Grant Kirkwood

Thesis title: "Analysis and quantification of the waste clearance in the human brain and its role in neurodegeneration, vascular disease and neuroinflammation."

Biography

Background

A PhD student in the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). My thesis title for my PhD is "Analysis and quantification of the waste clearance in the human brain and its role in neurodegeneration, vascular disease and neuroinflammation."

Qualifications

MScR - Biomedical Sciences - University of Edinburgh

BSc (Hons) - Medical Science - University of Edinburgh

Current research interests

My main research interest is how cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) moves through lymphatic vessels in the brain and how breakdown of this mechanism increases presence of MRI markers associated with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). My more specific aims are as follows: 1. To investigate markers of adverse waste drainage (vasodilation, BBB leakage and inflammation) predict MRI lesion progression (changes in PVS morphologies) and clinical deterioration (hallmarks of CSVD burden). 2. To investigate how adverse PVS morphologies relate to increased CSF debris and impaired flushing function (impaired CSF movement and tissue signal/volume changes in the parenchyma and PVS) 3. To create an atlas describing stages of brain fluid/waste clearance in relation to neurodegenerative disease and stages of degeneration. 4. To investigate how PVS MRI morphology relates to CSF and plasma proteomics of perivascular cell activity due to breakdown of the NVU due to CSVD.

Past research interests

I previously worked as a Scientist for a clinical trials company specialising in flow cytometry and analysis. This was mostly in performing immuno-oncology assays for disease progression in clinical trials and drug trials. I formerly worked in the UK Dementia Research Institute developing a microfluidic, retina-on-chip device for the investigation of novel Annexin V antibodies of plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes. I developed irradiance retinal assays to investigate oxidative species production in human retinal endothelial cells to approximate blue light damage.

Affiliated research centres

Participant

European Stroke Organisation Conference 2024 - Paper Poster

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