Communicating Science and Shaping Research: The role of PPIE

Tara Spires-Jones

University of Edinburgh

Prof Tara Spires-Jones, DPhil(Oxon), FMedSci runs a research group studying brain changes in ageing and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease.  Her laboratory studies the synaptic connections between neurons, which in a healthy brain allow learning and memory. The goal of the group is to understand the mechanisms of synapse degeneration and resilience in order to develop treatments that will promote recovery of brain function.  Dr Spires-Jones received her DPhil from the University of Oxford and was an Assistant Professor at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School before returning to the UK to join the University of Edinburgh in 2013. 

In addition to her research, Prof Spires-Jones is passionate about communicating scientific findings to the public and policy makers; increasing the rigour and reproducibility in translational neuroscience; promoting inclusivity and diversity in science; and supporting the career development of neuroscientists.  She is a founding member of the FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence, which works to promote the future of European Neuroscience. She served as a member of the Scottish Science Advisory Council from 2016-2019 advising the Scottish Government on science policy, and in 2024 was elected a Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences. Tara served as President of the British Neuroscience Association from 2023-2025.

Calum Hamilton

ARUK Research Fellow , Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University

I am an Alzheimer's Research UK Research Fellow looking to understand why people with similar diagnoses of age-related cognitive impairments can progress in such different ways. My work incorporates multi-pathology perspectives on dementia risk and non-degenerative changes in the ageing brain, drawing from clinical studies, large community cohorts, and banked brain tissue studies. I have been fortunate to work closely with patients and practitioners in my career so far, helping to shape this research focus.

Nathasia Muwanigwa

Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow, UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL

Dr Nathasia Muwanigwa is an Alzheimer’s Research UK Fellow at the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL. Her research focuses on tau–RNA interactions and how these are disrupted in tauopathies. She also leads the Mindful Conversations public engagement initiative, promoting brain health and dementia awareness within Black African and Caribbean communities.

Sabrina Kalam

Clinical Research Fellow, University College London's Dementia Research Centre

Dr Sabrina Kalam is a neurology specialist registrar and Clinical Research Fellow at University College London's Dementia Research Centre. An Alzheimer's Research UK fellow, her research investigates Lewy body dementia and ethnic health differences. She actively teaches medical students, aiming to improve healthcare equity and diagnostic understanding in neurodegenerative diseases.