I’m a 3rd year PhD student working in the Brain Inflammation Group. The group is interested in diseases of the brain, in particular dementia and stroke, and wants to understand how the immune system may play a role in these diseases. The brain is critically dependent on blood supply and if this blood supply becomes compromised, so too does brain function.

My research focuses on vascular dementia and understanding how blood vessels in the brain deteriorate, impacting the amount of blood that reach to the brain, and how this can lead to dementia.

Public engagement highlights

To communicate what I do in the lab to the public, I have co-created an interactive games corner called Broken Brain Games. Myself and a colleague have developed three fun games which explore the key pathological features and clinical complications associated with stroke.

For example, Strokes and ladders is a giant brain-based snakes and ladders-style board game, which takes players through the timeline of events that occur after stroke.

I am also very passionate about promoting women in STEM. In 2018, I worked with Science Grrl at bluedot at Jodrell Bank Observatory. Across the weekend, I worked with the Science Grrl team to run live experiments that debunked gender myths.

Best public engagement advice

Like in research, always have an aim. Be clear in what is the take-home message you want your audience to go and tell others about.

Find out more

• Brain Box
• Broken Brains game