Blogs
The SDRC blogs cover the entire range of dementia and brain health research. From overviews of specific disciplines, to early career researchers giving an insight in their work, to research participants sharing their experience of takin part in a study.
If you have something to say about research, write a blog for us! Click the link below to get in touch.
Research Update: Kelly Kelly MRes Project
Alzheimer Scotland Student Research Programme: MRes Project Update from Kelly Kelly In late 2023, Kelly Kelly began her MRes project as part of the Alzheimer Scotland Student Research Programme. Kelly’s studentship is hosted by the Alzheimer Scotland...
Alzheimer Scotland Student Research Programme announces first MRes student
The Alzheimer Scotland Student Research Programme is excited to announce our first ever MRes student: Kelly Kelly. Kelly’s studentship is hosted by the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice at the University of the West of Scotland. She is supervised by Dr...
Celebrating 10 years of the SDRC
Ten years ago today, on the 28 August 2013, the Scottish Dementia Research Consortium was established at the Surgeon's Hall, Edinburgh. The SDRC was created to enable greater co-ordination by pooling the resources, experience and expertise of the wide-ranging and...
Guest Blog: Rachel Allen
Today's blog is from Rachel Allen, a PhD candidate form the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice at the University of the West of Scotland. Rachel talks about the PhD journey and the process of research. My name is Rachel Allen, and I am in my second year...
Guest Blog: Ahmed Alharthi
Today's blog is from Ahmed Alharthi, who in undertaking a PhD at the University of Glasgow. Ahmed talks about the PhD journey. I am a licenced clinical pharmacist by background, who works with Dr Terry Quinn, a consultant physician and geriatrician in the NHS and a...
Early Career Researcher Profiles
The Scottish dementia and brain health dementia and brain health early career researcher community is both exciting and diverse. The SDRC Annual Report 2022/3 highlighted just some of the innovative research taking place across Scotland in all disciplines from early...
Early Career Researcher Profiles
These Early Career Researcher profiles are some of the researchers that featured in the SDRC Annual Report 2022/23. We will share the rest of these profiles tomorrow, but you can read all profiles, and the rest of the SDRC report here Lisa Davison I am a...
Guest Blog: NHS Neuroprogressive and Dementia Research Network
The NHS Research Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network work closely with the SDRC to ensure everyone with a neuroprogressive condition or dementia has the opportunity of taking part in research. We share the same aim of collaboration and we know that...
Guest Blog: Enabling Research in Care Homes (ENRICH) Scotland
In this guest blog from Enabling research in Care Homes (ENRICH) Scotland, we find out more about the work of the organisation and how they are working with care homes to increase representation in research. This blog is taken from the SDRC Annual Report, which you...
Confident Conversations for Research Participation
Confident Conversations is a collaboration between the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network (NDN) and Alzheimer Scotland. It is a forward-thinking initiative to assist in enabling everyone with dementia to be offered the opportunity to participate in research. This...
SDRC Annual Report 2022/23: Living with Dementia
Earlier this year, the Scottish Dementia Research Consortium launched our Annual Report. In addition to providing an overview of all dementia and brain health research in the past year, we also have a section in the report dedicated to each of the SDRC research...
SDRC Annual Report 2022/23: Informatics & Technology
The following is an excerpt of SDRC Annual Report 2022/23 which provides on overview of the research in the field of brain health Informatics & Technology, written by theme lead and SDRC Executive Committee member Dr Mario Parra Rodriguez. Summary of the theme The...
SDRC Annual Report 2022/23: Fundamental Science
In the SDRC Annual Report 2022/23 we dedicated a section each to the progress and ongoing work of the SDRC research themes. The following extract is focusing on the Fundamental Science theme, led by Professor Frank Gunn-Moore and Dr Sophie Bradley. Read more below....
SDRC Annual Report 2022/23: Diagnosis
This blog is an extract from the SDRC Annual Report 2022/23, dedicates a section to the progress and ongoing work of each of the SDRC research themes. This blog is from the Diagnosis theme, written by theme leads Dr Terry Quinn and Dr Jennifer Macfarlane. Summary of...
Dementia Awareness Week 2023
Each year, Dementia Awareness Week (DAW) is held with the aim of raising awareness of dementia and helping improve the lives of people with dementia, their families, and carers. Find out more about Dementia Awareness Week on the Alzheimer Scotland website. In 2023,...
Guest blog: Childhood Dementia Initiative
This guest blog is from the Childhood Dementia Initiative, who are working to increase awareness of dementia in children and to accelerate research in this area. Read on to find out about the activity of the Childhood Dementia Initiative and please get in touch with...
