Our UK DRI Partnership Showcase – An Early Career Researcher’s Perspective
Written by Nonye Nwuke, DEMON Network Research Assistant
On the 17th July 2020, the DEMON Network collaborated with the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) for its inaugural partnership Research Showcase. The event highlighted the strength of the UK DRI and DEMON Network to bring together experts in different fields, showcasing the opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration to drive forward experimental dementia research.
“I was impressed by the ability of the speakers to communicate their findings in an accessible way”

As an undergraduate pursuing a career in the sciences, I had limited knowledge regarding data science and its ability to transform dementia research. Upon attending, I was impressed by the ability of the speakers to communicate their findings in an accessible way whilst also relaying the importance of their individual themes to advancing dementia research.
Dr Michele Veldsman’s talk on MRI markers of cerebrovascular cognitive impairment introduced the importance of openly available datasets like the UK Biobank as powerful resources. I was able to grasp the advantages of working with large data sets through her research findings, such as the ability to deduce patterns in data which may not be otherwise seen in smaller cohorts. Michelle’s data-driven approach to research was unlike what I have encountered throughout my studies, and I am intrigued to learn more about this in the future.
“this event provided me with valuable insight into the variety of themes underlying dementia research“
