Hi everyone! Ever wondered who is behind some of the research blogs that you read? It’s the research information team.
It is not just the research blog of course – we are actively involved in the MND research twitter (@MNDResearch), our newsletters (the research monthly and the researcher), the International Symposium and the research section on the MND Association website to name just a few of our activities. Over the last few months there have been a few changes in the research team here at the Association, so we thought we would introduce ourselves to you since you might see our names pop up on blog posts and in the comments.
We are the 3 newest members of the Research Development team.
Meet Eleanor…
I joined the Association as a Supporter Information Officer, in March, working across both the Research Development and Fundraising teams.
I completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science at De Montfort University in Leicester. I became very interested in neuroscience and genetics throughout my degree and chose to do my final year project on how levels of certain proteins in the brain change in those with Schizophrenia. This helped to provide more insights into the underlying biology of the condition and identified new targets for the development of treatments.
Following this, I did a Master’s degree in Molecular Medicine at the University of Northampton and have recently graduated. During my Master’s course, I undertook a research project into a potential gene therapy for a movement disorder called Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) and the development of this is ongoing. My Master’s course taught me just how complex neurodegenerative diseases, like MND, can be and I greatly admire the researchers that are continuously furthering our knowledge of the disease and finding new ways to aid in the fight against MND.
I am proud to be a part of this amazing organisation which plays a vital role in supporting those living with and affected by MND, whilst also driving world-class research into the disease. There remains so much to learn about this complicated disease, and it is only through advancing our current knowledge that we can work towards our vision of a world free from MND.
Interesting fact: I once went on a trip to New York to measure air pollution at several locations across the city, including the top of the Empire State building.
Meet Emma…
I joined the Research development team at the MND Association, in July as a Research Co-ordinator.
Before joining the Association, I graduated from the University of Nottingham after completing a degree in Neuroscience. Throughout my studies, I explored the biology and devasting impacts of many neurological diseases, including MND. In my final year, I undertook a research project which focused on ways we measure and diagnose pain. We investigated whether small pieces of genetic material which circulate in our blood, had the potential to categorise and measure the pain we feel. For example, diagnosing chronic pain often relies on subjective self-reports. If we can objectively measure and diagnose pain, the better we can treat it.
As well as writing for this blog, my role is to help organise the International Symposium on ALS/MND. Here, scientists, clinicians and healthcare professionals from around the world come together to share the latest and most exciting work in MND research. It is truly inspiring to see this global collaboration and the collective search for effective treatments for those living with MND. I am privileged to part of an organisation which sees the bigger picture and champions innovative researchers from around the world.
Interesting fact: In 2014, when I was in a competitive dance team we managed to place 3rd in the world!
Meet Charlotte…
I have just joined the MND association as a Research Information Co-ordinator.
I am the most recent addition to the team and am eager to get stuck in. Although there is a lot to learn I am inspired by the strength of people living and affected by MND and the dedication of the researchers working on MND. I am thrilled to play a small part in this community and look forward to working as a collective to help make a difference.
I graduated from the University of Nottingham with a PhD in Chemistry in 2020. My PhD research involved using the chemistry of engine oils to find a way to reduce the emissions of internal combustion engine cars. After finishing my PhD, I switched gears and joined an R&D company based in Nottingham where I spent my time synthesising potential new drug treatments for a wide variety of diseases. Although I didn’t work on any potential treatments for MND, I know just how challenging the drug discovery process can be and look forward to following the progress of researchers striving for a world free of MND.
Interesting fact: I once sang on stage with the band Train.
We are thrilled to work together to identify interesting updates in MND research and communicate these to you via the blog. With numerous exciting studies already happening, and many more to follow, we are rapidly increasing our understanding of the disease and a breakthrough in MND research could be just around the corner. We will also use these blog posts to report on the annual International Symposium on ALS/MND. We can’t wait to see all the hard work of the researchers and report back to you in an interesting and engaging way.
Please do feel free to leave comments to ask any questions or you can email us at research@mndassociation.org. We hope you enjoy reading our posts!
