Vida Nazemian
PhD Student, Department of Anatomy & Physiology
What does your research focus on and why is it important?
The focus of my research studies has been on neuroinflammation and inflammatory pain, including Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis, and finding suitable therapies such as targeting inflammatory markers and neurotrophic factors in these conditions. Arthritis is the most prevalent joint disease in the world, and it is estimated that it will affect 78 million people by 2040, which is going to increase due to the obesity epidemic and the ageing of the population. So it imposes a significant burden, both in terms of quality of life and cost, on patients and health care systems worldwide. However, arthritis is still late diagnosed in the disease process and disease-modifying treatments are not efficacious enough. Thus, finding suitable therapies for patients experiencing inflammatory pain like arthritis is needed.
What did you learn from your biggest mistake?
Working as a scientist is not easy and we always face challenges in our research but with perseverance and hard work, we have the ability to solve life-changing problems. So, NEVER GIVE UP!
How do you see your area of research evolving in the next five years?
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that we need to work hard to find novel therapies for different types of diseases. None of us want to experience lockdown again and see many people passing away from such diseases. So, with increased investment in medical research areas such as these, the future is looking promising.