Outgoing SDRC Chair: Professor Craig Ritchie Blog
Today, 10th October 2022, the SDRC will open nominations for researchers to join Executive Committee and for the position of Chair- members will receive an email to their inbox with further details. SDRC Chair, Professor Craig Ritchie is standing down. Please read...
SDRC Annual Report 2021/22: Informatics & Technology
The following is an excerpt of SDRC Annual Report 2021/22 which provides on overview of the research in the field of brain health Informatics & Technology, written by theme lead and SDRC Executive Committee member Dr Mario Parra Rodriguez. The SDRC is witnessing a...
SDRC Annual Report 2021/22: Living with Dementia
On the 9th May 2022, the Scottish Dementia Research Consortium launched our Annual Report. In addition to providing an overview of all dementia and brain health research in the past year, we also have a section in the report dedicated to each of the SDRC research...
SDRC Annual Report 2021/22: Diagnosis
This blog is an extract from the SDRC Annual Report 2021/22, dedicates a section to the progress and ongoing work of each of the SDRC research themes. This blog is from the Diagnosis theme, written by theme lead Dr Terry Quinn. Twelve months is a long time in...
SDRC Annual Report 2021/22: Fundamental Science
In the SDRC Annual Report 2021/21 we dedicated a section each to the progress and ongoing work of the SDRC research themes. The following extract is focusing on the Fundamental Science theme, led by Professor Frank Gunn-Moore and Dr Sophie Bradley. Read more below....
Research Participant Blog: Eileen Penman
The SDRC are pleased to be able to continue our Research Involvement blog series, featuring participants in research across Scotland. This blog series aims to share experiences of different perspectives of research as well as tips and lessons for researchers. Our...
What’s is like to live with dementia and want to plan ahead? Film by Tharin Phenwan
What's it like living with dementia and want to plan ahead? A film by Tharin Phenwan Postgraduate Researcher Tharin Phenwan, from the School of Health Sciences, has filmed a short monologue as part of his research output for the study 'Advance Care Planning...
We cry again
Our fourth blog in the Research Involvement series is by Lorna Walker who is an NDCAN member. If you are an SDRC member that would like to contribute a guest blog for this series, please get in touch with us. Research involvement is only possible when people who have...
I Got Involved and then it was Radio Silence
In today's Research Involvement blog, we are featuring Marion Ritchie, member of the National Dementia Carers Action Network (NDCAN) who has been involved in research for many years. Marion is just one of many people we have been speaking to their experiences of...
A Bicycle Built for Two…or More: Collaboration in Research
A Bicycle Built for Two….or More: Collaboration in Research In the second blog of our new series we hear from Dr Margaret Brown, Senior Lecturer and Depute Director of the Alzheimer Centre for Policy and Practice at University of the West of Scotland. Read Margaret's...
That’s a good idea!
At SDRC we have been speaking to different people about their experiences of involvement in dementia research and are delighted to be publishing a series of blogs, sharing tips and lessons for us all. Our first blog in this new Research Involvement series is from...
Care home lockdown and the impact on families: Rapid Study Update
Care home lockdown and the impact on families: what hurt, what helped and what happens next At the end of last year, we published a researcher blog from those involved in the Creative Covid Care study. This blog outlined their work on the experiences of...
Guest Blog: Marianne Cranwell
Today's blog is from Marianne Cranwell, who in undertaking a PhD at the University of Dundee. Marianne talks about her PhD journey, and the changes that have happened along the way. Hi, my name is Marianne, I am an ESRC funded PhD student in the school of Education...
Guest Blog: Jennifer Waymont
Today's blog is from Jenny Waymont, who recently completed her PhD and is now working with Brain Health Scotland. You may recognise Jenny from previous blogs, and also featured as an ECR in the SDRC Annual Report 2020. Jenny tells us about her where her career is...
Researcher Blog: Doing Rapid COVID research
Today's SDRC blog provides insights from three investigators and offers tips on doing rapid COVID research. George Palattiyil, Sarah Swift and Debbie Tolson have shared their experiences of working together remotely and the process of the research, from the...
Do you have insights to share with other researchers? Write a blog for the SDRC!
We are always looking for SDRC members to feature on our website and write a guest blog for the SDRC. You may already be familiar with our blog series, where we welcome contributions from people with an experience of brain health or dementia research. Blogs are an...
