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Dr Natalie Connor-Robson
Name:
Dr Natalie Connor-Robson
Job title:
ARUK Research Fellow
Place of work / study:
UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University
Area of Research:
Much recent work has highlighted the importance of the endocytic pathway, a cellular mechanism important to recycling and maintenance of normal function, in neurodegeneration. A high proportion of the risk genes for LOAD cluster in the endocytic pathway and this is backed up by pathological evidence of endocytic dysfunction in post mortem tissue. My work focuses on understanding how these genes associated to the endocytic pathway in late onset AD contribute to the molecular and cellular changes which cause the disease.
How is your work funded?
ARUK Fellowship, DRI Pilot and proteomics grants, Alz Soc and BRACE PhD studentships.
Tell us a little about yourself:
I completed my PhD in Cardiff before moving to the University of Oxford as a Career Development Fellow where I studied the molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s Disease before heading back to Cardiff with my ARUK Fellowship! I am the first in my family to go to University so things still feel like a learning curve sometimes! If I’m not in the lab I like to be outside hiking, at the beach or growing things in the garden.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I like to make my own jewellery and drink FAR too much tea.
Why did you choose to work in dementia?
There are still so many unknowns to work out!
What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?
Find a good mentor.
What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, Yes it is brilliant!
Dr Clíona Farrell