Dementia Researcher Blogs
Dementia Researcher blogs are written and then narrated by the authors. Through this podcast channel, we share the narrations, so you can listen back where ever you get your podcasts, as well as on our website - careers, research and your science. Brought to you by www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk - everything you need, all in one place.
Dr Becky Carlyle - Building accessible and inclusive research environments
Dr Becky Carlyle narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Becky writes up what she took from a panel of disabled researchers hosted by her department's Disability Working Group, and turns it into practical guidance for managers and PIs. She covers flexible working, communication that respects privacy, the often-exhausting process of securing accommodations, and the case for designing labs so accessibility is built in from the start rather than bolted on later. Becky shares figures that should give the sector pause, including the gap between the proportion of working-age people with a disability and...
Emily Spencer - Life After the PhD: My Fellowship Application
Emily Spencer narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
With less than five months of PhD funding left, Emily found herself doing the opposite of what felt sensible. Instead of locking in on her analysis, she spent two months preparing a postdoctoral fellowship application. In this blog she writes about the strange shift from career fog to a clearer sense of direction, the reality of using conversation analysis on video recordings of GP consultations involving people with dementia, and why letting go of her data at the end of her PhD started to feel impossible. A useful...
Professor Louise Serpell - Alzheimer's Disease Takes a Lifetime
Professor Louise Serpell, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog, Louise reflects on why Alzheimer’s disease has proved so difficult to understand, despite more than a century of research. She traces the role of amyloid beta, tau, inflammation, synaptic loss, genetics, ageing, the microbiome and other factors, while also asking what research models can and cannot capture. The blog argues that Alzheimer’s is shaped across a lifetime, by biology, environment, experience and individual variation, making collaboration across research fields essential for better prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Find the orig...
Dr Connor Richardson - Leaving Your University After 10 Years
Dr Connor Richardson narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Connor reflects on leaving Newcastle University after nearly ten years, tracing the shift from student to researcher and the difficulty of stepping away. He explores the practical challenges of finishing work, managing data and staying motivated, alongside the emotional weight of leaving a place that shaped both his career and identity.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-leaving-your-university-after-10-years/
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Dr Connor Richardson is a Neuro-epidemiology Research Associatea at The University of Edinburgh. His research interest lie in using advanced statistical...
Adam Smith - Remembering Terry Pratchett
Adam Smith narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Adam reflects on Terry Pratchett Day by considering TP’s public response to posterior cortical atrophy, his ability to explain dementia with clarity, and his willingness to speak about choice at the end of life. The blog connects Pratchett’s advocacy with dementia research, where technical language can make lived experience feel distant.
https://communities.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/c/research-chat/terry-pratchett-day-fb9c96f9-06fe-4a12-afe4-b21656a632a3
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Adam Smith was born in the north, a long time ago...
Bernie McInally - Making Care Home Research Visible
Bernie McInally narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Bernie charts the shift from disconnected systems to a more visible and coordinated approach to care home research in Scotland. Drawing on his experience with ENRICH Scotland, he explains how improving digital visibility has created a clear entry point for care homes, researchers and partners. The blog highlights the importance of collaboration, avoiding fragmented engagement, and recognising care homes as active partners in research. It also looks ahead, suggesting the next phase is about strengthening relationships and ensuring research remains accessible, relevant and easy to engage with.
<...Kirsty Hynes - No Care Homes Left Out in Dementia Research
Kirsty Hynes narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this second instalment, Ajantha shifts focus from preparing for PhD applications to one of the most critical decisions in the process: choosing the right lab and supervisor. He walks through how to search effectively, what to look for when assessing potential environments, and how to approach academics with well-structured, thoughtful emails. The blog balances practical advice with honest reflection on supervision styles, lab culture, and long-term career impact, offering a clear framework for making a well-informed choice.
Find the original text, and narration here on...
Dr Ajantha Abey - PhD Application Advice: Assessing & Approaching a New Lab
Dr Ajantha Abey narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this second instalment, Ajantha shifts focus from preparing for PhD applications to one of the most critical decisions in the process: choosing the right lab and supervisor. He walks through how to search effectively, what to look for when assessing potential environments, and how to approach academics with well-structured, thoughtful emails. The blog balances practical advice with honest reflection on supervision styles, lab culture, and long-term career impact, offering a clear framework for making a well-informed choice.
