Dementia Researcher Blogs

Dementia Researcher

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The Dementia Researcher Blogs Podcasts - through this show, you can hear our bloggers read their blogs. So if you prefer to read, you can head or our website or you can listen on the move. These shows are about academic / research careers, research, science and life as an early career dementia researchers. Brought to you by https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk - everything you need, all in one place. Remember to subscribe to our main ‘Dementia Researcher‘ Podcast, here and where ever you get your podcasts.

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Top 10 Dementia Researcher Blogs Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Dementia Researcher Blogs episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Dementia Researcher Blogs for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Dementia Researcher Blogs episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Dr Sam Moxon - The Academic Exodus

Dementia Researcher Blogs

04/25/23 • 4 min

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

In this blog Sam explores the leaky careers pipeline in academia. For many aspiring academics, the path seems clear: get a PhD, publish research, and secure a tenure-track position. However, the reality is far more complex, and many talented scholars find themselves struggling to make ends meet in an increasingly competitive and precarious job market - so they leave. Anecodtally, we're hearing PIs tell us that 3 years ago they might get 50-60 applications for a 4 year postdoc job, and today... they're getting 5-10 (so maybe good for some, but bad for others). In this blog, Sam talks about the challenges facing early-career scholars why people might be leaving, where they're going and what this might mean for the future,

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-the-academic-exodus/

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 [email protected]

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 Jodi Watt - My experience as an LGBTQIA+ postgraduate & PhD student

Dementia Researcher Blogs

06/29/23 • 5 min

Dr Jodi Watt, narrating a new blog they wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.

As Pride month comes to an end, Jodi shares their experience as an LGBTQIA+ postgraduate and PhD student. They discuss the challenges and variability of being 'out' and queer in academia, highlighting both supportive and discriminatory experiences. Josi emphasises the importance of acknowledging the mental, emotional, and physical burdens that LGBTQIA+ individuals may carry in a heteronormative world, which can impact their scientific career. They also express the desire for more representation and role models in academia who identify similarly, as well as the significance of using LGBTQIA+ lanyards, badges, and pronouns in creating a supportive environment. Jodi highlights the opportunities for involvement in extra-curricular experiences that can enrich one's CV and mentions the legal protections provided by The Equality Act 2010 in the UK. Finally, they affirm that it is not only acceptable but essential for LGBTQIA+ individuals to occupy and feel comfortable in scientific spaces.

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-my-experience-as-an-lgbtqia-postgraduate-phd-student/

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.

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 Connor Richardson - My Path to an NIHR ARC Dementia Fellowship

Dementia Researcher Blogs

03/22/23 • 7 min

Dr Connor Richardson narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.

Thinking about applying for a fellowship can be daunting and often feels like the next big pressure you face after finishing your PhD. Connor knows this as well as anyone, and he put-off deciding for 3 years. However, last year (after feeling the career drift mentioned in his last blog) he committed himself to go for it and has recently been awarded a 2-year NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Dementia Fellowship (partnered with Alzheimer's Society). In this blog, Connor reflects on preparing for the application, the application process and what he has learned from the experience.

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-my-path-to-an-nihr-arc-dementia-fellowship/

Dr Connor Richardson is a Neuro-epidemiology Research Associate (soon to be NIHR Research Fellow) in the Newcastle University Population Health Sciences Institute. Connor is the research statistician for the Cognitive Function and Ageing studies (CFAS) multi-centre population cohort. His research interest lies in using advanced statistical modelling and machine learning to measure dementia risk. Connor blogs about his research, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and sometimes his Pomapoo’s.

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 Kamar Ameen-Ali - What is an ‘Early Career Researcher’?

Dementia Researcher Blogs

04/18/23 • 7 min

Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

One of the most significant and prevailing challenges in academia over the last 10 years or so, has centred around how best to support early career researchers (ECRs) in an evolving landscape which has increasingly shifted towards a reliance on temporary insecure contracts, increasing workloads, and real terms drop in salaries. The criteria for defining who falls under the category of ‘ECR’ varies across institutions and organisations, and this is important if we need to identify where support is needed, and who to provide it to. In this blog Kamar will be asking the question: What is an ECR?

