Our blogs cover a whole range of topics, to help early career dementia researchers (ECRs). Our contributors share information about their research, from social care to basic science, share advice from their own experiences, careers tips, what they learned from recent training events and conferences and much more. We have a small team of ECR staff bloggers who write each month, on a whole range of topics and every year we add more people who discuss their experiences of studying at particular places or on different topics. In addition to our staff bloggers, we welcome one-off contributions, and curate and link to content from other great sources, including our charity partners, the LSE Impact Blog, Nature Careers and where ever great support can be found.
To help find what you're looking for, you can browse through the articles, or use the filters on the right to find blogs by a particular person, or on a particular topic.
We are always on the lookout for new contributors, so if you would like to write for us, just head to the forum to drop us a line, or email dementiaresearcher@nihr.ac.uk
All of our blogs (since April 2020) come with narrations from the writer. You can listen while you read along on our website, or enjoy our blogs on the move via your podcast app. You can subscribe to our narrated blogs in your podcasts app, look for Dementia Researcher Blogs, or visit one of these platforms, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify and Goodpods.
Blog – UK Motor Neuron Disease Research Institute
Dr Jane Haley, Director of Research from MND Scotland discusses the launch of the new UK MND Research Institute -accelerating the hunt for new treatments.
Blog – Searching for the ‘whole’ scientist, juggling academia
Dr Gaia Brezzo discusses the struggle of balancing multiple aspects of an academic career, and the importance of taking time for higher-level thinking.
Blog – Visiting other research labs, a personal reflection
Dr Anna Volkmer talks about visiting other labs as a valuable opportunity to enable collaboration, inspiration & personal growth, providing fresh perspectives.
Blog – Where LGBTQIA+ identities intersect with dementia
Dr Jodi Watt explores LGBTQIA+ identities & dementia research, highlighting the lack of inclusion & unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ people with dementia
Blog – Coding, Lessons from a Seamstress
Rebecca Williams talks to the parallels between sewing and coding, offering advice for beginners & encouraging you to embrace failure as part of the process.
Blog – How to Make a Female Professor
How do you get more female Professors? Feed the system with more female ECRs? Address the leaky pipeline? Or a big rethink? Dr Yvonne Couch explores
Blog – Navigating the aisles: Assessing dementia-friendliness of supermarkets
The blog discusses the assessment of a supermarket's dementia-friendliness, highlighting the challenges faced by people with dementia in navigating and shopping
Blog – How the ARC influenced my career in dementia research
Dr Clarissa Giebel explores how the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration helped her career, emphasising PPI, collaboration & opportunity to supervise ECRs
Blog – How does an idea turn into a clinical product?
Dr Sam Moxon explores the journey of turning an idea into a clinical product, emphasizing implementation, regulations, funding, and market research.
Blog – Conference Insights: Top 10 Takeaways in Dementia Research
Ajantha Abey shares insights from recent conferences: Therapeutic breakthroughs, biomarker revolution, digital innovation, spatial transcriptomics and more!
Blog – How to include people with dementia in research
New blog for Dementia Action Week providing practical strategies that researchers can adopt to support the inclusion of people living with dementia in research
Blog – Should you apply for a Lectureship?
Transitioning from a postdoc to Lectureship: Lessons learned and advice for aspiring academics on obtaining a permanent position. By Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali.
Blog – The many hats of a dementia researcher
Discover the Multifaceted World of Dementia Research in Beth Eyre's Blog. Uncover the Numerous Hats Worn by Researchers during Their PhD Journey.
Blog – Developing a Plan B
Unlock Your Potential: Plan B with Dr Yvonne Couch. Discover new career paths beyond academia. Embrace your skills, network, seize opportunities!
Blog – Weightlifting is only for your younger years, right? … Wrong!
Fight Sarcopenia: Lift Weights to Improve Your Health. Discover how resistance training benefits older adults' muscles, bones, heart, brain, and mood.
Blog – Back to Research
Learn about the Daphne Jackson Trsut Fellowships and hear how it has helped people return to research after an extended career break.
Blog – The Blot thickens; using Western Blotting in research
Unlock the secrets of Western Blotting! Dr Gaia Brezzo goes through the science, its use in small vessel disease, techniques & troubleshooting tips in this blog
Blog – Does my patient understand what my research study is about?
Are people with dementia and communication difficulties being omitted from research by the policy thats there to help them? Dr Anna Volkmer discusses consent.
Blog – Halving Social Care Reform Budget, what it means to dementia
Dr Clarissa Giebel discusses the potential impact of the governments new policy towards health and social care reform in the UK.
