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Profile – Dr Louise Ince, The University of Texas

Dr Louise Ince

Dr Louise Ince

Name:

Dr Louise Ince

Job title:

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Place of work / study:

The University of Texas at Austin

Area of Research:

My work focuses on circadian (daily, ~24 h) rhythms [1] in immune function: why our body’s inflammatory response varies depending upon the time-of-day. I am particularly interested in how the dynamics of neuroimmune responses change with aging and in dementia.

How is your work funded?

Our lab is funded by the NIH (NIA).

Tell us a little about yourself:

I am from a seaside town in the UK (hi Blackpool!) but currently live in Austin, Texas. I completed my PhD at the University of Manchester, and since then have worked in Germany, Switzerland, and the USA. Outside the lab, I really enjoy travelling, listening to live music, and going to the theatre. I also sit on the ISTAART Immunity and Neurodegeneration PIA. [2]

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:

I’m a member of the Association of Stage Pyrotechnicians! I am a big Rammstein fan, and they’re famous for using loads of pyrotechnics in their live shows, so I took a practical course in stage pyro to learn a bit more about stage effects.

Why did you choose to work in dementia?

I am still very new to the field of dementia research, but I’m fascinated by how the immune system influences behavior and cognition, and how immune function changes with aging. Modulation of our immune systems has already shown success against infectious diseases and cancer, and I think there’s great potential for using immunotherapy in dementia but there’s still so much to learn. If we can better understand the links between aging, dementia, and neuroinflammation, then we can use this to improve quality of life for patients and their families.

What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?

Learn how to say no! I think there’s a lot of pressure on early career researchers to get involved in all the things and to not let others down, but learning to be selective about what you invest your time in will save a lot of stress down the line.

What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?

Honestly, it has been so long since I read a book that wasn’t for work! I am listening to The Sandman [3] audiobook though (Neil Gaiman), which is excellent.

Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram?

Follow @LM_Ince [4]

Want to share your playlist?