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-what-is-an-early-career-researcher/

Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali is a Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teesside University & Affiliate Researcher at Glasgow University. In addition to teaching, Kamar is exploring how neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Having first pursued a career as an NHS Psychologist, Kamar went back to University in Durham to look at rodent behavioural tasks to completed her PhD, and then worked as a regional Programme Manager for NC3Rs.

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

Dementia Researcher Blogs

05/30/23 • 9 min

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/

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.

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 Sam Moxon - Are Sportspeople More Prone to MND?

Dementia Researcher Blogs

06/20/23 • 7 min

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

The potential connection between sports, particularly contact sports with repetitive head trauma, and neurodegenerative diseases like Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) raises concerns. While the evidence remains inconclusive, studies have shown a higher risk of MND among retired rugby players, possibly related to the development of CTE. This has prompted efforts by governing bodies to prioritise athlete safety, implement stricter protocols, and collaborate with researchers to better understand the potential links between these sports and neurodegenerative diseases, emphasising education and injury prevention strategies. Sam Moxon explores the research in his latest blog.

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-are-sportspeople-more-prone-to-mnd/

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 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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Adam Smith - Find the right journal for your research & avoid predators

Dementia Researcher Blogs

02/27/23 • 9 min

Adam Smith narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.

If you're new to research, at some point you will need to publish your work. In this blog Adam Smith talks about how to avoid predatory publishers and provides tips on how to choose the right journal to publish in.

Not sure what predatory publishing is? Well Predatory or deceptive publishing are terms describing publishers or entities that exploit authors by charging publication fees (commonly known as article processing charges) yet don't deliver on their promise of the editorial and publishing services (such as peer review) that are associated with legitimate publishers... but don't just read this, have a listen.

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-find-the-right-journal-for-your-research-avoid-predators/

Adam Smith was born in the north, a long time ago. He wanted to write books, but ended up working in the NHS, and at the Department of Health. He is now Programme Director in the Office of the NIHR National Director for Dementia Research (which probably sounds more important than it is) at University College London. He has led a number of initiatives to improve dementia research (including this website, Join Dementia Research & ENRICH), as well as pursuing his own research interests. In his spare time, he grows vegetables, builds Lego & spends most of his time drinking too much coffee and squeezing technology into his house.

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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 Clarissa Giebel - International Women’s Day, gender equity in science and celebrating fellow women’s achievements

Dementia Researcher Blogs

03/07/23 • 4 min

Dr Clarissa Giebel narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

Today, 8th of March, it’s International Women’s Day – Dr Clarissa Giebel takes the opportunity to highlight the many things fantastic women have achieved, taking stock where we are at in terms of gender equity (or still mostly inequity), and recognising what we still need to achieve. As a scientist, in an originally male-dominated profession, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate the brilliant achievements of female scientists, including dementia and social care researchers in my field. But what’s more, it’s an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the many female non-academics we as scientists work with.

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-gender-equity-in-science-celebrating-womens-achievements/

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.

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 [email protected]

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 Gaia Brezzo - Moving four-ward, could a 4-day working week work in academia?

Dementia Researcher Blogs

03/27/23 • 7 min

Dr Gaia Brezzo narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

Work smarter not harder – I am sure you have heard this phrase before. And if you work in academia, like Gaia, I am sure you probably shrugged it off, most likely thinking I need to work smarter AND harder. But do we really? And where does this working ethos come from? In this blog Gaia talks about the 4-day working week movement that has really taken traction following the pandemic, the remarkable benefits working a shorter week can bring for employees and employers and discuss if this could really work in academia and if so, what it would look like.

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-moving-four-ward-could-a-4-day-working-week-work-in-academia/

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

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 Beth Eyre - How to find a PhD… an insider’s guide!

