Running for research
Alzheimer’s disease researcher Elizabeth tells how her work studying the brain has inspired her to run the Edinburgh Marathon for Alzheimer Scotland.
Elizabeth’s story:
My interest in the brain and how it works began when my great-grandmother Muriel was diagnosed with dementia.
I was very young at the time, but I remember spending time with Nanny and how difficult it was for our whole family when she passed away. It made me realise early on how hard it is to watch someone you love live with an illness you can’t control.
I grew up near Toronto, Canada, and that experience with Nanny led me to study neuroscience at university, with a particular interest in neurodegeneration. Five years ago, I moved to Scotland to complete a master’s degree at the University of Edinburgh in Professor Tara Spires-Jones’ lab, whose research focuses on how connections between brain cells are damaged in Alzheimer’s disease and how they might be protected or restored.
I was delighted to stay on for a PhD, where I now study how changes in brain cells and their connections may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Much of my work relies on donations to Alzheimer Scotland’s Brain Tissue Bank. Most days you’ll find me in the lab, often in the dark, looking down a microscope at tiny sections of donated brain tissue. It’s an incredibly valuable resource, and we’re deeply grateful to everyone who so generously donates to the tissue bank to help advance research.
Research can sometimes feel removed from real life, but through our partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, we’ve welcomed people living with dementia, carers, and charity staff into the lab. Meeting those directly affected by the disease reminds me why this work matters and how research can offer hope for the future. I’ve also seen first-hand the vital support Alzheimer Scotland provides to families across the country and believe it is a truly wonderful organisation.
Wanting to give something back, I ran my first Edinburgh Marathon for Alzheimer Scotland two years ago. I’m 26 now and wanted to take on the challenge again. Since training for that first marathon, running has become an important part of my life, both as a way to manage stress alongside a PhD and to support a cause close to my heart.
I’m really looking forward to race day, when thousands of runners and supporters come together. Knowing the Alzheimer Scotland team will be there cheering us on makes every mile feel meaningful.