How to organise a virutal conference: Our experience from the SDRC Conference 2020
The SDRC’s first ever virtual annual conference took place earlier this month. It was our first ever all-virtual event and, I am pleased to say, feedback has been positive. As much as we love face-to-face events, there is still uncertainty as to when and to what...
Tips for researchers during Covid-19- Advice from Dr Terry Quinn for Principal Investigators
We will soon be starting a series on the SDRC Blog from Principal Investigators, sharing their experiences of research over the past few months. Today, we have another blog from Dr Terry Quinn at the University of Glasgow. Terry is sharing tips for researchers during...
COVID Impact on Research: Principal Investigator Blog- Dr Terry Quinn
Following on from the success of our SDRC Early Career Researcher guest blogs, we wanted to represent our more established researchers as well. We are delighted to share a blog from Dr Terry Quinn, Clinical Senior Lecturer from the University of Glasgow and SDRC...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Tuuli Hietamies
The SDRC are continuting our series of blogs featuring Early Career Researchers who are sharing how COVID has impacted their research and career prospects. Today's blog is from Tuuli Hietamies, thank you Tuuli for your contribution! Read the rest of the blog...
Early Career Researchers: Fatene Abakar Ismail
In today's COVID Impact blog, Fatene Abakar Ismail from the University of Glasgow is sharing her experiences of lockdown so far, how the pandemic has affected research and balancing working with being a mum. Read more blogs in the series here. My name is Fatene Abakar...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Tharin Phenwan
This week on the SDRC blog we are continuing our Early Career Researcher blog series on the impact of COVID. Today's blog is by Tharin Phenwan. You can read the entire blog series here. My name is Tharin Phenwan. I am a second-year PhD student at the University of...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Fatima Alhayan
Today, we are pleased to share with you a guest blog by University of Strathclyde PhD student Fatima Alhayan. If you haven't seen our other COVID impact blogs yet, or would like to catch up with the full series, you can read them here. I am in the...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Angus Addlesee
Following on from the SDRC's busy week last week of launching both our Resource Funding and our Mentorship Scheme, we are pleased to bring you more blogs from our Early Career Researcher members, sharing how COVID has impacted them professionally and personally....
COVID Impact on ECRs: Rose Vincent
Read today's COVID Impact blog from Rose Vincent, who has recently started a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. This part of a series of many blogs from students and ECRs on how COVID has affected their research and also featuring many practical advice for those...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Katie Gambier-Ross
If you have been following on the SDRC website, you will have seen our blog series featuring some wonderful Early Career Researchers and student, sharing insights on how COVID has been impacting their research and career prospects, as well as some helpful tips for all...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Josie Fullerton
Today's blog is part of our COVID Impact blog series, where we are sharing the experiences of ECRs whose research has been affected by COVID, as well as helpful insights and tips to how to work through this time. If you are a dementia or brain health researcher and...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Angela Gregory
You may have read over the past few weeks we have been sharing blogs from Early Career Researchers on how COVID has been impacting their research and career prospects. Today's blog is by Angela Gregory, PhD Student at the University of the West of Scotland and...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Maria Drummond
In the coming days, the SDRC are publishing a series of blogs featuring Early Career Researchers who are sharing how COVID has impacted their research and career prospects. Today's blog is by Maria Drummond, PhD Student at the University of Glasgow My name is Maria...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Michael Smith
In the coming days, the SDRC are publishing a series of blogs featuring Early Career Researchers who are sharing how COVID has impacted their research and career prospects. Today's blog is by Michael Smith, a PhD student from UWS. A Deep roots are not reached by the...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Mohammad Mainuddin Mollah
Today's blog is part a series of featuring Early Career Researchers who are sharing how COVID has impacted their research and career prospects. Today's blog is by Mohammad Mainuddin Mollah, providing insight to supervisory support experiences of an international PhD...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Edel Roddy
The SDRC are publishing a series of blogs featuring Early Career Researchers who are sharing how COVID has impacted their research and career prospects. The first blogs in this series also featured in our COVID Research Impact Report which we published in April. Read...
COVID Impact on ECRs: Miriam Scarpa
In the coming days, the SDRC are publishing a series of blogs featuring Early Career Researchers who are sharing how COVID has impacted their research and career prospects. The first blogs in this series also featured in our COVID Research Impact Report which we...
Early Career Researchers: Martha Pollard
We hope you are enjoying our blog series which is celebrating our next generation of researchers, featuring those that were in the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20. Our final blog is by Martha Pollard, from the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Resource Centre. Read about...
