Lucky Charms: Unravelling Lab Superstitions
Science is all about rigorous testing, empirical evidence, and painstaking documentation, right? But even in the most state-of-the-art labs, you'll find researchers who hold on to quirky rituals, lucky charms, or, dare we say it, superstitions.\n\nIn this podcast, Dr Yvonne Couch, Associate Professor at University of Oxford hosts a discussion that romps through the lighter side of scientific research by exploring the wonderful world of lab superstitions. From lucky pipettes to forbidden phrases, we're about to uncover the unofficial 'do's and don'ts' that researchers swear by, or at least, swear make for good anecdotes.\n--\n\nThis shows guests are:\n\nDr Kamar Ameen-Ali, Lecturer in Biomedical Science at Teeside University. In addition to teaching, Kam is interested in How neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer\u2019s disease) that lead to dementia.\n\nDr Soraya Meftah, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the UK Dementia Research Institute at The University of Edinburgh. Soraya works in the space of Neurophysiology of dementia (synaptic, neuronal, network dysfunction).\n\nTabitha Broadbelt just completed her PhD at The University of Edinburgh and is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unity at University of Oxford. In the Dupret Group, Tabitha uses optogenetics and large-scale single-unit recordings combined to study memory-guided behaviour.\n\nDr Lauren Walker is an Alzheimer\u2019s Research UK Fellow at Newcastle University. Lauren complete her undergrad degree in Physiological Sciences, and worked in a technical role for 7 years before being inspired to return to study a PhD. Lauren now works in Neuropathology of Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's disease.\n--\n\nFull biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk \n--\n\nLike what you hear? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode \u2013 and if you prefer to watch rather than listen, you\u2019ll find a video version of this podcast with full captions on our YouTube Channel\n--\n\nThis podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer\u2019s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support.