Dementia Researcher Blogs

10/12/23 • 5 min

Beth Eyre narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

Navigating the labyrinthine world of doctoral research? Beth is our go-to source for demystifying the process. Whether you're set on a specific research question or just know the academic field you want to explore, Beth's comprehensive guide lays out practical steps to find the PhD programme that's right for you. From the utility of websites like findaphd.com, which lists thousands of PhD opportunities worldwide, to the advantages of using social media platforms like X to connect with key researchers (and the Dementia Researcher website), she offers a variety of methods to help you find your perfect match.

The blog even includes tips on how to directly approach research group leaders and delves into the specifics of Doctoral Training Programmes (DTPs). It's a must-read for anyone serious about pursuing a PhD.

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

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-how-to-find-a-phd-an-insiders-guide/

Dr (pending minor amendments) Beth Eyre is a Postdoctoral Researcher at The University of Sheffield, researching Neurovascular and cognitive function in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease. Beth has a background in psychology, where she gained her degree from the University of Leeds. Inside and outside the lab, Beth loves sharing her science and in her blogs, she discusses her work, career and shares lessons she learns as she navigates life as an early career researcher.

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. Enjoy listening? We're always on the look out for new contributors, if you would like to write and narrate your own blog - drop us a line [email protected].

Don't forget to also listen to our fortnightly podcast, just look for Dementia Researcher in your podcast app.

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Podcast Q&A

Why did you start this show?

Being an early career dementia researcher can be incredibly rewarding and challenging too. It is as much about new discoveries, collaborations and ideas as it is about the pressure to publish papers and the competition for funding. So, we put our heads together to create Dementia Researcher - a website, podcast and much more. A place to go to when you need some inspiration or want to get advice from other early career researchers and leading experts.

What do you hope listeners gain from listening to your show?

Every year we publish over 150 blogs written by early career researchers, for early career researchers. They talk about their research, experiences, careers and share advice. To help those who don't have time to read, or prefer to listen while they're on the move, all out bloggers read their blogs for your listening pleasure - we publish 2-3 of these short narrations each week in the Dementia Researcher Blogs Podcast. But if you prefer to read, you'll also find them on our website.

Which episode should someone start with?

The great things about these shows.... is that they're well catagorised and usually no more than 5-15 minutes long, so you can listen as they come out, or simply skip to the ones that will help or interest you. So if you're starting your PhD, we have shows about getting settled, time management, career planning, vivias.... or if your're a postdoc you might want to hear about grant writing, promotions, setting up a lab.... or just hear about some of the latest discoveries, news for everyone.

Which have been your favourite episodes so far?

We couldn't possibly comment... or choose a favourite... they're great blogs / podcasts, and each one is brought to life by being read back by the person who wrote it.

Which episode are you most proud of?

All those shows which are genuinely helpful to people.

What is your vision for your show?

Envision a lighthouse in the vast sea of content. Our aim for this show is to be that beacon, guiding listeners through waves of information, offering enlightening insights, heartfelt stories, and a dash of fun and practial support and advise and inspiration. We want to create show where curiosity meets depth, where every episode feels like a journey worth embarking on.

What is your favourite other podcast that isn't yours?

That's a tricky.... but of course I would have to say this shows big sister... Dementia Researcher. On that channel we have full length shows, released fortnightly the show brings researchers and experts together to talk about their work, share careers advise and talk about the latest discoveries from the conferences they've attended. It's all about sharing knowledge to help attract new people to the field, keep the people we have, and increase peoples understanding.

How did you come up with the name for your podcast?

I wish there was a clever answer to this.... but it really is just what it says on the tin. The Dementia Researcher Blogs - because they're blogs written by dementia researchers.

Tell us a bit about yourself

Dementia Researcher was started in 2018 by Adam Smith at University College London, with generous funding from the NIHR. Since then it has continued to grow and other funders now also contribute, they are Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia. Adam tells us that he was born in the North (of England) a long time ago, he wanted to write books but wasn't clever enough... so now he makes podcasts, talks a lot and is sometimes helpful.

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