Profile – Dr Natalie Marchant, University College London

Dr Natalie Marchant

Name:

Natalie Marchant

Job Title:

Associate Professor

Place of work / study:

University College London, Division of Psychiatry

Area of research:

My primary research interest is in understanding how the way we think and feel affects how we age. This includes engaging in repetitive negative thinking or self-reflection, and experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression.

I am currently an investigator on several UK- and internationally-funded projects examining how lifestyle and mental health increase risk or resilience to neurodegeneration, cognitive impairment and dementia; and how non-pharmacologic interventions may improve wellbeing and reduce dementia risk. This includes leading a multi-national clinical trial of a psychological intervention in older adults with subjective cognitive decline.

How is your work funded?

Alzheimer’s Society, European Commission

Tell us a little about yourself:            

I am an Associate Professor based in the Division of Psychiatry at University College London. I received my undergraduate degree from Williams College USA, and my MSc and PhD in Psychology at Sussex University UK under supervision of Professor Jenny Rusted. I then conducted post-doctoral research in neuroimaging and cognitive neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley USA under supervision of Professor Bill Jagust. I joined UCL in 2016 holding a Senior Research Fellowship from the Alzheimer’s Society, and became an Associate Professor in 2021.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:           

I did a 100K Oxfam walk.

Why did you choose to work in dementia?

It feels like my purpose in life: the world needs more research into the risks for dementia, I am passionate about helping people and intellectually curious about the subject.