Find the original text, and narration here...
Beccy Owen - The Long Way Round to a PhD
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...
Dr Sam Moxon - Knowing When to Apply for Your First Research Fellowship
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...
Dr Andrew Kiselica - Why "Normal" Cognition Is Hindering Preclinical Alzheimer’s Trials
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.
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Rahul Sidhu - Momentum in Dementia Research: What I Saw at ARUK
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 he...
Jacqui Kerr - How clinical trials Site Initiation Visits work and why they matter
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.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
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Dr ClĂona Farrell - Optimise, troubleshoot, repeat - Beginning a new project
Dr ClĂona Farrell, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Three months into a new postdoc, ClĂona 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.ni...
Dr Becky Carlyle - The Motherhood Penalty and Career Progression
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...
Emily Spencer - Motherhood, PhDs, and the Funding Gap
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...
Professor Louise Serpell - From Academia and Beyond
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...
Dr Emma Law - Managing patient expectations (without overpromising)
Dr Emma Law, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog, Emma discusses the delicate balance between encouraging participation in dementia research and being realistic about what studies can offer. She explains why people who register interest in research often expect immediate opportunities and how researchers must communicate clearly about eligibility, trial design, and uncertainty. The blog also highlights alternative ways people living with dementia and their carers can contribute to research beyond clinical trials, from public involvement groups to questionnaires and long term studies. At its core, the piece reflects on trust, transparency...Bernie McInally - If Only I Were an ECR Lessons from a Bangkok Park
Bernie McInally narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Bernie describes a striking scene in a Bangkok park where older adults gather every morning to exercise, sing karaoke, and socialise together. Watching this daily routine unfold sparks a research question. Could environments that combine physical activity, social contact, music and routine help support cognitive health in later life. Rather than focusing only on new interventions, Bernie suggests researchers may learn a great deal by studying what communities already do naturally to support active ageing.
Find the original text, and narration here on o...
Dr Yvonne Couch - chatGPT in Academia
Dr Yvonne Couch, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT are rapidly becoming part of academic life. In this reflective blog, Yvonne considers how these tools are actually being used by researchers, from editing grant applications and shortening abstracts to drafting sections of proposals. She wrestles with the ethical tension between efficiency and learning, particularly for early career researchers who still need to develop strong writing skills. The blog also examines wider consequences, including increased grant submissions, potential growth in fraudulent papers, and the risk that productivity pressures may...
Dr Sam Moxon - Real Food for Thought in the Fight Against Dementia
Dr Sam Moxon, narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Sam reflects on emerging research suggesting that diet and lifestyle interventions may influence the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Inspired by work from Dean Ornish and discussions on the Dementia Researcher Food for Thought podcast, the article explores how a whole food plant based diet combined with exercise, meditation, and support groups produced measurable improvements in cognition and function among patients with mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s. The results raise important questions about how lifestyle choices shape brain health and whether simple chan...
Rahul Sidhu - Imposter Syndrome
Rahul Sidhu, narrating a new blog he wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog, Rahul reflects on his experience of imposter syndrome throughout his research career, from early lab work to PhD study. He describes the anxiety of feeling less capable than those around you, the pressure of comparisons within research groups, and the fear of asking questions or making mistakes. Rahul explains that these feelings are common in scientific careers and shares strategies that have helped him manage them, including focusing on growth rather than perfection, comparing progress only with your past self, asking for...Dr Ajantha Abey - How I Came To Enjoy Public Speaking As An Introvert
Dr Ajantha Abey narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Ajantha shares how they went from being deeply uncomfortable speaking in front of others to actively enjoying giving talks about their research. Starting with childhood stage fright and a stutter, the story traces a gradual shift through unexpected leadership in university sport, repeated practice presenting research, and years of teaching neuroscience. Along the way, Ajantha explains how confidence grew not only from technical speaking skills but from developing expertise, finding supportive communities, and learning to communicate science clearly. The post offers encouragement for researchers...
