Biography
Dr Fiona Kerr is a Lecturer in Molecular Pharmacology at Edinburgh Napier University, with a focus on studying the molecular links between ageing and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Previously, she undertook her PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, investigating the connections between diabetes mellitus and AD pathology using cell culture and animal models, then spent 10 years as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Institute of Health Ageing, University College London, where she investigated the role of longevity genes in preventing AD pathology using the fruit fly, Drosophila Melanogaster. As a Research Fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University, and now as lecturer at Edinburgh Napier, Fiona is leading her own research, which aims to translate her findings to human systems using neuronal cell culture models. Her work has involved extensive collaborations nationally & internationally, and has been funded by a GCU Research Fellowship & PhD studentship, pilot funding from Tenovus Scotland & Alzheimer's Research UK, Vacation Studentships from the Biochemical Society & the Wellcome Trust and ENU Research Excellence Grants (2016, 2021).
Outside of the lab Fiona is a member of the Alzheimer’s Research UK Scotland Network Centre, Public Engagement Lead for the SFC Brain Health Alliance for Research Challenge, a Carnegie Research Trust Research Assessor (Science, Engineering & Technology Panel), a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland and European Crucible Alumni. Finally, she is passionate about communicating science to a wide range of audiences, and has been actively involved in Public Engagement activities at the Royal Society, the Science Museum (London), and the British Library, as well as in the local community as part of Glasgow Science Festival and GCU Community Science Day events.