Dementia Researcher Blogs

Dr Jane Haley - UK Motor Neuron Disease Research Institute

Dr Jane Haley  narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Jane highlights the establishment of the UK MND Research Institute (UK MND RI) as a significant milestone in the pursuit of disease-modifying treatments for motor neuron disease (MND). MND is a devastating condition that rapidly deteriorates physical abilities and has limited treatment options. The UK MND RI aims to bridge the gap between fundamental research and clinical trials, with a focus on diagnostics, biomarker development, therapeutic testing using human-based cell models, and data utilisation. The institute operates through collaboration, bringing together talented researchers and patient campaigners to accelerate progress and ultimately find a cure for MND.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-uk-motor-neuron-disease-research-institute/
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Dr Jane Haley is Director of Research for MND Scotland. Jane is respondiable for developing and delivering the MND Scotland research strategy and overseeing their wide portfolio of grant funding. Outside the office Jane is a Girlguide leader, Treasurer and Trustee for Girlguiding Midlothian. Her tip for ECRs? Talk to people and willingly collaborate. You won’t regret it.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Gaia Brezzo - Searching for the ‘whole’ scientist - juggling academia

Dr Gaia Brezzo narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog Gaia discusses the struggle of balancing multiple aspects of an academic career, highlighting the need for personal and career development, and emphasising the importance of taking time for higher-level thinking and skill development.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-searching-for-the-whole-scientist-juggling-academia/
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Dr Gaia Brezzo is a Research Fellow based within the UK Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh. Gaia's research focuses on understanding how immune alterations triggered by stroke shape chronic maladaptive neuroimmune responses that lead to post-stroke cognitive decline and vascular dementia. Raised in Italy, Gaia came to the UK to complete her undergraduate degree, and thankfully, stuck around. Gaia writes about her work and career challenges, when not biking her way up and down hills in Edinburgh. Follow Gaia on Twitter: @Gaia_Brezzo
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Anna Volkmer - Visiting other research labs: A personal reflection

Dr Anna Volkmer, narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Visiting other research labs has been a valuable and inspiring experience for Anna, providing opportunities for collaboration, learning, and personal growth. Through her recent visit to Professor Maya Henry's lab at the University of Texas, Austin, Anna observed their efficient operations, open communication, and collaborative culture, which fueled fruitful discussions and the exchange of ideas. She gained valuable insights, from small tips on software usage to significant research concepts, and discovered the benefits of including student therapists in the lab's activities. Despite initial anxiety about leaving her family, the warm welcome and support from the lab team, along with engaging social activities, made her visit memorable. Attending the Clinical Aphasiology Conference further expanded her network and allowed her to share her research. Learn more about her visit and how you could benefit from doing the same, in this blog.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-visiting-other-research-labs-a-personal-reflection/
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Dr Anna Volkmer is a Speech and Language Therapist and researcher in Language and Cognition, Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London. Anna is researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language led dementia and was once voted scariest speech and language therapist (even her children agree).
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If you would like to write your own blog drop us a line, we're always on the look out for new contributors to write about their research, careers + more dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk
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This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Jodi Watt - Where LGBTQIA+ identities intersect with dementia

Dr Jodi Watt, narrating a new blog they wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog, Jodi addresses the lack of inclusion of LGBTQIA+ identities in dementia research and the associated disparities faced by LGBTQIA+ older adults living with dementia, discussing the multifaceted effects of discrimination, the challenges in healthcare and support systems, the impact of the AIDS crisis, and the need for more inclusive research, education, and practice in order to provide better care and support for individuals living with dementia under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella.
Happy PRIDE Month!
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-where-lgbtqia-identities-intersect-with-dementia/
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Dr Jodi Watt is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Glasgow. Jodi's academic interests are in both healthy ageing and neurodegenerative diseases of older age, and they are currently working on drug repurposing for dementia. Previously they worked on understanding structural, metabolic and physiological brain changes with age, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. As a queer and neurodiverse person, Jodi is also incredibly interested in improving diversity and inclusion practices both within and outside of the academic context.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Rebecca Williams - Coding, Lessons from a Seamstress

