This page aims at featuring our early careers researchers. Please feel free to browse through their pages. They all answered several questions regarding their career path and interests.
Lydia Velzian
Position: PhD Student
University of Auckland
Blood biomarkers, miRNA, protein, extra-cellular vesicles, pre-symptomatic FTD, genetic FTD, MAPT mutation
📧 [email protected]
What is your area of research as it relates to FTD?
I am searching for potential blood based biomarkers within a pre-symptomatic FTD family carrying a MAPT mutation.
What inspired you to do FTD research?
We have an FTD family that approached the Centre for Brain Research asking for inclusion in research. The family themselves are what continuously inspires me to do this work.
What challenges have you faced in FTD research?
Dealing with a small cohort has it’s challenges in terms of statistical power but being part of the wider FPI group helps to mitigate these challenges. I think generally the heterogeneity in FTD makes it particularly challenging to discern how the disease develops and manifests.
What hopes do you have for FTD research?
I hope that collaborations can continue to occur so that answers to the most pressing questions within all FTD subtypes come to light quickly.