Dr Peter Connelly - Two Worlds of Clinical Trials
Dr Peter Connelly narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Peter compares academically led and commercially sponsored clinical trials, outlining how they differ in goals, recruitment expectations, intensity, monitoring and funding. Drawing on personal experience, he highlights unrealistic recruitment projections, contrasts study cultures, and reflects on the professional rewards and pressures associated with each model. The blog offers practical insight for clinicians considering participation in dementia research.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-two-worlds-of-clinical-trials/
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Dr...
Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali - Supervision vs Mentorship
Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Kam revisits a theme she first explored three years ago: the difference between supervision and mentorship in academia. Drawing on her journey to becoming a primary PhD supervisor, she explores structural barriers facing early career researchers, the funding realities that delay independence, and the risk of blurring mentoring with supervision. She argues that these are distinct roles requiring different skills and boundaries, and that separating them can better protect students and support openness, development, and academic progression.
Find the original text, and...
Dr ClĂona Farrell - Returning to work after a travel-filled career break
Dr ClĂona Farrell, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
After finishing her PhD and a short postdoc extension, ClĂona took a five month career break to travel across Asia before starting a new postdoctoral role at UCL. In this blog, she reflects on the emotional and practical challenges of stepping away from academia, the privilege and uncertainty of taking time out, and what it feels like to return refreshed to a new lab, new techniques, and a genuine fresh start.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
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Emily Spencer - Learning to Let Good Be Enough
Emily Spencer, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Emily reflects on a lifelong struggle with perfectionism and how it shapes her learning, work, and wellbeing. Through personal stories spanning school, sport, previous employment, and her PhD, she explores the tension between striving for high standards and recognising when doing less may actually be the wiser and healthier choice. As she approaches the final months of her doctorate, Emily considers how redefining success might allow her to protect her wellbeing while still producing meaningful, high quality research.
Find the original text, and narration...
Dr Gemma Lace - An Introverts Survival Guide to Conferences
Dr Gemma Lace, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog, Gemma explores the reality of attending academic conferences as an introvert or neurodivergent researcher. She reflects on her own experiences with imposter syndrome, conference anxiety and social overwhelm, while offering practical strategies to help researchers build confidence and gain meaningful professional development from conference attendance. From setting personal goals to using simple networking conversation starters and prioritising wellbeing, the blog encourages readers to approach conferences in ways that feel manageable, authentic and rewarding.Find the original text, and narration here on...
Professor Louise Serpell - A career in Alzheimer’s Research
Professor Louise Serpell, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this opening post, Louise Serpell traces her journey through Alzheimer’s research, beginning as a shy PhD student and moving through decades of scientific discovery, mentorship, and persistence. She reflects on finding her scientific home in protein misfolding and amyloid structure, the beauty of X ray fibre diffraction, and the realities of building a research career shaped as much by people and failures as by results. The piece sets the tone for a new blog series that will explore amyloid biology, success in academia, an...
Dr Becky Carlyle - Academic overwhelm, you’re not the only one
Dr Becky Carlyle, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this candid blog, Becky reflects on the reality of feeling overwhelmed during a demanding stage of an academic career. She describes the competing pressures of grant writing, teaching, leadership roles, family life and supporting research teams, while still finding joy in discovery and mentoring. Becky shares practical approaches that help her stay organised and protect wellbeing, including structured prioritisation, making space for personal life and recognising that difficult periods should have an end point. The blog offers reassurance that overwhelm is common, temporary and...
Dr Yvonne Couch - Storytelling in Academia
Dr Yvonne Couch, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
This blog explores how storytelling strengthens science communication across papers, presentations, and public engagement. Yvonne reflects on lessons from podcasts, conferences, and outreach work to show how understanding your audience can transform how research is shared. Drawing on personal experiences and examples from academia, the blog highlights how strong narrative flow helps researchers connect ideas, engage listeners, and improve interdisciplinary collaboration.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-storytelling-in-academia/
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Dr Emma Law - How We Ensure Safety in Dementia Drug Trials
Dr Emma Law, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Clinical trials in dementia rely on carefully designed safeguards to protect participants and ensure treatments are tested responsibly. Emma Law explains how safety is built into every stage of a trial, from ethical recruitment and consent to screening processes, monitoring, and staff training. In this blog Emma highlights how lessons from past trial failures shaped current best practice and emphasises the shared responsibility between researchers, participants, carers, and sponsors to ensure studies run safely while advancing new treatments. ÂFind the original text, and narration here o...
