Our governance & people

Tara Spires-Jones - President 2023-2025
Officer and Trustee
University of Edinburgh

Professor Tara Spires-Jones, DPhil(Oxon), FMedSci is Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on mechanisms of synapse degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. She discovered that soluble forms of the pathological proteins amyloid beta and tau contribute to synapse degeneration. Further, her group demonstrated that pathological forms of tau spread through the brain via synaptic connections. 

In addition to research, Prof Spires-Jones is passionate about communicating scientific findings to the public; increasing the rigour and reproducibility in translational neuroscience; promoting inclusivity and diversity in science; and supporting career development of neuroscientists. 

Rik Henson - Immediate Past-President 2023-2025
Officer and Trustee
University of Cambridge

Rik Henson is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, interested in the brain bases of memory, aging and dementia. His first degree in Natural Sciences at Cambridge was followed by a Masters in Artificial Intelligence in Edinburgh, before returning to Cambridge for a PhD. He held postdoctoral fellowships at University College London, where he developed expertise in neuroimaging. In 2004, he returned to the MRC Cognition & Brain sciences Unit in Cambridge, where he has been Deputy and Acting Director over the years. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and Director of the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience.

Trevor Bushell - Treasurer 2022-2026
Officer and Trustee
University of Strathclyde

Trevor Bushell studied Pharmacology at the University of Glasgow, which got him interested in neuroscience and how brain function can be modulated by GPCRs. This interest continued in his PhD at the University of Bristol looking at the effects of novel metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists and antagonists on neuronal function. Then, having obtained a Wellcome Trust International Travelling Fellowship, Trevor worked at the University of Chicago for 3 years and returned to work at Imperial College London in January 2000. He gained his first academic position at the University of Strathclyde in 2002, with his current research interests based on astrocytes, neuroinflammation and their role in CNS disorders. Trevor has been involved in BNA governance on and off for over 10 years. 

Alan Palmer - Independent Trustee 2022-2026
Trustee

Alan is an internationally recognised neuroscientist and award-winning biotech entrepreneur, specialising in neurodegenerative disorders. He is currently CEO of Elixa MediScience and serves as a trustee for organisations like One Nucleus, the BNA and Cancer Awareness Trust. Alan co-founded multiple biotech companies, including Cerebrus (now Vernalis) and Pharmidex. In 2005, he was named London Biotechnology Network Entrepreneur of the Year. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and the Learned Society of Wales, he has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers with more than 14,000 citations. His research, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury, has had a significant impact on the field. Alan holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Biochemistry, Neurochemistry and Neuroscience, respectively. 

Kevin has over 25 years of experience in the life science industry, covering a wide range of sectors such as fine chemicals, biomanufacturing (peptides/proteins/oligos), biomedical imaging, diagnostics and drug development. He has been CEO of a number of high growth biotechnology businesses and is the current Chairman of Zentraxa Limited, and former Chairman of ValiRx PLC (oncology), Biorelate Limited (AI/techbio) and Biotaspheric Limited (antimicrobial resistance). 

Kevin’s non-business roles have included Board membership of the BioIndustry Association, Chair of BioNow and membership of various government advisory boards. He is currently a NED of the British Neuroscience Association and sits on an Industry Advisory Board for the University of Manchester. 

Catherine Abbott - Research Policy 2022-2026
Trustee
University of Edinburgh

Cathy did her BSc and PhD at Reading University and MRC Harwell. She then moved to London to do a postdoc and then lectureship at UCL. She is now Professor of Mammalian Molecular Genetics at the University of Edinburgh, working on a rare genetic form of epilepsy. She is a member of the Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, serves on the Science Advisory Board of the Epilepsy Research Institute UK, was deputy chair of SP4 in REF2021, is on the Board of the NC3Rs and is a member of the BNA Council.

Mark Walton - Preclinical Neuroscience 2022-2026
Trustee
University of Oxford

Mark Walton is a Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience at the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, and also serves as the current British Neuroscience Association Trustee for Preclinical Neuroscience.  His research programme investigates the neural mechanisms underpinning motivation and adaptive decision making, with a particular focus on how neurochemicals such as dopamine regulate these processes on a moment-by-moment timescale in rodents.  His lab employs a multidisciplinary approach with a strong emphasis on behaviour, drawing inspiration from behavioural ecology, animal learning theory, neuroeconomics, and psychology, to unravel complex brain-behaviour relationships.  His studies are particularly known for pioneering the use of cutting-edge methods for recording and manipulating dopamine release in rodents during novel decision-making paradigms.  This work is helping to show how dopamine, in tandem with wider cortical-basal ganglia circuits, regulates when to act, when to persist, and when to switch to something new. 

POSITION VACANT - Clinical Scientist Representative for Neurology
 

Lindsey Sinclair - Clinical Scientist Representative for Psychiatry 2022-2026
University of Bristol

Lindsey is a clinical academic in old age psychiatry. After her medical training at the Royal Free Hospital, which included a BSc in Molecular Medicine she started her clinical training. She was lucky enough to work with Professor David Nutt in the Bristol Psychopharmacology unit during her core training in psychiatry. During her advanced training in Psychiatry she studied genetic influences on cognition, which formed the basis of her Wellcome Trust funded PhD. After her PhD she combined completing her clinical training in both general adult & old age psychiatry with postdoctoral research. She was awarded a junior fellowship by the Alzheimer's Society in 2019, which allowed her to focus on the complex relationship between depression and dementia.

Sandrine Willaime-Morawek - Education & Engagement Secretary 2023-2027
University of Southampton

Bethany Facer, Students & Early Careers Representative 2024-2028
Queen Mary, University of London

Dayne Beccano-Kelly - Joint Meetings Secretary and Co-Chair for the BNA2025 Programme Organising Committee
UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University

Gillian Stewart - Association of British Neurologists Representative

Gillian Stewart represents BNA members to the ABN - an organisation which aims to promote excellent standards of care and champion high-quality education and world-class research in neurology.

Laura Ajram – Chief Executive
laura.ajram(at)bna.org.uk

Dani Wijesinghe – Membership & Communities Manager
dani.wijesinghe(at)bna.org.uk

Fiona Parker – Marketing & Communications Manager
fiona.parker(at)bna.org.uk

Alexis Archer – Placement Student: Events Assistant
alexis.archer(at)bna.org.uk

Nina McLean – Placement Student: Marketing Assistant
nina.mclean(at)bna.org.uk