This year, we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of our Non-Clinical Fellowship programme, which was launched from funds raised through the Ice Bucket Challenge. You can read more about the programme in our first blog. In this blog we chat to two of our previous Non-Clinical Fellows to find out more about how the programme helped them to build their careers in MND research.
Dr Scott Allen
Scott was one of our first Senior Non-Clinical Fellows and was awarded a Fellowship in 2015. Based at the University of Sheffield, he began his fellowship project in January 2016 and was investigating changes in how cells in the brain process and use energy in MND. He is now a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield and is still actively involved in research into cell energy and MND.
You were one of our first non-clinical fellows, what did this support mean to you at that stage of your career?
I was two months away from the end of my contract and looking at jobs away from research. It was really make or break, luckily I was awarded it and it changed everything for me career wise. The Fellowship allowed me to test my own ideas, work on the areas I was passionate about and most importantly stay in MND research.
Why did you want to focus on MND research?
It was really MND research or nothing, after six years as a Post Doctoral Research Assistant working on MND and meeting lots of people affected by the disease and being inspired by colleagues such as Prof Dame Pamela Shaw, I couldn’t imagine working on anything else. The science behind the disease was everything I had worked on during my time in academia and industry so from a selfish point of view I found and still find the disease fascinating. From a patient point of view, I thought my ideas could bring about new understanding and in the long run make a difference. I wanted also to inspire the next generation of researchers to work in the MND field, just as I had been inspired.
What are you doing now?
I am now a Senior Lecturer, working collaboratively with Academics in the UK and abroad on MND/Dementia projects. I supervise/co-supervise 4 PDRAs and 3 PhD students all working on different aspects of metabolic research in MND/FTD. I review grants for funders such as the Royal Society, I am an External Examiner at the University of Hull, I hold strategic positions in the Faculty of Health and I sometimes get to do a bit of research myself!
How did the fellowship help to develop your career in MND Research?
I have been incredibly lucky. The Fellowship has allowed me to drive my own research ideas, work with incredible people, engage with the public and establish a great neuroscience lay summary scheme called Readable Research. Moreover, I had been able to support and mentor undergraduate and postgraduate students, research technicians and PDRAs enabling many of them to progress in their career pathway in the MND field. The Fellowship has allowed me to publish some papers I am really proud of and successfully apply for funding which has helped my career immensely. I am very grateful, it really changed my life.
Dr Tatyana Shelkovnikova
Tatyana was awarded a Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship in 2017. She began her Fellowship at Cardiff University in 2018 and her Fellowship project focused on understanding whether a molecule found in neurons, called NEAT1, may play a role in MND. Towards the end of her Fellowship, Tatyana moved to the University of Sheffield to become a lecturer, which has allowed her to build her own MND research laboratory.
How important are fellowships for early career researchers?
Fellowships like this one are vital for retaining researchers in the MND field and for progressing their careers – the difference these awards make cannot be underestimated. Such fellowships allow fully focusing on research and advancing therapy development.
What stage are you at in your career?
I am currently a senior research fellow and lead a group of 10 researchers most of whom work on MND-related projects.
How did the fellowship help to develop your career in MND Research?
The senior non-clinical fellowship from the Association was transformational for my career. It allowed me to establish my research group, move to a world-leading centre in translational neuroscience research, and secure follow-up funding in the form of another research fellowship. MNDA fellowship provided continuity and sustainability for my studies and contributed to training of new biomedical scientists who are pursuing their careers in MND research.
Why did you want to stay in MND research after your fellowship?
I strive to fulfil my commitment to making us closer to finding a treatment for MND. This requires a lot of research tools – many of which my team has built by now – we are now ready to use these powerful tools to contribute to this huge endeavour.
We would like to say a huge thank you to Dr Scott Allen and Dr Tatyana Shelkovnikova for taking the time to tell us about the impact of their Fellowships.
