Dementia Researcher Blogs

Beccy Owen, narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

In her first blog, Beccy introduces herself and reflects on the path that led her into dementia research. It is a journey shaped by uncertainty, changing direction, and moments of self doubt, alongside real achievements and growing confidence. From lockdown study and finding a love for neuroscience, to setbacks in PhD applications and finally securing her place at Warwick, Beccy shares an open account of how careers rarely follow a straight line. She also touches on the realities of lab work, learning electrophysiology, and the importance of maintaining balance outside research.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-long-way-round-to-a-phd/

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Beccy Owen is a PhD Researcher at the University of Warwick, exploring how tau pathology disrupts neuronal ion channels and brain network activity in Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Programme, her work uses electrophysiology to better understand the molecular drivers of neurodegeneration. Originally from the Welsh countryside, Beccy’s passion for dementia research was shaped during her postgraduate studies and through personal experience with a family member living with the condition. She will be sharing her journey, insights, and lessons learned throughout her PhD here on the blog.

Find Becky on LinkedIn

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 [email protected]

This podcast is brought to you in association with the NIHR, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

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Dr Sam Moxon, narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.

Applying for your first research fellowship can feel like a leap into the unknown. In this blog, Sam reflects on his own early experience and sets out five simple checks to help researchers judge their readiness. From having a question that genuinely drives you, to demonstrating independence, securing the right environment, and confirming eligibility, the piece strips away the mystery and reframes readiness as progress rather than perfection.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-am-i-ready-knowing-when-to-apply-for-your-first-research-fellowship/

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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.

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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 [email protected]

This podcast is brought to you in association with the NIHR, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

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Dr Andrew M. Kiselica, narrating a new blog he wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.

Why are preclinical Alzheimer’s trials struggling to show results? Andrew and colleagues argue the issue may not just be biology or timing, but how we define “normal.” By grouping cognitively unimpaired individuals together, trials overlook meaningful differences in subtle symptoms. This blog explores how recognising objective subtle cognitive decline, supported by digital tools and refined measures, could improve participant selection and increase the chances of detecting real treatment effects.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-normal-cognition-is-hindering-preclinical-alzheimers-trials/

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Dr Andrew M. Kiselica is an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia whose work focuses on early detection of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. He contributes to the Working Group on Objective Subtle Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease.

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Rahul Sidhu, narrating a new blog he wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.

In this blog, Rahul shares his experience at the Alzheimer’s Research UK conference, highlighting the breadth of dementia research and the sense of progress across the field. From clinical trials and molecular biology to AI, nutrition and the gut brain axis, the blog captures how diverse approaches are shaping our understanding of dementia. Alongside scientific advances, Rahul reflects on the importance of collaboration, early career researcher engagement, and the growing momentum driving the field forward.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

​Rahul Sidhu is a PhD student at The University of Sheffield, focusing on the effects of heart disease on dementia in preclinical models of Alzheimer's disease. His research aims to uncover how cardiovascular health influences neurodegenerative conditions, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies.​ Find Rahul on LinkedIn

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Jacqui Kerr narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

Site Initiation Visits mark the transition from clinical trial / study setup to delivery, ensuring research sites are fully prepared before recruitment begins. In this blog, Jacqui explains how SIVs bring together protocol training, regulatory checks, role delegation, and data processes to create a clear, shared understanding across the research team. Far from a routine step, the SIV lays the groundwork for safe, compliant, and consistent trial delivery, helping protect participants and support reliable results.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-site-initiation-visits-work-and-why-they-matter/

Jacqueline Kerr is the Network Manager for the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network in Scotland. With a background in research management and public engagement, she is dedicated to supporting clinical trials and improving access to research across the country. Jacqueline works closely with clinicians, researchers, and the public to raise awareness of dementia studies and encourage participation.

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Dr Clíona Farrell, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.

Three months into a new postdoc, Clíona explores the messy reality of starting fresh in research. From failed experiments to adapting protocols, she reflects on how experience shifts your approach, bringing more planning, patience, and reflection. The blog highlights the importance of controls, collaboration, and industry support, while reminding us that perseverance and small wins are what carry researchers through the early stages of a project.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-optimise-troubleshoot-repeat-beginning-a-new-project/

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Dr Clíona Farrell is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scopping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone.

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Dr Becky Carlyle, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.

In this blog, Becky reflects on the lived reality behind the motherhood penalty in academia, blending personal experience with emerging research evidence. She explores how childcare responsibilities, mental load, and structural expectations shape career progression for women, often in ways that are invisible but deeply felt. The piece moves from the day to day realities of balancing work and family life to wider systemic issues, including publication gaps, career progression barriers, and unequal distribution of care. It also offers practical reflections on collaboration, workplace culture, and the importance of supporting fathers as part of the solution.

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Dr Becky Carlyle is an Alzheimer's Research UK Senior Research Fellow at University of Oxford, and has previously worked in the USA. Becky writes about her experiences of starting up a research lab and progressing into a more senior research role. Becky's research uses mass-spectrometry to quantify thousands of proteins in the brains and biofluids of people with dementia. Her lab is working on various projects, including work to compare brain tissue from people with dementia from Alzheimer’s Disease, to tissue from people who have similar levels of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology but no memory problems. Becky is also a mum, she runs, drinks herbal tea's and reads lots of books.

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Emily Spencer, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.

In this blog, Emily shares her experience of balancing a PhD with early motherhood, reflecting on both the encouragement she has felt and the assumptions she made along the way. What begins as a story of managing both roles becomes a sharper look at structural gaps in funding and maternity support for PhD students. She highlights inconsistencies across institutions and funders (in the UK), the lack of transparency around parental leave, and the uncomfortable reality that many researchers must navigate these decisions without clear information. The blog ends not with resolution, but with a call for funders and institutions to take responsibility and better support those combining research careers with parenthood.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-motherhood-phds-and-the-funding-gap/

#DementiaResearch #AcademicMother #Academia

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Emily Spencer is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career.

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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.

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Professor Louise Serpell, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.

In this reflective blog, Louise looks back on more than three decades in academia researching neurodegenerative diseases and supporting students through their scientific journeys. She shares how mentoring young researchers became the most rewarding part of her career, but also describes the pressures that eventually led to burnout and a difficult decision to step away from university life. Now beginning a new chapter building a consultancy, Louise considers what comes next and how academia might better support creativity, wellbeing, and the people who make research possible.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

Professor Louise Serpell is an Emerita Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Sussex. Her research focuses on how proteins misfold and form amyloid structures linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, using approaches from structural biology and molecular biophysics. Louise completed her DPhil at the University of Oxford and later established her own research group in the UK. Alongside her research career, she has been active in mentoring, public engagement, and supporting early career researchers. Find Louise on LinkedIn

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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.

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Dr Emma Law, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-managing-patient-expectations-without-overpromising/

#DementiaResearch #ClinicalTrials #Research #TrialDelivery

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Dr Emma Law is Strategic Manager for the The Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network in Scotland. Emma has 13 years experience as a Clinical Trails Network Manager and over 35 years experience as a Nurse, many of which were spent in the delivery of Clinical Research Trials. Emma completed her PhD and is passionate about giving people living with dementia and their carers access to participate in research. 

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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.

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Follow us on Social Media:

Join our community:

https://onelink.to/dementiaresearcher