Unravelling Dementia: Dr Teresa Niccoli’s Lunch Hour Lecture

Dr Teresa Niccoli, Associate Professor at UCL’s Institute of Healthy Ageing, recently delivered a Lunch Hour Lecture titled “Unravelling Dementia: What Can a Tiny Fly Teach Us About Our Brains?”. The session was introduced and hosted by Dr Kerri Kinghorn.

In the lecture, Dr Niccoli explored how fruit flies can help researchers understand why some brain cells die in dementia while others remain resilient. She highlighted her team’s work on selective vulnerability and the potential of repurposed drugs, such as metformin, to protect neurons from degeneration.

The talk offered a clear and engaging overview of how small model organisms can provide big insights into the biology of dementia and inform future therapeutic strategies.

The full lecture can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ3leNmLdqQ

Dr Teresa Niccoli