Close
Senior academic and early career 2022-23 staff promotions
30 June 2023
Huge congratulations to the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology staff who have been awarded a promotion in this year's promotions round.
Promotions are awarded to staff showing exceptional talent and commitment to UCL's mission. The success of our staff represents the huge amount of talent they share and their commitment to furthering the field of brain sciences.
We now have four new Professors, one new Professorial Research Fellow, one new Professor (Teaching), four new Principal Research Fellows, one new Associate Professor (Teaching), ten new Senior Research Fellows, and five new Research Fellows.
"I want to warmly congratulate all colleagues from the Institute of Neurology who have been promoted. This is a very major achievement and reflects the excellent research, teaching and citizenship of all these colleagues.” Professor Michael Hanna, Director, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
The following promotions are effective from 1st October 2023.
Professors
Dr Beate Diehl (Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Professor of Neurophysiology applied to Epilepsy): "I am delighted that my research in epilepsy surgery and reducing the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy has been recognised by UCL/Queen Square Institute for Neurology. It has been a privilege to lead the team in improving the diagnostic methods we use to identify the people who will benefit most from surgical interventions to control their seizures and I look forward to representing UCL nationally and internationally as we continue to apply our research to improve the lives of people with epilepsy."
Dr Gabriele Lignani (Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Professor of Translational Neuroscience): “ I am very happy to have been promoted Professor of Translational Neuroscience at IoN. I would like to profoundly thank my mentors, lab members, colleagues and family because is thanks to them I achieved this important step in my career”.
Dr Robert Pitceathly (Neuromuscular Diseases, Professor of Clinical Neurology and Mitochondrial Medicine): “I’m absolutely delighted to have been promoted to Professor of Clinical Neurology and Mitochondrial Medicine. This achievement is testament to the hard work of my incredibly talented research team and the support and patience I have received from my mentors, clinical colleagues, friends, and (last but not least) wonderful family.”
Dr Rimona Weil (Neurodegenerative Disease, Professor of Neurology): "I am honoured and humbled to be promoted to Professor of Neurology at UCL. I am very much indebted to my incredibly talented team, wonderful colleagues and mentors, and hugely supportive family and friends. I look forward to continuing to work on understanding how dementia happens in Parkinson’s disease".
Professorial Research Fellow
Dr Declan Chard (Neuroinflammation): “I am very grateful to the research participants, my colleagues and funders. Without their generous support my promotion would not have happened.”
Professor (Teaching)
Dr Tim Young (IoN Central Administration): "I am very thankful to be professor (teaching) at the IoN. I hope that this role, together with my recent Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, will help me to further develop medical education opportunities at the IoN and beyond, starting with the new iBSc in Clinical Neurology & Brain Sciences this autumn".
Principal Research Fellows
Dr Arman Eshaghi (Neuroinflammation): “I am excited and energised to continue to contribute to the emerging field of computational neurology in a new capacity. I thank all mentors, colleagues and students within and outside UCL without whose dedication and support this would have not been possible.”
Dr Keir Yong (Neurodegenerative Disease): "I would like to thank the Queen Square IoN Executive and UCL for supporting my promotion to principal research fellow. I started at the IoN in 2010 where I have greatly benefitted from collaborations and support across the Departments of Neurodegenerative Disease, Clinical and Movement Neurosciences and Brain Repair and Rehabilitation. I am very grateful to work at the Dementia Research Centre with my team investigating posterior cortical atrophy ('visual-variant Alzheimer's disease') - as well as with the Whole-body sensorimotor laboratory and recently established SENSE research unit."
Dr James Sleigh (Neuromuscular Diseases): “I am delighted and honoured to be promoted to Principal Research Fellow. I would like to thank my family, my fantastic team, wonderful collaborators, a truly supportive Department, and the incredible, enduring mentorship of Gipi Schiavo.”
Dr Robert Wykes (Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy)
Early Career Research
Senior Research Fellows
Stefano Benvegnu : “I feel very proud and pleased for my recent promotion to Senior Research Fellow in UCL. I will continue to put all my efforts in order to progress UCL’s scientific and research achievements ”.
Viorica Chelban : "I am honoured and humbled to have been promoted. I am grateful to the support of my team, mentors and family!"
Emma Harding : I’m delighted to continue my research into psychosocial support for people with rarer dementias at the Queen Square Institute of Neurology as a Senior Research Fellow – it’s a real confidence boost and honour. I’m especially grateful to all the wonderful colleagues who have championed and supported me to get here".
Samuel Harris : “I’m delighted to be promoted to Senior Research Fellow and grateful to my group leader, Marc Aurel Busche, for his mentorship and guidance throughout. I’d also like to thank Karen Duff, Centre Director of the UK DRI at UCL, and the Institute Promotions Panel, for supporting my application, and of course Faculty for endorsing my promotion. I look forward to continuing my research alongside all the amazing people at the Cruciform Building and the wider UK DRI!”
Olga Kopach : 'I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be a part of QS IoN, where I have the privilege of working alongside a remarkable community of researchers. Throughout my years at DCEE, their consistent support and inspiration have played a vital role in my professional growth. I am thankful to Prof. Rusakov's lab members and collaborators for their invaluable guidance and encouragement. '
Aitana Sogorb Esteve : “I am extremely pleased to have been awarded the promotion to Senior Research Fellow at the IoN. It has been a bumpy road but I could not have achieved it without the amazing support of the fluid biomarker team, my supervisors, my department and my funders Race Against Dementia.”
Christina Toomey: "I am thrilled to have been recognised for my achievements and promoted to Senior Research Fellow. I would like to express many thanks to my mentors and supervisors Prof. Tammaryn Lashley and Prof. Sonia Gandhi as well as everybody in both labs that have helped me get to this point today. I am truly grateful"
Jenna Carpenter
Micol Falabella
Research Fellows
Naomi Hannaway : "I'm thrilled to have been promoted to Research Fellow. Thanks to my supervisor Rimona Weil and to the rest of the team for their support."
Jemima Phillips : "I am so grateful for the opportunity to be promoted to Research Fellow - I felt very supported and informed throughout the process and I think it's great that UCL is giving researchers the opportunity to progress with their research and career even with or without a PhD."
Rebecca Street : “I am delighted to have been promoted to Research Fellow. As a member of the IoN’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Career Development sub-committee, I have worked to improve awareness of the promotion criteria and I hope that my own promotion will encourage other Research Assistants to apply for a promotion early in their careers, before starting a PhD.”
Claire Waddington : ‘I am thrilled to be promoted to a Research Fellow. I would like to thank everyone at the Dementia Research Centre and my wonderful colleagues at Rare Dementia Support for their ongoing and incredibly valued support.’
Olivia Wood : “I am deeply honoured, humbled, and incredibly excited to be promoted to Research Fellow at the Dementia Research Centre. A huge thank you to my wonderful colleagues at Rare Dementia Support who truly inspire me daily. Throughout my years at UCL my team have showed me patience, guided and motivated me. Thank you for supporting me wholeheartedly.”
