Senior academic and early career 2023-24 staff promotions

Dr Josephine Barnes (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professor of Imaging Neuroscience)

"I am honoured to be made Professor and extremely happy that it is possible to start as a Research Assistant at QSIoN and progress to this level. I’m grateful that I was enabled to study part-time for my PhD at the Dementia Research Centre and hugely thankful to Alzheimer’s Research UK that has funded much of my research to date. I’m looking forward to continuing my imaging and dementia research and also providing support to students and staff via tutoring, supervision, and mentoring."

Dr Peter Kok (Imaging Neuroscience, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience)

"I feel hugely honoured to be promoted to Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL. When I set out to study in this field I could never have dreamt of this. Since joining UCL in 2018 I have been supported by the whole department amazingly well, and I can't thank you all enough. I want to thank Martina and Cathy particularly for their advice and advocacy of my career at UCL, but also all other colleagues in the department - Steve, Eleanor, Clare, Gareth, Karl, to name just a few. Also the people actually keeping the Department running; Kam, Keith, Clive, Dan, Ric, Sophie, Alison, previously Mark, David, Peter, Maddy, and many others. Last but not least, thank you to all the amazing scientists in my group doing the actual work that has supported this promotion - this is as much a reflection on your work as it is on mine."

Dr Catherine Mummery (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professor of Neurology)

"I am absolutely delighted about my promotion to Professor of Neurology. My alma mater is UCL: I began my medical journey here, so to have been recognised in this way for my work at this world-leading institution is particularly meaningful to me."

Dr Axel Petzold (Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Professor of Neurology)

"I would like to express my gratitude for the intellectual freedom that has sustained my curiosity, fuelling the motivation necessary for productivity. I deeply appreciate the teams and support provided to overcome challenges. I am grateful for the opportunity to work in an excellent clinical and academic environment, and for enabling global collaboration. Thank you for making all this possible."

Dr Conceição Bettencourt (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professorial Research Fellow)

“I am delighted and honoured to be promoted to Professorial Research Fellow. I am extremely grateful to my family, my fantastic team, incredible mentors, collaborators and funders, and a truly supportive Department. I am excited to continue my work in the field of neuroepigenetics and to expand my collaborations at QS-IoN and beyond.”

Dr David Cash (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professorial Research Fellow)

“This is a tremendous honour. I am extremely grateful to everyone who has donated their time and effort to participate in our research studies.  I also have the great fortune to work with tremendous colleagues at the Dementia Research Centre and throughout UCL, including doctors, professional services, scientists, research nurses, software engineers, and all the other excellent professionals I work with daily. All of them are needed to make this research possible, and their tremendous support made this promotion possible.”

Dr Peter Zeidman (Imaging Neuroscience, Professorial Research Fellow)

"I am delighted to receive this promotion! I would like to say a huge thank you to all my mentors, collaborators and friends in Queen Square. I once heard someone describe the Functional Imaging Laboratory as “NeuroDisney”, and they were not wrong – it is truly a magical place to do science. I look forward to many exciting years ahead."

Dr Barney Bryson (Department of Neuromuscular Diseases)

“I am absolutely delighted that my research efforts have been recognized by this promotion to Principal Research Fellow and I am truly grateful for the generous support of the many incredible colleagues and funders who have helped me to achieve this goal. I hope that this promotion will enable me to take an even greater leadership role in delivering an exciting translational research programme for motor neurone disease (MND) and to begin exploring many new applications, ideas and research questions.”

Dr Lauren Byrne (Neurodegenerative Disease)

“I was overjoyed to be successful in my grade 9 promotion. It means a great deal to be evaluated by senior colleagues across the faculty and giving recognition for the work I am doing. I am so grateful to my research team and colleagues who have supported me throughout this process.”

Dr Andrea Cortese (Department of Neuromuscular Diseases)

"I am pleased to have been promoted Principal Research Fellow at UCL Institute of Neurology. I would like to thank my mentors, current an past lab members for their continuous support. "

Dr Amanda Heslegrave (Neurodegenerative Disease)

‘I am delighted to have been successful in my application for promotion to Principal Research Fellow. Translational research at the Institute of Neurology and the Dementia Research Institute is moving at a pace right now and I feel privileged to be a part of it with my amazing colleagues.’

