Dr Isabelle Foote
Name:
Dr Isabelle Foote
Job title:
Postdoctoral Associate
Place of work / study:
University of Colorado Boulder [1]
Area of Research:
Psychiatry and dementia.
How is your work funded:
The George Henry Woolf legacy fund
Tell us a little about yourself:
My research mainly focuses on applying and developing multivariate genomic methods to explore how modifiable risk factors [2] for dementia lead to neurodegeneration and poor brain health later in life. I am particularly interested in modelling complex phenotypes, such as frailty and multimorbidity, to identify ways to prevent cognitive decline and maintain brain health through public health interventions or the development of pharmacological therapies.
I am also passionate about reducing inequalities in healthcare by conducting more inclusive research across diverse populations. I co-lead the Prevention working group of the Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network, an international network of researchers and industrial partners with a shared interest in applying data science and AI methods to dementia research.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I have an irrational fear of slugs.
Why did you choose to work in dementia?
My interest in neurology and neuroscience began when my sister was diagnosed with epilepsy. During my gap year I helped my grandad to care for my grandmother at home after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. I learnt a lot about the impact of dementia on a family and the difficulties that are faced. Later, as a student nurse and healthcare assistant I provided care for many people with dementia. I was saddened by the psychosocial burden of dementia on everyone involved and our current lack of effective treatments. These frustrations are what inspire me to work in dementia research as I believe there is a lot of promise in the area despite the many hurdles.