Profile – Dr Amy Monaghan

Name:

Dr Amy Monaghan

Job Title:

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Pharmacology and Screening

Place of work / study:

Alzheimer’s Research Drug Discovery Unit at UCL

Area of Research:

Drug discovery for dementia and neurodegenerative diseases

Tell us a little about yourself:

Originally from the border of the Peak District between Sheffield and Manchester. Did my degree in Pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh and followed that with a PhD in molecular cell biology at the University of Aberdeen, trying to identify new therapies for Prostate Cancer.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:

I have had my two ponies for 13 years – they have travelled from Manchester to Aberdeen and back down to Surrey with me, and I have to get up at 5.30 am every morning before work to feed them. But that’s fine because our new puppy wakes me up at 5 am anyway……

An actual fun fact…. In 2014 I was in the Guinness book of records for being part of the most tandem skydives in one day.

Why did you choose to work in dementia?

For every 5 researchers funded for cancer research, there is 1 funded for dementia research, yet there are no drugs that can halt or slow the progression of dementia. I wanted to apply the practical the skills I learnt studying prostate cancer drug discovery, in one of the brand new drug discovery institutes funded by Alzheimer’s research UK. Whilst pharma companies terminate their internal neuroscience programmes, we pursue the projects that they deem too risky, and hope that the first steps towards a cure are within reach.

Follow @AmyMonaghan90