Dr Jiménez’s career journey: From Dementia MSc student to researcher and national advisor

What first attracted you to the MSc Dementia course in 2016?

What first attracted me to the MSc was the opportunity to study at UCL, especially at the UCL Institute of Neurology, which is a major centre for neuroscience research. At that time, I was looking for a chance to visit the UCL Dementia Research Centre (DRC) because of its importance in the field of cognition and dementia. I was interested in the genetic basis of Alzheimer’s disease and the variety of clinical presentations, both of which have been extensively developed at the DRC. I consider myself very fortunate that the MSc was launched that year, allowing me to apply just in time to receive a scholarship from the Chilean government. Another important aspect of the course is its integration of both neuroscience and psychiatry, which provides a broad view of dementia research across various disciplines, from drug discoveries to public policies and care. This is especially helpful for someone new to dementia research. Additionally, the course offers the opportunity to attend lectures and seminars with UCL clinicians and researchers who are world leaders in the field.

Can you share what you enjoyed the most about the course?

It is difficult to pinpoint just one aspect because the whole program is so interesting. However, as a clinician, I particularly enjoyed the clinical rounds at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Queen Square. The hospital is a renowned institution for neurologists worldwide, and it was a great experience for me to participate in the clinical activities and meetings as part of the course. I believe that the blend of research and clinical activities is one of the course’s distinctive features, and it was the aspect I enjoyed the most. This is an important consideration for anyone looking for a program that is not purely theoretical but includes clinical activities, and I highly recommend it for people with a clinical background pursuing a career in dementia. I would also highlight how inspirational it was to meet so many people working in dementia research at UCL, as well as students from different countries. It was an invaluable opportunity to learn from each other and recognise the magnitude of the public issue that dementia represents worldwide.

You pursued a career in dementia research following the course, do you feel as through the course gave you a good foundation to build your own research career?

The course gave me a comprehensive view of dementia research at a crucial moment in my early research career. There are many research approaches and methods, and the course helped me understand which ones suited me best and how to kick off my career as a researcher. I worked on structural imaging techniques for my thesis, an experience that had a significant impact on my future research career. I also expanded my knowledge on statistical methods. I believe the course was a very good starting point that offered me a variety of alternatives for pursuing a career in dementia research. In my case, after completing the MSc, I continued working at the UCL Dementia Research Centre with Prof. Nick Fox to complete clinical research training. I worked with Prof. Fox’s team on familial Alzheimer’s disease and with Prof. Jason Warren on frontotemporal dementia. All these experiences contributed to establishing my own research career, and I’m very grateful to the MSc for opening so many doors for me.

What research projects are you currently working on?

I’m working on several projects at the moment, although it was a rocky start because I returned to Chile in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. However, the difficult context encouraged collaboration with other colleagues working on neurodegeneration to establish a laboratory at the University of Chile (NODO lab). This was an important step in my career and fortunately, I received a grant from the Chilean government to develop a research project on familial Alzheimer’s disease, aiming to track early brain changes in mutation carriers using non-invasive neurophysiological techniques. Linked to this project, I’m also collaborating with the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Disease Network (DIAN), participating in an international effort to improve diagnosis and genetic counselling for this particular group of patients in Latin America. Although familial AD is my main research line, I’m also involved in a project led by Prof. Jason Warren at UCL, focusing on primary progressive aphasia. Apart from these research projects, I have been advising the Chilean Ministry of Health on the implementation of the national plan for dementia, which is one of the first national plans in Latin America.

What do you find most exciting/interesting about dementia research at the moment?

I think it is a very exciting time for dementia research. There are many groups collaborating with a multidisciplinary approach, which I believe is the best way to address such a complex public health issue. Research on epidemiology and prevention is highlighting the importance of modifiable vascular risk factors from midlife, compelling decision-makers to adopt a lifelong perspective in public policies. This is one of the clues for effective interventions at population level. On the other hand, from a neuroscientific perspective we are beginning to bridge the gap between early brain changes and the clinical presentation of the disease. In Alzheimer’s disease in particular, there is a significant challenge in trying to understand the exact mechanisms leading to neurodegeneration after amyloid deposition. The knowledge about pre-clinical stages of the disease is continuously growing and it is a good example of how research impacts clinical practice, as we are transitioning from the era of clinical diagnosis to an era of biomarkers that allow for early diagnosis, even before the first clinical manifestations. This is probably the most important shift in dementia research at the moment, as it is shaping how we approach the disease. I think it is clear that we have a great opportunity to intervene in neurodegeneration. Taking all this evidence into account, I’m confident we are moving towards better treatment and care, moving away from old nihilistic approaches.