Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee oversees the development of BNA Training and Accreditation programs, as well as student and early career activities. The committee is also responsible for managing the Scholars Programme, supporting the growth and advancement of the next generation of neuroscientists.

We're growing!

Following a vote at the 2025 Annual General Meeting, the structure and composition of our governing committees and groups are changing.

We'll soon be recruiting new people into various leadership positions - check back soon for more information.

Talitha Kerrigan

Local Groups Coordinator, University of Exeter

Dr. Talitha Kerrigan is a Research Fellow at the University of Exeter.

Dr. Kerrigan is dedicated to advancing the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, contributing to potential therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's.

Talitha's research focuses on the dynamic role of astrocyte-secreted apolipoprotein E4 in Alzheimer's disease, using induced pluripotent stem cells from donor patients. She is also investigating the role of microglia in Alzheimer's disease, particularly the mechanisms of amyloid beta clearance.

Charlotte Shepherd

Head of Partnerships & Development, British Neuroscience Association

Laura Ajram

Chief Executive, British Neuroscience Association

Laura studied Pharmacology at King’s College London (including a year in industry with GlaxoSmithKline) before completing her PhD at the Institute for Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience on the topic of ‘the Neuropharmacology of Autism Spectrum Disorders’.

In 2021 Laura was awarded the ‘ELRIG Early Career Impact Award’ for making a ‘significant impact in the drug discovery community’, and in 2022, a prestigious Fellowship to the British Pharmacological Society in recognition of her ongoing contribution to the sector.

Laura has worked across NHS, charity, academic and pharmaceutical research settings to develop strategic cross-sector partnerships and accelerate neuroscience drug discovery efforts in mental health, dementia and motor neurone disease.

Laura is currently Chief Executive of the British Neuroscience Association, where she is responsible for delivering the vision, mission and strategy of the BNA and it’s subsidiary company, BNA Events Ltd.

Tara Spires-Jones

Past-President, University of Edinburgh

Professor Tara Spires-Jones, DPhil(Oxon), FMedSci is Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on mechanisms of synapse degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. She discovered that soluble forms of the pathological proteins amyloid beta and tau contribute to synapse degeneration. Further, her group demonstrated that pathological forms of tau spread through the brain via synaptic connections.

In addition to research, Prof Spires-Jones is passionate about communicating scientific findings to the public; increasing the rigour and reproducibility in translational neuroscience; promoting inclusivity and diversity in science; and supporting career development of neuroscientists.