​Rahul Sidhu - My journey to a PhD in neuroscience: the highs & lows
Rahul Sidhu, narrating a new blog he wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.
We're pleased to welcome Rahul as a new regular contributor to the Dementia Researcher blog. In this post Rahul reflects on his route into neuroscience, from early uncertainty and academic setbacks to finding purpose through dementia research. He shares how personal experience, persistence, and discovery in the lab shaped his path to a PhD, alongside honest reflections on confidence, balance, and what comes next.Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk...
Dr Sam Moxon - Never Truly Known, The Reality of Lewy Body Dementia
Dr Sam Moxon, narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Sam reflects on the reality of Lewy body dementia through both his research background and his experience caring for his grandfather. He explores why LBD is so difficult to diagnose, how symptoms fluctuate, and how families are often left without clarity or closure. The piece speaks to the emotional weight of uncertainty and the importance of continuing to talk about LBD, not to find neat answers, but to help future families feel less alone.
Find the original text, and narration here on...
Adam Smith - Living alongside Hallucinations
Adam Smith narrates his post from the Dementia Researcher Community.
In this post Adam reflects on conversations with carers who support people experiencing hallucinations, particularly in Lewy body dementia. Drawing on real encounters, he explores the uncertainty, emotional labour, and isolation that often sit beneath everyday care, and why awareness and shared understanding matter.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://communities.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/c/research-chat/living-alongside-hallucinations-8379e5a8-9929-4b34-b5d5-033969892649
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Adam Smith was born in the north...
Ajantha Abey - From Alzheimer’s to Lewy Body Disease - Expanding our Research Horizons
Ajantha Abey narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog Ajantha reflects on why Lewy body disease deserves far greater attention within dementia research. Drawing on their journey from Alzheimer’s focused tau research into synuclein pathology, the blog explores co occurring disease, diagnostic challenges, biomarker advances, and why understanding overlap across conditions is essential for better science and better care.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-alzheimers-to-lewy-body-disease-expanding-our-research-horizons/
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Dr Ajantha Abey is a Postdoctoral Res...
Dr Peter Connelly - Recognising Dementia with Lewy Bodies in Clinical Practice
Dr Peter Connelly narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog Peter explores how dementia with Lewy bodies can present very differently from other dementias, particularly in its early stages. Drawing on clinical experience, he outlines key features including sleep disturbance, hallucinations, movement changes, and fluctuating attention, and explains how careful observation during assessment can support earlier recognition. The piece also reflects on current treatment limitations and highlights opportunities for environmental and non drug interventions to inform future research and care practice.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
<...Rebecca Williams - Why you should Start Writing Blogs
Rebecca Williams, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In this blog, Rebecca reflects on nearly three years of blogging during her PhD and how writing regularly changed her confidence, communication skills, and sense of voice as a researcher. She shares early doubts about not being a good writer, the gradual development of her writing process, and the unexpected impact her blogs had on others. As she steps into her postdoctoral career, Rebecca looks back on blogging as one of the most meaningful parts of her PhD and encourages early career researchers to start writing, even...Dr Lindsey Sinclair - What Changing Institution Taught Me
Dr Lindsey Sinclair narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog, Lindsey reflects on what stepping outside a long held academic home taught her about confidence, career identity, and progression. Drawing on her move from Bristol to Southampton after time in Brisbane, she explores the emotional, practical, and professional realities of changing institution, and how the shift helped her see her own expertise more clearly while still recognising that staying put must remain a valid and inclusive career path.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.d...
Dr Sam Moxon - Why the Business Side of Dementia Research Matters
Dr Sam Moxon, narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this blog Sam reflects on his move from academia into running a university spinout and what that shift has taught him about the role of business in dementia research. He explains why funding decisions, investor confidence, and commercial risk shape which ideas progress and which fall away. Using recent industry examples, he explores how failed trials affect not only companies but the wider research ecosystem, and why understanding these pressures matters for everyone working towards better treatments.
Find the original text, and narration here...
