Print This Post
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. 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 Suzanna 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.
