Dementia Researcher Blogs

Dr. Claire Sexton interviews Professor Bruce Miller about his career in dementia research, specifically focusing on frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Professor Miller discusses his early work in the 1990s, when FTD was often dismissed as too rare to diagnose and differentiate from Alzheimer's disease. He credits his mentors, Frank Benson and Jeff Cummings, for supporting his belief in FTD as a distin...

Ajantha Abey narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher. Explore Ajantha's insights on the revolutionary impact and challenges of using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in dementia research. Ajantha reflects on the journey with iPSC models, highlighting the groundbreaking potential to study diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by examining human brain cells without invasive metho...

Dr Beth Eyre  narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. Beth's blog discusses the advancing field of using retinal imaging as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD), bringing highlights from the recent ISTAART Eye as a Biomarker for AD PIA, year in review. The session highlighed the eye's potential for non-invasive early detection. Recent studies showcase the retina's susceptibility to...

Emily Spencer, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website. If you're playing catch-up, let us recap... Emily is a PhD student at UCL and a new mother. In this blog Emily addresses the rarely discussed intersection of academia, parenthood, and finances. Sharing her personal struggle with the exorbitant costs of childcare in London, which exceed her PhD stipend. Emily reveals the...

In a conversation with Dr. Claire Sexton, Professor Alison Goate discusses her career in dementia research, focusing on two of her landmark papers. The first, published in 1991, identified a missense mutation in the amyloid precursor protein gene associated with familial Alzheimer's disease. The second, published in 2021, integrated Alzheimer's disease genetics and myeloid genomics to identify dis...

Dr Sam Moxon , narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher. Sam discusses the dilemma faced by academics between publishing research quickly and protecting their work through patents. He suggests that the "publish or perish" mentality can discourage the commercialisation of research, as it pressures researchers to publish instead of securing patents that are attractive to investors. This rus...

Dr Jodi Watt, narrating a new blog they wrote for the Dementia Researcher website. In this blog Jodi's focus is on making scientific presentations more accessible. They highlight common pitfalls, such as using small font sizes or poor colour contrasts, that can make presentations exclusionary. The blog provides practical tips for improvement, such as using clear, sans-serif fonts, defining jargon,...

Rebecca Williams, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website. Rebecca contemplates the journey of her work from its conception to its final goal of tangible real-world impact. She shares a personal anecdote about her first publication, reflecting on the sense of anticlimax when the anticipated change failed to materialise instantly. This experience serves as a springboard for a...

Dr Anna Volkmer , narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. Anna reflects on her previous year's challenges and outlines her goals for 2024. She discusses the importance of annual appraisals in academia, detailing both the process and its focus on achievements and development plans, including publications, funding, and professional growth. Anna shares her ambition to publish significant r...

Dr Yvonne Couch , narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website. The basics of gender differences in health risks include that women generally live longer than men, and age is a significant risk factor for dementia, making women more susceptible to developing it. Specifically, the Alzheimer’s Association notes that there are twice as many women with Alzheimer’s as men. With stroke...

Ajantha Abey narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher. In this blog, Ajantha outlines the benefits and pitfalls of using AI chatbots in research. He emphasises their proficiency in language tasks and idea generation, but also warns against overreliance on AI for tasks requiring factual accuracy, as AI can fabricate data. He suggests a balanced approach to using AI as a tool to augment, bu...

Dr Gaia Brezzo narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. Gaia examines the (arguably) widespread issue of academic fraud, from the shock of discovering misconduct in familiar research to the systemic pressures that contribute to such deceit. She addresses the severe implications for public health and scientific integrity, while also discussing the need for better quality control and accou...

Sára Erzsebet Zsadányi narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. In this insightful blog, Sára shares her journey as an ISTAART ambassador, highlighting the enriching experiences and connections made in the field of dementia research. From her initial hesitance to network to embracing opportunities at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), Sára's role as an ambassado...

Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. At the 125th meeting of the British Neuropathological Society, leading experts gathered to share recent advancements in neuropathology. The symposium, preceding the meeting, offered fresh perspectives on neurodegeneration. Notable talks included insights into cognition and dementia risk, transcriptomics in human neurodegeneratio...

Marija Taneska , narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. In this blog Marija shares highlights from the recent ISTAART's Nonpharmacological Interventions PIA Year in Review webinar. Exploring the significance of holistic dementia care and the role of digital tools in supporting caregivers. It discusses research on dementia beyond pharmacological treatments, emphasising the necessity for...

Emily Spencer, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website. In this blog Emily focuses on her experiences navigating pregnancy while working in dementia research and preparing for maternity leave. Thankfully an 'easy pregnancy' (if there is such a thing), allowed Emily to continue her professional commitments, including presenting at a conference at 35 weeks pregnant. Emily face...

Dr Dorothy Tse narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. Dorothy's blog addresses the alignment of core values with strategic time management in academic leadership. She discusses the multiplicity of roles held by principal investigators and lecturers, from ideation and securing funding to teaching and mentorship. Dorothy highlights three key strategies: setting a clear vision, making pro...

Hannah Hussain narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. Hannah's blog examines the plight of individuals with dementia in conflict zones like Gaza, shedding light on the added layers of distress they face. Dementia, particularly certain forms, such as Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), not only impairs cognitive abilities but also significantly influences behaviour, often leading to height...

Dr Sam Moxon , narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher. Dr Sam Moxon summarises key findings from ISTAART's Nutrition Metabolism & Dementia PIA Year in Review webinar. It details how diets such as the Mediterranean, ketogenic, and MIND diets can slow cognitive decline, with the MIND diet also reducing amyloid pathology. The dangers of ultra-processed foods are highlighted, showing th...

Rebecca Williams, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website. Rebecca shares her experience of positively influencing research culture by integrating fun and personality into the academic environment. By initiating a board game night and other social activities, she encourages colleagues to embrace their quirks, from sharing pun-filled emails to displaying personal trinkets like...

Adam Smith narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher. In this blog Adam discusses the upcoming launch of the Dementia Researcher Communities App, designed as an exclusive, secure platform for dementia researchers to connect, share insights, and collaborate. It will feature social media functionalities tailored for the research community, including live events, mentoring, and group discussi...

Dr Beth Eyre  narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. Beth brings us news from last months ISTAART Subjective Cognitive Decline PIA Year in Review Webinar. The event explored the latest advancements in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) research, emphasising its significance as an early indicator for Alzheimer's disease. Beth highlights new findings that deepen understanding of SCD's ro...

Dr Jodi Watt, narrating a new blog they wrote for the Dementia Researcher website. Jodi shares a candid recount of their PhD journey, unmasking the seldom-discussed mental toll of academia. Confronting the daunting aftermath of a PhD, they navigate through self-recovery, ultimately finding strength in vulnerability and self-advocacy. This blog is not just a narrative of personal triumph over acade...

Dr Clarissa Giebel narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher. Clarissa's blog emphasises the value of non-academic collaborations in academia, particularly in dementia and social care research. She highlights the importance of incorporating diverse expertise, including professionals and stakeholders from the healthcare and social care sectors. Clarissa suggests leveraging existing networks...

Dr Yvonne Couch , narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website. Yvonne explores the challenges and importance of incorporating aging processes in pre-clinical research, particularly in animal models. It addresses the practical and financial difficulties of conducting aging research, the translational roadblocks faced in this field, and the implications of age-related changes on di...