Early Career Researchers: Suzanne Gray
As part of this blog series featuring PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers that were in the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20, today we are sharing the research from Suzanne Gray, read more below. I am currently a mental health nurse lecturer at Abertay University,...
Early Career Researchers: Juan Varela
This week, the SDRC are publishing a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers that were featured in the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20. Today's blog is from Juan Varela from the University of St Andrews My academic background is a mixture of physics,...
Early Career Researchers: Jennifer Waymont
Recently as part of the launch of the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20, we have been sharing the work early career researchers by publishing a series of blogs from the ECRs that feature in the report. Today, we are featuring Jennifer Waymont, a PhD student from the...
Early Career Researchers: Krista Winkler
The SDRC continuing to publish a series of blogs from PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers in dementia and brain health that were featured in the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20. Our blog today is from Krista Winkler, a former MSc student in research relating to the...
Early Career Researchers: Luisa Parkinson
In the coming days, the SDRC are publishing a series of blogs featuring those that were in the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20. Read about Luisa Parkinson's research as a PhD student from the University of Edinburgh in this excerpt below. I am in my second year of my PhD...
Early Career Researchers: Angela Gregory
The SDRC are committed to celebrating our next generation of researchers by publishing a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. This week we are featuring those that were in the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20. Read about the research by Angela...
Early Career Researchers: Clarisse de Vries
Throughout the next two weeks, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by publishing a series of blogs from PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers that were featured in the SDRC Annual Report 2019/20. First, we have Clarisse de Vries, whose...
More than a game- research into how football memories are helping people with dementia
Earlier this year, the SDRC's very own Living with Dementia theme lead, Professor Debbie Tolson, contributed a blog to the Scottish Funding Council's website on Football Reminiscence. We are delighted to share this blog with you below. The discourse of football is...
International Researcher: Ariel Frame
Today, the SDRC goes international! This guest blog is form Ariel K. Frame, PhD Candidate from the neuroscience graduate program at Western University, London, Ontario, Canada. Ariel tells us about research and a desire to work in Scotland. I am a neurobiologist...
Evaluating the social impact of dementia friendly walking football
Read the SDRC guest blog below by Dr Rhoda Macrae from the University of the West of Scotland. This blog relates to her research into the impact of the Dementia Friendly Walking Football programme, led by Alzheimer Scotland. Dr Eilidh Macrae and Dr Rhoda Macrae (no...
Early Career Researchers: Kieren Egan
We are delighted to share this guest blog from Kieren Egan, a Research Associate from the University of Strathclyde. Read below about Kieren's own PhD experience and life beyond in various research posts around the world. Kieren's blog is part of an entire series of...
Early Career Researchers: Kaitlyn Hair
Today the SDRC are delighted to share a guest blog from Kaitlyn Hair, a PhD student from the University of Edinburgh. If you would like to write a blog for the SDRC website, get in touch I’m a meta-researcher – which means I do research ON research. This was not a...
Early Career Researchers: Kenneth Davidson
Over the last few weeks, the SDRC have been delighted to share blogs from dementia research PhD students and early career researchers. Read the series so far here This blog is by Kenneth Davidson, who is a staff nurse at NHS Lothian and a PhD student at the...
Early Career Researchers: Emma Elliott
Today we have a new blog from Emma Elliott, a PhD student from the University of Glasgow. It follows on from the August Early Career Researcher series on the SDRC website: read all our most recent blogs here. Find out more about Emma's research below: I’m in the...
Early Career Researchers: Miles Welstead
Following on from our very successful August PhD student and Early Career Researcher blog series, we have many more blogs to share with you during September! Our first one is by Miles Welstead. Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with the series. I am a PhD...
Early Career Researchers: Clair Gamble
Our final blog in August's ECR series is by Clair Gamble, who is a PhD student at the University of Dundee. However, stay tuned in September as we may have to continue the series! Read the series so far here I am a Registered Nurse and final year PhD student at the...
Early Career Researchers: Anna Jack-Waugh
You may have seen that throughout August, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by devoting a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. Read the series so far here This blog is by Anna Jack-Waugh, who is based at the University...
Early Career Researchers: Ilaria Pina
Today's blog in SDRC's series from PhD Students and Early Career Researchers is by Ilaria Pina. You can read the full blog series so far here, and keep up to date with the rest of the series, as well updates of all SDRC activity by following us on Twitter. Hi! I’m...