Rebecca Williams, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog Rebecca draws parallels between sewing and coding, highlighting the similarities in the learning process and the importance of resilience. Sharing personal experiences of starting out in both sewing and coding, facing challenges, making mistakes, and learning from them. Emphasising the value of perseverance, seeking help when needed, and the role of internet resources like Google in the learning journey. Rebecca suggests practical tips for beginners, such as starting with simple tasks, diving in and problem-solving on the go, documenting code with comments, seeking assistance from knowledgeable peers, and leveraging sources like ChatGPT as a starting point. A key takeaway.... embrace failure as an essential part of the learning process and keep trying and learning.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-coding-lessons-from-a-seamstress/
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Rebecca Williams is PhD student at the University of Cambridge. Though originally from ‘up North’ in a small town called Leigh, she did her undergraduate and masters at the University of Oxford before defecting to Cambridge for her doctorate researching Frontotemporal dementia and Apathy. She now spends her days collecting data from wonderful volunteers, and coding. Outside work, she plays board games, and is very crafty. @beccasue99
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
 
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Yvonne Couch - How to Make a Female Professor

Dr Yvonne Couch, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog Yvonne explores the challenges women face in academia and the need for cultural change. Despite increasing female representation in scientific fields, many women disappear from the academic pipeline, and even fewer make it to becoming a full Professors. So how do you deal with this? Continue to push more and more ECRs into the system, or take a more holistic approach? The article suggests strategies to retain and support women in their careers, emphasising the importance of organisational and systemic change. 
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-to-make-a-female-professor/
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Dr Yvonne Couch is an Alzheimer's Research UK Fellow and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne writes about her work, academic life, and careers as she takes a new road into independent research @dr_yvonne_couch
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
 
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Navigating the aisles: Assessing dementia-friendliness of a supermarket as part of a university seminar

Written by Dr Vitor Zimmerer, Artemis Bekiari, Hafsa Qureshi, Lidia Slominski, James Taylor-Anton and narrated by the authors.
In this blog, the authors share their experience of assessing the dementia-friendliness of a local supermarket as part of a university seminar. They discuss the importance of creating dementia-friendly environments to improve the autonomy and comfort of people with dementia. The students evaluated the supermarket using a checklist provided by the National Dementia Action Alliance and identified several areas for improvement. Issues included confusing signage, illogical placement of products, lack of clear checkout information, absence of quiet spaces and seating, and potential sources of confusion like transparent doors. The authors highlight the need for increased awareness and changes in supermarket design to better cater to the needs of people with dementia. They also discuss international examples and technical solutions that have been implemented to create dementia-friendly retail spaces. Overall, the exercise provided the students with practical experience in ethical people-centered design and highlighted the importance of accessibility and inclusivity for all customers.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-navigating-the-aisles-assessing-dementia-friendliness-of-supermarkets/
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Dr Vitor Zimmerer is a Lecturer  is the Department of Language and Cognition, University College London. Vitor studied linguistics at Heinrich-Heine-University in Düsseldorf, and has a PhD in Human Communication Sciences from the University of Sheffield. He is very interested in the effects of neurological damage and atypical development on language and study a range of populations including dementia and aphasia, also how language can be used as a marker of cognitive change.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
 
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Clarissa Giebel - How the Applied Research Collaboration influenced my career in dementia research

Dr Clarissa Giebel narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Clarissa explains how the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) has shaped her career, highlighting the benefits of public involvement, collaborative working, and impactful projects such as a board game on dementia inequalities. She also emphasizes the privilege of supervising early-career researchers in vital areas of study.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-the-arc-influenced-my-career-in-dementia-research/
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Dr Clarissa Giebel is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool and NIHR ARC North West Coast. Clarissa has been working in dementia care research for over 10 years focusing her research on helping people with dementia to live at home independently and well for longer, addressing inequalities that people with dementia and carers can face. Outside of her day work, Clarissa has also organised a local dementia network - the Liverpool Dementia & Ageing Research Forum, and has recently started her own podcast called the Ageing Scientist.
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If you would like to write your own blog drop us a line, we're always on the look out for new contributors to write about their research, careers + more dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk 
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Sam Moxon - How does an idea turn into a clinical product?

Dr Sam Moxon, narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog Sam explores the journey of transforming an idea into a tangible clinical solution. He highlights the complexities involved and emphasizes the importance of implementation. He draws on examples from the medical field, discussing regulatory processes, funding challenges, and the significance of market research. He encourages researchers to persevere, pivot when necessary, and focus on clinical applications to increase their chances of success. Ultimately, the value of an idea lies in its implementation for the benefit of patients.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-how-does-an-idea-turn-into-a-clinical-product/
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Dr Sam Moxon is a biomaterials Research Fellow at University of Birmingham. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney.
Enjoy listening and reading our blogs? We're always on the look out for new contributors, drop us a line and share your own research and careers advice dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.