Newcastle University

Our Ageing Story - Interviews

The interviews below introduce the people behind our ageing story or you can read our ageing story and see how they have contributed.

Graham Armitage, Deputy Director of the Newcastle Initiative on Changing Age

“For small and medium sized businesses it’s about waking up to that fact the world is changing around you, with the population ageing and their needs being neglected."

Prof David Burn, Director of the Institute for Ageing and Health (IAH)

“It is part of our vision of making a real difference to the care and well-being of older people."

Tim Cawston, William Leech Professor of Rheumatology

"We need good imaging, so we can tell how quickly joints are deteriorating...if we succeed in these things it will make a huge difference to a very large number of people."

Patrick Chinnery, Professor of Neurogenetics, Director of the Institute of Genetic Medicine and Director of the Biomedical Research Centre

"We are moving to a situation where genetics will allow us to provide personalised healthcare for people based upon a detailed and deep knowledge of the blueprint that made them up."

Lynne Corner, Director of Engagement, Newcastle Initiative on Changing Age

“It’s all about how we value the contribution and the capability of older people, and understand their needs and aspirations."

Professor Eric Cross, Dean of Cultural Affairs

"Visual arts, music and creative writing can have a measurable impact on the well-being of older people."

Jim Edwardson, Retired Professor of Neuroendocrinology

“The first thing is to have ideas and innovation.....scientists working together and with the public."

Peter Gore, Professor of Practice and founder of ADL Smartcare

“We’re about healthy ageing here, so we want to get help to people before they’re desperate, because that’s how they age better."

Carol Jagger, AXA Professor of Epidemiology of Ageing

"The emphasis at Newcastle University is on the causes of ageing and age related disease, and interventions to improve the healthy old age experienced by people."

Oliver James, Retired Professor of Hepatology

"Today stroke and dementia are two of the most important initiatives research and development areas in the NHS."

Professor Tom Kirkwood, Associate Dean for Ageing

"Ageing is the biggest challenge as we progress further into the 21st century."

Derek Mann, Professor of Hepatology

"If you can find ways of promoting regeneration when it is diminished, as in an older person, then you will be able to counteract the fibrotic process."

Ian McKeith, Professor of Old Age Psychiatry

"Twenty years ago people would have said there’s nothing you can do about dementia. Now we are in a position where there are many things we can do."

John Mathers, Professor of Human Nutrition

"The process of ageing is so complex; it’s not the domain of any one science. So you need people approaching it from a number of different perspectives if we are to make progress."

Mike Morgan, Business Development Manager of Changing Age for Business

“The opportunities this offers are so exciting that I’ve invented a phrase for it: the Silicon Valley for Ageing. I think it has that kind of potential in the years ahead."

Dr Steve Parry, Clinical Director for the Medical Directorate in the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

"We have lots of people who come through the Falls Service who haven't been outside their homes for years, because they are so worried about falling over...Often that fear is out of line with their physical abilities, which can be very good, but the fear of falling acts as a paralysing agent."

Dr Joao Passos, Research Fellow

"When I came to Newcastle I was impressed by everything I saw. So I thought, this is the place I want to be."

Louise Robinson GP, Professor of Primary Care and Ageing

"It would be difficult to find anywhere in this country where there would be the same professional buzz, skills mix and facilities to do this as there now is in Newcastle."

Lynn Rochester, Professor of Human Movement Science

"Being in Newcastle University absolutely facilitates all the essential connections that enable me to work within a complex multi-disciplinary team."

Mike Trenell, Professor of Movement and Metabolism

"We’ve got the top qualified clinical physical activity and exercise team in the UK."

Doug Turnbull, Professor of Neurology

"Because I’m a clinician I want to see something that makes a difference to patients and contribute to lifelong health."

Thomas von Zgliniki, Professor of Cellular Gerontology

"We are at a point now where we significantly better understand what ageing in a multi-cellular organism really is, and where it comes from."

Paul Watson, Professor of Computing Science

"What we try to do is to take cutting edge digital technologies and apply them in directions that typically technology companies don’t do."