Dr Amanda Almacellas Barbanoj (Clinical & Experimental Epilepsy)

“I am delighted to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow, as it is a great recognition for my contributions to UCL. I am deeply grateful for the consistent support I have received from all the people at the DCEE department, particularly Prof. Gabriele Lignani  who has been a fantastic mentor throughout the years I have been working here. I look forward to continuing being a part of this amazing team at IoN QSH.”

Dr Emilie Brotherhood (Neurodegenerative Disease)

"Thank you to the Faculty Panel and to all who have supported my career progression to Senior Research Fellow. This promotion is an endorsement of my commitment to pioneering advancements in the field of digital interventions and therapeutics for people affected by non-memory-led dementias. With this promotion, I am filled with even greater determination to lead future research which explores new frontiers and makes a tangible difference to the lives of those experiencing dementia."

Dr Andrea Castegnaro (Clinical & Experimental Epilepsy)

“I am honoured by this promotion and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to do my research at a global institution like UCL.”

Dr Hamish Crerar

"I am thrilled and deeply honored to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my mentor, Professor Patani, whose unwavering support and guidance have been instrumental in my journey to this achievement."

Dr Barbara Dymerska (Imaging Neuroscience)

"I am deeply honoured to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow at IoN. I would like to thank all the mentors and colleagues I have worked with throughout my research journey. I am especially grateful to Martina Callaghan, who showed great trust and belief in me and helped expand my research expertise vastly during my time at the Department of Imaging Neuroscience. I am excited to continue my work at the department contributing to impactful research in neuroscience and MRI physics."

Dr Kirsty Lu (Neurodegenerative Disease)

"I am delighted to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow to continue developing my research into early cognitive changes in preclinical Alzheimer's disease."

Dr Douglas de Medeiros Lopes (Department of Neuromuscular Diseases)

“I am delighted to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow at the IoN, where I have been working with such a wonderful and talented group of people. I would like to especially thank the CSO and head of the UCL Drug Discovery Institute, Prof Fiona Ducotterd, for being so supportive and encouraging from the very first day I joined the group. I look forward to keep contributing to the research at UCL and to the wider Neuroscience community. “

Dr Aikaterini Smaragdi Papadopoulou (Neurodegenerative Disease)

"I am delighted to have been promoted to Senior Research Fellow at the Huntington’s Disease Centre, Institute of Neurology, UCL. My work is towards in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Huntington’s disease and validating therapeutic targets in preclinical models. I have a firm belief that academic research has enormous societal impact which extends well beyond academia, with benefits to health and wellbeing and policy, especially when applied to neurodegenerative disorders and this has been my driving force since my early academic years. I would like to thank my mentors and colleagues at UCL who helped me achieve my aspirations and I am looking forward with excitement to the future for new research and discoveries."

Dr Rikesh Rajani (UK Dementia Research Institute)

"I am excited to continue my research into the role of oligodendrocytes in Alzheimer's disease."

Dr Amy Richardson  (Clinical & Experimental Epilepsy)

'I am delighted to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow at the IoN. This would not be possible without the support and collaboration of everyone in the Experimental Epilepsy department and not to mention the guidance from my mentors, Professor Dimitri Kullmann and Dr Vincent Magloire for which I am truly grateful.’ 

Dr Tricia Seow (Imaging Neuroscience)

"I am delighted and honoured to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow. I would like to express my thanks to my colleagues at the MPC and IoN for the many opportunities of growth, and especially to Prof Tobias Hauser and Prof Stephen Fleming for their unconditional support over the years."

Dr Sara Collorone  (Neuroinflammation)

“ I am very proud and honoured to have recently been promoted to Senior Research Fellow. I will continue to make every effort to contribute to UCL's scientific and research achievements.  I would like to thank my mentors, colleagues, and the Department of Neuroinflammation”. 

Dr Joseph Willis (Clinical & Experimental Epilepsy)

"I'm delighted to have been promoted and I am looking forward to continuing my UCL journey and exciting future opportunities.  Thanks to my colleagues and manager for all their support."