Blog – Non-pharmacological interventions
Dr Aida Suarez-Gonzalez provides tips for new researchers to the field of non-pharmacological interventions in dementia, to get you off to a good start
Blog – The Academic Exodus
Dementia Research and Academia in general has a leaky pipeline, but why? Is academia still a 'good job for life?' Dr Sam Moxon explores whats going wrong.
Blog – What is an ‘Early Career Researcher’?
With her recent appointment to the position of Lecturer Kam realised... that she lost her 'Early Career Researcher' Badge, so what defines you as an ECR?
Blog – Getting Involved in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Leadership
Dr Connor Richardson writes a personal and practical account of what working in EDI means, why he got involved and what they do.
Blog – Apathy Research: Why Should We Bother?
Did you know, Apathy affects over 90% of people with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia? Rebecca Williams discusses the topic and her research.
Blog – The Impact of a Paper
Does the number of papers you write = promotion? Yvonne looks at the journal industry, impact and connections to your career - it may influence your next paper
Blog – Sharing dementia knowledge and support with other countries
Publishing your research findings in journals isn't the only way you can share what you discover through your research. Dr Clarissa Giebel explains in this blog
Blog – Introduction to Psychometrics
Hannah Hussain provides an introduction to psychometrics after using them in her own work for outcome development and validation.
Blog – Dementia Research and Advocacy
There are many ways in which you can use your research and your knowledge to advocate. Dr Aida Suárez-Gonzalez talks about advocacy hoping it inspires you too
Blog – Moving four-ward; could a 4-day working week work in academia?
Do you need to work smarter and harder to succeed in academia? Or just smarter? Dr Gaia Brezzo talks about a new way of working
Blog – From Journal Clubs to Letter Writing for ECRs: Why and How
Dr Timothy Daly encourages ECRs to build on their existing journal clubs to take the step towards publishing letters as part of their professional development
Blog – My Path to an NIHR ARC Dementia Fellowship
Connor has been awarded an NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Dementia Fellowship, in tihs blog he talks us through his experience of applying.
Blog – Every penny counts, small grant applications
Dr Anna Volkmer may be a Senior Researcher, but she still applies for small grants and she thinks you should too, and here is why...
Blog – Should we get paid for peer review?
The academic publishing industry is more profitable than the music industry... so should you get paid for peer review? Dr Sam Moxon discusses
Blog – Using immunohistochemistry to understand disease pathology
Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali provides an introduction to immunohistochemistry and how it is used to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases post-mortem
Blog – Gender equity in science & celebrating women’s achievements
It's International Women’s Day. Dr Clarissa Giebel highlights the many things fantastic women have achieved, and where we're at with gender equality.
Blog – How to find a Postdoc Job
If you're finishing your PhD, and not ready to apply for Junior Fellowships... you may need to find a Postdoc Job. Beth Eye has some suggestions.
Blog – Find the right journal for your research & avoid predators
Adam Smith takes us through how to spot predatory publishers (and that that means) and provides some ideas on how to find the right journal for your work
Blog – How Being Seen Might Matter in Science
In this blog Dr Yvonne Couch talks about the importance of having a reputation in science, and how it might be possible to build one.
Blog – Vitamins, Food Supplements & Dementia
How do vitamins and food supplements impact the brain? Pharmacist and PhD Student Hannah Hussain takes us through their role.
Blog – 5 things I wish I knew before starting my PhD
Anna Marie Rosická has learned a few lessons since starting her PhD, and in this blog she shares them, so that you can benefit from her hindsight
Blog – How to Navigate a Job Switch
Sam started a new job this month, which we know can be stressful, in this blog he writes about how you can make transition easier.
Blog – To cross or not to cross the picket line: striking as an ECR
Dr Gaia Brezzo talks through the University & College Union / Universities dispute over pensions, pay & conditions and the dilemma of for her and ECRs affected.
Blog – Am I in “Career Drift Mode?”
Sometimes you need to ask yourself some tough questions, are you happy? Is your career on track? At the end of 2022 Dr Connor Richardson did just that.
Blog – Writing a paper with lots of co-authors
Dr Anna Volkmer shares her tips on writing a manuscript with multiple co-authors, a daunting process for any early career researcher.
Blog – Public Involvement & Engagement in Research
Tips from an expert! Dr Clarissa Giebel shares some simple and easy to follow pointers to deliver good Patient & Public Involvement in your research.
Blog – Building positive narratives about dementia
Exciting news... Dr Aida Suárez-Gonzalez was awarded UCL Global Engagement Funds to co-produce positive narratives about dementia - find out more in her blog.
Blog – Peer Reviewing Grant Applications
Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali recently had her first experience as a grant reviewer (no pressure). In this blog she shares her experience, to help new reviewers.
Blog – Writing a fellowship application
Coming to the end of your PhD? So is Beth Eyre, and in this blog she talks about what she has learned making her first fellowship application.
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