Dr Paul Roach
Name:
Dr Paul Roach
Job title:
Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials [1] and Interface Science
Place of work / study:
Loughborough University
Area of Research:
Biomaterials, neural engineering, biological spectroscopy
How is your work funded?
EU-H2020-FET, EPSRC-MRC, Parkinson’s UK, Cancer Research UK
Tell us a little about yourself:
I’m now way past my prime, but try and instil energy and enthusiasm into our next gen scientists. I have 2 young boys who love all things science, to the point that we stay up late watching Science Bob on YouTube. I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, but my parents supported me to do what I enjoy doing. I have 3D printers and a CNC milling machine n my home office, alongside a load of electronics, my guitars and a load a family pictures.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I tell this to the UG students all the time, but I was in a couple of rock bands when at college (guitar) with hair that I could tuck comfortably into my jeans that was, at one point, quite a bright shade of green. – Claim to fame, I once spent a (working) day with Vivienne Parry who bought me a beer in the evening.
Why did you choose to work in dementia?
My research area is quite inter- and multidisciplinary. I am really a materials scientist I guess (with chemistry, physics, etc in there as well) but I have always wanted to apply my research into biology for patient benefit. Working closely with a neuroanatomist I started to use my micro-fabrication and materials knowledge to engineer ‘better’ in vitro cultures. Over the years since I started in this area I’ve lost grandparents and parents of friends to neurological diseases, which brings home the drive to be useful to people who need it. I have also worked closely with ‘Friends of Parkies’ network – real people, their families and their carers.