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Two prize winning early career researchers, Angelina Kancheva and Kalliopi Mavromati, share their experiences of attending the world's biggest dementia conference, the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC).
Last year, I was one of the researchers who took part in the Brain Health ARC Bio-Hermes Biomarker Data Challenge. I was very eager to explore this deeply characterised, exciting dataset and try to answer a clinically relevant research question that I am passionate about. I led a project looking at cardiovascular risk as a moderator of the relationship between blood-based Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and cognitive status. I was honoured to be among the winners of the Data Challenge awarded by Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation and, after a successful abstract application, I presented my project "Investigating Cardiovascular Risk as a Moderator of the Relationship between Blood-Based Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers and Cognitive Impairment – A Cross-sectional Analysis of Data from the Bio-Hermes Study" at AAIC 2025 in Toronto! I have to acknowledge the generous support of Guarantors of Brain and the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences who funded my conference attendance. READ MORE
For me, the absolute highlight of AAIC was the scale of the conference. I don't think I have ever attended such a big scientific meeting (and I've been privileged to present my research at various local and international conferences) - there was a special, palpable energy to it and, quite frankly, it was impossible not to feel inspired after a few days of great science and excellent talks on the state-of-the-art in dementia research. I was very keen to make the most of the conference and registered to attend the two pre-conference days as well, which featured a fantastic full day on fluid biomarkers and Alzheimer’s Imaging Consortium day.
I was also happy that my work was received very well and that I was able to make new connections, which could potentially lead to fruitful future collaborations. The networking at AAIC was crazy - it genuinely felt like a regular conference on steroids - everyone was there, willing to chat and discuss science, research, jobs, and what to do in Toronto. I also really enjoyed the additional fun activities on offer, particularly the energizing AAIC 5K at sunrise along lake Ontario! Now that I am approaching the final stages of my PhD, I have come to appreciate that I have been able to meet some great people through research from different backgrounds and walks of life. I can even call some of them friends! And connections matter so much in science and research! For me, the biggest challenge was putting myself out there and confidently approaching people to discuss potential postdoc opportunities or simply ask for a chat. The end of a PhD is a strange time; you have been in higher education for so long, particularly if you have done an undergraduate degree and a master's; you have so many years of experience behind you, yet, it feels like the real journey is only just beginning. Through my education, I have been fortunate to study in several different countries, which has allowed me to experience diverse research environments and cultures.
Going forward, I would like to establish myself as an independent researcher and I am currently working towards that goal and reflecting on the best next step. It is an exciting time, but also one that presents itself with additional challenges and difficulties. You have to think quite carefully about who you would want to be in the field where you want to learn, develop and grow, and choose who you work with as well. My main takeaway from AAIC 2025 is that the world is yours if you want it to be. One has to work very hard, with integrity, passion, and commitment, but hard work pays off. While I am scientifically minded, I also believe in serendipity, and I think that's a good word to summarise my conference! Hopefully, by next year's AAIC in London I will have several exciting professional updates to share, but for now, I am focusing on finishing up my PhD and preparing for the next big step!
The Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation (GAP) and Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative (ADDI) provided me with an opportunity I would have otherwise been completely unable to access, as I'm a research assistant but not a PhD student or an independent researcher (yet!). This means I am ineligible for most schemes that would enable my attendance at an international destination like Toronto. Thanks to this very generous gift, I was able to travel to Toronto with my colleague Stelios and attend all four days of the conference. It was also my first time crossing the Atlantic and the longest flight I have ever been on (7:30 hours from Glasgow to Toronto!) READ MORE
At AAIC, I had the opportunity to share what we achieved with the Data Challenge at a featured research session on data sharing. The session focused on infrastructure issues and data governance considerations, and GAP Foundation President, John Dwyer, and I shared the importance of empowering researchers and bringing together the research community to accelerate dementia research. It was an honour to share the podium with him and to be on a panel with leaders in the field, including Professor Sarah Bauermeister of Dementias Platform UK at the University of Oxford, who has inspired a lot of my professional development in the lead-up to the talk. Outside of research, I also had the opportunity to finally meet the GAP Foundation team with whom I worked throughout the challenge! The team have truly made me feel celebrated for my award and it was so exciting to connect in person.
Connecting with researchers from whom I have learned and want to learn so much from was the biggest highlight. From stimulating conversations about the pathogenic mechanisms over drinks at receptions, to envisioning equity in brain health research with Atlantic Fellows over delicious food, I felt inspired, invigorated, and "propelled forward" as someone important to me has once described my takeaways from events like this.
A highlight for me was getting to speak to the female scientists I look up to as an aspiring research leader. I'm thinking of the incredible Dr Lynne Hughes, the pioneering Dr Maura Malpetti, the wonderfully creative Dr Liz Yuanxi Lee, and my amazing friend (soon to be Dr) Angelina Kancheva. So many brilliant researchers dedicated time to discussing my research vision as I prepare for next steps to transition to research independence, and their perspectives, feedback, and questions have transformed my outlook on my own value as a researcher and the potential of my envisioned work programme to create change. Okay okay and Toronto was also just amazing. My room had a beautiful view out to the lake (which I then saw as I flew out to Boston at the end of the conference!) and I enjoyed getting a sunrise run in and feeling the city vibes after work, though I have to say I was a little scared when I got to the top of the CN tower! You can follow my instagram for vlogs that better capture the "vibes" and my bluesky for the most exciting scientific things I heard during the conference.
The experience was difficult for me as a neurodivergent adult and I find it impossible to discuss my attendance outside the context of how difficult it was to meet my support needs at a conference with a constantly running schedule between 0630 and 2300. It was clear that the organisers had made creating spaces for this purpose a priority, and that is appreciated, however the schedule demands were gruelling and the crowds were impossible to avoid. I feel vulnerable sharing this, but I required about 10 days isolation and exclusive working from home to regulate and return to my "normal". I am certain I am not alone in this, and I wish that needing time to recover after such experiences was normalised and supported by the teams to which professionals return after such experiences. Yes, I would travel a day before so I have more time to adjust, and I would prioritise things like my morning runs, even if it means ending evening activities a little early for some sleep. I would also get a sunflower pin (like my sunflower lanyard but in pin form) so I could have a discrete signal on my conference lanyard of my hidden disability so that it is clear I may need more time or space in some instances. I left the conference empowered to continue pursuing my research vision. I felt inspired by the scientific developments I got to hear about and I have no doubt that creative interdisciplinary leadership holds the key to future growth in my field of mapping pathogenesis before amnesic symptom onset. I felt proud to cheer on my friends, and seen by those who support me, a cherry on top of a uniquely transformative experience. Comments are closed.
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The Brain Health Alliance for Research Challenges is supported by the Scottish Funding Council.
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