My name is Barbora Fulopova, and I am in the final year of my PhD candidature at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre. My project focuses on the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease, and how this could be ameliorated by use of non-pharmacological approaches.
Earlier this year I was awarded an Emeritus Professor Lloyd and Ann Smythe Prize in Dementia Studies. This prize is generously donated by the family of Emeritus Professor Lloyd and Ann Smythe to recognise the achievements of PhD students undertaking research in dementia. I received this prize in recognition of the work that I have published in a highly regarded Journal of Comparative Neurology with the support of my supervisors Associate Professor Alison Canty, Dr William Bennett and Distinguished Professor James Vickers.
In this work we have used laboratory models to show that midlife lifestyle interventions can lessen the pathology burden in certain brain areas and improve some aspects of cognitive performance. It is a very exciting finding that we are now following up with work focusing on the understanding of how these changes are facilitated at the level of individual neural cells.
I would like to use this opportunity to thank the family of Emeritus Professor Lloyd and Ann Smythe for their ongoing support to research students in progressing our understanding of the dementia diseases.
