Profile – Dr Paul Roach

Dr Paul Roach

Name:

Dr Paul Roach

Job title:

Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials and Interface Science

Place of work / study:

Loughborough University

Area of Research:

Biomaterials, neural engineering, biological spectroscopy

How is your work funded?

EU-H2020-FET, EPSRC-MRC, Parkinson’s UK, Cancer Research UK

Tell us a little about yourself:

I’m now way past my prime, but try and instil energy and enthusiasm into our next gen scientists. I have 2 young boys who love all things science, to the point that we stay up late watching Science Bob on YouTube. I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, but my parents supported me to do what I enjoy doing. I have 3D printers and a CNC milling machine n my home office, alongside a load of electronics, my guitars and a load a family pictures.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:

I tell this to the UG students all the time, but I was in a couple of rock bands when at college (guitar) with hair that I could tuck comfortably into my jeans that was, at one point, quite a bright shade of green. – Claim to fame, I once spent a (working) day with Vivienne Parry who bought me a beer in the evening.

Why did you choose to work in dementia?

My research area is quite inter- and multidisciplinary. I am really a materials scientist I guess (with chemistry, physics, etc in there as well) but I have always wanted to apply my research into biology for patient benefit. Working closely with a neuroanatomist I started to use my micro-fabrication and materials knowledge to engineer ‘better’ in vitro cultures. Over the years since I started in this area I’ve lost grandparents and parents of friends to neurological diseases, which brings home the drive to be useful to people who need it. I have also worked closely with ‘Friends of Parkies’ network – real people, their families and their carers.

Can we find you on Twitter?

Follow @Paul_Roach