Smith:** That’s brilliant. And you can see how that’s got so much potential as well to be adapted. I mean, you’d think that the UK would be better at this, but I don’t really think it is. I think that that’s exactly the kind of program that would be so useful to so many carers even here as well as in low middle income countries. How did you deliver the training? Was this electronically delivered or was it physical? **Dr Jayashree Dasgupta:** So, we had different models. Some of the specialists went home and delivered the modules, some were hybrid. There was an initial assessment done at the home and then the specialist connected online. So, we are trying to see what works better and compare that because my sense is that if we use technology and deliver things in a hybrid model, it might provide people with access. It saves on a lot of logistic issues and challenges. **Adam Smith:** I can completely see that. In fact, one of the highlights that I’m going to talk about is a poster by Dr. Aida Suarez-Gonzalez that talks about an electronic training module for people with PCA, to help them understand about adaptations they can make to lifestyle to help them cope. In fact, I might as well just do this now. And one of the issues there is compliance with completing it. We’ve done podcasts on this before. Particularly, with any kind of digital intervention, compliance always seems to struggle. I mean, even with the best patient or public involvement or co-designed to make something really easy and usable, compliance with a using it in the way that you intend is always a struggle. But that sounds like a brilliant program. I’d love for you to come back and talk about that some more as things progress. We recorded a podcast yesterday, which will be coming out in September about the work in Norwich about hydration and the importance of drinking and how strategies that people have developed to help ensure that resident in care homes continue to take onboard fluids, and what counts and what doesn’t count and how to do it. You can see how things like that would find the way. They wouldn’t know that stronger flavored things might help you to continue to drink as you get older. And no, you shouldn’t use sippy cups because they might not create spills, but they do have all kinds of other problems. It’s fascinating. Thank you very much for sharing that. Do you remember your poster numbers? Should we check that out, or just go look for Jayashree Dasgupta on the platform? Samita, looks like you might remember. You’re waving. Go ahead. What’s your poster number, Samita- **Samita Kirve:** 75810\. **Adam Smith:** 75810. Jayash? Sarah, do you remember yours? No. **Sarah Gregory:** Not that prepared. **Adam Smith:** Jayashree? No. Okay. Just go look. Go look for them. They sound really fascinating. Right. Well, let’s move on to the highlights. So, as you’ve all got to talk about your research, I’m going to pick up on the first highlight of something that I’ve seen today. And this was something that justified a press release. And this was news that new opioid use in older adults with dementia is associated with significant risk of death, including an 11-fold increase in the first two weeks. This was a study that was done in Denmark. The researchers followed study participants for 180 days after their first opioid prescription. They followed a group of older adults with dementia who did not receive an opioid prescription and compared the risk of death between the two groups. 10,474 or 33% of study participants died within 180 days after initiating their first opioid prescription compared to 3,980, which is only 6.4% of those who didn’t have the opioid prescription. I mean, that’s a huge difference. After adjusting for potential differences between the groups, the researchers found that it was an 11-fold increase in mortality risk for those that were given an opioid prescription. The greatest risk came in the first 14 days where mortality of opioids increased 11-fold. Among those who used fentanyl patches as their first prescription, 64% died within the first 180 days compared to 6.4% in the unexposed. This was Christina Jensen-Dahm from neurology department at Dementia Research Center in Copenhagen University. That is surprising. I don’t get a sense. I’m not quite sure whether there were other factors that came into this because of course, you might not only be prescribed opioids for various purposes, not just because she had dementia, but when you combine dementia with this, whether those other comorbidities came in to increase that factor. Do you get a sense? Sarah, I’m guessing you are probably closer to the UK system having spent time in memory clinics and things, how are opioids used in the UK in that population? **Sarah Gregory:** I have no idea, actually. I saw the tweet about this, and I thought it was such an interesting finding that I really want to learn more about. I know that we had obviously spent a lot of time in the UK looking at the psychotropic medications in dementia patients, but opioids, I have absolutely no idea how commonly they are used. **Adam Smith:** Yeah, I agree. I mean, there’s been a lot of focus on reducing antipsychotics, hasn’t there? But I think what this clearly suggests is that there’s a need to look at that particular prescribing practice. We need to get somebody on the show maybe to talk about that. Well, that’s my first highlight, so go look at that. That’s online today. Sarah, I’m going to stick with you. Why don’t you give us your first highlight of the conference? **Sarah Gregory:** Yep. So, my first highlight is I’m going to recommend everyone listening to this who did not see it to check out one of the plenaries today. So, it was Professor Adesola Ogunniyi who’s at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. And he gave this amazing whistle-stop tour of the epidemiology of dementia in Africa. And I don’t know how he packed so much information into a half an hour talk. So, he covered what is known so far about dementia epidemiology in Africa, what some of the key problems to tackle are and really nice looking into the future, what’s that looking like? So, some of the really interesting things that stood out is how wide the variation in what the prevalence might be is between different studies. So, it varied from about 2% to over 40% depending on studies. And some of that it is different countries reporting different prevalence rates. But also, he really highlighted the importance of how dementia is being measured. So, there was a study which reported fr