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Athina Grigoriou
Name:
Athina Grigoriou
Job Title:
PhD student
Place of work / study:
University of Dundee
Area of Research:
Investigating to identify a reciprocal relationship between DNA damage and neurodegeneration, specifically in synucleiopathies
How is your work funded:
Funded by the School of Medicine at University of Dundee
Tell us a little about yourself:
I’m a PhD student at the University of Dundee, studying the role of DNA damage in synucleinopathies in Dr Dave Koss’s lab. Originally from Cyprus, I’ve been in the UK for nearly six years. I studied Biomedical Sciences at Lancaster University, followed by an MSc in Neuroscience and Translational Medicine at QMUL. Afterward, I worked at the University of Oxford for a year before moving to Scotland to begin my PhD. From a very young age, I’ve been fascinated by the complexity of the human brain, especially neurodegeneration. As someone who loves a challenge, I felt this area of research was a perfect fit for me, as I seek to unravel the complex mechanisms underlying these diseases. Outside of academia, I’m passionate about dancing—I’ve been dancing since I was six. I believe dance has taught me valuable skills that I continue to apply in the lab.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
A fun fact about me is that I was planning to pursue a career in dance, particularly musical theatre, before deciding to study science.
Why did you choose to work in dementia:
The truth is, my cousin was diagnosed with encephalitis, and she’s been living with it for 24 years now. Since then, I’ve been curious about the challenges of the brain. However, when I started my first year of university, I became particularly fascinated by the limited research in dementia. As someone who loves helping people, I always felt that I wanted to leave my mark by hopefully making a difference in the lives of those affected.
What single piece of of advice would you give to an early career researcher?
As an early career researcher, I don’t have much to say yet, but my experience so far has taught me one important thing: never give up, no matter the challenges you face along the way.
What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
I’m not a fan of books, to be honest. But I recently watched a series called When They See Us, which is based on a true story. It was really fascinating to see how injustice can impact a person’s entire life.
Favourite film of all time?
Funny… but White Chicks. I’ve always loved that comedy!
Favourite ways to unplug and unwind?
Dancing, of course, traveling, meeting up with friends, and just watching comedy TV series.
