We spoke to Dr Donncha Mullin, a participant in the virtual DPUK datathon held in November 2020, about what it's like to take part in one of these events.
At a virtual event hosted by SONA (the Society of Neuroscientists of Africa), DPUK\u2019s Imaging Network lead, Professor Franklin Aigbirhio, explained how PET-MR scanners are enhancing dementia research.
We most often associate the symptoms of dementia with high-profile conditions such as Alzheimer\u2019s disease or Parkinson\u2019s. But dementia comes in many forms, and has many causes.
Stroke and vascular dementia are intrinsically related, with both being a risk factor for the other. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh led by Professor Joanna Wardlaw are studying stroke patients to learn more about the cognitive impairment that often follows a stroke, thanks to a grant from DPUK that allowed them to get started.
Dr Ivan Koychev, of DPUK and Oxford University's Department of Psychiatry, writes about new research into the effectiveness of drugs to treat the symptoms of dementia.
We caught up with Professor John Gallacher, Director of Dementias Platform UK and Professor of Cognitive Health at Oxford University, to get his thoughts on the current state of play in dementia research \u2013 and what the future might hold.
Supporting a family member through dementia is not easy, and the extra challenges introduced by the coronavirus lockdown can make matters even more challenging. Guest blogger Ruby Clarkson summarises the best advice and the help that's available.
There is mounting evidence suggesting that education has lifelong benefits that promote good health, and that it is more than simply a 'gateway' to a higher socioeconomic status. In this blog post, Pamela Almeida-Meza \u2013 PhD student in UCL's Department of Behavioural Science and Health \u2013 explains the nuances of the latest research findings in this area.
Induced pluripotent stem cells are a special type of stem cell that's proving to be a crucial element in the fight to find the first life-changing treatment for dementia. Bryan Ng is one of the DPUK researchers who has been using them to study the cellular changes that take place when dementia takes hold.
Distant colleagues, a screen-based social life and perhaps some home-schooling, has become the new normal for most of us now. Although some clinical researchers will be retraining to support coronavirus efforts, those who work with big data will be at home, doing their best to carry on there. Dementia research doesn\u2019t stop in a time of corona \u2013 but it certainly changes. Dr Michele Veldsman, a dementia data researcher, is tracking her experience.
Dr Delia Gheorghe is a postdoctoral research assistant at DPUK, investigating how childhood experiences influence brain structure in later life. This is how she got here.
Sometimes it\u2019s only a small thing that triggers the changes that can lead to a dramatic step in your career. Here, Luke Whiley, an analytical chemist by training, reminds researchers to look out for opportunities in the small stuff. He tells the story of how a relatively small grant has taken him far in his career in dementia research \u2013 to the other side of the world in fact!
Two datathons in two weeks - autumn has certainly been busy season for the DPUK datathon team who have crossed the country to support a host of new dementia studies get off the ground. If you missed out on the DPUK datathons in UEA and Swansea, there are many more in the pipeline \u2013 don\u2019t worry!
Luke Whiley won a DPUK grant to investigate gut-brain interactions. On World Diabetes Day, he writes about the links between bacteria, diabetes and dementia.
Research shows that our lifestyles can affect the health of our brains, and that making a few positive changes can help protect us as we get older. Dr Ivan Koychev is a clinician-scientist at Dementias Platform UK and a senior clinical researcher in Oxford University\u2019s Department of Psychiatry.
Can cultural differences also affect the risk of developing dementia? If so, there could be important policy implications. Dr Dorina Cadar is part of an international team of researchers doing cross-country comparative with UK and Japanese cohorts.
Whilst working with one of the UK\u2019s biggest GP databases, DPUK scientist, Tim, realised how valuable it could be for dementia research. Here, the researcher who created one of DPUK\u2019s biggest, most representative cohorts describes how other researchers can use the resource to answer the big questions in dementia research.
Dr Sarah Bauermeister is passionate about developing younger scientists in dementia research. We asked her why datathons are such a great opportunity for them.
More than 100 researchers, 19 organisations, eight sites, and a fearless team conducting it all. DFP trial co-ordinator Tony Thayanandan gives the inside track on what it\u2019s like to be part of such ambitious research.
Universities don\u2019t make drugs \u2013 that\u2019s the job of the pharmaceutical companies. There are other typical divides across academia and industry too: the expertise is different, the resources are different and the ways of working are different. But that\u2019s no reason not to work together \u2013 in fact it\u2019s precisely why we need to. Dr Iain Chessell heads the neuroscience therapy area in AstraZeneca, one of DPUK\u2019s industry partners.
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