Early Career Researchers: Linda Nicholson
Our blog today is by Linda Nicholson, a part-time Ph.D. student at the University of Dundee. Linda is also a registered nurse and is currently a Lecturer in Applied Life Sciences. Read more about Linda’s research below My current research project is focussed around...
Early Career Researchers: Shaun Stone
We start off the fourth week of the SDRC's blog series on Early Career Researchers from Shaun Stone from the University of Aberdeen. Shaun's research relates to the SDRC's Diagnosis theme, which you can find out more about here. Shaun Stone is a final year PhD ERC...
Early Career Researchers: Sarah Gregory
We are ending the third week of PhD student and Early Career Researcher blog series with Sarah Gregory, PhD student from the University of Edinburgh. Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with the series. Hi, I’m Sarah and I’m a part time doctoral candidate with...
Early Career Researchers: Tharin Phenwan
Today's guest blog is from Tharin Phenwan, who is a PhD student at the University of Dundee. Throughout August, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by devoting a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. Read the series so far...
Early Career Researchers: Jennifer Waymont
Today's bio in our Early Career Researcher blog series is from Jennifer Waymont at the University of Aberdeen. Jenny Waymont is a PhD candidate in Medical Imaging at the University of Aberdeen. Her PhD thesis is on the automated detection and analysis of white...
Early Career Researchers: Miriam Scarpa
Throughout August, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by publishing a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. Read the previous blogs here Our next blog is from Miriam Scarpa. Miriam gives us a fascinating overview of her...
Early Career Researchers: Emma Russell
Read our new blog below from Emma Russell, as part of the SDRC's series of blogs from PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers in dementia and brain health. Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with the series. I am a doctoral candidate studying at the University...
Early Career Researchers: Anca Sandu-Giuraniuc
As you may have seen, the SDRC have started a blog series featuring bios from ECRs. Read the series so far here. Today's bio is of Anca Sandu-Giuraniuc from the University of Aberdeen. Anca is a postdoctoral research fellow working in Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging...
Early Career Researchers: Mizuki Morisaki
Next in the SDRC's blog series focussing on early career researchers, is a blog from Mizuki Morisaki, a PhD student at the University of St Andrews. Mizuki's work relates to the SDRC's Fundamental Science theme. I am a third year PhD student at the School of...
Early Career Researchers: Samuel Quinn
Throughout August, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by devoting a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. Read the series so far here This blog is by Sam Quinn, who is based at the University of the West of Scotland. His...
Early Career Researchers: Laura McWhirter
The SDRC are committed to promoting and supporting researchers in the early stages of their career. This is why, we have put together a blog series featuring PhD students and ECRs from all disciplines. Read the series so far here Read Laura McWhirter's blog on...
Early Career Researchers: Sarah Hesse
The SDRC are delighted to introduce this blog series where everyday we highlight and celebrate the wonderful contribution PhD students and Early Career Researchers make to dementia and brain health research. Read the previous blogs here Our next blog is from Sarah...
Early Career Researchers: Catriona Ingram
Throughout August, the SDRC are publishing a series of blogs from PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers in dementia and brain health. For the first week, we are featuring those that were in the SDRC Impact Report 2019. Our final blog this week is by Catriona...
Early Career Researchers: Stina Saunders
Throughout August, the SDRC are publishing a series of blogs from PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers in dementia and brain health. For the first week, we are featuring those that were in the SDRC Impact Report 2019. Read about Stina Saunders' research as a PhD...
Early Career Researchers: Bryan Mitchell
Throughout August, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by publishing a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. For the first week, we are featuring those that were in the SDRC Impact Report 2019. Read about Bryan Mitchell,...
Early Career Researchers: Laura Aitken
Throughout August, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by publishing a series of blogs to PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. For the first week, we are featuring those that were in the SDRC Impact Report 2019. Our next blog is from Laura...
Early Career Researchers: Kotryna Baronaite
Throughout August, the SDRC are celebrating our next generation of researchers by publishing a series of blogs from PhD Students/ Early Career Researchers. For the first week, we are featuring those that were in the SDRC Impact Report 2019. First, we have Kotryna...
Early Career Researchers: Guest Blog for SDRC
The Scottish Dementia Research Consortium are looking for PhD Students and Early Career Researchers to feature in guest blogs on our website. The SDRC are always pursuing new and different ways to promote those early in their research career. From providing...
SDRC Conference: A view from the National Dementia Carers Action Network
The SDRC Annual Conference, held on 15th April 2019, brought together attendees from all over Scotland to hear about the latest developments in dementia research. In attendance at the conference as well were representatives from groups that work very closely with the...